will@cvradio.com The Minister of Arts and Culture, Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, presided over the event at the Molyko Sport complex. ADS The Bakweris, Isubus, Bakundus, Bafaws, Bakossis, Mbos among other ethnic groups drawn from the six administrative divisions of the South West are at a cultural display at the Molyko Sport esplanade. They are showcasing their strength in their rich traditional patrimony whichcomprised of architecture, music, folklore, gastronomy, traditional medicines among others. The Minister of Arts and Culture, Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, who opened the second edition of the South West Cultural Festival in Buea on December 9, 2017, said that it is a collective responsibility of chiefs and parents to transmit their culture to their offspring. The Minister said that the South West Cultural Festival is a laudable initiative where cultural heritage is revived, promoted and valorised. To achieve this, he said that peace and security are needed. Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi paid homage to South West celebrated artists among whom are Tatah Kingue, Njume Loko, Maxs Sakwe Lyonga for taking the culture to the global village. The President of South West Chiefs Conference, Nfon V. E. Mukete said that the festival is expected to be a snapshot of multiculturalism and living together. He applauded the event organisers, saying culture is what matters and people should never depart from it. Fako traditional rulers poured libation appeasing the gods for a hitch-free cultural jamboree celebrated on them theme, transmitting our culture to the younger generation, a call for mobilisation. The Minister, traditional rulers and South West administrative authorities were entreated to traditional dishes from the South West. Folklore singing, dancing and display of traditional artifacts, joined by ethnic groups from the North West Region set the ball rolling in Buea. Kunyui NGONMENYUI ADS | BY Lynchy | The Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), via agency Cummins&Partners, Melbourne, has launched a new recruitment campaign aimed at attracting Australias next generation of intelligence officers. Featuring a series of mind-bending audio and visual challenges, The Most Interesting Job Interview is an interactive interview that gives ordinary Australians the chance to step into the shoes of an aspiring ASIS Intelligence Officer. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, who launched the campaign, said the interview was designed to attract those who might never have considered a career in secret intelligence: Not many people know much about the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. This makes it difficult to recruit the right people to work in the fields of intelligence and espionage. What were looking for is people from a diverse range of backgrounds people who have got a curious outlook, and obviously intelligent. You have to be resilient, be prepared to work overseas but always acting in Australias national interest. The classified nature of the agencys work, combined with Hollywood spy-movie stereotypes, often gives the public a false impression of what working in intelligence is actually like. When speaking to the media Ms Bishop said It is not quite James Bond and driving an Aston Martin. Officers are involved in gathering intelligence for issues like counter terrorism, people smuggling, and following people who might be a threat to Australia. Tom Ward, Chief Strategy Officer at Cummins & Partners said the agency worked closely with ASIS in order to design challenges that filtered out anyone who didnt fit a very specific personality profile: We know ASIS Intelligence Officers have excellent people skills, are great lateral thinkers, and notice things that others dont. So our challenge was to build an online experience that tested these very human abilities in a creative, yet psychologically credible way. But while the interview might be a simulation, it also has real-world implications, with high performing candidates receiving an application code that they can use to inform ASIS assessors of their performance. The idea to pressure test candidates with a job interview came from some now infamous recruitment techniques of the worlds largest corporations. You hear stories about Google and Facebook throwing all kinds of left-field questions at applicants in job interviews. But compared to being an Intelligence Officer at ASIS, those jobs are a walk in the park, said Ward. A virtual job interview is a great way to introduce a really interesting career to Australians in a way we can all relate to. It also demonstrates that working in secret intelligence requires a more human type of intelligence not a chiselled jaw or action-movie reflexes! The campaign and Julie Bishop have already featured on Sunrise, The Project, The Today Show and Sky News. Intriguingly, it has also gained rapid global interest appearing on CNN NY and news programs in Germany, France and Spain. Client: Australian Secret Intelligence Service Creative Agency: Cummins & Partners, Melbourne Digital Production: Cummins & Partners Film &VFX: Pixel Melbourne Sound Studio: Risk Sound | BY Ricki Green | Bench has announced the appointment of Dan Johns who joins the business as an independent board advisor to spearhead the companys new enterprise division. Following a four-year stint at IPG Mediabrands, Johns will now act as a key advisor to Bench, supporting the companys growth across the Asia Pacific region. Johns is a communications industry executive with nearly 25 years of experience gained in both Australia and the UK. In his previous role, Johns oversaw strategy and operations across the IPG Mediabrands Australia group. Prior to IPG Mediabrands, Johns was the CEO of Ikon Communications and has been a long-standing board member of the Media Federation of Australia. Johns appointment comes at an important time for Bench, recently ranked 101st in the 2017 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific Index. This follows the companys second annual win in the Deloitte Australia Fast 50 awards. Says Johns: It is clear that the marketing industry transformation that has been spoken about for so long is now underway. Ive been fortunate to spend the last few months meeting many businesses from all sides of the industry to understand who is best placed to drive this change. Bench is an incredibly innovative and ambitious company whose capabilities both brands and agencies are in need of globally. I greatly look forward to assisting the business during the next exciting stage of its journey. With the increased fragmentation of advertising channels, marketers want to gain control over their media budgets and technology platforms. As programmatic becomes the main method for buying media, planning and managing campaigns becomes increasingly more complex. Bench allows advertisers to quickly experiment with messages across multiple channels faster, and more safely, than ever before to find those that truly resonate with their customers. The launch of the Bench enterprise division will let large advertisers take advantage of the programmatic revolution while placing control of media spend firmly in their hands. Benchs current customer roster consists of iconic local and global brands such as Epson, Murdoch University, RSPCA, Oz Lotteries, 20th Century Fox, SBS & Medtronic. Says Ori Gold, CEO, Bench: Were very excited to have Dan join us and bring his wealth of experience to the Bench team. Dans involvement will help us show enterprise clients how they can maximise their media potential by giving them a platform that allows them to safely experiment and get results with their digital advertising faster than ever before. Dans understanding of the media landscape combined with the AI-powered capabilities of the Bench platform will enable enterprise brands and agencies to take control of their marketing decisions. | BY Ricki Green | For the second year in a row ideas and innovation agency, AKQA, has partnered with Monash University and Muscular Dystrophy Australia to bring to life the imaginative Christmas ornaments of kids with muscular dystrophy with the launch of Little Miracles. For most kids, making Christmas decorations is a simple, fun activity thats taken for granted. Thousands of Australian kids are affected by muscular dystrophy and these simple things like making and decorating a Christmas ornament is a lot harder to do. Affecting 1 in every 625 Aussies, muscular dystrophy is a muscle-destroying disorder that slowly takes away your muscles, mobility and quality-of-life. But it doesnt take away your imagination. Off the back of its 2016 Christmas campaign, Muscular Dystrophy Australia got its imaginative kids to design Christmas ornaments called Little Miracles. They were also asked to name their ornament and tell its story. Then, Monash Universitys design students and engineers used 3D printing technology to turn digital blueprints into physical copies of each Little Miracle. Beautiful packaging gave each ornament its own personality. Says Muscular Dystrophy Australia: These ornaments arent miracles until someone buys them and funds a real miracle a cure for Muscular Dystrophy. So this Christmas, if you need to buy a small gift that makes a big difference whether its for KK or a stocking filler bring a Little Miracle to life. All profits go towards finding a cure. Leading to the early onset of debilitating heart, breathing and mobility complications, its common for those living with the disorder to be fully dependent on a wheelchair by age eight a time when most kids run free without a care in the world. | BY Ricki Green | Sydney independent creative agency, LOUD, has today launched a new campaign to highlight the importance of water safety as we head back into Summer. The campaign will run across social, film content, radio, press and Spotify. Last Summer a staggering 41 people in NSW died as a result of drowning making it the second most-deadly Summer on record in the last 10 years. Between Christmas and New Year, a time when families should be celebrating, NSW witnessed 17 fatalities in just 9 days. An unbelievable 325% increase in drownings against the 10 year average. This devastating spike prompted the NSW Government to create a public awareness campaign for water safety. The campaign is centred around the three key risk factors; drinking and taking drugs around water, particularly rivers, swimming at unpatrolled beaches and parents leaving their kids unsupervised around water. LOUDs campaign objective is simple help reduce the number of drowning deaths in NSW this Summer, whilst contributing to the long term national goal of reducing drowning deaths by 50% by 2020. Says Gerry Cyron, head of planning and innovation, LOUD: When people die in road accidents, it is part of our culture to show our grief by placing crosses and flowers at the sight where they died. As a passing driver, you cant help but to slow down, impacted by the loss of another humans life. We borrowed from this cultural insight and applied it to drowning to warn others about the danger that can lie in familiar waters. Says Wellison DAssuncao, creative director, LOUD: Its a very nice way to end the year for LOUD. What makes me really proud about this body of work is that weve retained it for the second year and we again get to make a difference over what will be another hot Summer for NSW. Client: Senior Communications and Engagement Adviser: Alex Power LOUD team: CEO: Lorraine Jokovic Head of Planning and Innovation: Gerry Cyron Creative Director: Wellison DAssuncao Art Director: Kate Shearer, Wellison DAssuncao Copywriter: Rosie Stone Digital: Tom Hartney Social: Sarah Mould Head of Production: Steve Dube Group Account Director: Gemma Tugby Senior Account Manager: Laura Tenison Production Team: Production Company: Flipp Producer: Clinton Bell Photographer and Film: Jem Cresswell Retouching: Ian Connor Visual State Stylist: Cherith Crozier Radio Production: Uncanny Valley Producer: Emily Green | BY Ricki Green | This month, media agency Bohemia launches Whats your Calling? in creative partnership with Australias leading online educator Open Colleges. The new campaign marks the official re-brand of the new School of Health in Perth and Adelaide. Through a series of testimonials, appearing in digital, social media and out of home formats, the new campaign shines a light on why people enter the healthcare, aged care and disability industries using real-life case studies to share emotive stories of what attracted them to a career in these industries and to encourage others to find their purpose. Says Alexis Watt, CEO, Open Colleges School of Health: In conversation with our students, we repeatedly discovered that they were attracted to these industries through either a personal experience or an intrinsic desire to care for others. With a myriad of powerful stories at our fingertips, we decided to pose the question Whats your calling? The new campaign focuses on the reasons why people enter the healthcare, aged care and disability industries finding a career with purpose where they can help others. These students are not just looking for a job, rather they are following their calling. Says Watt: We believe this approach to the campaign supported by the images of real-life School of Health students finding their true calling and following their passion, will help inspire those interested in a career in caring. Human interest stories can be such a powerful tool in storytelling. We wanted to use environments that allowed us to not just share students emotive journey to studying healthcare, but left viewers with a lingering after thought of, whats my calling? Says Chris Christofi, head of strategy, Bohemia: This campaign reflects Open Colleges desire to do more than just sell courses but to inspire people to pursue their passions or as we like to think of it find their awesome. The Whats your calling campaign commenced in Adelaide and Perth. Media Planning: Mark Echo, Alex Connell, Josh Harrison, Bohemia Group Creative and Design: Leanne Serra and Benjie Wales, Open Colleges Branding and Marketing Strategy: Nick Coulman, Open Colleges | BY Lynchy | For 15 years Gary Caulfield (Arcade Indonesia CEO and Co-founder pictured left) has organised an industry Christmas lunch in Jakarta. This years event took place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel last Friday. The annual event was attended by agency and production friends, who celebrated the 15th anniversary of the lunch late into the night. Monday, December 18, 2017 at 1:06AM Youve probably gotten used to saying Ok Google to wake Google Assistant on your device but that doesnt mean it gets any less awkward to say. Google has been testing out the hotword Hey Google on phones since October on a handful of devices. Now, Google seems to be bringing this to more devices. A notification has been showing up for more people prompting them to re-setup the voice part of Google Assistant so your phone can recognize your voice when you say Hey Google. Once you do this, your device will respond to either Ok Google or Hey Google when you want to launch Google Assistant or Google Search. You can also head to Settings > Phone > Voice model within the Google app to check if you have access to the feature already. Source: Android Police "We're thinking ahead and going well, classrooms and schools and budgets don't happen overnight, if we don't do something about it now then the kids are going to not be in a particularly good space come 2020 and beyond," the spokeswoman said. "Nurse practitioners are able to independently treat patients, including children. With their extensive experience and training they are able to assess and plan patient care, order and interpret test results, prescribe medications and refer patients onto other relevant healthcare providers," Ms Fitzharris said. "What we can say in relation to the location where the male was located is that he is not from that address. And it appears that he has made his way to that location to seek assistance," he said. "This includes not only an appropriate number of judges at the courts, but also adequate funding for the many other supportive functions of the courts, and initiatives like restorative justice." This lot are all over religious freedoms when it comes to gay marriage but not keen to defend the right to political beliefs and advocacy. The government is determined to mute the charities that challenge harmful policies and their effect on our bodies and land. I should be Christmassy and cheerful but this government isn't taking time off from its agenda of crushing criticism. The silencing bill, also known as the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017, was introduced on December 7. When the Toyota Raize came into the picture early this year , it commanded the kind of attention that made you think of it as possibly just ... Toyota are selling the 86 with the GT prefix throughout Europe, with no major styling or technical differences to the one offered on our shores. However, the GT moniker is coming to North America too, though as a new trim level for the 2018MY, reports CarsDirect, citing a leaked order guide. The 2018 Toyota 86 GT (not to be confused with Europes GT 86) brings new leather upholstery on the seats, steering wheel, and parking brake handle, with silver contrast stitching, heated front seats, multi-function steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, push-button start, and an anti-theft device. Elsewhere, all models get a tweaked version of the 4.2-inch infotainment system, which displays the G-force meter, tachometer, torque output, and temperature, whereas the modified LED fog lamps at the front, an underbody aerodynamic panel, and body-color accents complete it. The reports says that the 2018 Toyota 86 GT will go on sale from $29,280, including a $895 destination charge, for the six-speed manual gearbox version, while the six-speed automatic model can be had with a $720 premium. Its worth noting that the Subaru BRZ, offers most of these comfort features for less, as it can be had from $28,465 in the range-topping Limited grade. Note: 2017 Toyota 86 pictured PHOTO GALLERY BMW looks set to overcome Audi to become the best-selling luxury carmaker in China, Automotive News reports. In the first 11 months of the year, BMW sales in China have soared by 15 per cent to 542,362 units, a trend that continued into November where a 12 per cent increase in sales was recorded. By comparison, Audi sales this year have dropped by 2.1 per cent to 528,706 units while Mercedes-Benz has overtaken Audi as the countrys second-best selling luxury car marque, selling 539,728 vehicles so far in 2017. BMW, like its German foes, is well aware of the importance of the Chinese market and is currently in talks with Great Wall Motor to establish a joint venture to build vehicles in the country. While neither BMW or Great Wall have announced specifics about the possible joint venture, analysts expect to see the two automakers building EVs throughout China under a new brand name in a set up similar to Denza, a joint carmaker operated by Mercedes-Benz and BYD. PHOTO GALLERY Recently, Ford has announced plans of halting North American production for the current-generation Fusion, shifting manufacturing to China starting in 2020. At this point in time, its unclear whether or not Ford will actually stop selling the Fusion altogether in the U.S., replace it with a new model or just build it elsewhere, reports Autonews. All this comes at a time in which automakers are focusing more and more on utility vehicles and Ford is going about their business in a similar fashion. In fact, the American automaker plans on adding five new crossover nameplates by 2020. This shift could spell doom for smaller models such as the Fiesta, currently built in Mexico. Furthermore, Focus production will be moving from Michigan to China, C-Max output will end in 2018 and the U.S. version of the Taurus is expected to go quietly into the night at some point. As for the Fusion, it would be the highest-volume nameplate to go out of production in North America because of the crossover boom Ford has sold more than 2.7 million Fusions in the U.S. since the model was first introduced back in 2005. Right now, sales are down 22% through November for the Fusion, compared to the general 16% slide registered for the mid-size segment. With no plans to export the next-gen Fusion/Mondeo from China to North America and Europe, their future remains unknown on a global scale. PHOTO GALLERY After nearly 60 years, Holden stopped producing cars at its plant in Elizabeth, Australia, at the end of this past October. So whats to become of the sprawling site? Well, its going to use part of the site to store spare parts. And its going to open a museum and restaurant on site as well. But the rest of it is being turned into a business park. The automaker announced it has sold the plant to Melbourne-based developer Pelligra Group, which plans to turn it into the Lionsgate Business Park. Drawing its name from Holdens logo, Lionsgate will hopefully create enough jobs to offset the shuttering of the auto plant. But that likely depends more on the tenants than on either the developer or the automaker. Holden will retain ownership of the site through mid-2019 so it can take down all its equipment and complete the contamination assessment that started back in 2012. After that, Pelligra will take over, leasing the parts warehouse back to Holden. Plans are still apparently being drawn up for what will be called the Redline Cafe & Museum, where visitors will be able to relive the glory days of automobile manufacturing in Australia that have now drawn to an end. Photo Gallery Mike Bell's letter (ICBC head moving on, Dec.11) is insightful and accurate. Hopefully, it will spur others to scrutinize those in office that control our families cost of living. He poses a rhetorical question that asks if others view the departure of ICBC CEO Mark Blucher as a "captain abandoning ship, maybe to escape scrutiny". I would say anyone with a double digit IQ can see it and it's more like a rat abandoning a sinking ship. The "going got tough" so Mr. Blucher got going. He will skulk away with his $410,000 income and $69,000 pension, while leaving ICBC in such dire straits that we now have to pay the highest premiums in Canada to keep it afloat. There seems to be 3 rules that heads of corporations, business, and government follow : (1) cover your behind, (2) excrement flows down hill, and (3) when it is about to hit the fan, abscond with your salary, severance, and pension leaving someone else to face the music. But this is old news, in the 1984 election Pierre Trudeau threw John Turner under the bus and skedaddled rather than take responsibility for his policies. Brian Mulroney did likewise to Kim Campbell in the 1993 election. Let's not forget top executives who took millions in bonuses while running their respective companies into the ground. Mr. Bell is right when he calls this white collar crime. It is an affront to all Canadians that live their lives ethically, honestly and with integrity and for a lot less salary. Kudos to Mike for speaking up. Now, if the rest of the province (and country) would do so we could make these skulkers face the consequences of their actions. Robert Brown Photo: Contributed Christmas is next week, and, for some people, that means a fight to the finish with technology. It used to be we only had to remember to buy batteries for the shiny, new presents, but things are a little trickier these days. Read on to learn how to spend less time struggling and more time enjoying your holiday. Things should come with cables. But they dont. Have the right kind of cables. If you buy a printer, even a network printer, you might still need a printer cable. I still encounter wireless printers that require set up with a USB cable before you put them on the network. You might end up with more cables than ports to connect them to, especially if you have a laptop. If so, pick up a USB hub. Plug the hub into one port, and youll gain additional ports. There are all kinds, in all price ranges. If youre not sure what Im talking about, heres everything you ever wanted to know about USB hubs. Did you buy a laptop with an HDMI port so you could connect it to that big flat screen TV? Youre going to need an HDMI cable. Often the most expensive cable you can buy is usually sold in the same place you bought the thing for which you need the cable. If you want to read more about the difference between expensive and inexpensive cables, see this article. Or search on Do I need an expensive HDMI cable? in the search engine of your choice. Devices that use a wireless connection need a working wireless connection. Do your friends and family bring their iPads, phones, and laptops when they come to visit? They will need a wireless connection to your network. That means you need a wireless router and the wireless part of it must be enabled and you need to know the password for your wireless network. If you are missing even one of those components, there will be disappointment and sulking. Before company comes: Dig out the information that you wrote down when you set up your wireless network, and have it handy. If you never set up your wireless network, do it now, and write down the information. If you are with Telus or Shaw, there is a chance you already have a combination wireless router and modem. If so, the network name and password are on a sticker on the device. The software that comes with new devices is not necessarily new Got a new webcam or mp3 player? When you opened the box, there was probably a shiny CD inside with the software ready for you to install. Hang on a minute! Theres no way to know just how long that software has been in that box or how long that box was on the shelf. Check the manufacturers website for newer versions of the software. And if you are running Windows 10, 8 or 7, you might not need to install anything extra at all. Modern versions of Windows can often find that latest driver and sometimes the latest software for you. This is not true for all-in-one printer/scanner/fax machines. You need to get the latest software from the website for the device to work correctly. See this column for more on that. Call for help. If youre trying to set something up, connect things to other things, install something, or print something and its just not working, stop. Get some help. Maybe you can get in touch with the support people for whatever youre having trouble with. (But be careful.) You can always call in your own technical support. I know Ill be working right through the holiday season to support my customers, old and new. Merry Christmas, and dont forget the batteries. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: Contributed UPDATE: 7:30 a.m. Kelowna RCMP now say they have found 19-year old Kali Nicole Horner safe and sound. Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey tells Castanet that the 19-year-old woman reported missing and last seen December 14th was located last night. Kelowna RCMP would like to thank those that assisted with the investigation. ORIGINAL: 8:47 p.m. A 19-year-old Kelowna woman is missing. Kali Nicole Horner was last seen Dec. 14 and Kelowna RCMP are very concerned for her health and well-being. Friends and family report that it is out of character for her to be out of contact for this long. Horner is caucasian, 5-foot-4, 126 pounds, with blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing black tights and a black hoodie. There is nothing to indicate foul play at this time. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Horner is urged to contact their local police or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Leave a tip online at Crime Stoppers or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown. Chantelle Deacon One Vernon woman wasnt expecting to wake up to find her Christmas lights had disappeared, but thats exactly what happened Sunday morning. Marcelle Chisholm walked outside Sunday and couldnt find her Christmas projection lights at her home on Sunnyview Rd. in Bella Vista. She instantly assumed they had blown away, until she noticed footprints in the snow on her driveway. I woke up in the morning and opened the blinds and saw my disco ball was gone, Chrisholm said. A car driving up the street parks across the street and then a woman gets out of the car and walks up our driveway. The theft occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 17. Luckily, Chrisholm didn't have to wonder what happened to her lights for long, because she just had security cameras installed three weeks ago. Just as brazen as can be like, this is my stuff and im going to grab it, she just went and unplugged the projector and just walked out with it. Chrisholm reported the incident to police and believes the suspect is a woman in her 30s or 40s. The suspect has yet to be identified. Photo: The Canadian Press A fire official says a mother and three children ages 11, 7 and 3 have died in fast-moving New York City house fire. New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro (NY'-groh) says the woman and children were killed around 2:30 a.m. Monday at a home in Brooklyn's Sheepshead Bay neighbourhood. The commissioner says the children's father and two teenagers are in critical condition. He says firefighters arrived about 2 minutes after getting the call from a neighbour and the fire was already "consuming" all three floors of the building. Nigro says the fire was accidental but the cause has not yet been pinpointed. Photo: The Canadian Press While power has been restored to the world's busiest airport, the travel woes will linger for days. Thousands of people were stranded Monday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. A sudden power outage that Georgia Power said was caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility brought the airport to a standstill Sunday about 1 p.m. All outgoing flights were halted, and arriving planes were held on the ground at their point of departure. International flights were being diverted, officials said. Delta Air Lines, with its biggest hub in Atlanta, will be hardest hit. By Sunday evening, Delta had already cancelled nearly 900 flights and another 300 Monday, nearly all of them in Atlanta, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former American Airlines executive, said it likely will be Tuesday before Delta's operations in Atlanta return to normal, and for passengers "it could be most of the week" because there aren't many open seats on other flights in the last week before Christmas. One bit of good news, according to Mann: Delta has more spare planes and available crews in Atlanta than anywhere else, which should help it to recover. Delta customers flying to or from Atlanta can make a one-time change to travel plans without incurring a $200 change fee. The airline also encouraged travellers not to pick up their bags Monday because of anticipated congestion at the airport. Still, when flights at Atlanta were grounded for most of one day last spring, it took Delta five days and about 4,000 cancelled flights before it fully recovered. Like Sunday's outage, that April storm hit Delta's largest hub at a busy travel time when there weren't many empty seats to accommodate customers from cancelled flights. At the time, CEO Ed Bastian vowed Delta would make "significant improvements" to its system for scheduling and tracking aircraft crews to recover more quickly from disruptions. Other airlines also cancelled flights for the rest of Sunday. American Airlines cancelled 24 departures and an equal number of arrivals, said spokesman Ross Feinstein. The airline also diverted three planes that were headed to Atlanta when the outage struck, sending them instead to Dallas, Nashville and back to Philadelphia. The city of Atlanta provided shuttle service to the Georgia Convention Center on Sunday for travellers needing a place to stay. Delta passenger Emilia Duca, 32, was on her way to Wisconsin from Bogota, Colombia, when she got stuck in Atlanta. She said police made passengers who were in the baggage claim area move to a higher floor. She said restaurants and shops were closed. Vending machines weren't working. "A lot of people are arriving, and no one is going out. No one is saying anything official. We are stuck here," she said. "It's a nightmare." Some passengers said there was a lack of information from airport officials and little help from first responders to get the disabled and the elderly through the airport without the use of escalators and elevators. A new study that compared the results reported in thousands of papers published about the properties of metal organic framework (MOF) materials -- which are prominent candidates for carbon dioxide adsorption and other separations -- suggests the replicability problem should be a concern for materials researchers. A new study that compared the results reported in thousands of papers published about the properties of metal organic framework (MOF) materials -- which are prominent candidates for carbon dioxide adsorption and other separations -- suggests the replicability problem should be a concern for materials researchers. Can companies rely on the results of one or two scientific studies to design a new industrial process or launch a new product? In at least one area of materials chemistry, the answer may be yes -- but only 80 percent of the time. The replicability of results from scientific studies has become a major source of concern in the research community, particularly in the social sciences and biomedical sciences. But many researchers in the fields of engineering and the hard sciences haven't felt the same level of concern for independent validation of their results. A new study that compared the results reported in thousands of papers published about the properties of metal organic framework (MOF) materials - which are prominent candidates for carbon dioxide adsorption and other separations - suggests the replicability problem should be a concern for materials researchers, too. One in five studies of MOF materials examined by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology were judged to be "outliers," with results far beyond the error bars normally used to evaluate study results. The thousands of research papers yielded just nine MOF compounds for which four or more independent studies allowed appropriate comparison of results. "At a fundamental level, I think people in materials chemistry feel that things are reproducible and that they can count on the results of a single study," said David Sholl, a professor and John F. Brock III School Chair in the Georgia Tech School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. "But what we found is that if you pull out any experiment at random, there's a one in five chance that the results are completely wrong - not just slightly off, but not even close." Whether the results can be more broadly applied to other areas of materials science awaits additional studies, Sholl said. Sholl chose MOFs because they're an area of interest to his lab - he develops models for the materials - and because the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) had already assembled a database summarizing the properties of MOFs. Co-authors Jongwoo Park and Joshua Howe used meta-analysis techniques to compare the results of single-component adsorption isotherm testing - how much CO2 can be removed at room temperature. That measurement is straightforward and there are commercial instruments available for doing the tests. "People in the community would consider this to be an almost foolproof experiment," said Sholl, who is also a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Energy Sustainability. The researchers considered the results definitive when they had four or more studies of a given MOF at comparable conditions. The implications for errors in materials science may be less than in other research fields. But companies could use the results of a just one or two studies to choose a material that appear to be more efficient, and in other cases, researchers unable to replicate an experiment may simply move on to another material. "The net result is non-optimal use of resources at the very least," Sholl said. "And any report using one experiment to conclude a material is 15 or 20 percent better than another material should be viewed with great skepticism, as we cannot be very precise on these measurements in most cases." Why the variability in results? Some MOFs can be finicky, quickly absorbing moisture that affect adsorption, for instance. The one-in-five "outliers" may be a result of materials contamination. "One of the materials we studied is relatively simple to make, but it's unstable in an ambient atmosphere," Sholl explained. "Exactly what you do between making it in the lab and testing it will affect the properties you measure. That could account for some of what we saw, and if a material is that sensitive, we know it's going to be a problem in practical use." Other factors that may prevent replication include details that were inadvertently left out of a methods description - or that the original scientists didn't realize were relevant. That could be as simple as the precise atmosphere in which the material is maintained, or the materials used in the apparatus producing the MOFs. Sholl hopes the paper will lead to more replication of experiments so scientists and engineers can know if their results really are significant. "As a result of this, I think my group will look at all reported data in a more nuanced way, not necessarily suspecting it is wrong, but thinking about how reliable that data might be," he said. "Instead of thinking about data as a number, we need to always think about it as a number plus a range." Sholl suggests that more reporting of second, third or fourth efforts to replicate an experiment would help raise the confidence of data on MOF materials properties. The scientific publishing system doesn't currently provide much incentive for reporting validation, though Sholl hopes that will change. He also feels the issue needs to be discussed within all parts of the scientific community, though he admits that can lead to "uncomfortable" conversations. "We have presented this study a few times at conferences, and people can get pretty defensive about it," Sholl said. "Everybody in the field knows everybody else, so it's always easier to just not bring up this issue." And, of course, Sholl would like to see others replicate the work he and his research team did. "It will be interesting to see if this one-in-five number holds up for other types of experiments and materials," he added. "There are other certainly other areas of materials chemistry where this kind of comparison could be done." 404 Try searching for the content you're looking for, or take a look at our recently published stories Votes on association issues typically take one of two approaches, depending on state statute and governing documents: voting at a meeting or providing some type of written approval outside a meeting. (malerapaso/Getty Images) Q: There has been an offer made to purchase my entire condo building, which includes more than 260 units, and deconvert from condos to rentals. Per the condo bylaws, a deconversion and sale requires that 75 percent of owners vote in favor of the sale. To date, the vote taken has resulted in a tally of 69.26 percent in favor of the sale, 28.82 percent against, leaving another 1.92 percent who did not vote. Can the vote be left open indefinitely, or should a definite end date be set? Several members of the board, in favor of the sale, have now put off finalizing the vote. Under these circumstances, its unclear whether we are staying in the building, able to sell our individual units or able to find a renter. Finally putting the vote to rest would provide some stability to all unit owners. Can the vote be permanently left unresolved? Advertisement A: Votes on association issues typically take one of two approaches, depending on state statute and governing documents: voting at a meeting or providing some type of written approval outside a meeting. I asked my friend Jim Slaughter for his views. Slaughter is a North Carolina community association attorney, fellow member of the College of Community Association Lawyers and a recognized parliamentarian. He says: If this vote was taken at a meeting, there really is no general parliamentary procedure for keeping a meeting open indefinitely, unless there is some very precise state statute or governing document language. A meeting convenes, meets and then adjourns. There technically isnt a meeting unless the members are together in some way, whether in person or electronically. Members could set an adjourned meeting, which is a legal continuation of the current meeting, but that meeting will also have a beginning and an end. As an alternative to a meeting, there are state community association and nonprofit corporation statutes that permit approval of certain items by written or electronic consent or a ballot sent by mail or email, but those dont normally count as a meeting. They are procedures taken in lieu of a meeting. So in my state, for example, this condo could have chosen to get the percentage written consent of all units by any means necessary, or they could have chosen to call a meeting and see if enough owners show in person or by proxy to get the necessary vote. Advertisement Based on Slaughters response, the meeting was over and the deconversion did not pass. But dont rely on our responses. We do not represent you and cannot give specific legal advice. Talk with an attorney in your state who practices community association law. Q: My attorney told me that he couldnt make my ex-husband refinance our two property loans and remove my name from the loans. My ex-husband took possession of both properties and has made all payments since that day. But is there any way I can fight to get my name off of these loans? Weve been divorced for 3 years and he definitely has the financial status to be approved for refinancing both properties. A: This is a very common problem when couples get divorced and one party gets the house. Lenders are reluctant to remove the nonowners name from the loan documents. Typically a sale or refi will be necessary, but you cant force your ex to cooperate. In the divorce settlement, your attorney should have included a requirement that your name be removed from the loans. If it is there, you can go to court to force compliance. But if its not there, you are probably out of luck. However, many lenders understand this and will still give you a mortgage to buy something else. You will have to show that your ex has been making the mortgage payments on time each month and that there is sufficient equity in the properties. Benny Kass is a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland. He does not provide specific legal or financial advice to any reader. Readers may email him, but he cannot guarantee a personal response. mailbag@kmklawyers.com [ Related: Buyers' money is locked up in unbuildable land. What's their next move? ] [ You think your for-sale house is haunted. Do you have to tell potential buyers? ] [ Can a renter expect a landlord to use security deposit as last month's rent? ] Marcus Samuelsson, who spoke during the Chicago Humanities Festival, poses inside of his restaurant Ginny's Supper Club (located within his restaurant Red Rooster) in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, NY, on July 31, 2012. (Brian Harkin, Chicago Tribune) Marcus Samuelsson, the chef and food television personality, saw a problem with how iconic African-American tourist attractions would get visited: "What it was like 10 years ago was, (someone would) jump onto a bus, hop out, take a picture, jump back on the bus and leave," he said at a Chicago Humanities Festival appearance Saturday. "It was annoying for me." When Americans visit foreign countries, Samuelsson theorized, they have no problem ingratiating themselves in a new city: settling in a coffee shop, picking up a magazine from the local newsstand what he called "normal behavior patterns." And yet, he noted, that rarely happened with visitors in a predominantly black neighborhood. Advertisement Samuelsson told the 430 in attendance at the UIC Forum it was why he opened his restaurant Red Rooster in Harlem. It was the reason he and his wife left a "very comfortable apartment" in Midtown Manhattan and moved to Harlem, where he had to downgrade from Whole Foods to a chain called CTown. "Good food is civil rights," he said. "That's why we positioned the restaurant in Harlem, so we can create dialogue. (Not long ago) we didn't even have half a farmer's market in Harlem. Now we have five." Advertisement Though Samuelsson now makes New York his home base, he has a business connection to Chicago: Marc Burger, a counter quick-service chain, is located inside the Macy's on State Street, and Samuelsson's name was briefly attached to C-House restaurant in Streeterville before it closed in 2013. He returned often to the theme of journeys (not coincidentally this year's Humanities Festival theme) in describing the multicultural path he took from his native Ethiopia to Sweden, where he was raised, to his present-day Harlem life. "Being a young black kid raised by a mixed family. What can be more American than that?" When the question was brought up of whether a chef known for upscale Scandinavian cooking can pull off soul food, he equated his methods to hip-hop and the idea that deejays can mix two records and produce a wholly original sound. His acclaimed fried chicken at Red Rooster, for example, is marinated in coconut milk instead of the more familiar buttermilk. Most revealing was when an audience member asked whether a Red Rooster a destination, high-end restaurant in a black neighborhood could be replicated on the South Side of Chicago. Samuelsson seemed to not have an answer at first, agreeing there exists a need for such a restaurant, and lamenting how a South Side institution like Army & Lou's had succumbed to the economic downturn. The answer arrived later when he was asked about celebrity recognition (Samuelsson is a judge on Food Network's "Chopped"): "Our mission is to draw people to Harlem and hopefully have them eat at Red Rooster. You need to be visible. (A South Side version wouldn't) work right now because it doesn't have a clear ambassador right now . Someone needs to start that dialogue." kpang@tribune.com Twitter @pang Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny poses for a photo prior his interview to the Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, on Dec. 18, 2017. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP) MOSCOW As the most serious challenger during Vladimir Putin's 18 years in power, Alexei Navalny has endured arrests, show trials and facefuls of green antiseptic that damaged his vision. But in an interview Monday with The Associated Press, he said the biggest thing keeping him from becoming Russia's next president is a political system that punishes him for rallying support and conspires to keep his face off the airwaves. Advertisement Putin's approval rating is astronomical and he is widely expected to win another term with ease, but the fact that he won't even say Navalny's name suggests the anti-corruption crusader has struck a nerve. Navalny's criminal record will probably keep him off the ballot a sign, he says, of how much he frightens the political class. Navalny, in his first interview since the start of the presidential campaign, said he would win it "if I am allowed to run and if I'm allowed to use major media." And he said the Kremlin knows it. Advertisement "It's the main reason they don't want me to run," he said. "They understand perfectly how ephemeral the support for them is." That support certainly looks strong: The latest independent poll, conducted this month by the Levada Center, suggests 75 percent of Russians would vote for Putin. People in much of Russia back Putin as a matter of course, and Navalny supporters are routinely heckled, arrested and fined when they try to spread their message. But there are also signs that enthusiasm for Putin may be starting to wane. Another Levada poll, conducted in April, found that 51 percent of people are tired of waiting for Putin to bring "positive change" 10 percentage points higher than a year ago. Both polls surveyed 1,600 people across Russia and had margins of error of 2.5 percentage points. Navalny hopes to capitalize on that discontent. "Putin has nothing to say," Navalny said. "All he can promise is what he used to promise before, and you can check that these promises did not come true and cannot come true." Navalny gets out his message on social media, using Twitter and Telegram and broadcasting a weekly program on YouTube. But television the main source of information for most Russians remains off limits because it's controlled by the government. Other opposition candidates are expected to run, notably socialite Ksenia Sobchak, the daughter of Putin's mentor but there is wide speculation that her candidacy is a Kremlin plot to split Navalny's support. The only other candidates who are critical of Putin have too little support for the Kremlin to view them as threats. Putin himself has announced his re-election bid but so far refrained from any campaigning events. Even so, his face is everywhere at his annual news conference last week, carried live for nearly four hours on Russian television, he touted his accomplishments and even taunted Navalny but stuck to his practice of not saying his name. Advertisement Navalny was not a candidate during Russia's last presidential election in 2012, but he spearheaded massive anti-government protests that rattled Putin. Amid dwindling popularity, Putin seized Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and threw support behind separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, striking a chord with millions of Russians who felt like losers in the outcome of the Cold War. Now, people are tiring of the Ukrainian conflict and becoming more focused on their own economic woes, providing fertile ground for Navalny's message. Navalny published his full election platform last week, focusing on fighting corruption and funneling more money into education and health care. He calls for a windfall tax on oligarchs and huge cuts to Russia's bloated bureaucracy. Unlike Putin's focus on foreign policy, Navalny's platform is almost entirely domestic, which he credits for growing support in places like Novosibirsk, Russia's third-largest city, where he drew a large crowd in October. "Our government is in the grip of illusions. They deal with Syria and they're not interested in what's happening in Novosibirsk, and people there feel it," Navalny told the AP. "That translates into the fact that I'm receiving more support." The blue-eyed Moscow lawyer first made his name in 2009 when he began publishing investigations into corruption at Russia's biggest state-owned companies. When the AP first interviewed Navalny in 2010, he was a lone wolf, but he has since acquired allies and supporters who have been made investigations into official corruption their full-time job. With the visibility came the backlash: The 41-year old Navalny has been convicted on two sets of unrelated charges, and his brother was sent to prison in what was largely viewed as political revenge. A conviction on one of the charges bars Navalny from running for public office without special dispensation and the election official who will consider that request in the coming weeks has already said she sees no legal grounds for him to run. In his only formal election campaign, Navalny ran for Moscow mayor in 2013 and got nearly 30 percent of the vote. Advertisement His presidential bid began a year ago, when he started to build a network of supporters across Russia. He currently counts over 190,000 volunteers, most of them young, from Russia's western exclave of Kaliningrad to Vladivostok on the Pacific. His supporters have opened campaign offices in 83 cities and towns, including many where Putin is accustomed to winning by a landslide. On his most recent visit to Putin's heartland, 1,000 people braved temperatures of -15 Celsius (-5 Fahrenheit) to hear him speak in the industrial town of Novokuznetsk, where Putin got 77 percent of the vote in 2012. Many of those in the crowd sounded weary of the president but said they saw no alternative. Asked about Navalny, many said they had heard very little about him. While Navalny has captured the attention of a younger generation and the politically active via social media, he conceded he won't be able to reach the broader population as long as he is barred from state television. "We have won among the active political class despite the ban," he said. "The politically active class will turn the politically dormant one in our favor. It's going to happen in this election if I'm allowed to run." Boebert continues to lead Frisch on final day of counting The election is hovering within the threshold for an automatic recount. Here's the latest in the Colorado race between Adam Frisch and Lauren Boebert. By Alexander Chipman Koty and Zhou Qian Shenzhen has implemented a new rule requiring all businesses in the city to register key tax personnel with the local tax bureau. The move aims to enhance businesses commitment to comply with tax-related laws by registering and verifying the individual personnel responsible for such issues. Tax authorities in Shenzhen implemented the rule for newly set up companies as of July 1, 2017, and then expanded them in November to include all taxpayers. Guangdong province, as well as many other regions in China, began implementing this rule in 2016, but Shenzhen was excluded from the initial rollout. The originally determined deadline for businesses in Shenzhen to register their real name authentication has been postponed from December 31, 2017 to February 28, 2018. Despite the change in deadline, businesses that have not yet done so are advised to register as soon as possible to avoid disruption of tax-related business activities. Businesses located elsewhere in China should ensure that they are up to date with the implementation of the rule at the local level. Real name authentication registration process According to the real name authentication rules, key tax-related personnel in every company have to register with the local tax bureau. Personnel in the following tax-related positions are required to conduct real name authentication: Legal representative (//); CFO (); Tax operator/handler (/); Other tax personnel authorized by the legal representative (). Based on a new document released by the Shenzhen tax bureau on December 28, 2017, legal representatives satisfying one of the following conditions can be exempted from the real name authentication requirement: The legal representative is from an enterprise categorized as a Class A taxpayer in credit evaluation; or The legal representative is from an enterprise recognized by the tax bureau in charge. To register, the relevant personnel must provide the tax bureau with the following documents: ID certificate (such as a valid ID card, temporary ID card, Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents, Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, passports for foreign nationals, and/or Permanent Residence Certificate for foreign nationals); Certificates with a unified social credit number (if the company has not obtained a certificate with a unified social credit number, then the tax certificate should be provided instead); Real name authentication information collection form; and Tax agent agreement. Local personnel can register online or in-person; however, foreign personnel have to apply in-person as a Chinese ID card number is required for the online registration. In-person applicants can apply at either a national tax office or a local one. If the real name authentication is conducted with a local tax bureau, applicants that manage issues related to the national tax office need to also register their photo and facial information with the national tax office. Tax Compliance Services from Dezan Shira & Associates Amber Liu, Senior Accounting and Tax Manager at Dezan Shira & Associates Shenzhen office, said, Unfortunately, there is no online channel for foreigners to complete this authentication process, which means that foreigners have to go to the tax bureau counter in-person to register. As most foreign businesses have a foreigner appointed as a Legal Representative or Finance Manager/CFO, they need to physically go to China to visit the tax bureau. Liu continues, Alternatively, foreign businesses can change their CFO to a local staff member who can visit the tax bureau in-person, or enlist a third party firm to handle their tax and accounting matters. If the registration is successful, the tax bureau will record the following information of the personnel: Name; ID number; Photo and facial information; as well as Mobile phone number. Notably, the exact positions requiring registration and the documents needed for registration vary depending on the region. Moreover, if a business key tax personnel changes or the personnels information changes (such as their phone number), the real name authentication information should be changed with the bureau accordingly. With the rules, only personnel registered with the tax bureau are able to carry out various day-to-day tax activities in-person, such as purchasing special VAT fapiao. Those who have not registered are unable to carry out these activities. However, those with an active online account with the local tax authorities will still be able to carry out activities online. Liu warned, Failure to register real name authentication will cause great inconvenience on a companys normal tax-related operations. If one fails to register, their ability to conduct regular tax activities will be impeded, including being unable to purchase VAT fapiao, correct electronic tax returns, reset the online tax bureau login password, and increase monthly VAT fapiao quota, depending on their location. RELATED: Did Xi Set a New Direction for Tax Reform in China? Real name authentication implementation timeline The real name authentication requirements were first announced in 2016, and have been rolled out across the country at various stages. The rollout has proceeded as follows: SAT announcement in 2016 introduces real name authentication; All provinces and regions (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) fully or partially rolled out the new rule in 2016 (though regions each had different timelines for full implementation); Guangdong province launched pilot programs for implementation in 2016 (which excluded Shenzhen); Shenzhen started to implement the rule for newly set up companies as of July 1, 2017 and expanded implementation to essentially all companies in November. The stipulated transition period was originally set to end on December 31, 2017, but has been extended to February 28, 2018. After that, tax personnel without registering their real name authentication will not be able deal with tax matters at the tax office. The main purpose of real name authentication is to verify the key personnel in charge of tax matters to enhance their commitment to comply with tax laws. However, according to Liu, it is also designed to improve the quality of government tax services, as a tax certificate copy or ID certificate copy will no longer be required every time one deals with tax issues at the bureau. Businesses in Shenzhen that have not yet registered should do so before the February 28 deadline. Investors located elsewhere in China that have not yet registered are advised to liaise with the local tax bureau to inquire whether it is required to do so in that region. If you and your business require further advice regarding this compliance requirement, please contact our office in Shenzhen or any of our other offices in China. This article was originally published on December 18, 2017 and has been updated with the latest regulatory changes. About Us China Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including ASEAN, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, and Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here, and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates is a full service practice in China, providing business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax, IT, HR, payroll, and advisory services throughout the China and Asian region. For assistance with China business issues or investments into China, please contact us at china@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide. An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017 This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting. Managing Chinas Financial System Foreign investors often find Chinas financial system to be one of the most difficult areas to navigate when establishing or growing their presence in the country. Navigating Chinas tax system, and its complexities, requires time and commitment. In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we look at the factors that make Chinas tax system unique, and identify steps foreign investors can take to manage its challenges. We first examine the issues that most commonly disorient foreign investors. We then discuss the importance of pre-investment capital planning, within the context of tough foreign exchange controls, before examining the ever-maturing regulations for the transfer pricing system. Dezan Shira & Associates French pianist and composer Julien Gelas is going to launch a China tour by visiting seven cities, including Beijing, Hangzhou and Chengdu, from Jan 5 to Feb 4, in support of his new album, L'eclaircie. This will be his first countrywide tour, although the musician has previously played in Beijing where he lived as well. The album, comprising 15 songs composed by Gelas in the past two years, has a "Chinese touch". It will be released in the first half of next year. Combining classical music with contemporary styles, like rock and electronic, it has songs inspired by traditional Chinese philosophy and literature, which Gelas has been learning for long. "Chinese philosophy helped me to think about the process of creativity and it opened to me a new space for my imagination and thoughts," says the 28-year-old on email. Gelas was introduced to classic Chinese philosophy and literature, including I Ching, by his mother when he was 8. He also learned Chinese martial arts as a child. For example, Gelas wrote the title song, L'eclaircie, which means "sunny spell", about a year ago when he was teaching at Peking University. "I composed this song in Beijing during a very clear day. The day before, the smog was very strong and suddenly the sun appeared in a blue sky. It was like rebirth for me and I wanted to express through this song that in life, I'll always have a sunny spell," says Gelas, who now lives in Avignon, a major city of Provence in Southern France. Gelas was trained as a classical pianist since early childhood and graduated from University of Provence Aix-Marseille I. However, he decided to stop playing the piano at 16 because the "way of studying music in French conservatory was not what I was looking for". He stopped music for four years and decided to visit to China to study Chinese language and culture. "I was living in a Chinese calligrapher's house in Nanjing and there was a piano. I started to play it again and I felt at the time I was a new person. I felt that I could do what I wanted to do to compose music," recalls Gelas, who also obtained his PhD in Chinese philosophy from Paris' Sorbonne University this year. "I am interested in the way Chinese philosophers think about the body and the link between the body and consciousness," he says. Gelas travels to China every year with his Chinese wife, Liang Liwen. Besides music, he is interested in theater thanks to his father, who is a renowned French theater director. Growing up, Gelas watched a lot of performances that inspired him to become an artist. In March, he directed a play A Streetcar Named Desire at Nanjing University of the Arts in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. The 1947 play by Tennessee Williams starred 10 sophomore students from the university. "Sometimes I play music like a theater man, and I direct theater like a musician. These two different art forms are always exchanging places in my head," he says. A Chinese commercial flight successfully landed for the first time in Antarctica late on Saturday, marking a milestone for Chinese commercial aviation, reports huanqiu.com. A Chinese commercial flight successfully lands for the first time in Antarctica late on Dec. 16, 2017. [Photo/CCTV] The airplane, carrying 22 passengers, is set to fly over the continent for about five hours before landing near the South Pole. The airplane was provided by the HNA Group. A senior executive said the company had spent a decade undertaking research and experimental flights to prepare for this mission. Wang Wen, a professor from the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University, said the flight will help raise the enthusiasm of the Chinese people for thedreamland that is Antarctica. He also said that Antarctic tourism would help foster the interest of the Chinese people in the natural environment and issues such as climate change and ecological protection. Wang said that Chinas growing involvement in the management of Antarctica would encourage greater scientific cooperation, environmental protection, and the implementation of international treaties on Antarctica. Chinas involvement with Antarctica is relatively new, but has developed rapidly. China became a consultative member of the Antarctic Treaty on October 7, 1985. The number of Chinese scientific stations on the continent currently ranks sixth in the world. China conducted its first successful test flight to Antarctica in 2015. Dubbedthe end of the world, about 30,000 to 40,000 tourists visit Antarctica each year. The Central Economic Work Conference opened Monday, as Chinese leaders began to review the country's economic performance in 2017 and make plans for 2018. While reviewing the economic work during the past five years, the meeting will focus on implementing decisions at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and making arrangements for economic tasks in 2018, with high-quality development as a fundamental requirement. Observers noted that the decisions to be made at the meeting will reflect China's new development concept featuring high-quality development. Curbing major risks, eradicating poverty and pollution control would be the "three tough battles" for 2018, with substantial progress expected. The economic agenda will focus on deepening supply-side reform, invigorating market participants, applying rural revitalization strategy, pushing coordinated rural-urban development and all-around opening up. The work in the next year will also be aimed at helping improve people's living standard, building a housing mechanism with lasting effects, and supplying more high-quality ecological products. China's GDP expanded 6.9 percent year on year in the first three quarters, above the government's target of around 6.5 percent for this year. The economy has shown improving structures with new economy contributing over 10 percent to the overall growth, and the growth rate of residents' income outstripping the overall economic growth. With an average growth of over 7 percent in the past 5 years, the Chinese economy contributed over 30 percent of global economic growth, seen as powerhouse and anchor of the global economy. However, the world's second largest economy still faces complicated global environment and domestic structural conflicts, potential risks in the financial system, and disparities by industries and regions. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently pointed out China's rapid build-up of credit and risky lending moving away from banks toward less-regulated parts of the financial system known as "shadow banking". "The system's increasing complexity has sown financial stability risks," the IMF said, advising China to take measures such as strengthening of systemic risk oversight and improving regulation. The GDP of Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, surpassed 747.8 billion yuan (US$113.3 billion) at a growth rate of more than 11 percent in the first three quarters of 2017. Its GDP is on track to break the 1 trillion yuan mark for the first time by the end of 2017, becoming the second city in central China and the forth in central and western China to join the ranks of the "trillion-yuan club." Changsha has started to upgrade its traditional industries and equip them with smart manufacturing capabilities since 2015. [Photo/icswb.com] The GDP of Changsha increased by 460 percent in the past 10 years, bringing its ranking in GDP from 24th to 14th. The surging growth rate could be attributed to its modernized manufacturing capabilities, its focus on technology innovation development, and government policy support. Smart manufacturing Changsha has started to upgrade its traditional industries and equip them with smart manufacturing capabilities since 2015. Its manufacturing sector was introduced to automatic production lines, industrial robots, database construction, and pilot enterprises in these new capabilities. Since then, a total of 330 local companies have been named city-level, province-level, and state-level pilot enterprises for smart manufacturing. More than 20 companies have been certified as state-level pilot enterprises. From January to October this year, the added value from industries above the designated scale in Changsha increased by 8 percent year-on-year. Both of these companies' added value and growth rate took the lead ahead of other provincial capital cities including Nanjing, Hangzhou and Zhengzhou, all of which have similar GDPs. Innovative development Innovation has become the impetus for the economic development of Changsha. Emerging industries have given the city a much needed boost. They include industries such as new materials, mobile internet, e-commerce, auto manufacturing, big data, 3D printing, Beidou Navigation Satellite System, biological medicine, aviation and space industry, and artificial intelligence. The mobile internet industry is growing rapidly in Changsha. There are more than 20,000 mobile internet companies in Changsha, with a total of 150,000 employees and a sales revenue of more than 75 billion yuan (US$11.36 billion). The annual growth rate of the city's mobile internet industry is over 40 percent. Last year, the number of certified invention patents reached 16,885 in Changsha, accounting for 60.6 percent of the provincial certified innovation patents. Favorable policies The local authorities have supported Changsha's industries with new human resource and investment policies this year. To facilitate scientific innovation, the municipal government increased the fiscal support to science and research this August. By 2020, the fiscal investment in science and technology will reach 5 billion yuan (US$757 million). Meanwhile, the local authorities also unveiled a new human resources policy to attract more graduates. By the end of November, the local authorities had received 77,300 consultations about the new human resources policy after 100 days of its implementation. More than 21,800 graduates have received local residency and 13,600 graduates have received house subsidies from the local authorities. Xujiahui Cathedral, also known as St. Ignatius Cathedral of Shanghai, was filled with people on Saturday as it hosted its first Mass after a two-year restoration project. With two parallel bell towers soaring to the sky, the 57-meter-high cathedral is one of the most eye-catching structures in Shanghai's bustling Xujiahui area. It is a spiritual home for thousands of Catholics in the city. The cathedral was designed by English architect William Doyle and built between 1906 and 1910. Over the past century, it has hosted worshippers and drawn countless tourists. "My home was near the cathedral, and I've been coming to services since I was a child," Yu Wenjuan, 70, said at the early-morning Mass. "Not much has been changed. I saw they replaced the glass, and I'm glad to know they fixed the leaky roof." Wei Wei, chief designer at Yuangou Architects & Consultants, who participated in the restoration, said his team checked many historic documents and photos during the planning process. The aim was to retain the cathedral's original features. The restoration started in 2015. The main exterior tasks included replacing cracked red bricks on the walls, fixing leaks in the roof and repainting the roof tiles. Carved stone statues of animals under the cornice, which had suffered wind abrasion, were also restored. The cathedral's interior walls were refurbished and the stained glass was replaced. TV screens and an audio system were added, and people in every corner of the nave, which holds up to 3,000, can clearly see and hear the Mass. Although the restoration project is complete, the cathedral is not yet ready for tourists. It is open for religious activities only, said Gu Zhangjun, diocese priest. "We still need some time to make sure everything runs well after the restoration," he said. The cathedral is one of the main attractions in the city's Xujiahui area, where a dozen historic sites are preserved, including the Xujiahui bibliotheca (library) built in 1847, an observatory built in 1872 and a memorial hall for a renowned Chinese scholar, Xu Guangqi, of the Ming Dynasty (1369-1644). The area was designated a national 4A tourist site in 2012. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa [File photo] Policymakers and figureheads may be confident they have all the answers with regard to Africa, but recent events show that self-assurance in this regard is tantamount to self-indulgence. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has made clear his desire for the country to turn over a new leaf. Nevertheless, he is already feeling intense pressure from his citizens, who are cautious of the untested leader's rhetoric and anxiousness for reform. French President Emmanuel Macron has issued his own call for a new beginning in Francophone countries on the continent. The young European leader contends that Africa must be managed by Africans, who can no longer be dictated to nor forced to accept international dealings against their will. This is an abandonment of the usual carrot-and-stick approach. With a reduction in French spending on international aid, Macron's message on his recent trips to Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast and Ghana was instead focused on commerce and opportunity, which he hoped Africans would embrace. At a joint press conference with Macron this month, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo went much further than any other African leader previous in discussing French aid. It cannot be business as usual, he insisted. No, Africa has a responsibility to develop outside of Europe's generosity. It's going to be a challenge for young Africans to buy into these promises of self-sufficiency and autonomy. Such platitudes will not be readily accepted so long as they contradict the realities on the ground. Most Francophone countries in Africa have been unstable, with coups, corrupt governments and human rights violations. French troops deployed in these countries are tarnished by wars that have bred ineffective governance. Africans' doubt, mistrust and suspicion have resulted in frustration expressed openly in the streets. A grenade attack on French soldiers a few hours in advance of Macron's visit to Burkina Faso was a stark reminder that the president's assurances may not be as convincing as hoped. Leaders' pronouncements must be matched with efforts that are seen, felt and deemed to be meaningful. Africans are not unaware of colonial pasts and current geopolitics, nor oblivious to the latent potential their countries hold. The extraordinary possibilities in the region have already been recognized in some royal circles. On his visits to Zambia this year and to Mozambique in 2010, Prince Harry drew a dividing line between Britain's colonial history and the new era he now envisions for the continent. His engagement to Meghan Markle, an actress of African descent, was topped off with a diamond ring prominently featuring a stone from Botswana. The prince's public stances and actions seem to have struck a chord with the people. As the liberalized continent decides how it wants to engage with the international community, leaders from across the globe must listen closely to its people. There can be no doubt that Africa will play a pivotal role in the next chapter of the world. Ayo Johnson is a British Journalist and columnist with China.org.cn. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash A total of 810,807 Chinese tourists visited the Philippines in the first 10 months of 2017, which shows 39.28 percent growth compared to the corresponding period in 2016, according to data released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the Philippines on Tuesday. Based on increased Chinese tourists, Secretary of Tourism Wanda Teo said that they are optimistic to reach the goal of at least 6.5 million tourists as described in the National Tourism Development Plan (2017-2022). "The department will continue aggressive marketing efforts, including social media. We will promote emerging or developing destinations to entice more visitors from across the globe, said the DOT chief. Starting next month, Philippine Immigration will set up a Mandarin Chinese course for 50 officers to welcome and offer better services for the increasing number of Chinese tourists, according to local newspapers. So far, South Korea, China and the United States are the top three tourist markets for the Philippines. Flash Russian President Vladimir Putin called U.S. President Donald Trump to express gratitude to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s information that helped foil terrorist attack attempts in St. Petersburg, the Kremlin said on Sunday. Russia's Federal Security Service said Friday that it detained seven Islamic State supporters earlier this week for plotting to blow up the famous Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia. "The information received from the CIA proved to be sufficient for the search and detention of the suspects," said the Kremlin in a press release. Putin told Trump that the Russian special services, upon receiving information regarding terrorist threats against the United States and its citizens, will immediately provide it to their U.S. counterparts. This was the second phone conversation between Putin and Trump within a week following a call on Thursday, when the two presidents discussed "urgent issues" in bilateral diplomatic relations and situation on the Korean Peninsula. You are here: World Flash At least nine people were killed and over 50 others wounded when two suicide bombers stormed the premises of a packed church in Quetta on Sunday, officials said, in the latest attack claimed by IS in the country. Two suicide attackers struck the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church located at the Zarghoon Road area of Quetta, said Sarfraz Bugti, Interior Minister of Balochistan Province, adding that the attack happened when over 300 people were praying inside. According to initial reports, an explosion took place, which was followed by an intensive exchange of gunfire. The minister said one of the attackers was shot dead by police guards near the main entrance of the church, while another detonated a suicide vest inside the compound. Police, rescue teams and security forces rushed to guard the church and the authorities have declared a state of emergency in all nearby hospitals. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asked the authorities to provide the best available medical treatment to the injured. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal condemned the attack on Twitter, saying the country's resolve against terrorism cannot be deterred by these "cowardly acts." Deputy Inspector General of Police Abdul Razzaq said security forces acted in a timely manner, calling it a successful operation. IS has claimed responsibility for the attack via its online news channel Amaq, without providing any evidence backing the claim. Flash Turkish president reaffirms pledge to open embassy in East Jerusalem - China.org.cn Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday reaffirmed Turkey's intention to open an embassy in East Jerusalem, which was recognized as the capital of the State of Palestine by Islamic leaders days ago. "We have already declared East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian State but we have not been able to open our embassy there because Jerusalem is currently under occupation," said Erdogan at a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party in central Anatolian province of Karaman. "God willing we will open our embassy there," he was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu unveiled Ankara's plan to open an embassy in East Jerusalem on Thursday, one day after leaders of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation met in Istanbul and recognized East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine, in respond to the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The unilateral move taken by U.S. President Donald Trump on Dec. 6 have sparked violent clashes on the Palestinian territories as well as protests in other countries. "Do not attempt to undertake a Zionist (Israel) operation. If you do, the cost of this will be heavy," the Turkish leader warned. The status of Jerusalem is among the core issues related to the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Flash Ten women were killed on Sunday in an airstrike by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in central Yemen's province of Marib, a provincial security official and medics said. The women were killed as the bus carrying them while returning home from a wedding party was hit by the attack. The driver, who is a man, was critically injured, the official and medics in a Marib hospital said. The airstrike hit the bus in the Hisan area of Harib al-Karamish district, which is under control of the Shiite Houthi rebels, about 170 km northeast of the capital Sanaa. This is the latest in a series of airstrikes launched by the Saudi-led military coalition against Houthi targets in Yemen since the war began nearly three years ago. On Wednesday, the coalition launched seven airstrikes on a prison inside a police camp in Houthis-held capital Sanaa, killing 31 prisoners and wounding 59 others, according to Houthis-controlled state Saba news agency. The Saudi-led coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015 to roll back the Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels and support the internationally recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis. The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis, mostly children, and displaced 3 million others, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. You are here: The 13th Beijing-Tokyo Forum was held from Dec. 15-17 in Beijing. During the forum, participants from China and Japan held extensive discussions about building an open world economic order and maintaining peace in Asia. Wang Gangyi, vice president of the China International Publishing Group, announced the Beijing Consensus. Participants from the two sides reached a series of agreements to improve the bilateral relationship on various aspects, including policy, trade, security, and media cooperation. Zhang Yansheng, chief economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said the development of China has entered a new era. He said promoting cooperation between China and Japan will become the key to their shared prosperity. "The Sino-Japanese relationship should be judged on the basis of international circumstances, and both sides should consider the issues from the view of the public," said Kazuo Ogoura, president of the Japan Foundation and former Japanese ambassador to the Republic of Korea and France. Zhou Bingde, president of Enlai Foundation and the niece of the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, spoke about her recollections of the meeting between Zhou Enlai and former Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka. Zhou Bingde said only peace could bring Chinese and Japanese people happiness and better lives. This year is the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China and Japan's diplomatic relationship, while the forum will mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan in the next year. Taking on executive positions or jobs requiring increased authority at the work place poses higher risks of depression for women compared with men. In a recent study published in the Journal of Health and Science Behavior, women who are placed in higher positions at work tend to become more depressed than their male counterparts. In fact, the risk of depression among men appear to become lower when they are granted an increase in authority in their jobs. "Although women have more depressive symptoms than men regardless of job authority, this gender gap is significantly greater among individuals with job authority than those without job authority," shared the researchers in their study. The researchers, who were from the University of Texas at Austin, revealed that 2,800 men and women aged 54 to 64 were taken into consideration prior to arriving to such conclusion. These individuals, 1,500 female and 1,300 male, were interviewed over the phone. According to Tetyana Pudrovska, a sociology professor from the aforementioned school and an author, the society remains more critical in evaluating the leadership capabilities of women than men. Although gender equality had been widely advocated in most nations, the author claims that women still experience "subtle gender discrimination" and "harassment" in the work place. These are typically endured by women who have achieved higher positions in their jobs, which consequently leads or contributes to "chronic stress". "Women in authority positions are evaluated more stringently compared to women without job authority and male co-workers," explained Pudrovska. The same observation had been pointed out by the researchers in their study. "Despite the sweeping changes in women's educational and occupational opportunities in recent decades, job authority may still constitute a psychological risk for women," concluded the researchers. Moreover, Dr. Ruth Sealy from London's City University shared that women in higher positions tend to feel "trapped" by society's conventional perception of a worthy leader. Hence, giving higher positions to women can incite a lot of criticisms from colleagues as gender stereotypes remain firmly in place. Women leaders who are assertive and decisive tend to be labelled as unladylike. However, lady bosses choosing to stick to their feminine qualities would not make effective leaders. These contradicting notions require women employees to work harder to achieve higher posts as men are generally perceived to have the "natural competence" to lead. "Women often have had to work much harder to get to those positions, only to find that even when they get there, their 'right' to that status is continuously questioned," Dr. Sealy explained. To resolve these concerns, Dr. Sealy suggested that companies should strive to create an atmosphere that's equally accepting and respectful of both female and male leadership. If you assume Americas laboratories and research facilities are filled with people who believe in the laws of science but not in God, youre not alone. Youre also not correct. About 36 percent of evangelicals think scientists are hostile to religion, compared to 22 percent of Americans overall, according to a 2014 study released by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Evangelicals who view science and religion in conflict are even more likely to see scientists as hostile to religion (42%) than those who view the two fields as collaborative (38%). But theres more to the story. It turns out perception weighs heavy in the science and religion debate, and many Christians are getting it wrong. Elaine Howard Ecklund, a sociology professor at Rice University, and Christopher Scheitle, an assistant professor of sociology at West Virginia University, wanted to get to the bottom of this misunderstanding. After all, theyd found that scientists arent usually hostile to religioneven if they dont believe. They asked everyday people about how they viewed elite scientific thinkers, whether as the Richard Dawkins, God-is-a-delusion stereotype or as fellow believers who bring their faith into their fields. Their new book out this month, Religion vs. Science: What Religious People Really Think, synthesizes the results of data analyzed from the Religious Understandings of Science study, a nationally representative survey of 10,000 Americans. Its the most comprehensive research to date on how Americans view religion and science, including hundreds of interviews with people of faith from 23 different organizations. Ecklund and Scheitle found Americans in general are five times as likely to have heard of Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist and vocal atheist, than other high-profile scientists like physicist-geneticist Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health and an outspoken Christian. Only 3 percent of Protestants, including evangelicals and mainline congregants, were familiar with Collins. The Dawkins effectthe idea that the British scientists fame (and notoriety in some Christian circles) would impact evangelicals view of the entire professionis possible but still perplexing. Scientists arent the most well-known public figures in the US: Only about 1 in 5 Americans surveyed had even heard of Dawkins. So if famous scientists only have so much influence, can everyday people in the scientific community impact how their friends and neighbors think of the profession? Turns out, evangelicals are about as likely as Americans on average to be friends with scientists (nearly a third count one among their five closest friends), even though they hold a more negative perception of scientists as opposing Christian faith. At first we could not figure this out: If you have close friends who are members of the scientific community, why would you think that community is hostile to your belief system? Conversely, why would you be close friends with someone who you think is hostile to your most deeply held beliefs? wrote Ecklund and Scheitle. We came to the conclusion that our evangelical survey respondents may think their friends are the exceptions. The researchers also explored religious people in scientific jobs rather than confining their study to scientists at elite universities. While university scientists remain less likely than the average American to have a religious affiliation, those with rank-and-file science careers arent so different than those outside the field. For professions like doctors, nurses, engineers, and others, Ecklund and Scheitle reported that the percentage of evangelicals, mainline Protestants, and Catholics working in those professions reaches about 3 percent or 4 percent, not much different from the general population. But when you look at the percentage of those working in science fields by religious identity, most are religious. Only 24 percent are unaffiliated, while 65 percent identify as Christians, with 24 percent being evangelicals. The findings align with other data indicating that even though Protestants and Catholics would recommend students pursue careers to become physicians or high school chemistry teachers, they are much less likely than the general population to endorse a career in biology or physics. Could it be that faith has a greater impact on how Christians view scientific research than how they apply that research in scientific careers? Research showed that believers tend to focus on practical application. Only 12 percent of evangelicals and 16 percent of mainline Protestants strongly agreed with the statement, Scientific research is valuable even when it doesnt provide immediate tangible benefits. Evangelicals report the lowest interest in new scientific discoveries (22%) compared to the general population (31.5%). When researchers changed the question to new medical discoveries, evangelicals were just as interested as the general population (around 40%). Ecklund and Scheitle concluded that basic science doesnt have as strong a connection to the values of their religious traditions. For instance, if your faith tradition emphasizes the importance of life or the importance of helping other people, then physician might be more easily seen as a spiritual profession than biologist, even if both actually serve to promote the values of your faith, they wrote. In the same way, it would be easier to see new medical discoveries as spiritually connected to the ideals of faith than it would be to see new scientific discoveries as promoting faith ideas. According to the study, evangelical scientists themselves are significantly more likely to view science and religion as being in a collaborative relationship than either of their identity groups: scientists or evangelicals. For Christians to go beyond the prevailing narratives on the relationship between science and religion, it will start with these Bible-believing, research-believing scientists. The church needs faith leaders to celebrate the scientists within their congregations, said Ecklund and Scheitle, and they need these scientists to speak out about how scientific knowledge is not a threat to their faith. The Time for Woman is Now - Spring Enrollment Begins at the Benedicta Leadership Institute for Women Contact: Women of Grace, 800-558-5452 ext 2121, aibrahim@womenofgrace.com CLEARWATER, Fla., Dec. 18, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- The role of women in the world has never been as important as it is today, which is why so many Catholic women are deciding the time has come to hone their leadership skills in the first-of-its-kind Catholic Women's Leadership Studies Program of the Benedicta Leadership Institute for Women. Founded by Johnnette Benkovic of Living His Life Abundantly, Inc./Women of Grace, the Benedicta Leadership Institute for Women is now enrolling women for the 2018 on-line spring semester of the Catholic Women's Leadership Studies at Holy Apostles College & Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. The spring semester begins January 15, 2018 and runs through April 27, 2018 and will offer two on-line classes: Toward a Catholic Understanding of Women (2 credits) taught by Monica M. Miller, Ph.D; and The Fundamentals of Catholic Servant Leadership (2 credits) taught by Father Joshua Genig, Ph.D. Credits are applicable to non-credit or credit certification, undergraduate or graduate credits in Catholic Women's Leadership Studies. Undergraduate credits can be applied toward a Bachelor of Arts in Theology. Graduate credit hours can be applied toward a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies degree with a concentration in Catholic Women's Leadership Studies. "Dr. Miller's course profoundly changed my understanding in several areas: the concept of authority, the mission of Mary, the male/female characteristics of Catholicism, the feminist agenda, etc.," said one woman who took Dr. Miller's class in 2016. "I thank God because your class really has been a catalyst for me in pursuing more of God's grace, to faithfully complete my duties and plan of life," said another student who completed Father Joshua Genig's class. Another student took a class taught by EWTN's Father Mitch Pacwa entitled, "Catholic Social Doctrine and Today's Catholic Woman Leader" and was equally amazed by the experience. "Father Mitch . . . tied past and current history to the encyclicals, which was essential to achieve a deeper understanding. He knows his history. I left with a deeper appreciation for the Petrine office... their wisdom and prophetic abilities." No matter which level of endeavor a woman desires, this program will help her attain her goal, and assist her to "help transform the world one woman at a time." But hurry! The deadline for registering is fast approaching! For more information, visit www.benedicta.womenofgrace.com, call 1-800-558-5452 ext. 2121 or email aibrahim@womenofgrace.com. Share Tweet Jewels in the crown: Inside the Royal Collection Justly famous for works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Leonardo, some of the Royal Collection's greatest treasures are masterpieces of the decorative arts, says Andrew Graham-Dixon, who is presenting a new series for the BBC I spent much of 2017 making Art, Passion & Power: The Story of the Royal Collection, a TV series currently being broadcast by the BBC. The result is the first televisual history of the British monarchys collections of fine and decorative arts since Royal Heritage, presented by Sir Huw Wheldon more than 40 years ago. We filmed many times at most of the royal palaces and residences Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court, the Palace of Holyroodhouse generally starting at an ungodly hour of the morning to avoid bumping into tourists in the public sections, then moving into more restricted areas later in the day. On camera, I suspect that my predominant expression is one of bleary-eyed wonderment provoked by the succession of masterpieces brought out for our contemplation with great patience and generosity by the curatorial staff: paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Dyck, Stubbs and Gainsborough; master drawings by Holbein, Michelangelo and Raphael, as well as numerous sheets from what is without doubt the greatest corpus of Leonardo da Vincis graphic work anywhere in the world. All this I was expecting to find, even if the experience of seeing such works in the flesh reminded me of the near ungraspable depth and breadth of the Royal Collection and the extent to which it remains, owing perhaps to its necessary dispersal among a multitude of buildings, somewhat under-appreciated as the unparalleled singular entity that it actually is. Open a larger version of this image The 17th-century piece known to Windsor Castle staff as the McDonalds Cabinet. Photo: Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017 But what I had never quite realised was just how great the Royal Collection is as a repository of the decorative arts. Almost every object you pass, in Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace, is either the finest, or one of the finest, of its kind. There are the pietra dura cabinets of almost absurd intricacy collected by George IV, who also commissioned the so-called Grand Service, designed by John Flaxman among others, 30 years in the making: not so much a dinner service, more a vast sculptural bacchanalia in silver gilt, complete with table ornaments that crawl with writhing monsters and intertwined gods and goddesses, all still brought out today to impress visiting dignitaries. There are the clocks with mindbogglingly complex workings commissioned by George III; the mirrors with frames of beaten silver commissioned by Charles II in an attempt to rival the magnificence of Louis XIV at Versailles; and enough finely worked cabinets of curiosity to exhaust anyones curiosity about the skills of the cabinetmaker in ages gone by. Yet despite the splendours of the collection, the nicknames given to one or two items by the staff hint at an almost blase attitude to the riches that surround them: at Windsor, a beautiful piece that once belonged to Charles Is queen, Henrietta Maria, is known to staff as the McDonalds Cabinet, because of the similarity between the repeated patterning of its rare hardwood marquetry and the golden arches of the burger restaurant chains logo. Open a larger version of this image A suit of armour made for Henry, Prince of Wales, the elder brother of Charles I, circa 1608. Photo: Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017 The Royal Collection also houses one of the worlds greatest collections of arms and armour, including a blued-steel suit created for the ill-fated Henry Prince of Wales in the time of Shakespeare: the royal armourer, Simon Metcalf, explained to me as he revealed its subtle interlockings and the various parts that might be fitted to it for combat on foot or by horse, that having it made would be like having a Ferrari created by hand nowadays. So rich is the Royal Collection in the field of the applied and decorative arts that many of its treasures are kept in store, periodically to be rediscovered and re-appreciated through the efforts of the curatorial staff. I was struck by a particularly brilliant example of this while we were making our films. Curator Kajal Meghani had just been going through one particular group of objects in the collection with the aim of creating a touring display of some of the best of them, which has been shown in Bradford and Leicester and will move to Holyroodhouse in December. Open a larger version of this image A gold turban ornament decorated with rubies, diamonds and emeralds; an Indian crown. Photo: Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017 What were they? A treasure trove of mostly Indian masterworks of craftsmanship, all of them presented to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and the future Edward VII, during a four-month tour that he made of the subcontinent in 187576. With typical Victorian energy, the prince travelled some 7,600 miles by land and 2,300 miles by sea during his trip, visiting nearly every major Indian city and court, while also finding time to travel to Nepal and Ceylon. Wary of the Indian habit of extravagant gift-giving, his advisers sent advance notice that Durbar-type present exchanges were not to be countenanced: the prince would be handing out Purdey shotguns, swords made by Wilkinson and specially struck medals, and expected appropriately moderate gifts in return. But as Kajal Meghanis exhibition of the objects that he actually received amply proves (its title, Splendours of the Subcontinent, is not guilty of hyperbole), the Indian princes, rulers and other dignitaries who received him paid not a blind bit of notice to the instruction. Among other things, he was given: a turban ornament decorated with diamonds, rubies and emeralds; a crown completely encrusted with precious stones; a solid-gold opium box; a pair of ceremonial staffs in ivory carved with lions heads; an enamelled perfume holder from Jaipur embellished with images of the main palaces of that city, which reputedly required five firings and took an entire team of craftsmen five years to make; a pair of gold bottles with the so-called shawl patterning that would inspire many a Liberty design. Open a larger version of this image An 18-piece writing set the mast serves as a pen, the cabins as inkwells made of solid gold, presented to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, on his four-month tour of the subcontinent in 1875-76. Photo: Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017 Perhaps most magnificent of all is an 18-piece writing set in the form of a ceremonial barge, its mast a pen, its cabins inkwells, all made of solid gold inlaid with jewels, a peacock at its prow. It is, truly, something to write home about, an object of such craftsmanship and playful brilliance that its maker might have given Faberge himself a run for his money. What is so rare and wonderful about this collection within the Royal Collection is that all the objects it contains were accumulated within a very short space of time, the period dictated by the royal visit. So what it offers to the eye and the imagination is an unrivalled snapshot of the finest decorative work from jewellery and goldsmithery to arms, armour and beyond being created in the Indian subcontinent at a single moment in time. The collection has been rather forgotten, although the fact that it has now been made the subject of an exhibition raises the hope that it will be rediscovered anew. Open a larger version of this image An enamelled gold perfume holder, or attardan, circa 1870-75. Photo: Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017 The evidence suggests that Prince Albert Edward himself knew just how special these things were. Immediately on his return, he ordered the whole collection to be put on display in the old India Museum at South Kensington. From there it was sent for display in Bethnal Green, in the East End of London, and then on to northern England and Scotland. More than two million people saw it, and the resulting funds were used, among other things, to found Aberdeen Art Gallery. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Alicia Henderson took an accounting job at Centro San Antonio, she already had been convicted of felony bank fraud and charged twice with theft by check. She had declared bankruptcy the year before and was struggling to prevent the foreclosure of her home, court and property records show. Multiple people with first-hand knowledge of the investigation identified Henderson, who served as Centros staff accountant and office manager from October 2014 until last month, as the employee linked to the embezzlement of $260,000 from the nonprofit, leading to the resignation of Pat DiGiovanni, its president and CEO. READ MORE: Centro San Antonio CEO quits amid allegations of embezzlement by staffer Henderson, who didnt respond to requests for comment, came to Centro from a temp agency. The nonprofit then hired her without a background check, said Don Frost, the Centro board chairman. Centro essentially includes two organizations with different missions, officials say. One of them is an advocacy group for the downtown community that successfully lobbied for projects in this years city bond package. The other has a multimillion-dollar contract with the city to manage the downtown public improvement district, or PID, which collects property taxes to perform extra services such as street sweeping and graffiti removal. DiGiovannis ascent to president and CEO of Centro in January 2013 was marked with controversy. RELATED: Finger-pointing and calls for responsibility over stumbling Tricentennial While negotiating his employment with Centro, he served on a city selection committee to choose the construction firm to expand the Convention Center. One of the contractors vying for the $300 million contract was Zachry Corp. CEO David Zachry, who was vice-chairman of Centro and involved in DiGiovannis hiring. DiGiovanni, who hasnt been implicated in any wrongdoing in the embezzlement, said he interviewed Henderson but wasnt aware of her past and didnt make the decision to hire her. Instead, Centros COO and CFO Tony Piazzi handled the hiring process, he said. Piazzi didnt respond to a request for comment. Click here on ExpressNews.com to read the full story. rwebner@express-news.net Graduate student tuition waivers will remain tax-free in the latest version of the GOP tax bill, which lawmakers hope to approve and deliver to President Donald Trump this week. A provision to tax tuition waivers was one of several key concerns for Texas' research universities, which waive parts of tuition as graduate students run research labs and teach classes. Graduate students, who earn small stipends, also take their own classes and do independent research. A letter from Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) and dozens of other lawmakers to U.S. House leaders said taxing graduate tuition waivers would be "unfair" and inhibit economic growth. Other provisions of the tax bill still could hit the area's academic institutions. As the Chronicle of Higher Education reports: "A proposed tax on the endowment earnings of the wealthiest colleges remained in the bill. The legislation would place a 1.4-percent tax on the investment earnings of endowments at colleges with more than 500 students and $500,000 in endowment per student. The provision is expected to affect fewer than 30 colleges nationwide, though the number could certainly grow. A small change in this section states that the tax applies only to 'institutions more than 50 percent of the tuition paying students of which are located in the United States.'" Inside Higher Education also notes that the merged tax plan continues to allow student loan borrowers to deduct up to $2,500 toward student loan interest from taxable income annually. Texas university presidents have begun speaking out against the bill more widely after a silence that some students criticized. University of Texas at Austin President Greg Fenves and Trinity University President Danny Anderson in Texas Monthly this weekend called endowments "a critical source of student financial aid." Last week, Rice University President David Leebron said there was "virtually nothing good" in the tax legislation, criticizing the endowment tax, in a Houston Chronicle essay. Science Picture Co/Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RM A former BP economist was charged with five counts of wire fraud for allegedly trying to extort money from the London-based company whose U.S. operations are based in Houston. George Koutsostamatis, 28, who worked for BP in Chicago, was indicted last month in Houston for allegedly trying to exchange sensitive corporate documents for Bitcoins. He was arrested in Chicago and brought to Houston where he appeared in federal court Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Houston. Houston-based Tellurian said it proposes to build an ambitious, $7 billion network of natural gas pipelines from West Texas' Permian Basin to liquefied natural gas export hubs in southern Louisiana. The system also would include a pipeline from East Texas' and North Louisiana's Haynesville shale down to the same southern Louisiana hub north of Lake Charles. All of these would tie into existing pipeline systems and another planned pipeline to Tellurian's proposed Driftwood LNG export terminal south of Lake Charles. Tellurian went public earlier this year after being founded by Charif Souki, the LNG pioneer who turned Houston's Cheniere Energy into the nation's first LNG exporter. Souki was ousted from Cheniere for allegedly planning too much growth and then he promptly founded Tellurian. There are more than proposed 15 projects to expand or construct pipelines that will traverse most of Texas from the Permian Basin to Houston, Corpus Christi and Beaumont. But most of those are crude oil or natural gas liquids pipelines built to serve Texas Gulf Coast hubs. RELATED: Total buys big stake in Charif Souki's Tellurian Investments Tellurian's project is focused on dry gas extending even farther into Louisiana. The other major natural gas pipeline project from the Permian in the works is the pending Gulf Coast Express pipeline project owned by Houston's Kinder Morgan and DCP Midstream, which is a joint venture between Houston's Phillips 66 and Calgary-based Enbridge. The Gulf Coast Express project would run from the Permian to Corpus Christi. The biggest question with the Tellurian projects is how they'll be funded. Tellurian is hoping to sign on enough customers to move their natural gas by late 2018. The goal is to complete construction in 2022. The Driftwood LNG project, which is still attracting financing, wouldn't come online until 2022 either if all goes as planned. Tellurian President and CEO Meg Gentle, who joined Souki from Cheniere, said the proposed network would accommodate much of the anticipated 8 billion cubic feet a day of extra natural gas demand expected in southern Louisiana by 2025 as LNG exports grow. The planned Tellurian network would include three different pipeline projects. The largest, the Permian Global Access Pipeline, would run 625 miles from West Texas' Pecos County to Gillis, Louisiana. The proposed Haynesville Global Access Pipeline would travel about 200 mile from northern Louisiana near the Arkansas border to Gillis. And the previously announced Driftwood Pipeline would connect Gillis across 96 miles to the Driftwood LNG export terminal. Gentle said Tellurian hired the project leader for the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline to head up the Tellurian network. Joey Mahmoud, an executive vice president of Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, is the new president overseeing the Tellurian network. Hollywood stars gathered in New York to honor ten everyday citizens who are making huge differences in other people's lives. CNN's Anderson Cooper and ABC's Kelly Ripa co-hosted the 11th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, which aired Sunday, Dec. 17 on CNN. The Spring Branch Education Foundation's Harvey Relief fund continues to grow past $1 million in an effort to help families with in the Spring Branch area get back on their feet after the disaster Hurricane Harvey left for many families. Scott Muri, Spring Branch ISD superintendent, was in the processes of assessing the damages the district sustained after Harvey hit and found that many buildings fared well and sustained minimal damage. Muri spoke to a number of staff members and student families only to learn the damages the hurricane had on their livelihood were disruptive and costly. "When Spring Branch Education Foundation launched the Harvey Relief Fund we could never have imagined how swiftly and generously our community and others would respond," Muri said. Lost cars, flooded homes and other possessions was the same story that many families endured. In three months since the foundation launched the fund, they surpassed the $1 million mark. "With more than $1 million raised, families of more than 1,000 SBISD students and employees have received much-needed resources and support," Murie said. The challenge presented when the fund was first established was to raise $20,000. "I've always known the generosity of this community," said Cece Thompson, executive director of SBEF. "For more than two decades, it has funded grants and scholarships that enhance education for SBISD students." Thompson added that the outpour of support in the wake of Harvey surpassed any expectations and that one community member called and said the family wanted to donate $100,000. A Twitter blast with the hashtag CollectiveGreatness brought in support from across the globe with the Wilchester Men's Club contributing $9,000, Waterous Endergy Fund, which is a Canadian company, donating $100,000. Many of Muri's former colleagues also contributed to the fund after seeing the Tweet. The Discovery Channel donated $25,000. The SBEF was one of three education organizations that received funds from The Greater Houston Community Foundation. "The grant felt like an affirmation of our efforts," Thompson said. "As far as we know the SBEF Harvey Relief Fund is the only one that specifically helps families in Spring Branch ISD." Courtesy photo A visit to the hospital isn't always a pleasant one, especially for children. However, a special teddy bear aims to help kids through the process with flying colors. United Airlines recently donated dozens of Adventure Bears named "Ben Flyin" to Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. The bears will be given to children as they undergo outpatient procedures, visit the emergency center, or are admitted to the hospital. This is the third year United Airlines has partnered with Memorial Hermann Katy for the Adventure Bear Program. Shown here are some of the United Airlines volunteers, Memorial Hermann Katy staff, and the bears. MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called President Donald Trump to thank him for a tip from the CIA that thwarted a terrorist attack being planned in St. Petersburg. The unusual call countries share intelligence all the time, but presidents rarely publicly thank one another for it was confirmed by White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Putin told Trump that the information provided by the CIA allowed Russian law enforcement agencies to track down and detain a group of suspects who were planning to bomb the centrally located Kazan Cathedral and other crowded parts of Russia's second-largest city. "Based on the information the United States provided, Russian authorities were able to capture the terrorists just prior to an attack that could have killed large numbers of people," the White House said in its readout of the call. "Both leaders agreed that this serves as an example of the positive things that can occur when our countries work together." It was the two presidents' second conversation since Thursday, when they spoke after Putin's annual four-hour televised news conference, during which the Russian leader mentioned the booming U.S. stock market as an example of Trump's successes. The White House said Trump thanked Putin for remarks he made "acknowledging America's strong economic performance." Putin said he doubted Trump would be able to improve relations between their two countries because the U.S. president was being held back by his political opposition and allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election were being invented to raise doubts about Trump's legitimacy. The CIA tip apparently provided the breakthrough that allowed Russian authorities last week to detain seven members of what officials identified as Islamic State cells. The suspects, investigators said,had been planning a suicide bombing this weekend in Kazan Cathedral, a St. Petersburg landmark located on Nevsky Prospect, its main thoroughfare. The cathedral was built between 1801 and 1811, and, controversially at the time, was designed along the lines of a Roman Catholic basilica. Russian state television reported the capture of the alleged cell members as it often does in takedowns of terrorist suspects, with a video that shows agents in action and an on-camera confession. In this case, a man identified as Yevgeny Yefimov confessed that he planned to carry out an attack in the city. Later, Yefimov told a St. Petersburg court that he was planning to target the Kazan Cathedral. Three more people were arrested Sunday in connection with the alleged plot, RIA Novosti reported. The agency published a list of 17 major terrorist plots that Russian law enforcement has been able to head off this year. The suspects in the latest arrests had been using the messaging app Telegram to communicate with Islamic State leaders abroad, according to law enforcement agencies. Telegram was fined last month for refusing to provide Russian security forces access to the online conversations of two suspects linked to a suicide bombing in April that killed 16 people and injured about 100. In their phone conversation Sunday, Putin asked Trump to pass along his gratitude to CIA Director Mike Pompeo and the American intelligence agents who received the information, the Kremlin said. It said Putin also told Trump that "if Russian special services obtain any information on terrorist threats against the United States and its citizens, they will definitely and immediately pass it to American counterparts through partner channels." The CIA declined to comment on that. But the White House said that Trump "then called Director Pompeo to congratulate him, his very talented people, and the entire intelligence community on a job well done!" A 57-year-old man died Saturday after he was run over by a truck earlier this month, according to Houston police. Carl Lockhart had trespassed onto a property in the 1600 block of South Loop West service road on Dec. 7 and gone to sleep underneath a parked 18-wheeler. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Texas prison inmate already behind bars for burglary was charged this weekend with aggravated sexual assault he allegedly raped a teacher at Ferguson Unit in Madison County. The prison system's Office of the Inspector General served an arrest warrant on Xavier Johnson, just days after teacher Nicole Truelove went public with her allegations and tearfully called on Gov. Greg Abbott to pursue criminal charges. The Windham School District employee said last week she plans to file a lawsuit against the state over the Nov. 13 sex assault inside a classroom at the understaffed unit with no working cameras and no guards in sight. The 2,400-inmate unit has a 25 percent vacancy rate for guards, according to the latest Texas Department of Criminal Justice data. Now Playing: Trending News Around The Nation Video: Houston Chronicle "This never should have happened; it could have been easily avoided," her attorney David Lindsay said last week. "And if changes aren't made by the Department of Criminal Justice, this will happen again." Before the incident last month, Johnson had previously been slapped with a stricter classification level at least twice for sexual misconduct, Lindsay said. The outburst of violence in November came after Truelove, a new teacher with the school district that serves TDCJ prisoners, allegedly spotted Johnson masturbating in class. After repeated warnings, she wrote him up. But as class let out, the multiple felon stayed back, hiding behind the door. There were no officers in the area to stop him when he allegedly grabbed Truelove by the hair and slammed her against the door before assaulting her and threatening her children. Truelove said she reported the attack right away, but last week pleaded for the governor to take action. "Mr. Abbott, when will these charges be filed?" she asked, flanked by her lawyers at a press gathering outside the federal courthouse in Houston. At the time, a TDCJ spokesman declined to discuss specifics of the case, but said that an initial review showed the unit staffing plan was followed and that three officers were assigned to the education building the day of the attack. "Offender sexual misbehavior such as masturbation is not tolerated," spokesman Jason Clark said last week. "If the staff is made aware inappropriate activity in a classroom or anywhere else, the department will take immediate action." The Windham School District offered "thoughts and prayers" for Truelove, who is on leave. Lindsay, who is co-counsel on the case along with Randall Kallinen, said his client is pleased about the arrest but still plans to pursue a lawsuit. "We're happy to see that they have really begun to move quickly," he said. "This is certainly a good development." But Kallinen said there's still more to be done. "Charging someone with a crime after it has occurred is like closing the barn door after the horse has gotten out," he said. "There is no indication that the understaffing has been corrected, nor have any cameras been installed." The 25-year-old prisoner - who appears to use the nickname "Sponge Bob," according to Department of Public Safety records - was transferred to another facility and the Special Prosecution Unit will be handling the case as it moves forward, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said Monday. Previously, Johnson served time in TDCJ for a drug charge out of Victoria County and an unauthorized use of a vehicle charge out of Harris County. He was also convicted of aggravated assault, though that charge doesn't appear to have led to any prison time. His current conviction is a 13-year sentence for burglary in Victoria County. If he's convicted of the new first-degree felony, he could face up to life in prison. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate William P. Hobby Airport experienced some delays as a power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport disrupted incoming and outgoing flights. The Federal Aviation Administration implemented a ground stop for flights headed to the airport on Sunday, meaning that flights scheduled to arrive in Atlanta would be held on the ground at their departure airport. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that delays from the outage are expected Monday. Hartsfield-Jackson, often ranked as the nations busiest airport, is Delta Air Lines primary hub and operates many flights by Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines. Southwest and Delta are two of five airports operating at Hobby. Around 40 percent of departures and arrivals from Hobby were late or very late on Sunday afternoon, according to Flight View, a service that tracks commercial airline flights in the U.S. Both measures dropped to about 20 percent by 8:45 p.m. Bush Intercontinental Airport flights saw less disruption, but both airports alerted passengers of delayed travel to Atlanta. Atlanta airport spokesman Reese McCraine said the outage occurred early Sunday afternoon. By 6:45 p.m., power was restored to one concourse of the airport. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The new owner of the ornate safe inside the old Spaghetti Warehouse doesn't know how to pull it out of the old, flooded Italian restaurant. "He's been on the phone since 9 a.m.," jokes Steve Tomlin with online auction house RestaurantEquipment.bid, who is on site making sure winning bidders get the goods they purchased. RELATED: Contents of flooded downtown Spaghetti Warehouse are currently being auctioned off online The downtown eatery, sitting just off Buffalo Bayou, was teeming with life on Monday. Months after being flooded out by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters, the chain decided to put the items inside it up for auction. The Dallas-based Spaghetti Warehouse chain isn't leaving Houston, they have told Chron.com, but they are walking away from the 901 Commerce location after Harvey's nasty flooding. Now Playing: When it comes to extreme weather, 2017 was a year for the record books. Video: Time Buyers of the discarded furnishings and kitchen equipment are responsible for all the disconnection and removal of the items purchased. When Chron.com arrives, there is a team taking apart an antique replica trolley car inside, on the second floor where Houstonians once dined. Another group is inside a darkened kitchen retrieving a sink. A perplexed crew is working on finding a way to remove an old chandelier hanging over the hostess desk. RELATED: Famous phrases that all native Houstonians should know by heart That hefty antique Mosler safe, built for the Melissa State Bank according to the listing, has notations on the side where employees have written down various flooding events that have plagued Spaghetti Warehouse and how long it was closed. Allison (closed three months), Rita (four days), Ike (nine days), the 2016 Tax Day flood (three days). There is no notation for Harvey as its self-explanatory just standing inside the dining room. The smell inside is a special kind of lingering, annoying pungent odor. It appears that at least five feet of water surged inside during Harvey, judging by a water line. Couple that with the building's musty smell to begin with and you have quite a bouquet. "When I got here a few days ago I think I could smell it a block away," Tomlin says. Tomlin's company RestaurantEquipment.bid handles the liquidations of places just like Spaghetti Warehouse, but this is not the first sale over which he has presided in his two years on staff where the property has been alleged to be haunted. RELATED: See what downtown's Spaghetti Warehouse looks like after Hurricane Harvey When Chron.com tells him of the ghostly lore surrounding the location, he laughs. "Well now some of what has happened makes sense," Tomlin says. The first day he was here getting the contents of the restaurant ready for customers, he felt as if he being watched. At first he thought that maybe a transient had make themselves at home. After clearing the building and not finding a living soul he still felt like he was being observed. "You know when you can tell someone is watching you? It's something like that," Tomlin says. According to Tomlin, this isn't the first haunted Spaghetti Warehouse he's worked in. A Tulsa, Oklahoma location also gave him the creeps. "There was a weird wooden gnome that was on the third floor all by itself that always looked like it was watching you," Tomlin says. He wanted to put a sheet over it while he worked around it. We joke that all Spaghetti Warehouse locations are contractually obligated to be haunted, or at least have ghost stories. The basement below us has signs of tampering, with various windows and holes kicked out, likely from homeless Houstonians looking for shelter. Spaghetti Warehouse started in 1972 in Dallas and later spread to the southern and eastern regions of the United States. The Houston location opened in 1973 and at one time was the second-largest in the chain, boasting two stories. The building had a long and varied life before that. Built around 1912, it was the site of a fruit and vegetable warehouse and later a pharmaceutical company before diners were bellying up for garlic bread and lasagna. As the story traditionally goes, a young pharmacist died after falling down the elevator shaft. The pharmacist's wife was so distraught, she died less than a year later. RELATED: The haunting of Houston's Spaghetti Warehouse: Reality or just a great advertising tool? The pair of ghosts are now said to haunt the building. Some people eating there over the years reported seeing floating objects. Employees spoke of strange sightings on the second floor, even hearing their name called when no one else is around. Apparently, a male spirit shuffled around the restroom. Sometimes child ghosts were heard running around the building making mischief after closing time. The number of ghosts chilling out upstairs always increased depending on who was talking, it seems. Other notable haunted places in Houston are reported to be the Rice Lofts (dancers on the rooftop), La Carafe (curious sounds and "cold" spots), the Battleship Texas (a dead sailor) and the Julia Ideson Building (the one-time handyman and his trusty dog). RELATED: Is the Houston Zoo haunted by the ghost of a former daredevil zookeeper? The owners of the restaurant stocked it with antiques, including the trolley car, grand chandeliers and a grandfather clock over the years to add to the old-world feel of the place. Some paranormal believers contend that spirits good and bad become imprinted on an item and follow it around wherever it goes. Still others have been dismissive and say that the stories were invented as a sort of marketing tool to drum up business in a downtown area where competition is plentiful. No word on whether the ghosts come with the auction items. Buyer beware and all that. If the building is torn down, where do the ghosts go? The taco shop down the street? Or do they just linger at Travis and Commerce, waiting for a new developer to haunt? According to company spokesman David Ayers, the restaurant is not closing on a permanent basis in Houston but chances are that the chain won't find a more unique place in the city to serve lasagna and bread sticks. Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. He's an intolerable native Texan with too much ink in his skin and too much brisket stuck in his teeth. 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. Sharon did let us in on a little secret: Having a sibling die apparently guarantees you a spot on the nice list. "After a devastating loss like that, they need some kind words, and when we tell them they're on the nice list, a little good news can go a long way. It's not much, but it's something good in their lives at a time like that." Continue Reading Below Advertisement Hey, there's a reason suicide peaks around the Yuletide season, and we're not even done yet. "Some orphanages and foster homes pay for this service as something nice for the children. And they ask for parents. A few years, I answered letters that pleaded for parents." Yep, we're diving into a Russian nesting doll of horrible here. "About five years ago, I got turned out to be a letter that several other writers couldn't answer. I called my boss and he said the buck stopped with me, and when I read it, I understood why. He wanted parents -- who had 'hit him' -- back for Christmas." Several other writers at the company tried and failed to craft a proper response. What do you even say to a kid in that situation? Santa can't call an abused child's estranged parents garbage people, however correct that might be. Continue Reading Below Advertisement "What we settled on was saying that his mother and father had to work on their emotions and actions themselves, but in a way a seven-year-old can understand. You can't promise them back, and you can't promise a new, more loving family. What you can say is that adults need to work on it themselves, but Santa will do everything he can to make it a better Christmas. For that letter, we actually called his foster home and asked what he'd be getting so that we would know that we wouldn't lie with that. That led to a conversation with the foster parent about what really happened. It was ten times ... darker than what the child said in the letter, but we were told he was a sweet boy who only wanted love." Continue Reading Below Advertisement A significant number of children seem to think that Santa can raise the dead. We're not really sure how that rumor got started (to us, he was always just the fat dude who broke into houses with a bag full of toys). But Sharon deals with a lot of requests for resurrections. "I've had requests to bring grandma and grandpa back to life, like Santa can reverse death. For them, we give a 'We can't bring them back, but if you remember them, then they're never truly gone,' which is a really sweet thing to say that parents have complimented us on before." Security News Kaspersky Lab Sues U.S. Department Of Homeland Security Over Government Sales Ban Michael Novinson Share this Kaspersky Lab filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the Trump administration's ban on the use of the company's cybersecurity software within federal agencies. The Moscow-based company alleges that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's decision is unconstitutional and relied on subjective, non-technical sources such as uncorroborated media reports, repeated claims and rumors. DHS further failed to provide Kaspersky with adequate due process to rebut the allegations, and hasn't produced any evidence of wrongdoing, according to the company. "DHS has harmed Kaspersky Lab's reputation, negatively affected the livelihoods of its U.S.-based employees and U.S.-based business partners, and undermined the company's contributions to the broader cybersecurity community," wrote CEO Eugene Kaspersky in an open letter posted Monday. [RELATED: Partners: U.S. Government Ban Will Deliver Huge Blow To Kaspersky Lab] The Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on Kaspersky's lawsuit. Kaspersky said it reached out to DHS in July and offered to provide information and assurance concerning the company, its operations, and its products. DHS acknowledged receipt of Kaspersky's letter in August, the company said, but took no further action until issuing a directive in September stipulating that civilian federal government agencies remove Kaspersky's software within 90 days. Although Kaspersky was allowed to initiate a review of the directive, Eugene Kaspersky said the procedure didn't afford the company due process under U.S. law since Kaspersky didn't have the opportunity before the directive was issued to see and contest the information which the DHS had been relying on. "Genuine due process provides you with the opportunity to defend yourself and see the evidence against you before action is taken; it doesn't ask you to respond once action is already underway," Eugene Kaspersky said in the open letter. Last week, President Trump signed a broader defense policy spending bill that bans Kaspersky's software from both civilian and military networks. The legislation came after months of pushback against Kaspersky over alleged ties to the Russian government, which the company has vehemently denied. "Dissuading consumers and businesses in the United States and abroad from using Kaspersky Lab products solely because of its geographic origins and without any credible evidence does little to address information security concerns related to government networks," Eugene Kaspersky said. Kaspersky alleges that the DHS's actions have damaged the company's reputation in the IT security industry, as well as its sales in the United States. Kaspersky announced earlier this month that the company would shut its Arlington, Va.-based office due to the U.S. government's sales ban. Although only a relatively small percentage of Kaspersky's U.S. revenue comes from software licenses held by federal government entities, Eugene Kaspersky said that DHS's actions have had a "disproportionate and unwarranted" negative impact on the company's consumer, commercial, state and local, and education business interests in the United States and globally. "[Kaspersky's] presence in Russia and the CIS [former Soviet Republic] region, its technical knowhow, and its linguistic expertise uniquely position the company to advance the fight against malware and protect its customers from cyber threats," said Eugene Kaspersky in the open letter. Having a presence in and around Russia has enabled Kaspersky to share cyber threat information and vulnerability research with various U.S. government entities focused on cybersecurity, including agencies within the DHS, according to Eugene Kaspersky. The company said in November that an internal investigation found its servers received confidential National Security Agency files from an employee's computer. However, Kaspersky said that had happened as part of an investigation into malicious code on the machine and wasn't a result of cooperation with Russia. CEO Eugene Kaspersky ordered that the classified data be deleted from the computer, the company said at the time. The Week Ending Dec. 15 Topping this week's roundup of those having a rough week is Xerox, its board and CEO who are coming under pressure from activist investor Carl Icahn. Also making the list this week are Atos, whose bid to acquire Gemalto for $5 billion was shot down; Intel partners who could be hit by reported cuts in the iconic "Intel Inside" program; Kaspersky Lab, whose business continues to suffer because of the ban on the use of its software by the U.S. government; and three programmers who have plead guilty to charges surrounding the Mirai IoT botnet attack. Not everyone in the IT industry was having a rough go of it this week. For a rundown of companies that made smart decisions, executed savvy strategic moves or just had good luck check out this week's Five Companies That Came To Win roundup. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Despite the frigid temperatures, between 50 and 100 people filtered on McLevy Green in Bridgeport on Sunday afternoon to protest President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Many protesters carried signs bearing such slogans as From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free and A free Palestine means equal rights for all. The idea of the event was to draw attention to the possible harm the declaration could do to Palestines people, said Dr. Ahmed Ebrahim, of the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center. He said, if there is any chance of peace in the Middle East, Jerusalem needs to remain neutral. Jerusalem is very sacred to the three religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity), Ebrahim said. It should stay free it should stay open for everyone. Trumps declaration, made earlier this month, has been criticized by many as siding with Israel in its longtime conflict with Palestine, and dashing the possibility of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Though Jerusalem is under Israels control, both nations claim it as their political capital. Protests over the decision have led to violent clashes in the West Bank and Gaza, which have left several dead and many injured. There have been some Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chief among them who have praised the decision, and stated Israel has maintained its capital in Jerusalem for 70 years. But the prevailing theme among the speakers at Sundays event was that Palestines connection to the city dates back to before the creation of Israel, and that Trumps decision will only exacerbate tensions between Israel and Palestine. One speaker, Mohamed Hamada, also from the Islamic Center, made reference to the Nakba of 1948, in which 700,000 Palestinians were uprooted from their homes. He and other speakers repeated that their objections to the U.S. recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital werent a criticism of Judaism or of the Jewish people, but of a political movement that has been separating Palestinians from their land and homes for decades. This is not a religious struggle, Hamada said. This is about people who were driven from their homes. During the event, Ebrahim asked for the support of local politicians, and called out Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., for seeming to support the Jerusalem decision. In a news release shortly before Trumps announcement, Blumenthal stated Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and Ive strongly supported acknowledging that simple fact. My hope is that the Presidents announcement of his recognition of Jerusalem will be followed by meaningful steps to advance the peace process, including secure borders for Israel and a two-state solution. Ebrahim said its ridiculous to say this declaration will promote peace in the Middle East. However, when reached for a response Sunday afternoon, Blumenthals office issued a more critical statement about the declaration. Recognizing Israels capital, and giving our ally the equal treatment granted to every other state, is the right thing to do, if done the right way at the right time, Blumenthal said. Unfortunately, President Trumps announcement was made with no international consultation or coordination, no specific plan for security, and no credible move to advance the peace process. Although this recognition need not prejudice the outcome of the stalled peace process, Trumps announcement did nothing to advance those vital negotiations. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SHELTON Police arrested five Bridgeport residents Sunday after they were accused of shoplifting from Walmart and threatening employees with a knife. No one was hurt in the incident. According to police, three people, later identified as Monica Santos, 31, Luis Torres, 32, and Trisha Donaldson, 27, went into the store on Bridgeport Avenue about 3:15 p.m. while two others, later identified as Juan Torres, 30, and Vanessa Torres, 29, waited in a green Volkswagen Passat outside. Walmart employees suspected Santos, Luis Torres and Donaldson of taking around $800 in merchandise without paying for it and tried to stop the three. Officers said that Santos then pulled out a knife and the three ran from the store, getting into the Passat and fleeing. Police spotted a green Passat on Route 8 near Exit 10 in Trumbull and pulled it over, arresting all five suspects. Santos was charged with first-degree robbery, attempted fifth-degree larceny and interfering with an officer. She was held on a $10,000 bond with a Derby Court date of Dec. 18. Luis Torres was charged with attempted fifth-degree larceny and was held on a $1,000 bond with the same court date. Juan Torres, Vanessa Torres and Donaldson were all charged with conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny. They were released on promises to appear in Derby Court on Jan. 5, 2018. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK A group on young tech wizards were given the opportunity to showcase their achievements at the IBM Internship Expo at Norwalk Community College on Friday. The 21 students from Norwalk Early College Academy (NECA), which is Connecticuts first Pathways to Technology (P-TECH) institution for students in grades 9-14, worked in paid internships at IBM this summer. Five of the students, Aasim Vhora, Erin Aymerich, Mario Ramirez, Ryan Stelly, and Tanyia Bynum, shared their work experiences at NCC. When I step back and look at my internship I would say that I not only was given a fresh pair of eyes, but also have given a fresh pair of eyes, too, Aymerich said. I gave a new perspective to my co-workers and managers ... They treated me like part of their team. Vhora said that the internship helped him discover a passion for web design. My experience at IBM was life-changing, Vhora said. I dont think I would do my summer of 2017 any differently. Stelly spent much of his internship conducting research on the social media of IBMs competition. I was able to help IBM approach new clients and sell their product, he said. For Bynum, his time at IBM was spent in part studying customer satisfaction data, which she said gave her peace of mind. I learned that coding is not for me and thats alright, she said. I dont have to sit on a computer and code all day. Ramirez spent much of his internship researching contact databases. He said he found the experience challenging and unique. Im blown away by everything you do, Karen Amaker, housemaster at Norwalk High School and NECA director, said to the students. The academy was jointly founded in August 2014 by IBM, Norwalk Community College, and Norwalk High School. In May 2018, the 21 student-participants will graduate with an associate degree from Norwalk Community College and the following month will receive their high school diplomas. Think about it, Amaker said. Youre graduating with your associates degree before you graduate high school. Mayor Harry Rilling congratulated the students on the completion of their seven-week internships and their participation in the program. Congratulations on a successful year, Rilling said. I want to thank IBM, NCC, and Norwalk Public Schools for the partnerships that is helping you develop to your fullest potential. Rilling noted that he mentors one of the NECA students. Im very proud of all of you, Rilling said. My mentee, Mario Ramirez, will be graduating with an associates degree and high school diploma. You all have risen way above the average student. Albert Schneider, IBMs vice president of infrastructure services, addressed the students and their friends and families in attendance. New collar roles in the workplace allow students with just the right amount of education to fill a gap in the workforce that is widening, Schneider said I started at IBM as a teenager ... Im not where I am without someone helping me, and thats what were doing with this program. llake@hearstmediact.com A former Today show staffer says she was 'overwhelmed, isolated, confused' after encounter with Matt Lauer in 2000 when she was a 24-year-old production assistant. Addie Collins Zinone spoke with Megyn Kelly with her side of the story. At least three people were killed with another 77 taken to the hospital after a new high speed Amtrak train derailed on a Washington State overpass. The train was reportedly going 80 mph when it derailed at roughly 7:40 the morning of its first day of service. At least six people have been killed with another 77 taken to the hospital today after a new high speed Amtrak train derailed on a Washington State overpass. Mystery surrounds the deaths of a Canadian billionaire couple found dead inside their Toronto mansion. An autopsy reveals they may have been strangled, but their family says the couple was beloved and had no enemies. In this DailyMailTV exclusive meet the woman who claims she was raped by The Voice contestant Melanie Martinez, a woman she considered a close friend. Royal watchers are clamoring to learn which fashion designer Meghan Markle will pick for her wedding dress. One contender is an Israeli designer known for her daring designs. And, the Kardashians are full of holiday spirit and keep tempting their social media fans with glimpses of their celebrations. Get a peek at Kris Jenner's elaborate decorations, as multiple trees and a polar bear fill her house. For centuries, the fundamental principle underpinning British law has been innocence until proven guilty. Nothing in the judicial system is more basic or more sacrosanct. But the insidious spread of a culture inevitably driven by social media that encourages us to see every woman as a potential or actual victim is destroying that foundation stone. Increasingly, from the moment an allegation of rape is made, the police and judiciary tend to use language that implies it is based on fact and that all men are potential predators of women. Increasingly, from the moment an allegation of rape is made, the police and judiciary tend to use language that implies it is based on fact and that all men are potential predators of women (stock) This, I believe, is part of a dangerous trend being pushed by feminists that casts women as innocents incapable of lying. As I argue in my latest book, Women Vs Feminism, this does a deadly disservice to the causes of equality and justice. The case of Liam Allan, the 22-year-old undergraduate arrested after an ex-girlfriend filed six charges of rape and one of sexual assault against him, is a stark warning of the dangers to both individuals and to society as a whole. Scorned Thankfully, the case was thrown out, but in the previous 14 months Mr Allans life had been made a misery as he faced up to 20 years in jail. Even now, his reputation is badly battered. His mother said: The assumption is theres no smoke without fire. In the current climate, in these sorts of cases, youre guilty until you can prove you are innocent. Only after months of mental torture was the public able to learn more about the false rape allegation. It appears an ex-girlfriend had been angry with Mr Allan, perhaps because he had ended their relationship, and seemingly sought vengeance. This, I believe, is part of a dangerous trend being pushed by feminists that casts women as innocents incapable of lying. As I argue in my latest book, Women Vs Feminism, this does a deadly disservice to the causes of equality and justice (stock) The fury of the woman scorned is as old as the hills but women have now found a dangerous new outlet in the form of a justice system that has been tampered with by feminists to fit their agenda. Most worryingly, this case is far from unique. I recently spent a week in court, watching the trial of a young man accused of rape. The experience shocked me. First, the alleged victim and the accused were treated very differently. The young woman rape victims are, of course, always anonymous was called by her first name and treated deferentially by the barristers and judge. The young man was treated almost as a criminal from the start. He was addressed by his surname and, to me, it seemed a subliminal sub-text was ever-present that there was no doubt he had committed the crime. In the end, however, the jury found him not guilty by a unanimous verdict. Undoubtedly, the court experience for any rape-accuser is not pleasant, but unlike the men in these two cases, they will not risk facing long-lasting shame for simply being charged with rape (even though both accused men were cleared). More pertinently, neither woman will suffer for having brought the accusations, because the public will never know their identities unless, as happens in rare cases, they are taken to court for making false accusations. How is this equality? How is this fair? How can this be called a victory for feminism? As a woman, I believe it is demeaning to all women that the police and judicial system seem to encourage people to believe all accusations of rape even if unproved. It is as demeaning as the way, in the past, some police treated rape victims insensitively or, worse, routinely dismissed womens allegations of sexual assault. Such appalling behaviour, quite rightly, led to a change in the way rape victims were interviewed and treated. But to go too far the other way for example, to pretend women are incapable of telling lies is to imply absurdly that women are more morally virtuous than men. This is disgracefully belittling of women. Indeed, it treats them as if they are fragile china dolls, incapable of standing up for themselves. If thats what modern feminism wants, I can imagine nothing more damaging to women. But the tragedy is that such a culture is not just being promoted by feminist academics but is being encouraged by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Alison Saunders. The case of Liam Allan, the 22-year-old undergraduate arrested after an ex-girlfriend filed six charges of rape and one of sexual assault against him, is a stark warning of the dangers to both individuals and to society as a whole (stock) In what seems to be a personal crusade, our top prosecutor has continually pushed for more rape prosecutions and has recently suggested a rape acquittal did not mean the alleged victim was not telling the truth. Inevitably, such a policy will increase the tendency for women to be believed while evidence to the contrary is downplayed (or even buried, as in the case of Liam Allan) if only to increase conviction rates and meet targets. Indeed, in the case of Mr Allan, this may have made police reluctant to investigate text messages sent by his accuser that eventually proved his innocence. Police initially told the defence the texts were not relevant because they were too personal. Vociferous Once the texts were revealed to the court, the case collapsed within minutes no wonder when one of them about her experience with the man she accused said: It wasnt against my will or anything. In some vociferous quarters of social media, merely talking about such issues surrounding claims of rape is considered a crime against feminism. Just as we are encouraged to accept blindly the claims of all rape victims, the assumption is that we must not challenge the notion that all men are potential rapists. Feminists are quick to tell us that a so-called rape culture pervades everyday life that the lyrics of songs, pictures on advertising billboards and the language used in day-to-day conversation all legitimise the culture that makes rape acceptable. This way of thinking assumes a friendly pat on the arm is on a par with sexual assault. As a result, men risk being sacked or taken to court for such inappropriate touching on the word of women who (for all we know) might have tacitly encouraged the advances, or who might even be lying. Thankfully, the case was thrown out, but in the previous 14 months Mr Allans life had been made a misery as he faced up to 20 years in jail. Even now, his reputation is badly battered. His mother said: The assumption is theres no smoke without fire. In the current climate, in these sorts of cases, youre guilty until you can prove you are innocent. (stock) Revenge In recent weeks, as part of the #MeToo phenomenon in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein Hollywood sex scandal, countless women have come forward to accuse men of inappropriate sexual behaviour, often relating to incidents many years ago. Some of these cases will be genuine, where a woman feels able to speak out at last in the belief that what was truly a sexual assault will be taken seriously and the man forced to face up to what he did. But others may use the new openness to their own advantage to get their own back, to score a point, to exact revenge. (Of course, it must be said that men are capable of doing the same, but the fact is they rarely complain about sexual assault by a woman.) Young people are growing up in a world where rape culture is assumed to be prevalent with university students having to attend compulsory consent classes. In previous generations, it was assumed that any young man who needed a tutorial in how not to commit sexual assaults should not be at university in the first place. Todays #MeToo movement, and the assumption that rape is prevalent, means anyone who doubts a woman when she says she has been raped is compounding the crime. This is the justice of the lynch mob. And if it is allowed to continue by the police, the DPP and the legal establishment, it will set back feminism for years and damage the lives of all women. As I write this, I am making a list and checking it twice. Quite honestly its not a list I ever thought Id make. The normal festive family lists I can make in my sleep cards, presents, whos bringing what, whos staying where, do we need eight or nine tons of sprouts and will a turkey the size of a small truck be enough? Even though we will spend Christmas at my parents house, I am still control-freaking the feast for ten: my husband and I, my parents, my in-laws, my brother and his partner, my nephew and niece, and transporting its major components 250 miles from my house in London to County Durham. No pressure. But todays list is for the food Ill be making for my dog walkers Christmas party. This Friday, at about 9am, I will meet my dog-walking posse in the park for a glass of mulled wine, some mince pies and a few carols. What Ill make for the 20 or so humans is easy chorizo sausage rolls, every year. Debora Robertson admits she's spent more money on her pets than on her husband this Xmas But for the dogs? I confess I have put more time into planning their Christmas party menu than I have our own, developing recipes for banana and peanut butter bites, parsley breath bones, and doggy granola bars a feast that will cost me a few fresh, crisp twenties, and a day of my life I wont get back. If, ten years or so ago, youd told me Id be making this list, I would have thought youd lost your mind. Now I concede I probably have lost mine, but dont judge me. I am just one of the growing number who see their pets as an important part of their family and, as such, not to be left out at this, the most wonderful time of the year. Not for Barney and Gracie, or even our cat Dixie, an outdoor life of a kennel and simple rations. In fact, each afternoon since December 1, weve enjoyed a nice moment together when we open the windows of their Lilys Kitchen Fireside Tails advent calendars, 7.46 each: liver and carrot biscuits for the dogs; turkey treats with cranberries for the cat. Or we may tuck into something from the dog biscuit selection tin, 19.95, salmon shortbread fingers being a great favourite. On Christmas Day, I will make them their own simple but delicious Christmas dinner of shredded turkey, carrot and Brussels sprouts rissoles, because if youre in my house on Christmas Day and I love you, youre going to be fed like a king, whether you have two legs or four. For the curious, I am planning to treat Gracie to her first proper grown-up collar and lead, a twisted rope confection from the Rock Candy range at mungoandmaud.com, 59.50 for the collar, 77.50 for the lead. If nothing else, I think the preppy Flamingo pink and green number will go wonderfully with her pearls (more of which later!) Debora says she's spent at least 350 on preparing Christmas for her pets however her family don't give each other 'huge gifts' And for Barney, the Deeply Dishy Charley Chau bed from hollyandlil.co.uk, 160, not so much because he gives a monkeys about what he sleeps in, but the tangerine velour will look great in my office. For Dixie the cat, possibly a knitted catnip bee, 17 from mungoandmaud.com, but really she is above such fripperies. All of this, apart from the bee, is costing me a whopping 350 considerably more than I am spending on my husband. As a family, we arent in the business of huge gifts a well-chosen book, some delicious scent, a tiny bit of cashmere and everyone is happy. But it seems I am one of the many people who are responsible for the massive boom in pet Christmas gifts. I am aware that in a world where there are hungry humans, this all seems a little barking, perhaps wasteful This year, Tesco quadrupled its selection of festive pet gifts to meet a 300 per cent increase in demand over the past two years. As well as pet stockings and crackers, they sell festive tipples for the discerning pet. Pawsecco, 3 a bottle, a blend of elderflower, ginger and nettle is aimed at the cat about town (Dixies verdict: a disdainful flounce towards the radiator); Bottom Sniffer beer, also 3, a heady concoction of flax, dandelion and burdock and nettle, is suggested as a doggy thirst-quencher (Barney sniffed it, gave me that ten-year-old, world-weary Border Terrier What were you thinking? stare; Gracie, our five-month-old Dandie Dinmont puppy, lapped it up, but then she is partial to a muddy puddle so perhaps her palate is not the best). And as I whizz about the internet shopping for the family, I admit I have checked out pet Christmas presents, too. Barbour as well as smart, doggy waxed jackets has a cologne for dogs, 12.95 and described as refreshing. One of the gifts she bought for her dog was this Barbour cologne (pictured) which promises to soothe and refresh John Lewis has a range of Fred & Ginger Dog Friendly Mince Pies, 4.50, and Yule Log Treats, 4.50, and Sainsburys has Good Boy Deli Christmas Stockings for dogs, 5, and Good Girl Pawsley Christmas Stockings for cats, also 5. Some of the dedicated pet websites are as smart as any fashion boutique. I covet everything from maisonlelou.com, from the tree ornaments of dogs in festive clothing, 14, to gift boxes from 23.50 containing an antler chew, posh dog biscuits, luxury paw balm and organic nose moisturiser, and Dug And Bitch camomile sleep spray, 14. I am also drawn to the Hoxton Tartan Harris Tweed Bed, 245 from lovemydog.co.uk, but I suspect if my husband found that on the credit card bill it would be me who was sleeping in the dog house. The worlds first dog-friendly wrapping paper is on sale at monsterpetsupplies.co.uk. Ruff Wrap, 2.99, is made with non-toxic dyes, and uses rip and stick technology which eliminates sticky tape, a choking hazard. And, of course, if youre the sort of person who likes to dress up your pet, there are all manner of antlers, angel wings, gingerbread costumes and Santa Claus hats out there. I dont approve of pet fancy dress. However, because lifes complicated, as I type this my puppy, Gracie, snoozes at my feet, her coat adorned with a festive pearl necklace. Of course, I didnt buy it myself. A friend of mine was in Paris and bought the pretty necklace for her cat, for whom it was too large, so she passed it on to me. I put it on Gracie for a laugh one Sunday afternoon and its sort of stayed put. I am aware that in a world where there are hungry humans, this all seems a little barking, perhaps wasteful. But, when I took on the responsibility of pets, I also took on the responsibility of giving them the best life I could. Sometimes that might involve the odd extravagance. I know the sight of Gracie trotting beside me in her necklace raises a smile on peoples faces. I dont know whether theyre laughing at me or with me, and to be honest, I dont much care. An Italian restaurant chain has come up with a unique twist on a classic dessert that brings together the best of both worlds - gelato and alcohol. Salt Meats Cheese has taken the classic affogato - a scoop of vanilla gelato topped with a shot of hot espresso - and mixed it with an expresso martini. The result? Quite possibly the most perfect cocktail combination ever, especially as the weather heats up. The espresso martini gets a modern make-over courtesy of Australian restaurant chain Salt Meats Cheese The restaurant group, which operates as a food emporium dedicated to modern Italian cuisine, have only recently launched it's new range of cocktails from it's Brisbane branch. Drawing on tradition, the restaurant have also concocted a selection pre-meal apperitifs and between meal sorbets. Speaking to FEMAIL, co-founder Stefano de Blasi explained these 'palette refreshers' are served in Italy at the start of a larger meal. Bubbles are often served at the start of a meal as a way to increase hunger, said the restaurant's co-founder Mr de Blasi 'Brisbane is very hot, and the heat dulls your appetite. A bubbly aperitif at the beginning of meal increases your hunger,' Mr de Blasi said. Salt Meats Cheese offers an aperitif made from strawberries mixed with Prosecco, or a mid-meal vodka-infused lemon-gelato sorbet. The restaurateur said their range of gelato-based cocktails came about as a result of wanting to offer diners a more modern dessert experience. A palette-cleansing lemon sorbet is made with a combination of fresh lemon, lime juice infused with vodka While most will be familiar with affogato, Salt Meats Cheese has re-imagined this classic dessert dish as a decadent expresso martini, served with a side of salted caramel gelato. Made with vodka, Kahlua, cold drip espresso, muscovado sugar, the dessert cocktail is a hit among those visiting the Brisbane restaurant. Mr de Blasi said so far locals have been going 'crazy' for it. The traditional affogato now comes served as an espresso martini with a serve of salted caramel gelato 'It's really hot in this area and not really a place where people tend to drink cocktails. But we've found the whole cocktail experience it working well.' While the cocktails are so far limited to the Brisbane venue, there are plans to roll out across the chain's other locations. In addition to its aperitif and cocktail menu, the Italian eatery will also be serving their incredibly Instagram-worthy cappuccino cone. The cappucino cone: The Italian eatery is also famous for it's cappuccino cone The coffee in a cone is served in a waffle ice cream cone layered with dark chocolate to make it leak-proof. The caffeine-dessert hybrid doesn't have to be drunk straight-away, the coating will hold for about 10 to 15 minutes before it begins to melt. 'It's an amazing way to have a coffee and dessert at the same time without feeling as guilty as ordering a cake,' said the restaurant's founders. The influence of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has touched nearly every aspect of our lives, and now a pair of cookbook authors are bring them into the kitchen. A pair of recipe books based on the political rivals are now on the scene to help politics junkies inject a little policy into their culinary adventures - with a healthy amount of humor. One of these books is the aptly named The Donald Trump All-American Super-Mega-Huge-Gigantic Cookbook, by art auction broker Les Fox, which will be going on sale March 1 for $19.95. On its way: The Donald Trump All-American Super-Mega-Huge-Gigantic Cookbook , by art auction broker Les Fox, is due out in the spring Lots of laughs: The book is packed with joke recipes inspired by various talking points from Trump's presidency Recipes in the book are not only inspired by the president himself, but also his colleagues, political opponents and fellow world leaders. Promising 50 recipes for 50 states, this publication includes tempting recipes bearing names such as 'McCain/McCanyon Rattlesnake McNuggets/Arizona' and 'Vladimir Putins Russian Blizzard Frozen Yogurt/Alaska.' There are also such delicacies as the 'Louisiana Drain-the-Swamp Crawfish Bouillabaisse' and the 'Great Wall of Tacos.' A quick peruse of the recipes reveals that they are most certainly more for comedy than for cooking, but author Les Fox claims that many are 'sort of cookable.' A beefed-up border: Fox explained that the recipes in the book are 'sort of cookable', being inspired by popular recipes and combined with jokes All around: Each recipe is accompanied by a collage of images to illustrate the injected humor A sweet take: The book, promising 50 recipes for 50 stats, will be on sale on Amazon from March 1 for $19.95 Not too happy: Craft Cocktails by Val: Drinks Inspired by Hillary Rodham Clinton, by Heike Kevenhorster, features recipes inspired by the 2016 election He told New York Daily News: 'I reviewed popular recipes for each dish and combined them in a corrupted recipe blend filled with lots of subtle jokes.' The pages are full of crazy artwork featuring collages using photos of Trump, Putin, Chris Christie and more surrounded by food. One recipe for 'The Kim Jung Un "Rocket Man" New York Chili Dog' sees the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un - wohse name was spelled incorrectly in the book - grinning in front of a chili dog taking off like a rocket. Fox also admitted that he didn't actually taste test any of the recipes. More fitting of the cookbook term is Craft Cocktails by Val: Drinks Inspired by Hillary Rodham Clinton, by Heike Kevenhorster. The book is already available for $35 online, shipped from Europe. Sad times: Unlike the Trump book, this collection features genuine crafted recipes, all accompanied by funny Hillary-inspired artwork Next step: The recipes document various moments in Hillary's life over the election and beyond Full circle: The book's title is inspired by Hillary's own SNL bartender character Val This collection features true, carefully crafted recipes accompanied by collaged images of Hillary on famous paintings to match the various drink concepts. The name is inspired by Hillary's own character from SNL, the bartender named Val who consoles Kat McKinnon's Hillary. Among the recipes are 'October Surprise', featuring an image of a woman witting with her face in the floor, Hillary's head with a morose expression Photoshopped on, or 'Hillary Tonic', where a Creme de Violette and gin cocktail is illustrated with a photo of Hillary's face molded onto the body of Sadness from Pixar's Inside Out. The recipes even chronicle the 2016 election with other recipes bearing names like 'Woman Card', 'Shoulder Shimmy' and 'Millennial Outreach.' They're only 21, but twins Bianca and Yasmin Wilshin have already launched a swimwear collection that has accumulated thousands and thousands of fans. The Sydney sisters are behind The Hessian Collection, a swimwear label inspired by their travels and the firm belief that less is more when it comes to bikinis. Bianca credits her mum and a trip to Bali with helping inspire her to start the collection. Sydney twins Bianca and Yasmin Wilshin, 21, are behind The Hessian Collection, a swimwear label inspired by their travels and the firm belief that less is more when it comes to bikinis The Hessian Collection's first line was inspired by the twins' trip to Mykonos and Santorini 'Growing up with a mother who was a fashion designer definitely sparked our passion for creativity at an early age,' the sisters told Daily Mail Australia. 'After finishing high school we both had a lot of free time to travel and work on projects that really interested us.' 'Our travel destinations mainly consisted of tropical islands and sunny locations, which inevitably led to our interest in swimwear and swimwear design.' But it was the Bali trip that was the 'catalyst' to The Hessian Collection, Bianca revealed. 'My initial intentions were to bring my own designs to life for personal use,' she said. 'However, the reaction from friends and the public was overwhelming. I received a lot of interest in my designs, so it felt only natural to create my own label.' But it was a trip to Bali that was the 'catalyst' for the collection, inspiring Bianca to create her own designs. After she saw the reaction from friends, she decided to make it a brand The Hessian Collection may be full of skimpy bikinis, but Bianca also worked to ensure that her minimal cuts would still be stylish and supportive The Hessian Collection's first line was inspired by the twins' trip to Mykonos and Santorini. They have since visited the South of France, Barbados, Italy, Croatia, and Germany, making sure the designs and colours of each line is unique to the country that inspired it. Bianca looked to what she wanted from her own swimwear when deciding what qualities would be essential to The Hessian Collection. 'I believe I am a prime example of my target market,' she said. 'A high-quality soft material, timeless design, and a flattering skimpy cut are important features I look for when choosing a bikini. So I aim to include these features in my designs.' She set out to create a brand that used high-quality soft material, timeless designs, and a skimpy cut that was still flattering The Hessian Collection may be full of skimpy bikinis, but Bianca also worked to ensure that her minimal cuts would still be supportive and stylish. 'I think that people notice our passion for The Hessian Collection, and they see what the label is truly representative of: Pure, free, and independent women who aren't afraid to show a little skin,' she said. While juggling her university studies as well as obstacles from time availability to cash flow, Bianca officially launched The Hessian Collection in May 2016. Bianca is the sole owner of the company, but she and Yasmin together manage the brand using their education in business, finance, and marketing. 'We both contribute to different sectors of the business, which has significantly attributed towards our success,' she said. The twins initially began modelling the collection to save on costs, but soon found that having twin photoshoots was a great marketing tactic for the business as well 'I am pretty lucky to have someone with the same drive and passion to pursue my dream with!' The twins initially began modelling the collection to save on costs, but soon found that having twin photoshoots was a great marketing tactic for the business as well. They discovered that Instagram was the perfect place to increase brand awareness, and said their social media following has since been vital for The Hessian Collection. Bianca will officially be qualified from the University of Technology Sydney with a Business degree in March, and then plans to focus on the brand full-time. In celebration, she and Yasmin next plan to find inspiration in America - visiting sunny locations like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs - in April. 'I can't wait to finally apply my knowledge,' she said, 'And dedicate my entire attention and time towards The Hessian Collection.' Adventurer and broadcaster Ben Fogle, 44, lives in London with his wife Marina, 39, and their children, Ludo, eight, and Iona, six. I was 18 when I first encountered the true wilderness, untamed by humans and untouched. I went travelling in South America and spent a couple of months on a boat going all the way up the Amazon. It changed my life. I was not an academic or sporty child, and never really succeeded at anything. But out in the Amazon basin, there were no exams to fail, no one was better than each other, and I began to overcome my lack of confidence and low self-esteem. Ben Fogle (pictured), 44, says he began to overcome issues of low self-esteem and lacking confidence by being with nature Scientific studies show being in nature calms children, and I think thats what it did for me, too. Nature has an ability to make us switch off. Youre forced to slow down, to go at natures pace, rather than this frenetic modern speed. Because I do it for my job, I have a lot of time to engage with the landscape, but there are times when Ive been back at home and found I need to go wandering. Sometimes in life, there are moments of extreme sadness; at other times, its just because the pressures build up. Theres something beautiful about taking yourself out of the comfort of our cities, where we live on top of one another. I love testing myself in nature: Ive gone to the North Pole, the South Pole, and rowed across the Atlantic. That was a surreal experience just myself and Olympic oarsman James Cracknell in our tiny little boat on a very big ocean. We were at the whim of the sea, ultimately. In Antarctica, another true wilderness, I was part of a three-man team racing to the South Pole. At that moment, there were probably around 400 people on a continent bigger than Europe. The plane leaves and you know youre stuck there for months, with no way to get out. Its just yourself and the snow. Thats when you have a true reflection of just how inconsequential you are in the scheme of things. Its sobering. Next year, Ill attempt to climb Everest with jockey and former cyclist Victoria Pendleton, raising money for the Red Cross. Everyone should take ten minutes each day even if its just going to a park to disappear into the world of nature. English: A Story Of Marmite, Queuing And Weather, by Ben Fogle, is published by William Collins (hardback, 20). Whether you're looking to impress your relatives, up your Instagram game or simply hoping to master a personal challenge, styling your Christmas table to look like a professional's is something many interiors buffs will be looking to emulate this Yule. And with this handy guide, you can. Teaming up with Australian interiors experts, Heidi Albertiri and Lorena Gaxiola, FEMAIL has created the ultimate guide to creating and decorating a stylist-worthy Christmas table. Read on for all the festive inspiration you need... If you're looking to decorate a stylist-worthy Christmas table this year, look no further - FEMAIL spoke to two top interiors experts to find out how to make your spread look like this (pictured) If you're starting to think about styling your Christmas table now (stock image) - one week exactly from D day - it never hurts to freshen up your canvas - wash soft furnishings Tips for your Christmas table this year * Start with a blank canvas and clean out your home a little. Freshen soft furnishings for a lift. * Think of a theme and colour scheme and stick to it, whether it's rustic or bright and bold or metallic. * Invest in a good linen tablecloth and decorate with clear ornaments and greenery if in Australia. Pine cones and poinsettias work better in a cool climate. * Personalise your table decor, whether it's with little bunches of herbs for people to take home with them or muslin cloth bags with cherries inside for guests to enjoy. * Mix up metallics and old and new cutlery and crockery for a trend-led, modern finish. * Think about finer details such as smell - a Christmas candle will really lift a setting, as will a fresh Christmas tree. * Prepare as much in advance as possible so you can enjoy your morning with family and friends - polish your glassware the night before and assemble your flowers so it's super easy the next day. * Embrace the modern trend for muted tones, mustards, naturals and dirty pinks - they make a fabulous alternative to Christmassy greens and reds. * Personalise the table with objects that are bright or attention-grabbing, so that guests have something beautiful to engage over. Advertisement According to Heidi, who if the lifestyle editor for The Life Style Edit, if you're starting to think about styling your Christmas table now - one week exactly from D day - it never hurts to freshen up your canvas: 'I always start to have a bit of a clean out, it's nice to have a clean canvas to start with and work from there,' Heidi told Daily Mail Australia. 'I start be tending to my plants that have been neglected, I freshen up my soft furnishings if they need it, replace cushion covers and clear space for my table and Christmas tree.' Next, the expert will think about colour schemes and what will complement your home: 'We've been really drawn to muted tones this year for Christmas, mustards, naturals and dirty pinks are definitely on our radar this year,' she explained. Then, it's time to start thinking about the table itself. For Heidi, the first thing to think about is a tablecloth: 'A good linen tablecloth (and yes, tablecloths are back in) is your first port of call,' she said. Add glassware, candles and decorative elements, which fit with whatever look you're going for: 'While in the US people might decorate with winter motfits like poinsettias and pine trees, in Australia it can look unusual when the sun is shining,' Lorena Gaxiola told FEMIAL. 'In this case, I decorate with small, simple, green and floral arrangements - as well as clear ornaments.' 'We've been really drawn to muted tones this year for Christmas, mustards, naturals and dirty pinks are definitely on our radar this year,' interior stylist, Heidi Albertiri, explained To truly set your festive spread apart and take your Instagram game to the next level, both experts recommend personalising your table decor (stock image) While this is all very well and good, to truly set your festive spread apart and take your Instagram game to the next level, both experts recommend personalising your table decor: 'I love making little bunches of herbs for my guests to take home with them and they double as a table setting,' said Heidi. 'Personalising the table with objects, colours or items also helps guests to connect and have something to engage with in conversation,' added Lorena. 'People love the extra thought that can put the icing on the cake,' Heidi said. 'Whether it's herbs or a muslin bag of cherries or a jar of my homemade rocky road, I always give my guests something to leave with.' 'Whether it's herbs or a muslin bag of cherries or a jar of my homemade rocky road, I always give my guests something to leave with,' Lorena said (stock image) Next, you need to get your hands on some new items to freshen up your table - while you might keep your dinner ware, new napkins and accessories (stock image) always work Zara Home has some excellent festive options to help make your table stylist-worthy - such as this gold plate (AUD $21.95) and golden glasses ($9.95-$12.95) Next, you need to get your hands on some new items to freshen up your table: 'You'll likely be able to keep your staples, like your dinner ware,' said Heidi. 'But maybe change up your napkins and tableware to match your new colour themes.' Lorena recommends mixing up metallic objects for a cool, modern finish: 'It's okay to use your grandma's old cutlery with new and modern styles,' she said. 'Try a vintage market this week to see if there's anything there that will set your table alight.' Mix up metallic objects for a cool, modern finish - and embrace smells from wreaths, fresh Christmas trees and Christmas candles for all-out festive feels Think about your location - for Lorena Gaxiola, because we are in Australia, pine cones and poinsettias designed for cooler climes don't always work - however, greenery and clear ornaments really set one another off When it comes to the shops to frequent before Christmas Day itself, Heidi loves Heaven in Earth for 'beautiful and classic decorations', Papier D'Amour for Christmas crackers and decorations and Bespoke Press for other accessories. Other stores including Zara Home offer sumptuous decorations, cutlery and crockery in gold, silver and rose gold shades - perfect for the trend-focused millennial decorator. Meanwhile, Lorena loves Marimekko for 'fun decorative paper napkins', and even IKEA for fabrics that could make tablecloths. 'Clear ornaments work really well with greenery floral arrangements,' Lorena said. 'Make it personal, prepare in advance and have your flowers ready, so you can enjoy a Christmas morning with family or friends,' Heidi said Finally, both experts advocate thinking about the finer details - such as smells and overall festive feels. 'There is nothing like the smell of a fresh pine tree when you come home,' Heidi said. 'Having a Christmas candle burning near the table is also a heavenly idea.' 'Make it personal, prepare in advance and have your flowers ready, so you can enjoy a Christmas morning with family or friends,' Heidi said. There will be plenty to focus on with the cooking on the day (pictured) so it can help to have your flowers and decorations prepared in advance Fish is a popular choice at Australian Christmas spreads (pictured) For those looking for some festive inspiration for their table this week, FEMAIL recommends Zara Home's glorious gold and silver tablecloths and table runners. The Spanish brand also has a range of divine oversized gold and metallic plates. Elsewhere, William Sonoma have truly tuned into the Christmassy feels, with celebratory boards for cheese and desserts. The store also has plenty of fun accessories, including Santa Claus aprons and oven gloves - so the cook can get into the spirit too. Will you be decorating a stylist-worthy Christmas table this year? Take a photo of it and send to FemailAU@mailonline.com to be featured Christmas may be 'the most wonderful' time of year, but it can also be the most expensive once all the food and present shopping is done. But that doesn't mean friends and family can't still be treated to a delicious wine on Christmas Day, an expert has revealed. Speaking to FEMAIL, Master of Wine Andrew Caillard listed ten wines that perform well above their budget price tags of less than $10. 'These wines are incredibly versatile because they are so easy and fun to drink, uncomplicated, fresh and delicious,' said Mr Caillard, who is on a wine panel at liquor giant Dan Murphy's. Master of Wine Andrew Caillard (pictured) listed on Monday ten inexpensive wines that are sure to please guests at Christmas parties across Australia next week He added: 'They are all technically budget wines, however there are no intermediaries taking a cut along the way and so the customer is enjoying a huge advantage of a shorter distribution system and effectively paying less for more.' Here, FEMAIL can reveal the wines that made Mr Caillard's best value for money list ahead of Christmas. 1. CLEANSKIN NO 76 MARLBOUROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - $8.99 Plenty of bang for the buck can be achieved with this delightful bottle of white, Mr Caillard revealed. His tasting notes included classic lemon curd, tropical fruit, grassy aromas and flavours with 'generous weight and mineral cut'. 2. JP CHENET FRENCH SPARKLING BLANC DE BLANC NV - $9.99 Mr Caillard praised this bottle's 'generous style', adding lemon curd aromas and a twist of yeasty complexity to his tasting notes. '[It is also] creamy and mouth-filling with volume, freshness and persistent bubbles,' he said. FEMAIL can reveal the wines that made Mr Caillard's best value for money list ahead of Christmas. Pictured: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (left) and JP Chenet Sparkling (right) 3. MASCHIO PROSECCO DOC - $9.99 The only Prosecco to make it into the top ten, Mr Caillard said this bottle by Maschio is full of character and suited for all occasions. He added: 'Effervescent, bubbly joy in a bottle with lemon curd, grapefruit glace aromas, sweet fruited flavours and superb mouth-filling fresh, smooth, and persistent bubbles.' 4. JP CHENET SAUVIGNON BLANC - $8.99 This bottle of the always popular Sauvignon blanc packs plenty of flavour punch with fruity notes. Mr Caillard also labelled the bottle - which is the second in the top ten by JP Chenet - as 'faultlessly made', resulting in a fresh and beautifully aromatic drop. 5. MINCHINBURY BLUSH ROSE CUVEE NV - $8.99 Mr Caillard labelled this bottle as 'uncomplicated', but also delicious to drink. He added: 'A classic legacy brand with strong 19th century connections. Lovely fresh red fruits, creamy textures and fine long persistent bubbles.' Mr Caillard labelled the Minchinbury blush rose as 'uncomplicated', but also delicious to drink 6. CLEANSKIN NO 52 CLARE VALLEY SHIRAZ - $8.99 This bottle of red stands out as the only Shiraz to make it into the top ten best value for money. Mr Caillard calls it a wine that 'transcends its price category' with its combination of blackberry, dark plum fruits, supple textures and flavour length. 'Ripe fruit, dense tannins, superb concentration and impact at the finish give this wine extra dimension and vigour,' he added in his tasting notes. 7. PIERRE BREVIN ROSE - $9.99 'Lovely light raspberry cassis fruits, supple textures, attractive mid-palate buoyancy and fine long fresh acidity,' Mr Caillard said of the Pierre Brevin Rose. 'Versatility and easy drinking are the hallmarks of this slightly off-dry style from the Loire Valley in France.' 'Lovely light raspberry cassis fruits, supple textures, attractive mid-palate buoyancy and fine long fresh acidity,' Mr Caillard said of the Pierre Brevin Rose (pictured) 8. FRONTERA PINOT NOIR - $8.95 Typically one of the most expensive types of wine, this bottle of Chilean pinot noir made its way into the list at the low price of $8.95. Mr Caillard included fresh strawberry and red cherry, lacy textures and integrated acidity in his tasting notes. He added: 'A highly versatile wine with lovely varietal definition, supple textures and mineral freshness.' Chilean pinot noir Frontera (left) and Maschio Prosecco (right) also made Mr Caillard's list 9. BALLIAMO PINOT GRIGIO - $9.99 Mr Caillard said you simply cannot go wrong with a wine like this, labelling it as firmly 'within the zeitgeist of our times'. 'One of the most fashionable value wines in Australia - flavourful and frisky with brilliant pure fruit aromatics, attractive volume and mineral freshness,' he said. 10. PAUL MAS CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $7.99 Labelled as 'the middle-weight champion of the cabernet world', this drop was lauded for its blackcurrant aromas and saturated flavours. 'A diamond in the rough and tumble of the commercial wine world,' Mr Caillard said. Labelled as 'the middle-weight champion of the cabernet world', Paul Mas Cabernet Sauvignon (pictured) was lauded for its blackcurrant aromas and saturated flavours The wines are available at Dan Murphy's. One of the world's most revered eyebrow experts has revealed the celebrity she's most keen to get her tweezers on; none other than Kate Middleton. Anastasia Soare, who ignited a beauty revolution when she arrived in the US from Romania almost 20 years ago and has been dubbed the 'queen of brows', counts Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham and Oprah Winfrey among her regular clients. Now Soare, who has gone so far as to patent her much-admired 'golden ratio' eyebrow shaping method, has said she would give the Duchess of Cambridge dramatically different brows. The beauty mogul, who is set to launch her make-up range in the UK, told the Sunday Times: 'She has incredible brows, but I would do them very differently.' Anastasia Soare, 60, arrived from Romania to the US in her thirties before she set up her own salon business solely plucking the brows of LA locals Although she says Kate Middleton's eyebrows are 'incredible' Anastasia confesses she is keen to pluck and shape them using her own method Soare did not elaborate further on the exact changes she would make to Kate's brows, but she did let slip what she believes is the key to a perfect arch - ensuring brows start directly above the middle of the nostrils, and end directly above the outer corner of the eyes. She is also famous for her 'golden ratio' shaping method - inspired by the approach used by artists including Leonardo Da Vinci to achieve balance and beauty in Renaissance paintings. But it is also Anastasia's tough work ethic that has helped her launch her beauty empire, which began as brow products before expanding to an entire make-up range - including a contour palette that sold out within hours and a wildly popular eyeshadow kit. THE GOLDEN RATIO Anastasia developed her brow shaping technique inspired by the approach used by artist Leonardo Da Vinci also known as the 'divine proportion'. 1. Brows begin directly above the middle of the nostrils. 2. The high part of the arch connects the tip of the nose with the middle of the iris. 3. Brows end where the corner of the nostril connects with the outer corner of the eye. Advertisement Anastasia's already launched her make-up range on UK beauty site FeelUnique and according to the Sunday Times she may be stocking it in Selfridges department store in the near future. The beauty entrepreneur, who opened her first salon, Anastasia Beverley Hills, in 1997 now has 300 employees working for her company and an estimated net worth of $150m (112m). One of her employees is her daughter Claudia Soare, 30, who is now the company's president - but only made it to her lofty perch after previously being fired by her mother. 'She was late all the time,' Anastasia said of Claudia's early days with the business. 'When she asked me for one more chance I gave it to her, but I said, "Remember Im not your mother, Im your boss".' The beauty mogul, dubbed the 'queen of brows' counts Kim Kardashian, Oprah and Michelle Obama as her regular clients Anastasia counts Michelle Obama (left) and Oprah Winfrey (right) as her regular clients and one of her first customers was supermodel Cindy Crawford Anastasia has a tough work ethic and she even fired her own daughter in the beginning for her tardy behaviour Anastasia studied architecture and art in Romania, and it was this that inspired her idea of using Leonardo da Vinci's 'golden ratio' to establish the shape of brow that would best suit a client's face shape. In a previous interview with Into the Gloss, she recalled that it was her first boss' resistance against working on customers that spurred her on to launch her own salon. 'I explained to my boss that when [you want] to change an emotion of someone youre drawing in a portrait, you change the eyebrows. 'My boss refused to allow me to do clients eyebrows, so I decided to rent a room at a salon and start my own business.' Now she presides over her own beauty empire and an enormous social media following of 15 million on the Anastasia Instagram account, which she manages with her daughter. Time is quickly running out if you're still on the hunt for the perfect Christmas party frock. But if you're still searching for outfit inspiration, help is at hand in the form of a 50 number from Very.co.uk that's currently doing the rounds on social media. The one-shoulder mini, festooned with sequins and adorned with an oversized black bow, comes from the e-tailer's V By Very Unique range and has been spotted on stars including Ashley James and Lucy Mecklenburgh. The frock appears to be inspired by a sold-out gown from French label Saint Laurent, whose 3,210 wool-crepe mini dress is adorned in shimmering sequins and has an asymmetrical shoulder design. Famous fans: Made in Chelsea star Binky Felstead is the latest star to wow in the budget dress after showing off her post-baby body on Instagram, prompting a flurry of praise from her fans Inspiration? The frock appears to be inspired by this sold-out gown from French label St Laurent, whose 3,210 wool-crepe mini dress is adorned in shimmering silver sequins But Very's designer dupe features unique details including a long sleeve, high hemline and ties at the back with a black ribbon. It's billed as the perfect 'go-to piece when the occasion calls for a statement-making mini' and is around 1/60 of the price of its designer counterpart. Made in Chelsea star Binky Felstead is the latest star to wow in the budget dress after showing off her post-baby body on Instagram, prompting a flurry of praise from her fans. Popular: The one-shoulder mini, festooned with sequins and adorned with an oversized black bow, comes from the e-tailer's V By Very Unique range and has been spotted on stars If you're still searching for outfit inspiration, help is at hand in the form of a 50 number from Very that's currently doing the rounds on social media (pictured here on Lucy Mecklenburgh) Ashley James's outing in the dress (pictured) came just days after TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh and presenter Ashley James donned the same dress Very's designer dupe features unique details including a long sleeve, high hemline and ties at the back with a black ribbon (as seen on TOWIE star Chloe Meadows) Seal of approval: Model and DJ Charlotte de Carle paired hers with knee-high boots during a jaunt to New York (pictured) Her outing in the sparkly number came just days after TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh and presenter Ashley James donned the same dress. Model and DJ Charlotte de Carle paired hers with knee-high boots during a jaunt to New York, while TOWIE's Chloe Meadows posed up a storm in hers before heading for a night out. It's not the first sequin-covered frock to make waves this festive season; a 550 pink dress from L.K. Bennett has been sported by celebrities including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Fearne Cotton, Erin O'Connor and Annie Lennox. A 47-year-old businesswoman who 'never got round to having a baby' has forked out 20,000 on IVF to become a first-time mum, after she claims she was told she'd 'left it too late'. Marketing expert Lisa Forster and her fiance Michael Owen, 49, who got together in 2006, never prioritised starting a family over their hectic schedules, ultimately forcing them to spend the huge sum on fertility treatment. When the Newcastle-based couple finally decided to start trying for a baby in 2010, they discovered that Lisa's eggs had started to deteriorate because of her age. As her age made her ineligible for NHS funding, Lisa underwent two rounds of IVF in the UK, neither of which proved successful. But the determined couple refused to give up, and finally found out they were expecting after jetting off to South Africa for two further rounds of IVF treatment. Lisa and fiance Michael (pictured with baby Izobel, aged 17 months) have forked out 20,000 on IVF to become parents after Lisa claims she was told she'd 'left it too late' Michael and Lisa (pictured here showing off her baby bump) never prioritised starting a family over their hectic schedules, forcing them to spend the huge sum on fertility treatment Elated Lisa, who owns her own business, was so overwhelmed by the positive result of her first pregnancy test that she took five more - just to be sure. While admitting it was strange hearing the much younger ages of the other expectant mums in the hospital waiting room, Lisa said she never let herself worry about the risks of having a baby later in life. First-time parents Lisa and Michael were overjoyed to welcome their baby girl Izobel Owen into the world the day before Father's Day on June 18, 2016. Now Lisa, who says she is 'loving' being a mum and never begrudges the sleepless nights because she feels so lucky, is encouraging other women of all ages not to give up on their IVF journeys. Lisa's pregnancy tests. When the couple finally decided to start trying for a baby in 2010, they discovered that Lisa's eggs had started to deteriorate because of her age A 13-week scan of baby Izobel. The determined couple refused to give up on becoming parents and finally found out they were expecting after jetting off to South Africa for more IVF As her age made her ineligible for NHS funding, Lisa underwent two rounds of IVF in the UK which both failed, but she finally fell pregnant in 2015 (pictured) Lisa said: 'I always thought I would have a family one day but then I never really got round to it. Life was so busy and I guess we just put it to one side. 'But when we did start trying I found out I had left it too late and I couldn't have children anymore because of my age. 'I wasn't really upset by the news, I just remember feeling determined. Michael and I have always been believers in the idea that if you want something enough and you fight for it, you'll get it. 'We had two rounds of IVF in the UK but they weren't successful at all. It was really disheartening being told there just weren't any signs of life. Proud mother Lisa said of her fiance: 'Michael and I have always been believers in the idea that if you want something enough and you fight for it, you'll get it' Michael welcomes baby Izobel in 2015. Lisa said of their fertility efforts: 'It was an expensive endeavour and when the first go failed again it did leave us feeling quite deflated' Lisa (pictured with newborn baby Izobel) said: 'I always thought I would have a family one day but then I never really got round to it. Life was so busy and I guess we just put it to one side' 'We would go in to get the embryos transferred to be told there was actually nothing to transfer. It was really hard to go through that. But we kept going and decided to fly to South Africa as they use different IVF drugs. 'It was an expensive endeavour, and when the first go failed again it did leave us feeling quite deflated. 'One of my friends who had also been having IVF actually found out she was pregnant at the same time we found out it hadn't worked. 'It is devastating when everyone seems to be getting what they want and we just couldn't get pregnant - but we agreed to give it one more go. 'When we found out I was pregnant it made all the time, money and emotion so worth it. Determined: As her age made her ineligible for NHS funding, Lisa underwent two rounds of IVF in the UK which both failed (pictured, Izobel as a newborn) Devoted: Lisa, who is loving being a mum and never begrudges the sleepless night because she feels so lucky, is encouraging other women of all ages not to give up on their IVF journeys 'I tested much earlier than I was meant to and Michael was actually away for business in China. I called him straight away. He was quite reserved, he was too afraid to get excited. 'I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe we were actually going to have a baby. I was so excited, I tested every day just to make sure it kept showing up positive. I took six and I still have them. 'All through my pregnancy, Michael just stayed really reserved. I don't think he could quite believe it was actually happening after all that time and disappointment. 'But from the moment Izobel was born he was absolutely besotted. We were both over the moon. 'Michael is such a brilliant dad. He really looks after us - even if he has only changed about three nappies. Speaking about the moment she learned she was expecting, Lisa said: 'I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe we were actually going to have a baby. I was so excited, I tested every day just to make sure it kept showing up positive. I took six and I still have them' 'I am loving being a mum. I never complain about being tired or not getting any sleep - even if I do have a few more wrinkles - because this is what I signed up for. We finally have our dream family.' In South Africa, Lisa was offered different IVF drugs to those used in the UK and the proud mum believes this is why they were successful the fourth time around. When the happy couple found out they were expecting, there were actually two embryos but sadly one lost its heartbeat at six weeks. Throughout her pregnancy, Lisa had to go for frequent scans due to the complications that can occur with an older mum and with IVF. Izobel was induced at 39 weeks as her mum's cervix was short and the doctors were worried that she could be stillborn if Lisa went to full-term. Despite worries she would be small, miracle baby Izobel was born healthy and weighing 7lbs. Lisa says of becoming a parent: 'I never complain about being tired or not getting any sleep - even if I do have a few more wrinkles - because this is what I signed up for. We finally have our dream family' Taking no chances: Izobel was induced at 39 weeks as her mum's cervix was short and the doctors were worried that she could be stillborn if Lisa went to full-term Since bringing her little bundle of joy into the world, Lisa has started running a mums' fitness blog called No Excuse Mums. The former fitness instructor is determined to keep fit and healthy so she can be a good role model for Izobel and so she is around for as much of her daughter's life as possible. While one toddler to run around after might be more than most couples their age would want to cope with, Michael and Lisa would love to have another child. Two more of Lisa's embryos are being kept in South Africa and the mum says she will definitely have them implanted before her 50th birthday. Lisa said: 'We did have to go for a lot of scans while I was pregnant because of the risks with my age and IVF but I tried not to worry. 'It was strange being sat in the waiting room and hearing the ages of other mums. Most of them were born in the 90s and late 80s but I was born in the 70s. Since bringing her little bundle of joy into the world, Lisa has started running a mums' fitness blog called No Excuse Mums. Lisa (pictured with Michael) said: 'We did have to go for a lot of scans while I was pregnant because of the risks with my age and IVF but I tried not to worry' 'I think Michael was a bit scared at every scan. It didn't help when we went for the six-week scan and one of the babies didn't have a heartbeat. It was so heartbreaking. 'When Izobel arrived there are just no words to describe how amazing it was to meet this little person. I couldn't stop asking if she was okay. She was perfect. 'She has thrived so much since she was born. Sometimes I just catch myself looking at her - this little one we never thought we were going to have. 'She is here and she is this brilliant little girl. I can't quite believe how lucky we are. 'I want to do everything I can to make sure I am a good role model for her and I don't want to be one of those old mums who can't play or run around. 'My fitness has become a real priority. I want to make sure I am around for as long as possible.' Prince Oscar of Sweden proved himself to be the cutest Christmas elf as he helped his big sister and mum choose a Christmas tree on Thursday. The one-year-old prince joined his sister Princess Estelle, five, and mother Crown Princess Victoria, 40, for the annual Christmas choosing tradition for the first time last week. The trio put on a festive display with Victoria, who is first in line to the throne, dressed in a full red skirt and black fur jacket for the annual family tradition. On Thursday Crown Princess Victoria was joined by her children Prince Oscar and Princess Estelle to select Christmas trees for the royal palace in Stockholm Estelle, who has been attending the tradition since age one in 2013, looked adorable in a matching red dress paired with white tights and a navy wool coat to keep out the chill. For his debut at the ceremony Prince Oscar was adorable in a grey cardigan, blue shirt and thick navy duffle coat. The tradition sees the Swedish royal family welcome students from the master's program at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The students present the royals with a selection of Christmas trees which they will then choose from to have displayed in the royal palace in Stockholm. The children appeared delighted to meet the students who were dressed like Christmas elves for their visit to the palace. Victoria and her daughter put on a festive display in red dresses while Oscar looked adorable in a shirt and cardigan The annual tradition sees the Swedish royal family welcome students from the master's program at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences who present them with trees Even at the young age of one it seems that Oscar has already inherited his mum's impeccable manners seen shaking hands with one of the students while choosing from the trees. Since the late 1960s, SLU has presented Christmas trees to the Royal Palace. The King's Cave has got its current name according to this tradition, it was originally called Nordmann's branch. Much like the Queen's Christmas Day speech, the Swedish royal family release a Christmas message a few days ahead of the big day where they reflect on the year that's gone and the one ahead. On 23rd the family celebrate the birthday of Queen Silvia, who will turn 74 on Saturday, with a German fruit cake served in a nod towards her heritage. She enjoyed a summer of partying on the island of Ibiza, but it seems that Michaella McCollum has well and truly settled back into life in Belfast, and may have met a man. McCollum, 24, was seen heading out for dinner with a mystery man on Sunday evening in the city centre. The former convict, who was jailed in 2013 for attempting to internationally smuggle drugs, put on a glamorous display as she headed to Bootleggers restaurant with her date. Ex-convict Michaella McCollum was seen heading out for dinner with a mystery man in Belfast on Sunday night She showcased her honed physique in a black off-the-shoulder bodycon dress as she made her way along the cobbled streets to the burger restaurant. The former model, from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, kept her accessories to a minimum pairing her elegant ensemble with a pair of nude court shoes and a tan coloured bag from YSL. She kept out the December chill with nude checked shawl which she draped around her shoulders on the way to the restaurant. The couple enjoyed dinner at burger joint Bootleggers in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter The pair appeared to be getting along famously, taking a window seat in the restaurant It is not yet known who the mystery man is but it is believed to be the first time the pair have been seen together McCollum and her date, who was dressed in grey stone-wash jeans and a black wool coat, took a window seat in Bootleggers in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter. The pair appeared to be getting along famously, seen laughing and joking as they enjoyed their meal. It seems that McCollum is well settled back into her Belfast home following her summer of jet-setting and has even returned to college. On Thursday she was spotted arriving at Millfield College in the city where she is studying Humanities & Social Science. McCollum showcased her svelte physique in a black bodycon dress and opted for nude accessories McCollum's companion looked dapper in grey jeans and a black wool coat on Sunday Over the last few months, Michaella has been spotted living it up in party centres Ibiza and Marbella enjoying sun, sea and cocktails. How the former drugs smuggler has funded her holidays is unclear, but she has been linked to a number of potentially lucrative opportunities and was recently spotted outside HMP Liverpool where her agent said she was filming a prison documentary. She was also spotted heading to a morning of meetings at the BBC back in September. Representatives for McCollum told the MailOnline that McCollum had visited the studios today for 'meetings about upcoming projects'. It has been reported that she has been offered a 250,000 tell all book deal detailing her criminal exploits and time behind bars in Lima. Her jet-setting lifestyle is a stark contrast to former accomplice Melissa Reid, who has landed a charity job at Citizens Advice. The jet-setter, who was jailed in Peru alongside Melissa Reid (right) in 2013 for trying to smuggle 1.5million's worth of cocaine into Europe, has since enjoyed a string of holidays R Reid applied for a job at the charity after she was released from the South American jail last June. McCollum, by contrast, has been accused of capitalising on her notoriety, and in May it emerged she has signed with a talent agency. The two were sentenced to spend six years and eight months inside a grim jail in Lima, after they were caught trying to smuggle the huge quantity of cocaine. The ex-convict was released on parole last March after serving less than half of her sentence but initially had to stay in Peru, where she carried out voluntary work until August when she flew back to Belfast. Advertisement When you're in the midst of a blizzard in deepest, darkest Siberia, you're going to need a bigger coat. At least that seems to be the approach taken by the 'millions' of cats that have made their home on Russian farmer Alla Lebedeva's land. The land-owner, based in Prigorodny, close to Barnaul in Siberia, has made capturing the icy fur-balls on film a dedicated hobby - and they're now YouTube stars in their own rights, with more than 2,000 people following their every move. Scroll down for video Feline a little cold? Russian farmer Alla Lebedeva captures the hugely fluffy cats that have been visiting her home in Prigorodny, close to Barnaul, in Siberia, for nearly ten years Glacial look! Now the cats - which appear to brim with sass - have their own YouTube channel after Lebedeva began uploading images of the felines that visited her farm The sky may be blue but the mercury on the thermometer is plunging...to temperatures that British house cats wouldn't be able to cope with The felines, which have huge, puffed-up fur to protect them from temperatures as low minus 15 in the winter, have regularly flocked to Lebedeva and her husband Sergey's home for a decade. And the green-eyed, long-haired cats don't appear to take any prisoners. While some serve up a dose of side-eye to their adopted owner, others hiss directly at Lebedeva's camera. Lebedeva herself has dubbed her house 'catland', because the couple have become so used to the Siberian cats sauntering in and making themselves feel quite at home. You wouldn't mess, right? This fiery ginger fur-ball is just one of the 'millions' of cats that enjoy the couple's farm - and its endless supply of mice Temperatures can plummet to minus 15 in the winter in this region of Siberia, but the cats' heavy coats equips them well for the big freeze The gorgeous green-eyed moggies often stalk the grounds of the farm in groups Dashing through the snow: this prowling cat makes negotiating treacherous conditions look easy Brrrr! This cat looks perfectly happy sat outside in freezing conditions, while the luxuriant fur of this pair of Siberian cats - with a dusting of ice on it - is clear to see Incongrous: These felines look super warm in their amber-hued coats...but the snow beyond them suggests another story The couple say they don't mind the walking balls of fur sharing their home - because they protect the chickens and rabbits. Lebedeva told DesignYouTrust. 'They live in the henhouse... They have three "little bedrooms" there where can they sleep according to how they feel.' The Siberian cat, popular household pets across the globe thanks to their lustrous coat, are natives to the taiga region of Siberia. Used to living in forested areas often with a subarctic climate, the cat's trademark locks have evolved out of sheer necessity - keeping warm. She's only just returned from a four-day visit to Senegal - but it was quickly back to business again for Queen Letizia in Madrid today. The Spanish royal, 45, looked the picture of sophistication in an elegant floral dress as she attended an awards ceremony for teachers in the capital. She showed off her slender waist in the cream and black applique frock, which featured a ribbon waistband and button detailing down the front. The mother-of-two finished off her chic ensemble with a pair of black patent pumps and a co-ordinating clutch bag. Queen Letizia looked the picture of sophistication as she arrived at an awards ceremony for teachers in Madrid today Wearing her glossy locks down in loose waves, the royal opted for a subtle make-up look, wearing a berry colour on her lips. Letizia was met by President of BBVA Bank Francisco Gonzalez as she arrived at the awards ceremony in the Spanish capital today. The Accion Magistral Prize aims to recognise the work of teachers, particularly when it comes to promoting social values. The organisation aims to allow Spanish teachers to share their knowledge, as well as providing educational resources. The mother-of-two showed off her slender waist in the cream and black frock, which featured a ribbon waistband Later in the day, she joined husband King Felipe to host a lunch for Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno and his wife Rocio Gonzalez at the Royal Palace. Letizia's appearance comes after the royal spent four days in Senegal last week. The aim of the trip was to support Spanish co-operation projects, including the defence of women's rights and social and economic developments in the country. The Spanish royal was met on Monday by First Lady Marieme Faye Sall, the wife of the country's President Macky Sall, as she touched down at Dakar airport. Wearing her glossy brunette locks down in loose waves, she opted for a subtle make-up look The Spanish royal was at the Accion Magistral Prize awards ceremony, which aims to recognise the work of teachers Letizia met with President of BBVA Bank Francisco Gonzalez at the event in Madrid During her trip, she travelled to the southern region of Casamance to visit a project designed to help stop the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). She also learnt about the Village Pilote initiative, which aims to get homeless children off the streets and into accommodation. The Queen was on her last overseas visit before the Christmas break, which she is expected to spend at home with her husband and their two daughters. Later in the day, Letizia joined husband King Felipe to welcome Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno and his wife Rocio Gonzalez The royal was seen speaking to the Ecuadorian leader during a lunch at the Royal Palace Letizia looked in high spirits as she welcomed guests, including Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria President Moreno, pictured fourth from left, and his wife are on an offical visit to Spain Felipe, 49, was seen sharing a joke with the Ecuadorian leader as they posed for pictures Ivanka Trump left Fox & Friends this morning in an all-new outfit, and smiled at the few passersby who had gathered to witness her exit. The first daughter, 36, wore a form-fitting blue dress and kept her hair down in a slick blow-dry during the interview, which focused on the GOP's proposed tax plan. By the time she left Fox's studios in New York City's Midtown, Ivanka appeared to have completely changed her clothes, and cut an all-black silhouette, save for a few details. Scroll down for video On her way out: Ivanka Trump left Fox & Friends this morning in an all-new outfit, and smiled at the few passersby who had gathered to witness her exit Greetings: The first daughter, 36, turned to acknowledge the handful of children and adults who were taking her photo Accessories: Ivanka wore an all-black outfits save for a few white elements, such as the straps of her shoes, which were made out of rows of pearls Transformation: When Ivanka left Fox's studios in New York City's Midtown, she appeared to have changed into a completely different outfit from the one she wore on Fox & Friends The senior White House adviser had a white Peter Pan collar peaking out at the top of her outfit, complete with a pair of opaque black tights. She modeled pointy black shoes with kitten heels and quirky straps made out of rows of pearls. Ivanka also wore her hair in a low ponytail tied with a long, blowy black ribbon. She waved as she exited the studios and walked towards her parked car, and acknowledged the handful of children and adults who were taking her photo nearby. Ivanka appeared to be in a sunny disposition, perhaps excited to be back in her hometown of New York City, which she left for Washington, D.C. after her father became president and she and her husband Jared Kushner, 36, both took on senior roles in his administration. Fox's headquarters in New York City are located just a 13-minute walk away from Trump Tower, where Ivanka's brand opened a new store just last week. Details: the former model wore her hair in a low ponytail, held together by a long, flowy black ribbon at the back of her head Two-toned: She also had a white Peter Pan collar peeking out at the top of her black outfit Enjoying herself: Ivanka appeared to be in a cheery disposition as she returned to her hometown of New York City Joyful: The first daughter smiled at onlookers as she made her way out of the Fox studios Good morning: She took a few moments to wave at the few passersby gathered nearby Snaps: A few adults and children took Ivanka's photo on the New York City sidewalk Hairdo: Ivanka's low ponytail was a departure from the straight blow-dry she donned during her TV appearance earlier in the morning During her interview on Fox & Friends this morning, Ivanka said Republicans are on track to approve tax cuts before Christmas. 'In business, until it's done it's not done, but we feel very, very confident, so the momentum is there. We're very excited,' she said. 'When the vote is done, we'll be done, but we're going to deliver historic tax reforms, and it's going to happen before Christmas.' The president's daughter has had a heavy hand in framing the GOP's tax reform plan as beneficial to the middle class and pushing through a large increase in the child tax credit. She traveled across the country, appearing at public events, and made several trips to Capitol Hill. After reaching a deal Friday, Republican lawmakers now plan to approve tax legislation in the House on Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday. 'It's gonna be the fulfillment of an enormous campaign promise, and something that's just tremendously important for the American people,' Ivanka said Monday. 'So we feel it. This is something the people of this country want.' Previously: The first daughter wore a form-fitting blue dress and kept her hair down in a slick blow-dry during the interview, which focused on the GOP's proposed tax plan Different: Ivanka also donned black stilettos with five-inch heels during her Fox appearance Group: She took time to post for a shot with the program's three presenters as she visited Fox's Midtown headquarters for the interview At several turns the bill was nearly derailed, with Florida Senator Marco Rubio saying he could not vote for the plan until the child tax credit was increased to the level he and other conservatives in the Senate had demanded. Senator Bob Corker at the same time said that he could vote for a bill that blows a new hole in the federal deficit. Two Republican senators, John McCain and Thad Cochran, are battling health issues that have kept them out of Washington. Senator McCain has returned to Arizona for physical therapy and rehabilitation following a hospital stay. He'll remain there until after the Christmas holiday. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he'd spoken to McCain's wife, Cindy, and it was his understanding that the senator would fly to Washington if his vote was necessary. Vice President Mike Pence meanwhile delayed by several days a visit to the Middle East so he can preside over the Senate during the vote, in which he may need to act as tie-breaker. Timeline: The senior White House official said Republicans are on track to approve tax cuts before Christmas Statement: Ivanka told Fox & Friends: 'When the vote is done, we'll be done, but we're going to deliver historic tax reforms, and it's going to happen before Christmas' President Trump has been claiming for months that the overhaul would not only pass this year, but that it would be approved by December 25. He told reporters on Saturday as he departed for Camp David: 'This is going to be one of the greatest gifts for the middle income people of this country that they've ever gotten for Christmas.' The bill that Republicans released Friday evening keeps the seven existing tax brackets. It lowers the rates, however, on everyone, including the nation's wealthiest earners, and slashes corporate taxes from 35 per cent to 21. Corporate taxes will be permanently lowered, while individual rates will decrease for a period of less than 10 years. The temporary tax cut must be reapproved in 2025 or it will disappear. Another significant change to the code is a cap on state and local tax deductions of $10,000. Republicans claim that middle-income Americans in high-tax state will save money nonetheless if they take the standard deduction, which is set to double to $12,000 for individual filers and $24,000 for couples. The child tax credit is also doubling to $2,000 after last-minute finagling, led by Rubio, $1,400 of which will be refundable. Touting the bill Monday on Fox, Ivanka said taxpayers 'want simplification. They want a tax code they can understand. They want lower corporate taxes and understand the benefit if they're - the companies they work for can invest in their work forces, invest in new equipment and ultimately lead to wage growth.' Ivanka dinged Democrats the administration had attempted to bring on board for standing in the way of the bill's passage, responding to a prompt from Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy. 'We've had a lot of very productive conversations with Democrats, who I believe are intellectually there, their hearts are there, but the party is not there, and the leadership's not there. And that is unfortunate,' she said. 'But I'm hopeful with this really enormous and this win for the American people, we come into 2018 with such tremendous momentum that we galvanize support and cohesion, not only within the party.' For many couples the first Christmas with the in-laws a daunting prospect. So spare a thought for Meghan Markle, 36, who is preparing to spend the day with fiance Prince Harry, 33, and the Royal Family at Sandringham, in Norfolk. And while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge might not be the easiest to buy for, there can be little doubt that the Queen, 91, will be the trickiest. Fortunately dozens of Mumsnet users stepped in to offer their tongue-in-cheek gift ideas for what Miss Markle could give Her Majesty, including board games, Tupperware and rubber gloves. Inspiration: Mumsnet users volunteered funny ideas for what Meghan could give the Queen Touch of glamour: A toy crown would be a fun present for the woman who has everything Cheap and cheerful: Dozens of women responded with their hilarious gift suggestions The Royal Family traditionally exchange presents on Christmas Eve and usually give each other jokey, inexpensive gifts. A handful of Mumsnet users suggested the bride-to-be plump for something that taps into Her Majesty's passion for her animals. One suggested: 'You can buy a Corgi with a crown Christmas decoration. There, you're sorted.' Another posted: 'A 3D Corgi card... anything with a horse on it.' 'A few rolls of poop scoop bags from Poundland/Waitrose but not the Harrods ones,' offered one thrifty users. Made with love: Some suggested making something by hand, like a traditional tea cosy Starring role: A boxset for Suits, the series that gave Meghan her big break. Right, a tea towel Storage solution: A handful of users said a selection of Tupperware would be perfect Others came up with ways to lighten the seriousness of royal events. 'A light sabre to inject some fun into those boring knighting ceremonies,' one cheeky poster wrote. Another ventured that an inflatable crown might be the perfect gift. Some users pointed out that the Duchess of Cambridge, 35, has previously made Chutney for Her Majesty for Christmas, so Meghan might want to go down the same route. A handmade tea cosy and cards were both put forward as ideas. Bursting with ideas: The users had fun getting creative with their fantasy Christmas gifting Fans of Miss Markle argued she should introduce the Queen to some of her work from before she met Prince Harry, including her stint on Deal or No Deal. 'A "Deal or no Deal" board game,' one posted. 'That should go down better than the usual charades.' But the most popular suggestion proved to be one that highlighted Miss Markle's best known role - her turn as Rachel Zane on US legal drama Suits. 'Suits boxset,' the witty user posted. Christmas is right around the corner, and the cast of the Today show couldn't resist sharing their favorite memories about being home for the holidays. On Monday morning's show, Today correspondent Jenna Bush Hager, 36, got particularly emotional when she recalled how her father, President George W. Bush, would read the Bible to her on Christmas Eve. 'I think of people more than places. I automatically go back to my dad reading the Bible to us on Christmas Eve,' Jenna said. 'I don't know why, but that's where I go. And we'll be with them again, so I'm excited!' Scroll down for video Looking back: Jenna Bush Hager (pictured) and her Today show co-stars recalled their memories of being home for the holidays on Monday morning Throwback: Jenna (fourth from left) and her sister Barbara (top left) are pictured sitting on a couch while their grandfather, George H.W. Bush, reads them a Christmas story Tradition: The 35-year-old recalled her father, President George W. Bush, reading the Bible to them on Christmas Eve. The Bush family is pictured during a White House Christmas Jenna, who is clearly excited to be heading back to her home state of Texas for the holidays, appeared to get betting a bit choked up while sharing the holiday memory on the show. Her co-star Hoda Kotb went on to note that Jenna's openness is one of the things she admires about her. 'You know what I love about Jenna? You put your heart on the table. That's what you do. I love that about you,' she said. Although Jenna and her fraternal twin sister, Barbara Bush, are now adults, their father still finds a way to share his faith with them. Unforgettable memories: Jenna and Barbara helped their grandmother put a star on a tree at the White House when they were children All together: Jenna, her husband Henry Hager, and their two daughters celebrated Christmas with her family in Texas last year Devoted dad: Their father continues to share his faith with his daughters by texting them religious meditations Barbara revealed a few months ago that their father, whom she lovingly calls 'Popsicle,' texts her illustrated religious meditations every morning. The former president has also taken to reading to Jenna's daughters, Mila and Poppy, who were photographed spending some quality time with their grandfather in September. Mila, four, and Poppy, two, are undoubtedly excited for the holiday, and the two sisters were recently filmed using a magical want to light their Christmas tree with a little help from their mom. While Jenna shared a story about her father reading the Bible, her co-star and neighbor, Savannah Guthrie, said the first thing that comes to her mind when she thinks about being home for the holidays is her parents' home. Next generation: The former president recently read Jenna's daughter Poppy (left) and Mila (right) a bed time story at their home in New York City Magical moment: Mila, four, and Poppy, two, used their toy wand to light their Christmas tree earlier this month 'I think of Tuscon, Arizona, the house I grew up in. My mom still lives there,' she explained. A few weeks ago, Savannah took to Instagram to share a blurry photo of herself posed with her family at Rockefeller Center when she was a child. 'My mom found this old picture of us visiting the Rock Center Christmas tree. It made me smile. Guess mom was taking the picture,' the 45-year-old wrote. Another recent throwback photo sees Savannah posed with her sister, Annie Guthrie, and her brother, Camron Guthrie, in front of their Christmas tree when they were children. Never forget: Savannah Guthrie, 45, said the first thing that comes to her mind when she thinks about being home for the holidays is her parents' home in Arizona Siblings: Savannah (right) is pictured posed in front of the Christmas tree with her sister, Annie Guthrie (center), and her brother, Camron Guthrie (left), when they were children Fun times: Savannah also recently shared this blurry photo of her family at Rockefeller Center when she was a kid She explained to her co-stars that she could tell who was on the stairs of her family home based on their footsteps when she was a kid. 'You just know the place and the people so well,' she added. Savannah and her husband, Mike Feldman, will be celebrating the holidays with their three-year-old daughter, Vale, and one-year-old son, Charley. Little Vale has already gotten into the Christmas spirit, as Savannah caught her daughter hugging their Christmas tree before they decorated it. Family: Savannah and her husband, Mike Feldman, will be celebrating the holiday with their three-year-old daughter, Vale, and their one-year-old son, Charley Too cute: Savannah shared a photo of Vale cuddling up to their Christmas tree earlier this month Dylan Dreyer, 36, was also reminded of her childhood home when thinking of being home for the holidays. 'I think of the living room of the home I grew up in,' said the Today meteorologist, who grew up in New Jersey. Dylan noted that the old home had a 'yellow' carpet' and other 'retro' decor that she will never forget. 'I can close my eyes and walk through the entire house I grew up in,' she added. 'My parents sold it a long time ago, and I could remember every inch of it.' A long time ago: Dylan Dreyer, 36, recalled spending the holidays at her parents' old home in New Jersey Back in the day: Dylan is pictured holding an ornament in front of her family's Christmas tree when she was a toddler, Little sister: Another throwback photo sees her posed between her two brothers Making memories: Earlier this month, she and her husband, Brian Fichera, took their son, Calvin, to pick out his first Christmas tree Like her other co-stars, Dylan recently shared old photographs of herself enjoying the holiday season as a child. One picture sees her holding an ornament in front of her family's Christmas tree when she was a toddler, and in another she is older, and posed in front of the tree with her two older brothers. As a new mom, Dylan is now making memories of her own, and earlier this month, she and her husband, Brian Fichera, took their son, Calvin, to pick out his first Christmas tree. A few weeks later, the boy celebrated his first birthday on December 17. Proud dad: Al Roker, 63, said being home for the holidays makes him think about his children, Leila and Nicholas Fully house: Al and his wife, Deborah Roberts, are pictured with their children Leila, 19, and Nicolas, 15 Ready to go: Al couldn't resist showing off his decorated Christmas tree earlier this month 'Dearest Calvin, from the second I met you, I knew our lives were changed forever. Thank you for the absolute joy you've brought into our lives this past year,' the mom wrote on Instagram. 'Happy 1st Birthday!! Our hearts are yours forever and ever!' While Jenna, Savannah, and Dylan looked back on their childhoods, Al Roker, 63, spoke about his family coming to visit his home, where he lives with his wife, Deborah Roberts, and their children, Leila and Nicholas. 'I think about my home now. You know, my parents have been gone for awhile just having my kids around and my brothers and sisters come by,' he said. Al and his son recently chopped down their Christmas tree together, and he happily shared a photo of the tree when it was finally decorated. Childhood memories: Hoda Kotb, 53, said the holidays make her think about growing up in Morgantown, West Virginia Excited: Hoda and her partner, financier Joel Schiffman, will be celebrating their first Christmas with their daughter, Haley Joy Happy as can be: The couple picked out Haley's first Christmas tree earlier this month Delighted: 'Christmas spirit check! Tree check! Haley Joys first Christmas on the way!' Hoda captioned the images on Instagram 'Got our #Christmas #tree #2017 up finally,' he wrote. Hoda, 53, was the last to share, and she said being home for the holidays makes her think of her hometown. 'I think about Morgantown, West Virginia, where we grew up, and I remember racing down the stairs,' she said. 'Remember when you go back to your old home and look at it and it seems oddly unremarkable?' Hoda noted that the hill she used to sled down and the the stairs she used to run down all seem smaller than they used to when she was a child. This is bound to be an unforgettable holiday for Hoda, who will be celebrating her first Christmas as a mom. The Today show anchor adopted her nearly-one-year-old daughter, Haley Joy, in February 2016, and she and her partner, financier Joel Schiffman, already had a blast picking out a Christmas tree for their little girl. 'Christmas spirit check! Tree check! Haley Joys first Christmas on the way!' she wrote on Instagram. Chrissy Teigen has shared a revealing snap of her post-breastfeeding cleavage, while expressing regret that she didn't nurse her daughter Luna 'from both boobs' when she was a baby. The mom, 32, took to Snapchat to share the snap of her decolletage seen from above. In the photo, one of her breasts appears slightly larger than the othera detail Chrissy noticed and, in her trademark fashion, openly made fun of in a self-deprecating comment. Honest: Chrissy Teigen recently shared this photo of her post-breastfeeding cleavage on Snapchat and said she regrets not nursing 'out of both boobs' when her daughter was a baby Opening up: The mother, who is currently expecting her second child with her husband John Legend, has in the past been open about breastfeeding Luna, who is now one 'View from above,' she wrote in a self-deprecating comment. 'I really should have nursed out of both boobs (when I nursed).' The photo was taken when Chrissy wore a low-cut, floral dress tied in a black bow around her chest. She wore it last week in New York City, where she is currently staying with one-year-old Luna and her husband John Legend, 38. It is common for breasts to change appearance after someone breastfeeds, and they might go up or down in size. In some cases, breasts can end up larger or smaller than their original size and might not return to their pre-pregnancy shapes. Previously: Chrissy appeared in Fergie's MILF Money video last year. The clip includes a shot of Chrissy nursing Luna on camera on the right-hand side of her body Sharing: That same year, the mom posted a video of herself breastfeeding Luna while getting into a dress. On that occasion too, she was holding her baby daughter on the right side Chrissy, who is currently expecting her second child with her husband of four years, has in the past been open about breastfeeding her daughter. Last year, she appeared in Fergie's MILF Money video, which featured many famous mothers, and ended up nursing Luna on camera in an impromptu moment that now features in the beginning of the clip. The model revealed that it was Luna's 'natural lunch time' when she began breastfeeding on set and realized it would be fitting to immortalize the moment on video. 'It was [like], "[Lunas] here, and its MILF MoneyI would love to capture this moment with her,' Chrissy told People at the time. 'I think its beautiful.' Chrissy can thus be seen in the video, which was shot a few weeks after she gave birth, proudly nursing her newborn daughter and looking stunning in a floral jacket and yellow headband. In the shot, Chrissy is nursing Luna on the right-hand side. That same year, the mom shared a video of herself breastfeeding while getting into a dress, in a humorous Snapchat video captioned: 'Christine wears many hats.' On that occasion too, she was holding her baby daughter on the right side of her body. Being Jenner-adjacent sure has its perks. This month, it took Jordyn Woods all the way to Vogue. The 20-year-old model who has been best friends with Kylie Jenner for years and recently appeared alongside her on the reality show Life of Kylie landed her very first Vogue shoot, which took place in New York City. The magazine has released a video of the photoshoot and a series of gifs of Jordyn modeling looks by Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Balenciaga, and Gucci. Scroll down for video Big deal: Jordyn Woods has landed her first Vogue photoshoot And pose! And pose! The 20-year-old modeled several designer looks during a two-minute video Going places: Jordyn is signed with Wilhelmina Curve and appeared on the reality show Life of Kylie Working hard: She admitted that she has to 'prove' to people that she's a capable model Thick as thieves: Jordyn and Kylie have been best friends for years So far: Jordyn said her Vogue shoot was a 'dream' and she never would have guess she'd be here three years ago Jordyn was thrilled for the opportunity and took to Instagram today to gush about her big break. 'My first ever job with @voguemagazine is out and it was a dream!!' she wrote. 'Not only the fact that I got to work with Vogue but also we had the dream team!!! 'Three years ago I would have never thought that shy tomboy Jordyn would be shooting anything this.' She knows it's a particularly big deal because, falling into the 'plus-size' category, she's part of the slow move toward more inclusiveness in fashion magazines. 'I'm a curvy, ethnic girl and I'm shooting with Vogue,' she told the magazine. 'I want people to see and feel like, 'If Jordyn can do it, I can do it too."' In the two-minute video, Jordyn is seen arriving at her shoot, casually dressed in a bomber jacket and crop top. She goes to hair and make-up and starts posing in a leopard Dolce & Gabbana number. She's here! The Vogue video beings with Jordyn showing up for the shoot, dressed casually Dolled up: Next, she is seen getting her hair and make-up done Going glam: Jordyn said she usually goes for more of a street style vibe but this shoot was more elevated Me next! She proudly poses next to an open issue of Vogue as she prepares She dances on set, switching to a branded Balenciaga tee and a maxi skirt followed by a Gucci pussy-bow tunic. There's also a scuba dress by The Row, a Versace silk bandanna, and a Jacquemus polka-dot blouse all very glamorous, which is not necessarily Jordyn's go-to aesthetic. 'Normally the way I dress is more street style, but this was so sophisticated and powerful,' she said. 'It was kind of an elevated version of me.' She added that she knows she still has to show people she's more than just an Instagram star, but she's up for the challenge. '[My followers] know that I'm capable, but I have to prove it to them. People are waiting to see me take it to the next level and do this,' she said. 'People are waiting to see me take it to the next level and do this,' she said Cool outfit: She described the clothes, like this Gucci outfit, as 'sophisticated and powerful' Exciting: During the shoot, she posed and danced around and seemed to be having a blast Breaking barriers: 'I'm a curvy, ethnic girl and I'm shooting with Vogue,' she told the magazine She added: 'I want people to see and feel like, 'If Jordyn can do it, I can do it too"' Jordyn, who is signed to Wilhelmina Curve, spoke recently about her relationship with Kylie. 'Having a best friend is, like, everything. I feel like everyone deserves a best friend. Its just like having someone you can call at any time,' she said, according to People. 'Obviously, I have my family and I have my mom, but sometimes you need that extra person that isn't a part of everything, going through the same things as you. 'It's really helpful. I feel like right now, at this age, you develop the friends that you're going to have forever, and we do everything together.' She's clearly loyal, too, as she refused to spill the beans on whether Kylie is in fact pregnant. She even stepped in earlier this month to accept the Newsmaker of the Year honor at WWD's Beauty Inc. Awards on Kylie's behalf presumably so Kylie could keep her changing figure under wraps. This year has been a huge year in the beauty industry, with an array of new collections and brands entering the Australian market. And among them have been a huge number of cult favourites that have been praised by beauty aficionados and celebrities the world over. So to help you with your next haul, FEMAIL has looked at some of the best-selling beauty products at Australia's Mecca, David Jones, Priceline and Sephora for 2017. MECCA TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA, $33 For those who stay on top of best selling beauty products, it comes as no surprise that this is one of the top products of 2017. The innovative curved brush and affordable price has seen the mascara praised endlessly on social media and blogs, with many amazed by its long-lasting formula. The brush is what most rave about, with the company describing it as 'the perfect brush silhouette that separates, coats and curls each lash to voluptuous perfection'. For those who stay on top of best selling beauty products, it comes as no surprise that this is one of the top products of 2017 NARS SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION, $68 While some foundations come and go, the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation has topped best-seller lists for the past two years. The hydrating foundation brightens and evens skin tone, whilst providing all day coverage with a natural, radiant finish. It also won the Foundation category in the MECCA Beauty Election for 2017. While some foundations come and go, the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation has topped best-seller lists for the past two years MARIO BADESCU FACIAL SPRAY, $9 While many know Mario Badescu for its cult drying lotion beloved by Kylie Jenner, its the brand's facial spray with aloe, herbs and rosewater that has left an impression in 2017. The ultimate pick-me-up offers a a refreshing, hydrating mist to use anywhere, anytime. The refreshing spray is formulated simply with fragrant herbal extracts and rosewater for dehydrated, tight and uncomfortable skin. While many know Mario Badescu for its cult drying lotion beloved by Kylie Jenner, its the brand's facial spray with aloe, herbs and rosewater that has left an impression in 2017 TOO FACED BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION, $57 This beauty blogger favourite gave NARS a run for their money this year. The $57 formula is complexion perfecting and provides natural looking medium to full coverage. The oil-free product boasts an 'undetectable' finish and is enriched with coconut water to replenish moisture levels, alpine rose to brighten the skin's appearance and boost elasticity and hyaluronic acid to smooth skin. This beauty blogger favourite gave NARS a run for their money this year HOURGLASS ARCH BROW SCULPTING PENCIL, $49 There are few eyebrow pencils that come in a perfect shape for almost any brow. But this one has been praised for its smooth formula and 'ideal' and unique triangular pencil shape for creating the perfect arch. The innovative brow pencil also combines the technique and benefits of a powder, pencil and wax all in one and is designed to create the look of natural, multi-dimensional, defined brows. This pencil has been praised for its smooth formula and 'ideal' and unique triangular pencil shape for creating the perfect arch DAVID JONES LA MER THE TREATMENT LOTION, $165 Although pricey, La Mer is known for being a brand beloved by celebrities and A-listers around the world including Chrissy Teigen and even Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. This 150mL lotion is described as 'a miraculous source of vitality'. The rich and silky hydrator visibly awakens the complexion and drives moisture deep into the skin to improve texture and even skin tone. Although pricey, La Mer is known for being a brand beloved by celebrities and A-listers around the world including Chrissy Teigen and even Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson MAC MATTE LIPSTICK, $36 The humble and affordable MAC lipstick has made best-seller lists for years. This $36 product comes in a staggering 60 shades and is the perfect combination of matte yet hydrating. The humble and affordable MAC lipstick has made best-seller lists for years NAPOLEON PERDIS AUTO PILOT SKIN PRIMER, $59 While some may raise their eyebrows at a $59 primer, this pre-foundation priming lotion is the key to many flawless runway and beauty looks. The primer promises to help you finesse your foundation finish and is loaded with skin soothers like Vitamin E, chamomile and yarrow extracts. While some may raise their eyebrows at a $59 primer, this pre-foundation priming lotion is the key to many flawless runway and beauty looks LA MER THE EYE CONCENTRATE, $286 One of the most popular celebrity favourites, this high-end cream promises to significantly reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, lines and wrinkles around the eye. The $286 concentrate works in tandem with a specially-engineered, silver-tipped applicator which helps cool the skin, immediately improving micro-circulation. One of the most popular celebrity favourites, this high-end cream promises to significantly reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, lines and wrinkles around the eye ESTEE LAUDER ADVANCED NIGHT REPAIR, $150 This synchronised recovery complex II 50mL will help you overhaul your complexion for a smoother, more radiant, younger look. The cream is proven to dramatically reduce the look of all key signs of ageing and 'maximises the power of skin's natural nighttime renewal with their exclusive ChronoluxCB Technology'. This synchronised recovery complex II 50mL will help you overhaul your complexion for a smoother, more radiant, younger look PRICELINE LUCAS PAPAW OINTMENT, $5.99 This Australian product has been a handbag staple for years. The affordable cream is 'made from pure Australian papaws' and has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It may be used as a local topical application for things like chapped lips, minor burns, chafing, cuts, gravel rash, minor open wounds and sunburn. This Australian product has been a handbag staple for years BONDI SANDS SELF TANNING FOAM, $19.99 One of the most popular tans in Australia, this tan in dark shade has been praised by countless high profile celebrities and fitness experts in the country. The tan dries in seconds and is made with a unique lightweight formula for easier application and skin absorption providing a rich, natural, flawless looking tan. Enriched with aloe vera and infused with a scent of fresh coconut, Bondi Sands tanning foam is said to 'leave skin glowing like a day on Bondi beach'. One of the most popular tans in Australia, this tan in dark shade has been praised by countless high profile celebrities and fitness experts in the country SUKIN HYDRATING MIST TONER, $10.99 This alcohol free, skin hydrating mist promises to provide relief on hot days, long flights or long days in an air-conditioned environment. Combining chamomile and rosewater, the product helps to soothe, tone and cool tired skin. This alcohol free, skin hydrating mist promises to provide relief on hot days, long flights or long days in an air-conditioned environment FREEZEFRAME REVITALEYES, $69 This product is used for those who with to ease chronic puffiness, serious dark circles and deep wrinkles around their eyes. 'RevitalEYES clinical eye repair treats them all with instant and long term results,' the site reads. '3 Power Peptides plus vitamin C instantly erase signs of aging, stress and fatigue, whilst at the same time performing a deep and long lasting anti-wrinkle, anti puffiness and anti-dark circle action.' This product is used for those who with to ease chronic puffiness, serious dark circles and deep wrinkles around their eyes NEUTROGENA HYDRO BOOST WATER GEL, $24.99 Simple yet effective, this hydrating and affordable gel has been a hit over the past few months. Using an innovative Progressive Release System, the gel is said to continuously release moisture for a full 24 hours. The lightweight formula contains Hyaluronic acid and Olive extract which then assists in lifting moisture levels for soft and supple skin with a healthy looking, radiant glow. Simple yet effective, this hydrating and affordable gel has been a hit over the past few months SEPHORA ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS MODERN RENAISSANCE EYE SHADOW PALETTE, $75 It seems that Sephora customers were all about palettes this year, with this Anastasia Beverly Hills palette topping the lot. Described as a 'present-day take on Renaissance colours', the palette presents a collection of 14 essential shades from neutral tones to berry hues. It seems that Sephora customers were all about palettes this year, with this Anastasia Beverly Hills palette topping the lot TARTE TARTELETTE IN BLOOM CLAY PALETTE, $69 Coming closely behind was this less expensive palette by Tarte which has 12 brand-new, on-trend eyeshadows in a mix of matte and luster finishes. Each one is Infused with the brand's signature Amazonian clay formula which promises a solid pigment, blendability and lasting color. Coming closely behind was this less expensive palette by Tarte which has 12 brand-new, on-trend eyeshadows in a mix of matte and luster finishes HUDA BEAUTY TEXTURED PALETTE ROSE GOLD, $95 Huda Beauty is one of the most popular brands in the world and for good reason. This exclusive Rose Gold edition palette has highly pigmented mattes, chrome pressed pearls, and 3D metal shades. Huda Beauty is one of the most popular brands in the world and for good reason HUDA BEAUTY DUSK EYESHADOW PALETTE, $95 This stunning palette has 18 shades in four textures: dazzling glitter, creamy matte, shimmering pearl, and duo-chrome toppers. The 18 versatile shades can be layered in infinite ways to create a vast array of looks with just one palette. This stunning palette has 18 shades in four textures: dazzling glitter, creamy matte, shimmering pearl, and duo-chrome toppers BEAUTYBLENDER ORIGINAL , $30 Simple yet effective, this edgeless sponge makeup applicator ensures an 'impeccable, streak-free application with minimum product waste'. They write: 'The plush sponge material encourages even blending and easy application of primers, foundations, powders, cream blushes, and other complexion products.' Men who want to delay fatherhood should freeze their sperm before the age of 25 in order to combat problems with infertility, say experts. The warning comes after figures suggest fertility clinics are seeing as much as a six-fold rise in cases of infertile men in the past three years. Professor Luciano Nardo, a consultant gynaecologist at the Reproductive Health Group in Cheshire, said sperm issues accounted for around five per cent of all problems with couples he saw in 2014 but now represents 30 per cent. He said that few men are aware that the quality of their semen and its DNA integrity is likely to start to deteriorate by their mid twenties. His position is similar to Dr Kevin Smith, a senior lecturer in genetics, who believes it is reasonable for men as young as 18 to consider having their sperm frozen to counter the risk of genetic mutation. Scroll down for 8 tips on preserving the health of semen Men who want to delay fatherhood should freeze their sperm before the age of 25, advise experts (stock image) Researchers have previously claimed the Western lifestyle has more than halved the sperm count of men in the US, Europe and Australia since the 1970s. Stress, smoking, drinking too much and eating unhealthy food were named as contributing factors. Past research also reveals sperm quality is affected by chemicals found in soap, sunscreen and plastic. Furthermore, experts warn that fertility services for men has long lagged behind those for women in the UK. HUGE DROP IN SPERM COUNT COULD LEAD TO HUMAN EXTINCTION Humans could face extinction if sperm counts continue to drop as fast as they have done in the last four decades in Western countries, a study warned. Scientists claim the Western lifestyle has more than halved the sperm count of men in the US, Europe and Australia since the 1970s in research published in July by Human Reproduction Update. Sperm count is the best measure of male fertility, and lead author Dr Hagai Levine said the findings are an 'urgent wake-up call' to investigate lifestyle factors, chemicals and environment that could cause the human species to go extinct. 'If we do not make a drastic change to how we live and the chemicals we are exposed to I am worried about the future,' he told Daily Mail Online. 'I think the data serves as a wake up call, because I am personally worried about that [human extinction] if we do not address current environmental issues.' Researchers at Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai looked at 185 studies collected between 1973 and 2011 regarding sperm count and concentration in men from North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. They found 59.3 percent average decline in total sperm count and a 52.4 percent average decline in sperm concentration among these men. Decline in sperm rate has previously been linked to environmental and lifestyle influences such as prenatal chemical exposure, adult pesticide exposure, smoking, stress and obesity. Advertisement Infertility does not just affect women Professor Nardo is a consultant gynaecologist in Cheshire Professor Nardo said it is a myth that only women suffer from fertility problems. He said: 'Often it is thought that men do not suffer such issues. 'But that is not the case, and a number of studies have developed a real link between a man's age and his ability to produce high-quality sperm. 'In our society it is acceptable for women to freeze their eggs but I think the idea that men should freeze their sperm should become more prevalent, too. 'Due to social changes men are increasingly leaving it later to have children, so I would suggest anyone choosing to delay fatherhood should freeze their sperm before the age of 25.' How does sperm freezing work? STRESSED MEN HAVE 'SOFTER' CHILDREN The children of overly-stressed men may be less resilient and more prone to sensitivity to stress and even post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), new research published last month suggests. A new study demonstrated how even mild to moderate stress may affect the way that men's sperm develops. The resulting changes meant that these fathers passed down genetic coding for a less effective hormonal response to stress to their children. This so-called 'blunted' hormonal response has been associated with those who develop certain neuropsychological disorders, including PTSD and autism. The research was carried out by the University of Pennsylvania. Advertisement In the UK sperm can be frozen for up to 10 years or up to 55 years if the man is likely to become infertile due to medical intervention. The average age for first time fathers in the UK is 32. Professor Nardo said: 'It's also important to note that male fertility factors may increase the risk of early miscarriage, and a standard semen analysis is not good enough to confirm that a man can impregnate a woman and have a healthy pregnancy to term.' He added for couples having IVF the risk of failing to conceive was found to be more than five times higher if the male partner is 41 or older. Dr Smith, a senior lecturer in bioethics and genetics at Abertay University in Dundee, said it made good sense for young men to freeze their sperm when it is at its healthiest. He said: 'In principal this is something that should be considered by young people. 'If you were looking to store sperm, you would want to do so at as young an age as possible. Waiting until you are 30, or putting off parenthood for another 10 years, will increase the risk of DNA mutation. 'There does seem to be a fairly smooth line in the graph and the older you are, the more risk there is. You can get someone whose sperm is of pretty good quality, but which has mutations. 'Delayed fatherhood is about genetic integrity, and you are elevating risk the older the father. 'The older the father the greater chance of having one of the recognised conditions which are associated with these mutations.' Research on sperm health and the effect of age Studies have indicated men under the age of 25 are most fertile and, among these men, 95 per cent of their sperm has no DNA damage a figure which falls to 80 per cent by the age of 35. This was highlighted in a comprehensive review by the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, on the medical literature about the effects of increased paternal age on sperm quality. The paper, published in the journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, also reported a major Swedish study in 2015 found children of fathers aged 45 and over at their birth were more likely to have certain psychiatric disorders, as well as a heightened risk of autism. The percentage of highly damaged DNA sperm in those aged from 36 to 57 years has also been shown to be significantly higher than in men aged 20 to 35. Other evidence has revealed sperm DNA damage affected men as young as 25, and that the levels of damage doubling between that age and 55. That legal weed you'll be able to buy in California on New Year's Day may not be as green as it seems. Any marijuana sold when recreational sales become legal January 1 in the nation's most populous state will have been grown without regulatory controls that will eventually be in place. Pot could contain pesticides, molds and other contaminants. 'Buyer beware,' cautioned Donald Land, a University of California, Davis, chemistry professor who is the chief scientific consultant at Steep Hill Labs Inc., which tests marijuana in several states. Marijuana is a crop just like beans and broccoli but while it was in the ground all the pot that was harvested this year didn't get the same level of scrutiny as traditional fruits and veggies Earlier this year, Land oversaw testing that found 93 percent of samples collected by KNBC-TV from 15 dispensaries in four Southern California counties tested positive for pesticides. That may come as a surprise for consumers who tend to trust what's on store shelves because of federal regulations by the US Agriculture Department or the US Food and Drug Administration. 'Unfortunately, that's not true of cannabis,' Land said. 'They wrongly assume it's been tested for safety.' Stiffer regulations and testing requirements are being phased in next year, but growers and sellers have a six-month grace period to sell existing inventory grown under the loosely regulated medical marijuana program in place two decades. With only a year to a develop a complex bureaucratic infrastructure of regulations, taxes and licensing for recreational marijuana, state officials recognized it wasn't realistic or fair to require inventory grown or manufactured under existing rules to suddenly meet testing standards. Shops will have six months to sell the current crop of cannabis before their inventory has to pass tests. Any pot harvested or manufactured after January 1, however, will be subject to testing for potency and contaminants with a high public health risk. Stricter limits will be phased in by the start of 2019. Meanwhile, any pot that hasn't been tested will need to be labeled, said Alex Traverso, Bureau of Cannabis Control spokesman. 'That's one of the biggest reasons for regulation: to establish rules that protect public safety and improve the quality of the product,' Traverso said. 'When people see a sticker that says 'Not tested,' at least they know and they can choose whether they want to purchase that or not.' That means there will probably be a lot of labels required when everything from joints to cookies and oils go on sale. Land estimated that less than five percent of medical marijuana - the only pot legal to sell before 2018 - is now tested. As the industry emerges from the shadows, growers, manufacturers, shops and related businesses have to navigate a maze of regulations that are still taking shape across state and local jurisdictions as sales are about to begin. Juan Hidalgo, agricultural commissioner for Santa Cruz County, said pesticides are a top concern, and he wants to know what is being applied and whether workers on site are protected. Farmers who spray their own pesticides have to get a certificate from the commissioner that requires passing a test and taking refresher courses every three years. 'A lot of these folks, up until now, they haven't been aware of what those requirements are and the proper use of pesticides,' Hidalgo said. 'That's something we're hoping we can change in the coming weeks.' The incentive will be that entire crops or batches will have to be destroyed if unacceptable levels of contaminants are discovered. Several years ago, Steep Hill tested concentrates at a cannabis contest and found traces of solvents from extracting hash oil used in edibles and other products in all but three of 135 samples, Land said. 'At first they were mad because they couldn't sell their stuff the way they wanted to,' Land said. But eventually, manufacturers figured out how to more safely produce their products, and two years later all 140 samples the lab tested passed. He thinks a similar thing will happen with pesticides as testing becomes mandatory and the industry adapts. Initially, though, it could mean lower yields. Stiffer regulations and testing requirements are being phased in next year Mike Winderman, manager of The Green Easy in Los Angeles, supports the idea of eliminating pesticides, but also thinks the issue has been overhyped when the vast majority of crops that people eat are grown with pesticides and even organic crops could be subject to pesticides drifting from nearby farms. 'I think it's a little funny that this year everybody's caring about pesticides,' he said. 'People have been smoking weed 30, 40, 50 years, and it's never been an issue.' Like many shops, Winderman's products are tested for potency, but not pesticides. Prices are dropping for the current crop because they have a limited shelf life due to the regulatory controls that will eventually go into place. Winderman said he wouldn't be surprised to find shops snapping up inventory now to avoid taxes that will take effect January 1 and because some popular products may not be available if small producers who don't want to pay registration fees drop out of the industry. Robert Watson, assistant manager of Dutchman's Flat in San Francisco's Dog Patch neighborhood, said it isn't an issue because his dispensary always tested for pesticides and will continue to do so if it is allowed to sell recreational pot. 'It's something we believe in,' Watson said. 'I think most patients out there wouldn't get medicine that isn't tested.' Delayed treatment for young British children with sepsis and pneumonia is driving one of the worst child mortality rates in Europe, figures suggest. The UK sits 19th in a league table of 28 EU countries for under-five mortality down from ninth in 1990. A British child is twice as likely to die before their fifth birthday than one from Luxembourg or Finland. Delayed treatment for young British children with sepsis and pneumonia is driving one of the worst child mortality rates in Europe, figures suggest. The UK sits 19th in a league table of 28 EU countries for under-five mortality down from ninth in 1990 Experts believe that is because GPs and NHS call handlers are not specifically trained in child health, unlike doctors in other countries. It means when a toddler has sepsis or another complex condition the symptoms are often missed. Now a major investigation is to examine why fatal delays occur and also focus on treatable infections which often lead to sepsis. More than 1,000 under-fives die with sepsis in Britain every year. Equivalent sepsis data is not collected in other countries, but child death rates in Britain from meningococcal disease, a leading cause of sepsis, are five times worse than in Sweden, three times worse than France and twice as bad as Germany. A British child is twice as likely to die before their fifth birthday than one from Luxembourg or Finland. Experts believe that is because GPs and NHS call handlers are not specifically trained in child health, unlike doctors in other countries Pneumonia rates, another cause of sepsis, are also far higher among under-fives in Britain than other western European nations. The investigation launched today is in response to the deaths of William Mead and Sam Morrish, toddlers who died with sepsis after NHS failures. The Mails End the Sepsis Scandal campaign started two years ago after the death of 12-month-old William in Cornwall. NHS doctors repeatedly failed to spot he had sepsis, while workers on the 111 helpline mishandled a call from his mother. The research, led by the University of Northampton and funded by the NHS, will examine other incidents of serious infection in children under five from the moment a parent realises their child is ill, through contact with GPs, to admission to hospital. The way GPs, NHS 111 call handlers and out-of-hours services deal with parents concerns will be investigated. The researchers will initially assess the cases of 20 children in great detail, interviewing every doctor involved, and will then widen the study to see how common the issues are nationally. Child mortality has significantly improved in Britain over the last 25 years but every other Western European country now has better rates. It means when a toddler has sepsis or another complex condition the symptoms are often missed. Now a major investigation is to examine why fatal delays occur and also focus on treatable infections which often lead to sepsis. More than 1,000 under-fives die with sepsis in Britain every year Office for National Statistics data, for 2015, puts UK under-five mortality at 4.5 per 1,000 births although rates have improved 51 per cent since 1990, when 9.3 children in 1,000 died. But in Portugal child mortality has improved 76 per cent and by 61 per cent in Ireland. Professor Sarah Neill of Northampton University, said: Infection is a major cause of avoidable childhood deaths in the UK, particularly in the under-fives, yet we know little about the factors that influence when children are admitted to hospital. A two-year-old girl who is slowly being suffocated because of her of huge tongue may die because her family can't afford life-saving surgery. Zhyrille Cruz, from Manila in the Philippines, suffers from a lymphangioma - defined as a collection of life-threatening cysts on her tongue. Government officials, who fitted her with a breathing tube, are currently paying for chemotherapy in a desperate attempt to keep her alive. But her poverty-stricken parents have been told that if the tumour shrinks they will have to fund life-saving surgery themselves - despite being unable to. Mary, 22, and Gerry, 28, face an agonising wait for their daughter's test results, which come back in January and will reveal if she can undergo surgery. The condition could be cured relatively easily with a straight-forward operation in the UK, US, Europe or in other developed nations. However, without an operation Zhyrille is likely to be one of the rare cases - virtually unheard of in the western world - where lymphangioma becomes fatal. Scroll down for video Zhyrille Cruz, from Manila in the Philippines, suffers from a lymphangioma - which causes life-threatening cysts to grow on her tongue Her poverty-stricken parents spotted she had a swollen mouth when she was born - but doctors were adamant that it was nothing to worry about In undeveloped countries, poverty means some patients can go their entire lifetime without treatment before the condition eventually kills them. Mrs Cruz, a housewife, said: 'Zhyrille is the light in our hearts. We don't know what the future holds, but we will make this the best Christmas for her. 'Zhyrille is the best gift we could have. Her laughter makes everyone smile. I pray every day she will grow up to be a bright and beautiful young girl. 'I wish for nothing but to see a smile on her lovely face every single second. I want to see her grow up and achieve her goals. That is our dream.' Zhyrille's condition began when she was born, when her parents spotted she had a swollen mouth. Local doctors were adamant that it was nothing to worry about - but they later told the parents she had a lymphangioma. But they watched in despair as the mass slowly worsened, leaving her with a huge tongue which was stopping her from breathing (pictured, her parents Gerry Cruz, 28 and Mary, 22) Government officials have since paid for a breathing tube to be fitted into her neck and chemotherapy in a desperate attempt to reduce the size of the tumour If the tumour is reduced, doctors will put her forward for surgery which her parents Gerry Cruz, 28, and Mary, 22, will have to try and fund themselves in January However, her parents watched in despair as the mass slowly worsened, leaving her with a huge tongue which was stopping her from breathing. The condition is a rare disease of the lymphatic system which often causes legions ranging in size from microscopic to large. It is most often found in young children mainly around the neck. LYMPHANGIOMAS: THE FACTS Lymphatic malformations, sometimes called lymphangiomas, are growths that stem from cysts. The non-cancerous masses are stem from abnormal development of the lymphatic system - part of the body's natural defences, experts believe. Children are born with them, however, they don't always display themselves until they grow older. Most often they strike patients in the neck or armpits, but can also be found in the mouth, arms, legs, stomach and even the lungs. They can appear as just a small spot on the skin, or can be instantly visible as a large mass. Treatment depends on the size, shape and location of the masses - but they have been known to regrow. Source: National Institutes of Health Advertisement In Zhyrille's case, her lymphangioma started while she was in the womb and was missed by doctors when she was born. Her parents, who live with family and earn around $150 (112) a month through Mr Cruz's wage as a contractor, were unable to afford any proper treatment. Zhyrille finally began receiving some medical attention earlier this year from a local charity. She also received help from the local government 'sweepstakes office' - which is the equivalent of National Lottery funding in the UK. Her family also collected three months worth of oral chemotherapy medication in October and are waiting for tests in January to see if it has been effective. Doctors will then decide whether she can have surgery. Mrs Cruz said: 'We will do what we can. We work and we save as much as possible for our daughter. We pray that the medicine will work and she can have an operation. 'She takes medicines twice a day. A tablet costs 300 pesos (4.50/$6). 'We still don't have her next batch of medicines because the office only release medicines on schedule, but we can't buy them because it would us more than 50,000 pesos (741/$1,000) for the oral chemo. 'The doctors have not yet given us an estimated amount for the surgery because she's still under observation whether she can take the surgery or not although we are expecting it to be really expensive.' The condition could be cured relatively easily with a straight-forward operation in the UK or other developed nations Without an operation, Zhyrille is likely to be one of the rare cases - virtually unheard of in the western world - where lymphangioma becomes fatal In undeveloped countries, poverty means some patients can go their entire lifetime without treatment before the condition eventually kills them A devoted wife, who has nursed her husband through cancer three times now has 'chemo dates' with him in hospital, after she also developed the disease. In a cruel twist of fate, just as Jenny Thirlaway, 46, and her husband Scott, 43, were told he was in remission from Hodgkin lymphoma, she was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer. The family have been through tough times together as Scott's illness developed as their premature twins fought for their lives in hospital. The children pulled through but then Jenny's ordeal began when she was admitted to hospital in February this year, with stomach pain and diarrhoea. While Scott is now in remission, sadly Jenny mother to Jack and Molly, now nine has been told her disease is incurable. However, she says the couple are remaining positive and making the most of their time together. Jenny Thirlaway, 46, cared for husband Scott, 43, who had Hodgkin lymphoma then she developed cancer Trainee teaching assistant Jenny explains how there was a cross-over in their treatments. She said: 'Recently, we had a kind of date in Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, with him having an immune boosting treatment on the same day as I had chemotherapy. He sat in the chair beside me. 'It wasn't our normal date night, with drinks and dinner, but at least we could spend some time together. It was nothing crazy we just sat together and chatted like we normally do, while we both had drugs fed into our veins.' Husband's cancer battle Scott, who is now in remission from Hodgkin lymphoma an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system first experienced symptoms when Jenny was pregnant with their twins, Jack and Molly, now nine. The couple, from Wallsend, Tyneside, assumed it was stress, especially when the twins were born at 34 weeks and Jack was initially taken to intensive care, struggling to breathe. Their son quickly improved, going home two weeks later, only for Molly to be diagnosed with meningitis at four-days-old. Jenny and Scott have twins, Molly and Jack who were fighting for their lives when Scott first became ill The couple, from Wallsend, Tyneside, have 'chemo dates' together in hospital Fortunately, after 10 weeks, Molly recovered and was allowed home, but Scott collapsed a fortnight later at Northumbria University, where he was studying for a masters in engineering. Jenny, who left her twins with family, so she could take Scott to North Tyneside General Hospital in North Shields, said he was given an urgent x-ray and a barrage of tests. She said: 'They said that his heart was very enlarged and the sack around it was filled with lots of fluid. 'We found out there was a mass in his chest. He had urgent heart surgery the day after that and they did a biopsy. About 10 days later, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.' Two years of treatment for Scott After intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, in October 2009, Scott went into remission, only for the cancer to return in April 2010. With devastating timing, Molly simultaneously developed hydrocephalus swelling on the brain an after effect of meningitis, leading to her having a shunt inserted in her brain to drain the fluid. Jenny said: 'It was really difficult. Molly was in hospital and then Scott was told he needed a bone marrow transplant this time. 'Luckily, his brother Kevin was a match, but he had to have intensive chemotherapy first. Jenny's ordeal began in February this year when she was admitted to hospital in February this year, with stomach pain and diarrhoea Scott with his daughter Molly enjoying the festive season despite their family struggles 'After the transplant, he was technically in remission, but he developed something called graft versus host disease when the donated bone marrow views the recipient's body as foreign and attacks it.' Scott spent two years travelling back and forth the 130 miles between their home and the specialist Rotherham General Hospital for treatment, including photopheresis a cell-based immunomodulatory therapy, where his blood was treated using ultraviolet light to help stop the graft versus host disease. And during which time Molly had another shunt operation and was diagnosed with epilepsy and autism. She was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. Meanwhile, in 2015, Scott's cancer returned again leading to immunotherapy, chemotherapy and a 'top up' transplant from his brother, putting him back in remission in March 2016. Jenny explained: 'He's continued to do really well since then. He's back to work as an engineer and even goes to the gym. 'Sadly, Molly still struggles. Diagnosed with epilepsy at three, she has seizures every day and, at one point, was having 150 a day.' Jenny's cancer battle started with a pain 'worse than labour' Still, Scott's improving health enabled the family to form more of a routine, with Jenny training as a teaching assistant, until the start of 2017 when she started feeling ill. She explained: 'Just after Christmas, I noticed that after having drinks with friends, I would have a sore stomach and diarrhoea the next day. 'Then, at the end of February, I had stomach pain. It was worse than being in labour. Still, I thought it was something like a burst cyst.' Rushed by ambulance to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington, she had an urgent CT scan. Medics initially thought Jenny had Crohn's disease and she was referred for a colostomy. Jenny said: 'The doctor came to see me. I could tell from the way he was chatting that something wasn't right. I asked, "Are you going to tell me that it isn't Crohn's disease? I've got bowel cancer, haven't I?" He said "yes".' Teaching assistant Jenny has been told by doctors that her bowel cancer is incurable Jenny is told her tumour is aggressive Six weeks later, Jenny had an operation to remove the tumour in her bowel, but, unfortunately, surgeons had to leave some behind, as it was growing too close to major blood vessels. 'In May, we met with my consultant,' Jenny said. 'She explained that the tumour was really aggressive and, at this stage, it is incurable. We were so shocked. We just hadn't expected that.' Determined to stay positive, despite needing regular chemo to slow down the tumour's growth, Jenny blogs about it on Facebook. She said: 'I have no intention of going anywhere soon. I had no symptoms and I am young in terms of the average age of getting bowel cancer. The family are remaining positive and making the most of their time together 'Anyone out there with symptoms like blood in the stools, abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always brought on by eating and going to the toilet more often, should go to the doctor. I really wanted to put my story out there and tell people just to get checked out. 'Having cancer is horrible and when you are told, it is one of the worst things that can happen, but it doesn't have to control your life. 'Our family have had enough years of cancer with Scott. This is just an inconvenience and I have to have chemo, but I can still carry on having fun.' Community support SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL CANCER The three main symptoms of bowel cancer are: Persistent blood in the stools that occurs for no obvious reason or is associated with a change in bowel habit A persistent change in your bowel habit which usually means going more often, with looser stools Persistent lower abdominal (tummy) pain, bloating or discomfort that's always caused by eating and may be associated with loss of appetite or significant unintentional weight loss The symptoms of bowel cancer can be subtle and don't necessarily make you feel ill. However, it's worth waiting for a short time to see if they get better as the symptoms of bowel cancer are persistent. Sources: NHS Choices Advertisement Jenny has had huge support from her local community with a helicopter pilot even flying her to the Isle of Seil in Scotland, where she grew up, to spend time with her family. 'I just wanted to go home, as I was worried I wouldn't be able to. It's a very long journey, without a bathroom available for most of it and that's just not something someone having treatment for bowel cancer can do,' Jenny explained. Now, eager to give something back, Jenny is helping to raise money towards a friend's family's 25,000 target, to fund physiotherapy in the USA for their son, Samuel Wright, who has cerebral palsy, to help him walk. Already, Jenny and a group of her family and friends, including her son Jack, have shaved their heads raising over 3,500 for Samuel. She said: 'We have had so much kindness that has allowed us to create memories with our children, so I decided it was time to pass it on and do something for someone else.' You can sponsor Jenny here. A baby boy born with an extra penis on his back has had the organ removed. The additional penis is believed to be all that was left of a parasitic twin who failed to develop. The unnamed baby is already home and is as healthy as any other newborn. His parents and doctors were unaware he had the growth until he was born. A doctor known only as 'AYU-Skromniy medved' said: 'How is it possible that this is all what is left from the second baby?!' Another doctor, called 'adelya', added: 'This is terrifying.' A baby boy born with an extra penis on his back has had the organ removed The additional penis is believed to be all that was left of a parasitic twin who failed to develop The baby boy is home and recovering well (pictured: the second penis after it was removed) WHAT IS A PARASITIC TWIN? Parasitic twins occur when a baby is born with the attached tissue of an undeveloped twin who died in the womb. The parasitic twin's tissues are dependent upon the 'host'. Parasitic twins arise when identical twins fail to separate. It is unclear why this occurs, but may be due to a restricted blood supply during pregnancy, which leads to the death and partial absorption of one of the twins. The condition occurs in around one in a million live births. Source: Live Science Advertisement 'The penis on the back is a parasite' The operation was carried out at the Scientific Research Institute of Pediatrics in Baku, Azerbaijani. Head of the institute's neonatology department Gunduz Agayev said: 'The baby has a normal sexual organ where it is supposed to be. 'The penis on the back is a parasite, which has been surgically removed.' Speaking of the undeveloped parasitic twin, Mr Agayev added: 'Practically all there was left from him was a penis that got attached to the brother's back inside the womb.' The newborn's back was not badly affected by the surgery. 'This is terrifying' The growth came as a surprise to doctors, with one, known as Netizen 'Kam' saying: 'Wishing the baby a good health.' Yet 'AYU-Skromniy medved' said: 'How is it possible that this is all what is left from the second baby?!' Adelya added: 'This is terrifying.' It is unclear where exactly the baby was born or who his parents are. A six-year-old girl in India suffering from cancer has been left blinded and in agony with protruding and bleeding eyes. The heartbreaking pictures of Dhanika Tripura show how extreme her condition has become in just six weeks. Her desperate parents are now pleading for help after their 'healthy' and 'joyful' daughter deteriorated after suddenly suffering with itchy eyes in November. Dhanika was taken to several local doctors in her remote village but they have just basic facilities and she was just given painkillers, paracetamol and anti-allergy tablets, and sent home. The family, from a small village in Tripura, north-eastern India, could not afford to get her specialist help and the girl's prognosis looked extremely poor. Now a charity has stepped in to help, but medics face a race against time and her chance of survival is only about 10 per cent. Dhanika's parents still need further funds. These heartbreaking pictures of Dhanika Tripura show how extreme her condition is Her father, Dhanya Kumar Tripura, 45, works as a daily wage labourer, and earns approximately Rs 1,000 (10) a month. Her mother, Shashi Bala, 40, is a housewife who stays at home to looks after their four children. Dhanya said: 'Her condition brings tears to my eyes. I cannot even look into her eyes and talk to her anymore. Her eyes look so horrible. 'Her pain and condition breaks my heart and as a father it is tragic to see a child suffering like this.' 'We worry for her life' Dhanya says his daughter's small rash and itching got worse and she developed a fever. He said: 'She'd often complain of itching in her eyes and rub them often. Her eyes started swelling slowly and eventually grew to such a big size. 'We took her to several doctors in our village but none could help. This all started approximately 45 days back and within no time her condition has increased to a level that we now worry for her life.' Dhanika, who has never been to school due to her family's poverty, was eventually taken to Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital in New Delhi where doctors diagnosed her with acute lymphocytic leukemia. The main treatment for this type of blood cancer is chemotherapy. Sufferers might also have targeted cancer drug or steroids. She was a 'healthy' girl but deteriorated after suffering with itchy eyes just 6 weeks ago Her family too poor to afford help, the 6-year-old was sent away with only painkillers WHAT IS ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA? Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells. It is also known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. All white blood cells are made in the bone marrow. Normally, white blood cells develop, repair and reproduce in an orderly and controlled way. But in leukaemia, the process gets out of control and the cells continue to divide in the bone marrow, but do not mature. These immature dividing cells fill up the bone marrow and stop it from making healthy blood cells. As the leukaemia cells fail to mature, they cannot work properly. This can lead to infections and anemia. Chronic forms of the disease tend to affect adults and are very rare in children. ALL is specifically a cancer of the immature lymphocytes, called lymphoblasts or blast cells. The causes of ALL are not yet known but studies have found identical twins and brothers and sister are at an increased risk of the disease. Source: Macmillan Cancer Support Advertisement Poor prognosis A local community group the United Tiprasa Forum became aware about Dhanika's condition and have stepped in to help. Sajal Debbarma, 36, from the United Tiprasa Forum UTP), said: 'I came to know about this girl through a social media group and really wanted to help her. 'We went up to see her and were shocked by her condition. Her family did not even have proper knowledge where to go and who to approach, let alone getting her treatment done. 'We brought her to Agartala then and got her treatment started there. But we have limited funds, we hope people come forward to help this little girl get some help.' After her diagnosis, Dhanika was referred to Dr Bhubhneshwar Barooah Cancer Institute, in Guwahati, approximately 550km (963 miles) from Agartala, where she is being treated. Medical oncologist Dr Munilima Hazarika said: 'Her condition is still critical. We have started the chemotherapy a few days ago but her survival chances are only about 10 per cent. She is really weak and with chemotherapy, we expect that her hemoglobin and platelets would further decrease which is a risk. We need at least 30 blood donors for her to keep her treatment going.' Now a charity has stepped in to help but her parents still need further funds She has started chemotherapy but her chance of survival is only about 10% Dhanya is pleading for help to save his daughter and a fundraising page has been set up Over the last 45 days, Dhanika has lost around 10kg (22lbs) and now weighs 14kg (30lbs), while she earlier weighed about 25kg (55lbs). Dhanya is pleading for help to save his daughter. 'I am not educated at all. I am so poor that I could not even send my children to school. 'I have done everything I could but still her survival chances seem low. 'I have no money for her treatment but some people have volunteered to help my daughter. I owe my life to all of them.' To help Dhanika, you can donate here. It's the time of year that family members you haven't seen in years, and friends from all corners of the globes, come and stay at your home. But new research suggests that being separated between your loved ones by just a flimsy wall isn't enough to put you off sex this Christmas. Nearly half of Britons admit they will just resort to being quieter in bed rather than skip passionate nights beneath the sheets with their partner. A survey of 2,000 adults reveals a third of couples will instead take up spoon sex in the next two weeks - as opposed to the noisier positions. New research suggests that being separated between your loved ones by just a flimsy wall isn't enough to put you off sex this Christmas The poll, commissioned by One Condoms, delved into how the festive period can diminish the sex lives of thousands of happy relationships. Despite most admitting that they would seek quieter sex (44 per cent), the findings showed a third (38 per cent) would have less sex. Just 6 per cent of respondents, who were between the ages of 18 and 65, revealed that they would try to have more sex this festive period. Annabelle Knight, a certified British couples counsellor, told MailOnline that 'family staying can be a hinderance to our sex lives'. She added: 'Research shows many people will be finding ways to enjoy steamy-but-sneaky nights by embracing quieter positions over the festive period. 'Cowgirl and doggy can be noisy, hand-over-mouth is only liked by some, but missionary and spoon-sex are seasonal favourites because they allow for all the fun.' However, Ms Knight, who has given sex advice on Big Brother's Bit on the Side and ITV's This Morning, said those positions have further benefits. She added because spooning and missionary are quiet they avoid any 'embarrassing exchanges over breakfast the next day with a relative'. Just a quarter admitted they would have less sex because 'there is family around' - and 32 per cent said they would actually have more. The survey also revealed that a fifth (21 per cent) of people would make special arrangements about sex to cope with family staying. And more than a third (38 per cent) would avoid making love for the entire festive period - with New Year's Day being the least popular day. When we asked readers to nominate their unsung champions of the NHS, we were overwhelmed by moving stories about staff from all parts of the health service. Last week our five finalists received their awards from the Prime Minister at Downing Street here we tell the inspiring story of our overall winner. Six months after Debra Radleys two-year-old daughter Bella was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, Debra, 50, hit rock-bottom. Bella hated the insulin injections so much that she spent all her time running away from us screaming, she recalls. Then Bella realised that if she didnt eat, she didnt get an injection, so she stopped eating. One particular day, we were strapping her down, trying to force-feed her she was screaming, I was crying, her older sister Phoebe, who was only three, was crying and I just sank down on my knees and banged my head against the wall. I just thought: I cant do this any more. Here we tell the inspiring story of our overall winner, as well as some of the UK's most caring health worker's including (from left): Shehan Hettiaratchy or Mr H, Dr Gabriel Hendow, Mrs May, Professor Hindmarsh, Professor Mike Dixon and Anita Ruckledge But then, says Debra, bursting into tears of gratitude, we found Professor Hindmarsh. He mended our family and gave us back our life. Hes the calmest man Ive ever met. He listened as all this anger and rage and grief poured from me, and then he said: Shes a beautiful, wonderful little girl and were going to help her. You are going to be OK as a family. I was so relieved, I just sobbed and sobbed. Professor Peter Hindmarsh or The Prof as his small patients call him is a consultant in paediatric endocrinology and diabetes at University College London Hospitals and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. To both parents and children, he is, quite simply, a hero. Thats why they nominated him for our awards, and last week at a special event at Downing Street, he was announced the overall winner. His prize was a 5,000 holiday from Olivers Travels. After the ceremony, Prime Minister Theresa May spoke of the care, compassion and professionalism the Daily Mail Health Heroes have shown their patients, adding that she was very proud to have met them and had the opportunity to thank them for their incredible hard work and dedication. Professor Hindmarsh or The Prof as his small patients call him is a consultant in paediatric endocrinology and diabetes at University College London Hospitals and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children For Professor Hindmarshs families, this dedication is truly life-transforming. His patients have hormonal disorders that affect them every day, often causing enormous anxiety and fear. When it comes to treatment, Professor Hindmarsh is clearly a superb clinician in Bellas case, he showed the Radleys exactly how to carb count and monitor her wildly fluctuating overnight blood glucose. Nobody had done this before. He also put her onto an insulin pump, so she doesnt need injections. Professor Hindmarsh showed us how to connect it to Bellas teddy bears, which really normalised it, says Debra. He spoke to Phoebe about how she felt, too, and also referred her to a play therapist. Another of his patients, a boy with an adrenal disorder that meant he couldnt make cortisol, which is essential for vital bodily processes, became progressively more unwell, because his body wasnt absorbing his cortisol tablets. Professor Hindmarsh decided to rejig an insulin pump to help his hydrocortisone pump is now used all over the world. As well as his clinical expertise, Professor Hindmarsh brings true compassion, according to the families he helps. Debra says that when Bella came under Professor Hindmarshs care, for the first time, we felt held and helped and completely supported. Adrienne Burton, 48, whose daughter Jessica, now 17, was born with a thyroid disorder, nominated The Prof for the Mails Health Hero Awards. Most of his patients have moved from other hospitals, from across the country, just to see The Prof and get the gold standard of care he delivers. I dont mean gold standard of medical care although he does deliver that I mean the gold standard of human care, which he delivers by the bucketload. For Professor Hindmarshs families, this dedication is truly life-transforming. His patients have hormonal disorders that affect them every day, often causing enormous anxiety and fear Jessica had her pancreas removed soon after birth and became insulin-dependent at two months old. When Jessica got her first insulin pump at the age of eight, two weeks before Christmas, he gave me his home phone number so I could call on Christmas Day, even though he wasnt on call. As a family, weve seen literally hundreds and hundreds of doctors and nurses over the years Professor Hindmarsh is our outstanding favourite. When Jane Ripley Neale, 49, from Hastings, took her son Joe, 17, to see The Prof for the first time when he was nine, they were terribly nervous. It was our first time at a big prestigious hospital, with a top specialist. But within five minutes, he was wrestling with Joe: we were in stitches. Adrienne adds: One of the lovely things he does for every child is write to them after each clinic appointment. He remembers the things that are important to them and sends positive messages, such as: Didnt you do really well on holiday with your blood sugars! When it comes to treatment, Professor Hindmarsh is clearly a superb clinician in one case, he showed a family exactly how to carb count and monitor their child's wildly fluctuating overnight blood glucose. Nobody had done this before I wish he could see the look on our childrens faces when they read those letters from their Prof. He is the most amazing man with the most amazing brain, which enables him to be better than all other doctors weve come across, because he really thinks outside the box. The morning after he received his award, Professor Hindmarsh, 64, was still in shock. Im just doing any job, he insisted. Professor Hindmarsh grew up in Gateshead and went to a grammar school. He wasnt academically brilliant, but was attracted to medicine as it combined science with the human bit I wanted to help people. He only works for the NHS, and chose paediatrics rather than surgery as I cant tie knots, he says, adding that he really chose it for that human bit. Often, you are looking after three or four patients: the sick child, the parents, who are often very fragile, and any siblings who are also affected by a sibling being ill. It forces you to look at things holistically. Youre not just helping the child, but making sure life carries on as normal for everyone. He points out while traditional medical thinking is firmly rooted in the infectious disease era you complete a course of treatment and get better chronic disease needs a different approach. Having to inject your tiny child with insulin every day is appalling and unthinkable, but its not going to go away. Its painful and isolating for children because it means theyre not like everyone else. The parents themselves often mourn the loss of normal family life. Professor Hindmarshs deep connection with his families is palpable. You have to understand chronic diseases arent six pages in a textbook, theyre someones life, he says. A big part of my role is empathising and understanding. Nurse who does her patient's washing What makes Anita Ruckledge MBE, dementia lead nurse at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, so remarkable is what she does beyond the call of duty, say families and her fellow workers For Anita, its not about dying from dementia, its about living with it to the end with dignity that matters, says a colleague. I left a better-paid job to work for her because she is so inspirational. What makes Anita Ruckledge MBE, dementia lead nurse at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, so remarkable is what she does beyond the call of duty, say families and her fellow workers. If a patient has no family, Anita takes their washing home to ensure theyre dressed cleanly and appropriately, a colleague told us. She also set up a dignity cupboard of new clothes for those who have none, funded by car boot sales and sponsored walks she does on weekends. Anita, whos spent her entire working life at Pinderfields Hospital, in Wakefield, since joining the NHS at 17, also helped to design a 41-bed dementia-friendly ward at the hospital. Among many other innovations such as a pop-up vintage tea room to stimulate happy memories, she introduced family support suites where loved ones can stay. Id seen families sleeping on the floor and thought that was not right, says Anita. Hers was the first hospital to do this for end-of-life care and distressed patients with dementia. Her phone is never switched off, so relatives can call her at any time. On her days off, Anita, 60, travels the country giving talks to raise awareness about dementia and patient care. Nev Frost, whose father Edward was cared for by Anita in the final weeks before his death in 2015, explains why he nominated her: Until you have a loved one die, or have dementia, you dont think about this area of medicine. Anita has to fight for everything, but she is so dedicated and treats each patient with such compassion. Anita describes dementia care as her passion. It is a privilege to do the work I do, she says. Its not a job, its a vocation. I want our elderly to be treated with respect and compassion. Advertisement Its easy to see why families have transferred to his care from other hospitals where theyve been made to feel that they and their child are failing as they havent managed to get the disease under control. For a professor with more than 360 academic papers behind him, Peter Hindmarsh is extraordinarily humble the word modest is frequently used by the families. WORDS OF PRAISE Commenting on the awards, the Chief Executive of NHS England Simon Stevens, said: The Daily Mail Health Heroes are truly inspiring people who are a huge credit to the NHS. 'These remarkable men and women represent the very best of our health service and embody the selfless dedication and talent of the brilliant people who go the extra mile day in, day out to care for others. Advertisement He points out that while he might see a patient for a total of four to six hours over a year, theyve lived with their condition for almost 9,000 hours. And after four hours, Im saying I know more than you? Come on! I learn from my patients every day. He recalls a professor who taught him saying: The most important thing is to shut up and listen because the patient is telling you the answer. The hydrocortisone pump he developed was a direct result of that approach. There arent many times in medicine when you do something and it works perfectly, he chuckles. Part of the job is to think outside the box and the key to that is to listen to patients and believe them when they tell me something, as they are the expert on them. On the face of it, it looked as though this patient wasnt taking his medication correctly, but he said he was and I believed him. Professor Hindmarsh is married to Rosemary, a psychiatrist, and they have three daughters. He remembers always managing somehow to do the school run between us, and interminable parents evenings where we were told off and made to feel completely useless as parents. His patients now keep him grounded. The thing about paediatrics is kids dont realise youre important, he laughs. Fortunately for them, he has no plans to retire: Ill carry on until Im 70. His own health heroes are his patients and their families. I am constantly amazed at what parents do and filled with admiration for what they achieve. 'I wish all my families could have been at No. 10 with me because, really, I have accepted this award for them.' https://www.oliverstravels.com/ The electoral verdict is the same, but with a difference. Rahul Gandhi led the Congress charge in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, and lost both. But, truth be told, his heart and mind were not in the Himachal battle. Just like Kerala, the reins of administration in Shimla have oscillated between the Congress and the BJP. And with Virbhadra Singh, the incumbent Congress chief minister mired in controversies and corruption cases, the Congress was facing an uphill task in this hill state. Indian Prime Minister and head of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Narendra Modi gestures at the start of a speech at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Monday So, Rahul Gandhi was not so much in action in Himachal, and beyond a couple of forays, chose to focus on Gujarat alone. Elections Even before the elections were announced, he meant business and started travelling across the state and took on the ruling dispensation with earnestness. He bent his back and gave whatever was left of his party's cadres, all he could, to enthuse them. It was meant to be a cakewalk at the hustings for the BJP. It has been in office for 22 years, having won five times consecutively. It was the Gujarat model of development, touted by Narendra Modi, that propelled him to power at Centre in the 2014 general elections. And BJP swept Gujarat 26-0 in the Lok Sabha. New Congress president Rahul Gandhi 'should take heart from the results' With Amit Shah at the helm, the BJP was all primed to go on the offensive with its development agenda and 'record/performance' in office over the past five terms. Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, was pursuing a hopeless cause with the Congress having been decimated in 2014, down to less than 45 in the lower house of Parliament, and trounced in state after state, and a party president, Sonia Gandhi, not in the pink of her health. With Shankarsinh Vaghela leaving Gujarat Congress and Ahmed Patel scraping through in a scrappy Rajya Sabha tussle, the party was in no shape to even put up a semblance of a fight. BJP national president Amit Shah and his wife flash victory signs after casting their votes But following the announcement of election dates, it was the BJP that was on the defensive. It was as if they were the perennial underdogs. The BJP went after Rahul Gandhi, as if the latter was in power. It was startling to see a rattled BJP that consciously give up on the development agenda, worried over the impact of demonetisation and 'Gabbar Singh Tax' (the Rahul tweet that gained huge traction) on the trading community in Gujarat. Development Rahul Gandhi taunted Modi on a daily basis as to why 'the PM has forsaken the development agenda'. A run through the speeches of Modi during his record rallies reveals a lot. He was not defending his record as PM or of Vijay Rupani's as CM. Prime Minister Modi tasted victory in Gujurat as the BJP retained power in the area. The party has been in power in the state since 1995 Instead, he was reverting to his old refrain of Gujarati ashmita and 'attitude of Congress to ignore Gujarat'. It was a stunning reversal of roles. Shah had camped for nearly two months in Ahmedabad and was working overtime. It was an election for the 'BJP to lose'. And then came Mani Shankar Aiyar gaffes first, giving the Opposition an opportunity to compare Rahul Gandhi's elevation as Congress president with that of Aurangazeb and then the fatal 'neech aadmi' jibe. This was a godsend for a gasping BJP and Modi himself latched on to these remarks. Newly-elected President of the Indian National Congress party Rahul Gandhi (L) listens as his mother and former party President Sonia Gandhi (R) offers him a seat during a ceremony at the party headquarters in New Delhi on December 16, 2017 In the end, it proved to be a bridge too far for the Congress to cross. To begin with, it was more than a David versus Goliath. Rahul Gandhi was a midget and dwarfed by the Modi-Shah combine in every facet of the electoral face-off. Rahul had only himself to offer in challenge and the environment which jangled the nerves of the BJP. He stood up. He was not rattled by the personal barbs thrown at him. He stood taller than he was displaying a faculty hitherto unseen in him. In fact, what came through these electoral exchanges was that Rahul Gandhi is here to stay. Performance Despite his best performance yet, the newly appointed Congress president's party has been trounced again, for the sixth time in Gujarat. But instead of losing heart at exit poll projections, which predicted the Congress's defeat in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi gave a balanced first speech upon taking over as the Congress president. For too long, he has been the butt of the joke, especially with his own partymen clamouring for Priyanka Gandhi to take over as the Congress chief. However, Rahul Gandhi has shown different spots this time and India would be the better off with it. And his statement that those in the BJP were brothers and sisters should be taken seriously and reciprocated by the saffron party. National parties cannot go after each other. Growth of regional forces not regional aspirations does not augur well for us. The ball is now in the court of the BJP. It should give up its Congress-mukt Bharat mindset, for the sake of India. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress should take heart in the fight back against odds and prepare for 2019. There is hope yet. PM Modi, on the other, must rise as a statesman and show humility and grace. The Income Tax (IT) Department is set to issue notices for suspected tax evasion to over 4 lakh high networth individuals (HNI) across the country who have allegedly been trading and investing in cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Officials of the IT department had last week carried out surveys at nine exchanges dealing in virtual currencies to look into instances of suspected tax evasion. Senior IT officials confirmed that of the estimated 20 lakh entities registered on these exchanges, over 4 lakh were operational and were carrying out transactions and investments in virtual currencies. As Bitcoin or virtual currencies (VCs) are illegal and unregulated in the country at present The survey operations were undertaken for gathering evidence for establishing the identity of investors and traders, trace the transactions undertaken by them and identify counter-parties and bank accounts used by them. The investigation wing of the IT department in Bengaluru, which supervised the operations, has now dispatched the information of individuals and entities found these databases to eight other such wings across the country for detailed investigations. Those individuals and entities whose records were recovered by the department are now being probed under tax evasion charges. Notices are being issued and they will have to pay capital gains tax on the Bitcoin investments and trade, a senior official said. The notices to HNIs and their business entities will first seek their relevant financial details and subsequently establish if there is a case for raising a tax demand. As Bitcoin or virtual currencies (VCs) are illegal and unregulated in the country as of now, the IT department has taken action as per the existing provisions of the Income Tax Act, officials said. A survey action under the IT law pertains to the tax officials making a surprise visit to the business premises of the party under action but not their residential ones. The action has been initiated in view of the sudden surge in the value of Bitcoin which is expected to have led to huge capital gains for individuals and business entities registered for the purpose. Suspected black money being converted into white, post-demonetisation, through the use of Bitcoin was also under the department's scanner, officials said. Earlier this month the value of a Bitcoin had leaped to a phenomenal USD 20,000 from USD 10,000 at the start of the year. Bitcoin, which is a virtual currency, is not regulated in the country and its circulation has been a cause for concern among central bankers the world over for quite a while now. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also cautioned users, holders and traders of virtual currencies. The government has also said that it does not recognise 'crypto-currency' as legal tender in India. Minister of State for Finance Pon Radhakrishnan on Monday informed the Lok Sabha that the government does not maintain any data related to virtual currencies such as Bitcoin. In a written reply, Radhakrishnan also said a committee constituted by the Department of Economic Affairs to take stock of the present status of virtual currencies in India and globally has submitted its report. The committee had been asked to examine existing global regulatory and legal structures governing virtual currencies and suggest the framework for regulation of these currencies, the minister said. The minister was replying to a question whether crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin has been used increasingly during the past few years and if the government has received any complaints regarding misuse of virtual currencies. The minister further said the Reserve Bank has also cautioned from time to time to users, holders and traders of virtual currencies about the potential financial, operational, legal and security related risks. The lotus has bloomed again in Gujarat. 'Son of the soil' Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled through a furiously fought poll to a photo-finish victory, carrying the BJP to its sixth consecutive win in the state. Gujarat's urban centres proved their love for former state chief minister Modi and tipped him to victory. Despite earlier fears about traders supposedly irate over GST and demonetisation as well as anti-incumbency after 22 years of rule upsetting the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) applecart in the state, Modi led his party to a nail-biting win. PM's last round blitz helps BJP to win a closely-fought sixth term in Gujarat A map of election results in Gujarat - with the BJP (orange) and Congress (blue) A badly-managed face-off with its loyal votebank, the influential Patidars, did not make matters easy. Himachal Pradesh was more of a cakewalk for the saffron party, which wrested the hill state from the Congress by nearing a two thirds majority. As the results trickled in on Monday afternoon with 99 seats for the BJP in Gujarat, pundits surmised the singular factor that saved the party from losing this election was the adulation enjoyed by Modi as the PM. The BJP rode back to power in the 14th Gujarat Assembly on the back of Modi's high-pitched and aggressive campaign. It became evident that the local BJP leadership, comprising chief minister Vijay Rupani, state BJP president Jitu Vaghani and deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, did not enjoy sufficient goodwill despite being in power, and riding on the development wave, and the might of a BJP government at the Centre. Back to throne In one of the most urbanised states in the country, about 55 of the 182 Assembly seats are considered urban. These are the seats in eight civic municipalities. But it is the four big urban conglomerates, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara, which among themselves add up to 35 seats that emerged as the crucial factor standing between victory and decimation for the BJP. The party retained its dominance on 31 of these 35 seats. Amit Shah (bottom), president of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gestures as he celebrates with party supporters after the initial poll results at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Monday In Ahmedabad City, the BJP won from 12 of the 16 assembly segments. Of the four seats it lost, two are Muslim-dominated traditional Congress citadels Jamalpur-Khadia and Dariapur. The other is Danilimda, which is a reserved category seat for Scheduled Castes, dominated by Dalit voters also considered Congress loyalists. It is the fourth seat of Bapunagar that was an upset. It is a Patidar-dominated seat, which witnessed significant violence in the community's clashes with the police in August 2015. This seat was earlier held by BJP's Jagrupsinh Rajput, but it was won by Congress's Himmatsinh Patel in this election. In Surat City, the BJP registered a confident 10-seat sweep. This is a surprise because it was in Surat that Patidar movement leader Hardik Patel enjoyed the maximum show of strength and support, held a massive rally, and is also believed to have bagged a few financiers among affluent businessmen. Surat's textile industry had revolted against the GST regime and lakhs had taken to the streets to register protest. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi spent a day especially in Surat to 'understand the issues of the diamond polishers, textile traders and the powerloom workers'. Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) burn firecrackers as they celebrate the initial poll results outside the party headquarters However, when it came to the ballot, it is apparent Surat did not want to disappoint homeboy Modi and voted in big numbers for the traditional favourite, BJP. Saurashtra region, on the other hand, experienced a Congress wave, but four urban seats of Rajkot City stand out. Here Congress has lost even its sole seat, Rajkot East, to the BJP this time. The four Rajkot City seats are also Patidar-dominated, mostly middle class and upper middle class, another chunk of loyal BJP votebank that refuses to be deterred by caste combinations. Supporters of the BJP rejoice as the initial results trickle through Rajkot is also the seat where Jan Sangh ideology germinated and later spread to all of Gujarat. Modi contested from here in 2001 when he moved back to Gujarat after his hiatus from the state. This city was also expected to be reeling under the adverse impact of GST implementation. Five of Vadodara City's seven seats were won by the BJP in this election. In 2012, all seven were won by the saffron party. While urban development of the city has been significant, the other striking characteristic here of late has been polarisation along communal lines. Since 2002, it is mainly Vadodara that has seen communal skirmishes surface from time to time. Besides, it has also become a VIP constituency after PM Modi contested from here in the LS polls, Reality check for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhatisgarh The BJP won the closely contested Gujarat Assembly polls by a simple majority, but the election results have rung the alarm bell for incumbent BJP in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh that are going to the polls next year. While the party faces strong anti-incumbency in all three states, the chief ministers (CM) have also been struggling against significant challenges during their current term. Unlike Gujarat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah literally took electioneering in their hands, BJP will have their CMS Shivraj Singh Chauhan in MP, Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan and Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh at the helm of affairs. Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan and Chattisgarh CM Raman Singh face challenges in their states Recent farmers' protests in MP, infighting within BJP in Rajasthan and the threat of Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh are major worries of the BJP. The three states will go to polls in December 2018, and the BJP has already swung into election mode, as these elections will essentially set the tone for the 2019 general elections. The BJP has been in power in MP and Chhattisgarh since 2003 while it won Rajasthan from the Congress in 2013. However, party sources said the electoral trend in Rajasthan in recent years of not voting a party to power for consecutive terms was worrying the high command. A senior BJP leader said PM Modi will be party's trump card in these elections, but the party will also bank on the popularity of its CMs. BJP top leadership believes their welfare schemes, the popularity of the PM, and a weak opposition will help them bag another victory. A BJP leader involved with poll management in Gujarat said: 'BJP has many lessons to learn from the Gujarat results. The leadership in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will have to strengthen party's boothlevel structure to increase its vote share. While BJP has predominantly been winning the urban pockets; focus has to be shifted to rural belts with governments' welfare schemes.' He added that a mechanism has to be devised to counter polarisation of votes on the lines of caste and religion. BJP faced a major opposition in Gujarat from caste-based leaders like Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mewani and Alpesh Thakore who aligned with the Congress during the polls. However, the BJP managed to save its vote share by creating a divide in the Patel community. Returning to power with a thumping majority, the BJP is facing a peculiar situation in Himachal Pradesh, where the electorate voted for the party, but rejected the chief ministerial candidate. BJP veteran Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was announced as the chief ministerial candidate during the fag end of the election campaign, was on Monday defeated by none other but his own former aide Rajendra Rana who had revolted and joined Congress. Interestingly, BJP national chief Amit Shah had broken party norms to announce Dhumal as the party's face in Himachal on the basis of feedback provided by his own party men that the veteran politician was still regarded as the leader of the masses in the state. However, the estimation proved wrong. BJP supporters celebrate party's victory in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Shimla on Monda The two-time chief minister and three-time MP lost the election by a margin of 3,500 votes. He kept trailing Rana right from the beginning. But Dhumal is not the only senior BJP leader to have lost. Almost half of his close confidantes, including his son Anurag Thakur's father-in-law Gulab Singh Thakur, Ravinder Ravi, Randhir Sharma and Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti have lost their seats. The results, however, came as a major shocker for Dhumal who was eyeing a chief ministerial berth for the third time. The results, however, failed to dampen the spirit of Dhumal's supporters. Many of Dhumals (above) aides, including son Anurag Thakurs father-in-law and state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti, bite the dust Virendra Kanwar, who won from Kutlehar, has offered to vacate his seat for the teacher-turned-politician. On his part, Dhumal accepted the defeat, and thanked voters for bringing BJP back to power. 'I was not expecting a defeat. I will analysis this. However, a personal loss hardly matters when people trusted the party. We are thankful to the people who trusted us and ensured our victory,' Dhumal said. Dhumal may contest a bypoll if Kanwar vacates his seat for him. But Dhumal's opponents such as Virbhadra Singh have termed his defeat an end to his political career. Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) burn firecrackers as they celebrate the initial poll results outside the party headquarters in New Delhi 'It was unexpected, but the people did not trust Dhumal as chief minister. Not only Dhumal, but even his most trusted lieutenants have also lost the elections. Me and my son, Vikramaditya, will be sitting in the Opposition, but we have enough ammunition to make a strong Opposition in the state,' Singh told India Today TV. The 73-year-old Dhumal is regarded as a common man's representative and known for promoting infrastructure such as roads in the state. He is also known as the chief minister who built Himachal Pradesh's road network. A soldier's son, Dhumal started his political career as an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activist and then rose to the rank of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) vice-president in 1982. He had contested his first election from Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency in 1984, but lost. He, however, won the 1989 and 1991 Lok Sabha elections. Dhumal is a two-term chief minister and held office in 1998- 2003 and 2008-12. However, his wish to become chief minister for a third time was not fulfilled by the voters of Sujanpur Assembly constituency. Dhumal loyalists maintain that the Thakur leader still wields considerable influence over the state, and it may be too early to write him off. The Meteor missile, which is coming along with the Rafale combat deal signed by the Narendra Modi government, will help reestablish the aerial supremacy of the Indian Air Force against their rivals in Pakistan and China. India has bought a package of the European Meteor missiles along with the Rafales and may prove to be game changers due to their beyond-visual-range striking capability of close to 150 km, security forces sources have told Mail Today. The sources said that until the Kargil war and a few years after that, the Indian Air Force had complete superiority over the Pakistan Air Force as it did not have any beyond-visual range missile fitted on their F-16s or the Chinese supplied planes. The Meteor beyond-visualrange missiles are set to bolster Indias air defence The Meteor missile was not part of the Rafale deal that was being done by the UPA government but when Modi decided to go in for an emergency procurement of the Rafale planes from France, the Air Force desired to include the Meteors as part of the weapons package. During the Kargil war, the Indian side had two beyond-visual-range missiles which included the French S530D and the Russian RVV AE missile which deterred the Pakistanis from using its fighter plane fleet in the Kargil war with India, the sources said. 'The over-arching consideration was the BVR missile capability of IAF fighters which impinged unfavourably on the mission success probability,' former Pakistan Air Force officer Air Commodore Kaiser Taufel had written in his blog about the war. Missiles have a striking range of close to 150km and could be a 'game changer' However, the situation changed after the Pakistanis were supplied the AIM120-C5 beyond-visualrange missiles which had the capability of taking out enemy planes at 100 km and were fitted on their F-16s. This somewhat changed the balance in terms of aerial superiority over the skies of South Asia, but with the Meteor coming in now, India can again say that it would be able to completely dominate in terms of air-to-air battle with aerial adversaries, the sources said. The sources said even the Chinese don't have any proven air-to-air missiles that can be launched from any of their fighter planes. 'One good thing about the Meteor is that it has not yet been integrated with any American-origin aircraft and the Pakistani F- 16s or the Chinese-origin JF-17s can't get them in the times to come as well. The possibility of the Chinese integrating them is also ruled out,' a source said. India is currently going to get the missiles with the Rafales that it has procured but has plans of integrating these missiles on the Russian Su-30 combat planes, which are due for an upgrade in the near future. India and Russia are discussing the possibility of carrying out an upgrade of the early batches of the Su- 30MKIs, which were inducted in the late 1990s and early 2000s and may cost India over Rs 25,000 crore. The Meteors have been getting tested in the French Air Force Rafales since 2015 and the campaign was completed last year. The Indian Air Force has contracted for 36 Rafale planes under the 2016 government to government deal with France and they may arrive in the country by early 2019. The Air Force has plans of deploying one squadron each of Rafale on the China and Pakistan front in Hashmira and Ambala respectively. The Citys biggest boardroom battle in years will reach its climax tomorrow when the future of London Stock Exchange chairman Donald Brydon hinges on a shareholder vote. Brydon, 72, could be sacked after hedge fund boss Sir Chris Hohn accused him of having a toxic effect on the LSE. The chairman is widely seen as responsible for forcing out the LSEs chief executive Xavier Rolet, who unexpectedly announced he was standing down in October and refused to say why. Donald Brydon: Faces the sack after shareholder vote or has said he will leave in 2019 Hohn is furious that Rolet has gone and has forced the LSE to arrange the vote. Hohn said: It would be difficult to find a new world-class chief executive to serve under Donald Brydon. In an attempt to find a compromise, Brydon said that he will leave in 2019. But this was not enough for billionaire Hohn, who insisted on tomorrows shareholder vote to decide whether the chairman should be removed immediately. Several large investors have now publicly backed Brydon, including Blackrock, the Qatar Investment Authority, Lindsell Train and Aviva Investors, which together have a stake of around 26.7 per cent. The family behind one of the worlds leading ejector seat makers shared dividends of 32 million last year. Martin-Baker, based in Uxbridge, west London, makes seats for fighter jets including the F-35 and the Eurofighter Typhoon, both of which are being built with BAE. Founded by Sir James Martin, it is now run by his sons, 75-year-old twins John and James Martin. Martin-Baker: Company's profits to the end of March was 39m The firms dividend for the year ending March 31 was 8 million less than the year before, with profits falling from 49 million to 39 million. Bosses conceded that their revenue forecasts for the year had been optimistic due to shipping problems. Revenue fell from 222 million to 216 million. The Martin family was number 176 on the Sunday Times Rich List this year, with an estimated wealth of 730 million. Victoria Kanger, 35, of Florida was charged with child neglect on Thursday. Police removed her two children, ages 5 and 14, from her 'disgusting' home Florida police removed two children from a 'disgusting' home covered in feces and fleas after a five-year-old girl showed deputies three dead dogs in their freezer. Victoria Kanger, 35, was arrested on Thursday and charged with child neglect, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff's deputies checking Kanger's home found the three dead puppies in her freezer, while the rest of the house was covered in filth and cockroaches. The five-year-old girl and her 14-year-old sibling were promptly removed from the home after authorities called the state Department of Children and Families. Both children are staying with other family members. Deputies said they found heaps of trash inside the home, and were overwhelmed by the odor of urine and feces. When the deputies entered the home, their lower pant legs were covered in fleas. Authorities said that's when the five-year-old girl who was found sitting on a couch crawling with roaches directed the deputies to the dogs in the freezer. Scroll down for video When the deputies entered the home (pictured), their lower pant legs were covered in fleas. Authorities said that's when the five-year-old girl who was found sitting on a couch crawling with roaches directed the deputies to the dogs in the freezer Kanger told authorities she froze the dogs because she didn't have a shovel to bury them. According to WKMG, the investigation into the living conditions at the home began in October when deputies received a tip that Kanger was neglecting her two children. 'It is disgusting, non-livable for a 5-year-old (girl). I mean, there's poop all over the floor, there's piles of clothes, there's roaches. She's had lice for the past eight months,' a woman is heard telling 911. According to a police affidavit obtained by WKMG, there were two dogs and 'numerous' cats living in the home. But deputies said the litter box was so dirty that it was impossible for the cats to use it. There was also an infestation of cockroaches, according to the affidavit. The deputy said the insects were swarming fresh feces on the floor and appeared to have no fear of humans. There was also an infestation of cockroaches, according to the affidavit. The deputy said the insects were swarming fresh feces on the floor and appeared to have no fear of humans. Kanger is pictured in court last week A family friend told the station that the home was in bad shape because Kanger had the flu. Kanger (pictured in court last week) is being held on a $2,500 bond and was ordered not to have unsupervised visits with the children According to WKMG, the pests would crawl on Kanger or her daughter and both nonchalantly brushed the bugs off. The girl also seemed unfazed when she stepped in roach-covered animal feces on the floor with her bare feet, authorities said. A family friend told the station that the home was in bad shape because Kanger had the flu. 'Anybody's who has been sick, knows you can't get up,' the friend said. Kanger is being held on a $2,500 bond and was ordered not to have unsupervised visits with the children. Saturday Night Live hilariously mocked the Trump family's Christmas decorations at the White House with Alec Baldwin returning as the bumbling president while Cecily Strong plays First Lady Melania Trump. The cold open of NBC's hit weekly sketch comedy show shows the first family decorating the Christmas tree at the White House with ornaments of losers. The list includes James Comey, Sean Spicer, Anthony Scaramucci, Roy Moore, Mike Flynn, Omarosa, and others. 'Merry Christmas,' Melania Trump says at the start of the sketch. To which President Trump replies: 'That's right. You can finally say that again, because the war on Christmas is overand will soon be replaced by the war with North Korea.' Saturday Night Live hilariously mocked the Trump family's Christmas decorations at the White House Alec Baldwin (left) returned Saturday as the bumbling president while Cecily Strong plays First Lady Melania Trump The cold open of NBC's hit weekly sketch comedy show shows the first family decorating the Christmas tree at the White House with ornaments of losers 'Merry Christmas,' Melania Trump says at the start of the sketch. To which President Trump replies: 'That's right. You can finally say that again, because the war on Christmas is overand will soon be replaced by the war with North Korea' The president then bragged about having a fireplace burning 'all-natural American coal' Trump then invites his staff to help decorate the tree. He brings out White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, played by Kate McKinnon, who compliments Trump on how great he looks 'God, you're so good at lying, Kellyanne,' the president says When Conway hands Trump an ornament with the face of the 'disgraced former FBI Director James Comey,' the president says: 'Sadly, I had to fire Comey because he's a nut job and also because he knew all my secrets' When Trump asks Conway what she wants for Christmas, she says: 'I want out' The president then bragged about having a fireplace burning 'all-natural American coal.' He also used the opportunity to tout his first year in office as 'the greatest year in the history of Americaand maybe the entire planet Earth.' To which Melania Trump replies: 'Rest in peace.' The president then promises the American people the 'biggest, fattest tax cutthat might make me a real billionaire.' 'It's my greatest achievement,' the president says. 'Now I can settle down and be super presidentialthat is until Don Lemon says something mean about me and I tweet the actual n-word.' Trump then invites White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, played by Aidy Bryant, to hang an ornament Sanders brought two ornaments one of former press secretary Sean Spicer (above) The other ornament was of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci Sanders bragged that Scaramucci and Spice were the 'mangled corpses I stepped over to get this job' Its so impressive the way you defend all the nutrageous things I say and do every day, the president tells Sanders Well, hey, sir, you shoot a gun at the floor and Ill dance, she says. Thats my girl! Trump says 'It's Christmas time,' Trump says. 'Soon white Santa will be coming from house to house taking presents from Muslims and illegals and giving them to American children.' The president and first lady then turn to the task of decorating the Christmas 'tree of shame' with ornaments of the 'haters and losers' that Trump defeated in his first year in office. Trump then invites his staff to help decorate the tree. He brings out White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, played by Kate McKinnon, who compliments Trump on how great he looks. 'God, you're so good at lying, Kellyanne,' the president says. When Conway hands Trump an ornament with the face of the 'disgraced former FBI Director James Comey,' the president says: 'Sadly, I had to fire Comey because he's a nut job and also because he knew all my secrets.' 'So I had to pull a little obstruction-a of justice-a,' Trump says, attempting pig Latin. When Trump asks Conway what she wants for Christmas, she says: 'I want out.' Trump then invites White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, played by Aidy Bryant, to hang an ornament. Sanders brought two ornaments one of former press secretary Sean Spicer and the other of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, 'whose mangled corpses I stepped over to get this job.' Its so impressive the way you defend all the nutrageous things I say and do every day, the president tells Sanders. Well, hey, sir, you shoot a gun at the floor and Ill dance, she says. Thats my girl! Trump says. The president then invites 'his fall guy' Vice President Mike Pence to hang an ornament. The president then invites 'his fall guy' Vice President Mike Pence to hang an ornament 'Are you here to deck the halls, Mike?' Trump asks Pence. 'Oh, I don't like that song,' Pence says. 'Because it mentions gay apparel, which I'm pretty sure is a mesh tank top' 'The ornament I brought is that traitorous Mike Flynn,' Pence says. 'Because he lied to us, Mr. President.' Then Pence looks intently into the camera and says slowly for emphasis: 'He acted alone, without our knowledge' 'Merry Christmas, Mr. President,' says Pence, played by Beck Bennett. 'I hope I'm not slurring my speech. I had a ginger ale.' 'Are you here to deck the halls, Mike?' Trump asks Pence. 'Oh, I don't like that song,' Pence says. 'Because it mentions gay apparel, which I'm pretty sure is a mesh tank top.' 'The ornament I brought is that traitorous Mike Flynn,' Pence says. 'Because he lied to us, Mr. President.' Then Pence looks intently into the camera and says slowly for emphasis: 'He acted alone, without our knowledge.' Flynn pleaded guilty on December 1 to lying to the FBI about conversations he held with the Russian ambassador a year ago during the Trump transition. He struck a deal with the special counsel investigating alleged meddling by Russia in the 2016 presidential elections. When Trump, Pence, and the first lady hear a loud thud, they grow startled. 'Could it be Santa? Or the Rapture?' Pence asks. 'Even worse,' Trump says. 'It's Omarosa.' The reference is to Omarosa Manigault Newman, the White House aide who was reportedly fired this past week. When Trump, Pence, and the first lady hear a loud thud, they grow startled. 'Could it be Santa? Or the Rapture?' Pence asks. 'Even worse,' Trump says. 'It's Omarosa' The reference is to Omarosa Manigault Newman, the White House aide who was reportedly fired this past week In the skit, Omarosa, played by Leslie Jones, is seen banging on the window and screaming. She is then accosted by Secret Service agents Omarosa punches one of the agents before she is detained by another and dragged away In real life, it was reported that Omarosa had to be physically removed from the White House after she was denied entry into the president's living quarters In the skit, Omarosa, played by Leslie Jones, is seen banging on the window and screaming. She is then accosted by Secret Service agents. 'Nobody kicks Omarosa out of the White House,' she says. Omarosa punches one of the agents before she is detained by another and dragged away. In real life, it was reported that Omarosa had to be physically removed from the White House after she was denied entry into the president's living quarters. 'She's a tough cookie,' Trump says of Omarosa. 'I think we're going to have to move.' The next Trump family member to hang an ornament is Ivanka Trump, played by Scarlett Johansson. 'Ivanka, you made it, but where's Jared?' the president says. 'He's packing a go-bag before the FBI arrives,' Ivanka says. 'I'm going to miss him,' President Trump says. The next Trump family member to hang an ornament is Ivanka Trump, played by Scarlett Johansson 'Ivanka, you made it, but where's Jared?' the president says. 'He's packing a go-bag before the FBI arrives,' Ivanka says She then hangs her ornament, Roy Moore, the Alabama judge who lost to Democrat Doug Jones in this week's special election for a Senate seat Johansson's Ivanka then says: 'I also tried to make a Steve Bannon ornament but his face wouldn't fit so I brought you a MAD ball instead' 'Me, too I'll always remember that one time I heard him talk,' Ivanka says. She then hangs her ornament, Roy Moore, the Alabama judge who lost to Democrat Doug Jones in this week's special election for a Senate seat. 'Poor Roy,' the president says. 'I thought for sure he would winuntil he lost. 'Then I said I knew he would lose. 'At least America knows that I finally supported an accused child molester.' 'As I said, there's a special place in hell, and we're all there,' Ivanka says. In real life, Ivanka Trump said there was a 'special place in hell' for people who prey on children - a reference to Moore, who has been accused by multiple women of assaulting them when they were underage. Johansson's Ivanka then says: 'I also tried to make a Steve Bannon ornament but his face wouldn't fit so I brought you a MAD ball instead.' When Trump thanks his daughter and tells her she was always his favorite child, the president's two eldest sons Donald Jr (right), played by Mikey Day, and Eric, portrayed by Alex Moffat - appear When Eric Trump says: 'I'm Derek,' his brother asks him: 'It's Eric. Are you getting worse?' After Don Jr hangs ornaments of former administration and campaign officials who left, Eric brags: 'I made a macaroni star' When Trump thanks his daughter and tells her she was always his favorite child, the president's two eldest sons Donald Jr, played by Mikey Day, and Eric, portrayed by Alex Moffat - appear. When Eric Trump says: 'I'm Derek,' his brother asks him: 'It's Eric. Are you getting worse?' 'I always forget are they yours?' President Trump asks the first lady. 'No,' Melania replies. 'Father, my ornament shows the other people we lost this year [former White House chief of staff] Reince Priebus; [former health and human services secretary] Tom Price; [former advisor] Sebastian Gorka; [former US attorney for New York's Southern District] Preet Bharara; [former foreign policy adviser] Carter Page; [former acting attorney general] Sally Yates; [former campaign chairman] Paul Manafort; and [former campaign aide] George Papadopolous.' The camera then cuts to the 'elf on the shelf,' which is a miniature Jeff Sessions sitting on the shelf above the fireplace The attorney general, played by McKinnon, is wearing a red elf's costume 'Whether you're Christian, or Jewish, or that's it, we can all agree it's gonna be a Merry Christmas,' Sessions says Sessions then reveals that the angel he wants to hang bears the face of Special Counsel Robert Mueller Then Eric Trump interjects: 'I made a macaroni star.' 'You better be good this year, Eric,' Donald Jr tells him. 'The elf on the shelf is watching.' The camera then cuts to the 'elf on the shelf,' which is a miniature Jeff Sessions sitting on the shelf above the fireplace. The attorney general, played by McKinnon, is wearing a red elf's costume. 'Whether you're Christian, or Jewish, or that's it, we can all agree it's gonna be a Merry Christmas,' Sessions says. 'You're not secretly recording our conversations, are you Jeff?' Trump asks Sessions. 'I won't snitch because I do not recall who's been naughty and who's been nice,' the attorney general says. The sketch ends with the theme music from NBC's The Apprentice playing from a boom box held by Omarosa, who returns and tries to once again get in the White House Baldwin and the cast members in the skit then proclaim the famous slogan: 'Live from New York, it's Saturday night!' 'I recall a simpler time when you were judged not by the color of your skin but wait, no, it was by the color of your skin,' Sessions says after a pause. He then asks Trump if he could put the angel on top of the tree. After Trump tells Sessions that he's always been his 'little angel' the president says: 'I'm sure this is going to be your last year in office.' Sessions then reveals that the angel he wants to hang bears the face of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. 'Merry Christmas,' Sessions says. 'Everyone is gonna get away with everything.' The sketch ends with the theme music from NBC's The Apprentice playing from a boom box held by Omarosa, who returns and tries to once again get in the White House. Omarosa returned later in the show, stopping by the Weekend Update studios to explain her firing. After Michael Che played a clip of news reels explaining that Omarosa was fired, Jones' Omarosa appeared 'I demand a retraction,' Omarosa tells Che. 'I left that job by choice. Thats right, I quit! I deactivated my ID card. I changed the locks on my own office. I escorted myself of the premises and then I threw myself into the bushes' Che then asks an SNL security guard to remove Omarosa from the premises 'You cant throw me out because I quit!' she yells to the guard. 'You better take my arm because Im escorting you out of the building' Omarosa returned later in the show, stopping by the Weekend Update studios to explain her firing. After Michael Che played a clip of news reels explaining that Omarosa was fired, Jones' Omarosa appeared. 'I demand a retraction,' Omarosa tells Che. 'I left that job by choice. Thats right, I quit! I deactivated my ID card. I changed the locks on my own office. I escorted myself of the premises and then I threw myself into the bushes.' Che then asks an SNL security guard to remove Omarosa. 'You cant throw me out because I quit!' she yells to the guard. 'You better take my arm because Im escorting you out of the building.' Thousands of people gathered on Sunday to remember San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for his humility, integrity and infectious smile during a public celebration of his life at City Hall, attended by family members, former staff, politicians and residents. Lee, who died last week at age 65, had a love of life and a devotion to public service, said Gov. Jerry Brown, one of several prominent Democrats who spoke during the ceremony. 'I never saw him down,' Brown said. 'Every time you saw him he was happy, he was expressing a very upbeat attitude.' Anita Lee, far left, and her daughters, Brianna, middle, and Tania attend a service celebrating the life of Mayor Ed Lee at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco, Sunday, December 17 FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2017, file photo, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee listens to questions during a news conference at City Hall in San Francisco on August 15, 2017 Lee, also a Democrat, was San Francisco's first Asian-American mayor and a former civil rights lawyer who led the city out of recession and into an economic recovery driven by the technology industry. He died early December 12 after collapsing the night before at a grocery store. The medical examiner's office has not released a cause of death. Acting Mayor London Breed recalled the rapturous reception Lee received during an official visit to China, where his parents were born. 'He was like a superstar. An icon,' she said. 'Everywhere we went and to everyone we met, Lee was like Beyonce with a mustache.' Former Mayor Willie Brown said Lee had many qualities that made him better than his predecessors. 'We were not always candid. Ed Lee was. We were not always diplomatic. Ed Lee was,' Brown said. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and San Francisco acting Mayor London Breed attend a service celebrating the life of Mayor Ed Lee at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco Anita Lee is greeted as she arrives for a service celebrating the life of her husband, Mayor Ed Lee Late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee's daughters, Tania Lee, left, and Brianna Lee, speak at a service celebrating the life of their father One area in which Lee didn't shine - telling jokes. 'He told terrible jokes,' said Brown, evoking laughter. 'He laughed because he was trying to build enthusiasm for his jokes.' His daughters, Tania Lee and Brianna Lee, shared the microphone and remembered their father for his boundless energy when it came to serving San Francisco, whether it was by giving speeches, stuffing envelopes or waking up early on weekends to paint over graffiti. Anita Lee is comforted by California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom before a service celebrating the life of her late husband California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom reacts while speaking at a service celebrating the life of Mayor Ed Lee San Francisco acting Mayor London Breed addresses a service celebrating the life of Mayor Ed Lee . He was remembered for his humility, integrity and infectious smile 'It was absolute love for the city that kept him going,' Brianna Lee said. The women announced the formation of the Edmund M. Lee Community Fund that will continue to address issues important to the late mayor including care for the homeless and fighting discrimination. U.S. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, both from San Francisco, also eulogized Lee. Mayor Ed Lee's daughters, Tania Lee, left, and Brianna Lee, speak at a service celebrating the life of their father The sisters return to their seats after speaking at the service California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, center, mourns during the service remembering Mayor Ed Lee San Francisco Chief of Protocol Charlotte Mailliard Shultz makes seat assignments before the service Lee 'leaves an enduring, inspiring legacy that generations of San Franciscans will enjoy,' Pelosi said. The memorial was also marked with musical performances including a choir and a pre-taped segment of Tony Bennett singing, 'I left my heart in San Francisco.' Lee's casket was not present, as it was on Friday when his body laid in repose in the rotunda of City Hall. Local celebrities, government workers and residents came to say goodbye to Lee on Friday. Many stopped momentarily before his closed casket that was draped in an American flag and behind velvet rope. Some bowed or prayed, saluted or cried before continuing to a side room where they could write condolences. President Barack Obama, right, laughs after being met by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, left, upon his arrival at San Francisco International airport in San Francisco in October 2011 Lee, 65, was San Francisco's first Asian-American mayor and a former civil rights lawyer who led the city out of recession and into a dazzling economic recovery. Pictured January 2017 Miles Scott, dressed as Batkid, stands next to Batman as he receives the key to the city from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, left, at a rally outside of City Hall in San Francisco in November 2013 Lee, pictured at the Pride Parade in June, was the city's first Asian-American mayor. About a third of the city is of Asian descent Outside the building, floral bouquets and handwritten notes filled half of the steps. Edwin Mah Lee was born May 5, 1952, in Seattle to immigrants from Toisan, a rural village in China's southern province of Guangdong. His father was a cook, and his mother a seamstress. They raised Lee and his five siblings in public housing. Lee was city administrator when he was appointed to serve the remainder of former Mayor Gavin Newsom's term in 2011. He was elected to the position later that year, and he was re-elected in 2015. Supporters say Lee tackled homelessness and built affordable housing unlike any San Francisco mayor before him. Critics blamed him for a modern-day San Francisco where jobs are plenty but housing prices are among America's highest. But supporters and opponents praised him as a kind, polite man whose corny jokes will be missed. The United Nations human rights chief has claimed the conflict in Burma, which has led to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the country, could one day be classified as genocide. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein hinted that he believed Burma's leaders could be charged if it is deemed they have not done enough to stop the trouble. Speaking to BBC's Panorama, which is due to air on Monday night, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights said it would not surprise him if genocide charges were one day brought before the country's leaders. Rohingya refugees try to get aid distributed from a truck at Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh He said: 'The elements suggest you cannot rule out the possibility that acts of genocide have been committed. 'It's very hard to establish because the thresholds are high but it wouldn't surprise me in the future if the court were to make such a finding on the basis of what we see.' If the country's leaders are aware of the violence - which has seen dozens of people raped, killed and maimed and received vast media coverage - they could be 'culpable', Mr Al Hussein said. Rohingya Muslims have fled from Burma after intense violence which the UN described as 'ethnic cleansing', although authorities have blamed Rohingya militants for the conflict. A cross-party group of MPs found violence amounting to 'ethnic cleansing and may also constitute crimes against humanity and even genocide'. The BBC said it had asked Burma's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the head of the country's armed forces for a response but neither had replied. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein hinted that he believed Burma's leader could be charged if it is deemed they have not done enough to stop the trouble Langley, pictured outside Manchester Magistrates' Court before he was sentenced for molesting two women, has been cleared of grooming a 15-year-old Sacked Coronation Street pervert Bruno Langley had sex with a 16-year-old girl who then dumped him because he was 'creepy', it has been claimed. The disgraced actor, 34, dated the girl after meeting her at a party in 2012, shortly after she had left school. Now 21, the girl has revealed how Langley asked her to read out passages from the erotic novel 50 Shades of Grey during their first date. Langley, who was recently axed from Corrie after admitting to groping two women, even made a crude joke about how young she looked during a trip to the cinema. When the cashier asked if they wanted two adult tickets, the girl claims Langley joked: 'Well, not really'. The girl said Langley later asked her to read our pages of 50 Shades of Grey after spotting the book in her bag, describing the incident as 'embarrassing' and 'cringeworthy'. The couple had met when Langley was 29, after the actor approached the girl at a party and asked 'Why isnt my number in your phone? The pair swapped details and would meet twice a week, eventually having sex at her house. But she ended their relationship after the star became too clingy. She told The Sun: 'He was just a bit creepy. I went to a festival and he was texting me, asking to see me when I returned. 'But I said "no" because I was so tired. I ended up falling asleep on the sofa and he turned up at my door. I thought that was completely desperate and quite strange.' 'He seemed nice, even though he was a bit cocky,' she added. 'I think he fancied himself more than I did.' After the girl ended the relationship, she says Langley got back in touch in 2013 and pestered her at work, up until shortly before he was arrested in September. The actor molested four women at a Manchester music venue last month, but was only charged with sexually assaulting two of them. Langley was accused of the crime just days after he was handed a 12-month community order for sexually molesting two women at a nightclub in Manchester when he was drunk Langley was accompanied by his mother and sisters family as he left Manchester Magistrates Court last month Langley - who played gay character Todd Grimshaw in the soap - wept in the dock as he avoided jail after admitting both offences. His lawyer told the hearing: 'Something happened that night, most possibly in relation to the character he was playing.' Instead of a jail term, the 34-year-old was ordered to complete a 12-month community order and submit to a curfew. He told the Mirror: 'I have no excuse, no one forced me to drink to such an extreme, but it is hard to explain why I would do anything as dreadful as that. It must have been awful for those women, and I am ashamed of myself. I'm truly sorry. 'I sincerely apologise to the women, from the bottom of my heart. I promise I will never do anything like that again. 'I accept my punishment because I know what I did was wrong. I'm not trying to attribute blame to anyone else other than myself.' Langley - who played gay character Todd Grimshaw in the soap - wept in the dock as he avoided jail for groping two women Langley also said it was hard to face his own family after appearing in court - and has quit alcohol in a bid to change his life. He has also vowed to alter his behaviour so 'this will never happen again'. The court heard Langley was 'clearly intoxicated' when the first woman, who was out with her husband, went upstairs to collect their coats from the cloakroom. The prosecutor said: 'As she walked back towards the stairs Mr Langley grabbed her in the crotch area over her dress.' Prosecutor Karen Saffman, quoting the victim's statement, said: 'He grabbed me. Properly grabbed me. It was a rough grab. Lots of pressure... even though it was through a dress and tights.' The prosecutor added: 'She was clearly in shock. She was thinking about hitting him. She said, 'Did you do that on purpose?' But he did not reply.' A friend of Langley's then apologised, the court heard, saying: 'Oh my God, I'm really sorry'. When the victim then went to go to the toilets she was then approached by another woman who had also been sexually assaulted by Langley. Ms Saffman said the second woman told the first victim Langley had groped her 'boobs and her bum'. Langley was also seen to go up to another woman, again a complete stranger, and 'grabbed her boobs and bum' and grabbed a fourth woman. Ms Saffman said he had not been charged with offences against two of the woman but the two incidents were 'indicative of his behaviour' on the night. Langley, who has no previous convictions, looked down at the floor of the dock, as the case was outlined. Malcolm Turnbull has nominated his good friend and close political ally George Brandis the plum job of Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Attorney-General Brandis, 60, is reportedly set to quit the Senate and take up the top diplomat role in London - triggering a cabinet reshuffle before Christmas. He will replace Alexander Downer, and as the former foreign ministers has done, live rent-free at Stoke Lodge, a taxpayer-funded $30 million five-bedroom mansion near Buckingham Palace in London. The move was met with outrage online, as social media users accused Brandis of being a 'self-entitled prat... leeching off the public purse'. George Brandis has been appointed to the plum job of Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom The move was met with outrage online, as social media users accused Brandis of being a 'self-entitled prat' 'George Brandis seeing the light, bailing out ... he can see the ship's sinking, good old Liberal tradition, self survival,' one man wrote on Facebook. 'Will no doubt draw his fat six-figure parliamentary pension and bank his six-figure salary for his new job at the same time. It never ends,' added another. Other social media users took advantage of the occasion to bring up Brandis' controversial use of taxpayer dollars to buy a second custom-built bookcase. Brandis spent more than $15,000 to secure the bookcase, which was able to split into three parts in the event he needed to relocate his collection of law reports. 'How much will it cost the Australian taxpayers to move George Brandis' library and books to London when he takes up his new position?,' asked one user. Mr Brandis' salary for the new position is not known, but Mr Downer collects a salary of $276,000 salary on top of his $208,000-a-year parliamentary pension. As his predecessors have done, Brandis will live rent-free at Stoke Lodge (pictured), a taxpayer-funded $30 million five-bedroom mansion near Buckingham Palace in London The decision for Brandis to replace Alexander Downer is expected to be confirmed in a reshuffle by Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday, according to News Corp. The prime minister is also understood to be considering returning former minister Sussan Ley to the ministry. Liberal MP Tim Wilson could not confirm Senator Brandis' move but conceded there would be a reshuffle this week. 'The reality is governments always need a bit of a refresh mid-term,' he told Sky News. New deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie is expected to be promoted to cabinet in the shake-up, to take the spot left by Fiona Nash who was disqualified for being a dual citizen. Scott Ryan's move replacing Stephen Parry as Senate president, after he was also disqualified, has created another cabinet vacancy. There are also questions over the ministerial future of Arthur Sinodinos, who is battling illness. Perth pharmacy manager Aaron Van Vliet Pharmacies have been forced to hide baby formula for local mothers so Chinese buyers don't take it all to sell on the black market. Perth pharmacy manager Aaron Van Vliet said the demand for Australian baby formula was the highest he'd ever seen it. The Terry White Chemmart manager said he resorted to hiding the formula so it wasn't stripped off the shelves in bulk. 'We've had customers where we've had to keep stock out the back for them, to make sure they get it,' Mr Van Vliet told The West. 'It's really quite important that these babies don't miss out.' Supermarkets were forced to implement limits on the sale of baby formula to try to prevent the product from being stripped from the shelves Osborne Park Pharmacy's Louis Anastasas said the situation was so dire he phoned local mothers to let them know when the baby formula arrived in store. Mr Anastasas, a pharmacist of 15 years, said the situation grew so bad in the past 12-18 months that he feared Australian mothers were left with inferior products. 'It's about guaranteeing the safety and nutrition of our next generation. The Australian consumer should have the same choice and the same supply,' he said. Osborne Park Pharmacy's Louis Anastasas said the situation was so dire he phoned local mothers to let them know when the baby formula arrived in store The sale of Australian baby formula has soared thanks to China's insatiable thirst for the product The sale of Australian baby formula has soared thanks to China's insatiable thirst for the product. To meet the demand, Chinese buyers have emptied the shelves of Australian supermarkets and resold the product. Australian-manufactured baby formula continues to sell for top dollar in China, where a local melamine contamination rocked the industry. Osborne Park Pharmacy's Louis Anastasas said the situation grew so bad in the past 12-18 months that he feared Australian mothers were left with inferior products Tonnes of 'white gold' from leading brands Aptamil and A2, were among hundreds of pallets found inside a warehouse at Silverwater, in Sydney's west earlier this month The booming market for Australian baby formula forced supermarkets to take action and enforce limits on the number of tins bought in one hit. But the limits did nothing to stop the black market. Backyard warehouses cropped up across Australia in the past year, where the product was repacked in bulk and shipped out. Tonnes of 'white gold' from leading brands Aptamil and A2, were among hundreds of pallets found inside a warehouse at Silverwater, in Sydney's west earlier this month. British actress Ashley Jensen, 48, has been left 'devastated' after the sudden death of her actor husband Terence Beesley, 60, who was found unconscious at home British actress Ashley Jensen has been left 'devastated' after the sudden death of her actor husband who was found unconscious at home. Terence Beesley, 60, was married to the Ugly Betty actress for ten years and the couple have an eight-year-old son, Francis. Mr Beesley, who recently appeared in ITV's hit period drama Victoria, was found collapsed at home. An ambulance is believed to have arrived at the property in a village near Bath within ten minutes of a 999 call being made but he could not be saved. The actor married Ms Jensen in 2007 and is believed to be at home comforting their son. She is best for known for her role in Extras alongside Ricky Gervais and also for her 10-year stint in the comedy Ugly Betty. A spokesman for Ms Jensen said the Scottish actress, who is currently starring in the BBC's drama Love, Lies and Records, is 'devastated'. The representative for the Extras and Catastrophe actress said: 'Ashley is devastated and respectfully asks for privacy for her, her young child and the family at this extremely sad and difficult time.' His death is reported to have occurred late last month, but was only made public yesterday. An inquest is expected to be concluded in the new year and it is not known if he was in poor health. The couple (pictured) lived together in Somerset and an ambulance crew rushed there after receiving a 999 call Ms Jensen starred in Extras alongside Ricky Gervais (pictured together) and later appeared in Ugly Betty Born in London to Irish parents, Beesley's career took off in the 1980s with a string of television appearances along with parts in film and on stage. Most recently he played Buxton in ITV's Victoria, portrayed General Benningsen in BBC One's War & Peace and appeared in the feature film London Has Fallen, all in 2016. His representative said: 'It is with great sadness that I can confirm that Terence passed away at the end of November.' A source told The Sun: 'Nobody saw this coming. Terence and Ashley's friends and family are all devastated. This is a heart-breaking time for them.' The couple met in 1999 while they were both involved in a London theatre production of King Lear. They married eight years later while Ms Jensen was working in the US. During his career, Mr Beesley featured in EastEnders, The Bill, Where the Heart Is, Casualty and Midsomer Murders. She is best for known for her role in Extras alongside Ricky Gervais and also for her 10-year stint in the comedy Ugly Betty (pictured) Ms Jensen also starred in the Channel 4 comedy Catastrophe (pictured) and is said to be 'devastated' Advertisement New York City is known for its big and bold holiday displays including the Rockefeller Center tree and the Fifth Avenue store window dressings - but it's one small Brooklyn neighborhood that takes the title of 'extraordinary'. Every December, tens of thousands of visitors flock to Dyker Heights with its rows of houses decked out in over-the-top Christmas displays. Homes between 11th and 13th Avenues and 83rd and 86th Streets are decorated with colored lights, inflatable snowmen, life-size nutcrackers, snowflake light shows and other flamboyant decorations. By most accounts, the light displays became a neighborhood activity in the 1980s, and buses began bringing in tourists from Manhattan about a decade ago. But resident Joyce Arpino told The Associated Press last year that it was difficult to even walk around in the neighborhood, likening it to the crowds in Manhattan about eight miles away. Many have started to take advantage of the wildly-admired spectacle with some households placing charity donation boxes outside their homes and one family even opening their own hot chocolate stand. Police officers often block off some of the streets so onlookers can gaze at the dazzling houses in safety Here are some of the most festive displays Dyker Heights has to offer: SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO A house is decorated with an inflatable Santa and snowman in a reindeer-drawn sleigh in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn on Saturday A Dyker Heights decked-out home is decorated with an inflatable Snoopy and Woodstock from The Peanuts Tourists line up to take pictures of a two-story Santa as well as two giant wooden toy soldiers decorating one home Clearly a main attraction every year, onlookers fill the front steps of the house to get a better looker at the display Life-size candy canes deck the balcony of this Dyker Heights home as part of its annual Christmas display Snowflakes decorate every window and a life-size nutcracker guards the door of this Dyker Heights house One house went heavy on the inflatable characters, ranging from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to Olaf from 'Frozen' The decorated houses lie between 11th and 13th Avenues and 83rd and 86th Streets in Dyker Heights Resident Joyce Arpino told The Associated Press last year that it was difficult to even walk around in the neighborhood, likening it to the crowds in Manhattan about eight miles away A house in Dyker Heights opts for a majority of lights in gold and green for the neighborhood's annual display A house in Dyker Heights exhibits a symmetrical holiday light display with lit-up snowmen, angels and reindeer on both sides While some homeowners opt for many lights and inflatables, other choose statues such as this house with a Little Drummer Boy and a snowman Snowmen stacked one on top of the other, an elf playing a drum and a reindeer sit in front of one Dyker Heights home A towering, gated home displays a gigantic wreath on a front window as well as two life-size toy wooden soldiers A house in Dyker Heights decorates its front lawn with Dickens-era child carolers and a Nativity scene Bright red candy canes lines the stair railings of two homes in Dyker Heights as a Nativity scene can be seen displayed Some bus tours bring people in from Manhattan and play up the area's Italian-American heritage, including stops at a nearby bakery for cannolis and hot chocolate Dozens of tourists gather outside one Dyker Heights home decorated with every festive decoration imaginable Angel carolers, lit-up snowflakes, shooting stars, nutcrackers and Santas are just some of the decorations at this house By most accounts, the light displays became a neighborhood activity in the 1980s, and buses began bringing in tourists from Manhattan about a decade ago A tour trolley shows people the houses decorated with Christmas lights and displays in Dyker Heights on Saturday Giant snowflakes and life-size ornaments and baubles decorate the gate of one Dyker Heights home A life-size Nativity complete with the Virgin Mary, Joseph, shepherds, three Wise Men and barn animals sits on display Brightly-colored lights decorate homes in Dyker Heights beginning every year after Thanksgiving One family in Dyker Heights takes up the challenge and decorates the tree trunks in front of their home with festive lights One household went for a different approach and turned their home into a real-life Candyland This Dyker Heights home takes a more simplistic approach in its annual Christmas lights display Giant snowflakes and trees decorated in red, white and green lights grace one home in Dyker Heights A lit-up Santa stands surrounded by mini Christmas trees as onlookers tour home displays in Dyker Heights Visitors walk by a brightly-lit and decorated home in Dyker Heights as part of the neighborhood's annual Christmas display Police officers often block off some of the streets so onlookers can gaze at the dazzling houses in safety A Dyker Heights home decorates every bush in its front yard with lights as part of its annual display A couple gazes up at a Dyker Heights home decorated for the neighborhood's annual Christmas lights display No other Hollywood star has proved quite so brilliant at playing vulnerable, hugely sympathetic characters as Dustin Hoffman. Sadly, screen roles can be deceptive. No other Hollywood star has proved quite so brilliant at playing vulnerable, hugely sympathetic characters as Dustin Hoffman. Be it the nervous young college graduate snared by the rapacious older woman in The Graduate, the autistic savant in Rain Man or done up in drag and batting off the attentions of lecherous men in Tootsie, he rarely takes a role that doesnt invite audiences to root for the little guy. Sadly, screen roles can be deceptive. Hoffman is now cast as a predatory monster, submerged under a stream of sordid allegations of sexual misconduct. In recent days, five women have claimed the Oscar-winning star groped and abused them when they were as young as 15 adding their voices to previous damning accounts about his behaviour. Hoffman, 80, has yet personally to respond, although his lawyer has dismissed the allegations as defamatory falsehoods. The stories have been piling up and getting increasingly more damaging since last month, when he was accused of sexually harassing a 17-year-old production assistant. I am sorry, the actor, well-known for his liberal views, said at the time, insisting he had the utmost respect for women and felt terrible for anything I might have done. It was not, he added, reflective of who I am. But since then more women have begged to differ, offering their own reflections on his treatment of women. Cori Thomas, a former classmate of Hoffmans daughter Karina, was only 16 when, she says, he exposed himself to her in a hotel room. Miss Thomas, the daughter of the former Liberian ambassador to the UN and now a playwright, recalled how the two girls and the actor spent a pleasant day together in New York in 1980. Karinas mother was divorced from Hoffman and he was staying in a hotel, where the trio dined before they went to his room for Miss Thomas to wait for her parents to pick her up. Karina had already gone home. Hoffman is now cast as a predatory monster, submerged under a stream of sordid allegations of sexual misconduct. In recent days, five women have claimed the Oscar-winning star groped and abused them when they were as young as 15 adding their voices to previous damning accounts about his behaviour. She related how Hoffman then had a shower. He came out of the bathroom with a towel at first wrapped around him, which he dropped, she told Variety. He was standing there naked. I think I almost collapsed. It was the first time I had ever seen a naked man. I was mortified. I didnt know what to do. Hoffman, she claims, milked her extreme discomfort. She claimed the actor, then 42, eventually put on a bathrobe, sat on his bed and asked her to massage his feet. Miss Thomas, then an aspiring actress whod idolised the actor, said she felt disgusted, but too intimidated to refuse. As she complied, Hoffman even rang another woman and boasted to her that Ive got a pretty girl massaging my feet. She was saved by the arrival of her mother, who was suspicious about her daughter being alone with Hoffman in his room. In any case, nothing was done until seven years later when Miss Thomas confided to friends. Hoffman, 80, has yet personally to respond, although his lawyer has dismissed the allegations as defamatory falsehoods. The stories have been piling up and getting increasingly more damaging since last month, when he was accused of sexually harassing a 17-year-old production assistant Another accuser, Melissa Kester, was not much older just 20 when she says she was sexually assaulted by Hoffman in a recording studio. He was working on the musical soundtrack for the 1987 comedy adventure film Ishtar, a box-office flop in which he co-starred with Warren Beatty. Miss Kesters boyfriend worked in music. Hoffman invited her to join him at the Malibu studio. She was flattered by his offer to help her become a scriptwriter. She told Variety that Hoffman subsequently was sitting in a recording booth and asked her to join him, when he proceeded to assault her. He literally just stuck his fingers down my pants. I just stood there. I just froze in the situation like Oh my god, what is happening? Desperate not to react for fear of alerting her boyfriend, she eventually managed to move away. Cori Thomas, a former classmate of Hoffmans daughter Karina, was only 16 when, she says, he exposed himself to her in a hotel room He kind of laughed. Then I just ran out of there, and I sat in the bathroom crying. I thought, Oh my God. I felt like Id been raped. She says the star called her repeatedly after the incident until she told him to leave her alone. A third anonymous accuser claims she was assaulted in the same way by Hoffman while she was working as an extra on the same film. She claims he invited her to the end-of-filming party in New York and then offered her a lift home with several colleagues. As they squeezed together in the back, she says Hoffman put his hand up her skirt and assaulted her. As with his other alleged victims, the then 22-year-old says she was frozen with fear and confusion unable to stop him. He was smiling at me, she recalls. There were people there. What are they going to think of me, that Im a whore, if I say something? The woman says Hoffman then gave her $20 and asked her to join him at his flat. When she arrived, they had sex an encounter which, given the fugue state in which he had put her, she says was not fully consensual. And so the list of accusers goes on. A woman identified only as Pauline told the Hollywood Reporter magazine that she was just 15 and Hoffman aged 36 when he lured her to his New York home in 1973. The bait was to see his pet puppy, she says. When they got there, he allegedly asked her: Do you want to see something else?, unzipped his trousers and exposed himself. I didnt know what to say, what to do, she said. She claims Hoffman told her: Ill be finished soon and later walked her to a taxi. I was just crying, it was so embarrassing, she says. Another alleged victim, who used the pseudonym Carolyn, says she was a 21-year-old tour guide in Washington in 1975 when Hoffman, in town to film the Watergate thriller All The Presidents Men, asked her to spend the evening with him. When she knocked on his hotel room door, he answered shirtless. After chatting briefly about things such as the fact her father was a doctor, she told him she wanted to go home. She claims he replied: Go home? You dont think youre getting out of here without having sex, do you? She related how Hoffman then had a shower. He came out of the bathroom with a towel at first wrapped around him, which he dropped, she told Variety. He was standing there naked. I think I almost collapsed. It was the first time I had ever seen a naked man. I was mortified. I didnt know what to do. She claims Hoffman blocked the doorway and insisted she choose between two sex acts. Afterwards, he offered her $20 for a taxi home, later calling her mother asking to take her out for dinner. The most detailed account of Hoffmans alleged sexual misconduct comes from actress Kathryn Rossetter. She says she caught his eye when she was an inexperienced young actress auditioning for a part in a 1983 Broadway revival of the Arthur Miller play Death Of A Salesman. She was dumbstruck to land the part of the mistress of Hoffmans character, on stage eight times a week with him. Hoffman took her to his home to meet Lisa Hoffman, his then wife and mother of their four children. However, she says a campaign of relentless sexual harassment started three days into rehearsals when he asked her to stop at his hotel room after lunch together. Why he needed a hotel room when he lived only a mile from the theatre quickly became clear, she said, as he pulled off his shirt and requested a back rub on his bed. She initially thought he was method acting by recreating their on-stage affair but soon discovered it was the beginning of what was to become a horrific, demoralising and abusive experience at the hands (literally) of one of my acting idols. Miss Rossetter, now 66, claims Hoffman would even grope her off stage between their scenes. One night in Chicago, I felt his hand up under my slip on the inside of my thighs, she says. I was completely surprised and tried to bat him away. His hands, on occasions, went even further and she recalls how night after night she went home and cried. She says he also enjoyed groping her breasts when they posed for photos together, taking his hand away at the last minute, except on one occasion a photo of which has now been published when he was too slow and was caught in the act. Making matters worse, she says, their colleagues on the production were not just turning a blind eye but actively colluding with his behaviour. She recalled how in a sickening incident backstage, Hoffman once pulled her slip over her head to expose her breasts in front of a group of male crew members who, she later discovered, had been promised a surprise by the actor. Another alleged victim, who used the pseudonym Carolyn, says she was a 21-year-old tour guide in Washington in 1975 when Hoffman, in town to film the Watergate thriller All The Presidents Men, asked her to spend the evening with him She also said Hoffmans dresser repeatedly summoned her to his dressing room to massage the stars feet, standing guard outside the door to ensure they werent disturbed. When Miss Rossetter explained what had happened to theatre professionals, they warned her she risked ruining her career if she spoke out against such a powerful actor. Although Hoffman has not responded directly to Miss Rossetters claims, he has produced half a dozen people in the production who questioned her account. Her claims were published in an essay after another accuser, Anna Graham Hunter, set the ball rolling. She described how she was a 17-year-old production assistant on the film version of Death Of A Salesman when the openly flirtatious Hoffman consistently behaved inappropriately towards her asking for foot massages, grabbing her buttocks and making lewd, aggressive jokes. Although she concluded that he was a predator, I was a child, she admitted she had liked him. Next, Wendy Riss Gatsiounis, a TV writer and producer, claimed that, when she was in her 20s, Hoffman rejected her script when she refused to go to a hotel with him. She said the experience was a source of torment and added: He had been my hero. Many will surely be experiencing the same feeling as Hollywoods latest sex scandal envelops its unlikeliest star suspect yet. A man who was struck by a train after being viciously attacked by two assailants on a New York subway platform is lucky to be alive. Surveillance footage of the incident shows the assault transpiring at 3.04am Saturday morning at the Union Square subway station in Manhattan. Police said the unidentified 41-year-old victim was waiting for a southbound Q train when he got into a verbal argument with two men across the tracks. Police said the unidentified 41-year-old victim was waiting for a southbound Q train when he got into a verbal argument with two men across the tracks According to police, the situation quickly escalated after the men ran through the station to confront the victim on the other side, punching him in the head before fleeing the scene. The men, who were waiting on the other side of the tracks, crossed over to confront the victim at 3.04am Saturday morning (Pictured: Union Station subway platform) The blow knocked the man onto ground, with his head landing near the edge of the platform, according to The New York Daily News. As the southbound Q train pulled into the station it slammed into the victim's face. Miraculously, the 41-year-old managed to survive the impact. Police said the man was taken to nearby Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated for multiple fractures to his face and skull, and bleeding on the brain. Police said the alleged assailants were photographed by the subway's security cameras and have released their images to the public. Authorities said they are on a manhunt to apprehend the two individuals and ask anyone with information to contact the NYPD at 1- 800-577-TIPS (8477). A 14-year-old girl has died after being swept out to sea despite the brave actions of two bystanders who jumped in to save her. Georgia Lewtas was pulled from the water off Devonport's Mersey Bluff Beach in Tasmania's north coast after she and a friend got into trouble last Monday afternoon. She was pronounced dead at Royal Hobart Hospital on Sunday after staying there for six days after she was dragged out of the ocean. A 14-year-old girl has died six days after being swept out to sea from a Tasmanian beach despite the brave actions of two bystanders who jumped in to save her The teenager was pulled from the water off Devonport's Mersey Bluff Beach (pictured) in Tasmania's north coast after she and a friend got into trouble last Monday afternoon Her 15-year-old friend, also struggling in the water, managed to reach the coast before emergency services arrived and treated her for shock and minor abrasions. Two bystanders rushed into the surf after witnessing the teen's struggle with police claiming their heroic actions could have been the difference between life and death. Police officers and the Devonport Surf Club then joined forces and deployed their rescue boat to pull the teenager out. In a statement, Inspector Stuart Wilkinson thanked the heroes of the day. 'The gratitude of our community should go to the two men who bravely entered the water without hesitation and potentially saved this young girl's life'. After being rescued, Georgia was treated by Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Police members on the beach for some time. Emergency services rushed the teenager to Mersey Community Hospital in a critical condition and later transferred to Hobart. Emergency services rushed the teenager to Mersey Community Hospital in a critical condition and later transferred to Hobart 'Georgia's family would like to thank the efforts of Tasmania Police, Surf Life Saving Australia and Ambulance Tasmania,' Inspector Wilkinson said on Monday. 'The family have expressed their appreciation for the assistance provided by the staff at the Mersey Community Hospital and the Royal Hobart Hospital. 'They have thanked the good Samaritans that went to the aid of Georgia when she was in the water.' 'Changing weather conditions pose a risk to all water users and swimmers in Tasmanian waters', reminded Inspector Wilkinson after the incident. Acknowledging the work done by rescuers, he then asked the community to be careful. 'We urge all people to take caution when swimming in open waters and be mindful of currents, winds and to be aware of the often quickly changing conditions which may lead to tragic events such as this.' Police are seeking any witnesses to the incident and request that they contact the Devonport Police Station on 64784011 or the police assistance line on 131444. Hollywood actress Pamela Anderson has implored Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to investigate claims of animal cruelty on Manus Island. The PETA Honorary Director issued a letter to Mr Dutton from her foundation on Monday, following allegations a dog was thrown from a moving vehicle. In her message, Ms Anderson writes that violence and suffering have reached a new level calling the abuse 'callous' and 'unacceptable'. Hollywood actress Pamela Anderson (pictured) has implored Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to investigate claims of animal cruelty on Manus Island It comes after allegations a dog named Foxy (pictured) was thrown from a moving vehicle on the Island by one of the guards The report is believed to have come from the Combined Refugee Action Group, who posted about a guard tossing a dog from a bus late last month. 'Manus refugee carried Foxy to the bus. Cradled dog in his arms, (he) risked (his) life to save Foxy,' the post read. 'Guard allowed him (to) carry dog on bus but threw Foxy from bus at speed. Man now mentally unwell.' After being made aware of the alleged incident, Ms Anderson penned a heartfelt letter calling on the Immigration Minister to conduct enquiries into the 'grave concerns' of the treatment of refugees and their animal companions. In her message to Mr Dutton (pictured), Ms Anderson wrote that violence and suffering have reached a new level calling the abuse 'callous' and 'unacceptable' The Combined Refugee Action Group released a post about the alleged incident, writing: 'Manus refugee carried Foxy to the bus. Cradled dog in his arms, (he) risked (his) life to save Foxy. Guard allowed him (to) carry dog on bus but threw Foxy from bus at speed. Man now mentally unwell' 'The prolonged detainment of these people is appalling, but recent reporting from the camps indicates a new level of violence and suffering,' The Baywatch star wrote. 'I want to share with you information about a particular incident, drawn to my attention by my friends at PETA. 'While refugees were being transferred between camps recently, a dog named Foxy, who was travelling with her refugee companion, was reportedly thrown from a moving bus by one of the guards. She went on to claim that animals feel 'pain, stress and fear' as humans do and that 'such callous abuse is unacceptable and threatens everyone in your care on Manus'. 'Psychology experts and law-enforcement officials agree that cruelty to animals is an important predictor of violence towards humans, and it appears regularly in the records of society's most vicious criminals,' she wrote. 'Just as we all love the cats and dogs who share our homes, members of the Manus Island refugee community care deeply for their animal companions and share with them the precious few resources that they have.' The Baywatch star wrote that animals feel 'pain, stress and fear' as humans do and that 'such callous abuse is unacceptable and threatens everyone in your care on Manus' Ms Anderson said that the animal's caregiver was 'understandably distraught' by the guard's action and that 'displaced people often form close bonds with animals' (Pictured are refugees and Asylum seekers at Manus Island) Ms Anderson said that the animal's caregiver was 'understandably distraught' by the guard's action and that 'displaced people often form close bonds with animals'. 'Of all the things that refugees endure, emotional trauma is often the hardest to bear,' she said. 'May I hear from you soon that you'll launch an investigation into this incident and give Foxy and her guardians the justice they deserve?' The incident was similarly slammed by people online, with social media users writing it was 'another example of horrendous treatment'. 'Is there no end to the cruelty we inflict? What is being done to make a change?' one person commented. While another added: 'Are you serious!! What sort of person would do that to a defenceless dog and then the ramifications to the refugees state of mind.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's office for comment. Saudi Arabia has 'no excuse' for blocking aid to Yemen, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said as she warned that 'using starvation as a weapon' was a breach of humanitarian law. The UK is set to provide an emergency 50 million aid package to help feed millions of Yemeni people caught in 'the world's worst humanitarian crisis'. Ms Mordaunt, who was visiting Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, promised food vouchers for 3.4 million Yemenis for one month, 106,000 tonnes of grain, and fuel to keep hospitals running and pump clean water. Saudi Arabia has 'no excuse' for blocking aid to Yemen, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said as she warned that 'using starvation as a weapon' was a breach of humanitarian law Yemen has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 2014 when rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa. In recent months there has been an escalation in fighting and restrictions on aid access threaten to push Yemen into a 'catastrophic famine', Ms Mordaunt warned. The Saudi-led coalition fighting rebels have imposed restrictions in an effort to prevent supplies reaching their enemies. Speaking in Djibouti, from where UK aid is shipped to Yemen, Ms Mordaunt said: 'The harrowing stories I have heard from Yemenis and aid workers today are a powerful reminder of the human tragedy of the world's worst humanitarian crisis where three quarters of the population are in desperate need. 'Every day, parents are carrying their malnourished children to hospital because they haven't eaten in days, and families are watching as loved ones die needlessly from treatable illnesses because they do not have access to medical care. 'UK aid will save lives with new food and fuel - fuel that will produce food, pump clean water to help stop the spread of cholera, and power hospital generators.' The UK is set to provide an emergency 50 million aid package to help feed millions of Yemeni people caught in 'the world's worst humanitarian crisis' Before leaving Djibouti to travel to Saudi Arabia, Ms Mordaunt told the Daily Telegraph that the UK 'fully appreciates' the security concerns of the Saudi-led coalition and supported the right to screen shipping to prevent military equipment reaching the rebels. But there was 'no excuse' for blocking ships that had been screened, she said, adding: 'It is very clear that if you are using starvation as a weapon you are in breach of international humanitarian law. 'And what I have seen on my visit is that what is being held up is aid.' Ms Mordaunt, who was visiting Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, promised food vouchers for 3.4 million Yemenis for one month, 106,000 tonnes of grain, and fuel to keep hospitals running and pump clean water She added: 'I very much understand the importance of our relationship with Saudi Arabia. But we do not help that relationship by not speaking about the facts of the matter.' If there were to be a breach of humanitarian law 'that would put that relationship into difficulty', she said. On the Saudi leg of her trip, Ms Mordaunt met high-level political figures and made clear that the commercial and humanitarian supplies - on which Yemen depends to meet 90% of basic needs - must be resumed and that immediate access must be granted to avert a catastrophic famine. Speaking in Djibouti, from where UK aid is shipped to Yemen, Ms Mordaunt said: 'The harrowing stories I have heard from Yemenis and aid workers today are a powerful reminder of the human tragedy of the world's worst humanitarian crisis where three quarters of the population are in desperate need This builds on the Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia last month, where she reiterated the need to ensure full access across Yemen, renewed calls for all sides to find a peaceful solution and emphasised the importance of full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida. Ms Mordaunt said: 'The UK Government is calling on all parties to this conflict to immediately restore full access for humanitarian and commercial imports and find a peaceful solution to this conflict to stop Yemen falling into a catastrophic famine.' The UK is the second largest donor to the UN appeal and this new package of support will bring the total UK aid to Yemen to 205 million for 2017/18, making the UK the third largest donor overall. A former Fox News contributor who left the network after she reported being sexually assaulted claims that media mogul and Fox owner Rupert Murdoch 'ruined my life'. Tamara Holder told CNN on Sunday that she didn't 'have a job in TV anymore because the place that he has secured down like Fort Knox allowed abusive predators to prey on women who just wanted to work.' 'He ruined my life,' added the former lawyer, who claimed she was assaulted by Francisco Cortes, the vice president of Fox News Latino, in 2015. She was speaking after the 86-year-old appeared to dismiss the sexual abuse allegations at his network as 'nonsense.' Scroll down for video Former Fox News contributor Tamara Holder, who left the network after she reported being sexually assaulted, claims that media mogul and Fox owner Rupert Murdoch (right) 'ruined my life' 'That is not nonsense. This is people's lives,' she added. Murdoch was being asked whether the harassment allegations had hurt business last week, when he told Sky News, a UK-based network owned by 21st Century Fox, 'It's all nonsense.' He laid the blame solely at the feet of former CEO Roger Ailes who stepped down last year after at least 20 women accused him of sexual harassment. 'There was a problem with our chief executive. Sort of, over the years. But isolated incidents. As soon as we investigated it he was out of the place in hours well, three or four days. And there's been nothing else since then,' he said. But Murdoch failed to mention Bill O'Reilly, who was fired from the network in the spring after the New York Times revealed he'd paid out millions of dollars in sexual harassment settlements. Murdoch was being asked whether the harassment allegations had hurt business last week, when he told Sky News, a UK-based network owned by 21st Century Fox, 'It's all nonsense' Nor did he mention Cortes who was fired earlier this year after Holder accused him of trying to force her into performing oral sex on him when the two were alone in his office according to four individuals with knowledge of the situation who spoke with The New York Times. Murdoch also said that while some cases were 'really bad' and 'people should be moved aside... There are other things which probably amount to a bit of flirting'. Holder was infuriated by the comments. 'Let me be clear. I had a man pull out his penis in his office and shove my head on it. That was not flirting, that was criminal. That was not sexual harassment, there are no gray areas. This is criminal. And I'm not the only case. There are women who can't speak out,' she said. Holder and 21st Century Fox reportedly worked out a deal in February that awarded the lawyer and author $2.5million following an incident that allegedly occurred two years ago. Sexual assault allegations: Fox News contributor Tamara Holder (above) reached a $2.5million settlement with 21st Century Fox in February after accusing an executive of sexual assault 'They'll probably sue me (for speaking out),' she said. 'My agreement said I couldn't ever apply for a job at any Fox News corporation. I can't apply for a job because he allowed me to be abused in his workplace? And didn't protect me? And I can't work anywhere now? It's just pain on top of pain and then for him to say something like that that's just so dismissive.' She added that she felt that Murdoch's comments may have allowed her to break her contract - which allows exceptions if she is disparaged or defamed. Murdoch's team have already attempted to backtrack on his comments, releasing a statement on Saturday which said that the 'nonsense' the media mogul was referring to was the idea that the sexual harassment allegations had hurt business. 'Rupert never characterized the sexual harassment matters at Fox News as 'nonsense,' a spokeswoman said.. 'Rather, he responded negatively to the suggestion that sexual harassment issues were an obstacle to the company's bid for the rest of Sky.' Holder, who joined the network in 2010 and has appeared on Hannity and guest hosted The Five, approached Fox News' executive vice president for business and legal affairs Dianne Brandi back in September 2016 and alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by Cortes. Fear: The alleged incident occurred in February 2015, but Holder stated she had been afraid to come forward over possible repercussions to her career (Holder above in July 2016 with Bo Dietl and Mark Simone) United front:: Fox News and Holder announced the settlement in a joint statement that was released on Wednesday (Holder above in May 2016 with Sid Rosenberg) She alleged that Cortes, the vice president of Fox News Latino, tried to force her into performing oral sex on him when the two were alone in his office according to four individuals with knowledge of the situation who spoke with The New York Times. Holder, 37, said she waited so long to come forward because she was afraid she would lose her job. In addition to paying out millions, the network also terminated Cortes, who in 2004 was personally selected by Roger Ailes as the first member of the disgraced CEO's apprentice program. Fox News and Holder released a joint statement in March about the settlement. 'In September 2016 Fox News contributor Tamara Holder reported an incident of sexual assault at Fox News headquarters from the prior year,' read the statement. 'Immediately after Ms. Holder notified Fox News of the alleged incident, the Company promptly investigated the matter and took decisive action, for which Ms. Holder thanks the network. 'Following the completion of her contract on January 1, 2017, Ms. Holder left the network. Fox News is grateful to Ms. Holder for her many contributions during her tenure at the network and wishes her continued success.' Cortes did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com, but his lawyer Jay Sanchez said he was 'presently considering Mr. Cortes' legal options.' Keeping quiet: Cortes (above), the vice president of Fox News Latino, was terminated by the network and did not respond to a request for comment Holder meanwhile applauded the network after news of the settlement broke, saying: 'Yes, I was sexually assaulted. Immediately after I told the company where I worked about the incident, it promptly investigated the matter and took action, which I appreciate.' She also explained why she waited so long to report the alleged incident, revealing that she had been warned that lodging a complaint could have a negative impact on her career. 'I was told by agents and lawyers that if I opened up, I would forever be 'toxic' and my career would be over,' explained Holder. 'I worked hard and loved my job but I could not be speechless. I had to turn my fear into courage.' Holder made the decision to come forward after Ailes exited the network back in July 2016, just three weeks after he was accused of sexually harassment in a lawsuit filed by Gretchen Carlson. Australia's south-east is set to sizzle in the coming days as a heatwave sweeps across the coast - but don't expect it to continue through to Christmas. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a top temperature of 38C for Adelaide with the mercury pushing into the mid-40s in some centres, as will north-western areas of NSW including Broken Hill and Mildura. Melbourne and Sydney are set to push into the low to mid 30s early in the week, however those temperatures are not set to last with the southern and eastern states to endure a cold and potentially wet Christmas. South-eastern states are set to swelter early in the weak as a huge heatwave sweeps across the region Coastal cities including Sydney and Melbourne will enjoy perfect summer weather, while regional areas will sweat under intense 40 degree heat Temperatures as high as 46 degrees will smash parts of South Australia and New South Wales Christmas Day for Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide residents will be a very mild one, with the south-eastern major cities to hover around the early 20s. Sydney has a chance of showers, meaning any backyard and beach party traditions may be off the table. Perth and Brisbane however will enjoy sparkling weather of 30 degrees and sun for the big day. The Western Australia capital will shake off its wild recent weather and enjoy consistent summer heat throughout the festive week. Christmas Day across Australia Sydney - Min 19 Max 24 - A shower or two Melbourne - Min 13 Max 22 - Morning shower Adelaide - Min 15 Max 24 - Mostly cloudy Brisbane - Min 23 Max 31 - Sunny Perth - Min 19 Max 31 - Sunny Hobart - Min 12 Max 19 - Mostly cloudy Darwin - Min 26 Max 33 - Possible shower Source: AccuWeather Advertisement Heatwave conditions are forecast from Sunday until Tuesday in the state's western and central western communities, according to the weather burea Sydney and Brisbane will reach 30 on Monday with temperatures in both states expected to reach 35 by the middle of the week Melbourne is predicted to hit 33 on Monday followed by a scorching 36 on Tuesday Extreme fire risk conditions have been declared for three South Australian districts with severe conditions in seven more amid a forecast of high temperatures. The Country Fire Service says total fire bans will be in place on Monday in all those areas, from the state's far northwest through to the Adelaide Hills, and locals have been advised to activate their bushfire survival plans. Marree is expected to be the hottest spot with a top of 46 while Port Augusta, Roxby Downs, Leigh Creek, Oodnadatta, and Woomera should all hit 45. Regional NSW residents may also find it hard to sleep in the following few days with mercury not forecast to drop below the 30 mark until Tuesday. Heatwave conditions are forecast from Sunday until Tuesday in the state's western and central western communities, according to the weather bureau. Sydney and Brisbane will reach 30 on Monday with temperatures in both states expected to reach 35 by the middle of the week The intense heatwave in northern WA is moving east towards the Gold Coast, with temperatures tipped to reach up to 35 in parts of the city this week Sydney and Brisbane will reach 30 on Monday with temperatures in both states expected to reach 35 by the middle of the week. Melbourne is predicted to hit 33 on Monday followed by a scorching 36 on Tuesday. The intense heatwave in northern WA is moving east towards the Gold Coast, with temperatures tipped to reach up to 35 in parts of the city this week. Meanwhile, wild weather and freak summer storms are wreaking havoc in Perth with residents told to prepare for damaging winds. A former New Zealand police officer who murdered his wife and attempted to kill her new lover on Anzac Day will spend at least 17 years behind bars. Ben McLean pleaded guilty to the 'pre-meditated and calculated' shooting of his wife of 18 years and was sentenced for the 'horrendous' crime on Monday. The 48-year-old shot Verity McLean in the head three weeks after she left him for his friend, Garry Duggan, who he also tried to kill in the Invercargill suburb of Newfield. Former New Zealand police officer Ben McLean (right) was sentenced on Monday to a minimum of 17 years behind bars for murdering his wife Verity McLean (left) on Anzac Day Mclean offered an apology for his heinous crime in the High Court. 'The real victims of this death are my three children. The two most important adults in their lives are now gone,' McLean said. 'Bert (Verity) was the love of my life who broke my heart and my soul, and I will live with regret and the torment for having been involved in her death for the rest of my life.' The court heard Ms McLean had moved out of the family home and into Duggan's flat three weeks before being killed. Crown prosecutor Riki Donnelly said the crime was intricately planned with a high level of callousness and sought a 17-year minimum non-parole period. Defence counsel said it was likely Mclean would be in solitary confinement for another 18 months because of his role in the police force. Justice Rachel Dunningham said the extent of the victims' injuries and the horrendous effect they had on respective families warranted life imprisonment. The 48-year-old shot Verity McLean in the head three weeks after she left him for his friend, Garry Duggan (pictured), who he also tried to kill in the Invercargill suburb of Newfield Mclean shot his wife under the chin with a sawn off .22 rifle, the awaited for Duggan - his friend of 15 years - to return. On his arrival home, about 8pm, Mclean shot him in the upper chest and forearm, but Duggan was able to wrestle his way free. After a violent struggle, which involved the use of a wooden baton, the pair reached a stalemate and sat arguing. Duggan then called police and Mclean handed himself into the same station where he worked, about 40 minutes after the shooting. The victim, who suffers post traumatic stress disorder, was unforgiving and saw no contrition to the man he'd known 15 years. 'If I'd been a physically weaker man, there would be no one here to tell you what an evil bastard he really is,' he told the court. 'I do resent having my life stolen by this man and do not believe he has any remorse. . . he regards his actions as being caused by others rather than accepting any responsibility himself.' Mclean described his wife (pictured) as 'the love of my life who broke my heart and my soul' in court and apologised to his three children An investigation found Mclean had packed blue disposable rubber gloves, a bottle of hand sanitiser, plastic handcuffs (the same type the Armed Offenders Squad uses), strips of towel and a portable radio tuned to the Invercargill police channel. Strips of towel later found in McLean's bag were bloodstained and covered in saliva, according to a summary of facts, and inside a fireplace were burned remains consistent with plastic handcuffs. Evidence revealed after his wife broke into the Scott Street home they previously shared on Anzac Day, Mclean packed a bag cycled to her new abode. The bag contained the cut-down rifle to which a silencer had been fixed with black insulation tape. A grieving mother has warned Australians against medical tourism after her son died recovering from plastic surgery in Malaysia. Leigh Aiple, 31, saved up $35,000 to undergo a tummy tuck, liposuction, an upper eye lift, a chin tuck, a thigh lift, chest sculpting and lip filler at the Beverly Wilshire Clinic in Kuala Lumpur in 2014. 'I don't want anyone else to risk it,' his mother Grace Westworth told the ABC on Monday. 'It was totally dangerous. He was high-risk and they didn't stop.' Heartbroken Grace Westworth (left) is grieving the loss of her son Leigh Aiple who died in 2014 Leigh Aiple traveled to Malaysia for two procedures after he lost a significant amount of weight Mr Aiple had been overweight and self-conscious, and all he wanted was to 'turn his life around' after being bullied as a child. He had recently lost a significant amount of weight and wanted to remove the loose skin to complete his weight loss journey, according to Yahoo7. After two surgeries at the 'boutique medical centre' in the space of five days, he couldn't move, stand, or even roll out of bed. In emails to his mother, he wrote that he was short of breath, had a rapid heartbeat, and was experiencing fainting spells. After five days, he was given permission to fly home, despite the fact that his wounds from surgery had burst open, oozing fluid and blood into his bed. Ms Westworth picked up her son from the airport, and was horrified at his condition. 'He came off that plane in a wheelchair, I said: 'How are you Leigh?' [and] he said: 'Horrid I am in so much pain, I can't describe the pain',' Ms Westworth recalled. 'When I saw the gaping holes I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I could see inside.' The next morning, he collapsed at his Melbourne home, and died a short while later. 'I am in so much pain, I can't describe the pain,' Mr Aiple told his mother after his plane landed One of the first things Ms Westworth noticed when her son came home was his swollen foot Ms Westworth requested that the coroner investigate the treatment and care that her son was given in Malaysia, and it was revealed to be 'well below Australian standards'. 'The Australian medical tourist will not necessarily be aware of the difference in standards of medical practice and management of patient care,' coroner Caitlin English warned. She emphasised that prospective patients should be aware of the risks involved with overseas medical treatment. An estimated 15,000 Australians each year travel overseas for cosmetic and dental work. The president of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and former head of plastic surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Professor Mark Ashton, said that the care given to Mr Aiple as 'grossly inadequate'. In Australia, he would have been deemed a 'high risk patient' due to his weight of 124kg, and the operation would not have taken place. The cause of death was found to be 'deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in his lung, often associated with flying', which Mr Aiple developed in the clinic before his plane trip home. It was also revealed that the level of of anti-blood clotting treatment administrated was 'below Australia's recommended levels'. Experts hope that prospective medical tourists learn from Mr Aiple's experience in Malaysia Australians are warned that the level of care given overseas is not the same as it is in Australia Professor Ashton warned that having surgery overseas comes with significant risk, because there is no guarantee as to the standard of care offered to patients. He likened overseas procedures to 'taking a bet', noting that there is no such thing as an international standard of care, and is it difficult to find out the level of expertise of the surgeons employed by overseas clinics. Mr Aiple was only given one consultation before his surgery, whereas in Australia a surgeon would require up to four pre-surgery consultations. Emily Hart, a medical negligence lawyer with Maurice Blackburn, hopes that other people contemplating cosmetic surgery overseas would learn from Mr Aiple's tragic death. She urged people to remember that such companies 'are putting profit over patient safety', adding that clinics want to perform as many surgeries as possible regardless of the risk. The coroner has recommended Victoria's Chief Health Officer publish a health advisory warning medical tourism patients that overseas standards of care can differ to medical care in Australia. 'Feral' Aldi customers have snatched discounted vacuum cleaners from children and stolen from each other's trolleys in a bizarre shopping frenzy. German retail giant, Aldi, drew thousands of shoppers to its stores at the weekend with massive discounts on Dyson vacuum cleaners and portable air conditioners. When customers arrived to find the sale items nearly sold out, people resorted to stealing the products from each other, even vulnerable children. Frustrated Aldi customers have taken to social media to vent after the store's special buys for Dyson vacuums (pictured) sold out in minutes this weekend amid huge queues Melbourne woman Mary McKenzie said she lined up outside the Frankston store, in Melbourne's south-east, on Saturday to be one of the first in line to buy the Dyson vacuum cleaner. She said she was one of about 40 keen customers lined up outside the store before the doors opened. 'As it got closer to 8.30am you could feel a change, there was a determined look in their eyes and even adopted a different stance,' she told 3AW. 'People became feral.' Ms McKenzie said she watched on as a child had the product taken right out of her hands. 'We had a little girl next to us called Ava, 10-years-old, and she said: 'I had my hands on the box and somebody came and took it from underneath me',' she said. 'She was so disappointed.' Melbourne woman Mary McKenzie said she lined up outside the Frankston store (pictured), in Melbourne's south-east, on Saturday to be one of the first in line to buy the Dyson vacuum cleaner Some claimed stores stocked as few as three of the items, while others were surprised by lines of dozens of people half an hour before the supermarkets even opened Others were disappointed that the store did not enforce a limit on how many of the bargain products people could purchase, with some people seen grabbing multiple items Frustrated Aldi customers also took to social media to vent after the store's special buys sold out in minutes at the weekend. Some claimed stores stocked as few as three of the items, while others were surprised by lines of dozens of people half an hour before the supermarkets even opened. The highly sought after items included a handheld DC44 Dyson vacuum for $299 and a DC29 Multifloor for $349, as well as a $279 2kW air-conditioner. One woman slammed the chain in an online post Saturday, commenting on Aldi's Facebook page that she was 'very disappointed' in her treatment at the Waurn Ponds store. The German retail giant offered a range of bargains but many shoppers were greeted by empty crates upon arriving (pictured) 'Lined up to get the Dyson (first in line) and was appalled in the manner this huge event was handled,' she wrote. 'Knocking over elderly people, even had someone snatch (the item) out of my six-year-old's hand.' Another Victorian woman told how her partner had visited Aldi Monbulk in Victoria where they had been met with an unruly group. 'He was elbowed by numerous women, pushed and shoved so they could buy multiple Dyson stick vacs.' One woman slammed the chain in an online post, commenting on Aldi's Facebook page that she was 'very disappointed' and 'appalled' at how the situation was handled Others were disappointed that the store did not enforce a limit on how many of the bargain products people could purchase. 'I think it's quite disgusting that there is no limit on your special buys per transaction,' a women vented. Despite being one of the first 20 people through the door, the annoyed customer said she had missed out on an air conditioner, with one family taking six of the ten units in stock. Another woman from Tamworth expressed similar dismay, claiming many people in line at her local store had missed out. 'I understand your special buys are popular but it's rather unfair you let people buy three or even four of the Dysons on offer,' she said. 'Many people who were in line missed out because others grabbed as many as they humanly could.' ' The queue at Aldi Eltham' one customer said alongside this photo Lines spread through the carpark of the supermarket's stores, as people eagerly tried to get their hands on the products Saturday The highly sought after items included a handheld DC44 Dyson vacuum for $299 (right) and a DC29 Multifloor for $349 (left) Another angry shopper questioned how the products had sold out before stores had even opened. 'Can someone explain to me how it is possible to sell out of a product five minutes before a store opens, on the day it is meant to be available for purchase?' she wrote. While one man compared the huge lines and violent proceedings to the notorious 'Black Friday' sales. 'The definition of bedlam, is trying to get a Dyson at Aldi on Saturday when the sale starts,' he wrote. 'This was probably the closest thing I have seen to the craziness of the Black Friday sales videos.' However, some stores including those in Brunswick and Marrickville, reportedly allocated tickets to the first customers in line to help combat the pandemonium. Following the chaos on Saturday customers called for the store to change their practices for future special buy sales. 'Why not have them at the front entrance, control the crowd and hand them out as people enter,' one person suggested. One man compared the huge lines and violent proceedings to the notorious 'Black Friday' sales, calling the scenes 'bedlam' Following the chaos on Saturday customers called for the store to change their practices for future special buy sales, asking for crowd control and fewer items to be sold to each person While another added that enlisting 'a member of staff near the special offers' to police the crowds and allowing people fewer items could make sales smoother. Similar scenes occurred earlier in the year when shoppers angled for a $99 grey armchair and at some stores found just three items available. And Aldi Australia spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday that the items were ordered 'months in advance' and were intended to be on sale for one week to keep the range 'fresh and interesting'. 'We do our best to supply our stores with sufficient stock however, sometimes they sell out faster than expected due to their exceptional value and high quality,' they said. 'If you miss out on a Special Buy we recommend asking the team at your local ALDI and they should be able to help with stock availability in your area. 'Special Buys have been a key part of the ALDI offering since we began operations in Australia in 2001.' 'Each Wednesday and Saturday different Special Buys arrive in store and it's not uncommon to see customers queuing before opening hours in anticipation of the Special Buys being released that day.' Leaflets promoting white supremacy have been stuffed into letterboxes across Canberra. Residents were horrified when they read the material branding diversity as 'genocide' and saying feminism will 'destroy the white race'. 'Diversity and liberalism is white genocide,' the leaflet reads. Leaflets promoting white supremacy have been stuffed into letterboxes across Canberra Residents were horrified when they read the material branding diversity 'genocide' and saying feminism will 'destroy the white race' 'Think about it what else can result in a society that promotes mass immigration, race-mixing, pornography, abortion, feminism, drug use, obesity, foreign ownership and white guilt propaganda? 'Help the Hussaric Dawn to secure land exclusively for the White Race and help us enforce laws against liberalism.' The leaflet directed readers to a website for the group called Hussaric Dawn. The website has since been removed. The mother of the man who created the leaflets told the Canberra Times her son had autism and claims he was 'easily led'. Tuggeranong local Julia Brown said she was shocked the material was circulating in Canberra. 'It spews all this hatred about Jews and people of different colour, religion,' Ms Brown said. ACT Police confirmed they were investigating the pamphlets. 'All circumstances will form part of the assessment,' a spokesperson said. Tiny mobile phones designed to be smuggled into prisons should be banned from sale, the Justice Secretary has said. Convicts buy the miniature device some no bigger than a lipstick because they are so easy to hide and sneak behind bars. David Lidington said the gadgets were freely available from online retailers such as Amazon, Gumtree and eBay and bought by inmates to break prison rules. He said the phones were advertised as being able to go undetected by the body orifice security scanners (BOSS) used in jails in England and Wales. So-called Beat the BOSS phones can be bought for as little as 25 but change hands for up to 500 inside jails. They are marketed as being virtually metal-free and therefore able to beat the detectors that anyone entering a prison must pass through. Tiny mobile phones designed to be smuggled into prisons should be banned from sale About 20,000 illicit phones and Sim cards were recovered by guards in 2016. In a major speech at a central London think-tank today, Mr Lidington will say: Its pretty clear that these miniature phones are being advertised and sold with the purpose of being smuggled. I am calling on online retailers and trading websites to take down products that are advertised to evade detection measures in prisons. Mobile phones are banned behind bars unless a prison governor gives permission for their use. But hardened crooks sneak them to continue their illegal activities. Some prisoners continue their crime empires, such as running drug-smuggling networks and organising gangs. Jailed gangsters are also feared to have used secret mobiles to arrange for rivals to be murdered. Phones can also be used for bullying and can lead to disorder in prisons. Criminals can also use illicit handsets to intimidate their victims from their cells. The Ministry of Defence says it has invested 2million in detection equipment, including portable devices, which can be used to find mobiles in prisons. It is has also acquired new powers to block specific phones from accessing communications networks. Mr Lidington will add: Tackling the availability of drugs and mobile phones is as much about targeting the gangs and supply chains that operate beyond the prison walls as it is about detecting and managing them once they arrive inside the prison walls. Detection and seizure should be our last line of defence. Our first line of defence is taking the fight to the criminal gangs. That is why we have been boosting our intelligence-led operations - police officers are now working alongside prison officers to expose the criminal gangs, stop them in their tracks and bring them to justice. EBay said it had made the decision to stop selling them some months ago and would make sure the justice secretary was aware it was already going above and beyond ahead of his intervention. Meanwhile, a key study has found that more than 6,500 prisoners are linked to organised crime gangs smuggling drugs, weapons and mobile phones into jails. These gangs operate without fear of reprisal, displaying a shameful disregard for the law Each of the inmates is a cog in the machinery of the lucrative illicit trade in contraband behind bars, says an analysis by the MoJ. Gang members who are behind bars orchestrate the illegal multi-million-pound rackets, which fuel growing violence, self-harm and disorder among inmates. Mr Bigs use mobile phones sneaked into prisons to run crime empires from their cells and arrange for drone flights to carry contraband over the walls. It is the first time the department has analysed how many inmates are connected to serious and organised crime gangs. The report comes after the Mail told how a gang of criminals who used a drone to smuggle weapons, mobile phones and drugs worth 1.2million into prisons were jailed. From his cell, armed robber Craig Hickinbottom, 35, organised the flights to sneak illicit packages containing screwdrivers, hacksaw blades and even a Freeview box and remote control over jail walls. But his 11-strong gang was smashed after a two-year investigation by prison intelligence officers and police. Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah said: With 6,500 criminals with clear links to these gangs locked up in jails across the country, the scale of risk they present is stark. Each one could act as vital cog in the machinery of an organised crime gang attempting to get drugs, weapons and mobile phones into prisons. We know those driving this illegal trade are organised crime gangs who see prisons as a profitable new market for their activity. They run their criminal empires like you and I might run a legitimate business reinvesting earnings in emerging technologies and ensuring everyone who plays a part is paid. But their trade is one of misery. He said drones were being used with alarming regulatory, allowing organised criminals to transport contraband including drugs and weapons worth up to 20,000 direct to a cell window from hundreds of yards away. Mr Gyimah said: These gangs operate without fear of reprisal, displaying a shameful disregard for the law. They have a misplaced belief that their actions will be ignored and go unpunished. But they couldnt be further from the truth. Thats because we are stepping up our game against these crime gangs and doing all we can to crack down on them. The MoJ has recently set up the National Intelligence Unit and five Regional Intelligence Units, teams made up of 50 specialists whose job it is to expose, analyse and define the nature of the threat posed by organised crime gangs in prisons. The evidence is fed into HM Prison and Probation Services Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), which disrupts the crime gangs by co-ordinating planned operations within prisons. Advertisement A funeral procession from Ventura to San Diego County was held on Sunday for a heroic firefighter who lost his life in the Thomas fire currently raging in southern California. The somber ceremony began at 10am Sunday morning in honor of Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson, who was killed while battling the blaze on Thursday. The Ventura County Coroner's office said that Iverson died of burns and smoke inhalation on December 14 in Fillmore, located about 30 miles north of Los Angeles county. Scroll down for video A funeral procession from Ventura to San Diego County was held for fallen firefighter Cory Iverson (pictured) on Sunday Los Angeles city firefighters stand to attention and salute the Cal-Fire funeral procession of fallen Cal Fire San Diego engineer Cory Iverson Sunday The Ventura County Coroner's office said that Iverson died of burns and smoke inhalation on December 14 while battling the Thomas fire A procession carries the body of Cory Iverson, 32, a fire engineer for Cal Fire San Diego who died fighting the Thomas Fire, from Ventura to San Diego on December 17, 2017 Los Angeles city firefighters stand in attention and salute the Cal-Fire funeral procession along the 101 freeway of fallen Cal Fire San Diego engineer Cory Iverson Sunday The Thomas Fire is now the third largest California wildfire since records began in 1932. It has grown to 420 square miles and destroyed more than 1,000 structures since it began on December 4 Firefighters paid tribute to fallen firefighter Corey Iverson as his hearse made its way to his home in San Diego The procession traveled south on the 101 Freeway through Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties, arriving at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego County at 2.15pm, according to the Los Angeles Times. The procession covered nearly 200 miles. Iverson, 32, was with a five-engine strike team from San Diego when he was killed attempting to quell the third largest blaze California has ever seen. According to state officials, the fire currently covers 267,500 acres - an area larger than New York City. Iverson, who joined the Cal Fire in 2009 and worked at a station in Dulzura, leaves behind a pregnant wife and 2-year-old daughter. A GoFundMe account has been set up 'For Ashley Iverson and her girls,' raising more than $380,000 as of Sunday evening. 'This fund is created to help with her daughters and the expenses that come with raising little ones, meals, mortgage payments, bills etc,' Cecily Bauchmann, a close friend of Iverson's widow, explains on the fundraising site. 'This is still so very new but please contribute as you feel led. Their oldest is almost 3 and they will be due in May with their newest baby. I will update here as needed. Thank you all for blessing the Iverson family.' A funeral procession led by firefighters and police was attended by people who lined up on freeway over passes to pay their respects to Corey Iverson on Sunday The firefighter was identified as Cal Fire San Diego Unit Fire Apparatus Engineer Cory Iverson, according to Cal Fire Director Chief Ken Pimlott The National Weather Service forecast red flag conditions for extreme fire danger through Sunday evening for Ventura and Los Angeles counties Los Angeles Fire Department Task Force 12 firefighters salute as a procession carries the body of Cory Iverson, 32, a fire engineer for Cal Fire San Diego who died fighting the Thomas Fire A firefighter, 32-year-old Corey Iverson from San Diego, was killed while battling the Thomas Fire, Cal Fire officials said on Thursday Bear Divide Hotshots firefighters watch for the approach of a procession carrying the body of Cory Iverson, 32, a fire engineer for Cal Fire San Diego who died fighting the Thomas Fire About 8,300 firefighters from nearly a dozen states have contributed to battling the blaze, aided by 78 bulldozers and 29 helicopters According to state officials, the fire currently covers 267,500 acres - an area larger than New York City Some evacuation orders were lifted to the east in Ventura County, where the blaze erupted, and officials reported making progress protecting the inland agricultural city of Fillmore The blaze is also blamed for the Dec. 6 death of a 70-year-old woman who died in a car crash on an evacuation route While crews on the fire lines got a break from slightly calmer winds, much of the rest of Southern California was buffeted by powerful gusts that once again increased the wildfire risk across the region The LA Times reports that a memorial for Iverson has been scheduled for 10am on Dec. 23 at the Rock Church in Point Loma. The blaze is also blamed for the Dec. 6 death of a 70-year-old woman who died in a car crash on an evacuation route. The fire that started nearly two weeks ago has burned more than 1,000 structures, including at least 750 homes. Some 18,000 more homes are still threatened. Corey Iverson (pictured), who worked for the department's San Diego Unit as a member of a fire strike team, died Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 at the age of 32 Some evacuation orders were lifted to the east in Ventura County, where the blaze erupted, and officials reported making progress protecting the inland agricultural city of Fillmore. The 420-square-mile blaze crested a peak just north of Montecito, where evacuation orders remained in effect. Known for its star power, the enclave includes the mansions of Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and many other celebrities. 'Still praying for our little town,' Winfrey tweeted. It was not clear if the former talk show host was in Montecito. A portion of the city of Santa Barbara was also evacuated as a thick plume of smoke blew through city streets. At the city's zoo, workers put some animals into crates and kennels to ready them for possible evacuation. While crews on the fire lines got a break from slightly calmer winds, much of the rest of Southern California was buffeted by powerful gusts that once again increased the wildfire risk across the region. The National Weather Service forecast red flag conditions for extreme fire danger through Sunday evening for Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Trees came down after wind gusts topped 70 mph (113 kph) in mountain areas and 50 mph (80 kph) along the coast. Everything about the fire has been massive, from the sheer scale of destruction that cremated entire neighborhoods to the legions of people attacking it. About 8,300 firefighters from nearly a dozen states battled the third largest wildfire in state history, aided by 78 bulldozers and 29 helicopters. The cause remains under investigation. So far, firefighting costs have surpassed $117 million. A Hot Shot crew cuts a line among homes at the Thomas Fire on December 16, 2017 in Montecito, California The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings of dangerous fire weather in Southern California for the duration of the weekend (Pictured - A US Forest Service Hot Shot Crew from Ojai head down a fire break to work off East Camino Cielo as efforts to battle the Thomas Fire continue near Santa Barbara on Sunday) Everything about the fire has been massive, from the sheer scale of destruction that cremated entire neighborhoods to the legions of people attacking it Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows a Bombardier 415 Superscooper making a water drop on hot spots along the hillside east of Gibraltar Road One of New South Wales' most frequented tourists hot spots has been earmarked a potential scene for a terror plot to unfold. Security could be ramped up around Bondi Junction's Westfield shopping centre and along Bondi's famous beach amid fears it could be targeted by terrorists. A full security audit has been called on for the entire local government area of Waverley, with special attention recommended for the shopping and coastal precinct. Bondi's famous beach (pictured) along with areas surrounding the Junction's Westfield have been earmarked potential terrorist hot spots Security could be ramped up around Bondi Junction's Westfield shopping centre (pictured) and along Bondi's famous beach amid fears it could be targeted by terrorists 'These would be the most vulnerable places in Waverley,' Former mayor Sally Betts told Daily Telegraph. 'We need to look at the whole of Waverley, but obviously there are specific places that we need to focus on in particular and see what needs to be done,' Ms Betts said. The controversial topic was debated at a council meeting last Tuesday, with mayor John Wakefield vying for a 'risk assessment' to be undertaken to determine whether a real threat exists. 'It's a significant issue and council needs to be prepared to take appropriate action as needed,' Mr Wakefield said. Former Waverley mayor Sally Betts said the tourist hubs 'would be the most vulnerable places' for a terrorist attack Last year, Islamic State called on terrorists to attack Bondi Beach, the Opera House and the MCG in a rant in the first edition of its propaganda magazine Rumiyah. Cr Betts said recent international vehicle-ramming attacks, including in the UK, Germany and Spain, put Australians on edge. 'Every time there's a vehicle that (drives) into people, then people started really getting concerned,' she said. Her call comes as neighbouring council's launch risk assessments, with Randwick revealing introduction of anti-terrorism measures could cost taxpayers $6million. Crooked House Rating: Feud: Bette and Joan Rating: A great weekend for all-star casts. We havent seen this many A-list names crammed onto the screen since the heyday of the Hollywood studios proof TV has now replaced cinema as the worlds most important artform. To underline the dominance of telly, the film of Agatha Christies Crooked House (C5) was premiered on a Freeview channel before next years big-screen release. This isnt good news for everybody. If you prefer to pay a tenner each (or more) for two hours in a smelly auditorium, sitting on velveteen made greasy by 1,000 bums before yours, surrounded by the munch of popcorn and the dazzle of phone addicts checking social media, then youll have to wait for the cinema release. Crooked House is based on Agatha Christies most shocking murder mystery and is packed with deadly twists and turns that would stun even the unflappable Carson Otherwise, C5 offered the chance to enjoy a big-budget murder mystery on your own screen, for free, and no need to shell out a fiver for a cup of coffee. How civilised. In the era of the Beebs Saturday Night Cinema slot in the Seventies, TV stations lagged five years behind the local Odeon or Regal. Great fanfare was made when blockbusters such as The Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure finally arrived on TV. No longer. In the future, cinema will be good only for formulaic childrens fare that provides some excuse for a family outing a Disney animation, Star Wars, that sort of thing. The story of Crooked House is set just after the Second World War in a rambling English country mansion called The Gables Anything else worth watching will be commissioned by TV, whether thats terrestrial channels, satellite and cable outfits, or the streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon. Its curious this new era should be heralded by a movie so old-fashioned that the actors were probably paid in pounds, shillings and pence. Crooked House gave us Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson and Christina Hendricks, hamming it up to 11 as they evoked the melodramas of the Forties. The monstrous heroines were played by two terrific stars, Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, who made their names on the big screen in the Eighties The chaps, including Max Irons and Terence Stamp, tried nobly but, like all Dame Agathas best tales, this one was chiefly concerned with the wickedness of women. Writer Julian Fellowess tendency to shove pompous, verbose dialogue into his characters mouths suited this adaptation perfectly. It was the story of a posh-boy private investigator, hired by an ex-girlfriend to discover who had murdered an autocratic billionaire grandfather. Sensibly, theyve come to TV, because its the only medium for analysing this vitriolic relationship in the depth it deserves Everyone tried to upstage the rest with such ruthless flamboyance, its a wonder there were any survivors. But the coup de grace came in a car chase, with Miss Close chewing the steering wheel as the painted cardboard scenery flew by. What a Hitchcock villainess she would have made. PAINFUL LESSON OF THE DAY Julie Walters on Coastal Railways (C4) told how her teacher would slap her ears to punish forgotten words when she recited poetry. Ouch! Its probably not a technique used much today to learn lines. Advertisement Cinemas golden era was recreated and celebrated in Feud: Bette And Joan (BBC2), and how furious the ghost of Miss Joan Crawford will be that she still gets second billing to her nemesis, Miss Bette Davis, in the drama about the Hollywood divas infamous rivalry. The monstrous heroines were played by two terrific stars, Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, who made their names on the big screen in the Eighties. Sensibly, theyve come to TV, because its the only medium for analysing this vitriolic relationship in the depth it deserves. These grandes dames, Davis and Crawford, came together to star in the 1962 horror movie Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? Catherine Zeta-Jones and Kathy Bates played two more fading movie queens, Olivia de Havilland and Joan Blondell, telling the story to interviewers. This added to the overflowing star quota, but it gave the production a fussy, wordy complexity that sometimes dragged. Never mind the background, just cut to the catfights. Brexit negotiations are fraught enough without a bitter row over the way other EU countries unnecessarily kill dogs and bulls. But that is precisely what is happening. The controversy began when the Spectator magazine, bible of the Tory Party faithful, carried a two-page advert from Burnies Foundation, a charity that helps to alleviate animal suffering. Unlike most organisations concerned with animal welfare which believe Brussels-led legislation is the best guarantor of animals interests the foundation is passionately pro-Brexit. Under the heading: Roll on Brexit, the Spectator advert highlighted how, in Romania, thousands of stray dogs are killed inhumanely every year and how bullfighting is still tolerated in much of Spain. Although it conceded that the ban on fox-hunting remains largely unenforced in this country, the charity argued that our record on animal rights is better than that of other European nations and that, post-Brexit, well be free to improve animal welfare even more without being hindered by Brussels. It said: Brexit means the UK can set an example in standards of animal welfare that are long overdue in Europe. The charity wanted to place the same advert in The Economist the increasingly shrill Remoaner weekly magazine whose largest shareholder is Italys Agnelli family (founders of the Fiat car empire) and which perversely insists on calling itself a newspaper. But Economist bosses rejected the ad as overtly political. An annoyed Stuart Wheeler, the Ukip-supporting financier, wrote a letter to The Economist about the ban. That, too, was rejected. Presumably, it was too political! Hezza rests on his EU laurels Arch-Europhile Lord Heseltine gleefully welcomed the Governments Commons defeat last week, which was claimed to be a victory for democracy as it forced ministers to let MPs have a final say on Brexit. Ex-deputy PM Hezza isnt a great example of politicians using Westminster as a platform, having taken part in less than 3 per cent of votes in the Lords in the last year one of the worst records in the Upper House. As Greenwich council votes to bar Donald Trump from the borough during his UK trip next year, Wandsworth councils Tory leader takes a more diplomatic approach. Ravi Govindia is thrilled that the new U.S. embassy has been built in his borough and says he warmly welcomes the embassys staff and visitors. Diane Abbott has been at it again. Not utterly at sea over police numbers this time, but confused over basic science. Tweeting about the need, post-Grenfell, for sprinklers to be fitted to all tower blocks, she said: We know fire puts out water.' Campus cash-in More evidence of how our universities are wasting the multi-million-pound bonanza provided by annual student fees of up to 9,000. Just days after announcing the redundancies of 75 lecturers, Southampton University advertised for a chauffeur to provide a car service to university executives and visiting dignitaries. By the way, Southamptons vice- chancellor, the academic and engineer Sir Christopher Snowden, is on a salary of 423,000 almost three times more than the Prime Minister. Jeers, not cheers, for Jezza Jeered at a Jewish Labour Movement party last week, Jeremy Corbyn has denied he wants sanctions against Israel. Is this the same Jeremy Corbyn who, in 2015, was asked about the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel and answered: I think the boycott campaign, divestment campaign, is part and parcel of a legal process that has to be adopted. I believe that sanctions against Israel, because of its breach of the trade agreement, are the appropriate way of promoting [the] peace process? PS: At Glastonbury this summer, Corbyn boasted he would be PM by Christmas. Hes got seven days to fulfil that promise . . . Protesters have blocked the entrance to Melbourne's container port to take a stand against Australia's border policy. Activists climbed poles and strung banners bearing the words 'SOS Manus' on them across the road to the Appleton Dock on Monday morning. The display led to significant traffic delays, with no trucks able to enter or exit the port for several hours, Nine News reports. Scroll down for video Protesters have blocked the entrance to Melbourne's container port to take a stand against Australia's border policy Three people suspended themselves on light poles as part of the protest, blocking entries on the busy Footscray Road. 'Today, we are taking action against Australia's border policy which remains open to corporate profits, yet is violently closed to those seeking safety,' spokeswoman Charlotte Lynch said. 'We support the calls made by refugees and ex-detainees for international sanctions to be placed on Australia until the people on Manus are free. While fellow activist Sid Littlewood said: 'We refuse to remain complicit in the Australian government's torture and imprisonment of refugees.' Activists climbed poles and strung banners bearing the words 'SOS Manus' on them across the road to the Appleton Dock on Monday morning The display led to significant traffic delays (pictured), as trucks were able to enter or exit the port for several hours One banner strung across the road read: 'SOS Manus, All refugees in detention are political prisoners' 'This way we are sending a strong message to the government that something needs to change and the people of Manus need to be free,' a woman who went by the name Miranda said at the scene. Two of the protesters who blockaded the entries were charged after the stunt drew to a close. The women, aged 35 and 24, have been charged on summons with interfering with public transport. Victoria said the protest ended peacefully, with the area now clear and trucks re-entering the area. Protest organiser Miranda (pictured) said the group were hoping to send a 'strong message' to the government about freeing the people of Manus A Republican senator says he doesn't believe that anti-Trump text messages sent by an FBI agent formerly working on the special counsel's probe into Russia's election meddling taints the overall probe. Oklahoma GOP Senator James Lankford, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on CBS's 'Face the Nation' on Sunday that he doesn't believe the investigation is compromised by the texts sent in 2016. The texts - sent by then-senior counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok to Lisa Page, another FBI agent with whom he was having an affair - criticized President Trump and even mentioned an 'insurance policy' in case he was elected. Oklahoma GOP Senator James Lankford said on CBS's 'Face the Nation' on Sunday (pictured) that he doesn't believe Robert Mueller's Russian meddling probe is compromised by text messages critical of Trump sent by a senior FBI official who was working on the probe The texts - sent by then-senior counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok (left) to Lisa Page, another FBI agent with whom he was having an affair - criticized President Trump (right) and even mentioned an 'insurance policy' in case he was elected 'What they have to determine was he directing the investigation one way or the other while he was on the investigation, is that something they can repair and look and see if there's any bias,' Lankford said. 'Obviously I don't think it taints the entire process but certainly taints that season of it, something should look at with any political investigation that he was on. We want our FBI agents to be neutral to be non-political, not very actively engaged politically.' Some of the 375 messages exchanged between Strzok and Page included disparaging comments about then-candidate Trump, including messages calling the now-commander-in-chief an 'idiot'. Strzok was removed from the investigation in August after the messages were discovered. The agent had also worked on the FBI investigation into former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she served as Secretary of State under former president Barack Obama. Lankford admitted that Strzok had a 'strong bias' against Trump but that, while his work on the Mueller probe should be examined, he trusted Mueller to deal with it appropriately. The Senate Intelligence Committee is conducting its own probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Lankford said he believes that not only have Russians interfered in US politics but that they will continue to. Lankford (pictured) admitted that Strzok had a 'strong bias' against Trump but that, while his work on the Mueller probe should be examined, he trusted Mueller to deal with it appropriately Some of the 375 messages exchanged between Strzok and Page (left and right) included disparaging comments about then-candidate Trump, including messages calling him an 'idiot'. Strzok was removed from the investigation in August after the messages were discovered The senator's comments come on the heels of Trump saying on Sunday that he is not considering firing Mueller (pictured, June 2017) even as his administration as been forced to grapple with the probe for much of his initial year in office Many conservatives have tried to discredit special counsel Mueller's probe into Russia's election interference and any potential ties between Trump campaign members and Moscow. The senator's comments come on the heels of Trump saying on Sunday that he is not considering firing Mueller even as his administration has been forced to grapple with the probe for much of his initial year in office. Trump returned to the White House from Camp David and was asked if he was considering triggering the process to dismiss Mueller, who is investigating whether the president's Republican campaign coordinated with Russian officials during last year's election. The president answered: 'No, I'm not.' But Trump did add to the growing conservative criticism of Mueller's move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration, yielding attacks from transition lawyers and renewing chatter that Trump may act to end the investigation. 'It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that. My people were very upset about it,' Trump said. 'I can't imagine there's anything on them, frankly. Because, as we said, there's no collusion. There's no collusion whatsoever.' Lord Adonis has written to the head of the telecoms watchdog Ofcom Urgent action is required to tackle Britains deplorable mobile phone coverage, the chairman of the infrastructure commission has demanded. Large swathes of the country, particularly rural areas, may not be getting even the most basic services, Lord Adonis complains today. The mobile phone networks are developing a new high-speed 5G service, but many areas do not get 4G, which is needed for good access to the internet, or even a robust 3G signal, which is necessary to make calls. Lord Adonis has written to the head of the telecoms watchdog Ofcom, saying urgent steps are needed to boost the geographical reach of mobile coverage. Last week Ofcom revealed 4G is available from all four of the networks across only 43 per cent of the UKs landmass, while 30 per cent of the country does not receive a basic signal. Lord Adonis suggests radical measures such as allowing the public to roam on to whichever network has the best signal. Ofcom director Steve Unger said the body is taking steps to deal with poor coverage. He pointed to a recent Ofcom study which found the level of coverage offered by the four mobile networks EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three is worse than previously believed. He suggests radical measures such as allowing the public to roam on to whichever network has the best signal and coverage in an area. Other options include forcing networks to share their masts with rivals and releasing more radio frequencies to be used for mobile phone services. Last week, Ofcom published a study which revealed that 4G mobile services are only available from all four of the networks across 43per cent of the UKs landmass. Looking at more basic services for calls and text messaging, some 30 per cent of the UKs landmass does not receive a signal from all four operators. Just 40 per cent of the landmass in Scotland is covered by mobile telephone services from all operators. Lord Adonis said it is deplorable that large parts of the country are still not receiving the minimum signal needed simply to make a quick phone call. He argued that it demonstrated the need for urgent and radical action to ensure customers are not paying for services they do not receive Lord Adonis said: In an age when access to a mobile signal is regarded as a must-have, it is deplorable that even in areas previously considered to have strong coverage, operators are still delivering such poor services that customers can struggle to make a quick phone call. The situation is even worse than we thought. It demonstrates the need for urgent and radical action to tackle this issue immediately, ahead of new mobile spectrum being auctioned and 5G technology being rolled out. Thats why I want Ofcom as the industrys regulator to urgently take concerted action with Government to tackle this situation. They should put all possible options on the table including legal and regulatory changes - to ensure customers can be confident they are will get the service they deserve and pay for. Track Palin, 28 (pictured, September 2008), the oldest son of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, was arrested in Alaska on assault and burglary charges involving domestic violence The oldest son of former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin was arrested on assault and burglary charges in his home state of Alaska. Track Palin, 28, appeared in state court in Palmer, Alaska, on Sunday on felony burglary, misdemeanor reckless assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief for causing up to $500 in property damage, according to court records. The records indicated all the charges involved domestic violence, the second time in two years he's been arrested on such a charge. It is not clear whether he entered a plea to the charges. A representative for Sarah Palin could not immediately be reached. Court records did not indicate whether an attorney had been appointed for Track, and Reuters was unable to reach an attorney who has represented him in the past. After his arrest on Saturday, he remained in custody at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility in Palmer on Sunday afternoon, Megan Edge, a spokeswoman for the Alaska Department of Corrections, said by phone. In 2016, Track faced several charges related to domestic violence, including using a weapon while intoxicated, court records show. He was suspected of punching his girlfriend, who then became concerned that he was going to shoot himself with a rifle, according to court records. The case was resolved in a special veterans' court, with a conviction on a misconduct charge. His girlfriend later filed for custody of their child, and in January she requested a protective order against Track. Track Palin, 28, is pictured with his young daughter in June 2014. His girlfriend filed for custody of their child, and in January she requested a protective order against Track In 2016, Track (pictured, left, with sister Willow and brother Trig in September 2008) faced several charges related to domestic violence, including using a weapon while intoxicated. He was suspected of punching and kneeing his girlfriend, who then became concerned that he was going to shoot himself with a rifle During a January 2016 rally in support of then-candidate Donald Trump, Sarah Palin (pictured, far left, with Track second from the left, September 2008) suggested Track's problems stemmed from post-traumatic stress disorder he developed after a military deployment in Iraq His involvement in a booze-fueled brawl at a family gathering in 2014 also drew wide attention. Authorities did not file criminal charges in the incident. Sarah Palin, a former Alaska governor, rose to national prominence after being selected as US Senator John McCain's running mate in his failed 2008 presidential bid against Democrat Barack Obama. During a January 2016 rally in support of then-candidate Donald Trump, she suggested Track's problems stemmed from post-traumatic stress disorder he developed after a military deployment in Iraq. 'My son, like so many others, they come back a bit different, they come back hardened, they come back wondering if there is that respect for what it is that their fellow soldiers and airmen every other member of the military so sacrificially have given to this country,' she said at the time after alluding to the arrest. The devastated grandfather of a 14-year-old girl who died after she was swept out to sea says she was an angel taken from the world too soon. Terry Lewtas wept as he paid tribute to his beloved granddaughter Georgia six days after she was pulled from the water off Tasmania's north coast. 'She was an angel, the light of our lives, we are shattered. She only had her 14th birthday last month,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Georgia Lewtas, 14, died six days after she was swept out to sea off a Tasmanian beach Her devastated grandfather Terry wept as he paid tribute to the 'light of his life' the day after her death in hospital 'This whole house is full of photos and memories, everywhere we go I can see her. 'We're all in a bad way right now. We're going through all the emotions, anger, frustration, anguish, but most of all heartache.' The fledgling model and talented dancer was pronounced dead in Royal Hobart Hospital on Sunday after spending almost a week in a coma. Georgia was swimming at Devonport's Mersey Bluff Beach last Monday afternoon with her friend Ava, 15, when the pair got into trouble. Two bystanders jumped into the ocean and hauled her to shore after finding her floating face down in the water. Emergency services rushed the teenager to Mersey Community Hospital in a critical condition and later transferred her to Hobart. The fledgling model and talented dancer was pronounced dead in Royal Hobart Hospital on Sunday after spending almost a week in a coma Georgia looking out over Bass Strait from the same bluff where she would lose her life months later Mr Lewtas, his wife Nancy and Georgia's parents Chris and Lyn waited anxiously by her bedside hoping she would awake from her coma. 'We were hoping for a miracle which didn't transpire,' Mr Lewtas said. 'She'd been starved of oxygen for too long and everything was gone, the specialists explained to us she'd lost everything. 'It was only her will that kept her going for that time, she looked like she was just sleeping.' Georgia referred to herself and a model and dancer on her social media, and regularly posted videos of herself practicing ballerina moves. Mr Lewtas said she completed her dance exams with honours the week before and was signed to a modelling agency in Launceston with an upcoming shoot for a local paper. 'She was a beautiful girl, so talented,' he said. Georgia was swimming at Devonport's Mersey Bluff Beach last Monday afternoon with her friend Ava, 15, when the pair got into trouble Two bystanders jumped into the ocean and hauled her to shore after finding her floating face down in the water Ava managed to reach the coast before emergency services arrived and treated her for shock and minor abrasions. The 15-year-old on Sunday night paid her own tribute to her close friend beside an Instagram photo of the two of them. Emergency services rushed the teenager to Mersey Community Hospital in a critical condition and later transferred her to Hobart 'You were my best friend. Words cant describe how you have left a mark on me, you will forever have a place in my heart,' she wrote. 'I want you to know that I love you and I hope youre safe up there. Rest easy gorgeous.' Two bystanders rushed into the surf after witnessing the teens' struggle with police claiming their heroic actions could have been the difference between life and death. Police officers and the Devonport Surf Club then joined forces and deployed their rescue boat to pull the teenager out. One of the bystanders was Anthony King, 37, who was the first to reach Georgia and held on to her until help arrived. The father-of-three tried to resuscitate her in the water but was barely able to keep them both afloat in the rough swell. His colleague from Tasmania's Department of Premier and Cabinet himself needed rescuing when he was washed up against rocks on the bluff after diving in alongside Mr King. Mr Lewtas said Mr King was a hero and should be decorated for putting his life on the line trying to save Georgia. 'He was marvelous, if they have awards for things like this he deserves one,' he said. Mr Lewtas, his wife Nancy and Georgia's parents Chris and Lyn waited anxiously by her bedside hoping she would awake from her coma In a statement, Inspector Stuart Wilkinson thanked the heroes of the day. 'The gratitude of our community should go to the two men who bravely entered the water without hesitation and potentially saved this young girl's life'. After being rescued, Georgia was treated by Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Police members on the beach for some time before she was rushed to hospital. 'Georgia's family would like to thank the efforts of Tasmania Police, Surf Life Saving Australia and Ambulance Tasmania,' Inspector Wilkinson said on Monday. 'The family have expressed their appreciation for the assistance provided by the staff at the Mersey Community Hospital and the Royal Hobart Hospital. A 14-year-old girl has died six days after being swept out to sea from a Tasmanian beach despite the brave actions of two bystanders who jumped in to save her The teenager was pulled from the water off Devonport's Mersey Bluff Beach (pictured) in Tasmania's north coast after she and a friend got into trouble last Monday afternoon 'They have thanked the good Samaritans that went to the aid of Georgia when she was in the water.' 'Changing weather conditions pose a risk to all water users and swimmers in Tasmanian waters', reminded Inspector Wilkinson after the incident. Acknowledging the work done by rescuers, he then asked the community to be careful. 'We urge all people to take caution when swimming in open waters and be mindful of currents, winds and to be aware of the often quickly changing conditions which may lead to tragic events such as this.' Police are seeking any witnesses to the incident and request that they contact the Devonport Police Station on 64784011 or the police assistance line on 131444. Ted Cruz has gotten into a public feud with Star Wars actor Mark Hamill over 'net neutrality'. On Sunday, the Republican senator from Texas traded barbs on Twitter with Hamill, who has been outspoken in opposition to the FCC decision rolling back regulations on internet service providers. 'Fear is the path to the dark sidefear leads to angeranger leads to hate,' Cruz lectured Hamill, referencing Yoda's classic advice in The Phantom Menace. The feud started with Hamill's rebuke of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, over a strange video Pai released touting all of the things consumers could still do on the internet following the repeal of so-called net neutrality. 'You can still stay part of your favorite fandom,' said Pai in the video as he wielded a purple lightsaber, with the theme music from Star Wars playing in the background. 'Cute video Ajit "Aren't I Precious?" Pai,' Hamill responded on Twitter, 'but you are profoundly unworthy 2 wield a lightsaber-A Jedi acts selflessly for the common man-NOT lie 2 enrich giant corporations. Btw-did you pay [Star Wars composer] John Williams his royalty?' Ted Cruz (left) got into a feud with Star Wars actor Mark Hamill (right) over 'net neutrality' The feud started with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's appearance in a strange video (pictured). Pai promoted the rollback of 'net neutrality' while wielding a purple lightsaber Hamill responded, asking if Pai had paid royalties for using the theme music from Star Wars Cruz jumped into the fray, addressing Hamill as 'Luke' and urging him to 'reject the dark side' Not one to sit on the sidelines, Cruz leaped to Pai's defense, tweeting: 'Luke, I know Hollywood can be confusing, but it was Vader who supported govt power over everything said & done on the Internet.' 'That's why giant corps (Google, Facebook, Netflix) supported the FCC power grab of net neutrality. Reject the dark side: Free the net!' Cruz continued. 'Thanks for smarm-spaining it to me,' Hamill shot back. 'I know politics can be confusing, but you'd have more credibility if you spelled my name correctly. I mean IT'S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU!' 'Maybe you're just distracted from watching porn at the office again,' he continued, in reference to a September incident in which Cruz's Twitter account liked a tweet featuring hardcore pornography. (Cruz has said a staffer liked the tweet in error.) The actor (left) and the senator (right) matched wits over the 'net neutrality' debate Hamill shot back, referencing a September incident in which Cruz's Twitter account liked a tweet featuring hardcore pornography. (Cruz has said a staffer liked the tweet in error) Cruz's clap back referenced the classic Star Wars line that 'Fear is the path to the dark side' Cruz clapped back: 'Yes, that's it. So sorry to misspell your name. Respond not with facts, but with anger. Who was it that said, "Fear is the path to the dark sidefear leads to angeranger leads to hate"' 'Rather than insults, try civil discussion of facts,' Cruz continued. 'Fact 1: until 2015, the FCC had NO authority over Internet. The Net grew free & unregulated. Fact 2: W/ "net neutrality" the FCC declared power to regulate everything said & done on Internet. That's really bad for freedom.' 'Net neutrality' was a set of regulations imposed in 2015 that classified internet service providers as common carriers, forbidding them from charging higher rates for preferential access to 'high speed' data lanes. Content providers cheered the regulations. But service providers said that it hamstrung their businesses, allowing companies like Google and Netflix to consume huge amounts of bandwidth without compensating the network providers. It is a tiny coastal village, with little more than 1,000 residents. But Aberporth on the west coast of Wales has charged to the forefront of the battle to halt Britains excessive plastic use. Dismayed at the sight of endless carrier bags, bottles and coffee cups that have washed up on its picturesque beaches, villagers have set up a plastic- free committee and have vowed to turn back the tide. Its village pub, The Ship Inn, has been persuaded to stop using plastic straws, and the local shop has agreed to go back to selling milk in glass bottles rather than plastic ones. The Plastic Free Aberporth campaign has been spearheaded by Gail Tudor and Gilly Llewelyn, who hope that other businesses will follow the pub, the shop and the primary school in signing up. Picturesque: The stunning beaches in Aberporth are often blighted by the plastic rubbish washed up from the Irish Sea It comes after the Daily Mail launched its Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign to reduce the damage being done to the British coastline and wildlife, and to the worlds oceans. Mrs Tudor, 55, said: We are not going to get rid of plastic altogether it does have some uses but what we are looking to do is get rid of single-use plastic such as straws and coffee cups. This is about individuals looking at their lives to see what they can change, and then businesses and the local community and government seeing what can be done at that level. The film-maker founded the movement after a ten-day trip trawling for plastic along the British coastline. She told The Times: I live by the sea and I want to protect the sea and keep it clean and protect the wildlife. It was obvious to see how much plastic was in the sea and on the beaches, and when this breaks down into microfibres it can get into our food chain. Oliver Box, 42, of The Ship Inn, said using paper straws instead of plastic ones would cost ten times as much, but the pub had put a jar on the bar for customers to contribute to the cause. He added: We need the financial support of the local community to support the campaign to banish plastic from the village. The Plastic Free Aberporth campaign has been spearheaded by Gail Tudor (pictured) and Gilly Llewelyn The publican added that he was appalled by the amount of waste on coastal paths in Cardigan Bay, especially during the summer, when the population increases fivefold. He takes his children Finley, ten, and Florence, six, along the bay to pick up rubbish, and believes the campaign has already made a huge impact. The number of people I see walking the beach with binliners, picking up plastic rubbish from the sea, has really increased, he said. The campaign can only be a good thing if it gets people thinking about their environment. Mike Allen, 49, owner of London House stores, has begun to sell milk in glass bottles despite the extra 25p cost. I am proud of what we are doing I am proud of what we are doing, he said. This will put our name on the environmental map. However, not everyone in the village believes the scheme can have much of an impact. Fisherman Gary Matthewson, 46, sad: Its like putting a sticking plaster on a bleeding jugular vein. Its hopeless. I have seen the harm that plastic does in the seas and the amount of it clogging up lobster and prawn pots. Theresa May will this week decide whether to sack Damian Green following claims he touched a young activists knee and watched pornography on his Commons computer. Downing Street aides expect the Cabinet Office inquiry into the First Secretary of State to report back before Parliament rises on Thursday. The Prime Minister will then decide whether to allow Mr Green to remain in his post as her de facto deputy. Mr Green has been under investigation for six weeks over disputed claims that he made unwanted advances towards Tory activist Kate Maltby, who is 30 years his junior. Downing Street aides expect the Cabinet Office inquiry into the First Secretary of State Damian Green to report back before Parliament rises on Thursday On November 4, Mr Green issued a statement which said: 'This story is completely untrue and comes from a tainted and untrustworthy source. 'The police have never suggested to me that improper material was found on my Parliamentary computer, nor did I have a "private" computer as has been claimed. 'The allegations about the material and computer, now nine years old, are false, disreputable smears.' It was suggested that Mr Green is likely to be cleared because the alleged incidents did not take place while he was a minister ruling out a possibility that he breached ministerial code. Sue Gray, director of ethics and propriety at the Cabinet Office, has questioned him over allegations that police found pornography on his computer during a 2008 raid on his office. The Prime Minister, pictured with her husband Philip on Saturday, will then decide whether to allow Mr Green remain in his post as her de facto deputy The Prime Minister is also expected to make a decision on the fate of international trade minister Mark Garnier, who was accused by a former secretary of instructing her to buy sex toys. Mrs May is also expected to make a decision on the fate of international trade minister Mark Garnier, who was accused by a former secretary of instructing her to buy sex toys. A spokesman for the First Secretary of State told The Daily Telegraph: 'It would be inappropriate for Mr Green to comment on these allegations while the Cabinet Office investigation is ongoing; however, from the outset he has been very clear that he never watched or downloaded pornography on the computers seized from his office. 'He maintains his innocence of these charges and awaits the outcome of the investigation.' One of two women killed when a timber balcony collapsed at a Christmas party has been remembered as 'mother hen of the group', as the efforts of a hero witness who saved countless more lives are revealed. Cheryl Taylor, 59, died when a balcony at a home in Doncaster, in Melbourne's north-east, gave way under the weight of more than 30 partygoers late on Saturday night. Ms Taylor and a 37-year-old woman, both managers at Tupperware, died as the deck at the home of Eve and Chris Nunn collapsed, while 17 other people were injured. Paying tribute to her mother on Sunday night, Ms Taylor's daughter posted a photo of them to Facebook, captioning it: 'There is a light and it never goes out.' And a shocked partygoer told Daily Mail Australia how if it wasn't for the efforts of her brave husband, a fridge would have fallen on top of those trapped below and almost certainly led to more deaths. Scroll down for video Cheryl Taylor (right) was killed when a balcony collapsed at a home in Melbourne during the Christmas party for Tupperware. In a tribute her daughter (left) posted this photo to Facebook Ms Taylor was remembered as the 'mother hen of the group' by her distraught colleagues and friends Leisa Willson, who took a haunting selfie on the same deck at the Tupperware party only 12 months earlier, said when the balcony gave way a large fridge began sliding towards the gaping hole. 'Eve (Nunn) had just done her speech and given out some beautiful gifts when I said to her: "Shall we get a group photo again before everyone leaves?",' Ms Willson said. 'I'd literally just said that and we were all getting up and I handed my seven-week-old son to one of my girlfriends when crash, and it all just fell through. 'This fridge began rolling down towards the hole. My husband just kind of went into survival mode I guess, and Matt stopped it (the fridge) and he held it up on the deck. 'There was probably 20 people down there and it would've crushed all of them... no doubt there would have been more casualties.' Ms Willson said many of her colleagues and friends who made it out alive had called her husband a hero, but that the title didn't sit comfortably with him. 'A lot of people are saying they owe their lives to him, but he doesn't want to hear it - he just wishes he could've saved the girls lives,' she said. Leisa Willson (left) who was at the party, says if it wasn't for the brave actions of her husband Matt (right) to stop a fridge from falling into the hole were up to 20 people lay trapped the death toll from the incident would have risen A group selfie (pictured) taken by Ms Willson at last year's Christmas party on the very same balcony is a haunting portrait of the doomed party-goers Chris and Eve Nunn (pictured) were hosting the party at their home for 30 guests when their wooden balcony caved in In a statement, the president of Tupperware Australia and New Zealand said their 'thoughts and prayers' were with those involved in the accident. 'We have learned of the tragic accident involving valued members of our independent sales force,' the statement from Daisy Chin-Lor read. 'We want to express our deepest condolences to the families who have lost a loved one. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with them and with the others affected and their families. We continue to offer our support and comfort as we learn more details of the accident.' Friends of Mr and Mrs Nunn say the couple are a popular and 'friendly' couple who regularly hosted gatherings at their rented home. Among the guests were Chris and Eve's employees from their Tupperware business. A group selfie image taken at last year's Christmas party on the very same balcony is a haunting portrait of the doomed party-goers. The Tupperware bosses (pictured) have been described as a 'friendly' couple who regularly host gatherings at their rented Melbourne home The Doncaster East home is pictured before the tragic incident which killed two women It is believed the group of revellers were attempting to take a group selfie when the balcony caved in, sending guests tumbling into the ground below Neighbour Andrew Stone described the tragedy as 'biblical'. 'The sound of it was like nothing I've heard before, and then of course followed by the screaming,' he told Seven News. Mr Stone added that the screams were so loud, he initially thought it was a brawl. 'People were walking around with blood on them, crying, it was devastating really,' he said. Ambulance Victoria said it was forced to activate its major emergency response plan to appropriately deal with the incident, turning the entire suburban street into a makeshift emergency room. There were 17 people rushed to hospital with varying injuries, and 12 more treated at the scene. Ambulance Victoria said 10 women and seven men aged between 20 and 69-years-old sustained soft tissue injuries, fractures and lacerations and were transported to Box Hill, Austin and Maroondah hospitals. Victoria Police are seen outside the Doncaster East home in Melbourne on Sunday morning Two Tupperware vehicles are seen parked outside the home the morning after the balcony collapse Two women are dead and 17 people have been injured after a balcony collapsed during a Christmas party in Melbourne (pictured) Saturday night 'This is a very tragic incident for those involved and our thoughts are with them and their loved ones at this time,' State Health Commander Paul Holman said. Photos show dozens of emergency service vehicles lining the streets of the residential area with people flooding on to the road. Heavy furniture including a barbecue and fridge were on the balcony when it collapsed. Acting Superintendent Kerin Moloney said the tragedy of the collapse was 'magnified' because it was so close to Christmas. Victoria Police said they believe more than 30 people were standing on the timber balcony when it collapsed One, who is yet to be identified, died at the scene (pictured) while the other died in hospital A distressed appearing woman is on the phone surrounded by emergency services He said the incident was so horrific personnel who attended the scene were offered counselling. 'It was a really tragic incident for all emergency services who have attended and also those who were present at the party,' he said. 'All the police that have attended have been offered peer support and also the SES and ambulance officers.' Police continue to investigate and a report will be prepared for the coroner. Photos show dozens of emergency service vehicles lining the streets of the residential area with people flooding to the road Several people were also trapped after the balcony collapsed at about 10.30pm in Doncaster East (pictured), about 22 kilometres east of Melbourne Police believe more than 30 people were standing on the balcony of the home when it collapsed about 10.30pm yesterday, in Balinga Court, Doncaster East Residents speak to emergency service workers outside the home after the balcony collapse Police are seen taking a statement from a man outside the home in the late hours of Saturday night Police officers take statements following the tragedy which has left two people dead Bondi Beach's former resident veterinarian has moved on from his iconic coastal digs and snapped up a prime piece of real estate in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Dr Chris Brown has officially left his Bondi ties behind, having departed his staring role on Network Ten's Bondi Vet and sold his $4.5million Bondi abode. Having claimed a new wave of popularity for his co-hosting roles on The Living Room and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, the sea-change could signal the start of a new chapter for the hunky vet. Australia's favourite vet, Dr Chris Brown (pictured), has purchased new beach-side digs outside of Bondi, in Sydney's eastern suburb of Clovelly for $5.8million The giant 750 sq m block has direct beach access, a multi-level back yard (pictured) with ample space for entertaining plus a 100 sq m deck complete with a wet bar and shower Dr Brown's new digs, in the beach-side suburb of Clovelly, set him back $5.8million, and from all reports - it's worth every penny. The giant 750 sq m block has direct beach access, a multi-level back yard with ample space for entertaining, plus a 100 sq m deck complete with a wet bar and outdoor shower. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home is set amongst big shady trees and features lavish timber flooring, and a white colour scheme, throughout. Inside there is a video intercom system, a granite gas kitchen, and luxurious European appliances. Dr Brown has officially left his Bondi ties behind, having departed his staring role on Network Ten's Bondi Vet and sold his $4.5million Bondi abode The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home is set amongst big shady trees and features lavish timber flooring, and a white colour scheme, throughout Inside there is a video intercom system, a granite gas kitchen, and luxurious European appliances Dr Brown more than doubled his return on his Bondi investment, after purchasing the property for $1.92 million in 2010. The stunning home had a bathroom for each of its three-bedrooms, as well as enough garage space for two cars to park. Renovations on the home were completed in early 2016, giving the property a contemporary interior design. The kitchen featured a sleek and simple design with a giant granite island, white built-in cupboards and rustic hanging light fixtures. Dr Brown more than doubled his return on his Bondi investment, after purchasing the property for $1.92 million in 2010 He seems to take a liking to wooden floorboards and white walls, with both his previous and current home sharing similar colour schemes He seems to take a liking to wooden floorboards and white walls, with both his previous and current home sharing similar colour schemes. Both also feature extensive outdoor areas with abundant space for relaxing and entertaining. Goodyer Real Estate agents Amanda Balding and Pauline Goodyer sold the his transformed Bondi home in just 16 days. It's understood Dr Brown's girlfriend Kendall Bora, who he's been dating for nearly two years, was not a joint buyer. Goodyer Real Estate agents Amanda Balding and Pauline Goodyer sold the his transformed Bondi home in just 16 days A new study has found that ambulance rides are decreasing, likely because some patients are taking Uber cars instead. Ambulance rides by population decreased an average of 7 per cent in cities when Uber's service was introduced, according to a study co-authored by University of Kansas economist David Slusky. The study suggests that patients who are too sick to drive but not in a serious enough condition to need an ambulance are using the ride service instead. 'Many patients don't need something that can break traffic laws and don't need something staffed by paramedics with a bunch of fancy equipment,' Slusky said in a statement. 'You don't need a neurosurgeon to diagnose strep throat.' A new study has found that ambulance rides are decreasing, likely because some patients are taking Uber cars instead (file photo) Ambulance rides can cost patients or their insurance companies thousands of dollars, and the study authors suggest that Uber could be a cheaper alternative. 'In order to lower health care spending while improving health outcomes, people can use the least-skilled professional who is still qualified,' said Slusky. To carry out the study, Slusky and his co-author Leon Moskatel, of the Department of Medicine at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, examined ambulance rates in 766 US cities across 43 states. The academics examined the change in ambulance ride volume as Uber entered those markets from 2013 through 2015, finding and average decline of 7 per cent. The study suggests that patients who are too sick to drive but not in a serious enough condition to need an ambulance are using the ride service instead (file photo) An alternate explanation for the decline could be an overall reduction in the need for hospital visits due to a decline in drunk driving crashes, said Slusky. However, he said the evidence is still too mixed to believe that less drunken driving is the primary reason for the decline. The researchers also theorized that the use of Uber in less serious cases could reduce overall wait times for ambulances by freeing them up for those in truly dire need. 'Given that even a reduction of a few minutes can drastically improve survival rates for serious conditions, this could be associated with a substantial welfare improvement,' the researchers said in the paper. Newly-arrived migrants will have to wait longer before receiving a range of welfare payments under a hardline new approach expected to save $1.3 billion. It will be three years before migrants can receive Newstart or family tax benefits, paid parental leave or carer allowances. The push to 'encourage self-sufficiency' among new migrants was one of the headline savings measures announced by Treasurer Scott Morrison in a mid-year budget outlook on Monday. Treasurer Scott Morrison and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann announced the new measures while handing down the MYEFO (Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook) on Monday Social Services Minister Christian Porter suspects many people would be surprised to learn migrants could access some family and parental payments immediately after arriving in Australia. 'Australians' expectation of newly-arrived migrants is that they contribute socially and economically for a reasonable period before having access to our nation's generous welfare system,' Mr Porter said. Vulnerable people as well as New Zealanders who enter the country under a special visa stream will be granted exemptions. The changes will require legislation and are due to take effect in July 2018. Roughly 50,000 families and 30,000 others receiving Centrelink benefits are expected to be stung by the time the scheme is fully implemented in 2020-21. The Turnbull government also expects to save about $1 billion over the forward estimates by cracking down harder on family daycare payments. The tough new rules - due to take effect in July 2018 - were announced by Treasurer Scott Morrison (left and right) on Monday morning But the government will walk away from a raft of welfare savings measures it has failed to get through the parliament, at a cost of $581 billion. Money remains allocated for a controversial plan to drug test welfare recipients, despite the trials being put on ice. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the divisive drug testing regime was still coalition policy. 'We remain committed to it and we continue to work with all non-government senators in order to a secure majority (support) for what is a very, very important welfare reform measure,' he told reporters in Canberra. Murray was sentenced to 7 years in prison, but will be eligible for parole in 2019 The child was rushed to hospital but his family later switched off his life support Adrian Murray, 25, was intoxicated and speeding when he hit 9-year-old Josiah A drunk driver who ran over and killed a nine-year-old boy while distracted by Christmas lights has been jailed for seven years - but could be out in just two. Adrian Murray, 25, was intoxicated and travelling at high speed through the Brisbane suburb of Springwood when he hit Josiah Sisson on 25 December 2016. The boy's life support was switched off two days later. 'Our family has lost the joy of Christmas forever,' said Josiah's mother Bonny Sisson in court during the emotional victim impact statement readings. Josiah Sisson, 9, was struck by a drunk driver last Christmas Day while looking at festive lights Aiden Murray, 25, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for the death of Josiah Sisson The Sisson family was out admiring Christmas lights in Springwood when Josiah was struck Police allege Murray was three-times over the limit when he careered off the road and hit Josiah before smashing through a hedge, collecting a water tank and crashing into a house Murray was reportedly distracted by Christmas lights when he hit the child, and was charged with with dangerous driving causing death while affected by an intoxicating substance, and drink-driving. Police told ABC that he took a corner too quickly and lost control of his dual cab truck, hitting a parked car and then Josiah before crashing into a house. Witnesses at the scene of the incident said Josiah's mother, broke down over the body of her son in the street as neighbours rushed to perform CPR until paramedics arrived. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition, before his family made the decision to turn off life support on December 27. Josiah was 9 years old when he was run over by Murray, who was speeding while intoxicated Murray and Josiah's father, Karl Sisson, shared an emotional hug at a church service for Josiah Josiah Sisson's father Karl (facing away) and Adrian Murray are seen hugging in church in 2016 However, Josiah's parents say they have forgiven Murray, with father Karl Sisson embracing him at the end of a church remembrance service for the young boy held last year. Josiah is remembered as a 'bold, playful, fearless and cheeky' boy who was already ready with a cuddle and loved to make people laugh. 'He was a peacemaker and didn't let anything in the world take away his smile, who would look at a situation and always be optimistic, regardless how it seemed,' family friend Phil Ouma remembers. Adrian Murray (pictured centre) first fronted court in February over the death of Josiah Sisson Josiah was out looking at Christmas lights when he was struck by the car driven by Murray Josiah is remembered as being 'bold, playful, fearless, cheeky' and liked to make people laugh Josiah's coffin sat at the front of the church adorned with flowers and a recent photograph The family's friend and pastor, Peter Field, said that while Josiah's parents had extended an offer of forgiveness, they were still struggling with their son's loss. 'We all like to talk about philosophical things but when you really are faced with that in reality, I think it is extremely powerful and extremely challenging,' he said of the family's healing process and extraordinary decision to forgive Murray. 'This has definitely been a test of what we preach and what we believe...This is going to take some time.' Mrs Sisson breaks down as she talks to family and friends gathered at the funeral of her son The heartbroken mother (left) and father (right, back) of Josiah Sisson, who was killed by a drunk driver on Christmas Day, are comforted by a friend as they enter their son's funeral Karl Sisson (front left) and his eldest son (front right) carry Josiah's coffin from the church Pastor Field was at the Potter's House Christian Church service with the family when Murray spotted Mr Sisson. 'He collapsed into Karl's arms and [Mr Sisson] was brave enough and manly enough to catch him and treat him courteously,' Mr Field said. 'As you could imagine, it was a very emotional time for everyone there...[but Josiah's family] believe in the power of forgiveness, as Christmas is about Jesus Christ being born and coming into the world to bring forgiveness.' The families who lost their children in the Sandy Hook mass shooting are furious after Donald Trump hosted an NRA top exec at the White House on the massacre's fifth anniversary. Nicole Hockley's son Dylan, 6, was among the 20 children and six members of staff killed in December 2012, when Adam Lanza opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut. Hockley later became one of the founding members of the Sandy Hook Promise, a group advocating for gun control and mental health programs 'so that no other parent experiences the senseless, horrific loss of their child.' Nicole Hockley's son Dylan, 6, was among the 20 children and six members of staff killed in December 2012, when Adam Lanza opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut So she and the other victims' families were outraged when Trump chose to mark the fifth anniversary of the senseless tragedy, by inviting the National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre to the White House Christmas party on December 14. 'December 14th marked five years since my six-year-old son, Dylan, was murdered in his first grade classroom alongside 19 of his classmates and 6 educators,' Nicole Hockley wrote in a lengthy Facebook post on Sunday. 'Not only did [Trump] ignore the 5-year remembrance completely not even a single tweet he slapped us all in the face by having none other than NRA President Wayne LaPierre at his White House Christmas party that night. 'The appalling lack of humanity and decency has not gone unnoticed.' She continued: 'While they ignorantly partied and remained uninformed on an issue that kills thousands of Americans every year, I was crying myself to sleep. While they got the chance to kiss their children goodnight, I kissed the urn holding my beautiful boy's ashes.' On Thursday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (left) posted a photo of himself, posing with Wayne LaPierre (rigth) at the holiday party, on Facebook Trump (pictured at an event on Saturday) and the NRA have a good relationship and he spoke at their annual meeting earlier this year 'I would request an apology. But I'm not sure there are any hearts in the White House that would understand why an apology is the least they could do.' In the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, there calls from politicians all over the country, and President Barack Obama himself, for increased gun control in the US. But LaPierre was one of the most vocal opponents, suggesting that school staff should arm themselves instead, famously saying: 'The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.' His comments were met with dismay from the victims' families who have become strong advocates for gun control. Hockley told Yahoo News earlier this month that she was deeply frustrated with the gun lobby's outright refusal to discuss gun control despite the countless mass shootings that occur in the US every year. 'It is frustrating that it constantly becomes a fight, with people retreating to their corners and not willing to listen to each other,' Hockley said. Hockley later became one of the founding members of the Sandy Hook Promise, a group advocating for gun controls and mental health programs to 'so that no other parent experiences the senseless, horrific loss of their child' Her son Dylan was killed in one of the worst school shootings in US history 'I think we can all agree we just want to be safe, and we want to keep our kids safe, and be able to have them go to school during the day and then come home at night. Isn't that something that every parent wants? That's not about politics. That's about protection. That's about prevention. That's where we need to be having this conversation.' 'Whenever anyone says it's too soon to talk about gun violence, they're wrong. It's too late. It's too late for us.' On Thursday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick posted a photo of himself, posing with LaPierre at the holiday party, on Facebook. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the New York Daily News she wasn't sure if LaPierre and Trump spoke at the event. However, Trump and the NRA have a good relationship and he spoke at their annual meeting earlier this year. 'Only one candidate in the general election came to speak to you, and that candidate is now the president of the United States, standing before you,' he said at the conference in April. 'You came through for me, and I am going to come through for you.' The gun lobby group had officially endorsed Trump for president in 2016. Street artist Mark Panzarino, prepares a memorial as he writes the names of the Sandy Hook Elementary School victims during the six-month anniversary of the massacre, at Union Square in New York on June 14, 2013 Twenty-seven wooden angel figures are seen placed in a wooded area beside a road near the Sandy Hook Elementary School for the victims of the shooting, including Lanza Hockley is one of my grieving parents who have sought ways to find meaning in advocacy. Many relatives of the 26 children and educators killed five years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School dedicated themselves to charity, activism and other efforts to channel their grief and, in many cases, to help prevent violence. 'You have two choices,' said Rebecca Kowalski, whose 7-year-old son, Chase, died in Newtown. 'I could be in the bottom of a bottle; I could not get out of my bed. Or, I could do what's making us heal a little bit every day. Some organizations, like the Kowalski's youth triathlon program, honor the passions of the children who were lost on December 14, 2012. Others have jumped into the policy fray to lobby for gun control or improved mental health care. In some cases, they have traveled the country, and even the world, as recognized experts in their fields, such as Jeremy Richman, a scientist whose Avielle Foundation for the study of brain health is named for his slain daughter. Sandy Hook Promise, one of the best-known organizations to form in the shooting's aftermath, was co-founded by several Newtown families, including the parents of first-grade victims Hockley and Daniel Barden. The group lobbied for mental health care changes and gun control legislation in the months after the shooting, successfully advocating for state laws limiting sales of some guns in states such as Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois and New Jersey. This handout crime scene evidence photo provided by the Connecticut State Police shows damage done to the front entrance at Sandy Hook Elementary School following the shooting Pictured is Adam Lanza, who entered Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, and shot dead 20 children and six adults before turning the gun on himself The group also was heavily involved in a failed effort in 2013 to get a federal law banning some semi-automatic weapons and expanding criminal and mental background checks for gun purchases. The group says it had 17 families from Sandy Hook who lobbied 49 senators over seven days. Sandy Hook Promise then switched its focus from legislation to community-based prevention programs, education and public service campaigns designed to change 'gun violence acceptance attitudes and behaviors,' said Hockley. Among other things, the organization teaches people to recognize those who exhibit warning signs such as a bullying victim who has a fascination with firearms, has threatened to hurt themselves or others, has access to guns and has become disinterested in school. They point to events such as one in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2015 where a counselor trained by the organization was able to identify a threat to a middle school that resulted in the arrest of a student who had told others he was planning to bomb the school and had recruited others to help shoot children. 'We absolutely know it's making a difference because we've trained over 2million children and adults in the last 2 1/2 years,' Hockley said. The group last week launched its latest public service announcement, depicting a newscast covering a school shooting the day before it actually takes place to illustrate how knowing warning signs can prevent such tragedies. Disturbing video of four Texas police officers appearing to punch and taze a suspect in handcuffs has gone viral (Pictured: Jason Donald) Disturbing video of four Texas police officers appearing to punch and taze a suspect in handcuffs is garnering a massive amount of attention online. The footage shows the officers, one wearing a 'Naughty' black Santa hat and three others wearing black face masks, outside an Austin convenient store shortly after arresting Jason Donald on Tuesday night. Video of the arrest, captured by Austin local Mo Anderson, shows the officer in the Christmas cap exchange words with Donald near the entrance of the store. The cops then lead the suspect around the side of the building, with loud shouting and pleas for help being heard moments later. As the camera wraps around the corner, Donald is shown being forced to the ground as one of the masked officers repeatedly punches him in the head. Another masked officer then fires a Taser into Donald, who appears to remain handcuffed throughout the violent episode. The footage shows the officers, one wearing a 'Naughty' black Santa hat and three others wearing black face masks, outside an Austin convenient store shortly after arresting Donald The cops then lead the suspect around the side of the building, with loud shouting and pleas for help being heard moments later As the camera wraps around the corner, Donald is shown being forced to the ground as one of the masked officers repeatedly punches him in the head Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said that the cellphone footage is only a partial depiction of the arrest 'They punching me!' Donald can be heard yelling, as the officers order: 'Put your hands behind your back!' Austin police later justified the use of force by claiming that the suspect had managed to escape from his restraints, which led to the altercation, according to the Austin American-Statesman 'The suspect managed to slip one hand out of the handcuffs and had his hands in front of him,' Austin police said in a statement. The video has already garnered more than four million views since it was uploaded to Facebook earlier this week 'The officers and suspect end up going to the ground, while the officers attempt to overcome his resistance and place him back in handcuffs.' Austin Police Chief Brian Manley later said that Anderson's cellphone footage offered an incomplete depiction of the arrest. 'The vital piece that's missing from what we saw on the video that's in social media fills in that gap of why we ended up with a resistance and why we ended up struggling with this suspect.' As a result of the incident, Austin police announced that officers will no longer be allowed to wear face masks unless there is a specific need to protect their identity. Manley told the Statesman that officers are not prohibited from striking the arms, legs or head of a suspect as long as the action is objectively reasonable. It remains unclear if the officers involved in the incident were reprimanded following the arrest. The video has already garnered more than four million views since it was uploaded to Facebook earlier this week. A grandfather who engaged in 'callous, premeditated and planned' attacks on two women in Adelaide has been jailed for 12 years. Patrick Mark Perkins, 59, pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and one count of assault with intent to rape in relation to the 2012 offences. District Court judge Julie McIntyre said on Monday the Enfield's man actions were brutal and the only explanation was his determination to obtain sexual gratification. Patrick Mark Perkins (pictured right), who engaged in 'callous, premeditated and planned' attacks on two women in Adelaide, has been jailed for 12 years Perkins had reportedly blamed one of the victims for provoking an sexual attack, stating she 'should have known better'. In a victim impact statement earlier this month, the woman said the 59-year-old had told her 'good girls dont walk home alone at night. In sentencing, Judge McIntyre said Perkins had subjected the victim to 'degrading' violence and that 'the blame is yours, and yours alone', The Advertiser reports. 'To add insult to injury, your words - "theres a good girl, dont walk home alone anymore by yourself, you can go home now" suggested she was in some way to blame,' she said. 'Everybody should be able to walk the streets, at any time, without fear of predators.' Perkins was arrested following a DNA match in 2015, with the District Court hearing that one of his victims had been left emotionally scarred and unable to trust people, according to The Advertiser. The 59-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and one count of assault with intent to rape in relation to the 2012 offences and has been given a non-parole period of eight years 'Now I cant make any decision without wondering what a good girl would do ... I hear his voice in my head, I dont want to make any decisions because I dont want to hear his voice,' her statement said. 'I don't want to make a bad decision again and be punished so brutally...I don't want to be a bad girl.' The woman also said she'd lost her soul and innocence as a result of being raped, welcoming the prospect of death. Perkins' lawyer Mark Griffin offered his client's apology to both women and asked the court to consider the man's guilty plea and lack of prior criminal history. While prosecutor Mark Norman said a long jail term was an 'inevitable' punishment for the 'extremely disturbing' crimes that ruined two lives. Judge McIntyre set a non-parole period of eight years for Perkins sentence. American Christian Beasley was recaptured on Lombok island on Saturday, after escaping a Bali prison five days ago An American man convicted of drugs charges who escaped Bali's notorious Kerobokan jail has been recaptured on a neighboring island after five days on the run, police said Monday. Christian Beasley made a break from the Indonesian resort island's main prison with a fellow inmate after cutting a hole in the roof with a hacksaw, authorities have said. The 32-year-old, who is awaiting sentencing after being caught in August with five grams of hashish, was caught by police on Lombok, another popular holiday destination. 'He tried to change his appearance by cutting off his hair but we finally caught him on Saturday,' chief detective Made Pramestia told AFP. 'We knew he would not go far because he did not have proper documents and enough money on him.' Beasley escaped on Dec. 11, along with Paul Anthony Hoffman, 57. Beasley's attempt to flee may result in a harsher sentence, police said, seen here with hair A motorcyclist passes by Kerobokan prison where American citizen Christian Beasley was detained for hashish drug offense, in Bali, Indonesia Hoffman, who is serving a 20-month sentence for robbing a number of convenience stores at knifepoint, was immediately recaptured, while Beasley managed to catch a ferry to Lombok before hiding out for a few days. Beasley's attempt to flee may result in a harsher prison sentence, police said. It was not immediately clear how much jail time he was facing, but Indonesia has some of the world's toughest drugs laws, with the death penalty available in some trafficking cases. Bali police chief Petrus Reinhard Golose said he was investigating how Beasley, whose name was previously reported as Chrishan Beasley, managed to escape. 'We will question the relevant officials why there are so many incidents like this, maybe there are some procedures they have ignored,' Golose told reporters Monday. Jailbreaks are common in Indonesia, where inmates are often held in unsanitary conditions at overcrowded and poorly guarded prisons. In May, more than 200 inmates staged a mass breakout from an overcrowded prison on Sumatra island. Bodies have been found Sunday near the site where the president of Honduras' sister has been killed, along with five others, after their helicopter crashed into a mountainside on Saturday. Hilda Hernandez, 51, was aboard the chopper with four members of her security detail, when the pilot took off from Tegucigalpa's international airport in the morning bound for her residence in Comayagua, about 40 miles from the capital. Soon afterward, the air force reported that the aircraft had gone missing. The bodies being found comes as President Hernandez was declared winner on Sunday of disputed elections, after three weeks of uncertainty and continued challenges to the result by runner-up Salvador Nasralla. Bodies have been found Sunday in the area where a helicopter crash Saturday killed Hilda Hernandez (R), 51, sister of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (L) Bodies have been found Sunday in the area where a helicopter crash Saturday killed Hilda Hernandez (R), 51, sister of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (L) The wreckage was later discovered in the mountains outside Tegucigalpa. There were no survivors. Hernandez was an agronomy engineer who served as communications minister under her brother and as minister of social development during the previous administration of then-President Porfirio Lobo. Her brother, President Juan Orlando Hernandez, has not yet publicly commented on the loss of his sister. Rescue workers carry a body found in the area where Hilda Hernandez, the sister of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, and five others died The helicopter they were traveling in crashed in San Matias, Honduras Rescue workers carry the bodies of the victims of a helicopter crash in the mountains on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras Hilda Hernandez, sister of President Juan Orlando Hernandez, and five other people were killed in the helicopter crash Saturday on a mountain near the Honduran capital But he has retweeted messages of condolences from friends and fellow heads of states. Prior to that, he changed his Twitter profile picture to a black ribbon of mourning, and soon after, to a photo of his sister. One of Hilda's other brothers, Marco Augusto Hernandez, confirmed the news to other members of the National Party through a WhatsApp message. 'I tell you that our sister and the crew did not survive, please pray for her soul,' he wrote, according to local papers. Reynaldo Sanchez, the head of the president's National Party, said in a statement: 'Be with God, Hilda Hernandez, a tireless fighter for our party.' Firefighters recover the body of Hilda Hernandez, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez's sister, and the bodies of the rest of the people who died Saturday The group died Saturday in a helicopter that crashed in the mountains of Yerbabuena, Rincon de Dolores, Lepaterique municipality Hernandez, an engineer and former communications and press minister in her brother's government, died in a helicopter crash along with the pilot, copilot and three other people Juan Orlando changed his Twitter profile picture to a black ribbon of mourning, and soon after, to a photo of his sister, but did not publicly comment on his sister's death No cause for the crash was given, but the country was being affected by a cold front at the time The death of Hilda Hernandez comes the day before President Hernandez was declared winner on Sunday of disputed elections , after three weeks of uncertainty The other victims in the helicopter crash on Saturday included Patricia Valladares; security agents Nahun Lagos and Marcos Banegas, pilot Ivan Esau Vasquez Portillo, and co-pilot co-pilot Gerson Alcedin Diaz Nolasco, according to local press Honduran soldiers walk in the mountains of Yerba Buena, Rincon de Dolores, in the municipality of Lepaterique The helicopter crash occurred in the mountains of Yerbabuena, Rincon de Dolores. No cause for the crash was given, but it happened as the country was being affected by a cold front. On Sunday, Juan Orlando Hernandez was declared the winner after a three-week long dispute over Honduras' Nov. 26 presidential election, in which electoral officials initially said he took 43 percent of the vote to 41.4 percent for opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla. The final certified results showed Hernandez won with 42.95 percent to Nasralla's 41.42 percent according to the electoral court's official count, the Guardian reported. 'We have fulfilled our obligation (and) we wish for there to be peace in our country,' Electoral court president David Matamoros said as he announced the court's ruling. Supporters of presidential candidate for the opposition Alliance against Dictatorship party Salvador Nasralla, protest in Tegucigalpa, on Dec. 17 The coordinator of the Opposition Alliance against Dictatorship party, Manuel Zelaya, called to the group to national mobilization Zelaya made the call in response to the declaration of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez as elected from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal At least 17 people have already died in protests stemming from the Alliance Against Dictatorship Party's allegations of vote fraud perpetrated to the benefit of Hernandez Runner-up Salvador Nasralla has alleged fraud and continues to refuse to recognize the results, calling for more protests Nasralla has alleged fraud and continues to refuse to recognize the results, calling for more protests. At least 17 people have already died in protests stemming from the Alliance Against Dictatorship Party's allegations of vote fraud perpetrated to the benefit of President Hernandez. The other victims in the helicopter crash on Saturday included Patricia Valladares; security agents Nahun Lagos and Marcos Banegas, pilot Ivan Esau Vasquez Portillo, and co-pilot Gerson Alcedin Diaz Nolasco, according to local press. A mural painted by convicted paedophile Rolf Harris is now the center of a dispute between members of the public and a council, with many calling for it to be removed. The Australian performer created the artwork for the Warrnambool Lighthouse Theatre in 1986, and had been proudly displayed until Harris was found guilty of 12 counts of indecently assaulting four girls in between the 1960s and 1980s in June of 2014. Domestic violence advocates are now calling for the mural, which sits behind perspex glass, torn down because of the crimes of its artist. Council members are urging caution however, saying retrospectively removing art is what oppressive governments do. 'The Nazis did the same thing in Germany in the 1930s,' Warranambool City Council CEO Bruce Anson told the ABC. 'Now this can't compare to that, but I think it's along the same vein.' A mural painted by convicted paedophile Rolf Harris is now the center of a dispute between members of the public and the council, with many calling for it to be removed Harris was found guilty of 12 counts of indecently assaulting four girls in between the 1960s and 1980s in June of 2014 The conversation was sparked during the 16 Days of Activism campaign which highlights different causes of gender and sexual violence. The issue was arisen by local supporters, who questioned the merit in keeping the mural on display. 'How can they back a campaign to end gender-based violence, while we have a mural, painted by a convicted paedophile, hidden under perspex?' local activist Carol Altmann said. 'I just find those two completely at odds with each other. What kind of message is this sending to victims?' The mural was covered in 2015 after a vote from the local council, but people now want it removed completely The mural was covered in 2015 after a vote from the local council, but people now want it removed completely. Warrnambool officials have agreed to revisit the issue, but were hesitant to make any promises, saying there had been other artists with criminal backgrounds and raised the moral dilemma on whether all their art should also be removed. They will be presented with a petition later this month to have the mural torn down. National Australia Bank gave a schizophrenic man a $10,000 credit card which he used to buy crystals and Buddha statues. Uries Manna, who is medically retired and lives off a disability support pension, was able to blow $8,000 online from his bed in a mental hospital in Ballarat, Victoria. His brother, prominent lawyer Josh Mennen, said the bank should not have loaned the 37-year-old that much money due to his mental illness. The head of Maurice Blackburns insurance and superannuation law said 'alarm bells should have been ringing' when his brother made his application. National Australia Bank gave schizophrenic man Uries Manna a $10,000 credit card 'This is another clear example of a sales culture within the banking system which is all about maximising commissions, bonuses and profits rather than assessing customers' actual needs,' he told the Herald Sun. He said his brother's case showed why Australia needed the recently-announced Royal Commission into banking. Mr Manna admitted he was 'quite unwell' and having delusions at the time, and was 'amazed' how easily the line of credit was handed to him. 'They shouldnt have just given me money so I could blow it. Ive got nothing to show for it except a necklace, crystals and a couple of Buddha statues,' he said. Mr Manna told NAB he wanted the money to start a painting business and listed his expenses at $800 a month - just $26 a day. His brother, prominent lawyer Josh Mennen, said the bank should not have loaned the 37-year-old that much money due to his mental illness Mr Mennen, now the manager of his brother's affairs, said this was 'unrealistically low' and proper checks were not applied. He wrote in a complaint to Financial Ombudsman Service that his brother's expenses were three times that and double what the bank used to assess his application. Mr Manna's only asset was his house, which he bought with his total and permanent disability payment, and only had his pension and rental income from a boarder for income. The bank said despite Mr Manna's application, it used the higher Household Expense Measure industry benchmark as was standard practice. Both brothers thought people with mental illnesses should be able to get loans, but proper checks were not performed in this case. 'Giving a $10,000 credit card to a bloke on the DSP is not right, whether he knows what hes wants its for or not,' Mr Mennen said. Mr Manna used the credit card to buy $8,000 worth of crystals and Buddha statues NAB told Daily Mail Australia it did not take mental illness into account when assessing loans, as this would be discrimination, and just looked at an applicant's ability to pay back the loan. 'As a responsible lender, NAB conducts a number of credit assessments to ensure a customer is able to afford their line of credit,' it said. 'This includes verification of any income, expenses, and checks with credit bureaus.' NAB agreed to waive Mr Manna's credit card debt after a review of all the circumstances and his personal situation. A search is underway to find a 7-year-old Middle Eastern girl who mysteriously went missing from her Fairfield home in New South Wales on Sunday night. Sara Aljabiri was last seen in her bedroom in Solo Crescent wearing a tracksuit and a hijab with a khaki coloured jacket. Police are appealing for help to help locate the teenager who was reported missing from her home at around 2 a.m today (Monday). Sara's disappearance was noticed by a member of her family who reported it to the police. There are concerns for her welfare as she suffers a medical condition. 17 year-old Sara Aljabiri has vanished from her bedroom in Solo Crescent at Fairfield, NSW, on Sunday late night. She was last seen wearing a tracksuit and a hijab with a khaki coloured jacket Sara's disappearance was noticed by a member of her family who reported it to the police. There are concerns for her welfare as she suffers a medical condition The teenager, who is about 175 cm tall, is described as being Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance. Officers are appealing for the communitys help The teenager, who is about 175 cm tall, is described as being Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance. Officers attached to Fairfield Local Area Command have commenced and investigation and are appealing for the communitys help. Police are urging anyone with any information on her whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ The Turnbull government has announced it will hit Australian universities with a $2.2billion funding cut. Its mid-year budget update, released on Monday, includes a plan to freeze per-student funding at 2017 levels for two years, use performance targets to decide whether universities will get increased funding after that, cut the HELP student loan repayment threshold to $45,000, and impose a lifetime limit on government loans students can access for vocational and tertiary study. This third version of overhauling university funding is expected to save the budget bottom line $2.2 billion over the next four years - about $700 million less than included in May's budget. Education Minister Simon Birmingham insists the freeze, which accounts for about $2 billion of the total savings, is not a cap on student numbers (stock image) But its passage seems more certain than the previous package - which has been stymied in the Senate - with the bulk of the savings attached to the funding freeze, which the government says doesn't need legislation and can't be overturned by parliament. 'Of course, we would prefer to have ... some longer-term structural reform in the sector,' Treasurer Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra. 'That has been once again frustrated by the Labor Party. So if you can't get to the out-point that you're seeking to get to one way, you have to go another.' Education Minister Simon Birmingham insists the freeze, which accounts for about $2 billion of the total savings, is not a cap on student numbers. Universities will be able to enrol as many students as they like but for any more than the number of commonwealth-supported places they can only collect the student contribution - which covers on average 46 per cent of course costs. From 2020, funding will be linked to population growth and performance measures, likely to include targets for completion rates and how quickly graduates find jobs. Senate approval will be needed for other measures, including cutting the loan repayment threshold from the existing $55,000 - although the new package is an easing of the proposal in May to make people start payments once they earn $42,000. 'Of course, we would prefer to have ... some longer-term structural reform in the sector,' Treasurer Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra (stock image) Parliament will also have to agree to impose a lifetime cap of $104,440 on loans students can get from the government for combined university and vocational study (or $150,000 for those dong medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses). Senator Birmingham says universities have benefited from rapid funding growth and achieved economies of scale that means teaching costs have dropped. 'Collectively, these measures maintain widespread access to higher education and generous funding for universities while being more affordable for taxpayers by stopping universities from effectively writing their own cheque,' he said. A man who mutilated and murdered his wife in front of their children before dumping her body could face life behind bars. The 36-year-old killer, who cannot be named to protect his children's identities, has pleaded guilty to murder with lawyers presenting their final submission on the case in the Melbourne Supreme Court on Monday. Prosecutors argued he should receive 'a life term without parole', with the children having said their father 'slaughtered' the woman, the Herald Sun reports. Prosecutors presenting their final submission on the case in the Melbourne Supreme Court (pictured) on Monday argued he should receive 'a life term without parole' The man reportedly repeatedly stabbed the mother, leaving her with lacerations to her torso, limbs and face, as well as cut off two of her fingers from her hand and removed her right eye. After then dumping her body in a neighbouring suburb, he was said to have drive the children - who watched the horrific violence - to get pastries, according to The Age. An autopsy revealed the 27-year-old died of blood loss and was covered in scars that were weeks and months old, pointing to a pattern of violence. Her body was discovered by a jogger and had been wrapped in a quilt, but was unable to be identified for several weeks. The man was said to be an aspiring jihadist and radicalised Muslim, with the prosecution arguing he had murdered his wife because she would not let him fight in the Middle East. Prosecutors also argued the killer's children had told stated they had been educated in jihad. However, the defence's lawyers argued that he had been in a drug-induced psychosis from using ice when he killed the 27-year-old. 'We blame his mental state and it limits his moral culpability,' the man's lawyer Scott Johns said. The man remains in custody and will be sentenced at a later date. Jimeta Sanders, 31, died on Wednesday in Middletown, Ohio Heartbroken cops have been overwhelmed with donated Christmas gifts after putting out the call to help nine children whose mother died of a suspected heroin overdose. Jimeta Sanders, 31, died on Wednesday in Middletown, Ohio while her husband was at work, and cops responding at the scene found her nine children, ages one to 14, alone with the body. The girls are 14, five, three and one. The boys are 13, 11, 10, six and two. Police detectives were touched by the tragedy, and put out a call to the community on Facebook for donations to assist the family. 'No matter how hard you think you are, when you deal with kids in these situations you never get used to it,' Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw said. 'Their father is a hard worker, he has tried to make ends meet but it's a vicious cycle,' the department said in the appeal to the community. Police detectives were touched by the tragedy, and put out a call to the community on Facebook for donations to assist the family Within hours, hundreds of donations of clothing, toys, bikes had poured into the police station, until cops finally had to halt the drive to take time to sort through the gifts Within hours, hundreds of donations of clothing, toys, bikes had poured into the police station, until cops finally had to halt the drive to take time to sort through the gifts. The detectives bought a Christmas tree for the family and drove a van with food and clothing. 'This is happening because of her,' Jimeta's husband Andre Sanders told Fox45. 'She was that type of person that she could touch people, that's why the universe is paying it forward to us.' He said that she was in rehab for heroin addiction before she relapsed. 'This is happening because of her,' Jimeta's husband Andre Sanders said. 'She was that type of person that she could touch people, that's why the universe is paying it forward to us.' Jim Boyer, 63, (left) and Keith Boyer, 32, (right) were arrested on Friday and charged with nine counts of child endangering, theft, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence Meanwhile, police sought out and arrested two men who they say were using drugs with Jimeta when she died, and cruelly abandoned her children with the body. Jim Boyer, 63 and Keith Boyer, 32, were arrested on Friday and charged with nine counts of child endangering, theft, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. 'We found out there was two men there with her at the time, and after she was gone on the ground, they took money from her and told the kids they were going to bring back some pop, and never came back,' Chief Muterspaw said. 'That speaks a lot about those two individuals.' A 19-year-old man provided a sex tape of his ex-girlfriend to her family in an attempt to blackmail her into staying in a relationship with him. After his relationship with the woman dissolved, he put a USB containing the tape into her letterbox, along with a note threatening to release the video to the wider Syrian community if she did not resume being his girlfriend. He also sent an explicit image of the woman to her new partner, The Advertiser reported. The man pleaded guilty in an Adelaide court on Monday to blackmail and distributing an invasive image. A jealous teenager left a USB containing a sex tape of his ex girlfriend in her family letterbox alongside a threatening note in an attempt to blackmail her into resuming their relationship (stock image) District Court Judge Sophie David said the man's threat to release it to the Syrian community, considering their strong views on promiscuity and sex before marriage, meant he knew it would have an immense impact on his former partner. The court heard the man's threat to release the video to the Syrian community forced his ex to flee Adelaide. The woman told the court in a victim impact statement her former boyfriend's actions left her feeling 'cheap and gross'. 'To have to choose between selling myself to ensure [he] would keep our private life private or experience the consequences of his actions... was the most distressing choice of my life,' she said. 'It was humiliating to have to remain in a relationship with someone you loathe in fear of the repercussions of the actions they threatened you with. The man, whose own lawyer described his actions as 'appalling' and 'manipulative', will be sentenced next month. George Zimmerman has threatened Jay-Z with violence because of the rapper's role in a new documentary about Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman told The Blast on Saturday that he has a score to settle with music mogul Jay-Z since the rapper's production team began filming a new documentary on the 2012 case. He claims the film crew made unannounced visits to the homes of his parents and an uncle in Florida, and is now threatening to 'beat Jay-Z' and feed him to 'an alligator.' Zimmerman (R) said on Saturday that he has a score to settle with music mogul and world famous rapper Jay-Z Carter is producing a six-part documentary called 'Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story,' based on the book 'Suspicion Nation' by attorney Lisa Bloom 'I know how to handle people who f*** with me,' Zimmerman said Saturday, adding 'I have since February 2012.' The remark refers to shooting death of 17-year-old Treyvon Martin On February 26, 2012, who Zimmerman killed after the two were involved in a physical altercation as Martin was returning home from the store. Zimmerman was acquitted of murder the following year after a jury found that the then 30-year-old was protected by Florida's 'stand your ground' law, which allows an individual to use deadly force if threatened with bodily harm, according to ABC News. Zimmerman says he holds the rapper, whose real name is Shawn Carter, and his executive producer Michael Gasparro (pictured) responsible for having 'harassed' his family 'A person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if: He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself,' the law states. The legislation differentiates itself from self-defense law because it does not require an individual to first attempt to get away if he or she can. Zimmerman says he holds the rapper, whose real name is Shawn Carter, and his executive producer Michael Gasparro responsible for having 'harassed' his family, saying that 'anyone who f***s with my parents will be fed to an alligator.' Carter is producing a six-part documentary called 'Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story,' based on the book 'Suspicion Nation' by attorney Lisa Bloom. Zimmerman is reportedly also upset over money he claims has been paid to his ex-wife for her participation in the documentary. Carter's production company, Zimmerman adds, has refused to pay the 34-year-old's parents and other family members for their participation, whose involvement in the project remains unclear. Carter nor Gasparro offered comment following Zimmerman's statement, but they did get an assist from fellow artist Snoop Doog in an Instagram post uploaded Sunday. 'If one hair on jays hair is touched that's when the revolution will b televised,' Snoop Dogg wrote. 'We one... thank the system, let the B**** ass m********* get away with murder, try it again. Trayvon Martin Gone but not forgotten.' Jay-Z did not offer a comment following Zimmerman's statement, but he did get an assist from fellow artist Snoop Doog in an Instagram post uploaded Sunday Phillippines president Rodrigo Duterte has said he wants to legalise same-sex marriage, a move that would bring him into conflict with the dominant Roman Catholic Church. Speaking before the LGBT community in his southern home city of Davao on Sunday, Duterte said any religious morality opposing gay marriage is 'no longer working'. The controversial President has been a longtime critic of the church, which counts about 80 per cent of Filipinos as followers, and has accused a Catholic priest of sexually abusing him as a child. Change: President Duterte said any religious morality opposing homosexual unions is 'no longer working', and he wants to legalise same-sex marriage 'I want same-sex marriage. The problem is we'll have to change the law. But we can change the law,' he said to wide applause. 'The law says marriage is a union between a man and a woman. I don't have any problems making it marrying a man, marrying a woman or whatever is the predilection of the human being,' he added. Divorce, abortion and same-sex marriage are still illegal in the Philippines due largely to the influence of the Catholic Church. But Duterte, who took office in mid-2016, has actively attacked the church, accusing the clergy of sexual abuses and hypocrisy. In 2015 he alleged that he himself has been the victim of sexual abuse by a priest as a teenager, He named a now-deceased American preacher as his abuser, saying he was too young and too scared to report it at the time. Moving with the times: Mr Duterte said he was prepared to change the law to allow same-sex marriage in the Philippines The church in turn has been one of the most outspoken critics of Duterte, particularly his human rights record. Thousands of people have been killed by police under the president's centrepiece 'war on drugs' policy. Duterte, whose allies control both houses of Congress, did not specify how same-sex marriage would be legalised. 'Whatever makes you happy, I will give it to you. Why would I stop it? Why impose a morality that is no longer working and almost passe?' he said. Naomi Fontanos, executive director of Ganda Filipinas, a transgender activist group, said she welcomed the president's remarks but added that 'we hope it's not just an exercise in tokenism'. 'We hope that the president will really commit to the human rights and social justice for all, not just of the LGBTIQ community,' she added. Duterte has a history of sexist remarks, boasting about his womanising and joking about rape. But he has also had allies in the gay and lesbian community for many years. A man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was rescued from the surf at Sydney's Bondi Beach. The man, believed to be aged in his 60s, was pulled out of the water by lifesavers who performed CPR on him after he was spotted in distress on Monday afternoon. He is thought to have been dumped by a wave and hit his head on a sand bank before suffering a cardiac arrest. 'We could suggest that the injuries were caused by the man being upended by a shore break and quite possibly landed on his head,' police said at the scene. A man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was pulled from the surf at Sydney's Bondi Beach The man was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition 'That's the reason for the cardiac arrest. He has also been treated for spinal injuries, but there's no indication at this stage.' Other beachgoers 'noticed the man was in cardiac arrest' and started performing CPR before lifeguards arrived moments later. Pictures of the scene showed hundreds of beachgoers watching as lifesavers desperately treated the man. He was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition. The incident comes after three people died on New South Wales beaches in a week. Pictures of the scene showed crowds of beachgoers watching as lifesavers treated the man A 14-year-old boy went missing off Flynns Beach on Saturday afternoon, with authorities still searching for his body. Further north on the NSW coast, a 49-year-old British woman died after being pulled from the surf at Coffs Harbour on Sunday evening. Last Wednesday a man in his early 20s died after being pulled unconscious from the surf at Suffolk Park on the north coast. Two weeks earlier, an 11-year-old boy was swept from Lighthouse Beach in rough conditions, with his body yet to be recovered. An autopsy has revealed the cause of death of a Canadian billionaire couple whose bodies were found in their Toronto mansion. Pharmaceutical billionaire Barry Sherman, 75, founder of Apotex Inc, and his 70-year-old wife, Honey, were found dead in their north Toronto mansion on Friday from 'ligature neck compression', a development suggesting they may have been strangled. Toronto's homicide unit has taken over the investigation. Multiple outlets reported that police initially were investigating the deaths as a possible murder-suicide, citing unidentified police sources, due to the deaths being described as 'suspicious'. The bodies were found hanging from a railing on the edge of a basement swimming pool, The Globe and Mail reported, among other outlets, all citing police sources. An autopsy has revealed that Canadian billionaire couple Barry Sherman, 75 (left), and his 70-year-old wife, Honey (right) died from 'ligature neck compression', a development suggesting they may have been strangled Multiple outlets reported that police initially were investigating the deaths of Sherman, the founder of Apotex Inc, and his wife as a possible murder-suicide, citing unidentified police sources. Investigators had also toyed with the theory that Sherman killed his wife at some place in the mansion, hanged her body and then hanged himself at the pool's edge. The Shermans recently put up their house for sale for $5.4 million. The immediate family in a statement released Saturday by Apotex admonished law enforcement sources for telling members of the media the deaths were from a murder-suicide before autopsy results were released, and slammed reports of a possible murder-suicide as 'irresponsible'. Homicide detectives told reporters gathered outside the home on Friday that there were no signs of forced entry. The deaths shocked Canadian high society and prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make a statement. Homicide detectives later told reporters gathered outside the home that there were no signs of forced entry The Shermans recently listed their luxury home situated in an affluent Toronto neighborhood for sale for nearly $5.4million Sherman, who would have turned 76 next month, and his wife, were well known for their generosity and gave millions to charity In the Sherman's family's statement, they urged the media to avoid speculating on the cause of the deaths. 'Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community totally inconsistent with the rumors regrettably circulated in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths,' they said in a statement Saturday whose contents were reported by The Globe and Mail. 'We are shocked and think it's irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true.' The Shermans were among Canada's most generous philanthropists. Police tape and patrol cars surround the home of Apotex founder Barry Sherman and wife, Honey Sherman after they were found dead A realtor showing off the house to potential buyers discovered them hanging from rails, side-by-side, next to their indoor swimming pool (above), reports suggest Canadian Seantor Linda Frum shared a picture of her with the pair at a recent ceremony Their deaths have stunned the country, and has prompted an outpouring of grief from prominent businessman and even a tribute from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau The couple made numerous multimillion-dollar donations to hospitals, schools and charities and had buildings named in their honor. Barry Sherman (1942-2017) Age: 75 Place of Birth: Toronto, Canada Religion: Jewish Business: Apotex Pharmaceuticals Wealth: Estimated $3.2 billion Forbes Rank: 363rd in the world, 7th in Canada Education: University of Toronto/MIT Degree: Engineering Advertisement They also hosted Trudeau for a Liberal party fundraiser in 2015. Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau issued a statement on Twitter. 'Sophie and I are saddened by news of the sudden passing of Barry and Honey Sherman,' Trudeau said. 'Our condolences to their family & friends, and to everyone touched by their vision & spirit.' Sherman founded Toronto-based Apotex Inc. in 1974 with two employees and turned it into the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company. Canadian Business magazine recently estimated his worth at $3.65 billion, making him the 15th richest person in the country. Apotex is a generic drugmaker with 11,000 employees world-wide, including more than 6,000 in Canada. The company released a statement on Saturday paying tribute to its founder, praising both his philanthropic efforts and what it described as his vision for health care. The couple recently put the house on the market for $5.4million (pictured). A real estate agent showing off the house found their remains next to the pool 'Patients around the world live healthier and more fulfilled lives thanks to his life's work, and his significant impact on health care and health care sustainability will have an enduring impact for many years to come,' the statement read. 'As employees, we are proud of his tremendous accomplishments, honored to have known him, and vow to carry on with the Apotex purpose in his honor.' Honey Sherman was a member of the board of the York University Foundation. She also served on the boards of Mount Sinai's Women's Auxiliary, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the International American Joint Distribution Committee. But Barry Sherman was not without controversy. He faced legal action from family members alleging they had been cut out of the company over the years. 'We are at a loss of words,' neighbor Sarah Alva said. 'They are both the most wonderful people we knew and our hearts goes out to their families.' Rebecca Dykes (pictured) was abducted after leaving a party in Beirut The heartbroken family of a British diplomat who was allegedly raped before she was murdered in Beirut today said she was 'irreplaceable' and they will 'never recover'. Rebecca Dykes, 30, was abducted after leaving a party in the Lebanese capital on Friday night. Her body was reportedly found in a dumpster by the roadside and officials are investigating whether she was sexually assaulted before the attack. A 35-year-old Uber driver, identified as Tarek Hesso, was arrested in a 3am raid on Monday. He has previously served several prison sentences. Ms Dykes' family today said she was 'simply irreplaceable and we will never fully recover from this loss', in a statement released by the Foreign Office. According to Lebanon's NNA agency, Hesso admitted picking the diplomat up in his taxi, attempting to rape her and then strangling her before ditching her body. The body of the former public schoolgirl was found by a motorway on Saturday evening several miles from the nightspot where she was last seen alive. Investigators told MailOnline Hesso is 35 but a second senior security official in Lebanon said the suspect was aged 41 and had been arrested on drug-related charges in the period 2015-17. A police official said today that the suspect was traced through security cameras that showed his car driving from Beirut to the area where Dykes' body was found, just north of the Lebanese capital. 'He was detained at his apartment,' the official said, adding that the suspect is a Lebanese citizen. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the suspect is a taxi driver who picked up the woman from Beirut's Gemayze neighborhood, known for its restaurants and pubs, then drove to a nearby neighborhood where she lived but did not drop her off there. Rebecca Dykes, a UK diplomat who worked at the British embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, has been found dead Police are investigating whether Ms Dykes (pictured), 30, was sexually assaulted before her body was found Rebecca Dykes was said to have been at a leaving party at the Demo nightclub (pictured) in Beirut before she went missing Chilling drawing was used to identify her body A local artist looked at Ms Dykes' body after it was dumped by the side of the road and sketched an image to help identify her in Beirut. According to a local television news channel, a British Embassy worker recognised the black and white image and alerted the authorities. A police source said: 'Until then they had didn't know who she was. 'And we obviously couldn't release a photo of the dead body.' This chilling image was drawn by a local artist to try and help identify her and she was recognised after the sketch Advertisement Instead, the suspect drove the car to the site where Dykes' body was later found. NNA said the man tried to sexually assault her, then strangled her with a rope. The police have not confirmed those details. The driver then 'tried to rape her and when she resisted he strangled her... took her wallet and threw her in a dumpster,' an official said. The murder has shaken Lebanon, where such crimes, particularly against foreigners, are relatively uncommon. Earlier, a forensics official told The Associated Press that the woman was strangled with a rope. Lebanese police have launched an investigation following the discovery on Saturday evening. One security source said the diplomat was found with 'a piece of string around her neck'. Ms Dykes (pictured) started working for the government in 2010 and started working as a programme and policy manager in Lebanon since January Miss Dykes worked for the Department for International Development as a programme and policy manager and moved to Beirut in January. In a statement, her family said last night: 'We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened.' The diplomat, who was understood to be planning to fly home for Christmas on Saturday, had been at a leaving party for a British embassy colleague at a bar in the Gemmayzeh area of central Beirut. She left alone just after midnight and is thought to have been abducted minutes later. Police sources gave the cause of death as strangulation following a post-mortem examination, but added that another test is to be carried out. Such crime is rare in the Lebanese capital, a city which is considered generally safe, including for tourists and foreign residents. One official involved in the investigation said: 'Our first impression is that it's not politically motivated.' He said her body was found 'on the side of the Emile Lahoud road', east of central Beirut. One friend said: 'It's horrific. We had no idea what happened to her until we got a call today to go to the police station to give statements.' Hugo Shorter, the British ambassador to Lebanon, said: 'The whole embassy is deeply shocked, saddened by this news. My thoughts are with Becky's family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss. Ms Dyke is believed to have gone missing in the Gemmayzeh district at about midnight after a night out on Friday. Her body was found on Saturday evening 'We're providing consular support to her family and working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting a police investigation.' Miss Dykes was a boarder at Malvern St James girls' school in Worcestershire and then spent two years at Rugby School, one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. She graduated in social anthropology at Manchester University in 2008. Miss Dykes then completed a master's degree in international security and global governance at Birkbeck, University of London. She joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2010 and worked in Iraq as a research analyst before working in Libya as a policy manager. On her LinkedIn page she described herself as 'skilled in conflict, international relations, civil society and humanitarian assistance'. Her body was found on Saturday close to the Metn expressway (pictured) in Lebanon's capital Miss Dykes spent four years in Hong Kong, teaching English to teenagers. She also worked as a human rights monitor, translating documents from Chinese to English. Since her death, friends and colleagues spoke of their shock at her murder. Bilal Al Ayoubi wrote on Twitter: 'What a great loss. The ugly face of life is when someone dedicates her life to working for peace and stability in the world gets murdered in such brutalityvery sad. 'She was such a sweet and kind lady who took her job seriously and cared about Lebanon's stability.' One friend, Brooke Anderson, wrote on Facebook: 'Simply in shock. We will miss you, Becky.' The incident is the latest to highlight the issue of safety at Uber, which was stripped of its operating licence in London in September over concerns about its approach to reporting serious criminal offences and background checks on drivers. A spokesman for Uber said in an email: 'We are horrified by this senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with the victim and her family. We are working with authorities to assist their investigation in any way we can.' London police complained in April that Uber was either not disclosing, or taking too long to report, serious crimes including sexual assaults and this put the public at risk. The firm's boss has promised to make things right in the British capital. And globally, the app has suffered a series of scandals in 2017 as a stream of executives left amid controversies involving allegations of sexual harassment and issues surrounding data privacy and business practices. Ms Dykes was working in Beirut (pictured) and her body has been found close to the busy road The company, valued at around $70 billion with investors including Goldman Sachs, has faced bans and protests in countries around the world as it disrupts traditional players who have accused it of cutting corners on safety. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to several areas in Lebanon, including southern suburbs of Beirut, and all but essential travel to most other areas of the country. Terror attacks are deemed 'very likely' in the country, and protests in Beirut are common following the US announcement on the status of Jerusalem. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'Following the death of a British woman in Beirut, we are providing support to the family. We remain in close contact with local authorities. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.' Under Lebanon's CSSF programme, the UK government has spent millions of pounds supporting the country's armed forces to address 'security threats originating from Syria'. Cash has also been spent on preventing 'illegal cross border activity' between Lebanon and Syria - an area where jihadists have been active - and assisting local policing. Last night some expressed concerns that the attack on Miss Dyke might be hushed up by Lebanese authorities. Rami Cherri wrote on Twitter: 'The lack of coverage on the rape and murder on any Lebanese news channel is disgusting to say the least. In order to have a safer society in this country our mind-set has to change for the better. 'We need to address the rise of rape and murders in Lebanon now. This is inexcusable and inhumane.' A Catholic bishop has taken the rare step of writing to parishioners about a paedophile priest who is about to be released from jail. Father Finian Egan, 81, is walking out of Sydney's Long Bay prison on Tuesday. He was sentenced in 2013 to eight years behind bars for rape and seven counts of indecent assault on young girls during the 1960s to 1980s. Father Finian Egan (pictured in 2013) is being released from Sydney's Long Bay jail on Tuesday after being jailed for the rape and indecent assault of young girls from 1961 to 1987 Paedophile priest Finian Egan was sentenced to eight years' jail in 2013 for rape and seven counts of indecent assault on young girls in Sydney and the NSW Central Coast Broken Bay Diocese Bishop Peter Comensoli has written to parishioners, in northern Sydney and the Central Coast, informing them he had banned Father Finian from even referring to himself as a former priest. 'This development will occasion different reactions and emotions for many of you, even distress, especially for those who may have known Finian, and most particularly for those who have been offended against and hurt by him,' he said in his letter. The paedophile priest is also banned from exercising any priestly duties, living in an area where he was previously a minister of religion or attending any Catholic churches in the Broken Bay Diocese. The State Parole Authority had allowed Father Finian to be released from jail, after serving four years of an eight-year sentence, because they considered him too old to reoffend. Broken Bay Diocese Bishop Peter Comensoli has written to parishioners, in northern Sydney and the Central Coast, informing them of Finian Egan's release from jail He was convicted of indecently assaulting three girls, aged between 10 and 17, between 1961 and 1987 while he worked as a priest at Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner-west, Carlingford in the city's north and at The Entrance on the Central Coast. His release from jail comes only five days after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse held its final sitting in Sydney to mark the end of a five-year, $500 million investigation. A terminally ill woman battling cancer was granted her dying wish of marrying her same-sex partner in a tragic yet beautiful hospital ceremony. The couple were locked in a race against mortality and waited several torturous months for the gay marriage bill to pass through parliament - and were finally able to legally tie the knot in Melbourne on Monday. Cas Willow, 53, exchanged vows with her partner of 17 years Heather Richards, 56, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where Ms Willow is receiving treatment for aggressive breast cancer. Scroll down for video Cas Willow, 53, (left) exchanged vows with her partner of 17 years Heather Richards, 56, (right) at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where Ms Willow is receiving treatment for aggressive breast cancer The couple (pictured) were locked in a race against mortality and waited several tortuous months for the gay marriage bill to pass through parliament - and were finally able to legally tie the knot in Melbourne There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the pair locked lips in holy matrimony, Ms Willow beaming as she was wheeled into the room to the melodic croons of John Legend's song All of Me. It took the better part of two decades for pair to finally unite as wife-and-wife, and the brides say it was a 'dream come true' to have their long-term relationship recognised by the law. 'Time is not on our side, so it's just a dream come true,' Ms Willow told Seven News. With Ms Willow undergoing intensive treatment for her cancer which has since spread to her brain, the newlyweds are painfully aware that their matrimony may be short-lived. There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the pair (pictured) locked lips in holy matrimony, Ms Willow beaming as she was wheeled into the room to the melodic croons of John Legend's All of Me It took the better part of two decades for pair to finally unite as wife-and-wife, and the brides say it was a 'dream come true' to have their long-term relationship recognised by the law Ms Willow and Ms Richards (pictured) were granted special permission to fast-track their wedding 'To now be able to carry on afterwards and say that she was my wife, and not just my partner, it adds completion to the relationship,' Ms Richards added. The wedding is one of only two legal same-sex marriages held in Victoria since the landmark bill passed earlier this month. Ms Willow and Ms Richards' wedding was fast-tracked because of the couple's tragic circumstances and friends, family and even strangers helped to raise money for the ceremony. The pair were given 'special permission' to marry from the Victorian government as Ms Willow was given only weeks to live. The wedding is one of only two legal same-sex marriages held in Victoria since the landmark bill passed earlier this month 'To now be able to carry on afterwards and say that she was my wife, and not just my partner, it adds completion to the relationship,' Ms Richards said With Ms Willow undergoing intensive treatment for her cancer which has since spread to her brain, the newlyweds are painfully aware that their matrimony may be short-lived In lieu of wedding gifts, the newlyweds instead asked for donations to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation. Victoria premier Daniel Andrews bestowed the brides with a $50,000 donation to the foundation. 'The ceremony was sad and beautiful in equal measure,' Mr Andrews said. Their certificate, the first same-sex marriage certificate printed in Victoria, was hand-delivered to Ms Willow and Ms Richards on Monday night. Victoria premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) bestowed the brides with a $50,000 donation to the foundation Stefano Gabbana, one half of the iconic Italian designer label Dolce & Gabbana, has said he no longer wants to be called 'gay'. Mr Gabbana, 55, says he is tired of being defined by his sexuality, and that the word 'gay' was invented by people with a need to label others. This is not the first time the men behind Dolce & Gabbana has made eye-catching statements, and they have previously been criticised for bragging about dressing U.S. First Lady Melania Trump and making offensive comments about children born via IVF. No label: Stefano Gabbana, left, pitcured with his business partner Domenico Dolce, says he no longer wants to be labelled 'gay' Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Mr Gabbana said: 'I don't want to be called gay, because I'm simply a man... full stop.' 'The word 'gay' was invented by those who need to label people, and I don't want to be identified by my sexual choices,' he said. Gabbana launched the luxury fashion label in 1984 with his partner Domenico Dolce, and although they separated in 2004 the couple continued to work together. 'I thought that I could help spread a new culture as a famous person, a culture no longer based on gay rights but on human rights. 'We are human beings before being gay, heterosexual or bisexual,' Mr Gabbana said. Statement: Mr Gabbana, 55, seen with Mr Dolce holding pop star Kylie Minogue, says he is tired of being defined by his sexuality, and that the word 'gay' was invented by people with a need to label others The Milanese couturier said gay associations 'often serve as a defence, but I don't want to be protected by anyone, because I've done nothing wrong'. He said he realised he was homosexual aged 18, when his girlfriend 'who I really liked' came to visit him for a weekend in Milan, but when they went dancing he 'was watching the men more than her'. 'I had known (about being gay) for a while, but I didn't have the courage to admit it. Only through therapy did I realise that there had been clear signs in my childhood. 'I wanted to play alone... because I felt different from the other children and I feared that if we were together they would realise. And they would tell my mother,' he added. Earlier this year, Mr Gabbana was one of the few fashion designers who acknowledged his label being worn by Melania Trump. Working together: Gabbana launched the luxury fashion label in 1984 with his then-partner Domenico Dolce, and although they separated in 2004 the couple continued to work together He posted several images of Mrs Trump wearing their designs on his Instagram alongside heart emojis, thanking the First Lady for choosing Dolce&Gabbana. When many of his followers criticized him in the comments, he fired back, telling one person to 'f*** off' and another to 'go to hell.' In 2015, Mr Gabbana and Mr Dolce shocked the gay community by declaring they didn't agree with homosexual couples having IVF children. During a magazine interview Mr Dolce said: 'You are born to a mother and a father, or at least thats how it should be. I call them children of chemistry, synthetic children. Rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalog.' His comments outraged Sir Elton John, who has two sons conceived through IVF via a surrogate with his husband David Furnish. Sir Elton wrote on Instagram: 'How dare you refer to my beautiful children as "synthetic". 'And shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfill their dream of having children. Argos has recalled goods just days ahead of Christmas amid fears they could pose a dangerous risk to homeowners. The retail giant has recalled its 19.99 Simple Value 2kW Upright Fan Heater, warning it poses an electric shock and burn risk. It has also asked customers to return Hygena Angel Chairs which sell for 250, because the legs could snap when sat on. The retail giant has recalled its 19.99 Simple Value 2kW Upright Fan Heater, and its Hygena Angel Chairs which sell for 250 The Argos Simple Value 2kW Upright Fan Heater, model number FH03, was being sold for 19.99. However it poses a 'risk of electric shock and burns' and Argos is telling buyers to stop using it immediately. Customers can return the product to their nearest store for a full refund. The retailer is also offering to replace the product with its Simple Value 2kW convector fan which has been checked for safety. The retailer has also issued a notice about a range of its armchairs, which sell for 250 each. The retailer has also issued a notice about a range of its armchairs, which sell for 250 each The Argos Simple Value 2kW Upright Fan Heater, model number FH03, has been selling for 19.99 Argos said: 'We have identified a safety concern where, in a small number of cases, the glue which holds the chair legs together is failing and causing the chair to break. 'As a precaution, we are providing replacement legs with an updated design which has improved their strength. These can be ordered online for home delivery, free of charge. Full instructions will be included, as will four replacement bolts.' Only a small number of chairs are understood to be affected and replacement parts can be ordered online for home delivery, free of charge. Full instructions will be included, as will four replacement bolts. There are three varieties of the chair available: Pink: (catalogue number 487/5657), Yellow: (number 497/1094) and Blue (453/7799). For further information ring Argos on 0345 640 2020. A millionaire former diplomat vowed to stop the Brexit 'train wreck' today after he was drafted in to spearhead Europhile resistance to the government. Lord Malloch-Brown, who was a minister in the last Labour government, is taking on a role coordinating the groups fighting to water down our departure from the EU. The peer has promised an 'emotional' pitch to change the public's mind in the New Year, with the ultimate aim of preventing ministers getting a deal through parliament next autumn. The intervention came as it emerged Tory rebels are pushing for a 'soft Brexit' alliance with Labour. Lord Malloch-Brown, who was a minister in the last Labour government, is taking on a role coordinating the groups fighting to water down our departure from the EU (file picture) Tory grandee Ken Clarke (left) and Anna Soubry (right) were among the rebels - although it is not known whether they have approached No10 about forging an alliance with Labour MPs Senior Tory Dominic Grieve (pictured in the Commons last week) was the ringleader of the rebellion in the Commons last week The government was dealt a blow on Wednesday when 11 Conservatives joined Labour, the SNP and Lib Dems to force through an amendment to the flagship Bill demanding MPs get a 'meaningful' vote on any final deal. The result appears to have emboldened the rebels who are now trying to turn the tables on hardline Eurosceptics. At least two have urged senior Downing Street figures to reach out to Labour's pro-EU faction and use their support to water down Brexit, according to the Guardian. One rebel said: 'At the moment, the Labour party is terribly divided and therefore there are quite a large body of independent-minded Labour MPs who would be willing to respond positively to a request to provide support to a government that is seen to be doing the right thing. 'I think the danger is that if she leaves it too late, the window will close on that.' Another said they had told the PM's of staff Gavin Barwell: 'If you're clever, you will reach over the head of (Jeremy) Corbyn and go to those sensible Labour people and put the hard Brexiters back in their box.' Labour MP Chuka Umunna told the paper: 'There is no doubt that last week's vote has strengthened the hand of Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd and Greg Clark, the soft Brexit advocates in cabinet. 'Members from across the whole House will now be looking to them to use their new-found leverage to bring some coherence and sanity to bear on the unsustainable negotiating position of the government.' Lord Malloch-Brown, a public-school educated former UN deputy secretary general, was recently made chair of the Best for Britain. The pro-EU group was founded by Gina Miller - whose legal challenge forced the government to pass legislation before triggering Article 50. A rebellion of Conservative MPs handed Theresa May her first ever legislative defeat on the Brexit Bill last week (pictured is the result being announced) The peer told the Guardian: 'We don't necessarily need a single organisation, but we want everyone on the same page. 'We cannot know precisely the Brexit deal that the meaningful vote will be on, but it will be the moment to stop the trainwreck. 'The new year is likely to see a much more coordinated campaign and a more coherent, consistent message. It will be both more pocketbook and more emotional, looking at issues like the risk to the NHS. 'We need to sway public opinion so there is a majority to remain at the time of the vote in parliament. ELEVEN TORY REBELS WHO DEFEATED MAY Dominic Grieve Heidi Allen Ken Clarke Nicky Morgan Anna Soubry Sarah Wollaston Bob Neill Stephen Hammond Oliver Heald Jonathan Djanogly Antoinette Sandbach Advertisement 'We also have to lobby in constituencies in a targeted way so we are reaching leave voting MPs in constituencies where the majority voted remain, and we have to work in constituencies where Remain MPs have been cowed by the support for leave in their seats.' Meanwhile, Mrs May gathered her Brexit 'war Cabinet' today as she braces for bruising trade talks with the EU. The PM and key members of her team are trying to hammer out a vision of what 'end state' they want to achieve. There are signs the Cabinet is lining up behind a 'slow Brexit' option - where the UK starts by keeping the same regulations as Brussels and gradually moves away. The approach would ease the impact on the economy of cutting ties with the EU, and could satisfy both 'hard' Brexiteers like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove as well as supporters of keeping closer links such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd. Some ministers are said to be urging Mrs May to stay on in Downing Street until 2021 to ensure any Brexit deal does not fall apart at the last moment. In more evidence of the tensions within the Tory party on the issue, Europhile Tory MP Vicky Ford - a former MEP - has refused to deny that she was reduced to tears by clashes with whips over the EU Bill. Asked about the episode last week, Ms Ford told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there were 'some very robust conversations with the whips'. Environment Secretary and Vote Leave veteran Michael Gove was among the ministers in Downing Street today ahead of the Cabinet committee meeting Trade Secretary Liam Fox (left) and Brexit Secretary David Davis (right) also turned up to No 10 to take part in the meeting (both pictured walking up Downing Street this morning) Theresa May (pictured going to church with husband Philip yesterday) has gathered her Brexit 'war Cabinet' to hammer out a vision of what 'end state' they want to achieve This is the terrifying moment two ISIS terrorists broke into a Methodist church before detonating a suicide vest and opening fire on worshipers killing nine. The gunmen - aged between 16 and 20 - infiltrated Bethel Memorial Church in Quetta, West Pakistan during a Sunday midday service. Nine were killed and more than 50 injured in the violence on Sunday December 17. The chilling footage shows the gunmen, one dressed in black and the other in white, approaching the church. Both are carrying guns. One helps the other over the property's high perimeter walls. Once inside the masked terrorist unlocks the metal gate allowing his accomplice to enter. But soon Pakistani armed police are on the scene and the video shows the gunmen being forced to hide. Later, after being cornered by armed police one bomber detonated his vest by the gates to the church, reports Geo TV. The second man then opened fire on terrified worshipers. Soon after he was shot down by police before being able to detonate his own deadly device. Pakistani police managed to diffuse the second bomb which was attached to his body. Two ISIS gunmen stormed a Methodist church in the city of Quetta in western Pakistan. The masked terrorists infiltrated the compound while 400 attended a Sunday service One gunman hoisted himself over the wall while the second kept watch. Both were armed and had explosives strapped to their bodies It was later revealed the second terrorist had 15 kilogrammes of explosive material strapped to him. Balochistan Inspector General Police (IGP) Moazzam Ansari confirmed a major tragedy had been avoided by the quick response of security forces. DNA samples of the two terrorists have been obtained in a bid to identify them. These samples will be sent to Punjab Forensic Laboratory in Lahore Pakistani armed police arrived on the scene and the suicide bombers were forced to take cover inside the grounds of the church Armed police were called to the scene where one of the men had detonated his device. The second gunman opened fire on worshipers before being gunned down. He was unable to detonate his device Pakistani police were able to disarm the 15 kilogrammes of explosives strapped to his body, saving the lives of many more And authorities have registered a case against 'unknown terrorists'. Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, has been at the centre of recent violence in Pakistan. Last month, a suicide attack targeting paramilitary soldiers killed at least four people and wounded 15 others. Dr Maria Hadjicosta has been banned from driving after being caught speeding in her Mercedes eight times - by the same camera A top children's doctor has been banned from driving after being caught speeding in her Mercedes eight times - by the same camera. Paediatrician Dr Maria Hadjicosta, 45, was repeatedly flashed by a device enforcing a temporary 50mph limit on a stretch of motorway near Manchester as she drove to a hospital. Over a three month period the camera installed between Junction 18 and 19 of the Eastbound carriageway of the M60 flashed the Cypriot doctor again and again as she travelled in her Mercedes E250 at speeds of up to 69mph. She later claimed she did not understand the temporary 50mph limit and thought she could travel at 'normal speed' if she was driving at night. At Manchester magistrates' court Hadjicosta, who is training to be a consultant at Royal Oldham Hospital, admitted speeding but urged JPs not to ban her from driving - claiming she would suffer 'exceptional hardship' and would be unable to treat patients. She also claimed there was no public transport 'available' for her. But magistrates banned her from the roads for 21 days under the totting up procedure and ordered her to pay 1,615 in costs. The paediatrician claimed she did not understand the temporary 50mph limit and thought she could travel at 'normal speed' if she was driving at night. But she was banned from the roads It is thought she will still have 24 points on her licence after the ban ends. Under current motoring laws drivers face a minimum six months ban if they clock up 12 points or more in the space of three years. The temporary speed limit had been introduced in 2014 as part of a 208m scheme to upgrade a 17 mile stretch of the M60 and M62 and create an extra lane. The project is due for completion next year. Hadjicosta from Newham, east London, was caught between April 15 and July 10 this year whilst living with a friend in the Manchester area. The court heard her speeds ranged from 57mph to 69mph. Hadjicosta was flashed on the M60 near Manchester (file photo). Magistrates told her as a doctor she should know the terrible impact speeding can have Defending, Nick Terry told the court most of the offences took place at night and Hadjicosta was not aware the speeding restrictions were still in place. She travels frequently for work and switches between hospitals meaning she needs a car and banning her from the road would endanger her livelihood, he said. But passing sentence chairman of the bench, Marie Brinicombe, told Hadjicosta: 'We find the exceptional hardship will be caused to the patients not you. 'Two of these speeds were quite high and as a doctor you should know the effect that road accidents can have.' The FBI lost fingerprints taken from the rifle agents found in the Texas School Book Depository after the president was assassinated in Dallas, new files have revealed. At the time of the investigation in 1963, agents and outside experts concluded that a palm print taken from the barrel off the rifle belonged to Lee Harvey Oswald. But 15 years later in July 1978, the agency revealed that the fingerprints had gone missing in their vast archives. Dallas Police say they sent over the original fingerprints to the FBI, and that those prints were never returned to them. 'Unable to discover any pertinent information': The files reveal the scramble to locate the original fingerprints taken from the rifle 'A mammoth research effort': The FBI Unit Chief of Congressional Inquiries said the only way he knew to track down the missing lifts would require a huge amount of effort Moriarty said that George Foster, who was the FBI Unit Chief of Congressional Inquiries, claims he did not know the location of the prints - but the policy of the Bureau was to return the originals to the source. The memo adds that Foster admitted finding the prints would 'amount to a mammoth research effort'. The report says: 'He checked with their latent fingerprint section and although he was unable to discover any pertinent information RE the current location of these lifts, he was informed of the long existing bureau policy which has always been to return the originals to the source after they have photographed submitted material of this type.' 'This case was not routine, nor was it handled as such': Sebastian F. Latona, who headed up the fingerprint section of the FBI, said he did not believe the prints were returned to the police The head of the bureau's fingerprint section, Sebastian F. Latona, reportedly said: 'He didn't think this property was returned, bureau policy notwithstanding. 'This case was not routine, nor was it handled as such.' The unsealing of the damning files was decided in 1992, when Congress chose 26 October 2017 for their release date. Trump gave security agencies half a year to check that the information released would not pose a threat to national security. 3,539 files were published on Friday, with more remaining secret as security agencies saying they need more time to review all the documents. Past JFK files have revealed other shocking secrets, such as U.S. efforts to stop Cuba's leader, Fidel Castro. The father posted the footage online and the burglar was identified in days Mr Garland's $2500 computer was stolen, but the thief was caught on camera Steve Garland, from Queensland, was robbed as he slept in his home at 2am A 46-year-old father was hailed a hero after tracking down a thief last year A Queensland father has warned families to install security cameras in their homes this Christmas season, a year after he was robbed in the middle of the night. Steve Garland, 46, was asleep in his Sunshine Coast home during the holidays in 2016 when he was woken up by his son, Jason, at 2am. The 21-year-old had just spotted a man jumping the fence and running away from the family home. Mr Garland, a small business owner, immediately checked his home office to find the thief had stolen his brand new $2500 Apple laptop and an expensive torch. Steve Garland, 46, (right) was asleep in his Sunshine Coast home during the holidays in 2016 when he was woken up by his son Jason who had seen a man fleeing their home A thief had entered Mr Garland's home at 2am and stolen a $2500 Apple computer and an expensive torch The burglar can be seen stealing the items in security footage from camera's installed by Mr Garland three weeks earlier Luckily, Mr Garland has installed secutiry cameras in his home just three weeks earlier, news.com.au reports, and had managed to capture the burglar on tape. 'I checked the security cameras, and sure enough, he was caught on CCTV,' Mr Garland told the publication. 'He was a bit of an idiot he looked straight at the camera before he grabbed the laptop and bolted.' Police arrived to take fingerprints from the scene the following morning, but were unable to get a clear match. 'He was a bit of an idiot he looked straight at the camera before he grabbed the laptop and bolted,' Mr Garland said of the thief Taking matters into his own hands, Mr Garland posted the security footage to his local community Facebook page Taking matters into his own hands, Mr Garland posted the security footage to his local community Facebook page, hoping someone would recognise the thief. Despite a blurred image and the intruder wearing a hat, the man's tattoos were visible in the video and he was identified. 'A few days later, I got an anonymous phone call from a woman who knew him,' Mr Garland said. The thief was reportedly jailed for several years as the 46-year-old father was hailed a local hero. Police discovered the thief was a drug user with a history of robberies, having stolen nine cars and filling the boots with stolen goods. The items were returned to the families but unfortunately, Mr Garland's computer was never found. The thief was reportedly jailed for several years as the 46-year-old father was hailed a local hero. Myanmar's army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing a refugee repatriation deal, satellite images show. Overhead pictures reveal that villages continued to be destroyed even as Myanmar and Bangladesh struck a deal last month to return refugees from the ethnic Muslim minority who had fled their country in fear. The New York-based Human Rights Watch said buildings were destroyed in 40 villages in northern Rakhine state in October and November, increasing the total to 354 villages that have been partially or completely destroyed since August 25. It comes as the UN said violence against the Rohingya people could be classed as genocide. Satellite images show Myanmar's army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing a refugee repatriation deal , according to New York's Human Rights Watch. The top picture shows four villages in Maungdaw township, northern Rakhine state on November 25. Days later on December 2, images of the same spot show that many houses had been burnt More than 630,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh since August 25, when Myanmar's army began what it called 'clearance operations' following an attack on police posts by a group of Rohingya insurgents. Refugees arriving in Bangladesh said their homes were set on fire by soldiers and Buddhist mobs, and some reported being shot at by security forces. In late November, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement covering the return of Rohingya who fled across their mutual border to escape the violence in Rakhine. 'Satellite imagery confirms that dozens of buildings were burned the same week' the agreement was signed, Human Right Watch said in a statement. 'The Burmese army's destruction of Rohingya villages within days of signing a refugee repatriation agreement with Bangladesh shows that commitments to safe returns were just a public relations stunt,' said Brad Adams, Human Rights Watch's Asia director. 'The satellite imagery shows what the Burmese army denies: that Rohingya villages continue to be destroyed. Burmese government pledges to ensure the safety of returning Rohingya cannot be taken seriously.' Myanmar was formerly known as Burma. Zaw Htay, Myanmar's government spokesman, said, 'I cannot give comment yet because I have not seen the statement on the satellite images yet.' Sann Win, a border guard police officer in northern Rakhine, said by phone Monday that 'there was no burning of any villagers' homes in October and November.' In September, Myanmar's government said more than 6,800 homes had been destroyed in the wave of violence, with all but about 200 of them belonging to Rohingya villagers. It comes after the United Nations human rights chief claimed the conflict could one day be classified as genocide. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein hinted that he believed Burma's leaders could be charged if it is deemed they have not done enough to stop the trouble. Rohingya refugees try to get aid distributed from a truck at Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein hinted that he believed Burma's leader could be charged if it is deemed they have not done enough to stop the trouble Speaking to BBC's Panorama, which is due to air on Monday night, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights said it would not surprise him if genocide charges were one day brought before the country's leaders. He said: 'The elements suggest you cannot rule out the possibility that acts of genocide have been committed. 'It's very hard to establish because the thresholds are high but it wouldn't surprise me in the future if the court were to make such a finding on the basis of what we see.' If the country's leaders are aware of the violence - which has seen dozens of people raped, killed and maimed and received vast media coverage - they could be 'culpable', Mr Al Hussein said. Rohingya Muslims have fled from Burma after intense violence which the UN described as 'ethnic cleansing', although authorities have blamed Rohingya militants for the conflict. A cross-party group of MPs found violence amounting to 'ethnic cleansing and may also constitute crimes against humanity and even genocide'. The BBC said it had asked Burma's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the head of the country's armed forces for a response but neither had replied. Iranian public television has broadcast images it says show the confession of an academic sentenced to death for spying for Israel during nuclear talks with world powers. In the video aired late Sunday and prepared by Iran's intelligence ministry, Ahmadreza Djalali says he worked with a foreign intelligence agency while studying in Europe. His wife, speaking by telephone from Stockholm, said he had been forced by his interrogators to read the confession. Djalali, an Iranian emergency medicine specialist resident in Sweden, was sentenced to death in the Islamic republic in October for spying for Israel. In the video aired late Sunday and prepared by Iran's intelligence ministry, Ahmadreza Djalali says he worked with a foreign intelligence agency while studying in Europe In the 17-minute video, a narrator speaks over images of a purported 'interview' with Djalali crosscut with archive footage, accusing him of being a 'traitor' and of having been recruited by Mossad The academic was a visiting professor at Belgium's Vrije Universiteit Brussel when he was arrested during a trip to Iran in April 2016. He was accused of passing information to Israel's Mossad intelligence service during the negotiations that led to Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2015. Djalali has claimed he is being punished for refusing to spy for Iran while working in Europe. In the 17-minute video, a narrator speaks over images of a purported 'interview' with Djalali crosscut with archive footage, accusing him of being a 'traitor' and of having been recruited by Mossad. Djalali says in the report that he had given the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad information about key nuclear scientists. 'They were showing me pictures of some people or satellite photos of nuclear facilities and were asking me to give them information about that,' Djalali says in the television report. In the footage, Djalali says he gave information to foreign intelligence agents on two Iranian nuclear scientists, Majid Shahriari and Masoud Alimohammadi. Djalali (left), an Iranian emergency medicine specialist resident in Sweden, was sentenced to death in the Islamic republic in October for spying for Israel Djalali's s wife, Vida Mehrannia (left), speaking by telephone from Stockholm, said he had been forced by his interrogators to read the confession. The two were among five Iranian scientists - four of them involved in the country's nuclear programme - killed in bomb and gun attacks in Tehran between 2010 and 2012. Iran has accused Mossad and the CIA of ordering the killings. Vida Mehrannia, Djalali's wife, said her husband had been forced to read a pre-agreed confession in front of the camera. 'After three months in solitary confinement, his interrogators told him that he would be released only if he reads from a text in front of the camera,' she told Reuters by telephone from Stockholm. 'My husband told me that they shouted at him each time he was saying something different from the text and stopped the filming,' Mehrannia added. The film said Djalali had agreed to cooperate with Israel in return for money and residency of a European country. 'We have not received money from anyone and our lifestyle shows that. We don't have a house or a car. We got our Swedish residency after finishing our studies here,' Mehrannia said. The film also contained interviews with Majid Jamali Fashi, an Iranian athlete who was hanged in 2012 over the killings of the nuclear scientists. People take part in a rally, on Thursday at the Iranian embassy in Brussels, in support of Ahmadreza Djalali after Irans Supreme Court upheld the death sentence handed to this an Iranian-born Swedish resident and specialist in emergency medicine Djalali is the second person found guilty in the same case. 'Djalali did not have any sensitive information about Irans nuclear programme. If he had, he would have been barred from leaving the country,' Mehrannia said. The video comes just days after human rights group Amnesty International said Iran's Supreme Court had 'run roughshod over the rule of law' by confirming Djalali's death sentence. Sweden has condemned the death verdict against Djalali and said it had raised the matter with Iranian envoys in Stockholm and Tehran. Seventy-five Nobel prize laureates petitioned Iranian authorities last month to release Djalali so he could 'continue his scholarly work for the benefit of mankind'. They said Djalali has suggested it was his refusal to work for Iranian intelligence services that led to this 'unfair, flawed trial'. After more than a decade of tensions with the West, Tehran in July 2015 signed a landmark deal with world powers to curb its nuclear activity in exchange for the gradual lifting of crippling economic sanctions. US President Donald Trump has threatened to scrap the accord. The United Nations and international human rights organisations regularly list Iran as a country with one of the worlds highest execution rates. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have arrested at least 30 dual nationals during the past two years, mostly on spying charges. A couple has filmed an 'aggressive and territorial' crocodile which they claim was stalking them as they fished in a river. The two-metre croc spotted Doug and Marceena Burns after they reeled in a catch and began tailing them like prey, as the worried couple moved positions five different times in Innisfail, far north Queensland. Footage of the dangerous reptile shows it refuse to swim away from the boat and doggedly pursue the fishers even when they prodded it violently with a stick. Scroll down for video The two-metre croc (pictured) spotted Doug and Marceena Burns after they reeled in a catch and began tailing them like prey, as the worried couple moved positions five different times in Innisfail, far north Queensland Marceena Burns (pictured) said the two-metre reptile was following them around the river 'Over his shoulder I could see what I thought might have been a log, until I realised it was moving towards us,' Ms Burns told Seven News. 'And I said, "Hey Doug I hope you're balanced in the boat here because he's moving towards us".' Despite being on the smaller scale for Australian reptiles, the croc was described as being 'aggressive and territorial'. Rangers have now launched a hunt for the stalker crocodile after Doug and Marceena alerted officials when they safely made it out of the water. Footage of the dangerous reptile (pictured) shows it refuse to swim away from the boat and doggedly pursue the fishers even when they prodded it violently with a stick Innisfail rivers are notorious for being home to some of Australia's deadliest crocodiles. In March rangers captured and killed a four-metre reptile which fatally attacked a spear-fisherman. And that same month an Innisfail teenager was aggressively mauled by a four-metre croc after he jumped into Johnstone River. Police are searching for lewd vandals who have turned a giant nativity sculpture into a porn scene in which the Virgin Mary appears to be performing a sex act on Joseph. The local authority in the town of Boadilla del Monte, near the Spanish capital city of Madrid, had erected the nativity figures on a roundabout. But pranksters struck in the middle of the night to turn the festive feature into something altogether less savoury. Pranksters positioned the Virgin Mary so that it appeared she was performing a sex act on Joseph and moved the stable animals so it looked as if they too were having sex They positioned the Virgin Mary so that it appeared she was performing a sex act on Joseph and moved the stable animals so it looked as if they too were having sex. The stunt has deeply offended sensibilities in the staunchly catholic country and police are being urged to crack down hard on those responsible. Local members of the conservative People's Party (PP) are urging police officers to check CCTV footage to try to identify the offenders. A PP spokesman said: 'It constitutes a clear lack of respect for the religious beliefs and traditions of much of the population of the municipality. The local authority in the town of Boadilla del Monte, near the Spanish capital city of Madrid, had erected the nativity figures on a roundabout 'In addition to the vandalism, it is a clearly intentional offensive attack against religious freedom. 'We demand respect for the freedom of belief as an essential pillar of our coexistence and of our democratic system protected by our constitution.' A council spokesman said that it was the first time that anybody had interfered with the Christmas display. 'The damages caused were repaired as soon as they were identified,' he said. BBC presenter John Humphrys made a crass joke live on air today about an MP being reduced to tears by Tory whips. The Today programme veteran made the bizarre remark moment after his colleague Nick Robinson concluded an interview with Tory Vicky Ford. Ms Ford, a former member of the European Parliament, was among a group of waverers who considered joining a rebellion against the Government on Brexit last week. The Today programme veteran made the bizarre remark moment after his colleague Nick Robinson concluded an interview with Tory Vicky Ford (file image) BBC presenter John Humphrys (file image) made a crass joke about an MP being reduced to tears by aggressive whipping live on air today The Chelmsford MP voted in line with orders on Wednesday night following a last minute concession by ministers. But amid reports the Tory whips reduced at least one MP to tears in their doomed fight to win the vote, Ms Ford was questioned about the tactics today. After she did not deny crying over the 'robust' whipping, Humprhys joked to weather forecaster Stav Danaos: 'Time for the weather forecast - are you in tears Stav?' Danaos appeared confused by the remark, prompting Humphrys to say again: 'You're not in tears are you?' Moments earlier Ms Ford had insisted she had never voted against the Government but explained to Robinson why she had concerns about the Brexit process. She had been on the brink of joining 11 Tory colleagues in voting for an amendment guaranteeing MPs a 'meaningful' vote on the final deal. Asked about the whips tactics, Ms Ford said: 'There were some very robust conversations with the whips last week. 'The Government is listening and they made that agreement last week and we have some helpful amendments on the table this week.' The question of how Britain moves on from the single market will be at the heart of Cabinet discussions today as Theresa May (pictured in Maidenhead yesterday) wrestles with divisions inside the top of the Tory party Pressed on whether she had been in tears, the MP said: 'Let's just say there have been some robust conversations and I am very happy with how this has turned out. 'This is going to be a complicated couple of years and we need to get the best deal for the country.' Twitter user Nicky Marsh accused Today of having a 'blokey joke' at Ms Ford's expense and warned it was an example of 'misogyny' in the media. Ayo Obe said Today had no interest in what Ms Ford had to say about Brexit but only whether as a woman she had cried Twitter user Nicky Marsh accused Today of having a 'blokey joke' at Ms Ford's expense and warned it was an example of 'misogyny' in the media Ayo Obe said Today had no interest in what Ms Ford had to say about Brexit but only whether as a woman she had cried Earlier in the interview, Ms Ford - who chaired the European Parliament's internal market committee - said Britain should track closely to EU rules after Brexit. The question will be at the heart of Cabinet discussions today and tomorrow as Theresa May wrestles with divisions inside the top of the Tory party. But Ms Ford said: 'I think that for a lot of the UK there isn't a huge need to diverge. Look at what's at risk her - there isn't an off the shelf model that works perfectly 'Our trade is so deep and in so many sectors. If you try and take something like the Canada model that does not give the sort of market access that we have been used to. '(That is) particularly in the 21st Century sectors like digital, financial advanced manufacturing where you need decisions that go across borders. 'The risk is we lose that international cooperation.' She added: 'The risk if you diverge too far is you get cut away from our major trading partner. 'We probably won't see many areas where we want to diverge. On service it is much more complicated.' Leading Leaver Iain Duncan Smith (file image) today promoted the idea Britain should diverge dramatically from EU rules Earlier, leading Leave campaigner Iain Duncan Smith told the same programme: 'l don't buy this idea of a fixed position in the world. It's not a case of less trade, it's a case of a different type of trade, and British business will have to learn, as they do, to get by in a different world. 'And to bear in mind, we are looking to make trade arrangements which will make life easier for us with other markets. 'So, you have to look at these things no longer in a case of just the European Union.' Advertisement Incredible images of Native Americans around the turn of the twentieth century have been given a new lease of life. The original photographs were taken by Edward Curtis and have been painstakingly colorized by Anthony Malesys, 26, from Lille, France. The shots show a Hamatsa shaman possessed by supernatural power after having spent several days in the woods as part of an initiation ritual, a nude bowman standing on rocks in water and aiming an arrow and Red Hawk, an Oglala warrior, sitting on a horse that is drinking from a small pond in the Badlands of North Dakota. Other pictures show a Klamath Indian chief in feather headdress standing on a mountain overlooking Crater Lake, Oregon, Two Dakota women hanging meat to dry on poles and portraits of many Native Americans including Three Horses in full headdress. A portrait of Chief Three Horses photographed by Edward Curtis in 1905 and colorized by Anthony Malesys A Klamath chief in a feather headdress standing on mountain overlooking Crater Lake, Oregon in 1923 A nude bowman standing on rocks in water and aiming an arrow in 1910. It is one of the incredible colorized photographs of Native Americans A head-and-shoulders portrait of Dakota Sioux woman, Lucille, standing in front of tree. It was taken in 1907 Two Dakota women hanging meat to dry on poles in front of their tent on an open plain in 1908 A portrait of Red Wing, left, taken in Montana in 1908 and right, a 1904 photograph of a Navajo man wearing a ceremonial mask with feathers and with fir or spruce branches forming a wreath around the shoulders Mr Malesys said: 'I was immediately fascinated by the work of Edward Curtis. 'He collected a census, between 1907 and 1930, of all the Native American peoples in a fabulous ethnographic and artistic project, making it possible to never forget who they were. 'I like being able to see the past from a totally different eye and angle and to be able to transmit and relate historical facts at the same time.' Edward Sheriff Curtis was an American photographer and ethnologist whose work focused on the American West. In 1895, he met and photographed Princess Angeline, also known as Kickisomlo, the daughter of Chief Sealth of Seattle. This was his first portrait of a Native American. In 1906, J. P. Morgan provided Curtis with $75,000 to produce a series on Native Americans. This work was to be in 20 volumes with 1,500 photographs. Eventually 222 complete sets were published. Curtis's goal was not just to photograph but also to document as much of Native American traditional life as possible before that way of life disappeared. Mr Malesys explained how he brought the old black and white photographs back to life by adding a splash of colour. He said: 'At the beginning of the process I do a lot of research. Red Hawk, an Oglala warrior, sitting on a horse that is drinking from a small pond in the Badlands of North Dakota in 1906 Two models pose wearing traditional ceremonial dress, crouching with long beaks pointed toward one another in 'Kotsuis and HohhugNakoakto' taken in British Colombia in 1914 A Hamatsa shaman seated on the ground in front of tree in 1914. He is possessed by supernatural power after having spent several days in the woods as part of an initiation ritual Two 1908 portraits featuring a Native American woman seated and holding baby in beaded cradleboard, left, and right, Black Eagle wearing buffalo hide and holding the wing of a bird 'In fact, I often spend more time in my research than in the actual colourisation. 'I am not only looking for references for objects or clothes but also information about the story that corresponds to the photo itself, because when it comes to choosing the right colours, it is important to know the historical and cultural context as well. 'I use Photoshop to bring life to the images. By using different layers, different tones, contrasts or colours, I can bring back details that were present in the original photograph. 'By adding colours to these photographs, the viewer is brought closer to the reality in which they were taken.' This is the spectacular moment a lorry loaded with fireworks crashed triggering a spontaneous roadside pyrotechnic display. Dazzling rockets lit up the evening sky as they exploded above the scene of the accident near the town of Guaduas in Cundinamarca, Colombia. The impromptu firework display was captured on camera by a passing motorist who stopped to film it with his smartphone. His footage shows the consignment of fireworks going off with lightning speed, one after the other, from the crashed vehicle by the side of the road. Filming from the safety of his own vehicle, the man can be heard gasping in awe at the dazzling display. He chatters throughout the clip, astonished by the sudden bursts of bright light. Traffic was halted after a lorry transporting fireworks crashed igniting a spontaneous roadside display outside the town of Guaduas in Cundinamarca, Colombia Yellows, red and purples light up the highway, bringing traffic to a halt on the lush, rolling landscape 117km from Bogota, the Colombian capital. The lorry is then seen pulling away from the potentially dangerous display. Emergency services quickly arrived on the scene after witnesses alerted them to the dramatic sight. One driver stopped to film the extravaganza of red, yellow and purple with his smartphone. The fireworks lit up the evening sky and the rural landscape The clips shows the fireworks erupting from a spot behind the lorry which begins to pull away from the explosions in the final moments of footage It is unclear what caused the driver to lose control of his vehicle or if anybody was injured in the incident. Police have launched an investigation and reminded citizens to be cautious when transporting fireworks by road - especially over the festive period. Fireworks are popular in South America during Christmas and New Year, especially among children. But many countries have banned or limited their use because of an increase in the number of injuries - with 63 people in Colombia hurt so far this month. Advertisement Fascinating black and white images have emerged showing wounded World War One troops celebrating Christmas at a British military hospital. Images from the first Christmas after the war ended in 1918 show one bandaged soldier smiling as he opens his Christmas care package, while another shows an amputee who has lost his right arm reaching for a stocking that has been suspended above his bed. Further images from the collection show Father Christmas, with a Red Cross on his sleeve, paying the hospital a visit and dropping off some gifts next to the Christmas tree, with an additional photo showing children from the local orphanage being gifted presents by the wounded soldiers. Fascinating black and white images have emerged showing wounded World War One troops celebrating Christmas at a British military hospital. This image shows Private Edward Davidson of Brooklyn reaching for his stocking on Christmas morning The pictures were taken at the Dartford Southern Upper Hospital in Kent. It mainly treated American casualties and this image shows Vitaliano Scambia, of New York. It is said Vitaliano was one of the most popular patients on the ward Private Edward Davidson of Brooklyn, New York had spent six days in a shell hole and twelve weeks in a hospital unable to move while his injured arm was mending. He had boughs of holly picked from the hospital gardens tied to his bed This image show Father Christmas, with a Red Cross on his sleeve, paying the hospital a visit and dropping off some gifts next to the Christmas tree. The set of pictures were taken between November 1918 and Christmas of that year The mainly American troops gathered together to read letters from home. The hospital predominantly treated American casualties of war, with a particular focus on the psychological effects of war such as shellshock The images were taken at the Dartford Southern Upper Hospital in Kent between November 1918 and Christmas of that year, shortly after it was handed over to the United States Military Authorities in June of that year. The hospital predominantly treated American casualties of war, with a particular focus on the psychological effects of war such as shellshock, a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite the fact that the war ended in November 1918, the hospital continued to house patients until it was finally handed back over to the trust in 1919. Several did return, however, when American Base Hospital Veterans placed a plaque at the hospital on May 20th 1955 to commemorate their stay. John Pontin represented the enlisted men and Mrs Amiee Stewart Bradstreet represented the nurses' corps. Writing about his return, Pontin remarked in a newsletter to his fellow veterans: 'Upon our arrival at Dartford we found so much was new. Willa Alice Wilson, the wife of retiring American ambassador Walter Hines Page, visited wounded troops near London. This picture was taken on the lawn of Dartford Hospital after the war had ended Despite the fact that the war ended in November 1918, the hospital continued to house patients until it was finally handed back over to the trust in 1919. One of the American troops, who used a wheelchair, was pictured chatting to a Red Cross nurse Wounded soldiers were visited by orphans near to the hospital in Dartford. The kind-hearted soldiers doled out presents to each child and the gifts were handed out by Lt Ira Hodes of Berkeley, California, who was dressed as Father Christmas Red Cross workers, local orphans and wounded soldiers gathered around a Christmas tree to celebrate the festive season. The event took place near to the Dartford Southern Upper Hospital in Kent between November 1918 and Christmas 1918 The hospital mainly treated American soldiers and particular focus on the psychological effects of war such as shellshock, a type of post-traumatic stress disorder. This picture shows American troops gathering for Christmas mass 'The fields were now housing developments. But as our driver set us down at the gates of the Southern hospital, the scene seemed as unchanged as ever. 'At the administration building we found Mr Durrant and Mrs Sumner (secretary to the Medical Superintendent in 1918 and still held the same position). 'We were soon on the way to the old recreation hall. Here we met Mr Parry (Chairman of the Hospital Management Committee) and Mrs Welch (Vice-Chairman). 'After wine and hors d'oeuvres, we had some pictures taken and returned to the Administration Building. 'When Mrs Bradstreet pulled the cord, there appeared, I must say, our very handsome bronze plaque.' The hospital remained in use throughout the Second World War and remained a general hospital with the inception of the NHS in 1948. It continued to serve Dartford as a general hospital until its closure in July 1959 was demolished in 1967 to make way for the A2. Red Cross nurses were joined by the injured soldiers they were treating outside the military hospital in Kent. The fascinating black and white pictures offer a rare glimpse into the lives of World War One troops once the guns fell silent Lt Walter of New York posed on his hospital bed for a picture. He was wounded in a dogfight at 12,000 feet while taking on eight German planes. His plane returned home with a hundred bullet holes A Red Cross nurse was seen handing a care package to a wounded soldier who appears to have an injured foot and uses crutches to balance. Several of the American troops later returned to the hospital where they had received treatment At least ten people were killed and dozens were injured in a stampede in Bangladesh on Monday after tens of thousands of people gathered for a funeral feast, police said. The victims, believed to all be men, died during a feast in Chittagong following the death of the the southern city's mayor. Mohiuddin Chowdhury, a senior politician of the ruling Awami League party and a three-term mayor of the country's second largest city, died on Friday. Ten people, believed to all be men, died during a stampede at a feast in Chittagong, Bangladesh, following the death of the the southern city's mayor, Mohiuddin Chowdhury TV footage showed scores of sandals and shoes littering the Rima Community Centre in the Jamal Khan neighbourhood where the stampede happened In line with Muslim tradition his family and the party hosted the feast, which drew at least 100,000 people to several locations, said private television station Jamuna. TV footage showed scores of sandals and shoes littering the Rima Community Centre in the Jamal Khan neighbourhood where the stampede happened. Police had staged baton charges to clear the crowd who packed community centres for the feast commemorating a former city mayor. In line with Muslim tradition his family and the party hosted the feast, which drew at least 100,000 people to several locations, one of which was the location of the stampede. Pictured above, people mourning following the incident Police had staged baton charges to clear the crowd who packed community centres for the feast commemorating a former city mayor. Pictured above, people mourn following the stampede Mohammad Hamid, a duty officer of the hospitals police, said that all who died in the stampede were men. Authorities and hospital staff said they feared the death toll could rise. At least 50 people were injured in the stampede. "So far we can confirm the death toll of 10 people," city police chief Iqbal Bahar told AFP. "The death toll could rise as 15 people are critically injured," said another police official, Mohammad Alauddin. The Obama administration has been accused of sabotaging an operation to stop Hezbollah smuggling drugs into the US so that the nuclear deal with Iran could proceed. In a stunning expose by Politico, the former President's Justice Department is said to have facilitated the Lebanese terror group's trafficking and money laundering operations by blocking the arrest of key Hezbollah figures. Donald Trump's White House slapped at his predecessor Sunday night, with press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeting that the story shows a contrast of 'President Trump's success against ISIS vs. President Obama's appeasement of terrorists.' And a Republican House leadership aide told DailyMail.com on Monday that the Obama White House 'was the worst of the worst when it came to fighting terrorism in the ways that mattered most.' The Drug Enforcement Administration in 2008 began a complex operation called Project Cassandra to tackle Hezbollah - which was founded in the 1980s by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. But as the Obama administration worked towards a deal to stop Iran's nuclear program in return for the lifting of economic sanctions, the DEA's work got more difficult, Politico reports. It is claimed Obama's people threw down a number of roadblocks, effectively paving the way for Hezbollah's $1bn-a-year illegal activities including cocaine smuggling in partnership with the Zeta cartel to continue. DEA agents claim the Obama administration stopped them arresting key figures linked to Hezbollah as an agreement on the Iran nuclear deal approached - and scrapped Project Cassandra entirely once the terms were agreed in 2015. Barack Obama's (pictured) administration has been accused of sabotaging an operation to stop Hezbollah smuggling drugs into the US so that a nuclear deal with Iran could proceed Hezbollah's $1 billion-a-year international criminal operation International drug smuggling operation founded by mastermind of bombing of Beirut bombing that killed 241 US marines in 1983 The organisation is now expected to be working with the Zetas cartel to smuggle tonnes of cocaine into the United States One of the world's top cocaine traffickers called 'The Ghost' is a Hezbollah operative Same man accused of selling chemical weapons to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad Hezbollah launders its drugs profits by allegedly shipping used cars from America to Africa and selling them Money laundering also takes place through South America, the Middle East and the US Lebanese arms dealer Ali Fayad is a suspected top Hezbollah operative, according to Politico, and is believed to report to Vladimir Putin Fayad is accused of plotting the murder of American government workers Venezualas vice president Tareck El Aissami is believed to be deeply involved in cocaine trafficking and is an ally of Hezbollah Hezbollah is believed to be providing weapons and training to anti-American Shiite militias An alleged Hezbollah drugs kingpin is based in Colombia and is accused of working with the Zetas cartel to smuggle cocaine into the US Proceeds from the operations were allegedly used to design new IEDs that killed US troops in Iraq Advertisement Terror group: Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah says 'Death to America' and calls for 'millions of martyrs' to march to Jerusalem in a televised speech The nuclear deal agreed to scrap crippling economic sanctions on Iran in return for a promise from to Tehran to stop nuclear development. By putting themselves between the DEA and Hezbollah, the Obama administration helped the militant group grow into a global security threat that is suspected of designing IEDs used to kill American troops, the report said. The undercover DEA investigation's leaders sought permission for a number of significant prosecutions, arrests and financial sanctions, but Justice and Treasury Department officials delayed after Obama was re-elected in 2012, Politico said. In some cases, they were hindered and some requests from the DEA's Counter facility in Chantilly, Virginia, were flatly rejected. This hampered Project Cassandra's efforts to bring the Hezbollah hierarchy to their knees. They included one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers who also supplied Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with chemical weapons. Talking anonymously, some former Obama officials told Politico the decisions were made to improve relations with Iran. Shortly after the three-part story went live, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that it depicted Barack Obama's 'appeasement of terrorists' David Asher, who helped establish Project Cassandra, told Politico: 'This was a policy decision, it was a systematic decision. 'They serially ripped apart this entire effort that was very well supported and resourced, and it was done from the top down.' He added that the closer Obama for to finalizing the Iran nuclear deal, the more difficult the DEA's job became. The weapons agreement was announced in January 2016, which coincided with Project Cassandra officials being moved onto other assignments. Investigators were on the verge of homing in on dozens of important figures who acted as facilitators for the various criminal operations in Hezbollah's pockets, according to Politico. 'Hezbollah operates like the Gambino crime family on steroids The report named a man with glasses called Abdallah Safieddine as Hezbollah's key point of connection. He worked from his base in Tehran, and Jack Kelly - a veteran DEA supervisory agent - compared him to the notoriously slippery John Gotti aka Teflon Don. Kelly told Politico: 'Hezbollah operates like the Gambino crime family on steroids, and he is its John Gotti. 'Whatever Iran needs, Safieddine is in charge of getting it for them.' After more than a decade of tensions with the West, Tehran signed a landmark deal with world powers to curb its nuclear activity in exchange for the gradual lifting of crippling economic sanctions. President Donald Trump has threatened to scrap the accord. The revelations also come just a week after the leader of Hezbollah swore to 'end' the US, calling for 'martyr' terror attacks in Jerusalem after Trump's recognition of the city as the Israeli capital. Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of the Lebanese militant group, made the impassioned televised speech to thousands of followers, inciting the crowd to chant 'Death to America'. This was followed by a warning to Lebanon from Israel's Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz, who said that if Hezbollah attacked Israel, the country would return the whole country 'back to the Stone Age'. In his speech this week, translated by the Washington D.C.-based Middle East Media Research Institute, Hezbollah leader Nasrallah appeared to urge followers to carry out terror attacks in Jerusalem. 'It is time that everybody knows that America is not the sponsor of peace in Palestine and the region,' he said in the televised speech 'America is the sponsor of terrorism, of occupation, of Judaization, of deportation, of burning, of destruction and of civil strife. 'America created ISIS and the takfiri [apostate] groups.' Hezbollah: Formed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, murderers of 241 US Marines and allies of Assad BOMBING OF US MARINES IN BEIRUT Hezbollah is widely believed to have masterminded the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Beirut that killed 241 American servicemen It was the deadliest day for the Marine Corp since World War Two after two suicide bomber drove two massive truck bombs into the complex and blew themselves up. The bombing mastermind was Imad Mughniyeh who went on to found Hezbollah's global drug smuggling empire. He was killed by a car bomb in Beirut in 2008 - allegedly planted by the CIA and Mossad. HEZBOLLAH AT THE CENTER OF IRAN-SAUDI ARABIA PROXY WAR The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is at the center of the recent crisis that has gripped Lebanon and rattled a region already rife with conflict. When Saudi-backed Prime Minister Saad Hariri declared his resignation last month in a surprise announcement from the Saudi capital, Riyadh, he blamed Hezbollah for imposing itself on the country and doing the bidding of its main backer, Iran, in Lebanon and elsewhere in the region. The one-time local Shiite guerrilla army that rallied Lebanon's Shiites and battled Israel - even earning admiration from the region's Sunnis - has turned into a powerful, well-armed group caught up in the Iran-Saudi rivalry that is shaping the Middle East. Saudi Arabia singled Hezbollah out, accusing it of declaring war on the kingdom, just as the US ratcheted up its pressure on Iran and imposed new sanctions on Hezbollah, which it considers a terrorist group. They are funded by a vast array of illegal activities to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. This includes drug trafficking and money laundering using channels linking South America, the Middle East and the US. Here is a look at the 35-year old militant group, its sources of power and regional role. BEGINNINGS and LEADERS Hezbollah was formed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to fight Israel's invasion of Beirut. Under the leadership of Hassan Nasrallah, who took over in 1992 after his predecessor, Abbas Mussawi, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, the group moved from seeking to implement an Iranian-style Islamic republic in Lebanon to focusing on fighting Israel and integration into Lebanon's sectarian-based politics. Nasrallah, now 57, has played a key role in ending a feud among Shiites, focusing attention toward fighting Israel and later expanding the group's regional reach. WARS WITH ISRAEL Hezbollah became the main militant group opposing Israel and the buffer zone it established in southern Lebanon in 1985. In 1996, Israel launched an offensive to end the guerrilla attacks, striking Lebanese power stations and killing more than 100 Lebanese civilians sheltering in a UN base. A year later, 12 Israeli soldiers were killed in a commando raid in the south. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 was hailed as a victory for Hezbollah. In the same year, Hezbollah captured three Israeli soldiers and a businessman in cross border raids, and later negotiated a swap in 2004, releasing hundreds of prisoners and fighters. Then in 2006, Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid, sparking a 34-day war that killed 159 Israelis and more than 1,000 Lebanese. A UN-brokered cease-fire brought thousands of international peacekeeping troops to police the Israeli-Lebanese border. HEZBOLLAH AT HOME Hezbollah's popularity at home didn't only stem from its opposition to Israel. With a weak Lebanese state, the Iranian-sponsored group, like most other sects, provided a vast array of social services for its supporters, through education, health and social networks. But as the militant group sought more executive and legislative powers following Israel's 2000 withdrawal, it worked to funnel some of its support through state institutions to reach the broader public. Another turning point came in 2008, when heavily armed Hezbollah fighters seized control of vast parts of Beirut, flexing its power domestically for the first time. The show of force followed attempts by Lebanon's Western-backed government to curb the militants' influence by dismantling its telecommunication network. Hezbollah has been the most powerful player in Lebanon's politics ever since. Saudi Arabia and Iran, which backed opposite sides inside Lebanon, ended a two-year deadlock over electing a president by tacitly approving a power-sharing deal that effectively enshrined Hezbollah's new powerful role. With that, Hariri, a Sunni, headed a unity government and Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, became president. REGIONAL FOOTPRINT Hezbollah sent its gunmen to fight alongside the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2012, providing a significant boost to the overstretched military, and turning the tide of the war. It was also crucial to safeguarding the Shiite militant group's access to Syria, the land corridor through which it is believed to get its weapons from Iran. Citing estimates based on diplomatic reports and open-source data, Thanassis Cambanis, a fellow at the Century Foundation, said some 20,000 to 30,000 armed men, including 4,000 core fighters as well as local militiamen and tribesmen are under Hezbollah's command in the fighting in Syria and Lebanon. This war has allowed Hezbollah's fighters to improve their interoperability, working closely with the Russian military and other Iranian-backed militias from Iraq or Afghanistan. Hezbollah is also believed to have increased its military facilities in Syria's Qalamoun mountains and in the Golan Heights, as well as throughout Lebanon. It is believed to have built munitions factories there and Israeli officials estimate it has an arsenal of 150,000 missiles. 'It has crossed a military threshold,' Cambanis said. 'Hezbollah today possesses a credible deterrent against pre-emptive war by its opponents.' Hezbollah backing for Yemen's Houthi rebels has been harder to prove, though the structure and rhetoric of the Shiite Yemeni group mirrors that of Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia accuses Hezbollah and Iran of providing the Houthis with training and financial support in the stalemated war that is causing a humanitarian disaster. Saudi authorities said a recently intercepted missile near Riyadh airport, the longest-range yet used by the Houthis, had Iranian markings, confirmed by the Americans. In addition, small arms shipments allegedly from Iran were confiscated before reaching Yemen. And Saudi TV networks have aired what they say was evidence of Hezbollah fighters training the Houthis. Advertisement Palestinians clash with Israeli forces following protests against US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, during his funeral in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Saturday, December 16 Israeli forces fire teargas at Palestinian demonstrators during clashes (left) as a Palestinian (right) throws a stone towards Israeli security forces Palestinians burn tires following protests against US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel A Lebanese supporter of the Shiite Hezbollah movement hold up the movement's flag as he listens to Hezbollah's leader Hasan Nasrallah delivering a televised speech He said the only position the Islamic nation can take regarding the United States is 'Death to America', which was followed by a crowd of hundreds brandishing Palestine flags repeatedly chanting the threatening words. He urged followers to turn Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital into the 'beginning of the end' for the U.S.and Israel 'for all eternity'. He also called for 'millions of martyrs' to march on Jerusalem, potentially inciting terror attacks. Israel and Hezbollah fought a war in 2006 and often trade warnings. But in an interview on Wednesday, Intelligence Minister Katz warned that if the organisation resumed a military conflict 'all of Lebanon will be a target.' 'What happened in 2006 would be a picnic compared to what could happen... 'I say Lebanon will return to the stone age.' Former chief nursing officer Right Reverend Sarah Mullally has become Bishop of London The first woman to hold the title Bishop of London has hit out at inequality and declared she wants more diversity among Church leaders. Sarah Mullally was yesterday appointed to the third most senior role in the Church of England the highest position held by a woman. The 55-year-old former nurse, who is married with two children, is now a front-runner to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury. However the announcement was met with scepticism by some conservative Church leaders, who said more traditional congregations would struggle to accept her. They also expressed concerns about the views of a cleric who favours radical inclusive Christianity. Right Rev Mullally welcomed her appointment and said that, after spending 32 years in London, her new job in the capital would be returning home from her current role in Devon. She said yesterday: If our churches are going to be more relevant to our communities, that means increasing churches that are led by priests who are women, who come from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. On her blog, she added: London is... multi-cultural and multi-faith. It is a city of energy and diversity. But it is also a city of inequality and deprivation. It is a city where the number of people living alone will rise by over 50 per cent in the next 25 years. And it is a city where people feel ignored, marginalised and angry. She has previously served on Church committees trying to cope with allegations of sexual abuse an issue that continues to cause top-level rifts among Anglicans. She has also been identified with the cause of gay rights in the Church. The 55-year-old former nurse, who is married with two children, is a front-runner to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury Right Rev Mullally is pictured with her husband Eamonn, daughter Grace and son Liam The Rt Rev Mullally, (right, with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, middle), was made a Dame in 2005 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to nursing and midwifery The Right Reverend Sarah Elisabeth Mullally (left) with the Venerable Rachel Treweek (right) following the symbolic laying of the hands ceremony at their consecration as Bishops by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (middle) at a service in Canterbury Cathedral in 2015 In February, after a bid to allow blessings for same-sex couples was defeated in the General Synod, she wrote in a blog: What does radical inclusive Christianity look like in a church where there continues to be a vast distance between views over sexuality? And last month, against the backdrop of a growing sex scandal in Hollywood, she wrote: Something inside me weeps every time I hear when, as a result of the abuse of power in the church, someone has been hurt... Accounts are coming all too often. The appointment of a woman cleric threatens to bring conflict to a major Church of England diocese that has long been a redoubt for opponents of women priests and bishops. The Rt Rev Mullally's appointment also allows her to take up a role in the House of Lords as part of the Lords Spiritual Before becoming Bishop of Crediton, the Rt Rev Mullally was chief nursing officer at the Department of Health and a parish priest MORE WOMEN AND MINORITY PRIESTS More churches should be led by female priests and those 'from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups', the new Bishop of London said. The Right Reverend Sarah Mullally said the Church of England was undergoing a 'period of reflection', with the theme of diversity featuring heavily in her inaugural speech. 'If our churches are going to be more relevant to our communities, that means increasing churches that are led by priests that are women, who come from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups,' she said. The former nurse acknowledged the division in the diocese of London over the ordination of female priests, and said she is 'very respectful of those who cannot accept my role as a priest or bishop'. The current Bishop of Crediton said that now is 'a time to reflect on tradition and scripture' to offer a message of the 'inclusive love of Christ'. 'London is a very diverse city and I would hope that everybody can find a spiritual home and a place where they can encounter the love of Jesus Christ that I have come to know,' she said. As she outlined her vision for the role, Ms Mullally also said she wishes to work with survivors of abuse in the Church to ensure that they 'not only survive, but flourish'. 'I will not only take my responsibility of safeguarding seriously, but I will continue to see that we have a culture which is safe, where there is no place for abuse,' she added. The former civil servant also acknowledged the frustration felt among communities following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, as well as the 'deprivation and inequality' which divides the capital. Advertisement The Right Rev Mullallys predecessors have all declined to ordain women to the priesthood. She succeeds Bishop Richard Chartres, who retired in February after 12 years in the post. But her promotion after just two-and-a-half years as a junior bishop signals a victory for the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who has repeatedly criticised poverty and inequality. He has also has fought for more senior women clergy, and has been frustrated in his attempts to liberalise the Church of Englands rules on gay clergy. The Bishop of Maidstone, the Right Rev Rod Thomas whose supervises clergy who will not accept women priests or bishops said: Despite my own concerns over women bishops I think she will be a very positive force for the Church in London. However Reverend Jules Gomes, pastor of Church of England St Augustines in Douglas, Isle of Man, said: Conservative evangelical and Anglo-Catholic churches will struggle to accept a woman bishop, but will find it even more difficult given that Bishop Mullally is completely unremarkable as a theologian, biblical scholar, preacher, evangelist or pastor. The appointment of Right Rev Mullally comes against a background in which more people now follow the Church of England on social media than attend services. Church leaders said in October that they have 1.2million followers each month who pray online. This compares with 1.1million who worship in church. However Bishop Thomas a senior figure in the Churchs Reform movement of evangelicals said he hoped that Right Rev Mullally would bring something fresh to her diocese. I am encouraged by the way she has recognised different theological positions on the ministry of men and women, he said. I am very hopeful that she will be keen to introduce a fresh arrangement in her diocese. Right Rev Mullally married Eamonn Mullally, with whom she has a grown-up daughter and son, in 1987. She will be consecrated as the 133rd Bishop of London in the New Year. The student put on trial for rape after police sat on texts that revealed his alleged victim said 'it wasn't against my will' wants anonymity for men accused of sex attacks. Liam Allan, 22, from south London, said today he should not have been named while on bail for two years and said: 'It's completely ripped apart my life, and it's still going on.' His mother Lorraine says she always knew her son wasn't capable of rape and said of his accuser: 'I think she may need help - I'm fearful for her'. Mr Allan said the woman should remain a secret but he should also have had the same right - unless a judge orders a suspect to be named or when someone is convicted. He said: 'I don't think it was fair that I wasn't anonymous', adding: 'There's other people that are going through the same thing, so if things don't change as soon as possible. I now have a platform to change things or get those conversations going'. He added: 'For her to remain anonymous I can completely understand at this current point in time'. The student, who studied at the University of Greenwich, will sue the police and CPS and said he 'wants an apology', adding: 'There's been no direct contact. It's disappointing'. Liam Allan, 22, said today he should not have been named while on bail for a year when his accuser's identity can never be revealed The student said it should be up to a judge to rule before any rape suspect is named - his mother Lorraine admitted she felt sorry for his accuser He says he was 'dragged through hell' for two years after police failed to provide messages proving his innocence to his defence team. Why are rape suspects named in the UK and what are the rules in other countries? Anonymity for men and women accused of rape until conviction was in place for 12 years until 1988 when it was repealed. At the time one of the main reasons given was that the public could not be warned by police if a suspected rapist was on the run, for example, without asking for a judge's permission first. Margaret Thatcher's government also wanted to 're-balance' the system in favour of victims - and in high profile cases encourage other victims to come forward. People accused of rape in Britain can be named and cases involving public figures often attract significant media attention. Parliament has considered the idea of anonymity for those accused of rape on a number of occasions. The previous Coalition Government said it would extend anonymity in rape cases to defendants. However, having undertaken an assessment of the evidence, it concluded in 2010 that there was insufficient reliable evidence to justify a change in the law. Anonymity is not granted for rape defendants in any other common law country, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland. There, a rape defendant's identity can be made public only if they are convicted of rape. Advertisement His mother sobbed on the steps of Croydon Crown Court on Thursday. She said today: 'I knew it's not in his nature to do it. 'I did question myself and if I was looking through rose-tinted glasses, you have to. But deep down I never doubted my son'. The young woman told friends that she had fantasised about violent sex or even being raped and even asked Mr Allan for casual sex after he was later accused of raping her. The criminology student will now sue Scotland Yard after the police officer leading the investigation failed to share the 40,000 texts from her phone claiming they were 'too personal' for court. It was only when prosecutor Jerry Hayes demanded to see them and passed them to the defence the case unravelled and was stopped by the judge on Thursday. In the texts, the alleged victim asked for more sex after the attack was said to have taken place. And one of the messages irrefutably cleared Mr Allan. Sent to a female friend during a discussion on her sexual experiences with Mr Allan on September 3 2015, before she had made a complaint, the accuser said: 'It wasn't against my will or anything.' The texts held by police should have been made available to both the defence and the prosecution almost two years ago but were not due to 'sheer incompetence.' And it has emerged Mr Allan, a psychology student at Greenwich University, is planning to sue the police and the CPS for their bungled handling of the case. His lawyer Simone Meerabux told the Sun on Sunday: 'Mr Allan lost two years of his life because of gross negligence. 'We are considering legal action against the police and the CPS.' Confirming he has 'no choice' but to sue the police and CPS, Mr Allan added: 'I am however, happy to work with the CPS and police to help ensure things change for the better. In this case no individual is to blame; there are multiple factors.' News Mr Allan was planning to sue comes as the detective accused of failing to disclose the vital evidence in the rape trial recommended months ago that the defendant should not be charged, it was claimed last night. Mr Allan claims the heavily criticised officer who led the investigation Detective Constable Mark Azariah suggested to him in February that the case against him was weak. The startling development came as calls mounted yesterday for an independent inquiry into the scandal. There were claims that dozens of cases have collapsed in recent years because of police failings over the way they handle evidence. Mr Allan, from Beckenham, South East London, said: 'I rang [Det Con Azariah] in the last week of February seeking an update. At this stage, I hadn't been charged but it was more than a year since my arrest. Liam Allan spent almost two years on bail before police handed over text messages that exonerated him. He now plans to sue the police and the CPS This is the bombshell text message that would have cleared a student accused of rape before he had to endure two years of hell REVEALED: THE DETECTIVE WHO SAT ON CRUCIAL EVIDENCE... INVESTIGATOR: Metropolitan Police officer DC Mark Azariah This is the Detective Constable who led the police investigation of an innocent student accused of rape. The Mail on Sunday has learned that he is Detective Constable Mark Azariah, 37, from the Metropolitan Police's child abuse and sexual offences command. He has worked for the Met since at least 2009. The case collapsed when it emerged in court that police had failed to disclose a series of graphic messages from the accuser's phone to friends in which she discussed her fantasies of extreme sex acts, including being raped. Prosecuting barrister Jerry Hayes later revealed that he had been told by police that the phone records which included 40,000 text and WhatsApp messages were not disclosable because they contained 'very personal material; nothing capable of undermining the prosecution case or assisting the defence'. Mr Hayes said: 'It appears the police officer in the case has not reviewed the disk, which is quite appalling.' The judge demanded a review of disclosure evidence by the Met and called for an inquiry at the 'very highest level' of the Crown Prosecution Service. The accused, Liam Allan, said magnanimously of the detective who might have cost him the best years of his life: 'I would like to make it clear that this man is not solely responsible for the failures of the system. He should not be used as a scapegoat.' The Met said that the case was overseen by the officer's line managers. DAMNING RAPE FANTASY MESSAGES September 2, 2015 To a male friend Accuser: 'You clearly don't love me because you keep revoking my sexual advances, have I got to drug you?' September 3, 2015 Accuser: 'People need 3 things in life: food, water and sex.' Accuser: 'Sometimes sex is the number 1 priority, I'm really not joking to be honest I always think with my d*** lol.' Accuser: 'You know it's always nice to be sexually assaulted without breaking the law.' September 3, 2015 To a female friend in an exchange discussing her sexual experiences with Mr Allan. Accuser: 'It wasn't against my will or anything.' September 3, 2015 Accuser: 'Love is nice but sex is essential. In all seriousness, I am so frustrated now there is zero chance of me lasting like nine months without sex? I'm struggling now. How the hell do people go months and months without doing it?' October 12, 2015 To a male friend Accuser: 'You sexy f***er. Male friend: The chocking [choking] I find it to [too] hot, guess we can be messed up together?' On same date to female friend Accuser: 'Well are you going to take me into the park and rape me? In the bushes.' November 2015 A group WhatsApp conversation Woman friend: 'You guys are so sweet I feel like raping you all.' Accuser: 'Well 18 is a special number and we love you.' Woman friend: 'Stop because I seriously will rape you in your sleep.' Accuser: 'I told you it's fine, I'd consent.' Advertisement 'He said the case had gone high up within the Crown Prosecution Service and the decision would be theirs. 'He said he recommended in his report to the CPS that I should not face charges. He didn't expand on what he put in his report.' Two hours later 'as I came out of a lecture' Mr Allan received a call to say he would be charged with six rapes and one sexual assault. 'Having been given hope, my world was instantly turned upside down,' he said. Last Friday, the day after the trial collapsed, a series of messages from Mr Allan's accuser were disclosed revealing her secret fantasies about being raped and choked during sex. These were in reference to another partner. Prosecutors did not hand over the phone messages, saying they were 'too personal' to share and 'not relevant'. But The Mail on Sunday can today reveal the existence of another message referring directly to her sexual experiences with Mr Allan which cast doubt on the girl's story from the outset. 'It wasn't against my will or anything,' she wrote in a text to a friend. It was sent before she made her complaint. Mr Allan said: 'This clearly undermines her case. Why didn't we get to see this? It wasn't too personal.' The case was blown apart when other messages from the woman were found where she discussed rape fantasies with another partner Speaking about the moment his lawyer told him the the case against him had collapsed, Mr Allen said: 'Simone rang me on December 7. I was bracing myself for bad news because up until then it had all been bad news. 'She had told me that the CPS had decided to drop the whole case and for a second I was speechless and then I just started screaming the whole house down. And then everyone started coming round to the house to congratulate and hug me.' Although Scotland Yard and the CPS are looking into what went wrong, the Independent Police Complaints Commission said it had not been asked to investigate any of the officers involved in the case. Police sources pointed out that no investigation is carried out by one officer alone, 'and this case, like all investigations, was overseen by the officer's line managers'. Calls are also growing for a wide-ranging, independent investigation into the disclosure system, as well as the failure of so many rape trials which could see Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders grilled by MPs. Tory MP Nigel Evans, who was taken to court over false rape claims, added: 'I hope the Justice Select Committee can hold a full inquiry into it. Lessons have to be learned' Tory MP Nigel Evans, who was taken to court over false rape claims, added: 'I hope the Justice Select Committee can hold a full inquiry into it. Lessons have to be learned.' Bob Neill, chairman of the Justice Select Committee, said he will raise the matter of disclosure with the Attorney-General in the Commons this week, and that his committee could investigate it further. He added: 'I'm not at all convinced that the DPP has got a grip on it.' Angela Rafferty, QC, chairwoman of the Criminal Bar Association, said that without the intervention of the barristers in court, Mr Allan 'would have suffered an appalling miscarriage of justice' because of the failure of police and the CPS. She said the failure was 'not an isolated incident' and added that police and the CPS may have had 'unconsciously bias' towards people who report sex offences. Last night, the Met said it was 'urgently reviewing this investigation and will be working with the CPS to understand exactly what has happened in this case.' The CPS said: 'We will now be conducting a management review together with the Metropolitan Police to examine the way in which this case was handled.' The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a new family portrait today with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte Princess Charlotte will begin attending an exclusive London nursery from next month, her parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge revealed today. William and Kate, who is pregnant with her third child, will send the two-year-old to Willcocks Nursery School, located close to their Kensington Palace home. Charlotte will enjoy pottery and poetry classes at the sought-after nursery, which is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted and located next to the Royal Albert Hall. The princess will first be invited with her parents for a short 'stay and play'. Kate and William will then be asked to leave to see if Charlotte is happy to be left alone. The school recommends in its guidance to parents that pupils bring a toy or photo from home, and take a picture of their teacher back to their house. It says: 'As your child builds a rapport with the teachers, we will ask you to stay in the vicinity for the first few sessions so that you can return if needed.' Fees are 9,150 a year for morning sessions and 5,400 for afternoons. Palace sources said Charlotte would attend the school 'full time' but declined to elaborate on whether that was for either morning or afternoon sessions - or both. A school spokesman said: 'We are delighted that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen the Willcocks Nursery School for Princess Charlotte. We look forward to welcoming Charlotte to our nursery in January.' The nursery broke up for Christmas last week, but the spring term will start in just over a fortnight on Thursday, January 4. It holds what it calls morning school for 32 youngsters, aged almost three to five years old, who are in class five days a week for three hours. On its website, Willcocks says pupils experience 'a fun and structured morning with lots of free play where children embark on the first stages of learning to read, write and to understand simple numbers with the minimum of pressure'. Charlotte may be enrolled in the afternoon school, which is less structured than the morning session but provides a similar wide range of activities including art and music. Kensington Palace issued this photograph this morning of Willcocks Nursery School in London It is tailored for younger children, aged two to three years old, and is run three days a week. Its headmistress and owner is Lavinia Taylor, who has been teaching at the school for many years and moved into her current role in September 2009. The nursery was founded in 1964 by Diana Willcocks and has been at its current location in the church hall of Holy Trinity Church in Kensington since 1984. The most recent Ofsted inspection declared it 'outstanding', saying the staff had 'meticulous planning skills in ensuring children's individual learning needs are met'. The report also stated how children have outings to the Science and Natural History museums, and have visitors such as the police, fire service and a vicar. Kate, pictured with Charlotte in Hamburg in July, will send her to the school next month They also use programmable toys and show 'excellent mathematical skills as they count accurately in excess of 20' as well as using a 'broad range of puzzles, construction sets and games with staff, which develop their problem solving skills'. Children are said to 'make good use of the outside play area, running around with ribbons which flow in the wind' and 'show skilful use of wheeled toys and use a variety of equipment which develops their physical control'. A profile of the school by society magazine Tatler, which lists it among its best London nurseries, said: 'We know describing a good school in Kensington as a 'hidden gem' is an oxymoron, but the Willcocks Nursery is just that. 'It has a loyal following - a mix of old English families and chic foreigners - but flies under the radar. It's all quite understated. 'Yes, you should register at birth and yes, there are waiting lists, but fab head Lavinia Taylor says: 'We try our best not to disappoint'. A mother describes it as 'gentle, which is what you want for young ones'. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced that their daughter, Princess Charlotte , will begin attending Willcocks Nursery School in Kensington, West London, from January 'They're just by the Royal Albert Hall, so expect jaunts to the museums and the park, as well as captivating talks on things like Shackleton, archaeology or the environment to keep things lively and fun. 'Kindness is evident everywhere, plus the nursery is a cooperative, so you know staff are in it for the long haul.' The royal couple have also released a new family photograph of themselves and their children - which will feature on their Christmas card. The photograph shows the duke with his son, Prince George, standing immediately in front of him, while Charlotte stands with her mother. The image was taken at Kensington Palace earlier this year by Chris Jackson, royal photographer for Getty Images. Running with ribbons in the school yard, pottery lessons and a poetry classes: The education awaiting Charlotte as she becomes one of 36 pupils at outstanding-rated nursery in a London church Princess Charlotte will receive an exclusive education at the Willcocks Nursery School, featuring tuition in the likes of science, art and music. The school, which operates from a hall and one room of Holy Trinity Church in Kensington, also has an enclosed outside play area. According to the most recent Ofsted report, staff are 'meticulous' in their activity planning and 'all areas of learning are promoted exceptionally well'. The school operates from a hall and a room of Holy Trinity Church in Kensington, West London The children 'engage in meaningful conversations with each other and staff' and 'enjoy story times and benefit from visits to the nursery from a librarian'. Staff also introduce children to poetry, and 'high regard is given to developing children's skills in expressive arts and design'. For example, while learning about the Hindu festival of Diwali, children drew around each other and painted their cut out life-size figures in bright colours. Children also visit the Royal College of Art where they create their own works of art, exhibited for parents and the public to see. They also have regular visits from the Royal College of Music, which enable them to explore the sounds that different instruments make. The school timetable on its website lists the various activities such as garden play and jigsaws In addition, children have visits to the nursery such as the police, fire service and the local vicar, who helped them to learn about the harvest festival. Children use some programmable toys which help develop their mathematical skills so they can count accurately up to and beyond 20. They use a broad range of puzzles, construction sets and games with staff, which develop their problem solving skills. The children run around with ribbons outside and 'show skilful use of wheeled toys and use a variety of equipment which develops their physical control'. They are also said to be adopting healthy lifestyles as they help themselves to water when they are thirsty and have fresh fruit at snack times. This is the shocking moment a teenage boy was violently kicked and stamped on by a group of his schoolmates in northern China. It's said that the boy had had an argument with one of the attackers, so the group decided to seek revenge. Six out of the nine attackers have reportedly been arrested by police. The other three were said to be under 14 years old and were too young to receive legal punishment. Verbal warnings were given to their parents. A group of nine students can be seen kicking a teenage boy in a plaza in northern China (left). A video shows them kicking his body and stamping on his head numerous times (right) According to the official police statement, the incident was filmed by an onlooker who passed the Xianghe Plaza in Shangdu, Inner Mongolia, on the afternoon of December 9. The video shows nine boys repeatedly kicking and stamping onto a boy's body and head. As soon as the onlooker walks close, the group stop the beating and dismiss. The boy, whose identity remained unknown, can be heard crying when he struggles to walk. It's said that the group was seeking revenge for their friend who had an argument with the boy earlier (left). The boy was said to be studying in junior forms in a secondary school (right) He is seen crying and yelling as he desperately tries to walk away from the scene (left). Six of the attackers were said to be arrested while the other three were too young to be punished The victim's parents noticed bruises and wounds on his body the same night when he returned home and called the police. Shangdu Police Bureau launched an investigation into the incident together with the local education department. The officials brought away nine suspected students for questioning, reported The Paper. The victims was studying in the junior years at a secondary school in the city. It's confirmed that the group of students were trying to seek revenge for a friend who had a fight with the boy previously. The boy was found to have injuries on his body and has been treated in the hospital. Shangdu policemen arrested six of the attackers according to China's public security administration punishment law. Three other students, who are under 14 years old, will be immune from legal punishment due to their young ages. But their parents were ordered to offer strict custodian education to them. Shocking footage has emerged showing a schoolgirl being snatched by a man on a busy street in east China. The girl in red jacket was not aware that she had been followed on her way home from class. She was put into a minivan by the man and the van, driving by the man's accomplice, left the scene quickly. A schoolgirl has been followed by a man and a minivan while on her way home in east China The man's accomplice opens the van's door and the man starts to approach to the girl close The incident was believed to have happened in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province on December 11. The man approached the girl as soon as the minivan's door opened. The girl tried to resist the man's assault as she firmly held onto the minivan's door but she got pushed into the vehicle. The snatching has alerted a few members of the public, they attempted to block the van but it soon drove off. According to ifeng.com, police are looking for information and they are trying to track down the minivan. There is no further information disclosed by the police yet. The girl is forcefully dragged into the van (left). She resists and drops a paper bag (right) A man in central China has risked his life to save his mother from a blazing van. It's reported that his van burst into flames when a fully-filled gas cylinder exploded inside the vehicle. The man's hair was caught on fire two times as he was trying to rescue his mother. He sustained injuries on his face, but his mother was unharm, according to reports. A parked van suddenly catches fire as flames blast from inside the car on December 8 in China A man attempts to open the back cover of the vehicle so his mother could escape Surveillance camera footage captured the moment the van caught on fire all of sudden. The driver told Pear the blast occurred when he started the engine. His mother was trapped in the car as the fire engulfed his vehicle all of sudden. The van was parked on the street of Xinxiang, Henan Province on December 8. The driver rushed to the back of the car, while his hair was on fire, and opened the cover to drag his mother out. Firefighters arrived the scene shortly and put out the fire. Xinxiang policeman told Pear that there was a fully-filled gas cylinder in the car and it could have caused explosion potentially. He drags his mother out of the car before the fire engulfs the vehicle within seconds The man's hair is caught on fire as the pair is making a desperate escape from the fire The far-right tilt of Austria's new coalition government marks a 'dangerous development' in Europe, the United Nations' human right's chief has warned today. Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he is 'very worried' about the surge of the far right, and cautioned against 'the peddling of fear' in European politics. As Chancellor Sebastian Kurz was sworn into power in Vienna today, more than 2,000 people took part in demonstrations, brandishing placards such as 'refugees welcome' and 'Nazis out' and 'No Nazi pigs', Austria's far-Right Freedom Party has been sworn in to power with the country's new conservative leader Sebastian Kurz, 31. He is pictured with his girlfriend Susanne Thier arriving for the inauguration in Vienna today Warning: Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he is 'very worried' about the surge of the far right in Austria Anger: More than 2,000 people took part in demonstrations this morning, brandishing placards such as 'refugees welcome' and 'Nazis out' and 'No Nazi pigs' Prince al-Hussein said that Kurz's decision to take hard-right position on things like immigration to gain support marked 'a dangerous development in the political life of Europe.' The coalition between Kurz's conservative People's Party (OeVP) and the far-Right Freedom Party was agreed on Friday along with pledges to stop illegalimmigration and resist EU centralisation. It will be led by Kurz, who took over the OeVP in May and moved it to the right, securing his party first place in October elections. At 31, Kurz will be the world's youngest leader. He said the new Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's decision to take hard-right position on things like immigration to gain support marked 'a dangerous development in the political life of Europe.' A heavy police presence of about 1,500 officers, with helicopters overhead and water-cannon trucks at the ready, blocked off the area around the Hofburg palace. Austrian president Alexander van der Bellen (right) and head of the People's Party Sebastian Kurz (left) sign contracts during the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in Vienna today The coalition will be led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (right), who took over the OeVP in May and moved it to the right, securing his party first place in October elections. At 31, Kurz will be the world's youngest leader At one point police fired a smoke grenade when some protestors tried to break through a barricade. At Kurz's side for the investiture by Austria's president in the Hapsburg dynasty's imperial palace in Vienna was FPOe chief Heinz-Christian Strache, 48, now vice-chancellor, and FPOe general secretary Herbert Kickl, the new interior minister. Strache has said Islam 'has no place in Europe' and last year called German Chancellor Angela Merkel 'the most dangerous woman in Europe' for her open-door refugee policy. On Sunday, Strache trumpeted to his 750,000 followers on Facebook that the new government would slash social benefits for asylum-seekers. 'It will no longer happen that migrants who have never worked here a single day or paid anything into the social system will get thousands of euros in welfare!' he said in a post that has gained 9,000 'likes'. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (left) stands next to vice-chancellor of the far-right Freedom Party Christian Strache during the inauguration ceremony of the new Austrian government at the Hofburg in Vienna, Austria A heavy police presence of about 1,500 officers, with helicopters overhead and water-cannon trucks at the ready, blocked off the area around the Hofburg palace Kickl is a former speechwriter for Strache's predecessor Joerg Haider, whose 2000 entry into government prompted an outcry and soul-searching in Europe that appear largely absent this time. Several hundred thousand people took to the streets on that occasion. The FPOe also obtained the defence and foreign ministries, while the OeVP got finance, economy and justice amongst other portfolios, and will continue to handle EU affairs. Both Kurz and Strache won over voters two months ago by stoking concerns about immigration after the record influx in 2015, mirroring elections elsewhere in Europe this year. Geert Wilders' Freedom Party became the second-largest in The Netherlands, Marine Le Pen of France's National Front was in a runoff for the presidency and the Alternative for Germany entered the Bundestag. But the FPOe is rare in western Europe in having translated success at the ballot box into real power. At one point police fired a smoke grenade when some protestors tried to break through a barricade A demonstrator with a banner reading 'Instead of tax cuts for the rich, work for all !' stands next to riot police during a protest against the new Austrian government today Demonstrators of the Socialist Youth waving red flags attend a protest against the new Austrian government near the presidential palace in Vienna today Speaking at a far-right congress in Prague on Saturday, Wilders said the FPOe's entry into government was 'an excellent result', while Le Pen called it 'very good news for Europe'. 'Every election demonstrates a form of rejection of the European Union,' Le Pen said, echoing the euro-scepticism shown by the FPOe in the past. Both Kurz and Strache emphasised however on Saturday that Vienna would stay staunchly pro-EU and that their plans for more Swiss-style 'direct democracy' excluded a referendum on EU membership. But Kurz said that during Austria's presidency of the EU, set for the second half of 2018, Vienna would press for Brussels to have less say in areas that he believes should be up to member states. Kurz said he envisions an EU which should be 'stronger in big questions and which should step back on smaller issues'. Kurz also said that Austria would not change its line on supporting EU sanctions on Russia imposed over Ukraine, even though the FPOe, like other far-right groups, wants them lifted. But according to their joint programme, Austria will 'actively work' towards easing the sanctions 'in unison' with the rest of the EU. In addition the new government's programme says that Austria will seek support to 'definitively' end Turkey's bid to join the EU, sparking anger on Sunday from Ankara. Dashcam footage has dampened the festive cheer of at least four drivers in Adelaide - but one of them is just lucky to have escaped a jail sentence. Video taken from a car driving through the Adelaide Hills on Saturday shows one car driver cross double lines to overtake the vehicle in front on a blind corner, only to nearly run into police head-first. The risky manoeuvre was the driver's second illegal overtake in just minutes, and could likely have seen at least one of the bike-riding officers killed. Unfortunately for the driver, police were quick to turn around and chase after them. Video shows the bikes travelling back in the other direction with lights flashing. Police say the driver was identified on the day, but after the dashcam footage was provided to officers from a nearby car, the person is now expected to be reported for dangerous driving. Another car driver and two motorcyclists who broke similar road rules are also expected to be issued with expiation notices for failing to keep left of the dividing line, which carries a $378 fine, plus a $60 victims of crime levy. A driver came close to colliding with police on Saturday when he crossed over double lines on to the wrong side of the road and headed around a blind corner Superintendent Anthony Fioravanti, of the SA Police Traffic Support Branch, said Operation Safe Holidays had been launched only a day prior, and officers were appealing to the community to 'think about their manner of driving'. 'Police want everyone to have a safe Christmas and not to see us at the scene of a preventable, life-changing crash,' Superintendent Fioravanti said. 'This footage shows motorists who were seconds away from collisions that could have had a devastating impact for themselves and the other drivers in the area. 'Police don't want to be on the doorstep delivering the news to your loved ones of a terrible crash we simply don't want to see you in these circumstances. However these drivers will be seeing police.' Advertisement Overweight circus lionesses caused public concern in Russia after people asked police to investigate believing that the animals were being treated poorly. But the trainer of the show, 'The Empire of Lionesses', insists that the animals eat right and are only overweight because of their old age. Trainer Vitaly Smolyanets said that he and the animals were rehearsing for a show in Vladivostok, Russia, when he faced criticism for the lioness' appearances. He said activists questioned if the lions were overfed or kept in small cages. 'Cats, like people, get fat with age,' he told PrimaMedia, adding that the lionesses also sleep more because of their weight. He said the lionesses rehearse for three hours a day, but for the rest of the day they usually sleep, 'like cats in the wild'. Smolyanets said he doesn't keep the animals in cages, and they're instead kept in spacious containers. For food, he said, the lions eat 6kg of meat, a litre of milk and vitamins daily. The trainer of the show, 'The Empire of Lionesses', insists that the animals eat right and are only overweight because of their old age despite being questioned over their living conditions Smolyanets said that he and the animals were rehearsing for a show in Vladivostok, Russia, when he faced criticism for the lioness' hefty appearances This is the moment that a cop bravely pursued a gunman through a Costco before shooting him dead while others fled the store. Captain Michael Howell was on his day off when he saw the gunman burst into the store with a pistol in in Lenexa, Kansas, and begin screaming 'I'm going to kill people'. But as gunman Roland Hunt made his way further into the store, Captain Howell was in hot pursuit with his gun drawn on Sunday. The cop, who has worked for the Kansas City Police Department police for 22 years, can be seen stealthily trailing the man in the video. Captain Michael Howell had been in Costco with a friend on his day off, looking for an electric fireplace He later shot the gunman dead when 58-year-old Hunt turned his revolver on the officer. Neither Howell or any other customer was hurt. The gunman had been a long-haul truck driver, was living in his truck in the car park of the Costco before he walked into the store brandishing the gun. Captain Howell was modest about his heroism: 'I'm just a cop doing my job.' 'My greatest fear was we had kids with their moms, with their grandmas, with their dads,' Howell said, according to Police One. 'It was little kids running and screaming. And seeing the fear in their faces and knowing whatever it took, I had to do whatever necessary to end this threat so they wouldn't get hurt.' The footage shows a Costco employee drop to the floor when the gunman points his gun in their direction Captain Michael Howell was on his day off when he saw the Ronald Hunt, 58, moving through the store with a gun The video shows Hunt walking in the store, then pointing his gun at a Costco employee, who drops to the floor. The footage then cuts to customers fleeing the shop floor, before Howell can be seen stealthily tracking the gunman. Howell also described what happened when he saw the gunman. 'I could see a white male, looked kind of disheveled, wearing a camo jacket, waving a large revolver, looked like about 10 or 12 inches long, pushing a grocery cart and not looking at anybody. The police captain, who has worked for the Kansas City Police Department police for 22 years, can be seen stealthily trailing the man in the video The gunman, Hunt, reportedly said 'I'm an off-duty U.S. marshal and I'm here to kill people' as he moved through the store with his revolver 'But I heard him say three different times, "I'm an off-duty U.S. marshal and I'm here to kill people."' reported KMBC 9. He added that he knew he had to use the element of surprise as he was not wearing his bulletproof vest. Authorities do not believe Hunt had a specific target in mind when he walked into the store with a gun, which he never fired. Captain Howell had been in the store with a friend, looking for a new electric fireplace. Police One report that Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said the police captain had 'acted with extreme courage, and saved an unknown amount of innocent lives.' Deselection of moderate Labour MPs by Corbyn-supporting activists is just party democracy at work, Emily Thornberry has claimed. The shadow foreign secretary claimed MPs should be thankful for a flood of young and idealistic activists into Labour. Ms Thornberry said Labour had a 'massive membership' following a surge of new supporters backing leader Jeremy Corbyn. Her intervention comes amid continued claims from moderate councillors they are being forced out of the party ahead of May's local elections - with fears MPs who disagree with Corbyn could be next. Emily Thornberry (file) has denied there is an 'open season' on moderate Labour politicians and de-selections by hard-left activists is simply democracy at work. Ms Thornberry said Labour had a 'massive membership' following a surge of new supporters backing leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured last week selling coffee to raise awareness of homelessness) Ms Thornberry told last night's BBC Radio 4 Westminster Hour: 'In the end we are a democratic party. 'People that I have met from Momentum are largely young, they are enthusiastic, they are hard working, they are idealistic - they are the lifeblood of our party, that's what our party ought to be about. 'People shouldn't feel threatened by youngsters becoming enthusiastic and wanting to be involved in the local party. 'Of course, anyone who is selected to be a local candidate whether it's MP or councillor, they need to be accountable to their local membership. 'If there are disagreements it's always been this way and there's always been an amount of churn. 'It's not open season, it's democracy within the Labour Party. This is the week when we've had Nadine Dorries going on the media and saying people who vote with their consciences should be de-selected.' Tory Brexiteer Ms Dorries (file) demanded de-selection of 11 Tory rebels who joined forces with Labour and the SNP last week to defeat the Government Tory Brexiteer Ms Dorries demanded de-selection of 11 Tory rebels who joined forces with Labour and the SNP last week to defeat the Government. She insisted the situation was different from the occasions she had rebelled against the whip because there was a 'Marxist' threatening to enter No 10. Momentum is asking potential Labour Parliamentary candidates to swear allegiance to Mr Corbyn if they want their backing. The 13-point contract, which has been branded 'Stalinist' by critics, asks would-be Labour MPs to back the Labour leader's objectives and party manifesto to win the group's support. The former boss of Greenpeace stepped in front of a tube after he and his father visited his mother who suffered from dementia, an inquest heard. Leading environment campaigner Stephen Tindale was standing next to his father Gordon, when he stepped off the platform at Golders Green Underground Station in north London on July 1 this year. The 54-year-old, who was returning home after visiting his mother Sonia in a care home, died at the scene. Stephen Tindale died when he stepped off the platform at Golders Green Underground Station in north London on July 1 Mr Tindale, 54, (pictured here in 2011), was a former executive director of Greenpeace Mr Tindale had battled depression for several years and survived being hit by a train in an earlier suicide bid 11 years ago, the inquest heard. Mr Tindale was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and much of his early childhood was spent in the Middle East and Africa. He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Anne's College, Oxford, then took a master's in politics and administration at Birkbeck College, London. He then went to work for Friends of the Earth, the Fabian Society, the Institute for Public Policy Research and was director of the Green Alliance. He was an influential backroom figure in the Labour Party who helped shape much of their environmental policy under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, before becoming executive director of Greenpeace UK for five years. The Oxford graduate joined the Foreign Office in 1986, but left to work on environmental issues in 2000. Heading Greenpeace from 2001 until 2006, Mr Tindale was once arrested during a protest at the Range Rover plant in Solihull, West Midlands, in 2005. In 2006 he left Greenpeace after an attempt to take his own life and took just over a year to recover. But the inquest heard he became depressed at being repeatedly turned down from job interviews. Mr Tindale (pictured with Director of Friends of the Earth, Charles Secrett in 2011), had battled depression for several years and survived being hit by a train in an earlier suicide bid 11 years ago Mr Tindale had been a voluntary patient at Highgate Mental Health Centre in north London, and was allowed to go out on escorted visits. He was on a visit in July and was returning to the ward when he stepped in front of the tube train, the inquest was told. North London Coroners' Court heard Mr Tindale was responding well to medication in the weeks before his death, but had been depressed by financial difficulties, his mother's illness and a pending police arson investigation. Dr Gina Walters from the Highgate Mental Health Centre said: 'It's very sad. I have been thinking about this a lot, and whether we could have done anything to prevent it. The 54-year-old was returning home after visiting his mother in a care home when he died 'He had a history of really risky behaviours and attempts on his life, but he was willing to stay on the ward and take medication. 'He had a strong support network. He would often say he felt less suicidal after going out on escorted visits and we don't want patients to become afraid to leave the hospital. 'We were starting to see an improvement, but this was a man in his 50s who was high achieving academically and in his work but was worried about a lack of money and not having a home. 'Before the episode where he set the fire, his mother had Dementia and he failed some job interviews and hadn't been able to get work. 'The fire and potential criminal investigation meant he was worried he'd be sent to prison and was focusing so much on that he wasn't looking at what was really making him depressed. 'He was saying he was finally ready to go and visit his mother and he went with his father. 'Although this was a man who was depressed and had a history of risky behaviours it was not predictable that he would have done that on the day he did. 'I don't think he left that day intending to take his own life, I think after visiting his mother's care home he took the opportunity that presented itself.' The inquest heard Mr Tindale had become physically frail, suffered from dizziness and often walked with the aide of a stick. Mr Tindale (left) had been depressed by financial difficulties, his mother's illness and a pending police arson investigation Coroner John Taylor read a statement from the tube driver describing the moment he stepped off the platform. It read: 'The train was travelling at around 20mph, and there was an older gentleman and someone standing next to him. 'As the train got very close to the older gentleman the person standing to his right stepped over the edge. I stopped the train immediately.' A statement from Gordon Tindale says his son was bright, and despite studying at the University of Oxford, had 'never been strong mentally'. A post-mortem gave the cause of death as multiple injuries for being 'overridden by a train'. Recording a verdict of suicide, Mr Taylor added: 'It seems there is little evidence this was an accident. 'The evidence is so strong this was a deliberate act when he stepped out in front of the train. 'Evidence from witnesses suggests he stood six feet from the edge of the platform before stepping off, therefore in my view he did take his own life. 'There was little opportunity for the train driver to stop in time. It seems it was the wrong place at the wrong time.' Mr Tindale was twice married and divorced. He is survived by the son and daughter of his first marriage, both parents and his sister, Helen, who was the only family member to attend the inquest. Christopher Hoile, who was head of history and politics at independent King's School in Rochester, Kent, admitted six offences against the 17-year-old girl A teacher at one of Britain's oldest and most prestigious schools has been jailed for two years after engaging in sexual activity with a pupil. Christopher Hoile, who was head of history and politics at independent King's School in Rochester, Kent, admitted six offences against the 17-year-old girl. The 43-year-old pleaded guilty to four charges of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust, and two of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity while in a position of trust. The offences were committed between October 2004 and January 2005. According to his Facebook page, Hoile started teaching at King's in September 2004. The coeducational day and boarding school is linked to Rochester Cathedral and claims to be the second oldest continuously operating school in the UK, having been founded in 604 AD. Pupils are aged betweeen five and 18, and there is also a nursery and pre-preparatory school. Senior school fees are 6,235 per term, or 10,130 per term for senior boarders. Famous alumni include Nobel prize-winning chemist Sir Derek Barton, Second World War flying ace Edward Mortlock Donaldson, former Conservative cabinet minister John Gummer, DJ Pete Tong, and former Bishop of Trinidad, Douglas Wilson. Hoile, who studied history at Oxford University, also states on his social media profile that he taught at University College School in London's Hampstead between January 2001 and August 2004, and at Hasmonean High School in Barnet from January 1999 to December 2000. He denied a third charge of sexual activity with the same teenage pupil, which was accepted by the prosecution. Hoile, from Strood, near Rochester, was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent on December 14. Sentencing had been adjourned for a probation report, but on that occasion the judge warned Hoile his offending demanded immediate custody. One Chinese company has celebrated its anniversary by forcing employees to slap each other in the face at a party. Over a dozen female workers were seen kneeling on a T-shape runway in pairs while slapping each other repeatedly, as footage captured. The company told local media that the group slapping was a performance and it was aimed to build team spirit. About 20 female workers can be seen kneeling on a T-shape catwalk stage and slapping each others' in the face (left). They slapped according to the rhythm of the music (right) The slapping incident happened during an anniversary celebration of a cosmetic company in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, on December 17. The company was said to be celebrating its 14th anniversary. Mr Luo, a spokesperson from the company, told the reporter that it was 'nothing special but a test for the employees'. 'They were not simply slapping faces, it was a routine other companies are using as well. This is to build team spirit,' said Mr Luo. Company spokesperson claimed such exercise help build team spirit among the employees (left). The footage was taken during a cosmetic company's 14th anniversary dinner (right) The cosmetic company is known to be offering sales, plans of beauty programmes and after-service. According to the footage, the company claimed it aimed to cultivate the so-called 'wolf spirit' in their employees. Web users were shocked to see how the company 'encouraged' staff members by physical abuse. 'You heard those slapping sounds and you know it's not an act. How can this be a way to build team spirit?' Web user 'jiushini' commented. 'Xiaoxiaohuo' said: 'This so-called corporate culture is totally rubbish!' Others said that they would not buy their products after watching the clip. Police are hunting an axe-wielding man and his gang who attacked a 26-year-old passenger after a row broke out on the top deck of a bus. The shocking assault happened just after 3.30pm in the Nechells area of Birmingham on Friday. CCTV images have been released of five men involved in the dispute on the city's number 14 bus. One of the gang hit the victim on the head with an axe, leaving him in hospital, police say. The shocking assault happened just after 3.30pm as the 14 bus (pictured) travelled through the Nechells area of Birmingham on Friday A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: 'It is believed a group of five men became involved in a dispute with a 26-year-old man on the top deck of the bus as it travelled along Saltley Road in Nechells just after 3.30pm. 'The man is believed to have been hit on the head with an axe, causing him serious injury. He remains in hospital.' A West Midlands Police spokesman told MailOnline some members of the gang had been identified but not yet arrested. Anyone who recognises those in the pictures is asked to contact PC Aman Dhesi from the Perry Barr Investigation team on 101, quoting 20BW/270664C/17. Information can also be given anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Miss Iraq has today revealed she is still receiving terrifying death threats a month after she posed for a selfie with Miss Israel during the Miss Universe pageant, in a move that has seen her family forced to flee her home country. Sarah Idan, 27, took a selfie with Israel's Adar Gandelsman during Miss Universe in Las Vegas, and posted it on her Instagram with a message of 'peace and love'. However, the innocent selfie saw the Miss Iraq organisers threaten to take her crown - by order of the government - and her and her family were subjected to death threats. 'When I posted the picture I didn't think for a second there would be blowback, Ms Idan, originally from Baghdad and now living in the US, told CNN. Controversy: The selfie of Miss Iraq and Miss Israel which Ms Idan posted on her Instagram that caused the controversy and shocking threats Backlash: Ms Idan, 27, says Miss Iraq organisers threaten to take her crown - by order of the government - unless she took down the picture 'I woke up to calls from my family and the Miss Iraq Organization going insane. The death threats I got online were so scary,' 'The director of the Miss Iraq Organization called me and said they're getting heat from the ministry. He said I have to take the picture down or they will strip me of my title.' Ms Idan had posed in a bikini as part of the competition, which also caused outrage online. After putting up an apologetic post the following day, Ms Idan stayed mum to allow her family to flee their home country, and the Miss Iraq Organization removed all photos of her in a bikini from the pageant's pages. Speaking to Israeli TV, Ms Gandelsman said they had decided to post the picture to show that 'it's possible to live together'. A picture of Iraq's Sarah Idan (right) and Israel's Adar Gandelsman (left), representing their countries at the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas in the US Shock: Ms Idan reveals how she received death threats and that her family were forced to leave Iraq, a country which still does not recognise the state of Israel Competition: Ms Idan, centre, during the Miss Universe competition in Las Vegas last month Ms Idan, who has served with both the US and Iraqi armies, added that they wanted to see 'between the two religions (Judaism and Islam)' 'This picture doesn't mean I support the Israeli government or its polices towards Arab countries. I apologise to everyone who saw it as an insult to the Palestinian cause - this was not its purpose.' More than 3,600 'likes' greeted their picture, but it also triggered an avalanche of comments, some positive and others negative in a country that does not recognise Israel, with which it is still technically at war. One online response, from Isra al-Jabri, read: 'Your peace with Israel, which has burned the Arab world for its own interests, does not honour us...' The picture posted on Instagram by Iraq's Sarah Idan with Adar Gandelsman of Israel 'I respect pacifist Jews who oppose the state of Israel, but we don't want their peace built on the ruins of our country,' Jabri added. However, Samah al-Meshhadani believed that Miss Iraq had 'made good use of this story'. 'Maybe she will succeed in improving our relations with Israel so we become friends, who knows?' Idan, a Muslim, was born and raised in Baghdad. Following the US-led invasion in 2003, she worked with the American military from 2008. She later moved to the United States and got a degree in Los Angeles. Gandelsman, 19, also posted a picture with Idan on her own Instagram account. 'This is Miss Iraq and she's amazing,' the Israeli wrote. In 2014, her country's Miss Universe contestant provoked uproar by posing with her counterpart from Lebanon, another Arab country with which the Jewish state is still technically at war. A man has been charged with four counts of murder after an attack on a home in St Louis, Missouri. Ja'Vonne Dupree of Arsenal Street, St. Louis is accused of killing Patricia Steward, 57, her sons Terrence Dehart, 10, and Joseph Corley, 20, alongside friend Deandre Kelly, 18. According to police, Dupree, 20, 'unlawfully stayed' at the house in Glasgow Village, St Louis and killed the four victims, stealing both electronics and clothing before leaving the home in the victim's car. Scroll down for video Ja'Vonne Dupree has been charged with four counts of murder at a home in St Louis, Missouri Fox 2 Now reported a probable cause statement from the St. Louis County Police Department: 'The four victims were found deceased in a residence on Balmoral Drive. All four died from gunshot wounds. 'Defendant was identified as the person who unlawfully remained at the residence on Balmoral Drive, shot each of the victims, robbed the victims of electronics and clothing, picked up multiple shell casings, and fled the murder scene in the victim's car with the stolen items.' Police discovered the murder scene while completing a welfare check, as Patricia had not gone to work and family members had grown concerned. One of the deceased, Deandre Kelly, was a friend of the other victim Joseph Corley. Deandre's mother, Angelia Jones, told Fox 2 Now: 'I love that family because we're dealing with this together. 'They love DeAndre. DeAndre obviously loved them otherwise he would have never been around them. Did I trust the family yes I did trust the family,' 'I was never a big fan of the death penalty now I'm pushing for it after this heinous crime.' Dupree has been charged with murder, robbery, armed criminal action, burglary, stealing a motor vehicle and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution. A judge has labelled a pair of identical twins 'Tweedledum and Tweedledee' for their shocking history of alcohol-fuelled violence. Joel and Kyle Spiteri's latest victim was left a 'broken man' after he was bashed by the brothers outside a Prahran nightclub, Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard on Monday. Kyle landed the first punch, which shattered the 23-year-old victim's nose, before Joel unleashed his own barrage of blows, video obtained by Seven News shows. Joel and Kyle Spiteri have labelled'Tweedledum and Tweedledee' for their shocking history of alcohol-fuelled violence Joel, a former Muay Thai Fighter, had previously been sentenced to two suspended jail terms, while his brother had breached a community corrections order, according to the network. Their lawyer said on Monday they should escape a prison sentence for reasons including their parents' divorce and the fact they were bullied at school. But the Magistrate said the pair had too often caused trouble together and handed them both jail sentences. Joel will spend six months behind bars, while Kyle was given a five-month term. The pair have also been banned from entering nightclubs, pubs and bars for 24 months. Kyle landed the first punch, which shattered the 23-year-old victim's nose, before Joel unleashed his own barrage of blows A grieving daughter is battling to boot her mother's millionaire boyfriend out of her dead parents' house. Lynn Lewis says 93-year-old Thomas Warner is a 'trespasser' in the valuable Gloucestershire home her parents 'acquired by their efforts and thrift.' Mrs Lewis's mother, Audrey Blackwell, bought the detached property in Twyning Green, decades ago with Mrs Lewis' father. But after being widowed in the 1990s, Mrs Blackwell formed a relationship with Mr Warner, a wealthy local businessman, and he moved in. Lynn Lewis has taken the unusual step of suing her late mother's partner to get him evicted from her mother's home. A judge has previously ruled he is entitled to continue living there The couple never married but lived together at the house for 20 years until Mrs Blackwell died in 2014. Mrs Lewis claims the millionaire encouraged her mother to believe he would move out of the house when she died and she 'trusted him to be a man of his word'. But Mr Warner says he has spent the 'happiest days of his life' at the house and is refusing to shift. He insists he wants to spend the rest of his days there. The two are now locked in a 'highly unusual' tug-of-war over the house at London's Court of Appeal. Bernard Weatherill QC, for Mrs Lewis, told the court that, as her mother's only child, she had inherited the whole of her mother's 518,000 estate - including the house - after she died. Mr Warner was 'not short of money' and had not expected to be left anything in Mrs Blackwell's will, the daughter's barrister added. But two months after her mother's death, when Mrs Lewis served Mr Warner with a notice to move out and hand her the keys, he 'refused to leave.' Mrs Lewis launched a possession action 'on the basis that Mr Warner was a trespasser.' The daughter says her mother intended her to have this home in rural Gloucestershire She said his unwelcome presence in her late mother's house was preventing her grieving properly. But Mr Warner countered by successfully claiming 'reasonable provision' from Mrs Blackwell's estate. Such claims are usually brought by impoverished family or loved ones who are left out of wills. Mr Warner's claim was described as 'highly unusual' by lawyers because he was far richer than Mrs Blackwell and, in the belief that he would die first, he had left her a substantial sum in his will. She has taken the case to London's Court of Appeal to try to get Mr Warner moved out But Judge Christopher Gardner QC, sitting at Cheltenham and Gloucester County Court, came down on his side in November 2015. Judge Gardner ordered the house to be transferred into his name, in return for him paying Mrs Lewis 385,000. Mr Warner's need to keep a familiar 'roof over his head' meant he qualified as Mrs Blackwell's 'dependant' and was entitled to make a claim on her estate, the judge found. Mrs Lewis's challenge to the decision was turned down by the High Court last year, but now she is asking the Court of Appeal to reverse that ruling. Mr Weatherill said: 'Mrs Lewis wanted to grieve. She wanted the house to be available to her children. 'She wanted the chattels within it. She wanted to consider what to do with it. 'Mr Warner is well able to acquire, through his liquid funds, alternative premises, without depriving her of the right to inherit her parental home. 'He is a millionaire who has already had the advantage of living in the house of the deceased lady and has come to the court against that background. 'Mrs Blackwell was aware of her daughter's concerns that Mr Warner might wish to remain in occupation... her wishes are not irrelevant. 'The evidence is that Mrs Blackwell intended that her daughter should inherit the home acquired by her and her late husband's efforts and thrift 'The fact [Mr Warner] needed a roof over his head didn't mean he needed this particular roof over his head,' the barrister added. Roger Evans, for Mr Warner, urged appeal judges to uphold the previous decision. Sir Geoffrey Vos, sitting with Lord Justice McCombe and Lady Justice Asplin, will give their ruling on Mrs Lewis's appeal at a later date. But urging both sides to settle their differences, he added: 'The possibility remains for a resolution which does not cause damage to the parties.' A Greens senator insists 'there is no war on Christmas' after receiving a poor reception to a controversial banner which crossed out the name of the Christian holiday. Nick McKim, his media adviser Patrick Caruana and fellow Tasmanian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson stood in front of a modified 'Merry Christmas' sign, which replaced 'Christmas' with 'non-denominational seasonal festivity'. After being panned by Treasurer Scott Morrison and plenty of others on social media, Senator McKim accused conservative Liberal politicians of being 'lunatic right wingers'. Senator Nick McKim (pictured left), his media adviser Patrick Caruana and fellow Tasmanian senator Peter Whish-Wilson 'They think there's a war on Christmas. What we were trying to say is, "Guys, relax, there actually is no war on Christmas",' he told Sky News on Monday. Senator McKim, who is based in Hobart, claimed the Facebook 'satire' to be a success, even though critics asked if the politician from the far-left party would mock Muslims in the same way. 'We thought it was a bit of joke. Honestly, I couldn't have predicted its success and we're entirely stoked,' he said. One man asked the senator on Sky News' Facebook page if the Greens would mock Muslim holy festivities. Greens senator Nick McKim insisted the 'satire' banner was a success despite the criticism Several critics asked if the Greens would make fun of Muslims in the way they mock Christians 'Yeah, so the Greens don't like us making fun of Islam but it's OK to make fun of Christianity,' he said. 'Just shows who the Greens are working for.' One woman asked if the Greens would make fun of Ramadan. 'Would they dare make fun of a Muslim holiday?,' she asked. 'I doubt it very much. What a bunch of insensitive cretins. Just proves what tossers they are.' Treasurer Scott Morrison described the Greens as a 'bunch of pathetic muppets'. 'The Greens are actually opposed to Christmas. For many millions of Australians Christmas is a very spiritual time of year and central to their religious faith,' the Liberal MP said on Facebook. 'For members of parliament to treat this important religious occasion with such disrespect is as offensive as it is disappointing.' Treasurer Scott Morrison said the Greens had disrespected Christmas as a religious occasion One critic of the Greens' mocking of Christmas was at least glad they are still a minority Several other people also expressed their annoyance on Senator McKim's Facebook page. 'I'm a Green voter, an atheist and totally against all this 'religious freedom' bulls*** but can we stop with this PC crap?,' he said. Another man described them as 'attention seeking clowns'. He added he was glad the Greens, who have 10 per cent support in the latest Newspoll, were a minority. Even a self-described Greens voter had enough of the Greens' attempt to troll conservatives Greens senator Nick McKim pictured here with 'holiday eggs' and 'seasonal fruit buns' In April, Senator McKim trolled conservatives by tweeting about giving 'halal-certified holiday eggs' to his staff but he left out the word Easter to promote products suitable for Muslims. He pushed a politically-correct message about the upcoming Easter holidays, leaving out Christian phrases including 'cross'. He had taken aim at One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's call for Australians to boycott halal-certified Cadbury eggs. 'Treating staff to halal-certified holiday eggs and warmed non-denominational cinnamon, flavoured, geometrically decorated seasonal fruit buns,' Senator McKim told his followers. The left-wing senator told his Twitter followers he had served his staff halal-friendly treats A 13-year-old girl tormented for years by bullies finally plucked up the courage to bring her attackers to justice. Tia Coker William from Perth, Australia, has been physically attacked and consistently threatened by schoolyard thugs, and in one case was even punched in the head 10 times. Her bullies have thwarted punishment for two years - but a vicious attack while she sat alone at a bus-top tipped the schoolgirl over the edge, giving her the courage to report the abuse to police. Scroll down for video Tia Coker William (pictured) from Perth, Australia, had been physically attacked and consistently threatened by schoolyard thugs Her bullies have thwarted punishment for two years - but a vicious attack while she sat alone at a bus-top tipped the schoolgirl over the edge, giving her the courage to report the abuse to police (Pictured is a filmed bullying incident) Tia was ambushed by a group of girls on Sunday as she waited for a bus in the Perth suburb of Kwinana, Seven News reports. She was knocked to the ground and savagely beaten 10 times in the head by her cruel classmates. The final, brutal bus-stop attack was what pushed Tia to pay a visit to her local police station - and the tormented teenager spent the first day of school holidays reporting the crime. 'It's all fun and games for them until someone really gets hurt,' Tia said through tears. 'I just sit in my bedroom and cry because it will never stop.' Girls from Tia's high-school (pictured) were filmed brutally bashing her so hard she passed out In earlier cases, Tia was told her house would be burnt down and the same group of girls physically attacked her, causing her to pass out. Disturbing footage taken on a camera phone shows Tia being kicked and punched by several other girls in school uniforms. Tia's mother Chervaun Coker said she was horrified to learn the schoolyard bullies had threatened to burn her home down if they went to the police. 'No-one should have to live like this. It's really a mother's worst nightmare,' she added. Ms Coker claims the high-school her daughter and the attackers attend has so far been unhelpful and felt forced to notify the police. Western Australia Police is yet to confirm if they are investigating the abuse. A war in North Korea could break out 'any time between now and March 2018', a Chinese former senior military official has warned. Lieutenant General Wang Hongguang told Chinese state media that Beijing should be mentally prepared for war on the Korean peninsula at any moment, and should start mobilising troops in Northeast China. His warning came the day before China sent several warplanes on a long-range drill to the Sea of Japan, a move that prompted South Korea to scramble fighter jets. Time to prepare: Lieutenant General Wang Hongguang, a former senior military official said that a war on the Korean peninsula is imminent 'The war on the Korean Peninsula might break out anytime between now and March next year,' General Hongguang told Chinese state-run English language newspaper Global Times. 'China should be psychologically prepared for a potential Korean war, and the Northeast China regions should be mobilized for that.' 'Such mobilization is not to launch a war, but for defensive purposes,' he added. Monday's military drill saw the Chinese air force dispatched bombers, fighters and reconnaissance planes through the Tsushima Strait to the Sea of Japan to 'test its ocean combat ability.' 'This is a regular annual training arrangement of China's air force that accords with the relevant international laws and practices and it isn't aimed at any particular state, region and target,' air force spokesman Shen Jinke said in a statement. Warning: Lieutenant General Hongguang said his advice is that Beijing should start mobilizing troops in Northeast China This was the first time the Chinese air force has flown through the strait that lies between South Korea and Japan, Shen said. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said five Chinese warplanes - two bombers, two fighter jets and one reconnaissance plane - entered South Korea's air defense identification zone off a southern South Korean island almost at the same time on Monday. They then flew to the Japanese air defense zone above the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, a JCS official said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules. The official said the Chinese planes entered the South Korean air defense zone again before returning to China. South Korea used a military hotline to warn China of its planes' entrance to the zone and China replied that it's part of routine training, the official said. Theresa May has still not spoken to Donald Trump about his controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital almost two weeks after announcing a call. Downing Street was today forced to deny the Prime Minister was being snubbed by the White House. But Mrs May's spokesman was unable to confirm when - or if - the call would take place when challenged this morning. The controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem and move the US embassy flouts international consensus and has triggered angry protests. Theresa May has still not spoken to Donald Trump (pictured together in May) about his controversial decision to move the US Israeli embassy to Jerusalem almost two weeks after announcing a call It emerged last week Mr Trump is likely to finally visit the UK for the first time as President in February to officially open the new American embassy Mrs May and Mr Trump have not officially spoken since November 1, despite the PM's earlier desperate efforts to build ties with the controversial Republican. Mrs May has sent Mr Trump a Christmas card - but no reply has yet been announced. She took the unusual step of revealing plans for the call during Prime Minister's Questions on December 6 at the height of criticism of the President's decision. Her announcement came just days after Mr Trump sparked huge diplomatic row by re-tweeting videos from the far right Britain First Group. Her spokesman was challenged on when the call would take place at a Westminster briefing today. HOW THE MAY-TRUMP RELATIONSHIP HIT THE BRAKES November 29 - Trump retweets a series of Britain First videos. May condemns him as 'wrong' December 4 - Expectations rise Trump will announce the US will recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. December 6 - May warns the US not to make the change tells MPs she will speak to Trump about Jerusalem December 7 - Trump officially makes his move and recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel December 18 - No 10 admits May and Trump have still not spoken but denies a snub Advertisement Asked if the failure to schedule a call was a snub, the spokesman said: 'I would not see it like that at all. 'We will let you know when they have spoken.' At PMQs a day before after the controversial decision, Mrs May said: 'I'm intending to speak to President Trump about this matter. 'Our position has not changed, it has been a long standing one and it is also a very clear one. 'It is that the status of Jerusalem should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and Palestinian states.' It emerged last week Mr Trump is likely to finally visit the UK for the first time as President in February to officially open the new American embassy. The trip will be met with a storm of protests and comes ahead of a planned state visit which has been repeatedly postponed. Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy after a hoax caller caused a panicked mass evacuation of a secondary school after calling in a bomb threat. Police say no device was found at Birley Academy in Sheffield after officers rushed to deal with a 'suspicious incident' just before 10am today. Parents described a scene of panic after being sent text messages urging them to collect their children. The teenager was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications and is currently in police custody. Youngsters left Birley Academy (pictured) in Sheffield after South Yorkshire Police were alerted at 9:40am today Pupils were earlier escorted out in small groups to nearby playing fields while officers combed the school for evidence. A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said the college chose to immediately evacuate all 1,200 students as a 'precautionary measure'. Headteacher Gina Newton said: 'Following notification of a bomb threat at Birley Academy this morning, we immediately implemented our robust and effective evacuation procedure. 'In line with our school continuity plan and through constant liaison with the police, we took the necessary planned steps to ensure student and staff safety at all times. 'We would like to thank everyone for ensuring our safeguarding practices were followed throughout.' Police have warned those who make hoax calls could face a prison sentence. Chief Superintendent Natalie Shaw said: 'After a prolonged search of Birley Academy a device has not been found. 'Enquiries are ongoing to identify the caller. 'Hoax calls are malicious and irresponsible and anyone found to have made a hoax call could face a prison sentence.' However, some parents criticised the decision to close, accusing teachers of lacking organisation. Two police officers stand outside Birley Academy after it was evacuated this morning One parent, Mark Wale, said: 'I get the text, have to lock up my business during one of the busiest weeks of the year and go to the primary school to pick up my Y7 son. 'I arrive there, kids are milling about by the entrance, I wait there five minutes because I'm not sure if I can go on the field or not. 'Then I get fed up and walk in, and I'm greeted by 500+ kids just stood in a circle. 'No organisation, no nothing. Kids sat around waiting for parents or trying to get hold of parents. 'It was a free-for-all, bags just left on the field, kids wandering about everywhere. The parents could have been anyone. 'This was without a doubt the single biggest failure the school has made so far in a year that has a litany of problems. 'This is the blind leading the blind. I will be making an official complaint.' Mr Wale said parents were sent this text from teachers: 'Unfortunately, there has been an incident at school today and the building has been evacuated. 'It may be some time until we can return, students are being sent home, please collect them from Birley Lane main entrance if you are able to. 'Please do not call school as there is no one on reception.' Bijan Ebrahimi begged for help to protect him from his neighbours on a Bristol estate but the authorities were 'repeatedly siding with the abusers' before his murder A police force and a council were 'institutionally racist' in their treatment of an Iranian man beaten to death and torched after being wrongly accused of being a paedophile. Bijan Ebrahimi begged for help to protect him from his neighbours on a Bristol estate but the authorities were 'repeatedly siding with the abusers', a bombshell report has said. Mr Ebrahimi, who was disabled, suffered hate crime for years and called the police as false rumours circulated that he was a paedophile. Vicious neighbours then maliciously claimed he had been filming local children. He felt further threatened when his killer Lee James burst into his flat and pledged to 'f*** him up' and 'take the law into his own hands'. But police arrested Bijan instead with residents cheering as he was led away and James stamped on his head until he died and his body was set alight on the grass two days later on July 14 2013. Today The Safer Bristol Partnership said it found a 'collective failure' by Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol City Council in the case and found evidence there was 'evidence of both discriminatory behaviour and institutional racism'. Bijan Ebrahimi family said today it is the first finding of institutional racism against a police force since the Macpherson report into the Met's handling of Stephen Lawrence's murder. It is the first time a council has faced institutional racism claims. 'Bijan Ebrahimi was isolated. His complaints resulted in little action,' the report said. Victim Mr Ebrahimi filmed his killer Lee James threatening to 'f*** him up' in a row three days before he was murdered (pictured) Lee James, pictured left, pleaded guilty to the murder of Bijan Ebrahim while Stephen Norley, pictured right, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender Murder victim failed by force like the Met failed Stephen Lawrence Lawyers representing the Ebrahimi family said it was believed to be the first finding of institutional racism against a police force since the publication of the Macpherson report and the first of its kind against a local authority. Mr Ebrahimi's family, including sisters Mojgan Kahayatian and Manisha Moores, said in a statement: 'No review can ever bring back our beloved Bijan but it is important that his voice has been heard. 'Bijan always said that racism must be challenged wherever it is found, including in town halls and police stations. 'Bristol City Council took nearly five years to accept that it failed Bijan and the need for change. 'This is far too long, although late is better than never. We will not rest until improved systems are put in place to protect other vulnerable people.' The family's solicitor, Tony Murphy, of Bhatt Murphy, said: 'Acknowledging the institutional nature of the racism at the core of this tragedy is an essential first step towards systemic change. 'There is no reason why the council could not have taken this step much sooner and its delay has been injurious, not just to Bijan's family, but to public confidence in the council's ability to combat racism. 'The mayor's recent commitment to working with the family and to gaining public confidence via meaningful reform is welcome.' Alex Raikes, of the Bristol-based charity Stand Against Racism and Inequality, said: 'Institutional racism was a key factor in why Bijan was failed in the years prior to his murder when he sought help repeatedly. 'We hope that identifying this underlying cause will help to create effective solutions to combating hate crime.' Advertisement 'Some allegations and counter-allegations against Mr Ebrahimi seemed to be accepted on the basis that some were corroborated by others but without objective investigation or consideration that this might be collusion between perpetrators rather than genuine corroboration. 'As an Iranian man living in this environment, Mr Ebrahimi was disadvantaged by the inappropriate responses by Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Bristol City Council to his racist victimisation. 'Representatives of those organisations displayed a distinct lack of understanding of his plight and, accordingly, unwitting prejudice against him. 'More account should have been taken by Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Bristol City Council of Mr Ebrahimi's isolation and vulnerability as an Iranian man in these circumstances. 'There is therefore, based on the above definition from the Macpherson Report, evidence of both discriminatory behaviour and institutional racism on the part of Bristol City Council and Avon and Somerset Constabulary.' The report said the obtaining of an anti-social behaviour order just against Mr Ebrahimi - rather than his neighbours against whom he made repeated complaints of racism - served as 'official confirmation' of his status as a perpetrator, rather than a victim. In July, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) produced a report on the case, concluding that Avon and Somerset Police repeatedly failed Mr Ebrahimi in the seven years before his death. It found that officers showed 'hallmarks' of racial bias against Mr Ebrahimi, with police logs concerning him appearing to have 'racist undertones'. Pc Kevin Duffy and PCSO Andrew Passmore were jailed at Bristol Crown Court last year for misconduct in a public office in connection with Mr Ebrahimi's death. Mr Ebrahimi was beaten to death and then set alight on the grass 100 yards from his home They were dismissed from Avon and Somerset Police, as were Pcs Helen Harris and Leanne Winter. Responding to the new report, Chief Constable Andy Marsh said: 'We failed him in his hour of need and I am unreservedly sorry for the pain his family have suffered in the last four years. 'We've made many changes since Mr Ebrahimi's murder in response to the things we learnt and identified to be in need of change. 'It's clear that we had opportunities to change the tragic outcome for Mr Ebrahimi and we failed to take them. 'Some of these failings were systematic but it's important to acknowledge that the actions of a very small number of individuals had a catastrophic effect. 'They fell well short of those qualities the public expect of their police service. We must ensure this cannot happen again.' Marvin Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, added: 'We apologise for failing to adequately support Bijan as a victim. 'We accept all of the findings of the Safer Bristol-commissioned independent review, including 'evidence of both discriminatory behaviour and institutional racism on the part of Bristol City Council'.' The 44-year-old Iranian was beaten to death and his body set on fire by neighbour Lee James outside his home in Bristol in July 2013. Disturbing footage taken by Mr Ebrahimi showed James, 24, threatening him after he was wrongly labelled a paedophile by neighbours. Mr Ebrahimi was later arrested by police following bogus complaints that he had been taking pictures of children in the Brislington area of Bristol. Pc Kevin Duffy and PCSO Andrew Passmore were jailed at Bristol Crown Court last year for misconduct in a public office in connection with Mr Ebrahimi's death Pcs Helen Harris and Leanne Winter were sacked by Avon and Somerset for their treatment of the murder victim Days earlier video footage shows how James forced himself into Mr Ebrahimi's flat and abused him before being dragged away, with witnesses hearing him yell: 'I'll burn his house down'. Police failed to take any action and James stamped on his head until he died, and then set him alight in an attack on July 14. His burnt body was found just 100 yards from his maisonette. James was given a life sentence by Mr Justice Simon at Bristol Crown Court and told he would serve a minimum term of 18 years. The judge called it an 'act of murderous injustice'. Pc Kevin Duffy and PCSO Andrew Passmore were jailed at Bristol Crown Court last year for misconduct in a public office in connection with Mr Ebrahimi's death. They, along with Pcs Helen Harris and Leanne Winter, were dismissed from Avon and Somerset Police. A Vietnam veteran who had no known family was honored on Saturday by hundreds of strangers at his funeral in a show of support and gratitude for his service. Glenn Shelton, 68, died on November 26 and earned a Purple Heart while serving with the Marines during the Vietnam War. Shelton who lived in Indianapolis ended up having several hundred strangers attend his funeral after Indiana Funeral Care organized Saturday's service by spreading the word on social media. Scroll down for video A military hero with no known family was laid to rest but with hundreds attending his funeral Hundreds of strangers attended the funeral of 68-year-old Glenn Shelton The funeral home posted an invite on Facebook, hoping people in the community would pay their respects. In the end they had to switch to a bigger venue because so many people came The Indianapolis Vet Center also passed out dog tags with Shelton's name on them 'We don't know anything about him, so it's just rewarding that they can still find time to come out and pay their respects,' Sara Thompson, Indiana Funeral Care General Manager, told FOX59. 'Glenn might have been abandoned in life, but he will not be abandoned in death,' she added. All those who attended the ceremony received a dog tag with Shelton's name engraved. 'It's just absolutely wonderful,' Russell Pryor, commander for the VFW District 11, told the channel. 'It shows me that no matter when you served, who you served with or where you served, we're here to support you.' 'As soon as I heard that there was no family, I canceled everything I had planned to be here to give him the honor and the respect that he's earned,' veteran Norman McFayden told WRTV. An incredible show of support on Saturday brought together hundreds of strangers to honor a man none of them knew 'Glenn might have been abandoned in life, but he will not be abandoned in death,' Sara Thompson, General Manager of Indiana Funeral Care, said in a statement 'His family's not here, so we are his family. It all goes back to we don't leave no brother or sister behind, and that's what this is all about,' said Bill Moylan, a spokesperson for the Vet Center. Shelton was buried at Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Madison about 48 miles northeast of Louisville. Besides the hundreds who attended the ceremony Saturday to pay their respects, Shelton's online obituary also contained comments from people thanking him for his service and paying their respects. 'Thank you for your service Mr. Shelton,' Kathy Garza-Behr wrote. 'You won't be alone anymore, everyone in heaven is family. Rest easy.' Glenn Shelton, 68, died November 26 and earned a Purple Heart while serving with the Marines during the Vietnam War An Australian sailor has died and two others have been hospitalised following a yachting accident off the coast of the Philippines. The crew of the yacht 'Katerina' were met with violent storms last Thursday as they were sailing the vessel to North Queensland. The trio were reportedly sailing the luxury yacht to its new home when they were met with rough conditions. Anthony Mahoney, 73, Laurie Miller, 68, and Lionel Ansselin, all skilled sailors, were on board the ship. Australian sailor Anthony Mahoney, 73, tragically died before he and his crew were rescued by a Filipino fishing crew on Monday Mr Mahoney, from Townsville, tragically died before the men were rescued by a Filipino fishing crew on Monday. The 73-year-old's stepdaughter, Shannon Grasso, said the family were in shock at losing 'a beautiful man'. 'We can't believe this has happened, especially after what happened to Mum,' Ms Grasso told the Courier Mail. Mr Mahoney's wife, Shelley, also died following a freak sailing accident in Malaysia in 2014. 'He is with Mum now,' Ms Grasso said. Mr Mahoney's wife, Shelley, (pictured together) also died following a freak sailing accident in Malaysia in 2014 The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was providing consular assistance to the family of Mr Mahoney. Crewman Laurie Miller, from Cairns, remains in intensive care in a Filipino hospital as his partner and son try and fly to be by his side. Mr Miller's daughter, Kristy Cruise, said it was a miracle her father was still alive. 'My brother spoke to him and he said they were smashed by terrible storms and every night the boat overturned and they were clinging on for dear life and the next day they would get back on and do it all again,' she said. The 18m yacht was once owned by renowned American television newsman Walter Cronkite (stock image) The boat refuelled in Davao (pictured) and was bound for new owners in Subic, some three days' sailing away Mr Ansselin, the yacht's latest owner, is also an Australian national believed to be living in the Philippines. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority received an alert beacon from the vessel last Thursday and two more EPIRB (distress) signals on Friday, about 165 nautical miles from the Filippino port of Davao City. The boat refuelled in Davao and was bound for new owners in Subic, some three days' sailing away. The 18m yacht was once owned by renowned American television newsman Walter Cronkite, the Courier Mail reports, and had once had Bill and Hillary Clinton aboard as guests. Ivanka Trump, a senior White House official, says Republicans are on track to approve tax cuts before Christmas. 'In business, until it's done it's not done, but we feel very, very confident, so the momentum is there. We're very excited,' she said in a Monday morning appearance on Fox & Friends. 'When the vote is done, we'll be done, but we're going to deliver historic tax reforms, and it's going to happen before Christmas.' The president's daughter has had a heavy hand in framing the GOP's tax reform plan as beneficial to the middle class and pushing through a large increase in the child tax credit. She traveled across the country, appearing at public events, and made several trips to Capitol Hill. Ivanka Trump, a senior White House official, says Republicans are on track to approve tax cuts before Christmas After reaching a deal Friday, Republican lawmakers now plan to approve tax legislation in the House on Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday. 'It's gonna be the fulfillment of an enormous campaign promise, and something that's just tremendously important for the American people,' Ivanka Trump said Monday. 'So we feel it. This is something the people of this country want.' At several turns the bill was nearly derailed, with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio saying he could not vote for the plan until the child tax credit was increased to the level he and other conservatives in the Senate had demanded. Sen. Bob Corker at the same time said that he could vote for a bill that blows a new hole in the federal deficit. Two Republican senators, John McCain and Thad Cochran, are battling health issues that have kept them out of Washington. McCain has returned to Arizona for physical therapy and rehabilitation following a hospital stay. He'll remain there until after the Christmas holiday. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he'd spoken to McCain's wife, Cindy, and it was his understanding that the senator would fly to Washington if his vote was necessary. Vice President Mike Pence meanwhile delayed by several days a visit to the Middle East so he can preside over the Senate during the vote, in which he may need to act as tie-breaker. Trump said in a Monday morning appearance on Fox & Friends. 'When the vote is done, we'll be done, but we're going to deliver historic tax reforms, and it's going to happen before Christmas' President Trump has been claiming for months that the overhaul would not only pass this year, but that it would be approved by Dec. 25. He told reporters on Saturday as he departed for Camp David: 'This is going to be one of the greatest gifts for the middle income people of this country that they've ever gotten for Christmas.' The bill that Republicans released Friday evening keeps the seven existing tax brackets. It lowers the rates, however, on everyone, including the nation's wealthiest earners, and slashes corporate taxes from 35 percent to 21. Corporate taxes will be permanently lowered, while individual rates will decrease for a period of less than 10 years. The temporary tax cut must be reapproved in 2025 or it will disappear. Another significant change to the code is a cap on state and local tax deductions of $10,000. Republicans claim that middle-income Americans in high-tax state will save money nonetheless if they take the standard deduction, which is set to double to $12,000 for individual filers and $24,000 for couples. The child tax credit is also doubling to $2,000 after last-minute finagling, led by Rubio, $1,400 of which will be refundable. 'Over 90 percent of Americans are going to fill out taxes on that postcard or a virtual electronic postcard. This is about simplifying taxes and simplifying the business system,' Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday. President Trump has been claiming for months that the overhaul would not only pass this year, but that it would be approved by Dec. 25. He told reporters on Saturday: 'This is going to be one of the greatest gifts for the middle income people of this country that they've ever gotten for Christmas' Touting the bill Monday on Fox, Ivanka Trump said taxpayers 'want simplification. They want a tax code they can understand. They want lower corporate taxes and understand the benefit if they're - the companies they work for can invest in their work forces, invest in new equipment and ultimately lead to wage growth.' Trump dinged Democrats the administration had attempted to bring on board for standing in the way of the bill's passage, responding to a prompt from Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy. 'We've had a lot of very productive conversations with Democrats, who I believe are intellectually there, their hearts are there, but the party is not there, and the leadership's not there. And that is unfortunate,' she said. 'But I'm hopeful with this really enormous and this win for the American people, we come into 201i8 with such tremendous momentum that we galvanize support and cohesion, not only within the party,' she said. One of those Democrats, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, yesterday said, 'I wanted to be more involved.' He met with the president, he noted, and the White House's legislative affairs director to hash out a compromise. It was the Senate majority leader, Manchin charged, who didn't want to bring Democrats on board. 'I gave them a whole litany of things that I thought 10 or more Democrats would vote for to have it 60 or 65 votes,' Manchin said on CNN's State of the Union. 'I really believed is possible if you had regular order. Once Mitch McConnell has decided that 51 votes was all he needed and they were all going to be Republicans and make it political, that's exactly what happened.' Jessica Winkler, 48, called 911 after she allegedly shot her wife with a shotgun and told operators where she planned to leave the body in Englewood, Florida A Florida woman was arrested on Saturday night after she fatally shot her wife during an argument, say local police. A guilt stricken Jessica Winkler, 48, called 911 after she attempted to dump the body of Rhiannon W Layendecker, 51, in Englewood, Florida. Winkler told dispatchers that she left the dead body in the back of a truck on a property they both owned. The woman was charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. The recorded call to police, Winkler's own testimony to Sarasota County detectives and complementary evidence from both Englewood and Charlotte County led to charge. Winkler (left) told dispatchers that she left her Rhiannon W Layendecker's (right) body in the back of a truck on the property at 1429 Overbrook Road in Englewood According to the sheriff's report, Winkler called the dispatcher around 4pm on Saturday, some 15 hours after she allegedly shot Layendecker at their home. She told the operator the victim's body could be found in the back of her maroon 2003 Dodge with Florida tags. The two had had a disagreement when Winkler got a gun and shot Layendecker, according to sheriff's report. At her family's home in Charlotte County, Winkler had planned to rid herself of the body and bury Layendecker in a hole A medical examiner said that the single gun-shot wound killed the woman. But the nature of the wound was not mentioned by the examiner. Winkler was said to have moved the body using a chair with wheels and tossed the gun into some nearby water after shooting Layendecker on Friday night. The Sheriff's Office dive team retrieved the firearm. The woman was charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence At her family's home in Charlotte County, Winkler had planned to rid herself of the body and bury Layendecker in a hole. The landscaper was reportedly seen digging the hole by neighbors. WInkler is currently in custody at the Sarasota County Jail and was not given bond for the murder. She was put on $1500 bond for tampering with evidence. Jail records indicate that she will be arraigned on January 19. Bradley Nicholson, 24, was jailed for less than four years on Monday after drink driving and crashing his car, injuring two and killing one One man was killed and two other people were left with horrendous, life-changing injuries after Victorian man Bradley Nicholson got behind the wheel following a night at the pub. The 24-year-old was jailed on Monday for an April 2015 crash when he failed to take a bend at the regional township of Launching Place. Nicholson had a blood-alcohol level of 0.108 at the time. Josh Bell, who was severely injured in the crash, told news.com.au young drivers needed to be more aware of the risks of driving drunk. 'The only thing a drink driver is worried about is getting caught, not killing someone,' he said. 'Properly educate young drivers and show them how graphic and horrific it is.' Nicholson's modified four-wheel drive rolled several times and smashed into a tree on the night of the crash, causing three of his five passengers to be flung from the car and into nearby trees and bushes. Josh Bell, who was a passenger of Nicholson's, suffered 10 skull fractures, brain injury, more than 70 per cent vision loss to his right eye, broken ribs, a severed left ear and multiple spinal fractures Charlie Robertson, 20, suffered serious head and upper body injuries, and died at the scene. Joshua Bell suffered 10 skull fractures, brain injury, more than 70 per cent vision loss to his right eye, broken ribs, a severed left ear and multiple spinal fractures. Monique Kouvaras sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries, and has had to relearn to read, write and walk. The County Court of Victoria was told on Monday that Nicholson had been drinking beer and whiskey with coke at the Sam Knott Hotel at Wesburn to celebrate Mr Bell's birthday. One witness at the party described him as being 'pissed'. Another friend told Nicholson he shouldn't drive that night, but he responded 'oh well, I know what I'm doing'. Monique Kouvaras (pictured) sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries, and has had to relearn to read, write and walk. Nicholson got into his Nissan Patrol, piling in five of his friends, to continue celebrating at a friend's house. He then drove into a sharp curve too quickly, over-correcting several times before his car rolled and collided with a large tree. Judge Michael O'Connell said Nicholson, who has an intellectual disability, had not been driving erratically or speeding before the accident, but negotiated the bend too quickly while influenced by alcohol. Nicholson, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and serious injury, was jailed for three years and nine months. He will be eligible for parole after 21 months. Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken has a new lease on political life after four of his colleagues have stepped forward to say his promised resignation over groping and sexual harassment allegations should be put on pause. Politico cited four lawmakers on Monday saying Franken was too quick to throw himself on the live grenade of the #MeToo movement and deserved a second chance. None of them are women. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin criticized lawmakers who demanded Franken's head on a spit and then embraced him for pledging to quit. 'I hope they have enough guts ... and enough conscience and enough heart to say, "Al, we made a mistake asking prematurely for you to leave",' he said. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO U.S. Senator Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, announced his resignation on Dec. 7 over allegations of sexual misconduct but never said when he would be quitting Fellow Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said Monday morning on CNN that Franken deserves to stay as long as an ethics panel of his peers clears him Franken and his wife Franni (left) arrived at the Senate to deliver what amounted to a vague non-apology on Dec. 7 following eight separate charges of sexual misconduct Accused: After the first allegation by radio broadcaster Leeann Tweeden, who produced this notorious photograph, Al Franken had a steady drip of follow-up accusers Politico cited another unnamed senator's change of heart and reported that Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont has privately told Franken he's in his corner. But it's Manchin who has been most outspoken. The West Virginian, a moderate often courted by Republicans for aisle-crossing compromise, told CNN on Monday morning that Franken's slow-motion political hari-kiki was 'most certainly' premature. 'I definitely think he should not resign,' Manchin said. 'I think he should submit himself ... and go through this complete process of an extended ethics review' instead. Gov. Mark Dayton has already appointed Lt. Gov. Tina Smith as Franken's successor, following an emotional December 7 speech in which the senator said he would quit 'in the coming weeks. Lindsay Menz (left) claims Franken grabbed her rear end while they posed for this photograph The fifth woman to accuse Franken of sexual misconduct, Stephanie Kemplin said he groped her during this picture in 2003, during a USO tour event in Kuwait In the next breath, though, he blasted the 'irony' of his own departure while President Donald Trump remains in office despite his own 'history of sexual assault' and the Senate candidacy of accused teen-fundler Roy Moore in Alabama. Moore lost his race in a shocker but Trump is still in the Oval Office. And Franken's Pearl Harbor Day speech now looks like an attempt to cool the fires circling him while leaving a Washington-sixed loophole. Franken had sounded his own political career's death-knell in response to a zero-tolerance drumbeat from fellow Democrats. Many of them are now in a forgiving mood. The allegations against Franken began in mid-November when Leeann Tweeden, now a Los Angeles radio anchor, accused him of forcibly kissing her during a 2006 USO tour in Afghanistan. Other allegations followed, including a woman who says Franken put his hand on her buttocks as they posed for a photo at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010. Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith has already been chosen to replace Franken, b ut the changeover is in jeaopardy now that Franken sees an opening to stay EIGHT ISN'T ENOUGH: AL FRANKEN'S FEMALE ACCUSERS Stephanie Kemplin The 41-year-old Army vet says Franken grabbed her breast when the two posed for a photo at a USO event in Kuwait in December 2003. Kemplin is a registered Republican who voted for Trump in the presidential election. 'I remember clenching up and how you just feel yourself flushed. And I remember thinking, "Is he going to move his hand? Was it an accident? Was he going to move his hand?",' she said. 'He never moved his hand.' Anonymous former New England elected official A former chair of a New England town's Selectboard says she was invited to take part in a live taping of Franken's radio show in the spring of 2006. After her interview, she says Franken shook her hand, pulled her close and then forcibly kissed her on the cheek. 'It was onstage in front of a full theater,' she said. 'It was insidious. It was in plain sight and yet nobody saw it.' Leann Tweeden The Los Angeles radio news anchor says Franken forcibly kissed her with tongue and then 'jokingly' groped her breasts on a USO tour in 2006. 'He came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine, and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth,' Tweeden wrote. 'I felt disgusted and violated.' There is also a damning photo of Franken groping her with a mischievous grin while she slept on a military aircraft Anonymous 38-year-old book editor This Franken accuser says she met Franken at the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus in June 2007 and that he grabbed her butt while the two took a photo at the event. She describes herself as liberal. Anonymous This accuser says she was 21 years old in 2008 when she met Franken at a Democratic fundraiser in Minneapolis. She says Franken grabbed her butt and later suggested that the two visit the bathroom together. 'My immediate reaction was disgust,' she said, 'but my secondary reaction was disappointment.' Anonymous congressional aide A former campaign worker said Franken tried to 'forcibly kiss her' after a 2006 taping of his radio show. She recalled ducking to avoid him and that, as she tried to leave Franken told her: 'It's my right as an entertainer.' Tina Dupuy The former congressional staffer, wrote an op-ed in The Atlantic titled 'I believe Frankens accusers because he groped me, too.' Her encounter came during a Media Matters for America party during the first Obama inauguration weekend, in January 2009. As she posed for a photo with Franken, she recalled that he 'immediately put his hand on my waist, grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed. At least twice.' Lindsey Menz Stay-at-home mom Lindsey Menz says Franken grabbed her butt as her husband took a picture of her and the senator at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010. She described herself as a Republican who voted for Trump in the presidential election. However, she has voted for Democrats including Minnesota's senior Sen. Amy Klobuchar. She can't remember if she voted for Franken, but believes she did. She now lives in Texas. Advertisement Two more women told the Huffington Post that Franken squeezed their rear ends at political events during his first campaign for the Senate in 2008. A fourth, an Army veteran, alleged Franken cupped her breast during a photo on a USO tour in 2003. Franken has apologized for his behavior but has also disputed some of the allegations. His vague resignation pledge followed demands from Democrats after a new accusation surfaced in which a former Democratic congressional aide said he tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was among a group of female senators who called on Al Franken to resign from the Senate The woman, who was not identified, told Politico that Franken pursued her after her boss had left and she was collecting her belongings. She said that she ducked to avoid his lips and that Franken told her: 'It's my right as an entertainer.' New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' boss in the U.S. Senate, is not joining calls for Franken to make a U-turn. 'Schumer and the vast majority of the caucus like Sen. Franken and will miss him,' said a Senate Democratic leadership aide, 'but did what they felt was best and stand by it.' A power outage at Atlanta's international airport sent passengers into disarray yesterday. All the while, airport workers valiantly attempted to do their jobs - and placate annoyed travelers - without electricity. Video shows one such employee sliding down a powerless escalator, to much fanfare from people walking up the machine on either side. One stranded passenger even sticks his hand out for a high-five once the employee reaches the bottom. A worker at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia slid down an escalator yesterday. The airport experienced a power outage for about 11 hours total Instagram user sarahmanleyy, who uploaded the video, said: 'Dealing with the power outage at the Atlanta airport was actually insane and I'll post other scary videos later. But the staff was having to slide down the escalators to help people and it was amusing. Finally in the car headed home' Instagram user sarahmanleyy wrote: 'Dealing with the power outage at the Atlanta airport was actually insane and I'll post other scary videos later. 'But the staff was having to slide down the escalators to help people and it was amusing. Finally in the car headed home.' Power has since been restored at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after the outage, which was caused by a fire, led to more than 1,200 flight cancellations. Passengers were left stranded on planes on the tarmac and in darkened terminals at the world's busiest airport following the blackout Even though power was finally restored at close to midnight Sunday, the incident continued to wreak havoc on holiday travel plans for thousands of people hit by airline cancellations extending into Monday and beyond. Power was restored at the airport - consistently the world's busiest - a bit before midnight on Sunday Georgia Power said it believes a failure of its equipment may have started the fire and in a written statement, the firm said: 'While evaluation of the incident is ongoing, Georgia Power believes that a piece of Georgia Power switchgear located in an underground electrical facility could have failed and started a fire. Hundreds of flights are currently cancelled and the backlog could mean travel chaos lasting up to a week as airlines claw back their postponed flights. Delta said it was cancelling about 300 flights on Monday, on top of the 900 Sunday cancellations as a result of the Atlanta outage. On the airport's portal, swathes of flights from a range of airlines from Qantas to Virgin Atlantic were listed as cancelled with only a handful showing up as on time. The former Today show staffer who says she had a brief sexual relationship with Matt Lauer in 2000 has spoken out to detail the affair. Lauer was fired from the Today show three weeks ago when an unnamed woman accused the 59-year-old journalist of sexual harassment. Shortly after, Addie Collins Zinone told Variety about the month-long affair she had with Lauer in 2000, when she was just a 24-year-old production assistant at Today. While Zinone said the relationship was consensual, she says the power dynamics have made her regret the relationship. Zinone appeared on Megyn Kelly Today on Monday to reveal more details about her relationship with Lauer. Addie Collins Zinone spoke to Megyn Kelly on Monday about her affair with Matt Lauer She says Katie Couric helped get her a job at Today right out of college and that she and Lauer had a professional working relationship right up until her last weeks on the show. But that changed around June 2000, when Zinone says she got an instant message from Lauer one day, complimenting her on her appearance. At the time, Lauer was already married to his second wife, Annette Roque. 'It said, wow, you look great. I don't remember verbatim. Whatever you're doing with your life, it's agreeing with you,' Zinone recalled. 'I thought, well, that's nice.' Zinone went on to thank Lauer for the compliment. She then took the opportunity to let him know she was leaving the show soon to start a reporting job in West Virginia. She asked if she might be able to chat with him before she left to get some career advice, and Lauer agreed. Zinone was a 24-year-old PA at Today fresh out of college when she began to have a sexual relationship with Matt Lauer (above with Addie) Zinone says a month went by without any word from Lauer. Then he sent her another awkward message. 'One day, I got another message that said, "Okay, now you're killing me. You look great today. It's a bit though to concentrate,"' Zinone recalled. 'And my first reaction was, is this really you? Did somebody sit down and steal your log-in?' she said. Zinone says Lauer insured that it was him and said 'I hope you don't take me to personnel for saying this'. Zinone took the opportunity to remind Lauer that she was leaving again and if he wanted to have the conversation they planned. So the next day he set up lunch. But the lunch did not go as Zinone planned. It began after she approached him for career advice and he took her to lunch, then asked her to meet him in he dressing room at work for sex (Zinone on left, Lauer on right ) 'During the lunch, it didn't go to professional advice. It went quickly to accomplishing his goal. And I realized that,' she said. She says she knew what his intentions were when he asked that they leave the lunch separately. Back at the office, Zinone said she was overwhelmed by a feeling of confusion. 'I was trying to be Normal. I'm a P.A. Back to the office. All this nervous energy and I didn't know what to do with it. I was confused. I thought, what is happening?' she said. So she messaged Lauer, telling her how she was feeling 'really nervous' and he suggested that she come meet him in his dressing room. It was there that they had their first sexual encounter. 'I realize that sounds very naive and silly of me because I walked over there to do that. In that moment, I didn't have anybody to sort of share my fears and confusion with, except for him. What am I going to say to people? This just happened,' she said. She says their sexual relationship lasted for about a month, then she went to West Virginia to start her new job. The relationship ended weeks later with Lauer asking Zinone to meet him for sex one last time in a bathroom at a convention center in California during the DNC (Zinone above with Al Roker, Katie Couric and Ann Curry) Over the years, Zinone says she's been contacted be reporters curious about rumors of their affair. She says she always assumed that there were more women out there with stories like hers. He did it so effortlessly with me. I thought, there have to be other women. 'He did it so effortlessly with me. I thought, there have to be other women,' she said. She added: 'I didn't know there were other colleagues... I did feel alone and isolated and I just carried it.' When she learned of Lauer's firing, Zinone says she felt some comfort 'knowing I wasn't alone'. She said she decided to come forward because she heard people doubting Lauer's accusers. Zinone later took a reporting job in West Virginia, and then went on to serve two tours of duty overseas 'I am coming forward and saying this was consensual. I want to put a face and a story to these women's accusations. 'I'm seeing they're being doubted. I thought, I have to validate their claims. I have to explain it in embarrassing detail because I want them to understand the commonalities in our stories. And to be able to identify the exact same behaviors and predatory behaviors. I recognize them in the stories that I heard. That's how I knew with the behavior,' she said. Zinone also spoke about the criticisms she's been receiving since telling her story. I understand that people are going to paint me as a home wrecker, a slut and a whore. Those are things I have been called. It was suggested to me to go get hit by a bus...I did expect some blowback. 'The blowback, I expected it. My husband and I decided I was going to go forward with this. And speak out. And become a face. I expected some blowback, of course. 'I understand that people are going to paint me as a home wrecker, a slut and a whore. Those are things I have been called. It was suggested to me to go get hit by a bus. These are very real things. I expected - I did expect some blowback. Anybody would. Consent to them may be black and white. And why come forward after 17 years?' she said. Despite all this Zinone went on to have an impressive career, serving two tours of duty overseas and accepting a position at Access Hollywood. She says it was the 'power dynamic' between herself and Lauer that ultimately made her feel like a victim. 'He knew that I was leaving, and that there was no better prey than somebody who is going to be gone,' explains Zinone. 'He went after the most vulnerable and the least powerful and those were the production assistants and the interns.' An intruder was able to drive his car onto a US Air Force base before he was stopped inches from a military combat aircraft. Aerial footage from the RAF Mildenhall showed a cordon surrounding a black car and a 43million V-22 Osprey stationed near a runway in the centre of the site. The suspect pretended to be a senior military official at the main checkpoint at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk. When police refused to let him in just after 1pm, he forced the car through the entrance and the base was placed into lockdown. The intruder got close to a V22 Osprey, a heli-plane nicknamed the Transformer, before he was apprehended. A 44-year-old British man was arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass. He suffered cuts and bruises but no one else was injured. His motive remained unclear, but police said the incident was not being treated as terrorism. Scroll down for video Videos show a cordon surrounding a Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey (pictured) a few hours after the incident, which Suffolk Police do not believe to be terror-related It is currently unclear how far into the base he was able to reach, however aerial footage seems to suggest he may have reached a runway at the centre of the site Members of the US armed forces stand at the entrance to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk today It is thought the man who allegedly rammed his car into a gate at a US Air Force base in Britain may have been trying to reach a military plane It is understood the man claimed to be someone important within the military establishment when he was confronted at the main gates. US military personnel opened fire when he ignored guards, including both American and UK Ministry of Defence police, and drove onto the base. Superintendent Kim Warner, of Suffolk Police, said a vehicle failed to follow security directions at the entrance and drove on to the base. There was a 'short pursuit' and the vehicle was stopped by US security services, he said. The man, who suffered cuts and bruises, has been taken into custody and police are not looking for anyone else on the site in relation to the incident. There were initial reports of a car being rammed into a checkpoint, but Mr Warner said he was 'unaware of any damage to the base itself'. He said the vehicle was brought to a halt close to a US plane, an Osprey, and it was not thought there was 'any significant damage' to the vehicle or the aircraft. There was 'no obvious motive at this stage', he added. It has been claimed that the suspect is a British citizen who pretended to be someone he was not - possibly a senior military figure - to get through a checkpoint. It is believed he may have been suffering mental health problems. Residents also reported hearing gunshots and the American children at a soft play area in the village were said to have 'suddenly left' after the incident. Last night a police car was blocking the entrance to the base and there was a strong police and military presence in the area, with 4x4 vehicles patrolling outside. A Suffolk Police spokesman said: 'Suffolk Police were contacted at approximately 1.40pm today to reports of a disturbance at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk. 'The base was put into lockdown and units responded immediately. Shots were fired by American service personnel and a man has been detained with cuts and bruises and taken into custody. 'No other people have been injured as a result of the incident. Suffolk Police remain on site.' It has been claimed that the suspect is a British citizen who pretended to be someone he was not - possibly a senior military figure - to get through a checkpoint A police car is pictured at the scene following the incident at RAF Mildenhall this afternoon Police rushed to the RAF Mildenhall base (pictured today) in Suffolk to respond to the alert The man was detained with cuts and bruises and taken into custody after the incident today Aerial footage from the scene appeared to show flashing police car lights and a cordon around a Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey on a section of the base in Suffolk The force also tweeted: 'Members of the public are asked to avoid the area around RAF Mildenhall for the time being.' And it later said: 'As there is considered no ongoing threat to the community relating to the incident at RAF Mildenhall, schools can continue to operate as they normally would at the end of a day.' But Tony Osborne, London bureau chief at Aviation Week, tweeted: 'If the police investigation at Mildenhall is related to an incident at the gate, why is there a cordon around V-22 Osprey on the apron? Would suggest this person got onto the airfield.' No other police forces are thought to be involved in the incident at this stage. Suffolk Police were unable to confirm if the matter was being treated as terrorist-related. But the force said that while the incident was ongoing, there was no wider threat to the public, or base occupants. In November last year the then Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said RAF Mildenhall was one of 56 Ministry of Defence sites earmarked for closure. The base, which is due to shut in 2022, is home to the US Air Force's 100th Air Refuelling Wing and 352nd Special Operations Wing. Police confirmed that US personnel fired shots during the incident at around 1.40pm today The base was put on lockdown amid reports of a car being rammed into a checkpoint Suffolk Police said that while the incident was ongoing, there was no wider threat to the public A member of staff at Jumppin Jacks Funhouse in Mildenhall said: 'All the American children playing here suddenly left, but we didn't hear anything or know why.' A statement on the base's Facebook page said: 'RAF Mildenhall locked down at 1pm today following reports of a disturbance on base. 'The base was locked down and emergency personnel are responding to the situation. Additional details will be provided as they become available.' A Pentagon spokesman in Washington said: 'The security incident has been contained and a suspect has been apprehended.' A defence source said a car tried to force its way into RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk (file picture) Police rushed to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk to respond to the 'significant security alert' And a US Air Force spokesman said: 'The incident has been contained. There is a suspect that has been apprehended.' BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford tweeted: 'The early indications are that someone tried to drive onto the base, and was stopped at the gate, and has been arrested. People nearby heard gunshots.' Shortly before 3pm, two businesses on the base confirmed they were no longer on lockdown after the security alert. The 1,162-acre base, which houses about 3,100 US military and an additional 3,000 family members, is used by the US to refuel US and Nato aircraft in Europe. The 1,162-acre base, which houses about 3,100 US military and an additional 3,000 family members, is used by the US to refuel US and Nato aircraft in Europe RAF Mildenhall is set for closure after the US said it was going to move is operations from there to Germany. The site has previously been a potential terror attack target. In May 2016, delivery driver Junead Khan, from Luton, who planned to attack US servicemen outside RAF Mildenhall, was jailed for life. Islamic extremist Khan wanted to attack US airmen in East Anglia with a knife like that used by Jihadi John after plotting with an ISIS fighter in Syria. He delivered medical supplies to Boots, Superdrug, Morrisons Supermarket and Co-Op along with hospitals and surgeries on behalf of Alliance Healthcare. RAF Mildenhall (pictured) in Suffolk and neighbouring RAF Lakenheath were re-opened after the second World War to host B-29 Superfortresses and have hosted US airmen ever since A V-22 Osprey, similar to the one pictured in this file image, was seen in aerial footage surrounded by what appeared to be a cordon and flashing lights on a police vehicle His routes took him to East Anglia and to two Lloyd's pharmacies in the village of Mildenhall, close to two US airbases. RAF Mildenhall and neighbouring RAF Lakenheath were re-opened after the second World War to host B-29 Superfortresses and have hosted US airmen ever since. Also last year, an abduction scare forced police to launch a major manhunt after an airman was attacked at knifepoint while out jogging near RAF Marham in Norfolk. The two suspects were at first suspected to be jihadis plotting a terror attack. But another theory now is that it may have been a failed mugging. Doctors are being instructed to avoid mentioning the word 'obese' to their overweight patients. New South Wales Health has released new guidelines designed to stop larger people from being offended. It calls on doctors to tell their obese patients they are 'well above a healthy weight', The Daily Telegraph reports. Scroll down for video Showing some guts: NSW Health is telling doctors to avoid using the word 'obese' to patients General practitioners are also told to refrain from uttering the words 'morbidly obese' or to apportion blame or judgement. NSW Health's executive director of the Centre for Population Health, Jo Mitchell, told the newspaper said the new guidelines were based on advice from health experts and parents. 'It's just using language which is more engaging,' she told News Corp. However the Australian Medical Association said NSW Health was just 'sugar coating' the issue of obesity. 'Sometimes it is important not to sugar-coat this,' the AMA's state president Brad Frankum said. 'Sometimes people need to be made really aware of the dangers they are facing. 'The word obese is a medical term.' NSW Health bureaucrats want to see the back of words like 'obese' and morbidly obese' Dad jailed: Richard Root, of Wisconsin, was handed a seven-year probationary sentence, including six months in jail, for beating his infant daughter and breaking her bones A 21-year-old Wisconsin man has been sentenced to six months in prison after being convicted pf beating his infant daughter, breaking 20 of her bones and causing a brain hemorrhage. Richard Root, of Oshkosh, in August pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of neglecting a child. He was initially arrested on a more serious count of child abuse - recklessly causing great harm. The married father-of-two was arrested in March after police said he shook his infant daughter and knelt on her legs while changing her diaper. The baby was rushed to Aurora Medical Center, where doctors found that she had nine broken ribs, a broken arm and a broken leg, injuries to her face and multiple brain bleeds, according to the station WFMY. Scroll down for video Root has pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of neglecting a child. Pictured: Root's family, including his wife seen pregnant with their second child (foreground left), are attending Root and his newlywed wife's daughter (pictured left) suffered nine broken ribs, a broken arm and a broken leg, injuries to her face and multiple brain bleeds She was later airlifted to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she was treated and eventually released to a family member, reported Oshkosh Northwestern. Last week, Root appeared in Winnebago County Court and was handed a seven-year probationary sentence, including six months in prison. Circuit Judge Thomas Gritton also barred Root from using alcohol or drugs, and ordered him to keep a job or attend school full time, and to undergo counselling. The station NBC26 reported that the sentence also comes with a no-contact order for his daughter and a second child, a boy, that he and his newlywed wife have only recently welcomed. Root (pictured in court, left) claimed he 'snapped' due to a lack of sleep and stress Root's wife of less than two years, pictured here with a baby bump during her second pregnancy, has not been charged with any crime When questioned by police, Root reportedly confessed that he 'snapped' due to stress and a lack of sleep. A criminal complaint stated that the 21-year-old dad demonstrated on a doll how he grabbed his baby around the chest and shook her while asking why she was crying. The infant's mother was at work at the time of the attack on March 10. She has not been charged with a crime. According to the wife's Facebook page, the couple got married in February 2016. A 69-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly shot and killed another man, aged 30, at a home in Victoria. The deceased received gunshot wounds and was declared dead at the scene after emergency crews were called just after 10pm on Monday in Mulgrave, southeast of Melbourne. Emergency services were called to the home on Vincent Street where they found the 30-year-old with fatal gunshot wounds. Emergency services were called to the home on Vincent Street (pictured) where they found the 30-year-old with fatal gunshot wounds The Mulgrave man was arrested at the scene and is assisting Homicide Squad detectives with their investigation. Police believe both parties were known to eachother. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or file a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au More to come. Christopher Wade Smith punched Escmabia County Fire Chief Michael Tyler in the right eye for trying to step in and perform CPR on his wife, who was not breathing A Florida man was arrested after he attacked a local fire chief who was trying to perform CPR on his wife. She would eventually die. Christopher Wade Smith,51, punched Escmabia County Fire Chief Michael Tyler in the right eye for trying to step in and perform CPR on his wife, who was not breathing. Escambia County EMS units arrived to the 9000 block of Appleton Road in Brewton, Florida, after the Sheriff's Office was notified of a woman having an asthma attack. Sheriff's deputies were called soon after the initial 6.45pm call to assist in the matter as the address was recognize for a domestic dispute issue earlier in the day. '(EMS and Fire) made the decision to stage a short distance away from the residence awaiting law enforcement's arrival,' the Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Friday. Law enforcement was asked to go into the residence first when they learned that the woman might not have been breathing, but ultimately they did not. As Fire Chief Michael Tyler tried to step in, he was socked in the right eye and sustained 'serious injury and fracture,' according to deputies and officials EMS units arrived to the 9000 block of Appleton Road in Brewton, Florida, after the Sheriff's Office was notified of a woman having an asthma attack. The address was recognize for a domestic dispute issue earlier in the day Christopher Wade Smith was found inside the home, trying to give his wife CPR. And as Fire Chief Michael Tyler tried to step in, he was socked in the right eye and sustained 'serious injury and fracture,' according to deputies and officials. The reason was said to be a Facebook post. Tyler suffered a fracture and severe bruising from the punch 'There was an allegation made by Mr. Smith yesterday that were maybe some inappropriate things that went on at the local fire department in purchasing land, which is to our information of knowledge isn't true,' added Deputy Chief Mike Lambeth to WEARTV. The woman taken to DW McMillan Hospital in an ambulance but she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving there. Smith tried to flee the scene but he crashed into a firefighter's vehicle. He was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and second-degree criminal mischief. Smith, who was already out on bond when the event took place, is currently being held at Escambia County Detention Center. The Escambia County District Attorney's Office filed for his bond to be revoked pending investigation. His wife's identity has not been released but she has been taken to the Department of Forensic Sciences to have an autopsy conducted. This is the moment a Mexican man tried to bundle his 'ex-lover' in to the boot of his car before hero passers-by come to the rescue. Two men are seen in the grim footage slamming the boot down on a woman's body over and over again. Local media have named the victim's former boyfriend Francisco Javier Laurencio as one of the figures in the video. Scroll down for video A man identified by Mexican media as Francisco Javier Laurencio is seen in this shocking footage trying to force his alleged former partner in to the boot of a car The woman, seen in a red dress and black jacket, is brutally manhandled by the two men, one dressed in black and the other in white. The footage of the gruesome assault was filmed on December 16 outside of El Viejon, a bar in the city of Queretaro in central Mexico. The assailant had also assaulted his victim inside the bar smashing a glass bottle over her head before hitting her, witnesses report. Before long the furor moved outside. The clip shows it was then that they appear to begin trying to push the woman in to the cramped boot of his car. Two men are seen in the grim footage slamming the boot down on a woman's body over and over again When she is seen to resist the men become enraged and more violent, slamming the car boot door down on to the woman's legs and body. The women is seen in clear distress, screaming for help. But luckily, one heroic passer-by, dressed all in black, comes to the woman's rescue pulling her from the boot and from the clutches of her violent 'ex-love'. She was left with serious bruises, cuts and scratches across her face, arms and legs. However, so far the incident has not been reported to police nor have local authorities commented Several other witnesses from inside and outside the bar were are attracted to the scene by the commotion. Many of them are seen filming the incident. The grim footage shows one passer-by approach the Volkswagen Jett which allegedly belongs to Laurencio. The mystery man's presence appears to scare the two attackers who quickly get into the vehicle and drive off. More have-a-go heroes gather around the car to film the incident on their phones and shout abuse at the attackers. The poor young woman suffered multiple cuts and serious bruises to her head and legs. Blotchy patches spread across her jaw, on her arms, elbows and thighs. However, the woman has not reported the incident to the police nor has there been an official response from local Mexican authorities. One of the last unsung heroines of the famous Dambusters raid in World War two has died. Maureen Stevens was a radio telephone operator who helped guide the Lancaster bombers back to their base at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, after they had dropped their bouncing bombs. Her calming voice helped reassure the surviving crews as they flew home from the iconic raid on Germany's Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in the early hours of May 17, 1943. Mrs Stevens died aged 97 at Saxlingham Hall nursing home near Norwich, Norfolk, the day before she was due to celebrate her 74th wedding anniversary with her former bomber pilot husband Steve Stevens. Heroic Maureen Stevens was a radio telephone operator who helped guide the Lancaster bombers back to their base following the famous Dambusters raid in World War Two Ms Stevens, pictured here on her wedding day with her husband Steve, helped reassure the surviving crews as they flew home from the iconic raid in 1943 The Stevens celebrated their Platinum wedding anniversary in December 2013. Mr Stevens, 96, is a former RAF bomber and survived 30 missions. He revealed how he kissed his wife in her final moments and she was 'quite beautiful to the last' The only two surviving air crew who took part in the Dambusters raid are now air gunner George 'Johnny' Johnson of Bristol who was awarded the MBE in June this year for his role, and Canadian front gunner Fred Sutherland. It is believed that former Women's Auxiliary Air Force volunteer Mrs Stevens who was known as Maud was possibly the last surviving person in the RAF Scampton control tower on the night of the raid. Mr Stevens, 96, who survived 30 bombing missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross in November 1943, said: 'In her last few moments, I kissed her. She was quite beautiful to the last. 'She was always a very happy person. She was dignified. My son would say she would breeze through a room like a breath of fresh air. 'Instead of having a funeral of mourning, it will be a celebration of her life.' Mrs Stevens was born and brought up in Norwich and was working as a proofreader at Jarrold's print works in the city when she volunteered for war work. She said: 'I thought I would be doing some sort of clerical work. But in the interview they kept me talking for a long time and then said they had something different for me.' This photograph of a bomber aircraft in flight during the Dambusters raid of 1943. The RAF targeted three dams in the Ruhr valley - the Mohne, the Eder and the Sorpe The Dambusters flew the Avro Lancaster - a British four-engine heavy bomber which first saw active service in 1942. It became the most famous and most successful of the Second World War night bombers, delivering 608,612 tons of bombs in 156,000 sorties The Mohne Dam is pictured after it had been breached by 617 Squadron Lancaster bombers A photo of a Lancaster bomber aircraft in flight over a reservoir. In the Dambusters raid, of the 19 bombers, eight were shot down resulting in the deaths of 53 airmen The interview led to her training her as a radio telephone operator which involved welcoming and guiding pilots home after countless raids over Europe. Mrs Stevens recalled the Dambusters raid in a local newspaper interview to mark her 70th wedding anniversary. She had no idea that it was anything other than a routine mission when the Lancasters from the newly formed 617 squadron took off from her base. Operation Chastise, later known as the Dambusters raid, was so secret that even her Lancaster pilot husband who also flew from Scampton knew nothing about it. But Mr Stevens who was in 57 Squadron had spotted that the bomb bays on the 617 Squadron aircraft had been modified to carry the bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis as he waited for a test flight while they took off. Operation Chastise: The legendary Dambusters On May 16, 1943, 19 aircraft set out to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley - the Mohne, the Eder and the Sorpe. The idea was to damage a vital source of power to a key industrial area of Germany. Wing Commander Guy Gibson assembled the squadron with only 11 weeks to prepare for their mission - using special bouncing bombs, invented by Barnes Wallis. They were not told that they would be bombing the Ruhr valley until six hours before the raid began, after weeks of practice over Peak District reservoirs. On the night of Operation Chastise itself, the 113 crewmen took off in three waves along two different routes to bomb the dams. Gibson attacked first at the Mohne at 12.28am, but five bombs were dropped before it was breached. The first waves three remaining aircraft with bombs then attacked the Eder which finally collapsed at 1.52am. Aircraft from the other two waves bombed the Sorpe but it remained intact. Although the mission was hailed a success, eight aircraft and 53 crew were lost during the raids. Advertisement Mrs Stevens said: 'I don't really like talking about it because I was simply doing my job. I never knew where the planes were going each night. 'This particular night there was nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing I remember really clearly is the unusually calm atmosphere as I came off duty at 8am.' Led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the Lancasters of 617 Squadron shattered the Mohne and Eder dams with their bouncing bombs - sending floodwater pouring through the Ruhr Valley in the heart of industrial Germany Mrs Stevens who was then Cpl Maureen Miller sat listening in the control tower and relaying instructions as the mission unfolded and the bombers headed back for home. Eight of the 19 Lancasters which took part in the low level raid did not return and 53 of the 133 aircrew involved were killed, a casualty rate of almost 40 per cent. Recalling her role in the war, Mrs Stevens revealed that the experience had left her never wanting to fly in a plane. She said: 'As the pilots came back it was my job to land them, or tell them to circle in a stack and bring them in one by one in turn, unless one had been shot up and need to land straight away. 'It was a job I loved. I had never expected to leave Norfolk, and there I was landing aircraft. 'Mayday calls could be very exciting. Crew would get lost or disorientated and we had to talk them safely down. But I have never flown, and I never want to fly.' Mrs Stevens met her husband earlier in 1943 after she guided him back from a bombing mission over Germany to RAF Scampton. Mr Stevens, who had joined the RAF after his own family's home was bombed, recalled: 'It was the first time I had heard a girl's voice from the tower, so I thought I would go up and have a look. 'There was this glamorous girl sitting in the middle of a crowd of people, the centre of attention, so I crept away.' But the 21-year-old Lancaster pilot, eventually plucked up the courage to ask out Miss Miller. Weapon of choice: A Lancaster bomber, of the type used in the raid flies above the Ladybower reservoir Derbyshire during a commemoration exercise in 1988 The Dambusters, with Wing Commander Guy Gibson front row (centre). On the night of 16/17 May 1943 they engaged in one of the most legendary air raids of the war Mission accomplished: A reconnaissance photo, taken the day after the raid shows successful damage to the dam wall and the exposed 'beaches' from the resulting water-level drop seen at top of the picture He proposed to her just weeks later: Mr Stevens added: 'I said to her that if I was still alive at the end of the year we would get married.' They married eight months later on December 4, 1943, in Thorpe Hamlet near Norwich. Just days before his wedding, the then Flt Lt Stevens shook hands with King George VI as he was awarded his DFC. Mrs Stevens said: 'Steve first fell in love with my voice. They loved to hear my voice, and I loved to hear theirs. 'The first time I went into a control tower I was petrified. I had never been near an aircraft before. 'Then, my first night on duty, a plane took off and went up in flames. I went racing down the stairs, I just wanted to get out, but the man in charge pointed to my seat and said, 'Miller! Your place is there'. So I came back and sat down.' Mr and Mrs Stevens moved to Norwich after being demobbed and had a son Adrian. Her funeral at St Margaret's Church, Hempnall, on Thursday December 21 at noon, will feature the RAF flag being lowered Flowers or donations to Age UK can be sent to the funeral via R B Copping Independent Funeral Service, 125 The Street, Poringland, Norwich, NR14 7RP. A prominent US appeals court judge announced on Monday he would retire effective immediately after he had been accused by at least 15 women of sexual misconduct and faced a judicial investigation over the allegations. Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals apologized in a statement released by his lawyer after the allegations mounted against the 67-year-old, The Washington Post reported. 'A couple of years ago, as I reached the age when several of my colleagues had decided to take senior status or retire, I began considering whether the time had come for me to move on as well,' the statement from the married judge reads. 'Family and friends have urged me to stay on, at least long enough to defend myself. 'But I cannot be an effective judge and simultaneously fight this battle. Nor would such a battle be good for my beloved federal judiciary. And so I am making the decision to retire, effective immediately.' The Pasadena, California-based judge also said he had a broad sense of humor and a candid way of speaking to both male and female law clerks alike,' and 'In doing so, I may not have been mindful enough of the special challenges and pressures that women face in the workplace.' 'It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent,' he said. Kozinski had been accused by 15 women who claim he made lewd comments, while at least four women said he touched or kissed them. Judge Alex Kozinski (pictured in July 2017) announced Monday that he would retire effective immediately after allegations of sexual misconduct mounted against him. The 67-year-old married judge faced a judicial investigation over the allegations of his inappropriate behavior Kozinski has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least 15 women including Christine Miller (left), a retired US Court of Federal Claims judge, and Leah Litman (right), a law professor at the University of California, Irvine Christine Miller, a retired US Court of Federal Claims judge, said Kozinski grabbed her breasts during a car ride in 1986 after a legal community function in the Baltimore area. She said it came after she declined his offer to go to a motel and have sex. 'He said if you won't sleep with me, I want to touch you, and then he reached over, and this was the most antiseptic he grabbed each of my breasts and squeezed them,' Miller said. Leah Litman, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, told the Post that the judge talked about having just had sex and pinched her side and leg at a restaurant the night before they appeared together on a panel at her school in July. A lawyer who was not identified said Kozinski approached her when she was alone at a legal event in Los Angeles in 2008 and kissed her on the lips and gave her a bear hug with no warning. The Post said the woman's husband confirmed the incident and said the couple didn't think they could do anything because of the judge's position. In a previous statement through his attorney, Kozinski said that many of the things being said about him were not true but he deeply regretted that his 'unusual sense of humor caused offense or made anyone uncomfortable.' 'I have always tried to treat my male and female clerks the same,' he said. Kozinski was chief judge of the 9th Circuit, the largest federal appeals court circuit in the country, from 2007 to 2014. He is known for his irreverent opinions and his clerks often win prestigious clerkships at the U.S. Supreme Court. The 9th Circuit had opened a misconduct inquiry that was transferred Friday to the Judicial Council of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. Litman tweeted the above statement saying she had been a victim of sexual misconduct Kozinski (pictured) apologized in his statement released on Monday. He said: 'It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent' Last week, The Post reported that six former clerks or more junior staff members accused Kozinski of inappropriate behavior, including showing them pornography. Heidi Bond, who clerked for the judge from 2006 to 2007, told the newspaper she recalled three instances in which he asked her to look at images of naked people. She said one set of images was of college-age students where some were 'inexplicably naked while everyone else was clothed.' Another set was a type of digital flip book that allowed users to mix and match heads, torsos and legs to create an image of a naked woman. Bond said the judge asked if she thought the pornography was photo-shopped or if it aroused her sexually. 'I was in a state of emotional shock, and what I really wanted to do was be as small as possible and make as few movements as possible and to say as little as possible to get out,' said Bond, now 41. Emily Murphy, a law professor who worked for a different judge on the 9th Circuit, said she was discussing training regimens with other clerks at a San Francisco hotel in 2012 when Kozinski approached her and said the gym in the 9th Circuit courthouse was nice because other people were seldom there. He then said if that were the case, she should work out naked, according to Murphy and two others present at the time who spoke to The Post. Another former clerk of the judge who claimed to the Post that he showed her porn; she declined to provide specifics out of fear the judge could identify her. Four other women in the first report by the Post were not named out of fear they might face retaliation. Kozinski previously denied the claims against him. But the 9th Circuit opened a misconduct inquiry that was transferred Friday to the Judicial Council of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York The women did not file formal complaints at the time. In 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported that Kozinski had an email list that he used to distribute crude jokes to and he had a publicly accessible website that contained pornography. A judicial investigation found that Kozinski did not intend for the material to be accessed by the public. Kozinski previously said he had more than 500 employees in his chambers over a 35-year career as judge. 'I would never intentionally do anything to offend anyone and it is regrettable that a handful have been offended by something I may have said or done,' he said in his initial statement. A spokesman for the court, David Madden, referred further comment to Chuck Winner of Winner & Associates. Winner did not immediately return a request for comment. The 9th Circuit courts in San Francisco has clashed repeatedly with President Donald Trump. Judges in the circuit have blocked both of Trump's bans on travelers from a group of mostly Muslim countries and halted his attempt to strip funding from so-called sanctuary cities. Kozinski joined four fellow conservative judges in an opinion in March that did not mention Trump by name, but said 'personal attacks' on judges who blocked the administration's first travel ban were 'out of all bounds of civic and persuasive discourse.' Christopher Wayne Kilpatrick, 43, escaped from Lauderdale County Detention Center on Saturday night An Alabama inmate awaiting trial for the attempted murder of a police officer has escaped for the second time this year. Officials discovered around 11pm Saturday that Christopher Wayne Kilpatrick, 43, had escaped, Lauderdale County Detention Center administrator Jason Butler said. Kilpatrick had previously escaped the facility on April 8 and was taken into custody again on April 15 following a standoff. Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said Kilpatrick escaped using the same method as in April, and cited 'faulty design on the jail'. Kilpatrick apparently was able to remove a covering to access a plumbing chase, through which he was then able to get into the facility's attic,AL.com reports. From there, he could access the roof and climb over the Center's razor wiring to escape. Regarding his removal of the covering, Singleton told Al.com: 'He worked on it a while and loosened up the hinges and got them off.' Authorities say he was able to remove a covering to access a plumbing chase, through which he accessed the attic and then the roof, from which he climbed over the Center's razor wiring. Regarding his removal of the covering, Singleton told Al.com: 'He worked on it a while and loosened up the hinges and got them off.' Pictured are two general views of the Center Authorities said he escaped around 9pm and was reportedly last seen around 12.30am on Sunday near the intersection of Highway 72 and Sky Park Road in Florence, Alabama, the Times Daily reports. The intersection is about seven miles from Lauderdale County Detention Center, which is also in Florence in northern Alabama. Kilpatrick was originally indicted in December on multiple charges in connection with the attempted August 2016 shooting of Florence Detective Michael Price. Price was trying to apprehend Kilpatrick, who had walked off a work-release detail. Kilpatrick has been accused of attempted murder, stemming from an August 2016 stand-off with Detective Michael Price (pictured) He allegedly tried to steal a truck and then fled into a woodland when caught by Price. He allegedly pointed a gun at Price, who then shot him. A work release is where a prisoner who has garnered enough trust may go off-site by day to work a non-prison job. He was indicted on additional charges after his first escape. Kilpatrick had been due to face a jury trial in February. He was being held without bail. He is described as a 6-foot-tall, 160-pound white male. Authorities warn that he is likely to be armed and dangerous. Britain will not get a special Brexit deal for the City of London, a senior EU negotiator warned today. Stefaan De Rynck, an aide to Michel Barnier, signalled a hard line in the looming trade talks. He also warned that the UK will have to accept all EU rules during a mooted two-year transition period - and it is 'not a given' Brussels will agree to the idea. The tough comments come as the sides prepare to launch the next phase of negotiations in the New Year, after the terms of the divorce deal were finally settled last week. Britain will not get a special Brexit deal for the City of London, senior EU negotiator Stefaan De Rynck warned at Chatham House today (pictured) The government is expected to push for a 'Canada plus plus plus' deal, which would cover the vital services sector as well as goods trade. The prospect has been pushed by Brexiteers as the financial sector benefits from 'passporting' rules that allow firms to trade freely across the continent without more red tape. However, Mr De Rynck made clear Brussels would never accept that as it would mean the 'end' of the European single market. 'There can be no sector-by-sector participation in the single market, and trying to square the FTA (free trade agreement) in a way that would lead to a sector-based participation in the single market would, for the EU, be the beginning of the end of the correct functioning and the integrity of the single market,' he told the event at the Chatham House think-tank. 'That is therefore something the EU will want to avoid.' Mr De Rynck also insisted the UK will have to recognise the integrity of the single market and customs union during any transition period. 'No cherry-picking, or what one could call a buffet-style transition where one picks and chooses the bits one likes,' he said. The new intervention from Mr Barnier (pictured with Angela Merkel on Friday) suggests Brussels will resist the idea Mr De Rynck jibed that Brexit would 'never be a success' - lamenting that it was a 'lose-lose situation' for the UK and the EU. 'For us, I don't think we will ever label Brexit a success. It's a mutual weakening, I think, of two parties,' he said. 'Economically, for us, Brexit is a lose-lose situation. 'So, our negotiation here is not like we had with Japan, how do you create value together, but, how do you minimise losses economically on both sides?' He did concede that all trade deals were technically 'bespoke' but dismissed the idea that models for agreements - such as those with Canada and Norway - could be mixed as Mrs May is urging. Over the weekend, Mr Barnier ramped up the rhetoric in the talks by saying Britain must 'face the consequences' of its Brexit vote. Mr Barnier ruled out striking a unique deal for Britain in the trade talks unlocked by Mrs May at the EU summit last week. He said Britain must choose between one of two broad models that already exist, based on how Norway and Canada work with the EU. Norway accepts almost all EU single market rules and in return gets free access to EU markets. Canada has less access much more freedom over how it regulates business. Mrs May gathered her Brexit 'war Cabinet' today for its first discussions on what model Britain will seek in the next phase of talks. Theresa May (pictured in the Commons today) must balance competing demands inside the Cabinet as Britain draws up its negotiating position ahead of the next round of talks Brexit Secretary David Davis (pictured left in Downing Street today) has said he wants a 'Canada plus plus plus' deal. Michel Barnier said the UK will not have 'bespoke' arrangements Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson used an interview in the Sunday Times to fire an opening salvo across the deep divide within the Cabinet over what 'end state' Britain will seek. Mr Johnson said that Britain must 'maximise the benefits of Brexit' and this means the nation must go its own way. He cited the working time directive - which caps working hours at 48 hours a week - as an EU regulation which could be scrapped. He said: 'The prime minister has done a fantastic job moving us forward in the negotiations. 'What we need to do is something new and ambitious, which allows zero tariffs and frictionless trade but still gives us that important freedom to decide our own regulatory framework, our own laws and do things in a distinctive way in the future.' Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd joined their colleagues in Downing Street this morning He added: 'We need to raise our eyes to the horizon and ask ourselves in 10, 20, 30 years time. 'Is the world really going to be a series of mutually competitive trade blocs or are we going to be working in a system where there is freedom and free trade between countries, businesses, between individuals ... in accordance with global standards? 'That is a very exciting future.' Mr Johnson said he was encouraged by Mr Hammond's Budget speech, in which the Chancellor touched on regulatory divergence with Brussels. He said: 'Philip can see that we have a very original economy, very different from other European countries tech sectors, bioscience, bulk data, this is a very innovative place to be. 'We may in future wish to regulate it in a different way from the way that Brussels does.' The Manhattan district attorney's office has yet to present evidence in the Harvey Weinstein rape case to a grand jury, but is already hard at work on their next probe into the disgraced movie mogul. Law enforcement sources tell the New York Post that Cyrus Vance Jr. is trying to build an embezzlement case, spending the past few weeks speaking to former employees of Weinstein and gathering documents after serving approximately two dozen subpoenas. It is being reported that this second investigation is meant to ensure that Weinstein is not able to avoid prosecution on at least one charge should the rape case fall apart. When contacted by DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for the district attorney's office declined to comment. 'Any financial settlements by Mr. Weinstein were fully vetted and approved by legal counsel for Mr. Weinstein and The Weinstein Company,' said his lawyer Ben Branfman. 'There was never any intent by Mr Weinstein to violate the law and as a result, we do not believe that any criminal charges will be filed once all of the facts are carefully reviewed.' Scroll down for video New focus: The Manhattan district attorney's office has launched a probe into possible charges of money laundering or embezzlement against Harvey Weinstein (Weinstein and Paz de la Huerta above in 2010) Trouble: It is believed he may have misappropriated funds from The Weinstein Company to silence some of his victims The district attorney's office is also continuing to stay quiet about the status of the Weinstein rape case, which seems to have gone cold in the two months since Paz de la Huerta came forward. De la Huerta's lawyer Carrie Goldberg said earlier this month that she was conerned that charges would not be pursued in the case. Goldberg said that despite meeting with her client twice and subpoenaing thousands of documents to back up her claims, Vance and the district attorney's office have said they will not present the case to a grand jury. The district attorney's office was quick to shoot this down however, stating: 'This remains very much an active investigation. Well decline further comment.' A spokesperson for the DA who spoke with DailyMail.com further explained: 'The reports of it "stalling" are not accurate.' Law enforcement meanwhile has been very clear about where they stand on the case. 'We have a credible and detailed narrative, and even though the incident occurred seven years ago there has been corroboration from a number of individuals,' said Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce in late October. He went on to reveal that investigators contacted the district attorney's office soon after they interviewed de la Huerta and 'started working the case together.' Weinstein is accused of sexually assaulting the actress on two occasions, but has denied any and all allegations of non-consensual sex through his spokesperson. The actress reported the incidents to authorities on October 25, and was found to be a strong and credible witness. 'I really can't comment but we'll move as fast as we can to resolve the outstanding issues,' said Vance at that time, almost three years after he decided not to prosecute Weinstein despite having audio of him admitting to assaulting Ambra Battilana. 'We are on the same page when it comes to mission, which is protecting the public and preventing crime and building investigations and cases,' said Vance at the time of the work between his office and the NYPD. Vance also urged any victims to come forward and promised that their claims and allegations would be looked into by his team. It all feels a bit like deja vu, with the district attorney's office previously not pursuing the 2015 case against Weinstein. 'This case was taken seriously from the outset, with a thorough investigation conducted by our sex crimes unit,' said Joan Vollero at the time. 'After analyzing the available evidence, including multiple interviews with both parties, a criminal charge is not supported.' The New York Times revealed in October that Weinstein surrounded himself with a very connected team of litigators before learning that charges would not be pursued in the case. He retained Elkan Abramowitz, a former law partner of Vance, and Daniel S. Connolly, who was also a former prosecutor. Linda Fairstein came on as a consultant and introduced Weinstein's lawyer Abramowitz to Martha Bashford, the head of the district attorneys sex crimes bureau. 'We have an actual case here, so we're happy with where the investigation is right now,' said Chief Boyce back in early November in a rare public comment on an ongoing investigation. 'Mr Weinstein is out of state we would need an arrest warrant, to arrest him. So right now we're gathering our evidence and we continue to do so, every day. So that's where we are in the case.' No go: 'Any financial settlements by Mr. Weinstein were fully vetted and approved by legal counsel for Mr. Weinstein and The Weinstein Company,' said his lawyer (Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 1999) Chief Boyce revealed during that press conference that subpoenas have been issued, before adding: 'If this person was still in New York and it was recent we would go right away and make the arrest, no doubt. But were talking about a seven-year-old case. And we have to move forward gathering evidence. Chief Boyce also made it very clear that de la Huerta was a strong witness, noting her 'ability to articulate each and every movement of the crime, where she was, where they met, where this happened and what he did. The case was further bolstered because De la Huerta was the first victim who was allegedly assaulted by Weinstein after 2006, when New York did away with the statute of limitations in instances of rape, criminal sexual act or aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree. The assaults alleged by the other two women took place before that law was changed, which means that even if the district attorney's office files charges against Weinstein in those cases they could be tossed out of court by a judge. Chief Boyce seemed to suggest that those probes have been put on hold while the focus turns to de la Huerta's allegations. At the same time, the Manhattan District Attorney's office announced that they had assigned a senior sex crimes prosecutor to work on the case. 'As to others, I'm not going to close the door and say others wont come forward, but this is what we have right now, this is what we're moving forward with,' said Chief Boyce. Weinstein whas only been spotted a handful of time since he fled New York City the day after he was first accused of assault and harassment in a New York Times expose. The Boeing 747, the original jumbo jet that was the favorite American presidents and key to affordable mass market air travel in the United States, will pass into aviation history this week. Nearly 50 years after the its debut, the 747 will take its final commercial flight with an American carrier Tuesday on Delta Air Lines' Seoul-to-Detroit route. It 'made flying available for everyone,' said Boeing chief company historian Michael Lombardi said of the iconic jet. 'The 747 gave wings to the world.' Nearly 50 years after the its debut, the 747 will take its final commercial flight with an American carrier on Tuesday flying from Seoul to Detroit In November, United Airlines flew its final 747 from San Francisco to Hawaii before retiring its entire Boeing 747 fleet Aerospace consultant Michel Merluzeau said the plane changed travel. 'All of a sudden, you could go from Singapore to London in less than 24 hours. It made everything more accessible.' Delta's sendoff for the storied aircraft includes special flights on Wednesday for employees and top customers. Ticket prices for these 'farewell tour' flights have soared owing to demand from nostalgic consumers. And Boeing also will still build the jet as a freight carrier and for a few unique clients, including the US president, who has used a specially-outfitted 747 as Air Force One since 1990. But the American aerospace giant has been shifting to more fuel-efficient models for commercial travel. The 747 will still be in the skies for Lufthansa, British Airways and Korean Air Lines Model of an Air France Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet interior with passengers seen in 1966 The first Boeing 747 From Pan American Airlines Flying in January 1970 'The 747 was a major milestone in the history of flight,' said Bob Van der Linden, curator of the aeronautics department at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. 'It's big, very comfortable, beautiful, it has a staircase on it,' Van der Linden added. 'It's a symbol of economic power.' Nicknamed the original 'jumbo jet' because of the huge hump, the plane is able to carry upwards of 600 passengers. Boeing will still build the 747 as a freight carrier and for select clients, including the US president, who has used a specially-outfitted 747 as Air Force One since 1990 Its origins date to the early 1960s when Boeing's then chief Bill Allen was approached by Juan Trippe, head of now-defunct Pan Am Airlines, to build a bigger plane to address the growing problem of airport crowding. Boeing originally considered a double-decker aircraft, but the companies concluded that it would be difficult to evacuate passengers in case of an emergency, opting instead for a twin-aisle 'wide body' design. Boeing will still build the 747 as a freight carrier and for select clients, including the President, who has used a specially-outfitted 747 as Air Force One since 1990 NASA used to ferry the space shuttle back and forth between its Air Force bases on top of a specially adapted 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with the shuttle mounted on its back Since its debut in February 1969, more than 1,500 of the 747s have been delivered, and 500 are still in service. As it began to phase out the 747, Boeing has downsized its aircraft. The 777, introduced in 1995, is smaller, seating up to 400 and requires less fuel because of its two engines. Delta is replacing its 747-400s with Airbus A350-900s and United with Boeing 777-300ERs. To date, neither have used these newer models to open routes, though both tout significant cost savings and benefits to their bottom lines. 'Frankly we really don't see much demand for really big airplanes,' Randy Tinseth, Boeing vice president of marketing, said in June. 'There will be just a handful moving forward. Things we do for VIPs, things we do for the president, military operations, but we don't see a significant demand for passenger 747s.' TWA was one of the largest U.S. airlines to fly the 747 in the 1970s and 80s A group of 'cannabis connoisseurs' rolled a 100-foot long joint using two pounds of marijuana at an expo on Saturday in Massachusetts. The Boston-based cannabis club and advocacy group Beantown Greentown pulled off the stunt at an exhibition of pro-marijuana vendors and supporters in Worcester. The group perfected a rolling technique using 35.27 ounces (two pounds) of pot at the inaugural Harvest Cup (THC) - 'a premiere New England cannabis competition culminating with an expo featuring speakers, demonstrations, vendors and the reveal of all the winners.' A Boston-based cannabis club Beantown Greentown rolled a 100-foot long joint on Saturday They perfected a rolling technique using 35.27 ounces of pot at an exhibition of pro-marijuana vendors and supporters in Worcester THC commemorated one year of legal marijuana in the state of Massachusetts. People crowded around to take selfies when the final product was displayed, according to The Telegram & Gazette. 'Who wants to see a really big joint?' the announcer called out just after 4.20pm on Saturday. Denise Fournier, 55, of Gardner, Massachusetts, asked the question on everybody's mind: 'When are you going to light it up?' The group planned to smoke the massive joint using 'a blow torch and a vacuum cleaner', according to Boston Magazine. A flash light is shown on a marijuana flower called 'Golden Lemons' at the Harvest Cup trade show Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults older than 21 in November 2016. Adults can posses up to 10 ounces of cannabis at their homes and up to one ounce outside, though smoking marijuana is prohibited in the same places as smoking tobacco. All states in New England now allow the sale of of medical marijuana. Massachusetts joined Maine in legalizing the drug for recreational use. DailyMail.com has reached out to Beantown Greentown for comment. A young woman arrested for drink driving on her way to a date was so frustrated that she broke her leg trying to kick down the door of her police cell. The woman, named only as Anastasia, was on her way to meet a man in the town of Velikiye Luki, in north-western Russia's Pskov Oblast region, when she was pulled over by cops. When the police officers tried to arrest her for drink-driving, she fought back and ended up locked up in a cell at the local police station. The woman, wearing a little black dress, stockings and knee-high boots, repeatedly kicked the door and also trashed one of the beds inside the cell CCTV footage shows that she was so angry that she started kicking the locked cell door as soon as cops left her to sober up. The woman, wearing a little black dress, stockings and knee-high boots, repeatedly kicked the door and also trashed one of the beds inside the cell. Anastasia then returned her attentions to the door but kicked it at an awkward angle with so much force that she broke her leg. The video footage shows her collapse onto one of the beds holding her injured leg in apparent agony. Anastasia then returned her attentions to the door but kicked it at an awkward angle with so much force that she broke her leg She was reportedly taken to a local hospital for treatment but still faces charges for drink driving and resisting arrest. The clip is proving popular with viewers after it was posted on social media and video sharing platforms. One person commented: 'She should have hit the door with her head, running at it.' While another added: 'The majority of women who decide to drive after a couple of glasses of wine believe that they can get out of a ticket with a charming smile. When that fails, they get hysterical, this is normal.' Huge gender pay gaps across Whitehall were exposed for the first time today, with the Department for Transport and Brexit Department the worst offenders. At Transport, men earn on average 16.9 per cent more than women while at the Department for Exiting the European Union the figure is 15.3 per cent. The Cabinet Office - which includes staff at 10 Downing Street - the pay gap between men and women is 10 per cent. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was the best performing in Whitehall, with a pay gap of 3.3 per cent. Huge gender pay gaps across Whitehall were exposed for the first time today, with the Department for Transport and Brexit Department the worst offenders Departments have been forced to publish the data under transparency rules introduced by Theresa May Across the whole Civil Service the pay gap is 11 per cent, today's data reveals. Departments have been forced to publish the data under transparency rules introduced by Theresa May. The light shone on Whitehall departments comes after other public institutions, including the BBC, and all firms with more than 250 staff were ordered to publish. Sam Smethers, Fawcett Society Chief Executive told MailOnline: 'The gender pay gap is a feature of most workplaces so it's not surprising that Whitehall has a gap. AVERAGE WHITEHALL PAY GAP IS 11 PER CENT Across Whitehall, the CIVIL SERVICE AVERAGE pay gap stands at 11 per cent. The data varies widely across different departments: Department for Business, Energy, Industry and Skills: 12 per cent Department for Communities and Local Government: 5.9 per cent Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: 3.3 per cent Department for Education: 5.3 per cent Department for Exiting the EU: 15.3 per cent Department for International Development: 8.5 per cent Department for Transport: 16.9 per cent Department of Health: 14.2 per cent Department for Work and Pensions: 5.3 per cent Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: 11.5 per cent Foreign Office: 10.6 per cent Cabinet Office (inc No 10): 10 per cent HM Treasury: 7.1 per cent Home Office: 10.1 per cent Minstry of Defence: 12.5 per cent Department for Internaional Trade: 3.6 per cent Source: Gov.UK. All figures are a 'mean' average of the pay gap Advertisement 'We know that women are over-represented in lower paid civil service jobs while under-represented at the top. 'What matters now is each department's plan to close it. They have to commit to real progress over the coming years and that means making some radical changes.' Zohra Francis, Equality Officer at the FDA union for senior public servants, said: 'It cannot be right that, in 2017, women are still being discriminated against and undervalued, in some departments earning almost 17 per cent less than their male colleagues. It should be abundantly clear at all levels of government that such flaws in the pay system can only be addressed by a fully-funded pay rise. 'While the civil service should be applauded for shining a light on its gender pay gap with this latest data, departments have a long way to go if they are serious about closing it. 'We know that women in the public sector are hit twice as hard by both the gender pay gap and the ongoing squeeze on public sector pay, which makes resolving the issue even harder. 'A fully-funded pay rise would help to tackle many of the inconsistencies and unfairness that have developed over the years.' Jeremy Heywood, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, said: 'Building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the people we serve is one of my top priorities as Head of the Civil Service. 'Today's gender pay gap publication is in line with the Government's new, world-leading gender pay reporting legislation that will help to make workplaces across the UK fairer. 'I am pleased to say that the overall Civil Service gender pay gap is narrowing, although it is still a matter of concern. 'As set out in the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy launched earlier this year, I am committed to improving the gender balance at all grades and across all departments, agencies, functions and professions.' Sir Jeremy Heywood, the head of the civil service, said the data would help to close a 'concerning' pay gap Nationwide, the average pay gap for full time workers is 14.1 per cent - meaning after November 10 this year, women effectively worked for free. A No 10 spokesman said: 'Closing the gender pay gap is good for the economy, good for individuals and good for business, which is why this Government has gone further than ever before in tackling this issue by introducing world-leading legislation for gender pay reporting. 'This will provide unprecedented transparency, generate wider debate and encourage employers to take the action to close the gap and make workplaces across the UK fairer. 'The Civil Service has been leading the way by publishing its gender pay gap figures for a number of years as part of the annual Civil Service statistics, and so we are pleased to see that the Civil Service gender pay gap is narrowing, and remains significantly lower than in the private sector. 'But of course there is still more to do and we need to build on this progress to continue leading by example and improve the gender balance across all departments, agencies and professions.' The California mother suspected of running an illegal marijuana growing operation worth 'millions of dollars a month' has said her business is entirely legitimate and will be fully licensed from January 1. Stephanie Smith, 43, of Pacific Palisades, California, was questioned by cops last Wednesday, shortly after raids were conducted on a pair of warehouses she owns in San Bernardino. The buildings were found to contain 24,000 cannabis plants, according to the San Bernardino Police Department, who also claimed Smith is raking in 'millions of dollars a month' from the drug business. Although cannabis was legalized in California in November 2016, business owners in most parts of the state including San Bernardino cannot apply for a commercial license until January 1, 2018. But speaking exclusively to DailyMailTV during a shopping trip which highlighted her wealthy lifestyle, Smith said her business is already a legitimate one and she will have a license to grow the drug from the start of next month. Scroll down for video Holiday shopping? Stephanie Smith, 43, of Pacific Palisades, California was spotted at Brentwood Country Mart on Friday just days after her marijuana 'business' was raided by police Sporting a black sweater and grey star-patterned leggings paired with gold slip-on sandals, she was seen making stops at high-end retailers which highlighted her wealthy lifestyle 'Yes of course [I'm going to get a license],' she said. 'No one has a license in San Bernardino. There's no licensing scheme available at this time. 'January 1, that's when the laws change for the state and that's when they begin accepting licenses.' She added: 'I already do it as a proper business. I already have a lot of other licenses in other jurisdictions.' Asked if she was concerned about possible misdemeanor charges and potential jail time, she told DailyMailTV: 'No, what for?' Stephanie Smith, 43, had three properties raided by the San Bernardino Police Wednesday The 43-year-old was named by cops in San Bernardino as they announced the discovery of what they likened to a 'weed fortress' in two warehouses and a house in the city. One property, the former Pacific Bell building on North E Street, is situated directly behind the San Bernardino Police Headquarters and had been assumed to be empty. But police began investigating two months ago after neighbors complained about the unpleasant smell emanating from the building. Cops said their interest was piqued after they realized Smith was shelling out $67,000 a month on electricity and had installed surveillance cameras on the property. Eight people were detained during a raid on the downtown San Bernardino warehouse last Wednesday but no charges have been filed. Smith was spoken to by police the same day at her two-bedroom ocean-view home in Pacific Palisades but was not arrested. She does not expect to face charges. Along with the warehouse in downtown San Bernardino, two further properties owned by Smith were raided and 18,000lbs of marijuana were seized. The 43-year-old mother was not arrested or charged with a crime. When asked by DailyMailTV if she was concerned about possible misdemeanor charges and potential jail time, she replied: 'No, what for?' Smith, who lives 79 miles from her San Bernardino business in a two-bedroom home overlooking the Pacific Palisades, (pictured) commutes in a Tesla Model X 90D SUV car (pictured) Speaking after the raid, San Bernardino Police Lt. Mike Madden said: 'In my 26 years, it was the biggest grow that I've ever seen. 'There were all different rooms for different processes and hydration, filtration and ventilation. It was pretty extensive.' Smith lives 79 miles from her San Bernardino growing business, in one of Los Angeles' most exclusive neighborhoods. Her home perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean in Pacific Palisades; a wealthy enclave that sits between Malibu and Santa Monica. Houses similar to the two-bedroom, three-bathroom home sell for $3m or more. She commutes to San Bernardino, where the average two-bedroom home costs $209,000, in a Tesla Model X 90D SUV car, the SUV version of the all-electric brand whose price starts at $79,500. On Friday, Smith used it to take herself on a shopping trip to ritzy Brentwood, where she was seen perusing the rails at a series of exclusive boutiques and trying on a $310 tunic dress. She also visited Malia Mills, which specializes in high-end swimwear and charges up to $470 for a swimsuit or $275 for a bikini top. San Bernardino Police first became suspicious about Smith's property two months ago after hearing reports about an unpleasant smell coming from the warehouse Authorities realized Smith was shelling out $67,000 a month on electricity and had installed surveillance cameras on the property. Inside they found 24,000 cannabis plants (pictured) In a third store, Everything But Water, Smith was spotted trying on designer bikinis and a tunic dress by Caribbean-based designer label Poupettes St Barth. She eventually left clutching one of the store's signature powder-blue bags. But while Smith appeared unconcerned about being unmasked as a drugs queenpin, DailyMailTV can reveal that last Wednesday's raid is not her first brush with the law. Court records seen by DailyMailTV reveal that she was sentenced to 36 months' probation on April 22, 2013 after being found guilty of violating the California Business and Professions Code. Smith, who was then known by her original name of Stephanie Darcy, was adjudged to have violated Section 2052 B which covers unauthorized practice of medicine. According to court records, the violation was committed on March 1, 2007, although further details of precisely what happened are unavailable. However, in February 2008, she was named in a trio of personal injury suits filed in Santa Monica in which she was accused of performing liposuction without a license. Along with boyfriend Craig Alan Bittner, 50, who ran a now defunct cosmetic surgery clinic named Beverly Hills Liposculpture, she was sued for breach of contract, fraud, negligence, battery, willful misconduct and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The three plaintiffs, Barbara Lundy, Sheila Choi and Dorie Leo, said in their complaints that they had paid for liposuction to be carried out by Bittner, a qualified doctor. The marijuana 'queenpin' visited swimwear store Everything But Water and was spotted trying on designer bikinis and a tunic dress by Caribbean-based designer label Poupettes St Barth She also stopped at Malia Mills, which specializes in high-end swimwear and charges up to $470 for a swimsuit or $275 for a bikini top But instead, Smith, who holds no medical license and was working as the clinic's office manager, carried out the procedure botching it, the women said, and leaving them in pain and out of pocket. All three cases were ultimately dismissed with prejudice but Bittner and Smith's liposuction clinic was closed on December 23, 2008. In an email sent on November 25, 2008, Bittner told patients that the practice was shutting but, despite the personal injury cases, claimed to have an 'impeccable' record. He went on to say he would be traveling to South America to work at a clinic there but has since returned to the US and is understood to be living with Smith once again. Smith was sued along with her boyfriend Dr Craig Alan Bittner, 50 who ran a now-defunct cosmetic surgery clinic named Beverly Hills Liposculpture - and has since had his license revoked According to Andrew Besser, the lawyer for the 2008 plaintiffs, he has since been struck off the medical register. Speaking to DailyMailTV, he said: 'The case was resolved many years ago. Dr. Bittner's license was revoked back in 2014. 'I do not believe Dr. Bittner is practicing medicine any longer in the United States.' Since the loss of the Beverly Hills clinic, the couple appear to have split their time between homes in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Pacific Palisades. Smith, who legally changed her name from Darcy in Santa Monica on August 23 2012, has gone on to register a series of companies in California since 2015. Among them are 10 Palmdale LLC, Carnation Enterprises LLC, 322 Clearbright LLC and Central Ave LLC all of which are registered to a postal facility in downtown Pacific Palisades. No details on what the companies do are available, but Smith is also connected to a series of medical-based businesses in Arizona, including one named Advanced Liposuction Specialists LLC which was last listed as active in July 2016. Smith legally changed her name from Stephanie Rachel Darcy in Santa Monica on August 23 2012 and has gone on to register a series of companies in California since 2015 In 2008, she was named in a trio of personal injury suits filed in Santa Monica in which she was accused of performing liposuction without a license alongside her boyfriend Dr Craig Alan Bittner - who has since had his licensed revoked A mother has been accused of killing her 12-year-old daughter before dismembering her remains at their flat in Hong Kong. The 37-year-old mother, said to be surnamed Cao, was arrested today after police forced their way into her flat in the city's Mong Kok area. Police found a human head and other organs in a bathtub, and left the scene with 12 bags of human remains, according Superintendent Chung Chi-ming, the Assistant District Commander of Mongkok District. Police found the suspect after breaking into her flat on Canton Road, Mong Kok, Hong Kong Police left the scene with 12 bags of human remains, said Superintendent Chung Chi-ming (pictured), the Assistant District Commander of Mongkok District, to local media The case was uncovered by the police by accident after one of Ms Cao's neighbour called them claiming Ms Cao had failed to return his phone to him. Mr Chung told local media that officers arrived at the address at 9pm to find the suspect outside the flat in Man Fok Building on Canton Road. But they had to break in because she refused to unlock the door. Once inside, officers found human organs clogging the bath plughole. The bath had apparently overflowed and flooded the flat and a stairway below it. Mr Chung said Ms Cao was not in a condition to be questioned at the current time. Police believed she had used a meat cleaver to chop her daughter into pieces, reported South China Morning Post. He said: 'We have to wait for her condition to get better before the investigation.' He added that police were still trying to determine a motive and also looking for the girl's dad. Ms Cao was arrested today but was not in a condition to be questioned, according to police The shocking case was uncovered by police in a residential flat inside Man Fok Building One female neighbour of Ms Cao, surnamed Tsui, told local media she had heard a chopping sound that went on for half an hour. Ms Tsui added: 'I thought the sound was children playing with toys.' The police were informed by another of Ms Cao's neighbour, Mr Lam. Mr Lam told local media Apple Daily that Ms Cao had asked to borrow his phone when the two met in the corridor. Mr Lam said Ms Cao said she had to make a call to her husband, but she did not return to his phone. As a result, Mr Lam called the police. According to a neighbour, Ms Cao has lived in the flat on Canton Road (pictured) for two years Apparently, the police went to find Ms Cao in hope of recovering Mr Lam's phone, and discovered the shocking case by accident. Mr Lam said Ms Cao had been living in the address for two years. The suspect is said to be from Mainland China and a temporary resident in Hong Kong. Her daughter was not born in Hong Kong. Police from the Crime Investigation Department of Mongkok is treating the case as murder. A woman has been jailed for attempting to smuggle three people hidden in the boot and foot well of her car into Britain. Wendy Thomas, 50, was stopped at the UK border controls at the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles, France, where officers discovered two women in a holdall and a man lying on the floor in the back covered in a quilt. Two of the stowaways were unresponsive and were taken to hospital on October 9, 2016. Wendy Thomas, 50, (left) has been jailed for two years for people smuggling while Adriano Bettoja-Allen (right) was sentenced to five years in prison after admitting two counts of assisting illegal immigration Officers discovered two women in a holdall and a man lying on the floor in the back covered in a quilt Thomas, from Cardiff in South Wales, pleaded guilty to one count of assisting illegal immigration and was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday. The Home Office said Thomas' co-conspirators Adriano Bettoja-Allen, 37, and his wife Jeanette, 49, were also sentenced for their parts in two separate 'carefully planned' attempts to smuggle people into the UK. Officers launched an investigation after arresting British national Dawood Shahbeik at St Pancras International station when he arrived on the Eurostar from Calais on October 2, 2016. Shahbeik's mobile phone contained text messages referring to an individual who had been transported to a house in Newport, South Wales. A search of his luggage revealed a damaged Iranian passport and a large amount of cash, a Home Office spokeswoman said. Thomas was arrested a week after Shahbeik and text messages on both their phones showed they had been in regular contact with Bettoja-Allen, from Newport. Two of the stowaways were unresponsive and were taken to hospital on October 9, 2016 The two women were found inside a large black holdall filling the boot of Thomas' car and covered by pillows and a large soft toy. The third passenger, a man who later claimed to be an Iranian national, was handed to the French authorities to be removed from the UK control zone. He was found hiding underneath two cushions and quilt spread across the car covering the rear foot wells. The CFI team discovered Bettoja-Allen and his wife had travelled through Calais on October 2 having earlier met up with Shahbeik in Dunkirk and that Thomas and Bettoja-Allen had travelled in separate vehicles from Folkestone to Coquelles on the same Eurotunnel train on October 8. Bettoja-Allen returned to the UK alone the next day less than two hours after Thomas had been stopped by Border Force. Financial checks also uncovered a large cash deposit into Thomas' bank account in September 2016. Jeanette Bettoja-Allen, originally from the Philippines, was linked to the Calais incident. The 49-year-old was sentenced to 11 months suspended for two years, 150 hours unpaid work, and a curfew after pleading guilty to assisting illegal immigration three days into her trial. Her husband was sentenced to five years in prison after admitting two counts of assisting illegal immigration. Shahbeik was dealt with at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting one count of assisting illegal immigration. Two women were found inside this large black holdall in the vehicle David Fairclough, assistant director from Immigration Enforcement's Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI) team, said: 'Adriano Bettoja-Allen was revealed by our investigations to be the common link between what initially appeared to be unconnected incidents. 'Our investigations showed that far from being opportunistic attempts to undermine the UK's border controls, the offences had been carefully planned. 'The fact that two women ended up in hospital demonstrates the dangerous lengths people smugglers will go to.' Mr Fairclough said the case was a warning for anyone tempted to get involved in people-smuggling. 'We work closely with Border Force colleagues to rigorously investigate allegations of immigration-related criminality,' he said. 'We will catch you, and put you before the courts.' Surveillance footage captured the moment a real-life 'Grinch' stole all the holiday decorations from the exterior of a home in Philadelphia. Shortly after 5am on December 9, two suspects embraced their inner green recluse and nicked all of one homeowner's holiday ornaments, including a small Christmas tree. The video shows two people approaching the residence. One stands lookout during the robbery, while the other helps himself to someone else's holiday cheer. Surveillance footage captured the moment a real-life 'Grinch' stole all the holiday decorations from the exterior of a home in Philadelphia He first stole a small Christmas tree using a pair of scissors to snip the wall fastenings The suspect first steals a small Christmas tree, which he unfastens from the wall using a pair of scissors. After removing the spruce, he then picks up two smaller white trees that had been placed on the floor. Still not satisfied, he uses the scissors to remove two more window ornaments before leaving the area in an unknown direction. Police are asking for help locating the suspects, but have warned citizens not to approach them. Unsatisfied, he took two smaller white trees from the floor in addition to two window ornaments President Donald Trump labeled China and Russia 'rival powers' to the United States in a speech this afternoon outlining his administration's National Security Strategy. The populous nations 'seek to challenge American influence and values and wealth' Trump said, building on his administration's designation of the powers of as 'revisionist' in a Monday document. Trump said that under his watch, Americans 'will stand up for ourselves, and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before' as he declared, 'We are now putting America first.' He also pledged in his remarks to take 'all necessary' steps to halt North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un's nuclear advance. His speech compliments the release of the administration's national security blueprint - the formal realization of the U.S. government's shift away from Barack Obama's foreign policy doctrine. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO President Donald Trump labeled China and Russia 'rival powers' to the United States in a speech this afternoon outlining his administration's National Security Strategy Trump said that under his watch, Americans 'will stand up for ourselves, and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before' as he declared, 'We are now putting America first' His speech compliments the release of the administration's national security blueprint - the formal realization of the U.S. government's shift away from Barack Obama's foreign policy doctrine The crux of Trump's speech, which members of the military are pictured listening to on Monday, was that American confidence is essential to economic competitiveness which goes hand-in-glove with national security Heralding his first year in office, Trump said that America is 'coming back strong' with him in the seat of power. 'Our leaders drifted from American principles. They lost sight of America's destiny, and they lost their belief in American greatness. As a result, our citizens lost something as well, the people lost confidence in their government, and eventually even lost confidence in their future, ' he said. Last year, when he was elected, Trump said, a national awakening took place. 'The American people rejected the failures of the past. You rediscovered your voice and you reclaimed ownership of this nation and it's destiny,' he stated. Trump said his administration is not only putting 'America first,' it is confronting the nation's challenges 'head on,' including the threat posed by a nuclear North Korea, which he said the U.S. has attempted to stop with an 'unprecedented effort' to isolate Kim Jong-un's regime. 'However, there is much more work to do,' Trump said. 'America and its allies will take all necessary steps to ensure denuclearization and ensure that this regime cannot threaten the world.' Following on the document detailing his top priorities, Trump committed his administration to protecting Americans' way of life, promoting the nation's prosperity, pushing peace through strength and advancing U.S. influence. 'America will lead again. We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but we will champion the values without apology,' Trump said. 'We will not allow inflexible ideology to become an obsolete and obstacle to peace.' The crux of Trump's position is that American confidence is essential to economic competitiveness which goes hand-in-glove with national security. He on Monday called for a 'rebirth of patriotism, prosperity, and pride' and a renewal of the founders' spirit. 'As long as we are proud -- and very proud -- of who we are, how we got here, and what we are fighting for to preserve, we will not fail,' he asserted. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, left, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, chat as they wait for Trump to arrive at the Ronald Reagan building in Washington. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford is standing to the right Seated in the first two rows of Trump's Ronald Reagan building audience were members of his cabinet and top military brass, including Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford and Defense Secretary James Mattis. The administration intends to build its defense and counter terror strategies, including its ballistic missile review, off the principles outlined in the 70-page security document that accompanied the commander-in-chief's remarks. 'We are demanding extraordinary strength, which will hopefully lead to long and extraordinary peace. We are giving our courageous military men and women the support they need and so dearly deserve,' Trump said in his remarks on Monday. 'We have a great military,' he appeared to ad-lib later. Trump said his new national outlook is based on 'principled realism, guided by our vital national interests, and rooted in our timeless values' and that it recognizes 'that whether we like it or not, we are engaged in a new era of competition.' 'We accept that vigorous military, economic, and political contests are now playing out all around the world,' he said. 'We will attempt to build a great partnership with those and other countries, but in a manner that always protects our national interest.' The administration's National Security Strategy is intended to serve as a blueprint for America to 'regain momentum to reverse many of these trends,' a senior White House official said prior to Trump's speech 'while recognizing there are some very, very new threats that we have to have new strategies to address.' Challengers to American prosperity fall into three categories under the administration's new policy: so-called revisionist powers that the administration believes are seeking 'to shape a world antithetical to our interests and values,' including China and Russia, and rogue regimes such as Iran and North Korea that sponsor terror and threaten America's allies and transnational organizations like ISIS that 'foment hatred to incite violence against innocents in the name of their wicked ideology.' SO MUCH FOR THAT RED CARPET, XI JINPING China is referred to as a 'strategic competitor' as well as a 'revisionist power' in the document in an acknowledgement that it is a political, economic, military and informational powerhouse. The document also makes the case, as an official said Sunday, that the U.S. 'is under threat by the serious intellectual property theft that's going on by the Chinese and other actors.' Beijing's creation of man-made islands in the South China Sea also earned it a slap from the administration. A set of talking points offered Monday by the White House pointedly calls both China and Russia revisionist powers for their use of 'technology, propaganda, and coercion' to push their agendas. 'They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence,' the Trump administration's National Security Strategy says. The document asserts that 'China seeks to displace the United States in the Indo-Pacific region' and wants to 'reorder the region in its favor.' 'China expanded its power at the expense of the sovereignty of others. China gathers and exploits data on an unrivaled scale and spreads features of its authoritarian system, including corruption and the use of surveillance,' the administration says in a scathing review of Beijing's offenses. 'It is building the most capable and well-funded military in the world, after our own. Its nuclear arsenal is growing and diversifying.' An official stressed Sunday on a call that the recognition does not mean the U.S. sees China as a foe. In fact, the official said, the United States realizes that it needs China's assistance in resolving the dispute with North Korea over its nuclear program. 'We're working with China. We do not rule out cooperation in any way, and talks throughout the document about areas of mutual cooperation,' the official said on a call previewing the president's speech. 'We're working together to cooperate, at the same time acknowledging that competition exists as well.' THE CHALLENGERS: China, led by Xi Jinping, is referred to as a 'strategic competitor' in acknowledgement of it is a political, economic, military, and informational powerhouse. North Korea is labeled a 'rogue regime' over its pursuit of nuclear weapons The administration takes a similar approach to Russia in its security strategy as China, labeling Vladimir Putin's government a 'revisionist power' for its incursion into Ukraine and election meddling SO GLAD WE HAVE NATO TO COUNTER VLADIMIR PUTIN The administration takes a similar approach to Russia in its National Security Strategy, labeling it a revisionist power, as well, for its incursion into Ukraine. 'Russia seeks to restore its great power status and establish spheres of influence near its borders,' the manifesto states. It reflexively 'aims to weaken U.S. influence in the world and divide us from our allies and partners,' it says, arguing that Russia perceives the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European Union (EU) 'as threats.' The Kremlin's military and nuclear systems 'remain the most significant existential threat to the United States, as does its 'destabilizing cyber capabilities,' the administration acknowledges. 'Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries around the world. The combination of Russian ambition and growing military capabilities creates an unstable frontier in Eurasia, where the risk of conflict due to Russian miscalculation is growing,' the strategy states. Stressing the importance of the NATO alliance in Europe, which an official referred to on Sunday as an 'arena of competition' between the Kremlin, Beijing and Washington, the document promotes the 'alliance of free and sovereign states' as 'one of our great advantages over our competitors.' That does not mean that NATO member nations get a pass, Trump said in his speech on Monday. 'We have made clear that countries that are immensely wealthy should reimburse the United States for the cost of defending them. This is a major departure from the past, but a fair and necessary one -- necessary for our country, necessary for our taxpayer, necessary for our own thought process.' Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone twice in the last week, the first time, the U.S. president says, about North Korea. The second time, Putin called to thank Trump for a CIA tip that prevented a terror attack in St. Petersburg. 'That is the way it's supposed to work,' he said. 'But while we seek such opportunities of cooperation, we will stand up for ourselves, and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before.' House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks to Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and top adviser of his, on before the president's speech on Monday IRAN IS AS BAD AS LITTLE ROCKET MAN KIM JONG-UN North Korea is defined a 'rogue regime' by the Trump administration alongside Iran. Trashing his predecessors, on Monday Trump said 'they neglected a nuclear menace' in Pyongyang and 'made a disastrous, weak, and incomprehensibly bad deal with Iran. 'This situation should have been taken care of long before I got into office, when it was much easier to handle,' he said, returning to the topic of North Korea later. 'But it will be taken care of. We have no choice.' He spent comparatively little time discussing Iran, which he had dressed down this summer in a speech dedicated to his decision to decertify its compliance with an international accord that lifted some sanctions once it demonstrated that it had halted its development of nuclear weapons. Trump reminded on Monday that he moved 'to counter Iran and block its path to a nuclear weapon' and sanctioned its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for state-sponsored support of terrorism. The administration's national security strategy lumps the two countries together as powers that are 'determined to destabilize regions, threaten Americans and our allies, and brutalize their own people.' 'North Koreaa country that starves its own peoplehas spent hundreds of millions of dollars on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons that could threaten our homeland,' the document says. 'In addition, many actors have become skilled at operating below the threshold of military conflictchallenging the United States, our allies, and our partners with hostile actions cloaked in deniability.' Iran is also developing ballistic missiles and could resume its pursuit of nuclear weapons, the strategy assesses. Tehran has taken advantage of the instability of its neighbors in the wake of ISIS' thrashing of Iraq and Syria, the document states. 'Iran continues to perpetuate the cycle of violence in the region, causing grievous harm to civilian populations. Rival states are filling vacuums created by state collapse and prolonged regional conflict.' The Trump administration ultimately concludes, 'We will work with partners to neutralize Irans malign activities in the region.' THIRSTY: Trump nearly had another mishap during his speech when he had to pause on Monday to take a sip from a glass of water WE'RE BEATING ISIS, BUT NOW WE NEED TO BUILD THE WALL Vice President Mike Pence posited in introductory remarks on Monday that 'ISIS is on the run, their capital has fallen, and their so-called caliphate has crumbled.' Still, the administration warns its National Security Strategy that the U.S. is facing terror threats from across the Middle East. It identifies Pakistan and Afghanistan as countries that are at risk of being overrun by terrorists. 'We will bolster the fighting strength of the Afghan security forces to convince the Taliban that they cannot win on the battlefield and to set the conditions for diplomatic efforts to achieve enduring peace,' a section on South and Central Asia says. 'We will insist that Pakistan take decisive action against militant and terrorist groups operating from its soil. African nations are also becoming 'battlegrounds for violent extremism and jihadist terrorists' the document says such as ISIS, al-Qaida, and their affiliates. 'We have dealt ISIS one devastating defeat after another. The coalition to defeat ISIS has now recaptured almost 100 percent of the land once held by these terrorists in Iraq and Syria. Great job, Trump said on Monday. 'We're now chasing them wherever they flee, and we will not let them into the United States.' Trump said his administration is also coming up with new ways to counter extremists online, in addition to the extreme vetting procedures it has deployed to keep potential terrorists from entering the U.S. in the first place. 'We cannot secure our nation if we do not secure our borders,' he said. Trump highlighted his plans to protect American soil from outside threats through comprehensive immigration reform, a border wall and a war on transnational criminal organizations that brings drugs across America's borders. He used the speech to push once more for a an end to chain migration 'and the horrible visa and lottery programs.' DON'T MENTION THE C-WORDS: TRUMP DITCHED OBAMA'S CLIMATE CHANGE OBSESSIONS Trump did not mention climate change on Monday, which has been downgraded in his administration as a security threat, although he did make reference to his announcement earlier this year that the United States intends to withdraw 'from the 'very expensive and unfair Paris Climate Accord.' A single mention of climate change comes up in the administration's national security blueprint in relation to the U.S. economy and energy market. 'We are committed to supporting energy initiatives that will attract investments, safeguard the environment, strengthen our energy security, and unlock the enormous potential of our shared region,' it says. 'Climate policies will continue to shape the global energy system. U.S. leadership is indispensable to countering an anti-growth energy agenda that is detrimental to U.S. economic and energy security interests.' A U.S. official previewing the speech on Sunday evening had said, 'Climate change is not identified as a national security threat, but climate and the importance of the environment, and environmental stewardship are discussed.' A White House official on the call also asserted, 'America doesnt have anything to apologize for in terms of its record on clean energy, clean technology, and its overall environmental record.' US and South Korea forces have undergone training drills aimed at taking out Kim Jong-un's nuclear missiles. The two countries took part in military exercises, codenamed 'Warrior Strike', last week at Camp Stanley, north of the capital city of Seoul. The drills took place over four days and prepared soldiers for the disarming of weapons of mass destruction. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, who commands U.S. Forces Korea, and South Koreas chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Jung Kyung-doo, were among those in attendance, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division wrote on Facebook. US and South Korea forces have undergone training drills aimed at taking out Kim Jong-un's nuclear missiles. (pictured: US military personnel during a training programme in South Korea in 2013 The drills took place over four days and prepared soldiers for the disarming of weapons of mass destruction amassed by Kim Jong-un (pictured) It comes after a top Pentagon official said a 'ground invasion' was the only way to destroy North Koreas nuclear weapons program. Pyongyang has already conducted a test with a missile that could potentially carry a nuclear warhead to the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. Sen. Lindsey Graham this week predicted that President Donald Trump would take the country to war with North Korea if Kim Jong-un makes additional provocations. Graham told The Atlantic in an interview that appeared on the magazine's website Thursday that another nuclear test would be the final straw. 'I would say there's a three in 10 chance we use the military option,' Graham said. Upping the odds in the case of a seventh test, he replied, 'I would say 70 percent.' A Chinese former senior military official warned that war in North Korea could break out 'any time between now and March 2018'. A top Pentagon official said a 'ground invasion' was the only way to destroy North Koreas nuclear weapons program Lieutenant General Wang Hongguang said Beijing should be mentally prepared for war on the Korean peninsula at any moment, and should start mobilising troops in Northeast China. His warning came the day before China sent several warplanes on a long-range drill to the Sea of Japan, a move that prompted South Korea to scramble fighter jets. 'The war on the Korean Peninsula might break out anytime between now and March next year,' General Hongguang told Chinese state-run English language newspaper Global Times. 'China should be psychologically prepared for a potential Korean war, and the Northeast China regions should be mobilized for that.' 'Such mobilization is not to launch a war, but for defensive purposes,' he added. Monday's military drill saw the Chinese air force dispatched bombers, fighters and reconnaissance planes through the Tsushima Strait to the Sea of Japan to 'test its ocean combat ability.' Donald Trump is telling his closest confidants that he expects special counsel Robert Mueller to wrap up his Russia election collusion probe soon, and to say in writing that he is legally in the clear. The president calls the months-long investigation a bulls**t' exercise, friends told CNN, insisting to anyone who will listen that 'I don't know any Russians!' Mueller is examining claims, so far unsubstantiated, that the Trump campaign colluded with Russians to tilt the 2016 presidential election in the future president's favor. Trump has called the operation a Democrat-inspired 'witch hunt,' and told reporters on Friday that there was 'absolutely no collusion. I didn't make a phone call to Russia. I have nothing to do with Russia. Everybody knows it.' President Donald Trump is telling friends and associates that he expects to be cleared soon in writing as Robert Mueller's special counsel probe wraps up Mueller has shown no indication that he's ready to shutter his Russia investigation, even in the face of pressure brought on be the exposure of anti-Trump bias on his team of attorneys Returning to the White House from Camp David on Sunday, the president insisted he had no plans to fire Mueller, even as the special prosecutor climbs the ladder to grill ever more senior prey. Mueller's team has been beset with charges of bias in recent weeks, with lawyers on his team accused of making private comments disparaging Trump. Trump's confidence that a letter of exoneration is coming soon is based on his lawyers' assurances, sources told CNN, making him 'less frustrated' about the probe's dragged-out nature. Those attorneys are expected to meet with Mueller this week, and the special counsel has reportedly concluded all his planned interviews with White House aides. If Trump is right and he emerges in the New Year with a letter absolving him of legal responsibility for everything Russia-related, it would mark a stunning turnaround, allowing him to proceed with the presidency without the cloud of suspicion that has marked his first year in office. If not, he will continue to be the subject of speculation related to a pair of parallel investigations in the House and Senate. Most slow-walking could also throw him into new fits of rage over a process that he sees as rigged against him. Mueller is investigation claims, unproven so far, that the Trump campaign colluded with Russians to tilt the 2016 presidential election in his favor 'The President's mantra is, "All this Russia stuff, it's all going to wrap up soon." He repeats it as fact,' said one source who speaks to Trump told CNN. 'Part of me is like "Are you serious? You believe this?"' Another longtime friend said Trump's attorneys have 'lulled him into a false sense of security.' 'I've known him long enough to know that disappointing him is a problem and they've built up a level of expectations for him that are unrealistic,' the friend of the president said. Trump has long believed that an end to the political circus is just around the corner. In April he told DailyMail.com he suspected the probe wouldn't go anywhere, and would be a brief hiccup in his presidency. Trump told reporters over the weekend that he has no intention of firing Mueller Mark Corallo, a former spokesman for Trump's legal team, told CNN Mueller won't likely write a letter exonerating Trump until he has fully wrapped up his investigation. But stories casting Mueller's investigators in a less than impartial light has added pressure for him to wrap it up to save face. 'If you're Mueller and you want to have any shred of credibility, you have to find a way,' Corallo said. 'If you reach the conclusion that the President of the United States doesn't have anything to do with this ... he's going to have to find some way to make that public.' Twitter accounts linked to Russia were used to incite anger and foster discontent after a wave of terrorist attacks, experts have warned. Academic at Cardiff University analysed 30 million pieces of data from social media and found at least 47 accounts dedicated to 'systematic' interference with public debate. It found eight accounts that were particularly active, posting 475 messages across the Westminster Bridge, Manchester Arena, London Bridge and Finsbury Park attacks. Twitter accounts linked to Russia were used to incite anger and foster discontent after a wave of terrorist attacks (including at Westminster, pictured), experts have warned The research found a major component of the campaigns was the use of these accounts as 'sock puppets'. This means interventions were made on both sides of polarised debates, amplifying their message and ramping up the level of discord and disagreement within public online debate. Professor Martin Innes, of the University's Crime and Security Research Institute said: 'Terrorist violence is fundamentally designed to terrorise, mobilise and polarise its audiences. 'The evidence suggests a systematic strategic political communications campaign being directed at the UK designed to amplify the public harms of terrorist attacks. 'With social media platforms being 'weaponised' by third parties to amplify these effects, they need to be required to urgently do something to mitigate this.' The accounts' often quick fire interventions attracted considerable support. One tweet saying 'Another day, another Muslim terrorist attack. RETWEET if you think that Islam needs to be banned RIGHT NOW!' was retweeted 3,606 times after it was posted an hour after the Manchester bombing. Academic at Cardiff University analysed 30 million pieces of data from social media and found at least 47 accounts linked to Vladimir Putin's Russia dedicated to 'systematic' interference Another tweet from the same @TEN_GOP account showed a screengrab from a live broadcast of the aftermath of the London Bridge attack on Al-Jazeera's Facebook page. The message suggested the image showed 'moderate Muslims' laughing at the carnage. It read 'Look how all of these moderate Muslims' on Al Jazeera react to the London terrorist attack #London Bridge' and was retweeted 3,932 times. Professor Anthony Glees, an intelligence expert at the University of Buckingham, told The Times: 'It's self-evident they aim to confuse, to mobilise and radicalise public opinion, hoping to set off a chain reaction which could ultimately lead to violence on the streets and so to a breakdown of law and order. 'This goes way beyond a simple attempt to influence the way a person votes in an election. 'It shows how cyberspace is already a contested, dangerous space in which conflict is underway.' Boris Johnson (pictured in London on Thursday) has warned that Russian hostility is at higher levels than any time since the Cold War as he prepares for a trip to Moscow Boris Johnson warned yesterday that Russian hostility is at higher levels than any time since the Cold War as he prepares for a trip to Moscow. Ahead of the visit he hopes will repair his battered record as Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson said it was a 'tragedy' relations had collapsed. He admitted that it now appeared to have been a 'total illusion' that Russia was coming in from the cold during the 1990s. Mr Johnson's visit - the first by a British Foreign Secretary in five years - and planned talks with his Kremlin counterpart Sergey Lavrov come after Theresa May dramatically escalated warnings against President Vladimir Putin's malign influence. This is the horrific moment a young mother-of-two was blinded and left badly scarred after her jealous ex threw acid in her face. Renurak Boonpornsamrit, 36, was working in a department store in Nonthaburi, Thailand when she was cornered by former lover Thaweesak Ngamsanit, 39. He drenched her with a substance and as Renurak stumbled around the store in agony, her attacker sprinted out of the shop and through the car park. CCTV captured the moment of the attack with Thaweesak crowding his former partner into an aisle before throwing the acid over her. Renurak was left in agony with severe burns across her whole body. She was treated outside the shop with water before an ambulance arrived to rush her to hospital in the Bang Bua Thong district. Thaweesak Ngamsanit, 39, arrived at the department store in Nonthaburi, Thailand where his ex Renurak Boonpornsamrit worked and cornered her in an aisle CCTV footage captured the aftermath of the horrific attack with Thaweesak seen sprinting out of the store moments after drenching his former partner with the acid Police arrested her attacker and ex-boyfriend four hours later and he was taken to hospital with minor burns from where the acid had splashed onto him. Renurak later said that she had lived with her attacker and that he had been a good man and looked after her at the start of their relationship. The couple dated for around nine months before they split in September after he became abusive. After mother-of-two Renurak, 36, refused to reconcile with him, Thaweesak threw acid in her face, leaving her scarred and potentially blinded for life before he sprinted out of the shop The couple had dated for nine months but the relationship ended after Thaweesak, pictured running out of the store, became abusive Doctors said Renurak had suffered severe burns on her face, arm, chest and legs. They fear she may be left permanently blind and scarred by her serious injuries. Police said that Thaweesak, who was left with minor burns, had confessed to the attack and would be dealt with when the full extent of his victim's injuries became clear. Thaweesak pictured fleeing from the store and through the car park - he also suffered burns during the attack after some of the acid splashed back onto him Thaweesak arrived at the store attempting to reconcile with his ex. However, after Renurak rejected his advances, he splashed the drink in her face that he had prepared beforehand. Police found and arrested him at about 9pm that night. Two of Renrak's colleagues said that Thaweesak had been jealous and abusive for a long time. Police confirmed that they arrested Thaweesak and would charge him once the full extent of his victim's injuries became clear Advertisement David Huggins, a 74-year-old deli counter worker in New Jersey, found himself in the arms of a woman five or six months ago who was not altogether unfamiliar. She was, as he calls them, a being, an extraterrestrial from a community of aliens who have been visiting him since he was eight years old. His recent intimate encounter with the woman took place there, as he describes the vague and inexplicable other realm he has visited with these beings. Before he knew it, he says matter-of-factly, he woke up again in his bed in Hoboken. Huggins a divorced father-of-one calmly and methodically relates the incident to DailyMail.com with the same level of detail and pragmatism that he exhibits in Love and Saucers, a documentary detailing his extraordinary claims. But his experience this year with that being is far from his most significant encounter with the extraterrestrials over the past seven decades; he lost his virginity to one at the age of 17, he claims, and says he fathered hundreds of 'being' over the years babies who have remained there and with whom he has no contact. Youre immediately disarmed by how down-to-earth and normal he seems, says director Brad Abrahams, who first heard about Huggins in a podcast which mentioned him in a throwaway comment about how fantastical the claims were. Hes from small-town Georgia in the 1950s, and sort of softly spoken, simply spoken, doesnt really muse on things, just tells you very matter-of-factly the most ridiculous or surreal of claims. And hearing these things come out of the mouth of someone who seems so, so normal and sobering, the way he talks about it is a real dichotomy. Like I said, it disarms you and it leaves you open to actually just listening to him as another human being, not as one might think of a quack or a charlatan or someone whos unbalanced. Because right away you see that hes not, and you just tend to take him more seriously and the story more seriously. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO David Huggins, 74, has painted more than 100 works depicting his experiences with otherworldly 'beings' - including a woman he calls Crescent, with whom he says he has fathered hundreds of children Huggins, who is originally from Georgia, says that he lost his virginity to a female 'being' in the woods when he was just 17 Huggins claims that his experiences with the 'beings' included visits to the space they occupied, which he calls 'there' Huggins says the creatures he encountered - and painted- occupied various forms, such as an insect-like being, pictured Huggins, who lives in a three-story home in Hoboken filled with more than a hundred paintings hes done depicting his otherworldly experiences, tells DailyMail.com that he hopes the film sparks a dialogue and encourages viewers to think more openly. He believes hundreds of thousands or even millions of people around the world have also had similar encounters, particularly when they were children. I hope people will think seriously about it, he tells DailyMail.com. I have never asked anyone to believe a word I say, because I know I can never prove it I hope that youll think about it. The film mostly features Huggins at home as he relates the history of his being experiences and shows off his paintings. It also interviews everyone from Huggins adult son and neighbors to his boss at the Hoboken delicatessen and a religious studies expert. Similarly to Huggins, Abrahams says he hopes people, after viewing the film, come away listening, not judging learning something about consciousness or humanity or just walking away with more enriching experiences on the human condition. I dont necessarily want people to come away believing in aliens; that wasnt my intention, Abrahams says. It was more to walk away believing David, believing that he had some kind of experience. He tells DailyMail.com: I can say unequivocally that I dont believe David is making anything up, that he believes what happened to him was real but if its something that happened in objective, hard reality, or if a member of the public was there with him, would they see what he saw? Thats something I dont know the answer to. According to Huggins, his first sighting of a being happened during his childhood in rural Georgia, where he lived with his parents and two siblings. Nobody in my family seemed to see what I was seeing, he says in the documentary. My first encounter was when I was eight years old. I was playing at the base of a tree, and I hear this voice say, David, behind you. And I turned around and theres this little hairy guy with large glowing eyes coming straight towards me. I thought it was the bogey man. I didnt know what to think of it. Huggins grew up on a farm in rural Georgia, where the rest of his family did not see the beings he claimed visited him Whats interesting was that for a split second, I felt as if I was in his eyes looking at me. Then I just freaked and I ran to the barn, and I glance back and the little hairy guy was turning around and going back into the woods. The eyes were just glowing, is the best way to put it. The encounters continued from there as Huggins spotted beings of different forms; he speaks of an insect-like creature and others he calls little greys, which seemed to him to be workers. And then there were the females, whom he draws as slender, with the bodies of human women and narrow faces marked by large, mesmerizing eyes. One of these women, whom he eventually named Crescent, would create a milestone in Huggins life when he was 17. I was walking in the woods, and I see a woman sitting under a tree and she gets up and she starts coming towards me, he explains in the film. I become very aroused sexually; I couldnt get my pants down fast enough. I fall back on the ground and Im lying there and shes looking at me, and I reach my climax, which was quite painful, actually; it was very intense. And then Im looking in her eyes and I pass out Virginity lost. He continued his relationship with the beings and Crescent, even after his move at 19 to New York City. At times he even visited there, the space or realm occupied by the extraterrestrials, he claims. He says of Crescent: 'There was something very beautiful, something lovely about her. She had a very nice body. The only thing that was different about her was that she had very long fingernails and she had these very large eyes, and her face was very pale. Huggins says that his 'relationship with Crescent was warm and friendly and a little strange ... she was my girlfriend, really;' he concedes that it was 'a very unconventional relationship' Huggins says some of the 'beings' were smaller and calls them 'little greys;' he says in the documentary that he got the impressiont hey were workers Huggins shows off his paintings - which he continues to make - in the documentary; his adult son, Michael, says the artwork was simply an accepted part of his childhood Huggins says that he believes hundreds of thousands of people around the world have had similar experiences, particularly when they were children In addition to painting at his home, Huggins works part-time at a deli counter at a store in Hoboken, New Jersey Huggins' son, Michael, left, says he 'never really questioned' his father's experiences; Huggins' boss, right, says that he believes his employee - stating: 'Thats what he tells me; I just believe it 'My relationship with Crescent was warm and friendly and a little strange ... she was my girlfriend, really,' he says, conceding that it was 'a very unconventional relationship.' On one occasion, he says, he demanded to visit when Crescent unexpectedly appeared and announced that they had a child an announcement that would turn into an even bigger development. I was doing some painting, and then all at once the wall opens up and theres Crescent, Huggins says in the film. And shes very stressed out and she says, David, the babys dying. And I go, Baby? What baby? Your baby, but its dying. And I say, Show me my baby! At first she wouldnt do it, and I had to yell it out three times, really loud: Show me my baby! She picks the baby up out of some container and holds it out in front of her, and the babys just like dangling. And I say, No, no, no dont hold the baby like that. Cradle the baby in your arms Listen, Ive got to come there. Crescent told him he wasnt allowed there to which he responded: Watch this. And I go and I pass out on my bed. The next thing I know Im there. The insect being comes over and hes rather upset with me. He says, What are you doing here? And I say, My babys dying, I want my baby. And I see Crescent holding the baby; the babys not moving and I reach over to touch it, and just as I touch it, like static electricity jumped from my body and to the baby and the baby moved. He adds: The insect being is looking at me, and he says, Come with me. And we go into another room filled with babies, and Im looking at them and I say, Oh my god, whose babies are these? He points to me. I wasnt so much as creeped out as I was surprised. I could not believe it, but they were my babies and I had to help them so I wound up touching them all. Huggins home is filled with paintings he began doing in 1987 that depict his encounters; he also paints landscapes and other scenes, but there is a special quality to his extraterrestrial art, Abrahams says a quality that spurred him further to make a documentary about Huggins unusual life and claims. That really was what sort of clinched it for me to want to make the film, after seeing the paintings, Abrahams tells DailyMail.com. As a filmmaker, theyre so cinematic. Each one tells a story. He has very little training; theres a real sense of composition, of lighting its like a narrative in each one. Thats a real gift for a filmmaker. As a storytelling device, theres something so arresting and off-putting about them and yes, theres hundreds of them, and theyre completely consistent. Huggins son, Michael, says he doesnt remember an exact revelation about his fathers stories, but he was aware of the artwork. Surrounded by paintings at the home he shares with his ex-wife - who declined to be interviewed for the documentary - Huggins explains matter-of-factly and in great detail the various experiences he claims to have had with extraterrestrials Huggins says that, during one experience 'there,' he was shown a room full of babies which the 'beings' told him were his children - and he imparted energy to them by touching the infants Director Abrahams says Huggins' paintings are what 'clinched' his decision to make the documentary, adding: 'Theyre so cinematic. Each one tells a story its like a narrative in each one. Thats a real gift for a filmmaker' Huggins says his most recent experience with a being was about five or six months ago, when a female extraterrestrial held him in her arms before he woke up in his bed Director Abrahams says his intention was not to convince people of aliens' existence but to have them leave believing David had endured some type of experience - and to open up a dialogue I just remember the paintings, and I just asked who are they, what are they I guess at some point I was told, but there was never like a moment where we had like a big conversation about it, he says in the film. I guess my childhood upbringing was pretty easygoing, pretty normal. The extraterrestrial encounters are unique; the encounters never impacted my childhood. It was just something that was going on. It never like flowed over into my life. I suppose I just accepted it. I never really questioned it or was very concerned about it. Huggins ex-wife, with whom he still lives in New Jersey, declined to be interviewed for the film but his boss happily expressed his view. I admire him, that he believes in certain things, and nobody has to judge nobody else, Anthony Lisa says in the documentary. When asked whether he believed the claims, he answered: Yes, I do. Thats what he tells me; I just believe it. Director Abrahams tells DailyMail.com: His boss is like this real salt-of-the-earth Italian immigrant running a family shop in Hoboken and hes like, No, I believe him. He expresses wonderment and satisfaction at peoples reactions to Huggins, saying: Theres people like David where you can tell that theyre honest and down to earth people that dont have an agenda, no matter how ridiculous of a story or claim they make. Jeffrey Kripal, professor of philosophy and religious thought at Rice University, also weighs in for the documentary. An academic who has specialized in alien abduction literature, he calls Huggins very sincere, very simple. He just exudes this kind of humane, personable nature, and I heard a man who was just telling us the truth as best he could, without a whole lot of interpretive overlay kind of a humility, he says in the documentary. Hes clearly working through his experiences and his suffering and his joy all at the same time. Prof Kribal situates Huggins experience within a wider context of extraterrestrial encounters, comparing them to different religious revelations throughout history. He calls alien abduction literature a modern secular form of mystical literature. The whole history of religions is essentially about weird beings coming from the sky and doing strange things to human beings, he says. Historically, those events or encounters have been framed as angels or demons or gods or goddesses or what have you, but in the modern sort of secular world we live in, they get framed as science fiction. He adds: I think David is being sincere. You cant talk to him without thinking that. Abrahams, the director of Love and Saucers which is currently streaming on platforms such as Amazon and iTunes also refers to Prof Kripals description of mystical or shamanic experiences, theorizing: These are shared experiences that are products of their time. 'If David, for example, had been living in the 1500s in medieval Europe, maybe hed be having visions of Jesus or something biblical but as he grew up in the 50s and 60s, this was a time where science fiction and aliens were so much in the popular culture, that whatever happened to him perhaps was colored by the era that he lived in but not diminishing that something happened to him. He tells DailyMail.com that the reaction to his film has so far been positive and has really opened up a dialogue. Thats important, instead of just shutting these people out. A retired priest has what are thought to be Britain's oldest Christmas decorations bought at the end of WWI. Reverend Geoffrey Squire, from Barnstaple, Devon, has a set of 71-year-old Christmas lights and a set of festive glass ornaments that were bought in 1918. The 81-year-old uses all the decorations every year and will use most of them again this year before donating the baubles to the local museum. He said: 'My grandparents on my mother's side bought some fragile glass decorations to celebrate the end of World War One in 1918. Reverend Geoffrey Squire, from Barnstaple, Devon, has a set of 71-year-old Christmas lights and a set of festive glass ornaments that were bought in 1918 Rev Squire, 81, uses all the decorations every year and will use most of them again this year before donating the baubles to the local museum 'My family were all very careful with them. 'There are two left of the spare lights from 1946 now so when they are fitted in and one of the bulbs goes that will be the end of them. 'There can't be many of those lights around anymore. 'Myself and my sister always have people in over Christmas so it is nice to put the decorations up and make it Christmassy. Reverend Squire, who retired ten years years ago, says he is donating the glass baubles to Barnstaple museum so they don't end up in a junk shop 'We always had a Christmas tree ever since we were little children. 'Everyone likes to see them.' Reverend Squire, who retired ten years years ago, says he is donating the glass baubles to Barnstaple museum so they don't end up in a junk shop. Jenny Swift, 49, pictured, was found unresponsive at HMP Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on 30th December last year and was later pronounced dead A transgender prisoner is said to have entered into a suicide pact with three other inmates a week before taking her life because she wanted to move to a women's jail. Jenny Swift, 49, was found unresponsive at HMP Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on 30th December last year and was later pronounced dead. She had been there on remand for attempted murder since mid-November over the stabbing of 26-year-old Eric Flanagan in Liverpool. The victim died of his injuries just two weeks before Swift's death and prosecutors were set to upgrade her charge to murder. Speaking today at an inquest into Swift's death, Paris Clark, an inmate who had been the Diversity representative at the prison,said: 'Some of us were being bullied by members of staff. No one was listening. Some of us made a suicide pact. 'It was agreed that if one of us took our own life then the others would kill ourselves.' She insisted that both she and Jennifer had withdrawn from the pact two days later after deciding it was, 'not such a good idea'. Clark said that at about the same time, news of prosecutors' plans to upgrade her charge had reached the prison. In stark contrast to previous evidence heard by the inquest, Clark said: 'She was very remorseful. When she found out the victim had died she was really upset.' She described Swift as, 'energetic and always smiling and joking. She would tell us all that we should live our lives. She was very positive. She planned to find herself a husband and live her life.' On the night of her death, Clark said that Swift, who had a four year old son, had been in good spirits. 'She was upbeat. She mentioned her kid and gave everybody a cuddle before lock-up as she usually did. She was happy and said she would see us in the morning.' Loud music was heard coming from her cell and Clark described this as typical of Jenny who was 'always trying to encourage other inmates to dance'. She said that Clark mostly got on fine with other prisoners but that 'a few had issues'. She said that earlier in the month, Swift had been found with a ligature around her neck but she had been saved by officers. Clark said that her friend had not been willing to talk about that. Swift, pictured, was described as 'energetic and always smiling and joking' Describing her friend's death as a shock, she added: 'She wanted to move to a woman's prison. She was angry at not getting her medication and said that she was starting to turn into a man. 'But she knew her medication was actually due to start in prison on January 3 which was three days after she died.' Barney Branston, representing Serco who run the prison, insisted that prison officers had been, 'robust' rather than bullying and that one of the issues they had tackled Swift about was playing music loudly in her cell. Earlier the inquest into the death of the 49-year-old had heard a series of written statements which painted a picture of Swift's character. Janet Eagleson, a mental health nurse, had assessed Swift in November last year while she was held at Doncaster police station, after being charged and remanded. She said: 'Swift was extremely hostile. She had been buying hormones off the internet and when she was told these would not be immediately available she kicked off saying she would not eat or drink until she got them. 'She said that she had stabbed a male because he was, 'a dirty smackhead'. This stuck in my mind because she had previously been a heroin user herself. She showed no remorse or concern for her victim.' In earlier evidence, custody suite nurse Charlotte Wall said Swift was 'difficult to engage, volatile and aggressive and made several threats to staff' Ms Eagleson described Swift as a, 'nasty, angry individual who tried to intimidate people' and could be 'extremely manipulative'. In earlier evidence, custody suite nurse Charlotte Wall said Swift was 'difficult to engage, volatile and aggressive and made several threats to staff'. She learned that Swift had been in a hospital in St Helen's, Merseyside in 2015 with a drug induced psychosis. In written evidence, Swift's mother, Barbara Swift said the family wanted to leave the inquiry to the authorities. 'We just want to put the matter behind us and move forward with the rest of our lives for the sake of our grandson. Our hope is that we will be left alone.' At the time of her offence, Swift had been living with her friend Samantha Hamilton. She said that on the night she was arrested she had gone to Doncaster to visit her son. She described Swift as 'very loud and boisterous' but would never look anyone in the eyes. She went on to describe her friend - who was previously known as Jonathan - as a Jekyll and Hyde character. 'I liked Jennifer but not Jonathan. She would call me every night from prison and the Jonathan side of her character was coming out. He showed no remorse and did not give a s*** about the victim. 'When I told her the victim was dead it was like she cared one minute and not the next.' In one call, Swift had told her friend that she planned to hang herself by a thread. This was reported to the police. Another prisoner, John Parton who had befriended Swift during her time inside said she would go onto the prison landing and shout, 'I am Jennifer not Jonathan.' On the night of her death, he heard her arguing with a prison guard just before being locked up for the night. 'She started calling the guard a bitch. I believe her death was a cry for help.' The inquest, which is set to last for four days, continues tomorrow. Hundreds of thousands of Californians could be gifted the second chance of meaningful employment next month when the state legalizes the sale of recreational marijuana. Thanks to a lesser-known provision in the new legislation, up to one million people convicted of possession or even dealing will be able to apply to have their charges reduced or even cleared. So far at least 4,500 people have filed petitions to have their sentences thrown and state officials are hoping that the effects of decades of strict laws which have adversely affected low-income minorities could be overturned. In essence, the state is providing another opportunity to those who've been charged with almost any crime associated with weed. From infractions to misdemeanors, all the way to felonies, former convicted criminals could have their records wiped or have their charges reduced, significantly. California is providing second chances to people who've been charged with almost any crime associated with weed (stock) 'We worked to help create a legalized and regulated process for legal marijuana, but we also wanted to make sure we could help - some way, somehow - repair the damages of marijuana prohibition,' said Eunisses Hernandez, a policy coordinator at the Drug Policy Alliance, to the Washington Post. In the past 10 years, there have been 500,000 arrest for marijuana offenses in California, reported the alliance. 'We worked to help create a legalized and regulated process for legal marijuana, but we also wanted to make sure we could help - some way, somehow - repair the damages of marijuana prohibition,' said Eunisses Hernandez, a policy coordinator at the Drug Policy Alliance It is estimated that close to a million people have review-able convictions that could be reduced or overturned. According to the California Judicial Council, at least 4,500 people have already filed petitions to have their sentences reduced or thrown out altogether. 613 applicants came from Riverside County, who had the highest number and another 365 applicants worked to have their juvenile convictions tossed. Cases must be presented to court in order to have the charges lessened. Prosecutors can deny support of a reduction if someone has an additional felony on their record. Old convictions would be reclassified to follow the guidelines of the new law, so if a person had an amount that would now be deemed as legal, their whole conviction could be tossed out. Across the state, district attorneys notified those behind bars of the new law and informed them that they could be ultimately released from jail. Prosecutors in San Diego searched for people with marijuana charges in the last three years and presented a list of petitions to judges in the area. According to the California Judicial Council, at least 4,500 people have already filed petitions to have their sentences reduced or thrown out altogether (stock) 'We absolutely didn't want people to be in custody who shouldn't be in custody,' said Rachel Solov, chief of the collaborative courts division in the San Diego district attorney's office. They've handled nearly 600 reduction cases as of mid-December. Many are unaware of the new provision to the law and don't know they can have their record changed to reflect a reduction. Omar Figueroa, a defense lawyer in Sebastopol, California, believed that the requirement to go to court hindered the poor 'One of the projects we're working on this year is to notify people that this is an option,' said Bruce Margolin, a Los Angeles defense lawyer. 'It's a viable thing to do, obviously, because people are suffering with these felony convictions in so many aspects of their life.' The sentiment was shared by Omar Figueroa, a defense lawyer in Sebastopol, California, who believed that the requirement to go to court hindered the poor. 'That's one of the criticisms, that a lot of people don't have the time or energy or the access to public transportation to get to the courthouse,' Figueroa said. 'What I see is the people who have more means are the ones who are taking advantage of this, and the people who have more basic struggles in their everyday life, the last thing they're thinking about is cleaning up their criminal history for their old marijuana convictions.' Nine states currently have laws expunging or reducing convictions surrounding marijuana, according to the National Conference of State Legislature. Maryland, Oregon and Vermont allow for marijuana convictions that aren't crimes to be wiped from a criminal record. After the legalization of pot, re-designation of marijuana crimes in California quickly went into work. A police officer could face time behind bars after he masterminded a drug trafficking racket after he became inspired by the TV crime drama 'Breaking Bad'. PC Daniel Aimson was accused of copying storylines from the hit US show after owned two cannabis farm, and even wore a 'Heisenberg' T-shirt which was emblazoned with the face of the lead character. In 'Breaking Bad', chemistry teacher Walter White - played by Bryan Cranston - sets up a crystal meth drug trafficking operation in Albuquerque, New Mexico to fund his cancer treatment. A court heard that the 36-year-old from Astley, near Wigan started to grow cannabis after he was injured in road accidents in 2007, 2011 and 2015 while on duty serving for Greater Manchester Police. Police patrolman Daniel Aimson (pictured with his wife Rachel) masterminded a wholesale drug trafficking racket after he became hooked on the TV crime drama Breaking Bad Following his crash in 2007, Aimson was left in a wheelchair for three months, diagnosed with anxiety and depression. He also claimed he had been left with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and became resentful about how senior colleagues treated him. Aimson used a driving licence which he had confiscated during a routine stop to rent out two anonymous residential properties and installed special hydroponic equipment. These two properties were used as the hub for Aimson's cannabis mantufacturing empire. Following a tip-off, police found 96 cannabis plants at one house and 70 at the other during synchronised raids in June 2016. The estimated yield of the drugs was estimated at 84,500. Police also raided Aimson's home he shared with his wife Rachel, which had been kitted out with high-tech security systems, and found 22,545 in cash. Aimson was investigated by police between 2015 and 2016 after learning about letting agents renting properties so that cannabis could be grown at them, where they were then sold to a contact in Rhyl, North Wales. Speaking of Aimson in court, Owen Edwards said: 'He was seen at various stages on his own CCTV hard drive to wear a T shirt depicting the lead character 'Walt' in the hit TV series "Breaking Bad".' Aimson was investigated by police between 2015 and 2016 after learning about letting agents renting properties so that cannabis could be grown at them, where they were then sold to a contact in Rhyl, North Wales Aimson used a driving licence which he had confiscated during a routine stop to rent out two anonymous residential properties and installed special hydroponic equipment He added: 'In his various text messages it is clear that Aimson revelled in his double life as officer and criminal. He had clearly developed plans for expanding his business.' Texts sent by Aimson were revealed in court, which revealed the intentions he had for his drugs empire. One text he sent to an accomplice read: 'I'm looking at ditching work as soon as a I can. I'll have three on almost 50/50 splits if we get another - we won't need to p**s about with anything else.' Later Aimson would be seen cruising the locality in his Mercedes car going to and front the properties carrying boxes containing the hydroponic equipment and making cash deals in a layby. He was also seen placing bin bags filled with cannabis harvests into the boot of his car. Aimson initially denied any knowledge of the drug operation when he was arrested. His lawyer said: 'Aimson does not accept the implication that he revelled in the role he had undertaken, and does not accept that he had based this fictional double life on a TV character. 'He does accept he was involved in an operation concerning the production of drugs and he is deeply ashamed. The fact he was a serving police officer and the shame and embarrassment he had clearly had to endure makes his guilty plea all the more mitigating to the situation.' Aimson (pictured on his wedding day) initially denied knowing about the drug business but later confessed Further texts revealed that Aimson and his gang talked up a 'sales drive to obtain Christmas money'. Aimson (right) is due to be sentenced at a later date Further texts revealed that Aimson and his gang talked up a 'sales drive to obtain Christmas money'. His lawyer Martin Callery said in mitigation: 'He suffered from depression and anxiety and received occupational therapy and when he eventually returned to work after the accident it was only to perform what is described as "light duties". 'His return to work was short lived, his mental health problems escalated in what would be described as PTSD. He candidly says he agreed to get involved in this enterprise and concedes his role became a managerial one. 'He admits he was unhappy with the way he had been treated by his employer, and his mental state after the accident must have been in an unstable state. This is not as sophisticated as some commercial enterprises are.' Aimson will be sentenced later and was remanded in custody. At Manchester Crown Court, Aimson admitted conspiracy to produce cannabis and misconduct in a public office. He was sacked from the force last February. His brother in law Richard Grady, 31, of Hindley, Wigan, admitted conspiring to produce cannabis. Michael Hutton, 52, of Openshaw, Manchester admitted conspiracy and possessing amphetamines with intent. Christopher King, 48, of Ryeburn Drive, Bolton, Hussein Mozahem, 24, of Findlay Street, Wigan, and George Parkinson, 30, of Ullswater Street, Leigh, all admitted conspiracy. Jonathan Vaiders, 27, of Jaffrey Street, Leigh, Wigan, admitted conspiring to produce cannabis and possession and intent to supply cocaine. Steven Hindley, 27, from Rhyl, North Wales admitted being concerned ion the supply of cannabis. Christopher King (left) outside Manchester Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to conspiring to produce cannabis by providing infant plants. Richard Grady (right) is to be sentenced for conspiring to produce cannabis A white former Connecticut college student accused of smearing body fluids from a used tampon on her black roommates belongings has avoided an upgraded hate crime charge. Prosecutors did not file additional charges Monday against 18-year-old Brianna Brochu, of Harwinton. Brochu briefly appeared in Hartford Superior Court to ask for a trial by jury, and her case was continued until January 29. She did not enter a plea. Civil rights advocates staged a protest outside the courthouse, demanding that hate crime charges be filed against Brochu for her alleged harassment of Chennel 'Jazzy' Rowe. Scroll down for video Brianna Brochu, the former University of Hartford student accused of smearing body fluids on her roommate's belongings, makes a brief appearance in Hartford Superior court on Monday 'This is a hate crime,' state NASACP President Scot X Esdaile said on Monday. 'We cannot sweep this under the rug. We are not going away. We will continue to come to court to make sure that justice is serve,' reported WTNH. Brochus lawyer, Tom Stevens, has said his clients actions werent racially motivated. Prosecutors say they are still investigating the allegations. Brochu, 18, was arrested in October for misdemeanor criminal mischief and breach of the peace after being expelled from The University of Hartford in Connecticut over her abusive treatment of her roommate, whom she dubbed a 'Jamaican Barbie.' Each crime carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail. The harshest hate crimes in Connecticut carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. The pair shared a dormitory together but Brochu was determined for Rowe to move out. During a previous court appearance, Brochu's defense lawyer argued that the pair simply did not get along. He said Rowe triggered Brochu's response by posting an 'unflattering' Snapchat video of her snoring. Brochu, 18, appeared in court in Hartford, Connecticut, in November, facing criminal mischief charges for tormenting her college roommate earlier this year To prompt her departure, Brochu smeared blood from her own used tampons on Rowe's backpack, spat in her 'coconut oil', put 'clam dip' in her body lotion and put her toothbrush 'where the sun don't shine'. Brochu boasted about her efforts on Instagram where she also referred to her as 'Jamaican Barbie' after Rowe requested a different room. Her lawyer said the name - which some considered proof of Brochu's racist views towards her roommate - was how Rowe described herself online. Upon seeing the post, Rowe contacted the university and also told the police about how she had been torturing her. She said she did not know why Brochu was so unkind and that she'd started off trying to befriend her. 'She lives in Connecticut and she would go home every weekend. I would always feed her fish. Brochu was trying to force her roommate Chennelle 'Jazzy' Rowe out of their shared dorm. She is pictured right in her mugshot Brochu boasted about how she tormented her roommate on Instagram after she moved out and referred to her as 'Jamaican Barbie' Brochu was expelled from the university after being arrested. Her lawyer said on Thursday that the abuse was not racially motivated 'I don't understand why, which is why I think it's a whole racial/hate issue,' she said in a Facebook video detailing the abuse. The teenager said she believes Brochu's efforts made her sick and that she consistently suffered a sore throat. 'I'm spending my own money that my parents give me for food and groceries, the health centre on campus is not free in fact they're expensive,' she complained. Brochu's lawyer said he was confident hate crime charges would not be filed. 'I think this is sort of not the case that you all have been fanning the flame on,' attorney Tom Stevens told The Hartford Courant outside the court in November. 'I think when its all said and done, what youre gonna see is there was nothing racial that motivated this.' Rowe (above documenting how Brochu tormented her in a Facebook video) is accused of starting the feud by posting a video of Brochu snoring on Snapchat Brochu's lawyer said the case was one of two young students simply not getting along after being randomly placed together 'This was two students who were placed together, I think randomly who didnt like each other, like has been happening since kids went to school and became roommates. 'There was a tipping point that caused my clients to do whatever she did and it was when Ms. Rowe took some unflattering videotape of her and posted it,' Stevens said. Brochu's family have not commented on her arrest. The freshman had been admitted to the university on an art scholarship. A five-year-old Mississippi boy called 911 to report that the Grinch was trying to steal Christmas. Bryam, Mississippi, Police Officer Lauren Develle rushed to Tylon Pittman's house to assure him that Dr. Seuss's Grinch wouldn't bother his Christmas on Saturday night. 'I can NOT make this up!!! My 5 year old brother called the police and said that the Grinch is stealing people Christmas and he don't want him to steal his so they really came to our house,' said brother TeDera Dwayne Graves, who was home for the holidays from the Air Force. Bryam, Mississippi, Police officer Lauren Develle (right) rushed to Tylon Pittman's (right) house to assure him that the Grinch wouldn't bother his Christmas on Saturday night TyLon had been watching videos online when he became alarmed about the Grinch. He told his mom, Teresa Pittman, that he dialed 911, but she says she didn't quite believe him until an officer knocked on the door. 'Our dispatcher posted a status on Facebook that she had received a call from a little boy ... and he told her he thought the Grinch was going to be coming to steal his Christmas,' the police officer said to The Clarion Ledger. 'I asked her to send me his address.' TyLon had been watching videos online when he became alarmed about the Grinch. He told his mom, Teresa Pittman, that he dialed 911, but she says she didn't quite believe him until the officer knocked on the door The boy was so releived to have the policewoman come and assure him of his Christmas's safety. The duo posed for a photo together Develle said she grew up loving the character created by children's author Dr. Seuss. 'I kind of find it really funny. ... Every Christmas morning, my dad wears these Grinch pants,' she added. 'It's his favorite movie. Growing up seeing the Grinch every Christmas was my favorite thing.' Assuring the boy that the Grinch would not steal his Christmas, Develle listened as Tylon shared that he had seen the video on Facebook and that he watched plenty of videos about the Grinch. 'So what are you going to do if he tries to steal your Christmas?' Develle asked TyLon. 'I can NOT make this up!!! My 5 year old brother called the police and said that the Grinch is stealing people Christmas and he don't want him to steal his so they really came to our house,' said brother TeDera Dwayne Graves, who was home for the holidays from the Air Force The boy added: 'I want y'all to come back to my house and take him to jail.' His mom was still in disbelief that her son really thought the green villain was going to take all of his presents. But TyLon said: 'He steals everybody's Christmas.' TyLon has a plan in case the Grinch does appear: he says he will wrestle him and hold him until the police show up. "I'm going to say put your hands behind your back and get down on the ground, then when he gets on the ground, I'm gonna say, 'Why are you stealing Christmas?' " he added. TyLon wants to become a police officer and doesn't seem to be too far off from accomplishing his dreams. Donald Trump said Monday that a deadly train derailment in the state of Washington has proved the need for a nationwide push to repair crumbling infrastructure before officials commented on the cause of the crash. 'The train accident that just occured [sic] in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly,' the president tweeted as rescuers sifted through debris. 'Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!' The train jumped a brand-new section of track, laid as a high-speed bypass to an older, more curving section. Scroll down for video An Amtrak train derailed near DuPont, Washington around 7:40 a.m. Monday President Donald Trump leapt to blame crumbling rail lines for the crash, even though the train jumped a new section of track The president said the derailment proved the need for sweeping new infrastructure spending He followed up with a tweet offering 'thoughts and prayers' for those affected. Trump also addressed the crash at the beginning of an afternoon speech outlining a new national security strategy, calling it 'all the more reason why we must start immediately fixing the infrastructure of the United States.' As he spoke, news reports described preliminary reports from authorities saying the train struck an object on the tracks. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. At least 77 injuries and six deaths were reported on the scene. It was the first day of a new high-speed service linking Portland and Seattle Above, an aerial views of the crash site above. One car fell on to the highway on the right side of the track, while others derailed into the woods on the other side The Amtrak catastrophe came during the maiden voyage of a new high-speed service linking Seattle and Portland. Train 501 was heading south when it derailed while crossing a bridge over Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington around 7:40 a.m. Pacific Time, causing at least one car to fall onto the freeway below. Amtrak confirmed its train was involved but did not provide further information. 'We are aware of an incident involving Amtrak train 501,' the rail operator said on Twitter. 'We will update with additional details as they become available.' Seventy-eight passengers were on board at the time, in addition to five crew. The train can fit around 250 people It was the first day of the new $181 million high-speed Cascade service, which rerouted trains down 14 miles of updated track. The new bypass between Tacoma and DuPont is straighter, meaning that trains can go faster than they did on the winding old line. Seventy-eight passengers were on board, in addition to five crew members, KIRO reported. According to the Washington Department of Transportation, the train can carry about 250 passengers. Despite the fact that the train hit several cars and trucks on the freeway below, no motorists were killed. Matthew Spencer Petersen has withdrawn from consideration for a lifetime judgeship after his disastrous confirmation hearing became a viral video. 'I had hoped that my nearly two decades of public service might carry more weight than my two worst minutes on television,' Petersen wrote President Trump, who nominated him, on Monday as he announced his intentions. 'However, I am no stranger to political realities, and I do not wish to be a continued distraction from the important work of your Administration and the Senate.' By Friday morning, video of Peterson struggling to answer questions about his lack of judicial experience or knowledge of trial law had gotten viewed more than 3 million times. Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy sent a message to the White House about the qualifications of some of President Trump's judicial nominees by grilling a court pick about basic courtroom skills as well as more obscure areas of law. Scroll down for video Sen. John Kennedy calmly and deliberately grilled a Trump judicial nominee on his familiarity and experience with courtroom procedure Kennedy did such a skillful job taking down Petersen that he got a call from Trump over the weekend. 'The president and I get along fine, and he has told me, he said, 'Kennedy, when some of my guys send somebody over who's not qualified, you do your job,' Kennedy told WJLA TV in Washington. 'And I said, 'Thank you, Mr. President.' And I intend to do that,' he said, Politico reported. 'Have any of you not tried a case to verdict in a courtroom?' Kennedy asked a panel of nominees to serve in lifetime appointments at federal courts. When Petersen answered in the negative, Kennedy drilled down on his background. 'Have you ever tried a jury trial?' 'I have not,' Petersen, nominated to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia responded. 'Civil?' Kennedy asked, in his low-key drawl. Petersen hadn't done that either. 'Criminal?' Kennedy asked. 'No, Petersen said.' The Republican's grilling of Petersen was so brutal that Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat, tweeted it out. 'Hoo-boy,' Whitehouse wrote. The humiliation came just two days after the White House said it was pulling back from two other nominations, after Republican Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley spoke to the administration about them. Petersen was at a loss to answer some of Sen. Kennedy's questions Kennedy first asked whether Petersen had ever tried a case (he hadn't) THIS WASN'T ON THE LSAT: Then he moved onto legal terms such as the 'Daubert standard' and 'motion in limine' The nominations 'will not be moving forward' in the U.S. Senate, the White House said. One of those nominees, Brett Talley, was reported by online magazine Slate as having posted online sympathetic comments about the early history of the Ku Klux Klan He also failed to disclose that his wife works in the White House Counsel's office, which overseas judicial nominations, where she reports to White House Counsel Don McGahn. The other, Jeff Mateer, to a federal judgeship in Texas, ran into trouble over speeches he made in 2015. In one, he referred to transgender children as being part of 'Satan's plans.' The brutal testimony went viral after Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island tweeted it As he learned of Petersen's lack of court experience, Sen. Kennedy, who practiced law in Baton Rouge before entering politics, did not let up. 'As a trial judge, you're obviously going to have witnesses. Can you tell me what the Daubert standard is?' he asked, in reference to expert witness testimony, the Huffington Post reported. 'Sen. Kennedy, I don't have that readily at my disposal but I would be happy to take a closer look at that. That is not something I've had to contend with,' he responded. Kennedy then asked him: 'Do you know what a motion in limine is?' Petersen, who served as an associate at a prominent law firm out of law school before joining the Federal Elections Commission, responded: Yes.. I haven't, I'm, again, my background is not in litigation as when I was replying to Chairman Grassley,I haven't had to um, again, do a deep dive,' he said. 'A 'motion in limine' that's just a basic, that's the meat and potatoes of what a trial judge does,' Dane Ciolino, a Loyola University in New Orleans law professor told the Baton Rouge Advocate, regarding a way to exclude evidence from proceedings. 'That's like a surgeon not knowing what a scalpel is, it's that basic.' Though at a loss to answer the questions, Petersen doesn't have fluff on his resume. Like the senator who skewered him, he attended the University of Virginia School of Law. He served as counsel to the Senate Rules committee and chaired the Federal Elections Commission. Tim Varchmin, 44, who worked as a civil and criminal law judge in Germany before securing banking jobs with JP Morgan and Clifford Chance, was accused of having more than 100 indecent images of children on his computer and phone A former Barclays banker and judge has been found not guilty of possessing indecent images of children after he blamed a Grindr 'chem-sex' party guest. Tim Varchmin, 44, who worked as a civil and criminal law judge in Germany before securing jobs with JP Morgan and Clifford Chance, was accused of having more than 100 indecent images of children on his computer and phone. Officers raided his luxury flat in Lancaster Gate, West London, in October 2014 where they found 830 milligrams of the class A drug crystal meth and a crack pipe on his coffee table. Varchmin denied any wrongdoing, saying he would invite men for drugs and sex parties through the dating app Grindr and allow them to do as they pleased. He began to host the parties with his former German boyfriend Jacob after learning they both caught a drug resistant strain of HIV, where Varchmin admitted he had unprotected sex with men. Varchmin told the court: 'It is a life-changing event. It's something you have to come to terms with. That bonded us together but at the time we were fighting over it. We developed a more aggressive sexual life. 'We had the feeling that now these stages of HIV were not a concern any more, we could have more sex with other men, unprotected sex as well. That was our idea.' Following a lengthy and drawn-out legal battle, Varchmin was found not guilty of seven charges of possessing indecent images of children and possessing 830 milligrams of crystal meth after three hours of deliberation by the jury. Sky Broadband alerted the National Crime Agency's Child Exploitation and Online Protection team regarding suspicious searches on Varchamin's computer. The court was told how officers carried out a coordinated raid at Varchmin's home addresses in Lancaster Gate and Edgware Road, as well as his office in Canary Wharf. Jurors were told how officers 'pounded on the door' for five minutes and then smashed the door down when no-one answered. Upon entering, they found 45,000 images and 106 movies on his iPhone and Apple computer, the vast majority of which were 'adult porn'. Varchmin pleaded that the crack pipe and crystal meth was not his, and that he only took GHB. Prosecutor Roger Daniells-Smith said Varchmin had to 'take responsibility' for allowing people to come into his house. He said: 'If you lie with dogs, you get fleas. If you allow people you do not know to come and use your equipment, you have to be responsible for that equipment.' Daniells-Smith said the defendent, who was born in Germany, had searched the internet for indecent images of children using Germany words, although Varchmin claimed is could have been his ex-boyfriend. Varchmin began to host the parties with his former German boyfriend Jacob after learning they both caught a drug resistant strain of HIV Speaking following the case, Varchmin said: 'I am grateful that having been so badly let down by those I once trusted, the trust I chose to place in the jury has been repaid. 'It is absolutely correct that the police act to protect children and minors from sexual abuse. It is absolutely right that those who perpetrate and view sexual abuse of children are prosecuted with vigour. 'But it is disproportionate to prosecute every case simply as a point of policy where the evidence against a single individual is so weak and where any number of people could have committed the crime. 'My mistake was to react badly to my HIV diagnosis, to trust those who did not deserve to be trusted and to find solace from the shock of my illness in the self-destructive world of chem-sex.' The court case has cost Varchmin hundreds of thousands of pounds in earnings, but its drawing to a close has brought an end to what was described as 'three years of hell'. Varchmin's lawyer, Richard Hendron, said: 'The chem-sex scene in London is at epidemic proportions. 'Hundreds of gay men are dying in London annually while many more are having their lives destroyed as they spiral out of control, unable to hold down jobs or maintain relationships. 'More needs to be done to halt this epidemic. Mr Varchmin has got out of the destructive chem-sex scene, but at a huge financial and emotional cost to his life and reputation, betrayed by those he unwisely trusted.' A woman who can smell Parkinson's disease has used her superpower to help scientists discover ten molecules which could lead to the first diagnostic test. Joy Milne, 67, astonished doctors with her ability to detect the illness through smell under scientific conditions. Her incredible gift came to light as her husband Les fought the illness that would later claim his life aged 65, two years ago. Researchers at Manchester University first began to believe Parkinsons might have a discernible odour when they found out about Mrs Milne's story. Retired nurse Joy Milne, 67, from Perth, Scotland, astonished doctors with her ability to detect the illness through smell under scientific conditions Joy's husband, a consultant anaesthetist, was diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 45 but Mrs Milne had noticed she could detect an unusual musky smell from him years before. The retired nurse, of Perth, Scotland, only linked the odour to the disease after meeting people with the same distinctive smell at a Parkinson's UK support group. She told scientists at a conference and subsequent tests carried out by experts saw her correctly identify t-shirts worn by Parkinson's patients. But incredibly, in the same tests she detected the odour on a shirt worn by someone in the control group without Parkinson's who was told three months later that they had the illness. Mrs Milne said: 'I'm in a tiny, tiny, branch of the population, somewhere between a dog and a human. 'I didn't think it was an insult, I thought that's quite nice I can smell better than most humans.' Mrs Milne told how she realised she could smell the illness from others when she attended a support group meeting with her husband before he died two years ago. She said: 'We sat down, we're having a cup of tea and I said to him "Those people smell the same as you", and he was confused. 'I said "The people with Parkinson's in that room smelt the same as you". 'So he looked at me and said "We have to go back and do this again". Mrs Milne told how she realised she could smell the illness from others when she attended a support group meeting. Pictured above, Mrs Milne at a local support group in Perth with John Skipworth who suffers from Parkinson's 'Being the doctor, he said we have to have more proof. 'And I went home. 'He said, "Well?" I said, "It's amazing - there's all different levels, I think, but the smell is there". Clinicians still diagnose patients by observing symptoms, which is the same method used by James Parkinson who first established it as a recognised medical condition in 1817. It is now hoped tests carried out using Mrs Milne's sense of smell will establish a new system for helping potential sufferers. Researchers found distinctive molecules concentrated on the skin of Parkinson's patients and are close to establishing what causes the smell. Joy's husband Les, pictured above, was diagnosed with Parkinson's aged 45 and died from the disease two years ago aged 65. She vowed to use her skill to help people They hope it could lead to the first diagnostic test for the disease that effects one in 500 people, around 127,000 across Britain. Dr Tilo Kunath, from Edinburgh University's school of biological sciences, was one of the first scientists Mrs Milne spoke to about her smelling ability. He enlisted the help of Professor Perdita Barran, an expert in chemical analysis from Manchester University, to try to isolate the actual molecules that form the odour that Mrs Milne is able to smell. Dr Kunath said: 'She was telling us that this individual had Parkinson's before he knew, before anybody knew. 'So then I really started to believe her, that she could really detect Parkinson's simply by odour that was transferred on to a shirt that the person with Parkinson's was wearing.' Joy pictured with her husband Les while he was fighting Parkinson's disease. He died two years ago after suffering from the condition for 20 years Prof Barran and her team found that people with Parkinson's seem to have some different molecules from non-sufferers. Prof Barran said: 'It is very humbling as a mere measurement scientist to have this ability to help find some signature molecules to diagnose Parkinson's. 'It wouldn't have happened without Joy. Smelling into the future: Joy detected the odour on a shirt worn by someone in the control group without Parkinson's who was told three months later that they had the illness 'For all the serendipity, it was Joy and Les who were absolutely convinced that what she could smell would be something that could be used in a clinical context and so now we are beginning to do that.' Mrs Milne's last promise to her husband was that she would investigate her special ability and how it might help others. She added: 'We were married for 42 years when he died. Above, Joy appeared on This Morning with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford in October 2015 'So I don't want other families to have the same experience. 'I want relief for them - I want to see a better understanding within medicine. 'A better education for the general public. 'And the hope that with early diagnosis, there is going to be treatment.' Charlottesville's police chief, who oversaw the department's widely criticized response to a violent white nationalist rally this summer, abruptly retired Monday, the city said. In a brief statement, the city did not give a reason for Chief Al Thomas' departure. Earlier this month, a former federal prosecutor released a report that was sharply critical of Thomas' 'slow-footed response' as the violence began to escalate on August 12, the day of the 'Unite the Right' rally that drew hundreds of white nationalists from across the country. Scroll down for video Charlottesville Police Chief Al S. Thomas Jr. exits the memorial service for Heather Heyer, at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 16 Thomas Jr. stands outside the Paramount Theater during a memorial service for Heather Heyer Heather Heyer, 32 was killed that day when a car plowed into a crowd of people after the white nationalist rally. James Fields, 20, from Ohio, is accused of driving the vehicle that killed Heyer and injured dozens of others. He has been charged with first degree murder, upgraded on Thursday from his initial charge of second-degree murder by District Judge Robert Downer, the Richmond-Times Dispatch reported. The report also said Thomas deleted relevant text messages and made officers fearful of retaliation for speaking with investigators. James Fields (R), 20, from Ohio, is accused of driving the vehicle that killed Heyer (L) A former federal prosecutor released a report that was sharply critical of Thomas' 'slow-footed response' as the violence began to escalate on August 12, the day of the 'Unite the Right' rally that drew hundreds of white nationalists from across the country Charlottesville's police chief, who oversaw the department's widely criticized response to a violent white nationalist rally this summer, abruptly retired Monday Kevin Martingayle, an attorney for Thomas, has said the chief disputes that he deleted text messages. Martingayle didn't immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment. City Manager Maurice Jones called Thomas 'a man of integrity who has provided critical leadership for our department since his arrival.' 'We wish him all the best in his future endeavors,' he said. The report also said Thomas deleted relevant text messages and made officers fearful of retaliation for speaking with investigators The 'Unite the Right' rally on August 12 drew hundreds of white nationalists from across the country and left one woman dead The city's statement said Deputy Police Chief Gary Pleasants will guide the department until an interim chief is formally appointed within the next week. 'Nothing in my career has brought me more pride than serving as the police chief for the city of Charlottesville,' Thomas said in the release. 'I will be forever grateful for having had the opportunity to protect and serve a community I love so dearly. It truly has been an unparalleled privilege to work alongside such a dedicated and professional team of public servants. I wish them and the citizens of Charlottesville the very best.' A veteran of the Air Force, Thomas was appointed police chief in April 2016 and began his service the following month, according to the statement. A man convicted of murdering a Michigan jogger blew a kiss to the courtroom on Monday as he walked out before he was sentenced to a mandatory life in prison. Judge William Marietti approved Jeffrey Willis request to leave court and not hear statements from the family of Rebekah Bletsch, 36, whom he was convicted of shooting to death while she was jogging in Muskegon County in 2014. That drew shouts of coward from furious spectators in the audience, among them the victims relatives. Scroll down for video 'Coward': Jeffrey Willis exits the courtroom before his sentencing in front of Judge William Marietti for the first degree murder in June 2014 of Rebekah Bletsch in Muskegon, Michigan Killer's kiss: Willis, 47, blows a kiss at the furious audience in Muskegon County Court House on Monday as he leaves the courtroom Convict: Willis (left) was sentenced on Monday to a mandatory life in prison for the 2014 shooting death of jogger Rebekah Bletsch (right) The station ClickOnDetroit reported that the convicted killer smirked before blowing the kiss on his way out the door. I dont think hes going to make it very long in prison. I hope he gets what he deserves, Bletschs sister, Jessica Josephson, said after the hearing, calling Willis 'a monster' and wishing he 'rot in hell.' 'Knowing your only way out of prison is in a body bag brings a smile to my face,' she added, according to WOOD-TV. Bletsch's mother expressed outrage that Willis walked out on his sentencing hearing before giving them a chance to deliver their victim impact statements. 'This coward should have been here to listen to us,' she said. 'We deserve a right to tell him exactly how we feel. And for him to walk out on us was just horrible.' Prosecutor D.J. Hilson said Bletschs relatives deserve the right to address the person convicted of killing their daughter and sister. But the judge said there was nothing in Michigan law that required him to keep Willis in the courtroom. Life without parole sounds nice, Hilson said of Willis mandatory sentence. But it could be and should be a lot worse. Willis, 47, was arrested last year when a teenager said he tried to kidnap her. The arrest sparked investigations of the Bletsch homicide and the 2013 disappearance of a gas station clerk, Jessica Heeringa. A jury found Willis guilty of Bletsch's murder in November. he is pictured above weeping during his lawyer's closing statement A gun, rope, chains, handcuffs and syringes were found in Willis van. Police also discovered a computer file titled VICS with Bletschs initials and her date of death. Willis denied wrongdoing during the trial, but the jury quickly convicted him in November. 'I've never seen pure evil, but the defendant to me is pure evil,' Hilson told jurors during the trial, according to the Detroit Free Press. Willis still faces trial in the Heeringa case, which is scheduled to begin in March 2018. Heeringa vanished from the Exxon Mobil gas station where she worked in 2013. A silver minivan similar to Willis's was spotted on surveillance cameras near the gas station, and police believe it may have been used to kidnap Heeringa. The 25-year-old's body hasnt been found. The evidence in the murder trial against Willis only came to light after he was arrested for the alleged kidnapping of 16-year-old girl at gunpoint. Second victim: Willis (left) still faces trial in the 2013 disappearance of 25-year-old gas station clerk Jessica Heeringa (right) The girl told officers she was lost along a rural road on April 16, 2016, when Willis, a factory worker, pulled over and offered her the use of his cell phone. After climbing inside his minivan, a 2006 Dodge Caravan, the girl said he pointed a gun at her and locked the doors before driving away. However, she said she managed to unlock the door and jumped from the moving vehicle before alerting authorities. Eventually investigators landed on Willis, who was arrested when detectives carried out a search on his home and vehicle. Inside his van, police say they found a semiautomatic pistol, ammunition, syringes with liquid, a ball gag, chains, a mask and a bar with wrist restraints. Investigators said the gun linked him to the murder of Bletsch. A search of his home unearthed child pornography and videos of women being restrained, investigators added. Advertisement The nation's air-travel system struggled to get back on schedule after a weekend power outage at the Atlanta airport, the world's busiest, forced the cancellation of over 1,400 flights just days before the start of the Christmas rush. A fire in an underground service tunnel brought Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to a standstill Sunday. The fire broke out next to equipment for a backup system, causing that to also fail. Power wasn't fully restored until about midnight. Photos released Monday by officials show the burned out equipment from the fire as crews work to still make repairs. During those hours in the dark, thousands of travelers waited on planes or in the terminals. Disabled people had to be carried down stairs and escalators in the chaos. Inbound flights were diverted to other cities and outgoing flights were halted. Michael Thomas, a spokesman for Delta Air Lines, which has its hub in Atlanta, said the majority of its stranded passengers have been booked on other flights that will leave Monday. Thomas said he expected the airline would be 'largely if not completely' back to a normal schedule by Tuesday, well before the peak travel weekend ahead of Christmas Day. Delta is by far the largest carrier in Atlanta. Scroll down for video The nation's air-travel system struggled to get back on schedule after a weekend power outage at the Atlanta airport, the world's busiest, forced the cancellation of over 1,400 flights just days before the start of the Christmas rush. The above photo shows the damaged power cables after a fire caused a power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Georgia Power teams are working to replace damaged power cables after a fire caused a power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta. Hundreds of flights were canceled and long lines snaked throughout the world's largest airport Monday as the nation's air-travel system struggled to get back on schedule after a crippling power outage Michael Thomas, a spokesman for Delta Air Lines, which has its hub in Atlanta, said the majority of its stranded passengers have been booked on other flights that will leave Monday. Above passengers wait in a long line on Monday Thomas said he expected the airline would be 'largely if not completely' back to a normal schedule by Tuesday, well before the peak travel weekend ahead of Christmas Day. Above a man rests his head on his luggage inside the airport Monday as he tries to fly back home to Cuba After being stranded in Atlanta during a layover, Penn Ryan of Madison, WI waits to find his luggage near rows of unclaimed baggage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday Delta is by far the largest carrier in Atlanta. Above Eddie Medina of Puerto Rico sits on his luggage as he waits in line at the Delta Airlines counter on Monday Anthony Foxx, who served as U.S. transportation secretary under former President Barack Obama, blasted airport officials, saying the problem was 'compounded by confusion and poor communication.' Foxx said he was among the many travelers stuck for hours on a plane on the tarmac. Above passengers sleep in the atrium of the main terminal at the airport on Monday More than 1,500 flights were grounded as a result of the blackout at the busy airport in Atlanta. Above passengers affected by an eleven hour power outage wait in a long Delta Air Lines queue to rebook on new flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday Georgia Power's top executive issued an apology, saying he realized the outage inconvenienced thousands of people. Above people wait in a long line to rebook their flight on Monday CEO Paul Bowers said in a phone interview Monday a switch gear failed, causing a fire that then spread to cables coming in from two substations. But he said it wasn't clear what caused the switch gear to fail. Above a woman waits for an agent at the ticket counter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday Anthony Foxx, who served as U.S. transportation secretary under former President Barack Obama, blasted airport officials, saying the problem was 'compounded by confusion and poor communication.' Foxx said he was among the many travelers stuck for hours on a plane on the tarmac. 'Total and abject failure here at ATL Airport today,' he tweeted, adding that there was 'no excuse for lack of workable redundant power source. NONE!' Georgia Power's top executive issued an apology, saying he realized the outage inconvenienced thousands of people. CEO Paul Bowers said in a phone interview Monday a switch gear failed, causing a fire that then spread to cables coming in from two substations. But he said it wasn't clear what caused the switch gear to fail. Bowers said failures are very rare, but now that they've had one, they have to figure out what to do about it going forward. He said they will look at ways to isolate the switch gear and cables from each other, possibly by encasing one or the other in concrete. He said the fire happened in a service tunnel deep under the airport, so it never posed a danger to anyone. Delta customers flying to or from Atlanta were able to make a one-time change to travel plans without incurring a $200 change fee. The airline encouraged travelers not to pick up their bags Monday because of congestion at the airport. Delta customers flying to or from Atlanta were able to make a one-time change to travel plans without incurring a $200 change fee. The airline encouraged travelers not to pick up their bags Monday because of congestion at the airport. Above a man sleeps on the terminal floor inside the airport on Monday Delta canceled about 1,000 flights Sunday and another 400 Monday. American Airlines canceled 24 departures and an equal number of arrivals, spokesman Ross Feinstein said. Above people wait in line to rebook flights in Atlanta Monday At Southwest Airlines, about 70 Atlanta departures out of 120 scheduled for Sunday were canceled, an airline spokesman said in an email. United Airlines and JetBlue Airways were among carriers reporting delays or cancellations. Above travelers wait to check in for flights at the Southwest counter inside Atlanta's airport Monday Above a woman rests as she and others wait in the terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Monday Above a flight board displays cancelled flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta on Monday. While power was restored to the world's busiest airport early Monday, the travel woes will linger for days for the thousands of people stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Above travelers move through a security check-in line at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta on Monday Above unclaimed bags sit in baggage claim at the airport in Atlanta on Monday after the power was restored following an outage Above a passenger looks at the departure board for the status of flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday Juan Rivera, 46, arrived in Atlanta on Sunday for a layover on his journey from Huntsville, Alabama, to Newark, New Jersey. He waited on the plane on the tarmac for more than two hours until passengers disembarked into a dark airport. After staying in a hotel Sunday night, he returned to the airport Monday morning. Unable to get on a flight to Newark, he was now scheduled to fly to Philadelphia on Monday evening. Despite the 10 hours ahead of him at the airport, he had a smile on his face. 'I come from Puerto Rico,' he said, noting that many there have been without power since Hurricane Maria pounded the island in late September. 'This is nothing compared to what's happening over there.' When Delta flights were grounded last spring, it took the airline five days - and about 4,000 canceled flights - before it fully recovered. The April storm hit at a busy travel time when there weren't many empty seats for customers from canceled flights. At the time, CEO Ed Bastian vowed that Delta would make 'significant improvements' to its system for scheduling and tracking aircraft crews to recover more quickly from disruptions. Above Delta employee Rod Warrick, left, passes out sandwiches to stranded travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta on Monday Above a Christmas tree decorates the atrium where travelers gather while waiting for their flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta on Monday Delta canceled about 1,000 flights Sunday and another 400 Monday. American Airlines canceled 24 departures and an equal number of arrivals, spokesman Ross Feinstein said. Some passengers complained about a lack of information from airport officials and little help from first responders to get the disabled and the elderly through the airport without the use of escalators and elevators. 'They had these elderly people, handicapped people lined up in wheelchairs,' stranded passenger Rutia Curry said. 'The people were helpless. They can't get down the stairs. It was just a nightmare.' Sara Melillo and her husband, Greg Presto, were traveling from Kenya, where they live, to Pittsburgh to spend Christmas with his family when they were stuck on the tarmac for six hours. The couple had landed shortly after the lights went out in Atlanta. Melillo said the pilot had little information for travelers but the plane had air conditioning and flight attendants offered water and juice a few times. She described the Delta terminal as 'big chaos' with not enough customer service for the hundreds of people trying to find a flight to their next destination and a place to sleep for the night. In an email, Melillo told The Associated Press that the couple was scheduled to leave for Pittsburgh around midday Monday. The Delta check-in process was organized and lines were moving, she wrote. Airport workers were handing out doughnuts and other breakfast foods. Above passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday Above a passenger sits behind the ticket counter after the lights went out at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, on Sunday during the power outage Passengers rest behind the ticket counter after the lights went out at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) College student Joe Ryan had planned to fly home to Chicago with his fiancee on Sunday after a four-day seminar in Atlanta. They spent Sunday night on a carpeted floor outside a third-floor elevator, and hoped to get standby status on a Monday-afternoon flight. But he said he's been told it could be Tuesday before he gets a flight home. 'American Airlines doesn't have much information,' he said. American Airlines spokesman Feinstein said the airline was back on a normal schedule by late Monday morning At Southwest Airlines, about 70 Atlanta departures out of 120 scheduled for Sunday were canceled, an airline spokesman said in an email. United Airlines and JetBlue Airways were among carriers reporting delays or cancellations. Hartsfield-Jackson, which serves 104 million passengers a year, is the world's busiest airport, a distinction it has held since 1998. The airport serves an average of 275,000 passengers daily, according to its website. Nearly 2,500 planes arrive and depart each day. Nicholas Young, 38, a former police officer for the D.C. Metro system was found guilty Monday of trying to help the Islamic State, making him the first law enforcement officer nationwide to be convicted in a terrorism case A jury in suburban Washington has convicted the first police officer charged in the United States with attempting to support the Islamic State. The U.S. Attorney's Office says 38-year-old Nicholas Young of Fairfax was convicted Monday in federal court after a weeklong trial in Virginia. 'Nicholas Young swore an oath to protect and defend, and instead violated the public's trust by attempting to support ISIS,' U.S. Attorney Dana Boente said in a statement. Young was a police officer for the transit system in the U.S. capital region and was under scrutiny by the FBI for six of the thirteen years he patrolled the public transportation system of the nation's capital. He was arrested last year after being targeted in a sting operation. Prosecutors said Young bought gift cards he thought would be used by the Islamic State. Young believed the informant he was messaging was an acquaintance who was working with the militant group, but the person he gave the cards to was actually working undercover for the FBI. Young met an FBI source on 20 separate occasions in 2014. The source posed as a U.S. military reservist of Middle Eastern descent who was becoming more religious and eager to leave the U.S. military as a result of having had to fight against Muslims during his deployment to Iraq. Law enforcement had 38-year-old Nicholas Young under surveillance for at least six years before charges were filed against him because of both 'suspicious' activities that were flagged by Metro Transit officials as well as his close association with another man swept up in a terrorism investigation Young bought nearly $250 in gift cards he intended to give to ISIS to use to purchase mobile apps that would facilitate communication.. Young, a 12-year veteran of the transit police force, was found guilty of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. He now faces up to 60 years in jail when he is sentenced in February. His lawyers tried to defend him saying the sting operation amounted to entrapment. The two-week trial also included evidence that Young trafficked in Nazi memorabilia. Young dressed up as an SS officer in World War II reenactments and had a tattoo on his arm celebrating his unit. He also collected literature advocating violent jihad and watched Islamic State videos. The trial revealed Young had been under federal surveillance since 2010. Police searched the home of Metro Transit police officer Nicholas Young, 38, of Fairfax, Virginia in August 2016 Officials said Young, a 12-year veteran of the transit police force, did not pose any threat to the Metro system (above, file photo) He had traveled to Libya twice in 2011, where he said he joined rebel forces seeking to oust dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Baggage searches revealed that Young traveled with body armor, a kevlar helmet, and several other military-style items. But officials say Young did not pose any threat to the Metro system in the US capital. In a statement issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, police first interviewed an acquaintance of his, Zachary Chesser, in 2010. A month later, Chesser pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists. Over the next several years, Young had a number of interactions with undercover officers and a co-operating witness regarding his knowledge or interest of terrorist-related activity, the statement said. Many of those conversations were recorded. In one conversation with an undercover officer in March 2011, Young said that he hated the FBI and was skilled enough to attack the agency. During recorded conversations Young also revealed that he had dressed up as a Nazi before and collected Nazi memorabilia. He showed officers a tattoo of a German eagle on his neck A law enforcement officer walks on the street outside the home of Nicholas Young in 2016 He also described a way to bring multiple guns inside Alexandria's federal courthouse undetected in order to distribute them to others. During the conversations, Young advised the source on how to evade detection by law enforcement by using specific travel methods and advised the man to watch out for informants and not discuss his plans with others. In the fall of 2014, the source led Young to believe that he had successfully left the United States and had joined ISIS - but in reality, he had no further contact with the source. All further communications between Young and the source's email account were actually between Young and FBI undercover personnel posing as him. In January 2015, Young 'proudly' referenced the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks in an email, the affidavit says. 'Not sure if you got the news there yet,' he said in a message days after the massacre in Paris. 'A couple brothers... were named in an assault on a french newspaper... Hopefully now people understand there are some lines you don't cross.' In June 2015, Young emailed his FBI source asking for advice from ISIS commanders on how to send his money overseas. 'Unfortunately I have enough flags on my name that I can't even buy a plane ticket without little alerts ending up in someone's hands, so I imagine banking transactions are automatically monitored and will flag depending on what is going on,' Young wrote. In an interview with the police who responded to a report of domestic violence on June 1, Young revealed he had dressed up as 'Jihadi John' - the ISIS fighter who beheaded numerous people in propaganda videos - for Halloween in 2014. Nicholas Young, a Washington, D.C.-area transit police officer, was convicted after an FBI sting with attempting to support the Islamic State, authorities said. above, officers outside Young's home in Fairfax, Virginia in August 2016 Young was arrested at Metro's headquarters in Washington in 2016 at at the time was charged with a single count of attempting to provided material support to a terrorist group in 2016 Young was convicted with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, ISIS (file photo) As part of his costume, Young said that he had stuffed an orange jumpsuit with paper to portray a headless hostage, which he carried with him throughout the party. In that interview, Young also revealed that he had dressed up as a Nazi before and collected Nazi memorabilia. He also showed officers a tattoo of a German eagle on his neck. In December last 2015, the FBI interviewed Young, ostensibly in connection to an investigation into the whereabouts of the source. Young told agents that he had left the United States to go on a vacation tour in Turkey around one year ago, but said that he knew of no one who helped the man cross the Turkish border into Syria. Young had been under surveillance since 2010 after the transit police sparked a probe into him In an interview with the police, Young revealed he had dressed up as the ISIS fighter known as 'Jihadi John' (pictured) for Halloween in 2014 Then in July 2016, Young sent a message intended for the source regarding purchasing of gift cards for mobile messaging accounts which the terror group uses for recruitment purposes. Young sent 22 16-digit Google Play gift cards gift card codes to the undercover FBI agents with a message that said: 'Respond to verify receipt... may not answer depending on when as this device will be destroyed after all are sent to prevent the data being possibly seen on this end in the case of something unfortunate.' Young sent the gift card codes after the informant told him that the group needed help setting up mobile messaging accounts, according to the affidavit, and then promised to cover his tracks: 'Gonna eat the SIM card. Have a good day.' The codes were ultimately redeemed by the FBI for $245. The investigation into Young was initiated by the transit police after fellow officers became suspicious about their colleagues behavior. Young was aware that he was being watched. When he spoke with the FBI informant he would often take the battery out of his phone. He would write through an email account he accessed at a nearby FedEx store, and he sent the gift card codes through a new phone and new account. 'I don't trust anyone; I'm suspicious of everyone,' he said in one recorded conversation. Later, he added, 'In some office, I know our pictures are up on some wall.' A New Jersey man has been sentenced to five years in prison after police discovered he was having a sexual relationship with his 11-year-old female relative. Euno Roque-Guerrero, of Waterford Township, was found with the girl in his car the night of February 20, NJ.com reports. Police had said they noticed a suspicious vehicle behind a shopping plaza in Hammonton before midnight. Euno Roque-Guerrero, 27, has been sentenced to five years in prison for having a sexual relationship with his 11-year-old female relative. He admitted to kissing and touching the girl After police approached the car, they said Roque-Guerrero, 27, admitted he was dating the girl and that he had kissed and touched her. In a police statement seen by the Courier Post, he apparently 'said they were in the car at the parking lot because they couldn't go to their homes because their age difference'. Roque-Guerrero pleaded guilty to child endangerment in July and will register as a sex offender. He also must give up his registration as a pharmacy technician as part of his crime. Officials say he also could face deportation but did not specify to which country. This is the shocking moment a young man attacks an elderly homeowner with an electric chainsaw after confronting the victim inside his Sydney apartment. Police allege three men broke into an Annandale unit through an open front door late on Monday afternoon - only to run into the homeowner, 63, and his wife. The trio were confronted by the married couple before being chased downstairs and outside into an empty laneway by the husband. One of the intruders allegedly grabbed an electric chainsaw from a nearby garage and assaulted the man, leaving him face down on the concrete with a deep cut to his face. A man, 21, has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a homeowner, 63, with a chainsaw Dramatic footage captures the entire brawl, showing the homeowner throwing defensive punches as the man allegedly slashes at him with the tool. The homeowner can be heard shouting: 'You want a piece of me?' while the alleged intruders appear to beckon him to attack. One of the younger men can be heard saying 'Stop it Justin' as the fight intensifies and the disconnected chainsaw connects with the homeowner. Police allege the three men ran off after the alleged assault. Leichhardt police spotted two of the men inside a nearby hotel at 6pm and the pair were arrested. One of the men involved in the alleged attack is still on the run. Police allege the violent confrontation took place after three young men broke into the man's Annandale apartment on Monday afternoon The pair were taken to Newtown Police Station, where a 20-year-old man was charged with aggravated enter dwelling with intent, and common assault. The alleged ringleader was charged with using an offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company, aggravated enter dwelling with intent and common assault. Both men were refused bail and are due to appear in Newtown Local Court on Tuesday. The 63-year-old man remains in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital receiving treatment for a laceration to his head and bruising. The ex-wife of former Liberian president Charles Taylor was refused bail today ahead of her trial for torturing children and plotting to commit rape during the civil war nearly 30 years ago. Coventry University lecturer Agnes Reeves Taylor, 52, is accused of inflicting severe pain or suffering in the performance of her official duties in the African country between 1989 and 1991. She was arrested by the Metropolitan Polices war crimes unit on 1 June and now faces one count of conspiracy to commit torture under the Criminal Law Act 1977 and seven counts of torture under the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Reeves Taylor, who has two daughters and a granddaughter living in the UK, appeared at the Old Bailey by video link from prison for a short administrative hearing. Her trial is due to start on 2 October 2018. Coventry University lecturer Agnes Reeves Taylor, 52, pictured, is accused of inflicting severe pain or suffering in the performance of her official duties in the African country between 1989 and 1991 The conspiracy charge alleges that she agreed with others unknown that a course of conduct would be pursued namely rape, which if carried out would amount to torture. Three torture charges relate to the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering on a 13 year-old boy. The other four torture charges relate to a child, two named individuals and a female referred to as the pastors wife. All the charges relate to the period between December 23, 1989 and January 1, 1991, during the civil war in Liberia. Reeves Taylor is the ex-wife of former Liberian president Charles Taylor, who is pictured during his September 2013 war crimes trial at The Hague Following a peace agreement Taylor was elected as President of Liberia in 1997 but a second civil war broke out in 1999 and Taylor was forced into exile in 2003. Taylor, who led the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, was convicted of aiding and abetting rebels who committed atrocities in Sierra Leone and sentenced to 50 years in prison on 30 May 2012. Agnes Taylor has worked as a lecturer and acting head of department at the London annex of the University of Coventry on a 44,000 salary since 2012. Reeves Taylor, of Kitchener Road, Dagenham, east London, was remanded in custody. An Australian sailor has died after being forced to abandon a luxury yacht in fierce storms and spending four days clinging to a dinghy in rough seas. Anthony Mahoney, 73, was sailing the Katerina from North Queensland to Subic in the Philippines with two other men when bad weather struck. The trio - all experienced mariners - left the boat after activating emergency beacons, but by the time they were rescued Mr Mahoney had died. The tragedy comes three years after Mr Mahoney's wife died in a freak sailing accident in Malaysia in 2014. The 18 metre yacht was formerly known as the Wyntje while owned by US broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, and host to Bill and Hillary Clinton. An Australian sailor (pictured, right, with his deceased wife Shelley) has died after being forced to abandon a luxury yacht in fierce storms and spending four days clinging to a dinghy in rough seas Anthony Mahoney, 73, was sailing the Katerina (pictured) from North Queensland to Subic in the Philippines with two other men when bad weather struck The 18 metre yacht was formerly known as the Wyntje while owned by US broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite (pictured, second left), and host to Bill and Hillary Clinton (pictured, right) The surviving crew members Laurie Miller and Lionel Ansselin remain in intensive care in the Philippines, the Courier Mail reported. Mr Miller's daughter, Kristy Cruise, said it was a miracle her father was still alive. 'My brother spoke to him and he said they were smashed by terrible storms and every night the boat overturned and they were clinging on for dear life and the next day they would get back on and do it all again,' she said. Mr Mahoney, from Townsville, died before the men were rescued by a Filipino fishing crew on Monday, four days after abandoning ship. The 73-year-old's stepdaughter, Shannon Grasso, said the family were in shock at losing 'a beautiful man'. 'We can't believe this has happened, especially after what happened to Mum,' Ms Grasso said. Mr Mahoney (pictured), from Townsville, died before the men were rescued by a Filipino fishing crew on Monday, four days after abandoning ship Mr Mahoney's wife, Shelley, (pictured together) also died following a freak sailing accident in Malaysia in 2014 The Katerina (picutred in 1990 when owned by Walter Cronkite) was discovered by authorities in the Philippines in near-perfect condition despite being battered by huge seas during the sailors' ordeal 'He is with Mum now.' The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was providing consular assistance to the family of Mr Mahoney. Mr Miller, from Cairns, will soon be joined by his partner and son, who are flying to visit him in hospital. Mr Ansselin, the yacht's latest owner, is also an Australian national believed to be living in the Philippines. Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea look out on the water while on Walter Cronkite's sailboat in Edgartown Hillary Clinton waves to onlookers as she leaves Edgartown Harboraboard Walter Cronkite's sailboat 'Wyntje' The Australian Maritime Safety Authority received an alert beacon from the vessel last Thursday and two more EPIRB (distress) signals on Friday, about 165 nautical miles from the Filippino port of Davao City. The boat refuelled in Davao and was bound for new owners in Subic, some three days' sailing away. The Katerina was discovered by authorities in the Philippines in near-perfect condition despite being battered by huge seas during the sailors' ordeal. The limited crusing yacht was designed by America's Cup boat architect David Pedrick, and had completed crossings of the Pacific, the Tasman and the Atlantic. Giulia asked to be moved from her base in Sicily to nearer her home town of Pisa when it became clear her relative was seriously unwell Dozens of stewards contacted the Daily Mail after we revealed how they are ruthlessly exploited by the budget airline. They described gruelling working conditions and extraordinary tactics used to pressurise passengers into buying as much as possible during flights. One said that on one day he worked for eight hours but was paid for only two. Another said she earned less than 500 in a month. Others were repeatedly put on standby at the airport, in eight-hour shifts for which they are paid 30, or 3.75 per hour less than half the minimum wage. Theresa May yesterday said there were 'no excuses' for underpaying staff, and employees should report bosses if they believe they have been paid below minimum wage. Last night, many Ryanair stewards claimed bosses 'don't treat us like humans'. They revealed staff are told to keep passengers awake with lights and loud announcements to maximise sales. Some said they were threatened with relocation away from their families if they did not sell enough. One stewardess was told she would be moved to her home country to be with her daughter only if she sold more Pringles crisps. Others said they were made to put 'sales before safety', with staff pitted against each for the most commission. Mail investigation: Ryanair cabin crew instructor Dorota Sowinska (pictured) was training new recruits at one of the centres The Hahn Training Centre (pictured) is on an isolated former airbase, with dozens of derelict barracks An exhausted crew member said it was possible to work an eight-hour shift on board an aircraft but be paid for only two hours Another worker, who was based in Dublin until earlier this year and is now working for another airline, said: 'It was like a small North Korea. It is modern-day slavery and they should be ashamed of themselves.' Yesterday, the Mail revealed thousands of Ryanair's agency cabin crew earn money only when in the air and on commission for in-flight sales. This means all time cleaning planes and boarding passengers is unpaid. An undercover Mail reporter was taken on as a trainee by Crewlink, one of two firms that hire some of the airline's 8,000 stewards. WHISTLEBLOWER ACCUSED OF 'FALSE CLAIMS' BY AIRLINE Sophie Growcoot, now 25, felt so passionately about the alleged exploitation of young workers that she contacted Luciana Berger, her local MP for Liverpool Wavertree A flight attendant was accused by agency bosses of making 'false claims' when she blew the whistle four years ago. Sophie Growcoot, now 25, felt so passionately about the alleged exploitation of young workers that she contacted Luciana Berger, her local MP for Liverpool Wavertree. Miss Growcoot said cabin crew were only paid for time in the air and could be forced to take up to three months unpaid leave from work each year. She also discussed the monthly fees deducted from wages for uniforms, fees for leaving the job and having to pay for a mandatory safety course. At the time, Ryanair dismissed the allegations and Crewlink, the agency which employed Miss Growcoot, challenged her account and criticised Mrs Berger. The firm said her allegations about payments for training and having to pay to leave were 'untrue' and a false claim'. Miss Growcoot's claims have now been supported by the Mail's investigation. She said: 'It was never clear what we were going to get paid for. They worded things in funny ways so we didn't know what was going on.' Miss Growcoot was based at Liverpool Airport from January to April 2013 and now works as a live-in carer in Edinburgh. During her tenure with Ryanair she also raised concerns about unpaid 'home standby' days, describing one morning when she was called in to the airport from home at 4am only for the flight to be cancelled. 'I got ready and paid 11 for a taxi because obviously there was no public transport and ended up getting the first bus back home meaning I had paid 13 altogether and wasn't paid anything for the day. 'I didn't even get an apology. I felt their attitude was: 'It's tough.' When Miss Growcoot resigned she received letters from Ryanair demanding thousands of pounds to cover training and uniform costs. The firm dropped the requests when Miss Growcoot said the ordeal was leaving her suffering from stress and anxiety. She added: 'I was only 20 and some were 18 [years old]. I think 18 is too young to be a flight attendant anyway because they are young and naive.' Last night Mrs Berger said Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary should be called to Parliament to 'face the music'. A spokesman for Ryanair said: 'We don't comment on hearsay rumour or speculation.' Advertisement She was told she would earn a 'premium' hourly rate of 14.43 but this rate applies only to 'flight time', from when a plane leaves the blocks till it is parked at its destination. Recruits were told the unpaid work would consist of at least 45 minutes before the day's first flight, time between flights, and half an hour after the final flight. Agency cabin crew members must also pay fees, including at least 2,150 for training, 25 a month for uniform in the first year and 179 if resigning in the first 15 months. These deductions meant one worker was paid just 470 for a month's work. Agency recruits earn on average 11,500 a year while chief executive Michael O'Leary had a pay package last year of 2.8million. The firm, Europe's largest airline, made post-tax profits of 1.14billion in the six months to September. Labour MP Luciana Berger who first raised Ryanair's conduct in Parliament in 2013 said: 'We need a full and fearless investigation into Ryanair's malpractices, and Michael O'Leary should come to Parliament to face the music.' She added: 'Ryanair stands charged with disgraceful abuse of its cabin crew Senior managers should hang their heads in shame.' Graham Stringer, of the Commons transport committee, condemned the 'shocking' actions of the company, which is worth 17.5billion. 'SHOWN NO RESPECT ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS SALES' Giulia described bosses relentlessly pushing cabin crew to hit increasingly unrealistic sales targets Italian stewardess Giulia says she was told to sell more snacks and scratch cards onboard to be moved to an airport closer to her ill grandmother. The 28-year-old asked to be moved from her base in Sicily to nearer her home town of Pisa when it became clear her relative was seriously unwell. She said she made 12 requests that were all declined, and that she was told priority for transfers was based on selling performance, not family circumstances. Her grandmother died before Giulia was granted a transfer. She quit her post this year suffering from depression. Giulia, who has asked to withhold her surname, also worked at Stansted Airport on a contract for third-party agency Crewlink between 2012 and 2013. She described bosses relentlessly pushing cabin crew to hit increasingly unrealistic sales targets. Techniques designed to improve sales were said to include leaving onboard lights bright even on early morning and late night flights and making repeated announcements over the public address system. Heating on the plane would also be turned off in the hope this would keep passengers awake. This was to ensure cabin crew had the best opportunity to sell Ryanair's array of scratch cards, food and perfumes. She said: 'If we said [to a supervisor] passengers were sleeping, she said we should have woken them up. It was ridiculous. We were pushed all the time. It was all about up-selling. If someone purchased a hot chocolate you had to ask if they wanted a Twix. Passengers would get angry.' Of her bid to be relocated, Giulia, who says she now earns the same salary working as a waitress in Italy, added: 'I deserved to be moved because of my seniority and I had a good sales record. 'You aren't shown any respect as all they care about are sales.' Advertisement He said: 'There needs to be an inquiry into this. Ryanair's human resources policies are more reminiscent of medieval times If I was a shareholder I would be demanding Mr O'Leary's head.' The work and pensions committee and business committee have said they will investigate. Ryanair said the 3.75-per-hour airport standby shifts were lawful as total pay amounts to more than minimum wage, when flight time and sales commission is included. The Prime Minister's spokesman said: 'There are no excuses for not paying the national minimum wage regardless of what the employer calls the arrangement HMRC responds to 100 per cent of minimum wage complaints, and also carries out a number of targeted investigations where it identifies a risk of abuse.' Lawyers who analysed the Mail's findings said Ryanair could be in breach of minimum wage guidelines. It is an offence for employers to fail to have full shift records that prove they pay minimum wage. Stewards say they are not given such records. Ryanair said it does record their full working shifts but declined to provide a sample. Last week Ryanair recognised pilots' unions for the first time. But it still refuses to do so for cabin crew unions. A clause in stewards' contracts threatens them with the sack if they strike. Unite's Oliver Richardson said: 'This change must extend to all workers These work conditions are unacceptable.' Ryanair denied any wrongdoing. It said its average pay for crew, including agency workers and staff but not supervisors, is 21,140. It said recruits who stay for a year get an 'annual uniform allowance' of 396. A spokesman also said that staff were given training to help improve their sales, but 'if they consistently and repeatedly underperform, their contracts will be terminated'. Crewlink declined to comment. Former contestant on ABC's Shark Tank, John DePaola, 53, has been arrested after being connected to a New Jersey cocaine-distribution ring A former contestant on ABC's Shark Tank has been arrested in connection to a New Jersey cocaine-distribution ring. John DePaola, 53, was among the nine defendants arrested on Sunday, On Monday, the Monmouth County prosecutor said that the group distributed cocaine in the Freehold area. DePaola is charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine. His lawyer, Herbert Ellis, calls the charge 'baffling' and 'without merit.' He argues DePaola is not a 'druggie' or a drug dealer. Ellis also said DePaola is a 'highly regarded individual in the community,' and the charge against him is 'a mistake.' The Jackson resident appeared on a 2014 episode of 'Shark Tank.' His company, which sells paint brush covers, attracted a $200,000 investment from Shark Tank personality Lori Greiner. Authorities believe Hugo Hernandez, 48, (L) of Freehold Borough, is the drug ringleader with Carlos Hernandez-Campos, 35, (R) of New Brunswick being one of the eight men working for him The Jackson resident (C) appeared on a 2014 episode of 'Shark Tank.' His company, which sells paint brush covers, attracted a $200,000 investment from Shark Tank personality Lori Greiner DePaola and his business partners said in a follow-up segment that their product landed in 14,000 stores nationwide, with $1.5 million in sales DePaola and his business partners said in a follow-up segment that their product landed in 14,000 stores nationwide, with $1.5 million in sales. The federal state and local authorities seized over 721 grams of cocaine and $14,943 in cash after conducting a search warrant, according to the Philly Voice. Late last week, federal, state and local authorities executed several search warrants between Monmouth and Middlesex counties for the drug investigation, which spanned nine months, App reports. Roberto Tlapa De La Era, 35, (L) of Freehold Borough and Antonio Romano-Jiminez, 29, (R) of Freehold Borough are two of the other men involved in the incident Procopio Morales-Hernandez, 49, (L) of Freehold Borough and Lucino Roldan-Coria, 58, (R) of Freehold Borough are pictured here in their mugshots Prosecutor Charles Webster has said that Hugo Hernandez, 48, is the drug ringleader in charge of the cocaine trafficking enterprise and describes the other men involved as lower-level dealers. The other men accused include Carlos Hernandez-Campos, 35, Roberto Tlapa De La Era, 35, Antonio Romano-Jiminez, 29, Procopio Morales-Hernandez, 49, Lucino Roldan-Coria, 58, Gregorio Morales, 35, and Miguel Garcia-Tapia, 30. Apparently a third of a kilo of cocaine was being distributed per week. If convicted DePaola faces a sentence of three to five years in prison. The devastated mother of a 14-year-old boy who died after crashing his motorcycle into a truck last year says she doesn't blame the driver. Mary-Jane Hodder said she didn't want anyone feeling guilty for her son Corey Kramer's death, and just hopes his deadly decision to not wear a helmet can serve as a warning to others, Seven News reports. The teenager was travelling at speeds up to 55km/h in the western Sydney suburb of Mount Druitt in October when he fatally collided with Guiseppe Perricone's truck. Scroll down for video Mary-Jane Hodder (pictured) doesn't blame the driver of the truck her son fatally collided with while not wearing a helmet in October last year The man was pulling out of a driveway on Kurrajong Avenue when Corey, and his friend Jason Hudson, 12, who was riding on the back, slammed into the side of his car. Mr Kramer sustained serious injuries and died instantly while his friend was treated for a broken leg at the Children's Hospital in Westmead. The duo were travelling on an unregistered bike and were being followed by police moments before the crash. Officers turned on their siren but the pair reportedly sped off, with witnesses saying Corey was looking over his shoulder at the police car travelling around 20 seconds behind him at the time of the crash. The teenager was travelling at speeds up to 55km/h in the western Sydney suburb of Mount Druitt in October when he fatally collided with Guiseppe Perricone's (pictured) truck Corey Kramer (pictured) was warned not to ride an unregistered trail bike hours before he was killed instantly when he ploughed into a truck while checking if a police car was chasing him 'I heard a crack on the side of the car,' Mr Perricone said. 'I saw a motorbike on the ground and two young boys.' At an inquest into Corey's death on Monday, his mother and Mr Perricone met for the first time since the fatal accident. 'I don't blame him and that's the main thing,' Ms Hodder said. 'I don't want him feeling like it's his fault.' 'He was interested in motorbikes, I thought it was just a phase. In the end, it killed him.' He was killed instantly while the 12-year-old passenger riding on the back of the mini-bike (pictured) was left with serious injuries Ms Hodder said her son had been in trouble with police for riding without a licence and helmet before She believes Corey (pictured) would have likely tried to outrun officers fearing he would get in trouble for breaking the law again Ms Hodder said she warned her son not to ride the trail bike over and over again, even once only hours before the joyride that claimed his life. 'Corey, he died doing something that he loved,' she said outside court on Monday. The grieving mother said she was angry at her son - a twin - for not listening to her and devastated that she would never see him again. 'The last thing I said to Corey was 'lock the house and don't ride that motorbike because you're going to get hurt - it's going to kill you' and eventually it has,' she told Nine News at the time. 'If he would have listened he would have still be here and I would have had my little boy.' Every cop in Sydney could soon be patrolling the streets armed with assault rifles to guard against organised crime and terrorism. Riot quad officers were issued with 47 Colt M4 rifles, and will carry them on New Year's Eve, and all 100 members will have access to them within six months. But NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the high-powered weapons could soon be in every police car boot and slung on every cop's shoulder. Scroll down for video Every cop in Sydney could soon be patrolling the streets armed with assault rifles to guard against organised crime and terrorism 'It's not a big leap to take that next step. It's certainly possible but not in the coming months. We need to continue that conversation,' he told the Daily Telegraph. The M4s will initially only be used in situations where there was a known threat, but over time this could be expanded to everyday use. The rifles, popular with U.S. special forces and SWAT teams, shoot three-round semiautomatic bursts and are usually configured to fire fully automatic. Commissioner Fuller said Australians had to get used to more intense policing as threats from well-armed gangs and terrorists increased. The M4s will initially only be used in situations where there was a known threat, but over time this could be expanded to everyday use. Riot quad officers were issued with 47 Colt M4 rifles, and will carry them on New Year's Eve, and all 100 members will have access to them within six months NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the high-powered weapons could soon be in every police car boot and slung on every cop's shoulder 'There's no point in us pretending the environment hasn't changed the organised crime environment, the terrorism environment,' he told reporters on Monday. He understood many people said they were not ready for 'European style policing' where officers armed to the teeth patrol every train station. But any concerns he may have had were put to rest after he fired an M4 without the benefit of the intensive 10-day course his officers just underwent. Commissioner Fuller said he shot the rifle with 'dead point' target accuracy at a range of 100m. He understood many people said they were not ready for 'European style policing' where officers armed to the teeth patrol every train station (UK officer pictured) Commissioner Fuller said Australians had to get used to more intense policing as threats from well-armed gangs and terrorists increased The state's top cop also said police had foiled several Columbine-style school shootings before they were carried out - as South Australian officers did recently. He said greater police powers allowed them to more easily identify people planning 'lone wolf' attacks, be they terrorists or mass shooters. 'Some of those [arrested] were in the process of planning Columbine-type attacks at local schools. We're not sitting on our hands,' he told the Telegraph. 'They don't profile as a terrorist but they are capable of terrorist activities.' The state's top cop also said police had foiled several Columbine-style school shootings before they were carried out The military-style weapons would be used as a deterrent and to take on better-armed offenders over greater ranges than standard-issue Glock 22 pistols The M4, popular with U.S. special forces and SWAT teams, shoots three-round semiautomatic bursts and is usually configured to fire fully automatic Police were also positioned to monitor Australians fighting with terrorists , both those who have returned and some who are still overseas. The military-style weapons would be used as a deterrent and to take on better-armed offenders over greater ranges than standard-issue Glock 22 pistols. Most overseas incidents occurred at a range of 25 to 100 metres where pistols were not effective enough and put police at a disadvantage. NSW Police Minister Troy Grant said the world was changing and police needed the resources and technology to adapt to it. 'We wish we didn't have to move down this path and we hope these fire arms never have to be used,' he said. 'As the crime landscape changes and international threats reach our shores it is important our police have these capabilities.' Indicted former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort will be able to sing 'Joy to the World' with his family and in-laws this month in the Hamptons and it won't violate his bail agreement. Judge Amy Berman Jackson granted his request Monday to spend five days at his house in the tony Long Island town of Bridgehampton, and to bend the rules of his 11:00 p.m. curfew to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. At least three Manafort homes are now involved in the conditions of a $10 million bail deal that requires him to wear a GPS ankle monitor and remain on house arrest. Manafort is required to file detailed itineraries with federal pre-trial officials whenever he wants to deviate from the terms of his bail. Straying without permission could land him behind bars until his trial on money laundering and other charges. Indicted former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort will spend Christmas in the Hamptons despite being on pre-trial house arrest, thanks to a lenient federal judge Manafort's sprawling property in Bridgehampton, on Long Island, includes tennis and basketball courts, a swimming pool and a putting green Berman had already approved a plan on Friday to change the site of Manafort's house arrest from his condominium in central Virginia to a larger house in South Florida. She didn't seem happy to hear from his lawyers again. 'It is somewhat burdensome to the Court and to Pretrial Services for defendant to ask now that a new set of conditions be crafted to accommodate an entirely different arrangement,' she wrote in a brief order, 'and the motion seeks more flexibility than will be granted given the fact that the defendant has not yet satisfied the conditions for his release from home confinement. Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted Manafort and his former business associate Rick Gates in late October. Both men have pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include money laundering, fraud conspiracy. Manafort's $10 million bail is 'unsecured,' meaning he wasn't required to put money down but would be in debt to the government if he fled the U.S. or failed to show up for trial. Manafort was Donald Trump's campaign manager during the tumultuous period leading up to the Republican National Convention last year, after which the future president cut him loose Which house for house arrest? This house in Palm Beach, Florida not far from Trump's palatial Mar-a-Lago resort club is the pad where Manafort will remain on house-arrest pending a multi-count federal trial Jackson noted Monday that one condition of that deal, proof that his wife has cash or securities worth at least $5 million and his daughter another $2 million remains unsatisfied. His lawyers are required to submit his Hamptons itinerary by noon Wednesday. Manafort asked for permission to stay at his house there during the Christmas holiday, and to make the roughly ten-mile trip to his in-laws' home in East Hampton as well. '[T]he age and/or infirmness of certain individuals living in East Hampton, NY, now prevents them from traveling, or only traveling with great efforts being made to do so,' the lawyers' motion argued. 'Family members from California, Illinois, Connecticut and New York will be traveling to Bridgehampton to celebrate the holiday.' Manafort and his wife Kathleen are shown arriving at the U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C. for a status conference before Judge Amy Berman Jackson Judge Jackson wrote an impatient-sounding order on Monday granting Manafort leave to spend Christmas in one fancy home instead of another and to break curfew for Midnight Mass with his family Manafort had another home in Northern Virginia, a condo in this Alexandria building on the Potomac River, which the FBI raided last year Forcing everyone to travel to see him in Richmond where he's confined to one of his homes, the attorneys wrote, 'would splinter the family's regular religious celebration by precluding attendance by close family members and by not providing adequate accommodations for the other guests traveling significant distances to be with their family.' In addition to that condo and his homes in South Florida and the Hamptons, Manafort has a waterfront condo in Alexandria, Virginia his residence near Washington, D.C. that the FBI raided in July 2016. Court records also show he owns a $2.8 million New York condo in lower Manhattan, which he used for rental income. Vice President Mike Pence on Monday postponed his trip to Egypt and Israel until mid-January, citing the need to preside over the Senate on a sweeping tax overhaul. Pence will instead travel to the Middle East during the week of Jan. 14 so he can be in the Senate for Tuesday's expected tax vote. Senior White House officials said the uncertainty of the timing of the Senate vote could have pushed back Pence's schedule in Egypt and Israel, and the vice president felt it was important to be in the Senate in case he was needed to break a tie vote. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans. Vice President Mike Pence has pushed his trip to Israel and Egypt back to mid-January, allowing him to be in the Senate to break a tax-reform tie Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain is recovering from the effects of brain cancer treatment and will be a no-show when senators vote Tuesday on tax cuts Pence had been expected to depart for Egypt on Tuesday night, followed by a visit to Israel and then a meeting with U.S. troops in Germany. The vice president's office had originally planned to depart on Saturday night for Israel but pushed back his departure because of the pending tax bill. The schedule shift comes after President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital prompted Palestinian officials and leading Muslim and Christian clerics in Egypt to refuse to meet with Pence. The vice president had been scheduled to be in Cairo on Wednesday for a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and was expected to arrive in Israel later Wednesday for a visit to the Western Wall. Pence had been slated to hold meetings Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and deliver an address to the Knesset. Pence was expected to go this week to visit Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (right) and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) 'The vice president is committed to seeing the tax cut through to the finish line,' said Alyssa Farah, Pence's press secretary, in a statement. She said Pence 'looks forward to traveling to Egypt and Israel in January.' Republicans, who hold a narrow 52-48 majority in the Senate, can afford to lose just two votes while counting on Pence to break a tie. Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain returned to his home state after being treated for a viral infection at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland. He had missed votes last week and will miss the vote on the tax bill. Sen. Thad Cochran, a Mississippi Republican, also missed votes last week. Cochran had a non-melanoma lesion removed from his nose earlier this week but is expected to vote on the tax bill. Republicans are expected to pass the bill in the Senate by a narrow margin amid unified Democratic opposition, but Pence officials said the vice president did not want to take any chances. Advertisement A farmer in China has spent all of his savings realising his childhood dream - to own an aeroplane. Zhu Yue, from Kaiyuan city in Liaoning Province, claimed he taught himself how to build aircraft by studying technical drawings and plane models. He has so far spent over 90,000 (800,000 yuan) on the aircraft, according to People's Daily Online. Scroll down for video Big dream: A Chinese farmer who has always wanted to own a plan is spending his life savings building a replica of A320 Happy man: Zhu Yue (pictured) has apparently taught himself how to build aircraft by studying drawings and models Step by step: He's currently building the plane in a rented industrial park in Kaiyuan, Liaoning, and hopes to finish next May Look at my plane! Zhu Yue and his friend pose in front of their Airbus A320 jet plane at an open space in Kaiyuan city Mr Zhu said he has liked aeroplanes since childhood, and because he couldn't afford to buy one, he decided to build one by himself. His A320 is a full-size copy of Airbus's narrow-body, twin-engine airliner, which sells for 74 million ($99 million) on the market. Its wing span is 35.8 metres (126.3 feet) and overall length is 37.75 metres (123.8 metres). So far, Mr Zhu has used 40 tonnes iron building the aircraft which is due to complete next May, said the People's Daily report citing Beijing News. Apparently Mr Zhu's A320 is not to be flown. Once the plane is built, the farmer plans to open a restaurant inside or turns it into his home. Full size: Measuring 35.8 metres (126.3 feet) wide and 37.75 metres (123.8 metres) long, it's a one-to-one replica of A320 Team work: Mr Zhu is building the plane with five friends and has spent 90,000 (800,000 yuan) on the construction Ambitious: Mr Zhu plans to open a restaurant inside plane or turns it into his home once he finishes building it next year Mr Zhu told local reporters: 'The reason why I chose to build a plane is because it has been a dream since my childhood.' He said he had worked as a welder and motorbike mechanic, and he decided to realise his dream after earning enough money. Mr Zhu is building the plane with five friends in a rented industrial park in Kaiyuan. He said after he decided to build the plane last October, he spent three months studying the models and technical drawings of A320 before coming up with his own construction plan. Long-time wish: Mr Zhu said 'the reason why I chose to build a plane is because it has been a dream since my childhood' Hardworking: Zhu Yue and his friend work on their homemade Airbus A320 jet plane at an open space in Kaiyuan city He said he had worked as a welder and motorbike mechanic, and he decided to realise his dream after earning enough money The man is also live-streaming himself building the plan on Chinese video sites, which has led some people to claim that he started the project solely as a way to promote himself. Mr Zhu defended himself on Chinese media: 'In order to build the plane, I spent over 800,000 yuan, these are my life savings. Some people said I am promoting myself in sensational way, who would spend so much money and time doing so?' He said the live-streaming sessions motivate him and his team to work harder. The man is also live-streaming himself building the plan on Chinese video sites and said it's a way to motivate his team Advertisement Aerion and Lockheed Martin have revealed they are joining forces in the race to create the world's first supersonic business jet. The firms are working together to 'explore the feasibility of a joint development of the world's first supersonic business jet', the Aerion AS2. The 12-passenger AS2 is expected to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.4 over water. Scroll down for video Aerion and Lockheed Martin have revealed they are joining forces in the race to create the world's first supersonic business jet, and hope the 12-passenger AS2 will fly by 2023 HOW IT WORKS The 12-passenger AS2 is expected to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.4 over water. The design uses a special wing shape to crate 'boomless cruise', which should allow flight at speeds approaching Mach 1.2, depending on atmospheric conditions, without a sonic boom hitting the ground. Advertisement Over the next 12 months, the companies will work together on the project. Aerion Chairman Robert M. Bass stated, 'This relationship is absolutely key to creating a supersonic renaissance. 'When it comes to supersonic know-how, Lockheed Martin's capabilities are well known, and, in fact, legendary. 'We share with Lockheed Martin a commitment to the long-term development of efficient civil supersonic aircraft.' Thanks to its unique supersonic natural laminar flow wing, the aircraft is expected to achieve long range (LA to Paris) and efficiency at supersonic and subsonic speeds. The design uses a special wing shape to crate 'boomless cruise', which should allow flight at speeds approaching Mach 1.2, depending on atmospheric conditions, without a sonic boom hitting the ground. Once fielded, it will reduce trans-Atlantic trips by as much as three hours, enabling business leaders to fly roundtrip between New York and London in a day, the two firms say. In November 2015, Aerion announced a fleet order from fractional aircraft fleet operator Flexjet for 20 AS2 aircraft. Aerion expects the AS2's first flight in 2023 and certification in 2025. 'We are excited to work with Aerion on their development of the next-generation, efficient supersonic jet that will potentially serve as a platform for pioneering future supersonic aircraft,' said Orlando Carvalho, Executive Vice President, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. The craft could reduce trans-Atlantic trips by as much as three hours, enabling business leaders to fly roundtrip between New York and London in a day, the two firms say. The MOU is the result of extensive discussions between Aerion and Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works Advanced Development Programs team. 'Following our initial review of Aerion's aerodynamic technology, our conclusion is that the Aerion AS2 concept warrants the further investment of our time and resources,' said Carvalho. Aerion expects the AS2's first flight in 2023 and certification in 2025 Cabin dimensions are similar to some of todays most popular long-range cabins with two seating areas, a large galley, a full-width aft lavatory, and walk in baggage area, Aerion says 'We are committed to remaining on the cutting edge of aerospace technology and are excited to examine the contribution we might make to working with Aerion on making aviation history.' During the last two and a half years, Aerion advanced the aerodynamics and structural design of the AS2 through a previous engineering collaboration agreement with Airbus. Through that effort, the two companies developed a preliminary design of wing and airframe structures, systems layout, and preliminary concepts for a fly-by-wire flight control system. Customers will be able to pick their own interior for the jet, which can include everything from a home cinema to a fully featured kitchen During the last two and a half years, Aerion advanced the aerodynamics and structural design of the AS2 through a previous engineering collaboration agreement with Airbus. 'We are grateful for Airbus' contribution to the program,' said Brian Barents, Aerion Executive Chairman. 'We could not have moved the program to this stage without their support.' In May 2017, GE Aviation announced an agreement with Aerion to define a supersonic engine for the AS2. The latest announcement with Lockheed Martin further positions Aerion as the leader in the nascent sector of civil supersonic aviation. Advertisement Stunning concept images for the world's first first floating nation have been released as part of a project bankrolled by PayPal founder Peter Thiel. The plans will see the seabound city-state, complete with a handful of hotels, homes, offices, restaurants and more, built in the Pacific Ocean off the island of Tahiti in 2020. Now, a series of computer generated graphics reveal how it might look once complete, with a design that blends futuristic technology with Polynesian traditions. Scroll down for video Stunning concept images for the world's first first floating nation have been released as part of a project bankrolled by PayPal founder Peter Thiel. The plans will see the seabound city-state, complete with a handful of hotels, homes, offices, restaurants and more, built in the Pacific Ocean off the island of Tahiti in 2020 THE FLOATING ISLAND Floating islands would feature aquaculture farms, healthcare, medical research facilities, and sustainable energy powerhouses. The first city would be built on a network of 11 rectangular and five-sided platforms so it could be rearranged according to its inhabitants' needs like a floating jigsaw, Mr Quirk said in January. A feasibility report by Dutch engineering firm Deltasync said the square and pentagon platforms would measure 164ft (50metres) in length and they would have 164 ft-tall (50 metre) sides to protect buildings and residents. The platforms will be made from reinforced concrete and support three-storey buildings such as apartments, terraces, offices and hotels for up to 100 years, according to the plans. It's envisaged that between 250 and 300 people will call the first floating city home. Advertisement The scheme is the creation of the nonprofit Seasteading Institute, which hopes to 'liberate humanity from politicians'. The radical plans could see the creation of an independent nation that will float in international waters and operate within its own laws. 'Seasteading' has long been the stuff of science fiction, drawing comparisons with the post-apocalyptic Kevin Costner movie Waterworld. But the fantasy looks to be coming closer to reality with companies, academics and architects from the Seasteading Institute working on a prototype for construction at the turn of the next decade. The latest concept images take inspiration from the rich Polynesian culture, in particular from traditional navigation, which is based on the observation and knowledge of natural elements. In a written statement, a spokesman for the Seasteading Institute said: 'During several visits to French Polynesia and after getting acquainted with the environment and the local contexts, one thing was sure, the project has to blend into its environment. 'To achieve this, local environmental characteristics, climate, ecology and cultural context have all been studied and play a major role in the process. 'The project, however, doesnt only want to not hurt the existing environment, the vision of the Blue Frontiers [is to] facilitate the development of more conscious and balanced settlements at sea where humans can peacefully coexist with the environment and with each other.' The overall shape of the construction reflects the pattern of a fish hook, an ancestral tool that symbolises the actions of the demigod Maui. Hills and mountains, the shape of reefs and other underwater landmarks, as well as the rising and setting of the sun, moon and stars are reflected in the design. A series of computer generate graphics reveal how a prototype floating habitat might look once complete, with a design that blends futuristic technology with Polynesian traditions. The overall shape of the construction reflects the pattern of a fish hook, an ancestral tool that symbolised the actions of the demigod Maui The scheme is the creation of the nonprofit Seasteading Institute, which hopes to 'liberate humanity from politicians'. This image shows how the artificial island will blend in with nature The latest concept images take inspiration from the rich Polynesian culture, in particular from traditional navigation, which is based on the observation and knowledge of natural elements Small platforms with villas are aligned to the path of the stars of the Sirius, or Rua faupapa, star system. Larger platforms with mixed-use buildings are aligned to the celestial pillar Pou, starting from the main platform, the 'star headlight' or Taurua, and ending by the guide star Aveia, passing through the zenith of the floating island. Other elements of navigation are taken into account in the urban planning. The larger platforms are oriented according to the prevailing wind direction, in order to create calmer wave conditions behind them. The project aims at including Polynesian culture also in the design and detailing of buildings and other structures. Local construction techniques and materials are blended with modern technologies to fulfil contemporary needs while preserving continuity with tradition. The radical plans could see the creation of an independent nation that will float in international waters and operate within its own laws. This image shows dwellings on the island might look Hills and mountains, the shape of reefs and other underwater landmarks, as well as the rising and setting of the sun, moon and stars are reflected in the design. This image shows how the floating island will look from the shore of nearby Tahiti In an interview in November, Joe Quirk, president of the Seasteading Institute, said he wants to see 'thousands' of rogue floating cities by 2050, each of them 'offering different ways of governance'. 'Governments just don't get better,' Mr Quirk told the New York Times. 'They're stuck in previous centuries. That's because land incentives a violent monopoly to control it.' The first island is being funded by a coin offering, a new concept gaining popularity in Silicon Valley in which money is 'crowd sourced' by creating and selling a virtual currency. The non-profit hopes to raise around $60 million by 2020 to build a dozen buildings. The structures will feature 'green roofs' covered with vegetation and construction will use local bamboo, coconut fibre, wood and recycled metal and plastic. The world's first floating nation is set to appear in the Pacific Ocean off the island of Tahiti in 2020 (artist's impression). A handful of hotels, homes, offices, restaurants and more will be built in the next few years by the nonprofit Seasteading Institute, which hopes to 'liberate humanity from politicians' First revealed in January, the plans have been approved by the French Polynesian government, which is now creating a special economic zone so the floating nation can operate under its own trade laws. The tiny nation, a collection of 118 islands in the southern Pacific with a population just over 200,000, has granted the Seasteading Institute 100 acres of beachfront to operate from. French Polynesia is interested in the project as the area is at risk from rising sea levels. It may seem like an ambitious plan, but the group believes semi-independent cities would be the perfect place to try new modes of government and agricultural methods. Mr Quirk and his team have now started a new company, Blue Frontiers, which will build and operate the floating islands in French Polynesia. He said he was inspired to build a floating city, known as seasteading, when he went to the US festival Burning Man 2011. The radical plans, bankrolled by PayPal founder Peter Thiel, could see the creation of an independent 'start-up country' that will float in international waters and operate within its own laws WHO ARE THE 'SEASTEADERS'? Seasteaders are a diverse global team of marine biologists, nautical engineers, aquaculture farmers, medical researchers, investors, environmentalists, and artists according to The Seasteading Institute's website. They plan to build floating islands, or seasteads to host aquaculture farms, floating healthcare, medical research islands, and sustainable energy powerhouses. 'Our goal is to maximise entrepreneurial freedom to create blue jobs to welcome anyone to the Next New World,' they write. The Institute was founded in 2008 by PayPal founder, Peter Thiel and activist, software engineer and political economic theorist Patri Friedman, who is the grandson of Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman. Mr Theil, a venture capitalist who co-founded PayPal, has funnelled $1.25 million ($812,920) into the Institute and has previously called Seasteading an 'open frontier for experimenting with new ideas for government'. Advertisement The enormous event, which attracts 70,000 people every year, could provide a model for a new society where 'rules don't observe their usual parameters', he said. 'If you could have a floating city, it would essentially be a start-up country,' Mr Quirk said. 'We can create a huge diversity of governments for a huge diversity of people.' The Seasteading Institute, co-founded by Paypal founder Peter Thiel and political economic theorist Patri Friedman, has spent the past five years creating designs for 'permanent, innovative communities floating at sea'. In 2012, soon after Mr Quirk joined the Seasteading Institute, he wrote a paper with Mr Friedman titled: 'Seasteading: How Floating Nations Will Restore The Environment, Enrich The Poor, Cure The Sick and Liberate Humanity From Politicians.' The groups claims that building floating cities is the first step to fulfilling 'the eight great moral imperatives'. French Polynesia, a collection of 118 islands in the southern Pacific, is interested in the project as the area is at risk from rising sea levels Its deal with French Polynesia, signed in January, specifies two points the project must prove before it gets the green light: Whether it will benefit the local economy, and if it proves to be environmentally friendly. Even if it succeeds in proving these two points, the project will still need to be approved by the local government, and possibly France, which holds the territory. Randolph Hencken, executive director of the institute, said in January: 'What we're interested in is societal choice and having a location where we can try things that haven't been tried before. 'I don't think it will be that dramatically radical in the first renditions. 'We were looking for sheltered waters, we don't want to be out in the open ocean - it's technologically possible but economically outrageous to afford. Draft legislation will be drawn up next year and construction is expected to begin in 2019. Floating islands would feature aquaculture farms, healthcare, medical research facilities, and sustainable energy powerhouses 'If we can be behind a reef break, then we can design floating platforms that are sufficient for those waters at an affordable cost. 'We don't have to start from scratch as this is a pilot project. 'They also have very stable institutions so we're able to work with a government that wants us there, that we have respect for and they have respect for us.' Draft legislation will be drawn up next year and construction is expected to begin in 2019. Floating islands would feature aquaculture farms, healthcare, medical research facilities, and sustainable energy powerhouses. The first city would be built on a network of 11 rectangular and five-sided platforms so the city could be rearranged according to its inhabitants' needs like a floating jigsaw, Joe Quirk, spokesman for the project explained A feasibility report by Dutch engineering firm Deltasync in January said the square and pentagon platforms would measure 164ft (50metres) in length and they would have 164 ft-tall (50 metre) sides to protect buildings and residents The first city would be built on a network of 11 rectangular and five-sided platforms so it could be rearranged according to its inhabitants' needs like a floating jigsaw, Mr Quirk said in January. A feasibility report by Dutch engineering firm Deltasync said the square and pentagon platforms would measure 164ft (50metres) in length and they would have 164 ft-tall (50 metre) sides to protect buildings and residents. The platforms will be made from reinforced concrete and support three-storey buildings such as apartments, terraces, offices and hotels for up to 100 years, according to the plans. It's envisaged that between 250 and 300 people will call the first floating city home. The plan is that the city will float just off-shore of a host nation, but have a substantial degree of political independence. The original proposal was to look to international waters to establish new nations, but the Institute realised locating its city off the coast would enable the inhabitants to go onshore and acquire goods, give it more shelter from storms and better legal protection. The feasibility report supported the idea that the project is economically feasible, with each platform costing less than $15 million (10 million) which works out at a similar price as land in London or New York. The Institute says: 'Our in-house team is now actively engaged in diplomacy with host nations, making the case that hosting an autonomous seastead city in their territorial waters would produce significant economic, social and environmental benefits for their citizens.' The world's first floating city is set to appear in the Pacific Ocean off the island of Tahiti It believes its floating city would create an environment that encourages innovation and start-up governments, rather than what it calls the 'monopolies' of today. The Institute claims it will 'give people the freedom to choose the government they want instead of being stuck with the government they get'. If inhabitants disagree with the city's government, they could paddle their colony to another city, forcing governments to work to attract citizens. The feasibility report supported the idea that the project is economically feasible, with each platform costing less than $15 million (10 million) which works out at a similar price as land in London or New York. Overall, the first floating city is predicted to cost $167 million (109 million). Speaking in 2008, Mr Thiel said: 'Decades from now, those looking back at the start of the century will understand that Seasteading was an obvious step towards encouraging the development of more efficient, practical public sector models around the world. A number of detailed ancient cave paintings have been found on a tiny Indonesian island previously unexplored by archaeologists. The scenes, which are at least 2,500 years old, depict boats, dogs, horses and warriors holding what look like shields. A total of 28 rock paintings were found, with each mural helping to tell the story of the region's rich history of trade and culture, the researchers said. Scroll down for video A number of detailed ancient cave paintings have been found on a tiny Indonesian island previously unexplored by archaeologists. Pictured is artwork (left image) of two dogs found on the island as well as a digital scan of the mural (right image) The scenes, which are at least 2,500 years old, depict boats, dogs, horses and warriors holding what look like shields (left image shows cave painting, right image shows digital scans) THE CAVE PAINTINGS The paintings, found on the tiny Indonesian island of Kisar, depict dogs, horses, boats and shield-wielding warriors. Other artworks show locals playing drums, perhaps performing ceremonies. The paintings are remarkably similar to ancient murals found on the neighbouring island of Timor. This suggests a stronger shared history between the two than had previously been known. The relationship between the two islands likely extends back to the Neolithic period 3,500 years ago. This period saw an influx of 'Austronesian' settlers from the likes of Malaysia, the Philippines, Polynesia and Fiji. Domestic animals, such as the dog, and cereal crops were likely introduced by these groups. Advertisement The Indonesian island of Kisar where the artworks were found measures just 31 square miles (81 sq km) and is home to 28,000 people. 'Archaeologically, no one has ever explored this small island before,' said study lead author Professor Sue O'Connor, from The Australian National University in Canberra. 'These Indonesian islands were the heart of the spice trade going back for thousands of years. 'The paintings we found depict boats, dogs, horses and people often holding what look like shields. 'Other scenes show people playing drums, perhaps performing ceremonies.' Professor O'Connor said the discovery pointed to a stronger shared history with the neighbouring island of Timor than had previously been known. 'The Kisar paintings include images which are remarkably similar to those in the east end of Timor-Leste,' she said. 'A distinctive feature of the art in both islands is the exceptionally small size of the human and animal figures, most being less than 10 centimetres (four inches). A total of 28 rock paintings were found, with each mural helping to tell the story of the region's rich history of trade and culture, the researchers said. Pictured are paintings of boats found by the team 'Despite their size, however, they are remarkably dynamic.' The relationship between the two islands likely extends back to the Neolithic period 3,500 years ago, the researchers said. This period saw an influx of 'Austronesian' settlers from the likes of Malaysia, the Philippines, Polynesia and Fiji. Domestic animals, such as the dog, and cereal crops were likely introduced to Kisar by these groups. The Indonesian island of Kisar where the artworks were found measures just 31 square miles (81 sq km) and is home to 28,000 people. Pictured are paintings of patterns and symbols found by the researchers Close parallels have been found between some of the painted figures and images cast on metal drums that began to be produced in northern Vietnam and southwest China about 2,500 years ago and traded throughout the region. This indicates a more recent date for some of the paintings, the researchers said. 'These paintings perhaps herald the introduction of a new symbolic system established about two thousand years ago, following on the exchange of prestige goods and the beginning of hierarchical societies,' Professor O'Connor said. The new discovery points to a stronger shared history between Kisar and its neighbouring island of Timor than had previously been known. Pictured are ancient artworks found by the team (bottom images) as well as their locations on a cave wall on Kisar (top two images) Artificial intelligence could soon takeover the traumatic task of trawling through images of child abuse from police officers. A pilot scheme will see machine learning taught how to grade the severity of the disturbing photos and footage, saving detectives from the distressing task. Currently, the AI used by the Metropolitan Police is prone to mistaking desert images for x-rated nudes. But the Met says the system is improving, and it could go into full service 'within two to three years'. Scroll down for video AI could soon takeover the traumatic task of trawling through images of child abuse from police officers. A pilot scheme will see machine learning taught how to grade the severity of the disturbing photos and footage, saving detectives from the distressing task (stock image) POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS The approach is not without its drawbacks, including the legal ramifications of uploading such sensitive information. Police are granted legal permission from the courts to store criminal images. This protection would not apply to any cloud storage service providers. This could present a legal risk to any company that agrees to work with the Met on the project. There is also the potential for material to be leaked into the public domain. Cloud storage services have been plagued by a number of high profile hacks. That includes the Apple data breach in 2014 that saw nude images of a number of celebrities stolen from their personal accounts and posted online. Advertisement The system is being created by the Met's digital forensics department where last year officers scoured through 53,000 gadgets for evidence of indecent images of children. It already employs image recognition software, but it is not yet advanced enough to spot indecent images and video. Speaking at the (ISC)2 Secure Summit in London, Mark Stokes, the Met's head of digital and electronics forensics, said: 'Sometimes it comes up with a desert and it thinks its an indecent image or pornography. 'For some reason, lots of people have screen-savers of deserts and it picks it up thinking it is skin colour.' The new approach will rely on cloud computing, with data being moved to online storage from a big name provider like Amazon Web Services, Google or Microsoft. The Met currently uses a London based server storage centre, but this is under increasing strain due to the volume of images uncovered, as well as rising resolution sizes. Using cloud storage would expand the force's data capabilities as well as letting it make use of advanced analytics services provided by the Silicon Valley firms. Currently, AI used by the Metropolitan Police is also prone to mistaking images of deserts for human skin tones, but the new approach could solve this problem Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Stokes added: 'We have to grade indecent images for different sentencing, and that has to be done by human beings right now, but machine learning takes that away from humans. 'You can imagine that doing that for year-on-year is very disturbing.' With the help of cloud storage AI could be trained to detect abusive images 'within two-three years', he added. The approach is not without its drawbacks, however, including the legal ramifications of uploading such sensitive information. The system is being created at the Metropolitan Police's digital forensics department. If successful, the trial could go into full service 'within two to three years', according to the force Police are granted legal permission from the courts to store criminal images, and this protection would not apply to any cloud storage service providers. This could present a legal risk to any company that agrees to work with the Met on the project. There is also the potential for material to be leaked into the public domain. Cloud storage services have been plagued by a number of high profile hacks. That includes the Apple data breach in 2014 that saw nude images of a number of celebrities stolen from their personal accounts and posted online. Mr Stokes said cloud providers have offered some solutions to safeguard any data uploaded. A huge security flaw in Windows 10 that could have allowed hackers to steal the passwords of thousands of users worldwide has been found. For around eight days this month, some versions of the operating system shipped with a password manager with a massive security flaw, an analyst has revealed. The bug meant cybercriminals could easily take the passwords stored in the third-party app and use them to break into people's online accounts. Scroll down for video For around eight days this month, some versions of Windows 10 shipped with a password manager named 'Keeper' with a massive security flaw. The app asked users to enable a browser plugin (pictured) that contained a serious security bug WERE YOU AFFECTED BY THE KEEPER BUG? The defective version of 'Keeper Password Manager' came pre-installed on newly built Windows 10 systems. The bug meant that hackers could trick the browser extension into letting them see the database of passwords stored by a user. Google researcher Tavis Ormandy said that when he tested the app, the browser plugin it asked him to enable contained a serious security bug. A Keeper spokesperson said the flaw only affected version 11 of the Keeper app, which was released on December 6, and that the problem was fixed eight days later. Users were only exposed when they followed Keeper app prompts to install the browser plugin, they said. No reports of any customers affected by this bug have been reported to Keeper. Advertisement Google researcher Tavis Ormandy said that when he tested the app, the browser plugin it asked him to enable contained a serious security bug. The bug represented 'a complete compromise of Keeper security, allowing any website to steal any password', the software analyst wrote in a blog post. The bug meant that hackers could trick the browser extension into letting them see the database of passwords stored by a user. Mr Ormandy, who is based in California, added that he uncovered a similar flaw in the password manager's browser plugin non-bundled version 16 months ago. A Keeper spokesperson has since claimed the bug was different to the one Mr Ormandy found last year. They said the flaw only affected version 11 of the Keeper app, which was released on December 6, and that the problem was fixed eight days later. Users were only exposed when they followed Keeper app prompts to install the browser plugin, the spokesperson said. 'Yesterday (Dec 14), Tavis Ormandy (a highly-respected security researcher at Google) contacted us about a potential vulnerability in our browser extension update,' the spokesperson said. 'This potential vulnerability requires a Keeper user to be lured to a malicious website while logged into the browser extension, and then fakes user input by using a clickjacking and/or malicious code injection technique to execute privileged code within the browser extension. The bug meant cyber criminals could easily take the passwords stored in the third-party app and use them to break into people's online accounts (stock image) 'From the time we were notified of this issue, we resolved it and issued an automatic extension update to our customers within 24 hours. 'No reports of any customers affected by this bug have been reported to Keeper.' The defective version of 'Keeper Password Manager' came pre-installed on newly built Windows 10 systems derived directly from the Microsoft Developer Network. But users on Reddit have reported that the software has also recently begun to appear on personal versions of the operating system. The bug represents 'a complete compromise of Keeper security, allowing any website to steal any password', researcher Tavis Ormandy analyst wrote in a blog post. Pictured is the Keeper password manager's homepage User ToppestOfDogs said: 'I just reinstalled Windows 10 today, and I was uninstalling all the bundled apps like usual, and I noticed that Keeper Password Manager is preinstalled now. I've never seen this come installed with Windows before. 'And this isn't a link to install it like some of the other apps, it's actually installed and opens.' Microsoft has declined to comment. Earlier this month, a skyscraper-sized space rock floated into our solar system, sparking claims that it was a spacecraft sent by extraterrestrials. But a new study has cast doubt on this theory, and instead suggests that the object, called Oumuamua, was merely a crusty old rock. Scientists have analysed the composition of the rock, and suggest that it is coated in a special crust that allows it to withstand temperatures of more than 300C without being vaporised. The findings indicate that the Oumuamua is a 'natural body', and not an alien spacecraft as was previously suggested. Scroll down for video A skyscraper-sized space rock which floated into our solar system has withstood the intense heat of the sun because it is coated in a special crust, a new study suggests OUMUAMUA A cigar-shaped comet named 'Oumuamua sailed past Earth last month and is the first interstellar object seen in the solar system. It was first spotted by a telescope in Hawaii on 19 October, and was observed 34 separate times in the following week. Travelling at 44 kilometres per second (27 miles per second), the comet is headed away from the Earth and Sun on its way out of the solar system. The comet is up to one-quarter mile (400 meters) long and highly-elongated - perhaps 10 times as long as it is wide. That aspect ratio is greater than that of any asteroid or comet observed in our solar system to date. But the comet's slightly red hue specifically pale pink and varying brightness are remarkably similar to objects in our own solar system. Advertisement The rock soared through our solar system last month, causing many scientists to question whether it was a sign of alien life. Scientists led by Professor Stephen Hawking, in a programme called Breakthrough Listen, even used high-tech scanners to discover if the object was sent by an alien civilisation - although they also couldn't find any evidence of this. Now, researchers from Queen's University, Belfast believe they have made 'key observations' about what the the rock is made up of. Dr Michele Bannister, whose research is published in Astrophysical Journal Letters this week, said the rock 'looks so much like a tiny world from our own home system'. She likened the effect of the sun on the greyish-red object to an oven baking a cake. She said: 'This object went past the sun and it was only heated like a good oven cooking a cake. 'It wasn't actually particularly hot. 'The surface composition is consistent of a layer of insulating material, so something along the lines of dust and grit, maybe organic compounds. Dr Michele Bannister, whose research is published in Astrophysical Journal Letters this week, said the rock 'looks so much like a tiny world from our own home system' WHERE DID IT COME FROM? Most comets follow ellipse-shaped orbits around the sun. But this comet appears to orbit at an angle, and doesn't circle the sun. Its orbital path suggests it entered our solar system from the direction of the constellation Lyra, looped around the sun, and will never return. But others have suggested that the comet did come from Earth, but interacted with Jupiter or another planet, which changed its orbit. Advertisement 'We don't know that the interior does contain ice but if it did contain ice it would have been insulated by the layer on the surface.' Oumuamua is thought to be an asteroid, but its elongated cigar shape, hundreds of metres long but only a tenth as wide, is highly unusual for a space rock. Professor Alan Fitzsimmons, who is also based at Queen's and whose separate research paper is published in Nature Astronomy, said the 'half-metre thick coating of organic-rich material could have protected a water-ice-rich comet-like interior from vaporising when the object was heated by the sun, even though it was heated to over 300 degrees centigrade'. The cigar-shaped object, named 'Oumuamua by its discoverers, sailed past Earth last month and is the first interstellar object seen in the solar system The research is the latest in a flurry of papers published about the rock, the first object discovered in the solar system that appears to have originated from another part of the galaxy. The discovery is an 'exciting' one, Dr Bannister said, describing it as like a piece of space driftwood which provides clues to what is happening outside our solar system. She said: 'The nice thing about driftwood is that it tells you that there's trees that grow on distant shores, so this is a little tangible piece of evidence that the way planets formed and grew in our own solar system, it's happening the same way in other solar systems far away.' This animation shows the trajectory of Oumuamua as it passed through our solar system last month Astronomers from the University of Hawaii spotted 'Oumuamua - named after the Hawaiian term for 'scout' or 'messenger' - in October passing the Earth at about 85 times the distance to the moon. Despite initial suggestions by the Seti project Breakthrough Listen that it could be an alien starship, Dr Bannister said the only 'alien' element is that the rock has come from elsewhere in the galaxy. She said: 'None of the astronomers have ever talked about it being anything alien, except that it comes from outside the solar system.' Future research on the rock, which is expected to take years to leave the solar system, is likely to be focused on tracking its exact origin. The oldest fossils ever discovered suggest life on Earth began at least 3.5 billion years ago in modern day Australia, a new study claims. Experts claim to have confirmed that microscopic fossils are the oldest ever found and the earliest evidence of life on Earth, before an oxygen atmosphere existed. The revelation could suggest that the microbial lifeforms may be widespread in the universe. Scroll down for video The oldest fossils ever discovered show life on Earth began at least 3.5 billion years ago - in modern day Australia. Researchers confirmed that microscopic fossils are the oldest ever found and the earliest direct evidence of life on Earth, at a time before the presence of oxygen DISPUTED FINDINGS The microfossils - so called because they are not evident to the naked eye - were first described in the journal Science in 1993 by Professor William Schopf. His team identified them based largely on the fossils' unique, cylindrical and filamentous shapes. Professor Schopf, director of UCLA's Centre for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, published further supporting evidence of their biological nature in 2002. He collected the rock in which the fossils were found in 1982 from the Apex chert deposit of Western Australia, one of the few places on the planet where geological evidence of early Earth has been preserved. Professor Schopf's earlier interpretations have been disputed, as critics argued they are just odd minerals that only look like biological specimens. But Profess John Valley, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. says the new findings put these doubts to rest - the microfossils are indeed biological. Professor Valley said: 'I think it's settled.' Advertisement The findings were made by researchers at UCLA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their study describes 11 microbial specimens from five separate organisms, linking their form and structure to chemical signatures characteristic of life. Scientists say some represent now-extinct bacteria and microbes from a domain of life called Archaea, while others are similar to microbial species still found today. They say the results show that the microfossils are from a primitive, but diverse group of organisms, which could be widespread throughout the universe. They also suggest how each organism may have survived on an oxygen-free planet. The team identified a complex group of microbes, including phototrophic bacteria that would have relied on the sun to produce energy. It also includes Archaea that produced methane and gammaproteobacteria that consumed methane, a gas believed to be an important constituent of Earth's early atmosphere. The findings were made using a state of the art secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) - one of just a handful of such instruments in the world. Using this, the team was able to separate the carbon composing each fossil into its constituent isotopes and measure their ratios. Isotopes are different versions of the same chemical element that vary in their masses, due to a different number of neutrons in the nucleus of each atom. The revelation could suggest that microbial life, capable of surviving in an environment devoid of oxygen, may be widespread in the universe. This image is an example of one of the microfossils discovered, a gammaproteobacteria, that consumed methane HOW THE FINDINGS WERE MADE The findings were made using a state of the art secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) - one of just a handful of such instruments in the world. Using this, the team was able to separate the carbon composing each fossil into its constituent isotopes and measure their ratios. Isotopes are different versions of the same chemical element that vary in their masses, due to a different number of neutrons in the nucleus of each atom. Different organic substances, whether in rock, microbe or animal form, contain characteristic ratios of their stable carbon isotopes. The team was able to tease apart the carbon-12 isotopes from the carbon-13 within each fossil and measure the ratio of the two compared to a known carbon isotope standard and a fossil-less section of the rock in which they were found. Based on this information, the researchers were also able to assign identities and likely physiological behaviours to the fossils locked inside the rock. Advertisement Different organic substances, whether in rock, microbe or animal form, contain characteristic ratios of their stable carbon isotopes. The team was able to tease apart the carbon-12 isotopes from the carbon-13 within each fossil and measure the ratio of the two compared to a known carbon isotope standard and a fossil-less section of the rock in which they were found. Based on this information, the researchers were also able to assign identities and likely physiological behaviours to the fossils locked inside the rock. Professor John Valley, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said: 'The differences in carbon isotope ratios correlate with their shapes. 'If they're not biological there is no reason for such a correlation. 'Their C-13-to-C-12 ratios are characteristic of biology and metabolic function.' The microfossils - so called because they are not evident to the naked eye - were first described in the journal Science in 1993 by Professor William Schopf. His team identified them based largely on the fossils' unique, cylindrical and filamentous shapes. Professor Schopf, director of UCLA's Centre for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, published further supporting evidence of their biological nature in 2002. Scientists say some represent now-extinct bacteria and microbes from a domain of life called Archaea, while others are similar to microbial species still found today. This fossil is believed to be a phototrophic bacteria They say the results show that the microfossils are from a primitive, but diverse group of organisms, which could be widespread throughout the universe. This fossil is believed to be an archaea that produced methane, an important constituent of Earth's early atmosphere He collected the rock in which the fossils were found in 1982 from the Apex chert deposit of Western Australia, one of the few places on the planet where geological evidence of early Earth has been preserved. Professor Schopf's earlier interpretations have been disputed, as critics argued they are just odd minerals that only look like biological specimens. But Professor Valley says the new findings put these doubts to rest - the microfossils are indeed biological. 'I think it's settled,' he added. It's a pretty grim way to go, but it appears that 69 people are killed by lawnmowers in the US every year, according to new statistics. And while it might sound unlikely, that's more than the average number of people killed by Jihadi terrorists each year, with just two dying this way. The bizarre statistic has won International Statistic of the Year, and was even tweeted by Kim Kardashian. Scroll down for video It's a pretty grim way to go, but it appears that 69 people are killed by lawnmowers in the US every year, according to new statistics (stock image) THE UK WINNER Also highlighted as a winner was the UK Statistic Of The Year. This figure, 0.1 per cent, is for what is officially designated 'continuous urban fabric' (CUF) in the UK. It was revealed this year in A Land Cover Atlas of the United Kingdom by Professor Alasdair Rae, from the University of Sheffield. Land is designated as CUF, under the Corine Land Cover Classification System, if more than 80 per cent of ground is covered by artificial surfaces - what most people would call 'urban jungle'. This statistic appealed to the judging panel because the debate about housing, urbanisation and environmental protection is highly topical. The judges believe it will come as a surprise to many people just how little of the UK has been 'concreted over'. The same research estimated that only 5.4 per cent of the UK land area has been built upon, or in other words, is urban fabric, while 9.4 per cent consists of peat bogs. Advertisement The statistic was selected as the winner by the Royal Statistical Society. The figure was highlighted in a viral tweet this year from Kim Kardashian in response to a migrant ban proposed by President Trump. It had originally appeared in a Richard Todd article for the Huffington Post. Todd's statistics and Kardashian's tweet successfully highlighted the huge disparity between the number of Americans killed each year on average by 'immigrant Islamic Jihadist terrorists' and the far higher average annual death tolls among those 'struck by lightning', killed by 'lawnmowers', and in particular 'shot by other Americans'. Todd and Kardashian's use of these figures shows how everyone can deploy statistical evidence to inform debate and highlight misunderstandings of risk in people's lives. Judging panel member Liberty Vittert said: 'Everyone on the panel was particularly taken by this statistic and its insight into risk - a key concept in both statistics and everyday life. 'When you consider that this figure was put into the public domain by Kim Kardashian, it becomes even more powerful because it shows anyone, statistician or not, can use statistics to illustrate an important point and illuminate the bigger picture.' Statistic of the Year is a new initiative for 2017 that celebrates how statistics can help us better understand the world around us. The winning entries were all felt by the judging panel to capture the spirit of 2017. Nominations were made by members of the public as well as sought from RSS members worldwide. The figure was highlighted in a viral tweet this year from Kim Kardashian in response to a migrant ban proposed by President Trump Also highlighted as a winner was the UK Statistic Of The Year. This figure, 0.1 per cent, is for what is officially designated 'continuous urban fabric' (CUF) in the UK. It was revealed this year in A Land Cover Atlas of the United Kingdom by Professor Alasdair Rae, from the University of Sheffield. Land is designated as CUF, under the Corine Land Cover Classification System, if more than 80 per cent of ground is covered by artificial surfaces - what most people would call 'urban jungle'. This statistic appealed to the judging panel because the debate about housing, urbanisation and environmental protection is highly topical. Also highlighted as a winner was the UK Statistic Of The Year. This figure, 0.1 per cent, is for what is officially designated 'continuous urban fabric' (CUF) in the UK The judges believe it will come as a surprise to many people just how little of the UK has been 'concreted over'. The same research estimated that only 5.4 per cent of the UK land area has been built upon, or in other words, is urban fabric, while 9.4 per cent consists of peat bogs. The judging panel, chaired by RSS president, David Spiegelhalter, included former UK National Statistician, Jil Matheson and BBC News home editor Mark Easton. Hetan Shah, RSS executive director, added: 'We were delighted with the quality of the nominations for the inaugural 'Statistic of the Year'. 'Taken together the selected statistics tell us a story about important issues in 2017. 'Land use, in the context of debates about housing, pressures on pay, mobile phone usage, teen pregnancies, our environment, and even deaths by lawnmowers. 'We're already looking forward to Statistic of the Year 2018.' New research has traced the incredible journey of an extinct traveler turtle that migrated to Europe from Africa 95 million years ago. At the time, Earths continents were much different than they are today; Africa and South America joined to make up part of the ancient continent Gondwana, while Europe, Asia, and North America formed Laurasia. A new study has found that these ancient river turtles crossed into Laurasia much earlier than previously thought, where they adapted from their freshwater lifestyle to survive in the coastal marine environment. New research has traced the incredible journey of an extinct traveler turtle that migrated to Europe from Africa 95 million years ago. At the time, Earths continents were much different than they are today. Artist's impression THE MIGRATION The traveler turtle came from Africa and originally lived in purely freshwater environments, the researcher says. Around 95 million years ago, the species crossed into the ancient continent Laurasia, where the habitat was very different. But, experts say it it adapted to the coastal marine environments. According to the researcher, the turtles thrived in their new home until about 65 million years ago, around the end of the Mesozoic. They dominated the rivers and coasts, and became abundant and diverse in the new continent. Advertisement Remains of the extinct river turtle have been found in both Guadalajara and Portugal. According to the experts, this is the first known evidence of a dispersal event in a turtle from Gondwana. The species, Algorachelus peregrinus, originated in a region thats now Africa, during the Upper Cretaceous. Its not just any turtle, but, as the name suggests, it gives us the necessary clues to describe how a successful migration occurred about 95 million years ago: this journey would have drastic consequences, Adan Perez -Garcia, researcher in the Evolutionary Biology Group of the UNED, the National University of Distance Education in Spain, told the Spanish news agency SINC. According to the palaeontologist, the geographic isolation of the ancient supercontinents allowed for the emergence of independent lineages of these animals in separate locations. The ancient turtles could be classified among two groups: Cryptodira, which inhabited terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments, and Pleurodira, which lived in rivers and coastal environments. The traveler turtle came from Africa and originally lived in purely freshwater environments, the researcher says. But, it adapted to coastal marine environments, putting it among the latter type. Thats how they moved to Laurasia, specifically to Europe, much earlier than previously considered, the palaeontologist said. At the time, Earths continents were much different than they are today; Africa and South America joined to make up part of the ancient continent Gondwana, while Europe, Asia, and North America formed Laurasia. The turtle adapted and thrived in the different environment According to the researcher, the turtles thrived in their new home until about 65 million years ago, around the end of the Mesozoic. They dominated the rivers and coasts, and became abundant and diverse in the new continent. With the identification of a skull and remains in Guadalajara, and the discovery of a fossil shell in Nazare, Portugal, the researchers say the turtle is now the best represented Pleurodira in Europe from this time period. Its discovery has allowed us to know that the faunal replacement had already begun at that time, said Perez Garcia. Algorachelus corresponds to the first form of Pleurodira recognized in the continents of the northern hemisphere (Laurasia). Venus has long been written off as a 'dead' planet - but astronomers have revealed if it showing signs of change. A new global view of some well-known features on Venus's surface may indicate its crust is moving. Experts say the movement of mountain ridges is extremely similar to the same process happening on Earth. Scroll down for video Global elevational view of Venus with locations of tectonic blocks circled around the poles. The global regularity and distribution of these blocks possibly indicate the presence of a global systematic geologic process. Researchers used radar images of Venus's surface from the Magellan mission between 1990 and 1994 to view the structures on the surface from a global perspective. This revealed a new pattern - these mountain ridges and grabens converge to isolate blocks of flat, low-lying plains of cooled lava along the planet's poles, something never noticed before. Scattered on Venus's surface are various narrow mountain ridges and surface grooves, or grabens, which scientists have known about for decades, but had only viewed them in isolation from one another previously. THE CHANGING SHAPE OF VENUS Researchers used radar images of Venus's surface from the Magellan mission between 1990 and 1994 to view the structures on the surface from a global perspective. This revealed a new pattern - these mountain ridges and grabens converge to isolate blocks of flat, low-lying plains of cooled lava along the planet's poles, something never noticed before. The researchers say the structures looked a lot like features seen on Earth, such as the Tarim Basin in northwestern China. Comparison between enclosed lava plains on Venus (left) and the Tarim Basin in China (right). The similarity between the two offers insight about block tectonics on Venus These are large pieces of continental crust that jostle, rotate and crash into surrounding terrain due to forces from the mantle below. This deforms the surrounding terrain into mountain ranges or grabensfeatures identical to those on Venus. With the scorching 462-degree Celsius (864-degree Fahrenheit) temperature at Venus's surface, Byrne and his colleagues believe the crust could heat enough that it will slightly detach from the planet's mantle only 10-15 kilometers (6-9 miles) down, creating thin, 'crustal blocks' that could jostle, crash and rotate just like those on Earth. Advertisement 'When you zoom out, you see that these features form a connected pattern,' said Paul Byrne, who revealed the findings at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in New Orleans. 'That's when you realize that they seem to be working together.' The researchers say the structures looked a lot like features seen on Earth, such as the Tarim Basin in northwestern China. These are large pieces of continental crust that jostle, rotate and crash into surrounding terrain due to forces from the mantle below. This deforms the surrounding terrain into mountain ranges or grabensfeatures identical to those on Venus. With the scorching 462-degree Celsius (864-degree Fahrenheit) temperature at Venus's surface, Byrne and his colleagues believe the crust could heat enough that it will slightly detach from the planet's mantle only 10-15 kilometers (6-9 miles) down, creating thin, 'crustal blocks' that could jostle, crash and rotate just like those on Earth. Examples of low-lying tectonic blocks outlined by mountain ridges and/or grabens formed by compression and extension of the planets surface. 'It's not plate tectonics,' Byrne said, 'but it does suggest that the outer, rigid, brittle surface layer of Venus, in some places at least, has broken into these small blocks,' many of them only a couple hundred kilometers to as many as 1200 kilometers (745 miles) across. Signs of deformation within a few of the lava plains are signs if 'at least some of the jostling and moving and rotating could have taken place very recently. Because an enormous spreading rift also exists around the equator of Venus, it's possible that a global spreading process systematically pushes these blocks, causing them to jostle and deform. 'Again, it's not plate tectonics,' Byrne emphasized. 'These are little chunks of land that just rotate and move around. But if we were to put seismometers on Venus, maybe you'd hear some of these chunks go off today.' She's one of Australia's most lovable personalities who's known for her love of Christmas. And on Monday, Casey Donovan recalled moment she found out Santa Claus wasn't real. Speaking to Nine Honey, the 29-year-old said she once put out a bottle of beer for the man in the red suit only to find it in the fridge the next morning. 'I put a little mark on the beer and the next morning it was back in the fridge'! Casey Donovan recalls the moment she found out thatSanta Claus wasn't real 'When me and my bro were little we used to put out carrots and a beer for Santa,' she explained. 'One year I came up with a plan to put a little mark on the beer with a highlighter and the next morning it was back in the fridge.' Meanwhile, other celebrities confessed they still believe in Santa. She still believes! Nine's Deborah Knight, 45, says Saint Nicholas still pays her family a visit each year Nine's Deborah Knight, 45, says Saint Nicholas still pays her family a visit each year. 'I'm not sure what you are talking about. Santa always comes to visit without fail,' she said. And weather presenter Natalia Cooper seemed to feel the same way, confirming that she too also still believes. She's a believer: Weather presenter Natalia Cooper also revealed she she still believes in Santa Clause Festive: Continuing her love for the festive season, it's been announced Casey will grace the stage to perform at this year's Christmas Eve Carols By Candlelight spectacular Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that Casey will grace the stage to perform at this year's Christmas Eve Carols By Candlelight spectacular. 'I am really excited for it,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'I have never performed at the Christmas Eve Carols By Candlelight so I am really looking forward to it.' They have been subject to marriage rumours for months. And on Monday, Bindi Irwin posted a tender shot with her boyfriend Chandler Powell, 21, which saw the pair surrounded by camels. Posting the photo for her 1.5 million followers, the 19-year-old was seen cradling a calf while another rested its head on her beau. Scroll down for video 'Sharing life's most wonderful moments with the one you love': Bindi Irwin calls boyfriend Chandler Powell her 'true happiness' in another loved-up Instagram post 'Sharing life's most wonderful moments with the one your love...that's true happiness,' she captioned, adding a love heart and tagging Chandler. Wearing matching outfits, the pair dressed in plain black T-shirts and blue denim jeans. This is certainly not the first time Bindi has gushed over her man. Going strong: 'Sharing life's most wonderful moments with the one your love...that's true happiness,' she captioned adding a love heart and tagging Chandler Nearly three years together: Taking to the social media last week, she shared a throwback photo of herself and Chandler from their early days Taking to the social media last week, she shared a throwback photo of herself and Chandler from their early days. 'April 2015. We spent this day with our families smiling and laughing by the lake,' recalled Bindi. 'I am so glad we found each other in this great big world. I love you.' Match made in heaven: 'I am so glad we found each other in this great big world. I love you' Wedding bells? For months, rumours have swirled that the young couple will soon be walking down the aisle, with Woman's Day recently reporting that Bindi's mother Terri is keen for Chandler to sign a pre-nuptial agreement For months, rumours have swirled that the young couple will soon be walking down the aisle, with Woman's Day recently reporting that Bindi's mother Terri is keen for Chandler to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. The publication claimed that the 53-year-old was doing all she could to protect her late husband Steve's legacy and their family fortune should the couple's relationship take a turn for the worse. 'Of course Terri's overjoyed Bindi and Chandler are so happy, but she's always been cautious about them making such a big commitment so young,' a source reportedly told the magazine. Bella Hadid sizzles wearing close-to-nothing as a Victoria's Secret Angel. But the brunette beauty proved she could be just as sexy when covered up as she stepped out into the NYC chill after a day of photoshoots Saturday. The 21-year-old stunner looked steamy while flaunting her model figure in a chunky, cropped sweater contrasted with a skintight, white bodysuit. Short and sweet! Bella Hadid sizzled in a cropped sweater and form-fitting bodysuit on Saturday in NYC where she was seen heading home after a day of photoshoots The California girl managed to show off her fabulous figure while keeping out the cold in a figure-hugging leotard which showcased her flat abs. Bella, who famously romanced rapper The Weeknd, carried a shearling jean jacket under her arm and a glam silver handbag at her side. The IMG repped talent pulled her dark tresses back into a sleek bun while framing her face with oversized hoops. She was still glammed up from her earlier time in front on the camera, showing off sassy cat eyes and glossy lips along. The cat's meow! The IMG repped beauty was still glammed up from her earlier time in front on the camera, showing off sassy cat eyes and glossy lips along Sleek: The gorgeous star was later spotted in a ninja-inspired black ensemble of a Nike sweatshirt lined with pins, a large belt, baggy pants and black boots with red laces Hoop it up: The 5ft9 beauty left her large silver hoop earrings on as she headed to a bar with pals Sneak peek! The star gave followers a glimpse at what she was working on via Instagram The gorgeous star was later spotted in a ninja-inspired black ensemble of a Nike sweatshirt lined with pins, a large belt, baggy pants and black boots with red laces. The star gave followers a glimpse at what she was working on via Instagram. In one shot Bella wore a handsome plaid jacket with a purple sash spilling out from beneath. She leaned up against a metallic ledge while offering a stony face for the camera. The accompanying image showed the starlet in black and white while donning an off-the-shoulder polka dot frock. Feeling the chill! The star captioned the shots with playful commentary, writing: 'Me trying to get ready every morning in this cold' along with a snowman emoji The star captioned the shots with playful commentary, writing: 'Me trying to get ready every morning in this cold' along with a snowman emoji. The beauty has been throwing herself into work recently, amid claims she still holds a candle for her ex-boyfriend The Weeknd. A source told US Weekly magazine the pair had remained on friendly terms after their split in November 2016, and have been in touch almost non-stop. The insider said: '[They] have been talking, texting and FaceTiming each other pretty consistently.' Love struck: Some claim the beauty (above with Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim at the opening of the Bulgari Resort in Dubai) still holds a candle for her ex-boyfriend The Weeknd 'Bella really missed him. She's happy with where things are and he is too. They are still totally in love.' Bella and the Weeknd - whose real name is Abel Tesfaye - first started dating in May 2015 but their romance was short lived as they split that December. He then embarked on romance with actress Selena Gomez - but was spotted leaving Bella's home in NYC shortly after they parted ways last month. She is known for her edgy style and stellar acting abilities. And Ruby Rose looked effortlessly cool as she enjoyed a night at The Nice Guy in West Hollywood on Saturday. The actress, 31, was spotted leaving the celebrity hotspot bundled up in a baggy blue denim jacket. Scroll down for video Night out:Ruby Rose looked effortlessly cool as she enjoyed a night at The Nice Guy in West Hollywood on Saturday She added ripped black skinny jeans and black bovver boots for a funky look. Ruby had on a long houndstooth sweater underneath her jacket and wore a sparkly choker that matched her diamond earrings. Her fingernails were painted black and her lips were colored with glossy dark red lipstick. Her night out came after a busy week promoting her new movie Pitch Perfect 3 in which she stars with fellow Australian Rebel Wilson as well as Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld and Elizabeth Banks. Layered: The actress, 31, rocked a long houndstooth sweater and added ripped black skinny jeans and black bovver boots for a funky look. Made a statement: Ruby wore a sparkly choker that matched her diamond earrings. Her fingernails were painted black and her lips were colored with glossy dark red lipstick The night before, she had appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon where she expressed dread at the prospect of returning home to Australia for Christmas. 'I've been nervous [to go home] for the last six years,' she explained to the late night chat show host. 'I get a lot of anxiety around going home for Christmas,' Ruby added. Part of the reason, she joked, was because of a large pig that lives in her family's backyard. Anxious: During an appearance on The Tonight Show, Ruby told Jimmy Fallon she has a lot of anxiety about returning home to her native Australia for Christmas Porcine woes: She explained that she had gifted her mom a pet pig one year and the swine just kept growing and growing and now it calls out to her all night when she's home 'My mum always wanted a pig and I found this amazing place that sells this particular breed, and they're meant to stay small,' Ruby said. However, this pig just grew and grew. 'I'm basically sharing a bed with this pig!' the acress joked. 'It's outside with these paper thin doors and all night I can hear it... it's calling me.' It's the highly anticipated cooking show making its return in 2018. And on Monday, a new promo revealed that the latest chili-loving My Kitchen Rules contestants are here to spice things up. But it isn't just their excessive love of hot food that get their competition talking, but the way they salivate each time they are served a meal. Scroll down for videos Seasoned veterans! Meet the My Kitchen Rules defence force foodies who share a love of spice in new trailer for hit Channel Seven cooking show 'It's like when you're training a dog and you put the biscuit on their nose, "stay, stay, go",' jokes a fellow contestant in a promo clip for the show. The promo sees the army official rolling his eyes and licking his lips each time he is served a plate, with even host Manu Feildel mimicking his actions. But things seems to be more serious when it it his turn in the kitchen. 'It's like when you're training a dog and you put the biscuit on their nose': The promo sees the army official rolling his eyes and licking his lips each time he is served a plate, with even host Manu Feildel mimicking his actions Teamed with his partner, who serves as a nurse in the force, the pair use their high-pressured careers as inspiration for their meals and determination. 'Serving is in our blood. We can handle the pressure. We can win My Kitchen Rules,' the couple tell the camera. Earlier in the month, the show gave their Instagram followers a sneak peak of another powerful couple declaring they'd do 'anything' to win. Ready for battle: 'Serving is in our blood. We can handle the pressure. We can win My Kitchen Rules,' the couple say in the clip 'The cold war is here,' revealed the Russian duo. Making their presence felt, the larger-than-life personalities stated to camera: 'We will do anything in our power to win. The cold war is here.' Following on, the video scans the faces of the pair's rivals, who imitate the Russians' 'stern' expression. He has battled to turn his life around after succumbing to booze and drugs six years ago. But Michael Le Vell, 53, is looking to the future after popping the question to his girlfriend Louise Gibbons. The Coronation Street star is reportedly planning a low-key ceremony to mark his love for his 42-year-old fiance, after she stood by him as he fought his addictions and a court battle. Scroll down for video Loved up: Michael Le Vell, 53, is looking to the future after popping the question to his long-term girlfriend Louise Gibbons A source told The Sun: 'Michael has been to hell and back and even now feels the effects of the case. 'But throughout his battle with addiction he's had Louise by his side.' The father-of-two met Louise near his Manchester home through a mutual friend in 2014. Michael, who plays Kevin Webster in the popular ITV soap, has had a turbulent few years after being accused of false child sex offences in 2013. Romantic: The Coronation Street star is reportedly planning a low-key ceremony to mark his love for the 42-year-old who stood by him as he fought his addictions And now the star is reportedly facing bankruptcy proceedings after paying hefty legal fees to clear his name against child sex allegations. The actor spent 200,000 fighting the charges before being found 'not guilty' of all 12 counts by a jury at Manchester Crown Court in 2013. Ministry of Justice rules prevent people who can afford their defence from receiving tax-funded paybacks after the case, meaning all of the funding came out of the star's own pocket. Difficult times: Michael, who plays Kevin Webster in the popular ITV soap, has had a turbulent few years after being accused of false child sex offences in 2013 Earlier this month, The Sun on Sunday reported that Le Vell has been contacted the Bankruptcy Unit of the Land Registry about taking action. A source told the paper: 'He had false accusations hanging over him for years and couldnt work.' Le Vell's marriage to his wife Janette broke down in the midst of the allegations and the actor, whose real name is Michael Turner, has since had to sell their 750,000 home in Cheshire. She was reportedly offered $1 million to host Channel Nine's upcoming reality series, Love Island. And in Monday's Woman's Day, insiders have alleged that Sophie Monk is causing a headache for the network with her list of diva demands. It's been claimed that the 37-year-old requested 'allowances for her glam squad and return airfares for millionaire beau Stu Laundy.' Scroll down for video 'Allowances for her glam squad and return airfares for millionaire beau Stu Laundy': Sophie Monk's 'diva demands' as host of Love Island revealed However a spokesperson for Love Island told Daily Mail Australia on Monday: 'The story in Woman's Day is incorrect no such thing has taken place. 'We are very excited to have Sophie back at Nine and we have a wonderful relationship with her, and can't wait to start production on Love Island Australia.' An anonymous 'source' reportedly told Woman's Day that Sophie 'requested her "team" be flown to Spain (where the show is being filmed) - including hair and makeup.' It's also been claimed that the former Bardot star 'demanded Stu Laundy's airfares be covered too.' Any truth? It's been claimed that the former Bardot star 'demanded Stu Laundy's airfares be covered too' Former Bachelorette star Sophie confirmed the new gig on the Today show last month, saying that she is 'so excited' to be at the helm of the show. The blonde bombshell also explained the concept of the series, which has already been a huge hit overseas. 'It is a young group of people from 18-35 who are going to hook up on an island and they have got to try and last,' she said. Ecstatic: Former Bachelorette star Sophie confirmed the new gig on the Today show last month, saying that she is 'so excited' to be at the helm of the show Company: Sophie later appeared on KIIS FM's Kyle & Jackie O Show, where she revealed that beau Stu, 44, will be joining her, saying: 'He chills a lot so he's going to come over' 'You can vote them out if you don't believe they are in love. At the end there is a lot of money and the couple either split it or one person takes it. So Australia kind of choose who is really in love. They send in intruders. It is exciting.' Sophie later appeared on KIIS FM's Kyle & Jackie O Show where she revealed that beau Stu, 44, will be joining her, saying: 'He chills a lot so he's going to come over.' She's the image of a doting mom. And Jennifer Garner continued to be every bit exemplary as she escorted her little ones Violet, 12, Seraphina, eight, and Sam, five, to Sunday church in the Pacific Palisades suburb of LA. The ex of Ben Affleck looked effortlessly chic in a black pencil skirt and ruffling blouse while wearing a bright smile as she shuffled her kids into service. Jen was later seen meeting up with the 45-year-old actor, who was spotted in an automobile with his mother Chris at a restaurant in Malibu. Sunday best! Jennifer Garner looked effortlessly chic in a black pencil skirt and ruffling blouse while taking the three kids she shares with ex Ben Affleck to church in the Pacific Palisades on Sunday I'm Batman! Ben Affleck, 45, and his mom Chris were later spotted in a car during a meeting with Jen in Malibu Can't wait! Jennifer's kids seemed all about AM service, as eldest Violet and only son Sam ran into church Jennifer, 45, flattered her figure in the monochrome look. The Texas native slicked her hair back into a tidy bun while masking the sun with cat-eyes shades. The Alias star teamed her stylish look with black stilettos featuring bow-like ankle straps. She carried two volumes of scripture under her arm along with a quilted Chanel envelope clutch. Wrapped like a present! The Alias star teamed her stylish look with black stilettos featuring bow-like ankle straps Black and white and outta sight! Jennifer flattered her figure in the monochrome look The popular parishioner chatted with fellow church goers both before and after service, appearing like an involved member of the community. She also carried a handful of Christmas goodies along for the kids. Jennifer's eldest Violet was gung-ho about the morning, seen running into church. She looked sweet in a cream colored cardigan and pink calico dress that she matched with similarly pastel eyeglasses. Church friends! The popular parishioner chatted with fellow church goers both before and after service, appearing like an involved member of the community She's got her arms full! Jenn carried two volumes of scripture under her arm along with a quilted Chanel envelope clutch and several bags of goodies for the kids Sugar and spice! Violet looked sweet in a cream colored cardigan and pink calico dress that she matched with similarly pastel eyeglasses Brother Sam was several steps behind, looking sweet in a blue striped polo with jeans and a flannel on the outside. Later, middle sibling Seraphina caught up with everyone, seen sporting a fuzzy sweater while carrying a holiday balloon. While dad Ben Affleck often joins the family for Sunday church, the Batman star was not seen with his brood this week. Sweater season! Later, middle sibling Seraphina caught up with everyone, seen sporting a fuzzy sweater while carrying a holiday balloon The actor is currently attending rehab, in his ongoing bid to tackle his alcohol addiction. Since the end of his 11-year marriage to Jennifer he has started a relationship with Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus. Despite this, Affleck and Jennifer have often been seen together, even spending Thanksgiving with their children, along with Matt Damon and his family. She's the PR maven who's made a successful career from posting pictures of her luxury goods throughout social media. And now Jackie 'O' Henderson has plugged one of the brands Roxy Jacenko reps, after the radio star was gifted a pair of $250 personalised pyjamas. On Sunday, the 42-year-old took the Instagram to post a selfie donning the luxury set before sending her thanks to Roxy. Friends helping friends? On Sunday, radio star Jackie O Henderson was seen giving friend and PR maven a slight plug after she tagged her in her selfie 'Early Christmas present from @roxyjacenko and @neueblvd - obsessed with these pyjamas,' she captioned. With a sweep of blush, the blonde stunner posed in her personalised green leaf nightwear. Quick to see the post, Roxy commented that she looked 'gorgeous' before Jackie continued to plug the Neue Blvd brand numerous times in the captions, even revealing her six-year-old daughter Kitty was too gifted a matching pair. Loves them: 'Early Christmas present from @roxyjacenko and @neueblvd - obsessed with these pyjamas' A family affair: Quick to see the post, Roxy commented that she looked 'gorgeous' before Jackie continued to plug the Neue Blvd brand numerous times in the captions, even revealing her six-year-old daughter Kitty was too gifted a matching pair No strings attached: 'Jackie is a personal friend of mine and loved mine so for Christmas I sent her matching!' Assuring there was no sponsorship or business strategies behind the post, Roxy told Daily Mail Australia it was just a gift to a friend with no strings attached. 'Jackie is a personal friend of mine and loved mine so for Christmas I sent her matching!' revealed Roxy. 'Jackie had no obligations to post anything from me!' Matching: Earlier in the week, Roxy was also seen plugging the same brand and set in a mirror selfie alongside her two children Pixie, 6, and Hunter, 3 Family who dress together stay together! 'Tuesday night R&R in our matching PJs and ache and pains' Earlier in the week, Roxy was also seen plugging the same brand and set in a mirror selfie alongside her two children Pixie, 6, and Hunter, 3. 'Tuesday night R&R in our matching PJs and ache and pains,' she captioned. The blonde bombshell was first spotted posing in the designer sleepwear alongside heiress gal pal Francesca Packer during a luxury Hamilton Island getaway earlier in the year. Chandler Riggs tried out a new look after his character Carl Grimes suffered a fatal walker bite on The Walking Dead. The 18-year-old actor had been sporting shoulder-length hair much like his character in the comic books that inspire the hit AMC show. Chandler took to social media on Saturday and shared his fresh short haircut. New look: Chandler Riggs took to social media on Saturday to share his new haircut after his long-haired character Carl Grimes suffered a fatal walker bite on The Walking Dead He also wrote for his 1.6 million followers on Twitter: 'new hair who dis'. Chandler later tweeted: 'i feel so exposed like a naked mole rat or something'. It was revealed during the mid-season finale earlier this month that Carl had been bitten by a walker. Chandler has been playing the son of former sheriff's deputy Rick Grimes since The Walking Dead premiered on AMC on October 31, 2010. Shoulder length: The 18-year-old actor is shown in a season seven still as long-haired Carl Carl's pending demise was unexpected as the character remains alive in the ongoing comic books that inspire the show. While the plot twist was a shock to many long time fans, it also got under the skin of other Walking die-hards, who saw Carl's bite as the de facto firing of young Riggs. A Facebook post from Chandler's father offered a more detailed account, alleging showrunner Scott Gimple of 'firing' his son '2 weeks before his 18th birthday.' 'I never trusted Gimple or AMC but Chandler did. I know how much it hurt him. But we do absolutely know how lucky we have been to be a part of it all and appreciate all the love from fans all these years!' the tour guide/entrepreneur shared. Rigg-ed system? At the time of publication a Change.org petition lamenting Chandler's canning got 65k signatures asking showrunner Scott Gimple to be fired for allegedly killing off Rigg's character The post prompted fans to create a petition asking for Gimple to be fired. At the time of publication the Change.org petition has gotten 65k of its desired 75k signatures. Carl will still be part of The Walking Dead when it returns from its mid-season hiatus on February 25, 2018. Chandler was born in Atlanta and was cast to play Carl at age 10. Child actor: Chandler is shown in October 2010 at the series premiere in Hollywood It was rumored in December 2016 that Chandler was set to leave the show after receiving an offer to attend Auburn University in Alabama. Andrew Lincoln, 44, who play's Carl's father Rick, also was an original cast member of the show and remains a fixture on the popular series. Rick and girlfriend Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, discovered at the end of the midseason finale that Carl was bitten. A Christmas Story Live! divided viewers on social media on Sunday after airing on Fox. The three-hour musical adaptation of the beloved holiday classic followed Ralphie Parker in his Christmas quest for a Red Ryder BB Gun as a gift. 'Sat through 3 hrs of #AChristmasStoryLive. Now I wished I'd shot my eye out instead. And my other eye. And both ears for good measure,' one Twitter user posted. Live musical: Chris Diamantopoulos, Maya Rudolph and Andy Walken starred in A Christmas Story Live! broadcast on Sunday on Fox The ambitious project was based on the popular 1983 film and also the 2012 Broadway musical, which caught some viewers by surprise. 'It's a MUSICAL? Shoot me now with a Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!,' posted one viewer on Twitter. Others lauded the live event for broadening the presentation from the original. 'I am LIVING for the racial and body diversity in #AChristmasStoryLive. Amazing representation for everyone!!!!,' a viewer tweeted. Eyes shot: One Twitter user wished he 'd shot his own eyes after watching the live musical Musical letdown: The musical element caught a Twitter user by surprise Another watcher on Twitter praised the diverse and thoughtful production for bringing 'a bit of sweetness, goodness, and joy in a time when it is severely lacking'. The celebrity cast of A Christmas Story Live! Made it through the three-hour TV extravaganza with hardly a hiccup. Matthew Broderick, 30 Rock star Jane Krakowski, The Hangover's Ken Jeong, and Saturday Night Live alumni Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, and Ana Gasteyer, lead the cast in the musical remake of the festive favorite film. No complaints: The 'super-talented cast' and the ambitious production was appreciated by one Twitter user who had no complaints And the young actors, especially newcomer Andy Walken who played the lead role of Ralphie Parker, managed to shine during the lengthy live production. Despite the ambitious production, including numerous sets and also constantly moving camerawork, there were hardly any missed lines, mistakes or major flubs. Even when there were minor mishaps, such as when an ornament fell off a door, Chris Diamantopoulos, playing Ralphie's dad, managed to calmly include it into the show. Christmas classic: Maya, Andy, Tyler Wladis and Chris played the Parker family in the live musical event inspired by the 1983 movie of the same name and the 2012 Broadway musical Social media: Twitter users reacted to the musical adaptation of the beloved Christmas classic There were ambitious shots, including the camera zooming in close to the face of Diamantopoulos - with him in a completely different costume, being changed from his day suit to a white tie and tux, all while singing on camera. Broadway veteran Broderick's main role was as the older Ralphie, playing an actual on-screen narrator rather than the voiceover from the film. He also appeared as several other roles including as a store employee, game show host, and mailman. Major award: The Old Man proudly displayed his prize lamp of a woman's leg in fishnets Story narrator: Matthew Broderick narrated the story as an adult Ralphie Like the 1983 movie, the production followed nine-year-old Ralphie in 1940s Indiana and his desperation to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. It included many of the films most noted moments, including Ralphie saying the 'Queen mother of dirty words,' the sexually-suggestive leg lamp, and his friend Flick's tongue getting stuck to the flagpole after a dare, only coming off for a millisecond as he spoke. The original plot was padded out by material and song from the 2012 Broadway musical adaptation, as well as new material just for the show. Spot on: Sacha Carlson as Skut Farkus and Elie Samouhi as Grover Dill as bullied Ralphie and Randy Young stars: Andy and a talented cast of young actors performed a musical routine together Dance moves: The youngsters showed off some impressive dance moves The TV production featured Count On Christmas sung by Bebe Rexha that opened and closed the show. Former SNL star Ana Gasteyer, playing the mother of one of Ralphie's classmates, also got to perform a special Hanukkah song for the show, A Market For A Miracle. Mrs. Schwartz was joined by others as they danced through her home and her voice proved a powerful highlight of the production. Family fun: The live musical was set in 1940s Indiana just like the original movie Popular story: A Christmas Story Live! was the latest live musical broadcast for viewers As she encouraged Ralph to dream in miracles, she finally asked what he wanted - stopping to repeat one of the film's most famous lines: 'You'll shoot your eye out!'. It was the same response fellow SNL star Maya Rudolph, playing Ralphie's mother, told him when he first raised his desires for the potentially dangerous toy. The line also was the theme of 30 Rock star Jane Krakowski's big number where she tap danced as a chorus of kids also danced around her. Childhood dream: Ralphie wanted nothing but a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas Favorite scenes: The musical included the scene where The Old Man wins a prize Leg lamp: The Old Man loved his leg lamp prize and proudly displayed it The teacher: Jane Krakowski played Ralphie's teacher Miss Shields Krakowski, who came up performing on Broadway shows, played Ralphie's teacher Miss Shields, and in another number switched to black and white as he imagined her being kidnapped and tied-up, with him swooping in dressed as a cowboy to save her. Another SNL veteran, Fred Armisen, also had a brief role, playing a grumpy elf helping an even grumpier Santa, played by David Alan Grier. In the department store Higbee's, they told Ralphie when he asked for his BB gun: 'You'll shoot your eye out, kid.' Beat down: Ralphie attacked the bully Skut Car trouble: Ralphie didn't say 'fudge' when he fumbled while helping his father Soap mouth: The boy was punished with soap in his mouth after uttering the F-word Ralphie of course ended up getting his BB gun - just to hurt his eye with his first shot, breaking his glasses. The Hangover star Ken Jeong, meanwhile, played a Christmas tree salesman who later played a pivotal role as the owner of a Chinese restaurant where Ralphie and his family go after neighborhood dogs stole their Christmas turkey. He shocked the family by chopping off a duck's head and then leading his sons and other staff into an impeccable rendition of Deck The Halls. Musical number: The Old Man performed a routine with backup lamp dancers Cold pole: Flick took on the dare and stuck his tongue to a frozen pole New number: Ana Gasteyer performed a new number for the TV show called A Market For A Miracle Running reminder: Broderick kept popping up to keep the story moving Harsh critic: One Twitter user said the show was now the worst thing Broderick has done The scene was a departure from the movie in which the Asian staff sung the traditional Christmas song with heavy accents. 'I wasn't expecting that,' Ralphie's dad said, with Ken's character asking sternly: 'What WERE you expecting?' After pointing out his sons were at Ivy League colleges - 'except for Bob who has a good personality' - he stressed in a key line: 'Isn't this a great country?' Tree salesman: Ken Jeong played a Christmas tree salesman Restaurant owner: The comedian also played the owner of Hong Kong Garden restaurant Pop song: Bebe Rexha performed the opening and closing number Count On Christmas Multiple talents: Krakowski got to put her singing and dancing skills on display Christmas present: The Old Man received a blue bowling ball for Christmas After the family walked off singing, Broderick's older Ralphie ended the show with a final song after an emotional monologue about 'the greatest Christmas gift I had ever received' but knowing his BB gun gift was really about 'love.' He sounded close to tears as he said: 'My old man, my dad - he gave it to me. And my mom she let me keep it - that's why it was the greatest gift I would ever receive.' 'Merry Christmas,' he said, walking off as the camera panned away. Big warning: Santa, played by David Alan Grier, and an elf portrayed by Fred Armisen warned Ralphie that he would shoot his eye out Gun gift: Ralphie after initially being disappointed received the BB gun as a gift from his father Eye shot: The boy fired his BB gun for the first time and broke his glasses They're the loved-up couple who've been in a committed relationship for years. And according to New Idea, Bindi Irwin, 19, and boyfriend Chandler Powell, 21, are ENGAGED. On Monday, the magazine reported that a 'source' at the Irwin's Australia Zoo told the publication: 'We've heard that Chandler proposed to Bindi last week, and that he asked Terri for her blessing, which she of course gave.' However, when contacted by Daily Mail Australia, a representative from the Irwin's Australia Zoo dismissed the story as 'false'. Making it official? A source has reportedly told New Idea that Chandler Powell popped the question to long-time girlfriend Bindi Irwin on December 11 - the same day she shared this couple photo According to the publication, American born Chandler is thought to have popped the question on December 11, the same day Bindi shared a sentimental throwback snap of the pair taken in April 2015. 'We spent this day with our families smiling and laughing by the lake. I am so glad we found each other in this great big world. I love you,' the wildlife queen captioned a photo that showed her cuddling her shirtless beau. Not wasting any time, the pair are thought to have already decided upon a very sentimental wedding venue - Australia Zoo. Animal attraction! The pair have reportedly chosen Australia Zoo for the nuptials 'Management have told us there could be a 'huge event' next year at the zoo so of course everyone's thinking it must be Bindi and Chandler's wedding,' the source at the Queensland compound divulged to New Idea. The 'insider' further claimed: 'Maybe they'll get the animals involved or even open it up to the general public!' New Idea alleges that even proud mum Terri is excited about the nuptials, dropping a major clue on her Twitter account on December 12. Dropping hints? Terri shared a throwback photo of Bindi as a flower girl on Twitter on December 12 The matriarch shared a throwback photo of Bindi as a flower girl on the social media site. However, the real reason the 53-year-old shared the photo was to celebrate Australia's recognition of marriage equality. 'Congratulations Australia! After January 8th everyone can get married! (Bindi the flower girl not included.)' she captioned the picture. Though they split in 2015, James Stewart and Jessica Marais have been committed to co-parenting their daughter Scout. But James has revealed that he won't be spending this Christmas with the five-year-old. Speaking to TV Week on Monday, the 42-year-old said: 'I think Scout might go away with her mum and I might go to Brooklyn. 'I'll definitely miss her': James Stewart shares his heartbreak and reveals he won't be spending Christmas with daughter Scout, five, who he shares with ex-fiancee Jessica Marais The actor, who plays Justin Morgan in Home And Away, says celebrating Christmas won't feel the same without his little girl. 'Scout squeals over Christmas,' James told the magazine. 'I love it.' The doting dad also says he loves nothing more than spending the weeks leading up to Christmas with an over-excited Scout. Split: James and Jessica split in 2015 and James wrote in his Sunday Life column: 'Our relationship didn't work out because I think hearts go in different directions eventually' 'We read all the Christmas stories and sing all the songs. And all of a sudden, she's making her bed,' he said. 'I'll definitely miss her.' James and Jessica fell in love on the set of Packed to the Rafters in 2009, he played the role of tradesman Jake Barton, the love interest of Jessica's character Rachel Rafter. The pair were together for four years, announcing their engagement in October 2010, before welcoming daughter Scout in May 2012. Christmas arrangements: Speaking to TV Week on Monday, the 42-year-old said: 'I think Scout might go away with her mum and I might go to Brooklyn The couple split in 2015 and James wrote in his Sunday Life column: 'Our relationship didn't work out because I think hearts go in different directions eventually'. He has also spoke to the newspaper about the couple's co-parenting arrangement last year and said he was Scout's primary carer. 'I am the full-time carer for Scout as Jess is busy working and travelling a lot,' he said at the time. 'When Jess is back, Scout is shared 50/50.' Tziporah Malkah recently revealed she had a 'difficult relationship' with her politician mother Pru Goward and they had stopped talking. And it seems the mother and daughter duo are getting through their rift, with the pair enjoying lunch together with family this month. Sharing a happy snap to Instagram, Tziporah, 44, can be seen sitting next to her mother, 65, with her arm around her, the pair both looking happy. Scroll down for video 'Time heals all wounds': Tziporah Malkah enjoys lunch with estranged mother Pru Goward... after revealing they stopped talking and had a 'difficult relationship' The mother and daughter duo had lunch with Pru's husband and Tziporah's step father David Barnett, as well as Tziporah's step sister Alice. In the snap, the clan are seen huddling on the couch, with Tziporah going makeup free and her hair tied back off her face. The former fiancee of James Packer captioned the shot: 'Me, mum,Alice & David for lunch at Yass.' Mending the rift? One follower commented: 'Time heals all wounds. Nice to see both parties have grown.' Another added: 'Wow! Congrats! You look happy!' Tough: Tziporah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - has long been open about her family drama and her fragile relationship with her mother One follower commented: 'Time heals all wounds. Nice to see both parties have grown.' Another added: 'Wow! Congrats! You look happy!' Tziporah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - has long been open about her family drama and her fragile relationship with her mother. Pru is the New South Wales Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister for Social Housing. In the public eye: Pru is the New South Wales Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister for Social Housing 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,' Tziporah told the AWW recently. '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. Struggles: 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 Earlier this year, she admitted her and her mother had stopped talking. 'It has always been quite a difficult relationship. I respect my mother and I understand my mother... that she is not motherly,' Tziporah told The Project. Tziporah 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. They're the lovable winning Block couple who've been together for nearly five years. And on Monday, it was reported that Elyse Knowles, 25, and boyfriend Josh Barker, 28, are getting ready to walk down the aisle. According to New Idea, sources close to the pair said that Josh 'doesn't want to wait anymore'. Scroll down for video Wedding bells? On Monday, it was reported that Elyse Knowles, 25, and boyfriend Josh Barker, 28, were getting ready to walk down the aisle 'We wouldn't be surprised if there's an announcement in the next few weeks,' reported the insider. 'I know Josh has been taking a lot about popping the question and making it all official. He loves Elyse to bits and know's she's The One.' And while the publication also revealed the location had been set to the carpenter's hometown of Byron Bay and that he 'didn't want to wait anymore', Elyse was quick to shut down the nuptial rumours. Here comes the bride: 'We wouldn't be surprised if there's an announcement in the next few weeks' revealed an insider to New Idea All 'wrong': 'Definitely wrong. Thanks for ruining my chances, douche-bags' revealed Elyse about the story Taking to Instagram Stories, the former Miss Universe Australia was heard repeatedly saying 'wrong, wrong, wrong' about the content. 'Definitely wrong. Thanks for ruining my chances, douche-bags.' The news comes after the couple shut down engagement rumours in October whilst speaking to OK! Magazine. Loved up: 'Josh doesn't want to wait anymore. He wants to make Elyse his bride as soon as possible,' continued the source 'There's no real rush,' said Josh at the time. 'We've got goals set for the next three, five, 10 years and we know where we want to be and that's what we want to do. Revealing that they do get pressure to tie-the-knot from family and friends, Elyse added that every time the conversation is brought up, her beau adds another six months to the wait. 'He says, "Every time you ask, it adds another six months",' said Elyse. He's the Married At First Sight star who recently began dating model Amy-Lee Dixon following his split from 'TV wife' Sharon Marsh. And now Nick Furphy has been slammed by his ex-girlfriend's father Paul Marsh, who has criticised the 29-year-old for not deleting any negative Instagram comments his fans may post regarding his daughter. Followers of Nick were quick to support the reality star, with one directing at Paul: 'How the hell does his post encourage bullies? Is he not allowed to move on?' 'Is he not allowed to move on?' Married At First Sight fans support Nick Furphy and his new girlfriend Amy-Lee Dixon after Sharon Marsh's father Paul SLAMS him on Instagram The war of words began after Nick posted a loved-up snap with Amy to Instagram, alongside the hash-tag #loveofmylife. Some of the comments saw viewers of the reality series heaping praise on his new girlfriend, comparing her to Sharon. Sharon's father Paul vocalised his frustration, writing in now-deleted posts: 'There must be a moral obligation for people to monitor their Instagram account. New flame: The war of words began after Nick posted a loved-up snap with Amy to Instagram, alongside the hash-tag #loveofmylife. Some of the comments saw viewers of the reality series heaping praise on his new girlfriend, comparing her to Sharon Vocal: Sharon's father Paul (far right) vocalised his frustration, writing in now-deleted posts: 'There must be a moral obligation for people to monitor their Instagram account. Not to remove vile crap says volumes about one's lack of respect, immaturity and bullying towards an ex-partner' 'Not to remove vile crap says volumes about one's lack of respect, immaturity and bullying towards an ex-partner, even if they only lived in fairyland together for about eight weeks. 'We opened our hearts and our home and our family to you and yours. This is how you repay us,' he continued. Supporters of Nick were quick to to comment, with one in particular posting: 'How the hell does his post encourage bullies? Is he not allowed to move on? I've never seen him write a bad word about your daughter!' Firing back: Supporters of Nick were quick to to comment, with one in particular posting: 'How the hell does his post encourage bullies? Is he not allowed to move on? I've never seen him write a bad word about your daughter!' While another followed suit with: 'He has never said a bad word! Sore!!' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nick for comment. Nick's newfound happiness comes three months after his shock split from reality star Sharon Marsh. Shock split: Nick's newfound happiness comes three months after his shock split from reality star Sharon Marsh, 32. The pair split in July after less than a year of dating The pair split in July after less than a year of dating, and she told New Idea at the time that she just wasn't in love. 'I love Nick, but after moving to Melbourne eight weeks ago to be with him, I soon realised I'm not in love with him,' Sharon, 32, told the publication. After moving from her hometown Perth to be with Nick, Sharon said she felt a deep inkling that something was not right. 'I told him I wanted to feel more,' the blonde added. He's been dating Channel Nine TV producer, Kendall Bora, for 15 months. And now Dr Chris Brown is set to propose to the brunette beauty, Woman's Day reports. The 39-year-old is believed to want to pop the question in South Africa as early as next month, as it's where they spent time after they first started dating. Scroll down for video 'That's where they fell in love': According to this week's Woman's Day, Dr Chris Brown (left) is set to propose to his Channel Nine TV producer girlfriend Kendall Bora (right) in South Africa as early as next month Chris will be in South Africa for I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, which he hosts. 'After all, that's where they fell in love,' a 'friend' told the publication. The TV star - who first rose to fame on Bondi Vet - was previously reported by Woman's Day to be readying himself for married life by looking for a new house in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Taking big steps: The TV star - who first rose to fame on Bondi Vet - was previously reported by Woman's Day to be readying himself for married life by looking for a new house in Sydney's eastern suburbs Kendall reportedly moved in with Chris earlier this year. The couple went public with their romance while attending a friend's wedding in the Hunter Valley in March. Chris has previously been vocal about his desire to have a family, and admitted age isn't a worry. 'When the time is right, the time is right,' the Bondi resident told The Daily Telegraph. 'When the time is right': Chris has previously been vocal about his desire to have a family, and admitted age isn't a worry Spacious! Chris has just purchased a large home in Clovelly, for a whopping $5.8 million 'I don't worry about my age. I think about the 25-year-old me and he wasn't very wordly,' he added. Chris has just purchased a large home in Clovelly, for a whopping $5.8 million. The giant 750 sq m block has direct beach access, a multi-level back yard with ample space for entertaining, plus a 100 sq m deck complete with a wet bar and outdoor shower. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home is set among big shady trees and features lavish timber flooring, and a white colour scheme throughout. Inside there is a video intercom system, a granite gas kitchen, and luxurious European appliances. He was Australia's first openly gay Big Brother contestant. And a decade on from his groundbreaking appearance on the reality show, Dave Graham is once again defying convention, having fathered three babies to three different women in the past two years. The 38-year-old farmer, who was affectionately known as the 'gay cowboy' during his stint on the series in 2006, told Woman's Day on Monday: 'It's in my blood to breed'. So that's what he's been doing! Openly gay Dave Graham, who became beloved around the country after his 2006 appearance on Big Brother, has revealed to Woman's Day this week that he has fathered three babies to three different women in the past two years The heartthrob himself is the youngest of 11 children, disclosing to the publication that he 'would love to have more children'. Dave, candidly told the magazine that he thought about becoming a sperm donor for '20 years, even before I went into the Big Brother house'. And after meeting a lesbian couple by the names Kris and Jane in 2012, he finally got his chance. Remember him? As a plain-talking Queensland farmer, gay Dave bucked stereotypes - and has now revealed he has ventured into fatherhood With Dave's donation, the couple welcomed daughter Ev in February 2016, with Kris carrying the baby girl. Dave plays the role of 'special uncle' while young Ev recognises Kris and Jane as her mothers. The Big Brother star has once again become a donor to the happy couple, with Jane now carrying the couple's second child. She is currently 38 weeks pregnant. Donor dad! David has donated his sperm to lesbian couple Kris and Jane, as well as single mum Amy Meanwhile, in between helping out the couple, Dave has also provided his sperm to a single mum by the name of Amy. She welcomed daughter Bonnie earlier in the year. And it appears to be a very modern family, with Kris and Jane joining Amy alongside donor Dave for a photo shoot with Woman's Day this week. 'Special uncle': The former reality star now works on a remote farm in Queensland, but is happy to play a hands-on role in the children's lives- so long as it okay with their mothers The former reality star now works on a remote farm in Queensland, but is happy to play a hands-on role in the children's lives - so long as it okay with their mothers. 'It's their [the mothers] choice 100 per cent', he told the publication. He further gushed, 'Becoming a dad is beyond anything I have every imagined. It's been amazing and changed my life!' They've been subject to relationship rumours over the past few months. And on Monday it was reported that Delta Goodrem, 33, and Hugh Sheridan, 32, would be spending the holiday season together. According to Woman's Day, the pair have had a 'turbulent' couple of months but are looking forward to spending some 'quality time' together. Scroll down for video Reunited: On Monday it was reported that Delta Goodrem, 33, and Hugh Sheridan, 32, would be spending the holiday season together An insider reportedly revealed that the pair had been juggling hectic schedules thanks to their respective careers but were keen spend time together. 'She's been performing and he's working crazy hours for the movie [The Call Back] but they're just happy to be back home,' the insider told the publication. 'With Christmas just around the corner, they've been talking a lot about having a low-key celebration together. They're both down-to-earth people and just love being around each other,' added the source. Together again: 'She's been performing and he's working crazy hours for the movie [The Call Back] but they're just happy to be back home' Plans: 'With Christmas just around the corner, they've been talking a lot about having a low-key celebration together,' revealed a source The news comes after New Idea previously reported the pair were looking to get married in 2018. 'Delta is starting to see Hugh as that man,' revealed a source. 'She's said numerous times that she wants to get married, have kids - and recently she's said she'd love those things in the next 12 months, she's very ready.' Wedding bells? The news comes after New Idea previously reported the pair were looking to get married in 2018 And further cementing their relationship, Woman's Day also reported that the pair were in the midst of 'secretly planning to have a baby'. 'She's been exploring all her baby options and she really thinks Hugh would make a great dad - even if it were an unconventional scenario,' revealed an insider to the publication. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to representatives of both Hugh and Delta for comment. He's a prominent member of the cast of one of the hottest shows on television. And Gaten Matarazzo was reaping the rewards Sunday, as he was a presenter for CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, a show which was held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The 15-year-old actor, known for his trademark curly dark locks, was dressed in a dapper ensemble of a dark grey three-piece suit with a grey patterned tie and patterned handkerchief. Scroll below for video Front and center: Gaten Matarazzo, 15, posed Sunday in New York City for CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, a show held at the American Museum of Natural History Gaten took to Twitter Saturday to hearken the honor, writing, 'I have the honor of presenting at the @CNNHeroes event tonight!! Tune in!' He later took to Instagram to recap his enjoyable evening, writing, 'Thank you @cnn @cnnheroes for an incredible evening surrounded by inspiring and brilliant people. #cnnheroes.' Gaten, who appeared in the Katy Perry video Swish Swish earlier this year, posed for shots with a number of prominent young people at the event. They included Transformers: The Last Knight actress Isabela Moner, 16; Young Sheldon actor Iain Armitage, nine; and Sidney Keys III, an 11-year-old who was awarded with an honor from the cable network for developing a reading program for young people called Books N Bros. Dressed up: The young performer wore a dark three-piece suit to the swanky function Rising: The teen actor has made a name for himself playing Dustin Henderson on Netflix's Stranger Things Good time: Gaten described Sunday's event as an 'incredible evening surrounded by inspiring and brilliant people' Gaten, who plays Dustin Henderson on the Netflix smash-hit, earlier this year chat with Paste about how the show's producers customized and enhanced his character to complement him once he was cast on the program. 'On Stranger Things I was one of about 900 boys auditioning, and it was for the role of Mike. They really didnt have any idea of what Dustin was going to be like when I auditioned for it, so they only had parts written for Lucas and Mike,' he told the publication. He said his character Dustin 'was sort of underwritten' and 'going to be sort of a recurring character and not as prominent as he actually was on the show. 'Of course, after I ended up getting the role they changed the character to give him cleidocranial dysplasia, which is the condition I have,' a condition that impacts a person's bones and teeth. 'I think it really personalized the character,' Matarazzo said, 'and made him relatable.' Young wonders: Gaten posed with Sidney Keys III, an 11-year-old who was awarded for developing a reading program called Books N Bros Very young Hollywood: Gaten was pictured with Transformers: The Last Knight actress Isabela Moner, 16; and Young Sheldon actor Iain Armitage, nine Rosy occasion: Gaten posed with comic Jim Gaffigan and Moner backstage She's the daughter of Kanye West. And North West showed she's inherited her famous father's love of music as she joined her mother in a sing-a-long on Sunday night. In her Snap Story on Sunday night, Kim Kardashian, 37, and her five-year-old daughter sang the famous Yuletide song Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Scroll down for video Ready for Christmas: Wearing matching pajamas, Kim Kardashian and her five-year-old daughter North West sang Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer on the former's Snap Story This being Snapchat, a filter had been applied to give them both high-squeaky voices, as well as a reindeer's antlers and ears. Every once in a while, animated reindeer masks would be seen flipping up over Kim and her daughter's faces as they sang the holiday standard. Penned by Johnny Marks - who also wrote A Holly Jolly Christmas and Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - the song Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer made its debut in a hit 1949 recording by Gene Autry. It has since enjoyed covers by a sprawling variety of artists ranging from jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald to rapper and father-of-15-children-by-nine-women DMX. So sweet: This being Snapchat, a filter had been applied to give them both high-squeaky voices, as well as a reindeer's antlers and ears The song's title character originated in a 1939 story that Robert Lewis May wrote for a booklet released by the late department store Montgomery Ward. North is Kim's firstborn child by her third husband Kanye West, with whom the reality TV icon also has a two-year-old son called Saint. The couple, who married in 2014, are currently expecting a baby via surrogacy. Kim's elder sister Kourtney has three children - Mason, eight, Penelope, five, and Reign, three - by her on-off paramour Scott Disick, whom she last split from in 2015. Sticking to the theme: Every once in a while, animated reindeer masks would be seen flipping up over Kim and her daughter's faces as they adorably sang the holiday standard Family history: North is Kim's firstborn child by her third husband Kanye West, by whom the reality TV icon also has a one-year-old son called Saint Meanwhile, Kim and Kourtney's younger sister Khloe Kardashian is thought to be pregnant by her Cleveland Cavalier beau Tristan Thompson - who earlier this year welcomed his first child, a son called Prince, with his ex-girlfriend Jordan Craig. The Kardashian sisters' rotund younger brother Rob has a one-year-old daughter named Dream by his ex-fiancee Blac Chyna. There is also a swirl of speculation that the Kardashian siblings' half-sister Kylie Jenner is pregnant at 20 by her 25-year-old rapper boyfriend Travis Scott. Before she was with Travis, Kylie used to date a now 27-year-old rapper called Tyga, who in a bizarre twist has a five-year-old son called King Cairo by Chyna. They're the young couple from Australia Zoo who were rumoured to finally walk down the aisle. And according to this week's New Idea, Bindi Irwin, 19, and boyfriend Chandler Powell, 21, were not only engaged but had decided on a sentimental wedding venue. But speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Monday, Bindi's media representative has fiercely denied the claims, stating they may be in love but that haven't taken the next step just yet. 'He didn't propose': Bindi Irwin's rep DENIES the 19-year-old is engaged to boyfriend Chandler Powell, 21, after magazine claimed Terri had given her blessing 'He didn't propose. This is another false tabloid report from New Idea,' the rep told Daily Mail Australia. On Monday, the magazine reported that a 'source' at the Irwin's Australia Zoo told the publication: 'We've heard that Chandler proposed to Bindi last week, and that he asked Terri for her blessing, which she of course gave.' According to the publication, American-born Chandler is thought to have popped the question on December 11, the same day Bindi shared a sentimental throwback snap of the pair taken in April 2015. 'We spent this day with our families smiling and laughing by the lake. I am so glad we found each other in this great big world. I love you,' the wildlife queen captioned a photo that showed her cuddling her shirtless beau. Not wasting any time, the pair were thought to have already decided upon a very sentimental wedding venue - Australia Zoo. Animal attraction! The pair have reportedly chosen Australia Zoo for the nuptials She'd look lovely in white! Bindi was alleged to be engaged but Australia Zoo denies the claims 'Management have told us there could be a 'huge event' next year at the zoo so of course everyone's thinking it must be Bindi and Chandler's wedding,' the source at the Queensland compound divulged to New Idea. The 'insider' further claimed: 'Maybe they'll get the animals involved or even open it up to the general public!' New Idea alleged that even proud mum Terri is excited about the nuptials, dropping a major clue on her Twitter account on December 12. Cute: Terri shared a throwback photo of Bindi as a flower girl on Twitter on December 12 The matriarch shared a throwback photo of Bindi as a flower girl on the social media site. However, the real reason the 53-year-old shared the photo was to celebrate Australia's recognition of marriage equality. 'Congratulations Australia! After January 8th everyone can get married! (Bindi the flower girl not included.)' she captioned the picture. She's the Real Housewives of Melbourne star whose slender frame has caused concern among her co-stars. But Gamble Breaux has revealed she takes worry about her weight as a compliment. Speaking with NW on Monday, the feisty 46-year-old says she's healthier than ever, stating: 'I'm skinny but, you know, I'll probably live longer than you!' 'I'm skinny but, you know, I'll probably live longer than you!' On Monday, RHOM's Gamble Breaux (pictured), 46, disclosed just how much she REALLY weighs and said she takes concern about her thin frame as a compliment Gamble claimed that being overweight means you're susceptible to 10 different types of cancers, before defiantly stating: 'I don't have an eating disorder.' 'I can't stand the thought of throwing up, putting my fingers down my throat was never going to work!' she added. The blonde claims she has 'only lost about four or give kilos' in recent times, putting her slender frame down to abstaining from indulging in cakes and wine. Hitting back: The blonde was adamant she doesn't have an eating disorder and added she has 'only lost about four or give kilos' in recent times, putting her slender frame down to abstaining from indulging in cakes and wine NW claimed the personality tips the scales between 50 and 54 kilograms. 'I'm healthy. You can go to a government website put in my height and weight and it will tell you that!' Meanwhile, in the same interview Gamble addressed tensions between her and co-star Gina Liano. 'I'm healthy': Although NW claimed the personality tips the scales between 50 and 54 kilograms, Gamble she hasn't lost the weight by engaging in dangerous habits 'She makes me laugh and clashing with her is difficult': Gamble also revealed she 'really likes' Gina 'I really like Gina. She makes me laugh and clashing with her is difficult', the beauty claimed. However, with current season of the show consists of fireworks between the big personalities, signalling that may have changed. While her friendships might be rocky, Gamble's marriage to eye surgeon husband Richard Wolfe is anything but. The pair have recently moved into a plush new pad on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. They only publicly confirmed their relationship less than a month ago. But now, rumours are circling that Neighbours real-life couple Fifi Box, 40, and Damien Richardson, 48, are thinking of having a child. In Monday's Woman's Day, a source close to The Project, on which the comedian regularly appears on, alleged the mother-of-one was hoping to add to her brood with Damien. ' Fifi has always wanted to give Trixie a little brother or sister,': According to Woman's Day this week Fifi Box (pictured) is thinking of expanding her family with new beau and Neighbours co-star Damien Richardson 'Fifi has always wanted to give Trixie [her four-year-old daughter] a little brother or sister,' the source reportedly told the magazine. The insider added: 'And with Trixie starting school soon, now feels like the right time.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Fifi Box and her representatives for comment. Fifi has previously confessed to being 'really happy' at the moment, particularlu with her current beau who she's been dating for most of this year. The dedicated mother has also made no secret of her love for Trixie, whom she regularly shares pictures and hilarious anecdotes about on her social media accounts. Loved-up: Media personality Fifi Box has been in a relationship with her Neighbours co-star Damien Richardson (pictured) since the beginning of the year Speaking to The Herald-Sun in November, the-radio-host-turned-actress spoke about what a good place she was in but how her main priority was her daughter. 'I am happy in my relationship, I am loving my job,' 40-year-old Fifi said, before adding, 'but more than anything my absolute priority is Trixie....She is the love of my life and she is everything.' Partner and Neighbours co-star Damien Richardson shares three children with his estranged wife, Nicole Riches. Thinking of becoming a dad again? Damien Richardson already shares three children with his estranged wife, Nicole Riches In July of this year, the new couple embarked on a holiday to Bali together, with pictures emerging of them canoodling on sunbeds. The couple enjoyed the Indonesian holiday with their respective children. Despite the star being notoriously private, she offered a more philosophical take on life when concluding her interview with The Herald-Sun. 'I've learnt that over the last decade or so that life sweeps you up in a whirlwind and you wonder where it is all going,' she said. 'What I really appreciate at this time in my life is just being present and loving now.' Doting: Mum-of-one Fifi Box regularly shares updates of her adorable daughter Trixie with fans on her social media accounts ' It's the hottest ticket in town. But Kourtney Kardashian, 38, and Younes Bendjima, 24, made sure to take time for their relationship as they enjoyed a fun date to The Broad museum in downtown LA on Sunday afternoon. The reality television starlet enjoyed some downtime in bed with her beau before the duo shared a sweet snap on Instagram of the pair entranced in the popular Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors display. Scroll down for video Afternoon delight: Kourtney Kardashian , 38, and Younes Bendjima, 24, made sure to take time for their relationship on a fun date to The Broad museum in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday Kourtney covered up in a flowing pink sweatshirt which she tucked into the waistband of black patent leather pants. She kept a pair of dark sunglasses on the neckline of her shirt and carried a small black bag by her side. Younes opted for comfort in a baggy green tee worn on the outside of a white long-sleeved shirt. He donned a pair of black pants and white running shoes as he posed with his girlfriend in the sparkling room. Talented: The reality television starlet enjoyed some downtime in bed with her beau before the duo shared a sweet snap on Instagram of the pair entranced in the popular Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors display Kourtney and Younes played around in bed before heading out to the museum, where the shirtless Algerian-born model showed off his skills with a fidget spinner placed on top of his nose. Their relationship has heated up in recent months after the two met in Paris in October 2016 and were first seen affectionate with each other in Europe in May. Not only has her family has taken the hunk in, but she has also introduced him to the three kids she has with ex Scott Disick: Mason, seven, Penelope, five, and Reign, two, according to People. Sweethearts: Their relationship has heated up in recent months after the two met in Paris in October 2016 and were first seen affectionate in Europe in May; seen in September Love: Not only has her family has taken the hunk in, but she has also introduced him to the three kids she has with ex Scott Disick: Mason, seven, Penelope, five, and Reign, two, according to People; seen in September A source said: 'Younes has met her kids. Kourtneys family really likes him. He is the opposite of Scott. He doesnt party, isnt flashy and really treats Kourtney with a lot of respect. Its obvious that he really cares about Kourtney.' And he will be at Kris Jenner's annual Christmas party on December 24. 'Younes will be in L.A. for Christmas and is invited to celebrate with Kourtneys family,' said the source. Kourtney dated Keeping Up With The Kardashians co-star Scott, 34, for almost a decade before they split in the summer of 2015 amid allegations he had cheated on her with blonde stylist Chloe Bartoli. After spending the summer womanizing throughout Europe, Scott has now seemingly settled down and went public with teen model Sofia Richie, 19, in September. Channel Nine has sensationally hit back at claims they've been angered by Love Island host Sophie Monk's 'diva demands'. In this week's Woman's Day, 'insiders' alleged that Sophie Monk was causing a headache for the network with her list of 'diva demands' after reportedly landing a $1 million payday for the upcoming reality show gig. But Channel Nine has refuted the claims, telling Daily Mail Australia on Monday that they are 'very excited' to have the blonde bombshell at the network. Scroll down for video Refuted: Reps for Channel Nine have refuted claims the network is angry with its Love Island host Sophie Monk (pictured) for her 'diva demands' instead telling Daily Mail Australia on Monday they 'can't wait to start production," on the show 'We are very excited to have Sophie back at Nine,' the Channel Nine representative said. The rep added: 'We have a wonderful relationship with her, and can't wait to start production on Love Island Australia.' It had been claimed that the 37-year-old requested 'allowances for her glam squad and return airfares for millionaire beau Stu Laundy'. An anonymous 'source' reportedly told Woman's Day that Sophie 'requested her 'team' be flown to Spain (where the show is being filmed) - including hair and makeup.' It was also alleged that the former Bardot star 'demanded Stu Laundy's airfares be covered too.' Ecstatic: Former Bachelorette star Sophie confirmed the new gig on the Today show last month, saying that she is 'so excited' to be at the helm of the show Former Bachelorette star Sophie confirmed the new gig on the Today show last month, saying that she is 'so excited' to be at the helm of the show. The blonde bombshell also explained the concept of the series, which has already been a huge hit overseas. 'It is a young group of people from 18-35 who are going to hook up on an island and they have got to try and last,' she said. Reports: It's been claimed that the former Bardot star 'demanded Stu Laundy's airfares be covered too' 'You can vote them out if you don't believe they are in love. At the end there is a lot of money and the couple either split it or one person takes it. So Australia kind of choose who is really in love. They send in intruders. It is exciting.' Sophie later appeared on KIIS FM's Kyle & Jackie O Show where she revealed that beau Stu, 44, will be joining her, saying: 'He chills a lot so he's going to come over.' He was thought to be killed in an explosion in the Ukraine. But popular Coronation Street character Gary Windass, played by Mikey North, was back from the dead as he prepared to shoot scenes as in Manchester on Friday. The 31-year old was joined by fellow cast members Conor McIntyre, best known for his role as evil Pat Phelan, while taking a break between scenes on the long-running ITV soap. Scroll down for video Main man: He's to be killed off ahead of the Christmas special, but popular Coronation Street star Mikey North was back on set as he prepared to shoot scenes as Gary Windass in Manchester on Friday Wrapped up in thick quilted jackets, both were braced for the fierce December cold as they idled on the exterior set with a female co-star. The location, close to the same spot where Andy and Vinny were brutally killed at the hands of Phelan, suggests a gruesome discovery awaits Gary, whose departure from the show was confirmed in November. Cameramen were seen heading to a nearby cluster of trees to film as the cast waited close to their trailers. Watch out: The 31-year old was joined by fellow cast members Conor McIntyre, best known for his role as evil Pat Phelan, while taking a break between scenes on the long-running ITV soap Here he comes: McIntyre emerged from his trailer as he readied himself for another scene as Phelan In the mix: A female co-star joined the two actors on the exterior set Gary has been a character on the cobbles since 2008, but news of his death first emerged in October, weeks before news of his apparent demise in the Ukraine while working for the chief executive of an oil company reached Weatherfield. However, it was claimed earlier this week that the character actually fakes his own death in a 'huge twist', and will return to the beloved soap during the Christmas special. A source told The Sun: 'Bosses have been trying to keep the Gary news under wraps. Here we go: Cameramen were seen heading to a nearby cluster of trees to film as the cast waited close to their trailers Banter: Cast and crew chatted amongst themselves while idling close to their trailer 'Gary's mum Anna is told in next week's scenes that he was killed driving a diplomat whose car was ambushed. 'To unexpectedly bring him back is a huge twist. Fans will love it.' Previous images of Gary covered in blood emerged in December, perhaps marking the moment he is killed off. The character could be seen sprawled on the pavement, with his face bloodied and bruised - but despite the distressing scene, actor Mikey North still managed to flash a smile during a break from filming. In the upsetting scene, a blood covered Gary is seen lying on the ground down a back street, with his eyes closed as if unconscious. She embarked on filming the upcoming film Tolkien in early November, which was recorded across the north of England. And Lily Collins went for casual attire in a slouchy cream cardigan as she was pictured out and about in Hollywood on Saturday. The 28-year-old recently revealed she will return to her home country as she is set to visit her family for the festive Christmas season. Scroll down for video Relaxed: Lily Collins went for casual attire in a slouchy cream cardigan as she was pictured out and about in Hollywood on Saturday Opting for an unconventionally laid-back appearance, the stunning brunette was dressed in a pair of straight fit jeans and flat bandage sandals as she walked along the streets of California. She threw on a khaki slogan tee, which was teamed with an oversized cardigan as she hid behind cat-eye sunglasses. The award-winning actress' mid-length mane blew in the wind as her tresses were styled in effortless tousled waves. Opting for an unconventionally laid-back appearance, the stunning brunette was dressed in a pair of straight fit jeans and a khaki slogan tee as she walked along the streets of California Taking to Instagram, the British-American star revealed she is returning to England to visit her family for Christmas this year. She captioned the image of a BMW: 'Divine send off. Taking a break from traffic for a while a countryside Christmas is calling my name!...' The Surrey born beauty visited the north of England in November as she is currently taking the role of Tolkien's wife in the upcoming J. R. R. Tolkien biopic. 'Divine send off': Taking to Instagram, the British-American star revealed she is returning to England to visit her family for Christmas this year It will chart the story of Tolkien's earlier years as a love lorn soldier who returned from the Great War - which he later used as inspiration for The Lord Of The Rings. Prior to Tolkien, the Unfiltered author found success with her controversial Netflix film To The Bone earlier this year. Lily was forced to face her own demons when she took on the role of the 20-year-old anorexic sufferer Ellen. Controversial film: Prior to Tolkien, the Unfiltered author found success with her Netflix film To The Bone earlier this year, where she faced her own demons as a former anorexic In an interview with The Daily Mail, the brunette blamed her famous father Phil Collins' 17 million divorce as the trigger for her extreme anorexia and bulimia. The British beauty explained how her severe eating disorder stopped her menstrual cycle for two years and could have affected her chances of having children. Lily revealed she gorged on junk food, then forced herself to throw up, causing her hair to fall out and her nails to become brittle. My periods stopped for two years,' she bravely confessed. 'And my life was out of control. I was terrified I had ruined my chances of ever having kids.' Of her relationship with her father, she said: There was a terrible disconnect that grew between us. Many of my deepest insecurities stem from my issues with my dad. Lily, who went to school in Los Angeles, lived with mother Jill Tavelman (Phil's second wife) after their separation. She is a critically acclaimed actress who is known for her effortlessly chic sense of style. And Rosamund Pike donned a very daring ensemble as she attended a screening and Q&A session of her latest film Hostiles in New York City earlier this month. The 38-year-old actress flashed her braless assets in a semi-sheer ivory lace top, which featured a perilously plunging cut-out panel which revealed her pert cleavage. Scroll down for video Busty: Rosamund Pike donned a very daring ensemble as she attended a screening and Q&A session of her latest film Hostiles in New York City earlier this month The elegant blouse featured pretty lace trim and intricately decorated sleeves, with the blonde beauty pairing the top with tight-fitting black trousers which hugged her toned legs. The Die Another Day star added further height to her statuesque frame with chic black strappy sandals. Covering up against the Big Apple chill she layered a black blazer over her blouse and toted a metallic box clutch. Her caramel locks were styled into soft waves and parted in the middle and she highlighted her naturally pretty features with smoky eyeshadow, long lashes and a red lip. Plunging: The 38-year-old actress flashed her braless assets in a semi-sheer ivory lace top, which featured a perilously plunging cut-out panel which revealed her pert cleavage The mother of two stars with Christian Bale in Hostiles, a turn-of-the-century drama about an Army captain who escorts a Cherokee chief and his family across dangerous territory. Christian and I barely spoke, and to this day we hardly know each other, the actress told Baz Bamigboye for the Daily Mail. There was no animosity between the two British stars, but as Pike explained, our two characters are so badly damaged it actually helped with the acting process for them to keep their distance. Radiant: The elegant blouse featured pretty lace trim and intricately decorated sleeves, with the blonde beauty pairing the top with tight-fitting black trousers which hugged her toned legs The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 22. The actress also has two other movies in the can - the thriller High Wire Act with Jon Hamm and the based-on-a-true-story drama Entebbe with Eddie Marsan and Daniel Bruhl. She's also prepping A Private War about Sunday Times war reporter Marie Colvin who was killed in war-torn Syria. The pair enjoyed a wild week of partying in LA back in October, with sources claiming there was real 'chemistry' between them. And Bruno Tonioli and Matt Law spent even more time together on Sunday, as they enjoyed an evening at the gala night of Matthew Bourne's Cinderella in London. The Strictly Come Dancing judge, 62, flashed a smile at cameras as he left the Sadler's Wells Theatre with the male model, 29 - before giving him a kiss goodnight as they parted ways. Scroll down for video Relaxed: Bruno Tonioli and Matt Law enjoyed an evening at the gala night of Matthew Bourne's Cinderella in London Close: The Strictly judge, 62, flashed a smile at cameras as he left the Sadler's Wells Theatre with the male model, 29 - before giving him a kiss goodnight as they parted ways The pair appeared completely relaxed as they departed the theatre in Clerkenwell side by side. Bruno looked typically slick in a black hounds tooth suit, paired with a crisp white shirt and grey scarf, in the chilly London climes. Meanwhile Matt kept things more casual in distressed skinny jeans and an acid wash T-shirt, layered beneath a sleek leather Aviation jacket, as he joined Bruno at the show. Chilling out: The pair appeared completely relaxed as they departed the theatre in Clerkenwell side by side Winter warmer: Bruno looked typically slick in a black hounds tooth suit, paired with a crisp white shirt and grey scarf, as he posed with Jackie St. Claire, Matt and another guest (L-R) Trendy: Meanwhile Matt kept things more casual in distressed skinny jeans and an acid wash T-shirt, layered beneath a sleek leather Aviation jacket, as he joined Bruno at the show The pair, who became subject to romance rumours earlier this year, attended the dance spectacle with Strictly professional AJ Pritchard, who Bruno happily posed with for cameras, as well as Jackie St. Claire and a host of other pals. The group were seen departing the theatre together and proceeded to chat outside before parting ways - with Bruno bidding Matt farewell with a hug and kiss on the cheek. Earlier this year, Bruno was forced to miss his first ever episode of Strictly Come Dancing in thirteen years due to a pre-booked trip to Los Angeles - where he was seen partying with Lizzie Cundy and male model Matt. Big night out: The pair, who became subject to romance rumours earlier this year, attended the dance spectacle with Strictly professional AJ Pritchard (right) Say cheese! Bruno happily posed with AJ for cameras, having formed a friendship on Strictly Come Dancing Having a ball: The pair beamed for cameras as they posed with Jackie inside The pair enjoyed a night on the town at Hollywood's Sunset Marquis - with an onlooker telling MailOnline there was 'chemistry' between the pair. An onlooker said: 'Bruno kept giving Matt hugs. There was definitely chemistry between them but obviously an age gap. Bruno was very touchy-feely! They sat close and everyone were looking over as the table was all laughing.' Sources later told The Sun: 'Bruno has really been getting on well with Matt, they enjoy each others company. They have spent the last few days together in the States and he has been introduced to a few of his friends. Catching up: The group were seen departing the theatre together and proceeded to chat outside (AJ and Bruno pictured) Homeward bound: The group then parted ways, with Bruno bidding Matt farewell with a hug and kiss on the cheek California dreamin': Matt and Bruno enjoyed a string of nights out with Lizzie Cundy (L) back in October - with sources claiming the pair had real 'chemistry' 'Bruno is growing increasingly fond of Matt and it isnt hard to see why. Hes noticed everywhere they go. They were very touchy-feely over dinner and laughing so loudly that everyone took notice.' Bruno's night out came after Tess Daly revealed the judge was unable to appear in Strictly due to a 'a very busy work schedule'. Despite simultaneously working on SCD and Dancing With The Stars, the expert had never previously missed a show, leaving fans devastated at his absence. A BBC spokesman told MailOnline: 'As was always the plan, Bruno Tonioli is not on the judging panel this weekend due to a very busy work schedule.' They're the stalwarts of the Australian music industry. And on Monday night, the red carpet of the Australian Music Vault launch in Melbourne was alight with veterans who have seen it all. Among the A-listers in attendance were Kylie Minogue, 49, Tina Arena, 50 and Molly Meldrum, 74. The gang's all here! Kylie Minogue (left) flashes her bra as she cosies up to Tina Arena (right) at the Australian Music Vault launch... while Molly Meldrum arrives in a wheelchair after health battle Ageless Kylie took the plunge in racy attire, providing a glimpse of her black bra with a very low-cute neckline. The gorgeous charcoal maxi-dress was emblazoned with a metallic pattern and fell effortlessly from the stunner's svelte figure. Accessorising the look, the former Neighbours star went for gold strappy heels and added a necklace in the same shade. Taking the plunge! Ageless Kylie Minogue's dress feature a very low-cut neckline Gold star! The singer's dress was emblazoned with a metallic pattern and she matched it with gold heels and a necklace in the same shade Best of the best! Kylie cosied up to singing superstar Tina Arena at the lavish event Cosing up to the pop queen on the media wall was fellow singing superstar Tina Arena. The ARIA-award winner donned an elegant off-the-shoulder figure-hugging ensemble with a flared white hemline. Also joining the women on the night was legendary music critic Molly Meldrum who sported his trademark cowboy hat. Pucker up: Iconic music critic Molly Meldrum gave Tina Arena a peck on the cheek Photo opp: Australian businessman Michael Gudinski posed alongside Kylie, Molly and Tina The iconic music journalist arrived at the event in a wheelchair following his well-publicised health battle. However, Molly managed to stand for photos, posing alongside Kylie and Tina as well as Australian businessman Michael Gudinski. In recent years, the Countdown presenter has suffered a number of health concerns including two serious falls in 2011 and 2016. Making an entrance: MollyMeldrum (pictured) arrived at the event in a wheelchair following his well-publicised health battle He's the Oscar-winning actor currently in town to film commercials for Optus. And Hollywood actor Cuba Gooding Jr, 49, was proving he has it about as good as it gets on Monday. The international actor was spotted taking a very lavish method of transportation - being flown to luxury Sydney locale Rose Bay via seaplane. As good as it gets: Hollywood actor Cuba Gooding Jr, 49, was spotted disembarking a sea plane in Rose Bay on Monday, the A-lister is in town to film a new series of Optus commercials The acclaimed actor looked the picture of relaxation as he appeared to thank the pilot of the small plane while disembarking. For the outing, Cuba wore a crisp white shirt and striped waistcoat, which he matched with blue jeans. The Jerry Maguire star has been causing a stir of late, surprising fans at end-of-year Christmas parties and seating himself in public areas where excited fans can get a much sought-after selfie with him. Star turn: Hollywood actor Cuba Gooding Jr was spotted in disembarking a sea plane in Sydney's exclusive Rose Bay on Monday Sydney summer: Acclaimed actor Cuba Gooding Jr cut a relaxed figure as he thanked crew members while disembarking the sea plane Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the actor said he was going to 'all different places,' while taking pictures with the city's beach-goers. '[We] were walking all around the city going into different places and taking pictures with people on the beach,' Cuba told the publication. 'I went to a restaurant that has an outside table and I just sat and chilled for four hours and so many people were coming up, it was great, it was fun.' In good spirits: While in town Cuba has 'crashed multiple Christmas parties' and happily taken selfies with fans The actor has a busy schedule, filming Optus advertisements for the launch of a new streaming service the telco has with Channel Seven. Cube added in Telegraph interview that he was excited about his newest venture. 'It's so cool, I get offered stuff all the time to be spokesman for corporations and products and when I come in it doesn't feel organic,' he said. 'So when Optus came to me and said "we're excited about it and your excitement is what we want", that was different,' he continued. 'A lot of times people can misinterpret my energy as "he's crazy, he's a nut, or he's too much" but when it's done the right way it's fun.' He wasn't afraid to throw his weight around in the iconic Crocodile Dundee movie. And comedian Paul Hogan admitted to The Herald-Sun on Tuesday he certainly wouldn't hold back if he ever found out one of his 'beautiful' granddaughters had been harassed. The claim comes as the 78-year-old reflected on the #metoo campaign and the countless women coming forward to out their sexual perpetrators. 'I was staggered at the creepiness of people in Hollywood,' Paul Hogan told The Herald-Sun on Tuesday he'd 'kick the a**e' of anyone who sexually harassed his granddaughters 'There's so many people being exposed that you never expected,' Paul told the publication. But there was one man in particular he wasn't surprised to hear was in very hot water. 'I was staggered at the creepiness of people in Hollywood,' Paul said. He added: 'I knew Harvey Weinstein was a grub no one was shocked about Harvey.' Watch out! Hogan, who is the grandfather of Channel Seven reporter Mylee Hogan (right) said he wouldn't think twice about beating up any man that took advantage of his younger family members Ready for action! He wasn't afraid to throw his weight around in the iconic Crocodile Dundee movie Paul, who is the grandfather of Channel Seven reporter Mylee Hogan, said he wouldn't think twice about beating up any man that took advantage of his younger family members. 'I have four attractive granddaughters, one of them is on Channel Seven, and if I find out someone out there is hassling her, I'd go out and kick their a**e they shouldn't have to put up with that,' he said. And that's not the only fight Paul Hogan has involved himself in recently. He added: 'I knew Harvey Weinstein was a grub no one was shocked about Harvey' The legendary actor launched legal action against food chain Grill'd, claiming it used one of Crocodile Dundee's catchphrases on its cutlery sleeves. The 78-year-old accused the fast food group of 'flagrant' breach of copyright for including his famous line 'That's not a knife, this is a knife' on their products. Paul claims the restaurant company 'refused' to stop making the cutlery sleeves and has asked for increased damages due to their 'flagrant disregard' for his copyright, The Australian reported. Grill'd has yet to file a defence to these claims. He's known for his roles in high-profile international offerings such as Liar and The Fantastic Four. And Welsh-born Ioan Gruffudd was drawn to Brisbane, Australia for the past six months to film new ABC TV crime drama Harrow. Speaking to Tuesday's Daily Telegraph, the 44-year-old actor, who is based in Los Angeles, admitted he sacrificed time with his family in order to take the gig. 'It's a big undertaking to leave one's family behind for so long': Ioan Gruffudd admitted to The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday he sacrificed time with loved ones to film ABC TV crime drama Harrow in Brisbane 'It's a big undertaking to leave one's family behind for so long,' he divulged to Confidential. However, Ioan said the quality of the script was enough to warrant the time away. He explained: 'Clearly the script was a big incentive because it was fantastic but for me, knowing where I'm coming to and that I'd be happy here is a big difference.' : 'Clearly the script was a big incentive': Ioan (pictured with wife Alice Evans) said the quality of the script was enough to warrant the time away from his family One of Ioan's most recent roles was a gig in critically acclaimed British drama Liar and the actor previously told Confidential the show's storytelling had him hooked. 'I read the first three scripts and I couldn't put them down,' he said. The suspense series tells the story of attraction between school teacher Laura Nielson and surgeon Andrew Earlham. Recent role: One of Ioan's most recent gigs was in critically acclaimed British drama Liar alongside Joanne Froggatt (right) 'I read the first three scripts and I couldn't put them down': Ioan said Liar's storytelling had him hooked The two go on a date that goes wrong after he is accused of raping her and follows twists, secrets and lies revealed. 'I was breathless and I absolutely had to play this part,' Ioan added about taking on the complex role. The British premiere was met with much praise on social media with fans raving about the gripping series. Photos of the former Bachelorette star on the beaches of Summer Bay have been circling the internet for months. But now Home And Away fans have finally seen Sam Frost's acting debut, which came in the form of a fatal car crash scene during Monday's season finale. The 28-year-old ran her car into Pia Miller's character Kat Chapman and her runaway lover Robbo (played by Jake Ryan) as they were driving out of the main township. Keep very still Sam! In later scenes Sam was taken to hospital and examined by doctor Tori Morgan Sam, who plays character Jasmine Delaney, was hunched over the wheel of her car when Robbo came to check on her, who decided she was still alive. Her face had a deep gash on it and she wore a lilac shirt for the scene. Her blonde locks were tied back into a ponytail. In later scenes Sam was taken to hospital and examined by doctor Tori Morgan (Penny McNamee). Her eyes were closed throughout, even when Tori tried to examine her eyes. Tragic scenes: Her face had a deep gash on it and she wore a lilac shirt for the scene. Her blonde locks were tied back into a ponytail Justin Morgan (James Stewart) asked if Jasmine was going to be okay but Tori could only say she hoped so - and they were still trying to locate her next of kin. The car crash ultimately spelled the end for Pia's character Kat - who died after Summer Bay doctors tried to resuscitate her. Sam posted a photo to her Instagram Story of the debut, poking fun of herself in the process. Laughing it off! Sam posted a photo to her Instagram Story of the debut, poking fun of herself in the process She's got a new gig! Sam will join the full time cast as character Jasmine Delaney 'S*** she's dead already,' she captioned an image showing Jasmine lying in a hospital bed. 'My family on Snapchat: "You're the best unconscious person I've ever seen" #BestPerformanceOfMyCareer lelele,' the caption continued. Sam recently attended the Home And Away casts Christmas party, cuddling up to actors Anna Cocquerel and Sarah Roberts - proving she's already right at home. She's the Australian supermodel favoured by high fashion brands on the international runway circuit. But it was her revealing swimsuit that caught the attention of fans when Bambi Northwood Blyth, 26, uploaded an image of herself to Instagram on Monday. The snap showing off her very slender frame, with a pristine beach acting as backdrop. Model: High fashion model Bambi Northwood Blyth, 26, has shared a picture of herself in swimwear, revealing her slender frame The model looked relaxed and playful in the image, which sees her wearing a glamorously cut beige one-piece by Marysia, while she playfully spits water out of her mouth like a fountain. This comes after the model shared a series of graphic images of herself injecting insulin into her arm. The Melbourne-born model was diagnosed with type one diabetes 16 years ago. Taking to Instagram, the Australian model shared an image to her Instagram Story announcing a new milestone in her battle with the illness. In Vogue: New York based model Bambi Northwood Blyth, 26, has walked the runway for Chanel and Balenciaga Keeping it real: Bambi Northwood Blyth, 26, has reminded fans of the trials and tribulations associated with her condition by uploading a series of graphic videos showing herself injecting her arm with insulin 'Realised I've had type 1 diabetes for 16 years this month': Taking to Instagram, the Australian model shared an image to her Instagram story announcing a new milestone in her battle with the illness. 'Realised I've had type 1 diabetes for 16 years this month,' she wrote next to an image titled 'Living with an invisible illness'. Below the title were two cartoon flowers- a healthy one labelled as 'outside', and a wilting one labelled as 'inside'. The subsequent post showed a makeup-free Bambi injecting her arm with insulin, along with the text: 'Which means over 35K. Yep, 35,000 plus. I do six of these a day.' Graphic: The subsequent post showed a makeup-free Bambi injecting her arm with insulin, along with the text: 'Which means over 35K. Yep, 35,000 plus. I do six of these a day' Glucose test: Bambi's next video showed her performing a glucose test, which involves pricking a finger for blood Bambi's next video showed her performing a glucose test, which involves pricking a finger for blood. 'And over 46K... 46,000 blood glucose tests,' she wrote under the intimate video. A final clip saw Bambi once again injecting herself with insulin, this time from a very close perspective. 'Sorry if you hate needles!' A final clip saw Bambi once again injecting herself with insulin, this time from a very close perspective 'Last one for tonight. Sorry if you hate needles, I'd skip this too!!! But to all the DMS [love heart emoji]. I'm getting back to you all!! Xxxxx,' she wrote. The brunette beauty has been keeping a low profile over recent months amid rumours she has split from husband Dan Single. The model hasn't been spotted with her husband in months and Bambi was previously photographed on multiple occasions without her wedding ring. The Ksubi founder suffered a horrific fall from a Paris hotel balcony earlier this year, but came under fire after asking fans to help pay $250,000 for flights home and medical bills. With daily 'teasers', the count down to this year's Kardashian Christmas card has been prolonged - and we've still got a week to go. But Monday's update - Day 18 - was surely worth the build up. The heart-warming image showed Kanye West throwing his four-year-old daughter in the air. North squeals with delight as her curls fly around her face in delightful disarray in the happy scene. Hurray for Kanye! North West squeals with delight as her daddy throws her in the air in latest install of Kardashian Kristmas card Most importantly Kanye, 40, is the picture of happy fatherhood, with the often morose star for once grinning and clearly enjoying spending time with his oldest child. Kanye only made his full debut on the 2017 KardashianChristmas card on Saturday, after days 11 and 15 showed glimpses of his chest and arm. The Gold Digger hitmaker has managed to avoid appearing in the family's famed Christmas card since he started dating Kim back in 2012. Sweet: There was another teaser for the Kardashian Christmas card shared on Sunday. In the new image, captioned Day 17, Khloe Kardashian holds onto Rob's daughter Dream as Kris Jenner smiles. In the background is grandmother MJ But the reality star has evidently cajoled her husband into finally featuring on the 2017 edition. Most of the Kardashian clan have now been seen on the card, with grandmother MJ, making it four generations in Sunday's image. One exception is Rob - the only male Kardashian sibling has yet to make his debut in the card; he has been a recluse since he split from Dream's mother Blac Chyna earlier this year. At last: After days of teasing, Kanye West, 40, has finally made his full debut on the 2017 Kardashian Christmas card Day 15: Kim Kardashian, 37, was joined by rapper husband Kanye West, 40, and their son Saint, two, in the latest installment from the Kardashian family Christmas card Kourtney, 38, the eldest Kardashian daughter captioned the familial image: 'DAY 15' followed with '25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS'. Kim was dressed in a tight white tank top and light blue distressed denim jeans as she showed off her platinum blonde hair in the gorgeous image. Saint looked adorable as he posed alongside his mom and dad in front of a bright white background. This year marks the first time the reality TV star family have teased the image on a day-by-day basis. The build up has fans wondering what is install for Day 25 - a new baby or some bump shots perhaps? Kim previously said of this year's inspiration: 'This years card is shot really casually. Were kind of doing a jeans-and-T-shirts vibe. Really cute. All the kids are so hard to put together.' Family! On Thursday, Kim took to social media to share a picture from the photo shoot featuring sister Kourtney's two little boys Mason, seven, and Reign, three On Thursday, Kim took to social media to share a picture from the photo shoot featuring her sister and Kourtney's two little boys. 'DAY 14- Happiest of birthdays to my two nephews! I love you so much Mason & Reign,' Kim captioned the photo. In the photo, the mother-of-three played around with her gleeful son Reign as Mason presented a wrapped gift. The Kardashians have been celebrating the holidays with a festive photo for every day in December. In Day 13's photo, Reign crawled on the floor in adorable overalls as his family stood behind him. Up close! In Day 13's photo, Reign crawled on the floor in adorable overalls as his family stood behind him - with 'pregnant' Aunt Khloe, 33, making her debut The image shared for Day 11 featured Kim and Kanye locked at the hips wearing matching blue jeans and white T-shirts - marking the rapper's official debut. While Kim and Kanye will be welcoming baby number three soon via surrogate, sister Kylie Jenner, 20, is rumored to be expecting a baby with her boyfriend Travis Scott, 25, and Khloe, 33, is reportedly pregnant with boyfriend Tristan Thompson's child. Kourtney raises Mason, eight, Penelope, five, and Reign, three - with former boyfriend Scott Disick, 34. While Scott has been canoodling with teen model girlfriend Sofia Richie, 19, Kourtney has moved on with Algerian model Younes Bendjima, 24. Leonardo DiCaprio might have found his latest flavor of the month in Camila Morrone after being spotted leaving her Los Angeles home on Saturday. At 20, the IMG Model is 23 years younger than the Oscar winner, and she emerged from her house in a belly-baring white crop-top and black sweatpants. The Miami-born beauty is two years younger than Leo's last rumored flame - Insta-model Sarah Snyder - who famously split from boyfriend Jaden Smith in the spring. Scroll down for video Coy: Leonardo DiCaprio might have found his latest flavor of the month in Camila Morrone after being spotted leaving her Los Angeles home on Saturday May-December duo: At 20, the IMG Model is 23 years younger than the Oscar winner, and she emerged from her house in a belly-baring white crop-top and black sweatpants The habitual modelizer's more notable conquests have included Nina Agdal, Kelly Rohrbach, Blake Lively, Rihanna, Gisele Bundchen, and Bar Refaeli. However a source close to the star told DailyMail.com that Camila was simply an old family friend, and he had only briefly visited her home. Camila is currently featured in an Eva Peron-inspired cover spread in Act 1 magazine alongside Presley Gerber and Miles McMillan, which was shot by lensman Sebastian Faena. '[Eva] is not my generation, but I'm Argentinian and she's obviously such a big inspiration to Argentinians,' the nepotistically-privileged daughter of Argentinian actress Lucila Sola told The Daily this month. Selfie enthusiast: The Miami-born beauty is two years younger than Leo's last rumored flame - Sarah Snyder (pictured) - who famously split from boyfriend Jaden Smith in the spring Bachelor for life: The habitual modelizer's more notable conquests have included Nina Agdal, Kelly Rohrbach, Blake Lively (L), Rihanna (M), Gisele Bundchen (R), and Bar Refaeli 'I love doing things that are in relation to my home, and thats why every time I work with Sebastian its just fun because we get to share that piece of home together. I like being the only girl with this group - I get more attention!' Morrone will next attend the January 22 premiere of Augustine Frizzell's drama Never Goin' Back - in which she plays high school drop-out turned waitress Jessie - at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. The 5ft9in blonde will then play Bruce Willis and Elisabeth Shue's onscreen daughter Jordan Kersey in Eli Roth's remake of the 1974 vigilante flick Death Wish, which hits US theaters March 2. '[Eva] is not my generation, but I'm Argentinian': Camila is currently featured in an Eva Peron-inspired cover spread in Act 1 magazine alongside Miles McMillan (L) and Presley Gerber (R) Utah bound: Morrone will attend the January 22 premiere of Augustine Frizzell's drama Never Goin' Back - in which she plays high school drop-out Jessie - at the Sundance Film Festival DiCaprio spends most of his time rallying support for his favorite environmental causes, most recently the Natural Resources Defense Council, from his combined 56.5M social media following. Next year, the Titanic alum will portray NYPD officer Joe Petrosino in Paramount's big-screen adaptation of Stephan Talty's 1903-set detective novel The Black Hand. 'Help NRDC stop the pro-polluter tax bill': DiCaprio spends most of his time rallying support for his favorite environmental causes, most recently the Natural Resources Defense Council She's been dating her dashing beau Philip Schneider for over a year now. And Hilary Swank put on a loved up display with her boyfriend, as he wrapped his arm around her just before jetting out of Los Angeles on Sunday. The actress, 43, looked casual and low-key as she was bundled up in a black sweatshirt, matching trousers, and trainers. Love is in the air: Hilary Swank put on a loved up display with her boyfriend Philip Schneider, as he wrapped his arm around her just before jetting out of Los Angeles on Sunday She appeared to have gone without a stitch of makeup on her stunning face, and scraped her brunette locks back into a no-fuss ponytail. Munching on an apple, Hilary looked relaxed and content as she enjoyed some time with her beau, even while surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the airport. The Oscar winning actress has been busy filming the upcoming crime anthology Trust, but the actress looked relaxed and content as she enjoyed a moment with her boyfriend. Hilary will be starring opposite Donald Sutherland and Charlotte Riley in Truth, which tells the story of John Paul Getty's grandson, who was kidnapped in 1973. No fuss: She appeared to have gone without a stitch of makeup on her stunning face, and scraped her brunette locks back into a no-fuss ponytail The Millionaire Dollar Baby actress will be playing the mother of John-Paul Getty III as she convinces his grandfather, oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, to pay the ransom to release her son. Truth is directed by Danny Boyle and will air next year on FX. The same story has also been adapted for the big screen in the upcoming film All The Money In The World, which was re-shot with Christopher Plummer replacing lead actor Kevin Spacey after the House Of Cards star was accused of sexual misconduct. Aside from filming the anthology series, Hilary has also recently launched her own line of aesthetic-wear. She wrapped filming on Second Act with Jennifer Lopez in New York on Friday. But Vanessa Hudgens looked as though she had stepped straight off the set of a 1920s movie as she ran errands in Los Angeles on Monday after returning home to the West Coast after her stint in Manhattan. The actress, 29, channeled a Downton Abbey-style Flapper look, teaming a camel beret with a cream faux fur jacket and a red-striped $219 Faithfull 'Zeus Carioca' wrap dress. Vintage vixen: Vanessa Hudgens looked as though she had stepped straight off the set of a 1920s movie as she ran errands in Los Angeles on Monday The High School Musical star teamed the vintage look with a very modern trend - sandals that looked more like bedroom slippers with a fluffy pink band over the toes. Vanessa accessorized with blingy earrings in the shape of a crucifix and a large Gucci tote bag with the words Blind For Love and two red roses embroidered on it. The brunette was perfectly made up for her outing, with her pout painted red to match the blooms on her bag. The actress, who catapulted into the limelight in 2006's High School Musical, appeared to be on a solo shopping trip and was making the most of some well-earned free time after finishing shooting her latest project in New York. Hat's the way to do it: The actress, 29, channeled a Downton Abbey-style Flapper look, teaming a camel beret with a cream faux fur jacket and a red-striped $219 Faithfull 'Zeus Carioca' wrap dress Comfort is key: The High School Musical star teamed the vintage look with a very modern trend - sandals that looked more like bedroom slippers with a fluffy pink band over the toes There was no sign of her actor beau Austin Butler, 26. The couple began dating in 2011 and they were spotted out last week enjoying the snowy weather in New York as they walked Vanessa's pet terrier Darla. The pair both have busy careers to juggle. Austin stars in TV series The Shannara Chronicles and has completed Dude, about teenage girlfriends dealing with life after high school. Chic: Vanessa accessorized with blingy earrings in the shape of a crucifix and a large Gucci tote bag with the words Blind For Love and two red roses embroidered on it Aside from Second Act, Vanessa stars in TV mini-series Powerless and has Dog Days in post production. In Second Act, Jennifer, 48, stars as Maya, an employee at a big-box store who reinvents her life and her lifestyle to show Madison Avenue that street smarts can be as valuable as a college degree. The film also stars Leah Remini, 47, who plays Jennifer's best friend, and Milo Ventimiglia, 40, as the Jenny From The Block hitmaker's onscreen long-term boyfriend. The film is due to be released in theaters next year but has yet to set a date. It's the upcoming reality show that is set to take on Ten's Bachelor In Paradise in the battle for prime-time ratings next year. And Love Island Australia is shaping up to be a favourite among female fans thanks to the rumoured casting of hunky socialite Lewis Heeks. According to Woman's Day, the curly-haired lothario has all the makings of a Love Island star thanks to his celebrity connections and party-going lifestyle. Watch out ladies! Love Island Australia is shaping up to be a favourite among female fans thanks to the rumoured casting of hunky socialite Lewis Heeks (far left) 'Insiders say producers already have their eye on Lewis Heeks, a well-connected Aussie living in the UK,' the publication reported this Monday. Indeed, Lewis has been snapped partying with a slew of famous faces, including The Only Way Is Essex's Lewis Bloor and Joey Essex. He was also spotted posing with actress Nina Dobrev in a recent Instagram snap. Indeed, Lewis has been snapped partying with a slew of famous faces, including The Only Way Is Essex's Lewis Bloor (R) and actress Nina Dobrev (centre) Perfect match! According to Woman's Day, the curly-haired lothario has all the makings of a Love Island star thanks to his celebrity connections and party-going lifestyle While it's unclear how many contestants are set to appear on Love Island Australia next year, host Sophie Monk has provided some insight into the types of people producers are hoping to cast. 'It is a young group of people from 18 to 35 who are going to hook up on an island and they have got to try and last,' the blonde bombshell told Today last month. 'You can vote them out if you don't believe they are in love. At the end there is a lot of money and the couple either split it or one person takes it,' she explained. 'It is a young group of people from 18-35 who are going to hook up on an island': While it's unclear how many contestants are set to appear on Love Island Australia next year, host Sophie Monk has provided some insight into the types of people producers are hoping to cast 'So Australia kind of choose who is really in love. They send in intruders. It is exciting.' The UK version of Love Island is notorious for its lustful hook-ups and sexual activities, which Sophie acknowledged before joking 'I'm gonna be the classiest one on there.' Sophie's career has been reinvigorated in recent months thanks to her new role on Channel Ten's The Bachelorette. Ecstatic: Former Bachelorette star Sophie confirmed the new gig on the Today show last month, saying that she is 'so excited' to be at the helm of the show A man has been killed in a collision between two vehicles on Hobart's South Arm Highway. It's believed a Kia Rio exiting Mornington Road at Mornington on Sunday afternoon was hit by a ute travelling on the highway. The impact killed the 49-year-old driver of the Kia. Three female passengers in the car, including two children, were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The 25-year-old driver of the ute was treated for minor injuries. Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash. A man and a teenage boy have been charged with aggravated robbery after allegedly using fake guns to steal an electric scooter in Adelaide. Police say a youth was pushing his scooter along a footpath at Morphett Vale just before midnight on Sunday when he was approached by the pair who lifted their shirts to show the weapons before taking off with the scooter. A 22-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were arrested and charged soon after and are expected to face court at a later date. The replica weapons were also found in a search of the area. A man has been arrested and charged after footage surfaced of him allegedly driving into oncoming traffic while overtaking other cars in the NSW Hunter Valley. Dashcam footage shows a silver Nissan Skyline GTR swerving over double white lines and driving on the wrong side of the road, forcing cars to veer to the shoulder to avoid head-on collisions. The video, uploaded to Facebook, was filmed on Cessnock Road at Gillieston Heights about 11.30am on Sunday by Jess Green, who took to social media to express her frustration with the driver. "Some people need to wake up!! We are a week out from Christmas and you ... put so many people in harm's way!!" she wrote in a post that's been shared more than 16,000 times. An hour after Ms Green filmed the incident the car's 39-year-old driver was arrested, police say. The man is facing a string of charges including negligent driving and is due to appear in Kurri Kurri Local Court on January 11. Sydney artist Flume has joined the fight to save the Great Barrier Reef composing a track for Greenpeace to encourage action against climate change. The video collaboration released on Monday shows under-water vision of vibrant fish cut alongside muted colours of bleached coral and coal ships. The Grammy award-winning artist posted the video - featuring previously unreleased music - on his Facebook page asking his fans to "please tune in, this is important!" "Coal-addicted governments are being reckless with a natural wonder that so much unique marine life calls home," Greenpeace Australia Pacific Campaigner Charlotte Cox said in a statement on Monday. "Malcolm Turnbull should be protecting the Reef by banning fossil fuel subsidies, announcing a rapid phase-out of coal and putting renewables at the centre of his government's energy policy." UNESCO recently expressed serious concern about coral bleaching - saying climate change remained the most significant threat urging Australia to work faster to improve water quality. Up to two-thirds of the reef's corals have been devastated by severe bleaching due to climate change. A Deloitte Access Economics report in June valued the World Heritage-listed icon at $56 billion, underpinning 64,000 direct and indirect jobs, which contributed $6.4 billion to Australia's national economy each year. It warned of the vast economic consequences for Australia unless more is done to protect the reef. The Adani Group's proposed Carmichael coal mine would severely exacerbate the already dire situation in North Queensland, which already has a number of coal mines, Greenpeace says. "Parts of our Great Barrier Reef can still be preserved for future generations, but we need to act now," Ms Cox said. The Reef is home to more than 15000 species of fish, 30 species of whales and dolphins and 133 species of sharks and rays. The federal government will scrap a controversial $30 million program that docks the welfare payments of Northern Territory parents whose children skip school in remote communities. The School Enrolment and Attendance Measure (SEAM), which was part of the NT Intervention response, had been branded as racist by Aboriginal groups and tagged as ineffective by the United Nations. From 2018, the scheme will be canned allowing the federal coalition to claw back $29.6 million over four years. But the commonwealth will continue to fund social workers and truancy officers in the 23 NT communities and 52 schools where SEAM currently operates. Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said the "badly designed and woefully implemented program" was put in place by the previous Labor government. Three evaluations since 2013 found no evidence that it delivered change. "I am absolutely confident that there will be no adverse impacts on students by this decision," Senator Scullion said on Monday. "I believe that most communities would in fact support the government's decision to refocus its efforts on more practical measures." Senator Scullion also criticised the long lag period between truancy offences and Centrelink penalties. NT Education Minister Eva Lawler said truancy officers with a permanent SEAM-funded position will retain their roles, which will eventually have a "greater engagement" focus. The commonwealth has spent more than $128 million on the Remote School Attendance Strategy since 2013, and almost 50 per cent of the money went to the NT. Next year, the Turnbull government's investment per NT student will be $9,092 against a national average of $5,335. Almost half of NT students live in remote or very remote locations, with many speaking English as a second language. "Despite our efforts, indigenous attendance rates continue to decrease with remoteness. Some remote schools had attendance rates as low as 30 per cent in 2017," Senator Scullion said. Meanwhile, the NT continues to lag significantly behind the rest of the country in all NAPLAN measures, reflecting higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage. Queensland's new cabinet has had its first official meeting since Labor's November 25 election win, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk telling her ministers it is time to get down to business. At the start of Monday's meeting, Ms Palaszczuk told ministers they needed to repay the faith of Queenslanders after voters handed them majority government. The premier flagged fixing the state's economy as a major priority for the first meeting, as well as preparing for the upcoming storm and cyclone season, with cabinet to be briefed by the weather bureau. The controversial decision to relocate Sydney's Powerhouse Museum out west was made without any solid business case underpinning the move, according to a parliamentary inquiry. In 2015, then NSW Premier Mike Baird announced the industrial science museum would be relocated from inner-Sydney Ultimo to Parramatta at a cost projected to exceed $1 billion. But an interim report by an upper house parliamentary inquiry into the cost and benefits of the sale has found the decision was flawed. "This poorly informed decision was made before a preliminary business case had even been prepared, details regarding the cost or rationale being released, or a final business case even being completed", the report released on Monday said. The inquiry's deputy chair, Greens MLC David Shoebridge, described the move as "cultural vandalism". "This government has decided to relocate the powerhouse without even doing the basics," he told reporters in Sydney on Monday. The report urged Premier Gladys Berejiklian to release the full business case for the move and appear before the inquiry to give evidence. Mr Shoebridge said both Ms Berejiklian and Mr Baird had refused to appear before the inquiry - but now that Mr Baird is a private citizen, the inquiry would compel him to appear through a subpoena if necessary. KEY SPENDING SINCE THE MAY BUDGET * $2.1 billion for new and changed listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, including for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. * An extra $1.3 billion for the new schools funding package over four years. * Pushing ahead with an alternative university package, including freeze on total Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding from January 1, 2018. The reforms will cost $605 million over four years (but are a saving on the previously proposed package). * $118 million for the Office of National Intelligence. KEY SAVINGS SINCE THE MAY BUDGET * Broadening the waiting period criteria for new migrants before they can access some welfare benefits - saving $1.2 billion over four years. * A new minimum HELP loan repayment threshold of $45,000 from July 1, 2018. * Greater family day care compliance measures - saving $1 billion over four years. * Changes to after-hours doctor visits - part of a broader package saving $409 million (which will be directly reinvested into Medicare). * Ceasing the School Enrolment and Attendance Measure - saving $29.6 million over four years. * Using Family Tax Benefit lump-sum, reconciliation or instalment arrears payments to repay outstanding social security, student assistance and parental leave debts from December 2018 - saving $176.6 million. MID-YEAR BUDGET UNIVERSITY REFORM PACKAGE: * Freeze on total Commonwealth Grant Scheme per-student funding from January 1, 2018 set at 2017 funding levels. * Performance targets for universities to work out the growth in their funding for bachelor degrees from 2020. * Revised HELP loan repayment thresholds - a minimum of $45,000 with a one per cent repayment rate and maximum threshold of $131,989 with 10 per cent. * A new combined lifetime limit for all HELP and VET assistance of $104,440 for most students and $150,000 for students doing medicine, dentistry and veterinary science from January 2019. KEY NSW TERROR REFORMS AUGUST 2015 Bail refused when a suspect is accused of terror-related offences unless there are exceptional circumstances. MAY 2016 Suspects as young as 14 detained and questioned for up to two weeks without charge. Held initially for up to four days, provisions allow their detention to be reviewed every 12 hours, before extensions are granted in 7-day increments by a Supreme Court judge. APRIL 2017 Police Commissioner Mick Fuller announces a fixated-persons unit to target suspects not previously monitored under counter-terror initiatives. Seventeen detectives allocated. MAY 2017 The Lindt Cafe inquest makes 45 recommendations, including to improve information sharing across jurisdictions and revisit guidelines about military involvement in counter-terror incidents. Serious questions raised about "contain and negotiate" strategies. JUNE 2017 Police granted greater shoot-to-kill powers, including protection from criminal liability if they use lethal force "in good faith" during a declared attack. Parole laws tweaked to include a presumption against parole. $47m allocated to increase capacity at Supermax jail from 45 to 75 inmates and set up new high-security unit. JULY 2017 Federal changes to boost co-operation between police and the military, including a streamlined call-out process and specialised training. NSW and federal police arrest four men over a plot to bring down a plane using an improvised explosive. They are detained without charge under Commonwealth provisions, which allow a seven-day window for evidence gathering. OCTOBER 2017 Premier Gladys Berejiklian announces plans for the continued detention of offenders deemed a terror risk even if they have finished their sentence. NOVEMBER 2017 The Terrorism (High-Risk Offenders) Bill 2017 passes parliament. DECEMBER 2017 Attorney-General Mark Speakman announces a plan for extended supervision orders for high-risk offenders, including terrorists, to be recognised across state and territory borders. Police Commissioner Mick Fuller reveals about 50 riot squad officers will carry M4 semi-automatic rifles from the holiday season after completing training, mainly to resolve active armed-offender situations, with the entire riot squad expected to carry the weapons by June 2018. A drug addict broke into a man's home in Melbourne and attacked him with a crowbar two days before he slit another man's throat and killed him, a court has been told. Josef Molfese, 29, was found guilty by a jury in June of murdering Tung "Ricky" Trinh after he nearly completely severed his carotid arteries after demanding drugs. In a pre-sentencing hearing on Monday, Molfese also pleaded guilty to violently breaking into a man's home in South Melbourne two days before the murder on March 18, 2016, and stealing medication and $8000 in cash. The Australian Olympic Committee has finalised a restructure in response to claims of bullying within the organisation. The AOC has appointed Strath Gordon as head of public affairs and communications in a newly-badged role previously filled by Mike Tancred. Tancred departed as media director in September despite being cleared of workplace bullying allegations. The AOC has also appointed Amie Wallis to the newly-created role of head of people and culture. The roles were created in response to an independent review which found a dysfunctional workplace culture at the AOC. An Ethics Centre report, released last August, found many AOC staffers reported senior leaders undermined and were hostile towards each other. The report also found a lack of transparency in decision-making, and poor communication, within the peak Olympic body. Many staff told the review some people had stayed in the organisation too long, which was a key plank in the failed campaign to win the AOC presidency by ex-Olympian Danni Roche. Roche challenged John Coates for the AOC in May, with the incumbent Coates retaining the role. Victorians can look forward to a pleasant and mild Christmas Day after record-breaking heat spoilt barbecues in 2016. Christmas Day will be a mostly sunny 24C, according to Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Stephen King, with a comfortable low of 13 on Christmas Eve for the jolly man in red. "It will be much more comfortable this year, a better opportunity to crack open the barbecue," he said on Monday. Christmas Day reached a sweltering 36C in Victoria in 2016, leading to fire bans in some parts of the state. The Turnbull government is hoping third time will be lucky as it continues to pursue funding cuts to universities. Its mid-year budget update, released on Monday, includes a plan to freeze per-student funding at 2017 levels for two years, use performance targets to decide whether universities will get increased funding after that, cut the HELP student loan repayment threshold to $45,000, and impose a lifetime limit on government loans students can access for vocational and tertiary study. This third version of overhauling university funding is expected to save the budget bottom line $2.2 billion over the next four years - about $700 million less than included in May's budget. But its passage seems more certain than the previous package - which has been stymied in the Senate - with the bulk of the savings attached to the funding freeze, which the government says doesn't need legislation and can't be overturned by parliament. "Of course, we would prefer to have ... some longer-term structural reform in the sector," Treasurer Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra. "That has been once again frustrated by the Labor Party. So if you can't get to the out-point that you're seeking to get to one way, you have to go another." Education Minister Simon Birmingham insists the freeze, which accounts for about $2 billion of the total savings, is not a cap on student numbers. Universities will be able to enrol as many students as they like but for any more than the number of commonwealth-supported places they can only collect the student contribution - which covers on average 46 per cent of course costs. From 2020, funding will be linked to population growth and performance measures, likely to include targets for completion rates and how quickly graduates find jobs. Senate approval will be needed for other measures, including cutting the loan repayment threshold from the existing $55,000 - although the new package is an easing of the proposal in May to make people start payments once they earn $42,000. Parliament will also have to agree to impose a lifetime cap of $104,440 on loans students can get from the government for combined university and vocational study (or $150,000 for those dong medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses). Senator Birmingham says universities have benefited from rapid funding growth and achieved economies of scale that means teaching costs have dropped. "Collectively, these measures maintain widespread access to higher education and generous funding for universities while being more affordable for taxpayers by stopping universities from effectively writing their own cheque," he said. Accused Bourke Street driver Dimitrious Gargasoulas' younger brother is worried about his sibling's mental health in prison as prosecutors consider whether he is fit to stand trial. Angelo Gargasoulas was in court on Monday to support his 27-year-old brother as he appeared before the Victorian Supreme Court via video link for a directions hearing. The accused man on Friday waived his right to a pre-trial committal hearing and pleaded not guilty to 39 offences, including six counts of murder and 28 of attempted murder, over the Bourke St rampage on January 20. Mental health experts who assessed Gargasoulas in custody believe his mental fitness to plead and stand trial is an issue. Director of Public Prosecutions John Champion SC said they are awaiting another report before deciding how the case will proceed. The report, by the state's criminal mental health service Forensicare, is not expected to be completed before March. "I would hope Forensicare would give this matter urgent priority," Justice Lex Lasry said. "This is one of those cases where there is some level of pressure." Defence barrister Theo Alexander said Gargasoulas' ability to understand what was happening in court was an issue. "The primary inquiry is his current presentation," he told the court. Outside court, Angelo said he was worried about his older brother. "That's the only thing I'm more than concerned about, pretty much his mental health and how he's doing," he told media. "Family's family after all, at the end of the day." Angelo said he and his brother have been writing each other letters while the 27-year-old has been in prison. The 26-year-old said Dimitrious has "most definitely" shown remorse for what has happened. "It's definitely showing." The case is due to return to court on March 2 for an update about whether Gargasoulas can stand trial or whether he should face a hearing about his mental state. Seven months after appalling video footage emerged of a mentally ill woman's final days in Lismore Base Hospital, a final report on seclusion, restraint and observation practices at NSW mental health facilities has been released. Miriam Merten, a 46-year-old mother of two, died in June 2014 of traumatic and hypoxic brain injury after falling at least 25 times in seven hours while on psychotropic drugs, a coronial inquest into her death found. Two nurses had also failed to take appropriate action, the coroner said. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard launched the review of the state's mental health system in May after footage of Ms Merten's final moments was aired by News Corp Australia. A panel of six mental health experts has made a total of 19 recommendations to prevent the inappropriate use of seclusion and restraints in the report, released on Monday. Mr Hazzard said the government will immediately invest $20 million for hospitals to improve the therapeutic environment inside acute mental health units. "The tragic passing of Miriam Merten in Lismore was the catalyst for an independent review led by Dr (Murray) Wright who reached out to health professionals, consumers and their support networks to determine what changes there should be in our mental health system," Mr Hazzard said. "The message from the review is loud and clear - seclusion and restraint of mental health patients should be a last resort." He said the government will need to work with Local Health Districts to bring about change in practices and procedures. People using headphones to listen to loud music are being warned to pump down the volume. The advice from experts comes as a new study found that two-out-of-five Australians who regularly use headphones believe they have some form of hearing loss. The study's co-author Elizabeth Beach says people should keep the volume below 80 per cent and limit listening time to no more than 1.5 hours a day. "It really boils down to three simple questions: How loud, how long, and how often do you listen?" she said. Researchers at the National Acoustic Laboratories at Macquarie University assessed the impact of personal listening devices (PLDs) on the hearing of more than 4000 Australians. "We found that 41 per cent of participants reported feeling they have a hearing loss, with 20 per cent reporting difficulties with speech in noise," lead investigator Megan Gilliver said. Unsurprisingly teenagers listen to their PLDs the most, with 15-to-19 year olds tuned in for an average 88 hours a month. This drops to 47 hours a month among the over 50s. Average listening volume stayed fairly similar across age groups at around 48-55 per cent of the maximum volume of a device. Those who listened at high volumes for long durations, in all age groups were more likely to report hearing difficulties, particularly in relation to speech and conversation, Dr Gilliver said. "These results suggest a potential relationship between PLD use and speech-in-noise hearing difficulties, indicating that PLD users need to be aware that their listening habits could be impacting their ability to hear in other settings," Dr Gilliver said. Dr Beach suggests some retail therapy could alleviate the problem. "If you're a regular listener, it's a good idea to invest in a pair of good quality, well-fitting, noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones. Not only will you appreciate the sound quality, you'll find you won't need to use your volume control to drown out unwanted background sounds." Taxi owners have rejected the WA government's $100,000 plate buyback offer amid concerns the reimbursement scheme is unfair. The Taxi Operator Legal Defence Group has criticised the government's refund model, which calculates the worth of a plate licence based on when it was purchased or potential earnings of the owner, spokesman Athan Tsirigotis said. Some taxi owners had been offered $100,000 while others had received offers up to $225,000, Mr Tsirigotis said. The group's finance and legal advice was to ask the government to revisit the offer to something "fair and equitable... across the board", he told 6PR radio on Monday. Mr Tsirigotis claims the taxi industry had offered several scenarios to fund the buyback, including accessing a taxi-industry fund which once contained about $120 to $125 million. "Whatever the figure is or balance is now could come out of that." The buyback scheme will cost about $100 million and be paid for by a 10 per cent surcharge on the profits of taxi owners and other on-demand transport. Ride-sharing behemoth Uber has warned the levy will likely be passed onto customers. The federal government is heading into the long the summer break away from parliament in better shape than it looked just a few weeks ago. With its one-seat majority in the House of Representatives restored with two by-elections and marriage equality done and dusted, it can now focus on the economic matters in the run-up to a likely election in 2019. Treasurer Scott Morrison's mid-year budget review, released on Monday, showed deficits and debt smaller than predicted in May. While Treasury's economic growth forecast was shaved to 2.5 per cent for this financial year - due to weak household consumption - it's expected to accelerate to three per cent in 2018/19. Employment is also expected to improve. Amid the positive news, the prediction for wages was reduced over the next four years. The treasurer, like Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe, expects as the labour market continues to tighten as the unemployment rate falls, wages should rise. More investment and stronger economic growth will also deliver higher wages. "The money won't fall from the sky for wages. It won't fall from the government," Mr Morrison says. However, it's a vicious circle. If wage growth doesn't improve, household consumption will remain subdued, imposing a drag on economic growth and the budget. While the treasurer indicated personal tax cuts would be announced in the May budget, given the budget will remain in deficit until 2020/21, it's difficult to see how far they will go. It could be the make-or-break issue for the government as it strives to improve its stocks in opinion polls. After all, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has repeatedly promised to put more money in people's pockets. A man who engaged in "callous, premeditated and planned" attacks on two women in Adelaide has been jailed for 12 years. Patrick Mark Perkins, 59, pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and one count of assault with intent to rape in relation to his 2012 offending with a District Court judge on Monday also describing his actions as brutal. Judge Julie McIntyre said the only explanation for the attacks was Perkins' determination to obtain sexual gratification, as she set a non-parole period of eight years. A hoon driver has narrowly missed colliding head-on with two police motorbike patrols in the Adelaide Hills. Video of the incident captured by a motorist on dash cam was released on Monday and also shows two other people on motorbikes flouting road rules to overtake at speed at Cudlee Creek on Saturday. Superintendent Anthony Fioravanti said the incidents were examples of the poor choices being made by some motorists that could have fatal consequences. "This footage shows motorists who were seconds away from collisions that could have had a devastating impact for themselves and the other drivers in the area," he said. "Police don't want to be on the doorstep deliver the news to your loved ones of a terrible crash. "We simply don't want to see you in these circumstances." Supt Fioravanti said the driver of the car, who crossed a double line to overtake, was likely to be reported for dangerous driving. The other offenders will be hit with fines. A $40 million Tasmanian fox eradication scheme that failed to find a single live fox has been cleared of misconduct over allegations droppings were planted to falsify the animal's existence and secure funding. Independent upper house MP Ivan Dean lodged a complaint with Tasmania's Integrity Commission last year over two controversial programs which ran from 2002 to 2014. Mr Dean questioned the authenticity of fox poo and carcasses used as evidence to launch and continue the government-funded fox hunt. The state's corruption watchdog on Monday released a 252-page report after a year-long investigation. It found there was "no direct evidence" any employees of the state's eradication programs fabricated or falsified evidence to prove the animal existed . "While there were administrative and management issues, they were not indicative of misconduct," it read. The commission found the eradication scheme was hampered by internal conflicts, and poor scientific testing of scats raised concerns about the validity of results. It added there was no motive to fabricate evidence to secure funding. An earlier police investigation ruled out any criminality. Whether foxes roam freely on the Apple Isle has long been a point of contention. Four fox carcasses, a skull, two sets of footprints and 61 fox-DNA positive scats were found from 1998 to 2012, according to the government's Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment website. But a live fox was never captured across two programs, the Fox Free Taskforce and the Fox Eradication Program. A spokesman for DPIPWE said similar programs and the people working on them would be better managed in the future. An American man has faced court charged with trying to import cocaine into Melbourne, allegedly hidden in children's books. The 71-year-old landed at Melbourne International Airport on December 11 aboard an aircraft from Dubai and was allegedly found to be carrying about 700 grams of cocaine. "Officers drilled into one of the books and discovered a white-powder substance, which returned a positive indication for cocaine," a statement from Australian Border Force said. It added that the man would remain in custody until his next court appearance on March 5. An Australian sailor is dead and two others have been hospitalised after a mishap with their yacht in waters off the Philippines, authorities say. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed on Monday an Australian man had died following "a yacht incident" in the Philippines. The crew of the yacht, understood to be named the Katerina, activated emergency beacons on Thursday, which were detected by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, according to an AMSA spokesman. AMSA then alerted Philippine authorities, the spokesman told AAP. The three-man crew was left to spend five days on board a small dinghy in the ocean before being rescued by a Filipino fishing crew on Monday, the Courier Mail reports. The man who died is from Townsville, according to the Mail. DFAT confirmed to AAP it was providing consular assistance to the family of the dead man. Two men are due to face court, while a third man is being sought following the alleged assault of a 63-year-old man with a chainsaw in Sydney's inner west. Police allege three men entered an Annandale unit on Monday evening where they were confronted by the older man and his wife before being chased outside. One of the trio allegedly grabbed an electric chainsaw from a nearby garage and assaulted the older man before the group ran off, with police later arresting two of the men in a nearby hotel. A 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old man were refused bail and will appear in Newtown Local Court on Tuesday where they face several charges, including assault. The 63-year-old man remains in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital receiving treatment for a laceration to his head. Police continue their search for the third man. A bandit wearing a hoodie, tracksuit pants and a pair of thongs has made off with a haul of bling and cash after holding up a Gold Coast jewellery store. The offender, who had a New Zealand accent and was believed to have been carrying a gun, confronted a worker at the Southport store about 10pm on Monday. The worker handed over cash and jewellery but the man went a step further and also stole the employee's car, which has since been found. The offender remains on the run. A man rescued from the surf at Sydney's Bondi Beach remains in a critical condition in hospital after going into cardiac arrest. The man, believed to be aged in his 60s, was pulled from the water by lifeguards who performed CPR on him after he was spotted in distress on Monday afternoon. He was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition but stable condition, a hospital spokeswoman told AAP on Tuesday. Initial reports suggest the man may have gone into cardiac arrest in the water, an Ambulance NSW spokeswoman said. The Bondi incident comes after four people died on NSW beaches in the past two weeks. South Australians are being urged to donate blood over the Christmas period to avoid a shortage. Around 1000 extra blood and plasma donors are needed because appointments are down 50 per cent over the festive period, Blood Service board chairman Jim Birch said. "While many of our regular donors are busy or away over the Christmas and New Year break, thousands of Australia patients are still relying on blood donations to treat cancer, blood disorders, emergency blood loss through childbirth and trauma and other serious conditions," Mr Birch said. Police are appealing for witnesses after another drowning at an Adelaide beach. A 15-year-old boy was pulled from the water near the Glenelg jetty at about 4.30pm on Monday but could not be revived. It's the second death at the popular seaside location in little more than a week after an Indian girl drowned on December 10. "We are asking anyone who was in the vicinity of the Glenelg jetty who may have seen the teenager in difficulty in the water to call crime stoppers," Senior Constable Dave Muir told ABC radio on Tuesday. An Arados brewery employee on the production line For years, Abu George's bar in Damascus's Old City served imported beers under portraits of famous foreigners Che Guevara and Marilyn Monroe -- but the brews on offer now are Syrian-made. When war broke out in 2011, Syria's two main breweries halted production, leaving consumers sipping on foreign, and more expensive, beers. But as fighting has subsided across much of the country this year, a new pair of local lagers has hit the markets. Tiny pubs line a cramped alleyway in the historic heart of Syria's capital, where a group of girls dressed in white distribute free bottles of "Afamia" to passers-by. Customers at Abu George's bar reach out for a few of the brown bottles, emblazoned with a blue and gold label proclaiming Afamia to be the "Beer of Syria". "It's a lovely initiative," says Ghassan Salloum, who co-owns the popular watering hole. "The beer will be well-received -- people want a national brew." The bearded 61-year-old floats between tables to top up the bowls of salted peanuts that inevitably accompany chilled ales, as loud music drowns out the clinking of beer bottles. "I've been here for 20 years, since a time when the national beer was really in demand," Salloum says, and Syrian spirits have continued to be a favourite. Before 2011, two local brews dominated the Syrian market: Barada, produced at a brewery outside Damascus, and Al-Sharq, based in second city Aleppo. - Syrian brews once more - Bassel Abbas (R) of the Arados brewery and friend drink one of the company's locally crafted beers Al-Sharq shuttered its doors as violence in Aleppo escalated. The Barada brewery was ravaged by fighting, with Syria's government blaming "extremists" and rebels accusing the army of shelling it. "I was very sad when the war destroyed the breweries, so today I'm happy to have Syrian beer again," said Elias, a 27-year-old customer at Abu George's. He sipped on a cool Afamia, named after the celebrated city of Apamea in central Syria. The Afamia brewery on the eastern edge of Damascus had been all prepped for production in 2010, but after Syria's conflict broke out early the next year, the factory shut down and the lagers never hit the stores. But the owners resumed production at the end of this summer and the bottles are now being distributed widely, from Damascus to central Homs and all the way to Tartus on the coast. Along the "bar boulevard" in the Old City, Afamia promoter Sabbah Khaddur looks on as cases of the brew are delivered to pubs. "I was scared I'd never have Syrian beer again. I really wanted to taste a beer that had a Syrian name," Khaddur, 42, tells AFP. The dream, he says, would be to see Afamia become "one of the biggest breweries in the region", competing with locally produced ales in Lebanon or Egypt. - Czech ingredients - Along Syria's Mediterranean coast, a second brewery is churning out another brew -- with Czech help. After the war erupted, many countries cut off diplomatic ties with Syria, and economic sanctions by the United Nations and Western countries complicated trade. But the Czech republic was one of the few states not to sever relations, and brewery-owner Bassel Abbas is taking advantage of this. To produce his Arados pilsners, Bassel Abbas is bringing in everything from hops and barley water to caps, labels, bottles, and expertise from the Czech republic. "The Czech embassy kept its doors open, so the contact is easier between our two countries," says Abbas. But the beer itself, he insists, is 100 per cent Syria-produced. Green bottles are sterilised and filled on a conveyer belt at the brewery in Safita, a town Abbas says he chose because it was spared the violence that tore through other parts of Syria. A simple white sticker identifies the beer as Arados, named after an island off the coast of Tartus. "The primary materials are all Czech and weren't included under the sanctions," says Abbas, 37, who lived in the Czech republic for years. Arados hit the bar scene this summer and sells for 435 Syrian pounds a bottle (80 cents) compared with foreign brews which cost 600 pounds ($1.50). Neither Arados nor Afamia are sharing their sales numbers yet, but Abbas says he has struggled to promote his brand in a country "where advertising alcoholic drinks is not allowed". "But it's not just a question of profit," Abbas says. With so many around the region and the world associating his homeland with war, bombardment, and jihadist groups, "this beer presents a picture of Syria that's far away from extremism". The panda cub's name Xiang Xiang is derived from the Chinese character for "fragrance" A baby panda born six months ago made its debut before the cameras in Japan Monday, a day before a doting public gets an eagerly-awaited glimpse of the cuddly animal. The panda named Xiang Xiang -- derived from the Chinese character for "fragrance" -- has sparked a media frenzy since its birth on June 12 at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo. Broadcasters aired live footage of the cub nimbly climbing a tree and chomping on bamboo in a special cage. Along with local schoolchildren, selected media were permitted to watch and film the panda through a glass shield. The public will get their first chance to see Xiang Xiang on Tuesday, the zoo's first baby panda exhibition since 1988. "Xiang Xiang has been thriving with the loving nurturing by mum Shin Shin," Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said at a ceremony, describing the baby as "a new treasure of Tokyo". The panda cub weighs 12.3 kilos (27 pounds) and is the size of a medium-sized dog, zoo officials said, adding that it is in good health. Tokyo's Ueno Zoo received nearly 250,000 applications for a lottery to see Xiang Xiang In order to reduce stress on the panda and avoid crowds, the zoo will limit the maximum number of visitors to 2,000 a day for a one- to two-minute slot until the end of January. The zoo received nearly 250,000 applications for a lottery to see Xiang Xiang. For avid panda fans who miss out, the zoo will offer a live stream of Xiang Xiang's daily life from Tuesday for a year. Mum Shin Shin, which mated with Ri Ri in February, had previously given birth in 2012 -- the zoo's first panda delivery in 24 years -- only for the cub to die from pneumonia six days later. Zookeepers have since given the adult pandas some private space in a bid to create an environment for the bashful creatures to mate successfully -- a notoriously difficult process. Until recently considered an endangered species, it is estimated that around 2,000 giant pandas remain in the wild, in three provinces in central China. The island province of Biliran suffered the brunt of the storm as the heavy rains caused landslides that buried many homes and destroyed roads and bridges Rescuers used bulldozers to dig through mountains of mud in the search for more than 40 people missing in the eastern Philippines after landslides triggered by a powerful storm which killed at least 31 at the weekend, authorities said Monday. Tropical Storm Kai-Tak was heading out to the South China Sea Monday afternoon after dragging its way across the archipelagic nation over the weekend, leaving at least 31 people dead, most of them from drowning and landslides, government officials said. President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque also said 49 people were still missing. The island province of Biliran suffered the brunt of the storm as the heavy rains caused landslides that buried many homes and destroyed roads and bridges. Rescuers searching for survivors on the island were not optimistic. "There is an assumption that the missing are already dead," Sofronio Dacillo, a provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer, told AFP. The largely agricultural island of Biliran, with a population of more than 140,000 also had its power system knocked out and its electricity supply was not expected to be restored until Wednesday, said Dacillo. "It was like two months of rain fell on one day in Biliran. And because of this, the soil really softened and that is also why so many bridges were destroyed," said Roque. Officials also said more than 270,000 people were affected by the storm, with 191,000 in evacuation centres. The storm left at least 31 people dead, mostly from landslides, and more than 40 missing Duterte visited the island on Sunday to offer his condolences and to direct authorities to speed up their efforts to recover the missing and to repair vital bridges to ensure the delivery of food and fuel supplies, Roque said. Kai-Tak's winds were not very powerful, but its slow movement across the central islands unleashed heavy rains over a long period, flooding large areas. Many of the islands hit by Kai-Tak also bore the brunt of Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which left more than 7,350 people dead or missing. In a video message posted on Facebook, the island province's governor Gerardo Espina said communities were running out of fuel and water as the storm had knocked out many vital bridges, preventing delivery of supplies. "Of all the storms that passed Biliran ... this is the one that we can call the worst," he said. As of Monday afternoon, Kai-Tak had weakened with its gusts slowing to 60 kilometres (37 miles) per hour, moving west at 18 kilometres per hour, the government weather station said. The nation is battered by about 20 major storms each year. Japan's fisheries agency says the hunt is needed to study whale behaviour and biology The European Union and 12 other nations condemned Japan's Antarctic whaling programme Monday, rejecting Tokyo's argument that the annual slaughter is for scientific research. Japan's whaling fleet left for the Southern Ocean last month, planning to kill 333 minke whales over a four-month period. Its fisheries agency says the hunt is needed to study whale behaviour and biology, but critics say such lethal research is unnecessary and acts as a cover for commercial whaling. "(We) jointly express... opposition to Japans continued so-called 'scientific' whaling in the Southern Ocean," the EU and its allies said in a statement. Japan cancelled its 2014-15 hunt, only to resume it the following year under a new programme "We remain resolutely opposed to commercial whaling, in particular in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the International Whaling Commission (IWC)." In addition to the EU, the letter was signed by Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru and Uruguay. Japan is a signatory to the IWC's moratorium on hunting, but exploits a loophole that allows whales to be killed in the name of scientific research. In 2014, the UN's International Court of Justice ordered Tokyo to end its regular hunt in the Antarctic waters, saying the project did not meet conventional scientific standards. Japan is a signatory to the IWC's moratorium on hunting, but exploits a loophole that allows whales to be killed in the name of scientific research Japan cancelled its 2014-15 hunt, only to resume it the following year under a new programme -- saying the fresh plan had genuine scientific value. The joint statement noted that the IWC ruled last year that the new research programme was not scientific and should be halted. "Japan's decision to return to the Southern Ocean this year is contrary to the commission's requests," it added. Japan's maglev trains will run at 500 kilometres (310 miles) per hour Tokyo prosecutors Monday raided two major construction firms over suspicions they colluded to secure contracts for Japan's multi-billion-dollar maglev project that will see trains running at 500 kilometres (310 miles) per hour. The state-of-the-art maglev, or magnetically levitated, trains are scheduled to begin commercial service between Tokyo and Nagoya in central Japan in 2027, later extending to the western hub of Osaka. The giant project, estimated to cost nine trillion yen ($80 billion) in total, has seen various companies competing for contracts ranging from tunnelling work to building stations. Construction firm Kajima's headquarters and another Tokyo office were raided by investigators from the Tokyo District Prosecutors Office and the Fair Trade Commission for suspected anti-trust law violations, said a company spokesman who declined to be named. "We'd like to decline to comment on further details as the investigation is ongoing. We will continue to fully cooperate with the investigation," he told AFP. Another general contractor Shimizu also said it was raided Monday. The raids came after Japanese media reported that prosecutors would shortly raid Japan's big four contractors -- Kajima, Shimizu, Taisei and Obayashi -- over alleged collusion. Officials from the four companies, called "super general contractors", met regularly to rig bids, local media alleged. Of the last 22 bids related to the maglev project, 15 were won by joint ventures the four groups separately formed and distributed almost evenly among them, the reports said. Taisei and Obayashi were not raided on Monday. But prosecutors searched Obayashi earlier this month on suspicion of obstructing other companies' business. The company reportedly pressured other contractors to drop their planned bids for a contract to build an emergency exit at Nagoya. Shares in Kajima, Shimizu and Taisei dropped more than two percent on Monday while Obayashi closed slightly higher. Maglev trains will run at 500 kilometres (310 miles) per hour, roughly twice as fast as the current bullet trains in Japan. A maglev train clocked a new world speed record in a 2015 test run near Mount Fuji, smashing through the 600 kilometres (373 miles) per hour mark. Doors sealed by authorities after residents were evicted from a migrant village on the outskirts of Beijing Beijing-based artist Hua Yong has been released on bail after being detained for his work documenting the mass eviction of migrant workers from the Chinese capital, his friends said on Twitter Monday. The artist had been "criminally detained on suspicion of 'gathering a crowd to disrupt traffic'", according to a tweet from his friend Li Huaping that included a photo of the artist with his three-year-old daughter and friends. Hua arrived in the southwestern city of Chengdu from Beijing Monday evening, it said, adding that he had been released on bail and was heading to celebrate his daughter's birthday. Tweets earlier in the day expressed concern at the artist's disappearance over the weekend. In the weeks before his detention, Hua had uploaded dozens of videos on YouTube and Chinese social media platform WeChat documenting the destruction of migrant neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Beijing. He set up the YouTube account only two weeks ago, but his videos have been viewed tens of thousands of times since then and some have been translated by others into English. Hua was taken from a friend's home in the northern city of Tianjin in the early hours of Saturday after fleeing Beijing to evade police, friends told AFP earlier. "Police grabbed him. Didn't you know? Nobody is able to contact him," one of them said Monday morning on condition of anonymity. The Tianjin public security bureau could not be reached for comment. - 'Ruined in an instant' - Hua's videos, usually shot with a selfie stick, brought viewers into recently demolished migrant neighbourhoods and recorded his conversations with displaced low-income workers. In one he walks between heaps of rubble, gesturing around him and saying, "The sky is very blue today. But look at what's behind me, all ruined in an instant." On Friday night Hua posted several videos on his Twitter account entitled, "They're here". In the videos he said police were at the door and he would soon have to leave with them. "Daddy is using these last minutes to sing you a song, 'Happy birthday to you' ... Daddy wants our country to be better; It should be just, fair, free and democratic with free speech," Hua said, addressing his daughter. Hundreds of millions of migrants who moved from the countryside to the cities fuelled China's dramatic economic boom of recent decades. But some are no longer welcome in overcrowded Beijing, which seeks to cap its population at 23 million by 2020 and demolish 40 million square metres of illegal structures -- mostly shops and homes for migrants -- by the end of the year. Authorities argue that they need to clear dangerous buildings after a fire killed 19 people last month. A blaze in another migrant area killed five people last week. Fire safety is a major problem in the city's cheap migrant housing, which often has jerry-rigged electrical wiring and an absence of emergency exits. But the brutal efficiency of the demolitions and mass evictions has provoked an unusual public outcry that has put officials on edge. Amnesty International China researcher Patrick Poon said authorities are "very concerned" that discussions about the topic will harm China's image. President Xi Jinping has led a sweeping crackdown on civil society since taking power in 2012, targeting everyone from human rights lawyers to celebrity gossip bloggers. In recent years activists have been jailed on charges such as "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", "subversion of state power" and defamation for spreading "false rumours" online. "Ironically, by targeting Hua Yong, it further hurts China's image when even documenting what happened could be justified as a crime," Poon told AFP. Beauty clinics in Hong Kong offer a wide range of treatments, many of which have little or no scientific backing The doctor at the helm of a Hong Kong beauty clinic that administered a deadly experimental cancer therapy was jailed for 12 years on Monday, reports said. Patient Chan Yuen-lam, 46, died a week after she received a blood infusion at the clinic in 2012, an unprecedented medical blunder that has shed light on the city's largely unregulated beauty industry. Chan had signed up for the unproven therapy using CIK cells, touted as an immunity boost by beauty chain DR Group and sold at HK$59,500 ($7,615) per injection, local media reports said. Bacterial levels in Chan's blood before she died were comparable to those of terminally ill AIDS patients, according to a doctor who testified during the trial. Beauty clinics in Hong Kong offer a wide range of treatments, many with little or no scientific backing, and often operate under little oversight. Justice Judianna Barnes of the High Court called Stephen Chow, the founder of DR Group convicted of manslaughter, a "money-hungry" businessman before delivering the sentence on Monday, the reports said. The sentence should reflect the "abhorrence felt by society", Barnes was cited as saying. Laboratory technician Chan Kwun-chung, who prepared the blood product for the victim, was also sentenced to 10 years in prison. Other victims who received the botched treatments in 2012 included a woman who had to undergo amputations as a result. The jury last week failed to reach a majority verdict on a third defendant charged with manslaughter, a doctor who administered the treatment, who could face another trial as prosecutors are expected to seek a retrial in January. An Indonesian court has sentenced ten men to two years in prison for taking part in a gay sex party at a sauna, court documents show. The group were among at least 141 men detained during a raid on a building that houses a sauna and a gym in the capital Jakarta in May. While most were released, 10 were charged and found guilty last Thursday of violating the countrys controversial 2008 anti-pornography law. Members of an anti-LGBT Muslim group march to blockade pro-LGBT protesters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in 2016: attitudes are hardening '(The defendants) have been proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt of displaying nudity and sexual exploitation collectively in public,' said the documents. The North Jakarta Court also ordered the defendants to pay one billion rupiah ($73,700) in fines. The sentencing is further evidence of growing hostility towards Indonesia's small lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Homosexuality and gay sex are legal everywhere in Indonesia except in conservative Aceh province, but police have used the country's tough anti-pornography laws or drugs charges to criminalise LGBT people in the past 18 months. The group were among at least 141 men detained during a raid on a building that houses a sauna and a gym in the capital Jakarta in May Rights groups condemned the decision to jail the men. 'It is an abuse of these gay men's rights. It is not a crime, they did not hurt anyone,' said Andreas Harsono, a Human Rights Watch researcher in Jakarta. The men, who were tried in two separate closed court hearings, were sentenced the same day the Indonesian Constitutional Court rejected a bid to outlaw extramarital sex. The unsuccessful petition would have affected both unmarried heterosexuals and gay people, who cannot marry in Indonesia. Its rejection was seen as a victory by LGBT communities. Jakartas Community Legal Aid Institute, which often provide legal assistance to LGBT-related cases, said the timing was ironic. 'While the Constitutional Court said social norms should not be addressed using law enforcement, the North Jakarta court sentenced these people using such a problematic law,' its director Ricky Gunawan said. The remains of a burned-out village in Rakhine in November Myanmar's army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing a refugee repatriation deal with Bangladesh, showing the agreement was a mere "public relations stunt", Human Rights Watch said Monday. The rights group, citing analysis of satellite imagery, said buildings in 40 villages were destroyed in October and November, increasing the total to 354 villages that had been partially or completely razed since last August. Dozens of buildings were burned the same week Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding on November 23 to begin returning refugees from Bangladesh within two months, HRW said in a report. "The Burmese army's destruction of Rohingya villages within days of signing a refugee repatriation agreement with Bangladesh shows that commitments to safe returns were just a public relations stunt," said , HRW's Asia director, in the report, adding safety pledges for returnees could not be taken seriously. Deadly attacks by Rohingya insurgents on August 25 prompted a ferocious military crackdown on the Muslim minority living in the north of Myanmar's Rakhine state. More than 655,000 of them have fled across the border to Bangladesh since then, bringing horrific accounts of rape, extrajudicial killing and arson. The US and United Nations have described the process as ethnic cleansing. The UN rights chief has suggested the operation contains "elements of genocide". Responding to international pressure, Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government inked an agreement with Bangladesh in late November to start the repatriation of Rohingya refugees within two months. But HRW said it was difficult to believe this could be carried out responsibly. "Myanmar is playing the most cynical of games, with Aung San Suu Kyi and her team signing a refugee repatriation deal that contains no real guarantees of protection to returnees, while on the ground the security forces continue their campaign of torching the villages the Rohingya want to return to," Phil Robertson, deputy director of HRW's Asia division, told AFP. Aid groups have said they will boycott any new camps set up in northern Rakhine. Last week the group Doctors Without Borders released a survey which found that nearly 7,000 Rohingya had been killed in the Rakhine violence. The military has put the number in the hundreds and denied targeting civilians or committing atrocities, while Suu Kyi said major security operations stopped in early September. Myanmar has in the past blamed fires in villages on insurgents. "I am not sure of the number of villages" affected, government spokesman Zaw Htay told AFP, without providing additional comment on the HRW report. An undated handout picture released by the family of Rebecca Dykes through Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office on December 17, 2017 A driver arrested over the murder of British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes in the Lebanese capital Beirut has confessed to killing her, a judicial source told AFP on Monday. The driver with ride-hailing giant Uber admitted strangling the 30-year-old after trying to rape her late on Friday night. "The prisoner has confessed that he took advantage of the drunken state of the young woman and he drove towards a highway without her realising. He pulled over in a quiet place," the judicial source told AFP. "When he began to sexually assault her, she resisted, she was able to escape from the car and started to scream, until he took her back to the car and strangled her," the source added. Dykes was last seen alive at a party in Gemmayzeh, a Beirut neighbourhood popular with foreign residents, on Friday night and left in the suspect's car. Her body was found dumped on the side of the road north of Beirut early the following evening. The suspect was arrested on Monday after being tracked down on security camera footage, according to the Lebanese National News Agency. A senior security official had told AFP that strangulation was the likely cause of death and added that Dykes was found with string tied around her neck. Uber said it was assisting Lebanese authorities in their investigation. "We are horrified by this senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with the victim and her family," a company spokesman told AFP in London. The company's driver identification and rating system is seen by many, especially women, as offering better safety guarantees than when hailing a cab off the street in Lebanon. The Lebanese judicial source told AFP the suspect has a criminal past and was arrested twice for alleged harassment and theft related to customers -- a claim refuted by Uber. "We have had no complaints from riders regarding harassment or theft with regards to this driver," the Uber spokesman said. - Murder 'not politically motivated' - Such crime is rare in Beirut, a city which is considered generally safe, including for tourists and foreign residents. A senior official in Lebanon had stressed that the murder was "not politically motivated". A picture of the young woman, who worked at the British government's Department for International Development (DFID), was on the front pages of many UK papers on Monday. Her family said they would "never fully recover" from their loss, while thanking the authorities for a fast-paced and thorough investigation. "For Becky to have her life cruelly taken away in these circumstances is devastating to our family," they said in a statement passed on by the Foreign Office. The British ambassador in Beirut, Hugo Shorter, expressed his grief in a statement and messages of support for her family and colleagues poured in from the city's shell-shocked diplomatic and aid community. People lay flowers at the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung (L) and Kim Jong-Il to mark the sixth anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-Il, in Pyongyang It was the kind of sitdown that China had long resisted: Top US officials telling Chinese counterparts how American troops would enter North Korea if the hermit regime collapsed. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's recent revelation that such a discussion took place would -- if true -- suggest a major shift in Chinese policy as Beijing comes under pressure to rein in its Korean War ally. For years Beijing had refused US entreaties to discuss the possible collapse of its neighbour, but top US and Chinese military officials have finally met to discuss the once-taboo topic, Tillerson said last week. Some stark topics were broached, Tillerson said: Refugees flooding across the Chinese-North Korean border, US troops entering the hermit country -- and leaving again once they had prevented nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong hands. North Korea's missile and nuclear tests The little-noticed disclosure was overshadowed by Tillerson's remarks that Washington was willing to talk with Pyongyang without preconditions -- a statement that he backed away from days later. Beijing has long refused US requests to discuss North Korea contingencies because it "assessed that near-term instability was unlikely", said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. "They feared that the talks wouldn't be kept secret, Pyongyang would find out and their relations with North Korea would deteriorate to the point of becoming hostile," Glaser said. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (2nd L) attends a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd R) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in September China's foreign ministry would not confirm Tillerson's account of the talks, with a spokesman saying: "You may have to ask him himself about his meanings and intentions." Wang Dong, an expert on US-China relations at Peking University, insisted the remarks must be a ploy to "exert pressure" on Pyongyang -- to make it believe Beijing and Washington were prepared to work together. But he raised doubts about Tillerson's characterisation of the discussion. "I don't think that China could voluntarily discuss this issue with the US," he said. The more likely scenario, he insisted, was the "US unilaterally expressed its position, and we couldn't just grab someone's lips and stop them from talking". - Nuclear arsenal - Speaking in Washington last Tuesday, Tillerson said US officials had told Chinese counterparts that if a crisis forced US troops to enter North Korea, they would not stay there. "The most important thing to us would be securing those nuclear weapons they have already developed," he said, adding: "We've had conversations with the Chinese about how might that be done." "We have given the Chinese assurances we would... retreat back to the south of the 38th Parallel," he said, referring to the line that divides North and South Korea. A South Korean K1A2 tank (blue) and a US M1A2 tank (red) fire live rounds during a joint drill at the Seungjin Fire Training Field northeast of Seoul The comment appeared aimed at reassuring China that the United States would not occupy North Korea if the Kim regime were to fall. Beijing has for years viewed North Korea as something of a buffer state preventing the 28,500 US troops in South Korea from camping on its doorstep. As for the Chinese, Tillerson said, they "already are taking preparatory actions" if North Korean refugees flood across the border. Beijing has not openly discussed its plans. But a purported document from state-owned telecommunications firm China Mobile that circulated on social media earlier this month showed that locations in northeastern China have been designated for refugee camps. The discussions -- which Tillerson said included Defense Secretary James Mattis and both countries' joint chiefs of staff -- likely took place in Washington late last month. A November 30 report by China's official Xinhua news agency said that officials from the country's joint chiefs had met to discuss "how to advance cooperation between the two departments and improve crisis management and communication", without providing further details. - Attitude changing - North Korean soldiers stand on the banks of the Yalu river near Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong There are signs that Beijing's views on North Korea have changed significantly since President Donald Trump took office last January. The subject of how to plan for the North's collapse has become increasingly common in Chinese media. "China will go all out to promote talks, but will also make plans in case the worst-case scenario occurs," an editorial in the state-owned Global Times said last Thursday ahead of meetings in Beijing between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Such remarks show "that the Chinese government's attitude towards adjusting North Korea policy has relaxed," said Deng Yuwen, a Chinese political commentator. Deng was suspended from his job at a state-owned publication in 2013 for writing an editorial in the Financial Times urging Beijing to rethink its loyalty to the North Korean regime. But he still finds it hard to believe that Washington and Beijing could be engaged in direct talks on a post-Kim Jong-Un future, a conversation that would enrage Pyongyang. "Even if China was considering this possibility, they still couldn't discuss it with the US because China still has to consider the North's attitude." Oriana Skylar Mastro, a scholar at Georgetown University and the American Enterprise Institute, said "coordination with the US is basically non-existent" and the talks are likely "not yet at the operational level". "That may never happen unless there is a conflict." Afghan troops arrive at the scene in Kabul, where the resurgent Taliban and increasingly IS have both stepped up their attacks, targeting security installations and mosques Militants stormed an intelligence agency training facility in Kabul on Monday, officials said, triggering intense fighting with police in the latest Islamic State group attack to hit the Afghan capital. "Around 10:10 am, a group of armed attackers entered an under-construction building in (the) NDS training centre in (the) Afshar area of Kabul," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP, referring to the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's spy agency. "The fighting is ongoing and we have also launched our operation." Nasrat Rahim, a deputy interior ministry spokesman, said the sound of large and small arms fire could be heard from the fighting. "There are three attackers involved... the clearance operation is ongoing," said the spokesman, adding there were no immediate reports of any casualties. Roads to the area were closed and dozens of police and intelligence officers were blocking access to the public. AFP reporters, who were held more than a kilometre away from the scene, saw ambulances and reinforcements headed towards the site. Afghan forces have seen casualties soar to what a US watchdog has described as 'shockingly high' levels since NATO forces officially ended their combat mission in 2014 "I was going toward my school. It (the attack) happened suddenly... the police arrived in the area fast and blocked the roads, not allowing anyone to get to their homes," Naweed, a student, told AFP. IS claimed responsibility for the attack through its propaganda arm. "Two IS attackers raid the Afghan intelligence centre in Kabul," the jihadists' Amaq outlet reported. The Afghan capital has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians in recent months, as the resurgent Taliban and increasingly IS both step up their attacks, targeting security installations and mosques. Security in Kabul has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the city's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians. No group has officially claimed responsibility for that attack, which the government has blamed on the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network. Monday's attack represents another blow to beleaguered Afghan forces. The Taliban have targeted military installations in recent months, including a spate of attacks in October that killed around 150 people. Security forces have blocked off roads around the site Afghan forces, already beset by desertions and corruption, have seen casualties soar to what a US watchdog has described as "shockingly high" levels since NATO forces officially ended their combat mission in 2014. Morale has been further eroded by long-running fears that the militants have insider help -- everything from infiltrators in the ranks to corrupt Afghan forces selling equipment to the Taliban. But IS, which has expanded its presence in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015, has also dramatically scaled up its attacks in Kabul, including on the country's Shiite minority. In November, a suicide attacker blew himself up outside a political gathering in Kabul, killing at least 14 people in an attack claimed by IS. Misrata's city hospital said it had received the mayor's body bearing gunshot wounds The mayor of Libya's third-largest city Misrata has been killed by unidentified assailants who abducted him as he returned from an official trip overseas, a security source said on Monday. Mohamad Eshtewi's body was found dumped in the street after he was kidnapped after leaving the airport in the western coastal city late on Sunday, the source said. The city hospital said it had received the mayor's body bearing gunshot wounds. His brother was with him in the car and was wounded in the attack, the security source said. Eshtewi was returning from an official visit to Turkey with other members of the city council, who were all elected in 2014 for four years. UN envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame on Twitter denounced the killing and expressed his "profound sadness" at the news. The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord deplored a "cowardly" and "terrorist act" that killed a "symbol of moderation and tolerance", vowing that those responsible would be brought to justice. France's foreign ministry said the killing confirmed "the urgency for a political solution" to the political and security problems plaguing the North African country. Britain's ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, said he was "deeply saddened by (the) senseless murder" of Eshtewi. "He worked hard to serve his people," Millett said on Twitter. Home to some 400,000 people, Misrata is considered one of Libya's safest cities. Its powerful militias played a major role in expelling the Islamic State group from the coastal city of Sirte last year. In October, four people were killed in a suicide bombing claimed by IS at the main court building in Misrata. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias vying for control of the oil-rich country. The city of Nagasaki was completely devastated in the nuclear attack Survivors of the Nagasaki atomic bomb in 1945 who were close to ground zero but outside the government's officially designated zone on Monday lost their battle with Japan's top court for official recognition as victims. The presiding judge at the Supreme Court rejected the suit filed by 387 people who were within 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) of ground zero when the attack happened in August 1945, but outside the affected zone recognised by the government, according to public broadcaster NHK and a court spokesman. Those within 12 kilometres of ground zero but outside the designated zone can receive free treatment only for mental illness associated with the bombing and complications caused by mental illness, according to a Nagasaki prefectural official. There are a total of 6,278 people in this category, he said. They have to live in Nagasaki to be able to receive free medical treatment. "Officially recognised survivors, on the other hand, can receive free treatment for almost all kinds of diseases no matter where they live," the official told AFP. "I'm disappointed," said 81-year-old Chiyoko Iwanaga who led the plaintiffs, according to NHK. "I don't know how to explain to those who are struggling to pay medical fees and those who are hospitalised," she said. The Japanese government defines the officially recognised affected area as an oval shape seven kilometres wide and 12 kilometres long. US President Donald Trump speaks about his administration's National Security Strategy President Donald Trump used the launch of his first National Security Strategy on Monday to laud the benefits of cooperation with Russia, a striking departure from the document's more combative tone toward the Kremlin. Unveiling a text that pilloried both Russia and China as "revisionist powers" bent on rolling back American interests, Trump hailed recent counterterror cooperation between Moscow and Washington. Trump claimed that a recent CIA tip-off about a terror attack on a cathedral in Vladimir Putin's home town of Saint Petersburg had prevented deaths "in the thousands." "They were able to apprehend these terrorists before the event with no loss of life and that's a great thing, and the way it's supposed to work," Trump said, offering the prospect of better ties. His conciliatory tone toward Putin came in sharp contrast to the 68-page strategy that was put together by key aides and which was designed to serve as a framework for the Trump administration's approach to the world. The text uses remarkably biting language to frame Beijing and Moscow as global competitors. "China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity," the document says. It warns that "Russia aims to weaken US influence in the world and divide us from our allies and partners," while Russian nuclear weapons are deemed "the most significant existential threat to the United States." Trump's presidential campaign is being investigated for possible collusion with Russia in the runup to his shock 2016 election win -- allegations the 45th president has dubbed "fake news." The strategy accuses China of seeking "to displace the United States" in Asia, listing a litany of US grievances, from deficits, to data theft to spreading "features of its authoritarian system." "Contrary to our hopes, China expanded its power at the expense of the sovereignty of others," it says. A Chinese Embassy spokesperson responded sharply, saying "it is completely selfish for a country to claim that its own interests are superior to the interests of other countries and to the shared interests of the international community." "This mentality will only lead to isolation," the spokesperson added. - Signal or noise? - The document -- which has been 11 months in the making -- is required by law and is designed to form a framework for how America approaches the world. President Donald Trump claimed that a recent CIA tip-off about a terror attack on a cathedral in Vladimir Putin's home town of Saint Petersburg had prevented deaths "in the thousands" Previous national security strategies have been released without much fanfare and served as guideposts, rather than doctrinal commandments. But in this unorthodox administration, the document had taken on extra significance. Foreign officials in Washington often complain that there are effectively "two administrations" -- one that they hear from day-to-day in contacts with the State Department and Pentagon and another coming from Trump, often via Twitter in 280 characters or fewer. Trump and his advisors often publicly differ starkly on fundamental security issues from the Middle East to talks with North Korea. But allies looking for clarity about the intentions of the world's pre-eminent economic and military power are likely to be confused by Trump's mixed messages. Where the strategy warns Russia is using "subversive measures" to undermine "transatlantic unity," Trump again claimed that European allies were "delinquent" in paying for security "while we guarantee their safety and are willing to fight wars for them." Where the strategy warned of Moscow's "destabilizing cyber capabilities" and interference in domestic political affairs, Trump made no such reference. - Legacy of ashes - Since coming to office, Trump has worked to dismantle the legacy of his predecessor Barack Obama on issues ranging from climate change to free trade, sometimes leaving Washington isolated on the world stage. On Monday, the United Nations Security Council overwhelmingly voted to approve a resolution to reject Trump's controversial recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel -- a move Washington blocked with its veto. Trump's National Security Strategy also breaks with allies on the threat of climate change, avoiding the term outright and instead calling for "energy dominance." "America's central position in the global energy system as a leading producer, consumer, and innovator -- ensures that markets are free and US infrastructure is resilient and secure," it says. Ascending to power on a message resolutely skeptical of climate change, Trump said in June that he would pull the US out of the Paris agreement on climate change signed by almost 200 countries. A year before he left office, Obama said climate change would affect the way America's military must defend the country, through profound adjustments in organization, training and protection of infrastructure. Putin has pledged that Russian security services would pass on any information received about terrorist threats to the United States. The Kremlin on Monday praised the "exemplary cooperation" between US and Russian security services after the CIA helped thwart a terror attack on a landmark Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg. In a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Sunday, Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude for intelligence which allowed Russia's FSB security service to prevent attacks on the Kazan Cathedral, one of the best known symbols of Saint Petersburg, and other places. Russia's FSB security service said last week it had arrested seven members of the Islamic State group who had been planning terror attacks in crowded areas of Russia's former Imperial capital. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised on Monday the case of "exemplary cooperation" between the security services of the two countries in the fight against terror. "There are certain sporadic contacts between our security services but in this particular instance this (was) rather useful information that helped save a lot of lives," he told reporters. "And certainly it cannot but cause satisfaction and gratitude," Peskov added. "These are the standards we should aspire to so that they determine the future course." Putin has pledged that Russian security services would pass on any information received about terrorist threats to the United States. It was the second time in a week that the Russian and US leaders have exchanged praise over the phone. Bilateral ties have been in the doldrums for years, over Moscow's meddling in Ukraine, Western sanctions over Russia, and more recently allegations of collusion between Russia and members of Trump's election campaign. This picture obtained on the Twitter account of Mike Vizdos and taken on December 17, 2017 shows passengers waiting in the terminal of the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta airport, the world's busiest, slowly returned to normal Monday after an 11-hour power outage caused by an underground fire stranded thousands of passengers in the southern US metropolis and unleashed a storm of criticism. Electricity returned, but 400 flights were canceled and long lines choked airline counters at Hartsfield-Jackson airport as carriers struggled to cope with a backlog of exhausted passengers. Atlanta is the headquarters of Delta Air Lines, which said it had scrapped 300 flights, mostly morning arrivals, "to give the operation there an opportunity to more quickly return to normal." Delta said it had to scrap about 900 flights on Sunday, but expected its Atlanta schedule would return to normal by Monday afternoon. Two foreign exchange students rest at Atlanta airport as they wait for a flight the day after a power outage shut down the facility Power abruptly went out at the airport, which serves more than 100 million passengers a year, around 1:00 pm on Sunday and was restored around midnight. Some passengers were unable to disembark from their planes for hours after landing, while others found themselves in darkened concourses, where even some water fountains stopped working. Photos and videos from the airport showed people walking or sitting in crowded airport corridors, with windows only partially cutting through the gloom. "There were a few emergency lights on, but it was really dark -- felt totally apocalyptic," said Heather Kerwin, who was in the terminal to take a flight for New York when the power went out. "I decided to get the hell out of there," Kerwin told CNN. A total of 1,180 flights to and from Atlanta were scrapped on Sunday, according to flight monitoring service FlightAware. - 'Confusion and poor communication' - Georgia Power CEO Paul Bowers said "switch gear" ignited in an underground facility, knocking out power to the airport and also a backup feed. "We have our investigators in the tunnel," Bowers said, adding that foul play was not suspected. Eddie Medina of Puerto Rico sits on his luggage as he waits in line at the Delta Airlines counter at Atlanta airport the day after a power outage shut down the facility "We are apologizing for this occurring." Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed also issued his "sincere apologies to the thousands of passengers whose day has been disrupted." Anthony Foxx, a former transportation secretary under president Barack Obama, was among those who were stranded at the airport. "We all understand that Snafus happen and most of the folks down here are doing their jobs to the best of their ability," Foxx tweeted. "But, whatever the cause, it feels like this one was compounded by confusion and poor communication." While stranded on the tarmac, he had written: "Total and abject failure here at ATL Airport today. I am stuck on flight, passengers and crew tolerating it. But there is no excuse for lack of workable redundant power source. NONE!" (FILES) This file photo taken on May 17, 2016 shows passengers waiting to go through security at the north terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia Mike Vizdos told AFP that he and other passengers were trapped on their aircraft because the power went out just as it reached the terminal gate after arriving from Costa Rica. "Sat on the plane for six hours and then cleared customs and immigration," said Vizdos, who was trying to get home to Richmond, Virginia. "There are thousands of stories," he said. Iran opposed Iraqi Kurds holding an independence referendum in September Iran has reopened all its border crossings with Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, after their closure over a controversial independence vote. Bahram Ghassemi said the two frontier crossings of Haji Omran and Parwezkhan had been reopened, without giving a specific date, after the Bashmaq frontier post began working again in October. Iran closed the border crossings after Iraqi Kurds on September 25 voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence at a referendum Baghdad insisted was illegal. Iran and Turkey, which have Kurdish communities of their own, were also against the poll. The plebiscite sparked a bitter standoff between the Kurds and Iraq's central government. Federal security forces then seized control of disputed oil-rich zones in the north of the country that had been held by the Kurds, shattering their dreams of building a viable state. Last month, the Iraqi supreme court ruled the poll to be "unconstitutional". Iraqi Kurdish prime minister Nechirvan Barzani earlier this month said he "respected" the ruling and had "no problem" with the federal government over the issue of border control. The federal government has demanded the handover of border posts and airports in the Kurdish region. Atta Mohammad Noor pictured in 2015 Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani Monday announced the resignation of a powerful politican nicknamed "King of the North", sidelining a rival but angering the politician's party who said he had been sacked. Atta Mohammad Noor, 54, had been governor of Balkh province since 2004 but had recently been critical of the National Unity Government led by Ghani. Noor has previously hinted that he may run for the presidency in an election in 2019. Ghani has not yet confirmed if he will run again. The president's office in a statement said Noor, a senior leader of the Tajik-dominated Jamiat-e Islami party, had resigned from his post. "President Ashraf Ghani has approved the resignation of the governor of Balkh Mr. Atta Mohammad Noor," the statement said, adding that engineer Mohammad Daud has been appointed to take his place. Noor was not immediately available to comment. But Jamiat-e Islami in a statement strongly condemned what it called a "decision by the presidency", branding it "hasty, irresponsible, against the security... and in contradiction of the principles of the National Unity Government". It said Jamiat would announce its "clear position" on the move once its leader Saluddin Rabbani, who is also foreign minister, returns from an official trip. He is currently in Greece. Noor recently called for the return of Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, a powerful ethnic Uzbek warlord who fled to Turkey in May after he was accused of arranging the rape and torture of a political rival in 2016. Earlier this year Noor met Deputy Chief Executive Mohammad Mohaqiq, a senior figure in the mainly Shiite Hazara ethnic community, as well as Dostum in Turkey to form the "Coalition for the Salvation of Afghanistan". Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces battle Islamic State group jihadists in Raqa, Syria 2017 will be remembered as the year the Islamic State group's ultra-violent statehood experiment was terminated, but Iraq and Syria are now left staring at ruined cities and daunting challenges. The jihadist group lost its two main hubs, Mosul in Iraq and Raqa in Syria, earlier this year and is now only clinging to the dregs of a "caliphate" that spanned territory the size of Britain three years ago. The proto-state shrank all year as a hail of air strikes conducted by Iraq with its US-led allies and Syria with its main Russian backer paved the way for an inexorable territorial reconquest. This month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced that for the first time in four years IS controlled no significant territory in Iraq. Retreat of the Islamic State group In neighbouring Syria, some work remains to be done, but IS holds only scattered and isolated pockets. In Iraq, the West threw its weight behind Abadi, who has defied the odds to keep his seat and gain internal credibility as he steered the country through three years of anti-IS war. The costly military fightback was also a chance to rebuild an army whose collapse in Mosul played a large part in the lightning expansion of the IS caliphate in 2014. The US-led coalition has trained 125,000 members of the security forces since then, and the country's elite counter-terrorism units that spearheaded the fight against IS are arguably the world's most battle-hardened regular force. - Destroyed cities - Iraqis displaced from western Mosul in May head for the Hammam al-Alil camp for internally displaced people during the offensive "Daesh is finished from a military point of view but not as a terrorist organisation... we must remain in a permanent state of alert," said Ahmed al-Assadi, spokesman for the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary organisation that had a major role in the war. The status of the Hashed, which is dominated by Shiite militia groups whose loyalty is more to Tehran than Baghdad, will be one of the greatest challenges for Iraq in the coming months. The country will also have to inject life back into Sunni cities that have been extensively destroyed, including the second city Mosul, Baiji, Ramadi, Sinjar and Fallujah. Failure to do so quickly, observers say, would give the remnants of IS -- or its next incarnation -- a chance to emerge from the desert canyons where they are hiding and thrive afresh on the back of renewed sectarian discord. Syrian cities such as Aleppo, Raqa, Homs and others also need extensive reconstruction. July 4, 2017: Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service fighters next to Mosul's destroyed ancient leaning minaret known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback) in the Old City President Bashar al-Assad is much less palatable to the international community than Abadi, who enjoys good relations with the West as well as with Iran and other neighbours. During 2017, a peacetime feel returned to parts of Damascus and some areas elsewhere in the country where the fighting ended two or three years ago. But while IS's final military defeat in Syria is in no doubt, the war there is not yet over and large-scale military operations against anti-regime forces are still under way. Several so-called "de-escalation zones" across the country have yielded mixed results and successive rounds of international negotiations to end a conflict that has killed around 350,000 people in less than seven years have yet to bear fruit. - Humanitarian crisis - Kurds pushing for more autonomy and supported by the US now control a large area of the country, a standoff with Damascus that many fear risks sparking renewed fighting. Indeed, on Monday Assad referred to the Kurdish fighters who battled IS as "traitors". "A big problem might be if a new security vacuum emerges, for example if the regime and the (Kurdish-dominated) Syrian Democratic Forces go to war against each other," said Syria analyst Aymenn al-Tamimi. Since the end of the nine-month operation to retake Mosul -- the largest urban battle since World War II -- and the assault to wrest back Raqa that ended in October, the scale of the fighting has tailed off. A Syrian woman looks back towards her home after fleeing the centre of Raqa on October 12, 2017 2018 could even be the year Syria's deadly conflict is declared over, but the humanitarian crisis in both Iraq and Syria still festers, prompting record appeals for aid. Around three million Iraqis are displaced while half of Syria's 22 million inhabitants have been forced from their homes by the conflict. A growing number of Syrians are returning home, but "while some areas have become safer this year, fighting has erupted in other places causing huge waves of displacement", said Ingy Sedky, ICRC spokesperson for Syria, adding that a million people were displaced this year alone. In Iraq, 11 million people require humanitarian assistance and colossal reconstruction needs are not the only challenges. "Thousands are in detention following these rounds of conflict," said Patrick Hamilton, ICRC Deputy Regional Director of the Near and Middle East. "How they are treated, and how justice is carried out will have a critical impact on creating a sustainable peace, or gestating the next round of violence," he said. Tensions have soared over the status of Jerusalem since US President Donald Trump recognised the city as Israel's capital The Palestinians will seek United Nations General Assembly support if the US vetoes a Security Council resolution against its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a minister said Monday. The Security Council is expected to vote later Monday on a draft resolution rejecting US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The vote, called by Egypt, is likely to see the United States use its veto power. Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki said they would seek support at the General Assembly if the US ambassador Nikki Haley exercises Washington's veto. While Haley considers "the veto a source of pride and strength, we will show her their position is isolated and rejected internationally," Malki said in a statement. The UN General Assembly is expected to hold a plenary session Tuesday, including a discussion on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. The five permanent members of the Security Council have veto power, but there are no vetoes at the General Assembly. Breaking with international consensus, President Donald Trump on December 6 recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and said he would move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv, sparking protests and strong condemnation. US Vice President Mike Pence will visit Jerusalem on Wednesday, wading into the crisis over one of the most controversial issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has scrapped a meeting with Pence in protest at the Jerusalem announcement, and will instead head to Saudi Arabia to meet King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Abbas has sought to unify the Muslim world in opposition to Trump's Jerusalem move. On Monday night the Palestinian leadership will meet for the first time since Trump's announcement. Israel seized control of the eastern part of the city in the 1967 Middle East war and sees the whole of Jerusalem as its undivided capital. The Palestinians view the east as the capital of their future state. The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali comprises 12,500 troops and some 150 peacekeepers have been killed so far A UN peacekeeper from Guinea badly wounded in an attack in northeastern Mali last week has died, the UN mission in the conflict-riven west African country said on Monday. Peacekeepers faced four separate, near simultaneous attacks on Friday night in the city of Kidal, which is currently under the control of former rebels. "The UN peacekeeper from the Guinean contingent who was seriously wounded during one of the attacks on Friday in Kidal died at the Pasteur clinic in Bamako," the Malian capital, a tweet by the mission, known by the acronym MINUSMA, said. The mission chief Mahamat Saleh Annadif had condemned a "deliberate attempt to put people in danger" in a statement on Saturday, when a second peacekeeper was also wounded. Deployed since July 2013, MINUSMA currently counts 12,500 troops and police and has earned the grim distinction of being the most deadly active UN mission. Some 150 peacekeepers have been killed so far, more than 90 of them by "hostile acts". Peacekeepers are attempting to subdue a jihadist insurgency and to keep a fragile peace process between other armed groups on track. Groups of Islamist extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of northern cities in Mali in March and April 2012, but were chased out by a French-led military operation launched in January 2013, which is still deployed alongside MINUSMA. A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency on December 18, 2017 shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaking to the press after receiving a Russian delegation in Damascus Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a Kurdish-dominated force exchanged insults Monday, raising fears of a new fault line in the country's devastating seven-year conflict. Assad labelled US-backed Kurdish fighters "traitors", prompting the Syrian Democratic Force to accuse his regime of flooding the country with "foreign terrorists". "When we talk about those referred to as 'the Kurds', they are in fact not just Kurds," Assad said in remarks released by the presidency on social media. "All those who work for a foreign country, mainly those under American command... are traitors". "This is how we see these groups working for the Americans," he told Russian media and Syrian officials after receiving a large Russian delegation. His comments prompted an angry response from the Kurdish-dominated SDF, which seized swathes of northern and eastern Syria from the Islamic State group in a months-long assault backed by US-led coalition air support. "Bashar al-Assad and what's left of his regime are the last people with the right to talk of treachery," the SDF said in a statement. "It was the regime that flung the country's doors wide open to hordes of foreign terrorists from across the world." The SDF also accused the regime of freeing "terrorists" from its prisons so they could "shed the blood of Syrians of all stripes". The Syrian opposition has long accused Damascus of releasing extremists from its prisons in the early months of the uprising in a bid to turn the largely peaceful movement into an armed conflict. - Uneasy face-off - Rojda Felat, a Syrian Democratic Forces commander, waves the SDF flag in Raqa's iconic Al-Naim square on October 17, 2017 Assad had criticised the semi-autonomous Kurds in the past, but his latest comments were harsher than any since the war broke out in 2011 with demonstrations brutally crushed by state security forces. The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which form the backbone of the SDF, have largely avoided armed clashes with the regime throughout Syria's war, which has killed more than 340,000 people dead and displaced millions since it broke out in 2011. But the Kurds, who make up some 15 percent of Syria's population, were long oppressed under Assad and his father Hafez, and have long demanded greater rights. Early on in the war, Kurdish forces adopted a position of neutrality towards both the regime and rebel forces. Regime forces unilaterally withdrew from Kurdish areas in mid-2012 in a move widely perceived as a tactic to discourage the Kurds from allying themselves with rebels. Both Damascus, backed by Russia, and the Kurds, backed by a US-led coalition, have fought the Islamic State group in recent months. But while some in the regime have reached out to Kurdish forces, suggesting some level of autonomy could be eventually be discussed, senior figures have slammed the SDF for launching operations independently of Damascus. With their common enemy now defeated across much of the country, the SDF and regime forces are in an uneasy face-off. But the SDF denied it was seeking to break up the country. "If Syrians do not face the regime, it will lead the country towards partition, which our forces will not allow in any form," it said. Kurdish demonstrators gather in the city of Sulaimaniyah on December 18, 2017, calling for the regional government to resign in the wake of a failed independence push Protesters in Iraqi Kurdistan on Monday torched offices of the main political parties and security services as anger at the authorities boiled over in the wake of a failed independence push. Furious demonstrators set fire to buildings in the Piramagrun area of Sulaimaniyah province as they demanded the resignation of the autonomous region's leadership, an opposition party official said. Abdel Razak Sharif, a leader of the Goran party, told AFP there were no casualties. Elsewhere, several thousand angry people across the region took to the streets, including in the major city of Sulaimaniyah and some parts of Arbil province. Haval Abu Bakr, the Goran governor of Sulaimaniyah province, told reporters he backed civil movements but "we oppose any confrontation". He urged the security forces not to get involved in the clashes and asked that the protesters "demonstrate peacefully". Tensions have soared in Iraqi Kurdistan over the calamitous fallout from an independence referendum in September that was opposed by the central government in Baghdad. In the wake of the overwhelming "yes" vote -- pushed through by veteran regional leader Massud Barzani despite international condemnation -- federal forces retook swathes of disputed territory from the Kurds. The loss of the oil-rich areas dealt a body blow to Kurdish coffers, pushing the region into dire financial straits and dashing long-held dreams of becoming a viable state. Firms have closed and there has been an uptick in unemployment since the vote as the economic beating by Baghdad has taken its toll. Protesters -- including many civil servants -- shouted "Down with the thieves", "Death to Barzani" and "Down with the government that lost the disputed regions". Police in Sulaimaniyah -- a stronghold for a faction opposed to Barzani -- fired tear gas to keep demonstrators away from the offices of political parties. Regional president Barzani announced he was stepping down in late October after the independence vote backfired spectacularly. Legislative and presidential elections in the region due on November 1 were postponed because of the turmoil. Prime minister Nechirvan Barzani, the ex-president's nephew, has pledged to hold the polls over the next three months. The dispute over the referendum saw deep rifts within Iraqi Kurdistan burst into the open. The main party opposed to the Barzanis rejected the independence vote and its forces struck a deal with Iraqi troops to let them retake key chunks of territory without a fight. In a sign that the region's isolation after the vote is easing, Iran on Monday reopened all its border crossings with Iraqi Kurdistan. Iran, which along with Turkey opposed the referendum over fears it could spur their own Kurdish communities, closed the border crossings after the vote. The wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh further cement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dominance, with his Hindu nationalist party now ruling in roughly two-thirds of India's states ahead of a general election slated for 2019 India's ruling party Monday celebrated victory in two state elections, but saw its majority dip in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stronghold of Gujarat, where the charismatic leader campaigned aggressively in a closely-fought race. The wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh further cemented Modi's dominance, with his Hindu nationalist party now ruling in roughly two-thirds of India's states ahead of a general election slated for 2019. Modi, draped in a garland of flowers, thanked voters in Gujarat -- his home state of 60 million people -- for backing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a sixth consecutive term. "The Gujarat election results are historic. In this day and age, for a party to keep winning for so long is unprecedented," he told cheering supporters at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. India's election commission said the party won 99 seats in the 182-seat Gujarat parliament, more than the majority mark of 92 needed to form a government. But it lost 16 seats compared to the 2012 polls. The party also wrested control of the northern Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh from the main opposition Congress party, winning 44 out of 68 seats. The twin victories extended BJP's command to 19 of India's 29 states. Congress, which has ruled India for much of its history but was thumped by Modi's BJP in the 2014 national poll, now holds just four states in the world's largest democracy of 1.25 billion. Modi's chief rival Rahul Gandhi, who recently replaced his mother Sonia at the helm of Congress, said he "accepts the verdict of the people". "I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me," tweeted Rahul, the sixth member of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to head Congress. - 'Lost ground' - The BJP has ruled Gujarat for 22 years -- more than half under Modi as state leader. Some experts had forecast a backlash against Modi over unpopular economic reforms that hit Gujarati businesses hard, including a controversial cash ban and roll out of a national goods and services tax. The BJP is also poised to wrest control of the northern Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh from the main opposition Congress party, extending its command to 19 of India's 29 states "They have certainly lost a lot of ground, but Congress should have actually won this election, given the anger in the state against the BJP," political commentator Manisha Priyam told AFP. Rahul made frequent stops at temples while campaigning in the BJP heartland, inviting ridicule from detractors who accused him of trying to lure Hindu voters. Congress, a secular party, gained 17 seats this election, taking its total to 77. Campaigning in Gujarat took ugly turns as the battle intensified. Modi, who thundered from the pulpit at BJP rallies across Gujarat, accused senior Congress figures, including a former prime minister, of colluding with India's arch rival Pakistan to meddle in the state vote. A Congress party veteran was suspended after using a Hindi slur to describe Modi as low class, remarks the BJP seized to cast Congress as elitist. In declaring victory, BJP chief Amit Shah credited Modi for prevailing over "family politics" -- a thinly-veiled sleight against Rahul and the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has led Congress for generations. As the results trickled in, BJP supporters danced, threw rose petals and chanted "Long live Modi" in Delhi. "This (victory) was expected... It is a tremendous victory and Modi has come out as the single most popular leader," BJP supporter Sandeep Kapoor told AFP. India's Sensex plunged in opening trade Monday but recovered throughout the day as results turned in favour of the BJP. A handout picture from the Syrian Arab News Agency on December 18, 2017 shows President Bashar al-Assad speaking to reporters Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched a scathing attack on France on Monday, accusing it of backing "terrorism" and saying it has "no right to talk about peace" in the war-torn country. His comments came days after Paris accused the Damascus regime of obstructing the latest round of failed peace talks for Syria held in Geneva last week. "France has been the standard bearer of support for terrorism in Syria since the early days of the conflict," said Assad of Paris's support for rebels who have been battling his regime since 2011. "It is in no position to evaluate a peace conference," Assad told journalists in Damascus. "Whoever backs terrorism has no right to talk about peace or to interfere in Syrian affairs," he said. The latest peace talks in Switzerland ended on Thursday without progress. On Friday, Paris denounced what it called the Assad government's "irresponsible strategy of obstruction", saying it had refused to engage in the negotiations. On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron called Assad "an enemy of the Syrian people" who "will have to respond to his crimes before his people, before the international courts". But Macron also insisted: "We have to speak to Assad and his representatives." Assad's fate has been the stumbling block to progress in every round of UN-backed indirect negotiations in Geneva so far between his representatives and those of the Syrian opposition. Damascus favours planned talks in Sochi in 2018 organised by Russia, the regime's main ally, over the Geneva process. "In Geneva, the people we are negotiating with are not even representative of themselves," Assad said. Sparked by the repression of peaceful demonstrations against Assad's regime, the conflict in Syria has become ever more complex with the involvement of foreign countries and jihadist groups. More than 340,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in March 2011. A SANA picture shows President Bashar al-Assad speaking to journalists after receiving the Russian delegation on December 18, 2017 A Russian business delegation was in Damascus on Monday for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on "major economic projects" for investment and reconstruction in the war-scarred country. The Syrian regime's main ally in its fight against rebel groups and jihadists, Moscow looks set to take the lion's share of contracts to rebuild. "Major Russian investment projects in Syria have been discussed" for reconstruction, the official SANA news agency quoted Assad as saying, referring to better security in some parts of the country. Such projects would focus on transport, commerce and energy, "including oil, gas, phosphates, electricity and petrochemical industries". "Syria is a country with unlimited riches," the news agency RIA Novosti quoted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin as saying. "Russian companies have the moral right to develop major economic projects here." Rogozin was in the Syrian capital leading the delegation of the heads of "large Russian firms", SANA said. "Today, the Syrian authorities want to work with Russia, and Russia alone, to re-establish all of the country's energy capabilities," he said. Rogozin said both nations sought to create a joint venture to exploit a large deposit of phosphates. Moscow is also planning to use Syrian ports to import Russian wheat to Syria, Iraq and other neighbouring states. The World Bank estimates the cost of war-related losses in Syria at $226 billion (191 billion euros), the equivalent of four times the country's pre-war gross domestic product. Triggered in 2011 by the repression of peaceful anti-regime demonstrations, the conflict in Syria has become ever more complex with the involvement of foreign states and jihadist groups. The war has killed more than 340,000 people and displaced millions. Anti-abortion demonstrators during nationwide protests held in February A US court on Monday heard arguments from lawyers for two pregnant teenaged immigrants who are being prevented from having abortions while in custody. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in a motion filed with the US District Court for the District of Columbia, identified the two girls by the pseudonyms "Jane Roe" and "Jane Poe." "Jane Roe and Jane Poe seek a temporary restraining order to prohibit the federal government from continuing to block them from obtaining an abortion," the ACLU motion said. "Both are 17-year-old unaccompanied immigrant minors who are currently in the federal government's legal custody, living in government-funded shelters," it said. "Ms. Roe and Ms. Poe are pregnant and are resolute in their desire to have an abortion," the ACLU said. The lawsuit is the second concerning abortion in just a few weeks pitting the ACLU against the administration of President Donald Trump. Judge Tanya Chutkan, who heard the case on Monday, allowed another teenaged immigrant girl in federal custody to have an abortion in October. "We've already stopped the Trump administration from blocking one young woman's abortion," ACLU attorney Brigitte Amiri said in reference to the previous case. "It's unreal that the federal government is trying to force more young women to continue their pregnancies against their will," Amiri said. The US Supreme Court affirmed the right to abortion nationwide in 1973 but the landmark legislation has come under threat since Trump took office in January. The nearly century-old ACLU has undertaken numerous legal challenges of the Trump administration. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken a giant's stride towards his avowed goal of transforming South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa's long and eventful career has taken him from trade union activist to multi-millionaire and now to within touching distance of the South African presidency. After South Africa dismantled apartheid, Ramaphosa saw his hopes for the country's top job dashed. True to his pragmatic character, he opted instead for life in business -- a move that brought him spectacular wealth. But his election on Monday as head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) brings him to the brink of realising his dream. It puts him in line to succeed President Jacob Zuma, due to step down before elections in 2019. It was after Ramaphosa failed to clinch the ANC nomination to succeed president Nelson Mandela in 1999 that he swapped politics for a foray into business that made him one of the wealthiest people in Africa. The 65-year-old vice president's emergence as ANC leader would not have been a surprise to Mandela. Mandela once described Ramaphosa as one of the most gifted leaders of the "new generation" -- the young campaigners who rose in the 1970s, filling the void left by their jailed elders. During his business career, Ramaphosa held stakes in McDonald's and Coca-Cola and made millions in deals that required investors to partner with non-white shareholders. He became one of the richest men on the continent -- reaching number 42 on Forbes list of Africa's wealthiest people in 2015 with a net worth of $450 million (383 million euros). Out of politics for a decade, Ramaphosa returned to frontline politics in 2012 when he was elected to the ANC's number-two post. He became deputy president of the nation in 2014, but had to tread a careful line. He had to both serve Zuma -- tarred by accusations of corruption and incompetence -- and also deliver occasional, cautious criticism of his political master. - 'A silent deputy' - Nelson Mandela with Cyril Ramaphosa, who the South African president described as one of the most gifted leaders of the "new generation", in 1993 His ambivalence has led to criticism. Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party, accused Ramaphosa of being "at best a silent deputy president, and at worst a complicit one". Born on November 17, 1952 in Soweto township west of Johannesburg -- a centre of the anti-apartheid struggle -- Ramaphosa became involved with student activism while studying law in the 1970s. He was arrested in 1974 and spent 11 months in solitary confinement. After studying, he turned to trade unionism -- one of the few legal ways of protesting the white-minority regime. He founded the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1982 which grew to 300,000 members and led massive mine strikes in 1987 that shook the foundations of white rule. When Mandela was released in 1990 after 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid, Ramaphosa was a key part of the taskforce that led the transition to democracy. Ramaphosa won global prominence as the ANC's lead negotiator, with his contribution seen as one factor in the success of the talks and the resulting peaceful democratic handover. He then led the group that drew up the country's world-renowned new constitution. Ramaphosa -- who is relaxed and low-key at public appearances -- has managed to steer clear of major corruption scandals but his return to politics has not been free from controversy. His popularity was badly shaken in 2012 when 34 striking mine workers were killed by police at the Marikana platinum mine, operated by London-listed Lonmin, where he was then a non-executive director. - 'Powerful insider' - After failing to clinch the ANC nomination to succeed Mandela, Ramaphosa swapped politics for a lucrative foray into business Shortly before the massacre -- the worst police killing since the end of apartheid -- Ramaphosa had called for a crackdown on the strikers, whom he accused of "dastardly criminal" behaviour. Ramaphosa has four children with his second wife Tshepo Motsepe, a doctor. Earlier this year he was accused of having affairs with several young women, which he denied. Ramaphosa did admit to an extramarital affair but told local media that he had since disclosed the relationship to his wife. Some saw the sudden revelations as a smear campaign by associates of President Zuma determined to ensure that Dlamini-Zuma takes the ANC top job. The impact of the scandal was short-lived, and Ramaphosa based his campaign on his pledge to rebuild the country's economy, boost growth and create much-needed jobs. "Our ability to overcome these challenges has been undermined over the last decade by a failure of leadership and misguided priorities," he said in a rally speech. "For the first time since the advent of democracy, there is a real chance that the transformation of our country may suffer significant reverses." If, as expected, he becomes president, his opportunity to try to transform the country will finally have arrived. "Ramaphosa has no association with any of the corruption scandals that have plagued South Africa," wrote his biographer Ray Hartley in "The Man Who Would Be King". "But the years he spent at Zuma's side, playing the 'inside game' suggest he is more comfortable as a powerful insider than as a radical reformer." Former minister Hubert Oulaye was a key figure in ousted president Laurent Gbagbo's regime, which plunged Ivory Coast into bloody unrest Hubert Oulaye, a former right-hand man to ousted Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo, went on trial on Monday accused of a role in the death of 15 people, including seven UN peacekeepers. Oulaye, 64, is accused of using intermediaries to provide two million CFA francs ($5,300, 4,500 euros) for purchasing arms for men who carried out the attack. Seven Nigerians in the UN peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast, known as ONUCI, and eight civilians were killed in the assault near Guiglo, in the west of the country, in June 2012 -- an incident that stoked fears of instability in the fragile country. Oulaye was former minister for the public sector and the government's spokesman in the first decade of the 2000s. He was a key figure in Gbagbo's regime, which plunged Ivory Coast into bloody unrest. About 3,000 people died when rival supporters clashed after Gbagbo refused to accept defeat by bitter rival Alassane Ouattara in presidential polls in November 2010. Gbagbo was eventually ousted the following April, when he was arrested with the help of UN and French troops, and handed over to the International Criminal Court, where he faces four charges, including murder, rape and persecution. Oulaye served more than two years in preventive detention from May 2015 to June 2017. His lawyer says the charges are baseless and his client is the victim of a "political trial" aimed at stirring tensions within Gbagbo's old party. His Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) is divided into two factions, between pro-Gbagbo hardliners and those who are inclined to turn the page on the Gbagbo past. No caption An online radio station catering for the LGBT community, believed to be the first of its kind in the Arab world, started broadcasting in Tunisia on Monday. The outlet -- set up by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) rights group Shams -- aims to tackle deep-rooted hostility in the North African state, where homosexuality is officially illegal. The slogan of Shams Rad station is "dignity, equality" and its presenters include prominent activists, but those behind it have still reported receiving threats. It intends "to sensitise the people of Tunisia, ordinary citizens and political decision makers about homophobia in society and to defend individual liberties," said director general Bouhdid Belhadi. The station is meant to be on air daily from breakfast time to midnight and will broadcast programmes on political, economic and social issues, with a focus on the LGBT community. "We are going to touch, through the subjects we treat, everyone living on Tunisian soil," Belhadi said. "Our editorial policy is to talk about rights and individual freedoms in general, but the focus will be on the LGBT community." Among the programmes, for example, is one that will feature stories about the daily lives of LGBT people. Gay rights activists have emerged from the shadows in Tunisia since the revolution in 2011, but their position remains precarious in Tunisia's conservative Muslim society. Article 230 of the penal code includes a punishment of up to three years in prison for homosexuality and young men are regularly detained and prosecuted. While activists have welcomed the launch of the radio station, it has drawn some hostile reactions on social networks and from other media. Belhadi reported receiving more than 4,000 insults and threats online, including death threats. Sudanese refugees arrive at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport, near to Paris, on December 18, 2017, as part of the first group from missions from the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless People in Africa France on Monday accepted a first group of 19 refugees identified in Africa under an overhauled asylum policy that will also see it expel thousands of economic migrants. While it has drawn little public outcry in France, the policy faces stiff opposition from the left and from charities that shelter migrants, 22 of which called in an open letter for France's rights ombudsman Jacques Toubon to intervene. Catholic charity Caritas France and a Protestant group wrote a joint letter to President Emmanuel Macron criticising "an unprecedented renunciation of (France's) humanist values and traditions." Djamel, a refugee from the strife-ridden Central African Republic, arrived at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport with his wife and four children after spending four years at a camp in Chad, telling AFP: "Now we've no other family. Now you are our family." The new refugees -- also hailing from war-torn Sudan -- were brought to France from the camp in the Chadian capital N'Djamena where Djamel said around 1,000 people were sheltering. The programme, which expects to identify 3,000 African refugees by 2019, aims to prevent people from risking their lives at sea. More than 3,000 have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean in rickety boats this year, bringing the toll since October 2013 to some 16,000, according to the International Organization for Migration. Macron said last month that while he was "deeply committed" to France's "tradition of welcome", his government would be "inflexible" in its policy of expelling those who do not qualify for asylum. The president acknowledged that the operation was at the mercy of "geo-political shifts" in the Middle East and migration caused by crises linked to global warming. His so-called "migration hotspots" in Chad and Niger process the asylum applications of people already recognised as refugees by the UN refugee agency UNHCR. Both are former French colonies in the semi-desert Sahel region of Africa. The French government has launched a parallel programme in France to distinguish between asylum seekers and those in search of a better life in Europe. The centrist Macron -- whose staunchly anti-immigration rival for the presidency, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, won one third of the vote in May -- has touted a tough policy towards economic migrants. He drew praise from Le Pen's National Front party, which on Monday claimed a "political victory" in the government's focus on "the major problem of immigration". - 'Traps for migrants' - But Florent Gueguen, head of an umbrella grouping of charities that help people in distress, said the policy was "exactly what we don't want: to be required to give information about people that could be used against them." France under President Emmanuel Macron has launched a programme to distinguish between asylum seekers and those simply looking for a better life in Europe He noted that most of those sheltering in centres in France came through another European country, which has the legal responsibility to determine their asylum status under the so-called Dublin Regulation. "If the centres become traps for migrants, some charities will shut down their operations, and the migrants themselves won't go to them anymore," Gueguen said. Rights ombudsman Toubon, speaking on France Inter television, said the programme could incite unrest at the shelters, pitting those with a realistic chance of asylum against economic migrants. "We have a difficult situation," Toubon said. "There will be a triage... with all the risks of conflict." The number of those expelled from France rose by 14 percent in the first 11 months of the year, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said Monday. Of some 85,000 requests for asylum in France, 36,000 were granted in 2016. On Monday editorialist Alexandra Schwartzbrod lamented that "the birthplace of human rights no longer thinks of anything but closing its borders and mass expulsion." Writing in left-leaning daily Liberation, she said the September elections in Germany showed "the price politicians pay for opening their doors wide to the misery of the world." The polls left long-serving Chancellor Angela Merkel without a majority and struggling to forge a coalition as the far right surged on anger over her migrant and refugee policy. "France is a generous country, but it cannot take on all of the world's misery," Macron said last month. He was echoing the words of his Socialist mentor Michel Rocard, who was prime minister from 1988 to 1991, and the first left-wing leader openly to suggest curbs on immigration. Jerusalem Below are the main developments since the controversial decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital: - Shockwaves - In a speech from the White House on December 6, 2017, Trump says recognising Jerusalem as the Israeli capital marks the start of a "new approach" to solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "It is time to officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," he says, breaking with the policies of his predecessors and outraging Palestinian leaders. He orders preparations to relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas says Trump's moves "deliberately undermine all peace efforts" and says Washington can no longer play the role of peace broker. The US initiative prompts a wave of criticism around the world, while Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hails Trump's move as "historic". On December 7, Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces and a general strike is broadly followed in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem. - 'Rage' - On December 8, Palestinians are called to follow a "day of rage" in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In their thousands they face off against Israeli soldiers and police. Two Palestinians are killed and dozens wounded in clashes. Demonstrations are held in several Arab and Muslim countries. At the United Nations, envoys from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden say Trump's move is "not in line" with UN Security Council resolutions and is "unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region". US ambassador Nikki Haley says Trump has not taken a position on the region's borders. On December 9, two members of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas die in Israeli air force raids in response to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. Abbas's Fatah party urges Palestinians to "keep up the confrontation and broaden it to all points where the Israeli army is present" in the West Bank. Meeting in Cairo, Arab foreign ministers say the United States has in effect "withdrawn itself as a sponsor and broker" of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. - East Jerusalem - On December 13, Muslim leaders call on the international community to recognise east Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state, at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul. On December 15, four Palestinians are killed in clashes with Israeli forces as tens of thousands demonstrate against Washington's recognition. A total of 18 Palestinians and one Israeli have been killed in violence since Trump's declaration. - US veto - On December 18, the United States vetoes a draft UN resolution rejecting Trump's recognition of Jerusalem, after all 14 other Security Council members back the measure. The UN General Assembly on December 21 overwhelmingly adopts a resolution against the US declaration. On December 24, Guatemala announces transfer of its embassy to Jerusalem. - 'Slap of the century' - On January 2, Israel's parliament gives final approval to legislation aimed at making it more difficult for the government to hand the Palestinians parts of Jerusalem under any future peace deal. On January 14, Mahmud Abbas denounces White House peace efforts as "the slap of the century" and charges that Israel has "ended" the 1993 Oslo peace accords on Palestinian autonomy. He reiterates the Palestinians no longer accept the United States as a peace mediator. Palestinian leaders vote on January 15 to call for the suspension of their recognition of Israel, but implementation of such a move remains in the hands of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee. On January 16, Washington holds back $65 million that had been earmarked for the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. US Vice President Mike Pence on January 22 receives a warm welcome in Israel but his visit to the region is snubbed by the Palestinians. In a speech to parliament Pence pledges that the US will move its embassy to Jerusalem "before the end" of 2019, while also urging the Palestinian leadership to "return to the table" for talks. acm/lal/del Demonstrators protest against the new Austrian government near the presidential palace in Vienna on December 18, 2017 The far-right tilt of Austria's new coalition government marks a "dangerous development" in European politics, the UN rights chief warned Monday, cautioning against a widespread "peddling of fear" to gain power. In an interview with AFP, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein warned of a general "erosion" in human rights situations around the world. He decried the "extreme barbarity" on display in conflicts raging in Syria and Yemen, and accused Myanmar of planning the recent deadly crackdown on its Rohingya minority, which he said could amount to "genocide". Sitting in his spacious office in Geneva, the 53-year-old career diplomat also voiced concern over developments in the world's more peaceful region, pointing to the swearing-in Monday of Austria's new government. He warned that the new Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's decision to take hard-right positions on things like immigration to win support marked "a dangerous development... in the political life of Europe." Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) was sworn in Monday as part of the new government, headed by Kurz and his conservative People's Party (OeVP). Kurz took over the OeVP in May and yanked it to the right, securing his party first place in October elections. "I am unsettled by what has happened in Austria," Zeid said, accusing Kurz of moving "hard-right on the issue of immigration ... (to) secure the votes that had previously gone to Freedom Party in order to win the chancellorship." - 'Complete opportunism' - Kurz, he warned, had displayed "complete opportunism", and was setting a dangerous example for politicians around Europe. "I think the demonstration effect to other leaders in Europe could be something that we need to pay a deep attention to," Zeid said. In an interview with AFP, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein warned of a general "erosion" in human rights situations around the world Others, such as France's Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, who have been unable to win at the ballot box with a purely hard-right approach might learn from Kurz's approach, he warned. "That is a dangerous development." Zeid harshly criticised politicians willing to turn to "the peddling of fear as a means of getting to political office." He warned of the rise of a "sort of ethno-nationalism" across Europe, and stressed that the continent had been beset by such ideas before. "We just have to wind back 104 years (to before World War I) and we were there," he said. "The extreme right really has to think very carefully (about) where they are leading their countries and the continent more generally." Europe is not the only place beset by populist rhetoric. Zeid reiterated his warning that US President Donald Trump's relentless attacks on the media could trigger violence against journalists. And he cautioned that Trump's comments have "seemed to find an echo in other countries where leaders who were inclined to shut down civil society or the media were resorting to the same language." "I think we all recognise how dangerous that is," he said. - Possible 'genocide' - One place where the "fake news" label has been used to dismiss uncomfortable reports is Myanmar, where a brutal crackdown on the Rohingya minority has left thousands dead and seen more than 655,000 people flee across the border into Bangladesh in the past four months. Rohingya Muslim refugee walks out of a makeshift raft after crossing the Naf River in November 2017 Myanmar has consistently denied committing atrocities in Rakhine, saying the crackdown was a proportionate response to the Rohingya militants who attacked police posts on August 25, killing around a dozen officials. But Zeid said the evidence did not seem to support that, but instead indicated that "these operations were organised and planned." "You couldn't exclude the possibility of acts of genocide... You cannot rule it out as having taken place or taking place," he said, adding that courts would need to determine if the word was truly appropriate. He said he had faith that the perpetrators would eventually be brought to justice. "Those who are committing crimes now and believe they have security, they have the support of great powers ... shouldn't feel so self-assured about this," Zeid said. He also said courts should determine how much responsibility Myanmar's civilian leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi held for the violence. "The evidence will point eventually to who's culpable and who isn't." - Extreme barbarity - Accountability is also key to ending the devastating and drawn-out conflicts in Syria and Yemen, Zeid said, insisting that perpetrators of a wide array of horrifying abuses there "have to be dragged up before courts." "It cannot be that we have seen this extreme barbarity, and no one is held legally responsible for it," he said. Zeid, who has not shied away from criticising countries large and small alike since he took over the UN rights office in September 2014, told AFP he would not be seeking a second mandate when his term expires next August. "I will move on to other issues," he said, adding that he believed heading the UN rights office should be a one-term position to avoid any pressure to "negotiate" the necessary country support for a second term. "I think it is important to always maintain the integrity of this office," he said, adding that "any suggestion of wheeling and dealing ... on the back of rights is lamentable." Palestinians walk on a poster bearing images of US President Donald Trump, left, and Vice President Mike Pence during a demonstration last week US Vice President Mike Pence has delayed a visit to the Middle East, the White House said Monday, as a crunch tax vote on Capitol Hill looms and anger in the region over Washington's policy shift on Jerusalem persists. The trip to Egypt and Israel, due to begin Tuesday, has been pushed back to mid-January, allowing Pence to remain in Washington in case he needs to cast the deciding vote in the Senate over President Donald Trump's tax reforms. "The tax vote is still in very good shape, but we don't want to take any chances whatsoever," said a senior administration official. Senator John McCain's return home to Arizona to fight cancer has left Republicans with a razor-thin margin to push the legislation over the finishing line. Having failed to clear a series of legislative hurdles, the package is seen as key to Trump's ability to secure support among his base and skittish political donors. "We have some senators who obviously can't make it there for the vote and the vice president feels that it's important for him to be here for the largest tax cut in history," the official said. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the package on Tuesday with the Senate vote to follow late Tuesday or early Wednesday. - 'All about' tax cuts - Officials denied that Pence's decision was motivated by a wave of deadly protests in the wake of Trump's controversial decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "This is all about the largest tax cut in American history and having the vice president and the full team here," the official said. "It's an odd case to make given we are going to be there in two or three weeks," a second senior White House official said, slapping down suggestions of a delay. Breaking with decades of US policy, Trump also said on December 6 that he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Aside from the protests, Palestinian, Muslim and Coptic leaders had cancelled meetings with the vice president, who had already trimmed the trip by three days. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah faction had called for a massive demonstration to coincide with Pence's visit and ruled out meeting him in Ramallah or Bethlehem. The fallout continued Monday as the United States was forced to veto a draft UN resolution rejecting Trump's Jerusalem move, after all 14 other Security Council members -- including allies like Britain -- voted for the measure. The text was introduced by Egypt, where Pence had been scheduled to arrive Wednesday for talks with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Pence had also planned to address the Knesset, visit the Western Wall and meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Now were are going to look at January and the trip may even be a little bigger. We'll obviously still go to Egypt and Israel, but we may add additional countries," the official said. Syrians unload aid packages, provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a joint operation with the UN, in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta region, east of the capital Damascus in November 2017 The UN Security Council will vote Tuesday on extending for one year cross-border deliveries of humanitarian aid to Syria's opposition-held areas after Russia demanded changes to the relief effort. Since 2014, UN aid convoys have crossed the border from Turkey and Jordan -- without the approval of the Syrian government -- and are now delivering food to one million Syrians per month, on average. Russia last month said it was seeking changes to the UN resolution authorizing the cross-border aid operation, arguing that the shipments were not sufficiently monitored and that they undermined Syria's sovereignty. After weeks of negotiations, Russia however appears to have agreed to a one-year extension of the aid operation, diplomats said Monday. A unanimous vote at the council on the cross-border aid would mark a rare show of unity over Syria after Russia used its veto power to end a UN-led probe into chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The United Nations maintains that the cross-border deliveries are a lifeline to Syrians living in opposition-held territory because the government in Damascus has heavily restricted aid shipments to those areas. More than 13 million people need humanitarian aid in Syria, now in its seventh year of war. - Monitoring aid - A draft resolution seen by AFP would allow convoys to cross into Syria until January 10, 2019 and request that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres recommend ways to strengthen monitoring. That would address complaints from Russia, Syria's ally, that the aid shipments are falling into rebel hands. A council diplomat said Russia, backed by China, had asked that the operation be renewed for six months only, but that Sweden, Japan and Egypt - which led negotiations on the draft - rejected that proposal. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council last month that the cross-border aid effort "cannot remain as it presently stands", saying shipments were falling "in the hands of terrorists" and re-sold to Syrians at high prices. UN aid officials reject Moscow's complaints and maintain the trucks are thoroughly checked to ensure they contain only aid. The deliveries are confirmed by monitors once they arrive at warehouses inside Syria. Russia backed the cross-border aid when it was first authorized by the council in 2014, which has renewed the aid operation twice since then. At the outset, the measure covered more territory in opposition-held hands, reaching nearly 3 million Syrians in need but government forces, backed by Russia's intervention in 2015, have retaken large swaths. The draft resolution expresses "grave alarm" at the dire situation in the besieged opposition-held area of eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, which has come under fierce bombardment by government forces. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Taliban insurgents attacked checkpoints in the southern Helmand province early Sunday, killing 11 police, an official said. Omar Zwak, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said Afghan forces eventually repelled the attack in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. He said the insurgents also suffered casualties, without providing figures. The Taliban, who have a strong and growing presence in Helmand, claimed the attack. The insurgents launch near-daily attacks across the country, mainly targeting security forces. In the southern Kandahar province, a suicide car bomber attacked a convoy of foreign forces, killing an Afghan woman and wounding five other civilian bystanders, said Gen. Abdul Raziq, the Kandahar police chief. He said he did not know if any foreign forces were killed or wounded. A spokesman for the coalition said he was not immediately able to confirm reports of the attack. KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) - Thousands of Islamists have rallied in two major cities in Pakistan to condemn U.S. President Donald Trump for declaring Jerusalem Israel's capital. Supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami party in Karachi and advocates of U.S.-wanted Islamist Hafiz Saeed in Lahore dispersed peacefully after rallying Sunday for the Palestinian cause. Protests have persisted in Pakistan since Trump's announcement angered Muslims across the world. Supporters of the Pakistan Defense Council, an alliance of hardline Islamist religious parties chant slogans during a rally against America, in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Thousands of supporters of hardline Islamist religious parties have rallied condemning U.S. President Donald Trump for declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) The chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Sirajul Haq, called on all Muslim nations to suspend diplomatic ties with the U.S. until it reconsiders its Jerusalem decision. Hafiz Saeed said that Muslims the world over should put aside any differences and unite around the cause of "liberating" Jerusalem. Muslim-majority Pakistan has reiterated its support for the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their hoped-for state. Pakistani cleric and head of Jamatud Dawa Hafiz Saeed addresses an anti American rally in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Thousands of supporters of hardline Islamist religious parties have rallied condemning U.S. President Donald Trump for declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) - Cherokee Nation officials say fear of losing the tribe's heritage is driving a lawsuit alleging distributors and retailers of prescribed medications have contributed to opioid abuse within the tribe. Opioid use is so prevalent among members of the Oklahoma-based tribe that 70 percent of Cherokee foster children in Oklahoma have been placed in the homes of non-Indians, The New York Times reported Sunday. "We have addicted mothers and fathers who don't give a damn about what their children will carry on," said tribal Attorney General Todd Hembree, a descendant of a revered 19th-century chief. "They can't care for themselves, much less anything else. We are losing a generation of our continuity." Attorneys for the tribe say the lawsuit seeks to make the companies accountable for creating an oversupply of the drugs. The lawsuit against big opioid distributor is similar to those filed by authorities in dozens of cities, counties and states, including New Jersey, Ohio and Oklahoma itself. Attorneys general from 41 states recently joined forces to investigate similar options. The tribal lawsuit, filed in Cherokee Nation District Court in April, argues that pharmacy chains as well as giant drug distributors flouted federal drug-monitoring laws and allowed prescription opioids to pour into the Cherokee territory in northeastern Oklahoma at some of the highest rates in the country. Such neglect, Hembree claims, amounts to exploitation of a people. The companies have responded by asking a federal judge to deny the tribe's authority to bring the case. They argue that a tribe cannot sue them in tribal court, much less enforce federal drug laws. Hembree argues that over a five-year period, drug distributors ignored red flags and allowed alarming quantities of prescription opioids. In 2015 and in 2016, 184 million pain pills poured into the region, he said. A ruling on the companies' request is expected soon and, regardless of the outcome, will almost certainly be appealed. "They know Native Americans have higher rates of addiction," Hembree said. ATLANTA (AP) - The Latest on the power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (all times local): 12:30 a.m. Officials say power has been fully restored at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) The airport announced on its Twitter page minutes after its midnight deadline, "Power has been restored on all concourses. 5,000+ meals are being delivered to passengers. Trains will be operational soon." The world's busiest airport lost power earlier in the day, halting all incoming and outgoing flights and leaving thousands stranded. Georgia Power had said in a statement that a fire caused extensive damage in an underground electrical facility, impacting substations serving the airport. The cause of the fire is not yet known. ___ 11:40 p.m. Officials say power has been restored to several areas at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Georgia Power announced on its Twitter page late Sunday night that electricity was back on in the airport's atrium and several concourses. The utility said it expected power to be fully restored by midnight. The world's busiest airport lost power earlier in the day, halting all incoming and outgoing flights and leaving thousands stranded. Georgia Power had said in a statement that a fire caused extensive damage in an underground electrical facility, impacting substations serving the airport. The cause of the fire is not yet known. ___ 10:50 p.m. The City of Atlanta is providing a place to stay for passengers stranded by the power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The city tweeted on Sunday night that it has mobilized the Georgia International Convention Center and will provide shuttle services for anyone in need of a place to stay. It also said that Chick-fil-A will be providing food for passengers. The world's busiest airport lost power earlier in the day, halting all incoming and outgoing flights and leaving thousands stranded. Georgia Power had said in a statement that a fire caused extensive damage in an underground electrical facility, impacting substations serving the airport. The cause of the fire is not yet known. ___ 10:30 p.m. The mayor of Atlanta says all passengers have been safely deplaned at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Mayor Kasim Reed posted a message on his twitter account Sunday evening after the world's busiest airport lost power earlier in the day, halting all incoming and outgoing flights. Georgia Power had said in a statement earlier in the day that a fire caused extensive damage in an underground electrical facility, impacting substations serving the airport. The cause of the fire is not yet known. ___ 7:45 p.m. Officials say power has been restored to at least one concourse at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. On its Twitter page Sunday night the airport tweeted, "Power on Concourse F is back ON! We are working with great urgency w/ @GeorgiaPower to restore power throughout rest of airport." Power had been out at the airport since about 1 p.m. All flights coming into and going out of the world's busiest airport were halted. Georgia Power said in a statement Sunday that a fire caused extensive damage in an underground electrical facility, impacting substations serving the airport. The cause of the fire is not yet known. ___ 6:55 p.m. Georgia Power says that it expects power to be restored at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport by midnight. In a news release Sunday evening, the utility said the "the issue may have involved a fire which caused extensive damage in a Georgia Power underground electrical facility." The cause of the fire was not known, the statement says, but it impacted underground facilities and substations serving the airport. Georgia Power spokeswoman Holly Crawford had said earlier that only the airport had been affected by the outage. All incoming and outgoing flights at the airport have been halted since early Sunday afternoon. ___ 6:15 p.m. Airports in Chicago are among those affected by a power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Dozens of Atlanta flights to and from O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport were listed as cancelled heading into the evening. Chicago and Atlanta are two of the busiest airports in the U.S. Information posted on the website of the Chicago aviation department said 25 flights had been cancelled at O'Hare and 13 at Midway. It didn't say if all those flights were cancelled because of what's happening in Atlanta. The aviation department also said average delays at both O'Hare and Midway were about 15 minutes - though it didn't say if there was a direct link to the problems in Atlanta and the delays in Chicago. ___ 2:30 p.m. Authorities say a power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has caused flights to be suspended. Airport spokesman Reese McCraine says the outage occurred early Sunday afternoon. He says all airport operations are being affected and that outgoing flights were halted. McCraine says some incoming flights are being diverted to other airports in the region. He says the airport is working quickly to fix the issue. McCraine says the cause of the outage is unknown. Georgia Power said it was working to find out the cause and restore electricity. Long lines form at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after a power outage, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Passengers wait for the lights to come back on at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Authorities say a power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has disrupted ingoing and outgoing flights. Airport spokesman Reese McCraine says the outage occurred early Sunday afternoon. He says all airport operations are being affected and that outgoing flights were halted. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Passengers wait for the lights to come back on at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Fanny Suarez, left, waits in a dark terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Isabelle Jacobs waits for her flight to New York in a dark terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Authorities say a power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has disrupted ingoing and outgoing flights. Airport spokesman Reese McCraine says the outage occurred early Sunday afternoon. He says all airport operations are being affected and that outgoing flights were halted. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Passengers wait for the lights to come back on at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Passengers wait in a dark terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Long lines form at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after a power outage, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) FILE- This May 9, 2016, file photo, shows an air traffic control tower at their gates at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta. Authorities say a power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has disrupted ingoing and outgoing flights. Airport spokesman Reese McCraine says the outage occurred early Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. He says all airport operations are being affected and that outgoing flights were halted. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) A passenger sits behind the ticket counter after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers rest behind the ticket counter after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers make their way through Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after the lights went out at the airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) TOKYO (AP) - Japan's exports rose 16 percent in November from a year earlier driven by robust overseas demand for cars and manufacturing equipment that is helping to sustain the longest economic expansion in more than 15 years. Customs data released Monday showed the trade surplus for the world's third-largest economy slipping 23 percent from the year before to 113.4 billion yen ($1 billion), however, as imports jumped 17 percent thanks to a surge in purchases of crude oil and natural gas. Exports totaled 6.92 trillion yen ($61.4 billion), while imports came to 6.81 trillion yen ($60.4 billion), according to the preliminary data. In this Dec. 14, 2017, photo, a cargo ship waits to be loaded at a port in Tokyo. Japan reported Monday, Dec. 18, 2017 its exports rose 16 percent in November from a year earlier while imports jumped 17 percent. Customs data released Monday showed the trade surplus slipping to 113.4 billion yen ($1 billion) on exports of 6.92 trillion yen ($61.4 billion). Imports totaled 6.81 trillion yen ($60.4 billion). (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) A revival in export manufacturing is helping sustain Japan's recovery, with strongest growth in shipments of vehicles, power generating equipment, computers and computer parts and semiconductor machinery. Exports to China surged 25 percent, helping drive a 20 percent increase in exports to all of Asia. Shipments to the U.S. were up 13 percent, while exports to Western Europe climbed 17 percent, led by a 27 percent jump in exports to Germany. Japan's trade surplus with the rest of Asia jumped nearly 26 percent last month, to 439 billion yen ($3.9 billion), with double-digit year-on-year increases to all countries in Southeast Asia. Japanese companies have focused on expanding in that increasingly affluent market of more than 600 million people. Trade values will likely weaken due to a strengthening in the value of the Japanese yen, Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said in a commentary. "However, the export climate index was the highest in nearly three years in November and suggests that export volumes will continue to rise strongly," he said. Japan's economy expanded at a 2.5 percent annual pace in July-September, the seventh straight quarter of growth and the longest period of expansion since 2001. TOKYO (AP) - A baby panda made a special appearance Monday before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of its official public debut, and quickly captured their hearts. Xiang Xiang, a 6-month-old female giant panda, will debut Tuesday in a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets through a highly competitive lottery process. Xiang Xiang, or Fragrance in Chinese, was born June 12 to a resident panda at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo and now weighs more than 12 kilograms (26 pounds). Female giant panda cub Xiang Xiang sits on a tree during a press preview at the Ueno Zoological gardens in Tokyo Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. A baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of its official public debut. Xiang Xiang, a 6-month-old female giant panda, will debut Tuesday, Dec. 19, in a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets through a highly competitive lottery process. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool Photo via AP) Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike smiled as she came out of the zoo's panda house, telling reporters that the baby panda was "just adorable." "She climbed a tree and even showed us her cute little back," Koike said. "I was very anxious to see how she could come down." Clinging to the tree trunk with her tiny sharp claws, Xiang Xiang slowly came down to the ground. She then played with a bamboo branch, putting it to her mouth, though she is still being breast-fed by her mother and won't be able to eat solid food for another month or two. Xiang Xiang then fell sound asleep, joined by her mother at her side. The zoo's deputy director, Hirofumi Watabe, said the panda keepers have worked hard to ensure the baby panda's safety and health, and he was delighted to see her steady growth. Since October, dozens of zoo keepers and officials have participated in Xiang Xiang's training so she will become used to the presence of people around her compartment. Koike said she hopes children who come to see Xiang Xiang will learn lessons about life. Zoo officials said Xiang Xiang's public appearances will be limited to 2 1/2 hours a day for the time being to minimize stress. Luka Niitsu, a fifth grader who was invited to Monday's event from nearby Shinobugaoka Elementary School, was able to see Xiang Xiang in action before it went to sleep. "It was so cute following its mother around," she said. "I want to come back and see them again." ___ Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at twitter.com/mariyamaguchi Find her work at https://www.apnews.com/search/mari%20yamaguchi Female giant panda cub Xiang Xiang climbs a tree during a press preview at the Ueno Zoological gardens in Tokyo Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. A baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of its official public debut. Xiang Xiang, a 6-month-old female giant panda, will debut Tuesday, Dec. 19, in a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets through a highly competitive lottery process. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool Photo via AP) Giant panda cub Xiang Xiang takes a nap at a cage at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. The baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of her official debut. The 6-month-old giant panda Xiang Xiang, or fragrance in Chinese, will debut Tuesday for a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets in a highly competitive lottery process. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Giant panda cub Xiang Xiang, right, and her mother Shin Shin take a nap at a cage at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. The baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of her official debut. The 6-month-old giant panda Xiang Xiang, or fragrance in Chinese, will debut Tuesday for a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets in a highly competitive lottery process. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Male giant panda Ri Ri, father of baby panda Xiang Xiang, bites bamboo at a cage at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Ri Ri's baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of her official debut. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) A woman wearing clothes featuring panda visits Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. A baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of her official debut. The 6-month-old giant panda Xiang Xiang, or fragrance in Chinese, will debut Tuesday for a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets in a highly competitive lottery process. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, center, arrives at a giant panda cage at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. A baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of her official debut. The 6-month-old giant panda Xiang Xiang, or fragrance in Chinese, will debut Tuesday for a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets in a highly competitive lottery process. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Giant panda cub Xiang Xiang, right, and her mother Shin Shin take a nap at a panda cage at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. The baby panda has made a special appearance before Tokyo's governor, a group of local schoolchildren and the media one day ahead of her official debut. The 6-month-old giant panda Xiang Xiang, or fragrance in Chinese, will debut Tuesday for a limited public viewing for avid fans who obtained tickets in a highly competitive lottery process. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) BERLIN (AP) - Sebastian Kurz was sworn in Monday as Austria's new chancellor, making him Europe's youngest leader at age 31, after his Austrian People's Party formed a coalition with the nationalist Freedom Party that is expected to move the country's politics to the right. About 6,000 people protested outside President Alexander Van der Bellen's office with signs like "we don't want any Nazi pigs" and "Nazis out" as Kurz and his new Cabinet were sworn in, the dpa news agency reported. The two parties have pledged to tighten the country's asylum and immigration regulations while maintaining a firm commitment to the European Union. Newly sworn-in Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, left, and new Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache talk during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Austrian government led by a conservative and a nationalist party in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Kurz has moved his traditionally centrist party to the right, particularly on the issues of migration and Muslims, but has avoided the inflammatory rhetoric of the Freedom Party, which itself has publicly disassociated itself from decades of covert anti-Semitism, but continues to attract a neo-Nazi fringe. Political opponents have expressed particular concern that the Freedom Party has control of the important Interior, Defense and Foreign Ministries. Its leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, is now vice chancellor. Kurz served as foreign minister in the outgoing government led by Chancellor Christian Kern, a Social Democrat. He has stressed the importance of a pro-European direction and is expected to continue to take the lead on European issues even though the Freedom Party, which has traditionally been strongly euroskeptic, will have the Foreign Ministry. Both Kurz's conservatives and the Freedom Party campaigned on the need for tougher immigration controls, quick deportations of asylum-seekers whose requests are denied and a crackdown on radical Islam. A coalition agreement finalized Friday night pledged to bolster the country's police forces with another 2,100 officers, as well as immigration policies that "can be sustained by the population." The agreement also says asylum should only be offered to people "for the duration of their persecution, who really need Austria's help." Other points include ending illegal migration, cutting government bureaucracy, reducing taxes and creating a new national climate and energy strategy. In the new Cabinet, the Freedom Party has five ministers in addition to Strache and a deputy minister. Along with Kurz as chancellor, the People's Party has seven ministers and one deputy, with responsibilities including the Finance, Economy and Justice Ministries. A demonstrator holds a poster 'Nazis out of the parliament' during a demonstration prior to the swearing-in ceremony of the new Austrian government led by a conservative and a nationalist party in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) A demonstrator holds a poster displaying a newspaper front with FPOE-leader Heinz-Christian Strache and photos of the Nazi cruelties and the writing 'Has Austria a short memory???' during a demonstration prior to the swearing-in ceremony of the new Austrian government led by a conservative and a nationalist party in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Austrian President Alexander Van Der Bellen, new Chancellor Sebastian Kern and new Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, from left, arrive for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Austrian government led by a conservative and a nationalist party in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) WASILLA, Alaska (AP) - Sarah Palin's oldest son, Track, has been arraigned on charges that he assaulted his father at the family's home in Alaska. Police were called to the home Saturday night, after Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, told police her son was "freaking out" and on some type of medication, according to an affidavit by Wasilla Police Officer Adam LaPointe. The affidavit states that Todd Palin was bleeding from cuts on his head. He told police the dispute began when Track Palin, 28, called to retrieve his truck. FILE--In this Sept. 3, 2008, file photo, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, right, holds her son Trig, as she is joined by her family on stage after her speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. From left are son, Track, daughter, Bristol and her boyfriend, Levi Johnston, daughters Willow and Piper and husband, Todd. Police arrested the oldest son of Sarah Palin on charges related to domestic violence for the second time in as many years. Palin was arraigned Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, on three counts of felony burglary, misdemeanor reckless assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief. Each of the charges was related to domestic violence, according to court documents.(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, file) Todd Palin said he told Track Palin not to come but that his son said he would come anyway to beat him up. Todd Palin told police he got his pistol "to protect his family." Track Palin told police he broke a window, disarmed his father and put him on the ground. LaPointe wrote that Todd Palin and Sarah Palin had left the home when police arrived and that Sarah Palin was visibly upset. Track Palin yelled at officers, calling them peasants, and "moved around in a strange manner" before being arrested without incident, the affidavit states. Track Palin told police he "consumed a few beers earlier," the affidavit states. Track Palin was arraigned Sunday on domestic violence-related charges of burglary and assault. Court records did not immediately list an attorney for him. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing next week. This is the second time in two years that Track Palin has been arrested in a domestic violence case. In 2016, Palin was suspected of punching his girlfriend, who then became concerned that he was going to shoot himself with a rifle, court documents said. He faced several charges but pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm while intoxicated and the other charges were dismissed. His then-girlfriend later filed for custody of their child, and in January she requested a protective order against Track Palin. Attorney John Tiemessen, who said he represents Sarah Palin, acknowledged the arrest Sunday. "Given the nature of actions addressed last night by law enforcement and the charges involved, the Palins are unable to comment further," Tiemessen said. "They ask that the family's privacy is respected during this challenging situation just as others dealing with a struggling family member would also request." Track Palin served in Iraq for a year in 2008. Sarah Palin indicated when her son was first accused of domestic violence in 2016 that post-traumatic stress disorder might have been a factor. ___ Bohrer contributed to this report from Juneau, Alaska. BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) - A Libyan official says gunmen abducted and killed the mayor of the coastal city of Misrata soon after his return from a visit to Turkey. Khaled Rofida, the spokesman of the Misrata municipal council, says the mayor, Mohammed Eshtewi, was snatched as he was leaving Misrata's airport after landing there late on Sunday. The spokesman says Eshtewi's body was found several hours later, near a hospital. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing from any of the active armed groups in the area. Libya sank into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country is currently split between rival parliaments and governments in the east and west, each backed by a set of militias, tribes and political factions. BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union is opening an in-depth probe into Ikea's taxation model in the Netherlands, its latest effort to go after sweetheart deals for big multinationals. The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, said it has suspicions that two tax Dutch rulings over the past dozen years have given the Swedish company of flat-box furniture an unfair edge over other firms that have to work under the same Dutch system. Margrethe Vestager, the commissioner responsible for anti-trust matters, said Monday that member states cannot allow a select group of companies to pay less tax than others. The Commission, she added will now "carefully investigate" the IKEA case. In similar cases, the EU has also gone after member states to claw back taxes from the likes of Apple, Amazon and Starbucks. MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Police are investigating the alleged assault of Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling at the club's training ground. The Daily Telegraph reported Sunday that Sterling was kicked and racially abused as he arrived at City's Etihad Campus on Saturday, hours before scoring twice in a 4-1 victory over Tottenham in the Premier League. In response to an inquiry about the alleged incident involving Sterling, Greater Manchester Police said Monday in a statement it has been "made aware that a 23-year-old man had been subject to a racially aggravated assault." Manchester City's Raheem Sterling attempts a shot at goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad stadium, in Manchester, England, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) The police force said no official report has been made but that officers were treating the incident as a hate crime. ATLANTA (AP) - The Latest on a power outage at the Atlanta airport (all times local): 1:10 p.m. Georgia Power's top executive apologized for the power outage that crippled Atlanta's airport, saying he realized that it inconvenienced thousands of people. Travelers move through a security check-in line at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. While power was restored to the world's busiest airport early Monday, the travel woes will linger for days for the thousands of people stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. (AP Photo/David Goldman) CEO Paul Bowers said in a phone interview Monday that a switch gear failed, causing a fire that then spread to cables coming in from two substations. But he said it wasn't clear what caused the switch gear to fail. Bowers said failures are very rare, but now that they've had one, they have to figure out what to do about it going forward. He said they will look at ways to isolate the switch gear and cables from each other, possibly by encasing one or the other in concrete. He said the fire happened in a service tunnel deep under the airport, so it never posed a danger to anyone. ___ 1 p.m. A spokesman for Delta Air Lines says the majority of passengers stranded at the Atlanta airport that lost power have been booked on other flights that will leave Monday. Delta spokesman Michael Thomas said he expected said the airline would be "largely if not completely" back to a normal schedule by Tuesday. That's well before the peak travel weekend ahead of Christmas Day. Delta is by far the largest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest. The airline canceled 400 flights system-wide on Monday, mostly because pilots and airplanes weren't in the right places to make all of the runs. Thomas says Delta added roughly 20 flights, booked passengers on empty seats on regular Monday flights, and found places for them on other airlines. It's a far cry from April, when a massive thunderstorm outbreak grounded Atlanta flights for most of one day. That caused Delta to cancel about 4,000 flights and take five days to fully recover. ___ 9:15 a.m. Airport operations were resuming Monday morning in Atlanta, a day after a crippling power outage left thousands stranded. The ticketing and baggage areas were a bit backed up, but security lines were moving quickly. Most travelers were patient as the world's busiest airport recovered from the outage. Georgia Power said a fire in an underground electrical facility caused a sudden power outage around 1 p.m. Sunday. That brought the airport to a standstill and grounded more than a thousand flights. The utility thanked people for their patience in a tweet Monday morning and said all essential services were restored and that an investigation into the cause of the outage was ongoing. ___ 8:20 a.m. Thick fog blanketed Atlanta on Monday morning and authorities said that could lead to additional flight delays a day after a power outage crippled the world's busiest airport. The Federal Aviation Administration tweeted that Atlanta was among the airports where weather conditions might lead to air traffic delays Monday. Georgia Power said a fire in an underground electrical facility caused a sudden power outage around 1 p.m. Sunday. That brought the airport to a standstill and grounded more than a thousand flights, leaving thousands of people stranded. ___ 7:25 a.m. A former U.S. transportation secretary was among the travelers stuck on a plane as a power outage paralyzed Atlanta's airport, the world's busiest. Anthony Foxx, who served under former President Barack Obama, tweeted Sunday that he was stuck on a plane for hours. "Total and abject failure here at ATL Airport today," he tweeted, adding that there is "no excuse for lack of workable redundant power source. NONE!" Georgia Power said a fire in an underground electrical facility caused a sudden power outage around 1 p.m. Sunday. That brought the airport to a standstill and grounded more than a thousand flights, leaving thousands of people stranded. In another tweet, Foxx said the problem was "compounded by confusion and poor communication." Once he was off the plane, Foxx tweeted that he hoped to rent a car to drive to Charlotte, North Carolina, to catch a flight Monday morning. ___ 6:50 a.m. Passengers were being urged Monday morning to check with airlines for flight information as operations resumed in Atlanta following a power outage at the world's busiest airport. A tweet early Monday from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport said airport concessionaires and the security lines are open. Georgia Power said a fire in an underground electrical facility caused a sudden power outage around 1 p.m. Sunday. That brought the airport to a standstill and grounded more than a thousand flights, leaving thousands of people stranded. Power was restored around midnight. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is the hardest hit airline. In a tweet, the airline urged travelers to use its mobile app or website for booking assistance and updated flight status. Delta was also allowing people traveling to, from or through Atlanta through Tuesday to make a one-time change for no fee. ___ 4:10 a.m. While power has been restored to the world's busiest airport in Atlanta, the travel woes will linger for days. Thousands of people are stranded Monday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. A sudden power outage caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility brought the airport to a standstill Sunday about 1 p.m. Delta, with its biggest hub operation in Atlanta, will be hardest hit. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former American Airlines executive, said it likely will be Tuesday before Delta's operations return to normal, and for passengers "it could be most of the week" because there aren't many open seats on other flights in the last week before Christmas. Unclaimed bags sit in baggage claim at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. While power was restored to the world's busiest airport early Monday, the travel woes will linger for days for the thousands of people stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers rest behind the ticket counter after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) A passenger sits behind the ticket counter after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) A traveler waits in dark at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers sit around a generator taking turns charging their phones at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) A traveler sleeps on a baggage carousel at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) A MARTA train southbound on the Airport line to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was filled with both commuters and travelers Monday, Dec. 18, 2017 . Many of the passengers said that they had been affected by Sunday's power outage and hoped to get out today. Ribitha Shetty, who was trying to get home to Pittsburgh, said she was stuck on the tarmac for five hours Sunday and was thankful that MARTA was still running because all of the airport hotels were booked. (Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) This photo taken Sunday, Dec.17, 2017 and provided by Georgia Power shows damaged power cables after after a fire that caused a power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta. Hundreds of flights were canceled and long lines snaked throughout the world's largest airport Monday as the nation's air-travel system struggled to get back on schedule after a crippling power outage. In this Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 photo provided by Georgia Power, Georgia Power teams work to replace damaged power cables after a fire that caused a power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta. Hundreds of flights were canceled and long lines snaked throughout the world's largest airport Monday as the nation's air-travel system struggled to get back on schedule after a crippling power outage. A Christmas tree decorates the atrium where travelers gather while waiting for their flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. While power was restored to the world's busiest airport early Monday, the travel woes will linger for days for the thousands of people stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. (AP Photo/David Goldman) A flight board displays cancelled flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. While power was restored to the world's busiest airport early Monday, the travel woes will linger for days for the thousands of people stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Delta employee Rod Warrick, left, passes out sandwiches to travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. While power was restored to the world's busiest airport early Monday, the travel woes will linger for days for the thousands of people stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Travelers wait to check in for for flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. While power was restored to the world's busiest airport early Monday, the travel woes will linger for days for the thousands of people stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Passengers make their way past long lines at a ticket counter at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in Atlanta. Power has been restored at the airport after a Sunday blackout caused by a fire stranded thousands of passengers and grounded at least 1,500 flights. (AP Photo John Amis) A woman waits for an agent at the ticket counter at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in Atlanta. Power has been restored at the airport after a Sunday blackout caused by a fire stranded thousands of passengers and grounded at least 1,500 flights. (AP Photo John Amis) BEIJING (AP) - China sent several warplanes on a long-range drill to the Sea of Japan on Monday and also conducted drills around rival Taiwan, moved that prompted South Korea to scramble fighter jets and could raise concerns about Beijing's growing military presence in the region. Chinese air force spokesman Shen Jinke said the air force dispatched bombers, fighters and reconnaissance planes through the Tsushima Strait to the Sea of Japan to "test its ocean combat ability." "This is a regular annual training arrangement of China's air force that accords with the relevant international laws and practices and it isn't aimed at any particular state, region and target," Shen said in a statement. This was the first time the Chinese air force has flown through the strait that lies between South Korea and Japan, Shen said. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said five Chinese warplanes - two bombers, two fighter jets and one reconnaissance plane - entered South Korea's air defense identification zone off a southern South Korean island almost at the same time on Monday. They then flew to the Japanese air defense zone above the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, a JCS official said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules. The official said the Chinese planes entered the South Korean air defense zone again before returning to China. South Korea used a military hotline to warn China of its planes' entrance to the zone and China replied that it's part of routine training, the official said. Self-ruled Taiwan's military says China's air force held a separate drill Monday morning through the Bashi Channel separating Taiwan from the Philippines and then through the Miyako Strait, which lies north of Taiwan and to the south of Japan. The Taiwanese defense ministry said Japan dispatched F-15 fighter jets to intercept the Chinese planes. Japan had no immediate comment on Monday's drill. It was the second time in two days that China conducted drills around Taiwan, a self-governed island China claims as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary. China has also taken a tougher stance toward Taiwan since last year's election of independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen, who has refused to endorse Beijing's contention that Taiwan is part of the Chinese nation. Beijing has exerted pressure mainly through diplomatic and economic measures, although Chinese commentators frequently speculate on the potential need for military steps to bring additional pressure on Tsai. Japan's Defense Ministry said Monday that three Chinese military aircraft - one Y-8 surveillance aircraft and two Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft - caused Japanese fighter jets to scramble Sunday. The ministry said they violated Japan's air defense identification zone while flying above the waters of the East China Sea and the Pacific between the Japanese southern islands of Okinawa and Miyako. The flight continued for a few hours from mid-morning to early afternoon, a ministry official said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules. The official declined to give any other details, including the number of Japanese fighters that were mobilized, or what might be behind the Chinese aircraft flights. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - Syrian President Bashar Assad said Monday that three years of U.N.-brokered peace talks have yielded "nothing," in part because the opposition does not represent anyone and is merely a "vocal phenomenon." Assad spoke to reporters after the latest round of talks in Geneva ended last week without making any progress toward ending the nearly seven-year civil war. The U.N. envoy to Syria has criticized the government, which refuses to discuss anything besides fighting terrorism. The opposition has long called for a transitional period in which Assad would have no role, something the government refuses to even consider. Assad praised an alternative track of negotiations expected to be hosted in Sochi by Russia, a close ally whose military intervention since 2015 has tipped the war in his favor. "We certainly believe that anything is better than Geneva, because Geneva has achieved nothing after three years," Assad said. Assad said the talks at Sochi would examine whether Syria needs a new constitution or to amend its current one. He said legislative elections would also likely be discussed. The main opposition group in Geneva has criticized the Sochi initiative, calling it an attempt to create an alternative track to the internationally supported peace talks. Assad has portrayed the opposition delegation in Geneva as a proxy of hostile foreign powers. Assad spoke after meeting a Russian government delegation. He said the visit was a chance to promote economic cooperation, "particularly now that we started the reconstruction phase." He did not specify any particular projects. JUBA, South Sudan (AP) - Six aid workers are missing in South Sudan after clashes broke out Sunday evening between government and opposition soldiers near the northwestern town of Raga. The government blames the opposition forces, known as IO, loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar for the abductions. "This kind of behavior is unbecoming," said government spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny, who demanded the release of the aid workers. The missing humanitarian workers are from three organizations, two international groups, HealthNet and Solidarity International, and one local aid group. Solidarity International's country director, Mainul Islam Opu from Bangladesh, is the only foreigner among the victims, the rest are South Sudanese nationals. South Sudan's opposition group, IO, confirmed that they have four of the aid workers but said they rescued the aid workers from being used as "human shields" by the government. "They are currently safe and sound with our forces around Raga and will be handed over to the concerned third party as soon as possible," opposition spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel told The Associated Press. Gabriel said they found the aid workers when fighting a government-allied militia during which they killed 35 militia fighters between the towns of Wau and Raga in Western Bahr el Ghazal state. A statement put out by the local government of Raga said that two humanitarian cars were burned to the ground at the scene. The fighting comes while high-level peace talks have started in Ethiopia, which are aimed at bringing peace to the war-torn South Sudan. At least 95 aid workers have been killed in South Sudan since the start of the civil war in 2013, including 28 so far in 2017, said the U.N. Last month six aid workers were killed in a single attack in Duk County in Jonglei State. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian officials say they have found hundreds of dead sharks with their fins sawed off on an island in the Persian Gulf. The official IRNA news agency on Monday quoted Hossein Delshab, an environmental official at the southern port city of Bushehr, as saying the dead sharks were found on nearby Shif island. He says the poaching of sharks for their prized fins has put them at risk of extinction in the Persian Gulf. Iran banned shark fishing in 2014, and violators can be fined up to $7,000. Shark fins remain popular in the local market, however, where they are sought out as a treatment for sexual disorders. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - A critical link in Venezuela's power grid broke Monday, leaving some residents in the nation's capital and two nearby states without power for up to five hours, officials said. The mid-day blackout affected the Caracas subway system and its international airport, according to state television and local media accounts. In the bustling capital, restaurants without power closed their doors and the sidewalks were crowded with people forced above ground from the metro system. Some packed onto buses, if they could find space. "You can imagine, there is no room to move," said Harrison Millan, a barber. "Caracas is totally blocked at this moment - totally blocked." The outage also struck parts of Miranda and Vargas states, and some of the country's cellphone providers also went down, temporarily crippling communications. The power went down around noon, and Electricity Energy Minister Motta Dominguez said it had been fully restored shortly after 5 p.m. Officials gave no estimates of how many people were affected. A power surge may have caused the break of a short line bridging a power plant with a substation, Dominguez said. Power outages are common in Venezuela, which has struggled to maintain its electrical grid amid a worsening economic crisis. The trustee of a $650 million power company bond declared it in default in November following a missed interest payment, though the company later said it had paid the amount due. Government officials routinely blame outages in Venezuela on "sabotage" by the opposition. Residents like homemaker Carolina Valdez vented their frustration over not being able to get from place to place. Police took posts at intersections where traffic lights were out. "This is not the first time this has happened," Valdez said. This happened a month ago when we had the same problem." FORT SCOTT, Kan. (AP) - The mother of a 22-month-old boy who drowned in a fish pond at his foster parents' home in Fort Scott said she believes the death resulted from neglect, despite a decision from the state and local law enforcement that the drowning was an accident. Conner Hawes and three other foster children were playing outside while his foster father was watching television inside, when at some point the boy got into a 2-foot-deep fish pond in the backyard. The other children told foster father Peter Brackett they couldn't find Conner and they searched for about an hour before calling 911, according to a Bourbon County Sheriff's report. State foster care regulations consider such ponds hazards and say young children should not have unsupervised access to them. Kansas law says records should be released if abuse or neglect causes a child's death or near death. Because the Kansas Department for Children and Families believes Conner's death on Aug. 18 was an accident, it will not release records concerning how the case was handled, The Wichita Eagle reported . The records would permit the public to know If inspectors ever noticed the pond in the backyard or if the foster parents told the agency about the pond or tried to restrict Conner's access. The Bourbon County Sheriff's Office also found Conner's death was an accidental drowning, based in part on autopsy findings and the "totality of the circumstances," Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin said. "We can't be with them (children) all the time," Martin said. "That's just part of parenting and growing up. It just takes a split second for something to happen." Conner's mother, Beth Hawes, said the boy's foster parents are nice people but said "They failed to do the No. 1 instinct of a parent, which is to know where your child is, especially that young." She also cited the delay in contacting law enforcement as suggesting the death was neglect. Brackett told The Associated Press Monday that he didn't want to comment. State Rep. Jim Ward, a Democrat from Wichita, said it was wrong that records in the boy's death aren't being released. Ward, a candidate for governor, said the agency has repeatedly refused to release records in deaths of children under its care and the boy's family and taxpayers deserve to know more. "They've had too many of these deaths where . the child has been in custody," he said. "I don't trust them anymore." Conner's death occurred before the current director, Gina Meier-Hummel, was named to lead the department last month. In an email statement on Friday, the agency said Meier-Hummel is committed to transparency and "looks forward to working with Rep. Ward and the entire Kansas legislature on these very important issues in the upcoming legislative session." The agency said it had referred the matter to legal counsel for action but spokeswoman Taylor Forrest said she couldn't elaborate on what that means. Hawes says her two other children, a 3-year-old and a 9-year-old, remain in the same foster home where their brother died. She said she lost her children because of substance abuse and is fighting a losing battle with the state to get them back or into the care of a relative. ___ Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com NEW YORK (AP) - Twitter suspended the accounts of well-known white nationalists Monday, moving swiftly to enforce its new rules aimed at reducing what it deems abusive content. The account of far-right group Britain First, a small group that regularly posts inflammatory videos purporting to show Muslims engaged in acts of violence, was among the first to go dark. The individual accounts of two of its leaders, Jayda Fransen and Paul Golding, were also suspended. President Donald Trump caused a stir last month when he retweeted a post by Fransen, drawing criticism from British Prime Minister Theresa May. Fransen and Golding were arrested in Belfast last week for allegedly stirring up hatred. This Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, photo shows a Twitter sign outside of the company's headquarters in San Francisco. Twitter will be enforcing stricter policies on violent and abusive content such as hateful images or symbols, including those attached to user profiles, the company announced Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Twitter said it would not comment on individual accounts. The company has emphasized that it takes into account many factors before making any enforcement decision, including context of the post, cultural and political considerations and the severity of the violation. Twitter's actions drew praise from civil rights groups. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, commended Twitter "for taking these significant steps to tackle hate on their platform." The group Muslim Advocates, which had publicly called for the removal of Britain First's account, applauded Twitter for "updating its policies and taking steps today to remove violent and hateful accounts from its platform." The guidelines, announced a month ago and put into force this week, address hateful images or symbols, including those attached to user profiles. Monitors at the San Francisco company will weigh hateful imagery in the same way they do graphic violence and adult content. If a user wants to post symbols or images that might be considered hateful, the post must be marked "sensitive media." Other users would then see a warning that would allow them to decide whether to view the post. Twitter is also prohibiting users from abusing or threatening others through their profiles or usernames. The company also now bans accounts affiliated with "organizations that use or promote violence against civilians to further their causes." The account for Jared Taylor, who heads the New Century Foundation, was among those suspended, along with his organization's flagship online publication, American Renaissance. Taylor said he immediately appealed the suspension but swiftly received a reply from Twitter informing him that his account would not be restored, which he interpreted to mean he had been permanently banned. He said Twitter determined his account was "affiliated with a violent extremist group," an allegation he denied. "Of all the preposterous things they could have said about me or American Renaissance, I can't think of anything more preposterous," Taylor said. New Century Foundation has been recognized as charity by the IRS, a decision that has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates. Taylor has said his group raises money for the benefit of the "white race." Brad Griffin, who blogs under the name Hunter Wallace on the website Occidental Dissent, said in blog post that he was also suspended, along with Michael Hill, president of the League of the South, the Traditionalist Workers Party and others. American Renaissance and Occidental Dissent both referred readers to an online chat site frequented by white nationalists. The white nationalist Richard Spencer, whose account was not suspended, tweeted that he had lost more than a hundred followers in the past 24 hours and noted that he didn't "see any systematic method to the #TwitterPurge." There appeared to be some inconsistencies. Twitter allowed David Duke to keep the message "It's Ok To Be White" as his header, even though the same phrase was hidden by the "sensitive material" warning on his pinned tweet. Emma Llanso, director of the free expression project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said the new guidelines represent a substantial change for Twitter's policies. But, he added, it's not going to be immediately clear to all users what falls within the new prohibitions. "It's essential that they provide clarity to the users whose content is removed," said Llanso, whose nonprofit is a member of the Trust and Safety Council group of outside organizations advising Twitter. While the new guidelines are now in play, the social media company continues to work out internal monitoring tools and it is revamping its appeals process for banned or suspended accounts. Users can now report profiles, or users, that they consider to be in violation of Twitter policy. Previously, users could only report individual posts they deemed offensive. While more content is banned, the company has provided more leeway for itself after it was criticized for strict rules that resulted in account suspensions. There was a backlash against Twitter after it suspending the account of actress Rose McGowan who opened a public campaign over sexual harassment and abuse, specifically naming Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Twitter eventually reinstated McGowan's account and said that it had been suspended because of a tweet that violated its rules on privacy. "In our efforts to be more aggressive here, we may make some mistakes and are working on a robust appeals process," Twitter said in a blog post Monday. ___ This story has been corrected to read that Michael Hill is of the League of the South, not the Traditionalist Workers Party. WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Wreckage from a Polish fighter jet that disappeared from radar Monday was found near a domestic air base, but the pilot of the Russian-made plane survived the crash, a defense official said. Deputy Defense Minister Bartosz Kownacki said the pilot was able to eject before the MIG-29 fighter went down near the central Polish town of Minsk Mazowiecki, which hosts an air base. The Defense Ministry said the accident took place on the jet's approach to the base. Col. Piotr Iwaszko, commander of Tactical Air Force Base in Minsk Mazowiecki, said the crash was the first of a MiG-29 in Poland. He said he has grounded the 15 remaining MiG-29 planes at the bsae. The pilot had not reported any problems before the plane crashed in woods close to the village of Kaluszyn, Iwaszko said. The ministry said the 28-year-old pilot suffered broken limbs, but was conscious when he was taken to a military hospital in Warsaw. His life wasn't considered to be in danger, the ministry said. Prosecutors and army police have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash, according to the ministry. Earlier, Polish state television news channel TVP INFO reported that 10 teams of firefighters were searching for a missing fighter jet that had disappeared from radar near the base. The Polish air force uses mostly NATO hardware and U.S. F-16s, but still operates some Russian equipment, including the MiG-29, which is being upgraded, but also gradually phased out. ____ This version has been corrected to restore a dropped word and correct that the pilot's life was not considered to be in danger. WASHINGTON (AP) - A Trump judicial nominee whose inability to answer basic legal questions at his confirmation hearing brought him widespread ridicule has withdrawn his nomination, a White House official said Monday. Matthew Petersen, nominated by President Donald Trump to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, became an internet sensation after the video of his confirmation hearing - during which Petersen was unable to define basic legal terms - was posted online. In his resignation letter to the president, which was obtained by The Associated Press, Petersen said that while he was honored to have been nominated for the position, "it has become clear to me over the past few days that my nomination has become a distraction - and that is not fair for you or your Administration." "I had hoped that my nearly two decades of public service might carry more weight than my two worst minutes on television," he went on to say. "However, I am no stranger to political realities, and I do not wish to be a continued distraction from the important work of your Administration and the Senate." The letter was dated Saturday. During the confirmation hearing, Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican, pressed Petersen, a member of the Federal Election Commission who testified he had never tried a case, on his qualifications to the bench. Kennedy said in an interview Monday with WWL-TV in New Orleans that Trump called him Saturday and said he did not personally interview Petersen. Trump, according to Kennedy, said his staff chose the nominees. "He has told me, 'Kennedy, when some of my guys send someone who is not qualified, you do your job,'" Kennedy said in the interview. Kennedy said he had no idea that Petersen lacked the experience for the post. "Just because you've seen 'My Cousin Vinny' doesn't qualify you to be a federal judge," Kennedy said, a reference to the 1992 movie in which an inexperienced lawyer played by Joe Pesci tries - and wins - a big case. "And he has no litigation experience. And my job on the judiciary committee is to catch him. I would strongly suggest he not give up his day job." ___ This story has been corrected to show the nominee's last name is Petersen, not Peterson. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - A white former Connecticut university student accused of smearing body fluids on her black roommate's belongings has pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal mischief and breach of peace. Prosecutors did not file additional charges Monday against 18-year-old Brianna Brochu, of Harwinton. Representatives of the state NAACP and other civil rights advocates protested again in front of the courthouse, asking the state to add a hate crimes charge. Brianna Brochu, the former University of Hartford student accused of smearing body fluids on her roommate's belongings, makes a brief appearance in Hartford Superior court on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, with her attorney Tom Stevens. Her case was continued until January 29. Brochu, a Harwinton resident, has been charged by West Hartford police with breach of peace and criminal mischief.(Patrick Raycraft/Hartford Courant, Pool via AP) Police say the former University of Hartford student wrote on Instagram in October about rubbing used tampons on her roommate's backpack and putting her roommate's toothbrush "where the sun doesn't shine." Her roommate says she developed throat pain. Prosecutors say they're still investigating. The case has been continued until Jan. 29. Brochu left the courthouse without commenting. Her lawyer has said her actions were not racially motivated. LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) - A soldier faces a federal charge in connection with an April explosion that released chlorine gas in a forest next to his Army base in Louisiana, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Monday. Ryan Keith Taylor, 24, faces a charge of "use of a chemical weapon," according to the indictment. Prosecutors said in a news release that Taylor made a weapon and detonated it in the Kisatchie National Forest near Fort Polk in western Louisiana in April. Court records show the indictment was returned last week and that Taylor, who has not entered a plea in the case, is in federal custody. He also was indicted in September on a federal child pornography possession charge. He pleaded not guilty in that case. His attorney did not immediately return a call for comment. At the time of the incident, the Army said the soldier was detained after other soldiers reported that he had burned an unknown substance in an area of the forest used for training. A hazardous materials team checked his vehicle and found a swimming pool disinfectant. That led to the evacuation of an apartment complex in the nearby community of New Llano. Louisiana media reported at the time that an initial search of the complex found nothing but a second search led to discovery of a pipe bomb, which was safely detonated. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump falsely accused his predecessors Monday of locking up U.S energy. Production actually soared under President Barack Obama, bringing the country to the cusp of energy independence before Trump took office. Trump similarly accused leaders before him of leaving the country with "wide open" borders despite record deportations during Obama's presidency. A look at some of Trump's statements in a national security speech: President Donald Trump speaks on national security, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) TRUMP: "They put American energy under lock and key." THE FACTS: On the contrary, energy production was unleashed during Obama's presidency, largely because of advances in hydraulic fracturing that made it economical to tap vast reserves of natural gas. Oil production also greatly increased, reducing imports. Before the presidential election last year, the U.S. for the first time in decades was getting more energy domestically than it imports. The government estimated this year that the U.S. could switch from being a net importer of energy to being a net exporter as early as 2019, depending on what happens to oil prices, energy resources and economic growth. Trump, a Republican, has rolled back some obstacles for the coal industry, which indeed complained of overregulation by Obama, a Democrat. But coal's decline in recent years was driven mainly by competition from cheap natural gas. Despite his rhetoric about U.S. energy production, one of Trump's most consequential actions as president has been to open the U.S. to another source of foreign oil, with his approval of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada. Obama's two-term predecessor, Republican George W. Bush, was no adversary of the energy industry. Neither president put energy "under lock and key." ___ TRUMP: "Over the profound objections of the American people, our politicians left our borders wide open." THE FACTS: Even as literary license, "wide open" does not describe the border enforcement, refugee vetting or deportation record of recent years, however flawed some controls might have been. Trump's get-tough push has had some effect: Far fewer people have been trying to sneak across the border and more people already in the U.S. illegally have been arrested. But critics once slammed Obama as "deporter in chief." Agents deported more than 2 million immigrants during the eight years Obama was in office, more than in previous administrations. They sent back 409,000 in 2012 alone, a record. More than 240,000 people were deported in Obama's final budget year. Trump-era deportations have slightly lagged that pace for most of his first year, despite unquestionably aggressive enforcement. One likely factor: With fewer people sneaking in, there may be fewer to send back home. But the gates were far from ajar before Trump took office. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at https://apnews.com/tag/APFactCheck Philip Hammond has been accused of trying to appease Brussels by saying a transitional deal after Brexit would mean the UK sticking to EU rules, including on immigration and the role of European judges. The Chancellor said a transition deal would replicate the status quo and that, although technically the UK would not be in the customs union or single market, it would effectively keep the same rules during an implementation period until the terms of a new deal can be put in place. The prospect of such a deal set out in guidelines issued by the European Union has infuriated prominent Tory Eurosceptics. Former Brexit minister David Jones condemned the Chancellor, claiming he appears only too ready to do Brussels bidding by signalling acceptance of the EUs position. .@Jacob_Rees_Mogg on transition deal: We cannot be a colony of the EU for two years from 2019 to 2021, accepting new laws that are made without any say-so from the British people, parliament or governmentthat is being a vassal state of the EU #newsnight pic.twitter.com/PVMWYDnrgB BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) December 15, 2017 Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith accused Mr Hammond of undermining Theresa May while prominent backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg said the EUs position would reduce the UK to the status of a colony. The EUs guidelines for the next phase of Brexit talks were set out in Brussels on Friday after leaders of the 27 other members of the bloc agreed to move on to the second stage of the process covering a transitional period and talks on a future trade deal. The four-page document sets out the EUs guidelines for the next stage of negotiations, including the process for agreeing the terms of the transition period expected to last two years after the date of Brexit. It makes clear that the EU expects the UK to observe all of its rules including on freedom of movement and accept the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) during this time. It also set up a potential clash with London over the Prime Ministers hopes of negotiating early trade agreements with countries outside the EU, stating firmly the UK will stay in the single market and customs union during transition and will continue to comply with EU trade policy, which bars deals by individual states. We'll be delivering the Brexit people voted for. pic.twitter.com/a01NFosHeS Theresa May (@theresa_may) December 15, 2017 Mr Hammond, in China on a trade mission, was asked whether firms should expect a transition deal where the UK is still participating in the single market, customs union and subject to the ECJ. In a word, yes, he said. What they should expect as a result of the agreement weve reached this week with the European Union is a transition, or implementation period, which will start at the end of March 2019, during which we will no longer be members of the European Union, we wont technically or legally be in the customs union or in the single market, but were committed as a result of the agreement weve made this week to creating an environment which will effectively replicate the current status quo so that businesses can carry on trading with their commercial partners across the EU as they do now, borders will operate as they do now, and financial services businesses will be able to carry on conducting their business across borders as they do now. Mr Jones, a board member of the pro-Brexit Leave Means Leave campaign, said: What is it about negotiating that Philip Hammond doesnt understand? Thank you to Presidents @JunckerEU and @donaldtusk. Today is an important step on the road to delivering a smooth and orderly Brexit and forging our deep and special future partnership. https://t.co/PSaATiA17n Theresa May (@theresa_may) December 15, 2017 Once again, the Chancellor appears only too ready to do Brussels bidding and happily rule out a proper Brexit deal. Meekly agreeing to the EUs demands that we are subject to their rules and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice for two years is completely unacceptable. The Brexit Cabinet sub-committee is meeting on Monday ahead of a full Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and Mr Jones urged Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove to rein in the Chancellor and get him to abandon his bid to derail Brexit once and for all. Mr Duncan Smith said: The Prime Minister made it clear in the House of Commons on Monday that the purpose of the implementation period is to implement progressively what has been agreed. EU leaders agree to move on to the second phase of #Brexit talks. Congratulations PM @theresa_may Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 15, 2017 The Chancellors comments today are not Government policy, which he should stick to. As it is, he is undermining the Prime Ministers negotiations with the EU. Mr Rees-Mogg said Mrs May must not agree to the restrictions imposed by the EUs position. We cannot be a colony of the European Union for two years from 2019 to 2021, accepting new laws that are made without any say-so of the British people, Parliament or Government, he told BBCs Newsnight. Donald Trump has defended his Republican tax cut as a good deal for the middle-class while boldly suggesting it could lead to explosive economic growth for the US. The legislation, which the Republicans aim to muscle through Congress next week, would lower taxes for the richest Americans. Benefits for most other taxpayers would be smaller but the president attempted to sell the bill as a Christmas present for middle-class Americans in part because it would trigger job growth. President Trump ( Evan Vucci/AP) Itll be fantastic for the middle-income people and for jobs, most of all, Mr Trump told reporters on the White House lawn before travelling to Camp David for the weekend. The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act lets you keep more of your hard-earned money, meaning less of your paycheck will go to Washington. Period. pic.twitter.com/eBI303t0Ar Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) December 16, 2017 I will say that because of what weve done with regulation and other things our economy is doing fantastically well, but it has another big step to go and it cant take that step unless we do the tax bill. He also predicted the legislation would cause the economy to soar beyond its current three per cent rate of growth. I think we could go to four, five or even six per cent, ultimately. We are back. We are really going to start to rock. Many economists believe that attaining consistent four per cent or five per cent annual growth would be challenging. The nation last topped five per cent in 1984. The conference committee took the best ideas from the House and Senate plans and made an even better bill. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is now only two votes and a signature away from becoming the law of the land. https://t.co/xzq30TsGy4 pic.twitter.com/SfHoGOINjS Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) December 15, 2017 The Republican plan is the widest-ranging reshaping of the tax code in three decades and is expected to add to the nations 20 trillion dollar (15 trillion) debt. The tax cuts are projected to add 1.46 trillion dollars (1.1 trillion) over a decade. Under the bill, todays 35% rate on corporations would fall to 21%, the crown jewel of the measure for many Republicans. Mr Trump and Republican leaders had set 20% as their goal but added a point to free money for other tax cuts that won over wavering lawmakers in final talks. This is happening. Tax reform under Republican control of Washington is happening, House Speaker Paul Ryan told rank-and-file members in a conference call on Friday. Most critics out there didnt think it could happen. And now were on the doorstep of something truly historic. See my statement on my support for tax reform legislation: pic.twitter.com/DoeoHLrXWn Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) December 15, 2017 The bill would repeal an important part of Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act - the requirement that all Americans have health insurance or face a penalty - as the Republicans look to unravel a law it failed to repeal and replace this summer. It came together as Republicans cemented the needed support for the overhaul, securing endorsements from wavering senators. Marco Rubio of Florida relented in his high-profile opposition after negotiators expanded the tax credit that parents can claim for their children. He said he would vote for the measure next week. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the only Republican to vote against the Senate version earlier this month, made the surprise announcement that he would back the legislation. Mr Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has repeatedly warned that the nations growing debt is the most serious threat to national security. Sceptical Democrats are likely to oppose the legislation unanimously. Under this bill, the working-class, middle-class and upper middle-class get skewered while the rich and wealthy corporations make out like bandits, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. It is just the opposite of what America needs and Republicans will rue the day they pass this. The SNPs Westminster leader has urged Prime Minister Theresa May to prevent RBS from closing 62 branches across the UK. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Ian Blackford said she must stand up for communities in Scotland who face losing their last bank in town. Mrs May was pressed on the issue in Prime Ministers Questions and said she did not intend to intervene on what she sees as a commercial decision. Today's #PMQs is available to watch on the Parliament YouTube channel https://t.co/SKkUDuCjD9 @Number10gov UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) December 13, 2017 RBS is 72%-owned by the taxpayer and has confirmed to Mr Blackford no consultation was undertaken with the public before the decision was taken on the planned closures. Mr Blackford said: The Prime Minister has an obligation she must stand up for the public who bailed out RBS and are now in some cases going to be without any bank at all. Theresa Mays response in Prime Ministers Questions was shocking she cant wash her hands of this issue. Thirteen Scottish towns are about to lose their only bank. The Prime Minister is so out of touch she is unaware of how these closures will hit rural communities. We will hold the UK Government to account firstly by asking for a statement today and requiring intervention to keep the banks open. We own RBS and they must serve their communities. https://t.co/AhN9rvoaKl Ian Blackford (@Ianblackford_MP) December 4, 2017 I have learnt there was no consultation with local communities ahead of this decision being taken, highlighting a complete lack of customer care. He insisted the closure decisions must be raised by the UK Government at the earliest opportunity in its role as major shareholder. Mr Blackford added: The Prime Minister is turning her back on rural Scotland. This has to be stopped. Ian Blackford said communities faced losing the "last bank in town" (Jane Barlow/PA) The public stood by RBS when it needed our help. The bank must now stand by its customers. As Prime Minister, I urge you to step in and right this wrong. You must stand up for communities across Scotland who face losing their last bank in town. Its customers - and the public - deserve better. Mrs May has declined to say anything other than what she said in the House of Commons. Scottish Secretary David Mundell has made clear his opposition to the closures as his own constituency Dumfries is in a rural area. He said: I called in RBS senior staff and made clear to them in no uncertain terms how serious these closures are for communities across Scotland. Branches are a lifeline for many people, especially in rural areas. RBS needs to remember its responsibilities to customers and reconsider these harmful closures. England were left needing a miracle in the middle or help from the elements to pull off a great escape in Perth. Australia registered their highest Ashes total on home soil and then left Joe Roots tourists to bat through almost five sessions to avoid an innings defeat in the third Test. Steve Smith (239) and Mitch Marsh (181) added only 10 runs to their epic combined contribution before James Anderson (four for 116) had both lbw, but the Australia captain was still able to declare on a mammoth 662 for nine. Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of James Vince (Jason OBrien/PA) Englands task was unenviable but James Vince (55) at least helped to push this mismatched contest into a final day, with a stumps total of 132 for four. Morning session England got off to the perfect start with the early wicket of Mitchell Marsh. The @Specsavers DRS can't save Mitch Marsh early on day four and an incredible knock ends on 181 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/IFC1DUJlra cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2017 And shortly after, Joe Roots side finally removed Australia captain Steve Smith for a brilliant 239. Deck doing a bit early this morning! Here's the @Specsavers DRS call on Smith's dismissal #Ashes pic.twitter.com/rw8YOarbdN cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2017 Former England captain Michael Vaughan was quick to note the ball was doing a bit early on. 1 Wicket In 90 overs yesterday ... 2 in 4.1 overs today ... Its started to seam ... !!!!! #Ashes Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 17, 2017 England were not finished there, however, as Mitchell Starc was then run out for one to make it three wickets in the first five overs of the morning. The boys showing fight - and get another wicket as Starc is run out by Vince for 1. AUS 561/7 #Ashes Follow: https://t.co/UBppnbwjay pic.twitter.com/zhbgDP289T England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 17, 2017 Tim Paine and Pat Cummins though steadied the ship and carried the hosts through to 643 for seven at lunch. Afternoon session Australia advanced their innings on to 663 for nine before Smith decided he had seen enough and called his side in. Steve Smith has seen enough... Australia declare on 662-9 with a lead of 259. BT Sport 1 HD for England's reply...#ItsTheAshes pic.twitter.com/lXi1ObUVW7 Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 17, 2017 And they then got off to the perfect start. And a superb reaction off his own bowling form Josh Hazelwood to remove Alastair Cook took things from bad to worse for England. Australia were celebrating again after a rash shot from Root left the tourists staring at Ashes defeat. Roots dismissal though did not impress Piers Morgan. Root. ROOT. What were you doing?????? Ridiculously reckless shot. #ashes Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 17, 2017 James Vince was leading Englands recovery as he took them to 71 for three at lunch. Evening session Vince continued to carry the fight to Australia with a string of eye-catching shots to reach his half century. But then he was removed by an unplayable delivery from Starc. And with it came suggestions of it being the delivery of the century. Hit that ball Starc bowls Vince in the Doorway to departure #WhatACracker #Ashes2017 Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) December 17, 2017 what can you do about that? Difference between the two bowling attacks is Starc #Ashes https://t.co/AGR9ZiwdSk James O'Brien (@JamesOBYP) December 17, 2017 THAT IS OUT - Don't worry James, Bradman's not touching that either. Vince (55) cleaned up by Starc and his crack. Waca pitch playing its part. 100-4 Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) December 17, 2017 No one on the planet is playing that delivery #ashes Alex Tudor (@alextudorcoach) December 17, 2017 Thats called a JAFFA! What a delivery @mstarc56 you reminded me of my bowling days and I enjoyed it to the hilt! You made left armers proud! @CricketAus Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) December 17, 2017 Ball of the 21st century .... https://t.co/rvDiz5qRif Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 17, 2017 Ball of the #Ashes & the summer. Starc is on fire here at the WACA !!!! https://t.co/oETTNDCSAS Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) December 17, 2017 That Vince wicket ball wouldve dismissed every batsman in the history of the game. Not often you can say that #Ashes Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) December 17, 2017 And it is fair to say the England fans were not too disappointed to see the rain arrive. The England fans celebrating the rain arriving at the WACA #Ashes pic.twitter.com/dpdNM0HBZ1 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2017 It will be a tough final day for Roots men to save the Ashes with perhaps the weather the only thing that can save them from going 3-0 down and surrendering the urn. Jockey Jamie Moore feels Sire De Grugy achieved as much as he possibly could following the 11-year-olds retirement from racing. Moore partnered the popular chestnut in 40 of his 42 career starts and enjoyed some halcyon afternoons, most significantly when the partnership claimed the 2014 Queen Mother Champion Chase. Sire De Grugy also won two renewals of the Tingle Creek at Sandown in an honourable career that yielded five Grade One triumphs. Gary Moores flagbearer has not looked the force of old this season, though, and the decision was taken to retire him after he finished down the field in a handicap chase at Cheltenham on Saturday. "I think he achieved as much as he possibly could."@jemoore85 praise for Sire De Grugy on @LuckOnSunday after the popular 11yo was retired following his run @CheltenhamRaces on Saturday pic.twitter.com/bcxNFAii2S PA Racing (@PAracing) December 17, 2017 Jamie Moore told Racing UK: This season has been OK and I honestly thought hed get another win. I thought it was going to be yesterday but unfortunately it wasnt to be. He lacked scope yesterday and that wasnt right. My dad absolutely adores the horse and the staff in the yard do, as well. He was very hard and he had a lot of bottle. He obviously had a lot of ability but he did try for you. I think he achieved as much as he possibly could. He does mean so much to me. Connections of Sire De Grugy celebrate his 2014 Queen Mother Champion Chase victory at the Cheltenham Festival (David Davies/PA) Sire De Grugy will spend his retirement at the Moore familys yard in Lower Beeding, West Sussex. Jamie Moore added: Ill still ride him around. Hell be kept busy as he does enjoy his work. The Irish Governments relationship with the DUP needs to be repaired, a minister said. Foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney blamed tensions around agreeing phase one of the Brexit deal. He said he wanted to meet Northern Irelands largest unionist party before the end of the year. Mr Coveney told Irish broadcaster RTEs The Week in Politics: Because of the tension around trying to get the deal we felt was needed for everyone on this island, yes, of course there is repair work to do. Government needs to repair relationship with the DUP - Tanaiste @simoncoveney tells #twip pic.twitter.com/KGnv3gxOqj The Week in Politics (@rtetwip) December 17, 2017 The DUP has accused Irish premier Leo Varadkar of politicking over Brexit. The Taoiseach has said Brexiteers need to acknowledge that they created the difficulties surrounding the Northern Ireland border. A compromise agreed between the EU and UK has been the subject of a range of interpretations. Mr Varadkar has said he is confident there will be no hard border on Ireland despite being warned the issue remains a riddle to be solved. (PA Graphics) The DUPs 10 pro-Brexit MPs are supporting Theresa Mays minority Government in crucial votes. The unionist party scuppered earlier British Government efforts to agree a border deal with the EU. The problem centred on whether Northern Ireland continued to follow some of the rules of the EUs single market after the separation and the DUP was keen to ensure there would be no divergence from the rest of the UK. Mr Coveney said the absence of a power-sharing ministerial Executive at Stormont was part of the problem of Brexit. Arriving at EU Summit @campaignforleo says Brexiteers in Northern Ireland need to acknowledge they created the border difficulties that hes trying to help resolve #Brexit #EuropeanCouncil pic.twitter.com/pZR3oUfgoT Deborah McAleese (@Deborah_utv) December 14, 2017 If Sinn Fein and the DUP cannot agree to resurrect the Executive, Mr Coveney said the Good Friday Agreement needed to be looked back at, because that was where the rules were set. He added: Then there is the prospect of a whole series of other choices from another election, to the triggering of Intergovernmental Conferences to make decisions on Northern Ireland. That is not where we want to be. That will cause tension. It will be a very frosty environment to make decisions in so we all have a responsibility, in a practical sense, to find a way forward. The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox has spoken about the difficulty of being a single parent as he praised a campaign designed to tackle loneliness at Christmas. In an interview with The Sun, Brendan Cox described how he and his late wife used to speak of their admiration for the way parents raised children solo. Mr Cox, 39, is facing his second Christmas without Jo, mother to their two children Cuillin, six, and Lejla, four. (Jane Barlow/PA) Extremist Thomas Mair, 53, was jailed for life for killing the Labour MP in the days before the Brexit referendum last June. Mr Cox said: Jo and I often talked about single parents and how much we admired them and how hard it must be. And it is, basically. Its shit. Its those little things like, Does Lejla have a cough or has she got pneumonia? Is this bump supposed to be there? Are the kids getting on OK at school? All judgments you have to take as a parent that are all entirely on you. Theyre very good with me. They frequently ask me how Im doing. Theyre just incredibly loving kids. We are a unit. We were always close but theres an even stronger sense of us all looking after each other now. This week the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission called on the nation to have mince pie moments by arranging a festive get-together with a lonely neighbour. Mr Cox, backed by celebrities including actor Bill Nighy, chef Delia Smith and pop star Tokio Myers, said: Jo believed in stronger communities as the best answer to loneliness, and thats even more true at Christmas. Thats the idea behind mince pie moments, an excuse for all of us to reach out to someone who is lonely, or strike up a conversation with someone in our street. It doesnt take much to change someones day for the better and we hope mince pie moments might help us take the first step. We dont have to be a nation of strangers, especially at Christmas. British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes, who was found dead by a Beirut motorway on Saturday, is pictured on many of the front pages. Lebanese police are investigating whether Ms Dykes, believed to have been aged 30, was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. The papers also carry the latest lines from Westminster on Brexit, Theresa Mays Government and faltering attempts to avert a future pensions crisis. What the papers say Brit embassy girl is murdered reads the Daily Mirror front page, which carries comments from her devastated family and deeply shocked and saddened colleagues. The Metro also reports on Ms Dykess death, saying the diplomat was preparing to fly home for Christmas. In its coverage, The Guardian says Ms Dykes is believed to have been at a party before her death. The newspapers lead story reports the PM has been told by Tory rebels that she should form a cross-party alliance with Labour MPs to deliver a soft Brexit. The Guardian front page, Monday 18.12.17: Labour the key to soft Brexit, rebels tell May pic.twitter.com/MeJCPFlePx Guardian news (@guardiannews) December 17, 2017 The fragility of negotiations to leave the EU could see Mrs May stay in office until 2021 as a result of the Tories wishing to avoid a damaging leadership contest, reports The Times. Tomorrow's Times front page: Tories urge May to stay until 2021 pic.twitter.com/NxbIPR3TnJ The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) December 17, 2017 The crisis in Yemen leads the Daily Telegraph, with calls from International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt for Saudi Arabia to stop starving the country with its blockade that could be in contravention of international law. online edition reports that bomb-making manuals that show how to build devices similar to that recently used on the New York subway can still be found online. Workers from the millennial generation and the gig economy face a pensions squeeze in retirement despite Government efforts to better prepare the population for old age, the Financial Times reports following the publication of a new analysis by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Monday December 18 https://t.co/DD9SdZIc31 pic.twitter.com/m0dhU1JuNe Financial Times (@FT) December 17, 2017 The Daily Mail also reports on the DWP analysis, warning of a middle-class pension crisis as six million people are not saving enough for retirement. carries a story concerning the past conduct of former Coronation Street actor Bruno Langley on its front page, along with news of the death of the actor Terence Beesley, husband of Extras actress Ashley Jensen. Tomorrow's front page: Corrie pervert Bruno Langley preyed on a 16-year-old girl before they had sex at her home pic.twitter.com/eVn8wsogrQ The Sun (@TheSun) December 17, 2017 The Daily Express carries warnings from weather forecasters that a 70mph storm is expected to batter Britain over the Christmas period. Power has been restored to the worlds busiest airport, but travel woes are expected to linger for days after thousands of people were left stranded on Monday morning in Atlanta. More than 1,000 flights were grounded at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. LIGHTS ON and delivering food and water to our passengers! Thank you @dancathy with @ChickfilA for opening on a SUNDAY! #ChristmasMiracle pic.twitter.com/0PlSxHIWj5 Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) December 18, 2017 A sudden power outage which Georgia Power said was caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility brought the airport to a standstill on Sunday afternoon. All outgoing flights were halted, and arriving planes were held on the ground at their point of departure. International flights are being diverted, officials said. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Delta Air Lines, which has its biggest hub in Atlanta, will be hardest-hit. By Sunday evening, Delta had already cancelled nearly 900 flights and another 300 on Monday, nearly all of them in Atlanta, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former American Airlines executive, said it will likely be Tuesday before Deltas operations in Atlanta return to normal, and for passengers it could be most of the week because there are not many open seats on other flights in the last week before Christmas. However, according to Mr Mann, Delta has more spare planes and available crews in Atlanta than anywhere else, which should help it to recover. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Delta customers flying to or from Atlanta can make a one-time change to travel plans without incurring a 200 dollar (150) fee. The airline also encouraged travellers not to pick up their bags on Monday because of anticipated congestion at the airport. When flights at Atlanta were grounded for most of one day last spring thanks to a storm, it took Delta five days and about 4,000 cancelled flights before it fully recovered. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) Like Sundays outage, the April storm hit Deltas largest hub at a busy travel time when there were not many empty seats to accommodate customers from cancelled flights. At the time, CEO Ed Bastian vowed Delta would make significant improvements to its system for scheduling and tracking aircraft crews to recover more quickly from disruptions. Other airlines also cancelled flights for the rest of Sunday. American Airlines cancelled 24 departures and an equal number of arrivals, said spokesman Ross Feinstein. The airline also diverted three planes that were headed to Atlanta when the outage struck, sending them instead to Dallas, Nashville and back to Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) The city of Atlanta provided a shuttle service to the Georgia Convention Centre on Sunday for travellers needing a place to stay. Some passengers said there was a lack of information from airport officials and little help from first responders to get the disabled and the elderly through the airport without the use of escalators and elevators. According to a Georgia Power statement, the utility believes a piece of equipment in an underground electrical facility may have failed, causing the fire at the airport. The fire was next to equipment for a backup system, causing that to also fail. No personnel or passengers were in danger at any time, the statement said. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) No areas outside of the airport were affected by the power loss. The utility said there are many redundant systems in place to ensure the power supply to the airport and that such outages at the airport are very rare. Anthony Foxx, who served as US transportation secretary under former president Barack Obama, tweeted that he was among the many travellers stuck for hours on a plane on the tarmac. Total and abject failure here at ATL Airport today, he tweeted, adding that there was no excuse for lack of workable redundant power source. NONE! In another tweet, Foxx said it seemed like the problem was compounded by confusion and poor communication. Ruins of an '18th century Starbucks' including coffee cups, animal remains and more than 30 teapots have been found in a disused cellar at Cambridge University. Clapham's coffeehouse was operated by a couple in the mid-to-late 1700s, and the discovery of more than 500 artefacts has shed light on what it was like. As well as cups, pots and piping, experts found wine goblets, ale tankards and 18 jelly glasses alongside a collection of feet bones from young cattle. This suggests calf's foot jelly, a popular dish at the time, might have been a house speciality, the researchers said. Scroll down for video Relics from an '18th century Starbucks' including coffee cups, animal remains and more than 30 teapots have been found in a disused cellar at Cambridge University. Pictured are some of the artefacts found as part of a haul of more than 500 relics CLAPHAM'S COFFEEHOUSE Clapham's was owned by a couple, William and Jane Clapham, who ran it from the 1740s until the 1770s. It was popular with students and townspeople alike. Researchers believe that the cellar where the artefacts were found was filled with items towards the end of the 1770s when Ms Clapham, by that point a widow, retired and her business changed hands. It then lay forgotten until St John's College commissioned a series of archaeological surveys at the site of its Old Divinity School. Advertisement Scientists at the Cambridge Archaeological Unit uncovered the long-lost cafe at a site now owned by the University's St John's College. The haul of 500 artefacts included drinking vessels for tea, coffee and chocolate, serving dishes, clay pipes, animal and fish bones, and 38 teapots. Researcher Dr Craig Cessford called the ancient shop an '18th century Starbucks'. He added that by modern standards, Clapham's was perhaps more like an inn than a coffee shop. Customers undoubtedly drank coffee, but ale, wine and food were also available, with dishes ranging from pastry-based snacks to substantial meals involving meat and seafood. 'Coffee houses were important social centres during the 18th century, but relatively few assemblages of archaeological evidence have been recovered and this is the first time that we have been able to study one in such depth,' Dr Cessford said. 'In many respects, the activities at Clapham's barely differed from contemporary inns. 'It seems that coffeehouses weren't completely different establishments as they are now they were perhaps at the genteel end of a spectrum that ran from alehouse to coffeehouse.' Coffee shops were common in Britain centuries ago, with the caffeinated drink first imported from South America in the 16th century. As well as typical coffee shop cups, pots (pictured) and piping, experts found wine glasses, ale tankards and 18 jelly glasses alongside a collection of feet bones from young cattle The collection of 500 artefacts included drinking vessels (pictured) for tea, coffee and chocolate, serving dishes, clay pipes, animal and fish bones, and 38 teapots By the mid-18th century the UK had thousands of coffeehouses, which were important social hubs. Only towards the end of the 1700s did the shops start to disappear, as tea eclipsed coffee as the national drink. Clapham's was owned by a couple, William and Jane Clapham, who ran it from the 1740s until the 1770s. Customers undoubtedly drank coffee, but ale, wine and food were also available, with dishes ranging from pastry-based snacks to substantial meals involving meat and seafood. Pictured are some of the artefacts found at the site COFFEE IN BRITAIN Coffee shops were common in Britain centuries ago, with the caffeinated drink first coming to Britain in the 16th century. By the mid-18th century Britain had thousands of coffeehouses, which were important social hubs. Only towards the end of the 1700s did the shops start to disappear, as tea eclipsed coffee as the national drink. Advertisement It was popular with students and townspeople alike. Researchers believe that the cellar where the artefacts were found was filled with items towards the end of the 1770s when Ms Clapham, by that point a widow, retired and her business changed hands. It then lay forgotten until St John's College commissioned a series of archaeological surveys at the site of its Old Divinity School. The study, 'To Clapham's I Go', is published in the journal Post-Medieval Archaeology. Defeat by an innings in Perth cost England their chance at retaining the Ashes and set a number of unwanted statistical landmarks. Here, Press Association Sport takes a look at the sorry tale of the series and Englands run of form. Picture :: England have now lost eight successive Ashes Tests Down Under, following their 5-0 whitewash in 2013-14, and have also failed to win any of their last nine away Tests against any opposition since beating Bangladesh in October 2016. :: It is only the eighth time a team have lost a Test by an innings after scoring 400 or more in their first knock. England are responsible for five of those, including in back-to-back Tests against India in December 2016. :: England have now won only one out of 14 Tests at the WACA ground. Picture There have been only two centuries by England batsmen in the current series, by Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow in the first innings in Perth. Australias Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, have made two between them while captain Steve Smith alone has two to his name. :: Australias average score per wicket in the series is 46.24, compared to Englands 26.30. :: Englands batsmen have compiled just two century stands Malan and Bairstows 237 in the third Test and 125 by Mark Stoneman and James Vince in the first and five others over 50. Australia have stands of 301, an unbroken 173 for a 10-wicket win in Brisbane, 124 and nine more over 50 including two 99s, one of them ended by a declaration in Adelaide. Mitchell Starc has taken 19 wickets during the series so far (Jason OBrien/PA) :: Mitchell Starc has taken more wickets in the series (19) than James Anderson and Stuart Broad combined (17). Broad has taken only five wickets in as many innings, with a bowling average of 61.80. :: Nathan Lyon, meanwhile, has dominated the battle of the spinners with 14 scalps to Moeen Alis three (plus one for Joe Root). :: Australia tail-enders Starc and Pat Cummins between them have hit as many sixes in the three Tests in this series as the entire England team (four), despite Starc contributing just 33 runs in total. Twelve sleeping workers have been killed after an overnight fire at a snack shop in Mumbai. One survivor, 28-year-old Tushar Pawar, said he saw the blaze taking hold of the centre of the workshop area at about 4am. Those who were outside were able to move out, but those who were inside, they were trapped and could not come out, he said. Burnt down shop in India A disaster management official told the Press Trust of India news agency that 12 workers succumbed to the intense heat and smoke. They were taken to a hospital, but declared dead on arrival. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire, which gutted the workshop area and the shop itself. The shop made farsan, a salty fried snack usually enjoyed with tea. Experts are warning of travel disruption, including cancelled flights, as severe fog is forecast to hit much of the UK on Tuesday. The extreme conditions are expected to last until midday on Tuesday, with some patches of freezing fog overnight. Good evening all, it's Kieran here on Twitter tonight. Here is a look at tonight's forecast: Cold & frosty for much of the UK, with fog & low cloud expected. Cloudier, milder & windier in the north with some drizzle at times. For more detail please see: https://t.co/lHKddUMRAY pic.twitter.com/XglKZGlqvP Met Office (@metoffice) December 18, 2017 The Met Office said: Fog is expected to form widely across southern and central England and some eastern parts of Wales on Monday evening, persisting overnight into Tuesday. (Jane Barlow/PA) Slower journey times are likely with delays possible to bus and train services. Some delays or cancellations to flights are also possible. It added that with light winds and clear skies expected to form quite widely on Monday night, visibility could fall below 100m in some places. Only a slow improvement in conditions is expected on Tuesday morning. A yellow weather warning is in place for the East Midlands, the East of England, London and the South East, North West England, South West England, Wales and the West Midlands. Britain has joined 13 other members of the United Nations Security Council in backing a resolution, vetoed by the US, which rejected the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The vote, in which the two close allies unusually lined up on opposing sides, amounted to a demonstration of global concern at President Donald Trumps decision to move the US embassy to the holy city. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May personally restated her disagreement with Mr Trumps decision in a telephone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Protesters burn images of US President Donald Trump and sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the West Bank city of Ramallah (Nasser Shiyoukhi/AP) With 14 votes in favour and 1 against, the @UN Security Council resolution on #Jerusalem has not been adopted due to US veto. pic.twitter.com/C4tZnYWZ3o UK at the UN (@UKUN_NewYork) December 18, 2017 Mr Trump sparked protests across the region by breaking from decades of US neutrality in the Middle East peace process on December 6 to announce he recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital and would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv. Mrs May moved quickly at the time to say she regarded the decision as unhelpful for prospects for peace in the region and to restate Britains position that the status of Jerusalem claimed as capital by Israelis and Palestinians should be settled as part of a negotiated settlement. Speaking after Mondays vote in New York, Britains UN ambassador Matthew Rycroft said: The status of Jerusalem should be determined through a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. The vetoed resolution would have demanded that all countries comply with earlier Security Council decisions on Jerusalem, dating back to 1967, requiring the citys final status to be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. US veto in #UNSC is first for nearly 7 years. UK disagrees with US on #Jerusalem. We call on @POTUS Administration to put forward concrete proposals that will take fwd the Middle East Peace Process. pic.twitter.com/rzXpGHsDpJ Matthew Rycroft (@MatthewRycroft1) December 18, 2017 Any decisions by a UN member state which purport to alter the status of the city have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded, said the resolution, tabled by Egypt. There was never any question of the US opting not to exercise its veto on a resolution which would have had the effect of forcing Mr Trump to reverse his decision. US ambassador Nikki Haley called it an insult and said she wielded the veto in defence of American sovereignty and in defence of Americas role in the Middle East peace process. Palestinians immediately said they would seek a similar resolution in the 193-member UN General Assembly, where there are no vetoes but decisions are not legally binding. Turkey has been at the forefront of global criticism of the US move, hosting a conference of Muslim nations which denounced it as an unlawful decision that might trigger chaos in the region. In her phone call with Mr Erdogan, Mrs May repeated her disagreement with Mr Trumps decision and restated the UKs position that Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and Palestinian states. She also stressed the importance of continuing to work with the US to encourage them to bring forward proposals that will re-energise the peace process, said Downing Street. The two premiers also discussed the significant strengthening of ties between the UK and Turkey following Mrs Mays visit to the country in January, featuring the signing of a 100 million defence deal, as well as Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirims trip to Britain last month. Protests have erupted across Honduras following an official declaration that President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been re-elected, even as the Organisation of American States proposed a re-run of the disputed vote. The OAS, which sent election observers to the country for the November 26 election, issued a statement saying it was impossible to determine the outcome with enough certainty due to irregularities. Among the problems it listed were deliberate human intrusions into the computer system, intentional elimination of digital traces, opened ballot boxes and extreme statistical improbability regarding levels of participation within the same department, combined with the narrow vote differential. The only possible path for the winner to be the Honduran people is a new call for general elections. Respecting democratic values and citizens is the necessary road to safeguard society from death and violence, the OAS said. But vice president Ricardo Alvarez rejected the call for new elections. The only election will be the one in four years, he said. In this country there will be order, mark my words, because we wont let 20 Hondurans paralyse the country. Supporters of challenger Salvador Nasralla blocked streets and roads around the country with burning tyres. Police fired tear gas after clashing with protesters. Universities, banks and some other businesses closed due to the disturbances in Tegucigalpa. Most businesses were closed in the countrys second-biggest city, San Pedro Sula. National Police spokesman Jairo Meza said some businesses had been looted. A woman argues with police and soldiers in Tegucigalpa, Honduras Textile magnate Adolfo Facusse, not a supporter of the president, said people were frustrated by the electoral court decision. We must have new elections, he said. That is a good decision, but President Hernandez will have to give in to the public. At least 17 people have died in violent street clashes since the election. Electoral tribunal president David Matamoros announced on Sunday evening that Hernandez had won the election, saying: We have fulfilled our obligation (and) we wish for there to be peace in our country. According to the courts official count, Hernandez won with 42.95% to 41.42% for Nasralla. KIEV, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Ukrainian police clashed with backers of opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili on Sunday and prevented them from forcing their way into Kiev's October Palace after a rally against President Petro Poroshenko. The confrontation, which included the firing of tear gas canisters, was the latest chapter in the former Georgian president's stand-off with Ukrainian authorities that led to his detention and release from custody last week. The October Palace, a cultural centre, became a symbol of revolt when it was a key location in the 2013-14 pro-European uprising that ousted a Moscow-backed president and installed Poroshenko, who promised to eliminate widespread corruption. Saakashvili, president of his native Georgia in 2004-2013, moved to Ukraine after an uprising there and served as a regional governor in 2015-16 before falling out with Poroshenko, whom he accuses of failing to stamp out endemic graft and being corrupt himself. Poroshenko denies the accusations. Sunday's scuffles at the October Palace were an offshoot of a larger, peaceful opposition rally in which several thousand people marched through central Kiev earlier in the day, calling for Poroshenko's impeachment. The situation was relatively calm at the Palace after darkness fell with a large number of riot police blocking the entrance to the centre, whose doors protesters had earlier tried to break through, some throwing stones and other objects. "We have to be calm, keep the peace," Saakashvili told a few hundred of his supporters, who remained outside the building. No serious injuries were reported in the clashes. Saakashvili accused the authorities of engineering the situation to provoke violence. Earlier, he had called on protesters to set up a headquarters in the building. But later, he condemned any attempt to seize administration buildings. Interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko held Saakashvili responsible for the clashes. "Despite all the provocations as a result of which Mikheil Saakashvili wants to spill the blood of Ukrainians, he has not succeeded," he said in a post on Facebook. The comments continue a long-running blame game that has included prosecutor's accusing Saakashvili of assisting a criminal organisation, charges he says are trumped up to undermine his campaign to unseat Poroshenko. Police said the attempt to charge into the October Palace occurred while a children's concert was going on inside. Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko, who attended the rally, joined other opposition MPs in condemning Saakashvili's actions. "This behaviour could destroy the remnants of trust among like-minded political associates and alienate society," he said on Facebook. (Reporting by Olena Vasina and Sergei Karazy; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; editing by Mark Heinrich) By Gustavo Palencia TEGUCIGALPA, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The Organization of American States (OAS) said late on Sunday that Honduras should hold new presidential elections, after the electoral tribunal declared conservative President Juan Orlando Hernandez the official winner of the bitterly contested Nov. 26 presidential vote. The tribunal said that Hernandez beat center-left challenger and TV star Salvador Nasralla by 1.53 percentage points, according to the official count, sparking fraud accusations and calls for renewed street protests. In a nationally televised address, tribunal head David Matamoros said all the challenges presented to it had been resolved and votes were recounted at select polling stations, declaring Hernandez "the president-elect for the Republic of Honduras." OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro questioned the tribunal's decision. "The people of Honduras deserve an electoral process that confers them democratic quality and guarantees. The electoral process that the tribunal concluded today clearly did not provide that," Almagro said in a statement. He said the election was marred by irregularities and deficiencies and called for a new general election. In a video posted on Facebook, Nasralla said it was clear there had been fraud "before, during and after" the election, calling the tribunal's decision a "desperate move." The candidate said he was headed to Washington to meet with Almagro, as well as officials of the U.S. State Department. The outcome of those meetings would help determine what steps to take next, he added. The OAS electoral observer mission said late on Sunday it could not confirm that the election had been "intentionally manipulated" but added that the process had been riddled with issues. Honduras has been roiled by political instability and violent protests since the vote, which initial counts suggested Nasralla had won. The count has been questioned by the two main opposition parties, including the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, headed by Nasralla, as well as a wide swath of the diplomatic corps. However, European Union election observers said the vote recount showed no irregularities. "After comparing a large random sample of voting records provided to us by the Alliance and the original records published on the tribunal's website, the mission observed that the results presented practically no differences," said Jose Antonio de Gabriel, the adjunct head of the EU's mission. Former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, who backed Nasralla, took to Twitter, saying Hernandez "is not our president" and urging people to take to the streets in protest. TV broadcast images of protesters setting up flaming barricades and blocking roads in cities around the country. The tribunal had initially declared Nasralla the leader in an announcement on the morning after the vote, with just over half of the ballot boxes counted. It then gave no further updates for about 36 hours. Once results started flowing in again, Nasralla's lead began narrowing and eventually disappeared. That prompted national protests, in which 22 people were killed, including two police officers, according to a tally by the Committee of Detained Disappeared Persons in Honduras. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Paul Simao, Peter Cooney and Michael Perry) SINGAPORE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Chicago wheat futures rose to a one-week high on Monday, heading for a third session of gain in four, with prices underpinned by concerns over dry weather hurting the U.S. winter crop. Corn slid for a third consecutive session, while soybeans were largely unchanged after closing marginally lower on Friday as improved South American weather weighed on prices. FUNDAMENTALS * A combination of delays to autumn planting and dry conditions in the southern U.S. Plains have left the hard red winter crop vulnerable to freeze damage, crop experts said, which could further tighten supplies of high-protein wheat. * A cold spell is forecast for later in December. Any freeze in the coming months could pose an outsize threat to supply, given there is already a shortage of high-protein wheat. * There was additional support for the wheat market from improved demand. * The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday morning that private exporters reported the sale of 130,000 tonnes of soft red winter wheat to unknown destinations for delivery during the 2017/18 marketing year. * That followed news earlier last week that U.S. exporters booked a deal to sell 120,000 tonnes of hard red winter wheat to Algeria. * Forecasts of rains in parched areas of South America's crop-belt added pressure on corn and soybeans. * Above-normal rainfall is expected across eastern Argentina and southern Brazil ... which should lead to notable improvements in soil moisture, MDA Weather Services said in a note to clients. * Private analytics firm Informa Economics raised its forecast of U.S. 2018 soybean plantings to 91.387 million acres, a potential record high, and trimmed its 2018 corn plantings projection to 89.675 million acres, according to an Informa client note obtained by Reuters on Friday. * Informa also lowered its estimate of U.S. winter wheat plantings for harvest in 2018 to 31.093 million acres, from its month-ago figure of 31.923 million. * Large speculators increased their net short position in Chicago Board of Trade corn futures in the week to Dec. 12, regulatory data released on Friday showed. * The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's weekly commitments of traders report also showed that non-commercial traders, a category that includes hedge funds, increased their net short position in CBOT wheat and switched to a net short position in soybeans. MARKET NEWS * Asian shares inched up on Monday, tracking Wall Street, which hit record highs on expectations U.S. lawmakers will pass a long-awaited tax bill, while the British pound hovered near 3-week lows amid Brexit talks. DATA AHEAD (GMT) 0130 China House prices Nov 1500 U.S. NAHB housing market index Dec Grains prices at 0141 GMT Contract Last Change Pct chg Two-day chg MA 30 RSI CBOT wheat 421.75 3.50 +0.84% +1.20% 434.69 70 CBOT corn 346.75 -0.75 -0.22% -0.64% 354.60 65 CBOT soy 968.25 1.00 +0.10% -1.12% 987.47 31 CBOT rice 11.72 $0.01 +0.09% -0.47% $12.01 34 WTI crude 57.34 $0.04 +0.07% +0.53% $57.08 51 Currencies Euro/dlr $1.175 $0.000 -0.01% -0.22% USD/AUD 0.7646 0.000 +0.03% -0.25% Most active contracts Wheat, corn and soy US cents/bushel. Rice: USD per hundredweight RSI 14, exponential (Reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) By Tatiana Bautzer and Bruno Federowski SAO PAULO/BRASILIA, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Brazil's strongest year for initial public offerings since 2013 finished on a flat note this week as one company canceled its plans and what promised to be 2017's biggest listing priced at the bottom of the range. Investors were hungry for shares of a Burger King franchisee and plowed enough money into the country's main fuel distributor to raise a combined 7.2 billion reais ($2.2 billion) this week, the busiest for new listings in Brazil since April 2013. Yet the mixed results underscored the finite appetite for new offerings as well as rising anxiety about an unfinished economic agenda and unsettled political outlook. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index hit a record high earlier this year as the nation emerged from its worst recession in decades and President Michel Temer promised a series of market-friendly reforms. Ten IPOs raised $5.55 billion, compared with $8.35 billion from nine in 2013. Petroleo Brasileiro SA raised 5 billion reais from listing subsidiary Petrobras Distribuidora SA, but investors said demand was tepid. Pricing at the bottom end of the target range of 15 reais to 19 reais, Petrobras Distribuidora's enterprise value equaled around seven times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization. This was below the 11.4 multiple for private rival Ultrapar Participacoes SA. "Of course, in a better macro environment, the transaction would have been larger," said a person at the state oil company. Taking out some of the sting, shares of the fuel distribution unit rose 6.7 percent to 16 reais in their debut on Friday. "Petrobras decided to price it on the low end to get quality investors, long-only funds and not a lot of shorter-term hedge funds," said one person with knowledge of the process. Investor enthusiasm for the offering had waned in recent months as it became clear that the government would not sell enough shares to give up control of Petrobras Distribuidora. "Political risk is much higher in a state-controlled company, considering the upcoming presidential elections," said one investor who bought into the IPO. Uncertainty surrounding next year's wide-open presidential elections has kept a lid on investor optimism. Neoenergia SA, a power utility controlled by Spain's Iberdrola SA, canceled its IPO planned for Thursday when shareholders refused to cut the price target. A partner at a major fund cited an abundance of other IPOs: "Investors do not have the capacity to analyze that many offerings, so they have to make choices. This could have been successful if there weren't so much competition." Another fund manager said valuations were too high for investors comparing IPOs across countries. Banco do Brasil, one of the main shareholders, wanted at least eight times Neoenergia's EBITDA. CPFL Energia SA , which China's State Grid bought last year, has a multiple of nine. APPETITE FOR BURGER KING The strongest issue was an offering by Brazilian Burger King operator BK Brasil Operacao e Assessoria a Restaurantes SA, which priced its offering at the top of the suggested range and will start trading on Monday. That IPO "offers the only opportunity for investors looking to buy into the rapidly growing fast-food sector in Brazil," said the first fund manager. Brazilian billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann's 3G Capital, which controls Burger King Corp through Canada's Restaurant Brands International Inc, owns a 13 percent stake in the company. Investors also considered 3G's history of efficient management, the fund manager added. BK Brasil is controlled by investment firm Vinci Partners Ltda, led by former banker Gilberto Sayao. Investors also bought into BK Brasil's strong growth record, which has been higher than local franchisees of rival McDonald's Corp. Optimism about BK Brasil's expansion prospects lifted its offering price to 12.5 times EBITDA, compared with listed rival Arcos Dorados Holding Inc's 8.2 multiple. NEXT YEAR This year's string of IPOs is likely to extend into the first months of 2018 as companies rush to avoid the expected pre-election volatility. "We expect a smaller volume of share offerings next year than in 2017," said Roderick Greenlees, head of investment banking at Itau BBA SA. "As is common in election years, markets will be more active in the first half." Algar Telecom, which postponed plans last month to avoid being crowded out on the busiest week of the year, is planning a January IPO. The listing of payment processor PagSeguro and a follow-on offering from airline Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA may follow, Reuters reported. "Investors are selective but enthusiastic about companies with a good track record of earnings, consistent growth perspective and committed shareholders", said Leandro Miranda, head of investment banking at Banco Bradesco SA's Bradesco BBI unit. Foreign investors' share in Brazilian IPOs is growing slowly and reached around 60 percent in recent transactions, he added. Private research shows Latin American-dedicated funds' allocation in Brazil is below historical levels, suggesting potential to grow even after 10.3 billion reais worth of net inflows into stocks this year. (1 Brazilian real = $0.3035) (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer in Sao Paulo and Bruno Federowski in Brasilia; Additional reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro and Ana Mano in Sao Paulo; Editing by Brad Haynes, Cynthia Osterman and Lisa Von Ahn) BEIRUT, Dec 18 (Reuters) - A Lebanese taxi driver with a previous arrest for drug use has confessed to killing a British woman who worked at the British Embassy in Beirut, a senior Lebanese security official said on Monday. A second security source said preliminary investigations into the murder of Rebecca Dykes showed the motive was purely criminal, not political. The suspect, who worked for the Uber taxi service, had immediately confessed to the crime, which took place early on Saturday, the source said. The senior security official said the suspect was 41 years old and had been arrested on drug-related charges in the period 2015-17, which the official said might not show up on his judicial record. The second security source said the suspect had a criminal record but gave no details. Lebanon's state news agency NNA identified the suspect by the first name Tariq and the initial H, and said he had picked Dykes up in his taxi in Beirut's Gemmayzeh district on Friday evening before assaulting and killing her. Uber declined to confirm the suspect's name or how long he had been driving for the service. The incident was the latest to highlight the issue of safety at Uber in various countries around the world. "We are horrified by this senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with the victim and her family," said Uber spokesman Harry Porter. "We are working with authorities to assist their investigation in any way we can." Porter said the company uses commercially licensed taxi drivers in Lebanon, and the government carries out background checks and grants licenses. Only drivers that have clean background checks and clean judicial records are licensed, he said. The suspect's background check did not show any convictions, or he would not have been licensed, Porter said. Police traced the suspect's car through highway surveillance cameras, they said. Police only said they had arrested a suspect and that it was not a political crime. Dykes, who was strangled, was found by a main highway outside Beirut, a security source said on Sunday. She worked at the British Embassy for the Department for International Development. "The whole embassy is deeply shocked, saddened by this news," Britain's ambassador to Lebanon, Hugo Shorter, said on Sunday. "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca," Dykes' family said in a statement. We are doing all we can to understand what happened." In September, San Francisco-based Uber was stripped of its operating licence in London over concerns about its approach to reporting serious criminal offences and background checks on drivers. nL5N1M325G] In India, the company was sued twice by a woman who was raped in 2014 by an Uber driver, first for failing to maintain basic safety procedures and again alleging executives improperly obtained her medical records. The Uber driver was convicted of the rape and sentenced in 2015 to life in prison. Uber settled the first lawsuit and has agreed to settle the second. In Brazil, a company policy of accepting cash payments for rides made drivers the target of robbery and murder. Following a Reuters investigation, Uber in February rolled out new safety requirements, including requiring new cash users to register with a social security number. And in Houston, Texas, a 2016 city investigation found that Uber's background checks were so insufficient the company cleared drivers with criminal histories including murder, assault and 17 other crimes. Uber is facing a host of problems, including allegations of sexual harassment, data privacy violations and a lawsuit and criminal investigation over alleged trade-secrets theft. New Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi, who replaced co-founder Travis Kalanick in August, has been critical of past practices and vowed a new era of compliance. The company is in the midst of a stock sale in which Softbank Group will take a stake in the company ahead of an anticipated 2019 initial public offering. (Reporting by Laila Bassam, Angus McDowall and Ellen Francis in Beirut, Costas Pitas in London and Heather Somerville in San Francisco; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Jonathan Oatis) JOHANNESBURG, Dec 18 (Reuters) - South Africa's Steinhoff will provide further information about its finances following a meeting with bankers on Tuesday, the retailer said on Monday. Steinhoff is in the throes of an accounting scandal that has wiped more than $10 billion off its value over the past two weeks and prompted the resignation of chairman and biggest shareholder Christo Wiese. The owner of more than 40 retail brands including Conforama, Mattress Firm and Poundland, is working with U.S. investment bank Moelis & Co to help it prepare for a delayed meeting with lenders in London on Tuesday to discuss its financial health. Steinhoff, which moved its primary share listing from Johannesburg to Frankfurt two years ago, has been under investigation for suspected accounting fraud in Germany since 2015. Four current and former managers are under suspicion of having overstated revenues at subsidiaries, prosecutors said. The company has previously said that the investigation related to whether revenues were booked properly, and whether taxable profits were correctly declared. Shares in Steinhoff were up 6 percent and 5 percent in Johannesburg and Frankfurt, respectively on Monday. The stock is still down about 80 percent since its disclosure of accounting irregularities on December 5. At that time, it also delayed the publication of financial results and the departure of long-serving chief executive Markus Jooste. (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Zandi Shabalala/Keith Weir) ADDIS ABABA, Dec 18 (Reuters) - South Sudanese rebels accused the government army of attacking one of their bases overnight as a new round of peace talks between the warring sides opened in the Ethiopian capital on Monday. Rebel spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said government troops attacked a rebel base in the town of Lasu in the south of the country late on Sunday. "They are in the IO base," he said, referring to the name of the rebel group. Army spokesmen were not immediately available to comment when called by Reuters on Monday afternoon. Earlier on Monday, army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said four aid workers from the French organisation Solidarites International had been kidnapped a day earlier by rebels near the western city of Raja. The organisation said on Monday it had lost contact with three members of its team on Saturday. The talks in Addis Ababa have been convened by the East African bloc IGAD and are aimed at bringing the warring sides back to the negotiating table after a 2015 peace deal collapsed last year during heavy fighting in the capital, Juba. The war began in 2013 between soldiers of President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former vice president, Riek Machar, a Nuer. Tens of thousands of people have died and about one-third of South Sudan's 12 million population have fled their homes. It has mutated from a two-way fight into a fragmented conflict, making peace more elusive, the top United Nations peace-keeper in the country told Reuters earlier this year. Diplomats and analysts question whether the will to end the fighting exists, as Kiir's government holds the military upper hand and rebel leader Machar is under house arrest in South Africa. Machar sent representatives to the Ethiopian capital for the talks. Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn voiced strong criticism of the warring sides at the opening of Monday's forum in Addis Ababa. "...More than half of the people of South Sudan are either refugees in neighouring countries, internally displaced within South Sudan or suffering from food insecurity in their own village," he said. "It is equally clear that all this suffering is taking place because you the leaders of South Sudan have repeatedly failed to talk to each other, to negotiate, to be tolerant, to make compromises," he added. "Today, I appeal to you to stop this intransigence." There were no immediate statements from representatives for Kiir and Machar, or from the 20 other parties IGAD has included in the new round of talks. (Reporting by Aaron Maasho; Additional reporting by Jason Patinkin in Kampala and Denis Dumo in Juba; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by William Maclean) BERLIN, Dec 18 (Reuters) - An Israeli man appealed on Monday against a German court's ruling upholding Kuwait Airways' right to ban him from boarding a flight due to his citizenship, a legal decision that triggered sharp criticism from German officials and Jewish groups. The appeal argues that ruling accepted a racist Kuwaiti law and allowed the airline to override German laws requiring that airlines transport any passenger with valid travel documents, according to the Lawfare Project, which filed the appeal. "We cannot allow our laws to be subverted by the state-sponsored racism of our nations," said Nathan Gelbart, the German attorney for the group, which fights anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli discrimination around the world. He said the decision by the Frankfurt district court had allowed "anti-Semitic discrimination to be imported into our country and helped whitewash and sanitize it." Kuwait Airways has not commented on the decision. The Frankfurt court last month ruled Kuwait Airways had the right to refuse to carry the Israeli man on a flight to Bangkok that began in Frankfurt and included a stopover in Kuwait City since it was abiding by the laws of Kuwait, a country that does not recognise the state of Israel. It said Germany's anti-discrimination law applied only in cases of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnic background or religion, not citizenship. The ruling was sharply criticised by German government officials and the Central Council of Jews in Germany, which said the Kuwaiti law was reminiscent of Nazi policies. Three German state parliaments in Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia, have passed resolutions condemning the airline for its policy. Acting Transportation Minister Christian Schmidt also raised concerns about the issue in a letter delivered to the Kuwaiti government in late November, saying it was "fundamentally unacceptable to exclude citizens because of their nationality," according to the Lawfare Project. A spate of anti-Semitic acts in Germany in recent weeks, including the burning of Israeli flags, have triggered concern and calls by top officials to put more emphasis on the Holocaust in integration courses for migrants. Rights groups say anti-Semitism and violent acts have increased in recent years amid growing support for far-right political groups and the influx of over a million migrants from Syria and other countries that are at war with Israel. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal, Editing by William Maclean) MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Dec 18 (Reuters) - German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen on Monday said the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan in recent years had been too rapid and she called for a longer-term commitment in the Hindu Kush mountain range. Visiting troops in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, von der Leyen criticised the rapid reduction in forces since the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) ended its mission in Afghanistan in 2014 but said the international community had now learned it needed to be more patient. "I haven't forgotten how it was at the beginning when we got out of ISAF too quickly with too big a reduction in troop numbers," she said, adding that everyone knew the security situation in Afghanistan remained tense. She said Afghans continued to need support, advice and training from foreign soldiers, adding: "There's still a lot to do but I'm convinced that we're going in the right direction with our mission there." "We'll need to have a lot of stamina - Afghanistan will occupy us for a long time yet," von der Leyen said. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new open-ended policy toward Afghanistan in August, authorising an increase in U.S. troop numbers to advise and train Afghan security forces and conduct counter-terrorism operations, with the aim of reversing territorial gains by Taliban insurgents and compelling them to agree to peace talks. At the peak of the ISAF mission around 150,000 foreign soldiers were deployed in Hindu Kush compared with around 17,000 now - of which 10,000 are Americans. U.S. officials are pressing Germany to send more troops to Afghanistan as part of the increased international presence but say they do not expect any decisions until after the formation of a new German government. The German parliament voted last week to extend by three months Germany's military support for the Afghanistan mission to allow a new government to consider a longer-term extension. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold in Mazar-i-Sharif and Andrea Shalal in Berlin; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Alison Williams) ANKARA, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Turkey regrets the vetoing by the United States on Monday of a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for the U.S. declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital to be withdrawn, the Turkish foreign ministry said. The United States was further isolated over President Donald Trump's decision when it blocked a United Nations Security Council call for the declaration to be withdrawn despite the other 14 members voting in favour of it. "The United States being left alone in the vote is a concrete sign of the illegality of its decision on Jerusalem," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. It said the U.S. decision to veto the resolution showed once again that Washington had "lost objectivity" and that it was unacceptable for the Security Council to be left "ineffective" with such a move. Later on Monday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and British Prime Minister Theresa May discussed the blocking of the resolution in a phone call, and agreed that new tensions that could endanger the peace process in the region should be avoided, sources in Erdogan's office said. Erdogan has taken a leading position in opposing the U.S. move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, hosting representatives from more than 50 Muslim countries, including U.S. allies, in Istanbul last week for a summit in response. A communique issued after the summit said the participants considered the move to be a declaration that Washington was withdrawing from its role "as sponsor of peace" in the Middle East. Trump's decision broke with decades of U.S. policy and international consensus that Jerusalem's status must be left to Israeli-Palestinian talks, leading to harsh criticisms from Muslim countries and Israel's closest European allies, who have also rejected the move. Jerusalem, revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, is home to Islam's third-holiest site and has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it in an action not recognised internationally. Following the U.S. block on the U.N. resolution, a spokesman for Erdogan said that the annulment of Trump's decision would be sought in the U.N. General Assembly. "All countries except for the Trump administration acted in unison in this vote. Now the UN General Assembly period will start," Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) The Parents Union of Medical Students (PUMS) today staged a protest campaign at the Fort Railway station urging the authorities to legally abolish the SAITM. The group also handed over a petition to the Presidential Secretariat Office. Pics by Nisal Baduge Alcobronz (Pvt.) Ltd is a leading Engineering Based Industry which involves Machinery Manufacturing, Importers and Distribution and a fully-owned subsidiary of Nawaloka Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd. Recently Alcobronz (Pvt.) Ltd was appointed as the sole agent for Ford Power Tools, Garage Tools, Hand Tools, Power Tools Accessories, and Vacuum Cleaners in Sri Lanka. The agreement was signed directly with Ford Motors, Argentina while the products to be made available in the Sri Lankan market will be imported from Ford Tools, Dubai. The launch of the Ford Power Tools range took place at the Sri Lanka Wood International Expo which was held in September this year. The Ford products will be available to customers around the country through Alcobronzs vast island wide distribution network. The extensive product portfolio imported and distributed will include Ford Power Tools, Garage Tools, Ford Hand Tools, Ford LED Lighting. Ford Power Tool Accessories and Ford Vacuum Cleaners. Speaking on the distribution, Alcobronz (Pvt.) Ltd Chief Executive Officer/Director Chandula Perera said: Alcobronz has established a name for itself not only as a premier Woodworking and Metal Working Machinery manufacturer but also for their superior after sales service. The agency with Ford Power Tools which is a globally recognized brand further cements our position as the market leader in the woodworking machinery supply and distribution industry in Sri Lanka. Backed by 43 years of unmatched service, all Ford Power Tools purchased from Alcobronz (Pvt.) Ltd will receive a one year service warranty and exceptional after sales service in the event of repairs and replacements and more. A brand new designated Ford showroom is in progress adjoining the existing Alcobronz Head Office in Colombo and we also have two more branch showrooms in Moratuwa and Kelaniya respectively. One of the key products imported by Alcobronz form China is the range of Power Tools sold under the Brand Name Powertek. .The product range includes power tools, submersible pumps, high pressure cleaners, air compressors and accessories for both wood and metal industries. All Powertek range will cover six months manufacturer warranty. An Amtrak passenger train derailed Monday morning, spilling multiple cars off an Interstate 5 overpass in Pierce County, Washington, according to the Washington state Department of Transportation's Twitter account. Injuries and casualties have been reported, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office and Amtrak said. All southbound lanes of the interstate are closed due to the derailment and the sight stunned motorists heading to work. "I was traveling to work this morning along I-5 and we came to a sudden stop," Greg Mukai told CNN. "We all tried to stop quickly to avoid running into each other to be honest. Once we all came to a stop I was able to look up and see, unfortunately, this scary thing of ... a train hanging off of the overpass. Lots of military personnel and people ran to try to help the best they could." Danae Orlob told CNN there was a semi and a crushed truck underneath the train cars. "We came around the corner and it had to have just happened...there were no police there yet. There was one link of the train off to one side and the other on the other side of the freeway. There were crushed cars underneath. There was an insane amount of fire trucks and ambulances heading towards us." Amtrak said it is aware of the incident involving the 501 train which travels from Seattle to Portland, Oregon. According to an online schedule, the 501 train is one of Amtrak's Cascades trains, which they say "connect 18 cities along the I-5 corridor including Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, BC, and Eugene, Oregon." The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that the Amtrak train that derailed is a passenger train. "NTSB is gathering information about an accident involving an Amtrak passenger train near Seattle, Washington. Additional information to follow when available." Washington Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted, "Thank you to the first responders on the scene. We're praying for everyone on board the train, and ask everyone to hold them in your thoughts." (CNN) Headlines in the media the world over will trumpet the victory of the Bharathiya Janata Party (BJP)-led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh State Assembly elections as a singular, unmitigated triumph over the Congress led by Rahul Gandhi and declare that the BJPs victory in the 2019 parliamentary elections is assured. But this will be hiding a bitter truth, which is that the BJP and its Supremo, Narendra Modi, have been badly mauled in his home ground of Gujarat by Rahul Gandhi, an opponent who has been derided and trolled as a pappu or a childish leader for the past few years. Modi had to work hard, addressing 31 public rallies and covering over 6,600 km within the state to seek votes. Towards the end of the campaign he had to stoop to the level of accusing his rivals, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of being Pakistani agents. The BJPs and Modis sense of insecurity was palpable. The BJP was feeling the pinch of incumbency, having been in power in Gujarat since 1995. As regards Himachal Pradesh, anti-incumbency was indisputable. The Congress Government there was slated to go anyway and the BJPs good performance in the Himalayan state comes as no surprise. The Congress is losing power there in the same way as the BJP lost it in 2012. At the time of writing this column on Monday, the BJP was leading in Gujarat in 65 constituencies and had won 33, and the Congress was leading in 54 and had won 22. Based on this trend, the final result could be quite close, though the BJP would be able to get a simple majority to form the government. Comparing this with the results of the last Assembly elections in 2012, the BJP had bagged 115 seats against the Congresss 61 and was in an unassailable position. The BJPs fall from that pinnacle is for all to see. "The states history of tension between Hindus and Muslims, though the latter are only 9% of the population. The worst Hindu-Muslim riots took place in 2002 when Modi was the Chief Minister. The riots helped Modi to emerge as the Hindu strong man BJPs advantages The BJP had its advantages such as being in power since 1995, winning six successive elections. The extensive network based on patronage which power can create could be exploited in elections. Then, the BJP Supremo Narendra Modi, is a Gujarati, while Congresss Rahul Gandhi is a non-Gujarati. The latter fact was used by Modi to press home the point that the people had better back a son of the soil who will safeguard Gujarati pride rather than a rank outsider and a bird of passage. The BJPs Hindutwa has had very strong resonance in Gujarat for decades, given the states history of tension between Hindus and Muslims, though the latter are only 9% of the population. The worst Hindu-Muslim riots took place in 2002 when Modi was the Chief Minister. The riots helped Modi to emerge as the Hindu strong man, an image which has stood him in good stead even at the national level. Sensing the anti-Muslim feeling in Gujarat, even Rahul Gandhi did not mention the plight of the Muslims in his speeches this time. He preferred to speak in general terms about the BJPs being a divisive party and the Congress being a unifying party. In an uncharacteristic step, Rahul Gandhi worshipped at 27 Hindu temples and declared that he was a devotee of God Shiva. Erosion of support But the BJPs support base had started to erode, given the ill-effects of Modis de-monetization of 86% of Indian currency in late 2016 and the introduction of the highly complicated and inconvenient General Sales Tax (GST). The poor and the middle classes bore the brunt of the ill-effects of these measures. The party, which had been campaigning on Hindu unity (the core goal of Hindutwa), was unable to understand the demand for recognition by Hindu caste groups like the Patidars and Dalits both rural based. The Patidars had been agitating for reservation in jobs and education and the Dalits have been complaining of persecution by the upper castes. Agitations by these caste groups were put down by force by the BJP regime in Gujarat, leading to the alienation of these groups from the BJP. The BJPs loss was the Congress gain. "Modi had to work hard, addressing 31 public rallies and covering over 6,600 km within the state to seek votes. Towards the end of the campaign he had to stoop to the level of accusing his rivals, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of being Pakistani agents" As for the Muslims, the BJP had deliberately ignored them on the belief that ignoring them would help them consolidate their majority Hindu vote base. But the BJP did not bargain for a split in the Hindu votes on the basis of caste. In the process, it lost a section of Hindus while it had no support among the Muslims anyway. In power for 22 years, the BJP had lost some of its shine and large sections of the people were looking for an alternative. Rahul Gandhis Congress appears to be the alternative. The Congress has fought a spirited battle and given the BJP and Modi a run for their money. It has formed an alliance with young and up and coming grassroots level leaders like Hardik Patel (leaders of the Patidar caste), Alpesh Thakor (leader of the Backward Castes) and Jignesh Mewani (Dalit leader). All these castes are key players in Gujarats rural areas. The question now is whether Modi will learn from the results of the Gujarat elections and change some of his social and economic policies or will be motivated to see the victory as a full endorsement of his existing policies and keep going the way he has been? The answer to this question assumes significance in the light of the fact that the BJP has a parliamentary election to face in 2019 and also State Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradhesh, Chattisgarh and Karnataka. Presently, the BJP is in power in the first three and the Congress is in power in Karnataka. Conservation verses extinction: Where do jumbos stand today? News of five tuskers being shot dead inside two weeks made headlines in newspapers, thus raising doubts among authorities and experts in the field. All these animals were killed in and around Puttalam District, with four killings happening just after Dala Poottuwas body was found. Whether its a warning sign to authorities or whether someone is trying to exercise his power is still uncertain as the deliberate killing of the Dala Poottuwa is still under investigation. "We have forest reserves and national parks that have to be protected. So I need the assistance of the Tri-forces to work with DWC officials" As an immediate measure to protect the rest of the tuskers, the Wildlife and Sustainable Development Minister recently proposed the introduction of GPS tracking collars. The Minister has also made clear that the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) is short-staffed and that there are less people to go on patrol. Such discrepancies in the system have given rise to more issues pertaining to wildlife. As a result wildlife enthusiasts are yet to know if proper monitoring is done with regard to the use of collars. While experts are still weighing the pros and cons associated with this technology, it is unclear as to whether wildlife authorities are also ready to use such sophisticated collars despite vandalism taking place. In an attempt to shed light on this topic, the Daily Mirror, spoke to a few experts in the field while also highlighting results of a research done on the effectiveness of GPS tracking collars. All tuskers will have a GPS tracking collars All tuskers will have a GPS tracking collars - Jayawickrama Perera Speaking at a press conference held last week, subject minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said that the ministry has received information about several baby elephants being abandoned near Menik Ganga and few other places in Hambantota. Im yet to know who is behind these activities because its clear that someone wants to retain baby elephants illegally. Thereafter, its easy for them to transport baby elephants to Middle East countries. I will provide all this information to the CID as well as to Interpol to commence investigations immediately. As a signatory of the CITES Agreement we have to be more responsible in conserving wildlife. The other disturbing fact is that four other tuskers were killed soon after the Dala Poottuwas incident. The CID is independently handling the investigation and I will not disclose any information at this stage. One of these elephants was poisoned, the other was shot and one of them was electrocuted. There are several lawsuits currently underway and some people are trying to show that theres no protection for wild elephants. Another issue is the rapid encroachment of their habitats by humans and as a result elephants have become a threat to humans. In view of this Im planning to submit a Cabinet paper as well, the minister said. While commending the work of Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando and other elephant researchers, the Minister further said that all tuskers will have a GPS tracking collar in future. We have spoken to various independent groups to weigh the pros and cons of using these collars. Research on the use of collars is still being carried out in countries such as Kenya. But as an immediate measure, we have decided to put collars on all tuskers and monitor their movements within those areas. Theres also a challenge of upgrading the workforce in the DWC in order to ensure frequent monitoring of these elephants. At the end of the day, DWC officials are blamed for any discrepancy. We have forest reserves and national parks that have to be protected. So I need the assistance of the Tri-forces to work with DWC officials and go on patrols, especially at night, in order to give out a message that they are always on the watch. DWC officials havent received any training so far. Previously, new recruits had to go on these patrols with veterans, but we dont see this happening anymore. Therefore we have to train them from scratch,Perera said. "Collars could have cameras that can photograph elephants. Sophisticated collars could be used, but constant monitoring should take place. Although there tusks havent been removed, except for those of the Dala Poottuwa, they could be smuggled to a safe location" Incidents of tuskers killed within the past two weeks From the above mentioned records its clearly evident that these incidents took place in the Puttalam District. Therefore, allegations of an organized group aiming at these tuskers fall into place. As soon as the incident of the Dala Poottuwa made newspaper headlines, the Daily Mirror, learned that the chief priest of Nikawewa Temple had gone missing. Several weeks afterwards, the CID is still carrying out investigations in search of the suspects. At present, three of them are in custody. GPS tracking collars may not be a practical solution GPS tracking collars may not be a practical solution - Dr.Fernando Airing his views regarding the proposed collaring of elephants, elephant researcher and Chairman of Centre for Conservation and Research (CCR), Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando said that the usage of collars depends on the purpose. Even with collars, theres a chance of an elephant being killed. In the case of the Galgamuwa blind tusker, people anyway knew of its whereabouts. Theres a danger to the life of an elephant in wearing a collar. It is also a danger for humans as well. Using collars isnt a practical solution because they only last for two or three years. Sri Lanka has tracked the most number of elephants through CCR and the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). There are records of elephants being tracked in Africa as well. But collars are not a practical solution for protecting elephants,said Dr. Fernando. Highlights of the research conducted on GPS tracking collars for elephants According to the research conducted by Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando et al., GPS collars are an invaluable tool in studying elephant behaviour and obtaining information for their management. As mentioned before, collaring was done as a collaborative project between the DWC and CCR to obtain baseline information and to increase the effectiveness of elephant conservation and human-elephant conflict mitigation in Sri Lanka. For this study, collars manufactured by four companies were used and all consisted of a GPS unit, VHF transmitter, batteries and satellite or GSM transmitter for data download, packaged into one segregated sealed unit. One challenging aspect was the cost of collars and monthly rentals charged by satellite and GSM providers. If collars are deployed in areas with good mobile coverage, a local GSM provider is the cheapest option for data download. Satellite phone charges were comparable to cost of GSM plus roaming. In all collars, the location of the entire functional unit on top resulted in a high profile which was subject to damage as elephants frequented thick and thorny scrub habitats. The lifespan of the collar is particularly important in evaluating seasonal movements and inter-annual variations in ranging which requires multi-year data. Collaring an elephant is a major operation which is also costly and presents risks to the elephant as well as the team fitting the collars. Theres no scientific base for ivory gemstones, Theres no scientific base for ivory gemstones, - Gunasekara The Daily Mirror, also spoke to Samantha Gunasekara, former Deputy Director of Customs, wildlife expert and a certified gemmologist who said that theres no value for Gaja Muthu. Ivory gemstones are being valued only in Sri Lanka. There are many other Asian countries that have close connections with elephants, but they dont show a huge interest for ivory. Live elephants dont have a cavity at the back of their tusks. This cavity could be found in elephants that are over 75 years old, but then again not every such elephant would have it. So people come up with their own imaginations after seeing this cavity. Theres no scientific basis for these so-called ivory gemstones. "We had no ivory market before, but due to ivory gemstones, an ivory market is present and there is high demand for them" Ivory is now a banned trade in Western countries. We had no ivory market before, but due to ivory gemstones, an ivory market is present and there is high demand for them. People who collect these matter give high estimates which I feel is absolutely misleading because theres no such thing as a gem that forms inside an elephant. I have checked hundreds of these Gaja muthu and all of them are man-made pieces of ivory, said Gunasekara. When asked about the involvement of Chinese in these transactions, Gunasekara further said that there had been no evidence to prove that the Chinese are involved. But China is going to enforce a ban on the ivory trade from next year. Therefore they have to destroy all their ornaments and other items made of ivory. There are a growing number of Chinese tourists and workers in Sri Lanka and it is possible for them to bring these items. But there has been no evidence so far. However, Chinese get caught for illegal smuggling of edible bird nests, seashells and other bio-matter almost every day, he said. Sources say asbestos ban may have had a hand in Russia imposing restrictions on Lankan tea supplies Shoddy treatment to Russian delegation would have contributed to tea export suspension Tea industry stakeholders urge authorities to identify real issue and remedy it before things get out of hand Official version remains as the discovery of Khapra beetle in the packaging of a consignment of tea from Sri Lanka By Shabiya Ali Ahlam Russia placing temporary import restrictions on tea and other agriculture products from Sri Lanka, according to top government sources, appears to be a tit-for-tat reaction to the island nations move towards banning chrysotile asbestos, a key export product of the largest country in the world. Repeated requests to reconsider the chrysotile ban falling on deaf ears is said to have erred the Russian government, resorting to this retaliatory action. While Russia remains the worlds largest producer of chrysotile asbestos and caters to more than half of the worlds demand for roofing tiles, it is one of the largest export markets for Ceylon Tea, accounting for about 12 percent of the total tea exports. Russia imported 141,300 tonnes of tea worth US $436 million in the first 10 months of 2017, according to Russian customs data. Thus, the restriction will have negative implications on the export earning of the country, given that Sri Lanka has made little progress in diversifying into new markets. Reliable government sources commenting on the basis of anonymity shared with Mirror Business that a Russian delegation was in the country to discuss with the political establishment and key officials about the possibility of revoking the asbestos ban. The sources said the delegation was not given a chance to present their case and in some instances . Appointments had not been given to them to meet with the key political decision makers to discuss the matter. The asbestos ban is set to come into effect from January 1, 2018. Meanwhile, to deliberate on the possible revoking of the import restriction of Sri Lankan agriculture products, Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen are said to have requested for an appointment from the Russian quarantine authorities. But the ministers are yet to receive any response from the Russian authorities, Mirror Business learns. President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said he would make an official request from Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the suspension on Sri Lankan tea supplies to Russia. The ban coming into effect during winter holidays is expected to add to the list of challenges in lifting the restriction immediately. However, last Friday, Sri Lanka Tea Board in an official statement said the detection of an insect has led to the temporary ban and played down it as an isolated incident. Senior representatives of the tea industry stressed that for the ban of this nature to be lifted assurance would have to be given that the tea exported in future would not contain of any contamination. Foreign media said the temporary ban was imposed with Russias agricultural safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor having discovered an insect known as the Khapra beetle in the packaging of a consignment of tea from Sri Lanka. It was shared that a proper report containing details of the incident is yet to be received. The tea industry stressed that stringent procedures are already in place governing tea exports to Russia. With regard to the immediate impact of the ban on Sri Lankas export earnings, slumping sales is expected this week at the Colombo Tea Auction. In terms of seasonal sales (exports), the orders for the holiday period have already been dispatched, thus immediate impact would not be that grave. However, the industry warns that if the correct course of action is not taken by relevant authorities to identify the real issue and reverse the ban, there would be shifts in the markets in the coming months. Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Director General; Shahidul Islam met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees today, where both discussed on the affairs in connection with the countries in the Bay of Bengal region. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana The country is awaiting with a mix of excitement and trepidation the Report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the alleged Treasury Bond scam which will one way or another indicate whether there is hope for optimism for the future of the country. The report is crucial for reasons which include: PCoL Chairman Justice K. T. Chithrasiri and Commission member Justice Prasanna Jayawardene are seen leaving the commission premises [Stock image] 1) It has captured the popular imagination unlike no other scam in a country awash with scams under successive administrations since television in vivid colour and social media enhanced by good investigative reporting in the print media have brought its sordid details to even the humblest of homes. The people have drawn their own conclusion and if they sense there has been a cover-up particularly of its masterminds it would further undermine the rule of law which is a sine qua non for any meaningful socio-economic development. 2) Those who voted for the Yahapalanaya government under trying circumstances to usher in good governance after the traumatic Rajapaksa years feel betrayed and demand accountability. 3) That Sri Lanka is an unreliable and unstable country where the rule of law is not applied uniformly is well known to the outside world. Equally well known is its endemic corruption, social injustice and inability to address long festering minority issues. It is due to this that ethical FDIs are few and far between. In its place we have had some questionable proposals with alleged money laundering origin. The controversial Chinese and Indian investments are largely driven by geo-political consideration with the potential to destabilize the country. Any cover-up will confirm the worst fears of the international community. 4) After nearly 70 years of independence the country has come to such a sorry pass that we have to suffer the ignominy of: The US State Department reportedly fielding a Resident Legal Advisor in Colombo to provide anti-corruption and asset recovery training and also support the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) Does this not indicate we are near to being a failed state? In this context if the Report of the PCoI is noy credible, will it not confirm this with all its implications? Have not some PCoI actions during the inquiry stage raised fears of whats to come? Partiality? Readers can decide for themselves whether or not the PCoI abandoned due process for other witnesses by glaring partiality to one witness? Core of Bond Scam 1) Conflict of interest arising from then CB Governor Arjuna Mahendrans son-in-law, Arjun Aloysius - owning/controlling PTL (Perpetual Treasuries Limited) - a Primary Dealer. 2) Arjuna Mahendran - a foreign national was hand-picked for the position of Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) by the Prime Minister although aware of the Conflict of interest. This was confirmed in his affidavit and while testifying before the PCoI. 3) The CBSL which is the issuing agency for Treasury Bonds which normally falls under the Ministry of Finance was brought under the purview of the PM. 4) He continued to have Mahendran as CBSL Governor although aware that Mahendran had reneged on his assurance to him that his son-in-law (Arjun Aloysius) will sever all links with PTL prior to his appointment as CBSL Governor. 5) He robustly defended and endorsed Mahendran for a second term despite the widespread perception of his role in the alleged Bond Scam. 6) Being fully confident on the propriety of the issuance of Bonds, he robustly defended the same in Parliament despite the evidence that subsequently transpired before the PCoI. 7) During his testimony at the Bond Commission he stated: Aloysius did say to me he need a bit of time to dispose his share holding to get good price. (shares of Perpetual Treasuries Ltd or shares he held in other entity in the name of PTL). I met him (Aloysius) at one or two parties, and there he told me that he was pursuing his interests in one of the leading distilleries companies. What is at issue is the integrity of the CBSL. How can the PM who is also responsible for the CBSL even consider a bit of time to resolve a conflict of interest concerning the Governor and that too articulated at one or two parties? Despite all this, did not the PCoI take some unusual decisions in regard to one witness? 1) Unlike in the case of other witnesses, the PM was given questions in advance by the PCoI to enable him to provide answers by way of affidavit. 2) Unlike in the case of other witnesses, the PCoI decided to invite the AG himself who wasnt involved in the investigation up to that point to personally lead evidence for the first time. Up to this time, Dappula de Liveira and Yasantha Kodagoda - Senior Additional Solicitor General [SASG] and Additional Solicitor General [ASG] respectively lead evidence. 3) Unlike in the case of other witnesses which included former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake who were grilled by the SASG and ASG, limited questions were posed to the PM. He was at the PCoI reportedly for less than an hour to clarify matters arising from his affidavit 4) Much is being made that he volunteered to come before the PCoI although not summoned like the other witnesses. The media has even reported that PCoI Chairman K. T. Chitrasiri (Supreme Court Judge) emphasised that the question of compelling PM Wickremesinghe to appear before the commission had never arisen. I respectfully ask (i) in view of the facts and circumstances should he not have been summoned like the other witnesses? (ii) if not why? (iii) what does this indicate? Arjuna Mahendran - a foreign national was hand-picked for the position of CB Governor The question of compelling PM Wickremesinghe to appear before the commission had never arisen- K. T. Chithrasiri PM was at the PCoI reportedly for less than an hour to clarify matters arising from his affidavit It is disappointing that the AGs Department had no questions - to ask Ministers Malik Samarawickrama and Kabir Hashim (UNP General Secretary) PM Contradicted For reasons best known to the PCoI it did not pursue the PMs affirmation in his affidavit Upon the formation of the new Government in January 2015 there was a general consensus within the Government that Arjuna Mahendran should be appointed to the post of Governor of CBSL. Did the general consensus include the President and Cabinet Ministers? No less a person than Cabinet Co-Spokesperson and Minister of Health Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has contradicted the claim of general consensus: Senaratne said he had opposed the appointment of former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran to the position at the time. I warned that it would tarnish the governments image, the minister said. http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=176272 Breakfast Meeting Malik Samarawickrama who did not hold ministerial portfolio at that time and who was Senior Advisor to the PM and Chairman of the UNP confirmed attending the initial Breakfast meeting in February 2015 (presumably with his concurrence) on the issuance of Treasury Bonds. It is disappointing that the AGs Department had no questions - to ask Ministers Malik Samarawickrama and Kabir Hashim (UNP General Secretary) when they appeared before the PCoI and did not seek to clarify whether a discussion regarding funding to the tune of Rs.15 Billion could be concluded over a breakfast meeting. One wonders what the funding requirements must be to have a formal meeting! No questions were also asked as to how an advisor can request funding. Muted Opposition Response The alleged Treasury Bond scam is one of the largest financial scams to take place in the post-independence history of Sri Lanka. For sheer impunity and involvement of powerful politicians in collusion with a section of the corporate sector and regulatory authorities it is hard to beat. The muted response of the opposition exemplifies the rot in governance in this country. In the context of the alleged money laundering charges against the previous regime, whether the muted response has anything to do with former CB Governor, Arjuna Mahendrans stint as Chief Investment Officer, Wealth Management Division of Emirates NBD Bank, Dubai would be revealing. Incidental Issues I trust the PCoI in its report will at least recommend that crucial issues of governance incidental to the alleged bond scam thrown up by witnesses at the Bond Commission such as possible (i) Tax Evasion (ii) Money Laundering (iii) Bank Malpractice (iv) Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) being appointed as directors of banks must be transparently addressed by regulatory agencies such as the CBSL and Inland Revenue Department. To date these agencies do not appear to have demonstrated any interest in addressing these issues. I trust Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy - CB Governor and others will take note. Conclusion Things are so bad in Sri Lanka that the rule of law was selectively applied not to compel Arjun Aloysius owner of PTL to give evidence before the Bond Commission on the basis it would incriminate him since apparently in his own mind there was a high probability he would be prosecuted. The same rule of law was mute in taking the next steps that could have been taken independent of the report of the Bond Commission in the context of the damning evidence produced at the PCoI. It also indicates that the relevant regulatory and law enforcement agencies are largely on sleep mode. This tardiness in taking necessary legal action has resulted in a situation where as disclosed by the Prime Minister during his testimony at the Bond Commission, Aloysius was even able to be present at one or two parties where he was in a position to converse with the PM himself! As I see it, the alleged Bond Scam had the masterminds and the facilitators. I trust those concerned will not miss the wood for the trees! Of course, the facilitators too must be held accountable. What we have still not convincingly seen is the quantifying of the looted monies which must be returned to the exchequer. It is hoped that particularly PCoI Commissioner - K.Velupillai (former Deputy Auditor General) will address this in the report. Arrangements have been made to hear 20 court cases dealing with corruption on a daily basis with a view of expediting the process of penalising wrongdoers, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday. The Prime Minister revealed this while speaking at the UNP Bala Mandala meeting in Maharagama yesterday evening. Some are questioning us about the pledge the government gave during the last election to eradicate Corruption and to penalize those who have robbed public funds. I have already discussed this issue with the attorney general and a decision has been made to expedite the hearing of 20 court cases," the Prime Minister said. However, Mr. Wickremesinghe pointed out that the court cases would be conducted within the existing judicial system. This he said is because one cannot go out of the existing legal framework to punish those who are facing corruption charges. One of the changes we have brought about is with regard to conducting probes on allegations that are brought against members of the government itself. We have got ministers who are facing such allegations to resign from their posts. This is one change this government has made. Another change is media freedom. The media is now free to criticize the actions of the government. Media personnel either disappeared or were killed during the last regime if they criticized the government. We have also introduced an insurance scheme for school children and increased the allocation of funds for the education sector," he added. He also re-iterated that the government has been able to be validated and get the assistance of world leaders to develop the country. The Malaysian Prime Minister is here on an official visit and the Singaporean Prime Minister will also be visiting the country next month. Some have question us on the slowness they see when it comes to development work in the country. We are moving slowly in order to safeguard the changes we have brought about. We can move faster but then we run the risk of losing what we have achieved so far," he explained. The Prime Minister also pledged to arrest the debt crisis that presently exists in the country. Minister of Megapolis Patali Champika Ranawaka who also addressed those present said the joint opposition including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and MP Dinesh Gunawardene actually wants the UNP to win the local government election. He said this government is not engaged in forceful development which is done by grabbing public lands. Minister Harin Fernando, who was also present, said the UNP would have swept the local government election if it was held on schedule in 2015. However, he said the policy of this government was to ensure that a new electoral system was put in place and to see that women receive adequate representation in local bodies. My prediction is that the UNP will become even more powerful and would even have the chance to form a government on its own after it emerges victorious at the upcoming local government polls," he said.(Yohan Perera) We have a new Elections Commission appointed in November 2015. It will go on until November 2020. It is the commissions immense responsibility to establish strong norms of governance as precedents for future commissions. It is legitimate in matters of national importance in democracy to seek inputs from the public to engender a national debate. I raise two issues; 1) How we deal with big shots who violate election laws; 2) Accepting unlawful nominations. Dealing with big shots and friends: Charging them? There are many dos and donts at election time. In July 2011, I reported after a visit to Kayts that police jeeps were running around without number plates, President Rajapaksas cutouts were inside polling booths and that EPDP cadres were preventing rivals from entering Kayts for canvassing purposes and villagers were having their poll cards forcibly purchased. For that, a criminal charge was filed against me for inciting a riot. I fled the country on legal advice and was forced to live abroad for 4 years. Even after my return and surrender to court in August 2015, I was out on bail while our cowardly and corrupt police kept coming to court saying they needed time to investigate. Finally, early this year, the judge discharged me saying he has seen no evidence of an investigation and doubt there ever was one. As I breathed a sigh of relief thanking God that the country had come out of its sordid past, I find it depressing that we are returning to the past. To date, however, we have been spared of white-vanning. Ironically, these high-minded principles underpinning free and fair elections are being flouted by our new rulers. In Election Law, these practices are described as corrupt practices For instance, Colombo Telegraph reports that under the National Sasunodaya Programme launched on December 5, one thousand temples are to be built using State funds all over the island (presumably in Tamil areas too as part of the continuing State-funded colonisation of Tamil areas). President Maithripala Sirisena laid the foundation stone for a kidney hospital in Polonnaruwa on December 6 in the middle of the nomination period. Education Minister Viraj Kariyawasam will distribute Rs. 700 million worth of schoolbooks to children. Madam Vijayakala Maheswaran is building free roads in Thinnavely close to the Farm School. Douglas Devananda, Richard Bathiudeen and Sivasakthi Anandan have for several years been using government guesthouses in Vavuniya without paying any rent, and are now launching their election campaigns from these, reports Uthayan. The parties of ministers are using ministry offices in the Vavuniya Kachcheri for elections. So, officials of the ministry sit on one side and do their work while the rest of the offices are used for political campaigns. Our officials have confirmed that the UNP, the presidents SLFP and Richard Bathiudeen are engaged in this corruption. In Mullaitivu Districts Maritime Paththu, Rs. 98 lakhs is to be distributed by the Industry and Commerce Ministry only to party supporters. Divisional Secretary S. Gunapalan says he did not prepare lists for distribution and he has refused to sign anything, and he has been asked by his bosses to sign and be done with it to avoid the hassle. The Government Agent for Mullaitivu, Rubavathy Ketheeswaran, reportedly says she does not know anything about it but that such functions could be conducted without politicians. The response of the commission has been to write letters to the politicians who are flouting the law, asking them to stop. I gave on Saturday, December 16, at the Nallur District Secretariat in Jaffna to inform the public on the new system. A participant suggested that merely writing when laws were so freely violated was a petty excuse by the commission to keep up good relations with the Prime Minister, President and even GA Vavuniya, whose good offices we need to set our salaries and conduct elections. When we write, they stop but do it again elsewhere, reducing the commission and our letters to a joke. Why not charge them, he asked. I replied that I fully agreed with him. Accepting unlawful nominations Against this backdrop, the Constitution in 3 defines the franchise as part of our fundamental rights. Further 104B says, It shall be the duty of the [Elections] Commission to secure the enforcement of all laws relating to the holding of [elections]. The Local Authorities Elections Ordinance says in 8 that to be qualified as a member of a local authority, a nominee must be on the first day of June in the year of the commencement of the preparation or revision of that register, ordinarily resident in that electoral area. I received a complaint that one Makathevan Sutharsine, bearing NIC No. 875463675 V, was nominated by the Tamil Congress for the Chavakacheri Urban Council, and that this person is not registered as a voter under that council area. I checked up and found the person not registered anywhere in the island. So, I passed the complaint on with a recommendation to reject the nomination. However, the nomination was accepted along with, I understand, many others to other local authorities of people not registered in those authorities. It was explained to me that the long-practised position of the legal division of the commission is that 31 of the Local Authorities Ordinance gives reasons for rejecting nominations, and that the reason of not being a resident of the local authority is not among them. The legal division adds that it is not really a serious problem because if the person is elected, the jurisdiction of the courts may be invoked to get the person removed the way Ms. Gita Kumarasinghe was removed as an MP for Matara. Reject nominations for such and such reasons does not mean do not reject for other good reasons. To do so is a bureaucrats approach to playing safe, lacking imagination. Institutions over time develop these play-safe, do-nothing mechanisms for avoiding difficult decisions" Here is how 31 (1) on the rejection of nomination papers reads: The assistant returning officer shall, immediately after the expiry of the nomination period, examine the nomination papers received by him and reject any nomination paper that ... [ listing the reasons, etc.]. My position is that this list of 31 (1) is not exhaustive because it does not say reject only any nomination paper that etc.]. As it is, thanks to the commission, people will vote for this unqualified person and waste their franchise violating their fundamental rights of 3 of the Constitution cited above. Further, if elected, it will take another two to three years for our lazy courts to finish hearings it took that long to remove Ms. Kumarasinghe after paying her as an MP with perks like car permits which most MPs sell for Rs. 2.5 million. In the meantime, people will be deprived of an elected representative while an imposter will parade as their representative. Is this not the worst form of violation of franchise? It is imperative that we get the bigger picture. The commission has the wider, overarching object as in 103 of the Constitution of conducting free and fair elections. When voters are tricked into voting for an unqualified candidate who can never be their representative, the commission would be failing its object to hold a free and fair election. Indeed, no election can be fair when voters waste their franchise on these dummy candidates planted there because a party could not find fit persons to place on their nominations and chose to trick the country. Commission officials had advised that we would not reject nominees because of residence outside the local authority or lack of Sri Lankan citizenship (as required in 9(1)(a) of the Local Authorities Ordinance. The commission must keep in mind that the Constitution says in104B that, It shall be the duty of the [Elections] Commission to secure the enforcement of all laws relating to the holding of [elections]. We failed to secure the enforcement of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance that says in 8 that to be qualified as a member of a local authority, a nominee must be on the first day of June in the year of the commencement of the preparation or revision of that register, ordinarily resident in that electoral area. This was never checked for anyone. While it is a longer process to verify citizenship, residence can be checked in less than five minutes on our database. The little boy and his shirt A story illustrates the commissions bureaucratic use of the non-exhaustive list of reasons for rejecting nominations which are not listed as the only reasons for rejection. A little boy got a new shirt for his birthday and his mother told him, Son, wear that shirt to school today. So, the son went to school wearing only that shirt and nothing else. When asked by the principal why he came without shorts, he said I am a good boy. I listen to my Mamma. Mamma said wear that shirt. He had forgotten his overarching duty to be dressed. Wear the shirt does not mean wear nothing else. Reject nominations for such and such reasons does not mean do not reject for other good reasons. To do so is a bureaucrats approach to playing safe, lacking imagination. Institutions over time develop these play-safe, do-nothing mechanisms for avoiding difficult decisions. One is to write to the Attorney General asking what we should do whereas we are the commission, not he, and must make our own decisions. After that, if necessary, we may ask if that decision is defensible. The AG in turn, a master at this do-nothing game, has developed similar mechanisms to avoid carrying our baby and not give any meaningful advice while seeming to do so, as he did to the Speaker over the Provincial Council Bill. We as a commission have an overarching duty to secure the enforcement of all laws relating to the holding of [elections]. This entails even charging the President and Prime Minister when they are on the wrong side of the law. President Maithripala Sirisena and the visiting Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak today agreed to expand existing close cooperation in many fields including trade and investment, agriculture and intelligence exchange to curb drugs and human smuggling. They also agreed to expand nano and bio technology, e-commerce, e-courts, international forums and military training during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat. Three agreements were signed after the bilateral talks held between the two leaders, in which, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and number of Malaysian and Sri Lankan ministers also participated. The Prime Minister of Malaysia undertook this official visit to Sri Lanka to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and a special stamp and a First day Cover were issued to mark this occasion. President Sirisena thanked Malaysia for the continuous support extended to Sri Lanka at the UNHRC and other international forums. Prime Minister Najib said that his country does not agree with the Western interpretation of human rights that the West is trying to impose on other countries. President Sirisena too expressed agreement to this view expressed by the Malaysian leader. Premier Najib said bilateral trade has steadily grown in the last few years and during the first 10 months of this year, bilateral trade has reached US$680 million. However the trade is heavily balanced in Malaysias favour. Hence, Malaysia would explore every possibility to ensure increase of Sri Lankan exports to Malaysia, he assured. The Prime Minister said the proposed Free Trade Agreement will be useful to further expand trade and said that his ministers would take steps to speed up talks on FTA. Malaysia has invested US$ 3.1 in 47 projects in Sri Lanka and Malaysian entrepreneurs are looking into many sectors of potential investments, the Prime Minister said. Two Memorandums of Understanding on Training of Diplomats and Cooperation in Foresight and Science-2-Action and Memorandum of Collaboration between Coordinating Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation of Sri Lanka and Malaysian Bio-economy Development Cooperation SDN BHD were signed between the two countries. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers John Amaratunga, Tilak marapana, Rajitha Senaratne, Susil Premajayantha, Malik Samarawickrema, Gayantha Karunatilake and Thalatha Athukorale, Secretaries to the President and Prime Minister and Foreign secretary and several Malaysian Ministers, Advisors and senior officials were present during the bilateral discussion. Sri Lankas National Mobile Service Provider, Mobitel, recently partnered with RCS2 Technologies (Pvt) Ltd and the Ministry of Education to organize a 3D printing Camp for School Students at the Mobitels Internet of Things (IoT) Concept Store X Station. Making its mark as the first 3D printing camp in Sri Lanka, the event encourages the proliferation and use of 3D printing technology amongst the student community. Mobitels futuristic IoTcenter - X Station has already introduced the wonders of 3D technology to the general public. 3D printing is a new technology used all over the world in a wide range of applications, stretching from 3D printed human organs to printing replacement parts for the international space station. Students from,Ananda College, Royal College, D S Senanayaka College, Anula Vidyalaya, Nalanda College and Sirimavo Balika Vidayalaya participated in the 3D printing Camp, the first of its kind organized in Sri Lanka. 5 students each from the participating schools were further divided into 5 mixed groups for the project. Each group was given a problem which they had to solve using the given resources, which were mainly a 3D printer, a computer and aelectronic development kit, out of which they created a mini Robot. Each group then presented their productions to a panel of judges who selected the Wining Team and Runners up based on pre-decided criteria. This pioneering 3D Printing Camp further facilitated Mobitel to highlight the importance of 3D printing as a new technology trend. The Ministry of Education is playing a key role in spreading knowledge of 3D printing in Sri Lanka, whereas RCS2 Technologies are the manufactures of THRIMANA 3D printers in Sri Lanka. The camp coincided with Global 3D Printing Day which falls on 3rd December every year. Mobitel is led by a vision to be the ICT leader in the country and to empower Sri Lankan citizens to experience and use devices to enhance and simplify their day to day lives. Muslims may lose Mecca and other holy sites if the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israeli capital isnt reversed, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned If we lose Jerusalem then we wont be able to protect Medina. If we lose Medina we will lose Mecca and Kaaba,Erdogan said in a speech at an award ceremony in Istanbul. Erdogan has been one of the most vocal critics of President Trumps controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Turkish president has slammed other nations for their weak response to the US move. On Saturday, Erdogan urged the UN Security Council to annul Trumps decision. If the UNSC fails to act on the issue, Turkey will do everything necessary within legal frameworks to fight the US recognition, he promised. If the [UN Security Council] will not, we will approach relevant authorities within a legal framework, Erdogan said. Turkey will not stop defending Palestine or Jerusalem just because Israel wants it to. Istanbul, (rt.com), 16 Dec, 2017 11th anniversary of All Ceylon Newspaper Agents Guarantee Limited celebrated at GOH Commemorating its11th anniversary All Ceylon Newspaper Agents Guarantee Ltd held their Annual General Meeting at Grand Oriental Hotel recently. Representatives of media organizations and newspaper agents from all nooks and corners of Sri Lanka were present at the occasion. Actor, director Sanath Gunathilleka graced the event as the chief guest. The event was a platform for the newspaper agents to discuss the hardships and problems they face as well as appoint a new director to head the committee. "People think the electronic media is challenging the newspaper industry, but now we have stats to prove it wrong. Newspaper sales were recorded at 508 Million in 2015 while in 2016 the sales figure had climbed to 538 Million - Sirimal Peiris" Gunathilleke said that newspaper agents are the soldiers in the battle engaged in the selling of newspapers. He also proposed that newspaper owners contribute 10 cents from each newspaper sale and establish a pension for newspaper agents. Wimal Dissanayaka (Director Imashi publications), Lal Liyanage, (Distribution Manager Upali Newspapers Ltd), Ranjith Nanayakkara - (Distribution Manager Rivira Media Corporation PVT Ltd), Priyantha Dharmasiri (General Manager Wijeya Newspapers PVT Ltd), Lichchavi Wijekoon (Distribution Manager Lakbima Newspaper) and numerous other representatives associated with the newspaper industry were present at the occasion. Sirimal Peiris, Managing Director All Ceylon Newspaper Agents Guarantee Limited, welcomed the guests. Underscoring the importance of the service of newspaper agents, Peiris said that they are offering a valuable service to the printing industry. He mentioned that there are around 1500 direct newspaper agents along with more than 4000 sub-agents who are operating. Over 25,000 families are dependents of newspaper agencies. Even if they are not professional journalists they are handling the newspapers showing a capacity that should be appreciated, he said. He emphasized that the selling of newspapers has increased in the recent past, referring to data and statistics provided by the Central Bank. People think the electronic media is challenging the newspaper industry, but now we have stats to prove it wrong. Newspaper sales were recorded at 508 Million in 2015 while in 2016 the sales figure had climbed to 538 Million. Those involved in the sale of newspapers belong to a group that works without leave, except for two days they take off for the entire year. This puts them in second place to the Department of Posts-Sri Lanka, Sirimal Peiris said. Newspaper agents hope that the newspaper companies will safeguard their future by forming a pension scheme for them. Newspaper agents and representatives present at the occasion Pics by Damith Wickramasingha Sri Lanka is optimistic of lifting the temporary Ceylon Tea ban by the Russian Federation, Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen said yesterday. I am optimistic about a quick solution, said Bathiudeen after an urgent consultation with his top officials. Russia and Sri Lanka have long-standing friendly and cordial relations. This ban is not a refusal of Sri Lanka by Russia but only a temporary stoppage of one export product from us. The only reason for our concern is that nearly 80 percent of our exports to Russia are Ceylon Tea. We praise President Maithripala Sirisena for his prompt action in contacting the highest levels of the Russian government to resolve this. I am optimistic on a quick solution, he said. Last year, Russia bought teas worth US $ 143 million from Sri Lanka, just second to the leading buyer Iran, which bought teas worth US $ 154.1 million. However, in 2015, Russia was the topmost buyer of Ceylon Tea at US $ 156.65 million and the second leading buyer was Turkey. However, over the years, the total tea exports to Russia has shown a declining trendUS $ 240.32 million in 2013, US $ 228.27 million in 2014, US $ 156.65 million in 2015 and US $ 142.55 million in 2016. The Ceylon Tea exports to Russia from January to August this year totalled US $ 114.18 million. The other main items that Sri Lanka exports to Russia are apparel, vegetable textile fibres and other clothing accessories, which include gloves. Sri Lankas total trade with the Russian Federation was at US $ 435.83 million in 2015; it declined to US $ 381.71 million in 2016. This year, in the January to August period, it reported a total of US $ 260.78 million. Early this month, Sri Lanka along with three other nations, had the dubious honour of dominating the agenda of the first ever Global Asset Recovery Forum held in Washington. All four countries featured in the Washington forum are going through some form of regime transition: Sri Lanka, Ukraine and Tunisia recently got rid of elected or otherwise autocrats and the Nigerians denied a second term for incompetent Goodluck Jonathan. Initiatives by the new governments, since then, to trace stolen public money stashed abroad during previous administrations have little success, perhaps except for Nigeria, which got hold of a fraction of former kleptocratic dictator Sani Abachas loot through an agreement with Switzerland. It may also not be reassuring that in some countries, old thieves, usually anti-American ones, have only been replaced by the new pro-American ones. (Former Georgian President and fugitive of his native country Mikheil Saakashvili who was earlier appointed the governor of Odessa by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko was later sacked and stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship after he allegedly began investigating people close to Poroshenko.) In Sri Lanka and elsewhere, corruption is much less a problem due to people and culture, than due to lack of institutions. People after all cannot be trusted in the absence of institutional mechanisms and laws that hold them accountable. In the wake of disturbing revelations of the Central Bank bond scam, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe could well have learnt the hard way. Successive governments in Sri Lanka have paid scant regard to build that institutional framework, instead, they opted to play a political game. This government has not done better. So much for the promise of passing a National Audit Bill within the first 100 days of the government, the bill had been delayed and amended over 25 times in the Cabinet. The rare consensus in the government and opposition is that the bill confers too much powers to the Auditor General. On the other hand, arcane laws in the country embolden crooks. It does not inspire confidence in the legal process, when those found guilty are let go with a pat on the back. Early this month, Sajin Vas Gunawardene, former monitoring MP of the Defence Ministry who pleaded guilty for the non-declaration of assets and liabilities while he was serving as a Parliamentarian, was ordered to pay a fine of just Rs. 1000. He is the third politician who was convicted under the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law, and let go after paying a nominal fine. These laws need to be revamped to reflect the gravity of the offence, failing that they remain a mockery on the rule of law. Sri Lankas asset recovery effort itself is hamstrung by an ill-fitting domestic legal framework. According to the current Sri Lankan law, the government needs to secure a criminal conviction in order to start the asset recovery process. This is a catch 22 situation, and a really tight one, that the investigators would find hard to overcome. The failure of the governments investigation into a Dubai bank account allegedly belonging to a son of a VVIP was a case in point. The Dubai court refused to freeze the bank account which allegedly had 500 million dollars, on the ground that the young politician was not convicted in Sri Lanka or had a case filed against him in any court of Sri Lanka. A government that genuinely seeks to recover the stolen public funds, should first reform the local law to remove those handicaps. " In Sri Lanka and elsewhere, corruption is much less a problem due to people and culture, than due to lack of institutions. People after all cannot be trusted in the absence of institutional mechanisms and laws that hold them accountable. In the wake of disturbing revelations of the Central Bank bond scam, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe could well have learnt the hard way" The progress of domestic investigations are equally disappointing. The failure is blamed on the delay in the legal process and heavy workload at the Attorney Generals Department. There are proposals to expedite the process, such as Trial at Bars at High Courts and appointment of a special prosecution authority under the Attorney General, enabling anyone to appeal to the Supreme Court directly against the rulings by the High Court. However a sense of urgency to implement those measures is lacking; the tendency still is to fight corruption with words, rather than deeds. The anti-corruption exercise so far is more about manufacturing political slogans than securing convictions. If the government is to conduct any meaningful anti-corruption hunt, it should also draw a line between the party-politics and the national interest. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABAC) and Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) should conduct monthly media briefings to update the public on the progress on their investigations. When politicians make statements on behalf of the CIABAC, that does not reflect well on the Commission. On the eve of the Global Asset Recovery forum in Washington, the United States offered the expertise of a Resident Legal Advisor in Colombo to provide anti-corruption and asset recovery training to the Bribery Commission. Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe has described Sri Lankas current predicament as a slur on every honest Sri Lankan. He is genuinely aghast at the delay in the National Audit Bill and government MPs who slander the Auditor Generals reports. However, the failure of successive governments has brought the country to where it is now. It is advisable to swallow up the pride and get whatever assistance in order to put the house in order. But, whether the governments acceptance of a resident advisor was a sign of its commitment to fight corruption, or a sycophant gesture to be seen with America, is a still a moot point. At around 175 beats per minute, vivace brims with vivacity; a tempo thats at once lively and fast, at once vigorous and energetic. It thrives on ecstasy, on movement, the sort that doesnt subsist on ensembles but rather on the passionate intensity of the few who take part in it. Theres a thin line between individuality and togetherness, a line which is superfluous if not trivial in large orchestras but one that is significant, to an extent even essential, for the evolution from those orchestras to contemporary music. On December 23, 2017, at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, a school of western music society will, for the third consecutive time, take us through that evolution. Before getting to that school and that society though, a few preliminary reflections are called for. I am at best a spectator and not a connoisseur when it comes to music, Western or Eastern. The only thing I know is that, unlike words and images, tones and rhythms are self-referential and can only be accounted for with reference to their own terms. Part of the pleasure of listening to a band, an orchestra, a solo artiste, is the rift this opens us to, between the world they inhabit and the larger world they play to. The Western conception of music is largely self-liberating, which at one level adds to that rift: the aesthetics of Western music are predicated on the separation of the artiste from his or her world, a form of separation that entreats us to forget the many other separations we operate on. Propaganda in music, therefore, is at best inflammatory, unlike propaganda in the cinema or in literature: as Sanchitha Wickremesooriya once informed me, For me, music, especially Western music, can be propagandist only if someone is forcing you to listen to a song or a piece by pointing a gun at your head. Musically we are individualists and pacifists, since we dont hold guns at each other. But then theres a curious contradiction when it comes to Western music in this country. Theres a division between the young and the old, and the young, because they purvey a culture that pits them against the old, get to listen to either the songs of today or the symphonies of yesterday. Its a strange dichotomy, between Kanye West and Mozart. What lies between, i.e. the vocalists and the composers and the lyricists who came to us between 19th century Europe and 21st century America, has badly escaped us, if at all because we equate the popular with the individual and the classical with the collective. To get out of this artificial dichotomy, to ensnare oneself from this conundrum, is the correct task of a school or for that matter any institutional society that has at its aim the enrichment of our tastes. To enrich those tastes, however, one must evolve from the collective to the individual, from the ensemble to the band, because we no longer live in a world of artists who depend on a conductor and a writer: we live in a world of technology, of minimalism, where that artist can be his or her own conductor and writer and even promoter. That is where Vivace comes in. It all began in 2004 when a Western Music Society was formed at Ananda College, Colombo. Until then two other (broadly defined) music societies operated at Ananda: the Music Circle, a mishmash of the Western and the Eastern which would in later years culminate annually with Rhythm of the Maroons, and the Brass Brand, which would culminate annually with Prashasthi. The WMS was different in that respect, because while the Music Circle and the Brass Band was premised largely on orchestral performances at large venues, it sought to privilege the individual performance by promoting what was then a late, fresh trend: the emergence of school beat bands which were mobile, didnt depend on those large venues for their reception by audiences, and didnt play out with very many instruments. Limited largely to the guitar and the saxophone, the beat band was at its inception minimalistic. That was something that expansive, multifarious orchestra ensembles could never match. In 2005 the WMS staged its first showcase event, Maroons in Harmony. While ambitious in its scope it was, nevertheless, inhibited by a rather insular outlook, since it was primarily aimed at school members as opposed to general outside audiences. So it didnt come to much of a surprise that after 2005 nothing new transpired: the WMS itself was shut down, stunted and dead in all but name, with no other events except for the occasional skit at the occasional concert. While Rhythm of the Maroons, with its oriental background (the Music Circle was historically an offshoot of the schools first Music Society, inaugurated in 1975 under the guidance of Bandula Kodikara and, later, Lionel Ranwala, exponents respectively of the Indian raag and the jana gee), would begin an year after Maroons in Harmony, and Prashasthi would pick up a while later, the WMS suffered. In silence. That is, until 2014, when the culture of beat bands picked up exponentially and compelled a new show, a new showcase item. Vivace. With its first instalment the organisers of Vivace were adamant that it include a special segment for those beat bands. The following year, however, they emphasised even more on that segment by holding a separate competition for beat bands in September, a trend that intensified in 2016 when the number of the bands that participated doubled, from the previous year, from six to 12. To ascertain the evolution this compelled, I spoke with the current President of the Society, Shamal Dimantha, who was, in those first two years, engaged with his Ordinary Level Exams. To start things off therefore I asked him to comment on how the WMS picked up, with respect to its membership and the responses to Vivace from outside institutions. The only option we had was to move the Beat Band Competition to December. The problem was that this wasnt feasible, since not many schools were willing to come forward in a month filled and packed from beginning to end with exams and festivities. He obliged. Firstly, we didnt have a membership that could help us, as a team, reckon with other clubs and societies. From one batch there would have been no more than 10 or 15 members, a problem that was compounded by the fact that unlike many other societies at Ananda we invite members to join only from Grade 10. We have for obvious reasons improved now, with an average of 30 per batch joining the Society as members or members of the board. Yes, to be sure we did run into some problems, for the most logistical, in those first few years, with budgets that ran up to five million rupees and with venues that called for even bigger budgets. But then we moved from Nelum Pokuna to Sugathadasa Stadium in only one year. Naturally that had to do with the responses we got from the schools we invited to perform as beat bands and general audiences. He then adds (to my dismay) that this Saturday, they will return to Nelum Pokuna, commenting rather wryly, We had to face a letdown this time. The letdown as such had been the outcome of a general circular issued to government schools prohibiting competitions of any sort being held during the third term. The only option we had was to move the Beat Band Competition to December. The problem was that this wasnt feasible, since not many schools were willing to come forward in a month filled and packed from beginning to end with exams and festivities. So we downgraded a little this time, with respect to the venue and to the number of the skits that you will see. Instead of the 6 and 12 bands we had in the last two years, you will come across three invited school bands: Lyceum International Nugegoda, D. S. Senanayake College, and Visakha Vidyalaya. The letdown reflects certain realities that are patently outside the control of the organisers, and hence dont represent a letdown for the concept behind the show, or for that matter the show itself. Shamal takes me back to that point I raised earlier, i.e. the way our youngsters and elders have misconceived music as either Mozart or Kanye West, and points out, correctly I believe, that the flowering of a beat band culture in Sri Lanka is an act of demolishing that misconception. We basically have missed out on the seventies and the eighties, because we are fixated absolutely on either the classical or the popular. What Shamal means there, of course, is that we have broken this entire field between the lavish shows which orchestras deliver and the cheap music videos that ambitious iconoclasts and broken lovers parading as vocalists deliver. Between the two there is a fine line, occupied by those who tilt to neither extreme but borrow from both. These borrowers are the exponents of school beat bands. I firmly believe that behind their emergence and empowerment lies the emergence and empowerment of a new generation of vocalists and composers, who cant be considered as cheap and iconoclastic. One can think of Sanuka Wickramasinghe, more than anyone else, here. Malinda Seneviratne once penned down the following words: As people get older their favourite songs get played less and less or else they are forced to listen to stations dedicated to oldies or wait for those special programs where yesterdays favourites are played. It is natural for older people to find new music crude. Perhaps it is less a matter of crudeness than something to do with technological revolutions that make for more experimentation and easier broadcast, resulting naturally in cacophony. Now theres a difference between cacophony and polyphony, and the organisers behind Vivace, in the Western Music Society at Ananda, would benefit if they realise that difference. Whether they have or not, we will in any case find out. This Saturday. Skip to main navigation First Day Hikes Portions of this page may require JavaScript to be enabled for your browser. Thank you to all that attended a First Day Hike on January 1, 2022! Thousands of New Yorkers celebrated the New Year in the outdoors with a First Day Hike at one of the many events across the state and nation. DEC and State Parks invited New Yorkers to kick off 2022 by participating in one of the many hikes being held at state parks, historic sites, wildlife areas, trails, and public lands across the Empire State. The event options for hikes ranged from self-guided treks to staff - or volunteer-led hikes, with some locations offering multiple options allowing people the time and space to social distance while still enjoying nature's winter wonders. The walks and hikes were family-friendly, and typically range from one to five miles depending on the location and conditions. See photos from this 2021's event on DEC's Flickr album and check out photos from previous hikes on Flickr. Check out the list of First day Hikes hosted this year to help plan your next winter Long Island New York City Lower Hudson Valley/Catskills Capital Region/Northern Catskills Eastern Adirondacks Western Adirondacks/Mohawk Valley Central-Finger Lakes Rochester/Western Finger Lakes Western NY Long Island Ridge Conservation Area Town of Ridge, Suffolk County Enjoy a 2.25-mile hike that will wind its way through the 184-acre Ridge Conservation Area. The hike features 14 interpretive posts describing forest, grassland, and pond habitats. The interpretive trail hike will provide scenic viewing locations and be completely guided. New York City Mount Loretto Unique Area Staten Island, Richmond County Enjoy birding at Mt. Loretto Unique Area, which provides nature lovers with more than 200 acres of forest, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal shoreline on the southern shore of Staten Island. Lower Hudson Valley/Catskills Stony Kill Environmental Education Center Wappingers Falls, Dutchess County Take a two mile forest and field winter walk at Stony Kill Farm, starting at the Woodland Trail and up to the Verplanck Ridge to take in the views of Mt. Beacon and surroundings. Meads Meadow Trail Loops Town of Woodstock, Ulster County Enjoy an easy Catskills 2-mile hike at Meads Meadow at Overlook Mountain Wild Forest. Kelly Hollow Trail Town of Middletown, Delaware County Kelly Hollow is one of the most beautiful short trails in the Catskills with rocky streams and waterfalls. It has a combination of coniferous and deciduous forests with a lovely abandoned beaver pond near a lean-to at the top. Overlook Mountain Fire Tower Town of Woodstock, Ulster County Enjoy a fun hike up to Overlook Mountain Fire Tower with a great view of the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. This hike is moderate to challenging, with an uphill for 2.5 miles and return hike 2.5 miles back down for an approximate 4-hour round trip. Upper Esopus Fire Tower at the Catskills Visitor Center For more information and registration: Catskills Visitor Center Kick off the New Year by climbing the Upper Esopus Fire Tower on Saturday, January 1st, all who preregister can stop by the Catskills Visitor Center (leaves DEC website) to pick up a free pair of winter gloves after showing a staff person a selfie or a photo taken from the bottom or the top cab of the fire tower. Make sure to wear warm layers, hat and gloves, and sturdy hiking shoes are recommended for walking the trail and climbing the fire tower. Masks required when socially distancing isn't possible, and when in the top cab of the Upper Esopus Fire Tower. Ashokan Quarry Trail Meet at the Ashokan Quarry Trailhead (leaves DEC website) parking lot off Route 28A (look for signage about 0.2 miles after you pass the western Ashokan Reservoir Promenade Parking Area). This family- friendly, two mile trail has interpretive signage about the Catskills and the Watershed. Hikers pass by a quarry that was used in the construction of the Ashokan Reservoir in the early 1900s. A slight incline but relatively easy hiking brings you to a beautiful view of several Catskill Mountains including Ashokan High Point. Biscuit Brook Lean-to Ulster County A moderate hike where the group will climb the ridge before descending again to the lean-to. Located 12 miles from Big Indian on Ulster County Route 47, the Biscuit Brook Trailhead offers access to the vast seclusion of the Big Indian Wilderness. This will be a moderately difficult hike with a 4-mile round trip. Capital Region/Northern Catskills Five Rivers Environmental Education Center Delmar, Albany County Happy New Year! Start the year on the right foot with some outdoor fun. Take a hike on one of the various trails at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center. Eastern Adirondacks Goodnow Mountain Newcomb, Essex County (SUNY ESF Newcomb Adirondack Interpretive Center) Prospect Mountain Hike Lake George, Warren County Prospect Mountain Trailhead is located on Smith Street in Village of Lake George. Parking is limited. If parking along Smith Street is full, hikers will need to find parking along nearby roads and walk to the trailhead. The pedestrian bridge over the Northway is metal grating and may be rough on dogs' feet. If dogs are brought they must be leashed. Trail typically has snow and ice at steep angles - hikers must bring appropriate footwear and traction devices such as microspikes or snowshoes with crampons. Wear and bring warm winter clothing and layers (might be windy and colder on top) as well as water and food. Cameras recommended. Paul Smith's College Paul Smith's, Franklin County For information and registration (required) visit the Paul Smith's website (leaves DEC website). Take a spin around Heron Marsh. You may catch glimpses of otters at play, birds checking back for the stash of seeds they carefully left behind last summer and/or tracks from other critters who have been out and about. Western Adirondacks/Mohawk Valley Rome Sand Plains City of Rome, Oneida County Follow the Wood Creek Trail (1.2 miles round trip) along the crest of a towering dune to the banks of historic Wood Creek at Rome Sand Plains Unique Area. The trail begins off a small parking lot on Hogsback Road. Visitors here are greeted by two informational signs which describe the geological formation of the sand dunes and the history of the east-west navigation on Wood Creek. Winona State Forest Town of Lorraine, Jefferson County Explore Winona State Forest with snowshoes. Visit the Winona Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) buildings. Rogers Environmental Education Center Visit Rogers Environmental Education Center for a range of trails and hike distances. Rochester/Western Finger Lakes Hemlock-Canadice State Forest Town of Canadice, Ontario County Take a guided hike for 3.6 miles along Canadice Lake at Hemlock-Canadice State Forest. Western NY Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Ring in the New Year with a hike through Reinstein Woods 292-acre complex of forests, ponds, and wetlands. Reinstein Woods offers a variety of opportunities to explore and learn about nature for families and people of all ages. Swift Hill State Forest Take a moderate hike approximately 3.5 miles at Swift Hill State Forest. Combination of dirt forest roads trails, and off-trail backcountry. Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area Take a guided hike at Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area. Enjoy a leisurely walk, stopping to talk about winter trees, watch a few birds, talk wetlands and their importance, invasive species impact. The hike will be 1.5 miles. Mumbai: The appointment of Pahlaj Nihalani as chairperson in 2015, the CBFC had taken its role as the cultural arbiter of Indias film-watching audience very seriously. It began with Nihalanis decision to 'ban' cuss words from films, followed by a rather sanskaari interpretation of the guidelines from The Cinematograph Act, 1952. This led to endless fight for many filmmakers regarding the 'irrational' censorship. Padmavati The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has turned down the application of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum-opus 'Padmavati', to expedite the certification process of the film. The Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh-Shahid Kapoor starrer period drama, mired in a slew of multiple controversies over its storyline. The film postponed its December 1 release due to all ongoing turbulences. "The will be reviewed and certified as per set norms of following chronological order of all applications", said the Censor Board. The new release date of 'Padmavati', which features Deepika Padukone in the title role as Rani Padmavati, alongside Shahid Kapoor as her husband, Raja Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji, is yet to be announced. Jab Harry Met Sejal Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma starrer romantic film Jab Harry Met Sejal had its share of unpleasant encounter with the Censor Board. The CBFC objected to the inclusion of the word 'intercourse', which was a part of one of the mini trails of the movie. Former CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani then shared a single condition to have the film's trailer released - in an interview with a news channel, he challenged them to garner 1 lakh votes in favour of the movie! Twitter went up in arms against CBFC chief Nihalani and whole heartedly supported the film which was later cleared with U/A certificate sans any video cuts Lipstick Under My Burkha In the bizarre case, Lipstick Under My Burkha was initially denied a release in India in January 2017 as the CBFC refused for the certification to the film. The panel argued that the film is lady-oriented - in other words, for talking about women and their sexual desires. Written and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, the film starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak Shah, chronicles the secret lives of four women of different ages in a small town in India as they search for different kinds of freedom. Lipstick Under My Burkha was finally released on 21 July 2017 in India. Babumoshai Bandookbaaz Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer 'Babumoshai Bandookbaaz' created headlines after the CBFC ordered 48 cuts on the film along with 'A' certificate. The board had a problem with numerous sexual scenes and abusive words, among other things in the film. The case went from bad to worse when the female producer of the film revealed the misogynic remarks she received during her meeting with the Board. Instead of taking the film to CBFC's revising committee, the makers of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz took the film for review to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), which passed the film with eight 'minor and voluntary cuts'. Anaarkali of Aarah Swara Bhaskar's social drama 'Anaarkali of Aarah' had come under CBFC's 'axe', too. The Censor Board had ordered 11 cuts in the film including censoring of names of actors Amitabh Bachchan and Amrish Puri. "There are 11 cuts mentioned by the censor board, including one bold scene. They have told us to remove the names of Amitabh Bachchan and Amrish Puri (in a dialogue) fearing it might hurt sentiments. They have also asked to remove the word 'Arjun', which comes in a shayari (poetry). They think it will hurt religious sentiments. With these cuts it will be difficult for audience to understand the context in which the dialogues are said," producer Sandiip Kapur told in the interview. The film has Swara Bhaskar playing the lead role of a small-town erotic folk dancer in Arrah in Bihar. 'Anaarkali of Aarah' was ultimately released with 'A' certification. Kaalakaandi Saif Ali Khan's upcoming urban comedy 'Kaalakaandi' faced a major problem. Reportedly, The CBFC had ordered as many as 73 cuts in Akshat Verma's directed film, who had written 2011 adult comedy 'Delhi Belly'. This staggering number of deletions is a record of sorts. The film has been saved by FCAT's intervention and passed 12th January, 2018 release, with minimum cuts. Begum Jaan Vidya Balan who played the madam of a brothel in Srijit Mukherji's 'Begum Jaan' was certainly the most anticipated films of the year because of it's very bold theme. A Hindi adaptation of Srijit's Bengali film, 'Rajkahini', 'Begum Jaan' is the story of Partition survivors (prostitutes) who defy nations to save their homes. The CBFC asked makers to mute certain cuss words like 'mad****od' and 'bhe****d' with other visual cuts and gave 'A' certificate before clearing the film for the release. Haraamkhor Debutant Shlok Sharma's 'Haraamkhor', starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shweta Tripathi, was bruised by a long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). An indie drama that depicts the illicit relationship between a teacher and a minor student left the board members appalled. Producers have begun to ask us, filmmakers, to veer away from the A tag and make U/A films to avoid censor trouble. Now we have to start making films not by story or genre but by certification category, director Sharma had then said. Sexy Durga Sexy Durga, directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was mired in controversy, owing its title, which was considered offensive to certain religious sentiments. On CBFC's insistence, the title was later changed to 'S*** Duraga'. The CBFC did not state reasons for the abbreviation of the title. The much-debated Malayalam movie was dropped from IFFI Panorama after getting a go-ahead from a jury. Sexy Durga, starring Rajshri Deshpande, revolves around a couple's horrific hitchhiking experience. CRD Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Kranti Kanade, 'CRD' stirred controversy because of its explicit theme and bold execution. CRD talks about the frustration and personal turmoil of an artist. The film stars Saurabh Saraswat, Mrinmayee Godbole, Vinay Sharma, Abhay Mahajan in the lead roles. A screening of Mom earned warm reviews for Sridevi in Moscow, on Saturday evening. The screening was attended by Sridevi, her husband Boney Kapoor, and their younger daughter Khushi. Jahnvi Kapoor couldnt attend the event, as she is shooting for her debut film in Mumbai. Sridevi could barely contain her emotions. I am too overwhelmed to even process the experience, let alone express my thoughts. I must have done something right in my life to win the approval, appreciation and love of the audience after 50 years of acting. In Moscow, there were women in tears after the show. She says, It showed me the power of cinema when used as a proper tool of expression. There were ladies who couldnt contain their emotions. The screening went off superbly. The diva, whose previous release English Vinglish, also created a far-reaching impact, says the Russian experience has energised her. I just want to do the films that wont disappoint my fans I am in no hurry to do another film. Whatever I do next must be as influential as English Vinglish and Mom. Though Anjali and Jai have been rumored to be dating for a long time, the Angadi Theru actress, once again, denies any such thing and maintained that they are good friends, while speaking to the media when she was in the city to promote her upcoming film Balloon. The actress is teaming up with Jai for Balloon after they did Engeyum Eppodhum their first movie together five years back. Having completed a decade in the industry, Anjali speaks to us in a casual chat. Though a horror film, Balloon has everything from comedy to romance to emotions etc. Jai will be seen in a dual dimensional role and he is a balloon seller in one of them. Hence this title, I guess (smiles). People still talk about our earlier flick Engeyum Eppodhum. This one is totally different, she starts her conversation. Ask her who is the actual ghost in the film Thats the suspense! she says. Janani Iyer is also a part of the movie. Was she apprehensive at any point of time if her screen space would be more? Oh never! I know my role in the movie and my director Sinish was very clear on that, right from the beginning. So, there was no hassle. The moment we talk about her closeness with Jai, Anjali was in no mood to extend the topic. We are good friends, she states. The actress reveals that she has been shuttling between Hyderabad and Chennai for her film shoots and that she has no time to think about marriage. I am doing films like Peranbu with Mammootty, Kanbathu Poi (a female centric action thriller), Vijay Antonys Kali in Tamil and a few including one with Nandi Award winner Karri Balaji in Tollywood. So, it has been hectic. I completed 10 years in film industry and am happy that I am still received well in Tamil as well as Telugu. The bubbly actress says that it is her dream to win a national award I have bagged a few awards including the state award in Andhra. But my aim is to get a national award for which I have been working hard and choosing scripts, which would give me scope. We hear that you were asked to lose weight for Balloon? I am hitting gym regularly and Im on a weight loss spree. I have shed closer to five kilos now. While thousands of aficionados of the culture and tradition of Telangana had converged at the L.B. Stadium, artists from the two Telugu states rose up to the occasion and represented the lands glorious culture through their spectacular artwork. Over 100 artists came together on Saturday for an art camp themed on Telangana Kala Vaibhavam. Interestingly, most of the artists were over 50 years old. Each of them portrayed a unique side of Telangana through their paintings, which will be publicly exhibited on 19th December. M.V. Ramana Reddy, President, Hyderabad Art Society, who organised the art camp, said, Hyderabad Arts Society has 400 hundred members, and the senior-most artists among them, as well as those who work on the Telangana beat, came together for the show today. For three days, they will paint on the spot, and their art will be exhibited later. Talking about the success of the camp, he shared, Telangana is a hub of art and culture. The response to the camp has been very encouraging. Art is always neglected, and events like this give artists and their work a wonderful exposure, as without art there is no culture. I want to thank the World Telugu Conference for giving us this opportunity. All artists at the venue were provided with canvases and were seen painting with passion for hours together. Said Pasula Rajitha, an art teacher from Nellore who came all the way to Hyderabad for the art camp, My artwork is about the selfie mania. I am painting a man clicking a selfie with the historical monuments of Telangana in the background. Its about how everyone just wants to click selfies, but are not really bothered about conserving monuments. Artist Tuljanand Malik Hyderabad-based artist L. Sowjanya, shared her pride in the culture of Telangana. I have always been involved in art. I am featuring Telanganas historical places such as Yadagirigutta, Bonagiri and Warangal. Its a nice feeling to be here. Artist Vempataapu had come all the way from Tanuku in West Godavari, and was seen painting a traditional Telangana woman. Well-known artist Gouri Vemula was not just painting the Telangana national animal and bird, but also included the Telugu language in her painting. Its fun to be here. Artists usually never get a platform like this; we typically work behind closed doors, and so this is nice, she said. Prof. Lakshmi Reddy added, Its a festive atmosphere. Telugu culture and the language are beautiful and need to be celebrated. Every child learns Telugu in school, but when they grow up, they forget the language. I am trying to depict that in my painting. Another painting that attracted attention was that of Vijay Belde, who painted a traditional Telangana man with two women. The painting showed the man playing a flute, while the women sat mesmerised. Theres also Telanganas national bird, Palapitta, and the states flower. The men and women are wearing handwoven clothes, sandalwood and elegant ornaments, he said. BENGALURU: Two drunk men were arrested by the Kodigehalli police for biting a constables hand when he questioned them for creating nuisance in public late on Saturday night. The accused have been identified as Roshan Raja, 33, a resident of Malleswaram, and Girish, 31, a resident of Hebbal. Around 1 am, a few men had gathered near a bar and were fighting and cursing each other. The Kodigehalli sub-inspector and a constable, who were on rounds, noticed the fight and questioned the troublemakers for creating public nuisance. Roshan and Girish, who were part of the group, got angry and attacked constable Shantalinga. Roshan bit the left hand of the constable and tore his uniform and tried to escape. Both the sub-inspector and the constable chased the accused and arrested them immediately. The Kodigehalli police have registered a case. Kochi: A gang based in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, led by a notorious criminal Vikas Godaji Chauhan, is likely to be behind the armed robberies in Kochi city and Eroor in Tripunithura. The special squad of the Kochi Police reached this conclusion after examining the CCTV images and a detailed examination of the modus operandi. In his message to police officers under the Kochi range, IG P. Vijayan said the gang had earlier struck at Thiruvananthapuram when similar robberies were committed at Kannammoola and Tambaram in consecutive days. They have also committed robberies in Kannur, Kozhikode and Mangalore then. The probe in that case finally led to the gang based at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. Usually the gang operates with eight to 11 personnel and target isolated houses by the side of railway tracks. They speak English, Hindi and Malayalam. They usually travel in train to commit the offenses and the gang uses only a single phone. They break the window bars in full from beneath and uses cellotapes and plastic coirs besides weapons during operation, the senior officer said in his message. Though Vikas Chauhan was sent to gallows in that case with the help of Maharashtra police, the cops suspect he is out of jail now. "We've sent a team to Pune and the DGP has also written a letter seeking the help of Maharashtra police to bust the gang," sources said. The cops have also sought the help of Railway Police to monitor whether such gangs come by trains. "They used to strike and then flee using trains. We fear more similar attempt by the gang and have alerted cops across the state. The gang operated with the help of informers, mostly migrant labourers," sources said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah flash victory sign at a felicitation function before the party's parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi on Monday, after the party's win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: While it was slim pickings for the BJP in Gujarat 99 to the Congress 80 2017 has been a good year for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party. The BJP since the beginning of the year has won six out of the seven Assembly elections in the country. BJPs victory trend started in February after the party won Goa and Uttarakhand. A month after that in March, the BJP swept through Uttar Pradesh and Manipur. The party however lost against the Congress in Punjab in 2017 Assembly polls. Though the Modi-led NDA government has faced a lot of flak for demonetisation and the faulty implementation of GST, its winning streak shows voters are still generous. But the Gujarat election that the BJP scraped through was closely watched. Traders of Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state went on a rampant strike after the GST was announced. With this, the Congress slide continues and it is now in power in only Punjab and Karnataka of the 18 states, which elect 10 or more Lok Sabha members. The party is also in power in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry. The BJP's footprint across the country has become bigger and firmer with each election. The list of states where the Congress has lost power since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to office and Amit Shah became BJP president has got longer with the fall of Himachal Pradesh. Under Modi and Shah, the BJP has ousted the Congress from power in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Assam, Uttarakhand, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. In Goa and Manipur, which threw up hung assemblies, it got fewer seats than the Congress but managed to form governments by stitching up alliances with smaller parties and independents. The only state where the Congress has won during this period is Punjab. The BJP has lost only in those state polls where it has never been a serious contender for power -- West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu -- or where its main challenge came from regional parties, like Bihar and Delhi. It is now in power in Bihar as an ally of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. After elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, the battle ground will now shift to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. The outcome of the 2018 polls in these states would be crucial for the final showdown in 2019. Narrow win in Gujarat could now make things difficult for the saffronites to secure a comfortable win in the ruling states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan Congress is already on the upswing. Also unlike Gujarat in Karnataka, the Congress has a strong chief minister candidate in Siddaramaiah. If Rahul Gandhi manages to perform in 2018, a strong Congress can also become the nucleus around which all other non-BJP regional parties can gather. After Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) leader, Nitish Kumar's shift to NDA, the non-BJP parties were in hunt for a credible face. If Rahul pulls through, a possibility of him emerging as the main Opposition cannot be ruled out. Here is a look at the states which will go to polls in 2018: Karnataka - In 2013 Karnataka Assembly polls, Congress had defeated BJP with a thumping majority. The Congress bagged 122 seats out of 223 which went to polls, nine more than the majority mark of 113. The BJP managed to win mere 40 seats. Congress win in Karnataka was a major success for the party as it defeated BJP which had bagged 110 seats in 2008. Madhya Pradesh - BJP has been winning in the state for two consecutive terms and the victory of the saffron party in 2018 will enhance the party's stronghold in the state. In 2013 assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, BJP won 165 of 230 seats while the Congress in the state just managed to get a meager 58 votes. In 2008, BJP won 143 seats leaving only 71 for the Congress. Chhattisgarh: In Chhattisgarh too the BJP had retain the victory trend for the two consecutive assembly elections. In 2013 elections, BJP bagged 49 out of 90 Assembly seats while the Congress won 39 seats. In 2008, BJP won 50 seats while Congress managed to get only 38 seats. Rajasthan - In 2013 Rajasthan Assembly elections, BJP had bagged 163 seats out of 200 seats while the Congress just managed to win 21 seats. In 2008 assembly elections in the northern state, Congress defeated BJP by winning 96 seats while the saffron party won 78 seats. Jignesh Mevani led the movement against the ruling BJP and tried to unite Dalits and Muslims through his rallies like that of 'Chalo Una'. (Photo: ANI) Vadgam (Gujarat): Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch convener Jignesh Mevani won from Gujarat's Vadgam seat, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's nominee Vijay Chakravarti by 19,696 votes. Speaking on his victory, Mevani said that he will keep working for the "betterment" people of the state. "Everyone was standing with me. I promise to people, I will keep working for you. I will submit memorandum to Palanpur's district collector tomorrow morning and start constructing road here. BJP's victory is very unfortunate for this country. We hope we will give tough fight to BJP in 2019," he said. Also Read: 'Perform, transform,' chants Modi after BJP scrapes through Gujarat, sweeps Himachal Hailing from Ahmedabad, Mevani contested from Vadgam as a Congress-backed independent candidate. The seat is considered very safe against BJP due to 16 percent Dalits and 25 percent Muslim population. The anger of Dalits rose out of brutal beating of four dalit men by some local 'gau raksha' groups in Una and had hurt the community in all over the state. Jignesh Mevani led the movement against the ruling BJP and tried to unite Dalits and Muslims through his rallies like that of 'Chalo Una'. The election in some villages of the constituency was suspended due to alleged reports of ink mark on the election symbol of Jignesh Mevani. Jignesh, on the polling day of second phase, made allegations of defaming him and playing cheap tricks against the BJP candidate. He also demanded repolling in four villages. There are total 260711 registered voters in Vadgam assembly constituency, which consists of Vadgam Taluka and parts of Palanpur Taluka. After win, Narendra Modi said BJPs successive electoral victories show country is poised to be transformed with reform and performance. (Photos: PTI/AP) Ahmedabad/Shimla: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fought off a resurgent Congress on Monday to barely hold on to Gujarat for a record sixth term but stayed on course to pick up an easy win in Himachal Pradesh. The BJP's victory margin in Gujarat was much reduced -- 99 seats from 115 last time -- as the Congress put up a spirited show with the reservation-centric support from traditional BJP voters, Patidars and OBCs. The grand old party bettered its score to 80, 19 up from 2012 in the 182-seat Assembly. The Nationalist Congress Party won one, the Bhartiya Tribal Party won two and Independents picked up three. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Gujarat has proved itself an exception by voting development to power for the last three decades. Gujarats victory is doubly sweet for me as its former mukhiya, I am proud to see that the states present leaders continue to win, Modi said at the evening celebrations in the Delhi party office. Modi said the BJPs successive electoral victories show the country is poised to be transformed with reform and performance. This country is now aspirational and has new dreams. It is not ready to compromise anymore, he said. He said the country now has a government that is not afraid to take decisions, whose intentions and policies are clean, and who believes in cooperative, competitive federalism. Analysts feel the Congress might have missed the bus this time in Gujarat given the strong anti-incumbency wave, the Patidar and OBC disenchantment, farmer distress and lack of growth among other things. The BJP lost heavily in Saurasthra where there is a high density of both farmers and Patels. The Congress made significant gains here but could not pull off a victory due to lack of a local credible face. A tense BJP had sniffed the tight fight, prompting it to rope in Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the last leg of the campaign blitzkrieg. He addressed 41 rallies, the highest ever in the state. Modi made the bitterly-fought campaign more about Gujarat's pride than development. The Congress did not get the support of the entire Patel community either, the young chunk of which was led by the very flamboyant Hardik Patel. There was a split in the Patel vote, which has been traditionally anti-Congress, but the shift towards Congress was not enough to tip the scales. The older Patels were unhappy but did not desert Modi. The BJP got the unquestioned support of the tribal belt. The ruling party also cleared the demonetisation and GST hurdles by mopping up the urban vote. In urban Gujarat's 55 seats, the BJP got 43 to Congress' 12. But in 127 rural seats, BJP got 56 and Congress 71. Interestingly, the BJP lost the Unjha Assembly constituency in Mehsana district -- which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hometown Vadnagar -- to the Congress. Congress Asha Patel defeated BJP nominee and sitting MLA Narayan Patel with a comfortable margin of over 19,000 votes in Unjha. Even though Gujarat did not go the Congress way, one thing is clear -- party president Rahul Gandhi has emerged a political leader. He stitched together a caste-based coalition, tried to shed the party's pro-Muslim outer shell by visiting only temples in Gujarat, and also pumped up the strident political rhetoric against Modi. Rahul visited 23 temples and his party won in each of those constituencies. In Himachal Pradesh, which has alternated between the BJP and the Congress for decades, the BJP cruised to a two-third majority win with nearly 44 seats in the 68-constituency Assembly. The Congress tally hovers around 21. The Communist Party of India (Marxists) won 1 while Independents got the other two. But the question is who will head the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh as chief minister designate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost his seat. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel trumped their Congress opponents after trailing initially. Prominent OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, now with the Congress, and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani also won. Top Gujarat Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil lost. The Gujarat elections were held in two phases on December 9 and 14 and the average voter turnout was 68 per cent, slightly lower than 2012s 71 per cent. In 2012, the BJP won 115 seats out of total 182 seats while the Congress won 61 in Gujarat. BJP has been in power in Gujarat since 1995. After polling, Election Commission data had shown constituencies dominated by the Patidar community which has since the 2015 quota agitation turned against the BJP -- saw a turnout of nearly 75 per cent during voting. This could have been an indication of the electoral manifestation of Patidar anger against the ruling BJP. The Congress banked heavily on the troika of angry young men of Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani, leaders of the Patidar, OBC and Dalit communities. The BJP had derided the alliance between the OBCs and the Patels as self-contradictory as the two communities would be competing for quota benefits with each other. In Himachal Pradesh in 2012, the Congress won an outright majority with 36 of the 68 seats under the leadership of Virbhadra Singh. The BJP got 26 seats whereas its breakaway faction HLP won 1. The BJP in Himachal Pradesh has vowed to work on womens safety and to save the state from the Virbhadra governments mafia rule. Himachal Pradesh registered a record vote of 74.61 per cent, breaking the previous best of 75.28 per cent in 2003. The President of MRPS along with a few other leaders was detained while hundreds of other activists were shifted to other police stations and detained as a preventive measure. (Photo: Deccan Chronicle) Hyderabad: A flash protest call given by the Madiga Reservations Porata Samiti (MRPS) sent the Hyderabad city police into tizzy late on Sunday night. Hundreds of MRPS activists who adhered to Chalo Tank Bund flash call on Sunday were detained by the police who were caught off guard of their plan. The MRPS held a meeting to commemorate Bharathi, an MRPS activist who died of a cardiac arrest while participating in a protest last month at Ranga Reddy district collectorate. The meeting was held at Sikh village in Secunderabad. After the meeting, the MRPS leader gave a call to lay siege to Tank Bund. Following the call hundreds of activists started marching towards Tank Bund. The police who were busy with World Telugu Conference and the public meeting of MRPS then tried to stop them at Sikh village. By the time a few hundred had already reached Tank Bund and its vicinity areas. Manda Krishna Madiga, president of MRPS along with a few other leaders was detained and shifted to Kamatipura police station in Old City. Hundreds of other activists were shifted to other police stations and detained as a preventive measure. The police took a couple of hours to mobile forces and prevent the activists and almost about 2,000 activists were reportedly detained by the police. (Photo: Deccan Chronicle) It took a couple of hours for the police to mobile force and prevent the activists from succeeded in their plans. About 2,000 activists were reportedly detained by the police and shifted to various police stations. Speaking to media persons, Krishna Madiga alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had promised to take a delegation to New Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for discussing the matter of SC reservations. However, the Chief Minister has failed to fulfill his promises and betrayed the Madiga community people. New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association has strongly opposed the draft bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, claiming it will cripple the medical profession. The draft National Medical Commission Bill was on Friday approved by the Cabinet. It provides for the constitution of four autonomous boards entrusted with conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessment and accreditation of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission. According to the IMA, the NMC will cripple the functioning of the medical profession by making it completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. With the BJP looking set to win Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may become 'more dictatorial', CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said on Monday. (Photo: PTI/File) Hyderabad: With the BJP looking set to win Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may become "more dictatorial", CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said on Monday. The Left leader said he now expected the BJP to pursue the "Hindutva policies" more vigorously. "Narendra Modi may become more dictatorial. It is not a positive sign for Indian democracy," Reddy said. The CPI leader said although the Congress improved its tally in Gujarat, the ruling party (BJP) could overcome "anti-incumbency", and that it was a pity that "secular forces" could not defeat the saffron party. "Anti-BJP forces should come together to fight against communal forces," he said, adding that an electoral understanding between the Left and such parties may not be easy to forge at the national level. "But wherever it (electoral alliance between anti-BJP forces and Left parties) is possible, it should be thought of. We have to discuss and come to conclusions. Right now, we cannot come to conclusions in haste. There is a necessity for secular forces to fight more strongly and unitedly," Reddy asserted. The veteran communist leader also had a word of praise for newly-appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying he did a good campaign and could clearly carry the "message of anti-communal forces" during campaigning. When asked if he expects Gandhi to emerge as a "good leader", Reddy said it depended on how he was going to implement reforms inside the party. "The policies of the Congress also have to be changed," he said. The Left leader said the Congress should come "closer to poorer sections of people" and get rid of the "brand of being pro-corporate" Kumar's observation came a day before the counting of votes for the Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, and in the backdrop of allegations of EVM tampering in Gujarat to favour the BJP. (Photo: AP/File) Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Sunday that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) have helped making elections "transparent and impartial" and those criticising them were doing so out of the fear of defeat. Kumar's observation came a day before the counting of votes for the Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, and in the backdrop of allegations of EVM tampering in Gujarat to favour the BJP. "Some may criticize the EVMs out of fear of defeat, but the EVMs have made elections transparent and impartial. Now, nobody can deprive anybody of the right to cast votes," Kumar, who has predicted a comfortable majority for the BJP in Gujarat, tweeted in Hindi. The Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and Patidar leader Hardik Patel have expressed apprehension that the EVMs may have been tampered with in Gujarat where the BJP has been in power for 22 years and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had served as the Chief Minister for over a decade. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the results were an approval of the Modi government's policies. (Photo: PTI/File) New Delhi: With poll trends favouring the BJP in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the results were an approval of the Modi government's policies. He asserted that the BJP will form government in both states with big majority. "We will get majority in both the states and form government," he told reporters. Also Read: 'Perform, transform,' chants Modi after BJP scrapes through Gujarat, sweeps Himachal Asked if the results were an approval of the Modi government's policies, the former party president said, "Of course. It is an approval of the government." His party colleague Prakash Javadekar echoed him. "Development is the mantra of today's polity. And therefore people are with Modiji," said the Union HRD minister. Airlines claimed that the travels had asked, over the phone, for the ticket to be cancelled. But the forum observed that there was no material evidence to the effect. Hyderabad: The district consumer forum has ruled that Air India has to pay New Nallakunta resident T. Srinivasa Rao, Rs 85,000 as compensation for the cancellation of a ticket. Mr Rao approached Sky Speed Travels, a travel agency, seeking assistance in booking flight tickets for his son to travel to the US on August 27, 2015. His son was supposed to land on August 28 to complete the admission procedures for an MS programme. The travel agency told Mr Rao that his son would be booked on an Air India flight from Hyderabad to New Delhi, and then from New Delhi to New York, the tickets for which would cost Rs 67,000. They also managed to persuade him to have his baggage insured at a cost of Rs 900. After having paid Rs 10,000 in advance, Mr Rao received a receipt of payment along with copies of the flight tickets via email. After verifying the tickets, he paid the remaining Rs 57,900 via credit card through Make My Trip, as suggested by the travel agency. When he contacted the airline on August 26, a day before his son was supposed to leave, he was informed that the ticket had been cancelled. Since his son risked losing his MS seat if he did not complete the admission procedure on time, Mr Rao had to book him on another flight, which cost him a hefty sum. Mr Rao filed a case at the consumer forum against three parties Make My Trip, Sky Speed Travels, and Air India seeking compensation for the cancelled ticket. At the hearing, representatives of Make My trip told the forum that every customer who conducted a transaction on the website received a unique Make My Trip booking ID. They said Mr Rao had failed to produce his booking ID, which had made it difficult for them to trace the transaction details. They alleged that since the complainant had produced an Air India booking ID before the forum, Make My Trip had no role to play in the matter. Air India contested that there had been no deficiency in service on their part as they had made special arrangements to accommodate the complainants son on another flight departing on August 26, despite it being the peak season for travellers. The airlines claimed that Sky Speed Travels had asked, over the phone, for the ticket to be cancelled. But the forum observed that there was no material evidence to the effect. The forum responded to Air India saying, It is the responsibility of the airlines to find out on whose instructions the ticket was cancelled, and to whom the fare amount was returned after cancellation. The forum observed that Air India had withheld the original fare amount after the cancellation of the ticket. The forum ruled in favour of Mr Rao. It asked the airlines to pay him Rs 67,900, with interest calculated at 9 per cent per annum from November 23, 2015, as well as an additional Rs 5,000 to cover the litigation costs. Hyderabad: The government has alerted collectors and superintendents of police in the districts to possible trouble when chilli stocks begin to arrive at market yards this week. In April this year, farmers in Khammam, Warangal, and Mahbubabad districts attacked market yards to protest the steep fall in the price of chillies, from Rs 12,000 in 2016 to Rs 6,000 per quintal in the current year. Since chilli is a commercial crop, there is no minimum support price prescribed by the government. Traders purchase stocks at a price based on demand and supply. So price fluctuates. The state produced nearly seven million tonnes of chilli in April this year against 6.1 million in 2016. The area of production increased by almost 30 per cent in 2017 due to good weather and better price offered for chilli in 2016. The state consumes about 15 per cent of the total chilli crop cultivated. The rest is sold in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. There are reports currently that there is bumper production in other states too and so there will be little demand for stocks from Telangana state. Besides, the existing price band of chilli is in the range of Rs 4,700 to Rs 9,600 per quintal, which is not encouraging. Agriculture secretary C. Parthasarathi said, We expect nearly 90,000 metric tonnes of chilli stocks to arrive in markets from this month. Due to higher production, traders may exploit the situation. Officials have been directed to check syndicates by traders and exploitation of farmers. Necessary security arrangements will also be put in place to avoid untoward incidents. He said better storage facilities will be provided in all market yards this year to enable farmers to store their produce if there is a steep fall in prices on any given day, so that they can sell later. Under Modi and Shah, the BJP has ousted the Congress from power in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Assam, Uttarakhand, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Wresting power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh and retaining it in Gujarat, the BJP on Monday continued its winning 'assembly run' over the Congress since it came to power in the Centre in 2014. With the two states in BJP's kitty, the score now stands at 19 for the BJP and its allies and five for the Congress. The BJP was poised to win 99 seats in Gujarat -- one less than the crucial 100 mark and seven more than the 92 it needs to form government in the 182-member Assembly -- and sweep Himachal Pradesh with 44 of the 68 seats. Though the Congress, helmed by its new president Rahul Gandhi, defied most exit polls and other predictions to improve its tally in Gujarat from 61 to a possible 77, power slipped from its grasp. It also ceded to the BJP in Himachal Pradesh, where it was poised to win just 21 seats. With this, the Congress slide continues and it is now in power in only Punjab and Karnataka of the 18 states, which elect 10 or more Lok Sabha members. The party is also in power in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry. The BJP's footprint across the country has become bigger with each election. The list of states where the Congress has lost power since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to office and Amit Shah became BJP president has got longer with the fall of Himachal Pradesh. Under Modi and Shah, the BJP has ousted the Congress from power in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Assam, Uttarakhand, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. In Goa and Manipur, which threw up hung assemblies, it got fewer seats than the Congress but managed to form governments by stitching up alliances with smaller parties and independents. The only state where the Congress has won during this period is Punjab. Congress-ruled Karnataka goes to the polls early next year. The BJP has lost only in those state polls where it has never been a serious contender for power -- West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu -- or where its main challenge came from regional parties, like Bihar and Delhi. It is now in power in Bihar as an ally of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Earlier this year, the saffron party decimated the regional Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party to storm to power in Uttar Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh has continued with its practise of voting the main opposition to power by handing over the reins to the BJP. "The Congress losing Himachal Pradesh is on expected lines... the state has a history of switching governments alternately, election after election, but still a loss is a loss," said Sanjay Kumar of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). Discussing the Gujarat result, his colleague Mahasweta Jani said all deprived sections of society in Gujarat have voted for the Congress -farmers, Scheduled Castes and tribals -- though the urban voter base of BJP continues to remain loyal to the party. "Interestingly, Patidars in urban areas have also voted for the BJP," Jani said. Addressing a press conference, BJP president Amit Shah said the poll outcome in favour of the BJP is a victory of performance and development against the politics of dynasty, casteism and appeasement. Asked if there was a close fight with the Congress in Gujarat, he said having a eight percent victory margin over the rival cannot be taken as 'kante ki takkar' (close fight). "The BJP has been continuously wresting one after another state from the Congress... The Congress has lost its relevance as a national party and now BJP is the only party with national footprint in the country," added BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao. The Congress, however, said the Gujarat results under Rahul Gandhi's stewardship was a "moral victory". "Congress' Party's campaign under the leadership of #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi ji has led to a moral victory for our party in #Gujarat...," AICC general secretary in-charge for Gujarat Ashok Gehlot tweeted. 'Cong carried out negative politics and talked about caste. They said development has gone crazy, when in fact people in Cong had gone crazy,' said a BJP supporter. (In picture: BJP supporters in Maharashtra celebrate as BJP sweeps Gujarat polls. Photo: ANI) Ahmedabad: Celebrations broke out at the Gujarat BJP headquarters 'Kamalam' in Gandhinagar on Monday as soon as the trends suggested that the ruling party was poised for a victory in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. Party supporters gathered in large numbers at the office and distributed sweets among themselves. On the other hand, only a few people could be seen at the Congress headquarters in Ahmedabad. Also Read: 'Perform, transform,' chants Modi after BJP scrapes through Gujarat, sweeps Himachal The BJP supporters, waiving the saffron flag and donning the party cap, greeted each other over the impending victory of the party which is set to retain power for the sixth term in a row. "The Congress carried out negative politics and talked about caste. They said development has gone crazy, when in fact people in the opposition party had gone crazy. The people in Gujarat supported development over caste," said a supporter of the ruling party. He was referring to the Congress' campaign theme "Vikas Gando Thayo Che" (development has gone crazy), ahead of the polls. The BJP had launched a counter drive, titled "I am development, I am Gujarat". The BJP on Monday appeared to be on its way to retain power in Gujarat for the record sixth time, with trends from 182 Assembly seats giving it a lead in 104 seats while the Congress was following with 72. The Election Commission figures showed that the NCP was leading in one seat and the Bhartiya Tribal Party of Chottu Vasava in two seats. Three independents were also leading. CHENNAI: The state wing of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI-TN) had sought Rs 370 crore from the Centre to upgrade Chennai-Tada highway, which has been on the backburner for long. The 43.4 kilometre-stretch, part of NH-5 to Kolkata, would be widened from four-lane to six-lane once the funds are sanctioned. The project began in 2009 at an initial cost of `418 crore, including one major bridge, nine minor bridges, six flyovers, one overpass, and 20 underpasses, all of which were supposed to be completed by 2011. However, Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T), executive agency of the project, gave a termination notice in 2015 following inordinate delay in land acquisition. The project was terminated after the toll fee could not pool in funds required for widening the stretch. However, in September second week, we wrote to the Centre asking for an additional Rs 370 crore. Mr Nitin Gadkari, Union minister for road transport and highways, gave his approval when he visited Chennai recently, a senior official of NHAI-TN, said. Also, according to highway records, vehicle density rose from 40,000 to 55,000 per day, thereby raising the need for imperative completion of the project. Moreover, incomplete construction of the bridge has left it in bad shape. With large number of godowns and businesses located in the vicinity including Red Hills, Madhavaram, Perambur and Ambattur, heavy vehicles choke the road leaving no space for motorists. Karanodai and Alinjikuppam junctions are the worse affected as the four-lane narrows into a single lane, said K. Ramakrishnan, a motorist. Work was completed for nearly 50 per cent of the distance before it was terminated in 2015. Land acquisition issues between Madhavaram and Nallur added to the woes and motorists rue that the Ponneri junction often turns slushy after the rains. Accidents are on a rise. CHENNAI: A trough in low-level easterlies is likely to bring light isolated rainfall to coastal parts of Tamil Nadu, Chennai and neighbouring districts in next 24 hours. The city is to generally remain cloudy, while maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 30 degree Celsius and 24 degree Celsius respectively, the Regional Meteorological Center said on Monday. Attributing the temperature drop to sea breeze that is blowing towards north-west, Director of Regional Meteorological Centre, S. Balachandran said that light showers were expected in Chennai on Tuesday or Wednesday. Various districts including Ariyalur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Tiruchirapalli are expected to receive isolated rainfall. The formation of a fresh low-pressure is however unexpected over Bay of Bengal for next five days, as wind pattern will not bring more rains, he said. The Regional Meteorological Center said that so far Chennai has recorded 937.3 mm of rainfall, whereas Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam have received 962.2 mm and 977.7 mm of rainfall since October 1 to December 18 this year. There is no inference regarding the withdrawal of Northeast Monsoon as isolated rains are expected till the end of December. Rains in coastal areas are expected by December 25, said weather blogger K. Srikanth. The incident happened at Bio Chemical Synthetic Private Limited, where the fire brigade rushed teams and pulled out the victims from the manhole. (Photo: File/Representational) Hyderabad: Two daily wage workers died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a manhole at a pharma unit at Sanathnagar on Monday. The condition of one other worker is said to be critical, police said. The incident happened at Bio Chemical Synthetic Private Limited, where the fire brigade rushed teams and pulled out the victims from the manhole. The drug manufacturing firm was charged with negligence in engaging the workers without the necessary protective gear to clean the manhole at the unit. In the latest incident, workers were engaged to clear the blockage in a sewage line in Bio Chemical Synthetics at Jinkalwada in Balanagar Industrial area. On Monday, when the management noticed a block again, two workers were told to enter the manhole and clear the block and another worker Narsimhulu told to assist them. After sometime, when there was no response from both the workers who entered manhole, Narsimhulu also entered into it who then fell unconcious. Other workers who noticed this alerted the management. The three were rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared two of them dead. Narsimhulu was in a critical condition. HYDERABAD: Sri Ganesh Temple in Secunderabad will be achieving a rare distinction in a few weeks from now. It will become the first temple in Telangana to have online services to book tickets for daily pujas, special sevas and prasadams, among others. At present, no temple in Telangana is offering online services for booking pujas as in the case of Tirumala temple. The Telangana government wants to adopt technology for the convenience of devotees thronging various temples across the state. Online services would be kicked off in Secunderabad Ganesh Temple as a pilot project and would be extended to Yadadri, Basar, Vemula-wada and Bhadrachalam in the coming months. Secunderabad Ganesh temple, which is nearly two-centuries old, is regarded as one of the oldest and popular temples in the twin cities. Daily pujas like Nitya Kalyanam (performed at 11 am) and Ganapati Homam (performed at 8.20 am) are the most popular pujas with dozens of couples attending them. According to P.L. Nagesh, chairman of the temple committee, this temple did not receive much attention in the combined Andhra Pradesh state when all attention was focused on Kanipakam Ganesh Temple. Ganesh temple had come under the aegis of endowments department in 1968. Due to callous attitude of the previous governments, this temple was confined and frequented by devotees only from the twin cities. The annual revenue of the temple is `4 crore and it has the scope to grow big like Kanipakam Temple and attract more devotees from across the state, he said. Mula virat Ganesh Idol was found in 1824 by the Madras Regiment sepoys while digging a well for potable water. With great devotion, the sepoys consecrated the idol and installed it in an architecturally marvellous temple, built according to the Agama Sastra. The temple committee and authorities had drawn big plans to make it one of the largest Ganesh temples in Telangana and are receiving support from the endowments department. Mr Nagesh said that they are in touch with the endowment department and the state IT department for support to operate the website. This facility would be of big help, especially to Telugu NRIs because many of them had shown interest to pay for yearly pujas like saswatha annadanam, saswatha homam and saswatha puja. Online facility would enable them to take a ticket and the temple archakas would perform puja in their names and gotram, he said. The proposal is with the endowments commissioner and formalities are likely to be cleared in the coming days, an official from the endowment department said. Three and half months back when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave the Home Portfolio to Ramalinga Reddy, his decision surprised many with even Congress leaders raising questions of how a soft spoken and low key minister could handle the home department? However Mr Reddy has taken quite a few tough decisions including denying permission to the BJP to take out a bike rally to Mangaluru and conducting Tipu Jayanti celebrations in a peaceful manner. Despite his efforts to maintain law and order, the situation went out of control in the coastal districts a few days back. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Reddy hit back at Union Minister of state for skill development, Ananth Kumar Hegde, quipping that Hegde's skill development meant pelting stones and setting fire to divide society. Here are excerpts of the interview. After you took charge of the Home Department, riots have taken place in the coastal districts and the police had to resort to a lathicharge during the celebration of Datta Jayanti and Hanuma Jayanti. Did the police fail to tackle the situation? Soon after I took charge, the BJP sought permission to take out a bike rally to Mangaluru, but I denied permission. There is no breakdown of law and order. When journalist Gauri Lankesh was murdered, the government swung into action by constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The case will be resolved soon. The BJP tried to disturb the celebration of Tipu Jayanti, but it went off smoothly. Hanuma Jayanti was also celebrated peacefully in 175 taluks out of 176. But in Hunsur, BJP tried to create law and order problems and police intervened to contain the situation. But the BJP has alleged that the government failed to maintain law and order. The BJP is making the allegation after I denied permission for the bike rally to Mangaluru. Their intention is to create communal disharmony in the state. Mysuru MP Prathap Simha openly stated that on the instructions of BJP national President Amit Shah, he has decided to resort to aggressive protests against the state government. We anticipated trouble during Datta Jayanti, and the cops took precautionary measures. We also anticipated trouble during Tipu Jayanti, so we denied permission to the BJP to conduct the meeting. Despite this we are struggling to maintain law and order as the BJP is trying to disturb peace. Did the police fail to anticipate violence in the coastal districts? Did they not expect extremist forces to create a law and order situation with elections nearing? In Honnavar, police have tackled the situation to their best when Id- Milad and Hanuma Jayanti fell on the same day., The police decided not to allow both groups to conduct the celebrations at the same place in Honnavar. But the BJP opposed the police decision and stone pelting took place. Paresh Mesta was also present at that time and ran away. We had anticipated the incident and taken steps to contain the situation. But your timely action could have prevented clashes from spreading in Kumta and Sirsi. No, police have taken timely action to contain the riots. Soon after the death of Paresh Mesta police have taken precautionary measures. We prevented the riots from spreading to other places in Karwar district. But the BJP decided to take the riots out of Honnavar to create a ruckus in coastal district. The BJP has alleged that Jihadi organizations including ISIS are behind the killing of Paresh. BJP has been trying to gain political mileage from his killing. Family members of Paresh requested the government to hand over the case to CBI, without waiting for the postmortem report, so we handed over the case to CBI. The FSL report should confirm whether the death was natural or unnatural. Our intention is not to protect anybody. If any extremist organization is involved in Pareshs killing, the CBI is free to arrest the culprits. The BJP has the habit of making baseless statements against the Congress, in IAS officer D.K. Ravis suicide case too, the BJP made baseless allegations. Because of the delay in taking a decision in the D.K. Ravi case, the image of the government was dented. But the CBI has given a clean chit to the government, it was a big slap on the face of the BJP. The BJP alleged that in four and a half years, 19 BJP and RSS workers have been killed. They have alleged that Muslim fundamentalist organizations were involved in these killings. It is not true. Out of 19 cases, only 11 persons were killed in communal clashes. The remaining were killed due to personal rivalry and due to quarrels among Hindus. Six members from KFD and PFI were killed during riots, who killed them? Are six members of the Muslim community not humans? Why is the BJP not demanding a NIA or CBI probe into the killing of these six persons? The BJP says the main reason for repeated riots in the coastal districts is the government inaction on illegal transportation of cows. The BJP is speaking only about the cow, but according to me, there are 14 lakh livestock in the world. All livestock are important, I am more concerned about all these 14 lakh livestock. I will not support violence against any livestock including the cow. Are Muslim fundamentalists more active in the coastal districts after the Congress came to power? I have taken charge of the home department only three months back, but I can say that for every action there will be a reaction. In the coastal districts, both groups are strong and retaliate against each other. Otherwise no clashes will take place. Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde said you are incompetent to handle the home department, what do you have to say about his remarks against you? One cannot expect such lowly statements from a Union Minister., I have already said he is unfit to become minister and MP. He said that more Marikaambha festivals will happen, one cannot expect such statements from a responsible minister. Mr Hegde is a skill development minister but he is engaging in skill development by dividing societies. Hedge's skill development means pelting stones, dividing society on caste lines and giving protection to anti-social elements. I am strong enough to counter Mr. Hegde. I can speak better than him. But I have decided not to stoop to his level. If he continues such remarks, I will face him. Your advisor Kempaiah is at the centre of a controversy, being a senior and seasoned politician, why do you give room for such controversies ? Why should I react to those who give statements on the streets? I am a senior member and have become minister for the fourth time, I can teach the BJP better than anyone else on how to handle the departments. In fact, Kempaiah does not interfere in departmental affairs. He is the advisor to the Home Minister, if necessary I will take his advice and I will also take the advice from opposition parties. Instead of saying Kempaiah, Kempaiah, BJP leaders should utter the words 'Sri Rama' , they will be blessed by uttering Rama for their sins will be forgiven. Being a senior politician, do you need an advisor like Kempaiah? He was appointed advisor to the Home Minister before I took charge of the department, why should I remove him from the post? There are only four-five months left for his tenure to be over. Moreover Mr Kempaiah is an experienced man, he can share his experiences. According to National Crime Bureau (NCB) statistics, Bengaluru stood second in crime figures. Actually crime incidents have been decreasing, but NCB has added traffic violations to the crime list. Due to traffic violations, nearly ten thousand cases have been added to the crime list. And due to increase in traffic violation cases, crime cases have increased. If we exclude traffic offences, our crime ratio is very less comparing to other states. We are at tenth place, Gujarat stood first. How many seats can Congress win in the 2018 elections? In 2013, Congress won 13 seats, BJP won 12 and the remaining three were won by JD(S). We will improve our tally in 2018 With the entry of three JD(S) legislators, our tally will increase from 13 to 16. We will win 17 to 18 seats in 2018. But you lost all three parliament seats in Bengaluru. It was because of the Modi wave in the 2014 elections. In the coming elections, Congress will do better. There is a common criticism against you that you make adjustments with BJP leaders in the parliamentary elections, is it true? These are baseless allegations. In 2008, the BJP fielded Prasad Reddy against me, my winning margin was less than 2000 votes. There is no such adjustment politics. Are you seeking a ticket for your daughter Sowmya Reddy from Jayanagar? Yes, if she is given the ticket, Congress will get one more seat, Jayanagar. It was my old constituency, I am confident of winning it but ultimately it is left to the party high command whether to give her the ticket or not. Voters in the city are fed up with poor infrastructure and traffic congestion. It was because of the poor governance of the BJP government from 2008-13. During S.M. Krishnas tenure, we gave priority to infrastructure development but it was discontinued after the Congress lost in 2008. We lost continuity in Bengaluru development related works. Now we are giving a thrust to city development. Kochi: Pampadumpara in Idukki district would have remained in its anonymity but for the North Korean helmsman Kim Jong-Un. The place has been now brought to the national attention as the CPM local leadership has decided to erect two huge flex boards of the North Korean leader in connection with Nedungandom area committee meeting of the party. The posters caught the attention of the social media has been grabbed with both hands by political opponents of the CPM to lampoon the party. Sambit Patra , a spokesperson of the BJP, said CPM adopting Kim as his poster boy is in tune with the politics of murder practiced by it in Kerala. In a twitter message he said Kim Jong-un finds place in CPMs posters in Kerala!! No wonder they have converted Kerala into killing fields for their opponents! Hope the left is not planning to launch missiles at the RSS, BJP offices as their next gruesome agenda. The Congress MLA V.T. Balaram also took a dig at the CPM for making Kim a poster boy of the party propaganda and placing him along with the other leaders of the communist pantheon. The Idukki district leadership of the CPM however distanced itself from the controversial posters and said that it was erected without knowledge of the district leadership. CPM Idukki district secretary K.K. Jayachandran said they came to know of the incident through the media and the instructions have been to the cadres for removing the flex boards. The Congress also made a representation before the commission demanding similar action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for holding an alleged roadshow on the day of polling, after casting his vote in Gujarat. (Photo: File/PTI) New Delhi: After the Election Commission withdrew its notice to Rahul Gandhi over TV interviews, the Congress on Sunday night questioned whether it was a mere "ploy" to prevent their telecast or a justification for not taking any action against the Prime Minister. The reaction came just after the poll panel withdrew the show cause notice to Gandhi for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct, saying the provision under which it was issued is now under review. "If Election Commission has withdrawn its notice issued to Rahul Gandhi, two bonafide questions must be asked-: 1. Was it a mere ploy to prevent TV channels from showing his interview? and 2. Is it a justification for no action or registration of an FIR against PM & Ministers?" Congress communications incharge Randeep Surjewala tweeted. The commission had on December 13 issued the show cause notice to Rahul Gandhi for "prima facie" violating the provisions of the election law and the model code by giving interviews to TV channels in Gujarat. Read also: Gujarat elections: EC withdraws notice to Rahul Gandhi over TV interviews The Congress had then made a representation before the commission demanding similar action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for holding an alleged roadshow on the day of polling, after casting his vote in Gujarat. The party had said said the "roadshow" was a violation of the model code. The commission also decided to set up a panel to suggest amendments to a provision in the election law barring campaigning 48 hours ahead of polling, following complaints that it has failed to keep pace with information technology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah at a felicitation function before the party's parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi on Monday, after the party's win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Hailing the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the country has new dreams and is not ready to compromise anymore. Gujarat election results are historic. In this day and age, for a party to keep winning for so long is appreciable, said Modi while addressing media at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. Modi was received by BJP President Amit Shah at BJP headquarters. Shah and other leaders felicitated Modi as party celebrated the victories in the two states. Also Read: 'Perform, transform,' chants Modi after BJP scrapes through Gujarat, sweeps Himachal In Gujarat, BJP won 99 out of 182 seats while the Congress, which gave a tough fight to the saffron party, secured 77 seats. In Himachal Pradesh, which has alternated between the BJP and the Congress for decades, the BJP cruised to a two-third majority win with 44 seats in the 68-constituency Assembly. The Congress secured just 21 seats. Below are the highlights: Modi extends his gratitude to the voters of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for voting the BJP to power. Gujarat has proved itself as an exception by voting development to power for last three decades: Modi The Prime Minister says BJPs successive electoral victories show the country is poised to be transformed with reform and performance This country is now aspirational and has new dreams. Public is not ready to compromise anymore: Modi During UP elections it was said BJP would lose due to GST effect in urban areas, same was said in Gujarat elections and local body polls in Maharashtra: Modi Slamming the Opposition, Modi says the result in Himachal Pradesh shows that if you fail to work towards the development of a state, and are embroiled in all wrong acts, then after five years, people will not accept you Modi calls Gujarat election results historic and says, In this day and age, for a party to keep winning for so long is appreciable In Gujarat, BJP won all the seats it contested in 1989 Lok Sabha polls. We won most of the seats we contested in 1990. We won In 1995, in 1998, in 2002, in 2007 and in 2012: PM Attacking the Congress, Modi said, So many conspiracies were hatched in Gujarat by Congress, misinformation was being spread. People cannot bear if anyone makes fun of 'vikas' After 2014, there is hunger for development. Even if you do not like BJP, do not try to derail the progress being made towards development: Modi to Opposition 30 years back, poison of caste was spread so badly in Gujarat that it took workers like me 30 years to get rid of it: PM In last few months there were attempts to sow seeds of casteism in Gujarat, Modi says. He congratulates the people of the state for rejecting it, adding that they must remain alert Gujarats victory is doubly sweet for me. As its former mukhiya, I am proud to say that the states present leaders continue to win: Modi Concluding his address, Modi hailed development and shouted the slogan, "only 'vikas' will win". Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM came down heavily on the CPI at the LDF meeting here on Sunday for its decision to boycott the cabinet meeting over its displeasure with Thomas Chandy continuing in the cabinet. The CPI defended the decision saying that the Chief Minister had been informed. Both CPM State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan openly expressed their displeasure and other allies also supported the views of the CPM. CPI ministers E Chandrasekharan, V S Sunil Kumar, P Thilothaman and K Raju had not taken part in the cabinet meeting. It was after that Mr Chandy resigned from the cabinet. Chief Minister Vijayan said that the action by the CPI was nothing but blatant violation of party discipline. CPI leaders responded that they boycotted the cabinet meeting according to the policies of their party. They explained that they decided to stay away since they felt that a person criticised by the court taking part in a cabinet meeting was not right. However, Kodiyeri explained that he had informed the CPI that Thomas Chandy would resign. Meanwhile, including Kerala Congress in LDF was not discussed in the meeting. According to LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan, they had not discussed including K M Mani, who left the UDF, in LDF. Mr Viswan also said that he came to know of K M Manis inclusion in the LDF only from newspapers. Hyderabad: The bitterly divisive and polarised election campaign in Gujarat is likely to reflect in the Telangana Assembly elections. The main tussle here will be between the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the Congress, with the Telugu Desam being marginalised and the Bharatiya Janata Party unable to expand to the rural areas yet. Sensing the mood, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has started wooing various sections of the electorate. Meetings of BC organisations have been organised to garner their support. Talk of the TRS forming a pre-poll alliance with the BJP is now completely ruled out as the Chief Minister does not want to lose the 12 per cent Muslim minority vote to the Congress. While the main opposition Congress party is yet to reach out to various sections for their support, the TRS has already started the exercise. Over 80 per cent of the population consists of SC, ST, BCs and Minority communities and the Chief Minister has to consider their issues. But he also has to consider influential sections of the forward classes such as Brahmins and Vysyas. It is a known fact that the Reddys, who constitute around eight per cent of the population, will side with the Congress with which they have had a long association. The Congress will also try to take along other small political parties and organisations that are presently scattered, in order to engage in a one-on-one fight with the TRS. The Congress is also trying to garner support from SCs, STs some sections of BCs and the minorities, which used to be traditional vote banks of the party but turned against it in the last elections. According to a senior leader of the TRS, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao will intensify his efforts to get more support from different backward sections in the state by announcing more sops in the coming budget, which will be presented on the eve of the 2019 election. He will also see that Mission Bhagiratha is completed by next year so that it can be showcased as a major achievement of the TRS government. Even the TRS cadre admits that there is no considerable achievement on the promise of 2BHK housing scheme as the Congress has been pointing out. What the TRS is banking on to win the next elections is the 24X7 power supply to agriculture, and Rs 8000 investment subsidy per crop to each and every farmer, which will come into effect from next year. These will be the biggest game changers in rural areas of the state that constitute 60 per cent of Assembly constituencies. The Congress is targeting the youth and unemployed, hammering away at the lack of jobs and recruitment in the newly formed state. The Congress is also banking on the support of TJAC chairman Prof. Kodandaram. As far as winnability of candidates is concerned, the TRS' top leaders say that Mr Rao is getting weekly reports on the ground level political situation and will not hesitate to change sitting MLAs if he thinks they cannot win. The Congress is still organisationally weak in urban areas that constitute around 40 to 45 seats, especially in the Hyderabad Metropolitan area. The BJP, according to insiders, has not managed to penetrate into rural areas, and its influence is confined to urban pockets. BJP president Dr K Laxman is confident that BJP national president Amit Shah will now focus on Telangana state and work to make the BJP the alternative to the TRS in the state. BJP President Amit Shah gestures while being welcomed on his arrival at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Monday, after the party's victory in the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: With its victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has continued its winning streak. But its win by a slender margin in the Prime Ministers home turf of Gujarat has put the party back into introspection mode. Sensing that demonetisation and GST had hit the party hard in Gujarat, the ruling party is expected to go soft on reforms, sources said. The RSS and a major section of the BJP had begun nudging the government to settle the Ram Mandir dispute and build a magnificent Ram temple in Ayodhya before the 2019 general election. It was learnt that after Mondays results, the contentious Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill may not be introduced in Parliament even in the Budget Session. The bail in clause in FRDI had evoked angry reactions. Analysts have argued that the bail in clause meant that creditors and depositors were expected to absorb losses in case of a bank failure. This had raised concerns that ordinary citizens may have to bail out banks with their hard-earned savings in case a bank goes under. Despite the governments attempts to allay such concerns, the entire controversy refuses to die down. Another proposed reform which could get hit is linking property with Aadhaar to curb black money in real estate. The government has already been forced to extend the deadline to link Aadhaar with bank accounts, mobile phone connections and financial instruments to March 31, 2018. Some analysts are warning that it could be the next major thing to hit the economy after demonetisation and GST as a huge number of people have not yet linked their financial instruments with Aadhaar. The BJP analysts have cautioned the government that these could have an adverse impact in the 2019 general election. Sources said the Centre may move at breakneck speed now to settle the Ayodhya dispute and set up the Ram Mandir. This move is likely to consolidate the Hindu votebank, cutting across caste lines. The BJP and RSS believe the Ram Mandir remains an emotive issue for Hindus in Bharat. The Patidar vote, which had become a major factor following the Hardik Patel-led agitation for reservation for the Pat-els, was split. New Delhi: The BJP managed to win the Assembly elections in Gujarat despite an early scare, but took a huge hit in Saurashtra and rural Gujarat, whi-ch helped the Congress increase its tally. An analysis of the results shows that the BJP retained its base in urban and semi-urban areas. It was the rural voters who deserted the party and shifted base to the Congress. The saffron party won 55 seats out of 73 seats in urban areas; the Congr-ess managed to get only 18 seats. It lost five seats Jamnagar north, Raj-kot South and Rajkot East, Mehmedabad, Hi-matnagar and Sanand. In sharp contrast, rural Gujarat voted overwhelmingly in the Congress partys favour leading to a gain of 23 seats. Of a total 109 seats in rural constituencies, the Congress won 62 while the BJP got 43. However, it was its decent showing in North Gujarat which helped the BJP sail through. The Patidar vote, which had become a major factor following the Hardik Patel-led agitation for reservation for the Pat-els, was split. Patidars living in urban areas voted for the BJP, while those residing in the rural regions cast their ballot for the Congress. North Gujarat had se-en the biggest crowds at rallies organised by Hardik Patels Patidar Anamat Andolan Sam-iti. However, Mr Patel belongs to the Kadva Patel community and the Kadva Patels are small in number in North Gujarat compared to the Leuva Patels, who are concentrated in North Gujarat. The BJP also seems to have benef-ited from the OBC votes. Despite Alpesh Thakor joining the Congress, many OBCs voted for the BJP in order to check Patel power. New Delhi: Finally it was the rainbow coalition engineered by the Congress that included Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani, which dented the saffron citadel. That the Congress could not have managed to increase its tally otherwise is evident by the losses suffered by its local state leadership which includes heavyweights such as Arjun Modhwadia, Shaktisingh Gohil and Siddharth Patel. Another take away from this election was the emergence of Hardik Patel as a leader to reckon with. Sources have told this newspaper that the Congress organisation was in shambles when its central leadership landed in Gujarat four months ago to begin the campaign. It was the organisational abilities of this trio that helped it fight the polls on an equal platform with the ruling BJP. While Mr Mevani, who rose as a Dalit activist in the aftermath of the flogging of Dalits in Una, mobilised the votes of his community, he also made his foray into the Gujarat Assembly fighting as an independent candidate from Vadgam with Congress support. Alpesh Thakore, another activist, who rose to fame with his campaign against illicit liquor in his Thakore community, joined the Congress just days before the poll and Congress sources say that influenced at least 80 seats, and forced the BJP to turn to another OBC community, the Kolis, to help them out. Mr Thakore contested from Radhanpur constituency and won. Though his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) failed to make an electoral impact as is evident from the BJP winning Mehsana and Surat, it was his mass mobilisation and impact on the youth that created the so-called wave against the incumbent party. The BJP had to concentrate its energies on containing the Patel leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah at a felicitation function before the party's parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi on Monday, after the party's win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The increase in the seats and vote share in the Gujarat assembly has bolstered the Congress hope for the Karnataka assembly elections middle of next year. The Congress has already put in place a new team this year to manage the affairs of the state. Insiders claim that the Congress is mulling strengthening the team further. Unlike Gujarat the Congress is presently in power in Karnataka. The party machinery up to the booth levels is active, something that was amiss in Gujarat. The present Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs call for signage in local language, separate flag for the state and the demand for Lingayat have thrown the saffronites off guard to build a counter narrative. New Delhi: Despite the Congress defeat in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, theres gnawing worry in the BJP camp over its victory. The fact that the Congress was not just able to increase its tally and voteshare significantly in Gujarat, the home state of PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, but that it stopped the BJP from hitting the 100-mark after boastful claims of 150 seats, has catapulted Rahul Gandhi, the new Congress president often referred to as Pappu by BJP trolls, to become the main challenger to Modi in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. That Gujarats results where the Congress has won the largest number of seats since 1985 - came just two days after Gandhis elevation to the party's top post has, naturally, enthused the Congress cadres and leaders. Over the last three months, Gandhi led the Congress campaign from the front, making 16 trips to the state and campaigning across 135 Assembly constituencies. Neither Priyanka Gandhi nor Sonia Gandhi addressed any rally or even visited Gujarat. Rahul campaigned aggressively, setting the agenda for the political discourse, and never once deviated from his script which remained focused on the lack of development in Gujarat, agrarian distress, unemployment, disruption caused by demonetisation and the hasty implementation of GST. This was surprising given that since 2014, the BJP has been setting the agenda for all poll campaigns, with the Congress being forced to respond to it, mostly in the defensive. Rahul even managed to annoy and exasperate the BJP with his regular visits to temples in Gujarat, a move seen by many as a shift from its secular ideology, but by others as a pragmatic repositioning of the party to counter the Hindutva brigades claim over a jingoistic variety of nationalism. In spite of provocation and personal attacks by the BJP, Gandhi exhorted the Congress leadership and cadres not to respond in kind. In fact, in an uncharacteristically quick reaction for the Congress, he suspended Mani Shankar Aiyar from the party on the same day when his neech aadmi comment brought new vigour to the BJPs campaign. The social media too, till now the stronghold of saffronites and Modi bhakts, was stirred by the sudden ramping up of the Congress presence. From the haranguing one question a day to Modi series, which appeared daily with the tagline 22 saal ka hisab, Gujarat maange jawab (22 years of account, Gujarat demands answers), to tackling questions about who tweets for him with disarming humour, Rahul proved a real challenge. In October, Mr Gandhi tweeted a video of his dog doing a biscuit trick with this text: People (have) been asking who tweets for this guy... I'm coming clean... Its me... Pidi... I'm way smarter than him. Look what I can do with a tweet oops treat! (sic). The self-deprecation and a touch of the personal was a breath of fresh air. As was his candid response to a question about dynastic rule at the University of California in Berkeley in September. Gandhis political acumen was apparent in the crucial alliances he stitched together with Hardik Patel, the firebrand leader of angry Paridars, dalit rights activist Jignesh Mewani, and OBC leader Alpesh Thakore, young leaders who mobilised thousands of people in their anti-BJP rallies. Jignesh Mevani has won as an Independent candidate from Vadgam, and Alpesh Thakore has won the Radhanpur seat. Usually media shy, this time, Gandhi addressed press conferences, gave interviews to Gujarati channels. With Gujarat results, its clear that a self-assured Gandhi is stepping out of the shadow of his mother with energy and enthusiasm that the Congress desperately needs. If Gandhi is able to sustain it, without embarking on personal trips during important political developments, he may well be able to mount a challenge to the BJP in the next round of Assembly elections in 2018, and to Modis prime ministership in 2019. Hyderabad: Former Union minister and senior Congress leader S. Jaipal Reddy said the party would hold a meeting at Jedcherla, Mahbubnagar district, on December 20 which would begin the effort to unite all sections opposed to the TRS and the state government. He said the TRS government had caused immense pain and agony to true Telanganites, who had been betrayed for the last four years, Mr Jaipal Reddy, in a statement issued from Delhi, said the TRS government had not fulfilled any of its promises because of which several sections of society, especially youth and unemployed. He said there has been attempt by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to divide society on caste lines in the name of announcing sops. In reality there was no law and order in the state, political corruption had touched new heights and Mr Rao had himself encouraged mass defections from opposition parties, Mr Jaipal Reddy alleged. He said without doing much to boost development or welfare, the TRS government was not addressing any genuine grievance of the people. He accused the TRS government of being anti-democratic and anti-people and said the time had come for the affected sections to fight by participating in large numbers at the Jedcherla meeting. TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy in a statement said that the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections was a clear indication that the Congress was on its way back to power across the country. He said that AICC president Rahul Gandhis next focus would be on Telangana state. The TPCC would would strengthen its organisation and network across the state to ensure that it returns to power in 2019. Mr Jaipal Reddy said the Congress would soon formulate a strategy to win the polls, both at the Centre and in the state. CHENNAI: The BJP's resounding win in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections is a victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pro-people initiatives and his good administration. The massive mandate only go to show people's faith on Modi, the Tamil Nadu BJP has said on Monday. People have understood that we are working for their welfare and growth of the country. people are happy with the performance of the BJP and they have showed this in their verdict in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. This winning spree will continue in Tamil Nadu too, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has said. With the BJP winning the Gujarat Assembly polls for a record sixth straight victory on Monday, and set to storm to power in Himachal Pradesh, the saffron party here went into a celebratory mood distributing sweets and bursting crackers. As news of the BJP's victory trends reached Chennai's R. K. Nagar Assembly constituency where the party is contesting in the by-poll, the BJP members went ecstatic and distributed sweets to the people amidst their campaign. #GujaratVerdict and #HimachalPradesh victory, result of PM @narendramodi ji's pro-poor schemes and our beloved @BJP4India National President Shri @AmitShah ji's poll strategy. Its clear now 130 cr people ready to march with our PM to make Bharat as #VishwaGuru, Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan tweeted. Expressing great joy, party president said the BJP's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls would continue in Tamil Nadu too. Dr. Tamilisai who led the celebrations at the party state headquarters - Kamalalayam at T Nagar, she said, the BJP has once again proved the confidence people have on us. The opposition's allegation that demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax would be a setback has been proved wrong, she said and added its a victory for development over dynasty politics. The BJPs sixth consecutive victory in Gujarat comes with a few riddles, while the Congress defeat brings its own solace. It would be easy to argue that there are no consolation prizes in elections, and that there are only winners and losers, and that the BJP is a clear winner and the Congress a clear loser. Politics is a little more complicated than that. The BJP cannot hope to be complacent with its victory, and Congress need not be despondent. It seems clear its a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though its a qualified and limited victory. A majority of Gujarats voters, it seems, didnt let down a fellow Gujarati who is the nations Prime Minister. They didnt want to throw out the Prime Ministers party though they had every reason to do so. The loyalty shown by the Gujarati voter to Mr Modi is quite touching because Mr Modi abandoned his seat from Gujarat in the Lok Sabha and retained his seat from Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi. In a way, the voter in the state has forgiven the betrayal of Mr Modi. As a matter of fact, the BJPs victory is really a consolation prize for the party. There is little doubt that Mr Modi stooped to melodramatic, maudlin levels saying that voters in Gujarat should avenge the many insults that have thrown at him by his Congress opponents, a clear reference to the pungent remark of now-suspended Congress member Mani Shankar Aiyar about Mr Modi being a neech (lowly) kind of person to retrieve the situation which seemed to be slipping out of control. His appeal for votes was not so much on the BJPs programmes. It seems there was not much either Mr Modi or the party had to say. The partys manifesto seems to have been an afterthought and it was released in a hurried and unthinking manner, a day before the first phase of voting on December 9. He made it a personalised issue. It can be said that Mr Modi has won and the BJP has taken a beating. It remains a puzzle as to why the Gujarati voter has opted for the BJP for so long because the claims of development made by Mr Modi and his party do not survive scrutiny. There is no such thing as the Gujarat model because the economy of the state is complex and riddled with contradictions, and these problems are not unique to the state. The BJPs partisans have tried to argue the case for a non-existing Gujarat model. The economy is running on its own momentum and has little to do with the interventionist policies of Mr Modi as chief minister and Prime Minister. The failure of the Tatas Nano project is an interesting example. Gujarat plays no great role in the overall economic growth rate of the country because it is a moderately-sized state in terms of population and economy. It cant be expected to play the leading role. The Gujarati entrepreneurs and tycoons who seem to exemplify the success of the Indian economy operate outside Gujarat, including the Tatas and Ambanis. That leaves us with the question whether the BJPs Hindutva ideology is the secret behind the partys unmatched electoral success in the state. There is a temptation to believe this is so, and secular partisans will dredge out enough anecdotal evidence to prove the point. But it seems Hindutva is past its expiry date, and the BJP seems to be aware of it. The Hindu communal bias is certainly writ large on the social psyche of the people in the state but it predates the emergence of the BJP as the dominant political force. And after 22 years of BJP rule, it has no special attraction for the people. The Congress, which is the only other major political party, has failed to articulate a compelling political and economic programme for the state. Promising reservations, the old gambit, just doesnt seem to work in Gujarat any more. The reason for the BJPs sustained victories is because there has been political stability in the state. The intra-party tussles which characterised Congress governments, and which led to manipulated social tensions, have disappeared. The Congress has once again tried to take advantage of caste divisions by supporting Patidar and Dalit causes, and backing claimants to the leadership of the groups, which pointed to future conflicts. The Congress will have to abandon its caste calculus if it wants to make headway in Gujarat or elsewhere. The Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Gujarat, who form the BJPs Hindutva backbone, had a numerically larger base, and the BJP had mobilised it. There was some justification for Mr Modi to have fallen back on the emotive Gujarati asmita to counter Rahul Gandhis bid to wean away dominant castes and communities. The BJP, then, is surviving as the top dog in state politics because the Congress has failed. The other interesting political fact about Gujarat is that both major parties in the state have garnered more than 40 per cent voteshare, with the BJP nearing the 50 per cent mark. It shows there is a large chunk which is not enamoured of either Mr Modi or the BJP. To speak of the Modi charisma and Modi magic to explain the Gujarat victory would be a lame explanation. The people of Gujarat are just weighing their options. There is an indication that the state is ready for the emergence of a third force, but it must be on the lines of the now-forgotten Swatantra Party, with a rightist economic programme. The BJP and Congress resemble each other in their jaded populism. Singapores veteran leader Lee Kuan Yew surprised Indians and possibly displeased his host, Morarji Desai, by calling on the defeated Indira Gandhi when he visited India in 1978. While she had gone to Rashtrapati Bhavan to see British PM James Callaghan, Lee took the trouble of visiting her Willingdon Crescent bungalow. Indians had written Indira off. Singaporeans were surprised at his graciousness to someone in the political wilderness. Lee had a practical explanation for the gesture a turn of the electoral wheel would return her to power, not necessarily because of any inherent virtue she possessed or because of any weakness in Desais Janata Party government but because of what is nowadays called the anti-incumbency factor. In your system the electorate would soon get dissatisfied and would bring her back, he told me. Must do! You can never get what you really want. No government can deliver. So after a while, it says, okay change again. The results in Gujarat and, to some extent, in Himachal Pradesh have intensified that sense of electoral uncertainty, reminding us that Rahul Gandhis debut as Congress president wasnt such a damp squib after all. Whether or not he won his spurs by gaining more than a dozen seats, he cant be written off any longer as the perpetual crown prince who never reigns as king. If the Congress lost some constituencies in Himachal, so did the BJP in Gujarat. Both sides will keep up the tempo of chanting, gyrating and shoving laddus into each others open mouths (and some that werent open since cut-outs of Mr Modi were also fed), but appearances can be deceptive. The results fell short of expectations for both parties. There are bound to be glum faces in Akbar Road, but the wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth are likely to be far more spectacular behind the BJPs victory-is-victory bravado at its Ashoka Road headquarters. Normally, one would venture to suggest a ruling party that controls almost the entire country can afford to lose one state. But the win-some-lose-some or live-and-let-live spirit is alien to the BJPs winner-takes-all thinking. Treated as a prestige issue, Gujarat was accorded an importance unimaginable for any other state. Of course, its the home state of a larger-than-life Prime Minister who can teach Donald Trump a thing or two in presidential flamboyance. The BJP has ruled Gujarat for 22 years. Its been called the laboratory of the future, meaning the Hindu rashtra of the dreams Hindu zealots (and occasional non-Hindu soldier of fortune) visualise for the future. The BJP leadership could hardly have invested more in the campaign. Someone counted 34 rallies that Narendra Modi addressed. Amit Shah campaigned for over two months. The entire machinery of governance seemed to be in suspense while more than 4.35 crore Gujarati voters, half of them aged between 18 and 39, were coaxed and cajoled, bribed and bullied, to vote in favour of the designated candidate. It would be interesting in this context to ascertain exactly how much money the two parties actually spent on electioneering. There was grumbling that despite some 3,000 complaints, chief election commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti was neither seen nor heard to the extent needed to sustain confidence in the process. Presumably, allegations relating to hacking and rigging will be fully and impartially investigated to set at rest misgivings that the government has co-opted the CEC. Any proper post-mortem examination must await the full disclosure of voting figures. Ahmedabad has expanded exponentially in the last decade or so. Saurashtra, where the Congress did exceptionally well, remains mainly agricultural. Demonetisation and GST will have impacted differently in these and other regions. The Congress was accused of concentrating too much on caste and community but not, it must be stressed, of fanning communalism. Another criticism is that Mr Gandhi visited temples instead of highlighting the economys importance. He started late, possibly neglected micromanagement, and didnt identify a publicly trusted local Congressman of stature who could have taken over as chief minister in the event of a Congress victory. If the partys young hopefuls Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora and others of proven ability and integrity took part in the campaign, the media didnt adequately highlight their activities. Instead, we had the vision of a tireless Mr Gandhi canvassing morning, night and noon. That speaks volumes for his capacity for hard work and his ability to connect with and inspire people but it also seems to confirm the image of a one-man party, and that one man the heir to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. That is something Mr Modi, with his stinging jibes about the Delhi sultanate and shehzadas and his nasty habit of referring to Ahmed Patel as Ahmed Mian, will exploit for all hes worth. Dragging Pakistan into the campaign was dangerous. Dragging Manmohan Singh into it was despicable. It was mischievous deliberately to misrepresent Mani Shankar Aiyars remark. Gujarat will be followed by Karnataka, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan before the country goes to the polls again in 2019. A resuscitated Congress under Mr Gandhi will now be fighting to win. Its to be hoped for the countrys sake that he will do so without stooping to pander to the sectarian instincts of primeval man. Victory on those terms might win an election but can lose the war for India. The endless carping against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) has become more of a political refrain. Although the Gujarat polls were held with Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) machines at every booth, budding politicians like Hardik Patel were freely blaming EVMs. This kind of unexplained conspiracy theory does little to challenge the electronic system through which India has voted in elections for nearly two decades. When the EC invited political parties to a hackathon this year, not one turned up. Had they participated, they would have lost their major talking point. The Gujarat poll seemed to follow every path surmised upon, down to regions and sub-regions, indicating EVMs have done reasonably well. The Supreme Court turned down a Gujarat Congress plea seeking counting of at least 20 per cent of VVPATs, saying any debate on poll reforms could take place after the election process ends. A fair introspection of the issue and suggestions on the way forward in which the paper trail can help verify the working of EVMs to refine the system further may prove more helpful than constant criticism. What at one moment looked like a close election in Gujarat finally turned out to be another comfortable victory for the BJP. The Congress did put up a contest, and managed to increase its voteshare marginally, but finally could not defeat the BJP in Prime Minister Narendra Modis and BJP president Amit Shahs home turf. A comfortable victory in Himachal Pradesh adds one more state to the fast-increasing list of states which the BJP has been able to snatch from the Congress. The victory in Himachal takes the BJP one step closer in its mission of Congress-mukt Bharat. True, the BJP won in these two states, but its more a victory of Mr Modi than the party. The evidence suggests that when the Congress seemed to put a challenge to the BJP, Mr Modi singlehandedly managed to achieve another victory for the BJP. And one should not forget leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar, with his comment against Mr Modi, also helped him in his campaign against the Congress. The victory of the BJP was hardly doubtful in Himachal as that state has a history of handing its government to alternate parties. With the Congress being in power for the past five years, it seemed to be a natural turn of the BJP, but what has surprised many is the victory of the BJP in Gujarat, contesting elections against various odds, over 22 years of anti-incumbency, the Patel agitation against the ruling BJP led by Hardik Patel, the Dalit andolan led by Jignesh Mewani and the unhappiness of OBCs, mainly Thakores, which was channelised by Thakore leader Alpesh Thakore. The absence of Mr Modi from the state was seen as adding to the BJPs problems. But in spite of all the odds, the BJP managed to pull off another victory in Gujarat, winning 99 seats, although its tally went down by 16, compared to its performance in the 2012 Assembly elections, but still its voteshare increase marginally from 47.8 per cent to 49.1 per cent in the recently-concluded elections. The party also managed to register a comfortable victory in Himachal, winning 44 seats with 48.7 per cent of the voteshare. What seemed to have worked in favour of the BJP is the aggressive campaign led by no less than Mr Modi during the last two weeks of the campaign. Evidence from the post-poll survey conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies indicates Mr Modis campaign made a huge difference in mobilising voters in favour of the BJP. Of all voters, those who took their vote decision very early voted for the Congress in far bigger numbers compared to those who made up their minds on which way to vote just before the election day. There is a distinct shift in the voting in favour of the BJP among those who made up their minds after Mr Modi began his election campaign. And it is important to note that nearly 35 per cent of voters in Gujarat took their voting decision in the last couple of days. During the first few weeks of the campaign, the Congress did led an aggressive campaign, was able to push the BJP on the backfoot, but lost the momentum after Mr Modi led the aggressive campaign, specially after Mr Aiyars comment about Mr Modi. The BJP went on the offensive after this comment, made best use of the statement to invoke the sense of Gujarati pride and identity and the Congress was pushed on the backfoot, and in the process lost the momentum of its campaign. The alliance which the Congress managed to put together with leaders of various caste-communities like Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mewani, Alpesh Thakore and Chhotubhai Vasava may have helped the party in attracting votes among these communities in much bigger numbers than the earlier elections, but this shift was not enough to give the Congress the winning edge. The Congress had hoped that Patidar votes would shift en bloc towards it, but the findings of the post-poll survey indicate that less than 40 per cent of Patidars voted for the Congress and in spite of all odds, the BJP did manage to get more roughly 60 per cent of Patidar votes. The alliance with Mr Mewani also did not work to the extent that the Congress would have liked, 47 per cent of dalits voted for the Congress while the BJP managed to get 45 per cent of the dalit vote. Similarly, OBC votes were also divided between the Congress and the BJP. The BJP managed to compensate for its loss of Patidar votes by winning back sizeable numbers of adivasi votes, as 52 per cent of the adivasis voted for the BJP, while only 40 per cent voted for the Congress. It is important to note that the adivasis have voted for the Congress in large numbers in previous elections. The BJP would have made bigger inroads among adivasi voters had the Congress not formed an alliance with Mr Vasava, which helped the Congress in winning back adivasis towards the party, which seemed to be shifting towards the BJP during the campaign. While the BJP should feel happy about winning another election in Gujarat and snatching Himachal back from the Congress, but the victory of the BJP does not indicate everything was fine with the ruling BJP in Gujarat. Though overall the governments record on development is satisfactory, but still there are visible signs of dissatisfaction and disenchantment. A sizeable chunk of voters are dissatisfied both in Gujarat and Himachal with the governments policy of demonetisation and the introduction of GST. Farmers are dissatisfied and in deep distress and blame the government for not doing enough to help them overcome their problems. The youths were no more as attracted towards Mr Modi as they were during and after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and there are visible signs of disappointment with the Prime Minister. But in spite of all these, a large number of them did not vote for the Congress despite their dissatisfaction and disappointment, as the party failed to turn this into an anger against the BJP. Mere dissatisfaction was not enough for them to firmly decide to vote out the BJP government of Gujarat. What was needed to defeat the BJP government was anger, but the intensity of unhappiness was far too little to be turned into anger. The BJP did get a sense of the dissatisfaction with the government by the crowds which Hardik Patel attracted at his rallies, but Mr Modi successfully countered this by invoking Gujarati pride during various election rallies. The dissatisfaction among voters against the government was overturned by invoking the identity question by Mr Modi during his campaign. If the BJP won the election in Gujarat by polling 49.1 per cent votes, the Congress lost the election in spite of polling 41.4 per cent votes. Even in Himachal Pradesh, though the Congress lost the election, it still managed to get 41.4 per cent votes. True, Mr Modi was able to tilt the tide in favour of the BJP, but in spite of this victory, there are reasons for the BJP to worry. There growing unemployment has resulted in a shift in young voters away from the BJP in Gujarat since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. There are also signs of unhappiness among the traders and business communities, who have been the backbone of the BJPs support base. Losing some ground among its core supporters should be a matter of concern for the party in the long run. The crew will gradually approach the station, which orbits about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, for two days before docking. A trio of US and Japanese astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut blasted off from Kazakhstan on December 17 for a two-day trip to the International Space Station, a NASA TV broadcast showed. Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and flight engineers Norishige Kanai of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Scott Tingle of NASA lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1:21 pm local time (0721 GMT/0221 EST). The crew will gradually approach the station, which orbits about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, for two days before docking. Shkaplerov, Kanai and Tingle will join Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba of NASA, who have been aboard the orbital outpost since September. Onboard cameras showed crew members making thumbs-up gestures after the blast-off. Also visible was a stuffed dog toy chosen by Shkaplerovs daughter to be the spacecrafts zero-gravity indicator. NASA broadcasted the launch on Twitter and 10 minutes after blasting off, Soyuz was in orbit. Soyuz was safely in orbit about 10 minutes after the launch. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Trump returned to the White House from Camp David and was asked if he was considering triggering the process to dismiss Mueller, who is investigating whether the president's Republican campaign coordinated with Russian officials during 2016 election. (Photo: AP/File) Washington: President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is not considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller even as his administration was again forced to grapple with the growing Russia probe that has shadowed the White House for much of his initial year in office. Trump returned to the White House from Camp David and was asked if he was considering triggering the process to dismiss Mueller, who is investigating whether the president's Republican campaign coordinated with Russian officials during 2016 election. The president answered: "No, I'm not." But he did add to the growing conservative criticism of Mueller's move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration, yielding attacks from transition lawyers and renewing chatter that Trump may act to end the investigation. "It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that. My people were very upset about it," Trump said. "I can't imagine there's anything on them, frankly. Because, as we said, there's no collusion. There's no collusion whatsoever." On Saturday, the general counsel for the transition group sent a letter to two congressional committees arguing Mueller's investigators had improperly obtained thousands of transition records. The investigators did not directly request the records from Trump's still-existing transition group, Trump for America, and instead obtained them from the General Services Administration, a separate federal agency that stored the material, according to the group's general counsel. A spokesman for Mueller said the records were obtained appropriately. "When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process," Peter Carr said. Read: Trump allies claim Robert Mueller acquired mails unlawfully in Russia probe But many Trump allies used the email issue as another cudgel with which to bash the probe's credibility. Members of the conservative media and some congressional Republicans have begun to systematically question Mueller's motives and credibility while the president himself called it a "disgrace" that some texts and emails from two FBI agents contained anti-Trump rhetoric. One of those agents was on Mueller's team and has been removed. Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign aide, called the investigation an "attack on the presidency" and told CNN there are "more and more indications that the Mueller investigation is off the rails." The talk of firing Mueller has set off alarm bells among many Democrats, who warn it could trigger a constitutional crisis. Some Republicans also advised against the move, including Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who deemed the idea "a mistake." The rumour mill overshadowed the Republican tax plan, which is set to be voted on this week. Although Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was doing a victory lap on the tax bill on the Sunday talk show circuit, he first had to field questions on CNN's "State of the Union" about whether believed Trump would trigger the process to fire Mueller. "I don't have any reason to think that the president is going to do that, but that's obviously up to him," said Mnuchin. Mnuchin added, "We have got to get past this investigation. It's a giant distraction." But he declined to elaborate on how he would want it to end. Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, was also peppered with questions about Mueller's fate during his own appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" and again urged a quick end to the investigation but insisted that Trump has not discussed firing Mueller. "There's no conversation about that whatsoever in the White House," Short said. Former President Sebastian Pineras resounding victory in a presidential runoff election swings Chile back to the right and highlights the increasing number of conservative leaders who have won power in Latin America. With nearly all ballots counted, the billionaire won 54.6 per cent of the votes on Monday to 45.4 per cent for former journalist and center-left Sen. Alejandro Guillier. Analysts had predicted a much closer contest, feeling Guillier had gained ground, although there had not been any opinion polls since the elections first round in November. Pinera, who ran on a platform of boosting sluggish economic growth in the worlds top copper producer, thanked his opponents and called for unity. Today the voice of all Chileans has been heard, Pinera told supporters Sunday night. We welcome this triumph with humility and hope.The results prompted celebrations by Pinera's supporters across the country of 17 million people. Some people waved flags and held banners, while others beeped car horns and yelled out the last name of the former airline magnate who also was president in 2010-2014. President Donald Trump is set to lay out on Monday a new National Security Strategy built upon his trademark America First slogan, which is expected to have economic security at its core. The US leader, who has dismantled the legacy of Barack Obama on issues ranging from climate change to free trade, and isolated Washington on the world stage, will unveil what is being billed as a comprehensive vision for tackling Americas complex security challenges. The new document, released periodically by the presidency, affirms the belief that Americas economic security is national security, an administration official said. It also reflects a determination to push for balance in US economic relations with the rest of the world, especially China. The greatest weapon we have is our strong GDP, the official said, citing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Mr Trump has taken an aggressive stance on trade. He vows to reduce bilateral trade deficits, particularly with China, and has said he wants to level the playing field for American companies. Hafiz Saeed said that Muslims the world over should put aside any differences and unite around the cause of liberating Jerusalem. (Photo: AP) Karachi: Thousands of Islamists have rallied in two major cities in Pakistan to condemn US President Donald Trump for declaring Jerusalem Israels capital. Supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami party in Karachi and advocates of US-wanted Islamist Hafiz Saeed in Lahore dispersed peacefully after rallying Sunday for the Palestinian cause. Protests have persisted in Pakistan since Trumps announcement angered Muslims across the world. The chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Sirajul Haq, called on all Muslim nations to suspend diplomatic ties with the US until it reconsiders its Jerusalem decision. Hafiz Saeed said that Muslims the world over should put aside any differences and unite around the cause of liberating Jerusalem. Muslim-majority Pakistan has reiterated its support for the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their hoped-for state. Islamabad: Pakistan is preparing to welcome the family of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been convicted and sentenced to death. The Pakistan foreign office confirmed that Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had received visa applications from Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother and wife for the purpose of meeting the spy who was apprehended in Pakistan in March of 2016. According to FO spokesperson Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother and wife had submitted visa applications on humanitarian grounds. Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested last year in Balochistan on charges of spying and stoking terrorism and sectarianism in the country. In May 2016, the month after Suu Kyi took power, the 1975 State Protection Act that had been used to keep her under house arrest for years was repealed. (Photo: File) Yangon: Myanmar has accused Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, of breaching the countrys Official Secrets Act, a little-used hangover from colonial rule. Sam Zarifi, secretary general of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said the law can ensnare working journalists at any time. The two reporters were arrested on Tuesday evening after they were invited to meet police officers for dinner in the north of Yangon. The Ministry of Information said they had illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media, and published a photo of the pair in handcuffs standing behind a table with documents laid on it. Origins of the Official Secrets Act The law dates back to 1923, when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was a province of British India. At the time British administrators worried that rival powers could seek to exploit anti-colonial unrest in its South Asian empire. The act, which amended earlier anti-spying legislation, was controversial in India even at the time, according to a history published in 2009 by the United Service Institution of India, a New Delhi-based think tank. British military officers pushed for the stronger law over concerns about an increase in Bolshevik activity, along with geopolitical threats including the possibility of racial war between Japan and the USA affecting India, the history said. What the Act says The Official Secrets Act covers trespassing in prohibited areas, handling documents deemed secret and communicating with foreign agents. It carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Zarifi of the Geneva-based ICJ a human rights group made up of 60 senior international judges, lawyers and legal academics said the definition of an official secret in the act is incredibly broad. Just about anyone in possession of unpublished government documents could find themselves facing prosecution and the harsh penalties a conviction may carry, Zarifi said. Under this law many good journalists could be prosecuted at any time. In India, where the same law also remains on the statute book, courts have ruled that it even applies to parliamentary papers such as budget proposals if they are leaked before they are presented in the legislature. Use of the Act Legal experts say prosecutions under the act have been rare in Myanmar in recent decades. The military junta that ruled until 2011 frequently used other laws or the Penal Code also inherited from the colonial era to lock up its critics alongside common criminals. The sprawling code was drafted in 1860, and gives magistrates more than 500 sections under which to charge alleged offenders. In 1990, a military court sentenced two leaders of the then opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) to 10 years in prison under the Official Secrets Act after they passed an official letter to foreign embassies. The prosecution was part of a broad crackdown following an election won by the NLD that the junta ignored. They were freed in 1992, in an amnesty, according to a New York Times report at the time. Reports of at least two other cases brought under the act are recorded in the online archives of the Asian Human Rights Commission in 2009 and 2010. The first case involved a man jailed for trespassing on military land and recording video footage to allegedly send abroad. He had been helping a farmer file a land grab complaint against the military. The second concerned a former army officer who was jailed in 2010 for allegedly having secret information on his laptop that he passed to foreign news agencies. The most well-documented recent case involving the Official Secrets Act came in January of 2014, when the Yangon-based weekly, Unity Journal, published a front page article it said exposed a secret chemical weapons factory run by the military in central Myanmar. Police arrested the newspapers CEO and four journalists involved in publishing the story, raided its offices, and attempted to seize all copies of the edition from newsstands. A civilian court in Pakkoku, near the alleged factory, sentenced them in July 2014 to 10 years in prison with hard labour later reduced to seven years. The case was widely seen by the domestic media as a warning that military affairs remained off-limits even though direct military rule had ended. The Unity Five were released in an amnesty in April 2016, soon after the NLD, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, had come to power following an election in 2015. The Unity Journal subsequently closed. Reuters was unable to reach government legal officials over the weekend and a Monday public holiday to request details of any other past cases in which the Official Secrets Act was used. The Latest Case Little is known of the allegations against the two Reuters journalists, other than that police said they were arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces and are charged under Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act. Two policemen are also being investigated in the case, according to police. Section 3 covers entering prohibited places, taking images or handling secret official documents that might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy. Human Rights Watch in 2016 said Section 3 defines the offence of spying extremely broadly. Where a military establishment is involved, section 3(2) of the statute effectively places the burden on the defendant to prove that they are not guilty, the group said. Has anything changed under suu kyi? In May 2016, the month after Suu Kyi took power, the 1975 State Protection Act that had been used to keep her under house arrest for years was repealed. The Emergency Provisions Act, introduced in 1950 and frequently used against activists after the military seized power in a 1962 coup, was swept away in October the same year. But the Official Secrets Act and other laws, such as the 1908 Unlawful Associations Act, that have been used to jail journalists and activists, remain in force. Reuters was unable to reach Suu Kyis spokesman to seek comment from Suu Kyi on the use of the Official Secrets Act to detain the two Reuters journalists. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Previously both the Taliban and, increasingly, the Islamic State group have carried out devastating attacks in Kabul. (Photo: File/Representational) Kabul: Armed militants stormed an intelligence agency training facility in Kabul on Monday, officials said, triggering intense fighting with police in the latest attack to hit the Afghan capital. "Around 10:10 am, a group of armed attackers entered an under-construction building in (the) NDS training centre in (the) Afshar area of Kabul," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said, referring to the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's spy agency. "The fighting is ongoing and we have also launched our operation." There were no immediate reports of any casualties. Nasrat Rahim, a deputy interior ministry spokesman, said the sound of large and small arms fire could be heard from the fighting. Roads to the area were closed and dozens of police and intelligence officers were blocking access to the public. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Previously both the Taliban and, increasingly, the Islamic State group have carried out devastating attacks in Kabul. In November, a suicide attacker blew himself up outside a political gathering in Kabul, killing at least 14 people. The bombing was claimed by the Islamic State group. After serving the country for 45 years, the MI-8 helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF), also known as 'Pratap', were phased out on Sunday at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka. The ceremony was headed by the retired Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, who had flown the last MI-8 mission. The chief guest at the occasion was Air Marshal SRK Nair, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, IAF. Speaking on the occasion, Air Marshal Naik said,"Ever since the rotors churned for the first time, this helicopter played a very significant role, right from the glaciers of Siachen, down to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and even across the islands we have around our country. Whether it is the deserts of the west or the far east, Vijay Naga, Gandhi Gram. This helicopter played a very vital role in the day to day survival in the inhospitable conditions." The MI-8, designed by the erstwhile Soviet Union, first arrived in Mumbai in 1971 and was inducted to the IAF in 1972. Between 1971 and 1988, Indian Air Force inducted 107 MI-8 helicopters. These choppers have been used in several major IAF operations including Operation Meghdoot in the Siachen Glacier and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. The helicopter also operated extensively in Humanitarian and Disaster Relief operations across the length and breadth of the country. MI-8 is also associated with flying VIPs and VVIPs. The 112 Helicopter Unit based here at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka, is the last unit to operate this chopper. The proposed National Medical Commission will give private medical colleges a free hand to determine the fees of 60% seats. The NMC would decide the tuition charges of the remaining seats to ensure meritorious students don't miss out on medical education because of poor finance. The commission proposed as a replacement to the scam-tainted Medical Council of India a would also do away with the annual inspection of new colleges for five years. According to the draft legislation, permission would be required only for the establishment and recognition of a medical college. No annual renewal would be needed and a hike in the number of seats would tplace automaticallyally. The draft legislation, government sources said, would open up the medical education sector, bringing in new investment, resulting in a rise in the number of undergraduate and postgraduate seats. To ensure that the quality of education is not diluted as a quid pro quo, the law would make an exit examination mandatory. Anyone passing out from any medical college would have to sit in a national licentiate examination to qualify as a practising doctor. The entrance exam for MBBS courses would be through the national eligibility cum entrance test that has been mandated by the Centre. The commission would regulate the medical education sector through four autonomous boards. The boards will report to the NMC, which in turn would seek guidance from the 64-member Medical Advisory Council. The number of members in both of these bodies has been enhanced from the first draft of the bill, created by an expert panel. After several rounds of internal consultations, the number of members in the commission has been enhanced to 25 instead of 20 as originally envisaged where the advisory council has been converted into a 64-member body as against 51 in the first draft. A big difference with the existing law is that MCI office bearers are currently elected from the state council, whereas in the proposed structure, it is a hybrid one with a primacy for a selected member. Also, the penal provision is a steep financial one a 10 times the annual tuition fee a as there would be no provision to cancel the licence of a college. This is the second attempt by the central government in the past 15 years to replace the MCI. A previous attempt by the UPA government in the form of the National Commission for Human Resources for Health Bill, 2011, didn't fructify as lawmakers discarded the bill. Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today as trends showed that the BJP was inching towards victory in the two states. "I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly," he said in a series of tweets. He also said the results proved that there is a strong support for "politics of good governance and development". "I salute the hardworking BJP karyakartas (workers) in these states for their hard work which has led to these impressive victories," he said. In another tweet in Hindi, Modi said development won and so did Gujarat. The BJP today headed for a record sixth straight victory in Gujarat assembly polls, and was set to evict the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, tightening the party's grip over the country's politics with general elections only 18 months away. PTI NABi RT Twelve people were killed following a major fire at a dry snacks making unit-cum-sales outlet in the busy Saki Naka area of Andheri East on Monday morning. The fire broke out at a compound near the Laxminaryan temple off the Khairani Road in Saki Naka around 4.17 am. The fire was doused in some time but the structure collapsed. Electric wiring, furniture, huge stock of eatables and other things were gutted in the fire. The Mumbai Fire Brigade recovered 12 people from the debris, who were rushed to the Rajawadi Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival. The bodies have been sent for post mortem. "On initial inquiry, we came to know that 10 to 15 people worked in the gala. Twelve persons were trapped in the loft," chief fire officer Prabhat Rahangdale said. The fire started on the ground floor following which the workers went to the loft and got trapped. The loft collapsed because of heat and fire. The blaze, however, did not spread beyond an area of 60x30 feet in the nearby structures. The victims were aged between 30 and 35 and sustained 60 to 100% burns. "The police is probing the fire and trying to ascertain the cause. If negligence is found, owner and manager would be booked," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone X) Navinchandra Reddy. The number of Indians travelling to the United States dropped "significantly" in the first six months of 2017, with experts attributing the dip to important policy changes -- especially at home. As per the latest figures released by US National Travel and Tourism Office, in the first six months (January to June), there was a drop of 12.9 percent in the number of people travelling from India to the US. The drop was a significant 18.3 percent during the second quarter months of April, May, and June. "We've seen some softness in visitation (from India to the US) in 2017, in the first part of the year. We expect that to be just a short-term phenomenon," Brand USA's president and CEO Chris Thompson told PTI in an interview. Thompson said the significant policy changes made by India in the last one year might have impacted the numbers. "There are so many things that influence the intent or ability for people to travel. The demonetisation. The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was also something that affects people's ability or intent to travel," Thompson said. Thompson said he couldn't pinpoint the reason behind the dwindling numbers, but hoped that the "softness" be a short-term phenomenon. Responding to a question on the impact of the general anti-immigrant sentiment in the US, the Brand USA CEO said the impact has been "negligible" in India. "Brand USA carried out sentiment research in its top 11 markets, which includes India. President Donald Trump is being seen as friendly by our Indian friends and visitors," he said. "The only issue that we've had probably may have contributed to some of the softness is there was more demand for visas than we had the ability to process," he said, adding that the issue has now been resolved. In 2016 there were 1.17 million travellers from India who visited the US contributing USD 13.6 million toward the US economy, which was a 14 percent increase over the year prior. According to the latest projections by the Department of Commerce, the US expects an additional 814,000 visitors from India by 2021 as compared to the 2016 figures, Thompson said. "That will be a 72 percent increase over 2016 number," he said. The Brand USA chief said he was still "very optimistic and very bullish" about India. More direct flights between the two countries would help in this increase as will the increasing cooperation between the two countries on travel and tourism, he said. As the BJP is set to form the government in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, celebrations broke out at the saffron party's state headquarters here, with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan taking part in it. The celebrations broke out at Deendayal Parisar, the party's headquarters in the city, with the party workers bursting crackers and distributing sweets. They waved the saffron flag and held placards with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a gathering, Chouhan attributed the "victory" to the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hard work of BJP chief Amit Shah. "Narendra Modi ji is a synonym of development and gift of God to the country. Under his leadership, the country would realise the dream of becoming the vishwa guru (world leader). The victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh is the result of his incredible leadership and the hard work of Amit Shah (BJP chief)," Chouhan told the gathering. When asked about Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Chouhan refused to comment saying people have already given a "befitting reply" by electing the BJP. Terming solid waste management as a "huge problem" for the country, the Supreme Court has said that there was no shortage of funds under 'Swachh Bharat Mission' but there was "lack" of willingness on the part of states to take positive steps in this regard. The apex court noted the submissions of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF) that there was a total outlay of Rs 36,829 crore under the mission out of which Rs 7,424 crore was made available by the Centre. A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said that the issue pertaining to solid waste management was needed to be looked into with all due concern and seriousness by the state governments, particularly in context of 'Swachh Bharat Mission'. The 'Swachh Bharat Mission' is a cleanliness campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "It is stated in the affidavit of the MoEF that the Government of India has launched a Swachh Bharat Mission for which there is a total outlay of Rs 36,829 crore out of which Rs 7,424 crores have been made available by the central government," the bench said. "Therefore, it is quite clear that there is absolutely no shortage of funds, but there is only absence of any initiative or lack of any willingness to take any positive steps for solid waste management," it said. Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for MoEF, referred to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and said that one of its provision required setting up of a state level advisory body (SLAB). When the court was informed that some of the states have not had even one meeting of the SLAB, the bench said, "It is quite clear from the above that there is no seriousness attached to the management of solid waste to the extent that even the SLAB has not been set up and in some cases where the body has been set up it has not even met once in six months". The court asked the MoEF to issue a communication to all the states requiring information from them about setting up of the SLAB, names of its members, number of meetings held, the decisions taken and steps taken for implementation of the 2016 rules. The bench made it clear to the state governments that in case they do not provide full, correct and accurate details to the MOEF, they would likely to be burdened with "very heavy costs". "The state governments should keep in mind the fact that availability of funds is not a problem under Swachh Bharat Mission and also keep in mind that solid waste management is a huge problem being faced by the country at this stage," it said in a recent order and fixed the matter for hearing on February 6 next year. The court had earlier expressed grave concern over deaths due to vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya and said that lack of waste management was the cause for several lives being lost across the country from such diseases. Army jawan Koushal Singh, 19, who died in an avalanche along the LoC in north Kashmir, was cremated with full military honours at his native village in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir today. Hundreds of people poured in from different villages of the district to give a tearful adieu to the slain soldier, who belonged to the 33 Rashtriya Rifles. Singh was one of the five soldiers who had gone missing during the two avalanches on December 13. Two soldiers slipped down a mountain slope in Naugam sector of Kupwara district while three others went missing from a forward post in Kanzalwan sub-sector of Gurez in Bandipora district during heavy snowfall on December 13. While Singh's body was traced, rescue operations are underway to find the remaining jawans. At least 22 Army soldiers died due to snow furry in Gurez and Sonmarg areas of north Kashmir in January alone. Singh's coffin draped in tricolour was brought to his hometown in the presence of senior Army officials, who paid floral tributes to him. A gun salute was also given to the soldier by a contingent of Army. Over Rs 167.7 crore LPG subsidy of 37.21 lakh consumers has been deposited in Airtel Payments Bank accounts till November-end, without taking the "informed consent" of users, a senior government official said today. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), on Saturday, had temporarily barred Bharti Airtel and Airtel Payments Bank from conducting Aadhaar-based SIM verification of mobile customers using e-KYC process, as well as e-KYC of payments bank clients. The official said that as of the end of November, a total of Rs 167.77 crore of subsidy was transferred to accounts in Airtel Payment Bank. The number of consumers whose subsidy amounts were going to these accounts is 37.21 lakh. In order to check diversions, the government pays subsidy equivalent to buying 12 LPG cylinders of 14.2-kg each in a year, directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. Unlike in the past, LPG now is only available at market price. Beneficiaries get the subsidy for one cylinder in advance and are replenished the moment they use it up to buying LPG refill. Of the Rs 167.72 crore, Rs 88.18 crore of subsidy was transferred of 17.32 lakh consumers enrolled with Indian Oil Corp (IOC). Just over Rs 40 crore subsidy belonged to 10.06 lakh consumers enrolled with Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) and Rs 39.46 crore to 9.8 lakh consumers of Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL). The official asserted that entirely all of the 37.21 lakh payment bank accounts were activated without the explicit or informed consent of the consumers. The UIDAI, in an interim order late last week, suspended the eKYC licence key of both Airtel Payments Bank and Airtel, which India's largest telecom operator with 285 million subscribers. The action follows allegations of Bharti Airtel using the Aadhaar-eKYC based SIM verification process to open payments bank accounts of its subscribers without their 'informed consent'. UIDAI also took strong objection to allegations that such payments bank accounts are being linked to receive LPG subsidy. This essentially means Airtel would not be able to, in the interim, carry out 'electronic-verification' or link mobile SIMs of its customers with their 12-digit biometric national ID Aadhaar through the efficient and paperless eKYC (or electronic Know Your Customer) process of UIDAI. The company would have to revert to the traditional means including physical documentation and forms and verification. Incidentally, the telecom operators face a deadline of March 31, 2018, for linking of existing mobile connections with the 12-digital biometric identifier. A detailed email sent to Bharti Airtel on the impact of UIDAI's latest move on the SIM verification process (of Airtel), and the alternate mechanism being worked out by the company, went unanswered. Amidst reports that several political parties were trying to bribe voters ahead of the December 21 bypoll to the high-profile RK Nagar constituency, the Madras High Court on Monday directed the Election Commission (EC) to tackle those violating the model code of conduct with an iron hand. The court direction came after DMK RK Nagar nominee Maruthu Ganesh filed a petition alleging that money to the tune of Rs 100 crore was distributed to the voters on the day EC Observer Vikram Bathra took charge. In its counter, the EC submitted that the entire polling process would be webcast live on the EC's website. While denying the petitioner's charge that money changed hands, the EC submitted that the DMK was trying to stall the poll process by making such allegations. The poll panel also said more than 250 CCTV cameras were installed in the constituency and 15 companies of para-military force were deployed on poll duty. After the EC assured that it was committed to holding a free and fair poll, the court treated the petition as closed. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday vociferously backed the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and said critics were scared of defeat. Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on BJP's victory in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly elections, Nitish said, "Congress was claiming it would win in Gujarat. However, it lost Himachal too." Nitish, formerly seen as an arch-rival of Modi, greeted the PM and BJP president Amit Shah over telephone. He also tweeted in Hindi: "Congratulations Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for winning Gujarat and Himachal. Congress, which earlier claimed it would wrest Gujarat, lost Himachal too." Ever since Nitish dumped the Grand Alliance after deserting RJD and Congress in July this year, he has not missed an opportunity to shower praise on Modi and ridicule his former alliance partners. Rebuts Cong charge In another tweet in Hindi, Nitish took a dig at the Congress party for pointing an accusing finger at EVMs. "Electronic voting machines have helped make elections transparent and impartial; those criticising them were doing so out of fear of defeat. Now nobody can deprive anybody the right to cast votes," tweeted Nitish. His observation came against the backdrop of charges levelled by the Congress about EVMs being tampered in Gujarat to favour the BJP. Nitish, who is also the JD (U) president, now runs his coalition government in Bihar with the support of the BJP and other NDA partners. The Election Commission's dilemma over acting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reportedly flouting the model code of conduct during Assembly polls in Gujarat finally led to the withdrawal of a notice it served to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the same. The EC had served a notice to Rahul after some TV channels aired his interviews on Wednesday - just a day before the second phase polling for the election of the Gujarat State Assembly was scheduled to be held. This had prompted the Congress to lodge a complaint with the EC over violation of the model code of conduct by the prime minister himself. The poll panel, however, did not act against the prime minister and rather late at night on Sunday withdrew the notice served to Rahul. It also ordered setting up a committee to review the model code of conduct and Section 126 of the Representation of India Act, 1951, which was reportedly flouted by the Congress president. "The commission is of the considered view that due to multi-fold expansion of digital and electronic media, the extant Model Code of Conduct, the Section 126 of the R P Act 1951 and other related provisions require revisiting to cater to the requirement and challenges of the present and emerging situations," the EC stated in an order issued late at night on Sunday. Section 126 of the R P Act 1951, and Para 1 (4) of the Model Code of Conduct prohibits campaigning during the 48 hours before the scheduled conclusion of the polling. Canvassing within 100 meters of polling stations is also prohibited under the Para 1 (4) of the Model Code of Conduct. The poll panel, however, noted that multiphase elections might result in a situation in which even when the 48-hour prohibition on campaigning would be in force in some areas, even when electioneering would be continuing in other areas. Besides, due to advancement of communication technology and rise of social media, even an individual can broadcast or telecast "any election-related matter" from any corner of the world, which could be received by the people of any polling area within the 48 hours when prohibition on campaigning would be in force, the EC observed. Undeterred by the less number of Assembly seats for the BJP to retain power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Gujarat mandate for his party for the sixth consecutive time as a very strong signal that "the country is ready for reforms." Addressing senior BJP leaders and party workers on Monday evening, Modi said the Gujarat poll results, which are "historical", have nailed the campaign unleashed by the Congress that the people are against reforms like the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Modi cautioned the BJP and the people against attempts "to belittle what has happened in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh by those opposed to us. From the Uttar Pradesh civic polls to the polls in Maharashtra, the BJP has scored remarkable victories... After the GST, in Maharashtra's civic elections, the BJP won." "People want reforms, and are backing those who show a strong will to usher in reforms for transformation. The Congress was hatching conspiracies and spreading misinformation in Gujarat. I want to congratulate people of the state as they did not tolerate the opposition mocking 'vikas'," the prime minister added. Modi said, "For me, Gujarat polls are a matter of double joy. The BJP will back to continue Gujarat's development story. I am so happy that after I left the state, my colleagues there have continued the good work. The BJP won all the seats it contested in 1989 Lok Sabha polls. We won most of the seats we contested in 1990. In 1995, in 1998, in 2002, in 2007 and in 2012 we won. We won most seats in Lok Sabha polls too." Six Bangladeshis are among eight people arrested on Sunday for securing Aadhaar cards by forging papers. Rubiulla (23), Riyad Khan (25), Mohammed Khokon (20), Ohidulla (29), Mohammed Kalam (34), Robin Althar (23) and Zakir Hussain (28) - all from Murel Ganj Thana, Bangladesh - are said to have illegally entered India by crossing rivers a few years ago. They travelled from Kolkata to Bengaluru by train and settled in labour colonies in Iblur and Marathahalli. They landed housekeeping jobs in IT firms near Whitefield, a senior police officer. They took the help of Saifullah, a tout from NS Palya, BTM Layout, to get Aadhaar cards. Saifullah got Dr Lokesh, who works at a primary health centre in Bommasandra, to attest documents for the Bangladeshis. He managed to secure Aadhaar cards for all the six men and charged them Rs 500 apiece. The eight men were arrested in a joint operation by officials of the Unique Identification Authority of India and the Bellandur police. Officials found that the residential addresses submitted by the suspects were fake. Saifullah is said to have procured around 50 Aadhaar cards by forging documents. Police are looking into all the cases. The suspects, including Dr Lokesh, were booked under various sections of the IPC, the IT Act, the Aadhaar Act and under section 149a) (b) of the Foreigners' Act. 15 December 2017 (Los Angeles Times) This last year has been a dangerous one for journalists around the globe a record 262 men and women are imprisoned because of the nature of the work they do, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Its part of a disturbing trend of attacking and undermining institutions that exist to hold public officials accountable and to bring light into some of the darkest corners of the world.Turkey and Egypt two U.S. allies and China account for about half of the detained journalists, but the problem extends widely. Heres what happened just this week: Two Reuters staffers who had been working on stories about the Myanmar governments violent ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Rakhine State were arrested under that countrys Official Secrets Act; a journalist writing about corruption was jailed in Tajikistan; and a French documentary filmmaker was detained in Kashmir by Indian authorities.Most appalling is that the list of 262 includes some journalists who were nabbed a decade ago or longer by governments that have refused to divulge their whereabouts or even whether they are alive; some are likely dead. In fact, the Committee to Protect Journalists reports that 37 journalists were killed this year; 13 of them were murdered and the rest were killed covering combat or working in other risky conditions.President Trump doesnt bear the responsibility for these deaths and internments, of course. Over the last decade, the annual number of jailed journalists averaged 183, with a low of 125 in 2008. But Trumps rhetoric has given cover to regimes that not only have oppressed journalists, but seek to discredit their work.Trump has spent more than a year attacking critical coverage as fake news; taking his cue, authoritarian regimes have used similar language to dismiss coverage that exposes scandals, highlights egregious behavior or simply displeases them. The Chinese Communist Party newspaper, the Peoples Daily, ran an op-ed recently citing Trumps fake news screeds as cause to distrust all U.S. coverage of China and its policies. [] Syrian President Bashar Assad and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro similarly dismissed negative coverage of their repressive regimes actions as fake news. [more] By Ralph Atkins and Mehreen Khan 17 December 2017 ZURICH (Financial Times) Austrias far-right nationalist Freedom party will control several powerful ministries when the countrys new government is sworn in on Monday, after it struck a coalition deal that will significantly toughen Viennas stance on immigration and asylum seekers. In a breakthrough for the Eurosceptic Freedom party, it will govern together with the centre-right Peoples party of 31-year-old chancellor-elect Sebastian Kurz. The Freedom party will take control of the defence, interior and foreign ministries while its leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who has warned of Austrias Islamification, will become vice-chancellor.The progress and policies of Mr Kurzs government will be closely watched around the EU, where mainstream politicians have grown increasingly concerned about the rise of nationalist and populist political forces. Pierre Moscovici, the EUs centre-left commissioner for economics, warned that the Freedom partys presence should arouse the vigilance of democrats who supported European values. The presence of the extreme right in power is never trivial, he said.Marine Le Pen, the leader of Frances National Front who failed in her presidential bid in May, said Freedoms government role in Austria was excellent news for Europe. [more] By Lin-Manuel Miranda 13 December 2017 (The Washington Post) Since Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico 84 days ago, my Uncle Elvin hasnt had electricity. You read that right. Eighty-four days without being able to turn on a light, or stock a refrigerator, or take a hot shower. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans on the island cannot do the simple things we all take for granted. Add to this lack of power the destruction of thousands of homes, rural areas still isolated, small businesses not operating and an ever-increasing migration of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland. It will take a long time for Puerto Rico to be totally functional again under the best of circumstances.The federal governments response to the disaster in Puerto Rico has been painfully slow and not commensurate with the hurricane response in Texas and Florida. It reminds me of Ricky Martins 1995 song Maria. He sang, un pasito palante Maria, un dos tres, un pasito patras. Thats the reality in Puerto Rico one step forward, one step backward. We rejoiced when the first package of $5 billion in aid was approved by Congress. But then the House included a 20 percent import tax on products manufactured in foreign jurisdictions in the tax-reform bill it passed in November. Because Puerto Rico would be considered a foreign jurisdiction under the bill, this tax would deal a mortal blow to the islands fragile economy, costing up to 250,000 jobs. []Puerto Rico needs a lifeline that only Congress and the Trump administration can provide. The list of needed actions is short, straightforward and agreed upon by Puerto Ricans of all political stripes. First, drop the crippling 20 percent excise tax on Puerto Rican products. This is an easy one given that the tax doesnt exist yet. It can simply be removed from the tax-reform bill right now being finalized in House-Senate conference negotiations. Christopher Plummer Found Julie Andrews Best In 'The Sound of Music' An online post praising a Burger King employee for helping a woman with type 1 diabetes has gone viral. Rebecca Boening, 61, was behind the wheel of her car in Texas when her blood sugar levels became dangerously low. Tina Hardy, 32, whose husband also has type 1 diabetes, was working on the Burger King drive thru when Rebecca requested her order. Hearing her slurred speech and confusion over the intercom, Tina identified there was a problem and acted quickly. Reporting what had happened in her Facebook post, Rebecca said: As I stumbled through placing my order I mentioned to the voice on the speaker that I was diabetic and in need of food. Low blood sugar makes it difficult to think or act. I pulled up to the first window in order to pay for my food. I was shocked to see Burger King employee Tina Hardy running toward the front of my car. She squeezed between the front of my car and the building just to bring me a small serving of ice cream. Tina later explained, because of her husband also having the condition, she recognised the signs and knew it was important to ensure Rebecca was ok and did not need further assistance. Rebecca added: She instructed me to park across the driveway so that she could keep an eye on me until I felt better. After eating I waited for a break in business so that I could return to Tinas window. Once she started to feel better, Rebecca thanked Tina and told her manager about the kind gesture. Since posting her account of the story to her Facebook page, she has received more than 400,000 likes. The two women have remained in contact and speak everyday now and Rebecca has set up a fundraising page, asking people to donate towards buying Tina, a mother of three, a car. Experiencing low blood sugars is also known as hypoglycemia and can develop when a person with diabetes has not eaten enough food or taken too much insulin. Symptoms can include shaking, dizziness and a racing heartbeat. In order to treat low blood sugar levels, 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate must be consumed. The diabetes drug class glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have positive heart health outcomes without major safety concerns, research shows. University of Oxford scientists conducted a meta-analysis of the GLP-1 agonists Lyxumia (lixisenatide), Victoza (liraglutide), Ozempic (semaglutide), and Bydureon (extended-release exenatide), to assess their impact on heart health. The type 2 diabetes drugs are all designed to help lower blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin and suppressing glucagon after meals. In people with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 treatment led to a 10% reduced risk for combination of heart attack, stroke or death from heart disease; a 13% per cent reduced risk of death from heart disease specifically; and a 12% reduced risk of death from any cause. Our findings show cardiovascular safety across all GLP-1 receptor agonist cardiovascular outcome trials and suggest that drugs in this class can reduce three-point major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality risk, albeit to varying degrees for individual drugs, without significant safety concerns, said the researchers. The meta-analysis used data from trials where GLP-1 drugs were compared with placebo in adults with type 2 diabetes. The primary outcomes of the research included effects of cardiovascular mortality, heart attack and non-fatal stroke. Four trials were identified, and alongside improved heart health benefits, no significant effects were observed on hospital admission for unstable angina or heart failure. Moreover, no significant differences were observed regarding severe hypoglycemia, pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. GLP-1 receptor agonists have a favourable risk-benefit balance overall, which should allow the choice of drug to be individualised to each patients needs, added the researchers. The results have been published in The Lancet journal. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) The Pendleton Round-Up's branded whisky has been sold to a Mexican liquor conglomerate for $205 million. The East Oregonian reports that the parent company of the Jose Cuervo line of tequilas announced the purchase of the Pendleton Whisky brand from Hood River Distillers on Thursday. . . . The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs48.87 crore belonging to Ahmedabad-based Sintex Industries in connection with a foreign exchange violation probe related to the Panama Papers. The attachment was made following a probe into the floating of offshore entity Amarange at British Virgin Islands by Sintex owner Rahul Patel. ''The names of Shri Amit Patel and Shri Rahul Patel had figured in the Panama Papers case with respect to their stakes / interests in Amarange Inc, BVI. Accordingly, investigations under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 were initiated by the Enforcement Directorate,'' an ED statement said. "ED has seized properties, including land pieces admeasuring 1,09,542 square metres and 18,309 square metres worth Rs48.87 crore (equivalent to $3 million) in the form of immovable assets of M/s Sintex Industries Ltd, Ahmedabad, under Section 37A of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999," the statement official said. The official further said that investigation had also revealed that Sintex Industries Ltd had remitted 73.05 million to Sintex Holding BV at Netherlands (WOS) in the period 26 May 2007 to 27 July 2009, as overseas direct investment. "Amit Patel is the director of the overseas company. Further, Sintex Holding BV, Netherlands, had created a wholly owned subsidiary named Amarange Inc which was incorporated in British Virgin Islands (BVI) with Amit Patel and Rahul Patel as its directors," the ED said. The funds remitted as overseas direct investment by Sintex Industries Ltd were utilised by Sintex Holding BV, Netherlands, for acquiring a property in Singapore. "In 2009, Sintex Holding BV, Netherlands, attempted to sell Amarange Inc, BVI to Hanca Investment Ltd, BVI for $8.20 million. For this, Sintex Holding BV, Netherlands had received $3 million but due to default in the payment of the balance amount of $5.20 million by Hanca Investment Ltd, BVI, Sintex Holding BV forfeited $3 million and the share sale was annulled. Sintex Holding BV, Netherlands, remained the beneficial owner of Amarange Inc, BVI," the ED statement said. "Further, during 2017, the property in Singapore was sold for Singapore $62,50,000 and, consequently, Sintex Holding BV, Netherlands, dissolved Amarange Inc, BVI, on August 8 this year having engaged in no business or activity except for the purchase and sale of Singapore property," it said. An ED official said that both these transactions of $3 million and Singapore $62,50,000 were shown as income for Sintex Holdings BV, Netherlands, and never brought back to India. "Thus, Sintex Industries Limited had violated the provisions of FEMA and that a total of Rs48,87,22,500 is still being held outside India as a result of the said transfers," the official said. In April 2016 it was reported that Patel - one of the three managing directors of Sintex Industries Ltd, which is best known for its water tanks - was a director in a BVI entity named Amarange Inc which was registered in 2008. The company was struck off the Mossack Fonseca records in 2014. The purpose for which it was set up has been recorded as: ''Investments and for holding real estate in Singapore''. The ED said its probe found that the accounts of the firm, through its subsidiary in the BVI, was used to purchase an immovable property in Singapore in alleged contravention of foreign exchange laws and hence action was taken against them. Contacted by The Indian Express in 2016, Rahul A Patel had said, ''We have a number of companies registered abroad. I am not sure if Amarange Inc is still ours.'' Sintex Industries managing director Amit D Patel had said, ''We acquired this (Amarange Inc) in 2007. When you acquire a company, you need to hold it outside India and then repatriate the dividends to India. So it is done with RBI permission and guidelines. We also borrow money there and send money outside India to fund our acquisition and we also get dividends from those companies into India. It (Amarange Inc) is part of our balance sheets and we also disclose (information about) it in our balance sheets since 2007. We keep on creating and closing these companies as and when the acquisition opportunities arise.'' Consumers could be eating "dirty" chlorinated turkey at Christmas if the UK agrees a post-Brexit trade deal with the USA, according to a new briefing paper by leading food policy experts. The team, from the University of Sussex, Cardiff University and City, University of London, found US poultry, washed in up to four chemical disinfectants, does not meet EU safety standards. The academics also found the chemicals are used in the USA to wash fruit, vegetables and fish. They warn that British shoppers would be safer if the UK kept European Union standards and say future controls should be "stricter, not weaker". Professors Erik Millstonefrom University of Sussex, Tim Lang from City, University of London and Terry Marsden of Cardiff University compared current UK and EU standards with those in the US, and concluded that the use of chemical disinfectants by the US food industry posed risks to consumers and workers in the industry. The question of whether the UK would import chlorine-washed meat after Brexit was raised when US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross warned that a post-Brexit UK-US trade deal would require that the UK abandoned EU standards. Professor Erik Millstone says, "The UK should continue to insist on improving hygiene standards in poultry farms, slaughter houses and meat-cutting plants and not allow standards to decline, nor try relying on chemical disinfectants to reduce the harm that filthy meat can cause. UK consumers would be safer to keep EU standards, and not to accept US disinfectant-washed-but-still-dirty poultry." The new paper, published by the Food Research Collaboration, an inter-university network based at City's Centre for Food Policy, concluded that: Far too few studies have been conducted into disinfectant-washed poultry The available data set is full of holes Some studies have produced data indicating significant risks. US chemicals The turkeys and chickens on sale in the UK this Christmas cannot lawfully be washed with four chemicals that the US poultry trade calls 'pathogen reduction treatments' (PRTs). The briefing paper identifies the set of scientific and policy documents, endorsed by the US Food and Drug Administration, which explain why the country's poultry industry uses these chemicals, and why they are not permitted in the UK or EU. According to the authors, the animal carcasses are washed with disinfectants because when they arrive at US abattoirs and meat cutting plants they are far more contaminated with infectious filth, including excrement, than in the UK's current food supply chain. The UK and EU approach insists that hygiene standards in the supply chain are sufficiently high that they do not need to be chemically disinfected. Statistics cited in the briefing paper show that 97 per cent of chicken breast meat in the USA contains pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli. The US-approved PRT chemicals are used to wash chicken, turkey, other types of meat as well as fish, fruit and vegetables. They are peroxyacetic acid, chlorine dioxide, acidified sodium chlorite, and trisodium phosphate (E 339 iii). The authors argue that if the UK allows PRT washed meat, they might then also be allowed for fish, fruit and vegetables. The briefing paper also found: there is evidence PRTs may contribute to the formation of toxic compounds when they interact with poultry flesh; use of PRTs may worsen the chances that disinfectant-resistant bacteria will emerge. Professor Tim Lang says, "We cannot support any weakening of UK food hygiene standards. This is not what UK consumers have voted for or been consulted on. We were shocked when we found that PRTs are allowed to wash fish, fruit and vegetables, as well as poultry. This might put off UK consumers." Recommendations The academics cite a World Health Organisation and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report saying disinfectants "must not be used to mask poor hygienic practices". Professor Terry Marsden says, "This is one of a series of food safety concerns of which consumers need to be aware as the Brexit process continues. The UK needs to improve its intensive food production and processing standards and not put both animals and consumers at risk." The experts make a series of recommendations, including that: the UK commits to at least maintaining safety and quality standards; public health, environmental, animal welfare and consumer organisations should combine to prevent the sale of poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables washed with chemical disinfectants in the UK. TEN sheep have been killed in two separate dog attacks in Riverstown, Co Louth which have been described as "vicious" by a local farmer. Irish Farmer's Association Cooley Branch Chairman Matthew McGreehan from Glenmore, Riverstown warned dog owners that farmers are well within their rights to shoot a dog if they are of the opinion the dog is about to worry or has been worrying sheep. Owners are also liable to pay compensation to farmers for their loss, he said. Four sheep were killed in the Balaverty area of Cooley and six sheep were killed in the Benagh area near Riverstown. It's fairly possible it was a big dog that was involved in the attack as the heads were taken off them and the sheep were frightened, he said. Some sheep are still missing and the rest of the flock is in lamb. It's too early to calculate the total cost. Deep tech startups are addressing some of societys biggest problems and creating the jobs of tomorrow but theyve been neglected in the governments love affair with co-working spaces, according to Petra Andren, the CEO of Sydney-based super incubator Cicada Innovations. Ahead of her appearance at the Global Mobile Internet Conference in Sydney, earlier this month, Andren spoke to Dynamic Business about Australias deep technology sector including the work Cicada Innovations is doing with startups. [Related: VCs are competing for startups, accelerators are sharing mentors: funding landscape panel] She described Cicada Innovations, which operates out of the Australian Technology Park in Sydney, as an accelerator-driven incubator, explaining were in the business of creating, validating and nurturing science- and IP-driven startups, which may involve commercialising IP out of our partner universities. As part of this undertaking, Andren said Cicada Innovations provides startups in its cohort with business support including deep tech facilities, a pathway to capital (from seed through to series B) and access to talent notably, the leadership they require at each stage of their business journey. The person whos the CEO in the early stages of a deep tech company and thats generally the technical founder isnt necessarily the best person for the role in the companys later stages, she said. When a company starts to scale, we think its usually best for them to have a CEO who is more finance, business or sales focused. We act like an executive search firm for our startups, sourcing CEOs for them through our network connections or from within our own community. We also rotate CEOs across our community of 70 companies. There are CEOS in our community who are a great fit for an early-stage company, others who are perfect for mid-stage, scale-up companies and those who are ideal for the international or exit phases. Andren said that part of Cicada Innovations entry criteria is that startups must have two founders (statistically, one-man or one-woman bands dont tend to make it perhaps due to the burden involved) and that a technical founder must be involved (we work with founders who know how to build whatever it is theyre building). In addition, Andren said that when the incubator is approached by a startup, it considers the size of the opportunity, including the addressable market, and whether the founders have a defensible position. It doesnt necessarily have be a patent but we want the founders to have a moat, she explained. By that, I mean something that protects their IP and ensures it cant be easily replicated. Also, its important for them to perform a freedom to operate analysis to ensure that whatever theyre working on, whatever IP theyre developing isnt infringing on someone else we dont want them to find out a few years down the track that theyre infringing on someone elses patent and then get sued. Andren said Cicada Innovations is not afraid to turn applicants away and will often require founding teams to complete homework before accepting them into the fold One of our startups, now in our community, was given homework and they joined us two years later, after ticking all the right boxes we never write anyone off!). In addition, she said the incubator will move out startups that fail to meet agreed-upon commercial milestones When something isnt working, its not wise to keep it on life support. Andren said that Australias deep tech startups have traditionally had to seek funding abroad, with Europe being a key source of capital when it comes to ventures specialising in hardware. She explained: Historically, Australian investors have, unlike their European counterparts, lacked the domain expertise and willingness to back pre-revenue, hardware-driven ventures. Fortunately, Andren said its becoming easier for deep tech startups to find investment in their own backyard due to a record year in terms of local funds raising capital. She singled out the contributions Main Sequence Ventures and IP Group will make to the deep tech sector. The former, established in December 2016 to manage CSIROs Innovation Fund, has $100 million to invest in deep tech founders but there are plans to make a further $100 million available. The latter, meanwhile, has entered an agreement with leading universities across Australia and New Zealand to invest $200 million in commercialising academic-developed IP. Thats potentially a $400 million investment in deep tech, Andren said. The funding available to deep tech startups will, of course, depend on which industry vertical they operate in (i.e. agtech, medtech, spacetech and advanced materials) but generally, the sector hasnt previously had access to that level of capital. Despite this large chunk of money now available to deep tech startups, Andren believes government must seek to better understand the requirements of the sector. In an article penned for the Australian Financial Review in August, she took aim at the NSW Governments $35 million Sydney Startup Hub, which is set to open its doors by early 2018. The point I was making was that throwing more space at startups is a quick fix when it comes to rates of innovation in Australia, she explained. Yes, co-working spaces provide startups with access to a like-minded communitybut startups that are working on, say, an app or a digital marketplace have very different needs to deep tech companies, which require more space than a co-working facility can afford them. For instance, a deep tech founder whos developing a drone or working with robotics will likely need makerspace, which is a space that is equipped for them to undertake rapid prototyping. Another reason why you couldnt put a deep tech founder into a traditional co-working space is that theyre working with IP and need to safeguard it against leaks. Unfortunately, I havent see any initiatives that cater to the sector in this way. I think the state and federal governments should look into the provision of high-end makerspace. After all, deep tech startups are, through impactful technologies, generating new industries, addressing some of societys biggest problems and creating the jobs of the future. (Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah)Iraqi Christians return home to worship in desecrated churches. More than 40 religious leaders from Iraq gathered recently in Beirut, Lebanon under the auspices of the World Council of Churches for three days of constructive interfaith dialogue. Their goal was to identify and analyze opportunities and challenges related to cohesion and highlight the role of religious leaders in restoring inclusive multi-religious and multi-cultural communities in Iraq after years of conflict. The leaders, representing Iraq's diverse religious and ethnic fabric, included representatives from the Shiaa, Sunni, Shabak, Sabean Mandaean, Yezidi, Kaka'i and Christian communities. The overwhelming majority of Iraq's 39 million people are Muslims with between around 60 percent thought be Shiaa and 40 percent Sunnis and the other groups making up less that 1 percent each. It was the first time in recent history that brought together minority and mainstream religious groups to share their vision and commit on working together for the future of the country. 'DIALOGUE STRENGTHENS TRUST' "This dialogue strengthens trust among the religious and confessional leaders present, and enables us to interact positively," said Shia leader Sheikh Dr Yousif Al-Nasery, secretary general of the Shura Religious Scholars. "It makes us closer to each other, which offers to our people in Iraq a beautiful example for coexistence and religious dialogue... "When we meet and strengthen dialogue among us, we promote moderation and acceptance of others as well a recognition of mistakes and these are necessary components to build an advanced civil state in Iraq." The group met Dec. 11-13 and focused on the roles of four areas of society which have emerged as critical for advancing the national project of unity in Iraq. This seeks to form an inclusive and diverse community: education, religion, the constitution and legal frameworks for inclusive citizenship, and transitional justice. While the conference was an opportunity to plan for the future, it was also a practice in acceptance of the other and collaboration among participants. Dr. Khaled al Mulla, a prominent Sunni Muslim cleric of Baghdad and head of the Iraqi Scholars Association and a member of the Iraqi National Alliance, addressed the participants. "We should not deny that some of the violent acts that we have witnessed in our country have their roots in religion and religious texts. We have to accept this fact first and then affirm our role as religious leaders in finding remedies to it. "Promoting positive readings of our religious texts, imposing moderate religious discourse in our sermons, training the clerics on accepting diversity and inclusivity so that they can transfer this into the people, are essential for the Iraqi society in order to restore a community where every religious and ethnic component is recognized, lives in security, and contributes to the political, social and economic life of the country." The leaders also discussed the what is happening in their communities and many stressed the need to move from words to action. YAZIDI MINISTER Waheed Mandoo Hammo, prime minister of the provisional government of Ezidikhan in Iraq and representative for the Yazidi community, saw the conference as a first step in a continuing process. He told of his community's great suffering from the conflicts in Iraq during which people were violated and killed because of their faith and traditions. Waheed noted that the consultation provided a space for an honest dialogue, sharing of pain, and expressing concerns and fears regarding the future. Archbishop Avak Assadourian, primate of the Armenian Diocese of Iraq and general secretary of the Council of Christian Church Leaders in Iraq, agreed. "We all know what the ailment is but nobody has come up with a remedy for those ailments," he said. "Therefore, I would like to see a subsequent event where we have more time to work together in small groups, in order to take on the issues that were brought to this conference and come up with actions," said Assadourian. The conference issued a final statement of the conference calls for continuing dialogue among the group, to be accompanied by the development of the proposed strategic action plan, and corresponding activities with partners to address the challenges identified and prioritized by participants. Latest News Higher education scholarships promote management studies Various scholarships can help drive equality, diversity and promote economic growth, writes Ilian Mihov NBE postpones the NEET MDS 2023 exam date The revised exam schedule is available at NBE's portal Deakin University collaborates with Great Learning to offer online Masters in Data Science The one-year programme will be delivered via live virtual, recorded lectures by Deakin University's faculty, The Victorian Government has announced a merger of four Shepparton public schools into one new super school.The move is part of the governments Shepparton Education Plan, which is aimed at improving the states NAPLAN results.Under the plan, Shepparton High School and McGuire, Wanganui Park and Mooroopna Secondary colleges will merge into one, with a series of smaller houses within the larger school.The school, located in Shepparton, will be broken up into smaller schools or houses to create smaller learning communities where students are well known, and can build connections over many year levels.Students will stay in the same house throughout secondary school, with Years 7-9 students learning within their house, and Years 10-12 students moving around the campus for specialised subjects of their choice where needed.Victorian Education Minister, James Merlino, said this was chosen by the community and recommended by the Advisory Committee.Its the right option and will bring together schools, teachers, and families alike, Merlino said.We know that transformational change is needed to improve academic outcomes for all students in Shepparton and Mooroopna. This is a long-term vision and will take careful planning but well get it done.As well as new school buildings and resources designed to meet the needs of students in the future, students will have access to improved learning and teaching opportunities and increased well-being and sense of community.In order to further support Mooroopna Secondary College students, in 2018, a team of specialist educators will be embedded in the school to support the Colleges leadership and teaching team and their students.Member for Northern Victoria, Mark Gepp, said the government had already invested in a number of primary schools across the region.We now we need to turn our attention to the regions secondary schools, Gepp said. Streets in Germany resemble the ones in Baghdad German government tightens the security measures for New Year celebrations. Europe countries convulsed by successive the terror attacks last year, trying to deter terrorists from a possible attack. Leipzig resembles a Middle East city, with the blocks surronded the city. CONCRETE BLOCKS IN LEIPZIG Leipzig city hall tightens the security measures for New Year celebrations after DEAS terror attack in Berlin last year. City hall surrounded crowded squares and Christmas markets with concrete blocks. But preparations wasnt very well received by locals. THANKS MERKEL Expostulatory messages about Prime Minister Angela Merkel are being written on these concrete blocks. It was taped that some opponents wrote Thanks Merkel with graffiti on blocks. "Thanks Merkel" reads a graffitti at a conrete security bollard in front of the Christmas market in the eastern German city of Leipzig "Thanks Merkel" reads a graffitti at a conrete security bollard in front of the Christmas market in the eastern German city of Leipzig, Germany, December 17, 2017 MSNBC announced that the network made out a separation-related payment to a female staffer working under host Chris Matthews following a sexual harassment complaint. A spokesman for the NBC-owned network confirmed the news on Sunday, Dec. 17 in the wake of a Daily Caller report that claimed that the news channel paid the woman after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Matthews in 1999. Severance Package Citing two sources "familiar with the situation," The Daily Caller first reported on Saturday, Dec. 16, that Matthews made a payment of $40,000 to the woman who served as an assistant producer on the host's Hardball with Chris Matthews. However, a spokesperson for MSNBC later confirmed that the network settled the severance package with the woman at the time, which was of a considerably lower amount than originally reported. "In 1999 this matter was thoroughly reviewed and dealt with. At that time Matthews received a formal reprimand," the MSNBC spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday. Sexual Harassment Complaint The spokesperson, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the female staffer approached CNBC executives (the show aired on CNBC before it moved to MSNBC) with a complaint that Matthews made inappropriate jokes and comments about her in the presence of other employees. MSNBC then initiated an investigation into the matter and although the network found Matthews' remarks to be inappropriate and made in poor taste, it pointed out that his comments were never meant as propositions. Matt Lauer Scandal The news of the settlement comes at a time when several high-profile men in the media, particularly at NBC, have been accused of sexual misconduct. Last month, Veteran Today Show co-host Matt Lauer was fired by NBC News after an employee complained about Lauer's inappropriate behavior at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia as well as in the workplace after the sporting event. In the wake of his sacking, Lauer admitted to some of the complaints and issued a public apology to his accuser, saying that he was "truly sorry" for his actions. Lauer served as a host on the morning show for more than two decades before the scandal broke. After his departure from NBC, Several women came forward with similar allegations against the host, including accusations that Lauer gave a female colleague a sex toy as a present and also exposed his penis to another female staffer in his office and then reprimanded her for not engaging in a sexual act with him. Mark Hamill and Ted Cruz were involved in a Twitter feud after the Star Wars actor posted a tweet criticizing FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Hamill Slams Ajit Pai It all started when Pai posted a video of himself wielding a lightsaber and making fun of net neutrality supporters on Twitter. This didn't sit well with Hamill, who plays the iconic role of Luke Skywalker in George Lucas' epic space opera franchise, and so he decided to call Pai out. "Cute video Ajit 'Aren't I Precious?' Pai," Hamill tweeted on Saturday, Dec. 16, followed by a nauseated face emoji. "But you are profoundly unworthy to wield a lightsaber-A Jedi acts selflessly for the common man-NOT lie 2 [sic] enrich giant corporations." He then asked the FCC chairman if he paid Star Wars music producer John Williams royalty for using his soundtrack and concluded his tweet with the hashtag #AJediYouareNOT. The Last Jedi star wasn't the only one who was irked by Pai's video. Record label Mad Decent and DJ/music producer Baauer accused Pai of copyright infringement for using the Harlem Shake track without consent. The video was later taken down by YouTube temporarily before resurfacing on the video-sharing website. FCC's Decision to Repeal Net Neutrality For those who do not know, Net Neutrality refers to the 2015 regulations passed during the Obama administration that prohibits ISPs like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon from blocking users' access to content, applications or websites. On Thursday, Dec. 14, the Republican-controlled FCC voted to repeal the regulations in favor of new rules that net neutrality supporters claim will allow ISPs to exploit consumers. Cruz And Hamill's Twitter Squabble Shortly after Hamill's tweet to Pai, Republican Senator Ted Cruz rushed to the FCC chairman's defense and tweeted to Hamill, saying that the actor should "reject the dark side" and support the FCC's decision to free the net. "Luke, I know Hollywood can be confusing, but it was Vader who supported govt power over everything said & done on the Internet," Cruz wrote. "That's why giant corps (Google, Facebook, Netflix) supported the FCC power grab of net neutrality." .@HammillHimself Luke, I know Hollywood can be confusing, but it was Vader who supported govt power over everything said & done on the Internet. That's why giant corps (Google, Facebook, Netflix) supported the FCC power grab of net neutrality. Reject the dark side: Free the net! https://t.co/nARkMvIEYk Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 17, 2017 Hamill then shut Cruz down by tweeting that the senator would have more credibility had he spelled his last name correctly before owning him with a reference to Cruz's infamous porn tweet fiasco. In September, the senator's official Twitter account "liked" a pornographic tweet. Cruz later blamed the social media blunder on a staff member. Thanks for smarm-spaining it to me @tedcruz I know politics can be confusing, but you'd have more credibility if you spelled my name correctly. I mean IT'S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU! Maybe you're just distracted from watching porn at the office again-mh https://t.co/nHpJVG1Wpe @HamillHimself (@HamillHimself) December 17, 2017 Former President Barack Obama and Prince Harry were seen kidding around right before an interview, and now the internet can't get enough of the two. To no one's surprise, word quickly spread about the clip, and Twitter users are going crazy over it. Obama, Prince Harry Bromance Bromances are a big deal in TV and film, from Troy and Abed in Community to Turk and J.D. in Scrubs. As expected, when two high-profile persons such as Obama and Prince Harry exhibit a budding bromance, a lot of people are bound to go gaga over it. Now it's a behind-the-scenes look at a pre-interview encounter between the two, where Prince Harry says Obama will get "the face" if he pauses too long between answers. Obama asks what Prince Harry means by that, and after seeing "the face," he says, "I don't want to see that face." More than that, Obama asks Prince Harry whether or not he needs to use a British accent at the beginning of the clip, and he even tries to change positions from interviewee to interviewer near the end of the footage. "I'll interview you if you want," Obama says. "No, no, let's keep it this way. I much prefer that," Prince Harry replies. According to BBC News, the interview was filmed at the Invictus Games in Canada, and it will be broadcast for the guest edition of the BBC Radio 4 Today program of Prince Harry on Dec. 27. The Internet Loves A Good Bromance This isn't the first time that the two were seen having fun together, as they were spotted at the Invictus Games (pictured above) before the new video turned up. Of course, as people catch wind of it, where do they take things? To Twitter. LOVE the easy rapport between Prince Harry and our forever President, @POTUS44! Also, just occurred to me that @BarackObama is 1 month (and 2 days) younger than Prince Harry's mum, which may add to their #specialrelationship. Arapaho415 (@arapaho415) December 17, 2017 I can't deal with this much joy in my heart!! Oh my crumb cakes, my favorite President & Prince together and talking intelligently!! My mind just blew!! GabbyIR (@GabbyIRosa) December 17, 2017 I cant wait to watch. These two make a good watching. Alimatu Dimonekene (@TheAlima) December 17, 2017 If Obama isn't best man in the royal wedding, two countries will be robbed of the greatest bromance in modern history! Sarah Bessette (@ShoulderPadsNYC) December 17, 2017 Christmas came early for fans of the British Royal Family. This morning on Monday, December 18, 2017, the Kensington Palace released a new family portrait of Prince William, Kate Middleton and their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Photo Details Photographed by Chris Jackson, who serves as the royal photographer, the holiday photo depicts Prince William, Kate and children donned in outfits that each had a shade of egg-basket blue. Although the color and outfits don't look festive, the family unit's outfits look super stylish. Other news outlets believe the photo was taken in the summer when the Royal Family went to visit Poland in July. Released on the Kensington Palace Instagram page, the photo was captioned: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to share a new photograph of their family. The image features on Their Royal Highnesses' Christmas card this year. The photograph shows The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their two children at Kensington Palace." It went on to share where Princess Charlotte will be attending nursery school. Newest Addition To The Royal Family In early September, the royal couple announced they are expecting a third child. "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child," the statement said regarding Kate's third pregnancy. On October 17, Kensington Palace confirmed via Twitter that the newest addition to the monarchy will be due in April 2018. No news yet on baby's gender. Relish in the Royal Family's Christmas Picture, below: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to share a new photograph of their family. The image features on Their Royal Highnesses' Christmas card this year. The photograph shows The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their two children at Kensington Palace. It was taken earlier this year by @chrisjacksongetty Their Royal Highnesses have also announced this morning that Princess Charlotte will attend the Willcocks Nursery School in London from January 2018. The Willcocks Nursery School has said: "We are delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen the Willcocks Nursery School for Princess Charlotte. We look forward to welcoming Charlotte to our nursery in January." A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on Dec 18, 2017 at 3:25am PST As for Prince Harry and his fiancee American-born Meghan Markle, it is said she was charming when attending Queen Elizabeth's Christmas staff party. Sources told The Daily Mail's Royal Correspondent Rebecca English that Harry looked so proud to have Meghan be his as she graced the Royal staff with her class and beauty. #MeghanMarkle was a surprise guest at the Queen's annual staff Christmas party at Windsor Castle on Monday. One person who met her told me that she was 'charm personified'. 'She held out her hand & said 'Hi, I'm Meghan'. She was unbelievably beautiful and Harry looked so proud.' Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) December 14, 2017 Lovely. Reducing Antiquities Act land grabs By Paul Driessen Acting on recommendations by Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, on December 4 President Trump significantly reduced the size of two enormous areas in Utah that Presidents Clinton and Obama had set aside as limited-access, no-development zones under the 1906 Antiquities Act. Mr. Trumps action reduced the Grand Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments from a combined 3.2 million acres (the size of Connecticut) to 1.2 million acres (slightly smaller than Delaware). Utah residents and elected officials applauded the move as long overdue. The Patagonia and North Face outdoor apparel companies, environmentalist groups, and various liberal politicians and news outlets branded the action a desecration, claimed President Trump stole the lands from the American people, and launched coordinated and hyperventilated disinformation campaigns. In reality, the actual thefts were masterminded and conducted by previous White House officials, in cahoots with radical environmentalists. Employing the immense power of the federal government, they took valuable state lands, multiple private lands and property rights, and a private companys most valuable asset (Americas largest clean coal deposit) without any compensation whatsoever. The Antiquities Act was intended to protect areas of historic, prehistoric or scientific value, and lands designated as monuments were to be the smallest size compatible with the proper care and management of objects or sites to be protected. Its goal is to safeguard fossils, unique plants and habitats, Native artifacts and sites, geologic structures and special scenic areas from damage, desecration and looting. The first national monument ever designated (the 1,347-acre Devils Tower) respected the laws language and intent, as have most designations since then. However, in recent decades presidents have increasingly used the act to circumvent Congress and replace proper legislative processes with executive decrees. They established enormous de facto wilderness areas with the stroke of a pen usually with little or no consultation with people and elected officials in communities that would be most severely impacted. It is these abuses that Messrs. Zinke and Trump sought to correct. In so doing, they followed decisions by Presidents Coolidge, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Taft and Wilson, who also reduced the size of previous monument designations. The Utah changes address arguably the greatest onshore Antiquities Act abuses. President Clinton designated the 1,880,461-acre Grand Staircase Escalante Monument in large part to make a billion-dollar coal deposit off limits, by preventing any roads from reaching it. The action was quietly engineered by Katie McGinty, his White House Environmental Policy Office director, in collaboration with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Even Mr. Clinton was not fully aware of what he was signing, and Ms. McGinty totally blindsided Utah Governor Michael Levitt, who (like every other citizen and official in Utah) knew nothing about the massive land lockup until it was a done deal. (For all the sordid details, read chapter 12 in Cracking Big Greenor chapter 4 in Undue Influence.) President Obama designated the 1,351,849-acre Bears Ears NM three weeks before leaving office, largely to make still more energy, mineral and other resources off limits to exploration and development. He too did so without prior consultation with Utahs governor, congressional delegation or residents. Offshore marine national monuments now total 760 million acres 7-1/2 times the size of California! Monument designation means exploration, drilling, mining, timber harvesting, motorized vehicles, and even grazing and gathering firewood are prohibited. Peoples property rights, lives, livelihoods, living standards and life savings are grievously affected. The entire tax, job and revenue base of communities, counties and states is impacted. Thousands of acres of state school sections which states are granted at the time of statehood to finance schools are made off limits, with no compensation. Thats real thievery. At the very least, this demands careful consultation with the people who live there, and negotiations with their representatives to ensure that all these interests are considered and addressed. Stroke-of-the-pen monument decrees callously circumvented all these constitutional, legal and ethical safeguards. They ensured that valuable property was taken without due process or just compensation. Taken together, the original Grand Staircase and Bears Ears Monuments were far larger than the combined acreage of Utahs Bryce and Zion National Parks. They are in addition to Utahs three other national parks, six other national monuments, four national recreation and conservation areas, hundreds of miles of national trails, 31 national wilderness areas, and millions of acres in other restrictive land use categories in a state where the federal government still owns 61% of all the land. Compare that to states east of the Mississippi, where federal agencies own, manage or control just 0.3% of Connecticut and Iowa, and 0.6% of New York, for example. People and officials in these states have no inkling of what it is like to live in Western states where 30% to 80% of all lands are federally owned. Even more important, the remaining Utah monument areas are still huge. From Bears Ears, the new Shash Jaa monument is 130,000 acres (three times the size of Washington, DC) and Indian Creek is 72,000 acres (almost twice DC). From Grand Staircase Escalante, the new Grand Staircase is 210,000 acres (one-third of Rhode Island); Kaiparowits is 551,000 acres (81% of RI); and Escalante Canyons is 243,000 acres (36% of RI). To suggest that these monuments are now too small to safeguard their unique habitats, scenic areas, fossil sites, antiquities and Pueblo ruins is simply absurd and disingenuous. Imagine the Fish & Wildlife Service or other federal agency protecting one-half of Rhode Island or Delaware as a monument or endangered species habitat, to safeguard a Native American village site, small meteorite crater, scenic river valley, or rare fish, frog or bird habitat on the bogus ground that making a smaller area off limits to human activity would leave it open to depredation. Thats what Utah was dealing with along with claims that a single mine, oil well, road, ranch, town or other sign of humanitys presence in areas the size of Rhode Island, Delaware or even Connecticut would forever destroy the wilderness character of the entire area. This is what drives environmentalist activism and decades of pre-Trump federal land management policy. Its deplorable and intolerable. In reality, all areas removed from highly restrictive national monument status remain under the management and protection of multiple federal agencies and regulations. They are not being stolen, given to Utah or private interests, opened to rapacious looting and development, or left defenseless. In stark contrast to the way Presidents Clinton and Obama designated the two original monuments, these decisions to reduce their size were made only after numerous extensive meetings and consultations, over a six-month period, with local residents and leaders, tribal and inter-tribal members and delegates, local, county and congressional representatives, environmental groups and many other parties. If any of these or other people and organizations want official wilderness or park status for any of these areas that have been returned to traditional multiple use management and protection they can and should utilize the legislative processes required by the Constitution, Wilderness Act and other laws. Any other approach would be improper, unconstitutional, illegal, unethical and dismissive of local interests. On a related front, federal arrogance and heavy-handedness took the Obama era war on coal to the Navajo Nation. Citing specious climate change, health and viewshed justifications, regulators issued what were effectively execution orders for the coal-fired Navajo Generating Station and its associated coal mine destroying two pillars of the precarious Navajo economy and living standards. In league with radical greens, they also scuttled plans to build the proposed state-of-the-art Desert Rock coal-fired power plant. As in the case of huge Utah national monument designations, Navajo families and tribal leaders were deliberately and systematically excluded from the decision-making and property confiscation process. This is the regulatory culture and mindset that President Trump and Secretary Zinke are trying to change. For doing so, they are meeting fierce resistance and disinformation from Patagonia, North Face and their allies. Shoppers might want to keep this in mind when thinking about what to buy for holiday gifts. Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of books and articles on energy and environmental policy. Home The American Renaissance: Chapter Two: A Medici Chess Game By Michael Moriarty Forensic Files, particularly for a four-year graduate of the television series, Law and Order, is now an irresistibly addictive pastime of mine. Recent scientific progress within criminology, compared to the investigative standards of my last year of the NBC series, 1994, and the increasing skills displayed during the three Collections from Forensic Files that I have viewed so far are, needless to say, increasingly breathtaking. The numerous documentaries of Forensic Files relegate, even the likes of Sherlock Holmes to a forensic laboratorys waiting room. Each episode of Forensic Files always has its own, unique degree of difficulty. In short, the prosecuting attorneys who might be involved in the courtroom are almost irrelevant to the invaluably expert witnesses from the forensic lab. There is no Prosecution let alone prosecuting attorneys without indisputably convincing forensic evidence! The rapidly increasing techniques and irrefutable, evidentiary tools of the forensic fraternity are, for myself at any rate, a profoundly important corner of The American Renaissance. I also find the political war against President Trump and the demands for his impeachment, in light of Forensic Files, not only an increasing embarrassment for the Democrats and the Bush Family RINOS, Republicans In Name Only, but potentially criminal. Bearing false witness is a Biblically ancient crime. The Dems and RINOs are desperately praying, if they pray at all, for The Ultimate Coup de Gras for President Donald Trump. Are, indeed, Donald Trump and his family becoming The American Medicis?! The American Medicis We all thought that The Kennedys would become our American Renaissance Royalty. However, with the deepest of Renaissance ironies, their Catholicism was the first and longest lasting curse against them. President Donald Trump is not a Catholic but he does, indeed, have a profoundly loyal Christian following. I am proud to include myself among those Judeo-Christian loyalists who are grateful for his tenacious Presidential campaign and his counter-revolutionary first year in office! Counter-revolutionary?! INDEED! I LEFT America because of the disgracefully UN-Constitutional behavior of the Clinton Administrations Attorney-General Janet Reno. I protested quite demonstrably! I left America for Canada as much from being ostracized by the East-Coast-West-Coats American arts community as by the behavior of the Clinton Administration. Ira Glasser, at that time head of the American Civil Liberties Union, prophesied my fate exactly: Michael, you will be OSTRACIZED! Indeed, I was. When I failed miserably as a political spokesman for the Fox Network, I saw no alternative but to emigrate. Years of experience in New York with the Russian emigres who performed my symphonies and chamber music had a great deal to do with my decision to leave. There was no clearer symbol of independence from a Liberally corrupted America than to leave it, possibly forever. The first ten years of what basically felt like homelessness were the most unstable of my entire life. I was approaching sixty and I really had no idea where I was going! However, that disorientation, and my ten-year drinking days ended! Perhaps Ill explain the miracle of it all someday. Needless to say, the only persons in America to express any regret at my leaving have been Bill OReilly, formerly of Fox News, and President Donald Trump. I would possibly return to the United States if and when I felt for certain that President Trump and his objective of Making America Great Again werent in danger of being destroyed by a possible impeachment or kept from a second term by Progressive Dirty Tricks! As this series of articles indicates, Im beginning to feel much greater hope. The Trumps are not The Tragic Kennedys! Why? Donald Trumps greatest political foundation, The Judeo-Christian Civilization itself, was set in granite when he declared that the American Embassy would be moving to what he knows is the Capital of Judeo-Christianity: Jerusalem! A bold and provocative chess move but, to most of us in the Trump Camp, long-overdue! Previous Presidents have threatened such a decision but failed to have the courage to follow through. Now its done. And now, indeed, The Game is On! Trump indisputably holds the better hand!! Thank God. Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home The Democrats' 2018/2020 assault allegation strategy By Mark Alexander In October, The Washington Post reluctantly revealed that it was Hillary Clinton and her corrupt Democrat Party cronies who funded the fake Trump/Putin collusion dossier. Now, there is substantial evidence that the resulting investigation into this political charade was orchestrated by some of Clinton's deep state operatives within the Justice Department. That evidence includes discovery that the key DoJ investigator, Bruce Ohr, who was instrumental in launching the anti-Trump investigation, secretly met with the fake dossier producers, who also employed his wife. Another key FBI investigator, Peter Strzok, was the same agent who watered down the investigation into Clinton's email subterfuge while he was sending anti-Trump messages to his mistress. This on top of the fact that we now know six of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller's lawyers currently investigating Donald Trump were donors to Clinton's campaign. Strzok has been fired from Mueller's team of Trump investigators, and Ohr has been "demoted," but this deep state corruption should cause concern across the political spectrum. Given that the "Russian collusion" was, apparently, between Clinton and Putin operatives, Mueller has pivoted his fishing expedition from collusion to obstruction, proof of which is a necessary long shot in order to obtain the prize the Democrat Party seeks presidential impeachment. In early December, priming the pump for that impeachment, Tom Steyer and his club of billionaire leftists sponsored a test impeachment vote in the House which went down in flames, 364-58, including 126 Democrats rejecting articles of impeachment against Trump. But the effort succeeded, at a cost of $350,000 per "yes" vote, to expose the lines of dissent in the House. mpatient with prospects of Mueller finding any impeachable Trump offense, the Democrats have pivoted to a new strategy to rid themselves of Trump and his increasingly successful conservative agenda: They are now seeking his impeachment or resignation on "moral grounds." Yes, as laughable as it sounds, the Democrats, with the support of their MSM propaganda machine, have finally found a reason to focus on "sexual morality." For the record, congressional Democrats have spent the last three decades walking in lock-step defense of their favorite serial sexual assailant, Bill Clinton, and in 2016 they unanimously renewed their unqualified support for his primary enabler, Hillary, who excelled at smearing Bill's accusers. Now, however, the Demos' tune and tone has flipped. To paraphrase Captain Louis Renault in the classic 1942 film "Casablanca," Democrats are now "shocked, SHOCKED, to find that [sexual harassment] is going on in here!" Even Hillary Clinton, in a remarkable display of unmitigated hypocrisy, is now protesting, "We have someone admitting to being a sexual assaulter in the Oval Office." Actually, Trump has made no such admission, but Hillary's husband's credible accusers are still waiting to be called by CNN or any other Leftmedia network to tell their stories. To set Trump and Republicans up for a 2018 and 2020 takedown, the Democrats crafted the "Roy Moore Strategy" a calculated ruse to promote their newfound indignation over sexual improprieties perpetrated by politicians. That strategy was based on the assumption that Moore would win his Senate bid in Alabama. Then Democrats could incite female voter outrage, portraying themselves as taking the high ground on this issue with the resignations of John Conyers and Al Franken (pending) as proof, hanging Moore around Republican necks. Though Moore narrowly lost his bid, inciting female voter outrage to overturn Republican majorities in the House and Senate in 2018, and defeat Trump in 2020, remains a formidable ruse. Recall that women have historically been the majority voters in the election of every Democrat president since 1960 and a major force in midterm elections. This week, in keeping with the Moore Strategy script ahead of Tuesday's election, Democrats replayed the accusations of a few women who had proffered sexual impropriety allegations against Trump prior to the 2016 election. After their complaints aired again, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) declared, "President Trump should resign. ... Congress should have hearings, they should do their investigation, they should have appropriate investigations of his behavior, and hold him accountable." And those hearings will provide the next Demo-goguery distraction into 2018, regardless of what Mueller's investigation delivers. Notably, during the 2016 presidential primaries and campaign, there were a handful of other sexual harassment allegations leveled against Donald Trump. But frankly, given his too often crude and brash communication and behavior, combined with the fact that he has employed tens-of-thousands of women during his many decades in business, it would seem that the Democrats could've produced an endless loop of allegations. But they didn't. That notwithstanding, I agree with Trump's UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who said this week that she was "incredibly proud of the women" who had come forward to make public their allegations against members of Congress, and that, "They should be heard." Haley added, "I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way, they have every right to speak up." What I don't agree with, and what I'm certain Haley doesn't agree with, is that anyone accused of impropriety should be tried and convicted by the Leftmedia. I make no defense of the long and ever-expanding list of celebrities and politicians accused of sexual misconduct in the wake of Hollywood's Harvey Weinstein meltdown. Nor would I ever condemn their accusers as Hillary Clinton did so infamously before her recent political transformation into a defender of such accusers. But both the accuser and the accused deserve to have their claims adjudicated by way of due process rather than be judged by MSM kangaroo-court talkingheads. Case in point Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson. When Carlson was still hosting a show with CNN prior to 2003, he was accused of raping a woman in a restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky an accusation that, had it become public, would have completely destroyed him personally and professionally, regardless of the facts. According to Carlson, his accuser, Kimberly Carter, "was a certified public accountant in Indiana, upstanding member of her community, and also, apparently delusional. Her claims were grotesque, but they were highly specific. The assault she said took place in the back room of a restaurant in Louisville on a specific day at around 10:30 p.m. She included loads of graphic and horrifying detail. It was stomach-turning. And yet none of it none of it was true. I spent the next two months trying to stay out of jail." "I couldn't tell my children," said Carlson, "because I knew they would be ashamed. I couldn't tell my employer because I knew I would be fired immediately. I spoke only to lawyers and I paid them a fortune. I took a polygraph exam from the former head polygrapher at the FBI. I never stopped worrying that the charges would become public and destroy my life." As it turns out, Carlson had never been to the restaurant in question, or even Louisville, and was on the air the night of the alleged rape. His accuser would later disclose that she "was delusional" and suffered from schizoaffective disorder and wrote him a letter of apology. But had the charges been made public, what page do you think the retraction of those charges would have appeared on afterward? The fact is, some people do make false accusations for a wide variety of reasons. (See the high-profile MSM frenzied rape allegations against the Duke lacrosse team and a UVA fraternity, among other cases.) There are also serious questions that should be raised concerning the credibility of allegations stemming from decades-old recollections or recovered memory cases. Of course, the price can be very high when even suggesting some allegations are not accurate. Charles P. McDowell, Ph.D., a colleague whom I first met almost 30 years ago when we were part of an official delegation to the USSR, had one of the most incredible minds I've ever encountered. He was savant-level brilliant, spoke numerous languages, and his commanding knowledge of a broad spectrum of the social sciences was amazing. He was best known as a federal investigator for his ability to solve very challenging murder cases a closed-case record unmatched to this day. A few years after we met, McDowell published an academic paper on markers that might indicate false rape allegations. That research was well known by the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit and law enforcement investigators nationwide as one of many tools for evaluating criminal allegations, specifically to help investigators resolve unexplained or inconsistent aspects of allegations. Unfortunately for McDowell, then-Colorado Democrat Pat Schroeder, the state's first female House member, in collaboration with her adoring media, skewered him for daring to suggest that any woman would ever make an inaccurate sexual assault allegation and they purged his research and ended his career. The consequences of challenging such orthodoxy notwithstanding, the Democrats' current sexual allegation strategy ahead of 2018 may gain traction with the support of angry female voters. But Demos face an uphill battle against an improving economy under the Trump administration and Republican Congress. In the meantime, I have a couple of additional observations about the current politicization of sexual allegations regarding both alleged victims and alleged perpetrators. First, I believe that for every victim of sexual assault by a high-profile celebrity there are countless others who, for many reasons, will never come forward. And second, dare I suggest that the Left's now-generational promotion of sexual promiscuity has destroyed many of our nation's social and cultural barriers against sexual predation? The rate of sexual assault is staggering. There are millions of Americans who, when young, were assaulted by heterosexual and homosexual predators. Department of Justice statistics estimate that more than 20 million adult women have been raped in their lifetime. And the number of young women in their late teens and early 20s who have been assaulted by predatory males when their judgment was impaired by alcohol is epidemic. If you find those numbers difficult to comprehend, there are now almost 750,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S. and those are just the offenders who got caught... For additional insights, there are two interesting articles related to current behavior norms worth reading: "Can We Be Honest About Men?" from National Review's David French and "Can We Be Honest About Women?" from journalist Denise McAllister. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Santa is putting Christmas on the blockchain and saving billions By Julianne Geiger So, you think that you know all there is to know about Christmas? Maybe you string enough lights on your roof to give Clark Griswald a run for his money. Maybe you can identify mistletoe and holly in the wild, chop down your own Christmas tree, and know exactly how many Hallmark Keepsake ornaments theyve issued since 1973. You can rattle off all of Santas reindeerbackwards, starting with Rudolph and ending in Dasher, and know all the words to O Tannenbaum. Including all the verses. In German. You own White Christmaswhich is indisputably the best Christmas movie everon Blu Ray, DVD, VHS, and Betamax . And heck, you even make figgy pudding on Christmas Eve. No doubt about it, youre a true Christmas fan. But this Christmas, there is so much more that you know about, as Santa straps on todays hottest new technological advancement: The blockchain. St. Nicholas, is stepping up his game for Christmas 2017, and if you want to hang onto your crown as the biggest Christmas fan ever, you need to be in the loop. Its only to be expected, really, that Santa would need a serious upgrade. He has a lot of running around to do, lots of children to classify as naughty or nice, a lot of chimneys to climb down, and a lot of presents to deliver. And in 2017, he has come across a solution that is bound to make his life a little easier this year. Before we go any further, we should make clear exactly what it was that sold Santa on blockchain technology. It first came to his attention when Mrs. Claus read about the astounding rise of bitcoin in her morning paper. Santa began reading around the topic (thinking that perhaps the elves could mine some to give to the children) and soon realized that bitcoin was just the beginning. It was the blockchain behind the currency that was the real secret to its success, with companies in the space such as Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. seeing their stock prices soaring (and who we went to for help on the technical aspects of how Blockchain works). This was a company that was not only invested in cryptocurrencies but was acting as an incubator for everything from new anti-corruption voting systems to highly transparent and efficient recording tools. Santa saw its potential immediately, adopting blockchain technology and, as a result, finishing his Christmas preparation earlier than ever before. In case you want some talking points with which you can impress your friends at the office Christmas party (unlike Facebook, its okay to refer to it as the blockchain): blockchain is a way of decentralizing transactional datadata of any kind, including contract-based data and data about who has been naughty and who has been niceso that no single entity regulates the transactions. Instead, everyone in the network regulates every transactionlike lots and lots of read-only files that are strung togetherno one file can be altered, but new files can be added by anyone on the network. Thats good news for Santa, who employs millions of elves to manage his data. In non-corporate speak, blockchain cuts out the middlemenlike banks and copious cookie-eating data elvesallows transactions to update instantaneously, and stops any tampering with earlier records. The adoption of Santas blockchain technology will help Santa to deliver toys on time and help him to process oodles of data for his naughty or nice list, manage labor costs associated with maintaining that list, and ensure the integrity of the list. Makin A List Yeah, Santa dives down chimneys and delivers presents, but what about the other 364 days of the year? Santa is responsible for keeping track of who is naughty or niceto the tune of 1.9 billion children throughout the yearan arduous task. This is approximately six times that of Amazons users. Speaking of enigmas, Santas list (a.k.a. the Whos Naughty Or Nice list, or WNON), is sort of an enigma. No one really knows how Santa updates that list, or if it even updates at alla mystery that Santa has kept on the down low lest the list fall prey to manipulation by naughty children. But Santa has informed us that long ago, his list was kept on physical paper (for you millennials, paper is a very thin sheet of wood pulp used to write on). It was all too easy for previous records to be altered or even lost, and there were too many elves writing on different versions of the list all at oncemaking for an imprecise business. As technology progressed, the list was eventually moved to a database. But Santas problems persisted as records could still be altered and files corrupted. Well, no more. Santas new blockchain technology allows live, real-time updates to the naughty and nice listwhich is now, in essence, infinitely long and can keep up with the burgeoning population of children. In addition, Santas new WNON list can never be lost. Elves On Shelves will now be retrofitted with handheld scanners that write to the blockchain in real time, bypassing the manual entry of the data elves. And each record will be its own unalterable record. The result? Santa can instantly access the network and get a real-time view of whos naughty or nice, allowing him to keep tabs on the elves progress as well as plan toymaking accordingly. This means not only lag-free updates, but also saves millions of data-elf-hours. The savings can then be passed on to the children. Elves who once managed databases will be retrained as toymakers to keep up with the increased demand as Santa steps up the number of gifts each child will receive as a result of the cost savings. To recap, Santas blockchain WNON benefits are as follows: WNON requires fewer elves WNON can expand infinitely as the population of the world expands WNON cannot be lost Ensures integrity of data Real-time information and elf-oversight from Santa More toys for me With upsides like this, there is no surprise that Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. and other companies in the space are so eager to become the leaders of this tech revolution. As a general rule, if Santa is going it, then it will almost certainly catch on. Beyond WNON Santas blockchain adoption goes behind what its doing on the front end of Christmas. All Christmas Eve/Christmas Day activities will also be part of the blockchain, including present loading, sleigh tracking (sorry NORAD), and deliveries. Every step of the way will be tracked, recorded, and monitored as a Rudolph-guided Santa flies through the night to deliver his floo-floobers and tah-tinkers to the Cindy Lou Whos of the world. Unstealable Santas new tech will also ensure the safety of Christmas, as the Grinch is still as worthy of an adversary as he was back in the 50s. Bent on stealing Christmas year after year, the Grinch is constantly looking for new ways to keep Christmas from coming, despite his heart growing two sizes. One area that has been vulnerable in years past is Santas email, as the Grinch seeks to delete items off wish lists and even entire emails. But now, Christmas lists are uploaded directly to the blockchain, in an unalterable file. Whats more, blockchain will be the end to misdelivered mail. Who can keep track of all these email addresses anyway? The Whos Who Of Blockchain Santa is among the growing list of pioneering blockchain adopters that are topping todays headlines, the likes of which include the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), Sony, the Russian government, Petroteq, Nokia, Maersk, AMD, Barclays, and behemoth Walmart, to name just a few. Whats more, almost 57 percent of the worlds big corporations (20,000 employees or more) are considering blockchain technology, with two-thirds of surveyed companies saying that they expect the technology to be integrated by end-2018 (a full year behind Santa). In the words of Steven Nerayoff, Chairman of Global Blockchain Technologies Corp., You can invest in blockchain, you can create blockchain technologies, or you can use blockchain technologiesbut the option to ignore blockchain technologies no longer exists. Santa appears to have taken these words to heart, and we suspect more companies will share Santas nose for perfection heading into the new year. Julianne Geiger is a writer for Oilprice.com where this originally appeared. Home Examining the historical defence of Christendom as the conceptual template for the defence of Westernesse in J.R.R. Tolkiens The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings (Part Three) By Mark Wegierski This essay is based on a presentation co-authored with Wojciech Szymanski, M.A., which was read at the Fantastic Literature Conference 2016 (Religious Topics in Fantastic Literature) at the University of Lodz (Lodz, Poland), September 19-20, 2016. The Middle Earth legendarium is ostensibly set in the dim prehistory of our current Earth. Tolkien claims to be working from some ancient manuscripts which have come into his possession. The time-frame of the works is thus said to be occurring before the period of historical Christianity. This allows the heroic resistance to evil to be portrayed without being explicitly tied to revealed religion. Tolkien portrays hordes of monstrous, evil creatures (in addition to the tribes of men recruited by Sauron) on the march against the forces of good. This does not correspond to any realworld situation as the greatest enemies of men have been other men. Perhaps Tolkiens point is that human beings in themselves, living in their human societies, have a choice to become either more like the demonic orcs -- or more like the angelic elves. This suggested typology of angelic elves/demonic orcs points to moral universalism as all human beings can make a choice for good or evil. In The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien offers a typology of resistance to evil that does not explicitly invoke revealed religion but at the same time valorizes such virtues as heroism, loyalty, friendship, and modest romantic love. Thus it opens up the possibility of making these virtues considerably attractive to those persons in late modernity who have fallen away from revealed religion, as well as those who are still believers. The absence of revealed religion means that the works can actually appeal to all so-called persons of goodwill, regardless of their religious beliefs, or lack of thereof. When writing the works, Tolkien very consciously downplayed elements of fictive religions, especially in regard to the free peoples. Indeed, in later years, Tolkien became worried that the works could constitute something like a basis for a cult, which was certainly not his intent. In the 1970s, Tolkienian fantasy became the mainspring of fantasy role-playing games, typified by Dungeons and Dragons (released in 1974). Tolkien had sometimes expressed trepidation that his writing would become the basis for something like a cult. A strong argument for the more Christian, rather than pagan, nature of these works, is the figure of Boromir, in The Lord of the Rings. Boromir is the most obviously Nietzschean figure in the Fellowship of the Ring. He argues that the power of the Ring should be used to oppose all the enemies besetting the Free Peoples. His succumbing to the lure of the Ring could be read as a warning against the exercise of an unbridled Will to Power. As discussed earlier, it can be argued that another major element that marks these works as more Christian, than pagan, is the importance attached to ordinary, humble, supposedly comfort-loving folk (the hobbits), who rise to great heights of heroism. Indeed, the respect for the humble is something that has been often identified as part of the intellectual heritage of Christianity. Paganism mostly concerned itself with the thoughts, feelings, and actions, of so-called great men and women of high station. It could be argued that the notion that greatness of soul could also exist among ordinary, humble persons, has been brought to the fore of human social experience, by Christianity. In historic Christendom, it was stressed that persons of all social classes be they prince or pauper had some role to play in defending and upholding Christian society. Medieval morality-plays often featured a poor man going to Heaven, with the rich man who had held him in contempt, going to Hell. What Pope Francis has called the Churchs preferential option for the poor has been viewed by some cutting critics (notably Nietzsche), as nothing but a slave morality. Tolkiens exaltation of the ordinary, humble hobbits, is clearly Christian in inspiration. It appears that one of Tolkiens hopes in writing these works, was to try to encourage a current-day, albeit gentle, so-called Christian-patriotic revival, in the face of various evils of the late modern world. Presumably, by reading his works, people would become aware that better, higher, and more noble things could be aspired to, which they might subsequently try to somehow bring into their own lives. Nevertheless, Tolkien had a capacious and imaginative mind. He welcomed various putatively positive tendencies, regardless of which part of the spectrum they came, having, for example, some affinity for parts of the 1960s movements. Indeed, one the greatest breakthroughs of the popularity of Tolkiens works occurred among U.S. college students of the 1960s. This could be called a convergence between bohemian Toryism and the hippies. In 1978, the iconoclastic fantasy and science fiction writer, Michael Moorcock, published a cutting critique of Tolkien and similar fantasy writers, under the title Epic Pooh. He claimed that these works embraced a typology similar to A. A. Milnes Winnie-the-Pooh stories, meant to comfort rather than challenge. He claimed that it was a literature of escapism which refuses to deal with the issues raised by the real world. However, Tolkien certainly seemed very aware of what has been called the crisis of late modernity, and seemed in fact to want to offer a positive and healthy antidote to it. While Tolkiens work can certainly inspire ecological and cultural resistance to the more negative aspects of late modernity, it may nevertheless lack a certain dimension of nuanced critique when it comes to current-day technology, and its impacts on the human person and psyche. Such critiques are more properly the province of dystopian and science fiction subgenres like cyberpunk. It may be admitted that Tolkien seemed to look mostly backward to the past in a defence of an Old England. It could be argued that Tolkiens writing remained entirely centered in the context of his British and European roots. It could be noted that the political geography of Middle Earth is almost entirely that of historical Europe. The forces of freedom are centered in the west, while the invasions come from the south and the east. So Tolkien could be accused of being Eurocentric and too Christian. However, these possible aspects of the works do not seem to have proven a barrier to their diffusion and enjoyment around virtually the entire world. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home It's not just the fake news: How pseudoscience is fueling our infowars By Charlotte Cerminaro Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. (Isaiah 1:18) Ego sum, ergo cogito. Spanish philosopher Gomez Pereira, 100 years before Descartes For several years now theres been a steady decline in the amount of television I watch. Its not just that Im busy, or that Id rather spend my down-time in different ways. Even the ubiquitous nightly news doesnt get into our living room any more. The explosion in fake news, infowars and tawdry headlines is truly nauseating and the more I take in, the more I notice a steady decline in brain function. Adding itself to this charming mix, though, is the exponential growth of pseudoscience and the large numbers of people who actually believe it, no questions asked. Its difficult to say exactly when and how this started, but the increase in theoretical sciences and the so-called experts touting them, just fueled an appetite for the preposterous. These theoreticians dont just muddy their own water, they frequently and publicly cross the line into other areas of well-established science, ignoring the scientific process and turning research and theory into a free-for-all. The list of theoretical scientists is long and growing longer each day. Their books, lectures and television appearances have made them almost as well-known as the true scientific geniuses and innovators---who have much to say regarding this difference between science and pseudoscience. For the sake of clarity I will not attempt to debate the various political, religious or other ideological worldviews, but will instead focus on inconsistencies, fallacies, dishonesty, and the forums and tools pseudoscientists employ to promote their ideas. Its abundantly clear they rely on their fans and followers to not use critical thinking, either. The late Carl Sagan cited what he called the Invisible dragon living in my garage to illustrate a type of fallacy that is quite common. Sagan stated that a hallmark of false science and a false hypothesis is one that can not be tested, leaving no way to either prove or disprove it. It amounts to nothing more than a personal opinion. Here he uses his example, where he approaches a neighbor and says he has an invisible dragon in his garage. The neighbor wants to see it, but he reminds the neighbor its invisible. The neighbor wants to hear it, but he tells him its silent. The neighbor wants to touch it, so he says the dragon wont let anyone near it. And on it goes. So when a theoretical astrophysicist claims that he has a model of what the universe looked like at 10^-23 seconds after the big bang singularity, one cant help thinking of that invisible dragon. No way to prove or disprove a hypothesis like this because theres no way to even test it. Richard Feynman, the late Nobel Laureate and theoretical physicist, had much to say on this topic as well. A professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology, he was famous for his work unifying quantum mechanics and providing measurable data on subatomic particles and photons. He was also on the Rogers Commission to investigate the space shuttle Challenger disaster; the O-ring failure and subsequent solution were his discoveries. In a commencement address he gave in 1984 at CalTech, he issued a firm warning to students about the dangers of dishonest, false and empty science. He told them that, as scientists, they must scrutinize themselves and uphold the highest ethics and honesty in their own work. He criticized the Cargo Cult Science that was already spreading its way through academic institutions and the media, unchallenged. Defining Cargo Cult Science as a particularly insidious form of pseudoscience, it has the outward appearance of science. It includes techno-babble, publications, teaching and research, but completely lacks solidity. It does not use the scientific process, and poses no solutions--only empty theories and preposterous, untestable hypotheses. Government research grants are solicited and gained using empty words and the trappings of science, but vast amounts of money are wasted because no real research on problems or solutions actually occurs. A particularly shining example of this type of pseudoscience took place in November 2006 at the Salk Institute for biological studies in LaJolla, CA. In a highly publicized symposium entitled, Beyond Belief: Science, Religion, Reason and Survival, a group of popular scientists met for what was supposed to be enlightenment, solutions, education and reasoning. Attendees included Neil deGrasse Tyson, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, among others. The proceedings took such an alarming turn, even the journalists from the New York Times (that bastion of progressive thinking) were quite alarmed. They reported, It is a free-for-all on science and religion, and a political party built on a single plank: In a world dangerously charged with ideology, science needs to take on an evangelical role, vying with religion as teller of the greatest story ever told. At one point a Templeton spokesperson warned against this unfettered, commercialized ideological scientism. In another example of inconsistency and zealotry that should not be associated with science and reason, biologist Richard Dawkins was asked what he thought about the teaching of Intelligent design. In his hallmark reactive fashion, he called it brainwashing and child abuse. When Ben Stein was questioning him on intelligent design in the form of alien progenitors, though, Dawkins considered it a viable theory. In his enthusiasm, he forgot that this theory created more problems than it solved, namely, the problem of infinite regress. While the spread of purely theoretical science has grown vastly in recent years, a quote by Nikola Tesla indicates it had its birth pangs over a century ago. He stated, Todays scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality. And if we take Albert Einsteins definition of truth as that which conforms to reality, it seems that an edifice has been built, not one based on truth and reason but on politics, dishonesty, personal gain and media sensationalism. The agreed standard on which all research and theory are supposed to be conducted, the scientific process, has been mostly discarded. The general population has been trained, even indoctrinated, to not ask questions, to not think for themselves, delegating these important responsibilities instead to those who are most undeserving. In return, we have entered an age of unenlightenment more resembling the dark ages, where it is once again unusual, even dangerous, to challenge the most indefensible theories. Charlotte B. Cerminaro is a Juilliard-trained classical musician who, in addition to being a studio and orchestral musician, enjoys writing. 2017 Home When Hurricane Harvey flooded all but two of the estimated 210 houses in the small town of Rose City, Texas population 523 who do you think came to their rescue? FEMA? The Small Business Administration? Maybe the Red Cross? Think again, Mayor Bonnie Stephenson says. Harvey hit Rose City a bedroom community next to Beaumont particularly hard, in part, because of the preponderance of retired and low-income residents. Making matters worse, according to Stephensons estimation, 90 percent of residents couldnt afford, or declined to get, flood insurance after Hurricane Ike flooded the town in 2008. Without insurance, Stephenson claims, FEMA has declined to help the residents of Rose City rebuild. The Mayor herself had flood insurance, which shes been unable to collect from FEMA, because of what she calls red tape. For Stephenson, the answer to my question above the best way to deliver resources is neither FEMA nor the Red Cross. FEMA is not helping, she told me. And the Red Cross? Red Cross came in and gave $400 gift cards, but everybody didnt qualify for this. Some of them were turned down, Stephenson continued, Why do we have to jump through hoops? Why are we having to wait? Were not trying to cheat anybody. And for the rest of the town the majority of people who didnt have flood insurance she asks Why (isnt FEMA) going to help the people who need it the most? In response to my questions about who actually has been helping, Stephenson named smaller groups that came to Rose Citys rescue. Volunteers from the Los Angeles Police Department flew in, the week following the Harvey rains, rented cars in Houston and brought barbecue and generators and lights from Home Depot. Church groups, including Baptists and Mormons and other denominations, she said, came to town. She recalled the self-appointed Cajun Navy and later the Cajun Army arriving from Louisiana, ordinary citizens delivering hot meals and supplies using their own resources. Perhaps the most impressive of all, according to Stephenson, was the one-man operation of Eric Klein, and his no-overhead-cost CAN-DO.org: I dont know how we would have done it without him. He knew how to get things organized. I spoke to Klein on the phone recently. He has no doubt in his mind about the answer to my question above. And politeness about criticizing others efforts? Thats not holding Eric Klein back. In fact, he says he got involved in disaster relief 15 years ago precisely because he is fueled by rage rage at money that never gets delivered. I have never seen anything this corrupt in my life. People are in dire need, cut off and denied. I mention FEMA and the Red Cross. Red tape is by design, Klein claims. Without any doubt (FEMA and Red Cross) create this red tape, and this all happens. Shortly after arriving in Rose City in mid-September, Klein recorded a video on Facebook that went viral 586,000-plus views and more than 16,000 shares, about a woman sleeping in a tent holding on to the ashes of her deceased son. This is (expletive) humiliating, he said in a not-suitable-for-work stream of consciousness video. He channels the helplessness and rage of people who have not seen the financial resources of FEMA and the Red Cross show up in Rose City. I apologize for my tone, but this is bullshit. Theres way too much money out there, way too much money being raised and it aint getting on the ground. So where is it? In response to what he sees as the financial opacity of big aid organizations, Kleins calling card is 100% transparency. He has taken to posting CAN-DO.orgs bank statement on line. Hes self-funded, so all money raised is pledged to Rose Citys residents. Now, if you ask me, a rational finance guy, whether the one-man-savior approach to disaster relief is the right way, I would say: No way. In my conversation with Klein, I challenged his approach. Isnt it inefficient, I argued, to have no infrastructure? How can one dude on his own scale up to meet the challenges of a big disaster like Harvey, even in a tiny town like Rose City, Texas? Klein disagreed, arguing that hes more than just one man with zero budget, relying on his wits. I have the best volunteers. These are top notch. You dont need to have back office. We designed it this way from day one. Were going to be as accountable as we can. He went on: Weve been vetted by the top people. We roll into a town, me and a couple of my buddies, and by the end of the week we will have 100 strong. In the face of my skepticism about the effectiveness of a one-man relief operation, Klein pulled off a neat trick December 6, appearing on Megyn Kellys Today Show with Rose Citys Mayor, Bonnie Stephenson, gathering a giant-sized $10,000 check from Lowes on live TV for their trouble. What is Kleins ultimate goal? His ambition is to convince a corporation like Lowes or Home Depot to look at the amount he raises, and match it, after which he plans to distribute loaded gift cards to all of the residents of Rose City, for home reconstruction. His Texas-sized ambition would be to use his publicity campaign to attract a big donor for something like $1 million. With $1 million, we could rebuild Rose City! enthuses Klein. Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and a former Goldman Sachs bond salesman. Twitter: @Michael_Taylor | michael@michaelthesmartmoney.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SABINE PASS, La. In 2011, Cheniere Energy was a little-known company with big ambitions when it signed an $8 billion contract that would transform the U.S. into an exporter of liquefied natural gas after decades of relying on foreign suppliers. Five years later, just days before the Houston company shipped its first LNG cargo, another big deal gave a jolt to nascent U.S. industry. Royal Dutch Shell bought Cheniere customer BG Gas for $50 billion, a move that made Shell the worlds largest international LNG producer and marketer and allied it with this nations biggest LNG exporter. Shell remains Chenieres best customer, buying almost half the production of Chenieres massive Sabine Pass LNG terminal. These two events have helped bring the United States to a tipping point, as LNG exports, mostly out of Texas and Louisiana, grow quickly. The Energy Department projects that LNG production capacity will quadruple by the end of 2019, making the nation the largest source of LNG after Qatar and Australia. The International Energy Agency predicts the U.S. could vault to first within a decade. Situated on more than 1,000 acres of rural swamplands on the Louisiana side of the Texas state border overlooking Port Arthur, Chenieres Sabine Pass complex recently added its fourth LNG unit and started shipping cargoes this fall, solidifying its position as the worlds largest LNG exporting terminal outside of Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar. Its also building a plant in Portland at the Port of Corpus Christi with a first-phase cost of $10 billion, and in 2019 expects to launch global shipments from there of natural gas produced in Texas shale fields. In August, the company announced it had become the countrys largest physical purchaser of natural gas, buying as much as 3 billion cubic feet per day, enough to run 21 natural gas-fired power plants the size of the largest one owned by San Antonio's CPS Energy. Chenieres expansions come as Virginias Dominion Energy prepares this month to become the nations second LNG exporter, operating from its Cove Point terminal in Maryland. Shell is buying the first Cove Point exports. Shell is among the worlds biggest energy companies increasing their bets on natural gas and LNG as pressure builds around the world to lower emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that contribute to climate change. Natural gas burns more cleanly than coal and oil and is considered by many analysts as the best complement to intermittent wind and solar energy because gas-fired plants can ramp up quickly to fill in production gaps. LNG will be a much more important part of the global energy mix going forward, said Steve Hill, executive vice president of Shell Energy overseeing LNG. The way we reduce our CO2 emissions is by selling cleaner stuff. Coming soon The most recent Sabine Pass cargo left recently on Dynagas Lena River vessel en route to India as Asia becomes a key destination for LNG exports. China increased its LNG purchases the most in 2017, and India was one of the fastest-growing markets as well. Europes demand for American LNG also is growing. Poland recently agreed to start buying LNG shipped out of Sabine Pass to reduce its reliance on Russian gas. More LNG projects will come online in 2018 and 2019. After Cove Point, Houston-based Kinder Morgans Elba Island LNG project is scheduled next year to begin shipments out of Georgia. Houstons Freeport LNG is expected to begin operations at its Quintana Island terminal. Delays have pushed back Sempra Energys Cameron LNG project in Louisiana to 2019. After this first batch of American facilities are completed, the second wave of U.S. LNG projects is on the horizon. The question is which of several potential developments will move forward. Because of a global LNG glut thats expected to develop by 2019, its extremely hard for proposed projects to secure the long-term contracts they need to fund construction, said Gautam Sudhaker, LNG research director at IHS Markit, a consulting firm. Buyers want more flexibility and dont want to commit to the 20-year deals that formed the foundation of Sabine Pass and other recent projects. Global competition also keeps mounting. Shell has its own LNG complexes in Australia, as does the U.S. oil major Chevron, which just opened its Wheatstone LNG complex there. Russia-based Novateks Yamal LNG plant commenced operations in northwestern Siberia this month, and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. of The Woodlands is pressing ahead with its Mozambique LNG project off Africas east coast. Qatar recently said it plans to open new production and increase its LNG exports in the coming years, even as the Middle Eastern nation feuds with Saudi Arabia and other neighboring countries. Second wave Cheniere was failing financially after Sabine Pass originally was built to handle LNG imports. Natural gas prices cratered with the discovery and development of shale gas fields in the U.S. But the company made a $20 billion bet to convert it to a much larger export terminal, where it cools U.S. shale gas to liquid form at minus-260 degrees to ship around the world. The man who took that risk, Cheniere co-founder Charif Souki, was ousted two years ago in a shareholder revolt led by famed corporate raider Carl Icahn. But Souki, in a partnership with former BG Chief Operating Officer Martin Houston, launched the Houston company Tellurian, which is driving to lead the U.S. second wave with the Driftwood LNG project in Louisiana. Other second-wave projects include the Rio Grande LNG project in Brownsville, proposed by NextDecade of The Woodlands, and Magnolia LNG in Louisiana, planned by Australias LNG Ltd., which expects to move its headquarters to Houston. Big oil companies, including Shell and Exxon Mobil, also could build LNG projects along the Gulf Coast. Exxon Mobil and Qatar are considering converting their Golden Pass terminal, which is visible from Chenieres Sabine Pass, into an LNG exporter on the Texas side of the border. Shell still could build its pending Lake Charles LNG project with Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, but both companies have placed funding priorities elsewhere for now. Shells most recent U.S. LNG project though may prove more accessible and fun to many Americans. The company just announced a deal with Carnival Cruise Line to supply North Americas first LNG-powered cruise ships. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate One big thing that has apparently been overlooked in the race to pass a new tax plan by Christmas is how U.S. employers and their 150 million workers will adjust their W-4 withholding allowances so theyre not in for a shock in April. The San Antonio-based American Payroll Association, which represents 17,000 employers, sent a letter last week to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, expressing concern that theres no time to design and process new W-4 forms before the bills rules eliminating personal exemptions take effect. The W-4 is the document employers use to calculate the proper amount of federal income tax to withhold from workers paychecks. The IRS recommends employees update their W-4 yearly or when they have a change in status such as marriage or a new baby. Should the final version pass both chambers and and be signed into law by President Trump on the 22nd, Americas employees will have to begin implementing the new law only five business days later on January 2, 2018, a herculean task, Michael OToole, APAs senior director for publications, education and government relations, and Alice Jacobsohn, senior manager for government relations, wrote in the letter. The letter added that many companies shut down between Christmas and New Years Day and a lot of employees use that week to use up their remaining vacation time. At the very least, Americas employers deserve transition relief applicable throughout 2018 from any penalties for failing to properly withhold or deposit federal income tax, it reads. Making massive changes to the system with an unconscionably short lead time is a recipe for disaster. Hatchs office didnt immediately respond to a request for a comment on the letter, which was delivered Dec. 11. Nor did the IRS or U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, who has been the Houses lead negotiatior on the bill. Republicans finalized their sweeping tax package Friday, expanding the child tax credit to try to ensure the vote of Sen. Marco Rubio. An original version was approved 51-49, with Rubio in favor, but he had since balked about the credit. The vote will be close with Republicans holding 52 seats and two other GOP senators John McCain of Arizona and Thad Cochran of Mississippi possibly missing the vote due to medical reasons. The tax overhaul would be Trumps first major legislative victory. Trump has touted the plan as a big, beautiful Christmas present for Americans. A key selling point has been plans to nearly double the standard deduction, to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married couples. But the plan does away with the personal deductions taxpayers claim on their W-4, calling into question how some employees will make sure they dont end up owing the government under the new equation. Our members are already starting to panic, on behalf of themselves and millions of employees, about the effect on 2018 withholdings of a tax bill that will be effective a week after its enactment, the letter said. While the IRS has advised employers to continue using 2017 withholding guidelines until it issues new ones early next year, OToole said that doesnt solve the problem. You know, you try and equate your withholding during the year to what your actual tax liability is going to be so you dont owe too much next April and you dont get back too much, he said. You cant do that if you dont know how much you should have withheld. While many workers will likely see their pay go up due to lowered tax rates and a larger deduction, that could be reversed for employees who claim a lot of dependents or count on large deductions for state and local taxes and mortgage interest that are being eliminated or reduced under the new plan. For example, a couple might claim themselves and five or six children, for a total of seven or eight allowances. That couple could find out their withholding hasnt been enough. Seven allowances of $4,050 each would amount to $28,350 not being taxed, $4,350 more than allowed under that standard deduction of $24,000. They would owe money they werent sure they were going to owe, unless maybe they did a lot of research and maybe they dont claim those allowances, or not all of them, OToole said. Its not that uncommon for people in high state tax states or with a large mortgage to claim 10, 12 allowances and they wont be entitled to those any more. After reviewing the bill, OToole on Monday said the new standard deduction will be built into the IRSs 2018 tax tables, allowing married couples filing jointly to claim the new standard deduction when they file their tax return for 2018. And the new standard deduction will be built into the IRSs 2018 tax tables. That formula will be adjusted for the higher limit, he said. So the allowances for the child tax credit will help offset against the exemptions they will no longer be able to claim on their tax return. While the child tax credit is doubled under the proposal to $2,000 from $1,000 per child, with $1,400 refundable, it still doesnt make up for what larger families may lose without the personal exemptions, said Lydia Desnoyers, a Miami based CPA and tax specialist. For example, a family of four they lose all those exemptions, the child tax credit does not make up for it, she said. Definitely it doesnt. Desnoyers said the IRS plans to give filers new guidelines and an opportunity to adjust their withholding by February, which would at worst put them only a month or two off track. But OToole cautioned that its going to be the employees responsibility to adjust their withholding, and they shouldnt expect to go running to their human resources department for advice on what to do. The IRS tells payroll professionals and HR professionals theyre not tax advisers, OToole said. We tell our members, If your employees ask you how many allowances should I claim on the W-4, you tell them Im sorry but I cant do that. Because if they do, then what if employers are wrong and the employee ends up being underwithheld? There are other changes that could make the IRS look more like a grinch when the changes play out. For one, the supplemental withholding rate for lump-sum payments such as bonuses, commissions and stock compensation would increase to 28 percent from 25 percent. For another, workplace perks ranging from education assistance to reimbursement for moving expenses will now be taxed. That means an employee lured to a job by a package that includes $10,000 for relocation could find themselves on the hook for 32 percent to 33 percent of that, or more than $3,000. Should the employee negotiate that the relocation reimbursement include the taxes, that could mean taxes on the taxes that cost the employer some $15,000 for a $10,000 expense, and likely more in states with high income taxes. Weve had people from the administration say, Well now we can have a tax return thats the size of post card, OToole said. The only problem is youre going to need an accounting degree to fill out the W-4. lbrezosky@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With Christmas just days away, a special San Antonio Fire Department unit salvaged one East Side familys holiday after a fire engulfed their home Sunday afternoon. According to SAFD officials, around 3:55 p.m., a home in the 4100 block of Scarlet Oak went up in flames after a gas can was tipped over near a water heater in the back of the home and ignited. SAFD Battalion Chief Tony Rodriguez said seven people were forced to evacuate the residence, including a wheelchair-bound 36-year-old man. Rodriguez said that as firefighters battled the flames and secured the familys safety, a special unit of several firefighters was assembled to salvage any Christmas presents and decorations in the home before they were damaged. Resident Rosa De La Cruz, 66, cared for her grandchildren while in the home and was overjoyed by how firefighters handled the situation. What they did was remarkable, De La Cruz said. They need to be commended. The back half of the house was scorched, and Rodriguez estimated that there was $50,000 in damage. According to the children of the home, the family dog was found but their Siamese cat was missing. Rodriguez warned homeowners to keep combustibles away from sources of excess heat. Keep space heaters as far away from the wall as possible, and leave no candles unattended, Rodriguez said. He said the Red Cross will aid in relocating the family. aluna@express-news.net | Twitter: alexluna801 print version unlocked at 6:03 p.m. Saturday morning started out cold, and the temperature only dropped lower as the hours passed. A light drizzle turned into a downpour. But the dreary weather didnt dampen the spirits of those who turned out at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery to place more than 43,000 Christmas wreaths on the graves of soldiers and their family members. So many volunteers showed up that a line of cars stretched a quarter-mile down Harry Wurzbach Road, waiting to get in. The ceremony, and a similar one held Saturday at San Antonio National Cemetery, was part of Wreaths Across America, a nationwide event intended to preserve the memories of deceased veterans. A single man started the tradition in 1992 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and it went nationwide in 2005 after a photo of the wreaths went viral. Veterans die two deaths. One is the physical death, and the other one is when no one says your name again, said Jean Clark, deputy state captain for the San Antonio region of the Texas Patriot Guard, an organization devoted to honoring veterans. He rode to the event on his motorcycle, wearing a leather jacket covered with patriotic patches. Volunteers walked through the 338-acre cemetery carrying stacks of wreaths to place on the graves. Some of them were lucky enough to have ponchos or umbrellas, while others just got wet. When they placed the wreaths on the graves, they spoke the name of the deceased out loud to make sure they would be remembered. Before setting out with the wreaths, the volunteers viewed a procession of motorcycles and semi-trucks decked with American flags, candy canes, wreaths and other Christmas decorations. A band from Boerne Middle School played Deck the Halls and other Christmas classics, covering their instruments with plastic bags between tunes. Just reflect, just for a second, and be thankful for the reason we are here. We are all here because we have lost a loved one, Judy Carlile, an event volunteer for the past eight years, told the crowd. Just take a minute to say Thank you for your service. The crowd then observed a moment of silence, listened to the bugle call taps, offered a prayer, recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the national anthem. Wreaths were laid for each branch of the armed services, and a flock of doves was released. At one point, the ceremony was put on pause so volunteers in the audience could give hugs to the strangers standing next to them. It is our duty to keep freedom alive, state Sen. Donna Campbell told the crowd. With each wreath laid we recommit ourselves to the cause they died for that were obligated to preserve. Pete Neber drove to San Antonio from his home in the Dallas area to participate in the ceremony and visit family. His sister-in-law was recently buried in the cemetery after dying of breast cancer, he said. Hes retired from the Air Force, and many of his family members are also veterans. This is something that brings us all together our family, our roots, he said. He and his family members were considering getting some hot cocoa after the event. Look at how beautiful this looks, Neber said, motioning to the wreaths on the gravestones. Regardless of the holiday, I think its always good to remember those before you. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The lengthy barrage by Hurricane Harvey spared few residents along the Texas coast. But it was far from an equal-opportunity storm, according to a new analysis. Three months after Harvey, poor and minority communities are still struggling to rebuild from a storm that disproportionately affected them, and which worsened chronic issues related to inequality, according to a report released last week by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation. Among the biggest hurdles for poor, often-black or Hispanic communities were limited access to affordable housing, health care, flood insurance, as well as the loss of hourly-wage jobs and the paychecks that come with them, the report found. Things are stacked against low-income communities, said Elena Marks, chief executive at the Episcopal foundation. Theres not a fair mechanism to help people who are already vulnerable at the time when they are at their most vulnerable. The report, which surveyed respondents in 24 counties affected by Harvey, found that black residents were 13 percent more likely to have had their homes damaged than white residents. Meanwhile, 58 percent of low-income Hispanic residents said someone in their household lost work because of the storm nearly triple the rate of low-income, white respondents. The report is the latest to note the disparate ways in which natural disasters affect already-susceptible populations during and after storms. Advocates fear that, absent meaningful policies directed at easing the effects of segregation and inequality, such communities will continue to see a snowball effect, through which they will only be increasingly vulnerable to future storms. Unfortunately, (the survey results) werent surprising, said Maddie Sloan, the director of Texas Appleseeds disaster recovery and fair housing project. This is what we always see with natural disasters. Among the most concerning findings of the report, she said, were the high numbers of low-income people who said theyd been denied federal housing assistance. That, she said, means less mobility for low-income people, thus leaving them in dilapidated homes that are often in the path of storms. We know that if you are repeatedly hit by a disaster if your home is repeatedly flooded thats a huge financial drain, she said. And every time it gets harder. Various federal and state programs to help poor residents, meanwhile, have been plagued by confusion and long wait lines, advocacy groups say. Thousands more are still displaced, awaiting temporary housing or financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In Harris County, $36 million has been given to non-profits through the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund started by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and County Judge Ed Emmett. Turner spokesman Alan Bernstein said in an email Monday that another $64 million will be distributed in the coming weeks, which he called a significant way of addressing inequalities exacerbated by the flood. In October, Turner announced a partnership aimed at employing Houstonians on local infrastructure repair projects. Those are each good things, Marks said. But, she added, its important to remember that social and economic inequities did not begin with Harvey. A lot of people say, Oh gosh, look at this Harvey data, Marks said. But (poor communities) had these disadvantages before Harvey. What Harvey did was give them new things to be even more disadvantaged about. How, she asked, do you build the kinds of communities with individuals, families and institutions, so that when the next bad thing happens, the same groups of people are not always worse off? If its not a flood, itll be something else, she said. Turners office earlier this year announced the Complete Communities initiative to target five low-income neighborhoods for development. That program was welcomed by advocacy groups, but also has been criticized for its low funding levels and lack of a time line for implementation. (Turner) definitely has a passion for this, but this type of undertaking cant get done by passion alone, Chrishelle Palay, Houston co-director of the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service, said when the city initiative was announced in April. Its going to take a truly comprehensive effort and a commitment of hundreds of millions of public dollars to really get this done. Robert Downen is a metro reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Send him news tips at robert.downen@chron.com or follow him on Twitter. AUSTIN Gov. Greg Abbott had a flip response when a reporter asked him about the Democrats vying to challenge him next year. Patrick, I think you intimidate me more, the Republican governor told Texas Tribune reporter Patrick Svitek on Tuesday. Just hours later, deep-red Alabama voted against a deeply damaged Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, giving heart to Texas Democrats who predict that an anti-Trump wave also will help lift their lagging fortunes. True, Roy Moore was uniquely baggage-ridden, haunted by allegations of sexual misconduct that included preying on a 14-year-old girl when he was in his 30s. And true, he lost to Democrat Doug Jones by only a slim margin despite those terrible allegations. But a Jones win was more than many expected in Alabama, and Texas Democrats immediately saw it as an extension of a wave that brought their party earlier victories in Virginia and Oklahoma. I actually dont think its a unique circumstance, Texas Democratic Party Deputy Executive Director Manny Garcia said of Moores loss. Garcia argues that to gauge Democrats chances in Texas next year, its necessary to look beyond Abbott and his $40 million-plus campaign war chest or any other race in isolation. Instead, he said, one must consider Democrats gains in urban areas and their ability to field a substantial number of candidates for congressional and legislative races. Its the sort of message he has long sounded, even as some grew impatient with Democrats delay in signing up a gubernatorial candidate with some political heft this political season. The press was setting expectations, looking for us to draft LeBron (James). We were looking to build the Spurs. We were looking to build a team of folks that each had a particular talent, Garcia said. And together as a team, we could accomplish great things. Democrats now have a big gubernatorial primary field of mostly little-known candidates but one thats likely to draw attention thanks to two leading contenders who showcase a contrast in approach. Former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez is a trailblazer who has tangled with Abbott over so-called sanctuary cities legislation, while Andrew White son of the late Democratic former Gov. Mark White says you can call him a conservative Democrat or moderate Republican. Democrats also have a charismatic U.S. Senate candidate in Congressman Beto ORourke, whose race against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz immediately began drawing new attention when Moores loss narrowed Republicans edge in the chamber. Its still a beyond-uphill fight for Democrats when it comes to statewide elections they havent won such a victory in Texas in more than two decades. But theres hope for progress, and more than a touch of optimism looking down the ballot. Even Abbotts senior adviser Dave Carney, no stranger to flippant remarks, sent out a memo warning against taking 2018 lightly, as weve reported. His missive was delivered in the wake of Democrat Ralph Northams win in the Virginia governors race. And Abbotts campaign, despite his quip, has long been taking his re-election bid seriously, maintaining and building on a strong statewide campaign infrastructure. Its prepared to shell out a fortune to support a resounding victory for Republicans up and down the ballot and a large margin in his own race. The Republican Party of Texas also has been working hard, without buying into panic over Democratic victories elsewhere. Those are very special situations, said Republican Party of Texas spokesman Jamie Bennett of Democratic wins in Virginia and Alabama. Although both parties spent big in Virginia and President Donald Trump backed GOP candidate Ed Gillespie, Bennett said that when it comes down to it, Virginia is a Democratic state. In Alabama, he said, an admittedly terrible candidate lost by a hair. But the Texas GOP has been working hard toward 2018, he said, running campaign management schools, workshops and training seminars; working with county parties; and engaging volunteers. He acknowledged that midterms typically are some sort of referendum on the current president. It may have a slight effect. But even though top statewide officials support Trump, Bennett thinks that effect will remain small. Really, I dont think it will have much effect at all, because of who we have on our ballot, he said. Flip comments or not. Peggy Fikac is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | pfikac@express-news.net | @pfikac The fines are associated with complaints from 2016 By Diego Flammini News Reporter Farms.com The Missouri Department of Agriculture has begun fining to farmers for herbicide-related infractions. Eight people from five counties were fined a total of $145,125 for their misuse of dicamba in 2016, according to the Department of Agriculture. The state received a total of 121 dicamba-related complaints that year. One herbicide applicator from Senath County had 149 violations and received $62,250 in fines. And there could be more fines on the way. It is important for appropriate enforcement action to be issued in order to deter off-label use and protect the integrity of agriculture, Chris Chinn, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, said in a Dec. 14 statement. We are in the final stages of our case review of 2016 investigations and continuing our field investigations of 2017 complaints. Missouri has been one of the strictest states in terms of its response to dicamba issues. In March, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens signed House Bill 662. The legislation sets the penalty at $10,000 for producers purposely misusing herbicides. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $25,000 per violation. On Dec. 11, the Department of Agriculture announced that any growers planning to incorporate dicamba in their 2018 weed management system must obtain Special Local Need labels. Only certified applicators can sell and apply the product, they can only apply dicamba during certain times, and applicators must fill out a notice of application before spraying, according to these labels. And Missouris soybean association will comply with the new regulations. We support the regulatory process and have advocated for tougher penalties for individuals who violate label instructions, especially repeat offenders, Matt McCrate, president of the Missouri Soybean Association, said in a Dec. 11 statement. In 2014 it was reported that the Geraldton Port had been suffering from surges at least once a week during the winter months - which were impacting on vessels mooring and costing about $4 million to the local industry per year, as well as having to close the port for 15pc of the time. Sometimes when a farmer has grown something and the GM material comes onto their property, theyre no longer able to sell their produce at the same level that they would have been in the past, so in Steve Marshs case he actually lost his organic standing. Only three semesters will be good enough to go into the university course, but they havent designed the course yet so how the hell do we know and how the hell do they know more to the point, Mr Lee said. CNH Industrial, global director of design analysis and simulation, Gennaro Monacelli, said digital simulation was being used across the board in tractor design, in everything from safety, ergonomics and fuel consumption, to crop and soil implement interactions. Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions enter here to gain access. If you are not a Current Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you! Complaints about perceived high levels of corruption in Indonesia are a constant topic in both business circles and in everyday social conversation. But how does the country compare with its neighbours? And what can companies and individuals do to address the problem? Two recent international surveys offer valuable insights. The first is the ASEAN Business Outlook Survey 2018 conducted by AmCham Singapore and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with analytical support from Control Risks. Respondents to the survey included a total of 317 AmCham member companies in all ten ASEAN countries. The survey points to good news. When respondents were asked about new investment destinations in Southeast Asia, 28.7% of respondents chose Indonesia, just behind Myanmar (29.3%) and Vietnam (34.4%). Some 73% of AmCham companies already operating in Indonesia expect to expand their businesses. Nevertheless, corruption emerges as a constant, nagging problem. Overall, some 65% of Indonesia-based respondents expressed concern with current corruption levels. Their counterparts in Cambodia (80%) and Vietnam (77%) were even more likely to be concerned. By contrast, the figures for Malaysia (46%), Myanmar (57%) and Thailand (55%) were significantly lower. When asked about areas of reform that would benefit foreign investors, 61.5% of Indonesia-based respondents chose greater progress on battling corruption, while 50% chose clearer legal protections, including police and judiciary reform. There is no question that Indonesia is attractive to investors but on these points it risks losing out to its international competitors. A second, complementary survey, this time from the anti-corruption NGO Transparency International (TI), presents the perspective of ordinary citizens. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews in 1,000 households selected to be representative of Indonesia as a whole. The findings were published earlier this year in TIs People and Corruption: Asia Pacific report. Respondents were asked whether they had come into contact in the past year with six core public services: police, providers of identity documents, public schools, hospitals, utility services and courts. Out of the total number of people who had dealt with these services, 32% had paid a bribe in the past year. This means that nearly a quarter (24%) of all Indonesian respondents including those who hadnt been in touch with any of these agencies had paid a bribe. The police came top of the agencies most likely to demand bribes (25% of the respondents who had come into contact with them), followed by the bureaucrats who issue identity documents (23%), and officials at public schools and hospitals (15% each). The incidence of bribery payments may seem high, but Indonesia is by no means the worst-affected country in Southeast Asia. In TIs survey that title goes to Vietnam where as many as 61% of respondents said that they had paid a bribe in the previous year. Anecdotally, many Indonesians tell Control Risks that the penalty for refusing to pay bribes is a delay in service delivery. In Vietnam they may not receive the service at all. These findings offer a helpful point of perspective. While demands for bribes in relation to routine government services remain endemic, Indonesia is by no means the worst-affected country in the region. Nevertheless, both companies and individuals need strategies for dealing with the problem. The Indonesian respondents to the TI survey appear optimistic in that 78% agree with the proposition that ordinary people can make a difference in the fight against corruption. However, responses to a follow-up question on precisely what they can do are more nuanced. The most popular answer chosen by a third of respondents was that they could refuse to pay bribes. In other words, bribery payments need not be inevitable. However, 23% thought ordinary people cannot do anything, and only 12% of respondents thought that it was viable to report corruption when you see or hear it. In response to a follow-up question on reporting, 38% of Indonesians said that people did not report corruption because they were afraid of the consequences. The survey does not go into detail on the nature of these consequences. However, at a minimum, they might include the inconvenience of being caught up in a long-running investigation, possibly including the need to appear in court as a witness. Moreover, it is easy to imagine that ordinary people will fear intimidation from powerful interests who benefit from corruption. They will be reluctant to take risks if the outcome is uncertain. Many of these responses will strike a chord with companies who are invited to pay bribes, for example when applying for permits and licenses. Nevertheless, companies are far from powerless. Here there are three key points. For companies as well as ordinary people, refusing to pay is the single biggest contribution that they can make. However, refusal needs to be part of a coordinated strategy. The minimum requirement is to ensure that companies meet all official requirements in all their official dealings, resolving any apparent contradictions as well as they can. At the same time, they may need to develop contingency plans, allowing for bureaucratic delays if they refuse to pay speed money. Second, while reporting corruption is highly desirable from a public interest perspective, it is easy to see why most companies are reluctant to take a public stance. The outcomes are uncertain especially given that the opaqueness of the Indonesian court system. Even if companies win one success, they may fear that the bribe-demanders will find other ways of retaliating, for example by finding legitimate reasons for slowing down other bureaucratic processes, or targeting the company for some alleged breach of official procedures. In Control Risks view companies should take a stand against corruption, but it may be more effective as well as less hazardous to do so as part of a collective initiative, for example with an industry association. Third, therefore, the main emphasis needs to be on prevention, making sure that all employees are fully aware of their companys anti-corruption policies, and that these are fully supported by middle and senior management. This support will include targeted training. However, the most effective demonstration of the companys policies will come through the choices that it makes in day-to-day decision-making, including a consistent refusal to pay. Overall, the two surveys underline the challenges of facing up to corruption in Indonesian society. At the same time, both society and politics remain highly fluid. There will be reversals as well as advances, but both individuals and companies can contribute to positive change. ____ John Bray, pictured above, is a Director at the Singapore office of Control Risks, the international business risk consultancy. In addition to being a risk consultant, he is a policy specialist with more than 30 years experience in Asia, Europe and Africa. His particular areas of expertise include: anti-corruption strategies for the private sector; business and human rights; and private sector policy issues in conflict-affected areas. Danielle Brooks was born in Augusta in Georgia, USA. She attended the South Carolina Governors School for the Arts and Humanities, then the Juilliard School in New York. Her work in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black has been recognised with three Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, and in 2014, Brooks won the Young Hollywood Breakthrough Actress Award. Her performance in The Color Purple on Broadway saw her nominated for a 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical and earned her a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Danielle Brooks (Photograph: Kieran E Scott) Q. What really matters to you? What matters to me most is telling stories that move us forward as a society telling stories that help people better understand one another. I was in my first church play when I was six years old, but, when youre that young, you dont understand how youre affecting others. Everyone kept telling my mother that I was good, so from that moment on she found all of these different programmes for me to attend. I was transferred to arts school in middle school, then again in high school; in high school, I discovered my love for theatre, and I came to understand its power to change peoples lives it definitely changed mine. In my senior year at the South Carolina Governors School for the Arts and Humanities I had just been accepted to Juilliard, so the school was always making me perform monologues when donors visited I performed an August Wilson monologue from The Piano Lesson for about twenty women, who all happened to be white. I was terrified. But all these women were able to relate to Bernieces story, the need to convince her brother of the mistake he had made by selling their piano, an heirloom that had so much family history in it. The women all told me how theyd been moved, and that was the moment when I realised the power of art how transformative it is. Everyone can find a way to relate to it. Thats when I decided I would use my gift to help others become more free. In return, it does the same thing for me. This is why I feel so strongly that we have to pour our resources into arts education; it allows people to experience the arts and, through them, to feel seen and heard. Because its important to give voices to people who feel like they dont have one. In this world, most of us are operating in our own little circles, but, when I had the chance to tell Bernieces story, I realised the potential for arts to help us relate to each other. There is so much hate and opposition in the world Im right, youre wrong so what we really need is to be able to relate to each others stories. I feel Orange Is the New Black is so powerful because all of the characters are written off as criminals as the lowest of the low but you come to understand how each of them landed in prison. You see that most of them were operating out of love: stealing for their children, selling drugs to support their husbands or whatever else it might be. They were trying to do more, be better and to provide. When you take a step back and appreciate that these are peoples mothers, sisters, daughters and lovers, you start to break down the judgement about who they are. I do think that there are micro-aggressions black actors experience I experienced them myself when I first started on Orange Is the New Black. Some people deem my character, Taystee, ghetto or unkempt, because she is incarcerated and says whatever she wants. And they have reflected that on me. Ive stepped into interviews where the first questions are, Are you trained? Where did they find you? Yes, Im trained! I spent four years at a conservatory studying this craft. Yet, I dont necessarily hear those questions when my white contemporaries are being interviewed about their characters. I was at a fancy event recently, and a very distinguished black woman, who is in the business, told me shed only realised my background after she recognised me in The Color Purple. She said, I thought they found you on the street or something. I felt that was disrespectful to me as a human being, because she didnt have the imagination to believe that I could be greater than just the character I was playing. People can be so close-minded in their beliefs, but I feel acting creates room for people to change to see things differently as they get to know a character and then the person behind it. My mother is a minister and my father is a deacon, so I grew up in the church, and my family can be very homophobic. But, because theyve engaged with the work of my colleagues Laverne Cox and Samira Wiley and then with the women themselves theyre able to look at life a little differently than they had been taught to. I think thats a beautiful thing. What Ive learned from my mother and her journey with faith is that its okay to leave room for more love. Q. What brings you happiness? Doing what I love. When Im centred and have inner peace, that brings me happiness. There are so many distractions that can throw you off balance, but, when I can take a moment to live outside of my insecurities and be fully in the moment, I find a true appreciation for life, health and the beautiful people around me. Q. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Self-hate. I know I have a lot more to learn, but, in the twenty-seven years that Ive been on this earth, a core lesson has been being able to identify self-hate. When you dont love yourself enough, or you dont feel like you have a reason to live, thats misery. Not all, but a lot of, self-hate we cause each other. In some way, our self-hate is all connected: whether its somebody whos been abandoned by their mother or somebody who cant provide for her child. We affect one another; the minute I run into somebody, their energy moves my energy, and vice versa. So, I think it would help if we all took a second to focus on loving ourselves. If Im not operating out of a place of love for myself, how am I supposed to spread love? A drug addict who spends time with drug addicts is most likely going to do drugs, whereas, if theyre going to AA meetings and hanging around people who are clean, thats probably the direction their life will take. I feel its the same when it comes to loving ones self: we have to surround ourselves with the same vibrations. Q. What would you change if you could? I would change how we view money; greed is a powerful demon and it runs the world. I think the way we view money is ugly. Q. Which single word do you most identify with? Manifestation. We have the power to manifest whatever we want, if we believe. 200 Women Who Will Change The Way You See The World, edited by Ruth Hobday, Geoff Blackwell, Marianne Lassandro and Sharon Gelman (Chronicle Books, 31 October 2017, 35.) Karlie Kloss loves wearing "really colourful" clothes over Christmas. Karlie Kloss The 25-year-old model has admitted she loves to wear garments in "jewel tones" over the festive period, or a "simple chic dress", which she can accessorise with accessories or bold make-up, although she will have "simple" looking hair. Speaking to ElleUK.com, she said: "I love to wear a really colourful dress with jewel tones. I like emerald green (it's my eye colour), purple and blue. Or I'll wear a silk slit dress with an oversized jacket on top or like a faux fur jacket on top and then crystals, something to kind of catch the light-- really good statement pieces. But overall, I love a simple chic dress that I can wear with statement jewellery and a red lip or some sort of make-up look, either it's going to be an eye or a look with simple, 'nothing' hair." And the Kode with Klossy founder has revealed she also loves wearing less glamorous piece such as a "comfy" sweater although she needs to "invest" in the perfect Christmas jumper before the big day. She added: "I'm a big fan of a comfy sweater. I need to invest in a good Christmas jumper this year because I don't have one.'" The Chicago-born star gets all nostalgic this time of year, as she remembers when she was a child and her and her family would drive to the city to enjoy Christmas shopping and admire the window display. Karlie said: "I remember growing up in St. Louis, we lived a couple hours' drive from Chicago, so my whole family and I would pile into the car and drive to Chicago and have this fun holiday shopping adventure. We would walk by all of the store fronts. "We didn't quite make it to New York so Chicago was sort of the big city. We would see all of the windows and all the beautiful designs. And now, I like to do the same thing in New York. It's a really magical time." Kevin Lima didn't want there to be an 'Enchanted' sequel. Kevin Lima The 55-year-old filmmaker helmed the 2007 Disney movie and now, 10 years later, the studio is looking to make a sequel and Amy Adams reportedly has signed up to reprise her role as Princess Giselle. However, Lima has stepped away from the sequel and said he thinks his original movie is "complete in and of itself". Speaking to Den of Geek, Lima said: "I always find that I'm heading off into the world looking for new adventures. The idea of making a sequel isn't the most intriguing for me. At the same time, I haven't been able to even suggest a sequel to them. 'Enchanted' feels like a movie that's complete in and of itself. I'm sure if I was forced to stick my nose to the grindstone I could work something out. I don't have a story that feels compelling, though. Nothing's come to me. I tend not to dwell on it. "I keep thinking what's next? What other stories can I tell?" The follow up - known as 'Disenchanted' - will be set 10 years after the original and feature Giselle "questioning her happily ever after, and accidentally triggering events that make everyone's lives turn upside down in both the real world and in the animated kingdom of Andalasia". In the first movie Gisele rejected Prince Edward (James Marsden) in order to remain in New York with Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey), a divorce lawyer she fell in love with, and his daughter Morgan. It is not yet clear if Dempsey or Marsden will return for the sequel. The sequel was originally due to be filmed in 2010 and is now set to begin filming in 2017, 10 years on from its original release. 'Rock of Ages' director Adam Shankman will helm the project, while David Stem and David Weiss have written the script. Going into a high street supermarket or cafe and picking up a ready-made meal deal is a no-brainer for most of us but what do you do as a vegan? Vegan on Female First A new survey by The Vegan Society found that 91% of vegans sometimes struggle to find grab and go food options, which prompted the charity to launch its Vegan on the Go campaign. Food options for vegans have dramatically improved over the last few years but the research, which involved 2500 UK vegans, suggests there is still room for improvement. Veganism is growing at an exponential rate and is an untapped market that could offer huge opportunities for restaurant owners, investors and food developers. According to Mintel's Global New Products Database, there has been a 185% increase in the number of vegan products launched in the UK between 2012 and 2016. Vegan on the Go campaign aims to bring attention to the growing demand for vegan options and to highlight to businesses that veganism is a market trend which is here to stay. Elena Orde, Communications Officer at The Vegan Society, said: Weve seen some fantastic strides forward in terms of new, affordable vegan products in supermarkets and restaurants but we want to make it even easier for people to go vegan and stay vegan. Offering vegan food options makes clear commercial sense businesses are opening the potential market up to not only half a million vegans in Britain, but also to a million more vegetarians, the huge number of meat and dairy reducers, the lactose intolerant, the health-conscious and others who simply enjoy vegan food from time to time. Sometimes all it takes is removing a pesky small amount of dairy or egg to create a lovely vegan dish, which can really widen food retailers appeal. Attitudes towards veganism have changed dramatically over the last few years, indicating that veganism is now winning British hearts and minds in ever greater numbers. The Vegan Society's survey last month showed that half of Brits know a vegan, over a half (56%) adopt vegan buying behaviours and a quarter (26%) thought public sector food outlets should provide a vegan option by law. Chain restaurants like Zizzi, Wagamama and Wetherspoons all have dedicated vegan menus while coffee shops Pret a Manger, Starbucks and Caffe Nero are offering more and more animal-free products. The Vegan Society is keen on hearing about good practice in the food and drink sector, and are happy to publicise any businesses who excel at providing great vegan food options. The charity has urged those who are already vegan to contact retailers to ask for more vegan options as well as approach local independent cafes and restaurants with its vegan catering guides. For more information visit www.vegansociety.com/veganonthego. Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary today, so here are some things you might not know about the couple. Jamie Lee Curtis (Credit: Famous) 1. Curtis married fellow actor Guest on 18th December 1984 at the home of their mutual friend Rob Reiner. 2. She became Lady Haden-Guest of Saling in the County of Essex when her husband inherited the Barony of Haden Guest in 1996 after his father died. 3. Curtis reportedly fell in love with Guest when she saw a picture of him in Rolling Stone as part of the promotion for the movie This Is Spinal Tap. 4. She apparently said to her friend " Oh, I'm going to marry that guy" before giving her number to Guest's agent and she married him five months later. (Wikipedia) 5. The couple have adopted two children together- Annie (1986) and Thomas (1996). 6. The pair are pretty tight lipped about their relationship; when Guest was asked about it- he said; ' No. I don't talk about the family. This is kind of an on-going thing that gets, honestly, to be kind of tiresome, only because, you know, you meet people in Boston and they say, 'Boy, what's it like to wake up with Jamie Lee Curtis ?' Well, you know what? We've been married for 12 years, and we have kids, and it's not like we're living some bizarre life here. We go home and we wear sweatpants and the baby takes a dump and we change the diaper. I don't mean to put you off here, but I just tend not to talk about it.' Happy Wedding Anniversary Jamie Lee and Christopher! Source: IMDB and Wikipedia The American Apparel & Footwear Association has selected four industry leaders for the 2018 AAFA American Image Awards. The Person of the Year award will be given to Manny Chirico, chairman and CEO of PVH Corp, Company of the Year award will go to the Camuto Group, Fred Segal becomes Retailer of the Year, while Joseph Altuzarra is the Designer of the Year.The awards will be given on April 16, 2018 in New York City. The American Apparel & Footwear Association has selected four industry leaders for the 2018 AAFA American Image Awards. The Person of the Year award will be given to Manny Chirico, chairman and CEO of PVH Corp, Company of the Year award will go to the Camuto Group, Fred Segal becomes Retailer of the Year, while Joseph Altuzarra is the Designer of the Year. # The AAFA American Image Awards celebrate those that epitomise leadership and innovation in the apparel and footwear industry. This is an opportunity to honour the finest individuals and organisations throughout the entire supply chain, including designers, manufacturers, and trendsetters, said Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association.Person of the Year is awarded to Manny Chirico, chairman and CEO of PVH Corp. Manny has been with PVH for more than 20 years, serving as CEO since 2006 and chairman since 2007. Under Mannys leadership, PVH has become one of the largest apparel companies in the world, including renowned brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and more.Company of the Year is awarded to Camuto Group. Founded by Vince Camuto, Camuto Group is a global business with more than 5,400 distribution points in more than 70 countries. As a leader in the design, development, and distribution of womens fashion footwear, the company provides both wholesale and licensed products in the space. The award will be accepted by the companys CEO Alex Del Cielo.Retailer of the Year is awarded to Fred Segal. The eponymous retailer was founded more than 50 years ago in West Hollywood to provide form-fitting, fashion-forward clothing. Catering to Hollywoods A-list celebrities, Fred Segal is known for opening the first jeans-only store. Today, the retailer manages stores in Japan and Los Angeles. The award will be accepted by Fred Segal CEO Allison Samek and President John Frierson.Designer of the Year is awarded to Joseph Altuzarra. Born and raised in Paris, Joseph launched his namesake brand in 2008 to provide luxury womens ready-to-wear and accessories, creating a modern wardrobe for women to feel confident and sexy in their everyday lives.For the second year, AAFA has partnered with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Foundation to serve as the galas beneficiary. The CFDA Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that raises funds for charity and industry activities.We are honoured to once again be the beneficiary of the American Image Awards, said Steven Kolb, president and CEO of the CFDA. The money raised will help fund our business development and philanthropic programmes.The AAFA American Image Awards is owned and operated by AAFA. Starting in 1977, the awards honour those who have exemplified leadership, excellence, and outstanding achievements in all sectors of the apparel and footwear industry, including education, design, manufacturing, and retail. (SV) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Salvatore Ferragamo, a world leader in the luxury goods sector, has created a new design and prototyping lab for mens and womens leather goods in Florence. It is a cutting-edge artisanal centre and open forum for technical excellence and creativity that promotes research into materials, creation of style and crafting of products that meet market demand.In keeping with the brands philosophy, focused on the development of artisanal products that highlight the expert skills behind made-in-Italy production, the new leather goods atelier is a space for our artisans to cultivate their professional skills and passion for innovation and research, while upholding our long-standing values of tradition and craftsmanship, explained Eraldo Poletto, CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo Group. Not only does this project celebrate Ferragamos leather crafting know-how, but it will also provide additional opportunities for the development of new products, as it enables us to test innovative materials and improve the quality and efficiency of various development processes. Salvatore Ferragamo, a world leader in the luxury goods sector, has created a new design and prototyping lab for men's and women's leather goods in Florence. It is a cutting-edge artisanal centre and open forum for technical excellence and creativity that promotes research into materials, creation of style and crafting of products that meet market demand.# Some twenty artisans will join the current team of master leather workers in the new workshop, expanding the development of the design lab, and, above all, to pass indispensable artisanal expertise down to future generations, preserving the brands heritage and know-how.The use of new machines equipped with the most advanced technologies will also ensure utmost quality and efficiency in production processes, for a perfect combination of industry and craftsmanship.We decided to design this space with solutions that save energy and use environmentally sustainable materials to create a work space that is not only modern and comfortable but also in line with our green philosophy, added Ferruccio Ferragamo, chairman of the Salvatore Ferragamo Group. The new design lab - spanning roughly 1,200 square metres - is in a building that has been renovated for energy efficiency using environmentally sustainable materials.The building was improved as part of a complex redevelopment project, first and foremost to increase safety and seismic stability. Furthermore, it was reconfigured to contain energy consumption and emissions, optimise energy absorption and use energy from renewable sources, including the installation of a new solar power system.Another Salvatore Ferragamo Group project in Osmannoro is the construction of a new logistics hub with automated warehousing, slated for completion in 2018. The logistics hub will also be designed according to the latest energy and resource consumption standards in order to qualify for LEED Platinum certification. (SV) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Cotton USA, which promotes US cotton fibre and manufactured cotton products, recently helped US spinning mills to market US manufactured cotton yarns and fabrics to the Egyptian and Moroccan textile firms from November 10 to 15, 2017. Cotton Council International (CCI), is the export promotion arm of the National Cotton Council of America (NCC).Four US mills travelled to Egypt to attend the second Destination Africa Sourcing Fair, which was held on November 11 and 12, 2017 in Cairo. Following that trade show, three companies continued on to Casablanca, Morocco, to meet textile and apparel association and private companies sourcing yarns. Cotton USA, which promotes US cotton fibre and manufactured cotton products, recently helped US spinning mills to market US manufactured cotton yarns and fabrics to the Egyptian and Moroccan textile firms from November 10 to 15, 2017. Cotton Council International (CCI), is the export promotion arm of the National Cotton Council of America (NCC).# In Cairo, the group was briefed by the US Embassy Agricultural Counsellor on the Egyptian political and economic situation, and by a representative of the Egyptian industry on the Egyptian market and its demand for yarns and fabrics and the role of the QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zones). Cotton Council International (CCI) gave a presentation on the situation across key African companies, highlighting potential for cotton production, demand for cotton fibre, and the capacity of the textile and garment sectors.There were strong networking opportunities with exhibitors at the Destination Africa Trade Show, which were primarily fabric and garment companies from Egypt, as well as opportunities to learn more from both US and European brands on their views of the region and US cotton.Yarn companies reported potential for limited volume sales in the Egyptian market for knit fabric manufacturing but larger potential for sales for towel and bed linen weaving, which may increase with further education on US manufactured yarn quality (OE, Vortex, and Airjet) and more one-on-one visits.In Morocco, Cotton USA and the US spinners delegation first met the Moroccan Textile and Apparel Manufacturers Association (AMITH) in Casablanca. The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the US and Morocco was the focus of the local industry. Since the beginning of 2016, due to Tariff Preference Level (TPL) requirements, Morocco had to use either US or Moroccan originated yarn and fabrics. This was one of the reasons for interest in US yarns and fabrics. During one-on-one meetings, Moroccan companies, which are focused primarily on sales to the Spanish and French markets, mentioned that they specify US cotton for white and light colours for lack of contamination and higher quality. (GK) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Building on the political agreement reached in principle during the European Union (EU)-Japan Summit in July this year, EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and Japanese foreign minister Taro Kono recently announced in Brussels the conclusion of the final discussions on the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the biggest bilateral trade pact by the EU.The EPA will remove the vast majority of the 1 billion of duties paid annually by EU companies exporting to Japan, as well as a number of long-standing regulatory barriers. It will also open up the Japanese market of 127 million consumers to key EU agricultural exports and will increase EU export opportunities in a range of other sectors, according to an EU press release. Building on the political agreement reached in principle during the European Union (EU)-Japan Summit in July this year, EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and Japanese foreign minister Taro Kono recently announced in Brussels the conclusion of the final discussions on the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the biggest bilateral trade pact by# The agreement will scrap duties on wines and many varieties of cheese, ensure the protection in Japan of more than 200 high-quality European agricultural products, open up services markets, such as financial services, e-commerce, telecommunications and transport, and guarantee EU companies access to the large procurement markets of Japan in 48 large cities.The deal includes a specific commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and a comprehensive chapter on trade and sustainable development, sets the highest standards of labour, safety, environmental and consumer protection and strengthens EU and Japan's actions on sustainable development and climate change. (DS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The South African company, Rotex Fabrics, which is a knitter, dyer, and finisher of high quality fabrics for fashion and sportswear, has announced that the company has managed to increase its production capacity with Bruckner stenters after a terrible fire. Bruckner is a leading producer of high-tech lines for the dry finishing of knitted and woven fabrics.In October 2016, there was an unfortunate fire where the complete dye house and finishing departments were destroyed, but fortunately nobody was injured. After re-constructing the damaged buildings, the company started with the installation of the new machinery by the end of April 2017, with the last of the new machines being commissioned exactly one year to the day after the fire. Three months prior the fire, Rotex started their partnership with Bruckner, and commissioned a new 8-chamber, thermal oil heated stenter to complement the two existing lines. The South African company, Rotex Fabrics, which is a knitter, dyer, and finisher of high quality fabrics for fashion and sportswear, has announced that the company has managed to increase its production capacity with Bruckner stenters after a terrible fire. Bruckner is a leading producer of high-tech lines for the dry finishing of knitted and woven fabrics.# Martin Rohner, the technical director of the company said, We were impressed with the new machine, as well as the service and back-up from Bruckner, so much so, that when we had to replace the damaged machines, it was an easy decision to make, with the result that we installed two identical Bruckner stenters. The new investment has enabled us not only to install the latest technology throughout our dyeing and finishing facility, but also to optimise the plant layout and grow our capacity to meet our customers growing need for high quality, fashion forward, quick response fabrics.Regina Bruckner, owner of Bruckner Textile Technologies said, It was really a great pleasure for us to support Rotex as fast as possible after this terrible fire. We admired the energy and the strength of the whole company when they re-built the factory. The cooperation with this special and very expert customer was more than agreeable and we are proud that we could convince Rotex of the quality of our machines and of our service. (GK) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan posted a merchandise trade surplus of 113.357 billion yen in November, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday - down 22.6 percent on year. The headline figure beat forecasts for a deficit of 40.0 billion yen following the 285.4 billion yen surplus in October. Exports were up 16.2 percent on year to 6.930 trillion yen, topping expectations for a gain of 14.7 percent following the 14.0 percent gain in the previous month. Exports to Asia advanced 20.4 percent on year to 3.894 trillion yen, while exports to China alone jumped an annual 25.1 percent to 1.379 trillion yen. Exports to the United States gained 13.0 percent on year to 1.368 trillion yen and exports to the European Union added an annual 13.3 percent to 717.331 billion yen. Imports climbed an annual 17.2 percent to 6.807 trillion yen versus forecasts for an increase of 18.0 percent and down from 18.9 percent a month earlier. Imports from Asia climbed 19.7 percent on year to 3.455 trillion yen, while imports from China alone gained an annual 21.6 percent to 1.810 trillion yen. Imports from the United States were up 12.3 percent to 708.557 billion yen, while imports from the European Union gained 6.8 percent to 767.306 billion yen. The adjusted trade surplus was 364.1 billion yen, beating expectations for 265.0 billion yen and up from 349.3 billion yen in October. 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. VENLO (dpa-AFX) - Today's Daily Dose brings you news about FDA approval of a seborrheic keratoses product; lifting of clinical hold on Fitusiran trials; disappointing trial results of a pet therapeutics company; an update on the patent infringement suit related to Oxford Immunotec's T-SPOT TB test, a method for diagnosing TB infection, and Verastem's stock offering. Read on... Aclaris Therapeutics Inc.'s (ACRS) ESKATA topical solution, 40% (w/w) has won FDA approval for the treatment of raised seborrheic keratoses. Seborrheic keratoses are non-cancerous skin growths that affect more than 83 million American adults and can be an aesthetic skin concern. The condition is said to be more prevalent than acne, psoriasis and rosacea combined. ESKATA becomes the first and only FDA-approved topical, non-invasive treatment for raised seborrheic keratoses. ACRS closed Friday's trading at $24.23, down 1.98%. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY) and Sanofi Genzyme, the specialty care global business unit of Sanofi, are all set to resume dosing in clinical trials of Fitusiran, now that the FDA has lifted the clinical hold. The Fitusiran clinical studies include the ongoing Phase 2 open-label extension (OLE) study in hemophilia A and B patients with and without inhibitors, and the ATLAS Phase 3 program, which was recently initiated but in which patient dosing is yet to begin. The Company had suspended dosing in all ongoing Fitusiran studies in September of this year, following a fatal thrombotic event in a patient with hemophilia A without inhibitors in the Phase 2 open-label extension (OLE) study of Fitusiran. ALNY closed Friday's trading at $125.59, up 1.56%. Pet therapeutics company Aratana Therapeutics Inc. (PETX) on Friday announced that its pivotal field effectiveness study with AT-016, an investigational adipose-derived allogeneic stem cell therapeutic candidate for the control of clinical signs associated with osteoarthritis, did not achieve protocol-defined efficacy success criteria. The study was conducted by Aratana's license partner while Aratana had funded the clinical study and other work. PETX closed Friday's trading at $5.73, up 2.69%. Egalet Corporation (EGLT) has been granted tentative approval by the FDA for an expanded label for ARYMO ER extended-release (ER) tablets C-II for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. The final approval is expected to be granted when the exclusivity period expires on October 2, 2018. EGLT closed Friday's trading at $1.22, up 20.79%. QIAGEN N.V. (QGEN) and Oxford Immunotec Ltd. (OXFD) have settled a patent infringement lawsuit that commenced in August 2015. In 2015, Oxford Immunotec had sued Qiagen, Quest Diagnostics, and Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings for allegedly infringing 6 of its patents related to T-SPOT TB test, a method for diagnosing TB infection. Oxford Immunotec's T-SPOT.TB test has been approved for sale in over 50 countries, including the United States, where it has received pre-market approval from the FDA and Europe, where it has obtained a CE mark, as well as Japan and China. Oxford had alleged that Qiagen's QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB Plus products infringe patents related to T-SPOT.TB test. Now that a settlement has been reached, all pending claims between Oxford and QIAGEN and the co-defendants have been resolved. As part of the settlement, Oxford has granted QIAGEN a royalty-free, non-exclusive license that extends to all current and future customers of QuantiFERON-TB Gold and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus in exchange for a one-time, lump-sum payment of $27.5 million. QGEN closed Friday's trading at $32.12, up 1.61%. Repros Therapeutics Inc.'s (RPRX) centralized marketing authorization application for Enclomiphene for the treatment of secondary hypogonadism is likely to be turned down when the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency issues an opinion in January 2018. In the U.S. too, the Company has not succeeded in getting Enclomiphene under the brand name Androxal approved yet. The FDA had issued a Complete Response Letter for Androxal in December 2015. RPRX closed Friday's trading at $0.66, unchanged from the previous day's close. Surgery Partners Inc's (SGRY) Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to $50.0 million of its common stock. The authorization does not have a specified expiration date, and the share repurchase program may be suspended, recommenced or discontinued at any time or from time to time without prior notice, noted the Company. Last month, Surgery Partners reported Q3, 2017 results, and presented an optimistic picture of its business for the next year. For full-year 2017, the Company trimmed its revenue outlook to a range of $1.30 billion to $1.33 billion, from its prior outlook of $1.34 billion to $1.36 billion range. The continuation of broader industry softness related to residual effects of the hurricanes as well as the ongoing impact of slower volumes and a less favorable payor mix are the reasons for the tapered outlook. However, given the integration with National Surgical Healthcare, or NSH, progressing as planned, the Company is confident of entering 2018 with a stronger business capable of delivering improved, sustainable long-term financial performance. Surgery partners acquired NSH from Irving Place Capital for roughly $760 million in May of this year. SGRY closed Friday's trading at $11.15, up 14.3%. The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, in conjunction with the Committee for Advanced Therapies, has recommended approval of TiGenix NV's (TIG) Cx601 to treat complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease. The European Commission's decision on Cx601 is expected in the coming months. If approved, Cx601 will be marketed in all 28 member states of the EU, plus Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein. Cx601 is a local administration of expanded adipose-derived stem cells (eASCs), and has been designated as an orphan drug by the FDA, EMA and SwissMedic. This recommendation marks the first allogeneic stem cell therapy to receive a positive CHMP opinion in Europe for the treatment of patients with fistulizing Crohns disease, noted the Company. TiGenix retains full rights to Cx601 in the US as well as to the development of the product in other indications. Takeda Pharmaceuticals has an exclusive right to develop and commercialize Cx601 for complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease patients outside of the U.S. TIG closed Friday's trading at $24.92, up 14.99%. The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a Positive Opinion recommending the conditional marketing authorisation of Burosumab for the treatment of X-Linked hypophosphatemia in children. Burosumab is developed by Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (RARE), Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. and Kyowa Kirin International PLC. In the U.S., the Biologics License Application (BLA) for Burosumab to treat pediatric and adult patients with X-Linked Hypophosphatemia is under FDA review, with a decision date set for April 17, 2018. RARE closed Friday's trading at $44.68, up 1.50%. Shares of Verastem Inc. (VSTM) plunged nearly 14% on Friday, following the pricing of its $25 million public offering of common stock. The offering is expected to close on or about December 19, 2017. The Company's lead product candidate is Duvelisib. A phase II study of Duvelisib in patients with relapsed or refractory *PTCL is expected to be initiated by year end. The NDA for Duvelisib requesting full approval for it for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory *CLL/SLL and accelerated approval for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory FL is expected to be submitted during the first quarter of 2018. * Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL); Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL); Follicular lymphoma (FL). VSTM closed Friday's trading at $3.14, down 13.97%. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de SHANGHAI, Dec. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ThinkForce, a Shanghai-headquartered startup company specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) semiconductor chips, announced the raise of RMB 450 million in Series A funding. YITU Tech, Yunfeng Fund, Sequoia Capital and Hillhouse Capital participated in the fund raised. AI chips have become an important area of focus in the industry and have attracted venture capitalists across the world. YITU Tech's strategic investment on ThinkForce showcased YITU's commitment to developing an AI ecosystem. ThinkForce is staffed by a strong technical team to ensure successful integration of technology and industrialization As one of the leading startup companies in AI Chip R&D and manufacturing, ThinkForce possess world-class talents with years of experience not only in management, as well as technical and product development capability. In fact, the core members of the team were directly responsible for some of the most successful semiconductor chipset launches that can be found in products such as the IBM PowerPC, Sony PS3, Microsoft XBOX and the world's fastest 56G Serdes, etc., resulted in billions of USD sales. With a proven track record, ThinkForce is posed to lead the way in the development and advancement of AI Chips. ThinkForce plans to launch its AI chip based on the industry leading semiconductor process technology, "ManyCore" architecture. Developed in-house by ThinkForce, it helps to complete and optimize the AI cloud virtualization scheduling during the chip-level implementation. Furthermore, when combined with self-developed firmware and TFDL software SDK, "ManyCore" can accelerate computation for various neural network models. Currently, the efficiency of ThinkForce accelerators is between 90% and 95%. When compared with Nvidia mainstream computing card, it is over five times more efficient in power consumption and cost savings. With extensive experience in silicon development, ThinkForce is also able to minimize the risk of production error while optimizing the chip's performance and power consumption. Additionally, ThinkForce has now partnered with industry leaders including IBM and Cadence. AI era is the "Intelligent algorithm in the chip" era While the development of AI chips is still in its infancy, the complexity and momentum in technology innovation will continue to generate breakthroughs constantly. "The AI era is the Intelligent algorithm in the chip era", said Zhang Zhenning, vice president of marketing at ThinkForce. An AI chip includes the architecture of an AI algorithm model calculation and the design to schedule the calculation. As a leading company with tremendous expertise in the area of cloud computing, YITU Tech will definitely help Thinkforce to strengthen its industry competitiveness through the strategic partnership. As capital investment on AI is on the rise, YITU Tech has also been quite active in terms of investments and activities. YITU Tech has recently engaged in a joint investment with IDG Capital in AccutarBio, an international pharmaceutical company. This is one of the largest investments in the AI pharmaceutical field in China thus far. "Our collaboration with ThinkForce is a strong statement of our pure interest and enthusiasm for cutting-edge technologies and scientific researches in the AI sector. We believe that Thinkforce's talented team and its years of experience and reputation in this field will create multiplier effects and improve efficiency during our common exploration in AI technologies. We are facing global competition in the making of AI chips, and we need a strategic plan domestically in China in order to stay abreast. We believe ThinkForce will contribute to the growth and prosperity of China's overall AI strategy initiative", said Jiao Hui Ru, director of technology strategy at YITU Tech. About ThinkForce Shanghai ThinkForce Electronic Technology Co. Ltd is founded by experts from silicon design, software algorithm and system development in 2017. We aspire to provide world class intelligent semiconductors with leading AI algorithms and most advanced silicon art, upon which we build AI hardware platform and offer turn-key industry solution. By cooperating with vertical industry leaders, we will jointly build the eco-system and the future of AI. With the support from our business partners and top VCs, we will offer the most intelligent calculation power with our product roadmap. About YITU Technology YITU Technology (YITU) is a pioneer in practical artificial intelligence (AI) research and innovation that provides advanced AI-based business solutions to build a safer, better and healthier world. YITU boasts a world-class R&D team that drives industrial development to find comprehensive solutions in the areas of machine vision, speech and language understanding. EQS Group-Ad-hoc: Airopack Technology Group AG / Key word(s): Agreement Airopack Technology Group AG: Airopack signs agreements with Mornin' Glory and Icon brands 18-Dec-2017 / 06:53 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 KR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Ad-hoc release / Press Release *Airopack signs agreements with Mornin' Glory and Icon brands* *Waalwijk, 18 December 2017* *- Airopack Technology Group AG ("Airopack"), manufacturer of the Planet Friendly Aerosol is pleased to announce two new customer agreements.* *Mornin' Glory has chosen Airopack to supply the Airopack Planet Friendly aerosol for their European Male Personal Care launches for early 2018 at single digit million pieces in annual volumes. In 2018, Airopack will deliver double digit millions of aerosols on an annual basis for the global luxury personal lubricants range of Icon Brands.* Peter Versloot, Commercial Officer Airopack: "Our focus in the first half of 2017 has been on a controlled ramp-up of production volumes of Airopack Planet Friendly Aerosols that meet the highest quality standards in the industry. Since the second half of 2017 we have been very successful in adding new key customers to our portfolio and in surpassing their qualification tests for both the Airopack Planet Friendly Aerosol and our state-of-the-art plant in Waalwijk, The Netherlands. Apart from the Mornin' Glory and Icon Brands agreements, we are making substantial progress on agreements with multiple new EU and US based global customers." Airopack produces a safe, all-plastic pressurized Planet Friendly Aerosol powered purely by air that is environment and planet friendly. It was developed by Airopack Technology Group, which holds the relevant patents and is worldwide the sole producer of this unique Planet Friendly Aerosol. Airopack has a worldwide customer base including multiple AAA leading personal care brands. =--END--- *For more information:* *For investors*: Airopack Technology Group AG Quint Kelders, CEO / Liebwin van Lil, CFO E: quint.kelders@airopackgroup.com E: liebwin.vanlil@airopackgroup.com T: +31 416 300 800 *For media :* Hill + Knowlton Strategies Charlotte de la Rambelje - de Voogd E: charlotte.rambelje@hkstrategies.com T: +31 (0)20404 4707 Airopack Technology Group AG is a leading developer and supplier of mechanical and pressure-controlled dispensing packaging technologies and systems for manufacturers and suppliers of cosmetics, body care, home care, pharmaceutical and food products. The revolutionary and patented Airopack(R) technology offers a safe, all-plastic pressurized dispenser that is environmentally and planet friendly. Airopack Technology Group holds the patent and is worldwide the sole producer of this unique dispenser. Airopack Technology Group operates a production facility for Airopack ready-to-fill dispensers in Waalwijk, The Netherlands and a full-service filling operation for ready-to-sell Airopack dispensers in Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium, that also develops and manufactures other innovative packaging solutions for personal care customers. The Global Research and Development Team and the Airopack Global Management as well as the Customer Service Organisation are also based in Waalwijk, The Netherlands. The shares of the company are listed on the Swiss Reporting Standard of the SIX Swiss Exchange since 2010. (Ticker: AIRN / ISIN: CH0242606942). www.airopackgroup.com End of ad hoc announcement Language: English Company: Airopack Technology Group AG Zugerstrasse 76b 6340 Baar Switzerland Phone: +41 417663500 Fax: +41 417663509 E-mail: liebwin.vanlil@airopackgroup.com Internet: www.airopackgroup.com ISIN: CH0242606942 Listed: SIX Swiss Exchange End of Announcement EQS Group News Service 639787 18-Dec-2017 CET/CEST (END) Dow Jones Newswires December 18, 2017 00:53 ET (05:53 GMT) Seattle, Washington--(Newsfile Corp. - December 18, 2017) - CFN Media Group ("CFN Media", "CannabisFN"), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, today announced that International Cannabrands, Ltd. (CSE: JUJU.A) (CNSX: JUJU.A) has engaged CFN Media to conduct a four-month investor and market visibility program beginning on December 18, 2017. "We are excited to be working with International Cannabrands as it works to develop branded cannabis strains, edibles, and ancillary products with producers and processors across the US, Canada and overseas," said Frank Lane, President of CFN Media. "Branding is clearly what will allow producers to drive margins and differentiation as the global cannabis market commoditizes making JUJU an instrumental model." Travis Belcher, COO of International Cannabrand's commented: "We're very excited to work with Frank Lane and his team." About International Cannabrands International Cannabrands acquired the exclusive rights to Julian Marley's JuJu Royal brand to educate people about the natural connection between Julian Marley, Rastafarian culture, reggae music, and marijuana. International Cannabrands generates revenue from licensing brands to growers, edible manufacturers, oil extractors, producers of ancillary products and apparel in the United States where cannabis has been legalized at the state level, as well as products containing CBD in the US and internationally. Select JuJu Royal products are available in California, Washington, Colorado and Puerto Rico with CBD-only products available in the U.K., the birthplace of Julian Marley. The Company is looking to expand JuJu Royal into Nevada in the near future. The company was founded in 2014 and is based out of Denver, Colorado. The Company believes as the market becomes saturated with products varying in potency and quality, that the branded products will rise to the top and the Company intends to exploit all opportunities available to realize the full value of the Julian Marley brand and to attract other brands. About JuJu Royal Julian Marley conveys his message of legalization, freedom, and love through the JuJu Royal brand, a line of naturally produced medicinal herbs using the best solventless technology. One percent of proceeds are distributed for the benefit of veterans using cannabis through the Weed for Warriors Project. More information about the brand and various products can be obtained at www.jujuroyal.net. International Cannabrands is continuing to work with Julian Marley to identify and develop future strains of marijuana that meet Julian's exacting standards. The Company is continuing to conduct research and development with certain origin genetics to produce additional signature Julian Marley strains for the JuJu Royal Premium Marijuana collection. The intent is to make these strains available to dispensaries and caregivers on a worldwide basis where it is legal. About CFN Media CFN Media (CannabisFN), the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to the worldwide cannabis industry, helps marijuana companies attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and publicity. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed. The company launched in June of 2013 to initially serve the growing universe of publicly traded marijuana companies across North America. Today, CFN Media is also the digital media choice for the emerging brands in the space. CFN Media Contact Frank Lane 206-369-7050 flane@cannabisfn.com International Cannabrands Contact Jeffrey Britz Chairman & CEO 1045 Lincoln Street, #106 Denver, Colorado 80203 201-394-7882 or jeffrey@jujuroyal.net Media Inquiries: media@jujuroyal.net NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / December 18, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Cheetah Mobile Inc. ("Cheetah" or the "Company") (NYSE: CMCM). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980. The investigation concerns whether Cheetah and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here to join a class action] On October 26, 2017, Prescience Point Research Group published a report asserting, among other things, that: (1) approximately 55% of Cheetah's second quarter 2017 consolidated revenue does not exist; and (2) the Company uses company-controlled or "fake" accounts on the mobile application Live.me to gift other users using Company money. On this news, Cheetah's American depositary receipt price fell $0.37, or 4.39%, to close at $8.05 on October 26, 2017. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP MCLEAN, VA -- (Marketwired) -- 12/18/17 -- Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today released its 2018 issuance calendar for its Structured Agency Credit Risk (STACR) debt notes. The company plans to offer five STACR transactions next year from its DNA and HQA series, with expected volumes reaching approximately $4-$5.5 billion. In addition, Freddie Mac plans to offer investors transactions from the newly introduced STACR offerings, STACR Securitized Participation Interests, (STACR SPI(SM)) and STACR HARP, (SHRP). "The issuance calendar is another way we're providing investors transparency into our core STACR offerings, helping them plan their allocations for 2018," said Michael Reynolds, vice president of credit risk transfer. Freddie Mac has led the credit risk transfer market in introducing innovative credit risk-sharing initiatives. Since 2013, the company has transferred a portion of credit risk on approximately $851 billion of UPB on single-family mortgages. The company has grown its investor base to more than 220 unique investors, including insurers and reinsurers. This announcement is not an offer to sell any Freddie Mac securities. Offers for any given security are made only through applicable offering circulars and related supplements. Freddie Mac makes home possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, we've made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Mac's blog FreddieMac.com/blog. MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Gagnon 703-903-3385 Lisa_Gagnon@FreddieMac.com INVESTOR CONTACT: Mike Reynolds 571-382-4852 Regulatory News: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) today announces that it has purchased, through PSH's agent, Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), the following number of PSH's ordinary shares of no par value (ISIN Code: GG00BPFJTF46) (the "Shares"): Trading Venue: London Stock Exchange Date of purchase: 18 December 2017 Number of Shares purchased: 28,329 Shares Highest price paid per Share: 1,048 pence 14.04 USD Lowest price paid per Share: 1,043 pence 13.97 USD Average price paid per Share: 1,044.54 pence 13.99 USD Trading Venue: Euronext Amsterdam Date of purchase: 18 December 2017 Number of Shares purchased: 60,649 Shares Highest price paid per Share: 14.03 USD Lowest price paid per Share: 13.93 USD Average price paid per Share: 13.97 USD PSH intends to cancel these Shares. The net asset value per Share related to this Share buyback is USD 17.69 GBP 13.28 which was calculated as of 12 December 2017. After giving effect to the above Share buyback, PSH has outstanding 235,179,739 Shares. The prices per share in USD were calculated by Jefferies. The number of PSH Management Shares and the 1 special voting share (held by PS Holdings Independent Voting Company Limited) has not been affected. About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171218006085/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Maitland James Devas, +44 20 7379 5151 Media-pershingsquareholdings1@maitland.co.uk CorrosionRADAR, a Cranfield Technology Park, UK-based company that develops remote sensors for monitoring corrosion in oil and gas pipelines, secured 354k investment. Mercia Fund Managers made an investment of 250k while Innovate UK provided 104k through its investment accelerator pilot program. The company intends to use the funds to develop its technology and business to secure commercial partners for initial field tests. Led by CEO Dr Chiraz Ennaceur and COO Dr Mehrdad Silatani, CorrosionRADAR is seeking to monitor corrosion in pipelines, particularly in Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) or buried pipes. The CorrosionRADAR technology is permanently embedded and can accurately pinpoint the location of corrosion at any point along the full length of a pipeline. The main aim of the technology is to help companies reduce maintenance costs, while sustaining a high standard of safe and environmentally friendly operations. It is a spin-out from Cranfield University. FinSMEs 18/12/2017 New Delhi: Close to 14 crore out of about 30 crore Permanent Account Numbers (PANs) have so far been linked to the national digital ID Aadhaar, according to a top government official. The situation on linking of bank accounts to the biometric identifier is better, with 70 percent of estimated over 100 crore accounts already been seeded, UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey told PTI here. The Supreme Court last week extended the deadline for linking Aadhaar to all services including new bank accounts and mobile phone connections, to 31 March, 2018. Earlier this month, the deadline for linking PAN with Aadhaar too had been extended by three months to 31 31 March, 2018. Asked about how many PANs have been linked to Aadhaar, Pandey said that nearly 14 crore of about 30 crore PANs have been linked so far. Regarding bank accounts that have been seeded with Aadhaar, he said the number stood at about 70 crore as against an estimated 100 crore bank accounts. "We will continue to work on simplifying the Aadhaar linking process. We have asked all the banks to provide Aadhaar fingerprint and iris scanner in branches (stipulated 10 percent branches), so that people don't face any difficulty," Pandey said. The government is pushing for linking a host of services such as credit cards, cell phones and bank accounts to Aadhaar to weed out ghost holders and check tax evasion. With 119 crore residents already enrolled for the Aadhaar -- a unique 12-digit number backed by fingerprints, iris scans and certain demographic details -- the programme is the world's largest biometric database. He said Aadhaar is saving the government crores of rupees by better targeting beneficiaries of subsidised food and cash transfers. After the deadline extension, the PAN, which helps track tax filings, bank accounts, credit cards, insurance policies, mutual funds, pension plans and social welfare benefits will have to be linked to Aadhaar by 31 March, 2018. Mumbai: The Sensex rallied 139 points on Monday on prospects that the BJP is set to retain power in Gujarat and elbow out the Congress in Himachal Pradesh. According to Election Commission results and trends for the 182 seats in Gujarat, the BJP won 17 and was ahead in 84. It needs 93 to form a majority government. The Congress won 15 and was leading in 61. The BJP is all set to wrest power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh as it won 8 seats and was leading in 37 others while the ruling party bagged four seats and was leading in 15. The 30-share BSE index hit a high of 33,801.90 and settled up 138.71 points, or 0.41 percent, at 33,601.68, its highest closing since 29 November when it had closed at 33,602.76. The gauge gained 409.93 points in the previous two sessions after exit polls had predicted BJP win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls. The 50-share Nifty reclaimed the key 10,300-mark to close higher by 55.50 points, or 0.54 percent, at 10,388.75, its highest closing since 27 November. It moved between 10,074.80 and 10,443.55 intra-day. New Delhi: More than 3 lakh persons have been disqualified for holding the post of director at registered companies for failing to comply with regulatory requirements, the government said on Monday. Under the Companies Act, directors of companies that fail to file financial statements or annual returns among others for three consecutive financial years are disqualified. "On account of operation of Section 164 read with the section 167 of the Companies Act, 2013 a total of 3,09,619 directors have been identified as disqualified directors up to November 30, 2017," Minister of State for Corporate Affairs P P Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Further, nearly 2.25 lakh companies have been struck-off for remaining inactive for a period of two years or more. "Registrars of Companies (RoCs) have removed 2,24,733 companies...up to 30 November, 2017 after following the due process under Section 248 of the Companies Act," Chaudhary added. Section 248 provides powers to RoCs to remove the name of a company from the register on various grounds, including that the entity was not carrying out any business for two preceding financial years. However, it is not clear whether the government identified the existence of such companies post demonetisation. The outcome of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections is very significant as it comes at a time when there was hope rather than conviction that the results could be different from the point of view of the opposition. State elections are always going to be a contentious subject as they are being progressively viewed as a referendum for the persona Narendra Modi which goes along with whatever steps have been taken on the policy front. The overwhelming victory in both the states proves that there is popular support. Hence, the same narrative will build up next year too as the next set of state elections are held. Two extremely bold measures taken by the BJP government at the centre were demonetisation and GST. The former came in like a storm without any warning, while the latter was always on the table where the policy was just not able to move. To the credit of the government, it was implemented as per schedule which was a bold decision as it came on the back of demonetisation which supposedly had affected the country perceptibly in terms of being a significant disruption. The UP elections outcome has also been projected as a vindication of the NDA ventures including demonetisation while the Gujarat elections can be taken to be the acceptance of the necessity of GST too. At the time of going to the polls it was felt that GST could have turned the tables as the merchant community which dominates the state was perceived to have been affected adversely by this new tax regime. The fact that there has been vote for continuity is significant as it clearly shows that the policy has been welcomed notwithstanding the temporary travails. At another level the fact that anti-incumbency phenomenon has been absent testifies that the Gujarat growth model is intact, and more importantly has been persevered with successfully by two chief ministers following the elevation of Modi to the Prime Minister. As the state is also known for clean governance it can serve as a model for other governments. The message is that progressive growth policies in a transparent environment which provides incentives to the productive elements will always be rewarded and that the anti-incumbency factor will be kept in abeyance. How will these results affect the future course of the economy? With the General elections due in 2019, which will come after the state elections in 8 states of which Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan will test the BJP again, the approach taken towards policies will be interesting. The BJP can be credited for implementing successfully a plethora of reforms and there is really little left that has not been taken up with alacrity. The fact that every detail of global indices has been addressed with proper policy action shows that there are several heads working on all fronts. Two sticky reforms which however are hard to implement pertain to land and labour. While progressive victories in states for the BJP has already given the government increased strength in the Rajya Sabha, these reforms still would require further deliberation. Land reforms are required for growth but there needs to be a balance with the interests of the owners as well as agriculture. Today an issue is that any kind of land acquisition could be going across farmland and given that agriculture still remains vulnerable to production swings, will be hard to take a decision. Getting aggressive here would hence also mean inviting a double whammy as it affects the small land owner and landless laborer as well as the broader economic issue of farming. Labour reforms have come in a diluted way so far. However, it is unlikely that there will be an aggressive position taken on wide scale reforms as the economic growth story so far has revealed that jobs have not been created commensurately with growth. In such a situation allowing for liberal downsizing of labour by employers will not go down with the common man. Hence, not much movement can be expected here as any drastic measure here could reverberate at the elections and would be a major risk to take. Besides, this is not of direct relevance for the government per se and hence could be deferred for some time. The Union Budget for 2018-19 would probably be the revealed policy of the government as it gets set for the elections in 2019. Normally all governments are most active in the first 3 years while the momentum slows down in the fourth and liberalises in the fifth to the point of inaction. Budgets tend to be liberal just before the elections and would normally not burden any section with more taxes while the handouts tend to increase. This could be replicated here with the added advantage being that with GST in place, indirect taxes need not be touched. There could be some discussion on direct taxes though the measures are more likely to be relevant for the higher income groups than the lower ones. The handouts on the expenditure side would need to be looked at closely. One may expect more measures on broader issues like banking and social sector development which will be positive for the economy. The results of the Gujarat and HP elections are a major boost to the BJP as it has proved all naysayers incorrect. This adds to the confidence and strength for the government to persevere with their manifesto on both economic and social policies. While incremental reforms may be expected to reiterate that the party is fully in charge, large scale reforms would probably not be on the priority list though could be put on the discussion table. As election results which go against the theory of anti-incumbency are a vindication of the regime, there would always be the temptation to experiment with new ideas. However, with all the big ones already in place, it is more likely that the government will take a breather to ensure that the apple cart is not upset as the next round of state elections would be critical from the point of view of lengthening their benches in the Rajya Sabha. For full coverage of Union Budget 2018, click here. (The writer is Chief Economist, CARE Ratings is author of Economics of India: How to fool all people for all times. ) Buenos Aires: It is the first time that India is not being blamed for the collapse of talks at the just concluded 11th World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference here, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu has said. The talks at the 11th ministerial conference (MC11) broke down earlier this week as the United States reneged on its commitment, along with other countries, to find a permanent solution to the issue of public food stockholding by members of the multilateral trade body. "We came here with an open mind. This is the first time that India is not being blamed... we are definitely not going back as villains," Prabhu told reporters on Saturday. "We knew that nothing was going to happen because of the way the US administration was moving and questioning the efficiency of the global trading system," he said. The Minister said that India was keen for a permanent solution to the food stockpiling issue, which ought to have been better than the existing "Peace Clause" compromise agreed upon earlier at the WTO till a permanent solution was found. The WTO talks here collapsed after Assistant US Trade Representative Sharon Bomer Lauritsen declared in a small group meeting that a permanent solution to the food stockholding issue was not acceptable to America. Prabhu said that he had held over two dozen bilateral meetings here during which he explained India's position, as well as of the developing countries, on various issues. Under the WTO norms, a member-country's food subsidy bill should not breach the limit of 10 per cent of the value of production based on the reference price of 1986-88. India has been seeking amendments to this formula, fearing that full implementation of its food security programme may result in breaching of the WTO subsidy limit. The 2013 WTO ministerial meeting in Bali in Indonesia had decided to put in place the Peace Clause as an interim measure, and had agreed to negotiate a permanent solution at the 11th ministerial conference in Buenos Aires in Argentina. Prabhu said that India continued to press for the reduction of farm subsidies by developed countries and resisted inclusion of new issues on the negotiating table in case these dilute the commitment to complete the existing agenda. In an official statement in New Delhi earlier this week, India blamed a "major country" for derailing the process to find a permanent solution to the food security issue. "In the agriculture negotiations in Buenos Aires, a major country stated categorically that they cannot agree to any permanent solution on the public stockholding issue at MC11," a Commerce Ministry release said. "This has posed a severe threat to a successful conclusion of the conference as there was a ministerial mandate for a permanent solution by MC11. India is surprised and deeply disappointed that despite an overwhelming majority of members reiterating it, a major member-country reneged on a commitment made two years ago to deliver a solution of critical importance for addressing hunger in some of the poorest countries of the world. "This has the potential to irreversibly damage the credibility of the WTO as a ministerial decision of all countries present in Nairobi has not been honoured," the Indian Ministry added. Actors Alyssa Milano and Minnie Driver have criticised Matt Damon for the "tone deaf" comments he made this week about the "culture of outrage" over sexual misconduct. In an interview with ABC's Popcorn with Peter Travers, Damon said he believes there's a "spectrum of behaviour" which requires different reactions. I think were in this watershed moment. I think its great. I think its wonderful that women are feeling empowered to tell their stories and its totally necessary, Damon said on the show. He went on to add that there was a "spectrum of behaviour" and not all of the allegations carry the same weight. He even suggested comedian Louis CK deserved a second chance for his misdeed having already paid a high price for it. Driver, his Good Will Hunting co-star and ex-girlfriend, took to Twitter to slam his statements remarking on how he was part of the problem. Gosh its so *interesting how men with all these opinions about womens differentiation between sexual misconduct, assault and rape reveal themselves to be utterly tone deaf and as a result, systemically part of the problem( *profoundly unsurprising) Minnie Driver (@driverminnie) December 15, 2017 Speaking to The Guardian, she added: Ive realised that most men, good men, the men that I love, there is a cut-off in their ability to understand. They simply cannot understand what abuse is like on a daily level...I honestly think that until we get on the same page, you cant tell a woman about their abuse. A man cannot do that. No one can. It is so individual and so personal, its galling when a powerful man steps up and starts dictating the terms, whether he intends it or not. Milano, in a series of tweets, elaborated on how men dismiss certain forms of sexual assault. We are in a culture of outrage because the magnitude of rage is, in fact, overtly outrageous. And it is righteous. Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) December 16, 2017 We are not outraged because someone grabbed our asses in a picture. We are outraged because we were made to feel this was normal. We are outraged because we have been gaslighted. We are outraged because we were silenced for so long. Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) December 16, 2017 Arvind Swamy is a man of few words but he does not mince them when he has to open up. On Saturday, in between his flights, he took some time to chat with his fans on Twitter. Answering varied questions about his career and life in general, he shed light on some interesting developments in his career. One such exciting update is that he has directorial plans. When asked if he plans to don the directors hat, Arvind replied in affirmative and said he might hopefully take the plunge in 2018. When the fan asked what kind of director audiences can expect to see in him, the Roja actor said: Expect the unexpected. Having made a smashing comeback in 2015 with Tamil action-thriller Thani Oruvan, Arvind has been having a dream run with interesting projects such as Dhruva and Bogan to his credit. Even though he had only one release (Bogan) this year, he said, It was a crazy year with lots of work and travel. Loved it though. This year, he shot for four Tamil films which include Sathuranga Vettai 2, Bhaskar Oru Rascal, Vanangamudi and Naragasooran. In 2018, he will begin shooting for Mani Ratnams yet-untitled Tamil multi-starrer project. The film will also star Vijay Sethupathi, Simbu, Fahadh Faasil, Jyothika and Aishwarya Rajesh. Asked about reuniting with Ratnam, whom he considers his mentor, Arvind said, Im part of the project. Cant say more as boss doesnt like it. Look forward to working with all as a team. The film with Mani Ratnam will be his sixth outing with the auteur with whom he has worked in memorable projects such as Roja and Bombay among others. When a fan asked him to choose between the two films, he said, Both mean different things to me. Cherish the memories of both. Arvind is thrilled to team up with young filmmakers such as Karthick Naren, who made a splash last year with the critically-acclaimed Dhruvangal 16. Both of them have joined hands for Naragasooran, a thriller co-starring Indrajith Sukumaran, Sundeep Kishan and Shriya Saran. When asked to comment about Mani Ratnam and Karthick, Arvind said that the former is an accomplished filmmaker and the latter has great potential. Id love to work with both anytime. Arvind also clarified that his focus at the moment is only on doing more Tamil films. When a fan asked when he will do Telugu films again, he said, I will surely dub the movies that I have done in Telugu. Los Angeles: UK public broadcaster BBC has ordered a feature-length documentary on the rise and fall of producer Harvey Weinstein. The documentary will include interviews with "the many actresses who have been brave enough to tell their stories" of sexual harassment and assault scandal, as well as producers, directors, actors, agents, lawyers, journalists and others, reported Variety. The 90-minute film, directed by Ursula MacFarlane, has the working title "Weinstein" and will air on BBC Two. Production company Lightbox, founded by Academy Award-winning producer Simon Chinn and Emmy Award winner Jonathan Chinn, said it wants the documentary to tell "the definitive story of Weinstein's career, fall from grace and Hollywood's culture of abuse." "As a little bit of an (industry) insider, I was fascinated with the story as it unfolded and not a little shocked. As much as people knew a lot about Harvey and his reputation, there was plenty that we didn't know," Simon said. Chinn, who has met the disgraced mogul once, said the BBC Two documentary would retell the Weinstein story in light of recent revelations and in the context of the wider culture in Hollywood. "As the story evolved, we started to think about the industry as a whole and the culture and complicity of the industry, and the question of how Harvey got away with that level of alleged behaviour and... Whether we are looking at a real watershed moment, he added. Tom McDonald, head of commissioning, natural history and specialist factual at the BBC, said that the project "promises to be the definitive take on the Weinstein scandal. Kevin Hart might be enjoying the positive response to the Jumanji reboot, Jumaji: Welcome To The Jungle, where he is starring alongside Dwayne Johnson and Jack Black, but the internet might be alarmed by his latest musings, a Mrs Doubtfire remake as reported by NME. Ill stay on the Robin Williams train and say that if I could jump into Mrs Doubtfire, said the actor-comedian in an interview to CinemaBlend. That was a very amazing performance on both ends for him. I think thats one Id love to get to play in, said Hart. A reboot of the beloved 1995 Robin Williams hit Jumanji, where the characters got sucked into the world of a board game and have to fight for their survival, had Kevin Hart joining a new adventure, where Jumanji is a video game in its 2017 avatar. However, since Robin Williams passed away recently and has immortalized the character of Mrs Doubtfire, fans of the film might not take kindly to a contemporary reboot of the film. The role will indeed prove very challenging for any actor to convincingly place himself in Williams shoes. Perhaps, Hart should stay content with the fate of Jumanji: Welcome to The Jungle and not worry about remakes of Robin Williams classics, and perhaps take a cue from fellow actor Jack Black who had chosen to pay his homage to William via less grander pronouncements. Mumbai: Jitesh Singh Deo bagged the title of Peter England Mr India 2017 on 14 December. Deo, who is from Lucknow, will now represent India at Mr World 2020. "I did not anticipate it but I had some belief in myself. The power of belief motivates you always. I was speechless when my name was announced. I was blank," Deo told PTI. "Winning this title comes with lot of responsibility. The competition (Mr World) is going to be more tough. Today, I am enjoying the moment but tomorrow onwards, a new journey will begin and I have to work hard," Deo said. The first runner up was Abhi Khajuria and the second runner up was Pavan Rao. The winners were felicitated by actor Kangana Ranaut. Sixteen contestants from across the country were competing for the title. In a country where cases of sexual abuse and atrocities on females are increasing at an alarming rate, messages of awareness spread across through mediums like films have always reached out to more number of people. In order to be a part of a project that would bring about a change in people's mindset, this time, Raveena Tandon joins hands with a university in Kolkata. DNA reports that the actress has agreed to be a part of a documentary that revolves around the sexual abuses women face in their daily lives. She will be seen playing a major role in the documentary produced and directed by individuals from a girls' university in Kolkata. Raveena was reportedly shown a video draft by the university authority and the actress was quite impressed with the same. She will start shooting for the documentary in early 2018. "I feel responsible to share all that I have learnt from my experience of working with organisations that deal with sexual assault. Im relieved with the youths participation in opening the dialogue for such an issue," Raveena said while speaking at an event organised by the university, as reported by DNA. She recently posted a status on Instagram that spoke about her experience of working with a girl from a children's home in Madh Island. "Was so happy to meet one of my babies Anisha from PREMSADAN a home in Madh Island for children! Was an emotional moment when we reminisced about fun mementoes of me spending time with the kids,storytelling picnics Diwali and Christmas parties ! So proud to see her do well in life ! God bless my babies always," the post read. New Delhi: The CBI on Monday told the Delhi High Court that it has registered a criminal case over the alleged leak of question paper for the AIIMS MBBS entrance examination this year from an institute in Ghaziabad. The submission was made before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar, hearing a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged illegalities and irregularities during the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) MBBS entrance exam held on 28 May this year. The AIIMS also told the court that the enquiry committee, set up by them, have found that one student was indulging in cheating. The CBI has said that "specific questions in the leaked screenshots were used in SET-3 of shift-2 at exam centre - HR Institute of Technology, Morta, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh". "It has also been found that the specific combination and sequence of the questions was randomly and uniquely allocated to a particular candidate," CBI's Special Public Prosecutor Rajdipa Behura submitted to the court. "A regular case was registered on 13 June," the agency's counsel said, adding that the "investigation of the case is at initial stage". Taking note of which, the bench disposed off the PIL and asked the CBI to continue with a further investigation into the matter. The CBI was responding to the plea of doctor Anand Rai, who claims to be a whistleblower in the Vyapam scam case, seeking directions to AIIMS to quash the result declared on 15 June for the MBBS exam held on 28 May. The PIL had sought direction to AIIMS to produce before the court the finding of the institute's committee which was constituted for conducting an inquiry into the complaints regarding the conduct of the examination. Rai had on May 31 alleged that the question papers of this year's entrance exam for MBBS course of the AIIMS were leaked. He had, in a series of tweets, posted images of question papers of the entrance examination which was held across the country on 28 May and said he had received the snapshots from a source who claimed these were leaked from a college in Lucknow when the online test was going on. Rai had also alleged that AIIMS MBBS seats were being "sold". New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking that freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru be given the status of martyr, saying it cannot issue such a direction. "The plea is dismissed. We cannot issue such a direction," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said. The petitioner failed to reply to the court's query on whether there is any law under which the court has the power to issue any such direction. The plea filed by advocate Birender Sangwan sought a grant of 'shaheed' (martyr) status to Bhagat, Sukhdev and Rajguru who were hanged by the Britishers in 1931. "The grant of shaheed status is very much essential for a martyr and it is the legal right of a martyr to have such a status declared to them, thus it is an expression of gratitude towards them," the plea said. Bhagat and Rajguru had in 1928 fatally shot a British junior police officer, John Saunders at Lahore in present-day Pakistan, mistaking him for a British police superintendent. A special tribunal was constituted by Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India, which had sentenced the duo along with Sukhdev to death by hanging at Lahore Jail. By Vipul Vivek On 30 November, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit where he defended his term so far by listing out the steps he had taken towards a systemic overhaul. FactChecker.in checked Modis claims and found nine of his 16 claims to be true and three false. The validity of two claims was unclear owing to lack of data and two were partly true. Claim 1: The poor who used to be turned away from the bank have their own bank accounts today. Jan Dhan account holders also get a Rupay debit card. In our country of 125 crore (1.25 billion), there are over 30 crore (300 million) such people. Fact: True. As of 29 November, 2017, 307 million accounts were opened and 231 million Rupay debit cards have been issued under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (Prime Ministers Peoples Wealth Scheme), a no-minimum-balance account targeted at the unbanked, according to government data. Claim 2: Since the Ujala (brightness) scheme was launched, 28 crore (280 million) LED bulbs have been sold. These bulbs have helped people save an estimated Rs 14,000 crore. Fact: True. As on 6 December, 2017, the distribution of 278.2 million LED bulbs which consume 80% less power than incandescent bulbs resulted in Rs 14,450 crore savings a year, according to government data. Claim 3: Take neem-coated urea. Under the earlier government, 35 percent coating was allowed when everybody knew that 35 percent neem-coated urea was of little benefit. If you wanted to stop urea diversion to factories, 100 percent neem coating was imperative. But that did not happen. This government decided on 100% neem-coated urea. Brothers and sisters, this did not only stop diversion of urea but increased its efficiency as well. A farmer can now do with less urea per unit land. Not only that, a farms yield has gone up despite using less urea. Fact: True. Coating all urea produced in a plant with neem was made mandatory in 2015, and neem-coated ureaa fertiliser that increases soil fertility due to the large amounts of nitrogen it containsimproved soil health, cut costs of plant protection chemicals and raised yields by 6-17 percent for various crops, according to this reply to the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) on 28 August, 2017. Claim 4: e-Nam, that is, electronic National Agriculture Market, has brought online over 450 mandis across the country. Fact: True. The e-Nam has now enrolled 470 mandis (government agriculture produce markets), according to government data. Launched on 14 April, 2016, to create a single market for agricultural commodities by bringing mandis on a common platform, the e-Nams target is to have 585 mandis online by March 2018, according to this government release. Claim 5: Bamboo was not considered a tree under one of the previous governments law too. (The Modi government amended the Indian Forest Act to omit bamboo grown in non-forest areas from the definition of trees, Financial Express reported on 23 November, 2017. Some experts criticised the move as a half-measure (click here, here and here). Modi hit out at his critics saying the previous government had made a similar change under another law.) Fact: True. Section 2 (i) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, which received the assent of the President on the 29 December, 2006, reclassified bamboo as non-timber, that is, not tree. On 17 January, 2011, then environment minister Jairam Ramesh in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had reiterated that position, the Times of India reported on 21 January, 2011. On 21 March, 2011, Ramesh wrote to then Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, reminding him of the change in bamboos status. Claim 6: The black money that supported the parallel economy has been brought into the formal economy after demonetisation. Mining the data revealed by demonetisation led to the discovery that 400-500 firms were operating from the same address and a lot of firms had opened two thousand bank accounts each. So far, 2.25 lakh (225,000) such companies have been de-registered. The directors of these companies can no more become a director in any other company. Fact: True. About 99 percent of banned notes came back into the system after demonetisation (the decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from 9 November, 2016, to purportedly end corruption, black money, fake currency and terrorism, according to Modis speech on 8 November, 2017), the Wire reportedon 30 August, 2017. However, this was against what the Modi government said demonetisation would achieve: render invalid about a third of notes by value (as that would not be returned to banks) and hence push that black money out of the system, Deccan Chronicle had reported on 18 November, 2016. As many as 2,25,000 companies have been deregistered and 3,09,000 directors disqualified, the Hindu Business Line reported on 30 November, 2017. Claim 7: We have developed a government e-Marketplace, GeM. All government tenders and purchases go through GeM. People in cottage industries and small handicrafts as well as who make things at home can sell to the government through GeM. Fact: True. All central government procurement is now done through GeM, according to this reply to the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament) on 2 August, 2017. Launched on 9 August, 2016, for buying and selling of goods and services by the central government or nationalised companies, the marketplace has filters for identifying sales by small scale industries, according to this official release on 23 January, 2017. Claim 8: In the last three years of the previous government, 12 thousand megawatt of renewable energy were added in total. Under this governments three years, over 22 thousand megawatt renewable energy has been added to the power grid. Fact: True. In its three years, the present government has added 25,552 MW of renewable energy against 13,237 MW under the previous governments last three years. Source: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Central Electricity Authority Claim 9: Compared with the last government, growth in cargo handling in the shipping industry has gone from negative to over 11 percent under this governments three years. Fact: True. Cargo handling shrunk in the last three years of the UPA government by less than a per cent but increased 11.5 percent in three years of the Modi government, according to data from Indian Ports Association. Source: Indian Ports Association; *Tentative figures Claim 10: Aadhaar has helped weed crores of fictitious beneficiaries. Fact: False. While the prime minister did not reveal which schemes he had in mind, evidence shows Aadhaar, the 12-digit biometric identity, has not helped in weeding out fake beneficiaries. As many as 74,000 unique consumer identities for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidy were linked to only 37,000 Aadhaar numbers as of August 2015, and 9,60,000 ineligible consumers received Rs 49.21 crore subsidy under the Direct Benefits Transfer for LPG, according to Comptroller and Auditor General, Indias official auditor, IndiaSpend reported on 31 October, 2017. Only 4 percent of the 9.4 million Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee job cards that the government deleted were fake, according to a reply to a Right to Information application by economist Jean Dreze, Hindustan Times reported on 8 October, 2017. Claim 11: In the last three years of the previous government, capital expenditure was about Rs 1.49 lakh crore. Under this governments three years, capital expenditure was about Rs 2.64 lakh crore. Fact: False. Capital expenditure (only central expenditure)that is, spending on assets such as roads or to reduce borrowings, as opposed to spending on administration such as salariesunder the Modi governments three years was Rs 6.9 lakh crore as against Rs 5.15 lakh crore under the Manmohan Singh governments last three years, according to budget data. Source: Union Budgets FY2012-17 Claim 12: Big and sustainable changes do not develop on their own, they require systemic overhaul. It is because of such an overhaul that the country moved from 142 to 100 on the Ease of Doing Business ranking. Fact: False. While India did move up 42 places to 100 in 2018 from 142 in 2015 on the World Banks Ease of Doing Business ranking, a measure of business-friendliness, the ranks are not comparable because of frequent revisions in parameters. In recent years, Doing Business introduced improvements to all of its indicator sets, according to the World Bank. Year-to-year changes in the number of economies, number of indicators and methodology affect the comparability of prior years. Claim 13: Where the last government built 11 kilometre of national highways a day, over 22 kilometre a day are being built now. In the last three years of the previous government, 80,000 km of roads were made in villages, in our governments three years 1.2 lakh kilometre have been built. Fact: Partly true. In 2016-17, 22 kilometre of national highways were built a day, IndiaSpend reported on 25 May, 2017. However, at its peak, the previous government built 15.7 kilometre a day in 2012-13, the Financial Express reported on 7 March, 2016. The Modi government built 120,000 kilometre rural roads between 2014-15 and 2016-17 under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Prime Ministers Rural Roads Scheme) as against 86,770 kilometre built under the Singh government between 2011-12 and 2013-14, according to official data. Source: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana Online Management, Monitoring and Accounting System Claim 14: In the last three years of the previous government, 1,100 kilometre of railway tracks were built and 2,500 kilometre of railway lines electrified. Under this governments three years, over 2,100 kilometre have been built and 4,300 km electrified. Fact: Partly true. The Modi government built 2,100 kilometre of railway tracks in its three years against 1,677 kilometre built in the Singh governments last three years, according to government data (click here, here and here). Source: Indian Railways 1 & 2, Press Information Bureau While the Singh government electrified 2,667 kilometre of railway lines in its last three years, 5,118 kilometre were electrified under Modi governments three years, according to official data. Source: Rajya Sabha reply, Lok Sabha reply 1 & 2; *Cumulative figure for FY2012-13 Claim 15: The Ujjwala (Light Up) scheme has transformed the lives, for once and all, of over 3 crore (30 million) women in Indias villages. Fact: Unclear. As of November 2017, 30.56 million LPG connections were given to women from below poverty line households under the scheme, according to government data. There is no break-up available of how many of these were rural connections. Claim 16: Brothers and sisters, Im not sure how many of you sitting in this hall will be able to relate to this, but the poor in India today pay less than what you pay as parking tip to get life insurance. Only a rupee a month for accident insurance and 90p a day in premium for life insurance. Over 15 crore (150 million) poor are now part of these schemes. About Rs 1,800 crore has been settled in claims by the poor through these schemes. Fact: Unclear. The premia for the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (Prime Ministers Accident Insurance Scheme) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (Prime Ministers Light of Life Scheme) are Rs 12 a year (that is, a rupee a month) and Rs 330 a year (about 90p a day), respectively. The cumulative gross enrolment under these schemes was 124.8 million as of April 2017, according to this reply to the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) on August 4, 2017. While enrolment has gone up since then, according to weekly performance data, there are no data on how many of these beneficiaries were poor or how much claims settled so far. For full coverage of Union Budget 2018, click here. (The author is an analyst with IndiaSpend) Indiaspend.org is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit/FactChecker.in is fact-checking initiative, scrutinising for veracity and context statements made by individuals and organisations in public life. Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Monday said party's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh vindicated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's big policy decisions of demonetisation and GST. The poll outcome is also a big slap on those who mocked demonetisation and GST by terming the latter as "Gabbar Singh Tax", he said alluding to Congress newly appointed President Rahul Gandhi comment. "The poll results vindicate PM's decisions of demonetisation and GST (Goods and Services Tax)," Sushil, a member of GST council, told reporters at party's state headquarters in Patna. Sushil accompanied by Bihar ministers Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav and Prem Kumar thanked people of the two states for their verdict and also congratulated the PM and party President Amit Shah over the victory. BJP leaders fed laddoos to each other besides hundreds of party workers burst crackers at party's state headquarters at Beer Chand Patel Path and smeared gulal on each other's face as part of celebration over BJP win. BJP won in big commercial cities like Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara where traders had faced impact of GST, Sushil said to drive home his point. It was not an easy thing to register sixth victory in a row in Gujarat especially when the party was in power for past 22 years and amid Patidar movement and negative campaigns run by opposition against GST and demonetisation, Dy CM, who also holds finance porfolio, said. Sushil used an interesting coinage saying that Congress party vitiated the electoral atmosphere by playing caste politics by invoking "HAJ" (Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani) which was defeated by BJP's "RAM" (Rupani, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi). Anticipating RJD President Lalu Prasad's reaction over Gujarat poll, Sushil said "I know what Lalu Prasad is supposed to say. Now he would find fault with EVMs." Bihar health minister and party's Himachal Pradesh in-charge Mangal Pandey said the people of Himachal Pradesh have voted against "rampant corruption and mafia raj" that prevailed under Congress rule in the hill state. With the verdict for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election due to come out in a few hours time, both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP on Sunday expressed confidence about forming the next government in the hill state. While most exit poll surveys indicated BJP's return to power with an absolute majority in the 9 November Assembly elections, political observers said it was a neck-and-neck contest between the Congress and the BJP since there is "no clear wave in favour of any party". Interestingly, the state has alternately elected Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party governments since 1985. In 2012, the Congress had won 36 seats, while the BJP got 26, and independents six. Considering the fact that politics in Himachal Pradesh are largely dominated by the upper caste, the parties stirred up caste-based poll strategies in order to shake the competition. With the election results to be revealed in a few hours, heres a list of key faces linked to this battle of political power in Himachal Pradesh. PK Dhumal In a surprise move, BJP nominated Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial pick, largely owing to the caste-factors dominant in state politics. This development was followed shortly after the Congress party announced the 83 year old Virbhadra Singh as their chief ministerial candidate for Himachal Pradesh. BJP's dependence on the Thakur vote and Congress' decision to name the 83-year-old current Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh as its campaign committee chief were, in all likelihood, the primary reasons why Dhumal was named BJP's chief ministerial candidate, a move welcomed by BJP workers. A BJP leader also told Hindustan Times that political calculations and feedback taken over the last 10 days made BJP realise that Dhumal was the best person for chief ministerial candidate. Dhumal is a senior party leader and a two-time chief minister of the hill state. Virbhadra Singh Congress, desperate to repeat its performance from 2012 election, has named Virbhadra Singh once again as their chief ministerial candidate for the 2017 elections for Himachal Pradesh. Singh has been the chief minister for the state of Himachal Pradesh six times so far and is hoping for the seventh run on Monday. However, things may not swing in the sitting chief ministers favour as he battles corruption charges and the sentiment of anti-incumbency cannot be ruled out. Rajinder Rana Dhumals prodigy-turned-political rival Rajinder Rana is expected to give the BJPs chief ministerial candidate a tough battle in his Sujanpur constituency Rana, who had contested the 2012 election as an Independent candidate had defeated his nearest Congress rival Anita Verma by 14,155 votes. Rana had extended support to Virbhadra Singh after winning the polls last time and had resigned to contest Lok Sabha polls from Hamirpur in 2014, a move which has landed him in the crosshairs of his mentor. Vikramaditya Singh Vikramaditya Singh, son of the current chief minister of the state Virbhadra Singh, had been preparing since 2012 to contest for the assembly elections in 2017 from Shimla Rural seat. The 28-year-old is a post graduate in History from Delhis St Stephen College. He is also the president of Himachal Pradesh Congress youth wing. The chief minister, who had won his seat by more than 20,000 votes in 2012, had nursed the constituency well and vacated the seat for his son and himself shifted to Arki. Pramod Sharma Pramod Sharma of the BJP is standing against Vikramaditya from Shimla rural on a BJP ticket. The announcement of BJP ticket to Sharma came as surprise for the party as it had no potential candidate to take on Vikramaditya, who has made a debut in electoral politics, The Times of India reported. Sharma has dubbed the contest a battle between the royalty and a commoner. A report by Zee News states that Sharma was, at one time, propped up in politics by Virbhadra Singh to take on Congress veteran Vidya Stokes. But his entry in the fray against Vikramadatya on a BJP ticket may damage the Congress candidates chances in election. Click here to follow LIVE updates on the Himchal election Dubai: Indian opener Rohit Sharma's third career double-hundred in the just-concluded series against Sri Lanka has pushed him up two spots to fifth in the latest ICC ODI Player Rankings among batsmen. It's the first time that Rohit has crossed the 800-point mark as he ended the three-match ODI series which India won 2 -1 with 816 points. Though he has enjoyed a career-high ranking of third in February 2016, he reached a personal high of 825 points after the second match in Mohali when he struck an unbeaten 208, his third ODI double-century. Rohit's opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, named 'Player of the Series', too has gained one slot to reach 14th position after aggregating 168 runs including an unbeaten 100 in Visakhapatnam. Dhawan had slammed 68 in the second match, figuring in a 115-run opening stand with Rohit. Virat Kohli, who rested himself from the Sri Lanka series, still leads the batting chart with 876 points, ahead of South African AB de Villiers (872). Among the bowlers, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has moved up 23 places to take 28th place after finishing with six wickets in the series. Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav has moved up 16 places to take a career-best 56th slot while all-rounder Hardik Pandya has gained 10 slots to also reach a career-best 45th position. For Sri Lanka, Upul Tharanga has gained 15 places to reach 36th position among batsmen with his current tally of 571 points, his highest in five years. Niroshan Dickwella has gained seven places to take 37th position. Pace bowler Suranga Lakmal (up 14 places to 22nd) and all-rounder Angelo Mathews (up nine places to 45th) have moved up in the list for bowlers. There has been no change of positions in the ICC ODI Team Rankings. India (second with 119 points) could have overtaken South Africa (121) to take top position with a 3-0 win against Sri Lanka but that was ruled out early as they lost the opening match on a seaming track in Dharamsala. Manjusha OM, an Indian domestic worker from Kerala, returned home empty-handed from Saudi Arabia, with a shattered mind and bruises on her body, after working like a slave for eight months. She was beaten up by her Arab employer for 'disobedience' during her 20-hour-long duty and had to eat from garbage bins to keep herself alive. "It was like a hell. I will never take up a job in the Gulf," Manjusha said. Like Manjusha, Jumaila Beevi, another migrant domestic worker from Kerala, also had to undergo similar experiences in Saudi Arabia. "In addition to denying food and medicine for my ailments, the sponsor used to beat me a lot. One day, he also kept a gun on my neck and told me that he will kill me," Jumaila said. "That day I ran away and returned to India, giving up my 13 months' salary in fear of my life," she added. Manjusha and Jumaila were duped and trafficked by local agents in India. Even when India is the country receiving the biggest remittances, migration of unskilled workers is still not happening in a safe, regular and orderly manner from the country. Unskilled migrant workers are duped, trafficked and exploited in all stages of migration. This is what India, the $65 billion-remittance-receiving country, should focus on as the United Nations is preparing a Global Compact to ensure safe, regular and orderly migration. When the world is marking International Migration Day on Monday, 18 December, India should start thinking about what can be done to ensure that more Manjushas and Jumailas do not fall prey to greedy agents. Efforts by India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officials led by its minister Sushma Swaraj extending help through her Twitter handle to 'rescue and airlift' stranded Indian migrant workers are appreciable but this is not going to help resolve the issue in the long run. Twitter replies and retweets may help to resolve one to one cases, but the issue is much bigger than the few that achieve resolution. The root causes of the issues faced by migrants are not addressed with proper policy changes. Swaraj might be praised by even the Opposition members for her tireless work to help the migrants but migrant rights workers say that she and her office 'act' like a call centre most of the time. Even today, migrant workers from India, especially unskilled women and men, who migrate to earn around Rs 10,000 on average per month are duped. Even though the Indian government has streamlined the recruitment process by initiating eMigrate system since 2014 in phases where it can ensure transparency, according to migrant rights activists, trafficking continues to be rampant. Rafeek Ravuther, a migrant rights activist in India, said that when eMigrate was launched, they had hoped for safer migration. "But the number of migrant workers getting trafficked has not come down," said Rafeek. In 2016 itself, Rafeek had handled 86 trafficking cases of women domestic workers. According to him, when rules of the recruitment process are made stricter, trafficking only goes up. And, unfortunately, when rules are relaxed, the migrant workers are left less protected. Recently, the Indian government removed the financial guarantee clause required in domestic worker recruitment to emigration clearance required countries. According to an Indian embassy official in Kuwait, in two weeks' time following the removal of the financial guarantee requirement clause, at least 7,000 domestic workers' visas were issued by the Kuwait government. And the official fears that the majority of the Indian women domestic workers coming on these visas would be trafficked ones. A document from the Indian Parliament states that 100 show cause notices were issued from 1 January till 30 June this year to fake recruitment agencies. On the other hand, last week, the Indian government relaxed the rules to start recruitment agencies in India. Sister Josephine Valarmathi from the National Domestic Workers Movement said that granting a license to start small recruitment agencies is a good move but the government should always keep a tab on them. "If they are given full freedom, then it is quite dangerous," Valarmathi said. In addition to the hurdles at home, Indian migrant workers, especially those in the Gulf, face a tough time. The fall in oil prices and the Qatar blockade has affected them severely. While many are sent back on promises that the fees for the ending of services will be paid when the situation betters, many others are laid off and left in the lurch. While layoffs in Saudi were reported widely in media, layoffs in other countries were less reported. However, thousands have returned from Gulf countries after losing their jobs. And, those who returned are stranded in their home country without much help for rehabilitation measures. Additionally, job loss has directly reflected on the inward remittances as well. Recently, Kerala's finance minister also expressed his concern in the remittance dip. Kerala is the biggest remittance recipient state in India and it is around Rs one lakh crore, which is almost equivalent to 37 percent of the state gross domestic product. So, in a nutshell, recruitment and job status in a foreign country and rehabilitation of returned migrants is not happening in a fair way. Migrant workers' rights are violated. This is where the Indian government should focus when the United Nations is discussing a Global Compact to make migration safe, regular and orderly by September 2018. In the New York Declaration, states committed to "reaffirm, and fully protect, the human rights of all refugees and migrants, regardless of status." Migrants today, and including those in the context of large movements, are facing a human rights crisis at all stages of the migrant journey in their places of origin, in transit and at borders, in places of destination and, often, upon return. While the final phase of formation of Global Compact is underway, in its deliberations, India should focus on issues like labour rights including recruitment reform and access to justice. It should also focus on more and better opportunities for labour migration, respecting migrants' labour rights. Additionally, India should also find ways to act against dangerous and unsustainable returns and deportations. Only these moves will ensure Indian migrants are safe on foreign shores. Afghanistan: Militants stormed an intelligence agency training centre in Kabul on Monday in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group, triggering an intense gun battle with Afghan police. Security forces battled the militants, besieged in a construction site at the National Directorate of Security (NDS), for hours before killing at least two attackers. "They were well hidden in buildings under construction. We exploded their VBIED and killed two or three of them," a source with the NDS told AFP on condition of anonymity, referring to a car bomb that attackers brought to the scene. Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid said two police officers were injured but there were no civilian casualties. During the attack, roads to the area were closed and dozens of police and intelligence officers blocked access to the public. AFP reporters, who were held more than a kilometre away from the scene, saw ambulances and reinforcements headed towards the site. "I was going toward my school. It (the attack) happened suddenly...the police arrived in the area fast and blocked the roads, not allowing anyone to get to their homes," Naweed, a student, told AFP. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its propaganda arm. "Two IS (Islamic State) attackers raid the Afghan intelligence centre in Kabul," Amaq reported. The Afghan capital in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians, as the resurgent Taliban and increasingly Islamic State both step up their attacks on security installations and mosques. Security in Kabul has been strengthened since 31 May when a massive truck bomb ripped through the city's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 people and wounding around 400, mostly civilians. No group has officially claimed responsibility for that attack, which the government blamed on the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network. Monday's attack represents another blow to beleaguered Afghan police and troops. The Taliban have targeted military installations in recent months, including a spate of attacks in October that killed around 150 people. Afghan forces, already beset by desertions and corruption, have seen casualties soar to what a US watchdog has described as "shockingly high" levels since NATO forces officially ended their combat mission in 2014 and began a training and support role. Morale has been further eroded by long-running fears that the militants have insider help, everything from infiltrators in the ranks to corrupt Afghan forces selling equipment to the Taliban. Islamic State, which has expanded its presence in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015, has also scaled up its attacks in Kabul, including those on the country's Shiite minority. Last month a suicide attacker blew himself up outside a political gathering in Kabul, killing at least 14 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) was left red-faced in Kerala as party posters in the state's Nedumkandam, Idukki district emerged featuring an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. According to The Indian Express, the posters, showing the autocrat giving out a salute, were supposed to announce the details of a party gathering in town but ended up as an embarrassment for the party. The report quoted a district party leader as saying that the embarrassing error happened at the regional level as local workers had put the posters up. 'The posters were duly removed when it came to the attention of senior leaders. No action has been taken against the workers yet,' he said, according to The Indian Express. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra was quick to attack the CPM and tweeted saying that the poster reasons 'the mass killing of RSS cadres in the state'. Patra said that he hoped that CPM does not launch a missile attack on the BJP, RSS offices like Kim's plans to nuke the United States. According to a report in India Today, the party has, in the past, reportedly used images of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin on their posters, but this is the first instance of using the North Korean leader's image. Kim Jong-un finds place in CPMs posters in Kerala!! No wonder they have converted Kerala into Killing fields for their opponents! Hope the left is not planning to launch missiles at the RSS,BJP offices as their next gruesome agenda! pic.twitter.com/6LHf1dVtAy Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) December 17, 2017 Speaking to India Today, Patra said: "The poster is not an unintentional mistake. This is intentional and shows the mindset of the Left. Also exposes the intolerance brigade." The constituency is represented by Power Minister MM Mani. The posters were put up as part of the area committee conferences being held, in the run-up to the quadrennial party congress in Hyderabad in April next year. CPM district secretariat member PN Vijayan, however, seemed to defend the move. Speaking to The Times of India, he said: "Kim is the only communist leader who dares to challenge US president Donald Trump. He's a die-hard fighter against American imperialism which has killed thousands while playing the role of the world's cop. For us, that is the important thing; we do not consider other elements of Kim's personality." Over the years, both CPM and the BJP-RSS faction have seen altercations that have often turned violent. The state, especially Kannur, has seen a number of deaths as a result of killings and counter-killings of both the CPM and RSS cadres. The Maharashtra government's ambitious farm loan waiver scheme is hurtling from one controversy to another. With MLAs and MPs becoming beneficiaries of the loan waiver scheme despite never having applied for it, Opposition parties have now united to take on the government in the legislative Assembly which is in session. The Opposition has demanded an inquiry be conducted into the many glitches that have taken place. Just four days after Shiv Sena MLA from Radhanagari in Kolhapur, Prakash Abitkar, claimed to have received Rs 25,000, former NCP MP from Eradnol in Jalgaon, Vasant More, has said he too has received Rs 15,482. More, who represented the Eradnol Lok Sabha constituency between 2007 and 2009, said the money was transferred to his Jalgaon District Central Cooperative Bank account without him ever asking for a waiver. More, who owns a 12-acre farm in Jalgaon's Tehu village, claimed there are many more people who have benefited from the government's oversight. "How did my name figure in the list of beneficiaries though I never applied for a loan waiver? There are over 100 cases in Parola taluka of Jalgaon alone, where ineligible farmers received loan amounts without ever applying for the scheme," More, who also served two stints as MLA in 1985 and 1989, said. "I personally know of four others who received money from the government though they didn't ask for it. Ganjeedhar Shivram Patil, Kokilabai Patil, Hemant Patil and Ratnabai Patil all received the loan waiver. None of them had applied. Ganjeedhar is a retired school teacher who earns pension and pays regular income tax. He isn't even eligible for the scheme. Sunil Wagh, a clerk at a high school, and his wife are both government employees, and also should be exempt from applying for a loan waiver. But they too are on the list," More added. Talking to Firstpost, senior NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said the party is "fed up" with the glitches that have marred the scheme's implementation. "MLAs and MPs, who aren't even eligible for the scheme, are becoming its beneficiaries, and genuine farmers who had applied aren't getting what is their due. The whole exercise has been mismanaged. God knows when the mess will be rectified. The cooperation minister and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have been giving contrary statements and beneficiary numbers of farmers eligible for the loan waiver. Farmers' names have also been announced, but no money has been deposited," Pawar said. As per the government's criteria for availing of the loan waiver scheme's benefits, MPs, MLAs, corporators, zilla parishad presidents and government employees are all exempt from the scheme. People paying income tax and pensioners who draw more than Rs 15,000 a month have also been excluded. Furthermore, government, semi-government and government-aided employees (except Class IV workers) wouldn't be considered for the loan waiver. On Friday, Abitkar had told the state legislative Assembly that his name had figured in the non-defaulters' list who were to get an incentive of Rs 25,000 as part of the loan waiver scheme. Cooperation minister Subhash Deshmukh said it was a mistake by the Kolhapur District Central Cooperative Bank (KDCC), which had sent one loan account number for two persons. The cases are piling up, and it's adding to the pressure that already exists on the IT and cooperation departments to enquire about district-wise lists. Despite scrutiny by the auditors, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and the state's cooperation department, there are still a large number of cases where money is being disbursed to wrong beneficiaries, said a senior official who has been working on the scheme for the last six months. "Every day a new problem crops up. We will eventually figure out an error-free list, but the DCC banks are sending wrong data in most of the cases," he added. Over 1.3 crore farmers submitted online applications in just 45 days. Of these, 89 lakh accounts were approved, and an amount of Rs 34,022 crore was sanctioned. Online processing of the applications followed, which got the total number of beneficiaries down to 77 lakh. Fadnavis told the Assembly last week that further scrutiny brought it down to 69 lakh. "Of these 69 lakh accounts, we have cleared 43,16,768 farmers' accounts so far, an amount of Rs 20,734 crore. The Maharashtra government has transferred the money to the banks and has also completed validation of accounts. The actual amount is disbursed in 22,46,000 accounts till date, and the entire process is being reviewed on a daily basis," he added. Twelve people lost their lives in a fire that broke out at a shop on Khairani road in Mumbai in early on Monday, according to media reports. The fire broke out at a Khairani Road shop called Bhanu Farsan. #UPDATE: Death toll in Mumbai's Khairani road fire rises to 12 The blaze erupted in the shop at Makaria Compound on Khairani Road around 4.25 am, following which the building collapsed, a BMC official said, according to Zee News. The report quoted Senior Sub-inspector at Sakinaka Police station A Dharmadhikari as saying that least 25 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot to douse the fire. "The fire started at the ground floor-level and the people inside were sleeping on the loft. They got trapped in the 60 by 30 feet structure due to the intense heat and smoke and the loft subsequently collapsed," The Hindu quoted Chief Fire Officer PS Rahangdale as saying. The owner of the shop told officials that 10 to 15 people work in the shop, according to Hindustan Times. Fire brigade officials managed to pull out six people from the rubble until Monday morning. The report added that the injured have been admitted to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar. Further details are awaited. Thindpura: At 10:35 pm on Saturday, the cell phone of Asif Iqbal Bhat, a taxi driver from Thindpura village of north Kashmir's Kupwara district, rang just as he was preparing to sleep. On the other end, his family said, was a person from a nearby village, beseeching Asif that he (the caller) along with his family were stuck in the nearby Dardpora village. He wanted to avail Asif's taxi to reach home and even offered to pay extra. "He refused to go," Asif's father Mohammad Iqbal Bhat, a forest guard in Jammu and Kashmir forest department, told Firstpost. "He told the caller that it was too late. The man, whom Bhat identified as an acquaintance, called him and requested for the favour of his son. Bhat went straight to the second storey of his home, where his son was preparing his bed and asked him to get the person to his destination, saying: "God has given you this job to do exactly this." As the father's word prevailed over the son's, Asif wore a pheran (a warm Kashmiri cloak worn in winters) and left. The distance between the main road to Asif's house is barely 25 feet and this is where he usually parked his vehicle. "Within five minutes, there was a burst of gunfire," Bhat, said. "I shouted 'Asifa... Asifa... Asifa' and rushed out. We found him near his taxi, blood spilling out from him like from a sheep. He had turned pale. He was trying to speak, but I failed to understand anything. It was as if a lightning had struck me." Ghulam Mohammad, 65, Bhat's neighbour told Firstpost that he was smoking hubble-bubble on the veranda of his home, when he saw two Indian Army vehicles coming towards the village, few hours before the firing. Mohammad asked his family to turn off the lights, thinking it might be a crackdown. The soldiers stopped the vehicles, turned off their lights and disembarked, Mohammad said. "After about an hour or so, we heard gunshots. I climbed on to the second floor and heard Bhat sahib shouting but no one was answering. I left home and rushed towards their residence. I found his father and grandfather near Asif's body," Mohammad told Firstpost. Asif, 22, a tall, slim man with sunken cheeks and whitish complexion, had started driving a taxi in April this year, after leaving his studies. He would spend the entire day ferrying passengers from one village of north Kashmir to another, whose names like Kralpora, Dardipora, Chowkibal, Sopore and Handwara are still preserved on signboards inside his taxi. His fellow drivers at Kralpora said he worked hard to get his sister married and help his father meet the household expenses. The Indian Army said in a statement on Sunday that Asif was killed in a crossfire. The army said they had information about the presence of militants in Thindpura village and had laid an ambush in the area. "At around 2255h, an ambush party observed the suspicious movement of three persons near the nallah in Thindpura village. The individuals were challenged by troops, however, they did not respond," an army statement said, adding that the suspected militants opened fire towards the army ambush party, which was subsequently retaliated. "In the crossfire, one person, later identified as Asif Iqbal Bhat s/o Mohammad Iqbal Bhat, the resident of Thindpura was killed due to a gunshot wound," the statement added. A few meters from where Asif was killed, a group of villagers on Sunday morning showed visiting journalists a spot where a magazine full of cartridges, some empty packets of snacks, a flask, and a pair of socks were left behind by soldiers, people said, after leaving the spot in a hurry. The statement reads like a copy-paste version of events as described by the army whenever it is blamed to have killed civilians in Kashmir, under the garb of maintaining law and order. The only thing that changes in these statements are the names, time and date, and places of occurrence. There is no explanation on how such killings occur and why. Few minutes after he was shot, Asif's brother, Majid, started the car and pushed his bullet-riddled body inside. As he, along with three other neighbours, hit the road, a Cassiper vehicle of the army, according to Umar Basher, who was travelling inside the car, stopped them from moving towards Kralpora medical health centre, for almost fifteen minutes. Soldiers hit their vehicle on one side when the car slowed down on their signal. The four people inside the car somehow managed to take Asif to the health centre from where he was referred to Srinagar. Before reaching Sopore, he was dead. Deputy inspector general of police, north Kashmir, VK Birdi said that the army's 21 RR had cordoned the area and as per army's version, there was unusual activity in the area. Iqbal, according to the army, was running into the cordon. "Even after being challenged, he did not stop. So, they fired on him," Birdi said. On Sunday, amid anti-India and pro-freedom protests, as angry people refused to bury the body, senior superintendent of police, Shamsher Hussain, tried to pacify protesters. He assured them that a case will be lodged against the army and that an FIR has been registered. The villagers finally performed the last rites late on Sunday afternoon. At least 25 people, 12 of them policemen including district police chief Hussain were injured in the intense clashes which lasted over five hours in the village and its adjoining areas since the news of the death of the civilian spread. "It is a shameful incident," Hussain told Firstpost. "No one is above the law neither police nor the army. The investigation will start from Monday. Jaipur: Patients and their family members continued to suffer as in-service doctors in Rajasthan remained on strike for the third day on Monday while police arrested 19 of them. Health services crippled in government hospitals especially in primary and community health care centres where in-service doctors staff were mostly employed. As many as 19 doctors were arrested on Monday from different districts under the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA), taking the total to 84 so far, an official said. "We have arrested a total of 84 doctors under RESMA in the last three days. Nineteen were arrested on Monday, Additional Director General (law and Order) NRK Reddy said. The doctors went on strike on 16 December when police started its crackdown and arrested a few of them under the Act, which was invoked on Thursday when doctors warned of a strike from 18 December. Fearing their arrest, all office bearers of the all-Rajasthan in-service government doctors association remained unavailable for their comment. Doctors are on strike alleging that government was not implementing the agreement that they reached in a meeting on 13 November and following the transfer of 12 doctors, including ARISDA president Dr Ajay Chaudhary. Auto refresh feeds Speaking to ANI, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "For the first time a prime minister has accused former prime minister, former vice-president and diplomats of conspiring with Pakistan for Gujarat elections. Modi must clarify in Parliament." After bitter and acrimonious campaigning for Gujarat election, the Opposition, especially Congress, is up in arms and it is therefore expected that the first day of the Winter Session will be a stormy one. Hoping that the Winter Session will be a "constructive" one, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the media and said, "The Winter Session of Parliament is starting and I am confident that it will be productive session. I hope there is constructive debate and we come up with innovative solutions to our nation's problems. May this Parliament Session contribute to the nation's growth. At yesterday's all-party meeting, we all were clear that we need to take the country ahead and this session should be used positively to achieve that." I am confident that it will be a productive session: Narendra Modi Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, in response to Narendra Modi's appeal for a constructive session, said, "We are always in favour of constructive suggestion. We are very much interested to run Parliament and issues to be discussed, provided the government should take interest and create such an atmosphere which is conducive for discussion. They should respect the opposition." After obit references, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the Lower House for the day. The House will meet again at 11 am on 18 December, 2017. Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election results will be announced on 18 December, as well. The Winter Session will see some 19 amendment bills as part of the agenda. Some of these amendment bills such as the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 makes prior sanction necessary to in order to investigate officials and the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 specifies grounds under which disclosures related to corruption may not be made may attract a lot of flak from the anti-corruption brigade. Both the bills, have also been criticised for their half-hearted attempts to curb corruption. According to PRS Legislative , on agendar are some 40 bills focussing on areas such as overseas citizenship, consumer protection, rights of compensation for Mulsim divorced women, education, surrogacy, bankruptcy, corruption, and labour and transgender rights among others. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill gives women from the community the right to seek maintenance from their husbands in case of triple talaq, while the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017 prohibits certain persons, including promoters of defaulter companies, from submitting a resolution plan, the PRS added. The new bills listed for introduction and passage include Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017, Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill, 2017 and Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States_Amendment Bill), 2017. Opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha questioned the Chair's decision to disqualify senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav. Even as Chairman Venkaiah Naidu continued to tell the leaders of Opposition to sit down, Leader of Opposition in Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the Opposition did not intend to question the Chair's decision but demanded clarification on why was Yadav expelled from the Rajya Sabha. The Opposition forced the first adjournment of the Rajya Sabha as leaders stormed the well demanding an explanation over JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav's expulsion. The Upper House is adjourned till 12 pm. Advocate Nizam Pasha, who filed the plea on the behalf of the leader, said the matter regarding which faction is the real Janta Dal was sub judice and a final decision is yet to be passed. Yadav was elected to the House last year and his term was scheduled to end in 2022. Anwars term was to expire early next year. The JD(U) had sought their disqualification on the grounds that they had attended a rally of Opposition parties in Patna in violation of its direction. The Rajya Sabha chairman had agreed to the JD(U)s contention that the two senior leaders had voluntarily given up their membership by defying the partys directives and attending events of Opposition parties. Yadav, along with another MP Ali Anwar, was disqualified from the Rajya Sabha on 4 December. Yadav had joined hands with the Opposition after JD(U) president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar dumped the grand alliance with the RJD and the Congress in Bihar and tied up with the BJP in July this year. Former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav on 12 December, 2017 moved the Delhi High Court seeking setting aside of his disqualification from the Rajya Sabha. Yadav, in his plea, said he was not given any chance by the authorities before passing an order against him. The notification for the new seating arrangements has been issued by the Rajya Sabha secretariat for new members. Shah's seat is on the other side of the aisle from Modi and BJP's leader of the house, Jaitley. Shah has been allotted a front row seat of the treasury benches in the Rajya Sabha with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Shah will be occupying the seat held by M Venkaiah Naidu till he was elected as the Vice-President. BJP chief Amit Shah made his debut in Parliament today. He was elected as a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat in August this year. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raises the issue of Modi's allegations against former prime minister Manmohan Singh and others of conspiring with Pakistan for Gujarat election. "Ye sadharan aarop nahi hai (This isn't a ordinary allegation)," Azad said. The Upper House witnessed two adjournments in the morning of the first day of the Winter Session. While it saw an adjournment for 20 minutes till noon in the beginning after Opposition uproar over disqualification of rebel JDU leaders Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar Ansari, the second one was over the Prime Minister's remarks. Rajya Sabha reconvenes after third adjournment on the first day "Congress has lost Himachal Pradesh, and I want to thank the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for the unprecedented victory in Gujarat," Somaiya said While opposition members were seen standing at their seats and protesting, from the treasury benches BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who had the first question listed against his name, said the Bharatiya Janata Party was headed for victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The Lok Sabha witnessed an adjournment minutes after it met on Monday amid an uproar, and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till 12 noon. Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday after Opposition continued to raise slogans in the House. The Opposition raises slogans demanding an apology from Narendra Modi ("Pradhan Mantri maafi mango"). Meanwhile the Speaker continues to run the House as numerous motions are passed in rapid fashion by voice votes. While Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Prasad Maurya resigned as they shifted to Uttar Pradesh politics, Nana Patole had quit the party citing Modi government's indifference towards agrarian crisis. While Nitin Gadkari is expected to move the Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, Hardeep Puri is expected to do so with the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill. Calling the FRDI bill anti-people, the Trinamool Congress and other Opposition parties are all set to corner the government over the law. The TMC has issued a notice for discussion on FRDI bill in Lok Sabha. The Congress has moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha seeking an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comment on Manmohan Singh. Now, Congress MPs come to the well of the Lok Sabha While Derek O' Brien raises the issue of FRDI bill, Congress MP Anand Sharma talks about undertrials in India, urging the Modi government to do something to curb the issue. Leader of House Arun Jaitley says, "Everybody must get speedy trials. Do we have vested interests in delaying trials of politicians?" Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, SP MP Naresh Agarwal asks Arun Jaitley if the NDA government will create special trial courts to try those who defaulted on Rs 8 lakh crore. His statement came after the government sought to push a new law to expedite the trial of MLAs and MPs. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Pratap Singh Bajwa asked the government to intervene in the stubble burning by the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. He also raised the issue of Sri Lankan cricketers wearing masks does not bode well for India's international reputation. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Pratap Singh Bajwa asked the government to intervene in the stubble burning by the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. He also raised the issue of Sri Lankan cricketers wearing masks does not bode well for India's international reputation. Speaking in RS, TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy urges government to protect the personal data linked to the Aadhar. He adds that privacy is a fundamental law and hence the government needs to make a law to protect the data from third party external organizations. Slogan shouting continued in the Lok Sabha as the Chair asked them not to disturb the Question Hour. "If you don't want the House to function, give that in writing," Mahajan said before adjourning the LS for half an hour. "The farming community in the coastal belt stands thoroughly devastated. I ask the government, 'Why can't you declare this as a national disaster? What is preventing this?'" CPI leader D Raja asks the government. Anand Sharma of the Congress says, "If the perception is created that special courts are needed only for MPs, other people should not have to bear the brunt of it." He adds, "It has an inherent potential to be abused in entirety by the government of the day." "Government believes in "sabka saath sabka vikaas". The committee is trying to create communal divide in the country. i request the government to replace the managing committee of Dyal Singh College in Delhi," SAD MP Naresh Gujaral says while requesting the government to not rename the institute "Vande Mataram College." Azad raises the issue of alleged EVM tampering in Gujarat. He also raises the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi making insinuation against Manmohan Singh, Hamid Ansari and Mani Shankar Aiyar. In RS, Azad says if any leader is found to be guilty then punish them. "PM Modi maafi maango" is heard in the House. While the Lok Sabha reconvenes, the noise over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement continues to disturb the working of the House. Chairman Venkaiah Naidu asks Congress to not raise the issue and disrupt the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. He said that the issue needs to be sorted out with a discussion with the Leader of the House (Jaitley). JP Narayan Yadav of the RJD tells the House, "I request Lalu Prasad Yadav's NSG protection to be reinstated. He might be killed today. A lot of people adore him and he needs to be protected." In Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley says, "Leaders of opposition shall be invited to discuss this issue." After his assurance, the House has been functioning smoothly. Over a question whether the government is taking any steps to address the lack of medical infrastructure, Nadda says that AIIMS standards cannot be diluted. But he adds that there is a lack of faculty which is being addressed. He said that despite the crude oil prices falling, the price of diesel and petrol has remained the same. "Now that BJP is in power and at Centre, when will it bring the petroleum under GST?" he adds. "When will the GST council decide to bring it under the ambit of GST? what is the position of the Centre?" the former finance minister asks. Chidambaram says that the Centre has a veto power over the decision taken by the council. "A constitutional bill has been passed. It stated that petroleum products is not out of the law. It is a part of GST but the decision to levy GST is concerned, it will be taken only after council takes decision. For that we need a 3/4th majority," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. The issue has been raised by several Assam MPs in Lok Sabha. Looking at the seriousness of the issue, Union Minister Ananth Kumar has assured the House that the Centre will look into the issue. "Not happy with what they did. That they came into the well is shameful. You can interrupt us but do not disrupt the proceedings. They insulted the Chair. Even Mallikarjuna Kharge disrupted the House. We condemn it." Ananth Kumar said. The government has tabled the Companies Act (Amendment), 2017 in the Rajya Sabha. On the other hand, the government has introduced the Repealing and Amendment Bill, 2017 in the Lok Sabha. Chidambaram said that the Bill has noble objectives. However, he added that the relaxations given to small and medium companies under this law will apply to all companies because we have only one Companies Act. Chidambaram said that there is a need to consider having a separate comprehensive legislation for small and medium companies. This Bill seeks to repeal 131 Acts. Among the Acts that will be repealed, 30 are pre-Independence laws. This Bill also includes nine Ordinances promulgated before Independence. What will the Repealing and Amendment Bill, 2017 do? Speaking in the Lok Sabha, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee says, " While there is no doubt that the Emergency in 1975-77 affected many people, there is a kind of Emergency without even constitutionally declaring it nowadays. It is important to make a distinction between the official emergency in 1975 and the post-2014 situation," Banerjee adds. There is an undeclared Emergency now, says TMC MP 235 old laws to be repealed by this law! "Corporate Governance leaves much to be desired in India. May be it is a legacy issue in the country. The law is old. It took 15 years for us to bring the new law. In between, there were various excesses in corporate world. There have been no proper regulation of companies. So, there is much to be desired. Like, many companies do not pay taxes but are part of the Registrar," Chidambaram says while concluding his speech. 235 old laws to be repealed by this law! Shiv Sena in the Lower House, demanded that along with the 235 archaic laws, the government must also repeal Section 377, which grants Jammu and Kashmir special status. "Changes required to ensure that reserved seat for woman director is not occupied by family members of promoters," Seth said. He also raised the point of concentrated expenditure of CSR funds. "A lot of big companies are in Maharashtra, Gujarat. Hence CSR money is spent in those regions. CSR must be done in other regions of this country," he said. "This bill fails to address the differences between various acts like the RBI act, and SEBI act. There are various discrepancies which must be addressed," Gupta said. The bill will lead to conflict between two arms of the government. The removal of certain reasonable restriction will make money laundering easier," Gupta said. He said that the provision to give deposit security has been done away with, which is a serious problem. Gupta also said that the government is trying to fit everyoe under a sigle law, while evidence from past points to the contrary. He said that small and medium enterprises continues to suffer and the Companies amendment bill has nothing to address that issue. One size can't fit all, says Vivek Gupta in Rajya Sabha Meanwhile in LS, Law Minister RS Prasad responds to objections and questions raised on repealment of archaic bills The minister conceded that there is merits in decriminalizing Section 377 but there is opposition to it as well. There needs to be democratic consensus to repeal it. We need to debate, discuss and decide. He also said that the bill allows same relaxations to SMEs as it does to big companies which "amounts to holding the country at ransom." The CPM leader pointed out that the expenditure of CSR funds is not yet bounding on companies. He said that the Corporate Affairs Ministry merely accepts a mere explanation as to why money on CSR has not been spent. Roy also demanded a white paper on the actual ground work done in his ministry. He says that Gadkari used to be a vikas purush, but has now become a sapno ka saudagar (trader of dreams)." He said that whenever someone raises the point of funds, he says he will manage from foreign funds or here or there. On a lighter note, however, Roy wondered why, Rudy, the speaker before him was removed from the cabinet, even though he is a splendid speaker. "He is channeling money from one pocket to another pocket of his own ministry and we do not oppose it," Roy said. He said that since the money was being rerouted he will support the bill. "Odisha coast canal should be included in the national waterways to give the state the benefit of the revolutionary transport network," Jena said. Jena said that the state of Odisha has since-long been discriminated agaist by the central government. He requested Gadkari to formulate schemes to include the state in the development of transport networks. Samajwadi Party's Naresh Aggarwal objected to the passage and debate on two bills in the same day, adding that it eats away the time of short duration discussions. After a brief exchange, Yadav only resumed his seat after being assured from the Treasury Benches that at least one short duration discussion will be held in the House. IIM amendment bill proposes larger autonomy for management institutes and provisions to allow them to grant postgraduate degree rather than a diploma In Lok Sabha, Dushyant Chautala raises point of depleting water resources as House debates increasing budget for development of waterways The matter was raised by Bhartruhari Mahtab of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) during Zero Hour. After Lok Sabha members on Tuesday expressed concern over the Brahmaputra river being polluted by China, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar assured the House that he will take up the issue at the "highest level" in the government. He also brought up the problems faced by students passing from regional language schools. Agrawal said he would support the bill only for the fact that at least there was some will to bring about the change. He, however, lamented the lack of similar reforms in other educational institutes such as IITs or other higher education institutes. Naresh Agrawal says he supports IIM bill but questions lack of similar reforms in IITs, AICTE Gadkari told the Lok Sabha that a river traffic control system was already functioning between Haldia and Patna. He added that work on 10 waterways will be completed by 2018. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, however, said the rural development ministry had advised the states and union territories to explore the possibilities of using consent-based Aadhaar authentication for registration of properties under the provisions of the Registration Act, 1908. There was no proposal to make Aadhaar linkage mandatory for property transactions, Parliament was informed today. Lok Sabha concludes proceedings for the day, to reconvene tomorrow at 11 am Congress leader said that the government should describe how they plan the transition between the current boards at IIMs and the Board of Governors as proposed in the new bill. He also asked what would be the criteria for appointment of these governors. Jairam Ramesh questions how board of directors will be appointed at IIMs after new bill Times Now reports that the government may meet Opposition leaders in a bid to find an amiable solution to the deadlock that rose after Narendra Modi insinuated that Manmohan Singh and his colleagues met Pakistani delegation during elections. The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017 will be tabled by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the Rajya Sabha.The bill will make it an institution of national importance. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the old and many irrelevant pre-Independence laws were the "unfortunate part of the colonial legacy" and repealing them was a progressive move that reflects the "pro-reform" approach of the government. The Lok Sabha also passed two Bills to repeal 245 obsolete and archaic laws, including the 158-year-old Calcutta Pilots Act of 1859 and the 1911 Prevention of Seditious Meeting Act. The bill gives them powers to award degrees instead of postgraduate diplomas. The Indian Institutes of Management Bill, 2017 which was passed in the Lok Sabha in July this year grants statutory powers to the IIMs in their running including the appointment of directors and faculty members. The bill amended the companies law to strengthen corporate governance standards, initiate strict action against defaulting companies and help improve ease of doing business in the country. The Rajya Sabha passed the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2017 by a voice vote. It was adopted by the Lok Sabha in July this year during the Monsoon Session. "Now you are in the opposition and have a greater flexibility in changing your position," he said. He said the present government has persuaded the states to include petrol within the GST and the states reluctantly agreed to do so. He also sought to know why the prices of petrol and diesel did not decline with a fall in the global crude prices. Jaitley responded saying that a person familiar with the issue had asked the question. He said the UPA in its draft GST bill had kept petrol out of its ambit as it knew that the issue would be a deal-breaker between the Centre and the states. During the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram sought to know the Union government's position on bringing petrol and diesel under the GST. The Centre favours including petroleum products in the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) but it would want a consensus with the states before taking such a step, Finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday. Day 3 of the Winter Session had some lively debate on GST Opposition leaders come to well of the Rajya Sabha to protest against Modi's comment on Manmohan. Venkaiah Naidu's plea to Congress MPs to go back to their seats fall on deaf ears. Shrivastava said Veerendra Kumar, who was elected to the Upper House from Kerala last year with support from the Congress-led UDF, resigned "so that no one questions his integrity that he is aligning with (Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U President) Nitish Kumar". The 80-year-old, also a Karala media baron, submitted his resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday morning, Arun Kumar Shrivastava, also a rebel JD-U leader, told IANS. Disgruntled Janata Dal-United leader MP Veerendra Kumar on Wednesday resigned from the Rajya Sabha, days after rebel JD-U leaders Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar were disqualified from the Upper House. "This is not the way," he said. "This is Parliament. This is Rajya Sabha. Wrong message is going." Stating that he did not appreciate their behaviour, Naidu said, "Please don't exceed limit. Please go to your seat." Naidu asked them not to create obstruction and allow other members to raise important issues. At this point, Congress members rushed to the Well of the House shouting slogans. No sooner had the listed papers been tabled, Congress members were up on their feet demanding an explanation from the prime minister on his remarks against Singh. Naidu disallowed them. Opposition Congress members today disrupted proceedings in the Rajya Sabha over the insinuations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against his predecessor Manmohan Singh. However, the Congress MPs have again created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha over Narendra Modi's comment against Manmohan Singh. Some of the MPs descended to the well of the House. The slogans of "Narendra Modi maafi maango" are being echoed in the House. Meanwhile... sloganeering can be heard in the Lok Sabha too The Lower House is currently being presided by Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai. The House is discussing the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Bill (Amendment), 2017. The bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Urban Development Hardeep Singh Puri. Over 1,000 cases of people securing jobs using forged caste certificates have been reported by various central government departments, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. The Department of Personnel and Training had in June sought data from all central government organisations regarding appointments made on the basis of fake caste certificates.- PTI "There is no question of middle path...The country's prime minister has alleged that the former prime minister has taken steps against the country and that too with the enemy nation. Don't you think it is an issue that calls for an apology?" Chowdhury told reporters.- PTI With Parliament witnessing repeated adjournments over Narendra Modi's remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Wednesday said that there was "no question of a middle path" on the matter till the prime minister apologised for his comments. Provisions of this bill violate rights of people, whose land is being acquired: MK Premchandran, RSP Bijoya Chakraborty of Guwahati BJP said this bill will immensely help tribal people G Hari of AIADMK enlists benefits of bamboo, says hopes this would be taken into consideration while passing bill BJD's Tathagata Satpathy objects to bill, says farmers will be affected by removal of bamboo from bill More than two lakh Chinese tourists visited India in 2017, according to data provided by the tourism ministry in Parliament on Wednesday. The figures provided by Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons in the Rajya Sabha assume significance in the backdrop of India's recent standoff with China over the Doka La issue.- PTI The farmer does not need our sympathy, they need less interference, says Tathagata Satpathy of BJD "I had done research. We had sent researchers in Tripura, Nagaland., Sikkim. Problems found were mainly regulatory. One of the reasons of high cost is on the count of the fact that bamboo, the amount of rent-seeking behaviour is just too much. Therefore, as a first step, we need to take a holistic approach. The first step is to redefine bamboo (by removing it from tree category)," Rai said. Rai demanded that the bamboo be unleashed from "all kinds of regulations". In 2014, He added that he had brought a similar bill on bamboo with a private members' bill in 2014. "People of north Sikkim were completely cut-off because of Mantam lake which was created because of landslide. They then made a bamboo bridge and are now able to cross the lake on foot," Prem Das Rai said in Lok Sabha. In India, one tonne bamboo costs Rs 10, 000 in some parts and Rs 10-15,000 in other parts The legislation to amend the Indian Forest Act to exempt felling and transportation of bamboo grown in non-forest areas from the state permit, was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2017 which would omit bamboos growing in non-forest areas from the definition of trees was introduced by Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan even as BJD leader B Mahtab raised concerns and opposed the legislation.- PTI Legislation to amend the Indian Forest Act to exempt felling and transportation of bamboo Union environment minister Harshvardhan says soon people will be encouraged to take up bamboo cultivation Vociferous sloganeering on Thursday disrupted Sachin Tendulkar's maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha since his nomination. Members of the Opposition shouted "BJP sharam karo" as sloganeering continued in the Upper House of Parliament on the fourth day. Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11 am on Friday following stormy scenes on the floor of the House. BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe has given adjourned motion notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 267 on remarks of Congress leaders against PM Modi Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the bill which will double the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and 24 high courts, reported The Indian Express . The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill 2017 provides for increased salaries as recommended by the Seventh Pay Commission. Discussion on natural calamities in the country with special reference to cyclone Ockhi in South India In the Rajya Sabha, M Venkaiah Naidu read the obituary of legislator Jalaluddin Ansari and a minute's silence was observed. Question hour starts in Lok Sabha. Business in the Rajya Sabha is proceeding fairly quietly while there is constant sloganeering in the Lok Sabha by the Opposition. Raut raises the issue of the deaths in the Gorakhpur hospital. He asks for the Centre to keep a check on the funds which are given to the state governments for health issues. Anupriya Patel, MoS, Health and Family Welfare answers saying that the Centre does indeed monitor the funds and the MP could monitor those funds for their own constituency as well. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien says Rajya Sabha TV should not be cut off when protests are taking place as that is one of the ways for the Opposition to express itself Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad asks for Rajya Sabha to be adjourned till the parties decide on the remarks issue outside Parliament In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition insists that it is better to adjourn the matter with it raising uproar. It asks the Rajya Sabha to be adjourned till 2 pm till when the issue is resolved. Adjournment means no legislative business will take place in the Rajya Sabha over the next four days as well It seems doubtful that Triple Talaq criminalisation bill will be discussed today The issue of nurses' allowances has been raised. The concerned minister insists that most of the nurses' demands have been met and discussions are ongoing for the others. In the revised list issued by the Lok Sabha, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Bill, 2017 was removed. In the original list , law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was scheduled to introduce a bill to "protect the rights of married Muslim women and to prohibit divorce by pronouncing talaq by their husbands and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto". He admits that enough warning was given but there is a need for specific alarm systems. "Modern technology is needed to help the people. Unfortunately there has been a lapse by the authorities in informing the people about the cyclone. I am not blaming anyone as this should not be a political issue," he said. Professor Richard Hay, the nominated member from Kerala, talks about the ground situation in Kerala in the aftermath of Cyclone Ockhi Richard Hay says he had visited the coastal area of Kerala and Kanyakumari himself. "The fisherfolk want homes, food, education and security. I am not getting this from the media. I have visited the people and have listened to them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman had consoled those people," he said. Mahtab talks about how unseasonal rain and cyclones cause great harm to crops and farmers as well. He says the infrastructure needs to rebuilt after these calamities. "Once the deadlock in the Parliament is resolved, we will raise the issue of Jadhav in Parliament. What has happened to Jadhav's family in Pakistan is inhuman. We will demand a discussion on this issue in the House and will ask the Centre and the international community to ask an explanation from Pakistan on this matter." The Opposition, led by the Congress, plans to corner the central government in Parliament over the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a report on India Today said. Congress leader Pramod Tewari was quoted as saying the party wants the government to clear its policy on how it plans to bring Kulbhushan Jadhav back from Pakistan. Trinamool joins Opposition Congress party in demanding a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs over the Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother in Pakistan. Any view that Narendra Modi meant to insult Manmohan Singh or other leaders during election speeches is erroneous and uncalled for, Arun Jaitley says I,on behalf of Congress, say that we disassociate from any comments that may have hurt prime minister's dignity, says GN Azad of the Congress Soon after the Lok Sabha resumed, Congress MP's started waving placards at the Treasury benches. They were protesting against Anant Kumar Hegde's comments on Constitution. Amid controversy over Naresh Agrawal's comment, the SP MP has written to Rajya Sabha chairman over the alleged ill-tretment of Indian prisoners in Pakistan. He also alleged that the government was not doing anything about it. AITMC MP Saugata Roy requested the Speaker to not pass bills while the House is not in order. He also said that the Speaker must pull up Union minister Anantkumar Hegde for insulting the makers of Constitution. He also added that he would not voice his opinions in the House as a mark of protest. Lok Sabha Chairman, however, dismissed the request and added that the House cannot be adjourned every day. From the Opposition, CPM MP Mohd. Saleem stood up to respond but refused to speak during the din. He again brought up the comments made by Hegde, but the Speaker refused to take those remarks on record. Discussion about unauthorised colonies in Delhi is underway in Lok Sabha. BJPs Ramesh Vidhudi has alleged that the Congress party has left the issue hanging for years. The Speaker took strong objection to the use of words and expunged the comments from record. She also added that nobody knows for certain what the minister had said, and since he was not present in House, the House's time should not be wasted on the issue. Reacting to Anantkumar Hegde's comments on secularists and the Constitution, senior Congress MP Malliakrjun Kharge attributed these words to Hegde: Those who label themselves secularists, they neither have mothers nor fathers, their blood line is not know. Kharge then asked that whether the minister was calling secularists Ba*****. "I just want to say that Modi ji and our Govt are committed to the constitution of India and ideals of Baba Saheb Ambedkar: Ananth Kumar," Parliamentary Affairs Minister in Lok Sabha on Opposition uproar over Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde's remark. In a reply to a question from Satyapal Singh, Minister of State for Human Resource Development (Higher Education), Rajan Gohain, MoS, Railways said in Lok Sabha that patients suffering from arthritis can book a berth of their choice (lower berth in this case) on first come-first serve basis. The railways today said it had no quota for patients suffering from arthritis and no plans of offering any concession in passenger fare for them as it was already losing revenue over the discounts granted in over 50 categories. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said he will convey their demand to the Law Minister. Later, Law Minister Ravi Dhankar Prasad said he will give a statement on the issue tomorrow. At present, the Andhra Pradesh High Court is the common High Court for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The TRS MPs also trooped into the Well of the House, showing placards and raising slogans demanding setting up of a High Court for Telangana. Members of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) disrupted proceedings in the Lok Sabha demanding immediate setting up of a High Court for Telangana. Raising the issue, TRS parliamentarian AP Jithender Reddy said the Centre is yet to set up a High Court for Telangana even three years after the formation of the state. The approved strength of the Supreme Court is 31, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). There are six vacancies of judges in the Supreme Court, while nine high courts are working without regular chief justices, but the government has not received any proposal from the apex court collegium to fill up the slots, the Rajya Sabha has been informed. Union Minister of State for Law P P Chaudhary, in a written reply, has informed the Upper House of Parliament that the "government has not received any proposal for filling up of the six vacancies of judges in the Supreme Court and for appointment of chief justices in the nine high courts, which are functioning with acting chief justices". 'Govt yet to receive proposal to fill up judges' vacancies in SC' Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said if the Bill is not passed, it will lead to "unprecedented chaos" in the national capital. The legislation will give cover against punitive action on "as is where is basis" until December 2020, he said. The Lok Sabha today passed a bill to protect slums and unauthorised colonies in the national capital region from punitive action till a framework for orderly arrangements are in place. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill gives immunity to slums and some unauthorised constructions till 31 December, 2020. The immunity under the existing Bill ends on 31 December. Rajya Sabha extends time until The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017 is passed "Many members have expressed concerns over the autonomy of the institute. I would like to assure them in this House today that it is our government's intention to make the institute fully autonomous. However, we cannot expect it to turn into a JNU, or DU from day 1. In the initial phases, there will be some hand holding but later on it will be completely autonomous.," Pradhan said. The authorities were ascertaining whether the "metallic object" in the shoes was a camera or a recording chip, Pakistan Today quoted Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mohammad Faisal as saying. Pakistani authorities have sent the shoes worn by Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife for forensic examination to determine the nature of the suspected presence of a foreign object, a media report said on Wednesday. "There was something in the shoe. It is being investigated. We gave her a pair of replacement shoes. All her jewellery et cetera were returned after the meeting," Faisal said. In the statement, Pakistan had rejected as "baseless" India's contentions that Jadhav's wife and mother were harassed and claimed that his wife's shoes were confiscated on security grounds as there was "something" in it. "This included removal of mangal sutra, bangles, and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security," it said. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. The external affairs ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that Pakistan went so far as to have the mangal sutra, bangles, and bindi of Jadhav's mother and wife removed before they could meet him. The diplomatic strain over Jadhav's meeting with his family grabbed headlines not just in India, but also in Pakistan. Almost all major Pakistani newspapers gave prominence to the issue and carried reports of the Foreign Office issuing statement after India claimed that Jadhav's responses were "clearly tutoured" that the alleged spy was "under duress" during the meeting. The editorial lauds the Pakistan government's attempts to do what was "necessary in the international scheme of things" and "ignoring the deafening cacophony to do what was necessary." The Nation commented on the "cacophony of opinions" circling the issue. The piece in The Nation took a more balanced view of the issue at hand and wrote, "Ultimately however, these are all irreconcilable opinions and each can be considered correct if viewed from their subjective angle." "We are even more depressed now than we were before the visit," a relative of Kulbhushan Jadhav told news agency PTI. The family refrained from commenting further as it is an international issue. "If we speak something about it, that may hamper the process," he said. Various political parties, including the Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress and AIADMK, strongly protested how Pakistan treated the wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former navy officer sentenced to death in Pakistan. The episode drew outrage on social media as well. Jadhav's mother and wife were also harassed and subjected to outrageous questions by Pakistani journalists after they were forced to wait for their car. The family faced questions hurled at them like - "Aapke patidev ne hazaron begunah Pakistaniyo ke khoon se Holi kheli ispar kya kahengi? (your husband killed thousands of innocent Pakistanis, what do you have to say about that?)'" and "Aapke kya jazbaat hain apne kaatil bete se milne ke baad? (How do you feel after meeting your killer son?)". According to CNN-News18, the BJP has issued a whip to all its MPs to attend today's proceedings in Parliament. The Lok Sabha will be discussing the triple talaq bill today. The Indian National Congress is celebrating its 133rd foundation day today. It is for the first time that Rahul Gandhi will be steering an event as the president of the party. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal hit back at the Congress, saying she does not know to what level theopposition party can fall, if it could not come together on the issue of treatment of women by a "terrorist" country which always worked towards harming India. Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily on Wednesday hit out at the government, accusing it of "diplomatic failure", after Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife were harassed by the Pakistani side during their meeting with the Indian national in Islamabad. We will get some relief because of new law, says a victim The bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat in any form spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp "illegal and void" and provides for a jail term of three years for the husband. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill is listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 28 December, according to the list of business in the Lower House. The bill will increase the salaries of the Chief Justice of India, other judges of the Supreme Court, chief justices of the high courts as well as other judges of high courts by over 2 times. Later, Prasad will table The High Court And The Supreme Court Judges (Salaries And Conditions Of Service) Amendment Bill, 2017. Bills to be tabled in Lok Sabha apart from triple talaq He was of the view that Pakistan "did not do any good for itself" by its handling of the meeting while showcasing to the world its gesture, a statement issued by the Vice President's Secretariat said. Referring to the restrictions, Naidu said the move to ask Jadhav's wife take off her 'mangal sutra' has not got down well with the people of India. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu termed as "inhuman" the restrictions imposed by Pakistan during Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother in Islamabad, saying it has hurt the sentiments of Indians. Sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistan will share the report on Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife Chetnakul's slipper with India. Pakistan had taken the slipper away suspecting a metallic object to be in it. This day will be more significant in Muslim women's life than Eid or Bakrid, says victim Congress sources tell CNN-News18 is that the party will be supporting the anti-triple talaq bill. However, the party is apprehensive of the criminality clause in the law, adding that the three-year jail for the divorce is arbitrary and Draconian. Three days after his controversial statement over the word 'secularism' in the Constitution, Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde has said the Constitution of India is supreme for him. "I can never go against the Constitution as a citizen. It is Supreme for me," says Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde. However, Mallikarjuna Kharge interrupts and says that Hegde has insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar. "We fear that if we speak a lot here, then there will be a danger to the life of Jadhav. but we know that the Pakistani Army does not believes in democracy. It does not know how to behave with prisoners who have been implicated in false case. What they did with Jadhav's wife and mother is condemnable. We may have political differences but on this issue we stand with the government," the LoP in Rajya Sabha said. "I spoke to the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav over the phone. She said that he was speaking under duress. He was telling whatever he was being tutored. He did not look healthy too. I hope people all Members of Parliament as well as the common man will denounce the behaviour of Paksitan," Sushma Swaraj said while concluding her statement. In a rare sense of unity, all parties in the Rajya Sabha have denounced the manner in which Jadhav's family was treated in Pakistan. "It was nothing like a humanitarian gesture. Human rights of the family members were violated again & again & an environment of fear was created for them," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in Rajya Sabha "Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother was not allowed to speak in Marathi. Two Pakistani officials present in the meeting kept stopping her repeatedly but when she continued, the intercom was switched off," Sushma Swaraj said in Rajya Sabha. Jadhav's mother was not allow to speak in Marathi Union Minister Ramdas Athavale gives a poetic statement to back Sushma Swaraj's statement, "Kulbhushan ki khatre mey hai jaan, Hua hai unke maata pita ka apmaan". He also thanked the Congress for supporting the government. Rahul had twisted Jaitley's name as "Jaitlie" in his tweet. The Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm after Congress raises objections over Hegde's comments on the Constitution. After harassing his mother and wife, Pakistan media now claims that Kulbhushan Jadhav "confessed" to being an "Indian spy" during the trio's recent meeting. Pakistan's Geo News claims that the mother immediately chided Jadhav and asked him to speak the truth. The mother and wife, after the meeting, have repeatedly reiterated that the former Navy officer was being forced to toe Pakistan's narrative. The Congress party is continuing to create a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha over Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde's comments against the Constitution. The Congress MPs are demanding a point of order in Question Hour. However, Chariman Venkaiah Naidu refused to allow it. The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned within five minutes after being reconvened. The Upper House has been adjourned till 2 pm. "In April 2017, I had said that the death sentence was given in illegal manner. We were in constant touch with the family. We were helping them connect with Jadhav. The Pakistan government allowed a meeting in December. It is unfortunate that the meeting could have been a path-breaking event but Pakistan used it as a propaganda tool," Not returning the shoes was an act of cruelty, says Swaraj Opposing the bill over the criminalisation of the Islamic practice, Owaisi said that the law will be injustice to Muslim woman and lead to the abandonment of Muslim woman. Toeing the Opposition's line, the Biju Janata Dal said that the bill has fundamental flaws in it. "This is a hisotric day for India. This law is not linked to any religion, it is about the honour of women. The SC outlawed talaq e biddat But still goes on. Injustice is still going on. However, I ask whether the Parliament will still be silent? The parliament has to decide whether the Muslim women have any rights. Triple talaq still goes on. We are bringing a law finally. People say that it is against basic structure of the Constitution but isn't the honour of women important?" asked Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Triple talaq bill is for the honour of women, says RS Prasad Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge says that the party does not support the triple talaq bill as ruckus breaks out in the Lower House over the bill. On Thursday morning, in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district, a woman was divorced through instant triple talaq for waking her husband up late in the morning. The husband left his home after divorcing her and is untraceable as of yet. The triple talaq bill will be put to vote and passed in the Lok Sabha today itself, announced Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Pakistan Foreign Office is set to hold a press conference at 5:30 pm IST. The dept will be responding to Indias claims that #KulbhushanJadhavs family was mistreated. Pak FO will also clarify its stand on taking away Jadhavs wifes shoes and not returning them. While the discussion and voting over the triple talaq bill will take place after 2 pm, the Lok Sabha is currently conducting Zero Hour. Speaking during the Zero Hour, West Bengal Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said, "Maldives media has been showing Narendra Modi as anti-Muslim. Now, China through its OBOR plan is entering the periphery of our neighbouring countries. I believe that our neighbourhood policy needs to be reoriented." "Congress supports the Supreme Court's judgment. Triple talaq should definitely go but as far as the bill is concerned, it will be scrutinised by the Parliamentary committee. If there are difficulties in the provisions that will be dealt with. Congress is definitely supporting triple talaq bill but the provisions will be scrutinised," says Manish Tiwari to CNN-News18. Now, Pakistani authorities are talking of chip, camera or a recorder being installed in the shoes, she said. The charge is "absurbity beyond measure," she said, adding that the two women had cleared security at airports in Delhi and Dubai and in Pakistan and no such device was detected during these thorough airport security checks there. "The Pakistan authorities have been cautioned against any mischievous intent in this regard through a Note Verbale yesterday," PTI quoted her as saying. After the meeting, Pakistani authorities also did not return the shoes of Jadhav's wife despite repeated requests. Swaraj said not returning the shoes has given rise to suspicion that Pakistan was up to some "mischief". This money will be spent on the affected people and areas, Tomar said while replying to a question during the Question Hour. Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Lok Sabha that district mineral foundations, which were created after the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act came into being, have received Rs 13,398 crore and Rs 2,260 crore have been spent so far in developing local areas. A new law, which has made it mandatory for spending of a part of revenue made from auctioning mines in developing the areas they are located in, has resulted in improved living conditions of people in these regions, government claimed today. It takes time to set up separate high courts after bifurcation of states. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana need to sort out the issue with mutual consent, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Responding to the questions related to the bifurication issues, Home Minister Rajnath Singh added that governments of both states need to work together to resolve the issue. However, the Chair urges Congress MP BK Hariprasad to express regret for defying Chairman of the House. With the GST bill being declared a money bill, SP's Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Agrawal cries foul, saying that if every bill passed in the Lok Sabha is declared a money bill, then what will be the utility of the Upper House. To this, PJ Kurien, the deputy chairman of the House , taunted that the Samajwadi MP can amend the Constitution if he wants to. If every bill is money bill, then what is the use of Rajya Sabha? asks Naresh Agrawal "Nobody wants anyone to become unemployed. We don't want Air India to go the Kingfisher (Airlines) way. We want the Air India to serve the nation, to serve the people and fly high," he said during the Question Hour. The government does not want anyone working in Air India to lose job, Raju said in the Lok Sabha, adding that the disinvestment process of the national carrier has been initiated. The government does not want Air India to become defunct like the Kingfisher Airlines, promoted by embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya, and wants it to serve the nation, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said today. Given the circumstances detailed above, it seems naive at best and delusional at worst not to have expected the very worst from Pakistani hospitality in this situation, because it's clear that Islamabad expected the worst from New Delhi. Ultimately, Pakistan treated the family of someone it accuses of spying on it (and being involved in the deaths of many of its citizens) in a very predictable manner. By March 2019, all homes in the country will be provided uninterrupted 24-hour power supply throughout the year, Power Minister R K Singh said today. Singh said by December 2018, 1,694 villages, which are yet to be electrified, will have electricity connection and works in this regard has been going on. All homes will get 24-hour power by March 2019, he said during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, calling it a "historic day" amid opposition to its introduction by members of different parties, including RJD, AIMIM, BJD and All India Muslim League. A bill to make instant triple talaq illegal and void and awarding a jail term of three years for the husband, was introduced in the Lok Sabha today. Bill on National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special provisions) Second Amendment Bill 2017 has been tabled in Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on Wednesday. The immunity under the exisiting Bill ends on 31 December. Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said if the Bill is not passed, it will lead to "unprecedented chaos" in the national capital. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill gives immunity to slums and some unauthorised constructions till 31 December, 2020. On Wednesday, Lok Sabha had passed the bill to protect slums and unauthorised colonies in the national capital region from punitive action till a framework for orderly arrangements are in place. What will The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill do? "Countries like Eqypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh have regulated triple talaq. The Islamic countries have regulated triple talaq. They have said you can't say talaq in one sitting. The big question that I want to raise is that Islamic. India is a secular country. If here the women are facing abuse, we need to take a decision," said Prasad. "We hoped that the condition would improve after the Supreme Court's decision," said law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Prasad, who is also the IT minister, further added: "I had gone to Patna. I witnessed burqa-clad women were learning IT. On one side, we are hailing digital India and on the other side there is 'talaq, talaq, talaq'". Lok Sabha is India's biggest panchayat. I appeal, firstly, that this bill not be seen as a succession bill. Secondly, don't tie it under caste aspect,and, thirdly, don't tie it with religion. Fourthly, don't view it under vote bank." "The issue is not of faith, or puja but it is simply of gender justice, equality," said law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. INC leader Sushmita Dev said, "When the Supreme Court's judgment came Congress had a press meet. We welcomed the Supreme Court judgment. When the Supreme Court requested the Parliament to legislate on it, in a technical term, I'd say it was a minority judgment. The bill seeks to amend a critical law. We have seen historically that talaq is a unilateral act. Since 1939, women have been approaching court. However, the reality is, that this is a practice that is prevalent till today." INC leader Sushmita Dev said in Lok Sabha: "Everybody wants social reforms. It is not just an idea, it is a right. I want to ask Ravi Shankar Prasad, will we see the women's reservation bill coming to the Parliament. It is not just the representation of women, if you would have allowed more women in the Parliament, a legislation like this, full of lacunae, wouldn't have seen the light of the day in this House." Lekhi went on to call the practice of instantaneous divorce as "a joke on marriage". "This is practice over Whatsapp, email, text message. When you get married, you take the society along with you," she said Lekhi said that the laws of the Hindus and the Christians have been modified such that customary practices do not interfere with the rights of women. Women are the biggest minority in this country, Lekhi said. "The bill is not a ramvan to end all miseries. The practice of triple talaq needs to be discouraged. Supreme Court has said it is an arbitrary practice. Many people think women are commodities and that needs to be stopped," she further said. "Why didn't UPA end medieval laws," BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi asked in Lok Sabha as the Lower House discussed the bill on triple talaq. "Our opposition is about the way you intend to apply this bill. This bill is definitely not an initiative of this government. We always pass bills but we always seem to forget the implementation aspect and that is where things are going wrong in this country. Despite the AIMPLB saying that no such acts will happen, 100 plus annulments happened after the Supreme Court judgment." In Lok Sabha, Biju Janata Dal leader Tathagata Satpathy said: " This is about more than a decade that I have been noticing, we have only been passing economy-related bill. This (bill on triple talaq) is one of the socially relevant bill that the govt has found time for. The Opposition is very focussed. We are opposing the way it is being introduced. He added: "Bringing in criminality angle. When we are talking about introducing criminality into divorce, this is a civil matter. I am talking of the poorest of the poor. They see law in different angles. When there is compulsion by law that either you live together or go to prison, there could be happenings that are beyond the control of the government functionaries." In Lok Sabha, BJD leader Tathagata Satpathy criticised the government for delaying taking up the issue of triple talaq. "The government is so focussed on discussing whether bamboo is a grass or a tree to did not feel it necessary to bring forth an ordinance in this particular case. The game is somewhere else," he said. Sampath further criticised the Standing Committee for not involving women's organisations before the bill was tabled. "None of the women's organisation were consulted. We think we know what women want. We dictate and they have to receive. We make rules and they have to accept," he said. CPM leader A Sampath said in Lok Sabha:" My party has made its stand very clear. This bill is a transgression of the civil side and the criminal side. Marriage, succession, inheritance, adoption, dissolution of marriage is on the civil side. What type of criminal remedy can be attached to it? Supreme Court called the practice illegal. Here we have issues of equality also come into the fore." YSRC leader Varaprasad Rao Velagapalli said: "By putting extra (efforts to criminalise Muslim men), we are dealing the case in diverse manner for Hindus and Muslims. The punishment of 3 years should be taken back. I wish that government should have taken advice of state government.. I think this is the high time. The government is shedding extra tears for Muslim women" NCP leader Supriya Sule claimed that the bill on triple talaq did not help married Muslim couples reconcile. She said: "Marriages can be reworked. when you put a father in court. He could be a bad husband, but he could also be a wonderful father. Are we here to break marriages or to reconcile? This nation needs legislation from the heart. The personal touch with so much digitisation has just gone." SP leader Dharmendra Yadav said that the Centre should involve the state government while making the triple talaq bill into a law. He further criticised the three-year jail term suggested for offenders in the bill. ET Muhammed Basheer said that of the population of Muslims in the country, triple talaq cases were negligible. "You are unnecessarily taking gun to kill the mosquito. You have jeopardised the sanctity of the House," he said. RSP leader NK Premchandran said: "The main apprehension is the over enthusiasm of the NDA government led by the BJP. There is a cloud of suspicion. Triple talaq is already declared by Supreme Court as null and void. It has become the law of the land. Then the question is what is the need of further legislation?" Owaisi alleged that the Centre was giving an advantage to the offenders and was not helping the situation. "Your dream of having more Muslims in jail will be achieved. Please send the bill to the Standing Committee. You are forcing a Muslim woman to file an FIR against her husband. You are giving a handle to the Muslim man, who will have 90 days. If you are true to your intentions, create a corpus of 1000 cr," he said. "The Union law minister has failed to discriminate between civil law and criminal law. Not a single Muslim country has a penal provision. Triple talaq is a verbal and emotional abuse," Asaduddin Owaisi said. Lashing out at the concerns over the criminal aspect of the offense, Prasad said," We have left the decision of jail term on the magistrate." Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "We did not mislead the House. Supreme Court said that triple talaq is wrong. The law has not been made in haste. We are viewing this with the prism of humanity, not politics." Speaking to India Today, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that he understood the concerns of victims of triple talaq. "I have to maintain a balance between the law and your(victims') concerns. I hope that Congress support the bill in Rajya Sabha the same way it has in Lok Sabha," he said. "Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad while tabling the bill also quoted the board and a lady MP of the ruling party tried to answer the queries raised by the Board in a letter to the prime minister proving that the government recognises the board. So the board should have been taken into confidence," Nomani said The Shia Waqf Board, meanwhile, called for making the punishment to those indulging in 'triple talaq' more stringent. "We will take whatever steps required through democratic means to amend, improve or scrap it. There is no move to go to court as of now...The bill was brought in a haste," AIMPLB spokesperson Maulana Khalil-ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani said. He said the board should have been taken into confidence on the issue. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) expressed serious reservations over the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha and said it will take steps through democratic means to "amend, improve or scrap" it. Will take steps through democratic means to 'amend, improve or scrap' triple talaq bill: AIMPLB He claimed that the Muslim women celebrating the bill "did not know the law" and hoped that the Select Committee reject it in Rajya Sabha since the bill needs to be debated. "Section 3 says triple talaq does not end marriage. The burden of proof will now be on the innocent women. What kind of justice is this that a non-Muslim gets 1 year but Muslim will get 3 years," Asaduddin Owaisi told India Today. BJP issues a whip to all its parliamentarians asking them to remain present in the Parliament between 2-4 January NCP wants the Triple Talaq bill to be sent to select committee, DMK wants criminalisation clause removed According to the sources, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened a meeting of the leaders of his party (Congress) as well as other parties in his Parliament chamber tomorrow, before the bill is taken up. The Congress would consult Opposition parties before finalising its stand on the contentious bill which proposed to ban instant triple talaq and make the practice a cognisable offence, party sources said on Monday. NCP leader Majeed Memon says the party has already made it clear that it is entirely against criminalisation of triple talaq Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu will chair a meeting in half-an-hour to discuss the triple talaq bill, reports News18 . MPs from both Congress and BJP will attend the meeting. Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi says that the triple talaq bill will be passed in Rajya Sabha with constructive debate and discussion The bill is an attempt to regulate the liquidation and insolvency of companies that file for bankruptcy. According to PRS legislature the bill prohibits certain persons from submitting a resolution plan in case of defaults. These include: (i) wilful defaulters, (ii) promoters or management of the company if it has an outstanding non-performing debt for over a year, and (iii) disqualified directors, among others. Further, it bars the sale of property of a defaulter to such persons during liquidation. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, as it stands today, proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homeopathy and ayurveda, practice allopathy after completing a bridge course. However, the Centre has agreed to refer it to Parliamentary Standing Committee for closer scrutiny after the uproar over the bill. The Indian Medical Association had called for suspending routine services today to protest against a bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. "The Prime Minister has also been quiet on the issue. On the other hand, National Security Advisor (Ajit Doval) is meeting his Pakistani counterpart..." he said. "Pakistan-sponsored terrorists attacked a CRPF camp, in which five of our jawans were martyred. The concern is that while on one hand, Army jawans sacrifice their lives, on the other hand, government does not appear serious about it. In the last three years, there have been so many incidents..." Scindia said. Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia raised the issue during the Zero Hour and also mentioned Bharatiya Janata Party member Nepal Singh's comments, who reportedly said "those in the Army are bound to die". The House also witnessed slogans against Pakistan being raised, as soon as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan entered the House, with some shouting 'Pakistan Murdabad'. The attack on a training centre of the Central Reserve Police Force in Jammu and Kashmir was raised in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with opposition leaders accusing the government of inaction. He said there were 785 different types of cryptocurrencies operating worldwide. "The government is examining the matter. A Committee under the chairmanship of the Economic Affairs Department Secretary is deliberating over all issues related to cryptocurrencies to propose specific actions to be taken... Instead of taking any knee-jerk action, let's wait for the report of this committee." "One of the features of cryptocurrency is that there is lack of dependence on the state. It functions with a degree of anonymity. It operates within a virtual community which is created and enjoys the trust of that virtual community," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the Rajya Sabha. There is no mechanism to prevent the misuse of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin by terror groups and other anti-national elements, the government said on Tuesday, adding it was awaiting the report of an expert group on the subject. The government has no plans to create a second capital in South India, the Lok Sabha was informed today. Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, while replying to a written question on whether the government has any proposal to create a second capital in South India (Hyderabad), said, "No". The Congress had moved amendments to certain provisions of the bill in the Lok Sabha but did not press for a vote. The Lok Sabha has already cleared the 'Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill and it is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said that the government would like the Congress to maintain the stand it took in the Lok Sabha by not pressing for amendments. The government today urged the Congress not to press for amendments to the triple talaq bill, which seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims, when it comes up for consideration in the Rajya Sabha likely tomorrow. The bonds, which would be valid for 15 days, will not carry the donor's name even though the purchaser would have to fulfil KYC norms at the bank, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha while announcing the contours of the scheme. The electoral bonds, which are being pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties, will be available at specified branches of State Bank of India (SBI) for 10 days each in months of January, April, July and October. In a bid to clean election financing, the government on Tuesday outlined contours of the new electoral bonds that donors can buy from SBI and said receiving political parties can encash only through a designated bank account. During the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the comments by the BJP MP reflected that the government was not serious about the lives of the armed forces personnel. The Congress today demanded an unconditional apology from BJP MP Nepal Singh for his reported comments that army jawans should expect death because of the profession they are in. The BJP held its parliamentary board meeting on Wednesday, whereby they discussed the triple talaq bill and the Constitution's 123rd amendment bill which will give constitutional status to the OBC commission. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon after a massive ruckus was caused over Dalit protests in Maharashtra. "Whether it is in Gujarat, Una, Rajasthan, there is nothing but injustice wherever BJP is in power," Kharge said. "A Supreme Court judge should be appointed and he should inquire this. The prime minister should come to the House and make a statement. When such incidents are happening, he does nothing," he added. "RSS is behind the Bhima-Koregaon violence," said Mallikarjun Kharge in Lok Sabha. Uproar erupted in the House as soon as Kharge made this statement. Forcefully raising the issue in Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also trained his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wondering why he was maintaining a studied silence on the issue. Read more here. As several parts of Maharashtra continued to reel under caste violence, Congress on Wednesday accused the RSS and certain Hindutva outfits of triggering it and demanded a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the clashes. Triple talaq practice is still continuing in some areas, says RS Prasad TMC and Cong want the bill to be sent to the Select Committee for consideration. "We are not opposed to the bill, but we want the bill to be strengthened. We want it to be sent to the Select Committee," TMC leader said. TMC, Congress want the bill to be sent to the Select Committee for consideration The house is taken by surprise that a motion is suddenly moved, it has not been submitted a day before. The motion has to be given at least 24 hours in advance, says Arun Jaitley on Anand Sharma's notice. House is taken by surprise, says Jaitley on Anand Sharma's notice Jaitley referred to judgement of SC, I want to correct the record, says Kapil Sibal Rajya Sabha adjourned for the fourth time till 11 am on Thursday as ruckus over triple talaq bill continued We are all for this bill, it is a faulty bill. No womens ' groups, stakeholders were consulted, says TMC MP Derek O' Brien He added: "If the other House has not scrutinised the bill, it is the constitutional duty of the Rajya Sabha to do that. The government doesn't want a debate on it, so it is wrong on the part of the Law Minister to say that we (Opposition) don't want to debate it." "The government is playing politics in the name of triple talaq bill by selectively misquoting and misrepresenting even the Supreme Court Constitutional Bench judgement, which was done by Leader of Rajya Sabha (Arun Jaitley) today," Sharma said. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union Finance Minister have lied on the issue. He added: "It is legally mandatory that all bills must go through a standing committee of Lok Sabha and if it doesnt happen then such bill should be referred to select committee of the Rajya Sabha." Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters that the BJP does not believe in democracy. "The bills are generally referred to the select committee based on the Sense of the House i.e majority. But, the government didnt accept which once again proved that the BJP doesnt believe in democracy, parliament, and parliamentary democracy," Azad said. The government alleged that the Congress and other Opposition parties were trying to derail the bill by demanding it should be referred to a select committee, that too without giving a notice a day in advance. The Congress said that the government was lying about the Oppositions intentions on Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha. BJP president Amit Shah is expected to make his maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha today if a bill for the amendments to the Goods and Services Tax law, which has been fiercely attacked by the Congress during last month's Gujarat elections, is taken up by House for debate and voting. Amit Shah's maiden speech on GST could have a few pointers for Congress? As BJP's chief strategist, Amit Shah, rises to speak from his front-row seat in Rajya Sabha on amending the law to allow for imposing compensation cess on intra-State and inter-State supply of goods and services on Thursday, a BJP leader told NDTV said the Congress should expect a stinging rebuttal to its election campaign. Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Amendment Bill, 2017 Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017 State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017 Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 High Court and The Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2017 Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-third Amendment) Bill, 2017 Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2017 National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 "We should not see the Bhima-Koregaon as a political issue. Rather than politicising the issue, we should try to control the situation and bring life back to normalcy. The state government will take strict action against the culprits," he said. "Everyone must strive to end caste wars and conflicts. Those involved in the incident must be brought to hook," says Ramadas Athawale. "Jignesh Mevani, Umar Khalid made inflammatory speeches leading to violence in Maharashtra. The Congress tries to connect every Dalit atrocity with Sangh. This too should be condemned like attacks against Dalits," says BJP MP Amar Shankar Sable in the Rajya Sabha amid protests from other members. DMK MP Tiruchi Siva says following ban on firecrackers in Delhi, factories in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, have shut down causing deep economic hurt to businesses. "Fireworks is not the only reason for pollution. The work goes on throughout the year but the sales come up during Diwali," says Siva. West Bengal MP Ritabrata Banerjee said the Centre should consider renaming West Bengal as Bangla. A resolution in the matter was already passed in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, he said in Rajya Sabha. Flagging the issue of H-1B visas in the US under Donald Trump's administration, Congress MP from Karnataka Rajeev MV Gowda said, "More than 50% of H-1B visas issued goes to Indians. It is bad for US to engage in such a disruptive move. I urge the government to engage with their US counterparts as livelihoods of thousands of Indians is at risk." Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar responds to questions on the education sector. When asked about the dropout rate, Javadekar said one of the reasons was the lack of toilets. We constructed more toilets. Another reason was due to lack of quality training, he said. TMC MP Saugata Roy said the first draft of the NRC in Assam is a conspiracy to drive out Bengalis from Assam. As protests erupted in Lok Sabha over the Assam National Registry of Citizens, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Assam NRC is being conducted under the Supreme Court's supervision. If somenone's names have been left out, they can register again. It cannot be deleted. It is not a conspiracy to drive out certain sections of the population. Such allegations are baseless." Claims of Assam NRC driving out a certain section of population are baseless allegations: Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha In Rajya Sabha, questions were raised on persons with disabilities and if there is a need for their Aadhaar identification since their fingerprints are almost always mismatched, according to The Indian Express . Speaking in the Lok Sabha, BSP MP from Uttar Pradesh, Satish Chandra Misra says disabled persons need a place to stay apart from opportunities to come up in life. Disabled persons needs place to stay apart from opportunities, says BSP MP Satish Chandra Misra Most of the opposition parties, including the Congress, had supported the passage of the Bill in the lower house with some reservations. BJPs absolute majority in the Lok Sabha helped the ruling dispensation in the easy passage of legislation. The statute when brought to the Rajya Sabha faced some stiff resistance on Wednesday when a collective opposition insisted on sending the Bill to the Select Committee of the House. According to sources, Centre will try to hold a debate at 6 pm on the triple talaq bill before sending it to the Select Committee. The Bill, which criminalises instant divorce among Muslims with a three year penal provision, was passed by the Lok Sabha last week. RSP MP from Kollam, NK Premachandran raised the issue of Chinese aggression on Indian borders after reports emerged of China's incursion for one kilometre into Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh. He called it an issue of national security and demanded the Centre's response to it. He also added it was important was as Chinese officials have openly stated China has never recognised Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory. Chinese incursion for one kilometre into Arunachal Pradesh is matter of national security: RSP MP NK Premachandran He asked the government to specify the national investment, debts, and other economic indicators. He claimed that both national investment rate, and national saving rate, which are indicators of financial wealth of citizens, have fallen. He also said that the ratio between GDP growth and debt was increasing. Sharma said that Indian economy, contrary to the prime minister and finance minsters' claim, is not a galloping economy but a gasping economy. "None of the growth engine of the economy are running," Sharma said. He said that the Commission will have members from the Opposition as well and it is more open and inclusive than the collegium system. Shetty, while speaking on the discussion over The Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2017 touched upon the National Judiciary Appointment Commission. Shetty said that the entire process of fighting a litigation has become so costly that justice will soon evade common man. He said that the advocates usually charge a fee every time even if the court just reschedules the date of hearing. He said that there should be a mechanism to regulate the fees charged by advocates. Gopal Chinayya Shetty says there is a need to regulate advocates fees too "I heard that an honourable member said that this government celebrates even slightest of improvements in numbers and metrics of economy like a little rainfall is cherished after a drought. It is right because the policy paralysis under the 10 years of UPA rule were akin to not just a drought but a misery. That's what they gave the nation in their 1o year's rule," Yadav. "Justices Nariman and Lalit ruled that since triple talaq could not be construed as an essential religious practice, the submission on behalf of the Muslim Personal Board that the ball must be bounced back to the legislature does not at all arise. the article read. The Supreme Court, in its judgment, held instant triple talaq unconstitutional and invalidated the practice. However, the final ruling by the majority judges catagorically mentioned that there was no need to pass the ball to the legilstaure's court, as this article in News18 points out. Notwithstanding the Congress' remarks on metrics demonstrating the health of economy, Yadav said that the figures are merely a web to confound the common man, and mean little on the ground. He said that if the people in villages are getting enough to eat, earning enough to protect themselves in harsh winters, then the economy is good otherwise it is not. Speaking during the discussion on state of Indian economy, Ram Gopal Yadav said that the elections are never fought on facts and figures or policy matters. They are won on slogans. However, the government must work for improving the state of economy. Elections can be won on mere slogans, but please work in the interest of nation, Ram Gopal Yadav urges govt Speaking on a bill to raise salaries of judges, BJP MP Tathagata Satpathy said that the judiciary needs several basic reforms. His suggestions included that advocates be allowed to advertise for their services, judges should have a system for automatic appraisal of salaries rather than the House debating each time they gate a pay hike. He also said that there was no reason that the judiciary was so reluctant to open itself to scrutiny. He said the provision for an TRI should be brought in. Speaking in the Lok Sabaha, TRS MP Konda Vishveshwar Reddy said that the hike in the judge's salary has been long ovrdue. To reassert his point, the MP said that while advocate charge lakhs of rupees for every sitting, the judge earns only Rs. 90,000. "Even a mid-level executive earns more than a High Court judge. The Pakistan judges are paid more than 10 times of what we are paying here," he said. Even Pakistan pays more salary to their judges than we do, says TRS MP Konda Vishveshwar Reddy Now with just one more day remaining in the ongoing Winter Session, the fate of the controversial bill remains shrouded in suspense as the government virtually rejected an overwhelming demand on Thursday from the Opposition for referring it to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha for detailed consideration. The Opposition, on the other hand also refused to relent as Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the Bill was not fit to be passed as it as it would "finish off Muslim women" instead of "empowering them." Various reports suggest that owing to the lack of numbers and consensus in the Rajya Sabha the ruling party will be forced to send the bill to a Select Committee of the House. And it would only be taken up again in the Budget Session in 2018. Triple talaq could most likely be taken up again in 2018 Budget Session According to News18 , MPs from Opposition parties have been told that both houses will be adjourned sine die (with no appointed date for resumption) post lunch. Arun Jaitley says the agriculture sector needs support. "Both the central and state governemtns have been making efforts," says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha. "The Committee observes that the problems affecting the airlines are not personal; it is institutional. An institution like Indigo has to develop a consumer friendly approach in dealing with their passengers. The Committee believes that being a leader in market share, Indigo needs to look inward and find out the reasons for the discourteous attitude and rude and indifferent behavior of their employees, whether it is their cabin crew or the ground staff. The Committee emphasizes that the arrogant behavior of employees should stop." Extract from the Parliamentary panel chaired by TMC MP Derek O'Brien on rude staff behaviour, especially IndiGo Ram Vilas Paswan rose to withdraw the The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015. The Consumer Protection Bill and the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill have been introduced. As per PRS Legislative , LS sat for 13 days, 61 hours with 78 percent productivity. Sixteen bills were introduced during this time in the Lok Sabha. Twelve bills were passed by the Lower House. Apart from this, 46 starred questions were answered orally during Question Hour. As per PRS Legislative , LS sat for 13 days, 61 hours with 78 percent productivity. Sixteen bills were introduced during this time in the Lok Sabha. Twelve bills were passed by the Lower House. Apart from this, 46 starred questions were answered orally during Question Hour. Congress MP Viplove Thakur asks if Narendra Modi's promise of paying 50 percent more than the MSP to the farmer is being fulfilled. Jairam Ramesh also asks how is the cost of production fixed for MSP, "What is the new system for fixing the cost of production?" Jhama Das Badiya, CPM MP from Tripura says her luggage was stolen from Rajdhani Express. There are thousands like her who go through this with no security reinforcement. Rajya Sabha erupts in laughter after BJP MP Sarojini Hembram says her luggage was also stolen on trains Railway Minister Piyush Goyal replies that action against such oganised gangs will be taken and if any member has information about it, they should come forward and inform the ministry. The ministry is also trying to bring in a network of CCTV surveillance on trains and stations, Goyal informed the Rajya House. The Parliament will meet on Monday as part of the Winter Session in the backdrop of BJP victories in Assembly election in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The first day of the Winter Session of Parliament was marred by protests by Opposition demanding an explanation and apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "conspiracy with Pakistan" remark involving his predecessor Manmohan Singh. The protests and the uproar that followed led to quick adjournments of the Rajya Sabha. While it saw an adjournment for 20 minutes till noon in the beginning after Opposition uproar over disqualification of rebel JD(U) leaders Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar Ansari, the second one was over the prime minister's remarks. After a third adjournment amid the chaos by Opposition, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien adjourned the Upper House till 18 December. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned on Friday after tributes were paid to late Trinamool Congress MP Sultan Ahmed, BJP MP Chand Nath and RJD MP Mohammed Taslimuddin. The Lower House will reconvene at 11 am on 18 December. Before the adjournment, newly-elected Congress member from Gurdaspur Sunil Kumar Jakhar was administered the oath and Modi greeted him with folded hands. The prime minister also introduced new ministers to the House, including Piyush Goyal and Nirmala Sitharaman. Before the proceedings began, Modi said he hoped the Winter Session of Parliament will be a productive one with constructive debates and innovative suggestions that will help resolve the country's problems. The government is expected to table 25 pending bills and 14 new ones, including a bill providing Muslim women the right to seek maintenance in case of triple talaq, during the session which began on Friday. Editor's note: In his latest book The Dirty Dozen , published by Westland Books, Gabriel Khan recounts stories from the days when he reported about crime as a journalist. There are episodes which give insights into the D-Comapany's exploits, Arun Gawli's henchmen, Firoze Kokani's hot-blooded disposition and Chhota Shakeel's gang. He also speaks warmly about his collaboration with Hussain Zaidi, who has also edited his book. In this chapter, Khan documents the rise and eventual fall of Samad Khan, a brutal killer and womaniser, at the hands of Dawood Ibrahim. Rama aur Rum In 1972, a wealthy Bombay resident opened the first dance bar in the city, named Sonia Mahal. The bar was in the Nariman Point area and it was where one could find all the attractionswomen, alcohol and music. Top businessmen, diamond merchants and criminalsSonia Mahal became a hangout for all. The concept was simple: cleavage-showing women would take centrestage and move their bodies to Bollywood songs; the restaurant area would have a seating space from where men could enjoy their drinks and enjoy the alluring sight of the women. Bollywood-watchers say that Feroz Khans idea of a bar dancer in his hit movie Qurbani was inspired by Sonia Mahal. In fact, Zeenat Amans character in the movie was named after the most attractive girl in the joint. The city buzzed with this popular line, Rama aur Rum, meaning that dance bars offered women as well as alcohol. In the shady corners of the dance bar, deals would be signed or broken. Gradually, the rowdy elements increased and Sonia Mahal and other dance bars that came up one after another would be frequented only by them. It was in Sonia Mahal that the first fight between Dawoods brother Sabir and Pathan gangsters took place. The police found it tough to maintain law and order here but then it was also a source of income for them. On most days, one could find two heavyweights of the crime world enjoying their drinks at the bar: Samad Khan and his ally Anjum Pehelwan. Often completely inebriated but still drooling over the girls, Samad would beckon them to his table. As the girls walked towards him he would try to catch hold of their hands and pull them towards him. Kya bhaav khaati hai. Chal na (Dont be a prissy. Come with me), he would say. The women in the dance bar knew how to deal with these clients. They would resist at first, extract enough money and then give in. Samad would often bet with Anjum on a particular girl that he wanted to take to bed that day. There was one girl Samad had already tried to take to bed. He had showered her with a lot of cash but she refused to oblige. She was the daughter of a railway employee and had joined the dance bar to earn more money. Samad had been watching her for a few days, but the girl continued to ignore him. One day, Samad and Anjum pounced on the girl, lifted her in the middle of her performance and took her out of the bar. No one dared to stop them. Samad took the girl to the flat of his mistress in Versova and raped her repeatedly. Anjum stood guard outside the room, drinking. Later, Samad stepped out and went away with Anjum. Meanwhile, the girls father, who had already found out about her kidnapping, approached the Colaba police station. Inspector Ishaq Bagwan and his colleagues were on night duty at that time. As soon as they heard Samads name, they jumped from the seat and proceeded to Versova. Bagwan knew exactly where to find the duo. When they entered the flat, they saw the girl weeping in the room. They sent her away for medical examination and went to the spot where Samad and Anjum were sitting and enjoying their drinks. Both were arrested and put behind bars. Samad did not resist the arrest as he knew that the cops could do little to keep him in jail for long. And, as expected, he walked free in a few days as the girl refused to give a statement or file a police complaint against the gangster. No law could keep Karim Lalas nephew behind bars. The Most Dangerous D Dawood was a master planner and he knew his enemies weaknesses. Dawood knew Samad would stoop to any level to get a woman to sleep with him. And that, Dawood believed, would bring about his end. There were other options to target Samad. For example, Dawood could simply tip-off the police and Samad could be killed in an encounter. But then that would not make any statement for the D-Company. Hence, Dawood thought of a bait. A bait that Samad could not resist. Dawood meticulously planned Samads death. He did not want to be predictable by using a bar girl to lure Samad as there was also a chance that Samads loyalists would tip him off. So he called for a new girl from Delhi. Dawoods orders were simple: find a good-looking girl in need of money. One of his men found Naseem, who readily agreed to work for him. Naseem was then given a job in a dance bar where Samad was a regular. The instructions to Naseem were that she should only lure Samad and no one else. Soon, Samad fell for this beauty and he could not think beyond her. At times he would wonder how this beautiful woman liked an unkempt man like him. But then he would tell himself that he was a Pathan, and any woman would fall for him. Naseem knew that if Samad got even a hint of her intentions, he would kill her. But Dawood had promised to protect her. After the attack, she was to be sent off to a safe location and would never again be contacted by Dawood or his men, the don had promised her. And, she would be given enough money to last her a lifetime. Soon the courtship began. Samad would meet his new item at different locations. He would make love to her and send her off. Naseem waited patiently for Samad to get used to her and trust her. Eventually, Samad fixed a location where they could meet every time. On the eve of Dassera, Naseem decided to tip-off Dawood. She knew Samad would not suspect anything. Mumbai underworlds smartest killer was silenced because of his craze for women. On 4 October 1984, Samad was killed in more or less the same manner as Sabir Kaskar. Helpless, cornered by an entire gang and riddled with bullets till the last breath. Samads killing concluded a particularly gruesome chapter in Mumbai mafia history. Karim Lala was distraught and his anger against his nephew did not hold him back from attending Samads funeral along with over two thousand others, including personalities like Muslim League MP GM Banatwala, and filmstar Dilip Kumars brother, Ahsan Khan. All fingers were pointed towards Dawood and the don finally decided to escape from Mumbai and shift his headquarters to Dubai. Over the next decade, between 1984 to 1994, no one could challenge Dawoods numero uno position in the underworld. It was only much later that Chhota Rajan threw the gauntlet down, but according to cops who knew Samad, it was undoubtedly this Pathan who had the ability to become the unmatched king of the mafia world. With his death, Dawood safeguarded his position and remained invincible till the emergence of the RajanArun Gawli alliance. Shillong: Elated with BJP's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, BJP workers in poll-bound Meghalaya on Monday voiced confidence that their party would oust the ruling Congress. Party workers are already working on the ground to achieve its target "Mission 40", targeting to win 40 seats in the 60-member assembly in the elections scheduled to be held in February-March next year, said BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli. "The mood of change is already certain in Meghalaya. The people of Meghalaya are looking for a new change and this is obvious with several Congress legislators jumping the ship," Kohli told IANS. "Politics of development is getting stamp of approval across India under the BJP rule. Why should Meghalaya be excluded from it?" he said. State BJP President Shibun Lyngdoh said that talks are still on with some sitting legislators, including Congress' Alexander Hek and Nationalist Congress Partys' Sanbor Shullai for joining the party. "They will be joining us (BJP) at the right time along with Independent legislators," Lyngdoh told IANS. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said the BJP's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh reaffirms people's trust in the development agenda and policies of the Modi-government. The BJP retained power in Gujarat and snatched Himachal Pradesh from the Congress. Results of the elections were announced onMonday. "This victory reiterates pan India trust of people in the development agenda & policies of our government led by PM @narendramodi ji," Jaitley said in a tweet. In another tweet, he said election results show trust of the people in national development agenda of the BJP. Gratitude to the people of Himachal Pradesh for voting and making BJP win the #HimachalPradeshAssemblyElections2017 Compliments to BJP Karyakartas, @BJP4Himachal @BJP4India & people of the state. Election results show trust of the people in national development agenda of the BJP. Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) December 18, 2017 Congratulations to people of Gujarat, @BJP4India & @BJP4Gujarat Karyakartas on BJP winning the #GujaratAssemblyElections2017 This victory reiterates pan India trust of people in the development agenda & policies of our government led by PM @narendramodi ji. Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) December 18, 2017 Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 New Delhi: A day after assuming charge as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hosted a dinner for party MPs and senior leaders as well as leaders of opposition parties. A number of senior Opposition leaders attended the dinner in New Delhi along with Congress MPs and the party's state chiefs and legislative party leaders, a move viewed as an attempt to bring them closer to Rahul Gandhi. Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi, former president Pranab Mukherjee, former vice president Hamid Ansari and former prime minister Manmohan Singh were also present. The dinner comes at a time when the Opposition is seeking to corner the government on various issues in the truncated winter session of the Parliament that started on 15 December. The Opposition will formalise its strategy soon after the Assembly election results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh on Monday. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, NCP leader Praful Patel, TMC's Derek O'Brien, former JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav, RJD's Misa Bharati and Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav also attended the event. "We greeted Rahul Gandhi on his elevation during the dinner," said CPI national secretary D Raja, also present at the dinner. Though Congress leaders said it is a customary dinner organised during the Parliament session, some view the effort as a an attempt to bring them closer to Rahul Gandhi. Rahul took charge of the Congress party's reins on Saturday at a formal function from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who remained at the helm for 19 years. Click here to follow LIVE updates on Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election results 2017 Click here to follow LIVE updates on Gujarat Assembly Election results 2017 Senior BJP leaders took potshots at Congress president Rahul Gandhi terming Congress trailing in both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly polls on counting day as a classic case of misfortune at first steps and the newly elected Congress chief getting a zero in his opening innings. Flashing a victory sign outside the Parliament as early trends predicted BJP win in both the state Assembly polls, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told ANI: "I won't say anything right now, he (Gandhi) has just become the president, but he has attracted misfortune right at the start." Abhi toh kuch nahi bolunga kyunki woh haal hi mein adhyaksh bane hain lekin 'sar mundwate hi ole pade': Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Rahul Gandhi #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/6q8eMW1lZD ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said that Gandhi failed to impress in his opening innings as party president: "In his opening innings he scored zero" says Goa CM Manohar Parrikar on #RahulGandhi #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/CeKxX9HikR ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that change in Congress leadership helped BJP. Maine pehle hi kaha tha ki Congress ka netritve badalna BJP ke liye shubh sanket hoga: Yogi Adityanath,UP CM on #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/kfYUdGBCms ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 18, 2017 BJP leaders Smriti Irani said that the outcome of the Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh is a vote for development and trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to reporters, Irani said, "He who wins is the king." "It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development," says Union Minister #SmritiIrani, on a question about Congress giving a tough fight she said, "jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work & the people who trusted development" News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 18, 2017 Echoing his party's mood, Modi flashed a victory sign after he arrived in Parliament in New Delhi. Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in the Parliament, flashes victory sign. #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/X508VBydeW ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who was also one of BJP's star campaigners, told ANI: Party leaders like Sakshi Maharaj attributed the outcome to the prime minister's "magic". Union minister Giriraj Singh termed the result Gandhi's first defeat as Congress president and asserted that his charisma did not work. "There is nothing to worry. We will form the government in Gujarat with a comfortable majority," Vijayvargiya had said earlier on Monday. "This is a vote for development and trust for Narendra Modi," added Union minister Jitendra Singh. Sakshi Maharaj said Gandhi "changes his colour like a chameleon". "That is why he was visiting temples in Gujarat. But even that failed. This is the magic of our prime minister Narendra Modi," he said. Prakash Javadekar asserted that the BJP will form the government in both states with a big majority. "Development is the mantra of today's polity. And therefore people are with Modiji," the human resource development minister said. "We have set a record in the history of the BJP by winning consecutive assembly polls... Anti-incumbency is not working there. The prime minister's popularity is intact. Amit Shah's strategy has worked," BJP vice-president Shyam Jaju said. BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya seconded Jaju. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan lauded BJP's development politics. He tweeted: Politics of Development finally won over politics of dividing voters based on religion, caste and sub-castes. My sincere thanks to people of Gujarat & Himachal for reposing their faith in the Idea of #NewIndia envisioned by Honble PM @narendramodi Ji. Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) December 18, 2017 With inputs from PTI Mumbai: Mocking the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not achieve the victory it expected. "The BJP had to win in Gujarat... Its 22 years of rule in the state, the use of money power and deployment of 14 chief ministers for the campaign," Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut told the media. "Its victory was a foregone conclusion. But the BJP has not won the victory it expected," he added. The BJP ally said "the atmosphere in the country" was changing and the Sena viewed the Congress as "a major Opposition party". "We congratulate both the BJP and the Congress. The Gujarat outcome will set the entire nation thinking," Raut added. The BJP, which has ruled Gujarat since 1995, is expected to finish with 98 seats, just six more than the half-way needed to control the 182-member Assembly. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Despite the tough fight put up by Congress and the sentiment of anti-incumbency prevailing in Gujarat, BJP still seems strong in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. Ahead of the final result, the exit polls predicted that the saffron party will get well over 100 seats in the 182-seat state Assembly. The halfway mark is 92 in the Gujarat Assembly. Similar to Himachal Pradesh, Congress refused to accept the predictions for Gujarat polls as well. While BJP will fall short of party chief Amit Shah's 150-mark, it will win enough to hold the state for another term at the very least. The BJP currently holds 120 seats and Congress 43 seats in the Gujarat Assembly. According to the Times Now-VMR exit poll, BJP was predicted to nab 113 seats in the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly, while Congress was predicted to win 66 seats. The ABP-CSDS exit poll predicted similar results with the BJP nabbing 117 seats and Congress winning 64 seats. According to The Republic-CVoter exit poll, the BJP was predicted to win 115 seats and the Congress 74 seats. The Sahara Samay-CNX exit poll predicted that BJP would win between 110-120 seats and the Congress 65-75 seats. Despite losing the state, the Congress party is predicted to increase its seat share in the state. The India Today-MYAXIS exit poll predicted that the BJP would get between 99-113 seats and the Congress would fetch between 68-82 seats. The NewsNation-BARC exit poll predicted BJP nabbing between 109 and the Congress getting between 70 seats. Though Today's Chankya exit poll also predicted gains for both BJP and Congress. While it predicted a gain of 15 seats for BJP over its existing tally of 120 seats in Gujarat Assembly, it predicted just 47 seats for Congress (a gain of four seats from its current tally). According to CNN-News 18, Todays Chanakya was the only pollster to get the 2014 projection correct. Meanwhile, NDTV's Poll of Exit Polls predicted 116 seats for BJP, 65 for Congress and 1 for Others. The Congress made gains with both Leuva Patidar and Karwa Patidar, gaining 16.5 and 18.9 percent with these groups respectively as compared to 2012 election, according to the CVoter exit poll. The Congress also gained with Patel Kshatriya by 10 percent, but lost 5.4 percent in the Ahir and 8.2 percent in the ST Bhil community as compared to the 2012 election. Sreemoy Talukdar wrote for Firstpost, "If the exit polls are proved correct, BJP's results would be no less than a stunning achievement.... It also shows that Rahul's energetic campaign and rainbow coalition of subalterns and upper-caste have failed to catapult Congress to power, though its seat tally may witness a marginal upward revision," he added. Congress has rejected the results of the exit polls with party leader Manish Tewari saying, "The interesting thing about exit polls is that they are very sensational fillers between the close of polls and when the results come out. I think over the last 10 years...exit polls have been right and wrong. In the case of Bihar, all the exit polls turned out to be wrong," according to NDTV. Social activist and Dalit lawyer Jignesh Mewani also said that BJP will lose in Gujarat this year with less than 80 seats. In an interview to CNN-News18, he said even the high-voltage campaign might not be able to save BJP this time as they could not enlist any solid achievements in the state in last three years of governance. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has also disagreed with the exit polls predicting a BJP victory in the state. "There is a big difference between the political atmosphere prevalent in Gujarat and the exit poll results," he said. With inputs from PTI Click here for live updates on Gujarat Assembly Election Results 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Ahmedabad: The first result in the Gujarat polls went to BJP with Fisheries Minister Babubhai Bokhiriya defeating Congress' Arjun Modhvadia in Porbandar, as the saffron party was set to retain power for a record sixth term. According to trends available for all the seats, the BJP had won six seats and was leading in 96 seats of the total 182 seats while the Congress had won two seats and was leading in 72 seats. Bokhiriya defeated Modhvadia by a margin of 1,855 votes, according to election officials. The BJP has won every election since 1995 in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. However, it was out of power for a couple of years due to party infighting and rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghela. BJP came back to power in 1998, and has ruled uninterrupted since then. The Election Commission figures, meanwhile, showed that the NCP was leading in one seat and the Bhartiya Tribal Party of Chottu Vasava in two seats. Besides, three independents were also leading. To form a government in the state, a party or a coalition needs at least 92 seats in the 182-member Assembly. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing after the count of postal ballots, also won the Rajkot West seat. Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel who was also trailing from Mehsana against Congress candidate Jivabhai Patel earlier, is now leading by a margin of over 5,000 votes. Congress' Alpesh Thakor is leading in Radhanpur seat against Lavingji Thakor of BJP. Senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil is trailing against BJP's Virendrasinh Jadeja from Mandvi seat. State BJP chief Jitu Vaghani is leading over Dilipsinh Gohil of Congress in Bhavnagar West. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who is contesting as independent from Vadgam seat with Congress's support, is leading against BJP candidate Vijay Chakravarti. The elections for 182-seat Assembly were held on December 9 and 14, after an acrimonious campaign, which was dominated by a face-off between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. In the 2012 elections, the BJP had won 115 seats while the Congress emerged victorious on 61 seats. The Gujarat battle is not just an electoral contest but also as a mini-referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-and-half year rule at the Centre, especially in the wake of issues like demonetisation, implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), rising unemployment and the minimum support price (MSP) for farm commodities dominating most part of the campaign discourse initially. These are also the core issues which heavily impacted traders and farmers, who form a huge chunk of the Gujarat electorate. Meanwhile, Congress, which recently witnessed a generational shift, faces a litmus test on its newly appointed president Rahul Gandhi's political prowess. The Gandhi-scion had actively canvassed for his party. The ruling BJP is pinning all its hopes on the strength of Modi's persona, the "micro-management" of elections by party president Amit Shah as well as the huge advantage BJP has so far had in vote share, especially in 84 seats of urban Gujarat where it had won 59.5 percent vote share, compared to 32.8 percent by Congress in 2012. On the other hand, with the support of young agitating leaders like Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani, Congress hopes to make a dent in BJP bastions of Saurashtra-Kutch and south and central Gujarat on economic issues, as well as keep its house in North Gujarat intact on the basis of the consolidation of Patel-OBC-Dalit issues. The party is hopeful of staging a dramatic upset win in the prime minister's home state, bringing an end to BJP's 22-year-long rule. Hence both parties have carefully fielded candidates, walking the tightrope, trying to balance the winnability factor and the caste arithmetic, in the state. With results coming out within a few hours, here is a list of key faces in the fray. Vijay Rupani A long-time RSS ideologue, Rupani was handpicked by Shah and Modi to replace Anandiben Patel as the chief minister of Gujarat in August 2016, after she failed to curb the Patidar agitation and the Dalit movement in the state. Rupani, a Jain Baniya by caste holds a considerable clout in the Saurashtra region, however, in his own constituency Rajkot West, he is facing a tough challenge from Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru, a Brahmin and the richest candidate in the fray. Hardik Patel A 24-year-old who is not even eligible to contest polls yet has been among one of the biggest newsmakers in the state. Even though Hardik himself is not a candidate, he merits an inclusion in the list as his Patidar Amanat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) is supposed to have successfully split the Patel vote along caste lines, making inroads into BJP's traditional vote base. PAAS has allied with Congress, but is carefully pitching itself against BJP rather than with another party. He was the man behind the galvanisation of the Patidar community for organising a movement for job reservation. His widely-attended rallies have been a talking point in and outside Gujarat and the sort of personal attacks against him, have many believe that BJP was forced to recognise him at least as a rival in the election that he himself is not contesting. Jignesh Mevani Mevani (37), a social worker from the Dalit community is contesting independently from Vadgam-11 in the Banaskantha district of North Gujarat from where, neither Congress nor the Aam Aadmi Party has fielded a candidate, pledging indirect support to the young Dalit leader. Mevani shot to fame after he spearheaded a Dalit movement against the flogging of Dalit youths by cow vigilantes. Many feel that Mevani has consolidated the scattered Dalit vote in the area, however, he must battle the outsider tag as he hails from Mehsana and not Vadgam. He is heavily banking on the Muslim and Dalit votes, which together cross the mark of 1 lakh in a 2.6 lakh strong constituency but the arithmetic has also propounded his image as anti-Hindu. At Sedrasan village, locals refused to let Mevani enter the village unless he chanted "Jai Shri Ram". After prolonged arguments, Mevani finally had to leave without getting a chance to visit the village. Reports like these may unite Hindus against the Independent candidate. Alpesh Thakor Thakor, a popular OBC leader who ironically gained recognition for leading the charge against Patidar agitation by dismissing its demand for reservation. Thakor would vehemently oppose Hardik's calls for a Patidar quota terming it a conspiracy to scrap the reservation policy altogether. He was a staunch opponent of the Patel leader for wanting a share in the pie of reservation. However, Thakor seems to have buried his differences with Hardik since then, to fight the 'larger evil', BJP. He is contesting election from Radhanpur on a Congress ticket, the party which has promised Patidars quota without touching the share of other communities. He is banking on the roughly 60,000 Thakor voters, with a host of other backward classes, and a significant Muslim population. But Alpesh is seen as an outsider who is trying to find greener pastures here. The fact that he is facing BJP's Lavinji Thakor a local leader from the same caste doesn't help his cause. But he indeed has grabbed the limelight in the state elections. With inputs from agencies Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 The Gujarat Assembly election verdict will be delivered on Monday. The closely-contested battle saw many pitched battles as both Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party fielded candidates in sync with keenly calculated caste arithmetic. While Congress is hoping to upset Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah in their home turf, trumping the BJP poll machinery, BJP is looking to win its sixth straight win in the state, banking on its much-touted Gujarat model of development. As you wait for the results of the Gujarat Assembly election, here is a list of the most interesting battles in the state. Vadgam The discourse around Gujarat elections have almost always been pitched and rather bitter between Congress and BJP. However, the one difference this time was the addition of three young agitating leaders who were a by-product of caste-based movements in the state. One of them, Jignesh Mevani, a Dalit lawyer-activist shot to fame after the scheduled caste agitation against the Dalit flogging incident in Una. He has vociferously led the movement against the ruling BJP, terming the party anti-Dalit. He is contesting the elections as an Independent candidate from Vadgam reserved constituency in Banaskantha district, which is currently held by Congress' Manilal Jethbhai Vaghela. Both Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have supported him by not fielding a candidate. However, Mevani will have to face BJP's Vijaykumar Harkhabhai and rebel Congress candidate, Ashvinbhai Parmar, son of a prominent local party leader. Demographically, Vadgam might have leaned towards Congress with around 1 lakh Muslims and Dalit voters in the 2.5 lakh-strong constituency. However, the possibility of Hindus uniting across caste lines cannot be denied, which makes this an interesting contest to watch. The constituency has around 40,000 Dalits followed by 30,000 odd Thakores and 5,000 Patidars among others, according to Hindustan Times. Rajkot West The battle for Rajkot-West seat, the traditional BJP fortress, could be a cliffhanger for its high-profile contestant and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani who is facing a challenger in Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru. Earlier known as Rajkot-II, the seat is considered as 'safe' for the saffron party which has been representing it since 1985. Though Rajkot-West is a stronghold of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Congress has mounted a strong challenge by bringing in Rajyaguru, the sitting MLA from Rajkot-East, to rework the caste combination in the party's favour. To retain his seat, Rupani has to surmount the angry Patidars as well as the trading community, which is smarting under the impact of demonetisation and the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Out of 3.15 lakh voters in the constituency, the number of Kadva and Leuva Patidars is the highest at 62,000, followed by Brahmins, Lohana and Jain communities. The Congress is trying to direct the simmering anger among Patidars over lack of reservation in education and government jobs under the BJP rule against Rupani. Jamalpur-Khadia As the discourse revolves around which way the Patidar vote will swing, Jamalpur-Khadia constituency in old Ahmedabad will be interesting to watch for a different reason. This is one of the few constituencies where Muslim electorate is in the driving seat. Out of the total 1.98 lakh voters in the constituency, over one lakh voters are Muslims. Their votes could be crucial in deciding the fate of sitting BJP MLA Bhushan Bhatt. In 2012, Bhatt won the election apparently through the division of minority votes between independent candidate Sabir Kabliwala and Congress candidate Samirkhan Pathan. Kabliwala, a rebel Congressmen, got around 30,000 votes, paving way for Bhatt's win by a thin margin of 6,300 votes. This time too, Kabliwala, who was hoping to get the Congress ticket, filed his candidature as an independent out of anger when Congress chose local councillor Imran Khedawala over him. Both Khedawala and Kabliwala belong to Chhipa community, which accounts for around 25,000 to 30,000 voters in the Jamalpur-Khadia seat. However, in a sudden turn of events which may spell trouble for the BJP on the seat, Kabliwala withdrew his nomination at the last moment. Radhanpur Radhanpur is a bastion of the Thakor community and is currently held by BJP. According to the Economic Times, the constituency has about 60,000 Thakore voters, which is almost one-fourth of its total electorate of 2.5 lakhs. The constituency also has a significant presence of Chaudharys, Rajputs, Rabaris, Ahirs, Bharwads and several other backward communities, besides a significant Muslim population. However, what makes the battle interesting is the fact that OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, who shot to fame for opposing Hardik Patel's call for Patidar reservation is contesting election from the seat on a Congress ticket, the party which has promised Patidars quota without touching the share of other communities. While he gained much popularity for his vehement opposition of Hardik, his image may have been dampened by joining hands with Congress and Hardik. As reported in this Firstpost article, some think that Alpesh was a "good OBC activist who rose to fame for his anti-Patidar quota stand and his fight against illicit liquor, but he spoilt his game by joining Congress and entering politics". Moreover, Alpesh, who hails from Viramgam, is seen as an outsider who is trying to find greener pastures here. The fact that he is facing BJP's Lavinji Thakor a local leader from the same caste doesn't help his cause. With inputs from agencies Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 The final results of the Gujarat Assembly polls, which were being as a prestige battle between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and newly-appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi, will be announced in just a few more hours. Modi's home state that went to polls on 9 and 14 December, was largely considered a BJP bastion, with the ruling party grabbing 120 seats in 2012. The Congress had won 43 seats. The elections for 182 Assembly constituencies saw some closely fought contests, the outcome of which would be interesting to track. Firtspost collated a list of constituencies that grabbed attention either for the riveting contest fought on them, or were merely important for either of the two parties in the ego tussle, which was synonymous with the Gujarat polls. Viramgam: The contest here will be watched closely plainly because it is the home constituency of the other two young leaders, who have been making headlines. Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor (who recently joined Congress), both are registered voters in Viramgam constituency. Tejashriben Patel had won from Viramgam in 2012 as the Congress candidate. She later switched side and is now the BJP candidate from the same constituency. She is pitted against Congress' Lakhabhai Bharwad. Sabarmati: An urban seat, this is the home constituency of Modi, who cast his ballot after waiting in a queue at a polling booth in a school in Sabarmati constituency, amid chants of "Modi, Modi." After casting his vote, he walked a certain distance to greet the people standing on both sides of the road outside the polling booth. Later, he stood on the foot-board of his car and waved to the crowd. However, the Congress alleged that Modi's roadshow was violation of the Model Code of Conduct and accused the Election Commission of bias. The code of conduct prohibits parties and candidates from canvassing within 100 metres of polling stations. BJP has fielded its sitting MP Arvindkumar Patel while, Jitubhai Patel is contesting on a Congress ticket. Naranpura: This was the former constituency of BJP president Amit Shah, who is largely seen as the architect of party's election strategy. In 2012, he won from this constituency with over one lakh votes. However, as Shah moved on to Rajya Sabha, the party has this time fielded Kaushikbhai Patel, a Patidar leader who is considered close to Shah, to contest against Congress's Nitin Patel. If the BJP fails to retain the seat, it would be seen as a major embarrassment for the party. The constituency has roughly having around 40,000 Patidar voters. Though Patidars were known to be committed supporters of the saffron party since last two decades, the equations seem to have changed after the quota agitation and Hardik Patel's appeal to his community to "uproot BJP" this time. Dariyapur: The Muslim-dominated Dariyapur seat is currently held by Congress MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh, who also enjoys support of some Hindu voters for having an image of being a "progressive" leader. Out of the total 1.97 voters in this mix population seat, there are around 85,000 Muslims. In 2012, Shaikh defeated BJP candidate Bharat Barod by a thin margin of just over 2,600 votes. This time too, the old rivals are pitted against each other. Maninagar: This seat is important for the BJP as it has remained the party's bastion since 1990 and was also the constituency of Narendra Modi before he became the prime minister. The constituency also houses the state headquarters of RSS. Modi has won thrice from Maninagar, as chief minister, in the year 2002, 2007 and 2012. Modi had vacated the constituency after becoming the prime minister in 2014. However, Congress has given ticket to foreign-educated young face Sweta Bhrambhatt against BJP's sitting MLA Suresh Patel. Brahmbhatt is an investment banker and perhaps only one in the fray who has trained to be a politician from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore. She is the daughter of Congress leader Narendra Brahmbhatt. BJP's sitting MLA Patel, on the other hand belongs to Patidar community and has has served as an AMC councillor and also as the health committee chairman of the municipal corporation, according to Ahmedabad Mirror. Ghatlodia: Another high-profile seat in Ahmedabad, Ghatlodia was once represented by former chief minister Anandiben Patel. She had quit last year after the quota agitation, which had also gripped Ghatlodia where there were violent protests and arson by the Patidars. Respecting her "wish" of not wanting to contest the polls this time, the ruling party has given ticket to another senior party leader Bhupendra Patel. Congress has fielded Patel Shashikant Vasudevbhai from the seat. With inputs from agencies Click here for live updates on Gujarat Assembly Election Results 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Auto refresh feeds While the BJP is seeking a sixth straight term in office, the Congress is aiming to stage a comeback in power after being in the opposition for over two decades. Counting of votes will begin shortly for the Gujarat Assembly polls, considered a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his home state and a litmus test for new Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The much-awaited results of the keenly fought elections will be announced today when the counting of votes will be held at 37 centres across the state's 33 districts, amidst tight security. The results are expected to have a bearing on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections also as Modi had come to power in 2014, based on the Gujarat 'model of development'. Replying to the allegations of Congress about tampering with electronic voting machines (EVMs), Rupani said the baseless charges had been made "so that the responsibility of defeat does not fall on Rahul Gandhi" when the results would be declared on Monday. Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said, "I am confident that the results will be in favour of BJP. BJP will form the government and will get more than two-third of the (182 Gujarat Assembly) seats," Rupani said and added, "Gujarat public has preferred politics of development, and development was brought in by Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and the BJP." According to the Times Now-VMR exit poll, BJP was predicted to nab 113 seats in the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly, while Congress was predicted to win 66 seats. The ABP-CSDS exit poll predicted similar results with the BJP nabbing 117 seats and Congress winning 64 seats. According to The Republic-CVoter exit poll, the BJP was predicted to win 115 seats and the Congress 74 seats. The Sahara Samay-CNX exit poll predicted that BJP would win between 110-120 seats and the Congress 65-75 seats. While BJP will fall short of party chief Amit Shah's 150-mark, it will win enough to hold the state for another term at the very least. The BJP currently holds 120 seats and Congress 43 seats in the Gujarat Assembly. Similar to Himachal Pradesh, Congress refused to accept the predictions for Gujarat polls as well. Ahead of the final result, the exit polls had predicted that the saffron party will get well over 100 seats in the 182-seat state Assembly. The halfway mark is 92 in the Gujarat Assembly. Though Today's Chankya exit poll also predicted gains for both BJP and Congress. While it predicted a gain of 15 seats for BJP over its existing tally of 120 seats in Gujarat Assembly, it predicted just 47 seats for Congress (a gain of four seats from its current tally). According to CNN-News 18, Todays Chanakya was the only pollster to get the 2014 projection correct. The India Today-MY AXIS exit poll predicted that the BJP would get between 99-113 seats and the Congress would fetch between 68-82 seats. The NewsNation-BARC exit poll predicted BJP nabbing between 109 and the Congress getting between 70 seats. Ghatlodia: Another high-profile seat in Ahmedabad, Ghatlodia was once represented by former chief minister Anandiben Patel. Maninagar: This seat is important for the BJP as it has remained the party's bastion since 1990 and was also the constituency of Narendra Modi before he became the prime minister. Dariyapur: The Muslim-dominated Dariyapur seat is currently held by Congress MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh, who also enjoys support of some Hindu voters for having an image of being a "progressive" leader. Naranpura: This was the former constituency of BJP president Amit Shah, who is largely seen as the architect of party's election strategy. Sabarmati: An urban seat, this is the home constituency of Modi, who cast his ballot after waiting in a queue at a polling booth in a school in Sabarmati constituency, amid chants of "Modi, Modi." Viramgam: The contest here will be watched closely plainly because it is the home constituency of the other two young leaders, who have been making headlines. Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor (who recently joined Congress), both are registered voters in Viramgam constituency. Firtspost collated a list of constituencies that grabbed attention either for the riveting contest fought on them, or were merely important for either of the two parties in the ego tussle, which was synonymous with the Gujarat polls. The final results of the Gujarat Assembly polls, which were being as a prestige battle between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and newly-appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi, will be announced in just a few more hours. All through electioneering the Congress put up a narrative of nervousness in the BJP. Nervous because of Patidar andolan, nervous because of OBC and Dalit apathy, rural distress, urban fatigue and the emergence of Rahul Gandhi. But since last evening, spokespersons of the Congress have been talking up the theory of BJP manipulating the EVM machines. Does that show nervousness on the part of the Congress? Does the claim of EVM tampering hold water? Congress claims of EVM tampering is the shoe on the other foot? Counting to begin at 8 am: Surat's Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology The celebratory atmosphere turned funereal when the BJP took the lead and raced away to 120 seats in the 200 member assembly. Convinced that he was returning to power, Gehlot assembled his friends and family on the day of counting at the CM residence. Also present were some drum beaters. Ashok Gehlot, the former Rajasthan chief minister who is in charge of Gujarat Congress, may have a thing or two to say about exit polls. In 2003, exit polls predicted a win for Congress in the assembly elections. Ashok Gehlot might have a thing or two to say about exit polls What is VVPAT and how does it eliminate any scope for manipulation of the EVM machines? Keep watching this space for the answer. Hardly. The Election Commission has demonstrated multiple times in the last ten years that EVMs (electronic voting machines) are tamper-proof. But since Opposition parties continued to express their doubts, especially since the unprecedented victory of BJP in UP earlier this year, the Commission introduced another security feature, called VVPAT or Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail. One of the issues that rattled the state and forced former state chief minister Anandiben Patel to resign was the protest for reservation for Patels in jobs and educational institutions. Party leaders were not allowed to hold public rallies and they were barred from many Patel-dominated areas in a show of increasing irritation with the saffron party. It is difficult to believe that EVMs can be hacked till it is proven conclusively. So far, there has been nothing to suggest that election results can be manipulated. Interestingly, the biggest proponent of the 'EVM hacking' theory, until recently, was the BJP. A few years ago, its spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao authored a book , alleging manipulation and hacking of the machines. Rao and the BJP have since gone silent. BJP was the original proponent of the 'EVM hacking' theory With several high-profile seats, Ahmedabad will be the focus of election Textile traders in the state want a roll back of the GST on cloth. According to the Times Now-VMRopinion poll, about 40 percent respondents felt quality of life has worsened after the implementation of GST and demonetisation. As Hindustan Times pointed out, small and medium-scale businessmen and traders, who form the core of the BJP support base, have been hit by what they call implementation glitches in the roll out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The paper trail makes that impossible not to be noticed. Voters can instantly verify if the candidate they voted for is the real recipient of their vote. If, for example I voted for Candidate/party X, but my vote vent to Candidate/party Y, the VVPAT immediately shows up the error or manipulation. The voter can instantly lodge a complaint. So whats the merit of the Congress tampering claims? Thats coming up soon. This has been introduced because all Opposition parties, especially Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, created a ruckus post the historic win BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Their claim was that EVMs had been programmed in such a way that whatever button one presses on the EVM machine the vote is registered in favour of the BJP. VVPAT, short for Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail, is a small paper printout that the voters get once they exercise their franchise by pressing the relevant EVM machine button. What is VVPAT and how does it eliminate scope for manipulation of EVM machines? Officials at counting centre set up in Ahmedabad's Gujarat College open ballot boxes as counting of votes begins According to News18, early trends coming in from Gujarat put BJP in the lead with 4 seats. Congress is at 3 seats. That makes it even more unlikely because the claim now is that the machines have been manipulated after votes had been cast and the EVM machines locked for counting. Preposterous claim really. Then why is Congress making this claim now? The Congress started talking about EVM manipulation only after the exit polls suggested a facile win for the BJP, that is after the last vote was polled. So, this time round, the allegationactually rumour-mongering started after the EVM machines were locked. For two reasons. One, as just pointed out a while ago, the fidelity of the EVM machines has been enhanced twice over with the introduction of the VVPAT. Now there is absolutely no way of the voter not knowing if the machine has been manipulated. Two, the timing of the Congress claim about manipulation. Why is Congresss claim on EVM manipulation even more flaky this time round? The Election Commission instantly killed the rumours by demonstraing then and there that bluetooth devices cant breach the EVMs. So thats that. Whoever wins today will not be because they managed to work the EVMs but they managed to work on the ground better. On to the trends now.they have started trickling in. The Congress tried to raise this bogey before and during voting but failed. The party raised a shindig during the first phase on 9 December saying EVMs were being manipulated by the BJP during voting using Bluetooth devices. Even though these are very early trends, it will definitely bolster the saffron party's spirits. Vijay Rupani is comfortably ahead, early trends show. According to News18, in South Gujarat and Saurashtra region, the BJP is leading in 14 seats while Congress maintained its numbers at four. They went to the Supreme Court urging it to put a stay on counting till VVPT and EVM votes are matched. The Congress losing would mean that Rahul Gandhi had no appeal in Gujarat and the potential of his three allies, the so called young turks Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mewani and Alpesh Thakore has been overhyped. The Congresss nervousness had become apparent when it called the EC and CEC names captive frontal organization of BJP etc after Narendra Modi cast his vote and walked on foot and waved at the crowds. The EVM has become the favourite punching bag of losers. When you cant blame your leader and your ability to win votes, blame it on EVM. Even before the first vote could be counted, the Congress and its ally Hardik Patel started blaming it on EVM tampering. Out of 16 seats, BJP is leading in 10. Congress has still not opened their account in Surat "The glue that held Gujarat together for 25 years was Hindutva. In the past 3 years, during the Rupani and Patel regime, there was a general disgruntlement. The Hindutva element has now been brought back," says political analyst and author Shankar Aiyar. "VVPAT machines are in use now. There is no scope for controversies anymore. If there is confusion between counting of votes and paper slips, then paper slips will prevail. Hence, there can be no confusion. He further adds that every party has questioned EVMs. "Nothing new in that, but VVPAT is the answer. EVMs and VVPATs will work together, so if anything doubtful happens, it can be cross checked," he said. Speaking on the EVM controversy, Joti said, "Questions being raised about EVMs have already been answered by us in the media. VVPATs were there in every polling stations in Gujarat, which enabled voters to see whom they voted for, so issues being raised aren't right. I assure that EVMS cannot be tampered with." CEC AK Joti told ANI that all arrangements were made in Gujarat by Chief Electoral officer of the state at all places in counting halls for the state assembly elections. "I assure you that there can be no tampering with the EVMs." I assure you that there can be no tampering with the EVMs: AK Joti Trends at 8:30 am say BJP is leading in 27 seats as compared to Congress' 12. The halfway mark, which will decide which party gets to rule Gujarat, is set at 92 in the 182-member Assembly. In the 2012 elections, the BJP had bagged 119 seats, while the Congress had managed 57 seats. Even LK Advani endorsed the proposition that the EVMs are not temper-proof. So don't worry if you hear a big noise about tinkering of EVMs in wake of today's results. What did he mean by "Djinn"? people ask. His rivals interpreted it as "rigging". Of course when the results came in, Lalu was seen to have won, obviously with tacit the help of "Djinn". Similarly remember BJP spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao's loud protest over possibility of EVM tampering after the BJP's defeat in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Like failed political analysts, parties also look for an excuse to explain away their reverses. Right from word go, the Opposition in Gujarat began with a bravado but with caveat if EVMs are not tinkered with. But this is nothing new. Recall Lalu Yadav's proclamation in 1995 elections when he said "ballot boxes will produce Djinn". And this created big controversy. The first not old enough to content an election and the other two, if the early trends hold, who might struggle to hold their own. This cannot be good news for the Congress which put a lot of store on the power of the caste combination these three youngsters brought to the battle to outgun the BJPs Hindutva. But if Jignesh and Alpesh cant win their own seats, will they be able to influence any of the other seats? The Congress party fought the election using three props: Hardik, Alpesh and Jignesh. Trends at 8:40 am, show BJP leading in 50 seats as compared to Congress' 41. The halfway mark, which will decide which party gets to rule Gujarat, is set at 92 in the 182-member Assembly. In the 2012 elections, the BJP had bagged 119 seats, while the Congress had managed 57 seats. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor are trailing from Vadgam and Radhanpur constituencies, respectively. Mevani is contesting as an independent candidate, with the support from Congress, while Thakor is a candidate for the grand old party. The Muslim-dominated constituency has 2.24 lakh voters, where 50,000 are Muslims, followed by 31,000 Dalits, 25,000 Patidars and 21,000 Rajputs. Gohil, the 57-year-old Rajput leader, considered by many as the party's chief ministerial choice, is fighting against BJP's new face Virendrasinh Jadeja, who is also a Rajput. Former Gujarat Congress chief, Shaktisinh Gohil, is trailing from his seat of Mandavi, Kutch. Mevani is contesting as an independent candidate, with the support from Congress, while Thakor is a candidate for the grand old party. Both Dalit leaders, Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, are now leading from Vadgam and Radhanpur constituencies, respectively. LEADING | Jignesh and Alpesh are leading now from Vadgam and Radhanpur constituencies, respectively Though the two had carefully chosen their constituencies, weighing the caste factor and the presence of sizeable Muslim voters, after talking to a cross section of voters in both the constituencies, I could feel that they had miscalculated. The Congress possibly had gone by the media hype around them. Alpesh was given 10 seats by the Congress, which had angered its party workers. Jignesh ran JNU-style campaigning placing excessive thrust on Muslim voters. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had placed too trust on the two. Alpesh was hyped as a OBC leader who would bring substantive chunk of the 40 per cent voters in Gujarat and Jignesh would tilt Dalit votes in Congress favour. Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mewani the two Young Turks who joined Congress are trailing in their respective constituencies, Radhanpur and Vadgam. While touring these two constituencies, had reported that they were on sticky wicket and could lose elections. Congress angered its cadre by relying too much on Alpesh, Jignesh The fight for Gujarat has heated up as the BJP touches 67 seats at 9:00 am, while Congress is ahead in 56 seats. The halfway mark, which will decide which party gets to rule Gujarat, is set at 92 in the 182-member Assembly. In urban seats, BJP is ahead in 31 seats while Congress in 10 seats. However, its a close-knit fight in rural areas, where the Congress is ahead. BJP is traditionally seen as an urban party, with the outer regions preferring Congress. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is trailing in his constituency of Rajkot West. This will be a matter of great concern for the BJP because this is a bell-weather seat. If the incumbent chief minister is in trouble, can the portents for the rest of the state be different? BJP candidate Purshottam Solanki, who is also a Gujarat cabinet minister leads with 2637 votes on Bhavnagar Rural. Former Patidar quota leader Lalit Vasoya is leading his BJP rival Harilal Patel after first round of counting of votes. According to The Indian Express, the BJP leading in 2 seats, Porbandar and Bhavnagar East. Congress also leading in 2 seats, Mandvi and Nadiad. Traders will be praying for the exit poll predictions to come true and BJP wave continues in Gujarat.That's because if exit polls get it right and the public mandate favours BJP, that would be an endorsement of Modi's policies and signal political stability. On the contrary, if pollsters get it wrong, there can be a short-term bloodbath in the bourses. What happens in Gujarat today can set the agenda for stock markets in the near term. If Rajyaguru wins, he will be hailed as the great gambler of Gujarat. Rajyaguru had left his Rakkot (East) constituency and shifted to the adjoining Rajkot (West) a year ago. "The moment I heard Rupani is the new CM, I declared my candidature." If Rupani loses, it will be due to the daring and sang froid of his opponent Indraneel Rajyaguru. I had met Rajyaguru in the middle of the campaign and was surprised by his confidence. Chewing tobacco, reclining in his seat with his feet up, he boldly predicted his victory. Chief minister Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel are both trailing in Gujarat. Patel's loss was largely foreseen because of Patidar anger in Mehsana, the epicentre of the Hardik Patel led movement. The stock markets appear disappointed with the latest trends coming from Gujarat. Punters were betting on a clear, huge BJP win but with the Congress putting up a tough fight against the incumbent, sheer nervousness has gripped the bourses. The benchmark Sensex tanked 800 points in the intrad-day market before recovering later. This is largely a kneejerk reaction and things could return to normalcy if the BJP pulls off a victory at the end of the day. Ahead of the impending results of the Gujarat Assembly election held in two phases on 9 and 14 December, the markets and Sensex in particular, have already taken a hit. BJP's Jitu Vaghani, contesting from Bhavnagar West seat, leading by 2,200 votes, The Indian Express reported. As BJP takes lead again, markets take comfort. Sensex recovers almost 400 points, now down around 300 points. As mentioned a while ago, the stock markets are disappointed with the latest trends coming from Gujarat. Punters were betting on a clear, huge BJP win but with the Congress offering a tough fight to the incumbent, sheer nervousness has gripped the bourses. The benchmark sensex tanked 800 points in the intrad-day market before recovering later. This is largely a knee-jerk reaction and things can return to normalcy if BJP pulls off a victory at the end of the day. If early trends are to be believed, the BJP is all set to form the government in Gujarat for the sixth time. As per trends, the BJP was leading in 101 seats in Gujarat, while the Congress was ahead in 78. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is now back in the lead against Congress leader Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West, but Deputy CM Nitin Patel is still trailing in Mehsana where the Jignesh Mevani factor is at play, while its state unit chief Jitu Vaghani is also behind in Anand. "We will form government in Gujarat. We will wait for final figures but even if the BJP wins, we are the real winners," Congress' Priyanka Chaturvedi. Modi advised investors said, any fall into the markets should be bought into. The election is a wake-up call which will make 2018 budget a more inclusive one. The BJP will make sure that they take adequate steps in 2018 budget so that it does not go down like it has happened this year, Modi said. While the BJP may win with a narrow margin, it is a positive sign from an economic and market perspective, says Jimeet Modi, CEO, SAMCO Securities. The BJP may be compelled to make policies with consensus and their current way of policy-making will have to stop. The BJP will make sure public considerations are taken into count before policy making is done in future, he said. After the initial shock of the Congress threatening to nose ahead of the BJP, the trends are now settling down. CNN-News18 has already called the Gujarat election in favour of the BJP. At ten am the BJP is on 103 leading, a comfortable gap of 27 from the Congress. But insiders in the party are not sweating yet. According to sources in the BJP, its campaign managers have predicted a tally of 131 for the party, 64 in the first phase and 67 in the second. So, the BJP will now be looking for a twist in the tail. If the BJP wilns, it is victory for the government's policy. But he does not think that should change much as the victory in the home state is expected, Prabhakar said. However, if the BJP loses the election, it will go in for a course correction, he said, like the party did when it lost the Bihar elections.. "There is a huge local liquidity flow which will balance the market at lower levels. If market correction happens in a big way 5-6 percent, there are huge funds waiting to buy into the market," he said. The volatile nature of the stock markets will continue for a couple of days, says AK Prabhakar, Head of Reserach, IDBI Capital. Once the results are out, whichever way it goes, stocks will rally, he told Firstpost. Once that is done, Prabhakar added that the markets may gradually touch 10,800 by the first week of January. Markets will continue to be volatile for a couple of days: Experts In another an hour or two we will know whether the BJP is able to cross its previous mark 115. But whatever the end numbers, the fact remains if BJP manages to win it would be a huge booster for the party and its supreme leader that despite two big bold disruptive moves, GST and demonetisation, as also 22 years of anti-incumbency, his party could still hold on in Gujarat. The BJP has another reason to feel relieved and happy at this hour chief minister Vijay Rupani is leading again. As these leads/trends emerge after about two hours of counting, these trends may be considered stabilise, though the chances of a late BJP surge are not yet ruled out. The BJP could very well use, whatever may be the margin of victory, the Hindi phrase `Jo jita wohi sikandar and the Congress spokespersons could have a face saver in terms of increased vote percentage. Lead trends of have yet again changed. The BJP is past majority mark of 92 and is now firmly in saddle at 103 leads. Trends from all sources indicate that BJP is going to form government in Gujarat, perhaps with slightly reduced margin, or maybe not. The BJP now firmly in the saddlecan it still make a late surge? Jignesh Mevani leads by more than 6,000 votes, while Shaktisinh Gohil is trailing in Mandvi of Kutch District. In Gadhada constituency Atmaram Parmar from BJP leads. From Botad, DM Patel leads. Rupani is leading by 7,600 votes from Rajkot West constituency, at the end of counting in round 3. The elections for 182-seat Assembly were held on 9 and 14 December, after an acrimonious campaign, which was dominated by a face-off between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. BJP candidate Bhupendra Patel leads by 20,000 votes on Ghatlodia seat in Ahmedabad. Independent candidate leads by 2,000 votes on Tharad seat of flood-affected Banaskantha. Jignesh Mevani leads by 7000 votes on Vadgam seat. The market will not be concerned about the issues pertaining to seats won or lost. If the party scores in Gujarat, and even if it is not a sweeping victory, the stock market will continue to repose confidence in it. The BJP will have to review its policy decisions. But where the market is concerned, there is no credible alternative to the party, Choksey states. "The other message coming out of the Gujarat election leads is that there is a need to instal a strong leadership in the state," says Choksey. Evidently, the current leadership is not seen as effective, which is what the results indicate. "Judging by the results that are out so far, there are two messages for the BJP," says Deven Choksey, managing director, KR Choksey Investment Managers. The party will now have to ponder the initiatives it has taken so far and what has been the result on the ground so far, he adds. Imran Yusufbhai of Congress wins from Jamalpur-Khadia Shaileshbhai Bhabhor of BJP wins from Limkheda More wins: So far Congress has won 2 seats LEADING: Arjun Modhvadiya of Congress leading from Porbandar after 10 rounds of voting. Charisma of Modi intact, markets will continue to be positive It is clear that the BJP will be forming the government in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The markets were volatile in the morning as it was reacting to early news of the BJP and Congress tally of the results, says Paras Bothra, Research head of equities at Ashika Stock Broking. The markets recovered once there was a clarity on the BJP numbers and it recovered sharply once channels started calling a BJP win, he said. Bothra feels the markets are confident and in a stable space. The markets will be more positive in the next few days, he says. The charisma of Modi is going strong and he is not losing its charm is evident by the results so far, Bothra said. Election Commission's official numbers: BJP leading on 101 seats, Congress on 74, Bhartiya Tribal Party on 2, NCP on 1 & Independent candidates on 3 seats Out of five seats in Surendranagar, BJP is leading in 3 seats with a very thin margin on two Wadhwan by 657 votes and Dasada by 137 votes and Limdi by 5,100 while Congress leads in two with a comfortable margin Chotila (6700) and Dhrangadara (3700). Surendranagar: BJP is leading in 3 out of 5 Asked if the Congress win or loss in Gujarat would be credited to new party president Rahul Gandhi, Gehlot said it was a hypothetical question. "Let's not talk hypothetically. Whatever the election results, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi are the real winners." "The BJP fought elections on emotional issues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi told voters that he is the son of Gujarat. His prestige is at stake," Congress's Gujarat in-charge Ashok Gehlot said. "But the Congress did a real election campaign and talked about the issues related to farmers, Dalits, tribals and traders. We formalized our manifesto for the people of Gujarat after talking to them," he further added. The markets expectedly opened lower and the NIFTY was 200 points down and the Sensex 800 points down. "The initial panic has subsided and now the markets are in a recovery mode," said Rikesh Parikh, vice-president market strategy at Motilal Oswal Financial Services. Parikh felt the government is 'safe' with both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat in the saddle. Had there been a loss in Gujarat, government's policies would have been blamed. Parikh says the 2018 Budget could have been a populist one. But now that the coast seems to be clear for the BJP, the government can be seen to take an aggressive stance in the coming budget, he added. From Kutiyana, NCP candidate and the infamous son of Santokben Jadeja (also known as the Godmother) Kandhalbhai Jadeja has won. BJP's Ram Madhav attacked Congress over alleged caste politics. In a tweet, Madhav said, "Casteist agenda of Hardik, Jignesh, Alpesh troika has helped Congress or cost it the election? Congress has to search for answers coolly after all the details come out. BJP, in its 5th consecutive victory, will celebrate but candidly analyse too." The Gujarat elections were not seen as just another state elections. A win in the state would have been seen as a win for Modi's central policies and bold reforms, says Arvind Singhal, chairman and managing director of Technopak Advisors based in Delhi. The leads so far is comforting for Modi and his broad appeal, he believes. Winning Gujarat ensures that there will be continuity in reforms and that is what the market wants continuity and stabiity. As far as Himachal Pradesh is concerned, it is a minor state both economically and politically, Singhal said. "The Gujarat elections has reassured the markets." The market received a setback early but that was because the party was shown as trailing by various TV channels, Singhal said. This is the last major elections for the party and the next elections in major states of Karnataka, Rajasthan and Karnataka are all close to the general elections and won't really matter to the party. With the the Gujarat elections out of the way, the market will be positive and steady growth is expected till general elections, said Singhal. "It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development," says Union Minister Smriti Irani. When asked about Congress giving a tough fight she said, "Jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work and the people who trusted development." People have rejected divisive politics of Congress, this win is due to the dynamic leadership of BJP and the hard work of BJP workers, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said. "Maine pehle hi kaha tha ki Congress ka netritve badalna BJP ke liye shubh sanket hoga," Adityanath said in an obvious jibe at Rahul Gandhi taking over as Congress party president. Change of leadership for Congress would be good for BJP, I had already predicted this: Adityanath The markets will look at the fiscal situation, GST collection figures and inflation (besides interstate changes), earnings among other things which will be the key drivers of the market hereon, Arora said. Rakesh Arora, Managing Director and Head of Research, Macquarie Capital Securities says that the markets will continue to be in a stable mode as the results so far show that the BJP is leading. "A positive outcome will not push up the markets but a negative outcome would have been for the markets," said Arora. According to EC's latest figures, BJP is leading in 91 seats and has claimed victory in 10 seats. Congress, on the other hand, is leading in 69 seats and has won seven seats. BJP candidate Shailesh Mehta Sotta wins Dabhoi Assembly Constituency in Vadodara defeating Congress leader Siddharth Patel. Sotta is the man who made the anti-Muslim statement Delhi BJP vice-president Jaiprakash told Firstpost that by putting signature on the wall, the people are becoming a part of Narendra Modi's Vikas Yatra. For BJP workers, it is the time to celebrate. Blowing of conches, beating of drums, waving of BJP flags and bursting of crackers outside the BJP headquarters at 11 Ashoka Road, gives a glimpse of a festive atmosphere. The crowd of the BJP workers gathered outside the party office is highly energetic. They have even erected a wall of victory, where BJP workers are leaving there signatures. According to the latest trends on the EC website, Congress has won 15 seats and is leading in 61 constituecies. The BJP is still in the winning league with victory on 17 seats and a lead in 84 seats. BJP's tally hovers around 101, Congress likely to get 76 seats Within no time, everybody realises, of course, this is what was going to happen in any case. Gujarat elections, in short, begin and also proceed like an unputdownable whodunit thriller, but end like a good old-fashioned romance. Frederick Forsyth and Jane Austen in one volume. When the campaign begins, the outcome looks utterly unpredictable. As the electioneering progresses, as Modi gets aggressive, his critics shore up expectations of something incredible round the corner. Commentators discover a variety of factors that will ensure the BJPs loss. As counting begins, its time for, not climax, but anti-climax. With the Narendra Modi-led BJP clearly in the lead, this election too seems to have followed an old, familiar script: "The why Modi cannot win this time" script. The tired old 'why Narendra Modi cant win this time' narrative is set to bomb again According to an update by CNN-News18, Congress party workers are alleging that the voting machines were rigged in around 90 swing seats to sway the election in BJP's favour. Hundreds of party workers were seen carrying placards against the BJP and Election Commission. Meanwhile... Congress workers sit on dharna near party HQ's raise slogans against EVM tampering Psephologist, political activist Yogendra Yadav's three lessons to the Congress on losing Gujarat BJP's tally down to 98 according to Election Commission site, swing seats may still spring a surprise Scanning machines have also been set up at BJP headquarter. Delhi police and security personnel are taking charge of the premises as PM will arrive at 4 pm. Women workers are raising slogans Mahilaon Ka Shashaktikaran (women empowerment), Jai Sri Ram, Jai Sri Ram. Senior party leaders and Ministers have also started arriving. " After all it's celebration time for BJP. Modiji has ensured victory of Gujarat and HP. 2018 and 2019 will be ours" proudly announced a group of young BJP workers. Workers are decorating the auditorium at the lawn of BJP headquarters to welcome Modi and Amit Shah the architects of today's dual victory. There is constant sloganeering going on at the premises. BJP HQ being decked up to welcome Narendra Modi; PM to visit party office between 4 and 6 pm Congres spokesperson Pawan Khera says it's a 'proud moment' for the party Modi a dictator, has put his personal secretary in charge of EC, says protestor at anti-EVM rally BJP is winning by small margins in several seats; EVM tampering allegations should be looked into: Hardik Patel He also said that he will continue his agitation raising the issues of farmers, Patels and the poor people. Hardik Patel said that if ATMs could be hacked, then so could the EVMs. He said that due to all his efforts, the people of the state have at least stirred up, which is visible in form of the dent in BJP vote share. He said that the reports of EVM tampering should be looked into. He also vowed to continue his fight against the "money power and arrogance" of the BJP. Congress has improved its performance. But that does not matter for us. He said that the BJP has indeed won but that does not nullify his agitation and efforts. He said the quota demand is not just his but of thousands of people in Gujarat. Hardik Patel blames EVMs for BJP win, says saffron party may have lost if elections were fair Amit Shah congratulates BJP workers in Gujarat for party's win, says people chose vikaswad against vanshwad PM Modi tweets on Gujarat, Himachal win, says bow to people for supprting politics of good governance The BJP had scored 47 percent votes in the 2012 elections bagging 115 seats. This year it is expected to be restrained at 99 seats as per latest trends. The party's vote share, however, has improved slightly as it bagged 49.1 percent votes. Amid a raging debate over the trustworthiness of EVMs, he had said earlier this month that they are credible, robust and reliable, and expressed his "unwavering faith" in them and their "infallibility". Former chief election commissioner TS Krishnamurthy said on Monday that electronic voting machines (EVMs) are the "real winner" in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections and their "bashing" should stop now. When asked over the remarks in some quarters that the EVMs are the "real winner", as results of the two Assembly elections are being declared, he said, "I agree." EVM bashing should stop now, says former CEC TS Krishnamurthy "Definitely (it's a setback). 103 seats (the projected BJP tally this afternoon) is not coming back to power (it should have been bigger number of seats)," he said. Though the BJP is set to return to power in the western state, Reddy saw the electoral verdict as being a setback to the party. "They (BJP) have to basically again check their administration," he said. "The key takeaway (of Gujarat Assembly elections) is it's not (going to be) a cakewalk for the BJP any more in 2019 election," Telangana Rashtra Samiti Floor Leader in Lok Sabha, AP Jithender Reddy told PTI. The lower-than-expected poll performance of the BJP in Gujarat suggests that the 2019 general elections are not going to be a cakewalk to the NDA lead party, a senior TRS leader said on Monday. "We fought the eletions on people's basic issues and they evaded answers on every issue that mattered, whether it was development or Amit Shah's son or governance," Gehlot said. We fought on people's agenda, but they never replied to legit questions: Ashok Gehlot "This victory is a win of politics of performance over the dynastic politics and populist policies," Shah said. He said that Modi has been trying to free the people of the country from the ulcers of casteism, and divisive politics. And our win has proved that we are succeeding,' Shah said. Shah said that the people of Gujarat have voted for us despite the heavily divisive and casteist campaign of Congress. He said that the Congress party tried to outsource its election to other leaders but it failed. He also pointed out that the party's vote share has gone up slightly even if it lost some seats as compared to the last elections. "Those who function on dynastic politics, populist policies and divisive policies should learn a lesson from there defeat," Shah said. On a question about his 150 seat target in the polls, Shah said I accept that the seat share have gone down but it is because of the low level of campaign run by Congress. "They tried to stir emotions on the basis of the caste. Now caste system will leave India in its due course," Shah said. Rahul Gandhi concedes defeat, says proud of Congress workers for fighting polls with 'dignity' While giving a clear victory of BJP, the exit polls for Gujarat had predicted that the saffron party will get over 100 seats. Being Modi's home state. it was significant for the BJP to retain Gujarat and Shah had put the target at 150 seats. However, with the fierce fight put up by the Congress, the BJP is unlikely to reach that goal. The BJP has won every election since 1995. However, it was out of power for a couple of years due to party infighting and rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghela. The party came back to power in 1998, and has ruled uninterrupted since then. The BJP has hit the majority mark in the crucial election of Gujarat, prompting the party to quickly credit Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies for the victory. The party has managed to win 92 seats in the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly, thus hitting the halfway mark. BJP hits halfway mark of 92, but falls well short of exit poll predictions That North Gujarat is where PAAS pulled the biggest crowds is no surprise. Hardik Patel belongs to the Kadva Patel community. However, the Kadva Patels are small in numbers as compared to the Leuva Patels, who are concentrated in North Gujarat. The BJP on Monday fought off the Congress to retain power in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive time, but not without losing ground in some of its bastions. In Saurashtra, BJP was trailing far behind Congress and in Central Gujarat, both parties saw a neck-and-neck see-saw battle. But what gave the BJP an edge in the election was its decisive lead in North Gujarat, where Hardik Patels Patidar agitation was expected to harm the party the most. How North Gujarat Turned Saving Grace for BJP to Compensate For Angry Saurashtra, Kutch He said that the party's unwaivered strategy based on development, despite Congress taking the discourse so low is commendable. Speaking to the press Rupani said that to win an election for the sixth time straight is no small feat. He said that the party's vote share has increased and despite the tally of seat share leaning in favour of the Congress, the BJP maintained a lead of over 8 percent. People reposing faith in us for sixth time in row, commendable: Vijay Rupani "Rahul Gandhi came to Gujarat as a guest. It was due to local leaders that Congress failed in Gujarat.Congress graph has come down ever since I left the party. If I had been in the Congress, it would have won the elections. A grand old party like Congress compromised with local leaders. It was not Rahul Gandhi's fault but fault of local leaders. Congress had a great chance but they missed out," Vaghela told CNN-News18. Fadnavis was addressing the media outside the Maharashtra legislative Assembly on Monday, as results from Gujarat started trickling in. "It was the common man's trust that Modi can bring peace and prosperity. It is very important that even after 22 years, a party gets almost 50 percent votes of the people and retains power... It is very significant," he said. "The BJP came up with the politics of vishwas (trust) and vikas (development) for Gujarat and people responded to it positively. The Opposition tried to spread wrong messages against us, but we prevailed because of the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national president Amit Shah," Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, as quoted by NDTV . To read more on NOTA's performance in Gujarat, click here 'None of the Above' (NOTA) made its Assembly election debut in Gujarat, and over five lakh voters chose the option. NOTA got more votes in the western state than established parties like BSP and NCP put together! See you in the campaign trail in 2018, tweets Congress The BJP's performance in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development politics over "dirty caste politics" of Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said. "All sections of society have voted above caste politics. This is a win of development politics of the Prime Minister. In Gujarat, OBC, patidar, dalit all were used for caste politics by the Congress but caste politics could not get success," senior BJP leader said. While the BJP outperformed the Congress by nearly 20 seats, the one place it couldn't manage a victory was in Unjha, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home town Vadnagar. Congress' Usha Patel won from Unjha, defeating BJP's Narayanbhai Lalludas by nearly 20,000 votes, reported Hindustan Times . West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said it's a moral defeat for the BJP despite the electoral victory. "It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019," Banerjee said. I want to thank the people of Gujarat, Himachal for choosing development: Narendra Modi's victory speech at BJP headquarters "During the campaign trail of Uttar Pradesh election, several people were saying that after demonetisation, BJP will be defeated. A similar narrative was played in Maharashtra civic polls also. Opposition said demonetisation and GST will kill BJP's chances. But now the entire nation is joining our vikas yatra. The results have proved that the country is ready to be transformed," Modi said. If you don't work people will not accept you after five years: Narendra Modi BJP is an exception even for poll pundits: Modi "Congress and other forces tried their best to defeat us. When exit poll results came and they realised they couldn't do it. They started efforts to dampen our happiness. But when a single party wins each and every election one by one through democratic means, even their opponents should have the guts to accept defeat," Modi said. Congress and other forces tried their best to defeat us: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was doubly happy at winning Gujarat elections as the opposing forces were trying to spread negativity. He said, "Their were talks that Modi has left now, but I am more than happy to see that the state leaders are working even harder for the people." "In past few months, some people tried to play some games. Even though you did not let them succeed but they won't stop their tacticts. So bear in mind that the unity of 6 crore Gujaratis is paramount. Because you contribute so much to the country's growth, it is your responsibility to net let the vikas engine derail amid divisive caste talks. And maintain your unity," Modi said. Congress' venomous campaign failed, Gujaratis should not get divided on caste lines: Modi People rejected those who tried to sow venom of casteism: Modi BJP may have won in Gujarat, but the Congress has not lost: Shashi Tharoor Speaking to press after the BJP Parliamentary meet, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that the party will send Arun Jaitley and Saroj Pandey as observers to Gujarat. Similarly, Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Tomar will go to Himachal Pradesh to discuss about the leadership with party workers there. BJP to send observers to Himachal, Gujarat to decide on CM pick Here's how the parties have performed in Gujarat over the years In electing BJP, Gujarat has yet again embraced development politics: Modi PM Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah & others at BJP Parliamentary board meeting at party HQ in Delhi pic.twitter.com/dw4spwB3bx It is interesting to point out that the Congress party and leaders like Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor had been punching holes in the states much touted development model, alleging that the 'vikas' has been absent in the rural regions. While the BJP could improve its tally in North and Central Gujarat, the Congress' gains almost entirely seems to be coming from the rural Gujarat belt. A BJP leader, requesting anonymity, blames caste combinations, Patel resentment, and farm distress for the Congress' performance, according to Livemint . The BJP's performance in the rural vs urban areas is in stark contrasts. According to a break up given out by CNN-News 18, out of the 98 rural seats, Congress has either won, or is leading in 56 seats in rural areas. The BJP on the other hand could get only 39 seats, eight less from 2012. BJP won Gujarat but the party has lost some of its sheen in rural Gujarat Speaking to press after the BJP Parliamentary meet, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that the party will send Arun Jaitley and Saroj Pandey as observers to Gujarat. Similarly, Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Tomar will go to Himachal Pradesh to discuss about the leadership with party workers there. BJP to send observers to Himachal, Gujarat to decide on CM pick Here's how the parties have performed in Gujarat over the years "The victory in Gujarat is special. Starting from 1989, people of Gujarat have been blessing BJP in every Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha election. It is an honour to be serving Gujarat for so many years. We will continue to work for Gujarats growth," Modi said. Modi tweets after BJP parliamentary board meeting, says its an honour to serve Gujarat Gujarat has yet again embraced development politics and rejected divisive tactics of a select few. pic.twitter.com/DesmRmwhpx In electing BJP, Gujarat has yet again embraced development politics: Modi Congress leaders are busy giving a positive spin to the loss in Gujarat, say the party has improved its tally under Rahul Gandhis leadership. While Kamal Nath pointed out that Gujarat is a BJP bastion and Shashi Tharoor appreciated the fact that the "journey" had been good, Renuka Chowdary hailed Gandhi for his "brilliant intervention". Chief Minister Vijay Rupani won from Rajkot West, while deputy chief minister Nitin Patel is leading in Mehsana. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani won his maiden election from Vadgam constituency and Alpesh Thakor won from Radhanpur. In 2012, the BJP won 119 seats in the 182-member Assembly, while the Congress won 57. Modi led the campaign for the BJP, while Rahul Gandhi was the pivot of the Congress' electioneering. During the campaign, Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah trained guns on the Congress on issues like Ram Temple, alleged Pakistani interference in the Gujarat polls and (suspended Congress leader) Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks. Gandhi persistently attacked Modi and the BJP for "not talking about the future of Gujarat" and skipping key issues being faced by the people of the state. The Congress also stitched about a broad social coalition with prominent Patidar, OBC, and Dalit leaders - Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jigesh Mevani - in its bid to unseat the BJP in power for over two decades. Patel led a long agitation of his community for reservation, while Thakor led an counter protest against inclusion of Patidars in the OBC reservation list. Mevani raised his voice against Dalit atrocities. The influential Patidar community, which accounts for around 12 per cent of the state's population, could prove to be the 'X factor' in the polls in which Patel pledged support to the Congress and appealed to people to "uproot the BJP" this time. As the campaign was nearing its end, "Vikas" (development) took a back seat, and caste and religious issues received prominence. The two main rival parties also tried to counter each other on social media, as the Congress and its supporters launched the campaign "Vikas Gando Thayo Che" (development has gone crazy), while the BJP launched a counter drive of "I am development, I am Gujarat". An average 68.41 per cent polling was recorded in the two-phase Assembly elections in Gujarat. According to the final figures released by the Election Commission, the voter turnout in the second phase of balloting on December 14, for 93 seats of North and Central Gujarat, stood at 69.99 per cent. In the first phase of polls held on December 9 for 89 seats in Saurasthra, Kutch and South Gujarat, 66.75 percent voting was recorded. The total voter turnout this time has seen a dip of 2.91 percent, as compared to the 2012 polls when 71.32 percent polling was registered. In terms of numbers, of the total 4.35 crore registered voters, 2.97 crore exercised their right to franchise in the elections held on 9 and 14 December. According to the EC data, the tribal-dominated Narmada district witnessed the highest voter turnout of 79.15 per cent, while Devbhumi-Dwarka of Saurashtra region recorded the lowest at 59.39 per cent. The districts which recorded a high turnout are Tapi (78.56 percent), Banaskantha (75.15) and Sabarkantha (74.97). The districts which saw a low turnout are Amreli (61.29), Bhavnagar (61.56) and Porbandar (61.86). Out of the total 33 districts, 15 recorded over 70 per cent polling, while 17 others clocked between 60 per cent and 70 per cent. Only Devbhumi Dwarka district registered polling below 60 per cent. The much-awaited result of the keenly fought Gujarat election is about to be announced. The state election is not only significant because it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home turf but also because BJP has been in power in the state since 1995. Losing the election in such a crucial state would be a major embarrassment not only for Modi but for party chief Amit Shah as well. Apart from BJP, it is also turning out to be a litmus test for new Congress president Rahul Gandhi. While BJP is seeking a sixth straight term in office, Congress is attempting a come back in the state. The election saw Narendra Modi accusing Congress of colluding with Pakistan to get favourable results. Both Modi and Rahul travelled extensively, making temple stops and delivering speeches. The acrimonious campaign, where both parties indulged in no-holds-barred attacks on each others, focussed on a number of issues. While Congress managed to get the support of Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, Patidar leader Hardik Patel and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, BJP staked its credibility on Modi and his Gujarat Model. One major challenge for BJP was to assuage the Patels, who harboured deep resentment for the party since the Patidar agitation. Their problem was exacerbated when Hardik joined hands with Congress. Patidar and Dalit anger One of the issues that rattled the state and even forced former state chief minister Anandiben Patel to resign in August 2016 was the protest for reservation for Patels in jobs and educational institutions. Party leaders were not allowed to hold public rallies and were barred from many Patel-dominated areas in a show of increasing irritation with the saffron party. While the effect of the agitation has waned, Hardik still enjoys a strong support base in the community. With him making a pact with Congress, the saffron party may lose its important vote base. According to the India Today-Axis opinion poll, the Patidars play a decisive role in 21 of the state's 182 seats and make up almost 16 percent of the electorate. Hardik can give a bump of two percent to whichever party he supports. However, things might change for the better for the ruling party. According to this Firstpost article, some Patels in Ahmedabad, where the agitation began, think Hardik has become distracted. They are also not happy with his agreement with Congress. Despite people, especially the youth, coming in huge numbers to attend Hardik Patel's rallies, it remains to be seen if this support will translate into votes or if BJP will be able to keep its vote share. Gujarat witnessed one of the biggest Dalit uprisings that ever took place in the state last year. Anandiben faced criticism after four Dalit youths were beaten up in Una on 11 July, 2016, for allegedly skinning a dead cow. Her exit was seen as BJPs message to Dalits that the party was concerned about the growing unrest in the community. With Mevani contesting as an independent with Congress' support, BJP might lose out on Dalit votes too. According to this Firstpost report, some Dalits, still miffed with the Una incident, are inching towards Congress. Despite supporting BJP for 15 years, they feel injustices are being done to them. GST and demonetisation As Hindustan Times pointed out, small and medium-scale businessmen and traders, who form the core of the BJP support base, have been hit by what they call implementation glitches in the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Textile traders in the state want a rollback of the GST on cloth. According to the Times Now-VMR opinion poll, about 40 percent respondents felt quality of life has worsened after the implementation of GST and demonetisation. Gandhi and Congress has taken every opportunity to attack BJP over these decisions. "Their GST is not GST. GST means Gabbar Singh Tax. This is causing a loss to the country. Small shopkeepers are finished. Lakhs of youths have been unemployed. But they are still not ready to listen," Gandhi said in his rallies. Modi, meanwhile, said Gandhi was propagating a 'Grand Stupid Thought'. Modi countered him by saying, "Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits." According to a report in DailyO, "The trader community has been the most loyal voters of BJP since its inception. They have helped the party also when it was not in power. However, the same community has been at the receiving end of GST." Anti-incumbency The BJP is facing anti-incumbency sentiment and Gujaratis are showing signs of fatigue from being ruled by BJP since 1995, The Indian Express reported. With the change of chief minister in the middle of a tenure and the absence of Modi as the chief ministerial candidate, the anti-incumbency sentiment may become a crucial factor in the poll outcome. Achyut Yagnik, a leading expert on Gujarat, told Rediff that there has been a difference in administrative control since Modi was elevated to the post of prime minister. "Modi had a tight control over the bureaucracy, which was not the case with Anandiben Patel and Vijay Rupani," she said. BJP MP Sanjay Kakade claimed his party would not win enough seats to form the next government in the state and cited anti-incumbency as the reason. "The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for 22 years. Since Independence, apart from the communists in West Bengal, there is not a single party in the country which has remained in power for 25 years," he claimed. Kakade said the negative feeling against the party may cost BJP in this election. Water woes The Congress chiefly banked on the issue of water woes and "incomplete" irrigation projects to make fresh inroads in rural Saurashtra, sensing a feeling of being "left out" among the populace. The party also attacked BJP over Modi's SAUNI project. "When Modi visited Rajkot in August for the celebration of (operationalisation of) Saurashtra Narmada Avataran Irrigation Project (SAUNI), it was an eye-wash. The project is not complete, but Modi and BJP projected as if the entire project has been completed within five years," Rajput claimed. Meanwhile, fed up with their water problems, Gajadi village in Morbi district of Gujarat boycotted the election. "Villagers announced a few months ago that they would refrain from voting. Their main grievance was water supply. Though the village is being supplied water through a pipeline, they claimed it was not enough and demanded another pipeline," said Morbi collector and district election officer IK Patel. According to a report in Hindustan Times, BJP is also battling farmers' anger over Narmada waters. Despite the Sardar Sarovar Dam, villagers complain of broken promises, flawed design and lack of accountability. "The inauguration was just a farce. Every election we were promised Narmada water. This time we have decided to vote for a new government in protest," a local told Hindustan Times. With inputs from PTI Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 At 10.45 am on Monday, a visibly happy Narendra Modi arrived at Parliament in New Delhi, got out of his car, raised his hand, and flashed the victory sign claiming victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. He didn't make a speech and didn't speak to the media. But that has never been his style. He would tweet, but statements and face-to-face chats would wait. Modi likes to let the media debate the issue, and lets people across the country have their informal forums. He wants people to discuss the results threadbare at tea stalls, at block offices, at village gatherings. Only then would he address party workers and say what he has to say. He would then celebrate the victory and outline challenges ahead. The importance of elections in Gujarat goes beyond just a win for BJP and defeat for Congress. Gujarat is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah's home state. The party has been in power for 22 years. For Congress, the elections were coming at a time when Rahul Gandhi has become party president, succeeding mother Sonia Gandhi who had been at the helm for 19 years. In the end, it was Modi who proved elections can be won on the basis of his personal charisma alone. This factor helped the party retain power in Gujarat, and also take an unassailable lead in Himachal Pradesh. This proves his appeal is unmatched, that people believe in his sincerity as a leader and his capacity to deliver. The emphatic victory also proves that despite initial reservations about BJP, Modi still has the ability to make voters reconcile and make them vote for his party. No other leader in India has had this kind of capacity and charisma in the last four decades. What must also be noted is that Gujarat and Narendra Modi have hit uncharted territory for the BJP. The party had won elections in the past, but wouldn't return to power five years later. The first government it formed on its own, in 1995, fell within five years owing to severe infighting, but the people re-elected BJP in 1998. It was only after Narendra Modi took charge in October 2001 that the BJP stabilised itself in the state. The party has now won its sixth straight term in the state, and has almost become invincible. This is because of Modi, who built up the party's support base and its organisational strength by focusing energy, and by boosting workers' morale through new delivery mechanisms and good governance. What would make the victory even sweeter is its timing; the verdict came despite perceived anger among the business and trading communities over "irritants" like the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Gujarat is the country's most urbanised state and has a large concentration of businesses and traders. But if anger regarding GST was real, as the national media would have one believe, BJP wouldn't have clinched another victory here. Rahul Gandhi and Congress had made GST and demonetisation the central issues ahead of the elections. The Congress president should have learnt his lessons from the BJP's thumping wins in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand earlier this year, which had come in the immediate aftermath of the demonetisation decision, but for reasons best known to him, he still made demonetisation an issue while campaigning in Gujarat. They also termed GST "Gabbar Singh Tax", thinking it would give them the edge. While it's true that there was resentment among the traders over the way GST was implemented, reports of anger among diamond and textile traders of Surat was overhyped. But the Congress fell for it. Rahul Gandhi didn't realise that the Centre had moved swiftly and reviewed the GST structure, and was also promising to do more to contain the anger. BJP's win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, nine months after their victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, would settle the demonetisation and GST debates for good in Modi's favour. In between, the BJP also decisively won urban body elections in UP. It's clear that Rahul Gandhi and Congress needs some new issues ahead of upcoming elections in the North East and Karnataka. Congress leaders appeared happy with the party's performance. They appeared on debates on various TV channels to stoutly defend the party, citing an improvement in voteshare and seats won. But that in itself is a problem. There will be elections in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan in 2018, and Congress needs to do some serious introspection over its strategy and performance ahead of these. The slight upward surge for the party comes courtesy Hardik Patel and the Patidar factor, not because its own popularity is growing. It won most seats in Saurashtra, which has a high concentration of Patidars, where Patel wielded much clout. A majority of them voted against BJP, and because they had no choice, went with the Congress. The BJP made mistakes firing on agitating protesters and filing cases against hundreds of young Patidar boys and girls cost the party. The party leadership is trying hard to win over the confidence of the community, which in any case has split its vote. The Congress, by wooing Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mewani and Alpesh Thakore, gave disproportionate publicity to these young outsiders. The party made them heroes, and in the process, marginalised its own local leadership in the state. There is no mistaking the fact that a substantial section of voters who voted for Congress had no fascination for Rahul Gandhi. This election would ever be remembered for the Congress president's transformation from a "non-Hindu" to a "Shiv-Bhakt, Janeu-dhari Hindu". It didn't yield any electoral dividends, however. Instead, it got Rahul Gandhi to walk in an arena where Narendra Modi and Amit Shah set the rules. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 After a happy political run across the country in 2017, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ending the year with electoral wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. For the Congress, it has been a downhill drive, but a minor boost in its fortunes in Gujarat is a silver lining in an otherwise bleak scenario. With 20 states under its belt across the country, there is an unmistakable BJP footprint and the party has dwarfed the Congress like never before. In the latest round, the BJP can draw satisfaction from the fact that it has convincingly wrested another state Himachal Pradesh from the Congress. In Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bastion of Gujarat, the BJP was fighting with its back to the wall. It was facing 22 years of incumbency and an unprecedented youth mobilisation through Patidar icon Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani. But ultimately it emerged triumphant, albeit with a reduced majority. Both Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi campaigned vigorously in Gujarat, but while the former blunted the edge of anti-incumbency and staved off dissatisfaction over demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST), as also partially rural unhappiness, Rahul's effect on Congress' fortunes was only marginal. Considering that the BJP had bagged 115 seats in 2012 in an Assembly of 182, its drop was not particularly significant, but a detailed analysis of the results would reveal that its margins of victory were narrower this time across the board. Results show that the Patel revolt in Saurashtra, with Hardik leading the way and drawing huge crowds, made a big dent in BJP's fortunes. Evidently, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani failed to capture the imagination of Saurashtrians. There was also more to Hardik Patel than just the demand for reservations in jobs; he had charisma and a way with the masses. All in all, in Saurashtra and Kutch, the electorate has given out a warning to the BJP not to take it for granted. That the Congress secured more wins than the BJP in this region speaks for itself. However, Hardik's casteist stand and his alliance with Congress propelled most other castes towards the BJP. As it appears, contrary to conventional thinking, Muslims and tribals did not vote en masse for the Congress. It may be a reasonable surmise that Muslim women gravitated towards the BJP due to the party's vociferous support to the campaign against the pernicious practice of triple talaq, over which Muslim women are deeply aggrieved. Clearly, it was Narendra Modi and his narrative of being Gujarat's torch-bearer in New Delhi that won the day for BJP. There was a time midway through the campaign when BJP was tottering, but in the last few days, it bounced back strongly, helped by some Congress blunders and a shrill BJP campaign which cast doubts on the Congress' loyalty to the country. As in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when loudmouth Mani Shankar Aiyar's indiscreet and poor taste comment mocking at Narendra Modi as a "chaiwala" contributed strongly to the anti-Congress sentiment, Aiyar was again no mean contributor this time. His calling Modi a "neech aadmi" devoid of culture was exploited to the hilt by the BJP and especially Modi to paint the Congress black. The dinner that Aiyar hosted for a Pakistani delegation at which former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the Pakistani High Commissioner were attendees, among others, also came in handy for Modi to beat the Congress with and play to the emotions and sense of patriotism of Gujaratis. That was indeed a watershed moment in the campaign, from which the Congress downslide started. This was indeed a unique election in so far as there was a fairly sharp urban-rural divide among the voters with the urban voter arrayed with the BJP and the rural voter with the Congress. Because in the rural areas, there was a groundswell of anger against the BJP because of demonetisation (the cash economy thrives in the rural hinterland) and some other unpalatable decisions of the Modi government. While in Saurashtra and Kutch, Congress, buoyed by the Hardik Patel factor, had the edge, it was the BJP that held sway overcoming GST-related anger among small traders in south Gujarat. The last-minute dilution of GST played its part in drawing traders back to the BJP fold. BJP also held sway in north Gujarat with a decisive mandate while it was touch-and-go in central Gujarat. The party also claimed an impressive win in Himachal Pradesh, an index of the electorate's exasperation over rampant corruption under the Congress goverment of Virbhadra Singh and the appalling misgovernance in the state. Fearing a revolt within the party, the Congress' high command desisted from changing the chief minister mid-stream though the writing was on the wall. Stock markets too reacted with a drop of 850 points when it appeared that Congress may sprint a surprise, but once BJP looked set to clinch both states, the markets bounced back in style. There can be little doubt now, that with a succession of wins capped by results in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, the party is poised to retain power at the Centre in 2019. Nagpur: As the BJP is set to retain power in Gujarat for the record sixth time, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday that the mandate is for the party's politics of "vishwas" and "vikas". "The BJP came up with the politics of vishwas (trust) and vikas (development) for Gujarat and people responded to it positively. The Opposition tried to spread wrong messages against us, but we prevailed because of the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national president Amit Shah", he said. Fadnavis was speaking to reporters outside the state Assembly. "It was the common man's trust that Modi can bring peace and prosperity. It is very important that even after 22 years, a party gets almost 50 percent votes of the people and retains power. It is very significant", he said. According to Fadnavis, with Himachal Pradesh, the BJP has won the 19th state in the country. "The results are a stamp on the leadership of Modi and Shah in the party and in the national politics," he said. When asked about the BJP winning less number of seats in Gujarat as compared to the 2012 assembly polls, Fadnavis said, "The BJP has won 49.9 percent votes so far. It is a very significant win for the party". Click here to follow LIVE updates of the Gujarat election Click here to get full coverage of the Gujarat election New Delhi: The Congress accepts the people's verdict in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, party president Rahul Gandhi said on Monday and thanked his party workers for fighting "anger with dignity" in the polls. He also expressed gratitude to the people of the two states for the love they showered on him. "The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me," Gandhi tweeted. "My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress' greatest strength is its decency and courage," he added. From the results and trends available till now, the Congress won 68 seats in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, while the BJP was victorious in 75 seats. The Congress was leading in nine other constituencies. The BJP was ahead in 24 other seats. In Himachal Pradesh, BJP has won 20 seats, eight more than that of the Congress. The saffron party was ahead in 24 seats, while the Congress was leading in nine other segments. The state has a 68-member Assembly. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Mumbai: The Shiv Sena said the people were not happy with the BJP in Gujarat, going by the trends of the Assembly election counting. The BJP appeared to be on its way to retain power in the state, with trends from 182 seats giving it a lead in 103 while the Congress followed with 72. The simple majority mark in the 182-member Assembly is 92. BJP's Babubhai Bokhiriya won Porbandar Assembly seat, defeating Congress' Arjun Modhvadia by a margin of 1,855 votes. "We (the BJP) came to power in the country by citing the much-touted 'Gujarat model' (of development). If people in Gujarat are not happy (with the BJP) today, then understand their psyche, understand what people in the country feel," Sena MP Sanjay Raut said. "The (BJP should) understand the mindset of people of Gujarat (and) the reason the people there are not happy," he said. The Rajya Sabha member claimed that the Narendra Modi-led government had not registered success on a single issue, be it on security, Kashmir, Pakistan, note ban, unemployment or farmer suicides. "This is what I gather from the Gujarat election results," Raut said. He said indications are that the BJP would form the government in Gujarat. "But going by the mandate, it is now clear that the mood in Gujarat today is the mood of the country, as it was Gujarat which showed the path of victory (to the BJP)," he said. Raut's remarks came on a day the Sena, BJP's bickering ally, heaped praise on Rahul Gandhi, lauding the newly appointed Congress president for "fighting the Gujarat poll battle without bothering about the result". The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said the 47-year-old Amethi MP has taken over the reins of the grand old party at a crucial stage. "Rahul Gandhi has accepted the responsibility as Congress president at a crucial stage. There should be no objection in wishing him all the best," said an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'. The party said Gandhi threw himself into the campaign arena without worrying about the final poll outcome in Gujarat. Click here for LIVE updates. On his arrival at the BJP headquarters on 11 Ashoka Road in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a rousing reception. His black bulletproof car looked pink and red, covered by rose petals showered by enthusiastic party workers. It was a moment of joy for them for having retained Gujarat for an unprecedented sixth consecutive term and snatching Himachal Pradesh from the Congress. But somewhere, among sections of BJP workers and leaders, there was a nagging feeling that the victory in Gujarat was not as big as they had expected. After all, since the time Modi was declared as BJPs prime ministerial candidate in July 2013 all the elections which BJP fought with the exception of Bihar and Delhi the party had increased its victory margin. Gujarat was Modis home state and it was expected that the same phenomenon would be repeated here. BJP won with increased vote percentage than in 2012 but with a reduced margin vis-a-vis Congress and the final result tally said 99 for BJP and 80 for Congress and its allies in the 182-member state Assembly. There is no denying the fact that Modi had won Gujarat for his party, but for his magic and emotional appeal to the people, the party would have lost it. He could well have recalled the old Hindi song hum laye hain toofan se kashti nikal ke. But then Modi in his characteristic style dedicated this victory to party president Amit Shah and lakhs of workers in the state. His message to anyone in the partys rank and file who had any doubts about the scale of victory in Gujarat was simple -- dont be apologetic about the winning numbers. The fact that the party (Modi) had defied 27 years of anti-incumbency and won it for another five-year term should be a matter of pride. This is not an ordinary victory. It's special. Some people can't digest BJP victory, don't waste your time on them and just focus on New India by 2022, Modi said. He later tweeted: The victory in Gujarat is special. Starting from 1989, people of Gujarat have been blessing BJP in every Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha election. It is an honour to be serving Gujarat for so many years. We will continue to work for Gujarats growth." The victory in Gujarat is special. Starting from 1989, people of Gujarat have been blessing BJP in every Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha election. It is an honour to be serving Gujarat for so many years. We will continue to work for Gujarats growth. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 The central theme of his thanksgiving speech revolved around three issues first, that the election results had conclusively settled the debate on misgivings Delhi-based intelligentsia had about GST and perceived anger of people on the issue. His argument was urban bodies election in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat Assembly election and the Maharashtra local bodies election had proved the sceptics wrong. Modi had a reason to make this claim. The BJP won all 12 Assembly seats in Surat, a city which hit national headlines on the basis of perceived anger of the business community and the possibility of them voting against the BJP. Second, he expressed his concern over the way the Gujarati society had split on caste lines, which was considered to be a sad preserve of states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and was threatening to penetrate into Gujarat with the same ferocity. Modi went at length appealing to the people of Gujarat that the society should remain one and should not allow the divisive sentiments derail the developmental process and disturb social harmony. Though he didnt name the Patidar community a section of the community as led by Hardik Patel and their anger against the death of 14 young boys in police firing during the reservation agitation and resentment among the Dalits after the Una incident, it was more than clear which sections of society he was addressing. Patidars have been hugely supportive of the BJP since 1985 and the ruling party couldnt afford their alienation. So was in the case of Dalits. He knew that it would be difficult for Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to address their concerns as Modi could have done, he thus thought it appropriate to make an appeal directly to the people. To further boost the morale of party workers and leaders that they could reunite segments of society which had lately become disenchanted with it, Modi said though the election was fought between the BJP and the Congress on the ground, there were various other forces which sowed the seeds of discord for electoral gains. It was now incumbent on the party and the government to address to those concerns. Third, it was yet another occasion when Modi spoke of rising aspirations among all sections of society and need of governments of the day to come true to those expectations. If BJP poll catchphrase was Hu Chu Gujarat, Hu chu vikas (I am Gujarat, I am development) to counter Congress president Rahul Gandhis initial catchphrase (albeit borrowed) against BJP, Vikas Gano Thyo Che, today Modi went a step forward making his party workers shout a new slogan with him, Jeetega bhai jitega, vikas he jitega." Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017 Ever so frequently, a colloquial proverb comes in handy to sum up a complex political situation more aptly than scholarly formulations. If one looks at the Gujarat verdict, nothing describes it more perfectly than the adage, put to good use by Smriti Irani: "Jo jita wohi Sikandar (the victor is king)." Of course, there is no denying that the victor in Gujarat came quite close to his Waterloo this time. Gujarat has given jitters to the BJP leadership as the party has been able to retain the state only by the skin of its teeth. That was hardly expected from a party whose president proudly proclaimed that he would be content with nothing less than a three-fourth majority in the state Assembly. But what he got was just to scrape through the half-way mark of 92 in the 182-member legislative Assembly. Though the party has cause to celebrate in the Himachal Pradesh victory, all eyes were rightly on Gujarat the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also of BJP president Amit Shah, and the political pocket borough of Hindutva. For over two decades, this citadel of the BJP remained invulnerable to persistent attacks of its rivals. And there was every reason this time to let the BJP leadership feel they were invincible in Gujarat. Modis popularity continues to soar after his three years as prime minister. The massive and historic win in Uttar Pradesh was an indication of Modis unquestioned acceptance among the masses. The party established its bases in eastern India and made deep forays into the northeastern states. After coming to power with a decisive victory in 2014, the BJP under Modis leadership has expanded its footprint to include areas and social groups that it had not been able to connect with for long. Given all this, Gujarat should have been an easy and big win. The only factor that nagged the BJPs Gujarat leadership was Modis absence in Gandhinagar. This was the first election after his eventful 13 years in the state. But, decidedly, that deficit was more than adequately filled by Modis larger-than-life presence on the national stage. Not without reason, the BJPs state unit leadership was cocksure about winning the state hands down. In any case, the only challenge was from a weak Congress leadership in the form of the incoming party president Rahul Gandhi. That assurance bordering to the point of hubris was quite misplaced. Though it has won, the BJPs final figure leaves much scope for introspection. The first lesson it should draw from todays results is that arrogance is a bad substitute for good governance. Across the state, right from party workers to traders, industrialists and professionals, there was a massive upsurge of anger against "the arrogant conduct" of the state BJP leadership. That the BJPs state leadership is quite impervious to peoples plight was a common refrain among voters. The second lesson is that reliance on the bureaucracy for political delivery is bad tactics. Modi relied upon the state bureaucracy as a tool to achieve governance objectives, but Modis successors relied on the bureaucracy for political objectives. Neither Anandiben Patel nor Vijay Rupani could display the dexterity to match Modis ability to contain the bureaucracy. That is the precise reason why corruption became a major issue in these elections. Even at the Central level, the finance ministry drew major flak for its reluctance to attend to problems faced by people in Gujarat on account of the GST implementation. In Surat, Vadodara and even Rajkot, there was widespread resentment against politicians and officials of Gujarat cadre for implementing the GST in a most ham-handed manner. "Even Hasmukh Adhia and Arun Jaitley listened to our complaints only in a most cavalier manner," complained a group of textile traders in Surat. Even a casual conversation with people in Gujarat would elicit a unique response on the lines that "They (BJP) must be taught a lesson." Would that mean a defeat for the BJP, then? "Not at all, they must be stopped from becoming authoritarian," was the general refrain. There is hardly any doubt that the anger was so palpable that the prime minister took it upon himself to neutralise it by equating the election to Gujarats asmita (Gujarats pride). Just before the polls, it seems, people realised that a defeat of the BJP would effectively ruin Modis political prospects. Hence, they made a fine distinction between Modi and the BJP and voted for the former while rejecting the latter. At the same time, it would be naive to interpret the Gujarat results as a vindication of Rahul Gandhis leadership. Far from it, the results show that the Congress failed to capitalise on massive anger that had been built against the BJP in a crucial state where its victory would have created a tectonic shift in the countrys politics. Instead of consolidating its traditional support base, it allowed itself to be guided by lumpenised and anarchic tendencies represented by Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakore and forge an incompatible social alliance whose longevity is in doubt. At the same time, people of Gujarat outright rejected regional Congress leaders like Bharatsinh Solanki, Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia who they dont see as alternative to the BJPs state leaders. Of course, the results are bound to draw a picture of a tense future: it may prompt the BJP to introspect and attempt course correction before 2019. At the same time, they may prove a starting point for an alternative political discourse should Gandhi draw the right lessons and develop a robust organisational structure and an organic leadership within the party. The Gujarat election may mark the beginning of a big battle ahead. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the results of the Gujarat Assembly elections would not have any impact on the Assembly election in the state, which is due early next year. "The election results of one state will not have an effect on the election of another state. The issues will be different. Whatever may the Gujarat poll results be, it will have no impact on Karnataka," he told reporters at Yadgir in the northern parts of the state. The Congress leader also claimed that by ensuring the party's victory in the Assembly polls, Karnataka would give the "first gift" to newly-appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his leadership. Claiming that there was no anti-incumbency against his government, Siddaramaiah said if it was there, the Congress would have got to know about it in the Nanjangud and Gundlupet by polls, which the party won by big margins. "I am sure that in 2018, we will come back to power hundred percent," he added. The Congress has already announced that Siddaramaiah will be its face in the Karnataka Assembly polls. Expressing doubts about the BJP's performance in Gujarat, despite anti-incumbency and a strong undercurrent against it, the chief minister said the poll results lent credence to the doubts regarding the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Raising apprehensions that the EVMs could be tampered with, Siddaramaiah had recently demanded the use of ballot papers in the next Assembly polls in the state. Suggesting that in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP was expected to win because of the anti-incumbency factor against the Congress, he pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah were from Gujarat and claimed that the duo had taken the Gujarat election as a "prestige issue". He also acknowledged that the strategy of Modi and Shah of using the "Gujarati pride" card had effectively worked in the saffron party's favour. Though there was an undercurrent and a strong anti-incumbency factor against the Gujarat government, Modi had asked for votes pointing out that he was from the state, Siddaramaiah said, adding, "Most probably, this worked." Noting that the trends of the results showed an improved performance of the Congress, the chief minister gave the credit for that to Rahul Gandhi. "I feel, in Gujarat, we have won despite losing. The people have shown their support to Rahul Gandhi's leadership," he said. Pointing at Modi and Shah's Gujarati origin and the fact that the BJP was in power both in Gujarat and at the Centre as factors behind the saffron party's performance, the Congress leader accused it of polarising the voters by systematically playing the communal card. "They (BJP) are playing it in Karnataka also by triggering communal tensions with an intention to polarise the voters. But it will not happen," he said. The BJP is headed for a record sixth straight victory in the Gujarat Assembly polls on Monday. The party is also set to evict the Congress from Himachal Pradesh. Click here to read LIVE updates on Gujarat Assembly Election Results 2017 Click here to read LIVE updates on Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election Results 2017 New Delhi: The BJP's performance in Gujarat polls is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development politics over "dirty caste politics" of Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. "All sections of society have voted above caste politics. This is a win of development politics of the prime minister. In Gujarat, OBC, patidar, dalit all were used for caste politics by the Congress but caste politics could not get success," senior BJP leader said. Gadkari said the success of the BJP in both the states is "people's approval of our policies, work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his development agenda". He said, "As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, after he became Congress president, he has lost Himachal Pradesh and could not bring the Congress in power to Gujarat." Gadkari accused the Congress of leaving no stone unturned in portraying the BJP and the central government in bad light and added that "despite the Congress' dirty caste-based politics, people have reposed faith in the BJP". "This will strengthen our policies," he said and added that in Gujarat the BJP is ruling the state since 1989 and after years of governance, the people have reposed faith in the party. Asked about opposition charges of EVM tampering, the senior party leader questioned as to why they raised the issue only after losing elections. "When they lose elections they raise EVM issue. Were EVMs functioning properly when Congress got lead in several seats? "When you (Congress) won Punjab then EVM was functioning properly and when you lose then EVM malfunctions," Gadkari, who is the minister of Road, Transport, Highways, Shipping, Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation, said. He said victory or defeat in politics and elections should be embraced with an open heart and such kind of allegations were not proper. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 New Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said the Congress should take all secular parties along to usher a change in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Commenting on the election trends in Gujarat which show the BJP losing some ground to the Congress, Yadav said that regional parties and regional issues will have a role to play in the next general elections. "The BJP speaks of sabka sath, sabka vikas but when we try to give justice to all sections of society, the same BJP calls it appeasement. We can build a strong Bharat only with taking all people and all sections along," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. He said the nation cannot progress when farmers are distressed, and youth are unemployed. "The elections should be fought on issues. Farmers' distress, youth unemployment are issues.In 2019, you will see change," he added. In many ways, economy was central to Gujarat election. From the very beginning, the fight was about Goods and Services Tax (GST), impact of demonetisation, unemployment and rural distress (Patidar, OBC job quota agitations). The results (at the time of filing this piece, BJP is heading for victory) leave important lessons for both the Congress and BJP. A failure of the BJP in an industry-heavy state like Gujarat would have a sent a message that Modi governments economic policies are getting a thumbs down from the ground, which would have discouraged the government from pursuing aggressive reforms in the remainder of its term. This is essentially the reason why the stock market responded with panic (the benchmark Sensex tanked 800 points in the morning) and recovered when the BJP tally soon improved to a winning margin. As commentators such as economist Surjit Bahalla and Yogendra Yadav rightly pointed out in a discussion on a TV channel early in the day, the Congress was left with the economy as its only weapon in Gujarat. Even the fundamental reasons for grouping with Patidars and OBCs can be traced to the rural distress that resulted in some amount of anti-incumbency in the rural belt of Gujarat, although numbers from industry-heavy belts like Surat show that the anti-incumbency was not anywhere close to the level the Congress was expecting. There was surely anger against BJP on account of demonetisation and GST but the Congress mistake was in believing that this anger on the ground would fully translate into votes at poll booth. The Congress had unrealistic expectations. But, beyond harping on this point, the fact remains that beyond promising job reservations, the party didnt have a strong economic plan to offer how to address the rural agrarian distress, the growth of a parallel economy (Modi tried to address the problem with steps such as demonetisation and targeting benami companies), rising unemployment and crying need for bold reforms to take out archaic tax laws in the country. Rahul made a remarkable comeback in the past few months, but the fact that his party didnt have any strong presence on the ground for best part of last five years weighed heavily against the Congress. Although the Congress can claim its voting share improved, it missed an opportunity in Gujarat. The Congress also made the huge mistake of getting too close to caste-leaders like Hardik Patel, which in turn alienated it from other caste groups Rahuls last minute efforts to appease the upper-caste Hindu vote bank by visiting almost every temple in the state and pronouncing his sacred thread wearing Hindu Brahmin status boomeranged as those were seen as tailor-made political gimmicks. But even in defeat, the Congress is in a much better position compared to what was initially rumored to be Amit Shah predicted 150 seats in Gujaratand in terms of vote share, compared to the 2012 polls. Similarly, the BJP, even in victory, cannot take great comfort for the same reason. The fact that Congress managed to put up a tough fight in GujaratModis home state, is something that should bother the BJP ahead of a series of other elections next year in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. The fight will be lot tougher in those states where there are a relatively stronger Opposition. The party should not forget that if BJP has fallen short of its original target, it is not just due to Rahul's electoral strategy in the state but also due to the unhappiness in the trader community on account of this government's big-ticket economic policies: Mainly demonetisation and the way GST was introduced. Surely, the BJP needs to think over these factors post election and work on a resolution. Even if the BJP manages a narrow victory in Gujarat, this election should act as an eye-opener for the Modi government at Centre before it prepares for more state polls next year and, finally, the big fight in 2019. Gujarat offers a good reason for Modi and his team to introspect. But, the bigger lesson, as pointed out earlier, is for the Congress. It needs to have a clear plan to work with other than being reactive to Modi governments policies. At this stage, the Congress is left with its lone weaponeconomyto counter BJP. It clearly overestimated the power of this lone weapon and thus lost an opportunity to beat Modi in his home state. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 If Congress president Rahul Gandhi had a magic wand, he would have loved to freeze time when the clock struck 9:30 am on Monday. At that moment, he would have leapt up from his seat, punched the air with his fist and believed that the Congress could finally win in Gujarat. At that moment, TV screens showed the Congress stepping on the pedal and racing past the BJP, getting within striking distance of the majority mark. Alas, that was the closest the Congress came to victory. The problem with the Congress is that though Rahul doesn't have a magic wand, the BJP does. It has more or less, like Dumbledore, managed to cast the petrificus totulus spell on the Congress, making its electoral fortunes come to a standstill. The Gujarat election is a good example of the stymied Congress. After 22 years of elections spread across earthquakes, riots, citizen's movements and several changes in leadershipfrom Rajiv Gandhi to his sonthe Congress finds itself, yet again, sitting in the Opposition, with the consolation of having a few more seats than the previous election. But, of all the losses since 1985, this one would rankle most. For this was the first time in decades the Congress actually appeared to be in a position to win. It had many things going for it, less because of its own efforts and more because of its luck. (We Indians have a good phrase for it: Billi ke bhaag ka cheenka tootna). This year, the Congress was riding on the back of Patidar and Dalit agitations. It was expecting to benefit from the buzz around Goods and Services Tax, unemployment, 22 years of anti-incumbency and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence. Yet, it could not bell the BJP cat. The only explanations for this loss is this: The Congress doesn't have the ability to capitalise on favourable circumstances. This happened because it failed to sell itself as a viable alternative to Modi and BJP in Gujarat, and, simultaneously, its cadres failed to convert the anti-BJP mood into votes. This should worry the Congress because it creates the impression that even if voters want a change, the Congress is still not the heir apparent. Ahead of the 2019 elections, this tells voters that TINA (there is no alternative to the BJP) is still the dominant character of Indian democracy. The Congress would be living in la la land if it thinks winning a few more seats this year is a moral victory. It would also like to highlight the nearly four percent votes it gained since 2012. The fact is, it has betrayed the hopes of the Patidars, farmers, traders and unemployed youth who were clamouring for change. It has thrown away a golden opportunity to upset the BJP. The Congress should not forget that its gains are primarily in Saurashtra, where farmers and Patidars combined to give it a few more seats. In all other regions, it failed to hold on to its vote base, indicating it stood frozen in time since 2012. It is safe to assume that without Hardik Patel, left to its own leaders, the Congress would have suffered a heavier defeat. Nothing about the Congress has changed outside Saurashtra. In 2012, it was primarily a village-centric party that had become redundant in urban and semi-urban centres. In this election too it has failed miserably in Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Ahmedabad, the four big cities of Gujarat. Its inability to influence urban voters points at a huge disconnect with aspirations of Indians. It failed to hold on to its traditional vote banks of tribals and Dalits. The losses in South and North Gujarat, where the Patidar factor was negated by the presence of OBCs, tribals and Dalits, point to a gradual erosion of its KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi and Muslim) base since every election after 1985. Similarly, in spite of its attempt at highlighting Rahul as a janeu-dhaari Hindu, it lost a majority of seats where Hindus are dominant. The Congress should worry also about its inability to run a campaign that influences fence sitters. This is visible in the vote shares of the two parties. Tentative figures show the Congress polled around 43 percent and the BJP inched up to 50 percent. This is significant because the final election tracker by ABP-CSDS suggested both parties were stuck at 43 percent. Obviously, the fence sitters tilted towards the BJP. The biggest gain for the Congress, of course, is Rahul's evolution as a leader who is ready to fight on the ground, of a speaker who is taken seriously, even if he is still not in the same league as the prime minister. The year 2017 is ending with Congress having a 1-3 win-loss record. If the Congress looks at results of the four major states that went to polls this year, it can learn the right lessons. Punjab should tell the party it can't win a Modi vs Rahul fight. But, it can prevail if the contest is between two regional leaders. So, perhaps it can think of putting a strong regional leader at the vanguard in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where elections are due next. Uttar Pradesh and Gujaratalso Bihar where it was ousted this year from powercan remind it of the perils of tying to pillion ride a bicycle and trusting the likes of Hardik, Akhilesh and Nitish to take it over the finishing line. To win, it will have to invest in its own satraps and cadres. The only good news is, Gujarat has told us Modi's dream of Congress-mukt Bharat is not going to be fulfilled in a hurry. Compared to 2014, the Congress has won in around 60 more Assembly segments this year and gained 10 percent votes. Even though Rahul doesn't have a magic wand, he Congress should be happy that India's politics is no longer frozen in 2014. The spell that Modi had cast may be fading. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 This is the first time that the Gujarat electorate had the option of choosing NOTA in an Assembly election, The Quint reported. According to a report in Governance Now, NOTA was introduced by the Election Commission of India in October 2013, following an order of the Supreme Court on 27 September, 2013. NOTA is represented by an X symbol on ballot paper at the end of the panel. NOTA allows voters to make a choice not to vote for any candidate offered by political parties, according to the Governance Now report. During the 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections, NOTA option was not available on the Electronic Voting Machines. According to an anonymous political analyst quoted by PTI, NOTA, when introduced in the 2014 general elections, was used by over 4.20 lakh voters in Gujarat. "That time, the Congress was going through its worst political phase and a strong anti-incumbency sentiment was prevailing across the central and western India. Still, some 4.20 lakh voters (in Gujarat) used NOTA," the analyst said. "This time, some socio-economic segments are disappointed with the ruling BJP. Some castes are aggressively opposing the saffron party, while some sectors, such as small and medium scale industries, are severely criticising it for the way it introduced GST and pushed for it. The NOTA votes will come from these sectors, who had earlier supported the BJP leaders," he said. With inputs from PTI The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will retain power in Gujarat for a sixth straight term, after it just about edged past the half-way mark in one of the most bitterly contested elections in recent times. The BJP clinched 99 seats out of 182, whule the Congress improved its tally as compared to five years ago, winning 77 seats. Smaller parties and Independent candidates clinched six seats. While the BJP celebrated all across Gujarat and in Delhi, the 99-seat tally was far less than the target of 150 set by party president Amit Shah, and 16 less than what it got in 2012. The Congress' campaign, led by its now president Rahul Gandhi, finished with a tally of 77, its highest in the western state in the last 22 years. Outside Parliament, a beaming Modi flashed the victory sign to celebrate the result. Senior BJP leaders taunted Rahul and said the result proved that the people had embraced the Gujarat model of development. But the BJP's overall voteshare in the state plunged from 60.11 percent, which it managed in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, to 49 percent, indicating a sharp erosion of support in a state which the party considers its fortress. However, it can take comfort in the 1.25 percent increase in its voteshare compared to the 2012 Assembly election. Meanwhile, Congress' voteshare soared from 33.45 percent in 2014 to 41.5 percent. Union information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani brushed aside reports of BJP's waning support, saying, "Jo jeeta wohi sikander." Early scare As counting began across Gujarat at 8 am, the Congress' leads at one point went past the BJP's, giving a scare to the ruling party and sending stock markets plunging. However, the BJP managed to recover lost ground and eventually went past the half-way mark of 92 seats with ease. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and deputy chief minister Nitin Patel were themselves trailing in their respective constituencies of Rajkot West and Mehsana, but later rallied and won these seats. While Rupani won by 50,412 votes, Patel's victory margin was 7,951 votes. All Congress' chief ministerial contenders Shaktisinh Gohil (Mandvi), Arjun Modhwadia (Bokhiria) and Siddharth Patel (Dabhoi) suffered defeats. While the BJP dominated the south, north and central Gujarat, Congress held the upper hand in the sprawling Saurashtra/Kutch region of the state. Interestingly, BJP prevailed in most seats that were deeply impacted by the Patidar agitation. The Patel community had rallied against the saffron party after 23-year-old leader Hardik Patel demanded job quotas and reservations. Patel later joined hands with Congress. However, after the BJP's win, he complained about faulty Electronic Voting Machines. BJP also proved its sway over urban centres, while the Congress' seats came mostly from rural regions. However, the one seat the BJP would have dearly loved to win the Unjha constituency, which includes the town of Vardhana, where Modi grew up saw a Congress victory. Positives for Congress The Congress said the poll results, though another defeat, were an improvement over the last election. It said they have brought the BJP to its knees by restricting it to under 100 seats in Gujarat. It also said these would have an impact on upcoming polls in other states, including BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Congress also termed the election results a "moral victory" for the party and said it showed a "mirror of truth to those who are arrogant". AICC general secretary in-charge of Gujarat, Ashok Gehlot, said the Gujarat results were "neither BJP's victory, nor Congress' defeat". "I feel this is a victory of our issue-based campaign. We see the results that way. No matter who forms the government, this is a moral victory for the Congress," said Gehlot. "On one hand, they are on 99, and on the other we have won around 83-84 (along with allies). This is clear that Rahul Gandhiji (Congress president) and the party have been able to restrict them to below 100. On behalf of Rahulji and Congress, we congratulate the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. "BJP won by a whisker in Gujarat. We will bring them back to the issues of development from trying to divert attention. We will keep fighting on the issues of people and their aspirations," Surjewala added. "Six of their ministers have lost to Congress candidates. All Congress MLAs who defected to BJP have lost. In Vadnagar, which is Modiji's hometown, they lost to a Congress candidate. Asha Patel won by a margin of 19,000. People are giving a message. In Somath too, BJP lost all four seats. Congress has gained from 43 MLAs to 84. Since 1995, for the first time, they have been reduced to a two-digit figure (99)," he said. The party in a tweet accepting defeat said that they may have lost the polls but they weren't "taking off their gloves yet". The Congress Party extends a huge thank you to the people of Himachal Pradesh & Gujarat for having faith in us and giving us their vote. Our congratulations to the Bharatiya Janta Party. However we aren't taking off our gloves just yet; see you on the campaign trail in 2018! Congress (@INCIndia) December 18, 2017 Rahul also conceded defeat and wished the BJP best in a tweet, adding that he was proud of Congress' workers for "fighting against anger with dignity". My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congresss greatest strength is its decency and courage. Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 Meanwhile, the BJP termed the victory a "people's verdict on demonetisation and GST". Modi insisted that "India was ready for reforms". He also lashed out at Congress for "outsourcing" its election to caste-based agitation leaders like Alpesh Thakore and Hardik Patel though he didn't name them. The prime minister also thanked Gujaratis for "rejecting venomous brand of campaign" and urged them to stay united and foil any further attempts to "sow seeds of casteism". BJP president Amit Shah said the BJP's engine of growth and victory will continue in full steam in upcoming elections as well. Hardik, on the other hand, alleged that the saffron party played an "unfair game" by "tampering" with EVMs and using "money power". The Patidar Anamant Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener, who backed the Congress in the polls, said the party would have won had the BJP not "indulged in cheating". He also conceded that results from urban seats of Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surat were not on expected lines. Patel insisted that "EVMs can be hacked like ATMs". Dissatisfaction with BJP Results in Gujarat reflected dissatisfaction among the state's electorate, with many voting against the governments at the Centre and state. The discontentment was especially rife in rural belts, where Congress outperformed the BJP with farmers raising the issue of 'Minimum Support Price' of cotton. Several regions of the state are also reeling with water woers. According to a break-up given by CNN-News 18, out of the 98 rural seats, Congress has won 56, while the BJP could get only 39, eight less than what it managed in 2012. Though the BJP improved its tally in north and central Gujarat, the Congress' gains almost entirely came from the rural Gujarat belt. However, it cannot be said for certain whether the Congress will be able to sustain this combination of ambitious first-timers in politics two of whom do not belong to the party for any length of time, especially when the prize for which they came together has eluded them. For the Congress, therefore, it is almost back to square one in Gujarat as the state has once again slipped out of its grasp and it will have to re-engage all over again in building the party's ground level base. Psephologist and political activist Yogendra Yadav, while commenting on the results, told CNN-News18 that the Congress leadership must learn three lessons from the loss in Gujarat. "The Congress cannot substitute organisational strength at grassroots level with last minute hawabazi (empty talk). The party must understand it cannot borrow other people's movements. It cannot piggyback on OBC or Dalit leaders' agitations and popularity and hope to win. The Congress cannot battle the kind of naked communalism unleashed by the BJP with the sort of surreptitious casteism it tried to use," Yadav said. But the big takeaway nevertheless for the Grand Old Party is that it has succeeded in giving BJP a scare which no one even thought possible in 2014, or when the Congress lost four Assembly elections in a row. And secondly, the party can now look forward with considerable confidence to next year's elections in the three BJP-ruled states: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where it may not be possible for Modi and BJP president Shah to stave off the anti-incumbency factor as they did in Gujarat. However, the victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will help the BJP retain the electoral momentum ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, though the outcome in the western state has also given the Congress a fresh hope of taking on BJP in the coming battles. The Gujarat election was held on 9 and 14 December and was marked by a viciousness that pitted Prime Minister Modi against the Congress, including his predecessor Manmohan Singh. Modi had been the Gujarat chief minister from 2001 until he became the prime minister in 2014. It was the first Assembly election in Gujarat after Modi shifted to New Delhi. For detailed coverage on Gujarat Assembly elections, click here With inputs from agencies Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) spectacular electoral victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election was, among other things, a validation of the 8 November, 2016 demonetisation decision of the Narendra Modi government. Uttar Pradesh is one of the poorest states in India. Modis detractors, including the Congress, launched a frontal attack on this decision, saying demonetisation disproportionately affected the poor, farmers and small and medium-size industries by rendering them cashless for nearly two months. Cash drove the Indian economy, especially the unorganised sector, they argued. Ergo, demonetisation of the high denomination notes (Rs 500 and Rs 1,000) put the poor out of business, they contended. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh has been in the forefront of no-holds barred attack on the Modi government for what he calls the 'mindless' demonetisation decision. But the Uttar Pradesh electorate gave a thumbs up to the decision, thus fortifying Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys argument that the decision, bitter as it was, took aim at people holding black money. The poor were indeed caught in the crossfire, but as the Uttar Pradesh election results showed, they bore the brunt cheerfully. The other decision the Modi government has been pilloried for is rolling out of Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 1 July, 2017. In fact, the Congress and Singh never tire of attributing the slack in growth to what they call twin economic blunders of demonetization and GST. In fact, in the Gujarat Assembly election, GST was blown up as a major issue by the Opposition, especially in predominant business centers such as Surat and Ahmadabad. That the BJP has scored resounding victories in these centers is another electoral validation of a seminal economic policy of the Modi government, despite the teething troubles GST posed for traders. To be sure, the Modi government woke up to the practical difficulties of GST and initiated corrective action. A stitch in time saves nine. Modi government did precisely that and the Gujarat electorate appreciated its gesture in humbly owning up its mistakes and heeding public opinion. The intelligent people of Gujarat, known for their business acumen, appreciated the twin planks of GST: 1. Preventing tax on tax or cascading effect of the erstwhile multiple taxes at multiple stages without recognising the tax on inputs already paid. 2. Preventing tax evasion by its self-policing mechanism that consists in the successor in the supply chain insisting on tax paid invoice from his predecessor. The Modi government would now be emboldened to go full throttle on cracking down on benami properties, which are believed to be the bane of the Indian economy and which act as a stumbling block on collecting full tax. It is also likely to get full public support for linking immovable properties to Aadhaar. Of course, this would yield results only insofar as properties owned by individuals are concerned. But then, the government is separately and effectively addressing the dubious immovable properties held by shell companies. The Modi government might not have lived up to all promises made in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election. But its corruption-free administration, crackdown on black money and mainstreaming of the economy are going to be its seminal contributions in its first term, which, by themselves are likely to ensure a second term in 2019. The government, however, needs to prove that it is not obsessed with black money alone. It has to address rural distress and unemployment. One hopes in the short time between now and the 2019 election, it takes concrete steps to address these two festering problems. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 As the final results of the Gujarat Assembly elections are being tallied, it is clear that the Congress will win close to 80 of the 182 seats in the state Assembly. To put things into perspective, the last time the Congress won more seats in the Gujarat Assembly was in 1985, and that was a whopping 149 seats. That year, Madhavsinh Solanki became the chief minister. The misrule was such that even today many remember that era marked by Hindu-Muslim violence and poor law and order. Many Hindu traders remember that time for Muslim criminals and curfews. In the next election, in 1990, the Congress won just 33 seats. In 1995, it improved its tally marginally to 45 seats. In 1998, 53 seats; in 2002, 51 seats; in 2007, 59 seats; and in 2012, 61 seats. Winning close to 80 seats in Gujarat makes the Congress look not weak but rather a strong contender for power. It can be said that finally, the Congress in Gujarat has turned a leaf, and has moved beyond the Madhavsinh Solanki era. The cherry on the cake is that this has happened when the tallest product of Gujarat BJP, Narendra Modi, is India's prime minister. It is no mean achievement to have staged a recovery on Modi's home turf when the Gujarati Modi-Shah duo has been winning state after state, wiping out the Congress in a mission to create a 'Congress-mukt' Bharat. The BJP beat 22 years of anti-incumbency, that is true. Yet the numbers also show that the BJP was weakened more in this Assembly election than any recent Gujarat election. Its vote share has increased but so has the Congress'. The 'others' have disappeared. Congress rebel leader Shankersinh Vaghela's newly formed party is nowhere to be seen. The Congress, with its ally the Bhartiya Tribal Party, has reduced the vote share gap with the BJP. The gap is now around seven percent, it used to be around 10 percent. But that is a misleading statistic because the high vote share gap comes from the large margins with which the BJP wins its urban seats. The small margins on many seats, particularly rural seats, is reflective of how close this election was. If a few more things had gone the Congress' way, it could have actually won. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 43.3 percent vote share. In the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, nearly three years later, it won 41.35 percent votes. In terms of both votes and seats, the BJP retained its popularity in Uttar Pradesh from 2014 to 2017. This, however, is not the case in Gujarat. The party won each one of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat in 2014 with a 59 percent vote share. The Congress, with 33 percent vote share, was 26 percent behind the BJP. If the 2014 Lok Sabha results were broken down, assembly/segment-wise, the BJP won 162 Assembly seats out of 182. From that landslide to just a handful above the majority mark, the BJP has fallen quite a bit. When BJP leaders tell us to ignore these numbers and look at the fact that there was a 22 year-wave of anti-incumbency, it is an acknowledgement the Modi-fied BJP is not immune to anti-incumbency. The Congress party has been so down and out since 2013 that the spectre of a 'Congress-mukt' Bharat has looked real. By staging a recovery in Gujarat, the Congress can finally have the confidence that it can recover, that it can put up a fight against the BJP and exploit anti-incumbency. The BJP is going to form the government in Gujarat once again, but the Congress has won its highest ever seats in the state since 1985. It would be fair to say that the winner came second. Any stakeholder in the Gujarat election who has doubts over the inviolability of the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)-enabled Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used, can approach the returning officers for a verification of the paper trails. The manual on EVM and VVPAT issued by the Election Commission (EC) lays down a simple and straightforward procedure for counting the paper trails to allay doubts. Allegation of EVMs being rigged have caused much debate in public sphere during Gujarat election, as many parties, including the pressure groups actively involved in the election campaign, have raised the issue of possible EVM manipulation in the media. On Friday, the Congress approached the Supreme Court asking the to count and cross verify at least 25 percent of the VVPAT paper trail (votes) with the EVM votes" cast in the Gujarat election, but the apex court rejected the plea. The Supreme Court did not find any reason to maintain the case and a three-judge bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud told senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi who appeared for the Congress, that it could not act on mere apprehensions unless something concrete substantiated the same. There was another reason why the Supreme Court disagreed to maintain the case. The VVPAT manual lays down clear procedures to verify paper trail in case of any doubts. As per this manual, the party can approach the Returning Officer and get the paper trails counted. Stating that this procedure was mentioned in the manual, Justice Chandrachud told Singhvi that election rules already empowered a candidate to ask the Returning Officer to count the paper slips. The manual clearly defines the procedure of counting the paper trail in section 21.13. As per the manual, after the entries made in the result sheet of election are announced, any candidate, or in his absence, his election agent or any of his counting agents may apply in writing to the Returning Officer to count the printed paper slips of VVPAT unit with respect to any polling station or all polling stations. On such an application being made, the Returning Officer shall pass a speaking order on whether the counting of paper slips shall be done or not. Significantly, the manual further says that if there is discrepancy between the count of votes displayed on the control unit and the count of printed-paper slips in respect of any polling station, the result sheet will be amended as per the printed paper slips count. Which makes it clear that to allay any doubts regarding manipulation of VVPAT-enabled EVMs, the Congress didn't need to approach the Supreme Court or make an issue out of it in the media. The manual and procedures laid out take care of any such concerns that the Congress may have. VVPAT-enabled EVMs were used in Gujarat Assembly polls as the demands for its use have been rising along with allegations of EVM tampering. The allegations gained momentum after the BJP won a massive victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year. Introducing these gadgets, the EC said, The machines give a voter for chance to verify their vote. The machine is placed in a glass case in a way that only the voter can see it. The slip is displayed to the voter for seven seconds. After that, the VVPAT machine cuts it and drops in into the storage box with a beep. The machines can be accessed, though, by the polling officials and not by the voter. VVPAT machines simultaneously enable voters to be sure of which candidate gets their vote and empowers the EC to recount votes for booths where allegations are made that EVMs are compromised. But allegations of EVM manipulations persist. On Sunday, Hardik Patel, a Gujarat Patidar leader, raised the spectre of EVM tampering, saying: "EVMs decide our country's future... if ATMs can be hacked, why can't EVMs? BJP president Amit Shah on Monday told the media that decision related to use or not use EVMs rests with the EC and not the BJP. Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 The counting for the Himachal Pradesh election is set to begin. Political rhetoric has died down and both the BJP and Congress are anxiously waiting for the result. The Himachal Pradesh election is important for both the parties because while Congress is trying to retain its state, the BJP is trying to increase its foothold in the country to come closer to its promise of a 'Congress-mukt' India. In the two-horse race, both the parties banked heavily on development issues and acknowledged that 'development' will be the only major political issue in 2017's state Assembly election. The other minor issues which evoked sharp reactions and allegations were infrastructure, employment and mining mafia. According to a survey conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO working in the area of electoral and political reforms, jobs, public transport, empowerment and security of women, trustworthiness of candidates, environment, electric supply, roads, drinking water and law and order were the top issues in Himachal. Development BJPs election in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, Thaawar Chand Gehlot, said that the only issue in the state polls is development, development, development. Congress' Anand Sharma agreed when he told The Indian Express, "The Virbhadra Singh-led state government has undertaken a lot of projects in the past five years which will play a major role in these polls." While rejecting the exit polls predictions which give BJP a clear victory in the state, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadhra Singh said, " The Congress will come back to power based on its track record of development." He told The Indian Express, the BJP had done a smear campaign against him because they knew his track record of development in the state. He said even during his earlier terms, such development had not taken place. In his first election rally in the hill state, Congress president Rahul Gandhi claimed that Himachal Pradesh's development model was far ahead of the 'Gujarat Model'. "We work hard. We work day and night, unlike the Modi government which only makes tall promises," he said BJP chief Amit Shah responded to the claims of development, saying the present government is "neither competent nor capable" of ensuring development in Himachal Pradesh. Criticising Rahul for questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi on development, Shah said, "Forget what the BJP did in the last three years, we will give every account of our development programmes in 2019, but Rahul baba should tell that what his three generations and his party did for the country in the past 70 years." Employment In its manifesto, Congress said private bus permits would be given to youth to generate self-employment. The party also promised to reduce the period of contractual employees and daily wagers from five and ten years to three and five years and now it has promised to regularise contract employees and daily wagers after two and three years respectively, NDTV reported. The BJP's vision document for Himachal Pradesh also focused on employment generation because it was seen as another major issue in the election. The document said, thrust will be on generation of employment by harnessing tourism potential and developing new tourist circuits. The document also promises abolition of interviews for class III and Class IV jobs, laptops and free WiFi and job fairs to facilitate unemployed youth. Corruption As both the parties fought hard to woo voters ahead of the elections, the corruption allegations against Singh were played up by the BJP. While campaigning, Modi said that 'corruption is the only identity of Congress.' He slammed the party for keeping the Benami property law in cold storage for over thirty years. "They are worried that their property will be confiscated, so they are protesting on 8 November. Benami property raised property prices and dashed the dreams of the common man," Modi said. He vowed to continue his fight against corruption while adding, " I am not afraid of the Opposition burning my effigies or protesting against me. Corruption is the Congress' only identity." Shah also called out Singh and said that the chief minister will go down in the history as an example for corruption that has dented the clean image of the state and also destroyed his entire family, The Indian Express reported. Singh responded to these allegations by saying that the BJP's fight against corruption made him laugh. He further said, "Let's not forget the time when your party chose a joyous day of wedding of my daughter, Himachal's daughter, to carry out a CBI raid." Congress leader Anand Sharma also countered the BJP's attacks by saying, "Mere allegations of corruption against a leader by the Opposition doesn't make someone corrupt. Many BJP leaders have serious corruption charges against them. How about Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, whose sons name had come up in the Panama Papers or the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan? There are bigger money laundering scams of many BJP leaders. Have they ordered any probe against them?" Infrastructure The BJP has time and again accused the Himachal Pradesh government of failing to develop infrastructure in the state. Modi laid the foundation stone of a Rs 1,350-crore All India Institute of Medical Sciences project. He also laid the foundation stone for an Indian Institute of Information Technology at Una and a steel processing plant in Kangra district via video conference from Bilaspur. ANI quoted the prime minister as saying, Centre would invest Rs 15,000 crore for 13 development projects in Himachal Pradesh. Drug abuse Modi targeted the Congress government over the drug mafia issue saying, "There was a time when youth used to come to Kullu-Manali to enjoy adventure sports, but now their parents are worried if their children are going there to consume drugs," according to The Times of India. The Congress has however, been rejecting these claims. Industries minister in the Virbhadra Singh government Mukesh Agnihotri said it is an non-existent issue "being created by the Opposition". "We are contesting on development and welfare agenda, but when the BJP realised they cannot counter us on this, they have started to create non-existent issues like drugs," he told PTI. With inputs from agencies Auto refresh feeds Here's an infographic on what the exit polls have said: VVPAT, short for Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail, is a small paper printout that the voters get once they exercise their franchise by pressing the relevant EVM machine button. This has been introduced because all Opposition parties, especially Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, created a ruckus post the historic win BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Their claim was that EVMs had been programmed in such a way that whatever button one presses on the EVM machine the vote is registered in favour of the BJP. The paper trail makes that impossible not to be noticed. Voters can instantly verify if the candidate they voted for is the real recipient of their vote. If, for example I voted for Candidate/party X, but my vote vent to Candidate/party Y, the VVPAT immediately shows up the error or manipulation. The voter can instantly lodge a complaint. So whats the merit of the Congress tampering claims? Thats coming up soon. What is VVPAT and how does it eliminate scope for manipulation of EVM machines? According to Times Now, BJP leads in 19 seats while Congress leads in 10. India Today TV says BJP leads in 18 seats while Congress leads in 10. According to NDTV, BJP leads in 14 seats while Congress leads in 5. Here is a trajectory of leads till now Here's an infographic on BJP, Congress trends since counting began at 8 am According to News18, BJP spokesperson RP Singh said the win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh is important but the partys politics is beyond electoral wins. We are running the government for the nation. Elections are important but as Modi ji puts it we are working to take the nation ahead on the global stage. According to a report in Hindustan Times , the state election body has written to the EC that webcasting in Himachal Pradesh was done from just 500 polling booths as against the target of 2,307 poll booths. The report states that the reason behind this was the lack of manpower and technical support at Epitome Corporation Ltd, the Gujarat-based firm responsible for webcasting during the election. BJP leads in 38 seats, Congress ahead in 25, according to CNN-News18 After ten rounds of counting, BJP's chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal is trailing by more than 3,000 votes in Sujanpur constituency. There are four more rounds of voting to go. If he loses, the saffron party will face an uphill task of picking another CM candidate in Himachal Pradesh. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam alleges the BJP has won the elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat due to EVMs Satpal Singh Raizada and Vikramaditya Singh of Congress win from Una and Shimla rural respectively This victory reflects the faith the people of Theog have reposed in the CPM to protect their rights and work for their interests in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, the party said, in a statement, says PTI. Latest numbers: BJP at 43, Congress at 21, CPM at 1 and Independent-1 Rohit Thakur of Congress wins Jubbal-Kotkhai by over 9,000 votes defeating BJPs Narinder Bragta, says The Indian Express More women exercised their franchise than men in Himachal Pradesh which recorded its highest turnout in Assembly polls at 74.61 percent, according to official figure.As many as 19,10,582 female voters exercised their franchise against 18,11,061 male voters in the hill state, where the BJP seeks to dislodge the ruling Congress on the issue of corruption while deflecting attacks on demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).- News 18 Newly elected BJP MLA from Kutlehar constituency, Virender Kanwar, announces that he will give up his seat for Prem Kumar Dhumal, who is trailing in his constituency in Sujanpur. - The Indian Express BJP MLA from Kutlehar constituency Virender Kanwar to give up seat for Dhumal Questions raised on who will be BJP's next CM face Outgoing chief minister Virbhadra Singh wins from Arki constituency. He beats BJP candidate Rattan Singh Pal. Virbhadra and his son have now registered victories to the 68-member Assembly.- The Indian Express Amit Shah arrives at party HQ as workers celebrate in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh PM Modi says election results show strong support for politics of good governance and development Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath asks Congress to prepare for 20124. "The results have shown that the people of Gujarat and Himachal are strongly with the economic initiatives taken by Prime Minister Modi and will continue to support him to see India emerge as a global economic superpower," Adityanath said. The monk-turned-chief minister also advised Opposition leaders to accept the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. -IANS Better prepare for 2024, as BJP will win 2019: Yogi Adityanath tells Congress Outgoing CM Virbhadra Singh says the central leadership of Congress did not spend much time in Himachal Pradesh. He adds that it is a tradition in Himachal Pradesh where Congress and BJP keep winning alternately. Central leadership of Congress did not spend much time in Himachal, says Virbhadra Singh Victory in Gujarat and Himachal shows people have once again accepted PM Modi, his policies and Gujarat model, says BS Yeddyurappa, Karnataka BJP president.They've voted for development and against corrupt Congress and it'll have a positive impact in Karnataka, he added. 'Victory in Himachal, Gujarat can have positive impact in Karnataka' I would like to thank and congratulate people of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, says Amit Shah Big win for politics of performance and this shows a shift in people's mind: Amit Shah Amit Shah says we have won by a big margin in Himachal Pradesh and our vote percentage has improved by 10 percent here. It is clear that Himachal wants to join Modi's model of development. Shah says by 2022 Modiji's dream of having a New India will be fulfilled 'The 2/3rd lead in Himachal Pradesh shows people there want to join PM Modi in the journey to development' Today after Parliamentary Board meeting, names of CMs of both states will be decided: Amit Shah We will win upcoming election in next 4 states, says Shah We were at the receiving end after Congress got into dirty politics of casteism. So we had to respond strongly because the attack was aimed at PM, says Shah. 'We had to respond to Congress' dirty politics of casteism' Rahul Gandhi says Congress accepts verdict of the people and congratulates new governments in both states This is the present BJP map of India Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulates Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for winning the Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The Janata Dal (United) president also took a dig at the Congress, saying that while the party was aiming to defeat the BJP in Gujarat, it "ended up losing even in Himachal Pradesh", where it was in power. -PTI PK Dhumal says personal loss not of much importance, gain that victory has brought to state BJP is important Sad about Dhumal losing but happy that people of Himachal voted for BJP, says Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan Security at Delhi BJP HQ as PM is expected to arrive soon After thanking the people of Himachal Pradesh for giving BJP the victory, Amit Shah said that the party's two-third majority in the state is the public's mandate against the corrupt government of Virbhadra Singh. Narendra Modi says the entire nation is joining our Vikas Yatra The nation has chosen the path of reform and performance: Modi Results in Himachal show that if you don't do development then after 5 years people will not accept you, says Modi Recent elections results have proven that country is ready for reform, says Modi 'Sabka saath sabka vikas has been our motto and this is what ensured our victory' "After 2014, there is hunger for development. Even if you do not like BJP, do not try to derail the progress being made towards development," says Modi. Modi tells critics if you don't like BJP, don't try to derail progress toward development Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das on Monday said that the people of Gujarat have given their approval once again to development works and policies carried under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He congratulated the voters of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for giving verdict in favour of the party.- PTI BJP has won 32 seats, leading on 12 seats while Congress has won 17 and is leading on 4, say reports BJP in Kerala hailed the party's victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls and said it clearly indicated that the country was moving towards 'Congress mukt (Congress free) Bharat'. "The BJP's victory is also the defeat of the Congress party's strategy to win the polls through caste and narrow-minded politics", BJP state president Kummanon Rajasekharan told reporters. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday congratulated Narendra Modi, saying the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh election results were an endorsement of the governance and developmental agenda of his government. Mufti hoped that the prime minister would give a new impetus to the development agenda. "These results are an endorsement of his government's governance, developmental and economic agenda," she said in a statement.- PTI This is an irony lost on nobody in Himachal Pradesh because it was Dhumal who played a crucial role in ensuring the consolidation of the dominant Thakur community, that comprises 28 percent of the population of this hilly state. The Thakur vote is reported to have helped propel the BJP to its outstanding victory in the state (winning 32 and leading in 12 of the 68 seats at last count) ensuring their victory in over ten seats. Read more here. Congress' Rajinder Singh Rana has emerged as the giant killer of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections after defeating BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal from the Sujanpur constituency. EVMs cannot be tampered with, says Pushpendra Rajput, Chief Electoral Officer of Himachal Pradesh Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Tomar will go to Himachal to discuss about the leadership, says JP Nadda Wresting power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, BJP bagged 44 seats in the 68-seat Assembly on Monday to form the next government in the state. The hill state witnessed a record 75.28 percent turnout. BJP's chief ministerial face, Prem Kumar Dhumal, faced defeat in the contest for the Sujanpur Assembly seat. He lost to his Congress rival Rajinder Singh Rana by about 3,500 votes. Read more here. BJP in Kerala hailed the party's victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls and said it clearly indicated that the country was moving towards 'Congress mukt (Congress free) Bharat'. "The BJP's victory is also the defeat of the Congress party's strategy to win the polls through caste and narrow-minded politics", BJP state president Kummanon Rajasekharan told reporters. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday congratulated Narendra Modi, saying the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh election results were an endorsement of the governance and developmental agenda of his government. Mufti hoped that the prime minister would give a new impetus to the development agenda. "These results are an endorsement of his government's governance, developmental and economic agenda," she said in a statement.- PTI This is an irony lost on nobody in Himachal Pradesh because it was Dhumal who played a crucial role in ensuring the consolidation of the dominant Thakur community, that comprises 28 percent of the population of this hilly state. The Thakur vote is reported to have helped propel the BJP to its outstanding victory in the state (winning 32 and leading in 12 of the 68 seats at last count) ensuring their victory in over ten seats. Read more here. Congress' Rajinder Singh Rana has emerged as the giant killer of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections after defeating BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal from the Sujanpur constituency. EVMs cannot be manipulated in any way. I want to urge everyone to ignore rumours on this matter. The election conducted through EVMs & VVPAT are completely unbiased: Pushpendra Rajput, Chief Electoral Officer of Himachal Pradesh #ElectionResults2017 pic.twitter.com/x2qikY8Tqa EVMs cannot be tampered with, says Pushpendra Rajput, Chief Electoral Officer of Himachal Pradesh FM Arun Jaitley and General Secy of the party Saroj Pandey will go as observers to Gujarat & discuss about the leadership in the state. Similarly Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Tomar will go to Himachal Pradesh to discuss about the leadership there: JP Nadda pic.twitter.com/nSWF2znl5m Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Tomar will go to Himachal to discuss about the leadership, says JP Nadda Wresting power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, BJP bagged 44 seats in the 68-seat Assembly on Monday to form the next government in the state. The hill state witnessed a record 75.28 percent turnout. BJP's chief ministerial face, Prem Kumar Dhumal, faced defeat in the contest for the Sujanpur Assembly seat. He lost to his Congress rival Rajinder Singh Rana by about 3,500 votes. Read more here. Shimla: The fate of 337 candidates including Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his predecessor Prem Kumar Dhumal will be known soon as counting of votes is taken up in Himachal Pradesh where traditional rivals BJP and Congress have contested all 68 seats. The hill state witnessed a record 75.28 percent turnout and pollsters have predicted a BJP victory. Adequate security arrangements have been made for counting which would start simultaneously in all 68 constituencies at 42 counting centres. Corruption was the main focus of the BJP campaign with the party training its guns at Chief Minister Singh, while the Congress hit out at the BJP over the issue of GST and demonetisation. The BSP contested 42 seats followed by the CPM 14, the Swabhiman party and the Lok Gathbandhan Party six each and the CPI-3. Out of 67 sitting MLAs, 60 MLAS, nine cabinet ministers, HPCC president Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu, state BJP chief, Satpal Singh Satti, Deputy Speaker, Jagat Singh Negi and eight Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) contested the poll along with a dozen former ministers. Himachal Pradesh has a tradition of change in government after every elections and going by the trend, this time, it is the turn of the BJP which is upbeat after exit poll results. There are 25 Congress, 28 BJP and four independent MLAs in the outgoing house while one seat was lying vacant after death of former minister Karan Singh from Banjar. Sitting Rajya Sabha member Viplov Thakur (Congress), former Lok Sabha members, Chander Kumar (Congress) and Dr Rajan Shushant (Independent) and former Rajya Sabha member Kripal Parmar (BJP) are also among key contestants. While the BJP is confident of winning the polls with a comfortable majority, the Congress has rejected the exit-polls and claimed that it was all set to repeat. The BJP ousted the Congress in 1990 and the Congress avenged defeat in 1993. The BJP formed the government with the help of Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998 and the Congress was back in power in 2003. The BJP made a comeback in 2007. 2,820 counting staff has been deployed for tomorrow's exercise which includes counting supervisors, counting assistants and micro observers. Chief Electoral Officer, Pushpender Rajput said three-tier security arrangements have been made at all counting centres. He said wire mesh barricading has been done at counting centers and there was a separate entry passage for counting staff and counting agents. Videography and CCTV coverage will be done in all counting centres. With inputs from agencies The result for Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh is expected to come out in a few hours. Both the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP are claiming victory, however, the exit polls have predicted a clear win for the BJP. While the Congress dismissed the exit poll results, the saffron party expressed confidence that their performance would be better than the projections. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh dismissed the exit poll results, saying he could well read the mood of the people of the State and the actual results would be opposite to the exit poll projections. However, the 68 seat Assembly has traditionally seen both BJP and Congress take up power alternately. Here is a look at some of these key battles in the hill state. Mandi The Mandi Assembly constituency is set to witness an interesting contest as former union minister Sukh Rams's son Anil Sharma, who is fighting from this seat, switched over to the BJP from the Congress days ahead of the elections. Sharma now faces Champa Thakur, the daughter of state health minister and party stalwart Kaul Singh Thakur. Sukh Ram, who is 92 years old, actively campaigns for his son. However, the former Congress leader is still all praise for the Congress national leadership. They are noble persons but are being mislead by Virbhadra Singh, The Indian Express reported. The Mandi seat was represented by Sukh Ram from 1962 till November 1984, when he was elected to the Lok Sabha and his protege DD Thakur won the seat in 1985. Now Sharma, who was also a cabinet minister in the Congress government, is depending on his father to pull of a win for the 2017 Assembly elections from Mandi. Congress nominee Champa Thakur, chairperson of Mandi Zila Parishad, says she might be contesting Assembly polls for the first time, but she has been serving the people for the last 15 years. She is targeting Sharma and Sukh Ram over their changing loyalties. Shimla Urban A keen four-cornered contest is in the offing in the prestigious Shimla (Urban) constituency where three-time BJP MLA Suresh Bharadwaj is fighting a tough battle to retain his seat. Bharadwaj will be taking on Harbhajan Singh Bhajji of the Congress, former mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation Sanjay Chauhan of the CPM, and Congress rebel Harish Janartha who is contesting as an independent. While a section of the BJP is not happy with the allocation of ticket to Bharadwaj, a large number of Congress leaders including SMC councillors have openly come out in support of Janartha, a staunch loyalist of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, making the Congress candidate jittery. The BJP, which has got control over the municipal corporation for the first time in the past 31 years, is upbeat and hopes to win comfortably but with three other strong candidates in the fray, the going is not easy. Dharamshala Kishan Kapoor who represents the BJP locks horns with Himachal's Urban development minister Sudhir Sharma from the congress for the Dharamshala Constituency. While the BJP is banking heavily on the smart city projects announced by the central government, the Congress-led state government is claiming credit for getting the key infrastructural project in Himachals kitty. Independent candidate Ravinder Singh Ranas fervent pitches to vote for development may also upset the equation of votes in either partys favour. No Independent candidate has so far won from Dharamsala. Another interesting turn to the contest is the fact that Tibetan refugees were allowed to cast their votes for the first time. Though present in small numbers, they too can sway the votes. Nadaun State Congress chief Sukhvinder Sukhu is facing a turf war against Vijay Agnihotri from the BJP for the constituency of Nadaun. Sukhu, who has been elected twice from the constituency, was defeated by Agnihotri in 2012 elections. He aims to reclaim the throne in 2017. Vijay Agnihotri who claims that congress was not doing a satisfactory job in their reign claims he will retain the seat after Mondays result. Congress' Rajinder Singh Rana has emerged as the giant killer of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections after defeating BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal from the Sujanpur constituency. This is an irony lost on nobody in Himachal Pradesh because it was Dhumal who played a crucial role in ensuring the consolidation of the dominant Thakur community, that comprises 28 percent of the population of this hilly state. The Thakur vote is reported to have helped propel the BJP to its outstanding victory in the state (winning 32 and leading in 12 of the 68 seats at last count) ensuring their victory in over ten seats. The BJP waited till nine days before polling to announce its candidature for chief ministership. The announcement, made by BJP president Amit Shah, was aimed to allay the fears among the BJP cadre that chief minister Virbhadra Singh may squeeze through for a victory one more time, especially since people by and large expressed satisfaction on his administrative abilities. Virbhadra has won from Ari constituency and his son Vikramaditya Singh has also defeated his rival from the Shimla rural seat, vacated by his father. In contrast, BJP president Satpal Satti, a three-time winning MLA, lost his seat while Dhumal's relative Gulab Singh Thakur (Anurag Thakurs father-in-law), who had been the revenue minister during Dhumal's last tenure as chief minister, also had to bite the dust. There is no doubt that Dhumal did not want to stand for elections from Sujanpur, where he was pitted against his former protege Rana. He instead wanted to fight from the Hamirpur constituency, where he enjoys a great deal of popularity. It is not that Dhumal and Rana have had any personal enmity. Dhumal had earlier also asked the BJP high command to nominate Rana for MLA-ship, which they had declined to do. Rana subsequently quit the BJP and fought and won the election as an Independent and then went on to join the Congress party. He has carefully nurtured the Sujanpur constituency, where he is known as the 'billionaire' candidate. Ratna Devi, a resident of Sujanpur, said: "He genuinely cares for the poor. In the last five years, he has spent lakhs of rupees in the marriages of poor girls from lower socio-economic backgrounds. He gives scholarships running into thousands of rupees to poor students and if anyone falls seriously ill, he arranges for their treatment in the PGI hospital in Chandigarh. He has been with us for the last 15 years." "We have lost count of the free camps he has held for the sick and ailing in Sujanpur in the last five years. Obviously, we will support him," Devi added. Rana is also known to have undertaken a signature campaign to have an SDM office in Sujanpur, as the locals had to go to Hamirpur to get their work done which caused them tremendous inconvenience. He is also credited with convincing the Congress government to build a mini-secretariat there. But Rana's generous 'billionaire' image is not the only reason for Dhumal's defeat. Before Dhumal's chief ministerial candidature was announced, several names had been doing the rounds including those of union health minister JP Nadda and BJP's organisational secretary for North and RSS Parcharak Ajay Jamwal. Jamwal did not contest these elections while Nadda is known to be more of an organisational man. The fact of the matter is that RSS is known not to have wanted Dhumal to win because he would then have groomed his son Anurag to take over the reins of the state as was being attempted to be done by Virbhadhra. The next in line for the numero uno post could be Jai Ram Thakur, who is a four-time winner from the Seraj constituency. He has already flown down to New Delhi to put in his claim for the top job. Dhumal has put up a brave front and told the media in Shimla that this was a great victory for his party while refusing to make a comment on his personal loss. He also went on to congratulate all the victors in his party though at the same time conceding that others have lost. Already, Virender Kanwar, the winning BJP MLA from Kuthalehar, has offered to play the role of the sacrificial goat and give up his seat in favour of Dhumal. This is a decision that can be only taken by the party high command. Some BJP insiders have in the past also expressed surprise at the meteoric rise of Indu Goswami, the state president of the BJP Mahila Morcha who is the first woman candidate ever fielded by any party from the Palampur constituency. She was pitted against Congress rival Ashish Butail whose father won seven consecutive elections from this constituency. Goswamis selection had seen the sitting BJP MLA Parveen Kumar being denied a ticket. It was Praveen who had earlier succeeded in wresting this seat from the Butail family in 2007. Parveen had expected to be given the ticket especially since he had nurtured it over the last decade, claiming that in all the BJP meetings he had been shortlisted for the seat. Yet, in the final selection, the ticket was given to her by the central leadership, Kumar claimed. Goswami, for her part, had insisted that she had worked hard for three decades and had worked with Narendra Modi during the late 1980s when he was in-charge of BJP's Himachal unit. At that time, Goswami was vice-president of the BJP Yuva Morcha. The BJP had also calculated that in this woman-dominated constituency, with 30,000 of the 60,000 voters female, the vote would be in her favour. Praveen had told the media that the BJP would regret denying him a ticket. He ended up playing spoilsport and ensured that Goswami lost to Butail by a small margin. The BJP workers are not happy with the constant interfering of a claque of RSS in the state. A BJP functionary said on condition of anonymity: "We know the BJP high command does not want a strong people-friendly leader at the state level as they see him as a threat, as is the case with Dhumal who is known as a jan naik." He pointed to the recent appointment of the assistant solicitor general as one more example of the RSS wanting to place their people in key posts. "The practice has continued with people in higher positions. We had expected that Ashish Sharma (former assistant solicitor general) on completing his three-year tenure would be given another term. But instead, Rajesh Sharma was brought in to the shock of everyone in the bar. He has no practice to speak of and is known to be unsuitable for this post," the BJP functionary added. But despite Rana's upset win, the BJP is savouring its victory in this state after being out of power for five years. Follow detailed coverage of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2017 here New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday saw repeated disruptions and was adjourned for the day as Congress members denounced the allegations levelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against his predecessor Manmohan Singh. As the House met for the day, agitated Congress members trooped to the Chairman's podium shouting slogans against Modi and the BJP after their notice to discuss the matter under Rule 267 was rejected. Under the Rule 267, the House's listed business is suspended to discuss full time the matter for which the notice is given. "You cannot reject everything every day. What are we doing here then? The charges levelled against a former Prime Minister who held office for 10 years will have to be proved. They (BJP) are answerable to the people," a miffed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said. The Congress had also pressed the matter on Friday but their notices were rejected by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu. Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House till 12 noon amid pandemonium. But as soon as the House met again for Question Hour, the Congress MPs again raised the issue and asked Naidu to allow a discussion on the matter. "Sir, you have to protect the members' honour," Congress leader Anand Sharma told the Chair. As Naidu insisted on continuing with the Question Hour, the Congress MPs again came near the podium shouting slogans like "Pradhan Mantri maafi mango" (Prime Minister, apologise). Naidu then adjourned the House for the day. Lok Sabha adjourned as well The Lok Sabha too was adjourned for the day on Monday after it saw disruptions as Congress members raised the issue of allegations levelled by Modi against his predecessor. The first adjournment came minutes after the house met, as Congress members stood at their seats, and created a ruckus over the issue. From the treasury benches BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who had the first question listed against his name, said the Bharatiya Janata Party was headed for victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. "...People have given a very good reply... Congress has lost Himachal Pradesh, and I want to thank the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for the unprecedented victory in Gujarat," Somaiya said. The Speaker then adjourned the house till noon, amid ruckus from both the ruling and opposition benches. As the House met at noon, Congress members once again raised the issue of the Prime Minister's allegations, but were denied permission by the Chair. "You want to raise the same issue everyday... This is not done," Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said. Congress members also trooped to near the Speaker's podium, raising slogans seeking an apology from Prime Minister Modi. "We will not tolerate insult of the former Prime Minister," Congress members said. Amid the ruckus, papers were laid on the table of the House and bills were introduced, after which Speaker Mahanjan adjourned the House for the day. Modi, during the campaign for the Gujarat Assembly polls, had claimed that at a meeting in Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's house, the guests including Manmohan Singh, discussed the Gujarat polls with Pakistan's High Commissioner to India and former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri. Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said it was a moral defeat for the BJP in Gujarat and the people of the state have "belled the cat for 2019". Congratulating the people of Gujarat for their "very balanced verdict at this hour", Banerjee said it was a face-saving win for the ruling party. "It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019," Banerjee tweeted. The TMC chief had recently hailed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for "putting the BJP on the back foot". Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Last fortnight was a bad time for both the Telugu-speaking states as Prime Minister Narendra Modi foiled hopes on their vote-oriented designs and left them high and dry. Both the regional satraps K Chandrashekhar Rao, Telangana chief minister and the chief of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), and Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and president of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had been counting on the support of the BJP for the 2019 polls. They were both stunned and alarmed by the prime minister's off-the-cuff utterances during the Gujarat election campaign on quota raj. Modis announcement that all states had to abide by the Supreme Court verdict on quota raj not to cross the 50 percent barrier had dashed the hopes of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments who had introduced legislation in their Assemblies to grant larger quotas to their volatile community-based voters Muslims in Telangana and Kapus (a caste that wants OBC status) in Andhra Pradesh. Sources within the TRS leadership told Firstpost that they wondered whether the manipulative charm or the much-talked influence of their satraps was waning on the BJP and Centre. "Have we lost our influence in Delhi corridor and is the prime minister abandoning us?" Telangana home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy reportedly lamented at a party meeting last Sunday at Hyderabad. Almost similar was the psyche of the TDP leaders in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh who felt that the Modi-Amit Shah combine was giving them sleepless nights as a deliberate arm-twisting tactic ahead of the 2019 polls. The writing is clear on the wall that without Muslim quota endorsement by the Centre, the TRS has a rough road to walk in 2019. Similarly, without funds for state development, Kapu quota, and Polavaram, Chandrababu will face brickbats from not only the YSRC, but also dissidents in the TDP and BJP. What did Modi and Shah say Not just quota, the NDA government also found fault with the contractor (Transtroy) building the prestigious Polavaram project now a national project built under the care of the Andhra Pradesh government and wanted to change the builder that the Andhra Pradesh government rejected. Besides, the Centre has kept the issue of categorisation of SC/STs an issue crucial for the TRS in Telangana and a burning factor in Seemandhra in cold storage. "Why do both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana raise politically critical issues at testing times for the BJP? They raised the SC/ST categorisation issue during the Uttar Pradesh elections and now the quota for Muslims and Kapus when the crucial Gujarat poll is underway," said annoyed Telangana BJP leader G Kishan Reddy. During his last visit to the Telugu states in May, Shah apparently ruptured the nerves of rulers and whipped up spirits of BJP state leadership in a clear deviation of the earlier policy of being the humble and obedient allies of the TDP. KCR was clearly upset by Shahs remarks about Telangana and said, "Hum koi Amit Shah ko jante nahi. Hum hain Telangana ke Badshah" in an obvious effort to counter the BJPs aggression. Similarly, Chandrababu smelt dissidence in BJP ranks. Although ally BJP was granted two state cabinet berths and one Rajya Sabha seat since 2014, there was growing discontent even among the five-member BJP legislative party and state BJP leadership who were tired of playing second fiddle to TDP. BJP leader and endowment minister P Manikyala Rao often said that though he was a minister, issues concerning Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams were decided by the chief minister and others without his knowledge. BJP leaders are also unhappy with comments and criticism by TDP in general over special status to Andhra Pradesh, funds allotted for the development of the new state and Polavaram. "Our prime minister is trying his best to help Andhra Pradesh in spite of legal and constitutional hurdles. So far, over Rs 3,500 crore has been given to the state. If TDP is unhappy, they should raise the issue in correct forums rather than washing their dirty linen in public, said Somu Veeraju, MLC and vice president of the state BJP. State BJP leaders say that undue advantages taken by Chandrababu Naidu during the Vajpayee period have damaged the reputation of BJP. Hence the BJP national leadership is very cautious about Chandrababu and TDP. "We dont need BJP support in the Parliament as in 1992. Naidu blackmailed us by dangling his 33 MPs then, said a senior BJP leader who did not want to be quoted. While the Telangana government had enhanced the quota for Muslims from 4 to 12 percent allegedly on population ratio (totaling to 54 percent quota), the Andhra Pradesh government had also passed a bill in the Assembly to grant 5 percent quota to the Kapu community (totaling to 56%). Anticipating a favourable announcement by Modi after the Gujarat election campaign, the Andhra Pradesh government even managed to get the rough drafts of three members of the backward classes commission favouring Kapu quota without even informing the commission chairman Justice Manjunath. A furious judge said he was not aware of any favourable reports by his members and that he will give his total report shortly and expressed shock at the government's arm-twisting tactic. In Telangana, Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council, mocked KCR on how he would get the 12 percent quota given to Muslims endorsed by the Parliament through inclusion in the 9th Schedule after Modi's categorical rejection of support. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were waiting for the NDA government to endorse their vote-oriented quota grant. "As of now, 30 legislations are waiting since last one decade for endorsement of the Parliament in the 9th Schedule under Article 31 and also by the Supreme Court. Only Tamil Nadu has been able to scrape through and get 69 percent quota as it was done before the Supreme Court verdict in the Indira Sahni case in 1992, he said. In the same breath, the TDP leadership found fault with the Centres handling of the prestigious Polavaram project. Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari had warned the builder chosen by Andhra Pradesh against delays and had advised the state to change the contractor Transtroy which triggered a volley of hostility between them. To pressurise the Centre not to meddle in Polavaram and continue releasing funds, Naidu took busloads of MLAs, MPs, and MLCs to the project site to show them the good work done by the contractor chosen by his government. Rival YSRC legislators were also goaded to visit Polavaram in state interests'. Even Jana Sena leader actor Pawan Kalyan made a fleeting visit to Polavaram. All these had an impact on the Centre and Gadkari agreed to allow Transtroy to continue but with conditions. Gadkari also made it clear that since the Centre was funding the project, it will have a say in everything. BJP leader D Purandeswari said last week at Kurnool that the TDP government was incapable of meeting the Polavaram Project cost. But it is also playing games with the Centre by not giving correct estimates of the project and keeps changing it. Though we treat TDP as a partner, it is spreading canards about BJP, she said. Another issue that is straining the TDP-BJP alliance in Andhra Pradesh is the meagre funding from the Centre for development of the new state which has no buildings for the Secretariat, no Assembly, High Court or Raj Bhavan. With trust on the BJP-led Centre we came away from Hyderabad though we could have stayed there till 2024, said Andhra Pradesh finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, alleging that the NDA was going back on its own words of support of special status for Andhra Pradesh. "I gave up the demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh banking on assurances by the prime minister and BJP that they would give matching funds for states growth. Now, we have to continue begging at every stage for projects and capital, Naidu reportedly lamented at a party meeting earlier this month. According to soruces in the Andhra Pradesh government, the Centre has given only Rs 35,00 crore for the state capital but has gone agonisingly slow on other projects including Polavaram. Chandrababu Naidu is now pushed to the wall with the Centre and the national leadership of BJP asking him to commit more for the 2019 poll alliance. The bogey raised by the state BJP for fighting independently is contained to Telangana alone where they do not want an alliance with TDP. BJP is also willing to sail with TDP and Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh only to reorganise and consolidate the gains of 2014. It is time TDP stopped thinking that we are parasites. We too have a vote bank and following in both states. We have learned the lessons of how TDP delinked the Left parties from its bandwagon after enjoying their support for almost two decades since 1983, said Krishnasagar Rao, Telangana BJP spokesperson. It appears that the Modi-Shah combination is keen to rewrite their equations with regional parties in the south and attempt to place BJP on firm footing as a key player and not as a tag-along. Hyderabad: With the BJP looking set to win Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may become "more dictatorial", CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said on Monday. The Left leader said he now expected the BJP to pursue the "Hindutva policies" more vigorously. "Narendra Modi may become more dictatorial. It is not a positive sign for Indian democracy," Reddy told PTI. The CPI leader said although the Congress improved its tally in Gujarat, the ruling party (BJP) could overcome "anti-incumbency", and that it was a pity that "secular forces" could not defeat the saffron party. "Anti-BJP forces should come together to fight against communal forces," he said, adding that an electoral understanding between the Left and such parties may not be easy to forge at the national level. "But wherever it (the electoral alliance between anti-BJP forces and Left parties) is possible, it should be thought of. We have to discuss and come to conclusions. Right now, we cannot come to conclusions in haste. There is a necessity for secular forces to fight more strongly and unitedly," Reddy asserted. The veteran communist leader also had a word of praise for newly-appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying he did a good campaign and could clearly carry the "message of anti-communal forces" during campaigning. When asked if he expects Gandhi to emerge as a "good leader", Reddy said it depended on how he was going to implement reforms inside the party. "The policies of the Congress also have to be changed," he said. The Left leader said the Congress should come "closer to poorer sections of people" and get rid of the "brand of being pro-corporate". Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 New Delhi: While addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters after the victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of both states for reposing their faith in the BJP. Modi mentioned that support for BJP showed the nation was ready for reform agenda and every citizen wanted India transformed. He said that aspirations of the middle class were rising and the BJP was determined to serve the people and fulfill them. Modi also asked the Gujaratis to "forget" what happened in the last two-three months and come together to work for the development of the state. BJPs impressive victory in Himachal Pradesh indicates that people of the state rejected misgovernance of the Congress Government and wants a Government that is not corrupt and can deliver. BJP will provide good and honest governance to Devbhoomi Himachal. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 The victory in Gujarat is special. Starting from 1989, people of Gujarat have been blessing BJP in every Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha election. It is an honour to be serving Gujarat for so many years. We will continue to work for Gujarats growth. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 "Despite the victory and the huge support that you gave us, I would like to say that 6.5 crore Gujaratis are one, and have the ambition of moving ahead", Modi said. "Leave behind what happened, forget who did what and let's come together and unite. Not a single Gujarati is separate from us. Join hands once again", Modi said in an emotional appeal to the people of his home state. In a clear allusion to the Congress joining forces with the Patidars on the promise of caste quota, Modi said that some people "played their tricks" to divide the Gujaratis but could not succeed. "You defeated them, but they would still continue with their tricks. Therefore with the mantra of unity and brotherhood, all should walk together...We will have to be more vigilant now", he added. Modi said that support for BJP shows the nation is ready for reform agenda and every citizen wants India transformed.". He said the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) serial victories from municipal bodies to state assemblies are a stamp of approval for his "reformative" policies, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST). "If India has to progress, it will have to scale new heights of development...It was being said before the Gujarat elections that the GST would finish BJP. But we have got huge mandates from the (recently held) municipal bodies elections in Maharashtra and other places to the assembly elections," Modi said. He said the results have proved the country is ready for reform and the middle class is asserting itself and "wants its aspirations fulfilled very soon". Speaking on Himachal Pradesh results, where the BJP too won, Modi said: "Himachal results prove that if you do not do development, if you indulge in misdeeds and that is your priority, then public does not accept you after five years." Modi said that the Gujarat victory is not "ordinary" as it is the sixth consecutive victory in spite of his moving from Gujarat to the Centre. "We did not get the honour of fighting for the country's freedom. But we do have the chance to devote ourselves fully and to toil hard for the progress and development of this country," Modi said. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala on Tuesday to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Ockhi, which left a trail of destruction in the two states and the Union Territory. The prime minister, on a one-day visit, would review the situation arising in the aftermath of the cyclone and status of relief operations at Kavaratti, Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram, official sources said. Modi would fly to Agatti from Mangaluru at around 7:35 am and leave for Kavratti. After nearly an hour's programme, he would return to Agatti and fly to Thiruvananthapuram, official sources in Lakshadweep said. On reaching the state capital at around 1:50 pm, he would take a helicopter to Kanyakumari, where he will meet officials and assess the damage caused by the cyclone. The prime minister would also get a first-hand report from the some of the affected fishermen, district officials at Kanyakumari told PTI. Modi would return to Thiruvananthapuram and visit Poonthura, a nearby fishing village from where some of the deceased fishermen hailed. The prime minister would then meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and some of his cabinet colleagues, including revenue minister E Chandrasekharan and Fisheries minister J Mercykutty at the Raj Bhavan, according to sources in the chief minister's office. Chief Secretary KM Abraham would also give a presentation on the calamity and the devastation caused in coastal regions of the state capital, including Poonthura, Vizhinjam, Pozhiyur, and Adimalithura. After the meeting, the prime minister will leave for Delhi. The Kerala chief minister had earlier met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and sought the central assistance of Rs 1,843 crore. The state also wanted the Centre to declare the devastation caused by the cyclone as a national disaster. According to government estimates, 70 persons have so far lost their lives in Kerala in the cyclone and around 105 persons are still missing. Meanwhile, search operations are continuing for the missing fishermen with the state government seeking the support of local boat owners. The government has decided to extend the search operations up to Goan shores. The cyclone that hit the state on 29-30 November had also caused large-scale damage to crops and property. Hyderabad: The lower-than-expected poll performance of the BJP in Gujarat suggests that the 2019 general elections are not going to be a cakewalk for the NDA lead party, a senior TRS leader said on Monday. "The key takeaway (of Gujarat Assembly elections) is it's not (going to be) a cakewalk for the BJP anymore in 2019 election," Telangana Rashtra Samiti Floor Leader in Lok Sabha, AP Jithender Reddy told PTI. "They (BJP) have to basically again check their administration," he said. Though the BJP is set to return to power in the western state, Reddy saw the electoral verdict as being a setback to the party. "Definitely (it's a setback). 103 seats (the projected BJP tally this afternoon) is not coming back to power (it should have been bigger number of seats)," he said. On the Gujarat Assembly election results, Reddy said, "This is what I think is the demonetisation and GST effect. People have not really liked what has been done by the BJP government, and this is a ballot result they have given." He claimed that businessmen have been "suffering" due to the introduction of GST, and said the trading community in the state has seen "very bad times in the last three months". "So this is a reflection of that, and also anti-incumbency," Reddy added. Meanwhile, Telangana Minister for IT and Industries KT Rama Rao congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his party's "victory" in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. He also appreciated the Congress party for putting up a strong fight in Gujarat Assembly elections. "Congrats to BJP & @narendramodi Ji on retaining Gujarat & being victorious in Himachal Pradesh. Congrats INC on putting up a spirited fight. Democracy needs both a stable Government & a vibrant opposition. Let's hope Good Governance takes centre stage & politics the backseat," Rao tweeted. The BJP workers in the state celebrated the victory of the BJP in both the states by distributing sweets. Telangana BJP chief K Laxman said the victory in both the states is a result of faith that the people have reposed in Modi. "People of Gujarat did not believe in the negative campaign undertook by the Congress on GST and demonetisation. People there did not forget the development that the state witnessed in BJP and Modi's rule," Laxman said. He exuded confidence that BJP will win in Telangana in future. Click here for live coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 Bengaluru: The Congress government in Karnataka had failed to nab the alleged killers of Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh even three months after the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday. "Though its over three months since she (Gauri) was killed, the state government had failed to solve the case. We will conduct a thorough probe into her murder and bring the culprits to book if our party is voted to power in the upcoming Assembly election," he said at a rally of his BJP in Bengaluru. Lankesh, 55, was shot dead in front of her home in Bengaluru on 5 September by three unidentified men who then fled from the spot under the cover of darkness. Although a Special Investigation Team, set up to crack the sensational murder case, released sketches of the two suspects in October, there has been no breakthrough in it so far. "The Congress government had also failed to maintain law and order in the state. Our party workers Rudresh Goudar and Paresh Mesta were killed recently but their killers are still at large," said Rajnath Singh at the BJP state unit's Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivarthana Yatra reaching the city. In the run-up to the Assembly election, due in April-May 2018, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) embarked on a three-month-long, state-wide rally on 2 November to bring the party back to power on the plank of building a new state and changing its fortunes. The BJP came to power in the southern state on its own in May 2008 but lost to the Congress in the 2013 assembly election following a split. Referring to rising crimes in the state capital, including murders, abductions and rape, Rajnath Singh said the state government had failed to ensure the safety of its people, especially women in the country's tech hub. Accusing the Congress of dividing society and polarising the people on caste and communal lines, Rajnath Singh questioned the wisdom of the state government in celebrating the birthday of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century Mysuru ruler, as "he was a tyrant and committed crimes against the Hindus". Refuting the charge of newly-elected Congress president Rahul Gandhi that the BJP was stoking fire in the country with its divisive politics, the home minister said on the contrary, his party was dousing the fire the Congress had been setting across the country over the years. Besides the party's state unit president BS Yeddyurappa, party's central ministers from the state DV Sadananda Gowda and Ananth Kumar, thousands of party's cadres and supporters participated in the rally. Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad has said his party would go ahead with its decision to observe a Bihar bandh on 21 December and assured the Sikh pilgrims coming to the state to take part in the closing ceremony of the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh that it would not cause any problems for them. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has called the bandh to protest against the sand mining policy of the Nitish Kumar government. Prasad's assurance to the Sikh pilgrims comes in the backdrop of the JD(U) questioning the bandh, with only two days to go for the "Shukrana Samaroh", the closing ceremony of the 350th birth anniversary of the 10th Sikh Guru. The event is slated to be held in the state capital from 23 December to 25 December. "We have great respect for the Sikh community. We had participated in the opening ceremony of the 350th birth anniversary (of Guru Gobind Singh) function in January. I had sat on the ground and bowed my head to Guru Gobind Singhji Maharaj," the former Bihar chief minister told reporters. The sand mining policy of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state had caused a slump in construction activities and led to loss of jobs among the workers, who were migrating to the other states in search of work, he claimed, adding, "Our fight is against a government which is indifferent to the plight of the common people." Stating that his party was well aware of the sentiments of the Sikh pilgrims, the RJD chief said the places associated with the celebrations such as the gurdwaras, bypass road, tent city would be exempted from the bandh and hence, the pilgrims would not face any problems. Instead, RJD workers would help the pilgrims reach their destinations, he added. On account of the "Shukrana Samaroh", it was also decided to exempt the emergency services, including ambulance, train and flight services, from the bandh, Prasad said. Bihar JD(U)'s chief spokesman Sanjay Kumar Singh had on Saturday questioned the RJD's decision to observe the bandh in view of the "Shukrana Samaroh". "Nitish Kumar has deferred his Vikas Samiksha Yatra, keeping in mind the Shukrana Samaroh, while the RJD has called for a bandh to protest against the sand mining policy," he had told reporters. The erstwhile grand alliance government in the state, comprising the JD(U), RJD and Congress, had organised the "Prakash Parv" on a grand scale in the first week of January to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others. Patna Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, is considered one of the holiest places by Sikhs across the globe, besides being a major tourist attraction. tech2 News Staff While there's a little over a week left for Christmas, Google seems to be in the mood for festivities already with today's Google Doodle. The doodle features a penguin family headed on their way to the pelican's place, in time for Christmas. The comic strip involving a series of three images begins with the first image where we are introduced to two penguins talking to a pelican over a telephone. While telephones have been replaced by smartphones for a while now, Google could have reverted to the old medium of communication here to add a kick of nostalgia to things. The second image in the strip introduces us to the same penguins, packing their bags for a holiday. Here we see the calendar set to 18 December, reiterating the fact that Christmas and the new year is just around the corner. While it is not clear as to what role the pelican has to play until this point, we learn a little bit more about the family in the last image. The pelican happens to be a parent of the penguins and it looks like the pair are headed home for the holidays. Google also lets us know when to expect more doodles revolving around the concept that it has in store with the feathered family. These dates include 25 and 31 December as well as 1 January. Google does not reveal much about the characters on their blog but does provide a heads up to more such animated stories revolving the penguin family being portrayed in the Doodle. "Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks to see what kind of fun this feathery family has in store," states Google. The reach of the doodle is widespread, spanning across both the American continents, major chunks of central and southern Africa, Europe, Australia as well as south and east Asia. IANS Google may be courting fresh trouble after the European Commission's massive penalty in June as its rivals are preparing to lodge new complaints with the Commission alleging "inadequate" response to the record anti-trust fine, a media report said. In recent weeks, several of Google's rivals have held meetings with Margrethe Vestager, Europe's competition commissioner, to express their dismay at the changes made to Google's results in response to last summer's fine, The Telegraph reported on Saturday. "They are preparing to lodge formal complaints in the coming weeks," the report said. The move could lead the European Commission to slap further multi-billion euro fines on the Internet giant and make it implement further changes in its search results. After a seven-year investigation, the European Commission fined Google $2.7 billion in June for breaching EU anti-trust rules. The Commission found that Google abused its market dominance as a search engine by giving an illegal advantage to another Google product, its comparison shopping service. It charged Google with demoting rival comparison shopping services in its search results. The Commission also ordered Google to comply with the simple principle of giving equal treatment to rival comparison shopping services and its own service. However, the changes that Google made to its search results after the European Commission's decision have failed to please its rivals. They say Google's remedy has been inadequate because it continues to place its shopping service at an advantage in search results, The Telegraph report said. While handing out the fine in June, the European Commission said that it would monitor Google's compliance closely and that the company was under an obligation to keep the Commission informed of its actions from time to time. tech2 News Staff Microsoft is working on a UX overhaul for Skype app for Android. The company posted screenshots of the reworked UX on Microsoft Community forum. The Skype team has worked on the experimental mobile designs for the upcoming holiday season as part of its new Skype Insider Program. According to the forum post, Microsoft has decided to bring a bottom bar for more streamlined navigation across the app in the new design. The company shared the design during user testing after initially introducing it in version 8.13 app for iOS. The decision to bring this design to Android came after a majority of Android users expressed preference to this version of bottom bar. Microsoft added that the new design follows the Material Design guidelines for bottom bar navigation set by Google. The company has brought back the contextual floating action button (FAB) for faster access to important actions. Last but not the least, the company has also added a new header and search icon to ensure that it shares design element with the Android platform. It noted that the initial test pool was quite small and the company wanted to share this new design with Skype users. The redesigned app is not the only thing that Microsoft is working on. The post also mentioned a new experience with the name SuperComposer for its Android and iOS apps. According to the post, tapping on compose using the FAB on Android and compose button on iOS will invoke a new screen that includes your recent contact list. This provides an easy access to users including the option to create a new group, search for new bots, invite users to Skype or initiate a new call. IANS New technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Machine Learning, Satellite Imagery and advanced analytics are empowering small-holder farmers in India to increase their income through higher crop yield and greater price control, Microsoft India said. In a few dozen villages in Telengana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, farmers are receiving automated voice calls that tell them whether their cotton crops are at risk of a pest attack, based on weather conditions and crop stage. In Karnataka, the government can get price forecasts for essential commodities such as tur (split red gram) three months in advance for planning the Minimum Support Price (MSP). "Sowing date as such is very critical to ensure that farmers harvest a good crop. And if it fails, it results in loss as a lot of costs are incurred for seeds, as well as the fertilizer applications," Suhas P. Wani, Director, Asia Region, of the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), said in a Microsoft blog post. The non-profit ICRISAT conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. In collaboration with ICRISAT, Microsoft has developed an AI-Sowing App powered by Microsoft Cortana Intelligence Suite including Machine Learning and Power BI. "The app sends sowing advisories to participating farmers on the optimal date to sow. The best part - the farmers don't need to install any sensors in their fields or incur any capital expenditure. All they need is a feature phone capable of receiving text messages," the company said. To calculate the crop-sowing period, historic climate data spanning over 30 years - from 1986 to 2015 - for the Devanakonda area in Andhra Pradesh was analysed using AI. To determine the optimal sowing period, the Moisture Adequacy Index (MAI) was calculated. MAI is the standardised measure used for assessing the degree of adequacy of rainfall and soil moisture to meet the potential water requirement of crops. This data is then downscaled to build predictability and guide farmers to pick the ideal sowing week. This year, ICRISAT has scaled sowing insights to 4,000 farmers across Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for the Kharif crop cycle (rainy season). Predictive analysis in agriculture is not limited to crop growing alone. The Karnataka government will start using price forecasting for agricultural commodities, in addition to sowing advisories for farmers in the state. Commodity prices for items such as tur, of which Karnataka is the second largest producer, will be predicted three months in advance for major markets in the state, Microsoft said. Microsoft has developed a multivariate agricultural commodity price forecasting model to predict future commodity arrival and the corresponding prices. The model uses remote sensing data from geo-stationary satellite images to predict crop yields through every stage of farming. The model currently being used to predict the prices of tur is scalable, and time efficient and can be generalised to many other regions and crops. tech2 News Staff Sony's next smartphone is expected to be housing the just announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. The upcoming smartphone from Sony, expected to be called the Xperia Z2, will most likely be launched in the first quarter of 2018. The smartphone is expected to come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and bears a model number H8216. According to leaked images on social news aggregation platform Reddit, the leaked smartphone will feature a 5.48-inch FHD display, 12 MP front camera and 15 MP rear camera. The smartphone would come with 64 GB of internal storage and 4 GB RAM. It will be powered by a 3,130 mAh battery and will also support Quick Charge 4+ technology. The dimensions of the device are expected to be 148 x 73.4 x 7.4 mm and it will be weighing 156 g. The leak also suggests that it will come with Android 8.1 Oreo and IP68 rating to make it water and Dust resistant. However, considering Samsung will be making the Snapdragon 845 chip, it is safe to assume that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9+ would be the first smartphones with the latest from Qualcomm. Apart from Samsung, the Xiaomi's Mi7 is also expected to be housing the Snapdragon 845. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 packs Kryo 385 processor cores clocked at 2.8 GHz and four efficiency cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. It is built on the 10 nm LPP FinFET process. The chipset will support Quick Charge 4+ technology for faster charging and will come with an integrated Qualcomm Spectra 280 image signal processor and Qualcomm Adreno 630 graphics processing unit. Here are the five things you should know about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. Washington: President Donald Trump is outlining a new national security strategy that refocuses the United States' relationship with the rest of the world, essentially implementing President Donald Trump's "America First" mantra on a global scale. It envisions nations in constant competition, reverses Obama-era warnings on climate change, and affirms that the United States will unilaterally defend its sovereignty, even if that means risking existing agreements with other countries that have dominated the United States' foreign policy since the Cold War. The Republican president, who ran on a platform of "America First," will detail his plan Monday, one that if fully implemented could sharply alter US international relationships. The plan, according to senior administration officials who offered a preview on Sunday, is to focus on four main themes: protecting the homeland; promoting American prosperity, demonstrating peace through strength, and advancing American influence in an ever-competitive world. Trump's doctrine holds that nation states are in perpetual competition and that the US must fight on all fronts to protect and defend its sovereignty from friend and foe alike. While the administration often says that "America First" does not mean "America Alone," the national security strategy to be presented by Trump will make clear that the United States will stand up for itself even if that means acting unilaterally or alienating others on issues like trade, climate change and immigration, according to people familiar with the strategy. The last such strategy document, prepared by then-President Barack Obama in 2015, declared climate change an "urgent and growing threat to our national security." A senior official said the Trump plan removes that determination following the administration's threat to pull out of the Paris climate accord but will mention the importance of environmental stewardship. Despite the risk of potential isolation presented by Trump's strategy, its fundamentals are not a surprise. The Associated Press last week reviewed excerpts of a late draft of the roughly 70-page document and spoke to two people familiar with it. The draft emphasizes that US economic security is national security and that economic security must be ensured with military might. And they said it would stress the US is interested only in relationships with other countries, including alliances like NATO, that are fair and reciprocal. Trump, according to the senior officials, is also expected to discuss threats he'll deem as "rogue regimes," like North Korea. Others, like Russia and China, are deemed "revisionist powers," who aim to change the status quo Moscow and its actions with Ukraine and Georgia, and Beijing in the South China Sea. Trump is also planning to renew his call for the member states in the United Nations and NATO to spend more on defense, saying that the United States will insist on its alliances being fair and reciprocal. The senior officials said the document refers to China as a "strategic competitor," rather than the stronger accusation of "economic aggression" previewed last week by National Security Adviser HR McMaster. Despite international challenges, the document cites emerging opportunities to advance American interests in the Middle East. "Some of our partners are working together to reject radical ideologies and key leaders are calling for a rejection of Islamist extremism and violence," it says. "Encouraging political stability and sustainable prosperity would contribute to dampening the conditions that fuel sectarian grievances." The strategy document asserts that "for generations the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been understood as the prime irritant preventing peace and prosperity in the region. Today, the threats from radical jihadist terrorist organizations and the threat from Iran are creating the realization that Israel is not the cause of the region's problems. States have increasingly found common interests with Israel in confronting common threats." The criticism of Russia will come as a break from recent warm words between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders have spoken twice in four days, with Trump calling Putin to thank him for kind words about the U.S. stock market and Putin reaching out to Trump to thank the CIA for help in stopping a terror plot in St. Petersburg. The strategy document will not make explicit reference to Russian attempts to meddle in the US political system, but an official said it would highlight the importance of ensuring the resilience of US democratic institutions. The early draft of the strategy reviewed by the AP lamented that America had put itself at a disadvantage by entering into multinational agreements, such as those aimed at combating climate change, and introducing domestic policies to implement them. The senior officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the plan before the president's remarks. Washington: US president Donald Trump said on Sunday that he is not considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller even as his administration was again forced to grapple with the growing Russia probe that has shadowed the White House for much of his initial year in office. Trump returned to the White House from Camp David and was asked if he was considering triggering the process to dismiss Mueller, who is investigating whether the president's Republican campaign coordinated with Russian officials during last year's election. The president answered: "No, I'm not." But he did add to the growing conservative criticism of Mueller's move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration, yielding attacks from transition lawyers and renewing chatter that Trump may act to end the investigation. "It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that. My people were very upset about it," Trump said. "I can't imagine there's anything on them, frankly. Because, as we said, there's no collusion. There's no collusion whatsoever." On Saturday, the general counsel for the transition group sent a letter to two congressional committees arguing Mueller's investigators had improperly obtained thousands of transition records. The investigators did not directly request the records from Trump's still-existing transition group, Trump for America, and instead obtained them from the General Services Administration, a separate federal agency that stored the material, according to the group's general counsel. A spokesman for Mueller said the records were obtained appropriately. "When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process," Peter Carr said. But many Trump allies used the email issue as another cudgel with which to bash the probe's credibility. Members of the conservative media and some congressional Republicans have begun to systematically question Mueller's motives and credibility while the president himself called it a "disgrace" that some texts and emails from two FBI agents contained anti-Trump rhetoric. One of those agents was on Mueller's team and has been removed. Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign aide, called the investigation an "attack on the presidency" and told CNN there are "more and more indications that the Mueller investigation is off the rails." The talk of firing Mueller has set off alarm bells among many Democrats, who warn it could trigger a constitutional crisis. Some Republicans also advised against the move, including Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who deemed the idea "a mistake." The rumour mill overshadowed the Republican tax plan, which is set to be voted on this week. Although Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was doing a victory lap on the tax bill on the Sunday talk show circuit, he first had to field questions on CNN's State of the Union about whether believed Trump would trigger the process to fire Mueller. "I don't have any reason to think that the president is going to do that, but that's obviously up to him," said Mnuchin. Mnuchin added, "We have got to get past this investigation. It's a giant distraction." But he declined to elaborate on how he would want it to end. Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, was also peppered with questions about Mueller's fate during his own appearance on NBC's Meet the Press and again urged a quick end to the investigation but insisted that Trump has not discussed firing Mueller. "There's no conversation about that whatsoever in the White House," Short said. Islamabad: Pakistan has beefed up security around hundreds of religious places of minorities including Hindu temples, a day after Islamic State suicide bombers struck a church during a mass in the restive southwestern city of Quetta, killing nine people and injuring 44 others. Authorities have instructed law enforcement agencies to tighten security arrangements in and around the worship places and other places of religious significance for the non-Muslims against any possible threat. "Our resolve remains strong and unflinching against terrorists. Their (cowardly) attacks cannot weaken us," Balochistan chief minister Sanaullah Zehri said today as he announced Rs 10 lakh in compensation each for the families of the dead, and Rs 5 lakh for each injured in the attack. Sindh home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal also asked for increasing security for mosques, shrines, Imambargahs etc. "Those who are adamant to destroy peace in the country are ulcerous and the entire nation is united against their nefarious designs," Siyal was quoted as saying by Dawn. Two Islamic State suicide bombers attacked a packed church during a Sunday service in Balochistan capital, killing nine people and injuring 44 others in a targeted assault on the minority Christian community ahead of Christmas in the Muslim nation. According to the paper, officials said a project costing Rs 400 million was being launched to make temples, churches and other places of worship safe across the Sindh province. "Police guards and other law enforcement agencies have been posted with the limited manpower and strength in the province. It requires more funds and manpower to raise the bar," said a senior official in the Sindh home ministry. They added that most of the investment would be made towards purchasing surveillance cameras which would be installed strategically in and outside more than 1,200 places of worship temples, churches and gurudwaras across Sindh, in the southeast of the country. The Sindh Police have prepared a report and sent it to the home ministry saying that a total of 1,253 worship places belonging to the religious minorities had been documented in Sindh, which included 703 Hindu temples and 523 churches. Besides, 21 such places belonged to Ahmadi community and the remaining six are Sikh gurdwaras, the report said, adding a total of 2,310 policemen have been deputed to guard all those places. Christians make up an estimated 1.6 percent of Pakistan's 200 million people. The assault on Sunday raised concerns about the security of religious minorities, especially Christians, in a country with a dismal record when it comes to the treatment and protection of religious minorities, analysts say. Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain and prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have strongly condemned the attack. Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa condemned the attack, calling it "an attempt to cloud Christmas celebration to create religious cleavages." Pakistani officials have repeatedly denied that Islamic State had an organised presence in the country, even though the terrorist group has claimed responsibility for several other attacks in Balochistan in recent years. Karachi/Islamabad: Two suicide bombers attacked a packed church during a Sunday service in the restive Pakistani city of Quetta, killing eight people and injuring 44 others in a targeted assault on the minority Christian community ahead of Christmas in the Muslim nation. The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. The groups Amaq News Agency posted a statement online, saying attackers had stormed the church in Quetta the capital of Balochistan province. But the terror group provided no evidence for the claim. Balochistan home minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said that at least two suicide bombers were involved in the attack on the Bethel Memorial Church on Zarghoon road in Quetta. "One attacker was killed at the gate by police after an intense gunfight while the other wearing suicide vest entered the church and detonated his explosives," he said. Bugti said that the terrorists had weapons and it seems they wanted to take hostages inside the church. "The security forces foiled their plan," he added. Balochistan's Inspector General Moazzam Ansari said there were 400 worshippers inside the church when it was attacked. Ansari said that police assigned to the church's security reacted in a timely manner and averted a much larger tragedy. "It was a coordinated attack," he said, adding that the security forces have cleared the church. Wasim Baig of Civil Hospital said that nine people were killed in the attack, including two women. Two women were among the dead, and 10 women and seven children were among the injured, hospital officials said. According to the church's Facebook page, it had organised different programmes all throughout December to mark Christmas, and was holding a 'Sunday School Christmas Programme' at the time of the attack. The has been the target of a terrorist attack in the past. Sources in the Balochistan government said that few days back Methodist schools and churches had received threatening notes from the Sajjan group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. The threatening notes were also received in Karachi and Lahore which led to missionary schools cancelling their examinations and taking an early winter/Christmas break. Following the attack, an emergency was declared in all hospitals across Quetta. Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa condemned the attack, calling it "an attempt to cloud Christmas celebrations/create religious cleavages." "Quetta church attack targeting our brotherly Christian Pakistanis is an attempt to cloud Christmas celebrations/create religious cleavages. Effective response by LEAs is commendable. We stay united and steadfast to respond against such heinous attempts," he said. Pakistan interior minister Ahsan Iqbal condemned the attack, which came a day after Pakistan observed the third anniversary of the Peshawar school attack of 2014 which killed at least 150 people, mostly students. Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal condemned the terror attack, saying Pakistan's resolve against terrorism cannot be deterred by these cowardly acts of terrorists. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan also strongly condemned the terror attack. "The govt must ensure special protection for churches as Christmas approaches. My prayers go to the victims' families and for the speedy recovery of the injured," Khan tweeted. On 15 March, 2015, the Taliban suicide bombers attacked two churches in Lahores Youhanabad neighbourhood, killing 15 people and wounding 70 others. Christians make up an estimated 1.6 percent of Pakistan's 200 million people. Today's assault raised concerns about the security of religious minorities, especially Christians, in a country with a dismal record when it comes to the treatment and protection of religious minorities, analysts say. Pakistani officials denied that IS had an organised presence in the country, however, even though the terrorist group has claimed responsibility for several other attacks in Baluchistan in recent years. Istanbul: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope that Turkey would soon be able to open an embassy to a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, as he stepped up his attacks on Donald Trump's recognition of the city as the Israeli capital. Erdogan has sought to lead Islamic condemnation of his US counterpart's move, calling a summit of the leaders of Muslim nations last week in Istanbul who urged the world to recognise East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel after it seized control of the area in the 1967 war, in a move never recognised by the international community. "Because it is under occupation we can't just go there and open an embassy," Erdogan said in a speech to his ruling party on Sunday in the city of Karaman. "But, God willing those days are near and... we will officially open our embassy there," he said, without giving any precise timescale. Turkey currently has a general consulate in Jerusalem. Ankara has full diplomatic ties with Israel, and like other nations, its embassy is in Tel Aviv. Erdogan again slammed Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and move the US embassy there, saying it smacked of a "Zionist and evangelist logic and understanding." He said Jews had no right to "appropriate" Jerusalem which was the "capital of Muslims". "Please stop where you are and don't attempt any Zionist operation," he said. "If you try, then the price is going to be high." Erdogan hailed the outcome of the 13 December summit which he said showed the "world a vote of unity". However, the meeting was overshadowed by the level of attendance from close US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who sent lower-level officials rather than leaders. Erdogan had warned Muslims, in a speech earlier this weekend, against "internecine warfare", saying fighting with each other "only helps terror states like Israel". Israel has reacted relatively cooly to Erdogan's repeated broadsides over the last days, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "not impressed" by statements made at the summit. Contacted by AFP, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson declined to comment on Erdogan's latest remarks. Protests which have been taking place almost daily in Turkey against Trump's move continued at the weekend. In the mainly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir, thousands of people turned out on Sunday, waving Palestinian flags and brandishing slogans like "the massacres will not stop if all Muslims are not together." In a separate speech also on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that "from now on we declare that occupied East Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine", adding Turkey wanted to see a solution for Jerusalem that satisfied both sides in the conflict. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin a key foreign policy adviser of the president wrote in a newspaper article that Trump's move represented "a toxic mix of populism and unilateralism". But he wrote in Daily Sabah that one positive consequence was that the issue of the Palestinians was again at the centre of global debate. "This new momentum should now be utilised to find a fair and lasting peace," Kalin said. Last year, Turkey and Israel ended a rift triggered by Israel's storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead and led to a downgrading of diplomatic ties. The two sides have since stepped up cooperation, particularly over a planned gas pipeline in talks spearheaded by Erdogan's son-in-law and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak. But Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, has kept up his verbal attacks on Israel's policies. As widespread protests broke out condemning US president Donald Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the United Nations Security Council considered a draft resolution that would affirm that any change to the status of Jerusalem has no legal effect and must, hence, be rescinded. Egypt circulated the draft text on Saturday, which the US vetoed on in the Security Council on Monday. Breaking with the international consensus, US president Donald Trump announced in December that he would recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv, sparking protests and strong condemnation. The draft resolution stresses that Jerusalem is an issue "to be resolved through negotiations" and expresses "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem", without specifically mentioning Trump's move, AFP reported. It affirms that "any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition" of Jerusalem "have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded." The veto cast by US Ambassador Nikki Haley highlighted Washington's isolation over Trump's announcement that the US embassy will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, effectively ignoring Palestinian claims on the city. Diplomats told the news agency they expected the United States to use its veto power to block the measure while most, if not all, of the 14 other council members were expected to back the draft resolution. Turkey to open embassy to Palestine in Jerusalem President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope that Turkey would soon be able to open an embassy to the Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, as he stepped up his attacks on Donald Trump's recognition of the city. Erdogan has sought to lead the Islamic condemnation of his US counterpart's move, calling a summit of the leaders of Muslim nations last week in Istanbul who urged the world to recognise East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel after it seized control of the area in the 1967 war, in a move never recognised by the international community. "Because it is under occupation we can't just go there and open an embassy," Erdogan said in a speech to his ruling party on Sunday in the city of Karaman. "But, God willing those days are near and... we will officially open our embassy there," he said, without giving any precise timescale. Last week, the Organisation of Islamic State (OIC) recognsied East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine. Support for Palestine State has also come from China, according to Russia Today. "China has voiced its support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," the article said. Worldwide protests Thousands of Islamists rallied in two major cities in Pakistan on Sunday to condemn the US move. Supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami party in Karachi and advocates of US-wanted Islamist Hafiz Saeed in Lahore dispersed peacefully after rallying for the Palestinian cause. Tens of thousands of Muslims marched from the main mosque in Indonesias capital to a square in Jakarta on Sunday to protest against Trump's decision. It was the biggest protest in Indonesia since Trumps controversial move earlier in December to reverse decades of US policy. Police estimated the number attending the rally, organised by various Muslim groups, at about 80,000. "We urge all countries to reject the unilateral and illegal decision of President Donald Trump to make Jerusalem Israels capital," Anwar Abbas, the secretary general of the Indonesian Ulema Council, told the crowd. On Saturday, four Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded on Saturday in clashes with Israeli forces as tens of thousands demonstrated against Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "We understand that the Palestinians may need a bit of a cooling off period, that's fine," a senior White House official said. "We will be ready when the Palestinians are ready to re-engage." With inputs from agencies Washington: US Senator John McCain will miss a key vote on the Republican tax bill because of a viral infection, further narrowing the already-thin margin of support for the controversial plan. The veteran Republican lawmaker, 81, will not return to Washington until January, his office said Sunday. With McCain absent, the Republicans who have a 52-48 majority in the Senate can only afford one defection to pass the tax bill, with a vote expected in the coming days. No Democrats or independents support the legislation in the Senate. It is expected to comfortably pass the House of Representatives. The bill, which would slash corporate and individual taxes, has been criticised as primarily benefiting the wealthy. It is President Donald Trump's last shot at a major legislative accomplishment in his first year in office. McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, was diagnosed in July with a brain tumour known as a glioblastoma, after doctors found a blood clot over his left eye during a routine checkup. The lawmaker "continues to improve" after receiving treatment for his viral infection, said his doctor Mark Gilbert. "An evaluation of his underlying cancer shows he is responding positively to ongoing treatment," Gilbert added. McCain's daughter Meghan said the celebrated Vietnam War veteran would be spending the holidays with family. "My father is doing well and we are all looking forward to spending Christmas together in Arizona," she wrote on Twitter. McCain's office said the senator will get physical therapy and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic. "He is grateful for the excellent care he continues to receive, and appreciates the outpouring of support from people all over the country," it added. "He looks forward to returning to Washington in January." McCain has been critical of Trump and cast a crucial "no" vote on the president's effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, helping to save the Obama-era health care law. Trump said he spoke with McCain's wife Cindy, and wished them well. "I understand he'll come if we ever needed his vote, which hopefully we won't," Trump said after returning to the White House following a stay at the Camp David presidential retreat. "He's going through very tough time, there's no question about it. But he will come back if we need his vote." OK Google is a very popular hotword that we use to communicate with Google Search app and Assistant as well recently. While its a hotword that we have become familiar with, it has quite aged now. With the launch of Home speaker, Google introduced Hey Google hotword along with the old phrase and this new hotword is now finding its way to phones as well. Back in October, Google started testing the Hey Google hotword on a handful of phones, but now it started rolling to more phones. A notification asking users to re-setup the Google voice started popping up on more phones since the past couple of days which enabled the Hey Google hotword to trigger Assistant on supported phones. You can also set up the voice Settings > Google > Search > Voice. We have already received the notification from the Google app to set up, so the update has begun reaching out to more phones. Source Olam Cocoa A leading originator of cocoa beans, a globally leading cocoa processor, and the worlds foremost focused supplier of cocoa beans and cocoa products (cocoa powder, cocoa butter and cocoa mass), Olam Cocoa is a fully integrated cocoa business. Cocoa beans are sourced from all major origins across Africa, Asia and South America, and Olam Cocoas portfolio of respected brands is spearheaded by deZaan, with its heritage of more than 100 years of excellence, as well as African origin brand Unicao, South American origin brand Joanes, the well-established Macao cocoa powders and Britannia confectionery and speciality fats brands, and the recently launched Huysman cocoa powder brand. Olam Cocoa has processing, refining and milling presence in the main cocoa producing countries, as well as in, or adjacent to, primary consumption markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Alongside a substantial operational infrastructure, Olam Cocoa recognises the clear responsibility to operate sustainably, Grow Responsibly and drive change by Re-imagining Agriculture. As one of the worlds leading suppliers of sustainable cocoa, Olam Cocoa is accelerating progress towards the goal of 100% traceable and sustainable cocoa volumes from its direct supply chain by 2020. The deZaan product range is organised around the three key elements of consistency, quality and functionality (flavour, colour and performance in application) and the three ingredient categories of cocoa powders, cocoa masses and cocoa butters. These are available in a wide range of technically specific formulations that cover the entire spectrum of application possibilities, from dairy and bakery to beverages, ice cream, cereals and high-end chocolates. D11BK is the ideal black cocoa powder for perfectly balanced recipes. This is the first ever nib alkalised black cocoa powder that provides superior sensory properties and colour impact without any added sodium. D11BK offers the option for a substantial sodium reduction in recipes and the ability to produce health conscious products that support permissible indulgence trends in categories ranging from biscuits and muffins, to cereals, desserts and ice creams. It's quite an honor for a stock to land on the list of Dividend Aristocrats. Income investors like the stability of large-cap stocks that have not only paid out but also increased their dividends for 25 or more years in a row. But some Dividend Aristocrats are better than others. Several of the nearly 50 Dividend Aristocrats look like good picks as the new year approaches. Which are the best? I'd put Abbott Labs (NYSE: ABT), AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), and General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) near the top of the list. Here's why these are three top Dividend Aristocrats to buy for 2018. Abbott Labs Abbott Labs' track record of 45 consecutive years of dividend increases easily landed the healthcare company on the list of Dividend Aristocrats. The company's dividend currently yields a respectable 1.94%. However, it's not the dividend that interests me the most with Abbott. 2017 has been a tremendous year for Abbott, with the stock gaining over 40%. Revenue and earnings soared, thanks primarily to what I view as a really smart acquisition. In January, Abbott closed on its $23.6 billion buyout of St. Jude Medical. This acquisition positioned the company as an even more formidable competitor in the cardiovascular market. That wasn't the only major deal for the company this year. Abbott completed its acquisition of Alere in October. This purchase established Abbott Labs as the leader in point of care testing, which is the fastest-growing segment of the $50 billion global in vitro diagnostics market. Acquisitions aren't the only reason I like Abbott stock, though. The company won FDA approval in September for its FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System, the first approved continuous glucose monitoring system that doesn't require a finger-stick blood sample. The potential for this system is so great that I recently picked Abbott as the best diabetes stock on the market. AbbVie There's also a whole lot to like about Abbott Lab's "child" -- AbbVie. Most Dividend Aristocrat lists include AbbVie, crediting the big pharma with Abbott's years of dividend increases before AbbVie's spinoff in 2013. AbbVie claims a more appealing dividend than its parent, with a yield of 2.96%. The drugmaker also enjoyed its best year ever in 2017, with its stock soaring more than 50%. AbbVie benefited greatly from an agreement with Amgen that keeps a biosimilar rival to top-selling Humira off the U.S. market until early 2023. With Humira's position more secure, AbbVie now projects sales for the drug of close to $21 billion by 2020. The company also has time for its current products and pipeline programs to contribute more revenue. AbbVie's sales for cancer drug Imbruvica are expected to double over the next three years. New hepatitis C drug Mavyret should become the company's next blockbuster. AbbVie also claims a strong pipeline. The pharma company expects tremendous success from several candidates, particularly cancer drug Rova-T, autoimmune-disease drug upadacitinib, and endometriosis drug elagolix. Big current winners like Humira and Imbruvica combined with a promising pipeline and an attractive dividend make AbbVie the best big pharma stock of all, in my view. General Dynamics General Dynamics has increased its dividend for 26 consecutive years -- just over the threshold for joining the Dividend Aristocrats club. The defense contractor's dividend now yields 1.68%. General Dynamics is in the best position of any of the three companies mentioned to increase its dividend in the future, though, with a low payout ratio of 31%. 2017 hasn't been the greatest of times for General Dynamics shareholders. The stock is up by a double-digit percentage so far this year, but shares have dropped over the past couple of months with the company's mixed results in the third quarter. I think 2018 could be better for General Dynamics. Corporate tax reform in the U.S. holds the potential to boost spending, which could benefit the company's Gulfstream business jet business. It could also spur General Dynamics to make some strategic acquisitions that could fuel growth. General Dynamics stock, like other defense stocks, is cyclical in nature. However, with potential hot spots such as North Korea and the Middle East, I suspect U.S. military spending won't slow down anytime soon. That's good news for General Dynamics. Best pick? I own shares of one of these Dividend Aristocrats and think it's the best of the group. Which stock is it? AbbVie. Don't take my word for it, though. Just look at the numbers. As we already saw, AbbVie has the highest dividend yield of the three. It also has the most attractive valuation, with shares currently trading at less than 15 times expected earnings. In addition, AbbVie should have the greatest growth prospects over the next few years. Add all this up, and I think you'll agree with me that AbbVie stands out as the best investing option among these three solid Dividend Aristocrats. 10 stocks we like better than AbbVieWhen 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 AbbVie 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 December 4, 2017 Keith Speights owns shares of AbbVie. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Chicago-based CME Group (NYSE:CME), launched bitcoin futures trading on Sunday, one week after its smaller crosstown rival Cboe. Trading under the ticker BTC, the contract that expires in January opened at $20,650, rising to $19,620up $120 at 7 p.m. ET. While reaching a high of $19,783 earlier Sunday, at the start of futures trading, 6 p.m. Eastern Time, bitcoin priced at $19,417, according to CoinDesk. Cboe, the first exchange to launch bitcoin futures, saw more than 4,100 contracts exchanged on the first day of trading, however, volumes fell sharply, averaging just more than 1,600 contracts the rest of the week. In the first session, which closed on Dec. 11, some 20 trading firms actively participated in trading, the exchange said. Access into that market was a little difficult, Bobby Cho, head of trading at Cumberland Mining, a DRW company founded in 2014, told FOX Business, regarding the tapering volume. There was a lot of excitement [with the Cboe launch], and with the CME there may be the same type of excitement, if not more. Theres definitely more access into that market. While gaining mass amounts of popularity as of late, its particularly high volatilitywhich Cho said has substantially declined over the past five yearshas kept some investors and leaders of big banks from getting involved in the cryptocurrency. Perhaps most notably, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon called it a fraud while speaking at an investor conference in New York in September. "The currency isn't going to work. You can't have a business where people can invent a currency out of thin air and think that people who are buying it are really smart," Dimon said, adding that if any of the companys traders were trading bitcoin, he would fire them in a second, for two reasons: It is against our rules and they are stupid, and both are dangerous." Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett said bitcoin could be a bubble thats getting ready to burst, while BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) CEO Larry Fink called the cryptocurrency an index of money laundering, at a conference hosted by the Institute of International Finance in October. However, TD Ameritrade on Friday said it will allow clients to trade bitcoin futures on the Cboe exchange, but not the CME. Despite the reluctance of big banks to get involved with the cryptocurrency, Cho said they are still well-educated and well-versed on the subject. Theyre all ready to pull the trigger when that time comes. Bitcoin is a fundamentally different way of approaching value and how its stored and managed, he said. Concerns over the security of bitcoin still weigh on investors, banking firms and exchanges. Earlier this month, NiceHash, a mining exchange for the cryptocurrencys customers, said it lost more than $78 million worth of bitcoin after being attacked by hackers. Last year, more than $60 million worth of the cryptocurrency was stolen from one of the worlds largest exchanges, Bitfinex. The largest hack happened in February 2014 when hackers stole about $450 million worth of bitcoin from Mt. Gox, a now-defunct Tokyo-based exchange, which handled 70% of bitcoin trades. The technology is extremely secure. No one has ever hacked bitcoin. You have service providers or apps that get built on top of that tech that get hacked. Bitcoin has worked perfectly fine processing transactions for the last eight years, Cho explained. Bitcoin was created in 2009 by an unknown person or people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto. Transactions are made online and without the involvement of middlemen, or in the case of the currency, banks. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A trade deal between Canada and the European Union could amount to a lump of coal for the U.S. at Christmastime. The Christmas season is typically a busy time of year for American seafood exporters, as the type of lobster that is native to North America is popular in some European countries around the holiday. But Canada and the EU brokered a deal this year that gets rid of tariffs on Canadian lobster exports to the 28-nation bloc. Canada, the world's other major lobstering nation, is now at an economic advantage over the U.S. Members of the U.S. lobster industry, which is based in New England, said exports to Europe have been pretty typical this year, but they're worried about the future. "Dealing with Christmas orders, there's going to be more pressure, and then the next year there's going to be even more," said Spencer Fuller, a lobster buyer for Cozy Harbor Seafood in Portland, Maine. "It's on the horizon." The new trade rules, called the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act, or CETA, cleared their final hurdle in May. The tariffs for fish and seafood had been averaging 11 percent, and the EU is the biggest importer of seafood in the world, importing nearly $300 million in American and Canadian lobster last year. The rules are taking effect as American lobster exports to some key European nations have tailed somewhat in recent years. Exports to France fell from more than $42 million in 2006 to less than $27 million in 2016. Spain's imports dipped from $51.6 million to $42.6 million in that time, and business is also down slightly in Italy, another major importer. Canada's lobster exports to the European Union, measured in Canadian dollars, grew from about $88 million in 2013 to more than $192 million last year, according to statistics provided by the Canadian government. The value of the Canadian dollar has slid to about 78 cents on the American dollar in that time. Meanwhile, lobster exports to Asia have exploded. China imported less than $800,000 in U.S. lobsters in 2006 and took in more than $108 million last year. The trade rules could instead end up hurting American shippers during slower parts of the year, said Stephanie Nadeau, owner of The Lobster Company in Arundel, Maine. There might be enough demand to go around in busy times such as Christmas, but it could dry up during the slow season, she said. "It puts us at a huge disadvantage," she said. "When it's slow, it's really going to hurt the domestic shippers." The U.S. has more than enough lobsters to send to Europe. The country's lobster fleet, based mostly in Maine and Massachusetts, caught a record of 158.5 million pounds (71.9 million kilograms) of lobster in 2016. Some in the fishery suspect a lower figure in 2017, but statistics won't be compiled until early next year. In Canada, members of the lobster industry cheer both the high catch volumes and the relaxed trade rules. A lot of U.S. lobsters get sent to Canada for processing and eventually find their way to Europe and beyond, said Jerry Amirault, president of the Lobster Processors Association of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. "We have a very close relationship with U.S. landings," he said. Toronto homicide detectives have taken over the investigation of the deaths of billionaire Barry Sherman and his wife after autopsies showed they died from "ligature neck compression." Police released a statement Sunday reporting the cause of death. Authorities also identified pharmaceutical magnate Sherman and his wife, Honey, as the two people found dead in a north Toronto mansion Friday. Police call the deaths suspicious, but on Friday also said that there were no signs of forced entry and that they were not looking for any suspect. The Sherman family issued a statement Saturday urging police to conduct a "thorough, intensive and objective criminal investigation" into the deaths and calling on the media to avoid speculating on the cause of the deaths. Canadian Business magazine recently estimated his worth at 4.77 billion Canadian dollars ($3.65 billion), making him the 15th richest person in the country. But the Shermans didn't flaunt their wealth. He drove beat-up cars. They recently put up their house for sale for 6.9 million Canadian dollars ($5.4 million), but the home is relatively modest for a billionaire. Sherman founded Toronto-based Apotex Inc. in 1974 with two employees and turned the generic drugmaker into a company that now has 11,000 employees worldwide. The company released a statement Saturday paying tribute to its founder, praising both his philanthropic efforts and what it described as his vision for health care. The Shermans were among Canada's most generous philanthropists, and their deaths shocked Canadian high society and the country's Jewish community. The couple made numerous multimillion-dollar donations to hospitals, schools and charities and had buildings named in their honor. They hosted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a Liberal Party fundraiser in 2015. Honey Sherman was sat on the boards of several civic groups, including Mount Sinai's Women's Auxiliary, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the International American Joint Distribution Committee. Linda Frum, a Canadian senator and close friend of the couple, said they were one of the kindest and most beloved members of Canada's Jewish community. "Our community is steeped in grief. I am heartbroken," Frum tweeted Barry Sherman was not without controversy. He faced legal action from family members alleging they had been cut out of the company over the years. A judge dismissed the claim. Police and protesters clashed Monday outside Argentina's Congress as lawmakers debated a proposed pension overhaul that has angered retirees and prompted union leaders to wage a general strike. Demonstrators threw bottles, rocks and gasoline bombs, while police in riot gear responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and jets of water. Authorities said 48 people had been arrested and 149 were injured, including police officers, retirees and journalists. "We have no one to defend us," said 70-year-old Cristina Sanmero, who found herself caught in the clashes. "At my age, I have to come here and defend my contributions of 30 years. We're governed by inept people who think that it's easier to take away from the old." The measure, which already passed the Senate, is part of a series of economic changes pushed by the government of President Mauricio Macri to reduce the government's high deficit. Union leaders and social activists complain the legislation would cut pension and retirement payments as well as aid for some poor families. Argentina's largest union began a 24-hour general strike at noon Monday to protest the bill, which was being debated in the lower Chamber of Deputies. Hundreds of airline flights were grounded in the Argentine capital due to the stoppage. A debate on the measure was suspended Thursday due to similar violent clashes. The government later amended the proposal to include a bonus payment for some retirees. But critics said it was not enough. "The bonus payment is a joke," said Juan Carlos Schmid, a leader of the CGT union. The measure "is illegitimate and will cause a waterfall of lawsuits against it." Demonstrators in several neighborhoods of Buenos Aires banged on pots Monday night to protest the measure. The protests hold deep symbolism for Argentines, who recall the country's worst economic crisis in 2001-2002, when pot-banging marches forced presidents from office. Since taking office in 2015, Macri has vowed to rein in government spending and revive Argentina's lagging economy. But his ordering of job cuts and the cutting of utility subsidies has fueled labor unrest. In October, the conservative leader announced that he would seek more sweeping changes in tax, education and labor after his governing coalition scored a resounding victory in congressional elections. ___ Associated Press writer Luis Andres Henao contributed to this report. Wall Streets biggest banks stand to gain from the GOPs tax reform proposal, according to a study released on Monday. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) forecasted that the bills provisions would be a net positive for large banks, providing them with an average 13% bump in earnings per-share (EPS) for the coming year. Among the factors driving the presumed increase is the proposed 14-percentage-point reduction in the corporate tax rate, to 21% from the current rate of 35%. According to the analysis, Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) stands to be the single biggest beneficiary from changes to the corporate tax structure. If the rate is reduced to 21%, Wells Fargo could see a 2018 EPS increase of 18%, the highest out of all the major U.S. financial institutions. Wells Fargo remains at the center of multiple federal investigations, most notably after its employees were discovered to have created millions of fake bank and credit accounts for customers. The study cited other factors that will impact earnings, including a potential 1% headwind, on average, attributable to the removal of the tax deductibility of FDIC fee expenses. Factoring in that downside, Goldman projected the overall advantage for Wells Fargo would land around 17%. Meanwhile, PNC (NYSE:PNC) was looking at a net benefit equal to 15%, while Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) might expect 14%, one percentage point above the group-wide average. Citigroup (NYSE:C) was projected to enjoy the smallest benefit, at 8%. Goldman believes its EPS would increase 13% next year, consistent with the estimated average. Then-candidate Donald Trump positioned himself a staunch critic of Wall Street on the campaign trail, saying he would impose higher taxes on financiers in order to give the middle class a break. As president, he even said he was considering breaking up the big banks. While President Trump had initially called for a 15% corporate tax rate, he later softened that stance to 20%. Last week, he indicated he would be willing to support the 21% proposal, according to The Wall Street Journal. A planned gas pipeline to link Russia with Germany that bypasses Ukraine and Poland threatens central Europe's security, Poland's new prime minister said Monday. The so-called Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would be the second to carry Russian gas directly to Germany and Western Europe via the Baltic Sea instead of through Poland and Ukraine. Poland and other countries in the region that are dependent on Russian gas are strongly opposed to this project, which economically links Germany with Russia and bypasses them, and allows Russia's Gazprom to dictate prices. Morawiecki said Monday the planned pipeline could also add to instability in Ukraine. In the eastern part of the country that border the European Union, more than 10,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists since 2014. Seeking to cut the dependence on Russia, Poland is importing liquid gas from the United States and plans to open a pipeline with Norway. It wants to become a gas and energy distribution hub for the countries in the region. Morawiecki also denied reports that Germany was ready to give up the Nord Stream 2 project if Poland abandoned talk of World War II reparations from Berlin. "We are not linking these issues, absolutely," Morawiecki said on Radio Szczecin. Poland's conservative ruling Law and Justice part has opened the issue of war reparations, arguing that Poland was the worst-hit victim of Nazi Germany during World War Two, and was later not allowed to receive reparations under the Moscow-imposed communist regime that followed. Polish lawmakers are weighing whether to empower the government to officially seek reparations from Berlin. What happened Shares of famed Chilean lithium miner Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM) -- famed as one of the few ways investors can play the rise of electric vehicles powered by lithium batteries -- notched a swift 13.5% gain in early Monday trading, before falling back to enjoy a more modest 8.1% rise as of 11:15 a.m. EST. Believe it or not, this entire price movement appears to be tied to an election victory in Chile. So what This morning, The Wall Street Journal ballyhooed the election of Sebastian Pinera as president of Chile as an event local voters hope will "reinvigorate the country's flagging economy." "With more than 99% of ballots counted, Mr. Pinera had 54.6% of votes to the 45.4% of his rival, center-left television journalist Alejandro Guillier," reports the Journal. Given that Pinera ran on a platform of reducing Chile's government debt while transforming it "into a developed country, a Chile without poverty, a Chile with opportunities for all," hopes are high for economic improvement. Now what Over the past four years, Chile's gross domestic product growth averaged an anemic 1.8%, down from 5.3% in the period from 2009 to 2013 -- when Pinera was last in office. If he can repeat his former feat, chances are good that companies like Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile will benefit. Given the lack of any other news out of the company today, I'd say that today's surprise surge in the company's stock price can be attributed mainly to this one electoral event. Whether it justifies buying into Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile stock at a P/E ratio of nearly 38 times earnings, though, remains to be seen. 10 stocks we like better than Sociedad Quimica y MineraWhen 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 Sociedad Quimica y Minera 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 December 4, 2017 Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Ilan Laufer, Romanias Trade Minister, met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Friday to improve the growing trade relationship between the two countries. Romania is the most pro-American country in the European Union, Laufer said in an exclusive interview with FOX Business Liz Claman. Romania became the first member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to implement President Donald Trumps policy of NATO allies contributing 2% of their gross domestic product towards defense spending. The eastern European country struck a $4 billion deal with the U.S. government to buy Raytheon (NYSE:RTN)-made Patriot air and missile defense systems. For us, it was a priority actually working with the U.S. companies because it was also part of our policies [of] supporting, Laufer said. Laufer, who was appointed Romanias Trade Minister in January, led the countrys delegation to improve the economy by selecting U.S. companies to do business with Romania. This year we are celebrating 20 years of having strategic partnership with the United States, he said. The government's offer to resettle 150 refugees from offshore detention has repeatedly been knocked back by Australia. Among those who are not sure what to believe are New Zealand MPs. Leaked intelligence, claims from politicians, advocates and the refugees themselves have formed the basis of many reports in this vacuum. Secrecy law prevents the dissemination of official information from Australia's refugee detention centres in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. WELLINGTON - Few reporters have been able or allowed to report on what has really been happening on Manus Island. The offer was examined this month during a meeting of the parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade. Civil servants were also quizzed by MPs, including Gerry Brownlee, on the veracity of media reports that featured leaked intelligence cables. "Clearly from media reports anyway, and I guess the word 'clearly' is wrong when you talk about media reports... even if the 150 places were taken up, Australia is still left with a problem. And the backgrounds of some of those people, if you can believe the media, are quite interesting," said Mr Brownlee. His "interesting backgrounds" comment came from a media report of alleged criminal activity by Manus Island refugees that surfaced in an intelligence cable obtained by the Australian Financial Review. "Intelligence advice sent to Canberra from Port Moresby last month describes shocking behaviour from residents at the now-closed Australian Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island. "In addition to broader allegations of drug taking and dealing (marijuana), there were overarching community concerns regarding allegations that some residents were engaged in sexual activities with underage girls." Political scientist Binoy Kampmark from Melbourne's RMIT University said given the secrecy law, it was possible the leak had been authorised by the Australian government. "The Australian approach has been to try to maintain total secrecy under the Australian Border Force Act. So it's interesting that suddenly there have been these tactical leaks, that seem to be tactical, that come out showing the disposition of the refugees," said Dr Kampmark, who has written extensively about Australian refugee policy. "It's an attempt to change New Zealand opinion. An attempt to also to undermine the Ardern government," he said. Anti-whistle blower provisions in the act did not stop two men, who claimed to be former guards at the Manus Island detention centre, from talking to RNZ's Checkpoint last month, including a New Zealander known as Ian. "You've got some 161 offences which have been reported by the Papua New Guinea authorities to the Australian authorities since October. Do we want these kinds of people in New Zealand? I most certainly do not," said Ian. Ian might have been doing the rounds of the Australian shock jocks, according to refugee advocate Ian Rintoul. "It's interesting that he repeats the figures coming out of the immigration department in Australia. So the figure about 161 incidents that have been reported, there's no details about what those figures represent," said Mr Rintoul. "Because Wilson, the security company, has not had the authority inside the detention centre since it was declared unlawful in 2016, it is quite common for the PNG police to lay charges against people inside the detention centre as a mechanism of behavioural control, over incidents of scuffles with guards, complaints about food. They've been arrested, taken to the police station, when the bail money is paid, it's forgotten," he said. "These figures are thrown around to create a picture of criminality." Dr Kampmark said the vilification of refugees in the media by guards could be politically motivated. "There is a close working relationship between the Australian government and the contractors who work on these facilities," said Dr Kampmark. "What has happened subsequently over the years have been testimony and accounts that seem remarkably cultivated to fit a particular purpose," he said. "The point is to undermine and sow the seeds of discord. The slant is to demonstrate them (refugees) to be innately rotten, so that New Zealand should not touch them with a 20 foot barge pole." Five woman came forward Thursday accusing Dustin Hoffman of sexual harassment, with two of them saying they were underage at the time, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety reported. These are the latest in a series of accusations leveled at the Oscar-winning actor since November. Representatives for Hoffman did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment. Hoffmans attorney Mark A. Neubauer called the accusations against the actor defamatory falsehoods in a letter to Variety's owner, Pensky Media Corp. The first woman to step forward in Thursday's reports, Cori Thomas, told Variety that in 1980, when she was 16, she spent a day in New York with Hoffman and his daughter, a friend of hers. Thomas unexpectedly ended up alone with Hoffman in his hotel room, she claimed, while waiting for her parents to pick her up, Variety said. While waiting, Hoffman, who had seemingly gone to take a shower, allegedly reappeared in only a towel, which he reportedly dropped in front of the teen, completely exposing himself, according to Variety. It was the first time I had ever seen a naked man, she told Variety. I was mortified. I didnt know what to do. And he milked it. He milked the fact that he was naked. He stood there. He took his time. THIRD DUSTIN HOFFMAN ACCUSER SAYS ACTOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER IN 1983 Thomas claimed that after putting his robe back on, Hoffman asked her to massage his feet and said, Im naked. Do you want to see? Her parents reportedly arrived shortly afterwards and Thomas left. The story was corroborated by a family member, who told Variety that theyd learned of the encounter seven years later. The second accuser, Melissa Kester, said her boyfriend at the time of the alleged incident was working on the music for Hoffmans 1987 film Ishtar in Los Angeles, Variety reported. During a recording session Kester said she attended, Hoffman reportedly was struggling and asked her to come into the booth with him. Kester, who was there with her boyfriend and another engineer, told Variety she obliged and when she went inside, Hoffman allegedly grabbed her in a kind of flirtatious way. I felt awkward, she told Variety. Its a little weird. Hes hugging me while hes singing. But ha ha ha, its all a joke. My boyfriend is right there. DUSTIN HOFFMAN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSING THEN-17-YEAR-OLD GIRL Kester claimed that Hoffman then stuck his fingers down my pants. The others outside the room reportedly couldnt see what was happening, but Kester told Variety that she made an effort not to react so her boyfriend wouldnt notice. Then I just ran out of there, and I sat in the bathroom crying, Kester told the outlet. I thought, Oh my God. I felt like Id been raped. There was no warning. I didnt know he would do that. Kester said she never told her boyfriend what happened, but she did tell a friend, who reportedly confirmed the allegation to the outlet. A third woman, whose name was not revealed by Variety, said she met Hoffman during production of Ishtar in New York, the outlet said. DUSTIN HOFFMAN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARRASSMENT BY SECOND WOMAN The woman, then 22 years old, reportedly had a small role in the movie and met the actor on set. On the final day of shooting, she told Variety that Hoffman invited her to the studio and encouraged her to stay for the wrap party. Hoffman, she told the outlet, had a driver with a station wagon outside and offered to take her, and others, home. She said the pair lay in the back of the crowded car and Hoffman allegedly put his hand up her skirt, Variety reported. There are people inches from us, she said. And he just took his hand and stuck his fingers right up inside of me. I didnt know what to do. Hes smiling at me. I was frozen. I was outside of my body. At the end of the ride, Hoffman reportedly gave her $20 and wanted her to meet him at his apartment, she claimed. After driving around in a cab, unsure what to do, the woman said she went to his building, where the pair allegedly had sex, Variety reported. The woman told the outlet that she believed the alleged incident in the car with Hoffman was not consensual, but said I dont know when asked if the intercourse they reportedly had was. A fourth accuser, who went only by Pauline, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and detailed her alleged encounter with Hoffman. She told the outlet she met him in 1973 when she was 15 and worked at a clothing store in New York. Pauline recounted that Hoffman would often come by the store and once invited her to a premiere of his movie Alfredo, Alfredo, to which she brought her twin sister, The Reporter said. But the alleged harassment reportedly occurred when she visited Hoffman's apartment after they went to see a movie. He reportedly invited her over under the pretense of seeing the puppy he said he bought for his daughter. When they arrived, Pauline told the outlet that she didn't see a dog and it didn't seem like anyone was home. After rejecting Hoffman's next request to see his daughter's room, Pauline claimed he said, Do you want to see something else? before exposing his genitals and masturbating in front of her, The Reporter said. I'd never even seen a naked man before, Pauline said. I had never seen anything like it. I didn't know what to say, what to do. 'I'll be finished soon,' he said, Pauline claimed. I didn't even know what to say. Pauline told the outlet she went home after and didn't immediately tell anyone what happened to her. The Hollywood Reporter included a fifth woman, writing that it would call her by an alias, Carolyn. She said she'd met Hoffman in 1975 when she was 21, working as a tour guide in Washington, D.C. She told the outlet that Hoffman's assistant invited her, on his behalf, to his hotel that night. But when she got there, he reportedly knew more about her than she'd shared with him. It was as if he had researched me, she said. When the woman said she wanted to leave, Hoffman allegedly blocked the door and said, Go home? You don't think you're getting out of here without having sex, do you?" The Reporter said. Hoffman reportedly offered her a choice of two sexual acts, to which she said she chose oral sex. Afterward, she claimed he gave her $20 for the ride home and she left. Matt Damons ex girlfriend, and former co-star, Minnie Driver, is not at all pleased with his recent comments on sexual harassment and the confession by comedian Louis C.K. Damon recently spoke to ABC News with regards to the recent outpouring of accusations of sexual misconduct against powerful men in Hollywood, arguing that a lot of false equivalencies are being made right now. Theres a difference between, you know, patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right? Both of those behaviors need to be confronted and eradicated without question, but they shouldnt be conflated, the star said. MATT DAMONS FINALLY TALKS WEINSTEIN These comments prompted a swift response from Driver, who said she felt compelled to speak after keeping her silence. God God, seriously? she wrote on Twitter. Gosh its so interesting (profoundly unsurprising) how men with all these opinions about womens differentiation between sexual misconduct, assault and rape reveal themselves to be utterly tone deaf and as a result, systemically part of the problem. Speaking to The Guardian, Driver explained that shes growing frustrated with the growing contingent of men attempting to codify and explain abuse to women, including good men like Damon. Ive realised that most men, good men, the men that I love, there is a cut-off in their ability to understand. They simply cannot understand what abuse is like on a daily level, she told the outlet. I honestly think that until we get on the same page, you cant tell a woman about their abuse. A man cannot do that. No one can. It is so individual and so personal, its galling when a powerful man steps up and starts dictating the terms, whether he intends it or not. Driver also addressed Damons comments on Louis C.K., in which he said that the comedian, who admitted to masturbating in front of women without their permission, likely wont do it again after the backlash hes received. I dont understand why Matt would defend Louis CK, she said. It seems to me that he thinks that because he didnt rape somebody so far as we know that what he did do wasnt as bad, Driver told the outlet. The stars response comes roughly two months after a firestorm of allegations against Harvey Weinstein prompted an unprecedented conversation in showbusiness about sexual misconduct. The topic has become so pervasive that personalities such as Kevin Spacey, C.K., Matt Lauer, Dustin Hoffman and many more have faced public consequences over accusations about their alleged past deeds. After weekend reports that NBC paid money to a female staffer in 1999 who accused MSNBCs Chris Matthews of sexual harassment, the network kept mum for a second day about whether there were other women who had accused the longtime host of inappropriate behavior. The Daily Caller first reported on the payment Saturday. The website reported that Matthews paid $40,000 to the woman who worked on his show Hardball with Chris Matthews as an assistant producer. Representatives at NBC, CNBC and MSNBC did not respond to Fox News emails and calls on both Sunday and Monday requesting comment as to whether other sexual harassment complaints had been filed against Matthews since the payout. MORE: KATIE COURIC SPILLS ON MATT LAUER NBC News confirmed Sunday that Matthews, 71, was issued a reprimand in 1999 after the woman complained to CNBC executives. An MSNBC spokesperson told NBC News that the execs were told that Matthews made inappropriate jokes and comments about the woman in front of others, that the matter was reviewed and it was determined the comments were inappropriate and made in poor taste but were never meant as propositions. The show was on CNBC before it was on MSNBC. The MSNBC spokesperson declined to specify the amount of the payment citing confidentiality, NBC News reported. Matthews didnt respond to a request for comment from Fox News, either. Matthews is the latest big name in media to be accused of sexual misconduct in the past few months. Those revelations have been particularly bad at embattled NBC. In November the network fired its biggest star, Today host Matt Lauer, 59, after he was found to have engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with a female colleague over a period of time beginning at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. NBC also cut ties with political pundit Mark Halperin, 52, in October after he was accused of sexually harassing a dozen women. Former Tennessee Democratic Congressman Harold Ford Jr., 47, has not appeared on MSNBCs Morning Joe show, where he was a frequent guest, since he was fired from Morgan Stanley in early December in the wake of allegations he forcibly grabbed a woman several years ago. MSNBC said it was looking into the report and that during that time he wasn't a guest on MSNBC. Ford has denied the allegations. New York Times star White House reporter Glenn Thrush, 50, has also not appeared on MSNBC, where he was a contributor, following a report in November that he forcibly groped and kissed four women. Thrush was suspended by the Times while the paper conducts an investigation. He has apologized and, according to the Times, planned to enter a substance abuse program. On Friday, Fox News reported that NBC News chairman Andy Lack and his embattled deputy, Noah Oppenheim, are scrambling to put new sexual harassment policies in place at NBC News, even as they resist bringing in an outside investigator to look into who knew what about Lauers behavior and who may have been covering up for him or enabling him. Instead, Lack has told employees that the investigation would be handled in-house by NBC lawyers and human resources executives. Both Lack and Oppenheim have longtime close ties to Lauer and have denied any knowledge of any sexual misconduct involving Lauer. The two execs have been under intense pressure over how they themselves have managed issues of sexual misconduct at NBC News. NBC News has reported that there could be as many as eight women accusing Lauer of sexual misconduct. After his firing, Lauer expressed sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused, while saying that some of what has been said about him is untrue or mischaracterized. Numerous ethics and journalism experts have told Fox News in the last two weeks that NBC needs to bring in an independent, outside investigator to answer all these questions and to apply scrutiny to Lack and Oppenheim themselves. Its hard to see how an internal investigation that reports to senior executives would be viewed as complete and transparent when the conduct, or lack of conduct, of senior executives, such as Andrew Lack, necessarily should be an issue, Cornell University law professor and Legal Insurrection founder William Jacobson said. Prince William and Kate Middletons 2017 Royal Family Christmas card is finally here. Kensington Palace released William and Kates Christmas card on Monday shortly after announcing their daughter, Princess Charlotte, will be heading to nursery school at the start of the new year. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to share a new photograph of their family. The image features on Their Royal Highnesses' Christmas card this year, Kensington Palace tweeted. The photograph was taken earlier this year by @ChrisJack_Getty at Kensington Palace. William, Kate, Prince George and Charlotte are dressed in outfits featuring various shades of blue. Williams father, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, also released their Christmas card with the message Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Charlotte will attend the Willcocks Nursery School in London, not too far from the familys home. School officials said they are delighted and looking forward to welcoming Charlotte. William and Kates daughter turns 3 in May and is fourth in line to inherit the British throne after her grandfather, Charles, and her older brother. The tuition to attend the nursery school begins at 1,800 pounds, or about $2,400, for each term, Sky News reported. Middleton is also expected to welcome the couples third baby in April. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Casey Webb is up to some serious shenanigans on this season of Man v. Food. Webb is hitting 14 new cities in his second season as the titular Man from the Travel Channel series, and he tells Fox News hes ready to take on even more challenges and more cities now that hes getting the hang of things. The first season was such a blur, cause it happened so fast, Webb said. The second season, I was really able to let my guard down, and I really want that to come through in the show. Weve taken the laces off, he added. [Were] simply having fun. A lot more fun and shenanigans. 5 OF THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS SANDWICHES IN AMERICA But Webb, who worked in the restaurant industry before becoming TVs most monumental eater, is just as anxious to soak up the local culture as he is calories. In fact, Webbs travels have introduced him to a couple of surprising foodie Meccas he never even knew existed. I was actually surprised about some of the cities that we visited, Webb told Fox News, citing Boise, Idaho and Pittsburgh in particular. I had no idea what was going on in Pittsburgh, said Webb, a native New Yorker. Theres so much going on. Its a huge beer scene, theres dozens of breweries more popping up every day and then even with the food scene, its just incredible. LAST-MINUTE GIFTS FOR THE HOT SAUCE FANATIC IN YOUR LIFE And of course we couldnt let Webb go without getting his expert advice for attempting an eating challenge. Advice? Yeah. When youre full, stop eating. When its too hot, stop, he joked. Watch the segment above for more from Webb, including his actual advice for anyone planning to conquer a food challenge of their own. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Catch all new episodes of "Man v. Food," Mondays at 9:30 p.m. EST on Travel Channel. If anything good came out of Sundays mass cancellations at Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson airport, it was probably the free Chick-fil-A. The chicken chain, which is normally closed on Sundays, broke tradition following a power outage that crippled the worlds busiest airport on Dec. 17, and began providing food to stranded travelers both in and outside the airport. The mayor called about 10 p.m. and asked for assistance, a spokesman for Chick-fil-A confirmed in a statement obtained by Fox News. We immediately mobilized staff and team members who live and work near the airport, and they began making sandwiches and delivering them to the EOC (emergency operations center). City and airport officials then distributed more than 5,000 sandwiches to passengers who were stranded due to the power outage. CHICK-FIL-A OPENS DOORS TO DISPLACED CONGREGATION IN VIRGINIA But it wasnt just airport officials who were delivering food. As seen in a tweet posted by the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy arrived at the airport to pass out chicken sandwiches alongside airport and city officials. The local government confirmed that Chick-fil-A meals would also be provided to passengers who were staying at the Georgia International Convention Center, which opened its doors to stranded travelers following the power outage. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed later thanked Chick-fil-A for its assistance, confirming that 2,000 meals had already been handed out to hungry travelers as of 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. Travelers, meanwhile, were especially grateful for the meal, and fans of the restaurant took to Twitter to commend the chain. The Associated Press added that Dunkin Donuts was also giving away doughnuts to grounded travelers at the Hartsfield-Jackson airport. SEE IT: CHICK-FIL-A TO OPEN ITS LARGEST AND NARROWEST RESTAURANT IN NYC Chick-fil-A restaurants are normally closed on Sundays, with the chain explaining that Truett Cathy, the companys founder and father of CEO Dan Cathy, made the decision so he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they so choose. The chain is so strict about this rule, that when they announced in August that they would be opening a location at the Atlanta Falcons new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they confirmed that they would not be open on Sundays which is when the Falcons play most of their games. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Power was restored to the Atlanta airport as of 12 a.m. on Monday morning. The airport says concessions vendors were beginning to resume operations shortly afterward. The outage was said to be caused by an electrical fire that started in an underground facility and eventually brought down the backup power system, as well. Most people are pretty familiar with run-of-the-mill tummy troubles like constipation and diarrhea. You've probably also had the displeasure of experiencing food poisoning or a stomach virus at least once or twice in your life. While appendicitis is much less common, about 5 percent of the population eventually ends up with it, and if you fall into that unlucky group, you'll need to figure it out as soon as possible. "If it is not treated, your appendix can rupture, which can be life-threatening," said Jennifer Caudle, DO, a board-certified family physician and assistant professor at Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine. Not every case of appendicitis will lead to the organ bursting, but the longer the condition goes unchecked, the greater the risk. Here are some warning signs that warrant a call to your doc or maybe even a trip to the ER. Your stomach hurts more than it ever has before. Appendicitis usually causes severe pain that extends from the belly button to the lower right side of the abdomen, says Caudle. While this doesn't necessarily mean your appendix is about to burst, you may need an imaging test, like a CT scan, to find out. Dan Gingold, MD, an emergency physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, notes that some appendicitis patients have a different type of discomfort: If it hurts when you're doing things like walking, coughing, or going over a bump in a car, your whole abdominal wall could be inflamed. Your appendix might be on the verge of bursting, or it might have already ruptured. See a doc stat. You're nauseous, vomiting, and have no appetite. You might just be battling a stomach bug, and not everyone with appendicitis will have these symptoms. But if you're feeling really queasy in addition to having bad pain, get checked out. "Inflammation of the appendix sometimes impacts other aspects of the GI tract and the nervous system and leads to nausea and vomiting," said Caudle. You're running to the bathroom a lot more than usual. In some people, the appendix is positioned lower in the pelvis, so it's pretty close to the bladder. And when the bladder comes into contact with an inflamed appendix, the bladder also becomes inflamed and irritated, said Cedrek McFadden, MD, a board-certified GI surgeon at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville and the Greenville Health System. As a result, you may feel like you have to pee all the timeand it hurts when you do. Of course, this could also signal a UTI, but when coupled with other symptoms on this list it could point to appendicitis. You're shivering and running a fever. A fever and chills means there's inflammation somewhere in your body. If your appendix is inflamed, "the body responds by releasing several chemicals to ring the alarm and bring fighter cells to the area, which can manifest as localized pain as well as whole-body symptoms like fever and chills," said McFadden. If you also have stomach painor if your fever is worseningconsult your doctor. You're not all there. If you're confused or disoriented, that might mean the infection is getting worse; it might have even entered your bloodstream (aka sepsis), which can be fatal, said Gingold. "It's not that anything is going on in the brainjust that the infection is getting worse and expending a lot of body resources including oxygen, so the brain doesn't get enough and doesn't work normally," he explained. Any time someone is acting erratically, don't delay: Whether it turns out to be appendicitis or something else that can alter their mental state (like a stroke), the sooner you get help the better. This article first appeared on Prevention. Once a month, Kim Hudson, 51, knocks on the door of her own home in Warren, Michigan. Eleven-year-old Ava answers the door and Hudson gets to play grandma for the day. On the surface, this ritual isnt that unusual. Hudson is actually Avas grandmother. But ever since Avas mother, Katelin, died from a heroin overdose three years ago, Hudson has had a much larger role. I was robbed of being a grandma, Hudson told Healthline. Now Im the full-time parent. I never really got to play the grandma role. Hudson never expected her daughter who had Ava when she was 17 and was a good mom to struggle with opioid addiction. But after Katelin had her wisdom teeth pulled when she was 21, everything changed. US HEALTH OFFICIALS TO TARGET HIGH-RISK ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES They gave her some strong pain killers, and after that her life just unraveled, said Hudson. Katelin was in and out of rehab. When she started using heroin, she was in and out of jail. While Katelin was in jail in 2011, Hudson and her husband who has since passed away applied for temporary full guardianship of their granddaughter. They did it for one simple reason Ava. My intention was never to take away Katelins role as a parent, said Hudson, but I had to protect that little girl. As the opioid epidemic forces more children out of their parents custody, grandparents like Hudson are stepping in to fill the gap. But as they become the primary caregiver for their grandchild or grandchildren, in some cases older adults are seeing their lives turned upside down. They thought this was a time they were going to get to go to the movies and play cards with their friends. Instead, they are being a full-time parent, Jaia Peterson Lent of Generations United, a Washington-D.C.-based nonprofit, told Healthline. Grandparents who do the right thing also face many obstacles. These range from navigating child welfare systems to caring for grandchildren that may have special medical or therapy needs all while dealing with the effects of their own childs addiction. Grandparents face many challenges After years of decline, the number of children in foster care is once again on the rise, reports Generations United. There were more than 415,000 children in foster care in 2014, up from about 398,000 in 2011. Experts point to the opioid epidemic. Children may be removed from their home when their parents are jailed or forced into treatment due to opioid use, or when the parents die from an opioid overdose. In 2014, more than 40 percent of children in foster care with relatives were there because of their parents opioid, alcohol, or other drug use, according to Generations United. Dr. Lawrence S. Brown, Jr., chief executive officer of START Treatment & Recovery Centers in Brooklyn, New York, told Healthline that he has seen an increasing number of patients bringing their children or grandchildren to our treatment programs while they are receiving their treatment. We believe that has a lot to do with the opiate epidemic. These are people who are trying to get clean so they can maintain custody of their child or grandchild. But Brown said that START has also seen a jump in requests from children and family services about whether people in treatment are still able to take care of their child. When addiction treatment whether it is medication-assisted treatment or individual or group counseling doesnt work, foster care may be the next step. States hardest hit by the opioid crisis have seen dramatic increases in foster care. In Ohio, drug overdose deaths rose 21 percent between 2014 and 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since 2010, the number of Ohio children placed with relatives in foster care has risen 62 percent, according to Generations United. Overall, about 2.6 million American children are being raised by grandparents or other relatives, according to the nonprofit. Often without enough help. There is a real need for more supports and services, and also more information about the existing supports and services that are available to grandparents and other relatives, said Peterson Lent. Many grandparents expected they would be enjoying the freedom of retirement, not raising another child. They were not planning for this, said Peterson Lent. They may have gotten a call in the middle of the night saying Take this child or theyre going to end up in foster care. BEARS' ZACH MILLER SHARES VIDEO OF FIRST STEPS FOLLOWING GRUESOME LEG INJURY The financial burden is overwhelming for many grandparents. There are the routine costs of daycare, clothing, and food. But there are also adoption and legal fees. I had to get a lawyer and I had to file court papers, said Hudson. I had to pay money to get full custody, which was silly, because I was getting full custody of my own grandchild. Children who witnessed their parents substance abuse, or who were exposed to opioids before birth, may also need ongoing medical care and therapy in order to live healthy lives. Some grandparents raising grandchildren are also living on a fixed income. And nearly one in five live below the poverty line, according to Generations United. Older adults may even be dealing with their own health issues. This can make it hard to keep up with the go-go-go pace of a child. Some grandparents may even forgo their own medical care. We find that often the children are the priority, said Peterson Lent. If the grandparent has a doctors appointment but something comes up with the child, theyre often going to neglect their own health needs and prioritize the needs of the children. They may even cut back on their medication in order to put food on the table or pay for other necessities for their grandchild. Not enough support for grandfamilies Some resources and financial assistance are available to grandparents who step in. These vary from state to state and depend on many factors, including their income and whether they are a licensed foster care parent. The monthly stipends for fostering can help. But according to Generations United, for every child in foster care with relatives, there are 20 children being raised by relatives outside the foster care system. That means that they are going to have access to much less support and services and certainly less financial support than if they become a licensed foster parent, said Peterson Lent. Ironically, when grandparents step in before their grandchild ends up in the foster care system, they are missing out on support that can help them take care of the child. Hudson was one of those grandparents. I never went the foster care route at all, because my husband was here and we were providing for her, she said. But now that her husband is gone, she wonders if she could have gotten more support. But its always worked up to this point, she added. And its still working. I make it work. Her older children age 25, 21 and 20 all moved back home, which helps. We split the household into four, said Hudson, and we all take care of each other and Ava. But even for grandparents who are registered foster parents, the small monthly stipend they receive from the foster care system may not cover the added legal and medical expenses. And in some states, if they adopt their grandchild, the financial support dries up. Hudson and her husband did apply for legal guardianship of their granddaughter. Without this formality, grandparents would have a hard time doing things like enrolling their grandchildren in school or taking them to the doctor. COMPANY RECALLS SALAMI, PROSCIUTTO OVER POSSIBLE SALMONELLA CONTAMINATION Experts say that there are good reasons for providing more support for grandparents and other relatives to take in these children. The research is really pretty clear that you should prioritize relatives for children when you can, said Peterson Lent Children do better with relatives, compared to nonrelatives, when we have an appropriate relative to place them with. There are other benefits, as well. Those relatives who step in to care for the children, and keep them out of the formal foster care system, theyre not only doing the right thing for kids by reducing trauma and keeping them with family, said Peterson Lent. Theyre also saving taxpayers $4 billion each year by keeping kids out of foster care. Already, state foster care budgets are stretched thin, social workers are overloaded, and there is a shortage of families willing to provide temporary homes for children. Relatives play an important role in helping children left behind by the opioid epidemic and in helping an overburdened foster care system. As we see the uptick in foster care placements with the opioid epidemic, said Peterson Lent, were also seeing child welfare systems increasingly rely on relatives to meet that increasing need. Generations United reports that, in 2014, more than a third of all children who were removed from their home because of drug or alcohol use were placed with relatives. Some progress in helping grandparents The opioid epidemic is not the first time that grandparents and other relatives have had to step up to take of children affected by their parents drug addiction. But some progress to the system has been made since the crack epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s, or the earlier opioid epidemic in the 1970s. One step forward is The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, which promoted placement of children with relatives. This includes giving relatives financial support similar to what other foster parents receive. As a result of that law, we are seeing that relatives are also being identified and reached out to more regularly, said Peterson Lent. Not every child welfare agency is doing that in the way that they should be, but weve certainly seen progress. Peterson Lent added that one thing the child welfare system doesnt do well is provide earlier support for families, so foster care isnt the only option. We need to turn child welfare financing on its head so that states can use some dollars for proven programs that help prevent that tragedy, that help prevent a need for children to enter foster care, said Peterson Lent. Brown said there is also a need for more support for the children of parents with an opioid addiction, to keep them from ending up on the same path. Although there is a lack of real data, said Brown, what we are seeing is an increase in generational addiction. This is why START developed a program, called Teen START, which focuses on helping adolescents stay clear of the cycle of drug addiction. Like many other grandparents caring for their grandchildren, Hudson turned to a support group in her case, the Grandparent2Grandparent Facebook group. She is thankful that she has not had to deal with as many horror stories as other parents. She is also thankful for her unexpected life with Ava, her fifth child. She is my hero and my rock, said Hudson. Shes very upbeat and positive. Does she miss her mom? Yes, she misses her mom, she added. But I dont think she misses the situation that she was in. This article first appeared on HealthLine.com. A 7-year-old girls heartbreaking letter to Santa has encouraged concerned residents in Edinburg, Texas and even overseas to reach out with an act of kindness. Last week, first-grader Crystal Pacheco was instructed to write down her Christmas wishes as part of an in-class assignment, and her teacher was shocked to find that Crystal merely asked for a ball, some food and a blanket, ABC News reported. SKEPTIC SIX-YEAR-OLD WRITES SCATHING LETTER TO SANTA I have binde good this day, Pacheco wrote. This Christmas I would like a ball and a food. I need a blancet. Crystals teacher, Ruth Espiricueta, later shared the girls troublesome letter on Facebook, writing that her heart breaks when I hear [students] ask for things that we sometimes take for granted. Espiricueta told ABC News that Crystal was the only one of her students to ask for such basic items. MALL SANTA WITH 'NAUGHTY' AND 'NICE' TATTOOS TOLD TO TONE IT DOWN In response to Espiricuetas post, commenters began asking how they could help or where they could donate. What size does this little girl wear? asked one commenter. Just reading this from the UK, wrote another. I would love to send something over via Amazon. Is there a school address we can use? One woman, Nashley Garcia, even arrived at the school with 20 blankets to pass out to students, as well as three balls and a special Avengers blanket for the unnamed student in Espiricuetas post, who she initially believed to be a boy, The Washington Post reported. After meeting Crystal, Garcia ran back out for a Shopkins blanket, she said. Espiricueta later shared the address of Monte Cristo Elementary for the dozens of others who also wished to send donations. As of Saturday, the school had received more than 600 blankets, ABC reported. Pachecos mother, Maria Isabel Cortez, further told ABC that her daughter had asked for the ball to share with her brother, and to have food at the house and a blanket because the house is too cold. Nevertheless, Crystals teacher said she never would have guessed the girl was in such need, at least not judging by her demeanor in class. "I had no idea she was going through hard times being that she is always at school with a big smile," Espiricueta told ABC News. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS According to The Washington Post, around 37 percent of the population of Edinburg, a city of roughly 87,000 people, lives below the poverty line. President Trump's speech Monday on national security will be in the great tradition of Presidents Truman and Reagan. There have been two great strategic systems articulated successfully since World War II. The first was President Truman's public campaign to convince Congress and the American people that the U.S. needed to contain the Soviet Union. Trumans effort was supporting implementation of the strategy laid out in National Security Council Report 68, a top-secret policy paper written in 1950 that set the framework for 30 years of the Cold War. Four presidencies Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama built their strategic efforts around a system of global multilateralism defined by lawyers, diplomats, and elite media. President Reagan, in a series of speeches and strategic initiatives, set as his goal defeating the Soviet Union and expanding freedom. Within 11 years of his election, the Soviet Union disappeared. In the period of American dominance after the fall of the Soviet Union, President George H. W. Bush suggested we were developing "a new world order," and Francis Fukuyama, in his book The End of History and the Last Man, argued that liberal democracy had won and was the inevitable wave of the future. It turned out that Robert D. Kaplan's The Coming Anarchy was more prescient. Four presidencies Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama built their strategic efforts around a system of global multilateralism defined by lawyers, diplomats, and elite media. The gap between their idealistic vision and reality has been staggering. Disasters in Venezuela, Libya, Crimea, Syria, and elsewhere have demonstrated the collapse of the "New World Order" fantasy. The Trump campaign focused on these foreign policy failures as a major component of its appeal to millions of Americans. Candidate Trumps critique was sincere, and President Trump has now moved to replace the failed doctrine of the past. President Trump's national security speech today should be read by every American who is concerned about national safety (which is the goal of national security). Then, once it is available to the public, Americans should read the new National Security Strategy Report, which is the foundation of the Presidents speech. President Trump has directed his national security team for eight months as they thought through the new realities and the strategic changes required to keep America safe. This speech is the first step toward this new strategy. Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner is urging U.S. Rep. John Katko to meet with his constituents before voting on a $1.5 trillion tax plan this week. Miner, a Democrat who is exploring a run for Congress against Katko, R-Camillus, next year, sent a letter Monday highlighting her concerns about the bill, including the elimination of the individual health insurance mandate and the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions. How does final $1.5 trillion GOP tax plan impact individuals, families? The House and Senate are expected to vote this week on a $1.5 trillion tax plan that will la She also criticized some of the bill's main provisions. The final agreement released Friday by a joint congressional conference committee would lower tax rates for most Americans, including the wealthy, and reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent. "In exchange for these generous public benefits being given to the largest corporations and wealthiest individuals in the United States, what are central New Yorkers receiving? That is not clear," Miner wrote. The change to the state and local tax deduction is a major concern for municipal and state governments, especially in New York. Under current law, individuals and couples filing jointly have the ability to deduct state and local income, property and sales taxes. Earlier Republican proposals suggested eliminating the deduction. However, Katko and other Republicans pushed for a compromise: Keep the deduction, but only for up to $10,000 of state and local property taxes. The compromise was expanded in the final version of the bill to include income and sales taxes. Katko has noted in previous interviews and public comments that most of his constituents don't itemize their deductions, so the change to state and local tax deductability wouldn't affect them. But Miner and other critics believe it will have an impact on funding for state and local governments. And it could reduce aid for public schools. Some New York Republicans have opposed the tax bill because of how it would alter the state and local tax deduction. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a North Country Republican, mentioned the failure to preserve the deduction as one of the reasons why she will vote against the final tax plan. Katko hasn't revealed his position on the final plan, but he voted for the House proposal in mid-November. "I just can't look away from the fact that this is a healthy tax cut for middle class and working class constituents of mine, and they sorely need the relief," he said in November before the House vote. Before the vote last month, Katko held a telephone town hall meeting. He also held private roundtable meetings with business leaders to discuss the tax proposal. But with another vote on the tax plan approaching, Miner believes Katko should meet with his constituents. She recently held a town hall meeting at Syracuse City Hall, which featured many central New York residents speaking out against the tax plan. "Over the last several weeks, my office has received numerous calls from our shared constituents in the city of Syracuse asking important questions about this legislation, which will impact central New York families and businesses for decades to come," Miner wrote. "While these are tough questions, the people of our community deserve answers. Before you vote on this bill, I urge you to come and meet with our constituents to discuss its impacts." Vladimir Putin is a master at manipulating people by telling them what they want to hear. He's just done it again by announcing a "withdrawal" from Syria while simply resetting his forces there and promoting Russian-led peace talks between Bashar al-Assad and regime-tolerated Syrian rebel groups. Putin has no intention of going anywhere. He has established strong military positions in Syriaan airbase near Latakia and a naval port at Tartuswith 49-year leases. But the most dangerous aspect of the illusion he fosters is that he could split from Iran in Syria in a way that helps the U.S. contain Russias partner in propping up the Assad dictatorship. This is a pipe dream with growing appeal to U.S. policymakers, who sidelined themselves in Syria, apart from the fight against ISIS, starting with the Obama Administration. The fact is that if the U.S. wants to contain Irans growing Syrian footprint, counting on Putin isn't the way to do it. It's going to be hard to get the Iranians out: they are entrenching themselves in Damascus (where Iran has been buying property for years), southern Syria, Aleppo, and elsewhere. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its auxiliaries are spread all over the country. The Obama Administration did nothing to block the Russian military presence in Syria, and the Trump Administration followed suit. But the Trump White House has repeatedly refusedat least rhetorically-- to accept a permanent Iranian military presence there. With good reason: allowing Iran to keep bases in Syria would make a recently-released U.S. containment strategy for Iran nearly meaningless. The U.S. has negotiated "de-escalation zones" in Syria with Russia, which theoretically require Iranian forces to withdraw. For the most part, they havent. The U.S. has negotiated "de-escalation zones" in Syria with Russia, which theoretically require Iranian forces to withdraw. For the most part, they havent. U.S. officials have offered no indication they actually plan to do anything substantive to reduce Tehrans presence. The idea is now growing that Russia and Iran could split in Syria after the declared defeat of ISIS, and that Putin could then help contain Tehrans aggressive activity. But how, concretely, could Putin do that? One idea, especially in the wake of Putins retrenchment, is that he could withhold air support to Iranian forces in Syria to cause a pullback. Indeed, Putin may be withholding Russian military support for Iranian operations in Syrias northerly Idlib Province right now. Tehran, however, has a much stronger hand to play in threatening to withhold military assistance than Putin does the Iranian coalition defends Russia's bases at Tartus and Latakia. If he makes Iran his enemy in Syria he will lose everything he's fought for there. In fact, Iranian military force, not Russian, is dominant in Syria. Moscows military contingent consists of a few thousand personnel devoted to securing bases and supporting air operations, along with a very limited number of special forces (SPETSNAZ) and military police, as well as some private contractors. Russia has developed some of its own Syrian proxy forces, but their numbers are small. Iran, by contrast, commands a coalition of many tens of thousands of fightersits own Revolutionary Guards, Qods Force, and Basij fighters; Lebanese Hezbollah; Iraqi Shi'a militias (now pouring into Syria after the recapture of Mosul); and thousands of Afghans and Pakistanis it has recruited, trained, and brought into the Levant. That coalition force is by far the most powerful single military organization in Syria. It can and will dictate realities on the ground in matters of any great importance to Tehran. As things stand, Putin now tolerates Israeli attacks on Iranian positions in Syria that his air defenses and air force could have resisted and possibly deterred. Some analysts argue that this divergence opens the door for Israel to contain Iran in Syria with tacit Russian permission. But Israeli strikes have so far been pin-pricks aimed mainly at installations reportedly involved in chemical weapons, missile systems, and other advanced Iranian technologies, rather than changing the Iranian footprint in Syria overall. To change Irans posture, Israel would have to undertake a large-scale air campaign and probably a ground campaign into Syria as wellsomething akin to a full-scale war with Iran and its proxies. Israel is not interested in such a war, which would quickly escalate to include massive Hezbollah attacks on Israel, Israeli engagement in Lebanon, and Iranian retaliation against the U.S. around the region, since Tehran blames the U.S. for anything the Israelis do. An even bigger challenge is that any Israeli expulsion of the IRGC and most of its proxies from Iran would lead to the collapse of the Assad regime, which cannot survive without their help. The Israelis have shown no interest in collapsing the regime, and for Putin, that result would undo everything he has achieved so far. Any Russo-Israeli entente, therefore, will be limited to moderating Iranian military presence in Syria at a level well above what the Trump administrations regional Iran strategy, and American interests, require. Policymakers can argue endlessly about Putin's intentions, concerns, or feelings toward Iran, his willingness to cooperate with the U.S., and his objectives in Syria. But it is almost impossible to point to real evidence that any of those things support the idea that Putin would ever want to help us there with Iran. What we could do in Syria without Putin is an even more difficult discussion, but that is the conversation we should actually be having instead. If at the end of 2016 someone told me I would spend nearly the entire year watching North Korea test long-range missiles that could potentially strike the U.S. homeland and a hydrogen bomb, with prominent national leaders daily weighing the chances of potential war, I would have said they sipped a little too much spiked eggnog. To be honest, until this year, most national security expertsincluding yours trulythought the real threat from Pyongyang wasnt nuclear weapons but regime collapse that would force an international crisis of the gravest of magnitudes. And while there has been fears since the late 1990s that North Korea could eventually develop technology to hit America with a nuclear tipped missile, most assumed such a threat was years away. North Korea was known more for failed missile tests than successes, with many doubting if the so-called hermit kingdom could ever really become a true nuclear power with global reach. But failure can be one of the greatest teachers and make no mistake, going into 2018, the worlds collective gaze will be cast upon North Korea once again. Kim Jong Un and his band of bad guys are committed to developing a military armed to the teeth with evermore advanced weapons that, as Secretary of Defense James Mattis pointed out, threaten everywhere in the world. In many respects, 2018 will be a virtual repeat of 2017: more missile tests starting in the early spring followed by at least one big nuclear test, lots of fiery rhetoric from both sides and a Trump administration agonizing over how best to respond. So what can we expect from North Korea going into the new year? To put it simply: more of the same. Here are six things I will be watching in 2018and why next year will bring far more tensions from the Kim regimewith the possibility of armed conflict now closer than ever before. More Long-Range Missile Tests: Yes, North Korea slowed the number of missiles tests it conducted as 2017 closed. And, to be fair, if history tells us anything, we wont see a tremendous amount of missile tests until the spring. But, Pyongyang will test its Hwasong-15 ICBM at least once more in the next few weeks, following a pattern of testing all new missile platforms at least twice. From there, North Korea has more advanced solid-fuel missiles that it has been developing for years that could be even more dangerous. Look for a test of those systems, along with the accompanying pictures and video, sometime in 2018. Submarine Launched Missiles: While Pyongyang for sure has been working on nuclear-tipped missiles that can be fired from under the sea, we should expect the pace and scope and such tests will quicken next year. With the regime likely working on a new submarine design, Kim will be eager to demonstrate any new advances his underwater nuclear program may have made. And with some speculating this new weapon could have a range of three to four thousand kilometers, Kim would have another dangerous platform to attack U.S. allies and bases all over Northeast Asiaand eventually beyond. Nuclear Weapons Tests: Recent reports show North Korea tunneling once again at their nuclear proving grounds, demonstrating that Kim is not done testing nuclear weapons. Expect the regime to test at least one more nuclear weapons design next year, an attempt to ensure they have a weapon that is compact enough to fit atop any of their missile designs that also has the destructive power to turn a U.S. or allied city into ash. Some sort of Trouble at the Olympics: Mark my words, while I doubt Pyongyang will directly attack the Olympics, they will make sure the world knows they are only 50 or so miles away, just across the DMZ. My guess is that Kim decides to launch some sort of cyber strike, say attacking TV network connections to the internet and broadband networks to knock out media coverage or go after South Koreas banking networks and ATM machines. But North Korea wont make it easy, using cyberwarriors stationed all over the world while also using proxy servers so there is reasonable doubt Kims forces were not involvedand get away with it. No Help from China: With President Trumps new national security strategy just being released, a document that labels China a revisionist power and attempts to tackle Chinese economic aggression, Beijing will not exactly have that warm and fuzzy feeling towards Washington. Such an action, just about as badly timed as you can imagine, will only cement Chinas view that it has done all it can to help America contain the North Korea threatand should do no more. There will be no oil embargo imposed by China. What seems more likely is a slow and steady weakening of sanctionsBeijings standard playbook. Chinas goal on North Korea is quite simple: make sure North Korea does not collapse or start a warand use its ally to keep America from worrying about Chinas push to dominate the South China or East Chinas Seas or Taiwan. While Beijing might not likely Pyongyangs aggressive push to develop nuclear weapons and missiles, it will use such moves to its advantage. Thats just International Relations 101. No Help from Russia: While things with Moscow might be warm and fuzzy for now, just as in the case of China above, President Putin will not take too kindly to being labeled essentially an enemy of America. While he will likely see through the new America First national security strategy as what such strategies always area mission statement-style document that most administrations launch and quickly forget abouthe has very little incentive to do much on this issue. Just like China, Putin has every incentive to make sure North Korea does not collapse or start a war, but likes the idea of America being bogged down over Kims nuclear and missile programsas Russia has its own national security objectives to focus on without American interference. 2018 Will Be the Year of North Korea: The above only scratches the surface of what will be a year filled with North Korea related headlines and times of tension. In many respects, 2018 will be a virtual repeat of 2017: more missile tests starting in the early spring followed by at least one big nuclear test, lots of fiery rhetoric from both sides and a Trump administration agonizing over how best to respond. The good news, if there is any when it comes to North Korea, is that we have been down this road before, with a so-called rogue regime that is hell-bent on developing nuclear weapons and the missiles to slam them into our homelandthink murderers of millions Mao Zedong and Joseph Stalin. Unless we are attacked first, right now, America can easily contain and deter North Korea, a nation that has an economy the size of Vermont. There is no need to embark on a dangerous war of choice, one that would be far worse than the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq combined many times over. Sanctions combined with international isolationwhile not the fastest way to bring Kim and his band of thugs to the tablewill work. If not, and the administration decides to embark on the so-called military option, well, 2018 could be a year like no other. On Monday, all foreign policy nerds the world over are bulking up on the Trump Administrations shiny new national security strategy, or NSS. The strategy, to be fair, has something for almost everyone to like. From declaring Russia and China all-out competitors, or revisionist powers, who want to bend the international order to their liking, to taking on unfair trade practices to dumping silly ideas like climate change being a national security threat, Trump-style conservatives will no doubt be pleased. But all is not well in grand strategy land. While the NSS has some clear problemsfor one, declaring China and Russia the enemy when the administration needs their help on North Korea, the biggest of all foreign policy challengesthis administration has a much bigger problem to tackle: like sticking to the national security strategies they declare in the first place. In fact, it seems an open question if President Trump or his national security staff will follow this strategy beyond the initial rollout. Clearly no national security strategy can work if there is no general agreement on what the policy is in the first place. For sure, we can all debate the merits of this national security strategy, but one thing matters above all else: members of Team Trump all must adopt and support the same strategy for it to stand any chance of success. And if recent history is any guide, well, we are due for some problems in the weeks and months to come. The Administrations recent declarations and retractions on North Koreajust last week alonecould serve as the ultimate example of what an undisciplined foreign policy messaging strategy will create, which is chaos, and all the smart national security strategies in the world cant fix that. Due to some clear unforced errors, Trumps North Korea policy completely fell apart. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson boldly offered unconditional talks to Pyongyangsurely the right course of actionto have not only the White House but National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and Tillersons own communications staff walk it all back, which was nothing short of a confusing display of clear foreign policy failure. Tillerson, just a few days later, would have to walk back his own remarks. In a speech to the UN Security Council, the secretary explained that North Korea must earn its way back to talks. Tillerson, having had his own initiatives reversed now on several occasions, now has zero credibility left and should never have delivered such an embarrassing address. Clearly no national security strategy can work if there is no general agreement on what the policy is in the first placeor if people simply wont follow it. And with North Korea likely reading every single policy pronouncement, wondering if this administration is on a path to war, such unforced errors can be dangerous to say the least. I would argue Team Trump desperately needs to make sure all of its foreign policy principals are on the same page, agrees with the strategies being but forward, and crafts a unified plan of action with talking points to match. If not, the administrations months of hard work crafting such documents will end up being a total waste of time. And no one wants to see that happen. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee was remembered Sunday for his humility, integrity and infectious smile during a public celebration of his life at City Hall, attended by family members, former staff, politicians and residents. Lee, who died last week at age 65, had a love of life and a devotion to public service, said Gov. Jerry Brown, one of several prominent Democrats who spoke during the ceremony. "I never saw him down," Brown said. "Every time you saw him he was happy, he was expressing a very upbeat attitude." Lee, also a Democrat, was San Francisco's first Asian-American mayor and a former civil rights lawyer who led the city out of recession and into an economic recovery driven by the technology industry. He died early Dec. 12 after collapsing the night before at a grocery store. The medical examiner's office has not released a cause of death. Acting Mayor London Breed recalled the rapturous reception Lee received during an official visit to China, where his parents were born. "He was like a superstar. An icon," she said. "Everywhere we went and to everyone we met, Lee was like Beyonc with a mustache." Lee's casket was not present, as it was on Friday when his body laid in repose in the rotunda of City Hall. His daughters, Tania Lee and Brianna Lee, shared the microphone and remembered their father for his boundless energy when it came to serving San Francisco, whether it was by giving speeches, stuffing envelopes or waking up early on weekends to paint over graffiti. "It was absolute love for the city that kept him going," Brianna Lee said. The women announced the formation of the Edmund M. Lee Community Fund that will continue to address issues important to the late mayor including care for the homeless and fighting discrimination. U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, both from San Francisco, also eulogized Lee. Local celebrities, government workers and residents came to say goodbye to Lee on Friday. Many stopped momentarily before his closed casket that was draped in an American flag and behind velvet rope. Some bowed or prayed, saluted or cried before continuing to a side room where they could write condolences. Outside the building, floral bouquets and handwritten notes filled half of the steps. One message on a piece of tie-dyed cloth referenced the San Francisco Bay Area-based Grateful Dead and its late guitarist Jerry Garcia. "RIP. 'What a long strange trip it's been.' P.S. Say hi to Jerry," it read. San Francisco resident Calvin Yee said he did not know the mayor but identified with Lee, who was also a second-generation Chinese American. Yee wants his two sons, a college student and college graduate, to emulate Lee's dedication to public service. "I want them to know that public service is a valued and important part of our everyday lives, and you can serve others, and that's how you can, to me, gain true happiness," Yee said. Edwin Mah Lee was born May 5, 1952, in Seattle to immigrants from Toisan, a rural village in China's southern province of Guangdong. His father was a cook, and his mother a seamstress. They raised Lee and his five siblings in public housing. Lee was city administrator when he was appointed to serve the remainder of former Mayor Gavin Newsom's term in 2011. He was elected to the position later that year, and he was re-elected in 2015. Supporters say Lee tackled homelessness and built affordable housing unlike any San Francisco mayor before him. Critics blamed him for a modern-day San Francisco where jobs are plenty but housing prices are among America's highest. But supporters and opponents praised him as a kind, polite man whose corny jokes will be missed. Republican Sen. John McCain has returned home to Arizona, where he plans to stay until January, after he was hospitalized over side effects from treatment of brain cancer, the senator's office announced Sunday. The trip means McCain almost certainly will miss a crucial vote on the GOP-backed tax reform package this week. Still, Fox News is told that Republicans believe they still have enough votes to advance the package -- as early as Tuesday night -- even if McCain is out. President Trump told reporters at the White House Sunday afternoon that he spoke to McCains wife, Cindy. I did speak to Cindy McCain, and I wished her well, I wished John well. Theyve headed back, but I understand hell come if we ever needed his vote which hopefully we wont, Trump told reporters. But the word is that John will come back if we ever needed his vote. And its too bad, hes going through a very tough time, no question about it, but he will come back if we need his vote. Senator McCain has returned to Arizona and will undergo physical therapy and rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic. He is grateful for the excellent care he continues to receive, and appreciates the outpouring of support from people all over the country. He looks forward to returning to Washington in January, McCain's office announced. The House and Senate are scheduled to vote this week on the sweeping tax reform plan, which Trump has supported. House and Senate negotiators agreed Friday on a compromise bill that offers a substantial tax cut for corporations and across-the-board cuts for individuals, with final votes in the respective chambers expected this week, Fox News previously reported. The 81-year-old McCain had been hospitalized at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland. Now in his sixth Senate term, McCain underwent surgery in mid-July to remove a 2-inch blood clot in his brain after being diagnosed with glioblastoma. McCain rebounded quickly, but his condition has appeared to worsen in recent weeks. He suffered a minor tear in his right Achilles tendon, forcing him to wear a walking brace. McCain eventually began using a wheelchair, and members of his staff pushed him where he needed to go. A statement issued last Wednesday by the senators office said he was at Walter Reed receiving treatment for the normal side effects of his ongoing cancer therapy. His daughter Meghan McCain tweeted Sunday: My father is doing well and we are all looking forward to spending Christmas together in Arizona. Fox News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Obama administration gave a free pass to Hezbollahs drug-trafficking and money-laundering operations some of which were unfolding inside the U.S. to help ensure the Iran nuclear deal would stay on track, according to a bombshell expose in Politico Sunday. An elaborate campaign led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, known as Project Cassandra, reportedly targeted the Lebanese militant groups criminal activities. But by tossing a string of roadblocks holding back the project, Obama administration officials helped allow the 35-year-old anti-Israel criminal enterprise to evolve into a major global security threat bankrolling terrorist and military operations, the report added. This was a policy decision, it was a systematic decision, David Asher, who helped establish Project Cassandra as a Defense Department illicit finance analyst in 2008, told Politico. They serially ripped apart this entire effort that was very well supported and resourced, and it was done from the top down. When Project Cassandra leaders, who were working out of a DEAs Counter facility in Chantilly, Virginia, sought an OK for some significant investigations, prosecutions, arrests and financial sanctions, Justice and Treasury Department officials delayed, hindered or rejected their requests, according to Politico. The red tape halted Project Cassandras efforts to curtail top Hezbollah operatives, including one of the worlds biggest cocaine traffickers who was also supplying conventional and chemical weapons used by Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad against his own citizens. That operative's code name: the Ghost. Former Obama administration officials told Politico anonymously that their decisions were guided by improving relations with Iran, stalling its nuclear weapons program and freeing four Americans prisoners held by the country. They also denied they derailed actions against Hezbollah out of politics. There has been a consistent pattern of actions taken against Hezbollah, both through tough sanctions and law enforcement actions before and after the Iran deal, Kevin Lewis who worked at both the White House and Justice Department during the Obama administration, responded. Asher said the closer the U.S. got to finalizing the Iran nuclear deal, the more difficult it was to conduct Hezbollah investigations. After President Obama announced the deal in January 2016, Project Cassandra officials were transferred to other assignments. The closer we got to the [Iran deal], the more these activities went away, Asher 49, who speaks fluent Japanese and earned his Ph.D. in international relations from Oxford University, told Politico. So much of the capability, whether it was special operations, whether it was law enforcement, whether it was [Treasury] designations even the capacity, the personnel assigned to this mission it was assiduously drained, almost to the last drop, by the end of the Obama administration. Hezbollah was formed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to fight Israels invasion of Beirut. Under the leadership of Hassan Nasrallah, who took over in 1992 after his predecessor, Abbas Mussawi, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, the group moved from seeking to implement an Iranian-style Islamic republic in Lebanon to focusing on fighting Israel and integration into Lebanons sectarian-based politics. Nasrallah, now 57, has played a key role in ending a feud among Shiites, focusing attention toward fighting Israel and later expanding the groups regional reach. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Justice Department warned Monday that ex-Capitol Hill IT aide Imran Awan is a flight risk and could flee to Pakistan if a judge approves his request to lift all of the conditions of his release. U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu filed a motion before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, urging the court to deny the request from Awan, who is facing fraud and other charges. Awan, a former IT aide for Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is currently enrolled in the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) with conditions that he abide by an electronically monitored curfew of 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. and a limit on traveling beyond 150 miles from his residence, according to court documents. Awan and his attorney want to lift those conditions, including the electronic monitoring bracelet. Federal prosecutors warned this could give Awan an opening. While the government possesses Awans Pakistani passport, nothing prevents him from obtaining a new Pakistani passport at the Embassy in D.C. That passport would permit Awan to board a flight and leave the country at any time, the motion read. The government asserts that Awan is a flight risk and that his participation in HISP is by far the least restrictive condition that can be imposed on him to ensure his return to Court. FORMER DEM IT STAFFER STRIKES DEAL TO RETURN FROM PAKISTAN AND FACE CHARGES IN US The motion pointed to Awans strong ties to property in Pakistan, and the fact that Awan has transferred money to Pakistan that suggests he can clearly maintain a life in that country. Awans attorney slammed the Justice Departments statement as purely political. It is a complete impossibility for Mr. Awan to get another passport, his entire life is here, he has no plans to leave, Awans attorney Christopher Gowen told Fox News in an email Monday. His wife and children are here, his wife is also charged in this case, and in fact has more charges and the government has no issue with her not being on GPS. Gowen added: The governments opposition to our motion is solely for political purposes. Awan pleaded not guilty in September to multiple federal charges including bank fraud and conspiracy. A grand jury had returned an indictment in August charging Awan and his wife, Hina Alvi, with a total of four charges. The indictment for Awan and his wife suggested the couple allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to obtain home equity lines of credit from the Congressional Federal Credit Union by giving false information about two properties and then sending the proceeds to individuals in Pakistan. Awan and other IT aides for House Democrats had been on investigators radar for months over concerns of possible double-billing, alleged equipment theft and access to sensitive computer systems. Most lawmakers fired Awan in February, but Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., kept him on until his arrest in July. Awan was arrested at Dulles airport in Virginia, as he attempted to board a flight to Pakistan. At the time, Gowen told Fox News that federal authorities have no evidence of misconduct by Awan relating to his IT duties. Lius latest motion said the government opposes [Awans] request to lift the conditions of his release, citing Alvis May trip to Pakistan. Alvi departed abruptly with her two children to Pakistan Alvi only returned to the United States after the government arrested her husband, thereby preventing him from joining his wife and children in Pakistan, the motion read, also pointing to Awans attempt to leave the U.S. for Pakistan before he was arrested. Fox News' Alex Pappas and Jake Gibson contributed to this report. Republicans have often used a 14-line oversized postcard to pitch the simplicity of their massive tax overhaul but with all of the recent changes, will most Americans really be able to file their taxes on a half sheet of paper? Many professional tax preparers say no. The Trump administration says yes. It might just boil down to whether millions of Americans stop itemizing. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said again on "Fox News Sunday" that almost all Americans will be able to file their taxes on a postcard under the Republican tax overhaul that is expected to pass this week. Over 90 percent of Americans are going to fill out taxes on that postcard or a virtual electronic postcard, Mnuchin said. This is about simplifying taxes and simplifying the business system. So there will always be people who complain that are losing tax breaks, but this is about making it simple for the American public, he said, adding that the Trump administration is already in the process of designing new forms so Americans dont have thousands of pages of tax forms. President Trump was so tickled when Republicans rolled out their tax postcard prop in November, he actually kissed one on camera. Trump added that the only people that arent going to like the new simplified plan would be tax professionals hired to help people file complicated forms. Mark Steber, chief tax officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, isnt worried. I think the demise of the tax business is a bit premature, he said in a statement. I dont think youre going to have millions of people filing their taxes on a cell phone. Mark Mazur of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center says few people are likely to take Republicans up on the idea of sending in their tax information on a postcard. Its kind of crazy to say you can file a postcard, when, first, no one is going to put their Social Security number on a postcard, he told Reuters. Mazur says if people are looking for a simple form, they already have one the 1040EZ form is a giant postcard. More taxpayers, however, may gravitate toward that form thanks to the proposed near-doubling of the standard deduction -- to about $12,000 per individual and $24,000 per married couple. The standard deduction is a write-off that most filers get if they dont do an itemized filing that factors in things like mortgage interest, student loans and charitable deductions. Currently, about 30 percent of tax filers itemize. The hope is that bumping up the standard deduction would encourage more people to take the standard deduction, thereby simplifying the process for them and the Internal Revenue Service. At the same time, for those who do itemize, the Republican tax bill maintains a complex system -- one quite different than the simplification Trump envisioned when he said in September he wanted to make the tax code simple, fair and easy to understand. Overall, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act represents one of the largest cuts in the corporate tax rate in U.S. history. It also would lower taxes for the vast majority of Americans though those cuts expire after eight years. However, other changes in the tax bill including curtailing the state and local tax deduction could force millions of households to continue to make complicated calculations on their tax forms. Even though were talking about simplification for a large number of taxpayers, theres still many taxpayers who will have complicated tax situations, David Williams of Turbo Tax told Yahoo! Finance. Obama officials and liberal activists already are calling for organized protests to defend the Republic if President Trump fires Special Counsel Robert Mueller even though the commander-in-chief says he has no plans to do so. Republican frustration over Muellers probe has indeed intensified in recent weeks amid allegations of bias on his investigative team. Complaints have focused lately on the disclosure of anti-Trump text messages between two former Mueller investigators. But the burst of warnings about a Mueller firing -- which Trump denies -- stems in part from an unconfirmed rumor. Democratic California Rep. Jackie Speier claimed Friday that the rumor on the Hill was Trump would fire Mueller at the end of this week, after lawmakers leave D.C. for the recess. It would be a Saturday massacre worse than that, Speier said on KQED Newsroom. Without a doubt there will be an impeachment effort. Eric Holder, former President Barack Obama's first attorney general, tweeted an all-caps warning that this would cross a RED LINE triggering demonstrations. ABSOLUTE RED LINE: the firing of Bob Mueller or crippling the special counsels office. If removed or meaningfully tampered with, there must be mass, popular, peaceful support of both. The American people must be seen and heard they will ultimately be determinative, Holder tweeted on Sunday. Holder has been outspoken on the prospect of removing the special counsel, warning Republicans in Congress even before the Speier comment that any attempt at Muellers removal will not be tolerated. Speaking on behalf of the vast majority of the American people, Republicans in Congress be forewarned: any attempt to remove Bob Mueller will not be tolerated. These are BS attacks on him/his staff that are blatantly politicaldesigned to hide the real wrongdoing. Country not party, Holder tweeted last Thursday. Former White House ethics lawyer and director of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub also said he is preparing to take the streets. This weekend Im stocking up on portable phone chargers, warm clothes, & gear needed for when we take the streets. Im concerned the assault on the rule of law is coming over the holidays when were distracted. It will be a defining moment for the Republic, Shaub tweeted Friday. Make a plan folks. Be ready to take the streets. This is an attack on our Republic, Shaub added, while also citing a GOP lawmaker calling for Mueller's firing. Shaub tweeted that he had registered for a rapid response protest already being planned by MoveOn.org in the event of a Mueller firing. The event, Nobody is above the Law II Mueller Firing Rapid Response, is one of two Mueller-firing protests planned by the liberal advocacy group. A date is not set, but the groups website said it will be updated to be within 24 hours of the firing, should it occur. This would be a constitutional crisis for our country, the events website reads. It would demand an immediate and unequivocal response to show that we will not tolerate abuse of power from Donald Trump. But when asked Sunday if he planned to fire Mueller, the president said no. No, I dont, Trump told reporters when he returned from his presidential retreat to Camp David. Trumps legal counsel Ty Cobb said Saturday that Mueller will not be fired. MUELLER'S OFFICE DEFENDS INVESTIGATION AFTER TRUMP TEAM SLAMS EMAIL ACCESS On Monday, former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci who only worked in the White House for 11 days backed up those comments. "I think [Trump is] probably frustrated by the process, and I think he knows in his heart that he didnt do anything wrong as it relates to Russia or that sort of stuff," Scaramucci said on "Fox & Friends" Monday. "Hes certainly not going to fire Mueller, hes too smart to do something like that. He doesnt need another distraction on top of that distraction. Over the weekend, though, the Trump team alleged that Mueller and his investigators improperly accessed emails from the transition team before the start of the administration -- a move that kept Trump's tensions with the Mueller probe in the headlines. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, said in a statement: When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process. Republican Sen. John McCain, tweeting for the first time since returning to Arizona for treatment, said Monday hes feeling better and plans to come back to work after the holidays. The six-term U.S. senator is in Arizona after being hospitalized for a viral infection while battling brain cancer. He tweeted, Thanks to everyone for your support & words of encouragement! Im feeling well & looking forward to returning to work after the holidays. McCain will miss the crucial Senate vote on the $1.5 trillion Republican tax package slated for later this week. The House is expected to vote Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday, though the timing is fluid. If approved, it will be President Trumps first major legislative win since taking office 11 months ago. Trump said Sunday he had spoken to McCains wife, Cindy. He added that Sen. McCain will come back to Washington early if his vote is needed to pass the Republican tax overhaul. He's going through a very tough time, there's no question about it, Trump told reporters. But he will come back if we need his vote." The 81-year-old senator will undergo physical therapy and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona after spending several days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Dr. Mark Gilbert, chief of neuro-oncology at the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute, said in a statement that McCain has responded well to treatment and that an evaluation of his underlying cancer shows he is responding positively to ongoing treatment. McCain underwent surgery in mid-July to remove a two-inch blood clot in his brain after being diagnosed with glioblastoma. BRUTUS Over a dozen fire departments worked to extinguish a structure fire Sunday afternoon at Page Trucking, located at 2768 Trombley Road in the town of Brutus. Multiple drivers from the New York State Thruway reported the fire at around 12:40 p.m., according to Cayuga County 911. The 3.87-acre property is visible from the Thruway, located just before exit 40. According to Weedsport Fire Department Safety Officer John Clark, the structure, a large garage, was unoccupied and no injuries were reported. Clark said crews were working to put out the fire as quickly as possible to minimize damage to surrounding structures, however the garage is a total loss. The garage was filled with oil, gasoline and other chemicals which Clark said allowed the fire to travel quickly. He said adjoining structures may be salvageable with only smoke damage. Clark said he does not know where in the building the fire started or what caused it. He said the fire does not appear to be suspicious at this time, but it will be "some time" before a cause is know. Fire investigators were already at the scene. Crews were still battling flames nearly two hours after the fire started. "The fire is under control but far from out," Clark said at around 2:10 p.m. In addition to Weedsport, crews from Auburn, Port Byron, Throop, Sennett, Cato, Aurelius, Mottville, Owasco, Montezuma, Skaneateles, Conquest, Cayuga, Flemming, Ira and Victory responded to the fire. Cayuga County Emergency Services, Jordan Ambulance and AMR Ambulance were also at the scene. As of 3:45 p.m. Sunday, firefighters were still at the scene. Dan Titus, one of the owners and president of Page Trucking, said due to "strong contingency planning," the fire will not have much of an impact on the business's operations. "We appreciate the response and effort of all the first responders," Titus said. "We don't expect it to truly cease operations, more so just an inconvenience in the short term until we can get a new facility erected." President Trump on Sunday blasted special counsel Robert Mueller for obtaining "unauthorized" access to thousands of emails sent and received by his presidential transition team before the start of his administration. Not looking good, its not looking good, Trump said on Sunday. Its quite sad to see that-- my people were very upset about it. I cant imagine theres anything on them, frankly, because, as weve said, theres no collusion, no collusion whatsoever. The New York Times reported that Muellers office issued a statement on Sunday defending how it obtained the information. When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process, said Peter Carr, a spokesman said. Mueller's investigators obtained the emails from the General Services Administration, a federal agency that stored the material, rather than request them from Trump's still-existing transition group, Trump for America, Kory Langhofer, the general counsel for the transition group, said in a letter sent to two congressional committees. Langhofer said in his letter to two congressional committees that the GSA had improperly provided the transition records to Mueller's team, which he said has been "actively using" the emails. In the letter to the Republican chairmen of the House Oversight and the Senate Homeland Security committees, Langhofer contends that the disclosure by GSA was "unauthorized," and it considers the documents private and privileged and not government property. While conservatives have been critical of Mueller's probe of Russian activities during the 2016 campaign, Trump said Sunday afternoon that he has no plans to fire Mueller. The documents were provided to Mueller's team by the GSA in September in response to requests from the FBI, but the transition team didn't learn about it until last week, Langhofer said. The tens of thousands of emails in question pertain to 13 senior Trump transition officials. Many of the emails that Mueller's investigators have now included national security discussions about possible Trump international aims as well as candid assessments of candidates for top government posts, said those familiar with the transition. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the records' sensitivity. Langhofer also said that a GSA official appointed by Trump in May had assured the transition in June that any request for records from Mueller's office would be referred to the transition's attorneys. According to Langhofer, the assurance was made by then-GSA General Counsel Richard Beckler, who was hospitalized in August and has since died. A copy of the letter was obtained by the AP. But late Saturday, another GSA official present for the conversation told Buzzfeed News that there was nothing improper about the disclosure of the emails to Mueller's team. The GSA has provided office space and other aid to presidential transitions in recent years and typically houses electronic transition records in its computer system. GSA Deputy Counsel Lenny Loewentritt, who Langhofer blames along with other GSA career staff for providing the transition documents to the FBI, told Buzzfeed that Beckler didn't make a commitment to the transition team that requests from law enforcement for materials would be routed through transition lawyers. Transition officials signed agreements that warn them that materials kept on the government servers are subject to monitoring and auditing, Loewentritt told Buzzfeed, and there's no expectation of privacy. In a statement, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, dismissed the transition's arguments that GSA shouldn't have turned over the records to Mueller. Among the officials who used transition email accounts was former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to a count of making false statements to FBI agents in January and is cooperating with Mueller's investigation. Trump fired Flynn in February for misleading senior administration officials about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. The Associated Press contributed to this report New Jersey Governor-elect Phil Murphy has fallen under harsh criticism after posing for a photo last week with a cardboard cutout of Gov. Chris Christie lounging on a closed beach last summer after a government shutdown. Murphy took the picture at a gala held Thursday night by the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, a group who has criticized Christie in the past. When asked about the photo-op, Murphy told the NJ Advance Media that he was standing next to the cutout and just couldnt resist. It was right in front of me! he told the paper. Christie came under fire this past summer after images surfaced of him lounging in a chair with his family on a beach that he had closed to the public over the Fourth of July weekend because of a government shutdown. During his campaign, Murphy said on multiple campaign stops "We will not go to the beach ourselves," referring to the incident that became known as beachgate. Christie spoke out on Murphys recent photo-op calling it disappointing. We've been so open and so welcoming to him, he said. "I just think it sends a really terrible message to people about if you say you want to bring people together and do all the rest of that, then what you should want to do is focus on the future and not be looking at the past." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A conservative New York Times columnist on Sunday wrote a piece on President Trumps successful approach at taking on the Islamic State and how his strategy has gone unnoticed by the media. Ross Douthat, who previously endorsed Hillary Clinton, wrote that the Trump administration surprised him in foreign policy, namely in the war on ISIS that Trump has won. If you had told me in late 2016 that almost a year into the Trump era the caliphate would be all-but-beaten without something far worse happening in the Middle East, I would have been surprised and gratified, Douthat wrote in an column titled A War Trump Won. Douthat wrote that Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq which he calls the defining foreign policy calamity of Barack Obamas second term were effectively routed by Trump without the need of a massive ground troop invasion and without getting into a war with Russia or Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Douthat wrote that it is a press failure for succumbing to the narrative of Trumpian disaster and ignoring the story. But this is also a press failure, a case where the media is not adequately reporting an important success because it does not fit into the narrative of Trumpian disaster in which our journalistic entities are all invested, he wrote. Earlier this month, Iraq declared its war against the Islamic State was over after more than three years of combat operations drove extremist fighters from all of the territories they once held. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced Iraqi forces were in full control of the countrys border with Syria during remarks at a conference in Baghdad, and his spokesman said the development marked the end of the military fight against ISIS. Trump has avoided the temptation often afflicting Republican uber-hawks, in which were supposed to fight all bad actors on 16 fronts at once. Instead hes slow-walked his hawkish instincts on Iran, tolerated Assad and avoided dialing up tensions with Russia, Douthat wrote. Lastly, Douthat gives credit for Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel a move condemned by multiple countries across the globe as recognizing that the Middle East has changed its priorities since the 1990s. He wrote: And the Trump strategy on Israel and the Palestinians, the butt of many Jared Kushner jokes, seems not crazy? The relatively mild reaction to recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital may be a case study in expert consensus falling behind the facts; the Arab world has different concerns than it did in 1995, and Trumps move has helped clarify that change. Douthat ended the article: So very provisionally, credit belongs where its due to our soldiers and diplomats, yes, but to our president as well. The Associated Press contributed to this report Screening devices that detect suicide vests like the one that exploded in a New York City subway tunnel are being tested in a Los Angeles transit station, but U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said Sunday the Transportation Security Administration should speed up plans to deploy the technology nationally. The fact that we have this new, potentially life-saving technology at our fingertips an ability to detect concealed explosives worn by cowards looking to do us harm demands the federal government put both the testing and the perfecting of this technology on the fast-track, Schumer said. We not only want these devices in Americas busiest cities, like New York, but we need them here. The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority is partnering with TSA to test devices known as stand-off explosive detection units, which do a full-body screening of passengers walking through a station without slowing them down. If an explosive device is detected, it triggers an alarm. The operator, a transit employee, sees a camera image of the passenger on a computer screen, but no anatomical details. Along with industry partners, we are committed to identifying, testing and deploying technology that addresses threats to transportation across the spectrum, TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement. QinetiQ SPO-NX screening devices were tested this week in one of Los Angeles busiest stations, the 7th Street Metro downtown. The technology, under development since 2004, was also tested in Union Station in Washington before Thanksgiving and was used at a New Jersey Transit station during the 2014 Super Bowl, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. Schumer called on the TSA to formally test the devices in New York City. The machines, which resemble white television cameras on tripods, dont detect explosive vapors but instead scan for metallic and non-metallic objects on a persons body. Unlike airport screening devices, the equipment projects scanning waves at a person from a distance rather than having the person walk through a scanner. The would-be suicide bomber in New York City during the morning commute on Monday injured himself when he set off a crude pipe bomb strapped to his chest. Officials said the Bangladeshi immigrant was indoctrinated into terrorism through internet videos. Theres a global pattern that seems to be emerging involving suicide bombers and explosives in soft spaces, said Alex Wiggins, who runs the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authoritys law enforcement division. We want to be prudent and stay ahead of the threat. The technology is still in the test phase and isnt ready for a widespread national rollout because its still being evaluated to determine, among other things, how effective it is at detecting bombs and how often it gives false alarms, TSA spokesman Michael England said. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday swatted back at a reporter's question asking if he'd submitted a letter of resignation, curtly responding: "That's ridiculous." Sources told Fox News in late November that Tillerson is expected to leave the Trump administration in January, amid discussion of potentially tapping CIA Director Mike Pompeo as a replacement. The sources said the most likely succession plan would involve moving Pompeo to the State Department and nominating Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton to lead the CIA. Tillerson took the unnamed reporter's question as he welcomed French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian for a working lunch at the State Department. The question: "Secretary Tillerson, have you already submitted a letter of resignation with an effective date in January?" Tillerson replied, "That's ridiculous." After the reporter thanked him, he followed up: "Ridiculous question." Then, he and the French foreign minister left the room. TILLERSON NOT LEAVING ROLE AS SECRETARY OF STATE, TRUMP SAYS President Trump also fought back at the reports of Tillerson's imminent departure. The president tweeted on Dec. 1: "The media has been speculating that I fired Rex Tillerson or that he would be leaving soon - FAKE NEWS! Hes not leaving and while we disagree on certain subjects, (I call the final shots) we work well together and America is highly respected again!" Fox News' Mike Arroyo, Samuel Chamberlain, John Roberts and Brooke Singman contributed to this report. President Trump said Monday that the deadly Amtrak derailment shows the need for a new infrastructure plan, while offering his thoughts and prayers to the victims of the Washington state tragedy. The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long! Trump tweeted. Moments later, he added: My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the train accident in DuPont, Washington. Thank you to all of our wonderful First Responders who are on the scene. We are currently monitoring here at the White House. Trump echoed the remarks at the top of an address Monday afternoon unveiling his administrations new national security strategy. We are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with local authorities, Trump said of the train crash. The Washington train was carrying more than 80 people when it derailed Monday outside of Tacoma causing several train cars to tumble from an overpass onto an interstate highway, officials said. At least six people are reported dead. "Multiple fatalities" were reported after Amtrak train 501 derailed about 7:30 a.m. along Interstate 5 as it was leaving the new Tacoma station, Pierce County Sheriff's Spokesman Ed Troyer said. The train was traveling southbound from Seattle when it derailed. Police also said several cars were struck by the Amtrak train cars, injuring multiple drivers on the highway. While Trump pushed anew for an infrastructure plan on Monday, he has not yet unveiled one. Congress right now is still dealing with a major tax reform package and deliberations over how to keep the government funded after a Dec. 22 deadline. Trump may look to push the infrastructure plan after the tax package is considered. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trumps national security strategy, set to be unveiled in a major address Monday afternoon, restores references to the jihadist terror threat in a tacit rebuke to the Obama-era decision to avoid such language. The president is expected to detail his administrations strategy at 2 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C. Trump is expected to discuss threats he'll deem as "rogue regimes," like North Korea, and "revisionist powers," like Russia and China, who aim to change the status quo. But notably, the document repeatedly refers to jihadist terror groups, in a break from the Obama administration. The primary transnational threats Americans face are from jihadist terrorists and transnational criminal organizations, the document states, according to excerpts released ahead of the speech. Another section calls for strengthened missile defense and homeland security, vowing to pursue threats to their source, so that jihadist terrorists are stopped before they ever reach our borders. Sebastian Gorka, a former Trump White House adviser, drew attention to the term in an interview Monday morning with Fox & Friends. The political correctness of the last eight years is gone, he said. You havent seen anything like this for 20-25 years. Then-President Barack Obama stirred controversy when he first removed terms like Islamic extremism in the 2010 security document, effectively scrubbing language used by the George W. Bush administration. The shift came on the heels of Obamas visit to Egypt, where he vowed a new beginning in the relationship between the U.S. and the Muslim world. The administration's 2015 strategy also did not contain the word "jihadist." Shortly before leaving office last year, Obama explained at a CNN town hall that he avoided using those terms because he did not want to lump murderers like Al Qaeda and ISIS members into the billion Muslims that exist around the world, including in this country, who are peaceful, who are responsible, who, in this country, are fellow troops and police officers and firefighters and teachers and neighbors and friends." Broadly speaking, according to a senior administration official, Trumps doctrine has four main principles: protecting the homeland and way of life; promoting American prosperity; demonstrating peace through strength; and advancing American influence in an ever-competitive world. The official said the principled realism takes a clear-eyed view of the threats we face. In another shift for the president who ran on an America First platform, Trumps strategy will remove an Obama declaration that climate change is an "urgent and growing threat to our national security." Fox News Lukas Mikelionis, Kristin Brown and Jennifer Bowman and The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump is set to unveil a new national security strategy on Monday, emphasizing national sovereignty over alliances and economic security and reversing Obama-era warnings of climate change. Trump will go further into detail about the so-called America First national security strategy in a speech on Monday, a plan that could alter the U.S. relationship with the rest of the world if fully implemented. According to a senior administration official, Trumps doctrine has four main pillars: protecting the homeland and way of life; promoting American prosperity; demonstrating peace through strength; and advancing American influence in an ever-competitive world. The official said the principled realism (contained in the document) takes a clear-eyed view of the threats we face, adding that the strategy promotes a world that is free, with sovereign nations and diverse cultures with their own aspirations, respecting the rights of those nations to do so but also finding ways to promote American values. The document will affirm that all nations are in perpetual competition and thus the U.S. must wage a fight on all fronts allies and foes included to ensure the countrys sovereignty and prosperity. Economic security is national security, said a senior administration official. Trump is expected to make clear that the U.S. will be standing up for itself unilaterally even if that means disaffecting others on issues such as trade, climate change, and immigration. But this will not mean the U.S. is retreating from global politics. The strategy is supposed to assert the U.S. presence in the international community, with respect for all other countries and without imposing American values anywhere. The U.S. will continue to be open to relationships with other countries, including alliances like NATO, but they will have to be based on fairness and reciprocity. Trump attacked NATO during the campaign for letting other countries take advantage of American military while not spending enough on their own. The new strategy will also strip the Obama administrations decision to designate climate change as an urgent and growing threat to our national security, but will mention the importance of environmental stewardship. In the speech on Monday, the president is expected to discuss rogue regimes such as North Korea and criticize revisionist powers like Russian and China. Trump is likely to issue stark criticism of the Kremlin and its actions in Ukraine and Georgia. The criticisms of China, meanwhile, will be toned-down. Rather than accusing of economic aggression as it was previously believed the strategy will, the document refers to China as a strategic competitor. In regards to the Middle East, the new national security strategy sees emerging opportunities to promote U.S. interests in the region. Some of our partners are working together to reject radical ideologies and key leaders are calling for a rejection of Islamist extremism and violence, the document reads. Encouraging political stability and sustainable prosperity would contribute to dampening the conditions that fuel sectarian grievances. The document will point out to radical jihadist terrorist organizations and Iran as the prime irritant preventing peace and prosperity in the region. For generations the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been understood as the prime irritant preventing peace and prosperity in the region, the strategy document reads. Today, the threats from radical jihadist terrorist organizations and the threat from Iran are creating the realization that Israel is not the cause of the regions problems. States have increasingly found common interests with Israel in confronting common threats. Fox News Jennifer Bowman and the Associated Press contributed to this report. A used SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station for the second time Sunday (Dec. 17), delivering more than 2 tons of NASA supplies just in time for Christmas. The uncrewed Dragon capsule was captured by astronauts using the space station's robotic arm at 5:57 a.m. EST as both spacecraft sailed 252 miles above the Pacific Ocean, between Australia and Papua New Guinea. [See photos for the Dragon cargo ship launch] "It's a great day to see Dragon back on ISS again," spacecraft communicator Leslie Ringo radioed the International Space Station (ISS) crew from NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston. SpaceX launched the Dragon capsule Friday (Dec. 15). "It's a beautiful spacecraft and we're looking forward to digging into it and getting some science on board," astronaut Joe Acaba of NASA replied from the station. Acaba assisted crewmate Mark Vande Hei, who controlled the station's arm during the Dragon capture. Sunday's arrival marked the second cargo delivery mission for this SpaceX Dragon capsule. It last visited the station in April 2015. SpaceX also reused the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Dragon, with the booster landing on a pad to mark the company's 20th successful landing. SpaceX has developed its reusable rocket technology to lower the cost of spaceflight. For this mission, SpaceX's 13th station resupply flight for NASA, the Dragon delivered nearly 4,800 lbs. of supplies and scientific gear for astronauts on the space station. Dragon will stay at the space station until mid-January, when it will return to Earth and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California, allowing SpaceX and NASA to recover experiment results and other gear. Today's Dragon arrival capped a busy day for the International Space Station. Just hours earlier, at 2:21 a.m. EST, a Russian Soyuz rocket launched three new crewmembers toward the orbiting lab from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, Norishige "Neemo" Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and astronaut Scott "Maker" Tingle of NASA launched aboard a Soyuz space capsule and will join the station's Expedition 54 crew later this week. The trio is scheduled to dock at the space station early Tuesday (Dec. 19) at 3:43 a.m. EST. Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom , Facebook and Google+ . Original article on Space.com . If the truth is out there, the Department of Defense may still be determined to find it. Stories published in the New York Times and Politico almost at the same time both detail a secret Pentagon program that went on for years, spending tens of millions of dollars to investigate unidentified aerial phenomena, also known as UFOs. Called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, it spent five years investigating reports from pilots and other military personnel about unexplained objects in the sky and it may still be going on. The program apparently began in 2007, and many parts of it are still classified. Most of the research was undertaken by an aerospace company run by billionaire Robert Bigelow, whos expressed his belief in extraterrestrial life many times. Im absolutely convinced. Thats all there is to it, he said in an interview with CBS News. There has been and is an existing presence, an ET presence [on Earth]. And I spent millions and millions and millions I probably spent more as an individual than anybody else in the United States has ever spent on this subject. The program has described objects that move at high speeds or hover in place without any visible propulsion. One 2004 DoD video obtained by the Times shows cockpit footage from a Navy F-18 Hornet chasing an object the size of a commercial airliner. Look at that thing! one pilot exclaimed to the other during the incident. According to the Times, the program was run by a military official named Luis Elizondo deep in the bowels of the Pentagon. Although defense officials claim the program was ended in 2012, it has recently received scrutiny due to Elizondos recent resignation. He maintained that, despite the lack of official government funding, the program has continued with officials from the CIA and the Navy. Elizondo also claimed that he quit in protest because the program had not been taken seriously. We tried to work within the system, Elizondo said to Politico. We were trying to take the voodoo out of voodoo science. From 1947 to 1969, the Air Force operated Project Blue Book, a program designed to investigate sightings of unexplained aerial phenomena. The conclusion was that there had been no evidence that any of the sightings were extraterrestrial vehicles. After departing the Pentagon, Elizondo has joined up with Tom DeLonge (formerly of Blink-182) and his To the Stars venture, which posted the video obtained by the Times on YouTube. Speaking to the Times, he said his research over the years had proven that the mysterious objects had not come from Earth. That fact is not something any government or institution should classify in order to keep secret from the people, he said. The number of passengers who fell ill with a stomach virus on the Independence of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, jumped by more than 100 over this weekend, the Naples Daily News reported Sunday. The cruise line says that 332 gastrointestinal illness cases were reported on the ship before it came back from a five-night trip, docking in Port Everglades, Fla., according to the newspaper. On Saturday, the cruise line said 220 people had fallen ill with the virus. STAYING HEALTHY ON THE HIGH SEAS We went down to the medical facility and waited over an hour for help, passenger Marsha Homuska told WPLG. They started running out of water and basic supplies. OUTBREAK OF NOROVIRUS CONFIRMED ON NORTH CAROLINA COLLEGE CAMPUS Cruise line spokesman Owen Torres told the Naples Daily News that the illnesses represented only about 6 percent of total passengers on the cruise, and that the ship underwent intensive sanitary procedures to lessen any further risk. Those affected by the short-lived illness were treated by our ships doctors with over-the-counter medication," he said, We hope all our guests feel better quickly. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Power may have been restored to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, but that doesnt mean travelers should expect to be going anywhere at least not anytime soon. Following a fire in an underground electrical facility, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded more than 1,000 flights on Sunday afternoon, and many more aircraft scheduled to fly to Atlanta were held at their departing airports or rerouted entirely. Power was restored to the airport as of early Monday morning, although it might take days before passengers can catch rescheduled flights, experts say. OLYMPIAN LOLO JONES TWEETS UPDATES WHILE STUCK ON PLANE DURING ATLANTA AIRPORT OUTAGE Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former American Airlines executive, told the Associated Press that Delta Air Lines which is headquartered out of Hartsfield-Jackson might need until Tuesday before operations return to normal. But for passengers, Mann estimates it could be most of the week" before they find open seats on alternate flights. Delta passengers might be better off than others, too. According to Mann, the airline has more crew, and more spare aircraft, at its headquarters than anywhere else. The airline is also issuing a travel waiver for travelers who experienced cancellations or a significant delay to a flight. Delta passengers can also make a one-time change to their scheduled itineraries if they are planning to travel to, from or through Hartsfield-Jackson through Dec. 19. POWER RESTORED AT ATLANTA AIRPORT AFTER OUTAGE American Airlines, too, has announced that it will be waiving change fees for certain passengers who were affected by the outage at Hartsfield-Jackson. A representative for American told Fox News that 19 of its 49 scheduled departures for Monday were canceled, but its operations at ATL will resume as of 10 a.m. On Sunday , American Airlines had canceled just 24 flights as a result of the power outage, as well as an equal number of incoming flights, the AP reported. United, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines also reported delays or cancelations, the latter with 70 of its 120 flights out of ATL canceled on Sunday. There are currently no cancellations for its Monday flights, however. All three carriers United, JetBlue and Southwest are also issuing waivers for affected passengers. The Hartsfield-Jackson airport, meanwhile, has been working with the city of Atlanta to accommodate or bring aid to passengers. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced on Sunday that the Georgia International Convention Center, which has a capacity of up to 10,000, would be open to stranded travelers. Shuttle buses were also provided to transport passengers from the airport to the center in College Park. The airport added that Chick-fil-A was going to provide food to those at the convention center. ATLANTA AIRPORT FINDS SURPRISE VISITORS ON THE TARMAC Reed also confirmed that emergency services crew were distributing water to travelers within the airport. The airports Twitter account also confirmed that meals and Chick-fil-A items were being distributed at the airport, and a Dunkin Donuts location was handing out free doughnuts, the AP reported. Hartsfield-Jackson further stated that airport concession outlets began to reopen shortly after power was restored. Still, some passengers affected by the outage say that officials at Hartsfield-Jackson werent forthcoming with information as to when power might be restored. Others claimed there was a lack of emergency services to escort disabled passengers, who were largely unable to navigate the airport without the use of escalators or elevators. "They had these elderly people, handicapped people lined up in wheelchairs," said stranded passenger Rutia Curry. "The people were helpless, they can't get down the stairs. It was just a nightmare." Another passenger said he saw staff carrying some of the wheelchair-bound passengers down the stairs. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX TRAVEL NEWS Power was ultimately restored to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 12 a.m. on Monday. The outage, according to Georgia Power, was determined to have been caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility, which broke out after a piece of equipment failed. A backup system, which was situated nearby, had also failed as a result of the fire. Nevertheless, Georgia Power claims its very rare for an outage like this to occur, because there are many redundant systems in place. Hartsfield-Jackson, which serves 104 million passengers a year, is the world's busiest airport, with more than 2,500 planes arriving and departing each day. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Linda Sarsour, the Pro-Palestinian activist who helped spearhead the Women's March in Washington earlier this year, allegedly enabled the sexual assault and harassment of a woman who worked for her, according to a report Sunday night. Allegations of groping and unwanted touching were brought to the attention of Sarsour during her time as executive director of the Arab American Association, The Daily Caller reported. Asmi Fathelbab told the website Sarsour attacked her for bringing the allegations, often threatening and body-shaming her, because the accused was a good Muslim who was always at the mosque, The Daily Caller reported. She oversaw an environment unsafe and abusive to women, Fathelbab, a former employee at the Arab American Association, told The Daily Caller. Women who put [Sarsour] on a pedestal for womens rights and empowerment deserve to know how she really treats us. Reps for Sarsour did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment. Fathelbab told The Daily Caller that Sarsour threatened legal and professional damage if she went public with the sexual assault claims. She told me he had the right to sue me for false claims, Fathelbab said, adding that the assaulter allegedly had the right to be anywhere in the building he wanted. Fathelbab claimed her attacker would sneak up behind her during work and rub his crotch on her. It was disgusting, Fathelbab told The Daily Caller. I ran the youth program in the building and with that comes bending down and talking to small children. You have no idea what it was like to stand up and feel that behind you. I couldnt scream because I didnt want to scare the child in front of me. It left me shaking. Fathelbab said her allegations would result in her get written up for disciplinary action. She told The Daily Caller she was once forced to talk to a detective from the community liaison division about the consequences of making false claims to the authorities. After her contract was finished at the Arab American Association, Fathelbab said she had trouble getting new jobs. She told me Id never work in NYC ever again for as long as she lived, Fathelbab said. Shes kept her word. She had me fired from other jobs when she found out where I worked. She has kept me from obtaining any sort of steady employment for almost a decade. Sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Daily Caller corroborated Fathelbabs story. They made it about her weight, saying she was not attractive enough to be harassed and then swept it under the rug, one source said. A truck driver who bolted as police in Kentucky were arresting him somehow survived after he plummeted off a 40-foot overpass and then apparently kept trying to evade the cops. Eugene Lydell, 55, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was pulled over by Bellevue police officers around 1 a.m. on Dec. 5 while driving on Interstate 471, WLEX-TV reported. Law enforcement said they pulled over Lydell because was driving the wrong direction on the highway. Body camera footage showed police trying to handcuff Lydell, who clearly put up a fight. Youre under arrest, one officer said before Lydell asked why. I need you to put your hands behind your back. Stop! the officer said to the driver who responded, I dont have any warrants! According to the body camera footage, the police officers lost control of Lydell, who then seemed to fall over the edge of the overpass. Police were heard on camera saying the overpass was roughly 40 feet high. CONNECTICUT FAMILY SAYS IT WANTS JUSTICE AFTER VIDEO SHOWS POLICE OFFICER PUNCHING TEEN Police called for back up as they searched for Lydell, who got up after his plunge and reportedly made a run for it. A K-9 officer arrived to look for Lydell who, upon seeing the dog, allegedly put the hound in a chokehold. Get off my dog! an officer repeatedly shouted, as Lydell claimed the dog was biting him. Officers then shocked Lydell with a stun gun, according to WLEX, and handcuffed him before an ambulance arrived. Hey, man, you need to stop rolling around. You just dropped about 40 feet, alright? one officer was heard telling the suspect. Officers questioned how Lydell was still alive. FLORIDA MAN ATTACKS, BITES POLICE OFFICER DURING WARRANT HEARING, OFFICIALS SAY I thought he was dead. When we were looking over the side, he, he was I mean, he fell over, and it was a flat smack right on his back, an officer is heard saying. I dont know how hes still living. Lydell was transported and treated at nearby hospitals. Police cited Lydell with resisting arrest, WLEX added. Fifteen years ago this Christmas Eve, the nation turned its eyes and attention to Modesto, Calif., where 27-year old Laci Peterson, 8 months pregnant and ready to welcome her unborn son she had named Conner, had seemingly vanished. It was 2002, and while many people were going about their plans for the holiday, family members and friends of Laci Peterson began a frantic search to find her, after her husband, Scott, said she was "missing". He called Laci's mother Sharon Rocha in the early evening to ask if she was at their home, saying when he got home from a day of fishing Laci's car was in the driveway and their dog was in the backyard with his leash on, and that Laci wasnt home. The word "missing" immediately struck a chord with Laci's mom, who said it was a strange choice because Laci wasn't the type to go missing. That call at about 5:15 p.m. would set off a chain of events that would move an entire community, which jumped into action to try to find her while the rest of the nation watched with anticipation, hoping for an outcome that would bring her home safely. As the days and weeks went on, the search became more desperate, as there were no signs of Laci Peterson anywhere. Her husband claimed she was at home in the morning when he left that Christmas Eve to go fishing in the San Francisco Bay and that was the last time he saw her. Her family members went on TV to ask for her safe return and for any information to help find her. Rocha asked the public in one news conference: "We've been through so much these last days, that I'd like to make a plea to the person or persons who have my daughter. Please bring my daughter home." Attention quickly turned to Scott Peterson, who told family members and investigators he had nothing to do with her disappearance, though many started to question his alibi that he had left for a fishing trip after 9 a.m. on Christmas Eve. Peterson repeatedly said that it wasn't uncommon for them to do things on their own. In a January 2003 interview, Peterson gave to Gloria Gomez, a reporter at the time for KOVR-TV in Sacramento, he said: "You know, being 7 1/2 months pregnant she's not going to want to go out in a boat, but it's simply a leisure activity to pursue that day, and you know it was what our plans were." Prosecutors would later contend she did go out on a boat that day after Peterson had killed her and took her body out to the San Francisco Bay to dispose of her and their unborn child. One month after Petersons disappearance, police revealed her husband was living a double life, having an affair with a massage therapist who was living in Fresno by the name of Amber Frey. The single mother went to police once she became aware that the man she thought was her boyfriend was quickly becoming a prime suspect in a nationally televised case. Frey went on to wear a wire and helped police record her conversations with Peterson, which would play a key role in the trial. Suspicion continued to mount against the man some once stood behind, but on April 13 2003, the body of a baby boy in south Richmond was discovered along the shore of San Francisco Bay. The next day, the body of an adult female wearing maternity clothes was found nearby. Months of searching and hoping came to a crashing end when the bodies were positively identified as those of Laci Peterson and her unborn son Conner, confirming her family's worst fears. Her mother spoke out in a tearful news conference soon after, promising justice for her daughter and unborn grandchild. "Laci and Conner left us on Christmas Eve, I know that God has been watching over them, he sent them back to us on Good Friday. Now we can bring them home where they belong, she said. Laci and her unborn child did not deserve to die this way, and they certainly didn't deserve to die and dumped in the bay and sent to a watery grave as though their lives were meaningless. We will seek justice for her and Conner and make sure that that person responsible for their deaths will be punished." Scott Peterson was arrested in San Diego just days after the bodies were discovered. He had dyed his hair blonde, grown a goatee, and had many items in his car which led investigators to believe he may have been ready to run. A partial list of items includes camping gear,12 tablets of Viagra, four cell phones, double-edged dagger with a T-handle, a backpack, water purifier, climbing rope, filet knife, duct tape and over $10,000 in cash. The double murder trial would take over a year to begin, but at the end of 2004 Scott Peterson was found guilty of first-degree murder for killing his wife, and second-degree murder for killing their unborn son. In 2005, he received the death penalty. He is challenging his death sentence and requesting a new trial. There are currently over 700 inmates on Death Row at California's San Quentin State Prison. No prisoner has been executed in California since January 2006. An inaugural ride on a new line meant to speed train service in Washington state turned deadly Monday after an Amtrak train carrying more than 80 people derailed outside of Tacoma causing several train cars to tumble from a highway overpass and killing at least three people, officials said. More than 70 people were taken to nearby hospitals, officials said. At least two people are in critical condition, while 11 other people are seriously injured, hospital officials told The Associated Press. At least one person was taken into surgery. Washington State Patrol Public Information Officer Brooke Bova told reporters Monday evening that three people have been confirmed dead. The Associated Press initially reported six people were dead, citing a U.S. official. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency after Amtrak train 501 derailed around 7:30 a.m. along Interstate 5 as it was leaving the new Tacoma station. A U.S. official told The Associated Press the death toll is expected to rise and track obstruction is being investigated as a possible cause of the derailment. The train was traveling southbound from Seattle when it derailed. Washington State Trooper Brooke Bova said 12 train cars and two engines jumped the tracks. Thirteen total cars were derailed. President Trump tweeted Monday afternoon: "The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!" "My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the train accident in DuPont, Washington. Thank you to all of our wonderful First Responders who are on the scene. We are currently monitoring here at the White House," Trump said in a follow-up tweet. Police previously said several cars were struck by the Amtrak train cars, injuring multiple drivers on the highway. No motorists deaths were reported, according to Pierce County officials. Amtrak said 77 passengers and seven crew members were on board the train, part of its "Cascades" service from Seattle to Portland, Ore. It received reports of passengers and crew members injured that were taken to the hospital. Service for two Amtrak Cascades trains were canceled. A highway camera showed at least one train car toppled onto the road, causing a traffic jam. Photos tweeted by Public Information Officer Bova showed one detached and smashed on the ground. Another car was dangling from the overpass. Chris Karnes, who was on the train three or four cars back from the front told The Associated Press: "I'm not sure what got hit. I'm not sure what happened." Bova told Fox News' "Happening Now" that people are advised to avoid Interstate 5 and that clearing the area will be an all day process. Kaines, the chair of Pierce Transit's advisory board, said on Twitter, "The train has derailed. Emergency crews are on the scene. Massive damage. People are hurt." He said the train appeared to have hit a truck, adding that the car was "destroyed." The train was going 81.1 mph moments before the derailment, according to transitdocs.com, a website that maps Amtrak train locations and speeds using data from the railroad's train tracker app. The maximum speed along the stretch of track, known as Point Defiance Bypass, is 79 mph, according to information about the project posted online by the Washington State Department of Transportation. Wendy Simmons told Q13 Fox she arrived shortly after the derailment as people were helping the injured. First responders actually climbed up into the dangling cars to get people out, Simmons said. "People were pulling first aid kits out of their cars putting jackets on people." The National Transportation Safety Board said a "go-team" is departing from Washington, D.C., to investigate Monday's derailment. The Federal Railroad Administration also tweeted it has investigators en route to the scene. FBI officials in Seattle are also on scene for additional support, as officials told Fox News that local law enforcement are the "primary responding entities." The Washington State Department of Transportation said that drivers should expect long delays and avoid the area. Southbound Interstate 5 near DuPont was closed shortly after the derailment after traffic backed up for miles. Amtrak President and co-CEO Richard Anderson said that Amtrak employees "are deeply saddened by all that has happened today. We will do everything in our power to support our passengers and crew and their families." Washington Sen. Patty Murray tweeted she was "heartbroken by the news." Monday was the first day of schedule changes to include two new round trips between Seattle and Portland, according to the Amtrak website. Amtrak train 501 is part of the new route running between Portland and Seattle daily. The Washington Department of Transportation spent $180.7 million project on passenger train improvement project, which sped up service by removing passenger trains from a route along Puget Sound that's bogged down by curves, single-track tunnels and freight traffic. Monday's accident came just two weeks after Lakewood mayor Don Anderson made a chilling comment saying it was only a matter of time a deadly derailment will occur, according to KOMO News. He advocated for grade separations to protect people from trains. "Come back when there is that accident, and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens, Anderson said at the time. The southbound lanes of Interstate 5, which see about 60,000 vehicles per day, are expected to be closed for "an extended period," according to the WSDOT. The derailment was Amtrak's 26th within the U.S. since 2014, and the fourth in the state of Washington since 2014. Fox News' Nicole Darrah and Shira Bush and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A $10,000 reward is being offered by the postal service after someone stole a package containing a mans ashes from the doorstep of his daughters home in Arizona. Elyse Brink told Tucson News Now her neighbor saw the package on her porch Tuesday but when she arrived home, it was gone. She searched the area, including nearby trash cans, to no avail. Brink had planned a trip to California to bring the ashes to her brother. This was the final step in the process of me saying goodbye to my dad and making the arrangements and sending him home here. And to know that he was so close and then taken. It just breaks my heart, she said. The package should not have been left on the porch without a signature, the Oklahoma City funeral home told Tucson News Now. NEW YORK HOUSE FIRE LEAVES WOMAN, 3 CHILDREN DEAD Officials with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said theyve launched a probe since the package should not have been left on the porch without someone signing for it. The $10,000 reward will only be given if the information provided leads to an arrest in the case. "Our goal now is to get the word out. I was just out on an arrest early Sunday morning and the patrol officers know about this," Postal Inspector Dan Grossenbach told Fox News by phone. "There's such an all-out blitz with law enforcement. In my experience, people that are stealing mail may continue to do so until there's an arrest." Brink hopes the ashes are returned. Grossenbach said he's optimistic that the case will be resolved. They are a physical reminder of him," she said, adding that if she gets the urn back "he would be proud of me. Charlottesville Police Chief Alfred Thomas announced Monday that he is retiring, which the city said is effective immediately, following criticism surrounding the departments handling of a deadly white supremacist rally in the Virginia town this past summer. Thomas, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force who was appointed to the position in April 2016, said that nothing in my career has brought me more pride than serving as the Police Chief for the City of Charlottesville. I will be forever grateful for having had the opportunity to protect and serve a community I love so dearly. It truly has been an unparalleled privilege to work alongside such a dedicated and professional team of public servants, Thomas said Monday, according to a press release. I wish them and the citizens of Charlottesville the very best. The police chief oversaw law enforcement operations on Aug. 12 when white supremacists took over the Virginia towns Emancipation Park for a rally, which left 32-year-old Heather Heyer dead. An investigation by former U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy, who was hired by the city of Charlottesville to review the citys response to the rally, found that planning and coordination breakdowns by authorities led to disastrous results. According to the report released earlier this month, Thomas as brawling first broke out at the rally said: Let them fight, it will make it easier to declare an unlawful assembly. Thomas said he didnt recall making that statement, which was cited in accounts by two other police employees, though he confirmed he waited to see how things played out before declaring an unlawful assembly, the report stated. The report also said Thomas initially tried to limit access to certain information by directing subordinates not to answer certain questions. And it said Thomas and other Charlottesville police command staff deleted text messages relevant to the investigation which Thomas disputed through an attorney. City Manager Maurice Jones, who called Thomas a man of integrity, will appoint an interim police chief within the next week. Fox News Jodie Curtis and Lucia Suarez Sang and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Today, Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy jointly issued a guidance on autonomous vehicle road testing and a regulation on autonomous vehicle road testing, to encourage, support and regulate the development of autonomous vehicles and speed the commercialization of autonomous vehicles. Two documents set specific regulations on many relevant terms, such as road testing applicant, road testing vehicles, road testing driver and even the potential traffic accident. The regulations stipulate that all independent legal entity registered in China can submit autonomous vehicle road testing application for the purposes of related scientific research, type testing which need temporary road testing. For road testing license, the applicant should make clear statement on testing vehicles, autonomous driving system and its operation, as well as offering the installation certificate of data recorder and promising to supervise the recorder. Besides, the qualified applicant should have the capacity for compensation. Regulations also require that testing vehicles should have driving functions of common vehicles which can ensure drivers to quickly take over the operation when malfunction occurs or the vehicle gives a warning. The vehicle should have a testing range no less than the prescriptive range in closed test field approved by relevant authority department. The drivers of testing vehicles should have driving licenses and no less than 3-year driving experience as well as no record of drunk driving or drugged driving. A sound understanding of autonomous driving system, testing vehicles structure and testing system is also essential. If a traffic accident happens during the testing, the driver should immediately stop the testing. The driver will be taken as the vehicle driver who will be responsible for any traffic accident and traffic violation. The applicant should apply for a temporary license plate for the testing vehicle within 30 days from the date of the approval. If there are changes in autonomous driving system and testing vehicles within the validity period of the temporary plate, the entity should make another new application. Welcome to Fox News First. Not signed up yet? Click here. Developing now, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017: President Trump to outline his national security strategy in speech this afternoon A pivotal week is ahead for Congress where it will face final votes on tax reform, race to avoid a government shutdown after Friday and hear testimony from two key figures in the Trump-Russia probe The Obama administration threw roadblocks at anti-Hezbollah task force to help secure Iran nuke deal, report says Power has been fully restored to the nation's busiest airport after a complete outage grounded more than 1,00 flights NBC quiet on whether MSNBC's Chris Matthews could face more sexual harassment accusations after it was revealed an accuser had been paid after filing a complaint almost 20 years ago THE LEAD STORY: President Trump will outline a national security strategy that focuses on greater border security, better trade deals and combating jihadist terrorism and will not emphasize climate change ... According to senior administration officials, President Trump's strategy will focus on four "pillars": Protecting the homeland; promoting American prosperity; preserving peace through strength; and advancing American influence abroad. MAKE-OR-BREAK WEEK FOR CONGRESS: Congress is slated for a busy week that includes expected final votes in both chambers on its sweeping tax-reform bill, testimony from two key figures in the Trump Russia probe and a perilous vote to keep the government from shutting down after Friday ... Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox News Sunday he cannot rule out a possible government shutdown later this week if Congress deadlocks on another temporary spending bill, but thinks thats unlikely. shuttering the federal government would be a political nightmare for both parties, especially ahead of next years congressional midterm elections. And members of Congress have avoided a shutdown since 2013, when the government came to a halt over ObamaCare funding. On tax reform, the GOP-controlled Congress last week agreed on a final plan that would reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent while adding across-the-board cuts to individual taxpayers -- adding an estimated $1.46 trillion to the deficit over a decade. The House is expected to vote Tuesday and pass the measure without problems. The subsequent Senate vote is less certain, considering Republicans need 51 votes with just a 52-48 majority. Concern about Sen. John McCain's has complicated the vote. McCain has returned home to Arizona after suffering side effects from brain cancer treatment. President Trump said the ailing veteran senator could return to Capitol Hill "if we need his vote." On Russia, the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to hear closed-door testimony from two key figures in the Russia investigation. Today, Bruce Ohr, the former associate deputy attorney general who was demoted at the Justice Department following revelations about undisclosed meetings he had with officials from Fusion GPS, will testify. Fusion GPS is the firm behind the infamous - and discredited - dossier containing salacious allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump. Ohrs wife, Nellie, worked at Fusion GPS during the summer and fall of 2016. On Tuesday, Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe is set to appear before the House Intelligence Committee behind closed doors and face questions about Peter Strzoks role in the Hillary Clinton email investigation. Strzok, a former deputy to the assistant director at the FBI, was removed from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team investigating Russia collusion after Mueller learned Strzok had exchanged anti-Trump texts with a colleague who was also his mistress. BOMBSHELL REPORT: The Obama administration gave a free pass to Hezbollahs drug-trafficking and money-laundering operations some of which were unfolding inside the U.S. to help ensure the Iran nuclear deal would stay on track, according to a new report ... An elaborate campaign led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, known as Project Cassandra, targeted the Lebanese militant groups criminal activities, Politico reported on Sunday. But by tossing a string of roadblocks holding back the project, Obama administration officials helped allow the 35-year-old anti-Israel criminal enterprise to evolve into a major global security threat bankrolling terrorist and military operations, the report added. WHEELS BACK UP AFTER STANDSTILL: Power has been fully restored at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after a complete power outage grounded flights Sunday afternoon, causing a holiday travel nightmare for fliers across the country just over a week before Christmas ... Kasim Reed, the city's mayor, announced the update on Twitter after the power outage forced the Federal Aviation Administration to suspend outgoing flights and implement a "ground stop" for incoming flights. The power outage was caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility. Delta, with its biggest hub operation in Atlanta, was hardest hit. By evening, Delta had already cancelled almost 900 Sunday flights and another 300 scheduled for today, nearly all of them in Atlanta, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. NBC MUM ON POSSIBLY MORE MATTHEWS ACCUSERS: NBC is remaining quiet on whether other women have accused Chris Matthews inappropriate behavior after it was revealed over the weekend that the network paid money to a female staffer who said the MSNBC host had sexually harassed her... The Daily Caller first reported on the payment Saturday. The website reported that Matthews in 1999 paid $40,000 to the woman who worked on his show Hardball with Chris Matthews as an assistant producer. AS SEEN ON FOX NEWS WEEKEND 'I'M GOING TO BE A DOUG JONES DEMOCRAT': "It doesn't matter what the issue is. [There's] always opportunity to find common ground. I have just resisted trying to put labels on myself."" Ala. Senator-elect Doug Jones, on "Fox News Sunday," answering whether he will vote strictly along party lines. WATCH A CALL TO UNITE AROUND TRUMP: "Rooting against a president is equivalent to getting on an airplane and hoping that the plane crashes." - Darrin Porcher, retired NYPD lieutenant, on "Fox & Friends Weekend," slamming movements like Antifa and "The Resistance" and reflecting on a poll reported by Pete Hegseth that showed only 65 percent of conservatives and 37 percent of liberals are "proud to be Americans." WATCH ACROSS THE NATION Report: US soldier fought to end after ambush in Niger LeBron James sends message with black and white shoes, makes veiled slap at Trump. 332 Royal Caribbean passengers sickened with stomach virus. MINDING YOUR BUSINESS U.S. taxpayers rush to claim deductions under threat from tax bill. Bitcoin hits bigger stage as exchange giant CME launches futures. Hunter Harrison, CEO of railroad company CSX, dead at 73. NEW IN FOX NEWS OPINION Michael Goodwin: Sessions needs to halt the politicization of intelligence -- or hit the road. Todd Starnes: Was the FBI weaponized to take down the Trump presidency? Lutheran Bishop Robert Alan Rimbo: It is often in the darkest moments that faith is rediscovered. HOLLYWOOD SQUARED McGowan slams Streep for planning silent protest at Golden Globes. 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' opens with $220M, 2nd best weekend all-time. Matt Damon slammed by ex Minnie Driver over comments about sexual misconduct. DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS? PHOTOS: Pope Francis celebrates his birthday with extra-long pizza. A good Santa Claus can rake in $15,000 for the season. Boy, 10, to get bionic hand in time for Christmas. STAY TUNED On Fox News: Fox & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy weighs the GOP's chances at tax reform; interview with former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci and Ivanka Trump. Tucker Carlson Tonight, 8 p.m. ET: Cable News Exclusive: Tavis Smiley speaks out against PBS and the sexual misconduct allegations against him. On Fox Business: Tax reform and the Congress's race against time to avoid a government shutdown down will be among the hot topics with all the latest news and analysis from the guests below! Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Kevin Hassett, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers for the White House; Gerald Storch, former Toys R Us CEO; and Sheila Bair, former FDIC chairman. Risk & Reward, 5 p.m. ET: Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform president, and Rep. Doug Collins. Lou Dobbs Tonight, 7 p.m. ET: Kellyanne Conway On Fox News Radio: The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. to Noon ET: Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel talk tax reform; and New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin on the state of Mueller's Russia probe The Fox News Rundown podcast: Extremism is an on-going battle around the world with more anti-government militias growing each day. Bill Fulton is a former FBI confidential informant who provided detail to Fox News' Eric Shawn about taking down a man that's charged with conspiracy to murder federal officials. Plus, commentary by National Review Editor Rich Lowry. Want the Fox News Rundown sent straight to your mobile device? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher. #OnThisDay 1912: Fossil collector Charles Dawson reports to the Geological Society of London his discovery of supposed early human remains at a gravel pit in Piltdown. (More than four decades later, Piltdown Man was exposed as a hoax.) 1892: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" publicly premieres in St. Petersburg, Russia. 1865: The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, is declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward. Thank you for joining us on Fox News First! Enjoy your day, and we'll see you in your inbox first thing Tuesday morning. Officials say a major highway south of Alaska's largest city has reopened after crews cleared a rockslide that covered traffic lanes with dirt, trees and rock. State transportation department spokeswoman Shannon McCarthy said Monday there were no reports of injuries following the pre-dawn slide. There was damage to a stretch of guardrail. The slide forced the temporary closure of the Seward Highway near the community of Indian about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Anchorage. McCarthy says Alaska State Troopers reported the slide at about 5:50 a.m. She says transportation department crews were dispatched to the site from both directions to help speed removal once it was safe for that work to begin. The Seward Highway is 125 miles (200 kilometers) long and is known for its breathtaking scenery. A Minnesota prosecutor who criticized agents investigating the death of an Australian woman fatally shot by an officer is now apologizing for his comments. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman publicly apologized Monday to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Last week, Freeman told a group of activists that he doesn't have enough evidence yet to charge the Minneapolis police officer who killed Justine Damond last July, saying investigators "haven't done their job." Freeman says he believes it's his responsibility to talk to constituents, but he was wrong to discuss the agency's work. He also says he didn't know he was being recorded, but his comments were ill advised. He says he'll share information next week on the status of his decision on whether to charge Officer Mohamed Noor. A woman and her three children were killed Monday when a fire ripped through a New York City house, injuring several other people, including firefighters, officials said. The blaze began on the second floor of the multi-story home in Brooklyns Sheepshead Bay neighborhood just about 2:15 a.m. The fire quickly spread through the building before a neighbor called police, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said at a news conference. "Everybody in New York City grieves with this family today," Nigro said. A 40-year-old woman, who was living on the second floor, and her three children ages 11, 7, and 3, were killed, FOX5NY reported. Their names have not been released pending family notification. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S THOMAS FIRE FORCES NEW EVACUATIONS, THREATENS WEALTHY ENCLAVE There were big flames shooting out the front of the house, an unidentified neighbor told New York Daily News. Firefighters went straight into the fire. Five other people including the womans husband and their daughter, 16, and son, 15 were injured and taken to the hospital. One person suffered a broken pelvis after jumping from a window. Five firefighters also suffered minor injuries. Nigro said the entire building was "heavily damaged." Fire officials told Fox 5 News that it appears that the fire started in the front of the house and not in the kitchen area which is in the back of the house. hey are looking into the possibility that a .menorah, which is used to celebrate Hanukah, could have been the cause. The identities of the victims were not immediate. Fox News' Edmund DeMarche contributed to this report. Hundreds of flights have been canceled for Monday after a massive power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport snarled air travel throughout the country a day earlier. A statement on Deltas website confirmed that nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled on Sunday and that an additional 300 flights were canceled for Monday to give the operation there an opportunity to more quickly return to normal.Delta runs a large operation in Atlanta, making it the airlines busiest hub, USA Today reported. The power outage affected the entire airport on Sunday afternoon and was restored later that night. Georgia Power told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it believes a failure of its equipment may have started the fire. Georgia Power's system responded properly by isolating areas where equipment wasn't operating correctly to ensure safety and minimize damage, the company told the paper. No personnel or passengers were in danger at any time. Southwest Airlines, the second busiest carrier there, said it cancelled "all remaining operations" for the day but that operations should return to normal by Monday. An American Airlines spokesperson said three of the carrier's flights have been diverted and there have been "a couple of cancelations." Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former American Airlines executive, said it will likely be Tuesday before Delta's operations in Atlanta return to normal, Daily Mail reported. According to FlightAware.com, 1,174 flights have been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson as of 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Kasim Reed, the citys mayor, took to twitter late Sunday night to announce that power had been fully restored but not before the outage had managed to ground all outgoing flights and halt any incoming. Reed told news outlets at a press conference Sunday evening airlines are working to rebook flights, and said that a fire caused the power outage and produced potentially toxic fumes, which took two hours for fire crews to put out. Reed said it remains unclear how the fire started but it will be investigated. Almost 2,500 planes arrive and depart Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International daily, and the airport averages 275,000 passengers per day, according to the airport's website. Fox News Nicole Darrah, Alexandra Deabler and The Associated Press contributed to this report. An apparent bazooka-style rocket launcher was turned in at a San Francisco police-sponsored gun buyback event on Saturday only to be found to be a non-reusable single-use weapon. The shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon was among almost 300 firearms that were exchanged for cash. The firearms will eventually be disassembled, ground up and melted down. The buyback had a strict no-questions-asked policy as part of the encouragement to give up guns and was organized by the San Francisco police department and the violence prevention group called United Playaz, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. "We got a bazooka off the streets. We got a cannon ball off the streets. We got assault rifles. We got everything that you can name that could destroy a whole universe and we get rid of them within hours," Rudy Corpuz Jr., executive director of United Playaz told KGO. Unfortunately for the police, however, the bazooka has been identified as an AT-4, a single-use rocket launcher that cannot be reloaded again after firing. Many have mocked the police on social media for celebrating a buyback of the non-reusable weapon. Embarrassing tweet for trained police firearm experts. Unless your goal was to scare folks. Its just an empty tube. Cant be re-used, wrote one user on Twitter. That's an AT-4 Tube. It is useless after its fired. You didn't achieve anything except waste taxpayer money, another Twitter user seconded. AT4 one time fire weapon then soldiers should break tube. It cannot be reloaded. It can be turned in as hazmat but not as a weapon. I hope they did not pay the person for it. If they did the Army should turn in all expensed tubes for cash to them, wrote user named Scott Germain. People were reportedly given at least $100 for a handgun and $200 for assault weapons. It remains unclear how much the individual who gave in the rocket launcher received from the buyback. One of the biggest wildfires in California's history continued to threaten coastal communities Monday as fire crews hoped to take advantage of a two-day window of calmer winds before potentially dangerous gusts were expected to return mid-week. Over 8,500 firefighters continue to battle the Thomas Fire in Southern California, which has burned for two weeks and killed one firefighter, destroyed more than 1,000 structures and threatened 18,000 more northwest of Los Angeles. Firefighters on Sunday were able to take advantage of calmer winds to keep flames from the state's third-largest blaze mostly away from neighborhoods in the wealthy enclave of Montecito in Santa Barbara County. The fires burning in open country right now, which is away from homes, which is exactly where we want it, Capt. Rick Crawford, a Cal Fire spokesman, told the Los Angeles Times. Crawford said cooler temperatures, slightly higher humidity and light winds forecast for Monday and Tuesday will be "critical" for firefighters hoping to make progress against the blaze. The hot, gusty winds that caused a huge flare-up and forced more evacuations over the weekend are expected to return on Wednesday. Evacuation orders remain for large parts of Santa Barbara County, including the hillside communities of Montecito and Summerland, according to FOX 11. SANTA ANA WINDS: WHAT ARE THEY? The blaze has scorched 270,500 acres so far, an area larger than New York City and roughly the size of the Hawaiian island of Maui, and is roughly 45 percent contained. The blaze crested a peak just north of Montecito, where evacuation orders remained in effect. Known for its star power, the enclave includes the mansions of Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and many other celebrities. Actor Rob Lowe offered his heartfelt thanks to the fire crews battling the blaze, even serving them dinner on Sunday. "Thank you to all the crews from all over the country who stood tall and saved my town," he posted on Instagram. The scenes of celebration stood in contrast to that of the mourners who stood on freeway overpasses on Sunday to pay respects to firefighter Cory Iverson, 32, who died Thursday of burns and smoke inhalation. His funeral procession was scheduled to wind through five Southern California counties before ending up at a funeral home in San Diego, where he was based with a state fire engine strike team. He is survived by his pregnant wife and a 2-year-old daughter. The Thomas Fire is also blamed for the Dec. 6 death of a 70-year-old woman who died in a car crash on an evacuation route. THOMAS FIRE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JOINS LIST OF DESTRUCTIVE BLAZES IN THE STATE Some evacuation orders were lifted Sunday to the east in Ventura County, where the blaze erupted, and officials reported making progress protecting the inland agricultural city of Fillmore. In the City of Ventura, Jim Holden returned to his neighborhood to find his home still standing amid widespread destruction. He told KABC-TV that at the height of the inferno, when it appeared his house would be lost, firefighters risked their own safety to retrieve his belongings. "They broke in and they saved my family photos," Holden said, wiping away tears. The cause of the Thomas Fire remains under investigation. So far, firefighting costs have surpassed $117 million. The Associated Press contributed to this report. It was the first United States veto at the United Nations Security Council under the Trump administration, and the first American one in six years. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, was the lone raised hand voting no on the Egyptian-sponsored resolution that demands President Trump rescind his declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. ''We do it with no joy, but we do it with no reluctance," she said. "The fact that this veto is being done in defense of American sovereignty and in defense of America's role in the Middle East peace process, is not a source of embarrassment for us. It should be an embarrassment to the remainder of the Security Council." While the resolution did not mention President Trump, or the U.S. by name, it expressed "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem," and asked other nations not to move their embassies to the Holy City. Haley said the administration is not pre-judging Jerusalem's final status or the peace process. But she told her fellow diplomats that no country can tell the U.S. where to put its embassy. "What we witnessed here today in the Security Council is an insult. It won't be forgotten. It is one more example of the United Nations doing more harm than good in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Today, for the simple act of where to put our embassy, the United States was forced to defend its sovereignty. The record will reflect that we did so proudly," Haley stated. "Today, for acknowledging a basic truth about the capital city of Israel, we are accused of harming peace. The record will reflect that we reject that outrageous claim. For these reasons, and with the best interests of both the Israel and the Palestinian people firmly in mind, the United States votes no." Haley also bluntly said that "The United States will not be told by any country where we can put our embassy." Haley also called the accusations that the U.S. is harming the peace process, "a scandalous charge." She said that no country has done more to assist the Palestinian people. "What does it gain the Palestinian people for their leaders to throw up roadblocks to negotiations? A peace process that is damaged by the simple recognition that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel is not a peace process, it is a justification for an endless stalemate." But the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the U.N., Riyad Mansour, was having none of it. He slammed the Trump administration, charging that it is "100 percent biased" for Israel, and that the policy would "further obstruct peace." "The draft resolution reiterates that any position changing character of Jerusalem has no legal effect, and is null and void," he said. "One state decided to stand against the whole world." "It is reprehensible that the U.S. has chosen to disregard international law and abandon decades of its own policy, choosing to side with the occupation, at the expense of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and against the prevailing wisdom and consensus on the Palestine question," he said. Mansour also said that the Trump policy breaks with decades of U.S. foreign policy, and that it "lacks reality." But the U.S. veto was praised by Danny Danon, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. He also condemned the world body. "Today, the United Nations has taken another step backwards," he said. "Those who voted for today's resolution have only reaffirmed the U.N's decades-long double standard when it comes to Israel. They are guilty of blatant hypocrisy." "We thank the United States for staying loyal to the truth and vetoing this absurd resolution," Danon said. "The United States does not back down from what's right. They continue to advocate for real dialogue in the hope for peace in our region. The Palestinians, however, have once again displayed a disturbing trend. Every time the prospects for meaningful negotiations emerge, the Palestinians run away. Every time there is a chance for hope, the Palestinians sabotage the effort." The Jerusalem issue will now go to the U.N. General Assembly, which is expected to hold a vote in the coming weeks. A similar measure was recently approved overwhelmingly, by a vote of 151 to 6. The nations that opposed the resolution were the United States, Israel, Canada, Nauru, Micronesia, Marshal Islands and the Solomon Islands. Tamara Gitt and Ben Evansky contributed to this report. A Canadian billionaire and his wife whose bodies turned up in their Toronto mansion, in what police called "suspicious" deaths, died from ligature neck compression, Toronto law enforcement said Sunday, a development suggesting the couple was strangled. Pharmaceuticals billionaire Barry Sherman, 75, founder of Apotex Inc., and his 70-year-old wife, Honey, were found dead in their north Toronto mansion on Friday. Multiple Canadian media outlets reported that police initially were investigating the deaths as a possible murder-suicide, citing unidentified police sources. The bodies were found hanging from a railing on the edge of a basement swimming pool, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, and CTV News reported, all citing police sources. Investigators were working on the theory that Sherman killed his wife at some place in the mansion, hanged her body and then hanged himself at the pools edge. The Shermans recently put up their house for sale for $6.9 million ($5.4 million in U.S. dollars). The immediate family in a statement released Saturday by Apotex admonished law enforcement sources for telling members of the media the deaths were from a murder-suicide before autopsy results were released, and slammed reports of a possible murder-suicide as irresponsible." "Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community totally inconsistent with the rumors regrettably circulated in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths," the statement said. "We are shocked and think it's irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true," the statement continued. "We urge the Toronto Police Service to conduct a thorough, intensive and objective criminal investigation, and urge the media to refrain from further reporting as to the cause of these tragic deaths until the investigation is completed." POLICE INVESTIGATING CANADIAN BILLIONAIRE, WIFE'S DEATH AS POSSIBLE MURDER-SUICIDE, REPORTS SAY Toronto Police said Saturday there were no signs of forced entry at the home, and there was no outstanding suspect they were going after. Law enforcement sources told the Toronto Sun authorities did not immediately find a suicide note, and a review of the home's video surveillance system is under way. Sarah Alvi, who lives across the street from the Sherman home and has known the couple for four years told The Globe and Mail they were the "best neighbors." "It's heartbreaking. It's shocking," Alvi said. "Knowing who they were, it wouldn't come to your mind at all." The power couple were known particularly in Torontos Jewish community as two who took the greatest pleasure and enjoyment from helping others, friends told the Toronto Sun. Conservative Canadian Sen. Linda Frum told the newspaper on Saturday she felt devastated, tremendous sadness and some anger when she found out the news about the couple's death. These were two people who loved life and who enriched the lives of everyone who came into contact with them, she told the paper, adding that Honey was so full of humor, kindness and loving concern for everyone. Sherman founded Toronto-based Apotex Inc. in 1974 with two employees and turned it into the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company. Canadian Business magazine recently estimated his worth at $4.77 billion ($3.65 billion U.S.), making him the 15th richest person in the country. The Shermans were among Canada's most generous philanthropists. The couple made numerous multimillion-dollar donations to hospitals, schools and charities and had buildings named in their honor. They also hosted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a Liberal Party fundraiser in 2015. Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau issued a statement on Twitter. "Sophie and I are saddened by news of the sudden passing of Barry and Honey Sherman," Trudeau said. "Our condolences to their family & friends, and to everyone touched by their vision & spirit." Apotex is a generic drug maker with 11,000 employees worldwide, including more than 6,000 in Canada. The company released a statement on Saturday paying tribute to its founder, praising both his philanthropic efforts and what it described as his vision for health care. "Patients around the world live healthier and more fulfilled lives thanks to his life's work, and his significant impact on health care and health care sustainability will have an enduring impact for many years to come," the statement read. "As employees, we are proud of his tremendous accomplishments, honored to have known him, and vow to carry on with the Apotex purpose in his honor." Honey Sherman was a member of the board of the York University Foundation. She also served on the boards of Mount Sinai's Women's Auxiliary, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the International American Joint Distribution Committee. But Barry Sherman was not without controversy. He faced legal action from family members alleging they had been cut out of the company over the years. Several people also told the Toronto Sun he made many enemies since he created Canadas largest generic pharmaceutical company in 1973. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Billionaire former President Sebastian Pinera easily won Chile's presidential runoff election Sunday, moving the world's top-copper producing country back to the right in the footsteps of other Latin American nations. Pinera got 54.6 percent of the votes to 45.4 percent for center-left Sen. Alejandro Guillier, with nearly all the ballots counted. Analysts had expected a much closer race, but there had not been any opinion polls on the campaign for several weeks. Guillier conceded a "severe defeat" to his supporters, and outgoing President Michelle Bachelet called Pinera to offer congratulations. The results prompted Pinera supporters to celebrate in streets nationwide waving flags and holding banners, while others beeped car horns and screamed out the last name of the former airline magnate who previously governed Chile in 2010-2014. "Today the voice of all Chileans has been heard," Pinera told supporters. "We welcome this triumph with humility and hope." Pinera, 68, won last month's first round, but his 36.6 percent vote share fell far short of what polls had projected. Guillier got 22.7 percent in the first round and was counting on support from backers of other left-leaning candidates who were eliminated. Guillier, 64, was backed by Bachelet, but many Chileans have been disillusioned by lagging economic growth under her watch, a problem based largely on lower international prices for copper, which is the backbone of Chile's economy. Many also feel she wavered on her promises of profound social changes in labor and education and the vote was largely seen as a referendum on her policies. Guillier, a former TV anchor, had vowed to continue Bachelet's plan to increase corporate taxes to partly finance an education overhaul, reform the constitution and improve the pension and health care system. Pinera's resounding victory underscored the fracture at Bachelet's New Majority left-wing coalition and the rise of conservative leaders at the ballot box in recent years in other regional countries, including Argentina, Paraguay and Peru. During his first term as president, Pinera struggled with large protests over Chile's inequality and demands for education reform and left office with low popularity ratings. But he also oversaw annual economic growth of about 5 percent a year. The conservative politician now proposes to slash taxes on business to revive growth and vows to launch a $14 billion, four-year spending plan that includes fresh investments in infrastructure for the country of 17 million people. "This is a huge victory for him," said Javier Sajuria, a lecturer in politics at Queen Mary University of London. "Pinera managed to gather a big majority of the votes from center-left candidates (in the first round of the election). What happened here is that Pinera managed to mobilize non-voters in a way that we haven't seen since voluntary voting was started." Turnout was expected to be low because in contrast to other regional countries, Chile made voting voluntary rather than mandatory in 2012. In recent weeks, Pinera had compared Guillier to Nicolas Maduro, the president of crisis-torn Venezuela. At first, the scare tactic seemed to have backfired by rallying support for Guillier from hard-left factions that had been cool on him earlier. "Fear can be tricky because it tends to demobilize voters," Sajuria said. "But he managed it pretty well ... my impression is that people who were afraid of the outcome, voted for him." Japan has reported its exports rose 16 percent in November from a year earlier while imports jumped 17 percent. Customs data released Monday showed the trade surplus slipping to 113.4 billion yen ($1 billion) on exports of 6.92 trillion yen ($61.4 billion). Imports totaled 6.81 trillion yen ($60.4 billion). Exports to China surged 25 percent, helping drive a 20 percent increase in exports to all of Asia. Shipments to the U.S. were up 13 percent, while exports to Western Europe climbed 17 percent, led by a 27 percent jump in exports to Germany. A revival in export manufacturing is helping sustain Japan's recovery, with strongest growth in shipments of vehicles and machinery. Japan's imports have grown moderately, mainly thanks to limited increases in prices of oil and gas. Gunmen opened fire near a training facility on Monday in Afghanistans main intelligence agency in Kabul, leading to a fight with security forces that resulted in three militants being killed, local authorities said. Although details of the attack are still unclear, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry told Reuters that two members of Afghan security forces were wounded but their injuries were not life threatening. The attackers reportedly used rocket-propelled grenades and light weapons. The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for the attack in Afghanistans capital. Initial reports indicate the gunmen are wearing police uniforms, Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, told CBS News. IRAQ HANGS 38 ISIS, AL QAEDA MILITANTS IN MASS EXECUTION The Afshar area of Kabul where the attack was under way is close to a training facility of the National Directorate of Security, as well as a private university. Another government official said the attack was near the intelligence agency training center. Islamic State claimed responsibility in a statement on its Amaq news agency, in which it said two of its fighters had attacked an intelligence agency center in Kabul. The group, which first appeared in Afghanistan in 2015, has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks in Kabul over the past several months. The main federal agency that investigates Nazi war crimes in Germany has turned over nine new cases to state authorities for possible prosecution. Berlin's taz newspaper reported Monday that the cases involve guards from the Auschwitz death camp, and the Mauthausen, Buchenwald and Ravensbrueck concentration camps. Mauthausen was in Austria and Auschwitz in Nazi-occupied Poland. Head prosecutor Jens Rommel, who confirmed the taz story to the dpa news agency, says most of the suspects are in their early to mid-90s. Rommel's office doesn't have the authority to press charges, so state prosecutors will now have to decide whether there's enough evidence to file charges. Under German law, camp guards have been successfully prosecuted for accessory to murder by proving they were present and helped camps function while killings took place. The Australian man who was arrested Saturday after being accused of working as an agent for North Korea as part of a case like nothing ever seen on Australian soil has been identified. Chan Han Choi, 59, was arrested in Sydney and charged with attempting to broker sales for Pyongyang and discussing weapons of mass destruction, The Australian reported Monday. Choi allegedly had acted on behalf of the rogue nation since at least 2008. Choi, who was born in South Korea and became a naturalized Australian citizen, was described by Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan on Sunday "as a loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose. AUSTRALIAN MAN ACCUSED OF BROKERING NORTH KOREA MISSILE SALES Australian police said Choi was generating tens of millions of dollars for Pyongyang by arranging the sale of missiles, components and expertise from North Korea to other international entities, and was trying to arrange the transfer of coal from the country to Indonesia and Vietnam. Its believed Choi had worked as a hospital custodian and often went by the name Solomon, according to The Australian. He was believed to have turned and reportedly visited North Korea often, starting roughly six years ago. Friends of Chois within Sydneys Korean Christian community distanced themselves from him. The first time we interacted there was no problem. However, after two or three times, his thinking started to change slightly to support the North Korean regime and it worried me, so I broke off the friendship, a former friend from church told The Australian. The former friends wife said she hated that my husband met with him. I dont like anything related to North Korea; many people are scared for their safety, the wife said. All those trips to North Korea he was very private and we thought it was very strange. Two neighbors of Chois told The Daily Telegraph Chois arrest was a real shock and called him quite nice, while another neighbor said he was very polite and a good man. Australian police said Choi is the first person charged under the countrys Weapons of Mass Destruction Act and faces 10 years in prison. Choi reportedly is scheduled to appear in court next week. Fox News' Samuel Chamberlain contributed to this report. A man was arrested after he allegedly rammed his car into the gates at a Royal Air Force base used by the U.S. Air Force on Monday that prompted a brief lockdown and personnel to open fire. Royal Air Force Mildenhall in Suffolk was placed on lockdown about 1 p.m. after a significant incident was reported, police said. The Pentagon urged people to avoid the area until the lockdown was lifted about an hour after the incident began. A Ministry of Defense (MoD) source told Sky News a man rammed his car into the bases gates while attempting to force his way through. Shots were fired by American service personnel and a man has been detained with cuts and bruises and taken into custody, Suffolk police said in a statement. RAF Mildenhall wrote on its Facebook page it received reports of a disturbance and urged people to avoid the area. The suspect was the only person injured in the incident. Suffolk police said there is "no wider threat" to the public and no other suspects are being sought. The base is located about 80 miles north of London. The U.S. has air-refueling assets stationed at the base. The base is home to the U.S. Air Force's 100th Air Refueling Wing, which is responsible for American refueling operations across Europe. Other units, including the 501st Combat Support Wing, the 352nd Special Operations Wing and the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron are also stationed there. While it's not clear what promoted the incident on Monday, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath, another U.S. base next to it, have both been subjected to terror threats over the past few years, according to Sky News. Last year a British-born "committed supporter" of the Islamic State terror group was sentenced to life in prison for planning a terrorist attack on five U.S. Air Force bases in the UK, including RAF Mildenhall. The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 President Juan Orlando Hernandez was declared the winner of Honduras' disputed election, but that did little to quell unrest from weeks of uncertainty as challenger Salvador Nasralla called for more protests Monday and vowed to take his claims of fraud before the Organization of American States. Electoral court president David Matamoros made the announcement Sunday evening, saying, "We have fulfilled our obligation (and) we wish for there to be peace in our country." According to the court's official count, Hernandez won with 42.95 percent to 41.42 for Nasralla, who well before the announcement had challenged the result and said he would not recognize it. There were reports of nighttime demonstrations on main boulevards in Tegucigalpa, the capital, and other cities, and Nasralla's party called for more protests Monday. At least 17 people have died in violent street clashes since the Nov. 26 election. There was no immediate public comment by Hernandez, whose sister Hilda Hernandez, a Cabinet minister, died Saturday in a helicopter crash. Earlier in the day Nasralla traveled to Washington to present what he called "numerous" examples of evidence of alleged fraud. He said he planned to meet with officials from the OAS, the U.S. State Department and human rights groups. Interviewed by UneTV during a layover at the Miami airport, Nasralla called Hernandez's re-election illegitimate and said he would ask the OAS to invoke its democratic charter against Honduras. "The declaration by the court is a mockery because it tramples the will of the people," Nasralla said. He added that he was "very optimistic" because "the people do not endorse fraud." Former President Manuel Zelaya, a Nasralla ally, called for civil disobedience. "May God take us having made our confessions because today the people will defend in the streets the victory that it obtained at the ballot box," Zelaya said. In a statement, he urged police and the armed forces to "place themselves under the direction of President-elect Salvador Nasralla" and cease operations against the election protests. Former Bolivian President Jorge Quiroga, head of the OAS election observers mission, read a statement to journalists saying the mission "believes it has observed a process of low quality. The OAS mission concludes that it cannot guarantee that the doubts about the process have been cleared up." OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro said via Twitter shortly before the announcement that election observers concluded "serious doubts persist about the results." The first results reported by the electoral court before dawn the day after the Nov. 26 election showed Nasralla with a significant lead over Hernandez with nearly 60 percent of the vote counted. Then public updates of the count mysteriously stopped for more than a day, and when they resumed, that lead steadily eroded and ultimately reversed in Hernandez's favor. The electoral court recently conducted a recount of ballot boxes that presented irregularities and said there was virtually no change to its count. Since then it had been considering challenges filed by candidates. Hernandez, a 49-year-old businessman and former lawmaker, took office in January 2014 and built support largely on a drop in violence in this impoverished Central American country. But corruption and drug trafficking allegations cast a shadow over his government, and his re-election bid fueled charges that his National Party was seeking to entrench itself in power by getting a court ruling allowing him to seek a second term. Re-election has long been outlawed in the country, and Zelaya was ousted as president in a 2009 coup ostensibly because he wanted to run again himself. He later founded the party that ran Nasralla as its candidate. "The people say: 'JOH you are not our President,'" Zelaya tweeted, referring to Hernandez's initials. "We must mobilize immediately to all public places. They are violating the will of the PEOPLE." ___ Associated Press writer Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this report. The Israeli military says it has carried out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip in reaction to new rocket attacks out of the Palestinian territory. The military said on Monday the airstrikes overnight targeted a Hamas training compound in northern Gaza. It says three different structures and other infrastructure were hit. Gaza militants have stepped up rocket fire on Israel since President Donald Trump's decision on Dec. 6 recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinian demonstrators have also clashed with Israeli troops along the Gaza-Israeli border and in the West Bank. In all, at least eight Palestinians have been killed in the violence. Israel says it holds the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has controlled Gaza for over a decade, responsible for all rocket fire emanating from the territory. A Lebanese police official says authorities have detained a man suspected in the killing a British woman who worked at the U.K. Embassy in Beirut. The official says the suspect confessed that he had killed the woman whose body was found early on Saturday. The official said on Monday that the murder was a "criminal act" and not politically motivated. Britain's Foreign Office had confirmed the death of the embassy staffer, who worked for the Department for International Development. British media and friends identified her as Rebecca Dykes. Earlier, a forensics official said she was strangled with a rope and that authorities were investigating whether she was also sexually assaulted. The police and the forensics official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. A Libyan official says gunmen abducted and killed the mayor of the coastal city of Misrata soon after his return from a visit to Turkey. Khaled Rofida, the spokesman of the Misrata municipal council, says the mayor, Mohammed Eshtewi, was snatched as he was leaving Misrata's airport after landing there late on Sunday. The spokesman says Eshtewi's body was found several hours later, near a hospital. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing from any of the active armed groups in the area. Libya sank into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country is currently split between rival parliaments and governments in the east and west, each backed by a set of militias, tribes and political factions. A sewing group from the United Church of Christ in Hallam will donate 120 handmade blankets to centers for people in need Monday. The group will bag the blankets on Monday and deliver them to the People's City Mission, Friendship Home and other nonprofits, said member Sheryl Block. Block said the yearly Christmas donation is something the group has been doing for several years. "It's just fulfilling to be able to help people," Block said. The sewing group, which has been around for over 30 years, meets on Wednesdays year-round to make the blankets. In addition to the Christmas donation, the group runs a blanket giveaway for newborn babies, Block said. They also host a emergency blanket supply for victims of disasters. Pakistani officials stepped up security across the country on Monday after two suicide bombers stormed a church packed with worshippers attending pre-Christmas service, killing 9 people and injuring dozens of others an attack the Islamic State claimed responsibility for on Sunday. A group funeral was held on Monday afternoon after a service by Bishop Sadiq Daniel at Quetta's Christian cemetery. About 400 people were attending the service at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, the capital of southwestern Baluchistan province, on Sunday when the assault happened. About 60 people were also injured. Sundays incident was the first attack on a church claimed by an ISIS affiliate in Pakistan. ISIS-run Aamaq news agency said in a statement two "martyrdom-seeking fighters clad in explosive vests and carrying machine guns and hand grenades attacked the church." The two suicide bombers charged police guards outside the church, triggering a gun battle. Police killed one assailant, but the other suicide bomber made it to the entrance of the prayer hall and opened fire at worshippers before detonating his explosive vest. SUICIDE BOMBERS ATTACK PAKISTAN CHURCH, KILLING AT LEAST 9, OFFICIALS SAY "We were praying when a bullet hit me," Naseem Masih told The Associated Press. ISIS called the attacker who detonated his vest one of the Crusaders and said the other was killed while fighting renegade Pakistani security forces. It was the first time ISIS claimed an attack on a church in Pakistan, though other Muslim extremist groups have targeted churches in the past. The deadliest previous attack on a church was in September 2013, when twin suicide bomb blasts killed 85 people in Peshawar. Jundullah, or Army of God, then a little-known militant group, claimed responsibility. In March 2015, two suicide bombers attacked two churches in the eastern city of Lahore, killing 15 people. The Pakistani Taliban claimed that attack. Pakistani Christians have been the target of several attacks in recent years, Reuters reported. There are about 2 million Pakistani Christians living in the country. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Satellite imagery shows that Rohingya villages in Myanmar continued to be destroyed even as Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement last month to return refugees from the ethnic Muslim minority who had fled their country amid violence, Human Rights Watch said Monday. The New York-based rights group said buildings were destroyed in 40 villages in northern Rakhine state in October and November, increasing the total to 354 villages that have been partially or completely destroyed since Aug. 25. More than 630,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh since Aug. 25, when Myanmar's army began what it called "clearance operations" following an attack on police posts by a group of Rohingya insurgents. Refugees arriving in Bangladesh said their homes were set on fire by soldiers and Buddhist mobs, and some reported being shot at by security forces. In late November, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement covering the return of Rohingya who fled across their mutual border to escape the violence in Rakhine. "Satellite imagery confirms that dozens of buildings were burned the same week" the agreement was signed, Human Right Watch said in a statement. "The Burmese army's destruction of Rohingya villages within days of signing a refugee repatriation agreement with Bangladesh shows that commitments to safe returns were just a public relations stunt," said Brad Adams, Human Rights Watch's Asia director. "The satellite imagery shows what the Burmese army denies: that Rohingya villages continue to be destroyed. Burmese government pledges to ensure the safety of returning Rohingya cannot be taken seriously." Myanmar was formerly known as Burma. Zaw Htay, Myanmar's government spokesman, said, "I cannot give comment yet because I have not seen the statement on the satellite images yet." Sann Win, a border guard police officer in northern Rakhine, said by phone Monday that "there was no burning of any villagers' homes in October and November." In September, Myanmar's government said more than 6,800 homes had been destroyed in the wave of violence, with all but about 200 of them belonging to Rohingya villagers. Swedish prosecutors say an Uzbek man who rammed a stolen truck into a crowd in downtown Stockholm in April, killing five and injuring 14, is expected to stand trial in February. Prosecutor Hans Ihrman told Swedish broadcaster TV4 Monday that Rakhmat Akilov is the only suspect, and the trial is likely to take "a couple of months." Akilov was subject to deportation from Sweden ahead of the April 7 attack as his asylum application was rejected. He was captured soon after he drove a stolen beer truck into a crowd of shoppers outside a department store in Stockholm's city center. Akilov's lawyer has said earlier that the Uzbek construction worker, who was 39 at the time of the attack, has confessed to a terrorist crime and intends to plead guilty. A Lebanese Uber driver with previous criminal violations was arrested Monday in connection with the murder of a British diplomat, whose body was found on the side of a highway near Beirut over the weekend, according to officials. Rebecca Dykes, who worked at the British embassy in Lebanon, was found strangled on Saturday after a night out with colleagues. A man was arrested at his apartment after authorities traced his car through security cameras that showed the vehicle traveling from Beirut to the area where Dykes body was found, officials said Monday. The driver, whose name has not been released, confessed to killing the 30-year-old woman. Officials called the murder a criminal act that was not politically motivated. Little information was released about the suspect, but a senior Lebanese security source told Sky News the man was an Uber driver. The ride-sharing company said in a statement Fox News that it is working with authorities in the investigation. "We are horrified by this senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with the victim and her family. We are working with authorities to assist their investigation in any way they can, an Uber spokesperson told Fox News. BRITISH WOMAN DIPLOMAT FOUND MURDERED; STRANGLED IN LEBANON Police are still investigating the cause of death and whether she was sexually assaulted. Dykes met friends and colleagues Friday night at a bar in Beiruts Gemayze neighborhood, known for its restaurants and pubs where diplomats and journalists are often seen, Sky News reported. She left the bar around midnight, where the driver picked her up and drove her to a nearby neighborhood where she lived but didnt drop her off, Lebanons state-run National News Agency said. The man then tried to sexually assault her and strangled her with a rope before dumping her body on the side of the highway, NNA reported. Lebanese media added that marks were found on her neck. When Dykes body was found, there were no items pointing to her identity and she had no money or a cellular telephone. Authorities released a drawing of her in order for people who know her to come forward and identify her. Dykes, who was expected to flying home for Christmas on Saturday, had been working as a program and policy manager at the Department of International Development since January. Her social media page said she was from London, previously attended the University of Manchester and University of London. Friends told Sky News Dykes was a very cautious, astute and highly intelligent woman. She had the highest level of security training, the unidentified friend said. "I know she followed procedures, especially in the job she did. She was very charming, sociable and dedicated to her work. The friend added, She wasn't the kind of girl to be walking around on her own. She was always in control. Her family released a statement saying they were devastated by the death and requested the media respect their privacy at this very difficult time. "The whole embassy is deeply shocked and saddened by this news," said British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter in a statement, "Our thoughts are with Becky's family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss." The murder has shaken Lebanon, where such crimes, particularly against foreigners, are relatively uncommon. Beirut has been considered relatively safe despite recent chaos in the Middle East. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sunshine and warmer than average conditions will start the week before Christmas. The weather pattern has flipped once again, this time to a warmer setup. Today Monday will be mostly sunny in Fredericksburg while clouds hover over the mountains. This mornings annotated satellite image shows clear skies across most of Virginia with wave clouds hovering off to the west. Temperatures in the Burg will rise to the upper 50s this afternoon. Tomorrows weather looks much the same except that local thermometers will likely broach the 60 degree mark. Southwest winds on Tuesday will draw warm air from the Gulf of Mexico source region into Fredericksburg ahead of a cold front that will cross the area tomorrow night. Todays weather is very different from that of 8 years ago. December 18th 2009 heralded a pre-Christmas blizzard that blanketed Fredericksburg with well over a foot of snow. CNN actually stationed a satellite truck here to broadcast the conditions as the drifts piled up. The winter of 2009-10 proved to be one of the Burgs snowiest in recent history with over 50 inches of the white stuff accumulating by the time spring arrived. Will Fredericksburg experience more wintry weather anytime soon? Models are still hinting at another pattern swap early next week and those changes always bear watching. However a weather axiom is that drought begets drought, meaning the current dry conditions will be difficult to break out of. We'll see. Meanwhile enjoy the relative warmth as folks squeeze in those last few days of Christmas shopping. The trial seemed utterly ordinary. A 19-year-old maid swiped a woman's three rings - worth at least $5,000 - from a house she was cleaning in Fairfax City, Virginia, but later returned them after police questioned her. She was charged with felony grand larceny. What the jury did was extraordinary. They felt bad for the young woman, pregnant with her second child, and agreed that she had made a dumb, youthful mistake. Reluctantly, they convicted her of the felony. But the fine they imposed was her daily pay as a maid, $60. And then they took up a collection and gave her the money to pay the fine. "The general sentiment was she was a victim, too," said the jury foreman, Jeffery Memmott. "Two of the women [jurors] were crying because of how bad they felt. One lady pulled out a $20 bill, and just about everybody chipped in." Memmott then contacted the public defender in the case and went to the home of Sandra Mendez Ortega. He gave her the jury's collection, which totaled $80. "Justice had to be done," said another juror, Janice Woolridge, explaining why the panel imposed a felony conviction. "But there's also got be some compassion somewhere. Young people make bad decisions. We just couldn't pile on any more." The two-day trial was held in July, but the sentencing was last Friday before Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Robert Smith. Mendez Ortega's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Michael Cash, asked the judge to defer the case and not enter a conviction or sentence in light of the defendant's actions and the jury's response. Smith declined, entered the conviction and imposed the $60 fine. Numerous veteran criminal lawyers, on both the prosecution and defense sides, said they had never heard of a case where a jury paid a defendant's fine. A happy holiday story, right? Well, what if you're the woman whose rings were stolen? Although she was not pleased when the jury returned from their deliberations with only a $60 fine for the felony conviction, crime victim Lisa Copeland was appalled when she learned that the jury had also paid the fine. "I just pray that they're never in my shoes," Copeland said. She said Mendez Ortega never accepted responsibility for the theft. "If she had accepted accountability, I would be OK with all of this. The fact that she won't accept accountability makes it wrong." Copeland said Mendez Ortega told a series of lies from the start and then unfurled a tragic life story that persuaded the jury to impose the $60 fine. "I was outraged," Copeland said. "I was just flabbergasted. I didn't think $60 equated to the crime at all." She did not know that the jury had taken up a collection for Mendez Ortega until she was contacted by a reporter. The case began in September 2016, when Copeland discovered that her engagement and wedding rings were missing from the container where they were usually kept. The engagement ring had been her grandmother's, made in 1943, and the two rings were appraised at $5,000 in 1996, Copeland said. Copeland didn't realize that a third, inexpensive ring had been taken until it was turned in. Fairfax City police investigated and interviewed the three women who had cleaned the home. All three denied taking or seeing the rings, court records show, and no one was charged. But after the interviews, Mendez Ortega reportedly felt bad about the theft, admitted to her boss that she had the rings and turned them over to him. The police were contacted and Mendez Ortega confessed to them as well, saying she returned the rings after learning that they were valuable. The police had her write a letter of apology to Copeland, in Spanish, which said in part, "Sorry for grabbing the rings. I don't know what happened. I want you to forgive me." Copeland said she has never seen that letter and that Mendez Ortega has never apologized to her in person. "Never saw it," Copeland said. "Never heard about it until the trial, during sentencing." After Mendez Ortega was arrested, she spent eight days in jail until she was released on $1,000 bond. The jury was not told that. The jury also was not told that Mendez Ortega apparently is not in the country legally, as Copeland said she was told by prosecutors, because it was not relevant to whether she stole the rings. "I think it's relevant to the case," Copeland said. She said the penalties of a felony conviction, such as not being able to vote or buy a gun, would not be actions available to an immigrant in the country illegally anyway. "It really irritates me that she came here and committed a felony," said Jeff Copeland, Lisa Copeland's husband. "People are coming here because there is opportunity here. But when they come here and commit crimes, that's where you've got to draw the line." At trial, the facts were not really in dispute. The jury did not hear from Mendez Ortega during the case in chief, but they were already sympathetic to her. "We didn't feel she should have been tried and convicted," said Memmott, the foreman. "We tried every way we could to find some way of not convicting her. But the legal standard was very clear." Two other jurors agreed that the felony conviction was appropriate, given the facts and the law. Lisa Copeland was amazed. "The fact that she confessed," she said, "and they didn't want to convict her? I don't get this. That's basically saying it's OK to steal." During the sentencing phase, Mendez Ortega took the stand. She faced a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500. She told the jury she had dropped out of school after sixth grade, that she first became pregnant at 15 and that she was pregnant again at 19 and had no job, according to court records. "The whole time, she was telling the sob story," Lisa Copeland said, "I looked at my husband and said, 'I've heard enough of this.' " She noted that after Mendez Ortega took the rings, "she lied to the cops, she lied to her employers. She didn't turn in the rings - she made somebody else do it. She confessed but claimed that the rings were in the bathroom. And then she tried to blame her boss." When the jury went back to deliberate on a sentence, the jurors said they quickly agreed that no jail time was appropriate and that only a small fine should be imposed. "We all came to the conclusion," Memmott said, "we should fine her the amount she made for a day's work." "We came up with the least we could do," Woolridge said. "And then we decided we wanted to help her out. So we got some money together." "The degree of empathy that was shown by these citizens," said a third juror who asked to remain nameless, "and the serious way everybody took their responsibility, was really remarkable." Memmott said he and his wife went to visit Mendez Ortega at her home in Falls Church. "We talked to her, offered to help her with anything we could," Memmott said. "She declined." Speaking through an interpreter, Mendez Ortega said after her sentencing, "I became happy when I heard they wanted to give me that" money. "Thank you very much to all of them, God bless them." Assistant Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney Marcus Greene had asked the jury to consider jail time for Mendez Ortega and argued against Cash's motion that the verdict be deferred. He said the jury had considered the felony conviction to be part of the punishment and that Mendez Ortega did not return the rings until after being questioned by police. He declined to comment on the jury's actions. Cash, Mendez Ortega's attorney, said he was "thrilled that the jury felt sympathy for my client and that they took it upon themselves to help despite finding her guilty. I think the jury saw this case for what it was: a teenager who had never been in trouble before who made a really bad decision but then tried to make it right when her conscience got the better of her." Jeff Copeland said, "The punishment was she didn't get paid for the day she stole from us. But then she did get paid for it. That's changed my whole view of it." "She made $20 out of it, too," Lisa Copeland added. Media of Nebraska, Inc., a coalition of newspapers and broadcasters, is going to court to fight the state Department of Corrections decision to ignore Nebraskas public records statutes by withholding records to conceal the identity of its lethal injection drug supplier. Media of Nebraska filed a complaint in intervention in Lancaster County District Court Friday aimed at compelling the corrections department to release government records associated with the drug supplier. The corrections agency has denied requests for the records from the Lincoln Journal Star, the Omaha World-Herald and the ACLU. The state agency has released similar records in the past, but it is concealing them now for reasons that state officials have refused to fully explain. In its legal filing, Media of Nebraska claims that both the inadequate explanation and the concealing of the records itself are violations of the Nebraska Public Records Act. Media of Nebraska is backed by the Nebraska Press Association and Nebraska Broadcasters Association. Media of Nebraska represents both groups as an advocate in the courts and the Legislature on issues concerning public access to government meetings and records. The complaint in intervention was filed as part of a lawsuit between the ACLU and the corrections department. In the lawsuit, which was filed Dec. 1, the ACLU is also claiming the state is violating public records statutes. While the ACLU actively opposes the death penalty, Media of Nebraska takes no position on the death penalty itself. Its membership includes news organizations with editorial positions on both sides of the execution debate. However, all of the states news organizations support public access to government records as required by the Nebraska Public Records Act. The people of Nebraska spoke loud and clear at the ballot box last year that the death penalty needed to be saved, said Allen Beermann, former Nebraska Secretary of State who is executive director of the Nebraska Press Association. Our only interest is to make sure any execution is done through an open, above-board and legal process. UPDATE 3:35 p.m.: The dogs responsible for the mauling death of Bethany Stephens in Goochland County have been euthanized, authorities said Monday. Goochland Sheriff James Agnew said in a statement released Monday afternoon that county deputies recommended to the family after capturing the dogs that they be euthanized. The family agreed and gave permission for the procedure, Agnew said. The dogs were euthanized Saturday at 11 a.m., the sheriff's statement said. "The dogs bodies have been preserved as evidence and investigators are following up with veterinarians and laboratories for potential forensic analysis," the statement said. RICHMOND, Va. - Experts said the killing of a young woman by her dogs in a rural Virginia county last week may have resulted from misdirected aggression and it was unlikely that it had anything to do with them being pit bulls. Bethany Stephens, 22, of Glen Allen, was found by her father Thursday. Goochland County Sheriff James Agnew said Sunday that, the way he described it, he could not get to his daughters body because the dogs were guarding the body and these were rather menacing dogs. She had walked the dogs there in the past, Agnew said. Asked if the dogs were friendly to her, Agnew said, I dont know the answer to that. They were her dogs. I guess you could assume that, but I dont know. Amy L. Pike, of the Veterinary Referral Center of Northern Virginia and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, said, Dogs dont just attack out of the blue. They are typically scared or threatened by something. This is thankfully very rare and obviously very tragic, she said. Pike said, I dont know anything about these dogs or her personal relationship with them, but there are likely to have been precursors to this, I suspect, either in terms of fear and anxiety or potentially aggression issues in either one of these dogs to have happened this way. She said dogs can redirect aggression toward their owners or other dogs nearby when they are threatened. Its very possible there was something else that scared them and unfortunately either they got into a fight with one another and she was trying to break it up or one or both redirected towards her in the moment, she said. Agnew said Stephens was small, about 5 feet 1 inch tall and 125 pounds, and estimated that the dogs may have weighed as much as her. Janet Velenovsky, an animal behavior consultant in Montpelier, said, If she was as small as I read, she could be knocked down and then before you know it the redirection happens on her instead of whatever they were trying to get to. If she fell over, got tripped or pushed or something, and now shes on the ground, if she squeals or something like that ... that may have directed their attention toward her. Its just the saddest thing. My heart goes out to her family and father, she said. Velenovsky said the answer about what happened could possibly lie in the training methods used on the dogs in the past. Pike and Velenovsky said it is unlikely the attack had anything to do with the dogs being pit bulls. Pike said pit bull is not actually a breed. Its just the look of a dog. Any dog can bite, even an eight-pound Chihuahua can bite. But, certainly, the bigger the dog and the more powerful the dog, the more dangerous aggression can be, said Pike. The sheriff said he does not know if the dogs had been trained to fight. He said one of her friends told an investigator the dogs had been adopted, she thought, through a group that rescues former fighting dogs. I have not confirmed that, he said. Pike said, Dogs that are bred to fight are actually trained not to redirect to people because it has to be very safe for the handler to be able to get in there and pull the dogs apart after the fight is over. Fighting pit bulls ones specifically bred for that tend to be very nice to people, Pike said. Anytime people see fear or anxiety or stress in their animals, that can potentially lead to aggression because most aggression is fear-based, she said. Anyone with concerns about their dogs can see their veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist who can help manage aggression and treat the underlying fear and anxiety. The dogs are being held at Goochland County Animal Control, and the sheriffs office is seeking to have them euthanized. A change.org petition is being circulated online to Save Bethany Stephens Pit Bulls. REPUBLICANS are on the brink of passing a massive tax overhaul, and its looking like the biggest con of the Trump era so far. And thats saying a lot. The legislation being jammed through by House and Senate Republicans is a tax giveaway to corporations and the richest 1 percent, paid for by working and middle-income families. Across the board, working people will be hurt by this plan, whether by the new incentives to corporations to send U.S. jobs overseas, the loss of the medical expense deduction, new taxes imposed on education benefits, the loss of state and local tax deductions, or the forced budget cuts to Medicare, transportation, health care and other critical programs. Despite the doubletalk from Republicans anxious to sell this plan, its not hard to figure out who Republicans really want to help. Why else would tax cuts for corporations and tax changes that benefit the wealthiest Americanslike the estate taxbe permanent, while individual tax cuts for middle-income families are only temporary? Why else would corporate hedge fund managers get to keep their cozy tax breaks that give them lower tax rates than schoolteachers? Why else would two-thirds of the benefits of the plan go to corporations, including the new incentives for corporations to send good U.S. jobs overseas? Why else would Republicans include cuts that would strip health care coverage from 13 million working people? Why are these corporate tax cuts considered necessary, when so many big corporations have been posting record profits and have an effective tax rate of less than 20 percent, or even 10 percent. Some corporations dont pay any federal taxes at all. Yet an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy earlier this year found that job growth at corporations that paid an effective federal tax rate of 20 percent or less was just about non-existent. In fact, a majority of these companies cut U.S. jobs from 2008 to 2016. Meanwhile, within 10 years, middle-income families earning $75,000 or less will be paying higher taxes, according to the bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation. That means as many as 47 million familiesand not wealthy familieswill be paying higher taxes in just a few years. Sometimes the truth comes out in unexpected ways. Recently, at an economic forum with the Trump administrations chief economic advisor Gary Cohn, a roomful of CEOs was asked if they would use their tax cut to increase investment in the United States. The silence was overwhelming. On more than one occasion, Cohn and his Council of Economic Advisers have stated that cutting the federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent would increase average household income in the United States by a conservative estimate of $4,000 a year. President Trump has done the same, speaking a few months ago in Pennsylvania, and declaring that the tax cuts would likely give the typical American household around a $4,000 raise. Working people know better than to believe the bosss promises unless they are in writing. Thats why my union has asked some of our biggest employers to sign an agreement that says if the tax plan passes, working people will get their $4,000. Of course, many economists are skeptical, and predict that corporations will use the money from the tax cuts to buy back stock and give CEOs and executives big raises, not raise working peoples wages or add jobs. Economists are equally skeptical about the wild claims of economic growth. Analysis by the bipartisan Tax Policy Center found that anemic growth in the U.S. GDP would be more than offset by a massive loss of revenue, increasing the deficit by $1.27 trillion over 10 years. A survey of leading economists by the University of Chicagos IGM Forum turned up just one supporter of the idea that this tax plan would produce economic growth. Congress had the opportunity to simplify the tax code and reduce rates for working families while providing incentives for corporations to keep good jobs in the United States. Instead, Republicans have designed a tax plan that gives even more to those who have the most, a plan that will hurt working and middle income families. We have to say no to this corporate money grab. Chris Shelton is president of the Communications Workers of America. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. 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. In 1935, 23-year-old Isabel travelled by herself from hometown Wellington to Europe, where she worked in London, holidayed in Spain only days before the Spanish Civil War began, witnessed New Zealand runner Jack Lovelock win the 1500 metres at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and lived and worked in Germany during the period that brought the Third Reich to power. Vivienne discovered some of this only after her mothers passing. And there was more. Mr Green has signed an agreement to acquire Evoke Gaming including the gaming sites Redbet Casino, Vinnarum Casino, Bertil and Mama Mia Bingo. Mr Green expects to achieve significant synergies and intends to expand Redbet in Mr Green's existing and future markets. The purchase price amounts to 7 million EUR and will be paid in cash. An additional purchase price of 1.5 million EUR may be payable if certain conditions are met. The price is calculated on enterprise value (debt-free basis). Mr Green is acquiring all shares in Evoke Gaming Ltd from Bonnier Growth Media. The acquisition will not have any impact on Mr Green's EBITDA for 2018. There will be a marginally negative impact on cash flow for 2018. The acquisition will contribute positively to Mr Green's EBITDA and cash flow as of 2019. Mr Green expects to achieve synergies of 2.5-3.5 million EUR per year with full effect in 2019. In 2016, Evoke Gaming's revenue amounted to 15.5 million EUR and EBITDA to -4.6 million EUR. For the first nine months of 2017, revenue amounted to 7.4 million EUR and EBITDA to -4.4 million EUR. In 2017, revenue and earnings were negatively impacted as a result of the migration to a new technology platform and restructuring measures which are expected to be finalized by the time of the completion of the transaction. Evoke Gaming currently has 82 employees, all of whom work in Malta. Following the relaunch of Redbet and Vinnarum before summer 2017, the sites have demonstrated favorable growth. Mr Green's financial targets of an annual growth rate of 20% and an EBITDA margin of 20% by 2019 will be unaffected by the acquisition. At 30 September, Mr Green's net cash amounted to 567.6 million SEK. Redbet offers sportsbook, casino and poker, and holds a strong position, primarily in Sweden and the U.K. Mr Green believes that Redbet has major potential to grow in parallel with Mr Green and develop into a global brand. Vinnarum casino commands a solid position in the Nordic region with a high share of returning customers. Bertil and MamaMia are bingo sites with loyal customers and a strong position in Sweden. Mr Green intends to continue operating Vinnarum casino. Bertil and MamaMia are considered to have the potential for continued expansion, primarily in the Nordic region. "Evoke Gaming is an ideal fit for our business plan and strategy," says Per Norman, CEO of Mr Green & Co. "We are pursuing our strategy of nurturing a small number of strong brands that can work globally. With Redbet and Mr Green, we have two immensely strong brands addressing different segments, and we see major potential to expand Redbet into our existing markets." "Evoke Gaming is on the threshold of a significant turnaround. Mr Green will give us the muscles to continue growing internationally in an effective manner," says Fredrik Stael von Holstein, CEO of Evoke Gaming. Fredrik Stael von Holstein will remain as head of Evoke Gaming's operations after the transaction has been completed and will become a member of Mr Green Ltd's management team in Malta. On The Water: You might need a bigger boat for Transpac 2023 Focused on the task at hand, Lindsey Free carefully applied a layer of acrylic craft paint on a recent afternoon to an image she was painting on an office window at B&G Logging's truck shop near Philomath. "I really love the color ones that I bring to life," said the 31-year-old Free. "I'll start out and I'm like, 'this isn't turning out, it's hideous, nobody's going to like it.' These are the thoughts that go through my head." But then the image starts to come in. "As I get more detailed and more detailed, I'm like, 'I just love this' and it's too bad I have to wash it off in a month," she said. A Kings Valley resident and employee at Citizens Bank, Free doesn't call herself a painter. The skills that she showcases each holiday season on windows around Philomath and Corvallis are almost entirely self-taught. She developed a love for drawing as a youngster. "For a while, I would just draw charcoal pencil drawings," Free said. "I took one art class in high school, but mostly it's been one of those things you do because you're young and a kid." Free graduated from Philomath High School in 2004. In her 20s, Free's ability to find time for art dissipated "just because of life" as a working mother. Then one year, Free and some co-workers watched a woman paint the windows at Citizens Bank. She thought, "I can do that," and received encouragement to take it over. That led to her first window painting three years ago. Citizens Bank was among local businesses taking part in a window-decorating contest that featured the theme, "Starry Night." "I never want to follow what the norm is, so that's why we painted Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' because people could take 'Starry Night' and it can be anything," Free said. "We were like, 'let's take the most difficult, coolest thing that nobody would expect to see on a window and paint it.'" Through that experience, Free was hooked on the fun of creating images on windows. That same year, she painted the office windows at B&G Logging and then took on a pretty sizable project over in Corvallis. A manager at the Timberhill Shopping Center "got a hold of me through word of mouth and asked if I could paint all the holly berries and leaves in the shopping center," Free said. Free has done the windows at the shopping center along with B&G Logging and Citizens Bank for the past three years. The previous weekend, Free painted snowflakes on windows at all four Coffee Culture locations in Corvallis. She also painted landscapes on the windows at City Hall. "It's exciting ... they're always joking at work that I'm going to have to take the month of December off because I keep getting all these new clients," she said. The time that it takes to complete a window painting depends on the complexities involved. Some images demand more layers of paint depending on the details. Plus, Free admits "I'm my own worst critic" and that can translate into spending more time on a particular image to get it just right. "This had actually been all white," said Free while motioning toward the character she was painting on the B&G window Thursday. "I painted her all white and slowly added the color where I wanted. And it really just adds this deep vibrancy to it and that's what I want, nice clean dark colors that pop out." Free makes a little money from her window painting but she calls it more of a hobby, not a business venture. The large project at Timberhill Shopping Center involves the most time. She got the job done in around nine hours this year. "I'm getting quicker at it I have found, but I'm learning," she said. "Timberhill, it took me 10 hours last year but I only did three colors instead of four. So this year, I thought, I'm going to whiz through that and be done in like four hours." It didn't work out that way. "No, I ended up doing four colors and it looks better," she said, the own worst critic side of her coming out again. "They're just richer, so I'm glad I did that." This year's window painting at Citizens Bank took around six hours. "If you stop by and you see all the Peanuts characters, they're all different colors," she said. "So it's the changing of the colors and climbing up and down the ladder, it takes time, and how quickly my paint will dry." Free obviously has a talent for being able to create images in the correct proportions. She doesn't sketch anything ahead of time to use as a guide. "If I'm painting something I've never painted before, I'll take a screenshot (on her phone) so I have an idea of what she's supposed to look like, and I just put her in white," she said. "I go along and wing it ... and just kinda look at it and get the shape that I want and go from there." Free makes it sound so easy but for many, it would be a serious challenge. "I've always been kinda good at that," she said, "being crafty in all things. It's kinda fun." Free had to think for a few seconds when asked about a favorite window painting she's done. At first, she said she loves all of them, and it's clear that she does. But the characters, such as Peanuts at the bank or Minions at B&G are a lot of fun for her to create. "It's a toss-up between B&G and the bank," she finally concluded. "I love bringing the little cartoon characters to life. They're hands down my favorite because I get to put my own creativity into them, you know, but I love them all." A climate activist, Leonard Higgins, guilty of a misdemeanor for briefly turning off Canadian flow of oil in protest, now faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison! His misdemeanor was escalated to a felony just because his actions caused the oil pipeline company lost revenue from the oil flow. He should face possibly a financial penalty, but prison? I once was in a legal battle in Pennsylvania, and two different lawyers stated that the legal system had nothing to do with justice; it is who has the stronger case. I responded to one lawyer asking when we won our independence from the British, why did we keep their legal system? He said that was a topic of lots of debates within the legal profession. Recently a professor of political science, Paul deLespinasse, compared Higgins' nonviolent act of protest with other violent vigilante protests that caused physical harm to humans. One was where the vigilantes burned a house down, admitted to guilt, and none was convicted. Let's focus on the real damage. We should not be sending nonviolent protesters to prison. Fred E. Shaub Corvallis (Dec. 17) Donald Trump and his fellow science deniers in the White House have ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop using words like "vulnerable," "fetus," "transgender," "science-based," and "evidence-based" in its official communications. This order in similar to the ones earlier in the Trump administration forbidding the EPA and the US Department of Agriculture to use the term "global warming." This reckless and dangerous effort by the Trump administration to censor our public health experts is another example of the ongoing attack on science and scientific inquiry. Denying science-based evidence, creating false doubt about well established scientific facts, putting gag orders on our scientific and medical leaders, and labeling any report which contradicts the Trumpian view of the world as "fake news," is a serious threat to our democratic and open society. This threat must be called out and opposed vigorously. Synagogue congregation : Hanukkah celebrations: We Jews in Bonn are afraid Bonn Police protection has been increased for the Hanukkah celebrations in the synagogue. Each participant in the Festival of Lights is being checked. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The many Hebrew voices singing the Hanukkah prayer resounded through the darkened synagogue. Some in the congregation, made up of numerous older members but also many families with children, looked at the sheets containing text transcribed in Cyrillic script. For some years now, almost 95 per cent of Bonns 1000 strong Jewish community has been made up of Jews originating from the states of the former Soviet Union. Benjamin Pollack, the communitys youth coordinator, and several children lit the sixth candle of the large Hanukkah candelabra under the large star of David. Let us show the world through our daily increasing number of lights, that we Jews are still there, after the Shoah and also after the religious oppression in the Soviet Union, said Margaret Traub, who has worked tirelessly as the head of the community for 28 years. All eight lights will be lit by Tuesday as part of the annual Jewish Hanukkah festival. They are the symbol that the Jewish people have always had to defend themselves since the historic liberation of the Temple of Jerusalem, explained Traub in her speech. Applause sounded from the synagogue. Benjamin Pollack spoke of the positive message of the Festival of Lights, that with the lighting of more candles daily, there continued to be light against the heavy darkness in the world. Our peoples past still haunts us today, Pollack had previously told the GA in an interview. The great spiritual and historical achievement of the Jewish people over many centuries, which was to be destroyed through persecution, must also be carried on today. A large police vehicle stood outside in front of the synagogue. Only those checked by the community got through the security barrier. Margaret Traub said they had asked for increased police protection for this Hanukkah Festival. We Jews in Bonn are afraid, she said against the background of the current anti-semitic incidents. There have been many repercussions to Donald Trumps Jerusalem decision. On Saturday, there was also a demonstration against it in Bonn. In the synagogue on Tempelstrae, the darkness of the evening slowly descended over the rows of singing people. The eight-branched candelabra stood tall at the front. Margaret Traub recalled that in 165 BC the re-consecration of the temple in Jerusalem symbolised that the Jewish faith would not let itself be extinguished. Afterwards, the people became more conscious of their faith than before. So lets celebrate with much joy. clarajancita at 18-12-2017 12:14 PM (4 years ago) (f) Dangotes Executive Director, Mr. Devakumar Edwin frowned at the media war, instigated by BUA against the Dangote Group, over a matter which is already pending before the Federal High Court, Benin Division Edwin revealed that: Dangotes Executive Director, Mr. Devakumar Edwin frowned at the media war, instigated by BUA against the Dangote Group, over a matter which is already pending before the Federal High Court, Benin Division Quote The Ministry in exercise of its power under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 granted and issued to AICO ML. No. 2541 for the renewable period of 25 years effective from 1st February 2008 and to expire on 31 January, 2033. Thus AICO by virtue of the said grant, became vested with the legal title over ML. No. 2541. In 2014, the Dangote Group approached AICO and indicated interest in acquiring AICOs stake in ML No. 2541. In 2014, AICO in exercise of its right under the Mining Act, applied to the Ministry for the transfer of its title in the ML No. 2541 to Dangote Group. AICO and Dangote Group equally paid all the transfer and statutory fees demanded by the Ministry. Dangote Group validly acquired its interest and mining title in the disputed Mining Lease No. 2541 from AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Ltd sometime in 2014. AICO itself had applied to the Mining Cadastre Office and Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for the said Mining Lease No. 2541 located in a boundary town of Oguda/Ubo in Okene Kogi State in 2007.The Ministry in exercise of its power under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 granted and issued to AICO ML. No. 2541 for the renewable period of 25 years effective from 1st February 2008 and to expire on 31 January, 2033. Thus AICO by virtue of the said grant, became vested with the legal title over ML. No. 2541. In 2014, the Dangote Group approached AICO and indicated interest in acquiring AICOs stake in ML No. 2541.In 2014, AICO in exercise of its right under the Mining Act, applied to the Ministry for the transfer of its title in the ML No. 2541 to Dangote Group. AICO and Dangote Group equally paid all the transfer and statutory fees demanded by the Ministry. He further explained that: Quote By a letter dated 05 February 2016, the Ministry wrote to the Managing Director of the Dangote Group to convey the approval of the Ministry for the Transfer/Assignment of ML No. 2541 from AICO to Dangote Group with effect from 03 February 2016. Following the successful transfer of ML. NO. 2541 to Dangote Group, the Group became the holder of the Mining Lease No. 2541. He said even BUA in its process in Court acknowledged that these illegal mining leases which it claimed were granted in 1997 were temporary mining leases. Edwin also recalled that the then Minister for Solid Minerals under Olusegun Obasanjos regime, Dr Oby Ezekwesili sometime in 2006 waded into the dispute and invited the managements of Edo Cement Company Limited and AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Limited for a meeting and that in the course of the meeting the then Minister again queried the legality of Mining Lease Nos 18912 and 18913 and the power of the Governor of Edo State to grant such mining leases. He said even BUA in its process in Court acknowledged that these illegal mining leases which it claimed were granted in 1997 were temporary mining leases.Edwin also recalled that the then Minister for Solid Minerals under Olusegun Obasanjos regime, Dr Oby Ezekwesili sometime in 2006 waded into the dispute and invited the managements of Edo Cement Company Limited and AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Limited for a meeting and that in the course of the meeting the then Minister again queried the legality of Mining Lease Nos 18912 and 18913 and the power of the Governor of Edo State to grant such mining leases. Quote At the end of the Meeting, the Minister declared the Edo Cements Mining Leases Nos. 18912 and 18913 illegal and declared the mining site open for interested investors. Given that AICOs then existing Mining Lease No. 17825 was yet to be renewed even though application for renewal was pending, AICO in 2007 (under the Mining Act, 2007) applied for the fresh Mining Lease No. 2541 and the Ministry granted it in 2008 without any objection from Edo Cement Company Edwin said AICO, who sold the right to Dangote, continued its mining operations in the Mining Lease No. 2541 undisturbed until BUA Group acquired Edo Cement Company Limited and resuscitated the dispute again. Edwin further revealed that it was the attempt by BUA to encroach on AICOs mining title in Mining Lease No. 2541 that prompted AICO to write to the Ministry in 2015 complaining of BUAs encroachment. He said: Edwin said AICO, who sold the right to Dangote, continued its mining operations in the Mining Lease No. 2541 undisturbed until BUA Group acquired Edo Cement Company Limited and resuscitated the dispute again.Edwin further revealed that it was the attempt by BUA to encroach on AICOs mining title in Mining Lease No. 2541 that prompted AICO to write to the Ministry in 2015 complaining of BUAs encroachment.He said: Quote The Ministry after investigation in the same 2015 by the letter dated 21 January 2015 wrote to the Chairman of BUA Group directing BUA to stop mining within the ML. No. 2541. It was this same letter from the Ministry that prompted BUA to file a Suit at the Federal High Court Benin in 2016. Edwin said: Edwin said: Quote It is therefore appalling that BUA Group in the midst of these overwhelming facts will still want the public to believe that Dangote Group is after its business when in actual fact BUA has been the one mining illegally in Dangote Mining Lease and attacking its officials without any justification The crocodile tears being shed by BUA in its cry for help and open letter to the President is most laughable and a total distraction from BUAs continuous illegal activities within Dangotes ML 2541 aimed at depleting and exhausting the limestone reserves in order to sabotage Dangote Groups legitimate investment. Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 18-12-2017 12:14 PM (4 years ago) | Hero - Executed secured loan facility with Trafigura for US$15 million for Tahuehueto mine construction.- Funding enables construction of mineral processing facility, related mining facilities, plus infrastructure and underground development at Tahuehueto- Funds Available to the Company in Three Tranches According to Development Progress and certain conditions with first tranche of US$7.5Mn already received in Telson?s bank account.- The Offtake Agreements are for 100% production of zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) concentrates with a minimum annual fixed tonnage, starting delivery in January 2018 and ongoing until December 2022Vancouver, December 18, 2017 - Telson Resources Inc. ("Telson" or the "Company") (TSX Venture - TSN.V) is very pleased to announce it has entered into a Loan Facility and Offtake Agreement with Trafigura Mexico S.A. de C.V. ("Trafigura"), a market leader in the global commodities industry, to sell 100% of the lead and zinc concentrate produced at the Tahuehueto Mine from January 1st 2018 to December 31st 2022. Trafigura has provided Telson with a credit facility of US$15 million thereby securing the capital requirements to construct and operate an ongoing 1,000 tonne per day mining operation at Tahuehueto. The Signing Date was on December 7, 2017. Key Terms: US$15 Million Loan Facility -Three-year term with twelve-month grace period followed with 24 repayment installments. -Loan Facility Matures on December 2020 with very competitive interest rates. -No hedging conditions -No equity based payments -US $ 15 Million available in three tranches as follows, -1st Tranche - US$7.5 million has been received by the Company -2nd Tranche - US$5.0 million will be available 4 months from the Signing Date and not later than 6 months after the Signing Date.* -3rd Tranche - US$2.5 million will be available 6 months from the Signing Date and not later than 9 months after the Signing Date.* Offtake Agreement -60-month term ending December 2022 for Tahuehueto Pb and Zn concentrate production -Fixed minimum tonnage to be sent during the offtake term -Very Competitive industry payable metal terms at LME and LBMA Spot prices -Access to prompt payments 5 days after delivery, providing excellent liquidity to the operation -Competitive transport charges Telson has provided industry standard security to Trafigura in the form of a corporate guarantee, a promissory note plus a pledge of the mining concessions and fixed assets of Telsons 100% owned subsidiary company Real de la Bufa, S.A. de C.V. The extent of Telson's liability to Trafigura within the Agreements under Mexican law is limited to the amount of the offtake loan plus interest. Antonio Berlanga, CEO of Telson, states "We are extremely happy to once again announce to our shareholders a major strategic funding and offtake agreement. This prepayment facility provided by Trafigura allows us to initiate construction of our planned 1000 tonne per day mineral processing facility plus related infrastructure on the Tahuehueto project site. We have already advanced more than 400 m of underground development on the mine plan and previously purchased more than 85% of the mill equipment which has been in storage in Tepehuanes. Our current construction plans are targeting to complete mine and mill construction late 2018 and then start to process gold and silver in lead and zinc concentrates at the project site. This prepayment facility and offtake agreement demonstrates the confidence our major concentrate buyer has in the Tahuehueto project and our ability to rapidly construct the mine and mill thereon." * The second loan facility draw down tranche as outlined in the Key Terms above, requires Telson to secure additional funding of US $5 million in the form of equity and/or loan and that at least US $4.5 million these funds have been invested on the Tahuehueto projects' capital expenditures and the third loan facility draw down of US $2.5 million requires Telson to secure additional funding of US $2.5 million in the form of equity and/or loan and evidence that at least US $2 million these funds have been invested on the Tahuehueto projects' capital expenditures. Management points out that the Company still has available at least US$5 million from its Line Of Credit with its major shareholder as originally announced in a press release dated July 27, 2016 and thereby can draw down the US $5 million required to secure the second tranche on the current Trafigura loan facility. About Trafigura Founded in 1993, Trafigura is one of the largest physical commodities trading groups in the world. Trafigura sources, stores, transports and delivers a range of raw materials (including oil and refined products and metals and minerals) to clients around the world. The trading business is supported by industrial and financial assets, including 49.6 percent owned global oil products storage and distribution company Puma Energy; global terminals, warehousing and logistics operator Impala Terminals; Trafigura's Mining Group; and Galena Asset Management. The Company is owned by around 600 of its 3,935 employees who work in 62 offices in 35 countries around the world. Trafigura has achieved substantial growth over recent years, growing revenue from USD12 billion in 2003 to USD136.4 billion in 2017. The Group has been connecting its customers to the global economy for more than two decades, growing prosperity by advancing trade. Visit: www.trafigura.com About Telson Resources Inc. Telson Resources Inc. is a Canadian based mining company producing gold, silver and base metal from its two Mexican Mine Projects. Telson's Tahuehueto Project, located in north-western Durango State, Mexico and its recently acquired Campo Morado Mine in Guerrero, Mexico are both polymetallic deposits containing significant gold, silver, lead, zinc and copper. Telson is currently mining and procession ore at its 100% owned Campo Morado Mine at a rate of approximately 1,400 tonnes per day and at its 100% owned Tahuehueto Mine Project at a rate of approximately 150 tonnes per day and direct shipping Tahuehueto preproduction ore to a toll mill for processing off-site. Visit: www.telsonresources.com On behalf of the board of directors (signed) "Ralph Shearing" Ralph Shearing, P.Geol, President and Director Qualified Person This press release was prepared under the supervision and review of Ralph Shearing, P.Geol., President and Director of Telson Resources Inc., a Professional Geologist registered in Alberta as a member of the professional organization APEGA, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; the timing and costs of future activities on the Company's properties, such as production rates and increases; success of exploration, development and bulk sample processing activities; timing for the restart of continuous mining operations at the Campo Morado Mine, and timing for processing at its own mineral processing facility on the Tahuehueto project site. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Campo Morado Mine and the Tahuehueto Project can be achieved, the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, economic and political conditions and operations. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events For further information about Telson Resources Inc., please contact: Glen Sandwell Corporate Communications Manager ir@telsonresources.com Tel: +1 (604) 684-8071 Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. There's no mystery about one of the most effective ways to end mass incarceration in America: reducing recidivism. More than three-quarters of those who have served time in prison are rearrested within two years. And it's equally clear that formerly incarcerated people who are employed are far less likely to end up back behind bars.Yet the path back to a stable life can be incredibly tough for formerly incarcerated people. People with prison records face extraordinarily high levels of discrimination when it comes to finding and keeping the jobs that will help them reclaim their lives. This is true even though they have already paid their debt to society, and even though most of them have served their time for minor, nonviolent drug and property crimes. Studies have shown that people coming out of jail face unemployment rates as high as 70 to 80 percent.And while restoring the rights and opportunities of formerly incarcerated people is a critical public-safety and public-health issue, it's also an issue of racial justice: African Americans and Latinos currently make up 59 percent of the more than 1.3 million state inmates.We all pay the price when a formerly incarcerated person can't find a job and lead a productive life. Without the proper support, it is a good bet that an individual will end up back behind bars at a cost to taxpayers averaging more than $30,000 a year nationally, more than $60,000 a year in New York state and more than $75,000 a year in California. The good news is that over the last decade, a movement led by formerly incarcerated people has been working to advance employment opportunities for people returning from prisons and jail -- and winning.In a new report , the Rosenberg Foundation has documented how this movement has gained unprecedented momentum, moving both policy and public opinion. From labor unions to major corporations, and from Republican and Democratic elected officials alike, support for "fair chance" hiring practices has been achieved across the ideological spectrum. This progress is due in large part to the courageous advocacy of formerly incarcerated people and visionary organizations like All of Us or None/Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, the National Employment Law Project, the Opportunity Institute, and others.California, where per-inmate costs are among the nation's highest, has been a leader in these efforts, enacting fair chance policies and expanding educational opportunities and reentry services to support formerly incarcerated individuals' efforts to get jobs. One recent example is a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown requiring private employers to "ban the box" on job applications that asks job seekers if they have a criminal record.Ban-the-box laws aren't new. California is one of 29 states that in recent years have put such policies in place for public-sector employers. But the new law makes California one of 10 states -- and the biggest -- that now requireemployers to ban the box as well.These policies benefit employers as well as potential employees. With estimates as high as one in three American adults having an arrest or conviction record, employment discrimination against formerly incarcerated people severely reduces the pool of skilled and qualified candidates employers need. Besides, ban-the-box laws don't preclude employers from running a criminal background check once they have decided that someone is qualified and have made a conditional offer of employment. Rather, these laws simply stop employers from blindly rejecting job candidates based on their records.In addition to highlighting the successes of this movement to date, the new report lists 10 "priority actions" for California and the nation as we set out to build on the progress we've achieved in reducing employment discrimination against formerly incarcerated people. These include curbing abuses in the background-check industry, broadening incentives for employers to hire people with past convictions, and expanding public and private investment in education pipelines that begin in prisons and continue after release.Steps like these would go a long way toward remedying America's mass-incarceration crisis. Thanks to the leadership of formerly incarcerated people, it's becoming an easier remedy to find. Changes to Medicaid, one waiver at a time Drug pricing laws Abortion restrictions Roll out of marijuana laws Failure of soda taxes To say its been a big year in health care is a bit of an understatement.From the back and forth of Congressional Republicans' attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and President Trump's executive orders on health care to the resignation of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and the declaration of the opioid epidemic as a public health emergency, 2017 was unpredictable.But beyond those headlines that appeared in every news outlet -- big or small, conservative or liberal, online or on TV -- there was plenty more policymaking going on beneath the surface, particularly on the state and local level.Here's some of the biggest health news you may have missed while paying attention to the drama on Capitol Hill.Federal waivers allow states to operate their Medicaid programs in certain ways not explicitly allowed under federal law. Perhaps the biggest news surrounding Medicaid waivers came toward the end of the year.In November, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator (CMS) Seema Verma said in a speech that she is ready to usher in a new day for Medicaid, one focused on personal responsibility and decreased regulations for states. The Obama administration largely rejected states' Medicaid waivers out of concern that they would reduce insurance coverage for low-income people.Six states have pending waivers to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients, and Wisconsin wants to implement drug testing for all applicants. Most conservative of all, Maine wants to impose asset testing, which screens eligibility based on property and savings -- something strictly prohibited by the ACA.Its unclear if CMS would approve something that far-reaching, but Verma does support work requirements. Many thought 2017 would be the year these states would get their wish, but Matt Salo, director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, isnt surprised that CMS has taken so long. He thinks its probably preparing a legal defense.When you know youre going into new territory, you have to make sure you have your ducks in a row. We know the minute one of those waivers gets approved, there are going to be lawsuits. Thats been part of the hold up, he says.In some respects, like battling the nation's opioid epidemic, the Trump administration is continuing the health care traditions of the Obama era.A decades-old law bans Medicaid from paying for substance abuse treatment in facilities with more than 16 beds. It was enacted as part of a larger push away from large mental institutions, but many see it as a hindrance to getting people into affordable care.This year, the Trump administration approved waivers to let Virginia and West Virginia ignore that law. Four other states -- California, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Hampshire -- received approval during the Obama administration. Salo expects more states to file for those waivers next year.When it comes to the opioid epidemic, he says, theres no silver bullet, but those waivers are arrows in a quiver."Responding to public outcry over the price of prescription drugs, there was some movement toward making them cheaper this year -- but it didn't come from the voters.When given the chance to pass a ballot measure that supporters say could have reduced the price of prescription drugs for Ohio, voters overwhelmingly rejected it . A similar measure failed in California last year, exemplifying the power of pharmaceutical companies, which spent millions of campaign dollars to defeat both measures.California, however, was one of the few states this year that passed drug pricing regulations. It now requires drug companies to notify insurers within 60 days if the price of a drug will increase by 16 percent or more.Similarly, Maryland passed a law requiring drug companies to notify the state if the price of a generic drug would increase by 50 percent or more. And New York approved new regulations that will, among other things, threaten drug companies with scrutiny of their profit margins if they dont agree to voluntarily rebate or pass money back to the state when Medicaid drug spending rises fast.But considering this issue has bipartisan support, its surprising that more states didn't pass similar regulations, says Sabrina Corlette, research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.Corlette co-authored a study with the Urban Institute this year that examined the eight states -- California, Colorado, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New York and Vermont -- that have enacted some kind of regulation to keep out-of-pocket costs down on specialty drugs. They found that the regulations' impact on drug prices is unclear, but in some instances, the prices for other areas of a health care plan -- such as copayments -- went up.You probably heard about the Texas bill signed into law in August requiring women to buy supplemental insurance if they want coverage for an abortion. It was dubbed as "rape insurance" and quickly made headlines across the country.When Texas passes an abortion restriction, other conservative states usually follow, says Elizabeth Nash, a state policy expert for the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that tracks reproductive rights around the world.However, it was hardly the only state this year to pass abortion restrictions.Missouri passed arguably the most sweeping anti-abortion law this year during a second special session in the summer. The bill, S.B. 5, includes several never-before-seen provisions.The regulations, which went into effect in October, require a doctor (not a nurse or social worker) to counsel women 72 hours before a procedure. Critics say it could burden the few doctors in the state who perform abortions. The legislation also allows landlords and employers to rent to or hire people based on their reproductive rights beliefs and gives expanded powers to the states attorney general to enforce the abortion laws.In Kentucky, an intervention by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin could make the state the only one without an abortion clinic.Kentucky law requires that all abortion clinics have an agreement with a local hospital and ambulance service that theyll transfer and admit patients in the event of an emergency. The EMW Womens Surgical Center -- the only clinic in the state -- has an agreement with the University of Louisvilles medical school and a private ambulance company. But the Bevin administration ruled this year that those agreements are deficient.The clinic sued and is still operating until a judge rules. If the court rules in favor of the state, then Kentucky could find itself in a unique position in 2018.Eight states legalized medical or recreational marijuana last year, but getting those markets up and running is no easy task.In California, the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use back in 1996, residents are supposed to be able to buy the drug for recreational use starting Jan. 1. But, it's unclear whether that will actually happen everywhere.Retailers and growers need approval from the states Bureau of Cannabis Control -- along with city and county permits -- which didnt start accepting applications until this month. And according tomost counties have been silent on the issue.The roll-out from peoples expectations was that it would be quick, but thats not whats happening. The state already had this large medical marijuana structure in place, but its just not translating, says Karmen Hanson, health policy analyst for the National Conference of State Legislatures.In Maine, its been an uphill battle. The state legislature passed a bill detailing how the sale of recreational marijuana would work, but it was vetoed by GOP Gov. Paul LePage."Until I clearly understand how the federal government intends to treat states that seek to legalize marijuana, I cannot in good conscience support any scheme in state law to implement expansion of legal marijuana in Maine, he wrote in his veto letter In late November, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions signaled that his department would soon crack down on state marijuana laws."We are working our way through to a rational policy, but I don't want to suggest in any way that this department believes that marijuana is harmless and people should not avoid it," he said.Among the states that legalized medical marijuana last year, Florida and North Dakotas measures went into effect this year.Perhaps the biggest change in marijuana policy this year, though, is the fact that statehouses are starting to initiate the discussion.Typically, it's an issue left up to the voters. But since the 2016 elections, state legislatures have been forming legalization committees and drawing up bills for the next legislative session. According to Hanson, legislatures in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont have all started exploring recreational use.It looked like the tide was turning on soda taxes in 2016. Berkeley, Calif. -- the first locality to pass an initiative to tax sugary drinks -- revealed promising results from its first year, with consumption of sugary drinks down 20 percent . This was followed by news that the Philadelphia City Council approved a soda tax and Cook County, Ill., approved one last November.Fast forward one year later, and the viability of the soda tax doesnt look as bright.In August, a report revealed that Philadelphias soda tax wasnt producing the windfall that was expected. The soda tax was projected to bring in $46 million in the first six months but only produced close to $40 million. The report also found that people were still buying soda and sugary drinks; they were just traveling outside the city to stock up.And in a stinging reversal, Cook County repealed its soda tax altogether after just two months. A cocktail of miscommunication, glitches and legal challenges spurred the Cook County Board of Commissioners' decision in October. Missed Deadline Ill Effects Already Unless Congress provides funding before the end of the year, many of the nations 9,800 community health clinics will face service cuts or closure potentially crippling a vital part of the health system that provides care in poor and underserved communities across every state.And the fallout could mean the loss of more than 160,000 jobs and a hit to state economies of more than $15 billion as staff cutbacks and layoffs ripple through the country. California alone could lose up to 15,841 jobs and nearly $1.7 billion next year.Congress inaction on funding community health centers comes just as its Republican leadership and the Trump administration continue their attacks on the Affordable Care Act, which are expected to result in higher health care costs for states, fewer people insured and rising premiums for many of those who are.Its pretty rough out there right now, said Jana Eubank, associate vice president of public policy and research for the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).Across the country, the clinics serve 27 million people and, without the funding, as many as 2,800 clinics could close next year, leaving as many as 9 million patients without access to regular health care, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.The problem for health centers extends beyond the funding they are waiting for Congress to provide, though. The situation is actually worse.Congress also failed to reauthorize two related programs, the National Health Service Corps, which provides scholarships and loan repayment funds for medical providers who agree to practice in medically underserved areas, and Teaching Health Centers, which train medical residents to work as primary care physicians in those same areas. The total for those programs amounts to about $370 million a year.Half the 10,200 National Health Service Corps providers serve in community health clinics, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, as do many graduates from teaching health centers. The losses would deprive community health clinics of providers in areas where it is already difficult to attract medical professionals.Weve got a triple threat happening to community health centers, said Mitzi Moran, CEO of Sunrise Community Health, which provides medical, dental, and behavioral health care to nearly 40,000 patients in northern Colorado. About 65 percent of them live at or below the poverty line, Moran said.Meanwhile, Congresss failure to reauthorize the $14 billion-a-year Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which finances medical care for nearly 9 million poor children, threatens to punch another hole in the budgets of community health centers, where many of those children receive care. According to NACHC, patients in CHIP and Medicaid, the companion health care program for the poor, represent half the patients seen at community health centers. (CHIP provides coverage for children whose families earn a bit too much to qualify for Medicaid.)State governments, which sometimes fill the gaps to provide health care for low-income communities, might soon face decisions about whether they can help keep their community health centers up and running.Congress failed to meet its Sept. 30 deadline for reauthorizing the Community Health Center Fund, which had provided health centers with $3.6 billion a year over the previous two years.And because Congress also hasnt passed a new budget for the current fiscal year, another $1.5 billion for health centers also is endangered.Together, those two funding sources represent nearly a fifth of community health centers revenues, according to NACHC.Health centers are not expected to run out of federal dollars until January. But already some say they have frozen hiring, lost medical providers they had recruited or suspended building projects. In a survey of health centers conducted by the association this fall, 41 percent said they would have to lay off staff and nearly half said they would have to curtail operations if Congress doesnt act.The loss of money would be crippling to community health centers, which often serve impoverished areas and by law must take all comers, no matter their ability to pay.Those who run the health centers say they fear that closures and curtailment of operations will mean more Americans will forgo routine medical care, allowing chronic health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma to worsen. Many patients will end up in emergency rooms and be hospitalized, adding costly services that could have been avoided if primary care had been available.They also describe themselves as angry and mystified about Congresss failure to address the budgets of all these health programs, which have long enjoyed strong bipartisan support. More than 150 Republican and Democratic members of the House of Representatives sent a letter at the end of October to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urging reauthorization of the Community Health Centers Fund. The National Governors Association sent a similar appeal late last month. No action followed.I am so frustrated that there just doesnt seem to be any urgency about this in Washington, said Steven Miracle, CEO of Georgia Mountains Health Services, a small network of community medical and dental clinics in the Appalachian foothills in largely rural northwest Georgia.Funding for the community health clinics and the other health programs got shunted aside as Congress wrestled with Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and pass a tax bill. Congressional Republicans still hope to pass the tax bill before breaking for the holidays. Congress also has other pressing business, including a disaster relief measure. The question is whether it can get all that done and fund the various health programs.You hope Congress can get all that passed [this week], but its never been done before, said Edwin Park, vice president for health policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington think tank.Democratic U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts placed the blame on the GOP, which has tried to tie funding for community health centers to cuts in other public health programs. Republican leaders in Congress have long ignored bipartisan calls to address directly reauthorizing community health center funding, rushing ahead instead with their tax overhaul plan, she said.Although centers will not see their federal grants run out before January, ill effects caused by the funding uncertainty already have begun.Miracle said that Green Mountains has lost one doctor over the instability, and its board decided to freeze hiring. And a bank nearly balked over an agreed-upon refinancing arrangement. I can tell you, it was a very uncomfortable conversation, he said. If Congress doesnt act soon, he added, he and his board will begin discussing layoffs and site closures in January.Other community health centers report similar consequences. Ann Awalt, executive director of Community Action Corporation of South Texas, which runs seven centers in the rural, southern portion of Texas running below San Antonio to the Mexican border and the Gulf of Mexico, said the organization has canceled two capital projects, including plans to open a school health clinic in an elementary school in Falfurrias not far from the Mexican border. It also has put off a planned expansion of behavioral health services.Ive been in this business since 1975, and I have never seen a more uncertain environment, she said.Mitzi Moran of Sunrise Community Health in Colorado said that unless the financial pipeline from Washington starts flowing again, she will have to cut back services and operating hours, or perhaps close clinics altogether.But the effects could go well beyond clinical issues. A study from George Washington University released this month found that the failure of Congress to continue health center funding could result in the loss of up to 160,981 jobs across the United States, nearly 60 percent of them outside health care. The same report estimates overall losses to the economy as high as $15.6 billion in 2018.Leighton Ku, a co-author of the study and director of the universitys Center for Health Policy Research, said that while the job losses in the clinics themselves will be severe, the economies of all states will feel a spillover effect. Job losses in health care result in less spending on goods and services by those former employees, which affect other industries as well. Similarly, if health centers postpone planned capital projects or refuse to enter into contracts, many businesses will experience losses.This is going to severely affect every state in the Union, Ku said. What makes no sense is that everybody loves this program and realizes that it saves lots of money. Cutting this off is cutting off your own foot. Last week, due to fears about potential cyberespionage, President Donald Trump signed a bill banning the federal government's use of a Russia-based antivirus software.The legislation comes three months after a federal directive advised civilian agencies to remove Kaspersky Lab within 90 days and nearly six months after the federal government revoked Kaspersky Lab from its list of approved vendors.Neither last weeks bill nor the September directive apply to state and local governments, several of which were still using Kaspersky software in July. revealed that month that Portland, Ore.; Fayetteville, Ga.; San Marcos, Texas; Picayune, Miss.; andthe Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services were all using the software despite federal concerns about cyberespionage.Now, most of those governments have officially moved away from Kaspersky software or have plans to do so in the near future.In emails toofficials from Fayetteville and Portland both reported that their cities switched from Kaspersky months ago, shortly after the controversy arose.John Morrisson, systems manager for the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services, says that the division is in the process of moving away from Kaspersky and should be completely transitioned by Jan. 1. In July, Morrisson told Governing that his agency probably wouldnt stop using the software unless it was directly banned from doing so by the federal government. But the controversy propelled the agency to act.We just didnt want the attention in a negative way, Morrisson says. Public Defender Services is in the business of helping, and we didnt want this backlash from using Kaspersky software to take away from our very important job.San Marcos did not respond to'srequests for comment, and officials in Picayune said the only person who has knowledge of whether the city is using Kaspersky software is out until January.Controversy has surrounded Kaspersky Lab for years: As early as 2015, law enforcement urged congressional staff not to meet with Kaspersky officials about national security matters. Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser and a current subject of Robert Muellers probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, received payments from Kaspersky to speak at one of its cybersecurity conferences. The founder of Kaspersky, Eugene Kaspersky, is a former employee of Russian military intelligence agencies.Kaspersky Lab has denied any connections with the Kremlin and said in a statement last week that it disapproves of the new law due to its geographic-specific approach to cybersecurity. On Monday, it filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration.Not all cybersecurity experts believe its necessary for state and local governments to follow the federal government's lead.Michael Hamilton, a former chief information security officer of Seattle and founder of managed detection and response firm Critical Informatics, Inc., toldin July that its got to be demonstrated somewhere that the threat is real before local governments expend the large amount of resources required to switch vendors.Hamilton still feels that way even after last weeks legislation.This has to be a risk-based decision. Its very expensive [to switch vendors]. Its a big procurement effort, Hamilton says. If someone could point to a situation and say, hey, Kaspersky stole this information from us, thats worth looking at. But theres nothing like that. Local governments do not have federal secrets of importance to the Russians.Hamilton says he is much more concerned with cyberthreats to critical infrastructure like water, gas and electricity. In 2016, for example, the U.S government indicted an Iranian hacker who allegedly got access to the computer control system of the Bowman Avenue Dam in New York.Local governments manage traffic; they manage stormwater; they conduct emergency management. The impact of a disruption there is loss of life, Hamilton says.To deal with these threats, Hamilton says, local governments must invest in detecting and eradicating problems quickly. Officials should not think in terms ofa locality will get hacked butRight now, it takes an average of 200 days for local governments to realize their systems have been infected.After 200 days, Hamilton says, someone has handed your ass to you. Gov. Wolf on Sunday called on State Sen. Daylin Leach to resign in the wake of a report by the Inquirer and Daily News that eight women and three men have claimed that the Montgomery County legislator had inappropriately touched female campaign staffers or subjected them to highly sexualized conversations."This disturbing behavior is absolutely unacceptable. Sen. Leach should resign," the governor said in a stinging rebuke of a fellow Democrat. "While he has been a leader on important policy issues, this conduct cannot be excused. As I have said previously, this is not a partisan issue. The lack of adequate structure for victims to report this type of behavior and feel protected is inexcusable, and underscores that Harrisburg's culture must change."Other former colleagues or fellow party members on Sunday echoed the governor's response to the allegations. In a statement and Facebook post, a one-time top campaign aide to Leach confirmed the accounts of two former political staffers and said he regretted not speaking out at the time about "a pattern of behavior that I believe was totally inappropriate."And the Senate's top Democrat, Minority Leader Jay Costa (D., Allegheny), said his caucus had launched a review of the Senate's policy on harassment."This report raised issues about the Senate's policy for handling workplace and sexual harassment claims," Costa said in a statement. "We're seeking more information about these specific claims and will take the appropriate next steps."Leach, in a response to questions from the Inquirer and Daily News, denied that he inappropriately touched two women who described their encounters at length to the newspapers. One woman's claim was investigated by a Senate human resources officer in 2015.Leach, a 55-year-old married senator from Wayne and a legislator for nearly 15 years, also said his humor was "no more racy than the average person's, but to be clear, it's not pure either."George Bochetto, Leach's lawyer, could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday. Last week, Bochetto said that Leach is not a predator, and accused the the Inquirer and Daily News of pursuing a "witch hunt" against the senator.In his own statement, Leach blamed what he asserted has been a "whisper campaign" started by supporters of one of his opponents in the upcoming Democratic primary for the Seventh Congressional District, based in Delaware County.Allegations of sexual misconduct and improper behavior have been roiling state capitals across the country, but the claims about Leach are the first to touch the Pennsylvania legislature.After the allegations were published Sunday, others in addition to Wolf called for Leach to resign his Senate seat, end his congressional campaign, or do both.In a statement, the chairman of the Delaware County Democratic Party, David Landau, called Leach an "a tireless fighter for progressive causes" but said, "None of that can excuse his inappropriate conduct and the toxic environment he created. He should immediately suspend his congressional campaign."Nina Ahmad, the former chair of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Organization for Women, who is now running for Congress in another district, said Leach should resign and end his congressional campaign."The revelation that female staffers were afraid to bring on additional female staff is particularly chilling, and an example of how sexual harassment and sexism undermine women economically," said Ahmad, who most recently worked as a Philadelphia deputy mayor. "I applaud these women for the courageous stand they have taken. They should be believed and heard."Among the women who spoke to the Inquirer and Daily News were two 2008 Leach campaign staffers who said he frequently made sexual jokes and comments -- including openly discussing his list of famous women "I want to f -- " -- leaving his aides feeling uncomfortable and powerless to stop his behavior.In a statement Sunday afternoon, Matt Goldfine, Leach's field director for the 2008 campaign, confirmed the accounts.He said Leach "would sometimes treat female interns differently than male interns, and in ways that made me feel uncomfortable, including tickling them or hugging them excessively. This did not happen once; there was a pattern of behavior that I believe was totally inappropriate."Goldfine said that during the campaign, the candidate would sometimes come to the campaign office and, through a window, watch a nearby event for young mothers and toddlers held at a coffee shop."In the presence of other staffers, Sen. Leach called the event "MILF and Cookies' instead of its actual name 'Milk and Cookies,' and laughed as he went to the coffee shop during the event," Goldfine said, adding: "More than anything, my [now-]34-year-old self wishes my 25-year-old self would have protested, instead of acquiescing in, this unprofessional conduct."He said an atmosphere of chauvinism permeated the campaign, during which an intern was referred to as "thong girl" because her underwear had once inadvertently become visible."I now understand that the dynamic between elected officials and young persons trying to make it in the world of politics is very much one of power," Goldfine wrote in the statement, which he also posted to his Facebook page. "Asserting that no one has ever complained is a familiar excuse from those on top in a power dynamic." Anyone whos watched a cop show on television in recent decades has a decent understanding -- or at least a memory -- of the rights accorded to those arrested: the right to an attorney, the right to remain silent and all the other protections given to the accused over the past half-century, following the U.S. Supreme Courts 1966 decision in Miranda v. Arizona.But juvenile offenders often dont have a clear understanding of what those rights entail. Back in 2013, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry concluded that Miranda warnings are too complex and advanced for most juveniles. The group recommended that police and other law enforcement authorities should utilize simplified Miranda warnings developed specifically for use with juvenile suspects.Now, the sheriffs office in King County, Wash., has done just that. Working collaboratively with the public defenders office and a community nonprofit, the sheriff consulted with brain researchers to come up with simplified warnings, which were then focus-grouped among teens. For the most part, we have always done the same warning for kids that we do for adults, says Sheriff John Urquhart. We came to the conclusion, as we know now, that kids brains develop slower. To be fair, we thought we should revise the warning so that they understand what their constitutional rights are.Juvenile offenders in King County are now told repeatedly, and in different phrases, that they have a right to an attorney, underscoring that the attorneys services are available free of charge. They not only are told that they can remain silent, but are offered an explanation that this means you dont have to say anything. Its OK if you dont want to talk to me.Urquhart says hes getting the same kind of pushback that law enforcement has gotten ever since the advent of Miranda warnings -- namely, that no kid will ever confess with those kinds of protections. The new warnings are just being rolled out, but so far theres no evidence that theyre hindering cases. The Seattle Police Department -- the only force in the state larger than the King County Sheriffs Office -- is now considering adopting them as well.Laurence Steinberg, an expert on adolescent psychiatry at Temple University, describes the warnings as a valuable change in policy. Nevertheless, he argues that even if kids have a better grasp of their rights, they generally lack the judgment or foresight to think through the implications of the decisions they make, including whether to stay silent. Like the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, he recommends that an adult who cares about the childs welfare, such as an attorney or a relative, should be present during interrogations. Thats already standard practice in many departments. On Friday, in the evening, at the United Service Club, Brisbane, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended the Clubs 125th Anniversary Dinner where the Governor addressed guests. On Saturday, in the evening, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC welcomed members of the public visiting the estate to view the 2017 Christmas Lights display. On Sunday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended Morning Service at St Thomas Anglican Church, Toowong. In the evening, at Government House, the Governor welcomed members of the public visiting the estate to view the 2017 Christmas Lights display. Description GIS - 18 December, 2017: The Republic of Mauritius will be hosting for the first time the next session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity from 26 November to 01 December 2018. This was announced by the Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun in the National Assembly on Thursday 14 December 2017 during a statement on the inscription of Sega Tambour of Rodrigues on UNESCOs Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In this context, he informed that a Bureau has been set up with Mauritius as the Chair, Austria as Rapporteur and Cyprus, Armenia, Guatemala, Philippines and Lebanon as Vice Chairs in line with the geographical representation of State Parties to the 2003 Convention. A National organising Committee, he added, will be set up at the level of his Ministry to look into the preparation of the next session and that the secretary of the 2003 convention, Mr Tim Curtis, will lead a delegation to Mauritius in March 2018 to kick start preparations. He recalled that a Mauritian delegation attended the 12th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee held at Jeju Island, South Korea in connection with the inscription of Sega Tambour of Rodrigues on UNESCOs Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity . This inscription, he said is under the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and pointed out that the Republic of Mauritius was the second state, after Algeria, to ratify this Convention in 2004. Minister Roopun informed the National Assembly that the Sega Tambour of Rodrigues was inscribed by acclamation by all the 730 delegates representing some 110 State Parties that attended the Committee. Speaking of the Sega Tambour of Rodrigues, he highlighted that it is a major social medium for communication among family members as well as the general public assembling for the exchange of meaningful, memorable and emotional moments of joy and happiness. He expressed gratitude to all transmitters and bearers of Sega Tambour and all those who have contributed to its successful inscription. Description GIS - 18 December, 2017: The achievements for the year 2017 in the Business, Enterprises and Cooperatives sectors were outlined by the Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Mr Soomildut Bholah, on 15 December 2017, during a press conference. The achievements for the year 2017 in the Business, Enterprises and Cooperatives sectors were outlined by the Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Mr Soomildut Bholah, on 15 December 2017, during a press conference. He emphasised that the Ministry is committed to provide several measures and schemes to make Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) a key pillar of the socio-economic development of Mauritius. The SME Bill, he underlined, is an important milestone which aims to bring a major institutional reform to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and to provide for a new legislative framework. He further underlined that SME Mauritius which has already been set up will gradually take over part of SMEDAs functions. As regards promoting the visibility of SMEs, the Minister recalled that the International SME Innovation and Technology Fair and the SME Innovation Award 2017 were also on the agenda of the Ministry. He added that five national fairs were organised across the country namely at St Pierre, Mahebourg, Port-Louis Waterfront and Rodrigues. The various measures undertaken for the year 2017 comprise: the ten year Master plan to improve SME competitiveness and growth; the setting up of the Creative Mauritius online platform to provide market linkages to craftsmen of Mauritius and Rodrigues; the launch of a training programme on Advanced Crafts Skills in collaboration with the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development; the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the SMEDA and the Mauritius Duty Free Paradise to provide a stand for craftsmen to showcase their products. For the Cooperatives sector, the Minister highlighted that the promulgation of the New Cooperatives Act has enabled the sector to better consolidate itself. He underscored that 102 new cooperatives societies have been created for the period January 2017 till 30 November 2017. He emphasised that various incentives have been put in place to boost the sector. They include the creation of the Cooperative Audit Unit and the Mauritius Cooperative Alliance as well as the recent launching of a Cooperative IT Centre at Montagne Blanche. Other measures include the Solar Photovoltaic Rebate Scheme; the launching of the e-Registration project; studies conducted on abandoned agricultural lands and the launching of the Cooperative Development Fund. The National Awards for Cooperatives as well as 44 cooperatives fairs have been organised , added the Minister. He further pointed out that a MoU was signed between India and Mauritius to enhance collaboration in the field of cooperatives. On this score, he recalled the visit of Mr Kalraj Mishra to Mauritius for the Second Joint Committee Meeting on Cooperation in the field of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Moreover, the Minister highlighted that 14 cooperatives societies have benefitted from training programmes from the Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management in India and that 15 Mauritian participants have been trained in bio-agriculture at the National Centre of Organic Farming in India With regard to the National Cooperatives College (NCC), Minister Bholah stressed that 24 programmes have been dispensed to some 4,005 people including 2,030 unemployed women and 1,385 young people sensitised on entrepreneurship in the cooperatives sector. The upcoming projects for the cooperatives sector comprise amongst others the renovation of la Maison des Pecheurs; the development of agricultural projects at St Pierre and Henrietta; the relocation of NCC in a new building. The Ministry is expected to sign an agreement with the Cooperative College of Malaysia next year. In 1999, in Allegheny County, Pa., the Department of Human Services DHS) did something few local governments would have considered. It built a data warehouse as a central repository for the countys health and human services data, part of an overarching strategy to deliver integrated support to its most vulnerable citizens. While most data warehouses were oriented toward research or one-shot projects at the time, Allegheny County took a different tack and decided to use it for decision support for a range of social problems: behavioral health, child welfare, homelessness, aging and other disabilities.The warehouse uses software from IBM and Oracle and has steadily built up the number of data sets it contains. As the data has become richer, the ability to conduct more comprehensive analysis, particularly around gaps in client coverage, has steadily improved. For example, in 2005, DHS developed an algorithm that helped officials spot clients who had multiple needs. The algorithm boosted the number of children in child welfare who received mental health support from 26 percent to 44 percent.In 2009, DHS signed an agreement with the Pittsburgh Public School District to share data and improve both the education and well-being outcomes of children under its care. Since then, there have been data-sharing agreements established with another 20 school districts.Last year, DHS began using its data warehouse to conduct the kind of predictive modeling that Goldsmith called the hardest for local governments to establish. The Allegheny Family Screening Tool helps with decision-making when a worker screens a call regarding a child who is at risk of possible maltreatment. It predicts possible outcomes with a fair degree of accuracy by creating a score for intervention based on the integration and analysis of hundreds of data elements. The higher the score, the more likely the possibility of future maltreatment, giving decision-makers the kind of information they need to intervene and investigate. Studies have shown the tool to be ethically appropriate because it is more accurate than the alternatives currently being used.Another tool used by DHS is a data dashboard. DHS has been able to help inform health providers whether someone who has died from a drug overdose had recently been receiving mental health or substance abuse treatment. It may sound like a simple correlation to make, but in government that kind of social service data sharing is not the norm, according to Erin Dalton, deputy director for DHS. It seems straightforward, but there has been historically and funding-wise, real walls between mental health and substance services, she said.In the realm of social issues, data sharing can be the most rewarding process, but also the most vexing. When it comes to hurdles, there are technical aspects to data mining and integration that are fairly complex, said Goldsmith, but data sharing is the most important and its the one issue that can slow everybody down.According to Dalton, Allegheny County has had to pay for strong, external legal guidance to manage data-sharing issues. But she believes too many government agencies misinterpret laws so they can hold on to data rather than share it. I think its become pretty obvious that there isnt a legal issue in most cases, but really a policy decision that needs to be made, she said. Those kinds of decisions should not be made by relatively low-level bureaucrats.Most government officials who are trying to fashion data-driven solutions for vexing social problems would agree with that. What is required are strong data governance practices. A paper from the Ash Center at the Harvard Kennedy School,, states that strong data governance fosters interoperability and reuse of data across the enterprise. Data governance also addresses cross-agency sharing of who collects what, and for what purpose, to avoid duplication of data collection in different or competing formats.An example of the kind of policy decision-making Dalton has in mind can be found at the state level. Indiana set out to improve data sharing in a secure and legal way while removing technical barriers. The starting point was an executive order signed by former Gov. Mike Pence, creating the Management and Performance Hub, where appropriate state data could be held securely and used to drive better government performance through analytics.The problem the state wanted to address was a troubling health issue: Why were some infants dying in their first year of life while others werent? For years, Indiana had been pursuing a policy that wasnt producing results. It was based on the prevailing belief that infant mortality was caused by pregnant moms who either smoked cigarettes, did drugs or drank too much alcohol.With Gov. Pences executive order, policymakers were freed up to share data between multiple agencies. Using analytics and data science, the state was able to uncover the real culprit in its high rate of infant mortality: lack of access to prenatal health care.Taking down barriers to data sharing at the local level can be just as beneficial in the long term. Daltons advice is to avoid having to go through a memorandum of understanding agreement every time data is to be shared. While she makes it clear that Allegheny always works within the law, she believes that signed agreements arent necessary, just good governance and rules for data use. Once you get into agreement mode, you might as well add three more years to the project, she warned. (TNS) - Since it ignited, the Thomas fire has burned more than 250,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and become the third-largest fire on record in California. On Thursday, it killed a firefighter. But as frightening as this beast of a blaze really is, the overall trends look even worse.Prior to 1995, the United States averaged one mega-fire a year, according to the U.S. Forest Service, which gives that title to blazes that burn more than 100,000 acres. During the last decade, California has met that old average all by itself, while the United States as a whole is now experiencing nearly 10 such fires annually. Researchers predict that, by the middle of this century, twice the amount of U.S. land will burn in bad fire years than does today.Of course its not just land that burns. Developments are springing up in ever more fire-prone forests, canyons and mountains. One in three U.S. homes some 44 million residences are in the wildland-urban interface, or WUI, where they abut fire-prone forests and open space. California, along with Florida and Texas, has the highest concentration of homes in the WUI. And with rents skyrocketing in cities, developers are pushing into some of Southern Californias most flammable rural areas at an ever-increasing rate.The Thomas fire will likely rage past the winter solstice, marking yet another troubling trend. To date, the warming and drying climate has expanded the nations fire season by some 78 days overall. Firefighters in California already talk about their year-round fire season.Not only are the conditions ripe for the Thomas fire to continue its devastation, but theres a real possibility of more large fires breaking out in the coming months.Southern California was parched, with Los Angeles recording just 4 percent of its historic average of rainfall since Oct. 1, even before the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned last week that a strengthening La Nina weather pattern would likely lead to an unusually warm and dry winter in the region. A persistent high-pressure ridge in the Pacific has held back precipitation and cooler temperatures, leading some climatologists to worry that the state is about to fall back into a deep drought. Californias snowpack is at 34 percent of normal for this time of year.Although the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has abundant resources to deal with normal wildfires in any month of the year, mega-fires that burn outside the historical fire season prove challenging for both the state and the nation. In the past, many wildland firefighters were college students earning money for tuition. During the winter, theyre in school, and the federal equipment needed to help battle fires may be offline, stored in warehouses.At this point, its indisputable that more winter mega-fires are coming. Yet many of the stakeholders affected by wildfires of increasing size and frequency cant look away from their narrow self-interests to focus on the crisis at hand.Every bad fire season brings calls from the timber industry to increase logging in forests, overgrown after a century in which the United States snuffed every wildfire. Its true that some of our forests have 10, 20 or even 40 times more trees than they had prior to the nations zero-tolerance policy toward wildfires, and that well-managed timber harvests can reduce the fire risk in some woodlands. But those who present such harvests as a win-win of business profits and a reduced chance of fire often neglect to acknowledge an obvious truth: Most of the vegetation increasing the risk is brush, deadfall and small trees that have little economic value, while the big, thick trees that hold the financial payoff can resist and survive most flames. Timber operations that harvest the big trees but leave the small ones may actually fuel big blazes, not mitigate them.Like the timber industrys supposed win-win solutions, some ranchers push managers of public lands to allow more cattle to munch down heavy loads of flammable grass to reduce the chance of fire. Here again theres an obvious logical flaw: Overgrazing in many parts of the Southwest has allowed dense stands of trees to encroach on grasslands, in some cases leading to more severe wildfires rather than fewer.Even thoughtful attempts to make communities more resilient to wildfires have spotty records. Certainly its smart to build homes with defensible space around the structure, use fire-resistant building materials such as metal roofs and keep flammable materials such as propane tanks and woodpiles away from the house. But those efforts are for naught if residents dont diligently rake up needles and leaves, clean out their gutters and mow the grass, or if developers use their fire-wise construction to justify pushing homes into ever more combustible landscapes.Meanwhile, as the wildfire problem worsens, Californias commitment to preparation is rather fitful. The state levies fines of up to $500 for homeowners who fail to clear dangerously fire-prone vegetation, and Cal Fire can seek restitution in the courts from people who negligently start wildfires. Last July, however, in a deal to extend the states cap-and-trade program, state legislators suspended a $150 fire-prevention fee that was charged to some 800,000 California residents who live in rural areas. (The Republican lawmakers who reviled that fee ought to take a look at the latest firefighting invoice.)To deal with the trend toward larger, more frequent, year-round mega-fires, California will need to take a longer view. It will have to stand up to industries whose claims arent supported by science, to developers and planners who promote building into fire-prone landscapes, and to citizens who dont want to foot the bill for living in a state filled with forests and fire.ABOUT THE WRITERMichael Kodas is the author of Megafire: The Race to Extinguish a Deadly Epidemic of Flame and associate director of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He wrote this for the Los Angeles Times.2017 Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) - For Kris Parker, the decision to shut down his Santa Barbara brewery on Saturday didnt come easy.But when he looked outside and saw the sky dark with smoke and the flames blowing toward the city, he knew he had no choice.By Sunday morning, the smoke had cleared, and with only a voluntary evacuation in place for Third Window Brewing, Parker reopened the brewerys doors.Firefighters went face-to-face with the huge Southern California blaze, pushed by strong wind gusts, attacking it with hoses as weather conditions tempered.The Thomas Fire, which began burning through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties on Dec. 4, has grown to 270,000 acres the third-largest fire in the states modern history with containment up to 45 percent.The containment numbers were expected to increase as crews continued to confront the fire head on, with full containment anticipated by Jan. 7, said Capt. Rick Crawford of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.It doesnt look as harrowing, Parker said, the CEO of the brewery. Everyone is struggling. At the moment, we are trying to figure out ... how to keep our employees paid and make our rent.The brewerys revenue was down 40 percent compared with last December, Parker said. Joining him Sunday was one other staff member who helped open the brewery.Ten homes were lost in Montecito overnight, Crawford said, adding that damage could have been much worse.Parker evacuated his own Montecito home a week ago and doesnt know if his home is still standing. There are still about 18,000 structures threatened by the wildfire.Wind gusts dropped to about 20 mph on Sunday, making it slightly easier for the more than 8,500 firefighters. Thirty-four helicopters were assigned to the blaze Sunday, as well as 972 fire engines, said Capt. Stan Ziegler of the Ventura County Fire Department.The weather patterns are going to be a little more favorable for us to take advantage of certain geographical points where we might be able to hold the fire. ... We can dig in and become a little more aggressive, Ziegler said.Mandatory evacuations remained in place for most of Montecito and the town of Summerland, and upper areas of Santa Barbara, affecting 16,000-17,000 people.Fred Huther, 58, of Santa Barbara said a city official knocked on his door on Saturday night and told him and his 17-year-old son, Jon, that it was time to leave.I could see the flames peeking over the hill just above where our house was. It was pretty crazy, Huther said.Huther had packed his car with jewelry, artwork, clothing and other essential items just in case.Its just kind of frustrating. Weve only lived in Santa Barbara for three years we are not accustomed to the fire thing, Huther said, who moved from the Washington, D.C., area. We are probably a little more cautious than other people, but when that happened (Saturday), everyone was like, OK, this is real.Unlike Huther, Ian Anzlowar, 26, remembers when he was evacuated during the 2008 Tea Fire, which destroyed about 200 homes in Montecito and Santa Barbara. But this time, he said, the fire was the closest its ever been to us.The Santa Barbara resident said he was escorted out of his home by the National Guard on Saturday because the flames were only three blocks away.You could feel the heat from the fire from my house, Anzlowar said.Anzlowar hasnt been able to return home since evacuating, but said hes heard that his house hasnt burned down yet.Nonetheless, Anzlowar, a manager at Renauds Patisserie and Bistro, arrived to work on Sunday to cover for the many employees who evacuated due to the poor air quality.There is almost nobody in town. Its strange, Anzlowar said. This is the first day Ive seen blue skies in town in about two weeks, but you can definitely see a haze over everything.On Saturday, the Santa Barbara Zoo crated most of its birds and other small animals, bringing them indoors to protect them from the ash and smoke. Larger animals were taken to their indoor living quarters while the condors and griffon vultures were transferred to the Los Angeles Zoo, said Rich Block, the CEO.To date, the cost of battling the fire is nearly $117 million. At least 1,026 structures have been destroyed and 242 damaged in the Thomas Fire.The body of firefighter Cory Iverson, 32, was returned from Ventura to his hometown of San Diego on Sunday in an hours-long highway procession of fire engines, motorcycle cops and other emergency vehicles.Iverson was killed Thursday. He had worked for Cal Fire since 2009 and was assigned to a fire engine strike team from San Diego.He was the second person to die in the blaze. Virginia Pesola, a 70-year-old from Santa Paula, died in her car along an evacuation route. The medical examiner said the cause of death was blunt force injuries, along with smoke inhalation and heat injuries.I went down to L.A. on Thursday ... and it was beautiful with perfect blue skies, Huther said. I came back (to Santa Barbara) at the end of the day, and it was almost dark there was so much smoke, and the sun was glowing red. Its odd to have to go to L.A. for clean air.Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani2017 the San Francisco ChronicleVisit the San Francisco Chronicle at www.sfgate.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) Imagine a Bay Area with highways that flow instead of grind to a halt. With trains that ring the bay, some running 24 hours a day. With ferries that stop at more than a handful of terminals and autonomous buses cruising in their own lanes, blasting past cars on the freeway.If that sounds like a fantasy, just wait. The dream may be closer to reality than you think.A coalition of Bay Area business leaders represented by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the Bay Area Council, along with the urban planning think tank SPUR, say that dream is the answer to traffic congestion on Bay Area roads, which grew 84 percent between 2010 and 2016. The average commuter now spends more than 29 hours a year slogging through highways at speeds of 35 mph or slower.People are wasting hours of their life in traffic, said Gabriel Metcalf, the president and CEO of SPUR. Conversations started all over the Bay Area asking the question, can we do something at a bigger scale than we have done before? Big enough to actually solve the problem? Big enough to actually get us a different regional transportation system than we have today?Securing passage of Regional Measure 3, the proposed $3 toll increase on most bay bridges, is the first step, Metcalf said. But its a small one paving the way for a much bigger ask: A mega measure to fix traffic in the Bay Area for good or at least for the foreseeable future.For Oakland resident Lynn Hall, relief cant come soon enough. She commutes to Redwood City and said its becoming impossible to get around.Its crazy, Hall said. It feels like there are just too many people here. Our roads just cant handle the capacity of the traffic we have.Its too early to specify what transformative projects Bay Area residents can expect as part of this mega measure, said Carl Guardino, president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. However, early conversations have shed some light on the direction it might take.The plan would almost certainly include a major expansion of train service for BART and Caltrain, said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council. First on the list is a second tube, or bridge, for BART, which would allow 24-hour service, minimize the impact from a massive earthquake wiping out the existing Transbay Tube, and provide relief for trains bottle-necking in West Oakland. That tube could include Caltrain, or there could also be a new bay crossing, likely a bridge, to carry Caltrain, high-speed rail, or both, along with cars, Metcalf said.There could be a vast network of toll lanes ringing the bay and radiating to the north, east and south, he said. They would run parallel to or even share lanes with buses. In turn, those buses, which will one day likely be autonomous, would cruise along at much faster speeds because they would be separated from single-occupancy cars, Metcalf said.There could be dramatically expanded ferry service, and better access to the North Bay, he said.Its really important to connect to the North Bay, Metcalf said, whether that means expanded ferry service or connecting to the SMART train. It seems like a good opportunity.It wont be cheap.Theres no price tag, at least not yet, but early estimates indicate it could be in the ballpark of $100 billion. To put that in perspective, the states gas tax is estimated to generate $130 billion over 25 years. And the proposed $3 toll hike is expected to generate between $4 billion and $5 billion over the same time period.It wont be easy, either.Bay Area residents have been asked repeatedly in recent years to fund maintenance and expansion projects. Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties all have existing half-cent sales taxes for transportation improvements. Beginning Nov. 1, drivers started paying 12 cents more at the pump and will soon be paying more to register their cars. And then there are the special assessments for BART and AC Transit in the East Bay, along with a new proposed 1/8th-cent sales tax for Caltrain in San Francisco and the South Bay.Theres a threshold for how much people are willing to pay, said Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord. Hes a proponent of expanding the Bay Areas transportation network and recently joined Sen. Dianne Feinstein in calling for a new bridge across the bay for cars and BART, but he said safeguards should be put in place to ensure any new tunnel, bridge or toll lane project is rooted in data documenting what will move the most people.Historically in this country, too many projects have been based on political relationships, DeSaulnier said. That part of the system is failing us.The Bay Area Council, Silicon Valley Leadership Group and SPUR have already hired SCN Strategies, Gov. Jerry Browns campaign firm, for what they expect will be a lengthy public outreach period. They promise no decisions will be made until theres strong analysis backing any proposed project.It takes a lot of public will and the resources to do this, Guardino said. This is nine counties, 101 cities, 33 or 34 different transit districts.Its also 7 million people, including suburban and semi-rural residents who take only occasional trips to San Francisco and arent particularly interested in 24-hour BART service or ferries far from their inland homes.But its not completely without precedent. Bay Area voters came together in 2016 to approve passage of a $12 parcel tax to fund wetlands restoration in the bay. It was the first regional tax of its kind in the Bay Area. But, Guardino said the measure sought a relatively small amount of money, an estimated $500 million over 20 years.What SPUR and the two business organizations are contemplating is much larger, he said.For that, Wunderman cited two recent successes in major West Coast cities as inspiration for the Bay Areas own mega measure: Los Angeles voters approved a half-cent sales tax to drum up an estimated $120 billion over four decades for a dramatic expansion of the countys light rail system, bus and rail operations, ongoing maintenance and fare subsidies. And Seattle voters agreed to a mix of sales, property and motor vehicle excise taxes to generate approximately $27 billion over more than 20 years to help pay for a nearly $54 billion expansion of the regions light rail, bus rapid transit and train network, including a new transit tunnel below downtown Seattle and ongoing maintenance.Central to both measures was a unified vision and a relatively small number of very large projects. They also both included future maintenance needs as part of the cost of building new infrastructure.The last time the Bay Area did anything that big was the creation of BART, said Randy Rentschler, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the regions transportation planning agency. Then, like now, it was the business community leading the charge, he said.Jeff Heller, a prominent local architect who sits on the Bay Area Councils transportation committee, acknowledged convincing the paying public will be the largest hurdle.The voting public has got to connect the dots that if they want the transportation issues solved, if they want access to housing solved, theyve got to do this, he said. And they should want to do it, and they should even be excited about it. Changing lives His Luddite phase Gift to community (TNS) One of the trade-offs you make when you move to the peace and quiet of a rural community is that you say goodbye to big city amenities like high-speed internet service. But not in West Marins Dillon Beach, Calif.A seaside enclave in the far northwest corner of the county, Dillon Beach is perhaps Marins most isolated community, and yet it boasts a fiber-optic, high-speed wireless internet service with unlimited data for a flat fee of $50 a month. Theres no charge for installation or equipment rental, either.A small beach town surfing the net faster than homes in the big city, its website exclaims.Dillon Beach Internet Service is all the more remarkable in that its a one-man operation. Brandt Kuykendall, a 47-year-old entrepreneur, built and launched it two years ago when his then high school-age daughter needed the internet to do her homework.Until dad came to the rescue, there had been no affordable, efficient service in that remote neck of the woods. Kuykendall now serves 170 of his neighbors in this village of some 400 homes. After working through a long waiting list, he still adds a couple of new customers every week.Last Labor Day weekend, when everyone was out here for the holiday, I couldnt walk outside because so many people were stopping me, asking, Can we get hooked up? he said one morning this week in Command Central, a space in his garage that his internet operation shares with his mountain bike and fishing gear.On a plywood wall, electronic devices with blinking green lights surround the fiber optic cable from AT&T that runs into his garage from a nearby telephone pole. He monitors the system over five computer screens powered by a pair of laptops. Paraphrasing Han Solo, he compares it to the Millennium Falcon starship in Star Wars.It may not look like much, he said, but it sure is fast.You wont hear any complaints about Kuykendalls service from customer Terry Woodard, a physician for Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa who has lived in Dillon Beach for eight years. She and her partner, a San Francisco paralegal, often work from home and were desperately unhappy with the satellite internet companies theyd been saddled with before.All the different internet providers we went through had been a nightmare, she said. In cost, data limits and service, theyve all been terrible. Then Brandt (Kuykendall) came along with 50 bucks a month and unlimited data. It seemed too good to be true. I was expecting slow speed and poor service, but I was wrong. Because the speed and the service is so good, we ditched DirectTV. Now we just stream content. Both financially and service wise, its really remarkable how it changed our lives.A Marin native, Kuykendall grew up in San Rafael, graduating from Terra Linda High School in 1988. He worked as a product manager for Sonic Solutions, a digital audio and video company in Novato, before starting his own multimedia business in Salt Lake City in 2008.After he moved his family into a small house his parents owned in Dillon Beach in 2011, he tried running his company from home, but the lack of internet access was one of the reasons he eventually shut it down. Tired of tech, he escaped into what he calls my Luddite phase. I canceled my cellphone and was spending my days out on the water, crabbing, oyster farming, spear fishing, all that kind of stuff, he said.That lasted until his daughter, Emma, now a 19-year-old student at UC Berkeley, told him she had to have internet service to keep up with her school work at Petaluma High. She was having to stay late at school to use its internet access, hangout in libraries until they closed or find cafes and grocery stores with free Wi-Fi.It was right in the middle of my I-dont-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-technology phase, he said. I resisted for about a year until I realized it was a burden on my daughter, and she didnt need that.He initially got her onto a Verizon wireless internet service, but that was getting more expensive each month. One day his wife, Kelli, the postmistress of Dillon Beach, came home with the bill that broke the camels back.The bill was for $707, he recalled ruefully. I was in the middle of painting the house. I stopped right then and said, Theres got to be a better way to do this. And that was the impetus that got this going. I still havent finished painting my house.In the beginning, he fashioned a system using a router and cellphone modems operating off a wireless service tower. It allowed him to supply internet service to his house and about 25 of his immediate neighbors. But that was the extent of its range. At the same time, so many others in the community were asking for service that he began thinking bigger. Thats when he took the plunge and contracted with AT&T to have fiber optic cable connected to his garage. Antennas on his roof deliver the broadband signal to small plastic dishes on customers homes.While Kuykendall had some tech savvy from his previous business experience, it took trial and error, patience and a kind of can-do spirit to build a system that is pretty much state-of-the-art.It started out with me trying to get internet for myself and it totally grew organically, he said. With the backing of the community it makes sense financially.Being a new kid on the internet provider block, he doesnt yet know how the impending repeal of net neutrality rules will affect him.The guy in charge of the FCC says hes talked to all these small internet service providers who sound like me and they say they really wanted the ending of net neutrality because it was costing them extra money and creating barriers to them expanding, he said. But I didnt really have anything like that to deal with. Its kind of the Wild West out here.Hes already feeling some pressure to expand to Tomales, the small town just to the east, and possibly down the coast to Bolinas. Because he has infinitely more capacity than hes using, that kind of growth is entirely possible.But Im torn about that, he said, stressing that he didnt start the business as an opportunity to make a lot of money. Right now I really want to focus on Dillon Beach. This is a great job, and it allows me to stay here. I dont need a $3 million home on the hill. Im happy where I am. I hope I dont say this naively, but this is more like a gift to the community. (TNS) Florida's Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan has concluded an intersection study and will present her findings to the city council by the first of the year as officials prepare to renew the red-light camera debate.The city shut down the program in August 2016 , but the decision had more to do with vendor issues and the intersections chosen when the city initiated the program in 2010. Bevans study will reveal the citys most dangerous intersections according to actual crash data, rather than financial opportunities that the council felt was the previous vendors motives. Though Manatee County briefly debated doing the same, 10 county intersections currently have active red-light cameras.In Bradenton alone, the cameras generated $5.5 million, but the city only netted $270,000, with the remaining funds going to the state and to the vendor. Its an argument in which Ward 4 Councilman Bemis Smith has remained consistent. Thats a lot of money that was being taken out of the community, Smith said, and it was coming out of the pockets of taxpayers.I believe Ive had the same arguments all along, Smith said. We had these cameras for a long time and I never saw a significant improvement in accidents or a reduction in death, which there havent been a lot. Im just going to take the position that these cameras can hurt people, too. One can argue they save lives, but there is no definitive evidence in Bradenton that thats true.Smith points to residents who may be struggling to make ends meet who incur a hefty $150 fine for a one-second or less infraction. About 80 percent of violations cited from the city cameras show less than a one-second infraction. Smith supports new sensor technology that delays the opposing lights at an intersection for a second or two if a vehicle is sensed within the intersection at the time of a light change.Miami has become the latest city to end the red-light camera program. The city commission voted unanimously Thursday to turn the cameras off early next year. Melissa Wandall, president of the National Coalition for Safer Roads, called it irresponsible. Wandall, a Manatee County activist who championed the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act after her husband was killed by a red-light runner, contends Miami had strong evidence that the cameras were working.Its so negligent, Wandall told the Bradenton Herald. Their cameras are working. They have 7 out of 10 people receiving violations who are not residents of Miami so those politicians are not protecting their own, which is what they were put in place to do. And another 80 percent of the violators never did it again.Wandall said she hopes Bradenton officials will act differently.We are not protecting our own citizens by not affording law enforcement to utilize a tool that simply acts as a safety net, she said. Its one more thing that reduces the risk of someone being seriously injured or killed due to a red-light runner. Its a combination of tools. Im not saying red-light cameras are doing everything. We are saying you take enforcement, education and advocacy and combine it with automated enforcement. Then you have a force that is going to save lives and prevent heartache and tragedy on our roadways.Smith agrees that his primary responsibility is to protect citizens, but said there are other ways to accomplish that goal.My vision is to protect people, but not do something just because we can, he said. I dont go along with the argument that, If it saves one life. Its hard to identify that as truth. I want safety as much as anyone else, but dont want a system that does nothing but takes money out of peoples pockets to hand over to the government. There are things I would consider at specific intersections, which are the sensors.Like Wandall, Ward 2 Councilman Gene Brown has had a personal experience, losing two friends to red-light runners. He has continued to nudge the council to move this debate forward. A staunch supporter of the red-light cameras, Brown also agrees with Wandall that it should be a combined approach by using all resources and technology available.My whole thing has always been about safety, Brown said. But Ive always argued that if you break the law, shouldnt there be a punishment? Whether its a millisecond or three seconds, if you hit someone and injure or kill them, they are still injured or dead. I had a friend who got a ticket and was complaining that he didnt run the light. I told him to watch the video and didnt hear back from him. When I ran into him and asked him, he said, I ran it and I paid it. Who are the people complaining the most? The ones who ran the light and got a ticket.Brown said he isnt for government intrusion and doesnt agree with the way red-light cameras have been handled in the past. But he said there is enough new technology available to make a difference.Im ready for this to go forward, he said. In my opinion, we need to be going to the next step. Bernie Ecclestone has aimed fire at both F1 owner Liberty Media and the sport's most famous team Ferrari. 2017 was the 87-year-old's first full season without an operational role in the sport, having been ousted by Liberty Media after the American company's takeover. Liberty is currently consulting with manufacturers about the engine rules for 2021, but Ecclestone said the only way to run the sport is as a dictator. "Democracy has no place in formula one," he said, as veteran F1 correspondent Roger Benoit visited Ecclestone at his coffee plantation in Brazil. "The new owners will soon realise this, because so far they have achieved nothing," Ecclestone told Sonntagsblick newspaper. He also slammed Ferrari, after the fabled Maranello marque threatened to quit F1 over Liberty's engine and budget cap plans. "That old game," Ecclestone said. "If they don't win, there is usually panic. "Max Mosley and I could write a long list of all the times we helped Ferrari, but they always deny it." (GMM) Currently, the Italgas Groups fleet comprises 2,500 vehicles; over the next 12 months these will be replaced with the latest natural power FCA models: Panda, Panda Van, Fiorino, 500L, Doblo, Qubo and Ducato, all of them fueled by methane, in line with Italgas demands for sustainability and efficiency. Italgas is renewing its entire company fleet with methane-powered vehicles from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.The first deliveries have begun in Turin, with similar deliveries to be made in Rome and Naplestwo of the main cities where the Italgas Group operatesover the next few days. Italgas is the most important natural gas distributor in Italy and the third largest in Europe. The conversion of the companys fleet into methane gasthe first in Italy to be completely methaneis one of the initiatives launched under the Italgas 2017-2023 Industrial Plan, which also included the construction of more than 120 gas filling stations within the 40 suitable technical areas. Using methane as a vehicle fuel reduces CO 2 emissions by up to 43% (mixed with biomethane) and NO x and PM by 94-95%. FCA is a leader in the natural gas vehicle market in Europe with about 45% share. Since 1997, the company has sold more than 740,000 natural gas cars and commercial vehicles; Panda, the most popular methane car, has sold more than 300,000 units. A team from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei is proposing a new approach to estimate the state of health of EV battery packs using an artificial intelligence (AI) optimization algorithm. A paper on their work is published in the Journal of Power Sources . Accurately estimating battery pack state of health (SOH) estimation is important for a number of reasons in EV applications, including dynamic response of the pack, safety reliability. However, the different performances in battery discharge/charge characteristics and working conditions in battery pack make estimating the battery pack SOH difficult. Thew researchers define the battery pack SOH as the change of battery pack maximum energy storage. It contains all the cells information including battery capacity, the relationship between state of charge (SOC) and open circuit voltage (OCV), and battery inconsistency. To predict the battery pack SOH, the team applied a particle swarm optimization-genetic algorithm. Based on the results, they employed a particle filter in battery SOC and OCV estimation to avoid the noise influence occurring in battery terminal voltage measurement and current drift. A recursive least square method updated cells capacity The verified the proposed method using the New European Driving Cycle and dynamic test profiles. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method can estimate the battery states with high accuracy for actual operation. Resources ATLANTA After N.C. A&Ts rousing victory Saturday in the Celebration Bowl, the unusual chill in the Atlanta air was a lot more tolerable. It was as good a game as you could hope for maybe too good for the faint of heart and the huge contingent of Aggie fans at Mercedes Benz Stadium made it seem like a home game for A&T. Speaking of home, everything about our weekend in Atlanta was perfect except for getting home. As we arrived at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport early Sunday afternoon, our taxi driver noted the unusual number of people standing outside. We wondered: Since when had curbside check-in become so popular? Not until we walked inside did we discover what was happening. Or not happening. A mass of people was wedged into every crevice and corner in lengthening shadows. Aside from a few rays of sunshine from outside and the dim glow of scattered emergency lamps, there was no other light. Some people sat cross-legged on the floor. Some stood. Some used baggage carousels as makeshift recliners. Some meandered in search of a clue as to what was going on. An airport employee told us that the power was down and that was all she knew. The security scanners were down. The entire computer system was down, meaning a 6.8 million-square-foot building had gone dark. Long lines of stranded would-be passengers snaked from one end of the building to the other including us. I overheard one woman who was speaking to two airport employees. Nothing was going to spoil her trip, she said. She would eat some snacks and think good thoughts, she said, and enjoy all the blessings in her life. In fact, there was a general air of calm and resignation, if not acceptance, of the situation among most of the people we observed. A father and his two teenagers munched on Ritz crackers. A twentysomething man embraced a dormant check-in kiosk in the apparent hope that it would love him back and boot back up soon. He was in the front of one of dozens of mile-long lines. Now all he needed was juice in that machine. Even worse, most cellphones appeared not to work in or near the terminal (ours certainly didnt), so passengers were unable to contact friends or family. At one point, an airport official yelled an update without the benefit of a mike or a megaphone. She didnt say much more than everyone already knew: The power was out. They didnt know why. They hoped to restore it soon. The next time you hear my voice, I hope itll be to say that the power is back on, she said. The crowd which had come to almost complete silence when the woman spoke cheered and applauded. Frankly, it was the best-behaved mass of stranded travelers Ive ever seen. After about a half-hour or so, my wife and I decided that, even if the system rebooted anytime soon, flights would be so backed-up that who knew when wed get back to Greensboro. (Actually, my wife insisted that we find a rental car now.) So, a very kind airport employee directed us through a maze of people to the ground transportation area and hailed us a cab. For the first time, I fear for my safety, she had told me along the way. The car-rental agencies at the airport also had lost power, so we asked the driver to take us to the nearest rental agency that wasnt connected to the airports power grid. It was a modest Enterprise outpost that had suddenly grown very popular. No cars were available, we were politely told by one of the agents. But they were expecting to see a few returned cars soon. So we hoped and waited. A woman from Michigan in the same boat as us declared her intense dislike for Atlanta. And I know, Im from Michigan, she said, implying that a place would have to work at it to be worse. Finally, a car arrived for us. Never has a gray Toyota Corolla with worn floor mats and 147,000 miles on it looked so sexy. We drove six hours; sometimes through pouring rain. But we made it back in one piece. Along the way, my wife monitored the Atlanta airport situation on her tablet. By early evening, the power hadnt come back on yet. Some people were stranded in planes on the tarmac and were running out of water. As the sun set, the airport was becoming dangerously dark. Police sealed off the area from incoming vehicle traffic. City and airport officials were mulling an evacuation strategy. As it turns out, our flight to Greensboro was canceled, as well as more than 1,700 others. Power at Hartsfield-Jackson wasnt restored until Monday morning. According to an Atlanta television station, 30,000 travelers were affected. And to add insult to inconvenience, a dense fog descended on the city this morning. The cause still wasnt clear as of this morning. As of late Sunday, Newsweek reported, an act of terrorism had not been ruled out. This trip was more costly than I bargained for. But I still remember the woman who planned to count her blessings. Ill do the same. We werent trapped in a plane on the tarmac. We hadnt checked any baggage. We were lucky to get a car at all. We werent from so far away that driving wasnt an option. We made it home safely, albeit wearier and at a much later hour than wed envisioned. And the Aggies won. All things considered, it was a good weekend. GREENSBORO Republican legislative defendants in North Carolinas racial gerrymandering case hope to call their own California elections expert and a member of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners to testify on their behalf. Raleigh lawyer Phillip Strach has asked a panel of federal judges to approve Glendale, Calif., political scientist Douglas Johnson and Guilford commissioner Hank Henning as witnesses in a hearing scheduled next month on the latest round of voting-district maps. Strach wants testimony from Johnson, Republican commissioner Henning and Republican commissioner Michael Boose of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners to cast doubt on recent recommendations from the lawsuits special master, California law professor Nathaniel Persily of Stanford University. This testimony is necessary because it is directly related to the issues in the case and will refute plaintiffs evidence and the special masters report, Strach said in a written petition filed recently in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. A panel of three federal judges overseeing the case tapped Persily about two months ago to suggest ways of fixing the remaining racial issues with four election districts involved in the lawsuit two of them in Guilford County. When he was appointed, GOP leaders in the General Assembly criticized the move as potentially delegating the legislatures constitutional authority to draw districts to a lone professor in California with no accountability to North Carolinians. Persily submitted his overall recommendations Dec. 1 in a plan that would make significant changes to several House and Senate districts in Guilford, including the two questioned in the lawsuit. In general, Persily redrew lines to lower the percentage of voting-age black residents in the questioned districts and ease the three-judge panels concern that they packed in too many black residents. A final hearing is scheduled Jan. 5 in Greensboro on Persilys recommendations. An effort to reach Henning for comment Monday about his potential court appearance was unsuccessful. He has represented District 6 since 2012, an area that includes parts of Greensboro, High Point and Colfax. Commissioner Henning is expected to testify about the effect of the special masters plan on citizen representation in the area of Guilford County represented by Commissioner Henning, Strach said in his petition. Redistricting consultant Johnson is president of the Glendale-based National Demographics Corp., a company he founded in 1979 that specializes in local-government redistricting and that is especially experienced in working with local jurisdictions in California, Arizona and Nevada, according to the companys website. Johnsonss resume, which Strach submitted with the petition seeking to call him as a witness, says that he also has worked on two, statewide redistricting cases in Arizona and Florida. Dr. Johnson is expected to testify about the extent to which race predominated over other traditional redistricting criteria in the special masters proposed version of the challenged districts, Strach said, referring to the four election districts that remain unresolved. The 31 plaintiffs in the lawsuit are represented by voting-rights lawyers and the activist group Southern Coalition for Social Justice based in Durham. The panel of three federal judges ruled last year that in its original redistricting plan adopted in 2011, the Republican-led legislature had packed high percentages of black voters into 28 districts in order to limit the larger impact of their Democrat-leaning voting patterns. After the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that ruling, the General Assembly tried again this summer, fixing 24 of the problem districts but leaving the panel of federal judges with questions about the racial demographics of the remaining four. Guilford districts still caught up in the controversy include Senate District 28, currently represented by state Sen. Gladys Robinson (D-Greensboro), and House District 57, now represented by state Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Greensboro). Through their lawyers, voters have said in court papers that they believe Persily used nonpartisan, traditional standards for redistricting in recommending changes to the four, flawed election districts the General Assembly approved this summer in Guilford and near Fayetteville and Goldsboro. But on behalf of the legislative defendants, Strach argues that after focusing too heavily on race in their 2011 redistricting efforts, the GOP-controlled revision this summer completely disregarded race as a factor and, instead, focused on such issues as making sure incumbents had a reasonable chance to win re-election. Once the legislature has enacted new districts which removed the intent to classify voters based on race, the burden remains on the plaintiffs to demonstrate that race nonetheless predominated in the new plan, Strach said. To do otherwise would stand the racial gerrymandering claim on its head. The voters lawyers dont see it that way. Just because the General Assemblys GOP leadership professed that racial considerations played no role in the new state House and Senate districts it unveiled this summer does not make it so, they argued. Taking a racial gerrymander and smoothing out a few of the edges cannot be considered an adequate remedy to the constitutional harm inflicted, voter attorneys Edwin Speas and Allison Riggs said in recent court papers. DUPONT, Wash. An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off an overpass south of Seattle on Monday and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing at least three people, injuring more than 100 and crushing two vehicles, authorities said. Seventy-seven passengers and seven crew members were aboard when the train derailed and pulled 13 cars off the tracks. Authorities said there were three confirmed deaths and more than a dozen people with critical or serious injuries. A U.S. official who was briefed on the investigation said earlier that at least six people were killed. The difference in the numbers could not immediately be reconciled. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. A website that maps location and speed using data from Amtrak's train tracker app shows the train was going 81.1 mph (129 kph) about one-quarter mile from the point where it derailed, where the speed limit is significantly lower. A track chart prepared by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows the maximum speed drops from 79 mph (127 kph) to 30 mph (48 kph) for passenger trains just before the tracks curve to cross Interstate 5, which is where the train went off the tracks. The chart, dated Feb. 7, 2017, was submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration in anticipation of the start of passenger service along a new bypass route that shaves 10 minutes off the trip between Seattle and Portland. It wasn't clear how fast the train was moving when it derailed. In a radio transmission immediately after the accident, the conductor can be heard saying the train was coming around a corner and was crossing a bridge that passed over Interstate 5 when it derailed. Dispatch audio also indicated that the engineer survived with bleeding from the head and both eyes swollen shut. "I'm still figuring that out. We've got cars everywhere and down onto the highway," he tells the dispatcher, who asks if everyone is OK. Aleksander Kristiansen, a 24-year-old exchange student at the University of Washington from Copenhagen, was going to Portland to visit the city for the day. "I was just coming out of the bathroom when the accident happened. My car just started shaking really, really badly. Things were falling off the shelf. Right away, you knew that this was not something minor," he said. The back of his train car was wide open because it had separated from the rest of the train, so he and others were able to jump out to safety. He was at about the middle of the train, either the sixth or seventh car, he said, and was "one of the lucky ones." Daniella Fenelon, a 19-year-old from Southern California, was on the train taking a cross-country trip as part of her winter break. She said she was asleep when the accident happened. "Suddenly there was just a jolt, and I didn't know what was happening," Fenelon said. She slammed into the seat area in front of her, and the windows exploded, said Fenelon, who was treated and released from a hospital with a possible concussion. Dr. Nathan Selden, a neurosurgeon at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, said he and his son drove through the accident scene while traveling north to visit Seattle. The doctor asked if he could help and was ushered to a medical triage tent in the highway median. The most seriously injured had already been whisked away, but the patients he helped appeared to have open head wounds and skull, pelvic or leg fractures, as well as small cuts and neck sprains, he said. He called it a miracle that an infant child he saw from the scene appeared completely unharmed. President Donald Trump used the deadly derailment to call for more infrastructure spending in a tweet sent about three hours after the accident. He said the wreck shows "more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly." The accident happened on a newly completed bypass. The train was making the inaugural run on the new route as part of a $180.7 million project designed to speed up service by removing passenger trains from a route along Puget Sound that's bogged down by curves, single-track tunnels and freight traffic. The Amtrak Cascades service that runs from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon, is jointly owned by the Washington and Oregon transportation departments. Amtrak operates the service for the two states as a contractor and is responsible for day-to-day operations. The Amtrak schedule called for the train to leave Seattle around 6 a.m. and arrive in Portland about 3 1/2 hours later. Monday marked the first public use of the new bypass built on an existing inland rail line that runs along Interstate 5 from Tacoma to DuPont, near where Train 501 derailed. Track testing began in January and February in advance of Monday's launch and continued through at least July, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The tracks, known as the Point Defiance Bypass, are owned by Sound Transit, the transit agency serving the Seattle area. They were previously owned by BNSF and were used for occasional freight and military transport. The mayor of Lakewood, Washington, a city along the new route, predicted a deadly crash but one involving a fast-moving train hitting a car or pedestrian at a grade-crossing, not a train tumbling off an overpass. At a recent public meeting, he called on state planners to build overpass-like rail structures instead of having trains cross busy streets. National Transportation Safety Board investigators were at the scene. All southbound lanes of I-5 were closed south of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and motorists were being warned to avoid the area. ___ Flaccus reported from Portland. Associated Press staffers Manuel Valdes in Dupont; Sally Ho and Phuong Le in Seattle; and Michael Balsamo in Los Angeles contributed to this report. A Florida Chick-fil-A went all out with its Christmas display this year, complete with lights, carousel and a nativity scene. A video featuring the store shows the Tampa restaurant completely covered in red and green lights. The parking lot is covered by a canopy of blue and white lights, flanked by color-changing decorations shaped like trees. HERO: 'Tweeter laureate of Texas' saves man's life performing Heimlich at Chick-fil-A A decoration arching over the 6299 W. Waters Ave. Chick-fil-A entrance reads, "We wish you wood eat more chikin," tying into the company's advertising of cows urging people to eat chicken. Decorating for Christmas is a tradition for the Tampa Chick-fil-A location. According to a 2015 press release from Chick-fil-A, the Christmas lights are installed the week before Thanksgiving and remain lit until a week after the new year. Store operator Jason Dittman said that he started decorating his restaurant 20 years ago and it has now grown into an annual tradition. "Our customers are very appreciative. They enjoy coming each year, and it becomes a family tradition for our customers and our community," Dittman said. Watch the video above to see how the Chick-fil-A went all out with its Christmas lights. Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com. Read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The mayor of Connecticuts second-largest city, New Havens Toni Harp, could play kingmaker in next years governors race. Fresh off her landslide election to a third term last month, Harp is said by Democratic insiders to be a top choice of Bridgeports Joe Ganim and Hartfords Luke Bronin as a potential running mate should the mayoral rivals take the next step toward a candidacy. No other city boasts as many Democratic delegates as New Haven, which will have 100 votes for the eventual nominee at the state party convention next May. Harp would bring diversity to the ticket and an institutional knowledge of the law-making process from her tenure as Appropriations Committee chair in the Legislature. Harp is the first woman mayor of New Haven and the citys second black mayor. Mayor Harp could be easily running for governor, Ganim said Tuesday. Any partnership that could be developed there, if one could, would be a hugely dynamic team, not just for the cities but for Connecticut. That type of discussion is not something that you do in the press. Its no wonder that Ganim has teamed up with Harp on a pair of major job-creation initiatives. One is MGMs Bridgeport casino project, which calls for an employee training center to be built in New Haven. The other is a joint bid between the cities for Amazons second headquarters. Like Ganim, who is expected to formally enter the race in January, Bronin has set up an exploratory committee for statewide office. The former Treasury deputy secretary under Barack Obama and one-time general counsel to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is in his first term as mayor of the capital city. Its much too early to be talking about lieutenant governor candidates, Bronin said. That said, I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Toni Harp, both for her long career as a legislative leader and her work as mayor. Harp, who served as a state senator from 1993 to 2003, downplayed the scuttlebutt about her political future in a statement to Hearst Connecticut Media. While its an honor to be considered a viable candidate for statewide office, and while it would certainly be a privileged opportunity to serve the people of Connecticut as lieutenant governor, Im presently immersed in my work as mayor of New Haven and look forward to beginning a new term in this office in three weeks, Harp said. Quinnipiac University political science professor Scott McLean said Harp would be an asset to the Democratic ticket. He brought up Ganims comeback from a bribery scandal that sent him to prison for seven years and the states recent $40 million bailout of Hartford. I think she would go a long way in softening the image that those two candidates might bring to the top of the ticket, McLean said. I can almost visualize the Republican talking points. The Democrats will bring to state government what they brought to city government bankruptcy and corruption. At the same time, McLean said, an all-mayoral ticket could be problematic for Democrats in the suburbs. I think thats going to be something that the Republicans are going to be able to pounce on, McLean said. While black and Latino voters have overwhelmingly favored Democrats to lead the state and its largest cities, there has been a glaring void of minority candidates for Connecticuts six constitutional offices, five House districts and two U.S. Senate seats. Denise Nappier is the exception, having been elected five times as state treasurer. Treasurer Nappier is weighing her options and has not announced whether she is seeking re-election, Nappiers spokesman David Barrett said. Vincent Mauro Jr., the chairman of New Havens Democratic Party, said he can see why other mayors are trying to cultivate an alliance with Harp. Toni Harp has an amazing record as a public servant and the success of New Haven only enhances that, Mauro said. New Haven is obviously the largest vote-getting city in the state. Its is no question that everyone would like Toni Harp to join them on the ballot. Ganim said the cooperation hes had with Harp has been unprecedented and that their two administrations spent hours, days, weeks together developing their joint pitch to Amazon for its second headquarters. There was also a joint appearance of the mayors at the September ground-breaking for MGM Bridgeport, a $675 million privately-funded casino and resort project that still must gain state approval. Ganim referred to himself and Harp as co-mayors. Thats something, no matter how we work together in the future, weve shown that the states two largest cities can work together and set a very positive example for the state, Ganim said. http://twitter.com/gettinviggy; nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436 I have several mindfulness apps on my phone that are all lying dormant. My longest streak was with Headspace, where I achieved 30 days but stopped after seeing no positive benefits. After ending my relationship with Headspace, I then proceeded to feel guilty for being a mindfulness dropout, especially because every single high-achieving person I hear interviewed on podcasts and in articles talks about their meditation or mindfulness habit. Related: Turns Out, Those Who Like Being Alone Can Be More Creative However, the good news for fellow mindfulness failures is that recent research suggests that mindfulness might not be all its cracked up to be. In a review of 124 trials involving mindfulness as an intervention, positive findings were occurring 60 percent more often that was statistically likely. In addition, out of another 21 trials that were registered to be conducted, 62 percent remain unreported almost three years later, suggesting that negative results may actually be going unpublished. And given my many failed attempts to try to be mindful, I was very excited to read some research suggesting that people who have brains that wander off easily may actually be smarter and more creative than those who remain mindful. Apparently, my inaptitude for mindfulness may be indicating talents in other areas. The research, led by a group of researchers from the psychology department at Georgia Tech, brought 100 people into the lab and hooked them up to an fMRI machine. Participants were asked to focus on a stationary spot for five minutes. The amount of mind wandering was tracked, and at the end of the task, everyone completed an intelligence test and a creativity test. Related: Science Shows How Creativity Can Reduce Stress The researchers found that lots of mind wandering was strongly related not only to higher intelligence, but also to higher levels of creativity. Associate psychology professor Eric Schumacher, one of the study's authors, said in a news release about the study that people whose brains process information more efficiently may be more likely to have wandering minds. "Our findings remind me of the absent-minded professor -- someone who's brilliant, but off in his or her own world, sometimes oblivious to their own surroundings," Schumacher said. "Or school children who are too intellectually advanced for their classes. While it may take five minutes for their friends to learn something new, they figure it out in a minute, then check out and start daydreaming." After reading this study, my takeaway was that I am obviously above average in intelligence and creativity. Jokes aside, if you are someone who has tried and failed at being mindful, this study may help to explain why this is so. Related: The Best Way to Inspire Creativity in Others Isn't What You Might Think For me, when I have a project I am trying to apply some creative thought to, my go-to strategy is to set my mind to solving the problem and then create space for mind wandering. For example, I had a 10-minute walk from my hotel to the Inventium Sydney office today, and my goal was to use that time to let my mind float around as to potential solutions for a challenge that I am working on this week. If you find yourself struggling with a tricky problem, deliberately set aside time to daydream about it -- or even better, to not think about it at all. The benefits of doing so will be that your unconscious mind will get on the job and produce creative solutions without you having to do very much at all. If your work involves problem solving with teams of people, consider how you can build in time for daydreaming. For example, if you are involved in a "brainstorming" workshop, present people with the challenge to solve a few days prior, which will give their mind ample wandering time. Likewise, you might think about building in five minutes of daydreaming time in your regular team meetings. So, if you happen to be a mindfulness failure like me, I hope this article gives you some evidence to celebrate mind wandering. Related Video: 5 Ways to Carve Out More Creative Time for Yourself Related: Stop Trying to Be 'Mindful.' It Might Be Killing Your Creativity. May the Force Be With You: 5 Takeaways for Entrepreneurs From the 'Star Wars' Franchise To Harness Creativity, You Need to First Understand Its Neural Magic. Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com La Merceries tourteau fromage, with one of its main ingredients. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine Its a rare thing to come across a new pastry, which is probably why the Cronut became such a sensation. But this week, New York will encounter, perhaps for the first time, the tourteau fromage, an obscure cheesecake that originated in the Poitou-Charentes region of western France and hasnt made much headway since. You can find it in a few cheese shops in Paris, says chef Marie-Aude Rose, wife of Le Coucous Daniel Rose and the person responsible for the confections local debut. Inspired by childhood memories of being intrigued by its (intentionally) burnt domed surfaceachieved by baking at very high, then low temperatures, to replicate the defect that became its signatureMarie-Aude has included it in her repertoire of baked goods for sale at La Mercerie, the all-day cafe inside Roman and Williams Guild New York, the interior-design firms new homefurnishings store in Soho. It was born in that region at a time when the only oven was the bakers oven, says Rose. Villagers would bring their cakes to bake in it, she says, but owing to the ovens intense heat and lack of a fan, the tops would burn, adding a note of bitterness and acidity that eventually became part of the charm. The tourteau is traditionally made with the regions famed goat cheese; for hers, Rose uses a fresh chevre from Troy, New York. Her cake is fluffy and light with only the suggestion of richness, closer in texture to a Japanese cheesecake and so subtly delicious it may ruin you for the classic New York or Italian styles. It has a flaky piecrust and requires a special mold, and in France, fans have been known to dip a slice into a glass of Pineau des Charentes, an aperitif produced in the same region. Customers can do likewise at La Mercerie when it opens its doors this week for coffee, pastries, and cocktails, although Roses plans for the full-service restaurant, slated to launch in mid-January, go way beyond baked goods: Her breakfast, lunch, and supper menus will focus on simple French fare like morning eggs, lunchtime sandwiches and soups, and such comforting dinner dishes as boeuf bourguignon. The menu is about traditions, French regional specialties, good products prepared with no fuss, says the chef. Imagine having lunch in a cafe in Lyon or at that little creperie down the street in St Germain. And in the great lifestyle-emporium tradition of ABC Carpet & Home, every glass, napkin, table, chairand, yes, tourteau platewill be for sale. 53 Howard St., at Mercer St.; 212-852-9097 *A version of this article appears in the December 25, 2017, issue of New York Magazine. The last word in hotcakes at Chez Ma Tante. Photo: Melissa Hom At first glance, nothing about Chez Ma Tante tells you what to expect: not the French name, swiped from a Montreal hot-dog shack (it means my aunts house). Not the location on a sleepy residential Greenpoint block. Not the spare corner space, with its plain white walls and bare dark wood tables. And not the menu, which advertises such humdingers as Caesar salad and pancakes. But all becomes clear with a bite of bread She Wolf Bakery miche, a sort of supercharged bruschetta, lavishly garlicked and oiled and charred on the grill to a crisp but chewy-pliant fare-thee-well. A panel of bruschetta experts would rise to their feet and clap their hands in appreciation of this wonder bread, and youd probably be happy eating it sans accompaniment, washed down with a glass of water from the tap. But the kitchen plops down this superb staff of life in a bowl of kale cooked soft but not mushy, ringed around a creamy reservoir of stracciatella cheese, the whole thing shot through with anchovy and chile pepper. It is bread that aspires to and achieves something greater than itself. As the kind of restaurant that pays serious attention to the smallest details, Chez Ma Tante does the same thing. Co-chef-owner Aidan ONeal was born in Vancouver and has done time in the kitchens of Au Pied de Cochon and M. Wells with Hugue Dufour. This might lead you to believe that Chez Ma Tante is a Canadian restaurant. But it isnt so. If anything, the place more closely resembles, in spirit and flavor, two London landmarks: Fergus Hendersons nose-to-tail pioneer, St. John, and the Anglo-Mediterranean River Cafe, the institution that also inspired Cafe Altro Paradiso, where ONeal and his chef-partner Jake Leiber both cooked. If the duo had a mission statement, it would be to make the best versions of classic European-inspired dishes in a stripped-down environment that lets the food speak for itself. As mission statements go, this is hardly revolutionary. But there is something radical, or at least radically simple, about the brunch pancakes: meltingly rich, judiciously syruped, and unusually crisp, practically blackened like a Paul Prudhomme fish fillet on one side and around the edges. An egg-and-cheese sandwich with housemade sausage is everything you want in a breakfast sandwich (except perhaps the slippery mess). And the classic Anglo-Indian dish kedgeree, curried rice mingled with soft-boiled egg and flaked cod, could bring a silent tear of joy to the eye of a homesick Brit. Dishes like these, and picture windows that let in the afternoon light, have made Chez Ma Tante a top-notch brunch destination. Photo: Jemma Hinkly/New York Magazine But the restaurant shines at night, too, when you might order a smart riff on a classic cocktail (a spry persimmon Cosmo, recently) and something to munch or slurp alongside: spiced maple walnuts (thats ONeals inner Canadian showing), oysters drizzled with parsley mignonette, or, if youre really hungry, a plate of chubby, golden French-fried potatoes served with a garlic-forward aioli that are good enough to make you think no fry should ever be served any other way. That high-octane aioli is a recurring motif at Chez Ma Tante, popping up everywhere: in that kedgeree, alongside a wedge of tortilla espanola, and smeared inside the top-loading bun of the hot dog that nods to the restaurants namesake. (The frankfurters on temporary hiatus but should return with the debut of lunch next month.) Great blobs of aioli also happen to be a very Fergus Hendersonian touch. And well-traveled gastronomes will note further references to St. John in a mandoline-shaved kohlrabi-and-apple salad, and a palate-cleansing apple sorbet served with a shot of vodka (Polish here rather than St. Johns Russian, in deference to neighborhood demographics). In an era when critical praise is often reserved for interesting food, theres something bold about celebrating the greatness of timeworn classics, and theres something very appealing about a restaurant that just wants to serve simple, honest, irony-free food like Caesar salad. Chez Ma Tantes version is a master class in the tangy, bright, funky, rich marriage of great anchovies, good breadcrumbs, and soft flakes of Piave cheese. What the menu describes as pork shoulder emerges from the kitchen as a sturdy steak marinated in maple syrup, mustard, and chiles. Its rich and chewy, sweet and savory in a way thats reminiscent of Vietnamese lemongrass pork chops and served with a winter-warding heap of stewy lentils plumped in lardo. Tender skate is served on the bone, which might keep the flesh moist and enhance its flavor but might require a little too much work for the average Greenpoint pescatarian. Theres even, for some reason, a falafel plate decked out with hummus and harissa, the chickpea fritters exceptionally crisp and craggy and better than what youll find at most falafel specialists around town. But why here, you wonder? Because its a classic street food in Paris and London, says ONeal, whose notion of Europes culinary borders is admirably inclusive. For dessert, the flourless chocolate cake is an undisguised homage to the River Cafes Chocolate Nemesis, one of the worlds most copied recipes. Here, its deep, dense richness is tempered with olive oil and sea salt, and the dollop of creme fraiche that accompanies every self-respecting Nemesis. Like the restaurant itself, its a tribute that honors its origins but also an entirely welcome and delectable addition to New Yorks dining scene. Just add bread: stracciatella with braised kale and anchovies. Photo: Melissa Hom The egg-and-sausage sandwich. Photo: Melissa Hom Chips with aioli is a nonnegotiable order. Photo: Melissa Hom Kohlrabi-and-apple salad, if you want something light. Photo: Melissa Hom Pork shoulder steak with salsa verde and lentils, if you dont. Photo: Melissa Hom The lemon tart. Photo: Melissa Hom Rating: 4 stars Chez Ma Tante 90 Calyer St., at Franklin St., Greenpoint; 718-389-3606; chezmatantenyc.com Open: Weekend brunch; dinner Wednesday to Sunday. Prices: Appetizers, $3 to $16; entrees, $17 to $23. Ideal Meal: At brunch, pancakes or egg-and-sausage sandwich, chips and aioli; at dinner, oysters, maple walnuts, Caesar salad, pork shoulder, chocolate cake. Note: The wine and beer list is short but sweet, with no bottle over $60; $13 cocktails are first-rate. Scratchpad: Two stars for the simple, delicious food and no-concept concept; one for the friendly service; and one more for a Brooklyn brunch that even Brooklyn-brunch haters will reluctantly admit they like. *This article appears in the December 25, 2017, issue of New York Magazine. Helsingin Sanomat reports that a total of four police officers conducted the house search between 6.30pm and 10.30pm on Sunday, seizing a number of personal items such as a laptop, mobile phone, tablet computer and several flash drives belonging to the journalist, Laura Halminen. Police have searched the home of one of the two journalists who shed light on the operations of the Finnish Defence Intelligence Agency (VKoeL) in Saturdays Helsingin Sanomat . The officers, who said the house search was conducted on grounds of a suspected disclosure of national secrets, had no court-issued search warrant, Halminen told Helsingin Sanomat. Related posts: HS article prompts investigation into possible disclosure of national secrets (18 December, 2017) She also said the officers behaved appropriately. Kaius Niemi, the senior editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat, estimates that it is outright exceptional for a journalist to be subjected to a house search of such magnitude in Finland a country that has profiled itself as a leader in press freedom. I believe these events are very disconcerting when it comes to the operational preconditions of the press and the protection of sources [in Finland], he comments. The National Bureau of Investigation announced earlier that it has opened a pre-trial investigation into a possible disclosure of national secrets in connection with the article published by Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday. Referencing classified documents leaked several years ago, the article shed light on the staff and operations of VKoeL in Tikkakoski, Central Finland. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Timo Jaakonaho Lehtikuva Pupils at Rupert House School in Henley performed a Christmas concert for parents and staff. Youngsters from years three to six sang solos and duets, performed in small groups and choirs and played instruments at the concert on Thursday last week (23). The school in Bell Street will be holding its carol service at St Marys Church in Hart Street from 2pm on Friday next week (8). It also held a Victorian day last month where children dressed as pupils from the 1800s. They dressed in clothing from the era and took part in lessons including traditional British copperplate handwriting, arithmetic, drill (PE) and cross stitching. The children also recreated Victorian photographs in their outfits. Local community officer Davey Graham also spoke to pupils as part of the schools road safety week. He talked about staying safe while crossing the road by using the Green Cross Code and tested the youngsters with different scenarios. ends 1711642: Pupils and staff from Rupert House School dressed as Victorians A CHRISTMAS card designed by an eight-year-old girl has won a Wargrave school 250. Charlotte Pizzey, a pupil at Robert Piggott Junior School, was one of two runners-up in the Mayor of Wokinghams Christmas card competition, which received more than 900 entries from children across the borough. Her design featured a Christmas tree on a white background with red trim. Charlotte, who lives in Charvil with parents Mark and Rachel, was presented with a certificate at the school on Thursday last week by Mayor Rob Stanton and Alun Hicks, from Finchampstead, who donated the competition prizes in memory of his son David, an army captain who was killed in Afghanistan in 2007. The competition theme was Thankfulness for those who work over Christmas, including the armed forces. The entries were judged by Councillor Stanton and his wife Maureen and Mr Hicks and his wife Lesley. Cllr Stanton said: Every year the Mayor has a Christmas card competition and we felt this year we wanted to do something different. Mr Hickss son was a very brave soldier who lost his life in battle. To celebrate his life we said, why not ask schools to design a card? We spent many hours judging and decided to have a winner and two runners-up. The standard of entries was terrific. Mr Hicks added: We wanted to commemorate our son. This year he would have been 36 but it doesnt seem too long ago that he was sitting like these boys and girls at an event like this. He enjoyed life and having fun. The money is for the school to do whatever it wants but we want the children to have fun with it. About 40 children from the school entered the competition. Stuart Bevan, head of juniors at the school, said: We are very proud of Charlotte and all the children that took part. Andy Overbay wants all farmers to pay attention to the latest farm census survey. Otherwise, he says, government entities wont know how to accurately respond with grants and help for farmers in need. Dont hedge, said Overbay, the senior agriculture extension for Smyth County, Virginia. Be as honest and open as possible. This month, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages farmers to respond to two surveys by the United States Department of Agricultures National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). That includes the December Agricultural Survey and the County Agricultural Production Survey. The more accurate the number, the better job we can do, said Scott Jessee, the senior extension agent for Russell County, Virginia. All the estimates are based on the numbers that we record. And when we have disaster and droughts, they are used in estimates to calculate. In the Mail The County Agricultural Production Survey was distributed to 170,000 row crop producers on Nov. 3. Responses are due by Jan. 15, and NASS will publish county-level results for corn, soybeans, sunflowers and sorghum on Feb. 22, in the Quick Stats database, said Elaine J. Lidholm, the director of communications for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. These county-level data, according to Lidholm, are critical for USDA farm payment determinations. The December Agricultural Survey, in turn, has been sent to 84,000 producers. Responses are due by Dec. 21, Lidholm said, and NASS publishes results in the Crop Production 2017 Summary report on Jan. 12. Producers receiving the surveys have the option to respond using the secure online questionnaire or return by mail. NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents, according to Lidholm, and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified. Information collected in this survey also feeds into the county estimates for row crops, Lidholm said. That helps bring in grant money, said Overbay. The results of the surveys, according to Lidholm, help determine the structure of the 2017 farm payment and risk management programs administered by USDAs Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency. We need producers to respond, NASS Agricultural Statistics Board Chair Joseph L. Parsons says in a release. Without these data, the Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency may not have all of the information that is needed to base the programs that ultimately serve the row crop producers. Producers can lose out when there is no data to determine accurate rates for loans, disaster payments, crop insurance price elections and more. Beat the Bushes As he puts it, Overbay beat the bushes a few years ago during the last ag census so that he could produce an accurate agricultural count for Smyth County. Laughing a little, Overbay said, Smyth County gained 60 farms and 26,000 acres of farmland The farm-land was under-reported. In all, Overbay said, Smyth County boasts 792 farms. Yet now, he said, its important that the numbers remain accurate on what he calls the ag census. Its confidential, said Overbay, 54. People dont want people knowing what their business is. But theres no way that can be siphoned out. If, for example, you have the only farm of its kind in the county, it would be listed as less than three in the final report, Overbay said. Its recorded, but its not reported, Overbay said. And the reason is just to protect your individual information. Both Jessee and Overbay say they realize some farmers may be reluctant to give out information about their farms. Still, Jessee said, Its really important that they fill it out. It will change a lot of things that theyll need in time. ABINGDON, Va. -- Washington County Sheriff Fred Newman announced the arrests of two individuals connected to a November homicide at press conference Monday afternoon at the sheriff's office in Abingdon. Gary Lynn Murray, 19 and Timothy D. Carrick, 38, both of Bristol, Tennessee were arrested after being found connected to the homicide of Steven Hafen. The homicide occurred in late November at an apartment on Reedy Creek Road. ... we are able to bring this homicide investigation to what we believe to a successful conclusion, Newman said. Read more about the arrest in Tuesday's print edition of the Bristol Herald Courier and return here to Heraldcourier.com for the story as well. ABINGDON, Va. -- A press conference has been scheduled for 3 p.m. this afternoon to announce the arrests of two individuals connected to the homicide of Steven Hafen. The homicide occurred in late November at an apartment on Reedy Creek Road. The press conference will be held at the Washington County, Virginia Sheriff's Office, located at 20281 Rustic Lane in Abingdon, Virginia. We will bring you the latest developments as they become available on our website, www.heraldcourier.com and in tomorrow's print edition of the Bristol Herald Courier. WISE, Va. -- The Hunter Smith Family Foundation has given The University of Virginia's College at Wise, the largest gift in the college's history. The $10 million gift will be matched by UVA's Bicentennial Fund program, bringing the total to $20 million for UVa-Wise students. The $20 million endowment will provide significant access to scholarships for more than 100 qualified students each year. The Carl W. Smith Bicentennial Scholar Scholarships, named after Hunter J. Smiths late husband, will make a UVa-Wise education possible for many students, especially those in central and southwestern Virginia communities, and will help UVa-Wise grow its enrollment. The scholarship program will commence immediately to qualified high school and community college students who plan to attend UVa-Wise in the 2018 fall semester. This is a developing story from the Bristol Herald Courier. Read more about this in Tuesday's print edition of the Bristol Herald Courier and online at www.heraldcourier.com Burke County Public Schools Teacher of the Year, Lisa Wall, has been named the Northwest Region / District 7 Teacher of the Year. North Carolinas current Teacher of the Year, Lisa Godwin, made the surprise announcement at Burke Middle College on the campus of Western Piedmont Community College during a recent student assembly. Wall is the English Language Arts teacher at Burke Middle College and has 22 years of experience teaching. Godwin told the students at the assembly that Wall is now in the running for the next North Carolina Teacher of the Year. I dont know if you realize how enormous this is, but there are over 90,000 teachers in the state of North Carolina, and through this process we found nine teachers, and your very own Lisa Wall is one of those nine, Godwin said. Godwin read quotes from students and peers who were part of the Regional Teacher of the Year interview process. They included: Nobody gets as excited as she does when she reads a book, and, She sees the best in everyone and everything. Wall also is described as a teacher who makes lessons exciting, inspires students to want to learn, has a contagious, can-do attitude, jumps in and gets the job done when she sees that something needs to be done and is what the school system is all about. Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Larry Putnam was among those who surprised Wall with the announcement. He said to her students, I always say, be passionate about what you want to do, and youll figure out a way to make money at it. Mrs. Wall is very, very passionate about what she does. Wall said it is a huge honor to be named one of the nine regional teachers of the year across the state, but told her students, Its an honor for me to be your teacher every day. She said, This is not just a job to me, this is something that I love. In all of the process going through this for regional teacher of the year, I have thought of my students. Its a blessing to be able to have an impact on your lives every day. Wall has a bachelors degree in secondary English education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a National Board Certified teacher and is licensed to teach advanced placement classes. She started her teaching career at Forsyth County Schools in 1992 and came to Burke County Public Schools as a high school English teacher in 1998. Wall has taught at East Burke High, Draughn High and Burke Middle. She is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and the North Carolina English Teachers Association and has been a presenter at various district, regional and state conferences. Wall has left her mark on Burke Middle College every day in the classroom as well as through a textbook scholarship program and by composing the schools alma mater. At Burke Middle College, high school juniors and seniors work to complete their high school diploma as well as a two-year associates degree. Joining in on the surprise announcement was Walls family, including her husband, Tripp, her daughters, Scarlett and Molly, her parents Tom and Mary Keller and her in-laws Trossie and Joyce Wall. HICKORY From snowmen to snow owls, the Hickory Museum of Art had holiday decorating covered with its annual ornament-making workshop for kids. More than a dozen children packed one of the activity rooms in the education wing of the museum to create up to five different holiday ornaments. Parents always like handmade things from their kids, Hickory Museum of Art (HMA) Education Manager Ginny Zellmer said. Thats why I like to give them options of different things so they dont have to make it exactly like the sample I show them. She made sure to keep some of the stations easy for the younger artists in the room, using sharpies instead of paint to create buttons and noses on toy soldier or snowman ornaments. For those looking to push their creative abilities, there was the gingerbread man table with a variety of paints and accessories the young artists could add to their creation, and then there was the wood slice table where the children could paint different holiday images. They could craft their own snow owl ornament from a pine cone, with paint and feathers as well. These are items Zellmer can see parents holding on to and bringing out every year. Hopefully they can put it on their Christmas tree and show their kids what they made when they were their age, Zellmer said. She remembers making a Styrofoam bulb ornament covered with sequence she pined one at a time into it when she was a kid. The early 20th century saw Americans decorating their trees mainly with homemade ornaments, while the German-American sect continued to use apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies, according to history.com. Popcorn joined in after being dyed bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts. Electricity brought about Christmas lights, making it possible for Christmas trees to glow for days on end. This was Crystal deBettencourts third year of bringing her two children to HMA to make their Christmas ornaments. She agreed there is nothing better than getting ornaments to hang on the tree made by her children. Some of them dont always turn out super cute, but I still say thats my favorite every time I see one, deBettencourt said. So far, shes gotten a snowman on skis, a Christmas tree made out of straws and a pine cone Christmas tree with presents attached at the bottom. And Ginny does a great job. These are kid-friendly crafts but they end up looking store bought, deBettencourt said. I love them. Jessica Millsaps had enrolled her two daughters in HMAs art camps this past summer and was excited about bringing them back out for their first ornament making class. We have grandparents who live close to us, so its a good way to knock out some easy Christmas gifts without getting messy at our house, Millsaps said. Its fun for them to make something and give it. She said her mother still has ornaments on her Christmas tree Millsaps made when she was a kid and hopes to hold on to the ones her children make for years to come as well. Whatever they make, as a mom, Im going to love more than anything store bought, Millsaps said. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes, according to history.com. By the 1890s Christmas ornaments were arriving from Germany and Christmas tree popularity was on the rise around the U.S. It was noted that Europeans used small trees about four feet in height, while Americans liked their Christmas trees to reach from floor to ceiling. The Hickory Museum of Art is located in the SALT Block, 243 Third Ave. NE in Hickory. For more information, call 828-327-8576 or visit hickoryart.org. With the release of the latest installment of Star Wars, The Last Jedi, a perennial challenge has resurfaced: the all-important question of best order in which to watch the movies (and to introduce them to your loved ones). I am a committed advocate of Machete Order (IV, V, II, III, VI, followed now by VII and VIII). But where in the sequence does one watch Rogue One? Scholarship on rebellion and insurgency provides us a clear answer: First. Opening with Rogue One both accurately situates women in the Rebel Alliance by reflecting their key roles and hidden centrality and realistically frames the rebellion as a logistical and intelligence-centric conflict, rather than a combat-based one. --- Rogue One demonstrates what insurgency is actually about Most rebellions arent decided by engagements on the battlefield, though combat victories certainly help. They are grueling tests of endurance that usually last several years, if not decades, and often cost thousands of civilian lives. How rebels resolve logistical and information-based challenges - like how to safely recruit, analyze threats, locate safe havens, expend scarce resources and identify viable targets - make all the difference in their survival. Star Wars is fundamentally a saga based around these issues. It is built on the consequences of moments, such as the Rebel Alliance stealing the Death Stars technical plans, Obi Wan Kenobi hiring Han Solo, Princess Leias escape from prison, Luke Skywalker undergoing political education, the Millennium Falcons breakdown after Hoth, and rebel commandos mobilizing supportive civilian communities on Endor. Setting the entire Star Wars saga in light of these types of struggles, rather than framing it around combat engagements, accurately highlights the core hurdles and tense moments the Alliance, like any insurgency, faces throughout. Watching Rogue One first forces viewers to see insurgency for what it is: often improvised, behind-the-scenes, sometimes ill-fated choices based on hard won information and resources. Having good intelligence is the decisive factor in the Rebel Alliances success. The main struggles in Rogue One and A New Hope are about obtaining, protecting and transmitting mission-critical information, not firing blasters. To this end, the single most significant event in the entire rebellion occurs in Rogue One: Jyns transfer of the Death Stars schematics to the rebels during the Battle of Scarif. This moment, of course, is preceded by Galen Ersos (Jyns kidnapped, weapons designer fathers) crucial revelation of a previously unidentified intelligence gap - the existence of a vulnerability built into the Death Star. This snippet of intel becomes a known unknown, that is, a piece of information that the Alliance consequently knows to explore and exploit. Without these moves, the Empire would have decisively defeated the Alliance at the end of A New Hope. The Princess Leia Phenomenon: How women militants create organizational resilience Without Rogue One at the top of your watching order, it would be easy to overlook the centrality of the women intelligence agents - Jyn and Leia - to how the Rebel Alliance functions as a militant organization. The early presence of women in Rogue One - including in elite roles, such as Senators Tynnra Pamlo and Mon Mothma - implies that the rebellion has organizational characteristics that facilitate womens broader involvement. Not only does this data allow the informed watcher to credibly imagine more rebel women off-screen, it also gives us clues about the Alliances ideology and chances of success. My research, for example, has demonstrated that women operating in high-status, high-skill, high-risk intelligence and logistical roles often sustain rebellion. Infantrymen fighting on Hoth? Replaceable. Loyal intelligence agents with good cover, a nose for critical information, and advanced combat abilities? They require intensive investment, one that many rebellions have made in women. Highlighting characters, such as Jyn and Leia, by watching Rogue One first also emphasizes the importance of agency and political choice in rebellion, as opposed to centering Luke Skywalkers destiny-based mobilization. Jyn is a reluctant recruit to the Rebel Alliance made more willing by her experiences of the Empires politics and repressive tactics. Leia, by contrast, comes to the Rebel Alliance primarily via her familys politics. She is immersed in Galactic intrigue as an Imperial Senator, makes a clear choice to resist the Empire, and subsequently uses her position as cover to aid the Alliance. In this way, Star Wars hews close to research that notes how womens pathways into and through insurgent organizations are often more varied than mens, though their motivations are usually quite comparable. Leia, for example, moves in and out of political, intelligence, military command and Special Forces roles. She was also both a prisoner of war and a survivor of sexual enslavement. Like many other militant women, her trajectory to the rank of general is not based on vertical promotion but rather a number of lateral skips across task-based subdivisions of the Alliance that give her a unique skill base and ability to command. This representation is especially noteworthy given the Star Wars movies, especially the first six films, problems when it comes to gender (and also with race). Watching Rogue One as the entry into Machete Order doesnt resolve these issues, but it does reframe the saga around Jyn, Leia and, later, Rey. Viewed through the right lens, Star Wars is one of the most loyal representations of womens militancy in popular culture. Reinterpreting Star Wars and rebellion Journalists and scholars of rebellion tend to spend their time interviewing combatants (the X-wing pilots), elites (the Admiral Ackbars), and the publicized heroes (Luke Skywalkers and Han Solos) of rebel organizations. In doing so, they tend to treat militant women as aberrations rather than as fixtures whose roles are often hidden from outside observers. Rogue One brilliantly teaches viewers (and academics) up front that the rebellion is built upon unsung and often imperfect heroes - the Jyns (and the Cassians) - who sustain rebellion despite the little credit they get. It also forwards a more accurate, gender-balanced view of rebellion by centering the behind-the-scenes but high-risk, high-status, skilled roles that women often assume. Parkinson is the Aronson Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Gujarat 2017 is an interesting study in terms of election results: the winner has won, but the loser hasnt lost. If ever a victory has been divided between numerical and moral, it is Gujarat 2017. The BJP celebrates, but it is shaken. It is being congratulated, courteously, on what is its clear but constricted victory. A hurray, however, goes to the Congress, to Rahul Gandhi. The Congress new President worked like a war horse. He has not thrown the BJP out of office in Gujarat but, with his allies, he has thrown fear out in Gujarat. He has brought fearlessness in, through the front door. The BJP won because Narendra Modi did all he could to appeal to Gujarati pride. The Congress did not lose because Rahul Gandhi did all he could and more, to appeal to Gujarats wisdom. Gujarats fresh mandate to the BJP in reduced numbers, reduced stature, amounts to an admonition. Gujarats faith in the Opposition amounts to a trust in what, in an article in the Indian Express last week Rajmohan Gandhi described as the OTMs other than Modi in Gujarat and the three Gujarat leaders whose names make the acronym JHA Jignesh, Hardik and Alpesh with Rahul Gandhi leading them in the fight. The challenge was formidable. Gujarat is Narendra Modis state. Narendra Modi is Narendra Modi. And he is prime minister. Gujarat is Amit Shahs state. Amit Shah is Amit Shah. And he is president of the party that is in power at the Centre and in Gujarat. Gujarat itself is ruled by the BJP and the BJP knows how to rule. This made continuity safe, change risky. This made opposition a hazard, variation unsafe. The JHA combine and Rahul Gandhi did three impossible things : First, they sank their individualisms and joined hands in solidarity. Egos are like eagles; they like solo flights. Here they flew like herons, together, Rahul being the fleet Vs leader. Second, they slogged, making their own flight-path. Elections are like litigation ; they are the loneliest of places. You may have manpower, but the fight-power has to come from within. The JHA grouping, Rahul, and every one of the BJPs opposers were their own EB grids, generators and power lines. They were electric. Third, they countered, physically and ideationally, a great and tragic reality in Gujarat the historically and geographically conditioned mistrust in its Hindu majority against its Muslim minority. It is difficult to build trust, easy, all too easy, to manipulate and multiply mistrust. It is difficult to change a prejudice, it is easy, a thousand times easy, to perpetuate it. It is difficult to remove fear, easy, totally so, to deepen it. Yet, that which is difficult is what the opposition sought to do in Gujarat. The task was as thankless as it seemed hopeless. Every vote for the opposition was a castigation of sectarianism, a rejection of fear. Every seat won by the opposition is also a seat for Gujarats farmer, ill-served by reckless industrialisation, commercialisation and demonetisation. The moral victory of the opposition in Gujarat is this: Post-2002 an invisible fume pervaded Gujarat. This was the recognition of the sway not superiority but sway of muscle over mind, bicep over brain. This recognition took two forms: One, joining-up in the muscle team, clambering onto the bicep band. Two, accepting, in silent fear, its sway. The oppositions venture in the elections was about reversing that fume, detoxicating the system. This was difficult, it was dangerous. People are getting angry, it was said by observers of the Gujarat scene. They are coming out of fears grip . Will that feeling translate into votes ? This was the question. The people of Gujarat have answered. The seat share has gone clearly in BJPs favour. But every vote cast for the opposition in Gujarat has been cast against prejudice, and for courage. A slogan sounded in Jignesh Mevanis constituency was Hum Jignesh ko jitaenge, Bharat ko bhayamukt banaenge. To use a phrase of Nayantara Sahgals, Gujarat 2017 is a Gujarat from fear set free. Gujarats strong opposition must now oppose with unity, civility, diligence. Not drama. Gujarat 2017 will be an inspiration to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh in the months ahead and to all of India in 2019. Gujarat zindabad! Gopalkrishna Gandhi is distinguished professor of history and politics, Ashoka University The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In his first speech as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi described the political narrative of the BJP as the inflammatory politics of hate. The Congress by contrast, he said, would be an instrument for people of every religion and caste to dialogue with love. They divide, we unite, he declared. They ignite fires, we douse them. They show anger, we show love. Luminous words, reflecting a welcome resolve to overcome the fear and hate spurred by the BJP with a politics of hope and love. But the Congress campaign in Gujarat that preceded his speech did not inspire enough confidence that the party still has the moral courage to fight the battle for a secular India that belongs equally to all. This was the first election after a long time that the Congress fought credibly, energetically and with conviction. Even in its defeat, the Congress led by Rahul Gandhi re-established itself as a party that has the capacity to fight the juggernaut of majoritarian politics led by Modi and Amit Shah. Still, the divisive campaign for Gujarat marks a low watershed in the lives of its five million Muslim people. The campaign, and not just the final outcome, further consolidates the status of Muslims in Gujarat as second-class citizens. The political message of the campaign was of their isolation and irrelevance. The BJP fashioned the campaign as a battle uniting Hindus across castes against their common enemy, the states Muslims. Virtually every campaign speech was laced with overtly toxic anti-Muslim innuendo. Muslims were identified by many hate symbols the newly minted villain Allauddin Khilji of the Padmawati controversy joining Aurangzeb, and of course Pakistan. It was alleged that Pakistan was conspiring with the former PM and vice-president to defeat the BJP in Gujarat and install the Congress Ahmed Patel as chief minister. Posters mysteriously appeared two days before elections exhorting Muslims to vote for the Congress to ensure Patel becomes CM. The Congress had no such plan, but the bogeyman of a Muslim as CM installed by a Congress in cohorts with Pakistan, had been raised. None asked the key question, why should a Muslim not aspire to be the CM? Never in any of his election speeches did Rahul Gandhi use the M word Muslim. He did not touch once upon the 2002 riots under the watch of Modi. He expressed no solidarity or anguish that Muslims in Gujarat after 2002 have been reduced to second-class citizens, denied housing in colonies of Hindus and Jains, masking their Muslim identity as auto drivers or owners of roadside restaurants and bakeries. He did not talk of their tragedy that more than half the Muslims displaced by the carnage were never allowed to return by their Hindu neighbours. He did not acknowledge the partisan denial of public services to Muslim ghettos like Juhapara even in shining Ahmedabad. In the 2012 election, the share of Muslims in the assembly fell to an all-time low of two, but the Congress did not seem committed to adding greatly to this tally. It gave only six Muslims tickets. The symbolism of the visit by Rahul Gandhi to 27 Hindu temples was not lost, when he did not visit even one dargah which represents the states syncretic traditions. When challenged about his religious identity, I wish he had declared proudly, My grandfather was Parsi, my mother born a Catholic. I am Hindu, and I respect every faith. All credit to the only candidate who spoke of injustice to Muslims and was happy to stand with them in his election rallies -- Jignesh Mewani. Significantly he won his seat resoundingly. The Muslims of Gujarat may take heart when Rahul Gandhi spoke later of his resolve to fight the politics devoid of kindness and truthwhere people are butchered for who they are, beaten for what they believe and killed for what they eat. But many I spoke to wished he had shown the moral courage to fight the Gujarat elections openly on this same platform, of inclusion and love. Harsh Mander is author, Looking Away: Inequality, Prejudice and Indifference in New India The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Itll be no exaggeration to say that the nations attention has been on the Gujarat elections. Now, the results are before us. The Congress could not secure a majority. We accept the verdict and are prepared to render our services to the people of the state as a responsible opposition. The view that political victory is all that matters in a democracy, regardless of how it is achieved, is derived from a cynical view of the electoral process, where elections are all about management, not about a contest based on issues and concerns that have a bearing on the lives of the voters. The run-up to the Gujarat assembly elections saw the political debate falling to levels never seen before. No forum was spared to score political points. Unsurprisingly and unfortunately, the Gujarat campaign by the BJP in the end had to rely on the rhetoric around Pakistan, the release of Hafiz Saeed, the questioning of Rahul Gandhis religion, the bogey of a Muslim being a Congress chief minister and so on. Sadly, a former prime minister of India was belittled through innuendo and allegation for which no shred of evidence was offered. The response, as we know, was dignified, based on facts and an example in intellectual strength and moral clarity. The party is also proud that when certain remarks were made against the countrys prime minister, who campaigned aggressively, the Congress acted decisively and promptly. It left no uncertainty on how it deals with improprieties, and showed a mirror to the current dispensation on how the ruling party must also deal with them. Elections may come and go, but precedents endure. Bad precedents, whether they are failures of judgement, desperation, or products of political grandstanding, cast a long shadow. Gujarat is not the last election. The effect of the electoral outcome may not last beyond the term of the legislature, but the unpleasant after-effects of the way the level of discourse was lowered by the ruling party will be remembered for a much longer time. In the months leading up to the elections, the government and party functionaries in the BJP sought to promote the impression that the Gujarat elections would prove to be a mere formality. However, that has been anything but the case. The BJPs leading campaigners faced depleted rallies, massive attendance at Rahul Gandhis meetings, and a sense of hubris. Despite the prime minister, almost all of the BJPs chief ministers and a majority of the ministers in the Union Cabinet leading electoral efforts from the front, the BJP is now left with fewer seats in the state. The Congress, on the other hand, has fought under a unified leadership, with youth and experience, and all sections of society playing complementary roles. The party has markedly improved upon its performance in the last assembly elections on all parameters, and has united the weak, the dispossessed, and victims of unequal development in the state on a common platform. Emerging leaders from all communities have been co-opted and a volunteer culture fostered, especially online, where malicious trolling and defamation were silenced through positive messaging. The elections prove that the Congress, true to its historical roots, is a party determined to provide moral leadership and effective opposition to forces of divisive politics. Rahul Gandhi led from the front and was unwavering in his efforts to take the BJP on by asking tough and uncomfortable questions. His spirited campaign definitely gave many a sleepless night to the BJP. All the attacks on him personal and otherwise only confirmed the palpable nervousness in the BJP camp. Contrary to the tall claims and sloganeering flung into the electoral space by the BJP, the Congress has tried to address everyday concerns and inequalities rampant in Gujarat, and succeeded in keeping the focus of the electorate on the shoddy progress on almost all social indices in Gujarat, along with poorly conceived and implemented measures such as the GST and demonetisation. The BJPs slogan of a Congress-mukt Bharat remained a pipe dream that is not shared by the democratic people of this country. True to its secular, liberal core, we refused to polarise the electorate, recognising that the politically beneficial is not always beneficial for the nation, a philosophy which the BJP hesitantly preaches, but does not practice. All told, the election may not have been a victory, but is certainly a platform from which the Congress party has launched under a strengthened leadership a fresh campaign for a liberal, secular, more equal society based on inclusiveness and equity. achin Pilot is president of the Rajasthan Congress state unit. The views expressed are personal If there is any city that is seen to represent the public anger over demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax, it is Surat. Textile traders had shut shop for a fortnight, the diamond market was losing its shine and there was a mood of despondency in Gujarats business capital. And yet, the election results show that the BJP has swept all 12 seats in the port city, including the Patel-dominated Varacha Road constituency. In the electoral trajectory of Surat lies perhaps the key to the BJPs sixth consecutive win in Gujarat. Surat is typical of Gujarats political demographics. Since 1995, urban Gujarat has been a BJP fortress. In this election too, the BJP has swept urban Gujarat, winning 43 of the 55 seats. By contrast, the Congresss major gains have all come from rural areas, almost reflecting a thumb rule in Gujarat politics: the more proximate you are to the metropolises, the more likely you are to vote for the BJP. In a state with a 43% urban population, one of the highest in the country, that gives the BJP a huge advantage. It is the BJPs emotional connectedness with the urban Gujarati mindset that deserves closer examination. Almost all of Gujarats cities have a large aspirational middle class that seeks affluence and rapid growth: Narendra Modi described it as the neo-middle class in the 2012 elections. For this class, the Modi persona symbolises hope of achche din, as represented in physical terms by the gleaming flyovers and new townships across these cities. For this class, the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, for example, is held up as an example of vikas as are Surat and Vadodaras multi-storey malls. It is for this class that the image of Modi campaigning in a sea-plane is so attractive: it only strengthens his image as a Superman-like hero. These cities are also symbolic of Gujarats divided society, cities divided by dark geographical borders between Hindus and Muslims. Almost all of Gujarats cities have experienced terrible communal violence in the last two decades. If Ahmedabad and Vadodara were the epicentre of the 2002 violence, it was Surat that was bloodied by the post-Ayodhya rioting in 1992. The violence ensured a de-facto polarisation of the urban Gujarati voter on stark religious grounds, a divide which persists to this day, one which is consolidated at election time by the politics of fear-mongering. A vote for the Congress is a vote for a return to curfew or Latif raj, warned the BJPs campaign, a reference to Ahmedabads underworld don who was accused of being patronised by previous Congress governments. By contrast, for the urban Gujarati, Modi is not just a vikas purush, but also a Hindu Hriday Samrat, an image that was stitched in the aftermath of the 2002 riots when Muslims were seen to be have been taught a lesson. It is this urban affinity for Modi and the BJP that has held up against the strong anti-incumbency that built up across rural Gujarat as a result of voter fatigue, farmer anger and political arrogance. It is here where the Congress narrative of questioning the Modi governments vikas model never quite took off in the face of a marked improvement in civic amenities in the cities. It is the urban Gujarati, seeking peace and financial security, who was wary of Hardik Patels brand of muscular caste-driven reservation politics: even urban Patels especially the older generation -- seem to have seen themselves as Hindutva warriors first rather than becoming part of Hardiks army. The Congresss appeal of change resonated in many parts of rural Gujarat because the Modi model offered no solution to genuine agrarian distress and the prime ministers shrill rhetoric was unappealing. It didnt work in an urban milieu that still sees the prime minister as an agent of an aspirational new order and the Congress as part of a discredited ancien regime. Will this sharp urban-rural divide extend beyond Gujarat in the run-up to 2019? The answers are blowing in the wind. Post-script: In Ahmedabad, I met an elderly shop-keeper who was angry with the state government firing on Patel youth. So, will you vote for Hardik and Congress? I asked. His answer: Ham Hardik ko pasand karte hain, lekin hum dil se Hindutvawadi hain! In rural Gondal, I asked a farmer about the emotional appeal of Hindutva: Hindutva se pet nahi bharta! One state, sharply differing voter attitudes, Gujarat in 2017 is a mirror cracked Rajdeep Sardesai is a senior journalist and an author The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Notwithstanding the BJPs victory in the Gujarat assembly elections, the results show a massive shift against the saffron party, and one of the contributing factors for this is Dalits and other marginalised sections voting against the party, which has failed to address their plight in the last 22 years. This is evident in the victory of Gujarats Dalit face Jignesh Mevani, who fought as independent supported by the Congress, by nearly 19,000 votes. A major reason for this was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi going all out in support of Dalits. Gandhi not only addressed a rally at Vadgam, from where Mevani was fighting, but sent out a clear message to the Dalits by reaching the Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK) on November 24 to accept the largest national flag, prepared by DSK students, after it was refused by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani earlier this year. The Dalits in Gujarat were also upset with the BJP, because not only its state leaders, but also Prime Minister Narendra Modi, did not utter a single word after the Una incident, in which five Dalits were thrashed by cow vigilantes on July 11, 2016. The incident led to rallies across Gujarat led by Mevani. These rallies were followed by an equally forceful campaign by Abhadchhed Mukt Bharat Andolan (Untouchability Free India Movement), in which Dalit members of the Gujarat legislative assembly and ministers were asked to explain what they had done to fight the discrimination against Dalits in Gujarat and whether they approved of attacks by cow vigilantes. Yet, the assembly results also go to suggest that Dalit votes, or their issues, do not matter in the electoral battle. In the reserved scheduled caste (SC) constituency, Vadgam, from where Mevani won, Dalits constitute about 15% of the voter strength; naturally, he had to depend on other sections, especially Muslims and other backward classes or OBCs. As one voter told me, Mevani had to perforce stress on how all sections of society, including Dalits, suffered under the BJP misrule. He would specifically talk on how people were being deprived of water, roads, and irrigation in the constituency, but rarely recalled untouchability and discrimination. No doubt, Dalits were perceptibly unhappy over the failure on the part of successive BJP governments in Gujarat to address the issues of untouchability. But as they form less than 6.7% of the states population (national average 16.6%), they did not seem to matter electorally. It is against this backdrop that the move gained momentum to revive the 1932 demand of BR Ambedkar to have separate electorate for Dalits. Martin Macwan, founder of Gujarats Dalit rights NGO Navsarjan Trust, reminded Rahul Gandhi at a rally at the DSK, where he had come to pick up the 185-foot national flag a symbol of equality and patriotism that even Congress MLAs had done little to raise caste-related issues in the state legislature. Gujarat may have progressed economically, but the view among Dalits is that untouchability and discrimination have not been addressed in Gujarat. Studies have found that in rural Gujarat caste discrimination remains intact, though the state government has sought to call this a matter perception. A 1976 study by well-known social scientist IP Desai said that 85% villages practised untouchability in the private spheres (barring entry to upper caste houses, temples, etc.), 47% villages observed untouchability in the marketplace and exchange of services, and 18% villages practised untouchability in the public space (restricting access to public roads, school, transport, gram panchayat, etc.). Fresh studies show that things have hardly changed. A Navsarjan study, carried out in 1,589 villages, sponsored by the Robert E Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights, found that in 98.4% of the villages inter-caste marriage was prohibited and inter-caste couples would be subjected to violence and would often have to leave the village; in 98.1% of the villages, a Dalit could not rent a house in a non-Dalit locality; in 97.6% of villages, Dalits touching the water pots or utensils of non-Dalits was considered defilement; in 90% of temples, Dalits were not be allowed an entry; and in 54% of government schools, Dalit children were made to sit separately. Valmikis, the most exploited section of the Dalits, were particularly upset. Forming barely form 10% of the Dalit community, and unable to take advantage of reservation policies, which mostly benefit the dominant Dalit sub-castes Vankars and Rohits, they are forced to continue with their hereditary occupation of sanitary workers, employed as daily wagers. Contractors force them to go down manholes and enter septic tanks without any safety equipment, leading to major health issues among them. Since 1993, 165 persons are recorded to have died due to asphyxiation, 62 of them in Ahmedabad alone, and the administration is unwilling to implement the Supreme Court order, which requires a payment of Rs 10 lakh compensation to the kin of those who died. While 5.2 lakh Valmikis live in urban areas out of the total of 6.5 lakh, their plight is hardly a matter of concern for those fighting the electoral battle. Gagan Sethi is Chair, Janvikas, Ahmedabad The views expressed are personal In the brutal world of politics, a victory is a victory and a defeat is a defeat. The fine analysis of vote shifts, margins, the regional variations will matter now -- and matter in the run up to the next election . What really matters is the outcome -- the BJP will form the government in Gandhinagar yet again, and the Congress will remain stuck on the opposition benches for another term. The Congress was unable to capitalise on deep anger that had built up against the BJP over 22 years of its rule; the addition of Patidar votes to its kitty; the post-Modi deficit in the BJPs leadership; and the economic disruption. This is cause for introspection. Yet, given how invincible the BJP had seemed after its UP victory, and given how low the Congress has plummeted since 2014, the Gujarat election has actually had the effect of boosting the partys morale. This could be with good reason, for in Gujarat, Congress got four key elements of its campaign right -- which it needs to build on in the run up to 2019. First, this election has marked the emergence of Rahul Gandhi as a leader. Either seen as reluctant or inconsistent or incompetent or an object of mockery till now, there are unmistakable signs of evolution. Rahul campaigned consistently across the state; he remained disciplined about his message; he was firm when necessary as we saw in the case of Mani Shankar Aiyar; he made up for the deficit in oratory with sincerity; and he did not make gaffes. He seemed interested in fighting and winning which voters had not seen so far. Two, the Congress is finally figuring out a formula to deal with the Hinduisation of the polity that has taken place over the past few years. Assiduous and public wooing of the minority vote has only helped the BJP construct its own majority vote. The Congress recognised that it had to take the battle to the home turf of the rival. Rahuls temple visits helped in neutralising the image of Congress as an anti-Hindu party. At the same time, the party kept its channels with the Muslims open and gave six tickets to members of the community. While traditional secular critics may feel Congress was betraying its principles by keeping quiet on issues such as the 2002 riots, a political party has to deal with a political reality. And perhaps the future of secular coalitions lies in public wooing of the majority -- to prevent BJP from monopolising the Hindu identity -- and private alliances with the minority. The Congress may also be finally figuring out its overarching narrative and key demographics. By focusing on rural distress and unemployment, the party seems to have made deeper inroads among farmers and broken the youths romance with the BJP. Farmers across the country are restless for a simple reason the prices for their products are often less than the cost of production. There are no easy policy solutions, but there is ground for the opposition to capitalise on. The BJP government has always failed in creating jobs to the extent it had promised. Many young people who have invested in higher education and are not getting work are unhappy. This can be the Congresss key class coalition. Four, the BJP succeeds when it carves out inclusive Hindu social coalitions across castes. When key caste groups get disenchanted, the BJP struggles. The challenge for the Congress has been that the party itself is rather exclusivist and does not have prominent leaders representing caste groups be it Patels in Gujarat or upper and lower OBCs in key north Indian states. Recognising this, it tied up with Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani. Among these, Hardik was key. The Congress needs to seriously work on making its own party structures inclusive, and stitch alliances in the rest of the country. But the Congress can only build on these four potential openings if it improves the biggest deficit of all its electoral and organisation capabilities. It cannot fight a cadre-based, well-oiled machine such as the BJP with weak booth-level presence; it has to match the party vis-a-vis resources and media narratives; it needs to have more consistent party activities rather than staying dormant till the next election. The Congress lost Gujarat but in the defeat, there are lessons it can build on as India heads to 2019. prashant.jha1@htlive.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The winner is king, and a victory is a victory, information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani said on Monday after the Gujarat election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to win though with a margin lower than it estimated. It is a matter of happiness for us. This is the victory of development, Irani said as election trends and results showed the BJP poised to win Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Asked about the Congress bettering its performance and giving a tough fight to the BJP in Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state, the minister suggested that the victory margin did not matter. Jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every (BJP) booth workers hard work and the people who trusted development. Asked to comment on the Gujarat victory, with a margin lower than what the party had touted, Irani said: A victory is a victory. Are we not forming the government? I am satisfied being victorious. I am happy that after 22 years, we have again won in Gujarat and we have won also in Himachal Pradesh. Congress lost in two states. It is a victory of the BJP on the issues of development in all areas. After decisive steps undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in various fields, people have reposed faith in the BJP. PM has focused only on Vikas (development), she added. It is true that the economy is on the path of recovery, but the people are with the BJP, she added. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman described the election results as an undoubtedly major victory for the BJP. Sabka saath, sabka vikas (Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth), has ultimately won, she said. Sitharaman told reporters that it was a victory for all -- right from the booth level to Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- as voters have recognised who could deliver. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the mandate is for the BJPs politics of vishwas and vikas. The BJP came up with the politics of vishwas (trust) and vikas (development) for Gujarat and people responded to it positively. The Opposition tried to spread wrong messages against us, but we prevailed because of the leadership of Modi and national president Amit Shah, he said. It was the common mans trust that Modi can bring peace and prosperity. It is very important that even after 22 years, a party gets almost 50% votes of the people and retains power...It is very significant, he said. According to Fadnavis, with Himachal Pradesh, the BJP has won the 19th state in the country. The results are a stamp on the leadership of Modi and Shah in the party and in the national politics, he said. The victory of the BJP in Gujarat shows the strength of the connect between Modi and the people of his home state, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said in Panaji. It is confirmation of next government. We will ensure that BJP wins handsomely in Karnataka, Parrikar said, when asked if the Gujarat victory was an indicator of the popular mood ahead of the 2019 general elections. Congress candidate Rajinder Rana, who has learnt political lessons for years from his once-mentor and BJPs chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal, on Monday taught him a lesson in return by defeating him in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. Rana defeated two-time chief minister Dhumal in a straight contest by 2,933 votes in the Himachal Pradeshs Sujanpur, the seat he was asked to contest from. Rana, a known social worker in the area, was once the election manager of Dhumal and he knows his family well. In politics one faces a defeat while another faces a win. It will be failure on our part not to be able to give justice to the people (of Sujanpur). Its time for introspection, an emotional Dhumal told reporters in his hometown Hamirpur. Dhumal had swapped his present Hamirpur seat, the pocket borough of the BJP, with party legislator Narendra Thakur, who won the seat. Political observers told IANS the contest was interesting between Dhumal and Rana, who had defected from the BJP, as the latter knows the inside-out of Dhumal and his family. Dhumal was contesting for this seat for the first time, while realtor-turned-politician Rana won it in the 2012 assembly polls as an Independent candidate by a margin of 14,116 votes. Later, he vacated the seat and unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Hamirpur as a Congress nominee. The vacated Sujanpur assembly seat was won by the BJPs Narender Thakur, a Congress rebel. Directed by filmmaker Rohit Shetty, Dilwale was touted to be one of the biggest releases of 2015, though it received mixed response from fans and critics. However, Shetty certainly managed a coup of sorts by bringing the hit pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol back with the film. The action packed romantic drama also starred Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon and Varun Sharma, who played their parts well and earned praise. Besides the stars, music of the film, composed by Pritam Chakraborty and lyrics penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya, also garnered a lot of attention. And what remains etched in the minds and hearts of music lovers is the song Gerua. Shot in Iceland, it was reportedly the most expensive song made in Bollywood. But to many would know that while shooting the song, six stones were placed on the heavy skirt that Kajol was wearing, to prevent it from flying when they were canning the famous (broken) plane scene. As the film completes two years of its release today, we bring you more such interesting and lesser known facts. Read on: Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon were paired opposite each other for the first time in the film. 1. Shah Rukh Khans role was reportedly inspired by Amitabh Bachchans character from the film Hum (1991), while Boman Iranis character of that of a comedian villain also took inspiration from Anupam Khers character in the same film. 2. In the film, when Shah Rukh aka Raj and Kajol aka Meera meet for the first time and the latter hurts her leg, the song that the violinist was seen playing in the background is Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jana Sanam from the duos popular film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). Shah Rukh Khan, Kriti Sanon, Kajol and Varun Dhawan in a still from Dilwale. 3. Initially, actor Tusshar Kapoor was supposed to play Varun Dhawans character Veer in the film. But Shetty was keen on taking a younger star. In fact, Siddharth Malhotra was also considered for the role, but things did not work with any of them and finally, Varun came on board. 4. While this was the first time Shah Rukh Khan worked with (late) veteran actor Vinod Khanna in a film, for Kajol, she reunited with Khanna after a gap of 20 years since they last worked together in Hulchul (1995). 5. During the making of the film, SRK used to cycle on the sets of the film and the bicycle he rode was a gift from Shetty to help get SRKs knee back in shape. 6. When Shah Rukh heard the song Gerua for the first time, he had doubts regarding the word Gerua. Lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya was quoted saying in an earlier interview, Initially Shah Rukh was sceptical about the word Gerua. It is not a commonly used word in film songs so he thought will it work, will it be accepted, how will the audience react to it. He liked the word and said its nice to hear but just that it is used less. 7. Kajol had once shared how difficult was it for them to shoot the iceberg scene for Gerua. We were turning black-and-blue while shooting the scene due to the cold. Our colour had actually turned blue by the end of the day. The colour of the scene was actually our colour. Once the scene was shot, we were covered with more than three blankets, an overcoat, and what not. Our lips turned blue by the end of the scene, she was quoted as saying. 8. For the famous aircraft scene in the song that was shot on a broken plane, SRK had shared an interesting story behind that stranded aircraft. Long, long ago, a plane had to make an emergency landing near the sea and no one from the plane was dead or injured. Fortunately, the landing was safe and the captain of the plane was lauded for his presence of mind. The plane has not moved since then, and now the place is treated like a museum, he had said. The airplane, C-47 SkyTrain, belonged to the US military and was forced to land on November 24 in the year 1973 on Solheimasandurs black sandy beach, south of Iceland. 9. Not only the song Gerua was said to be the most expensive that was ever made in Bollywood, it was also an instant hit when it released, crossing the fastest 100 million mark. Pritam even tweeted, From what I hear, Gerua is the first Bollywood song to cross 100 Million in the shortest duration. Thank You #Gerua100Million. 10. Did you know that for his character Kaali, SRK was earlier to sport a moustache in the film. But later, his look was changed and he was shown in a rugged beard. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Richa Chadha has no qualms about not getting a day off on her birthday today. The actor, who is ringing in the day with the cast of her recent release, Fukrey Returns, says that a working birthday is actually a good thing for her. If I get work on my birthday, I treat it as a good sign. Today, I dont have big plans but we have to shoot some Christmas promotional stuff for Fukrey, which is a good way to spend my birthday because I will be with my team and my Fukrey boys. All four of them (Ali Fazal, Manjot Singh, Pulkit Samrat and Varun Sharma ) are going to be there today, says Richa, who turns 31. About the year gone by, she says, I think 2017 has been good. We finished shooting Fukrey and then I was travelling abroad for my foreign projects. We also had Inside Edge and we got amazing success in that area. Earlier this year my first production came out. It has been a good year with many small risks which paid off and there was commercial success too, she says. However, it is the coming year that Richa is kicked about. I have some writing commitments which need to finish, one is my script and another is a book which I am writing. Finally after 25th and 26th, I will take a break and go out and travel. In Mumbai, I dont get peace to write. Slowly I have to budget time. I dont have any material goals but I do have personal goals which I need to tick off, says Richa, who is dating actor Ali Fazal. Any plans for a special evening with the special man in her life? He has some more shoots to wind up, so if he manages to finishes it all in time, I am sure he will take me out for dinner, says Richa, who has been seeing Ali for over a year now. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Rajkummar Rao, who is currently shooting for Rakyesh Omprakash Mehras Fanney Khan, says working with superstars of Bollywood is inspiring, as its an everyday learning experience. While talking to ANI, the 33-year-old actor said, It feels great to work with superstars. I grew up watching these people and their wonderful performances, be it Anil sir, Aamir Sr, Manoj Bajpayee. So now, when I get a chance to work with them, sharing the same frame is great. I learn a lot from these people every day as he (Anil Kapoor) is so passionate about his work and making his scene better. Its awe-inspiring. Its a great learning experience for me, he added. He also spoke about facing too much rejections. Rajkummar Rao said, I would meet people and they would give excuses on why they cant cast me - sometimes because of my complexion and sometimes because of not being mascular enough. He added, I knew, it would be a lot of struggle for me to crack it in the industry because its not easy as many people come every day to Mumbai to follow their passion. I gave hundreds of auditions. I have done many advertisements just to survive, because Bombay is an expensive city. Further talking about casting couch, the Trapped actor said that many people are facing trouble, but they should not get scared and voice-out their opinion on Facebook or Twitter or any public platform. On the work front, the Behen Hogi Teri star has two more movies in his kitty, ek Ladki Ko Dekho Toh Kaise lagga with Sonam Kapoor and Anil Kapoor, and then a horror comedy opposite Shraddha Kapoor. Follow @htshowbiz for more Nearly a decade ago, when India took part in the Programme for International Students Assessmenta test of students scholastic performance in mathematics, science, and reading at the school levelthe results sent shock waves through the country. Out of the 74 nations that participated, India was ranked 72nd. In another blow to the countrys education sector, the Economic Survey 2015-16 tabled in Parliament noted that between 2007 and 2014, there was a sharp decline in the number of children in Class V who could read a textbook of Class II, in both government and private schools. In partnership with Microsoft Education, #DisruptTheClassroom is a four-part ed-tech series that illustrates how technology is helping Indian educators go beyond linear, text-based instruction so that students can experience truly immersive learning. Are these findings indicative of the quality of education imparted in the country? Alternatively, do these signify the need for new and revolutionary teaching tools? Digital India, Prime Minister Narendra Modis flagship programme launched in 2014, to transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy aims to address the issues that plague the education system with the power of technology. Extending supporting to the campaign is technology giant Microsoft, whose vision is to empower every student to achieve more. Its various education and skill development programmes have benefitted lakhs of teachers and youth across the country. For example, under Project Shiksha, Microsoft partnered with 12 state governments to build ICT skills in nearly 8 lakh government schoolteachers, thereby impacting roughly 38 million students. Similarly, under Project Saksham, which was conceived to bridge the digital divide in higher educational institutions, a total of 71 universities have been impacted so far. The initiative has been instrumental in changing the perception of educators towards adopting a more engaging learning environment. After all, integrating technology into the classroom is an effective way to boost students creativity, increase collaboration, and accelerate learning. The government, too, has realised the potential of technology in transforming education. While referring to the Digital India campaign, Modi once said, So far, the governments focus was on spreading education across the country. But the time has now come to shift the focus on quality education. Lets take a look at some of the key initiatives that form a part of Digital India. Connectivity in all schools With internet penetration in rural India pegged at only 16%, students can never have access to the plethora of education material and tools available online. The Centre has joined hands with various telecom service providers as well as global technology firms to set up internet services in all remote areas. Under Project Shiksha, Microsoft partnered with 12 state governments to build ICT skills in nearly 8 lakh government schoolteachers, thereby impacting roughly 38 million students. (Hindustan Times) Another significant project is the multi-gigabit National Knowledge Network (NKN), which is aimed at establishing a unified and strong network backbone for all educational institutes in the country to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaborations. The government also aims to provide free Wi-Fi in all schools by 2019, and has been distributing tablets to rural students and students of central universities. Online courses In July this year, the government launched the Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), an online portal that provides study material to students free of cost and where courses are taught via digital classrooms with the help of internet and satellite connectivity. The app for SWAYAM was designed by Microsoft, and the firm has also supported the platform with its technologies. Digital modes are cheaper, more easily accessible, interactive, and offer flexibility for people to learn at their own pace. We need to work together to ensure that they are widely adopted for teaching, the then President Pranab Mukherjee, while launching the portal, said. The programmes offered on SWAYAM are from the school to the post-graduate level, in subjects such as engineering, management, science, arts and recreation, mathematics, languages, humanities, library sciences, energy, and sustainable development. The government hopes that SWAYAM, which was formulated to tackle the problems of poor infrastructure and lack of teachers in a lot of educational institutes, will see at least 1 crore members in the next three years. In 2016, the government launched a web portal that provides free courses on soft skills, languages, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship. In line with the Skill India initiative, these modules ensure that candidates are armed with the required skills when applying for jobs. To address the challenge of lower girl enrolment rate in engineering colleges, the Central Board of Secondary Education, under the guidance of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, launched the Udaan scheme in 2014. (Pixabay) Educational programmes Simultaneous to the launch of SWAYAM, the government kick-started SWAYAM Prabha, a group of 32 direct-to-home (DTH) channels that telecast lectures delivered by experienced and sought-after teachers from reputed educational institutions. For example, for students pursuing higher education, SWAYAM Prabha broadcasts programmes in disciplines such as arts, science, commerce, engineering, law, and medicine. The channels also telecast content that focus on training for schoolteachers and learning aids for children that help them to understand a subject better as well as prepare for competitive examinations. These programmes are repeated multiple times in a day, thus allowing students plenty of convenience. Further, a digital portal called Online Labs that hosts science experiments for students of classes IX-XII has come up. With the use of high-quality technology resources, these demonstrations provide hands-on training to students whenever and wherever its needed. Digital libraries Imagine having an online platform that hosts educational content from 148 institutes (40 of them foreign) in more than 100 languages. Thats the National Digital Library of India (NDLI) for you. Started in 2016 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in association with the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur as a pilot project, NDLI is an asset for students wishing to pursue a career in research and innovation. With 1.26 crore content resources in subjects ranging from computer science and philosophy, to religion and agriculture, NDLI is a national pride. In keeping with the changing times, some of the well-loved fairy tales and short stories are also available as audio books. Leading digital libraries such as the Tainacan Project (Brazil), National Library of The Netherlands, National Library of South Africa, and National Library of Nepal are keen to tie up with NDLI. In another initiative aimed at digitising education, the government launched eBasta, where school books are available online. Teachers and students can choose from a variety of resources--- text, simulation, animations, audio books, videos when using the platform. A similar programme is ePathshala, which hosts educational resources in three languagesHindi, English, and Urdu. The government also runs Sugamya Pustakalaya, an online library for people with print disabilities. With the Lancet Global Health Journal estimating the number of visually impaired people in India at close to 9 million, it is imperative that the differently-abled do not lag behind when it comes to receiving quality education. Students need to be digitally-literate to be able to seize any opportunity that comes their way. (Pixabay) Scheme for girl students To address the challenge of lower girl enrolment rate in engineering colleges, the Central Board of Secondary Education, under the guidance of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, launched the Udaan scheme in 2014. Under the programme, selected candidates of classes XI and XII are assisted with free study material in pre-loaded tablets to help them prepare for IIT-JEE. The students also attend virtual classes, and receive mentoring support. According to the CBSE, The project has been envisaged as the first step towards achieving this larger goal of addressing the quality gap between school education and engineering entrance, by addressing the three dimensions of education-- curriculum design, transaction, and assessment. Academic and scholarship repositories In another significant shift towards the digitisation of education, the government flagged off two online knowledge repositoriesthe National Academic Depository and the National Scholarship Portal. While the former is a storehouse of all academic awards, certificates, and marksheets in the digital format, the latter enables students to obtain information in regard to all scholarships provided by the governmentright from the submission of the application to the verification, sanction, and disbursal of the fund. At a time when many deserving students in India are unable to afford the cost of higher studies due to financial challenges, such portals serve as level-playing fields. When documents are available online, students also dont need to run from pillar to post or carry out tedious paperwork. Push to Digital India India currently faces a dual challenge of paucity of trained employable workforce and non-employability of large sections of the conventionally educated youth. Further, with the rapid emergence of technologies such as cloud and data sciences, jobs are not what they used to be. Students need to be digitally-literate to be able to seize any opportunity that comes their way. As economies grow, we need to equip the emerging workforce with the right skill sets. With Microsofts venture into the education sector, this dream might soon turn into reality. Simple platforms like OneNote, Office Mix, and Office 365 have laid out a world of possibilities for both students and teachers. Using such tools, globally recognised schools, under the leadership-focused initiative Microsoft Showcase Schools, have reached new heights. Sample this: in 2015, Microsoft India launched Edu-Cloud, a cloud computing-based offering that aims to enhance digital learning and teaching in schools and higher education institutions. Students using Edu-Cloud have access to digital content and free access to Office 365 from Microsoft on their Windows-powered tablets. In addition, they have access to eDevelop, a learning management solution developed by Microsofts partner Mobiliya. Soon, the company plans to launch CloudSpark, a programme that will enable higher educational institutes to access the facilities offered by cloud servicing platform Microsoft Azure on NKN. This means customers can enjoy safe and reliable connectivity, with major savings on bandwidth costs. Using CloudSpark, institutes can also provision a lab for any number of students in a matter of minutes. The goal of education is not to increase the amount of knowledge but to create the possibilities for a child to invent and discover, to create men who are capable of doing new things, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget once famously said. Indeed, our education system needs to prepare students for the real world-- a world where they can think on their feet and solve problems rationally. Only technology can enable that. Join a global community of over 100,000 educators who are using technology in the classroom today to prepare their students for the world of tomorrow. Register with Microsoft in Education today. By Zinia Bhattacharya for HT Brand Studio In popular imagination the future is all about high-tech robots doing menial everyday tasks, while humans are on the sidelines. This is, of course, largely utopian. As much as we seem to want to let technology simply take over every role in society, some things will always require a human touch. In partnership with Microsoft Education, #DisruptTheClassroom is a four-part ed-tech series that illustrates how technology is helping Indian educators go beyond linear, text-based instruction so that students can experience truly immersive learning. In some ways, the future is already here, because technology already plays a part in every aspect of your life. This fact is most relevant in the field of education today. As teachers and institutions come to terms with a changing world, they must also prepare students to be the future workforce in a technology-first world. While no one can say with any certainty what classrooms will look like in two or three decades, we are already beginning to see the first seeds of technology take root in education today. In fact, the notion of a classroom as a place for learning is slowly losing its appeal. Now, learning happens on the go and students are more likely exposed to a wider variety of subjects outside of the classroom than in it. This means that educators have to respond to this and create an environment where school curriculum is still relevant. The best way to do this is my embracing technology to make education less dull and more exciting. In this way, students are also being prepared for a day when these software and tools will be used to make a living. THE CLOUD TEACHES TEAMWORK When we talk about a typical working day, for most people it involves working with some kind of documents. This means knowing how to create, edit and format simple text documents, working with spreadsheets and numbers, or even making creative presentations. Often this is done in collaboration with an array of team members some who might not even be in the same office as you. With cloud-based applications, collaboration is simpler than ever. But many students will only encounter these once they have stepped out of school. To bridge the gap, its essential to get students familiar with tools and apps so they are ready to make meaningful contributions in the real world. With Microsoft Office 365 for Education, students and teachers get all the convenience of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Microsoft Teams apps, but with the power of the cloud. New-age classrooms Using tech to empower students beyond school This enables seamless collaboration among classmates and the teacher, cross-device and multi-device syncing so that everyone is on the same page, and many more tools to help students work as a team. As students utilize these tools for everyday class-work, their familiarity with collaborative tools improves and so does their understanding of teamwork and team dynamics. And in a world where more and more small businesses and start-ups are sprouting up, this is a crucial skill to pick up early on in life. BREAKING BARRIERS Now that smartphones have been around for more than a decade, we have learnt a lot about schoolchildren and teens communicate and how they choose to voice their opinion or show initiative. The natural extension of this for teachers is in how new-age communication tools can be used to improve learning. Teachers are able to get quality engagement for course material thanks to rich media communication using videos, voice and text, as well as tools such as Skype or live streaming. This positively impacts how much students take away from a particular lesson, and gives them an experience of having achieved something, even if its just getting their voice heard in a friendly environment. Often students shy away from asking questions due to peer pressure, and may not have the courage to speak to teachers in person, but a virtual classroom eliminates this fear. Closer home, Indian classrooms have seen a major leap in the digitisation of education through Microsofts QR-coded textbook. Designed by MIE expert Ranjitsinh Disale, these textbooks allow teachers to search for relevant content, lesson plans, and other resources available on the Microsoft Educator Community by scanning the QR code present in the textbook. More than 1,800,000 students in Maharashtra are currently using these textbooks. GOAL-DRIVEN LEARNING With tools like OneNote Class Notebooks, teachers can organize interactive lessons, and deliver personalized tests or even tailor courses. This empowers students by giving them the exact learning or skills that they need, and not just fluff that they have to learn. With this goal-driven approach, learning becomes a life-changing experience, and not an everyday mundane activity. In fact, such shared notebook tools can be considered a major education innovation that will revolutionize learning in the years to come. Thanks to Learning Tools, students can improve reading skills by removing learning obstacles such as visual crowding or dyslexia, or understand how to pronounce words correctly to become more confident in the real world. As one teacher whose school has employed this features from Microsoft says, Learning Tools is an empowering tool. It evens the playing field for kids who are struggling readers. It allows them to feel more like independent learners, not depending on the teacher, not depending on peers. New-age classrooms Using tech to empower students beyond school In India, too, the OneNote has been used in particularly innovative ways to make classrooms and learning more inclusive. Using the Immersive Reader feature on this platform, differently-abled students have been able to improve their vocational and communication abilities to a great extent. OneNote has provided us an integral way of teaching and learning that weve been trying to figure out for a long time for children with special needs, says Gunjan Tomar, Special Education Needs HOD and Middle School Mentor at Ridge Valley School, Gurugram. EMPOWERING CODERS OF TOMORROW It is quite obvious now that, technology will be the driving factor in all walks of life in the future. And the challenge today is to make computer and tech education easier for younger students, especially on the technical side of things. Technology education should begin at a school level and thats where initiatives like Microsoft Imagine Academy have proven successful. It provides complete curriculum and resources for students and teachers to get training and certification in relevant programming languages, platforms and technologies. Apart from productivity, school students are also encouraged to get valuable skills in Computer Science, IT Infrastructure, and Data Science before entering college or starting a job. As the global digital economy expands, the need for early-stage education in the above four core areas will become increasingly crucial. These seemingly complex topics are made simpler to understand for students through interactive games, quizzes, and apps. This ensures that even teachers without a technology background can successfully and easily deliver coding lessons to their students. INK IN A DIGITAL CLASSROOM Todays students wont just make up numbers in the industry; they will also be designers, creators, thinkers, and problem solvers. And like their counterparts from yesteryears, they too can use a pen to bring their ideas to life on paper. The only difference is their pen and paper are digital. With Windows Ink, learning becomes more fun, engaging and students have been known to have better responses than when typing on a keyboard. In STEM courses alone, Windows Ink and similar offerings can bring about up to 36 percent increases in favourable outcomes. Even something as complex as writing an original paper for your science or history class can be made simpler by using tools to manage your research, documentation, track versions, or simply take notes. It finally takes all the advantages of paper and makes it more effective, collaborative, and efficient. Inking not only makes student thinking visible, it captures, stores and distributes their learning for their, and my, convenience, believes Cal Armstrong, Mathematics Teacher at Appleby College in Canada, one of the institutions that is already seeing success with Ink. Combined with Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality applications, Windows Ink can be a game-changer in the classroom as students get a real feel for class work, while the teachers themselves get an edge over those using conventional methods. In essence, today, education is about teaching students how computers can influence their chosen field or help them achieve their work and life goals whether it is a creative pursuit or a technological one. So, its not just about teaching students how to write code, but showing them how computers can be used to improve productivity, fuel creativity, or simply manage a team or an entire office. And like many great techniques used for teaching over the years, technology too can give students the means to find their calling. Join a global community of over 100,000 educators who are using technology in the classroom today to prepare their students for the world of tomorrow. Register with Microsoft in Education today. The ministry for road transport and highways has decided to re-invite expression of interests (EOI) in December for Indias first private rapid transit (PRT) system on 70-km stretch from Dhaulan Kaun (Delhi) to Manesar (Haryana) in Delhi-NCR region. In an interview to Mint, minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said the project has cleared all the major hurdles and safety standards would be now put in place to ensure its implementation in 2018. I am determined to showcase the new technology to the people, said Gadkari, who is famous for his out-of-box ideas in the government and public. Gadkari said that the EOIs called earlier in 2016 will be scrapped as at the time of inviting them there were no standards and procedures for the implementation of the project. He said all the major hurdles for the project have been cleared and the high-powered committee formed to address the concerns on the new technology has submitted its report last week. Representational image of a metrino system. (Metrino-prt.com) According to the committee report accessed by the Mint, the technical standards to be followed for Indias PRT system should be adopted from Automated People Mover Standards of the US. The committee said that for the legal framework of the PRT systems Punjab PRT act should be amended suitably and adopted as the model act for the implementation of the project. The committee also recommended creation of a PRT commissioner in the Indias PRT Act who will be empowered to do the safety certification for the PRTs in the country. The PRT system also known as metrino is a futuristic, driverless vehicle in shape of pods which can accommodate 2 to 6 people and run along a pre-determined course using power. The pod cars move at a speed of 80-130 km/hour and can be used to transport people from one place to another at high speeds. A senior government official on the condition of the anonymity said, The Niti Aayogs proposal to ask the PRT companies to build a 1km stretch to showcase their technology would be incorporated in the new EOI. Besides, the fresh EOI will also help to have a level playing field. In the EOI called in 2016, the government had received responses from four companies out of which three won the approval. These were Ultra Global PRT, skyTran and Metrino PRT, all forming joint-venture with the Indian companies. However, New Zealands Metrino Personal Rapid Transit, one of the three international front runners chosen for Indias first pod taxi project has decided to withdraw and called off its joint venture with an Indian partner it declined to name in May this year. Ultra is the only company whose technology has been tested and is in commercial use. The skyTran technology is at the testing stage while Metrino has developed a prototype that was tested in 2007 in Poland but which is yet to be commercially operated or tested. The official said all the technologies cost less than Rs100 crore per km. The pod vehicles of Ultra are made of steel with rubber tyres that run on specially made tracks, while those of skyTran are magnetically levitated and Metrino pods are suspended from overhead rails. The BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty turned positive after falling over 2% in the opening trade on Monday as final voting trends showed a close fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The rupee recovered from early losses, but was still trading marginally lower against the US dollar, while bond yield hit a fresh 16-month high. BSE Sensex closed higher by 138.71 points, or 0.41%, to 33,601.68, while the Nifty 50 rose 55.50 points, or 0.54%, to close at 10,388.75. All the sectoral indices on BSE, except realty and energy, ended higher led by metal, which was up 1.83%, and auto 1.21%. On NSE, the Nifty PSU Banks rallied 2.38%. Earlier, markets tumbled over 2%, the worst drop in a year, after early trends showed a close fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in the Gujarat assembly elections. In early trade, the Sensex declined 2.6% or 867.34 points at 32,595.63, while the 50-share Nifty index was at 10,074.80, down 2.5%. At 10:15am, the Sensex was at 33,601.29, up 138.32 points while the Nifty was at 10,386.25 or 53 points. All the 19 sectoral indices declined. BSE Telecom Index fell over 3.3% followed by BSE Basic Materials and Metals, which were down 2.5% each. BSE Bankex fell 2.4%. A (BJP) victory will be welcomed by markets and a defeat will lead to a downward knee-jerk reaction. In either case, fundamentals will take over quickly and valuations of individual companies will play the dominant part in share pricing, said Jayant Manglik, President Retail Sales, Religare Securities Ltd, said Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd said volatility is expected in the coming session because the Gujarat election results would be seen as a precursor for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. e bull move can continue, the brokerage firm said. According to analysts, post-elections, the markets will shift focus to the Budget. Considering that the upcoming Budget will be the last full Budget by the NDA before the 2019 General Elections, there will be every temptation for the government to try and appease the voters, but within the permissible limits.We believe that while there could be feel-good announcements, the exercise in general would be a fine balancing act, said Manglik added. DEHRADUN: Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah for the partys victory in the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. We (the BJP) won the assembly election in Gujarat and Himachal owing to the clean administration given by the Prime Minister, Rawat said. Besides, the poll strategy planned by our party chief also ensured our partys victory in the two states. Uttarakhand would benefit from the BJPs victory in Himachal Pradesh just as it was in the case of Uttar Pradesh, he said. Ever since our party came to power in that state (UP), some 36 canals had been handed over to us, he said, referring to the cases pertaining to the disputed cases that had been pending between the two states since 2000. Similarly, a hotel run by the tourism department has will also be handed over to us soon, as the related formalities are now in final stages, Rawat said, referring to Alaknanda hotel in Haridwar. On the possible agreement on the disputed assets pertaining to the transport department, he said talks were on with Uttar Pradesh. We will also hold talks with other neighbouring states where the buses of our corporation ferry passengers, Rawat said, referring to Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. We also expect positive outcomes relating to the proposed hydropower projects that are to be built in collaboration with that Himachal. Rawat said his government initiated a number of schemes pertaining to education, drinking water and health during the past nine months in power. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Directorate of Education (DoE) in Delhi is planning a push for inclusive education, with more special educators, resource centres, and zonal and district supervisors to ensure that no child is left behind. In Delhi, there are around 11,672 students with different needs studying in 952 of the 1,028 government-run schools. There are 1,024 sanctioned and notified posts for special educators to cater to the needs of these kids, of which 767 posts are already filled. Among those, 434 are regular teachers and 333 are guest teachers, according to Ajay Kumar Singh, the state coordinator for Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS). Even though there were not enough special educators, each one of the 952 schools got the services of one, because we shared resources between schools and ensured that all of them got at least partial services, with visiting special educators, said Singh. Saumya Gupta, the director of education, said the remaining posts will also be filled within 10 days or so, as the high court lifted the stay on hiring new guest teachers earlier this month. For the remaining 257 vacant posts, we have a panel of 1,344 applications. The documents of these candidates have already been verified and their merit lists have been prepared at the district level, said Singh, while adding that if all the 1,024 posts are filled, essentially all schools would have at least one special educator. However, the DoE is looking to drive up the ratio of special educators to schools, and hopes to have at least two special educators in every school. An additional 1,080 posts have been approved by the administration reform department, and will be forwarded to the financial department for concurrence. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal will then be forwarded the proposal for approval, after which the posts will be notified. Of the 1,080 posts, we will be looking at 724 trained graduate teachers, and 300 post graduate teachers. So we will have an additional 1,024 special educators. We are also looking to hire 12 resource centre coordinators, 29 zonal supervisors, 12 district supervisors, and three assistant directors of inclusive education, said Singh. DoE is also planning on opening 14 resource centres, one in each of the 12 districts and two at the headquarters, to provide speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy services for the children with special needs. Students would be able to visit the centre in their district for any therapeutic services they may need once every week. We already have the equipment for these centres. In fact, for four, we also have the rooms set up, and we are hopeful that these will start functioning soon, maybe even as early as January 2018, said Singh. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A flagging legal system that is unable to keep up with the pressures of increased reporting of cases, shortage of judges, victims turning hostile, and false allegations have resulted in a steady decline in conviction rates for rape in Delhi, despite amended laws, fast track courts and increased awareness about the issue, says experts. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of rape cases reported in the Capital almost tripled from 706 in 2012 to 2,199 in 2015 and 2,155 in 2016. The police have attributed the ease of registering cases and increased sensitivity to them for the positive trend. However the conviction rate has been dropping steadily from 49.3% in 2012 to 35.7% in 2013, 34.5% in 2014 and 29.7% in 2015. The NCRB is yet to release the data for 2016. Ranjana Kumari, one of the many experts in the field who had presented arguments before the Justice Verma Commission that was set up post December 16, 2012, gang rape case, said procedural delays are the major reasons behind low conviction rates. Even in the December 16 case, if you talk to the mother, she will tell you that she is still waiting for justice. They claim we have fast track courts, but there isnt anything fast about them. A major consequence of the delayed process is that the victim many a times, loses faith and turns hostile, she said. A police officer in Chennai had allegedly demonstrated that with delay there were less chances of conviction, according to retired Delhi High Court Chief Justice AP Shah, as the prosecutions ability to get witnesses reduces and the chances of tampering with evidence increases. So, what causes the delay? One reason that many point to is the high reporting, and the increased flow of cases to these fast tack courts. We definitely need more judges, recruited and promoted based on adherence to constitutional values like womens freedom. Justice Gita Mittal has been bringing more focus to gender trainings once they are in. Though the lower courts are doing better, the high court becomes a bottleneck, said Karuna Nundy, a noted lawyer. Justice Shah finds some substance to this argument. There is increased pressure, and we definitely have few judges. If you take the judge to population ratio or even judge to crime ratio, it is not promising. We have failed miserably in introducing a case management system... The high court is also definitely a bottleneck, but it is everywhere. There is a paucity of judges, especially those that deal with criminal cases, said Justice Shah, who added that you would find minimum number of benches handling criminal cases in the high courts. The retired judge, who has also served as the chairperson of the Law Commission of India, also said that fast-track courts did not have the desired result. The fast-track courts which were supposed to help give victims faster respite do not always follow due process, according to Justice Shah. This makes their sentences less immune to challenges, says Nundy. The police and the prosecution have also been held responsible for the dip in conviction. While Kumari spoke of how the police submit bad reports without proper investigation, Shah spoke of false prosecution. The Delhi Police, however, said as they are now obligated to register and chargesheet any complaint that a woman raises because of the changed legislation, they cannot filter out false allegations, thereby driving the conviction rates down. Also, in Delhi, in around 97% of the rape cases, the victim and the accused know each other. They may be neighbours, friends, family members or relatives, so sometimes the victim also rescinds their statement in court, said Madhur Verma, the Delhi Police spokesperson. Whatever the reason, one concurs that it needs to be fixed. Shah probably sums it up best, calling for a detailed study into the reasons for different acquittals. Criminal justice is on the verge of collapse. (Because of the delays and its consequences) in the long run, the people suffer. The victims lose faith in the system. And the innocent accused languishes in jail, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 16-year-old girl was gangraped while her male friend was beaten up and robbed by three men on Saturday evening in a park in northwest Delhis Shalimar Bagh. More than 24 hours after the incident, police are yet to identify the three rapists. The incident was reported exactly five years since the December 16, 2012 gang rape case in which a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was assaulted inside a bus in south Delhi triggering protests across the country and change in rape laws. The teenager, who works as a domestic help, had gone to the Beri Wala park in Shalimar bagh with her male friend, aged around 18-19 years. According to their complaint, around 6.30 pm inside the park, they spotted three men who approached them. Police said the girl did not know any of the accused. The couple alleged that the men taunted them for coming to the park in the evening. When the young man protested, the three allegedly assaulted him and snatched his cell phone. They allegedly damaged the phone and threw it in the nearby bushes. Police said the three then took then turns to sexually assault the girl. The girls male friend, who works as a peon in a private company, reportedly told the police that he had also shouted for help but there was no one in the park. The three alleged rapists left the couple in the park, threatening them not to inform the police. Police said they were told about the incident by the girl who reached home and told her parents about it. The matter was reported at the Shalimar Bagh police station at around 11.30 pm. Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma said the girls medical examination confirmed rape but did not comment on the extent of the injuries. She was admitted to the hospital briefly and was treated for her injuries she had sustained during the assault. She was provided counselling and her statement was recorded, he said. Police have registered a case of gang rape, abduction, causing hurt, and under sections of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police said they have formed several teams to track down the suspects. Investigating officials said the alleged rapists possibly took advantage of the dense bushes in the park. The park is also poorly lit, police said. Police suspect the three accused could be drug addicts or local criminals from the area who loiter in the park after sunset. When Prince Kapoor received his much-awaited degree certificate from the Delhi University on Saturday, he was in for a surprise. While the university had named him correctly in English, in Hindi he had been anointed Rajkumar Kapoor. I got my certificate, and when I looked at it, I was surprised to see my name. They seem to have translated my name from English to Hindi. So Prince became Rajkumar, said the 25 year old who had graduated from a BCom programme at the School of Open Learning in 2015. The degree certificate was a major milestone for Prince, who had enrolled in the course in 2010 and had taken five years to complete it. I dont understand how it could have happened. You dont translate names. I dont know what to do now, said Harvinder Kapoor, Princes father. CS Dubey, the director of the distance learning institution, however, did not seem surprised by the incident. This happens sometimes. It happens in regular colleges too. When you have to issue as many as 400,000 certificates, one or two errors are possible. And the names are written by hand, and it is first written in English and then in Hindi, so it must be just a human error. They can just apply for a correction and they will be issued a corrected certificate, said Dubey. Prince said that he will be going to the university on Monday to apply for the changes. It is a little difficult, having to go back and forth to get this fixed. But in the future, when I apply for jobs and all that, it will be a bigger problem, if I dont get it fixed. So I will have to do it, said Prince. The body of a man cut into three pieces and stuffed in a jute bag was found in a drain in West Gorakh Park area near Welcome in northeast Delhi on Monday morning. The identity of the man, aged around 30 years, could not be established till late evening, said police. AK Singla, deputy commissioner of police (northeast), said the crime came to their notice at around 10am through a call made to the police control room. A local resident, who was passing by the drain, spotted blood coming out of a jute bag and alerted other residents. One of the residents called the police control room. A team from the Welcome police station reached there and took out the bag from the drain. The sack was opened and a mans body cut in three pieces was found. The mans clothes were intact but no identification documents were found. Prima facie it appears that his throat was slit with a sharp weapon and then the same weapon was used to cut his body. Those who committed the crime apparently wanted to hide the victims identity and mislead us in the probe, said a police officer associated with the investigation. DCP Singla said that a case of murder has been registered at the Welcome police station and investigations are underway. The body has been preserved in the mortuary of Guru Teg Bahadur hospital for the next seventy-two hours. Investigators are contacting police stations across Delhi-NCR and preparing a list from their missing persons complaints from the last three-four days of men in the age group of 25 and 35 years. We will examine the details and photographs of the missing persons to identify the man whose body we found in the bag, the officer added. Police are also examining footage of CCTV cameras installed in vicinity of the drain to identify the suspects who dumped the bag containing the body in the drain. Acute respiratory infections (ARI) claimed the maximum number of lives in Delhi in 2016 when the National Capital experienced its one of the worst pollution episodes in recent times compared to previous years. Delhi witnessed its worst smog in 17 years in 2016. Fumes from stubble-burning regions, firecrackers burnt during Diwali, local pollution from vehicles and unfavourable meteorological conditions had taken a heavy toll on Delhis air quality in November and December. At least 207 people had died in Delhi in 2016 because of ARI. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, the number of deaths related to such infections were 175, 106 and 133, respectively. Delhis is the third highest death toll in the country in 2016, after Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. While 822 people died in UP, 635 died in West Bengal in the same year. This data was submitted to Lok Sabha on Friday by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change. Earlier, a British Medical journal -- The Lancet -- had stated that more than half-a-million Indians were estimated to have died prematurely in 2015 due to high levels of PM 2.5, which can penetrate deep into the lungs, triggering a range of respiratory and cardiac ailments. Union environment and forest minister Harsh Vardhan had, however, recently claimed that ultimately these studies have to be India-centric. To attribute any death to a cause like pollution may be too much. The ministry told Parliament that even though cases of ARI across India shot up from 32.7 million in 2013 to 40.3 million in 2016, the number of deaths had not registered a consistent increase year on year in the same period. Interestingly, the number of ARI cases in Delhi showed a decline from 3,90,170 in 2013 to 3,30,643 in 2105. In 2016, it, however, shot up to 3,51,072. Central Pollution Control Board data shows that out of 273 cities across India where the countrys apex pollution control body monitors pollution levels, Delhi witnessed the second highest concentration of PM10 next only to Jharia, a town in Jharkhand, known for its choking fumes and dust coming out from coal mines. While the annual concentration of PM10 in Jharia was 280ug/m3, Delhi was just two notches below at 278ug/m3. As far as PM2.5 levels are concerned, Delhi registered the second highest concentration after Chandigarh. The annual concentration of PM2.5 in Delhi was 118. This means the levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were more than three times the annual safe standards of 60 and 40, respectively. Meteorological conditions along with human activities play a crucial role in determining the air quality of Delhi. It has also been seen that weather phenomenon across the international boundary, including dust storms in West Asia, also affect the citys pollution levels, said D Saha, head of the air quality laboratory at CPCB. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Delhi Police carried out a reconstruction of last Saturdays gang rape in Shalimar Bagh, where a 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and her male friend allegedly beaten up by three men, by taking the victims to the scene of the crime. The girl was taken to the park on Sunday, while her 18-year-old male friend was taken to the location on Monday so they could provide their respective accounts of how events panned out on the evening of December 16. Officials said there were slight differences in the versions narrated by the girl and the boy. Investigators added that the discrepancies may be due to the fact that the girl has been in a state of trauma over the past two days, while her friend appeared to be more composed. An investigator, who has been in touch with the survivor and her family over the past few days but did not wish to be named, told HT that said that the 16-year-old is in a fragile state of mind. This prevents her from clearly replying to our questions. When asked to recall the sequence of events, the memories of the brutal sexual assault kept coming back to her and she has not been able to share much till Monday afternoon, said the police officer who is a part of the investigating team. However, her friend when he was taken to the park on Monday provided his account calmly, officials added. Investigators said that they were also probing if he knew the three men and had hidden this fact from the girl. They were also looking into the fact that he told her not to share the details of the sexual assault with anyone. Both of them have said they did not know the three accused. However, she told us that she saw the accused outside the park on a motorcycle, but he doesnt recall seeing them. He also claimed that he fell unconscious after being hit once, whereas he doesnt have any injury marks from the attack. We will need to verify these claims, said the officer. Police had not made any arrests till Monday evening even as they said efforts were being made to trace the absconding suspects. At the park, the girl was asked to identify the location and police officers also spoke to her about the appearance of the accused and if they said anything to her. The girl is learnt to have told the investigators that the accused were talking in a dialect which appeared to resemble Bhojpuri. She also told the police she shared her ordeal with her mother on Saturday evening itself against the alleged advice of her friend. Her father, a carpenter, was not in town, the mother took her to the police station. Deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Aslam Khan said that the police was making efforts to trace the accused but there were no concrete leads as of Monday. School children in remote parts of Pallia and Nighasan blocks on Indo-Nepal border will no longer have to burn the midnight kerosene oil for studying. Reason: SoULS or Solar Urja through Localisation for Sustainability a joint initiative of the Union ministry for new and renewable energy (MNRE) and IIT Bombay is likely to change the face of villages, which have no electricity supply. They will provide 90,000 subsidised solar lights to students of Pallia, Nighasan and Lakhimpur blocks. UP project head of IIT-Bombay Shailendra Dwivedi told HT, Under MNRE guidelines, the IIT-Bombay in association with UP National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) will be distributing 34 lakh solar lights to schoolchildren till class 12 in 29 districts of UP. The project has also become a source of livelihood for women of self-help groups of these blocks as they have started assembling solar lights from December 15 following their training by IIT-Bombay experts. EESL is providing material to assemble the lights. Deputy commissioner NRLM Ajay Pandey told HT, 80 women self-help group members have been engaged to assemble the solar lights, which will be sold to school children at subsidized rates of Rs 100 per unit against their actual cost of Rs. 700. The SHG members assembling and distributing the solar light would earn Rs 12 and Rs 17 per unit respectively. Notably enough, SoULS project covering UP, MP, Odisha, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh has earned the PM Award in Dungarpur (Rajasthan) this year for its successful implementation. A 26-year-old man has been charged with stealing an entire ATM from a Billings hotel, and hes the suspect in another ATM theft from late October, according to the Billings Police Department. Anthony William Felton made an initial appearance on the felony theft charge in Yellowstone County Justice Court on Monday. Justice of the Peace Jeanne Walker set bond at $35,000. Felton spent more than four hours removing the machine from the La Quinta Inn and Suites at midday on Dec. 9, according to charges. Surveillance footage captured Felton entering the hotel through the front doors at 3 p.m. Felton walked down a hallway, upstairs and back down to the main floor before working to remove the machine. Police detectives identified Felton as the suspect by comparing the surveillance footage to his mug shot, charges state. The man eventually unbolted the machine from the floor, and hotel cameras captured him dragging the machine out through doors on the side of the building at 7:20 p.m. The machine was worth an estimated $3,960, the owner told Billings Police Department detectives. That includes $1,360 of cash inside the machine. Cash Link owns the machine, a GenMega ATM. The machines can weigh up to 325 pounds, depending on the model. In an interview at the jail with a police detective, Felton admitted to stealing the ATM, according to charges. Felton is also the suspect in an ATM theft from Halloween morning. At around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 31, a man, covered with a face mask, entered the casino at the Red Lion Hotel and Convention Center, 1233 Mullowney Lane, according to BPD Detective Steve Hallam. The man broke into three gambling machines, stealing roughly $10, before turning his attention to the ATM, Hallam said. The man could be seen in surveillance footage dragging the ATM from the casino, the detective said. The thief spent about 45 minutes inside. The casino was closed at the time of the theft. Hallam said that Felton is known to law enforcement and they identified him as the suspect in the October theft based on similarities with the La Quinta theft, where video footage was available. No charges have yet been filed in the October theft, and the investigation is ongoing. The higher the bond, the longer we can keep him in, the better off the citizens of Billings will be, Hallam said, of Felton. The ATM from the Red Lion contained $2,500 in cash at the time of the theft, Hallam said. Neither ATM has been recovered yet. Felton was arrested Thursday night on the shoulder along Interstate 94 after a foot-chase with sheriffs deputies, according to Yellowstone County Undersheriff Kevin Evans. Deputies had staked out a residence in Lockwood off of Dickie Lane earlier in the night, Evans said. At some point, Felton ran from the mobile home and drove away in a red Suzuki SUV. After law enforcement stopped the SUV, Felton then ran and was eventually brought down using a Taser. Felton is a suspect in multiple burglaries the Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office is investigating, Sheriff Mike Linder said Friday. Roorkee About 196 companies have made about 822 offers to students of Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee during the institutes placement season. Hirers have looked for diverse profiles - from those of software engineers to geologists and geophysicists. Companies like Goldman Sachs, Tower Research, Uber, Samsung, Maruti, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Bajaj Auto, Hero, Mahindra & Mahindra, Directi, Walmart, Societe Generale, Texas Instruments, Intel, Oxane Partners, Accenture, ITC Ltd., Schlumberger, ONGC, ISRO, IOCL, C-DOT, DE Shaw, L&T, JP. Morgan, Flipkart, Qualcomn, Oracle, Bain, Citicorp Services India Pvt. Ltd, among others, have made the offers, a release from the institute said. When it came to core and non-core offers, 288 offers were made in the former category and 534 in non-core. The Institute has so far received 13 international offers from renowned companies like Microsoft, WebStaff and Mercari. This year, 34 start-ups have registered for placements. IIT Roorkee also saw participation from PSUs namely: ONGC, ISRO, IOCL and C-DOT. The profiles selected included those of analyst, applications engineer, geologist, geophysicist, member of technical staff, associate applications developer, management trainee, assistant technical, scientist, graduate trainee engineer, platform engineer, GET, MT, PGET, software engineer, officer/engineer, senior software engineer, member technical, software developer engineer, business analyst, analog engineer, digital engineer, software engineer, and young technical leader. Italian designer Stefano Gabbana, one half of the iconic Dolce & Gabbana brand, said Sunday that he was tired of being labelled by his sexuality. I dont want to be called gay, because Im simply a man... full stop, the 55-year-old said in an interview with Italys Corriere della Sera daily. The word gay was invented by those who need to label people, and I dont want to be identified by my sexual choices, he said. Gabbana launched the luxury fashion label in 1984 with his partner Domenico Dolce, and although they separated in 2004, the couple continued to work together. I thought that I could help spread a new culture as a famous person, a culture no longer based on gay rights but on human rights. We are human beings before being gay, heterosexual or bisexual, Gabbana said. The Milanese couturier said gay associations often serve as a defence, but I dont want to be protected by anyone, because Ive done nothing wrong. He said he realised he was homosexual aged 18, when his girlfriend who I really liked came to visit him for a weekend in Milan, but when they went dancing he was watching the men more than her. I had known (about being gay) for a while, but I didnt have the courage to admit it. Only through therapy did I realise that there had been clear signs in my childhood. I wanted to play alone... because I felt different from the other children and I feared that if we were together they would realise. And they would tell my mother, he added. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Hearing two writ petitions in connection with the matter of fee hike by schools, one by the Delhi Public School Ghaziabad (DPSG) school parents association, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday, ordered additional chief secretary (Education), Haryana to constitute a committee on or before December 31, to draft a report in the matter. The court said the committee should furnish its report on or before February 28, 2018. The parents will, however, have to clear the arrears which are due from 2014-15 onwards on or before February 28, 2018, the court said. The schools shall file undertakings (by the head of the body which governs them) that in case the committee, to be appointed, determines that any fee which has been obtained by them was excessive and unjustified, they would be liable to refund the excess money which they have collected and would have no objection if the property of the institution has to be sold for that purpose. This order has come as a setback for parents who said they will not pay the fee and will protest against the order. Our plan of action is confidential as of now, but its for sure that we are not going to pay the hike in fee. We are not in a capacity to pay the fee and the government has to intervene in the matter now. With due respect to the court, the order has hurt parents sentiments, said DK Mishra, a parent. It seems parents have to beg or take a loan from the bank to fund childrens education. Parents had chosen ChiranJiv Bharati School (previous name of DPSG) in their best capacity as per their income but such a fee hike by DPSG is unjustified. What law or committee will decide is sub-judice but where will a common man go for their kids education? he said. The court order further said, it would be appropriate if the ACS, constitutes a committee which would probe the issue of fee being demanded by the respondent schools, till such time as the government puts into place an amended rule as has been submitted before the court. Until the time the committee decides the issue of justification, the parents will pay the fee demanded by the schools. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in Gujarat thanks to its strategy and some help from its chief rival. Here are five reasons for its success. Narendra Modis popularity: Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity remains undiminished in Gujarat even though his successors--first Anandiben Patel and now Vijay Rupani--had a rather dismal record as the states chief minister. Modi addressed 34 rallies in the state and was the single most important factor that helped the BJP to beat 22 years of anti-incumbency. BJPs superior strategy: A lot of planning went into the partys poll preparations. Starting with engineering defections in the Congress camp that almost tripped senior party leader Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha elections in August, the BJP sought to clean up its own stable by denying tickets to about one-third of its unpopular legislators. When it realised that it could not take Patidars traditional loyalty to it for granted, it shifted focus on the other backward classes (OBCs). It also successfully changed the debate from development to Gujarats asmita (identity) and patriotism. Management of GST fallout: With growing signs of restlessness in industrial clusters over the rollout of the goods and services tax (GST), the ruling party went on an overdrive to mollify traders and businessmen by reducing GST rates on certain items and publicising the long-term benefits of the indirect tax regime. These measures did work as was evident from the partys sweep of the polls in Surat, the epicenter of anti-GST agitations. Helping hand from the Congress: Just when the opposition seemed to be pushing the ruling party in the corner with its sustained focus on development or the lack of it, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyars neech admi jibe at Modi gave a big opportunity to the saffron party to change the narrative. The Prime Minister was quick to link it with Gujarats asmita (pride) even as the BJP machinery launched a campaign to project it as an insult to backward classes. Just two days before the first phase of polling on December 9, the debate over neech admi overshadowed that on development. Organisational strength: With a well-oiled machinery in place down to the grassroots level, the BJP, unlike the Congress, was able to transmit its messages to party cadres and people in real time. This organizational strength also helped the party galvanize its supporters as also fence-sitters to polling booths on the days of elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defeated the Congress to regain power in Himachal Pradesh on Monday, winning close to two-thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member assembly. But the party may have to look for a chief minister as its candidate for the post, Prem Kumar Dhumal, trailed in the Sujanpur constituency to the Congresss Rajinder Singh Rana, who used to be the senior politicians election manager and knows his family well. Dhumal called the BJPs win a great victory but refused to speak about his result, which had not been announced until late night; Dhumal lost by 1919 votes to his once-protege and Congress leader Rajinder Rana. Senior BJP leaders rushed to New Delhi, apparently to discuss a new candidate for the top post with the national leadership. The results stuck to the pattern of Himachal Pradeshs voters bringing the BJP or the Congress to form the government alternately after every election since 1985. The Congress, led by six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh, won 21 seats. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) took one seat and the remaining two went to Independent candidates. Singh accepted the partys defeat. I own responsibility Its the peoples decision to make one victorious. This is their right, he said. The BJP got around 49% of the votes, while 42% went to the Congress in the polls that registered record 75.28% polling in the state. The Congress and the BJP had won 36 and 26 seats respectively in the 2012 polls. This election will be remembered for the defeat of several stalwarts, of which 73-year-old Dhumal was one, and the victory of a new generation leaders such as the Virbhadras son Vikramaditya Singh, who won from Shimla (rural), a seat his father used to represent. The chief minister contested from Arki and won. State BJP chief Satbir Satti and former Rajya Sabha member Maheshwar Singh were prominent losers from the BJP. The Congress list includes Sudhir Sharma, Kaul Singh Thakur, Chander Kumar, Gangu Ram Mushafir and transport minister GS Bali. For almost two decades, the Congress and BJP have fought almost every assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state under the leaderships of Singh and Dhumal. Singh was pushing to return to the helm for the seventh time, while Dhumal is trying to silence detractors within the party as he was marginalised after the 2012 defeat. The BJP made him its chief ministerial candidate a week before the state voted on November 9. Arch rival Singh rubbed it in on Monday: I feel sorry for Dhumal and state BJP chief Satpal Satti. Even the Modi magic couldnt help them. The BJP projected Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the face of its campaign, but changed tack when the Congress highlighted the hardship people faced from the demonetisation exercise and the goods and services tax (GST). The BJP spoke about development and corruption charges against chief minister Singh. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam today said the BJPs victory in Gujarat was not because of the people in the state but because of EVMs. He also termed electronic voting machines a big threat to Indian democracy. When the entire Gujarat was against the BJP and empty chairs could be seen during the Prime Ministers poll rallies, this victory for the BJP is not by the people of Gujarat but by the EVMs. Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam addressing to media at MRCC office, in Mumbai, India. We suspected this right from the beginning. All beware, this is a big threat to Indian democracy, the president of the Mumbai unit of the Congress said in a tweet. The former Lok Sabha MP also recalled an October 24 tweet in which he said the Congress will win 125-140 seats and the BJP only 40-47, contrary to opinion polls. I still stand by this tweet. This would have been the result if EVM would not have been tampered, he said on Twitter. The BJP is set to form government in Gujarat again with latest trends on the Election Commission showing the party ahead in 102 seats and the Congress in 74 seats. In the last election result in 2012, the BJP won 115 seats and the Congress 61. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to its sixth straight victory in Gujarat with an increased vote share (compared to the 2012 election), although the Congress, under its new president Rahul Gandhi, won the most seats it has in the state since 1985. The BJP won 99 seats in the 182-member assembly, giving it a clear simple majority, and the Congress 77. Development is Gujarats mantra, not division or dynasty, Modi said in a speech to party workers on Monday evening in New Delhi. He termed the victory extraordinary. It was also extraordinarily close. According to a Hindustan Times analysis, the number of votes cast for None of The Above (NOTA) in 30 constituencies was higher than the winning margin in the constituencies. The BJP won 15 of these and the Congress 13. With initial trends showing an extremely close finish, Sensex, the benchmark index of BSE, opened lower and traded around 850 points down from Fridays close before it became clear that the BJP would win Gujarat. The index closed 138 points up. The victory was also the BJPs narrowest in terms of vote share since it came to power in 1995. Its vote share was 49.1%, compared to the Congresss 41.4%. In 2002 and 2007, the BJP won more of the votes cast, 49.85% and 49.12% respectively, but they translated into more seats, 127 and 117. Ahead of the elections, the perception was that the BJP would be hurt by the coalition the Congress had built: with Patidars, who wanted reservations in jobs and colleges; other backward classes; and Dalits. There was also a belief that small businessmen in the states business belt, traditionally BJP voters, would desert the party because they had been hit by demonetisation and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax. Finally, it was expected that the agrarian crisis in the state, largely the result of falling prices of cash crops (cotton and groundnut), would hurt the party. As it turned out, only the last seemed to actually play out in the results, with the BJP winning only 19 of 48 seats in the Saurashtra region, where the agrarian crisis is most acute. The Congress won 28 seats here. In 2012, the BJP had won 30 of these seats and the Congress 15. One of the main reasons for the crisis in Gujarats agriculture, particularly Saurashtra, is that the terms of trade have moved decisively against agriculture in the past four years. This is a summary measure of farm incomes. Prices have crashed for a slew of cash crops like groundnut and even cotton, said economist YK Alagh. If the BJP still won, it was because of its hold over urban constituencies. It won 46 of the 56 urban constituencies in the state. That meant that it won only 53 of the 126 rural ones, low even for a party that has traditionally fared better in urban areas. Experts also attributed the BJP win to Modi, who, like the Congresss Gandhi, crisscrossed the state. Towards the peak of his campaign, between the first and the second phases, he lashed out at the Congress, turning to his advantage Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyars reference to him as neech (lowly); another Congress leader Kapil Sibals appearance for a litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi case in the Supreme Court and plea that the court hear the case only after the 2019 election; and an informal meeting at Aiyars house involving Pakistans former foreign minister, its high commissioner to India, the former prime minister of India Manmohan Singh, the former vice president of India Hamid Ansari, and several former diplomats. On Monday, after the results were announced, Modi returned to his development narrative. The BJPs win has shown that people are ready for reforms and will embrace good performance, he said. That should please investors and business people concerned that its Gujarat performance could encourage the BJP to turn populist ahead of elections in key states next year. The Congress, meanwhile, seemed energised by its performance with party leader Ashok Gehlot, who was in charge of the campaign in Gujarat, terming it a moral victory. Our cadre is enthused and leadership is emboldened. We will take the BJP head-on with a renewed vigour, Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said. Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee termed the election results a moral defeat for the BJP. In a tweet, she suggested that the Gujarat elections could show the way to tackle the BJP in the 2019 parliamentary elections. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019, she said. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) were tampered with to ensure a victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Gujarat elections, said Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Monday, repeating allegations he has made before. There has been tampering of EVMs in Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad, hence the gap is very less wherever tampering happened, said Patel as results showed BJP is headed for another term in Gujarat. The EVMs from which the candidates were winning with 300 votes, after recounting the winning candidate lost by a margin of over 6,000 votes, he was quoted by IANS as saying. Look at Japan, Israel, Germany, they still use ballot papers despite having advanced technology, he said. They won using dirty tricks, by using money power in the state. Patel, who supported the Congress in the Gujarat elections, had on Sunday alleged EVMs can be hacked. It would make people laugh but no one will consider what I say. If the human body, which has been created by god, can be fiddled with, why cannot EVMs? If ATMs can be hacked, why not EVMs? he had tweeted. In Mumbai, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said credit for the BJPs victory in Gujarat should go to EVMs. We suspected this right from the beginning. All beware, this is a big threat to Indian democracy, he tweeted. The Election Commission rejected the allegations. Questions being raised about EVMs have already been answered by us in the media. VVPATs were there in every polling stations in Gujarat, which enabled voters to see whom they voted for, so issues being raised arent right. I assure that EVMs cannot be tampered with, said Achal Kumar Joti, chief election commissioner. Maheshbhai Chotubhai Vasava, the candidate with most number of criminal cases registered against him in Gujarat elections, won the Dediapada seat by over 83,026 votes on Monday. Vasava, president of the Bharatiya Tribal Party, is named in 24 criminal cases, including two of murder and one of attempt to murder. He is president of the newly formed Bharatiya Tribal Party, which allied with the Congress in the Gujarat elections and won two seats. Vasava and his father, tribal leader Chhotubhai, were found guilty of beating up a Congress leader in 2009 and sentenced them to three-year imprisonment, says this report. Congress candidate Kiritkumar Patel, who has 12 criminal cases aginst him, won from the Patan constituency, reported The Hindu. Nationalist Congress Party candidate Kadhalbhai Jadeja, who has 11 criminal cases filed against him, won in Kutiyana. BJP leader Shailesh Mehta, who is named in 11 criminal cases, won in Dabhoi. An analysis of the affidavits of candidates in fray for both phases of the Gujarat assembly elections had revealed that 38 Congress candidates faced serious criminal charges. There was a 10% rise in candidates with serious criminal charges when compared to the partys candidates for the 2012 assembly polls. The Congresss percentage went from 12% to 22%, said the analysis conducted by two NGOs - Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Gujarat Election Watch(GEW). In 2012, 21 Congress candidates out of 171, that is 12%, were facing such serious charges. This time, as many as 38 candidates out of 174 candidates, that is 22%, are facing such charges, the analysis showed. The BJPs percentage, at 13%, has remained the same, said the NGOs. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy on Monday approached the Kerala high court with a plea to quash Justice G Sivarajan (retd)s judicial probe report into the solar scam, submitted to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier this year. The multi-crore solar energy investment fraud that rocked the then Chandy government in 2013 was led by Saritha Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan, as it came to light that a section of the CMs office had links with the couple. Following a huge outcry from the then Left opposition, Chandy himself appointed the judicial commission to probe the scam with clear terms of reference. Speaking to IANS, Chandy confirmed that he had taken the judicial route to ensure that this probe report was quashed as violations had taken place. Yes, I have approached the high court to get it quashed as there have been violations in the manner in which it went about the probe, said Chandy. Vijayan, on the day of the Vengara assembly poll on October 11, informed the media that the judicial report had been accepted, adding that cases would be registered against Chandy and all others based on the letter of Saritha Nair that she was sexually exploited. Following this, Vijayan on November 9 called a special one-day session of the Kerala Assembly as that is the official way to place the report of any judicial probe in the House. With this, the report became a public document and since then Chandy and other Congress leaders, including Lok Sabha members ande legislators, named in the report for having links with Saritha Nair, were waiting for an opportune moment to take steps to counter the report. What gave Chandy the confidence to go ahead with the petition was a legal opinion that Vijayan sought from Arijit Pasayat, a retired Supreme Court judge, which pointed out that there was little merit in the report as it was largely based on a letter from Saritha Nair. Ever since the report was submitted, Chandy was confident that this was nothing but a vindictive action, that he would fight it out and appearing for him would be senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal. Around the country, citizens who have worked to pass ballot initiatives are finding themselves frustrated by lawmakers who delay, water down or brush off what they've passed. In South Dakota, citizens are trying again to pass a government ethics measure _ and make it impossible for lawmakers to defy their will. The Rajya Sabha on Monday saw repeated disruptions and was adjourned for the day as Congress members denounced the allegations levelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against his predecessor Manmohan Singh. As the House met for the day, agitated Congress members trooped to the chairmans podium shouting slogans against Modi and the BJP after their notice to discuss the matter under Rule 267 was rejected. Under the Rule 267, the Houses listed business is suspended to discuss full time the matter for which the notice is given. You cannot reject everything every day. What are we doing here then? The charges levelled against a former Prime Minister who held office for 10 years will have to be proved. They (BJP) are answerable to the people, a miffed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said. The Congress had also pressed the matter on Friday but their notices were rejected by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu. Deputy chairman PJ Kurien adjourned the House till 12 noon amid pandemonium. But as soon as the House met again for Question Hour, the Congress MPs again raised the issue and asked Naidu to allow a discussion on the matter. Sir, you have to protect the members honour, Congress leader Anand Sharma told the Chair. As Naidu insisted on continuing with the Question Hour, the Congress MPs again came near the podium shouting slogans like Pradhan Mantri maafi mango (Prime Minister, apologise). Naidu then adjourned the House for the day. The Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) sent letters on Monday to schools where majority of students are Hindus, asking them not to celebrate Christmas. The school managements are now in a fix whether to go ahead with the celebrations or not. HJM leaders claimed: We have sent letters to all schools asking them not to organise Christmas celebrations on the campuses. The school managements may treat it as a request or warning. Many school teachers said usually people send children to school as they wanted them to be aware of other religions and culture so that they could become good and responsible citizens. Schools organise events during Holi, Diwali, Eid and Christmas in which school children take part enthusiastically. But now HJM is making attempts to discontinue this practice, which is not in accordance with Constitutional provisions, opined some teachers. HJM city president Sonu Savita, convenor Amit Raja, city secretary Punit Sharma and district vice-president Rajesh Pandit said: All schools will receive letters for not organising any event on Christmas. Three days ago, HJM leaders held a meeting where they decided to oppose Christmas celebrations in schools. Pravin Agarwal, chairman of Public School Development Society, said, As of now, we have not received any letter but opposition to any festival is unfortunate. Anurag Gupta, in-charge, parents association, said: Children should not be pushed to fanaticism. Union law minister Ravishankar Prasad on Sunday said the draft law proposing to ban instant triple talaq is associated with the issue of womens prestige, honour and justice. The Union Cabinet on December 15 gave its nod to a draft law which seeks to make the practice of instant triple talaq illegal and void and provides for a jail term for violators. The draft law banning instant triple talaq with provision of three years imprisonment for violations is associated with the issue of womens prestige, honour and justice. And the BJP is with those women who are the victims (of triple talaq practice), Prasad said. He was addressing a training camp of BJP state-level office bearers at Jamuhar village in Rohtas district. The Union minister said the country was facing challenges both on internal and external fronts, especially with neighbouring countries like China and Pakistan. Prasad said illegal immigration from neighbouring countries also poses dangers to nations political and economic stability. On internal front, the country is facing problems like unemployment, illiteracy, malnutrition and poverty, he said. Prasad exuded confidence that GDP growth rate would touch 8% next fiscal. Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Rajya Sabha member Gopal Narayan Singh also addressed the training programme. Electronic voting machines (EVM) cannot be tampered with and questioning their fairness isnt right, said the Election Commission on Monday as a Congress leader called them a big threat to Indian democracy. Questions being raised about EVMs have already been answered by us in the media. VVPATs were there in every polling stations in Gujarat, which enabled voters to see whom they voted for, so issues being raised arent right. I assure that EVMs cannot be tampered with, Achal Kumar Joti, chief election commissioner, told news agency ANI as officials began counting votes for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections. VVPAT machines (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) are used during elections to verify that the vote polled by a voter goes to the correct candidate. Joti was commenting on allegations by the Congress and other opposition parties that EVMs used in Gujarat cannot be trusted. Sanjay Nirupam, president of the Congress partys Mumbai unit, said credit for the BJPs victory in Gujarat should go to EVMs. We suspected this right from the beginning. All beware, this is a big threat to Indian democracy, Nirupam tweeted. Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who supported the Congress in the Gujarat elections, alleged EVMs can be hacked. It would make people laugh but no one will consider what I say. If the human body, which has been created by god, can be fiddled with, why cannot EVMs? If ATMs can be hacked, why not EVMs? he tweeted . Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia alleged during the first phase of Gujarat elections that all EVMs had been connected through Bluetooth to three mobile phones. Naveen Chawla, a former Chief Election Commissioner, rejected such allegations and said that political parties or candidates blame EVMs when they lose elections. I have observed that when a political party or a candidate loses, they tend to blame the machine and I think thats unfair, Chawla told ANI. We must have faith in the EC (Election Commission) and also in the courts as all of them have examined different aspects of EVM as well, he said. The BJP on Monday deputed observers for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh to oversee the selection of chief ministers in the two states it won in contrasting styles. Union finance minister Arun Jaitley and party general secretary Saroj Pandey have been sent to Gujarat, while defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and minister of steel Narendra Singh Tomar will be in Himachal Pradesh to attend the meeting of legislature parties in the two states. In Gujarat the party might continue with incumbent Vijay Rupani while in Himachal it will have to decide on a new CM as the projected candidate for the post, Kumar Dhumal, was trailing from Sujanpur seat to his once time protege Rajinder Rana by about 3,000 votes. The BJP had lost Sujanpur last time by a margin of 14166 votes. Dhumals constituency was changed at the last minute from his native place Hamirpur to boost the party in the region. As the decision came even after nominations had started, Dhumal, a four-time law maker, did not get enough time to prepare and the Congress fielded rebel BJP leader Rana, who had nurtured the constituency well. Party sources said union health minister J P Nadda, who campaigned extensively in Himachal before Dhumals name was announced, a few days before polling on November 9, is a front-runner if the party decides against appointing Dhumal. Nadda is is a sitting Rajya Sabha member. Former minister Jai Ram Thakur, who won from Seraj, is also considered a probable for the CMs post. Party sources said Thakur has backing of the RSS as he was a paracharak for a long time. Sources said Thakur has been summoned to Delhi for consultation. It is too early to rule Dhumal out, a BJP leader said, requesting anonymity. Such a situation never arose before the party in the past. If the BJP decides in favour of Dhumal as chief minister, it will necessitate a byelection to the state assembly. In Gujarat, chief minister Vijay Rupani is likely to continue as the chief minister even though names of Union minister Parshottam Rupala and Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala were also doing the rounds. Rupani is considered BJPs national president Amit Shahs choice for the CMs post. Shah told reporters at the BJP headquarters that the party had already declared -- during campaigning -- Vijay Rupani as the CM candidate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too hinted that Rupani will continue as the chief minister as he praised all those who have continued on the journey of development even after he moved to Delhi three-and-a-half years back. Rupani is a Jain, a community with around 1 per cent population share in Gujarat. BJP sources said his continuation as the chief minister allows the party to strike a balance between different communities. Rupani won his election from Rajkot West by a margin of 53,755 votes, despite a spirited campaign by Patidar leaders. An FIR was filed in Ghaziabad on Monday against real estate tycoon Sushil Ansal and 15 others, accusing them of fraud for selling a plot without having legal ownership, police said. The FIR, lodged under various sections dealing with cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy, by Uma Agrawal states that on January 9, 2012, she had bought a 153-square-metre plot in Ansals Sushant Aquapolis township to be developed alongside National Highway-24 in the Doondahera area. We have registered the complaint and investigation has been initiated, said Inspector Naresh Kumar Singh of the Vijay Nagar police station. Agrawal said that on the Ansals commitment to hand over the possession of the plot within a year, she deposited Rs 4 lakh and paid further installments taking the total to Rs 22 lakh within six months. This was half of the price of the plot, as the agreement provided for a 50% advance payment and the rest in a development-linked plan. She complained the Ansals did not fulfill their commitment and continued delaying handing over the plot. As they were not responding to her complaints, she approached the state Urban Development Minister, who asked officials to solve her problem. A month after her meeting with the minister, she received a letter from Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd, enclosing a cheque of Rs 5 lakh and informing her that they do not possess the plot and will refund the principal amount in installments. In shock at losing her money and the income from interest if she had deposited it in a bank, Agrawal approached a chartered accountant, who calculated the total loss at Rs 50 lakh. She subsequently refused to accept the cheque and filed the FIR. It is not a case of delaying possession but a case of cheating... The promoters (Ansals and others) sold the land on merely layout plan without having land ownership which they admitted after five years of sale.. they are liable to be punished for committing fraud, she said. The state election commission has pulled up the firm that was responsible to ensure webcast of all polling stations on November 9, the day when Himachal Pradesh went to polls, for its failure to provide the facility. In its report to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the state election body has stated that the Gujarat-based firm lacked adequate manpower and technical support. The inquiry has revealed that webcasting was done only from around 500 polling stations against the target of doing it from 2,307 poll stations in the state. Even in the booths where webcasting was done, it was not very successful. Webcasting of the polls was to be carried out to ensure regular monitoring of all polling stations. Himachal Pradesh election results LIVE: PM Modi flashes victory sign as BJP takes comfortable lead over Congress Sources said the firm, Epitome Corporation Ltd, had sublet the task to local firms who did not have power backups. Besides power, Epitome Corporation Ltd also did not have any server backup and on the polling day the server was down. Furthermore, it did not have sufficient equipment and at some polling booths it even tried to livestream the activities using tablets and laptops. However, this was not the first election where the firm was rendering its service. During the Punjab assembly election, the firm had webcasted proceedings on the polling day. Five firms had applied for the tender, of which Epitome Corporation Ltd qualified on the parameters listed by the ECI. We have submitted our report to the ECI. Now it is for the top poll body to take a call on the matter, said chief electoral officer Pushpendra Rajput. He added that webcasting will also be done on Monday when votes will be counted at 48 stations across the state. Sources said that after the November 9 goof-up, the ECI has asked the state election commission to ensure webcasting from seven counting centres (15%). So far, the state poll body has reportedly completed trial on about 20 centres. For the counting day, the ECI has issued additional guidelines on the quality of cameras that are to be installed, among others. Earlier, there was no specification about the type of cameras, but this time we have procured internet protocol cameras for the counting day. ECI will coordinate from the head office and other arrangements have been done by the district administrations, sources said. Meanwhile, an official involved in the matter, on condition of anonymity, said, Despite the glitch on November 9, there was no financial loss. The security amount submitted by the firm is deposited with the ECI. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Trends from the Gujarat assembly election results have thrown up a rural-urban voting divide, despite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surmounting tough challenges in a very bipolar contest with the Congress. About 94% of the votes were split up between the incumbent BJP and its main rival, the Congress. The Congress had hoped to sweep rural areas. It did not quite do that but managed a marginal edge. Early indicators showed how rural and urban Gujarat voted. About 98 seats in the 182-member assembly fall in rural areas. Map | Gujarat assembly election live results 2017 According to preliminary data, the Congress gained about one percentage point more rural seats than the BJP. The BJP won or led in 54 rural assembly segments, while the Congress was firmly saddled in 67. Opposite trends held in urban seats as the Congress managed to win or was winning in only 10 urban seats, compared to the BJPs 46. The Congress largest gains came from the countryside, particularly Saurashtra, a predominantly rural belt comprising 11 districts and a third of the states area. In this region, the Congress won or was leading in 32 seats, compared to 27 of the BJP. This translates to a loss of 15 seats for the BJP and a gain of 13 for the Congress. Gujarat has been in the grip of a farm crisis for much of the last five years, as droughts in 2014 and 2015 shrivelled crops in many districts, including in the drought-prone Saurashtra. Although Gujarat is an urbanised industrial state, agriculture is the primary occupation of nearly 49% of the states population, comprising 3.9 million households, according to the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). This shows slow movement from the farm sector to non-farm employment, which is quite the accepted path of economic development. The state has one of the highest levels of indebted farm households at 43% despite high growth over the years. This is just two percentage points below the all-India average farm household indebtedness of 45%, according to the NSSO. A one-on-one correlation between an agrarian distress and rural voting, one must say, is a little exaggerated. But in Gujarat, we do have a fairly bad patch in agriculture, if not a distress, said farm economist Yoginder Kumar Alagh. Alagh said although many economists had criticised the NDA governments farm loan waivers, there was a clear deterioration in farm incomes that warranted such interventions. One of the main reasons for the crisis in Gujarats agriculture is that the terms of trade have moved decisively against agriculture in the past four years. Agricultural terms of trade, in the context of the domestic economy, refers to the ratio between the combined index of prices received by farmers in contrast to the combined index of prices paid by farmers for different items purchased. In a way, it is a measure of the difference between income and expenditure. According to Alaghs calculations, the terms of trade for all other sectors had gone up by about 20% in Gujarat, against a drop of about 5% in the farm sector. Despite market linkages, the surplus in Gujarats rural incomes is thinly spread. The monthly average income of farm households, according to the NSSO, is Rs 7,926, against an expenditure of Rs 7,672. There are two distinct characteristics of Gujarats agriculture. One it is highly commercialised, and two, it operates largely in a cooperative model. Demonetisation did affect agriculture and farmers havent been adequately compensated, Ahmedabad political analyst Maheshwari Jani said. When demonetisation was announced on November 9, 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) did not allow cooperative banks to accept the demonetised currency. Since Gujarat has a cooperative-based agriculture, credit for first-stage processing of food crops was certainly affected, says Alagh. Clearly, the decline in the BJPs seats and dissent among farmers was not enough to have caused a major upset in terms. The Congress, on the other hand, tapped into rural votes but it did not make up for its lack of inroads in urban belts. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BJP retained its grip over Gujarat but lost Unjha constituency to the Congress that includes Prime Minister Narendra Modis hometown of Vadnagar. Congress Asha Patel defeated outgoing BJP MLA Patel Narayanbhai Lalludas by a margin of over 19,500 votes in the traditional stronghold of the Patidar community. While Patel polled 81,797 votes, her BJP rival got 62,268. In 2012, Lalludas defeated Patel by nearly 25,000 votes. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the partys star campaigner, had extensively campaigned in Unjha during his Navsarjan Yatra. On his visit to the region, Gandhi also prayed at the Umiya Mata temple, close to Vadnagar where Modi was brought up. Weeks before the election process began in Gujarat where the BJP has been in power for the last 22 years, Modi inaugurated Umiya Dham Ashram in Haridwar for the pilgrims from the region visiting the Hindu holy city on the bank of the Ganges. As Narendra Modi walked on to the stage in Rajkot one evening in early December, the crowd transformed. Restless and lacklustre until then, it broke into cheers and chants. When Modi took the mike and asked Kem cho (How are you)?, the applause interspersed with the cry of Maja maa (All is well). The crowd then reciprocated and asked him how he was doing. And Modi said, Exactly as I was. After he established a connection, Modi involved the audience in a speech that moved every few minutes from Indias global to Gujarats provincial achievements. He ended with telling Rajkot, like he had told audiences elsewhere, that Gujarat had the best deal a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, and Narendra Bhai, just a phone call away, at the Centre. In those 43 minutes, it was clear that Modis bond with his people would be hard for the opposition to overcome. And that is what happened. Mondays verdict is a verdict, yet again, for Narendra Modi. The numbers show that the BJP was fragile. This was an election where the party just about made it. Let alone its stated ambition of 150 seats, it fell well short of its 2012 numbers of 115 seats. But, at the end of the day, it won. And it won only because of the prime minister. The outcome reflects the faith Gujarats electorate has in the man they consider their own, and forgive all transgressions of the BJP government in Gandhinagar. Modis campaign, vigorous as ever, offers clues about the themes he will return with to the larger electorate in 2019. The outcome has also shown how indispensable he is to the BJPs fortunes. The message The Modi campaign had four key themes. The first was, undoubtedly, vikas or development defined in broad terms of both infrastructure and welfare. When Congress began its campaigning by mocking Gujarats model of development, Modi himself gave the slogan I am vikas, I am Gujarat to emphasise that the BJP will own its development model. Modi focused on roads, water and irrigation, law and order, electrification, public expenditure on education, and industrialisation. The state-specific vikas narrative was coupled with the Centres achievements. And here, Modi made an appeal to distinct classes. To the middle-class in the cities, he spoke of the governments schemes for affordable housing and reduction of stent prices. To the poor, he spoke of new toilets and used it to demolish the Congress narrative of how his sarkar or government was one for the rich. Rally after rally, he asked, with names, whether Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani needed public toilets or if the poor needed them. Ujjwala, the LPG scheme which had resonated with the Uttar Pradesh electorate, struck a chord with Gujarats women too. Two, Modis campaign focused on how he was providing a clean government. He made both demonetisation and Goods and Service Tax (GST) fit into the larger narrative of how this was the citizens contribution to the battle against corruption. It was tricky because these economic policies had tangibly hurt ordinary voters, but by framing it as long-term good and putting his own integrity on the line, Modi was able to partly neutralise the anger. As a voter told us in Tapi, a tribal district, Modi is cleaning accumulated dirt. Three, the PM, towards the end of the campaign, infused a flavour of Hindutva. It was done sometimes subtly and sometimes crudely. By alluding to Rahul Gandhis elevation as Aurangzeb Raj, Modi was reinforcing what had been a subtext of the BJP campaign that the return of the Congress would mean the return of Muslim Raj. By picking up Kapil Sibals appearance in the Ram Janmabhoomi case and his plea that hearings be delayed, Modi was able to frame the Congress party as opposed to the temple and Gujarats Hindus, anecdotal evidence suggests, are keen on the temple in Ayodhya. By suggesting that there was a plot hatched at Mani Shankar Aiyars house between Pakistan and Congress to defeat the BJP in Gujarat, he resorted to the classic technique of the Hindu right of portraying opponents as the fifth column even as the BJP stands firm defending the national interest. All of this may not have converted sceptics but it energised the BJPs base. Finally, perhaps most crucially, by using Aiyars neech comment, the Modi made this election about himself. In one public rally, he spent 18 minutes documenting every abuse that Congress and opposition leaders had hurled at him. He told his home constituents how much pain he had encountered. Modi was asking the Gujarati electorate simple questions by the end: do you trust me; will you let me down; when everyone is against me, will you stand by me; who else but me, sitting in Delhi, can work for you? The Gujarati electorate responded with Mondays verdict. You could call it a trust vote or, as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) intellectual put it, a mercy vote for Modi. The next battle The Gujarat specifics aside, it is these four themes with which Modi will return to India in 2019. He will focus on the Centres infrastructure and welfare achievements; on anti-corruption measures; on fusing Hindutva with nationalism, and he will put himself on the line. It has worked in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat this year. And it has worked despite disruptive measures such as demonetisation and GST; despite grim economic conditions with youth disenchantment and rural distress; despite two decades of anti-incumbency in Gujarat; and despite weak local leaders. The BJP may well have reason to worry that in each election campaign, they have to rely to such an enormous degree on Modis appeal. He is their ultimate weapon and often their only weapon. And creating another generation of mass leaders, both nationally in general and in Gujarat in particular, must be an urgent task. But for now, this is another Modi moment. He will know there are key vulnerabilities that have to be addressed if he wants to remain Indias most powerful and popular leader. Today, he has saved his party; he has saved his image. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON GLENROCK Beth Roach looked out of the window of her Douglas home to see various parts of nature beginning to die off in the harsh winter temperatures. Instead of feeling glum about the weather outside, she decided to use nature to create original artwork. Roach has been creating holiday decorations and arrangements since she worked as a florist while studying at the Virginia School of Medicine. (It started) as just a job. But then I realized I had a real knack, Roach said, remarking how she got the job for necessity but soon found a place making handmade goods. Now that Roach has retired from working from her 40 years as a cardiac catheterization technician, she is able to spend time creating handmade decorations and work her shifts at the Glenrock Christmas Shoppe. Roach moved to Wyoming after getting married to her husband Jim and since she has been creating handmade art. Although she has spent only three months in Douglas, she started making artwork out of the debris from old barns Jim was hired to take down. She takes old wood and grabs bits of nature such as rocks, pine cones or leaves, and makes them into holiday themed decorations. I just think its more natural, Roach said, remarking that the fields in Wyoming have some hidden treasures that she enjoys working with. Roach would not have an outlet to sell her creations if the Christmas Shoppe hadnt been established three years ago. The shop came after Main Street and the Enterprise came together with goals of getting residents to buy from local citizens instead of going out of town. Its a challenge for us to have a well balanced base of business here that supports our local residents, Mayor Doug Frank said, remarking how Caspers close proximity can be a blessing and a curse. The temporary storefront of the Christmas shop has given local sellers and artists the opportunity to keep cash flow in Glenrock. The response was so strong this year that ideas are in the works to attempt to promote more local artisans year round. I think thats maybe something we explore more next year. Is there something we can do moving forward that supports this great artist and craftsman colony that we have here, Frank said. Local artists and businesses will have more of a chance to grow with the collaborative effort to start the new economic initiative Glenrock Up. The Glenrock Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) and Main Street collaborated to start Glenrock Up with the intention of replacing Business After Hours, a fading Chamber of Commerce program designed to bring together local businesses to work toward the common goal of economic growth. When you have a strong business community the citizens are going to see that, Building, Planning and Community Development Director Kasey Drummond said. The citizens are going to want to stay in Glenrock. They are going to want to shop in Glenrock because that success is going to rub off on everybody else. Their first meeting was Nov. 17, and more than 30 local business owners joined to discuss various means of improving Glenrocks economy. Glenrock Up directly works with GEDCs strategic plan for economic development to improve segments of businesses such as creating expansion programs and establishing relationships between business owners. Anyone who brings business to Glenrock, including those who operate from home, are invited to come to the next meeting Feb. 19, 2018. Right now there is a disconnection with everybody, Drummond said. I think its time our community and our citizens see our local businesses stepping up and being at the forefront and showing them this is why we do business in Glenrock. Creating organizations to increase economic growth and start new businesses could give Roach the upper hand to bringing more success to her natural creations. She has already started reaching out to friends and neighbors looking to learn her tricks of the trade. Every Indian election is marked by its share of rhetorical flourishes. It is through polemics that substantial issues are sometimes debated, often skirted. Gujarat 2017 offered its own share of moments and slogans which contributed to the outcome. Here are five: Vikas has gone crazy Vikas gando thayo che (Developement has gone crazy) started out as a social media slogan and was subsequently appropriated. Inelegant as it may sound in translation, the Gujarati slogan went viral and was a direct attack on the Gujarat model of development and BJPs claims of governance. It pushed the BJP on the defensive, before the party eventually came up with its own rejoinder I am Vikas, I am Gujarat to defend its record. Beneath the rhetoric, from agriculture to education, jobs to incomes, every issue was being debated and contested. Gabbar Singh Tax Like his 2015 suit boot ki sarkar jibe, Rahul Gandhis Gabbar Singh Tax description of GST stuck. It resonated with a large section of BJPs own trader base. It also forced the BJP to undergo course corrections and revise the GST structure at a meeting of the Council in Guwahati. Urban voting patterns suggest that traders remained loyal to the BJP. But Rahuls jibe did point to the stressed economic narrative of the party. The Neech remark Within minutes of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar calling Modi a neech person, the PM, at a rally, highlighted how Aiyar had called him a lowly person, from a low caste. This single insult provided the peg for the PM to make an emotional, personalised pitch to the Gujarati electorate about his roots. He projected himself as a victim of the elite in Delhi. Rahul Gandhi acted swiftly and suspended Aiyar but the damage was done. And it may have provided the last minute surge which helped BJP. Mandir or masjid On December 5, the Supreme Court began hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi case. Kapil Sibal argued that the court must postpone the case to middle of 2019. The BJP was quick to latch on to how a Congress leader was against a resolution of the case, was against the construction of the temple, and this represented Congress stance. At a time when Rahul Gandhi was hopping from temple to temple to change the Congress image, the Sibal episode gave BJP ammunition. Congress distanced itself from Sibal. But yet again, the damage was done. Given that a section of Gujarati Hindu electorate has sympathies for the Ayodhya movement, the BJPs base got energised and motivated. Aiyar dinner charge PM Modi claimed, at a rally, that a day before Aiyar made his neech comment, he hosted a dinner with former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri. This was attended by former PM Manmohan Singh and many others. Modi insinuated that given right after this dinner, Aiyar had made his comment and in the past he had alluded to removing Modi to improve India-Pakistan ties did something occur at the dinner? The hint was obvious: Was Congress hand in glove with Pakistan to sabotage BJP in Gujarat, to insult Modi, to even eliminate him? All those who attended the dinner rejected any discussion on Gujarat took place. But Modi may have succeeded, yet again, in motivating his base, and planting a doubt about the Congress being among fence sitters. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BJP is on course to retain its citadel of Gujarat for a record sixth successive term, having won 28 seats and leading in 70, latest Election Commission figures show. (Live updates) The Congress, which took the battle to the BJP in a hard-fought election, had won 21 and was leading in 57 seats, the EC website showed at 2.45pm. The majority mark in the 182-member assembly is 92. The Nationalist Congress Party bagged one seat, so did the Bharitya Tribal Party that was also leading in one constituency. Independents were leading in three, the EC data said. Chief minister Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing, won from Rajkot West beating his nearest rival, Congress Indranil Rajyaguru. Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel defeated Congress Jivabhai Patel from Mehsana. The contest in Gujarat has been much closer than was predicted by most exit polls, which foretold a bigger margin of victory for the BJP that went into elections battling an agrarian crisis and protests from its loyal Patidar vote bank. Jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every (BJP) booth workers hard work and the people who trusted development, information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani said when asked about the tough fight put up by the Congress. Stock markets that had crashed in the morning as early trends pointed to a tight finish stabilised later during the day. The BSE index was up 241 points whereas the Nifty barometer reclaimed the 10,400-mark. The outcome is not the best of the starts for Rahul Gandhis term as the Congress president, who took over from Sonia Gandhi on December 16. Gandhi led a spirited campaign by stitching up a broad coalition of caste groups, including the Patidars, disenchanted with the BJP. Backward caste leader Alpesh Thakor, who joined the Congress, in the run-up to the election won from Radhanpur. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who contested as an independent and was backed by the Congress, won Vadgam. Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who led the influential communitys stir for reservation in government jobs and education, was a year short of 25, the minimum age to contest an election. A win for the BJP would reinforce its political dominance and affirmation of Modis popularity. Senior Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Prakash Javadekar, said the polls trends reflected the impact of Modis leadership, while party leaders like Sakshi Maharaj attributed the outcome to the Prime Ministers magic. The BJP got 115 and the Congress 61 in the 2012 election. With agency inputs SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A single week in August 2015 changed Gujarats politics. A single man, irrespective of the final numbers on counting day, changed the election. It is ironical that Hardik Patel, who has given Gujarat its closest electoral fight in decades, who has unsettled the BJPs political dominance, is too young to have fought a seat on his own. (Live updates) After 13 years of dominating the Gujarati political landscape, Narendra Modi left Gandhinagar for Delhi in May 2014. Within 3 months, a Patidar agitation rocked the state. A 22-year-old Hardik mobilised hundreds of thousands of people for a rally. The state government panicked, responded with repression, and not only antagonised its core social base of Patidars but also gifted the state a new leader. Since then, the BJP has deployed every method possible to weaken Hardik hes been arrested, charged with sedition, his group has been split, and he has been kept under close surveillance. Yet, the man just did not fade away. Over the past year, first quietly and then publicly as the media picked up his appeal, Hardik travelled across Gujarat in his SUV. He did roadshows, rallies, spent time in cities and villages. He had only one message we have to teach the BJP a lesson. Back in April, he told us, I will not join Congress. Congress symbol is suicide. I will transfer all my votes to Congress. Six months later, that is what he did in an alliance with Rahul Gandhi. If the Gujarat election has turned out to be so close, it is because Hardik stole the BJPs social base. Patidars are a dominant community -- and when Patels, sitting in tea shops across rural and semi-urban pockets, critique the BJP, it has a domino effect in creating public mood. It is these young Patidars who made up for the lack of organisational backbone of the Congress. It is these young Patidars who rebelled from the old voting habits of their parents and decided to shed their old aversion to the Congress. Indeed, the original demand for reservations was not even a major issue anymore for many in the community. It was just an impulse for disruption. It was Hardik who created, stoked, and channeled these impulses. If BJPs victory margin fell in Gujarat, the entire opposition political space has one man to thank. And that one man cannot, yet, be rewarded with a formal political position. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The second phase of the Gujarat election, marked by acrimonious exchanges and rhetoric over Gujarati asmita and Congress leaders meeting with former Pakistani foreign minister and high commissioner, seems to have saved the day for the Bharatiya Janata Party. The party was leading in 59 out of 93 assembly segments spread across 14 districts of central and north Gujarat. This is seven seats more than the BJPs 2012 tally of 52 seats from this region. This was the phase where the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a high-pitched campaign in the backdrop of a meeting between top Congress leaders and Pakistan diplomats in Delhi. Addressing a rally in northern Gujarats Palanpur on December 10, a day after the first round of voting was over, Modi referred to a Facebook post by the former director general of the Pakistan army Sardar Arshad Rafiq, saying that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel should be the next Gujarat chief minister. There were media reports yesterday about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyars house. It was attended by Pakistans high commissioner, Pakistans former foreign minister, Indias former vice-president and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Modi said. The next day, Mani Shankar Aiyar said Modi was neech. This is a serious matter, he said adding that they met for almost three hours. Ahmedabad and Vadodara, two major urban centres of Gujarat, contributed the maximum to the BJPs tally of 59. It won 17 out of 21 seats of Ahmedabad and nine out of 10 in Vadodara. So, these two cities alone fetched 26 seats to the BJP in the second phase. The BJP also leads in four out of seven seats of Mehsana, Hardik Patels hometown, and four out of five in Panchmahal district. It leads over Congress in all the three seats of Chhota Udaipur district. The Congress had on December 7, the last day of the campaign for December 9 vote, suspended its leader Mani Shankar Aiyer for calling Prime Minister Modi a neech aadmi (vile man). Modi blamed it on Aiyars Mughal mentality at a rally in Surat and warned that the remarks would have consequences in the elections. The invoking of Gujarati asmita seems to have worked in favour of the BJP in the second round of voting. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A single week during the peak of the Patidar agitation in August 2015 changed Gujarats politics. A single man, who was at the forefront of the agitation, changed the election in 2017 despite being too young to contest. Hardik Patel, 24, has given Gujarat its closest electoral fight in decades and unsettled the politically dominant Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Success also came the way of two other young guns Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor the Congress banked on, but their impact was limited. Hardiks rise After 13 years of dominating the Gujarati political landscape, Narendra Modi left Gandhinagar for Delhi in May 2014. Within three months, a Patidar agitation rocked the state. Hardik mobilised hundreds of thousands of people for a rally. The state government panicked, responded with repression, and not only antagonised its core social base of Patidars but also gifted the state a new leader. Hardik went from strength to strength amid challenges. He was arrested, charged with sedition, his group split, and he was under surveillance. Yet, the man just did not fade away. Over the past year, first quietly and then publicly, as the media picked up his appeal, Hardik travelled across Gujarat in his SUV. He did roadshows, rallies, spent time in cities and villages. He had only one message We have to teach the BJP a lesson. Back in April, he told HT, I will not join Congress. Congress symbol is suicide. I will transfer all my votes to Congress. As the year winded down, that is what he did in an alliance with Congress president Rahul Gandhi. If the Gujarat election has turned out to be close, it is because Hardik stole the BJPs social base. Patidars are a dominant community and when Patels, sitting in tea shops across rural and semi-urban pockets, critique the BJP, it has a domino effect in creating public mood. It is these young Patidars who made up for the lack of organisational backbone of the Congress. It is these young Patidars who went against the old voting habits of their parents and shed their old aversion to the Congress. Indeed, the original demand for reservations was not even a major issue anymore for many in the community. It was just an impulse for disruption. The Patidar impact In rural pockets dominated by Patels, farmer distress and Patidars nearly wiped out the BJP from its Saurashtra strongholds such as Amreli and Junagadh districts. The Congress won all five seats in Amreli, all three in Morbi and made a major dent in Junagadh. Morb, Upleta and Tankara, semi-urban Patidar pockets in Saurashtras Morbi district, too went the Congress way. But a nerve centre of the Patidar agitation Surat, from where it got funds opted for the BJP. It was from Surat where Hardiks rise started two years ago. The BJP matched its 2012 tally by winning 15 of 16 seats in Surat. Hardiks appeal and agitation worked in rural Saurashtra, where Patel farmers were reeling under farm distress. But at the same time, his agitation had no effect on urban Patidar pockets of Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Surat, said political analyst Jwala Chhaya. But credit must also go to Rahul Gandhi for making inroads into Saurashtra. The BJP won in urban pockets in Ahmedabad city, where Hardik held massive rallies. The Congress lost in Nikol, where both Rahul and Hardik held public meetings. But the Congress won in Bapunagar, which saw violent protests in 2015 at the peak of the Patidar agitation. The Congress also retained Viramgam seat in Hardiks hometown. Mevani, Thakor win While Dalit leader Mevani won as a Congress-backed independent, he was largely focused on his Vadgam seat. But the BJPs Dalit ministers, Aatmaram Parmar and Ramanlal Vora, lost in the polls held a year after flogging of four Dalit youths in Una by self-styled cow vigilantes sparked statewide protests. OBC leader Thakor the third pillar in broader social coalition stitched by the Congress won from Radhanpur, but his presence did not have a sweeping effect. The BJP held on to its base in the Congress stronghold of north Gujarat. Hardik, who has been questioning the use of EVMS since the voting ended on December 14, continued to do so on Monday. We will still do recheck at the EVMs were BJP leaders won with thin margins, he told the media. Celebrations erupted at the BJP headquarters here, as trends showed the party heading for a comfortable win in Gujarat. This will be the BJPs sixth consecutive victory in the western state, demolishing a spirited challenge put up by the Congress and three youth leaders. Guys (BJYM Karnataka), burst crackers, distribute sweets n celebrate across all towns n major circles of our state. Retaining power even after ruling 22 years is nothing short of making history. Start celebrating, Pratap Simha, the BJP MP from Mysore, tweeted. A political party needs 92 seats to achieve a simple majority in the 182-member Gujarat assembly. All television channels showed the saffron party getting close to 110 and the Congress wresting 70-odd seats at 11 am. The BJP had won 115 seats in the state last time. BJP workers at the party office began waving saffron flags, cheering and raising Modi-Modi slogans as the gap between the two parties widened to their advantage. The sense of relief among those gathered was palpable. BJP chief Amit Shah who sat glued to the television set at his home all morning was expected to reach the party office soon, and preparations were on to accord him a grand welcome. The BJP camp experienced some jittery moments in the early part of Monday morning. Though the party had declared that it would win over 150 of Gujarats 182 assembly seats, the fast-changing trends in the early hours indicated that it was locked in a close contest with the Congress in each of its four regions. The BJPs mission 150 was inspired by the momentum it gained in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which the party won earlier this year with a three-fourths majority. The Congress, however, appears to have improved its tally from the 2012 Gujarat polls when it won just 61 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had campaigned extensively in Gujarat, addressing 34 rallies between November 27 and December 11. The party expected his rallies to turn the tide in the BJPs favour and take the fizz out of the Congress campaign. Trends show that did happen, but not by a great extent. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON State leaders and chief ministers of the BJP congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah for winning the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, saying there was no alternative to the party in the country. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said the BJPs victory in the assembly elections showed peoples unshakable faith in the agenda of development, caste-less and classless society. I acknowledge with humility peoples verdict who have voted for @BJP4India and reposed faith in the politics of good governance - a dominant theme flourished by @narendramodi on the Indian political landscape, Rupani tweeted. Abhar Gujarat (Thank you Gujarat)! Its the victory of the people of Gujarat, their unshakable faith in the agenda of development, casteless & classless society. We are indeed blessed! And promise to live up to the expectations more than ever before, he said. Rupani also thanked the people of Rajkot from where he won by over 54,000 votes. In Jaipur, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje said it was a victory of Modis leadership and Shahs organisational skills. The people of Gujarat have once again voted for development. They once again reposed faith in the BJP leadership. It shows there is no alternative to the BJP in the country. Results in Himachal Pradesh have proved that the country is moving ahead to become Congress-free, Raje said in a statement. In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the BJPs victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh as a victory of a campaign focused on development. The BJP has a leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is striving hard for an all-round development of the country. This is a gift of God that India has such a leader, Chouhan said. While the country is moving fast on the path of development under the leadership of Modi, we have another hard-working person in party president Amit Shah, who has successfully steered the party to victory election after election, he added. Modi is the mukut-mani (jewel in the crown) of India and lives in the hearts of crores of Indians. On one hand, we have emerged victorious in Gujarat yet again, on the other, we have snatched power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh under his able guidance, said Chouhan. The people of both states have once again showed trust in Modi, his development model and the BJP. We are thankful to the voters of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. In Bengaluru, the BJP was upbeat about wresting power from the Congress in poll-bound Karnataka after its victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. BJP state unit president BS Yeddyurappa expressed confidence that the massive victory of the party will also reflect in the assembly elections in the southern state due in April-May next year. The election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have shown that people have once again supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his pro-poor policies, he said. People of Himachal Pradesh have overthrown corrupt Congress government and have chosen the BJP, the former chief minister said. Karnataka will also similarly throw out the corrupt Congress government in the state in the 2018 elections. The Gujarat elections will have a positive impact over Karnatakas elections too, he said. BJP leader and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar said the assembly results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh depict peoples support for Modis policies. The results show that people are not actually against note ban and demonetisation policies and have supported our PMs initiatives, he said. Meanwhile, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said the BJPs performance in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modis development politics over dirty caste politics of Rahul Gandhi-led Congress. All sections of society have voted above caste politics. This is a win of development politics of the Prime Minister. In Gujarat, OBC, Patidar, Dalit all were used for caste politics by the Congress but caste politics could not get success, he said. Gadkari said the success of the BJP in both the states is peoples approval of our policies, work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his development agenda. As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, after he became Congress president, he has lost Himachal Pradesh and could not bring the Congress in power to Gujarat. Gadkari accused the Congress of leaving no stone unturned in portraying the BJP and the central government in bad light and added that despite the Congress dirty caste-based politics, people have reposed faith in the BJP. In July this year, Gujarats richest city Surat ground to a halt as thousands of textile and diamond traders shut down markets protesting the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Later that month, the businessmen called a strike, complaining crores of profits would be wiped out if the government didnt heed their demands. Anger against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) simmered and the Congress sensed an opportunity. Follow Live Gujarat Election coverage here. But as election results poured in from the industrial belt on Monday, it became clear that the BJP had been successful in fending off the Congress challenge and winning back the trust of the business community. The saffron party retained all 12 seats in Surat city. Of the 16 seats in the district, the Congress could win just one. The BJP lost some ground across the state. But in major urban areas such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Rajkot -- where large trader communities were affected by demonetisation as well as GST the saffron party trounced the Congress. Map | Gujarat assembly election live results 2017 No doubt, we were unhappy with the GST but the BJP governments in the state and at the Centre took several steps to correct the mistakes. On the other hand, we were not confident that the Congress would solve our problems. It is the BJP which is ruling at the Centre and the trading community has been comfortable with that party, said Sanjay Jagnani, former president of the Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association. Surat is home to 65,000 textile traders, dominated by the Patidar community, who work in an industry that employs more than a million people. When Hindustan Times visited the city in November, many traders complained their turnover was down 40% and that the elaborate process of filing GST returns bogged them down. Similarly, diamond traders claimed their Rs 1.5 lakh crore business had shrunk by 15%. But on Monday, traders said they were satisfied with the steps taken by the government to reduce tax rates on several items and simplify filing processes in the run up to the December polls. Moreover, many traders were wary of deserting the BJP, which they had supported for generations, and voting for the Congress. There was an impact on diamond industry but the traders were not completely against the BJP. The seats the BJP lost was in the rural areas due to the agrarian crisis and Patidar agitation, said Dinesh Navadiya, regional chairman of The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council. The BJP deployed senior ministers such as finance minister Arun Jaitley and railway minister Piyush Goyal to meet traders representatives in major cities and assure them of the steps being taken by the government to resolve the issues faced by them. In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modis campaign helped calm nerves and bring traders back into the BJP fold. The Congress put up a good show but it could not assure the traders that it would be friendly to them. On the one hand, there was PM Modi and on the other hand, there was no strong name from the Congress camp. After all, our trade has been supported by the BJP governments in Gujarat for two decades now,said Pravin Nanavati, a leading diamond trader and former president of Surat Diamond Association. But some traders said the results were a warning to the BJP, which saw its tally dip from 115 in the previous election to around 100 seats this time. The people have given them a warning. The BJP will have to fulfill its promises made to the traders with regards to GST. If they dont fulfil them, things will become more difficult for the party in 2019, said Navadiya. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The ruling Congresss defeat in the Himachal Pradesh assembly election would be remembered more for bringing to an end the era of the partys popular leader Virbhadra Singh than for the BJPs emphatic victory. The six-time chief minister and 83-year-old Singh had declared that this election would be his last but not before launching his son, 28-year-old Vikramaditya, who made his assembly debut from Shimla Rural, a seat his father vacated for him. Singh, too, won from Arki. I accept BJPs victory and take take full responsibility of our performance here. I hope Vikramaditya (Singh) keeps winning in future, like he won today, Singh said on Monday. The generational shift in the state unit almost mimics changes at the national level. Rahul Gandhi took over as the Congress president on December 16 from his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who served a record 19 years as the party chief. Singh enjoyed a mass following built on the back of his efforts to empower the poor through education and health. But he would have wanted a better end to his career. He bows out of politics with a poll defeat and a string of corruption charges, which will continue to be heard by courts in Delhi. In almost 60 years of public life, first as a junior minister in Rajiv Gandhis cabinet and then chief minister of Himachal, Singh had a mass appeal unmatched by any other leader in the hill state. BJPs stalwarts, Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal, didnt even come close. The Congress veterans style of working, both as a party leader and as an administrator, was markedly different from others. Within the Congress, he ruthlessly crushed rivals and did not allow any other leader to emerge to ensure a smooth passage for Vikramaditya. Vijay Singh Mankotia, who like Singh came from an erstwhile royal family and presented a formidable challenge to him, was forced out of the party. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma was not allowed to gain a foothold in his home state, forcing him to shift to Delhi. Himachal Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh remained a lame-duck chief, as most office-bearers of the state unit followed directions from Holy Lodge, Singhs residence. In youth politics, he was happy to see Congress student body, the National Students Union of India (NSUI), play second fiddle to the Left-wing Students Federation of India (SFI) to keep the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP) at bay. He knew the SFI could provide him the street-fighters while the NSUI would give future leaders to the Congress. Himachal is the only northern state in the country, where the SFI has a strong campus presence. Singh demanded loyalty, more to him than the Congress, a shrewd move to prevent the central leadership from upstaging him. Singh had twice threatened to break the Congress legislature party if he was not elected as the chief minister, party sources say. When the Congress won the 2012 election, he got his group of legislators housed under guard at a Shimla hotel to prevent them from meeting central leaders who reportedly wanted archrival Vidya Stokes as the chief minister. The party brass had to give in as Singh had the numbers on his side. As chief minister, Singh micro-managed everything. It is well known in official circles that not even a peon could be transferred without the chief ministers consent. A bureaucrat recalled Singh scrapping a transfer ordered by a senior cabinet colleague because it was sent out without his approval. Singh knew well that transfers and postings could be leveraged to political advantage, as every second family has a member employed with the state government. BJPs Shanta Kumar was decimated after he introduced no work, no pay policy as chief minister in Himachal, where the state government is the biggest employer. Erstwhile king of Rampur Bushahr in Shimla, Singh followed socialism as the guiding principal when he ventured into politics. He took schools and health centres to almost every village in Himachal. Horticulture, especially apple cultivation, got a big push under him, turning the relatively poor upper regions of the state into one of the richest rural areas of the country. For the plains or lower Himachal, he pushed jobs and infrastructure. But things started to change in early 1990s, when his wife, Pratibha Singh, started taking interest in state politics. Vikramadityas rise coincided with Singh facing corruption charges for the first time. If Singh puts off his retirement several politicians have done that by accepting the position of leader of the opposition, it would be seen as an attempt to push for his sons elevation in the party. It would further dent his graft-tainted legacy. But, if he hands over the post to a new leader, the move would be seen as an act of a statesman. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON For two decades, Prem Kumar Dhumal, 73, the two-time former chief minister, remained the most saleable face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh. On Monday, as the party registered a win, Dhumals saleability was dented in an ironical twist of fate. He lost to his one-time protege, Rajinder Singh Rana of the Congress, from Sujanpur assembly segment of Hamirpur district. But why did he lose? Poll analysts feel there was not just a singular reason, though his own partys sabotage is being talked about quite openly now. First,his shifting him from his base Hamirpur assembly segment to Sujanpur was seen as a bad move. And Dhumal is not to blame for that and remained reluctant, say observers. The party wanted him to shift base, despite the fact that Rana had won the seat twice as independent and was not backed by the Congress. Another theory is that Dhumal was fielded since the party thought he was the best bet in the tough constituency. Though Dhumal enjoys a rapport among people of Hamirpur, the situation was somehow different in Sujanpur, said a party leader on the condition of anonymity, adding that at first, the party is to be blamed for this loss. Also, Rana has, over the years, built a strong support base in Sujanpur. He remains in touch with his electorate while Dhumal being shifted from Hamirpur lacked that local connect. Rana particularly had sway in the villages, where he has performed as a social worker. And the third factor a derivative of the above-stated connect is that Rana was successful in centring the campaign around his won work. He was also able to spread a message among people that Dhumal always ignored Sujanpur when he was CM, said Arvind Sharma, a political analyst. Dhumal in his last term as chief minister, Sharma said, had refused to open a sub-division office at Sujanpur, which Rana later brought in the Congress regime. Dhumal who was unexpectedly announced as the CM candidate just ahead of polls conceded that he and the party failed to take people of Sujanpur into confidence. There must be some shortcomings on our part, said Dhumal, after the declaration of results. He added, cautiously, This not the time to blame anyone, but to introspect. His stature rose first when he was the BJPs surprise pick for CM when it formed the government with support from Sukh Rams Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998. He was re-elected in 2003 and 2007, when he served his second term as chief minister. In 2012, Dhumal shifted to Hamirpur assembly segment as his constituency, Bamsan, was disintegrated in the delimitation exercise. His rise in the party has been gradual, and now he is nearing the age of 75 thats considered a retirement age in the Modi-Shah brand of the BJP. Dhumal, who lost by a moderate margin, had first become the vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in 1982. In 1984, he was selected as the candidate for the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, which now his son Anurag Thakur represents. He was finally elected as MP from there in 1989 and 1991. He has also served as a member of several important panels of the Parliament. In his two stints as CM, the state saw infrastructure developments, particularly of roads. He also oversaw the development of new railway lines. This gave rise to Dhumal being called as the sadak walla mukhyamantri. Dhumal has faced few controversies in his political career. He has often been at loggerheads with his Congress counterpart and current CM Virbhadra Singh over his governance style. This time, before November when he was made the CM face, Union minister JP Nadda had emerged as a strong contender, but it was Dhumal at the end, possibly due to his experience as CM earlier and caste politics. The socially-dominant Brahmins make up about 30% in Himachal. (with ANI inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sen. Daines has introduced legislation with the euphemistic name of Protect Public Use of Public Lands Act. The bill would eliminate wilderness study area status for five WSAs in Montana. These lands were first protected by Sen. Lee Metcalf in 1977 as part of the Montana Wilderness Study Act. Sen. Daines title such protecting them as WSA is equitant to no use. What about the clean water that flows from these areas? What about the important elk, trout and other wildlife habitat protected in these areas? What about the carbon stored in the forests? What about the outstanding scenic values in these areas? To suggest they are not providing for public use is absurd. Anyone with a pair of sneakers can use these lands. Daines' legislation would eliminate WSA protection for five areas Blue Joint in the Bitterroot Mountains, Middle Fork of the Judith in Big Belts, West Pioneers, Big Snowies and Sapphires mountains. Nearly all of these WSAs have been proposed for wilderness designation in previous wilderness bills that past Congress. For instance, the 1988 Montana Wilderness Bill that passed both Houses of Congress included wilderness protection for Blue Joint, Sapphires, West Pioneers and Big Snowies. The only reason these are not now protected under the Wilderness Act is that Ronald Reagan vetoed the bill which had support among Montanas congressional delegation and many state residents. Given the growing importance of outdoor recreation in Montana, as well as the attractiveness of unexploited landscapes for footloose entrepreneurs, Daines bill is clearly anti-jobs and counter to the future of Montana. George Wuerthner Livingston Anyone can make a mistake. You can take home someone elses vehicle from a parking lot if it is a similar car. But a businessman from Palavakkam in south Chennai drove away a battered ambulance van in place of his super luxury car early on Sunday. Police said 30-year-old Mithil brought his friend to a hospital in Nungambakkam in central Chennai in his luxury car and admitted him as an inpatient at around 1.30 am and left after a while. The hospital authorities found an ambulance missing from its parking lot around the same time and informed the police of a suspected theft. Even as the hospital authorities and police were wondering what could have happened, Mithils driver drove the ambulance back to the hospital and informed its staff that his boss had taken it home by mistake. One of the side-view mirrors of the ambulance, a Maruti Omni van, was found broken and Mithil has promised to reimburse the hospital for the loss. The hospital is not pressing any charges as its vehicle was returned but the police have summoned the businessman for questioning. According to the police, the businessmans driver said that Mithil mistakenly drove off in the ambulance and realised it only when his family asked him about the car. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BJPs electoral victories in Gujarat and in Himachal Pradesh are likely to give fresh impetus to the National Democratic Alliance governments reforms agenda even as the results might propel disparate and desperate opposition parties to make a fresh bid to cobble up a mahagathbandhan or grand alliance at the national level. The results reinforced the widely held view that Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity and credence outweigh any reservations or apprehension that some people might have about his bold policy decisions. The opposition Congress, for instance, sought to tap into the perceived disgruntlement among a section of traders and small businessmen over the goods and services tax (GST) and last years demonetisation drive. But the BJP swept the polls in Surat, the epicenter of agitations over GST. Gujarat and HP also went to polls at a time when the opposition parties were feeding off apprehensions about the interests of small depositors being compromised by the financial resolution and deposit insurance bill. The opposition also accused the NDA government of favouring a few industrialists by converting their bank loans into non-performing assets. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh led the oppositions attack over the state of economy under the Modi government. Mondays poll verdict came as a repudiation of these naysayers as people chose to repose faith in the Prime Minister. It could embolden the NDA government to eschew its diffidence about some urgently required reforms in the labour sector and also carry on with a host of others such as the direct tax code, resolution of NPAs and the FRDI bill. Opposition leaders interpreted the Gujarat results as a win-win situation for all parties. Newly appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi, for instance, emerged as a doughty leader who could take the fight to the BJPs camp on Modis and BJP president Amit Shahs home turf. The Congress is expected to project the gain of over a dozen seats in Gujarat to declare Gandhis arrival as a leader who could hold his own against the saffron juggernaut. The opposition parties might also sense a few chinks in the BJPs armour. For instance, the Congress was able to wean away a significant section of Patidars from the BJP, as was evident from the results in Patel-dominated Saurashtra region. The results reflected growing unease among a section of people about prevailing agrarian distress. There was near-unanimity among political observers and leaders that but for Modis blitzkrieg the BJP would have found it difficult to beat 22 years of anti-incumbency in Gujarat. With the BJP in power in 19 states now, the party will be facing double anti-incumbency in a majority of states and at the Centre when it seeks a renewed mandate for Modi in 2019. Congressmen believe that Gandhis ability to forge alliances with young leaders representing different caste groupsHardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor, and Jignesh Mevani in Gujarat proved his ability to play alliance politics at the national level, too. The new Congress presidents valiant show in Gujarat might also make him more acceptable to many leaders of regional outfits that were apprehensive of his leadership ability. For now, there might be a pause, though temporary, to the rancorous debate on the state of the economy, which could enable the government push through some contentious legislation in the current winter session of Parliament. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Residents of Hindu-dominated Maliwara locality in Meerut on Sunday night allegedly prevented a Muslim from taking possession of a house he purchased from a Hindu jeweller. Inspector, Kotwali, Yashveer Singh said it was a matter of sale and purchase of property and both the sides reached a compromise after the police intervened in the matter. He said it was decided that the payment made by the buyer would be returned to him by February 18 next year. Deepak Sharma, an office-bearer of the city unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), came out in support of the residents. Many Hindu-dominated localities like Shyam Nagar, Baniyapara, Tiwari quarters and Bank colony have become Muslim areas in the last few years. We cannot allow this to go on, Sharma said. He said a Hindu buyer would be searched to purchase the property and the money taken from the previous buyer would be returned to him. Local corporator Sandeep Goel also supported the local residents in their protest. A jeweller Sanjay Rastogi had sold his house to Noman, a resident of Ismail Nagar, for Rs 28 lakh. On Sunday night, when Rastogi reached his house to give the possession of the property to Noman, residents of the area objected to it and staged a protest. Kotwali police reached the spot and tried to resolve the issue. Pradeep, a resident of Maliwara, said Noman agreed not to take possession of the house if his money was returned within two months. Rastogi said he had been telling the residents for the last two months that he wanted to sell his house but no one came forward to help him. Noman was not available for comments and his phone was found to be switched off. The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday after it saw disruptions as Congress members raised the issue of allegations levelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against his predecessor Manmohan Singh. The first adjournment came minutes after the house met, as Congress members stood at their seats, and created a ruckus over the issue. From the treasury benches -- BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who had the first question listed against his name, said the Bharatiya Janata Party was headed for victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. ...People have given a very good reply... Congress has lost Himachal Pradesh, and I want to thank the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for the unprecedented victory in Gujarat, Somaiya said. The Speaker then adjourned the house till noon, amid ruckus from both the ruling and opposition benches. As the House met at noon, Congress members once again raised the issue of the Prime Ministers allegations, but were denied permission by the Chair. You want to raise the same issue everyday... This is not done, speaker Sumitra Mahajan said. Congress members also trooped to near the Speakers podium, raising slogans seeking an apology from Prime Minister Modi. We will not tolerate insult of the former Prime Minister, Congress members said. Amid the ruckus, papers were laid on the table of the House and bills were introduced, after which Speaker Mahanjan adjourned the House for the day. Modi, during the campaign for the Gujarat Assembly polls, had claimed that at a meeting in Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyars house, the guests including Manmohan Singh, discussed the Gujarat polls with Pakistans High Commissioner to India and former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday asked IAS and IPS officials to introspect. Speaking on the concluding day of the three-day Chintan Shivir at Timber Trail in Himachals Parwanoo, Khattar said IAS and IPS officials need to remember that they resolved to change the system. If the officers have forgotten the resolution, they have clearly gone off track during their service period. I urge them to introspect if they have gone off the track. And if they have, then see how far they have deviated. I have full faith that the officials can rekindle the emotion of change, he said. Khattar said the Shivir produced encouraging results and infused new energy in the participants for building a new Haryana. Good team spirit has been generated at the Shivir and everyone has agreed that there is a need for greater involvement among government servants, he said, adding, All senior officers will work as a team to ensure that the benefits of development reach the last person in the queue, he said. Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki asked the public representatives and bureaucrats to serve the society with utmost sensitivity, cooperation and dedication. Speaking on the occasion, the governor expressed happiness that members of the cabinet, including the chief minister, and senior bureaucrats have taken collective decisions for the development of state in group-wise meetings in this Shivir. Meanwhile, the first session of the last day of the Shivir saw the unveiling of working drafts for new action plans of various departments, including the plan to double the income of farmers, enhance efficiency of utilisation of water, make more youth skilled and rejuvenate urban life. Govt to encourage crop diversification: Dhankar Agriculture minister OP Dhankar, who chaired Group-I on the topic of Agriculture reforms for doubling farmers income, gave a presentation on how to achieve the desired goal and Prime Ministers vision to double the income of farmers by 2022. The action plan and recommendations of this group will certainly lead Haryana in realisation of Prime Ministers vision, he said. Dhankar said the government had fixed a target to ensure farmers income between 60,000 and 1 lakh per acre. To achieve this target, we will encourage diversification of crops, increase productivity, cattle-rearing, direct marketing of produce, agri service, value additional packaging, branding and integrated farming, he said. The agriculture minister also said the increase in minimum support price of crops every year has also ensured fair remuneration to farmers. We have made our farmers completely risk-free as all the crop either covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana or by the compensation policy of the state government, said Dhankar. Principal secretary (irrigation and water resources) Anurag Rastogi highlighted the challenges discussed in the group on optimum utilisation of every drop of water. He said that a state water policy on utilisation of surface and groundwater should be formed. Other recommendations of the group include enactment of state groundwater and management regulation act, state water regulatory authority, enforcement of existing bye-laws on rainwater harvesting. The group also recommended that budget allocation for micro irrigation should be doubled and micro irrigation should be made mandatory for over a period of time. With the BJP looking set to win Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may become more dictatorial, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said on Monday. The Left leader said he now expected the BJP to pursue the Hindutva policies more vigorously. Narendra Modi may become more dictatorial. It is not a positive sign for Indian democracy, Reddy told PTI. The CPI leader said although the Congress improved its tally in Gujarat, the ruling party (BJP) could overcome anti-incumbency, and that it was a pity that secular forces could not defeat the saffron party. Anti-BJP forces should come together to fight against communal forces, he said, adding that an electoral understanding between the Left and such parties may not be easy to forge at the national level. But wherever it (electoral alliance between anti-BJP forces and Left parties) is possible, it should be thought of. We have to discuss and come to conclusions. Right now, we cannot come to conclusions in haste. There is a necessity for secular forces to fight more strongly and unitedly, Reddy asserted. The veteran communist leader also had a word of praise for newly-appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying he did a good campaign and could clearly carry the message of anti-communal forces during campaigning. When asked if he expects Gandhi to emerge as a good leader, Reddy said it depended on how he was going to implement reforms inside the party. The policies of the Congress also have to be changed, he said. The Left leader said the Congress should come closer to poorer sections of people and get rid of the brand of being pro-corporate. For such a small place, the significance the hill state of Himachal Pradesh has for the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is huge. The two parties, which ran a high-voltage campaign to win over the 50 lakh-odd voters in a direct fight, are waiting with bated breath for the outcome of counting of votes on Monday to elect a new assembly. And, it has been a long wait, as the polling was held on November 9. A clutch of exit polls, which gave their seat projections on Thursday, have predicted a big win for the BJP, but leaders of both sides appeared somewhat cautious in their response. The stakes have never been higher for them. The BJP, gung ho after its impressive wins in several states, sees itself as the natural claimant this time with veteran leader Prem Kumar Dhumal as its CM face due to the revolving-door electoral history of the state in the past three decades. The party is looking to continue its victory march and expand its political footprint with just a little over a year to go for general elections. Assembly election results 2017 LIVE: Counting begins, BJP confident of wins in Gujarat, Himachal The wager for the ruling Congress is equally high, if not more. Pegged back by the pounding it has received in election after election since the 2014 Lok Sabha debacle with the exception of neighbouring Punjab, the party desperately needs to wrest back the initiative. A win here would serve as a big morale booster for the party rank and file across the country. Also, Rahul Gandhi, who took over as president of Congress on Saturday, would be hoping to start his innings with some positive news. For chief minister Virbhadra Singh also, the stakes are high. Virbhadra and his family are facing cases pertaining to corruption and disproportionate assets, which are being investigated by Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department. His son, Vikramaditya, is also making his electoral debut from the Shimla rural constituency. Singh vacated the seat for him. The two traditional rivals went all out in the battle of prestige, peppering each other with accusations and indulging in competitive populism like never before. Leading the BJP charge was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who targeted Congress and Virbhadra on corruption, deteriorating law and order and joblessness to try and make the most of the undercurrent of anti-incumbency against the ruling party in the state. Himachal Pradesh needs to be freed from five mafias mining mafia, forest mafia, drug mafia, tender mafia and transfer mafia, he said in his campaign rallies, calling the Congress government a zamanati (out on bail) sarkar. While the Congress central leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, attacked Modi on GST and demonetisation, Virbhadra, pivot of the partys campaign, centred his campaign on development. Besides banking on his connect, he played on the lack of a BJP CM face, making the BJP to alter its strategy and name Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate with just about a week to go for polling. Both parties have their traditional pockets of strong support, but the electors have shown a tendency to flip parties and punish non-performance. The state saw a record voter turnout of 75%. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As the BJP appeared to be on its way to retain power in Gujarat, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said he saw the results as a victory for the party due to the response its chief Rahul Gandhis campaign got from the people. Gehlot, the Congress election in-charge for Gujarat, said Gandhi ran a nice campaign in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trends from 181 seats in the state, gave the BJP a lead in over a 100 seats while the Congress was following with 69. The simple majority mark in the 182-member Assembly is 92. Newly elected Congress president Rahul Gandhi meets people in New Delhi on Saturday. (PTI) The Congress, however, appears to be on its way to improve its 2012 tally. The way the Congress campaigned and the way Rahul Gandhi did bus trips, we put up a very nice campaign. Whatever the results, the country will see this as the Congress victory, Gehlot said. Through the campaigning and manifesto, we have been successful in reflecting the feelings of the people of Gujarat and we believe we have been successful in that, he said. To a question, Gehlot said the saffron party tried to turn the direction of the campaign by raising the son of the soil issue. The BJP tried to turn the campaign in another direction by its son of the soil comments and saying that he (Modi) is a prime minister from Gujarat. We have given a very nice message to the people of Gujarat, he said. He said it is not the culture of the Congress to make such comments. Rahulji (Gandhi) had said that Congress people will not make such comments against the prime minister. The manner in which the prime minister made comments against Manmohan Singhji, Soniaji and Rahulji, we did not want to respond to them in the same language, he said. Eight women and two children from the same Yemeni family were killed when an air strike by forces of the Saudi-led coalition involved in the countrys three-year-old war hit a wedding party, residents said on Monday. The 10 people were returning on Sunday evening from a wedding in Marib province, an area east of the capital Sanaa held by the Iran-allied Houthi group, when their vehicle was struck, the sources said. A spokesman for the coalition, which denies targeting civilians and says that every report of an attack is investigated, did not respond to an email requesting comment. The residents said the victims, all female, were part of the same family, but gave no further details on their ages or if anyone else was travelling with them. The coalition has been conducting regular air strikes in Houthi-held areas as part of a campaign to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power. The United Nations says that more than 60,000 people have been killed or wounded in the conflict, which also displaced more than two million and triggered a cholera epidemic that has infected about one million people. Gujarat voters have emerged to be twice as likely to reject all candidates in the fray, compared to their counterparts in Himachal Pradesh, with over 5.5 lakh in Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state opting for the NOTA (None of the above) button. In percentage terms, 1.8 per cent voters in Gujarat pressed the NOTA button on electronic voting machines in Gujarat, as against 0.9 per cent in the hill state (over 33,000 voters). In case of Gujarat, the NOTA vote share was higher than that of any party other than the Congress and the BJP. While the BJP has secured over 49 per cent votes, the Congress got nearly 41.4 per cent and independents across the state together polled 4.3 per cent. In Himachal Pradesh, BJP has got 48.7 per cent votes as against the Congress 41.8 per cent, while independents got 6.3 per cent. CPM also managed to score more than the NOTA with 1.5 per cent votes. In Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupanis Rajkot West seat, the NOTA votes were more than 3,300, while the same in Vadgam (where Congress-supported independent Jignesh Mevani won) were over 4,200. In Godhra also, NOTA counted over 3,000. The NOTA option enables a voter to officially and secretly register a vote of rejection of all contesting candidates. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, when NOTA was introduced for the first time in any parliamentary election, close to 60 lakh voters (1.1 per cent) opted for this option, which was more than the votes polled for more than 20 parties. Before the introduction of EVMs, when voting was done through ballot papers, voters could put in the ballot paper without marking against any candidate thereby rejecting all candidates. Such a vote was counted as a rejection. However, this rejection option was not available to voters on the EVM and therefore the NOTA button was introduced. With the ongoing conflict between Adivasis and Lambada tribe in northern Telangana reaching alarming proportions, Telangana government has issued a gag order prohibiting the media against publishing and transmitting any information on the developments. In a notice served on the media channels based in Hyderabad late on Saturday night, city police commissioner VV Srinivasa Rao said transmission of information pertaining to the conflict between Adivasis and Lambadas is likely to promote disharmony, hatred, feeling of enmity and ill-will between the two communities. Though the order did not specifically mention the print media, it said the publication or transmission of such contents will be a cognisable and non-bailable offence under Section 505 (2) of the IPC, and will also tantamount to abetment under Section 108 and promotion of enmity between two different groups on grounds of caste and community under Section 153-A of the IPC, the order said. In further restrictions, the police have suspended internet services in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem and Nirmal districts for the past two days to curb spreading of rumours about clashes between the two communities. Mobile phone services, too, were suspended in tribal areas as precautionary measures, police said. Following Fridays violence in Husnapur village in Kumaram Bheem districts Utnoor block, in which Adivasis allegedly set fire to properties, attacked houses and beat up Lambadas, the state government, taking serious note of the situation, on Sunday transferred the collectors and superintendents of police of Nirmal, Adilabad and Kumaram Bheem districts, besides inspector general of North Telangana for failing to contain the unrest. Director general of police (DGP) M Mahender Reddy, who made a whirlwind tour of the conflict areas on Sunday, suspected the involvement of Maoists in the incident. He warned the local authorities and people that Maoists may take advantage of the ongoing feud and try to enter the erstwhile Adilabad district, once considered their stronghold. For the past few months, the Adivasis in the states northern region have been demanding the removal of Lambadas from the list of Scheduled Tribes, as they fear the nomadic tribes, who migrated from neighbouring states, were cornering government jobs available under the Scheduled Tribes quota. The conflict is likely to cause major disturbances in the conduct of Sammakka-Saralamma fair, the biggest tribal festival in the country, held once in two years in the month of February at Medaram forests of Jayashankar Bhupalpalli district. More than a crore Adivasis from different parts of the country converge at this hamlet to worship tribal mother-daughter duo Sammakka and Saralamma, who had lost their lives in their fight against Kakatiya kings nearly 700 years ago. While this is essentially an Adivasi festival, the Telangana government recently included a Lambada representative in the 14-member committee to hold the festivities. This led to a large scale resentment among the Adivasis, who indulged in violent attacks last week. If the ongoing conflict between the two groups is not resolved by then, it will have a serious impact on the festivities to be held in February, a local official said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Three Rohingya families from Myanmar comprising 13 people were rescued from Agra at the weekend after being enslaved for a year as rag pickers, authorities said. The three families came to India after an agent at a refugee camp in Bangladesh promised them jobs, but they worked long hours for no pay, according to activists who alerted the authorities. United Nations officials have warned that refugee camps in Bangladesh are fertile territory for human traffickers and the scale of a recent influx from Myanmar was putting more people at risk. The employers had paid these agents money and did not pay them any wages saying the amount was being adjusted against the work they were doing, said Nirmal Gorana, convener of the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour, that took part in the rescue. They came to India thinking they would find a job and safety ... but they lived in a polythene hut, the rent for which was being deducted from their non-existent wages. Officials said no police case against the employer has been filed with an investigation underway but confirmed the refugees were enslaved. The men collected plastic bottles from garbage piles. They were in a poor state when we went to rescue them, said Raju Kumar, a judicial magistrate in Agra. Almost 870,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, including about 660,000 who arrived after Aug. 25, when Rohingya militants attacked security posts and the Myanmar army launched a counter-offensive. But their influx into India started years before with close to 40,000 Rohingya Muslims living in India after fleeing Myanmar over the past decade. Officials said Agra is densely populated and it is hard to identify the refugees among locals. Activists have called for a survey of Rohingya families in India to see if more people are trapped in similar situations and have demanded that laws against bonded labour be applied in these cases as well. The Congress electoral slide continues. The grand old party has yet again failed to stop the BJP juggernaut though it described the Gujarat results as a moral victory for having restricted the saffron party below the 100 figure in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. The defeat in Himachal Pradesh was on the expected lines given the hills state continued its trend of changing incumbent governments every five years. The BJP is now in power on its own or in alliance in 19 states. The decline in the Congress fortunes began in 2013 and reached an all-time low in 2014 Lok Sabha elections in which it barely managed to win 44 seats. Since then, Punjab has been the only saving grace. The party could not form the governments even in Goa and Manipur despite emerging as the party with maximum seats in both the states. The three northeastern states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura will go to polls in February next year. Meghalaya is one of the five states ruled by the Congress now. The other four are Karnataka, Punjab, Mizoram and Puducherry. The BJP has already set its eyes on the North East with the PM setting the tone with his visit to Meghalaya last week. But the next big electoral battle between the two parties will be fought in Karnataka in March-April 2018. The Congress, led by chief minister Siddaramaiah, faces a daunting task of retaining power in the southern state. For his part, a confident Siddaramaiah vowed to give Karnataka as first gift to Congress new chief Rahul Gandhi. On the other hand, the BJP, riding on Modis popularity, will leave no stone unturned to oust the Congress. Before the grand finale in May 2019, the BJP and the Congress will slug it out in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in November-December next year. The main reasons identified for the successive debacles are Congress inability to connect with the masses and the failure to strengthen the party organisation at the grassroots level. The grand old partys support base has eroded over the years and its policies have not been in tune with aspirations of the youth and the middle class. The challenge for Gandhi will be to win back the partys traditional vote-banks by trying different kinds of social engineering. Gujarat shows the way ahead for the Congress, which should now focus on states where it is pitted directly against the BJP Also, the vote in rural Gujarat should be heartening for Congress though it needs to work really hard on the middle class, said political analyst Professor Balveer Arora. Rahul also has to empower regional leaders for the Congress resurgence at the national level largely depends on its revival in states. Building alliances is another key task for the new Congress chief. Political analysts too insist that the Congress needs to strengthen the state leaders. The dearth of regional satraps is something that Rahul Gandhi has to address, Arora said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Multi-lingual actor Prakash Raj, who has been critical of the BJP, on Monday lauded the saffron party for its win in the Gujarat polls but asked why it could not achieve its target of more than 150 seats. Raj congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJPs victory but tweeted Werent you supposed to sweep with your VIKAAS? What happened to 150+..?. Dear prime minster, Congratulations for the victory... but are you really happy..#justasking pic.twitter.com/9cNU24it3w Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) December 18, 2017 He inquired whether Modi will pause for a moment to realise that divisive politics has not worked. Our country has bigger issues than Pakistan, religion, caste, supporting fringe groups that threaten... and the ego of settling personal scores. There are genuine rural issues, the actor said. Saying that the neglected voice of the farmer, poor, and rural India just got louder, Raj sought to know from the prime minister whether he could hear that. The actor had earlier questioned Modis silence over the killing of senior journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh with whom he was closely associated. He has also been criticising BJP and right wing outfits since then, inviting sharp attacks from them. Health services were badly affected across the state, especially in rural areas, with doctors at state-run health centres went on an indefinite strike from Monday demanding that 12 doctors transferred after last months strike be reinstated. At Jaipurs Sawai Man Singh Hospital, around 2,000 resident and senior resident doctors went on the strike from 8 am. Similarly, at Jawahar Lal Nehru hospital in Ajmer, patients had to wait for long hours for their turn on Monday as resident doctors did not turn up. Not a single doctor reported on duty at the citys satellite hospital despite police arresting All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors Association (ARISDA) office bearers and releasing them after taking undertaking that they will not join the strike. Emergency ward of the hospital wore a deserted look. Patients were forced to go to private hospitals for treatment. Government is solely responsible for the present impasse, they have pushed us to take to this harsh step, said Rajendra Singh Lamror, the president of Resident Doctors Association Ajmer. By taking coercive measures like arresting office bearers of ARISDA and warnings by the health minister that stern action will be taken against doctors under RESMA has further aggravated the problem, he said. SMS hospital medical superintendent Dr DS Meena said: Looking to resident and senior resident doctors going on strike, alternative arrangements have been made. Medical college teachers have been put on duty to attend patients. JLN Hospital medical superintendent Dr Anil Jain said measures have been taken to negate the effect of resident doctors strike. Senior doctors have been asked to take care of emergency and outpatient department, he added. Mass casual leave of the in-service doctors has impacted the health services at government health centres, including primary health centres (PHC) and community health centres (CHC) in Kota district. The in-service doctors are posted usually at dispensaries, CHC and PHC instead of government hospitals, so more patients were seen at the government hospitals of Kota. Kotas deputy chief medical and health officer Dr Ramjilal said Ayurveda doctors were deputed as alternative arrangements in the government health centres. At Kota Medical College, senior resident doctors also joined the strike in support of in-service doctors but resident doctors have not joined them. ARISDA general secretary Dr Durgashankar Saini said in-service doctors do not want to trouble patients but the state government has tried to suppress the in-service doctors through arresting doctors under Rajasthan Essential Services Management Act (RESMA). He claimed that more than 8,000 in-service doctors and 5,000 resident and senior resident doctors of government medical colleges have boycotted the work over implementation of demands and protesting against suppressive act of the government on doctors. In Bharatpur, doctors did not join the strike and attended the patients at all health facilities across the district. Similarly, at Jaipuria hospital in Jaipur, the in-service doctors were on duty. In Jodhpur, resident doctors went on strike. Medical college teachers were put on duty to attend patients. According to a health department official, there was mixed response in rural areas in the district as many doctors scared of government action were on duty. Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD) joint secretary Dr Mukesh Mahla said around 5,000 resident and senior resident doctors across all the government medical colleges in the state joined the indefinite strike. Apart from protesting the governments action of arresting in-service doctors, the demands of resident doctors are yet to be fulfilled. He said one of demands was to give stipend as per the seventh pay commission. The government announced its employees to give the benefit of seventh pay commission from January 1, 2017, but for resident doctors it will be given from December 1, 2017, which is quite unjustified, he said. There is problem of hotels for around 150 outstation resident students that is yet to be solved, he added. (With inputs from Ajmer, Kota, Bharatpur and Jodhpur) Six earthmovers and eight trucks were seized in a joint raid by the police and mining department teams against illegal mining in Nagal zone under Pahari police station area of Bharatpur district on Monday. However, people involved in the mining activity managed to escape, said Rai Singh Beniwal, the circle officer of Kaman police station, who led the police teams from Kaithwar, Pahari, Gopalgar and Jurahara police stations. Cases will be registered against illegal miners, who belong to neighbouring Haryana, he added. Beniwal said they were receiving complaints of illegal mining in the Nagal zone for some time. Pahari area in the Mewat region is infamous for illegal mining. Hindu monks in the area, along with the local residents, have been protesting against the illegal mining for a long time. A company named Kuber Kamna has obtained the rights of collecting royalty tax for two years on the material mined from the area paying 42.7 crore. The company has the rights to collect royalty tax on the mined material at the rate of 38 per tonne. The company is entitled to set up check posts in Nagal, Ghatmika and Chhapra zones to recover the royalty tax. However, a local sarpanch, Kathol Liyakat Ali, alleged that the contractor has set up additional check posts illegally to recover the royalty tax from trucks, which carry the mined material. He accused the contractor of collecting 300 extra from each truck. If anyone protests, contractors goons force them to cough up the money, he alleged. Pahari Ratan Singh, president of the local traders union, said that mining department officials do not take action against the illegal practice despite several request from the union. However, Kuber Kamna director Mangesh Singh refuted the charges. Locals, including truck operators, are levelling false allegations. We collect tax under the government rules, he said. Shambhu Lal Regar wanted to kill another man but ended up hacking to death a 48-year-old migrant labourer in Rajsamand on December 6, police said on Monday. The murder sparked nationwide outrage and stirred communal tension in several areas of Rajasthan after Regar uploaded a video of the gruesome crime on the social media and several other clips in which he made inflammatory religious remarks. During grilling, Shambhul told police that labourer Mohammed Afrazul, a resident of West Bengals Malda, was not his target. He wanted to kill one Ajju Sheikh because he was in contact with a girl whom Shambhu regarded as his sister. But we suspect Shambhu had an affair with her, said Rajendra Singh Rao, police circle officer of Rajsamand. Ajju, too, was a labourer like Afrazul from Malda and used to work in Rajsamand. Shambhu had only spoken to Ajju on phone and did not recognise him, the police officer said. Having resolved to kill him, Shambhu went to a market at Jhalchakki and enquired about Ajju. When he couldnt find Ajju, he asked one labourer for his mobile number. Either the labourer misheard Shambhu, or he thought that since Shambhu needs to get some work done, why not help Afrazul, probably his acquaintance, get some work. He then gave Afrazuls number to Shambhu, Rao said. Shambhu called Afrazul on December 5 and did not bother to confirm his identity as he found his voice similar to that of Ajju. That day Afrazul was in Nathdwara. On December 6, he called Afrazul at 9 am again and asked him to come as he wanted a boundary wall of a plot constructed, the police officer said. At around 10:30 am he had tea with Afrazul at a teashop about a kilometre from the spot where Afrazul was killed. His presence secured, police said, Shambhu then left for his home from where he got the pickaxe and other tools with which he hacked Afrazul. He also got his nephew with him this time to record the act on camera. The girl supposedly at the centre of the hate crime lives in Regar Mohalla, the same locality as Shambhus. Shambhu said in one of the videos that he considered the girl as sister, but according to some accounts he had a love affair with the girl. The girl had allegedly eloped with a migrant labourer Mohammed Bablu Sheikh to Malda in 2010. Her mother and uncle went to Malda and brought her back from the place but she was taken to Malda again after a couple of months, allegedly by Ajju. It was Ajju who took her back, Shambhu said, and when he called the girl after that incident, Ajju took the phone from her and the two men had a brawl, Rao said. In 2012, when the girls mother was lamenting that there was no one to bring her girl back, Shambhu volunteered to bring the girl back from Malda. He came to take me back but I told him to go back. I returned on my own, about 15 days after his visit. Despite that he took 10,000 from my mother for rescuing me, the girl earlier told HT. Ajju had visited Beawar in Ajmer 4-5 months ago and met the girl then, police said. Shambhu learnt about their meeting and was apprehensive that he might take the girl back again and therefore resolved to kill him, police officer Rao said. Besides, Rao said Shambhu got indoctrinated through hate videos on internet and used to spend hours watching videos on both Hindu and Muslim extremism. Revenge from Ajju was his motive, fuelled by his hatred towards Muslims. Shambhu kept saying that Muslims were wrecking the country and that Hindus should awaken, Rao said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ahead of Sabang bypoll scheduled on December 21, former Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy, who switched to BJP in November, is facing baptism by fire where the saffron party is largely banking on him to turn its fringe presence into a formidable force. To thwart Roys plans, senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) party leaders have swooped on the constituency to prove that Roy is nothing more than a paper tiger. In the 2016 elections, BJP got only 2.60 % votes, though it a was a marginal improvement on the miniscule 1.3% in 2011. Congress candidate Manas Bhunia, 63, won in 2016 for the seventh time. But he later switched to TMC. The seat fell vacant when the party nominated Bhunia in Rajya Sabha. TMC has nominated Gita Bhunia, wife of Manas Bhunia, as their candidate. The BJP candidate is Antara Bhattacharya, who was with CPI(M) and served as the sabhadhipati of West Midnapore Zilla Parishad from 2008 to 2013. The Sabang bypoll election is significant as it comes only a few months ahead of the rural elections in the state in 2018. The rural polls are crucial since it will indicate the popularity of BJP that has set a target of winning 22 seats half of the 44 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. BJP is substantially depending on Roy to pull off a magic in the rural and Lok Sabha elections. The Sabang bypoll will test whether Roy can stand on his own without the halo of Mamata Banerjee, under whom he worked so far. Mukul Roy has great organisational skills. Local workers are going to every voter and telling him about the achievements of the Union government. They are also telling the people how Bhunia betrayed their trust and switched to TMC, said district BJP leader Tushar Mukherjee. TMC leaders such as MP and Mamata Banerjees nephew Abhishek, education minister Partha Chatterjee, transport minister Suvendu Adhikari, law minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, party general secretary Subrata Bakshi are holding public meetings in the area. They have all lashed out at Roy. To mark the 60th year of its existence, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (ICSE, ISC board) plans to bring out a special council logo to be created and designed by the students. The entries will be adjudged by experts and winners will carry home big cash prizes. The last date of submitting entries is December 29. The special logo will be used on councils website and all documents during the diamond jubilee year. Highlights The size of the logo shall be in A4. While any application can be used for computer aided design, the final logo can be sent to the council in pdf file. If the logo is selected, the council will ask for editable source file as well. The computer design must be sent by email while the original design can be sent through post. The logo designing competition is open to all the students between Class 6 to 12 in council affiliated schools. There are cash prizes for students. The first prize winner will get Rs 1.50 lalk, second prize Rs 1 lalk and third prize Rs 75,000. There are two consolation prizes of Rs 25,000 each. The logo designing competition is open to all the students between Class 6 to 12 in council affiliated schools. The medium could be drawing, painting or competition design, Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary of Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, said in the circular. There are cash prizes for students. The first prize winner will get Rs 1.50 lalk, second prize Rs 1 lalk and third prize Rs 75,000. There are two consolation prizes of Rs 25,000 each. The entries will be adjudged by panel of 3 judges appointed by the council. In the selection process the judges will be looking for visual impact, original design and clarity of thought shown by the student. The council will intimate the winners of the competition at a later date. The circular reads the logo design work must be completed in school and all the submissions from a school must be certified by the head of the school as the original work of the student and must include students name, class and school. The council has issued certain guidelines as well. The special logo must include the original CISCE logo and can include additional words like Celebrating 60 years or Diamond Jubilee. It is optional to include the years 1958-2018. The students should keep in mind while designing that it will be used in various sizes from small on a letter head or website, to large for a stage backdrop or poster. While the students may submit their entries in colour, they must remember that in certain circumstances it may need to be printed in black and white as well. The council has asked school to tell students to do some research on logo design as well as about the council logo and what council stands for before they embark on their design so that it conveys the spirit of the council. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Vikram Singh, the main accused in the murder of Vaibhav Tewari, son of former MLA Prem Prakash Tewari, is believed to have received patronage from local cops as he grew his nexus and got involved in extortion activities in Hazratganj and its vicinity. The role of some police officials is suspected in allowing Singh an easy escape after he opened fire on Vaibhav outside his residence, Kasmanda Apartments, in Hazratganj. 28-year-old Vaibhav, also a village pradhan, was allegedly shot dead by two SUV-borne miscreants -- Vikram Singh and Suraj Shukla -- barely 300 metres from the Vidhan Bhawan and the state BJP office, on Saturday night. The victims father, now with BJP, has served as SP MLA from the Domariyaganj constituency of Siddharthnagar district. Initial probe revealed that Vaibhav and accused Shukla had been involved in the property business and had a monetary dispute. Reportedly, to resolve the dispute, Shukla had taken the help of Singh, who is listed as a history sheeter at the Hazratganj police station and is believed to have enjoyed a good clout among cops. Allegedly, the duo approached Vaibhav for a conversation, but during an argument, Singh opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. SSP announces monetary reward SSP Lucknow Deepak Kumar on Sunday declared monetary reward for anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest of Vikram Singh and Suraj Shukla. The reward money is Rs 20,000 for each of the accused. The city police also seized Rs 30 lakh from Suraj Shuklas house. Sources said Singh, who lives in Narhi just 500m from the Kasmanda Apartments, has 27 criminal cases registered against him, and has been a nuisance for most of the traders of the Hazratganj area from whom he extorted money. Being the son of a retired woman police sub-inspector Savitri Singh, he is said to have had immense clout in the area. It is believed, he developed a network among police personnel using his mothers contacts and got involved in extortion activities on the behest of some local cops of the Hazratganj police station. It is said that a few police officers were in regular touch with him and often helped him in resolving his conflicts. Sources said the suspected policemen used Singh in collecting monthly charges from traders for running their business in the area without any interruption. Senior police officials have sought Singhs call detail records to know more about the cops who were in frequent touch with him. Action is likely against the guilty policemen, said the source. RAIDS ON TO ARREST THE ACCUSED Four police teams are continuously carrying out raids in search of Vikram Singh and Suraj Shukla, who are suspected to be hiding in Rae Bareli and Allahabad respectively. Their latest mobile phone locations suggest that after committing the crime Singh moved to Rae Bareli and Shukla to Allahabad. Police teams have been sent to these locations, but so far, there has been no breakthrough in the case. Meanwhile, police have detained Singh and Shuklas family members, to question them about their possible whereabouts. Read more: Ex-MLAs son shot dead in Lucknows Hazratganj 24-HOUR DEADLINE Taking a serious note of the high profile crime, principal secretary (home) Arvind Kumar has issued stern orders to Lucknow police officials to arrest the two accused within 24 hours. Top authorities have taken the matter seriously, apprehending that the murder of a former MLAs son could be brought up during the assembly session on Monday. The crime happened barely a few metres from the high security zone around Vidhan Bhawan. SHUKLA CONFESSED CRIME TO FATHER Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Lucknow, Deepak Kumar said that Suraj Shukla confessed his involvement in Vaibhav Tewaris murder to his father Santosh Shukla during a telephonic conversation. The SSP said Shuklas father told cops during questioning that his son informed him that he had taken along Vikram Singh to resolve an issue with Vaibhav. They had a confrontation and Singh shot Vaibhav dead in a fit of rage. He said Shuklas father had provided a recorded telephonic conversation between him and his son regarding the incident. Shuklas mobile phone is switched off and unreachable. Multiple police teams are have been deployed to arrest the duo, said the SSP. A State Troopers offer of assistance to the driver of an overheated vehicle ended in the arrests of three people and the seizure of 1 pounds of fentanyl and nearly $62,000 in cash. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the state government will recruit 18,000 jawans to activate 74 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) that are lying non-operational. Speaking at the PAC Day celebrations held at the 35th PAC battalion in Lucknow, Adityanath lauded the force for rendering yeomens service in challenging situations. Along with maintaining law order, launching successful operation against Maoists, conducting elections and maintaining vigil on the border, the PAC personnel discharged their duties with devotion, transparency and professionalism, he said. The PAC had been deployed in other states and won laurels for accomplishing the task entrusted to them, he said. Recently, the PAC played an effective role in conducting assembly election in Gujarat, he noted. The PAC jawans were playing an important role in the security of religious spots, including Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura, the chief minister said. In July 2005, the PAC jawans not only foiled a terror attack in Ayodhya but killed the terrorists as well, he said. When terrorists attacked Parliament in Delhi on December 13, 2001, PAC jawans launched a counter attack and killed the terrorists. I was also present in Parliament during the attack and was witness to the jawans bravery. The PAC jawans laid down their life in the service of the country, he said. He also said PAC jawans had been deployed for the security of Lucknow of Metro. They were also part of the special tiger protection force deployed at the Dudhwa and Katarniaghat Wild Life Sanctuaries. The PAC had an important role to play in successful organisation of various melas and religious congregations, especially the Kumbh Mela, he said The force had set an example with its selfless service by organising relief and rescue operations during floods, he said. Jawans of the PAC were posted as commandos in the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Special Task Force (STF) too, he maintained. The state government had raised three companies for the State Disaster Relief Force and the remaining three companies will be established soon, he said. Speaking at the PAC Day celebrations held at the 35th PAC battalion, Adityanath lauded the force for rendering yeomens service in challenging situations. (HT Photo) The state government had sanctioned 273 companies in 33 battalions of the PAC. While 199 companies were active, 74 companies were inactive, the chief minister said. Yogi praised PAC officer Chandrahas Kushwaha for winning a medal in the World Police Games. He felicitated Kushwaha with a medal and a Rs 2.50 lakh cheque. The PAC officers and jawans who had played a commendable role in discharging their duties were also felicitated. Director general of police Sulkhan Singh said the PAC jawans had been deployed to control insurgency in North-East, terrorism in Punjab in the past and to check Maoists activities elsewhere, he said. Additional director general, PAC, RK Vishwakarma and inspector general A Satish Ganesh also expressed their views. The Christian community in Agra and Mathura on Sunday alleged police high-handedness over the arrest of seven people in Uttar Pradeshs Mathura district on what it said were fabricated charges of religious conversion. The seven accused, now in judicial custody, were picked up by police from a house in a village after locals complained to the police that outsiders were fomenting trouble by resorting to forced conversion. The charge was denied by the accused, who told the police that it was a private family affair involving relatives. But a local activist alleged that the police came under pressure from Hindutva groups to act against the Christians. Ahead of the Christmas celebrations, the community says this was an attempt to hurt their religious sentiments by rounding up people without any investigation and on flimsy grounds. We may have to approach the Chief Justice of India to grant us all anticipatory bail as we may be arrested when we go out singing carols, said an agitated Christian leader in Mathura not wanting to be identified. -- IANS A 38-year-old Argentine woman alleged that three youths slapped her while she was meditating on the banks of the Ganga and robbed her of Rs 2,000 on Saturday evening, police said. Superintendent of police, Varanasi, Dinesh Kumar Singh said a case had been registered against three unidentified youths after the woman lodged a complaint with the Ramnagar police. Photographs of 20 suspects were shown to the woman but the accused were not among them, he said. Attacks on foreigners On December 10, a team accompanying six French tourists was attacked in Lakhania Dari picnic spot in Mirzapur. The French tourists were on a visit to Varanasi. A Japanese youth was robbed of his valuables on December 14. A case was registered at Sigra police station. On June 28, a French elderly woman was reportedly raped in Shooltankeshwar area under Rohania police station. The accused was arrested. On November 13, 2015, a Russian girl was attacked with acid in Lanka area of Varanasi. Singh added the suspects could have been from a village across the river. Some people have been interrogated. A team has been deployed to trace the assailants who committed the offence. The accused will be arrested soon, he said. The incident took place when the woman was meditating on the crowded bank of the river opposite Assi ghat, police said. She has been living in Varanasi for the last 12 years and goes to the ghats daily for meditation, they said. The woman informed the police that she boarded a boat at Assi Ghat and crossed the river. She said while she was meditating, three youths reached there and lifted her purse. When she resisted, they slapped her thrice. Police said when she tried to take her purse, they slapped her again causing injuries on her neck and face. Talking to media persons, she said the purse contained Rs 2,000. She denied any molestation attempt. The woman lives in Bhadaini area and is associated with an NGO that helps poor children. The Bombay high court on Monday rejected a petition filed by Lt Col Prasad Purohit and Sameer Kulkarni, both accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts case, challenging the application of the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, to the case. The division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Nitin Sambre dismissed their petitions saying the trial court will take their objections at an appropriate time. Purohit had challenged the application of the Act contending that it was in violation of the mandatory provisions of the UAPA. On January 17, 2009, Additional Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra home department had accorded sanction to apply stringent provisions of the UAPA to the case. Shrikant Shivade, Purohits consel, said sanctioning the application of the Act was in contravention of section 45 of the UAPA, which requires the sanctioning authority to take into consideration the report and recommendation of appropriate authority appointed by the government. Shivade said no appropriate authority had been appointed by Maharashtra government, as required under this section, and so there was breach of mandatory requirement of the provision. The sanction is, therefore, vitiated and thus, there is no question of framing charges under provisions of UAPA and there can be no trial for violation of these provisions, he submitted. Advocate Sandesh Patil, who represented the National Investigation Agency (NIA), said Purohit had raised the issue of sanction even before in the high court while seeking bail and his contentions were dealt with and rejected by the HC, and the Supreme Court confirmed them. Patil also pointed out SCs observation that the contentions can be considered only at the trial. Besides, the bench also took into consideration the fact that the petitioners have argued their discharge applications before the trial court and it has reserved its order on their pleas. On September 29, 2008, a powerful bomb exploded outside a religious shrine in which six people were killed and around 100 were injured. On October 23, 2008, Maharashtra Anti-Terrorists Squad made its first arrests in the case. On January 20, 2009, ATS filed a chargesheet in the case after completing its investigation, and on April 1, 2011, Centre transferred the case to the NIA. : Even as the state home department drafts rules to regulate hookah parlours across Maharashtra, Bharatiya Janata Partys MLA from Malbar Hill Mangalprabhat Lodha has introduced a private member bill to ban these parlours as they are ruining the young generation. The legislator has alleged that many of these parlours sell drugs. Lodha has moved the bill to amend the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, and make selling tobacco products in hookah parlours punishable with up to three years in prison and a fine of up to Rs50,000. The legislator also wants sections 4 and 27 of the Act amended so that the offence becomes cognisable. The BJP MLA said he moved the bill as the government has failed to regulate parlours despite its assurance in December 2015 to do so. While introducing the bill in the lower house on Friday, Lodha said hookah parlours have become hotspots for consumption of tobacco products among school and college students below 18 years. These parlours also sell addictives and drugs and have become shelters for anti-social elements, he alleged. If not ban such joints, the government should at least ensure that the entry to minor youngsters and the sale of banned products are restricted here. I have spoken to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai police commissioner, and they are in favour of bringing regulations on such parlours, Lodha told HT. Last year, the Supreme Court (SC) had ruled that hookah parlours cannot be banned. It had, however, said that the government could regulate them. After that, the states home department initiated the process of formulating a draft rule to regulate such parlours, it is likely to bring an amendment in the bill in the Budget session early next year. As per rough estimates, at 500, Pune has the highest number of hookah parlours, followed by 400 in Mumbai. Anti-tobacco activists point out that most of these parlours are right outside schools and colleges. The SC order came because government authorities did not establish facts adequately. It was not brought to the notice of the court that their target audience is minor youngsters, or that these places have become centres for selling addictives. Mere restrictions will not serve the purpose, a blanket ban should be imposed, said Vincent Nazareth of Crusade Against Tobacco, which was a petitioner in the court demanding a ban on hookah parlours. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Looks like the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, has divided the transgender community. On Sunday, a few of the community members initiated a nation-wide protest against the bill, which may be introduced in the winter session of the parliament. The protesters alleged that the bill threatens their rights and freedom guaranteed by the Supreme Court in 2014. They were worried that the bill will make it mandatory for transgenders to undergo a medical examination to establish their gender. Several members from the community said they want their gender to be determined by self-identification and not through medical examination. However, some transgender activists said the fears were unfounded. Calling the protest against the bill as ill-informed, Laxmi Tripathi, one of the petitioners in the NALSA judgment that recognised transgenders as the third gender, said the protest against the bill are carried out by those who have not read the document properly. I am very happy with the bill, in fact it is a progressive stand taken by [minister Thawar Chand] Gehlot. It is a commendable process carried out by the ministry, in spite of the generation gap, said Tripathi. Tripathi said the bill did not speak about medical examination for transgenders, and the guruseva system (wherein the members of the community live as a family under a teacher who they call guru) followed by the community would remain intact. While there were speculations about the definition of transgender, the term defined on the Parliament website states: The Bill defines a transgender person as one who is partly female or male; or a combination of female and male; or neither female nor male. In addition, the persons gender must not match the gender assigned at birth, and includes transmen, transwomen, persons with intersex variations and gender-queers. But Gauri Sawant, a transgender activist, said the bill should speak about reservation. To ensure that there are reforms in the community, it is necessary that there is reservation for transgenders in schools, colleges and jobs. It is only then that people will accept us and we will be able to stand on equal footing with rest of the world, and not be forced into begging and prostitution, Sawant said. Former Maharashtra minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party member Eknath Khadse, on Monday, criticised the minister for food and drugs administration Girish Bapat over irregularities in the purchase of medicine by the state-owned Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Limited in Mumbai. Raising the issue during the question hour, senior Congress member Prithviraj Chavan pointed out that the apex court had censured the undertaking for violating the central vigilance commission norms while floating tenders worth Rs150 crore for the supply of bulk drugs, a few months ago. However, despite the Supreme Courts indictment, the government did not initiate any action against the concerned persons. Khadse, who was made to quit the party unceremoniously in 2016, joined Chavan and demanded criminal offences be registered against those found guilty. Why was the government shielding corrupt persons? he asked, demanding a probe by Special Investigation team (SIT). Khadse also blamed the government for brain drain, stating that it was unfortunate that the institute - the only one of its kind in the research of snake and venom - was unable to retain skilled scientists and researchers. He added that most employees were leaving the institution because they were paid poor wages, around Rs40,000 to Rs50,000 per month. While giving the judgement on the issue, Supreme Court did not direct the state or the institute to prosecute the concerned, Bapat said in response to Khadse. As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gets ready to form a government in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive time, ally Shiv Sena said since the BJP did not receive the victory it expected, the results were a warning sign that people are not happy with them in Gujarat. It also continued to laud Congress president Rahul Gandhi for leading his party without bothering about the results. Sena MP Sanjay Rauts comments came as the Congress seat tally increased. Though the BJP would form the government in Gujarat, the mood of the people is clear, Raut said. Though BJP won the elections, they did not achieve their target of 150 seats. Going by the mandate, it is now clear that the mood in Gujarat today is the mood of the country, as it was Gujarat which showed the path of victory [to the BJP], Raut told HT. He added that the BJP came to power in 2014 based on the Gujarat model, but now the wave seems to have receded. The Sena contested 41 seats in the Gujarat Assembly polls, but failed to open its account in the neighbouring state. However, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who on Saturday disagreed with the exit polls predicting a clear victory for the BJP, did not comment on the partys loss on Monday. Thackeray had said that there is a big difference between the atmosphere prevalent in Gujarat and the predictions of exit polls and that the final results will have to be accepted by everyone. READ: Small victory margin in Gujarat elections may spell big trouble for BJP in Maharashtra Raut defended the poor performance of his party while saying, It was always going to be a Congress-BJP contest in Gujarat. However, what we have to look at is that the result is a warning sign for the BJP going ahead in to the 2019 [Lok Sabha] elections. Raut also praised Gandhi and said the polls have given a new leader to the country. On Monday, the Sena also continued to heap praises on Gandhi in its mouthpiece Saamana. In an editorial, the party said. Whatever be the result of the Gujarat election, the country has seen the rise of a new Rahul Gandhi. He has accepted responsibility as Congress president at a crucial stage. There should be no objection in wishing him all the bestLet him decide if he wishes to take the Congress party to the pinnacle of success or down the pit. In a veiled attack at the BJP, the editorial said: Are those who think that nothing happened in the country in the previous 60 years and that the country has progressed only in the past three years humans or epitome of foolishness? The editorial added that with the entry of Gandhi in the poll arena, the faces of bigwigs [in the BJP] were turning black with the fear of defeat. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gets ready to form the government for the sixth consecutive time in Gujarat, its ally Shiv Sena said the results show that people are not happy with the BJP in Gujarat. The Sena also continued to laud the Congress president Rahul Gandhi for leading his party without bothering about the results. Senior Sena leader and MP Sanjay Rauts comments came as the Congress increased its seat tally in Gujarat. Though the BJP would form the government in Gujarat, the mood of the people is clear. Going by the mandate, it is now clear that the mood in Gujarat today is the mood of the country, as it was Gujarat which showed the path of victory [to the BJP], he said. He added that the BJP came to power in 2014 based on the Gujarat model, but now the wave seems to have receded. In a veiled attack at the BJP, he said: Are those who think that nothing happened in the country in the previous 60 years and that the country has progressed only in the past three years humans or epitome of foolishness? The Sena contested 41 seats in the Gujarat Assembly polls, but failed to open its account in the neighbouring state. On Monday, the Sena also continued to heap praise on Rahul Gandhi in its mouthpiece Saamana. In an editorial, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said: Whatever be the result of the Gujarat election, the country has seen the rise of a new Rahul Gandhi. He has accepted responsibility as Congress president at a crucial stage. There should be no objection in wishing him all the bestLet him decide if he wishes to take the Congress party to the pinnacle of success or down the pit. This is not the first time the Sena has lauded Gandhi. Last month, Raut said that Gandhi is capable of leading the country and that the Modi wave has faded a statement that did not go down well with the BJP. It is wrong to call him [Gandhi] Pappu as he has changed in the past three years, Raut had said. The Marathi daily added that with the entry of Gandhi in the poll arena, the faces of bigwigs [in the BJP] were turning black with the fear of defeat. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Police have arrested the man whose shop caught fire in Sakinaka on Monday, killing 12 workers. This comes after investigations revealed negligence on his part.Officials said the fire started at Bhanu Farsan shop on Khairani Road in Makharia compound. The workers were taken to Rajawadi Hospital, where they were declared brought dead. Police identified 10 victims and notified their families. They have filed accidental death reports. We asked shop owner Ramesh Bhanushali to submit legal documents, such as his licence, to ensure that these are valid, Navin Reddy, deputy commissioner of police, told HT. READ: Mumbai shop fire: 20-year-old worker jumped out of loft window, fractured both legs Bhanushali was booked under sections of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter and causing hurt by endangering life and personal safety of others of the Indian Penal Code. He was also booked under sections of the BMC Act. Police will also record the statements of other employees and shops manager to strengthen their case. The Sakinaka police and fire brigade continued rescue operations until evening after part of the shop collapsed owing to the fire as they feared that people may be trapped under the debris. The Mumbai traffic police diverted traffic on Khairani Road to the Andheri-Kurla Road to ensure that the rescue operations continued smoothly. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BUXTON -- Gitta Goeser says shes always had a heart for the elderly and veterans, so when a client came into her Grand Forks salon a few years back she was touched by her story. The woman had collected 900 pairs of pajamas for needy children in the community. She made 900 people smile, and thats just one person, Goeser said. I thought Oh, my gosh, I want to make people smile. So, I wondered what can I do. I came home and prayed about it, and bama-lama, it took off. The HOPE project -- an acronym standing for Helping Our Precious Elderly -- now is in its third year. Goeser collects useful items, mostly from her clients and other friends, throughout the year. Fleece blankets and flashlights. Stamps and nonslip slippers. Lip balm and butter cookies. Each month she puts a callout for a certain item on her Facebook page. When someone donates, that persons name is put into a monthly drawing to win a small prize, maybe a $10 gift card. Its unbelievable how everyone helps, Goeser said recently in her Buxton home surrounded by a tower of Kleenex tissues and totes overflowing with plush stuffed animals, magnifying glasses and lotion. Theyre so generous. Its amazing. Who are these people who are so nice? Thats why I call it our project because its not just me. Im just the one collecting it. Everyone else out there is doing it. For two solid months in October and November, there is daily work to be done -- hauling the totes upstairs, opening packages, adding batteries to flashlights, sorting and stacking the hundreds of items that eventually will fill brightly colored bags to the brim. At least 10 items go into each bag. Some others might include special requests such as a sweatshirt or a pair of pajamas. Its a little blessing in a bag. Thats all it is, a little smile and some hope, Goeser said. The first year, she delivered about 75 gift bags in one day. The next year, it was 100. And this year, shell take two days to drop off at least 150 bags to area veterans and residents of Tufte Manor and Wheatland Terrace in Grand Forks. Spreading the love The project grows bigger and bigger each year, and Goeser says shed like to expand it even more next year. She wants to reach the people who might be too proud to ask for help, people in the community who might be falling through the cracks. People in the nursing homes at least have the necessities, but there are still some people out there who have to choose between medicine and food, she said. I didnt know it was going to get so big so fast, but I want it to keep growing. My heart just breaks because I want to help people with everything they need. I want to do more. I sometimes just need to realize thats not what Im here for ... Gods got the big picture. Meantime, the HOPE project has come to be something her family looks forward to each year. And everyone has a special part. Her husbands employer, Waste Management, does all the flyers and postcards. Her daughter-in-law is the graphic artist. Her kids are the muscle. On Thanksgiving weekend, Goesers five grandchildren (ages 3 to 14) had a ball getting into the spirit. The grandkids put the bags together for me. I want them to understand this is our job as followers of Jesus to love our neighbors. That is the greatest commandment, she said. I want it to be a family thing. I think what if my grandkids take over. This could be huge. God can do anything. How to donate Goeser says people can learn more about the HOPE project by calling her at (218) 779-5956. Donations can be dropped off at The Ultimate Look, 2150 32nd Ave. S., Door A, Grand Forks. Donations also can include $5 and $10 gift cards to local grocery stores. People also may download the Square Cash app on their smartphones and click on the HOPE icon. Monetary donations go to nursing home residents and/or veterans. After it reintroduced the college affiliation process, the University of Mumbai (MU) has received 28 applications for new colleges . The university has already processed proposals for 37 new affiliated colleges, that are likely to be set up in the next two years, and sent them to the state government for its approval. Fresh advertisements for colleges were issued after the state directed MU to add five more slots to the existing 57 slots for new colleges created by the university in its perspective plan for the academic year 2019-20. The state also asked the varsity to open a fresh window between December 1 and 15 for educational organisations to propose new colleges. Presently, more than 750 colleges in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts are affiliated with the MU. The new applications will now be scrutinised and forwarded to the government. While MUs perspective plan the document that charts the future expansion of varsity had 57 slots for new colleges, an expert committee appointed by the state government recommended adding three slots. Maharashtra State Council for Higher Education and Development (MAHED), which approves perspective plans, added two more slots, taking the tally to 62. The new slots included three arts-science-commerce colleges each in Wadala, Kandivali (East) and Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) and two law colleges each in Oshiwara-Jogeshwari area and Vashi. In response to an earlier advertisement, the university had received 46 applications for new colleges, out of which 37 matched the slots created by the varsity. As many as 21 applications were made for arts-science-commerce colleges, including night and woman colleges, although the perspective plan had a provision for 28 such institutes. As part of the plan, MU had proposed three management, two pharmacy , three BEd (Special Education) and seven Fine Arts college in various districts. But none of the earlier applications for new colleges fit the bill for these institutes. After the state's approval, the varsity will issue letters of intent to educational trusts willing to start new colleges. After construction of college building and appointment of staff, the prospective colleges will go through another round of scrutiny before getting affiliated to university. The colleges will be operational by 2019-20. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Surendra.gangan@htlive.com Mumbai: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the state legislature has raised serious doubts over the system of audit of the cessed and dilapidated buildings in Mumbai. Its report, tabled in both the houses of the legislature on Monday, states that the count of cessed buildings appears to be fake. The statutory committee has also said the procedure to announce the buildings that are in dangerous condition is faulty and the fact that most of the collapsed buildings are not in the list, exposes this flaw. The committee has said that the buildings have been declared dangerous out of 19,000 cessed buildings by external surveys instead of conducting structural audit. The PAC report has directed the state government to conduct scientific audit of the buildings to decide their category on the basis of their existing condition and shelf life. The PAC has also directed the government to display the report of these audit reports on their website so that the residents are informed about it. The 29th report of the PAC on the action taken by the government on the strictures passed by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its 2011-12 report, was prepared by the committee after conducting hearings of the officials from the departments concerned. It is strange that the repair work of the most dangerous buildings is not given priority as the government lacks the scientific system of evaluating their physical conditions and there is no transparency about their maintenance. The government should think of cluster development of the cessed buildings and also should constitute a committee for the effective implementation of their redevelopment, the report has stated. The government also should prepare a priority list of the buildings that need to be urgently repaired. It has been proven time and again that the list prepared by the authorities is flawed as the buildings collapsed in the city in last few years were never found on the priority list. The committee has also rapped the medical education department for the loss of Rs1.85 crore due to negligence towards the machine it purchased for the processing of biomedical waste in July 2009 at Solapur. In two years of its procurement only 204 kgs of biomedical waste was processed. The machine was defunct since August 2011 after some of the parts were stolen, forcing the administration to outsource a new machine on a monthly rent of Rs48,500. The committee has said the loss was due to sheer negligence of the department. The committee also slammed the Mumbai University for it failure to implement the SAP system for the upgradation of the computerisation for better results. The report says that it led to the loss of face of the varsity. Upset with his aunt reprimanding him, a class 9 boy drove a car in anger and rammed three cars and a two-wheeler on Monday morning in Vasundharas Sector 3 in Ghaziabad. Two persons, including a woman, sustained injuries in the accident. After the incident, the boy sped away from the spot and parked the vehicle Honda Civic sedan at his aunts residence in Sector 5, Vasundhara. According to police, the incident took place around 8am on Monday. The boy rammed three stationary cars parked in Sector 3 and hit a two-wheeler passing by, before fleeing the spot. Sushil Kumar Dubey, station house officer of Indirapuram police station, said,The owners of the damaged cars have made a complaint in this regard. The accused is a minor and a resident of Janakpuri in Delhi. He has been residing at his uncles residence in Ghaziabad for his studies. So far, no FIR has been registered in the matter. During the accident, the number plate of the Honda Civic fell off the car and it was handed over to the police. Police said the boy was reprimanded by his aunt for not focusing on his studies. On Monday morning, the minor took out his uncles Honda Civic sedan, lost control of the vehicle and rammed the stationary cars in Sector 3. He panicked and tried to speed away and, in the process, hit a two-wheeler passing by. The two riders received minor injuries. They were taken to hospital for treatment, police said. After the incident, the boy parked the car at Sector 5 and left for his parents home in Janakpuri, police said. Dubey said the boys uncle has assured the owners of the three vehicles that he would compensate them for the damages caused. However, the matter will be dealt with as per the provisions prescribed by the law, based on the complaint made by the victims, the police officer said. For the sixth time on the trot, its a respectable victory for the BJP in Gujarat. The final count is yet to come, but at 70-odd seats, the Congress defeat is honourable. In some ways, the electorate, a vocal section of which was distraught for a variety of reasons from agrarian distress to issues with GST, gave both parties some reason to celebrate: The BJP more; the Congress less. Compliments are due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again his partys one-man battalion for having helped it to retain power. He defused strong anti-incumbency against the local leadership, to spearhead the BJP in gaining a simple majority in the 182-member House. For Rahul Gandhi who strategised and led the Congress charge, the results at once are cause for satisfaction and introspection. The issues he raised found resonance with sizeable sections of Gujarati voters who arent easy to please. At the same time, he failed, despite proximate and direct partnerships with young Turks such as Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mewani, to deliver the zabardast outcome he predicted on the last day of electioneering. One can say it was the Congress best chance squandered again. But thatll be a tad unfair. The partys performance would seem impressive, given the near-derelict state of its organisational infrastructure in the BJP citadel. It not merely lacked committed cadre but also a robust chief ministerial option for the electorate. The partys three top leaders at the local level are sons of former chief ministers without the mass base of their fathers: Bharat Solanki, Siddhartha Patel and Tushar Chaudhary. Not surprising then that none of them was perceived as an option. And to some extent, nor was the Congress, what with the BJP being in power at the Centre under Modiits Mr Teflon. So howd the results, including the Congress defeat in Himachal Pradesh, play out at the national level? The BJP will do well to take a closer look at its policies and their implementation, agrarian distress and growing unemployment. There was evidence on the ground that lack of jobs has somewhat weakened Modis hold on the young electorate. As for the Congress, the first task for Rahul, who took over as party president days before the results, should be to strengthen the party in states where assembly polls are due next year: Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. For it were the drubbings it got in these provinces that took the fight out of the party for the 2014 general elections that reduced it to a rump in the Lok Sabha. vinodsharma@hindustantimes.com The results of the 2017 Gujarat elections, cut both ways. While the BJP has won, it has most certainly lost some of its shine in terms of both seats and political standing. The Congress, which has lost, however, has gained in terms of seats and, interestingly enough, comes out politically stronger. We have, therefore, to ask: What really happened, and, more important, what is the message? For one, the central issues were not really about Prime Minister Narendra Modi or who insulted him or whether Pakistan tried to fix the Gujarat election. These electioneering dramas, it would seem, had little or no bearing on the states 43 million voters. In fact, if compared to the national election numbers for 2014, the BJP has been statistically pummelled. One can even add that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has indeed made a difference, though not enough to sink the BJP ship. Time to introspect Earlier this year, BJP president Amit Shah had confidently declared that the party would win no less than 150 of the 182 seats in the assembly. Until the close of polling, most leaders had hoped that Modis charisma and Gujarati asmita (pride) will help the party better its tally from the last election, when it had won 115 seats. Several exit polls made similar forecasts. But Mondays vote counting showed the BJP has more reasons to worry than celebrate. The party barely managed to get past the majority mark, winning 99 seats, while the Congress, riding on the back of new alliances, bagged 80 seats. In several assembly constituencies, the BJP won with a slender margin, which some analysts believe could have gone to the Congress if it was as good as the former in managing elections on the ground. Also, a lower voter turnout would seem to have helped the BJP in the sense a section of its traditional supporters who were aggrieved chose to stay away from voting instead of opting to side with the Opposition. The losses in Saurashtra are an indication that the distress among farmers and the unrest among the Patidars have cost the BJP. The improved tally for the Congress in North Gujarat showed that the coming together of Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani helped in moving youth votes away from the BJP. The BJP succeeded, however, in not letting its vote share drop. In fact, its vote share went up marginally, as it retained its influence in urban centres, especially in central and south Gujarat and made inroads in tribal constituencies, which helped cut some of the losses in the Saurashtra region. A level playing field A clear message from Mondays verdict has been that if the BJP could be given a tough fight on the home turf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, it could be challenged anywhere else. That message will begin to play out in the national arena. The Opposition has finally found a leader to rally behind Rahul Gandhi. A bigger message is that voters will stand by a party that chooses to take up real issues. If one shines a more searching light on the 2017 campaign, there are new revelations as well. New enough to allow us to claim that some part of this round in the Gujarat elections is possibly the first tremor of Indias potential youthquake. The word youthquake, incidentally, has just been voted by the Oxford English Dictionary as the word of the year 2017. It refers to A significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people. Gujarat appears to have been the first in India to have experienced this electoral rumbling, with a generation of young leaders dominating, shaping and influencing the campaign. Even if they have not succeeded in helping the Congress win, they have made sure the BJPs saffron sheen has dimmed. The issues of education, unemployment, agrarian distress and youth anger has just announced itself on the stage of Gujarat politics. These voices perhaps were even louder than the general complaining over demonetisation and the GST. While a deeper analysis is awaited as to why these pressing concerns did not rout the BJP in Gujarat, there is nonetheless enough to wonder whether this generational disquiet is just beginning to gain momentum. If elections are won or lost over issues, then 2019 is sitting atop a potential youthquake eruption. rajesh.mahapatra@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The arithmetic of politics has succeeded. The BJP has won, though with a lower tally in Gujarat. Himachal Pradesh has been wrested from the Congress. When power seems to be slipping away, politicians adopt all means to retain it. Unedifying statements made by politicians in the run-up to the Gujarat assembly poll show the desperation of those who will use all means to hold on to power. The prime minister forgot about the Gujarat model of development. Gujarat lags behind other states in indicators relating to education, health, tribal welfare and poverty in general. The Gujarat model widened the gap between the rich and the poor. Big industry benefited from the largesse doled out by the BJP. Large tracts of land allotted at throwaway prices may have enriched industry but the poor remained static. From being ranked 7th among 20 major states in incidence of poverty in 1994, the states rank steadily declined to 10th by 2011. Tribals and other backward communities continue to struggle on a daily basis for survival . Despite an increase in the height of the Narmada dam, a canal network that can reach farmers in remote parts of Gujarat is yet to be completed. As of March, 2017, 49,313 km of the approved 71,748 km of the canal system has been completed. Nearly 30% still remains incomplete. Despite claims, electricity has not yet reached all homes. Water scarcity is still a daily issue. With little to showcase, the BJP embarked upon a campaign of polarisation to garner votes. The unabashed use of money power was out in the open. The Mian Musharraf discourse was back in action. The prime minister questioned my role as a counsel representing a particular party in relation to the Ram Janmabhoomi issue, which was heard in the Supreme Court on December 5. My representation became a national issue because he equated it with the Congress position; as if farmer suicides, levels of poverty, decline in social indicators, the negative impact of demonetisation which affected lives and livelihoods were issues of no relevance; as if the irrational implementation of GST, destroying the informal sector, robbing workers of their livelihood and small industry of its earnings including the emotional protest of textile workers in Surat were issues of no concern. A quiet dinner at a Congressmans house where Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, a former foreign minister of Pakistan, was present became a conspiratorial gathering. The prime minister alluded to discussions in the meet being anti-national. To embrace Nawaz Sharif at his inauguration and make an impromptu visit to his home was, I guess, not anti-national. Added to that was yet another script obviously based on falsehood that Ahmed Patel was suggested by the former director general of the Pakistani army to be the next chief minister of Gujarat. These were the issues that were in the forefront of the Gujarat elections. The prime minister had in mind only the arithmetic of politics. The Election Commission also did not earn laurels in the way it handled Gujarat. First, the delay in announcing dates for the Gujarat elections helped the prime minister announce sops for the poll-bound state. Second, the rationale for having a two-phase election for the 182-member Gujarat assembly in contrast to a single phase election for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly is unclear. Third, the manner in which Rahul Gandhi was asked to explain his interaction with the media on the eve of the closing hours of electioneering, while ignoring the prime ministers huge roadshow after casting his vote, shows an inbuilt institutional bias. The Election Commission also turned a blind eye to the prime ministers visit in a sea plane to the coastal areas in Gujarat on election day. When the arbiter of the election process is not even-handed in its response, then democracy is in danger. The process is as important as the outcome. That the BJP has won is the outcome of this arithmetic. Numbers do not win hearts. It is the well-being and all round development of all sections of society that do. Unless the prime minister changes course and attempts to win back the hearts of those who put him in office, this victory will remain pyrrhic. The final battle in 2019 may well be lost. Kapil Sibal is a Congress leader and former Union minister. The views expressed are personal. The BJPs electoral win in Gujarat for the sixth time doesnt have that aura of success because of the troubling shadow of economic factors like the disruptive impact of demonetisation, GST, agrarian distress, and the the rural-urban divide, among others. The Congress relentlessly focused on these factors in its campaign and registered a vastly improved showing. This is bound to give a lot of confidence to its new president, Rahul Gandhi, to bolster the partys showing in the national elections in 2019. For all the talk of a Gujarat model of development, this election laid bare the economic fault lines that are visible in the rest of the country as well. Take the impact of GST. Although the BJP hails it as a transformative reform, it shut down small and medium enterprises such as powerlooms in places like Surat. Surat has more than 650,000 powerlooms, around 60% of which have shut down. The diamond jewellery trade, too, was adversely affected. Although just prior to the elections, the NDA government tried to make amends by tweaking teh GST rates, the Congress forcefully campaigned against this so-called Gabbar Singh Tax and managed to register gains in constituencies like Surat East that suffered because of this tax. Unrest among farmers was another important economic issue that had a bearing on the electoral outcome in Gujarat. As in the rest of the country, demonetisation has had a serious impact on farming by shutting down the cash economy. Farmers experienced the full brunt of food deflation when their crops were sold in mandis for a pittance. Deflationary winds continue to blow in agrarian Gujarat, making farming increasingly unviable. With fewer job openings in the urban areas, was it any surprise the massive agitation among the Patidars (or Patels) robbed the BJP of a more emphatic and decisive victory at the hustings? Clearly, the focus on economic factors worked to the advantage of the Congress and its allies. In the Saurashtra region, where the Patidars have most influence, the Congress has gained the most. It registered impressive leads in Patidar-dominated bastions like Amreli, Lathi and Savarkundla, to name a few. After many anxious moments of trailing in a Patidar- dominated constituency, the deputy CM of the state, Nitin Patel, managed to secure a lead in Mehsana. For such reasons, it was far from a cake walk for the BJP considering the oppositional forces ranged against it on largely economic grounds. While the Gujarat model boasts of rapid growth and the presence of big industry, there are vast segments of Gujarati society that are outside. As indicated in a detailed story in the Hindustan Times, the districts with most number of tribals like Dang, Tapi, Narmada and Dahod rank among the poorest in the state. They have been pushed to the margins, thanks to failed development resettlement projects. Tribals constitute a significant voter base of 15%, a factor that is bound to have had electoral implications. In Dang and Dahod, for instance, the Congress registered an impressive showing at the expense of the ruling BJP. Lastly, this election exposed the growing rural-urban divide in the state. The BJP triumphed as it largely retained its urban strongholds, while doing less spectacularly in rural constituencies. Gujarat has 39 urban seats, 100 rural seats and 43 seats that are classified as semi-urban. In the 182-member assembly, the BJP held on to its urban and semi-urban seats, but not so in the villages were unrest is brewing among the farming community. N Chandra Mohan is an economics and business writer based in New Delhi. The views expressed are personal. Forty people were hospitalised after chlorine gas leaked from the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA)s waterworks facility in Rajiv Colony near Sector 17 here on Monday evening. Panic spread after the victims, including women and children, complained of nausea. While 15 were rushed to the government hospital in Sector 6 here, 15 were taken to the Manimajra civil hospital and 10 reached Government Multi Specialty Hospital in Sector 16, Chandigarh. Barring two patients, a woman and a girl, all have been discharged after medication. Two patients have been put on oxygen as a precautionary measure, said Dr Sanjeev Trehan, principal medical officer at the Panchkula hospital. Otherwise they are out of danger and will be discharged soon. Most of the patients were labourers and their family members living near the waterworks in Rajiv and Indira colonies. Janki, a patient, said she was working at home when suddenly she felt irritation in her eyes. A moment later, she felt dizzy and started vomiting. Several patients complained no administrative official came to their rescue and others in the neighbourhood took them to hospitals. Cylinder disposed of in Ghaggar The security guard at the waterworks spotted the gas leak, but when the cylinder was being loaded on to a vehicle, the gas spread in the neighbourhood. HUDA executive engineer NK Payal said the situation was brought under control after the cylinder was disposed of in the Ghaggar. The cylinder was lying at the waterworks for many days and had around 3-kg gas in it. We are trying to find how the gas leaked, said Payal. Chlorination is carried out to remove impurities from drinking water. It is done in two ways: gas-based or liquid-based. The latter is not harmful. Payal said they are phasing out gas-based chlorination. We had a few cylinders in stock that have been consumed now, he said. Meanwhile, Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta, who met the patients, said HUDA should penalise the agency that supplied the cylinder. He said the patients are stable but HUDA should ensure that such incidents are not repeated. The Congress on Sunday made a clean sweep winning 59 of 60 seats in the Patiala municipal corporation (MC) elections that concluded amid allegations of electronic voting machines (EVMs) being rigged and booth capturing. The polling for ward 37 will be held later. Also, there were reports of skirmishes between the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers as well. As per information, 62.2% voting was recorded against the 60% in the 2012 MC polls. The Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the police and the district administration of working in connivance with the Congress in booth capturing. The civic poll debutant AAP remained a silent spectator to the Congress and SADs high drama, as their workers remained low-key on the polling day. As per information, 62.2% voting was recorded against the 60% in the 2012 MC polls. The AAP bundled its booths from all polling stations early in the day, while the SAD workers left their booths at around 12:30pm. Clashes in many wards Tension gripped the city throughout the day after the first incident of disturbance was reported from ward 14. The police had to use mild force to disperse the Congress and SAD workers, who exchanged blows over cross-allegations of casting bogus votes. Three SAD workers were reportedly injured during the clash. In ward 53, former mayor Amarinder Singh Bajajs turban was tossed in the air during a clash with the Congress workers. Bajajs wife Manpreet Kaur was contesting from the ward. A firing incident was reported from ward 60, following which heavy police force was rushed to the spot on the Patiala-Nabha road. Minor incidents were also reported from wards 20, 39, 58, 49 and 13 as well. Booths hijacked by Cong Akali leader and Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra termed the civic body elections in Patiala as the murder of democracy by the ruling alliance. This is no way to hold elections in a democratic set-up, he said. The entire system collapsed like pack of cards. Booths were captured in all the wards. The SAD will move an adjournment motion for the cancellation of this civic body election, Chandumajra said. The MP, along with former cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, toured several polling stations in the city. He said the Congress came to power with substantial mandate of people and now it is stopping people from exercising their franchise. Masked youth with support from the police and patronage of local MLAs were freely roaming all over the city, capturing booths and preventing people from voting, he alleged. The SAD is forced to boycott the elections. We will not take this lying down and will approach court against these polls, said Rakhra. The AAP vice-president Balbir Singh alleged that the Congress even surpassed the SAD in booth capturing and using force to hijack MC polls. It is a black day for the Indian democracy. The Congress has captured all booths in the city. Our polling agents have been thrown out of the polling stations in all wards, he said. Cong refutes allegations Refuting the allegations of EVM rigging and booth capturing, cabinet minister Brahm Mohindra said the Congress had registered a huge victory from all polling stations even during the assembly polls. The leaders of opposition parties are making an unnecessary hue and cry. Their allegations of EVM rigging and booth capturing are completely baseless, said the state health minister. Tit for Tat for SAD Sanjeev Sharma (of Congress), a front-runner for the mayoral post and was elected unopposed, said it is a tit-for-tat situation for the SAD-BJP alliance, which won the MC elections for two elections (in 2007 and 2012), through unfair means, including booth capturing and threatening Congress leaders and workers. It was the SAD that started the trend of rigging in the Patiala MC polls back in 2007. What they sowed in 2007 and 2012, is what they are reaping in 2017, said a Congress leader. SADs Chandumajra said that the party will give a befitting reply to the Congress once it comes to power. The Congress first used violence in 2002 and had to remain out of power for 10 years. But after what they have done now, they will remain out of power forever, he said. SAD stages protest Alleging rigging and mass booth capturing, the SAD leaders, led by Chandumajra and Rakhra, staged a protest near the residence of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh near YPS School at around 1pm. After police cordoned off the roads leading to the CMs residence, the leaders staged a protest outside the deputy commissioners office. Rakhra said the Congress workers stooped to a new level in these polls. It is shameful that the Congress, which had won with a margin of over 1 lakh votes during the 2017 assembly polls from the areas, has resorted to such tactics, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Mohali police have seized diamond jewellery worth nearly Rs 5 crore from a Mumbai resident at Chandigarh International Airport. Manish Bandi, a resident of upscale Mumbai locality Santa Cruz, had landed here on Indigos afternoon flight from Delhi on Saturday. One box contained 74 diamond rings, another had 54 items including 24 necklaces and pairs of earrings and the third had 21 items, including jewellery sets. Inspector HS Bal, airport police station house officer, said Bandi was apprehended inside the airport on a tip-off. Ba said he was travelling from Hyderabad via Delhi and was carrying three boxes of jewellery. One box contained 74 diamond rings, another had 54 items including 24 necklaces and pairs of earrings and the third had 21 items, including jewellery sets. During questioning, Bandi claimed he was in jewellery business and was carrying the boxes for display at a lifestyle exhibition in Chandigarh, said Bal. When checked, there was no such exhibition here. Bandi could not even produce any document to show that he owned the jewellery. Bal said the interrogation continued till Saturday night and later the matter was handed over to the excise and taxation department, which seized the jewellery on Sunday and asked the accused to produce relevant documents to reclaim it. "The income tax department too begun its probe on his business dealings, said Bal, adding that it was strange how the man was able to pass throught frisking at Hyderabad and Delhi airports. It was only last week when the local police seized Rs 22 lakh from a Gurgaon resident, who was unable to give a satisfactory reply after the seizure. Read more here: 1-kg gold found under plane seat at Chandigarh airport; Rs 22 lakh cash seized from passenger GRAND FORKS A civil lawsuit filed in Grand Forks County District Court accuses a developmental housing nonprofit of housing a known sexual predator with a disabled man, who was raped, and attempting to cover up their actions. The lawsuit, filed Dec.12 by the mother of the victim, charges Development Homes Inc., its CEO, Grand Forks City Council member Sandi Marshall; and other DHI employees with negligence, failure to provide a safe environment, violating the victims rights and inflicting emotional distress. Forum News Service does not typically identify victims of sexual assault and has decided not to publish the name of the plaintiff. Daniel Traynor, attorney for the plaintiff, declined to comment when reached Friday, Dec. 15. According to the suit, a 40-year-old disabled man with the mental capacity of a 2-year-old had been a client of DHI since he was 11. In January 2016, he was given a new roommate. That new roommate was documented sexually assaulting a woman at another DHI home in December 2015, according to the suit. Marshall and DHI concluded he could not stay with a female roommate and decided to move him in with the victim. The then-manager and then-staff at DHI were primarily concerned with (new roommates) history as a sexual predator and his known physical aggression, and objected to the move, the suit states. The victims guardian was not made aware of the new roommates history of assault, the suit claims. Once the new roommate moved in, the suit claims DHI removed a lock on the victims bedroom door without the permission of his guardian. DHI also allegedly put a female manager, Konah Zunugo, who is a defendant in the suit, in the home overnight who was not informed to the new roommates past behavior. On May 22, 2016, Zunugo entered the victims room at 3:30 a.m. and witnessed the roommate engaging in sexual intercourse, according to the suit. Because of the victim's mental capacity, he is unable to consent to sexual behaviors. The victim also reportedly had a broken shoulder at the time. Zunugo reported the assault to DHI and completed an event report, according to the suit, which claims medical care was not provided for the victim at the time. The victims guardian was not informed until noon the next day and law enforcement was not immediately contacted, the lawsuit claims. When the victims guardian asked for a law enforcement investigation, the suit claims DHI and Marshall tried to cover up the crime by asking employee Mark Indvik to become the assaulter's guardian to prevent police from interviewing him. Mark and Amelia Indvik, listed as defendants in the suit, did apply for emergency guardian status of the alleged assault on May 26, 2016, according to court records. They were awarded emergency guardian status on May 27. The suit states law enforcement tried to interview the alleged assaulter that day, and Mark Indvik asserted his new dependents right to remain silent. The suit claims Marshall told DHI staffers to not cooperate with the investigation and encouraged them not to talk to anyone outside of the DHI family. Marshall did not respond to requests for comment Friday. An attorney for Marshall, DHI, Zuonugo and the Indviks was not listed in court dockets. No hearings have been set in the case. The three youths from Mawa village in Nurpur Bedi area of Rupnagar district, who had got trapped in Saudi Arabia as bonded labourers, returned home on Sunday. After returning home, Ajay Singh, Jasvir Singh and Suresh Kumar said that they had gone to Saudi Arabia on November 17 for working as truck drivers with a company through a Nangal-based travel agent. They made payment to the agent for the purpose, they said. Their families were happy over their return. They said the Sheikh took Rs 4 lakh from them for the release of the youths. However, on reaching Saudi Arabia, a Sheikh took them along and forced them to work as bonded labourers to look after his camels and goats, they claimed. They said that if anybody refused to do the work, he was beaten up and tortured. The youths said after they ran away to a camp, the local police handed them over to the Sheikh. Their families were happy over their return. They said the Sheikh took Rs 4 lakh from them for the release of the youths. They rued that the government did not provide any help for the youths release. The Rupnagar police had booked three travel agents under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code in this regard and had arrested two of them. Actor Arvind Swami had a busy 2017 as he shot for four Tamil films including Sathuranga Vettai 2, Bhaskar Oru Rascal, Vanangamudi and Naragasooran. His sole release of the year was Bogan, in which he shared screen space with Jayam Ravi for the second time after the 2015 smash hit Thani Oruvan. On Saturday, Arvind opened up about his career and future plans in a Twitter chat with his fans. He has revealed that he might don the directors hat in 2018. Yes, hopefully in 2018 arvind swami (@thearvindswami) December 16, 2017 Answering a fans question on whether he has directorial plans, Arvind said, Hopefully, in 2018. He also said expect the unexpected when asked what kind of director would we see. Although he remained tight-lipped about Mani Ratnams next project, a multi-starrer with Vijay Sethupathi, Simbu, Fahadh Faasil, Jyothika and Aishwarya Rajesh; he said that hes looking forward to working with everybody. Arvind recently completed shooting for Karthick Narens Naragasooran, which also stars Indrajith Sukumaran, Sundeep Kishan and Shriya Saran. Talking about Karthick, he said that hes a filmmaker with a lot of potential and Naragasooran will be a film thatll be talked about. Last seen in Telugu film Dhruva, Arvind clarified his focus right now is only on Tamil films. When a fan asked when he will do Telugu films again, he said, I will surely dub the movies that I have done in Telugu. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop If the industry grapevine is anything to go by, Vivegam actor Vivek Oberoi might have landed a crucial role in Ram Charans next untitled project with director Boyapati Srinu. After playing the antagonist in Ajiths Vivegam earlier this year, it turns out Viveks work has impressed a few southern filmmakers who are keen to rope him in. Its not yet known if he will play the baddie, but itll be really interesting to see him take up another interesting role. Vivek is well known among Telugu audiences thanks to his association with Ram Gopal Varma, with whom he has worked in some really good films. Their last outing was Rakht Charitra, about the rise and fall of factionist-turned-politician Paritala Ravi. The makers have approached Vivek, but its still unknown whether hes signed on the dotted line, a source told Hindustan Times. The project is expected to roll early next year as soon as Ram Charan wraps up Rangasthalam, which is gearing up for release on March 29. This project will be bankrolled by DVV Danayya and will have music by SS Thaman. The female lead is yet to be finalised and the makers are apparently in talks with Kajal Aggarwal. It has also been confirmed that Ramya Krishnan will essay a pivotal role in the movie. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Sivakarthikeyan and Fahadh Faasil may play friends turned foe in their upcoming film Velaikkaran, but the two share a great bond off screen. The two have been heaping praises upon each other, so much so, Siva confessed that he hasnt bonded with any coactor like he did with Fahadh Faasil. From Siva readily agreeing to do a movie in Malayalam if it was alongside Fahadh, to their discussions about life, the two actors opened up to discuss their movie, work equation and more at an event in Kochi. When asked about working with Fahadh, Siva said, I have learnt a lot, especially from brother Fahadh Faasil. You all would have seen his work in Malayalam, but his role in Velaikkaran is something that he hasnt done before. Initially, I wondered how I would measure up to him, but Raja had written the characters and the scenes so beautifully that I feel I have done justice to the role. Given this is his Tamil debut, did Fahadh feel any pressure? Siva chose to answer this for the actor, There would be eight to nine page dialogues at a few stretches, but he didnt feel any pressure at all. Fahadh, however, felt it wasnt that simple and he initially faced trouble because as an actor he was thinking in a different language. I even discussed about this with the director and he reassured me by saying that its just a language and I should work on the film, he explained. I had fun shooting for the film, he said, and explained that he would write the long dialogues in English and read them. Fahadh and Siva were then asked about their experience of working with Nayanthara. Fahadh answered, We only worked together for two days. I must say she is very professional, down to earth and women are going to love her character in the film. Sivakarthikeyan explained how Nayanthara has grown to be a top star who has created a space for women-centric films. Young women who aspire to be actors want to become like her and it was a great learning experience for me to work with her and Fahadh, he said. Talking about fan clubs and the importance they enjoy down south, Siva said, Fans clubs are important to consolidate all the people who love me and when I do films, I take feedback from them. There is a buzz that Fahadh plays the antagonist in the film but he refused to let that one out. Whether I play the antagonist or not is something that should be revealed in theaters. One thing I can certainly say is that both of us give a different perspective to being (blue-collar) worker. Siva explained that so far he has only attempted films that entertain audience. Velaikkaran is something that I have never attempted. I play the role of a worker, Arivu. His life, the questions that are raised through the transitions of his life is something that will connect with everyone. It is a serious film, he said, adding he approached director Mohan Raja after watching Thani Oruvan. I was interested in working with Raja after seeing Thani Oruvan. I explained that I wanted to work on something that discusses an issue from the everyday life like in Thani Oruvan and thats how we got Velaikkaran. Raja sir is also so hardworking, he said. What was it like behind the scenes and how did the actors work together? Sivakarthikeyan said that he has never bonded with another co-actor like he did with Fahadh. He recounted with a smile, We shot a long schedule in a factory and there were no caravans for us. So Fahadh, a few other actors and I used to share this room and the two of us can be mostly seen discussing life and such. This bond is quite visible at the press meet. Even when he was asked if he would star in a Malayalam film, Fahadh jumped in to say that they will star together in the film. Siva readily agreed and said, Brother, you will take care of me, right? Siva was then asked about his successful collaboration with composer Anirudh. One of the reporters even asked if there was romance between them, leaving everyone in splits. Siva quickly says that they are brothers who have mutual affection. One big reason why it works for us is because I dont restrict him or request him for anything. Whatever he composes is what we use. Songs and tunes, its purely his work and his magic. The mutual affection does lead to him going beyond, he said. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In the run up to Christmas, tourists from around the world flock to the Santa Claus Village, an amusement park in Finnish Lapland, where temperatures can hit nearly -15 degrees Celsius (5 Fahrenheit). They buy soft toys and souvenirs from pricey gift shops, while a bearded Santa receives hundreds of admirers a day throughout December. From the valleys of Finland, Santa, then, embarks on a world trip to the skyscrapers of New York and beyond to deliver gifts. Holding their winter beanie hats in their hands, visitors wait patiently in line for a brief encounter with Joulupukki, the Finnish word for Santa Claus, and a photo opportunity in exchange for hard currency. Weve seen other Santas but that wasnt the real one. But were told that is the real one, said Mary Gleadall, an eight-year-old tourist from Southampton in the UK, visiting the amusement park with her parents, brother and sister. According to Christmas lore, Santa lives in a secret place in the middle of the snowy pines of the North Pole. But the question is where? Since 2010, Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, has marketed itself as Santas official home. Situated a few miles from the city, the Santa Claus Village is located in front of a huge gas station. Tourists rush to cross the Arctic Circle, marked by a white line, to meet Santa Claus in his wooden home with a pointed roof. But entering his private cottage is out of the question as Mother Claus is reportedly protective of their privacy. In a large room, the white-bearded old man sits in an armchair next to a chest full of letters. Each year, he receives more than 3,00,000 visitors, a deluge he embraces with humility. Im very happy. Im not exhausted but, of course, I get tired once in a while he says. And how does Santa Claus regain his energy? I love to take nap every once and then. Fifteen minutes sleeping and then all is very good. he says. Exalted tourists Shizuka Kawahara and Saki Itoi, Japanese tourists in their thirties, flew for more than 24 hours to hug Santa for a few seconds in a precious moment immortalised with a photograph taken by an elf. The price for one shot starts at 30 euros ($35). Photographing with ones own camera is forbidden as it would ruin the magic of the moment, says the staff of the house. Four-year-old Harry Gleadall, Marys brother, approaches Santa without fear. He quickly states his list of what he wants for Christmas: Transformers and some more Transformers before he skeptically shakes Santas hand. But what if it wasnt the real Santa Claus? Harry asks with concern. Eager to set the record straight and justify the long trip, his mother quickly assures him that the chubby red-clothed man is indeed the real deal. After a tour around the shop which sells hand-made Lapland emblems and tons of souvenirs, the family is back in the village square, surrounded by wooden homes, Christmas carols piped out of nearby speakers. Polar safari In this winter wonderland, tourists have the opportunity to go on a reindeer sleigh ride. A snow safari of 400 metres costs 14 euros per child and 18 euros per adult, an exotic experience for many foreigners who seek to discover the arctic landscapes steeped in pink light. The -13 degrees Celsius does not discourage the plucky visitors bundled up in their ski suits. Everything that have been told to me during childhood, its come true, said Perpetua, a tourist from Dubai, describing the break from the year round desert climate as heaven. We expected magic and this is what we found, added Max, an Italian tourist. Everything seems to be magic, the lights, the place, everything here. But Miriana, a 24-year-old Italian on a university exchange programme in southern Finland, was less convinced. The place is really nice. But I think nevertheless that its a bit commercial, she said. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Earlier this week, new and much-in-love bride Anushka Sharma posted a photo on her Instagram account of her and Virat Kohli at an undisclosed location. The two lovebirds were surrounded by snow and her caption read, In heaven, literally. In heaven, literally A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Dec 15, 2017 at 12:25am PST According to a report, the couple was in Rovaniemi, Finland, chasing the Northern Lights and spending a cosy, romantic time together. Their getaway was organised by Luxury Action company, which specialises in private and luxury travel, tailor-made experiences in the Arctic and Nordic regions. Situated by the Arctic Circle, this place is the residence of Santa Claus. Some of its major streets are in the shape of a reindeers head and antlers. If you wish to head to Finalnd, much like Anushka Sharma and Virat Kolhi, heres a handy guide. 1) Northern Lights: Gawk at this wonderful natural phenomenon, cross frozen rivers and get bomb photos of the beautiful sights. A campfire with some hot chocolate makes it just the perfect honeymoon experience. 2) Lapland Santa Claus Village: If you happen to be here around Christmas, take a trip to the Santa Claus village and experience a sleigh-ride. Hope onto a snow mobile and zoom through pristine snow with a local guide. You may even get to meet Santa himself. A glass igloo in Finland. (Shutterstock) 3) Tallinn: Take a day trip to Tallinn, Estonias capital which is a ferry ride away from Helsinki. Check out the town on foot and walk the cobbled path with your loved one. 4) Koli National Park: This is one of the most Instagrammed views in Finland. And for good reason. The beautiful lake and hills make for a picturesque backdrop. Give Switzerland a miss, and head here instead. 5) Saana, Kilpisjarvi: This is known to be the most popular fell in Finland, due to its recognisable shape. Historically, the mountain is considered sacred. A trek to Saanas summit will add an adventurous shade to your honeymoon. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more An assault on an Afghan intelligence facility claimed by the Islamic State ended with the police killing the attackers on Monday, an official said. The attack has ended. Two attackers were killed...only two police were wounded, said Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid, adding there were no civilian casualties. The terrorists stormed a building under construction near the training centre of the National Directorate of Security in Afshar area, triggering a gunbattle with security forces as detonations and shooting reverberated from the area. Around 10.10 am, a group of armed attackers entered an under-construction building in (the) NDS training centre in Afshar area of Kabul, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. Initial reports indicated that the attackers were wearing police uniforms. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. Two IS attackers raid the Afghan intelligence centre in Kabul, the jihadists propaganda arm Amaq reported. Afghan security personnel arrive at the site of an attack at an intelligence training centre in Kabul, Afghanistan, on December 18, 2017. (AP) Tolo News channel reported that the attackers used heavy weapons against the security forces. Besides the NDS facility, a private university is also located in the area where the attack occurred. Kabul has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians in recent months, as the resurgent Taliban and increasingly the IS step up their attacks, targeting security installations and mosques. Security in Kabul has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the citys diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians. No group claimed responsibility for that attack, which the government has blamed on the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network. Mondays attack represented another blow to beleaguered Afghan forces. The Taliban have targeted military installations in recent months, including a spate of attacks in October that killed around 150 people. Afghan forces, already beset by desertions and corruption, have seen casualties soar to what a US watchdog has described as shockingly high levels since NATO forces officially ended their combat mission in 2014. Morale has been further eroded by long-running fears that the militants have insider help - everything from infiltrators in the ranks to corrupt Afghan forces selling equipment to the Taliban. Chinas foreign ministry on Monday defended trade with the United States as a win-win scenario ahead of a speech by US President Donald Trump laying out a new national security strategy that makes clear that China is a competitor. Trump has praised Chinese President Xi Jinping while also demanding that Beijing increase pressure on North Korea over its nuclear programme and changes in trade practices to make them more favourable to the US. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she was unable to comment on the strategy until it was unveiled. But in principle, China hopes the strategy can play a constructive role in promoting world peace and stability and promoting China-US strategic mutual trust, Hua told a daily news conference. The essence of China-US trade and economic ties is mutually beneficial and win-win, directly and indirectly supporting 2.6 million US jobs, she added. In 2015, the profits of US firms that invested in China reached $36.2 billion, and China will continue to support trade and investment liberalisation, Hua said. We are willing to work hard with the US side to dedicate ourselves to building a robust, stable and healthy trade and economic relationship, she added. That was in the interests of both sides and the expectation of the international community, Hua said. The national security strategy to be rolled out in Trumps speech should not be seen as a bid to contain China but rather to offer a clear-eyed look at the challenges it poses, said US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump made his first visit as president to China last month, where he lauded his meetings on trade and North Korea as very productive. Washington has refrained from pushing harder on trade because it needs Chinas cooperation on North Korea, though Xi, at least in public when Trump was in Beijing, went no further than reiterating Chinas determination to achieve denuclearisation through talks. China and the US have also repeatedly clashed over trade issues, including state support for Chinese firms and intellectual property rights violations in China. On Friday, Chinas finance ministry said it would cut export taxes on some steel products and ditch those for sales abroad of steel wire, rod and bars from January 1, stirring concern in the US and Europe that the worlds top steel producer may be looking to sell its excess product abroad. It follows a ministerial level G20 meeting in Berlin last month, where China and the US remained at odds over how to tackle excess steel capacity. The global steel sector is worth about $900 billion a year. What happens when a prince interviews a president? Well, if this teaser of Britains Prince Harry interviewing former US president Barack Obama is anything to go by, the answer is a lot of fun. On Prince Harrys request, Barack Obama agreed to star in a guest edition of BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Kensington Palace shared the trailer on Sunday,where Harry can be seen joking with Obama. In the preview, Obama asks Harry if he has to speak quickly, since he is a slow speaker. Do I need a British accent? jokes Obama. In turn, Harry tells the former president that if he takes long pauses between answers, he will get the face. Let me see the face, asks Obama, leading Prince Harry to pull an exaggerated mock-grimace. I dont want to see that face, the former president says. Here is a sneak preview of when @BarackObama met Prince Harry for the interview. Listen to the full interview on 27th December on @BBCr4today. pic.twitter.com/p5I1dUdyhx Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 17, 2017 The trailer also shows Prince Harry saying that while Obama is excited, he is feeling nervous. Ill interview you if you want, says Obama. Lets keep it this way, Id much prefer that, replies Harry. Harry and Obama are known for their rapport and their very public exchanges of sassy banter. Who can forget the British royals Twitter war with the Obamas while promoting the 2015 Invictus Games, which lead to Harrys by-now-famous mic drop moment? Not even the Queen. Invictus Games is a Paralympic sporting event for injured or sick armed forces personnel, that was found by Prince Harry in 2014. Harry and Obama hung out at this years Invictus Games in Toronto in September, joking, cheering and taking selfies with fans. Social media gushed over the bromance, spinning memes around it. The full 40-minute interview will air December 27 on Englands BBC Radio 4 Today. Four members of a ring that facilitated acquisition of Portuguese nationality by Indian citizens through fraudulent paperwork and links to the former Portuguese colony of Goa, Daman and Diu have been jailed in Lisbon following a major international operation. Called Livro Magico (Magic Book), the operation launched in 2013 spanned India, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mozambique, Principe and Cape Verde. Acquiring Portuguese nationality allowed the Indian citizens to migrate and settle in Europe. Under Portuguese citizenship law, those born in the colony before December 19, 1961, when India liberated Goa from Portuguese rule, can apply for citizenship. The facility, which extends to their children, has been taken up by thousands of people from the former colony in recent years. The facility enabled fraudulent networks to emerge. According to SEF, Portugals Immigration and Borders Service, the four members of the ring are citizens of India and Mozambique. They were given jail terms between three and six years following a series of raids in several countries, including Leicester in the United Kingdom. The actions of the defendants aimed at raising Indian clients willing to pay monetary amounts in order to obtain Portuguese nationality. The network provided the necessary false documentation, including birth certificates from Goa, Daman and Diu, SEF said last week. The fraudulently acquired birth certificates allowed the clients to prove a connection with Portugal that eventually led to citizenship. The ring reportedly charged nearly 30,000 Euros per person, allowing entire families to avail of its fraudulent services. Raids during the international operation led to the seizure of a large number of documents, computer equipment, mobile phones, correspondence, cars, credit cards, about 20,000 Euros, gold and jewellery, officials in Lisbon said. Among the documentationthere was abundant evidence that many of those who acquired Portuguese nationality had identities different from those with which they fraudulently applied to claim Portuguese nationality, the SEF said. It was proved that the defendants organised themselves with the objective of obtaining economic profits with the processing and instruction of requests for Portuguese citizenship by citizens of Indian-origin. The investigation began after initial information from US, Canadian and UK authorities, who reported the arrival of a large number of Portuguese citizens of Indian origin. Many of them had already requested visas to these countries under their true identity. According to Britains Office for National Statistics, there were 28,000 India-born UK residents with Portuguese nationality in 2017. However, reports in the Portuguese media suggest the figure may be more than twice that figure. Thousands of Goans moved to the UK after acquiring Portuguese citizenship, settling mainly in London, Swindon and Leicester. In the charged immigration discourse, there are demands that the British government stop what is called a loophole that allows Goans to acquire Portuguese citizenship and move here instead of Portugal. As Portuguese and now EU citizens, the Goans are part of the ongoing Brexit discourse on the continued stay of EU citizens after Britain leaves the European Union, expected by March 2019. Recent talks in Brussels suggest that those who arrive by that date will be allowed indefinite stay. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON At least three hundred. I like the title, not the one on the first panel, but the one at the top of each frame, which I have also given as the title of thi... 13 hours ago US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Monday slammed as an insult a UN draft resolution rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital after blocking it with a veto. What we witnessed here today in the Security Council is an insult. It wont be forgotten, said Haley, describing the measure as one more example of the United Nations doing more harm than good in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The European Union and 12 other nations condemned Japans Antarctic whaling programme on Monday, rejecting Tokyos argument that the annual slaughter is for scientific research. Japans whaling fleet left for the Southern Ocean last month, planning to kill 333 minke whales over a four-month period. Its fisheries agency says the hunt is needed to study whale behaviour and biology, but critics say such lethal research is unnecessary and acts as a cover for commercial whaling. (We) jointly express...opposition to Japans continued so-called scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean, the EU and its allies said in a statement. We remain resolutely opposed to commercial whaling, in particular in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). In addition to the EU, the letter was signed by Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru and Uruguay. Japan is a signatory to the IWCs moratorium on hunting, but exploits a loophole that allows whales to be killed in the name of scientific research. In 2014, the UNs International Court of Justice ordered Tokyo to end its regular hunt in the Antarctic waters, saying the project did not meet conventional scientific standards. Japan cancelled its 2014-15 hunt, only to resume it the following year under a new programme - saying the fresh plan had genuine scientific value. The joint statement noted that the IWC ruled last year that the new research programme was not scientific and should be halted. Japans decision to return to the Southern Ocean this year is contrary to the commissions requests, it added. Israeli aircraft targeted a Hamas facility in the northern Gaza Strip early on Monday, hours after two rockets fired from the Palestinian enclave struck southern Israel, the army said. In response to the rockets launched towards southern Israel, IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft targeted a Hamas training compound in the northern Gaza Strip, a statement from the military said. In the compound three structures and other terror infrastructure were targeted. There were no reports of injuries from the health ministry in Gaza. On Sunday night, two projectiles fired from Gaza hit southern Israel, one damaging a home in a border town. Another projectile flew short of its target and hit Gaza, the army said. The Sunday attacks ended a three-day lull in the latest wave of rocket fire amid anger over US President Donald Trumps December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Militants in the Palestinian enclave have fired both rockets and mortar rounds into Israel since Trumps deeply controversial announcement. Trumps announcement was followed by protests across the Palestinian territories, with six Gazans killed - four in clashes with Israeli forces along the border and two Hamas militants in an Israeli air strike in retaliation for rocket fire. The rockets are often fired by small Islamist groups but Israel holds Gazas rulers Hamas responsible for any attacks from the territory. The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) holds the Hamas terror organisation accountable for this hostile act originating from the Gaza Strip, the Monday statement from the military said. From Donald Trumps election to Brexit and the Catalan crisis, accusations that the Kremlin is meddling in Western domestic affairs have heightened fears over Russian hackers, trolls and state-controlled media. While the first accusations against Moscow came following a 2016 hack attack on the US Democratic Partys servers, they rapidly multiplied after Trumps election, revealing a whole range of tools used by the Kremlin to serve its interests. Fears initially centred on mysterious Russian hackers who supposedly worked for Moscows security services as part of a cyber war but then shifted to a flood of online articles and social media posts aiming to explain Moscows position and play up the failings of Western democracies. In the latest episode of the saga that is dominating Trumps presidency, Russian state television channel RT, accused of broadcasting Kremlin propaganda abroad, complied with Washington demands in November to register as a foreign agent in the US. A few weeks earlier, social media giant Twitter announced it would stop distributing content sponsored by RT and linked news agency Sputnik while Facebook and Google promised to do more to fight Moscows disinformation. Panic has spread across the Western world: Madrid is worried about Russian-controlled manipulation of the Catalan crisis, while British analysts see signs of Russian influence in the Brexit vote and concerns are growing in Germany and France over possible interference in various polls. Information war The Kremlin, meanwhile, has dismissed the accusations as hysterical and Russophobic, insisting there is no hard evidence for any of the charges. Russia has worked hard to increase its soft power following what it perceived as a defeat in the media war during its brief war with pro-Western Georgia in 2008. These efforts led to the expansion of Kremlin-controlled media for a foreign audience. State broadcaster RT, formerly Russia Today, and news agency Sputnik were assigned a mission to represent Moscows position abroad, especially on topics where Russia and the West clash such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. Russia spends a lot of money on this (information war) and we constantly see more players, said Russian investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov, editor of Agentura.ru, a website specialising in security issues. In 2014, Russian media reported on a new, powerful Kremlin tool: a troll factory in Saint Petersburg. Officially called the Internet Research Agency, it was reportedly linked to Russian security services and ran thousands of fake accounts on social media in an attempt to influence public opinion. According to sources interviewed by the RBK daily newspaper, it was first deployed to influence domestic politics. The trolls, the paper said, were then reorientated from 2015 to sow unrest in the US. Here they pretended sometimes to belong to one camp and sometimes to another, spreading false information and even organising protests. Limited means But Mark Galeotti, a security expert and researcher at the Institute of International Relations in Prague, wrote in Tablet magazine in June that the Kremlins operation in 2016 was about weakening Washington, not deciding who would sit in the White House and aimed to undermine the legitimacy of the American government, its capacity to act. Despite these efforts, Moscows ability to influence Western public opinion remains limited. American officials have said that content coming from Russia and the amounts spent on it were only a small portion of the total information flow and spending. The Kremlin nevertheless hugely increased the budget allocated to its cyber campaign during the 2016 US presidential election. Russia spent $50,000 on Facebook ads during the US election campaign compared to the whopping $81 million that Trump and Hillary Clinton spent on their campaigns. Russian hackers, the Kremlins shadiest instruments, have been accused of targeting the US Democratic Party, the US National Security Agency, the party of Frances Emmanuel Macron and the World Anti-Doping Agency. But Soldatov says American cyber security resources and their hacking skills are still far superior, explaining that Russian hackers rely on methods that require few resources, such as phishing for passwords. The Kremlin has not gained so much from these operations, they are mainly just noise, said Soldatov. But he still sees a danger that other countries will now want to do the same. At least 6 people were killed early Monday when a passenger train derailed in Washington state, sending at least one car off a bridge onto a crowded highway, officials said. A spokesman for the local sheriffs office, Ed Troyer, told reporters at the scene there were multiple deaths but did not have a specific number to report. He also said no motorists were killed, though some were injured when part of the train struck several vehicles. Amtrak passenger Chris Karnes told local news outlet KIRO 7 that passengers were forced to kick out train windows in order to escape, because emergency doors were not functioning properly following the derailment. We had just passed the city of DuPont and it seemed like we were going around a curve, Karnes said. All of a sudden, we felt this rocking and creaking noise, and it felt like we were heading down a hill. The next thing we know, were being slammed into the front of our seats, windows are breaking, we stop, and theres water gushing out of the train. People were screaming, he added. The derailment occurred on the first day that Amtrak trains began using a new route between the cities of Tacoma and Olympia, part of a project to reduce travel time, according to an October news release from the states transportation department. The new route takes trains along Interstate 5, eliminating a major choke point for passenger trains in Tacoma and allowing trains to reach speeds of 79 miles per hour (127 km per hour), the department has said. Mondays train, which was scheduled to depart Seattle at 6 a.m. (1400 GMT) en route to Portland, Oregon, was the first to run along the new route. It was not immediately clear whether the derailment, which came during a busy travel time one week before the Christmas holiday, was connected to the new route. Amtrak confirmed its train was involved and said some injuries had been reported but did not immediately offer further details. The train derailed around 7:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) in DuPont. A photograph posted by a Washington State Police spokeswoman showed an upside-down train car partially crushed on the highway, with a second car dangling off the overpass. About 70 people were aboard the train, local news media reported, citing the state transportation department. Authorities warned drivers to avoid the area, and the southbound lanes remained closed. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Twitter that it was gathering information about the incident. Thank you to the first responders on the scene. Were praying for everyone on board the train, and ask everyone to hold them in your thoughts, Washington Governor Jay Inslee wrote in a Twitter message. The mayor of one of the towns through which the rerouted trains travel warned earlier this month that the high-speed trains were dangerously close to cars and pedestrians. Come back when there is that accident, and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens, Lakewood Mayor Don Anderson told transportation officials in early December, according to Seattles KOMO News. British police arrested a man at a US air base in eastern England on Monday after a car apparently drove into a checkpoint gate, prompting military personnel to open fire, various sources said. RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, home to the 100th air refuelling wing, was briefly locked down over the incident before reopening, a spokesman for the base said. Local police said they were called at around 1.40pm (1340 GMT) to reports of a disturbance, saying: The base was put into lockdown and units responded immediately. Shots were fired by American service personnel and a man has been detained with cuts and bruises and taken into custody. No other people have been injured as a result of the incident. A government source said that a car had tried to force its way through a checkpoint at the base. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: We are aware of an incident at the entry point of RAF Mildenhall. Mildenhall said on its website: RAF Mildenhall locked down at 1pm (1300 GMT) today following reports of a disturbance on base. The spokesman said the base was reopened at 1435 GMT. An Indian-origin employee of Barclays Bank who acted as a personal bank manager to two money launderers has been jailed for six years and four months for his role in a conspiracy to launder more than 2.5 million that had been stolen using malware. Cyber crime officials said London-based Jinal Pethad, 29, acted as the personal bank manager to money launderers Pavel Gincota and Ion Turcan, setting up 105 sham bank accounts using false ID documents. Pethad managed the accounts to ensure that receipt of the stolen funds was not blocked by the banks security processes and that the pair could freely transfer money between the accounts. Gincota and Turcan were jailed in October 2016 and Pethad was arrested the following month. During a search of Pethad's home in Edgware, officials of the National Crime Agency (NCA) recovered more than 4,000 in cash, seven luxury watches and three mobile phones, all of which were used to communicate with Gincota. Multiple text messages on one of the phones showed Gincota making arrangements to open new accounts and asking Pethad to change details, such as addresses and security information, on existing ones. Pethad pleaded guilty in the high court. Mark Cains of NCA said: Jinal Pethad abused his position of trust at the bank to knowingly set up sham accounts for Gincota and Turcan, providing a vital service which enabled them to launder millions. Using his knowledge of the financial system, he made sure the stolen money was not blocked before entering these accounts, and provided the pair with reports to evidence his efforts and maintain the criminal relationship. A Barclays Bank spokesman said: "We have worked with and supported the police with this investigation and welcome the outcome of the proceedings. Barclays has a zero tolerance to any unlawful activity and confirms Jinal Pethad was dismissed by the bank. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The United States on Monday vetoed a draft UN resolution rejecting President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital, after all 14 other Security Council members backed the measure. The veto cast by US Ambassador Nikki Haley highlighted Washingtons isolation over Trumps announcement that the US embassy will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, effectively ignoring Palestinian claims on the city. Key US allies Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine were among the 14 countries in the 15-member council that backed the measure asserting that any decisions on the status of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded. The United States will not be told by any country where we can put our embassy, Haley told the council after the veto. Egypt put forward the draft resolution which insists that Jerusalem is an issue to be resolved through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and expresses deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem, without specifically mentioning Trumps move. The United States along with Britain, China, France and Russia can veto any resolution presented to the council, which requires nine votes for adoption. Breaking with international consensus, Trump announced on December 6 that he would recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv, triggering protests and strong condemnation. US Vice President Mike Pence will visit Jerusalem on Wednesday, wading into the crisis over one of the most controversial issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel seized control of the eastern part of the city in the 1967 Middle East war and sees all of Jerusalem as its undivided capital. The Palestinians view the east as the capital of their future state. The draft resolution had included a call on all countries to refrain from opening embassies in Jerusalem, reflecting concerns that other governments could follow the US lead. It demanded that all member-states not recognize any actions that are contrary to UN resolutions on the status of the city. Disabled Palestinian activist Ibrahim Abu Thuraya, who was killed by Israeli forces on Friday in Gaza, has become the symbol of Palestinian anger and protests. Thuraya, who lost his legs in an Israeli airstrike in 2008, was one of four Palestinians to die in clashes with Israeli security forces on Friday in Gaza and the West Bank. Palestinians were protesting against Donald Trumps controversial announcement that the US will recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. Thurayas death came on the bloodiest day of the protests yet, which show no signs of abating. Hundreds attended Thurayas funeral on Saturday, as his body was carried on a stretcher through Gaza City, reported Haaretz. A married father of three, Thuraya was a fisherman before he lost his legs. He made a living washing cars and despite his disability, was a regular at protests. Photographs and video footage from Fridays protest show that Thuraya and other protestors gathered at the eastern border fence. Abu Thuraya had been pushed to the fence in his wheelchair, before leaving the chair and attempting to crawl further forward, before he was shot dead. Ibrahim Abu Thuraya lost his legs when Israel bombed his home in Gaza in 2008. Today he was shot and killed by Israeli occupation forces. pic.twitter.com/virqxpDvpt CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) December 15, 2017 Two days before his death, he told a video interviewer that he had been protesting against the US decision. This land is our land. We are not going to give up. America has to withdraw the declaration it has made, he said. The Israeli military said it had fired selectively towards main instigators of the protest in which Abu Thuraya was reportedly hit, and that it was investigating the circumstances of his death. The Israeli military said about 3,500 Palestinians had demonstrated near the Gaza border fence on Friday. During the violent riots IDF [Israel Defence Force] soldiers fired selectively towards main instigators, it said in a statement. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed in a statement that Abu Thuraya and Yasser Sokhar, 31, were shot in the head in Gaza during clashes with Israeli soldiers. Rock icon Gene Simmons is vigorously denying claims that he made unwanted sexual advances and assaulted a TV journalist during an interview back in November. The woman in question is now bringing a lawsuit against Simmons, who is facing charges of "sexual battery, gender violence, battery and assault''. In the court documents, the broadcaster claims that the band's frontman made unwanted, unwarranted sexual advances. And that she was assaulted by Simmons who, alleging that he "forcefully" grabbed her hand and place it on her knee during an interview that was conducted in an California restaurant that is actually owned by two band members of Kiss. It's also claimed that he also "'flicked/struck'' her throat. She also claims in her sworn statement that Simmons "turned standard interview questions into sexual innuendos, which made plaintiff extremely uncomfortable". The attorney representing the accuser, Willie W. Williams told The Sun newspaper: My client is embarrassed and humiliated by the incident with Mr. Simmons. She filed suit because she wanted to make a strong statement that this behavior is unacceptable and she wants to see an end to this type of behavior. But the 68-year-old has now taken to Twitter to deny the allegations. The band's frontman wrote:"For the record, I did not assault the person making these accusations in the manner alleged in the complaint or harm her in any way." Speaking to Ultimate Classic Rock, Simons also said: ''I intend to defend myself against any alleged charges you may have been reading about in the media. "For the record, I did not assault the person making these accusations in the manner alleged in the complaint or harm her in any way. I am conferring with my lawyers with the aim of vigorously countering these allegations. And, I look forward to my day in court where the evidence will prove my innocence.'' In the opening line of your comeback single, Solid Gold imagine a particularly lascivious Rolling Stones covering Queens Hammer To Fall you predict that people are going to shit themselves. Justin Hawkins, I put it to you that youre foot shooting and this is never going to make daytime radio playlists. I think our best work is us shooting ourselves in the foot, but thats a good point. The last three albums, we have tried to second guess ourselves a bit, but once we started thinking we know how to do this, we stopped being able to do it. Is a hit single even that important anymore? Were more concerned about our fan base and having another album of great material that we enjoy playing live. We sat down with Hawkins to discuss the return of The Darkness, their dynamite new album Pinewood Smile - recorded live with famed producer Adrian Busby (Foo Fighters) the main thing was his energy - and their mini Irish tour, part of The Tour De Prance campaign. Hot Press genuine malapropism, Tour De Ponce, raises approving guffaws, Hawkins filing it for future use. Their line up has changed since the last visit; the magnificently monikered Rufus Tiger Taylor has replaced Emily Dolan Davis - We had different philosophies with regard to live work - on drums. Hes made it so much fun to be out and about, a hilarious guy and a brilliant player. Hes a handsome bastard too. Its just a relief not to be the best looking one anymore. At last, someone else can carry that weight! Was his being the son of Queens Roger Taylor part of the attraction? It was for me, yeah, but he had to be even more amazing to get past that. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When HIV/AIDS swept through Houston in the 1980s, some people ran from any contact with those who were ill, even if it meant abandoning friends and family. Social worker Victoria Williams ran, too. But she ran toward the inferno, not away. She listened to the patients, mostly gay, white men growing weaker and more isolated by the day. "What three things are most important to you?" she would ask. "What can I start working on tonight?" Even she was surprised by the answers. Those struggling with HIV or AIDS didn't have money for food or rent. Still, they worried most about their constant companions, their pets. "I can help," she said. Early on Williams cared for the dogs, cats and other critters by herself. But as the number of animals in her care grew, friends stepped in to help. That was the start of the Pet Patrol, which offered subsidized veterinary care, food and help keeping clients and pets together at home as long as possible. Over the years, the group has evolved, as has Williams, who has served Houston in general and the LGBTQ community, in particular, for more than 30 years. Another nonprofit that she helped start is Assisthers, which helps lesbians challenged by illness or disability stay in their homes. Until 1996 - and the development of lifesaving HIV/AIDS drugs - Williams had focused on the terminally ill gay men in the LGBTQ community. "It was time to help women," she said. In 2015, she also helped launch The Oral History Project, which is documenting the stories of people affected by HIV/AIDS across Southeast Texas. HIV is a virus spread through certain bodily fluids; AIDS is a series of infections or cancers preying on a weakened immune system. "It was such a hard time and so painful to remember," Williams said. "But there are lessons to be learned." Williams had a master's degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin and a passion to serve when she arrived in Houston in 1982. That same week, the Ku Klux Klan marched on City Hall. "I wondered what I had done," Williams said. "I'm gay, and I had moved into an outwardly hostile environment to both blacks and gays. I thought, 'Emotionally and physically unpack. Give it two years.' " Williams did leave in 1984, but only to help her mother in Connecticut after her father died. On Williams' return to Houston in 1986, she found many of her gay male friends were dead or dying from AIDS. "Like many lesbian women, I started making meals and driving friends to the hospital. Then I thought to myself, 'Tori, you're a social worker, you're trained to be a community organizer, and this community could use some organizing." Williams' gift, says Andrew Edmonson, a board member for The Oral History Project, is identifying social problems, then orchestrating the solutions. Edmonson said the requests Williams received in the late '80s and early '90s also included, " 'Sit with me while I die because my family rejected me' or, 'Walk my dog, the creature who loves me best in the world.' " Rich Arenschieldt, a longtime Pet Patrol volunteer, described Williams' strengths as "super powers." "She has the innate ability to be empathic and determine what a person really needs. She's the one who will take a step back and ask herself, 'How do I get those needs met?' " Over the years, Williams has raised more than $2 million to fight HIV/AIDS. The Pet Patrol and Assisthers are still going strong, and The Oral History Project is scheduled to be completed in 2019. When finished, the personal experiences of 100 long-term survivors, physicians, activists, religious and political leaders - all describing their view of Houston's HIV/AIDS epidemic - will have a home in the Woodson Research Center at Rice University. It's 9 p.m. on a Tuesday, and Williams, 63, has not changed out of her work clothes or had dinner. Instead, she's chatting with visiting neighbors who were flooded during Hurricane Harvey and juggling two kittens, Harvey orphans, mewling to be fed. She retrieves bottles filled with formula. Soon the neighbors are feeding and bonding with the kittens, too. Though HIV/AIDS is no longer a daily part of the national conversation, it is still front and center for her. For almost 19 years, she's served as director of the staff for the Houston Ryan White Planning Council, which means she shares responsibility for the state and and federal funds used to plan, organize and deliver local HIV services. "I won't say it's a thankless task," said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, "but Tori coordinates a group of people who are already fragile and need help. She's seen a lot of pain, yet she manages to see a lot of hope behind that pain." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump sent shock waves through the Texas business world when he opened up the North American Free Trade Agreement for renegotiation four months ago. Would he tear up the deal? Would he imperil what for many is a lucrative cross-border trade between Texas and Mexico? But so far developments have been slow in coming, with government officials announcing that negotiations would extend through at least the end of March. "Most people think this is going to take a while," said Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, which represents a number of Texas refineries. "You have the Mexican election and the U.S. midterms to contend with. This could easily go through 2018." Texans in Washington are left trying to figure out what the White House is trying to accomplish. What has many corporate leaders worried is U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer's focus on a provision within NAFTA that allows companies that feel they have not been treated fairly by a host government to take their claims before an independent tribunal. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce maintains the provision is critical to protecting U.S. investments abroad. And considering the billions U.S. oil companies are readying to invest in Mexico now that its energy sector is open to foreign investors, oil executives are among NAFTA's biggest cheerleaders. Last week, during a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Texas congressmen expressed concern that if the Trump administration demanded a roll back in investment protection, it could do damage to increasingly intertwined energy markets in the United States, Mexico and Canada. "On the one hand, the White House says we believe in energy dominance for our country and North America. On the other hand, the U.S. trade representative is undercutting that," Rep. Bill Flores, R-Waco, said. The risk for Texas were NAFTA to be done away with - as President Donald Trump has threatened - is the loss of business for the state's dominant oil and gas industry. Mexico is the biggest export market for U.S. natural gas producers, at the same time refineries along the Gulf Coast rely on crude from Mexico and Canada to operate. But Trump is riding increasing skepticism within the Republican and Democratic parties on free-trade deals that many see as giveaways to multinational corporations at the expense of the domestic workforce. But just how far he is willing to go remains an open question among lobbyists in Washington. "We hope some of this is just negotiating tactics," Thompson said. In the meantime, corporate lobbyists are eagerly making their case for the White House to preserve NAFTA more or less as is - with some adjustments here and there to account for economic and technological advances made since the original agreement was signed into law by former president Bill Clinton in 1993. At the center of those efforts are the growing oil and gas production out of North America, with the United States, Canada and Mexico ranking first, fifth and 11th on the global list of largest oil producers. And more centrist congressmen from both parties are taking note. "We're on our way to replacing OPEC with a de facto NAPEC," said Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land. "The Eagle Ford Shale doesn't stop at the Rio Grande, waiting for a visa to cross." 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: There is a huge Christmas light display near where I live. The speed limit there is 65 mph, and every night, multiple cars park, turn around and back up, all while heavy traffic is speeding by in both directions. This is a major accident waiting to happen. What can be done? A: You should call local law enforcement to report the situation. Tell officers how dangerous you think it is. They might already be fully aware and have decided to do nothing about it. They might also investigate the site and determine whether steps need to be taken to safeguard the location. By the way, I did not include the exact location in your question even though you provided it, but I did look it up online. You are correct. That is quite a huge display. I can see how it would cause serious issues given all the drivers who would want to stop and check it out. Q: I have been the executor of an estate since 2011. The only thing left is to pay off one of the heirs. He has received part of his inheritance, but now I can't locate him. The estate checking account has now started to accumulate charges against it. What can I do? A: You can withdraw the remaining balance of the account in cash. Place the cash in an envelope and keep it in a safe place, such as your safe deposit box, if you have one. A home safe should work as well. You can then close out the estate and continue your efforts to find the missing heir. But don't forget that the cash belongs to him. You should try using Google or Facebook to locate him. Alternatively, if the cost is justified by the amount of money you have remaining on hand, you could hire a "missing heir" company to do the search for you. You can find such a company by searching online. Q: After my mother died, her bank froze her small checking account, which is the only undistributed asset. The bank wants a court order to release the funds. Is this legal? What's the point of having a will if you must go through probate for such a small account? A: Yes, it's legal for the bank to freeze the account. Under the law, it is not permitted to release funds without some sort of proof from the court that you are entitled to withdraw the money. Unfortunately, it might not be cost-effective to go through probate if the account is too small in value. It is possible that a Small Estate Affidavit could work, but you would probably need an attorney to assist you. Enrollment for 2018 health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ended Friday for most people, but Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey will get two extra weeks to sign up. People in Houston and a wide swath of storm-affected areas will be able to enroll for plans on the federally mandated exchange through Dec. 31. But advocates caution that applying after Friday can be cumbersome. Those who want to take advantage of the storm-related extension can start the process through healthcare.gov but then must complete enrollment by calling 800-318-2596. There is no proof of storm damage required to receive the extra enrollment time and, in fact, other Texas cities such as Austin and Dallas may also participate because many victims fled to those cities after Harvey. Still, as the clock ticked toward the Friday midnight deadline for others, there was an unmistakable air of urgency in Texas and across the nation both among potential enrollees and advocates working to keep numbers high despite a significantly shorter length of enrollment. This time around, the enrollment period was sliced in half by the Trump administration, dropping to 45 days from 90 days last year. That shortened time frame may have contributed to the rush of enrollment in recent days. "Yesterday and early today it is totally bonkers," Community Health Choice president and CEO Ken Janda said Friday. The Houston-area insurer is one of four companies offering plans on the federal exchange in the Houston area. That is an increase from three insurers last year. As of Dec. 9, Texas enrollment stood at 579,688, significantly higher than the 449,094 from the same time last year, federal officials said. But Janda and others remain pessimistic that the final tally - even with the extra two weeks for storm victims - will fall far short of last year, when about 1.1 million Texans signed up for coverage. Traditionally many wait until the end of January to make the decision to enroll, and often those procrastinators are the younger and healthier customers the insurance industry counts on to help offset the cost of those who are sicker and use more health care. "I am predicting there will be thousands fewer at the end of December," he said. Critics of the Trump administration's decision to cut the enrollment period say it is part of a larger strategy to undercut the law known as Obamacare. In addition, the advertising budget for 2018 enrollment was slashed by 90 percent, grants were cut to community groups that help people sign up, and the federal website where people pick plans was out of service nearly every Sunday morning since enrollment began Nov. 1. Supporters counter that the shortened time frame was more in line with enrollment periods for other health insurance, including Medicare and employer-based group plans. They also defend the cost-cutting as a way to streamline the process and eliminate waste. Janda sees sabotage. "I believe these are intentional actions by the White House and Congress to hurt the ACA," he said Friday, adding that the disruptions will ultimately affect people's ability to become insured and have access to care. "That," he said, "is the real tragedy." He is especially concerned by the lack of new enrollees. So far his company has only 26,000 new sign-ups for the coming year, compared with 75,000 last year. Some might be spooked, he acknowledged, by the sharp increase in premium prices for next year. Community Health Choice raised its premiums on average 45 percent over last year. Janda has said the increase is a direct result of a President Donald Trump's decision just before enrollment opened to halt a key federal subsidy to insurers. That payment was designed under Obamacare to help low-income enrollees defray some of their out-of-pocket costs. The help to consumers will remain in 2018, but insurers have said they have no choice but to pass the $9 billion shortfall on to consumers through rate increases. Those who qualify for subsidies are mostly insulated from the rate increase. Middle- and higher-wage earners will feel it the most, and some fear they will forgo coverage. Janda's company had initially asked for a rate increase of about 16 percent but increased it to compensate for the loss of cost-sharing reductions. Other insurers offering plans in the Houston area are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Molina Healthcare and a new entrant, Ambetter from Superior Health, a subsidiary of Centene Corp. Further confusing the enrollment period is the unclear fate of the Obamacre requirement that most everyone have health insurance to broaden the risk pool. GOP lawmakers in Congress have attached a revocation of the so-called individual mandate to its pending tax plan. Melissa McChesney, a Houston-based enrollment outreach coordinator for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, said the early enrollment numbers show Texans want coverage, but she fears the uninsured rate will rise in the state that already leads the U.S. in those without insurance. "It wasn't lack of enthusiasm. It was lack of time and of support from the administration," she said. Supporters of the changes say they will bring relief to those who do not want to buy health insurance. Brace yourselves, Houston diners: chef Chris Shepherd has a New Year's surprise for the city, in the form of a brand-new steakhouse Georgia James, named after his parents. That's not the half of it. Shepherd will upend operations at Underbelly, one of the city's most prominent restaurants, downsizing it and moving it a few blocks up Westheimer to the former Poscol/Jimmy Chew's site, and rechristening it as UB Preserv. Georgia James will open inside the old Underbelly space at 1100 Westheimer after an extensive re-model. The Hay Merchant, the adjoining craft beer gastropub, will begin serving lunch and will add a few of Underbelly's sacred favorites (those Korean goat dumplings, that cha ca snapper) to the menu. Shepherd has one more unexpected switcheroo in his knife bag: He's ditching the upcoming seafood iteration of One Fifth, his revolving-concept restaurant further up Westheimer, in favor of a new enthusiasm One Fifth Mediterranean. Got all that? "Yeah, I'll be opening three new restaurants in 2018," Shepherd said, sounding wry and a little bit disbelieving. It's big roll of the dice, especially at a time when the Houston restaurant market has contracted in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, and people are holding their breath to see what (and who) shakes out as the tax year ends. Yet Shepherd, winner of the prestigious James Beard Best Chef Southwest Award in 2014, has seemed to relish rolling those dice lately. His format-busting One Fifth, the restaurant where he vowed to change concepts every year for five years running, involved big staffing shifts plus a tricky re-do of the former Mark's American Cuisine space, the high-vaulted nave of a 1920s church at 1658 Westheimer. I remember thinking it sounded a little crazy when Shepherd first broached the One Fifth idea, and wondering if he and his team could pull it off. They did. One Fifth Steak, the first concept out of the gate, was a smash hit that reimagined the same-old stolidity steakhouses tend to embody. My review in the Chronicle gave the place three stars, signifying one of the best restaurants in the city. When the time came to switch formats again in August to the equally good One Fifth Romance Languages operating now I didn't want One Fifth Steak to end. Neither did Shepherd. "I really, really loved it," he recalls now. Before the end of the steakhouse's run, he already had started looking around for a permanent place to put it. Many of the sites he inspected would involve millions in cash outlays for buildout on top of the lease terms. At some point, Shepherd realized he already owned a steakhouse-sized space: his flagship, Underbelly. As the restaurant where he carved out a national reputation, Underbelly has the kind of fan base and gravitas bound to make major changes a wrench. But Shepherd was feeling restless. His brainstorm to institute a Gulf seafood slant to the original meat-centric menu "didn't translate," he notes, although the restaurant stayed busy. And his move to open One Fifth came at least in part because after five years, he had started chafing at the limitations of Underbelly's purist approach, from its whole-animal butchery to its strictly local and seasonal ingredient sourcing. Another itch was his desire, at age 45, to move into more of a teaching, mentoring role with staff. "I can be at my restaurants every single night, but when is that gonna change?" he asks. While Underbelly had been his dream restaurant, the setup wasn't ideal, either. "I knew Underbelly was too big to begin with," he says. "We should have left it at 80 to 100 seats, not 180." Moving up to the cozy, low-slung Jimmy Chew's space at 1609 Westheimer gives him a chance to reconfigure the Underbelly idea of Houston-heritage foods from many cultures at a smaller scale: one "where consistency would be more of a sure thing," Shepherd notes. "No reservations, dinner only, fun, fast-paced," Shepherd says of his plans for the new UB Preserv. The menu won't change daily, as it did at Underbelly, allowing the kitchen more time to perfect dishes and hone technique. He sees it as having a more casual, neighborhood vibe than Underbelly. At the same time, Shepherd points out, gutting Underbelly to refit it as steakhouse will give him and his partner Kevin Floyd a chance "to figure out where we went wrong" originally. He and Floyd are ditching the farmhouse look for a more contemporary glass and steel grid under the supervision of Collaborative Projects, their frequent design partners. When will all this happen? Underbelly will close in its current location in March 2018. Buildout on the new UB Preserv already has begun and is scheduled to open mid-April. In August, the regularly scheduled switchover from One Fifth Romance Languages to the newly conceived Mediterranean concept takes place. Georgia James could open anywhere from mid to late 2018. Hay Merchant will remain open during most of the building renovations, and starting in April, the restaurant will at long last open for lunch. As far as Shepherd's current obsession with Mediterranean cuisine goes, he blames it on a beet salad one that he made recently with cauliflower hummus, and which made him feel "just wildly and stupidly happy." He began thinking of the Lebanese steakhouses in Tulsa, where he grew up, and the tabouli and Middle Eastern sides they would serve. (Houston had just such a steakhouse, Jamil's, back in the 1970s.) "Houston has perfect growing seasons for that kind of food," says Shepherd, who doesn't sound sorry about jettisoning his One Fifth Fish idea. The fish initiative at Underbelly never really took off, as he notes; and the recent closure of three ambitious Houston seafood restaurants Holley's, SaltAir and Peska has more than a few observers, including Shepherd and this reporter, questioning whether local diners really want upscale seafood restaurants that go much beyond the familiar Gulf Coast standards. So Mediterranean the next One Fifth shall be, aided and abetted by what Shepherd says is "probably the oldest wood-burning oven" in the Houston restaurant world. A few months back, during a dinner at One Fifth Romance Languages, amid the Italian and French and Spanish ideas, Shepherd suddenly started slapping dough around and shoveling it into the fiery furnace. Out came puffy orbs of unleavened bread that resembled supernal pita. I didn't know it then, but I was already tasting Shepherd's wholly unexpected Mediterranean restaurant to come. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Confectioner Becca Reyenga addresses the pronunciation question daily, sometimes as many as six times a day, she estimates: "People in Texas say 'pray-leens.' People in Louisiana say 'prah-leens.' However you say it, they taste the same." That unmistakable taste - chewy pecans enrobed in caramelized sugar kissed by fragrant vanilla - is pure Texas. And pure Louisiana, too. The pecan praline is beloved in both states by sugar fiends whose passion for the glazed nut patty intensifies during the holidays. Reyenga, owner of Eat My Pralines confectionery, is in the midst of her busiest season, when pralines are given as gifts and found filling candy dishes and dessert buffets of every good Southern hostess' holiday party. "The praline says holiday like no other candy," Reyenga said. It's a year-round treat, too, as Brennan's of Houston diners can attest. Upon leaving the grand-dame restaurant, diners can help themselves to complimentary pralines. A number of old-school Tex-Mex restaurants still present handmade pralines at the end of the meal. It makes paying the check a little sweeter. The pecan pralines tradition has its roots in Louisiana, where French settlers brought with them a hunger for almonds coated in boiled sugar that, according to popular accounts, were originally created by the cook to French diplomat of Cesar, duc de Choiseul, comte du Plessis-Praslin, a 17th-century sugar industrialist; they were called "praslin." African-American cooks working for French colonists adapted the recipe by using native Louisiana pecans and adding cream. Voila, the velvety, sugary pecan patty was born. By the mid-1800s, pralinieres were selling the candy in the French Quarter. Today, New Orleans tourists may find it hard to leave the city without boxes of pralines. The Texas history of pralines is no less evocative. According to culinary historian MM Pack, the Texas praline's ancestry came both from the east (New Orleans) and from the south (Mexico). Both France and Spain brought their sweet tooth to the New World "more or less at the same time," Pack said. The pecan-candy traditions - pecans because they were plentiful and free - found a welcome home in Texas, where industrious Mexican immigrants could make money from candy that was relatively cheap to produce. Pack cited the Texas-Mexican history of the border town candyman (men selling sweets from carts and baskets) as a natural link for pecan candy at Tex-Mex restaurants. "It was a short step from the candy sellers on the streets to the candy in Mexican restaurants," she said. Beginning in the early 1900s, pecans became a source of income for Mexican immigrants who gathered, shelled and dried them. Pecan candy soon became a tradition. Mexican-American know-how for pecan pralines found its way into Tex-Mex restaurants, where Mexican candies - dulces - were sold. "All the little Mexican restaurants had a display case by the cashier selling cigars and candy," said Ricardo Molina, whose grandparents Raul and Mary Molina opened a Mexican restaurant in Houston in 1941 that would grow into the Molina's Cantina restaurants today. Ricardo Molina now runs Molinas with his brothers Raul III and Roberto. His father, Raul Jr. - who grew up in the business and acquired it from his father in 1977 - began giving pralines to customers in 1965. The pecan candy was made in-house (it still is, daily) and presented to each table along with the check. Today that tradition continues at Molina's, where they can go through more than 500 pieces of candy a day in one store. "They're expected; if we run out people aren't happy," Molina said. "It's one of those things that started and we can't get rid of - like chips." That Tex-Mex restaurant tradition of free pralines can still be found in Houston restaurants such as Loma Linda on Telephone, Spanish Village (praline with a strawberry on top) and the chain of Los Tios Mexican Restaurants. "There was a time when you would find them for sale from pushcarts in all the border towns," said Gary Adair, owner of Los Tios. "Los Tios has been serving complimentary pralines since Day 1, now 47 years ago. Our pralines are handmade every day at each location. We serve them as a sweet treat when we present the check. Maybe that's what brings so many folks back, again and again." Though the Texas praline tradition is strong in these parts, so, too, is the heritage of Louisiana pralines. And there's no greater ambassador of that tradition than Brennan's of Houston, which has always set out trays of Louisiana pralines for its guests. But the Brennan's praline may be in a league of its own. It's a creamy thing, petal soft and melt-away rich. It differs from typical Texas pralines that offer a harder, sometimes even crunchy candy texture. "There are two types of praline makers in the South: those who make soft pralines and those that are incorrect," Brennan's owner Alex Brennan-Martin said. The family's praline recipe originated with Brennan-Martin's grandmother. "We follow a traditional New Orleans recipe. If you don't know the difference, you have to have eaten one to know." Reyenga is just as proud of the praline recipe on which she built her 2-year-old business, Eat My Pralines. It's her Louisiana-bred mother Ruth Ann Reyenga's recipe, which has been described by friends and family as "killer." So good it jump-started Becca Reyenga's business; she started selling at farmers markets and pop-ups and is opening a full-fledged brick-and-mortar store in early 2018 in Houston's Chinatown. "You crunch into them, and they start melting in your mouth," Reyenga said of her pralines that are made with roasted Texas pecans, sugar, Mexican vanilla, good butter, heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Praline traditions seem to have merged in Reyenga's hands. Hers is a Louisiana-born praline that is decidedly Texas in nature. And whatever its origins, it tastes like the holidays. "It's such an old-fashioned dessert," she said. "When you taste them, it takes you back to that amazing praline that your mom or grandmother or great-aunt made. There's just something beautiful about this old-fashioned candy." Brennan's Pralines Makes about 4 dozen 1 quart (about 4 cups) heavy cream 1 pound (about 2 cups) granulated sugar 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 2 cups chopped pecans Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large heavy saucepan, slowly simmer cream, sugar and corn syrup over low heat. As the cream mixture simmers, be careful of boil-over in the early stages. Let the mixture reduce, stirring occasionally. When cream mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, you need to stir almost continuously until done. As the mixture reduces and the sugar starts to caramelize, the mixture becomes thicker and begins to turn light brown. When the mixture reaches soft-ball stage of 240 degrees, take off the heat and stir in pecans until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Scoop out onto parchment paper with a 1-tablespoon scoop or use a teaspoon to measure out 1 tablespoon of candy. Notes: It took a good 30 minutes of stirring to get to cook the cream/sugar mixture to get to soft-ball stage. The candies appeared glossy like a chewy caramel at first, but as they dried, they took on the familiar matte look and velvety sugar texture. Letting them dry on the sheet pan overnight got them to the Brennan's look and consistency. Molina's Pralines Makes about 24-30 7 fluid ounces ( cup plus 2 tablespoons) milk 1 cups granulated sugar teaspoon vanilla extract cup chopped pecans Pinch cinnamon Line cookie sheets with Silpat or wax paper. Place milk, sugar and vanilla in a heavy-duty saucepan and stir to combine. Place over medium heat and continue to stir mixture until it begins to boil. Immediately stop stirring and reduce heat to medium-low. Mixture will bubble quickly, but if it bubbles too high in the saucepan, reduce the heat a little. Allow mixture to cook for 20-25 minutes or until it is a medium caramel color. Candy thermometer should register within a couple of degrees of 240. You can also test candy by scooping a little in a spoon and dropping it carefully into a glass of water. If it hardens, it is ready. Remove saucepan from heat. Add pecans and cinnamon and stir until candy begins to thicken. Scoop candy using a teaspoon or iced teaspoon and pour onto lined cookie sheet. Work quickly as the pralines will set quickly. Allow pralines to cool completely. Notes: My first batch seized at the end, and I had to start again. As the recipe states, you have to work quickly. My candy began to harden and develop a crystalized texture almost immediately. This is a harder, crisper praline than Brennan's type. Pecan Pralines Saveur adapted this recipe from "MexTex: Traditional Tex-Mex Taste" cookbook by Matt Martinez Jr., whose parents, Matt and Janie Martinez, founded Matt's El Rancho in Austin in 1952. Makes about 2 dozen 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups sugar cup milk teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cups pecan halves or pieces Line two large sheet pans with wax paper and 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. Combine sugar, milk and baking soda in a medium pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage), 18-20 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and vanilla extract and stir quickly until completely incorporated and creamy, about 20 seconds. Add pecans and stir well to coat. Working quickly, drop generous spoonfuls of candy onto prepared pans to form disks about 2 inches wide. Let them cool and harden completely, about 2 hours. Carefully peel the pralines from the wax paper. Serve at once or store in airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Notes: We lined our pans with parchment, so we used only the 1 tablespoon butter for the candy. This was the easiest of the three recipes; the hot candy was easy to work with in making the disks. The color of the candy was the darkest with a true caramelized sugar and nut flavor. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Le Meridien hotel, clad in turquoise panels, glows green at night, a colorful landmark in a downtown that's been busy with construction in recent years. Cranes building new skyscrapers and high-rises have dotted the landscape, but this luxury hotel was a completely different kind of project the restoration of the 21-story Melrose Building on Walker Street, which saved what was the first modern office tower in Houston. Designed in the early 1950s by the Lloyd & Morgan architecture firm and its creative director, Arthur Evan Jones, the building won a medal of honor from the Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1953. Jones and the firm at which he became a partner in 1961 it was Lloyd Morgan Jones in one of its iterations through the years is the subject of Ben Koush's new book, "Constructing Houston's Future: The Architecture of Arthur Evan Jones and Lloyd Morgan Jones," sponsored by Houston Mod. Koush, a Rice University School of Architecture graduate, first became acquainted with Jones when he wrote about story about him for Rice's "Cite" magazine a decade ago. Jones was in his 80s then, and Koush met with the modest and soft-spoken man four or five times for that article. Years later, a family member approached Koush about writing a book about Jones, hoping to preserve his legacy and document his contribution to Houston's early modern scene, including his often overlooked role in the design of the Astrodome. Jones was 91 when he died in 2014. Houston Mod, the nonprofit that works to promote and preserve modern architecture in the city, got on board to publish it as the latest in their series of books about notable modern architects. Other Houston Mod books have focused on the work of Hugo V. Neuhaus Jr., the Neuhaus & Taylor architecture firm, Donald Barthelme and William R. Jenkins. Koush's new book has already garnered attention, earning a 2018 Good Brick Award from Preservation Houston, which is sponsoring a talk and book signing Jan. 16 at Congregation Emanu El. Private Collection Anyone not immediately familiar with Jones' name or the firm's work will have an "a-ha" moment at a list of some of their most prominent buildings: the Astrodome (1958-65; with Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson), the American General Building (1962-65) on Allen Parkway, Smith Tower (1989) on Fannin Street, Three and Four Allen Center (1977-80/1984), Greenway Plaza, Summit Towers North and numerous buildings at Rice University, including the Rice Stadium (1949-50; since altered). In addition to documenting the firm's subtle application of modern architecture principles, Koush captures the culture of Houston's builders and developers through various boom and bust eras. Lloyd Morgan Jones firm did some residential work and always had Rice University as a major client, but it was relationships with developers Melvin Silverman and Kenneth Schnitzer and, to a lesser degree, Gerald D. Hines that established the firm as a major force. More information "Constructing Houston's Future: The Architecture of Arthur Evan Jones and Lloyd Morgan Jones," by Ben Koush ($30) Details: Available at houstonmod.net, Brazos Bookstore, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Menil Collection, the River Oaks Bookstore and at Christ Church Cathedral Book signing: Preservation Houston will sponsor a talk and book signing at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 16 at Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset. $5 general admission; free for Preservation Houston members See More Collapse Silverman arrived in Houston in 1943 and hired Hermon Lloyd, who then worked alone, to design a home for his family in Riverside Terrace. Soon, Lloyd and his new business partner, William Morgan, became Silverman's go-to architects. With a business partner, Bennett Rose, Silverman built the Melrose Building and the competitive spirit between Silverman and Jones pushed them to achieve more together than they could have individually, Koush said. "He was their first patron, and he's an interesting guy, but he died suddenly from a heart attack in the middle of his career. Who knows what he would have ended up doing had he been around a lot longer," Koush said of Silverman. In his book, Koush describes the firm as prominent and progressive, and Lloyd was the big personality who built important business relationships. Jones, its creative director, leaned on classic modern design with Latin American influences. One example was to use solar shading devices since air conditioning was still relatively new and wasn't very efficient. On the Melrose Building, for example, four-foot-wide, cast-in-place concrete shades were designed to protect its steel casement windows from the blazing summer sun from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jones wasn't without ego, and sized up other architects or projects harshly at times, Koush said. "When the postmodern stuff came out, Arthur was horrified. Putting decorations on buildings ... he couldn't understand why anybody would do that," Koush said. Phillip Johnson's Galleria landmark Williams Tower originally called Transco Tower drew conflicting reviews from Jones, he said. "He'd say 'I hate postmodern architecture,' but at the same time he liked Transco for all of its class; it was prismatic," Koush said. Rice University proved to be Lloyd Morgan Jones' biggest client. On campus they designed not only the famed Rice Stadium, but also the Mary Gibbs Jones College, the Cohen House addition (since altered), Jones College master's house (demolished) and Sewall Hall. Many of the firm's projects especially their residential work have been altered or demolished. Several of their 1940s-era designs the McKesson & Robins building, Gulf Brewing Company building, Town and Country Apartments, Gulf Envelope Co. remodeling project and the Bart House (the city's first post-war modern courtyard house) are all gone. Other buildings gone from the landscape are the Mayfair Apartments (1955-57), the Americana Building (1956-61) and the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company building (1961). Still around are the Kinkaid School (1954-57) and its Cooper House (1958-59), both of which have since been altered, Foley's Sharpstown (1959-61), the Fannin Bank Buildling (1960-63), the Houston Baptist College (1960-63) and the Houston Natural Gas building (1965-67), Enserch Tower (1982) and Methodist Hospital's Smith Tower (1989). Perhaps one of the firm's best-known buildings, now known as 1400 Smith Street, was at one time was part of the Enron complex. At the time of its design, the building was called Four Allen Center, and the architecture firm was known as Lloyd Jones Brewer and Associates. When the building was completed in 1984, the director of the Museum of Modern Art's department of architecture, Arthur Drexler, visited Houston and praised the work so highly that it drew international attention. The building was of late modern design and Drexler was a vocal proponent of the aesthetic. "It is the most beautiful mirrored-glass building I have ever seen absolutely staggering," Drexler said in a story that ran in "Art in America" in 1984. "I called up the architects and they were also sort of puzzled and hurt that nobody else had noticed it. There they are alone in Houston bravely doing modern buildings." Koush hopes his book will raise awareness of the firm's work to a new generation of architects and will help the general public still identify the buildings they might drive past daily. "I think the thing was that Lloyd Morgan Jones were so understated ... and they weren't flashy," he said. Their reputation brought success. "They were proud that they never had to advertise," Koush said. "Everyone knew they did good work." Bookmark Gray Matters. There it is alone in Houston bravely. Theresa May began this week by meeting with her Brexit cabinet to determine whether to embrace a soft Brexit (with maximum access to the common market and a heavy regulatory regime imposed by Brussels) or a hard Brexit (triggering EU protectionist policies but freeing the UK to pursue economic dynamism). But thinking about the European Union should be more fundamental, re-examining its drive to build a secular utopia through ever-more-burdensome supranational government. In a new essay for Actons Religion & Liberty Transatlantic website, Stephen F. Copp, an associate professor of law at Bournemouth University in the UK, lays out an alternative, non-utopian vision for Europe. A more healthy, decentralized Europe would be based on re-embracing Christian values, the bottom-up renewal of Europe as a Christian society and the EU letting the UK go with its blessing. In the third instalment of his God, Brexit, and EUtopia series, Copp contrasts this vision with EU-centric schemes fueled by an unquenchable thirst for concentrating more power in an ever-closer union. He writes: Influential voices are now demanding yet deeper European integration. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for EU identity cards, a shared defence budget, a European military intervention force and an EU defence force. Martin Schulz, the German SPD leader and former European Parliament president, has called for a new constitutional treaty to create a United States of Europe, with those countries that refuse automatically losing EU membership. (Encouragingly, Angela Merkel and others appear sceptical.) There is no doubt that these people are well-intentioned. But how will this power be exercised by those who may come after them? The outcome of the conflict over Brexit with a country as strong as the UK has shown the true extent of the power the EU has so stealthily acquired. The smaller nations of the EU should be very afraid. And friends such as the U.S. should take note. The process of reclaiming Christian values begins when individual European nations learn from their genuine mistakes, shake loose decades of guilt over imaginary ones, and return to the norms and standards that laid the foundation of what was once known as Christendom: In an insightful article Europes Guilty Conscience, Pascal Bruckner contrasts how Europe is being paralyzed by self-hatred, whereas the U.S. has been able to combine self-criticism with self-affirmation. Douglas Murray has gone as far as to say that the civilisation we know as Europe is in the process of committing suicide. There is much truth in this and the solution may be theologically based. The foundation of all Christian ethics are the commandments first to love God and second to Love your neighbour as yourself. For some nations in Europe, the process of coming to terms with their pasts and learning to love themselves again may be a long and difficult one. But it is vital that the process of Europes spiritual renewal begins. That demands that Christians provide a stable foundation upon which a less top-down society can rest, the fertile soil from which a redeemed civilization may spring: Without the EU, there will be freedom for a new and better Europe to emerge, reflecting the priorities of Europes peoples rather than its elites, and the main obstacle to voluntary cooperation between the nations of Europe, with no strings attached, will be gone. Re-empowering the nations of Europe, their people and leaders, to make decisions for themselves and as to how they will be governed is part of what it means for them to be fully human, a precondition for the deep spiritual renewal that needs to take place. This is not something that can be driven, top-down, from a secular institution; it is the role of the family and churches from the bottom up. The challenge is for those of us who call ourselves Christians to be Europes renewal. Read his fully essay here. (You may also read part 1 and part 2.) (Photo credit: Public domain.) About a year ago, a seasoned U.S. oil leader with deep political connections explained to me that U.S. shale would be out of the woods by 2018. He thought that the U.S. economy would see improved growth under President Trump, pulling up global gross domestic product and with it, oil demand. That growth would mean Saudi Arabia would be closer to maxed out on its capability to produce oil, no longer a significant threat to U.S. shale. Under this worldview, American producers would be able wrest more market share in the future without fear of toppling prices, hence the Trump administration's optimistic view of U.S. energy "dominance." At the time, it seemed like a rosy prognostication. I pointed out how easily Russia, armed with a cheap rubble and flexible tax policy, could also increase its own oil output. But 2018 is now around the corner, and that conversation now seems somewhat more prophetic. It raises the question: What would it mean for Saudi Arabia and U.S. shale producers if Russia does an about-face and makes a production push? It's something to watch. Because, while Saudi Arabia might not be technically maxed out, global demand is on the rise and Saudi ability to flood the market to punish challengers is, at least for the moment, greatly reduced. Not only is the kingdom boxed in to supporting higher prices because of domestic economic pressures and its planned initial public offering (IPO) of state oil giant Saudi Aramco, it is also facing long-term oil field problems that will not be cheap or easy to fix. Already this year, an unexpected corrosion problem at a significant pipeline at the large Manifa field reduced Saudi spare capacity. Saudi Aramco's hefty new capital budget reportedly targets increases at three offshore fields by 2022 to replace declining capacity elsewhere, but past efforts to expand sustainable production capacity has been a painstaking process, stretching over more than a decade at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. VALUING RESERVES: What the Saudi Aramco sale says about the state of the oil industry Regardless of its handicap versus the United States and Russia at adding new producing areas in its oil fields, Saudi Arabia is not yet abdicating its leadership role. It took a proactive stance towards recent deliberations to extend OPEC-non OPEC production cuts into 2018. Saudi's steadfast commitment to the deal was not initially reciprocated by Russia, which was more tentative in public statements leading up to the November OPEC meeting. The cat-and-mouse process led one seasoned journalist to note President Vladimir Putin wanted to "crown himself king of OPEC." The sequence of events prompted the question whether Russia has finally achieved what four decades of sponsored military proxies failed to do surreptitiously gaining sway over Saudi oil policy. For its part, Russia's stated concern about a production cut extension was linked in part to the advantage higher oil prices are giving to U.S. shale producers. Russian oil companies complained about their excess of 1.2 million barrels a day (b/d) of new oil field projects they'd like to green light. A Citibank report suggests that not only do Russia's largest companies have 300,000 b/d in idled current capacity, they are sitting on some 23 fields that could add substantial new production in the next five years, including 14 fields on state firm Rosneft's books aggregating 770,000 b/d. Russia also has untapped shale potential. Any Russian increases will come head-to-head with rising U.S. oil production. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said last week that it could hit 10 million b/d in 2018, up 780,000 b/d. Analysts Cornerstone Macro are similarly bullish on U.S. supply, especially should prices be above $60 a barrel. They project U.S. tight oil production could rise by 960,000 b/d next year (ex-natural gas liquids) and an additional 770,000 b/d in 2019, if prices hold around $60, bringing total U.S. crude oil production above 11 million b/d over the next two years. Increases would be even larger in a $65 oil price environment, Cornerstone Macro suggests. Longer term, the upward potential for U.S. production could be substantially higher than that, with some estimates as high as 20 million b/d. The storyline that lack of access to new funds would force capital discipline and thereby lower production gains looks increasingly questionable given that oil and gas exploration and production companies have raised more than $60 billion in bond sales so far this year, levels typical of pre-price drop conditions. Unlike past, higher risk efforts, this year's borrowing is supported by hedging activities. SUBSCRIBE: Like Gray Matters? Get our free weekly newsletter delivered right to your inbox each Thursday Right now, production disruptions in Venezuela, the U.K., and Iraq are supporting prices in addition to a war premium fueled by raging proxy wars across the Mideast. Traders, shale investors and even reportedly Saudi Arabia are betting that continued problems in Caracas, among other locales, will make ample room for U.S. rising production. Longer term, there are more producers in line to increase exports, including Iran, Iraq, Brazil and Canada, to name a few. But the real geopolitical showdown for market share will likely come down to Russia and the United States: Who can bring on new oil fastest? A looming U.S.-Russia oil and gas rivalry has deep geopolitical implications. It works against improvement in bilateral relations and is a delicate security matter for trading partners of both countries. The possible conflict over market share is existential to Russia power. Washington's energy dominance tack, which recently included an announced gas export deal for Alaska during the Trump visit to Beijing, sounds as threatening to Russian ears as NATO expansion did a decade or more ago. Not only does Russia rely heavily on its energy exports for its budget and as a diplomatic lever, but the commanding heights of Putin's inner circle and his grip on power is intimately linked with Russia's oil and gas elite. Russian influence and economic health has suffered in the past from orchestrated alliances between the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Qatar that targeted Russia's energy earnings. The threat of rising U.S. oil and gas exports could be one factor encouraging increasingly risky Russian adventurism, since doing nothing about it could neutralize a major tool of Russian foreign policy. For now, Russia seems content to collaborate with Saudi Arabia on oil market stability, which ironically also suits the current U.S. administration, whose America-first jobs message is tied heavily to the economic engine of the shale revolution. But that delicate oil truce rests on the back of Venezuela's woes, which is making space for everyone. At some later date, if Saudi stability seems vulnerable to continuing proxy wars in the Middle East, Putin could be tempted to see if he can tip the scales further, making additional space for his long-term export surge and rendering his giant reserves all the more important. Amy Myers Jaffe is the David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment and Director of the Program on Energy and Climate Change at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Bookmark Gray Matters. It is sitting on some 23 fields that could add substantial new production in the next five years. While Ragnar Jonasson has been in a best-selling author in Nordic countries for almost a decade, his works weren't published in the United States until January of this year, when Minotaur Books released "Snowblind." The book's success as well as the general popularity of "Nordic Noir" has prompted the publisher to release a second Jonasson book, "Nightblind," a continuation of what the author calls his "Dark Iceland" series. Jonasson spoke with us about the appeal of the Nordic Noir genre, his series' protagonist, and his approach to the writing process. Q: "Nightblind" has been a hit overseas, but it makes its North American debut this month. Tell us about the book. A: This novel is part of my Dark Iceland series, but I try to write each novel so that it can stand alone, permitting first-time readers to enjoy them. "Nightblind" features Ari Thor, a young, recently graduated policeman who moves to a town, Siglufjorur, that is isolated and mostly uneventful. Thor establishes himself in this town, and he has a new boss who, in the first chapter of "Nightblind," is shot. Thor has to investigate, and it becomes one of the highest-profile cases in Iceland. Q: Any time a police officer is shot, it's going to be news, but this is particularly true in Iceland. A: Yes, no police officer has ever been killed in the line of duty in Iceland. Conversely, in the entire history of Iceland, the police have only fatally shot a suspect one time. Q: Though the novel addresses a fatal shooting, it also focuses on domestic violence. A: Iceland doesn't have many murders maybe two to three per year so I didn't want that necessarily to be the focus of my novel. But domestic violence happens everywhere, and it is often unreported, and it is the focus of this book. Q: Does the isolation of Siglufjorur make it a challenge to come up with new ideas, new crimes for the protagonist to grapple with? A: That is a challenge. Siglufjorur is a town that I love very much, because my family has had a long presence there. My grandfather wrote a series of books on the town's history, so I am sort of following in his tradition. But it's a small town, and you don't want to fall prey to the Jessica Fletcher syndrome, where every person in Cabot Cove (the setting of "Murder She Wrote") was killed during the many seasons of that series. In some ways my books follow in the golden-age tradition of the detective story, kind of like Agatha Christie, whom I was influenced by. But I am also writing a Nordic noir-type book, and those are realistic. To address that, I've moved the action away somewhat from Siglufjorur. In the next three books that are due, the crimes take place in the northern parts of Iceland. MORE NEW BOOKS: Even Leonardo da Vinci made math mistakes Q: You mention Nordic noir, and you've also mentioned the low crime rate in Iceland. What explains the international appeal of crime stories in a setting where relatively few crimes actually take place? A: I think it's the contrast implicit in your question. The Scandinavian countries have an image of peace, and it's true, as with the case of Iceland, because there isn't a lot of crime. The contrast of seeing a violent act disrupt this harmony is interesting. The appeal also comes from the authors working in this field for a much longer time than I have been. There is a decades-long tradition created by some great names, and it is good to stand on their shoulders and be a part of it. Q: Apart from the appeal of Nordic Noir, your protagonist, Ari Thor, also has a following. What is the challenge of making a character appealing, but also sufficiently complex to be interesting? A: When I began writing about Thor, I didn't know it would be a series. I made him a few years younger than I, so that I could understand his experiences. His backstory involves losing both parents at a young age, growing up lonely and without a support net. He searches for God in seminary, but he gives up on that. He then turns to philosophy, which is another way of him trying to understand the world. And then he becomes a policeman. As I write more about him, I get to know him better, and I see new sides of him. He has grown. He has become more mature, but his failings also become more obvious. Q: In "Nightblind," and in the other novels of yours that I have read, I sense that the characters interest you more than the investigative process. A: I like to explore the characters as flawed individuals. We are all flawed, and we want to understand why people do what they do. For me, the interesting thing about crime fiction is the psychology of the people I am writing about, much more so than the police investigation. I try to keep the books moving, but I try to do that by understanding people's psychology, their motivations, their relations, which are sometimes strained; and these factors together create tension, which I hope will be appealing to the reader. Mike Yawn is the Director of the Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics at Sam Houston State University. Bookmark Gray Matters. It grew up lonely and without a support net. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday phoned President Donald Trump to thank him for a tip from the CIA that thwarted a terrorist attack being planned in St. Petersburg. The unusual call - countries share intelligence all the time, but presidents rarely publicly thank one another for it - was confirmed by White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Putin told Trump that the information provided by the CIA allowed Russian law enforcement agencies to track down and detain a group of suspects who were planning to bomb the centrally located Kazan Cathedral and other crowded parts of Russia's second-largest city. "Based on the information the United States provided, Russian authorities were able to capture the terrorists just prior to an attack that could have killed large numbers of people," the White House said in its readout of the call. "Both leaders agreed that this serves as an example of the positive things that can occur when our countries work together." It was the two presidents' second conversation since Thursday, when they spoke after Putin's annual four-hour televised news conference, during which the Russian leader mentioned the booming U.S. stock market as an example of Trump's successes. The White House said Trump thanked Putin for remarks he made "acknowledging America's strong economic performance." Now Playing: Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly called President Trump on Sunday and thanked him for sharing intelligence information. Video: GeoBeats Putin said he doubted Trump would be able to improve relations between their two countries because the U.S. president was being held back by his political opposition and allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election were being invented to raise doubts about Trump's legitimacy. The CIA tip apparently provided the breakthrough that allowed Russian authorities last week to detain seven members of what officials identified as Islamic State cells. The suspects, investigators said,had been planning a suicide bombing this weekend in Kazan Cathedral, a St. Petersburg landmark located on Nevsky Prospect, its main thoroughfare. The cathedral was built between 1801 and 1811, and, controversially at the time, was designed along the lines of a Roman Catholic basilica. Russian state television reported the capture of the alleged cell members as it often does in takedowns of terrorist suspects, with a video that shows agents in action and an on-camera confession. In this case, a man identified as Yevgeny Yefimov confessed that he planned to carry out an attack in the city. Later, Yefimov told a St. Petersburg court that he was planning to target the Kazan Cathedral. Three more people were arrested Sunday in connection with the alleged plot, RIA Novosti reported. The agency published a list of 17 major terrorist plots that Russian law enforcement has been able to head off this year. The suspects in the latest arrests had been using the messaging app Telegram to communicate with Islamic State leaders abroad, according to law enforcement agencies. Telegram was fined last month for refusing to provide Russian security forces access to the online conversations of two suspects linked to a suicide bombing in April that killed 16 people and injured about 100. In their phone conversation Sunday, Putin asked Trump to pass along his gratitude to CIA Director Mike Pompeo and the American intelligence agents who received the information, the Kremlin said. It said Putin also told Trump that "if Russian special services obtain any information on terrorist threats against the United States and its citizens, they will definitely and immediately pass it to American counterparts through partner channels." The CIA declined to comment on that. But the White House said that Trump "then called Director Pompeo to congratulate him, his very talented people, and the entire intelligence community on a job well done!" --- Greg Miller and Phillip Rucker in Washington contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan admitted he associated with jihadis, swore an oath to Islamic State terrorists, lied on a passport application and stockpiled materials to make remote detonators at his West Houston apartment. And he discussed decapitating Americans for the cause. But he drew the line at bombs. "I am not a bombmaker," the defendant told a federal judge. "I have no experience with electronics." U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes said it was his intent, and not his skill set, that qualified the Iraqi born refugee for 16 years in prison. The judge explained the sentence was for "what you planned and attempted to do, however inept you may have been at executing that plan." "Clumsy bombmakers, stupid planners have killed a lot of people," the judge added. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Imperato asked Hughes to give him a 20-year term based on sentences that had been given to other U.S. defendants convicted of making plans to go overseas for ISIS. However, defense attorney David Adler asked the judge to stay within sentencing guidelines. Al Hardan, 25, is a Palestinian who came to the U.S. as a refugee in 2009. He was able to become a legal permanent resident, and lived in Houston and Dallas where he cared for his medically compromised parents, and had a wife a child. To earn money, he drove an Uber and did state inspection on cars. But that wasn't all he did. "He made some very bad decisions," his attorney Adler acknowledged, but said he had been isolated from society at the time. The Houston refugee was ultimately snared as a result of various conversations he had, including with informants the FBI had introduced.com He also participated in training with a fully automatic AK-47 at a remote location near Houston. Since he was jailed two years ago, Al Hardan had developed an appreciation of how fortunate he and his family were to settle in the U.S., Adler said. Before, Al Harden "had very little contact outside his family, very little contact with English-speaking Americans and that led him to believe a lot of things he saw online that he no longer believes," the lawyer said. Adler said his client had strong support from his parents and wife, but his family had chosen to stay away from the sentencing to avoid media attention. Al Hardan is one of three Houston-area men and eight defendants nationwide who have been charged with plans to support ISIS, according to Seamus Hughes, an expert on ISIS cases at George Washington University's Program on Extremism. The program has tracked 149 people charged in 28 states and the District of Colombia since March of 2014 with attempting or providing material support to ISIS, which in many cases means an allegation of offering up oneself for the cause. ALLEGED TEEN TERRORIST waives bond hearing Those accused of becoming radicalized come from an array of ethnic, social, economic and educational backgrounds, according to Hughes' analysis. The nearly 90 defendants who have pleaded guilty have been given prison terms of 13.5 years on average. Some defendants have been charged with attempting to join the jihadist fight overseas and others with trying to organize attacks on U.S. soil. Al Hardan, a Palestinian born in Iraq who had lived in refugee camps in Iraq and Jordan, had contemplated both avenues of material support while living in Houston, according to court records. He was indicted on Jan. 6, 2016, on allegations he had offered himself up to ISIS as an explosive expert, hoping he could go overseas and join the terrorist cause. During testimony at a detention hearing, an agent from Homeland Security Investigations mentioned Al Hardan had talked about bombing a military base in Grand Prairie. The agent said the defendant discussed with an informant steps he would take to he would carry out a local attack--including disguising his appearance. When investigators searched his home, they confiscated circuitry components, a soldering iron, wireless remotes and several unactivated cellphones in the west Houston apartment where he lived with his parents, 18-year-old wife and infant son. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 17, 2016 to attempting to provide support to ISIS. According to court documents, Al Hardan communicated online in April 2013 with Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, an Al-Nusrah recruit in Sacramento who is charged with related federal offenses in California and Illinois. Al-Jayab said he'd been to the front and wanted to return. Al Hardan said he wanted to go with him. But while Al Hardan's communication with Al-Jayab and two Al-Nusrah leaders petered out, he continued buying bombmaking materials on eBay and made multiple statements that he wanted to be a martyr for the ISIS cause, according to his plea. UH STUDENT admits to ISIS conspiracy In one social media post, he stated, "I want to blow myself up. I want to travel with the Mujahidin. I want to travel to be with those who are against America. I am against America." In June 2014, the FBI introduced a confidential source who met in person with Al Hardan 17 times, according to court documents. The pair discussed going overseas to engage in activities Al Hardan knew were considered in terrorism by the U.S. government. In November 2014, he met with the source and swore a loyalty oath, according to court documents. Two days after that meeting they met for a one-hour tactical training in a remote area outside Houston, where Al Hardan practiced with a fully automatic AK-47. He told this source in 2014 and early 2015 that he wanted to learn to use cell phones as detonators to set off improvised bombs abroad for ISIS. He told the informant he would train using online videos and a manual he had obtained on a CD, according to his plea. He also showed the source a circuit board he built to be used as a remote detonator. On Aug. 18, 2014, Al Hardan checked the box on an application to become a naturalized U.S. citizen indicating that he didn't associate with any terrorist organizations, according to court documents. But from the time of his application until 2015, he continued to buy electronic components to make circuitry and the tools to assemble bomb detonators. After nearly two years in federal detention, Al Hardan appeared in court Monday in an olive green jail uniform, his hair parted and slicked back. He wore earphones to hear the Arabic court translator. Judge Hughes gave him a chance to speak, but questioned him throughout the sentencing. "I want to apologize for the wrong I've done," he told the judge in accented English, reading from notes as apologized to the judge, the government and his family saying he had been "foolish" and he would never do it again. "I didn't plan to attack any place or plan to hurt someone," he said, emphasizing that the informant had been the one who suggested specific places to attack. "Your honor, I'm not trying to make any excuses, but I didn't plan to hurt nobody." "Did you vehemently disassociate yourself from that suggestion?" the judge asked. Al Hardan's lawyer jumped in, saying it was a mistake for his client not to end contact immediately with the informant. The judge said it wasn't a crime to say stupid or violent things on social media "or we'd half to fill half the country with prisons," he said. People are free to own an ISIS flag, they're free to watch videos about making bombs and improvised devices, the judge noted. Al Hardan's crime was in checking that box, lying on his passport so he could carry out his plan to go to Syria and be a bombmaker for ISIS. It was planning and training. Al Hardan was ordered to serve 16 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release, if immigration authorities allow him to remain in the country. Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Send her an email at gabrielle.banks@chron.com and follow her on Twitter. Now Playing: One woman is dead after another woman allegedly shot her during an argument Sunday night, in northeast Houston, according to the Houston Police Department. Video: OnScene.TV One woman is dead after another woman allegedly shot her during an argument Sunday night, in northeast Houston, according to the Houston Police Department. Around 8:15 p.m. Sunday, police say the female victim was waiting for her ex-boyfriend to return home to a residence on the 7000 block of Sayers when he showed up with another woman, making the victim angry. WASHINGTON - Democrats in Congress are growing increasingly pessimistic that an agreement to protect young immigrants from deportation can be reached this year. While U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, says it would take a miracle to get a deal done before lawmakers leave for the holidays later this week, immigration advocates are holding out hope that an agreement can be reached in the Senate by tying the fix to the must-pass budget bill, which could force action in the House. The nearly 800,000 so-called "Dreamers" in jeopardy since the Trump administration canceled the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program have pressed for resolution before the end of the year. President Donald Trump gave Congress until early March to write legislation restoring protections, a date GOP leaders in Congress see as affording sufficient time for a solution. "You have an unfolding crisis in which young American kids are losing jobs and being exposed to deportation, and Republican leadership is saying we can kick the can down the road," said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, an immigrant advocacy group. An average of 122 DACA recipients lose protections like work permits daily because their renewal applications weren't received by Oct. 5, the deadline the administration prescribed, advocates said. And waiting until 2018 could bring more problems because of election-year pressures, they say. Cesar Espinosa, executive director of the immigrant rights organization FIEL Houston, said that he has seen congressional support dwindling as the year winds down - even from Democrats and progressives. "Having DACA is a good thing. We were able to come out of the shadows, register and many folks were able to gain employment with that, but we need a permanent fix for the situation that we Dreamers are in at the moment," said the 32-year-old, whose group represents about 8,000 individuals with DACA status in the Greater Houston area. "If we trade off the Dreamers for mass deportations, that's something that gravely concerns us. Whatever concessions are made, whether in a tax bill or a stand-alone bill which we are not hopeful for it has to be something that our community can gain from and not something that will take more and more away from our communities." In the House, Speaker Paul Ryan appears to have gained the upper hand largely due to unusual unity his caucus displayed last week when 221 Republicans voted for a two-week extension to avoid a shutdown - more than the 218 needed - showing Democrats they would be unable to forge a DACA fix by withholding their votes. Another big vote to keep the government funded is scheduled this week. But the potential of a sufficient number of members withholding their votes and risking blame for causing a shutdown appears to have diminished. "We're trying to put as much leverage on Republicans as we can, but they are saying early next year. I was hoping we could do it by the end of the year and maybe a miracle will happen, but I don't see it right now," said Cuellar, a moderate in his party. "I hate to put it so cold, but do you shut down the government for 800,000 people at the expense of 320 million Americans? That's really what you're looking at." Bargaining chip Democratic U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio said the best chance to pass immigration legislation is this year amid the urgency of must-pass spending bills. "Once the Congress gets beyond that, it will become harder to leverage support for DACA into successful legislation," he said. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-San Antonio, said in a statement that he won't support spending legislation next week absent a DACA fix. "Republican leadership wants to use the successes of our Dreamers as a bargaining chip for President Trump's anti-immigrant Christmas wish list - building an unnecessary border wall, separating immigrant families, targeting sanctuary cities, and more," Doggett said. San Antonio Republican Will Hurd faces growing pressure to buck GOP leadership. His North San Antonio office was the target of a protest on Thursday organized by the Texas State Teachers Association. The associations says about 2,000 DACA recipients are teachers in Texas. "At a time when Texas has a teacher shortage and a majority of Texas students are Hispanic, these teachers have a special ability to connect with their students and show them the importance of education," TSTA President Noel Candelaria said. Hurd, who represents a predominantly Hispanic district, was appointed by Ryan to a working group assigned to come up with a negotiated solution. He recently joined 33 other Republicans in a letter to Ryan urging action by year's end. He didn't respond to request for comment. Congress thus far has been immune to protests by DACA recipients and their advocates on Capitol Hill that have grown in size and frequency. On Tuesday a group called United We Dream erected a Jumbotron screen on the National Mall, in the view of Ryan's west-facing office. Their "DreamActTron" is running videos of stories about young immigrants who entered the country illegally. Strange bedfellows Nor has Congress responded to pleas by industry leaders, the latest Thursday from the unlikely duo of Apple CEO Tim Cook and Koch Industries CEO Charles Koch. Co-writing an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Cook and Koch challenged Congress to "show the courage to embrace diversity and to do what is right. We have no illusions about how difficult it can be to get things done in Washington, and we know that people of good faith disagree about aspects of immigration policy. If ever there were an occasion to come together to help people improve their lives, this is it." On the Senate floor Wednesday, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who over the years has told stories about Dreamers' challenges, presented a detailed look at the life of Carla Martinez of San Antonio, who's among more than 120,000 DACA recipients in Texas. Martinez, 24, who was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, excelled in school soon after arriving in Pflugerville at age 8. Alongside poster-size photos of Martinez, Durbin told colleagues how she'd been an honor student in high school and graduated last spring with a civil engineering degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio without the benefit of Pell Grants or other assistance that is unavailable to DACA recipients. "She often had to choose between food and buying books," Durbin said. In an interview, Martinez, an engineer-in-training at the M&S Engineering New Braunfels branch, said she plans on getting an MBA and hopes one day to establish a scholarship program to help others. "As time goes by, I get closer to losing my career, my job and my income," she said. Cindy George contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Even as President Donald Trump signed a directive last Monday to put boots back on the moon, a team of NASA researchers continued work on a quiet project to send an unmanned rover there. The project started three years ago, when several NASA centers, including Johnson Space Center, embarked on a quest to learn more about availability of water on the moon. If there is enough water that can be collected easily, the elements could be broken down to create rocket fuel, for example, or astronaut life support. The result of their efforts, thus far, is Resource Prospector: a 6-square-foot rover outfitted with a drill and mini science lab built to find and process water on the moon. "Our mission is about taking the next step toward chasing the water" on the moon, said Bill Bluethmann, the rover's element lead at Johnson Space Center. Touting his new directive last week, Trump said, "This time we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars and perhaps someday to many worlds beyond." Launch of the rover still is about five years away, but Bluethmann said that if the recent federal excitement helps get the rover into flight, "we'll be very excited." A lunar discovery In November 2009, NASA officials made an announcement that fundamentally changed how people viewed the moon: Water existed in a permanently shadowed lunar crater. Many in the scientific community assumed the moon was a dry, desolate place. But data from NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite indicated otherwise. More Information Astronauts blast off to space station A capsule carrying three astronauts from Russia, Japan and the United States blasted off for a two-day trip to the International Space Station. The Soyuz capsule with Anton Shkaplerov, Norishige Kanai and Scott Tingle launched at 1:23 p.m. Sunday from Russia's manned space-launch complex in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The capsule is to dock Tuesday with the orbiting space laboratory. The three will join Russia's Alexander Misurkin and Joe Acaba and Mark Vandde Hei of NASA. Meanwhile at the space station, a recycled SpaceX capsule has returned just in time for Christmas. NASA astronauts used the space station's big robot arm to grab the Dragon capsule out of orbit Sunday. It's the second visit for this particular supply ship, which made a delivery for NASA back in 2015, and only the second time a Dragon has had a repeat performance 250 miles up. SpaceX launched the Dragon from Cape Canaveral on Friday, using a previously flown Falcon rocket. It was the first time SpaceX had flown a recycled rocket with a recycled capsule on top, at the heart of the company's effort to drive down launch costs. The Dragon holds nearly 5,000 pounds of station goods. As for Christmas presents, NASA isn't saying, in true Santa style. But NASA did share that it electronically sent up a copy of the newly released "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" on Friday, as a special holiday treat for the astronauts. Associated Press See More Collapse "Up until that point, everyone was certain the moon was absolutely dry, and this flipped that on its head," said Dan Andrews, project manager for rover at NASA's Ames Research Center in California. This discovery "really was a game-changer for how we thought of the moon." Scientists began chasing this new discovery in earnest. About five years later, NASA researchers began developing a rover that could find and capture this water. Their budget is $250 million a small-scale project, Bluethmann said. Fast forward to 2017 and the rover still is in the technology development phase. But researchers have a sense of how it will work. Using mapping technology, the rover will determine the areas of the moon saturated with the most hydrogen. It is those areas where the rover will drill for water in 4-inch chunks, Bluethmann said, going down as far as a meter. Soil samples will be brought inside the rover any time water typically in the form of ice is detected, he said, and machinery that will test the soil. The soil will be weighed and heated, he added, and anything that comes off the sample will be captured. Scientists want to understand "whether (the water) is on the surface so we get to it, whether we have to excavate to get it ... whether it's distributed as nice bricks or channels," Bluethmann said. The discoveries made during this mission, slated for 2022 or 2023, could have serious ramifications for deep-space travel, he said. If enough water is found, the hydrogen could be used to refuel rockets on the way to Mars, for example, and the oxygen could be used to refuel life support for astronauts, he added. This would not only make deep-space travel easier, it would make it cheaper. "Launching 1 pound of any material into space costs thousands of dollars," NASA's website states. "One gallon of water weighs more than 8 pounds, so the ability to generate water, air and fuel in space could represent enormous cost savings for future deep-space missions." The possibilities, Andrews said, have gained the attention of many commercial manufacturers. "Really, I think the commercial world is hinging on what (Resource Prospector) finds about the nature of lunar resources," Andrews said. "If they are accessible and if clever folks can come up with methods to extract them that are financially viable, that could be a new market." The rover is being built to last a full lunar day: about two weeks on Earth. It will stay on the moon, along with its samples, when the mission is complete, Bluethmann said. 'Mars and beyond' Johnson's moon rover could gain traction under the Trump administration, which has expressed a renewed interest in human lunar exploration. That interest was cemented Dec. 11 when Trump signed Space Policy Directive 1, urging NASA to return Americans to the moon. The directive "marks an important step in returning American astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972 for long-term exploration and use," Trump said. The Trump administration has been working its way up to this announcement all year. Vice President Mike Pence voiced an interest in returning to the moon in October during the National Space Council, according to the New York Times. The council, created to coordinate policies between NASA and other agencies involved in space, was dissolved in 1993. But Trump this past summer re-established it through executive order. "We will return American astronauts to the moon, not only to leave behind footprints and flags, but to build the foundation we need to send Americans to Mars and beyond," Pence said, according to the Times. On the day of Trump's December announcement, officials with Johnson Space Center said it was too early to "understand how implementation of the new directive may affect our work." The center will undoubtedly be impacted: Johnson is where astronauts live and train before embarking on any space missions. The move to return to lunar exploration comes after the Obama administration spent eight years pushing Mars travel over the moon. It's not clear how or when a lunar exploration endeavor will be executed by the current administration. Funding for the directive was not addressed during the Dec. 11 presidential announcement. Though Andrews, the lunar rover project manager, did not directly comment on the Trump administration's renewed interest in the moon, he said NASA's focus on both lunar and deep-space missions will be helpful to their mission. "I don't even think you have to be interested in the moon to see the value of Resource Prospector," he said. Its findings "could enable so many other destinations as well." AUSTIN -- How do you get noticed in a field of 10 mostly unknown candidates for governor with just two months before voting begins? That's a question the record-size Democratic Party field was asking Tuesday as the long-shot race to unseat Republican Gov. Greg Abbott officially launched. The Democrats may have little name ID and campaign cash, but they have big aspirations to turn the Texas Governor's Mansion blue next year for the fist time since 1995. As one Austin campaign consultant described it: "It's like being in a family with 10 kids who are all seeking their parents' attention at the same time. The ones with the loudest voices will get noticed." But for someone like Mike Collier, a retired accountant from Kingwood who is challenging well-known and well-funded Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the path to victory in the November 2018 general election - and just surviving the March primaries - will require more than just being loud. "Texas is a big old state and, as a practical matter, there's only so much you can do with shoe leather to win. You have to raise money," he said, noting that he began fundraising soon after he launched his campaign last May, as he started campaigning. "There is no substitute for money. I have a Rolodex, and I have been talking to donors for months." To be sure: Getting elected governor in Texas is no cheap proposition, with estimates of how much it takes to win a contested primary starting at $10 million and a contested general election at well over $40 million, based on recent campaigns. Abbott spent $49 million to win his 2014 campaign against well-known Democrat Wendy Davis, whom he walloped by more than 20 points. Lesser-known candidates generally raise less money and provide less of a challenge for a better-known rival, but in primaries generally the candidates with the most campaign bucks get the most votes statewide - unless they have built name ID with voters by campaigning for a long time. Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne, who announced last summer and has been touring Texas ever since speaking to mostly Democratic and younger-voter groups, said he planned to put to $2.5 million of his own money into his race - but so far he has not had to ante up on his own. Hardy Haberman, his campaign spokesman, said that rather than raise big money to mount a traditional TV ad campaign, Payne will rely mostly on outdoor and social media to reach "non-traditional voter groups" that will carry him to a hoped-for primary victory. Other Democratic challengers have said they have similar strategies to get their message out across Texas, with relatively little campaign money in the bank so far and essentially just two months left before primary voting begins. 'Get out and hustle' Andrew White, a Houston entrepreneur and son of the late former Gov. Mark White, said he expects to raise $3 million to $4 million to win the primary and may need several times that much to beat Abbott in the general election. "I'm looking at this campaign like it's a start-up," said White, who has started several successful ventures in his career. "I've got to get out and hustle. I think the money will come." Republican political consultant Jordan Berry, who advised U.S. Rep. Brian Babin in his successful 2014 victory from a field of 12 GOP primary candidates, said money will be the key. Babin, a Woodville dentist and former mayor who had some name ID, focused his early campaign efforts on raising money, while others knocked on doors and did less fundraising. Babin then used his campaign funds to get his message out through ads - and then won the primary and a runoff, the latter with nearly 58 percent of the vote. "In these races with a lot of candidates, people are fighting for everyone's attention and trying to get name ID," Berry said. "Sitting by a phone and raising money is a better way to go, because if you have money you can get your name out there." Austin consultants on both sides of the political aisle predict that the path to the Governor's Mansion for a Democrat could be even more difficult this year, because the popular Abbott has well over $40 million in his campaign war chest and national Democrats will be looking to raise money in Texas to help them recapture Congress. And then, Texas is still overwhelmingly Republican and will likely say so in the November election, the consultants insist, even though Democratic Party officials predict the state will be surprised by a blue wave in the general election. Ready to listen Former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, who jumped into the race a week ago, might have the best understanding of how to get noticed in a field of 10 candidates, as the youngest of eight children growing up in San Antonio. "Over the coming months, she looks forward to listening to everyday Texans and talking about the issues that keep them up at night," her campaign spokesman Kiefer Odell said in an email. "Through modern campaign tools, old-school retail politics, and grassroots organizing, we plan to earn the Democratic nomination for governor. We are reaching out to voters in every single corner of our state." As for what Abbott thinks about the 10 Democrats challenging him, he quipped to a reporter Tuesday: "I think you intimidate me more." His campaign said he has nothing to say about any of them. How do you say "no man left behind" in Pashto? You might want to ask Mohammed Younus Yousafzoy. The 24-year-old Afghan had worked as a translator for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since 2011. For years he served side-by-side with Mike Hudson, a U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel, in their mission against the Taliban. Now, thanks to a special immigrant visa, Yousafzoy lives safely in Houston ("Afghan interpreter happy to be 'home,'" page A1, Dec. 1). He almost didn't make it. Yousafzoy's application for a special interpreters visa had originally been delayed in 2013. Thanks to help from Hudson, lawyers in Chicago and the International Refugee Assistance Project, his visa was finally approved in October. Afghans, Iraqis and others like Yousafzoy put their lives on the line for a nation they've never seen. More than 1,000 Iraqis, and unknown others in Afghanistan, have been killed by terrorist groups. They risk everything for our mission - and these translators deserve the full support of our federal government when they seek refuge in the United States. They don't always get that helping hand. Thousands of former interpreters who turned themselves into targets by assisting the United States are forced to wait more than 900 days to get their visa applications processed. More than 9,000 applicants are still waiting for their visas, according to a federal report in September. Some translators even had their visas temporarily revoked under the Trump administration's so-called "enhanced vetting." Asif Khan Ahmadzai ended up stranded in Iceland earlier this year, unable to complete the final leg of his global journey to a new home in the United States. How can we expect people to stand with our troops when our government won't stand up for them in their time of need? More than boundaries or borders, ours is a nation founded on ideals. Wherever someone is willing to put themselves at risk for the notion of universal and inalienable rights, you can find the beating heart of an aspiring American. Now, more than ever, our nation should be working to welcome their ranks from across the globe to our shores. At a time when our politics has become infected by a deep cynicism, refugees allow us to see our own home through unsullied eyes. Their aspiration and dedication to the United States help renew our national spirit. Thomas Jefferson once said that the tree of liberty is refreshed by the blood of patriots. He never said that those patriots had to be born as Americans. In his memoir, "The Last Man on the Moon" the late Gene Cernan captured the bittersweet aspect of the flight of Apollo 17 when he mentioned that 900 of the people who helped to launch him, Harrison Schmitt and Ron Evans to the moon would receive pink slips the moment the Saturn V cleared the tower. The winding down of the Apollo program had already cost 13,000 jobs at the Kennedy Space Center alone. Forty-five years ago the great project, first proposed by President John F. Kennedy, had come to an end. Cernan's sad task, besides commanding that last lunar mission, was to try to keep morale up among a work force that had helped make JFK's dream become reality and was being rewarded with unemployment. Apollo 17 was not only the last of the first lunar expeditions but also one of the most productive. The lunar module landed in the Taurus-Littrow Valley, a region on the southeastern edge of Mare Serenitatis along a ring of mountains that were thrust up when an object struck the moon billions of years ago, forming the Mare. The area featured lunar highland material and relatively young volcanic material at the same location. Cernan and Schmitt, the first and thus far the last geologist to walk on the moon, embarked on three mookwalks, using a battery-powered lunar rover to range far and wide from their landing site. They took numerous rock and soil samples and left behind a number of experiments incorporated in the Apollo Surface Lunar Experiments Package. The geological samples that the Apollo 17 crew returned with, and those from the previous five lunar expeditions, are still yielding secrets of the universe as new analysis methods are being developed to study them. Modern people, especially those who came of age after the Apollo moon landings, are often astonished when they find out that the last three missions to the lunar surface that had been scheduled were cancelled, even though the hardware had already been built. One of the left-over Saturn Vs was used to launch Skylab. Enough Apollo spacecraft existed to fly three crews to America's first space station and to be part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first joint American-Russian space mission that presaged the partnership that now helps to run the International Space Station. However, one is struck by the waste that cancelling Apollos 18 through 20 entailed. The monetary savings were not all that great, and the wealth of science that could have been garnered is beyond evaluation. Regions of the moon, such as the crater Tycho, the lunar far side and the Marius Hills, where a miles-long lava tube, an underground chamber big enough to house a small city, was recently discovered, were on a list to be visited by Apollo crews. To this day, none have felt the tread of an astronaut's boot. Officially, the last words spoken by a human being on the lunar surface were part of a high-minded speech delivered by mission commander Gene Cernan. "As I take man's last step from the surface, back home for some time to come (but we believe not too long into the future), I'd like to just say what I believe history will record: That America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow. And, as we leave the Moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all mankind." The actual last words were a conversation between Cernan and Schmitt as they prepared for liftoff from the lunar surface. However, 45 years later, the speech imparts a kind of wistful hope that the torch of Apollo will be taken up by a new generation, not yet born when men lifted off the lunar surface for the final time. Then the opportunities that the moon offers, for science, economic development, and exploration, will be fully realized for a new century. Appropriately, Harrison Schmitt was present when President Trump signed the order to redirect NASA (once again) back to the moon. Thus it may be that Cernan's hope will at last become reality. Mark Whittington, who writes frequently about space and politics, has published a political study of space exploration entitled Why is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? He blogs at Curmudgeons Corner. The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation has completed the first installation of bricks from a paver project that began earlier this year at the county hospital. The pavers are installed at the hospitals front entrance canopy. Funds raised support the ongoing fundraising efforts of the foundation and benefit the new surgery department construction at TCMH. The first round of brick paver installation only completed a portion of the area for the pavers, so we are seeking donations toward additional pavers to be installed in the spring of 2018, said Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation director. The pavers range in size from 48-inch bricks with three lines of text to 88 inch bricks that can accommodate six lines of text or a business logo. Donations from $100-350 will purchase a brick. Multiple 88 arrangements of pavers can also be ordered to make specific, larger designs. Quotations for these individual arrangements are available from the foundation. Pricing is based on the project. The surgery department shell at TCMH has been completed, but interior work operating rooms, recovery rooms, a waiting area, staff dressing rooms and other related spaces are in the process of being built. TCMH has received donations from private donors as well as a grant from the Delta Regional Authority to help with the project. Funds are still being raised for specialized equipment the department will need, and the brick paver donations benefit the department. The pavers are a great way to recognize or memorialize someone or a significant date, Gentry said. He suggested that the pavers can be engraved with the name and birthdate of a child, with the names and anniversary date of a marriage or with family or business names. In the new installation are the names of all the TCMH employees that participated in raising funds for the hospitals capital campaign. Organizations and businesses have also participated in donating funds to have bricks engraved with logos or other details related to the group. All bricks are laser engraved to create the most durable and permanent engraving. Donations are tax deductible. The foundation has a printable mail order form for bricks or an online ordering and payment form available at the its website at www.tcmhfoundation.org. For additional information, contact Gentry at jgentry@tcmh.org or 866-967-3311. Texas County Memorial Hospital honored Stephanie Tabor, of Cabool, with a DAISY award at a Friday breakfast. The Diseases Attacking the Immune System Award is the highest recognition award for TCMH licensed practical nurses and RNs. Tabor is a registered nurse in the medical surgical department at the hospital. The DAISY award recipient must be nominated for a specific act of extraordinary care that was experienced by the person making the nomination. Tabor received two different nominations for the DAISY award from Karen Williams and from Nate Beard. Stephanie always went above and beyond, Williams wrote in her nomination of Tabor. Beard, a patient of Tabors, has experienced many hospitalizations. He has been paralyzed for the past years. Stephanie had empathy and sympathy for me, Beard wrote in his nomination. Beard said even when he wasnt in Tabors direct care, she would check in on him during his hospitalization. Shes one of the best nurses Ive ever had, Beard said. The honor is part of the non-profit DAISY Foundation of Glen Ellen, Calif. The foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care he and his family received from nurses while Patrick was ill and hospitalized inspired the DAISY Award as a way of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. Tabor received a special DAISY Award pin; recognition certificate; bouquet of fresh flowers; and a hand-carved stone sculpture, A Healers Touch. Cinnamon rolls were served at the breakfast because Cinnabon cinnamon rolls were a personal favorite food of Patrick Barnes during his hospitalization. He always shared the cinnamon rolls with the nursing staff. TCMH nurses Brittany Walter, Paul Fockler, Cody Rogers, Tony Young, Ashley Russell, Courtney Stewart, Stephanie Gingerich and Nancy Branson also received special recognition and a DAISY pin for also being nominated for DAISY awards. The following are excerpts from reports generated by the Texas County Sheriffs Department: A deputy responded Dec. 9 to a report of a dead cow in a ditch on Emery Road at Bucyrus. The officer observed a dead cow (about 600 pounds) that had been partially butchered, with its loins and hind quarters gone. Photos were taken of the animal, but where it had been butchered was undetermined. The officer saw many dairy cattle in an adjacent field, but none were the same breed as the dead cow. Investigation continues. A man reported on Dec. 12 that a 1998 Land Rover he owns had been parked at his mother-in-laws U.S. 63 residence and was missing. The man told an officer he had been away for a week and the vehicle was gone when he returned. He gave the name of a man who the residence is rented from and the officer contacted him. The landlord said the vehicles owners name was not on the lease, and he had told him three times to move the vehicle because the lease stated no derelict vehicles were allowed. The landlord said he had the Land Rover towed. A deputy was dispatched at about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 15 regarding a report of trespassing at a Dixon Road residence at Licking. Upon arrival, the officer observed that the gate at the entrance to the property was closed and nobody appeared to be home. An officer was dispatched to the Plato Schools campus at about 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14 regarding a report of two drunk minors. Before the officer arrived, he was informed he was no longer needed. On Dec. 15, a deputy was contacted by a Mountain Grove police officer regarding a burglary at a Highway AM residence. A woman who is caretaker of the residence stated that several items with a total value of $1,075 had been stolen from a shed on the property. The woman provided video that showed a man breaking in and removing the items. A Mountain Grove PD officer identified the suspect as a 43-year-old man who had been dealt with in the past. A report was sent to the county prosecutor. A deputy on Dec. 15 investigated a report of a dead cow at a Burton Branch road property at Bucyrus. A man who owns the property told the officer a cowhide had been found and that it wasnt from a cow he owned. The man stated a calf had been shot and butchered in the same location a week earlier. Investigation continues. A 55-year-old woman reported on Dec.15 that multiple items with a total value of $1,050 had been swiped from her Shafer Road property at Licking. There are no suspects. A man called Dec. 14 and stated he was out of town but had been told cows were on his Lundy Road property at Houston. Upon arrival, an investigating officer observed that the cows owner was at the location trying to get them back onto his property. A deputy was dispatched at about 11:40 p.m. Dec. 8 to assist an ambulance crew with a suicidal woman at a residence at Summersville. The officer made contact with a man who lives there who stated his wife had come into the bedroom holding a rifle and said he should take it from her before she shot herself. She was transported by ambulance to a hospital in West Plains. A deputy was dispatched at about 4:35 a.m. Dec. 8 regarding a report of a prowler at a Kelly Road residence at Raymondville. A woman who lives there told the officer she heard something on the deck of her house. The officer was unable to locate a suspect. Texas County Jail admissions Dec. 10 Michael J. Gerdes failure to appear Dec. 11 Jay A. Gann driving while revoked Esther M. Gannikribble passing bad checks Christopher M. Belcher Dent County hold Dec. 12 James E. Denny driving while revoked, speeding David L. Cook writ (to appear before judge) Lyndall C. Shive writ Jeffery W. Watts writ Jenny N. Bates house for Dent County Craig S. Davis house for Dent County Dec. 13 Tyler Barnett driving while revoked Dec. 14 Sherry Hunter burglary Jared Routh failure to appear Dec. 15 Pamela K. Hendrix 24-hour commitment Carlton J. Curtis non-support Dec. 16 Matthew K. Randall stealing motor vehicle Ronald J. Fleming Jr. failure to appear, probation and parole warrant Chance I. Gale 48-hour commitment John E. Keller traffic violations It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Roy L. Dusenbery, who passed away on Dec. 14, 2017, at his home in Houston, Mo., surrounded by his kids. He will truly be missed by his family and friends. Roy was born in Washington, Iowa, in 1935, and was raised in a large family of nine siblings. Times were not easy; Roy learned at a young age how to survive and make do with what his family had. Roy joined the railroad at an early age and this job took him all over the United States. We believe its where he found his enjoyment of traveling and meeting new people. He was employed over the years with Rock Island Railroad, Swanson Railroad and Hulcher Railroad. He eventually settled in Arizona, where he worked for Pelan County Sanitation. While in Arizona, Roy met the love of his life, Tina Hobbs. They were a perfect match, both enjoying traveling, spending time outdoors and meeting new people. Together, they moved to Houston, Mo., where they lived from 1994 until 2007 when Tina passed away. Roy loved to entertain family and friends. He loved sharing his stories of travels and cooking for visitors, his favorite being ham/beans with cornbread and chicken noodles. From small family gatherings, to canoe trips with his grandkids and 10 hungry teenagers, no one ever left his place hungry. Roy never made a little, he always had enough to feed an army and was always sharing his latest creation with is family and friends. Roy is survived by his son, Bill Dusenbery and daughter-in-law, Sherri; daughter, Teresa Lampe and son-in-law, Fred; son, Gary Crawfords and daughter-in-law, Dee Dee; daughter, Rita Dusenbery; son, Roy Dusenbery and daughter-in-law, Pam; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sisters: Darlene Stewart, Wilma (Buzz) Chalupa, Linda (Richard) Hagans and Kathy (Greg) Thu; and brother, Archie (Twila) Harris. He was preceded in death by his parents, Catherine Harris and William Dusenbery; brothers, Ed Dusenbery and Karl Harris; and sister, Illa Spiker. A celebration of life service is 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, at Jones & Eden Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Thursday evening. General calling hours will begin at noon on Thursday. Interment will be held in Atlantic Cemetery in Atlantic, Iowa, where he will be laid to rest with his partner, Tina. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made to Hospice of Care at Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston, Mo. These ladies provided Roy and the family much support during his final days. Online condolences may be sent for Roys family through the web at www.jonesfh.com. 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. Stand your employees down at the beginning of the day and reinforce risk awareness Reinforce that if workers are worried about risky situations, they should call it out and stop the work Talk to your people theyre at the frontline and they can see danger before you can loyers have been urged to remain vigilant around health and safety after four workers died across New Zealand in just three days.Any workplace death is a tragedy that shouldnt happen, and four deaths occurring over the past three days is particularly concerning, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Iain Lees-Galloway said on Friday.Four families will now spend Christmas grieving for a father, husband, brother or son, and mates will mourn a friend, he continued. I have deep sympathy for these families, and I am determined that fewer Kiwi families will have to experience such a terrible loss next year and in the future.Each of the four fatalities involved interactions with machinery or vehicles and Galloway said every business must have clear strategies for understanding and managing risks in that area.What concerns me is that this seems not to be happening well enough in New Zealand, said Galloway, noting that there were 24 workplace deaths involving vehicles and machinery in 2016 and 12 the year before.We can and must do better, he said, adding that December is a particularly risky time for organisations and employees.Its the end of a long year, theres fatigue combined with pressure to finish jobs before the holiday break, and there are a lot of distractions on the minds of many workers.His message to employers and managers was this:As a business owner, this spate of deaths must motivate you to review your risks and controls, he added. We all must play a role in stopping workplace deaths and injuries. The Selectmen are particularly interested in the lease agreement with the newly expanded school district for use of the elementary school. Lanesborough Elementary Talks Transition With Selectmen LANESBOROUGH, Mass. The Selectmen are particularly interested in the lease agreement with the newly expanded school district for use of the elementary school. The Selectmen met with the School Committee last week as part of biannual conversations the two bodies started having in recent years. The School Committee over the next months will slowly be dissolved, replaced with a transition committee, and then eventually a new district school committee. The town had voted to expand the Mount Greylock Regional School District to include Lanesborough Elementary. The town will still owns the building and a lease agreement with the newly expanded Mount Greylock district needs to be crafted. The Selectmen are particularly interested in the terms of that agreement and how it will relate to community groups using the building. Selectman Robert Ericson has been privy to use agreements during his time on the Mount Greylock committee and wants to see exactly how it will be handled. Mount Greylock has its own use policy and fee structure right now. Superintendent Kimberly Grady said some organizations are able to use the school for free, while others are charged a fee to offset impacts to the building. She expects a similar policy will be crafted for Lanesborough Elementary as part of the transition committee's work. "The wear and tear on the gym floor costs the school budget," Grady said. The lease agreement will also have to address a longstanding right of way concern. Right now there is a fairly informal agreement between the town and a local resident giving the resident an easement directly through the middle of the land and building. The easement was put in place for the owner to have access to the field behind the school property. "Right now it is an informal thing," Ericson said. Ericson said an attorney has suggested that agreement is formalized and documented before a lease agreement is reached. School Committee Chairwoman Regina DiLego, who will also serve on the transition committee, said the lease discussions won't start until the new year when the transition committee has authority. Grady, however, has gotten a jump start on it and has sent a rough draft to the town manager to review. The School Committee will also be passing on a maintenance plan. The school has a lengthy document outlining all of the capital needs of the building. New carpeting, for example, in many areas of the building is currently ongoing and a large project to replace windows in next. Ericson had toured the building an identified two dozen or so windows that could use replacement. Principal Marty McEvoy had Berkshire Plate Glass in to do a more detailed assessment. "He says that we could need up to 100 units to be replaced to be fully thermally efficient," McEvoy said. McEvoy said the company provided a broad estimate but that hadn't included any economy of scale if the school takes on a large number of windows at once. The principal said a more detailed estimate is expected. Grady also told the Selectmen that she should be able to have preliminary budget talks in January. "It is early in this process to be able to have a Greylock projection and Lanesborough projection," she said. From there, she'd like to have information on the town's perspective and numbers. From there, she'll craft a more detailed budget. She hopes to have the public hearing on the budget in March. The budget will be the first under the new district. The district budget will now have the health insurance for the school employees in it, when before those funds were on the town's side. The town will start with a significant amount of money off its books while the district will start with a significant addition because of that shift in the source of health insurance payments. In the future, the town will work with the School Council on the Lanesborough Elementary portion of the budget a provision put in the district agreement to preserve local control. The current plan has three houses, oriented at a slight angle to Cole Avenue, left, and Maple Street, in order to maximize exposure to the sun for rooftop solar installations. Habitat for Humanity Explains Plan for Williamstown Lot Paul Austin of Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity addresses the trustees of Williamstown's Affordable Housing Trust on Wednesday. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity plans to build three single-family home on a town-owned lot at the corner of Cole Avenue and Maple Street. Members of the non-profit's board of directors met Wednesday with the trustees of the town's Affordable Housing Trust to discuss Habitat's vision for the property. Earlier this year, the non-profit was the only respondent to a request for proposals issued by the town seeking a developer of subsidized housing on the site. The Trust acquired the land in 2015 using Community Preservation Act funds with the intention of developing housing in the residential neighborhood. On Wednesday, Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Building Project Manager Paul Austin explained how the group plans to build three two-story homes of about 1,200-square feet, subdividing the lot into three separate housing parcels. Specifics of the three homes, which likely would be built and occupied sequentially over a period of years, would be determined as Habitat finds owner occupants through a state-regulated application process that likely would include a lottery of qualified applicants. In general, the non-profit would be searching for an income-qualified family. The number of bedrooms in the resulting home would depend on the pool of applicants. And the chosen family would, per Habitat for Humanity's practice, participate in the construction of its new home. That "sweat equity" and volunteer labor is key to Habitat for Humanity International, a 40-year-old non-profit that has helped house 9.8 million people, according to its website. As Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity co-President Elisabeth Goodman noted on Wednesday evening, the Cole/Maple project already has benefited from the volunteer work of West Stockbridge architect Dana Bixby, who did not charge Habitat for the conceptual site plan presented to the Affordable Housing Trust. That plan shows three building lots on the half-acre parcel. Goodman, a Williamstown attorney, said Habitat likely would ask the town for waivers from zoning bylaws to situate the three homes on the site. As deed-restricted affordable housing, the homes would be eligible for an exemption to the bylaws under the commonwealth's Chapter 40B provision. Under Chapter 40B, affordable housing projects are exempt from zoning bylaws in towns that have less than 10 percent of its housing stock in the state's Subsidized Housing Inventory. Williamstown currently stands at 7.2 percent, according to Community Development Director Andrew Groff; that number would go to 9 percent percent if and when 46 subsidized units are built as planned at the former PhoTech mill site at 330 Cole Ave. Among the elements that would require relief from local zoning in the current site plan is the homes' orientation, directing the buildings to the south to maximize capacity of rooftop solar installations but running afoul of the bylaw that requires homes to be built perpendicular to the road in the district. "Those houses could be rotated," Austin said. "They would lose some efficiency in the panels, but maybe we'd just add some panels." Although the project could, by law, be exempted from zoning, Austin and his colleagues stressed their desire to build homes that fit into the neighborhood, and the Habitat for Humanity board members and AHT board agreed to work together on an information session for current residents of the area some time in January. Austin said he expects to build traditional looking homes with gabled roofs. Affordable Housing Trustee Anne O'Connor asked why Habitat for Humanity went with single-family homes instead of some kind of duplex or townhome. Besides the desire to do a project in keeping with the character of the neighborhood, Northern Berkshire Habitat found that multi-family homes are not a good fit for their program. "We did a proposal in Adams with a townhouse, and we had an open house [for prospective families], and a number of people came in and they were dead set against adjoining homes," Austin said. "They had been in apartment complexes or multi-family homes, and they wanted their own place." Since Habitat for Humanity is an owner-occupant model, unlike, say apartments built for affordable housing, there are also legal complications when it comes to building and, potentially reselling, homes. On the resale front, the Habitat board told the trustees that the town needs to establish an entity either the AHT or the Select Board to be the "monitoring agent" for the development and ensure, in the future, that the homes are sold for an appropriate price, i.e., one that keeps them affordable to moderate income residents. In other business on Wednesday, the AHT Board decided to submit a request to the Community Preservation Committee for $20,000 in fiscal year 2019 to fund a pilot home improvement program with Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity. The trustees are hoping to build on the non-profit's Brush with Kindness program, which helps low-income homeowners make necessary repairs in order to stay in their homes. Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity helps supply labor for projects like installing access ramps on the exteriors of homes, but it does not supply materials. The Affordable Housing Trust wants to help defray the cost of such materials for Brush with Kindness projects in Williamstown. The CPC deadline for applications for Community Preservation Act funds is Jan. 3. The committee will review the applications during the winter and make recommendations to town meeting, which awards the funds in May. Mayor Linda Tyer, Stihl Territory Manager Jason Weaver, Carr Hardware co-owner Bart Raser, Pittsfield's Parks and Open Spaces Manager Jim McGrath, Rotary Club President Jeff Hassett, Carr Hardware co-owner Marshall Raser, and Carr Hardware's Director of Marketing Geoffrey Webb. Carr Hardware Delivers Check For Pittsfield Splash Pad Project PITTSFIELD, Mass. On Monday, Carr Hardware did what it said it would do -- donate its recent prize winnings toward building a splash pad at Clapp Park. The local company has won the "Indie Award" as small business of the year from the business organization Independent We Stand. The prize includes $5,000 cash, which Carr Hardware opted to go toward a splash pad project in partnership with the Rotary Club of Pittsfield. "It's got fabulous potential to be as good as the Common," Mayor Linda Tyer said of the splash pad, which "is the most popular thing at the Common." The Rotary Club is looking to spend some $180,000 on the project and the city is looking for a grant from the state to renovate the entire park. The Buddy Pellerin Field Committee is looking to spend another $30,000 on improvements to the park. Further, Carr Hardware won $1,000 to donate to a local business organization. On Monday, co-owner Bart Raser announced that money will go to Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Overall, Carr Hardware won some $50,000 worth of prizes. Besides the $5,000 cash prize, the company receives $1,000 for a small-business group of its choosing, $1,000 worth of Stihl equipment certificates, marketing services from Snap Retail, branding, advertising, and public relations assistance from the Meridian Group, three days and two nights at a branding retreat in Virginia Beach, and a plaque to display in the store. Carr Hardware next year will be entering its 90th year since it was founded and prides itself on being a community partner. It operates stores in Pittsfield, Lee, Great Barrington, and North Adams in Massachusetts, and stores in Avon and Enfield, Conn. Pungl is the result of a brainstorm by 15-year-old Zachary Goffin, a native of Great Barrington. Biz Briefs: Berkshires-Based Pungl Ready to Expand Nationwide Gifts that give back Just in time for holiday gifting, Pungl has launched the world's first marketplace for unique, meaningful gifts that give back. Through the Pungl marketplace, anyone in the country can shop by location or charitable cause, and then make a donation to that cause in their own name or in the name of a loved one. The organization will follow up with a personalized thank-you, to show how those dollars are making a difference. Pungl connects donors with worthy organizations, whether in their backyard or halfway across the world. Donors can use the Pungl marketplace to search for a variety of fundraising opportunities, from arts and culture programming to projects that support services in a town or community, or causes that have global impact, like animal welfare and refugee aid. Donors purchase the gift for themselves, or to celebrate a friend or family members birthday, anniversary, personal accomplishment, or memory. Some gifts can even be named in honor of the donor or gift recipient, leaving a lasting legacy. Although Pungl will roll out nationwide in the coming months, it started locally and features "shops" from a variety of renowned Berkshire profits and organizations, including CHP, Berkshire Pulse, Bidwell House and WAM Theatre. Pungl is the result of a brainstorm by 15-year-old Zachary Goffin, a native of Great Barrington and an avid athlete and eBay shopper. Zach attended the birthday party of a friend, who requested that partygoers not bring gifts. Shortly after, at a sporting event, he spied some bricks outside the stadium with donors names engraved on them, and had a lightbulb moment. Because the projects featured on Pungl are accessible to people from a range of backgrounds and budgets, Pungl offers us all an equal opportunity to pay tribute to those we love and to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Information online. Gaining entry BerkShares' "Entry to Entrepreneurship" program, which guides students through the process of writing a business plan, while maintaining a special focus on the local economy, will start a new round of classes on January. Participants are asked to consider what we are currently importing to this region that we could be producing for ourselves instead and are encouraged to look at these "gaps" in the local economy as business opportunities. The program is offered by BerkShares in partnership with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Networks Berkshire Regional Office and in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, whose South County Center hosts the weekly class sessions. Classes will begin on Jan. 24 and will run for 10 weeks, meeting on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Over the 10-week program, students benefit from the expertise and support of the local business people who volunteer their time in the classroom as instructors, mentors, advisors and business plan reviewers. The program will culminate in a public presentation of business ideas by students to an audience of community members on April 11. Applications are due on Dec. 31 with a deposit of $50 or 50 BerkShares. Apply online. Top honors The United States Small Business Administration recognized Berkshire Bank as the "Top SBA Lender to Veterans" for fiscal year 2017 in Massachusetts. In addition, Berkshire Bank was the top 7a Lender in overall loan activity totaling 100 loans for $5.570 million for small businesses in the Western Massachusetts region. Good practice Greylock Insurance Agency, a subsidiary of Greylock Federal Credit Union, has achieved Best Practices status from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. With this status, the agency, for the second consecutive year, becomes part of an elite group of independent insurance agencies around the United States. Greylock Insurance achieved this honor by participating in the IIABA Best Practices Study Group. This annual survey and study of leading independent insurance agencies documents the business practices of the "best" agencies and urges others to adopt similar practices. The selected Best Practices agencies retain their status during the three-year cycle by submitting extensive financial and operational data for review each year. This is the second year of the current three-year study cycle, where over 1500 independent agencies throughout the U.S. were nominated to take part in the annual study in 2016. To be chosen, the agency had to be among the 35-45 top-performing agencies in one of six revenue categories. Real changes Steve Ray, one of the most successful and respected real estate brokers in Berkshire County, has ended his long-term relationship with Assist-2-Sell in Reno, Nev. Over the last 14 years as a discount broker, his company experienced unprecedented growth offering consumers creative options and team oriented service. The company name has changed to Berkshire Real Estate Associates. The new company will continue to offer same team approach to customer service as well as options for sellers. Located at 2 South St. in Pittsfield, the company has seen its focus expand in recent years to include commercial sales and leasing, farms and land. Two new associates have been added to the team, with the expectation of adding two more in the first quarter of 2018. Ray, a 25-year veteran of the real estate industry, started in the early 1990s at Ruffer Real Estate, buying the company in 1999. His experience includes residential and commercial sales, as well as land development and construction. Ray, known for his innovative approach in real estate, was the 2015 Realtor of the Year and is the 2018 president of the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service. Additionally, the company has announced its Agents of Change Charitable Giving Program. The company will donate 5 percent of its net commission income to one five local charities: Soldier On, Berkshire County Arc, Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires, Berkshire Humane Society and the Pittsfield Parade Committee. Each organization will receive a check at each closing from Berkshire Real Estate Associates. PITTSBURGH -- New England Patriots wide receiver Kenny Britt, who signed with the team earlier this week, will be in uniform for Sunday's matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Britt's role remains to be seen. The Patriots will be without wide receiver Chris Hogan (shoulder), so Britt could potentially serve as the No. 2 receiver. Defensive end Trey Flowers (ribs) returns from a two-game absence to bolster the New England front seven. Outside linebacker Eric Lee (ankle) is active, too. Lee tested out the ankle in a pre-game workout as the Patriots' medical staff looked on. He has replaced Kyle Van Noy on the edge. Van Noy is inactive for the second straight game due to a calf injury. Patriots running back Mike Gillislee is inactive for the sixth straight week. For the Steelers, cornerback Joe Haden is inactive. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will suit up. The full list of inactives for the Patriots: RB Mike Gillislee (healthy scratch) DE Geneo Grissom (healthy scratch) WR Chris Hogan (shoulder) LB Kyle Van Noy (calf) DT Alan Branch (knee) LB Brandon King (hamstring) OL Cole Croston (healthy scratch) IDF Strikes Hamas After Rocket Hits Israeli Town The Fellowship | December 18, 2017 IDF Strikes Hamas After Rocket Hits Israeli Town On Sunday night, a terrorist rocket launched from Gaza struck the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon, damaging a house. The Times of Israels Judah Ari Gross reports that Israel responded with airstrikes on a Hamas terror training camp: Israel carried out a series of airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza overnight Sunday-Monday, the army said, in retaliation for a volley of rockets fired at Israel from the Palestinian enclave. In a statement, the IDF spokesperson said Israeli planes targeted a training camp in the northern Gaza Strip, destroying six separate facilities belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization including buildings and terror infrastructure. The army will not allow attacks or attempted attacks on citizens, the statement said. Earlier, the army confirmed that three two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip Sunday night, two striking the Hof Ashkelon region inside Israel and a third falling withing the Hamas-controlled territory. Police said that one rocket hit inside an Israeli community, and the other struck an open field nearby, causing neither damage nor injury. A photograph shared on social media showed damage caused to the house Imperial Valley News Center New NIH consortium award to enhance clinical trials for Alzheimers disease, related dementias Washington, DC - A new clinical trials consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health is expected to accelerate and expand studies for therapies in Alzheimers disease and related dementias. The infrastructure of 35 sites across the United States - called the Alzheimers Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC) - will address the timeframe, complexity and expense of the recruitment process and site activation for Alzheimers trials to find new and effective ways to treat or prevent these devastating disorders. The ACTC will be led jointly by research teams from the University of Southern California Alzheimers Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI), San Diego, Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Womens Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. The funds were awarded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at NIH, which leads the federal effort in Alzheimers research. NIA will also provide scientific input to the ACTC under the cooperative agreement. The award for support of the consortium is expected to total nearly $70 million over five years, pending the availability of funds. Specific trials would be funded separately, under a process by which investigators can team up with the consortium to undertake research. Funding opportunity announcements for specific ACTC trials are expected to be released in early 2018 and will be open to all qualified investigators. It is anticipated that the ACTC will have the capacity to handle five to seven trials during the five-year award period. Developing effective treatments for Alzheimers and related dementias has proven extremely challenging. However, with recent advances in basic science and the identification of potential therapeutic targets, the number and types of possible therapies for testing have grown and are expected to increase significantly. Now, scientists are seeking to intervene as early as possible in disease development, before memory loss and other clinical signs of decline appear. Such early intervention and prevention studies require screening of thousands of volunteers to identify eligible participants, which can be time consuming and can result in delayed recruitment and under-enrollment. Other challenges facing Alzheimers clinical trials include: development of more sensitive cognitive assessment and neuroimaging analyses, data management and bioethics considerations. We have reached a critical juncture in Alzheimers and related dementias research, with new and exciting opportunities to build upon what we have learned, said NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. The ACTC will provide vital infrastructure, centralized resources and shared expertise to help us more rapidly and optimally test new treatments. The ACTC experts and infrastructure will support the design and conduct of trials across the full spectrum of Alzheimers and related dementias, from prevention initiatives to combination trials for advanced symptomatic stages. Specific objectives of the consortium include: Creating infrastructure with expert leadership to streamline implementation of trials Developing innovative trial design methods, outcomes and analysis strategies Maintaining trial site quality standards during and between trials Developing and implementing cutting-edge participant recruitment and retention strategies, especially in diverse populations Using a centralized Institutional Review Board Developing and running capture systems for data pertinent to the ACTC Securing centralized tissue banking for specimens Providing centralized imaging, biostatistics, bioinformatics and data management and analysis support Facilitating and managing public-private partnerships Trials would be conducted harnessing guidance from ACTC leaders, an executive committee and an external advisory board, which will include a patient advocate. The Principal Investigators for the project are: Paul Stephen Aisen, M.D. (link is external), director of the ATRI at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, San Diego Reisa A. Sperling, M.D. (link is external), director of the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at the Brigham and Womens Hospital, professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Ronald C. Petersen, M.D., Ph.D. (link is external), director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimers Disease Research Center, professor of Neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota The ACTC consists of a coordinating center at ATRI and 10 units staffed with teams to manage areas such as biomarkers, biostatistics, clinical operations, informatics, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and recruitment. As part of its recruitment unit, the ACTC is establishing a new Minority Outreach and Recruitment Team, which will use innovations in recruitment to support both central and local partnerships with diverse communities. When we announced the funding opportunity for a new publicly-supported clinical trials network, we envisioned a next-generation consortium, where shared expertise could enhance the ideas and approaches of individual investigators proposing and conducting trials, said Laurie Ryan, Ph.D., chief of the Dementias of Aging Branch in NIAs Division of Neuroscience, which leads NIH research on Alzheimers. I think we will have that now. I am particularly interested in how we can better engage diverse communities into research, so that trials can more effectively include and benefit everyone who is affected by Alzheimers. The consortium consists of 35 sites in 24 states and the District of Columbia. More sites may be added. It is estimated that as many as 5.3 million people in the United States age 65 and older already show symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Without effective intervention, those numbers are projected to rise to between 11 to 16 million by 2050. Grant number: U24AG057437 Imperial Valley News Center President Donald J. Trumps Weekly Address Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trumps Weekly Address, December 16, 2017: My Fellow Americans, This week I signed the National Defense Authorization Act a historic step forward to rebuild our military. Now, it is critical for Congress to pass the Clean Government Appropriations Bill that fully funds our Military Needs. We must not play politics with our troops we should pass a clean funding bill and leave the politics aside. We must protect our nation. Id also like to take a moment today to discuss our immigration system, and how we can reform it to make it work for everyday Americans. Our current immigration system helps special interests, but hurts American workers, taxpayers and national security. For decades now, U.S. immigration rules have been based on an outdated system known as Chain Migration. Under chain migration, foreign nationals can come to the United States and bring in unlimited numbers of foreign relatives. A single immigrant can begin a chain that could ultimately bring in dozens of increasingly distant relations. Because these individuals are admitted solely on the basis of family ties not skill or not merit most of this immigration is lower-skilled, putting great strain on federal welfare. And because there is no real selection criteria, the current system is totally incompatible with national security. This week, a terrorist exploded a pipe bomb on a busy subway passage during rush hour in New York City, injuring innocent Americans. This individual arrived through chain migration. In October, another terrorist drove a truck into pedestrians and cyclists in New York City, killing 8 people and wounding many others. That individual came through a visa lottery. It is time to create a merit-based immigration system that makes sense for a modern economy selecting new arrivals based on their ability to support themselves financially and to make positive contributions to U.S society. Base it on love of our country. We want people that come in, that can love our country. This process begins with Congress passing a bill to end chain migration and also end the visa lottery. I have called on Congress to do exactly that. Ending chain migration and also ending the visa lottery will allow us to have commonsense immigration rules that promote assimilation and wage growth. It also promotes, most importantly, safety. Itll help Americans both old and new to thrive, flourish and prosper. Thank you, and God Bless America. ~ President Donald J. Trump The most significant change for schools in the Republican tax reform plan is likely how state and local taxes are handled because of its potential impact on school funding. But why? And where could it have the greatest impact? Buckle up. Heres a bit of background: The final bill agreed to by a group of House and Senate lawmakers on Friday imposes a new cap of $10,000 on deductions taxpayers can take for either property and income taxes, or property and sales taxes. Thats much less than what some people, particularly in high-tax states, can deduct now. However, the standard deduction is doubled in the bills, meaning some taxpayers may no longer take state and local tax deductions yet still benefit. Regardless, state and local governments effectively get a discount when they collect revenue. Thats because residents can use the state and local deductions they can currently take to reduce their overall tax burden. Under the final bill, that aforementioned discount could be reduced. That could mean flat or reduced tax revenues, and therefore flat or reduced funding for public schools. Right now, 28 percent of federal taxpayers take state and local deductions . Now lets break down key numbers across states. The map below has, for each state, the share of taxpayers claiming state and local tax deductions, the average value of the state and local tax deductions claimed, average per-pupil spending, and the share of that spending from state as well as local sources: We got the data for the map above from The Impact of Eliminating the State and Local Tax Deduction. Thats a report from the Government Finance Officers Association that uses 2015 information from the Internal Revenue Service. We also used U.S. Census Bureaus Public Education Finances report for fiscal 2015 to put the map together. One general way to think about the maps numbers is this: As the percentage of people in a state taking state and local tax deductions increases, and as the average size of those deductions increases, it becomes more likely that shrinking those reductions could ultimate reduce school funding. Since the tax plan treats property taxes differently than income and sales taxes, it could create different tax pressures on state or local governments, depending on the current levels of those taxes in each jurisdiction. But keep in mind, thats a broad way to look at relevant data. For example, the average state and local tax (or SALT) stats included in the above map represent the mean, not the median. And one student in public school, obviously, does not automatically represent one taxpayer or tax return. Here are a few other takeaways from the map: As you might expect, the deductions are worth the most in relatively high-tax states, although not exclusively. In fact, Six statesCalifornia, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, and Pennsylvaniaclaim more than half of the value of the deduction, said the Tax Foundation, a think tank, in a report from earlier this year. However, where taxpayers do take them, the deductions also are relatively high in some states controlled by Republicans, including Iowa and Wisconsin. Utah and Georgia are two GOP-run states where a relatively high share of individuals take the deductions. Theres no state where a majority of taxpayers take the state and local deductions. Maryland is the state where the largest share of taxpayers claim those deductions, at 46 percent, according to the Government Finance Officers Association. The question is: How does it change your incentives to support spending on schools? said Nora Gordon, an associate professor at Georgetown University who studies school finance. Before lawmakers agreed to the final bill, Americans for Taxpayers Fairness ran a multistate analysis of the impact of allowing taxpayers to only deduct up to $10,000 in combined property and income taxes, which is one (but we must stress not the only) option taxpayers would have under the legislation. Heres what the group found for California: And heres the chart for another big state, Florida, but one with a very different tax structure: But what about at an even more localized level, in counties? Lets take Montgomery County, Md., where Education Week is located, as an exampleit is an extreme example, given that it is the 19th wealthiest county in the U.S. , according to the Census Bureau. It has a median household income of $98,314, has relatively high local property taxes, and is located in a relatively high-tax state. The Census Bureau estimated its population to be just over a million in 2016. Heres how the National Association of Counties, which opposes eliminating the state and local deductions, breaks down the value of those deductions to Montgomery County: That tiny print at the bottom points out that the counties association defines middle income as people making less than $200,000 annually in adjusted gross income, a calculation thats certainly debatable. But the point remains that the SALT deduction was claimed by hundreds of thousands of residents, and that the value of those deductions was relatively high, on both an aggregate and per-capita basis. Heres another extreme example: McDowell County, W. Va. It is one of the poorest counties in the U.S.based on a median household income of $22,252 and which (perhaps not coincidentally) has previously asked the state to take over its K-12 system , and where an education coalition (including the American Federation of Teachers) has also stepped in to help schools . The Census Bureau estimated its population to be approximately 19,100 people. In many smaller counties with a smaller tax base, the state and local deductions mean significantly less to fewer people, especially in the aggregate. Just for kicks, lets look at a county with a median household income about half-way between that in Montgomery and McDowellOrange County, Va., which has an estimated population of about 35,500. You also have noticed that while getting rid of those deductions has a bigger overall dollar impact in Montgomery County, there was a smaller share of middle-income households claiming the deductions than in McDowell County and Orange County. The Tax Foundation has a simple explanation for this : The lions share of state and local tax deductions are claimed by upper-income earners. State and local tax deduction, in addition to being a guiding principle of state and local tax autonomy, is essential to local governments funding public services, said Jack Peterson, an associate legislative director at the National Association of Counties. If deductability goes away, state and local governments are much more likely to see pressure ... on their local tax rates. Heres a general point of contention: If the tax reform succeeds in growing the economy, as GOP congressional leaders have stressed, that creates a bigger tax base for all levels of government and more funding available for public services. But Democrats and many school advocacy groups say reducing the deductions is still unfair, and could reduce the services provided to students. What its officially doing is putting a tax on a tax, said Thomas Gentzel, the executive director and CEO of the National School Boards Association. Finally, getting rid of tax deductions is not identical to a direct funding cut. It would still be up to state and local governments to decide how much to tax their residents, and how much of the resulting tax revenue to spend on schools. Some jurisdictions might decide that even without the discount we discussed above, schools are crucial enough that their funding shouldnt be impacted by changes to federal taxes. Peterson acknowledged this, saying, There is still an element of local decisionmaking even without reduced state and local deductions. But with them in their current form, he said, that power is greatly enhanced. Votes on this bill in the House and Senate should take place this week. If it passes both chambers, it goes to President Donald Trump for his signature. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . Imperial Valley News Center Governor Jay Inslee on Amtrak incident in Pierce County Washington Tacoma, Washington - "Todays tragic incident in Pierce County is a serious and ongoing emergency. Trudi and I are holding in our hearts everyone on board, and are praying for the many injured. They are our top priority, and I know first responders are doing everything to ensure everyone has the care they need. "Everyone should avoid traveling I-5, and WSDOT is working to open alternative routes through the area during the emergency response. This morning I spoke with my cabinet officials, and we are in touch with Amtrak who we know are working to provide as much information as possible. "WSDOT will have further updates on Twitter, those in the area can mark themselves safe with Facebook Safety Check, and I will be monitoring the situation with our team during the ongoing response." ~ Governor Jay Inslee Attorney General Sessions Announces 40 New Assistant United States Attorney Positions and Two New Violent Crime Task Forces Washington, DC - Friday Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Department of Justices new steps in combating violent crime. The Department has selected 27 locations to receive aid in the fight against violent crime. Those locations will receive a total of 40 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and new violent crime task forces will be launched in Charlotte, NC, and Pittsburgh, PA. The new violent crime task forces will focus on the proliferation of violent crime in the counties adjacent to Pittsburgh and Charlotte. "Led by our 94 United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) task forces are hitting the streets across America to apprehend and bring violent criminals to justice. I have asked Congress for additional PSN funding next year because I believe nothing will be more effective at reducing violent crime" said Attorney General Sessions. "Under this program, I am asking a great deal of our United States Attorneys. I am both empowering them and holding them accountable for results. To put them in the best position to impact and reduce violent crime, it is my privilege to announce today that through a re-allocation of resources, we will be enlisting and deploying 40 additional violent crime prosecutors across the United States." More information on the locations of those 40 Assistant United States Attorneys and violent crime task forces is below: AUSA Breakdown by District Northern District of Alabama - 1 Eastern District of Arkansas - 1 Northern District of California - 2 Southern District of California - 1 District of Connecticut - 1 District of Columbia - 1 Central District of Illinois - 1 Northern District of Illinois - 3 Southern District of Indiana - 1 Eastern District of Louisiana - 1 District of Maryland - 3 Western District of Michigan - 1 Eastern District of Missouri - 2 Western District of Missouri - 1 District of Nevada - 2 District of New Mexico - 1 Eastern District of New York - 2 Western District of New York - 1 Northern District of Ohio - 2 Eastern District of Pennsylvania - 1 Middle District of Tennessee - 2 Western District of Tennessee - 2 Eastern District of Texas - 1 Northern District of Texas - 1 Southern District of Texas - 2 Western District of Texas - 1 Eastern District of Wisconsin - 2 Summary of the Charlotte Violent Crime Task Force (CE VCTF) for the Western and Middle Districts of North Carolina The CE VCTF is focused on the investigation of violent crime in the greater Charlotte metropolitan area, to include Mecklenburg, Gaston, Cleveland, Cabarrus, Union, Stanly, Anson and Montgomery Counties. The Task Force will be assigned to the FBI Charlotte Division Headquarters. The CE VCTF will focus on the significant proliferation of violent crime. Gang-related crime is already being addressed by the FBIs Charlotte Division Safe Streets Task Force, and the new Task Force will concentrate on other violent criminal activity. Violent crime rates in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Gaston, and Anson County exceed the national average. The CE VCTF will focus on crime exercising a significant impact on these communities. The CE VCTF will be staffed with local law enforcement as well as federal agents. Summary of the Pittsburgh Violent Crime Task Force (PG VCTF) for the Western District of Pennsylvania The PG VCTF will focus on the proliferation of violent crime in the counties including and adjacent to PittsburghAllegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Lawrence, and Mercer. The Task Force will be assigned to the FBI Pittsburgh Division Headquarters. Pittsburghs violent crime rating is significantly higher than the national median. With the exception of the city of Pittsburgh, each of the counties in the area of the proposed Task Force has a violent crime per capita rate that is higher than the city of Philadelphia as calculated based on 2015 FBI crime statistics. Despite the fact that violent crime has declined in several categories, the overall trend reflects a disturbing increase in violent crime. The PG VCTF will focus on violent crimes that impact public safety. The PG VCTF will enable law enforcement to work more strategically and to address violent crime with data-driven strategies. Staffing of the proposed Task Force will include federal law enforcement and representatives from local law enforcement agencies. 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 }} Rose McGowan hasn't been shy about sharing her opinions since the news about Harvey Weinstein's sexual abuse scandal surfaced. But speaking out this weekend landed her in some hot water with her friend and fellow actress Amber Tamblyn. After Hollywood stars like Meryl Streep announced they would be using fashion as a form of protest at the Golden Globes, McGowan took to Twitter with some thoughts on Saturday, which have since been removed. The former Charmed star wrote, Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black at the Golden Globes in a silent protest. YOUR SILENCE is THE problem. She then added, Youll accept a fake award breathlessly and affect no real change. I despise your hypocrisy. Maybe you should all wear Marchesa, a dig made with regards to Weinstein's estranged wife, Georgina Chapman who is the founder of high-end label Marchesa. Tamblyn didn't take too kindly to her friend's statements, seeing them as shaming to those trying to make a difference. It's important to note that Tamblyn too has been an outspoken advocate for sexual assault victims and hasn't remained silent on the subject. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants actress defended the Golden Globes fashion movement saying it was the beginning of something "big." Tamblyn added, "You dont have to support and stand with us, but we stand and support you. You may take below the belt shots at us but we will not take them at you in return. But her comments didn't resonate well with victims Asia Argento and former Charmed co-star Holly Marie Combs, who believed she shouldn't have called her out in public. Tamblyn maintains she talked to McGowan "for over an hour" before doing so. After Tamblyn made her point, she declared her unwavering love and support for McGowan. It appears she'll be standing by McGowan regardless of any disagreements the two might have. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate 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 Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump is to remove climate change from the global threats listed in his National Security Strategy, due to be released on Monday. The new position is a reversal of the Obama administrations decision to place climate change in the strategy, a decision which Mr Trump mocked on the campaign trail. The last such strategy document, prepared in 2015, declared climate change an "urgent and growing threat to our national security". A senior official said the Trump plan removes that determination following the administration's threat to pull out of the Paris climate accord but will mention the importance of environmental stewardship. Instead, the document will focus on economic competitiveness and border security. An early draft of the strategy suggests a continuation of Mr Trump's "America First" strategy, lamenting that the US had put itself at a disadvantage by entering into multinational agreements, such as those aimed at combating climate change. The Federalist website quoted the draft document as stating: US leadership is indispensable to countering an anti-growth energy agenda that is detrimental to US economic and energy security interests. Much of the developing world will require fossil fuels, as well as other forms of energy, to power their economies and lift their people out of poverty. Trump announces exit from the Paris climate agreement The website also quoted the draft report as saying the US will remain a global leader in reducing "traditional pollution" and greenhouse gases, while also growing its economy. Climate change is not identified as a national security threat but climate and the importance of the environment and environmental stewardship are discussed, said a senior administration official. Additional reporting by AP. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate 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 Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Trump administrations decision to remove emphasis on climate change from the new National Security Strategy represents its latest move away from international action on climate change. In his speech Donald Trump said he had pulled the US out of job-killing deals like the very expensive and unfair Paris climate accord. Mr Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, made the momentous decision to prioritise climate change as part of his security strategy back in 2015. In that document, climate change was described as an urgent and growing threat to our national security. The security threats posed by climate change are many and varied, including everything from global conflicts over resources to the flow of refugees. Perhaps the best example of a climate-related threat to US security comes from Hurricane Harvey. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan Last week, two studies confirmed what scientists had long suspected: the effects of Hurricane Harvey were made considerable worse by global warming. Moreover, the likelihood of an event of that magnitude happening in the first place was increased by climate change. Scientists are increasingly able to attribute characteristics of natural disasters to global warming, and the signs suggest climate change is making such events worse. But aside from the devastating effects Hurricane Harvey had on the US, climate change is first and foremost a global issue. As with Mr Trumps absence from this years climate talks in Bonn and then Paris, this latest development highlights his unwillingness to engage with multinational efforts to tackle it. The Trump administration portrays such efforts as bad deals for the US that attempt to diminish the US economy and take jobs away from Americans. This was exemplified by Mr Trumps dismissal of the Paris climate accord, which he announced his nations withdrawal from earlier this year, and which he described as simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the US, to the exclusive benefit of other countries. As one of the worlds biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, and a global power with the ability to set the agenda when it comes to action on climate change, the current absence of the US is being felt keenly by other nations. Recommended Donald Trump to drop climate change from list of threats With the US government withdrawing funds to deal with climate change, such as the $2bn pledge to the Green Climate Fund, other nations will have to try and step in. Climate change has no respect for national borders, which is why it is vital the whole world comes together to tackle it. Despite Donald Trumps delusions of being master of the universe, dropping climate change from the list of global threats wont make it any less of a global threat, said Greenpeace US spokesperson Travis Nichols. In fact, if the fossil fuel cronies in the Trump administration insist on hiding from the very real threat of climate change, they will only make all of the other listed threats from border security to economic insecurity that much worse. 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 first ever interstellar visitor to our solar system is wrapped in a layer of organic insulation, scientists have said. Oumuamua has enthralled astronomers and the public since it flew through the solar system in October. As the first alien rock to travel here from another star, it was immediately recognised as highly unusual but as scientists learn more about the object, they are discovering how strange it actually is. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region Its strangeness has even led to suggestions it could be an alien artefact, rather than just an incredibly abnormal natural object. Very little is known about what Oumuamua is, where it came from, and what it is made up of. Scientists had relatively little time to study the object as it passed through our solar system, and they are continuing to analyse the data that was obtained. Before the rock arrived, scientists had expected that visitors of its kind would look like comets as they flew through the solar system. Such items would be made up of ice that would leave a visible stream behind them as they travelled past hot stars, they suggested. Recommended Why scientists are scanning an object flying past Earth for aliens But when Oumuamua flew past, no such activity was detected, despite flying close to the sun on its journey. Now scientists taking part in different studies have released detailed findings on what the rock looks like and what it might be made of. While it is probably an icy body as expected, it appears to be wrapped in an organic coat that shields the frozen water inside from being hit by the sun, according to the new research. In the end this was a nice result because weve expected all along that the majority of objects that would visit our solar system would be icy in nature, said Alan Fitzsimmons from Queens University Belfast and the lead author of one of two major new studies into Oumuamua. It has been a puzzle that this thing looked like a big lump of rock. Our study says that this object could well be icy in nature but we didnt detect that ice due to the fact it's been baked by energetic radiation between the stars for hundreds of millions of years, or even billions of years. It is not certain that Oumuamua has any ice at all the conclusion of Professor Fitzsimmons work is only that it cant be ruled out. But that is because it is wrapped by its strange organic coat, and scientists can only see the very thinnest layer at the top of the object. The coat was examined by using spectroscopy, which looks at the light being reflected from its surface and splits it down into its wavelengths. By looking at those measurements, scientists can work out what the object might be composed of. What we didnt see is the signatures of the rocks youd usually find on Earth, or you might find on the inner asteroid belt surrounding our sun, Professor Fitzsimmons said. It appeared red, but when looked at through infrared light it became more grey in colour. That was expected it is what would normally come back from icy objects in our own solar system but there did not actually appear to be any ice water coming off the surface. Normally, ice is expected fall off such an object as it flies by the sun and the ice is warmed, forming a miniature comet. Looking at it we realised it had been predicted that icier objects exposed to interstellar space should naturally form a thick crust around themselves, said Professor Fitzsimmons. When we crunched the numbers we found that this crust should insulate the interior of the object so that if there were any ices inside it, it wouldnt change the form. Scientists had long expected that we are sometimes visited by such rocks, thrown from elsewhere in the universe into our solar system. We know that significant numbers of comets and asteroids were thrown out of our solar system when it was formed, and so can reasonably assume that the same thing happened in other planetary systems. But they are difficult to spot since they are so dark, and none had actually been seen until now, marking an unprecedented breakthrough. In some ways we had expected these things for some time, said Michele Bannister, also from Queens University Belfast and the author of another study of the strange rock. Our own solar system has ejected millions of very small rocky bodies,and so we should expect that others do the same. Both of the new studies attempted to understand how the rock looks and what exactly it might be made of. Professor Fitzsimmons used spectroscopy and thermal modelling to try to understand the rocks composition, while Dr Bannisters research observed the colour of Oumuamua and used that to try to discover how it looked. Studying the rock also gives a unique opportunity to understand how other stars formed and how objects might cope with the harsh environment of space, by giving us a direct look at something that has endured it. The work was destined to find something of interest either way, since the rock is such a strange visitor and is very old. Its travelled for millions or billions of years it could be older than our solar system, said Dr Bannister. The work to find what colour it is, for instance, found that the rock appeared to be red. But the exact kind of red which could indicate what it is made of appears to vary, with some initial observations suggesting a dark colour while others showed it being more neutral. Those neutral colours were largely in line with some of the objects we see in our own solar system. Its come from a very long way away, but it looks very familiar, said Dr Bannister. It was the opposite of what I was expecting we might see. Dr Bannister has been working on a project called the Outer Solar System Origins Survey. That work uses telescopes to measure the colours of objects in the distant reaches of our solar system, and has developed techniques to help understand what those far away rocks might look like difficult, when they are so dark and far away that little light comes back. So when Oumuamua flew past, Dr Bannister and her colleagues looked to do the same thing for this rock, and see if we can put this object in context with this really well-characterised set of objects. They began observations soon after it was first detected. That was doubly important because the trajectory that the rock was coming towards us from meant that we did not actually see it until it had gone past the Earth. So there was a rapid effort to turn all the facilities that might help to look at it and learn as much as possible before it was too distant. Scientists hope they can spot the next object quicker, after waiting 19 years for this one. Recommended Antarctic discovery suggests life could be sustained on other planets Oumuamua was first spotted on 19 October, by the Pan-STARRS project that uses a range of different technologies to observe the sky. Scientists realised very quickly that it was both an unprecedented visit from outside the solar system and that they would have very little time to get a look at it before it disappeared, meaning they rushed to learn as much about it as they could. It took a few days for everyone to be convinced that the orbit truly was from outside the solar system, said Dr Bannister. With the next one, hopefully thatll happen more quickly. Its been 19 years, and you do see comets that have interesting trajectories that then turn out to be from our solar system from the Oort Cloud, 40,000-60,000 times as far from the sun as we are. Sometimes comets coming from that that can look like theyre coming from outside the solar system, so there was a certain degree of caution. What were hoping for is not to do anything different, said Professor Fitzsimmons. Astronomers around the world threw everything at it. But what wed really like is more warning. More time means more data, and more ability to figure out what we want to learn. Spotting another object from outside our solar system will be just as interesting as the first one: going from having seen one visitor to two means that we can start trying to understand how typical or strange Oumuamua is. What would be great would be to find another one of these objects where we can say, yes, this object came from this particular star or particular region, said Professor Fitzsimmons. At the moment the only limit weve got is an upper limit of about 10 billion years because when our universe started, the materials werent around to form a solid body like this. Theres definitely going to be a lot more work to be done, says Dr Bannister. The rock is still being watched as it leaves the solar system, and in useful ways by tracking its trajectory as it leaves, we can learn more about the path it might have come in on. Its too far away now; it can just about be detected by the best telescopes weve got, said Professor Fitzsimmons. The important thing is for us to be ready for the next one. And it might take a few years for the next one to be detected, but the UK is already part of a project building the next-generation survey telescope down in Chile when that gets finished were hoping for one a year. Until then, researchers will keep looking through the detailed and extensive data that has been generated about Oumuamua. We might not know everything until well into next year, when more data becomes available. The object is very thin and very long just what youd design for long-distance space travel and appears to be taking a strange trajectory. Those strange characteristics have led the Breakthrough Listen project, supported by Stephen Hawking, to point telescopes at Oumuamua and see if any radio transmissions can be heard. There are enough surprises about the rock already without it being an alien object said Professor Fitzsimmons. And besides, strange though it is, Oumuamua does at least look like what youd expect to have been created in the violent beginnings of a solar system like ours. If youve got a radio telescope why not do that? he says when asked about the excitement around Oumuamuas potential alien owners. However, we expect these things to exist, because we expect such things to be flung out of all solar systems when they form planets. So we expect these things out there. And looking at this object, the first object thats been detected, it has appearances of these natural objects that wed expect from another star this looks exactly what we'd expect. 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 Samsung Galaxy S9 could have significantly better battery life than its predecessor, a new leak suggests. The upcoming Android phone will feature a 3,200mAh battery, according to new details posted online by somebody who claims to be in possession of a test unit. That would be a step up from the Samsung Galaxy S8s 3,000mAh battery, which was adequate rather than outstanding. You can usually get around a day of use from a single charge, but it can fall short. How to improve your phone's battery life Show all 9 1 /9 How to improve your phone's battery life How to improve your phone's battery life Limit notifications Notifications are incredibly useful, but they also drain battery life and not all of them are actually necessary. Switching off notifications for certain apps can help your phones stamina. On Android, head into Settings, hit Apps and select those you dont need to be notified by. On iOS, go to Settings and then Notifications. How to improve your phone's battery life Disable auto-sync Certain apps, such as email and social networks, constantly run in the background even when youre not using them. This is so you see updated information and updates when you do open the apps, but the benefits can be offset by the amount of battery life auto-sync can eat up. On Android, you can turn off auto-sync by going to Settings, Accounts and hitting the menu button. On iOS, go to Settings, General and Background App Refresh. However, since auto-sync is genuinely useful, wed recommend disabling it when you know youre going to be running low on battery life, rather than switching it off all the time. How to improve your phone's battery life Switch off location services GPS is a huge drain on your phones battery, as more and more apps use your location data to work out where you are, and shape your experience according to that information. Unless youre using a Maps app, you can get by without it. To turn off GPS on Android, go to Settings and Location. On iOS, go to Settings, Privacy and Location Services. How to improve your phone's battery life Lower brightness Your phones display is responsible for the biggest impact on your battery life, but its easy to limit how much energy it uses up. Auto-brightness is convenient, but often sets the screen brightness to a much higher level than it needs to be. Turning auto-brightness off, setting your displays brightness to a lower level and adjusting it when you need to is much more sensible. How to improve your phone's battery life Uninstall apps you dont need Some apps drain more battery life than others, and its worth working out which ones you can do without. Facebook, for instance, is known to have a big impact on your phones battery, and you can eliminate this by deleting the app and using the social network in your web browser instead. On Android and iOS, you can see the apps and processes that are affecting your battery by going to Settings and Battery. From there, work out what you can delete or replace with a less-demanding alternative. How to improve your phone's battery life Cut your assistant off Virtual assistants are becoming increasingly capable, and therefore increasingly important in tech companies eyes. Not all consumers share the enthusiasm of Google and Apple though, and rarely - if ever - use Google Assistant and Siri. Whether you use them or not, by default the two assistants are always listening out for their trigger words, and this uses up battery life. On Android, you can switch this off by going to Settings, Google, Search, Voice and Ok Google detection. On iOS, go to Settings, Siri and Allow Hey Siri. How to improve your phone's battery life Stop vibrating Vibrate is a great middle-ground between a potentially disruptive ringtone and total, uncertain silence, but it also uses up the most battery life of the three options. You can go a step further by also disabling tap feedback, which can be reassuring, but is ultimately unnecessary. How to improve your phone's battery life Turn off connections If youre connected to a Wi-Fi network, switch your mobile data off, and vice versa. Similarly, remember to turn off Bluetooth and NFC when youre not using them. How to improve your phone's battery life Airplane mode Airplane mode isnt just for when youre on an aeroplane. If you know youre not going to have or wont need signal or a Wi-Fi connection for a good amount of time, its worth enabling Airplane mode. Otherwise, your phone will use up battery life by pointlessly trying to connect to a network. SamMobile reports that the S9 will also be slightly thicker than the S8, with the extra internal space also hinting at the possibility of a larger battery. Its widely assumed that the South Korean firm decided to play things safe with the S8s battery as a precautionary measure, with the explosive Galaxy Note 7 still fresh in peoples minds at the time of its release. It isnt clear if the larger S9+ will also be treated to a battery upgrade the S8+ uses a 3,500mAh battery but with stamina so important, such a move would definitely be welcomed by prospective buyers. An increase in battery capacity could be enough to tempt consumers to upgrade to what is shaping up to be a relatively unexciting new phone. The S9 will reportedly look almost identical to the S8, with the same infinity screen and overall body shape. Leaks suggest the biggest change will come in the form of a repositioned fingerprint scanner, which should be easier to access and use. However, until Samsung announces the phone, it's impossible to tell how accurate the leaks we've seen so far actually are. Early reports claimed the phone would be unveiled in January, but that now looks unlikely. Its instead largely expected to launch at an event in February, before being released around a month later. 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 }} They say mums dont remember the pain of childbirth once its over - but what about the pain of finals? One new mum showed her determination, and extremely high pain threshold, when she accomplished both at the same time. Nayzia Thomas, a sophomore studying psychology at Johnson County Community College in Kansas, Missouri, was hoping to finish her finals before her new baby arrived - but her son decided to come during finals instead. In a photo posted to Twitter that has now gone viral, a very pregnant Thomas sits in her hospital bed surrounded by textbooks and her laptop. According to the tweet, Nayzias mum took the photo of her daughter in labour using the time before her babys entry into the world to finish up her finals. Captioned, My mom took this picture and its the perfect explanation of my life. Yes, Im about to have a baby but finals season ain't over yet, the photo shows Thomas looking calm as she finishes up her finals, proving shes one tough mum. People seem to agree because the original post has more than 130,000 likes. According to an update to the original tweet, Nayzia and the babys father welcomed a baby boy on December 12. However she experienced major blood loss and her body went into shock post-delivery. "It was very scary," she said, "but his father was right there to take over when I went unconscious. We are blessed." She was also blessed with good grades - she finished the semester with an impressive 3.5 GPA. Regarding the viral tweet and her GPA, Thomas said, School is so important to me. I didnt want (the pregnancy) to be in the way. Thats what people expect. Youre a teen mom, youre a young mother. Thats why my mom took the photo. It shows I follow through. Not only are people amazed by the dedication to school, but some are also praising Thomas for managing to look amazing throughout the entire ordeal. Others are sharing photos of themselves in similar situations, proving the multitasking power of mums. And as one Twitter user summed it up, this is the embodiment of strength, determination, and perseverance. This is proof mums can do just about anything. 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 European Commission will open an investigation into Ikeas corporate taxes. The Swedish furniture giant has one division based in the Netherlands, which the Commission says may have been given unfair tax breaks by the Dutch government. European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said all firms big or small, multinational or not, should pay their fair share of tax. Recommended European Commission probes Apple for details of latest tax structure Commission investigators are reported to be looking at royalties paid by Ikeas Dutch entity, Inter Ikea, to its subsidiary in low-tax Luxembourg between 2006 and 2010. It is the latest EU probe into aggressive tax avoidance measures by multinational firms. In April, the Commission ordered Amazon to pay 250m (221m) in back taxes to the Luxembourg government after ruling that a 2003 tax deal amounted to illegal state aid. The EUs competition chief has also asked Apple to provide details of its latest tax structure as regulators try to recover 13bn (11.5bn) in back taxes to Ireland. Ms Vestager told reporters last month she wanted to make sure Apple complies with EU rules. Ms Vestager ruled in August last year that Ireland had granted the company illegal state aid in the form of generous tax benefits, which allowed the California-based company to pay almost no tax on a significant proportion of its global sales. Apple has appealed the decision. The news came after leaked documents showed that Apple had chosen to move a subsidiary from Ireland to Jersey in order to continue avoiding billions in taxes, after an EU crackdown in 2013. Both Apple and Amazon deny any wrongdoing. A spokesperson for Inter Ikea Systems said the company was committed to paying taxes in accordance with laws and regulations wherever it operates. "The way we have been taxed by national authorities, has in our view been in accordance with EU rules," the spokesperson added. "It is good if the investigation can bring clarity and confirm that. "A state aid investigation is a matter between the European Commission and concerned member states. "We study the opening decision and we cooperate and respond to any questions the Dutch authorities or the European Commission might have." 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 }} US President Donald Trump has insisted he will be cleared by special prosecutor Robert Mueller in writing of any wrongdoing in the ongoing Russia investigation, as he said he would not be firing Mr Mueller - despite recent reports suggesting he was poised to do so. According to reports, sources and friends of the President, including a senior White House official, have said Mr Trump believes Mr Mueller will be writing a letter in the next few months that exonerates the President from any alleged collusion with Russian officials during the 2016 election. In recent weeks, Trump has privately seemed less frustrated about the investigation, CNN reported. Mr Trump has repeatedly called the FBI and parallel Congressional investigations into possible links between his campaign and Moscow a witch hunt of him and his family. In private, the President reportedly called the probe bulls***" and allegedly said: I dont know any Russians. He and the White House have also said on numerous occasions that there was no collusion. However, the guilty pleas of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former foreign affairs campaign aide George Papadopoulos - both indicted on charges of lying to the FBI about contacts with Russians - could ultimately prove otherwise. Michael Flynn: Fired Trump adviser's pleads guilty to Russia investigation charge Mr Trumps former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and his deputy Rick Gates, were also indicted as part of the investigation, but on seemingly unrelated financial and fraud charges. Both men pleaded not guilty. Despite Mr Trumps personal lawyer, Ty Cobb, suggesting that Mr Flynns plea clear[ed] the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion" to the Russia probe, there is no evidence to suggest it will. Despite the Presidents allegedly positive mood regarding the outcome of the investigation, there were also rumours he would fire Mr Mueller after reports surfaced about anti-Trump texts sent by members of the Special Counsels team. Republicans said there was obvious political bias on the team, compromising the integrity of any findings. The text messages also revealed that agents spoke derogatorily about several public figures, not just the President. The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images The President's supporters also suggested that Mr Mueller obtained thousands of emails - exchanged by 13 members of then President-Elect Trump's transition team - "unlawfully". The emails - used by addresses with the .gov designation - were released by the federal government's administrative agency, the General Services Administration (GSA), but the transition team's lawyer, Kory Langhofer, said many of those emails fall under executive "privilege" and the confidentiality rules that apply to those communications. He said the GSA "misappropriated" the information. Over the weekend, Mr Trump reassured reporters that he would not fire Mr Mueller despite the controversy. However, some experts have suggested he could fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein instead since he oversees the Russia investigation since Attorney General Jeff Sessions had recused himself from it. Sources told CNN Mr Trumps personal legal team may meet with the special prosecutors team this week. On Sunday evening, as he returned to the White House from Camp David, the President was asked if he was planning to fire Mr Mueller. According to the Associated Press, the president answered: No, I'm not. He did, however, add to the growing conservative criticism of Mr Mueller's move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration, yielding attacks from transition lawyers and renewing chatter that Mr Trump may act to end the investigation. It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that, my people were very upset about it, Mr Trump said. I can't imagine there's anything on them, frankly. Because, as we said, there's no collusion. There's no collusion whatsoever. Even amid severe budget pressures, staunchly conservative Kansas and Oklahoma lawmakers are refusing to consider raising their states taxes, despite the implications that may have for their public school systems. Despite weeks of special sessions, Oklahomas Republican-controlled legislature hasnt come up with a way to close a $110 million budget deficit. Several of the states districts have gone to a four-day week because of funding pressures and the states teachers havent gotten raises in years. Kansas state supreme court earlier this year said a $293 million increase in funding over the next two years toward its public school system (the result of a previous tax increase) was far short of the amount of money necessary to fulfill a constitutional requirement to provide an adequate and equitable amount of money for its schools. Last weekend, Republican leaders in both states signaled they wont raise taxes in 2018. Several legislators in Oklahoma went on vacation after Republican Gov. Mary Fallin convened another special session while pledging not to raise taxes (she says she can raise teacher pay without tax increases), according to the Associated Press. The legislature failed by five votes last month to pass a budget that would have raised tobacco, fuel, alcohol, and oil and gas production taxes in order to close the deficit and provide teachers with a pay raise. The legislature needs a 75 percent majority in order to pass a tax increase. In Kansas, the House and Senate leaders said in interviews with local papers last week that they will not raise taxes to comply with the most recent court order. My senators are dead set against increasing any taxes to comply with the court, Senate President Susan Wagle said to the Witchita Eagle . Theres not an appetite to raise taxes, House leader Ron Ryckman, a Republican, said. Meanwhile, the legislature set up a committee to study the impact of cutting the budgets of other departments in order to pay for the $600 million estimated to satisfy Kansas supreme court, according to the Associated Press. It may be that some of those other areas you mention which are terribly important but dont have constitutional protections may have to suffer, said Alan Rupe, the attorney for the school districts involved in the lawsuit. The court threatened to close down Kansas public schools if the legislature doesnt come up with a satisfactory budget by April of 2018. Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics. 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 }} Institutional racism caused police and a council to side with the abusers of a disabled refugee in the lead up to his brutal murder, a report has found. The Safer Bristol Partnership (SBP) said there had been a collective failure to protect Bijan Ebrahimi before he was killed and set on fire by his neighbour in 2013. The body said that although neither Avon and Somerset Constabulary or Bristol City Council had been intentionally racist, both organisations repeatedly sided with abusers who falsely accused the refugee of being a paedophile. The Iranian man had repeatedly reported being victimised by his neighbours, including death threats, criminal damage and racial abuse, but police officers and staff failed to protect him or record a crime in 40 incidents. Even as Mr Ebrahimi presented evidence against his predominantly white neighbours, he was arrested and handed an anti-social behaviour order, while they were not reprimanded. The SBP said he was treated as a primary perpetrator, rather than the primary victim of abuse and mistreatment that started years before he was killed. On occasions, Mr Ebrahimi was treated with disrespect and even contempt by some police officers, it concluded, adding that some officers and council staff wrongly claimed his reports were dishonest. Bijan Ebrahimi in a police cell after being arrested by officers There is evidence of both discriminatory behaviour and institutional racism on the part of Bristol City Council and Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Lee James was jailed for life for murdering Mr Ebrahimi in Capgrave Crescent on 14 July 2013 and Stephen Norley was jailed for four years for assisting an offender. A trial heard James whose partner had moved to the area just months before beat and kicked Mr Ebrahimi to death, before setting his body on fire with Norleys help. He first attacked his neighbour three days before the murder, after drinking while in charge of his young children, and threatened him inside his flat. Mr Ebrahimi filmed part of the incident and reported it to police but instead of targeting James they arrested him for breach of the peace and harassment despite his innocence and the fact James continued making threats in their presence. The refugee was released and returned home the following day, with an urgent marker on calls from his address, but when he made further calls to police saying he feared for his life officers did not visit his home. He eventually walked to nearby Brislington Police Station to seek help, the SBP report said. He was told to go home. Late the following night, Lee James saw Mr Ebrahimi outside his flat and perpetrated the fatal assault. In a separate investigation that concluded in July, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said Avon and Somerset Constabulary responded poorly to 85 telephone calls from Mr Ebrahimi from 2007 onwards. The IPCC said he was never fully recognised as a victim of racial abuse by authorities, who considered him to be a liar, a nuisance and an attention seeker and believed his neighbours instead. A screengrab from a video taken by the victim Bijan Ebrahimi, where Lee James can see been verbally abusing him (Avon and Somerset Police) At a trial in 2015, a police constable and police community support officer were convicted of misconduct in public office and dismissed over Mr Ebrahimis case. Two other officers were acquitted at trial but later fired for gross misconduct by Avon and Somerset Constabulary, which gave four other staff involved written warnings. Mr Ebrahimi had arrived in the UK, where his two sisters and nephews lived, in 2000 and was granted indefinite leave to remain as a refugee the following year. He studied at college before a worsening back condition affected his mobility and ability to work. Mr Ebrahimi was first attacked in a private shared house in Bedmister, Bristol, in 2005 when a housemate scalded him with hot water and was later jailed. He was allocated a case worker by Stand Against Racism and Inequality (SARI) and was moved by the council to a flat at Whartons, Brislington, in November 2006. But he reported more racist abuse there and was targeted by an arson attack, causing him to be put in emergency accommodation and then moved into Capgrave Crescent in 2007. That was the year when unfounded rumours that Mr Ebrahimi was a paedophile started circulating, becoming what the SBP report called a local belief. There has been no evidence provided for this review that Mr Ebrahimi may have had any sexual interest in children, it concluded. Authorities took no steps to correct the view and the silence may have been taken by some as confirmation of local suspicions. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 November 2022 Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, for the House of Commons to deliver his autumn statement PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 The review called on Avon and Somerset Constabulary to record all crimes in compliance with national standards, for proper oversight of decisions and the risk of harm, for a change in organisational culture and for hate crime to be automatically passed to specialist support groups. It also ordered Bristol City Council to start an immediate review of tenants with complex needs and amend its policy for vulnerable people. Publication of the SBPs multi-agency learning review was delayed to avoid prejudicing the trials and IPCC investigation. Alison Comley, chair of the body, said the murder of Mr Ebrahimi shocked Bristol and thanked his family for their dignity and strength. As chair of the partnership I am sorry for the collective failure of organisations to support Mr Ebrahimi as a victim of anti-social behaviour and hate crime, she added, pledging that lasting changes had been made. We did not wait until this review was published to make improvements. Marvin Rees, the mayor of Bristol, offered a sincere and wholehearted apology for Mr Ebrahimis treatment and vowed to continue improvements in his memory. Mr Rees said the council accepted all of the independents reviews findings, including of discriminatory behaviour and institutional racism, adding: We apologise for failing to adequately support Bijan as a victim. We would like once again to offer our sincere condolences, remorse and apologise to Bijans family. Avon and Somerset Constabulary also accepted all findings and said wide-ranging changes had already been made to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again. Wed like to reiterate our sincere apologies to Mr Ebrahimis family whove shown great courage throughout, a spokesperson added. We failed him when he needed us the most and for that were extremely sorry. 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 }} Children in care are at risk of being criminalised as police forces are called out to childrens homes at an unnecessarily high rate, a report has found. Research by the Howard League for Penal Reform shows officers are receiving a high number of call-outs from some childrens homes to deal with minor issues that should not be brought to their attention exposing youngsters to unnecessary interaction with the police. This contradicts the widely held belief that the best scenario for young people living in childrens homes is not to have any contact with the police at all a strategy intended to prevent vulnerable children being criminalised. The number of children in care reached a record high this year, with 90 young people entering the care system each day amid ongoing cuts to childrens centres and local family support services. Childrens homes provide placements for boys and girls aged between 10 and 17 and include full residential care, educational facilities and healthcare provision, with a high level of intensive help offered to each young person. According to the Department for Education (DfE), about 15 per cent of children in the care system will have spent some time in a residential setting. The number of children living in homes, hostels or secure accommodation at any one time is 6,360 about 9 per cent of the total number looked after. The Howard League found the high number of police call-outs were often due to serious shortcomings in care homes, with officers telling the charity of case where they kept children at the station rather than sending them back to homes they considered unsafe and uncaring. Its report outlines a number of examples where forces have been called out to minor incidents, such as a child squirting a member of staff with water and another child pullilng down a curtain. One officer said that he felt that on occasion homes called the police to help them "tuck up" teenagers who refused to go to bed. The charity said there was a difficult balancing act between breaking down barriers to improve relations between police and children and exposing youngsters to unnecessary interaction with the police which might contribute to a process of criminalisation. Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League, said that while there has been a considerable reduction in child arrests across England and Wales in recent years, there is still "much work to do" to prevent children from being criminalised. Our research has found that children in residential care are being criminalised unnecessarily. Police, local authorities and childrens homes must work together to rise to this challenge," she said. The best scenario for a child living in a childrens home is not to have any contact with the police at all, just like any child living at a parental home. "Ensuring that there is the least possible contact between police and children living in residential care would free up police time to deal with more important matters and prevent children having their life chances blighted by an unnecessary criminal record. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 November 2022 Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, for the House of Commons to deliver his autumn statement PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said the high number of police callouts to childrens homes had been a concern "for some years" among police forces across the UK. Lead for children and young People at the NPCC, Olivia Pinkney, continued: The police are always there in cases of emergencies, but too often we are called for incidents which are not appropriate for the police to be involved with. All forces are looking at how they can work more closely with residential care homes and improving procedures to ensure that the police are not involved unnecessarily. Children and Families Minister Robert Goodwill said: We know many childrens homes work with the local police force and the local authority to reduce unnecessary call-outs, whilst ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the young people in their care. The guidance is clear that no child living in a childrens home should be criminalised for behaviour that would not concern the police if it happened in a family home. 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 }} A lack of specialist waste treatment facilities could limit the development of fracking in the UK, say researchers from the University of Edinburgh. Safe treatment and disposal of the waste water arising from fracking could cost more than 1m over the lifetime of each well, they say. Scientists studied waste waters from wells in the US to better understand the volume that would be generated by a UK shale gas industry. They reviewed the methods used to treat waste from the fracking process, in which gas is extracted from shale rock by injecting water and sand at high pressure. Megan ODonnell, a PhD candidate at the universitys School of GeoSciences, said: Treating wastewater could require a large outlay of the expected revenue from each well, affecting industry profitability. The UKs capacity to treat the radioactive material in waste water is currently limited, which could pose serious waste management issues if the shale gas industry expands at a faster rate than the increase in treatment facilities. Although the chemical make-up of UK waste water is not well known, it can be several times saltier than seawater and contains naturally occurring radioactive material. Scientists found treating the salinity and other chemicals in waste water at existing facilities could cost between 100,000 and 1m per well, under current treatment regulations. This would require between 2 per cent and 26 per cent of the expected total revenue from each well, researchers say. More than 160,000 per well could also be needed to treat and dispose of the naturally occurring radioactive material present in wastewater, the team believes. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 November 2022 Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, for the House of Commons to deliver his autumn statement PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 The research, published in Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology, was supported by the European Unions Horizon 2020 funding programme. Dr Stuart Gilfillan, of the universitys School of GeoSciences, who coordinated the study, said: We suggest that industry, wastewater treatment plant operators and UK regulatory bodies work together to produce a coherent strategy for managing wastewater. This would serve to assure the public of its safety and prepare for the expansion of treatment capacity required should a shale gas industry develop in the UK. PA 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 whole system of building regulation in the UK is not fit for purpose, a damning independent report in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire has found. Confusing rules and a lack of enforcement means construction companies are able to abuse the system, according to interim findings of the review, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt. The former health and safety chief has been assessing the adequacy of current guidelines in the wake of the disaster that killed 71 people. Recommended Grenfell Tower survivors struggle to come to terms with tragedy As the review has progressed, it has become clear that the whole system of regulation, covering what is written down and the way in which it is enacted in practice, is not fit for purpose, leaving room for those who want to take shortcuts to do so, Dame Judith said in the report. Buildings were not being built to specification, she said, blaming both competence issues and poor materials. What is initially designed is not what is being built, and quality assurance of materials and people is seriously lacking, she said. I have been shocked by some of the practices I have heard about. A cultural and behavioural change was needed across the whole sector, she said, adding: The mindset of doing things as cheaply as possible and passing on responsibility for problems and shortcomings to others must stop. Architects and senior firefighters have condemned Grenfell Towers single-staircase design and a lack of sprinklers in the building following the fire. Combustible plastic foam insulation and cut-price aluminium panels with a polyethylene core fitted to the block have also been blamed for the rapid spread of the fire. In the 10 weeks after the disaster, combustibility tests ordered by Theresa May revealed 262 high-rise residential buildings across the country were clad in the same or similar panels. Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Show all 31 1 /31 Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn hugs a woman after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Prince Harry leaving after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures A woman appears emotional as she leaves the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn consoles a mourner AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners carry pictures of victims of the fire and white roses as they leave St Paul's cathedral AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners carry white roses as they leave St Paul's cathedral after attending a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn consoles a relative of a victim AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners leave after attending the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Labour opposition party leader Jeremy Corbyn embraces a mourner AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People hold photos and flowers as they leave after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners hold up photos of victims as they leave St Paul's cathedral after attending a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People hold photos and flowers as they leave after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Service members carry a Grenfell banner Rex Features Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People at the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May attends the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Marcus Mumford, Adele and Carey Mulligan attending the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Attendees hold a banner at the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Prince Harry, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Duchess of Cornwall and The Prince of Wales attend the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures The Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott arrive at St Paul's Cathedral REUTERS Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Members of the public gather outside St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the Grenfell Tower national memorial service Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Firefighters arriving for the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People arrive for the Grenfell Tower Memorial Service Rex Features Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Former footballer Les Ferdinand (right) arriving for the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service at St Paul's Cathedral PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Police officers arrive at St Paul's Cathedral for a memorial service in honour of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire REUTERS Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Thousands of people are believed to still be living in buildings covered in the material, with landlords reportedly waiting to find out how the regulations are changed before they replace the panels. The interim report urges building owners to press on with moderations improving fire safety, saying they should use materials already found to be safe. Dame Judith told BBC Radio 4s Today programme she hadnt looked at the detail of exactly what measures such as fire sprinklers should be taken. These points will be examined in the next phase of the review, which hopes to put together a new regulatory system and improve safety standards. Regulators will now be brought together with the construction industry, councils and the Government to discuss change as part of the reviews second stage in the new year. The Prime Ministers official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: Public safety is, of course, paramount, which is why following the Grenfell tragedy we commissioned this report and asked for the independent review of building regulations and safety. I think we would view the report as an important milestone ahead of the full report thats due back in the spring. Choir sings at Grenfell memorial As we have said, we are determined to make sure that we learn the lessons from the fire and from the inquiries that are taking place. He added that about 1,250 buildings have been checked for dangerous material and measures put in place when necessary. My understanding is Dame Judith herself was clear that her findings shouldnt be interpreted as meaning that buildings are unsafe, he said. Labours Shadow Housing Secretary, John Healey, welcomed the report but said the Government must not wait for the review to finish before improving fire safety measures. Rather than waiting for the final report of this inquiry, ministers should start acting on existing recommendations immediately and incorporate recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt when her inquiry is completed, he said. Ministers have been off the pace at every stage in response to the Grenfell Tower fire. They must now quickly give people confidence that our system of fire regulation has the clarity, accountability and proper standards needed so that no-one feels unsafe in their home. 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 deputy leader of far-right party Britain First, who was retweeted by Donald Trump, has been suspended from Twitter. Jayda Fransen was the subject of headlines around the world in November when the US President shared a number of her Islamophobic posts. Party leader Paul Golding also had his account suspended, it emerged on Monday, and The Independent understands they were taken down by Twitter because they contravene the companys new policy prohibiting groups that affiliate with organisations that use or promote violence against civilians to further their causes. Twitter began enforcing stricter anti-abuse rules on Monday following heavy criticism for failing to tackle online abuse and extremism. Under the new rules, hateful imagery such as the Nazi swastika will now be hidden and users will have to opt to see the sensitive media if they wish to view it. Those who repeatedly post the images will be asked to remove them and be banned from the platform if they continue to use them. Twitter said the move would reduce the amount of abusive behaviour and hateful conduct on the platform. The US President prompted criticism in November when he shared a series of tweets from Ms Fransen. The first video claimed to show Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches. Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty The attacker in the video from the Netherlands was neither a Muslim nor a migrant, according to local media, and was arrested over the incident. A second re-post was captioned: Muslim destroys statue of Virgin Mary, while a third read Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death. Local reports said the footage showed the 2013 murder of a teenager who was himself likely to be a Muslim during riots over the coup against Egypts President Mohamed Morsi. Mr Trump was criticised by Theresa May, who via a spokesperson said: Britain First seeks to divide communities by their use of hateful narratives that peddle lies and stoke tensions. They cause anxiety to law-abiding people. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right which is the antithesis of the values this country represents, decency, tolerance and respect. The President hit back, telling the Prime Minister: Theresa, dont focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine! 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 }} US military personnel fired shots after a car forced its way through a checkpoint at the RAF Mildenhall US air base, police have revealed. A 44-year-old British man has been arrested after the significant incident forced authorities to lock down the base, which is used only by the US Air Force, at 1pm on Monday. The Independent understands that a single driver in a vehicle approached a checkpoint and forced his way inside. American security personnel opened fire and the driver was taken into custody, before being handed to Suffolk Police for a civilian investigation. He sustained only cuts and bruises, and was arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass. No one else was injured and the incident is not being treated as terrorism, police said. Suffolk Police said: Police are not looking for anyone else on the site in relation to the incident. A small contingent of British liaison officers are also stationed at the base, which is predominantly staffed by American forces. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 A spokesman from the bases public affairs office told The Independent the lockdown measures were lifted shortly after 2.30pm. Suffolk Police tweeted that its officers were still at the 1,162-acre base, which houses about 3,100 members of the US military and an additional 3,000 family members. In a statement issued by Suffolk Police, a US Air Force spokesman said: Weve concluded our combined response to this incident and we are continuing to support local authorities in the ongoing investigation. The base is currently home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing. Its KC135 tankers are used to refuel US and Nato aircraft in Europe. RAF Mildenhall was previously among the American bases targeted by Isis supporter Junead Khan, who was jailed for preparing a terror attack in April 2016. He had been communicating with Isis fighter Junaid Hussain, a British hacker later killed by a US drone strike, who incited him to attack military bases. In online chats, the men cited the murder of Lee Rigby as inspiration after the soldier was mown down with a car and stabbed to death near Woolwich barracks in 2013. In November last year the then-Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said RAF Mildenhall was one of 56 Ministry of Defence sites earmarked for closure. It is due to close in 2022. 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 }} RAF Mildenhall, a US Air Force base in Suffolk, was placed on lockdown after a security incident police described as a significant incident. :: A more recent version of this story can be found here Suffolk Police said American service personnel fired shots during the disturbance. A man has been detained with cuts and bruises and taken into custody. No other people have been injured as a result of the incident, the force added. Recommended Shots fired at RAF Mildenhall after car forces entry on to base A spokesman from the bases public affairs office confirmed it had been locked down, but that the lockdown had been lifted shortly after 2.30pm. The Independent understands that a single driver in a vehicle approached a checkpoint and forced his way inside. American security personnel opened fire and the driver was taken into custody, before being handed to Suffolk Police for a civilian investigation. A small contingent of British liaison officers are also stationed at the base, which is predominantly staffed by American forces. RAF Mildenhalls Facebook page said the measures were taken at 1pm on Monday after reports of a disturbance on base. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 November 2022 Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, for the House of Commons to deliver his autumn statement PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 Suffolk Police tweeted that its officers were still at the 1,162-acre base, which houses about 3,100 members of the US military and an additional 3,000 family members. The base is currently home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing. Its KC135 tankers are used to refuel US and Nato aircraft in Europe. 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 will insist on Monday that she will try to sign new free trade deals during the UKs Brexit transition period, setting herself on a collision course with Brussels. Ms May will tell the House of Commons she will attempt to finalise the deals where possible, despite the EU signalling it would not be feasible under terms for the transition they are proposing. The Prime Minister will also use her statement to calm an emerging row over the conditions that should apply during the two-year period in which Britain untangles itself from EU systems. Earlier on Monday, she is also due to meet her most senior ministers to discuss what kind of trade deal the UK should have with Europe after the end of the transition, which is likely to last from 2019 to 2021. Ms May's statement in the Commons will see her indicate that she is determined to push towards the UKs post-Brexit systems on trade and immigration. She will say that during the transition, she intends to register new arrivals from the EU as preparation for our future immigration system. And we will prepare for our future independent trade policy by negotiating and where possible, signing trade deals with third countries, which could come into force after the conclusion of the implementation period. Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA EU officials have said that while the UK may be able to hold talks during the transition, nothing should be signed, because that would break with customs union rules to which Britain must adhere up to 2021. The Prime Minister will also use her statement to underline the previously agreed Cabinet position on transition, in a bid demonstrate unity as internal discussions go on. She will say: As I proposed in Florence, during this strictly time-limited implementation period which we will now begin to negotiate, we would not be in the single market or the customs union, as we will have left the European Union. But we would propose that our access to one another's markets would continue as now, while we prepare and implement the new processes and new systems that will underpin our future partnership. It follows a weekend in which Chancellor Philip Hammond and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson set out divergent views of how cleanly the UK should break from the EU during the period. On Saturday, Mr Hammond said the UK would pursue a two-year transition phase that would effectively replicate the status quo. Brexit: Philip Hammond signals 'status quo' will remain two years after withdrawal Speaking while on a trade mission in China, he was asked whether firms should expect a transition deal that would see the UK stay in the single market, customs union and subject to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). He answered: In a word, yes. The Chancellor explained: What they should expect as a result of the agreement weve reached this week with the European Union is a transition, or implementation period, which will start at the end of March 2019, during which we will no longer be members of the European Union. We wont technically or legally be in the customs union or in the single market, but were committed as a result of the agreement weve made this week to creating an environment which will effectively replicate the current status quo, so that businesses can carry on trading with their commercial partners across the EU as they do now. Borders will operate as they do now and financial services businesses will be able to carry on conducting their business across borders as they do now. Brexit: Donald Tusk warns Theresa May the hardest part of negotiations is yet to come But in an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Johnson said any deal must give Britain that important freedom to decide our own regulatory framework, our own laws and do things in a distinctive way. He said if the UK was forced to mirror EU laws, many people would say, What is the point of what you have achieved? because we would have gone from a member state to a vassal state. The EUs guidelines for the next phase of Brexit talks were set out in Brussels on Friday, after leaders of the 27 other member states agreed to move on to the second stage of the process covering a transitional period and early talks on future trade. Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker Reuters Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders EU President Jean-Claude Juncker greeting Theresa May at the EU Commission in Brussels PA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May poses for a picture with European Council President Donald Tusk REUTERS Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker walks behind British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders British Prime Minister Theresa May (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker address a press conference at the European Commission in Brussels AFP/Getty Images Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at a press conference with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis (L) and Michel Barnier (2-L), the European Chief Negotiator of the Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 enter the room by the emergency exit to attend British Prime Minister Theresa May press briefing on Brexit Negotiations in Brussels. EPA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis (L), Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May (2-L), European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (2-R) and European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) in a meeting on Friday morning AFP/Getty Images Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders European Council President Donald Tusk addresses a media conference at the Europa building in Brussels AP It makes clear that during the transition, the EU expects the UK to observe all of its rules, including freedom of movement, and accept the jurisdiction of the European Court. Monday's meeting of the Brexit war Cabinet is the first time top ministers will discuss the final relationship the UK will have with the EU after the Brexit transition period, and will be followed by a series of further meetings and a hoped-for agreed position early in the new year. One government source told The Independent: The process needs to bottom out, in the end what we want to keep the same as the EU, where we want to diverge and what were willing to give up. There will be a broad consensus arching over that, which people can stick to publicly, but the things that need ironing out are the details of where we eventually diverge with Europe and to what extent. Ms May has indicated in the past that the UK will seek a broad free-trade agreement with the EU, that maintains the best possible access to the single market. Mr Hammond, backed by Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Business Secretary Greg Clark, are advocating a position close to existing EU systems in order to maximise the economic benefits of the single market. But Mr Johnson, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Brexit Secretary David Davis are pushing for a tilt towards global markets. EU officials have urged the UK to nail down exactly what it wants from the end state before beginning serious discussion on it, with negotiations in the meantime concentrating on the transition. Theresa May arrives for the European Union summit in Brussels (Reuters) 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 met her most senior ministers in Cabinet to discuss - for the first time - what kind of trade deal the UK should pursue with the EU after Brexit. The Prime Minister also addressed the House of Commons, telling MPs she will attempt to finalise free trade deals with countries outside the bloc where possible - setting her on collision course with Brussels. But she was urged by the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to "face down" Cabinet ministers who want to scrap EU regulations which limit the working week. He asked the Prime Minister to "categorically" offer assurances over her intent to maintain the standards of the Working Time Directive during any transition period and beyond. Ms May, replying after updating MPs, reiterated the Government intends to "enhance" workers' rights. It comes after Stefaan De Rynck, an adviser to the EUs top Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, told an audience in London that the post-withdrawal transition period is not a given as he highlighted tensions between London and Brussels. Mr De Rynck said the EU's goal was to have a fully-written withdrawal treaty ready for ratification by October next year, but stressed many issues needed to be worked out in the tight timeframe and that Britain would not be allowed to pick and choose a buffet option. This liveblog is now closed but you can see all of Monday's developments below. 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 chief executive of investment bank Goldman Sachs has waded into the debate over whether a second Brexit referendum is needed, after new polling showed Britain turning its backs on EU withdrawal. Lloyd Blankfein said he had to take an interest because the global bank employs thousands of UK citizens, after the survey for The Independent showed more voters now back staying in the EU than at any time since the June 2016 vote. The poll conducted by BMG Research showed just 41 per cent still want Brexit, while 51 per cent now back staying in the union, with the lead buoyed by those who did not vote in 2016. It came as a string of senior figures in British politics wrote for The Independent on whether the UK should go to the polls again once the final terms of Brexit are properly known. Mr Blankfein, who has previously backed another vote, posted a link to the poll on Twitter and commented: [The Brexit] decision belongs to UK citizens, and I'm not one. But [Goldman Sachs] built its Euro biz in the UK on certain assumptions, pays taxes and employs thousands of UK citizens concerned about the economy and their futures. On their behalf, at least, I have to be interested in the outcome. Mr Blankfein has been a supporter of a second referendum in the past, previously urging politicians on social media to make sure the consensus for withdrawal is still there. After dont knows were either pushed for an answer or otherwise excluded, 55.5 per cent backed Remain and 44.5 backed Leave, an eleven point lead. Either way, it was the biggest gap between Leave and Remain since the June 2016 vote. Polling since this time last year appears to demonstrate a clear trend; Leave enjoyed a lead last December which gradually shrank, before turning into a lead for Remain in the month of the general election, that has since grown. Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA Experts behind the survey pointed out that the shift had come predominantly from those who did not actually vote in the previous referendum, but were now coming down on the side of Remain. In Sundays edition of The Independent Michael Heseltine, Peter Mandelson, Gina Miller and Vince Cable called for a rethink on withdrawal, while Leave campaign mastermind Matthew Elliott and Conservatives James Cleverly and Suella Fernandes demand Brexit is seen through. 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. 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 }} An ex-Conservative cabinet minister has warned that something is going badly wrong in our democracy following a year in which violent threats and abuse flooded political debate. Senior backbencher Nicky Morgan pointed the finger at politicians, newspapers and commentators who do not take responsibility for inciting anger. Ms Morgan, who chairs the influential Treasury Select Committee, said those who turn a blind eye to abuse are playing with a fire which will eventually consume them as well. It comes after the MP faced a torrent of abuse, along with other Conservatives who decided to vote against the Government on Brexit legislation, with some receiving death threats that were reported to police. Labour MPs have also have complained of abuse during the year, while some newspapers have been accused of inflammatory headlines. Last week Theresa May called for an end to abuse in politics. Writing for ConservativeHome, Ms Morgan said: Whether it was Momentum targeting Conservative candidates during the general election, the routine trolling on social media, the mutineer Daily Telegraph headline or the calls for de-selection, death to Brexit traitors and compulsory loyalty tests, something is going badly wrong in our democracy at the moment. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 November 2022 Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, for the House of Commons to deliver his autumn statement PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 Ms Morgan said Ms Mays intervention was a start, but added: The fault lies with those politicians, newspapers and commentators who accept no responsibility for the consequences of their words. Those who turn a blind eye to judges being called enemies of the people, members of the Lords being called saboteurs or MPs who dare to suggest amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill being called mutineers are playing with a fire which will eventually consume them as well. Violence, intimidation and threats are no longer confined to the fringes of our politics and at the end of 2017 it is the poorer for it. The 11 MPs who voted against the Government were named on a Daily Mail front page following the Commons debate under the headline Proud of Yourselves? and had been named on an earlier Daily Telegraph front. In the aftermath, former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who was a lead figure in the rebellion, said: You only have to look at the vitriol, the death threats I dont do social media, but even so Ive had to report certain things off to the police. It also follows reports at the weekend that the pregnant wife of a Conservative MP who heckled Jeremy Corbyn was subjected to violent threats on social media. The woman was told by one user hope your baby dies while her husband received death threats that are now being investigated by police. A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said after the incident that the Labour leader has always condemned abuse and personal attacks, whether online, in the Commons chamber or in the media. 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 UK has promised to deliver desperately needed food and fuel supplies for the millions of people in rebel-held Yemen who are living on the brink of famine. An extra 50m will help stave off the human tragedy of the worlds worst humanitarian crisis for one more month, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said on Monday. Ms Mordaunt made the announcement during a visit to Djibouti, the tiny African country across the Gulf of Aden where thousands of Yemeni refugees have fled - and from where UK aid makes its way to rebel-held parts of the country. Yemen's ousted president 'killed by rival rebel group', video suggests Every day, parents are carrying their malnourished children to hospital because they havent eaten in days, and families are watching as loved ones die needlessly from treatable illnesses because they do not have access to medical care, Ms Mordaunt said in a statement. UK aid will save lives with new food and fuel; fuel that will produce food, pump clean water to help stop the spread of cholera, and power hospital generators. The International Development Secretary also called for an immediate opening up of commercial and humanitarian access into Yemen during meetings in Riyadh with exiled Yemeni officials and the Saudi-led coalition fighting on their behalf in the brutal civil war. The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters More than 20 million Yemenis two-thirds of the population have become reliant on humanitarian help since the civil war erupted in March 2015. Saudi Arabia and its regional partners have mounted an extensive bombing campaign on Yemens Shia Houthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, at the request of the exiled, internationally recognised Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. More than 10,000 people have died in the conflict to date as a result of violence, the worlds largest cholera epidemic, starvation and other diseases. Aid agencies warn the true statistics are likely to be much higher. Recommended Government aware of 318 Yemen cases that could break international law The Saudi blockade on Yemens air and sea ports was tightened for three weeks as a retaliation to a rebel Houthi missile that was intercepted near the Saudi capital of Riyadh on 4 November. As a result, the number of people living on the brink of famine rose to eight million. As well as aid, without unfettered access to commercial goods such as fuel generators, which power hospitals and treat drinking water, the country is still on track for a large-scale famine. Rebel areas have seen increased internal violence and Saudi air stirkes since the Houthis killed former president Ali Abdullah Saleh for switching sides in the war last week. Yemen: More than 50,000 children expected to die of starvation and disease by end of year While the UK government has given more than 2m of aid to Yemen since the war began, it has also sold at least 4.6bn in arms to the Saudi coalition. Officials within former US President Barack Obamas administration worried the sales could amount to complicity in war crimes. The UK is among several Western governments that been heavily criticised for selling weapons export licences to Saudi Arabia, which rights groups say are destined for use in the Yemeni war. 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 Botswana High Court has ordered the countrys government to legally recognise the gender of a trans woman for the first time, in a hearing earlier this week that is a landmark victory for the rights of LGBT people in the country. Tshepo Ricki Kgositau, 30, will be issued with a new identity card marking her as female before the end of 2017, after a legal battle lasting almost four years. Ms Kgositau, the director of Gender Dynamix a regional organisation advocating for the rights of transgender people said the victory was only the first step in demanding more access to all other rights. Recommended Transgender man gives birth after having first child as woman The trans advocate said she had identified as a woman from an early age and that being marked as male on official documents caused her emotional distress and made her vulnerable to abuse and violence. Known as Ricki by her friends and family, she adds that the court victory is not for her but for every single trans diverse person in Botswana. I feel truly blessed to be living in such times of the change I have wanted to see since I was a little girl, she said. Robbing someone the respect for their identity is telling them that they do not matter and are perhaps a non-person or non-citizen. The ruling gives hope to LGBT people in a country that has continuously rejected the attempts of individuals to change their gender and where gay people face prejudice and limited rights, she said. The Botswana High Court has been described as progressive since it overturned a decision by the government to ban gay rights lobbying group Legabibo in 2014. It also ordered the government to officially acknowledge and register the organisation in March this year. The court ruled in November that the government should recognise the gender of a transgender male, named only as ND due to a court order protecting his identity. An appeal on the decision was dropped and ND is due to receive new identity documents before the end of the year. Gaborone-based Legabibo has been involved with Kgositaus case and says the victory will raise awareness around this issue in Botswana. This is the first step to legal reform for LGBTI people and especially for transgender persons, the groups chief executive, Anna Mmolai-Chalmers, told The Independent. The judgment is a great resource for awareness raising in the public sector and the general public to reform public opinion and we are hoping for improved public practice in issuing national identity cards. Caine Youngman, a Legabibo advocacy officer, added that the judgment has given the LGBT community a lot of hope, and that it shows theres room for LGBT people to be accommodated in their own country. If you have a problem if youre being appeased because of who you are or what you identify as then there is actually space for you to go and report it, he said. On the importance of being recognised as the gender the person identifies with, Mr Youngman said not allowing people to be who they are is violating their constitutional rights. He said healthcare workers in the country sometimes refuse to care for transgender individuals as their official identity does not correlate with how they look. Some of them, they get bullied, they get kicked out of healthcare. Mr Youngman added the rulings will benefit the LGBT community as every victory in the courts of law is used to advance the advocacy of gay rights. LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russias antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT propaganda allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this crime since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty Ms Kgositau, meanwhile, is fighting for better healthcare in Southern African, including Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe. She believes all the tools are there and wants to open access for transgender people. This month also marks a year since Ms Kgositau travelled to Thailand for her gender confirmation surgery, which she says was a huge milestone in her life. My narrative will kick open these doors that have been closing trans persons away from the feast of human rights that others have been enjoying. Our leaders need to be held accountable for not providing such healthcare to those in need of it and deserving of it, she said. It is not illegal to be transgender in Botswana but transgender people cannot legally change their gender identity from the one they were given at birth. Homosexuality is not illegal but both male and female same-sex sexual activity is against the law and those caught taking part in such acts can be arrested. 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 Jr has mocked Barack Obama by posting a photo of him and Ted Cruz posing with a gigantic cookie featuring a distorted image of the former US president. President Donald Trumps eldest son said the massive brown coloured biscuit was an early birthday present and his special day would be incomplete without such a baked good. He said: With friends like these some good friends decided that while my birthday is not for two weeks that they would get me an early 40th birthday cake. And what birthday is complete without an Obama cake? The younger Trump, who is an executive of the Trump administration, referred to the former president in the caption of the post, including Obama as one of the hashtags. The image shows Trump Jr pulling a funny face and doing a fake smile for the camera and Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz looking rather unimpressed and almost grimacing. The badly sketched iced cookie appears to emulate the iconic Barack Obama hope poster which was designed by artist Shepard Fairey and came to embody his 2008 presidential campaign. It was a stylized portrait of President Trumps predecessor in bold red, beige and light and dark blue with the words progress, hope or change below. (Instagram (Instagram) Trump Jr has come under heavy fire for the cookie on Instagram and people have argued he lacks class. Obama has more class than you two idiots ever will, said one critic. Another said: I love how obsessed you all are with our real president. I think this photo really does sum up what a dreadful, ignorant, stupid and hateful person you are, added one more. Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Show all 22 1 /22 Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of Difa-e-Pakistan Council a coalition of right wing Islamic parties, burn an effigy of US President Donald Trump, during a protest in Quetta, Pakistan EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Israeli police scuffle with a Palestinian protester outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City Getty Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters burn pictures of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu following Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Israeli forces disperse Palestinian protesters outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City on 7 December 2017 AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organization, chant slogans as they burn Israeli and US flags during a protest against Donald Trump in Peshawar REUTERS Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinians paint an 'X' over the face of a picture of US president Donald J. Trump which was painted on the Israeli separation wall in Bethlehem EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protestors burn the Israeli flag and a poster of US President Donald Trump in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of a Pakistani religious party rally against Donald Trump in Lahore AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters burn the US and Israeli flags in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital A poster depicting U.S. President Donald Trump is burnt during a protest against Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in the West Bank city of Ramallah REUTERS Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Israeli forces detain a Palestinian protester during clashes that followed protests against US President Donald Trump recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in Hebron AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters burn an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters shout slogans against Donald Trump EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital A Palestinian protester wears a Guy Fawkes mask used by the anonymous movement during clashes with Israeli troops in Hebron AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops during protests AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of a Pakistani religious party chant anti-American slogans during a rally in Islamabad, Pakistan AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Pakistanis burn a representation of the U.S. flag during a protest rally in Hyderabad AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Young Palestinian women look on as smoke billows from burning tyres as fellow Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops AFP/Getty Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Protesters burn a picture of U.S. President Donald Trump at a protest in Islamabad REUTERS Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Protestors shouts slogans against US President Donald Trump as they hold Palestinian and Turkish flags during a protest near the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protestors put their feet over a picture of US president Donald Trump during a protest in the West Bank City of Nablus EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Pakistani protesters burn tires at an anti-Donald Trump rally in Multan AP Mock Barack Obama all you want. You will never possess the dignity, the intellect, the courage, the integrity, the kindness, or the compassion he has. You are not even a shadow of the man he is, said another. Trump Jr, whose friends call him the Fifth Avenue Redneck because of his penchant for hunting, has made a number of blunders on social media over the years and has been routinely criticised and mocked for doing so. Last month, he urged people to vote in the Virginia elections on the wrong day and may have impeded the proper electoral process. The president's son encouraged his 2.2 million Twitter followers to go out and vote on Wednesday despite the fact the greatly anticipated race took place on Tuesday. He was also mocked last month for another food related gaffe. He said he would teach his daughter Chloe about socialism by taking away some of her Halloween sweets. The tweet amassed over 50,000 replies within hours, with many pointing out that he was not describing socialism but was referring to sharing - an activity the majority of children are taught to do. 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 }} Construction workers who are extending a subway line in Los Angeless west side have uncovered fossils from 10,000 years ago. Since work on the extension began in 2014, fossilized remains have routinely turned up from creatures that roamed the grasslands and forests that covered the region during the last Ice Age. The skull of a mammoth, a partial rabbit jaw, a mastodon tooth, a camel foreleg, bison vertebrae, and a tooth and ankle bone from a horse have all been discovered so far. Ashley Leger, a palaeontologist, has been contracted by Los Angeles transportation officials to look at the site and said there is ample opportunity to get a big find. Theyre making sure that theyre recovering every single fossil that could possibly show up, Dr Leger said about her team of monitors. They call me anytime things are large and we need to lead an excavation. The biggest find so far came after 15 hours of excavation, when the team uncovered the skull of a juvenile mammoth. Its an absolute dream come true for me. Its the one fossil you always want to find in your career, Dr Leger said. A worker on site of the Metro Purple Line extension in Los Angeles (AP) The skull has been moved to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum and Dr Emily Lindsey, the assistant curator of the museum, called it a pretty remarkable find. It is the size of a chair and is especially rare because both tusks remain attached. The skull is being studied and is available for public viewing inside the museums glass-walled Fossil Lab. 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 Californias stringent environmental laws require scientists to be on hand at certain construction sites. Palaeontologists have staffed all LA subway digs beginning in the 1990s, when work started on the citys inaugural line, said Dave Sotero, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Our crews try to be as mindful as possible to help them do their jobs. We get out of their way, Mr Sotero added. 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 }} An Amtrak train on its first journey along a newly-opened section of track has derailed on an overpass in Washington state, killing multiple passengers and spilling over a major highway. Investigators are now working to discern the reason for the derailing, which occurred on a bridge overlooking a stretch of interstate 5, a major highway, near DuPont around 7.30am local time. Thirteen of the 14 cars that made up the train left the track. More than 70 people were transported to local hospitals for treatment, including four level red patients with the most severe injuries. At least another nine were in "serious but stable" condition. When we got to the scene it was obvious that there were some fatalities and there were a lot of injuries, and some people were able to get off the train, Pierce County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ed Troyer told reporters. Authorities were only able to confirm three deaths, but multiple outlets put the figure at a minimum of six fatalities, citing unnamed officials. The confirmed number could rise given the volume of critically injured victims. Among the injured were motorists who had been struck by the derailed cars, none of whom were killed, Mr Troyer said. Five vehicles and two trucks were involved in the accident. Multiple cars and trucks were struck by train cars that left the train tracks and went down onto the road. The people that were in the vehicles, even though when you see the pictures its pretty horrific, at this point nobody in any of the vehicles is a fatal. The fatals are all contained to the train, he said. 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 First responders faced very precarious, very dangerous task in entering and searching train cars that were still dangling off the tracks, Jay Sumerlin of West Pierce Fire and Rescue told reporters. But by late afternoon every car had been searched, with firefighters using jaws of life and saws to carve entrances. It took a lot of extrication tools, Mr Sumerlin told reporters. It wasnt easy for firefighters to get through. Passenger Chris Karnes described a frantic scramble to get off the stricken train, telling KIRO 7 that people kicked out windows after discovering emergency doors werent functioning. All of a sudden, we felt this rocking and creaking noise, and it felt like we were heading down a hill, Mr Karnes told KIRO 7. The next thing we know, we're being slammed into the front of our seats, windows are breaking, we stop, and there's water gushing out of the train. People were screaming. A member of the train's crew told an emergency dispatcher that the train came around a corner before the bridge and then we went on the ground, according to an apparent audio recording of the incident posted by Broadcastify.com. After the dispatcher asked whether everyone was OK, the crew member replied, I am still figuring that out. We got cars everywhere and down onto the highway. The dispatcher also asked for the driver's location, and he responded, As soon as I know exactly where all of my train is, I'll let you know. The Washington State Department of Transportation confirmed that the train derailed on the first day that a section of tracks was in public use. In a statement, the board said the tracks were opened after weeks of inspection and testing of upgrades funded by the Federal Railroad Administration. The Point Defiance Overpass project cost some $181 million. Amtrak said in a statement that approximately 77 passengers and seven crew members were on board the train. Amtrak President Richard Anderson told reporters that track technology known as Positive Train Control, that is intended to prevent high-speed derailments among other potential accidents, was not in effect. The railroad industry has spent billions of dollars implementing Positive Train Control according to the Association of American Railroads, which with system using GPS and wireless internet connections to automatically halt trains before accidents unfold. In 2015, Congress pushed back by three years a deadline for railroads to adopt the system. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the federal agency responsible for investigating major transit incidents, said a go team of investigators had been dispatched. In a press briefing, NTSB member T Bella Dinh-Zarr said we are aware of the fact that this was called an inaugural run of this service. She added that said a team of 20 investigators will be at the scene on Monday evening, but at the moment it was too early to say if the crash was due to high speed. An Amtrak representative declined to answer questions about whether the train may have been travelling too fast, deferring to the NTSB investigation. Anything beyond that right now until their findings are out is pure speculation, Gay Banks Olson said. In images shared by authorities, train cars could be seen teetering off of the tracks and curling onto the highway on one side and a forested area on the other. The transportation department noted that all southbound lanes of a major highway were blocked and urged commuters to avoid the area, warning that long delays awaited drivers even on alternate routes. Washington Gov Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, noting in his proclamation significant structural damage to the overpass, railway and highway infrastructure and saying the combined effects of the derailment and road closures amounted to a public disaster. In a separate statement he called the derailment a serious and ongoing emergency, saying his office was still gathering information from Amtrak. Daniel Konzelman was one of thousands of commuters on the highway when the crash happened. He stayed for two hours trying to help the injured, along with a friend. I just wanted to help people because I would want people to help me, he told the Associated Press. While authorities were not yet publicly detailing a cause of the accident, Washington Rep Denny Heck told CNN that something went very, very wrong. There is some questions that we will demand to be answered, Mr Heck said, adding that the incident went way, way, way outside the usual bounds even of accidents. Lakewood, Washington mayor Don Anderson told MSNBC that plans for the newly inaugurated route had spurred worries before the derailment. Our community has been very concerned about the safety of this modification of the rail route for several years and were unsuccessful in either stopping it or having some modifications, Mr Anderson said. A few hours after the derailment occurred, Donald Trump cited the incident as why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! the President said on Twitter. The line of the Cascades is part of the key west coast long-distance rail artery, a route between Vancouver in Canada and San Diego on the Mexican border. While there are six trains a day scheduled each way between Seattle and Portland, the main users of US railroads are freight trains. The US rail network sees far more accidents than European railways. In the UK there have been no fatal accidents in the past 10 years. In the US, there have been 10, with dozens of passengers losing their lives. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington 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 Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} US President Donald Trump has responded to a deadly train derailment in Washington State by promoting his latest policy priority: infrastructure. "The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly," Mr Trump tweeted hours after the fatal crash. He also lamented the amount of money his country had spent building infrastructure in the Middle East, adding: "Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!" Recommended Amtrak train derails in Washington and falls onto busy motorway It was unclear from where Mr Trump took the $7 trillion figure. The latest estimates from Harvard and Brown universities put the cost of American wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan between $3 trillion and $6 trillion. An Amtrak train derailed on an overpass near Seattle on Monday morning, killing at least six people and wounding dozens more. Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in two counties affected by the derailment, according to CNN. Monday was the first day that Amtrak trains outside of the city were set to run along new lines, which were previously used only by regional commuter rail services. The rerouting was part of a plan to bring high-speed trains to the area. Mr Trump followed up his initial tweet with one thanking first responders and offering his thoughts and prayers to everyone involved in the accident. He added that he was monitoring the situation from the White House. The President doubled down on these comments in a speech later that afternoon, offering his sympathies to the victims and adding that the derailment was "all the more reason why we must start immediately fixing the infrastructure of the United States". 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 Mr Trump is poised to unveil his $1 trillion infrastructure plan after Congress passes the Republican tax reform bill. The plan would allocate $200bn in federal funds to four areas: funding for states that promise to take on more of the financial burden of their infrastructure; block grants for rural areas; existing federal loan programmes; and money for "transformational" projects. One suggested use for the funds is improving transportation. The President's proposed yearly budget, however, would have dramatically cut federal funding for Amtrak specifically. Mr Trump's suggested $16.2bn budget for discretionary transportation spending represented a nearly 13 per cent reduction in transportation spending over this fiscal year, according to the Washington Post. The cuts included a $630m reduction in subsidies for long-distance Amtrak routes. Mr Trump has used disasters to promote his policy agenda in the past. In September, Mr Trump suggested that a terrorist attack in London evidenced the need for his ban on travellers from six Muslim-majority countries. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist, the President tweeted at the time. The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! 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 international community has condemned Japans current whaling mission, and questioned the reason it has stated for plans to kill 333 minke whales in the Southern Ocean this year. The European Union was joined by 12 other nations in its call for Japan to end its whaling programme, stating that it is resolutely opposed to commercial whaling. Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling Commissions (IWC) moratorium on whale hunting, but Tokyo continues to hunt the mammals each year under the claim it is for scientific research. Recommended Disturbing Japanese whaling footage released after legal battle The current whaling mission, which left for the Southern Ocean last month, plans to kill 333 minke whales over a period of four months. Critics claim Japans lethal scientific research is a cover for commercial whaling, AFP reports. [We] jointly express [our] opposition to Japans continued so-called scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean, the EU and 12 other nations said in a joint statement. We remain resolutely opposed to commercial whaling, in particular in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the IWC. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru and Uruguay are the 12 nations that joined the EU in condemning Japans mission. New Zealands foreign minister Winston Peters said the statement highlights the strong international disapproval of Japans continued whaling in the Southern Ocean contrary to IWC requests. He said New Zealand would continue to work closely with other IWC members seeking to have Japan re-think what it is doing, the New Zealand Herald reports. 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 }} War could break out in the Korean peninsula at any time within the next three months, a retired Chinese army general has warned. Lieutenant General Wang Hongguang urged his country to mobilise defences in anticipation of conflict in the region, amid continued tensions over North Koreas nuclear weapons programme. The war on the Korean Peninsula might break out any time between now and March next year, Lt-Gen Wang told an annual forum hosted by the Chinese Global Times newspaper. He added: China should be psychologically prepared for a potential Korean war, and the north-east China regions should be mobilised for that. Such mobilisation is not to launch a war, but for defensive purposes. Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, told the newspaper defensive mobilisation would include deploying anti-missile weapons to border areas that could be affected by nearby battles. Humanitarian aid would also be prepared for North Korean refugees, he added. Mr Wang warned there was a significant risk of nuclear contamination and earthquakes in China if war did break out. South Koreas vice foreign minister last week issued an urgent plea about the threat from Pyongyang, warning the United Nations Security Council that North Korea was in the final stages of nuclear weaponisation. Cho Hyun warned it will fundamentally alter the security landscape in the region and beyond if Kim Jong-un is able to fulfil his ambition of equipping a missile with a nuclear warhead. North Korea TV shows video of ballistic missile launch North Korea has rattled the world with a series of weapons tests in the past few months, detonating a hydrogen bomb and launching multiple ballistic missiles. After the latest missile lunch, Pyongyang claimed it had the capability to attack the US mainland and had devised a missile capable of carrying a super-large heavy nuclear warhead. Rex Tillerson this week edged away from an earlier offer to negotiate with North Korea, which has defied increasing international pressure to halt its nuclear programme, with the US Secretary of State saying talks cannot commence until Pyongyang dials back its belligerence. 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 }} South Korean fighter jets were scrambled after five Chinese military planes entered the country's airspace. The Chinese aircraft entered the Korean Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) from southwest of Socotra Rock. The submerged rock is the subject of a maritime dispute between South Korea and China, and it serves as the foundation for a South Korean research station. The KADIZ over the island overlaps with China and Japan's air defence zones. US air force carries out drill over Korean Peninsula triggering Pyongyang nuclear war warning China's planes stayed in the KADIZ for around two hours and 40 minutes, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, according to a Yonhap report. It added: "Our military confirmed that they are military planes of China through the Air Force's Master Control and Reporting Centre." It also said the South's fighters took "normal tactical measures" until the Chinese planes left the zone. A spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Yonhap the Chinese planes included two bombers, two fighter jets and a reconnaissance plane. "We talked with the Chinese side over a hotline and it said the operation was part of a routine exercise," he added. "We are analysing its exact intention.". 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 It comes after South Korea said it was imposing a new round of economic sanctions on North Korea, whose sole major ally is China. Recently, the deployment of a US missile defence system in South Korea has angered China, which fear's its powerful radar could look deep into the country and threaten its own security. 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 }} Austrias new government has unveiled plans for financial sanctions on immigrants who keep their own culture and do not integrate with mainstream society. The government, a coalition between the conservative Peoples Party (OVP) and the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), agreed a deal at the weekend with provisions set to make life more difficult for foreigners in the country. The two parties agreed policy programme says that immigrants who are judged to be refusing to integrate should expect sanctions. Recommended Austria elects youngest leader in lurch to the right One specific policy outlined in the agreement includes a cut to the basic level of support payments for asylum seekers. The reduction can be recouped by families by earning an integration bonus if they are deemed to be adopting Austrian culture, as defined by the government. The programme also calls for faster deportations of asylum seekers and says undocumented immigration will be halted, as well as vowing to stop the creation of parallel societies. Government ministries are split between the two parties under the agreement, with the far right taking control of defence, the interior ministry which includes security and citizenship and the foreign ministry. The conservatives will be running the finance, justice business and education ministries. Sebastian Kurz, 31, is the youngest leader in Europe (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) We want to protect our homeland Austria as a liveable place with all its cultural assets. This includes deciding for ourselves who can immigrate and live with us and ending illegal immigration, the agreement states The FPO was founded by former Nazi officers. Under youthful leader Sebastian Kurz the OVP has also aped FPO rhetoric and policies on immigration and culture. Mr Kurz was sworn in as Chancellor (head of government) at Viennas Hofburg Palace on Monday, while OVP leader Heinz-Christian Strache is the new vice-Chancellor. Police said between 5,000 to 6,000 people attended a demonstration against the new government in front of the palace as the inauguration ceremony took place. 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 After signing the agreement Mr Strache said he would undertake optimisations regarding the objectivity of Austrias public broadcaster ORF. In 2000, the last time the FPO entered government, the EU briefly imposed diplomatic sanctions on Austria, but they were withdrawn after suggestions they might be counterproductive. Welcoming the new government, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage tweeted: In 2000 I sat in a European Parliament that wanted sanctions on Austria because the Freedom Party (FPO) was in coalition government. Its now the same situation in 2017 and no one says a word. Eurosceptic politics is now mainstream. 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 }} Moments before the would-be assassin tried to kill the mayor of this small and picturesque riverside town in the Sauerland hills of western Germany, he told him why. He was thirsty, he said, as he pressed a foot-long butchers knife to the mayors throat. But rather than help his fellow German, the mayor had taken in hundreds of refugees. Two weeks later, the gash in Mayor Andreas Hollsteins neck has largely healed. But the sense of profound shock in this tight-knit community remains. And the debate over his decision to make this economically precarious town a German model for the acceptance and integration of asylum seekers has only escalated. Since the attack, Hollstein who credits the quick response of the immigrant family that runs the kebab shop where he was ambushed with saving his life has been defiant. Some people may not like his humanitarian-based approach, he said while sitting in his office overlooking the towns imposing 12th-century castle, and a few on the extreme right may be angry enough to try to kill him. But Hollstein said he had no regrets about taking in 450 asylum seekers, 100 more than was required under German rules for distributing the influx of more than 1 million people in 2015 and 2016. It was the right thing to do, said the blond, bespectacled and youthful-looking 54-year-old, a scar forming beneath his left ear where the blade pressed in. Id do the same thing tomorrow. That puts Hollstein, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkels centre-right Christian Democratic Union, sharply at odds with the political moment in Europe. 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 Across the continent, politicians wary of a voter backlash against those seeking a haven from war or persecution have sharply toughened both their rhetoric and their policies. Just this week, European Council President Donald Tusk proposed giving up on forcing countries to take in refugees after two years of largely failed efforts. Yet if Hollstein is out of step with the political mood, the attack on him is in keeping with the times. Two years ago, the leading candidate for mayor of the western German city of Cologne, Henriette Reker, was stabbed in the neck as she campaigned in an election she would win days later while recovering in the hospital. Police said her assailant was motivated by opposition to her pro-refugee politics. Last year in Britain, Jo Cox, a 41-year-old member of Parliament and passionate advocate for Syrian refugees, was shot and stabbed to death in her northern English district. A right-wing extremist who shouted Britain first! during the attack was convicted of her murder. And on Tuesday, German federal prosecutors charged a soldier with plotting to assassinate top politicians, including the justice minister, and to frame refugees for the crimes. The growing trend toward violence comes amid a public discourse that has become far more poisonous and accepting of extreme measures against refugees and their supporters, said Dierk Borstel, an expert on the far right at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Its a big problem for security services. The police used to know about the people who could be violent. There was tight observation, said Borstel, whose university is a short drive from Altena. But now the circle has expanded, and people who havent been previously suspected are committing these acts. So its very hard to control. Police have said little about the man charged with the attempted murder of Hollstein beyond his first name, Werner. But locals in Altena described him as a middle-aged town resident who largely kept to himself and had fallen on hard times. On the night of the attack, Hollstein had stopped for dinner at City Doener, a favourite neighbourhood gathering spot where native-born Germans, Turkish immigrants, Arab refugees and many others feast on sizzling kebab sandwiches piled high with veggies and hot sauce. He had just placed his order when a man approached and asked if he was the mayor. Yes, I am, Hollstein said he responded. Why? Recommended SPD agrees to coalition talks in major breakthrough for Angela Merkel With that, the man pulled out his knife and lunged, while berating the mayor for having taken in foreigners. In a flash, Ahmet Demir, 27, was out from behind the counter where he had been making kebabs, and was trying to wrest the knife away. I was just shocked, said Demir, who has lived in the area since his family immigrated to Germany from Turkey when he was two and who has long worked with his parents at the family restaurant. Theres never been anything like this in Altena. No crime. No fighting. Its quiet here. Its safe. Demirs father, Abdullah, joined him within seconds. His mother, Hayriye, dashed to the police station down the road. An officers gun fixed on the perpetrator, it took several minutes of commands to drop the knife before he complied and let the mayor go. In my mind, I knew it was a life-or-death situation, Hollstein said. I was lucky that (the Demirs) were there to help me. Without them, there was no chance. The next morning, his three-inch neck wound wrapped in bandages, Hollstein was back at town hall insisting he would not be intimidated. He would continue to do his job without police protection, he said, and to pursue a high-octane strategy for integrating refugees that has won the town a national award. Hundreds of residents gathered for a candlelight march that evening. Merkel condemned the attack and called Hollstein to express her hopes for a fast recovery. Cards and emails poured in from thousands of well-wishers around the world, including the mayors of Barcelona, Milan and New York. But mixed in with the mail were more than 100 letters of the sort Hollstein has grown accustomed to in the past several years. Im sorry this man wasnt successful in killing you, said one. Now we will kill you. Klaus Laatsch, a local spokesman for the far right Alternative for Germany party (AfD), said the attack on Hollstein was a really bad thing. But he can understand the anger. If you drive around Altena, its a very sad place, said Laatsch, whose party this fall became the first from the far right to enter the German Parliament in more than half a century. And the mayors the one whos responsible for a lot of the problems. Like many small and once-mighty industrial towns in Germany, Altena has suffered as factories have moved away. A population of 32,000 decades ago has dwindled to just over 17,000 today. When asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and Asia began making their way to Europe in large numbers several years ago, Hollstein saw an opportunity: The town had surplus housing that would otherwise be knocked down. It had schools on the verge of being shuttered because of under-enrolment. It had employers looking for young workers to train. Hollstein, whose grandmother fled to Altena from her home in Kaliningrad as Soviet troops advanced during World War II, said he also thought the town had a humanitarian imperative to act. We cant solve everyones problems here in Europe, he said. But we can do what we can do. And it was very clear to me that we could do more. Beyond taking a higher share of refugees than required, Altena has stood out for its aggressive efforts to integrate the newcomers. At the town hall, a team of four helps to connect asylum seekers with jobs, guides them through the German bureaucracy and coordinates the work of an unusually large cadre of volunteers. But these days, the refugees need a lot less help than they used to. Theyre independent. Theyre self-sufficient, said Esther Szafranski, a 50-year-old Altena resident and volunteer. The kids all speak German very well, and the adults are catching up. Among them is Nazeer Mohseni, a 29-year-old Afghan who fled a conflict zone more than two years ago and travelled six months to reach Germany. He now speaks the language, has a German girlfriend and walks the steep streets of Altena delivering mail as a postal trainee. When I leave at 9 a.m. for my rounds with my letters and packages, everyone greets me with a smile and says, Guten morgen, said Mohseni, who bears the scars of a bomb blast he survived five years ago. I feel very good here. Theres security. But when I saw what happened to the mayor, I said to myself: How can this happen in Germany? The Washington Post 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 Israeli military said it had carried out air strikes on a Hamas training compound in the Gaza Strip in response to rocket attacks from the Palestinian territory. Militants in Gaza have stepped up rocket attacks on Israel since Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the country's capital. They have launched more than a dozen rockets into southern Israel over the last two weeks, the most intensive attacks since a seven-week-long Gaza war in 2014. Donald Trump officially recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Two rockets were fired late on Sunday, one of them exploding inside an Israeli border community and the other hitting an open area, the military said. Another rocket launched early on Monday fell short inside Gaza, it said. Three structures in a Hamas training camp were hit in the Israeli counter-strike, the military said. Neither side reported any casualties. Israel has said it holds the Islamist militant group, which has controlled Gaza for over a decade, responsible for all rocket fire emanating from the territory. Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Show all 18 1 /18 Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Israeli forces scuffle with Palestinians at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City AFP/Getty Images Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' A Palestinian protester hurls stones as tear gas is fired by Israeli troops Reuters Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' A Palestinian protester runs during clashes with Israeli troops REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Israeli forces scuffle with Palestinians at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City AFP/Getty Images Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Palestinian protesters run during clashes REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Israeli border policemen and a Palestinian protesters clash REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Palestinian protesters react to tear gas REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Israeli border policemen hold on to a Palestinian protester REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Palestinian protesters react to tear gas fired by Israeli troops REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Israeli border policemen and Palestinians scuffle after Friday prayers in Jerusalem's Old City REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' A Palestinian protester moves a burning tire during clashes with Israeli troops REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Worshippers chant as they hold Palestinian flags after Friday prayers Reuters Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' A Palestinian protester hurls back a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' A wounded Palestinian protester is evacuated during clashes with Israeli troops REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Israeli border policemen and a Palestinian youth scuffle REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Israeli border policemen detain a Palestinian man REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' A Palestinian protester uses a sling to hurl stones towards Israeli troops REUTERS Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during 'Day of Rage' Journalists react to tear gas fired by Israeli troops REUTERS Hamas usually evacuates such facilities when tensions rise, and Israel's choice of the low-profile target appeared to signal a desire to avoid more serious confrontation with the group. "Israel does not seek escalation," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said on Army Radio. But Zeev Elkin, another member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, said in an interview with the radio station that Israel's military response would "have to be harshened" if the rocket fire did not stop. Additional reporting by agencies 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 man has been arrested over the murder of a British woman who worked at the UK Embassy in Beirut, a Lebanese police official has said. The official said the suspect confessed he had killed Rebecca Dykes, who had been due to fly home for Christmas, and that the murder was a "criminal act" and not politically motivated. Lebanese police are investigating whether Ms Dykes, who was found strangled and dumped by the side of a motorway in Beirut on Saturday morning, was sexually assaulted. Recommended British diplomat Rebecca Dykes found murdered in Beirut Her family said they had been left "devastated" following her death, while embassy staff are said to be shocked. The victim, believed to have been aged 30, was strangled with a rope and found dead by the side of a road in the east of the capital, police said. A family spokesman said: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened. "We request that the media respect our privacy as we come together as a family at this very difficult time." Ms Dykes was working as a programme and policy manager with the Department for International Development and as policy manager with the Libya team at the Foreign Office (FCO), according to her LinkedIn page. She had previously worked as an Iraq Research Analyst with the FCO. British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter said: "The whole embassy is deeply shocked, saddened by this news. "My thoughts are with Becky's family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss. We're providing consular support to her family & working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation." Ms Dykes, a University of Manchester graduate, also had a masters in International Security and Global Governance from Birkbeck, University of London. 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 She was a former pupil of Malvern Girls' College and Rugby School and had spent time at a Chinese International School. A Department for International Development spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with Becky's family and friends at this very upsetting time. "There is now a police investigation and the FCO is providing consular support to Becky's family and working with the local authorities." The Foreign Office said it was in contact with the Lebanese authorities. "Following the death of a British woman in Beirut, we are providing support to the family," a Foreign Office spokesman said. "We remain in close contact with local authorities. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time." Additional reporting by Associated Press and Press Association One of the most awaited films of 2018, "Thugs Of Hindoostan" stars, Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Fatima Sana Sheikh and Katrina Kaif. While except Katrina, all the actors were shooting for the second schedule in Thailand. However, seems like, Big B's shoot has been done and so he is back in India. While the megastar has never skipped greeting his well-wishers outside his bungalow - Jannat, every Sunday, this Sunday so he makes it a point to greet them. It has been 35 years now that his fans have been visiting and waiting outside 'Jannat' every Sunday. Big B, took to his social media account by sharing the pictures of him acknowledging and greeting his well-wishers and captioned it as, "Back from location shoot in Thailand for THUGS OF HINDOOSTAN .. and in time to greet the well-wishers of every Sunday .. a ritual for the past 35 years from 1982 the year of my accident in film Coolie .. so humbled" (Sic). While adding one more snap he said, "Sunday with the well-wishers..." (Sic). Meanwhile, apart from "Thugs Of Hindostan" the actor will also be seen in 102 Not Out!, "Brahmastra" and "Padman". WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Wheelchair-bound Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh, 29, was shot and killed in Gaza City today, medical officials claimed Another man reported killed in similar circumstances in the area, while another man was killed in West Bank Yet another died from his wounds after being hurt during clashes in Jerusalem, the city at the heart of dispute Incident unfolded amid riots over Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as being capital of Israel In West Bank, killed man reported to have been armed with a knife and mock suicide belt before being shot December 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Israeli troops shot dead a wheelchair-bound man with no legs in Gaza today as three other Palestinians were killed during protests, medical officials said. Another 150 were hurt as protests over US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital enter their second week. Disabled Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh, 29, was taken to al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City after being shot by troops but was later pronounced dead. Abu Thurayeh, who had previously lost both his legs, was shot along the border east of Gaza City in the north of the Palestinian enclave, the Palestinian health ministry said. It came shortly after another man nearby was killed in similar circumstances, they added. Local media reported that Thurayeh lost his legs during the 2014 Gaza war with Israel, but this has not yet been confirmed. Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra said the two Palestinians in Gaza City were killed from gunshots to the head. The man in the wheelchair had taken part in several border skirmishes recently, images on social media show him carrying a Palestinian flag Most of the casualties today were on the Gaza Strip "border", where thousands of Palestinians gathered to hurl rocks at Israeli soldiers beyond the fortified fence. In the occupied West Bank, another territory where Palestinians seek statehood along with adjacent East Jerusalem, medics said one protester was killed and five wounded by Israeli gunfire. One was a man who Israeli police troopers said was shot after he stabbed and moderately wounded a member of their unit. Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter Today's deaths increase the number of Palestinians killed since Trump's declaration to eight. Palestinians - and the wider Arab and Muslim world - were incensed at Trump's December 6 announcement, which reversed decades of US policy reticence on Jerusalem, a city where both Israel and the Palestinians want sovereignty. December 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - When President Trump on Wednesday officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, he broke with decades of U.S. policy toward the Middle East. Palestinian leaders have expressed shock and anger at the unilateral announcement, but Trumps decision actually provides Palestinians with a rare opportunity. By shattering the status quo, Trump gave Palestinians the opportunity to create a new reality because the simple truth is that the status quo was not working in the Palestinians favor anyway. In his speech at the White House, President Trump explained his decision by saying, This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. Indeed, now that the Palestinians have the freedom to forge a new status quo, it should be one that begins by recognizing some important realities. The first of these is that the United States was never really an honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For decades, as argued by senior American officials, the U.S. has served as Israels lawyer. Trumps announcement on Jerusalem was simply an open acknowledgement of this fact. Second, Israel may dismantle a few token settlements, but the majority of settlements likely will remain exactly where they are. Every Israeli government, whether led by Likud or Labor, has promoted and supported the settlement movement. No American or European government, right or left, has placed any serious pressure on Israel to dismantle the settlements. With so much pressure to build settlements and so little pressure to dismantle settlements, it is unsurprising that the illegal settlements continue to spread throughout the West Bank. And as long as the settlements remain in place, the Palestinians can never have a viable state. Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter Third, Israel never had any intention of granting the Palestinians a viable state anyway. At most, Israel intended to grant the Palestinians a state-minus, and in this state-minus Israel would retain control of the airways above it, the aquifers below it, and the borders around it. The new Palestinian state-minus would have been little more than a glorified municipal authority. Fourth, the Palestinian Authority began with good intentions but ultimately became the face of the occupation. To fulfill its obligations under the Oslo Accords, the PA created a massive security force, one of the largest in the world per capita, whose primary task was to make sure the Palestinians did not use violence against Israel. Israel, which promised to turn over the West Bank to the Palestinians at Oslo, instead took advantage of the PA enforced peace to rapidly build illegal settlements deep into the West Bank. Given these realities, what options do the Palestinians now have? One bold option stems from the recognition of one last reality. For the past 50 years the state of Israel has held sovereignty over all those who live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, yet Israel grants citizenship and the right to vote only to a little under two-thirds of the population under its sovereign control. Perhaps it is time to change this. Perhaps it is time for the Palestinians to demand the right to vote in the state that has ruled them for over half a century. If Jerusalem is to be the capital of Israel, then so be it. But let it be the capital of a democratic, multi-ethnic Israel that respects the rights and dignity of all who live under its sovereign rule. Sheena Anne Arackal holds a masters degree from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and a doctorate in political science from the University of Illinois. Now based in Tampa, Florida, she specializes in the field of ethnic conflict and is the author of a forthcoming book on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. December 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The case against Iraqing Iran includes the following points: Threatening war is a violation of the U.N. Charter. Waging war is a violation of the U.N. Charter and of the Kellogg-Briand Pact. Waging war without Congress is a violation of the U.S. Constitution. Have you seen Iraq lately? Have you seen the entire region? Have you seen Afghanistan? Libya? Syria? Yemen? Pakistan? Somalia? War supporters said the U.S. urgently needed to attack Iran in 2007. It did not attack. The claims turned out to be lies. Even a National Intelligence Estimate in 2007 pushed back and admitted that Iran had no nuclear weapons program. Having a nuclear weapons program is not a justification for war, legally, morally, or practically. The United States has nuclear weapons and no one would be justified in attacking the United States. Dick and Liz Cheneys book, Exceptional, tell us we must see a moral difference between an Iranian nuclear weapon and an American one. Must we, really? Either risks further proliferation, accidental use, use by a crazed leader, mass death and destruction, environmental disaster, retaliatory escalation, and apocalypse. One of those two nations has nuclear weapons, has used nuclear weapons, has provided the other with plans for nuclear weapons, has a policy of first-use of nuclear weapons, has leadership that sanctions the possession of nuclear weapons, and has frequently threated to use nuclear weapons. I dont think those facts would make a nuclear weapon in the hands of the other country the least bit moral, but also not the least bit more immoral. Lets focus on seeing an empirical difference between an Iranian nuclear weapon and an American one. One exists. The other doesnt. If youre wondering, U.S. presidents who have made specific public or secret nuclear threats to other nations, that we know of, as documented in Daniel Ellsbergs The Doomsday Machine, have included Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump, while others, including Barack Obama, have frequently said things like All options are on the table in relation to Iran or another country. War supporters said the U.S. urgently needed to attack Iran in 2015. It did not attack. The claims turned out to be lies. Even the claims of supporters of the nuclear agreement reinforced the lie that Iran had a nuclear weapons program in need of containment. There is no evidence that Iran has ever had a nuclear weapons program. The long history of the United States lying about Iranian nuclear weapons is chronicled by Gareth Porters book Manufactured Crisis. Proponents of war or steps toward war (sanctions was a step toward war on Iraq) may say we urgently need a war now, but they will have no argument for urgency, and their claims are thus far transparent lies. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations claims that Iranian weapons have been used in a war that the U.S.., Saudi Arabia, and allies are illegally and disastrously waging in Yemen. While thats a problem that should be corrected, it is hard to find a war anywhere on the planet without U.S. weapons in it. In fact, a report that made news the same day as the ambassadors claims, pointed to the long-known fact that many of the weapons used by ISIS had once belonged to the United States, many of them having been given by the U.S. to non-state fighters (aka terrorists) in Syria. Fighting wars and arming others to fight wars/terrorism is a justification for indictment and prosecution, but not for war, legally, morally, or practically. The United States fights and arms wars, and no one would be justified in attacking the United States. If Iran is guilty of a crime, and there is evidence to support that claim, the United States and the world should seek its prosecution. Instead, the United States is isolating itself by tearing down the rule of law. It is destroying its credibility by threatening to abandon an agreement. In a Gallup poll in 2013 and a Pew poll in 2017 the majority of nations polled had the United States receive the most votes as the greatest threat to peace on earth. In the Gallup poll, people within the U.S. chose Iran as the top threat to peace on earth Iran which had not attacked another nation in centuries and spent less than 1% of what the U.S. spent on militarism. These views are clearly a function of what people are told through news media. The history of U.S./Iranian relations matters here. The U.S. overthrew Irans democracy in 1953 and installed a brutal dictator / weapons customer. The U.S. gave Iran nuclear energy technology in the 1970s. In 2000, the CIA gave Iran nuclear bomb plans in an effort to frame it. This was reported by James Risen, and Jeffrey Sterling now sits in prison for allegedly being Risens source. The Trump White House has openly expressed a desire to claim that Iran has violated the 2015 nuclear agreement, but has produced no evidence. The push to attack Iran has been on for so long that entire categories of arguments for it (such as that the Iranians are fueling the Iraqi resistance) have come and gone. Whats changed that gives the question more importance than ever is that the United States now has a president who seeks the approval of people who want to bring about the end of the world in the Middle East for religious reasons, and who have praised President Trumps announcement of moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem for just those reasons. While Iran has not attacked any other country in centuries, the United States has not done so well by Iran. The United States aided Iraq in the 1980s in attacking Iran, providing Iraq with some of the weapons (including chemical weapons) that were used on Iranians and that would be used in 2002-2003 (when they no longer existed) as an excuse for attacking Iraq. For many years, the United States has labeled Iran an evil nation, attacked and destroyed the other non-nuclear nation on the list of evil nations, designated part of Irans military a terrorist organization, falsely accused Iran of crimes including the attacks of 9-11, murdered Iranian scientists, funded opposition groups in Iran (including some the U.S. also designates as terrorist), flown drones over Iran, openly and illegally threatened to attack Iran, and built up military forces all around Irans borders, while imposing cruel sanctions on the country. The roots of a Washington push for a new war on Iran can be found in the 1992 Defense Planning Guidance, the 1996 paper called A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm, the 2000 Rebuilding Americas Defenses, and in a 2001 Pentagon memo described by Wesley Clark as listing these nations for attack: Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. Its worth noting that Bush Jr. overthrew Iraq, and Obama Libya, while the others remain works in progress. In 2010, Tony Blair included Iran on a similar list of countries that he said Dick Cheney had aimed to overthrow. The line among the powerful in Washington in 2003 was that Iraq would be a cakewalk but that real men go to Tehran. The arguments in these old forgotten memos were not what the war makers tell the public, but much closer to what they tell each other. The concerns here are those of dominating regions rich in resources, intimidating others, and establishing bases from which to maintain control of puppet governments. Of course the reason why real men go to Tehran is that Iran is not the impoverished disarmed nation that one might find in, say, Afghanistan or Iraq, or even the disarmed nation found in Libya in 2011. Iran is much bigger and much better armed. Whether the United States launches a major assault on Iran or Israel does, Iran will retaliate against U.S. troops and probably Israel and possibly the United States itself as well. And the United States will without any doube re-retaliate for that. Iran cannot be unaware that the U.S. governments pressure on the Israeli government not to attack Iran consists of reassuring the Israelis that the United States will attack when needed, and does not include even threatening to stop funding Israels military or to stop vetoing measures of accountability for Israeli crimes at the United Nations. (President Obamas ambassador refrained from one veto on illegal settlements, while President-Elect Trump lobbied foreign governments to block the resolution.) In other words, any U.S. pretense of having seriously wanted to prevent an Israeli attack is not credible. Of course, many in the U.S. government and military oppose attacking Iran, although key figures like Admiral William Fallon have been moved out of the way. Much of the Israeli military is opposed as well, not to mention the Israeli and U.S. people. But war is not clean or precise. If the people we allow to run our nations attack another, we are all put at risk. Most at risk, of course, are the people of Iran, people as peaceful as any other, or perhaps more so. As in any country, no matter what its government, the people of Iran are fundamentally good, decent, peaceful, just, and fundamentally like you and me. Ive met people from Iran. You may have met people from Iran. They look like this. Theyre not a different species. Theyre not evil. A surgical strike against a facility in their country would cause a great many of them to die very painful and horrible deaths. Even if you imagine that Iran would not retaliate for such attacks, this is what the attacks would in themselves consist of: mass murder. And what would that accomplish? It would unite the people of Iran and much of the world against the United States. It would justify in the eyes of much of the world an underground Iranian program to develop nuclear weapons, a program that probably does not exist at present, except to the extent that legal nuclear energy programs move a country closer to weapons development. The environmental damage would be tremendous, the precedent set incredibly dangerous, all talk of cutting the U.S. military budget would be buried in a wave of war frenzy, civil liberties and representative government would be flushed down the Potomac, a nuclear arms race would spread to additional countries, and any momentary sadistic glee would be outweighed by accelerating home foreclosures, mounting student debt, and accumulating layers of cultural stupidity. Strategically, legally, and morally weapons possession is not grounds for war, and neither is pursuit of weapons possession. And neither, I might add, with Iraq in mind, is theoretically possible pursuit of weapons never acted upon. Israel has nuclear weapons. The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. There can be no justification for attacking the United States, Israel, or any other country. The pretense that Iran has or will soon have nuclear weapons is, in any case, just a pretense, one that has been revived, debunked, and revived again like a zombie for years and years. But thats not the really absurd part of this false claim for something that amounts to no justification for war whatsoever. The really absurd part is that it was the United States in 1976 that pushed nuclear energy on Iran. In 2000 the CIA gave the Iranian government (slightly flawed) plans to build a nuclear bomb. In 2003, Iran proposed negotiations with the United States with everything on the table, including its nuclear technology, and the United States refused. Shortly thereafter, the United States started angling for a war. Meanwhile, U.S.-led sanctions prevent Iran from developing wind energy, while the Koch brothers are allowed to trade with Iran without penalty. Another area of ongoing lie debunking, one that almost exactly parallels the buildup to the 2003 attack on Iraq, is the relentless false claim, including by candidates in 2012 for U.S. President, that Iran has not allowed inspectors into its country or given them access to its sites. Iran had, in fact, prior to the agreement voluntarily accepted stricter standards than the IAEA requires. And of course a separate line of propaganda, albeit a contradictory one, holds that the IAEA has discovered a nuclear weapons program in Iran. Under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), Iran was not required to declare all of its installations, and early last decade it chose not to, as the United States violated that same treaty by blocking Germany, China, and others from providing nuclear energy equipment to Iran. While Iran remains in compliance with the NPT, India and Pakistan and Israel have not signed it and North Korea has withdrawn from it, while the United States and other nuclear powers continuously violate it by failing to reduce arms, by providing arms to other countries such as India, and by developing new nuclear weapons. This is what the empire of U.S. military bases looks like to Iran. Try to imagine if you lived there, what you would think of this. Who is threatening whom? Who is the greater danger to whom? The point is not that Iran should be free to attack the United States or anyone else because its military is smaller. The point is that doing so would be national suicide. It would also be something Iran has not done for centuries. But it would be typical U.S. behavior. Are you ready for an even more absurd twist? This is on the same scale as Bushs comment about not really giving much thought to Osama bin Laden. Are you ready? The proponents of attacking Iran themselves admit that if Iran had nukes it would not use them. This is from the American Enterprise Institute: The biggest problem for the United States is not Iran getting a nuclear weapon and testing it, its Iran getting a nuclear weapon and not using it. Because the second that they have one and they dont do anything bad, all of the naysayers are going to come back and say, See, we told you Iran is a responsible power. We told you Iran wasnt getting nuclear weapons in order to use them immediately. And they will eventually define Iran with nuclear weapons as not a problem. Is that clear? Iran using a nuclear weapon would be bad: environmental damage, loss of human life, hideous pain and suffering, yada, yada, yada. But what would be really bad would be Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon and doing what every other nation with them has done since Nagasaki: nothing. That would be really bad because it would damage an argument for war and make war more difficult, thus allowing Iran to run its country as it, rather than the United States, sees fit. Of course it might run it very badly (although were hardly establishing a model for the world over here either), but it would run it without U.S. approval, and that would be worse than nuclear destruction. Inspections were allowed in Iraq and they worked. They found no weapons and there were no weapons. Inspections are being allowed in Iran and they are working. However, the IAEA has come under the corrupting influence of the U.S. government. And yet, the bluster from war proponents about IAEA claims over the years is not backed up by any actual claims from the IAEA. And what little material the IAEA has provided for the cause of war has been widely rejected when not being laughed at. Another year, another lie. No longer do we hear that North Korea is helping Iran build nukes. Lies about Iranian backing of Iraqi resisters have faded. (Didnt the United States back French resistance to Germans at one point?) The latest concoction is the Iran did 911 lie. Revenge, like the rest of these attempted grounds for war, is actually not a legal or moral justification for war. But this latest fiction has already been put to rest by the indespensable Gareth Porter, among others. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, which did play a role in 911 as well as in the Iraqi resistance, is being sold record quantities of that good old leading U.S. export of which were all so proud: weapons of mass destruction. Oh, I almost forgot another lie that hasnt quite entirely faded yet. Iran did not try to blow up a Saudi ambassador in Washington, D.C., an action which President Obama would have considered perfectly praiseworthy if the roles were reversed, but a lie that even Fox News had a hard time stomaching. And thats saying something. And then theres that old standby: Ahmadinejad said Israel should be wiped off the map. While this does not, perhaps, rise to the level of John McCain singing about bombing Iran or Bush and Obama swearing that all options including nuclear attack are on the table, it sounds extremely disturbing: wiped off the map! However, the translation is a bad one. A more accurate translation was the regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time. The government of Israel, not the nation of Israel. Not even the government of Israel, but the current regime. Hell, Americans say that about their own regimes all the time, alternating every four to eight years depending on political party (some of us even say it all the time, without immunity for either party). Iran has made clear it would approve of a two-state solution if Palestinians approved of it. If the U.S. launched missile strikes every time somebody said something stupid, even if accurately translated, how safe would it be to live near Newt Gingrichs or Joe Bidens house? The real danger may not actually be the lies. The Iraq experience has built up quite a mental resistance to these sorts of lies in many U.S. residents. The real danger may be the slow start of a war that gains momentum on its own without any formal announcement of its initiation. Israel and the United States have not just been talking tough or crazy. Theyve been murdering Iranians. And they seem to have no shame about it. The day after a Republican presidential primary debate at which candidates declared their desire to kill Iranians, the CIA apparently made certain the news was public that it was in fact already murdering Iranians, not to mention blowing up buildings. Some would say and have said that the war has already begun. Those who cannot see this because they do not want to see it will also miss the deadly humor in the United States asking Iran to return its brave drone. Perhaps whats needed to snap war supporters out of their stupor is a bit of slapstick. Try this on for size. From Seymour Hersh describing a meeting held in Vice President Cheneys office: There was a dozen ideas proffered about how to trigger a war. The one that interested me the most was why dont we build we in our shipyard build four or five boats that look like Iranian PT boats. Put Navy seals on them with a lot of arms. And next time one of our boats goes to the Straits of Hormuz, start a shoot-up. Might cost some lives. And it was rejected because you cant have Americans killing Americans. Thats the kind of thats the level of stuff were talking about. Provocation. But that was rejected. Now, Dick Cheney is not your typical American. Nobody in the U.S. government is your typical American. Your typical American is struggling, disapproves of the U.S. government, wishes billionaires were taxed, favors green energy and education and jobs over military boondoggles, thinks corporations should be barred from buying elections, and would not be inclined to apologize for getting shot in the face by the Vice President. Back in the 1930s, the Ludlow Amendment nearly made it a Constitutional requirement that the public vote in a referendum before the United States could go to war. President Franklin Roosevelt blocked that proposal. Yet the Constitution already required and still requires that Congress declare war before a war is fought. That has not been done in over 70 years, while wars have raged on almost incessantly. In the past decade and right up through President Obamas signing of the outrageous National Defense Authorization Act on New Years Eve 2011-2012, the power to make war has been handed over to presidents. Here is one more reason to oppose a presidential war on Iran: once you allow presidents to make wars, you will never stop them. Another reason, in so far as anybody any longer gives a damn, is that war is a crime. Iran and the United States are parties to the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which bans war. One of those two nations is not complying. But we wont have a referendum. The U.S. House of Misrepresentatives wont step in. Only through widespread public pressure and nonviolent action will we intervene in this slow-motion catastrophe. Already the United States and the United Kingdom are preparing for war with Iran. This war, if it happens, will be fought by an institution called the United States Department of Defense, but it will endanger rather than defending us. As the war progresses, we will be told that the Iranian people want to be bombed for their own good, for freedom, for democracy. But nobody wants to be bombed for that. Iran does not want U.S.-style democracy. Even the United States does not want U.S.-style democracy. We will be told that those noble goals are guiding the actions of our brave troops and our brave drones on the battlefield. Yet there will be no battlefield. There will be no front lines. There will be no trenches. There will simply be cities and towns where people live, and where people die. There will be no victory. There will be no progress accomplished through a surge. On January 5, 2012, then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta was asked at a press conference about the failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he replied simply that those were successes. That is the kind of success that could be expected in Iran were Iran a destitute and disarmed state. Now we begin to understand the importance of all the media suppression, blackouts, and lies about the damage done to Iraq and Afghanistan. Now we understand why Obama and Panetta embraced the lies that launched the War on Iraq. The same lies must now be revived, as for every war ever fought, for a War on Iran. Heres a video explaining how this will work, even with some new twists and lots of variations. The U.S. corporate media is part of the war machine. Planning war and funding war creates its own momentum. Sanctions become, as with Iraq, a stepping stone to war. Cutting off diplomacy leaves few options open. Electoral pissing contests take us all where most of us did not want to be. These are the bombs most likely to launch this ugly and quite possibly terminal chapter of human history. This animation shows clearly what they would do. For an even better presentation, pair that with this audio of a misinformed caller trying hopelessly to persuade George Galloway that we should attack Iran. On January 2, 2012, the New York Times reported concern that cuts to the U.S. military budget raised doubts as to whether the United States would be prepared for a grinding, lengthy ground war in Asia. At a Pentagon press conference on January 5, 2012, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reassured the press corpse (sic) that major ground wars were very much an option and that wars of one sort or another were a certainty. President Obamas statement of military policy released at that press conference listed the missions of the U.S. military. First was fighting terrorism, next detering aggression, then projecting power despite anti-access/area denial challenges, then the good old WMDs, then conquering space and cyberspace, then nuclear weapons, and finally after all that there was mention of defending the Homeland Formerly Known As The United States. Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter The cases of Iraq and Iran are not identical in every detail, of course. But in both cases we are dealing with concerted efforts to get us into wars, wars based, as all wars are based, on lies. We may need to revive this appeal to U.S. and Israeli forces! Additional reasons not to Iraq Iran include the numerous reasons not to maintain the institution of war at all, as laid out at WorldBeyondWar.org. Heres another way of looking at this: Iran Deal Prevents Naked Muslim Ray Gun Nukes get all the attention, but the fact is that intense inspections of Iranian facilities will also prevent Iran from developing a ray gun that causes your clothes to vanish and your brain to convert to Islam. No, there is not the slightest scrap of evidence that Iran is trying to create such a thing, but then theres also not the slightest scrap of evidence that Iran is trying to create a nuclear bomb. And yet, here are a bunch of celebrities in a video that certainly cost many more dollars than the number of people whove watched it, urging support for the Iran deal after hyping the bogus Iranian nuclear threat, pretending that the United States gets forced into wars, making a bunch of sick jokes about how nuclear death can be better than other war deaths, suggesting that spies are cool, cursing, and mocking the very idea that war is a serious matter. And heres an otherwise intelligent guy in a video claiming that the Iran deal will prevent the Iranian regime (never a government, always a regime) from gaining a nuclear weapon. Well, I say it also prevents Iran from gaining a Naked Muslim Ray Gun! When you question supporters of diplomacy and peace with Iran on why they focus their rhetoric on preventing Iran from getting nukes, even though at least some of them privately admit theres no evidence Iran is trying to, they dont come out and say that theyre cynically playing into popular beliefs, even false ones, because they have no choice. No, they tell you that their language doesnt actually state that Iran was trying to get nukes, only that if Iran ever did decide to try to get nukes, this deal would prevent it. Well, the same applies to the Naked Muslim Ray Gun. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Or rather, stop being afraid. Dont listen to the pro-war propaganda even when its parroted by the pro-peace advocates. It doesnt improve your thinking, your understanding, or the prospects in the long run of avoiding war. Philip Alston, the UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, has completed a two-week official tour of the US by releasing an excoriating attack on the direction of the nation. Not only does he warn that the tax bill currently being rushed through Congress will hugely increase already large disparities between rich and poor, he accuses Trump and his party of consciously distorting the shape of American society in a bid to become the most unequal society in the world. American exceptionalism was a constant theme in my conversations, he writes. But instead of realizing its founders admirable commitments, todays United States has proved itself to be exceptional in far more problematic ways that are shockingly at odds with its immense wealth and its founding commitment to human rights. As a result, contrasts between private wealth and public squalor abound. In his most stark message, Alston warns that the Republicans declared intent to slash crucial welfare programs next year in order to pay for some of the $1.5tn tax cuts could cost American lives. The consequences for an already overstretched and inadequate system of social protection are likely to be fatal for many programs, and possibly also for those who rely upon them, he writes. Alstons piercing findings present the Trump administration with a challenge. The charge that the US president is actively seeking to harm millions of Americans may be difficult to ignore, given that the report carries the imprimatur of the UN human rights council in Geneva. Trump has frequently been dismissive of the world body, complaining during the 2016 presidential campaign that we get nothing out of the United Nations other than good real-estate prices. But he has also shown himself to have a thin skin when it comes to criticism of him or his administration. At a press conference launching his preliminary report in Washington, Alston quipped about possible Trump reaction: Im hoping for a tweet. Bernie Sanders, the US senator who has led the debate on inequality, has waded into the fray. He met the UN monitor on Friday and sounded his own alarm about the future of the country. Sanders said that as the wealthiest country in the history of the world the US should be providing a model in how to treat all of its citizens with dignity. Sadly that is not the case. We are moving into 2018 we should not be living in a country with 41 million people living in poverty and so many more in extreme poverty, and nobody even talks about it. Alston invited Paul Ryan to meet him but was told the Republican speaker of the House was too busy. In his 15-day fact-finding mission, Alston, an Australian academic and law professor at New York University, visited Los Angeles and San Francisco, Alabama, Georgia, Puerto Rico and West Virginia, talking to low-income families as well as governmental officials. He will produce a final report next May and that in turn will go before the UN human rights council. Alston takes a strip out of the US for what he suggests are its double standards over human rights. The Trump administration, in line with previous US governments, preaches about human rights to other countries while refusing to be bound itself by international rules. Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter The US is alone among developed countries in insisting that while human rights are of fundamental importance, they do not include rights that guard against dying of hunger, dying from a lack of access to affordable healthcare, or growing up in a context of total deprivation. But denial does not eliminate responsibility or negate obligations. Alston is also scathing about the attitudes of some of the politicians and officials he met on his tour, who subscribe to what he calls the caricature of rich people as industrious and entrepreneurial and poor people as wasters, losers and scammers. He writes: Some politicians and political appointees with whom I spoke were completely sold on the narrative of such scammers sitting on comfortable sofas, watching color TVs, while surfing on their smartphones, all paid for by welfare. I wonder how many of these politicians have ever visited poor areas, let alone spoken to those who dwell there. At the press conference, Alston said that current US trends were undermining democracy. Democracy is the foundation stone upon which this country is built, the contribution of which it has been most proud internationally. And yet what we see is the lowest voter turnouts in any developed country. He pointed to the disenfranchisement of former prisoners, as well as covert voter suppression efforts such as the imposition of voter ID requirements as examples of the way the political rights of low-income people were being eroded. Latest figures put the number of Americans living in poverty at 41 million almost 13% of the population. Of those, almost half (19 million) are living in deep poverty, defined as having a total family income that is below one-half of the poverty threshold. In a report packed with depressing evidence, the UN rapporteur tries to give a positive spin to his findings, saying that with the wealth that abounds in the US the country is in a position to solve its poverty and inequality crisis. The persistence of extreme poverty is a political choice made by those in power. With political will, it could readily be eliminated. In a phrase that might reverberate around Capitol Hill and the White House, Alston concludes: The American Dream is rapidly becoming the American Illusion since the US now has the lowest rate of social mobility of any of the rich countries. A Statement Delivered By Gilad Atzmon at Babylon Theatre Berlin (14.12.2017) December 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - In the last few days, in advance of the NRhZs humanitarian award ceremony, like Ken (FM) Jebsen and others, I have been subject to an insane defamation campaign. None of it was substantiated. It was comprised of fabricated quotes: I was called a holocaust denier and a holocaust relativist. Yet, not a single genuine reference was made to my writings or talks. In my work I criticise reducing the holocaust into a crude religion, an intolerant dogma. In my writing I protest against all history laws (Nakba laws, Armenian Genocide laws, Holocaust laws etc.) History for me, is the attempt to narrate the past as we are moving along. As such, it must be sustained as a dynamic discourse, subject to constant change and revision, even if this change happens to be slightly uncomfortable. For me, history is an ethical message --Only when we revise the past may we be able to, once again, rethink our future and destiny. In recent days some of the German press referred to me as an anti-semite. Am I? Have I ever criticized anyone including Jews as a people, as a race, as a biology, or as an ethnicity? Never. My work is anti racist. I have dedicated my entire adult life to fighting racism through my music, my writing and my performances. I am opposed to all forms of biologically-oriented politics: White, Black, Gender as well as Jewish. I am searching instead for that which brings humans together. In my writing and talks I make a clear distinction between the Jews (the people) whom I never criticize, Judaism (the religion) which I rarely deal with and Jewishness (the ideology, politics and culture). In my work I focus on the last- - the ideology , the politics and the culture, assuming that we all agree these (ideology, politics and culture) must be open to criticism. Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter But if you want to talk about holocaust denial, I will tell you something about denial. To deny intellectuals, authors and artists the right to express their views in the open is where fascism starts. What I saw in Germany in the last few days suggests to me that some segments within your society really learned nothing from the history of your country. To deny the holocaust is to deny its meaning, to turn your eyes away when you see evil, to let your heart become cold when you yourself participate in evil or celebrate hatred. To deny the holocaust is to fail to address your own inability to tolerate others and otherness. It is beyond painful for me to witness Germany being led blindly into the same trap just seven decades after the liberation of Auschwitz. But I would like to add one more line on Palestine. Some Germans claim to be tormented by their past, by the atrocities of the 3rd Reich. If this is indeed the case, let me please remind you of a simple but embarrassing fact the Palestinians are the last victims of Hitler. It was the extent of the Shoah that brought support to Zionism and led to the formation of the Jewish State in Palestine. But it is the innocent Palestinians who, for the last seven decades, have been paying the price for crimes committed by Europeans. If you feel guilty about Hitler, stand for Palestine and the Palestinians! http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings December 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - It's simple. Profit-hungry corporations get a permanent windfall and the rich receive massive cuts. Everyone elsesooner or later, like it or notgets to help pay for it all. The jewel of the final "morally and economically obscene" GOP tax plan released by Republicans on Fridaynow set for a vote this week in both the House and Senate and a signature by President Donald Trump before the Christmas holidayis a permanent tax giveaway for corporations who will see their marginal rate slashed from 35 percent down to 21 percent. But because of budget obligations and legislative rules, in order to pay for that massive gift to foreign investors, the wealthiest, and corporationsalready, it should be noted, sitting on record profits and mounds of capitalit will ultimately be low- and middle-income Americans who see their taxes rise. And it should be no surprise. As a weekend New York Times editorial makes plain, the GOP tax plan isn't only designed to further entrench massive inequality, the bill itself is the direct result of entrenched massive inequalitywith the oligarchy that controls most of the nation's wealth also claiming an outsized and unchecked ability to sway political realities and electoral outcomes. "As a smaller and smaller group of people cornered an ever-larger share of the nation's wealth," the Times explains, "so too did they gain an ever-larger share of political power. They became, in effect, kingmakers; the tax bill is a natural consequence of their long effort to bend American politics to serve their interests." But still, the questions remain: who pays and who exactlybesides Trump and many of the GOP lawmakers who will personally enrich themselves due to this last-minute real estate-related provision they insertedbenefits most from the final bill? A new analysistitled "The Final Trump-GOP Tax Plan: National and 50-State Estimates for 2019 & 2027"released Saturday by the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) shows that, for individuals, most of the "GOP tax scam" benefits high-income households and foreign investors while raising taxes on many low- and middle-income Americans: The above graph, ITEP explained in a statement, "divides Americans into five equal groups based on income and illustrates how only one of these groups, the richest fifth of Americans, will receive more benefits from the tax bill than foreign investors. This is because the biggest tax cut in the bill is the reduction in the corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. The corporate tax cut will mainly benefit those who own shares in American corporations. While some middle-income people own shares, most are owned by high-income Americans and foreign investors." Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter Breaking the numbers down further, ITEP shows that the top 5 percent of taxpayers will receiver more than half of the total benefits from the Trump-GOP tax plan and that in 2019, when the plan is fully in place, the average tax cut for nation's wealthiest individuals will "dwarf" that of lower tax brackets to such an extent that the "average tax cut for richest one percent will be larger than the average income for the middle-fifth of taxpayers, which will be about $53,000 that year." Meanwhile, Andrew Van Dam, writing for the Washington Post, explains how the slashing of the corporate rate is ultimately paid for by individuals: The bill aims to cut corporate taxes in perpetuity, under the theory that to do anything less would be to create uncertainty for corporations. But to do so and still have the bill not be a money loser after a decade, they need to raise extra funds somewhere. Thats why Republicans can't just let the individual tax cuts expire, as they do at the end of 2025, but they actually need to raise money to offset the permanent corporate tax reduction. And using data from an estimate put out by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation alongside Friday's GOP bill, the Post produced these graphs showing how the Republicans "make the math work": But even as the tax overhaul put forth by the Republicans is demonstrably skewed towards rewarding those with the most, while doing little or nothing to help those with the least, it seems increasingly likely that the GOP has the votes to rush through the bill to Trump's desk this week before the holiday recess. Still, opponents of the bill nationwide say they are not giving up as they plan protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill and at local congressional offices nationwide on Monday and throughout the week. Home Nikki Haley Is Not Good At Foreign Policy By Reza Marashi December 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Nikki Haley is not good at foreign policy. With few discernible achievements to speak of after one year as Americas envoy to the UN, her most noteworthy moments have been two incoherent diatribes on Iran. The firstan airing of grievances passed off as justification for killing the Iran nuclear dealcame and went with little fanfare. Yesterday, she doubled down with a speech trying to make the case that Iran is, among other things, supplying Houthis in Yemen with ballistic missiles and fanning the flames of conflict in the region. There are a variety of problems with Haleys assertions. Three in particular stand out. First, Haley cited a UN report in her claim regarding Iranian missile transfers to the Houthis. Of course, the UN has reached no such conclusion. Instead, a panel of experts concluded that fired missile fragments show components from an Iranian company, but they have no evidence as to the identity of the broker or supplier. Asked about Haleys claim that Iran is the culprit, Swedens ambassador to the UN said, The info I have is less clear. Analysts from the U.S. Department of Defense speaking to reporters at Haleys speech openly acknowledged that they do not know the missiles origin. Perhaps most surreal is the very same UN report cited by Haley also says the missile included a component that was manufactured by an American company. Did she disingenuously omit that inconvenient bit from her remarks, or fail to read the entire UN report? The world may never know. If Iran is arming the Houthis, it is a terrible policy that Iranian officials should reverse. All countries should stop arming the various factions in Yemen. Tehran is no exception. But neither is Washington. It was therefore appalling to see that Haleys speech reference Yemen and not include a single word about Americas ongoing military, intelligence, and logistical support for the Saudi-led humanitarian catastrophe taking place. If she wanted to focus on facts regarding Iran and Yemen, she should have explained to reporters that, in addition to bolstering Irans influence in country where it was previously negligible, the Saudi-led debacle has also empowered al-Qaedathe same al-Qaeda that attacked the United States on 9/11 with 15 Saudi nationals, and continues to plot attacks on America today. There is also a stunning lack of foreign policy sophistication in Haleys prevailing assumption regarding Iran and missiles. Not only do we recklessly arm despots in the worlds most volatile region with missile of their own, we also provide the Iranian government with a pretext to further develop its missile program and cite American and European military sales to an increasingly aggressive Saudi Arabia and UAE as justification for doing so. Do as I say, not as I do is a slogan, not a strategy. And if it remains the status quo, so too will the growth of Irans missile program. Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter The most inexplicable part of Haleys charade is her insistence on talking about Iran rather than talking to Iran. The only thing stopping her from sitting down one on one with her Iranian counterpart at the UN to respectfully discuss these matters is her own shortsighted ideological rigidity. Frankly, the track record is clear. Talking about Iran produced more missiles under the Bush administration. Talking to Iran eventually produced compromises on missiles under the Obama administration. Haley should spend less time using the UN ambassadorship to boost her domestic political ambitions, and more time actually conducting diplomacy on behalf of the United States. If Haley is truly concerned about Irans missile program and regional activities, she can take three immediate steps to demonstrate her seriousness: First, immediately halt all American military, intelligence, and logistical support for the Saudi-led humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen. If the war ends, concerns about Iran in Yemen recede. Second, freeze all missile sales to Middle Eastern countries. If Saudi Arabia and the UAE arent armed to the teeth with missiles they dont know how to use, Irans threat perception and missile development reduces accordingly. Third, immediately offer bilateral and multilateral dialogue with the Iranian government on all issues of contentionwith no preconditions. The JCPOA is proof that sustained diplomacy with Iran can produce favorable outcomes for American interests. Haleys dearth of foreign policy experience is no excuse for her shambolic performance yesterday. Rather than displaying the dignity and poise of Americas face to the United Nations, she had her Colin Powell 2003 moment, demonstrating that too many of our leaders have still not learned the lessons of the Iraq war disaster. At best, this is willful ignorance on Haleys part. At worst (and more likely), she cherry-picked intelligence in a fashion eerily reminiscent of the 2002-2003 push for invading Iraq. Its not too late for Haley to salvage her tenure at the UN, but it will require listening more to the professional staff of career government officials she inherited rather than the motley crew of Republican operatives she brought with her to New York. Reza Marashi is director of research at the National Iranian American Council. He came to NIAC after serving in the Office of Iranian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and The Atlantic, among other publications. He has been a guest contributor to CNN, NPR, the BBC, TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, and the Financial Times, among other broadcast outlets. Follow Reza on Twitter: @rezamarashi This article was originally published by Lobe Log - ==== Join the Discussion It is not necessary for ICH readers to register before placing a comment. This website encourages readers to use the "Report" link found at the base of each comment. When a predetermined number of ICH readers click on the "Report" link, the comment will be automatically sent to "moderation". This would appear to be the most logical way to allow open comments, where you the reader/supporter, can determine what is acceptable speech. Please don't use the report feature simply because you disagree with the author point of view. Treat others with respect, remembering that "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."- Benjamin Franklin. Please read our Comment Policy before posting - Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. By Eric Margolis December 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - At a time when the United States is convulsed by anti-Russian hysteria and demonization of Vladimir Putin, a trove of recently declassified Cold War documents reveals the astounding extent of the lies, duplicity and double-dealing engaged in by the western powers with the collapsing Soviet Union in 1990. I was covering Moscow in those days and met some of the key players in this sordid drama. Ever since, Ive been writing that the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Foreign Minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, were shamelessly lied to and deceived by the United States, Britain, and their appendage, NATO. All the western powers promised Gorbachev and Shevardnadze that NATO would not expand eastward by one inch if Moscow would pull the Red Army out of East Germany and allow it to peacefully reunify with West Germany. This was a titanic concession by Gorbachev: it led to a failed coup against him in 1991 by Communist hardliners. The documents released by George Washington University in Washington DC, which I attended for a semester, make sickening reading (see them online). All western powers and statesmen assured the Russians that NATO would not take advantage of the Soviet retreat and that a new era of amity and cooperation would dawn in post-Cold War Europe. US Secretary of State Jim Baker offered ironclad guarantees there would be no NATO expansion. Lies, all lies. Gorbachev was a humanist, a very decent, intelligent man who believed he could end the Cold War and nuclear arms race. He ordered the Red Army back from Eastern Europe. I was in Wunsdorf, East Germany, HQ of the Group of Soviet Forces, Germany, and at Stasi secret police HQ in East Berlin right after the pullout order was given. The Soviets withdrew their 338,000 troops and 4,200 tanks and sent them home at lightening speed. Western promises made to Soviet leaders by President George W. H. Bush and Jim Baker quickly proved to be empty. They were honorable men but their successors were not. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush quickly began moving NATO into Eastern Europe, violating all the pledges made to Moscow. The Poles, Hungarians and Czechs were brought into NATO, then Romania and Bulgaria, the Baltic States, Albania, and Montenegro. Washington tried to get the former Soviet Republics of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO. The Moscow-aligned government of Ukraine was overthrown in a US-engineered coup. The road to Moscow was open. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter All the bankrupt, confused Russians could do was denounce these eastward moves by the US and NATO. The best response NATO and Washington could come up with was, well, there was no official written promise. This is worthy of a street peddler selling counterfeit watches. The leaders of the US, Britain, France, Belgium and Italy all lied. Germany was caught between its honor and imminent reunification. So even its Chancellor Helmut Kohl had to go along with the Wests prevarications. At the time, I wrote that the best solution would be for the demilitarization of formerly Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe. NATO had no need or business to expand eastward. Doing so would be a constant provocation to Russia, which regarded Eastern Europe as an essential defensive glacis against invasions from the West. Now, with NATO forces on its western borders, Russias deepest fears have been realized. Today, US military aircraft based on the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, former Warsaw Pact members, probe Russian airspace over the Black Sea and the vital strategic port of Sevastopol. Washington talks about arming chaotic Ukraine. US and NATO troops are in the Baltic, on Russias northwestern borders. Polish right-wingers are beating the war drums against Russia. In 1990, KGB and CIA agreed to the principal of not one inch eastward for NATO. Former US ambassador to Moscow, Jack Matlock, confirms the same agreement. Gorbachev, who is denounced as a foolish idealist by many Russians, trusted the Western powers. He should have had a battalion of New York City garment district shyster lawyers to document his agreements in 1990. He thought he was dealing with honest, honorable men, like himself. Is it any wonder after this bait and switch diplomacy that Russia has no trust in the Western powers? Moscow watches US-run NATO oozing ever eastwards. Today, Russias leaders firmly believe Washingtons ultimate plan is to tear apart Russia and reduce it to an impotent, pauper nation. Two former Western leaders, Napoleon and Hitler, had similar plans. Instead of carrying on about Hitlers duplicity after Munich, we should look at our own shameless behavior after 1990. Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times, Nation Pakistan, Hurriyet, Turkey, Sun Times Malaysia and other news sites in Asia. https://ericmargolis.com 181217 Service Delivery acknowledged By- Theresa Baranangko The ABG Minister for Health and Member for Bolave Constituency, Hon Dennis Lokonai thanked the Member for South Bougainville, Hon Timothy Masiu for the initiative and committing of funds for the purchase of a new sea vessel purposely for South Bougainville. He said that the vessel, which sailed into Buka Harbor on the 17th of December, will play an important role in the service delivery and development particularly in the remote areas on the coastline of South Bougainville. The Minister acknowledge the Member for South Bougainville for his timely initiative in addressing the peoples need as accessibility to service delivery in the coastal areas of South Bougainville is a very critical issue because quite a number of the population of South Bougainville lives along the coast of Torokina, Bana, Siwai and Buin. The Minister acknowledged the ABG President, the Vice President and ABG Members for South Bougainville for their supportive standing on the stationing of the vessel to serve South Bougainville. He stressed that the arrival of the Vessel adds another statistic to ABGs records of sea vessels bought so far by our National Members from Bougainville in their endeavors to improve service delivery to the people particularly to those who are in areas inaccessible by land transport. He said that it is an indication that our national members have been serious and periodically making efforts to address the sea transport issues that the people encounter in the Region. Ends// Caption is the Boat anchored outside Reasons Guest House in Buka town. Since 9/11, we expanded the size of our force by almost 75% in order to take on mission-sets that are likely to endure, SOCOMs Thomas told the Senate Armed Services Committee in May. Since 2001, from the pace of operations to their geographic sweep, the activities of U.S. Special Operations forces (SOF) have, in fact, grown in every conceivable way. On any given day, about 8,000 special operators -- from a command numbering roughly 70,000 -- are deployed in approximately 80 countries. The increase in the use of Special Forces since 9/11 was part of what was then referred to as the Global War on Terror as a way to keep the United States active militarily in areas beyond its two main wars, Iraq and Afghanistan, Hartung told TomDispatch. The even heavier reliance on Special Forces during the Obama years was part of a strategy of what I think of as politically sustainable warfare, in which the deployment of tens of thousands of troops to a few key theaters of war was replaced by a lighter footprint in more places, using drones, arms sales and training, and Special Forces. The Trump White House has attacked Barack Obamas legacy on nearly all fronts. It has undercut, renounced, or reversed actions of his ranging from trade pacts to financial and environmental regulations to rules that shielded transgender employees from workplace discrimination. When it comes to Special Operations forces, however, the Trump administration has embraced their use in the style of the former president, while upping the ante even further. President Trump has also provided military commanders greater authority to launch attacks in quasi-war zones like Yemen and Somalia. According to Micah Zenko, a national security expert and Whitehead Senior Fellow at the think tank Chatham House, those forces conducted five times as many lethal counterterrorism missions in such non-battlefield countries in the Trump administrations first six months in office as they did during Obamas final six months. A Wide World of War U.S. commandos specialize in 12 core skills, from unconventional warfare (helping to stoke insurgencies and regime change) to foreign internal defense (supporting allies efforts to guard themselves against terrorism, insurgencies, and coups). Counterterrorism -- fighting what SOCOM calls violent extremist organizations or VEOs -- is, however, the specialty Americas commandos have become best known for in the post-9/11 era. In the spring of 2002, before the Senate Armed Services Committee, SOCOM chief General Charles Holland touted efforts to improve SOF capabilities to prosecute unconventional warfare and foreign internal defense programs to better support friends and allies. The value of these programs, demonstrated in the Afghanistan campaign, he said, can be particularly useful in stabilizing countries and regions vulnerable to terrorist infiltration. Over the last decade and a half, however, theres been little evidence Americas commandos have excelled at stabilizing countries and regions vulnerable to terrorist infiltration. This was reflected in General Thomass May testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The threat posed by VEOs remains the highest priority for USSOCOM in both focus and effort, he explained. However, unlike Holland who highlighted only one country -- Afghanistan -- where special operators were battling militants in 2002, Thomas listed a panoply of terrorist hot spots bedeviling Americas commandos a decade and a half later. Special Operations Forces, he said, are the main effort, or major supporting effort for U.S. VEO-focused operations in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, across the Sahel of Africa, the Philippines, and Central/South America -- essentially, everywhere Al Qaeda (AQ) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are to be found. Officially, there are about 5,300 U.S. troops in Iraq. (The real figure is thought to be higher.) Significant numbers of them are special operators training and advising Iraqi government forces and Kurdish troops. Elite U.S. forces have also played a crucial role in Iraqs recent offensive against the militants of the Islamic State, providing artillery and airpower, including SOCOMs AC-130W Stinger II gunships with 105mm cannons that allow them to serve as flying howitzers. In that campaign, Special Operations forces were thrust into a new role of coordinating fire support, wrote Linda Robinson, a senior international policy analyst with the RAND Corporation who spent seven weeks in Iraq, Syria, and neighboring countries earlier this year. This fire support is even more important to the Syrian Democratic Forces, a far more lightly armed irregular force which constitutes the major ground force fighting ISIS in Syria. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Special Operations forces have, in fact, played a key role in the war effort in Syria, too. While American commandos have been killed in battle there, Kurdish and Arab proxies -- known as the Syrian Democratic Forces -- have done the lions share of the fighting and dying to take back much of the territory once held by the Islamic State. SOCOMs Thomas spoke about this in surprisingly frank terms at a security conference in Aspen, Colorado, this summer. We're right now inside the capital of [ISISs] caliphate at Raqqa [Syria]. We'll have that back soon with our proxies, a surrogate force of 50,000 people that are working for us and doing our bidding, he said. So two and a half years of fighting this fight with our surrogates, they've lost thousands, we've only lost two service members. Two is too many, but it's, you know, a relief that we haven't had the kind of losses that we've had elsewhere. This year, U.S. special operators were killed in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and the Sahelian nations of Niger and Mali (although reports indicate that a Green Beret who died in that country was likely strangled by U.S. Navy SEALs). In Libya, SEALs recently kidnapped a suspect in the 2012 attacks in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. In the Philippines, U.S. Special Forces joined the months-long battle to recapture Marawi City after it was taken by Islamist militants earlier this year. And even this growing list of counterterror hotspots is only a fraction of the story. In Africa, the countries singled out by Thomas -- Somalia, Libya, and those in the Sahel -- are just a handful of the nations to which American commandos were deployed in 2017. As recently reported at Vice News, U.S. Special Operations forces were active in at least 33 nations across the continent, with troops heavily concentrated in and around countries now home to a growing number of what the Pentagons Africa Center for Strategic Studies calls active militant Islamist groups. While Defense Department spokeswoman Major Audricia Harris would not provide details on the range of operations being carried out by the elite forces, its known that they run the gamut from conducting security assessments at U.S. embassies to combat operations. Data provided by SOCOM also reveals a special ops presence in 33 European countries this year. Outside of Russia and Belarus we train with virtually every country in Europe either bilaterally or through various multinational events, Major Michael Weisman, a spokesman for U.S. Special Operations Command Europe, told TomDispatch. For the past two years, in fact, the U.S. has maintained a Special Operations contingent in almost every nation on Russias western border. [W]e've had persistent presence in every country -- every NATO country and others on the border with Russia doing phenomenal things with our allies, helping them prepare for their threats, said SOCOMs Thomas, mentioning the Baltic states as well as Romania, Poland, Ukraine, and Georgia by name. These activities represent, in the words of General Charles Cleveland, chief of U.S. Army Special Operations Command from 2012 to 2015 and now the senior mentor to the Army War College, undeclared campaigns by commandos. Weisman, however, balked at that particular language. U.S. Special Operations forces have been deployed persistently and at the invitation of our allies in the Baltic States and Poland since 2014 as part of the broader U.S. European Command and Department of Defense European Deterrence Initiative, he told TomDispatch. The persistent presence of U.S. SOF alongside our Allies sends a clear message of U.S. commitment to our allies and the defense of our NATO Alliance. Asia is also a crucial region for Americas elite forces. In addition to Iran and Russia, SOCOMs Thomas singled out China and North Korea as nations that are becoming more aggressive in challenging U.S. interests and partners through the use of asymmetric means that often fall below the threshold of conventional conflict. He went on to say that the ability of our special operators to conduct low-visibility special warfare operations in politically sensitive environments make them uniquely suited to counter the malign activities of our adversaries in this domain. U.S.-North Korean saber rattling has brought increased attention to Special Forces Detachment Korea (SFDK), the longest serving U.S. Special Forces unit in the world. It would, of course, be called into action should a war ever break out on the peninsula. In such a conflict, U.S. and South Korean elite forces would unite under the umbrella of the Combined Unconventional Warfare Task Force. In March, commandos -- including, according to some reports, members of the Armys Delta Force and the Navys SEAL Team 6 -- took part in Foal Eagle, a training exercise, alongside conventional U.S. forces and their South Korean counterparts. U.S. special operators also were involved in training exercises and operations elsewhere across Asia and the Pacific. In June, in Okinawa, Japan, for example, airmen from the 17th Special Operations Squadron (17th SOS) carried out their annual (and oddly spelled) Day of the Jakal, the launch of five Air Force Special Operations MC-130J Commando II aircraft to practice, according to a military news release, airdrops, aircraft landings, and rapid infiltration and exfiltration of equipment. According to Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Dube of the 17th SOS, It shows how we can meet the emerging mission sets for both SOCKOR [Special Operations Command Korea] and SOCPAC [Special Operations Command Pacific] out here in the Pacific theater. At about the same time, members of the Air Forces 353rd Special Operations Group carried out Teak Jet, a joint combined exchange training, or JCET, mission meant to improve military coordination between U.S. and Japanese forces. In June and July, intelligence analysts from the Air Forces 353rd Special Operations Group took part in Talisman Saber, a biennial military training exercise conducted in various locations across Australia. More for War The steady rise in the number of elite operators, missions, and foreign deployments since 9/11 appears in no danger of ending, despite years of worries by think-tank experts and special ops supporters about the effects of such a high operations tempo on these troops. Most SOF units are employed to their sustainable limit, General Thomas said earlier this year. Despite growing demand for SOF, we must prioritize the sourcing of these demands as we face a rapidly changing security environment. Yet the number of deployments still grew to a record 149 nations in 2017. (During the Obama years, deployments reached 147 in 2015.) At a recent conference on special operations held in Washington, D.C., influential members of the Senate and House armed services committees acknowledged that there were growing strains on the force. I do worry about overuse of SOF, said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, a Republican. One solution offered by both Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Republican Senator Joni Ernst, a combat veteran who served in Iraq, was to bulk up Special Operations Command yet more. "We have to increase numbers and resources," Reed insisted. This desire to expand Special Operations further comes at a moment when senators like Lindsey Graham continue to acknowledge how remarkably clueless they are about where those elite forces are deployed and what exactly they are doing in far-flung corners of the globe. Experts point out just how dangerous further expansion could be, given the proliferation of terror groups and battle zones since 9/11 and the dangers of unforeseen blowback as a result of low-profile special ops missions. Almost by definition, the dizzying number of deployments undertaken by U.S. Special Operations forces in recent years would be hard to track. But few in Congress seem to be even making the effort, said William Hartung. This is a colossal mistake if one is concerned about reining in the globe-spanning U.S. military strategy of the post-9/11 era, which has caused more harm than good and done little to curb terrorism. However, with special ops deployments rising above Bush and Obama administration levels to record-setting heights and the Trump administration embracing the use of commandos in quasi-wars in places like Somalia and Yemen, there appears to be little interest in the White House or on Capitol Hill in reining in the geographic scope and sweep of Americas most secretive troops. And the results, say experts, may be dire. While the retreat from large boots on the ground wars like the Bush administration's intervention in Iraq is welcome, said Hartung, the proliferation of Special Operations forces is a dangerous alternative, given the prospects of getting the United States further embroiled in complex overseas conflicts. Nick Turse is the managing editor of TomDispatch, a fellow at the Nation Institute, and a contributing writer for the Intercept. He is the author of the bestselling Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam. His latest book is Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead: War and Survival in South Sudan. His website is NickTurse.com. Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Alfred McCoy's In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, as well as John Dower's The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, John Feffer's dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardt's Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World. This article was originally published by Tom Dispatch - Copyright Nick Turse 2017 The national president also of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has confirmed that about 300 medical doctors left Nigeria in 2016 Mike Ogirima, has revealed. He said more doctors have joined the migration train this year. He did not give any statistics, although NAN learnt that 500 doctors sat for qualifying foreign medical examination preparing to move out. Mr. Ogirima made this revelation at the associations National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Thursday in Lagos. An estimated 35,000 Nigerian doctors are practising abroad, out of the 72,000 registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. The United Kingdom and the United States are the top destinations of the migrant doctors. In August, an official of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Abimbola Olajide, revealed that no fewer than 2,500 doctors would leave the country this year. Nigeria is using her resources to train doctors and professionals at the advantage of foreign countries.What are those things attracting these professionals outside? Can we duplicate those things here? Mr. Ogirima asked. The NMA president said the responsibility to check the migration lies with the government, the people and professionals to provide good working environment. Mr. Ogirima said, The government should provide adequate remuneration.We are not saying we should pay so much, but pay them for the job they are doing as at when due. We, on our part as professionals should look inward to change our attitude to patients. We should make patients as the Centre focus of why we are called doctors. He said the National Health Act of 2014 has not been fully implemented despite warnings of legal action and its implications from the NMA. According to him, the act holds the key to revolutionising the health industry. It will encourage provision of additional fund to the system and ensure care of the vulnerable in the society. The present provision of only three to four per cent of our annual budget to health sector is not helping the development of our system. Some African countries who have voted up to 15 per cent or more to their health systems are witnessing gradual improvement in their health sector. Nigerians are now patronising health facilities in our neighbouring countries, he said. Also, the Commissioner for Housing, Lagos State, Gbolahan Lawal, urged NMA to create sustainable policies that would make major economic impact on Nigerians. Mr. Lawal said, If we consider informal housing, that is, houses that do not have the approval of government and located in slum areas, and the consequences, it has a lot to do with health. The government already has building code that does not allow for houses not good for human habitat, he said. Source: ( NAN ) The Police on Monday morning, December 18, attacked protesters on a peaceful protest against the Rochas Okorocha government in Imo state. Some residents of Imo state who staged a peaceful protest against the Governor Rochas Okorocha government in state on Monday morning, were attacked by operatives of Nigerian Police. According to Premium Times, the protest, tagged Occupy Owerri, which is expected to last for one week, was called by Imo Peoples Action for Democracy (IPAD), against the policies of the Governor Okorocha administration. It was learnt that among the grouse of the protesters, is the erection of statues in Owerri, the state capital, costing millions of naira, when the state is still owing workers salaries and pensions. They are also opposed to the appointment of the governors sister as Commissioner for Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment. The group had written to the police and the State Security Service for security during the rally. While the SSS gave approval for the rally to hold, the police asked that the rally be shifted till after the yuletide period, but the group refused, arguing that the police have no right to stop it from protesting. While speaking to a correspondent on Monday, the coordinator of the group, Aku Obidinma, said police fired tear gas at the protesters, beat them up and also confiscated their placards as they began the peaceful protest. He said they wont be deterred by the actions of the police. A top military officer has reportedly died in the hands of some unknown gunmen along Katsina Ala/ Takum highway in Benue State. Suspected gunmen on Sunday allegedly killed a senior military officer who was said to be in transit along Katsina Ala/Takum highway in Benue State, Punch has reported. It was gathered that the military officer, who was coming from Lagos and travelling to Takum in Taraba State, was killed at Sattii Agrigi along Katsina Ala/Takum highway. As a result, some soldiers in the wee hours of Monday stormed Katsina Ala town in reprisal attack and burnt down some houses in the town. Narrating the incident a local said: as am talking to you now, Katsina-Ala is in ruins as soldiers invaded Katsina Ala town in reprisal attack of the killing of a Colonel at Satti Agirigi along Katsina Ala Sunday morning by suspected gunmen. Already, the Katsina Ala- Takum highway has been blocked as soldiers were asking of the killers of the army officer, the local added. Governor Samuel Ortom confirmed the killing of a Colonel in Katsina-Ala axis Sunday morning. He, however, said it was an armed robbery incident. Ortom also denied the invasion of soldiers and burning down of houses in Katsina-Ala by soldiers, stressing that if anything of such happened it was the handiwork of miscreants. Ortom said, I was told of the killing of a Colonel in Katsina-Ala yesterday. He was in uniform and coming from Lagos towards Tarkum. That created some crisis around the area, we were told the military men in the area went after the perpetrators. It is not so, but the mischief makers tried to cash in on the matter. We are on top of the situation. The case has been treated as armed robbery case. The governor urged people along that axis to go about their business without fear, adding that he had dispatched his security adviser along with security chiefs in the state to the area to beef up security. I have sent my security adviser alongside quick rapid response comprising the military, Police Commissioner and NSCDC to the area and the perpetrators will be brought to book. When contacted by phone, Benue State Command spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu, said he was not aware of the incident. The Nigerian army has released an official statement after Boko Haram terrorists ambushed a United Nations convoy killing some people. PRESS RELEASE NO UN STAFF KILLED IN MAULA ENCOUNTER WITH INSURGENTS Contrary to the information currently making the rounds in a section of the media that four United Nations staff had been killed and four trucks conveying food for internally displaced persons were carted away, the Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole wishes to state that the report grossly misrepresents the true situation of the incident as none of the casualties in the encounter has been identified as a staff of the UN. In setting the record straight, it is necessary to state here that a patrol escorting a convoy of civilian vehicles to Logomani encountered an ambush staged by elements of Boko Haram insurgents at Maula village along Dikwa-Ngala trans sahara highway which resulted in a firefight between troops and the insurgents.The troops however fought through the ambush, overpowered the insurgents and killed six of them. The troops also captured 3 AK 47 rifles, 3 locally fabricated fire arms, 4 magazines and a belt of 7.62 mm ammunition. Sadly four persons died in the encounter. Although none of the persons killed in the ambush has so far been identified as a staff of the UN, this Headquarters considers the lives of all citizens and indeed all humans sacrosanct, which must be protected by troops even at a supreme price. The situation has been brought under control and and further exploitation of the general area is currently being carried out by Mobile strike Team of Operation Lafiya Dole. Please disseminate this information through your various news media to the general public. Thank you for your cooperation. Col O Nwachukwu Deputy Director Public Relations Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole Baba Salas first son, Reverend Dele Adejumoh, has insisted that people have no reason to worry about his father. According to him, the aged comedian is being adequately cared for by his children. He told Sunday Scoop that people often spread wrong information and exaggerate the veteran comedians health status. He said, We are taking care of my father. He does not take care of any of his children again and he does not pay school fees too. People are just being misinformed. As a family, we plan to celebrate our father. As soon as our plans are finalised, it will be communicated to the media. Speaking on a book about Baba Sala, Triumph of Destiny, which was launched on Thursday at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, he said, It is a good book and we appreciate everyone who contributed to its success because they did a thorough job. I am very happy my father is being celebrated while he is still alive. Baba is also very happy about it. It is better we celebrate our icons while they are alive. We dont need to wait until theyre dead before we begin to speak well of them. Apart from my father, we still have Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Victor Olaiya, Chris Ajilo and a host of others who have done great things for this country. Adejumoh insisted that Baba Sala has nothing against the movie industry or Nigeria, adding that he was only interested in the growth of his church and his relationship with God. He added, I have siblings who are actors, but I am not an actor. Baba is a man of God and I have inherited that part of him as a pastor. I dont have to be exactly like my father. Source: Punch Daily Star Online report has exclusively revealed that a top robotics expert has uncovered the worrying truth that will come with the increased use of artificial intelligence. Speaking in an exclusive video, Martin Ford revealed the dangerous threat that robots could cause if the technology lands in the wrong hands. Mr Ford, the author behind New York Times bestseller Rise of the Robots, has been warning people to rethink their approach to technology for years. Now he is even more concerned that it could lead to huge problems if used by the wrong people. He said: Artificial intelligence, robots and smart software are going to be used by criminals to hack in to systems and do evil things. The computer genius believes that while the machines have an exciting future in solving many issues and benefiting our society, there are also many warnings we must be aware of. When questioned on the recent increase of blackmailing hackers, the experienced futurist gave an insight into what may be to come. He admitted: There will also be the other side, there will be good guys using artificial intelligence to protect systems. But, in general, as systems become more autonomous and people are not in the loop, they become more vulnerable to hacking. Think about self-driving trucks in the future that deliver all our food. We wouldnt want someone to hack into those trucks and bring them all to a stop that would be a huge problem. He also believes that robotics should be regulated and stressed that the technology could pose a devastating threat if used in conflict. He warned: There are many issues surrounding use of robots and drones in warfare. There is a debate happening in the UN surrounding whether these kind of weapons should be banned. Last year, Mr Ford participated in a conversation with the White House Chief of Staff about the potential impact and threat that robotics and artificial intelligence could have on our society. His book Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future, is available on Amazon. Fake operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad have been gunned down in Rivers State. The suspects were killed by F-SARS on Saturday at Ogbogoro community in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State following a distress call from an unidentified member of the public. This was as armed robbers, who operated around the Iloabuchi area of Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt City, on Saturday night, killed a policeman in the area, leaving a local vigilante member and other persons with bullet wounds. It was learnt that the vigilante member and the other persons, who were hit by bullets, had been hospitalised. A source, who did not want his name in print, told our correspondent that the criminals were spotted to be fake security operatives by residents of the area. It was gathered that a resident of the area called Ozuoba Police Station. The source said when SARS operatives entered the community, the fake SARS men engaged them in a gun duel. The Commander of F-SARS in the state, Mr. Akin Fakorede, who confirmed the development, said his men killed a four-man robbery gang that disguised as SARS operatives to rob some residents. Fakorede said the criminals engaged the SARS men in a gun battle, adding that his men overpowered and killed the hoodlums. He noted that the same gang had earlier this year killed a taxi driver operating in the area. Fakorede said, A four-man robbery gang with their AK-47 rifles, impersonating as SARS operatives, met their end on December 16, 2017 at Ogbogoro. The gang had gone to rob one Mr. Wey Nwinanadun. They went to rob Nwinanadun at his residence in Ogbogoro; the gang had previously robbed in the Ada George and Iwofe area of the City. SARS is determined to root out all criminal gangs operating in the state under whatever guise. When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed that a policeman was killed at Iloabuchi area of Port Harcourt, describing it as a great loss. Omoni noted that the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Ahmed Zaki, had already launched a manhunt for the culprits and promised that the killers would be apprehended and prosecuted. He vowed that the police would not be deterred in their efforts to rid the state of criminals, stating that officers have been drafted to strategic locations to ensure an effective policing of the state. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, accused the Federal Government of deliberately causing the current fuel scarcity so as to be able to justify the planned increment of the pump price of petrol from N145 to N185 per litre. He accused the Federal Government of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians by allowing the scarcity to continue for two weeks now. The governor stated this in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, on Sunday. Fayose said, Petrol is scarce across the country because the Federal Government deliberately reduced supply since it is only the NNPC that is importing the product. Allowing fuel scarcity to persist for over two weeks when Nigerians are preparing to celebrate Christmas and New Year is the height of wickedness on the part of the All Progressives Congress Federal Government. Funny enough, instead of directing its anger on President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the Minister of Petroleum, on December 7, 2017, the Federal Executive Council chose to give the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, a seven-day ultimatum to end the fuel scarcity. Today is December 17, exactly 10 days after the misplaced ultimatum was given, the situation has even got worse. By the time the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria goes on strike as being threatened, the whole country will be shut down and one wonders what will become of Nigerians who desire to move around during the festive season. Fayose, who said it was necessary for the government to tell Nigerians the truth about the situation of fuel supply in the country, noted that it was the restriction of supply to the NNPC alone that had put Nigerians in hardship. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Former president of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife, on Sunday advised Igbo politicians planning to contest the presidency in 2019 to bury the thought. Ikedifes advice came a few days after the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, said APGA was considering the Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, as its presidential standard bearer in the 2019 general elections. Ikedife who spoke with our correspondent in his Nnewi home said the odds favoured the northern part of the country for the 2019 presidency. He said President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and others coming from the north had better chances. I wont advise any Igbo to pick a form for the presidential race. Its a waste to do so. APGA can go ahead and field any candidate from Igbo to vie for it. It has such an inalienable right to field anybody as its candidate in the election but I dont know what makes them think that Obiano would win. He argued that it was after a second term in office of Buhari that the South-East could start talking of the presidency. He said, The North has produced a president who has just done one term. But it is becoming a convention that any zone that produces a president does two terms. I dont see why the APC should not want to go for two terms. When the North has had two terms following the convention, the presidency should come to the south, and south east, willy-nilly. While advising the Igbo to be patient, Ikedife said what was important for the Igbo was unity, speaking with one voice on national issues. He added that the Igbo should identify and lend their support to any of the presidential candidates from the north who would recognise the economic and infrastructure deficits in the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones. He noted that the seeming marginalisation of the Igbo would be assuaged, when you know that your country cares for you. What stops you from being patriotic? If a man treats you as a son, the tendency is to see him as a father. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III, on Sunday, urged Muslims to start looking for the new moon of Rabiu Assani 1439 AH from Monday (Dec. 18). This is contained in a statement signed by Sambo Junaidu, the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, and made available to journalists. It said: This is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Monday, December 18, which is equivalent to 29 day of Rabiu Awwal 1439 AH, shall be the day to look for the new moon of Rabiu Assani 1439 AH. Muslims are therefore requested to start looking for the new moon on Monday and report its sighting to the nearest district or village head for onward communication to the Sultan. The monarch prayed for peace and unity of the country and urged Muslims to also fervently pray for Nigerias sustainable development and growth. Source : (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, has rescued and rehabilitated said, it has rescued about 2,000 Nigerians from traffickers in 2017. The NAPTIP Director General, Julie Okah-Donli, who stated this during a meeting with some social media managers in Abuja, noted that the efforts of the government, particularly in Libya, were yielding more results. The DG lamented that the youths were not aware of the Federal Governments job opportunities, adding that there was no green pasture outside the country as many youths believed. Okah-Donli said, The reason for meeting with the social media influencers is that we want them to take over the internet space. We want them to be aware of the evils, the dangers and consequences of human trafficking and to spread this awareness through their various social media platforms. The youths are hooked to the social media and these influencers can help us to reach out to them. In 2017, we have rescued over 2,000 victims and we have rehabilitated them. We are prosecuting a lot of cases at the moment and it is still counting. We used to face the problem of underfunding but we are reaching out now and the government is supportive. We should partner other agencies and the media aggressively in the fight against human trafficking. We are all ambassadors and together, we will win this fight. Some Nigerians pay as high as N500, 000 to traffickers to travel out of Nigeria. It doesnt make sense. You cannot be poor and afford this money. When they go outside the country, they fall into the hands of sex exploiters and organ harvesters. Most people also do menial jobs to survive. The NAPTIP DG said there were pull factors in Europe for traffickers, which the European countries must deal with to help Africa in tackling the scourge of human trafficking. Now, what are those things in Europe making trafficking to thrive? Cheap labour is one. Also, prostitution is legal in most of the European countries and they make billions of dollars from the taxes. We also talk about pornography. We have thousands of places abroad where men watch pornography. Therefore, as we handle the push factors in Nigeria, European countries must as well help us tackle the pull factors, Okah-Donli said. Source: ( Premium Times ) Two Dutch journalists have been brutally stabbed by a Nigerian man angry with US President Donald Trump for recognising Israel as Jerusalems capital. Nigerian man stabbed two Danish journalists in Gabon, allegedly saying it was a revenge attack against the United States for recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital. The assailant wounded the reporters for the National Geographic channel at a market popular with tourists in Libreville, the capital of the central African country, according to the Gabon defence minister, Etienne Kabinda Makaga. During the attack, the man shouted Allahu Akbar, Arabic for God is great, Makaga said. Speaking Saturday on Gabonese television, Makaga said the attacker a 53-year-old man from Niger who has lived in Gabon for the past two decades acted in retaliation for U.S. attacks against Muslims and Americas recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. As of Sunday afternoon, the attack had yet to be classified as an act of terrorism. On Sunday, police in Gabon arrested dozens of people in connection with the attack. The detained men were mostly traders and sellers from West Africa who work in the market, the French news agency AFP reported. The market was shut down after the attack and did not reopen, according to AFP. Islamist terrorism is not seen as a major problem in Gabon. Punch Man cuts off cousins manhood over missing N3,500 The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man, Aliyu Mohammadu, for allegedly cutting off his cousins manhood. Vanguard Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said the current scarcity of fuel in the country was a ploy by the Federal Government to justify the planned increment of petrol pump price from N145 to N185 per litre. Thisday The management of Dangote Group has accused BUA of engaging in illegal mining of limestone deposited in its Mining Lease No. 2541 located in a boundary town of Oguda/Ubo in Okene, Kogi State. The Sun On November 23, 2017, a traffic enforcement team comprising the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Civil Defence Corps and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), impounded a number of trucks either stationed or abandoned along the Apapa-Wharf Road. The action was in fulfillment of the earlier warning to the truck-owners to evacuate their trucks from the road or lose them to the Federal Government. Daily Times Former President of the Senate, David Mark, has denied receiving over N2bn from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP through a National Assembly account for distribution to senators. Guardian The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has stressed the need for salary earners operating other businesses to also pay tax from their profits in order to help grow the economy. Daily Trust Following last Saturdays defection of some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, a chieftain of the PDP, Alhaji Adebisi Olopoenia, yesterday said only former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, is politically relevant among the defectors. Leadership Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government must as a matter of urgency release funds for tackling issues of environmental degradation and security in the Niger Delta. Tribune Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that the creation of job opportunities and inclusive government that does not engender crisis, will stem the ill-fated migration of Nigerians. The Nation Former Senate President David Mark is to account for over N5.4billion slush cash and campaign funds traced to him, The Nation learnt yesterday. New Telegraph The fuel crises rocking the country may degenerate as oil workers yesterday vowed to begin nationwide strike today. The workers under the auspices of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) declared no going back on an indefinite strike in protest of the alleged sack of their members by Neconde Energy Limited. Luck has ran out on a Nigerian student after he was jailed by UK authorities for molesting five teenagers. A Nigerian man has been jailed after being convicted of multiple r*pes following two trials. Eniola Balogun, 20 (12.12.97) of no fixed address but from the Tottenham area pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court on 19 September to four counts of rape on four separate teenage girls, aged between 13 and 16 he also pleaded guilty to the possession of indecent images of child. Balogun had been found guilty of a further three counts of r*pe following an earlier trial at the same venue on 30 March. These offences related to one victim a 16-year-old girl. He was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, 15 December to a total of 21 years imprisonment the Judge also ordered Balogun is subject to an extended licence period of eight years which will come into effect on his release from prison. Balogun will be placed on the S*x Offenders Register for life and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order. Balogun, a US citizen, was living with his family in Tottenham at the time of his offending. Whilst there, between June and August 2016, he persuaded young girls through social media (Snapchat and Instagram) or in the street, to send him indecent photographs. Armed with these photos, he threatened to distribute the images unless they met up with him. When they met up, he raped them. On all occasions, Balogun took their phones off them and promised to return their phones after sexual contact. Two of the victims were threatened with violence if they resisted. The five victims, aged between 13 and 16 years old, met up at a variety of locations in Tottenham, Harlow, Thamesmead and Woolwich. Some victims were told to perform sexual acts via video on more than one occasion. Detective Sergeant Tony Killeen, from the Mets Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command, said: I wish to acknowledge the courage of these young people in coming forward and providing the vital evidence needed to prosecute Balogun. The teenage girls were victims of online sexual offences and did not recognise that they were being abused. He used his social media profile to gain their trust, share intimate photos and then used those images to coerce his victims into sexual activity. My advice to any child or young person is: do not share pictures online that you would find embarrassing if anyone else, such as your friends or parents were to see them as you have no control over the images once sent. But if you are worried about someone sharing intimate pictures of you online please dont let embarrassment stop you from contacting the police. Alternatively, online abuse can be reported online to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre. Advice on online grooming can be found on many websites such as the NSPCC. Balogun is a prolific sexual offender and it cannot be discounted that he has sexually abused other people. If you have been a victim of Balogun, please contact police via 101 specially trained officers are there to support you The Ogun NYSC Coordinator has revealed it will make sure justice is served after a young corps member was murdered in Ogun state. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Monday promised to ensure that justice was done in the killing of a corps member, Modupe Tawose. Mr John Okpo, the Ogun NYSC Coordinator, gave the assurance during a condolence visit to the family of the deceased in Ibadan. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tawose was raped and killed on Dec. 9 in Ogun. Tawose, 23, a 2017 Batch A corps member serving with the Ogun State Ministry of Housing in Abeokuta was allegedly lured to her death by her driving instructor, Festus Udoh, 29. Her decomposing body was discovered in a bush on Wednesday at Abule Ayo in Odeda Local Government Area where she was tied by her hands to a tree. The suspect, who had since confessed to the crime, is being remanded in prison while awaiting trial. Okpo, who said the NYSC was deeply saddened by the occurrence, prayed God to console the family and grant the deceased rest. The NYSC family nationwide is sad over the raping and eventual murder of our beloved and patriotic corps member, Late Miss Modupe Tawose. We strongly condemn the act and will go to any length to defend and fight for the rights of our members and in this case, ensure justice is delivered. We will do all to ensure Mr Festus Udoh is brought to book as this will serve as a deterrent to other miscreants and evil doers in the society, he said. The NYSC boss used the opportunity to advise corps members to be security conscious always and promptly report any security threat to the appropriate authorities. Corps members are to save the distress call centre numbers given to them during the orientation course in their various camps on the phones in case of emergencies. They are also advised to move in groups and not to follow strangers, even known people with questionable characters, Okpo said. Responding on behalf of the family, an uncle to the deceased, Mr Hakeem Okunola, thanked the NYSC for the condolence visit and prompt action to ensure arrest of the suspect. We thank the Ogun State Police Command for their swiftness in apprehending the accused and the NYSC for their support. We already have some sort of justice for finding our daughters body and the suspect. Modupe did not die in vain going by the show of love poured her way by family and friends alike. She will be remembered for everything good. As she has been laid to rest, we leave every other thing in Gods hands to bring the accused to book through appropriate judgment, Okunola said. NAN reports that the victim had since been buried in line with the NYSCs policy on death of corps members. Tawose was an HND graduate of Quantity Surveying from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and is survived by her father, Adeshina Tawose, and mother, Titilayo, as well as siblings. A security guard of the NNPC Petrol Station at Shagari Village junction in Akure, the Ondo State capital has been arrested by the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly shooting and killing a bread seller, identified as Ojomo Tunji. The police said the suspect, Jonah Sunday, committed the crime last Wednesday evening and he was immediately arrested by the men of the command. Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Femi Joseph said the command had begun an investigation on the incident. He said, The information reached us at about 9.30pm on Wednesday that the suspect killed somebody bedside the filling station. We were made to know that the suspect was shooting into the air, we dont know the reason for that, maybe he was suspecting something, but unfortunately as he was shooting the bullets hit one of the people selling bread beside the filling station. He said the victim was quickly rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost, noting that it was the family of the victim that reported the case at the police station. It is a pure murder case and we have commenced investigation on the matter, Joseph stated. The PPRO also disclosed that the command has arrested four sea pirates in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state. He, however, did not reveal the identity of the four suspects for security reason but saying some dangerous weapons were recovered from them, which included gun and live cartridges. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) With the Christmas/New Year holidays only days away, the Lagos State Government has announced the 2017 edition of One Lagos Fiesta, an eight-day period of continuous celebration across the state. Speaking at a press conference in the newly renovated Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre at the Secretariat, Alausa; Commissioner of Information and strategy, Steve Ayorinde described the return of OLF as a consolidation of last years success that saw hundreds of thousands of Lagosians attend live events while millions more watched online. He was joined by A-list Nigerians entertainers such as Fuji legend Adewale Ayuba, Muma Gee Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham as well as government officials. Like the 2016 edition, One Lagos Fiesta this year would hold in five different locations within the state: Agege stadium- Agege, Badagary Grammar School Badagry Grammar School, Epe Epe Marina, Ikorodu- Ikorodu Town Hall and Victoria Island-Bar Beach for the first 7 days and Eko Atlantic City on the crossover night, 31st December 2017. In addition to the hundred-strong musicians that would be performing, Lagos Grows Talent- an improvement of Lagos Got Talent- would continue to discover and develop fresh talents. One Lagos Fiesta starts on December 24 through 31st and is the single largest event on the African continent. Source: Naijaloaded President Muhammadu Buhari on his 75th birthday celebration was joined by the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and some state governors, to join the President in the cutting of his birthday cakes. The first Lady of the Federation was also not left in the celebration as she also joined them for the event that took place inside Buharis official residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Presidents Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, posted a short video clip of the event on her Facebook page with the caption President Buhari, surrounded by his gorgeous wife, friends and some members of his political family as he cuts his 75th birthday celebration cake. Very many happy returns of the day, Sir. God bless Nigeria. Five giant cakes were seen on the table as the President was surrounded by his wife, Osinbajo, the governors and other top government officials. The governors included Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) among others. The Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha, was also present. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Unknown gunmen have killed an official of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Nasarawa State Chapter, Yakubu Mama. It was gathered that the gunmen attacked and murdered Mama on the claim that he exposed members of a crime syndicate operating along the Keffi-Karu-Abuja axis. The Police Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State Command, DSP Idrisu Kennedy, who confirmed the incident to Northern City News during a phone interview, however, said one person had been arrested in connection with the incident. Kennedy added that the command was doing everything possible to arrest the other culprits and bring them to justice. The state chairman of MACBAN, Alhaji Muhammed Hussaini, said the unknown gunmen invaded the deceaseds residence last Tuesday and took him to a nearby bush where he was killed. He said MACBAN officials, vigilance group members and police Special Anti- robbery Squad helped in the recovery of Mamas body which was later interred in Karu. According to him, the deceased had passed important information that had assisted security operatives in tracking down armed robbers and cattle rustlers in Keffi, Karu and Abuja areas. Husseini said Mama had also provided useful tips that had prevented conflicts between herders and farmers in Keffi and Karu local government areas of the state. Meanwhile, MACBAN said it had held a security meeting with the Chairman of the Awe Local Government Area of the state and security agencies to find solutions to the perennial herders and farmers crisis. Hussaini said a committee had been set up by MACBAN and farmers to check criminal elements among the herders in the local government and those coming from far North to foment trouble. The Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Al-Makura, is a man of peace. We want peace and the governor advised us to always live in peace with one another, he said. He explained that the security meeting was meant to educate herdsmen passing through the state about the anti-open grazing law enacted by the Benue State Government. He cautioned herders against grazing their animals on farms in the state and equally pleaded with farmers not to trespass on cattle routes to enable the herders to graze their livestock. Source: ( Northern News ) The human heart is amazing. Consider the numbers: Healthy hearts beat 60-100 times a minute. If someones normal resting heart rate is 75, that means it beats 4,500 times in an hour, and 108,000 times during the course of 24 hours. Over an entire year that heart beats nearly 40 million times, and over a 70-year lifetime, thats close to three billion heartbeats! Can you imagine a car engine running non-stop for 70 years, or longer? It doesnt happen. The heart is one of the marvels of the human body, especially because if the heart stops, so does life. Every year about this time I have special reason to reflect on these facts. Nearly 11 years ago (Dec. 20, 2006), I was lying on an operating table, chest splayed open while a surgical team performed multiple bypasses and built a new ascending aorta for me.They in fact did stop my heart for a half-hour or so while the repairs were being made, attaching me to a heart-lung machine in the meantime. So, it got a brief respite. But ever since, its been beating non-stop about 440 million times.Im extremely grateful for those 11 additional years and for whatever time still lies ahead for me in this life. Over that span Ive added two sons-in-law, four grandchildren (with another expected in January) and three great-grandkids. Professionally Ive had the opportunity to write and edit a number of books and articles, and even to start this blog. God has also given me the privilege of meeting with a number of men in mentoring relationships, providing mutual encouragement for our journey with Jesus Christ.To borrow the title of my favorite Christmas film, its been and continues to be a wonderful life, even in the midst of inevitable challenges. Jesus said of His sheep His followers I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). Thanks to medical technology, a very skillful surgeon, and Gods grace, Ive already had more than a decade to experience that abundant life He promised.The Bible says much about the heart, although not necessarily in the ever-beating muscle in the chest sense. The book of Proverbs, for instance, comments often on the heart.Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Then we read, In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps (Proverbs 16:9). Later we read, All a mans ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart (Proverbs 21:2).Acts 13:22 recounts Gods description of David, who became king of Israel, as a man after my own heart. Jesus spoke often about the heart, saying such things as, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). And, But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, immorality, theft (Matthew 15:18-19).Without question, these uses of the term heart refer to our motives and desires. But even though I cant prove it, I believe theres a spiritual component to the physical heart.I remember during the years following my surgery when I visited people in the hospital who had just undergone open-heart surgery. I went to encourage them by sharing my own story, seeking to comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:4). It was not uncommon to see, even macho-looking men, well up with tears as they pondered their recent surgery and how God had chosen to extend their lives. No question, its a humbling experience.So, with my 11th anniversary coming in a couple of days, Im literally feeling heartfelt thanks for the extra time the Lord has provided me in this life, and the opportunity to enjoy another Christmas season with my family on this side of eternity. What a wonderful reminder that, even at times when we are faithless, He remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). ---- Robert J. Tamasy is a veteran journalist, former newspaper editor and magazine editor. Bob has written hundreds of magazine articles, and authored, co-authored and edited more than 15 books. These include the newly re-published, Business At Its Best, Tufting Legacies, The Heart of Mentoring, and Pursuing Life With a Shepherds Heart. He edits a weekly business meditation, Monday Manna, which is translated into more than 20 languages and distributed via email around the world by CBMC International. To read more of Bob Tamasys writings, you can visit his blog, www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com, or his website (now being completed), www.bobtamasy-readywriterink.com. He can be emailed at btamasy@comcast.net. A Canadian billionaire identified as Barry Sherman and his wife, were both found dead in their home in what police called suspicious deaths. Toronto Police spokesman Mark Pugash said Saturday the deaths are suspicious based on what they know, but offered no other details. Police earlier said there were no signs of forced entry and there was no outstanding suspect they were going after. The 75-year-old pharmaceutical magnate and his wife, Honey, 70, were found dead in their north Toronto mansion on Friday. The deaths shocked Canadian high society and prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make a statement. Sherman founded Toronto-based Apotex Inc. in 1974 with two employees and turned it into the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company. Canadian Business magazine recently estimated his worth at $4.77 billion (US$3.65 billion), making him the 15th richest person in the country. The Shermans recently put up their house for sale for $6.9 million Canadian (US$5.4 million). The Sherman family issued a statement Saturday urging police to conduct a thorough, intensive and objective criminal investigation into their parents deaths and urging the media to avoid speculating on the cause of the deaths. The Shermans were among Canadas most generous philanthropists. The couple made numerous multimillion-dollar donations to hospitals, schools and charities and had buildings named in their honor. They also hosted Trudeau for a Liberal party fundraiser in 2015. Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau issued a statement on Twitter. Sophie and I are saddened by news of the sudden passing of Barry and Honey Sherman, Trudeau said. Our condolences to their family & friends, and to everyone touched by their vision & spirit. Apotex is a generic drugmaker with 11,000 employees world-wide, including more than 6,000 in Canada. The company released a statement on Saturday paying tribute to its founder, praising both his philanthropic efforts and what it described as his vision for health care. Patients around the world live healthier and more fulfilled lives thanks to his lifes work, and his significant impact on health care and health care sustainability will have an enduring impact for many years to come, the statement read. As employees, we are proud of his tremendous accomplishments, honored to have known him, and vow to carry on with the Apotex purpose in his honor. Honey Sherman was a member of the board of the York University Foundation. She also served on the boards of Mount Sinais Womens Auxiliary, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the International American Joint Distribution Committee. But Barry Sherman was not without controversy. He faced legal action from family members alleging they had been cut out of the company over the years. We are at a loss of words, neighbor Sarah Alva said. They are both the most wonderful people we knew and our hearts goes out to their families. Source: (Yahoo News) There are two things that your bedroom is designed for: having sex and sleeping. how do they now coincide you ask? the more sex you have, the more likely youll get a great night sleep. and the more sleep you get, give you enough energy for another go! The gist; Sex boosts Oxycontin (a hormone that makes you feel connected to your partner) and lowers cortisol (a stress-related hormone). Plus, having an orgasm releases a hormone called prolactin, which makes you feel relaxed and sleepy. All of that leads up to a nice, drowsy state thats perfect for cuddling up and falling asleep. Michele Lastella, Ph.D., a sleep researcher at Central Queensland Universitys Appleton Institute for Behavioral Science in Adelaide, Australia, recently found that two thirds of people slept better after getting it on. This was after a survey of 460 people between 18 and 70 years old was carried out and the result was achieved only after orgasms are achieved. Furthermore, with the research Lastella recommends replacing the time you spend scrolling on your phone before you go to sleep with a few minutes of quality intimacy. Those who described themselves as happy were also more likely to be satisfied with their sex lives, and vice versa. An inquest has been told how a deputy teacher brutally murdered his wife and three sons while they were sleeping. A deputy headteacher killed his wife and slit his three sons throats in their bedrooms, leaving a bloodied knife on a pillow before hanging himself, an inquest heard. According to the report by Dailymail, Alan Hawe, his schoolteacher wife Clodagh and their three children Liam, 13, Niall, 11, and Ryan, six, were found dead in their home near Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, Ireland on the morning of August 29, 2016. He may have targeted Clodagh and Liam first for fear they would fight back, leading pathologist Michael Curtis told the inquest. During the hearing, Garda Aisling Walsh broke down and wiped away tears as she recalled the harrowing scene at Oakdene, Barconey. Mrs Hawe was found lying face down in her pyjamas and dressing gown on the sitting room sofa. She had suffered severe head and neck injuries and there was a large pool of blood under the chair, the inquest was told. A small axe and a knife with Alan Hawes hand print was found beside the sofa, gardai told the hearing. Mr Hawe was found hanged in the hall. The inquest was told two of the boys, Liam and Niall, were found in their beds in the upstairs room they shared. A knife was found in the bedroom. Ms Walsh wept as she told the inquest: They had no signs of life. They had their duvets on them. Six-year-old Ryan was found alone in his bedroom and also had a duvet over him. Another knife was found on his pillow, the inquest heard. The coroner spoke directly to Ms Walsh as she tried to compose herself: Nobody can imagine what it was like that morning. During the inquest today, one of the countrys leading pathologists said the school principal may have targeted his wife and eldest son first for fear they may try to stop him. Amid audible shock in Cavan courthouse, Michael Curtis explained how Alan Hawe killed his family. The deputy state pathologist was asked by coroner Mary Flanagan if his examinations offered any insight into who died first. Its impossible to say with certainty, he said. The impression I get is that, essentially, working on the basis that dispatching Clodagh and the older boy first, he would have rendered the possibility of a physical challenge less likely. The deaths would have been rapid, Dr Curtis said. As he outlined in graphic detail how Mrs Hawe and her three sons died, her mother Mary Coll and sister Jacqueline Connolly sobbed and shook as they were comforted by relatives in the front row of the public gallery. As well axe and stab wounds, Mrs Hawe had a wound and two fractured bones on her right hand, which Dr Curtis suggested could have been defensive injuries The boys, who were found in their beds, suffered stab wounds. Liam also had injuries to his left arm and hands while Niall had an injury to a finger on his right hand, the inquest was told. Dr Curtis suggested these may also have been defensive. The pathologist said there were similarities in how the three boys died, and it was difficult to conclude this was coincidental. A toxicology test showed Mr Hawe had no alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of his death. He died by suicide and was found in the hall of the house. A jury of six women and one man is hearing the inquest in Cavan courthouse. Two men who committed armed robbery contrary to Robbery and Firearms Special Provision Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, were on Monday, sentenced to death. An Ado-Ekiti High Court on Monday found Michael Adams and Abass Mutiu guilty of armed robbery and murder and sentenced them to death by hanging. The Chief Judge, Ayodeji Daramola, convicted them for committing armed robbery contrary to Section (1) 2 (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014. He also found them guilty of murder contrary to Section 316 (1) punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ekiti State, 2015. According to the charge, Messrs. Adams and Mutiu committed the offences on 22nd January, 2014 at Fiyinfolu Avenue, off Ilawe Road, Ado-Ekiti when they robbed one Arowosere Kabiru of N12,800 while armed with dangerous weapons like guns and cutlasses. It also came before the court that the two convicts in the course of their robbery operation murdered one Ojo Adebola. They were arraigned in court for the first time on March 1, 2016 when the charges were read to them to which they pleaded not guilty. A legal officer from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), D. Oyewole, called four witnesses to prove the case. Exhibits tendered were the statement of the accused, Indian hemp, two motorcycles, cutlasses, cartridges, photographs of the deceased and photographs of the parade of the convicts by the police. The accused were led in evidence by the State Director of Legal Aid Council, Olaitan Adeloye. One of the witnesses who was among the victims of the attack identified the accused persons at the identification parade conducted by the state police command. The judge subsequently imposed death penalty on them for the killing of Mr. Adebola ordering that they be hanged on the neck until life goes out of them. An unemployed Nigerian man, Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, has shown a great display of honesty after he returned N566,000 he picked up from an accident scene. A Human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, who shared the story on social media, said Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, a 2012 graduate of Psychology from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, called him to inform him of the money and help search for the owner and he advised him on what to do. Yesterday, Chijinkem located the owner, an accident victim who was going to the market to buy keke spare parts. Surprisingly, Chijinkem picked the money 7th December and did not bother to count it until yesterday when it was returned. Speaking with LIB, Chijinkem said; It happened on December 7th. I was walking along University road in Nsukka, I saw an accident scene. I took them to the hospital and I paid N38, 600 as deposit for doctors to start treating them until their people come and take them to the hospital. I left and went back to the accident scene. On getting there, I saw something on the floor. I touched it and discovered it was money. On the money envelope was a note. Upon investigation, I discovered that the money is meant for a petrol dealer who gave one of his boys money to buy Keke spare parts. It was while the boy and another person was going to buy the spare parts that they had an accident. Yesterday, I called them together and gave the petrol dealer, sitting on the left in the pictures, the money. -LIB It has been revealed that the Councillors in Greenwich, UK, have voted to bar Donald Trump from the borough ahead of his proposed state visit. According to Reuters, the Labour-run council, at a meeting on Tuesday night, called on the Government to abandon its plans to host the President in the new year. Greenwich Council said that it had adopted a motion for the state visit not to go ahead, and that should a state visit go ahead, President Trump would not be welcome in the Borough. Additionally, the council expressed alarm at the decision of President Trump to retweet islamophobic propaganda and sadness at the Presidents bigoted attitude towards women and ethnic minorities. The leader of the council, Councillor Denise Hyland, said: On a daily basis we work hand in hand with residents from all communities to ensure this borough is a peaceful and welcoming place that celebrates difference and diversity, but in the case of President Trump we are willing to make an exception. We are one of 32 London boroughs, all different, all individual but all home to people from across the world. This diversity strengthens our borough. It enriches our lives on a daily basis. And it reminds us all that we have so much more in common than divides us. As one of the most multi-cultural London boroughs, we are a place that has worked tirelessly to break down barriers. We have no time for people who want to build walls, when we have done so much to break them down. Some thought the visit would be cancelled after Donald Trump and Theresa May had a disagreement over the Presidents retweeting of anti-Muslim videos posted by far-right group Britain First. A foreigner has taken to his social media page to protest against an African family that tendered a huge bill before him as bride price. Twitter user, Stevie Que has taken to the platform to express his anger over the issue of bride price which he believes its a viable avenue for people to get extorted. He wrote; Can somebody explain to me why the Africans have no class?? Why do they throw ones at people on their WEDDING they as if they are worthless strippers with no dignity ? Please explain He continued; African parents sell their daughters as if they are prostitutes and call Iit a bridal fee or some other dumb poo just to get married smh why am I paying the parents to marry their daughter? this is sick. Africans are known for scamming & finessing but this is just sick can people be in love IN PEACE without you scamming for once.. Im not paying nobody parents to marry their daughter.. they better be grateful somebody even wants to marry her The Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund (SSCF) is investing $1.5 million in six Southeastern communities with the City of Chattanooga receiving $300,000 to implement energy efficiency projects in local neighborhoods. We will be focusing these funds in four Chattanooga neighborhoods ? Highland Park, East Lake, East Chattanooga, and Alton Park, where green|spaces and EPB have been doing terrific work for years, while taking steps to increase access to City-managed HOME grants like providing applications in Spanish, said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. This commitment from the Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund will allow residents in these areas to save up to 20 percent per month on their household energy costs. The grant funds awarded to Chattanooga will cover work in 2018 and 2019, assisting with streamlining programs and processes to make current energy efficiency programs more accessible to those in need. Additionally, new programs from green|spaces like Build it Green (B.I.G.) will begin in January. Modeled on the SEEED program in Knoxville, B.I.G. will recruit youth from neighborhoods with high energy consumption rates and teach them basic energy efficiency and construction skills through classes as well as show them how to make simple upgrades to homes in their communities. The 12-week program also teaches soft skills like community building, money management and career preparation. Participants will receive $10 per hour and be connected with possible employment and higher education opportunities. Following the success of EPBs Home Energy Upgrade (HEU) pilot, the utility will again join forces with community members on the potential expansion of this program. EPB will be working with green spaces, Erlanger, the city, and others on a feasibility study for Green and Healthy Homes, a health outcomes based funding mechanism. This organizations mission intersects well with EPBs finding that 84% of homes helped by HEU experienced significant health benefits. EPB will also be working on expanding energy efficiency outreach and supporting workforce development and education initiatives being funded by this grant. This grant is truly an example of how working together works, of how leveraging resources as a community brings more resources to the community, said Elizabeth Hammitt, EPBs director of Environmental Stewardship & Community. The SSCF, which selected Chattanooga for the grant, is a partnership between The Kendeda Fund and the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network (SSDN). I am impressed by the breadth of communities interested in the program goals, as well as the range of local approaches to equitably address climate change, said Dennis Creech, Fund Advisor at The Kendeda Fund. Blackwater Distillery expects to have sold the 10,000 bottles of this one-off brand, named after Corks iconic tea producer, by the end of the month, writes Trish Dromey. Launching Barrys Tea Gin on the market for Christmas was an inspired decision by Blackwater Distillery. It expects to have sold all of its 10,000 bottles by the end of the month. The founder and creative director of the Cappoquin-based company, Peter Mulryan, says Barrys Tea dismissed the idea when he first proposed it, but he was delighted that they agreed when he asked a second time, because its been hugely popular. For a small craft distillery to sell this much gin in just two months is quite amazing, he said. According to the companys website, distilled tea is married with traditional accompaniments like cardamon, cinnamon and lemon with a good measure of juniper stirred in. Before bottling, we have a brew up, and these large pots of tea get stirred added in to the gin prior to bottling and thats what give Barrys Tea Gin its golden glow. It puts Backwater on track to achieving sales of 2.6m this year, which is also quite a feat for a small craft company that was only set up three years. This level of growth has been achieved via its bestselling gin, Blackwater No 5, which is available in Tesco and SuperValu nationally, and by producing Boyles Gin under contract for Aldi, in addition to the phenomenal success of Barrys Tea Gin. The company has recently started work on a new, 1.1m distillery in the nearby village of Ballyduff. This will facilitate further growth and allow Mr Mulryan to make plans for exports. The founding of Blackwater Distillery came about because of Mr Mulryans desire to find a better Irish gin. In 2013, the craft gin trend had started in the US and the UK and he decided that the Irish market was ready. A TV producer and author of several books about whiskey, he pitched the craft gin idea to work colleagues during a late-night shoot. The camera man, Barry Donnellan, and the sound engineer, Kieran Curtin, immediately agreed to come on board as directors, Mr Mulryan said. Started with 100,000 in funding in a small unit in Cappoquin Enterprise Park, Blackwater became one of Irelands first craft distilleries in 2015. We decided to set up in Waterford, because there was already a Cork gin. he said. Getting support from the Local Enterprise Office, he bought a still and produced the first product, Blackwater No 5 Gin. By the time this went on the market, the gin craze, which had started in the US and taken hold in the UK, had arrived in Ireland. It was relatively easy to sell. We went to off-licences and they wanted to buy it. he added. The early difficulty was funding, not shortage of demand, but during 2016, the company grew sales, took on a distributor, and gained publicity by winning an award at an international wine and spirits competition. This gave us recognition as a serious player, said Mr Mulryan. At the end of the year, we got a contract to make Boyles Gin for Aldi this was huge for us and required increased capacity, added Mr Mulryan, who borrowed to buy new equipment for the plant, which employs both himself, Kieran Curtin, and three part-timers. Since the existing premises dont have space to increase capacity sufficiently to develop exports, distil whiskey, or to open a visitor centre, Mr Mulryan started making plans to move. With investment of 1m from BDO Capital, work has now started on turning an old hardware store in Ballyduff into a state-of-the-art, 12,000 sq ft distillery with a visitor centre. We expect it to be ready by the summer, said Mr Mulryan, who has ordered three new stills from Italy, which will be used to produce both gin and niche whiskey with a point of difference. The company recently launched a 17-year-old single malt, Retronaut, distilled elsewhere, but bottled at Blackwater. Blackwater have a small percentage of exports, selling Blackwater No 5 to Germany, France, and the UK, and also shipping some vodka to Finland. Once the new facility is up and running, Mr Mulryan sees scope to develop new markets. His immediate new year plans will include a conversation with the owners of Barrys Tea. The previous agreement was a once-off of 10,000 bottles, but it has been so popular that hes hoping they will agree to more. Corks city councillors are poised to rule out further talks on the contentious city boundary extension after county councillors rejected the compromise deal, writes Eoin English. They are expected to formally vote at a special meeting tonight to endorse the final report of the implementation oversight group (IOG), which recommends that Ballincollig, Blarney, Tower, Glanmire, and Cork Airport become part of an expanded city, and which was accepted by Cabinet last week. However, Sinn Fein councillor and former lord mayor Chris OLeary said that, following the countys decision to reject the compromise extension, the time has come for the full Mackinnon boundary extension to be implemented. Last week, Local Government Minister Eoghan Murphy signed off on the IOG and called on both councils to reach agreement on the compromise that would allow him to use a ministerial order, rather than legislation, to give effect to the extension. During a lengthy debate on the IOG in County Hall on Friday, some of which was held in private, councillors rejected it. They voted 28-5 in support of a Fianna Fail proposal to return to the countys September offer, made under section 29 of the Local Government Act and previously rejected by the city, to cede a much smaller area of land immediately adjacent to the city boundary in areas including Grange, Frankfield, Ballyvolane, and Douglas, but excluding Ballincollig, Blarney, and Tower. Sinn Fein is the only party to support the IOG report in both councils. County officials said they will now explore various legal options arising out of Fridays vote. County Mayor and Independent councillor Declan Hurley led calls for further talks with the city on the issue. In a later statement, he said county councillors had noted that the Cabinet had approved the IOG report and the ministers statement about using statutory procedures if both councils agreed. I welcome the ministers comments. I think they are very helpful in the context of bringing the matter to a successful conclusion, said Mr Hurley. There are still concerns in relation to certain aspects of the proposed changes and, on foot of this, I, as County Mayor, will be making immediate contact, through my office, with the Lord Mayors office in order to seek an urgent engagement to conclude agreement between the political bodies of both councils at the earliest possible opportunity. This is a real opportunity for the political bodies across the two councils to work together in a meaningful and constructive manner to resolve outstanding issues over the coming weeks. I am confident that the councils will be in a position to bring an agreed boundary proposal to the minister shortly. It is clear that this is the ministers wish to try and secure as much agreement as possible at a local level in Cork. It also represents, in my view, as being the best approach, and it will help to ease the path towards successful implementation. A spokesman for City Hall pointed out that the IOG report has already been approved by the Government and it is not open to the city council to revisit the governments decision. The only matter at issue is agreement of the mechanism for Government to implement the extension ministerial order or primary legislation, he said. Lord Mayor and Fianna Fail councillor Tony Fitzgerald has indicated that he will recommend to city councillors tonight that they agree to the ministers request for agreement on the IOG. The last boundary extension was in 1965. Although smaller that the proposed Mackinnon extension, the IOG compromise boundary would increase the citys population from around 125,000, according to the 2016 Census, to just below 210,000, to include almost 70% of the population of the Metropolitan Cork region. This story originally appeared in theIrish Examiner. The ISPCA have rescued a donkey with a rope collar "severely embedded" into its nose and chin. ISPCA Inspector Emma Carroll investigated a report made to the National Animal Cruelty Helpline about the donkey in the Southill area of Limerick city recently. When she found the donkey with a rope head-collar embedded in its nose, chin and poll area, she said the animal was very upset. Inspector Carroll said: "The smell of infection from the donkeys face was so overpowering and he was visibly distressed. "I immediately called for help and the donkey was removed into the care of the ISPCA Equine Rescue Centre where he received urgent veterinary treatment before being transported to the Donkey Sanctuary." The donkey was not microchipped and the ISPCA is appealing to the public for information in relation to the donkeys origin. Inspector Carroll added: "This is an injury caused by sheer neglect, lack of observation and care on an owners behalf. There is absolutely no excuse for the pain and suffering caused to this defenceless animal. "It is paramount owners check the welfare of their animals daily. "It is also a stark reminder why rope should never be used to make head-collars as they can cause horrific injuries." The association thanked the Donkey Sanctuary and the people of Southill for their help in the case. Anyone who suspects an animal is being cruelly treated, neglected or abused, can contact the ISPCA National Animal Cruelty Helpline in confidence on 1890 515 515 or report online. In case of an emergency, people are advised to contact local Gardai. By Ann O'Loughlin An appeal by the wife of developer Sean Dunne related to his bankruptcy was adjourned when a presiding judge recused himself from the case over what he said may be a perceived conflict. Mr Justice Sean Ryan, president of the Court of Appeal, said he had bought a house from Mr Dunne's firm and had once met the man, but while he initially thought that should not be a problem for the parties in the case, he had thought again about it over lunch and decided he should recuse himself. He wanted to remove himself from the case being brought by Gayle Dunne because it was possible "somebody might say I am surprised he did not recuse himself". The appeal was being heard for less than a half an hour by Mr Justice Ryan, Ms Justice Maire Whelan and Mr Justice Michael Twomey when, as the court was about to break for lunch, Mr Justice Ryan said he wanted to mention to the parties that he had once bought a house from Mr Dunne's firm Mountbrook and also met the man once. Counsel for both sides agreed with him there would not be any problem with that. When the case resumed, Mr Justice Ryan said he had realised there was something "that went back over 20 years" and might give rise to a reasonable enough perception or possible perception of a conflict. There was "nothing terribly sinister" but it was something that had slipped his mind and he would prefer to recuse himself. That meant the court would have to be reconstituted and he adjourned the case for the purpose to the new year. In the appeal, Ms Dunne is seeking to overturn a High Court decision refusing to allow her cross examine a lawyer acting for the "Chapter Seven" trustee dealing with Mr Dunne's bankruptcy in the US. He was declared bankrupt in both the US and Ireland in 2013. The application was opposed by the Irish banruptcy official, Chris Lehane. In February last year, the High Court found the cross-examination of the US lawyer was not necessary. The appeal also relates to an application to dismiss proceedings by Mr Lehane related to agreements between Mr and Mrs Dunne in 2005 and 2008 to transfer interests to her and her children a number of assets - including a hotel called "Lagoon Beach" in Cape Town, South Africa as well as properties in Dublin and Wicklow. It is claimed those proceedings are unfair because they cover the same grounds as proceedings in the US. Mr Lehane disputes her claims. Update 12.30pm: Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy says the increased number of cranes in the Dublin skyline are building office blocks and not homes. Hes published a list of guidelines today that aim to reduce the cost of building apartments. Included in the measures are easing height restrictions and removing the need for parking. Minister Eoghan Murphy says car parks are costing developers too much. What we're saying is that the default would be for no car parking spaces, but if the developer can make a good case to put in parking, then, of course, the city council can take that on board. Were talking about city centre locations primarily because we know that every car parking space going underground is a significant additional cost per unit for developers. At the moment, developers finding enough viability when it comes to building departments and thats why so many of the cranes we see are actually building office blocks and not homes. Original story (7.13am): Height restrictions on residential buildings to be eased Height restrictions on residential buildings are to be eased in new guidelines around apartment developments. The Housing Department will publish the draft document today which also intends to increase the cap on the number of units that can be on a floor. The need to have parking spaces will be reduced in areas with good public transport, while 'shared living options' will also be explored. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said the guidelines aim to make it more cost-effective to build apartments. Architect and assistant professor at UCD Orla Hegarty said the changes will cause delays. "Nobody can start building if there is uncertainty about what the building will be. Anybody who has planning permission at the moment and were planning to develop it next year is likely now to put the brake on that and stop and wait and see what more they can get on site," she said. "The immediate impact will probably fewer partner starting in the new year which is exactly the wrong policy direction," she added. A man is due in court in Cork today after a dramatic knife incident at a city Garda station, writes Eoin English. Unarmed gardai talked the man into surrendering two knives and a hammer moments after a garda vehicle was smashed up at Mayfield Station on the northside of Cork City around lunchtime yesterday. The man, 43, walked into an area to the rear of the station building where all the windows and wing mirrors on a patrol van were damaged. The man then walked into the station where a knife was produced to the garda on duty in the public office. A tense stand-off ensued before the man was engaged in negotiation by the public officer and another garda. They eventually persuaded him to hand over two knives and a hammer. There were no reported injuries arising out of the incident. The man was arrested and detained at the scene, and was subsequently charged with damage to the garda van and with the possession of knives. He is due in court this morning charged in connection with the incident. This story originally appeared in theIrish Examiner. Failte Ireland and the OPW have teamed up to give everyone an opportunity to watch the winter Solstice effect within the passage tomb at Newgrange. A unique live stream will be established from the visitor attraction on the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday, December 20-21 (from 8.30am both days). Welcoming the initiative, Minister of State for Tourism and sport, Brendan Griffin TD said: This is a fantastic way to share the unique magic of Newgrange with a much larger audience. It is also a great way to highlight the type of compelling history and heritage that Ireland offers as a destination. Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Kevin Boxer Moran added: Newgrange nestled in the Boyne Valley is an important historical site in Irelands Ancient Heritage which attracted over 207,000 visitors in 2016. "Our annual Winter Solstice Lottery received over 33,000 applications to witness this event with winners from as far as Austria, Italy, Switzerland and the United States of America, showing the continuing fascination the Solstice has the world over. Interested viewers who subscribe in advance to the Ireland Ancient East YouTube Channel will get alerts and be prompted to tune in at the appropriate times. The live stream will also be embedded and available to watch on the Irelands Ancient East website on a special page which will also provide context within the wider ancient Ireland and the Boyne Valley story. Failte Irelands Head of Irelands Ancient East, Jenny De Saulles, today explained the importance of Newgrange for the tourism brand: The Newgrange site is one of the jewels in the crown of Irelands Ancient East and we are delighted to be teaming up with the OPW to share its story with as wide an audience as possible. "The history, heritage and the ancient atmosphere of Newgrange conjure up everything special about Irelands history and unique past and we are really happy to bring these elements to a wider audience. The first volume of a new biography of Eamon de Valera delves into such areas as his childhood and also his difficult relationship with Michael Collins, writes Ryle Dwyer. The first volume of De Valera: Rise 1882-1932, David McCullaghs two-volume biography of Eamon de Valera should be of great interested to anyone studying the man, or the struggle for independence from 1916 to 1932. The author does shy away from delicate matters. He questions whether de Valeras mother and father were ever married. His mother named the priest and the church where this marriage supposedly took place, but nobody has been able to locate a record of the ceremony. That, of course, is no reflection on de Valera himself. There were rumours his mother was pregnant before she emigrated to the United States in 1879, but if so, he was obviously not the issue, because he was not born in New York until October 1882. His father reportedly died shortly afterwards of tuberculosis, but there was no record of his death. The boy was sent to be reared by his grandmother in Bruree, but he ended up with an uncle, who apparently considered him an imposition. De Valera was a good student who managed to win a scholarship and gained entry to Blackrock College. He clearly loved the place, and it became his real home. He came to national attention in 1916 as one of only two commandants to survive the executions following the Easter Rebellion. The author presents the story in a balanced way, allowing readers come to their own conclusions. Although sentenced to life in prison, de Valera was released with all the other remaining prisoners shortly after the election to parliament of fellow-prisoner Joe McGuinness in the Longford by-election of May 1917. Ironically de Valera had tried to block McGuinness standing in the election, fearing his defeat would set back the movement. By the time of his release, de Valera had already been nominated to stand in a forthcoming by-election in East Clare. When he went to Ennis for an election rally on June 19, 1917, he deliberately surrounded himself with as many priests as possible, according to the author. He was duly elected in a landslide. During the ensuing period, de Valera played a leading part in uniting republicans under the Sinn Fein banner, and he was elected party president. The nationalists under John Redmond began reasserting themselves, by winning by-elections, before the British made the mistake of trying to introduce conscription in Ireland in April 1918. De Valera enlisted the support of the Catholic hierarchy in opposing conscription, and the British compounded their mistake by rounding up de Valera and other Sinn Fein leaders on trumped up charges of supposed involvement in a German plot. While they were in jail in Britain, Michael Collins came to the fore in Ireland and was largely responsible for Sinn Feins success in the 1918 general election. The party, which pledged that those elected would set up their own government in Ireland, won 73 seats. They duly proclaimed independence and established Dail Eireann. Collins personally supervised de Valeras escape from Lincoln jail in February 1919. He was hoping de Valera would lead a war of independence against the British. But the Long Fellow decided to go to the US in the hope of drumming up American support for Irish independence, as President Woodrow Wilson had proclaimed the US was fighting for the rights of small nations in the First World War. Irish-American elements were seriously split, and de Valera later stated that he thought he could help to unite them, but he only made matters worse. According to the author, de Valera went to somewhat irrational lengths in opposing Daniel Cohalan, the recognised Irish-American leader. American people traditionally resented foreign interference in their politics, so Cohalan insisted he was campaigning in the interest of the US. When de Valera insisted on being consulted about the political tactics being used, Cohalan balked. At de Valeras request, the Dail to authorise him to spend $1m on the campaign for American recognition of the Irish Republic, and a further $500,000 on a disastrous effort to influence the US presidential election of 1920. When Michael Collins took over as acting president following the arrest of Arthur Griffith in late November 1920, de Valera promptly decided to return to Ireland. He exhibited a distinct lack of tact following his return by immediately criticising the IRAs military campaign. This odd shooting of a policeman here and there is having a very bad effect on us from the propaganda point of view in America, he complained to IRA chief of staff Richard Mulcahy. What we want is one good battle about once a month with about 500 men on each side. Next, he tried to send Collins to the US, but the Big Fellow balked. That long whoor wont get rid of me as easy as that, Collins snapped. De Valera then pointedly appointed Austin Stack as deputy president, in place of Collins. After being invited to London for talks by Lloyd George in July 1921, de Valera refused to take Collins with him, but he later insisted on the inclusion of Collins in the delegation to negotiate a settlement. The president saddled that delegation with the responsibility of negotiating and signing a treaty, but balked when they signed it without giving him the last say. He later lied about opposing the Treaty because of partition. McCullagh notes that when de Valera proposed Document No 2 as his alternative to the Treaty, it included the Treatys partition clauses. His differences with the Treaty were so small, he said the British would not fight over it, but the delegation had obviously felt otherwise. De Valera confronted anyone who disagreed with him. He once complained to Mary MacSwiney that they would never agree. I have no doubt, he added, that an omniscient being would rate my error as but a very small fraction of yours The author cut the quote at that point, even though the sentence comprised of just one other word and a question mark vanity? De Valera assumed the insight of an omniscient being to accuse her of vanity! It is extraordinary the change that occurs once people are in office, de Valera later wrote to Dorothy Macardle. Once you are satisfied that the welfare of the country is served by your retaining power you get impatient of all opposition inclined to think it is all factions. As a result, the author writes, de Valera convinced himself that he needed to fashion a new party in which his decisions would be unchallenged, to establish a newspaper in which his views would be uncontested, and to build a new relationship with the Irish people in which his ideas would be accepted. De Valeras astonishing recovery from apparent political oblivion in the wake of the Civil War is covered in depth. He overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to regain power in 1932, the author concludes. The question now was how he would use it. Having just covered what was arguably the darkest part of de Valeras career, McCullagh is clearly issuing an appetising teaser for the second volume of the biography, due in 2018. T.Ryle Dwyer is the author of Big Fellow, Long Fellow: A Joint Biography of Collins and de Valera. De Valera: Rise 1882-1932, David McCullagh, Gill Books, 24.99 The surge in Bitcoin has seen values soar more than 16-fold this year alone to above $17,000. But what is it, where did it come from, how does it work and what does the future hold? IT'S a form of money thats remarkable for what its not: Its not currency you can hold in your hand. Its not generally recognised by most main street shops. Its not issued or backed by a national government. At their core, Bitcoin and its imitators are sets of software protocols for generating digital tokens and for tracking transactions in a way that makes it hard to counterfeit or re-use tokens. A Bitcoin has value only to the extent that its users agree that it does. What is Bitcoin used for? The currency crisis in Venezuela provides a great use-case example. The local currency, the bolivar, is in crisis and being inflated into extinction. People benefitting from ultra low cost electricity are mining Bitcoin to buy much needed food and medicine. Bitcoin is also popular in Zimbabwe where the currency is worth twice its current world dollar market value. The bank bail-in in Cyprus 2013 saw a substantial increase in Bitcoins value as people were justifiably desperate to liquidate the euro in their bank accounts. There are similar worries in the EU with the introduction of Amendment 13 by the European Central Bank which proposes to remove protection on bank deposits below 100,000. Bitcoin can be seen as a hedge against such uncertainties: a kind of insurance, even if it is a speculation. How can I buy it or invest in it? People use the Bitcoin ATM in Hong Kong. Picture: AP Photo/Kin Cheung People can buy the coins directly from exchanges like Coinbase. Accredited investors can also invest in vehicles like the Bitcoin Investment Trust, which tracks bitcoins price. Soon investors will be able to invest through their regular brokers in Bitcoin futures, and possibly in Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, once regulators feel comfortable with the idea. But be warned: Even plenty of people who believe in Bitcoins future think some wild rides lie ahead. What is a cryptocurrencies? Bitcoin is only one of an estimated 2,000 cryptocurrencies that exist. Its an electronic ledger (a digital file) that cannot be altered or forged due to mathematical near-impossibility and the fact that copies of these ledgers are distributed across the internet each ledger must match exactly to be verifiable. Each Bitcoin transaction requires a consensus to be reached by the Bitcoin network in order to be validated. This takes an average of 15 minutes to complete as in, it takes 15 minutes to get paid. Where did the Bitcoin system come from? The original software was laid out in a white paper in 2008 by a person or group of people using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, whose identify remains unknown, despite several efforts to assign or claim credit. Online fantasy games had long used virtual currencies. The key idea behind bitcoin was the blockchain a publicly visible, largely anonymous online ledger that records Bitcoin transactions. How does that work? Think about what happens if you make an online transfer using a bank. It verifies that you have the funds, subtracts that amount from one spot in a giant database it maintains of accounts and balances, and credits it in another. You can see the result if you log on to your account but the transaction is under the banks control. Youre trusting the bank to remove the right amount of money, and the bank is also making sure you cant spend that money again. The blockchain is a database that performs those tracking functions but without the bank or any other central authority. Who performs the bank function for Bitcoin? Its done by consensus on a decentralised network. Bitcoin transactions can be made through sites offering electronic wallets that upload the data to the network. New transactions are bundled together into a batch and broadcast to the network for verification by so-called bitcoin miners. Who gets to be a miner? Anybody, so long as you have really fast computers, a lot of electricity and a desire to solve puzzles. The transaction data in each batch is encrypted by a formula that can be unlocked only through trial-and-error guessing on a massive scale. The miners put large-scale computing power to work as they compete to be the first to solve it. If a miners answer is verified by others, the data is added to a linked chain of blocks of data and the miner is rewarded with newly issued bitcoin. How does the system prevent cheating? Because every block contains data linking to earlier blocks, an attempt to spend the same bitcoin twice would mean revising many links in the chain. Plus, as miners compete, they verify each others work each step of the way. Wasnt Bitcoin used by drug dealers? Yes, back when its primary appeal was its relative anonymity. It was, and still is, used by websites peddling everything from arms to drugs to paid hits. One such $1.2bn marketplace, Silk Road, was shut down by the FBI in 2013. But others soon took its place. Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate in economics, said recently that Bitcoin ought to be outlawed because its designed to evade regulation and doesnt serve any socially useful function. What changed? A customer uses a Bitcoin machine in Piccadilly Circus in London. Bitcoins reputation has improved, partly because there are fewer large-scale thefts like the one in 2014 in which bitcoins were stolen from a bitcoin exchange called Mt. Gox. (Security has improved, but its still an issue.) And many technology and financial firms grew interested in blockchain as an idea separate from bitcoin. What is blockchains appeal? Enthusiasts see it as a new way of doing all sorts of business. Costs could be lower without a central middleman doing the work of keeping track of transactions, and charging for it. Banks and stock exchanges have invested heavily in developing blockchain technology, while retailers are experimenting with using blockchain for ensuring food safety. Central banks are even speculating about issuing blockchain-based official currencies. And other forms of blockchain emerged, often using their own cryptocurrencies to facilitate transactions. The most prominent is the etherium blockchain, sometimes described as a platform for so-called smart contracts. Why hasnt the competition hurt Bitcoin? As the number of cryptocurrencies and tokens multiply they now reach into the thousands Bitcoin remains the best-known, time-tested and valuable. Thats led to it being viewed by some as the most predictable venue for people wanting to bet on blockchains exponential growth. What explains the surge in Bitcoins price? New investors, and expectations of many more to follow, has increased the price of a Bitcoin drastically this year. CME Group and other exchanges plan to offer bitcoin futures contracts, potentially expanding bitcoins appeal. The fact that Bitcoins software guarantees there will be a finite supply has added to the fear of missing out for some investors. Coinbase, a Bitcoin exchange, was overwhelmed by two to three times its normal traffic on November 29, when Bitcoins price soared past $11,000, making its service temporarily unavailable to some users. New crypto-focused hedge funds are opening up weekly, and already surpass 100. Most of them invest at least part of their funds in Bitcoin. Is this a bubble? Possibly. Some people, most notably JPMorgan Chase, call bitcoin a fraud. Yet his own bank is considering offering Bitcoin futures to clients. Fund manager Mike Novogratz calls cryptocurrencies the biggest bubble of our lifetimes, and yet he is starting a $500m fund to invest in them. Depending on whom you talk to, bitcoins value could double again or it could go down to zero. What are the other main cryptocurrencies? - Ethereum: Even in the complicated world of Bitcoin, Ethereum is hard to get your head around. Its difficult to buy Ethereum directly, so most investors first buy Bitcoin and then trade bitcoin for Ethereum. It was launched in 2015, allowing users to build decentralised applications, spending tokens called ether to buy processing power on computers run by other members of the network. Those applications can offer anything from file storage to financial services or simple games, all in a way that is impossible for any centralised authority to shut them down. - CryptoKitties: one of the oddest Ethereum projects in operation, CryptoKitties is a three-way cross between Tamagotchis, Beanie Babies and animal husbandry. Users can buy, sell and breed the eponymous cats, with reports suggesting the CryptoKitties network is responsible for 11% of all traffic on Ethereum. A new gen0 cat is born every 15 minutes, which the company auctions off, and it also takes a cut of all other CryptoKittie sales. The most expensive CryptoKitty sold to date, Founder Cat #18, went for more than $110,000 on Thursday. - Monero: A direct alternative to Bitcoin, it allows users make the same sort of digital transactions as its older sibling, but with greater privacy protections. The currency is also altered to make it easier to generate new coins using the sorts of processors in computers and phones, rather than requiring specialised mining rigs making it very popular with online criminals. Notable Bitcoin supporters Investors such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Eric Schmidt of Google, Al Gore, Richard Branson and Peter Thiel of Paypal to name but a few, have bought into cryptocurrencies, while companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Apple, Time Magazine and Tesla have started to accept Bitcoin as payment. Steve Wozniak, the technical wizard behind Apple is a great supporter, while Bill Casey, the bestselling author of Crisis Investing has succumbed to Bitcoins charms. Max Keiser, well-known amongst the anti-establishment economic pundits has always been a great supporter. What does the future look like? Hyosung, the major ATM manufacturer, recently added Bitcoin transactions to its machines. This will allow ordinary punters to buy Bitcoin on the high street. There are many exciting prospects under development for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Technology such as Festy, created by an Irish crypto payment startup, will enable lightning fast transactions via a currency known as Dash. Such transactions will require no more than a swipe across a scanner. Bitcoin is a modern-day store of wealth much like gold and silver. However, unlike these precious metals Bitcoins cannot be confiscated at the border. Additional information from Paul Lee, a long term Bitcoin advocate, investor and consultant based in Cork. How the world uses energy is a hot topic for a warming planet, and fears of pollution and resource strain have produced a virtual arms race of energy-efficiency strategies. From the European Union to China, economies are vowing to reduce their energy intensity by utilising technological innovations and legislative changes. Yet, despite these promises, consumer demand for energy is forecast by the International Energy Agency to rise until at least 2040. With the worlds energy needs growing, how can policymakers guarantee supply? To put it bluntly, the world does not have to worry about reserves. After 40 years of fearing energy shortages, we have entered an era of abundance. We need to guard against false narratives, not scarce resources. The culprit is the Club of Rome, a global thinktank that, in the 1970s, spurred energy anxiety with its absurd prophecies derived from questionable models. As devoted followers of Thomas Malthus and Paul Ehrlich, the club argued that bad things come from exponential growth, and good things from linear growth. This idea prompted the prediction that the world would run out of oil by 2000. By adopting this nonsense dogma, developed countries enabled resource-rich authoritarian leaders, like Muammar Gaddafi, in Libya, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in Iran, to use their oil reserves as tools to oppose the West, and particularly the Wests support for Israel. This contributed to the oil shocks of the 1970s, and reinforced the erroneous perception that hydrocarbon reserves were even more limited, and largely confined to the Middle East. Rapid advances in technology, particularly in the field of exploration, and the ability to extract hydrocarbons in new places, eventually upended such narratives. Todays energy crisis stems not from shortages, but from anxiety over pollution. But this anxiety has not slowed our exploration habits. On the contrary, politics and international law, like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, have been adapted to enable discovery. Consider, for example, the Rovuma gas field off the coast of Mozambique. Today, a consortium of international companies, from countries including Italy and China, is preparing for production, and one of Africas poorest countries is set to reap huge rewards. Similarly, Israel, once thought to be the only place in the Middle East without hydrocarbons, is sitting on 800bn cubic meters of offshore gas reserves, or 130 years of the countrys current annual gas consumption. Once a net energy importer, Israel today faces the very real challenge of exporting its gas bonanza. But perhaps the biggest technology-driven upheaval for global energy markets in recent years has come from shale gas and shale oil production in the United States. At 8.8m barrels per day, US oil production is now higher than that of Iraq and Iran combined. US shale gas is being delivered to Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe. These markets were long locked up by Qatar, Russia, and Australia, but now the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, like the oil market, has entered a period of overproduction. Taken together, these developments have contributed to lower energy prices, and have reduced the strength of Opec. Furthermore, because LNG is favoured by the transport sector (particularly freight and maritime shippers) for environmental reasons, the ability to use oil as a geopolitical weapon has disappeared. Iran was so desperate to ramp up its oil exports that it agreed to abandon its nuclear programme (strikingly, the Iran nuclear deal mentions the word oil 65 times). Wind and solar are often presented as alternatives to oil and gas, but they cannot compete with traditional sources of electricity-generation. If they could, there would be no reason for the EU to support renewable energy production through legislation. Moreover, while wind and solar technologies generate electricity, the biggest energy demand comes from heating. In the EU, for example, electricity represents only 22% of final energy demand, while heating and cooling represents 45%; transportation accounts for the remaining 33%. All of these factors explain why fossil fuels, which currently meet more than 80% of the worlds energy needs, will remain the backbone of global energy production for the foreseeable future. This may not come as welcome news to those pushing for an immediate phase-out of hydrocarbons. But perhaps some solace can be gained from the fact that technological innovation will also play a key role in reducing the negative impacts on air and water quality. Amid the global conversation about climate change, it is understandable that developed economies would promise significant gains in energy-efficiency. But while the EU may be committed to reducing CO2 emissions, other signatories of the 2015 Paris climate agreement do not seem as resolute. It would not be surprising if most of the signatories actually raised their energy consumption in the coming years, turning to fossil fuels because they cannot afford any other option. Energy policy will remain on the agenda for advanced economies for many years to come. But as countries work to balance security of supply with environmental goals, they must also commit to getting their facts straight. Samuele Furfari is a professor of the geopolitics of energy at Universite libre de Bruxelles, and author of The Changing World of Energy and the Geopolitical Challenges. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017. Nelson Mandela achieved a distinction not entirely undeserved little short of sainthood during his 95 years on this earth. Freed from almost three decades in prison unblemished by a hunger for revenge, he negotiated the bloodless winding up of South Africas apartheid regime and, as the countrys first black president, formed a multiracial cabinet to oversee the changes necessary to bring peace and social justice. As the leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), the post from which he stepped down 20 years ago this week, he was a modest, honest man uninterested in the trappings and symbols of power and possessed by a remarkable spirit of generosity. He set an outstanding example not only for his successors in his own country but also for post-independence parties throughout Africa. Bitcoins blistering rally needs to be viewed with some perspective, writes Camila Russo. Yes, its market cap of about $180bn is the same as Coca-Colas. And yes, its more than 16-fold increase has become near legendary with values hovering in and around $17,000. But in the broader scheme of the financial market, its a gnat equivalent to less than 2% of any major class and 400 stocks have bigger gains this year. Heres what Bitcoin would roughly equal as a percentage of the total value of the following sectors. The market sizes were taken from the Money Project. 2.4% of the $7.6tn coins and bank notes 2.3% of the $7.7tn gold market 0.25% of the $73tn global stocks market 0.19% of the $90.4tn of broad money supply 0.033% of the $544tn derivatives market Maybe a more fair comparison would be to compare the total cryptocurrency market against these asset classes, but that wouldnt move the needle much as Bitcoin makes up half of it. These comparisons could be used by critics to dismiss Bitcoin as a fad, and some may question all the fuss over such an insignificant asset if it can even be called that. Claims that it can replace fiat money seem overblown, if its less than 3% of money in circulation. European Central Bank president Vitor Constancio dismissed that Bitcoin posed a threat to monetary policy and compared it to the tulip bubble of the 17th century. Even Bitcoins more than 1,000% gain this year doesnt look that impressive when comparing against global equities, as there have been 400 stocks with gains of at least the same amount. Bloombergs Cameron Crise warns that Bitcoins still small size can also be fodder for the bulls, who say it still has room to gain since the cryptocurrency is increasingly viewed as a store of value. Goldman Sachs global head of commodities research Jeff Currie said Bitcoin is not much different than gold because it doesnt have liability attached to it by definition, like a security. Billionaire Mike Novogratz said Bitcoin is like digital gold in that gold has value solely because people say it has value; Bitcoin is built on an amazing technology, theres a limited supply of it. While Bitcoins limited supply, or small size is an asset for some, its a reason to be dismissed for others like Constancio, who will say it has as much substance as a financial instrument as a flower. Sarah Palin's oldest son has been charged with assaulting his father at the family's home in Alaska. An affidavit by a Wasilla Police officer said Mrs Palin told police on Saturday night that Track Palin was "freaking out" and on some type of medication. The affidavit said Todd Palin was bleeding from cuts on his head. He told police the dispute began when Track Palin called wanting to get his truck. Todd Palin said he told his son not to come and got his pistol "to protect his family". Track Palin told police he tried to get in the door, but it did not open and he broke a window and disarmed his father. He was arraigned on charges, including misdemeanour assault, yesterday. In 2016, he was suspected of punching his girlfriend, who then became concerned that he was going to shoot himself with a rifle, court documents said. He faced several charges related to domestic violence but had some dismissed in exchange for pleading guilty to possessing a firearm while intoxicated. His then-girlfriend later filed for custody of their child, and in January she requested a protective order. AP A closely-watched trial in Belgium involving the only surviving suspect in the 2015 attacks in Paris has been postponed until February to give a newly appointed lawyer time to prepare. Salah Abdeslam's trial in Brussels was set to begin on Monday but the defence requested a delay. Parcel Motel, which is a locker-based service, allows consumers to use a virtual address for items they buy online and then collect their goods from stationary units across the country. However, the company has brought in buses which it has repurposed to deal with the extraordinary demand this Christmas. We have installed extra units in our busiest areas and opened a pop-up collection depot in south Dublin. We have also arranged for timed bus deliveries to some of our busiest Parcel Motel locations where lockers may not have space available as customers have not yet had the opportunity to collect their packages, said a spokeswoman for Parcel Motel. According to Retail Excellence, there was a huge surge in online sales towards the end of November. The retail group estimates there was between a 20% and 60% increase in online sales during Black Friday (November 24) and Cyber Monday (November 27). Our internal report confirms that the big winners were pharmacies, cosmetics, electronics, technology, and fashion, with many reporting sales increases year on year of between 20%-60%, said deputy CEO of Retail Excellence, Lorraine Higgins. Our members have informed us that their expectations were exceeded, with numerous retailers reporting it was their busiest trading period in their history. This year there was big value on offer for consumers with many holding out for the biggest deals released on Black Friday. Other figures from the retail group show the percentage demand increase that delivery companies are dealing with. Logistic companies reported an increase of up to 40% in deliveries, with many orders being fulfilled by retailers operating outside of Ireland and predominately in the UK, said Ms Higgins. This remains a massive challenge for the Irish retail industry with Brexit and sterling devaluation exacerbating matters. While people may be buying from retailers in other countries, Parcel Motel, operated by Nightline, is an Irish-owned company. Ms Higgins said, cutting-edge digital marketing played a big role in retailers success during the cyber sales period. Anecdotal evidence from people collecting goods from the Parcel Motel buses would suggest that Amazon, is the main online shopping destination for Irish consumers. Parcel Motel warned shoppers that presents bought online from retailers outside of Ireland since Saturday may not arrive in time for Christmas. In order to ensure all your parcels are delivered in time for Christmas, we also recommend not to depend on purchases made outside Ireland after December 16, said the spokeswoman. The body of Rosie Hanrahan was discovered in her home by her sister Evelyn and Evelyns husband Jim Kenny on Friday, a family source confirmed. Gardai did not comment on reports that Ms Hanrahan had been tied up and strangled during a break-in at her bungalow, located at New Rd, Thomondgate. The killing has sent shockwaves through the close-knit working-class area, and has also appalled senior gardai involved in the murder investigation. Superintendent Derek Smart, who is leading the investigation, speaking during a press briefing on the murder, said the killing was hard to take in. Meanwhile, former detective Sean Lynch, who is mayor of the Metropolitan District of Limerick, and chairman of the local Joint Policing Committee, issued this warning to anyone who may be protecting the killer or killers. Dont shield them, he said. There are repercussions there for people who are shielding [criminals], or that had information that would [have] led to the early arrests or the solving of this case. Mr Lynch said the murder was a heinous crime, obviously committed by a very evil person or persons. He said: There is no place in society for the perpetrator, and they need to be brought to justice, sooner rather than later. Mr Lynch retired from the force in 2013. However, despite investigating many murder cases, he said the killing of the pensioner had left him sickened. He said; Its absolutely shocking, and there are no words to describe the disappointment and the disgust that I feel myself and Im sure Im speaking for everybody in Limerick and further afield that a 78-year old woman should come to her end in this fashion. There is no place for this type of crime in our society. Were not going to tolerate it. Mr Lynch has called for the justice system to enforce a zero tolerance approach to thugs or evil people that prey on innocent vulnerable people. No arrests have been made yet in the Hanrahan case. Her home remained sealed off and forensic officers continued to comb the property for clues. Supt Smart appealed for anyone with information to contact gardai on 061-212400. Ms Hanrahan, who did not have any children, is survived by her four sisters, Helen, Evelyn, Chrissie, and Kathleen. Neighbours said she had been living at the house for the past 40 years. She had cared for her late husband, Michael, who died nearly five years ago, having suffered from a long-term illness. She had planned to cook dinner on Christmas Day for herself and her sister Helen. Speaking at her home Kileely, Helen said she was in a daze since her sisters murder. We always spent Christmas together in her house, because shed cook dinner I wouldnt cook it right, shed tell me, she said. We would have spent Christmas together in her house. Its only when [Christmas Day] happens [this] will really sink in. I will miss her dreadfully. I cant make sense of it really. She never did anything to anybody. She was very good to everybody. The prospect of Irish banks paying out compensation to customers and fines over the scandal has raised the likelihood of the ECB intervening, particularly over supervisory concerns. Estimates suggest the scandal could cost the banks 570m . It is now thought more than 30,000 homeowners were overcharged. The Central Bank, banks, and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will this week issue updates on customers wrongly moved off the rates. Mr Hayes wrote to the ECB in October asking if any systematic risks could arise in the banking system and if it would intervene. Daniele Nouy, chairwoman of the supervisory board of the ECB, said it is up to the Irish Central Bank to take enforcement action. She says there is no indication the issue may pose a systematic risk, but the ECB may still intervene. At the same time, any failure by credit institutions to comply with their obligations towards their customers may have prudential implications, which would raise supervisory concerns for the ECB, said Ms Nouy. The financial implications for credit institutions that may be required to pay compensation for the damage suffered by their customers, or that may be subject to sanctions imposed by the Central Bank of Ireland for breaching their contractual obligations towards their customers, would raise supervisory concerns, as would whether banks hold sufficient capital against operational/conduct risk, as well as the adequacy of banks governance and internal controls for preventing misconduct. Mr Hayes said the scandal could raise supervisory concerns. which would force the ECB to act against banks. There is rightly going to be heavy fines for Irish banks and compensation will have to be paid to customers who have been wronged, he said. The ECB has confirmed that it is ready to deal with the fallout if the fines becomes so substantial for banks that they would not hold enough capital against their operational risk. Concerns have been raised about the period of time it will take to get the Briery Gap in Macroom, Co Cork, back up and running after a devastating fire which ripped through the building in May last year. The public-owned building housed a theatre and public library and had undergone major refurbishment in 2013. Cork County Council, who managed the building along with a local board of management, was forced to concede to elected members an insurance claim had not yet been resolved. Macroom-based councillor Ted Lucey said he appreciates there was a lot of damage caused to the building by the fire, but said progress on getting it re-opened was very slow. The delays in restoring the site, he said, was a great disappointment to people who have enjoyed the facility for many years, not just from Macroom, but all over Munster. He made his comments after getting an update from council officials at a meeting of the Blarney/Macroom Municipal District Council. Officials outlined an estimated timeline for different parts of the redevelopment. The council hopes to appoint a preliminary design team towards the end of February next, seek planning permission in May and commence construction in 2019. Cllr Lucey was told that it could be December 2019 at the earliest that construction would be completed. He urged officials to try and speed up the process, having the building completed in time for it to host the Christmas panto season. Officials promised they would try to do that and would issue quarterly bulletins on progress from next year. The Briery Gap has played a very central role in the life of the town for many years and it is really missed, councillor Gobnait Moynihan told her fellow councillors. We need to keep the pressure on for this work to be completed faster. Councillor Michael Creed said he was aware of the extensive damage but said the proposed council timeline was still lengthy. He disclosed to the meeting that he believed an insurance claim had not been sorted out. Officials admitted that was true but said it was being worked on. You dont miss something until its gone, said councillor Des OGrady. Im worried about the insurance issue. Surely that has to be sorted out first before any work can be done. Municipal district chairman Kevin Conway also said it was vital that progress was made as quickly as possible. Theres great history involved in that building, said Mr Conway. The Briery Gap was a mainstay in the south of Ireland for acting and theatre. Unarmed gardai talked the man into surrendering two knives and a hammer moments after a garda vehicle was smashed up at Mayfield Station on the northside of Cork City around lunchtime yesterday. The man, 43, walked into an area to the rear of the station building where all the windows and wing mirrors on a patrol van were damaged. Ahead of talks in the new year on trade priorities for Ireland, as part of the future EU-UK relationship, Mr Creed said there were just weeks to drive home concerns about Irelands fisheries sector. As Ireland and like-minded EU countries, such as Spain, France, the Netherlands, and Denmark, moved into phase two of Brexit talks on trade, it was crucial to ensure that debate about fishing rights was not isolated and was, instead, part of some broad agreement, said Mr Creed. The UK would love to have a fisheries debate around these are our fish, these are our waters and if you want access, you have to come knocking at our door and be very nice to us, he said. Our approach is: You have a legal share of those fisheries. You dont control all the fish in those waters and when you leave the European Union, you take your legal share. Nothing more, nothing less. At least a third of Irelands catch, by weight and value, currently comes from British waters. Next years EU fisheries deal was hammered out by member states last week. Mr Creed says these should be the rules for Britain when it leaves. It is a sector that stands to lose more than any sector, if we play on the pitch the UK is articulating, [saying] our fish, our waters, he said. The Cork North-West TD said any opportunistic, unilateralist approach by Britain on the fisheries talks will have negative consequences for the wider relationship talks. But asked if there was also a possibility of a second referendum in Britain, he said: They are leaving and the negotiations are critical. We can speculate and be distracted on whether or not they might have a second referendum. What we have to do is prepare for every possible scenario. Nonetheless, he also said it would be dangerous for Ireland to pause Brexit preparations, even if there was a demand for a second Brexit vote. Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Coveney said that the Governments relationship with the Democratic Unionist Party needs to be repaired. He told RTE: Because of the tension around trying to get the [phase one] deal we felt was needed for everyone on this island, yes, of course there is repair work to do. He said that the absence of a power-sharing executive in the North was part of the problem of Brexit. Dublin City Council (DCC) is considering using the training unit on the prison campus to house homeless people after the Department of Justice offered the premises to the local authority. The unit closed earlier this year and is separate to the main prison. It had capacity to house 96 people. An independent councillor for DCC, Mannix Flynn, said it was a good news story and that it was not akin to putting rough sleepers in prison. It is a separate complex to the main prison, he said. I would also ask the religious congregations to look around their estates for similar buildings. I also believe that Collins Barracks could be used to facilitate this emergency. However, Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) will request a meeting with the deputy chief executive of DCC, Brendan Kenny. There is a serious and dangerous game being played here, said ICHH CEO Anthony Flynn yesterday. ICHH will be requesting a meeting with Mr Kenny on Monday. Meanwhile, the Irish Housing Network, the group behind Apollo House, said the occupation of the building was a symbol of resistance and that the crisis of homelessness has worsened in the last 12 months. One year on, we would like to illustrate the situation now faced by those residents and activists as the housing crisis continues to worsen, said a spokesman for the group. Today, the Peter McVerry Trust will start building six new social housing units. It will also open new emergency accommodation for 100 single people and 24 families in Dublin, to be ready for Christmas. There are more than 8,000 people homeless in Ireland, 3,194 of whom are children. Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show the INS claimed a report used by the two colleges to justify the closure of the Irish Marine and Energy Research Cluster (IMERC), in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, contained inaccuracies and unsubstantiated assertions. A senior naval officer said that the flawed report could result in reputational damage for the Naval Service and for individual officers. The INS described the decision to close IMERC as short-sighted, given the time and effort devoted to the project and its significant achievements and impacts. The Naval Service confirmed it had no role in the decision to close the facility, despite being a joint partner. The Department of Defence tried to prevent the Naval Services disquiet about the closure becoming public. The facility was designed to make Ireland a world-leader in the commercialisation of marine research, and the decision to close it was made on foot of a controversial report commissioned by UCC and CIT, in 2016, which concluded it was not fit for purpose. IMERC was established jointly by the two colleges and by the Naval Service, in 2010, to facilitate collaboration among its partners, including the National Maritime College of Ireland, a constituent part of CIT, and the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy, which is coordinated by UCC. The report, which was carried out by five international experts chaired by Paul Haran, a former secretary general of the Department of Enterprise and Employment, warned that UCC, CIT, and the INS were being unduly exposed to reputational and financial risk by poor public procurement, and by poor public relations and financial and human resource management at IMERC. In a draft reply to a media query (which was withheld by the Department of Defence), Commodore Hugh Tully, the flag officer commanding the Naval Service, said inaccuracies in the Haran report would be addressed in a further report, but this did not happen to the satisfaction of the Naval Service. There was no apparent financial review carried out, as part of the review process, and yet the review made some significant, unsupported findings, Cmdre Tully said. The review did not highlight the substantial achievements and impacts of IMERC and this remains an outstanding issue. Asked if he believed the Naval Services views had been incorporated in the Haran report, Cmdre Tully replied: It wasnt apparent. Start-up businesses that used IMERCs incubation hub at Ringaskiddy also expressed anger and frustration at the closure. They claimed the reports findings were inaccurate and biased and failed to reflect their positive view of IMERCs role in assisting new firms. It is understood that the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Mike Mellett, was also deeply unhappy at the decision to wind down IMERC. In his profile on the website of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mellett is described as a founding member and champion of IMERC. Documents show the INS had no role in setting the terms of reference of the review of IMERC and it was only presented with the report after it had already been accepted by the presidents of UCC and CIT. The criticism of the Haran report by the Naval Service is contained in a draft reply to a media query, which was released under the Freedom of Information Act. When asked for a response to a detailed series of questions on the closure of IMERC, in August, a non-critical statement was issued by the Department of Defence, although questions were submitted directly to the Defence Forces. The statement contained no comment on the attitude of the INS to the reports findings and the related decision by UCC and CIT to withdraw funding and staffing from IMERC. Documents now show that the Department of Defence informed the Defence Forces that it did not consider it appropriate to respond in detail to the questions posed. The departments head of operations, Clare Tiernan, said she believed that it would be better to issue a general response to the questions asked, rather than an individual response to each question. Ms Tiernan said the responses proposed by the Naval Service give rise to serious further questions on the governance structure provided by IMERCs governing authority. The senior civil servant also expressed concern that these issues are now being raised through the media over a year after the independent report has been published. Details of the report only become public earlier this year, after questions about IMERC were raised by the Dail Public Accounts Committee. Records show that Cmdre Tully wanted to answer the questions directly to accurately reflect his position on IMERC and to ensure the list of IMERC achievements were recognised. While Cmdre Tully did not insist on his reply being released to the media, he asked that any alternative response would be issued by the Department of Defence, as it was not representative of his views. In a statement issued last night, Impact said it has agreed to meet Ryanair management tomorrow evening, but stressed that it is available to meet sooner. The union asked management to release its Ryanair pilot representatives to prepare for and attend the meeting. The union acknowledged the principled determination of Ryanair pilots, which it said had made this breakthrough possible, and said it looked forward to establishing a positive relationship with Ryanair company management, it said a statement. Impact added that it hoped the suspension of industrial action would remove any uncertainty for passengers intending to travel on Wednesday and said it would be making no further comment until after the meeting with Ryanair tomorrow. The strike action had been planned by some pilots who, as members of the Irish Airline Pilots Association (IALPA), balloted in favour of the action over Ryanairs failure to recognise trade unions. IALPA joined Impact in 1998, and while Ryanair has since said it will offer recognition to unions representing pilots, Impact says it will not withdraw the threat of strike action until it has its meeting with the airline. Some 117 IALPA-affiliated pilots were due to take part in the strike. Impact has been joined by unions in Britain, Germany, Italy and Portugal in seeking recognition from Ryanair, with meetings expected to be held across the week. Over the weekend the airline revealed it is to meet with the German union on Wednesday, and with their Portuguese counterparts the next day. The British and Italian pilots unions have agreed to meet with Ryanair in early January. The Italian and German unions cancelled proposed industrial actions, which were set for Wednesday. Meanwhile, Ryanair is also facing calls to extend its recognition of unions beyond its pilots. Labour leader Brendan Howlin said baggage handlers and other workers are also seeking union recognition. We cant have a situation where there is union recognition available to one category of workers and not another, particularly, if it can look like discrimination against lower paid workers, said Mr Howlin. Located just 6km from Cork city, wildlife haven Harpurs Island could become a mecca for tourism and education and attract twitchers from all over the world. Work on phase one of the development on a Cork County Council-owned site near Glounthaune, east of the city, involved the completion of a state-of-the-art bird hide. Species such as the wigeon, a dabbling duck from Iceland as well as the Icelandic black-tailed godwits, together with six species of wading birds that breed mainly in the Arctic zone, confirm the importance of the island habitat. Overall, 24 different waterbird species, several of which are declining in numbers nationally, have been recorded there. Wildlife expert and nature writer Jim Wilson, whose works include The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide, outlined developments to a meeting of the Cobh/Glanmire Municipal District Council. He said BirdWatch Ireland and volunteers from Glounthaune Community Council proposed to build four more hides around the island along with looped walkways and a large education/interpretive centre. To ensure the protection and maintenance of the site, the county council had, to date, invested 180,000 in the project, he said. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has also assisted the council. Mr Wilson said that funding requests for further development are being sought from other agencies including Secad (South-East Cork Area Development) which had already promised grant-aid. He also told councillors: Cork Institute of Technology and University College Cork have also agreed to get involved in research on the site. Mr Wilson said birds from all over the world arrive on Harpurs Island. Up to 4% of the worlds population of Icelandic blacktailed godwits use the island during the year, he said. This is what makes Harpers Island internationally important for birds. It was also envisaged that a visitor centre could be situated in a 200-year-old farmhouse and lime kiln on the western side of the island which was very restorable. We hope to have the roof secured shortly, said Mr Wilson. The renovation of the old farmhouse as an education and visitor centre could include interactive displays, not only on aspects of the biodiversity on Harpers Island but on all aspects of our environment. Furthermore, lecture/meeting areas and research laboratory facilities could be included. Courses could be run from the centre too. Theres a magnificent view over the island from the high ground near the old farm building. Theres potential for cafe and/or a hide with large windows taking in the magnificent views overlooking the wetland areas. Due to its location, just off the main Cork-Waterford route, the site could enrich national and local tourism products such as the Ancient East /Wild Atlantic Way/Ring of Cork and Cork Harbour. Cork County Council currently own the site but municipal district officer Paraig Lynch said it had offered to hand it over to the National Parks & Wildlife Service which would further its development. The amenity is open the public on weekends from 10am to 4pm. Mr Wilson said: Moving this project on shouldnt cost an arm and a leg. FROM LEFT: An unidentified U.S. Border Patrol agent detains two suspected illegal immigrants in the back of his van on April 5, 2007. The suspects were found hiding inside a mobile home for sale in Calexico, a few hundred feet from the Mexican border. IVP FILE PHOTO Beijing traffic authorities have given the green light for road tests of self-driving cars in an effort to foster the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for mobility. A Changan Automobile's self-driving car is seen during a test drive on a highway in Beijing, April 16, 2016. [File Photo: VCG] According to the Beijing municipal commission of transport, only entities registered in China can apply for the road test. The vehicle should be able to switch between self-driving and conventional modes and be equipped with sensors and cameras so its driving behavior and position can be monitored, the commission said. The car should pass a technical assessment at a training ground before being allowed on open roads. There are designated roads and hours for the test drive. A driver is required, and the driver will be held responsible if accidents occur, the commission added. The regulation came after Baidu boss Robin Li test drove the company's autonomous vehicle on Beijing's open roads in July, causing controversy as there were no rules regarding such test. Autonomous vehicles have been drawing investment. According to a report by Tencent Research Institute, financing for aided or self-driving cars in China has reached 10.7 billion yuan (1.6 billion U.S. dollars). Mobility ranks as the third-hottest AI-related industry following vision-image analysis and voice processing. The commission said Beijing has businesses spread through the whole industrial chain of automated driving, and that the city will give greater support to the development and commercialization of autonomous vehicles. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday that his state visit to China last week had set a foundation for a full-scale cooperation and relations between the two countries. Moon told a meeting with his senior secretaries that his four-day visit to China was very fruitful as it set a foundation for the full-scale cooperation and normalized ties between South Korea and China in all areas including politics and security as well as economy. South Korean President Moon Jae-in made a state visit to China from December 13 to December 16. [File photo: IC] Moon said his China tour last week had a great meaning as it completed South Korea's urgent assignment of diplomacy before the end of this year. Through this visit, Moon said, South Korea and China established a firm, mature strategic cooperative partnership that will not be wavered by external factors. He asked politicians both in the ruling and opposition parties as well as the media and the general public to support the government's position. President Moon traveled to China from Wednesday to Saturday, making his first visit to the neighboring country since he took office in May. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. The judge who authorized the release of Attorney General Brad Schimels report on records leaked from an investigation into Gov. Scott Walkers recall campaign said Monday he shouldnt have allowed the disclosure of a separate but related, previously unknown ethics investigation. In an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal on Monday, Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge William Hue accepted responsibility, though he said Schimel never raised a question about whether disclosing details from a closed ethics investigation was permitted. I really would have done things differently if I had known this issue, Hue said. If youve been investigated by a government entity, and theyve decided they arent going to prosecute that, youd be entitled to an expectation that an investigation done by that entity would be kept in confidence. The State Journal reported Sunday that Schimels report was the first to reveal the previously unknown ethics investigation into whether Republican state employees were campaigning on taxpayer time. Schimel responded late Monday, confirming the State Journals report that the former Government Accountability Board based its ethics investigation on evidence obtained from the Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office. But he insisted on calling the GAB investigation John Doe III, even though it wasnt a John Doe investigation, a specific kind of legal proceeding. Former GAB staff members and others have described the probe as an ethics investigation. Schimel said the DOJ was specifically authorized to release and disclose this information in two separate court orders, which were both signed by Hue. Disclosing the existence of John Doe III was critical to document the circumstances that allowed the leak to occur in the first place, which was DOJs charge from the Legislature, Schimel said. Schimels original report said the investigation had no discernible limit, although the report and his statement dont explain exactly what he meant by that. The report does not mention that the former GAB, made up of six retired judges, authorized the investigation in December 2011 and recommended no charges when it closed the investigation in March 2013. Private emails gathered The report listed 35 individuals, including Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, whose private emails had been obtained as part of the investigation. Vukmir has decried the ethics investigation itself as an egregious overreach of government, but hasnt responded to a request for comment on Schimel disclosing its existence. State law prohibits prosecutors and investigators from releasing information from a closed ethics investigation that didnt result in charges. Those who violate the law can be subject to up to nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine. Hue said if he faced charges related to the release of the ethics investigation details, I would have to plead guilty. Its unclear whether the law would apply to a judge. In his statement Monday, Schimel described media reports indicat(ing) that John Doe III was not a John Doe at all, but solely a GAB ethics investigation as false. The State Journal reported the GAB ethics investigation was based on evidence collected by the Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office during the John Doe I investigation, as Schimel confirmed. The John Doe I was an investigation into Walkers Milwaukee County office that netted six felony convictions, including two related to staff campaigning on taxpayer time during the 2010 election. Schimel said the Milwaukee County DAs Office started the investigation by obtaining a 2010 search warrant for several email accounts; followed by a 2011 search warrant for phone records and emails; a 2012 subpoena to the Legislative Technology Services Bureau, the Senate and the Assembly; and then several 2012 search warrants and subpoenas mostly to email providers. It also obtained the recordings of one or more phone calls, possibly by a wiretap, though the records do not specify how they were recorded, he said. Schimel said that after the Milwaukee DA decided not to file charges, the GAB requested the evidence be turned over. The DA turned over evidence on a portable device to the GAB, which then moved the data onto several hard drives. The evidence was then re-organized, sorted and in some cases labeled by GAB staff as Opposition Research in four separate file locations, Schimel said. Schimel said the records were not kept in such a way as to indicate whether the investigation was closed and the allegations unsubstantiated, although in his previous report he said they were in a box labeled GAB investigation files-closed, 2012-01 State time campaigning. There was also no indication that this evidence was scheduled to be destroyed as required by the public records law, and certainly not scheduled to be turned over to (John Doe II) Special Prosecutor Francis Schmitz in 2016, Schimel said, adding the Legislature should consider requiring a complete inventory of all investigative files still remaining at the Ethics Commission that should have been destroyed. Evidence collected from the John Doe I investigation led to the John Doe II, which examined coordination between Walkers campaign and a tax-exempt independent group during the 2011 and 2012 recall elections. The Wisconsin Supreme Court shut down that investigation in 2015, ruling the activity in question was protected by the First Amendment. Contempt proceedings sought Documents from the investigation were leaked to the Guardian U.S. newspaper, resulting in Schimels leak investigation. His report was unable to determine who leaked the information and no charges were issued, but the report recommended nine people face contempt of court proceedings. Schimel said last week he hopes the proceedings will lead to more information about who leaked documents to the Guardian. A former GAB lawyers hard drive, which Schimel concluded contains the leaked documents, is missing. Hue said the primary purpose of releasing Schimels report was to begin the contempt of court proceedings, which he said must be done in open court. Hue said he was provided the report at about 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 and studied it for four or five hours before authorizing its release the next day. Hue has since stepped down as the judge overseeing John Doe II after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that he had previously tweeted about the case. The tweets were observations about various legal developments in the case, but Hue said he had previously told Supreme Court Chief Justice Pat Roggensack that he hadnt discussed the case in social media. The director of state courts has appointed Brown County Circuit Court Judge Kendall M. Kelley as the fifth judge to oversee the case. Federal appeals court judge Alex Kozinski announced his immediate retirement Monday. This column was filed before that happened - the editor. WASHINGTON -- Of the deluge of sexual harassment stories gushing forth in recent weeks, one of the most disturbing -- one of the creepiest, really -- has also been one of the least noted: the allegations involving federal appeals court judge Alex Kozinski. There are, certainly, more egregious fact patterns. But of the powerful and prominent men who have been accused of preying on powerless women, Kozinski occupies a uniquely troubling role: There are few jobs whose occupants are more insulated from scrutiny than that of federal judge. That insulation is appropriate; indeed, it is constitutionally mandated. Yet as we have seen in case after case, Harvey Weinstein to Charlie Rose to John Conyers, it may be precisely that untrammeled power, the sense of invulnerability from consequences, that enables such abuse. When you're a star -- or a judge -- they let you do it. A week ago, The Post reported allegations that included Kozinski calling a clerk into his chambers to show her pornography and ask whether it aroused her; suggesting to a clerk for another 9th Circuit judge that she should work out naked; and making other court staffers uncomfortable with sexual innuendo or outright ogling. Friday evening, the allegations crossed the line into unwanted physical contact, with additional women coming forward, including four -- a law student, a lawyer, a law professor and a former judge -- who described Kozinski touching them without consent. Bad enough, because Kozinski holds a lifetime appointment to the federal bench, where his duties include hearing appeals involving sexual harassment and sexual assault. Bad enough, because a judge and law clerk enjoy a relationship that is at once uniquely intimate and inherently unequal. But it would be wrong to understand Kozinski as just one among 179 federal appeals court judges. He is among the most influential and celebrated, an icon among conservatives and -- perhaps another explanation for why the reports about his behavior took so long to surface publicly -- a reliable "feeder judge" for those seeking Supreme Court clerkships. Kozinski has always been known as a brilliant, transgressive provocateur. His willingness to push the boundaries not only of stodgy judicial writing but also of stodgy judicial behavior was part of his charm, or so it seemed. After the Los Angeles Times reported in 2008 that Kozinski maintained a publicly accessible website that included pornographic images, a judicial investigation reprimanded him for "poor judgment." Kozinski dismissed the allegations, telling the Times, "If this is all they are able to dredge up after 35 years, I am not too worried," and, in a statement Friday, cited his "unusual sense of humor." It remains to be seen whether such insouciance is justified. Writing for Slate, Dahlia Lithwick recounted how, as a young clerk to a different 9th circuit judge in 1996, she called Kozinski's chambers to firm up drink plans with one of his clerks. Kozinski himself answered the phone. Lithwick recalls: "The judge asked where I was. I said I was in my hotel room. Then he said, 'What are you wearing?'" Southern Methodist University law professor Joanna Grossman tweeted that during her 9th Circuit clerkship, in 1994 and 1995, "Kozinski sent a memo to all the judges suggesting that a rule prohibiting female attorneys from wearing push-up bras would be more effective than the newly convened Gender Bias Task Force." And, most heartbreaking, former clerk Heidi Bond, one of the women who went on the record with The Post, elaborated on Kozinski in an online essay. She described how Kozinksi, during her clerkship in 2006-2007, referred to her as his "slave" and asserted his complete "control" of her behavior. How, after an abusive outburst, he would ask, "Heidi, honey.... Do you still love me?" and kiss her cheek, expecting a kiss in return. How he showed her a "knock chart... listing all the girls that he and his friends had banged while they were in college." How she "felt like a prey animal." How the trauma of working for Kozinski almost dissuaded her from moving on to clerk for Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Anthony M. Kennedy. How she "could not escape the notion that my career success was built entirely on my silence." Even before the latest story broke, one or more Kozinski clerks took the extraordinary step of resigning, and 9th Circuit Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas ordered a judicial misconduct review. Let the process proceed - but if the behavior is anything like what has been alleged, this man has no business sitting in judgment of others. The Washington Post W Four people have been arrested for shooting a man to death in Alexandria over the weekend. Donterio Wilson, 18, and Kevin Thompson, 17, along with two juveniles, were charged with first degree murder and armed robbery in connection to the death of a 19-year-old, whose identity has not been released. Around 7 p.m. on Saturday, APD officers responded to a local hospital on reports of a gunshot victim. When they arrived they found a 19-year-old who was shot in the back, and unresponsive. Officers learned that the victim was shot while sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle on 15th Street and Augusta Avenue. He was pronounced dead on Sunday. We spoke with one woman who lives in the Augusta Avenue area. She said something needs to be done about the violent incidents. "It makes me feel sad because we are losing a lot of our young people to violence," said Charmaine Pickens. "It's just time to pray. Ask God for mercy, for guidance on how to lead the young people. It's just sad. It makes me sad." We will update this story when we know more information. Three people were shot early Saturday near a West Des Moines convenience store and the victims are not being cooperative, police said. The shooting happened around 1:40 a.m. near 22nd Street and University Avenue. West Des Moines police Sgt. Anthony Giampolo said an argument broke out at Vision Night Club at 2700 University Ave. before it escalated into gunfire. He said occupants of two cars were apparently firing toward each other, leaving shattered windows and bullet holes at a nearby Village Inn. One victim was found at a Kum & Go on Eighth Street and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Two others showed up at nearby hospitals. They did not suffer life-threatening injuries, police said. "All I know is that these victims are real uncooperative with us, all of them," Giampolo said. Police said the victims gave authorities different names and addresses, saying they were from Chicago before switching their story to Des Moines. "They're not West Des Moines residents; we're not actually even sure where they're from," Giampolo said. Police have recovered a vehicle covered in bullet holes linked to the investigation. But the last pace anyone reported seeing the vehicle or vehicles was on the I-235 eastbound ramp. "Just let people know who are visiting, we are not going to stand for this kind of violence," Giampolo said. Authorities have not released the victims identities. While investigating the scene, officers found multiple shell casings. Following the shooting, police said they are increasing their presence at nearby establishments. Read more at . KEARNEY -- In her first year as the new Cop on Top, Sarah Diaz, left, raised at least $6,200 in 27 hours. Diaz, a Buffalo County Sheriffs Office community service officer, went on top of Kearneys Walmart Supercenter at 5411 Second Ave. at 3 p.m. Friday and came down after reaching her $6,000 goal at about 6 p.m. Saturday night. Diaz said the experience was an eye-opener of the support for Special Olympics Nebraska. It was super-cool, and Im glad I had great weather to do it, she said. Last years Cop on Top Seth Van Horn, right, helped secure the banner to the Walmart building Friday. A Dec. 6 Gallup survey shows 51 percent of Republicans now support the legalization of marijuana, a sharp increase from 42 percent last year. It seems silly that 20 percent of Americans live in states where marijuana is fully legal, yet we let the residents of our state sit in jail rather than being productive members of society. If eight states and Washington D.C. have legalized the plant and have seen the benefits, whats holding Nebraskans in the past? Im not suggesting that any earth-shattering alterations be made. Although marijuana use is illegal, the laws clearly arent stopping many people from breaking the law, so why not try a different approach? Einstein said: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I fail to understand or see how its any different or worse than tobacco and alcohol, when those drugs claim more than 450,000 lives a year. LB622, sponsored and prioritized by state Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, would be a great step for the state. The time is well overdue that we reduce the number of criminals in Nebraska, give Nebraskans a safer alternative to alcohol, relieve pressure on law enforcement, create new tax revenue and job growth, ease the pain of Nebraskans in their bodies and in their wallets, and better our schools and communities by legalizing marijuana in Nebraska. McKenzie Cassel, Kearney Left-wing activists and journalists are distorting the pending federal tax cut legislation in a last ditch effort to scuttle it. A quick Google News search shows hundreds of anti-tax cut bill articles in the last week alone, but few provide objective and sober analyses of the bill. Many seem to simply mirror Democratic talking points that the bill is little more than a gift to the rich. But in reality, proposed tax cuts would allow small businesses and entrepreneurs to achieve the American Dream just like Ronald Reagans tax cuts allowed me to do in the 1980s. Reagans across-the-board tax cuts significantly increased the incentives to go into business, and generated several years of 4-percent economic growth that helped my young company grow. This bill will do the same. My company started on a dirt floor with a coal stove outside Morgantown, W.Va., and grew into the world leader in large diameter shaft drilling. Over the years we have generated thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of economic activity. In todays tax environment it would have been difficult-to-impossible to have enjoyed the same success. And the benefits my company have produced have been more than just economic. The drilling know-how developed at my business helped us rescue 33 miners in Chile in 2010. Despite the naysayers, this pending tax cut bill will help entrepreneurs follow in my footsteps, achieving the American Dream and improving the world around us along the way. How? The bill creates a new 20-percent small business tax deduction allowing entrepreneurs to keep more of their earnings needed to innovate, expand and thrive. This provision would help level the playing field between small businesses and their big businesses and international competitors, which currently pay far lower tax rates giving them the upper hand in the marketplace. To make sure this deduction goes to those who need it most, it would be off limits to wealthy investment, law, accounting, and other white collar firms. In addition to using them to be more competitive, small businesses would deploy their tax cut savings to create new jobs, raise wages and expand as both survey and empirical evidence demonstrate. This would keep more money in local communities where it is needed and send less to Washington D.C. where it is not. Journalists based in New York or Washington may not see it, but regular American communities have been largely passed over by the economic recovery. Meanwhile, a new Census Bureau analysis shows that the five wealthiest cities in the country are all in the Washington D.C. region. This wealth is largely built of the backs of ordinary, hardworking Americans through tax dollars. The tax bill would also help right this imbalance. Small businesses and local communities would also be helped by the tax bills provisions for immediate expensing and interest deductibility, which would further spur expansion and capital investment. And small businesses, along with all ordinary Americans, would benefit from its provisions to double the standard deduction to $24,000, eliminate the 15-percent tax bracket in favor of a vastly expanded 12-percent rate, and double the child tax credit. Bill Maloney is the co-founder of North American Drillers which helped save the lives of 33 trapped miners in Chile in 2010. Maloney was a two-time candidate for the governorship of West Virginia. In this undated photo provided by Kensington Palace on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, Britain's Prince William, background left and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge pose with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, at Kensington Palace. The photo has been used on the Cambridges' Christmas card. (Chris Jackson/Kensington Palace via AP) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Former firefighter Liane Tessier, right, and Ken Stuebing, fire chief for Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency, attend a news conference in Halifax on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Steubing apolgized to Tessier, ending a 12-year legal battle over gender discrimination after years of complaints about abusive and disrespectful behaviour from her male counterparts. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan Miriam Saunders, right, mother of Loretta Saunders, along with her daughter Delilah Saunders, walk from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, in Membertou, N.S. on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017. The family of an Inuk woman struggling with acute liver failure is expressing optimism about her improving condition, while urging the rapid end of policies that deny transplants to alcoholics who haven't abstained from drinking for half a year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan Passengers wait after the lights went out at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. A sudden power outage at the airport on Sunday grounded scores of flights and passengers during one of the busiest travel times of the year. (AP Photo/Branden Camp) In this Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 photo provided by Georgia Power, Georgia Power teams work to replace damaged power cables after a fire that caused a power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta. Hundreds of flights were canceled and long lines snaked throughout the world's largest airport Monday as the nation's air-travel system struggled to get back on schedule after a crippling power outage. Firefighters inspect the scene of a fatal fire, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A fire official says a mother and three children have died in the fast-moving house fire in in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Kilkenny had just one bomb disposal call-out this year compared to 39 in Dublin and 11 in Limerick. Fianna Fail's Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of suspect devices that the Defence Forces disposal unit has dealt with in 2017 and a breakdown by county with a total of 94 callouts nationwide. In a written response, Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Paul Kehoe, said: The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Siochana have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Siochana when requested to do so. The Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams respond when a request for assistance is made by An Garda Siochana in dealing with a suspect device. The Minister provided details on the number of EOD callouts, which include viable devices, hoaxes, false alarms, post-blast analysis and the removal of unstable chemicals in laboratories. Figures on the number of callouts included: Carlow (2); Cork (4); Dublin (39); Kildare (9); Limerick (11); Tipperary (2); Laois (3); Westmeath (4); Cork (4); Donegal (4) * Ruling party holds leadership election this weekend * Ramaphosa, Dlamini-Zuma frontrunners to succeed Zuma * Winner will probably be next president of South Africa * Bitter race raises likelihood of party split - analysts (Recasts with new context, rand reaction) By Alexander Winning and Mfuneko Toyana JOHANNESBURG, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruler since the end of apartheid, faces perhaps the most pivotal few days in its recent history when it meets over the weekend to choose a successor to Jacob Zuma as party leader. The ANC's electoral dominance means whoever wins the job is likely to become South Africa's next president. But Zuma's presidency, tainted by corruption and scandal, has badly tarnished the ANC's image both at home and abroad. The party once led by Nelson Mandela is now deeply divided. Investors will also be watching events closely. Economic growth in Africa's traditional powerhouse has been lethargic over the last six years and the jobless rate stands near record levels. Political instability, including the questions over who will replace Zuma, has been cited by credit rating agencies as a big factor behind their decision to cut South Africa to "junk". The two frontrunners in the race are Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a former cabinet minister and ex-wife of the president, who is backing her. Ramaphosa's promises to fight corruption and revitalise the economy have gone down well with foreign investors and ANC members who think Zuma's handling of the economy could cost the party dearly in the next national election set for 2019. Dlamini-Zuma is associated with a radical brand of wealth redistribution which is popular with poorer ANC voters angry at racial inequality. Analysts say the outcome of the leadership contest is too close to call and that the bitterness of the power struggle between Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma has increased the chances of the party splitting before the national election. The Ramaphosa camp sees the faction aligned with Zuma and Dlamini-Zuma as having seized control of the ANC and betrayed the values of the anti-apartheid struggle which it led. Dlamini-Zuma's team thinks Ramaphosa would not be decisive enough in addressing the gaping racial inequalities that persist in South Africa - the core of her campaign. Some analysts say Zuma's influence over who succeeds him has been diminished by his travails. The 75-year-old president has faced -- and denied -- numerous corruption allegations since taking office in 2009 and has survived several votes of no-confidence in parliament. SPLITS IN ANC The ANC expects to announce the winner early on Sunday, the second day of a five-day party conference which only takes place once every five years, ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said. Party officials insist members will accept the outcome of the leadership vote and avoid a fallout. "We need to take out this item from the conference agenda as quickly as possible," ANC spokesman Kodwa told radio station 702 on Friday. Disillusioned ANC members have left to form new political groupings on several occasions -- the most recent example being the African Democratic Change party founded by former ANC lawmaker Makhosi Khoza this year. In August, Zuma narrowly survived another attempt in parliament to force him from office after some members of his party voted with the opposition. Enoch Godongwana, who chairs a party committee on economic policy, said there had been interactions between the main opposing party factions to prevent the party splintering. "If the ANC collapses, do you have anything in its place which can hold this country together on a national basis? I would argue that at this stage in time you simply do not have a replacement for the ANC," he told reporters on Thursday. RICH MAN, POOR MAN Ramaphosa, a former trade union leader who became one of South Africa's richest people, is seen as more business-friendly than Dlamini-Zuma and the five other leadership contenders. Ramaphosa edged Dlamini-Zuma by getting the majority of nominations to become leader of the party, but it is far from certain he will become the next leader and therefore the likely next president. He is expected to be backed by ANC veterans, labour unions and civil society organisations. "If Dlamini-Zuma wins, a split is very likely, because the Ramaphosa camp views itself as the 'old ANC'. This is a last attempt by them to regain control of the party from the Zuma faction," said Darias Jonker, director for Africa at Eurasia Group. Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said he thought Dlamini-Zuma would win the leadership, partly because of her strong support in KwaZulu-Natal province, which is sending the most delegates to the conference. As well as Zuma's support, she also also has the backing of the ANC's influential women's and youth leagues. The rand rallied on Friday on signs that her bid for the ANC leadership was weakened by court cases which will obstruct some delegates who back her from attending the party conference in Johannesburg. As well as electing a new leader, the ANC will choose senior officials such as the secretary general and members of the National Executive Committee. It will also set policy priorities for the leadup to the 2019 election. (Editing by James Macharia and Angus MacSwan) By Nikhil Nainan Dec 18 (Reuters) - Philippine stocks rose 0.5 percent on Monday as investors hunted for bargains after Friday's sharp fall, while Vietnam shares jumped nearly 1.5 percent with financials and utilities driving the surge. Real estate stocks such as SM Prime Holdings Inc and Ayala Land were the biggest gainers in the Philippines. SM Prime climbed as much as 2.2 percent, while Ayala Land rose up to 1.4 percent. Investor sentiment was also upbeat after the World Bank said after market hours on Friday that the Philippine economy is expected to expand at a slightly quicker pace in 2017 than earlier forecast. "The market went down sharply on Friday, and today is some bargain-hunting ahead of a possible window dressing by the end of the year," said Manny Cruz, an analyst with Asiasec Equities Inc in Manila. The Philippine Stock Exchange PSEI Index , which has been Southeast Asia's second best performer this year with a gain of about 22 percent as of Friday's close, had shed 1.5 percent in the previous session. Last week, it had added 0.4 percent as the Congress approved a much-awaited tax reform bill that President Rodrigo Duterte needs to push ahead to realise his economic agenda. Cruz said, "This will be the backbone of the government in the structural development starting next year." Vietnam shares rose as much as 1.6 percent with Petrovietnam Gas Joint Stock Corp and Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam leading the gains. Petrovietnam Gas rose 4.4 percent, while Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam was up 2.9 percent. Singapore shares dropped 0.3 percent with Singapore Telecommunications declining over 3 percent. Data showed that the city-state's non-oil exports growth slowed significantly to 9.1 percent in November, compared with October's double-digit surge. Indonesian stocks fell 0.5 percent, hurt by losses in consumer discretionary and financial stocks. An index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks fell as much as 0.7 percent. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS: Change at 0359 GMT Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3408.48 3416.94 -0.25 Bangkok 1720.44 1717.69 0.16 Manila 8381.97 8337.04 0.54 Jakarta 6090.807 6119.419 -0.47 Kuala Lumpur 1749.85 1753.07 -0.18 Ho Chi Minh 948.83 935.16 1.46 Change so far this year Market Current End 2016 Pct Move Singapore 3408.48 2880.76 18.32 Bangkok 1720.44 1542.94 11.50 Manila 8381.97 6840.64 22.53 Jakarta 6090.807 5296.711 14.99 Kuala Lumpur 1749.85 1641.73 6.59 Ho Chi Minh 948.83 664.87 42.71 (Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) HANOI, Dec 18 (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 0404 GMT. December 18 USD/VND mid-point 22,439 USD/VND interbank 22,712/22,713 USD/VND unofficial 22,770/22,800 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.33/36.55 Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.7-1.1 1 week 0.7-1.2 1 month 2.1-2.5 3 months 4.4-4.8 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) The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect South African markets on Monday. POLITICS - All eyes on the ANC elective conference, with the winner expected to be announced on Monday. ECONOMIC EVENTS - Weekly data on foreigners trading in bonds and equities. SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS South Africa's rand ZAR=D3 firmed more than 2.3 percent to 12.7800 on Sunday as Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were formally nominated to contest the leadership of the ruling African National Congress. But by early Monday it had reversed most of those gains and was trading just 0.08 percent firmer at 13.08/dlr. GLOBAL MARKETS Asian shares inched up on Monday, tracking Wall Street, which hit record highs on expectations U.S. lawmakers will pass a long-awaited tax bill, while the British pound hovered near 3-week lows amid Brexit talks. WALL STREET Wall Street's three major indexes climbed to record closing highs on Friday with broad-based gains as a long-awaited bill to cut corporate tax rates looked like it would win enough support from lawmakers to pass. GOLD Gold prices inched down early on Monday, pressured by firmer equities and a buoyant dollar after a bill to overhaul the tax system in the United States moved a step closer to ratification. EMERGING MARKETS For the top emerging markets news, double click on - - - - Some of the main stories out in the South African press: BUSINESS DAY - Fear of deep rift in ANC after leadership race. (Compiled by Ed Stoddard) Keywords: SAFRICA MARKETS/FACTORS HELSINKI, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Finland's central bank lifted its economic growth forecasts on Monday, citing recovering exports, but said that reforms were needed to strengthen public finances for the long term in the face of an ageing population. The bank said it now expects gross domestic product to rise 3.1 percent this year, up from a previous forecast of 2.1 percent in June. The bank also forecast growth of 2.5 percent for 2018 and 1.6 percent for 2019, compared with previous estimates of 1.7 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively. "The conditions for sustainable economic growth are in place, as exports continue to rise and both employment and productivity rates are growing," the bank said in a statement. "However, there is still a fiscal deficit and the long-term outlook remains challenging... The situation in the public finances can be eased by implementing structural reforms." The bank called for a successful implementation of a proposed health care reform, as well as new steps to boost employment in the long term. The Finnish economy is recovering from decade-long stagnation following a string of problems, including the decline of Nokia's former phone business, rigid labour markets and recession in neighbouring Russia. (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Editing by Toby Chopra) By Maytaal Angel LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta is in talks to purchase and build more U.S.-based steel and industrial assets next year, after buying ArcelorMittal's Georgetown Steelworks at the weekend. Gupta, executive chairman of GFG Alliance which is a $10 billion metals, industrials and energy group, has been snapping up distressed industrial assets in Britain, Australia and the United States in the past few years. Last week, GFG Alliance struck a deal with UK-based tidal power firm Atlantis Resources to form a listed company that marked Gupta's first step onto the stock market, with further such steps expected next year. The industrialist told Reuters this year that GFG would list parts of its business, but was more likely list a steel asset in the United States than Britain. The Georgetown steelworks, which includes a 540,000 tonne-per-year electric arc furnace and a 680,000 tonne-per-year rod mill, would restart in the spring, GFG Alliance said in a statement. Gupta will initially rehire 125 former employees at the steelworks, aiming to expand the workforce to 250 in the medium-term. The plant was closed in August 2015 and directly employed more than 320 workers. The GFG Alliance runs metals group Liberty House and energy and commodities group SIMEC, with assets spanning steelmaking, aluminium smelting, engineering, renewable and non-renewable energy, commodities trading, shipping, property and finance. Born in Punjab, India, Gupta moved to Britain aged 12 and ventured into business at Cambridge University by selling chemical products to Nigeria where his industrialist father had business interests. He bears no relation to the Gupta family in South Africa. (Reporting by Maytaal Angel; Editing by Edmund Blair) PRAGUE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Czech utility CEZ Chief Executive Daniel Benes has sold 147,900 company shares at a price of 492.02 crowns each, according to a filing on the central bank's website on Monday. The sale of the shares came after Benes exercised his option on 150,000 shares, at a price of 458.71 crowns, as part of a management programme, according to a separate filing. CEZ has 537.99 million shares, of which the Czech state holds around 70 percent. It closed on Monday at 499.70 crowns. (Reporting by Jason Hovet, editing by David Evans) 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 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. By Francesco Canepa FRANKFURT, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and a German parliamentarian are suing the European Central Bank to gain access to a document underpinning the ECB's decision to freeze vital funding to Greek banks in 2015. That move left Alexis Tsipras' government with little choice but to shut down banks and impose capital controls, weakening his negotiating position with the country's international lenders during bailout negotiations. Eventually, hard-liner Varoufakis resigned and Tsipras made a deal that gave Greece cash in return for austerity measures and reforms. Varoufakis and a German leftist parliamentarian, Fabio De Masi, are asking the European Union's top court to force the ECB to disclose a legal opinion that informed that decision, which they say might be unlawful. "By restricting liquidity to the Greek banking sector to force cuts in pensions, tax increases and fire-sale privatisations, the ECB overstepped its mandate," De Masi said. After their request was rejected by the ECB, Varoufakis and De Masi are turning to the General Court of the European Union to obtain the document. An ECB spokesman said the legal opinion preceded the decision to withhold funding by at least two months. The ECB decided not to disclose it to protect its legal advisers and its internal deliberations, he said. The ECB's Agreement on Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA), published earlier this year, prohibits national central banks from providing ELA if it "interferes with the objectives and tasks" of the Eurosystem, such as maintaining price stability and safeguarding payments. "There is an overriding public interest in knowing how far the ECB ... weighed different goals against each other and how they themselves and their legal experts have interpreted the legal framework in this respect," the complainants' lawyer, Andreas Fischer-Lescano, said in the appeal. (Reporting By Francesco Canepa, editing by Larry King) Dec 18 (Reuters) - Struggling miner Avocet Mining Plc said it would sell its assets in Burkina Faso for $5 million to Ghana-based Balaji Group, staving off potential a bankruptcy for its units in the West African country. The sale, which includes the Inata gold mine and the Souma exploration project, is part of a larger restructuring involving Avocet's overdue loans totaling $28.7 million to creditor Manchester Securities Corp. Avocet was forced to halt production at its largest mine Inata, 90 percent owned by the company, from April when it started restructuring talks with creditors of its subsidiaries SMB and Goldbelt Resources. The company, which also has operations in neighbouring Ghana, has been struggling to keep Inata operational after former workers seized a shipment of gold last year. Earlier this year, Avocet faced possible insolvency after the expiry of a freeze on loan repayments. Balaji Group said it intends to invest about $26 million to bring the mine back into full production and develop the Souma deposit. (Reporting By Justin George Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty) JAKARTA, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Indonesia's flag carrier Garuda aims to increase revenue by 10-12 percent next year, which will help it to book a profit for 2018, Chief Executive Pahala Mansury said on Monday. PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk reported a $222 million net loss for January-September this year. Mansury told reporters that the airline targets carrying 37-39 million passengers in 2018, up from an estimated 35-36 million passengers this year. (Reporting by Cindy Silviana; Editing by Susan Fenton) 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 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. DUBAI, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Iran's economy is starting to recover more rapidly from years of international sanctions but the country urgently needs to shore up its banks, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Monday. Gross domestic product growth soared to 12.5 percent in the year through last March 20, but that was almost entirely due to a leap in oil exports, after most sanctions were removed under a deal with world powers on Tehran's nuclear programme. Oil exports are no longer growing nearly as fast. But the economic recovery is now beginning to extend to non-oil areas, said Catriona Purfield, head of an IMF team which held annual consultations with the Iranian government this month. "Growth has begun to broaden to the non-oil sector," Purfield said in a statement, predicting GDP would expand 4.2 percent in the current fiscal year and that growth could rise towards 4.5 percent in subsequent years with financial reforms. Official statistics in Iran are often incomplete and released only slowly, and the policy-making process can be opaque, so Iran's consultations with the IMF provide one of the clearest glimpses into its economy. The country's recovery has been slowed by tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has raised the possibility that sanctions could be reimposed or new sanctions introduced. This has deterred many banks and other foreign companies from operating in Iran. Purfield said that given such uncertainty and the increasing vulnerability of Iran's financial system, the government urgently needed to restructure and recapitalise banks and credit institutions. "An asset quality review, related-party lending assessment, and a time-bound action plan to recapitalise banks and address non-performing loans should start immediately," she said, adding that the cost of recapitalising banks could be covered with long-term government bond issues. Iranian banks were weakened during the sanctions years by a sluggish economy, government interference in lending decisions, lax regulation and excessive competition with unlicensed financial institutions. Authorities are now discussing how to deal with tens of billions of dollars of bad debt, but efforts to address the problem have been slowed by its cost and complexity. The government of President Hassan Rouhani has also submitted to parliament amendments which it says would strengthen legislation against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The IMF urged Tehran to pass the amendments by an end-January 2018 deadline set by the Financial Action Task Force, a global body fighting illicit money flows. This would help Iran re-integrate into the global financial system, the IMF said. Iran's central bank has been intervening in the foreign exchange market to support the rial currency in the face of the international uncertainty. But the IMF urged the central bank to let exchange rates move more freely and to abolish a dual system of official and market rates, saying this would prevent Iran's foreign reserves from running down and make the economy more competitive. (Reporting by Andrew Torchia; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) (Repeats Friday's story without changes) By Jamie McGeever LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Bitcoin is taking its first steps toward becoming a legitimate investment vehicle with the creation of futures contracts in the crypto-currency this month, moves which may also allow it to infect wider financial market stability for the first time. Although the financial world simply does not have enough exposure to the sector to cause concern right now, growing participation of hedge funds and their banks via the new futures creates a link and risk that a bursting of what many see a gigantic bubble could leak into other markets. In some 'worst case' scenarios, it could be the trigger for a correction across global equity markets that have seemed impervious to pretty much all other risks for the past two years. Let's be clear - we're not talking systemic risk here. We saw that with Lehman Brothers in 2008 when the financial and economic world as we know it came within hours of a wipe-out. This is about the market-to-market contagion that could spread if large banks or leveraged speculators like hedge funds, having taken on big positions in bitcoin futures, find themselves on the wrong side of a sudden and dramatic price swing. In this scenario, they would be forced to liquidate holdings of other assets like stocks or bonds to cover their position in Bitcoin, or meet the hefty margin requirements stipulated by the market-making exchanges and brokers. Doug Kass, president of Seabreeze Partners Management, thinks one of next year's big market surprises could be bitcoin soaring above $20,000 before plunging below $2,000, a crash that could take hedge funds down with it. "Several large, well-known hedge funds desperate for alpha are caught with their pants and portfolios down and with a large weighting in bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies; they lose more than 30 percent of their funds' assets and value, and are forced to liquidate their cryptocurrency holdings and close their funds," he ventures. Clearing houses, the institutions charged with ensuring exchanges aren't left exposed if a bank or fund is unable to meet a cash call, may also forced to sell assets to raise the required cash. Selling begets further selling, especially in the opaque hedge fund world and market participants aren't sure who's bailing or why. If there's the whiff of smoldering panic, a lack of visibility will fan the flames. The collapse of a hedge fund, exchange or brokerage often has no impact on markets at all. But sometimes it does. The most famous was hedge fund LTCM in 1998, and in 2011 the demise of broker MF Global triggerd a 10 percent correction on Wall Street over a 4-week period. DESPERATELY SEEKING ALPHA To say there's been no shortage of volatility in bitcoin is an understatement. It has soared to over $17,000 from under $1,000 in January and intraday swings of $1,000 or more are now routine. There are good reasons to believe bitcoin's extreme volatility will hit only those exposed to the cryptocurrency, and that ripples across financial markets will barely be felt. For all the hype, press coverage and wild price moves lately, bitcoin remains only a very small part of the financial universe. Its entire market capitalization is around $280 billion, roughly the same as Walmart . If Walmart shares crash, say 50 percent, will world markets crumble with it? Volatility would certainly spike higher, but it's unclear how widespread or lasting the contagion would be. To put that market cap into context, Wall Street's total equity market cap is over $20 trillion. Even if hedge funds do wade into bitcoin, how deep can they go? Hedge fund assets under management are nudging $4 trillion and the bitcoin universe is $280 billion. If bitcoin crashed as much as 90 percent today it would still be higher than it was at the start of the year. So those who have been holding it for a while - i.e, most Bitcoin investors - would still be sitting on paper gains. Yet the combination of extreme price volatility, the introduction of futures and the opportunity for speculators to take risky bets with borrowed capital creates a new and riskier dynamic. In the cash market, most bitcoin trading has been from retail investors and unleveraged. That means losses are limited to the individuals and nominal positions in question. The scope for wider contagion is minimal. But that won't necessarily be the case when bigger players and more aggressive speculators get involved with borrowed capital in the desperate pursuit of higher returns. Andy Brenner, Head of International Fixed Income at National Alliance Securities in New York, says the growth of trading volume and open interest in bitcoin futures bears monitoring. "What you need for any contagion risk to emerge is a lot of trading, a lot of positions. It doesn't matter if people are long or short the futures - but futures is the only way contagion risk appears," he said. Cboe Global Markets Inc launched a bitcoin futures contract on Dec. 10. Trading volume and open interest so far is minimal - barely 400 contracts - but that will surely rise in the coming months. The CME Group launched its bitcoin future on Sunday Dec. 17. Both exchanges are taking extraordinary steps to protect themselves against excessive volatility, with intraday price limits and initial margin rates of 30 and 35 percent respectively. These are far tighter controls than other asset classes. And if a fund has deep enough pockets to put up a 35 percent margin then you could argue it can take the hits when they come. But 2017 has been a bad year for hedge funds. Many will be tempted to borrow and gamble heavily next year. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Bitcoin bubble - historical perspective ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Jamie McGeever; Editing by Angus MacSwan) JOHANNESBURG, Dec 18 (Reuters) - South Africa's Steinhoff will provide further information about its finances following a meeting with bankers on Tuesday, the retailer said on Monday. Steinhoff is in the throes of an accounting scandal that has wiped more than $10 billion off its value over the past two weeks and prompted the resignation of chairman and biggest shareholder Christo Wiese. The owner of more than 40 retail brands including Conforama, Mattress Firm and Poundland, is working with U.S. investment bank Moelis & Co to help it prepare for a delayed meeting with lenders in London on Tuesday to discuss its financial health. Steinhoff, which moved its primary share listing from Johannesburg to Frankfurt two years ago, has been under investigation for suspected accounting fraud in Germany since 2015. Four current and former managers are under suspicion of having overstated revenues at subsidiaries, prosecutors said. The company has previously said that the investigation related to whether revenues were booked properly, and whether taxable profits were correctly declared. Shares in Steinhoff were up 6 percent and 5 percent in Johannesburg and Frankfurt, respectively on Monday. The stock is still down about 80 percent since its disclosure of accounting irregularities on December 5. At that time, it also delayed the publication of financial results and the departure of long-serving chief executive Markus Jooste. (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Zandi Shabalala/Keith Weir) As war continues to be waged over tax reform and the Affordable Care Act, a more subversive battle to eliminate consumer and environmental protections continues to rage. With the stroke of a pen, the president has swatted away bothersome regulations at the behest of corporate interest groups as though they were so many annoying flies. Budget Director Mick Mulvaney says none of these regulations are very sexy... very glamorous, none rise to the level of getting national attention. Hes right. Theyre nowhere near as sexy and glamorous as tax breaks for the wealthy and taking away healthcare from those less economically fortunate. Hes dead wrong, however, about their worthiness of national attention. Elimination of regulations by way of an executive order can be accomplished more easily than shepherding legislation through an uncooperative congress. In his rush to do more in its first year than any other administration in history, the president is putting Americans at risk. Case in point are the initiatives being taken by the Environmental Protection Agencys director Scott Pruitt. High on Pruitts hit list is the Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule, which was enacted to limit pollution in nearly 60 percent of Americas waterways. Former House Speaker John Boehner called WOTUS regulatory and economic hell for farmers, landowners, small businesses, and manufacturers. Its unlikely the people of Flint, Michigan feel the same way. In a bid to save money, state and local officials approved a plan to supply residents with untreated drinking water from the Flint River, long a repository for toxic waste generated by the citys General Motors plant. GM skirted or chose to ignore EPA regulations for decades. They closed plants during the 1980s, in part to avoid paying increased labor and cleanup costs mandated by federal regulators. The contaminated water had festered for generations. When it began flowing through the pipes of Flint residents, over 100,000 people were potentially exposed to dangerous levels of lead and other toxins. During his presidential campaign, then-candidate Trump cracked, It used to be cars were made in Flint and you couldnt drink the water in Mexico. Now the cars are made in Mexico and you cant drink the water in Flint. Some joke. Trump then boasted that lead poisoning would never have happened if I were president. That comment is disingenuous to say the least. Pruitt is arbitrarily and radically discarding regulations that will allow the president to score short-term wins, at a cost to the health of the American people. These include loosening of restrictions on dumping of coal waste, including coal ash, acid mine drainage, coal sludge, and thermal pollution, which leads to contamination of groundwater, streams, rivers, and oceans from heavy metals and mercury. Pruitt also led an unsuccessful attempt to suspend the methane rule, which restricts greenhouse emissions from new oil and gas wells. A federal appeals court determined that this was an overreach on the agencys part, stating it was arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable. President Trump says he wants to eliminate 80 percent of all existing federal regulations, claiming they hinder economic growth and job creation. The coal industry is only one of the alleged victims of oversight that he continually points to. Yet, even with aggressive deregulation, coal will never be what it once was. Environmental protection is the least of its causes. Cheaper alternatives like natural gas are. The president is advocating trickle-down economic theories long-since proven to be faulty. Businesses may thrive, but theyll do so as much through reductions in labor and other cost-cutting measures as they do from relief from environmental protections. Automation will rise, human participation in the production process will decline and, ultimately, the average American will pay a price. If they have enough money in their pockets to do so. Sadly, there will be insufficient amounts of clean water to wash away their woes. Deregulation is less about job growth and more about corporate welfare. And far from a breath of fresh air. JOHANNESBURG, Dec 18 (Reuters) - South Africa's rand steadied early on Monday, giving up earlier gains as the ruling African National Congress voted to elect a new leader to succeed President Jacob Zuma as party head. * ANC delegates began casting their ballots in the early hours of Monday, to select between Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and former chair of the Commission of the African Union Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as new party leader. * At 0645 GMT, the rand was traded at 13.0900 per dollar, unchanged from its New York close on Friday. * The currency had raced to a 3-1/2-month high of 12.7300 earlier on hopes Ramaphosa, who is favoured by markets, would win the race. * "At this time the market still awaits the outcome of the voting process, price action earlier in the session suggesting that the markets although optimistic, of a market friendly outcome, remain cautious and liquidity will be tested throughout the session, in both directions," Nedbank analysts wrote in a note. * Stocks were set to open higher at 0700 GMT, with the JSE securities exchange's Top-40 futures index up 0.49 percent. * In fixed income, the yield for the benchmark government bond due in 2026 was down 5 basis points at 9.025 percent, reflecting firmer bond prices. (Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) ZURICH, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks on Monday: GIVAUDAN Givaudan has entered into exclusive negotiations to buy French fragrance developer Expressions Parfumees for an undisclosed sum, the Swiss company said on Monday. For more news, click on SYNGENTA The company said a court in Basel has cancelled all publicly-held registered shares in the Swiss agro-chemicals company following its $43 billion takeover by ChemChina. For more news, click on COMPANY STATEMENTS * Calida said its chief financial officer Thomas Stoecklin will be leaving the company, effective June 2018. * The LLB Group said it expected a net profit for 2017 similar to 2016's level of 103.9 million Swiss francs ($104.86 million). * Postfinance Chief Executive Hansruedi Koeng told Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick his group had inflows of several hundred million Swiss francs since it started pushing that sector, but revenues in its core sector have shrunk by 57 million, which can be buffered by special effects of 200 million in 2017. Nevertheless, his group will for the first time in 10 yrs generate less than a billion from interest. * Helvetia's said Pierin Vincenz is stepping down as chairman with immediate effect. Doris Russi Schurter will take over ad interim until the shareholders' meeting, the company said. Separately Donald Desax told Swiss newspaper Sonntagszeitung his group is looking at "all thinkable" options for its company pensions business. * Airopack Technology said it has signed agreements with Mornin' Glory and Icon Brands. * Varia US Properties said it will purchase non-controlling interests in its portfolio. * Sandpiper Digital Payments announced details of a carve out, with an exchange ratio base on 0.21 Swiss francs per share. * Lifewatch said all remaining publicly-held registered shares have been cancelled and the company will be delisted from the Swiss exchange on December 29. * Cham Paper Group said it will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in Cham on 29 January 2018, where it proposes to amend its articles of association. * Partners Group said it is buying an office building in north Sydney for 205 million Australian dollars ($157.11 million). ECONOMY * The Swiss National Bank is due to release details of sight deposits at 0900 GMT. ($1 = 0.9908 Swiss francs) ($1 = 1.3048 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Zurich newsroom) Daily Swiss stock market report in German................ All SMI constituent stocks............................ News on major Swiss stock price moves.................. FTSE Eurotop 300 index................................ DJ STOXX index........................................ Top 10 STOXX sectors............................. Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors........................ Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors....................... Top 25 European pct gainers... , losers... Swiss mid-cap index SMI futures Swiss all-share index Market statistics Swiss market digest Sector overview All Swiss news Swiss research news All equity news INTERNET ADDRESSES: Swiss Exchange / Eurex STOXX Ltd SPEED GUIDES: )) Keywords: MARKETS SWISS STOCKS/ KAMPALA, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Ugandan shilling strengthened on Monday, lifted by healthy inflows from commodity exporters and non-governmental organisations weighing against sagging demand. At 1224 GMT commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,610/3,620, stronger than Friday's close of 3,615/3,625. UGX Spot Rate..... Ugandan Shilling Money Guide.... Calculated Cross Rates.......... Deposits..................... Deposits & Forwards............. Uganda Equities Guide....... Uganda All Share Index........ Shilling background ..... Ugandan Debt Guide............ All Uganda Bonds............. Uganda T-Bills.............. Uganda Benchmark............. Central Bank ................ Ugandan Contributor Index.... Uganda Coffee Prices....... (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema) 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 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. (Adds details on meeting) LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - British hedge fund manager Christopher Hohn will not attend a vote on the motion brought by his firm to oust London Stock Exchange chairman Donald Brydon, a source close to the firm told Reuters. Activist hedge fund manager TCI Fund Management, run by Hohn, is unhappy with Brydon's handling of the succession of Xavier Rolet, the LSE's former chief executive. TCI is expected to lose the vote at the general shareholder meeting being held in London at 1200 GMT on Tuesday after a series of heavyweight investors came out in favour of Brydon. Shareholder Standard Life Aberdeen will vote against the motion, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday. Standard Life Aberdeen joins large LSE shareholders Qatar Investment Authority, BlackRock and Aviva Investors in saying they will vote against the motion. TCI does not expect to pass the resolution to oust Brydon at the shareholder meeting and will send a representative, the source close to the firm told Reuters. Shareholder advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services have recommended shareholders vote against removing Brydon. But rival advisory firm PIRC has recommended shareholders abstain, describing the LSE board's handling of the succession as a "major failure of board leadership". Standard Life Aberdeen is a top-100 investor in the LSE with a 0.07 percent stake, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon. A majority of votes cast at the meeting would be needed for TCI's resolution to pass. The LSE has already said Brydon will step down in 2019 after helping to appoint Rolet's successor. (Reporting by Carolyn Cohn and Maiya Keidan, editing by Louise Heavens) (Adds details, quotes) By Ceyda Caglayan ISTANBUL, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Turkish conglomerate Kibar Holding hopes to make investments in the United States, Europe and Africa while it looks to exit or merge some parts of its business in Turkey, chief executive Tamer Saka told Reuters. Growth opportunities were limited in Turkey, where Kibar Holding was either market leader or runner-up in sectors that it operates, Saka said. "We need to grow abroad. We are seeking alternative investments," he said in an interview, pointing to investment opportunities in the United States, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as possible acquisitions. At the same time, it may exit or merge some of its businesses. "The growth potential is more important in the businesses we are better at. We need to be making investments towards those businesses," he said. Saka also said in an interview that Kibar Holding was preparing for the initial public offering of some of the group's companies, possibly at the beginning of 2019. "In the next 3-4 years some group companies will definitely be listed," he said. Kibar Holding, which expects to achieve a combined annual revenue of 25 billion lira ($6.49 billion) in 2017, operates in seven sectors including automotive, food and metal. It has international business partners including South Korean Hyundai , Posco and Daewoo. Hyundai Assan, a joint venture of Kibar Holding and Hyundai, is highly likely to produce a sport utility vehicle (SUV), Saka said, adding that the company plans to produce a new version of its i10 model in 2020 and will start 5-door hatchback production later on. ($1 = 3.8525 liras) (Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun) Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The Parkland Health Center Foundation hosted its second annual Foundation Celebration banquet at the Centene Center on Oct. 5. A highlight of the festive evening was the presentation of the Joyce Buchheit Excellence in Health Care Award to Dr. George Oliver. The banquet was attended by foundation board members, hospital staff, and numerous colleagues, friends and family members of the honoree. Dr. Oliver was selected for the prestigious Joyce Buchheit Excellence in Health Care Award following an exemplary career as a surgeon at Medical Arts Clinic from 1959 to 2001. He was an active member of the group that founded Farmington Community Hospital, one of Parkland Health Centers predecessors, and he served on the original governing board of the hospital, including terms as president, and he also served as chief of surgery at the hospital. While he retired from surgical practice in 2001, Dr. Oliver continues to assist with medical care at Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center. Born and raised in Richland, Dr. Oliver earned his AB Degree from Washington University and his MD from Washington University School of Medicine, graduating cum laude. He completed his internship at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He then served in the U.S. Army, Regimental Surgeon, 505th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Following his service in the U.S. Army, he returned to complete his residency in surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, and subsequently joined the staff at Medical Arts Clinic in Farmington. In addition to Dr. Olivers instrumental role in health care in the Parkland region, he has been an instructor in surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. He was a founding member of the board of the Farmington Community Medical Foundation, now known as Parkland Health Center Foundation, and is a member of the St. Louis Surgical Society, having served terms on the governing board and as first vice president. In addition, he is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, and has served several years as chairman of American Surgeons of Missouri State Admissions Committee. He is a senior member of the Western Surgical Association and the Central Surgical Association. He is a founding member of the board of the Central Surgical Foundation and is a member of the American Medical Association, Missouri State Medical Association and the Mineral Area Medical Society. Dr. Oliver and his late wife, Barbara, have four grown children Kay, Julie, Jeanne and David as well as seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. All four children attended the banquet. Tom Karl, president of Parkland Health Center, said, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Oliver for this well-deserved honor. He has been an invaluable member of our medical community since 1959, and has made a significant impact on the development of health care in our region. Weve been blessed hes been here. Joyce Buchheit, the awards namesake, is a member of the Parkland Health Center Foundation Board of Directors and the BJC HealthCare Board of Directors, as well as a past member of the Parkland Health Center Board of Directors. Her leadership and contributions to the health care community were recognized in 2010 when the Missouri Hospital Association presented Buchheit with the Excellence in Governance Award. Jill Colson, chairperson of the Parkland Health Center Foundation Board, said, The board has made an excellent decision in honoring Dr. Oliver, and it was a pleasure to be a part of this memorable evening. Dr. Oliver is a vital part of the history of health care in our region. Parkland Health Center is part of BJC HealthCare which also includes St. Louis Childrens Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the teaching hospitals for Washington University School of Medicine. More details have been released regarding money that was reportedly embezzled or stolen from the Washington County Ambulance District over the last several years. William Mal Gum, 58, and Charlena Charli Gum, 43, both of Potosi, were each indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis for access device fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud and federal program theft. Mal Gum was also indicted on four more counts of federal program theft. According to the indictment, the ambulance district maintained three bank accounts at Belgrade State Bank - a checking account, a money market account and a building fund. The district also participated in the Medicare program and received more than $10,000 in Medicare funds. Those funds were deposited into the district's money market account. Up until early 2015, a district Walmart Community Card was available for purchases related to district business. A Capitol One card was also available for purchases related to district business. The charges for both were paid by check from the ambulance district's checking account. Mal was employed by the Washington County Ambulance District Board of Directors as administrator of the district. His wife, Charli, was also an employee. Mals salary was set by the board and he authorized his own raises during his course of his time as administrator. His position did not allow for overtime and he was not authorized for overtime pay. As administrator he was responsible for payroll and withholdings of all of the district employees, including himself. Beginning around Jan. 1, 2007 and each year following, Mal reportedly paid himself a salary greater than what was authorized by the board of directors. As a result, the district also paid additional benefits of behalf of Mal in the form of Federal Insurance Contributions Act and Medicare. The district used Anthem Health Insurance up until Dec. 31, 2016 and paid for the employees' health insurance, but did not cover insurance for dependents. As administrator, Gum was responsible for deducting the appropriate amount from each employees paycheck, including his own, to cover dependent health care costs. According to documents, Mal did not have the full amount of the dependent premium deducted from his paychecks, and between 2012 and 2016 the district paid more than $20,000 in health care premiums for his dependents. Also, according to the investigation, beginning around Jan. 1, 2012, Mal made personal purchases using the districts Walmart card and the Capitol One credit card and paid the bills from the district bank account. Also, at various times through Charlis employment with the district, she made personal purchases using the districts Walmart card. As a result, Mal paid those bills with the district checking account, knowing his wife made the purchases fraudulently. The Walmart card statements showed a detailed list of what was purchased during each billing period. Mal received those credit card bills and routinely paid them from the districts bank account, knowing that both he and his wife and others made significant personal purchases on the credit cards. Between Sept. 2, 2014 and Nov. 29, 2014, Both Mal and Charli made unauthorized purchases of more than $5,000 worth of merchandise and gift cards from Walmart using the district's credit card. Mal then wrote checks from the district bank account to pay for those purchases. Court documents show that on Sept. 22, 2014, Mal purchased a $50 American Express gift card and two $100 American Express gift cards. On Nov. 5, 2014 he purchased a Journey CD, a Def Leopard CD and a $25 iTunes card. Documents show that between Sept. 13 and Nov. 29, 2014, Charli made purchases including $1,990 worth of Mastercard, American Express, Walmart and iTunes gift cards. She also used the district card to purchase lace thong underwear, a bra, a knit top and groceries. There was also another purchase for hairspray, more underwear and clothing. There were also two occasions where a district employee purchased gift cards adding up to $200. In an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the current district administrator, Justin Duncan, said he and the board were saddened, but not surprised by news of the indictments. Duncan said he was brought in by the board in November of 2016 and Mal Gum officially retired in February. After Gum left, financial concerns were identified and a forensic audit confirmed officials' fears, Duncan said. The district then contacted law enforcement, he said. Duncan said that the district does not yet have a total amount that is alleged to have been lost under Gum. He said that historically, the district has had a tight budget. Employees hadn't received raises and were some of the lowest-paid providers in the area, he said. But Duncan said in the last year the budget has looked a lot better and we were able to give raises this year ... and move the district into a positive direction. Duncan said that it was clearly appropriate that a law enforcement agency from outside the county perform the investigation, as Gum has been in area law enforcement for decades. He was ambulance district administrator since it was formed in the 1980s, Duncan said, and was also the county coroner. The investigation was handled by the FBI and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department office, prosecutors said. In an interview with the Daily Journal in October, Duncan said they had instituted much stricter financial practices. He was also pleased to report that by having resolved some of the financial discrepancies and by instituting new policies and procedures, the future financial integrity of Washington County Ambulance District looked very bright. These steps will result in improvements to recruitment and retention of quality pre-hospital clinicians as well as improved emergency services to the patients we serve, said Duncan. He added since he found the financial issues they have instituted a more detailed checks and balances system. We also brought in a CPA firm to oversee different pieces of the financial practices of the district and we have a full set of policies and procedures on accounts payable and accounts receivable, said Duncan. They outline all the different situations to ensure the funds balance and such. While Gum was already a captain and functioning as the assistant chief, when his son was named the new Potosi police chief in recent months, its believed he wasnt named because an investigation was already underway. Sources indicate he was put on administrative leave with pay a short time ago. Its unknown what his status is since the indictment and subsequent arrest. North County Primary principals recently participated in the Principal Challenge to help celebrate National Young Readers Week. North County Principal Dr. Chad Lynn and Assistant Principal Laura Momot dressed up as part of the celebration and read to the kids. Since 1989, National Young Readers Week has been an annual event held during the second week of November to raise awareness around the importance of reading. Momot said the event was co-founded by Pizza Hut and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The Principal Challenge is the main event and Momot was dressed as the book character Mrs. Wishy-washy. She and the students read Mrs. Wishy-washy books written by Joy Cowley. Cowleys writing of childrens books started in the mid-1960s, when one of her sons had difficulty learning to read. She wrote stories for him and children with similar difficulties. Some of these were published in the New Zealand School Journals, explained Momot. Many were used as homemade big books in classrooms. By the late 1970s Cowley and Editor June Melser were working on the Story Box reading program. She has written more than 600 titles and believes that children need to see themselves and their own culture in their literature. Momot also led the students in singing the "Wishy washy washer woman" song. Lynn dressed up like Aquaman. He chose this because students love superheroes and the adventures they have, said Momot. He read in the gym, on the playground, and on the bus. Momot and Lynn understand firsthand the importance of early reading skills. Students are learning to read in grades K-2 and reading to learn third grade and up. Reading is powerful and opens a students mind to the love of books, adventures, and new experiences. They also participated in the celebration last year and had a fun day for students. By Yoon Ja-young The government will protect sensitive industries such as agriculture in the upcoming negotiation with the United States over revision of the bilateral trade pact, which is expected to start within a month. It also unveiled industry policy direction of the new administration, which aims at creating 300,000 quality jobs by 2022. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy reported the negotiation plan with the United States over revision of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) to the National Assembly, Monday. The U.S. Donald Trump administration has been demanding revision of the five-year-old pact, following criticism by the U.S. President that it has led to U.S. trade deficit and job loss. Korea has argued that there should be analysis first to determine whether it really is the cause of the U.S. trade deficit, but it ended up accepting the demand following the U.S. pressure. The country's trade ministry went through domestic procedure required for beginning of the renegotiation, including an economic feasibility study, two rounds of public hearing, and reporting of the revision plan to the National Assembly. During the public hearing, the agriculture industry had demanded scrapping KORUS FTA, but the trade ministry reported to the National Assembly that it would try not to further open the agriculture market. The government noted that the United States is likely to demand scrap of non-tariff barriers in automobiles. It may also raise a number of issues in the services sector, including allowing U.S. financial companies to store customer data in servers overseas. Expecting the talks to start within this year or early next year, the trade ministry said that it would also demand changes that Korea needs. The ministry plans to demand improvement of the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). The ministry also reported "industry policy direction of the new administration" to the National assembly on the same day, which focuses on new industries, SMEs, and provinces as new growth engines. It noted that the country's industry has been suffering imbalance, with most of the weight put on certain industries, conglomerates and metropolitan area. It noted that such imbalance ended up restricting innovative potential. "By redesigning policies, the government will make the wheel of growth run again, making link between industry, job creation and income work," it noted in the report. There has been criticism that good economic indices are not benefiting the working class since fruit has been limited to certain sectors. The ministry plans to create over 300,000 quality jobs by 2022 through innovation. It picked future mobility society, hyper-connected society, and energy transition as key new industries. For mobility, it plans to introduce autonomous driving in highways by 2020. By 2022, the number of electric cars will be pulled up to 350,000. Small-scale power generators using renewable energy will also be expanded to create new energy industries It also plans to set up a 300 billion won fund jointly with the private sector to increase investment in the fourth industrial revolution. To increase vitality of the country's main industries, the ministry vowed to aggressively cope with import barriers in other countries, including taking the issue to WTO. By Park Hyong-ki Mirae Asset Chairman Park Hyeon-joo / Yonhap Robert Gallucci, a former U.S. special envoy to North Korea, speaks in the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap By Choi Ha-young Robert Gallucci, the chief negotiator during the 1994 North Korean nuclear crisis, called for dialogue with the North to make a breakthrough in the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, during his speech at Seoul's National Assembly, Monday. Gallucci, chairman of the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C., reiterated the U.S. should negotiate with Pyongyang, if there's room for improved circumstances through the negotiation. "What we should not ask is a perfect deal. We should not ask how much does it cost," Gallucci said in an event co-hosted by Reps. Kim Kyung-hyup and Lee Tae-kyu, members of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. "We should rather ask are we better off with the deal," the former special envoy noted, referring to his past experience of talking with his North Korean counterpart Kang Sok-ju in Geneva, Switzerland. "In 1994, our intelligence community estimated North Korea was capable to produce 200 kilograms of plutonium a year. However, when President George Bush came into office in 2001, North Korea had zero nuclear weapons," he said. "Did the North cheat us? The answer is yes. However, the deal was still a good one." Asked about the specific benefits of beginning talks with the North, Galluci said: "The first thing that will immediately happen is that everybody will stop talking about military options and tension will go down. The second thing is that we can continue to make a case for the nuclear-free Korean peninsula. We can also talk about a peace treaty to replace the armistice." Among the four possible measures military action, diplomacy, sanctions and containment that could be adopted to deter the North's nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, he consistently ruled out the military option. "There's no good military option. Military options are never without cost and risk." He asserted that sanctions are not an effective tool to bring a regime collapse. "Don't imagine that sanctions will cause so much pain that the North will abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles." Regarding containment, Gallucci pointed out that containment should be aimed at diplomacy. Gallucci touched on the conflicting messages from the U.S. government. Earlier, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, "We are ready to have the first meeting without precondition" during an event in Washington D.C. A few days later, however, the secretary said the North must follow a "sustained cessation of its threatening behavior." Saying he favors the first version of the secretary, Galluci said that the U.S. government does not have a unified stance toward Pyongyang. "I think the different messages are not planned to confuse people. I think those messages are less disciplined than previous American administrations," he said. "Officials could have different views, but it seems those views are not sorted out in an inter-agency process." THAAD issue continues to be potential source of conflict By Jun Ji-hye President Moon Jae-in's state visit to China has provided momentum for normalizing bilateral economic exchanges, with China virtually pledging to withdraw its economic retaliation against South Korea's decision to host a U.S. missile defense system. The agreement to revitalize their economic and trade cooperation as well as tourism exchanges was a meaningful step toward restoring bilateral relations, which had been strained for more than a year. Moon can be seen as having accomplished his intended goal because he focused mainly on economic matters during his four-day visit among others including North Korea's nuclear and missile program. Notably, Moon and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed, after their summit, to set up a communication hotline to enable direct and frequent dialogue, which will expand cooperation in foreign affairs and security areas. This is also an important achievement, given Seoul-Beijing relations have been focused mostly on economic matters for 25 years. However, matters related to deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea remain a potential source of conflict that could strain relations again. Seoul-Beijing relations had dropped to their lowest ebb since South Korea and the U.S. agreed to deploy the THAAD battery here in July last year. In an apparent retaliation to the deployment, which China claimed would severely damage its national interests, Beijing took cultural and economic measures against Seoul. This was despite receiving assurances from South Korea and the U.S. that the system was designed only to defend against incoming North Korean ballistic missiles. During his visit to China, Moon held a summit with Xi on Thursday and separate talks with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang on Friday, with all parties declaring their willingness to reinstate normal bilateral relations. Referring to the Oct. 31 agreement in which Seoul and Beijing agreed to work to restore relations in all sectors, Moon said, "It is important to restore and improve relations between the two nations based on mutual respect." Xi responded: "It takes time to recover from breakdowns, but relations are recovering fast and I hope both countries will make efforts so such discord will not recur." For his part, Li indirectly mentioned his country's economic retaliation against Seoul, saying he was aware some South Korean companies had faced difficulties. He vowed to restore communication channels between the nations' relevant ministries and resume various cooperative projects. Moon, while visiting Chongqing, Saturday, told South Korean residents there, "It seems like tough times have passed." A senior Cheong Wa Dae official also described the visit as a "reset" of the relationship. However, the countries appear to have failed to resolve the THAAD conflict fully, with Xi and Li mentioning the issue, directly and indirectly, although their tone was not as harsh as before. The Chinese president said he hoped Seoul would pay attention to the THAAD issue and "cope" with it properly, while the premier called on the two sides to make joint efforts to address "sensitive" issues. Those remarks were construed as China still pressuring South Korea to take more practical steps to resolve the THAAD dispute. Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha that China "valued" Seoul's stance of not deploying any additional THAAD batteries, not joining a broader U.S. missile defense system and not forming a South Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance. South Korea has said the so-called "three nos" was just an expression of the government's position, while China has seen them as promises. Regarding North Korea, Moon and Xi reaffirmed their joint position to end Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions peacefully, agreeing on four principles including that "a war on the Korean Peninsula can never be tolerated." But the two sides failed to suggest specific plans to resolve the North Korean threats, with Moon failing to demand China play a greater role by, for example, cutting its oil supply to the North. Other controversial issues that occurred during Moon's visit to China included Chinese security guards' violent assault on South Korean photojournalists on Thursday. One of the two victims suffered serious injuries after at least 15 guards attacked him, according to a fellow journalist who witnessed the scene. Cheong Wa Dae officials said the relevant Chinese authorities were investigating the case and would take necessary measures. Lee Mi-kyung, president of Korea International Cooperation Agency / Courtesy of KOICA By Choi Ha-young Country 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 Bahamas, Commonwealth of the 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 Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of 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Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America 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 By Yi Whan-woo Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will visit Japan, Tuesday, for talks with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono and other officials to resolve a disagreement between Seoul and Tokyo over a deal reached in 2015 on "comfort women." Kang and Kono will discuss how to narrow differences over the agreement, which further complicated the row over Japan's imperial-era mobilization of Korean women as sex slaves. This is Kang's first trip to Japan as foreign minister. Failing to narrow the gap could cause a misunderstanding that Seoul is less enthusiastic about improving ties with Tokyo, especially considering that Korea recently reconciled with China over the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery here. Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may have scheduled Kang's two-day trip before its special fact-finding team wraps up an investigation into the 2015 deal, analysts said Monday. The "final and irreversible" agreement has been criticized in Seoul for being hastily made without taking into consideration the opinions of the surviving victims. The team which operates under the foreign ministry is set to announce its findings Dec. 28, based on which the Moon Jae-in administration will decide whether to retain, modify or scrap the accord. "The foreign ministry really made the right move to schedule Kang's Japan visit for this week," said Park Won-gon, a professor of international relations at Handong Global University. Lee Myeon-woo, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, agreed: "There is a 90 percent possibility or higher that the fact-finding team will recommend the government revise the agreement. In this regard, the Kang visit to Japan before Dec. 28 can help avoid more conflict over history to some extent." Lee pointed out that the comfort women taskforce was established in July in line with Moon's campaign promise to look into the disputed accord, while Japan has been insisting on Korea's responsibility to faithfully implement it. Meanwhile, Kang will underscore Seoul's two-track approach on Tokyo -- separating comfort women related issues with bilateral cooperation on North Korea's military threats, the economy and other issues -- in her talks with Kono, Tuesday, according to the foreign ministry. The two top diplomats will also discuss the progress being made by the taskforce on the comfort women issue. "This is to ensure that the taskforce's findings will not become an obstacle to Seoul-Tokyo relations," a foreign ministry official said. Regarding the taskforce, the ministry explained that the government will take its findings "only as a suggestion." It said the team does not represent the government, pointing out it is headed by Oh Tai-kyu, formerly a progressive journalist. Professor Park said he is not convinced by the ministry's explanation because the taskforce was set up under the ministry, and Oh was an advisor for Moon on social issues on the presidential transition team. Park speculated that the ministry's argument is believed to ensure Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will not find the taskforce's findings offensive and reject Moon's offer to attend the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, scheduled for Feb. 9 to 25. Some diplomatic sources said Abe will not attend the opening ceremony for the Winter Games if Seoul decides to scrap the comfort women agreement. The ministry said the Moon government will finalize its decision on the accord "a couple of months after Dec. 28." By Jun Ji-hye Five Chinese military aircraft including two bombers entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) without prior notification Monday, causing South Korea to dispatch its fighter jets. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the Air Force's Master Control and Reporting Center detected two H-6 bombers, two J-11 fighter jets and one TU-154 reconnaissance plane entered the KADIZ from southwest of Ieodo at 10:10 a.m. The flight into the KADIZ came just two days after President Moon Jae-in returned home from his four-day state visit to China during which time he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders to discuss issues related to the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system and other challenges. The JCS said Seoul countered by sending fighter jets including F-15Ks to the area, noting that the Chinese aircraft also flew into the Japanese Air Defense Identification Zone (JADIZ). The aircraft then left the KADIZ and flew back toward China, the JCS added. "South Korea's fighter jets that scrambled to the area indentified the types of the Chinese military aircraft," a JCS official said, asking not to be named. "Our fighter jets took normal tactical measures until the Chinese planes left." In response to the Air Force's warning messages through a hotline, Beijing said that the flight was part of a routine exercise and that it had no intention of infringing South Korea's territorial airspace, the official said. An air defense identification zone is airspace over land or water that a country establishes to identify and control possibly hostile aircraft in the interests of national security. The concept of an ADIZ is different from that of territorial airspace, and is not defined in any international treaty. This raises the possibility of accidental clashes between countries. This is the second time for Chinese military aircraft to enter the KADIZ this year after 10 intruded Jan. 9. Situated about 149 kilometers southwest of Jeju Island, Ieodo is an area where the air defense zones of Korea, China and Japan overlap. In November 2013, China unilaterally expanded its own zone to cover the airspace over Ieodo and other islands off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. In December of the same year, Korea announced an expansion of the KADIZ to counter the Chinese move, which also included airspace over Ieodo and the southern islands of Marado and Hongdo. Chinese military aircraft often enter the KADIZ as well as the JADIZ, which observers see as an apparent show of force against neighboring countries amid its territorial dispute with Japan in the South China Sea as well as developments in military cooperation between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington. By Jun Ji-hye China has conducted a large-scale drill, designed to train troops to occupy North Korea's nuclear facilities, in preparation for sudden changes in the North such as a conflict or regime collapse, according to media reports, Monday. According to the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, 100,000 Chinese troops participated in the drill of a simulated occupation of a building that is the same size and shape as the North's Yongbyon nuclear complex. The newspaper said intelligence officials of South Korea and the United States learned of such an exercise through pictures taken by reconnaissance satellites. "It was unprecedented that the scene of Chinese troops carrying out a large-scale drill to occupy the Yongbyon nuclear complex was captured," an unidentified military official was quoted as saying. The newspaper added that intelligence authorities of Seoul and Washington held a meeting in Seoul at the end of last year in response to such a drill and prepared countermeasures. During this meeting, the allies agreed that the United States and South Korea would handle plutonium and highly-enriched uranium, respectively, to acquire the North's nuclear weapons before China does, it noted. It is unclear whether such an agreement is still valid, given that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last week that Washington and Beijing have been discussing a possible conflict or regime collapse in the North. During a forum, co-hosted by the Korea Foundation and the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington D.C., Tillerson said, "We have had conversations (with the Chinese) that if something happened, and we had to go across a line, we have given the Chinese assurances we would go back and retreat back to the south of the 38th parallel when whatever the conditions that caused that to happen." Tillerson added that the only U.S. objective is to secure the Kim regime's nuclear weapons. The comments raised concerns here over "Korea passing," which refers to South Korea's isolation in negotiations about issues related to the Korean Peninsula. The Ministry of National Defense denied that officials of Seoul and Washington held the meeting to discuss China's exercise. "Such a meeting did not take place," said ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo. On whether China actually conducted the exercise, Choi said, "That is not an issue that the South Korean government can confirm." She added that the government is making preparations faithfully for various situations that could occur on the peninsula. Regarding the comments made by Tillerson, Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon said: "South Korea and the U.S.' joint defense posture remains firm." By Kim Se-jeong SR CEO Lee Seung-ho /Yonhap By Chyung Eun-ju A convenience store owner accused a female part-time worker of stealing 50 plastic bags, each worth 20 won (1.8 cents) or 1,000 won in all, to avoid paying her back wages. The owner of the store, in Cheongju, North Chuncheong Province, reported the "theft" to police last week. The worker claimed she took only two bags to carry products she was buying. The owner's accusation came after he had failed to pay the worker. Police did not press charges against the worker. The store closed, with the notice, "We stopped the sale of goods due to store difficulties." "I am relieved," the worker was quoted as telling Yonhap News Agency. "I still haven't been paid for my work last month and this month." Announcement triggers rumors about possible 2022 bid By Yi Whan-woo An Hee-jung By Lee Kyung-min Health authorities suspect a bacterial infection was the possible cause of the deaths of four premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) at Ewha Womans University Medical Center in Mokdong, southwestern Seoul. The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) suggested Monday a gram-negative bacteria infection may have caused the deaths, following a blood culture test on three of the dead newborns to determine what type of bacteria were present. The blood was drawn by a doctor who ordered the tests six hours before the four died. The doctor suspected a possible infection because of decreased oxygen saturation levels exhibited in the three. The fourth baby was not tested as it showed no such symptom. The four babies all died in less than an hour-and-a-half, Saturday. Drug-resistant bacteria, typically found in hospital settings, are known to cause pneumonia, meningitis and bloodstream infections. Those with weakened immunity are particularly susceptible. The germs including E. coli and Salmonella can survive for a long time and enter the body through wounds and treatment equipment including catheters and ventilators. "We are reviewing the hospital treatment logs of the four newborns, as well as samples collected inside the ICU," a KCDC official said. "We are awaiting the test results which will be available tomorrow." Regardless of the type of bacteria, prematurely born babies with heavily weakened immune systems are prone to any infection, according to an expert. A simple infection that would only cause an adult to get sick for only a couple of days could be fatal to newborns, according to Park June-dong, a pediatrician at Seoul National University Hospital. The newborns could have died of pneumonia or septic shock after being infected by the gram-negative bacteria, he said, adding a more accurate assessment can be made after the test results become available. The National Forensic Service conducted autopsies on the four newborns but did not disclose the results. Reports in detail will be available in a week. Meanwhile, Yangcheon Police Station said it would continue questioning seven doctors and other staff at the hospital. Officers there are open to all possibilities including medical equipment malfunction and infection from visitors or hospital staff or other newborns. The case is being undertaken by a department whose officials are capable of conducting medical malpractice investigations. Meanwhile, officials at the medical center are coming under heavy criticism for what parents of the babies claim was simple negligence, grounds for medical malpractice. One of the parents said during a press conference Saturday that he was aghast at the hospital officials who cared less about the parents, but more about how damaging the media portrayal would be. He said, "We only found out about a press conference after reading about it in the news. How could this have happened?" The parents also said the hospital failed to promptly respond to the incident. The parents called police at 11:07 p.m., 14 minutes after the deaths, but a state-run community health center in the district only received a report of them at around 1 a.m. the following day, more than two hours later. By Kim Jin-hyun Seokjukwan, one of the valley entrances to Jiri Mountain, is located at Toji Myeon, Kurye county, in South Jeolla Province. Seomjin River runs in front of it, and Baekwun Mountain, which is situated beyond the river, is giving way to its tough terrain. Rivers have been hubs for transportation and routes for invasion. Seokjukwan, which is right behind the river, had also served as a fortress, a gateway, for thousands of years. In 1592, the Japanese invaded Joseon Kingdom, conquering the Korean Peninsula except for Jeolla Province. The Joseon king, who lost his territory, asked Ming to save his county. Ming and Japan fought a war on the peninsula for six years. In 1596, delegates from both countries negotiated a peace agreement, but their agreement was so tenuous that Japanese governor Toyotomi Hideyoshi evoked his wrath and ordered 110,000 of his soldiers to occupy the Joseon Kingdom again, including the Jeolla territory. Toyotomi's ambition was to colonize the area permanently. His strategy was to subdue Jeolla Province after blitzing Jeonju, the provincial capital, by way of three routes. One route was to raid Jeonju via Seokjukwan from Hadong Port. Along the way, all the buildings in Kurye and Namwon were destroyed and their citizens were oppressed. Even worse, the Japanese cut off peoples' noses, regardless of whether they were living or dead, as spoils of war. Such brutalities continued for a month. Ming's commanders didn't even try to help citizens who suffered under the Japanese control. In this desperate situation, a nobleman called Wang Deuk-in organized a guerrilla unit with dozens of fighters and positioned them in Seokjukwan armed with arrows, stones and sticks. However, all of them were killed by Japanese raiders, who were armed with guns. Two months later, seven noblemen in their 20s, including Ui-seung, Deuk-in's son, once again fought against the Japanese alongside over 500 citizens and managed to slaughter 100 Japanese invaders. Only a few of the noblemen's warriors survived. The fight to save their own families and the village encouraged patriotic citizens in other areas to thwart the Japanese troops. Moreover, their sacrifice boosted the morale of Ming and the Joseon Kingdom, which helped them beat Japan. Years later, citizens in Kurye made tombs at the entrance of Seokjukwan for the seven noblemen in memory of their spirit. To this day, every year, citizens hold a ceremony to pray for the patriotic noblemen's spirit. In an era in which citizens of nations often feel neglected, these patriotic noblemen and unknown warriors serve as examples to live by. The writer works at Jeonnam Natural Science High School in South Jeolla Province. His email address is shinykim60@hanmail.net. By Doug Bandow Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have attacked their neighbor, Qatar, for supposedly supporting terrorism. They pretend to be firefighters, but spent years as arsonists. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been consolidating power while posing as a reformer. The only positive so far of his de facto reign is his recent decision to liberalize Saudi social life. Women now can breathe and even drive. However, he has not relaxed political or religious controls. Most important, while limiting the influence of fundamentalist clerics at home, he has not yet dropped the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's longstanding support for radical Islamism abroad. The kingdom spends as much as $4 billion annually promoting its uniquely intolerant brand of Salafist Islamic thought, aimed at the "purification" of the faith known as Wahhabism. By enforcing this rigidly intolerant theology the kingdom has acted like a housebroken version of the Islamic State. Indeed, the two powers used the same school textbooks. The New York Times reported ISIS "circulates images of Wahhabi religious textbooks from Saudi Arabia in the schools it controls. Videos from the group's territory have shown Wahhabi texts plastered on the sides of an official missionary van." Even some Saudi commentators noted that upwards of 4,000 Saudi youth may have joined ISIS in Syria, second only to the number of Tunisians. Turkish cleric Mehmet Gormez asked a group of Saudi clerics about 45 Saudis executed for terrorist offenses: "These people studied Islam for 10 or 15 years in your country. Is there a problem with the educational system"? The Saudis have continued despite increased violent radicalism. Complained former Sen. Bob Graham, who served on the 9/11 commission: "They have continued, maybe accelerated their support for the most extreme form of Islam." Wahhabism originated in the 18th century. Political and religious officials formed a brutal partnership. As the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (IRCD) reported: "Political obedience, then, was made an Islamic duty, and Salafist obedience was made a royal obligation." In recent years the Saudi royals have spent $3 to $4 billion a years on educational fellowships and scholarships, Islamic clergy and scholars, academics and journalists, construction projects, operating funds, and school materials. Of particular concern are the kingdom's educational efforts, which are directed at radicalizing all who use them. Textbooks and other materials tend to show anyone who does not profess Wahhabist precepts in, shall we say, a bad light. Over the years a number of studies have found highly negative results. ICRD noted, "The consensus findings of these reports demonstrate a consistent pattern of using the educational curriculum to generate a climate of broad-based intolerance for non-Salafist identity groups." Despite promises of change hostility to others remains the basis of Saudi education. Earlier this year David Andrew Weinberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies observed: "The language in 2016-2017 Saudi textbooks that calls for killing people who engage in adultery, anal sex, apostasy, or certain supposed acts of sorcery are not the only passages that encourage violence against those who act in a manner inconsistent with the state's vision of Islam." Riyadh's lavish support for the otherwise marginal Islamic thought has radicalized Muslims globally. Thomas Hegghammer, a Norwegian terrorism specialist, argued the Saudis have hindered the sort of moderating evolution seen in Christianity, most notably the Reformation and Second Vatican Council: "If there ever was going to be an Islamic reformation in the 20th century, the Saudis probably prevented it by pumping out literalism." Admittedly, Wahhabism's relationship with terrorism remains indirect. It essentially is a theology of hate and intolerance, or what the group Freedom House called an "ideology of religious hatred." Unfortunately, the ICRD warned: "A number of violent extremists around the world have reported that their radicalization first began when they were exposed to Salafist literature or websites." Manas Sen Gupta of the website TopYaps complained: "The Wahhabi doctrine will keep on creating terrorists who will keep on killing innocents. Riyadh wants to play America's friend. However, as long as the kingdom creates fertile ground for Islamic extremism, the U.S. is likely to find terrorists being created faster than they are being killed. Indeed, Saudi Arabia's malign campaign may help explain why the more effort the U.S. puts into fighting extremist forces abroad, the more violent radicals Washington seems to find. The U.S. must convince its supposed ally to stop spreading hate around the globe. Doug Bandow is the senior fellow and former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire." By Dr. Jeffrey I. Kim Prof. Milton Friedman of the University of Chicago who won the Nobel Prize in 1976 spent his entire life advocating the merits of the free market system. He said, "Of course the free market cannot resolve all economic and social problems. National defense, environmental pollution, and externalities can be effectively mitigated by government intervention. Nevertheless free markets are the best alternative for mankind." Education is a good example of positive externalities whereas environmental pollution is that of negative externalities. The society gains incidental benefits from a private individual's investment in education. Friedman justified the government scholarship or subsidy given to students. The establishment of the United Nations in 1945 has made us feel that we all live in one world. The U.N. deals with world population, global environment, prevention of war and natural disasters, escape from poverty, and promotion of education and health. These days we feel more so, owing to advancements in telecommunication technology. For example, what happens in one nation becomes an issue for other nations in real time. The United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) monitors and publishes activities of trade and investment for development. It acknowledges the positive role of FDI incentives such as a limited duration for tax exemptions or tax deductions, cash grants, and land-site support because foreign investors suffer information asymmetry. The OECD, a rich-country club of 35 member countries, also acknowledges the merits of FDI. It provides Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the poor countries. South Korea joined the OECD in 1996. Since then South Korea has been spending a huge amount of money to help poorer countries suffering from absolute poverty. To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of ODA, South Korea is helping developing countries through the Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP). The idea of the KSP is to teach these countries how to catch a lot of fish all the time rather than giving them some fish occasionally. OECD also acknowledges the merits of FDI. It encourages FDI flows from developed countries (DCs) to less developed countries (LDCs) because it works for both the investing and hosting countries. Foreign investors can gain an incidental benefit from market expansion while the host country can gain an incidental benefit from technology transfer. According to numerous studies, it is very likely that the social return to the host country is greater than the private return to the foreign investors. The host country can eliminate the discrepancy between the social net return to the host country and the private net return to the foreign investor by attracting more FDI with proper FDI incentives. These years FDI from DCs to DCs are increasing along with the rising trend of export-augmenting foreign investment. Acquisition of raw materials and capturing of the consumer market in the host country can further enhance FDI flows from DCs to DCs. Nevertheless, foreign and domestic investors are not on an equal footing. Foreign investors suffer from the lack of information. Foreign investors have a language barrier and a limited social network. This would make them easily miss out on the information of changes in rules and regulations in the host country. Foreign investors are handicapped compared to domestic investors. Regardless of whether the foreign investors are from DCs or LDCs, foreign investors suffer various grievances in the host country. Recently the EU has announced a black list of 17 countries for tax evasion and tax havens. Yet many people are expressing a grave doubt about the EU's blacklisting criteria. The EU's decision is against the principles of economics and it does not accord with the standards of the OECD. It is not even fair to treat the provision of incentives to foreign manufacturing firms as a harmful activity. FDI is usually committed to long-term investment with the promise of technology transfer. Consequently FDI capital mobility is pretty low. South Korea has been relentlessly trying to comply with the global standard and they will continue to do so. The EU and South Korea have long been intimate economic partners. The two parties can help each other in upgrading the global standard while sharing the spirit of free market capitalism and complying with the principles of economics. All in all, DCs and LDCs both can benefit from appropriate FDI incentives of the host country. By Andrew Salmon It is that time of year again the time of year to tie one on, to get three sheets to the wind, to get tipsy, drunk, smashed, hammered, legless, befuddled. Yet, every year in Korea, it seems more difficult to do so in a socially acceptable manner. What happened? Let's turn the clock back 30 years to the ghosts of Seoul's Christmas past. Tis a dark and frosty night. A gentle snow falls over the midnight city. Clouds of meaty smoke billow up from countless hole-in-the-wall galbi joints into the night sky. What is that distant thunder? The quaint alleyways echo to the roar of drunken bombast and adversarial argument. Peaking through the frosted windows of eateries and watering holes, we can make out, through a cigarette fog, rowdy scenes: Gangs of merry gentlemen, neckties bound around their heads like Mongolian warriors, furiously knocking back shots of soju and chugging mugs of lager. Tables are thumped and thighs are slapped as puce-faced, be-suited revelers egg their comrades on. Keep an eye out as you tread these festive streets, goodly Christian. Staggering ajeossis are likely to shoulder-bump you into the gutter, while you must avoid tripping over recumbent bodies. However, there has not been a Herodic massacre: The "bodies" are simply salarymen so sozzled that they have collapsed in a stupor and slumber, undisturbed, under thickening blankets of snow. But hist! What is that pungent bouquet wafting across our fair city? Watch your step: The streets are minefields, liberally decorated with steaming splatters of fresh vomit. Enough of this rough vision of Seoul past! Let us return to Seoul present. In downtown nightlife zones, a good decade has been sliced off the dominant demographic. The most notable revelers are not be-suited gents in their 40s, but brightly colored youth in their 20s. Nor are they exclusively male; there are equal numbers of females among them. Added to the galbi houses, "hofs" and soju tents of yore are dining palaces, wine bars, cocktail bars and pubs. In place of the cheap firewater of old, the preferred tipples are vinos, designer makgeollis, imported lagers and craft ales. Even the soju is weaker. Of course, what I have presented are just two snapshots of then and now. One must resist over-generalization. But without question after three decades of liberalization in both markets and values; of diversification of consumer choice and consumer behavior; of overall gentrification and sophistication Korean drinking habits have become more civilized. The leading change agent came in 1989 the year newly democratized Korea permitted passports for overseas vacations. For the first time, ordinary Koreans, en masse, sampled the lifestyles of North Americans and Western Europeans. They bought new demands back home. The first paradigm breaker was wine. Following the market opening that followed the 1997-8 financial crisis, and the subsequent multiplicity of free-trade agreements (FTAs), sensibly priced vinos became widely available. Wine is a tipple that is sipped, not chugged; savored, not one-shotted. In the land of soju, this was revolutionary. As incomes rose, tastes diversified and more FTAs took effect, quality foreign spirits notably, whiskies, vodkas and tequilas became commonplace. In response, local distillers reduced alcohol in soju and started producing milder, neo-traditional beverages like Baekseju. Regulatory change enabled the production and nationwide distribution of artisinal makgeollis, then craft beers. The new tipples were both tastier and pricier than those of old, leading drinking culture to shift from the manly challenge of "get inebriated as swiftly as possible" to the more leisurely "enjoy, drink, discuss." Concurrent with all this was social change. As cuisine options diversified, it became young women who led trends in the culinary space, while the increasing presence of middle-management females at corporate after-hours dinners and parties curbed loutish behavior among ajoshis. And while, "I only did it because I was drunk, officer!" remains a common excuse in police stations, crackdowns on drunk driving increased. Naturally, old-school habits die hard, but generally, Korea is becoming an increasingly diverse and convivial place to head out for a skin-full. With this happy thought, I offer a fond "chin chin" to all readers this festive season. Andrew Salmon (andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk) is a Seoul-based reporter and author. By Ko Dong-hwan Israel and South Korea have agreed at an industrial brainstorming conference in Seoul to research and develop technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Korea-Israel Industrial Collaboration Conference on Monday the third of its kind sought to learn how advanced Israel's leading technology leaders are and how Korean companies can learn from them and set up a cooperative pipeline to develop the technologies. Held at the InterContinental Hotel in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the conference was geared toward working together on developing robotics and self-driving vehicles, according to the Korean ministry of trade, industry and energy. Grove Ventures CEO Dov Moran, an Israeli entrepreneur and inventor who developed the USB memory stick, delivered a keynote speech. The Korea Association of Robot Industry and its Israeli counterpart signed a memorandum of understanding to pave the way for their common goal. By Bahk Eun-ji More than 80 percent of powdered milk produced in Korea was exported to China last year, data showed Monday. According to a report on Korean manufacturers' sales of baby formula released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade (aT), 86 percent of baby formulas produced in Korea were sold to China _ the largest market for baby formula _ last year,. South Korea's exports of baby formula have climbed nearly 1,000 percent over the past decade. The value of powdered mild shipped overseas was $121.5 million last year, compared with $12.6 million in 2007. Powdered milk for babies is exported mainly to Asia and Middle East. Sales to China stood at $105 million last year accounting for 86 percent of South Korea's total exports of baby formula, the ministry said. South Korean manufacturers benefited from the rapidly growing Chinese market since the government's two-child policy took effect. Also, South Korean baby food is generally highly regarded in China, the report explains. Imports of powdered milk to Korea are also growing. Foreign-made baby formulas worth $69.5 million were imported last year, up from $18.7 million in 2007. By nation, 60.5 percent of Koreans bought baby formula from Germany, 22.7 percent from New Zealand and 7.4 percent from Australia. More than 60 percent of Korean customers bought baby milk online due to a relatively lower price compared with offline. But price is the last issue Korean customers consider when buying powdered milk. Only 9.4 percent gave price as the main reason while 24.5 percent said reliability/safety was the main factor. David Broza may not be a familiar name to local music-lovers, but hes an Israeli superstar with an international following, currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of his biggest hit, the peace anthem Yihye Tov, with a coast-to-coast Broza & Friends tour. Variously translated as Things Will Be Better, It Will Be Good or the more colloquial Its Gonna Be Alright, the song was written in 1977 during the peace talks between Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin. It will be part of the concert Dec. 20 when Broza brings some of his Israeli, Palestinian and American musician buddies onstage at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla. Broza, who has been called The Israeli Springsteen, sings in Hebrew, Spanish, English and Arabic, and is a pretty cool guitarist. For decades, hes been touring widely, maintaining home bases in New York and Israel, giving an annual Not Exactly Christmas Eve concert at NYCs 92nd Street Y and a summertime sunrise concert at Israels famous fortress, Masada. Much earlier in life, he spent a year or so shuttling between English boarding schools before completing his education in Spain. Spain gave me a foundation in many things, including my connection to Spanish guitar, he said in a recent interview. As a teenager, I was more into rock n roll, like Jimi Hendrix and The Band, but then I was drawn to Spanish music. From the age of six, Id been mostly into art, and was always painting. At 22, I switched to music, and I havent looked back since. Another big influence was his family heritage. His grandfather, Wellesley Aron, raised in England and educated at Cambridge, had been a Boy Scout in the days of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting. After starting a Scout-like organization for disadvantaged Jewish youth in London, Aron decided to move to British-mandated Palestine, where he worked with Chaim Weizmann, who would become Israels first president. He ultimately helped create Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (Oasis of Peace), a Jewish/Arab community between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Like his grandfather, and his father, too, Broza became an activist for peace and tolerance. A goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, he brings music workshops to refugee camps in East Jerusalem and beyond. I go to the darkest, most extreme areas, with no budgets, so everybody pitches in, he said. Theres no end to whats needed, and its a game-changer for kids, because its so often music that gets them off the streets. In 2013, Broza won widespread acclaim for his album East Jerusalem West Jerusalem, produced with a mixed band of Israelis and Palestinians. A documentary about it, now streaming on Netflix, was praised by Vanity Fair, with the added tribute: If no one else is going to try and heal the world, he will. The JCC concert will feature Ali Paris, an award-winning young musician who plays the qanun, a kind of ancient Arabic zither, combining traditional Middle Eastern and contemporary Western genres. Its the last day of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, and the evening promises to be unusual, heart-stirring and fun, lighting up the troubled skies with the joyful sounds of cross-cultural coming together. We will squeeze every drop of juice out of the music, Broza promised. Well give it our all, give the audience the best time we can, and hope theyll be swept away by the magic. IF YOU GO: The David Broza & Friends concert starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, at Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive. Tickets: $45-$65. (818) 483-8818. teev.simpletix.com Cory Iverson with wife, Ashley Iverson, and daughter Evie. Family photo Cory Iverson, a CalFire engineer from Escondido in San Diego County, was killed while fighting the huge Thomas Fire near Fillmore on Thursday. Iverson, who was 32, leaves behind his wife, Ashley Iverson, and 2-year-old daughter Evie. Ashley Iverson is expecting the couple's second child early next year. On Sunday, she escorted the body of her husband at the head of a procession that drove freeways from Ventura to San Diego County. The line of fire trucks was escorted by the California Highway Patrol and was saluted by firefighters and the public at dozens of freeway bridges along the route. In spots, traffic stopped on the opposite side of the freeway as drivers paid their respects. "The world stood still today for my sweet husband," she posted on Facebook Sunday night. "Honor, gratitude and love forever. He is home." People line the Springville overpass in Camarillo as the procession of fallen @CALFIRESANDIEGO engineer Cory Iverson passes through. #hero pic.twitter.com/YrpM9u3Exz Bobby Curtis (@Bobby_AcornNews) December 17, 2017 .@CAL_FIRE Engineer Cory Iverson was taken back to San Diego today. We are humbled by the outpouring of support along the route from the public and from our public safety partners. Thanks to @CHP_HQ for helping us in getting Cory home. pic.twitter.com/1lahxOV7AI Chief Ken Pimlott (@CALFIRE_CHIEF) December 18, 2017 A memorial for Iverson is planned for 10 a.m. Dec. 23 at the Rock Church in Point Loma. A GoFundMe page has raised about $423,000 in pledges for the family. The Thomas Fire on Sunday was declared to be 45 percent contained, the highest number yet. It has burned 270,000 acres making it the third largest wildfire on record in California and over the weekend two destroyed homes near Montecito. CalFire says that 757 homes have been destroyed since the wildfire began on Dec. 4. More than 8,500 firefighting personnel have worked on this fire, with the cost so far pegged at $123.8 million. Strong emotions and pride were on display Sunday as people gathered to honor fallen local firefighter Cory Iverson as his funeral procession made its way to San Diego. https://t.co/9kqqkXOuEg pic.twitter.com/pk9umFbH8T CBS News 8 (@CBS8) December 18, 2017 PRESS RELEASE South Korea President Embraces Belt and Road Initiative Dec. 16, 2017 (EIRNS)During his four-day visit to China, which concludes today in the city of Chongqing, South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced that he and President Xi Jinping have agreed "to actively look for ways of actual cooperation between Chinas One Belt, One Road Initiative (BRI)" and South Koreas own foreign policy initiativethe "New North" and "New South" policieswhich seek greater economic and diplomatic cooperation with Eurasian as well as with Southeast Asian nations. Especially in light of Japans shift over the past several months toward the Belt and Road, Moons announcement is of great strategic significance, reflecting a move away from Western policies of geopolitical confrontation which today threaten to blow up the North Korean situation. As Moon stated explicitly, the Belt and Road holds the potential to bring peace and prosperity to the region. In their broader discussions, the two leaders committed themselves to strengthening their bilateral relationship, and agreed to abide by the principles of mutual respect and regard for each others core interests. This is the basis for true "win-win" collaboration, Xi Jinping said, adding that he wants to promote the alignment of the BRI with Seouls development strategy. That Moon made his announcement on the BRI in Chongqing is also important as this bustling city is a communications hub in western China that is "a pivotal location for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative," Global Times reported Dec. 15. Speaking at a business forum there, Moon elaborated further, according to a transcript of his speech cited by Yonhap News Agency. "I am confident a link between the One Belt, One Road Initiative and New North, New South policies will lead to peace and joint prosperity in the region and become a strong wave that spearheads the development of all of humanity," he said. For example, he detailed, "If the connection between an inter-Korean railroad and the Trans-Siberian Railway that South Korea is actively pursuing, meets Chinas trans-China, Mongolia and Russia economic corridor, [then] the rail, air and sea routes of Eurasia will reach all corners of the region," Moon said. Moon also called for efforts to build what he called a "digital Silk Road" between the two countries to assist the development of their IT industries and the fourth industrial revolution. Overseas markets are another key area of cooperation, he said. "I will actively support the joint advance of South Korean and Chinese firms into third countries," he stated, and emphasized the importance of cooperation among countries in the region. (Japans Prime Minister Abe last week offered joint Japan-China funding of development projects in third countries.) Seoul and Beijing have already agreed to launch negotiations for an expansion of their free trade agreement (FTA), he reported, to include the service and financial sectors. The trade agreement went into effect in late 2015, but currently deals with products only. Lastly, Moon said, South Korea will work to strengthen its cooperation with Chinas key regional governments, including Chongqing. "I believe economic cooperation between South Korea and Chongqing will greatly contribute to Chinas development of [its] west, as well as balanced development of China, and I promise the South Korean government will do its utmost to boost their cooperation," he told Chongqings Mayor Chen Miner. At least four senators, including two Democrats, have reportedly said that Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) should reconsider his resignation. Sen. Joe Machin (D-W.Va.) told Politico that the deluge of Democrats calling for Franken to resign was "the most hypocritical thing" he has "ever seen done to a human being." "What they did to Al was atrocious, the Democrats," Manchin added. "The most hypocritical thing I've ever seen done to a human being - and then have enough guts to sit on the floor, watch him give his speech and go over and hug him? That's hypocrisy at the highest level I've ever seen in my life. Made me sick." Politico also spoke with sources familiar with a private conversation between Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Franken in which Leahy told Franken that he regrets calling for the Minnesota Democrat to resign. Two other senators said they were rushed to weigh in as pressure on Franken mounted, according to the news outlet, which added that they said did not put enough care and thought into their statements. Franken announced earlier this month that he would resign after allegations of sexual misconduct emerged. One woman said he forcibly kissed her during a USO tour, and at least two others said he groped them while taking photos when he was in office. Franken is one of three lawmakers to step down over sexual misconduct allegations as the "Me Too" movement draws attention to similar cases in Hollywood and the media. Franken himself and several other senators originally called for an ethics investigation into his behavior, but after the eighth accuser came forward, his Democratic colleagues, including Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) suddenly called for his resignation. "I know in my heart that nothing I have done as a senator, nothing, has brought dishonor on this institution, and I am confident that the Ethics Committee would agree," Franken said during his resignation speech. Minn. Gov. Mark Dayton (D) announced that Lt. Gov. Tina Smith would replace Franken, and Smith said that she would run for re-election in 2018. PRESS RELEASE Putin Calls Trump, Thanks Him and the CIA for Information that Stopped Major Terrorist Attack in St. Petersburg Dec. 17, 2017 (EIRNS)The Kremlin reported today that President Putin called President Trump to thank him "for the information passed on by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that helped detain the terrorists who plotted to set off explosions at Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg and other public places in the city. The information received from the CIA was enough to locate and detain the criminals." Putin specifically asked Trump to "convey his appreciation to the Central Intelligence Agency director and the operatives of U.S. intelligence services who received this information." He also "assured Donald Trump that in the event that Russian intelligence services receive information that concerns terrorist threats to the U.S. and its citizens, they will promptly pass it on to their U.S. colleagues via partner channels." Sputnik reported earlier that the raids on Dec. 13-14 had "found a large amount of explosives, weapons and ammunition and dismantled a bomb-making workshop." They said the plot had been coordinated with ISIS. Another plot had been prevented earlier, according to FSB head Aleksandr Bortnikov, involving plans to bomb New Year celebrations and the upcoming presidential election campaign. The U.S. Presidents website confirmed the call, and said that PRESS RELEASE Former FBI Assistant Director: Peter Strzok Belongs in Leavenworth Dec. 17, 2017 (EIRNS)James Kallstrom, who spent 27 years in the FBI, rising to Assistant Director, told Fox Business News host Liz MacDonald on Dec. 14 that if an FBI agent wanted to stop someone from being elected President, he would "do what [former FBI Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Division Peter Strzok] tried to do. He can fabricate things, he can make up stuff, he can lie, he can be a total moron, he can recruit others. He belongs in Leavenworth ... in my personal view ... he belongs behind bars," Kallstrom said. "Condemn these people that have gone way, way off the rails, and need to be dealt with severely." Kallstrom suggested a strong obstruction of justice case could be made against Strzok "and many others" in this "cabal," and called for Robert Muellers deputy, Andrew Weissman to be charged with civil rights crimes for the outrage of raiding Paul Manaforts home at 4 a.m., dragging his wife out of bed, last July. The Sunday prior (Dec. 10), Kallstrom told John Catsimatidis of New Yorks 970 AM that he is "coming more and more to the conclusion that this is a conspiratorial cabal among the fifth column to basically take away the Presidency of the United States." A small cabal, in his view, "of James Comey sycophants" running the FBI. "This whole thing with Russia is just a farce. If we find out that that phony [Russian dossier] was brought to the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in the form of an affidavit for a judges authority, and if we find out that the people signing that affidavit in the bureau knew that that was phony information, that is a serious, serious felony," he explained. Kallstrom, who left the FBI in 1998, returning to public service as Senior Advisor for Counter-Terrorism to New York Gov. George Pataki from 2002 to 2007, reported last May that when Robert Mueller took over the FBI in 2001, he ordered FBI training manuals purged of any history of radical Islamic fundamentalism. Kallstrom accused Mueller of having "acquiesced" to the radical jihadis in the the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which, as Kallstrom noted, is a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood. "And there was a lot of connections to the Muslim Brotherhood in the White House, without getting into detail," he told Fox Business News in May 2017, speaking of the George W. Bush White House. EIR has documented that Mueller, throughout his time as FBI chief, covered up the Saudi role in the 9/11 attack. "The FBI really took away from the training materials of the FBI the whole history of radical fundamentalism. I mean it would kind of be like, okay, were not going to know anything about La Cosa Nostra. Were not going to know anything about their habits or why they do things.... How can agents investigate radical fundamentalists without knowing the whole history, where theyre coming from, what their mindset is?" Kallstrom said. The debut book from Kristen Roupenian, whose New Yorker short story Cat Person went viral far beyond the scope of most short fiction when it was published earlier this month, has been sold to British publisher Jonathan Cape, the Guardian reports. Roupenians short story collection, You Know You Want This, is also reportedly the subject of a bidding war in the United States, with 11 publishers jockeying to buy the book, and the asking price now around $1 million. Cat Person, published in the Dec. 11 issue of the New Yorker, tells the story of college student Margot, who briefly dates Robert, a 34-year-old man whom she met at the movie theater where she works. After Margot ends the relationship, Robert continues to send her text messages, eventually turning hostile after Margot makes it clear that she no longer wants to communicate with him. Advertisement On social media, Roupenians story ignited a fierce debate. Some readers found the tale a relatable chronicle of the relationships between women and men; others critiqued the actions of the two as if they were real people; some liked the prose; others came away from the story unimpressed. The story sparked several think pieces in the days after its publication, with many writers noting that its look at misogyny and male entitlement was especially timely in the era of the #MeToo movement. Jonathan Cape publishing director Michal Shavit said she bought the book the day after it was submitted to the publisher. Shes the real deal, Shavit said. Cat Person captured the public imagination to become a phenomenon. You see that so rarely in literary fiction. Its an extraordinary story of human relationships and the sexual dynamics between a man and a woman, the power plays within that. It doesnt just play into the #MeToo thing she just writes very honestly and truthfully about the human experience. Shavit said the collection doesnt just feature stories like Cat Person. Theyre dark, theyre funny, theyre irreverent, theyre treading boundaries, and theyre very different to one another, she said. Theyre occupying a similar space in the imagination, but theyre not all about the relationships between men and women. During summer 2016, in the weeks after a sexual harassment scandal broke at Fox News, daytime anchor Harris Faulkner would look around a conference room during meetings at the networks headquarters and wonder about her female colleagues. Are there victims here? the anchor of the daily afternoon newscast Outnumbered Overtime would ask herself. How do I be part of a culture that can survive this? In retrospect, Faulkner said, It seemed like an out-of-body experience trying to process all the nuances and the details that were coming out. Nearly 18 months later, the channel more than survived, finishing 2017 as the most watched cable network for the second straight year despite losing its top rated prime-time personality, Bill OReilly, also under a cloud of harassment allegations. But Faulkner has kept her eye on how the network was going to make good on a stated commitment to improve diversity and working conditions for the women who work there. Advertisement Were there days when I wanted to walk away? she asked during an interview in her brightly decorated office at the networks Midtown Manhattan headquarters. Yeah, especially when people judged me in public in front of my children. But I didnt, and Im glad that I havent. Fox News, with its polarizing conservative personalities, can stir enough passion among viewers that strangers who recognize Faulkner on the street will ask her how she can work there after the harassment allegations were revealed. But the 52-year-old UC Santa Barbara alum believed she could be part of the solution. On Oct. 2, she became one of five solo women who now host their own daily hours on Fox News (a year ago, there were only two, including Megyn Kelly, who left for NBC). Faulkner, who joined Fox News in 2005, is also currently the only black woman with a daily program on one of the three major cable news channels. Faulkners show, Outnumbered Overtime, is watched by an average of 1.6 million viewers and has lifted the ratings for the 1 p.m. Eastern time, and has an 82% advantage over CNN and a 78% lead over MSNBC. Faulkner also remains a co-host of Outnumbered, the talk show that proceeds it; it draws 1.8 million viewers each day, also leading its cable news competition by a wide margin. As one of the commentary-free anchors who puts the news in Fox News, Faulkner juggles guest interviews and breaking stories with no-nonsense precision during the midday hours when a White House briefing or off-the-cuff comment by President Trump can shift the national conversation for the rest of the day. Lately, the Outnumbered circle has been discussing the sexual misconduct allegations of news personalities at other networks and members of Congress. Faulkner makes a point of reminding her co-hosts that Fox News has dealt with the same issues. We cant talk about it like it didnt happen in our own halls to some degree, she said. The spotlight on the harassment issues that plagued Fox News is still intense. On Saturday, parent company 21st Century Fox was forced to clarify remarks that Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch made in a TV interview that appeared to minimize the severity of the problem. When asked by Sky News whether the allegations were harmful to the company, he replied, Thats all nonsense. The company said Murdoch was referring only to the scandals effect on his efforts to acquire European pay TV service Sky. Under Ruperts leadership and with his total support, the company exited (former Chief Executive) Roger Ailes, compensated numerous women who were mistreated; trained virtually all of its employees; exited its biggest star; and hired a new head of HR, a 21st Century Fox spokesperson said in a statement. By his actions, Rupert has made it abundantly clear that he understands that there were real problems at Fox News. Faulkner, speaking before Murdoch made his comments, said she has seen signs of a transformation since Ailes and other executives left. Its becoming different, she said. Im not Pollyanna. Nobody has a magic wand. I pray that we are [midway] toward the end in this journey. She cites a human resources department that has doubled in size and access to outside legal counsel. If women are in a place where they want to communicate now, they almost have so many choices they have to ask which should I choose, she said. The fear of retaliation for speaking out has also abated. One thing I can tell you that is very different from a year and a half ago is if I get stopped in the hallway and somebody sees me talking about this, I dont need to feel like I need to go, Uh-oh. Shhhh, Faulkner said. If youve got something to say, lets say it. Faulkner did not become a part of a racial discrimination suit filed by former and current black employees in April that has since gone to arbitration. She was not asked to be a part of it, nor did she want to be. At the time, she believed she was seeing progress on that front as well. You cant change anything from the kitchen or inside of the courtroom, she said. Ive been black my whole career. Ive been curvaceous my whole career. Ive had people say just all sorts of inappropriate things. I have seen and heard them do some things I would never imagine people would do. For Faulkner, that includes a 2015 holiday cooking segment on Fox & Friends in which she prepared her mothers peach cobbler recipe with her then-8-year-old daughter Bella at her side. During the demonstration, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade asked Faulkner if she served Kool-Aid at her meals. Do I do what? Faulkner asked. After Kilmeade asked a second time, Faulkner said, No, I dont make Kool-Aid and went back to the demonstration. Faulkner recalled how she had made a decision to stay focused on the task at hand. She did not want Kilmeades use of a racial stereotype to spoil the experience for her daughter and the viewing audience. I processed in that moment who I needed to be as a mother in front of millions of people, she said. I cant make the moment all about the color of my skin, whether someone makes an inappropriate comment or not. I still feel like there are people watching me with the idea that its aspirational to make your dreams come true. And Im making one of my moms favorite things. Faulkner was willing to let Kilmeades gaffe go after it happened. But a clip of the exchange went viral on YouTube, where it has received 1 million views. Then she saw Larry Wilmore dissect it on his Comedy Central show. During the bit, the show highlighted the face of Faulkners daughter. Faulkners two phones lighted up with calls from friends whod watched. Her daughter was getting asked about it by classmates. After giving Kilmeade the benefit of the doubt, she decided she needed to discuss the Fox & Friends exchange with him. I went to his office, she said. We sat. He said, I didnt mean anything by it. I want you to know I have no idea what it really means, blah, blah, blah. By the end of the conversation, I apologized. He said, Why are you apologizing? I said, Because I need to hear the words Im sorry right now. So we moved on. What I learned is that if we let it, it will divide us completely but it was very costly to stick through that moment so that the people around me could learn about [perseverance] and forgiveness. If he came to me this day and apologized, I would accept it. Through a Fox spokesperson, Kilmeade declined to comment on the matter. Faulkner has seen the rewards of gutting it out through difficult times. She was stalked by a man for five years early in her career in local TV. But at a career stop in Minneapolis, she met Tony Berlin, now a public relations executive, who became her husband and father of her two daughters. Faulkners willingness to stick with a mission through adversity is rooted in her background as a military brat. Her father was an Army pilot who did two tours in Vietnam, and his influence is strong in her life. You have to be resilient, she said. Dont cut and run. Outnumbered Where: Fox News Channel When: 9 a.m. weekdays Outnumbered Overtime Where: Fox News Channel When: 10 a.m. weekdays stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio High-end juicers. Home seltzer machines. Sous vide. Every year theres a new fad culinary gadget that wins a coveted spot on countertops across the country, only to be relegated to distant cupboards or the garage once the novelty wears off. This holiday season, nothing in the kitchen is more buzzworthy than the Instant Pot a multipurpose electric cooker that slow cooks, pressure cooks, sautes, steams and even makes yogurt from scratch. The gadget has attained cult-like status among its devotees for its ability to reduce cooking times, dirty dishes and waistlines (since its averse to fried foods). Those reasons, experts say, give the Instant Pot something kitchen gifts of Christmases past have lacked: staying power. Advertisement They are a great example of product innovation meeting consumer needs, said Joe Derochowski, executive director and home industry analyst at research firm NPD Group. Multi-cookers are not a fad. The devices inventor, Robert Wang, insists the appliance is every bit as indispensable as a microwave. But even he saw his companys motto An Instant Pot in every kitchen as a far-fetched goal. Five years and millions of unit sales later, the phrase doesnt sound all that laughable to him anymore. I think its attainable now, Wang said from his company headquarters in Ottawa. Over 800,000 fans now belong to the Instant Pots Facebook group, sharing recipes and photos. Food writers and chefs have embraced the appliance. And a cottage industry of accessories and cookbooks have spawned out of the Instant Pots success, which has been buoyed by word-of-mouth buzz since Wang eschews traditional advertising and marketing. The people who love their Instant Pots are evangelical about it and tell their friends, said Laurel Randolph, a food writer who has sold over 350,000 copies of her cookbook, The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Fast & Healthy Meals. I understand the skepticism with so many kitchen gadgets out there, but this just keeps getting more popular, said Randolph, who is working on a second Instant Pot cookbook that includes more recipes from around the world. The runaway success of the Instant Pot, which typically sells for less than $100, has propelled sales of multi-cookers 79% to over $300 million in the 12 months ending in November, according to NPD. In addition to Instant Pot, brands such as Black + Decker, Breville and Cuisinart also make multi-cookers (NPD does not track sales data by brands and Wang declined to share company revenue and sales figures). None of those rivals, however, have enjoyed the kind of sales Instant Pot has had on Amazon, where its regularly a best seller during promotional events such as Cyber Monday. Growth in the appliance has been bolstered by the fact that more Americans are eating at home, and looking for ways to cook more conveniently and faster, NPD said. With an electric pressure cooker which is far less intimidating for many people than a stovetop pressure cooker soups and stews that used to take hours to prepare can be served in less than 60 minutes. Multi-cookers are hitting all of the hot buttons for todays consumers speed and convenience in healthy at-home meal-prep, multi-functionality, and ease of use, said Derochowski of NPD. Wang said the Instant Pots technological ancestor is the humble electric rice cooker. Wang figured he could add pressure sensors to the device to make it more versatile for different methods of cooking. He initially invested about $50,000 developing the Instant Pot, a process that took 18 months. Its not perfect, Wang admits. The buttons make the appliance look too busy and the learning curve can be a bit steep for neophytes. Anyone predisposed to fears about pressure cookers, which is not uncommon, may also take a pass at purchasing the Instant Pot. While his gadget might be a novelty in American kitchens, Asian households have long been used to the idea of space-age rice cookers and pressure cookers particularly in southern China and Hong Kong, where the latter are used to make bone broths sipped with every meal. Wang, a 53-year-old former telecom engineer whose family originates from China, said hes now looking at other kitchen appliances to update though he wont say which ones. He did, however, offer a clue. The Instant Pot is ideal for moist foods such as braises, soups and grains. But when it comes to roasts or anything that requires a crispy texture, the device falls short. Crispy would be a whole new area for us, Wang said. david.pierson@latimes.com Twitter: @dhpierson This holiday season, as giant shipping operations once again struggle to handle the e-commerce explosion, some mall retailers have found a surprising way to compete: same-day delivery. Last week, Target Corp. said it would pay $550 million for Shipt, a fast-growing firm based in Birmingham, Ala., that operates a $99-a-year grocery delivery service. In August, Target said it was buying Grand Junction, a San Francisco transportation technology company that connects retailers to a same-day delivery network of more than 700 drivers. Best Buy this month expanded same-day delivery to 40 cities using Deliv, a crowd-sourced service based in Menlo Park, Calif. Advertisement Same-day delivery is a service that our guests are asking for more and more often, Target Chief Operating Officer John Mulligan said in an interview posted to the Minneapolis retailers website. By acquiring Shipt, well be able to take advantage of our network of stores and Shipts technology platform and shopper community to quickly offer same-day delivery to millions of our guests, Mulligan said. Traditional retailers are trying to tap what some experts call the instant gratification economy. We can get our news instantly, said Anthony J. Dukes, professor of marketing at the USC Marshall School of Business. We can have food delivered instantly. We can stream programming instantly. That has given us higher expectations for retail. The catalyst may have come in February, when statistics showed that fast-delivery king Amazon.com accounted for more than half of all e-commerce growth in the previous 12 months, said Tushar Patel, chief marketing officer at Kibo, a Dallas-based company that helps merchants more closely tie their online and bricks-and-mortar operations, an effort known as omnichannel in the industry. That was a tipping point, Patel said. That was news to other retailers that they would have to constantly push the delivery envelope. Same day has become the new retail standard. Immediate gratification wasnt always so important. Mail order catalogs came with the caveat allow six weeks for delivery. But the time customers are willing to wait for satisfaction continues to shrink, from a week to two days to overnight to the same day. They also dont want to pay for it. We have had studies that show 70% of consumers expect free shipping, Patel said. An even higher percentage, he added, said free shipping is compelling enough to make a purchase and not abandon a shopping cart. To manage all that, Amazons competitors have to play both sides of the aisle, said management professor Jay Prag, by offering the rough equivalent of same-day shipping but with a little consumer effort: buy online, pick up in store, or BOPIS in industry parlance. (Theres also BORIS, for buy online, return in store.) Target wants to be a hybrid, said Prag, who teaches at Claremont Graduate Universitys Drucker School of Management. Have the fast delivery options but keep the brick-and-mortar presence. Companies like Target dont have a lot of confidence in the capacity of the traditional logistics providers. Tushar Patel, Kibo chief marketing officer Los Angeles resident Danielle Kent, 23, said Amazon.com raised her expectations, with its quick delivery and ability to track shipments. Coming home from a long day of work and finding what you ordered that morning waiting for you on your door step when you get home its almost like someone sent you a gift, even though you bought it yourself, said Kent, an account coordinator for the Konnect Agency in Los Angeles. Kent said she never felt as comfortable with smaller retailers where you still have to wait weeks or it even sometimes gets lost in the mail. That type of feeling and figuring out how to tap into it was part of what drove Daphne Carmeli to create Deliv in 2012. Her quandary: how to jump onboard the fast delivery train without a massively expensive build-up in warehouses, vehicles and customer base. Deliv borrows some of the philosophy behind Uber and Lyft by relying on a small army of independent contractor drivers using their own vehicles. Each has to pass a background check and have a valid drivers license and insurance. We all have a GPS source in our pockets with our smartphones, Carmeli said, so we can mobilize a group of drivers, know exactly where they are and who can get the job done first. Deliv now serves 4,000 merchants in 23 states, ranging from big players like Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Best Buy to small merchants. We are their same-day delivery option, Carmeli said. The shortest delivery window we will do is 45 minutes to an hour. We do returns as well. Claremont professor Prag said economies of scale matter greatly in whether companies such as Target will succeed with high-speed delivery. This will work in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, other big cities, where there is enough demand density to justify the delivery costs, Prag said. It wont work in Oklahoma. Still, the hashtag #samedaydelivery has acquired a life of its own. Plug it into an Instagram search and nearly 58,000 shopping offers from around the world will show up, plugging the likes of high-heel shoes from Nigeria and flowers from Dublin, all offering customers same-day delivery. With mainstream delivery options UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service struggling to keep up with record online shopping, Kibos Patel said delivery services such as Shipt and Deliv will remain in high demand. Companies like Target dont have a lot of confidence in the capacity of the traditional logistics providers, Patel said. They want to control their own destiny. ron.white@latimes.com For more business news, follow Ronald D. White on Twitter: @RonWLATimes Twitter Inc. suspended the accounts of several well-known white nationalists Monday after putting into place new rules on what it sees as abusive content. The account of far-right group Britain First, which regularly posts inflammatory videos purporting to show Muslims engaged in acts of violence, was among the first to go dark. The individual accounts of two of its leaders, Jayda Fransen and Paul Golding, were also suspended. For the record: An earlier version of this article said Michael Hill was part of the Traditionalist Workers Party. He is president of the League of the South. President Trump caused a stir last month when he retweeted a post by Fransen, drawing criticism from British Prime Minister Theresa May. Fransen and Golding were arrested in Belfast last week, accused of stirring up hatred. Advertisement Twitter said it would not comment on individual accounts. The San Francisco company has emphasized that it takes into account many factors before making any enforcement decision, including the context of the post, cultural and political considerations and the severity of the violation. Twitters actions drew praise from civil rights groups. Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, commended Twitter for taking these significant steps to tackle hate on their platform. The group Muslim Advocates, which had called for the removal of Britain Firsts account, applauded Twitter for updating its policies and taking steps today to remove violent and hateful accounts from its platform. Twitters guidelines announced a month ago and put into force this week address hateful images or symbols, including those attached to user profiles. Monitors at the company are to weigh hateful imagery in the same way they do graphic violence and adult content. If a user wants to post symbols or images that might be considered hateful, the post must be marked sensitive media. Other users would then see a warning that would allow them to decide whether to view the post. Twitter is also prohibiting users from abusing or threatening others through their profiles or usernames. And it now bans accounts affiliated with organizations that use or promote violence against civilians to further their causes. The account for Jared Taylor, who heads the New Century Foundation, was among those suspended, along with his organizations flagship online publication, American Renaissance. Taylor said he immediately appealed the suspension but swiftly received a reply from Twitter informing him that his account would not be restored, which he interpreted to mean he had been permanently banned. He said Twitter determined that his account was affiliated with a violent extremist group. Of all the preposterous things they could have said about me or American Renaissance, I cant think of anything more preposterous, Taylor said. New Century Foundation has been recognized as a charity by the IRS, a decision that has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates. Taylor has said his group raises money for the benefit of the white race. Brad Griffin, who blogs under the name Hunter Wallace on the website Occidental Dissent, said in blog post that he was also suspended, along with League of the South president Michael Hill, the Traditionalist Worker Party and others. The white nationalist Richard Spencer, whose account was not suspended, tweeted that he had lost more than 100 followers in the last 24 hours and that he didnt see any systematic method to the #TwitterPurge. There appeared to be some inconsistencies. Twitter let David Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, keep the message Its Ok To Be White as his header, even though the same phrase was hidden by the sensitive material warning on his pinned tweet. The social media company is continuing to work out internal monitoring tools and it is revamping the appeals process for banned or suspended accounts. But it will begin accepting reports from users, who can note profiles, or users, that they consider to be in violation of Twitter policy. Previously, users could report only individual posts they deemed offensive. Now being targeted are logos, symbols, or images whose purpose is to promote hostility and malice against others based on their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin, the company said. There is no specific list of banned symbols or images. Rather, the company will review complaints individually to consider the context of the post or profile, including cultural and political considerations. It is also broadening existing policies intended to reduce threatening content, and those policies will now cover imagery that glorifies or celebrates violent acts. That content will be removed and repeat offenders will be banned, it said. Beginning Monday, the company said it will ban accounts affiliated with organizations that use or promote violence against civilians to further their causes. Meanwhile, Twitter has provided more leeway for itself after it was criticized for strict rules that resulted in account suspensions. There was a backlash against Twitter after it suspended the account of actress Rose McGowan, who opened a public campaign concerning sexual harassment and abuse that specifically named Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Twitter eventually reinstated McGowans account and said that it had been suspended because of a tweet that violated its rules on privacy. In our efforts to be more aggressive here, we may make some mistakes and are working on a robust appeals process, Twitter said in its blog post. UPDATES: 3 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from civil rights groups and from Jared Taylor. This article was originally published at 11:15 a.m. Writer and radio artist Jean Shepherds memories of his Indiana childhood and hunger for an official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time were famously arranged into Bob Clarks 1983 holiday perennial, A Christmas Story. That movie was arranged into a 2012 stage musical A Christmas Story: The Musical, naturally enough which was arranged further into the three-hour broadcast of A Christmas Story Live! Sunday night on Fox. Since NBCs revival of The Sound of Music in 2014, the live television musical has become a new form of an old-fashioned television event. (One should really capitalize Event, so intent are the producers upon their eventfulness.) Advertisement That these productions have so far been the exclusive province of NBC and Fox does not make them seem any less inevitable, for the cultural time being. They have not come off equally well, but in every case, they have given fans of musical theater months of excited anticipation. Its true that live TV is something of a stunt now, rather than a technological exigency. Mary Martin performed Peter Pan multiple times on TV, because that is just how things worked then. But live retains a distinctive appeal. (It matters that Saturday Night Live is performed live, whenever you choose to watch it.) One of the small but real pleasures of the Sunday broadcast was watching night fall in real time. Like Foxs previous live musicals, Grease! and The Passion, A Christmas Story Live! ranged across the Warner Bros. back lot and many soundstage interiors; though the practical demands of the production made it less-than-arresting visually, and sometimes awkward, it was nevertheless magical on a kind of military level. (The opening credits listed what looked like a dozen stage managers.) The potential for disaster is part of what makes live performance exciting, but there were was little in the way of flubbed lines or missed cues. (Just enough, one might say, to keep that flavor alive.) Although it played on Broadway and around the country, A Christmas Story: The Musical is not among the stages better-known works. Its stock increased by the fact that its composers, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, later scored the critically acclaimed musical Dear Evan Hansen and the Oscar-winning La La Land. A Christmas Story, the film, on the other hand, I could perform for you extempore, although I might possibly confuse the sequence of, say, Flicks tongue sticking to the flagpole and Randy eating like a little piggy. Shepherds voice-over narration is integral to the film; the musical actually puts him onstage, a ghost from the future hovering over nearly every scene, here in the person of Matthew Broderick, who found his own, gentler way through Shepherds pointy prose. Maya Rudolph was affecting as Ralphies mother, Chris Diamantopoulos gruff if less than epic as his father, the Old Man. As Ralphie, Andy Walken was a good visual match for the movies Peter Billingsley, and he seemed to have studied Billingsleys readings. It was not an original interpretation, as Oliviers Hamlet was distinct from Burtons, but originality was not really called for, and Walkens was an assured performance with the right touch of madness and wonderful vocal command. The whole company of kids, in fact, was energetic and on their marks, and possibly inspirational to children in the audience who may now be nursing Broadway dreams of their own. There was an expanded role for Jane Krakowskis teacher, Miss Shields a Bugsy Malone fantasy number was her big musical moment and non-singing, non-dancing small turns from Ken Jeong as a Christmas tree salesman (and later as the proprietor of a Chinese restaurant), David Alan Grier as a department store Santa and Fred Armisen as his helper. Schwartzs mother, previously an offended voice on the other end of a phone call, was here gloriously embodied by Ana Gasteyer, who brought in a Hanukkah theme (We got matzo balls / And the Maccabees) and a Fiddler melody. The film does not exactly boast a strong plot line. Ralphies gun madness is just a string on which to hang on a number of wintertime episodes. (It is a kind of rondo, in musical terms, returning occasionally to the theme, represented here by the song It All Comes Down to Christmas.) But the movie is a humble, compact, comfy thing; it feels like family. And though much worked easily into musical business lines like Youll shoot your eye out and a major award are song titles waiting to happen the virtues that have made the movie a seasonal perennial were somewhat swallowed by the narrative digressions and showstopping gestures of the musical. And they were diluted again by its expansion into three hours of commercial-filled television, beginning with a perfectly irrelevant prologue in which Bebe Rexha performed a new work of ready-to-stream, pitch-corrected pop, Come on Christmas. The white background upon which it was set had the look of a Target ad. (Target was not a sponsor, but Old Navy, which was, got its name on a store in the backlot downtown.) There was also a live commercial, also shot on the Warner lot, in which Hugh Jackman and a cast of dozens pitched his new movie, The Greatest Showman. It is a risky business turning a near-perfect thing into a somewhat less-perfect thing, but it feels churlish to cavil about so much hard work done in a celebratory spirit. Especially when the curtain calls have been taken and the cast, even as I write this, may be basking in the glow of their accomplishment. The moment comes, the moment goes just like that, the moments gone, Rudolphs mom sang to Andys Ralphie in the musicals most intimate and affecting number, Just Like That. Let us leave Foxs A Christmas Story Live! a television event, with that thought. robert.lloyd@latimes.com Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd tristanrobin said: So, nothing that isnt true...just blustering and blowhard insults. gotcha. Click to expand... Here's why I don't think there will be an impeachment or a coup.There is a huge amount of, call it inertia, in the system.There is a trajectory, that has an inevitability to it.Now if you're a Republican, you are a long way off from impeaching Trump, because you see this as an opportunity to get a presidential signature on whatever you can get through, even if you are having a hard time getting stuff through now, it will probably be harder after the 2018 elections, so why queer the deal, with an impeachment.If the Democrats take the House, a very real possibility, they might be able to impeach Trump, but no way they get to 67 votes in the Senate, so it's a non starter, that go down fighting for something that was never even a possibility just isn't the Democratic way.And as far as a coup goes, there's already pushback from the professional government staff and the military, they aren't going to abandon the constitution for Trump, he's not very popular with the people, and even less popular with the professional managers in the government.The difference between Trump and say Hugo Chavez, was that Hugo Chavez could get 80% of the vote, so his party dominated every level of the government, he had every supermajority he needed. He could amend the constitution at will, because if he needed a 75% supermajority for a constitutional amendment, it was right there in place.Trump can't get a simple majority vote through a Republican congress.He is just not in the position to stage a coup.He might like to, he might want to, but if gives the orders, I think they'll be refused by a military that cannot imagine a scenario where a Trump Coup is successful for more than a day or two, and that's a not a career option for a guy looking for a 30 or 40 year career. A restaurant in Texas is facing backlash after a photo of a sign posted in one of its rooms went viral on social media. The vintage neon sign at Cooks Garage in Lubbock features a caricature of an African-American man with Coon Chicken Inn, written across his teeth. Many are demanding the signs removal, calling it racist in comments circulating via social media and Yelp. According to KCBD, a local MSNBC affiliate in Texas, the issue arose after a person attended a holiday party at Cooks Garage and later posted a photo of the sign to Facebook. Owners of the restaurant responded to the complaint by writing back: We did not put this sign up to be derogatory, racist or to offend anyone. This is part of Americana History... just like everything else hung in our collection and buildings. The post continues, Aunt Jemima, mammies, and lots of other black collectibles are highly sought after, as is Americana collectibles with white characters. The Coon Chicken Inn was an actual restaurant started in the 20s. Again, we want to stress we do not intend to offend anyone, and are only preserving a part of history that should remind us all of the senselessness of racial prejudice. Advertisement https://twitter.com/WLBT/status/941872767477141505 But many people arent totally satisfied with the restaurants response. I havent eaten here, nor will I. We have worked hard to educate our kids to love and respect all people, not to offend and demean them, Elle E. wrote on Yelp. While the owner has a right to decorate as they wish, we have the right to not support the ignorance of the past being used as decor. The Daily Meal has reached out to Cooks Garage for further comment. View slideshow more on racism Every morning and every night during her family vacation in snowy Colorado, Sonia Behrman pulled up the live security footage of her Montecito home. Sometimes shed see a handful of firefighters, with hoses, moving about. Other times, a firetruck parked in the driveway. In every stream for seven days, her home was still standing. But on Saturday morning, the feed on her cellphone screen cut out. Advertisement Either their internet went out, her husband said, or their house burned down. The Behrmans learned Sunday morning that it was the latter. That despite a heroic battle by firefighters that left more than a thousand homes unscathed by the relentless Thomas fire, their large hillside residence was reduced to charred walls and piles of rubble. My whole inside just went numb, Behrman, 39, said of receiving a text from her stepson, who saw their home on the news. My sister had to sit me on the couch. I felt like I was going to faint. Despite her familys heartbreak, the destruction in Montecito over the weekend was relatively light, a testament to days of preparation by firefighters bracing for powerful winds that sent the blaze raging through the hills of the picturesque coastal town. Just two homes were destroyed, and seven others damaged. It could have been a lot worse, said Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni. We could have easily lost firefighters or had more homes destroyed. It was a great effort by firefighters. Winds persisted Sunday morning, with gusts topping 70 mph in mountain areas in the fire zone and 50 mph on the Ventura County coast. But they calmed as the day wore on, allowing fire crews to mop up hot spots and remove dry vegetation by the homes theyd saved in Montecito. From earlier today: Fire crews, local residents and air assets continue work to stop the advance of the #ThomasFire as the weather remained favorable. Air drops, clearing brush, bulldozing lines and mopping up. Note the cold breath up in the mountains. https://t.co/zHcZd3XpOf pic.twitter.com/dbzNMZtaOj Marcus Yam (@yamphoto) December 18, 2017 In Ventura County, firefighters concentrated their forces in the hills above Fillmore, where the wildfire stayed within the containment lines despite the increase in winds. As a result, authorities lifted evacuations in Fillmore, as well as in parts of Carpinteria. By Sunday evening, the wildfire had grown to 270,000 acres and led 104,607 people to flee their homes, authorities said. More than 8,500 firefighters have battled the blaze, the largest mobilization of fire crews to fight any wildfire in California history. The firefight has cost $123.8 million. Strong Santa Ana winds helped clear smoke out of Ventura County, but health officials cautioned residents that non-smoky conditions dont mean the air is safe to breathe. The cities of Ojai, Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Paula and Camarillo all recorded unhealthy air quality ratings early Sunday afternoon, according to the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District. With strong winds threatening to spark more wildfires across the region, Southern California Edison considered turning off power to some parts of Malibu. Malibu was identified as particularly vulnerable if strong Santa Ana winds continue to batter the region, said Paul Griffo, an Edison spokesman. Experts say shutting down the power grid in times of extreme winds is a rarely used but effective tactic to prevent wildfires. Until last week, Southern California Edison hadnt shut down power in response to wind conditions for more than a decade, Griffo said. But that changed after the fires in Californias wine country in October damaged or destroyed more than 14,000 homes and killed more than 40 people. The company shut off electricity on Dec. 7 to Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains, Griffo said. And San Diego Gas & Electric took similar action last week in rural San Diego County before fires broke out but there was some criticism of the move because firefighters couldnt operate electric water pumps. Winds are expected to calm down Monday and Tuesday to 10 to 20 mph, which will look tranquil compared with the weekend gusts, said Kathy Hoxsie, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Increased humidity levels and low winds are expected to aid firefighters. But it will be a short respite, as strong winds and low humidity are expected to return Wednesday in Santa Barbara County and Thursday in Ventura County, Hoxsie said. Back on Park Hill Lane in Montecito, Behrman scanned a pile of her familys belongings that were spared by the blaze. Wrapped Christmas gifts, presents from her 1-year-old sons birthday last week, photographs, strollers and car seats. Tons of memorable stuff, she said, adding that shes grateful to the firefighters who salvaged some of her things. She planned to load up a car and haul what was saved to her mothers house in Carpinteria, where she, her husband and three of their kids will stay. Rusty Smith clears out brush growing near his home after a wind event Saturday kicked up flames and threatened his home in Flores Flats on Gibraltar Road. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times ) In neighboring Santa Barbara, Rusty Smith said he fled his home on Gibraltar Road about 1 a.m. Sunday. He stayed with a friend nearby and set his alarm to wake him every 90 minutes so he could see if the flames had reached his house. But firefighters managed to save Smiths house and about two dozen others in the neighborhood. I wasnt worried. You know when things are out of your control, Smith, 57, said Sunday afternoon, as he swept debris from the driveway of his neighbors house. But we know we were fortunate. Lucas Merrick returned Sunday around noon to find that his home also had been spared. As helicopters dropped water on smoldering vegetation, Merrick said his hillside property is much more than a home for him and other residents. Theres a spiritual element, he said. Thats why people decide to live here. 1 / 73 John Bain and Brandon Baker try to stop a fire from burning a strangers home in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 73 A brush fire moving with the wind sends embers all over residential neighborhoods north of Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 73 A family packs up and evacuates as a brush fire gets closer to their home in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 73 John Bain and his friends, all from Camarillo, came to help as brush fires move quickly through residential neighborhoods in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 73 Strangers band together to help put out a palm tree on fire and stop it from burning homes. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 73 The Hawaiian Gardens apartments burn in Ventura. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 7 / 73 Residents help with the fire attack on Buena Vista Street in Ventura. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 8 / 73 Residents watch the Thomas fire on Prospect Street in Ventura. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 9 / 73 Firefighters are deployed to battle the fire in a Ventura neighborhood. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 73 A chimney is all that stands of a home as a brush fire continues to threaten other homes in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 73 Remnants of a home as a brush fire continues to threaten other homes in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 73 A home burns on a hillside overlooking Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 73 Palms are consumed in the Thomas fire. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times ) 14 / 73 Emma Jacobson, 19, center, gets a hug from a neighbor after her family home was destroyed by fire in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 73 Olivia Jacobson, 16, wipes tears as she looks at her familys home, destroyed by the brush fire on Island View Drive in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 73 Aerial view of the Thomas fire in Ventura County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 73 Noah Alarcon carries a cage with the family cat while evacuating from Casitas Springs. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 18 / 73 Smoke from the Thomas fire crosses over Lake Casitas near Ojai. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 19 / 73 A Ventura County firefighter battles a blaze on Cobblestone Drive near Foothill Road in Ventura. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 73 Ventura County Firefighter Aaron Cohen catches his breath after fighting to save homes along Cobblestone Drive near Foothill Road in Ventura. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 73 Aerial view of homes burned to the ground in the Thomas fire in Ventura County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times ) 22 / 73 A home between Via Baja and Foothill Road burns in Ventura. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 73 Amanda Leon and husband Johnny Leon watch as firefighters fight to save homes along Cobblestone Drive near Foothill Road in Ventura. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 73 Chino Valley firefighters fight to save a home along Cobblestone Drive near Foothill Road in Ventura. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 73 Embers continue to burn at sunset Tuesday in a home on Ridgecrest Court at Scenic Way in the Clearpoint neighborhood of Ventura. (Al Seib / Los Angeles TImes) 26 / 73 A firefighter battles the Thomas fire along Highway 33 in Casitas Springs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 73 Firefighters try to protect homes from the Thomas fire along Highway 33 in Casitas Springs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 73 A firefighter battles the Thomas fire along Highway 33 in Casitas Springs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 73 Edward Aguilar runs through the flames of the Thomas Fire to save his cats at his mobile home along Highway 33 in Casitas Springs in Ventura County. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 73 Jeff Lipscomb, left, Gabriel Lipscomb, 17, center, and Rachel Lipscomb, 11, look for items to recover from their burned home in Ventura. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 73 A traffic collision temporarily clogged lanes on the northbound 101 Freeway between Solimar and Faria Beaches as the Thomas fire burned in the hills. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 73 The Thomas fire burns towards the 101 Freeway and homes between Solimar and Faria Beaches. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 73 Fire personnel keep an eye on the Thomas fire on Toland Road near Santa Paula. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 34 / 73 A train on the Rincon coast passes a burning hillside from the Thomas fire. (Michael Owen Baker / For the Times) 35 / 73 The Thomas fire burns along the 101 Freeway north of Ventura on Wednesday evening. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 73 A firefighter battles the Thomas fire in the town of La Conchita early Thursday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 73 A resident cries as the Thomas fire approaches the town of La Conchita early Thursday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 73 Burned palm trees are left standing between the 101 Freeway and Faria Beach as the Thomas fire reaches the Pacific Ocean. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 73 Firefighters battle Thursday to protect the resort city of Ojai from encroaching flames. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 73 Casey Rodriquez helps a friend move belongings after the Thomas Fire destroyed most of an apartment building on North Kalarama in Ventura. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 73 A burnt-out bus near Maripoca Highway. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 73 The Thomas fire burns in the Los Padres National Forest, near Ojai. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 73 A huge plume of smoke rises north of Ventura as seen Sunday afternoon from the Ventura pier, as the Thomas fire threatens parts of Carpenteria and Montecito. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 73 The Thomas Fire burns in the Los Padres National Forest, near Ojai, Calif. on Friday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 73 Residents react as they watch the Thomas Fire burn in the hills above La Conchita at 5 am Thursday moning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 73 Mary McEwen and husband Dan Bellaart prepare to evacuate their home on Toro Canyon Road in Montecito as the Thomas fire burns. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 73 Carpenteria resident Chris Gayner, right, photographs a plane in the hills of Carpenteria. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 73 From left, residents Michael Desjardins, his neighbor Patty Rodriguez, daughter Mikayla, wife Veronica, mother in law Amanda Buzin, and son Mikey keep an eye on the Thomas fire in Carpenteria. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 73 Mary McEwen cheers as she sees fire crews make their way up a hill past her home on Toro Canyon Rd. in Montecito. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 73 Dan Bellaart and wife Mary McEwen comfort each other in the backyard of their home that includes an avocado ranch on 9 acres of land on Toro Canyon Road in Montecito, as the Thomas fire burns in the background. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 73 Carpinteria resident Jay Molnar, 55, mouth and nose protected against the smoke, views flames glowing in the hills above the city on Dec. 11, 2017. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 73 Sacramento firefighters battle a blaze in Toro Canyon in Carpenteria at dusk Tuesday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 73 Josh Acosta, superintendent with Fulton Hotshots looks for ways to fight fire consuming a structure threatening two homes high up Toro Canyon in Carpenteria at dusk Tuesday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 73 A motorcade passes on tHighway 126 carrying the body of a Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson, who died Thursday morning while battling the Thomas Fire. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 73 Santa Paula City officials, Police and Firefighters salute from a bridge as a motorcade passes on the Santa Paula Freeway 126 carrying the body of a Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 73 Forest Service crews cut and clear dense brush for contingency lines off of East Camino Cielo in the Santa Ynez Mountains above Montecito and Santa Barbara to help stop the Thomas fire from advancing. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 73 A hotshot crew from Ojai marches towards their assignment to protect structures on East Mountain Drive in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 73 Firefighters monitor the flames Saturday from a staging area near Parma Park in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 73 Flames slowly make their way down a valley behind a home in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 73 Flames whip around power lines as they move through Sycamore Canyon on Saturday, threatening structures in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 73 Smoke billows over Santa Barbara as the Thomas Fire continues to threaten the area on Saturday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 73 Bill Shubin, deputy fire chief of the Santa Rosa Fire Department checks on flames burning near homes north of East Mountain Drive in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 73 A fire truck pulls responds to fires burning near homes on East Mountain Drive in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times ) 64 / 73 Brian Good, from US Forest Service, leans forward against the wind, and holds up a Kestrel to measure wind speeds up to 50 mph on Gibraltar Road in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 73 A plume of smoke moves south as winds as high as 50 mph blow down Gibraltar Road on the west fork of Cold Spring Trail in Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 73 Flames and a big plume of smoke threaten homes on Gibraltar Road near Gibraltar Rock, outside Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 73 The sun rises as fire crews prepare for another day of fighting the Thomas Fire, in Montecito, Calif., on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 73 An aircraft makes a water drop over a hot spot up in the mountain range at Gibraltar Rock near Montecito, Calif. on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 73 Humboldt County firefighters Bobby Gray, left, hoses down smoldering flames inside a destroyed home, as Kellee Stoehr, right looks on, after the Thomas Fire burned in Montecito, Calif. on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 73 A home on Park Hill Lane was destroyed by the Thomas fire in Montecito, Calif. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times ) 71 / 73 Humboldt County firefighters Lonnie Risling, left, and Jimmy McHaffie, right, spray down smoldering fire underneath the rubble of a home that was destroyed by the Thomas Fire, in Montecito, Calif., Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 73 Fire crews help the Behrman family retrieve their familys personal belongings out of their burned home, in Montecito, Calif., on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 73 In the foreground of the ridges that were burned by the Thomas Fire, Rusty Smith stands outside his home that survived the flames that were kicked up by Saturdays wind event and threatened his home in Flores Flats on Gibraltar Road, near Montecito. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Etehad reported from Montecito, Tchekmedyian from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Ben Poston contributed to this report from Los Angeles. melissa.etehad@latimes.com | Twitter: @melissaetehad alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com | Twitter: @alenetchek Amid increasing Republican attacks on Robert S. Mueller III over the scope and impartiality of his investigation of Russian campaign meddling, President Trump denied on Sunday that he had any intention of firing the special counsel. No no, Im not, Trump said on Sunday as he returned to the White House from Camp David, when reporters asked if he was considering ousting Mueller, as some conservatives have urged. Earlier, the White House sought to tamp down speculation Trump would move directly against the special counsel, even as a senior Cabinet official noted the president had the authority to remove Mueller if he wished. Advertisement The president spoke as a new contretemps flared over the disclosure Saturday that the Mueller team possesses tens of thousands of emails from the Trump transition team, causing perhaps the most tense moment in the investigation since Muellers appointment in May. He was named soon after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey, who had been overseeing the probe since mid-2016. A lawyer for Trump on Saturday wrote to Congress accusing Mueller of having illegally obtained the transition emails and other records. That drew a rare public response from the special counsels spokesman, who said any emails were either obtained by the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process. Asked about the emails in Muellers possession, Trump said, Its quite sad to see that. My people are very upset about it. I cant imagine theres anything on em, frankly, because as we said, theres no collusion with Russia. On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin repeated a frequent complaint of Trump and his supporters, suggesting that the probe had dragged on too long. Weve got to get past this investigation its a giant distraction, Mnuchin said on CNNs State of the Union. In another echo of the president, Mnuchin said nobody has said that Russian actions impacted the outcome of the election. The U.S. intelligence community unanimously assessed that Russia interfered in the 2016 campaign to assist Trump, but did not attempt to draw conclusions as to the impact on the result. Mnuchin, who dined with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday evening at Camp David, said hours before Trumps remarks that he knew of no move afoot to fire Mueller. I dont have any reason to think the president is going to do that, he said. But thats obviously up to him. The White House legislative director, Marc Short, also pushed back against the notion of firing Mueller. We have continued to cooperate in every single stage of that investigation, Short said on NBCs Meet the Press. But like Mnuchin, he suggested that it was in the public interest for Mueller to wrap things up quickly. Taxpayers have spent millions and millions of dollars on this investigation without collusion having been proven, Short said. The special counsel has announced no such determination about possible Trump campaign complicity. Trump has reportedly expressed hopes privately that the investigation would be over by years end, a prospect that appears unlikely. Democrats, along with some Republicans, have signaled strong support for Mueller. Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), also appearing on Meet the Press, said Mueller has not at all been compromised. The special counsel, he said, was beyond reproach. As Mueller has come under growing assault from Republicans who charge that his investigation is tainted by partisanship, they have seized on the disclosure that an FBI agent who worked on Muellers team exchanged text messages with a colleague in 2015 disparaging Trump. The agent, Peter Strzok, was removed over the summer, after Mueller learned of the texts. The Strzok texts have been the subject of frenzied coverage in conservative media. Even some Republicans who say they have faith in Muellers integrity have joined in calls for examination of potential bias. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the Senates second-ranking Republican, said on ABCs This Week that Mueller acted correctly in removing the agent from his team, but said there are others whose personal opinions might have a bearing on the probe. Mueller, a lifelong Republican, initially was praised even by Trump allies like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. But after Trumps former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was indicted in October, Gingrich called Mueller an out-of-control prosecutor. Such attacks have picked up as the probe seemed to draw closer to Trumps innermost circle, especially after the guilty plea of former national security advisor Michael Flynn, who is cooperating with investigators. Trump has mused publicly about pardoning Flynn. Well see what happens, he said Friday. The latest flareup was ignited when news reports on Saturday said Muellers team has tens of thousands of emails from the Trump transition team, including messages from Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and a senior White House advisor. Legal experts have sharply questioned the claim by Kory Langhofer, a lawyer for the transition team, that the emails were protected by executive privilege and had been improperly obtained. Trump, who has continued to call claims of Russian election interference a hoax, has recently mounted intensifying attacks on the FBI. Meanwhile, Trump has continued to pursue a warm relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Sunday, the Kremlin made an unusual public revelation that the United States had shared intelligence that had helped foil a terrorist plot in Russias second-largest city, St. Petersburg. Putin called Trump to thank him for the CIAs help in nabbing a ring linked to the Islamic State group, Russias Tass news agency reported. The White House later said that Trump had then called CIA Director Mike Pompeo to congratulate the entire intelligence community on a job well done! Sundays call marked Trump and Putins second conversation in four days. Trump called Putin on Thursday to thank him for praising the strong performance of the U.S. stock market and attributing it to Trump. laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT Track Palin, the oldest son of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was arrested Saturday in Alaska on charges of domestic violence. It marks the second time hes been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in two years. The charges seem to stem from an incident in his familys hometown of Wasilla, though further details about what happened were not immediately available. Palin, 28, was arraigned Sunday morning on three counts: felony burglary, misdemeanor reckless assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief for causing up to $500 in property damage, according to online court records. Each of the charges was related to domestic violence. Advertisement The felony burglary charge indicates Palin is accused of hurting or attempting to hurt someone while committing burglary. Local police and prosecutors did not respond to messages seeking more information Sunday. No attorney was listed for Palin on the court docket, and no details were given about his bond status. He remained held at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility in Palmer, Alaska, as of Sunday afternoon. Representatives for the Palin family could not be immediately reached for comment. Palin was also arrested in 2016 on domestic violence-related charges. He was suspected of punching his girlfriend, who then became concerned that Palin was going to shoot himself with a rifle, according to court records. He took a plea deal that resulted in some of the charges being dismissed, and he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm while intoxicated, a misdemeanor. His girlfriend later filed for custody of their child, and in January she requested a protective order against Palin. Sarah Palin ran for vice president on the Republican ticket with Sen. John McCain of Arizona in 2008, losing to the Democratic ticket of Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden. She has since been a television personality and conservative political speaker, and has a strong following among tea party Republicans. During a January 2016 rally in support of President Trump, Sarah Palin suggested Tracks problems stemmed from post-traumatic stress disorder he developed after a military deployment in Iraq. I can certainly relate with other families who feel these ramifications of some PTSD and some of the woundedness that our soldiers do return with, the former governor said at the time. To read the article in Spanish, click here matt.pearce@latimes.com Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce. More national headlines UPDATES: 6:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional background. This article was originally posted at 5:35 p.m. Monday brings a graduation of sorts to 12 boys who were found to have committed crimes yet had the good fortune to be sent to Campus Kilpatrick, Los Angeles Countys innovative probation camp in the Malibu hills. The young offenders and the county now face a test. For the juveniles who have completed more than five months of therapeutic and correctional programs , the task is to return to their families and neighborhoods, ready to use what they have learned to steer clear of the kind of trouble that landed them at Kilpatrick in the first place. Much rides on their success. For the county, the question is how much it will learn from those youths as they transition back to freedom. Independent researchers will track the youths over the coming months and years to determine whether the new L.A. Model of juvenile rehabilitation produces better results than the old-school, boot-camp approach to dealing with youthful offenders or, if you prefer, juvenile delinquents. Advertisement L.A. County doesnt have a lot of experience keeping records of juveniles whove been released from custody. The county has invested many years and millions of dollars in the reinvented Kilpatrick in the belief that it could replicate the success of a decades-old and widely touted juvenile justice program in Missouri that uses small dorm-like facilities instead of dreary military-style barracks, expert staffs that treat youths with dignity, and tested rehabilitation programs that take into account any mental and emotional damage that may have contributed to past behavioral problems. It is not a soft-on-crime program, but rather one that aims to achieve better results for both the juveniles and society. In Missouri, the approach has led to steep declines in juvenile crime recidivism rates. L.A. County doesnt have a lot of experience keeping track of juveniles whove been released from custody. It finally obtained philanthropic funding and commissioned a study of juvenile justice outcomes several years ago, and in 2015 a report by researchers from Cal State L.A., the Advancement Project and others provided some eye-opening data on what became of juveniles in the years after they left probation camps. It turned out that 1 in 3 were arrested again within a year after their release. So was that good or bad? Did those results demonstrate that the countys juvenile justice system was an utter failure and that the money, time and resources put into it were wasted? Or did it show that, considering the troubled lives the boys led, things were going about as well as they could? Were things getting better or worse? A single study cant answer those questions. Perhaps the main takeaway ought to be that the county previously had been moving forward without data, and lacked the internal capacity to compile and analyze it, or even the basic understanding that such work is important. In addition to outcomes, the study spotlighted information that was previously either unknown to or underplayed by the Probation Department. For example, a shocking 92% of the youths studied were diagnosed with some degree of mental illness. Rehabilitation required medical treatment. Without knowing that, how could probation officials produce anything that could in any way be considered success? Meticulous data collection and analysis is crucial not just in juvenile justice, but in all criminal justice programs. A major slice of taxpayer money is spent on incarceration and programs that are meant to reshape behavior in order to keep the same youth and adults from committing new crimes and returning, again and again, to probation camps or jail. Without studying what happens to people after their sentences are completed, corrections and rehabilitation are operating in the dark, tailoring projects and programs according to political fashion. But across the Probation Department, there can be no data analysis if deputy probation officers are not trained to record information about their charges in a useful and uniform fashion. The county has a long way to go before it gets to that point, and before it fully internalizes the importance of data and the ability to interpret it. Data collection and analysis is one of the important innovations of the Kilpatrick program, which includes a study of outcomes performed by outside researchers with criminal justice expertise. Results will necessarily take time, but the fact that the county considers post-incarceration data important is a major step forward and, in the end, is something to applaud every bit as much as the boys who are returning home. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Where are those Republican deficit hawks? (Cost of Republicans tax cuts likely to be greater than they appear on paper, Dec. 16) For eight years under President Obama, the Republicans in Congress cried foul every time a budget was proposed that increased the deficit by any amount. The current tax reform bill championed by the House and Senate Republicans as well as President Trump is projected to increase the debt by $1.5 trillion over 10 years. Now, in the yearlong quest for a win, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are happy with a bill that increases the debt by more than $1 trillion. Is it any wonder that Congress has such a low approval rating with this kind of hypocrisy? Advertisement David Troy, Laguna Niguel .. To the editor: Its always fun to watch liberals suddenly become fiscal conservatives. The Democrats are concerned about the possible $1.5-trillion deficit over the next 10 years, but they never had much of an issue with President Obama adding more than $9 trillion to our national debt in just eight years. Rick Kern, Incline Village, Nev. .. To the editor: My wife and I are currently in the 33% marginal income tax bracket and will be in the 24% bracket under the new plan. With the proposed changes, our federal tax liability will probably decrease by about $8,000. Thats nice for us, but its disgraceful morally since we have no need for that benefit while people who are poor or sick will not be helped by this bill. There is nothing material that we need, so we will not spend that money rather, we will purchase more stocks that pay dividends, which are taxable at 15%. The GOP tax plan is nothing more than a reward for the partys donors and the wealthy. The poor get poorer and the rich get richer. This does not make America great. Doug Emerson, Thousand Oaks Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Petition drive to repeal California gas tax increase temporarily slows down By Patrick McGreevy A motorist prepares to gas up her vehicle in San Rafael, Calif., in 2015. ( (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)) Paid signature-gatherers for a ballot measure that would repeal gas tax increases may be hard to find on the streets of California this week. Organizers say its not a money issue, adding that they needed to briefly halt paid signature-gathering to catch up on collecting petitions from volunteers. The petition drive has so far collected more than 327,800 verified signatures of the 587,407 needed to qualify the measure for the November ballot, according to Dave Gilliard, the political strategist behind the drive. We knew it was popular but the incredible pace is even faster than we expected so we outran the capacity of our verification operation over the Christmas holiday and told our crew managers to slow down so we could catch up, Gilliard said. We will be back up to speed by the end of this week. The gas tax and vehicle fee increases signed by Gov. Jerry Brown are expected to raise $5.2 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and expanded mass transit. The gas tax jumped from 18 cents to 30 cents per gallon on Nov. 1, and vehicle fees of at least $25 kicked in Jan. 1. The gas tax repeal petition is breaking records for both paid and volunteer signatures and were using the next two weeks to catch up on validation of signatures already received, said Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Councilman and conservative radio talk-show host. As a grass-roots-funded effort we are also continuously raising funds and volunteer support. We are highly confident well qualify this Initiative for the November 2018 ballot. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State pot bureau ready to enforce Californias new marijuana laws as license applications flood in By Patrick McGreevy The state has issued 104 licenses for retail stores to sell marijuana for recreational use in California and 239 other applications for those permits are pending, officials said Tuesday. An official with the state Bureau of Cannabis Control added that the agency is prepared to begin taking enforcement action against pot shops that are not properly licensed. The bureaus enforcement team is ready to respond to any complaints it receives and start doing compliance checks and site visits at any time, said Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the bureau. Selling marijuana without a license is a crime punishable by up to six months in county jail and a fine of up to $500. Those convicted of engaging in any marijuana business activity without a license will also be subject to a civil penalty of up to three times the amount of the license fee for each violation. A new report issued Tuesday indicated the bureau has issued 478 temporary licenses to firms to test, distribute and sell medical and recreational marijuana, which began Jan. 1 after voters approved a legalization initiative, Proposition 64, in 2016. Businesses have received 153 licenses to sell marijuana for medical use. Another 1,458 firms have applied for licenses that are still being processed. The state Department of Food and Agriculture has separately issued 207 licenses to marijuana growers. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Two possible instances of discrimination reported after California issues drivers licenses to immigrants here illegally By Jazmine Ulloa The California Research Bureau on Tuesday released its first report on incidents of discrimination under a 2015 state law that has provided drivers licenses for hundreds of thousands of immigrants here illegally. Researchers found no complaints have been made against government agencies tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws. But two possible instances of discrimination were reported in focus group interviews conducted by Drive California, a coalition of advocates studying the impact of the new law. In one case, a woman in Fresno was told her license was not a valid form of identification at a retail store, though it was unclear whether the incident reflected intentional discrimination or simple ignorance of the license marking, the report states. A MoneyGram clerk in another case denied a license holder the ability to cash a check. The same person was later rejected again at a bank. The state Department of Motor Vehicles has issued 960,000 AB 60 drivers licenses as of Nov. 30. The state research bureau produced the report for the Legislature as part of the new law, which declares discrimination against an AB 60 license holder a violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California lawmaker proposes requiring panic buttons for hotel workers in response to widespread sexual harassment By Patrick McGreevy More than half of hotel workers surveyed report being sexually harassed at some point. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times) Alarmed by a survey indicating sexual harassment of hotel housekeepers is widespread, a California state lawmaker on Tuesday proposed requiring employers to provide panic button devices to their employees so they can summon help if abused by a guest. The bill to be introduced Wednesday by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) would also require individual hotels to impose a three-year ban on guests who engage in harassment on the property. We want to protect our most vulnerable women workers, hotel maids who are going into rooms alone, from sexual harassment, said Muratsuchi, who co-authored the bill with Assemblyman Bill Quirk (D-Hayward). The legislation signals that concerns over sexual harassment that dominated the state Legislature last year will continue to be an issue for lawmakers as they begin the new legislative year Wednesday. Harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, comedian Louis C.K. and other high-profile men have involved sexual misconduct in hotel rooms. A survey in July by Unite Here Local 1 found that 49% of female hotel workers in Chicago had experienced a guest answering the door naked or exposing himself. The report titled Hands Off, Pants On, found 58% of hotel workers said they had been sexually harassed by a guest. Californias Unite Here Local 11 has been calling for the action proposed in the legislation. It is the intent of this measure to protect hotel employees from violent assault, including sexual assault, and sexual harassment, and to enable those employees to speak out when they experience harassment on the job, said the introduction to the legislation introduced by Muratsuchi. In addition to requiring hotels to provide panic buttons to employees who work alone in rooms, the bill requires hotels to take written complaints from employees and keep them for five years. Any complaint backed by evidence including a statement given under penalty of perjury would result in a guest being banned from a hotel for three years. Hotels would also be required to post a notice on the inside of hotel room doors warning guests about the consequences of sexual harassment. Updated at 4:10 pm to include comment from Assemblyman Muratsuchi. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Money, Republican malaise and Tom Steyer: These are the things to watch for in Californias 2018 statewide elections By Seema Mehta Get ready, California. What had been a behind-the-scenes dash for cash closely watched by few other than political observers is about to burst into public view. Voters this year will decide who will succeed Democrat Jerry Brown as the next governor and whether they will send Sen. Dianne Feinstein back to Washington. Before the June 5 primary, candidates will ramp up their campaigns with messages on television and stuffed into mailboxes. Heres a primer on the states two marquee races. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Fickle L.A. County is pivotal in the race for California governor By Phil Willon Home to a quarter of Californias 5.2 million registered voters, Los Angeles County is the biggest prize in Californias 2018 race for governor. For two hometown Democratic candidates especially former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang of Torrance doing well in L.A. County is essential if they hope to best the front-runner, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Yet this overwhelmingly Democratic stronghold continually bedevils even the most adept campaigns. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A renewed brawl over single-payer healthcare in California is on deck for 2018 By Melanie Mason Carolyn Angela Chen, a registered nurse, gives a free hepatitis A vaccination to Glenn Gardner, 52, at Joshua House Clinic (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) California officials are bracing for healthcare battles in Washington to have a major impact on the states budget and programs. Activists and politicians are planning a showdown over whether or not to establish a single-payer healthcare system in the state. And prescription drug manufacturers are the target of a number of bills meant to target the rising costs of medication. Sound familiar? Turns out the brewing healthcare battles in California in 2018 arent all that different from those from 2017. Heres a primer on the upcoming healthcare agenda in California: Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print How California lawmakers plan to protect the online privacy of consumers in 2018 By Jazmine Ulloa (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) With federal regulation rollbacks and a rise in data breaches, California lawmakers this year are looking for ways to protect consumers and their personal information. Some legislation under consideration could give people more notice and control over what data is collected, without having to pay for privacy or better services. Other bills could provide free credit freezes for consumers and require new privacy features for products that connect to the internet. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 2018 will see California motorists pay more to the state to repair roads and bridges By Patrick McGreevy The new year brings with it new vehicle fees in California ranging from $25 to $175 depending on the value of your car, but Republican lawmakers are hoping to qualify a ballot measure in November to repeal the higher charges. The fees and a 12-cent increase in Californias gas tax last year are part of a plan by Democrats to raise more than $5.2 billion annually to deal with a backlog of road and bridge repairs. Petitions to qualify a repeal initiative are circulating now. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A rent control battle tops the list of California housing issues to watch in 2018 By Liam Dillon A new-home community in Anaheim in 2016 (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times) California lawmakers arent wasting any time in tackling one of the most contentious issues in state housing politics this year. On Jan. 11, the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee is set to hold a hearing on legislation that could lead to a dramatic expansion of rent control policies across the state. The debate over rent control could spill over onto the 2018 ballot, where Californians also could see proposals to expand or curtail the property tax restrictions ushered in 40 years ago by Proposition 13. Lawmakers will have to wrestle with how to follow up a package of housing bills that passed last year. The measures provided new funding and regulations designed to encourage homebuilding, but are unlikely to make an appreciable difference in housing costs. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas is resigning By John Myers Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas abruptly announced his resignation from the California Legislature on Wednesday, citing health reasons. Ridley-Thomas, a Democrat from Los Angeles, informed Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) Tuesday night. The reason for this difficult decision is that I am facing persistent health issues, Ridley-Thomas, 30, said in a written statement on Wednesday. On December 18th, I underwent surgery for the fifth time this year. Although I expect a full recovery, my physicians advise that I will need an extended period of time to recuperate. Earlier this year, Ridley-Thomas was absent from work for more than two weeks. Staff members initially said the absence was a personal leave, then said the time off was due to unspecified medical reasons. His resignation letter on Wednesday offered no additional details. When I resume public life, I intend to remain active in civic affairs, where my passion lies, he said in the statement released by his office. Ridley-Thomas was first elected to the Assembly in a 2013 special election. He is the son of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. Before winning elected office at age 26, the younger Ridley-Thomas worked as an aide for Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price and managed a 2012 Assembly campaign in San Bernardino County. In a statement about his sons decision, Mark Ridley-Thomas said he and his wife more than anyone, have seen him struggle with health challenges this year, and we fully support his decision to step down from the state Legislature so that he can recuperate with complete rest, in accordance with his doctors orders. His solidly Democratic district includes the west Los Angeles neighborhoods of Westwood, Culver City, Crenshaw and Baldwin Hills. He is chairman of the influential Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, which oversees all tax-related legislation. Ridley-Thomas is a proponent of changes in the operation of the state Board of Equalization, though his plan would have allowed the agency to ultimately retain many of its duties. A more substantial shake-up was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in June. Ridley-Thomas was the author of a bill signed into law in October giving the Los Angeles Unified School District the power to preserve some of its existing single-gender schools. He was unsuccessful, though, in an effort to stop local governments from imposing taxes on streaming video services like Netflix and Hulu. Ridley-Thomas departure will require a special election in 2018. He is the fourth Southern California legislator to leave office this year. The election of Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) to Congress also required a special election. The other two lawmakers Assemblymen Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima) and Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills) stepped down in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct, which both men have denied. A special election to fill Bocanegras seat will be held on April 3, with a potential runoff on June 5. A special election date has not yet been set for Dababnehs seat. My colleagues and I wish Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas all the best going forward as he deals with his health challenges, Rendon said in a statement. The Assembly will continue to assist the residents of the 54th Assembly District until a new assemblymember is seated. This post was updated with comment from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, as well as more information about special elections. It was originally published at 11:10 a.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California Senate Democrats are considering some ideas to counter the GOP tax plan By Liam Dillon Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Democrats in the California Senate are planning to write legislation to lessen the effects of the elimination of popular tax breaks in the GOPs overhaul of the federal tax system. To finance broad-based corporate tax cuts and reductions in individual tax rates, the GOP plan caps the deductibility of state and local income and property taxes a benefit used often in suburban areas of California. The Republican tax scam disproportionately harms California taxpayers, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) said in a statement. Our hard-earned tax dollars should not be subject to double-taxation, especially not to line the pockets of the Trump family, hedge fund managers and private jet owners. De Leon, who also is running for U.S. Senate, said the state Senate is working with law professors at UCLA, UC Davis and the University of Chicago to develop the legislation. Ideas being considered, according to a de Leon spokesman, include: Reducing state personal income taxes through a tax credit program and offsetting that amount through payroll taxes. Allowing individuals to make voluntary gifts to the state of California, which would be deductible as a charitable donation under federal law. The deduction for the donated amount would replace the state and local tax deduction. Lawmakers return to Sacramento in January. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti admits considering a 2020 bid: I am thinking about this By Seema Mehta Eric Garcetti (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Its no secret Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is interested in running for president. When reporters ask about his intentions, he has used all sorts of ways to deflect, typically by saying hes focused on his day job for the moment. But speaking in Spanish to a Univision reporter this week, Garcetti edged ever closer to the telltale admission hes actually considering it. I am thinking about this, said Garcetti, who is partly of Mexican heritage but learned Spanish attending private school. The majority of time goes to my work as mayor of Los Angeles, but every [citizen] should think about what our role is in these difficult times, in these dangerous times. Garcetti added that he expects many mayors to run for president, and noted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently visited Iowa, which holds the first presidential nominating contest. Garcetti has long been rumored to be flirting with a White House bid, and he has fueled such speculation by traveling out of state to places such as the early presidential primary state of New Hampshire to campaign for a mayoral candidate. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Brown makes judicial appointments, including attorney who helps train Legislature on anti-sexual-harassment policies .@JerryBrownGov makes two court of appeal and 33 superior court appointments including Lauri Damrell in Sacramento. Damrell, an attorney at Orrick, testified at the Assemblys recent hearing on sexual harassment, outlining the assemblys current prevention efforts. Liam Dillon (@dillonliam) December 22, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias former top cop forms marijuana distribution firm in new age of legalization By Patrick McGreevy Former California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer is going from enforcing laws against marijuana to legally distributing the drug under the states new rules that allow the sale and possession of pot for recreational use. With state-licensed sales of marijuana starting Jan. 1, Lockyer has co-founded a firm, C4 Distro, that will distribute packaged marijuana concentrates and edibles to stores in Los Angeles. He says Californias new regulated system has a chance to be a model for the rest of the country. For me as somebody who was on the law enforcement side for so many years, I saw the inadequacies of the effort to regulate something just by calling it illegal, Lockyer said. I think legalizing will help stabilize and help legitimize this industry and result in better consumer protection and other public benefits. Lockyer, a Democrat who served in the state Assembly and was leader of the state Senate, has co-founded the firm with Eric Spitz, who was chairman and president of the former parent company of the Orange County Register. The businessmen aim to get their products to pot shops in L.A. in late January or early February, Spitz said. Asked if he uses marijuana himself, Lockyer, 76, said, Not in any recent times, but there were college years. He said he sees his involvement in the marijuana industry as a mixture of helping to pay for his kids college tuition and public service to help the new regulations work. This whole industry has to come from the dark side to the light, he said. By focusing on delivery to as many as 700 stores that might open in Los Angeles, C4 Distro hopes to capture a targeted market while other firms distribute statewide. The business has a warehouse in southeast Los Angeles County and is close to applying for a distributors license from the state, Lockyer said. Lockyer served a quarter century in the state Legislature before he was elected as state attorney general in 1999. He left that office in 2007 when he was elected as state treasurer, serving until his retirement from politics in 2015. Before co-leading a group that bought the Register newspaper in 2012, Spitz served as chief financial officer at Narragansett Brewing Company. Spitz left the Registers Freedom Communications in 2016. 2 p.m.: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said Spitz left Freedom Communications in 2015. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print House passes disaster aid bill with wildfire funding, 18 Californians vote no By Sarah D. Wire (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Eighteen of Californias 53 House members voted no on an $81-billion disaster aid package Thursday, which includes funds for Californias recent wildfires. The 17 Democrats and one Republican voted no on the bill, which passed the House by a 251 to 169 vote. The Senate is not expected to take up the bill until January, when Congress returns from its holiday break. The entire California delegation had recently signed onto a letter asking for the disaster aid. In a speech on the House floor before the vote, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) pleaded with colleagues not to take a political stance on a disaster aid bill. Dont play politics on a vote to give aid to the people of Texas, to the people of Puerto Rico and to the Virgin Islands, to the people of Florida, and to the people of California that are still fighting the fires. Dont play politics on a bill where you hope to maybe stop another. That would be the worst of any politics Ive seen played here, McCarthy said. Here and now, right before Christmas, dont vote against aid for Americans who just lost everything. Several of the Democrats who voted no also voted against the spending bill Thursday, and said that they felt they could not support either because the bills did not include Democratic priorities for the end of the year, including protections for people brought to the country illegally as children. Others said the aid bill doesnt provide enough money for California and doesnt treat Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands fairly in terms of competing for the funds. The 18 representatives voting no were: Nanette Barragan (D-San Pedro) Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) Tony Cardenas (D-Los Angeles) Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) Anna Eshoo (D-Menlo Park) Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Downey) Linda Sanchez (D-Whittier) Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) Norma Torres (D-Pomona) Juan Vargas (D-San Diego) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Three California House members cross party lines on spending bill to keep government open By Sarah D. Wire Three California House members crossed party lines Thursday on a vote to pass a spending bill that will keep the government open until mid-January. Democratic Reps. Jim Costa of Fresno and Raul Ruiz of Palm Desert joined the majority of Republicans to vote for the bill. Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of Alpine joined Democrats to vote against it. The bill, which funds the government through Jan. 19, passed the House 231 to 188, right before representatives left for the holidays. Costa said in a statement that he voted yes because keeping the government open is Congress job, but he called the vote a continuation of the dysfunction in Washington. It further illustrates the damage that results from partisan politics and irresponsible leadership. It is unacceptable that we have to resort to funding the government for weeks at a time because we cannot sit down together Democrats and Republicans and negotiate a real budget bill, Costa said. Hunters staff said the congressman was concerned that military spending in the bill was extended for only a short period. He had wanted the spending to be extended until September. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Poll points to all-Democrat runoffs in California races for governor and senator By Seema Mehta Californians could see two Democrat-on-Democrat contests in the states premier races in 2018, according to a new poll released Thursday. In the gubernatorial race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom remains the front-runner with the support of 26% of likely voters in a Berkeley IGS poll. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa came in second with the backing of 17%. The poll found notable demographic differences in the two mens bases of support. Newsom had strong leads in the Bay Area, where he once served as the mayor of San Francisco, as well as among white voters, liberals and the wealthy. Villaraigosa saw strong backing in Los Angeles County, among Latino voters and among those who earned less than $40,000. Republicans splintered in the race, placing businessman John Cox and Assemblyman Travis Allen in a tie for third place with 9% each. Two other Democrats, state Treasurer John Chiang and former state schools chief Delaine Eastin, each won the support of 5% of likely voters. If Republicans fail to consolidate behind a candidate in the June primary, voters will for the first time see no GOP candidate on the November ballot for governor. Its a repeat of what occurred in the 2016 U.S. Senate race, and what is likely to occur again in the 2018 U.S. Senate race if the field does not grow. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has the support of 41% of likely voters in her reelection bid, but her rival, fellow Democrat Kevin de Leon, won the support of 27%, according to the poll. There is no GOP candidate in the race. Feinstein, who has served in the Senate for a quarter-century, has enormous advantages in fundraising, name recognition and support among powerful political groups. However, the poll found that nearly one-third of likely voters said they are undecided or would like to support another candidate. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California legislator wants to curb sexual harassment in Hollywood and eating disorders for models By Melanie Mason Fashion models show off the BCBG MAX AZRIA Spring 2016 collection during New York Fashion Week. (Richard Drew / AP) A new proposal by a California assemblyman is taking aim at two of the more criticized phenomena in the entertainment industry: sexual harassment and unhealthy body standards for fashion models. The legislation, by Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael), would require the states Occupational Safety and Health Standards to adopt guidelines for fashion models in an attempt to combat the prevalence of eating disorders and excessive thinness in the industry. This is the second time Levine has tried to take on the fashion industry. His similar bill to impose standards on models sputtered in 2016. This time, Levine also is trying to address the prevalence of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry by requiring that talent agencies which represent actors, performers and other artists provide training on sexual harassment and how to identify and prevent inappropriate behavior. I believed women who told me their stories of abuse when I introduced legislation to provide workplace protections in the fashion industry in 2016 just like I believe them now, Levine said in a statement. Its time that law reflects societys rejection of sexual harassment in all workplaces, including Hollywood. My bill aims to address the problem before it starts, but also empowers survivors with the tools to report these cases. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Local Indivisible group picks Democrat to endorse against Rep. Duncan Hunter By Christine Mai-Duc Ammar Campa-Najjar, 28, is running against Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine). (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) With an already crowded field of contenders hoping to unseat Rep. Duncan Hunter and months to go before the candidate filing deadline, one local activist group has made an early endorsement in the race. Indivisible CA50, made up of activists mostly in San Diego County, announced Thursday that its endorsing Ammar Campa-Najjar, a Democrat and public affairs consultant whos challenging Hunter. The endorsement comes as liberal activists and interest groups all over the state are grappling with whether and how to winnow down the dozens of candidates vying for 10 GOP-held seats in California. The group held more than half a dozen endorsement meetings to allow members throughout Hunters district to vote on their preferred candidate. One of the candidates, Pierre Beauregard, dropped out of the race recently and endorsed Campa-Najjar. In a statement Campa-Najjar said in a statement that the nod represents the enthusiasm of hundreds of progressive grassroots activists. Indivisibles national political director Maria Urbina said the endorsement was the first made by any California chapter in the 2018 midterms. Aside from Campa-Najjar, two other Democrats are running for Hunters seat: Josh Butner, a school board trustee and former Navy SEAL, and realtor Patrick Malloy, who ran last year and lost to Hunter by nearly 27 percentage points. Hunter will also face at least two GOP challengers: Shamus Sayed and Andrew Zelt. Hunter is not considered to be particularly vulnerable in next years election, but an investigation into his alleged misuse of campaign funds has caused at least one election handicapper to move his race from solid Republican to the likely Republican column. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print San Francisco is getting a new mayor and creating a political star. Who will it be? By Mark Z. Barabak San Francisco is the city everyone loves, even if they hate it. The stately Victorians, like a gingerbread dream come to life. The majestic Golden Gate Bridge, standing like heavens portal above the fog. The plucky cable cars, scrabbling up its impossible hillsides. It can almost make you forget the bands of ravaged homeless, the paralyzing traffic, the scent of human waste wafting from sidewalks outside the citys posh eateries and palatial tech headquarters. San Francisco is getting a new mayor, owing to the sudden death of incumbent Ed Lee. All of the grandeur, and all of the grit, accompany the position. To say the race is wide open Lee having died just about a week ago is an understatement. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Sen. Dianne Feinstein is under pressure over a fix for Dreamers By Sarah D. Wire California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is under pressure from activists and fellow Democrats to withhold support for a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown in exchange for protections for people brought to the country illegally as children. Feinstein said in October that protections for so-called Dreamers are the most important thing we can get done, but the senator known for her moderate bent said this week that she wont try to block the end-of-the-year spending bill over it, and has not offered an explanation. Dreamers this week flooded Feinsteins five California offices and her office on Capitol Hill. Two UCLA students refused to leave her Capitol Hill office after three hours Tuesday and were briefly detained by police. On Wednesday, about a dozen students and parents returned and were asked to leave after about 30 minutes of shouting in her office lobby. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print The GOP tax plan passed. Now Democrats have another big issue to use in the midterms By Sarah D. Wire As GOP leaders in Congress met behind closed doors to hash out the details of their massive tax overhaul, a group of UC Irvine graduate students met in Rep. Mimi Walters district, fretting about how the plan could cost them money. About 20 miles north, dozens of activists in top hats stood outside Rep. Ed Royces Brea office as they chanted, Shame on you! And up in the Central Valley, protesters gathered outside Rep. Jeff Denhams Modesto office to sing Protest ye dreary congressman Remember that he voted to take healthcare away. To save himself from taxes now, so you will have to pay. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kevin de Leon to Feinstein: Dont come back to California without forcing a government shutdown over Dream Act By Jazmine Ulloa State Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), left, and Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), right. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) Taking direct criticism to the woman he is attempting to unseat in next years U.S. Senate race, California Senate leader Kevin de Leon on Wednesday urged Democrats to block a year-end spending bill as leverage to pass a Dream Act clean of GOP demands for increased border security. At a news conference in downtown Los Angeles, De Leon commended Sen. Kamala Harris for pledging to block the measure, saying he could not understand why her colleague Sen. Dianne Feinstein had failed to take a similar stance in pushing for legislation to protect the so-called Dreamers, immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. Dreamers make up hundreds of thousands of Sen. Feinsteins constituents, and while talking a good game on Dreamers, when it comes to standing up and supporting them, she is AWOL, said De Leon (D-Los Angeles), who has attempted to position himself to Feinsteins left as he campaigns for her seat. His statements follow days of demonstrations by young protesters at legislators offices in Washington and California. The coalitions of activists have been calling on Democrats to hold up the spending bill, a move that could force a government shutdown. They want to pass Dream Act legislation that would provide protections and a path to citizenship to young people without legal residency in the U.S. At least two young protesters were arrested Tuesday outside of Feinsteins Capitol Hill office, and more demonstrations took place at her offices in Washington and San Francisco on Wednesday. Feinstein, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) have sponsored Dream Act legislation but have not pledged to hold up the spending deal. A separate bipartisan group of senators is advocating punting the issue to January. President Trump has asked Congress to come up with a solution by March. Standing next to De Leon and immigrant rights advocates on Wednesday, state Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) said advocates had to double down the shame on any Democrat who thinks its time to wait on the issue. De Leon said they had made that message clear to Schumer, saying, It is time to find your spine, sir. To Pelosi and Feinstein, he said: Dont come back to California if you havent demonstrated your leadership and your courage to stand up for these young men and women. I can tell you this, De Leon said. If the Republicans were on the other side, they wouldnt hesitate for a nanosecond to shut down the government to move forward what they believe in. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 12 California Republicans vote to support tax overhaul for a second time; Rohrabacher and Issa say no By Sarah D. Wire The House gave final approval for the GOP tax bill Wednesday, with 12 Republicans in the state delegation again voting in favor of the bill. Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Darrell Issa of Vista voted no. The House and Senate both passed the bill Tuesday, but, because Democrats raised procedural objections that forced the bill to be changed in the Senate, the House had to vote on the bill again Wednesday before sending it to President Trump for his signature. Though many California taxpayers are expected to see an initial income tax cut under the plan, a significant number probably will have higher taxes because of the lost deductions. Analysts also expect the biggest cuts to flow to corporations and the states wealthiest residents. Republicans are expected to head to the White House later Wednesday for a celebration with Trump. No House Democrats, including the 39 from California, supported the bill. Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) was not present for the second vote, but she voted no on Tuesday. See the Republican votes here: Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias Democratic senators vote no on GOP tax bill Californias @SenKamalaHarris and @SenFeinstein join rest of Democrats in the Senate in voting no on the GOP tax bill, which passed 51-48 along party lines. Sanders, who is an Independent, voted with Democrats. Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) December 20, 2017 "At a time when wages have stagnated and working Americans are trying to do more with less, this tax plan pulls the rug out from the middle class to give billions to those who already have so much. This is an attack on our values, and Americans deserve better," Harris said. Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) December 20, 2017 "Californians will be hit especially hard by the cap on the state and local tax deduction, making it more difficult for communities to pay for services that our families rely on, Its no wonder a bill that primarily benefits the wealthy is so unpopular..." Feinstein said Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) December 20, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP tax overhaul passes House with help from a dozen California Republicans By Sarah D. Wire Despite weeks of consternation from some California House Republicans, a dozen of them joined their colleagues to pass an overhaul of the U.S. tax code Tuesday. Two Reps. Darrell Issa and Dana Rohrabacher voted against the plan. In the weeks before the vote, Republican Reps. Mimi Walters of Irvine and Steve Knight of Palmdale cited new caps on popular deductions as reasons they were uncertain about whether to vote for the bill. Both worked behind the scenes on changes and ultimately supported the bill, which passed the House on a near party line vote 227-203. Knight said hes satisfied the changes are enough to to turn what would have been a tax increase into a tax cut for his constituents. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement More than half of Californians oppose GOP tax bill, according to new poll By Sarah D. Wire House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) arrives for a news conference about the tax plan. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) More than half of Californians oppose the GOP tax bill expected to be approved by Congress today, and just 20% believe it will have a positive affect on their families, according to a poll released Monday. Just over half of California voters, 51%, oppose the tax bill, and 30% support it, according to the newest IGS Poll, a survey by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley. And the belief falls largely along party lines, with Democrats opposing the bill by a more than 4-to-1 (67% to 15%) margin and Republicans supporting it 3 to 1 (60% to 21%). The House and Senate are expected to vote on the tax bill Tuesday. Californias Republican members of Congress largely support the bill despite some concerns about how cuts to the state and local tax deduction and mortgage interest deduction might affect Californians. Democrats in the delegation oppose it and have said they will use the vote against vulnerable Republicans in the 2018 midterm elections. When asked about the impact they think the bill will have on themselves and their families, just 20% of the polls respondents said they think it will benefit them directly, while 40% foresee a negative impact. About 27% do not expect much of an impact, and 13% said they dont know if theyll be affected. The poll of a random sample of 1,000 registered voters was completed by telephone in English and Spanish from Dec. 7 to 16. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print A quick look at some of the biggest tax changes for Californians By Sarah D. Wire (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) Congressional Republicans are framing their tax cut bill as a Christmas gift that will give Americans an average tax cut of $2,059. For Californians, especially in the wealthier areas along the coast, the situation isnt as clear-cut. When the measure comes up for a vote in the House on Tuesday morning, its expected to pass along party lines. At least two Republicans say they will join Democrats in the California delegation to oppose the plan because they fear it will hurt their constituents bottom line. Take a quick look at what some of the biggest changes in the tax bill might mean for average Californians. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Lawmakers, pot growers say Californias marijuana cultivation rules favor big corporate farms By Patrick McGreevy Californias new rules allowing marijuana cultivation favor large corporate farms despite a promise in Proposition 64 that small growers would be protected, according to a group of state lawmakers and marijuana industry leaders who called Monday for the policy to be changed. The California Department of Food and Agriculture issued emergency rules last month that allow for small and medium-sized farms of up to a quarter acre and one acre, respectively, to get licenses for the first five years. That five-year head start for small farms was promised in Proposition 64, the initiative approved last year by voters that legalized growing and selling marijuana for recreational use. Individuals and businesses can get only one license for a medium-sized farm, but the new rules do not set a limit on how many small-farm licenses can be obtained by one person or business. That could allow a corporation to assemble a 20-acre farm by obtaining 80 licenses for a quarter-acre each, opponents worry. Democratic state Sens. Scott Wiener of San Francisco and Mike McGuire of Healdsburg, Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) and the California Growers Assn. asked for swift action by the state agricultural department to change the rule. This is clearly a broken promise, McGuire said. For two years, every discussion has included a cap on cannabis grows and the Department of Food and Agriculture needs to fix this massive loophole they have created. This last-minute revision rolls out the red carpet for large corporations to crush the livelihood of small family farmers. With cultivation licenses set to take effect next month, the lawmakers also promised legislative hearings on why the rules were drafted to disadvantage small, mom-and-pop farms. California only has one chance to get this right, and it is already on the wrong path with this last-minute change that flies in the face of what the backers of Prop. 64 promised, said Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Assn. This single decision will hand over the California marketplace to multinational corporations and a wealthy few at the expense of thousands of growers who are ready to play by the rules and provide economic opportunity in communities that until recently were criminalized or at the very least marginalized. The industry estimates there are about 3,500 independent growers on track to get a state license in the first half of 2018. Allens group estimates that number could grow to as many as 10,000 or 15,000 by the end of 2020, but not if large corporate farms are allowed in early. The agricultural agency issued a response later: A one-acre canopy limit has not been in proposed regulations at any point and was not included in the emergency regulations due to the fact that Proposition 64, the law guiding the process, did not provide authority to include it. However, local jurisdictions may impose that limitation on their own if it meets the needs of their constituents. Updated at 5:10 pm to include comment from agricultural agency. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Final tax bill dramatically softens blow to mortgage interest deductions in California By Christine Mai-Duc Last-minute changes to the Republican-led tax overhaul seem to be tailor-made to entice support from California GOP lawmakers, several of whom voted against a previous version passed in the House last month. The House version, passed with the support of all but three California Republicans, had proposed capping the mortgage interest deduction at loans of $500,000 or less. Republicans in high-tax, expensive states had voiced concerns the bill would have major effects in their districts. But the final version of the bill dramatically slashed the percentage of new mortgages that would be affected if the package becomes law. *New mortgages over $500,000 include data through Sept. 2017. New mortgages over $750,000 include data through Oct. 2017. Source: Times analysis of data provided by CoreLogic The particulars of the mortgage interest provision and other popular deductions were major sticking points as House and Senate negotiators hammered out a compromise between the two versions. A previous Times analysis showed that more than half of new mortgages this year in Rep. Dana Rohrabachers coastal Orange County district exceeded the $500,000 cap laid out in the House version. Text of the new bill released Friday outlined a cap of $750,000, which would apply to just under a quarter of new mortgages there through October 2017. Rohrabacher was one of three California Republicans, along with Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) and Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) who previously voted against the measure. Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine) said she supported the House version after receiving assurances from leaders that the bill would be changed to account for the loss of deductions, The percentage of new mortgages over the cap dropped from 48% to 14%. Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), whose district had 1% of mortgages exceeding the $500,000 cap proposed previously, saw that share drop almost to zero; 27 of 7,515 mortgages in his congressional district this year have been for more than $750,000. The House is expected to vote on the final tax bill Tuesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print A major change to Proposition 13 takes its first step toward the 2018 ballot By Liam Dillon A commercial property in San Bernardino County that could face higher property taxes under a proposed ballot measure (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times) Proponents of making a dramatic change to Californias landmark Proposition 13 property tax restrictions took their first step to getting a measure on the November 2018 statewide ballot Friday. The change would allow the state to receive more tax dollars from commercial and industrial properties by assessing them at their current market value, an effort known as split roll because existing tax protections on homes would remain in place. Advocates of the measure, including the League of Women Voters of California and community organizing nonprofits California Calls and PICO Network said the change could raise billions of dollars that could be spent on public schools and community colleges. I think the cumulative effects of the unfair tax system have gotten to the point where its created crippling economic impacts on the state, said Melissa Breach, executive director of the League of Women Voters of California. Backers filed their proposed initiative Friday. The attorney generals office will prepare an official title and summary for the measure and it will receive a financial analysis. From there, advocates will decide if they will collect signatures to put the measure on the ballot. Proposition 13 passed in 1978 amid concerns that rising property taxes could force people out of their homes. The ballot measure limited property taxes to 1% of a propertys value at the time of purchase and ensures that the assessed value on which taxes are based can only increase by a maximum of 2% a year no matter how much a propertys market value goes up. Split-roll measures have been long debated in state politics, but business groups and anti-tax groups have expressed substantial opposition to the idea, arguing that it would cause major harm to the states business climate. Breach said she expected an avalanche of big money against the measure should it go forward, but said that her organization wouldnt get involved without believing it could raise sufficient funding.S For the record 1 p.m., Dec. 18: An earlier version of this post said the split roll ballot measure would allow California to charge higher tax rates on commercial and industrial properties. It would allow the state to assess those properties at current market value, not charge higher rates. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Three more women accuse California assemblyman of sexual misconduct By Melanie Mason Assemblyman Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills) (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) A Los Angeles woman has filed a police report alleging Democratic Assemblyman Matt Dababneh had sex with her without consent four years ago, adding new allegations of sexual misconduct to those that led the politician to announce his resignation last week. He says her claims are false. Nancy Miret, 26, told The Times that when she was 22 and a recent college graduate, she spent time with Dababneh over two months in late 2013, primarily at his Encino apartment. At the time, Dababneh was running for Assembly to represent the western San Fernando Valley. They had consensual sex on one occasion, but after that, Miret said she had multiple nonconsensual sexual encounters with Dababneh that left her traumatized. Miret, who now works in commercial real estate, is one of three women interviewed by The Times who have made new allegations concerning Dababnehs behavior. These allegations are false and Im confident that when all the facts are in, it will clearly show that these claims are not true, Dababneh told The Times. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print San Diego business is first in California to be issued license to sell marijuana for recreational use By Patrick McGreevy A San Diego medical marijuana business is the first firm to be issued a license by the state of California to sell marijuana for recreational use, officials said Thursday. Torrey Holistics received two of the first 20 licenses granted by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control this week to sell or distribute marijuana, although the licenses do not take effect until Jan. 1, according to bureau chief Lori Ajax. An additional 180 firms have applied for licenses but they are being processed. Last week, we officially launched our online licensing system, and today were pleased to issue the first group of temporary licenses to cannabis businesses that fall under the Bureaus jurisdiction, Ajax said in a statement. We plan to issue many more before January 1. The bureau is issuing temporary, four-month licenses to firms initially, but will eventually require firms to undergo background checks and pay a $1,000 application fee for yearlong permits. Tony Hall left a chemical distribution business two years ago to start Torrey Holistics with a friend and classmate at San Diego State. He said he was ecstatic to have the first recreational permit in California. He also obtained a new license to continue selling marijuana for medical uses. We feel fricking great about it, he said Thursday. Its just exciting. This is a once in a multi-generational event, he added, likening it to the end of prohibition. Added Ruthie Edelson, the firms marketing director, We will be open at 7 a.m. on Jan. 1. Last year, voters approved Proposition 64, which makes California one of eight states that allow the growing and sale of marijuana for recreational uses. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Conservative activist group files a lawsuit over Los Angeles County inactive voter list By John Myers A Washington-based conservative-leaning activist group filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday alleging Los Angeles County officials are refusing to cancel the registrations of voters who are ineligible to cast a ballot. The legal action by Judicial Watch comes four months after the organization first accused elections officials across the state of maintaining registration lists that are larger than their voting-age population. The lawsuit also names Secretary of State Alex Padilla as a defendant and alleges the voter lists violate the National Voter Registration Act, or NVRA. They dont care about removing ineligible registration, said Robert Popper of Judicial Watch. I think we have a very strong lawsuit. The lawsuit names four Los Angeles County voters as co-plaintiffs and asserts that a countys two lists of voters the file of active voters and those whose registration has been placed on inactive status should be combined into a single total. The inactive list includes people who havent cast ballots in recent elections and havent responded to inquiries from elections officials. Though the names on that list are considered voters, they are not counted in official registration reports and are not mailed election material. Popper led an effort earlier this year to estimate the size of each countys voting-age population using the Census Bureaus American Community Survey. He said the surveys five-year average of county populations was then adjusted by focusing just on the estimate of those over the age of 18, and then comparing that with the combined active and inactive voter lists. Popper dismissed any concern that the resulting number might be skewed by the different standards used by counties for the inactive list, which could include names of voters who moved or died and thus be an imperfect guide. I believe that a court is going to accept our numbers, he said. Dean Logan, the registrar of voters in Los Angeles County, said his staffs practices are consistent with federal law. This lawsuit appears to fundamentally interpret the requirements of the NVRA in a manner inconsistent with ensuring voter enfranchisement and appropriate list maintenance, he said. The lawsuit also alleges that Los Angeles elections officials failed to provide Judicial Watch with requested data about the size of the inactive list, and accuses Padilla of failing to address the groups concerns about California not following NVRA rules. In a statement on Thursday, Padilla said county inactive-voter files are not out of compliance with the law. He criticized Judicial Watch for its baseless assertions, bad math, and flawed methodology. Local elections officials have said very few inactive voters show up on election day, and that any who do would be asked to cast a provisional ballot one that isnt counted unless the voters eligibility is confirmed through additional review. Popper insisted that if the list is never used, theres no reason to keep it. Judicial Watch, which sued for access to Hillary Clintons emails in 2016, alleged that its calculations show 11 California counties with questionable voter registration totals. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Voters in California GOP districts may get calls asking them to thank their member of Congress for tax plan By Sarah D. Wire Voters in four key Republican-held congressional districts could get a robocall starting Friday urging them to call and thank their member of Congress for supporting the tax bill. Its a last minute effort by American Action Network, a politically active nonprofit connected with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) that has spent millions to shore up Republican support for the bill. The robocalls include the members office number. The four California members being targeted are Reps. Jeff Denham of Turlock, David Valadao of Hanford, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Mimi Walters of Irvine. All four represent districts that backed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and are Democratic targets in 2018. Knight and Walters had been particularly vocal about their concerns with the plan, saying it might raise taxes for their constituents. The final text of the bill is set to be released Friday, with a vote expected early next week. In total, American Action Network plans to place 1 million robocalls in 29 districts nationwide. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Merry Christmas Republicans in Congress: Funny or Die video goes after California lawmakers over DACA By Christine Mai-Duc As members of Congress try to pass a controversial tax bill and a measure to keep the federal government funded, the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is hitting Republicans hard over another unresolved issue: the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally as children who could face deportation if lawmakers dont act. Amid negotiations over a long-term spending bill, Democratic leaders have been pushing their GOP colleagues to include a fix for those who were granted temporary protection under President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA. President Trump announced an end to the program earlier this year and gave Congress a March deadline to address it. Funny or Die and BOLD PAC released a video Friday featuring comedians skewering GOP members, including two in California, for their inaction. In the video, Oscar Nunez, best known for his role on The Office, calls out Reps. Steve Knight (Palmdale), Ed Royce (Fullerton), Carlos Curbelo (Florida) and John Culberson (Texas), who get to go ahead and celebrate as thousands of Dreamers are banished from the only country theyve ever called home. How many broken promises can fit in a stocking? Nunez asks later. Im asking for a congressman. The political action committee says its spending six figures on the weeklong buy, which will go out nationwide across Funny Or Dies social media channels. They are known for blasting out irreverent, often viral parodies that play to young audiences. The video will also be targeted to constituents in each of the four congressional districts. A separate video released by the ACLU last week also urged members of Congress to strike a deal on DACA. Many California Republicans have remained mum on the issue, particularly those facing tough races in 2018. So far, only Reps. David Valadao (Hanford), Jeff Denham (Turlock) and Mimi Walters (Irvine) have pressured fellow Republicans to come up with a solution before Congress breaks for Christmas. Following Trumps decision, Knight said the issue should receive attention by Congress. Royce, who has taken hard-line stances on immigration in the past, urged his colleagues to provide a permanent, legislative solution that gives certainty to these kids. Neither elaborated on what that solution should be. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print For a prominent California consumer group and savvy political consultants, documents reveal a close financial relationship By John Myers If theres a clear mantra for Consumer Watchdog, one of Californias most visible and vocal advocacy groups, its that hidden financial relationships shouldnt shape politics and public policy. The Santa Monica-based nonprofit has spent more than three decades reprimanding politicians and interest groups for doing the bidding of those who give them money. Its official motto is expose, confront, change. We are loud, and we speak more of a populist truth than the way people usually talk to each other in Sacramento, said Jamie Court, Consumer Watchdogs president. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Regional director resigns from California Democratic Party amid sexual misconduct claims By Jazmine Ulloa A regional director with the California Democratic Party submitted his resignation on Thursday, nearly two weeks after a 23-year-old woman reported that he sexually assaulted her last year, spurring party leaders to seek his ouster. Craig Cheslog served as Region 2 director spanning the East Bay, Napa, Sonoma and the Clearlake areas. In a statement, his lawyer, Mary P. Carey, said she and her client were confident that a full and fair exploration of this matter, undertaken in an appropriate, fact-governed venue, would exonerate Mr. Cheslog. We are prepared, if necessary, to put forward the facts of this matter in just such a venue, she said. Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman and other officials initially called for Cheslogs removal in a Nov. 29 letter to state party secretary Jenny Bach. They said he was seen acting in an inappropriate and sexually aggressive manner toward a member of the party in a public area of the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel, following a Nov. 18 executive board meeting. The level to which this activity advanced made a number of those in attendance uncomfortable, the letter stated. It added that another member reported that Mr. Cheslog raped her at a CDP executive board meeting the previous year. Party officers said the incident occurred during a weekend where the prevention of sexual harassment of women in politics was a dominant theme in the wake of the #metoo movement. Before the meetings conclusion on Sunday, the California Womens Caucus approved a resolution making clear that sexual harassment, bullying and other forms of abuse are grounds to lose endorsements and be stripped of party membership. Maddy Dean, who was not named in the letter, spoke at the meeting about her experiences of sexual harassment in the movie industry, and told the Times that she reported Cheslog. She said she could not provide further details about her allegation as she explores possible legal paths moving forward. This was about protecting other women and in particular other young women, she said of reporting the assault. In his own letter to Bach on Thursday, Cheslog did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. He said he was stepping down to prevent any personal misconduct allegations from creating a distraction with the party at a critical moment in national and state politics. I am confident of the results that would be forthcoming in a fair, fact-based exploration of this matter, he said. Since the report, Cheslog has been fired from his job at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that helps families navigate media and technology. He also has stepped down from his position on the Acalanes Union High School District Board of Trustees. The conduct represented a serious violation of both company policy and the way in which our employees are expected to conduct themselves in the community at large, Common Sense spokeswoman Corbie Kiernan said in a statement. We immediately suspended Mr. Cheslog and conducted an investigation. As a result of the investigation, Mr. Cheslogs employment with Common Sense was terminated. 4:05 p.m.: This post was updated with Cheslogs resignation from the school board. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Bob Hertzberg will cooperate with investigation into unwanted hugs By Patrick McGreevy State Sen. Bob Hertzberg works at his Senate Chambers desk. He faces an investigation into unwanted hugging (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) said Thursday he will cooperate with a state investigation into complaints from a former legislator that she was uncomfortable with his repeated hugs after she asked him not to touch her. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon said Thursday that a team of outside attorneys will investigate a complaint by former Assemblywoman Linda Halderman that Hertzberg has made her uncomfortable with hugs that were too close and lasted too long. Hertzberg, well-known for hugging other lawmakers, said he supports having any allegations investigated by the two outside law firms. I just learned of the investigation, and will fully cooperate, he said. The use of an independent third party investigator is essential to improving transparency and trust in the system. Halderman said Thursday she was encouraged that her concerns will be investigated, but said it was disturbing that attorneys for one of the law firms selected, Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, contributed more than $90,000 in campaign funds to sitting legislators including Hertzberg. Halderman, a surgeon, served in the state Assembly from 2010 through 2012 and said Hertzberg hugged her multiple times even after she asked him to stop because she was uncomfortable. The last incident occurred in a hallway of the Capitol, she claimed. I told him I dont care to be hugged. Dont touch me, Halderman recalled. He then grabbed me and pinned my arms to my side and used his hands to press my lower back into his groin and he essentially pinned me so I couldnt push off of him to get away the way I ended previous hugs. It was certainly so over the line, she added. Halderman said a current female senator and assemblywoman also have complained about inappropriate hugs from Hertzberg. However, Sen. Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton) defended Hertzberg, saying she has known him for many years and he has always acted as a gentleman. I have never felt uncomfortable with him, and have always felt his hugs were a display of affection - which I appreciate, she said. I consider him a dear friend. Updated at 5:30 pm to include comment from Sen. Galgiani. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Rep. Maxine Waters asks Justice Department to investigate fake letter tweeted by Republican opponent By Sarah D. Wire (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Rep. Maxine Waters is asking the Justice Department to look into a fake letter posted to Twitter by her Republican challenger that falsely indicated the congresswoman wants to resettle tens of thousand of refugees in her Los Angeles district. The GOP candidate, Omar Navarro, posted the letter on what looks like official House of Representatives letterhead to Twitter on Monday. The letter, which purports to be from the congresswoman, says the congresswoman wants to bring refugees to her congressional district after the 2018 election and perhaps even once I have secured the Speaker of the House position. Navarro accompanied the tweeted letter with a message: According to this document, Maxine Waters wants more terrorists, like the one who bombed NYC, in Californias 43rd District. As Congressman of CAs 43rd District, I will oppose such policies. Its been retweeted more than 680 times. But the letter is a forgery and a fake, her chief of staff, Twaun Samuel, said in a news release. The letter, dated June of this year, also contains several inaccuracies. It references multiple committees and subcommittees Waters does not serve on, and lists an address for a district office that has been closed for nearly a decade. Waters filed a complaint about the tweeted letter with the House general counsel, who forwarded the complaint to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California and the fraud section of the Criminal Division for the United States Department of Justice. The complaint states that Waters has not communicated with the letters purported addressee Teri Williams, who is president and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles-based OneUnited Bank, about any refugee resettlement program. Impersonating a federal official and misusing a federal seal are federal crimes. Navarro, who is backed by big name far-right conservatives, said Thursday that the letter was sent to his campaign through Facebook by a person he didnt know. He said neither the Justice Department or Waters staff has asked him about the letter. I dont know if its real or not, so I put it out there, Navarro said, adding that he believed his followers would help him determine if it is real. It doesnt say that I know. Its according to this document what, am I supposed to send it to her and get an email back from Maxine? According to this document, Maxine Waters wants more terrorists, like the one who bombed NYC, in Californias 43rd District. As Congressman of CAs 43rd District, I will oppose such policies. #VoteNavarro2018https://t.co/vO8YUsyPp3 pic.twitter.com/k7ef0H20if Omar Navarro (@RealOmarNavarro) December 11, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Tony Mendoza refuses to take a leave of absence amid harassment probe By Patrick McGreevy Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), left, talks earlier this year about a pending bill with Sen. Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado Hills). (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Defying pressure from legislative leadership, state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) refused Thursday to take a leave of absence until an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against him is concluded early next year. Mendoza has denied allegations by former employees that he treated three female aides inappropriately, inviting them to hotel stays and asking one to visit his home to work on her resume. I am very disappointed that certain Senate Rules Committee members are apparently asking me to take a leave of absence or resign before any investigation has even begun and without giving me an opportunity to defend myself, Mendoza said in a statement. This is contrary to the very concept of due process, which is a pillar of our American system of fairness and judicial prudence. These actions bypass any process in a rush to judgment. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) earlier Thursday called on Mendoza to take a leave of absence. Mendoza had previously been stripped of his leadership positions, including chairmanship of the Senates committee on banking and insurance. Mendoza questioned statements urging him to step down, saying they leave him concerned about the fairness of the investigation. He also said he has been disappointed that he has been told he cannot publicly address allegations. I was not appointed to the position I hold, but was elected by the voters in my district, he said. I am grateful to the voters in my district and thank them for their trust and their continued support. The Senate owes them an opportunity to hear the truth. I assure them that I will vigorously defend myself to clear my name. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State Senate leader asks Sen. Tony Mendoza to take leave of absence amid sexual harassment investigation By Patrick McGreevy (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State Senate leader Kevin de Leon said Thursday he has strongly suggested that Sen. Tony Mendoza take a leave of absence until the completion of an investigation by outside attorneys into allegations that Mendoza sexually harassed three former aides. Given the severity of the allegations against Senator Mendoza I do not believe he can perform the duties in Sacramento right now while the investigation is being conducted, De Leon told a packed news conference in his Capitol office. I believe Its the right thing to do, its the fair thing to do, to take a leave, he said. The Senate leader also said the outside attorneys have been asked to investigate complaints by former Assemblywoman Linda Halderman that Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) inappropriately hugged her on multiple occasions in a way that made her uncomfortable, even after she asked him to stop. De Leon also announced the hiring of two law firms to handle the Mendoza and Hertzberg investigations, and all future probes of harassment and abuse involving Senate employees. Mendoza, a Democrat from Artesia, did not immediately respond to the request to step aside. De Leon, a Democrat from Los Angeles who had been Mendozas roommate before the allegations were made public, said he made the suggestion to Mendoza in a meeting Thursday morning. If Mendoza refuses to take a leave, the Senate has the power to suspend him without pay, but De Leon said that is not currently under discussion. There is an effort underway to force his expulsion in January when the Legislature returns to Sacramento. Former Mendoza employees have claimed that he gave inappropriate attention to a female fellow and intern, inviting one to his home and hotel and giving the other alcohol in a hotel even though she was underage. Another former female aide told the Sacramento Bee that Mendoza invited her to one-on-one dinners and a weekend at Pebble Beach. Mendoza has denied the allegations. The Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher and Van Dermyden Maddux law firms have been retained for two years, according to Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), who participated in their selection. Have you experienced sexual harassment in government or politics? Tell us your story In addition, the state is contracting with Weave, a Sacramento crisis-intervention organization for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, to provide counseling and to establish a hotline for Senate employees who are victims of sexual assault. The hotline number is 1-800-729-1443. America is finally reckoning with entrenched inequities in our personal and professional relationships and in workplaces of every type, De Leon said. Nowhere is this reckoning more important than in the halls of power our political institutions. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Watch live: California Senate leader addresses sexual misconduct at state Capitol Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California state senator pledges to bring back net neutrality rules just as FCC votes to repeal them By Jazmine Ulloa Demonstrators rally in support of net neutrality outside a Verizon store in New York on Dec. 7. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) Moments after the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to roll back net neutrality regulations, a state senator pledged to introduce legislation that would preserve open internet protections for consumers in California. Net neutrality is essential to our 21st century democracy, and we need to be sure that people can access websites and information freely and fairly, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement. If the FCC is going to destroy net neutrality and create a system that favors certain websites just because they can pay more money, California must step in and ensure open internet access. The announcement of the proposal came shortly after the FCC voted to repeal net neutrality in an expected 3-2 party-line vote, with Republicans calling for an end to the utility-like oversight of internet service providers. The Obama-era rules put in February 2015 barred broadband and wireless companies, such at AT&T Inc., Charter Communications Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. from selling faster delivery of certain data, slowing speeds for certain video streams and other content, and discriminating against legal material online. Before the vote, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai argued loosening the regulations would allow the online economy to flourish. FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, one of the the two Democrats on the commission, said the rollback would inhibit the openness that has made the U.S. internet the envy of the world. Supporters of net neutrality are expected to file suit to try to halt the repeal plan. Weiners attempt to institute net neutrality rules in California could have challenges. The FCC order states that allowing state and local governments to adopt their own separate requirements, which could impose a heavier burden on companies, could disrupt the balance between state and federal regulations. The preemption of state and local net neutrality measures is something that could be challenged in court. Amid such legal battles state legislation could face heavy lobbying efforts from internet providers arguing against uneven regulations. A bill by Assemblyman Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) was shelved last legislative session over similar disputes. It would have enshrined in state law other FCC regulations that were rolled back this year by President Trump and Congress. The Internet privacy rules limited what broadband providers can do with their customers data. The bills defeat capped a behind-the-scenes battle that pitted telecom companies against state internet service providers and brought other bills to a halt in the state Senate as negotiations unfolded over legislation that would have had national significance. UPDATES 7:57 a.m.: This post was updated with additional information about the potential legal case. LA Times reporter Jim Puzzanghera contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. County sheriffs office failed to follow policy for issuing concealed weapon permits, audit says By Patrick McGreevy Handguns are displayed at the Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas in 2016. ( (John Locher / Associated Press)) The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department has repeatedly failed to follow its own rules for issuing concealed weapon permits, the state auditor concluded in a report released Thursday. L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell disputed some of the key findings of the audit, saying state officials misinterpreted the policy. The department policy requires applicants to provide convincing evidence of a clear and present danger to life or of great bodily harm to get a license, but the audit found the department issued 24 licenses during the last few years without sufficient evidence. Most of the 197 active licenses in L.A. County as of August went to current or former law enforcement officers, judges and prosecutors, the audit found. The lieutenant in charge of reviewing applications told auditors that people in law enforcement satisfy the departments requirements by the nature of their jobs. However, making that decision based solely on the applicants profession both directly contradicts Los Angeless written policy which specifically states that no position or job classification in itself shall constitute good cause for issuance and has led the department to treat applicants inequitably based on their occupations, the audit says. McDonnell said the audit identified some legitimate issues, and the department has added a checklist to the application process in order to show requirements have been met. But he disagreed on the reports sweeping conclusion that the department consistently failed to follow its own policies. The LASD policy simply requires that the applicant provide convincing evidence that his or her life or physical safety is threatened, the sheriff said. He said the policy does not require additional documentation of that evidence if sufficient information is provided in the application. Auditors also concluded that Sacramento County issued some licenses without proper documentation and that San Diego Countys renewal process led it to inappropriately renew some licenses. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Anti-Issa effort discloses donors: Leo DiCaprio, Jane Fonda, Ted Danson and more By Joshua Stewart A political group that has brought professional political organizers into the campaign against Rep. Darrell Issa has received its most significant contributions to date from actress Jane Fonda and other celebrities. Fonda gave $100,000 to Flip the 49th! Neighbors in Action, which recently registered as a political committee to get Issa, R-Vista, out of office. Comedian Bill Maher gave $15,000 to the group, a rebuke of a politician who has twice appeared on his talk show. Former California Sen. Barbara Boxer gave $2,500, as did Academy Award recipient Leonardo DiCaprio. Actor Ted Danson gave $1,500. Flip the 49th gave the The San Diego Union-Tribune a list of donors more than a month before its required to disclose them to the Federal Election Commission. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Senate GOP leader: Release Capitol whistleblowers from non-disclosure agreements By Melanie Mason California Senate Republican leader Patricia Bates is wading into the sexual harassment debate that has swept up the Capitol and is calling on her Democratic colleagues to allow whistleblowers to speak out by releasing them from non-disclosure agreements. Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) wrote in a letter to the Democratic legislative leaders Senate Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) that Senate Republicans are calling for the Legislature to allow victims or witnesses who may have signed such agreements to share their experiences publicly. This release from NDAs would empower victims of sexual harassment, create a new atmosphere for resolving sexual harassment or discrimination concerns, increase public awareness and transparency, and ensure that both the Senate and the Assembly fulfill their obligations to the public and their employees for providing a safe and welcoming workplace environment, Bates wrote in the letter, dated Dec. 12. The Republican senator also laid out suggestions to improve the Legislatures handling of sexual harassment complaints, such as jointly convening both houses rules committees which act as the chambers human resources departments to have a comprehensive, bicameral and bipartisan review. Bates wrote that the Joint Rules Committee should consider the assigning of an outside entity for assuming responsibility for all issues regarding sexual harassment. She said the California Highway Patrol or an inspector general could serve that function. Bates is currently serving on a panel designated by the Senate Rules Committee to select an outside law firm to investigate sexual harassment complaints. De Leon, in a statement, said he agreed with Bates that sexual harassment is a bipartisan, bicameral problem that requires bipartisan, bicameral solutions. Many of these recommendations we are already pursuing and evaluating in some form and we look forward to working in collaboration with Senator Bates as we did with the independent selection panel on additional reforms in the weeks to come, De Leon said. With regard to non-disclosure agreements, De Leon spokesman Jonathan Underland said the Senate is discussing with attorneys and anti-harassment experts about what options are available without violating the privacy rights of past victims. John Casey, a spokesman for Rendon, said the Assembly does not ask for NDAs in settlement agreements. The Speaker agrees with both the Legislative Womens Caucus and the Rules Committee chair that any sexual harassment policy should be both bicameral and bipartisan, Casey said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California plans to send out licenses for pot sales this month but they wont be effective until Jan. 1 By Patrick McGreevy Patrons shop at Bud and Bloom, a Santa Ana marijuana dispensary, last year. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) California officials said Wednesday they plan to use email before the new year to send out some licenses to sell marijuana to speed up the transition to a regulated market. The licenses will not go into effect until Jan. 1. Proposition 64, which legalized the sale of marijuana for recreational use, required the state to begin issuing licenses by Jan. 1. Because that date is a state holiday, the bureau originally planned to begin sending them out on Jan. 2. That has changed. Much of the date discussion Jan. 1 versus Jan. 2 was based on whether or not wed be able to be open on a state holiday, said Alex Traverso, a bureau spokesman. The solution to that issue was to issue licenses with an effective date of Jan. 1 since licenses will be issued electronically. That eliminates the need to have the office open on Jan. 1. He said that, as of Wednesday, the bureau has not yet sent out any emails with licenses approved to begin operating Jan. 1. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias budget director makes last ditch effort to urge GOP members to vote against tax plan By Sarah D. Wire House Republicans hold a news conference after the House passed the GOP tax bill. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) As closed-door negotiations over the final tax bill come to an end, the head of the California Department of Finance is making a last-ditch effort to convince Republicans in the states congressional delegation to vote against the plan. In a letter to the entire delegation Wednesday, Finance Department Director Michael Cohen detailed 10 issues in the current tax proposals about which the state is worried. Some of Cohens concerns may be addressed in the deal that House and Senate leaders said they reached Wednesday morning. Details of the agreement are not yet public. Cohens concerns range from potentially billions less in federal funding available to California to offset the $1.4 trillion the plan is expected to add to the federal deficit, to the environmental effect of ending green energy tax credits. Californias 39 Democratic representatives are expected to oppose the final tax bill, which could come before both chambers of Congress by early next week. Three California Republicans Reps. Darrell Issa of Vista, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Tom McClintock of Elk Grove voted against the original House version, and several other California Republicans have indicated they might be willing to vote against the final plan. Cohen specifically pointed to issues that have been raised by the uncertain House members, including the proposal to lower the cap on the mortgage interest deduction, the plan to limit state and local tax deductions and the elimination of a deduction for uninsured personal property damaged in natural disasters such as fires. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California lawmakers have fought sexual misconduct on military bases, farms and college campuses. Will they police their own house? By Jazmine Ulloa Over the past decade, California lawmakers have worked to help curb sexual violence in the workplace and other spheres of public life. They have pushed college campuses to keep better track of incident reports, created whistleblower protections for military officers who file claims and established sexual harassment training for farmworkers and janitors. Now, as more than 140 women have come forward in an open letter to denounce a pervasive culture of sexual harassment in the California Legislature, activists and employment lawyers say lawmakers have not held colleagues and staffers to the same standards demanded of those in other fields. Members [of the state Assembly and Senate] are quick at pointing the finger at other folks, said Fiona Ma, a former Democratic assemblywoman from San Francisco who is now running for state treasurer. But they dont want to look inside and fix their own house, air their own dark, dirty laundry. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias cap-and-trade climate program could generate more than $8 billion by 2027, report says By John Myers Gov. Jerry Brown signs an extension of Californias cap-and-trade program in July. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) Although Californias cap-and-trade program was designed to combat climate change, a new analysis predicts it could also provide significant cash as much as $8 billion in a decades time for state and regional programs. The report issued Tuesday by the independent Legislative Analysts Office projects a wide range of revenue generated by the sale of permits for companies to emit greenhouse gases beyond a state-ordered emissions cap. The most recent auction of those emission permits brought in more than $800 million. The analysis warns that annual cap-and-trade revenue beyond 2020 is highly uncertain, and offers a possible range from $2 billion in 2018 to almost $7 billion in 2030 the final year of the program under legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed in July. The estimate of $8.3 billion in 2027 is the high-water mark for any year in the report. Researchers cite a number of factors that make a specific prediction impossible, including future technology that allows industries to cut greenhouse gas emissions easily and thus pass on purchasing emission allowances. While it is clear that there will be additional revenues to the state beyond 2020, the amount that will be generated annually is highly uncertain, the report reads. Money collected from the sale of pollution permits is required to be spent on programs combating climate change. A portion of the money also is earmarked for the states high-speed rail program. The report urges lawmakers to provide oversight for future decisions made by the California Air Resources Board, the agency that has taken the lead on climate change efforts. In particular, the analysts warn that allowing businesses to stockpile too many permits ones bought at current low prices could lead to excessive greenhouse gas emissions in future years, potentially even causing the state to miss its annual benchmark as soon as 2024. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Vice President Pence meets with California lawmakers about massive fires By Sarah D. Wire Briefed bipartisan group of California reps on the fed response to #CAwildfires. @POTUS approved an emergency declaration last Friday & @forestservice is providing air & ground assets including 1,000 personnel. Together, we will help the people of CA restore, rebuild & recover. pic.twitter.com/zn7QdbCZOQ Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) December 12, 2017 A handful of California representatives discussed the federal response to their states wildfires Tuesday with Vice President Mike Pence. Attending the West Wing meeting were House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Corona), Darrell Issa (R-Vista), Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village), Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) and Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara). It was a very bipartisan-spirited meeting. He clearly understood the significance of the fires and the impacts, Brownley said after the meeting. She said Pence offered federal assistance and recognized that recovery was going to be very important and that we want to work together to make sure that we can get the resources needed. President Trump signed an emergency declaration for the Southern California fires last week. Pence visited California this fall to view fire damage in Northern California. He stayed engaged and specifically wanted to make sure that FEMA and the other organizations were continuing to meet or exceed all expectations, Issa said after the meeting. We mostly thanked him for the fact that hes taken a personal interest and his team has been at the heart of the domestic coordination. There was no discussion about reinstating a federal tax deduction for uninsured damage repairs that would end up in the House and Senate tax bills, Brownley said. If you cant deduct uninsured property loss, its devastating. It would be devastating, Brownley said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement We must talk about the health aspects of climate change, Schwarzenegger says in Paris By Kim Willsher (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) He showed up at Paris City Hall on Monday on a green bicycle and wearing a green tie to talk climate change with the mayor. But Arnold Schwarzenegger almost didnt make the trip from Los Angeles. One of the wildfires scorching Southern California was threatening his home. Luckily we have extraordinary firefighters, he told a group of officials and journalists. The actor and former governor of California was speaking in Paris as the founder of R20, a nonprofit based in Geneva that aims to help regional, state and local governments reduce their carbon emissions by developing clean energy sources. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print A special recall election for state Sen. Josh Newman would cost a lot more than waiting for the June primary, state says By Patrick McGreevy State Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) faces a recall campaign (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) State finance officials said Monday it would cost about $2.67 million for a special election on the recall of state Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), but only $931,000 to put his potential recall on the regular June primary ballot, which will also feature races for governor and congressional seats. The savings and the time it took to complete the financial assessment could give ammunition to Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown to put the recall measure on the primary ballot, possibly improving Newmans chance of staying in office. The higher turnout expected in the primary might benefit Newman as he tries to fend off the Republican recall drive. The financial analysis was a new requirement of a law approved this year by the Democrat-controlled Legislature that has slowed the Newman recall. Brown and legislators now have 30 days to review the election cost report. The deadline for calling a special election was last week, 180 days before the June 5 primary, although state officials have been known to extend such deadlines. In this case, that is unlikely. Carl Demaio, a former San Diego City councilman who is leading the Republican-funded recall, denounced the lengthy new process Monday, but said it will not save Newmans political career. This is about a shameful tactic by Sacramento politicians to keep politicians who break public trust and engage in misconduct in office for as long as possible, he said. Republicans launched the recall after Newman voted with the majority of le President Trump has found it much easier to say America first than to fit the nationalist slogan into actual national security strategy. Now, nearly a year into his term, he is seeking to define his vision often articulated in impulsive tweets in a comprehensive overview. The president will deliver a speech on Monday distilling a lengthy strategy document that has been months in the making. During a Cabinet-level meeting this month, he signed off on an approximately 70-page draft that his national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, summarized by another slogan, Ronald Reagans: Peace through strength. The plan will focus on projecting U.S. military and economic strength overseas, McMaster said at a Washington think tank on Tuesday, with a particular emphasis on countering major powers China and Russia and containing nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea. Advertisement In many ways, we vacated a lot of competitive space in recent years and created opportunities for these revisionist powers, McMaster said. That critique of past presidents could better be said of Trumps performance to date, according to his critics, who include veterans of past Republican administrations. They complain that Trump has ceded leadership around the globe, economically and diplomatically, opening opportunities especially for China and Russia and raising tensions with Iran and North Korea, as well as with longtime allies. Increasingly, the critics lament that Trump has demoted diplomacy and undermined the work of the State Department, creating skepticism in international capitals about the United States reliability. He made the situation worse by cutting the State Department, said Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee who served four tours as a Marine officer in Iraq. Hes not putting America first, hes weakening national security with erratic tweets and threatening nuclear war, Moulton said. Trumps national security strategy has been in the works since March, with White House officials working to translate his nationalist and populist campaign promises and 140-character tweets into a coherent, wide-ranging guide for the military, diplomatic corps and intelligence agencies. Since Reagan, administrations have chosen to write such a strategic plan about once every four years; the most recent was President Obamas in February 2015. Trumps draft was structured around four main pillars: protecting the homeland through tightening immigration, advancing American economic prosperity by pressuring China and other trading partners, projecting hard power by building up the military and increasing American influence. It is a major signaling document, filling in the blanks for the bureaucracy and putting a clear narrative behind Trumps campaign promises, said Michael Allen, who served on President George W. Bushs National Security Council and has advised the Trump team. Most sweeping white papers often are soon forgotten or widely ignored. But Trumps version may have a stronger influence on policy decisions given that his inner circle is stacked with senior military leaders McMaster, a three-star Army general, and two retired Marine Corps generals, White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis who are accustomed to applying broad strategic guidelines to real-world decisions. McMaster oversaw the national security strategy, along with his departing deputy, Dina Powell. The document was written by Nadia Schadlow, a former academic whose expertise is competition between great powers. Schadlow met with Trump personally during the drafting and now is on a short list of people who could succeed Powell. Another reason that some officials see added benefit and longer shelf life with this strategy document is that it has been written for the only president to take office with neither military nor governing experience. The exercise has forced a focus and discipline on Trumps thinking that could officials hope reduce the episodes in which he feels boxed in between his campaign promises and advisors policy recommendations. Its become an uncomfortable running joke among Trumps senior national security advisors: Whose turn is it to walk into the buzz saw? An Oval Office meeting in mid-July showed the danger of asking the president to do something he doesnt want to do. Trump had campaigned on tearing up the multinational nuclear deal with Iran that the Obama administration had brokered, and he faced a deadline to certify to Congress that Iran was in compliance. Advisors, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and McMaster, favored certification and had to repeatedly tell the president they hadnt prepared other options to consider, and would have to warn allies if Trump was about to reverse course. Trump exploded, within earshot of more than a half-dozen senior advisors. This is never ... happening again, Trump said, using an expletive, according to two people, one who heard him and another who was briefed on the meeting. Neither would be identified discussing internal deliberations. He reluctantly agreed to keep the deal in place. But in October, when the certification deadline came up again, Trump demanded a compromise plan to tell Congress to fix the deal or hed end it himself. Trump faces another difficult deadline on the Iran deal in mid-January. Thats when waivers expire that currently hold back U.S. sanctions against Iran. This deadline puts Trump in the uncomfortable position of choosing whether to keep the sanctions at bay, in accordance with the deal, when hes told Congress he thinks sanctions relief is inappropriate. In August, Trumps dilemma was over U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan. He had once backed withdrawing from Afghanistan and campaigned on getting the U.S. out of foreign wars. His military advisors, including Mattis and McMaster, wanted him to authorize 50,000 troops to shore up the government in Kabul. Trump balked. His chief strategist at the time, Stephen K. Bannon, was pushing for a minimal number of troops and more armed contractors. Trump signed off on a comparatively modest boost from about 8,400 troops to about 12,400 still a 50% increase. My original instinct was to pull out, Trump said at the time. But all of my life I heard that decisions are much different when you sit behind the desk in the Oval Office. Trump has rankled career diplomats and intelligence officials from the start by repeatedly complimenting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite the special counsel investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the White House, he refuses to give up on a hope he can bond with Putin and convince the Russian leader to do more to counter the Islamic State militant group and North Korea. The intelligence community, however, has been on high alert over Moscows advances in projecting power into Eastern Europe, hacking into U.S. government computers and undermining public trust in elections not only in the United States but in Europe. When Trump called Putin on Thursday night, they talked about none of that, according to cryptic statements from both the White House and Kremlin. Instead, Trump thanked the Russian autocrat for praising Americas strong economic performance during his annual news conference. Twitter: @ByBrianBennett brian.bennett@latimes.com Sarah Palins family was thrust into the national spotlight in 2008 when Sen. John McCain picked her to be his GOP running mate in the campaign for president. Now, after years of attention that accompanied Palins role as a popular and controversial conservative advocate and media personality, the family is once again under scrutiny, this time after her eldest son was arrested on suspicion of breaking into his parents home and beating his father. Painful new details emerged Monday about the arrest of Track Palin, who at one point pleaded with his father to shoot him, according to a police affidavit. The document said his father, Todd, was brandishing a gun but refused to shoot. Advertisement After his arrest Saturday, Track Palin, 28, was charged with first-degree burglary, fourth-degree assault and criminal mischief. He remains in custody. The police affidavit, contained in a court filing, describes a chaotic scene at the familys home in Wasilla, Alaska, when Palin confronted his father over a truck he wanted to pick up. Todd Palin had told him not to come to the home because Track Palin had been drinking and taking pain medication, according to the affidavit and charging documents. Track told him he was [going to] come anyway to beat his ass, according to an affidavit filed by Wasilla Police Officer Adam LaPointe. When Todd Palin, 53, confronted his son at the door with a pistol, the younger Palin broke a window and entered the house and started beating his father, according to court filings. Palin pushed his father to the ground and hit him repeatedly on the head, the documents say. Sarah Palin called police at 8:30 p.m. and said her son was freaking out and was on some type of medication. When police arrived, they saw Todd and Sarah Palin fleeing the house in separate vehicles, Todd Palin with blood running down his face and Sarah Palin looking visibly upset, the documents say. Police confronted Track Palin in the home. He called them peasants and told them to lay down their weapons, according to the documents. Eventually, Palin left the house and was placed in handcuffs. He told police that when he arrived at the house, his father aimed his gun at him, and he urged his father to shoot him several times before entering the house, according to the documents. When policed interviewed Todd Palin, he was bleeding from multiple cuts to his head, and one ear was discharging liquid, the documents say. There is no record of an interview with Sarah Palin; the Wasilla Police Department did not respond to a question about whether its officers interviewed her. A judge set Track Palins bail at $5,000. He remains in custody at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility in Palmer, Alaska. Palmer Dist. Atty. Roman J. Kalytiak said that if Palin remains in custody, his office must take the case to the grand jury within 10 days. If Palin pays bail and is released, prosecutors will have 20 days to go before the grand jury. An attorney for Sarah and Todd Palin declined to comment on the case. Given the nature of actions addressed ... by law enforcement and the charges involved, the Palins are unable to comment further, John Tiemessen said in a statement. They ask that the familys privacy is respected during this challenging situation just as others dealing with a struggling family member would also request. Todd Palin declined to comment about the incident, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Were fine. Were fine, he said when asked whether he sought medical treatment. Sarah Palin has not commented publicly about the encounter. On social media, she has continued to offer her take on current events and politics. The incident is the latest controversy involving the Palins since McCain picked Sarah Palin to be his running mate in 2008. At the time, she had been governor of Alaska for less than two years and was a relative unknown in the Lower 48 states. Just days after Palin was named as the vice presidential nominee, she acknowledged that her unmarried teenage daughter Bristol was pregnant. In the aftermath of the campaign, she faced criticism over her behavior and her spending habits. In 2014, the family was involved in a drunken brawl on Todd Palins birthday, though no one was charged. Track Palin, shirtless and bleeding, appeared heavily intoxicated and he acted belligerent during his initial interaction with police officers, according to an Anchorage Police Department report. In January 2016, Track Palin was arrested on suspicion of punching his girlfriend at the same Wasilla home. He pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm while intoxicated and took a plea deal that resulted in other charges being dismissed. His girlfriend later filed for custody of their child and sought a protective order against him. At the time of that arrest, Sarah Palin was campaigning for then-candidate Donald Trump during the GOP primaries and caucuses. She alluded to her sons arrest during a campaign rally, suggesting that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from a military deployment in Iraq. She described soldiers who come home from the battlefield bringing new battles with them [and] coming back different than when they left for the war zone. When my own son is going through what he goes through coming back, I can certainly relate to other families who feel these ramifications of PTSD, she said, before accusing then-President Obama of not respecting veterans. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Palin frequently spoke of her sons service in the military. He was stationed in Iraq during most of the general election campaign. McCains selection eventually proved unpopular among some conservatives who questioned whether Palin had the experience and knowledge to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. But Palins folksy personality and colloquialisms strongly resonated with the partys base, and she became a powerful force in national GOP politics after her and McCains loss. She resigned as governor the following year but was a frequent presence in the media and on the campaign trail as a forceful critic of President Obama and an early supporter of the tea party. Palin sparred with the GOP establishment, and her endorsement swung Republican primary races and drew dollars. She was the subject of several books as well as a documentary by Stephen K. Bannon. She starred in a television show and flirted with a presidential run in 2012. Her prominence has waned since then, but she remains a popular draw among socially conservative voters. Todd and Sarah Palin met in high school and wed in 1988. He worked in oil production on the North Slope of Alaska and as a commercial fisherman. Todd Palin, a champion snowmobile racer, liked to refer to himself as the first dude when his wife was governor. ALSO This Colorado city declined to allow pot sales. Now its having second thoughts Bakemans Restaurant is closing after 47 years, and patrons are already missing this slice of pre-digital Seattle From a 911 call, a friendship bloomed between Baltimore cop and widow, 98: All she wanted was somebody to talk to seema.mehta@latimes.com For the latest on national and California politics, follow @LATSeema on Twitter. UPDATES: 6:40 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional background. 3:50 p.m.: This article has been updated with background, Wasilla police not responding to question about Sarah Palin. 1:40 p.m.: This article has been updated with statements from the Palins attorney and a district attorney. This article was originally posted at 12:50 p.m. Doctors, hospitals, patient advocates and others who work in the nations healthcare system are growing increasingly alarmed at the Republican tax bill, warning that it threatens care for millions of sick Americans. The legislation which GOP leaders are rushing to pass this week will eliminate beginning in 2019 the Affordable Care Act penalty on consumers without health coverage, a move many experts warn will weaken insurance markets in parts of the country. The tax bill, which includes huge tax cuts for corporations, may also force tens of millions of dollars in cuts to the Medicare program under federal budget rules, though congressional leaders say they are confident they can waive the rules as they have in the past. Advertisement Most worrisome to many, the bill will open a $1.5-trillion hole in the federal deficit over the next decade. That will put substantial new pressure on government healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and has already ignited a renewed Republican campaign to cut them back. This is a horrid bill, said John Baackes, chief executive of L.A. Care, a public insurance plan that covers more than 2 million mostly low-income residents of Los Angeles County. They havent been able to repeal and replace [the healthcare law], so theyll attack it through the budget by looking for ways knock down the money thats needed to cover people. The GOP tax package which would reduce the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% may mean more money for drug makers and for-profit insurance companies and hospital systems. But across the country, dozens of healthcare groups, including every major physician association and patient advocacy organization, have urged GOP lawmakers to slow down and at least preserve the insurance requirement. This bill leaves too many patients behind and saddles millions more with higher premiums, said Harold P. Wimmer, chief executive of the American Lung Assn., which was among 16 patient organizations that sent a letter to congressional leaders this month warning that the tax bill could erode sick patients access to medical care. The groups include the American Diabetes Assn., the American Heart Assn., the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Arthritis Foundation, the March of Dimes, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the advocacy arm of the American Cancer Society. Last week, the American Academy of Actuaries sent congressional leaders a similar warning that if the mandate is eliminated, premiums would increase as a result, reducing affordability and eroding preexisting condition protections. At highest risk may be consumers in regions of the country where there are few insurers selling plans now and where premiums are already very high. Republican leaders have dismissed the objections of healthcare groups and others, arguing that eliminating the penalty on people who dont get health insurance will remove an unfair government requirement. Obamacares coercive individual mandate represents perhaps the worst example of the federal government violating individual freedom and liberty, Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee. GOP lawmakers have also rejected analyses by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, independent economists and others that the massive tax cuts in the legislation will drive up the federal deficit. President Trump and his congressional allies say the cuts will fuel economic growth. But senior Republicans have made no secret of their interest in renewing a push to cut government healthcare programs next year to control the ballooning government debt. Were going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform, which is how you tackle the debt and the deficit, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said during a recent appearance on The Ross Kaminsky Show, a conservative talk radio program in Denver. Frankly, its the healthcare entitlements that are the big drivers of our debt, so we spend more time on the healthcare entitlements, because thats really where the problem lies, fiscally speaking, Ryan said. Ryan has long advocated major changes to the federal Medicare program. And each of this years leading Republican bills to roll back the Affordable Care Act commonly called Obamacare would have slashed hundreds of billions of dollars of federal healthcare aid to low- and middle-income Americans. That would have left some 20 million more Americans without health coverage, according to independent analyses of the GOP repeal bills. A new push to slash federal support for Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs risks a similar erosion in health protections, warned Dr. Ashok Rai, president of Prevea Health, a medical system in northern Wisconsin. We should be looking for ways to control healthcare spending, said Rai, incoming chairman of the American Medical Group Assn., a leading advocate for making healthcare more efficient. But when you are talking about blanket cost reductions, that affects a lot of needy people. The consequences for the health of America would be serious. State leaders and healthcare officials in California and other states that rely heavily on state taxes to support their healthcare safety nets worry they will face even more pressure under the tax legislation. The GOP bill would cap how much taxpayers can deduct in state and local taxes from their federal tax returns, effectively penalizing many taxpayers in states such as California, which has among the highest state income taxes in the country. Although about 14 million California taxpayers are expected to see a tax cut in 2019 most of less than $2,000 nearly 2 million taxpayers will see their taxes increase, driven largely by this new cap, according to an analysis by the Washington-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. The fact that Californians would be paying more in federal taxes would inevitably put new pressure on our state and municipal governments to reduce their taxes, California Health Care Foundation president Sandra R. Hernandez noted in a recent blog post. Under that scenario, it is not hard to imagine a new wave of painful state and local budget cuts. noam.levey@latimes.com @noamlevey A new version of an amphibious AMVXP integrated with Turra weapon system is undergoing winter testing in Finland, under a joint development program with Slovakia. Slovak Army trials are expected to continue through March. Slovakia plans to procure up to 81 IFVs as part of a military modernization program. Deliveries are expected to commence in 2018-2024. The Slovak and Finnish Ministries of Defense have agreed on a joint 88 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) development program. The development will establish a new version of an amphibious AMVXP integrated with Turra weapon system, fulfilling requirements of both Slovakian and Finnish Defense Forces. The Slovak Konstrukta Defence will be the prime contractor, vehicle OEM Patria Land Systems will provide the vehicle platform and Slovak EVPU will be responsible for the weapon system. Its another pivotal week for President Trump and the Republican Party, at a time when Washington would probably be sleepy, were this any normal year. The GOP is poised for a victory in the next few days having secured enough votes to approve a tax overhaul that slashes the corporate tax rate and reshapes how taxpayers will file, especially here in California. The Senate wasnt a sure bet until Friday. Some last-minute maneuvering with GOP Sens. Marco Rubio and Bob Corker cleared the way for passage, even without Sen. John McCain and Sen. Thad Cochran, who support the plan but are out for health reasons. Advertisement McCain, battling brain cancer, returned to Arizona this weekend. John will come back if we need his vote, Trump told reporters Sunday. Californias budget director made a last-ditch effort to urge GOP lawmakers to vote against the tax plan. Its not clear how many of Californias representatives will vote no, given the measure changes the state and local tax deductions and the amount of mortgage interest families can deduct, two things that disproportionately affect some of the wealthier districts in the Golden State. (Heres a refresher on how the delegation voted on the House version of the bill.) Voters in the Republicans districts may get calls asking them to thank their members of Congress for cutting taxes, thanks to one conservative group. Congressional Republicans are celebrating the expected win and so are Democrats, who are hoping the tax plan will be unpopular in the districts theyre attempting to reclaim in next falls midterm elections. Once the measure does pass, theres a lot more work to do before Friday. Thats because theres no indication the parties are any closer to a year-end budget deal to keep the government open. I cant rule it out, but I cant imagine it occurring, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said this weekend of a government shutdown. Well be tracking congressional action here all week. And well let you know how your lawmakers voted in real time via our Essential Politics news feed on California politics. SEXUAL MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS TAKE SHAPE More women are speaking out about allegations of sexual misconduct against Assemblyman Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills). Dababneh was already set to resign at the end of the month after being publicly accused of forcing a lobbyist into a bathroom and masturbating in front of her in 2016. Melanie Mason and Seema Mehta spoke to three additional women with new accusations they said happened before he was elected. The allegations include exposing himself to a subordinate, offering to give a colleague a raise if she could arrange sex with a college student and having sex with another woman her without her consent. Dababneh has denied all of the allegations. Defying pressure from legislative leadership, state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) refused Thursday to take a leave of absence until an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against him is concluded early next year. And Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) said he will cooperate with an investigation into his unwanted hugs. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon said a team of outside attorneys will handle both the Mendoza and Hertzberg matters. Within the California Democratic Party, regional director Craig Cheslog resigned Thursday amid sexual misconduct claims. TRUMP SAYS HE WONT FIRE MUELLER Amid increasing Republican attacks on Robert S. Mueller III over the scope and impartiality of his investigation of Russian campaign meddling, Trump denied Sunday he had any intention of firing the special counsel. Earlier, the White House sought to tamp down speculation Trump would move directly against the special counsel, even as a senior Cabinet official noted the president had the authority to remove Mueller if he wished. The president spoke as a new contretemps flared over the disclosure Saturday that the Mueller team possesses tens of thousands of emails from the Trump transition team. A lawyer for Trump on Saturday wrote to Congress accusing Mueller of having illegally obtained the transition emails and other records. That drew a rare public response from the special counsels spokesman, who said any emails were either obtained by the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process. The White House and Republican lawmakers are pressing for an end to the multiple investigations, aiming to clear the president as soon as possible before the taint of scandal further damages his presidency. Trump expects to be publicly absolved of any wrongdoing by years end or soon after, and several people around him say the often-impulsive president could erupt in anger if that unlikely timeline is not met. NATIONAL POLITICS LIGHTNING ROUND -- Trump had a call Sunday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was a friendly chat with thanks for helping the country stop a terrorist attack, according to a White House release that ended in an exclamation point. -- Trump, who has found it easier to say America First than to fit the slogan into national security strategy, will try to define the connection Monday with a speech giving a broad strategic overview of his policy. -- A speech to the FBI marked an opportunity for Trump to reaffirm public faith in the federal justice system amid the Mueller investigation, but he instead used the address to mock reporters in the room as fake news, slam the visa lottery system, and praise himself as a true friend and loyal champion in the White House more loyal than anyone else can be. -- The Trump administration wants tighter security measures for countries in the U.S. visa waiver program. -- Freshman Rep. Ruben Kihuen, a Democrat from Nevada, is the latest lawmaker to say he would not seek another term or resign after being accused of improper behavior toward women. -- Roy Moore accusers feel vindicated by his defeat. -- Equality still is the unfinished business in this country, Hillary Clinton said at an event for 10,000 young women, encouraging them to speak up. Sen. Kamala Harris also spoke to the students at the annual Girls Build L.A. leadership summit in downtown Los Angeles.. -- Track Palin is in jail over domestic violence charges. -- Omarosa has left the building, even though the White House says shes working through the inaugural anniversary. Weve been tracking departures from the administration all year. Check it out. Get the latest about whats happening in the nations capital on Essential Washington. CALIFORNIA READIES FOR FULLY LEGAL POT Dont expect pot shops on every corner come Jan. 1, Patrick McGreevy writes. To sell marijuana in California, retailers have to be licensed by the state, but they first must have the approval of the city or county where they plan to do business. Cities and counties can opt out of allowing commercial cannabis sales and most have at least for now. At the same time, the state is trying to figure out a way around the whole its-illegal-to-bank-when-selling-pot thing. Officials in Gov. Jerry Browns administration have quietly met with representatives of 65 banks and credit unions over the past few weeks about creating a network of financial institutions that would accept funds from pot businesses in a way that would guarantee federal banking regulators that the cannabis industry money is subjected to special tracking, oversight and transparency. And if it works, the green banking system could become a national model. Officials plan to send out some licenses to sell marijuana by email before the new year to speed up the transition to a regulated market instituted by 2016s Proposition 64. And a San Diego medical marijuana business was the first firm to get one. GEORGE SKELTON: TAX PLAN WILL HIT DISASTER VICTIMS HARD With Trump and Republican congressional leaders desperate to achieve something by Christmas, George Skelton writes in his Monday column, theyll be delivering a lump of coal to disaster victims, including future burned-out homeowners in wildfires. Republicans are set on eliminating the tax deduction for uninsured casualty losses unless a national disaster is declared, Skelton writes, just one of several whammies hitting middle-class Americans from the GOP tax plan, especially in California and other high-tax states. Until now, no major wildfire has ever ravished California in December, at least since the state began keeping records in 1932, Skelton wrote in his Thursday column. The five largest fires since then have occurred after the year 2000, and 14 of the 20 largest blazes have been in the last 17 years. POLITICAL ROAD MAP: FOR BUDGET WRITERS, ITS A MATTER OF WHEN Brown and his budget advisers are quietly putting the finishing touches on the spending plan hell unveil next month. Democrats in the Legislature are making plans of their own, too. But as John Myers writes in his column this week, the annual budget debate is now almost as much about when to spend money as it is how to spend it. Now in fashion: Spending that either has a delayed start or can easily be stopped if the economy changes course. TODAYS ESSENTIALS -- This weeks California Politics Podcast takes a closer look at new sexual misconduct investigation rules in the state Senate and the death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. -- A Times analysis of federal tax returns shows three years of payments made to Consumer Watchdog, a visible and vocal advocacy group, by a nonprofit group led by political strategist Chris Lehane. In some cases, the payments were days or weeks within public support made by Consumer Watchdog for the efforts of Lehanes clients, including AirBnB. -- California climate regulators have approved the states strategy to meet its ambitious 2030 goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. -- Proponents of making a major change to Proposition 13s property tax protections by charging industrial and commercial properties higher rates have taken the first step to get an initiative on the 2018 ballot. -- A conservative activist group has sued Los Angeles County and the state over the handling of inactive voter registration lists. -- Rep. Maxine Waters asked the Justice Department to investigate a fake letter tweeted by her Republican opponent. -- Leonardo DiCaprio is among the people who are donating money to an effort to oust Rep. Darrell Issa, the San Diego Union Tribune reports. -- Comedians sent Republicans in Congress a sarcastic Christmas card in video form, calling out Reps. Steve Knight and Ed Royce for not pushing for a DACA fix by the end of the year. 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. In his 35 years on the federal appeals bench, Judge Alex Kozinski had become known for his brilliant legal mind and stylish, provocative writing. A Kozinski clerkship at the Pasadena 9th Circuit courthouse was often seen as a ticket to a similar position at the U.S. Supreme Court. But it was his alleged treatment of clerks and other women in the legal profession that brought his career careening to a halt. It had been the subject of whispers for years, and on Monday, Kozinski abruptly retired in the wake of more than a dozen complaints from former clerks, externs and others accusing him of sexual misconduct. Advertisement In interviews with the Washington Post and in blog posts, at least 15 women accused him of inappropriate behavior, from showing them pornography to improperly touching them. After initially insisting he had done nothing wrong and pledging to fight the charges, Kozinski spoke with lawyers and family members over the weekend and changed his mind. I cannot be an effective judge and simultaneously fight this battle, Kozinski, 67, said in a statement distributed by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Nor would such a battle be good for my beloved federal judiciary. Kozinski apologized for making his clerks feel uncomfortable, saying that was not his intent. He joins many other prominent men in a government, politics, journalism and entertainment forced to step down in recent weeks because of sexual harassment or abuse accusations. A California Court of Appeal justice retired several weeks ago after an investigation found he had mistreated his female staff. Two women who said sexual remarks by Kozinski made them uncomfortable could not be reached for comment Monday. A third declined. In 2008, The Times reported that Kozinski had a server containing pornographic images, prompting the judge himself to ask for an investigation by the federal court system. He had inadvertently made the server accessible to the public, and the court system admonished him for carelessness. The recent drumbeat of misconduct allegations began Dec. 8, when the Washington Post reported that six former clerks and externs had complained about Kozinskis behavior. A former clerk said he had showed her pornography from his server. Other former clerks weighed in on blogs, and the 9th Circuit directed Kozinski be investigated. Two of Kozinskis four law clerks resigned Thursday. The following day the Post reported complaints by several more women, including some who accused him of improper touching. A former law student, 33, said he touched her breast with deliberateness during a reception last year when he flipped her lapel to read her name tag. The allegations against Kozinski underscored the potential vulnerability of law clerks, who generally are required to maintain confidentiality about what goes on in their judges chambers. Clerks can file complaints against federal judges, but the new lawyers often count on recommendations from the judges to propel their careers. Kozinskis remaining clerks were expected to be reassigned; it was not immediately clear whether those who resigned would be rehired to work for other judges. The federal court systems investigation of Kozinski had not yet begun. Federal judges, who serve for life, can be removed only by Congress, but the courts can sanction judges, recommend their impeachment and pressure them to resign. Kozinski, a Republican appointed by President Reagan, was often described as a conservative. But he viewed himself as a libertarian and often railed against what he saw as unfairness in the criminal justice system. One of his closest friends in the 9th Circuit was Stephen Reinhardt, considered one of the nations most liberal federal judges. Reinhardt on Monday called his colleagues retirement a great loss to the court. Reinhardt and Kozinski, dubbed the odd couple years ago, dissented together on cases in which both believed the criminal justice system had ensnared people unfairly. One law professor who asked not to be identified because of a professional connection to the judge described Kozinski as unfiltered. He was known for planting kisses on the cheeks of both male and female lawyers, an act he saw as funny but that embarrassed or offended some of the recipients. In his statement Monday, Kozinski apologized for having offended people, blaming his sense of humor and a tendency to speak candidly. Ive always had a broad sense of humor and a candid way of speaking to both male and female law clerks alike, he wrote. In doing so, I may not have been mindful enough of the special challenges and pressures that women face in the workplace, he wrote. It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent. For this I sincerely apologize. Kozinski was born in Romania, and at age 12 he moved to the United States with his parents, who were Holocaust survivors. His family settled in Los Angeles, where his father ran a small grocery store. Kozinski received undergraduate and law degrees from UCLA. He described himself in Mondays statement as a refugee from Communism. I firmly believe that a strong judiciary, free from political pressures, is vital to the preservation of this great nation, he wrote. In the staid world of the law, Kozinski stood out. He held movie nights at courthouses, serving pizza, salad and drinks and showing films that often related to the law. Court staff and the public alike were invited. Kozinski punctuated his rulings with humor and words not seen in other court decisions. In one case, he wrote, The parties are advised to chill. In another, he wrote that lethal injection wrongly attempted to sanitize executions. The guillotine would be the most humane form of execution, but because the public would never accept it, firing squads should be considered, he wrote. Kozinski supports capital punishment, but his language was characteristically blunt. If we as a society want to carry out executions, we should be willing to face the fact that the state is committing a horrendous brutality on our behalf, he wrote. When he served as chief judge, a rotating position, he worked to make the court more accessible to the public. Every hearing now can be watched on the internet. Still, critics saw him as a showboat, and some former clerks said it was well known within the court that Kozinski tended to cross the line in his behavior toward women. Shortly after the Post reported the first sexual misconduct charges, Kozinski insisted that he had done nothing wrong and would not resign. If this is all they are able to dredge up after 35 years, I am not too worried, he told The Times in a telephone interview. But he sounded more rattled than his words betrayed, and a friend said the growing accusations had upset him and his family. President Trump, who has been sued over allegations of sexual misconduct and accused of sexual assault, will appoint Kozinskis successor. UPDATES: 7 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background. 11:40 a.m.: This article was updated with additional background 9:45 a.m.: This article has been updated with Kozinskis statement. 7:29 a.m.: This article has been updated with staff reporting. This articles was originally published at 6:55 a.m. Wait did the president really say, Mission Accomplished? By Marc Olson Some are recalling the last time a president declared Mission accomplished, in May 2003 when George W. Bush was talking about Iraq. (Stephen Jaffe / AFP/Getty Images) President Trump on Saturday morning thanked his allies in a tweet that declared the airstrikes on Syria perfectly executed, but he might have wished hed stopped there. Instead, he ended his message with the phrase, Mission Accomplished! Thats a line that might have a previous president shaking his head. On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq under a Mission Accomplished banner aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. That war, which began in March 2003, grew into a prolonged conflict that didnt end until 2011. In 2008, the White House said it had paid a price for the backdrop. A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Auditor says Pentagon is censoring key data on the war in Afghanistan By Shashank Bengali The Pentagon is blocking the release of data showing how much of Afghanistans territory lies outside government control, censoring a key metric used to gauge progress in the 16-year war, a watchdog agency said Tuesday. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an auditing agency established by Congress, said in its latest report that the Pentagon instructed it not to release unclassified data on how many districts and people are controlled or influenced by insurgent groups. This is the first time SIGAR has been specifically instructed not to release information marked unclassified to the American taxpayer, the head of the agency, John F. Sopko, wrote in a letter. Sopko also said the U.S.-led military coalition, for the first time since 2009, classified information about the size and attrition rates of the Afghan security forces, important indicators of progress in building up army and police forces on which the U.S. already has spent $70 billion since 2002. The decision to withhold more information from congressional oversight and the public comes amid growing violence in Afghanistan and an intensifying combat mission involving a greater number of American troops. Following a series of bombings in Kabul that left at least 136 people dead in 10 days, President Trump signaled on Monday that he was focused on trying to win the conflict militarily, saying, We dont want to talk with the Taliban. But data released by SIGAR since 2015 have shown how the insurgents have gained ground against Afghan security forces. In its previous quarterly report, the watchdog said that only 57% of Afghanistans 407 districts were under Afghan government control or influence as of August 2017, the lowest level of control since it began tracking the statistic in December 2015. The steady decline in government control should cause even more concern about its disappearance from public disclosure and discussion, Sopko wrote. The watchdog also accused the Pentagon of overstating the impact of its efforts to combat drug cultivation and trafficking, among the Talibans main sources of revenue. The Pentagon touted airstrikes that destroyed 25 drug labs in November and December, saying it eliminated nearly $100 million of Taliban revenue. The labs being destroyed are cheap and easy to replace, SIGAR said. According to some estimates, they only take three or four days to replace. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Women journalists shunted to rear for Pences visit to Western Wall By Noga Tarnopolsky The view from the womens section. (Noga Tarnopolsky / Los Angeles Times) Vice-President Mike Pences 48-hour visit to Israel stumbled into a public storm Tuesday when female reporters covering his final stop at Jerusalems Western Wall were penned behind four rows of their male colleagues. White House officials told stunned journalists that the arrangement emanated from a request made by the Western Wall rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz, and followed Western Wall rules. Some women journalists said they could not recall such treatment in the past. In a statement to Israels Channel 10 news, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation said it was exactly as it was during the visit of the U.S. president to the Western Wall last May. Later in the day, in a statement to the newspaper Haaretz, the foundation blamed the United States embassy in Tel Aviv and Israeli security officials for the segregation, and announced they would reexamine the way they handle such events. Women who covered previous VIP visits said the Pence arrangements were significantly more onerous than previous visits, when male and female journalists were separated but not offered substantially different work conditions. LIVE coverage of our male colleagues granted access to cover VP at Western Wall as we are penned into #PenceFence pic.twitter.com/k3svkxfQsa Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) January 23, 2018 The arrangement reflected procedures at the Western Wall, Judaisms holiest site, where on regular days, men have access to two thirds of the area available for prayer. Tal Schneider, the diplomatic analyst for Globes, a financial newspaper, protested that the separation of men and women may be valid for the requirements of Orthodox prayer, but no one is praying here. We are here to work. I dont appreciate being restricted in my ability to work because I am a woman, she said. The discriminatory attitude towards women is infuriating and is unbefitting of a modern country. Yael Freidson, the Jerusalem affairs correspondent for Yediot Ahronot, Israels widest circulation newspaper, said she worried that her editors could choose male colleagues for the next assignment, knowing they would have better access. Before Pence arrived, journalists were herded onto a specially constructed platform in the middle of the Western Walls esplanade, with women guided to the right behind a white fence, and men, many carrying cameras, directed to the left, where they had more than double the space. Towards the end of the vice presidents 10-minute visit, male journalists were permitted into the VIP tent where he received a gift from Rabinowitz, while the women remained in their enclosure. None of the men publicly protested the treatment of their female colleagues. Israels Association of Women Journalists filed a formal complaint with Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, herself a woman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, after his pardon from Trump, says hell run for Senate in Arizona By Kurtis Lee (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who last year was pardoned by President Trump in a case stemming from his enforcement tactics aimed at immigrants, announced Tuesday he will run for the open Senate seat in his home state. I am running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Arizona, for one unwavering reason: to support the agenda and policies of President Donald Trump in his mission to Make America Great Again, Arpaio, 85, said on Twitter. Hell enter a Republican primary for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake. Last summer, Trump pardoned Arpaio, who was convicted in July of criminal contempt for violating a federal court order to stop racially profiling Latinos. It was Arpaios roughly quarter-century as sheriff that gave him a national reputation for his tough treatment of people suspected of being in the country illegally. Repeated court rulings against his office for civil rights violations cost local taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. In the early 1990s, Arpaio directed construction of a tent city for immigration detainees, a measure he said was intended both to alleviate overcrowding and to underscore his aggressive enforcement measures. But it was open to the burning Arizona sun, and drew widespread criticism. After Trump entered the presidential race in July 2015, Arpaio invited him to Phoenix to talk about a crackdown on illegal immigration. He endorsed Trump just before the first votes in the Iowa caucuses in 2016 and frequently spoke out on behalf of Trumps campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement President Trump ends controversial voter fraud commission By Kurtis Lee President Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday ending the voter fraud commission he launched last year as the panel faces a flurry of lawsuits and criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike. Trump signed the order disbanding the commission rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. The Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, created by executive order in May with the stated goal of restoring confidence and integrity in the electoral process, has faced a barrage of lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns, as the commission sought personal data on voters across the country. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Congress returns to work with slimmer GOP majority to accomplish Trumps agenda By Lisa Mascaro Congress returns to work this week with unfinished business on spending, immigration and other crucial issues, but with an even narrower GOP majority that will make it tougher to move on President Trumps agenda. The House and Senate will convene Wednesday, swearing in the newly elected Democratic senator from Alabama, Doug Jones, and Minnesotas Tina Smith to replace a fellow Democrat, Sen. Al Franken, who is resigning as the latest high-profile public figure sidelined by allegations of sexual misconduct. The change gives Republicans only a one-seat margin in the Senate. Trump, fresh off passage of the GOP tax cuts bill, is pushing lawmakers to pivot quickly on his new year priorities of infrastructure investment and immigration, as well as his foreign policy agenda. But another legislative victory seems far off. Republicans have struggled to hold their majority together and Congress first must tackle critical stalled agenda items that leaders punted to 2018. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump threatens to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump on Tuesday angrily threatened to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians as punishment for what he called their failure to show appreciation or respect to the United States. Writing on Twitter, the president compared the Palestinians to Pakistan, a nuclear-armed ally that abruptly drew his ire this week and a similar threat to drastically curtail aid. He accused the Palestinians of recalcitrance in what he described as their refusal to negotiate a peace deal with Israel. Palestinian officials have said they can no longer use Washington as a broker to restart peace talks with Israel following Trumps Dec. 6 decision to overturn decades of U.S. policy and recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and ultimately to move the U.S. Embassy there. The Palestinians also claim part of Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual independent state. Until now, the United States and most of the world agreed the citys political status was a matter to settle in final peace talks. The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned any effort to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital, and the Palestinian leadership said it would not meet with Vice President Mike Pence, who had planned a trip to the region. That trip is on hold. [W]e pay the Palestinians HUNDRED [sic] OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect, Trump wrote on Twitter. [W]ith the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? In response to Trumps tweet, Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, issued a statement saying: Palestinian rights are not for sale. By recognizing Occupied Jerusalem as Israels capital Donald Trump has not only violated international law, but he has also singlehandedly destroyed the very foundations of peace and condoned Israels illegal annexation of the city. We will not be blackmailed, she said. President Trump has sabotaged our search for peace, freedom and justice. Now he dares to blame the Palestinians for the consequences of his own irresponsible actions! The United States does not pay large amounts of money directly to the Palestinian Authority, the government that rules over parts of the Palestinian West Bank. Instead, most money goes to the U.N., refugee or aid agencies and even Israel to pay for roads, welfare, schools, security and other Palestinian projects. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said Tuesday that the administration was planning to cut off one of those organizations, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, until the Palestinians return to the negotiating table. UNRWA, which receives around $300 million annually from the U.S., for years has been the lifeline to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It was not clear if Haley was threatening to cut all U.S. support for the agency. Special correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print The White House stops short of calling for government overthrow in Iran By Brian Bennett President Trump wants Iran to give its citizens basic human rights and stop being a state sponsor of terror, his top spokeswoman said, but the White House stopped short of calling for a change of government in Tehran. If they want to do that through current leadership, if thats possible, OK, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. Sanders praised the organic popular uprising, which she said the widespread protests in Iran represented. The protests grew out of years of years of mismanagement, corruption, and foreign adventurism have eroded the Iranian peoples trust in their leaders, she said. Earlier Tuesday, Trump called Irans government brutal and corrupt and wrote in a tweet: The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Trump also blamed President Obama for foolishly giving Iran money that he said went to fund terrorism. The money he referred to were funds belonging to Iran that had been frozen by the U.S. and were released as part of the deal in 2015, which blocked Irans development of nuclear weapons. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Retirement of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch clears the way for a Mitt Romney revival By David Lauter The retirement of Utahs senior senator, Orrin G. Hatch, opens the way for a widely expected Senate bid by Mitt Romney, the Republicans 2012 presidential nominee and a frequent critic of President Trump. Although Romney previously served for two terms as governor of Massachusetts (and was raised in Michigan, where his father was governor and his mother ran for the Senate), he comes from a prominent Mormon family with strong ties to Utah. He also served as chief executive of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Hes viewed as a strong candidate for the Senate seat. Romneys criticisms of Trump, however, could prompt a challenge in a Republican primary. Trump was widely reported to have tried to convince Hatch to run for a seventh term, in part to head off a Romney candidacy. Last month, Romney and Trump were on opposite sides of one of the biggest political fights of the fall the battle over the Senate seat from Alabama. The president strongly supported Roy Moore, the Republican candidate who had been accused of sexual misconduct by several women. Romney called Moore a stain on the GOP. Roy Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity. Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) December 4, 2017 On Tuesday, Romney tweeted praise for Hatch, but did not immediately reveal his own plans. I join the people of Utah in thanking my friend, Senator Orrin Hatch for his more than forty years of service to our great state and nation. Read my full statement: https://t.co/YwjUpjez5y Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) January 2, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. calls on Iran to unblock social media sites amid protests By The Associated Press The Trump administration is calling on Irans government to stop blocking Instagram and other popular social media sites as Iranians are demonstrating in the streets. Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein says the U.S. wants Iran to open these sites. He says Instagram, Telegram and other platforms are legitimate avenues for communication. The United States is encouraging Iranians to use virtual private networks, known as VPNs. Those services create encrypted links between computers and can be used to access blocked websites. Goldstein says the U.S. is still communicating with Iranians in Persian through State Department accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. He says the U.S. wants to encourage the protesters to continue to fight for whats right. Goldstein says the U.S. has an obligation not to stand by. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump blasts Democrats in advance of immigration meeting By Brian Bennett The day before a meeting of administration officials and congressional leaders on outstanding legislative business, President Trump accused Democrats of doing nothing to hammer out an immigration deal to protect from deportation people brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA just interested in politics, Trump wrote in a Tweet on Tuesday morning, referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by its acronym. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer along with the Republican leaders, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are scheduled to meet on Wednesday at the Capitol with Trumps legislative director, Marc Short, and budget director, Mick Mulvaney. The White House on Tuesday said the meeting is to discuss separate spending caps on military and domestic programs. Yet the Democrats insist the discussion also must include a variety of legislative issues that Trump and Congress punted into the new year on immigration, the budget, healthcare and more. That stance reflects Democrats leverage: Republicans need Democratic votes to pass a government-funding bill and avert a federal shutdown when the current funding expires Jan. 19. Democrats especially want separate legislation replacing the Obama-era DACA program; Trump in September ordered a phase-out of the program, beginning March 6, and called on Congress to act before then on an alternative way to address the plight of the group. However, Trump has demanded that any alternative must be part of a package including both money for a border wall and immigration limits. Democrats are opposed. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Pakistan hits back after Trump accuses its leaders of lies and deceit By Aoun Sahi Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies and deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump again cheers on Iran protests By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size --- were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 The presidents earlier hailing of the protests drew condemnation from Irans government. A Foreign Ministry spokesman called his comments deceitful and opportunistic. Following an overnight report of the first two fatalities stemming from the protests, Trump raised some eyebrows by expressing concern over human rights violations as authorities move to crack down on the demonstrations. During his first year in office, the president has shown scant inclination to press foreign governments to respect the fundamental rights of their citizens. The USA is watching closely for human rights violations! Trump said in his tweet Sunday. Some domestic critics have pointed to the presidents inclusion of Iranian nationals in his travel ban, suggesting he was more interested in bashing the Tehran government than in supporting freedom of speech in Iran. Even some of the presidents allies said that supporting the protesters on social media did not amount to making policy. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he had urged Trump to give a national address laying out his Iran strategy. President Trump is tweeting very sympathetically to the Iranian people, Graham said on CBS Face the Nation. But you just cant tweet here. You have to lay out a plan. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Australian diplomats tip a factor in FBIs Russia inquiry By Associated Press Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer. (Alastair Grant / Associated Press) An Australian diplomats tip appears to have helped persuade the FBI to investigate Russian meddling in the U.S. election and possible coordination with the Trump campaign, the New York Times reported Saturday. Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos told the diplomat, Alexander Downer, during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of emails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the report said. Downer, a former foreign minister, is Australias top diplomat in Britain. Australia passed the information on to the FBI after the Democratic emails were leaked, according to the Times, which cited four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians role. The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016, the newspaper said. White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment, saying in a statement that the administration is continuing to cooperate with the investigation now led by special counsel Robert Mueller to help complete their inquiry expeditiously. Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is a cooperating witness. Court documents unsealed two months ago show he met in April 2016 with Joseph Mifsud, a professor in London who told him about Russias cache of emails. This was before the Democratic National Committee became aware of the scope of the intrusion into its email systems by hackers later linked to the Russian government. The Times said Papadopoulos shared this information with Downer, but it was unclear whether he also shared it with anyone in the Trump campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump offers fresh support for protesters in Iran as demonstrations continue By Lisa Mascaro Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 President Trump again offered support Saturday for anti-government protesters in Iran, where a third day of demonstrations, the largest in years, spilled across the country amid fears of a crackdown. Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! Trump wrote on Twitter. Trump took a break from playing golf near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to tweet clips from his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September when he called for Iranian democratic reforms. Iranian authorities warned of potential violence as the street demonstrations, which began over economic conditions, swelled into frustrations with the theocratic rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump has maintained a hawkish stance toward Iran, sharply criticizing the landmark nuclear disarmament accord that Tehran reached with then-President Obama and five other nations in 2015. In October, Trump declined to certify the accord to Congress although the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency says Iran is complying with it. Several conservative GOP senators signaled their support for Trumps position and backed the protesters in Iran. Others in Congress did not immediately respond, however, amid conflicting reports over who had organized the demonstrations. Even after the billions in sanctions relief they secured through the nuclear deal, the ayatollahs still cant provide for the basic needs of their own people, said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a Trump ally and opponent of the nuclear deal. We should support the Iranian people who are willing to risk their lives to speak out against it, he added. Trump initially tweeted his support on Friday night. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement at that time as protests spread. There are many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with the regimes corruption and its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad, Sanders said. The Iranian government should respect their peoples rights, including their right to express themselves. The world is watching. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement When it comes to U.S.-Russia relations, it takes two to tango, Kremlin says By Sabra Ayres The deteriorating relationship between the United States and Russia is one of the biggest disappointments of 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman told reporters today. Russia would like to rebuild relations between the two adversaries, but it takes two to tango, Dmitry Peskov said today during a conference call with the press. We want and are looking for good mutually beneficial relations based on mutual respect, mutual trust with all countries, primarily with European ones, including the United States, but it is necessary to dance tango, as they say. Peskov blamed the ongoing anti-Russian Russophobia in Washington for playing a major role in blocking the two countries from moving forward in their relationship. U.S. investigations into the Trump presidential campaigns alleged collusion with the Kremlin during the 2016 U.S. election and accusations that the Kremlin tried to interfere with the electoral process continue to cast a dark shadow over the relationship, he said. Peskov told reporters that Moscow was perplexed by the investigations. The Kremlin has continued to deny having any involvement with the Trump campaign or doing anything to interfere with the American election. This is definitely a U.S. domestic affair, but in this case it naturally hurts our bilateral relations, which is regrettable, Peskov said. Relations between the U.S. and Russia have been categorized as the worst theyve been since the end of the Cold War. This year, Washington and Moscow have engaged in a diplomatic tit-for-tat in which both sides have been forced to reduce diplomatic staff, embassy properties have been repossessed by the hosting countries and visa services have been interrupted. The U.S. diplomatic mission to Russia shrank from 1,200 personnel, including some Russian local staff, to just over 450 across all its three consulates and embassy in Moscow. In the U.S., Russia was forced to vacate its San Francisco consulate. Moscow has also blamed anti-Russian sentiments on the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee to ban Russian teams from wearing their tricolor uniforms or flags during the upcoming games in South Korea. The international body accused some of the Russian national teams of doping. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. and Turkey resume reciprocal issuing of visas but frictions remain By Tracy Wilkinson The United States and Turkey began issuing reciprocal visas again on Thursday, more than two months after normal visa service was suspended in a dispute over the arrest of two U.S. diplomatic staffers in Istanbul the latest friction between the two nominal allies. The State Department said it was lifting the visa restrictions after it was assured by the Turkish government that U.S. Embassy employees would not be arrested when performing their official duties. But the Turkish Embassy in Washington denied assurances were offered concerning the ongoing judicial processes, and suggested that the arrests were legal and justified. It is inappropriate to misinform the Turkish and American public that such assurances were provided, the embassy said in a statement. The dispute has aggravated the already tense relationship between the United States and Turkey, which is a member of the NATO military alliance. The two countries have clashed over U.S. support for Kurdish rebels in Syria and over Turkeys demands that the U.S. extradite a Turkish cleric who lives in rural Pennsylvania. After a failed coup attempt killed more than 250 people in July 2016, Turkeys autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, launched a harsh crackdown on his political opponents, arresting or firing tens of thousands of teachers, police, journalists, military officers and others. Erdogan accused Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic educator and former political ally, of orchestrating the coup. Gulen, who has lived in a compound in the Pocono Mountains, has denied any involvement. The Justice Department has so far denied Turkeys repeated demands to extradite Gulen. Erdogan raised the issue again at the White House in May, but his visit ended in a public relations disaster when his security guards brutally beat peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassadors residence. Two Turkish employees of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul were arrested this fall for alleged ties to the 2016 coup attempt. The U.S. responded by suspending most visa services at its missions in Turkey in October. The Turkish government reciprocated in November. State Department officials said they have repeatedly demanded more information about any formal charges against the two employees. They reiterated on Thursday that serious concerns about the allegations remained. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump: China caught RED HANDED allowing oil to reach North Korea By Brian Bennett (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) President Trump isnt taking a holiday vacation from Twitter. In one of three tweets early on Thursday from his West Palm Beach golf club, he charged that China was caught RED HANDED allowing oil shipments to reach North Korean ports. Pronouncing himself very disappointed, Trump in effect was acknowledging the failure of his months-long effort to convince China to clamp down further on energy shipments going to the isolated country, which relies heavily on Beijing, as a way to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2017 Trumps tweet came after a South Korean newspaper published what it said were U.S. spy satellite images of Chinese ships selling oil to North Korean ships. The United Nations Security Council, which includes China, has voted repeatedly to restrict fuel shipments to North Korea. Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping in November to cut off North Koreas oil supply entirely, the American ambassador to the U.N., Nikki R. Haley, said at the time. It is unclear if Trumps admonishment of China was based on news reports or classified information he received from U.S. intelligence officials. There was no daily intelligence briefing on Trumps public schedule Thursday. He is expected to return to Washington next week after spending the Christmas holiday and New Years Eve at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print President Trump again falsely claims hes signed more bills than any president By Brian Bennett President Trump visits a firehouse in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday. (Nicholas Kamm / AFP) After another morning at his Florida golf club, President Trump visited firefighters and paramedics at a West Palm Beach firehouse and praised his own performance as president, including with a false boast. Trump touted his administrations work to roll back government regulations and cut taxes and claimed credit for the stock market hitting record highs. He also said hes signed more bills into law than any other president, which isnt true. We have signed more legislation than anybody, Trump said, standing in front of a rescue vehicle inside the fire station. We have more legislation passed, including the record was Harry Truman a long time ago, and we broke that record, so we got a lot done, Trump said. An analysis by GovTrack, a website that tracks bills in Congress, shows that Trump has signed the fewest bills into law at this point than any president in more than 60 years, back to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump administration urges Russia to reinstate monitors in Ukraine, lower violence By Tracy Wilkinson Sergei Lavrov (AFP/Getty Images) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asked Russia on Wednesday to reinstate its military personnel at a monitoring station in eastern Ukraine intended to quell escalating bloodshed. In a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Tillerson also urged Russia to lower the level of violence and underscored the Trump administrations concern over increased fighting in Ukraine, the State Department said in a statement. Russia last week withdrew its monitors from the Joint Center on Coordination and Control, which is tasked with verifying a much-violated ceasefire between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists. Moscow cited what it called restrictions and provocations from Ukrainian authorities that made it impossible for the observers to do their jobs. Washington has accused the pro-Russia forces of being responsible for many of the truce violations. Late last week, the State Department also announced plans to provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, a decision that angered Moscow. The State Department statement did not say whether the weapons deal came up in Tillersons conversation with Lavrov. The two also discussed North Korea, its destabilizing nuclear program and the need for a diplomatic solution to achieve a denuclearized Korean peninsula, the statement said. Russia has offered to serve as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang, but direct talks do not seem likely at this point. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. sanctions two more North Korean officials for ballistic missile program By Tracy Wilkinson The Trump administration announced sanctions Tuesday against two more North Korean officials for their alleged role in Pyongyangs expanding ballistic missiles program. The Treasury Department is targeting leaders of North Koreas ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate [North Korea] and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement. The nuclear-armed country tested an intercontinental ballistic missile last month that U.S. officials said appeared capable of reaching New York or Washington, a significant milestone in the countrys growing arsenal. The Treasury Department identified the two North Korean officials as Kim Jong Sik, who reportedly is a key figure in the ballistic missile program and led efforts to switch missiles from liquid to solid fuel (which makes them easier to hide before launch), and Ri Pyong Chol, who was reported to be a key official in the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. The sanctions block banks, companies and individuals from doing any business with the targeted officials. It also allows the U.S. government to freeze any American assets owned by the officials. On Friday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to add more sanctions on North Korea, its third round this year. The new measures order North Koreans working abroad to return home within two years, and ban nearly 90% of refined petroleum exports to the country. In a statement published Sunday by North Koreas state-run KCNA news agency, the foreign ministry denounced the new U.N. sanctions as an act of war. We define this sanctions resolution rigged up by the US and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic, as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the region and categorically reject the resolution, it said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Salt Lake Tribune calls on Sen. Orrin Hatch to not seek reelection in scathing editorial Perhaps the most significant move of Hatchs career is the one that should, if there is any justice, end it. The last time the senator was up for reelection, in 2012, he promised that it would be his last campaign. That was enough for many likely successors, of both parties, to stand down, to let the elder statesman have his victory tour and to prepare to run for an open seat in 2018. Clearly, it was a lie. Read the editorial>> Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Christmas Eve, Trump on Twitter: New attacks on FBI official, decrying Fake News By Laura King President Trump launched a Christmas Eve attack on FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whom he accuses of favoritism toward his former opponent, Hillary Clinton, and also returned to a longtime favored theme, excoriating the news media for failing to sufficiently extol his accomplishments. .@FoxNews-FBIs Andrew McCabe, in addition to his wife getting all of this money from M (Clinton Puppet), he was using, allegedly, his FBI Official Email Account to promote her campaign. You obviously cannot do this. These were the people who were investigating Hillary Clinton. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Thank you President TRUMP!! pic.twitter.com/LKdkT0FL99 oregon4TRUMP (@shawgerald4) December 23, 2017 The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well - nobody is going to beat us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Trump, who is spending the holidays at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, also sent Christmas greetings to deployed military personnel, praising them for success in the fight against terrorism. The early-morning swipe at McCabe followed a flurry of tweets attacking the deputy FBI chief on Saturday. McCabe, who has been a lightning rod for Republican attacks on the FBI, is expected to retire early in the new year. How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 Critics say the president and his allies are in the midst of a systematic campaign to denigrate the FBI and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is looking into potential collusion by the Trump campaign in Russias attempts to sway the 2016 presidential election. In a pair of statements on Twitter, Trump again expressed scorn regarding news coverage of his administration. For months, the president has been particularly critical of reports regarding the Russia investigation and more recently has repeatedly complained he does not receive enough credit for a booming stock market. In his video conference message to troops overseas, the president made apparent reference to the fight against the militants of Islamic State, who over the last year have lost most of the territory they previously controlled in Iraq and Syria, including former strongholds in Mosul and Raqqah. Were winning, Trump told military personnel deployed in Qatar, Kuwait, Guantanamo Bay and aboard the guided missile destroyer Sampson. Reporters traveling with the president heard his address, but were ushered from the room before he took questions from the troops. The president often breaks with longtime custom and makes politically charged statements at events in which he addresses military personnel. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trumps Wells Fargo tweet cited in court hearing as reason to remove Mulvaney as CFPB acting chief By Jim Puzzanghera A recent tweet by President Trump about possible penalties against Wells Fargo & Co. was cited during a court hearing Friday as a reason for removing White House official Mick Mulvaney as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The attorney for Leandra English the bureaus deputy director who has said she is the rightful acting head said Trumps tweet showed he was trying to exercise improper influence over the independent consumer watchdog. I think that [tweet] shows you this isnt just some hypothetical concern, the attorney, Deepak Gupta, told Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia during a nearly two-hour hearing. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump administration recognizes Honduran presidents reelection By Tracy Wilkinson The Trump administration on Friday formally recognized the incumbent president of Honduras, conservative Juan Orlando Hernandez, as the winner of a bitterly contested presidential election held last month. In a statement, the State Department congratulated Hernandez while also acknowledging widespread irregularities in the Nov. 26 vote and calling for a robust national dialogue to overcome political discord in the Central American country, a close ally of the administration. The Organization of American States, which monitored the election, said it was so flawed that only a new round of voting could establish a fair and transparent outcome. But the U.S. rejected that determination. Uproar over the contest led to demonstrations in Honduras that left numerous civilians dead after state security forces opened fire on the protests. Activists and others voiced criticism Friday of the administrations decision. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a leading Democratic voice on Central American issues, said he was angry and deeply disturbed by the State Department decision. The recent elections in Honduras were deeply flawed, chaotic and marred by numerous irregularities, McGovern said. U.S.-Honduran cooperation on matters such as drug-trafficking, violence and immigration requires a credible, legitimate government that has the support of its people, in Honduras, McGovern said. Hernandezs victory also was controversial because it was the first time a sitting president was allowed to run for re-election, barred until now by the Honduran Constitution. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate Leader Mitch McConnell says fixing DACA is no emergency until March By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday hes committed to allowing a vote on a bill for so-called Dreamers in January, but sees no rush to resolve the deportation threat posed by President Trumps decision to end a program protecting immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. There isnt that much of an emergency there, he said. There is no emergency until March. Well keep talking about it. Trump called for phasing out by March the Obama-era program that allows the young immigrants, many of them longtime residents, to get two-year deferrals of any deportation threat so they can legally attend school or work. Beneficiaries must be vetted for security purposes. Trump told Congress to come up with a legislative alternative for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Obama created by executive order, to protect those currently eligible. A bipartisan Senate group has been working with the White House, but talks stalled this week amid administration demands for curbs on legal immigration flows in exchange for protecting the DACA recipients. Meanwhile, Dreamers and immigrant advocates stormed the Capitol in recent days pressing for the help promised by Trump and Democratic congressional leaders that failed to materialize in the years final legislation. Advocacy groups say more than 120 immigrants each day are falling out of compliance without DACA renewals, putting them at risk of deportation. The number that is projected to swell to more than 1,000 a day in March. Weve been gridlocked on this issue for years, McConnell said. We want to have a signature. We dont just want to spin our wheels and have nothing to show for it. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print President Trump signs tax bill By Noah Bierman (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump on Friday morning signed a sweeping tax-cut measure his first major legislative achievement before heading off for a Christmas vacation at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Fla. The president also privately signed a short-term spending bill to fund government operations through Jan. 19. Congress approved it Thursday, after Republican leaders were unable to bridge differences in their own party as well as with Democrats to get agreement on funding for the full fiscal year. The stopgap bill punts fights on immigration and other issues to January. The tax bill, approved earlier this week in Congress in largely party-line votes, slashes corporate tax rates from 35% to 21% and also includes a host of other provisions for individuals, all intended to boost the economy. Critics point to nonpartisan analyses showing that the package, including changes greatly reducing the number of estates subject to taxes, steers the bulk of tax benefits to top earners and the wealthy, including Trump, despite his repeated claims that hell take a hit. Trump signed the bill quietly Friday, but held a public ceremony with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday after the bills passage; he also tweeted about the measure extensively. He is expected to hold another public ceremony after the New Years holiday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Pelosi urges Ryan to prevent Republicans from curtailing Houses Russia probe By Chris Megerian House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin greets House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Friday urging him to ensure the Houses investigation into Russian interference with last years presidential campaign is not cut short. The American people deserve a comprehensive and fair investigation into Russias attacks, wrote Pelosi, of San Francisco, in her letter. Political haste must not cut short valid investigatory threads. The House Intelligence Committee has been probing the issue since March 1, and Democrats have repeatedly warned that Republicans are trying to wrap up its work prematurely. Pelosi said Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, should take urgent action to ensure this investigation can continue. AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Ryan, said Pelosi simply wants to see this investigation go on forever in order to suit her political agenda. Whether it concludes next month, next year, or in three years, she will say it is too soon, Strong said in a statement. She added, The investigation will conclude when the committee has reached a conclusion. The committees work is led by Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas). His spokeswoman, Emily Hytha, said he remains committed to conducting this investigation as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible. With more interviews scheduled, the investigation shows signs of extending into next year, Bloomberg reported Friday. BREAKING: Steve Bannon and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski have been sent letters requesting they testify to House Intel panel in early January, per @HouseInSession Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) December 22, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Congress votes to avert government shutdown, but Senate fails to pass disaster aid package By Lisa Mascaro ( (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)) Congress approved a temporary spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, but failed to complete work on an $81-billion disaster aid package to help California, Gulf Coast states and Puerto Rico recover from wildfires and hurricanes, as lawmakers scrambled Thursday to wrap up business before a Christmas break. The stopgap measure continues federal operations for a few more weeks, setting up another deadline for Jan. 19. But it left undone a long list of priorities that members of both parties had hoped to finish this year. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Wells Fargo says raises were not linked to tax bill passage then backtracks By James Rufus Koren Wells Fargo & Co.s move to raise its minimum pay to $15 an hour was part of a long-term plan and not related to the passage of the Republican tax overhaul as the company implied, said a bank spokesman, who later backtracked and stated the hikes were a result of the bills approval. The bank was among several large corporations to publicly announce pay raises or new investments immediately following the final House vote in an apparent public relations offensive to boost the popularity of the tax bill The San Francisco bank had implied the direct linkage to the tax legislation in a news release Wednesday, shortly after Congress passed the tax overhaul, which slashes the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% starting Jan. 1. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Obamacare signups beat expectations, despite Trump administrations opposition By Noam N. Levey President Trump with Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Despite Trump administration efforts to discourage people from signing up, the number of people enrolling for Affordable Care Act coverage nearly hit last years level, the government revealed Thursday. Exchange open enrollment for 2018 coverage ended w/ approx 8.8M people enrolling in coverage. Great job to the @CMSGov team for the work you did to make this the smoothest experience for consumers to date. We take pride in providing great customer service. Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) December 21, 2017 The 8.8 million people who enrolled in the 36 states that use the federal governments healthcare.gov system significantly exceeded most forecasts. The Trump administration stopped most outreach and other efforts this year aimed at getting people to sign up. The president also repeatedly said publicly that Obamacare was dead. Open enrollment continues in California and several other states that run their own healthcare marketplaces. The figures from the federal government indicate that when those states wrap up for the year, the number of people covered by Obamacare will be nearly the same as in 2017. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly condemns U.S. policy change on Jerusalem despite Trumps threats By Tracy Wilkinson The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted Thursday to condemn President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite Trumps threats to punish countries that voted against the U.S. position. The resolution passed in an emergency session at U.N. headquarters in New York with 128 in favor, nine opposed and 35 abstentions. The nonbinding resolution demands that Washington rescind its declaration, which included a plan to transfer the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in coming years. The resolution value is mostly symbolic, showing how isolated the U.S. is in the move. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., warned this week that she would be taking names of countries that opposed the U.S., and Trump on Wednesday suggested he might cut U.S. aid to governments that voted in favor of the resolution. Let them vote against us, Trump said. Well save a lot. We dont care. The U.S. recognition of Jerusalem reversed decades of international consensus on the political status of the divided city. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as their capital in a future independent state. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said the U.N. was facing an unprecedented test and that history would remember those who stand by what is right. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrats defend Robert Mueller, saying Russia investigation must be allowed to continue By Chris Megerian Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) speaking during a committee hearing earlier this year. (Molly Riley / Associated Press) House Democrats said they will fight Republican attempts to discredit and undermine the work of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating whether President Trumps associates helped Russian meddling in last years election. There is an organized effort by Republicans, in concert with Fox News, to spin a false narrative and conjure up outrageous scenarios to accuse special counsel Mueller of being biased, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said. Trump has said he has no plan to fire Mueller, but Democrats are alarmed by escalating criticism of the special counsels work. Why is the president afraid of the facts and the truth? Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said. He added, No matter what the facts are, were satisfied if the investigation is complete. A letter of support signed by 171 Democratic members of Congress will be sent to Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, and oversees his investigation. Rosenstein has defended Mueller in the face of Republican criticisms. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. blacklists Myanmar army general who it says oversaw atrocities against Rohingya Muslims By Shashank Bengali The Trump administration on Thursday blacklisted a Myanmar army general who it said oversaw human rights abuses committed by security forces against Rohingya Muslims. Imposing economic sanctions against the general, Maung Maung Soe, was the toughest action the United States has taken in response to a brutal army offensive that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has described as ethnic cleansing. In a statement, the Treasury Department said it had examined credible evidence of Maung Maung Soes activities, including allegations against Burmese security forces of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and arbitrary arrest as well as the widespread burning of villages. The Rohingya are an ethnic and religious minority of about 1 million people in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, also known as Burma. The United Nations says that more than 640,000 Rohingya have fled the country since August, after the army launched clearance operations in response to attacks carried out by a Rohingya insurgent group against security forces. Rohingya refugees in crowded camps in neighboring Bangladesh have described horrific violence by Myanmar forces, including mass rapes, summary executions and children being burned alive. The aid group Doctors Without Borders estimates that 6,700 people were killed in the first month of the operation. Myanmar authorities deny committing atrocities and say that only a few hundred fighters were killed. Maung Maung Soe was chief of the armys Western Command, which carried out the offensive. He was transferred from his position last month, according to news reports. He was one of 13 individuals worldwide who were blacklisted Thursday under a new U.S. law that gives the Treasury Department authority to target officials for human rights abuses and corruption. Others included former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh; Gulnara Karimova, daughter of the late Uzbekistan dictator Islam Karimov; and Artem Chaika, son of Russias prosecutor-general. Today, the United States is taking a strong stand against human rights abuse and corruption globally by shutting these bad actors out of the U.S. financial system, said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. The sanctions freeze any assets Maung Maung Soe holds in the United States and bars Americans from doing business with him. It is also a sign of how quickly U.S. relations with Myanmar have soured. Under the Obama administration, the United States forged closer ties with the former military dictatorship and eased economic and political sanctions as the country began implementing democratic reforms. But Myanmar, which does not regard the Rohingya as citizens, has lashed out at the international community over the current crisis. It has jailed journalists, blocked access to affected areas in the western state of Rakhine and this week barred a U.N. human rights investigator from entering the country. Rohingya activists said the U.S. action would not have much effect on a country that survived under economic sanctions for years. It is the whole military institution that has a policy to persecute these people, said Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist and blogger in Germany. According to the U.S.s own definition, the army is carrying out ethnic cleansing. They have a responsibility to protect these people. Sanctions on one person are really not enough. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Dreamers will have to wait until next year for Congress long-promised protections By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)) A promised year-end deal to protect the young immigrants known as Dreamers from deportation collapsed Wednesday as Republicans in Congress fresh off passage of their tax plan prepared to punt nearly all remaining must-do agenda items into the new year. Congressional leaders still hope that before leaving town this week they can pass an $81-billion disaster relief package with recovery funds for California wildfires and Gulf Coast states hit during the devastating hurricane season. But passage even of that relatively popular measure remained in doubt as conservatives balked at the price tag. Rather than finish the year wrapping up the legislative agenda, the GOP majorities in the House and Senate struggled over their next steps. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Chants of protest drown out any caroling this holiday season at the Capitol By Lisa Mascaro U.S. Capitol Police arrest a man wearing a Santa Claus hat during a protest against the Republican tax bill. (Alex Edelman / AFP/Getty Image) Outside the U.S. Capitol, the lights on a towering Christmas tree are flipped on each evening, giving the Engelmann spruce a festive twinkle; inside the marble halls, wreaths and garlands decorate doorways and alcoves ahead of the holidays. But the spirit of the season has been punctuated by other sights: a Jumbotron parked across from the Capitol reflecting pool broadcasts images of young immigrants who face deportation; Little Lobbyists, children with complex medical needs, were featured in a recent news conference; protesters filed into the visitor galleries to shout against the Republican tax plan. While its beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Capitol, its also shaping up to be a holiday season of protest. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Tax bill simplifies filing for some but complicates it for others and dont count on that postcard By Jim Puzzanghera A priority of the Republicans tax overhaul was simplification, and they drove home the point this fall with an omnipresent prop: a red-white-and-blue postcard. Were making things so simple that you can do your taxes on a form the size of a postcard, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) said last month, pulling one from his jacket pocket as he and Republican leaders unveiled their bill. They gave a couple of the cards to President Trump at a White House meeting a few hours later and flashed them often during news conferences and TV interviews in the coming days. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Top U.N. human rights official reportedly wont seek reelection The top United Nations official for human rights, who has frequently criticized the Trump administration, has reportedly decided not to seek a second term, saying his work had become untenable. Zeid Raad Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, notified his staff in an email that was obtained by several news outlets, including Agence France-Presse. Staying when his four-year term is up for renewal at the end of August might involve bending a knee in supplication, AFP quoted Husseins email as saying. Hussein is a Jordanian prince who has criticized, among other things, President Trumps attempts to ban visitors or refugees from six predominantly Muslim countries. The news comes a day before the U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on a nonbinding resolution condemning the Trump administrations formal declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a decision that went against international consensus. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., has warned she will be taking names of those who vote against the United States on Thursday. Trump echoed that sentiment Wednesday, voiced support for Haley and implying to reporters that he would consider cutting off U.S. aid to countries that vote against the U.S. Well, were watching those votes, Trump said. Let them vote against us. Well save a lot. We dont care. On Monday, the United States lost a Security Council vote 14-1 on a binding resolution that would have required Washington to rescind its declaration. Haley then vetoed the resolution. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Top Democrat warns Trump not to fire Mueller or interfere with his investigation By Chris Megerian Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, one of the top Democrats involved in the congressional inquiries into Russian interference in last years election, said Wednesday that any attempt by President Trump to interfere with the separate criminal investigation would be a gross abuse of power. Warner, who is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, delivered his warning from the Senate floor as Republicans escalate their criticism of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team of prosecutors and FBI agents. Some Democrats believe Trump is laying the groundwork to fire Mueller even though the president has publicly denied it. Mueller was appointed in May after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey. In the United States of America, no one, no one is above the law, not even the president, Warner said. Congress must make clear to the president that firing the special counsel or interfering with his investigation by issuing pardons of essential witnesses is unacceptable and would have immediate and significant consequences. Some Democrats say the White House may try to in effect short-circuit the Mueller investigation by replacing Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who is the only official empowered to fire Mueller. Rosenstein recently told Congress that the special counsel is acting appropriately and that he would not dismiss Mueller without just cause. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump says after tax bill passes By Brian Bennett President Trump at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday at the White House. (Chris Kleponis / Getty Images) President Trump is celebrating Republicans passage of the tax overhaul bill as a two-fer: On Wednesday, in addition to tax cuts, he checked off his promise to repeal Obamacare, pointing to a provision in the bill to end the penalty on Americans who dont get health insurance. We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. Other provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act are still in place, and Trump and congressional Republicans failed completely on the replace half of their vow to repeal and replace the program. In Trumps view, however, stripping away the laws individual mandate to get insurance or else pay a tax penalty amounts to repeal of the whole law. Congressional analysts have said that millions of people would lose insurance as a result, either by choice or because they cannot afford it without subsidies, and that premiums would increase for others as younger, healthy people drop coverage. We will come up with something much better, Trump said, adding that block grants to states could be one approach. By his comments, Trump tacitly acknowledged that repeal of the mandate is likely the best he can do following Republicans failure this year to agree on a repeal-and-replace bill. Looking back on his first year, Trump also boasted of his administrations efforts against the Islamic State and increased immigration enforcement. He said he had not given up on funding a border wall or tightening immigration law to limit citizens ability to resettle foreign relatives in the country. He said he would very shortly visit the border with Mexico near San Diego to see wall prototypes that have been built. He didnt answer a reporters shouted question about how he would personally benefit from the tax bill. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print House gives final OK to GOP tax plan, sending it to Trump By Lisa Mascaro Congress gave final approval to the GOP tax plan Wednesday, 224-201, after the House took an unusual do-over vote to clear up differences with the Senate-passed bill. The $1.5-trillion package now heads to President Trump, who plans to sign it into law. The House had approved the tax bill on Tuesday but was forced to take another vote Wednesday because a couple of provisions in the version it approved were found to be in violation of Senate procedures. Those provisions were dropped before the Senate gave its approval early Wednesday. Critics complained the Republicans rushed to pass the sweeping tax plan to deliver Trump a year-end legislative victory, but supporters shrugged off the problems as minor. The tax plan dramatically cuts corporate rates and provides some individual rate reductions, overhauling the tax code for the first time in 30 years. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump administration effort to block immigrant from having an abortion fails By David Savage Scott Lloyd is director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) President Trumps lawyers rushed to the Supreme Court and U.S. appeals court in Washington on Monday evening to file emergency appeals seeking to prevent an immigrant in detention, dubbed Jane Roe in court, from having an abortion. That set the stage for a legal showdown on whether the administration can block pregnant minors in custody from choosing to have an abortion. But the legal clash, which the administration has seemed eager to have, fizzled out Tuesday when the governments lawyers admitted the 17-year-old unaccompanied minor in their custody was actually 19. They said they had obtained her birth certificate and realized she was not a minor after all. As a result, Roe, who is 10 weeks pregnant, will no longer be held in a detention center for immigrant minors, and will not be subject to an administration policy that tries to prevent minors in immigration detention from having abortions. Administration lawyers told appeals court judges Tuesday night that Roe was being sent to a facility for adults and likely would be released until her immigration status can be resolved. In a brief order, the D.C. Circuit Court agreed to put the case on hold, but told government attorneys to confirm that she will be permitted to obtain an abortion. The administration had earlier tried to delay another young woman, referred to in court as Jane Poe, from having an abortion, but officials relented on Monday because she was 22 weeks pregnant and nearing the time limit for a legal abortion. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate panel rejects Trumps pick to lead Export-Import Bank, a leader in the effort to shut it down By Jim Puzzanghera A Senate committee on Tuesday rejected President Trumps nominee to lead the Export-Import Bank, extending the chaos at the embattled agency whose job is to help U.S. companies sell their goods abroad. Two Republicans joined all Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee in voting against former Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) to be the banks president. Garrett had been a vocal critic of the Ex-Im Bank and a leader of a conservative effort that shut the bank down for five months in 2015 by blocking its congressional authorization. He and other bank opponents branded the banks aid as crony capitalism. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Congress proposes $81-billion disaster aid package, including funds for California wildfires By Lisa Mascaro Congress is set to consider an $81-billion disaster aid package that includes wildfire recovery money for California and other Western states as well as hurricane relief with a price tag reflecting a year of record-setting natural calamities. The legislation, the text of which was released late Monday, would provide almost twice as much as the $44 billion the White House sought last month to cover relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and in the Caribbean. Republican congressional leaders added more money after California lawmakers objected that the administration had failed to include help for areas damaged by wildfires and Democrats protested that the overall amount President Trump asked for was insufficient. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House blames North Korea for worldwide WannaCry cyber attack By Noah Bierman The Royal London Hospital, a victim of the unprecedented global cyberattack in May. (Niklas Hallen / AFP/Getty Images) The White House officially blamed North Korea on Tuesday for the cyberattack in May known as WannaCry that infected hundreds of thousands of computers in 150 countries, affecting healthcare, financial services and vital infrastructure. Thomas P. Bossert, assistant to the president for homeland security and counter-terrorism, noted in a briefing with reporters that the consequences were beyond economic. He warned that North Koreas malicious behavior is growing more egregious. Bossert did not specify what evidence American officials have to blame North Korea, citing security issues, but he cited the countrys prior attacks as revealing hallmarks of how Pyongyang and its network of hackers operates. He said other allied countries had joined the United States in making the determination. The administration did not announce any penalties on the regime, which is already subject to severe sanctions over its nuclear program. They want to hold the entire world at risk, Bossert said of North Koreas rulers, referring to the nations nuclear and missile provocations as well as its alleged cyberattack. Given its isolation and international sanctions, North Korea is desperate for funds. Bossert said the country did not appear to make much money on the ransom attack, as word spread that paying a ransom did not result in getting computers unlocked. Its primary goal, he said, was spreading chaos. Bossert and Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary of homeland security for cybersecurity and communication, said the United States, through a combination of preparation and luck, escaped the worst of the attack, as a patch to the malware was found before U.S. companies and other interests were severely crippled. However, Manfra said, We cannot be complacent. Bossert added, Next time were not going to get so lucky. Manfra praised Microsoft and Facebook for their efforts to combat WannaCry and to block more recent attempts to hack U.S. systems. She and Bossert urged more cooperation and information-sharing from American and multinational companies, arguing a united front is vital to protecting against bad actors who do not differentiate between government and business. Bossert rejected criticism that the the Trump administration has more aggressively called out North Korean cyberattacks than it has Russias meddling in the 2016 election. He said the administration has continued the national emergency initiated by President Obama. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP lures some mountain bike groups in its push to roll back protections for public land By Evan Halper When their vision of creating a scenic cycling trail through a protected alpine backcountry hit a snag, San Diego area mountain bikers turned to an unlikely ally: congressional Republicans aiming to dilute conservation laws. The frustrations of the San Diego cycling group and a handful of similar organizations are providing tailwind to the GOP movement to lift restrictions on the countrys most ecologically fragile and pristine landscapes, officially designated wilderness. Resentment of these cyclists over the longstanding ban on mechanized transportation in that fraction of the nations public lands presents a political opportunity for Republicans eager to drill fissures in the broad coalition of conservation-minded groups united against the GOP environmental agenda. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Vice president postpones Israel trip a second time in case his vote is needed to pass tax cut bill By Noah Bierman (Ethan Miller / Getty Images) Vice President Mike Pence is delaying his trip to Egypt and Israel for a second time in case he is needed to break a tie in the Senate for the tax bill that is expected to pass narrowly this week. Two White House officials confirmed the changed schedule, which they say is unrelated to to protests in the region over the administrations decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Pence had initially been scheduled to leave last Saturday. Late last week, the White House moved the trip back a few days to Tuesday night, in case Pence was needed to break a Senate tie. But Monday, they decided to postpone the trip further, to January, given the possibility of a late Senate vote and the coming holidays. He wants to see it through the finish line, said a White House official, referring to the tax measure that is a centerpiece of the Republican legislative agenda. We dont want to leave anything to chance. The mid-January dates will allow Pence more breathing room to merge schedules with embassies and hotels, the official said. Trump still plans to address the Israeli Knesset, a high-profile venue to discuss the Jerusalem decision where it is most popular. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump judicial pick who drew ridicule at hearing withdraws By Associated Press A White House official says the Trump judicial nominee whose qualifications were questioned by a Republican senator has withdrawn his nomination. Matthew Petersen, who was nominated by President Trump to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has been the subject of widespread ridicule since he was unable to define basic legal terms during his confirmation hearing Wednesday. A White House official says Petersen has withdrawn his nomination and that Trump has accepted the withdrawal. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the development publicly. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy pressed Petersen, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, who testified he had never tried a case, on his qualifications to the bench. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says McCain will return to Washington if needed for tax vote By Laura King President Trump said Sunday that Sen. John McCain, who is battling an aggressive form of brain cancer, was returning home to Arizona for the holidays but would come back to Washington if needed to cast a vote on the Republicans tax overhaul bill. The Arizona Republicans office announced last week that McCain was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington for complications from his cancer treatment. McCains daughter Meghan tweeted earlier Sunday that her 81-year-old father would be spending Christmas in Arizona. The Senate is expected to vote early this week on the tax cut legislation, but the GOP appeared to have secured sufficient support without McCains vote. John will come back if we need his vote, Trump told reporters as he returned from a weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David. Hes going through a very tough time. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Putin calls Trump to thank him for U.S. help foiling terrorist strike By Laura King Vladimir Putin phoned President Trump to thank him for what the Russian president said was CIA help in foiling a terrorist attack, the Kremlin said on Sunday. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the two leaders conversation to reporters. It was the second time that the two leaders had talked in four days; Trump called Putin on Thursday to thank the Russian leader for lauding the U.S. economy. Putin, in his annual year-end news conference, had praised Trump for a strong performance by the U.S. stock market. Perhaps ironically, given his credit to the CIAs recent help, Putin at that news event dismissed as hysteria the consensus among American intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign. In reporting Putins call to Trump on Sunday, the official Russian news agency Tass said Putin thanked his American counterpart for information shared by the US Central Intelligence Agency that had helped break up a plot to set off explosives in St. Petersburgs landmark Kazan Cathedral and elsewhere in the city, which is Russias second-largest. Russian authorities last week had credited their countrys counter-intelligence service, the FSB, for foiling the attacks. They reported that seven people affiliated with Islamic State had been detained in St. Petersburg in connection with the plot. The FSB, the successor organization to the KGB, announced Friday that the group had planned to carry out the attacks on Saturday, and that one of those in custody had confessed to the cathedral bomb plot. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mnuchin: Government shutdown unlikely but could happen By Laura King Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said on Sunday that a government shutdown this week was unlikely but possible. A two-week stopgap spending bill passed by Congress earlier this month provided enough funding to keep the government running through Friday. A deadlock on another temporary funding measure would open the door to a possible shutdown. I cant rule it out, but I cant imagine it occurring, Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday, suggesting everyone had an interest in avoiding the government grinding to a halt and federal workers going unpaid, especially in the holiday season. I would expect that both the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, understand if they cant agree on this, they need to have another short-term extension to move this to January, the Treasury secretary said. We cant have a government shutdown in front of Christmas. In May, irate over concessions made to Democrats in hammering out a spending measure, President Trump tweeted that a good shutdown might help matters. While both parties agree that a government shutdown involves a degree of disruption that is not beneficial to either side, shutdowns in 1995-96 and in 2013 mainly caused a backlash against Republicans. The latest funding measure is to be taken up after a vote on a massive GOP tax overhaul, expected by midweek. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump transition team says sensitive emails should not have been shared with Robert Mueller By Chris Megerian (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) President Trumps transition team is crying foul over how special counsel Robert S. Mueller III obtained emails for his investigation into Russian meddling in last years campaign and possible Trump campaign complicity. Kory Langhofer, a lawyer for the transition team, sent a letter to Congress on Saturday saying there was an unauthorized disclosure of emails. While the Trump transition is long over, the transition team remains a nonprofit organization. Its emails were hosted by the General Services Administration, a federal agency. Mueller reportedly obtained the emails directly from the agency. There are attorney-client communications, Langhofer said in an interview. There are executive-privileged communications. He added, What were asking Congress to do is to take some legislative action to make sure this never happens again. Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsels office, defended the process for obtaining emails. When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process, he said. The letter was first reported by Fox News. A request for comment from the General Services Administration was not immediately answered. This story has been updated with a comment from the special counsels office. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Virginia house arrest is ending for Paul Manafort By Chris Megerian (Mark Wilson / Getty Images) A federal judge agreed Friday to end Paul Manaforts house arrest in Virginia, allowing President Trumps former campaign manager to return to Florida while awaiting trial. The decision followed a dispute between Manaforts legal team and prosecutors working for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who accused Manafort of violating a court order restricting public statements about the case. Under the terms of the judges order, Manafort will be allowed to live at his home in Florida as long as he stays within Palm Beach and Broward counties and obeys a curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. If he misses a court appearance, he would forfeit four properties valued at $10 million total. The deal, which includes GPS monitoring, is not as permissive as Manafort originally sought. He had asked to be able to travel freely among Florida, New York, Virginia and Washington. Manafort faces criminal charges of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. He has pleaded not guilty. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP negotiators enhance child tax credit to win over Sen. Rubio By Lisa Mascaro Republican negotiators slightly increased the refundable portion of the expanded child tax credit in their tax plan, raising it to $1,400 in hopes of winning back Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) support ahead of next weeks vote. Rubio announced Thursday he was withholding support after negotiators ignored his push to make the expanded tax credit, which increases from the current $1,000 to $2,000 in the proposed bill, fully refundable for lower- and moderate-income filers. The refundable portion in the original bill was $1,100. The Florida senator argued that was not enough to help working-class Americans, many of whom already view the GOP plan as tilted toward the wealthy. Rubios office was waiting to see the final text before commenting on whether the change was enough to win him over. We have not seen the bill text, and until we see if the percentage of the refundable credit is significantly higher, then our position remains the same, Rubios spokeswoman said. Negotiators meeting Friday before unveiling the bill said they thought they had the support they needed from Rubio and other holdouts. Im confident both chambers will pass it next week, said Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Sen. Marco Rubio opposes GOP tax bill, depriving leaders of crucial support By Lisa Mascaro 20.94% Corp. rate to pay for tax cut for working family making $40k was anti-growth but 21% to cut tax for couples making $1million is fine? Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 12, 2017 Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) says he is currently opposed to the GOP tax plan because it fails to include his proposed enhancements to the child tax credit, leaving leaders without crucial support ahead of next weeks expected vote. Republicans can only lose two GOP senators from their slim 52-48 majority as they push the plan forward under special budget rules to prevent a Democratic filibuster. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday altered his planned Israel trip so he could be on hand, if needed, to cast a tie-breaking vote. Rubio, and GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, have fought to increase the child tax credit, doubling it to $2,000 in the GOP plan, but they also want to increase its refundability. They argue it will lower taxes on middle-income families at a time when the tax plan is being criticized as tilted to the wealthy. Sen. Rubio has consistently communicated to the Senate tax negotiators that his vote on final passage would depend on whether the refundability of the Child Tax Credit was increased in a meaningful way, Rubios spokeswoman said. Lee stopped short of opposing the bill, but his spokesman said Wednesday he is undecided. GOP leaders, though, have said they believe they have the support for passage. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House gives Roy Moore a unsubtle shove: Time to concede By David Lauter (Alex Wong / Getty Images) The White House sent a clear signal Thursday to the defeated Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama: Its time to concede. Roy Moore refused to concede the race on Tuesday night when Doug Jones, the Democrat, was declared the winner. Election night results show Jones winning by about 1.5 percentage points, three times more than the states standard for a recount. Although a few absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted, theres no indication they would change the result. On Wednesday, Moore notably did not call to congratulate Jones even as President Trump and other leading Republicans did. Instead, he released a video declaring the battle rages on. Asked at the daily news briefing whether the White House thinks Moore should concede today, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, It probably sounds like it maybe should have already taken place. Sanders also dismissed the idea, pushed by some Moore supporters, that Jones victory was tainted in some fashion. Asked if the Democrat had won fair and square, she said, I think the numbers reflect that. The states Republican senator, Richard Shelby, offered a similar comment in an interview with MSNBC in which he said he was willing to work with Jones. If I was 25,000 votes behind, its not going to change much, Shelby said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print House Speaker Paul Ryan says hes not leaving anytime soon By Lisa Mascaro House Speaker Paul D. Ryan shot down suggestions Thursday that he might soon be retiring. Stories often circulate that party leaders, especially the House speaker, are stepping aside. Ryans tenure has been as rocky as that of his predecessor, Rep. John Boehner, who abruptly resigned in 2015 amid GOP infighting. Asked Thursday if he would be leaving, Ryan answered a simple no, as he left his weekly press conference in the Capitol. Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican who reluctantly took over the speakers gavel after Boehners departure, had just finished talking up the GOP tax plan, which leaders hope to pass next week. He also outlined his sweeping agenda for his longtime goal of entitlement reform of welfare benefits next year. Two stories published Thursday suggested Ryan may soon be out. This is pure speculation, said spokeswoman AshLee Strong. As the speaker himself said today, hes not going anywhere anytime soon. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP leaders reach tax deal, cutting corporate rate to 21% and top individual rate to 37% By Lisa Mascaro Republican leaders on Wednesday agreed on a revised plan to cut taxes that would lower the corporate rate from 35% to 21% and drop the top individual rate for the richest Americans to 37%, according to GOP senators and others briefed on the deal. The tentative accord marked a significant step in the Republican push to have a tax bill on President Trumps desk by Christmas. Leaders did not release details of the compromise or the text of a final bill as negotiations continued. Its critically important for Congress to quickly pass these historic tax cuts, Trump said Wednesday, promising that Americans could begin to reap the benefits of the plan as early as February, if passed. Critics, however, said the latest changes particularly the lowering of the top individual rate from the current 39.6% only reaffirmed several independent analyses that show the bulk of the savings from the Republican plan would go to businesses and the wealthy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Farenthold to retire from House amid harassment accusations By Associated Press Texas Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold wont seek reelection next year, two Republicans said Thursday, adding his name to the list of lawmakers leaving Congress amid sexual harassment allegations that have cost powerful men their jobs in politics, the arts and other fields. The accusations against Farenthold surfaced in 2014, when a former aide sued him alleging sexually suggestive comments and behavior and said shed been fired after she complained. The lawmaker said he engaged in no wrongdoing and the case was settled in 2015. But the House Ethics Committee said last week that it would investigate Farenthold after congressional sources said hed paid an $84,000 settlement using taxpayers money. Though Farenthold said hed reimburse the Treasury Department, such payments have drawn public criticism from people saying lawmakers should use their own money for such settlements. A House official said Farenthold spoke twice Wednesday to House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), while another official said the congressman spoke once with Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) who heads the GOPs House campaign committee. Those discussions suggested that Farenthold may have come under pressure from leaders to step aside. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. Last week, three lawmakers facing accusations of sexual harassment announced their resignations. Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) have already left Congress while Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has said he will step aside soon. Mike Bergsma, Republican county chairman in Farentholds home county of Nueces, Texas, said Fare Two Huntington Beach police officers were among three people injured Sunday when a single-engine plane crashed into a parking lot near Gillespie Field in El Cajon shortly after taking off, officials said. The plane, a 1947 North American Navion, had just departed Gillespie shortly before 10 a.m. when the pilot radioed that he was having engine trouble, said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane was bound for Orange Countys John Wayne Airport, according to Mark Casey, a spokesman for Heartland Fire and Rescue. According to FAA records, the plane is owned by Huntington Beach police officers David Alan Roberts and Mark David Van Meter. Advertisement Huntington Beach police Lt. Tom Weizoerick said Monday that he could not confirm the names of the officers involved in the crash but said both have been released from a hospital. Huntington Beach Police Chief Robert Handy said during Monday nights City Council meeting that the two officers were not seriously injured, though the third person on the plane was. Were very grateful for the outpouring of support from the community, Handy said. The plane took off to the west, and the pilot turned around and tried to return to Gillespie. He came up short and crashed in a parking lot off Gillespie Way near Weld Avenue, Casey said. They were probably a few hundred feet shy, Casey said. They made their best attempt. The plane reportedly hit a light pole as it was approaching the airport and ended up against a fence between two commercial buildings, where it burst into flames. The charred plane was left in pieces after the fire was extinguished. By the time firefighters arrived, the three occupants of the plane were out of the aircraft and the plane was fully engulfed. All three were taken to a trauma hospital, Casey said. Firefighters put out the fire in about seven minutes, Casey said. The plane spilled some fuel at the crash site, and a hazardous-materials team was called to provide technical advice, he said. No one was hurt on the ground. The parking lot is adjacent to a Cox cable building, and two Cox vehicles were damaged. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. Kutcher writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Tribune Media Wire and Daily Pilot staff writers Priscella Vega and Bradley Zint contributed to this report. UPDATES: 2:35 p.m. Dec. 19: The article was updated with Police Chief Robert Handys comments. 10:50 a.m. Dec. 18: This article was updated with Weizoericks comment that the officers have been released from a hospital. This article was originally published at 8 a.m. Dec . 18. South Africas ruling party on Monday elected Cyril Ramaphosa, a unionist turned wealthy businessman, as its new leader in a closely fought race that marks a departure from the scandal-plagued tenure of President Jacob Zuma. While Zuma, 75, no longer has an official position within the African National Congress, he has two years left as president of the country. Ramaphosa, 65, will now stand as presidential candidate for the ANC, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid, in the next election, due to be held in 2019. Advertisement Today is a victory for the ANC and South Africa, Ramaphosas official Twitter account said. We started the campaign knowing that the real work would begin after conference. We will build, renew and unite the ANC to improve the lives of our people. Party officials said Ramaphosa won by a narrow 2,440 to 2,261 votes over rival candidate Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma at the ANCs leadership conference, held at an exhibition center in Soweto, near Johannesburg. Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma hugged shortly after the results were announced. The conference venue was a sea of singing and dancing as rival camps faced off ahead of the vote. Celebrations continued late into the night after Ramaphosas victory. Dlamini-Zuma, 68, a former medical doctor, Cabinet minister and chairwoman of the African Union commission, was tainted by support from Zuma, her ex-husband. Zuma has faced a near-constant string of scandals during his time in office, most recently over allegations that he allowed a wealthy family of Indian immigrants to exert undue influence on Cabinet appointments and government contracts. Ramaphosa, a former union leader and the ANCs chief negotiator during the transition to democracy, is seen as pragmatic, pro-business and standing firm against corruption. He had been Nelson Mandelas preferred choice to succeed him as president in 1999, but the party instead chose Thabo Mbeki. Ramaphosa left active politics and made a fortune in the private sector before winning the position of ANC deputy president at the last leadership conference, in 2012. He became deputy president of the country in 2014. Nearly 5,000 delegates from ANC branches around the country also chose a deputy leader and filled four other top party positions Monday. The new deputy leader of the party replacing Ramaphosa is David Mabuza, the current premier of Mpumalanga province in eastern South Africa. Mabuza is a controversial figure whose term in provincial government has been marred by corruption allegations, though he has denied any wrongdoing. Two of the other top positions were also filled by perceived Zuma loyalists. Richard Calland, a political analyst, said that while Ramaphosas victory marks a break with the Zuma era, without a decisive win the new party leader may be constrained in his ability to see out ambitious economic reforms and crack down on corruption. Its going to be very difficult for him to maneuver, Calland said. He is going to have to compromise at every step. In his final speech as party leader, Zuma on Saturday praised branches of the party that have been loyal to him including the youth league and womens league and came out swinging at his many critics, including corporate South Africa, the media, the courts and civil society. The mobilization of the media against the country and the ANC from Johannesburg to London, New York and Washington, D.C. has gained momentum in recent months, Zuma said, to a smattering of cheers. Ever defiant in the face of criticism over his leadership, he told the crowd: I tried my best. Conway-Smith is a special correspondent. Chilean magnate Sebastian Pinera coasted to victory Sunday in his bid for a second presidential term, easily beating a center-left candidate by promising to kick-start the countrys stagnant economy. The results in a runoff election continued a shift in recent years of Latin American voters veering away from populism and leftist social initiatives and toward right-of-center candidates promising economic growth. Peru, Argentina, Brazil and now Chile have seen the installation of presidents who place greater priority on stimulating the economy and balancing the books over social programs and subsidized services. Like much of Latin America, Chile has been hurt by the global decline in prices of commodities on which its economy depends. Advertisement The conservative Pinera ran a campaign that promised incentives to re-energize the economy, which is growing at a sluggish 1.4% rate this year. His opponent, Alejandro Guillier, a senator and former TV anchor, had promised to build on outgoing President Michelle Bachelets social reforms, promote urban development and possibly raise taxes on the rich. Voters economic concerns evidently trumped social policies. With nearly all votes counted, Pinera had 54.6% to Guilliers 45.4%. Chiles presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera prepares to cast his vote, next to his wife, Cecilia Morel, during the presidential runoff election in Santiago on Dec. 17, 2017. (Martin Bernetti / AFP/Getty Images ) After receiving Guillier at his campaign headquarters in a hotel in downtown Santiago, Pinera briefly spoke with the press and promised to address the needs of all Chileans, especially the most vulnerable and our middle class. Chile needs agreements rather than confrontations. It needs dialogue, collaboration, because that is how countries progress, Pinera said. What unites us is our love for Chile, our firm will to deliver the best of ourselves, so that we can have a fuller life. Pinera, who previously served as president from 2010-14, received a congratulatory telephone call from Bachelet and told her: I have never had the slightest doubt that both you and I want the best for Chile. He will take the oath of office in March. Chile does not allow presidents to serve consecutive terms. Bachelet served from 2006-10 before relinquishing the office to Pinera. She then returned to office in 2014. In a concession speech, Guillier congratulated Pinera for his impeccable and solid triumph. He added: We have suffered a hard defeat but its when you lose that you learn the most. Turnout was anemic, running at less than 50% of the 14.3 million Chileans eligible. Analysts said before the vote that Guillier would need a heavy voter turnout to win after trailing Pinera by a wide margin in the first round in November. Voters throughout the country were unmoved by government offers of free public transportation. Bachelet said she regretted backing a law during her first term that made voting voluntary instead of obligatory. I was wrong, I thought that people had a greater civic spirit than they have shown, Bachelet told reporters after voting Sunday morning at a school in Santiago, the capital. Pinera, who also voted at a school in downtown Santiago, said after casting his ballot that he was confident that Chileans will choose the right path and that the elections outcome would determine the countrys path for many decades. Guillier voted in his native town of Antofagasta, a mining city on Chiles northern coast. This has been the most intense year of my life, Guillier said before boarding a flight for Santiago. The former broadcaster entered politics in 2013 with a victorious Senate campaign. Interviewed after voting in Santiago, public relations executive Sonia Wulf said she voted for Pinera and growth and development because policies under Bachelet were too similar to the populist model that resembles Venezuela. Providencia fashion designer Carla Escobedo said she voted for Guillier because of his more liberal social beliefs. My problem with Pinera is that he is against abortion and gay marriage, " she said. Special correspondents Poblete reported from Santiago and Kraul from Bogota, Colombia. UPDATES: 5:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with quotes from Pinera, background. 4:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with nearly complete results, quotes, background. This article was originally posted at 3:40 p.m. Honduras erupted in new street protests Monday after President Juan Orlando Hernandez was officially declared the winner of last months bitterly contested presidential vote. Supporters of challenger Salvador Nasralla clashed with soldiers and blocked highways and roads with burning tires. Banks, some schools and many businesses remained closed in the capital of Tegucigalpa and other cities. For the record: An earlier version of this story misspelled OAS Secretary General Luis Almagros last name as Almargo. Also, the newspaper Criterio was misspelled as Criteria. The electoral commissions declaration Sunday that Hernandez had edged out Nasralla by a margin of more than 50,000 votes provoked international criticism, with the leader of the Organization of American States issuing a statement saying it was impossible to declare a winner because of widespread irregularities in the voting process. OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro said Sunday that the groups study of the election results concluded that a new vote must be held. Advertisement For the Honduran people to win, Almagro said, the only possible path is a new call for general elections. The groups demand for a new vote was the strongest rejection yet of the Nov. 26 election, whose irregularities have been noted by European Union election monitors and an array of international experts. It moved the country closer to political crisis, with supporters of Hernandez accusing the OAS of overstepping boundaries and provoking violence and supporters of Nasralla calling on protesters to take to the streets. A war has been declared on the Honduran people, said Edmundo Orellana Mercado, a Nasralla supporter and a former attorney general of Honduras, in the newspaper Criterio. I think that at this moment dialogue is no longer an option, because nobody can sit down to negotiate with a person who takes power illegally, he said. The small Central American nation voted for president on Nov. 26. Hernandez was running for reelection after he had stacked the Supreme Court with supporters who helped him change the Honduran Constitution to allow him to seek another term. Initial results put Nasralla, a well-known TV host, ahead. Then the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which is in charge of counting votes and is led by Hernandez allies, mysteriously went silent for more than 24 hours. When the tribunal began releasing results again, Nasrallas lead shrank dramatically, and then Hernandez moved into the lead. An analysis of the election commissioned by the OAS and conducted by Irfan Nooruddin, a professor at Georgetown University, said the differences in vote patterns before and after the tribunals 24-hour silence are too large to be generated by chance and are not easily explicable, raising doubts as to the veracity of the overall result. I would reject the proposition that the National Party won the election legitimately, Nooruddin wrote. Amid the uncertainty, both candidates have declared victory, and the nation of 9 million has been engulfed in protests and violence. Amnesty International says at least 14 people have been killed and dozens injured, mostly by government security forces firing on unarmed demonstrators. While many in the international community have questioned whether the election was fraudulent, the United States has offered implicit support for Hernandez, who has been a partner in U.S. efforts to reduce the flow of drugs and migrants from Honduras. On Dec. 7, the Trump administration announced that it was certifying the Honduran governments compliance with a program to improve human rights and corruption safeguards, freeing up millions of dollars in U.S. aid. Two days later, Heide Fulton, the top-ranking U.S. diplomat in Honduras, appeared beside the embattled electoral commission chief who critics say helped Hernandez commit fraud. Fulton said the United States is ready to work with whomever is the winner. Nasralla traveled Sunday to Washington to meet with Almagro. In a video filmed at the Miami airport and broadcast on his Facebook page, he told supporters not to give up. The fight continues, he said. ALSO As Latin America turns rightward, Chile returns former President Sebastian Pinera to office Trump administrations focus on immigration and drug war outweighs democracy concerns in Honduras A Salvadoran woman says her baby was stillborn. Officials called it a homicide and sent her to prison for 30 years kate.linthicum@latimes.com Twitter: @katelinthicum Cecilia Sanchez in the Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report. Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) is ramping up production of Arlan armored vehicles at its new facility in Kazakhstan. The first vehicles were delivered in August 2016. The latest batch was recently delivered to the Kazakh Special Forces as the next batch, due to be delivered in 2018, is already in production. Arlan is the localized version of the Marauder MRAP that was modified to meet the harsh winter conditions in the region. Arlan has a high mine protection equivalent to STANAG 4569 Level 3A/3B which is equal to the blast of 8kg in TNT equivalent under each wheel and same under the hull, 50kg in TNT equivalent at a distance of 5m. Ballistic protection meets STANAG 4569 Level 3, withstanding shots from any small arms with 7.62mm caliber armor-piercing rounds, Dragunov sniper rifle, and 12.7mm caliber NATO standard rounds. The winterization included additional heating of the crew cabin, changing specifications of all fluids, lubricants, and fuels to an all-season type covering a range of 100 degrees Celsius from minus 50 to plus 50 Degrees Celsius, and installation of heated ballistic windows. The Arlan delivered to the Kazakh Special Forces is equipped with various auxiliary equipment including navigation, computing and communication suite, night vision and IR sensors, roof mounted wire cutting blades, hydraulically operated barricade breaker blade mounted to the front of the vehicle. The new 15,000m2 armored vehicle factory KPE established in Astana has a capacity of more than 200 vehicles per year. It is the largest armored vehicle factory in Central Asia and the first defense manufacturing plant of such scale of capability in Kazakhstan. KPE is expected to deliver such vehicles to the Ministry of Defense, Special Forces, and other law enforcement agencies in Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan is also interested in the vehicle, as well as Jordan. Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) is the joint venture between the government-owned and Kazakhstan Engineering and South African Paramount Groups. According to Ivor Ichikowitz, Paramount Group Chairman, the new facility was erected in Kazakhstan in less than two years. We have built a new state-of-art armored vehicle factory from the ground up, we transferred skills to establish a highly efficient local workforce, we industrialized a new vehicle, and now we are ramping up production as we further increase deliveries to our customers. According to Ichikowitz, this achievement proves his companys portable production model vision. It shows that our portable production model works. It shows that with the right partners we can set up production anywhere in the world and deliver world-class technologies to our customers in a fast and efficient way. American flags fluttered on Jerusalem streets this weekend. The YMCA Christmas tree, across the street from the King David Hotel, where Vice President Mike Pence had been expected to arrive, glittered in unusually warm, sunny weather. Children played on the lawn. Not far away, violence raged Sunday in parts of the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and the militant group Hamas fired two rockets into Israel, all part of the angry reaction to President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the U.S. Embassy there. But in Jerusalem, peace has held. The citys Christmas tree went up Thursday at the Old Citys New Gate, as it does every year. Advertisement At the American Colony Hotel, an oasis of green leaves and sparkling bougainvillea flowers in the heavily Arab sector of East Jerusalem, uniformed staff lighted the third of four large candles in a pine wreath, signaling the third of four weeks leading to Christmas. No one can tell any difference from what their lives looked like two weeks ago.... So whats the big deal? Palestinian affairs analyst Khaled abu Toameh The concierge noted that all the journalists who booked rooms last week, in anticipation of violence in the streets, had left. One American network had reportedly booked rooms for 12 staff members, all of whom left after three days when anticipated clashes failed to materialize. At the historic Damascus Gate, Arab citizens and some Israeli Jews did their Saturday shopping. There was a larger police presence than usual, with a police van and an antenna-laden border police vehicle clogging the central roundabout, but calm reigned. Have you come here looking for trouble? one passerby shouted jokingly at a police officer in short sleeves. As always! the cop retorted. The White House announced that Pences visit, originally scheduled to begin Sunday, was delayed by several days so he could be present if needed to break a tie on the Republican tax bill. The calm in Jerusalem is all the more striking for the storm that has raged around it. On Friday, three Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza were killed by Israeli security forces in protests against Trumps decision on Jerusalem. A fourth Palestinian was killed when he reportedly attacked Israeli soldiers. Earlier, Palestinians protesters in the West Bank city of Hebron burned a figure of Trump in the form of a pig. On Sunday, the Israeli military said thousands of Palestinians were rioting in the West Bank and Gaza, with protesters rolling burning tires and hurling rocks and firebombs at Israeli soldiers. Hamas launched two rockets from Gaza, one of which landed in the Israeli community of Netiv Haasara, where one person was killed by a Hamas rocket three years ago. No injuries were reported Sunday. Palestinians in the West Bank city of Ramallah burn tires during protests on Dec. 16, 2017, against President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (Majdi Mohammed / Associated Press ) The lack of violence in Jerusalem is not an indication of ambivalence. Nearly everyone has an opinion about Trumps decision, pro and con, and many are happy to share it. Cabdriver Rami Narkisi, an Israeli Jew, bought pears and other fruit in the Old City. I think Trumps decision will be good in the future, he said, allowing that it may cause incidents in the short term. But he believes it will make the future brighter for his three adult children, who he hopes will remain in Jerusalem. Many share this view but hardly all. At the bustling Al-Amin bakery, a crowd of mostly Arab men but Israeli Jews and foreigners as well vied for loaves of rye bread or bags of whole wheat or white pita bread. A mention of Trumps name provoked derision. Shut up, one man said. Another cracked a joke about a dairy delicacy being missing from the shelves because the guy who makes it is angry at Trump. Everybody is angry at Trump, said Antonio di Gesu, a Sardinian-born Israeli Jew who is friends with the bakerys owners the Muslim Arab Aljoni family and was helping out behind the counter on a busy weekend. What Trump did, he did only for his evangelical Christian voters. He doesnt care at all about anyone in Jerusalem. Many Jerusalemites, it appears, dont care right back. No one can tell any difference from what their lives looked like two weeks ago, before Trumps announcement, Palestinian affairs analyst Khaled abu Toameh said, explaining the relative nonchalance of Arab Jerusalemites. Trump didnt say anything about [Al Aqsa] mosque. He didnt say I recognize Israeli sovereignty over a united Jerusalem or even recognize Israels annexation of East Jerusalem, so whats the big deal? The United States has been biased towards Israel for 50 years. Jerusalem, which is more than 5,000 years old, was divided into eastern and western sides for 19 years beginning in 1948, when the armistice lines of what Israelis call the war for Independence and Palestinians call the Nakba, or catastrophe, resulted in a split city. Israel gained control over East Jerusalem in 1967 after the Middle East War. In announcing Pences upcoming Middle East tour last month, the White House said it would serve to check on the status of Christians in the region. But local Christian communities, infuriated by Trumps Jerusalem decision, appear to be joining Palestinians in shunning the vice president. On Friday, the White House announced that Pences anticipated meeting with Egyptian Coptic Pope Tawadros II, who leads the largest Christian denomination in the Middle East, was canceled. Pence will also skip his scheduled visit to Bethlehems Church of the Nativity, which is under Palestinian rule. He is scheduled to meet only with representatives of Israels government when he arrives for a truncated visit this week. He also will meet with President Abdel Fattah Sisi in Egypt. ALSO Responding to Trump, Turkey says it will open an embassy in East Jerusalem in support of Palestinians Saudi Arabia to allow movie theaters for the first time in 35 years Islamic States self-styled capital is in ruins and its population scattered. Who will rebuild Raqqah? Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent. On Friday, December 15, Lockheed Martin delivered the 66th F-35 aircraft for the year, meeting the joint government and industry delivery target for 2017. These aircraft bring to 265 the total number of F-35 aircraft delivered to U.S. and international customers. More than 530 pilots and nearly 5,000 maintainers have been trained, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 115,000 cumulative flight hours. The delivery rate in 2017 represents more than a 40 percent increase from 2016, and the F-35 enterprise is prepared to increase production volume year-over-year to hit full rate of approximately 160 aircraft in 2023. As production ramps and additional improvements are implemented, Lockheed Martins goal is to reduce the cost of an F-35A to $80 million by 2020. The team continues to overcome program challenges and achieving this milestone gives our customers confidence that the F-35 enterprise can deliver on the increasing production quantities year-over-year, said Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President and F-35 Program General Manager Jeff Babione. Process efficiencies, production automation, facility and tooling upgrades, and supply chain initiatives are some of the improvements implemented through the F-35 enterprise, resulting in continuous cost reductions. In contrast to these positive news, the Pentagons contract management agency said the number of aircraft delivered in 2017 came short of its annual goal, because the 66 delivered included nine planes that were supposed to be delivered in 2016. According to a report published by Bloomberg, monthly deliveries of F-35s through 2017 were slower than scheduled. Nevertheless, the agency said delays were smaller this year, compared to those recorded in the past four years. First Aircraft Carrier Qualified to Operate F-35C On the first week of December, while deployed at sea, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) successfully completed her qualifications to operate the F-35C Lightning II program. The Lincoln is the first aircraft carrier to qualify to operate the new fifth-generation fighter. Abraham Lincoln completed its four-year-long mid-life overhaul and refueling in May 2017 and is currently underway conducting carrier qualifications and training. The Lincoln is considered the Navys most modernized and capable Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. Apart from the F-35C support systems she also has enhanced air search and air traffic control radars, Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES), a modernized Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) suite and even new crew galley equipment. The Nimitz class Lincoln deployed the F-35C using standard steam catapults, unlike the first next-generation carrier CVN-78 Gerald R. Ford, that uses the new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). Abraham Lincoln operated in inclement weather during a portion of the qualification process, which gave the squadrons varying condition to test the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS). This all-weather system works with the ships navigation system to provide accurate and reliable guidance for the aircraft. Prior to this deployment, F-35Cs only used JPALS for developmental testing. The mission also included the operational use of Autonomic Logistic Information System (ALIS) the F-35 logistical support system. With 14 F-35B Delivered, RAF Scheduled to Achieve IOC Next Year Among those recently supplied planes was the 14th F-35B delivered to the Royal Air Force. The British F-35s will be able to operate on land or embarked on the UKs new aircraft carriers. The first of the two ships HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier (QEII)was commissioned into the Royal Navy earlier this month. The aircraft are expected to arrive at RAF Marham in Norfolk by the summer of 2018, to join 617 Squadron that is scheduled to achieve Initial Operating Capability (IOC) from land next year. The unit will also perform the carrier flight trials on QEII and plans to achieve Initial Operating Capability Carrier Strike in 2020. Marham will be the Main Operating Base for the Lightning Force in the UK and from here, they will deploy forward to either embark on-board our Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers or operate from Deployed Operating Bases. Following successful trials on the land-based ski-ramp design which is featured on the UK flagship, and with the RAF Marham runway infrastructure completed as part of a 250m major investment programme in preparation for the F-35 arrival, Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin earlier this year announced that the F-35 was cleared for take-off. Other preparations include extreme cold weather testing of F-35A for the Norwegian Air Force. Tests on the icy runway were performed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska as part of the certification process for the Norwegian air force. The second phase of testing will deploy the Norwegian drag chute during landing operations and is planned for first quarter 2018 at Eielson. The F-35A drag chute is designed to be installed on all of Norways F-35As and is form fitted to ensure it maintains stealth characteristics while flying. Lebanon will soon receive military hardware and support worth $120 million from the US Department of Defense under the DOD Building Partner Capacity program. During a visit in Lebanon, the commander of US Central Command, General Joseph Votel announced a planned transfer of six MD 530G light attack helicopters and six Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles along with communications equipment, electronics equipment, night vision devices, and training. The U.S. has provided more than $1 billion in military assistance to Lebanon since 2006. According to the US Defense Security agency, in past years the Pentagon transferred to Lebanon six A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, two were delivered in October and four will follow next year. UH-1H Huey helicopters, Hellfire and TOW-2A missiles. Recommended Posts Christmas is a time for gifts, but one little Portlaoise girl is thinking about others rather than herself this year. Young Sophie Dowling a 4th class pupil at Portlaoise Educate Together NS, has written her letter to Santa Claus, with a special request. Sophie has been touched by the plight of homeless people, and when her school held their second annual collection for Portlaoise Action To Homelessness (PATH) she included a Christmas card to PATH with a message for the people they help. In the card she wrote the following to the homeless. "Merry Christmas the homeless! And Santa will find you a home for Chrisamas. I now he will, just believe". To PATH volunteers she wrote the following. "Dear PATH for the homeless, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. I asked Santa that could all the homeless have a home. Well I now Santa well give you and your family a home for Christmas. Happy Christmas from Sophie Dowling". All the children at Portlaoise Educate Together NS were asked to donate one item from a list provided by PATH or bring in 1 by Friday December 15. This year saw boxes and bags loaded with toiletries, underwear, socks, hats and food items and a total of 85 in cash was collected. Siobhan Mannion is chairperson of the Parents Association at PETNS. "I am delighted with the response of generosity from the children, parents and staff, especially at Christmas time," she said. All items and money were delivered to PATH on Monday December 18, and will be distributed to the homeless over the Christmas period. Below: Siobhan Mannion chairperson of the Parents Association, with members of the student council at Portlaoise Educate Together NS. The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group (DMHG) will push ahead with the publication of its high level strategy for Portlaoise and the seven hospitals within the group this week. DMHG Chief Executive, Dr Susan O'Reilly has invited senior hospital management to attend the launch of the 'Dublin Midlands Hospital Group Strategic Plan 2018-2023' this week in Dublin. The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group confirmed that it would go ahead with the publication of the Strategy in a statement to the Leinster Express. There have been calls on the Minister for Health Simon Harris to force the cancellation of publication. These included a demand on the HSE from Laois TD and Minster for Justice Charlie Flanagan. "The DMHG will publish its high level strategy for the seven hospitals within the group on Thursday, laying out a blueprint for the development of services within the Group up to 2023. Its focus is on developing the Group and its hospitals further, with an emphasis on improving access for patients, and further collaboration with the Groups academic partner, Trinity College Dublin. The strategy is based on current Department of Health policies, Hiqa Better Safer Healthcare Standards and HSE values and principles, said the statement. A copy of the strategy leaked to Laois TD Brian Stanley in October stated: We will develop a 24/7 GP referred medical assessment unit and a 12/7 local injuries unit in the MRH Portlaoise in line with national clinical care programmes models of care. The DMHG declined to comment if this had been deleted from the draft strategy. It insisted the strategy is not linked to the reconfiguration plan which runs to over 160 pages. It proposes removal of A&E, ICU, maternity, paediatrics and most surgery. The DMHG 2018-2023 Strategic Plan is not related to the proposed action plan for Portlaoise, which remains under consideration by the Minister for Health for any future policy decision, said a statement. The DMHG said the Groups strategy is independent of Government - as is the case with all hospitals/Groups. The Minister has the final say on the action plan, not the DMHG. It claims its strategy is not policy setting. The hospital group focuses on the administration and delivery of services at its seven hospitals. The Department/Minister handle policy, said a statement. The DMHG said the Minister is not attending on Thursday. The plan is due to be launced at Trinity College Dublin's Biomedical Sciences Institute on Pearse Street, on Thursday at 10am. The Department of Health and the HSE declined to comment. News that the DMHG was going to publish its strategy emerged last Friday, December 15 after a leaked letter was obtained and published by Laois Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley. The letter was sent on the same day as the Minister Harris met with Laois TDs Charlie Flanagan, Sean Fleming and Brian Stanley. While he did not rule out downgrade, he appeared to give some reassurance that there would be further consultation. A protest against the downgrade of Portlaoise hospital could be staged at Trinity College Dublin this week where a plan that underpins the Laois hospital's reconfiguration will be launched. Senior hospital managers in Dublin and the Midlands have been invited to the launch of 'Dublin Midlands Hospital Group Strategic Plan 2018-2023' according to a letter of invitation obtained by Laois TD Brian Stanley last week. The strategy is predicated on the go-ahead by the Minister for Health Simon Harris for the implementation of a plan for Portlaoise which would see A&E, ICU, maternity, paediatrics and most surgery removed from Portlaoise. The hospital would be re-graded as a Category 2 facility. The letter was sent on the same day as the Minister for Health Simon Harris met with Laois TDs Charlie Flanagan, Sean Fleming and Brian Stanley. While he did not rule out downgrade, he appeared to give some reassurance that there would be further consultation. In a written statement, Thomas Timmons, the chairman of the Portlaoise Hospital Action Committee (PHAC) described the Department of Health as being: in complete meltdown and not fit for purpose. The peoples representatives in Dail Eireann appear to have been mislead and if this is the case, then serious questions need to be asked, he said. Secretary of the PHAC, John Hannify described the turn of events as being beyond belief. We are faced with one of two very disturbing situations. When the minister met with our three TDs, he either knew about this launch and opted to wihthold this important information from the Laois TDs or this information was witheld from him, the Minister for Health! Both situations are inconceivable. If this information was withheld from the Minister then we have a very grave situation and he must sack Dr. OReilly forthwith. If the Minister knew about the launch and failed to inform the local TDs, then he must resign. Committee member, Austin Stack said a senior HSE official is launching a report that the Minister has serious questions about and has yet to sign off on. "The minister must take immediate action to cancel this launch and retake control of his Department, he said. Committee PRO, Eimear Holland, said the report is flawed. "As such, it cannot be launched. If launch is not cancelled, we the Hospital Action Committee are calling upon the people of Laois and surrounding areas to stage a mass protest outside Trinitys Biomedical Sciences Institute on Pearse Street, on Thursday at 10am. She went in to said the protest would bring "Dublin to a standstill! The Minister for Health must cancel a launch of 'blueprint' strategy that underpins the downgrade of Portlaoise hospital according to Laois Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley. The TD revealed last Friday that the chief executive of the HSE'S Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, Dr Susan O'Reilly has invited senior management from hospitals in Dublin and the midlands to the launch of its 'Dublin Midlands Hospital Group Strategic Plan 2018-2023'. The plan was leaked early this year to Dep Stanley. It confirmed that A&E would be replaced with a local injuries unit and a Medical Assessment Unit. Within weeks the longer downgrade plan was also leaked. The strategy is predicated on the go-ahead by the Minister for the implementation of a plan for the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise which would see A&E, ICU, maternity, paediatrics and most surgery removed from Portlaoise. The hospital would be re-graded as a Category 2 facility. Dr O'Reilly described it as the bluerprint. "I have contacted Minister Harris's office this morning requesting that he immediately cancels Dr. Susan O'Reilly's launching of her Plan for the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group which includes Portlaoise Hospital scheduled for Thursday (December 21)," he said. Dep Stanley, Minister Charlie Flanagan and Dep Sean Fleming met with Minister Harris in Government Buildings in Dublin last week. Dep Stanley said Minister Harris appeared to indicate no decision had been reached. "Minister Harris committed at our meeting last Friday to having consultations with local clinicians and local representatives before making any final decision and this launch pre-empts that process and the Minister's final decision. This is not acceptable," he said. The Minister for Health had also said previously that there were would be further consultation after the Department and HSE had reached an agreed position. The Portlaoise Hospital Action Committee has committed to mounting a protest at the launch in Trinity College Dublin. In a statement issued in November the DMHG confirmed that any decision on the future of the hospital rests with Minister Harris. "From the outset the Hospital Group and Portlaoise Hospital would like to state unequivocally, the approval of proposed action plan submitted to the Department of Health in December 201 is a policy decision for the Minister for Health," it said. ABOUT HOSPITAL GROUPS The Romanian Army has completed testing of SPIKE LR (Long Range) missiles as part of the Romanian Army evaluation of man-portable Spike-LR in dismounted operations. The Romanian army is already using SPIKE family missiles on armored vehicles and helicopters, the new acquisition extends the use of the missile to dismounted operations. In the recent evaluations ten missiles were fired, nine by Romanian gunners that completed gunnery qualification process. The multi-purpose missile system was tested in different firing scenarios, including day and Infrared mode, fired against tanks and APC targets at different ranges. All ten missiles scored target hits. The LR version is deployed as a vehicle-mounted armament, on a 30 mm RCWS on the BMP Platform, while SPIKE ER missiles are used with Puma (SOCAT) helicopters. The new acquisition signed in 2015 with EuroSpike GmbH is for an infantry launcher configuration of the Integrated Control Launch Unit (ICLU), which is the new modern digital launcher for SPIKE missiles. This unit enables target acquisition at longer range and integration of the missiles into a tactical network. The acquisition of man-portable SPIKE-LR systems will run through 2019 to equip the infantry, reconnaissance, mountain troop brigades and artillery regiments of the Romanian Land Forces. The launch of a strategy that underpins the downgrade of Portlaoise hospital should be scrapped according to Laois TD and Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan. Minister Flanagan also said that the Minster for Health Simon Harris has given no approval to any plan or strategy that would begin the removal of A&E, maternity, paediatrics, ICU and most surgery from the Laois hospital. Minster Flanagan held face-to-face talks with his fellow Laois TDs Sean Fleming and Brian Stanley on the issue last week. The Health Minister issued a statement afterwards to the Leinster Express. I made it clear that I have not yet made any decision on the substance of the draft Action Plan. I have some concern about the process involved in developing the draft Action Plan and I am keen that a broad consultation will take place with local clinicians and the community. I intend to provide further clarity on this issue shortly, said Minister Harris. However, on the same day it emerged that the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group had invited senior hospital management from Dublin and the Midlands to a launch of the 'Dublin Midlands Hospital Group Strategic Plan 2018-2023'. His cabinet colleague Charlie Flanagan said nothing has changed since he met with Minister Harris last week. Speaking to the Leinster Express, Minister Flanagan said he believed that the proposal to launch the strategy was 'disgraceful'. "I'm calling for the meeting on Thursday to be scrapped," he said. Minister Flanagan said he has since spoke with Minister Harris and was assured that the approval had been given to no plan or strategy. He said 'the situation hasn't' changed since last Friday's meeting. "This is disgraceful and I've already said the downgrade is an affront to democracy and I have lost confidence in the HSE," he said. In a statement issued in November the DMHG confirmed that any decision on the future of the hospital rests with Minister Harris. "From the outset the Hospital Group and Portlaoise Hospital would like to state unequivocally, the approval of proposed action plan submitted to the Department of Health in December 2016 is a policy decision for the Minister for Health," it said. Laois Sinn Fein TD has called on the Minister for Health to intervene and force the HSE to cancel the strategy launch. A number of families have been evacuated from their homes due to a reported gas leak. A leak has been locally reported at Railway Mews, Portarlington. It is understood that some houses have been evacuated and cars are not allowed to drive in or out of the estate. Gas Networks Ireland confirmed to the Leinster Express that at 12:35pm on Monday, December 18 it was requested to attend an incident at 89 Railway Mews, Portarlington, Co. Laois in response to a report of third party damage to a gas pipeline. Gas Networks Ireland technical staff were still on site at 5:30pm on Monday assessing the cause of the incident. Social media is allowing people to communicate where they have smelled the gas. Some people in the estate have said that they have not smelled gas and did not know that other homes were evacuated. A woman with a three month old baby asked people on social media what she should do as she is in the estate but has not been contacted about the gas leak. Gas Networks Ireland advise the following during a gas leak: At Home Ensure gas appliances are turned off and have not been left on and unlit Dont smoke or use naked flame Dont unplug or switch anything electrical on or off Open windows and doors If the smell persists turn off the gas at the meter, see our guide here Call our 24 hour Emergency Line 1850 20 50 50 no matter who your gas supplier is If you cant get through, dial 999 / 112 Dont use a phone in the immediate area of the leak, use a neighbours or call from outside On the Street If you smell gas on the street, call 1850 20 50 50 immediately. Don't assume that someone else will In the interests of public safety all emergency calls are recorded Read more: Laois road needs to be widened as it continues to be accident 'black spot'. Man arrested at the scene of burglary in Laois. Tempers flared at Laois County Council December meeting, with councillors blaming each other's political parties for the crisis facing Portlaoise hospital. While the public have demanded their politicians remain united in opposition to downgrade, local politicians answered with division today ( Monday December 18) at the final county council meeting of 2017. Fine Gael councillor Willie Aird was not willing to let his party take the sole blame. The Minister for Health Simon Harris and the Laois TD and Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan are both in Fine Gael. He lashed out at Fianna Fail. "Fianna Fail is supporting the Government, ye can run for cover, ye never change. Take the hit you're part of the Government," he said. Fianna Fail councillor Paddy Bracken responded. "If Sean Fleming was a senior politician, he would make sure the decision taken would be in favour of the hospital. Don't throw it back on us now," he said. Cllr Bracken had said he feared that a political decision was already made. "If it was good news, the Minister would be announcing the scrapping of that proposal. He wouldn't be bringing two TDs in with him. There is meeting after meeting but my fear is it has gone beyond that and the decision is made at the highest political level," he said. Cllr Aird said he was "laying criticism" with Laois TDs Brian Stanley, Sean Fleming and Charlie Flanagan at excluding Laois councillors from meeting the health minister. "No councillor was let in, we don't know what went on," he said. Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley defended her husband and party colleague, Deputy Brian Stanley. "Brian Stanley is not in government, but he has been flagging locally and nationally that the hospital wasn't funded properly," she said. She had earlier said how the source who recently leaked the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group plan to Deputy Stanley, revealed to him that it is being launched this Thursday. "To the best of my knowledge, Minister Harris was not aware. This completely baffled everyone, I don't believe the Minister told lies, it looks like this one (Dr Susan O'Reilly) is trying to plough on ahead, and push the Minister into a position. This is crazy if it goes ahead, it's bully boy tactics," she said. Fine Gael Cllr John King then asked her to name the person "doing the leaking". Sinn Fein Cllr Aidan Mullins defended the unnamed source. "You are going after the whistleblower again. If anything happens it's with your party, don't lump us in," said Cllr Aird tabled a motion asking the Health Minister and the DMHG CEO Dr Susan O'Reilly to meet Laois councillors in January. Cllr Dwane Stanley proposed that an email be sent to the HSE asking them to cancel Thursday's launch, which includes the removal of the Emergency Department from Portlaoise. The launch was announced last Friday December 15, only hours after the Minister for Health Simon Harris met and reassured Minister Charlie Flanagan and Laois TDs Brian Stanley and Sean Fleming that he would consult local clinicians before making the ultimate decision. Read more here. Portlaoise Hospital Action Group will 'bring Dublin to a standstill' in protest 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. Paul Gill, the man who pleaded guilty to the serious assault of 58 year-old Naas man, Patsy Bud Kelly, who later died, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. Judge Melanie Greally passed sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Court this morning. She did not suspend any of the sentence. Mr Gill, Sarto Road, Naas, was represented by solicitor, Cairbre Finan, and counsel, Karl Hanahoe BL and Seamus Clarke SC. He was found not guilty of the manslaughter of Mr Kelly but had pleaded guilty to assaulting him. At an earlier hearing on December 11, Gda Coleman, who investigated the matter, told prosecuting counsel, Orla Crowe SC, that Mr Gill had assaulted Mr Kelly and Mr Kellys friend, Martin Curtis, a neighbour of Mr Gill. It followed complaints about late night drinking and anti-social behaviour at a nearby house for several years. The court heard that Mr Kelly had difficulties in life, including with alcohol and that he was very well known and well liked in Naas. Mark Kelly, a relative of Mr Gill, said he and his wife looked after Mr Gill and his brother, Gerry (who died in a traffic accident when he was 16). Their father died when Mr Gill was 9 years old, and they had a difficult upbringing due to their mothers mental illness. Mr Gill, from the Aran Islands, did a fishing apprenticeship and later worked in construction. Mr Gill was described as a hard worker who never relied on the State. He married Laura in 2012 and they have five children, but he had to miss the birth of two of them because he was late getting to hospital on account of his new address. Bail conditions kept him out of Naas and it was difficult for his wife and children. Mr Gill has a previous conviction for a public order offence from June 2003 and another for an assault in March 2000 when he was ordered to pay over 2,000 compensation. Read more: Man found not guilty of manslaughter of Naas man Read more: Sentencing of Patsy Kelly assault adjourned again PRISON sentences imposed on two men following a fatal burglary at the home of a 62-year-old were too lenient, according to the Court of Appeal. Cousins Michael Casey, aged 34, of Clonlong Halting Site, Southill and David Casey, aged 23, of Carragh Park, Belcamp, Dublin 17, had pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including one at the home of John O'Donoghue at Toomaline, Doon, on August 27, 2015. Mr O'Donoghue collapsed and died as he was about to confront the two intruders, who ran away without offering assistance. Judge Tom O'Donnell sentenced both men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to four-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final year suspended on December 15, 2016. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully sought a review of the men's sentences on grounds that they were unduly lenient. In the Court of Appeal this Monday, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the three-judge court had considered the matter and had concluded that the sentences imposed were unduly lenient. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said it was necessary therefore to fix a date for a fresh sentence hearing. The case was put back to January with a view to fixing a date on that occasion. Moving the DPP's appeal last week, Thomas O'Malley BL, submitted the sentence for the burglary at Mr O'Donoghues house was too low when one considered the harm that was caused in that particular case. Mr O'Malley said there was a second victim to consider - Mr O'Donoghue's surviving sister - who had to watch her brother drop dead in front of the family home as he was about to confront the two intruders. Of course they didn't for a moment intend to harm anybody, Mr O'Malley said, but they had to take their victim as they found him. He said offenders who engage in residential burglary must take account of the fact they might disturb somebody and that this kind of thing can happen. Somebody could become ill or die as a result of the fright There was an inherent risk in burglary and there had to be a punishment that reflected that harm, he submitted. He said David Casey was on bail at the time the burglaries were committed and the sentencing judge did not allude to that in his sentencing remarks. Mr O'Malley said the sentencing judge failed to specify the headline sentence before making appropriate adjustments for any personal circumstances of the accused. He said headline sentences function to send out a message, to censure the criminal conduct involved, and were important for general deterrence. This kind of repeated residential burglary was conduct that is the cause of tremendous public concern at the present time. He said the offences were not committed impulsively or opportunistically but the Caseys had selected and targetted four different dwellings as part of a burglary spree on the same day. Mr O'Malley said one of the houses was ransacked and inadequate attention was given to that aggravating feature by the sentencing judge. He said the thrashing of a home added to the trauma and distress suffered by the homeowners. There can be few greater traumas than going home and finding your home thrashed. Mr O'Malley said it was important to clarify that these were dwellings because of the constitutional protection that is afforded to the dwelling. He said the offences were a constitutional violation perpetrated by private parties and the state's role was to vindicate that right. He said the Caseys satisfied themselves up to a point that the houses were unoccupied but they didn't deserve any credit for choosing to enter houses that were unoccupied at the time. Consecutive sentences would not have been unreasonable and if not, then the sentence for the most serious offence - involving the death of Mr O'Donoghue - should have been higher, Mr O'Malley submitted. Counsel for David Casey, Michael Bowman SC, said what happened after the incident couldn't aggravate the offence and there was no evidence the cousins deliberately walked past Mr O'Donoghue as he was having a fit or a heart attack. Mr Bowman said David Casey was 20 at the time of the offence He had his own personal difficulties and appeared to have progressed significantly while in custody. Counsel for Michael Casey, Vincent Heneghan SC, said the final year of the sentences were suspended on condition both cousins be of good behaviour for six years from the date of sentence. That indicated that the Circuit Court judge had measured the gravity of the offences that were before him, he submitted. Mr Heneghan said the Circuit Court judge did not hand sentence down there and then but adjourned the case to consider all aspects. He said the judge did not miss a thing save for the headline sentence and he clearly started much higher than where he ended up having regard to mitigation for the guilty plea, remorse and admissions. A PALL of gloom and fear is hanging over the Limerick area of Thomondgate after the murder of 78-year-old Rose Hanrahan. TD Willie ODea, who was a life-long friend of the widowed pensioner, said people are very concerned in the community following the womans death at her home in violent circumstances. Gardai have confirmed that they are treating Mrs Hanrahans death as a murder, following results of a post-mortem at University Hospital Limerick. It is believed that the woman died violently, possibly after a break-in to her home on New Road, Thomondgate. The scene was still being preserved late this Sunday and Superintendent Derek Smart, who is leading the investigation, told the Limerick Leader that no suspects have been identified at this stage. We are still working through all the information that is coming in and obviously the examination of the scene will be a big thing. That will determine for us - but at this time, I cant say that I have any suspects lined up, he said. It is likely that gardai will extend the court-ordered hold on the crime-scene, which was extended by 48-hours at a special sitting on Saturday. Supt Smart said there was a strong possibility of it, yes, we will keep it for as long as we need it for. He reiterated a wide-ranging appeal to the community to come forward with any information, no matter how trivial it might seem. That is the message, no matter, even if you have been told third or fourth hand, I would appreciate contact be made with us and we will rule it in or out, he said. Gardai were called to the scene at 1.30pm on Friday and Supt Smart said the shocking discovery of the womans body was very, very hard to take. She was living a full life in regard to it, she was driving her own vehicle, and this is the end that she has come to - it is very hard to fathom and that is why the community, we would appeal to them to come together with us. Again, it is any information, even if you don't think it is relevant, let us decide how relevant it is, just pick up the phone and call us. The community, as always in Limerick, will come together, and I would appeal to them to just go that extra step and make the call. The Superintendent declined to discuss any specific details of the investigation or how the woman was murdered, and refused to speculate as to whether a burglary may have taken place at the house in Thomondgate. Deputy ODea, who knew Mrs Hanrahan and her late husband Mike, who was an avid fisherman and worked for the Civic Trust, and said the whole community is outraged by her death. She was the one person in Thomondgate that I never heard one word spoken against, she was extraordinary. She was very gentle, kept to herself, very inoffensive person, but it was an awful way to die - an awful way for anybody, but particularly somebody like Rose, who was nothing but kindness personified, he said. There is a pall of gloom over the place and there is also fear down there and that is why I am trying to encourage people to cooperate with the gardai and tell them anything they have seen, no matter how innocuous it might sound, it will be well received. There are a lot of elderly people there who are very concerned, I have a raft of applications for alarms and there are a lot of single parents there as well who are living with young kids. "It is an absolute outrage - I just cant get my head around the mentality of people, who would do something like that. Anyone with information is asked to contact Mayorstone Garda Station on 061-456980 or 1800-666111. A LIMERICK youth who slashed a man across the face with a Stanley knife, leaving him with a permanent scar, has been jailed for five years. Pearce Doran, aged 20, of Altamira Court, Thomondgate has admitted attacking the victim over a small debt which he owed. Garda David Nolan told Limerick Circuit Court, the incident happened at a house at Shelbourne Terrace, Thomondgate shortly after 4.30pm on June 5, 2016 when the defendant and a number of other youths forced their way into the house and attacked the man. The now 34-year-old was slashed across his face and sustained a 10cm laceration on his left check. Garda Nolan told John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, there was blood everywhere when gardai arrived and that it was clear the victim has sustained a serious injury.. Following his arrest, Doran made admissions telling gardai he was owed 200 and that he had attacked the victim over the principal of it. Mr OSullivan, instructed by State Solicitor Padraig Mawe, said the victim sustained a most significant and disfiguring scar and that the DPP was of the view that the offence is within the middle range of the scale. In a Victim Impact Statement, the injured party said Doran had taken advantage of his vulnerability and that what happened would stay with him forever. Mark Nicholas SC, told the court his client had been drinking prior to the incident and that things had gotten out of control. He said Doran, who has a number of previous convictions having fallen into criminality as a teenager. He said his client had a difficult upbringing and that has difficulties with drugs and alcohol. Imposing sentence, Judge Tom ODonnell said it was worrying that Doran appears to go off the rails when left to his own devices and that there is a high risk of him rooffending. He said the violence perpetrated the use of a weapon and the motivation for the attack were aggravating factors in the case. The judge said he was also noting the defendants lack of maturity, his age and the challenges he faces in life. He imposed a six year prison sentence, suspending the final 12 months. THE government is to be lobbied to strengthen the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as it prepares to make a decision on the Irish Cement project. Members of the environmental committee in Limerick have passed a motion calling on Environment Minister Denis Naughten to wave through the recommendations of a 2011 review of the EPA, which is responsible for monitoring the effects the actions big firms have on the environment. Among these is that the EPA no longer be afforded immunity from prosecutions, and the body should be referable to the Ombudsman in cases of alleged maladministration. Cllr Cian Prendiville, Solidarity, whose motion was unanimously passed, said: In the USA, the EPA was taken to court by the City of Detroit over its water. A similar case could not be taken here. He was referring to the Flint water crisis when Michigan residents were exposed to high levels of lead in their water. Although the incident unfolded in 2014, residents are still advised not to drink tap water. The reason this is significant is we are being asked to put our faith in the EPA over gasification in Gortadroma and the burning of tyres in Mungret. The EPA cannot follow a light touch model. Its just not acceptable, he told the meeting. Fine Gaels northside member Michael Hourigan asked the meeting if there was a history of a lack of prosecution from the EPA, something council official Ger Dillon said he was not qualified to comment on. His party colleague, west Limerick councillor Jerome Scanlan, who chairs the committee, said: We need an answer to this. Its an important point. Sinn Fein member Malachy McCreesh seconded Cllr Prendivilles motion, which goes forward as a recommendation to full council. He said: All you need to do is look at Aughinish and the devastation caused to the Shannon and the surrounding farms to show light touch regulation. I do not think there is sufficient enforcement of these issues. We need stronger enforcement. CHRISTMAS is the time of year when we tend to dig a bit deeper to give to those less fortunate. One of the festive seasons most popular drives, the Team Hope shoebox appeal, delivers little boxes of pure joy to children living in poverty-stricken countries across the globe. And an inspired Limerick school has decided to adapt that idea to help those closer to home homeless adults in Limerick. At Colaiste Chiarain in Croom, the first years, aided by some Leaving Cert Applied and fourth year students, have already packed more than 20 boxes for the homeless in Limerick. The staff members also made significant contributions. The project follows the template of the shoebox appeal for children abroad, that is usually done in the primary schools. But this initiative asks for items suitable for adults, that can then be boxed and distributed to the homeless locally. The boxes include toiletries, hats, scarves and gloves, topped up with some chocolate and a Christmas card. The appeal was confined to first year students, as it is a good continuation of the Christmas shoebox habit they formed at primary school, said deputy principal Gerard OSullivan. The initiative is just one of many fundraising drives that the students engage in as part of their pastoral care programme. One of the Materials Technology teachers, Mr Padraig McGarry, also guided a group of teachers and students in the creation in wood of 43 decorative baby reindeer and one adult sized reindeer. This work was completed in the evenings after school, and a huge amount of dedication was involved, said Mr OSullivan. All of the reindeer were adorned with hand crocheted scarves, courtesy of Betty Morrissey. The money raised is due to be donated to Focus Ireland and St Vincent de Paul, Croom. The pupils also held a bake sale and Christmas craft sale, as well as carol singing at Caherass Nursing Home this Thursday, December 14. In all, around 2,000 is expected to be collected, and 25 shoeboxes will be donated to Novas and Thomond House. Congratulations to all students, their parents and the staff in Colaiste Chiarain for entering into the festive spirit in such a generous way, said Mr OSullivan. Former Corvallis School Board Chair Chris Rochester used the public comment period in the boards Dec. 7 meeting to urge the board to try to reduce the costs of a more than $200 million facilities bond proposal before sending it to voters this May. Rochesters suggestions for how to do this included making the replacement for Hoover Elementary School have a capacity of 600 students and not including any money for Franklin K-8 School, a district school of choice for students in middle and elementary school. The board members didnt follow his comments up with any questions, but one of the high school representatives at the meeting asked Rochester why he didnt think Franklin should get money for repairs and upgrades all other district schools will get. Do I have an hour? Rochester responded. Rochesters comments came at a meeting at which board members discussed whether voters would support the $2.02 per $1,000 of assessed property value that would be taxed for 20 years if the bond proposal as presented to them goes forward. Rochester said because Franklin does not have offer transportation to students, it has tended to attract a student population with better-off parents. The schools rate of students on free and reduced lunch, a common measure of poverty in education, was the lowest in the district in the 2016-17 school year, at just under 19 percent. The average rate of students across the district in the free and reduced lunch program was 36 percent that year, and since 2011, Franklin has only once not been in the bottom two schools for the rate of students on free and reduced lunch. From its creation, Franklin has run counter to our beliefs about equity, Rochester said. Rochester added that because it is located in one of the districts oldest buildings, Franklin will continue to need increasing amounts of money to keep it going. He said it also has no room to grow because it is on a small site. Spending money on it does not make sense, he said. The $206 million bond proposal Superintendent Ryan Noss brought to the board called for spending $9.3 million on the school, which included money he added for building new collaboration spaces at the school that were not included in the bond proposal crafted by the district's facilities planning committee. We spent a lot of time when I was chair of the board talking about Franklin, said Rochester, who retired from the board late last year. Rochester said whatever the school's merits, it doesn't align with a consistent and coherent equity plan. Rochester said while he was chair, the board discussed closing Franklin, or giving it a co-boundary with another school, or even a boundary of its own. Current Board Chair Vince Adams said in an editorial meeting with the Gazette-Times on Friday that the board would likely discuss Franklins future in its special work session on the bond proposal at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the district office, at 1555 S.W. 35th St. The meeting will not have an opportunity for public comment, but the board will have a public hearing on the bond proposal at its January 11 meeting, at which it could potentially decide to send the bond issue to voters. Although most of the board members currently on the board were not on the board when Rochester was chair, Adams said there are certainly board members that would like to see Franklin go away. Adams said he wants to close the conversation on Franklin so parents at the school can feel secure in its future. This community has felt threatened the entire time Ive been on the board, said Adams, who is running for Benton County Commissioner. Adams said the district could instead keep Franklin open as a magnet school and offer transportation to students across the district so it could be an opportunity available to all equitably. He said he thought the district could work out the logistics of offering bus transportation to the school across the district. If Muddy Creek (a charter school sponsored by the district) can figure it out, then we can. Adams said if the district is going to invest money in doing upgrades at Franklin, the board should make a commitment to it. Noss, who started as superintendent in Corvallis in July of 2016, said he has tried to signal to the Franklin community that he has a commitment to the school through things like hiring a new permanent principal for the school at the end of last school year. The hiring followed more than a year of interim principals at the school after the district transferred the schools popular principal Aaron Hale to Lincoln Elementary School mid-year in 2015. Noss said his addition of funds for collaboration spaces at Franklin also was intended to reassure parents at the school about its future. Sara Ingle, with the League of Women Voters of Corvallis, also spoke at the Dec. 7 meeting to urge the board to lower the cost of the plan so as to not make housing even less affordable in Corvallis for low-income families. Thats going to be paid back with property taxes and that affects the cost of housing, Ingle said. An expensive bond may drive more families out, make it impossible for families to move to Corvallis or make more students homeless, she said. District staff said for a family with a $250,000 house in the district, the bond would cost about $40 a month, which is an $8 a month increase over the average monthly cost of the districts current bond, which expires in 2020. A NEW Specialist Diploma has been launched at the University of Limerick aimed at graduates with a background in the pharmaceutical or quality and manufacturing sectors. The new course, in Regulatory Affairs in (Bio) Pharmaceuticals, is a joint endeavour between the Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Research Centre (SSPC), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre and UL. Intended for Irish-based regulatory professionals, it emerged from a strong industry demand in recent years for regulatory affairs (RA) professionals in Ireland for the pharmaceutical industry. Regulatory Affairs is critical to the future success of such a highly regulated industry and building academic links with industry ensures graduates can tailor their education to meet the demands of the emerging market, said Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation and Research, John Halligan TD, at the launch. The healthcare products landscape has evolved substantially in the past few decades, and today there are new emerging technologies and an improved understanding of patient and consumer needs. Regulatory professionals who can successfully navigate this new professional landscape are in high demand and short supply, say the SSPC. Dr Sarah Hayes, SSPC, said that the programme addresses a gap in the training of regulatory affairs personnel. The programme is designed to offer a unique opportunity in Ireland to gain a level 9 accredited Specialist Diploma in Regulatory Affairs and EU requirements, she added. Commenting on the announcement, Dr Ann Ledwith, Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at UL, said: The University of Limerick has a strong track record of delivering programmes to meet industry needs. Fees for the Specialist Diploma are funded through Springboard, it is a great opportunity for RA professionals to upskill as they work. BIOPHARMACEUTICAL firm Regeneron is to formally seek planning permission for its latest investment in Limerick, which will bring 300 new jobs. The company, based in Dells old factory at the Raheen Industrial Estate, has announced an 84.9m investment to further expand its industrial operations and product supply here. The proposals will bring Regenerons headcount to 800 in Limerick, while the firm is also planning to employ 250 builders temporarily as part of the extension. According to an application to be submitted to council planners, the firm is planning a single storey extension measuring 12,707 square metres and 14.4m high. Other works will see a new permanent car park for 150 cars to the south-west of the existing complex. Fianna Fail councillor Vivienne Crowley, who chairs the economic committee said Regenerons extension represents a huge indication of how well Limerick is performing in terms of job creation. The firm, founded in Tarrytown, New York, exists to develop drugs for people with serious medical complaints. It has invested 636m since it opened in Limerick back in 2014, with the latest round of specialist jobs in commercial manufacturing, project sciences, quality assurance and various other support functions. Cllr Crowley added: This isnt just about job creation. Its job creation in industry, where youre bringing a highly educated workforce, and quite a lot of young people back into Limerick which will obviously improve the economy. She also welcomed the building jobs, saying 250 is a massive number of people. The construction industry has a long way to go in terms of recovery to the same extent other businesses have managed at present. In terms of the loss of the workforce, there is a long way to go towards improving things for the construction sector. But this is a good start, the northside member said. Regenerons 400,000 square foot, state-of-the-art production facility in Limerick is the largest scale bulk biologics production facility in Ireland, and one of the largest in the world as a whole. Speaking at the recent jobs announcement at the plant, Dan Van Plew, the executive vice president and general manager of industrial operations and product supply at Regeneron, said: Gut feel is a large portion of any site selection. When we picked Limerick years ago, we simply felt good about the community, universities and people. A few years and a lot of experience later, I can now confidently say I know Limerick is a place where you can build and thrive as a biotech. "We are proud of what has happened here and the vast majority of this work has been completed by people who come from Munster. These folks built, validated and began production in a way Id put up against any other team on the planet. We feel at home here and the way we have been welcomed has made our growth and investment rewarding on the most personal levels. SHANE Lowry, Love Hate actor Laurence Kinlan and Galway hurler Joe Canning were among the guests as a new Limerick nightclub opened its doors after a 1m investment. Amber, the new nightclub at House Limerick, has opened with the creation of 30 new jobs, adding to the 30 staff already working at the venue above, which is located on Howleys Quay and opened a year ago. The nightclub has seen an investment of close to 1m and the first guests attended last Thursday night to see the transformation of the former Sin Bin venue, which has also resulted in a significant boost to the local construction industry. Businessman Alan Clancy, of well known hotspots House Dublin and 37 Dawson Street, who spearheaded the redevelopment of House in Limerick and now Amber, said: We see Limerick as an exciting progressive city with huge potential and we are delighted to further invest here. Limerick has a number of new bars and venues and it is fantastic to be part of making it a much sought after destination, he added. Limerick native Laura Horan, general manager of House, said: A lot of research has gone into developing Amber. We have looked at what is happening globally and have visited some of the hottest venues on the international night club scene. Weve sourced the best ideas from rooftop bars in New York, edgy clubs in Berlin and the coolest spots in London and brought the best of what we found to Limerick. We are bringing something new and fresh to Limerick. We cannot wait for the people of Limerick and further afield, to experience what Amber is all about, she added, noting that fellow Limerick native JJ Hartigan of 2FM, will be the venues resident DJ. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. SWEET HOME Representatives of the 100-year-old Hill Family Trust based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, didnt have to look far when it came time to select a new president of Cascade Timber Consulting, which manages the familys 145,000 acres of timberland in east Linn County. In fact, their new leader will only have to move his office a few yards down the hallway of their Sweet Home office building. Linn County native Milt Moran, 64, has worked for Cascade Timber Consulting and its predecessors for 45 years, ever since the Lebanon High School graduate earned an associates degree in forest management at Central Oregon Community College in 1973. Beginning March 1, Moran will succeed David Furtwangler, 64, who has worked for the Hill family since 1985 and has been president of CTC for the last 13 years. Moran becomes the fifth head of management companies for the family Eugene Ellis with Timber Service Company; Jack Barringer with Barringer and Associates; and Larry Blem and Furtwangler with Cascade Timber Consulting. It has been a pleasure to work for the Hill Family, Furtwangler said of the transition. The family has always thought long-term, and although they dont micromanage us, they are involved and truly understand this business. Their goal has always been to manage the forest for the future generations and that remains our focus. Furtwangler was reared in Springfield and graduated from Oregon State in 1976 with a degree in forest management. I started out in business, but wasnt really sure what I wanted to do, Furtwangler said. I worked in other businesses for a few years and then came here. His early years with the company were in timber sales layout, inventory and GIS mapping. This has been an ideal job. Youre not stuck behind a desk all the time, Furtwangler said. We have been successful because mills know we sell quality wood and they know what to expect from us. Furtwangler said Cascade Timber Consultings goal is to not only meet requirements of the Forest Practices Act, but to exceed them. In fact, sustainability was a key word for the Hill Family long before it became fashionable. The Hill Family Trust founded the David T. Mason Seed Orchard east of Sweet Home in 1959. The 75-acre orchard was ahead of its time in developing new, improved tree seedlings. Millions of trees on the Hill family lands and elsewhere around the world have begun life as seeds produced there. Cascade Timber Consulting has 33 employees and plans to add two forester positions in the coming year, but the company indirectly provides another 200 to 240 jobs in Linn County through its contracts with logging companies and other providers. Although he will officially retire on Feb. 28, Furtwangler said he will continue to be available if Moran has questions. Both men have been active in community and statewide philanthropic organizations. Furtwangler and his wife, Shari, a retired teacher and school administrator, live in Brownsville and enjoy traveling both domestically and to foreign locales. They have two grown children and three grandchildren. Furtwangler has served on the boards of the Oregon Forest Industries Council, Oregon Forest Resources Institute, the Calapooia Watershed Council, Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Linn County and the Linn County Planning Commission. Moran has worked on company projects across the board over the last 45 years from road construction to timber sales and fire management. Im excited, Moran said. We have a great staff and its exciting to see the next generation of the Hill family so interested in this business. Ive always said that I treat this timber farm like its my own, and I will continue to do that. Moran and his wife, Jane, have four grown children and seven grandchildren. He is active at St. Helen Catholic Church, serves on the Samaritan Health Services corporate board, the Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital board, the Linn County Parks Commission, is past president of the Oregon Logging Conference, Oregon Department of Forestry Fire Funding, Forestland Classification, Large Fire Review and Wildfire Protection Act Committees. Dave and I have worked a lot together, and we understand the values of this company, Moran said. There isnt going to be much change. I agree with Dave that we have some of the best staff ever. I have held several leadership roles over the years, and Im a good listener. I want to help our people be successful. Moran said he will retain his role as timber sale manager because it takes years to develop long-term relationships with buyers. The Hill familys involvement in Linn County began in 1910, when business magnate Louis W. Hill of St. Paul, Minnesota, and a partner, purchased thousands of acres of timberland that had been set aside by an Act of Congress in 1866 to construct a wagon road from the Oregon coast to Idaho. The men formed the Oregon and Western Colonization Company to manage the property and in 1917, Hill acquired sole ownership, forming the 1917 Trust for his wife and children. In 1943, Louis W. Hill Jr. known as Louie married Elsi Fors in Seattle, and the couple moved to Sweet Home, where he learned the timber business from the ground up. He and Elsi lived for a time with Eugene Ellis, a forester for the family who traversed its thousands of acres on a mule, often gone for weeks at a time. Ellis managed Timber Service Company for years. The demand for wood during World War II was high, and since 1938 the family had worked extensively with David T. Mason of the forestry consulting firm Mason, Bruce and Girard. Mason after whom the tree orchard is named was considered the father of the sustained yield concept. In 1945, the company negotiated a long-term harvest contract with Willamette Industries that lasted until 1986. Louie Hill Jr. died in 1995, but family members remain active and attend an annual meeting, which includes tours of company operations, new logging and firefighting equipment and long-term planning. Republican politics was starting to feel like a version of Mel Brooks' "The Producers." In the play, two scammers devise a tax write-off scheme in which they will make a killing by losing money on a Broadway show. They reach for the most grotesque, tasteless musical the human mind can conceive "Springtime for Hitler" and are undone when it's a surprise hit. Roy Moore could have sprung from the imaginations of Democratic operatives hoping to find the embodiment of every stereotype that liberals cherish about conservatives. Ignorance? In a July radio interview, the anti-immigration hardliner couldn't say who the Dreamers are or what DACA refers to. He did not know that the U.S. Constitution, which he purports to revere, forbids religious tests for public office. In the Republic of Moore, Muslims would be barred from serving their country. Conspiracy monger? He trafficked in the birtherism about Barack Obama and suggested that parts of the Midwest are ruled by Sharia law. Anti-gay? Moore is not just a traditionalist who opposes same-sex marriage; he wants to put homosexuals in prison, and claims that the U.S. is the focus of evil in the modern world for permitting gays to marry. Irresponsible? Moore was twice removed from office for failing to obey the law. Anti-Semitic? When your wife defends against the charge by saying, "One of our attorneys is a Jew," it's not a good sign. Racist? Anti-woman? Here's where the Moore show veered into wild satire territory, or would have if we hadn't actually seen it unfold. Moore said he agreed with Trump about making America great again. When, exactly, a voter asked, was America at its greatest? "I think it was great at a time when families were united, even though we had slavery, they cared for one another," said the dolt Steve Bannon chose as the kind of Republican who would stick it to Mitch McConnell and the establishment. Remember how we all spat out our coffee when Joe Biden accused Republicans of wanting to put black folks "back in chains"? As for women, Moore was the Democrats' jackpot a supposedly religious conservative flamboyantly fulminating against immorality who was himself a child molester. You could not write this as fiction, because it's too incredible. In the aftermath of Doug Jones' victory, many Republicans are saying they "dodged a bullet" because if Moore had been elected to the Senate, Democrats would have used him to discredit the entire Republican Party. Their relief is understandable but premature. Though the morning-after commentary has tended to focus on Steve Bannon's noxious role, the Moore candidacy was not his responsibility alone. A number of key Republicans Richard Shelby, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, Mike Lee, Cory Gardner and others treated Moore as radioactive, but an amazing percentage were willing to say that a sleazy bigot was fine as long as he would vote for the president's agenda. Prominent "family values" conservatives such as James Dobson, Tim Wildmon and the infinitely flexible Jerry Falwell Jr. stood by their endorsements of Moore. Sean Hannity issued what seemed to be an ultimatum to Moore to give an account of himself regarding the teens he dated/molested, but then, Obamalike, backed away from his own red line. He said the people of Alabama would judge (as they certainly did, but not in the way Hannity was presumably hoping). Other Fox News hosts returned to the Clinton well again and again, implying that if Bill Clinton hadn't been held responsible for Juanita Broaddrick, well then... And of course, Moore's most crucial booster was Donald Trump, someone with more than a passing interest in the "he denies it all" defense. The Republican Party has not dodged him, and cannot. You can scan the exit polls of the post-2016 elections so far and draw a scary 2018 picture for Republicans. African-Americans, who weren't motivated to turn out in off-year elections even when President Barack Obama implored them to, showed up in force in Alabama. Suburban educated voters the key to Republican general election victories have turned against the party in formerly swing state Virginia, and even in reddest Alabama. The Republican Party has voluntarily donned a fright mask that the hapless Democrats and the evil mainstream media could never have pinned on them. It is probably too late to avert the reckoning that is coming, but even if only as a gesture of civic hygiene, individual Republicans might wish to make clear that the Molotov cocktail politics that Trump brought to the Oval Office is not what they represent. Here's news that would be unbelievable if it didn't involve Congress: As states like Oregon are running out of money to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program, Congress still has failed to renew the program. The program, which likely is better known by its CHIP acronym, provides health benefits to almost 9 million children whose families earn too much to be eligible for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance. It has enjoyed bipartisan support since it was enacted in 1997. But funding for the program expired at the end of September. According to a recent story from the Reuters news agency, congressional Republicans tied CHIP renewal to other legislative battles, such as attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the continuing effort to pass a tax-reform bill. Lawmakers had said they hoped to pass a five-year CHIP funding extension before they adjourned for the year. But congressional aides now say they might not get to it until early 2018. In the meantime, states are beginning to run out of money to fund the program. Some states are sending notices to thousands of families that the 20-year-old program soon will need to shut down for lack of cash. In other states, families are being told to renew prescriptions as soon as possible and try to squeeze in doctor's appointments by the end of the year. Oregon is among five states and the District of Columbia that likely will be among the first to run out of funding for CHIP. In Oregon, the program provides coverage for about 120,000 children and 1,700 pregnant women. Gov. Kate Brown said last month that the state will pick up the tab for the program even if the federal money runs out. State officials believe that some 40,000 of the covered children will have to move to Medicaid, known here as the Oregon Health Plan. But the state would have to pay to keep coverage for the remaining 79,000 children. To her credit, Brown said she wanted to make that announcement as soon as possible to try to alleviate some measure of uncertainty for families covered by the program. Now, it's true that the financial risk to Oregon is relatively low. Observers expect that Congress eventually will pass an extension to the insurance program, and that federal payments when they resume will be made retroactive to Oct. 1. That means states like Oregon which have had to put in their own money to keep the program running would be made whole. But there is some risk to Oregon: These same observers also thought that extending the program is such an obviously good thing that Congress would have taken care of it by now. Maybe, with the tax-cut bill expected to pass Congress this week, senators and representatives will be able to handle this nagging CHIP business before they blow out of town on their Christmas recess. A couple of frustrating ironies stand out in all this: First, this insurance program is an excellent example of how a little bit of government money spent upfront saves considerably more money down the road. Before CHIP established a safety net for children and families, families without coverage sometimes would wait to get medical care for their children until symptoms became so serious that a trip to the emergency room was the only option. And those emergency room visits are the most expensive stop in the health care system. The second irony is particularly frustrating: Because Congress has been so focused on a tax bill that may offer some tax relief to the working poor of the United States (but more tax relief, naturally, to the wealthy and to corporations), it was unable to find the time to renew a program that offers concrete benefits to those same people. The worst part about this second irony is that it's not a surprise. (mm) When Sen. Al Franken announced his resignation he said, in part, "I of all people am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving, while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office. And now, six Democrat senators have called for the president to resign while Republican silence is deafening. After all, Republicans in both chambers of Congress had avoided any criticism of Mr. Trumps misconduct, both alleged and demonstrated, while supporting an alleged child molester for the U.S. Senate. Of course, Mr. Trump will not resign. Taking responsibility for his actions is not within his character. He has accused all the women who have reported his sexual misconduct of lying and claims that the notorious "Access Hollywood" tape is fake, that it is not his voice we hear. In the meantime, a majority of Americans believe the sexual misconduct allegations against Mr. Trump should be investigated. That would mean another special counsel. Since they have made a deal with him to enact a conservative agenda that will reshape this country for decades, congressional Republicans would rather another special counsel be appointed to investigate Robert Muellers team as it is closing in on Mr. Trump. Congressional Republicans could not care less about the sexual shenanigans of Mr. Trump, just so long as they can enact their policies favoring the wealthy. Enough is enough. Bob Harris Albany (Dec. 12) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate For Kris Parker, the decision to shut down his Santa Barbara brewery on Saturday didnt come easy. But when he looked outside and saw the sky dark with smoke and the flames blowing toward the city, he knew he had no choice. By Sunday morning, the smoke had cleared, and with only a voluntary evacuation in place for Third Window Brewing, Parker reopened the brewerys doors. Firefighters went face-to-face with the huge Southern California blaze, pushed by strong wind gusts, attacking it with hoses as weather conditions tempered. The Thomas Fire, which began burning through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties on Dec. 4, has grown to 270,000 acres the third-largest fire in the states modern history with containment up to 45 percent. The containment numbers were expected to increase as crews continued to confront the fire head on, with full containment anticipated by Jan. 7, said Capt. Rick Crawford of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It doesnt look as harrowing, Parker said, the CEO of the brewery. Everyone is struggling. At the moment, we are trying to figure out ... how to keep our employees paid and make our rent. The brewerys revenue was down 40 percent compared with last December, Parker said. Joining him Sunday was one other staff member who helped open the brewery. Now Playing: Thousands more Californians are on the move with forcible evacuations in Santa Barbara as the Thomas fire lashes towards the ocean, whipped by high winds that are forecast to continue for the next 48 hours. Prosperous Montecito on the city's outskirts has been badly damaged and in total hundreds of thousands of people have been forced from their homes in southern California in what is now officially the state's third-biggest wildfire. Thomas is being described as a "beast", and some 8,500 personnel using nearly 1,000 engines and 32 helicopters are battling it. Firefighters say the blaze was 40 percent contained on Saturday evening, but the veering winds had sounded the alarm for Santa Barbara just hours before. Video: Euronews Ten homes were lost in Montecito overnight, Crawford said, adding that damage could have been much worse. Parker evacuated his own Montecito home a week ago and doesnt know if his home is still standing. There are still about 18,000 structures threatened by the wildfire. Wind gusts dropped to about 20 mph on Sunday, making it slightly easier for the more than 8,500 firefighters. Thirty-four helicopters were assigned to the blaze Sunday, as well as 972 fire engines, said Capt. Stan Ziegler of the Ventura County Fire Department. The weather patterns are going to be a little more favorable for us to take advantage of certain geographical points where we might be able to hold the fire. ... We can dig in and become a little more aggressive, Ziegler said. Mandatory evacuations remained in place for most of Montecito and the town of Summerland, and upper areas of Santa Barbara, affecting 16,000-17,000 people. Fred Huther, 58, of Santa Barbara said a city official knocked on his door on Saturday night and told him and his 17-year-old son, Jon, that it was time to leave. I could see the flames peeking over the hill just above where our house was. It was pretty crazy, Huther said. Huther had packed his car with jewelry, artwork, clothing and other essential items just in case. Its just kind of frustrating. Weve only lived in Santa Barbara for three years we are not accustomed to the fire thing, Huther said, who moved from the Washington, D.C., area. We are probably a little more cautious than other people, but when that happened (Saturday), everyone was like, OK, this is real. Unlike Huther, Ian Anzlowar, 26, remembers when he was evacuated during the 2008 Tea Fire, which destroyed about 200 homes in Montecito and Santa Barbara. But this time, he said, the fire was the closest its ever been to us. The Santa Barbara resident said he was escorted out of his home by the National Guard on Saturday because the flames were only three blocks away. You could feel the heat from the fire from my house, Anzlowar said. Anzlowar hasnt been able to return home since evacuating, but said hes heard that his house hasnt burned down yet. Nonetheless, Anzlowar, a manager at Renauds Patisserie and Bistro, arrived to work on Sunday to cover for the many employees who evacuated due to the poor air quality. There is almost nobody in town. Its strange, Anzlowar said. This is the first day Ive seen blue skies in town in about two weeks, but you can definitely see a haze over everything. On Saturday, the Santa Barbara Zoo crated most of its birds and other small animals, bringing them indoors to protect them from the ash and smoke. Larger animals were taken to their indoor living quarters while the condors and griffon vultures were transferred to the Los Angeles Zoo, said Rich Block, the CEO. To date, the cost of battling the fire is nearly $117 million. At least 1,026 structures have been destroyed and 242 damaged in the Thomas Fire. The body of firefighter Cory Iverson, 32, was returned from Ventura to his hometown of San Diego on Sunday in an hours-long highway procession of fire engines, motorcycle cops and other emergency vehicles. Iverson was killed Thursday. He had worked for Cal Fire since 2009 and was assigned to a fire engine strike team from San Diego. He was the second person to die in the blaze. Virginia Pesola, a 70-year-old from Santa Paula, died in her car along an evacuation route. The medical examiner said the cause of death was blunt force injuries, along with smoke inhalation and heat injuries. I went down to L.A. on Thursday ... and it was beautiful with perfect blue skies, Huther said. I came back (to Santa Barbara) at the end of the day, and it was almost dark there was so much smoke, and the sun was glowing red. Its odd to have to go to L.A. for clean air. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani The Illustrated Dust Jacket: 1920-1970 By Martin Salisbury Thames & Hudson. 200 pp. $39.95 --- We are cautioned to avoid judging a book by its cover, yet that is precisely what publishers hope we will do. Dust jacket illustration, which came into its own in the 1920s, has long deserved recognition as a serious art form. If any doubt remains, Martin Salisbury's splendid survey, "The Illustrated Dust Jacket, 1920-1970," should dispel it. In these pages, he describes how utilitarian commercial designs became an "important branch of the applied arts" and gave rise to manuals, guilds and exhibitions by those who saw not only artistic possibilities but also a new avenue of work for illustrators who relied on freelance commissions. Book jackets are, admittedly, a peculiar art. The most memorable ones usually approach a book indirectly. In fact, Salisbury says that "visual metaphor is often more effective than explicit representation in the distillation of the text into image." At its best, a classic jacket, joining hand-rendered lettering with traditional portraiture and landscape painting, became an appealing glimpse into a book, welcoming readers inside. The first dust jackets, known as "wrappers," were not usually prized or conserved by their owners. The earliest ones existed quite literally to keep dust off cloth bindings. In fact, they were often discarded by shopkeepers as a courtesy upon purchase. But by the 1920s, as jackets became more colorful, they also became more meaningful to the reader's experience. Not all were pleased. Max Beerbohm wrote cantankerously of them "violently vying with one another for one's attention, fiercely striving to outdo the rest in crudity of design and colour." It is this supposed "crudity" that makes jackets, like that for Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" (a book curiously missing from this volume), so desirable to collectors today. Some dust jacket illustrators overshadowed authors themselves. Rockwell Kent was so much more famous than Herman Melville in 1930 that his name alone appears on the Art Deco jacket for Random House's "Moby Dick." That edition features Kent's majestic pen-and-ink drawings, which some credit in part for renewed interest in a novel that originally languished after suffering poor reviews and public indifference. Readers of different ages will be moved to fondly recall jackets that first caught their fancies in youth, such as Edward Gorey's jaunty illustration for Kingsley Amis' "rollicking misadventure" "Lucky Jim," Arthur Hawkins, Jr.'s hand-lettered design for James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice" or Milton Glaser's psychedelic hues for Tom Wolfe's "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test." Among the more charming are those that contain whole landscapes when folded out, such as the green vales of Stanley Badmin's jacket for "Local Style in English Architecture," panoramas that sadly could never have been fully enjoyed while wrapped around T.D. Atkinson's book. Some original art exerts a nostalgic allure so powerful that publishers retain it for later paperbacks, as one finds with the New Directions edition of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire," with modern-primitivist art by Alvin Lustig. Leading art movements wound up on display in bookstore windows. A lively Bloomsbury sensibility can be appreciated in Vanessa Bell's designs for her sister Virginia Woolf's books, published by the Woolfs' Hogarth Press. In the 1920s and '30s, dynamic Art Deco styles, such as Aubrey Hammond's, thrived alongside rosy-cheeked knights and pioneers of Brandywine School artist N.C. Wyeth. Editor Maxwell Perkins enlisted Cleonike Damianakes to appeal to female readers when publishing Hemingway and Fitzgerald. By the '40s, the bizarre surrealism of Ukrainian-born Boris Artzybasheff proved ideal for works of fantasy by L. Sprague de Camp. Meanwhile, illustrations for the flourishing genre of crime writing were, contra Beerbohm, "suitably garish and melodramatic." A brief idyll following the Second World War had designers yearning for earlier Romantic styles and "spiritual connection" before the onset of increasingly abstract late-modernist designs like those of Czech artist and writer Adolf Hoffmeister for new editions of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. This marked a change, Salisbury writes, "from poetic contemplation to one of assertive aspiration as technology and consumerism started to take hold." It also led to the use of a machine called a Grant Enlarger, which allowed designers to quickly trace photographs for what were frequently unimaginative covers, a technology, rued by many, that presaged the use of digital design software decades later. Salisbury's book shows that the greatest jackets tint our experiences of the books they grace. He guides us with easy authority through a delightful graphic history of all-too-often underappreciated literary pleasures and reminds readers just how much wonderful art they may have hidden away on their shelves. For those who never paused to think much about jackets, this book will be a revelation. For those who do, it will be nothing less than a thrill. --- Hilbert is a poet and rare book dealer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After prominent San Antonio attorney Thomas J. Henry threw two back-to-back, multi-million dollar parties for his teen children's birthdays, comparisons to reality TV families started swirling. It seems the family had the same thought. Hangin' with Los Henrys debuted on YouTube Wednesday. The Henrys, including the lawyer, wife Azteca, daughter Maya, son Thomas and mother-in-law Teresa, are described as a "wealthy Mexican-American family from San Antonio." There are currently two episodes, each just over 7 minutes long, which follow the lives of a family with an "endless budget" and access to high-end everything. RELATED: Lavish details emerge as Thomas J. Henry's $4 million celebrity-filled party goes viral Now Playing: Hangin With Los Henrys Video: Courtesy Hangin With Los Henrys "They travel, they spend, and they really know how to party," a description on the YouTube page reads. "But at the end of the day, they are just your regular multi-millionaire family living in South Texas." The bashes for Maya and "Little Thomas," chronicled in the episodes, were anything but normal. The prominent injury attorney has earned a reputation of being an extravagant entertainer he hosted a lavish quinceanera for Maya last February then followed up a year later by backing this year's Maxim Super Bowl party. Those bashes brought in names like Nick Jonas, DJ Khaled, Travis Scott and Pitbull. Earlier this month, he hosted a $4-million party for "Little Thomas" at a Stone Oak club, bringing in Migos, Diplo and J. Balvin as entertainers, accompanied by a star-studded guest list. The Hangin' With Los Henrys channel has amassed about 500 subscribers in the three days with the two existing episodes having a combined more than 80,000 views as of 3:30 p.m. Friday. A website for the show promises a third episode is "coming soon." Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for MySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye San Antonio attorney Thomas J. Henry threw quite possibly one of the most lavish quinceaneras San Antonio has ever seen for his daughter Maya on Feb. 12 even Pitbull and Nick Jonas showed up. David Monn, the best of the best when it comes to party planning, was commissioned by the Henry family to organize their daughter's bash. The New York-based planner spoke with mySA.com while his crew of 150 hurried about on Friday, getting last minute details in place. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A former United ISD teacher was charged Friday with production of child pornography. Ruben Guillermo Ulloa, 37, was taken into custody and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Guillermo Garcia. He was ordered into custody pending a probable cause and detention hearing set for Dec. 20. Earlier this month, Laredo police arrested and charged Ulloa with sexual assault of a child. On Nov. 1, a 16-year-old girl told her mother about a sexual assault allegedly involving Ulloa, LPD said. "The victim stated that Ulloa took (her) to a local park the day the incident occurred," LPD had said in a statement. READ MORE: 'She's the face of Laredo': Locals react to the arrest of 'La Gordiloca' No further details were available in the case. Ulloa taught for one year at United Independent School District's Salvador Garcia Middle School. He resigned from the job in June. UISD said his departure did not relate to any alleged inappropriate or unlawful behavior. The child pornography case arose when a 15-year-old who was receiving piano lessons from the Ulloa made a report to authorities, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "Ulloa had allegedly been having a sexual relationship with the teenager, whom he had previously taught at a Laredo area school," according to the office. The criminal complaint, which was not available as of late Friday, states that authorities executed a search warrant on Ulloa's home and recovered several computers and electronic devices, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. A forensic search of these devices uncovered pornographic images of the child, which Ulloa had allegedly taken, according to authorities. RELATED: South Texas millionaire family starring in their own reality show Ulloa is charged with production of child pornography and faces a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas A&M International University Police and the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Despite assurances from state officials that air emissions from a recent oil well blowout in Fort Bend County pose no danger, residents say fumes from the spill are making them sick. "Something is going on out here. I can't breathe. I'm coughing all the time and I feel like I'm smothering," Coca Dawson said. A resident of nearby Quail Glenn subdivision, Dawson babysits her 2-year-old grandson during the week and voiced concerns he was also getting sick. "My grandbaby has been having problems breathing and today he just started throwing up," she said. "I'm extremely worried about this situation. When is this going to end? Everyone in my neighborhood is desperate to know what is going on. It's making everyone sick." Residents near the site complain of a foul smell that causes headaches, nausea and burning eyes, reportedly caused by Hydrogen Sulfide emissions from the blowout. Students and teachers at Blue Ridge Elementary School, located less than four miles from the site, have also reportedly voiced concerns about the air emission. On Friday, a former investigator from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) sounded the alarm at a news conference organized by State Rep. Ron Reynolds. "I don't think people were told the whole truth and so I'm concerned there are some misrepresentations being made to the public," said Neil Carman, who worked as a TCEQ investigator for 12 years. "I'm very concerned that if children are having headaches than this is more than just an odor problem. This is a toxic air pollution assault on children and possibly even adults." The incident was first reported on Dec. 6 when first responders from Harris County and Fort Bend County HAZMAT teams were dispatched to an oil well blowout near the Fort Bend County Tollway and FM 2234. The blowout caused a chemical spill involving roughly 240,000 gallons of crude and 30,000 gallons of sludge. After the well was capped the next day, the company that operates the site, IWR Operating, LLC, called in HazMat Special Services, an environmental cleanup company from La Porte, to assist with remediation. TCEQ officials visited the site and measured hydrogen sulfide emissions from the blowout. Residents were told the air posed no health risk, but warned people should stay inside and away from the smell until the remediation is complete. But Carmen disagrees and said even low-level exposure of hydrogen sulfide is potentially toxic and can cause significant harm to children. "I think that the agencies need to air on the side of caution because H2S is extremely toxic. The EPA has worked to designate hydrogen sulfide as a hazardous air pollutant like lead and mercury. But industries didn't like that, so it's not officially recognized," Carmen said "But, in this situation I'm especially concerned about children in the area that may have breathed hydrogen sulfide gas. Besides headaches and nausea, it can affect their memory. It has effects that are actually similar to hydrogen cyanide. So it's not just an odor issue, it's an issue of toxic exposure to a developing brain." State Rep. Ron Reynolds said his office had been flooded with calls from concerned residents and called news conference in response on Friday. "There are a lot of unanswered questions and we are very concerned about the situation," Reynolds told reporters. "We intend to hold state officials accountable until this issue is resolved." Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Joel Clouser Sr., who lives in a neighborhood near the spill, also spoke at the news conference and questioned why remediation efforts were taking so long. "It's been over a week and I'm very concerned. When is the smell going to stop?" he said. "I'm concerned there could be long-term effects from exposure to these toxic chemicals in the air." Carl David Evans, president of Fort Bend Houston Super Neighborhood Council 41, said he had received numerous calls from worried Missouri City residents and people who live in the nearby Shadow Creek Ranch subdivision in Pearland every day since the spill. "I'm wondering: are we safe right now? Is the air safe for residents? People are very worried that live near the site," he said. TCEQ officials say they will continue to monitor air quality near the site until remediation efforts are complete. Thanks to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, El Campo native Ismael Mendez is able to continue his education. Mendez has completed three semesters at Wharton County Junior College, with a fourth semester seemingly in doubt. Earlier this fall, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's Educational Programs division awarded Mendez a $5,000 scholarship funds that will keep the 19-year-old in class and one step closer to his dream of becoming an engineer. Since 2015, the HLS&R has providing scholarships for WCJC students entering technical fields like engineering design, process technology and welding. "It was incredible to get this scholarship because I have been going through some pretty serious financial issues," Mendez said. "I didn't even know if I was going to be able to pay for college after this semester." Living with his parents and three siblings, Mendez splits his time between classes at WCJC and his job at Crop Production Services in El Campo. Over the summer months, he worked full-time, roughly 56 hours a week, harvesting and testing different varieties of rice. Once the fall semester started, Mendez still managed to put in 30 hours of work per week while tackling a demanding 15 credit hour load in the Engineering Design Program. "My backpack usually consists of books, paper, pencils and a drafting kit as well as a change of school clothes," he said. "Sometimes I feel like Superman running and changing from one uniform to another, glasses and all." A portion of the money he makes goes towards helping his parents with the expenses of running a household. His mother works for the Louise Independent School District while his dad is employed in pipe irrigation. Like other south Texas residents, Mendez's family was personally affected by Hurricane Harvey and has since struggled to return to normalcy. Unanticipated repairs and costs meant there might not be enough funds left over for Mendez's college. Thanks to the HLS&R Scholarship, Mendez's immediate educational future is now set. "I've been pretty blessed," he said. A 2016 Louise High School graduate, Mendez has taken his education seriously for most of his life. He finished in the Top 10 of his class and was a member of the National Honor Society, the Tejano Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Student Council, and served as an officer for the Future Farmers of America. Coming to WCJC was a logical choice. "Everyone at WCJC made me feel welcomed," he said. "They made my transition from high school to college a lot smoother, which was a big relief for a nervous freshman coming from a small school." Mendez said his time at WCJC has been extremely rewarding, with friendly classmates and teachers who go the extra mile. WCJC Help Desk Technician Lori Saucedo's family has known Mendez for years. "I wanted to help him because he is driven for success," Saucedo said. "He is a very hardworking and dedicated student, taking a full-time class load while putting in a 30 to 40 hour work week. It has been a pleasure to see Ismael grow up and I am excited to see what the future holds." Mendez's long-term goals include completing the Engineering Design Program and either finding a good job or going on to Sam Houston State University or the University of Houston to complete a bachelor's degree in engineering. Those goals would not be possible were it not for the support he has so far received. "I want to thank the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and Wharton County Junior College for helping me fulfill my dreams and for giving me the honor of continuing my education," he said. "And I want to thank my mom and dad for always wanting more for me and encouraging me to be successful." The billionaire couple were found strangled, their bodies dangling from the railing around their basement lap pool. Honey and Barry Sherman died of "ligature neck compression," a form of strangulation in which a cord or rope is used to exert fatal pressure on a person's neck, Toronto police said. It was a gory and puzzling detail in the deaths of the Shermans, who made billions in the pharmaceutical industry, then gave a significant chunk of their fortune away to charity. Shocked neighbors called the Shermans "lovely people." Now, their deaths are being probed by homicide investigators. Their bodies were found Friday in the lowest level of their $7 million home by a real estate agent preparing the mansion for an open house. Since then, family members and people who had been touched by the couple's philanthropy have been poring over the final weeks of the Shermans' lives - trying to figure out why investigators had described their deaths as "suspicious." "The circumstances of their death appear suspicious, and we are treating it that way," Constable David Hopkinson said at a news conference outside the couple's home in Toronto's affluent North York neighborhood. Police have been tight-lipped about the case and, until Sunday, didn't say anything about what might have aroused their suspicions. Hopkinson said there were no signs of forced entry at the Shermans' home. No one has been arrested in the case, which police have still not deemed a homicide. Sunday's news release called them "two suspicious deaths." On Saturday afternoon, the Toronto Star reported that police were investigating the possibility of a murder-suicide, but relatives dismissed that theory. The family released a statement, saying: "We are shocked and think it's irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true. "We urge the Toronto Police Service to conduct a thorough, intensive and objective criminal investigation, and urge the media to refrain from further reporting as to the cause of these tragic deaths until the investigation is completed." Barry Sherman, 75, was the founder of Canadian pharmaceutical giant Apotex and one of the richest people in the world. Forbes estimated his net worth at $3.2 billion, earning him the 12th spot on the list of the wealthiest Canadians. He'd appeared on the Forbes list of the world's billionaires for 15 years. The Shermans were known for their largesse, doling out tens of millions of dollars to universities, hospitals and the United Jewish Appeal, according to the Globe and Mail. Honey Sherman was a board member at several institutions: York University, the Baycrest Foundation and Mount Sinai Hospital. She had been chair of the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto and the Holocaust Education Centre. They are survived by their four children, including one who just gave them a grandchild. Their deaths brought condolences from the highest rungs of Canadian society and government, including from the organizations they had spent years supporting. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among those expressing grief. Justin Trudeau tweeted "Sophie and I are saddened by news of the sudden passing of Barry and Honey Sherman. Our condolences to their family & friends, and to everyone touched by their vision & spirit." Senator Linda Frum tweeted "Two weeks ago it gave me immense joy to present a Senate medal to one of the kindest and most beloved members of Canada's Jewish community. Today I am gutted by the loss of Honey and Barry Sherman. Our community is steeped in grief. I am heartbroken." But Barry Sherman's rise had not been without conflict. Apotex, according to Sherman's biography in the Globe and Mail, "revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry in Canada." Sherman started the company in 1974 after using his mother's life savings to buy out a similar business started by his uncle; it manufactures and exports generic drugs to more than 115 countries. But his gains came at the expense of larger pharmaceutical companies. The Globe and Mail obituary described him as a "ruthless fighter capable of waging as many as 100 lawsuits at a time against business rivals." "He was the bane of the existence of the branded drug companies in Canada. He was not their favorite person, but he was respected," Paul Grootendorst, associate professor at the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Some of the conflicts over the years were familial. For more than a decade, Barry Sherman had been involved in an acrimonious legal battle with three cousins and the widow of a fourth - sons of the uncle who instructed him in the generic-drug business that preceded Apotex. That uncle, Louis Winter, died in 1965, 17 days before his wife died. At the legal fight's lowest point, Winter's sons accused their now-billionaire cousin of plotting to kill Winter, according to the Globe and Mail. They said that he used handouts to silence them, and that they deserved a stake in Apotex. "Barry's father died when he was young, and my dad took him under his wing and taught him the family business," Kerry Winter, one of the cousins, said in filing the lawsuit. "It's disappointing that we're fighting this way now." The original suit was dismissed in 2015 but reinstated a year later, according to Forbes. A judge ruled in favor of Sherman in September, but the cousins have appealed. It was unclear what Sherman's death would mean for the suit - or for his company. Sherman stepped down as chief executive in 2014, but he remained chairman, according to Forbes. Before they died, the couple had been planning to head south to their winter home in Palm Beach. Honey was scheduled to arrive on Monday; her husband would follow a week later, according to the Globe and Mail, which talked to some of their Toronto friends slated to attend a dinner party. "Looking forward to getting together in Florida," Honey wrote in an email to friends. "Please let me know your dates south ASAP so i can place in my calendar . . . Looking forward to hearing back ASAP. Xoxo Honey." Canadians consumed as much as C$6.2 billion ($4.8 billion) of marijuana in 2015, almost as much as they spent on wine, the federal statistics agency said Monday as it gears up to officially track weed when it becomes legal next year. The agency calculated the value by estimating 4.9 million people consumed 698 metric tons of cannabis that year, at an assumed price range of C$7.14 to C$8.84 a gram. It used government health and social surveys and outside research to create its model. Eagle Forum Salutes Moving U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 7, 2017 Contact: Colleen Holcomb, Vice-President of Government Relations, 757-277-4848 The 2016 National Republican Party Platform points out that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where freedom of speech and freedom of religion are found. Therefore, support for Israel is an expression of Americanism, and it is the responsibility of our government to advance policies that reflect Americans strong desire for a relationship with no daylight between America and Israel. We recognize Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the Jewish state and call for the American embassy to be moved there in fulfillment of U.S. law. President Trump on December 6th announced his plans to move the U. S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to its capital, Jerusalem. President Trump expressed his hope that this move, which responds to instructions from the U.S. Congress in 1995, will be the catalyst for enduring peace in the region. As he indicated, nothing else has worked over all these years. The President also referenced the innate, universal yearning in all hearts everywhere for peace. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in his final stanza of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day: Then pealed the bells more loud and deep God is not dead, nor does He sleep The wrong shall fail, the right prevail With peace on earth, goodwill to men. Eagle Forum applauds the Presidents desire for the right to prevail and peace to be experienced. It is our continuing prayer that God will direct our President and all those in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. I Tim 2:2 Track Palin, the oldest son of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, was arrested Saturday night after an alleged domestic violence incident involving his parents in Wasilla, Alaska, according to court records. It was the second time in two years he has been arrested on charges related to domestic violence. Court records show Track Palin, 28, was arraigned Sunday on charges of burglary, fourth-degree assault and criminal mischief for causing between $250 and $999 worth of property damage. There was no attorney listed for him. He remained in jail in nearby Palmer, Alaska, as of Monday afternoon. A police affidavit obtained by KTVA News stated the incident took place at Sarah Palin's Wasilla home around 8:30 p.m. local time Saturday and indicated Track Palin's father, Todd Palin, was a victim. Sarah Palin called police, saying her son was "freaking out and was on some type of medication," the affidavit stated. As officers were en route, Track Palin reportedly broke a window to get inside the house and began assaulting his father, the affidavit stated. When police arrived, they found Track Palin moving in and out of the home, calling officers "peasants," and at one point climbing to the roof through an upstairs window and lying down. After some time, police were able to detain Track Palin "without incident." Track Palin later told police there had been a disagreement over a vehicle, and that when he arrived at his parents' house, he found his father pointing a gun at him through a window. "Track stated he told Todd to shoot him several times," the affidavit stated. "Track said Todd tapped the barrel of the gun on the window so he punched the window breaking the window. Track stated he then went through the broken window and disarmed Todd and put him on the ground." While on the ground, Track Palin hit his father repeatedly in the head, the affidavit said. Todd Palin later told police his son said on the phone he was coming over "to beat his a-" and retrieved his pistol for protection. "When Track arrived Todd decided that he was not going to shoot his son when Track came through the window," the affidavit stated. "Todd sustained injuries to his face and head in direct result of being hit by Track's fists. Todd had blood from several cuts on his head and had liquid coming from his ear." In a statement to KTVA News Sunday, an attorney for the Palin family asked for privacy: "Given the nature of actions addressed last night by law enforcement and the charges involved, the Palins are unable to comment further. They ask that the family's privacy is respected during this challenging situation just as others dealing with a struggling family member would also request." Track Palin was previously arrested on domestic violence charges in January 2016, after a fight with his girlfriend escalated until he allegedly threatened to shoot himself with an AR-15 rifle, police said. As The Washington Post's Justin Wm. Moyer reported then, Wasilla police responded to a disturbance on Jan. 18, 2016, at Sarah Palin's home, where Track Palin lived with his parents, to find him agitated and hostile, and his girlfriend of one year hiding and crying underneath a bed: According to a police affidavit posted by KTVA Alaska, a woman, later identified as Track's girlfriend, Jordan Loewe, called 911 to say that Track had punched her in the face and that he had a firearm. Track also called 911, saying Loewe was drunk. When an officer arrived, he found Track outside, talking on the phone. "I observed that the male had a visible injury to his right eye and the area around his eye," Officer Andrew Kappler wrote. "His eyes were bloodshot and I detected a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and person. Upon contacting Palin, he was uncooperative, belligerent, and evasive with my initial line of questions." In the first incident, Track Palin was charged with assault, interfering with a domestic violence report and misconduct involving weapons, court records show. His 2016 arrest came just one day before his mother was due to endorse then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. At a campaign rally in Tulsa soon afterward, Sarah Palin tied her son's arrest to then-President Barack Obama, whom she accused of not respecting veterans. "I guess it's kind of the elephant in the room, because my own family going through what we're going through today with my son, a combat vet . . . like so many others, they come back a bit different, they come back hardened," Palin told the rally crowd in Tulsa. "It starts from the top. The question, though, it comes from our own president where they have to look at him and wonder, 'Do you know what we go through? Do you know what we're trying to do to secure America and to secure the freedoms that have been bequeathed us?' " New York The Manhattan district attorney announced Friday that three ancient sculptures are being returned to their rightful owners in Lebanon as he forms a new antiquities trafficking unit that will track stolen artifacts from around the world. At a news conference in his office, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. stood by the treasures once owned by private collectors and valued at more than $5 million. They were excavated from a temple and stolen during the Lebanese civil war that started in 1975 and lasted 15 years. Some were confiscated in New York in the past few months. A marble torso from about the 4th century B.C., sold by an antiquities dealer, was seized in November. Another marble torso from the 6th century B.C. was recovered in October. And a bull's head from about 360 B.C. was recovered from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it was on loan from a collector. They're the latest looted artifacts to be returned from New York, considered the U.S. hub of antiquity sales that are fueled by the city's concentration of wealth. Matthew Bogdanos, who leads the DA's new antiquities trafficking unit, said ancient works found in war-torn lands easily end up in the hands of dealers who are "less than scrupulous" in determining their origin. Lebanese Consul-General Majdi Ramadan said the Manhattan prosecutor's efforts "will mark the end of a long trail of theft and illicit trading." Vance said that since 2012, his office has recovered several thousand trafficked antiquities collectively valued at more than $150 million. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Washington President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is not considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller even as his administration was again forced to grapple with the growing Russia probe that has shadowed the White House for much of his initial year in office. Trump returned to the White House from Camp David and was asked if he would consider triggering the process to dismiss Mueller, who is investigating whether the president's Republican campaign coordinated with Russian officials during last year's election. The president answered: "No, I'm not." But he did add to the growing conservative criticism of Mueller's move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration, yielding attacks from transition lawyers and renewing chatter that Trump may act to end the investigation. "It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that. My people were very upset about it," Trump said. "I can't imagine there's anything on them, frankly. Because, as we said, there's no collusion. There's no collusion whatsoever." On Saturday, the general counsel for the transition group sent a letter to two congressional committees arguing Mueller's investigators had improperly obtained thousands of transition records. The investigators did not directly request the records from Trump's still-existing transition group, Trump for America, and instead obtained them from the General Services Administration, a separate federal agency that stored the material, according to the group's general counsel. A spokesman for Mueller said the records were obtained appropriately. "When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process," Peter Carr said. But many Trump allies used the email issue as another cudgel with which to bash the probe's credibility. Members of the conservative media and some congressional Republicans have begun to systematically question Mueller's motives and credibility while the president himself called it a "disgrace" that some texts and emails from two FBI agents contained anti-Trump rhetoric. One of those agents was on Mueller's team and has been removed. Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign aide, called the investigation an "attack on the presidency" and told CNN there are "more and more indications that the Mueller investigation is off the rails." The talk of firing Mueller has set off alarm bells among many Democrats, who warn it could trigger a constitutional crisis. Some Republicans also advised against the move, including Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who deemed the idea "a mistake." The rumor mill overshadowed the Republican tax plan, which is set to be voted on this week. CARSON CITY Nevada high schools posted their highest graduation rate ever at 80.85 percent for the class of 2017 an increase of 7 percentage points, the Nevada Department of Education announced in a release Dec. 15. This is great news for our high school graduates and Nevadas new economy that is counting on our education system producing more skilled workers, said Steve Canavero, Ph.D., Superintendent of Public Instruction. We are actually ahead of our goals for graduation rates, another strong indicator that Nevada is becoming the fastest improving state in the nation. The Elko County School District had a graduation rate of 85.08 percent for 2016-2017, according to nevadareportcard.com, up 5.08 percent. Nevadas two largest school districts both outpaced the rest of the state with healthy gains: The Clark County School District (CCSD) graduated 83.22 percent an increase of 8.34 points. "Over the past five years, our schools and all of the people in them have been focused on the success of every student in every classroom, said Pat Skorkowsky, CCSD Superintendent. We are seeing yet again that hard efforts pay off with more students graduating this year prepared to succeed and contribute in a diverse global society. Congratulations to every employee who made this success happen." The Washoe County School District (WCSD) graduated 84.02 percent an increase of 7.38 points. All of us at WCSD are working to ensure the academic success of our students on the path to graduation, beginning on the first day of pre-kindergarten and continuing through the last day of their senior year in high school, said Traci Davis, WCSD Superintendent. As educators, we know that every year spent in school is important. Our teachers, aides, principals, administrators, and staff members come to work every day and encourage our students to work toward their goals, stay on that graduation path, and achieve their dreams. WCSD posted outstanding results that show the resources we have worked so hard to establish are working effectively, and are providing our students with the support they need to succeed. Five other districts in the state showed double-digit gains from 2016: The Pershing County School District graduated 100 percent an increase of 16.67 points The Churchill County School District graduated 73.26 percent an increase of 13.56 points The Mineral County School District graduated 84.38 percent an increase of 10.19 points The Humboldt County School District graduated 89.50 percent an increase of 13.22 points The Lander County School District graduated 92.31 percent an increase of 12.05 points This is the seventh year Nevada has calculated the graduation rate using the adjusted cohort rate, which is required by the U.S. Department of Education. The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate defines the cohort based on when a student enters the ninth grade; it is calculated using the number of students who graduate within four years and includes adjustments for transfer out students. While all states are calculating the graduation rate using the same formula, each state still sets its own requirements for students to earn a diploma. KAHULUI, Maui - Tens of thousands of abandoned acres of farmland lie fallow on this island, cemeteries of Hawaii's defunct plantation era, which met its end last year when the state's last remaining sugar grower shut down an operation that had run for 146 years. Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.'s sprawling sugar cane fields used to provide visitors to Maui a rolling green blanket as they arrived at the airport, but they are newly stagnant, joining other growers in a long decline. Facing competition from cheap foreign labor, a shortage of farmworkers and some of the nation's highest land costs, the sugar and pineapple plantations that used to be the state's lifeblood are not redeploying into active agriculture, raising questions about the industry's future here. "Pineapple is lost, sugar is lost, and we now have one sole industry, which is a very dangerous position to be in," said Maui County Councilman Alika Atay. "We have put all our eggs into one basket, and that is tourism. But not everybody who lives on this island wants to work in the hotel industry, and it's almost impossible to feed a family here working as a farmer. We are now seeing drastic displacement of young people leaving Maui because of a lack of economic opportunity." The closure of Maui's last sugar producer marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's agricultural production. Since 1980, Hawaii's total land use for agricultural production has shrunk by about 68 percent, according to data from the University of Hawaii. Sugar had, at one point, been Hawaii's top crop. Now the corn seed industry is the state's dominant agricultural land user, followed by commercial forestry and macadamia nuts. But none of those products, not even when combined, come anywhere close to filling the economic void created by the loss of sugar and pineapple. The state's Agriculture Department is working on the issue with a depleted staff - 122 of its 360 positions are vacant, including the entire branch responsible for market analysis and tracking the state's trends in food imports and production. The agency is narrowing its focus to court outside capital for investments in Hawaii food production and is studying the possibility of allowing farmers to inhabit small family homes alongside their crop beds. Tenant farming is now restricted on state agriculture land. "There are tens of thousands of acres of good ag land, at least, currently sitting fallow in Hawaii, where we have some of the most expensive land in the world," said Department of Agriculture Director Scott Enright. "At the same time, we've got a group of farmers who are aging out of the business. The next generation is coming in and finding if you're going to try and start up a farm when you're a 20-something with no track record, the banks aren't going to lend to you. That's a problem for us." The sugar industry, which helped usher Hawaii into statehood, steered the state's politics and economy for more than a century. It helped build company towns inhabited by multiethnic field laborers from Asia and Europe. With statehood came U.S. labor laws, inspiring Hawaii's biggest sugar and pineapple producers to embrace cheaper foreign labor. As monocrop agriculture declined, the state put its economic faith in tourism, which accelerated as jet plane travel became faster and more affordable. Plantation companies either vanished or transitioned into land-development firms. Some swaths of farmland have been sold off and developed into commercial or residential real estate, inspiring fears that Hawaii's agrarian past could one day be lost to a more citified future. "We have and we will continue to lose ag land to urban development," Enright said. HC&S is a division of Alexander & Baldwin, one of Hawaii's largest commercial real estate holders. The passage of the plantation heyday has been slow but impactful. In 1980, Hawaii hosted 14 sugar and four pineapple plantations that farmed more than 300,000 acres. In 2017, these two crops account for less than 5,000 acres. Once the largest pineapple plantation in the world, the island of Lanai's former crop beds are now parched and deserted. Hawaii spends as much as $3 billion a year to import 90 percent of its food, and residents routinely pay some of the highest prices in the nation for staples such as eggs and milk. Even the grain that feeds the cows on the islands' two dairy farms is shipped in. Should a natural disaster affect the ability for cargo ships to arrive, the state's 1.4 million residents and nearly 9 million annual visitors could be vulnerable to crippling food shortages. The shaky state of food security in the world's most isolated group of islands has prompted Hawaii Gov. David Ige, D, to set a deadline of 2030 to double local agriculture production, a goal that some experts decry as unrealistic because Hawaii does not consistently track agricultural data about crop yields. On an island chain that once was completely self-sufficient - before the arrival of Westerners in the late 1700s, indigenous Hawaiians thrived 2,500 miles from the nearest continent using sustainable farming and fishing methods - many believe a resurgence of agriculture is possible. "There's no reason why we should go to a grocery store and see a banana from Ecuador or Mexico. We can grow banana here," Atay said. "Why do we go to the store and see mango from Chile, not mango from Maui, when Maui grows some of the sweetest-tasting mango in the world? Because in the last 200 years we never had the land and the water available - until now." HC&S has so far deployed 4,500 of its 36,000 farmland acres. A new grass-fed cattle operation aims to expand local beef production through a 300-calf management partnership with Maui Cattle Company. More than 95 percent of the beef consumed in Hawaii has been shipped in from the U.S. mainland. On Maui, HC&S hopes to cut that number to as low as 80 percent. In addition to raising cattle, HC&S has dedicated 1,500 acres to grow sweet potato and crops that help produce energy. Hawaii's eight main islands have the highest electricity prices in the nation, but a 250-acre orchard of pongamia trees, which produce biofuels, could help wean the state off its fossil fuel dependence, experts say. Another 800 acres are being considered for an agricultural park for small-scale, local farmers. "We've been talking about diversified agriculture and energy for 10 years, but nobody has found the magic bullet," said Rick Volner, the former HC&S plantation manager who now oversees the company's fledgling diversified agriculture program. "The hope was that we could launch right into it. Instead we're trying to grow different crops to try and see what works." Elsewhere on the island, the shift away from agriculture is providing some immediate relief. Water diversions from hundreds of streams long fed the island's sugar cane at the expense of the wetland taro crop cultivated by indigenous Hawaiians in rural east Maui. A storm of lawsuits over water rights coupled with the sugar industry's gradual scale-back has led to some restoration of the natural water flow. With water returned to the remote Wailua Nui Valley, a new program at a nearby public school is reintroducing local families to the culturally important practice of taro farming. Last year, more than 150 people in Maui's Hana community pounded poi, the starchy Hawaiian staple food, for the first time in their lives. "My grandchildren used to tell me, 'Papa, what happened to the water?' " said sixth-generation taro farmer Edward Wendt. "King Sugar - that's where our water went. Now that it's flowing again, I must show and teach the younger generation as much as I can for as long as I can." Elsewhere on Maui, the Colorado-based land development firm Bio-Logical Capital manages an oceanfront cattle ranch and diversified organic fruit and vegetable farm on 3,600 acres formerly cultivated for sugar. The company's goal is to invent a sustainable agricultural system that enriches the land, provides healthy, fresh food for the local population and lends itself to be duplicated as a model food-production system in communities across the globe. "The land in Maui that was in sugar is some of the best ag land in the world," said Bio-Logical CEO Grant McCargo. "But politically, how do you put that land back to good use?" McCargo noted that the challenge for publicly traded companies is to manage risk with shareholder value. "This really is a public policy question," he said. "After all, we wouldn't still be farming corn in this country if it weren't for subsidies from the government." Ucoms mobile customers will benefit from the best internet roaming rate of 8 AMD/MB when travelling to Georgia, Egypt or the UAE Ameriabank Launches Google Pay and Google Wallet Support for Card Users in Armenia Karen Vardanyan donated 112 million drams for the medical equipment for National Center for Infectious Diseases. UCOM HAS INTRODUCED FUTURE NETWORK WI-FI 6E ROUTERS Google Ad Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union 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 Google Ad 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 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 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON With the Republican-led Congress heading toward final passage of major tax cut legislation decried by Democrats, Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz already has begun campaigning on a school choice provision in the bill that gives tax breaks to families that home-school or send their children to private or religious schools. In recent weeks since the Texas Republican narrowly secured his "Student Opportunity Amendment" in the GOP tax bill with an assist from Vice President Mike Pence, who cast the tie-breaking vote Cruz's 2018 Senate campaign has been heralding the measure to a key Texas constituency: Religious conservatives. Now Playing: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas speaks about Hurricane Harvey, The World Series, unity and religious freedom at Faith Fest on Saturday, November 4, 2017 in Downtown Conroe. In a soaring campaign-style video and a series of email testimonials, Cruz and his backers have described the measure as a turning point in the conservative struggle to allow public funds to open the doors of private schools. In an email to supporters last week the latest of at least four this month the Cruz campaign highlighted a recent opinion piece by Drew White, a senior policy analyst for the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, calling the Cruz measure a "game changer." The amendment would allow $10,000 per child to be taken from tax-privileged 529 savings plans each year. In a significant policy win for Cruz as he heads into an election year, it was included in Friday's joint House-Senate conference bill, now headed for final passage this week. According to Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation, it would cost the Treasury about $500 million over 10 years, representing a major win for conservative advocates of school choice, which Cruz has called "the civil rights issue of our time." Many Democrats and some Republicans have opposed the tax benefit as a sop to affluent families that can afford to send their children to private schools. But the issue has received far less debate than the partisan battle over the GOP's $1.5 trillion tax cut package, which affects almost all U.S. households, though it confers most of its direct benefits on corporations and the well-to-do. While the education measure has attracted little notice outside of conservative media, it has been a top agenda item for Christian conservatives and others in the movement to boost charter and private schools as an alternative to public education. "Such an idea has been a long time in the making and a cornerstone of the conservative education policy vision," White said. Among those backing the change is President Donald Trump's Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, who called the measure a "step forward" in the push to provide tax savings to families who put their children in private or religious schools. Cruz's amendment would expand popular 529 college savings plans to include K-12 elementary and secondary tuition, including educational expenses for home-schooled children. Much like Roth IRAs, the 529 plans use after-tax contributions to accumulate and grow tax free. Currently, more than three-quarters of families using 529 savings plans make less than $150,000, a fact Cruz points to in describing the benefit as a boon for the middle class. "Expanding 529's ensures that each child receives an education that meets their individual needs, instead of being forced into a one-size-fits-all approach to education, or limited to their zip code," Cruz said in a floor speech introducing the measure. Opponents say it would do little for low-income families with little in savings or practical choice about where their children go to school. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, argued against Cruz's provision, saying it amounts to a subsidy for upper-income households at the expense of public schools. "This is nothing less than a backdoor assault on the public K-12 education system," Wyden said during a Senate debate on Cruz's amendment. "The real goal seems to be to take more and more children from the public schools and put them into private schools and shrink the funds that would be available to the public schools that give all of America's children the chance to get ahead." The vote to include Cruz's amendment on the Senate floor earlier this month divided the Senate 50-50, with Republicans Lisa Murkowksi of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joining all Democrats in opposition. In one of the more dramatic moments of the months-long tax debate, the tie forced Pence to rush into the chamber to cast the deciding vote in a late-night session to finalize the Senate version of the GOP tax bill. Cruz's amendment would prove to be the only one outside of the GOP leadership to be added on the Senate floor. The House version of the legislation contained a stronger measure that was left out of the final Senate-House agreement. It would have permitted parents to open 529 accounts for unborn children. Pro-abortion rights advocates such as Planned Parenthood balked on the grounds that it could become a way of restricting abortion through the tax code. 'Pro-family initiative' Even in its milder Senate form, conservatives have rallied around the Cruz amendment, which is now part of a sweeping rewrite of the U.S. tax code, the first in more than 30 years. Cruz backers argue that it provides a measure of fairness to families who take their children out of public school systems they're forced to support through their property taxes. The Cruz campaign recently distributed an opinion piece by influential conservative commentator Erick Erickson, who praised Cruz for angering liberals. "It is actually really funny to see a bunch of liberals who think the GOP is hurting poor people with tax reform spitting mad this morning now that they realize what Senator Ted Cruz has done," Erickson wrote. "Yes, the left is mad that Ted Cruz got a pro-family initiative put into tax reform." But while conservatives have cast it as an issue of family values and universal choice, opponents of the measure say it would deepen class inequality in education. The Not One Penny campaign, which has fought the entire GOP tax bill, cited a recent paper by Harvard University's Richard Murnane and Stanford University's Sean Reardon showing that enrollment in private schools has remained stable for the past half-century while middle class students increasingly rely on public schools. The study also found that between 1972 and 2010, wealthier parents spent increasingly on the education of children under 6. The gap between their spending and those of poorer families has increased four-fold since 1972, and has appeared to widen since 2010. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Antonio native Rebecca Flores was known for her fun family gatherings for barbecues, holiday parties and her unique laugh that left an impression in the lives she crossed. My wife was very family-oriented. She loved having the family over to play card games and enjoy their company, husband Richard Flores said. Family always came first to my wife. Flores died Dec.14 from ovarian cancer. She was 66. Richard and Rebecca Flores married in 1973 in San Antonio. A year later, the couple started a successful family business called Air-Stream Air Conditioning & Heating Co. Inc. Flores eventually earned the title of president of the company and her husband was vice president. More Information Rebecca Flores Born: April 28, 195, San Antonio Died: Dec. 14, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Ruben and Martha Marks; brother Michael Marks Survivors: Husband Richard Flores; children Barbara Robinson, Elizabeth Gingrich and Christopher Flores; grandchildren Dylan Flores and Michayla Long; four sisters and a brother. Services: Rosary Tuesday, 6 p.m.; memorial service 10 a.m. Wednesday, both at Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 N. Loop 1604 East See More Collapse She battled cancer for five years but it did not let her stop from living life. On her last trip, she traveled with her husband to Las Vegas in 2016. When Flores was not in the office managing the business, she enjoyed traveling with Debbie Stewart, her best friend of over 25 years. We started traveling in our 40s. To name a few places, we visited Rome, Florence, Greece ... and the list keeps going, Stewart said. In 2011, we took our granddaughters on a mystery trip to Maui. That was a great and memorable trip. Becky loved the beach. Flores and Stewart traveled overseas 18 times; some of the trips were on cruises. She made friends wherever we went. She was loved by so many, Stewart said. Stewart grew up as only child and the relationship she had with Flores is one she will cherish forever, she said. We talked every day. I know Becky has sisters that she loves very much, but she was my sister, and I am going to miss our girlfriend trips, Stewart said. An avid Spurs fan, Flores and her husband were season ticket-holders from the late 90s to the 2000s. We enjoyed so many games together. Her favorite player was Tony Parker, husband Flores said. Flores was also a fashionista. Shopping was a second favorite hobby. We would walk into Neiman Marcus and the workers knew her by name, Stewart said. Becky had a laughed that nobody could forget. She was always joking. In 2011, Flores started a womens poker club and traveled to Las Vegas in 2012 to put their skills to the test. She loved playing poker, dominoes or any card game, her husband said. She was good at poker. jdelvalle@express-news.net We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. Arlene Foster is either lacking in real intelligence, or else is so black and white in her need to defend the Unionist perspective that she loses all sense of balance. In either case, she comes across as very intransigent, and is capable of telling some very tall tales when it suits her. Some would say she wears a bright colour of orange most of the time, thinking only she knows it. When she can get away with it. Some of her language has been amazingly strident and plain wrong, but then, we shouldnt be too surprised. The Unionists and Sinn Fein have held the Northern Political landscape to ransom, and its time that one of the two parties climbed down from their high horse, and put the other under pressure to take a government role. I understand Sinn Fein not taking their seats in parliament, thats a different matter entirely. Its hard to campaign as an Irishman or woman, and then swear allegiance to the Queen. But they should flush out Ms Foster and make the Northern Ireland State work, insofar as possible. Ms Foster doesnt give a tuppenny damn about the plain northern people, the majority of whom rejected Brexit. Still she carries on as though she has a mandate to oppose everything thats put on the table. Shed be foolish to underestimate Mrs May..... The unionist party are privately in a sort of chaos, whilst publicly pretending that alls well. When they went on show for the cameras in Parliament Square, they adopted an air of calmness that belied the atavistic tendencies of some of their members. Ms Foster is surely practicing Britishness, at its imperial best. The old British Lords and Ladies keep forgetting that they lost the Empire. Still they act as though everyone should doff the cap, and ideally bow the knee. Twice. The Empire toppled many many years ago, they ought to have got over it by now. Meanwhile, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar looks good in the spotlight, and he can put this down as a very good week, for himself, and indeed for Fine Gael. Simon Coveney once again proves just how suited he is to remaining calm in the face of some noisy opposition. Nice to see an intelligent, academic man in Foreign Affairs. Students continue hunger strike, the negotiations with the authorities are ineffective (video) Students fighting against the limitation of the right to deferment are resuming the hunger strike. "There is a need to reconsider the right to deferment, and the only way of recalculating it is the elimination of the corruption. The strike will be stopped only when there will be exhaustive answers, "said David Petrosyan, member of the For Science Development Initiative, adding that their negotiations with the authorities were ineffective, so they started a hunger strike at one of YSU auditoriums. According to Davit Petrosyan, the Ministry of Defense, does not accept the ideas about the bad impact of the limitation on the right to deferment on the science, and its importance for young people who have chosen the path of science. "They are ready to use only the skills of students in the field of natural sciences, by ignoring the students who continue their studies in humanitarian sciences. Even in the case of the academics, so far there is no indication of how many students will have the opportunity to use the deferment, "said David Petrosyan. Ucoms mobile customers will benefit from the best internet roaming rate of 8 AMD/MB when travelling to Georgia, Egypt or the UAE Ameriabank Launches Google Pay and Google Wallet Support for Card Users in Armenia Karen Vardanyan donated 112 million drams for the medical equipment for National Center for Infectious Diseases. UCOM HAS INTRODUCED FUTURE NETWORK WI-FI 6E ROUTERS Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union 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 Google Ad 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 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 The great Gold Rush Music Festival returns to the township of Waihi, with the first nuggets of gold dropping for the highly anticipated return of the 2023 festival. Gov. Terry McAuliffe plans to propose a 2 percent pay raise for state employees and teachers in the second year of the biennial budget he will introduce later today, according to a source in the administration. McAuliffe, preparing to submit his final budget proposal before leaving office on Jan. 13, also will propose a major boost to the states new cash reserve fund to create a balance equal to 2 percent of the general fund budget at $427 million by the end of the biennium in mid-2020, the source said. The proposals would allow the departing governor to address concerns about the states ability to recruit and retain talented employees, as well as a negative outlook on Virginias finances by a national bond rating agency early this year because of overreliance on the states rainy day fund to balance the budget in the face of revenue shortfalls twice in the last four years. McAuliffe is counting on projected increases in collections of major state revenue sources, such as taxes on individual income, sales and corporations to pay for the proposed increases, the source said. The proposed pay raise would take effect in mid-2019 for state employees, teachers and state-supported local employees, such as sheriffs deputies and other constitutional officers. The raises would cost the state $114.6 million, reflecting the states share of cost of hiking teacher pay and higher premiums for state employee health insurance. Those employees received a 3 percent raise earlier this year reinstated by the General Assembly after a shortfall the previous year eliminated it but a report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission in November recommended that the state be required to evaluate the competitiveness of compensation every year before preparing a budget. The budget this year also included an additional 2 percent increase for employees in critical high turnover positions, such as direct care staff in state mental institutions, but Virginias behavioral health commissioner told legislators this fall that the system continues to struggle with high turnover of registered nurses and direct-care aides at state hospitals, such as Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents in Staunton and Piedmont Geriatric Hospital in Burkeville. Although the states total compensation for employees is generally competitive, primarily because of its retirement and health benefits, the JLARC study concluded the state continues to struggle for high turnover jobs because the salaries are below market levels. The issue of boosting the states revenue reserve has been a high priority for McAuliffe and General Assembly leaders since Standard & Poors, one of three national bond-rating firms, downgraded the states economic outlook from stable to negative in April because of concerns about overuse of the rainy day fund and further potential harm from federal budget actions. The agency maintained Virginias AAA bond rating for general obligation debt, as well as the high ratings on other forms of state debt. S&P Global Ratings maintained the negative outlook in October, but suggested the agency could change its mind if the state boosted its reserves. If the commonwealth were to end the biennium with stronger-than-projected reserves and demonstrate sustainable, structural balance, we could revise the outlook back to stable, the agency said in a report on Oct. 2. McAuliffe made clear in August that he would put an estimated $121.5 million in surplus revenues carried over from the last fiscal year into the states new cash reserve fund. The decision heartened assembly budget leaders, including House Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, who has promised to introduce legislation next month that would commit the state to building the cash reserve to at least 2 percent of the General Fund budget, or $380 million in the current two-year-spending document. The governor intends to boost the reserve fund to about $156 million this year, and then add $50 million in the fiscal year that will begin July 1 and $221 million the next year for a total of $427 million, according to the administration source. The administration has not released revenue results for November, but the governor said last month state revenues had grown by 7.7 percent in October over the same month a year ago. The increase boosted revenue growth to 4.9 percent for the first four months of the fiscal year, more than 2 percentage points ahead of the annual forecast of 2.7 percent. Michael Martz reports for the Richmond Times Dispatch MEADOWS OF DAN Thirty-three years ago, Bob Heafner made a promise to an old man. The old man was Matt Burnett, a lifelong resident of this mountain-top community in Patrick County. In 1984, Burnett was an 80-year-old man living with a regret that he confessed to Heafner as the two men walked in a grassy pasture just a few yards from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Nearly 50 years earlier in that same meadow, as the parkway was being built about 1936, Burnett had been part of a work crew that had removed the headstones from an old slave cemetery. He and other men had pulled up the simple fieldstone grave markers and had hauled them into the nearby woods. The plan was to replace the stones when the road was finished, Burnett said, but that never happened. The slave cemetery was all but forgotten. You could tell the man felt bad about it, Heafner said, recalling that conversation. Burnett asked Heafner if he would make sure that people would someday know about the forgotten slaves hiding in plain sight next to a road traveled by millions. Heafner was young then, a businessman and a publisher who knew people in Meadows of Dan and up and down the parkway. Surely, Burnett thought, Heafner could find a way to place a monument or memorial to those people, so that their lives wouldnt remain buried in the past. I want you to promise to get it done, the old man demanded. Ill do my best, Heafner replied. Burnett died three years later. Heafner told that story on a dreary, drizzly day in September as he walked through that same field where he had first heard the story of the old slave cemetery near Meadows of Dan Baptist Church. He walked slowly in the wet grass, while holding a blue umbrella and wearing a heavy denim coat against the chill. He strode into a small area cordoned by a split-rail fence where a pair of wooden stakes marked possible sites for a stone marker to be placed. After 33 years worth of letters, emails, phone calls and near endless haggling with parkway officials, countless hours of research in courthouses, and with the aid of other people who helped seal the deal when it appeared the cemetery might never be marked, Bob Heafner made good on his promise. A granite marker dedicated to the African-Americans who worked for the Langhorne family and who are buried there was placed Nov. 29 inside what Heafner dubbed the slave meadow. The young man who made that promise is 70 now, fleshier of face, with a smokers deep drawl and crowned with white hair that flips into a rakish curl on his forehead. Lord have mercy, if Id known what I promised to do for Matt Burnett he said with the hint of a chuckle. He paused. I wouldve still done it. A local legend Folks had always heard that there was a slave cemetery around somewhere. The trouble was documenting its existence so that the National Park Service would acknowledge it with some kind of historic marker. An old mans memory about something that happened in the 1930s wasnt good enough. Felecia Shelor, owner of the Poor Farmers Market on U.S. 58 and a longtime friend of Heafners, said that old-timers sometimes griped about the lost headstones. I heard several people say that they were upset that the stones had been dumped, Shelor said. Heafner had heard a story about a black woman who came looking for the cemetery years ago, and she was saddened to see cattle grazing in the meadow where her ancestors were possibly buried. Heafners research went slowly, but some facts were already well-documented. The Langhorne family had operated a large farm in Meadows of Dan before the Civil War. Slaves lived and worked on the farm called Langdale, although an exact number is not known. Slavery was common in Patrick County. According to county historian Tom Perry, as many as 2,000 slaves were part of Patrick Countys 9,000 residents in 1850. The majority of those enslaved people were owned by the prominent Reynolds and Hairston families. Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuarts father owned 28 slaves, according to Perry. Slavery was less prevalent up on the mountain in Meadows of Dan, where five families owned slaves, according to an Appalachian State University research project commissioned by the park service. Heafner discovered a will that stated James Steptoe Langhorne had at least five slaves, and perhaps owned more than 10 at one time. He also found the names of five other African-Americans who were probably buried in the cemetery. Three of them died enslaved, with history having no record of their last names: Charles (a child who died in 1858), John (who was 19 when he died in 1858) and Ellen (a 1-year-old who died in 1862). The two other people Heafner documented died after the Civil War: Guss Langhorne (another 1-year-old who died in 1871) and Susan Langhorne (born a slave, died free in 1871 at age 28). It is unclear why the latter two had the Langhorne name. Those people are buried near the Langhorne familys section of the Meadows of Dan Baptist Churchs cemetery, Heafner said. Although he had answered some questions about who was buried there, he still had not fully proved where they were buried. As the 20th century dissolved into the 21st, he was unsure if he would ever fulfill his promise to Burnett. A mountain of a task Bob Heafner and his wife, Charlotte, moved to Meadows of Dan in 1971. He had worked in real estate before finding an old farmhouse in the mountains near U.S. 58. He and Charlotte were quickly enamored with the people of Patrick County and the stories they had to tell, especially the tales of old folks who remembered a time before paved roads and electricity, a time when mighty American chestnut orchards carpeted the mountainsides before the devastating blight that destroyed them. Bob and Charlotte decided to record these stories, which is how they came to start The Mountain Laurel, a free, monthly, tabloid-sized newspaper filled with history, recipes, profiles, ghost stories and other accounts of a rural lifestyle that was disappearing from the mountains like the chestnuts. With the help of their neighbor Susan Thigpen, the Heafners launched The Mountain Laurel in March 1983 and quickly sold all 3,000 copies. By the early 1990s, monthly circulation had exploded to 25,000, with coast-to-coast distribution. The Heafners were early adopters of the internet, and they put The Mountain Laurel online in 1996, where back issues from 1983 to 2015 can be found, thanks to the Library of Virginia, which archived older stories for the website. (The Mountain Laurel can be read online at mtnlaurel.com.) Publishing The Mountain Laurel is how Bob met old-timers such as Burnett, a local man who had a knack with a pocket knife. Burnett whittled walking canes and old-fashioned wooden toys things with colorful names like gee-haw whimmy diddles, horseshoe puzzles, jumping jacks, dancing men and other country crafts. He remembered the days when mules plowed the fields and when families attended the Fourth of July celebration on horseback. Burnett also knew about the fieldstone grave markers being removed from the slave cemetery, because he had been part of a crew that removed them. Mister Matt showed me where the slaves are buried, Heafner said. Mister Matt told me he was on the crew that did the landscaping. They picked up the fieldstone markers and took them to the woods and never put them back. The park service has owned the property where the cemetery is located since the 1930s, so Heafner started by calling Gary Everhardt, who was the parkway superintendent in the 1980s. I asked Gary to put up a monument, Heafner said. He said theyd do it, but Id have to pay for it. This was in the days before GoFundMe. I never could get any interest in it. Everhardt was the first of four Blue Ridge Parkway superintendents with whom Heafner would work over the next three decades. Heafner, who today lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, was often frustrated with the park services deliberate approach to documenting the slave cemetery, as evidenced by a series of back-and-forth emails and letters he has posted on The Mountain Laurel website that cover just the years 2001 through 2012. The communications between him and the park service are mostly cordial, professional and straightforward, but Heafner was often unsatisfied with parkway officials responses. Mr. Matt is dead and Im not getting any younger, he wrote to superintendent Dan Brown in 2001, and I fear if something is not done soon, even the fact that slaves are buried in the meadow will someday be forgotten and they will pass into oblivion like countless other forgotten black people who contributed to the settlement and development of the Blue Ridge. For their part, parkway administrators were receptive to the idea of placing a marker in the slave meadow, but officials also told Heafner that they lacked funds for an extensive project. Any park service undertaking that requires taxpayer money or private grants takes considerable time, Brown wrote to Heafner in 2002. Park service staff also spent time trying to determine whether the slave cemetery even existed. Three years later, in 2005, Heafner wrote another letter that said, The clock is ticking fast and action is needed very soon. I just had to keep going back and going back and going back, Heafner said during an interview this fall. Finally, a pair of breakthroughs jump-started the project. Heafner found an old map in the Patrick County Courthouse in Stuart that showed the location of the slave cemetery right where Burnett said it had been. The park service then sent Heafner a copy of a ragged property-acquisition map from the 1930s that also showed the slave cemetery. In 2007, a park service archaeologist used ground-penetrating radar to discover nine graves in the suspected cemetery. The graves were marked, and the park service planned to build a split-rail fence around the property. That took another five years. Heafner acknowledges that had he gone searching for maps earlier, perhaps the project would have been completed sooner. The cemetery still had no headstones or historic marker to memorialize the people buried there, however. Heafners efforts to raise $7,500 for a stone memorial through a GoFundMe site had not been successful. His good friend Shelor, who oversaw the GoFundMe campaign, was about to return about $1,200 in pledges to donors. The effort to erect a marker appeared dead. Thats when Libby Wilcox showed up. Rock-star performance Wilcox is a 73-year-old, type-A spitfire who is an energetic advocate and volunteer for the Blue Ridge Parkway. A former environmental educator from North Carolina, Wilcox has a part-time home near the scenic highway in Carroll County. She was the subject of a Roanoke Times story in 2015 when she and a friend painted and cleaned road signs along the parkways entire 469-mile route. She met Heafner three years ago, when recently retired parkway superintendent Mark Woods told her about the stalled effort to place a memorial marker in the slave cemetery. When Heafner told Wilcox that they needed $7,500 to buy a stone marker, Wilcox had another idea. Bob, you do know that the worlds largest granite quarry is in our backyard? Wilcox said. That would be the North Carolina Granite Corporation in Mount Airy, North Carolina, about 45 minutes from Meadows of Dan. Wilcox had no intention of paying for a stone marker. I used to work with Girl Scouts, she said. I know how to get donations. She met with the quarrys owner, William Swift. Within 10 minutes of introductions, Swift had agreed to donate a 2 -foot by 4-foot marker with an inscription. What do you want on it? he asked. Forever free The sky was topaz blue on a mild Nov. 29 in Meadows of Dan as Wilcox watched the stone lowered into place. Wayne Thomas and Scott Smith of Acme Stone Company parked the companys flat-bed truck next to the split-rail fence, placed straps around the heavy granite stone and hoisted it with a lift onto a stone base. The men applied a cement-like setting compound between the marker and its base, then brushed the letters with water. The inscription read: SLAVE MEADOW CEMETERY In memory and honor of the known and unknown African-Americans buried in this Meadow. May they rest in peace, forever free. Im about to cry, Wilcox said, although she sounded happy. Its so big! She was joined by Shelor and Nancy Galli, the founder of Nancys Candy Company and a longtime Meadows of Dan resident. A couple of men from the local papers also watched and reported the event. One person who was not there was Bob Heafner. The last couple of years have not been the best for him. Charlotte, his wife, died two years ago after years of declining health. He lost a daughter last year. However, he plans to return to Meadows of Dan in the spring, when the park service will formally dedicate the granite marker in the slave meadow. He said his work isnt finished. The GoFundMe account has about $900 left, after $300 was spent to place the marker. He would like for the park service to build a wayside exhibit dedicated to the lives and stories of slaves in the region. Wouldnt it be wonderful if someone came to the cemetery and found their relatives? he said. I think there are people out there who still know stories about the people who are buried there. Now, maybe this will shake some memories loose. Thatd be icing on the cake. Ralph Berrier reports for the Roanoke Times SPRINGFIELD -- The IHOP restaurant at the Five Town Plaza in the Sixteen Acres neighborhood will open Tuesday at 7 a.m. A formal grand opening is set for Jan. 19, said Jaleel Rahman, manager for the Rocky Hill, Connecticut-based Dine In Group that owns the franchise. The restaurant is in an out parcel at the plaza, located at 300 Cooley St. near Bicentennial Highway. The building it will occupy first housed a twin movie theater and most recently a AAA office. The restaurant will seat 162 and will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Rahman said management hired 90 full- and part-time employees. But once it is up and running and folks have settled into their roles, the headcount will be about 70 jobs. He said Dine In Group is looking for one more Springfield-area location for another IHOP, but he declined to go into more detail. Dine In Group is separate from the franchisee who owns the IHOP on Riverdale Street in West Springfield. Investors Phillips Edison, of Cincinnati, bought the Five Town Plaza in 2014 from Connecticut-based Urstadt Biddle Properties for $31 million. Urstadt Biddle had owned the complex, bordered by Bicentennial Highway and Cooley and Allen streets, since the 1970s. Over the years the supermarket anchor tenant changed from Mott's ShopRite to A&P and subsequently to Big Y. The plaza started with W.T. Grant as its discount department store, then Caldor, then Spag's and now has Burlington Coat Factory. The plaza also has Leone's Restaurant as well as national restaurant chains Dunkin' Donuts, Burger King, Texas Roadhouse and Chilli's. Five Town Plaza Springfield Real Estate Flyer by Jim Kinney on Scribd It's official: Boston's growing and increasingly affluent Seaport District will host a new $550 million hotel by 2021. Last week the Boston Planning and Development Agency approved the Omni Boston Seaport hotel project on the nearly 800,000-square-foot parcel of property owned by the Massachusetts Port Authority, which makes the land not subject to requirements of the Boston Zoning Code. The 1,054-room hotel will take up two acres on Summer Street and D Street in South Boston. Like many of its neighboring properties, the hotel is planned to become a mixed-use space. Together, Davis Companies and Omni Hotel Management Co. will transform the land into a towering hotel with 40,000 square feet dedicated to new restaurant and retail space. Rooms dedicated to hosting events and meetings are slated to take up around 120,000 square feet of the property. Original reports say the hotel could host the largest ballroom in Boston. The project was also approved to include "public realm improvements" in the area around Summer Street, World Trade Center Avenue and D Street. The BPDA says a new pedestrian bridge will link the hotel to the South Boston Waterfront Transportation Center, a Massport project, which will include hotel parking. The enormous Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on Summer Street, which draws thousands for events like the annual Massachusetts Women's Conference or ComicCon, is likely to serve as a customer base for the Omni hotel. Plans include connecting the hotel and the convention center with an underground tunnel. The BPDA says Omni plans to make diversity a key part of the multi-million dollar development. "The project will focus on diversity and inclusion in all aspects, from financing, design, to the overall team makeup," the BPDA said in a statement. "Both minority-owned and women-owned businesses are, notably, featured throughout the project." Some, including Steve Hollinger, the man behind the @FortPointer Twitter account, criticized the city last May for not seeking input from the South Boston residential community on the new hotel development. As a self-sustaining agency that owns much of the land in the Seaport District, Massport can act more independently than other government agencies, such as the Boston Redevelopment Authority. EASTHAMPTON - Fire Chief David Mottor is warning people against going onto the ice on Nashawanuck Pond and Lower Mill Pond and any other town waterway. Regardless of the winter temperatures, the only truly safe ice in town, Mottor said, is at the indoor Lossone Skating Rink. Mottor, in a video shot with him standing at the boardwalk by Nashawannuck Pond, says not many people are aware that ponds covered over with ice may appear safe, but they can conceal a hidden danger. "Nashawannuck Pond and Lower Mill Pond both have moving water and they also have springs," he said. The ice may appear thick enough, and there may even be people out on it, he said. But underneath, the moving water may cause the ice to be thinner in areas, and those thin spots can be extremely dangerous, he said. "My advice is to view the ponds from the safety of the shore," he said. For those who want to go skating, he suggests doing so from the safety of Lossone Rink on the Williston-Northampton campus. The Easthampton Park and Recreation Department rents the rink each Saturday from 3-5 p.m. for an open skate. There is no charge for use, but people need to bring their own skates. The open skate program runs from December through March. The Massachusetts Environmental Police on Sunday issued a warning for people to stay off ice that is less than four inches thick. BELCHERTOWN -- An improperly installed woodstove was the cause of a fire that destroyed a Bardwell Street home Sunday night and displaced a family, a spokesman for the state Fire Marshal's office said. No injuries were reported in the blaze, which broke out at 526 Bardwell St. at approximately 9:15 p.m. Mary Nathan, disaster program manager for the Western Massachusetts chapter of the American Red Cross, said the fire displaced two adults and two children. The chapter will aid the family members as they get back on their feet, Nathan said. James DeSimone, spokesman for the state Fire Marshal's office, said the blaze was investigated by a state trooper attached to that office. Information on how the woodstove was improperly installed was not immediately available. Belchertown Fire Chief Ted Bock told WWLP the woodstove was installed in the basement. EAST LONGMEADOW - An afternoon of stories, hymns and traditional Swedish holiday dances heralded the annual celebration of Sankta Lucia at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Sunday. The 3 p.m. event sponsored by Brage-Iduna Lodge, and featuring members of the Three Crowns Children's Club, told the tale of St. Lucia, a martyr of early Christendom who was killed as punishment for giving away her wedding dowry to the poor and refusing to renounce her faith. "The legend was that she was seen coming across a lake in Sweden, during a time of famine, with light all around her ... and she brought food to the poor," said Karin Johnson, co-leader of the children's club. The girl who plays St. Lucia in traditional celebrations wears a crown of candles to signify this moment. Emma Kindblom played Lucia this year. She was escorted by her white-gowned court, and the Star Boys, who wore pointed hats and carried star-shaped paper scepters. They took turns telling portions of the legend, punctuated by Swedish Christmas carols. Young children dressed in red portrayed the tomten, elf-like creatures said to help farmers complete their work when no one is watching. St. Lucia was said to appear on the day of the winter solstice. In modern times, the solstice falls on Dec. 21, but celebrations of St. Lucia on Dec. 13 kick off the two-week Christmas season. In households around the world, the oldest daughter will serve dinner and Lucia buns to her family. Lucia buns are an S-shaped saffron sweet bun accented with raisins, and there were plenty to go around after Sunday's ceremony. Attendees washed down the Lucia buns, cookies and cakes with a non-alcoholic version of the Swedish drink glogg. Tuesday Sinclair found out about the event while reading The Republican. She said the story "felt like it was speaking to me." Sinclair's sister moved to Sweden in the 1980s and celebrates St. Lucia, while Sinclair lives down the street from St. Paul. The church has hosted this event for years, but Sinclair stopped by for the first time this weekend because "my sister is overdue for a visit" and it felt like a way to bond with her. "She'll be happy that I came here, because she talks about (St. Lucia) all the time," said Sinclair. "She's sent me a few pictures of stuff she's done with church groups, but nothing like this." Brage-Iduna Lodge is a local lodge of the Vasa Order of America, a Swedish-American community organization. The event was free, and donations supported the Three Crowns Children's Club. AMHERST - A 22-year-old Iowa man is facing and assault and battery charge against a police office after allegedly biting the officer during booking on other charges. Police charged Jacob Newton - who's listed as University of Massachusetts student- with disorderly conduct, wanton destruction of a property more than $250 and assault and battery on a police officer. Police were called to an East Pleasant Street house just before midnight Saturday to investigate a report of a man trying to break into the house. When they arrived, police discovered a mirror had been broken off a vehicle parked outside. Police could not comment on the condition of the officer, who Newton allegedly bit during the arrest. Newton, who's listed as a University of Massachusetts student, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown. A Montana grown business featured this time last year in our weekly Montana Made segment has been named one of the best products of 2017 by a national publication. Vitamin Retailer Magazine named Medicine Springs Mineral Therapy http://www.medicinesprings.com/ to its top ten list for the year. According to the magazine, they research hundreds of products and narrow those down to the top ten, based on ingredients, delivery system, consumer need and popularity. By Melissa Jensen http://www.ktvh.com/2017/12/medicine-springs-mineral-therapy-earns-national-recognition Driverless cars and trucks rule the road, while robots "man" the factories. Super-smartphones hail Uber helicopters or even planes to fly their owners across mushrooming urban areas. Machines use algorithms to teach themselves cognitive tasks that once required human intelligence, wiping out millions of managerial, as well as industrial, jobs. These are visions of a world remade for the most part, in the next five to 10 years by technological advances that form a fourth industrial revolution. You catch glimpses of the same visions today not only in Silicon Valley but also in Paris think tanks, Chinese electric-car factories or even here at the edge of the Sahara. By Jim Hoagland https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-is-upon-us/2017/11/22/5ff97086-cd62-11e7-9d3a-bcbe2af58c3a_story.html?utm_term=.d2ee49c6b35f Here is our Top 11 for this week, celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen our Great Falls regional economy. More progress on projects as we finish out 2017. Thank you to the GFDA Investors who are working hard and putting resources into growing Great Falls! We need your help and support. If you havent renewed your investment pledge, please consider doing so. Give me a call to discuss 406.750.2119. With continued national economic growth, were making major commitments to efforts in 2018 to attract projects to the Great Falls region, and that means we need your financial support! WE ARE Hungry to Grow the Great Falls regional economy! Brett Top 11: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1101450799075&ca=ee504627-9954-45e2-9673-ee06f2d8ec71 By every relevant metric, Americas leading research universities remain the envy of the world, and are a significant part of what makes America great. Surveys from Pew and Gallup have shown a growing skepticism among some Americans toward our nations institutions of higher learning. And congressional proposals to overhaul our tax code have targeted both degree-seeking students and our nations universities. We continue to be deeply concerned about the effect some of these measures will have on American universities and as a result, on our countrys overall competitiveness. By USC President C. L. Max Nikias, Opinion Contributor http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/education/365127-some-tax-reform-provisions-might-hurt-universities-our-countrys America Campaign http://americacampaign.org and Technology & Innovation in Education (TIE) are proud to announce the launch of Teachers Teaching Tech (http://www.teachersteachingtech.org), a joint partnership with Code.org to provide computer science professional development to K-12 educators in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota. The Teachers Teaching Tech initiative will raise awareness of the importance of computer science education in these four states and will work with local school districts to recruit and train 6,000 new computer science teachers by Fall 2021. This multi-year partnership with Code.org puts a national spotlight on the growing computer science education movement in rural states and communities. Through this partnership, Code.org will invest more than $615,000 over the next 3 years to support the professional development of K-12 teachers in the Teachers Teaching Tech region. Full Press Release Here: http://americacampaign.org/news/press-releases/america-campaign-technology-innovation-education-selected-code-org-regional-partners-receive-615k-investment-k-12-computer-science-education/ McDowell County Sheriffs Office investigators need the publics help identifying the people who stole a mans wallet at Rustys Pick-A-Part last month. Jarvis Beaver, of Burnsville, reported on Thursday, Nov. 30 that he bought car parts at the business, paid for them and laid his wallet on the counter. Surveillance video shows that the man pictured here picked up the wallet and left the store. He was accompanied by another male and the female shown here. Anyone with information concerning the crime or suspects is asked to call Detective Nathan Mace at 652-2237 or McDowell County Crime Stoppers at 65-CRIME (652-7463). Now, you can also text your tips to Crime Stoppers. Text MCDOWELLTIPS and your information to 274637 (CRIMES). With Crime Stoppers, your identity remains anonymous, and you could receive a cash reward. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS EGPAF-DRC/03/P&L/1117 Limited Procedures Engagement to Assess Compliance with Local Laws in support of ELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION (EGPAF or Foundation) 63 Avenue Colonel Mondjiba, Concession COTEX Batiment N0 10 B1 Kinshasa Ngaliema, DR Congo Firm Deadline: December 26th, 2017. Time: 5:00 PM BACKGROUND EGPAF is seeking a qualified company or individual to perform a Limited Procedures Engagement to assess the Foundations compliance with local law in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Foundation is an international NGO operating in 19 countries that is registered as a nonprofit organization in the aforementioned country. PURPOSE/SCOPE OF WORK Please see Attachment 1 for a full detailed scope of work for the Limited Procedures Engagement. TIMEFRAME The engagement must be completed by January 31, 2018. Applicants unable to complete the engagement by this date will not be considered. DELIVERABLES The selected contractor will provide an assessment report of the Foundations compliance with local laws. The report will include all areas tested and a full description of the level of compliance of the Foundation in each area. For any non-compliant or partially non-compliant areas the contractor will provide detailed recommendations on how to correct the areas of non-compliance. FOUNDATION RESPONSIBILITIES: The Foundation will provide the selected company or individual with appropriate space within its offices for the assigned staff to work. In addition, all necessary files will be made available to the company/individual. Further, the company/individual will be provided with one primary point of contact for all enquiries during the assessment process. LOGISTICS: The audit will be conducted at the Foundations office located at: 63 Avenue Colonel Mondjiba Concession COTEX, Batiment N0 10 B1 Kinshasa Ngaliema, DR Congo as well as the company/individuals place of business. KEY CONTRACT TERMS: This contract will be a fixed price contract. No additional costs outside of the winning company or individuals fixed price will be considered. All deliverables provided to the Foundation must be furnished for the use of the Foundation without royalty or any additional fees. All Materials will be owned exclusively by the Foundation and will be for Foundation internal use only. Consultant will not use or allow the use of the Materials for any purpose other than Consultants performance of the Contract. EVALUATION CRITERIA & PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: All proposals will be evaluated by the Foundation against the following criteria and proposals must contain all of the elements in the Submission Requirement Column below: Evaluation Criteria Submission Requirements Criteria Weight 1. Past performance in conducting similar assessments 1. Provide at least 2 professional references (phone and email) of past non-governmental organizations for which you have completed similar assessments. 30% 2. Proposed methodology and approach 2. Maximum 5 page summary of the proposed approach and methodology for completing the assessment 20% 3. Fixed price 3. Fixed price for completing the assessment 20% 4. Capacity of individuals 4. CV/Resume of individual(s) who would be assigned to this project & 2 professional references for each individual 30% 5. Confirmation that all work can be completed during the timeframe indicated in this RFP. All applicants are required to be registered and authorized to perform the scope of work in the place of performance. PROPOSED TIMELINE: December 1st, 2017 Release of RFP Release of RFP December 28, 2017 Submission of Contractual and Technical Inquiries: DRCprocurement@pedaids.org No phone calls please. December 24th, 2017 Question and Answer Response Document posted on EGPAF website at https://www.pedaids.org/pages/contracting-opportunities . Question and Answer Response Document posted on EGPAF website at . December 15th, 2017: - Completed proposals must be delivered electronically by the deadline mentioned on page one to: DRCprocurement@pedaids.org - Completed proposals must be delivered electronically by the deadline mentioned on page one to: January 15, 2018: Final decision announced and Offerors notified Final decision announced and Offerors notified January 22nd, 2017: Contract executed and Services begin. Please note it is our best intent to comply with the above timeline but unavoidable delays may occur. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All proposals and communications must be identified by the unique RFP# reflected on the first page of this document. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in non-consideration of your proposal. Any proposal not addressing each of the foregoing items could be considered non-responsive. Any exceptions to the requirements or terms of the RFP must be noted in the proposal. The Foundation reserves the right to consider any exceptions to the RFP to be non-responsive. Late proposals will be rejected without being considered. This RFP is not an offer to enter into agreement with any party, but rather a request to receive proposals from persons interested in providing the services outlined below. Such proposals shall be considered and treated by the Foundation as offers to enter into an agreement. The Foundation reserves the right to reject all proposals, in whole or in part, enter into negotiations with any party, and/or award multiple contracts. The Foundation shall not be obligated for the payment of any sums whatsoever to any recipient of this RFP until and unless a written contract between the parties is executed. Equal Opportunity Notice. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and represents that all qualified bidders will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. ETHICAL BEHAVIOR: As a core value to help achieve our mission, the Foundation embraces a culture of honesty, integrity, and ethical business practices and expects its business partners to do the same. Specifically, our procurement processes are fair and open and allow all vendors/consultants equal opportunity to win our business. We will not tolerate fraud or corruption, including kickbacks, bribes, undisclosed familial or close personal relationships between vendors and Foundation employees, or other unethical practices. If you experience of suspect unethical behavior by a Foundation employee, please contact fraud@pedaids.org or the Foundations Ethics Hotline at www.reportlineweb.com/PedAids/ Any vendor/consultant who attempts to engage, or engages, in corrupt practices with the Foundation will have their proposal disqualified and will not be solicited for future work. Attachment 1: Detailed Scope of Work The Contractor will perform a detailed assessment of the Foundations compliance with applicable local laws within the country indicated in Background Section of this RFP. This assessment will include the following areas: 1. Legal Registration The Contractor will assess whether the Foundation is registered correctly in the relevant country, assessing whether the Foundation is registered under the correct law and implementing regulations for international NGOs. In addition, the Contractor will assess the Foundation against all applicable requirements and laws of the correct registration type (e.g. reporting requirements, audited annual returns, document retention requirements, etc.) to ensure the Foundation is up-to-date and completely compliant with the relevant requirements and laws. 2. Taxation The Contractor will assess whether the Foundation is compliant with all applicable and relevant taxation requirements applicable to the organization. This includes but is not limited to income tax (related to permanent employees, expatriate employees, temporary employees, interns, part-time employees, volunteers, local and international consultants, and any other relevant classifications within country law), and Value-Added Tax. 3. Human Resources The Contractor will assess whether the Foundation is in compliance with all applicable human resource laws and regulations. This assessment includes a review of our fringe benefit package, overtime practices, paid leave practices, quotas or limitations on expatriate positions, employee labor categorization practices (core staff, seconded staff, consultants, temporary employees, etc.), requirements for displayed office notices, requirements for employees that are not citizens of the country in question, as well as any other relevant HR laws and requirements. 4. Other requirements Contractor will assess the Foundations compliance with any other relevant laws or requirements applicable to the Foundation and it registration status. The Contractor will also assess compliance with local or municipal laws. MUSKEGON, Mich. Dec. 18, 2017 Muskegon Grand Haven Grand Rapids Ludington Michigan Stephen Zonca Michigan's Michael Hauswirth Stephen Zonca Dena Thayer Wayne State University Wake Forest University Dena Thayer Des Moines Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Muskegon, MI /PRNewswire/ -- Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal, a division of Muskegon Surgical Associates, offers superior laser tattoo removal treatments for patients with tattoo regret. They specialize in all things tattoo removal, including complete ink removal, selective removal of a tattoo, and fading or lightening of a tattoo in preparation for a cover-up. Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal has invested in the industry-leading Astanza Trinity laser to perform all treatments and invite patients throughout, and beyond."Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal combines cutting-edge technology, the safest patient protocols, and Board Certified Plastic Surgeons to produce the best removal results throughout," said Dr., owner. "Every treatment is performed with care to ensure our patients have a comfortable experience and leave with clear, radiant, ink-free skin."The Astanza Trinity featured at Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal is trusted by leading practitioners worldwide. The Trinity system combines two standalone lasers, a Q-switched Nd:YAG and Q-switched ruby. Together, these two systems produce three versatile wavelengths, 1064 nm, 532 nm, and 694 nm, that target and eliminate the widest range of ink colors across all skin types. The Trinity also features two flat-top homogenized spot beams for targeted precision, safer energy application, and minimized treatment overlap."Muskegon Surgical Associates are one ofleading health care providers," said, Astanza Sales Representative. "Their addition of Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal is sure to bring unrivaled tattoo removal results to patients looking to rewind time through the revitalization of their skin."Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal is the tattoo removal focused division of Muskegon Surgical Associates. Drs.andperform and supervise all tattoo removal treatments. Dr. Zonca is a board-certified plastic surgeon who attendedMedical School. He completed 7 years of surgical training in general and plastic surgery at. Dr. Zonca is a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and performs a full spectrum of surgical procedures with special interest in breast augmentation, tummy tucks, and comprehensive facial rejuvenation.Dr.is board certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery. She received her medical degree fromUniversity in 1997 and completed her training in general and plastic surgery at thein 2004. She is co-director of wound care at Great Lakes Specialty Hospital and the Mercy Wound Care Center. Dr. Thayer's special interests include breast surgery, breast cancer reconstruction, and body contouring.To schedule a consultation at Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal, call (231) 739-1933 or visit http://msa-plasticsurgery.com/removal/. Muskegon Laser Tattoo Removal is located at 1675 Patriot Drive,49444.Astanza is a leading manufacturer of aesthetic lasers with a unique focus on the application of laser tattoo removal. In addition to developing cutting-edge medical laser devices such as the Duality, Eternity, and Trinity systems, Astanza offers its customers a complete range of training, marketing, and business consulting services specific to achieving success in this growing field.Astanza Laser is headquartered in Dallas, TX with customers throughout North America and Europe. For product, investor, or press information, call (800) 364-9010, or visit http://www.astanzalaser.com/. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/muskegon-laser-tattoo-removal-brings-multi-colored-astanza-trinity-tattoo-removal-to-muskegon-michigan-300572180.html SOURCE Astanza Laser Advertisement "With the number of high-rises in the city grew, and is becoming quite a difficult task for our workers to reach to the terraces of the high-rises and the large housing complexes and run a check on dengue. Taking stock of the situation we have decided to use drones for the purpose," said a senior official of KMC's vector-control department.The official also added that they are planning to fly the drones over the buildings to capture images of stagnant water and to plan accordingly to fight dengue.After the pilot-run, a meeting was held by senior officials with mayor-in-council Atin Ghosh on the images captured by the drone.In the meeting, the officials discussed on how to use the technology in dengue-prevention and had agreed to use the drones from March, 2018.Ghosh further requested KMC officials to prepare a report on the usage of drones in controlling dengue in the city's multi-storied buildings."The inclusion of drones in capturing images will surely help KMC in controlling the vector-borne disease in the coming times. We consider this as a great decision for dengue prevention will be placed before the council meeting after mayor Sovan Chatterjee gives his nod," a civic official said.However, the KMC is still working on the number of drones required in controlling the disease.Introducing the drones in the city might need the permission of city mayor and mayor-in-council.Source: Medindia N. KOTZIAS: This was a busy week. As you know, on Monday we took part at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we had the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, with whom we have had some important agreements. On Wednesday evening and Thursday, we had the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, who met this morning with entrepreneurs and the Union of Greek Shipowners. Today we met with Mr. Hahn. Ill brief you on that shortly. This Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan is coming, because Afghanistan is opening a new embassy in Athens, as is Antigua and Barbuda. My Colombian colleague told me that Colombia will also be opening an embassy here. All of this daily visits from various foreign ministers, the opening of new embassies in Greece, our upcoming visit to Italy this Tuesday for a bilateral meeting are positive developments and, I am pleased to say, that all of the international initiatives we have taken have drawn numerous requests for participation. Thus, for example, in the Rhodes Conference for Security and Stability beyond the participant members, 7 European and 12 Arab countries we have added, following their acceptance of our invitation, our northern neighbour, fYROM, which will be the 8th European country, and Palestine. Moreover, we have accepted observer status requests from Indonesia, Vietnam and Colombia, for this process we are developing for a new peace and stability agreement in the region. In other words, these are new phenomena in Greek foreign policy: for large states to agree to come only as observers. Yesterday we had a debate in Parliament on the Erdogan visit. You will have seen it. I think our stance on that was very, very clear. Ask about it if you want to. Regarding Mr. Hahn, I wanted to say that we had an extremely interesting and creative discussion. As you know, his portfolio is Enlargement, and right now we are very interested in Albania and our northern neighbour Skopje. I underscored once again, and we agreed that all accession criteria must be met. I briefed Commissioner Hahn on the state of play in the negotiations with Albania. As you know, we held a three-day meeting in Crete, which continued for a little on Sunday four days, in a sense with my friend Mr. Bushati, who is an exceptional person. We will continue on 19 and 20 January, in Korce. We will be driving up from Thessaloniki. It is about a two-hour ride. There, I hope that we will finish up with the issues we are looking at. I am cautiously optimistic. I don't think any of us are interested in seeing these issues perpetuated with the opening of the process of Albanias negotiations with the European Union, or want them to constitute an obstacle to the negotiations. Both sides want to resolve the problems that have existed for a very, very long time, or update past agreements so that they meet current demands. Our general thinking is that this process should culminate in a new Friendship Pact between Greece and Albania. Or to put it correctly, that we update the Friendship Pact of 1996. Our talks concern a number of issues. We are well prepared. The teams we have appointed to coordinate and work together in December are already en route. There is a positive attitude on both sides. I hope the slogan history must not be our prison, but our school will be put to practice. Our decision is to resolve the problems, and if we do resolve them, we will be firm supporters of Albanias EU accession course. The problems we face arent so serious that cannot be resolved. Mr. Hahn is also very interested in hearing from us about the negotiations on the name issue and the corresponding process under Mr. Nimetz. Mr. Vassilakis has long led our negotiating team. Our very capable Ambassador, Sofia Grammata has been included, and our friendly country has also added a woman who also attended the negotiations. The talks were to take place on Monday and Tuesday, but bad weather intervened and kept the fYROM delegation from flying from Skopje to Brussels. They were forced to fly from Skopje to Vienna and then on to Frankfurt, where they caught the train. I have done this a number of times, and is a five and a half or six-hour ride. As a result, they didnt get there until Tuesday morning. I say this because I was surprised on Monday to read about the results of talks that hadnt taken place. And they even insist after the denials, as I read. Some people just make things up about negotiations, results and if it hadnt been for the bad weather that delayed the Skopje team, they would have insisted on the truth of their report on the content of the negotiations. The bad weather just happened to spoil their prefabricated report. We want this European course, provided the people of our neighbouring country want it and we will support it. There are two matters we need to resolve. One is for new confidence-building measures, and I dont mean just economic measures. You know about the major project we have in Prespes. But, we also need to see indications that irredentism is not a used as a foreign or domestic policy tool in our neighbouring country. And we also need to talk about the issues associated with the name. As you know, these issues are basically the type of name, the extent of its use, the acronyms and the derivatives. Regarding the latter, we have the trade derivatives, which I dont think will be resolved by any negotiations at this time, because it is a complicated technical issue. We have a study conducted by university professors, which is two volumes long. Essentially, the issue of trade derivatives has to be resolved by the more competent authorities on intellectual rights, such as chambers of commerce and the like. And of course we are very concerned about the name. Our friends in Skopje are very concerned about identity issues. I think we can find solutions on all issues. In our opinion, we shouldnt let these issues drag on. We have to resolve these issues as soon as possible, if there is the will and the way, an efficient and creative way, so that we can leave behind issues that have dominated our relations in the past. I think thats it initially. I just wanted to make a short statement, but I said that, since we are all here and Christmas is around the corner we are going to Italy for interesting talks, and you will have heard what I said yesterday about EEZs, that we intend to reach agreements on them. We dont need to conclude them all at once. We are talking to Egypt, we have the agreement with Albania that we are looking for a way to implement. And we have made good progress with Italy, and I hope this trip brings us to the end of the course. This isnt the main or sole subject of our meeting, of course. JOURNALIST: So the trip to Italy is about the EEZ? N. KOTZIAS: As I said, it isnt the main or sole subject of our talks, but, as I stated yesterday in Parliament, I dont agree with the approach that says we have to delimit all the EEZs and coastal zones all at once, because it has led, 30 years later, to our not having achieved anything. From 1986 until today - 31, almost 32, years. It is better for us to support our positions one by one and extend them. JOURNALIST: Minister, last year Mr. Hahn issued the Commissions conclusions on the subject of enlargement, but the briefing of the members of the Council of Minister of Foreign Affairs which met a few days later lacked depth. Did you draw his attention to the need to avoid repeating this mistake? N. KOTZIAS: In the case of enlargement, the Commission has limited criteria with regard to some states. When the Commission report came to the Council, we added the necessary criteria. For example, the report on Albania raised only the judicial issue, but this was complemented with a total of five, which are the actual issues. We want Albania to resolve these issues. We want to contribute to their resolution and we want our relations to develop. Be aware that there are other countries that, despite not raising these issues initially, are rerthinking these issues in a very strict manner much stricter than our thinking was. JOURNALIST: Do you mean a veto? N. KOTZIAS: Ive said what I had to say. JOURNALIST: Mr. Hahn tweeted that Greece is a key partner on the enlargement issue. Would you like to comment? It made a very positive impression on us. N. KOTZIAS: I think Mr. Hahn recognizes and attests to the reality of the situation: that our foreign policys role has been upgraded, that our foreign policy is proactive, and that we are not just waiting for the large states or the Commission to make decisions. Athens has a role, and not just in this sector. JOURNALIST: Minister, of late we have seen optimism regarding the name issue in both Athens and Skopje. This bears out what you said in your previous press conference: that it can and must be resolved in the first half of 2018. Now, following the first meeting with Mr. Nimetz, are you optimistic personally? N. KOTZIAS: I think we have to be a little faster in the negotiation process, so that it doesnt drag on. In other words, the teams decision was for the next meeting to take place at the end of January. This seems a little far off to me. We started in November. The negotiators fell ill. It is now December, and the next meeting is set for the end of January. In other words, we will be meeting again after three months. If it goes on like this, the targets they themselves have set will become more difficult to reach. JOURNALIST: Are you afraid of something? N. KOTZIAS: I have never been afraid of anything. This is well known. And I have no reason to fear anyone or anything. JOURNALIST: In an interview with the Athens News Agency, Prime Minister Zaev said he hopes and is planning to visit Athens. Do you have any information on that from the Greek Prime Ministers office? N. KOTZIAS: I think that our Prime Minister is always open to meeting at international fora with the leaders of other countries, and especially of our northern neighbours. But an official meeting can happen only after we have moved ahead in the negotiations. The meeting must have purpose and content, even if we dont make everything public. Because there are certain things you have to discuss with someone. But things have to move ahead for there to be meetings. In other words, if an official meeting is announced, you will know that significant progress has been made. JOURNALIST: (off microphone) N. KOTZIAS: What I said was that, when the negotiation process ends, it will take two or three months for the results to go through the UN, and then come our friendly countrys applications to the international organizations. Because, 2019 brings an election cycle. So by summer Im not saying six months hard and fast, maybe seven or eight months we need to have resolved the issue. If we dont do that, we cant resolve it in 2019, so well go for 2020. It will, therefore, be moved back. I never said that we have to resolve it now, but if they want us to resolve it and open the EU negotiation process, it has to happen now. What I always say, which is what I said to Mr. Nimetz in our meeting and in the latest talks with Mr. Hahn, is that the government and I place our hands on our hearts and say we want a solution. Let them respond by putting their hands on their hearts too. Because if we want a solution, it is a matter of deciding we do. It isnt a matter of finding the right phrasing or finding a secret. It isnt a matter of some professor coming up with a fantastic idea. At the table, we all know what the issues are, the method for solving them, what the content is. Consequently, I think we need to do this soon. But this also depends on other factors. Mainly on the state of mind in these countries, on the resolve of their leaderships to compromise. That is why, as you have seen, I always underscore that this culture, which is the European culture and is the culture of our civilization, the culture of consensus, of compromise, of good, not rotten, compromise of good compromises, so that it is win-win for all sides. And, chiefly, so that we can escape this prison of history. We will not make a bad compromise, a rotten compromise, as I am fond of saying, and I dont think anyone from the other side wants a rotten compromise either. JOURNALIST: I want to ask whether the subject of the election of the mufti in Thrace came up at any point during Erdogans visit. N. KOTZIAS: We don't discuss those kinds of things with Mr. Erdogan. For the first time, I would say, and I consider this excellent with regard to Thrace, Mr. Erdogan made the following admissions: First, he admitted that there is a Muslim population that is not of Turkish origin, but is Pomak or Roma in origin. And in fact I cant give you the numbers now, because I didnt come here to talk about this I have the sense that ten years from now the Roma will be the majority Muslim population in Northern Greece. This is, therefore, a very important admission, because it recognizes that the Roma have nothing to do with what he would like to say. The second is his statement that Turkey understands and agrees, accepts that the issue of the Muslim minority is a domestic matter, that no one can play the role of protector of the Muslim minority, and that is why he said, We arent expressing a political stance. We are making a request out of our general interest in Muslim populations. I think these two positions were extremely good, and his conduct was extremely good from this standpoint. Im not saying from every standpoint, because the last time Mr. Erdogan came to Greece he made four speeches that hadnt been scheduled. Turks had come from Istanbul, even the Secretary of his party, the AKP, was in Komotini. This time we didnt have mobilisations of this kind, which is why we didnt see such large crowds. If you look at photos from 2004, it was a different situation. Another positive thing is that he didnt visit the villages with majority Muslim populations, as he had done the last time. He kept to the itinerary, and thats why we didnt see the four-hour delay we saw in 2004. As I said in Parliament yesterday, I think that, because the opposition said that what Erdogan would do in Thrace was the criterion on which the visit would be judged they said this before everything else started this proved to be the most coordinated and cautious official visit a Turk has paid to Thrace. And since I am often asked, Why should they go to Thrace?, my answer is that we have nothing to fear and nothing to hide. We are proud of the fact that in Thrace in spite of many difficulties, with many social and economic measures needed the Muslim minority is growing and developing, in contrast to what happened with the Greek community in Istanbul in the 1950s. I and the Prime Minister said this to Mr. Erdogan in person. JOURNALIST: Again regarding the Erdogan visit. You said in Parliament yesterday that the only change was the interview, which wasnt given to the Athens News Agency, but to SKAI the Turkish producer intervened, as you said. Were you informed of this by the other side, or is this based on news reports? N. KOTZIAS: We had a debate in Parliament over whether this visit was well prepared and well programmed, and I made a comparison saying that the previous visit was neither prepared and I read out a despatch from that time nor carried out according to schedule. The last visit was both prepared and programmed. But there was one change, which was a change that broke the agreement. What was this change? Although it had been agreed that the Greek Prime Minister would give an interview to Anadolu and the Turkish President would be interviewed by the Athens News Agency, the first part of the agreement was honoured, the second wasnt. Our information is that, on the flight from Thrace to Istanbul, the President of the Republic of Turkey realised that he had made a mistake in listening to certain people. I conveyed this as information coming from these sources. He didnt say it to me, but the question remains of how and why President Erdogan broke the agreement. Let me clarify something: I am not reproaching anyone for interviewing Erdogan, but the question remains. Im not making an assessment, the fact is, he broke the agreement. Why did he break it? One wouldnt expect it him to break it on that point, but on another for instance, that he wouldnt go to speak in villages in Thrace. He was disciplined on this matter, the difficult matter. This was the explanation the Turks gave. Im not reproaching the journalist, to be clear, but the question remains. Because a shift is being attempted as to whether the visit was programmed and planned which it proved to be in our case while we are being criticized by those who were responsible for the 2004 visit. JOURNALIST: Minister, you and the Defence Minister, Mr. Kammenos, have come under attack from media groups and journalists recently. Can you comment a little on why you think this is happening? Because the attacks on you are at the very least ... N. KOTZIAS: Stupid let me say it. I get the impression the opposition initially dealt with the government as transient, as it would last two or three months. Those two or three months became six, twelve months, two years. Three years in January, and it looks like it will last longer. So they are trying to find other ways to undermine or break up the governing majority, and as part of this I think they are mounting a sustained attack on Mr. Kammenos. The opposition has also seen a number of opinion polls and analyses that indicate that our current foreign policy is held in high regard by the Greek people, including supporters of the opposition especially the patriotic wing of the opposition. It wants to stop this from spreading from the latter to the former. So foreign policy makes me a target too. The third is that it is having difficulty mounting credible opposition to our policy, so it resorts to fabrications. In other words, I observed the following process: there is no scandal including legally; Im not a lawyer, Im not a legal expert, but I do have a PhD in Constitutional Law there is no scandal without a financial transaction. Second, it based this scandal on a source that proved not to be the source. In fact, this source is from the New Democracy camp; this source that was not the source, as he initially appeared to be, through the government of Saudi Arabia or the royal family. He was a Greek who worked with the Saudi Arabian Finance Ministry. When they didnt want him to work with them any more, he went to Britain. He decided that it was in his professional interest to return to Saudi Arabia, but a long way from being the secret informant on what a Ministerial Council is seeking. And I wouldnt have looked into this if it hadnt seemed a little stupid to me from the outset for someone to tell me that the royal Saudi family tells various foreigners what it wants. Anyone familiar with diplomacy knows this doesnt happen. We asked the countrys competent authorities and they said these kinds of things dont happen. In any case, a supposed scandal was staged, and because they themselves were convinced that it is a scandal, they then asked, Who is responsible for the scandal?. The same thing happened now with Erdogan. A failure of the visit was staged before it began. In other words, we are dealing with prophetic abilities, magical political abilities the opposition possesses. And when the opposition had convinced itself that the successful visit was a failure, it had to ask whose fault the failure was. This is a kind of opposition that doesnt have to do with politics. It has to do with psychology, psychoanalysis I am very serious about this. The attacks on me were based on the argument that Mr. Kammenos and they linked me to Mr. Kammenos criticized the Third Secretary -who is one rank above Attache- in Riyadh and I didnt defend the Foreign Ministry employee as I should have done. What I did, and you know this, is I ordered a sworn administrative inquiry (EDE) into the matter; a sworn administrative inquiry that was concluded just yesterday, and we will see its results. I also sent the case to the Prosecutor. How can I judge the actors? But, what I said in Parliament yesterday, and I want you to remember this, is that the actors who criticize me for not defending a Third Secretary who has been with the service for three or four years, have insulted and abused the highest-ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latest insult was aimed at our Ambassador in Ankara, whom they irresponsibly said gets favourable treatment from me. I dont understand. We are talking about an Ambassador who, as I said in Parliament yesterday, stayed in Belgrade during the aerial attacks and has done nothing that shouldnt make him proud of his stance. We are talking about an Ambassador who was, of course, shipped off to Pakistan for seven years by circles here at the Ministry, and they didnt bring him back. We are talking about an Ambassador who is bringing us a new Embassy, who designed the wonderful confidence-building measures and who contributed to there being after many decades directives issued to all the Embassies. We are talking about an Ambassador who has proven himself in a variety of situations, an Ambassador who isnt junior, and I dont know what else ... And he is not the only one they dont defend the same thing has happened to high-ranking, successful Ambassadors who dont belong to our party. It started with this story of the Ambassador and continued with the theory that the Ministry knew everything. The theory that the Ministry knew everything had two aspects. First, there was a scandal and we knew about it, and the knew everything presupposes that I will agree with their nonsense. And second, what they fail to see is that the despatches from the Embassy in Riyadh and the emails that I read for the first time in the press are not addressed to the Ministry. We have an amazing phenomenon here: that I read emails and despatches in newspapers, on 11 November in TA NEA, lets say, I read it on Sunday, 12 November. I came out of the negotiations with the Albanians and flew to Brussels from Crete and there I read an email in TA NEA that I had never seen, and I looked for it, and neither I nor the competent Ministry directorate, A6, nor the Ministry itself were among the recipients. And this isnt the only document. You can understand how this is a problem, in any case. Because the supervising authority through which all actions take place, in accordance with the Constitution, the law, the Ministry statutes, is the competent Directorate and the Minister. They should take a closer look at whom the despatches they have in their possession are addressed to. JOURNALIST: Thank you very much. N. KOTZIAS: Thank you. PORTLAND The town is proposing to buy a 5.5-acre parcel of land along the Connecticut River that could be used to house a visitors center, a museum detailing the quarrying of brownstone and, possibly, a riverfront restaurant. The town has been working for years to acquire the property, the site of the former Connecticut Tar & Asphalt Co. It is located across Brownstone Avenue from the Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park and adjacent to the towns Riverfront Park. Earlier this month, the Board of Selectmen reviewed the proposal during an hour-long executive session that ended at 11 p.m. After leaving the session, the board voted unanimously to send the proposal to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a mandatory review. When the town undertakes a project, the PZC must first determine if the proposal is in compliance with the towns Plan of Conservation and Development, Land-use Administrator Ashley Majorowski explained in the wake of the boards action. The property, which is actually the combination of three parcels of land, was formerly an oil-tank farm. It is owned by the estate of John Balletti, officials said. The town has already used a $200,000 state grant to determine the presence and level of petroleum oil lubricant contamination on the site, First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield said following the selectmens meeting. That property has been reviewed and tested thoroughly tested and we have developed a solid plan for cleanup, Bransfield said. The town has secured money to pay for it, too, she said. Bransfield said she spoke recently to Tim Sullivan, the deputy commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development. Sullivan assured her a $750,000 state grant for remediation of the site is ready and waiting, Bransfield said. The grant was awarded to the town in 2016. The previous Board of Selectmen had approved going forward with the purchase of the property. But given that two members of the previous board Frederick Knous and Kathleen G. Richards were not seeking re-election, members said they felt the final decision should be left to the new board. The towns purchase of the property is conditioned on PZC approving the proposal, Bransfield said. The town was doing a survey of potential brownfield sites in town, she added. A brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. As part of its survey, town officials looked at the property, which has been abandoned and for sale for a long, long time, Bransfield said. Cleaning up the site would open the property for potential development, she said. Even though Portland has the longest riverfront of towns on the Connecticut River, development there has lagged, Bransfield acknowledged. If the plan goes forward, a visitors center and museum could be built, she said. The site could also provide more parking for the Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park, which this year attracted more than 100,000 visitors, a first for the park, Bransfield said. Visitors in numbers like that would provide a ready market for a restaurant, Bransfield said, as would activities such as concerts at the adjacent town-owned Riverfront Park. Bransfield was an early proponent of developing at least one of the two brownstone quarries on Brownstone Avenue as a recreation site. There are other town-owned properties along the road that serve a variety of uses. Acquiring the riverfront property would allow us to do things with those other properties, which, in turn, would improve the neighborhood, Bransfield said. Sebastian Kurz became Austria's 14th postwar chancellor amid public protests over his new government of conservatives and nationalists. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen inaugurated Kurz after his People's Party struck a deal with the nationalist Freedom Party on Friday. Demonstrators marched against the the Freedom Party's participation in the government, albeit with a smaller turnout than in 2000, when the parties first teamed up in coalition. "We have reached a clear consensus about the fact of European, or European Union, continuity in our foreign policy, as well as respect for fundamental freedoms," Van der Bellen said at the swearing in ceremony Monday. He said he was confident of "a consensus on important issues" going ahead. Kurz and Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache presented a program on Saturday that's designed to pre-empt concerns the new administration could stray from the EU or dismantle Austria's institutional setup or welfare state. A new Cabinet in which 31-year-old Kurz is the only experienced government official represents a bigger shift than most of the core policies, analysts said. "The program shows a clear effort to avoid making too big waves both at home and abroad," Thomas Hofer, a political analyst and consultant in Vienna, said in a telephone interview. "Overall, they are playing it defensively for the time being so as to preempt huge protests." About 3,000 protesters gathered outside Vienna's imperial Hofburg palace, according to state broadcaster ORF. Hundreds of riot police were posted to keep them away from the ceremony, so as to avoid clashes similar to those 17 years ago, when the new government was forced to shelter in an underground tunnel. When the Freedom Party, then led by the late Joerg Haider, joined the Austrian government in 2000, the nation was ostracized for several months by other states. While nobody suggests a similar reaction in 2017, Kurz is still determined to "take away worries" in the EU. The Austria Press Agency reported that he will make his first trip as chancellor to Brussels on Tuesday, to see EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, the head of the body representing member states. Kurz's and Strache's reassurances on Europe contrasted with renewed calls to leave the bloc made by the Freedom Party's allies during a weekend meeting in Prague. France's National Front leader Marine Le Pen congratulated Strache, saying his role in the government was "excellent news for Europe," the Associated Press reported. Geert Wilders, who heads the Dutch Freedom Party that is not directly linked to the Austrian group of the same name, praised Strache for "achieving an excellent result" in the talks, according to Austrian radio ORF. World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder in a statement said it "is severely disquieting" that the Freedom Party is entering the Austrian government. Domestically, Kurz and Strache stopped short of a fully fledged attack against some institutions of the Austrian welfare state such as the Workers' Chamber, a mandatory-membership body that's close to the center-left Social Democrats and at the core of the Austrian system of collective wage agreements. While labor laws are set to be loosened somewhat, business associations and think tanks allied with them say the program is timid and should be reworked once four regional elections have been held next year. "Maybe the government's restraint has to be understood tactically," said Franz Schellhorn of Agenda Austria, a business-friendly think tank. "One can only hope that this government will do significantly more than its program seems to indicate after the regional elections." More disruptive than his policy are Kurz's personnel choices. None of his conservative colleagues in the cabinet of outgoing Chancellor Christian Kern will survive the change, and none of the newly designated ministers has any experience in governing. The most important job for European economic and financial policy goes to Hartwig Loeger, the head of Uniqa Insurance Group's Austrian unit, who will succeed Hans Joerg Schelling as finance minister. --- Bloomberg's Matthias Wabl contributed. The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will make its official debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit after being introduced at an event celebrating Chevy Truck's 100th anniversary. Those in attendance at the event in Dallas were Chevy Truck Legends members and other of the General Motors branch's "most passionate owners," according to a news release. Chevy says the new Silverado will be lighter than previous versions by using different aluminum and steel materials in higher-grade alloy, high-strength steel, and others. As for the Detroit debut, a Chevy spokesperson said in an email that will happen 6 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Cobo Center. The Detroit-based automaker did not reveal much more information about the truck beyond a pair of photos showing a front and rear view of the red truck with its new headlamps and a blacked-out front grilled. Chevy also released a promotional video for 2019 Silverado. "2018 is shaping up to be a year of truck wars, with General Motors introducing a pair of redesigned models, including the just-unveiled Chevrolet Silverado, and Fiat Chrysler giving its Ram a makeover, all of which will take on the sales king, Ford's F-Series," Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Autotrader, said in an emailed statement regarding the Silverado. "For Detroit automakers, pickup trucks account for a big chunk of profit and revenues - and provide the important profit-sharing checks for workers." The Silverado was the No. 2 top-selling vehicle in the U.S. in 2016. Sales for the popular pickup might have dropped 4.3 percent, but GM still moved 574,876 trucks. The automaker hopes to catch up ground on the Ford F-Series, in which 820,799 trucks sold in 2016, The 2018 NAIAS opens to the public from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28 at the Cobo Center in Downtown Detroit. Press preview days are scheduled for Jan. 14 to Jan. 16, which is when to check in with MLive for any breaking news or coverage of fresh reveals. Rolls-Royce will bring its all-new near $500,000 2018 Phantom to The Gallery event ahead of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit for the U.S. debut of the luxury vehicle. Automobile Magazine reports the news of the Phantom's U.S. debut after its international debut earlier in 2017. As for The Gallery, the event is now the official kick-off to the Detroit auto show and is held at the Cobo Center. NAIAS reports on its website that the 12th edition of the "ultra-luxury automotive event" will feature a collection of vehicles that totals nearly $10 million. Tickets cost $250 each for the 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 event. Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, and others, are expected to join Rolls-Royce in showing cars at the luxury-themed event. As for the Phantom and those looking to check out a half-million dollar car up close and personal, Rolls-Royce touts the car as the "most silent motor car in the world." "All in all it is a perfect 360deg cocooning effect in a motor car that is approximately 10 percent quieter than its predecessor at 100km/h," the automaker writes in a news release. "Indeed, when Rolls-Royce's acoustic test engineer first reviewed results road and vibration tests, the sound levels were so low they had to check their instruments were calibrated correctly." The 2018 NAIAS open to the public from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28 at the Cobo Center in Downtown Detroit. Press preview days are scheduled for Jan. 14 to Jan. 16, which is when to check in with MLive for any breaking news or coverage of fresh reveals. Russo's Pizza in Wyoming invites you to come enjoy some free pizza Thursday December 21 and meet celebrity chef Robert Hesse at the same time. Hesse, a two time contestant on the television show Hell's Kitchen, has been working at Russo's for the last few months in order to "keep my skills sharp". He figured Russo's would be a great place for this since they are "always busy, have good equipment, and a sense of controlled chaos" he said. Russo's Pizza owner Mike Russo, who's been happy to have Hesse in his kitchen, clarified that Russo's is "a symphony of chaos." Hesse's own life has been a bit of a whirlwind as well, to say the least. From growing up as an orphan in New York City, to spending time in jail, to finding his true calling in the kitchen, Hesse has battled for everything he's attained. After getting clean, he landed a scholarship to attend culinary school in his 20's, and embraced everything about the restaurant business. Since then, his career has spanned the globe. He's worked across the country, and in several different foreign countries as well, living the life of a chef vagabond. For a while, "if it didn't fit in my bag, it didn't go with me" he said. When he was first on Hell's Kitchen, in 2009 "everything changed". The show helped open doors for him, and he's worked as an executive chef at several different places, including most recently at Noto's Kitchen in Grand Rapids. Chef Hesse is scheduled to appear again on an all-star version of Hell's Kitchen this spring. He leaves for taping in California this January. In order to send him off, Russo's Pizza is having a special meet and greet, with free pizza on Thursday. "When I knew that I was going back to Hell's Kitchen, I sought out Russo's on purpose. I knew that I wanted to work for the best pizzeria in Grand Rapids, in order to get ready for the show", chef explained. Russo's Pizzeria has been open since 1953, and is one of the oldest pizzerias in the area. In addition to hand made pizza, they offer many other house made Italian specialities, including lasagna, meatballs, cannoli and tiramisu. Russo's was featured on our search for Michigan's Best sub sandwich earlier this year. Hesse has really enjoyed his time here in Grand Rapids, especially the time that he's gotten to spend with his young son Ayden. He hopes to be able to return here after taping is completed this spring. "No matters what happens with TV, it doesn't matter. I'm having fun. I'm always going to be a chef." If you go: Russo's Pizza (616) 530-3200 The event will take place Thursday December 21 from 2-4pm. ANN ARBOR, MI - A city-backed program intended to help Ann Arbor area residents go solar is having financial problems, leaving several residents without panels months after they made payments. Local residents still waiting for their promised rooftop solar arrays say they're frustrated after shelling out thousands of dollars. Geostellar, the West Virginia-based private company that launched a solar group-purchase program in Ann Arbor this year in partnership with the city and the nonprofit Clean Energy Coalition, acknowledged the problem in response to questions from The Ann Arbor News. "Geostellar has suffered liquidity issues due to aggressive actions of secured creditors. This has negatively impacted our ability to fulfill certain commitments in a timely manner," said David Levine, CEO of Geostellar, an online platform that guides residents through the process of getting solar panels installed on their homes. The company has had financial problems and openly acknowledged on a crowdfunding webpage this year that it incurred losses totaling several million dollars over the two previous years. The company is now putting its faith in the launch of a new cryptocurrency token similar to Bitcoin. "We've developed a cryptocurrency token, Zydeco, planned for release later this year in an Initial Coin Offering ('ICO')," the crowdfunding page states. "Each token will represent a watt of potential solar capacity. The purchase price of tokens will be applied to the development of solar projects. When the total solar power capacity represented by a campaign is deployed, value will be transferred back to the token." Geostellar is now working with an entity called Indeco, and the token is being referred to as "the indecoin." Geostellar partnered with the city of Ann Arbor and the CEC to launch the solar group-purchase program known as the Ann Arbor Solar Club at the beginning of this year. Open to anyone in Washtenaw County, it was intended to help make going solar simple and affordable, but going through Geostellar -- an out-of-state middleman -- instead of going directly through a local solar installer such as Homeland Solar or SUR Energy in Ann Arbor, has proven to be more of a hassle for some. For several others, it has worked out and they now have solar panels on their homes. Levine said there are nine local homeowners who made payments for solar installations that haven't happened yet. He said Geostellar is still working with Waterford Township-based Oak Electric Service to fulfill commitments in the Ann Arbor area. Residents say they've been waiting months and can't get any assurances when that might happen. The Geostellar website is no longer functioning and emails to its staff bounce back with auto-reply messages. "We are very close to resolving this," Levine said of the financial problems, indicating he thinks the solution that's in the works could be important for the whole solar industry. Scio Township resident Andy Adamson is one of the residents who've been waiting months for solar panels through Geostellar. He said he joined the program in February, made two payments to Geostellar in April and August, and next to nothing has happened. He said the permits "took forever" to obtain, the Suniva-brand panels that were promised were said to be unavailable, and he doesn't think Geostellar has been honest about everything. "I have been promised solar-panel installation on my house since June," Adamson said, adding he's still waiting after paying thousands of dollars and Geostellar appears to be out of business. Ann Arbor wants to go solar in a big way to shrink carbon footprint Lodi Township resident Julie Wietzke said she and her husband are in a similar situation, still waiting for their promised panels after paying Geostellar thousands of dollars. Wietzke said she and her husband turned to Geostellar shortly after the program was announced early this year. Geostellar sent them an initial proposal in February for a 20-panel, 5.6-kilowatt array, with an estimated installation cost of $11,506 after a group-purchase discount and a 30-percent federal rebate, which would come in the form of a tax credit the following year. Geostellar estimated the panels would provide 77 percent of their energy needs and save them $38,675 in the first 30 years of use. Solar panels can last decades and are typically warrantied for 25 years. Wietzke said she and her husband agreed to the proposal in February and made an initial down payment equal to one third of the total. After an onsite review, the proposal was amended in May, changing it to a 19-panel, 5.6-kilowatt array that would meet 74 percent of their energy needs, cost them $11,942 after discounts and tax credits, and save them an estimated $34,581 over the first 30 years. The installation was to be done by Oak Electric. Wietzke said months went by before they were told in September the necessary permit approvals were secured and another one-third payment was needed, which they paid. She said they were told the money would be used to buy the solar equipment and the installation would be scheduled soon. But on Oct. 18, they were told by Geostellar the company was having a "cash crunch." "I can only imagine your frustration, and I do apologize for it. As you may have heard, Geostellar is experiencing a cash crunch. We are still in business and working very hard to get your installation completed," Goestellar's Glenn Twyman wrote in an Oct. 18 email, saying there were several possible solutions in the works. In an Oct. 26 email, Twyman again offered reassurances that Geostellar still planned to meet its obligations eventually. But by December, emails to Twyman began to bounce back with an auto-response message saying he was not able to assist, directing anyone contacting him to instead contact Levine, the CEO. Wietzke said she and her husband haven't been able to get any response from the company this month. Representatives for the city of Ann Arbor and the Clean Energy Coalition didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Ann Arbor is trying to get residents to go solar to help meet the city's community-wide goals of significantly reducing carbon emissions and moving away from fossil fuels to cleaner, renewable energy. Mark Clevey, vice chairman of the city's Energy Commission and founder of the Ann Arbor Solar Users Network, said he couldn't comment on the matter because he and other members of the Energy Commission have been directed by the city attorney's office not to discuss or answer questions regarding Ann Arbor's solar program and instead refer all questions to Nate Geisler. Geisler, the city's energy programs analyst, said the city would be providing a response on the matter on Monday, Dec. 18. Ann Arbor taking first step to add solar to downtown parking facilities Geostellar's financial problems have been known for months. The company launched an online crowdfunding campaign earlier this year to try to get people to invest in "the dawn of the solar age." The crowdfunding page shows the company raised $321,838 from 725 different investors as of Oct. 11. The company openly warned investors of potential risks, though. "We have incurred operating losses since our inception on February 22, 2010," the crowdfunding page states. "We have incurred net losses of $3,581,413 and $5,778,487 for the two fiscal calendar years 2015 and 2016, as we have invested in our patented online (web, mobile and tablet) big-data geomatic technology platform ... focused on lead generation, developed our sales and fulfillment processes, and worked towards cash flow breakeven point. "We expect to continue to incur net losses from operations as we finance our operations, expand our fulfillment, engineering, administrative, sales and marketing staffs, and implement internal systems and infrastructure to support our growth." Failure to grow at a sufficient rate to support those investments, the crowdfunding page states, could adversely affect the business. The company said its ability to achieve profitability depended on a number of factors, including growing its customer base, finding more investors, maintaining and further lowering capital costs, and reducing the time between first customer contact and interconnection to the power grid. That last factor, it said, would improve customer satisfaction and conversion rates, and reduce "fallout." It's unclear how many homeowners in the Ann Arbor area successfully had panels installed on their homes through the Geostellar program this year. As of May, it was said that at least six installations had been completed and at least 12 more were in the works. The Ann Arbor News has asked for an updated count but has not gotten a response yet. To remedy the situation in which the company finds itself, Levine said Geostellar's board of directors has authorized collaboration with a new entity called Indeco, which he said has hired key Geostellar personnel in management, engineering and customer support. "Indeco has pioneered a new shared ownership model for solar energy on the blockchain, transforming a watt of solar power into a tradable digital asset," Levine said. "We are hopeful that this effort will restore liquidity to our joint endeavor and allow us to rapidly meet our commitments to homeowners in Ann Arbor." He said Jeremy Zinn of Oak Electric has offered to work with Indeco to complete projects in the Ann Arbor area. "We're still ironing out the details but making rapid progress and are committed to meeting our commitments," Levine said. The Indeco "crypto asset token" is explained on another crowdfunding page that shows $53,280 raised from 117 investors: "At Indeco (which stands for Independent Ecosystem), we're leveraging the power of the blockchain to bring about positive environmental, social and economic change," the page states. "Our standard unit of measure, the indecoin (INDE, pronounced "indy"), is based on a single watt of solar power capacity! We believe the energy, economic and environmental benefits of solar power are sufficiently quantifiable and universal. As such, solar power should support a stable, reliable, crypto asset in the global economy." Homeland Solar, a local solar installer in the Ann Arbor area, recently received the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association's "Business Leadership Award." The company has completed close to 100 solar installations in and around Washtenaw County since 2011 and owner Dave Friedrichs says he hopes to double that number in 2018. LANSING, MI - Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti students traveled to Lansing on Dec. 6 to show lawmakers their technology projects as part of the 17th annual Student Technology Showcase at the Capitol Building. Students Ann Arbor's Scarlett Middle School and Ypsilanti Community High School's STEMM Middle College joined students from 37 other schools across the state in setting up displays on a wide variety of technology projects that blended science, math, social studies and language arts with the latest digital tools. The event is presented by the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning and underwritten by AT&T and Michigan Virtual. "It's fascinating to see what today's students can deliver with the support of effective curriculum, instruction and technology," said Mark Smith, MACUL executive director, in a press release. "We are excited to help showcase student interactions with 21st-century tools and ideas, so policymakers, educators and the public can fully appreciate the things now taking place in classrooms across Michigan." (From left to right) Ypsilanti STEMM Middle College students Kyle James, Maelle Jennings and Dalton Smith participate in the 17th annual technology showcase on Dec. 6, 2017, in Lansing. (Provided photo) Local students involved in the technology showcase included: Erik Herridia, Lakman Dhinahar, Pedro Salazar, Brandon Garduno, Tioulwani Adeoson and Jasmine Nava, of Scarlett Middle School; and Kyle James, Maelle Jennings and Dalton Smith, of Ypsilanti's STEMM Middle College. The technology showcase also included recognition for state Rep. Christine Greig, D-Farmington Hills, and State Sen. Ken Horn, R- Frankenmuth, as "Legislators of the Year" for their dedication to improving Michigan's educational system. Andrea Cole Students at the Wayne State University campus By the time Kelly Toal began taking classes at Wayne State University, she had seemingly reached a stable place in her life. She had strong support, good friends, and a purpose. She was certain that her mid-teen anxiety and depression diagnosis was situationalrelated more to her parents' difficult and lengthy divorce than to her own mental health.So she was surprisedand frightenedwhen depression and suicidal thoughts crept back into her life."I thought that part of my life was over," says Toal, a psychology undergrad. "Getting hit with depression that seemed so random was jarring, and sad, and hard."For the first time, Toal saw her depression as a mental health condition. "That made me realize I needed to deal with this. Shake hands with it and look it in the face," Toal says.While her experience is unique, it's not uncommon. College students, often living on their own for the very first time, face significant stressors, including compounding social, financial, and academic challenges. Those predisposed to anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health conditions are especially vulnerable. Experts say that 50 percent of lifetime mental health conditions begin by age 14, and 75 percent begin by age 24.Concerned Metro Detroit stakeholders, recognizing the prevalence of youth mental health conditions and the value of early diagnosis and treatment, are leveraging initiatives designed to boost education about mental health, challenge social stigma, and pave access to treatment. And they're partnering with schools to achieve these goals.Suicide is the second most common cause of death among college students, and some experts consider campus mental health challenges to be epidemic. In a recent survey by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 73 percent of students who responded say they experienced a mental health crisis at college, and cited stigma as the top barrier to seeking support on campus.This fall, more than a dozen Michigan colleges and universities launched a program to increase support and awareness of student mental health conditions.With the support of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and Michigan Health Endowment Fund, 13 participating schools will spend the next four years as a JED Campus . Through a partnership with New York-based Jed Foundation, schools will receive technical assistance to assess their current mental health support capabilities, and gain tools to reduce suicide and promote mental wellness.But the program is a lot more than boosting funding for student counseling centers. It's about creating a culture of campus-wide awareness."A lot of schools don't have a game plan to deal with mental health conditions. There's not enough awareness in education. Resident assistants, faculty, and security don't know the warning signs," says Andrea Cole, executive director and CEO of the Flinn Foundation . "We're building comfort levels in talking about it."The effort begins with an assessment by the Healthy Minds Study , a University of Michigan survey to measure stigma on campus, and a dive into policies and procedures.Because most students who are overwhelmed or anxious don't, or won't, seek counseling, Jed provides training for everyone who interfaces with students, including deans, residence assistants, equity and diversity officers, and even fellow students."Everyone is trained to respond to low risk [situations] and refer students for help," says LeAnna Rice, campus advisor for Jed Foundation . "We are trying to create a culture of care on campus."Promoting cultural sensitivity, for which Jed provides framework , is a priority for Michigan funders, so all students feel empowered to get treatment when needed, rather than failing or dropping out."It's a good time to see if they can be caught up with, so that they receive the right attention and care, if needed, so mental health issues don't get in the way of their path to higher education," says Larry Burns, president and CEO of Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation It's best to recognize and treat conditions long before college. That's why Kent, Jackson, and Oakland intermediate school districts are implementing Project AWARE to improve the mental health literacy and provide youth mental health first aid training to those who interact with kids. The program is grant-funded through the Michigan Department of Education by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.In addition to training 1,000 staff in the Holly, Pontiac, and Waterford school districts, Oakland Schools will also offer training to the public six times a year, and work toward sustainability before the grant ends in September 2019."We're working to recognize sooner when a youth is struggling, and engaging in the conversation that there are people to support you, and get you connected to someone who can help more," says Holly Douglas, manager of community programs at Oakland Schools.A needs assessment revealed treatment barriers from transportation challenges, so all three districts are partnering with Easter Seals Michigan to co-locate mental health services directly in the districts.A scientific, health-based framework works for Heather Irish and her 19-year old nonprofit MINDS . She shows scans of healthy and affected brains to students in middle and high school health classes to illustrate the medical nature of mental illness. In every class, a majority of students admit to knowing someone who has talked about or attempted suicide.Irish empowers kids to help themselves and each other when times get tough. "Go on the internet and show your friend the symptoms. Point to what you feel. That takes the pressure off," Irish says. "I have found over the years that friends are incredibly important in providing support and saying let's go to the clinic together."For Kelly Toal, a caring friend became a strong confidante. "She was the first to talk so openly about mental health, and the result was I opened up to her," she says. "When I hit bottom, she was there. I told her I was feeling suicidal, and she stayed by my side. In the past, I would never have reached out."When life piles on, Toal urges students to recognize their own individual efforts as victories. "Keep trying and you'll find a place or a space where you are happy being exactly who you are," she says."Once, my older brother told me he just wanted me to be happy being Kelly Toal. And after 10 years of struggling with my mental health, I'm proud of who I am, and who I can continue growing to be." BPCL live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More PSU Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited has agreed to provide grants and investments to two highly promising startup ventures at Maker Village, managed by IITM-K,under its flagship Project Ankur that aims to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation nationwide. BPCL is offering to support further development of an Underwater Drone created by EyeROV Technologies and a Cattle Milking machine that enables early detection of dairy cattle diseases, developed by Resnova Technologies, a release issued by Maker Village said here. Aravind Krishnaswamy, General Manager (Strategy) BPCL exchanged MoUs with Jijo Paul, CEO at Resnova Technologies and Johns T Mathai, CEO at EyeROV Technologies, at the Maker Village at Kinfra Park in Kalama. BPCL and Kerala Startup Mission are now working together to find promising new startups to support. Innovative ventures that are in need of funding can get in touch with KSUM and the selected ones could earn grants. "It is great that companies like BPCL are coming forward to support startups in the country. KSUM would be actively working with initiatives like Project Ankur to help startups reach market faster," said Saji Gopinath, KSUM CEO. BPCL's Krishnaswamy said "Compared to other states, Kerala has a very good system for the promotion of startup cultures. Projects like the KSUM and Maker Village are bringing the best out of the startups." "When BPCL was looking for the best ideas to grant funds to, Kerala came into the picture and we were happy to support these deserving ideas," he said. The EyeROV drone can dive 50 meters deep into the water to gather data and is expected to find applications in various fields, including for the Police Department, Fire and Rescue, and the Navy. Resnova's cattle milking machine that doubles up as a disease diagnostic tool could potentially be of invaluable assistance to dairy farmers to tackle cattle diseases before they become full-blown epidemics. Project Ankur scheme of BPCL offers financial aid to startups with significant business potential and social relevance. In all they have allocated a Rs 25 crore for the promising ventures that are selected. "It is a moment of pride for Maker Village that our startups should be the first to be chosen by BPCL for funding through Project Ankur," said Prasad Balakrishnan Nair, CEO, Maker Village. "These innovations are an example of the great work that is being done by our startups and an indicator of more such ideas that will emerge in the future," he said. P Padmanabhan, former Managing Director of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd, Assam and Rohan Kalalni, COO of Maker Village, Kochi, were present at the signing of the MoU. The healthcare insurance industry needs to develop infrastructure and deliver affordable healthcare to the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, which has a 117 million strong work force, according to a recent report. Country's health insurance penetration is less than 30 per cent of the population covered by any type of health insurance policy in the country, it elaborated. "MSMEs form the larger part of India's unorganized sector, which leaves a majority of the sector's workforce without any social security. This section of the society along with their families need to be brought in the fold of healthcare protection not only as a part of a social initiative but also as a lever for improving workforce productivity," FICCI and KPMG said in its report titled, "MSME group health insurance penetration in India". "Providing healthcare coverage is also an important aspect of employee welfare and this remains underpenetrated among MSMEs," it added. The survey said that approximately 90 per cent MSMEs do not offer any financial aid for medical purposes to the families of employees and almost no micro and medium enterprises offer financial support to their employees and their families. MSMEs preferred a basic cover of personal accident and critical illness with a focus on a reduction in premiums and coverage of employees only and they primarily prefer to purchase insurance through broking channels and bancassurance, with group health insurance penetration through online channels at minimal level of about 6 per cent. Reaching out to MSME for health insurance has remained a massive challenge for the industry owing to lack of data, diversity and unstructured framework of organisation, it explained. Customisation of group health insurance products, standard advisories and putting up a distributions channel has been some of the many challenges that one has to face. "The goal of improving healthcare coverage to the MSME workforce can be fulfilled through both development of infrastructure and as well as delivering effective and affordable healthcare," KPMG in India partner and head - insurance sector Shashwat Sharma said. "The Government, the insurance regulator IRDAI and the insurance industry can together play a critical role in achieving this objective," Sharma added. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The government has begun the hunt for a full-time chairman and managing director of the world's largest coal miner CIL and invited applications from professionals from PSUs as well as the private sector. Central Coalfields Ltd chief Gopal Singh has been handling the additional charge of CMD of Coal India after Sutirtha Bhattacharya retired from the top post on August 31 this year. While inviting applications through an advertisement for the post of chairman-cum-managing director, the government has said that "the applicants may submit their applications to the Ministry of Coal". Professionals from the private sector along with those from public sector units (PSUs) are invited to apply, as per the communication. "Applicants from state public sector enterprises/private sector should possess at least 25 years or post qualification experience in any organisation of repute....," the ministry said. Government head-hunter PESB had earlier suggested that the Centre may choose an appropriate course of action for selection of CMD of Coal India Ltd as it did not find any of the six candidates interviewed as fit for the top post. "I am looking at creating a search cum selection committee and have sent in a proposal... to look at newer candidates or assess the suitability of the candidate," Coal Minister Piyush Goyal had said. Coal India, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal production, is eyeing one billion tonnes of output by FY2019-20. With the BJP consolidating its win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, CNBC-TV18 spoke to Anil Agarwal, Executive Chairman, Vedanta on his reaction on the victory for BJP and all the things happening in the economy. This election was the catalyst for Modi government to move forward and their victory is a good sign for the state of Gujarat, said Agarwal. The government has undertaken phenomenal reforms in the past but going forward they need to give boost to the private enterprises to take the country/economy to a different level create jobs and eradicate poverty. He said exploration of natural resources will drive nation forward. There is tremendous opportunity to improve infrastructure. He is also extremely bullish on Aluminium going forward on back of increase in consumption of the metal. Gross Non-performing Assets (NPAs) of banks crossed Rs 8.50 lakh crore at the end of September 2017, Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla informed the Lok Sabha. "Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that the growth in provisions for NPAs of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in the first half of the current financial year (as on September 30, 2017 over March 31, 2017) was 9.5 percent," he said in a written reply to the house. The RBI has issued directions to certain banks for referring 12 accounts, with fund and non-fund based outstanding amount greater than Rs 5,000 crore and with 60 per cent or more classified as non-performing as of March 31, 2016, to initiate insolvency process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, the minister said. These 12 accounts constituted about 25 percent of the gross NPAs of the banking system, he said in another reply. In addition to these accounts, Shukla said, RBI has also issued directions to resolve certain other accounts within six months, failing which insolvency proceedings under the Code will need to be initiated. Replying to another question, the minister said there is no proposal under consideration of the government to withdraw bank cheque book facility. "While the government is committed to transform India into a less cash economy and promote digital and electronic transactions through multi-pronged initiatives, cheques are an integral part of the payments landscape and form the backbone of trade and commerce, by being negotiable instruments, which often serve as the security for underlying trade transactions," he said. Sudarshan Sukhani of s2analytics.com told CNBC-TV18, "Best picks in the Nifty 50 would be private sector banks, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries and IT. Although IT is not affected but the trend in IT is very robust. So Infosys and HCL Technologies and then you really could be buy anything." "We are looking at a market that is likely to move up. Bata India has been an outperformer. Biocon has already been at lifetime new highs and that momentum continues." Market High volatility drama played on D-Street early morning when benchmark indices broke below key support levels but soon managed to bounce back after election trend showed that the ruling BJP party is still in the driving seat. The index which slipped towards its crucial support placed at 100-days moving average bounced back to close above 10,350 levels on Monday. The index formed a bullish candle which closely resembles a High Wave kind of pattern on the daily candlestick charts. A High Wave pattern is formed when there is massive or wide movement on either side. It is similar to a Spinning Top pattern but has long shadows. The pattern indicates a market in which there is a lot of uncertainty and indecisiveness. The index moved over 350 points in a single day. The index which opened at 10,263 slipped to an intraday low of 10,074.80 but then bulls managed to regain control and pushed the index to its intraday high of 10,443.55. It closed 55 points higher at 10,388 levels. Investors are advised to tread with caution for another day and see where the trend is going. For the up move to continue, the index has to hold above 10,300-10,350 levels. But, if index witness follow-up buying then Nifty could well head towards 10,600 levels, suggest experts. The Nifty50 witnessed wild swings as it registered a High Wave kind of candle formation before signing off the day. Technically speaking it has registered a breakout as it closed above the 30-days old down sloping channel which is in progress from the high of 10490 of November, Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in told Moneycontrol. However, indices still remain susceptible to the election result outcome. Hence, traders are advised to remain sidelines for one more day as a follow-through buying in next trading session will confirm expansion on the upside towards 10600 levels over a period of time, he said. Mohammad further added that contrary to this a close below 10340 will result in failure of the breakout which shall leave the bulls in more vulnerable position. India VIX fell down sharply by 12.22 percent at 13.11. India VIX has fallen down by 20 percent in last two sessions and needs to hold below 13 zones to get the smooth ride for a potential to head towards new high territory. On the options front, maximum Put open interest was seen at 10000 followed by 10200 strikes while maximum Call open interest was seen at 10500 followed by 10600 strikes. Fresh Put writing was seen at 10,400 strikes while Call writing remained intact at 10450 and 10500 strikes. Put writing at higher strike suggests shifting of the support while intact Call writing at 10500 could restrict its upside momentum, Chandan Taparia, Derivatives, and Technical Analyst at Motilal Oswal Securities told Moneycontrol. The Nifty engulfed the price movement of the last couple of session and formed a Bullish candle on the daily chart. It has to continue to hold above 10300-10330 zones to extend its move towards 10490 then 10550 levels while on the downside supports are seen at 10250 then 10200 levels, he said. December 18, 2017 / 09:03 PM IST FPIs 30bn PTI data-scayt-lang="en_US">400cr FY18 Warburg 500cr Adani Ent Aurobindo DRL frontrunners Pharma ECB 7. Bill to amend Gratuity Act introduced in Lok Sabha 20:43 That's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights. 20:37 Oil companies ask Airtel to revert LPG subsidy payments Days after UIDAI action against Bharti Airtel, state-owned oil companies have started writing to the Sunil Mittal-led firm, asking it to transfer back the LPG subsidy that was credited to its payments bank accounts. The country's largest mobile operator has been accused of opening 'Payments Bank' account of its subscribers without seeking their "informed consent". Bharti Airtel, which also operates this new category of banks, has been allegedly using Aadhaar numbers of mobile subscribers to open their accounts, which led the subsidy to flow to the latest bank account linked to the biometric ID. 20:25 ED fails to ensure Mallya's presence, tells court about steps The Enforcement Directorate told a Delhi court that despite its efforts, it could not ensure presence of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya before it to face trial for allegedly evading summons in a FERA violation case. The agency informed Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Shehrawat about steps it had taken, including sending summons to Mallya's office and residences and publishing notices in various newspapers about the notice seeking appearance in the matter. The court has now posted the matter for December 22 when the ED may press for declaring Mallya a proclaimed offender (PO) since the court had already given him the last opportunity to appear today in the case. 20:21 Tata Power Renewable Energy commissions solar plant in Karnataka TPREL, the Tata Power wholly-owned subsidiary, has built the two 50 MW solar plants on over 533 acres. Sale of power from the plant has been secured under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with NTPC Ltd. at a tariff of Rs 4.79 per unit, the company said in a statement. With this development, TPREL's total installed operating capacity now stands at 1,614 MW, the company said. 20:18 Farm loan waivers to raise state deficits by Rs 1.08 trillion: Report The farm debt waivers announced by the five large states together will widen the combined fiscal deficit of the states by Rs 1,07,700 crore or 0.65 percent of GDP this financial year, warns a report. The combined fiscal deficit of the states for FY18 has been budgeted at 2.7 percent of GDP or Rs 4.48 trillion. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka have announced farm loan waivers this year after a string of farmer suicides in these states. 19:53 Rupee regains strength after early plunge, ends 20 paise down In line with local equities, the rupee too recouped its massive initial losses but ended still lower by 20 paise to 64.24 a dollar after the trends showed the BJP will form governments in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Scripting its biggest single-day fall in the recent past, the rupee nosedived by a whopping 70 paise to 64.74 in early trade after a sense of panic and disbelief rippled through currency trading after initial trends suggested that the ruling BJP was lagging behind in Gujarat election results. 19:46 NOTA voters a fraction of voter share in Gujarat, Himachal Assembly elections, here's what it means The Gujarat Assembly elections this year saw close to two percent of its voters going for the None of the Above (NOTA) option, while 0.9 percent of voters in Himachal Pradesh did the same. According to the Election Commission data, 1.8 percent of the voters , or 521321 of the voters expressed their displeasure at all the candidates by opting for NOTA in Gujarat. Read our full story here 19:28 Oil cos ask Airtel to revert LPG subsidy payments Days after UIDAI action against Bharti Airtel, state-owned oil companies have started writing to the Sunil Mittal-led firm, asking it to transfer back the LPG subsidy that was credited to its payments bank accounts. The countrys largest mobile operator has been accused of opening Payments Bank account of its subscribers without seeking their informed consent. Bharti Airtel, which also operates this new category of banks, has been allegedly using Aadhaar numbers of mobile subscribers to open their accounts, which led the subsidy to flow to the latest bank account linked to the biometric ID. 19:01 Trump in strategy document to cite China, Russia as competitors President Donald Trump will declare that China and Russia are competitors seeking to challenge U.S. power and erode its security and prosperity, in a national security strategy he will lay out in a speech on Monday. "They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence," according to excerpts of Trump's strategy released by the White House. The strategy, a product of months of deliberations by the president and his top advisers, does not repeat former President Barack Obama's 2016 description of climate change as a U.S. national security threat, aides said. 18:48 GST, rating upgrade major achievements of 2017, says FinMin The GST rollout, improvement in World Bank's ease of doing business ranking and sovereign rating upgrade by Moody's marked 2017, the finance ministry today said highlighting major accomplishments during the year. "Enhancing the quality of life remained primary goal for government when it put into implementation the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission to benefit more than 48 lakh central government employees," the ministry, headed by Arun Jaitley, said in a statement. 18:31 Bitcoins: IT notices to 4-5 lakh HNIs across the country Widening its probe into bitcoin investments and trade, the Income Tax (IT) department is set to issue notices to 4 to 5 lakh high networth individuals (HNI) across the country who were trading on the exchanges of this unregulated virtual currency. The taxman had conducted surveys at nine such exchanges last week to check instances of tax evasion. The department, official sources said, found that out of the estimated 20 lakh entities registered on these exchanges, about 4 to 5 lakh were operational and indulging in transactions and investments. 18:22 Iran economys recovery strengthening but bank reform is urgent, IMF says Irans economy is starting to recover more rapidly from years of international sanctions but the country urgently needs to shore up its banks, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Monday. Gross domestic product growth soared to 12.5 percent in the year through last March 20, but that was almost entirely due to a leap in oil exports, after most sanctions were removed under a deal with world powers on Tehrans nuclear programme. Oil exports are no longer growing nearly as fast. But the economic recovery is now beginning to extend to non-oil areas, said Catriona Purfield, head of an IMF team which held annual consultations with the Iranian government this month. 17:51 HSBC sees brighter growth prospects for India by FY20 and beyond India's growth prospect is likely to see a slowdown in the next two years followed by recovery in the medium term, with 2019-20 GDP expected at around 7.6 percent, says a report by HSBC. According to the global financial services major, India's growth story has a two-part narrative. The first is a slowdown and gradual recovery in the short run, likely over 2017-18 and 2018-19 as key sectors revive from disruptions related to the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST). The subsequent narrative is of brighter growth prospects in the medium term (2019-20 and beyond), HSBC said in the report adding that "we forecast growth at 6.5 percent, 7 percent and 7.6 percent over 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively". Payments platform Paytm today said its QR code will now allow shopkeepers to accept customer payments directly into their bank accounts at zero percent charge. The company also plans to invest Rs 500 crore in 2018 towards training and awareness building initiatives to expand the reach and acceptance of Paytm QR in the offline merchant community. "The Paytm QR now allows offline merchants to accept unlimited payments directly into their bank accounts at zero percent charge," Paytm said in a statement. A US tip-off about a planned attack in St Petersburg helped save many lives and Russia and the United States should try to co-operate in the same way in future, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters. Washington provided intelligence to Russia that helped thwart a potentially deadly bombing, US and Russian officials said on Sunday, in a rare public show of cooperation despite deep strains between the two countries. It cannot be called anything but an ideal example of cooperation in fighting terrorism, Peskov said. We should aim for such standards. The tip-off resulted in the detention of seven alleged supporters of the Islamic State militant group in St Petersburg last week, Peskov said. Russias Federal Security Service said on Friday that IS had planned attacks in public places on December 16 and weapons and explosives were found when the suspects were searched. Peskov said Russian and American security services have contacts but this was the first time when their cooperation was so efficient. This was very meaningful information that helped to save many lives, the spokesman said. 16:53 Natco Natco Pharma said it has launched a generic version of Tenofovir Alafenamide, a drug used to treat chronic Hepatitis B in the country. The company is one of the first entities to launch the generic version of the drug under its brand Tafnat, Natco Pharma said in a regulatory filing. Natco is producing Tafnat under license from Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Gilead Sciences. The company said it has priced the medicine at Rs 1,900 for a monthly pack of 30 tablets for the Indian market. tonne India's sugar production rose 30% to 69.4 lakh tonne during the first two-and-a-half months of the current marketing year on higher cane output, according to industry body ISMA. Sugar marketing year runs from October to September. Mills have produced 69.40 lakh tonne of sugar till December 15 of the 2017-18 marketing year as compared to 53.46 lakh tonne in the corresponding period of the previous year, Indian Sugar Mills Association said in a statement. As on December 15, 2017, 469 sugar mills were crushing sugarcane for the year 2017-18 against 449 mills last year same time, it added. 16:34 Lok Sabha Adityanath The resignation of three Lok Sabha members, including Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Prasad Maurya, have been accepted, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said. Adityanath is now the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Maurya is his deputy. Both had tendered their resignations on September 21 which were accepted with effect from that date, Mahajan said. Besides the two BJP leaders, Nana Patole had tendered his resignation from the Lower House on December 8, which was accepted with effect from December 14, she said during Zero Hour. Patole, a BJP leader who had defeated NCP leader and former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in the 2014 general elections, had accused the party leadership of failing to keep promises while raising the issue of farmers' distress. He had quit the BJP and his Lok Sabha seat on December 8. While Patole was elected member from Bhandara-Gondiya constituency in Maharashtra, Adityanath and Maurya represented Gorakhpur and Phulpur constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Goods & Services Tax Network (GSTN), the IT backbone of the new tax regime, said it has put a new function on its portal to allow taxpayers choose the frequency of filing GSTR 1 form on quarterly or monthly basis. Taxpayers with annual aggregate turnover up to Rs 1.5 crore in the previous financial year or anticipated in the current financial year can avail the option of filing quarterly returns. Form GSTR 1 summarises all the sales of a taxpayer. This has been done as per decision taken in the 23rd GST Council Meeting. After giving their option, taxpayers can file GSTR 1 for the relevant return periods, the Goods & Services Tax (GST) Networks said in a statement. It further said that taxpayers who opt for quarterly filing will have to select the last month of the quarter from the drop down menu. 961cr The Income-Tax Department has unearthed undisclosed income of Rs 7,961 crore post demonetisation, from November last year to March, Parliament was informed today. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Pon Radhakrishnan said the department, during this period, conducted searches on around 900 groups, wherein assets worth over Rs 900 crore were seized and undisclosed income of Rs 7,961 crore was admitted. The minister further said that as per the data available to NCRB (National Crime Record Bureau), after cancellation of Legal Character of Specified Bank Notes, an amount of Rs 18.70 crore FICN (Fake Indian Currency Note have been seized by State Police till November 30, 2017 as against Rs 15.70 crore seized the year-ago period. Lok Sabha The government introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that will allow it to notify the period of maternity leave and gratuity that can be availed by employees under a central law. The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was introduced by Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar in the House, amid continued sloganeering by opposition members and counter-slogans by those of the BJP. The Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 was enacted to provide for gratuity payment to employees engaged in factories, mines, oilfields, plantations, ports, railway companies, shops or other establishments. It is applicable to employees who have completed at least five years of continuous service in an establishment that has 10 or more persons. According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill, the amendment would allow the central government to notify the maternity leave period for "female employees as deemed to be in continuous service in place of existing 12 weeks". The proposal comes against the backdrop of the Maternity Benefit Act (Amendment) Act, 2017 enhancing the maximum maternity leave period to 26 weeks. RINL A committee has been set up for revival of loss-making steel public sector undertakings such as Steel Authority of India and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam, Parliament was informed today. The committee consists of members from the Ministry of Steel, PSUs and technical experts, Minister of State for Steel Vishnu Deo Sai said in the Lok Sabha. "A committee... has been set up for revival of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam (RINL) and Steel Authority of India (SAIL). Experts have submitted reports covering several functional aspects of SAIL and RINL like improvement in techno parameters, marketing and branding, equipment maintenance, product mix, raw material handling etc for improving performance," he said. The minister put the losses in the two PSUs down to adverse market conditions and lower net sales realisation of steel products. Increase in imported and indigenous coal prices and downturn in the global steel industry, among others, are also at work, the minister added. Both the companies, he said, have taken various steps to bring down cost of production, namely slashing consumption of BF coke in blast furnaces (BF), increasing production from new facilities, product mix enrichment, reduction in specific power and water consumption and the like. Drishyam Eros International Media shares gained nearly 4% on signing a co-production deal with Drishyam Films. The company has announced a four-film co-production deal with leading production house, Drishyam Films. The first of the four projects, titled Kaamyaab starring Sanjay Mishra along with Deepak Dobriyal and directed National-Award winning filmmaker Hardik Mehta has already gone on floor and commenced shooting on November 25. 15:09 ECB One euro zone bank is falling short of the European Central Banks capital requirements, the ECB said on Monday, meaning it may be asked to curb bonuses, dividends and coupons, reports Reuters. The ECB did not name the bank in its annual review of the 119 lenders on its watch, in which it kept the amount of capital it expects banks to hold against possible losses roughly stable from a year earlier. The review showed the ECBs three-year push to get banks to hold more capital and clean up their balance sheets was bearing fruit but frailties remained, particularly at firms with high levels on unpaid loans. Banks are broadly resistant and stable, Korbinian Ibel, a supervisor at the ECB, said in a presentation. Remaining risks centre around profitability and non-performing loan issues. A chart in the presentation showed most banks on the ECBs watch held significantly more capital than the minimum needed for making payouts to investors and staff. One bank, however, fell short of the mark and another was barely above it. A year earlier, five banks were found to be short of requirements. Two of them, Italys Banca Popolare di Vicenza and Veneto Banca, later collapsed. 14:52 The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill may not be introduced in Parliament even during the Budget Session, as the joint committee looking into it today got an extension for submitting its report. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan informed the House that extension of time has been granted for the joint panel on the FRDI Bill "up to the last day of Budget Session, 2018". 14:48 Targeting mobile-first news consumers, Bloomberg Media and Twitter today launched a global news network TicToc with the coverage focusing on general interest news worldwide. Bloomberg Media is the consumer-facing media organisation of Bloomberg, the multi-platform media company for business and finance. A dozen Arab ambassadors have asked India to clarify its position on the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, diplomatic sources told Reuters, after New Delhis muted response suggested a shift in support for the Palestinian cause. US President Donald Trump abruptly reversed decades of US policy this month when he recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital, generating outrage from Palestinians. Trump also plans to move the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Countries around the world, including US allies Britain and France, criticised Trumps decision, but India did not take sides. Instead, the Indian foreign ministry in a brief statement, said Indias position was consistent and independent of any third party. The bland statement made no reference to Jerusalem and prompted criticism at home that it was insufficient, vague and anti-Palestinian. 700cr QIP FY18 The year 2017 has been an unprecedented year for the IPO market, as a massive Rs 70,000 crore was raised through 122 issues. However, it was not only the IPO mart that garnered such traction. Data shows fund-raising via qualified institutional placement (QIPs) also hit an all-time high of Rs 40,700 crore via 28 issuances so far this year. This number has surpassed the previous year's Rs 13,400 crore, and is the highest till date, beating the earlier peak of Rs 39,300 crore in FY10, Motilal Oswal said in a report. The year also witnessed the biggest QIP issue in the history of Indian market of SBI with an issue size of Rs 15,000 crore. The top five companies have contributed 78% i.e. Rs 31,600 crore of the total QIP raised so far in FY18. The top issuances include SBI (Rs 15,000 crore), Kotak Mahindra Bank (Rs 58,000), Bajaj Finance (Rs 45,000 crore), Interglobe Aviation (Rs 3,800 crore) and Federal Bank (Rs 2,500 crore) were the top issuances for FY18 so far. Of the 28 issues, 11 have delivered 10% returns over the issue price. The top performers include Minda Industries (+165%), Delta Corp (+64%), Sundaram Multi Pap (+55%), Ramkrishna Forgings (+47%), and Satin Creditcare (+36%), the report adds. The year has been dominated by financials, which accounts for 79 per cent of the total QIP issuances so far. While 64% of the stocks have outperformed the benchmark index, there are seven scrips, which are trading at a discount to the issue price. They include Mercator (-17%), AksharChem (-16%), Dena Bank (-16%), Federal Bank (-5%), Nitin Spinners (-5%), Bodal Chemicals (-3%) and Bajaj Finance (-1%). 13:06 Motherson Sumi Vivek Chand Sehgal, Chairman, Samvardhana Motherson Group (SMG), told The Economic Times that he is on the final leg of completing two acquisitions in the automotive space. I am going to give the go-ahead for two new acquisitions. We have a list of companies, and have hired one of the big four consultancies to help us. We have finalised an agreement with one of the target companies, he said. The group has a strike rate of 1:20, i.e., out of 20 companies recommended, the company does due diligence on five before shortlisting one. Sehgal said his company is also investing in organic growth. More than 16 plants are expected to be set up in addition to the acquisitions that are in the pipeline, he stated. 12:26 The Centre has tabled its second supplementary demands for grants in Parliament. It has sought Parliaments nod to spend an extra Rs 33,400 crore net in FY18 and an extra Rs 66,100 crore gross in FY18. 12:23 Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day. 12:16 Aurobindo DRL frontrunners Pharma Indian drug companies Aurobindo Pharma and Dr Reddy's Laboratories are emerging as the frontrunners to buy out bankrupt Orchid Pharma as they seek to expand their capacities, reports The Economic Times. A key player in the injectibles and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in its heyday, Orchid has received interest from 7-8 companies including international private equity funds and stressed asset buyout firms, sources said. "Several parties have submitted their interest. We have received bids from a few local pharma companies as well, who we believe could be a right fit for the company," sources said. "Things will become clearer when we receive binding bids and hopefully at good valuations." Lakshmi Vilas Bank referred Chennai-based Orchid Pharma to the National Company Law Tribunal for defaulting on repayments to the tune of Rs 50 crore. The company owes more than Rs 3,500 crore to a group of lenders led by the State Bank of India. It was on the Reserve Bank of India's second list of 28 defaulters that had to be referred to the NCLT before December 31 if no resolution was found by December 13. 11:25 Adani Adani Enterprises said on Monday it had cancelled plans with Downer EDI to help develop and run its Carmichael coal mine in Australia after failing to secure a cheap government loan for the A$16.5 billion ($13 billion) project, reports Reuters. The move marks the latest blow to the long-delayed Carmichael mine, which has yet to line up financing as a growing list of Australian and international banks, including three Chinese state lenders, have said they would not back the project. Adani and Downer said on Monday they had agreed to cancel all letters of award for mine services and related infrastructure, after the premier of the state of Queensland said she would veto a A$900 million loan from the federal governments Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) for the mines rail line. Bitcoin will surge past $20,000 and continue its meteoric march into six figures, according to independent research analyst Ronnie Moas. "Bitcoin is already up 500% since I recommended it in the beginning of July, and I'm looking for another 500% move from here," said Moas, the founder of Standpoint Research, a self-described "one-man operation" based in Miami. Over the summer, Moas put a $5,000 price target on bitcoin for 2018. At the time, the digital currency was trading at just $2,600. Since then, it has surged to $18,168 as of Monday, according to prices tracked on Coinbase. "The end-game on bitcoin is that it will hit $300,000 to $400,000 in my opinion, and it will be the most valuable currency in the world," Moas told CNBC. favour BJP Prime Minister Narendra Modis ruling party won an assembly election in Gujarat on Monday, three news television channels said. Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won more than 100 seats of the 182 assembly seats in Modis home state, the projections by India Today, CNN News18 and TimesNow said. A party needs 92 seats to rule. Official results are yet to be dFor in-depth analysis of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, click hereeclared by the Election Commission. For in-depth analysis of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, click here Khairani At least 12 people were killed when a fire broke out at a shop in Mumbai's Saki Naka-Kurla area in the early hours today, an official said. The blaze erupted in the shop at Makaria Compound on Khairani Road around 4.25 am following which the structure collapsed, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell said. The persons who were working inside got trapped, he said. The fire brigade and the police reached the spot and rushed the 12 victims to a hospital where doctors declared them dead before admission, the official said. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, he added. 10:21 Warburg 500cr Private equity fund Warburg Pincus is close to buying a 49% stake in Computer Age Management Services (CAMS), India's largest share registry and transfer agent, valuing the company at about Rs 3,500 crore, sources told The Economic Times. The New York-based private equity firm, which started investing in India in the mid-'90s, has the option to take control of CAMS and increase its stake in the company to as much as 74%. "The deal will involve a significant minority stake purchase initially and enables Warburg Pincus to hike its stake in the future in a staggered manner," sources said. The proposed transaction values the company at Rs 3,400 crore to Rs 3,500 crore. CAMS is well capitalised and has minor debt, sources said. Warburg Pincus, which has more than $44 billion in assets under management, trumped peers such as TrueNorth, Partners Group and TA Associates with its bid submitted earlier this month NSE Strategic Investment Corp, a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange, owns 45% in CAMS while HDFC Group and Acsys hold 20% and 35%, respectively. CAMS competes with Karvy Computershare, Link Intime, Bigshare Services and Integrated Enterprises in India. It provides registrar and transfer agency services to mutual funds. The Chennai-based company also provides technology-enabled services to alternative investment funds, banks, NBFCs and insurance companies and know-your-customer services. 10:06 Future Supply Chain Solutions, the logistics arm of the Future Group, lists at a 1.5% premium of Rs 674 per share as against its issue price of Rs 664 per share. Future Supply Chain Solutions, the logistics arm of the Future Group, will make stock market debut today. Its Rs 650 crore public issue was open for subscription from December 6-8. The price band for the initial public offer (IPO), subscribed more than 7.5 times, was fixed at Rs 660-664. The issue comprised sale of 97,84,570 equity shares, amounting to 24.43% stake, by Future Enterprises and private equity investor Griffin Partners. 09:44 FPIs 30bn Foreign investors are flocking to the Indian capital markets in a big way with a net inflow of over $30 billion (more than Rs 2 lakh crore) of so-called 'hot money' in 2017, with equities alone getting over $8 billion - an amount bigger than the cumulative investment of the previous two years. As the year draws to a close, the Indian stock market seems to have regained its status as one of the most favoured destinations for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), as they have taken their net investment position in equities so far in 2017 to Rs 55,000 crore - the highest in three years after Rs 20,500 crore in 2016 and Rs 17,800 crore in 2015. However, this remains a far cry from the heady levels seen earlier - Rs 97,000 crore in 2014, Rs 1.13 lakh crore in 2013 and Rs 1.28 lakh crore in 2012. A sharper turnaround was seen in 2017 in terms of FPI inflows into debt markets where the net investments have soared to a staggering Rs 1.5 lakh crore ($23 billion) after a net outflow of about Rs 43,600 crore in 2016. 09:36 CNN-News18 calls Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election result for BJP. 09:01 IndusInd Sensex The Sensex is set to see a reshuffle today with private sector lenders Yes Bank and IndusInd Bank replacing pharma companies Lupin and Cipla in the index. With the changes in the index, weightage of BFSI space in the BSE 30 will reach its all-time high level, whereas weightage of healthcare sector will hit a seven-year low. IndusInd Bank and Yes Bank will be included in the benchmark, with weights of 2.6% and 1.7%, respectively, taking private banks weightage to 28.1% (up 360 basis points). Banking, Financial services and Insurance (BFSI) will have a weight of 40.1% (up 330 bps) post the reshuffle, which will be more than the combined weights of technology, consumer and auto. According to Motilal Oswal, BFSI and technology will now account for more than half of the index. With the reshuffle, four financial firms will be impacted - in terms of weight - out of top 10 components in the index. HDFC Bank will lose 32 basis points, followed by Reliance Industries (26 bps), HDFC (24 bps), ITC (19 bps), Infosys (18 bps), ICICI Bank (17 bps), Larsen & Toubro (13 bps), Tata Consultancy Services (11 bps), Maruti Suzuki (11 bps) and State Bank of India (10 bps). The Sensex comprises 31 stocks in its portfolio, as it is having DVR shares of Tata Motors along with the ordinary shares of the auto major. DVR stands for differential voting rights. Out of the 31 stocks in the Sensex, 18 have been part of the index since 10 years. Of these 18, three each are from technology and auto. Private banks, consumer and oil & gas have two stocks each, while PSU banks, NBFC, capital goods, metals, telecom and utilities have one stock in the index. The Centre is likely to seek Parliament nod for public sector banks (PSB) recap today, reports CNBC-TV18, quoting sources. The quantum of FY18 recap bonds may range between Rs 60,000 crore and Rs 70,000 crore, they added. The recap bonds will happen in two tranches. Sources said the government is yet to decide on statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) status for recapitalisation bonds. According to sources, it is not necessary that all PSBs will be issued recap bonds in the first tranche. The capital infusion via bonds is contingent on the banks' performance, they added. New home prices in China extended another month of steady growth in November, after picking up slightly in October, shrugging off a range of government measures to rein in an overheated property market as price gains in smaller cities widened, reports Reuters. Chinas housing market has been in a boom lasting more than two years, giving the economy a major boost but stirring fears of a property bubble, with the government taking stern measures to curtail speculative buying. Authorities have been particularly focused on curbing lending for speculation in the housing market in a broad effort to defuse financial risks from a rapid build-up in debt. Average new home prices in Chinas 70 major cities rose 0.3% in November from the previous month, in line with Octobers price gains, Reuters calculated from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data out on Monday. The majority of the 70 cities surveyed by the NBS still reported a monthly price increase for new homes. Fifty cities reported higher prices in November, unchanged from October, indicating broad strength in markets nationwide. New home prices rose 5.1% year-on-year in November, down from Octobers 5.4% increase as the pace of growth slowed in the face of government efforts to engineer a soft landing in the housing market. 08:14 For in-depth analysis of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, click here 08:07 The fate of 337 candidates including Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his predecessor Prem Kumar Dhumal will be known in a few hours as counting of votes begins in Himachal Pradesh where traditional rivals BJP and Congress have contested all 68 seats. The hill state witnessed a record 75.28% turnout and pollsters have predicted a BJP victory. For complete coverage, click here 08:05 Counting of votes for the Gujarat Assembly polls, considered a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his home state and a litmus test for new Congress president Rahul Gandhi has begun. For complete coverage, click here India can achieve an 8% growth rate for the next two decades by promoting investment and improving the living conditions of its people, a senior UN economic official told PTI. Describing India's economic condition as largely positive and "favourable to growth", Sebastian Vergara, an Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations, said the country needs to unleash the next set of reforms to achieve its potential. "It needs to think as to how to maintain and consolidate its growth for a very long period of time. India in our assessment has the potential to grow at 8%, not for a few years, but 20 years," Vergara said. "For that, India needs to come out with the next series of reforms, for example, promote investment and improve the living condition of its population," he said. Despite the positive economic condition, Vergara said, India's economic growth could be a little lower in comparison to some of the earlier forecasts. The UN, in its latest report, projected India's growth rate to be 7.2% in 2018 and 7.4% in 2019. The annual 'World Economic Situation Prospects' report, released last week, said the GDP growth for India in 2017 is projected to be 6.7%. CME Group, the worlds largest derivatives exchange operator, began trading bitcoin futures on Sunday, with the contract opening at what is currently its session high and dropping over 6% within the first half hour. The CME bitcoin front-month futures opened at $20,650 and have so far traded as low as $19,290 and as high as $20,650 in a session that extends into Monday. The new contract was recently at $19,290 on CME, below the $19,500 reference price set by the exchange for the January contract. The reference price, from which price limits are set, is $19,600 for the February contract, $19,700 for March and $19,900 for June, according to CME. The week-old bitcoin futures contract at the CBOE was last trading at $19,280, up 6.5% on the day. Bitcoin recently traded down 1.7% on the Bitstamp exchange at $18,640. Japans export growth accelerated in November to mark a full year of annual gains, underscoring the strength of external demand that has led the economy to its second-longest run of post-war growth. The 16.2% export growth in November handily beat a 14.6% annual gain expected by economists in a Reuters poll, accelerating from a 14% year-on-year increase in the previous month, according to the Ministry of Finance. In volume terms, Japans exports rose 5.5% in November from a year ago, the 10th consecutive month of rises, led by robust shipments to China and Asia, the data showed. SGX Asian shares inched up on Monday, tracking Wall Street, which hit record highs on expectations US lawmakers will pass a long-awaited tax bill, while the British pound hovered near three-week lows amid Brexit talks. MSCIs broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.1%, after rising 0.8% last week. Australian shares were up 0.6%, edging closer to a level not seen since early 2008. Japan's Nikkei rose 1% to 22,795, not far from a 25-year peak of 23,382 set last month. The US tax bill, which will likely cut corporate taxes to 21% from 35% now, has been a major catalyst for this years surge in global stock markets. The tax overhaul is expected to boost corporate profits, triggering share buybacks and higher dividend payouts - a boon for shareholders. Votes on the legislation are expected this week. If approved, President Donald trump could make it law by Christmas, analysts said. The SGX Nifty is currently trading around the 10,400 mark ahead of counting for the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Exit polls indicate a clear win for the BJP in both states. Global financial markets ended last week on a mixed note after concern from investors over potential obstacles to Republican's tax overhaul and a slate of policy meetings from major central banks in Europe. In the US, uncertainty over the progress of House and Senate Republicans in finalising tax reform legislation sparked some volatility late in the week. However, the US markets ended last week on a positive note following reports that Republicans had agreed to extend the child tax credit. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 139 points to 24,652, a record. The S&P 500 gained 0.9% to finish at 2,676. Major European stock indexes were generally down last week. Last Thursday, both the European Central Bank and Bank of England left interest rates unchanged. The ECB promised to hold rates low for an extended period and even maintained a pledge to provide more stimulus if needed. The decisions came a day after a US Federal Reserve meeting where the central bank announced a widely expected interest rate hike but left its rate outlook for the coming years unchanged. German and French markets were down by 0.4% and 0.9%, respectively, , while UK's FTSE was up by 1.3% week-on-week. Investor sentiment in Asia was hit by concerns about tax-reform efforts in the US. Shares in China declined as investors booked profits, reacting to a hike in interest rates following a hike by the US Federal Reserve. In Japan, shares in insurance, banking and communication sectors led the market fall. The Nikkei fell by 1.1% and closed at 22,553 whereas, China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.7% WoW. Back home, benchmark indices in India bounced back on Friday and ended last week on a positive note on the back of the outcome of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh exit polls. On the currency front, the rupee strengthened by 30 paise to close at 64.04 against the dollar from its previous close at 64.34. The BSE Sensex ended last week marginally higher by 0.6% WoW. Matcha Village in Beijing has a variety of desserts made with matcha powder produced in China.[PHOTO BY LI YINGXUE/CHINA DAILY] A new outlet in Beijing's Sanlitun area is reviving an ancient Chinese tradition. Li Yingxue reports. As Japanese-style matcha desserts or drinks can be easily found in Beijing's cafes, and Japanese matcha shops are even spreading throughout the capital, many may wonder if the powder is an imported item from Japan. But the fact is that matcha was introduced from China to Japan in the ninth century. And, now, matcha chocolate truffle, matcha cookies, matcha pudding, matcha cheese tarts, vanilla matcha lattes and matcha ice creamall made with matcha powder produced in China - are available at Matcha Village in Beijing's Sanlitun area. "We want to gather people who are in love with Chinese matcha," says Wang Zhibin, general manager of Matcha Village and president of the American-Chinese Catering Industry Association. "Matcha has more than 1,000 years of history in China, and we want to revive it." Matcha is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed tea leaves. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), people steamed and formed tea leaves into bricks for storage and trade. Then in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the method of making powdered tea was invented by whipping the tea powdered from steam-dried tea leaves and hot water in a bowl. This skill of powdered tea and matcha making then reached Japan, where it was included as an important item at Zen monasteries and mixed with other foods, drinks and cosmetics. manufacturer of Titanium alloys in India. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More A team of railway officials has visited Raigarh to aseess steel plant of JSPL, which is interested in national transporter's tender to procure seven lakh tonnes of rails worth about Rs 3,500 crore, industry sources said. The Ministry of Railways has recently floated a global tender to procure rails. This is the first time that railways has come up with such a tender. At present, state-run Steel Authority of India (SAIL) is the only company supplying rails to the country's largest transport network railways. SAIL manufactures 260-metre long rails at its Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) in Chhattisgarh. Naveen Jindal-led Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) is the only private company in the country which produces rails. A team of Railways comprising officers from Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) are camping in Raigarh and performing an assessment of the JSPL's plant, a source privy to the matter told PTI. While an email sent to the JSPL remained unanswered, an official requesting anonymity confirmed that a railways team is visiting for an assessment of the "domestic producer and supplier of rails". The plant has a capacity to produce 1 million tonne (mt) of rails, about 30 per cent more than the railways' requirement. JSPL is confident of making early deliveries to the Indian Railways if it succeeds in securing the tender, a top company official had earlier said. "It is a golden chance for JSPL (Jindal Steel and Power Limited) as the company has been looking to make inroads into the domestic rail segment for about a decade," Naushad Ansari, CEO Steel Business, JSPL, had told PTI over phone. Ansari had said that the company is fully prepared and well equipped. It is capable of making early deliveries compared to any other player. "If we bag the tender today, we can start making deliveries in just three weeks. It would take much longer for a foreign firm to start making deliveries. JSPL has a capacity to supply over 50,000 mt rail per month." "The delivery (is) to commence as early as possible and to be completed in 12 months from the date of placement of order (in case of domestic bidder) or opening of letter of credit (in case of foreign bidders)," the railway tender stated. The company has experience in rails and is already supplying rails to other countries like Iran, Bangladesh, Mozambique and Brazil. It has yet to enter the domestic rail space as the Indian Railways has been procuring rails from SAIL under an agreement it had signed with the PSU. Ashwini Priolker Mumbais 125-year-old Bhendi Bazaar, which will soon get a major facelift, will not only provide refurbished homes and shops to its residents but will also be disabled-friendly. The redevelopment project, which is being executed by Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT), has decided to include disabled-friendly features. The project spread across 16.5 acres and divided into 9 sub-clusters, is expected to impact over 20,000 people living in more than 250 dilapidated buildings. The entire project is sustainable and all-inclusive. We have taken into consideration the needs and requirements of all our tenants. By incorporating disabled-friendly features into our project we want to make it accessible to not just people with disability but also to senior citizens. These features will be helpful to people living in the neighbourhood and visitors coming to Bhendi Bazaar, says Abbas Master, CEO, SBUT. Some of the prominent disabled-friendly features that will be seen at the redeveloped Bhendi Bazaar include ramps at the entrance, disabled-friendly unisex public toilets, reserved parking for the disabled, wheelchair accessible footpaths and public open spaces, drinking water facilities at accessible height etc. No separate budget has been allocated for incorporating these features. They are part of the Rs 4,000 crore total project cost. Interestingly, according to a government of India survey, more than 80 percent of buildings in Mumbai are not disabled-friendly. There is a huge deficit in what is needed to be done to make our infrastructure friendly for people living with disabilities and what is there on the ground. A daunting task remains in front of the government to make citys infrastructure accessible to all, says Kalhan Mattoo, a Mumbai- based architect and urban planner. The Bhendi Bazaar redevelopment project is spread across 16.5 acres and will knock down 250 dilapidated buildings, 1,250 shops and relocate 3,200 families. They will be replaced by 17 new buildings, divided into nine self-sustained sub clusters, accompanied by modern infrastructure such as wide and green roads. As many as 75 percent of the families inhabiting Bhendi Bazaar belong to the Dawoodi Bohra and Memon communities. Others are trading communities from Gujarat and Kutch regions. Bhendi Bazaar is the first large cluster redevelopment project in Mumbai. The buildings in the area are part of the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) cluster development project. The Trust is overseeing the Bhendi Bazaar Redevelopment Project, which became a pilot, and also one of the biggest projects for urban rejuvenation of one of Mumbais oldest and dying inner city areas. If successful, the project will become a blueprint for similar initiatives across urban India. The project was also picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a showcase smart city project in July 2015. Besides Bhendi Bazaar, cluster developments are coming up at Crawford Market, Mohammed Ali Road and other areas. Under Maharshtras cluster development scheme, a developer needs to prepare a master plan for the area, making adequate provisions for supportive infrastructure. Further, the developer needs to provide free-of-cost tenements to all original and genuine occupiers. A total FSI of 4 is granted for cluster developments, and the developer is entitled to utilize the unused Floor Space Index as a free-sale component which he can develop and sell on the open market. The Maharashtra government announced a cluster redevelopment policy in 2009 that seeks to redevelop the city in clusters rather than single buildings. The area was in the news in September this year when a five-storeyed residential building in this congested area collapsed killing at least 13 people and injuring 16. After waiting for nearly 15 months, homebuyers of Jaypee Wishtown who had filed police complaints against the embattled developer, have now written to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath requesting him to transfer the case to the CBI within a months time. I have requested in the letter that the cases be transferred to the CBI within a month as I feel that the Noida police is not capable of handling these cases. I have followed up the matter with the Noida police number of times but received a standard response that the matter is under investigation. I am not satisfied with their response and want the cases transferred. The letter is dated November 23. If no action is taken within the next few days, I will see what further action needs to be taken, says Krishan Mitroo, head of nine homebuyers associations of Jaypee Wishtown. In the letter, the buyers have also sought details of action taken on the FIR registered in April this year under sections 420, 406, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of IPC. the cases may kindly be transferred to a more professional authority, such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, national investigation agency or any other such Central government agency for investigation, within a period of one month, through which we may hope to seek justice and a logical conclusive action, as deemed fit, says the letter. On August 2016, homebuyers had filed a complaint regarding a matter of fraud and cheating by Jaiprakash Associates. On April 15 this year, around 500 buyers had sat on a day-long dharna at the office of SSP Gautam Budhnagar to protest against lack of action and demanded an FIR be filed. The FIR was finally lodged in the Sector 135 police station, Noida. Nearly Rs 18,000 crore have been deposited with the builder by 35,000 buyers. More than 20,000 units are yet to be handed over. We demand an investigation into the financial misappropriation of the buyers funds by the company. Also, why are we being dragged into the insolvency proceedings, we are only financiers and not creditors, says Mitroo. Last week, in his reply to letters submitted by Jaypee homebuyers, Resolution Professional Anuj Jain had assured them that he will be taking necessary measures for the protection of the interests of homebuyers. The reply also stated that he had submitted an action plan to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover that detailed the steps taken by him under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The action plan was submitted in the November 22 hearing of the case. In two letters to the resolution professional dated September 15 and December 8 earlier this year, as many as 2,440 homebuyers representing nine associations had requested him to give them access to relevant portions of the resolution plan dealing with their interest or consider uploading the extract of the resolution plan dealing with the homebuyers on the website. The Supreme Court last week also extended the deadline for Jaypee Associates, the parent company of embattled Jaypee Infratech Ltd, to deposit an additional Rs 125 crore with the apex court to Jan 25, 2018. The court has set February 1 as the next date for hearing the case. Jaiprakash Associates had deposited Rs 150 crore with the registry on Wednesday last week. At the last hearing on November 22, the Supreme Court had allowed the parent company of Jaypee Infratech Ltd to deposit Rs 275 crore on that day and another Rs 275 crore by December 31 (Rs 150 crore by December 13, 2017 and Rs 125 crore by December 31, 2017). No specific timeline was given to deposit the remaining Rs 1,450 crore. But the SC order that day did say that Needless to say that direction for deposit of Rs 2000 crore shall remain as it is. The only indulgence is to pay the same in installments. A bushel of soybeans are shown on display in the Monsanto research facility in Creve Coeur, Missouri, July 28, 2014. Monsanto engineers designed a chipper to shave a tiny tissue sample off a seed to analyze the seed's genetics. If the sample is positive for desirable genetic traits, the seed is still viable so a breeder can plant it in a field test and use it in the breeding process to create more seeds of its kind. Picture taken July 28, 2014. 20 of 25 Monsanto Stand Alone Picture Package. REUTERS/Tom Gannam (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT FOOD SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AGRICULTURE) - RTR42TJN Angel Commodities' report on Soybean NCDEX Soybean futures closed higher on Friday on fresh buying by the market participants on lower level buying and anticipation of improved demand but down for the week on higher stocks with the mills. The arrivals have been lower in first half of December compared to previous 15 days. As per, Agmarknet, 3.72 lakh tonnes of soybean arrived in physical market in December against close to 5 last year for the same time period. Moreover, in the second half of October about 7.41 lakh tonnes arrived in the market. SOPA increased its meal exports estimates for 2017/18 as government has increased export incentives by 2% to for all meals. According to SOPA, Soymeal exports from the country in 2017 - 18 (Oct - Sep) are seen rising to around 20 lakh tn from previous estimate of 15 lakh tn due to a recent rise in export incentives. Soybean futures are expected to trade sideways to down on reports that mills have sufficient stocks which slows their purchase. Higher incentives for oil meal export, good meal exports and improved estimates for meal exports may support soybean prices. For all commodities report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "First is to hold Tata Motors DVR, then have a stop somewhere below the levels of around Rs 200 and if it bounces up it can climb to around Rs 280 zone that is a place to exit." At 15:05 hrs Tata Motors (DVR) was quoting at Rs 226.55, down Rs 0.10, or 0.04 percent. The share touched its 52-week high Rs 346.00 and 52-week low Rs 208.05 on 01 February, 2017 and 08 September, 2017, respectively. Currently, it is trading 34.52 percent below its 52-week high and 8.89 percent above its 52-week low. Indian pharma companies, that are already grappling with regulatory compliance issues, will now have to be ready for more inspections as the USFDA has tied up with eight EU member states. According to a report in The Economic Times, USFDAs pact with Sweden, Austria, Croatia, France, Italy, Malta and Spain allows for recognition of each other's inspection outcomes and better use of expertise and resources by eliminating duplication. Relying on inspections by EU regulators will allow USFDA to shift resources to other locations, USFDA told ET. Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance secretary general DG Shah agreed inspections could be stepped up but termed it a long-term benefit, underscoring the positive outcome of a few recent inspections. Barring Aurobindo Pharma, Zydus, Cadila and Divis Labs,that have seen comparatively better inspection outcomes, the likes of Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL), Lupin and Wockhardt are in lengthy remediation processes following warning letters and import restrictions. Smaller companies like IPCA Labs, Emcure and USV, having exposure to the US markets, have also been slapped with a steady stream of adverse observations. The USFDA observations have affected the pharma companies adversely with Sun slipping into losses in the first quarter while others like Lupin and DRL showed a wobbly trend with their market value nearly bottoming out in the medium term. Indian companies account for around 30 percent (by volume) and about 10 percent (by value) of the USD 70-80 billion US generics market, according to a India Brand Equity Foundation report. India Economy A dozen Arab ambassadors have asked India to clarify its position on the U.S recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, diplomatic sources said, after New Delhi's muted response suggested a shift in support for the Palestinian cause. U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy this month when he recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, generating outrage from Palestinians. Trump also plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Countries around the world, including U.S. allies Britain and France, criticised Trump's decision, but India did not take sides. Instead, the Indian foreign ministry in a brief statement, said India's position was consistent and independent of any third party. The bland statement made no reference to Jerusalem and prompted criticism at home that it was insufficient, vague and anti-Palestinian. Israel maintains that all of Jerusalem is its capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state and say Trump's move has left them marginalised and jeopardised any hopes of a two-state solution. Last week, envoys from Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait based in New Delhi met Indian junior foreign minister M.J. Akbar to brief the government about an Arab League meeting on Dec. 9 condemning the U.S. decision, a diplomatic and an Indian government source said. The envoys also sought a more forthright Indian response, the sources said. But Akbar gave no assurance and the Indian source said the government had no plans for a further articulation on Jerusalem, which is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Akbar did not promise anything," the diplomatic source briefed on the meeting said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities. India was one of the earliest and vocal champions of the Palestinian cause during the days it was leading the Non-Aligned Movement while it quietly pursued ties with Israel. But under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, New Delhi has moved to a more open relationship with Israel, lifting the curtain on thriving military ties and also homeland security cooperation. Modi's Hindu nationalist ruling group views Israel and India as bound together in a common fight against Islamist militancy and long called for a public embrace of Israel. Modi in July made a first trip to Israel by an Indian prime minister and did not go to Ramallah, the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority and a customary stop for leaders trying to maintain a balance in political ties. P.R. Kumaraswamy, a leading Indian expert on ties with Israel at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, said a "major shift" on India's policy had been evident since early this year when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited New Delhi. "With the Palestinian president standing by his side, Prime Minister Modi reiterated Indias support for Palestinian statehood but carefully avoided any direct reference to East Jerusalem," he said. For decades, Indias support for a Palestinian state was accompanied by an explicit reference to East Jerusalem being the Palestinian capital. But Delhi has moved to a more balanced position, refusing to take sides in an explosive dispute, he said. During the meeting last week, the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia and the Palestinian Authority spoke, the diplomatic source said. Besides the dozen envoys there were charges d'affaires from several other countries in the region. "They were expecting more from India, perhaps to denounce Israel and the U.S." said former Indian ambassador to Jordan and Anil Trigunayat. "But would it really make a difference, adding one more voice?" representative image Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and opposition leader M K Stalin today congratulated the BJP as it headed for victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. Palaniswami called Prime Minister Narendra Modi up to felicitate him for the BJP's show in the two states, an official release said. DMK working President M K Stalin said, "I congratulate the BJP for winning the polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh." The poll results indicated that all secular parties should come together to "protect secularism and democracy", he told reporters outside the DMK office. The BJP today headed for its sixth victory in Gujarat and is all set to evict the Congress in Himachal Pradesh. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Lao Defence Minister Chansamone Channhalat (Source: VNA) Welcoming the minister, PM Phuc stressed that the visit continues to help consolidate and boost the Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship and special solidarity. To maintain the relations, he suggested the two sides continue with high-level delegation exchanges, while the two defence ministries should fulfil their role as advisor and make timely proposals to the two countries leaders. In the training field, Vietnam is doing its utmost to improve the training quality for Lao students in Vietnam, and is willing to help train Laos students in the fields that Laos has demand such as defence, the PM said, adding that Vietnam will increase the training quota for Lao Defence Ministrys officers. He emphasised that Vietnam will try its best to help put the Lao National Assembly House into operation early, serving as one of the symbols for the bilateral relations. The Vietnamese Government leader also reaffirmed Vietnams stance of maintaining the Vietnam-Laos borderline of peace, friendship and stability, asking Lao ministries and sectors to coordinate with Vietnam to ensure border security and order and effectively prevent cross-border crime. The Lao minister said that his visit is one among activities to mark the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year. He thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and Defence Ministy for supporting Laos in many fields, including defence. He informed the host that the two ministries have coordinated well in ensuring security, maintaining a peaceful and friendship borderline and effectively stopping all plots targeting to disuniting or hurting the bilateral solidarity. The two ministries have held more than 40 exchanges and cooperative activities in 2017 to respond to the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year./. Uber Technologies said on Monday it has joined forces with BBM Messenger to allow users around the world, including in the application's biggest market of Indonesia, to book rides via the messenger service. The partnership agreement is with Creative Media Works, operating as BBM Messenger, the company said in a statement. "With this partnership, BBM users can quickly request an Uber ride via BBM despite variations in quality of location, network speed, or device features,a said Chan Park, Uber's general manager in Southeast Asia. The agreement means that BBM Messenger users, including both Android and iOS users, can book an Uber ride without leaving the BBM app, or being required to have a stand-alone Uber app on their phone, the company said. Creative Media works is a unit of Indonesian media group PT Elang Mahkota Teknologi Tbk. The company operates the global BBM consumer messaging and social networking platform under a licence from BlackBerry Limited. The governments proposed Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill is facing strong resistance from bank unions as they threatened to go on a nationwide strike if the Bill is introduced in the winter session of Parliament, reports Business Standard. The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), general secretary CH Venkatachalam secretary of one of the biggest unions in banking sector told The Hindu BusinessLine, "The government should not go ahead with the FRDI Bill as it is wrongly timed and unwarranted in India." A meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday by Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) in Chennai to discuss the next step. This will be followed by a meeting between all bank unions to form a united forum to oppose the Bill. The unions conducted a depositors signature collection campaign which has 200,000 signatures and another 100,000 signed an online petition which would be sent to Lok Sabha speaker to scrap the Bill. The report said that the signature campaign has asked the government to make the name of loan defaulters public every six months, ensure accountability of bank executives for bad loans and amend the loan recovery procedure. The unions also demanded that the government should declare wilful and deliberate defaulters as criminals. The unions stance is that the depositors are at risk losing their money parked with the banks under the FRDI Bill as it supersedes all previous Acts. The Gujarat poll results are out and BJP chief Amit Shah's statement of winning 150 seats in Gujarat will continue to be a pipe dream. Even though the 150-seat target is out of bounds, the party has comfortably got past the majority mark, getting 104 seats at the time of filing this report. For more, read our live blog Shah, at News 18 Gujarati Agenda Programme last month, said that he was confident that BJP will bag 150 seats. He claimed that Congress was "borrowing BJP's strategy" by bringing in leaders from outside. He blamed the Congress for outsourcing these elections and questioned if they have a clear strategy or a definite leader. The earlier numbers suggested that BJP is losing its popularity in Gujarat. For detailed coverage, please visit our special page On the other hand, Congress seems to be regaining its popularity. By giving a tough competition to BJP, Congress's campaigning strategy of raising fingers at BJP's two major reforms - Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation - seems to be working. The two reforms, especially demonetisation, resulted in the BJP losing a fair share of its vote bank in the rural areas coupled with the agrarian crisis the state faced last year. Vijay Rupani The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to retain the Gujarat Assembly after a hard fought campaign, marked by unsavoury name calling on both sides. As of 16:00, BJP had won 58 seats while the Congress had won 50. The saffron party was leading in 41 seats and the Congress was leading in 27 seats. Other parties and independent candidates had won four seats and were leading in two more seats. While the BJP is set to form the government for the fifth straight term in the western state, Congress can seek consolation in having improved on its 2012 performance. Here are some of the key leaders from both sides for whom much was at stake in the polls, and how they fared: Vijay Rupani Incumbent Chief Minister Vijay Rupani defeated Congress' Indranil Rajguru in Rajkot (West) by a comfortable margin of 26,000-plus votes. While BJP performed well in urban areas, political pundits had predicted that Rupani would face a stiff challenge from Rajguru. Nitin Patel The Deputy Chief Minister barely managed to make it home, winning by a wafer thin margin of 381 votes. Arjun Modhwadia The senior Congress leader, who had served as the Leader of Opposition between 2004 and 2007, lost the Porbandar seat to Babubhai Bokhiriya. For latest 2017 Gujarat Election result updates, click here. Shaktisinh Gohil The senior Congress leader had earlier been an MLA from the Abdasa constituency. However, this year, he fought and lost from the Mandvi-Kachchh constituency. He had served as the Leader of Opposition from 2007 to 2012. Gohil lost to BJP's Jadeja Bahadursinh. Jignesh Mevani The 35-year-old social activist and lawyer had fought as an independent with Congress support. He won in Vadgam after securing 63,471 votes. Alpesh Thakore The leader of the Other Backward Class (OBC) community won from Radhanpur constituency after securing 63,172 votes. Thakore had joined hands with the Congress in the lead up to the election. Along with Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Thakore was considered to be one of the fresh faces and was expected to draw OBC voters in favour of the Congress.' For in-depth analysis of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, click here. Jaynarayan Vyas The former Cabinet Minister under then Chief Minister Narendra Modi lost to Congress' Chandanjii Thakor in Sidhpur by around 3,000 votes. Jitendrabhai Vaghani The 47-year -old defeated Congress' Gohil Dilipsinh Ajitsinh by more than 27,000 votes to retain his Bhavnagar (West) constituency. Vaghani is also the president of the BJP in Gujarat. Chhotu Vasava Vasava had voted in favour of Congress' Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha polls, earlier this year. In the lead up to the polls, Vasava's son Mahesh Vasava floated a new party called the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP). Vasava-led faction of Sharad Yadav's Janata Dal (United) contested under the BTP banner. The tribal leader defeated BJP's Ravjibhai Vasava by 38,818 votes. Vasava has been the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Jhagadia since 2007. Gujarat has 39 urban seats, 100 rural seats and 43 seats that are classified as semi-urban, in the 182-member assembly. In the 2012 assembly polls, the saffron party had swept the urban as well as the semi-urban seats. But it had been a close contest with the Congress for the rural seats. The counting began at 8 am on Monday in 37 centres across Gujarats 33 districts. The polls happened in two phases on December 9 and 14. The voter turnout during the polls had dipped from 72 percent in 2012 to 68.4 percent. Ashok Gehlot congress Though it is highly likely that BJP will come out on tops in the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress has been able to give the BJP a close fight in Prime Minister Narendra Modis hometown. However, the man who made the saffron party look like a paper tiger in a state that it has held for almost two decades, is the soft spoken and iron-handed Ashok Gehlot from Rajasthan. Under his watch, Congress upped its game in Gujarat. As of 11:30 in the morning, Congress was leading in 74 out of 182 Assembly seats. They had won only 61 seats in the last Assembly elections in 2012. Gehlot, who worked to strengthen the grassroot organisation of the party in Rajasthan and been a two-time chief minister of the state, was put in charge to take on the Modi-Shah power duo and revive Congress in Gujarat. While Gehlot would not be grilled for losing the election in a state where Congress has been out of power for two decades, he could earn laurels for his joint efforts with partys president-elect Rahul Gandhi to swing opinion polls which predicted a massive defeat for the grand old party even a couple of months ago. The opinion polls, right ahead of the elections, showed an increased support for the Congress and the trend continued in exit polls after the second phase of voting got over on December 14. "The way the Congress campaigned and the way Rahul Gandhi did bus trips, we put up a very nice campaign. Whatever the results, the country will see this as the Congress' victory," Gehlot said as BJP crossed the halfway mark to majority in the state. Rahul Gandhis campaign, which Gehlot claimed to have been successful, was handcrafted by the senior leader. Gehlot made sure that Gandhi stuck to issue-based attacks against the BJP regarding farmers distress, unemployment, and GST impact as opposed to what he saw as BJPs non-issue based rhetoric to gain public sympathy. The senior leader also succeeded in helping Congress shed its anti-Hindu image by sending Gandhi on a temple visit spree, which made the BJP visibly uncomfortable and pushed them to continuously question Gandhis religion and devotion. This was a key move in increasing Congress dwindling popularity as the party held power in the state until the 1990 when BJP toppled the party on Ayodhya issue based on the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid dispute. Creating alliances and support base on caste lines in a state that is dominated by such politics, was another key move. The Congress had on its side Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Khsatriya and OBC community leader Alpesh Thakor as it ally and verbal support from Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani. Earlier this year, he also contributed as the Gujarat strategist to the win of MP Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha polls. The experienced politician's seeming success in Gujarat was unexpected by many; however, he is not a stranger to the state. "Gehlot acquired some good experience of Gujarat politics in 2005 when along with Mukul Wasnik he coordinated a party event to mark 75 years of Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi march," a senior Congress leader told News18. Gehlot had four secretaries to help him in the gargantuan task of pulling the party up from the ashes and the helping hands were Lok Sabha MP Rajeev Satav, Harshvardhan Sapkal, Varsha Gaikwad and Jeetu Patwari. When Gehlot took charge of the Gujarats state Congress, he replaced senior leader Gurudas Kamat and continued the trend of Congress bringing to the front the younger leaders. He is expected to reap benefits of his role in improving Congresss tally in Gujarat, especially in context of the upcoming Assembly elections in his home state where he had lost in 2013 by a great margin. Supporters of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attend a campaign meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of Gujarat state assembly election in Kalol on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India (Reuters) Trends show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) poised to retain the Gujarat assembly after a bitterly fought election. While the Congress seat share is likely to increase significantly in Saurashtra-Kutch and Saurashtra region, the BJP has more or less maintained its performance in central region and urban areas. Congress made inroads in urban areas too by capturing BJP strongholds such as Gandhinagar. As of 11:30 am, Congress was leading in two of the four seats in the state capital. In Ahmedabad district, the saffron party continued its dominance, and also in seats such as Maninagar, Sanand, Ellisbridge and Sabarmati. For latest Gujarat Election 2017 result updates, click here. BJP retained its hold across all four seats of Rajkot city. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was expected to face stiff competition from the Congress candidate. The saffron party also held on to Vadodara City seat. Political pundits had predicted that the BJP would face stiff opposition in Surat from the sizeable trader community who were hit by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation. The BJP continues to lead in three of the six seats in the textile city while the Congress leads in the other three. Gujarat has 39 urban seats, 100 rural seats and 43 seats that are classified as semi-urban. In the 182-member assembly. In the 2012 assembly polls, the saffron party had swept the urban as well as the semi-urban seats. But it had been a close contest with the Congress for the rural seats. For in-depth analysis of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, click here. The exit polls had suggested that the BJP was likely to retain the state while the Congress was unlikely to fare much better than its 2012 polls performance when it had finished a distant second. The counting began at 8 am on Monday in 37 centres across Gujarats 33 districts. The polls happened in two phases on December 9 and 14. The voter turnout during the polls had dipped from 72 percent in 2012 to 68.4 percent. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses his supporters during an election campaign meeting ahead of the second phase of Gujarat state assembly elections, in Nadiad, India December 11, 2017. REUTERS/Amit Dave - RC1469DFBF40 Early trends from the 2017 Gujarat Election results place the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress neck and neck in the state. This follows an early lead for the saffron party in Gujarat. At 10:30 am, the BJP was leading 104 seats against Congress' 75 constituencies in contrast to 8:35 am, when the BJP was leading in 58 seats while the Congress was leading in 32 assembly constituencies. The majority mark 92 seats has now been crossed by the BJP. For latest 2017 Gujarat Election result updates, click here. Media reports suggest that BJP's early leads came from seats that the party already held such as Gandhinagar (South). The Congress was trailing in most Patidar constituencies. The Congress had made inroads into Junagadh, Porbandar and southern Saurashtra seats, many of which were held by the BJP earlier. Congress candidate Jivabhai Ambalal Patel was leading in Mehsana constituency, against Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was trailing in the Rajkot (west) constituency, where he was expected to face a tough fight. Congress, on the other hand, is leading in Abdasa constituency in Kutch, Sidhpur seat where senior Congress leader Jaynarayan Vyas is contesting and Patan seat, which was once held by former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. Most of congress' leads were in Saurashtra-Kutch and south Saurashtra regions. For in-depth analysis of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, click here. The exit polls had suggested that the BJP was likely to retain the state while the Congress would replicate its performance from 21. The counting began at 8 am on Monday in 37 centres across Gujarats 33 districts. The assembly polling happened in two phases on December 9 and 14. The voter turnout during the polls had dipped from 72 percent in 2012 to 68.4 percent. Election officers arrange the EVM machines inside the strong room on the day of state assembly election result, in Ahmedabad on Monday. (PTI) NDA supporters celebrate success in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections 2017, in Patna on Monday. (PTI) BJP supporters celebrating their party's success in Himachal Pradesh assembly elections outside a counting centre, at Chamba on Monday. (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with state BJP president Nandkumar Singh Chouhan celebrating BJPs success in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh State assembly elections, in Bhopal on Monday. (PTI) Party workers and supporters celebrate their success in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh state assembly elections, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Party workers and supporters celebrating BJPs success in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh State assembly election outside the BJP headquarte, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Party workers and supporters celebrating BJP's success in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh state assembly elections outside the BJP headquarter, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) BJP supporters celebrating the party's success in the state assembly elections outside the BJP headquarter, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Party supporters celebrating BJP's success in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh state assembly elections, outside the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Congress President Rahul Gandhi arrives for the winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Home Minister Rajnath Singh flashes victory sign after BJPs success in Himachal and Gujarat assembly elections, during the winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi flashes victory sign after BJPs success in Himachal and Gujarat assembly elections, on his arrival for the winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) Congress party's Jamalpur-Khadia seat candidate Imran Khedawala flashes victory sign along with his supporters, as he celebrates his win in Assembly elections, outside the Gujarat College counting centre in Ahmedabad on Monday. (PTI) Congress party supporters celebrate after a party candidate's win in the Assembly elections, outside the Gujarat College counting centre in Ahmedabad on Monday. (PTI) BJP supporters celebrate their win in the Assembly elections, outside the Gujarat College counting centre in Ahmedabad on Monday. (PTI) BJP workers dance as they celebrate the party's win in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Mumbai on Monday. (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with the party MLAs flashes the victory sign as they celebrate BJP's win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Nagpur on Monday. (PTI) BJP supporters celebrate partys victory in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Shimla on Monday. (PTI) Karnataka BJP BS Yeddyurappa flashes victory sign along with the party members to celebrate the party's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Bengaluru on Monday. (PTI) BJP President Amit Shah gestures while being welcomed on his arrival at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Monday, after the party's victory in the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. (PTI) BJP BJP managed to retain Gujarat by a narrow margin and snagged Himachal Pradesh from Congress today. As per the latest trends, BJP is leading in 99 seats while Congress is ahead in 77. While BJP has won, it fell short of its 2012 tally of 115 seats in Gujarat. In Himachal, BJP has won, but its chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost in Sujanpur constituency. Heres what the experts expect from BJPs wins: Anand Rathi The outcome of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections shows that BJP is wrestling Himachal Pradesh away from Congress by a big margin, but maintained a thin majority in Gujarat even after 22 years of continuous rule. The results are broadly in line with expectations, especially the central tendency of the exit polls. There are three big takeaways from these election results. First, developmental issues are taking the centre-stage in Indian elections. The Indian electorate is looking through the transitory teething problems of reforms such as demonetisation as well as introduction of the Goods & Services Tax (GST) and looking at the larger positive implications of such moves. The recent victories in two states, especially in Gujarat, would embolden the NDA government at the Centre and the state governments to carry out economic reforms, which ease conditions for doing business in transparent and honest manner and boost the overall growth. Second, after being dissipated in the 2014 elections and most of the state/local elections which followed, Congress the only opposition party with truly all-India footprint is, to some extent, getting it acts together. Therefore, the opposition space, which is currently frustratingly fragmented, is showing early signs of consolidation. A strong opposition is an essential cornerstone for the Indian democracy. Thirdly, Indias agrarian problems continue to remain grave. Rural voters in most states are punishing the incumbent governments for this. Simultaneously, the challenges of creating a large number of gainful livelihood opportunities away from agriculture are not being addressed adequately. The unrest among the educated youth in various parts of the country demanding for job reservations in caste lines is one of the reflections of this. It is imperative for political parties in power to address these two issues through long-term effective strategies, not only to gain electoral support, but also to deepen economic development and avert generalized civil strife and unrest. It is heartening to note that democratic processes are becoming stronger and public is able to convey its views through ballot boxes. Mr Nirmal Jain, Chairman, IIFL Group Gujarat election results are the first major mandate to the government at the Centre after implementation of the GST. The election outcome was not on expected lines for BJP and shows that even the ruling government cannot take things for granted. They have to be on their toes and perform. However, the mandate also indicates that BJP got a majority primarily because of its corruption-free and development-focused policy. Gujarat election results had thrills and excitement, but all is well that ends well! This is one of most interesting elections, where people voted for development and reforms but at the same time voters delivered another message that Congress or opposition is not dead. As far as the market is concerned, there are several other factors such as global liquidity, domestic money flowing into mutual funds, commodity prices are stable after peaking out that needs to be considered. The markets are positive on the long-term growth and the economy is on a path to a definitive recovery. Course correction of GST rates and simplification was timely. We should see bolder reforms going ahead. Also, economic growth and corporate earnings should pick up soon. Investors should look at the markets from a medium to long terms perspective while making crucial investment decisions. There are always skeptics, but the Indian juggernaut is on the move and investors would do best to hold on. Representative Image The Gujarat Assembly elections this year saw close to two percent of its voters going for the None of the Above (NOTA) option, while 0.9 percent of voters in Himachal Pradesh did the same. According to the Election Commission data, 1.8 percent of the voters , or 521321 of the voters expressed their displeasure at all the candidates by opting for NOTA in Gujarat. For more stories, read our blog One theory doing the rounds is that a majority of NOTA voters would be the young Gujaratis who may have never seen any other government other than BJP, which has been ruling the state for the last 23 years. The young Patidar voters might have also been a large contributor to the NOTA voters. The Patidars have been sidelined in their call for reservations by the BJP government two years ago and were not looking forward to vote for the BJP. A Mumbai Mirror story states that close to 10 lakh voters would be voting for the first time. Such a percentage of the voters is still not a small number for either of the parties to ignore. With two majority parties in a state, a voter share of this percentage can swing the polls in favour of either party. Particularly looking at Gujarat, the NOTA vote could have been a game changer for the Congress, or a clearer margin of victory for the BJP if either party had adopted more discretion in picking their candidates ahead of the polls. First released in 2013, with the intention of officially registering ones dissatisfaction with the candidates standing for public office, a Hindu article states that the NOTA has never gone beyond 2.5 percent. The largest percentage of voters were 2.49 of voters going for NOTA in 2015 Assembly election. According to the Election Commission of India, NOTA has the same effect as not voting for any candidate. Therefore, even if, in any extreme case, the number of votes against NOTA is more than the number of votes secured by the candidates, the candidate who secures the largest number of votes among the contesting candidates shall be declared to be elected. The Supreme Court said that negative voting would encourage people to show their dissatisfaction and reject all contestants. A bench headed by the then Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, states that negative voting will be forced to rethink about the kind of candidates the political parties entertain. The bench further stated that if the right to vote is a statutory right, then the right to reject a candidate is a fundamental right of speech and expression under the Constitution. NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki (Photo VNA) Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki held talks after a welcome ceremony for the Moroccan top legislator, who makes an official visit to Vietnam from December 16th-22nd. The host and guest expressed their pleasure at the growing relations between the two legislatures thanks to exchange of visit as well as regular meetings, consultations and mutual support at multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie (APF). They agreed to step up high-level delegation exchanges to increase mutual understanding and trust as well as strengthen coordination at the aforesaid multilateral forums. The two sides will coordinate to monitor the implementation of agreements signed between the two countries governments and ministries for mutual benefits. The two parliamentary leaders noted that economic and trade ties are still modest, with bilateral trade at only USD190 million in 2016, and vowed to further promote those ties. Chairwoman Ngan affirmed that Vietnam attaches much importance to developing friendship and multidimensional cooperation with African countries, of which Morocco is a priority partner in North Africa. She congratulated Morocco for coming back to the African Union and hoped the country will support the development of relations between Vietnam and the union. The National Assembly of Vietnam supports the enhancement of multifaceted cooperation with Morocco via refining the legal system and creating a favourable legal framework for Moroccan businesses, she noted. The NA Chairwoman recommended forging connectivity between the two countries businesses in such potential fields as trade, tourism, finance, and renewable energy, looking toward the establishment of a joint business council. Vietnam and Morocco need to step up trade promotion activities, increase business delegation exchanges at international workshops, forums and trade fairs while tapping cooperation potential in agriculture, mining, construction material, chemicals, garment-textile, footwear, and food processing, Ngan said. She suggested that the two sides should establish direct payment ties between their commercial banks and use the Moroccan banking network in Africa to support business activities, including payment, for Vietnamese firms in the region. Ngan took this occasion to thank the Moroccan Government and House of Representative for facilitating the settlement and integration of the Vietnamese community in the African country, adding that the overseas Vietnamese will continue to be an important factor to tighten the bilateral friendship and promote two-way trade. For his part, the Moroccan parliament leader described Vietnam as a dynamic and future-oriented country, noting that he wants to study the Southeast Asian countrys history and culture to boost bilateral cooperation in the fields. He congratulated Vietnam on the successful organisation of the APEC Economic Leaders Week in Da Nang in November and described Vietnam as a gateway to connect Morocco with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Vice versa Morocco is ready to link Vietnam with Africa, he said, adding that the two sides should work together to build cooperation strategies to make use of these advantages. Vietnam and Morocco have shared common principles and values in external policies, which are protecting and promoting peace, security and prosperity of nations, Malki said. He stressed that Morocco supports Vietnams stance on addressing all disputes via peaceful dialogues. Regarding the East Sea issue, Chairwoman Ngan reiterated Vietnams consistent policy of settling sovereignty and territory disputes peacefully on the basis of respecting international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). She told the guest that Vietnam has preserved a Moroccan-style village gate in Hanoi, which was constructed in 1956-1960 by Moroccan soldiers who joined the League for the Independence of Vietnam (Viet Minh) in the resistance war against France, saying that the work demonstrates the solidarity and cooperation between the two countries. Ngan accepted the invitation of the Moroccos President of House of Representatives to pay an official visit to the country in an early time. After talks, the two sides signed a cooperation agreement between Vietnams National Assembly and Moroccos House of Representatives. They later informed the outcomes of their talks to the press. The same day, Chairwoman Ngan is scheduled to host a banquet for the guest and his spouse./. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Over Rs 47 crore LPG subsidy was deposited in more than 23 lakh customer's Airtel bank accounts most of which were opened without their consents since June 9, reported Economic Times. Of these, about 11 lakh gas customers belong to Indian Oil while the balance is evenly split between Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, according to a communication sent by a state oil company to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) that maps bank accounts with Aadhaar and oversees retail payments and settlement systems in the country. Stating that Airtel has been opening payments bank accounts of its customers without their consent, the state oil firm urged NPCI to stop further Aadhaar number being seeded into Airtel Bank without consumer consent and get Rs 47 crore transferred from Airtel Bank to the customers existing bank accounts where the subsidy should have gone in the first place. Even though the top mobile operator denied any wrongdoing by saying it was transparently abiding by the law, the government intervened to look at the matter. Airtel Payments Bank is fully compliant with all guidelines and follows a stringent customer onboarding process, the telco said in response to ETs query. The Oil Ministry, which had clarified that the rule is to transfer subsidy to the latest bank account of the beneficiary seeded with their Aadhaar number, has also taken up the matter with Airtel, NPCI and the finance ministry in this regard. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Saturday had temporarily barred Bharti Airtel and Airtel Payments Bank from conducting Aadhaar-based SIM verification of mobile customers using the eKYC process as well as e-KYC of payments bank clients. The action follows allegations of Bharti Airtel using the Aadhaar-eKYC based SIM verification process to open payments bank accounts of its subscribers without their 'informed consent'. UIDAI also took strong objection to allegations that such payments bank accounts are being linked to receive LPG subsidy. Earlier, UIDAI had also ordered a probe against Bharti Airtel for alleged violation of the Aadhaar Act, following the government's direction to link Aadhaar to mobile numbers. Airtel payments bank, India's 1st payments bank, was launched in early 2017 after the RBI allowed opening of such banks. The entity can have a minimum paid-up equity capital of Rs 100 crore but they cannot lend like traditional banks. BJP Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s triumph in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections has not only proven that the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah juggernaut is still rolling but also changed the political map of India further. The results come as a respite for the saffron party after what was considered by many as a bitterly fought contest in Gujarat. On the other hand, the polls in Himachal Pradesh were seen as largely subdued. Opinion polls had suggested that the party was expected to win in Himachal Pradesh by a landslide. Exit polls in Gujarat had shown that BJP was likely to win the polls but it came after a November opinion poll that predicted a photo-finish for the ruling party in the state. With wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the BJP now has governments in 19 states across the country. The 'Modi Tsunami' The saffron party and its allies have been on a roll since the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in May 2014. As a result, the political map of India is now splashed with saffron. Prior to the win in the General Election, BJP was already in power in five states Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Nagaland. However, 2014 was the year that changed it all for the BJP. The BJP came to power in the Centre with its largest mandate, in what many described as a "Modi Tsunami". The saffron party won 282 seats, while its allies winning 54 seats, taking the NDA's tally to 336. For an in-depth analysis of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, click here. The effects of the 'Modi Tsunami' continued to be felt as a "Modi Wave" in the state elections that followed. BJP's ally, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) also retained the state of Sikkim in the election that was held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Another BJP ally, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) also formed bifurcated Andhra Pradesh's first government. The Modi juggernaut Five months after the General Election, the BJP won 122 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. They formed the government in Maharashtra following a post-poll alliance with NDA ally Shiv Sena. The party also came to power in the northern state of Haryana after winning 47 seats in a 90-member assembly. BJP along with its allies, secured a majority in the Jharkhand Assembly election, shortly after. The party was the second-best performer in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, behind Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party (PDP). A post-poll alliance with the PDP, helped BJP come to power in the state. By the end of the year, BJP had extended its reach to 11 states across the country. In 2015, BJP's growth story witnessed two major hiccups when they faced crushing defeats in Delhi and Bihar, in spite of extensive campaigning by the prime minister. While BJP ended a 15-year Congress rule in Assam in 2016, the party failed to make a mark in the other three major state elections in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. However, BJP supporters were quick to point out that the saffron party did not have adequate reach in those states. In September 2016, Arunachal Pradesh's 47 Members of Legislative (MLAs) from the ruling Congress, defected to BJP. The lawmakers were able to prove majority on the floor of the house, helping BJP form a government in the hill state. For latest 2017 Gujarat Election result updates, click here. In 2017, BJP bagged Uttarakhand and won a large mandate in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The party lost in Punjab after two terms of rule along with ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). It was in Goa and Manipur that the BJP won lesser seats that main rival Congress. But, the party was quick to stitch together an alliance with regional parties and independents, to form a government in both states. The Coup in Bihar In July this year, Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, resigned from his post and broke his party's 'Grand Alliance' with Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress. Nitish was sworn in as the new Chief Minister less than 24 hours after he resigned, but this time with the support of the BJP. The following day, Nitish and his new government, formed with the BJP, won the crucial trust vote in the Bihar State Assembly, with 131 legislators voting in favour and 108 voting against. Challenges on the horizon While BJP unlatched itself across the country, the biggest loser was the Congress party, which kept losing state after state. Karnataka is currently the only large state that is being governed by the Congress. As many as eight Indian states will head for polls in 2018 including Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Mizoram. The BJP would be fighting anti-incumbency in states such as Madhya Pradesh as well as Chhattisgarh. The saffron party has also started making inroads into southern and eastern states of India, where the party has traditionally lacked support. The party had already stitched together an alliance with smaller regional parties of the North Eastern states called North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA). New Delhi: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi with Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath during their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. PTI Photo(PTI3_21_2017_000029B) The Uttar Pradesh Assembly today adopted a resolution congratulating the BJP for its victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections amid a walkout by the Opposition Samajwadi Party and the BSP, and a protest by the Congress in the Well of the House. As Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath rose to move the resolution for the "historic victory of the BJP and for setting clean democratic traditions", Congress leader Ajay Kumar Lallu barged into the Well to press for a debate on law and order situation which had earlier figured in the House through an adjournment notice. BSP legislature party leader Lalji Verma stressed that since the resolution had been moved, there should be a discussion on it. But as Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit did not allow it, he and his party members staged a walk out. The leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary also joined him and led SP members out stressing that he would not be party to any new tradition. All Congress members, meanwhile, joined their leader in the Well and raised anti-government slogans. Earlier speaking on the BJP victory, the chief minister said Gujarat results showed there was a need to rise above negative politics and it would be better to move ahead with a positive attitude toward development. He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the win reflected that steps taken by him were appreciated by the people. "There is no alternative to victory...if they learn to shun negativity, they would benefit themselves as well as the country," he said. Referring to an issue raised in the House earlier in the day, the chief minister said what had been stated by the SP and the BSP leaders would have pained Ram Manohar Lohia and Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. "As to what they said about Rashtrapati Bhawan and Raj Bhawan being made during the British regime, they should not forget that it was not made by the money of the Britishers... it was the sweat and grit of the nation's labourers and it should not be rejected," he said. Adityanath had earlier said the BJP's performance in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls was a lesson to those who forgot political courtesy and indulged in unparliamentary language. He said the party's performance was a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies. "Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh results are a lesson to those who forget political courtesy and indulge in unparliamentary language. Those raising question mark on the prime minister will now have to accept his leadership," he told reporters in the Vidhan Bhawan complex here. "We, on behalf of the people of UP congratulate Modiji and Amit Shahji. It's victory of economic reforms. Modi's leadership has established country economically. Those who raised questions on Gujarat model should now look at the results. It's victory of policies of Modiji," he said. Attacking the Congress, the chief minister said it lost in Himachal Pradesh, which was considered its stronghold. "We will also win other Congress strongholds. By showing 'janeu' (sacred thread), Rahul Gandhi displayed casteist, divisive and despicable thinking," he said, adding that change in the Congress leadership is a "positive sign" for the BJP. About UP, he said, "We will win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 elections in the state. BJP The BJP today appeared to be on its way to retain power in Gujarat, with trends from 175 out of 182 Assembly seats giving it a lead in 100 seats while the Congress was following with 70. The Election Commission figures showed that the NCP was leading in one seat and the Bhartiya Tribal Party in two seats. Two Independents were also leading. Follow Gujarat election blog To form a government in the state, a party or a coalition needs at least 92 seats in the 182-member Assembly. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing after the count of postal ballots, is now leading over Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West seat. However, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is trailing from Mehsana against Congress candidate Jivabhai Patel by 3,000 votes. Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia is trailing in Porbandar by just 50 votes after counting of three rounds, against BJP leader and fisheries minister Babubhai Bokhiriya. Congress' Alpesh Thakor is leading in Radhanpur seat against Lavingji Thakor of BJP. Follow Himachal Pradesh blog Senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil is trailing against BJP's Virendrasinh Jadeja from Mandvi seat. State BJP chief Jitu Vaghani is leading over Dilipsinh Gohil of Congress in Bhavnagar West. The elections for 182-seat Assembly were held on December 9 and 14, after an acrimonious campaign, which was dominated by a face-off between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. In the 2012 elections, the BJP had won 115 seats while the Congress emerged victorious on 61 seats. The BJP has been in power in the state since 1995, winning consecutive elections in the home state of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. In the run-up to the Gujarat polls, the general perception was that the business disruptions caused by demonetisation and GST would cost the BJP the votes of the state's trader community. Many traders who spoke to Moneycontrol said the central governments policies had hurt their businesses and so they would not vote for the BJP. However, when counting of votes began on Monday, concerns of demonetisation and GST ruining the party for BJP seemed to have been overdone. A relentless campaign in the state by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a few moves by the central government before the elections helped the BJP repair some of the damage. Surat, which is home to one of Gujarats largest trading communities, saw the BJP leading in 15 out of the 16 constituencies in the city. The much talked-about impact of demonetisation and GST was largely absent and a clear majority could be on the horizon for the saffron party. A similar trend was seen in Rajkot, where the BJP was leading in 6 out of the 8 constituencies in the city. Current Chief Minister Vijay Rupani comfortably held on to his Rajkot West seat, while Rajkot East, Rajkot South and Rajkot Rural were all won with a margin of more than 20,000 votes. Other trading cities like Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar were no different. Out of the 21 constituencies in Ahmedabad, 15 went to the BJP while the Congress had to settle for just 6. In Bhavnagar too, BJP was ahead in 6 of the citys 7 constituencies. Congresss Shweta Bhatt, who contested the elections from Modis old Maninagar seat in Ahmedabad, with anti-GST and anti-demonetisation as her main planks, lost to BJPs Suresh Patel by well over 70,000 votes. Going by what our team gathered on the ground, the revision of GST rates a month before the Gujarat assembly election helped BJP to a very large extent. Traders who were still incurring losses on their existing inventory heaved a sigh of relief after the revision, believing that even if GST was a problem, it wouldnt be one for much longer. At a recently held press conference in Gujarat, BJP President Amit Shah had quipped that although a tax burden could impact people's businesses adversely, there wouldn't be a conducive environment for business in the first place if there was no stability in the state government. Also, most people who expressed opinions against the two moves by the Centre concurred in their belief that the concepts themselves were not wrong and only the way they were rolled out was. This clearly showed that Rahul Gandhis efforts to undermine the tax regime by calling it Gabbar Singh Tax did not have the intended effect. To be sure, it wasn't as if demonetisation and GST were not impacting the elections at all. In fact, one of the reasons for BJP's unsatisfactory performance in rural Gujarat seems to be the resentment harbored by farmers and factory workers because of the pain they faced when demonetisation was first rolled out. The extent to which the BJP lost vote share to the Congress because of the sentiment against demonetisation and GST will only be made clear towards the end of the day, after the final vote count is made public. But for now, it seems minuscule. At the time of writing the story, the BJP was leading in 98 seats while the Congress was ahead in 81. With the BJP set to form a government in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive term and has wrested power in Himachal Pradesh, here is what the political leaders have said so far. Union Minister Smriti Irani said, It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development. On the question of Congress giving BJP a tough fight, Irani said, "Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work and the people who trusted development". Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had also campaigned in Gujarat for the BJP, said, "People have rejected divisive politics of Congress, this win is due to the dynamic leadership of BJP and the hard work of BJP workers". Anurag Thakur told CNN NEWS18, State of Gujarat loves Narendra Modi. Credit of the win goes to BJP's hard work. 'Modi factor has worked in Gujarat and people wanted further development in the state. Despite being in power for 22 years, BJP maintains its win and this shows everything. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav tweeted, Casteist agenda of Hardik, Jignesh, Alpesh troika has helped Congress or cost it the election? The Congress has to search for answers coolly after all the details come out. BJP, in its 5th consecutive victory, will celebrate but candidly analyse, too. Minister of State PMO Jitender Singh told CNN NEWS 18, we are happy with the numbers. Voters have proved the Patidar agitators were no factor, especially in Surat. Please ask Rahul Gandhi have they got 75-80 seats because of EVM malfunctioning. Aman Panwar of Congress said that, Congress fought the issue based campaign in Gujarat. We highlighted education & health facilities' condition in Gujarat. Shashi Tharoor told CNN NEWS18, real economic issues will remain relevant not just in Gujarat but in other states too where are the jobs? Rahul Gandhi has made tremendous impact. Impact of campaign is apparent. Lots of enthusiasm generated. We have 29 states in this country. Tides will turn. Indian-born British writer Farrukh Dhondy said that, the victory of BJP and attempt of Rahul Gandhis visit to temples proves that it is not about religion. Congress leader Kamalnath said, Rahul story begins, in Gujarat, BJP had 30 ministers. They didnt get 150 seats. This gives us hope in Madhya Pradesh. Another Congress leader Pawan Khera said, We follow Hinduism and not Hindutva like BJP. Going to temples is Hinduism. In Gujrat BJP forgot all models of GUJARAT. Modi went back to polarisation and that exposes BJP'S real face. We had the courage to remove Mani Shankar Aiyar within 3 hours but what did BJP did with Paresh Rawal. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, We would have been proud if we would have got more seats. Noted journalist Vir Sanghvi said, Congress is not able to impress urban middle class -- urban areas have gone well with Narendra Modi. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told CNN NEWS18, Era of the 80s is over and Congress must realise that. Vikas has won. 150 is our aim. Every election is a new election. We have won resoundingly. Congress leader Sanjay Jha said, The results are below our expectations, we were confident of winning elections. Clearly, its below our expectations. Elections are hard contest. Runner ups do not get a trophy. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told CNN NEWS18, I will not argue about anything because the fact is that we have won for the sixth time. BJP has secured a fifth term in Gujarat and put an end to anti-incumbency fears. But it would surely be getting into introspection mode after a dismal performance in the Saurashtra Kutch region. Rural voters have always been Congress favoured votebank and Rahul Gandhis pre-poll promise of waiving off farm loans was an attempt to endear itself to the rural population which had faced the brunt of demonetisation. For more, read our live blog As per a First Post report, farmers sowing cotton in Amreli were miffed with PM Narendra Modi for not raising cotton prices. The scars of the drought in 2016 have also not healed and with Hardik Patel proving to be their voice, they realised it was time to vote for Congress. For detailed coverage, please visit our special page Modi has brazenly ignored us. It is time to topple the government. To be honest, I do not like Congress, but I want to vote BJP out of power," Bhupad Koladiya, a farmer from Jhinjuda village, had told First Post. Congress has gained with 31 seats in this region and the caste coalition strategy stitched by the party seems to have worked. The impact of the Patidar agitation also had an adverse effect on the BJPs electoral prospects in this region. Like earlier polls, the urban areas have proved to be the BJPs saviour as PM Narendra Modis charisma and the partys development plank still finds resonance among urban and middle-class voters. December 18, 2017 / 10:31 PM IST SUMMARY # The Bharatiya Janata Party retains power in Gujarat. Final tally show the BJP has won in 99 seats and the Congress 77 # The BJP falls short of its 2012 tally of 115 seats # Patidar leader Hardik Patel accused the BJP of tampering with EVMs # BJP says its 'politics of performance' won the day, claims the Congress 'outsourced' the election and lost Volunteers from RoK visit students at Nguyen Du secondary school in Dai Loc district, Quang Nam province (Photo for illustration. Photo:baoquangnam.vn) Phan Thai Binh, deputy head of the provincial National Assembly delegation, was elected Chairman of the association in the new tenure. Between 2017 and 2022, the association will continue promoting communications, especially among youngsters, about the friendship between the two countries as well as the achievements of Vietnam in the doi moi (reform) period. It will continue introducing Quang Nam land, people and culture to Korean friends and coordinating with local relevant agencies to support non-governmental organizations from the RoK to operate in the province. At the same time, the association will actively calls for investment and economic cooperation between Quang Nam and Korean localities. The association strives to establish at least two new chapters in enterprises, schools, localities and sectors having direct relations with the RoK. Since 2003, the association has collaborated with non-governmental organisations and universities of the RoK to build schools, grant scholarships, and provide free medical check-ups and treatment for poor people along with building roads and clean water supply facilities with a total cost of around VND21 billion (USD921,900)./. rahul gandhi narendra modi For a few memorable moments on Monday morning, the Congress gave the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an almighty scare. Counting was initially going as expected, with the early trends giving the ruling party in Gujarat a clear lead. But just as another term appeared in sight, the Congress suddenly staged an unlikely comeback, going neck-and-neck with the BJP as the possibility of an upset grew less remote. The timing of this sudden surge coincided with the opening bell on Dalal Street, sending shivers down its spine as both the Sensex and the Nifty plummeted in early trade. But then order was restored within the hour as the BJP crossed the majority mark and then pulled away into a healthy lead, albeit still short of its tally in the 2012 elections. In retrospect, did we just witness the trailer for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections? A couple of months ago, the outcome of those general elections seemed like a foregone conclusion given Narendra Modi's popularity and a fractured opposition. The same could be said of the Gujarat elections. Who would doubt a BJP victory in the home turf of Modi and his trusted cohort, BJP president Amit Shah? Who would have imagined that newly-elected Congress President Rahul Gandhi, a figure so frequently lampooned, would stand up to the man who humiliated him personally and at the ballot boxes in the 2014 elections? In the end, Rahul Gandhi didn't upset the BJP's applecart, but provided reason enough to believe that he could well do so in less than 18 months from now. He led this campaign from the front, relentlessly campaigning across Gujarat and reinventing himself along the way. His tweets about his pet dog Pidi may have attracted mockery, but his social media presence in recent months has been a source of wit and calculated digs. Above all, he showed that while he does not possess the charisma or the oratory skills of PM Modi, he does have the mettle for the battle. Rahul Gandhi's next major challenge will be the Karnataka Assembly elections in the middle of 2018., where he faces the task of clinging to power in the last major state that the Congress has in its grasp. Later in the year, he will seek to wrest power from the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Narendra Modi will undoubtedly a star campaigner in those states, but will certainly not be a 'son of the soil' as was the case in Gujarat. And therein lies the hope for 2018 and beyond. For the BJP, Rahul Gandhi's resurgence provides plenty to think about. Amit Shah went into this election confident of winning 150 seats in the 182-member house. After the BJP fell well short of that target, its party chief said he hadn't anticipated the levels to which the Congress would stoop. There was no candid admission forthcoming about Rahul Gandhi playing a role, but perhaps there is some acknowledgement behind closed doors. While the BJP would do well to take away some lessons from this election, it still has plenty to crow about. For starters, Narendra Modi's popularity appears to be undiminished. In the end, it was probably his '56-inch chest' that kept the Congress at arm's length. In addition, the victory proved that that its gambles with demonetisation and GST have not alienated voters. That said, the BJP-led Centre will probably steer clear of risky reforms as the home stretch for the 2019 election draws nearer. The BJP can now end 2017 knowing that it rules 19 out of the country's 29 states, but equally aware that the elections in the run-up to 2019 and the Lok Sabha elections that year will not be the cakewalk it previously imagined. With the exit polls predicting a handsome BJP victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, few expected Congress to put up a fight. But like the Bihar elections, it seems that exit polls have failed to gauge the public mood. As per early trends, the Congress is leading in 75 seats and giving a tough fight to BJP. The Congress also managed to take the lead in PM Narendra Modis home district Mehsana. Catch the latest updates in Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017 Result live here The Congress has given a tough fight to the incumbent BJP and the BJP leaders cannot afford to take this performance lightly. For detailed coverage, please visit our special page The Patidar agitation seems to have played a big factor in Congress renewed vigour in the state. With 2019 general elections next on the radar, the Congress can take comfort from this performance and focus more on urban voters in the state, which has been a BJP stronghold. December 18, 2017 / 10:55 PM IST Highlights: 4. Congress candidate Rajinder Rana won from Sujanpur. 22:50 As per the final tally, BJP won 44 seats while Congress got 20 seats in Himachal. It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the Narendra Modi Praveen Rai The assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have once again brought the Modi wave into the public spotlight as the BJP heavily banked on the charisma and demagogic firepower of its supremo. The wave election was one of the many entries in the compendium of Indian politics made popular in public discourse by the Modi wave of the 2014 general elections. The Modi wave gained strength and progressively escalated in provincial elections, enabling the saffron party to stamp its political dominance in states previously ruled by the Congress. The wave remained unabated and in crest mode, barring a few troughs in states ruled by strong regional satraps and finally reaching a winning crescendo in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand state elections in the beginning of 2017. The defining reason for saffron victories in UP and Uttarakhand was the bold decision of demonetisation by PM Modi, a political script aimed at curbing black money and epidemic financial corruption in the country. It was a reformist economic policy with a political spinoff as it overnight created a subaltern and pro-poor image of Modi, thereby paying rich electoral dividends to the saffron party in the state elections. An emboldened BJP initiated a big-ticket economic reform, the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a progressive public policy that had been gathering dust in India. The principal opposition parties, which supported the GST on earlier occasions, did a volte-face, and with the support of economists with centre-to-Left leanings, vociferously slammed it as drastically disruptive. They argued that the move would not only slow the growing Indian economy, but would also have a negative impact on the small and medium enterprises in the country. The Congress made GST a compelling electoral issue in Gujarat elections, hoping that in unison with critical state and localised issues, it would snowball into a major vote swing in its favour and dislodge the BJP from its traditional stronghold. The election was one of the most fiercely fought state electoral competitions; pitting the indomitable Modi against a spirited Rahul Gandhi on issues that were in disjunct with the concerns of the people of Gujarat. It became a prestige contest for Modi, with both the BJP and Congress donning the battle fatigues to defeat each other. The election trends reveal that the BJP warded off the stiff challenge from Congress and would finally manage to win a comfortable majority in the state assembly, albeit far short of its ambitious target of winning 150 assembly seats. The electoral takeaway for the Congress would be more substantial than the BJP, as it would technically win more than 30 seats, as the party tally before the elections in Gujarat stood at 44 due to defections and horse-trading of its legislators. A quick preview of the electoral build up in Gujarat reveals that the political topography was visibly loaded against the state BJP due to the mishandling of the agitation led by Hardik Patels Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) in 2015 demanding reservations for the Patel community. The situation worsened further due to a spate of atrocities against the member of Dalit communities by fringe groups in the name of cow protection. The catchphrase Vikas Gando Thayo Che (Development has gone crazy) became viral on social media platforms, revealing a serious trust deficit of Guajarati populace with the incumbent BJP government. The Congress jumped on the bandwagon and launched a scathing attack on the Gujarat model of development and its chief protagonist Modi, to take an early electoral advantage. The BJP used its state might in delaying the dates of election for creating a level playing field by neutralising the upbeat Congress. The state government distributed sops with abandon, including a waiver of GST to land tillers using micro farm equipments, hiking allowances and maternity leaves to contractual employees, monetary benefits to accredited social health activists, expansion of Ahmedabad Metro rail project and a substantial state grant to the agitating Patel community. The reasons for the BJP getting a mandate for the sixth time in a row are manifold, but it was mainly due to the following: Firstly, while Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP by punching holes in the development model and the distress caused to citizens of the state, Modi turned the electoral narrative on its head by accusing the Congress of dynastic politics and corruption, which struck a chord with the electorate and kept the BJPs support base intact. Secondly, Modi played the son of the soil card and Gujarati Asmita (Pride), and hit out at the Nehru-Gandhi familys historical disrespect of political leaders from Gujarat and injustices done in the past. The BJP voters believed that Rahul Gandhi was a rank outsider and stuck with the saffron party. Thirdly, the caste arithmetic of the Congress did not click as the alliance stitched with Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mewani did not result in a complete transfer of votes for each other at ground zero. Fourthly, Rahul Gandhi played the Soft Hindutva card by visiting Hindu temples and refrained from meeting Muslim groups to avoid a Hindu-Muslim vote divide. However, Modi played the Congress-Pakistan conspiracy against him to consolidate Hindu votes for the BJP. Finally the twin self-goals by the Congress leaders: Kapil Sibal asking the Supreme Court to adjourn the judgment of the Babri Masjid case and Mani Shankar Aiyars derogatory comment on Modis caste identity. The Gujarat election results will have an impact on national politics and Indian economy. Politically, it would provide the BJP a headstart in the next national elections. But it has to safeguard itself from the Congress, which seems to be in a resurgent mode. The political stature of Rahul Gandhi after his elevation as the Congress president would certainly grow and make him a serious challenger to Narendra Modi. The Congress could become a centre of gravity for the beleaguered Opposition parties and forge a strong opposition unity index that could shorten the political hegemony in the country. Economically, the Gujarat election was a pilot trial of GST, and the saffron party seems to have passed the litmus test. The voters believed in the long-term benefits for the country, and the mandate is a sample affirmation of the faith of the people in the economic policies pursued by the Modi government. The electoral victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh provides the momentum to the saffron party to embark on the next generation of economic reforms, with focus on the needs and concerns of the common man to achieve the great Indian dream of a better quality life. The BJP's bickering ally Shiv Sena today heaped praise on Rahul Gandhi, lauding the newly appointed Congress president for "fighting the Gujarat poll battle without bothering about the result". The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said the 47-year-old Amethi MP has taken over the reins of the grand old party at a crucial stage. "Rahul Gandhi has accepted the responsibility as Congress president at a crucial stage. There should be no objection in wishing him all the best," said an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "Let Rahul Gandhi decide if he wishes to take the Congress party to the pinnacle of success or down the pit," the Marathi daily said. The party said Gandhi threw himself into the campaign arena without worrying about the final poll outcome in Gujarat. "When the faces of bigwigs (in the BJP) were turning black due to fear of defeat, Rahul Gandhi was in the poll arena without bothering about the result. It is this confidence that will take Rahul forward," it said. In a veiled attack at the BJP and the Narendra Modi-led government, the Sena asked, "Are those who think that nothing happened in the previous 60 years and that India progressed only in the last three years, humans or epitome of foolishness?" "Who knows, a new history may be put forth that India gained Independence only in the last one year and that the Independence struggle of 150 years was a lie," the party claimed. thakor_alpesh This years assembly elections in Gujarat have been a revelation of sorts. Not only was it the first instance of the BJP having to really fight back to keep its position in the state in over two decades, it was also the political debut for a bunch of young caste leaders in the state. In the run-up to the election, the Congress tried to rope in as many of BJPs adversaries as it could and in the process, joined hands with young caste-based leaders like Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani. The three werent exactly united to begin with, with Patels Patidar community fighting for reservation while Thakor was fighting against it by defending the existing quota. Even when the Congress held a meeting between the two in Delhi to resolve differences, things went south after they had a bitter argument. Jignesh Mevani, on the other hand, was comparatively easy to get on board. The Congress chose to not field a candidate from his seat and let him contest as an independent candidate with their support. But although the association with Hardik Patel may not have paid off the way Congress would have hoped, Mevani and Thakor certainly delivered on the big day. Both leaders won from the constituencies they contested from and also made sure that a lot of votes from the communities they represented also came to the Congress. Mevani, a 35 year-old Dalit leader who had the support of both Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party going into the election, contested the election from Vadgam and was ahead by a margin of more than 21,000 votes. His association with the Congress also garnered votes for the party in other areas of the state that have high Dalit population. Unlike Mevani, Thakor did not go into the election with a lot going for him. His opponent in the election was Lavingji Thakor, a former Congressman who defected to the BJP this year after being denied a ticket. Moreover, Thakor is a resident of Ahmedabad but contested the election from Radhanpur, for which he was dubbed an outsider by the BJP. However, when the counting went down on Monday, Thakor managed to shake off all these questions in one go. After trailing for some time in the early stages of counting, Thakor finished with a lead of over 13,000 votes and had managed to convince a huge portion of Gujarats Other Backward Classes population - the caste group he represents - to vote for the Congress. Despite the BJP having dismissed the Patidar-OBC alliance as self-contradictory, because both communities would be competing for the benefits of quota between themselves, the Congress would be hoping to keep it intact, especially after Mevanis and Thakors performance on Monday. The BJP was leading in 105 seats in Gujarat at 12:06 pm, compared to the Congress, which was leading in 75 seats. But even though this margin looks extremely wide, there is little doubt that the BJP would have struggled to touch the halfway mark if Prime Minister Modi had not set aside everything and come to his home state to campaign. Moreover, the Congress, like the BJP, fought this election without a prominent face of its own in the state, and had to rely on Rahul Gandhi to bring in the votes. But with people like Patel, Thakor and Mevani in its ranks, the grand old party will be looking to reinvent itself in Gujarat with a batch of young and strong leaders. Volvo Cars is steadily ramping up its operations in India especially after the inauguration of a sparkling new assembly line in Bengaluru in October followed by the launch of its most popular SUV XC60 last week. Charles Frump, Managing Director, Volvo Cars India shares Volvos roadmap and what will it take to double the market share in the face of strong competition from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Jaguar Land Rover. Q. The XC60 is already the largest selling model for Volvo globally. How much of volume do you expect it to come from India? A. Globally the XC60 makes up 30 percent of our volumes and similarly here in India. It could get more than that but at the same time, we have tremendous demand for XC90. The V90 cross country is a niche product but it is beginning to catch on and not far down the line we have the XC40 coming. We are expecting the sales, in general, to go up after the XC60 launch. New Volvo XC60 Q. What has been the growth rate so far for Volvo? A. We are coming close to closing the year and we are going to see sales of 2000 cars and that will be a growth of 25 percent compared to last year sales. And 30 percent of those volumes came from just the XC60. Q. How much of an upside in volumes do you think will there be next year? A. What we have gone out saying is that by 2020 we want to be at 10 percent market share of the luxury segment from 5 percent now. There needs to be a glide path to increase the share over that time. And new XC60 will play a big part in that. And we are looking at very closely at bringing the XC40 shortly. Q. You have launched the XC60 with just one variant and no other engine option. Are you open to launching the petrol version? A. One of the things we are well aware of is shifting towards diesel from petrol. At the moment we see a greater demand for diesel from our customers. The news is that with this car and all our SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) cars we have the engine ready to go petrol and diesel and top of that we have hybrids ready to go. Whatever way the market goes we have future-proofed our product plan. New Volvo XC40 Q. Will the XC60 make its way to the assembly lines in Bengaluru? A. We kicked off local assembly in Bengaluru in October and that is going extremely well. The cars have gone out to dealers and customers. With that under our belt, we are looking at expanding. And the first cars we are looking at are our SPA cars. We dont have any specific announcement today but over the next year, you would be certainly hearing more from us on local assembly. Q. How strong in the luxury SUV market in India? A. If you compare it with other luxury car markets around the world Indias luxury car share its significantly smaller. The luxury car share is between 5-10 percent globally but in India its 2 percent. The luxury market was shocked by demonetisation and by GST but we are on the other side of that now. Now we see things improving from here. BJP RN Bhaskar The Bharatiya Janata Party has won an underwhelming victory in Gujarat. And, ironically, one reason the result is a damp squib in this laboratory of Hindutva could be the measures the BJP government at the Centre took to protect the animal that Hindus revere, the holy cow. Many forget that Gujarat is not UP, or like any of the Northern states. In fact, it is far more mercenary than many people realise. Every decision is measured in terms of money gained and money lost. Yes, religion does play a part. The Vaishnav cult and the Somnath loyalists do continue to advocate the cause of Hinduism. And Gujarat gaurav matters as well. But after the emotions are done with, it comes back to money. Read more: Gujarat Election Results 2017 LIVE: Modi muscles BJP to victory after bitter campaign Two factors That is where two factors worked against the BJP this time. The ham-handed manner in which GST was implemented hurt many Gujarati businessmen. The onerous rate of 18 percent on food (Gujaratis love food and eating out) hurt. It was quickly rolled back. But the cumbersome requirement of having to register in each state where refunds could be claimed hurt businessmen. Thus, if a trader goes to Goa to meet a client, he cannot claim setoff against his hotel GST because he had not registered in Goa. And if he does, he would be required to file returns every month. For a party that talked about one-country, this was dividing up the country into tax-autonomous states, preventing claims from being made just because registration had not been done in another state. All this could have been managed electronically, without inconveniencing the common man. It is only now that the government has decided to iron out all the wrinkles. You can be sure that this will be done more expeditiously. But a bigger inconvenience in Gujarat is the ban on cow slaughter, and the ban on the transport of buffaloes as well. That hurt many Gujaratis. The ban on slaughter alone could mean a loss of around Rs 1,500 crore per year. This figure could be higher if one takes the market price of Rs 20,000 per cattle in the pre-ban days. For Gujarat ownership of cows and buffaloes is not just an issue of milk. Even Hindus in the Kheda and Anand districts used to sell their non-lactating cattle to the trader. They did not want to engage in the businesss of slaughter. But the purchase of a cow that costs anywhere between Rs 40,000 and Rs 60,000 is a commercial decision. When a cow becomes old, it is replaced with another young cow. Part of the purchase amount for the new cow is offset by the proceeds the farmer gets from the sale of his old non-lactating cattle. One of the reasons why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was popular as the chief minister of Gujarat was his refusal to introduce a ban on the slaughter of cattle. During his chief ministership, he did not impose any restriction on the transport of cattle as well. Obviously, there must have been other pressures which forced his hand as a prime minister which made him first introduce a ban on cow slaughter, and worse, even introduce a ban on transportation of buffaloes to unlicensed slaughterhouses. Country for cows In fact, many Hindus and Muslims had already begun moving away from owning cows to owning buffaloes. They were thus doing what every other state had been doing. States, which had advocated the ban on killing cows, were the first to see a decline in the population of cows in favour of buffaloes. Overnight, those who talked about protecting cows had actually helped in diminishing the ownership of cows (see table). States where the ratio of cows to buffaloes is below one are those where you find the most virulent of gau-rakshaks. This ratio is more in benign states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Mercifully, the Supreme Court has stepped in to demand accountability from states where such gau-rakshaks have run wild. If Gujarat accounts for over 6.8 percent of the countrys bovine population, its share of the countrys milk production is even higher at 8 percent (see table). Go to any part of Gujarat, and you will find backyard rearing of cows/buffaloes a thriving business. Each cow/buffalo generates at least Rs 100 as surplus (after expenses) each day for 300 days a month. So a family which tends to 4-5 cows/buffaloes makes a good Rs 500 or more each day. That is a fortune for rural areas. But when cattle stop lactating, they must be replaced. And that is where the farmers need a market for such cattle. The trader who picked them up and sold them either to cattle sanatoriums (gau-shalas) or to the slaughter houses played this role. He paid farmers an average of Rs 20,000 per cattle head. Huge losses The ban means a loss of this money. It also imposed on the farmer additional costs of looking after an old animal prone to disease. Our calculations show that Gujarat farmers stand to lose at least Rs 1,500 crore assuming 5 percent of the cattle population were to die each year (see chart), not to mention the additional money they need to spend to keep the old cattle. And from the state GDP viewpoint, there is also the loss of income for the butchers. Somewhere, Indias policymakers forgot that the people who were trying to decide the future of cattle were often those who had never purchased such animals, and had certainly not looked after them with their own money. They often used moneys from charities or the state to do the things that they wanted poor farmers to do. Clearly, the government will have to rethink its plans and policies. It will have to become more tolerant of people who eat beef. Even Goa which has refused to ban the eating of beef has admitted that the supply of beef from neighbouring states is proving to be a problem. The coming days will tell you whether the government can do all this. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) looks on during a press conference about his resistance to the so-called "Skinny Repeal" of the Affordable Care Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 27, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein - RTX3D7T1 US Senator John McCain will miss a key vote on the Republican tax bill, further narrowing the already-thin margin of support for the controversial measure, US media reported today. The legislation, which will slash corporate taxes as well as cutting those for individuals, has been criticized as primarily benefiting the wealthy. The measure is President Donald Trump's last shot at a major legislative accomplishment in his first year in office. CBS News reported that McCain, who was hospitalized for side effects of chemotherapy treatment for brain cancer, returned to Arizona today and would miss the tax overhaul vote. CNN also reported that McCain would miss the vote, which is expected to be held in the next few days. His daughter Meghan said her father would be spending the holidays in Arizona. "My father is doing well and we are all looking forward to spending Christmas together in Arizona," she wrote on Twitter. If McCain is absent, Republicans -- who have a 52-48 majority in the Senate -- can only afford one defection if the measure is to pass. No Democrats or independents support the legislation in the Senate. It is expected to comfortably pass the House. McCain, an 81-year-old former prisoner of war and 2008 Republican presidential nominee was diagnosed in July with a brain tumor known as a glioblastoma, after doctors found a blood clot over his left eye during a routine checkup. He has been critical of Trump and cast a crucial "no" vote on the president's effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act health law, helping to torpedo the measure. Jarrett Coleman goes from school board to statehouse with win in 16th Senate District race Shortly after I met Kathy Peters, she heard a representative of Big Brothers Big Sisters speak in an effort to recruit volunteers. At the time, Kathy worked full time as director of staff development and training at the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center. Nevertheless, she signed up as a volunteer. Ten years later, she is still a volunteer. She is conscientious about not telling me names or personal details of children involved, but has told me many stories that have touched her. Shell never forget the words of a little boy the first time she met him: My moms in prison, and my dads in prison, he said. Itd be pretty cool to have someone care about me. He had nothing, absolutely nothing, and his eyes got so big when given anything, she told me with tears in her own eyes. For their second visit, she brought him a bookbag she had filled with school items. This is mine? This is for me? He took everything out and studied each item. Now, I can be like other kids. In February of this year, Kathy retired from the Riddle Center. In March, while still volunteering as a Big Sister, she also became the program coordinator for BBBS, its only paid position. The organization began more than 100 years ago in New York City, as an attempt to help children in trouble with the courts by matching them with adults who helped guide them to success. Originally , there were two separate groups Big Brothers and Catholic Big Sisters but in 1977, the two became one nationwide charity. Today, the Morganton office is located in the former junior high building on College Street. BBBS is a partner agency with Burke County United Way. Between 30-35 volunteers, including the advisory board, provide for about 30 local children. Their brochure, written for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina, states as their goal: to ensure every child in WNC has an enjoyable, long-term relationship with a caring adult who believes in them and sees their potential. Approximately 54 percent of the children served are white, 25 percent black, and 21 percent a variety of races. The children come from single-parent, low-income families or homes where a parent is in jail, also according to the brochure. Locally, two forms of mentoring exist: community based, with scheduled activities at least twice a month or school-based ones that take place during school hours. Volunteers undergo a rigorous screening process with training and safety a priority. The end result is a partnership with child, volunteer, parent and organization. Our volunteers are amazing people, Kathy said. They go above and beyond. She tells about one who, along with his wife and friends, yearly throws a party at Lake James for those in the program, delighting the children with rides on jet skis and a pontoon. Its their favorite activity of the year, Kathy said. Another volunteer retired in the middle of the school year and moved out of town. Before he left, the boy he had mentored asked him to, please, finish out the school year so that the boy would pass to seventh grade. Twice a month from January to June, the volunteer drove from Cherryville to Table Rock School. The boy passed. We have another volunteer whose Little Brother is now in 11th grade, matched since fourth or fifth, Kathy said. The mother says she cant imagine their lives without the volunteer in it. Not only do the children thrive , though. T he mother of one Little Sister went back to school, finished her degree and is now a teacher assistant. The child herself has become a spokesperson against domestic violence. Kathy, who helped celebrate that childs 10th birthday, asked the child to say a blessing before the meal. She expected a childs prayer. Instead, the girl prayed, Thank you for a safe place to live where I dont have to be afraid anymore. Not all the stories have happy endings. Kathys first match didnt. One day she went to pick up the child in the single-wide trailer, where 10 people lived and shared a dorm-sized refrigerator. The trailer was empty. Kathy never found out what happened to the family or to the child. Her new position, she said, has opened her eyes not only to tragedies but also to the generosity of others. Teachers, counselors, and principals are angels here on earth, she said of the people who refer children into her program and help schedule times. The schools are full of beyond incredible people who advocate for every child in every way possible. The teachers deal with so much cultural and language differences, poverty, testing and the emotions of children. And some counselors can call every child by name. At Christmas, you can find many worthwhile opportunities for donating material items or money. But what about giving a different kind of Christmas gift? More Big Brothers and Sisters are needed. You could sign up to work with a child whose life you might change for the better. The organization asks for a years commitment, at least twice a month. The commitment wont be easy or perfect. But if you want to see people enthused about activities with mentees and thrilled at each milestone or success, talk to other volunteers, who tell stories similar to Kathys. Her Little Sister is 12 now and in seventh-grade. The two of them have been matched for more than two years. When Kathy told me her Little Sister had scored 4 on both parts of her EOG, the look on her face made it clear that this kind of giving is not a one-way street. For more information about Morgantons BBBS program, call 828-432-2245. Maggie McKinney is a member of Morganton Writers Group. Where are the top-rated asset allocators putting investors cash? Examining the portfolios of the top-rated fund of funds we can see a bias towards UK-listed income stocks, American stock pickers and even a small allocation towards gold. Using the Morningstar Portfolio tool we created a list of some of the top fund of funds; F&C Navigator Progressive, Fidelity Multi Asset Income Fund, Jupiter Merlin Balanced Portfolio, Jupiter Merlin Income Portfolio, Old Mutual Managed and Schroder Multi-Manager Diversity. We then X-Rayed these funds to see what was under the hood and whether there was any overlap between the portfolios. Each of the following three funds is held by at least two of the fund of funds. This five-star fund has outperformed many peers in the highly competitive UK equity income space. It has comfortably beaten the category average since inception and has outperformed the FTSE All Share 2.5% year to date, and 8.3% in 2016. Fund manager Hugh Yarrow prefers to invest in companies with strong balance sheets with cash to spare and attractive yields. Leveraged companies are a big no-no. We always focus on strong balance sheets and high free cash flow generation, businesses that can self-fund their own organic investment, he told Morningstar in February. But I think we're particularly conscious of that in the current market. Debt is very cheap, borrowing has crept up at the market level, and I think it's partly a function of the low-growth economic environment. Businesses are tempted to use debt to buy back shares or make acquisitions to offset low growth. But clearly, that does come with some risk. This Gold Rated fund has recently been upgraded by Morningstar fund analysts. Analyst Pete Brunt describes it as one of the strongest options for investors seeking exposure to high quality global equities. Manager Terry Smith's investment philosophy is to buy and hold, ideally forever, high-quality businesses that will continually compound in value, says Brunt. High-quality companies are defined as having little need for leverage, an above-average cash return on operating capital employed, and an ability to sustainably grow at this rate of return. Investors should be aware that this is a very high-conviction and long-term approach. This five-star fund is a rarity an actively managed fund which can compete with the most transparent investible universe in the world, the US stock market. While it does well in rising markets, it come into its own in markets where the benchmark index Russell 3000 slides. For example, in 2013 the benchmark fell 3.3% but Findlay managers James Findlay and Anthony Kingsley made a whopping 27.8%. Year to date the benchmark is up 2.4% and the fund has returned 6.4%. With much being made of inflated valuations in the US stock market, this fund may be one to watch for the medium term. Thank you, Midland Development Corp., for your help in recruiting and retaining doctors in Midland. While the price has been steep -- $2 million over the past three years our community is not a place where we can expect any different. Beggars really cant be choosers. As Trevor Hawes reported last week, Midland Memorial recruited 14 doctors this year. Nine specialize in internal medicine or are hospitalists. Other specialties brought to Midland include pediatrics, cardiology, vascular surgery, inpatient psychiatry and family medicine. Furthermore, three physicians are slated to start practice in 2018. Two will focus on internal medicine/hospitalist, and the other will specialize in maternal fetal medicine, which will help grow MMHs neonatal intensive care unit. A very encouraging note in the story is that since September 2010, the retention rate of doctors has jumped from 51 percent to 86 percent. Midland Memorial credits the help of the MDC for the improvement. More for you Turnover rate of recruited doctors at MMH drops The battle to keep staffing at adequate levels will be expensive. Some residents get amany as 100 job offers. The competition for their services is good for them but bad for areas bidding for their services. Again, thank you to the MDC for helping level that playing field. We have to admit we were annoyed when we read in Hawes story that physicians tend to focus on metropolitan areas where they dont have to be on-call with the hospital. For those concerned about health care quality, thats not news we like to hear. Midland Memorial needs to be able to offer the best care possible because not everyone has the ability to hop on a plane and fly to Dallas or Houston for medical care. Life also gets in the way and keeps people in Midland for emergency situations, which means we need the best medical care possible at Midland Memorial for all Midland County residents. We dont think the Midland Development Corp. should have to justify its investment in health care with statistics on employment, wages, taxes, etc. What matters is there are more doctors and better health care available for a growing community. The Midland Development Corp., which is funded by a quarter-cent sales tax, is making things happen in our community. We have seen road projects come to fruition that might not have happened otherwise, higher education investment that makes sense and now a commitment to health care that is needed in a community where tens of thousands of new residents are expected in the next five to 10 years. Economic development isnt easy. In Midland, our development corporation has sometimes struggled to determine its mission and following through with sound policy. This MDC board is getting it right. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. It is a project poised to transform the west side of College Park, adding retail, homes, businesses and a 100-acre public park. Dr. Phillips Charities, Orlando partner on College Park development Historic warehouse in 'Packing District' may be food hall, microbrewery Charities hopes to transform industrial area to shops, restaurants And for Ken Robinson, it is an opportunity to preserve a piece of Central Florida's history. "We think it can be so much more than what it is right now," said Robinson, the president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities. "The history we have here, we have to protect." Recently, the city of Orlando and Dr. Phillips Charities began talks to reshape a longtime industrial zone located between North John Young Parkway and North Orange Blossom Trail. In the 1930s, citrus reigned and Dr. Phillip Phillips was king, packing fruits into boxes made in a warehouse within the district. The blue building still stands, its arched wooden ceiling intact. "It's got great bones. You had a train that came right up to the building itself," Robinson explained. But Robinson said that he envisions the empty warehouse getting a new lease on life, one day as the heart of "The Packing District." "It could serve as a food hall, it could serve as a microbrewery. We have a vision it will tie into UCF and Valencia (College)'s culinary school downtown," he said. Dr. Phillips Charities hopes to repurpose five or six buildings on its 84-acre property, transforming the light-industrial zone into shops and homes. They will then purchase more acreage, agreeing to donate a 100-acre park to the city in exchange for more than $20 million in infrastructure improvements. "We'll be connecting into their property with trails and wonderful open spaces," Orlando District 3 Commissioner Robert Stuart said. "Dr. Phillips already has those rights. But by working together, we can help them plan that for the future." Last week, the Orlando City Council unanimously approved agreements for the land donation and infrastructure work, with Mayor Buddy Dyer calling it perhaps "one of the most important things" the council had tackled in the calendar year. "It's a big vision process, kind of like Creative Village or Lake Nona. It's on that type of scale. So it's not something that will be done overnight," Dyer said. Robinson said that he sees the area west of College Park becoming the next destination, and "The Packing District" paying homage to its citrus-packing roots. "It'll be known for restaurants. It'll be known for retail locations," he said. Dr. Phillips Charities will be investing $480 million into The Packing District project, which will create more than 800 permanent jobs. Construction is expected to start in 2018 and last for the next 10 to 15 years. Two Covenant Health Plainview physicians have achieved the pinnacle of their respected disciplines as both Hima Jyothi M.D. and Jessica Charest M.D. recently earned board certifications. After a grueling and extensive exam, Charest is now a board-certified physician with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology while Jyothi has earned her certification with the American Academy of Pediatrics. We are very proud of Dr. Hima Jyothi and Dr. Jessica Charest, said Covenant Health Plainview CEO Bob Copeland. Board certification means a physician has passed a very rigorous examination which covers every aspect of their specialty. The hard work both physicians have dedicated to earning their board certification is a testament to their talent and to their commitment to our patients. We are so proud to have Dr. Hima and Dr. Charest as a part of our Covenant Health family. To earn board certification, physicians must prove their expertise by completing the exam and also undergoing an evaluation designed and administered by specialists in their specific area of medicine. Board societies set minimum competency requirements, which includes diagnosing and treating a number of patients, before a physician is even board eligible. Not all physicians earn board certifications. Both Jyothi, who took the exam in late October, and Charest, who complete her evaluation earlier this December were informed this past week that they had passed board certification. Charest and Jyothi both practice inside the Covenant Healthcare Center of Plainview, located at 2222 West 24th Street. Charest has worked as an OB/GYN in Plainview for the past three years, while Jyothi made the move to West Texas this past September. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If the hallways of the Hilton could speak, what a story they might tell. That was on the mind of at least a few in a tour group of about 16 onlookers during a walk-through at the Hilton Hotel on a cold morning Thursday. The group included those with ties to the city, members of the Plainview Chamber of Commerce and the Plainview Main Street project, or the Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corp., plus others having a longtime personal interest in a Hilton renovation. A few in the group thought about that, and many had their own personal memories of events at the Hilton, dining there, or maybe knowing or remembering someone who worked there before its closure in 1984. The entourage toured the building Thursday at the invitation of MLR Capital, the Kansas City-based firm renovating it. Some of the younger participants, or those new to Plainview, listened intently as the Hiltons life story was related to them by others. Damon Admire of Dumas, the construction contractor, wanted to give the group an up-close look at progress made recently at restoring the brick and stone facade outside, and the extensive and thorough demolition of unneeded materials that has taken place inside over previous months all leading to acceleration of work, expected to reach a crescendo in January. Many in Plainview continue to wonder just what all the activity is about at the Hilton whether it is being torn down, or just what is happening. The tour helped those in attendance grasp the plan and imagine what the Hilton may look like in the years ahead. The $7 million project is expected to begin taking rapid shape after the first of the year in 2018. This is probably one of the best built buildings we could deal with, explained Damon Admire as he pointed out the structures concrete skeleton and features. Admire ushered the group on a foot tour from first to third floors, mentioning how the basic structure is strongly built, solid, and that the workmanship of the 1920s was amazingly good, plus the materials used are on par or in most cases exceed that of todays construction industry, he said. Unlike some restoration projects in similar era buildings, where renovators discover vast discrepancies in measurements from window to window the Plainview Hiltons the window openings, for instance, were discovered to be consistently within a quarter inch tolerance all over the building reducing expense of production considerably. Progress not seen to the naked eye has taken place in many quarters: Most windows for the building have been ordered, and are in production. To preserve the period look, the decoratively designed windows with square transoms above will be installed wherever similar original transoms exist -- on the first floor and in many other places. The original wooden sash designs will be recreated exactly out of metals. A January 6 confluence of architects, engineers, plumbing and electrical contractors, heating and air conditioning personnel will take place to draw and finalize final working architectural drawings so work can move into high gear, Admire said. High tech heating and air conditioning will be installed in a way that small so-called suitcase compressors and heating-cooling units will be individualized to each of the 27 loft spaces. A total of four lofts on each on the upper six floors will be constructed. Plans have been discussed to route water and other utilities into a basement control room, rerouting the connections upward via booster pumps and valves for water. The delivery system is designed to serve and isolate each of the units individually and by adding pumps it negates the need for water tanks on the top floor. Hopes for the Plainview Hilton are high among the project developers. In an earlier interview with Daniel Sailler, a principle of MRE Capital, expressed optimism. His firm has lots of experience with similar projects, having renovated the successful Will Rogers hotel in Claremore, Okla., and two other projects in the Midwest. Making the $7 million project possible was the successful application for affordable housing federal tax credits last year The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs voted to approve hotel owner MRE Capital, LLCs 9 percent Federal Housing Tax Credit (HTC) application for an adaptive re-use multifamily project at the Hilton Hotel, located at 191 W. Sixth St. When we do a project like this it stimulates lots of activity and business in the area around it, explained Sailler. The Conrad lofts are expected to increase real estate tax revenues for governmental entities. It will also result in stimulation of business in the surrounding area of downtown Plainview, creating overall positive economic activity for the city. MRE hired the premier external renovation firm, Mid Continental Restoration Company specializing in facades of historic buildings. MRE sought out the particular company in order to give its best shot to the appearance of the building because of the buildings design, beauty and history, according to Sailler. We discussed whether to do it right now, or do it right later, he said. We decided that it was best to go ahead and do it right now. Just prior to the external work, a local demolition company removed a huge microwave tower from the roof, and the old fire escapes on the east facade. CRC is based in Kansas with numerous projects across the country. A huge list of projects are credited to them, from the huge Union Station in Kansas City, to the Texaco building in Houston, the Conoco Phillips headquarters in Bartlesville, Okla., to courthouses, hotels and government buildings in many states. Many are in Texas. A crew of 12 experienced brick and stone masons working the exterior of the Hilton had just finished work on the Texas State Capitol building before being assigned the Plainview structure. Little did Sailler know that his property would soon, in the not too distant future, have a new neighbor across the intersection when the City of Plainview relocates its city hall -- after Centennial Bank builds a new headquarters here at Yonkers and Olton Rd. The City Hall move and renovation will follow the Hilton on the time line. Sailler was not aware of the development when he first linked up with Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corporation executive director Mike Fox to consider the Hilton for a loft project. Centennial Bank is deeding their building to the city. MRE is now in the process of renovating not one, but three buildings in Texas into loft apartments: Plainview along with the Laguna Hotel in Cisco and the Baxter Building in Harlingen. MRE has worked on plans for the projects in Cisco and Harlingen for several years, and only last year applied for and were approved for the projects -- in each case they were rated with the highest project points among numerous competitors for affordable housing tax breaks. Two government programs will be governing some of the construction considerations. Approved for tax credits for affordable housing by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, MLR is required to meet certain specs on the project. In addition, those who like the idea of preserving bygone days will like the plans for the Hilton. The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program also offers a 20 percent tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic buildings for preservation through the Texas Historical Commission. Under the terms, MLR must maintain the original hotel look of the structure regardless of its repurposing as apartments. Many interesting details of the original building have been discovered covered and hidden through years of redesign, but much of that must now be exposed and preserved, Admire indicated On the first level, Admire pointed up at a ceiling over the lobby which hides the original mezzanine of the second floor. The ceiling will soon be removed to add back the original high ceilings breathtaking expanse with its surrounding balustrade and rails, giving first floor observers a peek upward at the ballroom mezzanine. Above a ceiling at the original check in desk, which will become the Conrad Lofts managerial office, some handsome crown moulding was found and will be exposed in the future. On arriving upstairs on the ballroom floor, he made an announcement he said the city will like. I am announcing to you today, that we intend to restore the ballroom to its original state, and make it available to Plainview for events, meetings and special occasions, he said. At several stops along the tour, Admire explained how the rules of preservation will impact the repurposing of the building for apartments. The view down the central hallways of the former upper room floors a scene that will remain the same as originally built. The rows of doors will remain, though there will only be four separate apartments behind them on each floor. Doors, of course, will be static and non-functional. On the ground floor, outside, where previous retail spaces opened out onto the sidewalk, doors will be preserved though only those strategic to entry into a ground floor apartment will open. The rest will be retained, non-functional, to preserve the original look. There may be some changes on the first level, rumored at one time to become retail spaces again. Apparently, the planners are looking at adding some ground floor apartments to the mix, Admire said. And the former first floor restaurant, to the right of the door on entry, is probably going to become a library and sitting room. The vast basement beneath the Hilton, will have a new purpose: to serve as a control room area for utilities to the apartments, but on a larger scale, off site storage areas will be built with coordination one-for-one with the 27 loft apartments, with uniquely a keying system that will allow tenants to open their basement storage with the same key they use for their loft apartment. So, to those wondering about prospects for the Hiltons future, a new story being told, here, is one of rebirth and renovation. Admire wanted to show off there were those who can remember the Hilton and many younger who knew it only as a structure unused and abandoned since about 1984. The 88-year-old structure, soon to be renamed Conrad Lofts and renovated into lofts. As they passed from first to third floors, visitors viewed and man actually remembered seeing as youths the ornate second floor ballroom, the popular Hilton restaurant on the ground floor, a barber shop and laundry-dry cleaners. Thoughts of the mass of humanity that has passed in and out of town through the downtown portal were on the minds of many on the tour. From its dedication on July 4th, 1929 -- with Conrad Hilton himself in attendance through last year, 2017, a total of 88 years have passed. The need for the Hilton lodging services ceased in about 1984, silencing its halls ever since. About the only economic activity that continued was rental of space for a microwave tower on the roof, but modern fiber optic telecommunications made that obsolete and none of the subsequent owners came forward with renovation plans. A seldom touted, and almost never mentioned fact is that the Plainview Hilton is truly historic in the scheme of things. Sensing great potential of owning hotels he encountered in Cisco, Texas., during the oil boom, being convinced the mass of workers coming and going from a local hotel could translate into profit, Hilton bought the 40-room Mobley Hotel in Cisco in 1919, his first. Information available to the Herald shows that only four other Hiltons preceded it all were reflagged Hilton as they were functioning under other names when purchased apparently holding the distinction of being the first Hilton built from the ground up to carry the name Wikipedia then lists the hotels he first purchased, and the years purchased, as follows: the high-rise Dallas Hilton, opened in 1925; the Abilene Hilton in 1927; Waco Hilton in 1928. Judging from that, the Plainview Hilton, built from scratch, came in 1929. As previously said, 88 years have passed since a momentous occasion in Plainview when on July 4, 1929, a gathering of civic boosters akin to the small group touring the Hilton Thursday sat down to a dinner of filet-mignon to dedicate the Plainview Hilton. Many false starts and unsuccessful plans for renovations later, after many intentions went awry, thee Hiltons purpose will finally changing in an abrupt but positive way in 2018. Onto the October stock market crash in October of that year when Conrad Hilton lost his newly built Plainview Hilton plus other properties, but finally got them back. For over 50 years after 1929, and through a handful of different owners, the Hilton served as a lively hostelry, even gaining a reputation as popular restaurant featuring regular noon buffets and gaining a big following as a fancy place to meet, celebrate a party of have a big gathering in its ballroom. The eatery on the first floor, and its ballroom on the second floor pleased the palates of many, an experience complete with piano and organ music by a resident musician It was just a block from Columbia which was US 87. Even earlier, US 87 had entered Plainview about where the Liner Center sits on South Broadway, making the Hilton accessible the thru-town de facto US 87 on Broadway, just a block East in the other direction. In a rare find, a clipping from the Plainview Daily Herald was discovered in past years featuring a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Graham dining alongside Cliff Barrows, his music director. They were happenstance diners being greeted at their table by Pollyanna Cavitt, then the resident pianist and official Hilton organist. Graham apparently was conducting a crusade either north or south, and took the opportunity of the Hiltons proximity to pull of US 87 to make a dining stop in Plainview. When someone spied Grahams party, they apparently summoned a local photographer to drive over to the restaurant and get the shot. Fridays event was tabbed as an open house for the Plainview Chamber of Commerce and the Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corp., which share space at the Chambers building located at 1906 W. Fifth St., but the event became a moment to honor Chamber Director Linda Morris, for her years of service, not only to the chamber, but to the city of Plainview. Morris, who was selected as chamber director in December 2010, after a long career in banking, having worked at Hale County State Bank prior to officially taking over the position as chamber director in January 2011, said that when she took over the position she had originally intended to serve just a couple of years as director. She gave a specific thanks to the community and noted that government officials and business leaders have been very supportive during her time serving as chamber director. Plainview Mayor Wendell Dunlap was on hand to present a proclamation and the keys to the city to Morris, and the chamber board members presented Morris with a new Dell laptop computer. Morris said that one of the things she would miss most about the job would be the day to day interactions, with board members, business owners and Plainview citizens. She said that the job afforded her the opportunity to meet new people and to work with new business owners. She added that another of the things she would miss would be effectively being on the ground floor as new businesses came into town, helping them to develop their businesses. Morris said that one of her goals during her six years at the chamber was to establish a stronger chamber that would be a positive resource for not only new businesses, but existing businesses in the community. She noted that one of her goals was that she wanted to ensure that when people thought about the chamber they came away with a positive reflection on the entity. Morris husband Jack will soon be retiring after working over 34 years with West Texas Gas. Morris said that the couple will spend time with family and vacationing in the mountains. Although she said she will still perform certain tasks in Plainview and will continue to be involved in the community. Morris said she will also continue to help the chamber if needed and that she will be acting as the emcee for the chambers 2018 banquet. Morris however said that she wanted to take more of a backseat role to allow new Chamber Director Tonya Keesee the opportunity to develop the organization as she saw fit. During the open-house Morris praised her successor and said that she felt the organization would be in good hands with Keesee at the helm. During the open house event, several dozen business owners and well-wishers came to pay homage to Morris. Some offered humorous anecdotes about her life, other honored her service, but make no mistake, everyone in the crowd was there to pay service to a woman who they felt had served Plainview honorably. After closed session Thursday evening, the Plainview Independent School District Board of Trustees voted 6-0 to authorize Board President Bryan Wood to work with Superintendent Dr. Rockwell Kirk to make possible revisions to his contract, currently slated to end Dec. 31, 2018 and to sign and execute the contract on behalf of the board. The closed session and final vote came as a result of a letter, dated Dec. 1, 2017 that Kirk circulated among the board members. In that letter Kirk states his desire to conclude his contract in December of 2018 and that after 34 years in public education he is looking forward to the next phase in his life. Kirk also makes the following recommendation to the board: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The power outage that halted flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport caused 40 to 50 people to stay overnight at both Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports. Delayed or canceled flights were minimal. Bush Intercontinental had nine arriving or departing flights affected on Sunday. Four inbound flights and one outbound flight were affected Monday morning, said Houston Airport System spokesman Bill Begley. Hobby Airport had four Delta Air Lines flights and two Southwest Airlines flight affected Sunday. Monday morning, one Delta departure was delayed for less than an hour. MORE: Power outage halts flights at Atlanta international airport Begley said the Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to prepare for power outages and review their plans annually. The Houston Airport System has redundancies to help prevent power outages. But if something on the scale of Atlanta happened, Begley said it would also cease operations. Its first priority is ensuring the safe operation of planes, which is impossible without electricity. "Safety is the No. 1 objective," he said. "And so if we cannot confidently operate safely, we're not going to have those air operations." United Airlines and Southwest Airlines, the largest carriers at Bush Intercontinental and Hobby, respectively, did not provide details on their Houston operations. Southwest said its full Atlanta schedule appears to be operating Monday. There is a small backlog of checked bags at the airport, but the majority of those should be delivered Monday. United said it canceled a few early morning flights Monday to or from Atlanta, and it's expecting some minor delays. "We are working with our customers to help them get to their final destination," the company said in a statement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The death of CSX Corp. Chief Executive Officer Hunter Harrison just two days after the railroad announced his medical leave resurrects questions about just how much companies should disclose about the health of their leaders. Harrison, 73, died Saturday of unexpectedly severe complications from a recent illness, CSX said without elaborating. Harrison had been turning around CSX since being hired in March, as he had previously done at three other railroads. News of his declining health had pushed the companys shares down the most in more than six years on Friday. Like former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who battled pancreatic cancer before his 2011 death, Harrison had health problems and a reputation that buoyed shares in his company. Harrison had bypass heart surgery in 1998 and missed work in 2015 because of pneumonia and the implant of stents in his legs. Before CSX hired him, he declined the companys request for an independent doctor to review his medical records. In May, the Wall Street Journal reported Harrisons use of supplemental oxygen. In response, he said, Dont judge me by my medical record; judge me by my performance. CSX investors cheered Harrisons performance, sending shares up about 60 percent in this year through Dec. 14, hours before his medical leave was disclosed. Shareholders had approved paying him $84 million he relinquished under a contract at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd., and Harrison said he planned to guide CSX for the course of his four-year contract. The shares tumbled 7.6 percent on Friday, the biggest drop since September 2011, after the medical leave was announced. We are confident that our disclosures are adequate and appropriate, Bryan Tucker, a CSX spokesman, said by email Sunday. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules dont require companies to disclose serious health problems in the executive suite, said Allan Horwich, a partner at Schiff Hardin and Northwestern University law professor. But a company cant issue half-truths or lie about an executive. The most important thing is whether there were statements made by the company since he was hired that were inconsistent with the true state of his health at the time, and whether the company knew that, Horwich said. Did they knowingly or recklessly omit facts in what they said about the management team that would expose them to liability? Disclosures are judged by what the company knew in assessing the future, he said. If things didnt turn out as they expected, that doesnt mean that the company lied or that the disclosure was defective, he said. One difficult area with CEO health disclosures is that chief executives dont always share all the information they have with their companies, said former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt. I find it difficult to understand the reasons that the company went ahead and hired him if he refused to make full disclosure of his health status, said Pitt, the founder of Kalorama Partners. Disclosure rules for a key executive also must weigh that individuals right to privacy, said Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. This is the classic example of when an individuals health is tied dramatically to the success of a company, it becomes a matter of disclosure, Elson said. His pay would suggest that his presence at the company was considered incredibly important to shareholders and therefore his health would be relevant. Such situations always raise the risk of litigation, Elson said. Any time that people are disappointed and feel the company wasnt as forthright as they should have been, youll see litigation, Elson said. But how does anybody know when their time is up? SAN FRANCISCO - The enduring popularity of a provocative post on Instagram, created by a company with connections to the Kremlin, demonstrates why fighting propaganda on social media will be an uphill battle. The photograph in the post, of a smiling woman wearing a black hijab, seems innocent. But the text around it was crafted to push buttons. This is a woman, readers are warned, who hates everything from Jews and Christians to lesbians and wine - yet she "complains about Islamophobia." Since it was posted on Nov. 8, the image has been "liked" by more than 6,000 people on Instagram, the image-sharing site owned by Facebook. What those people probably did not know was that it was created by the Internet Research Agency, or IRA, a Russian "troll" farm that employed hundreds to influence discussions online by stirring debate in comment sections below online stories and creating provocative posts on social media. The original account was banned by Instagram this year, but other accounts continue to spread the image. Congress took Facebook, Twitter and Google to task in October for allowing the spread of Russian disinformation on their platforms during the 2016 election campaign, but little attention was paid to Instagram. Some researchers believe that the platform - which has 800 million monthly users, 470 million more than Twitter - is as full of disinformation and propaganda as any other social media service. "Instagram is a major distributor and redistributor of IRA propaganda that's at the very least on par with Twitter," according to a report published last month by Jonathan Albright, research director at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. A Facebook spokesman said the company takes disinformation seriously and was continuing its efforts to "stop foreign interference." "As part of our investigation, we found and removed around 170 IRA accounts on Instagram that were responsible for approximately 120,000 posts," the spokesman, Tom Reynolds, said. Albright's research documented how the photo-friendly service was widely used by Russian trolls, and how it continues to be a hub for those images to be shared and shared again. He analyzed 28 of the 170 accounts that Instagram removed from its platform after discovering that they had been created by the IRA, which is based in St. Petersburg, Russia. Using publicly available information on sites that archive social media posts, Albright found 2.5 million recorded interactions with posts from the accounts, as well as 145 million likely interactions with people who had passively viewed them. The image of the woman in the hijab was originally posted by an account called Merican Fury. According to evidence presented during a congressional hearing in October, that account was part of a coordinated disinformation campaign run by the Internet Research Agency. This month, it was shared to a popular Instagram account called Republican.s, which says it represents "the Republicans and Conservatives of Instagram." It has more than 100,000 followers. An administrator of Republican.s declined to answer why the account had shared the image, or if the person running the account was aware of the image's Russian origin. When reached on Instagram, which allows users to send a message to any account they follow, the administrator said he or she had only recently taken over the account. Among the many potential consequences of the Federal Communications Commission's repeal of net neutrality, perhaps none was as unpredictable as a "Star Wars" marquee actor questioning the Jedi worthiness of the commission's chairman. But that's exactly what happened Saturday when Mark Hamill, best known for playing Luke Skywalker in the space-movie franchise, took a shot at FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who earlier in the week had dressed up as Santa Claus and filmed a bizarre video outlining "7 things you can still do on the internet after net neutrality." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jeff Balfour is bringing a slice of the Pearl to Brooks. The chef and owner of Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery has announced plans to open a second location in the fall of 2018. The new spot will be located in the heart of The Greenline, a 43-acre park at the Brooks site. Southerleighs South Side outpost will feature a casual family-style menu with a focus on fried chicken, gulf seafood and an oyster bar. Souterhleighs brews and a large wine selection will also be available. RELATED: Pub crawl: Hidden San Antonio bar is like an affordable TopGolf Were excited to expand Southerleigh into a new neighborhood and introduce our culinary style to a new audience, Balfour said in a news release. The Southside of San Antonio has been rapidly expanding and we are thrilled to be joining this growing community at Brooks. Southerleigh is among the first restaurants to sign on for projects at Brooks. Balfour joins Johnny Hernandez, who recently announced plans to open La Gloria and El Machito locations at Brooks, also expected to open in the fall of 2018. pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UTSA's John Peace Library nearly became the setting for a San Antonio version of Cheaters. Instead, it's just the backdrop of a viral tweet that's garnering national attention. It all started during the Finals Week frenzy, when Rebekah Pendley spotted a couple being "touchy" in the library. She noticed the young gentleman looked like the boyfriend of Jasmine Rios, a girl she followed on Twitter. The only problem was, the sweetheart he was smitten by was not her online friend. RELATED: Texas Tech accidentally sends out 'good luck on finals' meme containing marijuana leaves After sneaking a photo, Pendley relayed her intel to her Twitter friend, who she had never met before, via a direct message. "I really don't know if I should message you/how to tell you but I have been full on cheated on before and girl to girl I'd want to know," Pendley told Rios. Luckily for all involved, it was just a case of a mistaken identity. Rios' boyfriend, Isiah Williamson, has an identical twin brother named Aaron Williamson, who was the one Pendley spotted. The young woman he was doting over in the photo was his girlfriend, Macie Morales. "I automatically knew it wasn't (Isiah), because my boyfriend was with me when I got the direct message and I looked at the picture before I read the message and wondered why she sent me a picture of his brother and his girlfriend," she told mySA.com. Rios quickly replied back to her newfound spy, letting her know the deal. And it's good she did because Pendley was ready to come to her defense. RELATED: San Antonio college graduates are picture-perfect on social media "I feel really bad but I just thought it'd be wrong to witness it and not say anything, you know," Pendley told her. "Tell me if you want me to fight him I'll be here a while." Rios tweeted the exchange and it took off. It has amassed 250,000 likes and 50,000 retweets so far. Eventually, the story got national attention and Buzzfeed got in touch with the UTSA students. "I didn't think this would happen at all honestly, I don't know how I feel. I still think it's funny," Rios said, adding that her boyfriend also thinks the entire ordeal is "hilarious." The two women haven't met yet, but it's clear Pendley has Rios' back. They've been chatting since the tweet went viral and plan on hanging out for the first time after the holidays, Rios said. Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for MySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye San Antonio graduates crossed the stage and each other's social media timelines around the city after turning tassels over the last few weekends. Schools like UTSA and UIW hosted their Fall 2017 graduations over the weekend while others, like St. Mary's and Our Lady of the Lake universities, celebrated theirs earlier this month. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Daniel Christian, formerly of Albany and Troy, has been promoted to Army Reserve major general as he took command of the 412th Theater Command TEC at Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg, Miss., during a ceremony. Christian previously served as assistant commander of the 95th Training Division based in Fort Sill, Okla. He replaced Maj. Gen. Tracy A. Thompson, who became the Army Reserve assistant chief of staff. Maj. Gen. Scottie D. Carpenter, deputy commanding general, Army Reserve Command, presided over the promotion and change-of-command ceremony. Christian, a graduate of La Salle Institute in Troy, oversees the 412th Theater Engineer Command TEC, which is comprised of a headquarters company and three brigades totaling more than 13,000 soldiers. The command, which is an operational and functional headquarters that governs all Army Reserve engineer, and engineer-support units east of the Mississippi River, conducts theater-level engineer operations for Eighth U.S. Army, Korea; U.S. Army Europe; and U.S. Army Pacific. Christian has been a soldier for more than 35 years. He received his commission through Niagara University ROTC and entered service in the Engineer Corps in 1983. His previous assignments include the 108th Training Command in Charlotte, N.C. He also is former 4th Brigade commander, 98th Division (IET) out of Buffalo. While deployed to Iraq in 2005, Christian served as the senior combat advisor to the 3rd Iraqi Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division in An-Numaniyah. Christian is also a graduate of Combined Arms and Services Staff College, Command and General Staff College, Joint Professional Military Education at the Joint Service School, and the Army War College. He also holds a master in strategic studies from the Army War College. He has earned a the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, seven Meritorious Service Medals, an Army Commendation Medal with combat "V" device, two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, a Combat Action Badge, 18th Airborne Corps. Combat Service Badge, and a the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency. As a civilian he is a vice president of AAA Cooper Transportation. Guard officer advances Todd Balog of Saratoga Springs, an Afghanistan war veteran, was promoted to New York Army National Guard lieutenant colonel during a ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs. Balog currently serves as the commander of the 369th Special Troops Battalion in New York City. He also serves full time on the Joint Staff at the New York National Guard Headquarters as an active guard and reserve officer assigned to the Joint Training & Exercises Division in Latham. Balog received his commission as a second lieutenant upon completion of an Army Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Michigan State University in August 2001. Following the Armor Officer Basic Course and Scout Leader Course at Fort Knox, Ky., he served on active duty with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Fort Irwin, Calif., as an armor platoon leader and later as protocol officer. Balog joined the New York Army National Guard in September 2007 where he has served as an operations officer in the 42nd Infantry Division, aide-de-camp to the division commander, Headquarters Company commander and division secretary of the general staff. He deployed to Afghanistan for a combat tour with the Headquarters Company, 427th Brigade Support Battalion as a base closure team leader in Regional Command East. Balog is a graduate of the Command & General Staff Officers Courses. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice from Michigan State. He has earned a Bronze Star Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, an Army Achievement Medal, an Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, a Combat Action Badge and an Army Parachutist Badge. News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com. Cohoes A woman who called police multiple times in the mid-1990s to report abusive behavior by Cohoes Mayor Shawn M. Morse issued a statement to the Times Union on Monday affirming her calls to police and saying she "must come forward with the truth" after Morse denied abusing her or other women. "He has publicly claimed that I said the abuse never happened," reads the one-page statement provided by Colleen Keller. "It did happen. ... The abuse started out with me being physically pushed, grabbed and verbally degraded. It escalated from there." In a Dec. 10 story published by the Times Union, people close to Keller had described an incident from 1995 when she told police Morse grabbed her neck and lifted her off the ground during an argument. Keller's statement described that alleged assault as the "worst incident" and she said it took place after she and Morse had broken off their relationship. "He grabbed me by the throat, picked me up, and carried me by the throat into the dining room, where I finally was able to break free," Keller's statement says. "The incident left me with bruises on my neck, throat and arms." Joseph Ahearn, Morse's attorney, said the mayor "denies the allegations made by Ms. Keller." He said Keller and the mayor have a son together and dated for a shorter period of time than four-year period she described in her statement. "The relationship between Shawn and Colleen ended very shortly after the child was born (in 1994)," Ahearn said. "After a contentious paternity proceeding in Family Court, Shawn has ... spoken to Colleen only sporadically over the years." Keller, 46, is one of at least three women, including Morse's wife, Brenda, who allegedly have been victims of physical abuse by Morse. Brenda Morse called 911 last month and told dispatchers her husband "grabbed her by the throat and threw her to the ground," according to a police record. Keller was not identified in the Times Union's Dec. 10 story because she was an alleged victim of domestic abuse. She had agreed to talk about her calls to police in the mid-1990s on the condition she not be identified. Three longtime friends of Keller's, and a former city police officer, Gary Ethier, previously confirmed the police responses to Keller's Grant Street residence when she called Cohoes police and reported abusive behavior by Morse, including instances when she said he spit on her. Keller said she filed complaints with city police but that Morse, a former longtime Cohoes firefighter, was never arrested. The three people close to Keller said that her parents, now deceased, had kept copies of police reports and photograph's of Keller's bruises to document the alleged abuse. Keller said that Cohoes police declined to arrest Morse, even when he allegedly forced his way into her private residence. "The response to those calls to the police didn't make me feel safe," her statement reads. "Shawn had and continues to have a great deal of sway in the city of Cohoes and I did not. I got restraining orders. Shawn violated them. The police would show up and just say 'go home Shawn.' ... Nothing ever seemed to happen to him. Because I didn't feel protected I had to move out of Cohoes for my own safety." Ahearn said that Morse believes Keller left Cohoes to live with a new boyfriend. Morse has recently issued public statements saying he never "harmed" or "hit" any women. He has criticized the Times Union's stories on his alleged abusive behavior as inaccurate and unsubstantiated. Last week, Morse rejected calls from local political leaders including several fellow Democrats to resign as mayor. Morse said he will not step down and, at his urging, dozens of his friends, relatives and others attended a City Council meeting last week to support him. The Times Union uncovered the earlier allegations of abusive behavior by Morse after Brenda Morse called 911 on the morning of Nov. 10 and told dispatchers her husband grabbed her neck, threw her down and had begun to choke her during an argument over a marital problem. When Cohoes police officers arrived at the couple's Grandview Avenue residence that morning, Brenda Morse told the officers her husband had "beat the (expletive) out of me again" and that there had been prior instances of domestic abuse, according to details of the Cohoes' police investigation shared with the Times Union. In an interview the day after his wife called 911, Morse lashed out when asked to confirm whether his wife told a dispatcher he had grabbed her neck and thrown her to the ground. He denied there was any physical abuse. "You don't need to know what goes on in my house between me and my family," Morse said at the time. "I want you to tell me where you got that information. ... That's an absolute lie." When asked about a scratch that was visible below his left eye on the day after the 911 call, Morse responded: "Why don't you go (expletive) yourself. ... I certainly don't have no scratches on my face." But Brenda Morse told police officers that she had scratched at her husband's face when he grabbed her. Acting police Chief Thomas Ross confirmed that a police official who went to the couple's residence that morning saw "a little scratch on Shawn's face under the eye." Morse and his wife have declined to authorize the release of her 911 call. There were also other instances of alleged physical abuse involving Morse. Assemblyman John McDonald, a former city mayor whose family has operated Marra's Pharmacy in Cohoes for decades, said he recalled an incident in the late 1980s when Morse grabbed a woman by the hair and dragged her out of Marra's Pharmacy, which McDonald's family has owned for decades. McDonald said the woman, now a Waterford resident, worked at the pharmacy at the time. Morse has acknowledged that he and his wife had a heated argument last month, but he disputed grabbing his wife by the neck or physically harming her. He also has claimed that some details in the police record cited by the Times Union were inaccurate. Morse has stated publicly that their argument stemmed from a disciplinary problem with their younger 15-year-old daughter, who was not home at the time. But several people briefed on the investigation said Morse and his wife both told police that their fight that day stemmed from a separate marital issue. Morse has said that he left his residence after the fight and before his wife called 911. He said he visited City Hall, drove by a local park where a dedication ceremony was planned for the following day, and also stopped to pick up coffee on his way back home. He denied that a scratch that was visible under his left eye the following day was related to the couple's fight. But Brenda Morse told police that she scratched at her husband's face when he was holding her down and had begun to choke her, according to information about the investigation obtained by the Times Union. Morse and his wife both were interviewed by State Police last month. That agency is leading the investigation after Cohoes police turned the case over to them due to the potential conflict of interest. As mayor, Morse also serves as public safety commissioner and has oversight of the police force. State Police used a search warrant to seize Morse's mobile phone last month while he was interviewed by investigators at Troop G headquarters in Latham. Morse told investigators that when he left his residence on the morning of the fight, he also visited an illegal dump, City Hall and the coffee shop. State Police have not recovered the mobile phone that Brenda Morse told police officers her husband threw against a wall during the incident. Morse, 50, was elected Cohoes mayor in 2015. Before becoming mayor in the city where he grew up, he was chairman of the Albany County Legislature, a powerful figure in the county's Democratic machine, and was employed as a Cohoes firefighter from 1989 to 2015. blyons@timesunion.com 518-454-5547 @brendan_lyonstu On this date in ... 1917: An Albany woman left her job at a downtown law firm and entered a movie theater instead of going home, but as she watched the picture, she saw a long-haired and long-bearded man on screen playing a hermit in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and was convinced, despite his obscured appearance, that it was the husband who deserted her 12 years before, taking with him their six-year-old daughter, Ruth. The woman told her employer, a prominent local attorney, and he tracked down a lawyer with the movie studio and discovered that the man had changed his name, but lived in Los Angeles with his 18-year-old daughter named Ruth. 1967: About 400 South Vietnamese children had their own school, thanks to help from Albany area residents. USAF Sgt. Everett J. Roberts of Albany, had received a $250 response to a letter he had written to the Times Union earlier this year asking for contributions to the Phong Diem Refugee School Project. With $1,500 in contributions collected mainly through the efforts of Sgt. Roberts, the people of Phong Diem had been able to build a four-classroom school that served children ages 4 to 11, whose families had fled from North Vietnam. 1992: Democratic lawmakers failed to override County Executive Michael J. Hoblock Jr.'s budget vetoes, which called for laying off about 110 county workers while holding property taxes steady. "Merry Christmas," Democrat James Perkinson said with sarcasm after Republican legislators held firm in support of the layoffs. The vote was 20-12, six short of the number needed for override. The Democrats had 25 seats, but several lawmakers were absent. Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/. DANBURY - The citys novel plan to treat out-of-state wastewater from Putnam County has received an important investment from New York state government. Putnam County was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the Empire State Development program to study the environmental impact of extending Danburys sewer line across the New York state border and into the Route 6 commercial corridor in Brewster. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton welcomed the news on Monday. We are interested to see the design and engineering studies, because this is an extensive project, said Boughton, who has been discussing the sewer project and other economic development proposals with Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell for a year. We have a regional (treatment) facility with excess capacity, so we need new ratepayers to keep our rates at current levels. Odell said the sewer project would solve a problem along a 3.5-mile swath of eastern Putnam County, where commercial growth is restricted because of New York City watershed regulations. We have to put the proper infrastructure in place within our commercial districts to ensure a growing business community, Odell said in a prepared statement. In addition, the sewer line would result in equally benefiting improved water quality within the NYC watershed, higher quality of life for area residents and spurring economic growth in the region. The sewer project is part of a larger interstate partnership between Connecticuts fastest-growing city and a six-town suburban county of 100,000 residents that is trying to encourage economic development. Areas of mutual economic interest include infrastructure projects, recreation initiatives and cultural events that could attract huge crowds if they were coordinated, both leaders said. Odell in March said the idea is to erase border distinctions that separate New York and Connecticut, and to recognize that we are all struggling with the same thing - to keep taxes down and make sure our kids have jobs in the communities where theyre raised. City Hall is not the only institution in Danbury looking at New York for growth. Western Connecticut State University has extended in-state tuition rates to students from nearby New York counties, including Putnam and Westchester, to address an enrollment decline. The result was a 228 percent increase of nearby New York students enrolling at Western in 2017. Danburys sewage treatment plant is the same facility that was cited for in a federal lawsuit for discharging wastewater into the Still River during storms. The lawsuit, which the city settled in November with three environmental groups for $100,000, comes at the same time that the city is studying a major upgrade of the plant, which could cost as much as $100 million, Boughton said. The plant treats wastewater from Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, Newtown and Ridgefield, and has the capacity to treat several million gallons more daily, Boughton said. The sewage project with Putnam County would deliver several hundred thousand gallons of wastewater each day, he said. 1 Budget deal: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday that he cant rule out a possible government shutdown this week if Congress deadlocks on another temporary Washington spending bill, but he thinks its unlikely. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Mnuchin says he expects lawmakers will understand the need to reach reach bipartisan agreement on another short-term funding extension to avoid sending government workers home for Christmas. Early this month, Congress passed a two-week stopgap bill that keeps the government running through this Friday. That measure bought time for negotiations on Republicans signature tax bill, but GOP talks with Democrats havent been going as smoothly on the budget. Lingering budget issues include disaster aid and childrens health. 2 Deadly wreck: Four people were killed in a head-on collision in Los Angeles on Sunday, authorities said. The California Highway Patrol said the crash occurred around 1:45 a.m., shortly after officials received calls of a wrong-way driver on eastbound Interstate 210. The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people died at the scene and the fourth died at a hospital. KABC-TV reported the wrong-way driver was among the dead. Investigators are looking into whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A 15-year-old Girl Scout organized the first Wreaths Across America observance at Magnolia Cemetery in Katy on Dec. 16, drawing more than 100 people under cool temperatures and cloudy skies that let loose with a little rain after the ceremony concluded. Katelyn Nitsche, who attends Seven Lakes High School, had help from Way Out West Community Girl Scouts, the Katy Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182 and Katy American Legion Post 164. "I thought turnout was pretty great for the first year," said Nitsche. "We had a lot of volunteers." Coming to support Katelyn and her mother, Sharon, who's served in the U.S. Army, was Emma Sticklen, 15, a Taylor High School 10th-grader. Her grandfather John Sticklen served in the U.S. Army. The Girl Scout signed up to place wreaths on the tombstones of deceased veterans. Organizers said the cemetery has about 330 military graves. "The Girl Scouts have done a lot," said Patricia Castro, of the American Legion auxiliary. She and her son, Luke, 5, helped with refreshments served to visitors. Coming from west Houston to place wreaths on the gravesites were Nick and Cindy Kornuta. It was the first time for the newly retired couple to volunteer for the national program. Both their fathers served in the military during World War II. "We definitely support the military," Cindy Kornuta said. The ceremony was a first, too, for Cadet Ensign Alyxzandra Orta, who commanded the Mayde Creek High School Junior Navy ROTC honor guard. The students came to show support and respect for the fallen veterans, said Orta. "I really loved it. I thought it was beautiful." Betsy Williams of Hempstead came to remember two cousins - Eldon Weinmann and Erwin Weinmann. Her daughter Rebecca Williams bought wreaths to place on their graves. Creighton Holub, who served two tours of duty in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army, brought Scouts from Cub Scout Pack 1150, including his nine-year-old son, Alex, and Girl Scout Troop 110105 to place wreaths. "This is my first time at one of these events," he said. "I think there is a big disconnect between the civilian and military culture," said Holub, who lives in the Cypress area. "During World War II, more people were involved with the military than today," he continued. He saw the Saturday program as one way to bridge the disconnect. After attending the Wreaths Across America program at Houston National Cemetery, Katelyn Nitsche explained she began to think about the Katy cemetery that didn't have an observance as a project to earn her Gold Award in Girl Scouts. Starting last summer, she reached out to the Katy VFW and Katy American Legion to begin the plan that involved a lot of detail. Speaking at the Katy program, she talked of remembering the veterans who died, honoring those who serve and teaching young people the value of freedom. She quoted former President Ronald Reagan: "But freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. The only way they can inherit the freedom we have known is if we fight for it, protect it, defend it and then hand it to them with the well thought lessons of how they in their lifetime must do the same. "And if you and I don't do this, then you and I may well spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it once was like in America when men were free." Mike Mastrangelo, VFW Post commander; Harry Woodstrom, American Legion Post commander; and Katy Mayor Chuck Brawner each spoke of the importance of remembering the veterans who died fighting for freedom and how citizens now benefit from their sacrifices. In addition to a wreath at each gravesite, volunteers also placed a shiny penny on the tombstones. Woodstrom explained earlier that is part of military tradition that pays tribute to an individual and means someone visited the site. For Nitsche the best part of the project was "getting to meet all the military veterans." "Putting it all together," was the most difficult part, she added. Though this was the first year for Katy, volunteers first organized a wreath placement program in 1992 at Arlington National Cemetery. The nonprofit Wreaths Across American formed in 2007. "It turned out really well the way it kind of flowed through," said Nitsche. "Next year I hope to have a little more of the community participate. "It's a great opportunity to come out and volunteer," Nitsche said. "We'll be back again next year." Fort Bend County Republicans will pick their party's nominee in nine contested races in the March 6 primary, while their Democratic counterparts have six contested races in their primary. Lack of an incumbent increased Republican candidate interest in the positions of district attorney, county treasurer and several judgeships. Two members of the Fort Bend Independent School District board of trustees are seeking other offices. Board president Kristin Tassin, Position 4 trustee, has filed to run in the Republican Primary against incumbent District 17 State Rep. Joan Huffman. While Position 5 trustee KP George has filed on the Democratic Party ticket to run for judge. He and incumbent Judge Robert Hebert, a Republican, will face each other in November since neither has a primary opponent. Both Tassin and George were re-elected to the school board in May. District 22 U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, has drawn three opponents. Five Democrats are seeking their party's nomination for the post, too. Two Republicans are competing for the judgeship of the newly formed County Court-at-Law No. 6 and the primary winner will face a Democratic opponent in November. Two challengers are opposing the longtime Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Joel C. Clouser Sr. He was first elected to the position in 1993. The chairmen of both the Fort Bend County Republican and Democratic parties are excited about their field of candidates. "This is a record number of candidates in the Democratic primary," said Cynthia Ginyard, chairwoman of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party. "Generally, we have half this number or less," she said. "This stellar representation will increase voters' engagement and turnout. The more you have, the more you get. Our candidates are varied in their ages, cultures, gifts and backgrounds. After all, we are the most diverse county in the country." Her Republican Party counterpart Jacey Jetton said, "I am very excited about the primary contests we have coming up. We have exceptional candidates running in all these races. Regardless of who makes it through the Republican Primary to the General Election, our party and county wins." Jetton called the primary process a very important step toward the general election. "Our candidates will be out campaigning, making their case for why they are the most qualified and best equipped for the job they are running for." Ginyard said, "Candidates with primary opponents will gain great experience and exposure in preparation for the General Election in November. "Candidates without primary opponents will have the luxury of ample time to canvass the county and make sure voters are aware of their candidacies and platforms in November. We want our voters to be informed about us." Jetton said, "Voter turnout will largely depend on the work the party and the candidates put in to encouraging them to go vote. We'll be working hard to ensure our voter's voices are heard in both of these elections." Said Ginyard, "Our candidates represent that esteemed title; thusly representing all of Fort Bend. That is who we are and our candidates and elected officials should look who we are in composite. Our candidates are committed and no one simply 'put their name on the ballot'. All are in it to win it! "We are fired up and ready to go!" Below is a list of those who have filed for local races, some state races and District 22 U.S. representative. This is not the order the names will appear on the ballot. The 2018 primaries will be March 6. The primary runoff will be May 22. The general election will be Nov. 6. Early voting will run Oct. 22 through Nov. 2. REPUBLICAN PRIMARY U. S. Rep. District 22 James Green Danny Nguyen Pete Olson (I) Eric Zmrhal State sen., District 17 Joan Huffman (I) Kristin Tassin State Rep. District 85 Phil Stephenson (I) State Rep. District 26 Rick Miller (I) State Rep. District 28 John Zerwas (I) 458th Judicial District Court Ken Cannata (I) 328th Judicial District Court Walter Armatys 268th Judicial District Court Michael Hartman John "Hawk" Hawkins 240th Judicial District Court Chad Bridges (I) District attorney Shawn McDonald Cliff Vacek County Court at Law No. 1 Chris Morales (I) County Court at Law No. 2 Jeffery McMeans (I) County Court at Law No. 3 Harold Kennedy Tricia Krenek Jennifer Chiang County Court at Law No. 4 Amy Mitchell County Court at Law No. 6 Dean Hrbacek Lewis White County judge Robert E. "Bob" Hebert (I) County Court Commissioner Pct 4 James Patterson (I) County clerk Laura Richard (I) District Clerk Annie Rebecca Elliott (I) County treasurer Tina Gibson Bill Rickert Wes Vela Justice of the Peace, Pct 1, Pl 2 Atwood "Woody" McAndrew Mary S. Ward (I) Justice of the Peace, Pct 3 Kelly Crow Jarret Nethery Justice of the Peace, Pct 4, Pl 1 Justin M. Joyce (I) County chairman Jacey Jetton (I) DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY U. S. Representative, Texas 22 Mark Gibson Letitia Plummer Margarita Ruiz Johnson Sri Preston Kulkami Steve Brown State Rep., District 26 L. Sarah DeMerchant State Rep., District 27 Ron Reynolds (I) Wilvin Carter State Rep., District 28 Durward White Meghan Scoggins State Rep., District 85 Jennifer Cantu State Senate, District 17 Fran Watson District Judge, 240th Judicial District Frank J. Fraley District Judge 268th Judicial District R. O'Neil Williams District Judge 458th Judicial District Robert L. Rolnick District Attorney Brian M. Middleton County Judge KP George Judge, County Court-at-law No. 3 Juli Mathew Judge, County Court-at-law No. 4 Toni Wallace Judge, County Court-at-law No. 6 Sherman Hatton Jr. District Clerk Beverley McGrew Walker County Commissioner Pct. 2 Grady Prestage (I) County Commissioner Pct. 3 Ken R. DeMerchant Justice of the Peace, Pct 2 Deirdre Dickson-Gilbert Joel C. Clouser Sr. (I) Tanisha C. Green Justice of the Peace Pct 3 Michael Antalan Constable Pct 2 (Unexpired term) Daryl L. Smith Gary Majors (I) Democratic Party chair Cynthia Ginyard (I) Hazel Lundy Officials at Georgia's leading power provider faced tough questions Monday, a day after a massive power outage grounded travel at the world's busiest airport for nearly 11 hours at the start of one of the biggest travel weeks of the year. Georgia Power officials said the investigation continues into the cause of the fire-related outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. However, they said a piece of the utility's switchgear housed in an underground electrical facility may have failed and started the blaze. A switchgear is a piece of equipment that helps manage the flow of power. The utility had backup equipment, officials said, but it was in an adjacent room and was also damaged in the blaze. "We are doing what we can to make sure this never happens again," Georgia Power spokesman Craig Bell said. "We truly apologize for the inconvenience." Bell said the utility's systems are designed with multiple backups that continue switching until a power source is found. He characterized Sunday's outage as an "anomaly." "[Fires] almost never happen in one of our underground facilities," he said. "Mechanical breakdowns can happen and the system continues to switch until it finds a source, but when you add fire - that was the wild card." The Department of Homeland Security said federal officials do not think the outage was the result of an attack or other "nefarious act." And cybersecurity investigators with the department said they did not find a "cyber nexus to this event." They added that the power failure did not cause lasting damage to the airport's communications assets systems. Meanwhile, airlines were focused on playing catch-up - particularly Delta, which is responsible for nearly 80 percent of the flights at Hartsfield-Jackson, a hub in the nation's air transportation network. The airline brought in nearly 200 extra employees to help manage the crush of passengers and offered one-time fee waivers to passengers to rebook their tickets. Other airlines including American, JetBlue and United quickly followed suit. Television footage showed long lines of people waiting at ticket counters and in screening lines. Delta started Monday with 390 flight cancellations but by afternoon, Gil West, the airline's chief operating officer, said things were nearly back to normal. The airline worked to clear the backlog of passengers by adding flights and finding seat on other airlines. Indeed, Monday evening, the flight tracking website FlightAware.com listed virtually no flight cancellations for Hartsfield-Jackson on Tuesday. The quick recovery is important. Officials with the Transportation Security Administration expect Thursday and Friday to be the busiest pre-Christmas travel days with more than 2.1 million travelers and crew members passing through screening. The outage hit about 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon, plunging the airport into darkness, grounding nearly 1,000 flights and leaving 30,000 people stranded. International flights were diverted to other airports. Planes sat on the tarmac for more than six hours. The terminal lost power but the control tower did not, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. However, its operations were hampered because airport equipment in the terminal, including computers, wasn't working. Videos posted on Twitter showed passengers using the flashlights on their cellphones to make their way through darkened concourses. Other photos shared on Twitter showed TSA officers carrying wheelchairs up stalled escalators. Natalie Seitz, 23, of New York posted a video on Twitter about 90 minutes after the airport announced that it had lost power. "An emergency has been reported in the building," a mechanical voice kept saying, before instructing passengers to "stand by for further instructions," as emergency lights flashed. "You walk around and hear people talking to each other and jokingly yelling at the PSA system when it repeats the same thing," Seitz said. Despite the criticism, FAA officials said the airport followed its emergency plan - a document that was reviewed and approved by the agency. "We will work closely with the airport in its post-incident investigation and further assess if the airport met its AEP," the agency said a statement. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, D, responded to questions about the airport's power supply during a Sunday night news conference. Specifically, why was there no redundancy? "The straight answer to that question is: we absolutely do" have a redundant power supply, Reed said. "But because of the intensity of the fire, the switch that accesses the redundant system was damaged, which caused damage to two systems rather than one." Georgia Power officials said that power was restored for all "essential" airport activities about 11:45 p.m., enabling flights to resume. Officials said firefighters arrived about four minutes after the fire was first reported. It took about two hours to extinguish the blaze. Georgia Power officials said crews then had to wait for hazardous fumes and toxic smoke to clear before they could enter the tunnels and begin repair work. In an appearance on "Good Morning America," on Monday, Georgia Power chief executive Paul Bowers said the investigation is expected to take the remainder of this week. "We have our investigators in the tunnel," he said. Bowers said the utility will work with the airport to prevent a repeat of such an event. Among the strategies the company may consider: encasing the cables in concrete or putting the cables in separate areas. "Our focus is on reliability and making sure this never happens again," he said. Marcia Hale, president of Building America's Future, a bipartisan coalition of elected officials who advocate for infrastructure investment, said what happened in Atlanta is a reminder about the importance of investing in systems that keep people moving. "I do think Atlanta is a very unusual situation, but if what we're being told is true and they had the backup right next to primary - we'll I'm sure after action report will say that probably should not have happened. It's classic that the redundancy didn't work there. It just so highlights the need to modernize." Beaumont police are investigating a shooting at a convenience store that put a man in critical condition Sunday afternoon. Officers were called to M&M Express in the 1300 block of Washington Blvd. around 5:42 p.m. in reference to a shooting. A 57-year-old man told police he heard several gunshots before realizing he had been shot in the stomach area. He was taken to Christus St. Elizabeth and last listed as critical. TOKYO - A group of students from Toyo Eiwa Jogakuin Junior High and Senior High School in Tokyo has won this year's English-language newspaper production contest for their "Maple Times," which introduced topics including the school's long-standing motto and club activities. The All Japan Junior and Senior High School English Newspaper Contest, organized by the Global Education Information Center, is aimed at developing students' abilities to deal with the continuing globalization and changing circumstances Japan is facing by producing an English-language newspaper on their own. This is the second consecutive year for the contest to be held. Sixteen groups from 13 high schools, some of which are combined with junior high schools, and a cram school participated in this year's contest, which was supported by The Japan News. Under the GEIC's English Newspaper Production Project, students are expected to learn and improve skills, such as English as an international language; project implementation; and information and media literacy. With the help of instructors, the participating students decided what topics to take up, conducted interviews, took pictures, wrote stories and designed the page layouts. "We were engaged in the project for several months and especially struggled with writing in English. But when we saw a copy of our paper printed, we screamed with excitement," said Merisa Shimozaki, a second-year Toyo Eiwa high school student, sharing the joy of winning the top English Newspaper Award with other group members during a presentation event held Sunday in Tokyo. The runner-up prize was awarded to the Ran (orchid) class of Ochanomizu University Senior High School in Tokyo for their "Ranchi Times," which featured a story on educational assistance in Cambodia. The winners of the awards were decided by a panel of four judges headed by Kensaku Yoshida, director of Sophia University's Center for Language Education and Research, who also serves as GEIC's representative director. The results were judged on eight elements, including whether new viewpoints are incorporated and whether supporting evidence and comments are presented. The Foreign Media Award, decided by David McNeill of The Economist, went to Zushi Kaisei Junior and Senior High School in Kanagawa Prefecture. "It was well presented, with a mix of school and local features, good photos and lots of articles," McNeill said. The Regional Promotion Award was given to Shoin High School in Kobe. It was chosen by Teruyuki Fujita, a professor at the University of Tsukuba's Faculty of Human Sciences, who gave high marks to the pages focusing on Kobe's specialties and history. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK A partnership that enables high school students to graduate with a free associates degree and work experience could become an education model for federal policy. President Donald Trump isnt known for supporting public education. His administration has advocated for school choice and privatization, and worked to cut millions from education spending. So when Senior White House Adviser Ivanka Trump visited Norwalk High School on Monday to chat with students enrolled in the Norwalk Early College Academy, it came as no surprise she seemed particularly impressed by the program. NECA is a partnership between Norwalk Public Schools, Norwalk Community College and IBM that places an emphasis on STEM education and workforce development Trump priorities. The administration is committed to supporting and expanding public-private partnerships such as this one to enable all Americans to reach their full economic potential and thrive in our modern economy, Ivanka Trump said at Norwalk High School. More for you Reactions to Ivanka Trump visit swift and varied The visit was kept secret until her arrival, despite the presence of Secret Service personnel and more than a dozen police officers. A panel discussion with a handful of NECA students took place in front of a small audience of about 15 people, including Norwalk Public School officials and NCC President David Levinson. In September, President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the Department of Education to prioritize high-quality STEM and computer science education. Ivanka Trump is spearheading that effort for the White House, which directed U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her team to steer more grant money roughly $200 million per year from programs like the Education Innovation and Research fund toward recipients that have a STEM and computer science focus. A June executive order by the president also instructed the Department of Labor to dramatically expand apprenticeship within the U.S., a main component of the NECA program. There are many pathways to viable and great careers and they dont all happen on the four-year college track, Ivanka Trump said. IBM CEO Ginni Rometty said she wanted Ivanka Trump to see, firsthand, what a P-TECH school looks like. IBM developed the P-TECH 9-14 model in 2011 to provide high school students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma, a free industry-recognized associates degree and relevant work experience in a growing field. This idea to close the skill gap is an idea that was birthed around something called new-collar, Rometty said. Meaning that so many jobs of the future may not have to have a four-year degree. Its not white collar, not blue collar, its something different. Its a new collar job. Trump and Rometty toured three classrooms, then spent roughly 45 minutes with six students slated to graduate this spring with both their high school diploma and an NCC associates degree in either software engineering or mobile programming. There was little policy talk or promotion, as Trump and Rometty spent most of the time asking the students about their experience in the program, how they feel it has set them apart from their peers, what could be changed, and if they were given enough flexibility to explore interests outside of science, math and technology. Though IBM is a program partner, offering the students internships, mentorship and job interviews, it was Romettys first visit to the school. Ivanka has been really my partner in this discussion because I know both of us really do agree that skills are one of the issues of our time, Rometty said. Particularly to prepare kids for a 21st century set of jobs where technology is a component of all of them. Trump said the visit was part of a journey to discover the best new models of education. Its been part of an incredible journey to discover the best in class of new models of education that are happening across this country and to think about how we can utilize the federal government to incentivize and encourage these students in partnership with industry, Ivanka Trump said. Several of the students Trump met with are first-generation college students, who, as a result of NECA, will graduate from high school with an associates degree and zero education-related debt. When I first started, I knew that I had to work hard and be dedicated, student Carol Cabrera said. I think it really hit me when I got the internship over the summer that I was fast-paced and going in the right direction. My dedication hasnt changed, but my outlook on the workforce has changed in a positive way. Cabrera, a first generation college student and the daughter of immigrant parents, was grateful for the opportunity to meet Rometty and Trump. Theyre really big believers in the STEM field and in girls going into the STEM field, so it was really exciting to meet people that are going after and supporting what I support and what I believe in, Cabrera said. Cabrera and her peers praised the program for teaching them time management and preparing them for the workforce. Students are taught how to prepare a resume, dress for an interview, behave in a professional setting and more as part of a workforce preparation course. Ivanka Trump said she was inspired by the students, most of whom are involved in several extra-curricular activities ranging from sports to volunteering, and was pleased to see half of the panel was made up of women. I love the fact that half of the students at this table are women because we are really dramatically underrepresented in the technology industry, she said. We represent 47 percent of the total workforce, yet only 24 percent of computer science jobs. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump placed himself at the center of a new national security strategy Monday, casting his election as a pivot from failed policies pushed by his predecessors and presenting his "America First" doctrine as the organizing principle for U.S. engagement around the world. In a year-end, campaign-style speech, the president emphasized his view that the United States has been cheated and taken advantage of abroad while its citizens were ill-served at home - a situation he said his security plan would seek to reverse. "For many years, our citizens watched as Washington politicians presided over one disappointment after another; too many of our leaders - so many - who forgot whose voices they were to respect, and whose interest they were supposed to defend," Trump said at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, before an audience that included Cabinet secretaries, government workers and uniformed members of the military. The National Security Strategy, a congressionally-mandated mission statement, is supposed to guide an administration's priorities for global engagement, economic bargaining and demonstrations of military strength. While it is viewed as an important policy document, its release is usually a low-key affair and Trump is believed to be the only U.S. president to present the plan with a speech, an aide said. At times Monday, Trump seemed as intent on revisiting his electoral victory as he was on defining a new national security strategy for the country. "You spoke loud and you spoke clear," Trump said of his upset election last year. "On November 8, 2016, you voted to make America great again. You embraced new leadership and very new strategies and also a glorious new hope." Trump, as he did during the campaign, declared the United States must push for better trade deals to remain strong when it comes to national security. "Economic security is national security," he said. "Economic vitality, growth and prosperity at home is absolutely necessary for American power and influence abroad." Yet many of the trade tactics he has advocated could end up hurting the U.S. economy. He boasted of killing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade pact between a dozen countries, but supporters of the accord say it would have helped keep Chinese economic influence at bay. The linkage Trump drew between economic and political power is valid, but Trump's confrontational trade policies work against his own goals, said Nicholas Burns, a Harvard Kennedy School professor and former State Department official. "He is right about the philosophical point but all his practical policies undercut it," Burns said. C. Fred Bergsten, veteran trade expert at the Peterson Institute of International Economics, agreed. "There's a germ of truth in what he says," Bergsten conceded. U.S. policy has failed to choke off intellectual property theft, especially in China. But, Bergsten added, "his overarching point that these are terrible [trade] deals, that they adversely affect U.S. economic interests, he's never offered a shred of proof of that." Trump has dismissed this type of criticism and used the speech to emphasize one of his campaign themes - that past administrations got the short-end of trade agreements because they didn't now how to cut deals. "Our leaders in Washington negotiated disastrous trade deals that brought massive profits to many foreign nations, but sent thousands of American factories and millions of American jobs to those other countries," he said. Trump also boasted of his decision to withdraw from the "very expensive and unfair Paris climate accord" that President Barack Obama signed two years ago. But supporters of the accord say it is a small step toward slowing global warming that could prove catastrophic economically as well as from a climate view. And Obama repeatedly argued that denial of climate science would undercut renewable energy technologies that the U.S. economy needs to remain competitive in the future. Trump's campaign theme of "America First" formed the foundation of his remarks. "A nation that does not protect prosperity at home cannot protect its interests abroad," Trump said. "A nation that is not prepared to win a war is a nation not capable of preventing a war. A nation that is not proud of its history cannot be confident in its future. And a nation that is not certain of its values cannot summon the will to defend them." Burns argued that "what's missing from this document is any emphasis that the U.S. has to promote democracy and human freedom, which most American presidents - John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan - have felt was important. He's weakening us on these essential foundations of American power." Trump highlighted claimed accomplishments - including on issues not directly related to national security - a list administration contends have not received the attention they deserve. Alongside withdrawal from what he called unfair trade and climate deals and a sharper focus on terrorism and border security, Trump listed a soaring stock market, deregulation and the likelihood of forthcoming tax cuts. The national security strategy documents are broad outlines of U.S. policy that guide other, more specific planning such as nuclear and ballistic missile force posture. Trump's version has four main organizing principles: Protecting the American homeland, protecting American prosperity, preserving peace through strength and advancing U.S. influence. He presents China and Russia as competitors that want to realign global power in their interests, potentially threatening the United States, at the same time as those nations can be partners in pursuit of shared interests. That is a familiar theme from past administrations, but the Trump document frames the contest as one that previous U.S. leaders failed to adequately recognize or counter. "China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity," the document says. "They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence." The president said that intellectual property theft would be targeted, a clear warning to China which American companies have complained about for years. "We will no longer tolerate trading abuse," he warned. "A nation that does not protect prosperity at home cannot protect its interest abroad." As a candidate, Trump accused China of "raping" the United States economically and stealing jobs. As president, he has developed and trumpeted a warm relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he credits with helping to apply pressure on North Korea over its nuclear weapons program. Trump also pointed to his energy policies as a source of strength at home and abroad, suggesting that the United States could use its "energy dominance" to enhance its influence. The Trump administration has indeed sought to open up more federal lands to coal, oil and natural gas exploration and production, but most of the domestic energy boom took place under the Obama administration. Oil output under Obama grew by more than 4 million barrels a day and natural gas output in states like Pennsylvania, Texas and Oklahoma rose rapidly. Trump has publicly complimented Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him "very smart," and has sought a better relationship with Russia after years of worsening ties under Obama. He has been openly skeptical of U.S. intelligence findings that Russia mounted a systematic effort to undermine the 2016 presidential election. But Trump has not reversed congressional sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, as Putin hoped he would. The strategy document released Monday skirts the issue of Russia's involvement in the presidential election. "Through modernized forms of subversive tactics, Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries around the world," the document says. Contributed photo / New Haven police NEW HAVEN A 42-year-old jailed on narcotics charges has been charged in connection with a 2016 homicide, police said. Tyrone Spears, formerly of Dorman Street, was charged on a warrant with murder, criminal possession of a pistol and possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle in connection with the fatal shooting of Levern Bellamy, 31, on Sept. 21, 2016. The two were neighbors. WINSTED Joseph Masi, assitant principal at Northwest Region 7 High School, is among those administrators honored by the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) as 2018 Assistant Principals of the Year. The announcement was made Monday in a written statement. Each year, applications are accepted for the elementary, middle, and high school assistant principal of the year awards. The winners are chosen by the CAS Awards and Recognition Committee, a selection committee consisting of active and retired principals and assistant principals. Masi, housemaster at Northwestern Regional High School in Winsted, has been named the 2018 High School Assistant Principal of the Year. Masi was selected for his all in devotion to his school community, his students-first approach to building leadership and his commitment, always, to improvement and constructive enterprise. Joe Masi is a passionate, wonderful role model with a tireless work ethic. He has abundant professional skills, but it is also who he is as a person that makes him a great leader. He is an exemplar, said Superintendent Dr. Judy Palmer. Principal Ken Chichester considers Masi an invaluable member of the Northwestern administrative team. Joe is a tireless advocate for kids, he said in the statement. He is an out of the box thinker who thinks very creatively to find solutions for student success. We are blessed to have him as an assistant principal at Northwestern. When informed that he was the winner, Masi said,, I am extremely honored and grateful to receive this recognition. This award speaks volumes about the amazing students, staff, parents and communities that make up Northwestern Regional High School. A highly visible, hands-on administrator with a desire to serve others, Masi is, at any given moment of the day - and oftentimes night - industriously engaged in efforts to make Northwestern a better place to work and learn. His GTD (Get Things Done) mantra is renowned throughout the school community, according to the statement. Gina Bunch, the parent of a learning disabled student at Northwestern, appreciates that Masi sees discipline as an opportunity to support students, not just dole out punishments, she said. When my son is sent to Joes office for discipline, instead of dreading it, he knows he can expect to meet with a man who has a heart for kids and who will listen to both sides. I cant tell you how often we hear, At least Mr. Masi understands me. Masi has been selected by CAS to represent Connecticut in the National Assistant Principal of the Year Program sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Masi, along with assistant principals from each of the other fifty states, as well as the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity Associations, will compete for the national honor. The Assistant Principal of the Year Program, sponsored annually by the Connecticut Association of Schools, was established in 1990 to bring recognition to the assistant principalship and to spotlight the critical role that assistant principals play in the education of our youth. The program recognizes outstanding school assistant principals who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students. These administrators have demonstrated excellent leadership, commitment to staff and students, service to their communities, and contributions to the overall profession of educational leadership. Each year nominations are solicited for an Elementary, Middle, and High School Assistant Principal of the Year. Nominees must submit a written application which is evaluated by a selection committee consisting of active and retired principals and assistant principals. Site visits are conducted at the schools of the two highest rated candidates at each level (elementary, middle and high). Winners are then chosen based upon the outcome of the site visit as well as the quality of the written application. The three individuals selected for recognition are honored by CAS at an awards dinner in the fall. Additionally, the elementary school winner and either the middle school or high school winner, but not both, are recognized at the national level by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, respectively (NASSP). Joseph Macrino, assistant principal of Lewin G. Joel School in Clinton, was named the 2018 CAS Elementary School Assistant Principal of the Year. Superintendent Maryann ODonnell described him as an intelligent, articulate, passionate, student-centered educational leader who demonstrates talent, commitment and character each and every day. Nominated for the award by Claudia Norman, Macrino was chosen for his integrity and ethical leadership, his positive energy and his unerring focus on what is best for children. It was Macrinos desire to help kids and make a difference in the world that led him to forsake a promising career in TV and communications to work in public education. Says Macrino, I view my first career as an opportunity to see the real world and better understand what is needed to prepare kids for it. Darlene Wallin, assistant principal of John Read Middle School (JRMS) in Redding, has been named the 2018 CAS Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year. Nominated for the award by Principal Diane Martin, Wallin is at all times industriously engaged in efforts to promote student success, support staff in the classroom and strengthen ties between home and school. Upon entering the school building and meeting Wallin, which is inevitable given her ubiquity, one is immediately struck by her palpable love for her students and school community. The United States blocked a Security Council resolution Monday at the United Nations that would have rejected President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley's vote marked the Trump administration's first Security Council veto. All 14 other members supported the resolution, underscoring the U.S. isolation on the issue. Haley said she cast the veto "in defense of American sovereignty and in defense of America's role in the Middle East peace process." The draft of the resolution, called for by Egypt, did not name the United States or Trump. It expressed "deep regret at certain decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem," and asserted that "Jerusalem is a final status issue to be resolved through negotiations." It further declared as null and void "any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition" of the city, and urged countries not to establish diplomatic missions in the city. Trump's Dec. 6 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital and start lengthy preparations to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv has been criticized by all the Arab countries and many U.S. allies, including fellow Security Council members France and Britain. It comes as Vice President Mike Pence is preparing to visit Israel later this week. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has refused to meet with him because of the decision, a move the White House called "unfortunate." Israeli media reported Monday that the rabbi with authority over the Western Hall declined to grant Pence permission to hold a news conference at the site. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said they were in "discussions" in advance of Pence's visit. Jerusalem's status is one of the most thorny and emotional issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel captured the eastern part of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967, annexed it and has since expanded the city's boundaries. It considers Jerusalem its undivided and eternal capital. The Palestinians desire to make East Jerusalem the capital of an eventual Palestinian state. In deference to the principle that Jerusalem's status be determined in the final stages of negotiations - which have been frozen since 2014 - all countries have situated their embassies in Tel Aviv, a roughly 45-minute drive from Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted his gratitude for the U.S. veto. "Thank you, Ambassador Haley," he wrote. "On Hanukkah, you spoke like a Maccabi. You lit a candle of truth. You dispel the darkness. One defeated the many. Truth defeated lies. Thank you, President Trump." Nabil Abu Rdeneh, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called the U.S. veto a "provocation" that he said "will not help in creating peace in the region." During the Security Council session, U.N. Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said that since a 2016 resolution demanding a halt to settlement activity in East Jerusalem, construction had continued unabated, and there has been an increase in violence between Israelis and Palestinians. The resolution passed with 14 votes, and an abstention by the United States under the Obama administration. Mladenov warned against more unilateral actions, saying the lack of a peace proposal is "undermining moderates and empowering radicals." Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, said Security Council resolutions criticizing Israel's actions in Jerusalem will not change history. "It's time for all countries to recognize that Jerusalem always was and always will be the capital of the Jewish people and the capital of Israel," he said. FAIRFIELD A Waterbury man was arrested at state Superior Court in Bridgeport Dec. 15, tried in connection with three burglaries in town in 2016. Abdus-Shadid Muhammad, 53, of North Elm Street, was charged with two counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of sixth-degree larceny, and one count of third-degree larceny. He was arraigned and held on bonds totaling $150,000. According to police, Muhammad allegedly broke into Mancusos Restaurant, 601 Kings Highway East, on two separate occasions in September. Both times, he took about $150 from the cash register. During one of the break-ins, police said, Muhammad cut himself on some glass, leaving DNA evidence behind. It is also alleged that Muhammad stole a womans purse Nov. 20, 2016, as she was busy loading her son into his car seat while her car was parked on the Post Road in front of Old Post Tavern. The $800 Louis Vuitton purse, which contained a Chanel wallet worth $1,000, was discovered in the mens room at the Fairfield Public Library by a custodian the next morning. The library is across the street from the restaurant. The wallet was later recovered from a mailbox by a postal worker and mailed back to the owner. Library surveillance video showed a man known to library staff come into the building and walk straight to the restroom. That man was identified as Muhammad. He later spent about an hour in the librarys computer lab before leaving. According to police, Muhammad has an extensive criminal history, with 27 arrests for crimes including burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, larceny, violation of probation, interfering with an officer, possession of narcotics, and issuing bad checks. A power outage that shut Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport caused delays as well as cancellations in San Antonio and throughout the country Sunday with more problems anticipated Monday. There were six cancellations for arriving flights at San Antonios airport between 3:50 p.m. and 8:15 p.m, according to the airports website. A flight scheduled to land at 11:05 p.m. and nine departures from Atlanta are expected to arrive on time, but that may change. A press release by Atlanta Airport said the airport experienced an ongoing power outage due to fire damage in an underground electrical facility that started at 12:55 p.m. The fire has since been extinguished. Georgia Power, an electric company, is working with the airport to restore power and is projecting to be finished by midnight, the press release said. The outage has affected flights in, out and through Atlanta. At 3:15 p.m., several major airlines had canceled flights because of the airports outage. Southwest Airlines tweeted at 3:42 p.m. that the airline had canceled all remaining flights in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson for the day, but would resume flights Monday. Delta Airlines also canceled all flight to and from Hartsfield-Jackson early Sunday evening. Evelynn Bailey, a public information officer at San Antonio International Airport, could not say how the outage was affecting flights in the city, but did offer advice to passengers. Even if this (the power outage) wasnt happening, I always recommend people to call their specific airlines for updated information in regards to their flight, Bailey said. Each airline is in charge of making decisions and airline pilots are empowered to make their own decisions for flights. aluna@express-news.net With Christmas just days away, a special San Antonio Fire Department unit salvaged one East Side family's holiday after a fire engulfed their home Sunday afternoon. According to SAFD officials, at around 3:55 p.m., a home in the 4100 block of Scarlet Oak went up in flames after a gas can tipped over a water heater in the back of the home and ignited. SAPD Battalion Chief Tony Rodriguez said seven people were forced to evacuate the residence, including a wheelchair-bound 36-year-old man. Rodriguez said as firefighters battled the flames and secured the family's safety, a special unit of several firefighters was assembled to salvage any Christmas presents and decorations in the home before they were damaged. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Alexandro M. Luna Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Alexandro M. Luna Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Alexandro M. Luna Show More Show Less 5 of 5 Resident Rosa De La Cruz, 66, cared for her grandchildren while in the home and was overjoyed by how firefighters handled the situation. "What they did was remarkable," De La Cruz said. "They need to be commended." The back half of the house was scorched and Rodriguez estimated there was $50,000 in damages. According to the children of the home, the family dog was found but their Siamese cat was still missing. Rodriguez warned homeowners to keep combustibles away from sources of excess heat. "Keep space heaters as far away from the wall as possible and leave no candles unattended," Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said the Red Cross will aid in relocating the family. The fire was one of many SAFD has responded to since Saturday. Joe Arrington, SAFD spokesperson, said firefighters spent the last couple of hours Saturday night successfully battling three fires in different areas of the city. Crews were dispatched to house fires, within in an hour of each other, at the 1300 block of West Thompson Place and another on the 5500 block of Country Sun Drive. Both fires were extinguished within minutes, Arrington said. Units were also called to a grass fire at the 4100 block of Interstate 10 that turned out to be an abandoned building engulfed in flames. There were no injuries reported. aluna@express-news.net | Twitter: alexluna801 City of San Marcos A 44-year-old man has been convicted of setting fire to two vehicles in San Marcos last year. Paul Lawrence Mussler pleaded guilty to an arson charge on Dec. 11 and was later sentenced to five years in prison. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Six men were arrested on charges of child sexual abuse in the San Antonio area over the course of three days last week, according to court records. The charges include continuous sexual abuse of a child, indecent contact with a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. Several of the victims were under the age of 14, according to records. On Wednesday, Joel Ramirez, 30, was booked into jail on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child. He is accused of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 14 between November 2012 and April 2013. His bail was set at $75,000 and he bonded out of jail the same day as his arrest. RELATED: Records: 120+ arrested, indicted on child sex abuse charges in Bexar County in first half of 2017 Thursday saw four arrests. Raul Ignacio Flores, 38, was booked into jail on a charge of indecent contact with a child. He is accused of groping and exposing himself to a child under the age of 17 in October 2015. His bail was set at $75,000. Ismael Lopez Jr., 34, faces a charge of indecent contact with a child as well. He is accused of groping a child under 17 years old on numerous occasions between April 2005 and August 2012. He was booked into jail on a $75,000 bond. He was bailed out later that day. RELATED: SAPD: Gunman at large after shooting man at South Side Mama Margie's Marc Monroy, 42, was booked into jail on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to his indictment, the assault against the victim, who was younger than 14 years old, occurred in October 2016. His bail was set at $75,000. Jesus Morales, 57, faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Morales raped a girl younger than 14 years old in June 2006, according to court records. His bail was set at $75,000. On Friday, Gilbert Cano Jr., 24, was jailed on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The details surrounding his arrest were not immediately available. A magistrate judge set his bond at $75,000. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns Police on Friday arrested a 28-year-old man after an apartment security guard caught him stealing three boxes of shoes from his girlfriend, according to court records. The alleged shoe thief, Brandon De La Rosa of San Antonio, now faces charges of theft, drunk driving and burglary of a habitation. He remains in the Bexar County Jail on a $55,000 bond. RELATED: 215 arrested in San Antonio-area gang violence reduction initiative According to his affidavit, De La Rosa was known to the staff members of his girlfriend's apartment complex because he had been causing problems in the past. On Dec. 13, a guard saw him drive through the front gate of the complex. Concerned, the guard notified their supervisor and went to check on the victim. He saw De La Rosa's car on the way and photographed his license plate number. He then went up to the victim's apartment. Her door was locked and everything appeared to be okay, authorities said. Upon leaving the victim's apartment, however, De La Rosa confronted him, asked a few questions and then walked off. "Moments later," the guard saw De La Rosa walking to his car with three shoe boxes in his hands, according to the arrest affidavit. RELATED: SAPD: Stolen vehicle peppered with more than 30 gunshots on South Side The guard went back up to the victim's apartment and found the door had been kicked in. Police responded to the apartment, and the guard gave responding officers De La Rosa's license plate number, which came back as belonging to a stolen vehicle, officials said. Officers with the San Antonio Police Department Vehicle Crime's Unit went to De La Rosa's listed address, saw him leave his apartment and then pulled him over and arrested him. The guard later identified De La Rosa in a line up. It's unclear if he will face charges in connection to the stolen vehicle as well as the alleged burglary and theft. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A suspected robber who reportedly goes by "Head Huncho" on the resell app Offer Up was arrested by San Antonio police late last week. Draevion Burley Jeter, 28, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated robbery. Officers said they became aware of Jeter on Dec. 6, when a man called police police about the robbery. RELATED: 215 arrested in San Antonio-area gang violence reduction initiative The man told police the account user reached out to him to buy his pair of Jordan shoes, according to an arrest affidavit. The two met in the parking lot of a restaurant in the 4500 block of Broadway Street. Jeter pulled up his shirt to reveal a gun and told him "I'm sorry I have to do this to you," according to police. When the man asked him if he was going to be shot over a pair of shoes, the Jeter allegedly responded "you would be surprised what I have done. This is light work." Later that night, another robbery was reported that also stemmed from an Offer Up advertisement, authorities said. RELATED: SAPD: Stolen vehicle peppered with more than 30 gunshots on South Side Police responded in time and arrested Jeter. His bail amount is set at $75,000, according to jail records. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A stolen vehicle was shot at more than 30 times Monday morning on the South Side, prompting a police search for the people responsible. San Antonio Police Sgt. Darryl Rooks said two people pulled into an apartment complex in the 100 block of West Amber around 11 a.m. and opened fire on the vehicle. No one was wounded in the shooting and now investigators are trying to determine why someone would shoot an an unoccupied car. RELATED: 6 men arrested in 3 days on charges of child sex abuse in S.A. area The suspects fled the apartment complex in a late 90s model gold or tan colored sedan. Police are now searching for vehicles matching that description. "Unfortunately, we don't have a whole lot right now," Rooks said. "There's gonna be more if something else happens that we can tie it to, but right now we don't have anyone else to talk to who knows a whole lot." Police also discovered the vehicle that was shot at, a Kia Soul, was reported stolen. Because no one was in the car at the time of the shooting, police aren't sure whether there was an intended victim. Investigators found two different calibers of shell casings at the scene, indicating both suspects fired at the Kia Soul. Crime scene investigators are now examining the shell casings and searching for other evidence. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns The regulator of the nonbank financial market in Ukraine should have more powers and be independent in decision making, the League of Insurance Organizations of Ukraine (LIOU) has said. "The LIOU's position on this issue is unchanged: we support the preservation of the integrity of the professional team of the National Commission for Financial Service Markets Regulation, including as a structure of the National Bank of Ukraine. However, we believe and insist that in this case it is necessary that the regulator has more authority and is independent in making decisions," President of LIOU Oleksandr Filoniuk said. According to him, today the form or model of the future regulator are primary, but the purpose of introducing these changes, the state support of participants in the insurance business of Ukraine and the entire non-banking financial market. "It is not that the insurance company's belonging to the group of large or medium-sized insurers is important, not the number of its customers, but the liquidity of assets, transparency of work, capitalization and other factors that contribute to the growth of insurance business and trust," the president of LIOU said. "We are sure that transparency of the insurance market is the necessary condition for disclosing the significant potential of insurance in Ukraine. We want to see an increase in the level of confidence in the sector and an increase in the penetration of insurance into the life of Ukrainians. However, the facts show that in 2016 gross insurance premiums amounted to about 1.5% of nominal GDP," he said. Maria De La Luz Gonzalez loved to take care of others and was a natural homemaker who enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing and knitting. Rolling tortillas every other day for the family was just one of the ways she expressed her love as well as giving of her own time. She relished life, travel and dancing. She lived life with a passion and loved human beings, and you couldnt ask for someone so selfless and willing, said her niece, Cristina Gonzalez. Gonzalez died Dec. 10 from a heart attack after a two-month battle with health issues. She was 73. The fourth of seven children, Gonzalezs family of immigrant farmworkers would travel to several places in the U.S. to find seasonal farm work and would return home. When she was 12 years old, her father and mother separated. All the children remained with her father and they made their home in San Antonio because relatives lived in the area. My mother would tell me about how she would go to school and come home to help run the house with my aunt, said her daughter Maria Franka. Her sister, Maria Elena Melendez, oldest of the children, recalls that Gonzalez always took the role of being a nurturing homemaker at even a young age. She loved to cook, and it came to her with ease and effortlessly. She was always happy taking care of others, said Melendez. More Information Maria De La Luz Gonzalez Born: April 23, 1944, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico Died: Dec. 10, 2017, San Antonio Survived by: Husband Santiago Gonzalez; children Maria Elena Franka, and Jimmy Gonzalez; siblings Maria Elena Melendez, Manuel Cantu; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services: Visitation Monday, 5-9 p.m., rosary at 7 p.m., Brookehill Funeral Home, 711 SE Military Drive. Funeral Mass on Tuesday 11 a.m., St. Paul Catholic Church, 350 Sutton Drive. See More Collapse In 1960, Gonzalez met her husband Santiago Gonzalez, who was in the Army, stationed in San Antonio. I just got back from Korea, and she worked at Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant downtown as a waitress. As the saying goes it was love at first sight, said Santiago Gonzalez. I started asking her out, but she wouldnt go out with me. Several chaperoned dates later, Santiago asked her to marry him, and they wed in 1961. I was afraid she was going to get away from me, her husband said. She was beautiful, short, good-looking and I was in love. She was a wonderful, beautiful, caring wife. The Gonzalezes, who had two children, lived in Germany for several years and traveled to many places, including vacationing in Spain and Italy. One year while vacationing in Spain, we went camping, and she made a home out of a little tent and starting rolling tortillas with Tabasco sauce bottle, said her daughter. Gonzalezs family settled once more in San Antonio, and she took on several jobs, including working as a nurses aide, a clerk at a photo lab, and in a cafeteria at St. Pauls Catholic School. She took in several family members as her own, including her granddaughters while her daughter was going through a rough patch. I couldnt thank her enough for taking in my daughters while I was going through a rough period. She did an amazing job with them, her daughter said. She always gave her heart and love unconditionally, Franka added. They (grandparents) didnt have to step in and raise us, but they did, Im very grateful and I sure my sister Destinee would agree, said granddaughter Kaleena De La Torre. She was the glue that held the family together and the foundation. She was like Martha Stewart and Betty Crocker wrapped in one. She did it all, said her granddaughter Destinee Marie Garcia. Her devotion to family was her biggest attribute. caleman@express-news.net One of the problems for the Ukrainian infrastructure sector is the impossibility of adopting the required bills, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan has said. "Last week he held a joint meeting of two parliamentary committees transport and EU integration with participation of Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister [for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration] Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, leaders of the committees, Head of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli and representatives of the Infrastructure Ministry to break the deadlock. Today eight bills regarding the European integration are in the parliament. We have discussed the state of their readiness," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. The minister said that the EU clearly voiced a reproach that in three years no bill concerning the European integration was passed. "We came to the conclusion that the next year should be a breakthrough for meeting our obligations on the association. These are not just words, these are important documents. We are sincerely convinced that the adoption of these basic bills - on rail transport, inland waterways and others - will be of decisive importance, because this is another worldview, the implementation of dozens of European directives and regulations, the transition to EU standards. This is what we require first," he said. Omelyan expressed hope that thanks to the support of the European Commission, a professional discussion of these bills will be held within the walls of the Verkhovna Rada with the participation of European experts and they will finally be adopted. "All these bills could have worked for three year. In particular, for rail we would have had a transition to private traction and calm operations. Also, a sharp increase in the flow of goods on the river is required, and now this is not a direct loss to the state. We cannot continue to tolerate this situation. I am pleased that the committees have understanding. We have discussed these issues with the largest factions in the parliament - they are ready to support. I believe in this support. It's not about politics - only about the state," he said. PETER Pamire, the black empowerment advocate was killed by the Central Intelligence Organisations hit squads over an affair with President Robert Mugabes wife, Grace one of the hitmen involved in his murder reveals today. Pamires death in a freak car accident in 1996 has never been solved. Government doctors said he died as a result of an accident caused by a small ditch which sent his Pajero 4-wheel drive rolling several times before hitting a tree. He was driving towards his Borrowdale home. However, experts from Mitsubishi, manufacturers of Pajero dismissed both conclusions by police that the accident had either been caused by a broken brake pipe or the small ditch on Addington Lane where the crash happened. The agent referred to here as Agent K arrived in Britain last month after quitting the intelligence services. He said I couldnt live with the fact that I was party to a murder of an innocent man directly authorized by President Mugabe. I am doing this for posterity. Agent K has offered to testify via video link if the inquiry into Pamires death is re-opened. After New Zimbabwe.com handed Pamires brother, Ignatius, a dossier of our sensational interview with Mugabes man, he said: So many lies have been told about my brothers death and this man (Agent K) could be the missing link to getting justice for my brother. Talking exclusively to New Zimbabwe.com, Agent K revealed: A fellow black empowerment guru had told President Mugabe that his wife was dating Pamire. Pamires wife was offered $4,5 million for revealing Pamires itinerary, which she declined. President Mugabe personally authorized the CIO to deal with Pamire, a euphemism for kill in intelligence circles. Pamire was actually SHOT, contrary to what the police and doctors claimed at his inquest. He said: Peter had been dating Mrs. Mugabe for a while and it was his friend X (fellow black empowerment activist) who went and told Mugabe of the news. At the time, X was working for the CIO and had attended several workshops in Bindura with us. Following the disclosure, President Mugabe called a high-level intelligence meeting and ordered that Pamire should be dealt with. It was clear he meant we must kill Pamire. From that point, I was part of a special team sent to kill Pamire. Initially, we were first going to interview him and so we went to his offices on Five Avenue but he only spoke to us via intercom. He wouldnt let us in and we left. A few weeks later, the CIO learned Pamire was to leave for South Africa on business and approached his wife for his itinerary. They offered her $4,2 million for the information, which she declined But she did tell us when Pamire was returning, revealed agent K. On the day Pamire touched down at the airport, we were there. I was driving a Mazda 626 Executive and we had another Isuzu Twin Cab. Pamires wife was there and as they left, we trailed Pamire as the wife went a separate route, apparently to go to a baby shower. We trailed Pamire onto Addington Lane and a colleague, Lewis Mucheke, who was sitting on the front passenger side, pulled his gun and shot Pamire. The Pajero rolled, rolled and rolled before hitting a tree. The CIO HQ, meanwhile, rang the ambulance services to tell them no vehicle was to be sent to the scene of the accident until the go-ahead was given. That allowed us to cover our tracks. Nathan Shamuyarira (Jnr), another agent took a rod and traced the path of the bullet which had gone in from just under the back neck up to just under the eye. That rod effectively removed any impression Pamire had been shot. Usually, postmortems, where the CIO is responsible for the death of an individual, are carried out by doctors who work for the CIO, and will generally give a false account of the circumstances under which an individual died. His account of Pamire wearing blue jeans, a black jacket, and a T-Shirt written Zambezi, has been passed as true by Pamires family. Agent K says they sped off from the scene, their mission accomplished and sure Pamire had died. Pamires brother, Ignatius, said: When my brother died, I was probably the last person to know. Our relatives in the rural areas knew before I did, although I was in Harare at the time and could have easily rushed to Peters aid. It smacks of a deliberate attempt to keep me in the dark. It is clear something happened to my brother, and there was a time delay to ensure no-one knew what had happened until my brother had been placed in a fridge at the mortuary. Breaking News via Email Former provincial minister for Manicaland, Mandiitawepi Chimene has reportedly fled to Burundi. She was initially believed to be in Mozambique where she had run to when she got wind that she was wanted for crimes committed during her tenure as a government minister in former president Robert Mugabes government. We are told that she has fled to Burundi from Mozambique where she had initially fled to, said a source. Chimenes property in the province is reportedly being guarded by members of the Zimbabwe National Army. She fled fearing arrest by the new government led by Emmerson Mnangagwa. Chimene was an ardent critic of Mnangagwa and would throw vitriol at him at will. Meanwhile, the former provincial minister is facing criminal abuse of office charges after she allegedly commandeered elephant meat for her own consumption from Cecil Kop Nature Reserve in Mutare. Michael Peter Hitschmann, the member in charge of Cecil Kop Nature Reserve filed two criminal abuse of office charges at Mutare Central Police Station last week against the outspoken Chimene under RRB 3396970 and 3396970 respectively. Hitschmann, who is a member of the Wildlife Environment Zimbabwe Committee, in his self-recorded statement, said he was authorised by his committee to report the matter. He said that two elephants were shot dead at the nature reserve and they were surprised that the embattled ex-minister demanded meat for personal use. On July 24 2017, two adult elephants were shot dead at Cecil Kop following a fatal attack on Support Unit Constable Dambe on July 18 2017. The carcasses of these elephants were then being processed to remove the meat for sale with all proceeds to go to Cecil Kop Nature Reserve as these elephants were their property, Hitschmann said. I was advised by Dominic Mubvanyika [Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officer-in-charge] that Mandiitawepi Chimene was demanding a full truck load of elephant meat at no charge for her personal use and that she had instructed him to collect it immediately from Cecil Kop and deliver it to her. He did so at around 4:30pm on the same day, July 24. Hitschmann said they had no choice but to comply with the order as she wielded so much power. He claimed that the ex-provincial affairs minister acted wrongfully and prejudiced Zimbabwe of $1 800, being the value of the meat she took. In the second charge, Hitschmann said Chimene threatened to distribute land for residential stands to Zanu PF youth supporters at the nature reserve claiming that it was wasted land. He said Chimene made the remarks in August this year at the burial of a provincial hero in Mutare. The statement was false, inflammatory and she made this statement being fully aware that she had no authority or right to make such an offer since the land is legally leased for 99 years as a nature reserve and it is not available for housing, he said. The conservationist said the statement constituted abuse of office. Breaking News via Email The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development has called for an urgent meeting with various stakeholders in response to the recent increase in the price of bread. Zimbabweans this Sunday woke up to a new price of bread with a loaf now costing $1 from 90 cents, and from $1 to $1.10 respectively, and the government has immediately called for a meeting today to discuss the development. In a statement to the ZBC News, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development said the meeting will be held at the ministrys offices at Mukwati Building in Harare. Stakeholders expected to attend the meeting are: Confederations of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe, National Bakers Association, Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), Small Bakers Association of Zimbabwe, Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers and the Retailers Association of Zimbabwe. Breaking News via Email The Zimbabwe Defence Forces has officially called off its Operation Restore Legacy which ushered in the countrys new President Emmerson Mnangagwa into office. Addressing a press conference right now, Zimbabwe National Army Commander, Philip Valerio Sibanda said normal police duties are to begin after the end of Operation Restore Legacy. The Army boss, urged police to be professional in carrying out their duties, Normalcy has now returned to the country. This day (start of operation) was historic and will be remembered by generations to come, said Gen Sibanda. He added saying, it is our wish that voting and campaigning takes place in peaceLet us now all work for a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe. Breaking News via Email While the MDC Alliance has the right to voice concern over the non-implementation of reforms in Zimbabwe, and that they have every democratic right to meet with the international community to raise issues on developments in the country, there are others who think their latest overseas trip was hurried before they had engaged, lobbied the new government first. Last week, the MDC Alliance dispatched Nelson Chamisa and Tendai Biti who were joined by human rights activist Dewa Mavhinga and journalist/writer Peter Godwin to engage the US Congress and civil society to appraise them on developments in Zimbabwe. Describing the current Zimbabwean administration as the outcome of a coup, the aforementioned urged Washington to keep its Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act in place until there were notable changes in Zimbabwe. After their presentations the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Sibusiso Moyo responded in a statement saying Zimbabwes new government has been in office for shorter than two weeks (and) it is staggering that these gentlemen should have expected the deeds of 37 years to be corrected and livelihoods improved in such a short time. As if that myopia was not enough, the trio and others requested their American hosts for more of the same policies which have inflicted suffering on our people. How could any serious putative future leader of our country ask that Zidera remains in place? Moyo said the US-imposed sanctions only hurt the poor and not the elite for whom they are targeted. All of us should be working to revive our economy, till our fertile soil and trade more competitively so that we all realise better health delivery, education and improved welfare in general. There is no need to invite outside referees whose own fate has no relationship to ours. Let us advance our political goals without inviting punitive measures by strangers on our fellow citizens, he said. Moyo reiterated the new governments pledges to delivering peaceful elections next year which he said shall be held according to the Sadc principles and African Union recommendations. Any leadership changes can therefore be gotten at the ballot box, he said. There is no need to go abroad and seek assistance to further harm ones own country. All Zimbabweans are free to canvas for political fortunes of their choice. Let us do this without reversing the promise of our new dawn. All nations of goodwill are invited to assist us to regain our position in the family of nations, not as beggars but, as a prospering and vibrant democracy. The US government imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2001 ostensibly to support the people of Zimbabwe in their struggle to effect peaceful, democratic change, achieve broad-based and equitable economic growth, and restore the rule of law. Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said politics is a matter of strategy, timing and delivery and sadly the MDC Alliance got into the trap by saying the wrong words and at the wrong time. Instead of raising profile with their international engagement they should have unpacked reforms that are required to get Zimbabwe on a path to democracy in simple language locally to the communities and their constituents before going global. They need to invest time in educating communities in Zimbabwe about these reforms, what they mean and how they see them getting Zimbabwe to a democracy path. Rushing abroad to talk about reforms a few weeks after inauguration of coup regime without even having translated a blueprint for those reforms to the ordinary man/woman at home and gathering a critical mass at home around those reforms is not only ill-advised but a poor political strategy, said Saungweme. He added that the MDC Alliance set itself up to susceptibility to Zanu PF propaganda as proponents of the West who do not want anything good for the ordinary Zimbabwe. Some analysts, however, believe the MDC Alliance was right in lobbying the US, hence advocating for reforms before the 2018 elections are held. Mavhinga one of the presenters at the meeting believes the sanctions propaganda by the ruling Zanu PF government is a shallow response to a genuine call for urgent reforms for the restoration of the rule of law and human rights respect. The US Policy on Zimbabwe is broad, and it is the same policy that existed during the GNU government when Zimbabwe scored economic progress. In accessing the human rights situation in Zimbabwe since the military takeover and identifying key benchmarks to measure progress, we should focus on Mnangagwas ability to implement a roadmap to democratic, free and fair elections in 2018 and to remove soldiers from the streets and back to the barracks. A military takeover is no benchmark to measure progress, said Dewa. Analyst Rashweat Mukundu said the opposition made the right decision to attend the hearings and give their perspective on Zimbabwe. The behaviour and actions of the opposition are not guided by the feelings and interests of those in power and as far as I know they are no economic sanctions on Zimbabwe but restrictions on some individuals. The opposition also did well to acknowledge (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa as Zimbabwes leader despite misgivings in how he came into power and this by laying out reforms that he must take forward to take Zimbabwe back on the path of prosperity. These are not onerous demands but what is laid in our laws which the Mugabe regime simply ignored. The USA trip is similar to trips that any political grouping can make to any country, said Mukundu. He added that sanctions are not the business of the MDC. Sanctions were brought by Zanu PFs past behaviour, so sanctions will be removed by Zanu PFs current and future behaviour. The opposition is not created to massage the egos of those in power, it is up to those in power to create consensus that disarms the opposition and critics hence perpetuate their rule. Political analyst Vivid Gwede said the panic by the new dispensation could be because of Mnangagwas suspected strategy of economic liberalisation minus democracy which has been outed and pre-empted. The misinterpretation and sensationalisation of the MDC Alliances US familiarisation trip comes across as very deliberate and disturbing. It is especially unfortunate as it re-introduces poisonous labelling of other political players as sellouts by the State propagandists. The other sad flavour of the governments reaction is the criminalisation of legitimate and constitutionally justified calls for free, fair and credible elections and reforms. It is an attempt by the government to shut out other narratives of the status quo after Operation Restore Legacy and push a single narrative, but without appreciation of the reality that global diplomacy does not work on a single source basis. If anything at all, that single-source interpretation of the Zimbabwean political developments is not possible given the controversial and enigmatic nature of the transition. Gwede said the hue and cry from the establishment is also coloured with hypocrisy given the way the ruling party has been conducting power retention strategies sessions with the Communist Party of China, which is equally foreign. He added that government has always been the one which holds the keys to the removal of any measures and their painful continuation can only be attributed to its unnecessary hardline stances and refusal to reform. The truth is that the new dispensation should fast realise that the China model of politics has been rejected, hence discard it for a truly national democratic revolution. The democratic vanguard in Zimbabwe has made it clear that the Zimbabwe question is in two parts. It is has an economic question and a political question, and choosing to answer only the economic question will guarantee the new regime of less than 50 percent which is failure mark! said Gwede. Political analyst Farai Maguwu said the MDC Alliance was justified to accept the US Congress invitation on many fronts. The MDC Alliance as a political formation that is competing for power looked at the bigger picture of the implications of the militarisation of the State on human rights, democracy and elections. By going it alone (in the new government) Zanu PF clearly demonstrated the military intervened to assist a faction in Zanu PF to unconstitutionally grab power and use that power to hold a flawed election so as to gain legitimacy. The fast tracking of military generals into Cabinet means there are no reasonable prospects for reforms under this government. If government is committed to reforms then it must prove the MDC Alliance wrong by instituting genuine electoral reforms leading to the 2018 election, said Maguwu. Political commentator Elliot Pfebve said there is nothing wrong in having international engagements as MDC Alliance as they are a government in-waiting. While we are not part of the problem we are certainly part of the solution. MDC did not call for sanctions in US. Simply put advocating for international community to support Zimbabwe to return to rule of law, free and fair election and respect of human rights is not the same as calling for sanctions. These are fundamental principles enshrined in the laws of our land. We want a Zimbabwe that works for everyone not for the few, with that we remain resolutely so. Social commentator Rejoice Ngwenya said MDC Alliance is not a political party in power, so it is allowed to make statements that are anti-government as it is their mandate to oppose government. The government in power is a reformed Zanu PF, but still Zanu PF, who removed Mugabe from his seat not for the benefit of Zimbabwe, but for self-preservation, self-interest and settling internal party scores. Mnangagwa is not a product of national political democracy, but internal Zanu PF democracy, so he is still subject to the post-2008 political public court judgment. Ngwenya said it is 100 percent correct to tell anyone out there that while we are happy that a modicum of liberal reforms are on Mnangagwas agenda, before the unconditional transformation of the political and constitutional environment, he must be treated with caution until after 2018 elections. In Mnangagwas budgetary speech, he complained of the cost of democracy by reducing fiscal commitment to independent commissions. He did not talk about free, fair and credible elections; he did not talk about electoral or media reform. He did not talk about a commission of enquiry about Gukurahundi or producing a list of thousands of Zanu PF criminals that have plundered our economy, said Ngwenya. Breaking News via Email Public joint-stock company Farmak, a pharmaceutical company, is implementing seven projects thanks to participation in international exhibitions, Director for Development Oleh Siarkevych has said. "We can conventionally say that thanks to participation in international exhibitions we are now implementing seven projects. Investment in one of the projects is averagely up to $7 million," he told Interfax-Ukraine. In particular, commenting on the company's participation in the 28th pharmaceutical forum CPhI Worldwide 2017, which was held in Frankfurt (Germany) at the end of October, Siarkevych said that "at these exhibitions the company keeps an eye on the development of the global pharmaceutical market." "At this exhibition our specialists held more than 450 meetings related to various areas of development of our company: business development in terms of licensing, strategic projects, logistics: deliveries of active substances and search for active substances for new projects. R & D specialists held meetings on development of synthesis of substances for a new plant in Shostka, meetings with companies involved in conducting clinical trials for our international projects. The production service experts held meetings on contract manufacturing," he said. Siarkevych said that at present Farmak is looking for the possibility of contract production at production sites abroad. "We are studying sites that specialize in contract manufacturing and can ensure the economic efficiency of ordered manufactured products. In Ukraine, there are currently no so-called "clean" and efficient contract manufacturers," the Farmak's development director said. Asked about Farmak's interest in international markets, Siarkevych said that currently the company has several vectors on the global market. "Of course, we are moving to the markets of the European Union and other markets. We brought a medicine to the Australian market in 2017. Now, together with the Australian partner, we are considering the possibility of registration of the drug in the markets of Southeast Asia - in South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand and Indonesia," he said. He said that localization of Farmak's production in some cases is the condition for entering the market. "Everything depends on the country and the level of development of the pharmaceutical industry. In many countries this is a prerequisite for entering the market, for example, Algeria, Egypt. If there are no state requirements for localization, then one must take a region or country in the region where through the localization of drugs production the expansion into nearby markets is possible. For example, localizing production in Vietnam, one can enter the ASEAN markets [Association of Southeast Asian Nations]," he said. Every year, thousands of migrants risk their lives on a treacherous journey from their countries to Zimbabwe in search of educational opportunities at various tertiary institutions around the country. Despite Zimbabweans being known for their warm reception to foreigners, the story is different for female students who are reportedly subjected to all forms of harassment including se xual. Female Student Trust, Executive Director, Evernice Munando noted that se xual harassment is a common phenomenon globally especially among female students. Mary (not her real name), an Equatorial Guinea female student who came to Zimbabwe in 2015 to pursue her tertiary education has had a difficult time with lecturers at her institution. She reckons that language barrier was at first her biggest obstacle as she failed to assert herself resulting in being subjected to abuse by her lecturers, other male students and the general public especially in the Central Business District. I came to Zimbabwe in 2015 and never thought I would go through such horrendous experiences, I had previously heard glorious stories of how Zimbabweans are warm and good people, but my own experience tells a different story. From the beginning, Zimbabwean men didnt treat me fairly as a foreigner. It started when l arrived at Harare Polytechnic as a student, I wasnt even able to speak a single English word, so most men would tease me in shona or english but i never got to understand it, It pissed me off because after they say something, they would burst into laughter while I stood there frozen. One of the most disturbing cases was when one of my lecturers offered me extra lessons for English language, It appeared like a noble gesture but it turned out the other way. When l got into his office, l found c0nd0ms on his table but l wasnt able to ask, he then gave me a French movie translated to English and he told me to go and watch, so that l will be able to understand. , When l was about to go, he grabbed my hand and kis sed me, l ran out of his office, l did not tell this to anyone because i felt ashamed. Another problem came when l was looking for industrial attachment, men offered me all sorts of promises If I fall for them. To be frank, l fell in love with three men in the hope of getting a place for industrial attachment, said Mary. Other foreign students cited corruption as another problem they are facing in Zimbabwe especially from lecturers who demand them to pay in cash or kind for their course work to be considered. Being poor is a crime in Zimbabwe you cant succeed in anything without paying for it, sometimes lecturers ask for payment from us for them to give us higher marks and considering that we always want to return to our home countries,sometimes we end up giving in to their demands as they willfully fail you, said Leoma, another foreign student from Mozambique. Meanwhile Secretary of labor and Social welfare, Ngoni Masoka called for a change of attitude towards migrants and refugees saying people need to move away from attitudes of defensiveness, fear and intolerance. It is time that we deploy our efforts in changing the migration narrative. We need to see migrants as our brothers and sisters in search of a better life, far away from poverty, hunger and the unjust distribution of the planets resources. A change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness, fear and intolerance, said Masoka. International Organization for Migration Chief of Mission Ms. Lily Sanya said challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries. Migration draws increasing attention in the world nowadays. Mixed with elements of unforeseeability, emergency, and complexity, the challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries and regions to maximize the positive impacts of migration while lessening the adverse impact. The United Nations is actively playing a catalyst role in this area, with the aim of creating more dialogues and interactions within countries and regions, as well as propelling experience exchange and collaboration opportunities, said Sanya. According to Human Rights Watch, migrants are facing violations including denied access to fundamental rights such as the right to education, work and health which is discriminatory especially to international female students. UNESCO Good Policy and Practice in HIV & AIDS and education booklet, states that schools are not always aware of national policies established by education ministries. There is often a gap between policy and practice, with good intentions hindered by lack of policies, failure to communicate departmental policy to schools, lack of guidelines for educators and learners, and lack of training for school governing bodies. With Zimbabwe hosting students from Southern African countries such as Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi among others, a lot needs to be done to tighten screws and address legal gaps to end se xual harassment of foreign students in the country. Breaking News via Email The Zimbabwe Defence and Security Services have officially ended Operation Restore Legacy, which was launched on the 13th of last month. Commander Zimbabwe National Army Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda said the controversial operation has achieved its purpose to apprehend criminals around the former President Mugabe and there is now change of guard in the countrys leadership. Lieutenant General Sibanda, who was flanked by other members of the security services, also revealed that police is back to its normal law enforcement duties since normalcy has returned to the country. A new pledge signed by the police will see radical changes in the execution of their duties a far cry from the previous road menace they had become. Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) 11 Point Plan All members deployed on traffic enforcement duties to strictly observe and abide by the following Eleven (11) Promises. 1. We will not abuse our authority by engaging in corruption 2. We shall exhibit appropriate police customer care practices 3. We shall not withhold motorists driving licenses without written consent of the owner 4. We shall use discretion judiciously and be sensitive to motorists genuine plights 5. We shall collect no more or less than what is provided in the National Deposit Fines Schedule 6. We shall not detain motorists at roadblock sites unnecessarily 7. We shall not inconvenience law abiding motorists 8. We shall not cause congestion or accidents ourselves during the enforcements but facilitate smooth flow of traffic and pedestrians. 9. We shall all work towards building trust between the police and the general public 10. We shall always display our name tags so that the public know who they are dealing with. 11. We shall be transparent, accountable and respectful in all our dealings with our collective audience Breaking News via Email For a very long time now, the MDC has been calling for the return to their barracks of members of the military who had been deployed on the streets of various cities, towns and growth points. The MDC believes in the institution of a civilian as opposed to a military government to run all the operations of the State. Indeed, Section 212 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that the function of the Defence Forces is to protect Zimbabwe, its people, its national security and interests and its territorial integrity and to uphold the Constitution. We appreciate the fact that our Defence Forces are disciplined and we trust that the other law enforcement agencies such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police will continue to effectively and competently discharge their constitutional mandate of maintaining law and order in our beloved motherland. More particularly, we call upon the Police force to be professional at all times and not to resort to intimidation, bribe taking and all other forms of malfeasance. Zimbabweans are a peaceloving people who shouldnt be unnecessarily subjected to unjustified harassment by members of the law enforcement agencies. In similar measure, the MDC is convinced that the Defence Forces shall continue to defend Zimbabwes national security and national interests. The perception that Zimbabwe is now being run by the military doesnt augur well for our countrys political stability and socioeconomic development. As such, recent utterances by Chris Mutsvangwa to the effect that the Defence Forces and traditional leaders will assist Zanu PF to campaign in the forthcoming elections are most unfortunate and thoroughly misplaced. Members of the security services are bound by the Constitution not to operate as political activists of any political party, including the ruling party. The MDC would be very pleased if the responsible authorities within our Defence Forces can categorically dissociate the security services from Mutsvangwas rather reckless and illthought out remarks. In similar measure, the MDC reiterates our support and recognition of the institution of traditional leadership and we trust that all out traditional leaders shall maintain their constitutional mandate of being custodians of our cultural values and ethos without reducing themselves to becoming political activists. Put differently, our traditional leaders should be apolitical; as is provided for by the supreme law of the land. The MDC would like to remind all eligible citizens of Zimbabwe to ensure that they register to vote under the ongoing biometric voter registration exercise. It is indeed the patriotic duty of every eligible Zimbabweans to register to vote and also to cast their vote on polling day. The destiny of our beloved country is in our own hands and it is our sacrosanct patriotic obligation to establish a peaceful, stable and progressive nation state in Zimbabwe. MDC: Equal Opportunities for All Obert Chaurura Gutu MDC National Spokesperson Breaking News via Email Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Phillip Valerio Sibanda has warned expelled G40 members of the ruling Zanu PF to desist from bad mouthing the country from foreign lands with intentions to harm peace and tranquility within the country, appealing to citizens to report any suspicious objects or individuals bent on destabilizing the country. Addressing the media today (Monday) at the Josiah Tongogara barracks, Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Phillip Valerio Sibanda said it is a duty of every Zimbabwean to ensure that malcontents and saboteurs and others of like mind are not allowed to succeed. Your Defence and Security Services would like to remind all Zimbabweans to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious objects and individuals to law enforcement agents. This is because some of the members of the G40 cabal that had surrounded the former Head of State are now bad mouthing the country from foreign lands where their intentions to harm the country have been pronounced. It is therefore the duty of every Zimbabwean to ensure that these malcontents and saboteurs and others of like mind are not allowed to succeed, said Sibanda. He called on Zimbabweans to maintain the spirit of peace and tranquility as the country prepares for the 2018 harmonized elections. As we prepare for elections in 2018,it is our wish that the campaigning and the voting itself on the day, takes place in an environment of peace and tranquility. And here again l want to quote the President where he said in his closing remarks to the ZANU PF Extra Ordinary Congress on 15 December 2017 as he also urged Zimbabweans to remain peaceful before and after elections whereby he said he do not condone any acts of violence, added Sibanda. Breaking News via Email Former ZBC presenter Ezra Tshisa Sibanda has said it is now clear that the former Zanu-PF spin doctor Professor Jonathan Moyo is being hosted by the Kenyan government as a political refugee. Two weeks ago, My Zimbabwe News was the first Zimbabwean news website to reveal that the troubled G40 kingpin, Moyo, had sought refuge in Kenya. Sibanda made these remarks on social media on Sunday when he shared two images showing Moyo wearing a barret belonging to President Uhuru Kenyattas ruling JUBILEE coalition. The images were captioned Jonathan Moyo driving one of the nice Kenyan cars wearing barret belonging to President Uhuru Kenyattas ruling JUBILEE coalition. Its clear now they are hosted by Kenya government as political refugees. Whoever thought the professor of doom would one day be a refugee and live in another country against his will. However, others have argued that the pictures were shot some time ago in Cuba when Moyo before Moyo was kicked out of Zanu-PF for being corrupt around Mugabe. Moyo is believed to have fled Zimbabwe during the November military coup that saw former President Robert Mugabe stepping down. ALSO READ: Jonathan Moyo who is hiding and seeking asylum in Kenya further EXPOSED Breaking News via Email Congressional tax negotiators released the final version of tax reform this past Friday evening, December 15. The previous versions passed by the House and Senate were largely a mixed bag of results for the convenience retailing industry. The Conference report, at least at first glance, appears to be mostly positive. The bottom line for many companies is the new tax rates. For corporations, the package reduces the tax rate to 21%. Thats up 1% from both the previous House and Senate versions but goes into effect immediately next year rather than being delayed by a year as the Senate bill had done. For their part, pass-through entities seem to fare pretty well in the final version. The bill follows the previous Senate version more closely than the Houses in that it provides a deduction for qualified business income for pass-through taxpayers. The deduction is down to 20% from the 23% found in the Senate bill, however, the final version also lowers the top personal income tax rate to 37%. The result should put the marginal tax rates paid by pass-throughs fairly close to on par with the marginal tax rates paid by corporations. Its also important to point out that pass-throughs formally owned by estates and trusts are eligible for the tax deduction under the final version, marking a significant change from the Senate version. Here is a quick rundown of how some of the other issues important to our industry fare in the final package: Work Opportunity Tax Credit: The House version repealed WOTC while the Senate preserved it. Fortunately, the final version follows the Senate and preserves the tax credit going forward. Last-In First-Out Accounting: LIFO has been a popular target for raising revenue in recent tax proposals. Fortunately, like both previous versions, LIFO is left intact. Estate Tax: While the House bill would have ultimately repealed the estate tax, the final package leaves it intact but does double the exemption amounts protecting many small businesses. Alternative Minimum Tax: For individuals, the AMT is left in place but the thresholds are doubled. The Corporate AMT is repealed. Individual Tax Rates: The final package follows closer to the Senate bill, setting up the following rates: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%. State and Local Tax Deduction: Both previous versions ended up with a deduction limit of $10,000 for local property taxes. The final package includes the same monetary limit but allows for deduction of property taxes along with income or sales taxes. Standard Deduction: Is roughly doubled, just like both previous versions had done. Much like in the Senate bill, all of the individual tax reform changes are technically temporary. They are scheduled to expire after 2025. This was done to satisfy Senate procedural rules that do not allow bills considered under the reconciliation process to project to cause federal deficits beyond a 10-year budget window. Republican leaders have argued that it is very unlikely that a future Congress would let these changes actually expire (much like the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts were ultimately renewed a few years agothough not without some drama). The release of the final legislation sets up a week of potential drama in Congress. The plan, as it currently stands, is for the House to take up the legislation firstlikely on Tuesday. Its all but assumed the House has the votes to pass the bill, which moves the drama across the rotunda into the Senate chamber. That vote will likely take place Thursday. There have already been positive signs for the Republicans ability to pass the bill though. Senator Corker (R-TN) was the only Republican Senator to vote against the Senate version when it passed, but he has already said that he intends to vote for the final version. Same goes for Senator Rubio (R-FL), who announced hed vote no unless changes were made to make the child tax credit expansion more beneficial to lower income taxpayers; he has been satisfied by the final version and has said hell support it. Wild cards do remain. Both Senators Cochran (R-MI) and McCain (R-AZ) are facing serious health problems that may limit their ability to be present. Senator Collins (R-ME) supported the Senate version after reaching an agreement with Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) on passage of separate Affordable Care Act (ACA)-related legislation. Her vote on the final version remains a question mark. While McConnell has followed through on his part of the agreement, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) was never formally part of the deal and has indicated he has no intention of moving the ACA-related bills in that chamber. With those question marks in place, Vice President Mike Pence has delayed a scheduled overseas trip in order to be preside over the Senate debate in case his vote is needed to break a tie. Now, after dealing with tax reform, Congress also has to find a way to keep the government open beyond this Friday, December 22, when current funding runs out. But thats a whole other story For those of you who want to take a deep dive into the proposal, here is the legislation and here is the joint explanatory statement, which compares the conference report to the two previous versions. Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including acclaimed documentary series and films Fire of Love, The Rescue, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth and We Feed People. A man jailed for attempting to pervert the course of justice has had his jail term cut on appeal. James Conlon (25), from Wilderness Grove, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, had pleaded not (NOT) guilty to two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice during the investigation into the murder of Shane Rossiter in the county in 2012. Conlon was found guilty by a jury at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to eight years imprisonment with the final year suspended by Judge Thomas Teehan on February 26, 2012. He successfully appealed his sentence today/yesterday(MONDAY) and was accordingly resentenced to an effective four year term. Giving judgment in the three-judge Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the background to the offences was to be found in the murder of Shane Rossiter following a house party in Church Lane, Golden, Co. Tipperary on October 17, 2012 Maurice Power (34) of Dranganbeg, Kilmoyler, Cahir was found guilty of Mr Rossiter's murder following a trial at the Central Criminal Court in 2014. During the investigation into the murder of Mr Rossiter, Conlon along with Maurice Power sought out, for the purpose of taking away, an item of potential evidential value, a computer chip from a woman's home CCTV system which may have been recording at relevant times, Mr Justice Birmingham said. In the second instance, Conlon sought to dissuade a potential witness, his brother's girlfriend, from giving evidence about his brother. Mr Justice Birmingham said offences for attempting to pervert the course of justice were rare and Conlon's barristers had submitted decisions from the UK, New Zealand and Canada. But there were a number of factors present which meant the sentencing judge had to treat Conlon's offences as serious. The very fact there were two offences separated by some weeks indicated that there had been a persistent attempt to influence the outcome of the garda investigation and any subsequent trial. The fact that the underlying offence was murder, the most serious offence known to law, must by definition be regarded as very serious. On the other hand, Conlon had not apparently made any specific threats to the witness nor did he attempt to buy her off. There was no violence, threats of violence or intimidation and no sustained campaign of violence, threats of violence or intimidation. Although not to his credit, Mr Justice Birmingham said it was a fact that somebody had been made amenable to the law and had been convicted of murder. In the Court of Appeal's view, the sentencing range identified by the Circuit Court judge was inappropriately high. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the court would quash the sentences and substitute in their place, new terms of four years imprisonment and three years imprisonment to run concurrently. Iryna Fryz, a member of the parliamentary Petro Poroshenko Bloc, has called for the deportation of the leader of the Movement of New Forces, Mikheil Saakashvili, from Ukraine. "I want this person to be extradited anywhere, as long as he stays away from Ukraine, since he has been destroying our country, despising our past, and negating our future," Fryz wrote on Facebook, following Saakashvili's supporters' attempt to seize the October Palace in Kyiv on Sunday. "Storming the cultural center during a children's New Year party, humiliating and beating law-enforcement officers, holding a pseudo-protest in tents while residing in a luxury apartment, illegally crossing the border, lobbying corrupt laws for the Odesa customs service while a member of the executive authorities, and recommending that interviews be given to Moscow-based media outlets [...] what else will a person who's hungry for power like a junky for a dose, and is killing and destroying every state institution, do?" Fryz wrote. "He does not need this impeachment, he needs power in a country which is ten times bigger than the one he has shamefully fled," Fryz wrote. "I want this person to be deported," she added. Saakashvili comes to Prosecutor General's Office but fails to appear before investigator The leader of the Ukrainian opposition party Movement of New Forces and former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has appeared at the Prosecutor General's Office, where he had been summoned for questioning, but declared there that his criminal case should be passed to the Security Service. "When this case is passed to the Ukrainian Security Service as is required by the law, I will provide testimony," Saakashvili told journalists after visiting the Prosecutor General's Office on Monday morning. Saakashvili's defense lawyer Ruslan Chornolutsky also said that according to the law, the case is within the Ukrainian Security Service's jurisdiction. A Prosecutor General's Office spokesperson said Saakashvili has disrupted the investigative procedure, since even though he came to the Prosecutor General's Office, he failed to appear before the investigator who had summoned him for questioning. The height of the Chaplynka state television tower in Kherson region is to be increased to 133 meters in the first half of 2018, which will help broadcast Ukrainian television and radio programs to Krasnoperekopsk district in Russia-occupied Crimea, a member of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting, Serhiy Kostynsky, has said. "As part of the draft strategy developed by the commission on ensuring the stable functioning of the national television and radio broadcasting system under the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine, it is planned to increase the height of the state tower in Chaplynka in Kherson region from 92 to 133 meters during the first half of 2018," Kostynsky wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday, December 16. According to him, the signal from the Chaplynka tower will cover the Chaplynka and Kalanchak districts of Kherson region and the Krasnoperekopsk district of Russia-occupied Crimea. "Thus, Ukrainian television and radio broadcasting to the territory of Crimea in 2018 will be carried out from two towers Chonhar and Chaplynka. The development of television and radio broadcasting in these areas will be carried out by providing the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting with permits for temporary broadcasting, as is done in the ATO zone," Kostynsky said. According to him, it is planned to create an additional digital multiplex with the purpose of organizing the powerful broadcasting of the first five Ukrainian TV channels in the direction of Armiansk and Krasnoperekopsk and the analogue broadcasting of two Ukrainian TV channels and about seven Ukrainian radio stations in the direction of Crimea. Champaign, IL (61820) Today A few snow showers around this evening, otherwise mostly cloudy. Low 22F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 30%.. Tonight A few snow showers around this evening, otherwise mostly cloudy. Low 22F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 30%. The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has supported the diplomats of other countries in their assessment of the confrontation near Zhovtnevy Palace (October Palace) in downtown Kyiv on Sunday afternoon. "We agree with our Canadian and U.K. colleagues. Attempts to seize and damage public buildings are an abuse of the right to peaceful protest," the embassy said on its Twitter page. Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Roman Waschuk wrote earlier on Twitter: "Attempts to seize and damage public buildings are an abuse of the right to peaceful protest." For her part, British Ambassador Judith Gough tweeted she completely agrees with the Canadian colleague. Automobile industry body SIAM is seeking two tax rates for passenger vehicles under the GST regime instead of multiple rates levied currently, as part of its wish list for the upcoming budget. The industry body has also sought from the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley a special tax rate of 12 percent for electric and hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles. "The automotive industry has been suggesting two rates for cars in place of multiple tax rates, and requests the government to keep only two rates for vehicles under the GST regime," Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) said in its suggestions for the Union Budget 2018-19. Currently, under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, small petrol cars with engine capacity less than 1200cc attract 1 percent cess, while diesel cars with engine capacity of less than 1500cc attract 3 percent cess, on top of the 28 percent tax. Similarly, cess on hybrid cars, including mid, large and SUVs, remains at 15 percent, likewise those vehicles used for transport of not more than 13 passengers. The auto industry has also urged the government for taxon used cars to be fixed at 5 percent GST on the differential value between sale and purchase price of the used car. Similarly, in the electrical vehicle vertical, the industry has sought an extension of custom duty concessions for additional critical components. Besides, it has sought denial of any custom duty concessions to CBUs (completely built units) of electric vehicles to support 'Make in India' programme. The industry body has also sought the government to clearly provide a definition of CKD (completely knocked down)/SKD (semi-knocked-down) units of electric vehicles. The SIAM has also suggested the finance ministry to exempt 10-13 seater ambulances from the levy of compensation cess. Also Watch: All-New Volvo XC60 | First Drive Review | Cars18 Japanese auto major Yamaha is conducting a feasibility study to evaluate the possibility of launching electric two-wheelers in India, a top company executive said. The company, which sells a range of bikes and scooters in the country, may also look at investment opportunities for power units and batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). "We are at present conducting a feasibility study in this area (electric two-wheelers). Yamaha has an edge in this segment as we already have such products in other countries. Transferring such products to India, it is not so difficult, "Yamaha Motor Research and Development India MD Yasuo Ishihara told PTI. Through the study, the company is also planning to assess if EVs could completely replace models that are run on internal combustion engines. "I believe that the EV products cannot be the complete replacement to the current internal combustion engines. This is one of the biggest study points," Ishihara said. In order to safeguard its position in the country, the company also plans to continue with the development of traditional internal combustion engines. "We have already started our feasibility study in order to achieve this target set by the government of India but at the same time we will continue to develop more highly efficient engines in order to cater to the demands of Indian customers," Ishihara said. When asked about company's investment plans in the EV space, he said: "Investment shall mainly be for power unit and batteries. Infrastructure development in collaboration with some partners may be another area where we would look forward to making our investments". With the alarming rise in air pollution, the government is pushing for electric mobility in the country. According to a report by government think tank Niti Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute, India's move towards 100 percent electric vehicles fleet by 2030 could create a $300 billion domestic market for EV batteries. Also Watch: All-New Volvo XC60 | First Drive Review | Cars18 New Delhi: India's trade deficit with China stood at USD 36.73 billion during the first seven months of the current fiscal (April-October) compared to USD 51.11 billion in the financial year 2016-17, Parliament was informed on Monday. The bilateral trade between India and China stood at USD 50.19 billion during the April-October period, as against USD 71.45 billion in the entire 2016-17, according to the provisional data for April-October placed in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Commerce & Industry C R Chaudhary. "Increasing trade deficit with China can be attributed primarily to the fact that Chinese exports to India rely strongly on manufactured items to meet the demand of fast expanding sectors like telecom and power, while India's exports to China are characterised by primary and intermediate products," Chaudhary said. According to official data, Chinese FDI in India, though growing, has been insignificant compared to its total investment overseas. China presently ranks 17th in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into India. The cumulative inflows from China since April 2000 to September 2017 stood at USD 1.73 billion. Mumbai: As the leads in Gujarat started reversing, with the Congress and the BJP fighting neck and neck, the stock market wasnt too happy. At 9:30 am, the BSE Sensex slipped over 850 points, and the Nifty fell over 200 points as Gujarat trend predicted BJP upset. Word on the Dalal street was strong or even a comfortable win for BJP in Gujarat will boost the market sentiment in the short term. But clearly, the red indices don't indicate that now. At 9:30 am, all sectoral indices traded in red. Nifty Bank, Auto, Metal, Realty, IT and FMCG indices were down 1-3 percent. The markets opened in red. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 740.11 points or 2.21 percent at 32,722.86 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 208.80 points or 2.02 percent to 10,124.50. However, gradually, Sensex and Nifty recovered after the first steep opening losses. The BJP has touched the 100-seat mark in Gujarat as per early trends, facing off an initial scare where the Congress narrowed down the gap to two seats. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is now back in the lead against Congress Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West, but Deputy CM Nitin Patel is still trailing in Mehsana where the Jignesh Mewani factor is at play, while its state unit chief Jitu Vaghani is also behind in Anand. In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress seems headed for the opposition benches with the BJP touching the majority mark of 36 as per trends. After Sonia Gandhis 19 years long reign, Rahul Gandhi took over as Congress president on Saturday morning in a grand ceremony held at 24 Akbar Raod party headquarters in New Delhi. At the ceremony attended by the outgoing party president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi was formally handed over the election certificate for being chosen the party president unopposed. The new president of the Congress exhorted the workers to challenge those who control the machinery of fear and silence the voice of ordinary Indians. In his first tweet after becoming Congress President, Gandhi wrote, "I want the Congress party to become an instrument for dialogue between Indian people, from all corners of our great country, all religions, all ethnicities, all ages and gender and for our dialogue to be led by love and affection." I want the Congress party to become an instrument for dialogue between Indian people, from all corners of our great country, all religions, all ethnicities, all ages and gender and for our dialogue to be led by love and affection. pic.twitter.com/VhjFDz2qht Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 16, 2017 The official handle of INC posted about Gandhi's journey to the top. As we officially welcome Congress President Rahul Gandhi into his role, we look back on his character-defining moments, and look forward to his continued compassionate, integrity-fuelled leadership. #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi #ThankYouSoniaGandhi pic.twitter.com/YylvZdwG1J Congress (@INCIndia) December 16, 2017 "Congratulations Mr. Rahul.G. Your seat does not define you but you can define your position. I have admired your elders. I am sure you would work and deserve my admiration too. All the strength to your shoulders" wrote veteran star Kamal Hasaan in a tweet. Congratulations Mr. Rahul.G. Your seat does not define you but you can define your position. I have admired your elders. I am sure you would work and deserve my admiration too. All the strength to your shoulders. Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 16, 2017 Prominent leaders came forward to greet the newly appointed Congress Prez. Wonderful, crowded, emotional & hugely enthusiastic ceremony saw Soniaji handing over to Rahulji. A new day dawns for @INCIndia under #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/9H20LcqwOV Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 16, 2017 I congratulate Thiru. Rahul Gandhi on his elevation as the President of INC, on behalf of DMK. Am confident that he will fulfill the aspirations and hopes of the people and restore the glory of Secularism, Socialism and Federalism. @OfficeOfRG M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 16, 2017 As @OfficeOfRG took charge, the enthusiasm in all the karyakartas was a moment I shall never forget. Ma'am Soniaji 's speech full of warmth and love made it an emotional moment for all. #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi #ThankYouSoniaGandhi pic.twitter.com/dngOS2XQqK Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) December 16, 2017 My Boss,My Hero,My Ideal Rahul Ji @OfficeOfRG is taking charge as Chief of @INCIndia AICC.It's great historical moment & I am fortunate to work with him for more than a decade.I am 100% sure Congress will attain greater heights under your leadership #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/ttheKkTgqm Ashok Tanwar (@AshokTanwar_INC) December 16, 2017 Best wishes to @OfficeOfRG as he takes charge of @INCIndia today. May this revolutionary journey under your promising Leadership could rewrite the destiny of India in Golden Ink. #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi#ThankYouSoniaGandhi ji for your dedicated service to the Nation. KJ George (@thekjgeorge) December 16, 2017 Best wishes to Rahul Gandhiji as he takes charge of @INCIndia today, Congress party will continue to reflect the voice & aspiration of people under his able leadership! #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi #ThankYouSoniaGandhi ji for your selflessly service to the nation & the party! pic.twitter.com/fXAyxxl6bX Arjun Modhwadia (@arjunmodhwadia) December 16, 2017 Congratulations to @OfficeOfRG for taking the charge of national President of Indian national Congress today.Party will certainly come back under his leadership.We will work hard to make it success#CongressPresidentRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/XP0dkJcQ6E Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) December 16, 2017 Mumbai: In a major setback to former Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal, a local court on Monday rejected his bail application in connection with cases filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court also rejected the bail application of his nephew and former Lok Sabha member Sameer Bhujbal. "Both the bail applications are rejected," said special PMLA judge M S Azmi. The order copy will be available later, he said. The court had rejected the former public works minister's bail plea, filed on medical grounds, earlier too. Last month, the Supreme Court struck down a stringent condition for securing bail for a person accused of money laundering, saying it was "manifestly arbitrary". Section 45(1) of the PMLA which imposes conditions such as hearing the prosecutor before the bail is granted, was "unreasonable", the top court had said. Bail applications of Bhujbals were pending at that time. After the SC ruling, the court here heard the arguments afresh. Special public prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar argued that the onus of proving that the alleged proceeds of crime were untainted was on the accused. He added that the Bhujbals' bail applications mentioned Rs 30 crore, but during interrogation, they admitted to laundering money to the tune of Rs 800 crore. Chhagan Bhujbal is an influential person and may tamper with evidence. Investigation as to his foreign investments is yet to be over, the prosecutor said. In 2015, the Enforcement Directorate had registered two 'Enforcement Case Information Reports' (ECIRs) under the PMLA against the NCP leader, suspecting illegal transactions to the tune of Rs 900 crore in all. The first case was about the Maharashtra Sadan and Kalina land allotment scams, while the second was related to a housing project at Navi Mumbai by a construction firm promoted by the Bhujbal family. The firm owners were accused of duping flat buyers after collecting advance. New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked INLD chief O P Chautala, serving a ten-year jail term in a teachers recruitment scam case, to substantiate his claim of seeking two-month parole to look after his ailing wife by producing her recent medical records. Justice Mukta Gupta asked the counsel for Chautala to place on record the medical details of the politician's wife including diagnosis of her ailment and the treatment which she is said to be availing at a private hospital at Sirsa. Senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog and advocate Amit Sahni, appearing for former Haryana Chief Minister Chautala, said that the convict's wife Sneh Lata is critically ill and is hospitalised at Sirsa in Haryana. The counsel submitted that the woman is in the intensive care unit (ICU) in the hospital. The court listed the matter for further hearing on December 21. The 82-year-old politician has said that he wanted to spend time with his wife "in her last days". The plea has said the leader was last granted parole earlier this year and he was entitled to get parole as per parole and furlough guidelines, which stipulate that a minimum of six months should elapse after the date of termination of the previous parole. The high court had on March 1 cancelled the parole granted to Chautala on medical grounds and asked him to "surrender forthwith", saying he cocked a snook at the court and "misled" it by feigning illness. It had then said that Chautala was misusing his parole to attend public meetings. Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and three others are serving 10-year jail term in the case. The Supreme Court in August 2015 had dismissed Chautalas' appeals against the high court verdict upholding their conviction and sentence of 10 years awarded by a trial court in the junior basic trained teachers recruitment scam case. 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. Note: The post contains spoilers for the latest instalment of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The results are quite clear now, even though the counting is still on. The BJP is set to form the government in Gujarat. But heres the thing, the chase that the Congress gave the BJP wasnt quite expected. Through the campaigning and the counting, it was one exciting race. And, it almost reminded us of Star Wars. No kidding. The twists and turns in this election were nothing less than the excitement we had watching The Last Jedi. In the recent Star Wars movie, Rian Johnson, a filmmaking sorcerer sidesteps every predictable beat. For the first time, we didnt know what to expect from a Star Wars film. Gujarat, which had turned into a battle ground for the last couple of months, was exactly that. There was no way to predict how this would end. The battle had left everyone confused. Who would win? Well, probably even Hercule Poirot wouldnt have the answer. The contradictions would make him scratch his chin and knead his eyebrows. On the one hand, there was Goods and Services Tax (GST), demonetisation, unemployment and quota demands. On the other, there was Modis Vikas. The Last Jedi begins in battle. Gujarat, was just a battle, throughout. When the film begins, we are in the middle of a Resistance evacuation. The scene is where the rebels are on their last leg to get away from a First Order Dreadnaught, decimated after the events of The Force Awakens. Does it remind you of something else? Well, just before this election, the BJP was in control of 19 states. It may not have been a Congress-mukt Bharat, but the Grand Old party cant deny the persisting fear that they may become irrelevant in the current times and with the apparent Modi sweep. In Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi and his men were limping, they had to fight the battle on that last leg. In the movie, the rebels take out the dreadnaught, but their entire bombing fleet is lost in the process. The Last Jedi reminded us that before resistance, theres loss. There were also cracks within the resistance when Poe Dameron, the fan favorite Resistance hero, sees an opportunity to take out one of the enemys biggest weapons and stages an attack in direct opposition to General Leias orders. In the Gujarat battle, the cracks too were strong and evident. There was Mani Shankar Aiyars neech aadmi barb that got him fired by the newest party chief, Rahul Gandhi. In 2014, Aiyar had dubbed Modi a chaiwala and the heaves burst forth. The saffron party wouldnt let the Congress forget their mistakesso they started bringing up the slurs that were used for the Prime Minister of the country, one after the one. Both of Aiyars remarks, back in 2014 and now became a great faux pas in poll history. Once back on the Resistance cruiser, Poe is greeted with a slap across the face from Leia, and an immediate demotion from commander to captain. Aiyar is almost Poe, sans the red shirt and the shining armour. The Last Jedi was all about the myth of heroism and the lessons of failure. The next foolhardy plan concocted by Poe, Finn and Rose leads to an adventure on the gambling planet Canto Bight and an ill-advised mutiny on the Resistance cruiser. They keep failing until they learn from it. Gujarat had similar lessons for both Modi and Rahul, despite who won and who lost. In the movie, our heroes are no longer recognisable. The impulse for goodness in Luke Skywalker, for instance, had disappeared leaving behind the grey, withered, and angry shell of a once great man. Once again, it was proved heroes are a myth. Heroes change. Heroes dont always remain heroes. The election results in Gujarat seem like it has been directed by Johnson. It proved how heroes can fall too. The love for Modi may not have been completely lost after 22 years, but theres a sign of it fading. In Prime Minster Modis and BJP President Amit Shahs home state, the Congress admittedly put up a tough fight. The narrow margin of victory, where the party even looked like losing at some point in the counting process just meant one thing: The BJP is vulnerable politically and they may not remain heroes forever. It is necessary to completely change Ukrainian patent legislation and complete judicial reform to ensure conditions in Ukraine to allow the creation of powerful information technology (IT) products. That's the opinion of the IT Ukraine Association's Vice President for Legal Issues, Alcor CEO Dmytro Ovcharenko, who told Interfax-Ukraine about Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine's regulation of operations involving software products. "The idea of establishing a norm for freeing deliveries of software products from VAT would stimulate production of ready programs (products), instead of just man hours (services). It's better to sell assembled furniture and not wood, yes? At the same time, for this norm to actually help create new Viber or Skype products, it would be necessary to completely rewrite patent legislation, complete the creation of an uncorrupt and competent court, ideally a special court for intellectual property, like in the United States," he said. Ovcharenko said current changes proposed to legislation are completely technical in nature, thus the norm, just as earlier, would be used not by software creators in Ukraine, but rather by distributors of foreign software packages. "Currently Ukrainian patents are worth the paper they are printed on: all products from Ukraine are registered in the U.S. and added value (sometimes billions) remain there," Ovcharenko said. As earlier reported Ukraine's parliament on December 7, 2017 adopted changes to the Tax Code of Ukraine (Law No 6676-d) and introduced the definition of operations using software, payments on which are not considered royalties, as well as strengthened statutes involving taxation issues from 2013 on freeing software deliveries from VAT. New York: ABC Television Network said on Friday that it fired celebrity chef Mario Batali from its daytime cooking show, The Chew, after he was accused of sexual misconduct. Online food trade publication Eater New York reported on Monday that four women, who were not identified, accused Batali of touching them inappropriately in a pattern of behavior that spanned at least two decades. Three worked for the chef during their careers, according to Eater New York. Upon completing its review into the allegations made against Mario Batali, ABC has terminated its relationship with him and he will no longer appear on The Chew, a spokeswoman for ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), said in a statement. Batalis representative, Risa Heller, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. In a statement emailed to Reuters by Heller on Wednesday Batali said: I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt. Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends, and family. Reuters could not independently confirm the accusations. On Monday, Batali said he had stepped away from his restaurant company B&B Hospitality Group, which services about 24 restaurants owned by Batali and other chefs. Food Network said in an emailed statement on Friday that the broadcasting network has canceled plans to relaunch Molto Mario, the cooking show that helped launched Batalis career, in light of the accusations. Batalis reputation as a master of Italian food turned him into a restaurant executive, television star, author and one of the worlds most recognizable chefs. He premiered on Food Network in 1997 on the show Molto Mario and in 2011 helped launch The Chew on ABC. Los Angeles: Harvey Weinstein on Friday denied barring actresses Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino from working on the movie adaptation of The Lord of the Rings or blacklisting them from further projects. Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual harassment by more than 50 women, including Judd and Sorvino, was responding to remarks by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Reuters is unable to independently confirm the misconduct allegations and Weinstein has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone. In an interview with New Zealand website Stuff on Thursday, Jackson said he expressed interest in casting Judd and Sorvino in the movie while pitching the project to Weinsteins production company Miramax. I recall Miramax telling us they were a nightmare to work with and we should avoid them at all costs. This was probably in 1998, Jackson said. At the time, we had no reason to question what these guys were telling us... I now suspect we were fed false information about both of these talented women - and as a direct result their names were removed from our casting list, he added. The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy later went to New Line Cinema and released in 2001. Weinsteins spokeswoman Holly Baird said in a statement that Harvey and his bother Bob had no input into the casting whatsoever on Lord of the Rings. The statement said that Judd was subsequently cast by Weinstein in two other movies - Frida and Crossing Over. It added that Sorvino called Weinstein earlier this year to ask if her husband, actor Christopher Backus, could be cast in the TV series Six that he was producing and Mr. Weinstein cast him. Judd, responding on Twitter on Friday, recalled having detailed talks with Jackson about Lord of the Rings but then I abruptly never heard from him again. Sorvino said on Twitter that she burst out crying when she read Jacksons remarks, calling them confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure. Representatives for the two actresses did not respond on Friday to a request for further comment. Los Angeles: Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the Marvel Cinematic Universe will incorporate franchises such as X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool after the acquisition of 21st Century Fox is compete in the historic merger. Disney is set to buy 21st Century Fox assets for USD 52.4 billion in the Hollywood deal.AceShowbiz quoted Iger saying, "We're also looking forward to expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe to include 'X-Men', 'Fantastic Four' and 'Deadpool'." The announced deal is a massive turnaround for Marvel as the company can finally reclaim many of its lost characters after it licensed them out to prevent bankruptcy in the 1990s. Iger also addressed the potential of "Deadpool", the R- rated Marvel franchise at Fox. "It ('Deadpool') clearly has been and will be Marvel branded. But we think there might be an opportunity for a Marvel-R brand for something like 'Deadpool'. As long as we let the audiences know what's coming, we think we can manage that fine," he said. The MCU has already taken up "The Avengers" with "Guardians of the Galaxy", "Doctor Strange" and "Spider-Man" (now being played by Tom Holland). Disney also announced its ambitious plan to launch two streaming services by 2019 with a view to challenge giants such as Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook. New Delhi: Bhupender Yadav, much like his mentor Amit Shah, is a fiercely private man. Like Shah, he prefers operating from the confines of a war room than from the stage at an election rally. Yadav, the BJP National General Secretary, emerged a crucial linchpin in the BJP's election machine in Gujarat as the party marked its sixth straight win in the Prime Ministers home state. With the massive victory in Uttar Pradesh under his belt, Amit Shah shifted his focus to his home state and in April, just a month after the UP assembly elections results, Shah appointed Bhupender Yadav, an OBC leader from Rajasthan, as the BJP's election in-charge in Gujarat. Within eight months, he was expected have to learn the complex and fast-changing caste equations of Gujarat, in addition to evolving and implementing an election strategy. But Shah did not make this choice lightly. Yadav had been the BJP election in-charge for Rajasthan in 2013, Jharkhand in 2014 and Bihar in 2015. While Bihar did not go the way the BJP would have liked, Yadav delivered results for his boss, Shah, in both Rajasthan and Jharkhand. BJP won 163 seats in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly and the BJP-led alliance won 47 out of 82 seats in the Jharkhand Assembly. Party insiders credited Yadav with the planning and implementation of Vasundhara Rajes Suraaj Sankalp Yatra that involved travelling over 13,000 kilometres across 33 districts in the state. When asked what role Yadav played in the Gujarat campaign, a senior Gujarat BJP leader sounded confused, "I dont understand what you mean. You're asking me what he did. Well, he did everything. He had a part to play in everything from ticket distribution to booth-level management. If Amit Shah outlines the plan, Bhupender Yadav carries it out." The leader added that Yadav often shies away from addressing public rallies, often remarking upon the futility of rallies in general. "He often says keval rally karne se kuch nahi hoga. (Rallies alone will not win you election). His strategy is to focus on local factors. He would sit for hours with state leaders like the CM, the state president and deputy CM to decide which candidate should be fielded in which constituency. When these leaders would address rallies, he would meet local workers for equally long meeting, chalking out local strategy." But Yadavs biggest contribution, another leader said, was implementing Amit Shah's 'Page Pramukh' strategy. "You see, every constituency has several booths and every polling booth has its voter lists. These voter lists run into several pages and each page has the names of 20-30 voters. The idea is to take one of the people on every page of voter lists and appoint them as the BJP's page pramukh." This, the source added, will follow a pyramidal structure. Gujarat will have over 50,000 polling booths set up in its 182 Vidhan Sabha constituencies. BJP has also set up 'Shakti Kendras', each of which will have the responsibility to look after the area under 5-6 polling booths. Each constituency area has around 50 polling booths. The page pramukh will be answerable to the booth in charge, who in turn will be answerable to their respective Shakti Kendras. The Shakti Kendra will be accountable to the local MLA or Vidhan Sabha in charge, who will in turn be accountable to the BJP's state leadership. A leader said, "Yadav made sure that at regular intervals, he would check in with each level of the pyramid. Both he and Amit Shah are convinced that Page Pramukhs are key to victory. It ensures that our people reach every last voter in Gujarat and we have personal contact with everyone. This is the level of groundwork that Congress cannot match. And Yadav has been instrumental in getting this done." Shimla: The BJP won its war for votes in Himachal but lost its commander in the state. Prem Kumar Dhumal had a standard refrain during his election campaign: Himachal needs two engines to pull its train of development - one at the state and the second at the centre - and that it is only the BJP that can bring together those two engines. Although Himachal has indeed got its two engines, the driver has been eased out. Dhumal lost by more than 3000 votes to his one-time protege and now arch-rival Rajinder Rana, who contested from Sujanpur near Dhumal's homebase Hamirpur. Rajinder Rana had been a close affiliate of Prem Kumar Dhumal for almost 10 years before Dhumal became CM for the first time in 1998. However, when Rana was denied the BJP ticket in the 2012 polls he pulled away from the BJP and contested and won as an independent. Following his win, he extended support to the Congress chief minister Virbhadra Singh. In 2014, he challenged Dhumal's son Anurag Thakur for the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat and lost. This further widened the rift between the friends turned foes. On November 9, Dhumal and Rana faced off in the Sujanpur Assembly polls. This time Rana contested on a Congress ticket. Dhumal could have easily won from his home base of Hamirpur, but he was asked to contest from Sujanpur. This was, as some observers say, done to make sure he fights the elections but ultimately loses. Dhumal's name as CM candidate was announced just about a week before polling, similar to the time when LK Advani announced his candidature three days before 2007 Himachal elections. But this time Dhumal did not prove lucky. The BJP had delayed this announcement and was reportedly searching for other faces just as it had done in neighbouring Haryana when it brought a relatively obscure Khattar out from the woods and made him the chief minister. However, the delay in announcing the CM face made BJP lose ground. This coupled with pressure from Dhumal to be projected as the CM-in-waiting eventually led to BJP announcing him as their CM face. A charitable theory on why Dhumal made the politically fatal mistake of contesting from Sujanpur is that he was confident of winning from Sujanpur and considered Hamirpur already in BJP's kitty. The BJP has already started backroom meetings to figure out who could replace Dhumal as the CM now. Names doing the rounds include Jai Ram Thakur, who has won from the Mandi area and is a four time MLA; union health minister JP Nadda. Dhumal can also not be entirely ruled out with another winning BJP candidate now offering to resign from his seat to allow Dhumal to contest again. New Delhi: With some prominent personalities from the BJP losing the elections in Himachal Pradesh, the party has started looking at other options for the top post. The BJPs CM nominee and two-time chief minister of the hill state Prem Kumar Dhumal has lost the elections from Sujanpur to his once protege Rajendra Rana. Dhumal shifted to this seat ahead of the elections in an apparent bid to impact other seats in Hamirpur district. Here are the leaders who could make it to the post of chief minister in Himachal Pradesh: JP Nadda: The Union Health Minister is a Rajya Sabha MP from Himachal Pradesh, and could be the first choice for the CMs job. Nadda, 57, has extensive knowledge of the hill state. He has been an MLA in 1993, 1998 and 2007, when he was made the forest, environment, and science and technology minister. He was associated with ABVP during his student days in Patna. His father was the Vice-Chancellor of Ranchi University in 1977. However, Nadda, a Brahmin, could find the odds against him because of his caste in a state where Thakurs rule the roost, thanks to their numerical strength of over 28%. Anurag Thakur: The young leader is son of Dhumal and a Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur constituency. At 43, he has been elected thrice from his home state. He was also elected as BCCI president last year. He was also partys youth wing president when he was replaced by Poonam Mahajan in 2016. Anil Sharma: The son of former Congress minister Sukh Ram could also be in the running for the CMs post, having switched allegiance to the BJP ahead of the Assembly polls. Sharma was also a minister in the outgoing Virbhadra Singh government. However, the BJP may refrain from rewarding a turncoat. Narendra Thakur: He had quit the BJP in 2003 and fought Assembly polls against Dumal in 2009. He also fought Lok Sabha polls from Hamirpur against Anurag Thakur. But he joined the BJP a few days before Assembly polls and has won from Hamirpur constituency. Dhumal is not the only CM nominee to bite the dust. Prem Kumar Dhumal, who changed his seat from Hamirpur to Sujanpur, appears to be on a sticky wicket. However, he is not the only CM candidate to have lost his seat. Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit had lost from New Delhi in 2013. Kiran Bedi, BJPs CM nominee for 2015 Delhi polls, met a similar fate. Arjun Munda who was considered BJPs CM face from Jharkhand in 2014 lost from Kharasawan. In March 2017, Harish Rawat, who was Congresss chief minister candidate in Uttarakhand, lost from both Khichha and Haridwar (rural). Laxmikant Parsekar, who was BJPs CM nominee in Goa election, too, lost from Mandrem this year. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party staved off a strong challenge from Rahul Gandhi-led Congress to win the Gujarat Assembly elections for the sixth time in a row and trounced its rival in Himachal Pradesh for a sweeping victory. The lower than expected margin of victory in Gujarat, however, meant that the euphoria in the BJP camp was tempered on Monday. It took 99 seats in the 182-member assembly, failing to cross the psychological barrier of 100, and down from the 115 it had won last time. The tally also fell far short of its own lofty target of 150 seats. In Himachal, the BJP coasted to a comfortable win, getting 44 out of the 68 assembly seats. By snatching one more state from the Congress, BJP tightened its grip over the countrys politics and now controls 19 out of the 29 states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the victory in Gujarat, where it has been in power for 22 continuous years as unprecedented, noting that retaining office was once considered a huge achievement in the country. He said it was a verdict for vikas (development) and showed that people of the country are ready for reforms like the GST. He also accused the Congress of promoting casteism in the elections, and said there were "many hidden forces at work" to bring the BJP down. Gujarat is a prestigious trophy for the BJP given that both Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah hail from the state. The two leaders led a high-octane campaign to counter Gandhi, who grew in influence with his own brand of soft Hindutva and clever barbs to target the BJP on issues like GST, corruption and development. The elections became a virtual trailer for the next Lok Sabha elections, which are to be held in 2019. The results showed that Modi still rules the ballot box, but it also made Gandhi, who recently became Congress president, a serious challenger as he appeared more confident in taking on the BJP bigwigs. Shah pointed out that though the BJP lost 16 seats, its vote share rose by a little over 1 per cent to 49.1 per cent compared to five years ago. He blamed the Congress for its lower seat tally and said he did not know the Congress would practice such dirty politics when he set the target of 150 seats. The Congress, which had 61 seats in 2012, also improved its vote share, which touched 41.4 per cent - a two per cent increase. It was helped by the three young turks - Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mewani. Combined with its alliance partners, the Congress had a vote share of over 42 per cent. Regaining power in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP was slightly short of a two-thirds majority in the 68-member house. With a 10 per cent jump in vote share that touched 48.7 per cent, it garnered 44 seats. It had won 26 seats in 2012. The Congress bagged 21 seats, down from the 36 seats earlier. Its vote share declined by 1 percentage point to 41.8 per cent. But the victory was not without disappointment for the BJP as Prem Kumar Dhumal, the partys chief ministerial candidate in the hill state, lost to Congress Rajendar Rana in Sujanpur, after he changed his traditional constituency of Hamirpur. He was made the CM face only nine days before the polling. Rahul Gandhi said his party "accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states" in a tweet. He also thanked his party members for fighting "anger with dignity, decency and courage." The BJPs dip this time was touted by the Congress as a reflection of Gandhis efforts during the campaign, when he appeared to have improved his reputation as a politician. "The Congress tally has gone up there, while the BJPs numbers have fallen. This is the start of Rahul Gandhis political story," senior Congress leader Kamal Nath told reporters outside Parliament. The BJP, on the other hand, said what matters is the victory. Jo jeeta wohi Sikandar (whoever wins is the king), said Union minister Smriti Irani, when asked if the Congress gave her party a tough fight. Ellisbridge (GEN) is a State Assembly/Vidhan Sabha constituency in the Ahmedabad district and North Gujarat region of Gujarat and is a part of the Ahmedabad West (SC) Parliamentary/Lok Sabha constituency. There are a total of 242758 voters in the constituency, of which 122243 are male, 120513 female and 2 others. Ellisbridge constituency recorded a voter turnout of 64.66% in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly Elections and the polling for this seat was held on December 14, 2017 in Phase 2 of the elections. BJP won this seat in the 2012 Gujarat Assembly Elections. New Delhi: Counting of votes in Gujarat is concluding with the BJP winning a narrower victory than it did in 2012. Gujarat had voted in two rounds on December 9 and 14. News18 looks at the five top factors that shaped the outcome of the biggest political battle of 2017. Patidar Unity Much of the fight against the ruling BJP has been led by Hardik and his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) whose activists have protested, often violently, against the BJP. From flinging chairs at an Amit Shah event to clashing with BJP workers in Surat, Patidars have been the focus of this election. But their unity as a singular voting bloc was by no means guaranteed. While it was expected that Hardiks agitation would lead to a dent in the BJPs traditional support base the Patidars it was unclear just how big a dent this will be. Several key members of Hardiks inner circle broke away from the agitation to join the BJP. The ruling partys performance in parts of North Gujarat seems to indicate that the community may not have voted en mass. The two main sub-castes of the Patidars are the Leuvas and the Kadvas. The Leuva Patels, given their greater number, are more influential electorally, particularly in the Saurashtra region. Perhaps, one of the most significant meetings Hardik had in recent times has been the one with Nareshbhai Patel, Chairman of the Shree Khodaldham Trust, in Rajkot. The Khodaldham Trust is the apex spiritual and religious body of Leuva Patels the numerically stronger sub-caste among Gujarats Patidars. Hardik belongs to the Kadva Patel community, which forms only about 30% of Patidars. While he enjoys popularity among youth from both subcastes, he knew he required the help of Khodaldham Trust to keep the larger community united. Some, however, feel that the divide among Patidars was not sub-caste but age. While Hardik Patel has support from younger Patidars, older voters are believed to have voted BJP. The OBC Factor OBCs make up 51 percent of Gujarats population. Kolis, an OBC community, alone make up around 20%, making them the largest caste group in Gujarat. Patidars make up only around 12%. In several of Gujarats 182 seats, the split in the Patidar vote meant OBCs took center stage. In North Gujarat, where PAAS hoped to mount the toughest challenge to the BJP, OBCs may have emerged as the strongest bloc. Despite activist Alpesh Thakor joining Congress, the BJP was confident of support from North Gujarats Thakors, a powerful OBC community. Mehsana district has nearly 4 lakh Patidar voters and Thakors, who form the largest community among the OBCs in Mehsana, have 3.31 lakh voters. Combined with other OBCs, they may have helped the BJP sail through the election. This, perhaps, explains PAASs outreach to communities other than the Patels. Gujarat Model The election of 2017 has been significant since it was for the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modis Gujarat model of growth came under such terse criticism in the PMs home state. What started as a Facebook post by 20-year-old Patidar youth Sagar Savaliya, with the words Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe (Vikas has gone crazy), snowballed into a full-fledged social media war with viral memes attacking the BJP. While the development narrative remained mostly missing from the campaign, the BJP did reach out to the states voters with a Roll-On/Roll-Off Ferry (RO-RO) between Bhavnagar and Bharuch and Narendra Modis Seaplane ride on the last day of campaigning. The last-minute Vikas push seems to have worked for the BJP. BJPs Tribal Outreach The reason the BJP is feeling confident, despite the tide of Patidar resentment, is that the saffron party plans to expand its footprint in the tribal belt of South Gujarat. Scheduled Tribes such as Bhils, Vasavas and Gamits make up around 14% of Gujarats population. This is a section of society too large for any political party to ignore. Patidars only make up around 12%. While Adivasis do not exactly vote as one single bloc, they have traditionally remained in the Congress camp. After all, the states only Adivasi Chief Minister, Amarsinh Chaudhari, was a Congressman. Meanwhile, the BJP has maintained a steady presence in the region but has always trailed the Grand Old Party. Bapu Former Gujarat CM Shnkarsinh Vaghela, who understands North Gujarat better than most in the state, hampered the Congresss chances severely. North Gujarat is where the battle was said to be most hotly contested and with Vaghelas spoilers in the fray, the BJP had reason to rejoice. And for Vaghela, a BJP victory is not a high price to pay. Vaghela, who split from the Congress in July this year and formed the breakaway Jan Vikalp Morcha, is said to be resentful of his former party and planned to damage their chances in North and Central Gujarat. Six districts of North Gujarat Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and Gandhinagar are prestige areas for the BJP and strongholds of the Patidar movement. New Delhi: Since he took over as Gujarat Chief Minister in August 2016, Vijay Rupani has been constantly putting out one fire after another. From the Patidar agiation, which started during the tenure of Anandiben Patel but intensified under him, to allegations of manipulative trade practices being levelled against his HUF entity, Rupani has weathered many a storm in his short tenure as CM. But his biggest litmus test, perhaps, is leading the ruling party into an Assembly election. He is the first CM since Narendra Modi to do so. Rupani took office in August, after Anandiben Patel retired from the post, at a time of turmoil for the state. The Patidar agitation, which had started a year ago, refused to die down. Just a month before his elevation, Gujarat witnessed massive protests from the Dalit community in the aftermath of the infamous Una floggings, in which four Dalit youths were flogged publically by self-styled cow protectors. Moreover, a resurgent Congress party had started to threaten the BJPs strongest bastion in the country. Another blow came for him in September, when a 20-year-old Patidar youth from Ahmedabad posted pictures of a Gujarat Roadways bus with its rear wheels detached. The boys Facebook post read, Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe (Vikas has gone crazy). This post sparked a flood of memes and jokes with the line Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe and Rupanis government was ridiculed on social media by detractors. While some claimed that the Gujarat model of growth, which propelled Narendra Modi to the Prime Ministers seat in 2014, itself had failed. Others claimed that while the model held up just fine under Modi, Rupani had failed to fill those big boots. If Gujarat 2017 is a litmus test for Modis Gujarat model, it is also one for Vijay Rupani as CM. Rupani has inherited Modis role in Gujarat in more ways than one. Gujarat Assembly Constituency number 69 Rajkot West has been a prestige seat for the BJP. In 2002, Narendra Modi contested the first-ever election of his life from Rajkot West and won, before being anointed CM. This time, the BJP candidate is Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Rajkot district, the financial hub of the Saurashtra region, is said to hold the key to the entire state. The district alone has eight assembly constituencies within it. Of these eight seats, Rajkot West is perhaps the most high-profile seat. While it has been a BJP stronghold for decades, the Patidar factor is expected to heat up the battle here. There are around 3 lakh registered voters in Rajkot West. There are around 42,000 Kadwa Patels, 33,000 Leuva Patels, 25,000 Brahmins, 25,000 Lohanas, 22,000 minority voters, 20,000 Baniyas and 10,000 Kshatriyas in the electorate. The Congress has fielded Indraneel Rajyaguru, a Brahmin, to topple Rupani, a Jain. However, the deciding factor in this election will be the 75,000 Patidar votes in the constituency. A local rivalry has spilled onto the statewide state with Rajyaguru opening the offensive against the CM. The people here know both of us well. I am here for sewa (service), he is here for mewa (benefits). Everybody in Rajkot knows how he has facilitated corruption here, whether it was in the university or as the chairman of the corporation. Everybody knows how he has given patronage to goondas (goons). People here know that of these two sons of Rajkot, the elder brother (Rupani) is not good so the younger one (me) should get a chance. Everyone here is saying, Congress aave chhe (Congress is coming to power), Rajyaguru told News 18. The strategy of the Congress and that of Hardik Patels Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) seems to be to contain the CM in a tough battle on his home turf and not leave him enough time to campaign outside of Saurashtra. Indeed, to some extent, that seems to have worked. Rupani campaigned mostly in Saurashtra and not nearly enough in North Gujarat. But if he is able to successfully steer his party to a sixth straight win in Gujarat, he will establish himself as a Pan-Gujarat leader and not just one in Saurashtra. But, perhaps more importantly, this is his chance to earn the tag of Modis successor. Three Ukrainian military servicemen have been killed by enemy mortar fire near the community of Zaitseve in Donetsk region, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk said. Speaking at a news briefing in Monday, Motuzianuk said militants have targeted the Ukrainian Armed Forces' strongholds along the entire line of contact 14 times over the past 24 hours, firing about 140 shells of 120mm and 80mm caliber. Government forces returned fire seven times using weapons not prohibited by the Minsk agreements, Motuzianyk said. New Delhi: Counting for the Gujarat Assembly elections will be held on Monday and keeping a close watch will be neighbouring Rajasthan. For, this time, both the Congress and the BJP banked on two Rajasthanis to lead their charge. While the Congress picked Ashok Gehlot, a 66-year-old veteran politician from Jodhpur and two-time Rajasthan CM, the BJP gave the campaign reins to Bhupender Yadav, its 48-year-old parliamentarian from Ajmer. Both these men have the ear of their party's respective top brass. Gehlot is said to be close to Ahmed Patel the second most important person in the Congress after the Gandhi family, while Yadav is a trusted aide of BJP chief Amit Shah. Both Gehlot and Yadav, have served as members of various Parliamentary Standing Committees and both hold key positions in the central leadership of their respective parties as national general secretaries. They are known to have strong organisational skills, adept at getting the caste equations right and juggling egos of various leaders. Yadav proved his mettle in the 2014 Jharkhand Assembly elections, where he was a joint in-charge. Under his leadership, the BJP formed a majority government for the first time since the state's formation. He later delivered mixed results for his party in Bihar, but bounced back to play an instrumental role in the party's mammoth victory in Uttar Pradesh elections this year. Gehlot, on the other hand, ensured his party's triumph twice in Rajasthan and recently headed the screening committee for Punjab Assembly elections, where the Congress won a comfortable majority. These similarities aside, the careers of both the political leaders intersect at interesting junctures. Gehlot is said to have been appointed as the Gujarat in-charge owing, partly, to his turf war with Sachin Pilot. It is said that Gehlot was moved to Gujarat to allow Sachin Pilot his way in Rajasthan for some time. A respectable performance by Gehlot in Gujarat will cement his position not just in national politics, but in his home state as well to emerge as a challenger to CM Vasundhara Raje. For Bhupender Yadav, who has risen to great heights within his party in a short span, another comfortable win for the BJP may cement his position further in the central leadership. The BJP has been trying to project and nurture Yadav as an OBC face in the Hindi heartland. The outcome of elections today, therefore, will decide the future of the 4.35 crore-strong Gujarat electorate and two Rajasthanis. Ahmedabad: The Battle for Gujarat was a hard-fought one. During the campaign, Congress President Rahul Gandhi travelled over 20,000 km across Gujarat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled over 28,000 km. Patidar activist Hardik Patel, too, drew large crowds in his rallies across Gujarat. But one man missing from the spotlight was Shankarsinh Vaghela. The former Gujarat Chief Minister, who split from the Congress in July this year and formed the breakaway Jan Vikalp Morcha, has been conspicuous by his absence on the campaign trail. It is not that Vaghela wasn't travelling all over the state. But instead of holding rallies, he held small meetings with sympathisers and supporters, trying to keep decades-old connections and networks alive. 'Bapu', as he is known by his followers, isn't aiming to "win" the Gujarat election. With just 76 candidates in the fray, his Jan Vikalp Morha can, at best, hope to be a kingmaker. His explicit aim is to create a model of "alternate" politics, different from both the BJP and the Congress. And, sure enough, he has introduced some new ideas. He had recently announced that those who want to contest elections on a ticket from his Jan Vikalp Morcha can apply for them on the internet. The party uploaded a three-page form on its website. Once forms were filled, some candidates were shortlisted. Those shortlisted candidates then received a text message giving them details of the time and place at which they had to appear before the Jan Vikalp Morchas Parliamentary Board. He even says he will campaign for an American-style Presidential system in India. After experience in both the parties, I am doing something new. I am meeting new people, who are so good, all over Gujarat. I have very little time and money, so I have not been able to do as much work as I would have liked to, he told News 18. But some say Vaghela is a man scorned and one of his motives is to hurt the party that made him exit. You have to understand that Bapu felt disrespected in the Congress. He never wanted to leave. Some people, like Ahmed Patel and Madhusudhan Mistry, who surrounded Sonia Gandhi were wary of his power in Gujarat. So they effectively pushed him out, said a source. Vaghela, another source said, was now working to teach a lesson to the Congress. According to an aide, Vaghelas disillusionment with the party began even before the last Assembly elections. He wanted to contest from his home district of Gandhinagar in 2012, but the party asked him to contest from Kapadvanj in Kheda district. He not only agreed but because of him, the party won 32 seats in Central Gujarat around Kapadvanj. The Congress would have not won those seats had it not been for Bapus influence. Speaking about his exit, Vaghela said, Rahul Gandhi had told me I am your friend in Delhi and here to support you, you go ahead. He said he would not interfere in my decisions. But that promise was not kept. After it was all agreed upon, I was told by others that Rahul has not agreed to any such thing. So I was pushed out of the party. When MLAs started leaving to join the BJP, the party did nothing to stop them. Soon, people close to him in the party started to leave and join the BJP. Vaghela has claimed that he tried to stop them from leaving but got no support from the high command. Since Vaghela thought he had delivered "results" for the party, even though the Congress lost the 2012 election to then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, he expected that the party would announce before the 2017 polls that he would be the Chief Ministerial candidate to take on Vijay Rupani. Vaghela, sources suggested, expected to have a free hand in running party matters in Gujarat. Some even said he hoped, at least, for a Rajya Sabha seat. But when it was clear that the RS ticket would go to Ahmed Patel, who was said to be Vaghela's arch rival within the party, the path was clear for the former CM. A month after Vaghela left the Congress, Ahmed Patel won a contested Rajya Sabha election. In the days leading up to the election, Vaghela had kept the Congress guessing over whether he and his band of rebels would support Patel or not. Eventually, he did not and Patel won narrowly. Patels victory, say sources, opened old wounds for the former Gujarat CM. One source said, "Take this example. One Congress MLA, a Muslim, owes his career to Bapu. He had told Bapu that he would vote against Ahmed Patel but in the end, did not do so. Bapu has not forgotten that. This time, Bapu has fielded another Muslim candidate against him to hamper his chances. He has done this in several places, to hurt people who crossed him." Vaghela, who understands North Gujarat better than most in the state, can hamper the Congress's chances severely. North Gujarat is where the battle is said to be most hotly contested and with Vaghelas spoilers in the fray, the BJP has reason to rejoice. And for Vaghela, a BJP victory is not a high price to pay. "A leopard can never change its spots. A man who has been in the Sangh will never truly leave the Sangh," said a veteran Gujarati journalist, who knows Vaghela from his years of covering politics in the state. Before Vaghela became CM with support from the Congress, before eventually merging his Rashtriya Janata Party with the Grand Old Party, Vaghela was a BJP man. He spent the early years of his public life as a committed RSS pracharak and cut his teeth in politics with the Bhartiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's predecessor party. Since resigning as leader of opposition, he has not been openly critical of Narendra Modi. He has, however, accused both the BJP and Congress of "political match-fixing" during the Ahmed Patel election. He, however, strongly rejects the spoiler tag being given to him, even drawing parallels between his Jan Vikalp Morcha and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He said, It doesn't matter what people say. If I had to rejoin the BJP, I would have done that long ago. Nobody would have stopped me. I am not going to tell people to vote for BJP. When Arvind Kejriwal entered politics, was it to be someone's B-team? But if the Congress without Vaghela is struggling, Vaghela without Congress is a shadow of his former self. Sources said a part of the reason he is not holding rallies in the state or fielding candidates on all seats is because his infant partys treasury is running dry and he no longer has the organisational strength of the Congress, the oldest national political party in India. There were rumours that Vaghela's son Mahendrasinh Vaghela would receive a BJP ticket, but that did not come to pass. The junior Vaghela is said to be waiting it out before making any moves and has joined neither the BJP nor his father's new political outfit. But what does the future hold for the Bapu of Gujarat politics? According to an aide, He doesn't need anything in life. He has been an MLA, a Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition and a Member of Parliament. He is not a man in a hurry. Surat/Tapi: In November last year, BJP President Amit Shah's meeting in Surat found a mention in national media after a handful of youth from the Patidar community flung chairs at the venue. "What went unnoticed that day was that Shah drove an hour east after that to the town of Vyara in Tapi district. Here, he addressed thousands of BJP workers, most of whom were from Scheduled Tribes. This was significant because it is a shift in Gujarat politics. The BJP now wants to pull tribals away from the Congress," said tribal activist Romel Sutariya. A BJP leader from South Gujarat, when asked if the ruling party was worried about losing support among the influential Patidars after Hardik Patel's agitation, said, "It is true that some Patidars will break away from us. They won't desert us completely but it would not be wise to underestimate the agitation's effect. We will certainly lose some of the Patel vote but we are confident of making up the deficit." The reason the BJP is feeling confident, despite the tide of Patidar resentment, is that the saffron party plans to expand its footprint in the tribal belt of South Gujarat. Scheduled Tribes such as Bhils, Vasavas and Gamits make up around 14% of Gujarats population. This is a section of society too large for any political party to ignore. Patidars, by comparison, are 12% of Gujarat's population. While Adivasis do not exactly vote as one single bloc, they have traditionally remained in the Congress camp. After all, the states only Adivasi Chief Minister, Amarsinh Chaudhari, was a Congressman. Meanwhile, the BJP has maintained a steady presence in the region but has always trailed the Grand Old Party. The state has 182 constituencies in the Vidhan Sabha. In the 2007 Gujarat Assembly polls, there were 20 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Of these, the Congress won 11 seats, the BJP won 8 and the remaining seat was captured by the JD (U). After delimitation of constituencies in 2008, the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes went up to 26. In the 2012 polls, BJP won 10 seats, Congress won 15 and the JD (U) retained its seat. Among tribals, BJP has always been the laggard, but the party is planning to change that. This November, Shah was in Bardoli to address around 1,200 party workers from Surat and Tapi districts. Once again, the BJP top boss reached out to Adivasis. "Tribals' development in true sense happened only after the BJP came to power in Gujarat. Congress has always used Adivasis as their vote bank. But now this has become a thing of the past," he reportedly said. Ganpat Vasava, the Gujarat Tribal Development Minister, explained why the BJP's influence in the forest is growing. "If you go to the villages in the forest and ask Adivasis, they will tell that 15 years ago all they had was a dirt road leading up to the village. Today, even in the remotest corners of Gujarat there are good roads. Even though tribals lived near the river, they had to trek to get water. Today, they have water supply in their villages. They have 24-hour electricity. As Chief Minister, Narendra Modi has transformed the lives of Adivasis," Vasava said. He added, "Since the Forest Rights Act (FRA) was passed in 2006, the Gujarat government has distributed 13 lakh hectares of land to Scheduled Tribes. This benefited over 85,000 tribals in the state. Our Vikas (development) speaks for itself." While Vasava's claims of basic services reaching forest dwellers is not far from the truth, activists believe there is more to the BJPs push than meets the eye. Romel Sutariya of the Adivasi Kisan Sangharsh Morcha said there has been an aggressive attempt to 'Hinduise' the tribal population over the last few years. "Many right-wing groups have been conducting Ram Kathas in tribal villages, training young Adivasis to sing the Sundar Kand of the Ramayana and even constructing small Hanuman temples in the forest. The BJP is even trying to make inroads among Christian Adivasis. While Catholics may not leave the Congress, the BJP hopes to gain among Methodists," he added. Elaborating on these temples, he said, "Some of the tribes have a custom whereby they place stones in the forest to honour their dead ancestors. A few years earlier, tribals started noticing that some of these stones had four walls coming up around them. A few days later, these walls were painted saffron. Eventually, these became 'Hullariya Hanuman' temples. The idea of 'Hullariya Hanuman' is to invoke the image of Lord Hanuman as connected to tribals. Nobody knows who is constructing these temples." Meanwhile, the Congress claims that the BJP will not succeed in its attempt to wrest the tribal belt from it. Anandbhai Chaudhari, Congress MLA from the reserved seat of Mandvi, said, "BJP has not done nearly enough for Adivasis. The tribals remember that it was the Congress government of Manmohan Singh that had passed the Forest Rights Act. It was the UPA that made sure that tribals would have the first right over the forests. All the BJP had to do was to ensure that the FRA was implemented properly, but they have not done so." Both Chaudhari and Sutariya claim that resentment has been building up among tribals against the state government. "There are 90 lakh Scheduled Tribe persons in Gujarat. However, the state government has only accepted 1.82 lakh forms from Adivasis who wanted to claim land under the FRA. Besides, the BJP government has not accepted any forms after 2009." In addition to land rights issues, the tribal belt has seen protests over the last few months over the state government's controversial decision to grant Scheduled Tribe IDs to three pastoral communities Rabrai, Bharwad and Charan based in the Gir forest. Many tribal outfits, such as the Bhilistan Tiger Sena, have claimed that these three pastoral communities are "fake tribals." Despite this resentment and anti-incumbency, however, the BJP is feeling confident in the tribal pockets. This is because unlike the Patidars, Dalits and OBCs, Adivasis do not have a state-wide leader who can galvanise all these disparate agitations into one single, sustained movement. Sutariya said the tribals are divided and this will benefit the BJP. "They will be able to manage their message of 'Vikas' very effectively on the ground. Besides, the low-key saffronisation happening in the tribal belt will also help them." He said the Congress has been dominant in the tribal belt and this is their battle to lose. "The Congress has been taking the tribal vote for granted. BJP workers have been going from village to village to make contact with tribals," Sutariya added. Rajkot: Since 2015, Gujarat has seen the emergence of three "young turks" who are determined to upset the BJP apple cart in the state. Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor have tried to rally their respective communities Patidars, Dalits and Other Backward Castes (OBCs) against the ruling party. Much of the focus has been on Hardik and his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) whose activists have protested, sometimes violently, against the BJP. From flinging chairs at an Amit Shah event to clashing with BJP workers in Surat, Patidars have been the focus of this election campaign. But their unity as a singular voting bloc is by no means guaranteed. If the Patidars don't swing from the BJP to the Congress, the election may well come down to which way the state's OBC voters will go. While it is expected that Hardik's agitation will lead to a dent in the BJPs traditional support base the Patidars - it is unclear just how big a dent this will be. Several key members of Hardiks inner circle have broken away from the agitation to join the BJP. The two main sub-castes of the Patidars are the Leuvas and the Kadvas. The Leuva Patels, given their greater number, are more influential electorally, particularly in the Saurashtra region. Perhaps, one of the most significant meetings Hardik took in recent times has been the one with Nareshbhai Patel, Chairman of the Shree Khodaldham Trust, in Rajkot. The Khodaldham Trust is the apex spiritual and religious body of Leuva Patels the numerically stronger sub-caste among Gujarats Patidars. Hardik belongs to the Kadva Patel community, which forms only about 30% of Patidars. While he enjoys popularity among youth from both sub-castes, he may require the help of Khodaldham Trust to keep the larger community united. OBCs make up 51 percent of Gujarats population. Kolis, an OBC community, alone make up around 20%, making them the largest caste group in Gujarat. Patidars make up only around 12%. In several of Gujarats 182 seats, the split in the Patidar vote would mean OBCs would take center stage. A wary Hardik, during his Rajkot rally said, They (BJP) are trying to divide us into Kadva and Leuva. All they do is divide people. We are one, we are Patidars. Vote against the BJP and prepare for change. If you do not, they will think that we (Patidars) are powerless. Whether it is Patidars or Dalits or Kolis, nobody is happy in Gujarat today. Take for instance, the constituency of Dhoraji in Rajkot district. The seat has around 70,000 Patidar voters. While Leuva Patels are present across Gujarat in larger numbers than Kadva Patels, in Dhoraji both sub-castes are present in almost equal numbers. The battle in Dhoraji is shaping up to be a Kadva versus Leuva fight. BJP has fielded Haribhai Patel, a Kadva Patel, against Congress candidate Lalit Vasoya, a Leuva Patel. The hope in the Congress camp is that while Vasoya may have been able to pull Leuva Patels towards the Congress, Hardik's agitation will make enough of a dent in the Kadva Patel community for their loyalties to shift to the Congress. But the largest voting bloc in Dhoraji is not the Patidars. Compared to 70,000 Patidars in the constituency, there are over 82,000 Non-Koli OBCs and 7,000 Kolis. In other seats, OBCs may not be the largest bloc, but they will end up being kingmakers in the event of a split in the Patidar vote. In the urban seat of Rajkot West, where Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is being challenged by Congress leader Indranil Rajyaguru, there are 28,000 Leuva Patels, 40,000 Kadva Patels and 20,000 OBCs. In Jetpur, BJP is hoping that Jayeshbhai Radadiya, son of veteran Patidar leader Vitthalbhai Radadiya, may be able to keep the 1 lakh Patidar voters with the BJP. But if the PAAS agitation makes a dent in Radadiya's base, the election will hinge on the 20,000 non-Koli OBCs and 18,000 Kolis. The Gondal seat, too, may see OBC vote may emerge as the decider with 85,000 Patidars and 60,000 OBCs. Beyond Rajkot district, however, OBCs outnumber Patidars in most places. In other districts of Saurashtra, Kolis are the deciding voters. In Bhavnagar district, Kolis form around 32% of the entire electorate. In North Gujarat, where PAAS hopes to mount the toughest challenge to the BJP, OBCs may emerge as the strongest bloc. Despite activist Alpesh Thakor joining Congress, the BJP feels confident of support from North Gujarats Thakors, a powerful OBC community. A BJP leader, on condition of anonymity, said, "We are aware that Hardik's agitation will cause a dent in our Patidar support base. But we dont think it will be absolute. A lot of the younger lot may support him, but the older voters will stick with the BJP. Besides, most people forget that the largest community in Gujarat is the OBCs and not the Patidars. OBCs are resolutely with the BJP." Mehsana district has nearly 4 lakh Patidar voters and Thakors, who form the largest community among the OBCs in Mehsana, have 3.31 lakh voters. Combined with other OBCs, they could help the BJP sail through the election. This, perhaps, explains PAAS's outreach to communities other than the Patels. BJP is confident of sailing through in the Prime Ministers home district, as well as other areas of North Gujarat. But PAAS claims they will not let the ruling party off easily. While the debate around OBCs may not have been as polarising as that around Patidars, their position as "kingmakers" will also hinge on their ability to unite in favour of one party. The OBCs are made of several disparate caste groups, including Kolis and Thakors, spread over the entire state. Alpesh Thakors move to join the Congress may seem, at first, a victory for the Grand Old Party but given that the Thakor community has traditionally voted for the Congress means that the equation may not change much. New Delhi: In the run up to the Gujarat Assembly Elections, Hardik Patel and his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) were hard at work. The firebrand leader was holding rallies, drawing large crowds at public meetings in places like Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's constituency of Rajkot West, meeting Patel leaders from all over the state and ensuring that the community stays united ahead of the election. With the BJP's hopes of a victory with 150+ seats now dashed, Hardik has not only emerged as a central figure in Gujarat politics, he is now the contender for the crown of Gujarats foremost Patidar leader after former CM Keshubhai Patel. The crowds at his rallies were proof of the 24-year-old's growing popularity in the state. But what he also demonstrated was reaching out to strategic friends and allies to cement his support base, which was evident after his meeting with Naresh Patel, chairman of the Khodaldham Temple Trust. The Khodaldham Trust is the apex spiritual and religious bodies of Leuva Patels the numerically stronger sub-caste among Gujarat's Patidars. Hardik belongs to the Kadva Patel community, which forms only about 30% of Patidars. While he enjoys popularity among youth from both sub-castes, Hardik knew he required the help of Khodaldham Trust to keep the larger community united before polls. The meeting with Naresh Patel was a success for Hardik. The Shree Khodalgam Trust endorsed the PAAS cause, yet making it clear that they were not for or against any political party. After the 15 minute meeting, Hardik came out and declared that the PAAS had received the 'blessings' of the Khodaldham Trust and of Naresh Patel himself. In his rallies, Hardik Patel has been trying hard to strike a note with both communities. Rajkot district, the financial centre of Saurashtra, is in the middle of Gujarat's Patidar hinterland and a split in the community is expected to help the BJP. A wary Hardik during a rally said, "They (BJP) are trying to divide us into Kadva and Leuva. All they do is divide people. We are one, we are Patidars. Vote against the BJP and prepare for change. If you do not, they will think that we (Patidars) are powerless. Whether it is Patidars or Dalits or Kolis, nobody is happy in Gujarat today." There were many contenders for the crown of Gujarat's biggest Patidar leaders, including former CM Anandiben Patel and Gujarat deputy CM Nitin Patel. But none have drawn crowds as massive as Hardik, who still too young to fight elections. What perhaps signals the rise of Hardik the politician is the fact that he has reached out to communities other than the Patidars as well. In North Gujarat, PAAS volunteers tried hard, on Hardik's orders, to forge an alliance between Patidars and OBCs. He has also shown that he wasn't scared from staring down at the BJP from the saffron party's own bastions. Ever since the Patidar agitation turned violent two years ago, Hardik has been barred from entering Mehsana district, which is a stronghold of the Kadva Patel community and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home district. The 24-year-old Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader, taunting the state government and bureaucracy, hosted a massive rally near Mehsana district's border with Patan. "I have been prohibited from entering Mehsana district for the last two years. So I decided to hold a mega rally near the border of Mehsana. Saurashtra and Surat have done their job. Now its turn for North Gujarat and Central Gujarat to do their part," he tweeted on Sunday. Patel and PAAS claim that over a lakh had turned up at the Mehsana border rally, one of his biggest till date. New Delhi: The much talked about Dalit-Muslim unity, which was supposed to trump the "fascist forces" in Uttar Pradesh, has come to play in Gujarat elections. Vadgam constituency in the state has elected Jignesh Mevani, an activist who convened the Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti (Una Dalit Fight against Atrocities Committee) in the face of crimes against Dalits. His win could not have been possible without close to 70,000 Muslims voting for him. Dalit activist Ashok Bharti, former chairman of NACDOR (National Confederation of Dalit Organisation), said Mevani's victory gives some hope for the marginalised as both Congress and BJP did not talk about Muslims and their issues. He said that the way the entire campaign unfolded in Gujarat, there was difficulty in distinguishing between Congress and BJP, for the simple reason that both were competing to establish a "Hindu hegemony". "Congress did not talk about Muslims. They felt their credentials as a Hindu party were under threat. Therefore, the Gujarat elections were for establishing themselves as a Hindu hegemon." He said Mevani's presence in the Gujarat Assembly will be a hope and also a challenge as experts and activists warn that any consolidation of lower castes and Muslims could lead to counter consolidation of upper caste Hindus. Mevani's breakthrough came with Una when the video of Dalit youths being flogged for skinning a dead cow sent chills down the collective conscience of the country. Massive protests rallies were held and workers refused to remove cow carcasses. The 35-year-old activist became the face of the Dalit movement. He remained committed to the agitation and he fought as an independent. His independent politics made Vadgam, a reserved seat, one of the crucial constituencies. Congress supported him by not fielding any candidate from the seat. OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, who has won from Radhanpur, would also be a fresh face in the assembly. With Alpesh and Jignesh in the Gujarat Assembly, "They will add a new voice in the house and take to the government on issues plaguing the people," says Prashant Dayal, a journalist and political commentator. "What's remarkable is BJP tried its strength to defeat these leaders but Alpesh and Jignesh won," expert on Gujarat politics Prashant Dayal said. He has been a journalist covering state elections. New Delhi: The BJP and Congress were locked in a nail-biting contest in at least 16 seats in Gujarat, where the victory margin was less than 2,000 votes and of just about 200 votes in a few. In seats like Dholka and Fatepura, smaller parties like NCP and BSP ate into the crucial votes which some described as snatching of near-certain victories from the Congress. The independents also scored big in some seats. The assembly seats to have seen a photo-finish included Himatnagar, Porbandar, Vijapur, Deodar, Dangs, Mansa and Godhra. At many places, independent candidates, primarily rebels, cut votes of either of the two main parties. In tribal-dominated Dangs, Congress managed a slender margin of 768 over the nearest rival BJP while in Kaprada, another ST seat, the Congress sneaked victory by a mere 170 votes. However, there were at least eight seats, where Congress candidates trailed their nearest rivals by less than 2,000 votes, including in Godhra where BJP's C K Raulji won by just 258 votes. The NOTA votes counted 3,050 in Godhra and one independent candidate got over 18,000 votes to finish third. In the Dholka constituency, Congress lost by a margin of 327 votes. Significantly, in this seat, the BSP and NCP bagged 3139 and 1198 votes respectively. Similarly at the Fatepura seat, where BJP won by a margin of 2,711 votes over the Congress, the NCP candidate got 2747 votes. Congress lost the Botad seat by a margin of 906 votes where BSP bagged 966 votes. Three independents collectively got around 7,500 votes here. The BJP had its share of narrow misses as well. Apart from the Kaprada constituency, the party lost the Mansa seat by a vote of 524 votes and the Deodar seat by 972 votes. HIMACHAL PRADESH ELECTION LIVE UPDATES: The BJP is set to form the next government in Himachal Pradesh, winning 44 out of 68 seats while Congress could muster only 21, and wresting the state from the Congress. The saffron party, however, suffered a loss as its CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost in his Sujanpur constituency. The party now faces the challenge to find a replacement for Dhumal. The state have kept true to its reputation of being a swing state switching sides each election. In 2012, the Congress won 36 seats in the 68-seat Assembly, while the BJP won 26 seats. Stay tuned as Aditya Nair, Ananya Chakraborty, Shantanu David and Nitya Thirumalai bring you LIVE updates: Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. New Delhi: The results for the Gujarat Assembly elections are in and after a see-saw battle, the BJP managed to retain its western bastion for the sixth time. But the Gujarat election is said to be bigger than just a simple state election and will have national ramifications. News18 looks at how the Gujarat election can impact national politics ahead of the big battle in 2019. The test of 'Gujarat model' The assembly election of 2017 has been significant since it was for the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Gujarat model' of growth came under such terse criticism in the PM's home state. What started as a Facebook post by 20-year-old Patidar youth Sagar Savaliya, with the words 'Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe' (Vikas has gone crazy), snowballed into a full-fledged social media war with viral memes attacking the BJP. Congress added it two cents by attempting to capatalise on early snags in GST implementation. Agrarian politics may find space The BJP has won a simple majority in Gujarat. In retrospect, as the party savours a hard fought victory, it will also be forced to go back to the drawing board to evaluate manifestations of agrarian unrest in this outcome. The rise of second generation caste satraps is also linked to the rural discomfiture. Cotton farmers, in particular, were said to be angry with the ruling dispensation, which may perhaps explain the Congress's performance in rural Gujarat. Farmer's issues is provinces from Rajasthan to Tamil Nadu thus far have been led by non-political actors. If opposition is able to channelise the discontent in the days ahead, it may pose a challenge to the BJP in the run up to 2019 general elections. 2018: A straight BJP-Cong fight Despite facing anti-incumbency and popular caste-based agitations, the BJP managed to swing a victory in Gujarat. This is largely credited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign blitzkrieg and the goodwill he still enjoys in a state he served as Chief Minister for 12 years. In the last 15 days of the campaign, Modi addressed 31 rallies and travelled over 28,000 km. 2018 promises to be an even more politically charged year than 2017 was. If 2017 saw Assembly elections in UP, Punjab, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, with the BJP winning all except Punjab, 2018 will see polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. The 2018 polls are being seen as a precursor or a kind of "semi-final" before the big battle in Gujarat. No Home Advantage for the PM-Shah duo in Poll-bound states in 2018 As the Prime Minister and BJP President Amit Shah move out of their home state and a resurgent Congress under Rahul Gandhi hopes to reap anti-incumbency in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the poll pitch may look very different by the end of 2018. Unlike Gujarat, the Congress state leadership in Rajasthan, MP and Karnataka are strong and have already mounted their attacks against the BJP. A stronger Congress can also become the nucleus around which all other non-BJP regional parties can gather. Wins in the 2018 Assembly polls will give Congress greater negotiating power vis-a-vis regional parties. Morbi (GEN) is a State Assembly/Vidhan Sabha constituency in the Rajkot district and Saurashtra region of Gujarat and is a part of the Kuchch (SC) Parliamentary/Lok Sabha constituency. There are a total of 255260 voters in the constituency, of which 133964 are male, 121294 female and 2 others. Morbi constituency recorded a voter turnout of 71.24% in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly Elections and the polling for this seat was held on December 9, 2017 in Phase 1 of the elections. BJP won this seat in the 2012 Gujarat Assembly Elections. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and deputy head of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction Oleksiy Honcharenko has said suspects involved in the attack on him are being exchanged for Ukrainian soldiers held in captivity in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions. "Persons involved in separatist and terrorists cases in Odesa located currently a pretrial facilities are being exchanged for Ukrainian soldiers, who were taken prisoners by Russian occupation forces. In the list of 'Kremlin agents' are 'Russian Orthodox' Kazakh Vytaliy Nazlymov and Opposition Bloc Deputy Oleksandr Kushnariov. The former in 2015 planned a military insurrection and my assassination, and the latter this year attempted to kidnap me," Honcharenko said on his Facebook page, adding that he supports the move, but still wants the exchanged prisoners to be punished. New Delhi: A lot was being expected from the three young Turks of Gujarat, Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor. Clubbed with the pertinent issues of GST and demonetisation, the three key challengers were riding high ahead of the results. However, all that disillusionment with the government has perhaps not translated into anti-BJP votes. Despite early morning trends giving significant leads to opposition Congress, it soon started proving the exit polls right and it looks like the saffron party is all set for a sixth term in the state. A lot was being expected from the three young leaders and the Congress, who were hoping to break the 22-year-old hegemony of BJP in the state. But the 2017 Gujarat state elections only proved to be a redux of what has been transpiring for over two decades the BJP winning its sixth straight election in the state. The disillusionment over slow growth, economy, GST and demonetisation did not translate into anti-government or anti-Modi votes. While it has fared well for Congress and the party has made a clear headway in the state, BJP might still manage a lot many seats to comfortably form the government. Speaking to News18, Dr BM Parmar, head of the department Political Science Sardar Patel University said, Surprisingly, where we thought the BJP would lose, it has won. Of all the places, Surat, where the anger against GST was most intense, has voted for BJP. Abhay Kumar from CSDS had already predicted that the GST anger wont translate into a change in the elections. He told News18 that analysts expected factors like GST and demonetisation to translate into anti-government verdict. However, Kumar added, But Gujarat elections is a lesson for all analysts. Such ruptures, small or whatever, are not going to alter the electoral equation for the party. It might make some difference, but astute leadership can recover from all that. Parmar said, The Patel agitation, that should have dented the BJPs support in North Gujarat, too, has given not harmed the ruling party and that is because the Patels are quite well-off in this region. They were not affected by the reservation agitation and the Congress has only done well in rural areas of Saurashtra-Kutch as farmer distress played an important role here. The splintered movement could not counter the well-organized BJP election machinery on the ground and PM Narendra Modis aggressive campaigning also counted. He was present at all times in the state and no local leader was leading the show." Political scientist Dr Arpit Patadiya said, Polarization is quite seeped in the psyche of Gujarat voters. They still think if Congress comes to power, Muslims will become empowered. That has also contributed to BJPs return and these young leaders defeat. A day before the verdict Hari Desai of Sardar Patel Research institute had told News 18, The psyche of Gujarat is polarized and changing that cannot happen overnight. Naroda (GEN) is a State Assembly/Vidhan Sabha constituency in the Ahmedabad district and North Gujarat region of Gujarat and is a part of the Ahmedabad East Parliamentary/Lok Sabha constituency. There are a total of 261452 voters in the constituency, of which 139305 are male, 122125 female and 22 others. Naroda constituency recorded a voter turnout of 62.04% in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly Elections and the polling for this seat was held on December 14, 2017 in Phase 2 of the elections. BJP won this seat in the 2012 Gujarat Assembly Elections. Gusty sighs of relief and I-told-you-sos sounded across BJP offices as the party scraped ahead in Gujarat, significantly short of its 2012 tally. Voters set aside their angst to give 'aapna Narendrabhai' another five years. Broken promises and dashed expectations, the economic downturn and farmers' woes, were forgiven if not forgotten as the state kept faith with its prodigy-turned-somewhat prodigal son. The small margin of victory was a big wake-up call for Narendrabhai-Amitbhai, in that it was so very hard won. The party did as well as expected in South (except Tapi and Dangs) and Central Gujarat and lost significant ground to the Congress in Saurashtra (except Bhavnagar, more than made up for with a complete washout in Amreli and Gir Somnath) and Kutch. The ST seats went largely to the Congress and its ally, the Bharatiya Tribal Party, while the SCs went half and half. The cities kept faith with the BJP: Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodra. Backed by Amit Shah's electoral juggernaut, the BJP's stock-in-trade of caste consolidation, religious polarisation and parochialism Gujarati pride did the trick, in the face of deep disgruntlement over demonetisation, GST and free-falling prices of agricultural produce. Or perhaps, it was the devil you know versus the outlander you don't. The 'Modi magic' the game-changing impact of high-voltage electioneering - cannot be denied. His strike rate, in terms of public meetings addressed and seats won, was near-perfect. Voters, however annoyed, credit him with purity of purpose. They had sent a prime minister to Delhi; they weren't about to take him down. A defeat in Gujarat would have been irreparable a personal, moral and electoral loss which may have sent Modi into free fall, as a lame duck PM. So the voters took a broad view, but a long view as well, weighing the chances of a long-term economic uptick with and without a strong reformer like Narendrabhai at the helm, and decided in favour of the former. Thus, the somewhat reluctant urge towards continuity rather than change. From that perspective, it was less a victory for Modi than the fact that Rahul Gandhi is still a work in progress. His strategy was sound: to turn the tables on Modi by hammering away at development, avoid personal attacks and present himself as a good Hindu. Rahul did very well indeed - all that was humanly possible - but his best, at this stage and in this state, simply wasn't good enough. There were five reasons for this. First, he did not present a plan to reverse dhando mein mando. How would he fix GST? How would he create employment for Gujarat's youth? How would he insulate farmers from the markets, when prices of agricultural commodities fell and input costs spiralled? How would he address the Patidar issue? He underlined the problems, but did not offer a solution. Second, the Congress had relied heavily on Hardik Patel, but he wasn't their candidate for chief minister and the promise of a new deal for the Patidars was clearly just that an empty promise. However gung ho they were about Hardik, he wasn't going to transform their lives. Reservation for the community was not within Rahul's gift, because the Congress would certainly not break faith with the OBCs by eating into their quota (a point articulated by Congress leader Mohansinh Rathwa). The Patels, some of whom are too wealthy to care about quotas anyway, were divided. Third, Rahul's Hindu credentials were doubtful. His newfound Shivbhakti and predeliction for visiting temples was unconvincing, given that a few months ago, he was prating of 'Hindu terror' and the threat it posed to the country. The voter was canny enough to realise that Rahul's janeu-dhari Hindu avatar would be short-lived. The Patels, who played a prominent role in the 2002 riots, probably did not buy the I-love-Shiv narrative. Fourth, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor did not quite prove the game-changer in terms of OBC votes. Or perhaps the OBCs feared being eclipsed by Hardik. Fifth, he didn't have an Amit Shah to manage the election for him. From parking a Cabinet minister in Ahmedabad for three months, coating the state knee-deep in pracharaks and vistaraks and expending resources like there was no tomorrow, Shah got every last of his voters into the booth. (Morari Bapu's Ramkatha in Surat, just before the elections, could not have hurt.) The expectation of negative voting, fueled by reports of palpable unrest, were not realised. The voices of doom had come from within the BJP's own ranks, eight months into Anandibehn Patel's government and gathered force with the arrogant bludgeoning of the Patels and later, with the loss of jobs and businesses. Rajya Sabha BJP MP Sunil Kakade was not the only one to have predicted a defeat, or at least to acknowledge the palpable discontent among voters. For once, the reports of discontent on the ground were not wishful thinking on the part of the liberal media, but a clear assessment of public opinion. The newly-anointed Congress president inaugurates his term with a double defeat, in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, but the news is not uniformly bad. He has shown himself capable of putting up a fight. He has proved to be a non-nonsense leader, not balking at sacking Mani Shankar Aiyer for breaching the party line and has also been remarkably flexible in his approach to campaign strategy. It was he who led the party in Gujarat, in the absence of a state-level leader of stature, to a significant improvement in both seatshare and voteshare. For the very first time, the Congress has shown signs of revival and party workers have reason to regard Rahul Gandhi as a credible leader rather than an abject failure, which bodes well for the future. Over to Karnataka. For Modi, the signal is even clearer. Proceed, but with extreme caution. (The writer is a senior journalist. Views are personal) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term vikas 25 times in an almost 30-minute long victory speech at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, underlining his vision for the country and the kind of politics that he champions. Modi first used vikas in the speech to give credit to vikas for BJPs victory in both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. He then moved on to castigating those who made fun of vikas and tried their best to derail BJPs winning streak based on vikas and also said that vikas of Gujarat is vikas of the country. Towards the end of his speech he made the audience chant, jeetega bhai jeetenga, vikas hi jeetega. Before him, BJP national president Amit Shah also stressed that it was Modi's vikasvaad which trumped Congress' jaativaad (casteism). The overarching theme of the speech was vikas. He called Gujarat election victory a miracle where his party beat anti-incumbency. He acknowledged the work of his karyakartas, he said they maintained the confidence of the voters even after he left for the bigger role. Modi focused on aspirations of the young and said that his term as the PM is characterised by the aspirations of people and middle class, who earlier thought of just making adjustments in the face of lack of facilities and opportunities. The BJP won 99 seats in Gujarat, while the Congress won 77. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani registered a win in Rajkot West and so did Deputy CM Nitin Patel from Mehsana. Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani scored also won from Vadgam. In Himachal Pradesh, BJP won a majority with 44 seats and condemned the Congress to play the role of the opposition. This is not an ordinary victory. It's special. Some people can't digest BJP victory, don't waste your time on them and just focus on New India by 2022, Modi said. 13th of April, 2013. It was well past midnight when the then Rajasthan chief minister received a phone call from Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Ashok Gehlot had ordered arrest of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international president Pravin Togadia, who was leading a Trishul distribution campaign in Ajmer, a communally sensitive town. Also Read: Live Coverage of Gujarat Assembly Elections In six months, the Congress under Gehlot was to face elections and the party wanted to tread with caution. "But Gehlot was very clear. Anyone breaking the law had to be dealt with, he instructed the officials," a close aide of the former CM recalls. Togadia had to spend a fortnight in jail and VHP campaign couldn't find its feet in Rajasthan. In the caste-ridden politics of Rajasthan, Gehlot has been a surprise success story. To survive amongst stalwarts like Haridev Joshi, Shiv Charan Mathur, Parasram Maderna, Buta Singh, Balram Jakhar, Jagannath Pahadia and Ram Niwas Mirdha, and complete two full terms in the chief minister's office is no mean achievement. Each of these individuals was a mass leader unto himself. Some represented more powerful caste groups than Gehlot's. He comes from backward Mali community in Jodhpur, a minuscule minority. His father was a magician. Perhaps a bit of the art rubbed on him. Not in the least in oratory, but in the instant rapport he can strike with workers wherever he goes. "He started his public life writing letters for people recuperating in Jodhpur government hospital who had no other means of communicating with their families in far-off villages," says another leaders close to Gehlot. A local journalist recalls how he would often refer to state Congress as 'prakosht Congress' for the innumerable departments Gehlot had created as president of the pradesh congress committee. "Later I realized that he was meticulously nominating people to create a strong organization in small towns. Gehlot's selection to coordinate the party's election campaign in Gujarat was a bit surprising. The soft spoken quintessential Congress leader was being entrusted to take on Modi-Shah duo known for their aggressive politics." But this was not the first time when Gehlot was working in Gujarat. "Gehlot acquired some good experience of Gujarat politics in 2005 when along with Mukul Wasnik he coordinated a party event to mark 75 years of Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi march," says a senior Congress leader. In fact, Sonia Gandhi as the leader of opposition started her first mass campaign in the run up to the 2004 polls from Rajasthan. Gehlot was the state chief minister. Sonia did her first roadshow, an extended yatra from Hanumangarh to Jodhpur. After being made Gujarat in-charge, Gehlot's first test was to ensure Ahmed Patel's victory in the Rajya Sabha polls. He managed that by the skin of his teeth, giving a big boost to the party in the run up to the Assembly polls. Gehlot's trademark stamp on Congress' Gujarat strategy was evident in the way the party attempted to build caste alliances as an antidote to Hindutva politics. Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor, Chhotubhai Vasava and Jignesh Mevani they were all meticulously picked to create an umbrella coalition. Irrespective of the outcome of Gujarat polls, Gehlot the Jadugar from Jodhpur is once again back in the reckoning to lead the charge for Rajasthan Assembly election next year. New Delhi: In November 2016, the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party put into effect its grand plans for demonetisation of Indian currency. Urban Gujarat was one of the worst hit. Let's take Surat, for instance. The town found it hard to run its small and medium textile units, dyeing and printing factories. Just as they were limping back to normalcy, the BJP rolled out the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Surat, from the diamond hub it was known as, became the epicenter of protests against the twin blows. The protests soon spread to other urban parts of the stat and also brought forth the agitation of the Patidar community. There was a time earlier this year, where one though the BJP may indeed have a tough fight on its hands to retain its clout over urban Gujarat. That scare, however, has now been completely shattered. As the Election Commission counted votes in the state on Monday, a clear trend emerged places like Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot and Gandhinagar have given a clear pass to the BJP to rule for the next five years. While the final tally is yet to be released, the leads show the urban part of the state has yet again saved the day for the ruling party. The BJP, too, has been partial to the urban voter in Gujarat, addressing the latter's concerns before anything else. Right before the polls, the Centre tweaked GST to address concerns of businesmen at industrial hubs like Surat. "The farmers are angry to a certain extent with the BJP, but the urban voter has always voted for the BJP. These elections just cement the same," said Dr. BM Parmar from the department of political science at Sardar Patel University. He added that for the urban voter, the problem of GST and demonetisation were 'glitches' and they often looked at the growth of infrastructure at large. Analyst Dr. Hari Desai said voters were yet to trust Congress. "Most of the people in the state have not seen any other party other than the BJP. For them, BJP is the trustworthy party. While they might have problems with it, they are yet to have faith in another party," he said. On the other hand, the rural part of the state has shown a completely reverse trend. Despite talks on development and 'vikas', the Gujarat model has often been a bone of discontent for them, with most going for the Congress. In the 2012 elections, BJP won 52 seats in urban Gujarat while Congress could only manage 6. On other hand, the ruling party won 63 seats in rural Gujarat and the Congress won 55 seats. A look at the campaigns of both PM Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also highlights the clear divide in oratory and shows they, too, were aware of the huge urban-rural voter divide. Modi, during his rallies, said at stake was Gujarati 'asmita' (pride). He, as the 'son of soil' was sure the state would not forgive anyone who 'insulted its son'. "There was not much talk on development. He relied on polarization, Pakistan and made communal statements. But most of all, he made winning the election a prestige issue for him," said Desai. Rahul, during his election campaigns, had laid emphasis on agrarian issues and how the PM was giving a free hand to '5-10 industrialists and overlooking the overall development of Gujarat.' He used his campaigns to corner Modi on 'Gabbar Singh Tax', had meals at houses of people in rural areas, held chai sabhas and spoke about 'one-sided development.' Desai said the agitation among the urban voter had benefitted the Congress to a large extent. "Congress almost touching 80 seats is huge. While the urban voter may have given a majority to the BJP, Congress still has done well, I'd say, despite the urban-rural divide," he said. New Delhi: With the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulling off a remarkable win, the partys jinx with two seats, Vyara in Tapi district of South Gujarat and Jasdan in Rajkot district of Saurashtra region, continues. While the Saffron party had briefly wrested the Jasdan seat in a 2009 bypoll, its yet to open its tally in Vyara. During the high-octane Assembly poll campaign, the BJP had its best chance to win the two seats but failed yet again to halt the Congresss victory. In fact, it was in Jasdan, an erstwhile princely state, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a campaign rally, attacked the Congress, saying, The Congress dislikes me because of my poor origins. Yes, I sold tea but I did not sell the nation. Jasdan is an OBC (Koli) stronghold. Hence, the Prime Minister wooed the community by underscoring that the top constitutional post in the country is occupied by none but a Koli. The PM was referring to President Ram Nath Kovinds caste and his election to the top constitutional post. However, it seems, the Prime Ministers speech failed to cut ice with the voters, who for the ninth time reposed faith in the Grand Old Party by electing Congresss Bavaliya Kunvarjibhai Mohanbhai. Vyara, though 500 kilometers from Jasdan, followed suit. The tribal-dominated constituency has remained Congresss fortress for the last 57 years since Gujarat was carved out of Bombay as a separate state after the Mahagujarat movement. Here, too, the BJP was hopeful of changing the local narrative. And, just before the Assembly polls, the local Congress unit faced dissent when two of the senior Congress leaders crossed over to BJP in the presence of none other than party chief Amit Shah. However, the public was in no mood for a change and backed Gamit Punabhai Dhedabhai, giving Congress a chance to represent them in the Assembly. New Delhi: Counting of votes is underway in Gujarat with thousand-plus candidates across 182 constituencies waiting to know what fate has for them in the sealed electronic voting machines (EVMs). Gujarat had voted in two rounds on December 9 and 14. News18 looks at the five top factors that will shape the outcome. Patidar unity Much of the fight against the ruling BJP has been led by Hardik and his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) whose activists have protested, often violently, against the BJP. From flinging chairs at an Amit Shah event to clashing with BJP workers in Surat, Patidars have been the focus of this election. But their unity as a singular voting bloc is by no means guaranteed. While it is expected that Hardiks agitation will lead to a dent in the BJPs traditional support base the Patidars it is unclear just how big a dent this will be. Several key members of Hardiks inner circle have broken away from the agitation to join the BJP. The two main sub-castes of the Patidars are the Leuvas and the Kadvas. The Leuva Patels, given their greater number, are more influential electorally, particularly in the Saurashtra region. Perhaps, one of the most significant meetings Hardik had in recent times has been the one with Nareshbhai Patel, Chairman of the Shree Khodaldham Trust, in Rajkot. The Khodaldham Trust is the apex spiritual and religious body of Leuva Patels the numerically stronger sub-caste among Gujarats Patidars. Hardik belongs to the Kadva Patel community, which forms only about 30% of Patidars. While he enjoys popularity among youth from both subcastes, he may require the help of Khodaldham Trust to keep the larger community united. Some, however, feel that the divide among Patidars will not be sub-caste but age. While Hardik Patel has support from younger Patidars, the unity of his movement will depend on whether he can lure older voters away from the BJP. The OBC factor OBCs make up 51 percent of Gujarats population. Kolis, an OBC community, alone make up around 20%, making them the largest caste group in Gujarat. Patidars make up only around 12%. In several of Gujarats 182 seats, the split in the Patidar vote would mean OBCs would take center stage. In North Gujarat, where PAAS hopes to mount the toughest challenge to the BJP, OBCs may emerge as the strongest bloc. Despite activist Alpesh Thakor joining Congress, the BJP feels confident of support from North Gujarats Thakors, a powerful OBC community. Mehsana district has nearly 4 lakh Patidar voters and Thakors, who form the largest community among the OBCs in Mehsana, have 3.31 lakh voters. Combined with other OBCs, they could help the BJP sail through the election. This, perhaps, explains PAASs outreach to communities other than the Patels. BJP is confident of sailing through in the Prime Ministers home district, as well as other areas of North Gujarat. But PAAS claims they will not let the ruling party off easily. Gujarat Model The election of 2017 has been significant since it was for the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modis Gujarat model of growth came under such terse criticism in the PMs home state. What started as a Facebook post by 20-year-old Patidar youth Sagar Savaliya, with the words Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe (Vikas has gone crazy), snowballed into a full-fledged social media war with viral memes attacking the BJP. While the development narrative remained mostly missing from the campaign, the BJP did reach out to the states voters with a Roll-On/Roll-Off Ferry (RO-RO) between Bhavnagar and Bharuch and Narendra Modis Seaplane ride on the last day of campaigning. If BJP contains the damage to its development image, it may have a stronger chance in the elections. BJPs tribal outreach The reason the BJP is feeling confident, despite the tide of Patidar resentment, is that the saffron party plans to expand its footprint in the tribal belt of South Gujarat. Scheduled Tribes such as Bhils, Vasavas and Gamits make up around 14% of Gujarats population. This is a section of society too large for any political party to ignore. Patidars only make up around 12%. While Adivasis do not exactly vote as one single bloc, they have traditionally remained in the Congress camp. After all, the states only Adivasi Chief Minister, Amarsinh Chaudhari, was a Congressman. Meanwhile, the BJP has maintained a steady presence in the region but has always trailed the Grand Old Party. The state has a 182 constituencies in the Vidhan Sabha. In the 2007 Gujarat Assembly polls, there were 20 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Of these, the Congress won 11 seats, the BJP won 8 and the remaining seat was captured by the JD (U). After delimitation of constituencies in 2008, the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes went up to 26. In the 2012 polls, BJP won 10 seats, Congress won 15 and the JD (U) retained its seat. Among tribals, BJP has always been the laggard, but the party is planning to change that. Bapu Former Gujarat CM Shnkarsinh Vaghela, who understands North Gujarat better than most in the state, can hamper the Congresss chances severely. North Gujarat is where the battle is said to be most hotly contested and with Vaghelas spoilers in the fray, the BJP has reason to rejoice. And for Vaghela, a BJP victory is not a high price to pay. Vaghela, who split from the Congress in July this year and formed the breakaway Jan Vikalp Morcha, is said to be resentful of his former party and plans to damage their chances in North and Central Gujarat. Six districts of North Gujarat Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and Gandhinagar are prestige areas for the BJP and strongholds of the Patidar movement. Spoilers for the Congress in North Gujarat, where the party expects to do well, will likely change the outcome of the election. Vadnagar: As the election results poured in from Gujarat, it became clear that the BJP would be able to stave off a tough challenge from the Congress to win the state for the sixth time in a row. Its seat share reduced drastically from what it is was in 2012 and it got a scare in quite a few key seats, but BJP will live to fight another day and rule over Gujarat once more. However, one area where the BJPs magic did not work was the Prime Ministers own hometown of Vadnagar. Vadnagar is divided among two Assembly constituencies in Mehsana district Kheralu and Unjha. While BJP candidate Shankarji Dhabi won the Kheralu seat by polling 49,241 votes or 40.01% of the vote share, Lalludas Patel ceded the bastion of Unjha to Congress candidate Dwarkadas Patel, who polled 74,438 votes or 54.23% of the vote share. Lalludas Patel has been the five-time MLA from Unjha, which the BJP has not lost since 1995. One reason the BJP lost the election here is that Vadnagar, the PMs hometown, has not escaped the agrarian distress facing the rest of the state. For any visitor to Vadnagar the town doesnt get many it is impossible to escape being told about the towns most famous former resident. Chanduji Thakor points to a secondary school, where he is a teacher, and says, Did you know he studied here? Look where he is today. Prime Minister Narendra Modis hometown Vadnagar may not have a lot going for it, the nearest big city Mehsana is over 40 kms away, but the town holds on proudly to the fact that one of its residents is now sitting on the high chair in New Delhi. Nearly everyone says, beaming with pride, that this is Narendrabhaino gam (Narendrabhais village). But not everyone shares the same emotions as Chaduji, like those who point out the lack of jobs in this small town that forces the youth to move to the cities to look for a livelihood. Shambhuji runs a tea stall not far from Vadnagar station, where Modi is once said to have sold tea. At the same age as that of the Prime Minister, the cotton farmer has now resorted to selling tea. Asked if he thinks farmers are happy, he said, How are farmers happy? We are not earning enough with farming. Why do you think I have to sell tea at this age? To make ends meet. I dont blame Narendrabhai for my situation but I cant say Im happy. Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressed a rally in Vadnagar and ensured that he struck a chord with the areas farmers. This is my promise to you. When Congress forms the government, I want you to count ten days and after ten days, we will start the process for a loan waiver. This drew applause from Madhavsinh Thakor, an 80-year-old farmer from Vadnagar who was listening to the Gandhi scion with rapt attention. In his broken Hindi, he explained, I voted for his grandmother, now Im going to vote for him (Rahul). I had started to support the BJP but they have not done anything for us farmers. At this age, I want to retire with grace. But my entire family has to work to make our ends meet. Congress is promising a better future to us farmers. BJP is not even talking about us. New Delhi: With Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) back in power for the sixth straight term in Gujarat and taking Himachal away from the Congress, the party now controls 19 of the 29 states. Never before has any political party controlled as many states in India. Congress, 24 years ago, was the last time a political party was in control of 18 states. In December 1993, when Congress was a dominant force at the Centre, the party, controlled 15 states out of 26 by itself and one through an alliance. Two others were held by CPI (M), which then provided an outside support to the Congress government at the Centre. Today, either the BJP or one of its partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is in control of 19 states. Much of this success is being credited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he came to power in May 2014. Since then he has led the BJP to major state election victories and expanded the party's base. Prior to the win in the General Election, BJP was in power in the five states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Nagaland. After BJP came to power in the Centre in 2014 with its largest mandate, the party continued its winning streak in major state elections that followed. BJP's ally, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) retained the state of Sikkim in the election that was held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Another BJP ally, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) formed bifurcated Andhra Pradesh's first government. The party tasted success in the state of Maharashtra where BJP won122 seats in the 288-member assembly and formed the government in Maharashtra following a post-poll alliance with NDA ally Shiv Sena. The party then came to power in the state of Haryana. Shortly after, BJP along with its allies secured the state of Jharkhand as well. The party also made strong inroads in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2014 where it was the second-best performer. A post-poll alliance with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) helped BJP come to power in the state for the first time. However, in 2015, the BJP witnessed two major setbacks when they faced routing defeats in Delhi and Bihar. But in a surprise political move, the BJP renewed its ties with regional party leader Nitish Kumar, thus helping the party control the state. Nitish and his new government, which he formed with the BJP, won the crucial trust vote in the Bihar State Assembly, with 131 legislators voting in favour. BJP, in 2016, also ended a 15-year Congress rule in Assam where it 60 seats out of 126. In September 2016, Arunachal Pradesh's 47 Members of Legislative (MLAs) from the ruling Congress, defected to BJP. The lawmakers were able to prove majority on the floor of the house, helping BJP form a government in the state. The party, however, failed to make a mark in the other three major state elections in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. In 2017, BJP had its fair share of successes. The party bagged Uttarakhand and won a large mandate in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In Goa and Manipur, where BJP won lesser seats than the Congress, the party still managed to stitch together an alliance with regional parties and independents, to form a government in both states. 2017 was also the year when BJP lost in Punjab after two terms of rule along with ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Now that the BJP has won Gujarat and Himachal, the party will be now focusing on other states that will go for polls in 2018 including Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram. In its ambitious bid to make India 'Congress Mukt', will the BJP be successful in making inroads into southern and eastern states is what remains to be seen. Or has the reversal already begun with Congress putting up a fight in Gujarat? The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO) has completed the pre-trial investigation and sent to court an indictment against the former head of the State Agency for Investment and National Projects of Ukraine, Vladyslav Kaskiv, PGO spokesman Andriy Lysenko has said. "The department for investigating especially important cases of the main investigative directorate of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, together with the department of procedural leadership on criminal proceedings of investigators of the central apparatus of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, completed the pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings on suspicion of the former head of the State Agency for Investment and National Projects of Ukraine in committing crimes," he wrote on his Facebook page on Friday, December 15. Lysenko recalled that the issue concerned crimes envisaged by Part 5, Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (large-scale seizure of someone else's property through abuse of office by an official, committed on preliminary collusion by a group of individuals) and Part 2, Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (official forgery, which entailed grave consequences). He also said that the indictment against Kaskiv was sent to Pechersky District Court of Kyiv on December 14 for consideration in essence. On December 13, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said that Kaskiv had examined the materials of the pre-trial investigation and that his case should be sent to court. Kaskiv was declared internationally wanted under Part 5, Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on charges of "large-scale misappropriation of property by an official through abuse of office and through collusion with a group of persons" and under Part 2 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on "forgery by an official." He is suspected of entering into a criminal conspiracy in 2012 with other persons to embezzle the means of the state budget of Ukraine in the amount of about UAH 7.5 million. On September 8, 2016, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office received confirmation from Interpol that Kaskiv had been arrested in Panama. On September 12, a court in Panama granted Kaskiv a $600,000 bail, after which he applied for political asylum. On November 1, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said that Kaskiv had been extradited from Panama to Ukraine and taken to the Main Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office. On the same day the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv decided to remand Kaskiv into pretrial custody for two months and set bail at UAH 160,000. The court also ordered Kaskiv to turn in all passports and to be available to investigators, as well as to inform them of his whereabouts. The French government has filed a complaint with the Paris Commerce Court against e-commerce company Amazon for abusing its dominant position with some suppliers, newspaper Le Parsien said on Monday. Under the complaint, which follows a two-year investigation by the DGCCRF consumer fraud watchdog, the Economy Ministry is seeking a fine of 10 million euros ($11.8 million) against Amazon, the newspaper said. "The platform imposes unbalanced relations to its vendors," DGCCRF official Loic Tanguy told Le Parisien. Amazon can for instance unilaterally change contract terms or even suspend contracts it has with the more than 10,000 French companies using its platform to sell their goods, the newspaper said. An Economy Ministry official confirmed a complaint had been filed against Amazon but did not provide further details. A spokesman for Amazon said the company does not comment on legal procedures. Watch: George Zhao, President, Honor Global | Interview Kabul: A group of armed men seized a building under construction in the Afghan capital on Monday and were exchanging fire with security forces in a heavily populated area, an official said. "The number of attackers, possible casualties and their target is not yet clear," said Najib Danish, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior. The Afshar area of Kabul where the attack was under way is close to a facility of the National Directorate of Security, the main Afghan intelligence agency, as well as a private university. Jerusalem: The Israeli military said it attacked a Hamas training compound in Gaza on Monday in response to rocket strikes from the Palestinian enclave, which have surged since U.S. President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital on December 6. Neither side reported any casualties in the overnight shelling exchange, which occurred days before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visits Israel and neighbouring Egypt, which also borders Gaza and is involved in its internal politics. Militants in Gaza, territory controlled by the Hamas Islamist group, have launched more than a dozen rockets into southern Israel over the last two weeks, the most intensive attacks since a seven-week-long Gaza war in 2014. Two rockets were fired late on Sunday, one of them exploding inside an Israeli border community and the other hitting an open area, the military said. Another rocket launched early on Monday fell short inside Gaza, it said. Three structures in a Hamas training camp were hit in the Israeli counter-strike, the military said. Hamas usually evacuates such facilities when tensions rise, and Israel's choice of the low-profile target appeared to signal a desire to avoid more serious confrontation with the group. "Israel does not seek escalation," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said on Army Radio. But Zeev Elkin, another member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, said in an interview with the radio station that Israel's military response would "have to be harshened" if the rocket fire did not stop. Israeli officials have blamed the fire on smaller militant groups in Gaza and called on Hamas to rein them in. Should Hamas fail to do so, both Shaked and Elkin said, Israel could eventually target the group's leadership for attack. Washington: US President Donald Trump's administration named Russia on Monday as a bad actor on the world stage in a policy document that offers a sober analysis of Moscow as a rival despite Trump's own bid for warmer ties with President Vladimir Putin. The criticism of Russia, laid out in a new national security strategy formed from Trump's "America First" foreign policy vision, reflects a view long held by American diplomats that Russia actively undermines US interests at home and abroad. Excerpts of the strategy document released on Monday make no direct mention of US allegations that Russia meddled in last year's presidential election. A US federal investigation is also looking into whether Trump campaign aides colluded with Russia, something the Moscow and Trump deny. Trump has frequently spoken of his desire for an improved relationship with Putin, even though Russia has frustrated US ambitions in Syria and Ukraine and done little to help Washington in its standoff with North Korea. In the second such call in under a week, Putin spoke to Trump on Sunday to thank him for providing US intelligence that helped thwart a bomb attack in the Russian city of St Petersburg. On Thursday, Putin and Trump discussed the crisis in North Korea. Congress mandates that every U.S. administration sets out its national security strategy. The new Trump strategy is influenced strongly by the thinking of top national security officials rather than that of the president himself, said one official involved in preparing the document. Trump's strategy reflects his "America First" priorities of protecting the US homeland and borders, rebuilding the U.S. military, projecting strength abroad and pursuing trade policies more favorable to the United States, according to excerpts made available by the White House. CLIMATE CHANGE It drops former President Barack Obama's 2016 description of climate change as a US national security threat, aides said. Trump has vowed to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord unless changes are made to it. Trump was to give a speech about the new strategy at 2 pm EST on Monday. The Trump administration lumps together China and Russia as competitors seeking to challenge US power and erode its security and prosperity. "They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence," according to excerpts of Trump's strategy released by the White House. The singling out of China and Russia as "revisionist powers" reflects the Trump administration's wariness of them despite Trump's own attempts to build strong relations both with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. A senior administration official who briefed reporters said Russia and China were attempting to revise the global status quo - Russia in Europe with its military incursions into Ukraine and Georgia, and China in Asia by its aggression in the South China Sea. Russia denies the allegations that it meddled with the 2016 US presidential election. The strategy will pledge to protect critical US infrastructure from cyber hacking and vow to "go after malicious cyber actors." Both China and Russia are often accused of cyber attacks against US targets, allegations they deny. Trump has been working with Xi to exert pressure on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but has made little progress on his vow to negotiate terms more favorable to the United States to lower a trade deficit that reached $347 billion in 2016. The administration warned that intellectual property theft by China is a national security problem. We need to protect data in different ways. We need to ensure that the legislation we have, like CFIUS, is up to date and reflects the kinds of strategic investments that are taking place by other countries, an administration official said. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews the purchase of U.S. assets by foreign companies, has recently taken a strong stand against technology transfers to Chinese companies. In November, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives introduced bills to toughen US foreign investment rules amid growing concern about Chinese efforts to buy US high-tech companies. Istanbul: Turkish police detained dozens of people suspected of arranging marriages for the group blamed for last year's failed coup after officers launched raids across 20 cities, state media reported Monday. At least 62 people were taken into custody, state-run news agency Anadolu said, adding that 106 arrest warrants had been issued for people in cities including Istanbul. They are accused of links to the movement run by US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey claims masterminded the July 2016 attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Gulen vehemently denies the accusations. Turkish security services discovered that the suspects had been arranging marriages for members of the Gulen movement after scrutinising their communications on the encrypted messaging application ByLock, Anadolu said. Ankara alleges that the app was used by the Gulen movement. The government also refers to the organisation as the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation" (FETO) although Gulen rejects the term. Anadolu said the wanted individuals, referred to as "marriage officials", are alleged members of "FETO's marriage unit" who would arrange unions for others in the group. But Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, insists his movement "Hizmet" (service in Turkish) is a peaceful organisation. Party workers and supporters of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) celebrate their party's success in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh state assembly elections, outside the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. (Image: PTI) Trends at Noon, BJP ahead in 38 seats, while the Congress is leading in 25 constituencies. CNN-News18's Bhupendra Chaubey had called Himachal Pradesh for BJP at 9:29 am. The halfway mark in the 68-seat Himachal Pradesh Assembly is 35 seats. In 2012, Congress won 36 seats as compared to BJP's 26 in a closely fought fight. (Image: Network18 Creative) MEADOWS OF DAN Thirty-three years ago, Bob Heafner made a promise to an old man. The old man was Matt Burnett, a lifelong resident of this mountain-top community in Patrick County. In 1984, Burnett was an 80-year-old man living with a regret that he confessed to Heafner as the two men walked in a grassy pasture just a few yards from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Nearly 50 years earlier in that same meadow, as the parkway was being built in about 1936, Burnett had been part of a work crew that had removed the headstones from an old slave cemetery. He and other men had pulled up the simple fieldstone grave markers and had hauled them into the nearby woods. The plan was to replace the stones when the road was finished, Burnett said, but that never happened. The slave cemetery was all but forgotten. You could tell the man felt bad about it, Heafner said, recalling that conversation. Burnett asked Heafner if he would make sure that people would someday know about the forgotten slaves hiding in plain sight next to a road traveled by millions. Heafner was young then, a businessman and a publisher who knew people in Meadows of Dan and up and down the parkway. Surely, Burnett thought, Heafner could find a way to place a monument or memorial to those people, so that their lives wouldnt remain buried in the past. I want you to promise to get it done, the old man demanded. Ill do my best, Heafner replied. Burnett died three years later. Heafner told that story on a dreary, drizzly day in September as he walked through that same field where he had first heard the story of the old slave cemetery near Meadows of Dan Baptist Church. He walked slowly in the wet grass, while holding a blue umbrella and wearing a heavy denim coat against the chill. He strode into a small area cordoned by a split-rail fence where a pair of wooden stakes marked possible sites for a stone marker to be placed. After 33 years worth of letters, emails, phone calls and near endless haggling with parkway officials, countless hours of research in courthouses, and with the aid of other people who helped seal the deal when it appeared the cemetery might never be marked, Bob Heafner made good on his promise. A granite marker dedicated to the African-Americans who worked for the Langhorne family and who are buried there was placed Nov. 29 inside what Heafner dubbed the slave meadow. The young man who made that promise is 70 now, fleshier of face, with a smokers deep drawl and crowned with white hair that flips into a rakish curl on his forehead. Lord have mercy, if Id known what I promised to do for Matt Burnett he said with the hint of a chuckle. He paused. I wouldve still done it. A local legend Folks had always heard that there was a slave cemetery around somewhere. The trouble was documenting its existence so that the National Park Service would acknowledge it with some kind of historic marker. An old mans memory about something that happened in the 1930s wasnt good enough. Felecia Shelor, owner of the Poor Farmers Market on U.S. 58 and a longtime friend of Heafners, said that old-timers sometimes griped about the lost headstones. I heard several people say that they were upset that the stones had been dumped, Shelor said. Heafner had heard a story about a black woman who came looking for the cemetery years ago, and she was saddened to see cattle grazing in the meadow where her ancestors were possibly buried. Heafners research went slowly, but some facts were already well-documented. The Langhorne family had operated a large farm in Meadows of Dan before the Civil War. Slaves lived and worked on the farm called Langdale, although an exact number is not known. Slavery was common in Patrick County. According to county historian Tom Perry, as many as 2,000 slaves were part of Patrick Countys 9,000 residents in 1850. The majority of those enslaved people were owned by the prominent Reynolds and Hairston families. Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuarts father owned 28 slaves, according to Perry. Slavery was less prevalent up on the mountain in Meadows of Dan, where five families owned slaves, according to an Appalachian State University research project commissioned by the park service. Heafner discovered a will that stated James Steptoe Langhorne had at least five slaves, and perhaps owned more than 10 at one time. He also found the names of five other African-Americans who were probably buried in the cemetery. Three of them died enslaved, with history having no record of their last names: Charles (a child who died in 1858), John (who was 19 when he died in 1858) and Ellen (a 1-year-old who died in 1862). The two other people Heafner documented died after the Civil War: Guss Langhorne (another 1-year-old who died in 1871) and Susan Langhorne (born a slave, died free in 1871 at age 28). It is unclear why the latter two had the Langhorne name. Those people are buried near the Langhorne familys section of the Meadows of Dan Baptist Churchs cemetery, Heafner said. Although he had answered some questions about who was buried there, he still had not fully proved where they were buried. As the 20th century dissolved into the 21st, he was unsure if he would ever fulfill his promise to Burnett. A mountain of a task Bob Heafner and his wife, Charlotte, moved to Meadows of Dan in 1971. He had worked in real estate before finding an old farmhouse in the mountains near U.S. 58. He and Charlotte were quickly enamored with the people of Patrick County and the stories they had to tell, especially the tales of old folks who remembered a time before paved roads and electricity, a time when mighty American chestnut orchards carpeted the mountainsides before the devastating blight that destroyed them. Bob and Charlotte decided to record these stories, which is how they came to start The Mountain Laurel, a free, monthly, tabloid-sized newspaper filled with history, recipes, profiles, ghost stories and other accounts of a rural lifestyle that was disappearing from the mountains like the chestnuts. With the help of their neighbor Susan Thigpen, the Heafners launched The Mountain Laurel in March 1983 and quickly sold all 3,000 copies. By the early 1990s, monthly circulation had exploded to 25,000, with coast-to-coast distribution. The Heafners were early adopters of the internet, and they put The Mountain Laurel online in 1996, where back issues from 1983 to 2015 can be found, thanks to the Library of Virginia, which archived older stories for the website. (The Mountain Laurel can be read online at mtnlaurel.com.) Publishing The Mountain Laurel is how Bob met old-timers such as Burnett, a local man who had a knack with a pocket knife. Burnett whittled walking canes and old-fashioned wooden toys things with colorful names like gee-haw whimmy diddles, horseshoe puzzles, jumping jacks, dancing men and other country crafts. He remembered the days when mules plowed the fields and when families attended the Fourth of July celebration on horseback. Burnett also knew about the fieldstone grave markers being removed from the slave cemetery, because he had been part of a crew that removed them. Mister Matt showed me where the slaves are buried, Heafner said. Mister Matt told me he was on the crew that did the landscaping. They picked up the fieldstone markers and took them to the woods and never put them back. The park service has owned the property where the cemetery is located since the 1930s, so Heafner started by calling Gary Everhardt, who was the parkway superintendent in the 1980s. I asked Gary to put up a monument, Heafner said. He said theyd do it, but Id have to pay for it. This was in the days before GoFundMe. I never could get any interest in it. Everhardt was the first of four Blue Ridge Parkway superintendents with whom Heafner would work over the next three decades. Heafner, who today lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, was often frustrated with the park services deliberate approach to documenting the slave cemetery, as evidenced by a series of back-and-forth emails and letters he has posted on The Mountain Laurel website that cover just the years 2001 through 2012. The communications between him and the park service are mostly cordial, professional and straightforward, but Heafner was often unsatisfied with parkway officials responses. Mr. Matt is dead and Im not getting any younger, he wrote to superintendent Dan Brown in 2001, and I fear if something is not done soon, even the fact that slaves are buried in the meadow will someday be forgotten and they will pass into oblivion like countless other forgotten black people who contributed to the settlement and development of the Blue Ridge. For their part, parkway administrators were receptive to the idea of placing a marker in the slave meadow, but officials also told Heafner that they lacked funds for an extensive project. Any park service undertaking that requires taxpayer money or private grants takes considerable time, Brown wrote to Heafner in 2002. Park service staff also spent time trying to determine whether the slave cemetery even existed. Three years later, in 2005, Heafner wrote another letter that said, The clock is ticking fast and action is needed very soon. I just had to keep going back and going back and going back, Heafner said during an interview this fall. Finally, a pair of breakthroughs jump-started the project. Heafner found an old map in the Patrick County Courthouse in Stuart that showed the location of the slave cemetery right where Burnett said it had been. The park service then sent Heafner a copy of a ragged property-acquisition map from the 1930s that also showed the slave cemetery. In 2007, a park service archaeologist used ground-penetrating radar to discover nine graves in the suspected cemetery. The graves were marked, and the park service planned to build a split-rail fence around the property. That took another five years. Heafner acknowledges that had he gone searching for maps earlier, perhaps the project would have been completed sooner. The cemetery still had no headstones or historic marker to memorialize the people buried there, however. Heafners efforts to raise $7,500 for a stone memorial through a GoFundMe site had not been successful. His good friend Shelor, who oversaw the GoFundMe campaign, was about to return about $1,200 in pledges to donors. The effort to erect a marker appeared dead. Thats when Libby Wilcox showed up. Rock-star performance Wilcox is a 73-year-old, type-A spitfire who is an energetic advocate and volunteer for the Blue Ridge Parkway. A former environmental educator from North Carolina, Wilcox has a part-time home near the scenic highway in Carroll County. She was the subject of a Roanoke Times story in 2015 when she and a friend painted and cleaned road signs along the parkways entire 469-mile route. She met Heafner three years ago, when recently retired parkway superintendent Mark Woods told her about the stalled effort to place a memorial marker in the slave cemetery. When Heafner told Wilcox that they needed $7,500 to buy a stone marker, Wilcox had another idea. Bob, you do know that the worlds largest granite quarry is in our backyard? Wilcox said. That would be the North Carolina Granite Corporation in Mount Airy, North Carolina, about 45 minutes from Meadows of Dan. Wilcox had no intention of paying for a stone marker. I used to work with Girl Scouts, she said. I know how to get donations. She met with the quarrys owner, William Swift. Within 10 minutes of introductions, Swift had agreed to donate a 2 -foot by 4-foot marker with an inscription. What do you want on it? he asked. Forever free The sky was topaz blue on a mild Nov. 29 in Meadows of Dan as Wilcox watched the stone lowered into place. Wayne Thomas and Scott Smith of Acme Stone Company parked the companys flat-bed truck next to the split-rail fence, placed straps around the heavy granite stone and hoisted it with a lift onto a stone base. The men applied a cement-like setting compound between the marker and its base, then brushed the letters with water. The inscription read: SLAVE MEADOW CEMETERY In memory and honor of the known and unknown African-Americans buried in this Meadow. May they rest in peace, forever free. Im about to cry, Wilcox said, although she sounded happy. Its so big! She was joined by Shelor and Nancy Galli, the founder of Nancys Candy Company and a longtime Meadows of Dan resident. A couple of men from the local papers also watched and reported the event. One person who was not there was Bob Heafner. The last couple of years have not been the best for him. Charlotte, his wife, died two years ago after years of declining health. He lost a daughter last year. However, he plans to return to Meadows of Dan in the spring, when the park service will formally dedicate the granite marker in the slave meadow. He said his work isnt finished. The GoFundMe account has about $900 left, after $300 was spent to place the marker. He would like for the park service to build a wayside exhibit dedicated to the lives and stories of slaves in the region. Wouldnt it be wonderful if someone came to the cemetery and found their relatives? he said. I think there are people out there who still know stories about the people who are buried there. Now, maybe this will shake some memories loose. Thatd be icing on the cake. From dorm rooms to the dining hall, Sweet Briar College has seen an influx of art installations. The new Living with Art initiative aims to share art from Sweet Briars permanent collection with students, offering them the option to select a piece to hang in their on-campus living quarters. Similarly, Sweet Briar has tapped into its decorative collection to spread more art around campus. The plan to share art across campus was announced by SBC President Meredith Woo this summer in a letter to students, detailing plans to brighten the Sweet Briar campus with art in the fall semester. I want visual art to be a major part of the Sweet Briar experience for each student, Woo wrote over the summer. I believe a more proactive display and use of artworks in all residence halls in your rooms and in the parlors will add depth to your education outside of the classroom. The pieces were prepared for distribution by faculty members and Whitehall Framing in Amherst, which secured the artwork in frames and behind UV ray-resistant Plexiglas for protection. Approximately 35 students of roughly 300 at SBC selected artwork to display in their rooms. SBC art professor Laura Pharis noted some students were apprehensive about having a piece from the permanent collection in their rooms and did not participate. Others filled out loan forms ensuring the safety of the pieces, which are insured and mounted using double security hangers for stability. Overall, more than 100 pieces were hung around campus, said Pharis, who worked with fellow art professor John Morgan and a student worker to prepare the collection for distribution. Its amazing to have a quality piece of art in your room as a student, said Jules Sudol, a senior Sweet Briar art history and business double major from Scottsville. They were just put up over Thanksgiving break, so that was a really lovely thing to come back to school to. Sudol selected the piece Hands Etching by English artist Francis Seymour Haden. As an art student interested in print making, she said she was inspired by the piece and liked its simplicity. Kimberly Colbert, a senior art history major from Williamsport, Maryland, who worked as a student intern to prepare the collection to be framed and hung, has reservations about artwork being shared in student housing. Colbert, who declined to participate in the Living with Art initiative, said shed prefer to see the collection used for teaching, not for decoration. I feel like this makes the entire collection be seen in a more decorative sense, rather than being seen as a substantial thing to enhance your education, Colbert said. According to the Sweet Briar website, more than 3,700 pieces are in the colleges art collection. As a visual artist myself, Im so curious [about the collection], Pharis said. Sweet Briars art ranges from well-known artists such as Salvador Dali and James Abbott McNeill Whistler to more contemporary pieces acquired in recent years. Artwork not on display in the Sweet Briar museum, galleries, dorm rooms, or other buildings, is stored in Solander boxes for safekeeping. If someone wants to take my work out of a drawer, after Ive been dead for 500 years, and put it up in a students room, I would be delighted, Pharis said. I imagine all of these [artists] would be. The Living with Art Initiative was funded by the Sweet Briar Friends of Art organization. Claire Griffith, SBC senior director of alumnae relations and development, declined to release the amount it cost for the framing but said it was covered by contributions from Friends of Art and another donor. Griffith said the new initiative allows students to celebrate the legacy of art at Sweet Briar. Friends of Art, which has been active since 1937, has purchased a number of pieces for the colleges art collection, though following the schools near closure in 2015, priorities have shifted. After Sweet Briar nearly closed due to financial concerns by a previous administration, Friends of Art moved away from acquiring pieces each year and now focuses on funding student opportunities. According to its newsletter, Friends of Art funded two summer internships for students at $2,500 each, and three individual $500 prizes for writing, studio art and multidisciplinary art projects. Artwork on loan to students will be collected as the school year ends in the spring, and students will be allowed to select a piece to display in their dorm rooms for the next school year at the start of the fall 2018 semester. Ukrainian and Portuguese Presidents Petro Poroshenko and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa have discussed the deployment of a full-scale UN peacekeeping force to the occupied part of Donbas. "We discussed with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa the prospects for deploying a full-fledged UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas, which should become an important de-escalation tool and will contribute to bringing peace to Ukrainian soil," Poroshenko wrote on Twitter on Monday. According to the press service of the Ukrainian president, Poroshenko noted the importance of cooperation between the two states as part of international organizations, including the UN. "I wanted to express the hope that our effective cooperation will help make a decision on the deployment of a classic peacekeeping mission of the United Nations Security Council, whose mandate will be extended to the entire occupied territory," Poroshenko told journalists in Lisbon on Monday following the talks with his Portuguese counterpart. "We will have effective means to bring peace to Ukrainian land, and peacekeepers will have access to the uncontrolled section of the Ukrainian-Russian border," Poroshenko said. He also thanked his colleague for deepening cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense and security, in the military-technical sphere and expressed hope for their further development. Seeking to push back at rumors swirling about the death of Bethany Lynn Stephens, the Goochland County sheriff repeated Monday that he believes that Stephens dogs killed her and that it was not a case of foul play. In the second news conference in four days about a horrific case that has gained national attention, Sheriff James Agnew provided additional grisly details about Stephens death last week. The 22-year-old woman was discovered by Goochland sheriffs deputies about 8:20 p.m. Thursday in a wooded area near her fathers home. From what we found on the scene, from the evidence we observed, from the evidence we collected, that narrative doesnt fit, the sheriff said of foul play. We had a number of witnesses who came forward, and we were able to put a time frame together and put peoples movements together. Now having said that, he added, we are still following up on those. We are still doing some forensic tests. We are still doing interviews. The dogs were euthanized Saturday after permission was secured from Stephens family, and their bodies are being preserved as evidence as the investigation continues, the sheriff said. Agnew said the dogs were not bred for fighting, contradicting what he said was inaccurate information authorities received from someone at the scene who told investigators she thought the two brindle-colored pit bulls came from an organization that rehabilitates fighting dogs. The sheriff also acknowledged providing an overestimate when he said the dogs may have weighed as much as Stephens, who weighed 125 pounds. Agnew said authorities spoke with family members for several hours Monday and received their permission to release some new information. He said that during the course of trying to capture the dogs early Friday, authorities saw the dogs eating the rib cage of the body. The sheriff said Stephens suffered severe wounds to her chest, arm, face and both arms. I dont think theres any way we can definitively say what caused the attack, Agnew said. Some people commenting on social media have been skeptical of the Sheriffs Offices explanation that Stephens dogs turned on her. An online petition on Change.org was started to save the pit bulls from being euthanized; by Monday night, the petition had nearly 17,000 signatures. Asked at Mondays news conference whether the dogs bit Stephens after she was already dead, Goochland sheriffs investigator Shawn Whitlock said some of the womans injuries clearly occurred while she was alive. Stephens body underwent a scan prior to her autopsy, and it did not find any indication of domestic violence, gunshots, stabbing or broken bones, Whitlock said. Asked whether Stephens had been attacked by a larger animal such as a bear Agnew said there was no evidence of any larger animal being at the scene. The sheriff also said the state medical examiners office indicated that bite wounds to Stephens head did not puncture the skull, an indication the wounds were from an animal smaller than a bear. Stephens father had called the Sheriffs Office after he hadnt seen his daughter in a day. While Stephens had a Glen Allen address, Agnew said, she grew up in Goochland and frequently walked the dogs in the wooded area where her body was found, which was near the 2200 block of Manakin Road in the vicinity of an old family farm. Her father went looking for his daughter and encountered the dogs aggressively protecting his daughters body. Sgt. Michael Blackwood, with the Goochland Sheriffs Office, said Stephens would go to her fathers home and take the dogs out five times a week. Over time, the dogs had become more isolated and had less and less human contact, Blackwood said. Agnew said his offices investigation has been complicated by a high volume of misinformation spreading on social media. Agnew said his office has been besieged by emails, phone calls and attacks that he said are based on information thats absolutely untrue. Im afraid that even after releasing these additional facts, as we have tonight, its not going to mollify some of these people, the sheriff said. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)'s military counterintelligence service detained 21 members of illegal armed formations in 2017. "The SBU's military counterintelligence service also detained 21 representatives of illegal armed formations in 2017," the SBU's press service said on Monday. According to the agency's materials, ten people were convicted of crimes against the foundations of national security, and 43 people were convicted for illegal terrorist activities in 2017. This year, law enforcement officers recorded over 500 cases of illegal trafficking in military weapons. "The military counterintelligence service of the Security Service of Ukraine continues to effectively perform the assigned tasks in the area of the anti-terrorist operation, as well as block attempts by subversive and intelligence groups and agents of the Russian special services to destabilize the situation inside the country," the report says. RICHMOND By noon on a recent Monday, David Shuman at the Book People bookstore in Richmonds West End had gotten at least a dozen calls from people asking when the toy Fingerlings they ordered online would be delivered. Shuman had to tell them he had no idea and that they probably wouldnt be getting them. Theres a scam going around, and the phone number and address of the small, Richmond book shop on Granite Avenue are being used to make a bogus website look legitimate. All of a sudden we started getting calls about Fingerlings, Shuman said. The calls started about a month ago. A website called pollynices.com, you click on the contact us link and our information our phone number, our address is listed, Shuman said. But the Book People has no association whatsoever with the website, Shuman said. Fingerlings interactive tiny baby monkey dolls that wrap around the tips of fingers are a popular toy this holiday season. Websites for such stores as Walmart, Target and Best Buy list the toys as sold out or in very limited supply. Shuman said he reported the issue to the Better Business Bureau. All they told us was that (the website) was hosted in mainland China, he said. Shuman said whoever is running the website takes the site down periodically for days at a time. But Shuman can always tell when its back up. The calls start coming in again. He said the callers are nice enough when he tells them that they have probably been scammed. Everybody is really friendly about it. You would think people would get upset. They are Oh, how terrible for you to be getting so many calls, Shuman said. Toy scams are not uncommon this time of year, said Barry N. Moore, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia. He urged people to buy from websites they are familiar with and to be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. You may save $2 by going to a site that looks really interesting, but it also could be a ripoff, he said. Moore said there are some red flags on the fraudulent website that should raise suspicions. At the bottom of every page, there is nonsensical filler text that means the person doing the website did not bother to finish building the page. Also, the websites About Us narrative says the company sells outdoor supplies, but it is also selling dolls and clothing which does not make sense for a business website, according to the BBB. Be very cautious with your personal information, Moore said. See more online shopping tips at: bbb.org/shoppingonline. A lot of fake Fingerlings apparently are being offered for sale. WowWee, the company that makes Fingerlings, is suing 165 sellers of counterfeit Fingerlings. The second one happened on the same afternoon at Lupote in Dete. The driver was also speeding in his Mazda Attenza to Bulawayo. He lost control and overturned before landing on the drivers side. He sustained serious head injuries and is still admitted at Hwange Colliery. The other passengers were also injured and are in hospital. Idaho Cops: Actually, There Could Be a Threat to the Community Ukraine's National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) expects a positive decision on the matter of the country attaining a new level of NATO partnership as early as summer of 2018. The most important security issues, including Russia's policy, terrorism, and modernization of the NATO forces, should be discussed at the alliance's summit in summer, NSDC First Deputy Secretary Oleksandr Lytvynenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday. "I am convinced that the issues of granting Ukraine status as a NATO 'aspirant country' will be discussed at this summit, during the NATO-Ukraine commission. When we reach practical implementation of the decision of the Bucharest summit and our domestic legislation. I hope it will conclude in a positive decision [on] the Ukrainian proposal to grant Ukraine the status of 'an enhanced opportunities partner'," he said. It envisages adding Ukraine to the group of countries which actually have special relations with the alliance, Lytvynenko said. "I am referring to Australia, Jordan, Finland, Sweden, and Georgia. All those countries are NATO's very close partners and they use this mechanism to enhance their security and the security of the alliance. Our cooperation corresponds to this level precisely," he said. Chris Christie has been combative this year with a Cubs fan, his own constituents, and now his successor to the New Jersey governorship. Democrat Phil Murphy beat GOPer Kim Guadagno in November, and at a recent photo op, Murphy got in a low-key dig at Christie. NorthJersey.com reports that while Murphy was in attendance at a gala in Glen Ridge for the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, he posed in front of a cutout of Christie that depicted him lazing in a beach chaira pic made famous as Christie hung out at Island Beach State Park with his family on July 2 after he'd shut down state beaches to everyone else over the July 4th weekend. The Washington Post notes the pic, which showed Murphy and the NJWFA director with big smiles on their faces next to the cutout, was posted on NorthJersey.com and the NJWFA site. See it here. Christie isn't smiling back. "I think someone's got to remind him that the campaign is over," Christie said Friday. "It's disappointing because we've been so open and so welcoming to him, and not playing politics at all." Christie is especially miffed that Murphy ran on a platform that vowed to take down the "us versus them" mentality, noting that this slam "sends a really terrible message." Still, he says Murphy's photo "doesn't matter" to him personally. There's been a dust-up between the two recently as they prep for the transition, specifically regarding budget numbers and media access to them. Murphy, for his part, tells NJ.com the photo temptation was too great. "It was right in front of me," he said. "I couldn't resist." (Read more Chris Christie stories.) Wearing black to the Golden Globes isn't the right way to protest the sexual harassment and assault carried out by "Pig Monster" Harvey Weinstein and other Hollywood figures, Rose McGowan says. The actress responded to reports that Meryl Streep and other actresses were planning to wear black to make a statement by calling out Streep and noting that she "happily worked for the Pig Monster," USA Today reports. "YOUR SILENCE is THE problem," she wrote in the tweet, which was later deleted. "You'll accept a fake award breathlessly & affect no real change. I despise your hypocrisy." She added: "Maybe you should all wear Marchesa," referring to the fashion label co-founded by Weinstein's estranged wife. McGowan, who says she was raped by Weinstein, was one of the first women to speak out against the producer. It hasn't been confirmed whether Streepwho says she didn't know about the producer's "inexcusable" behaviorwill be one of the women wearing all black at the Jan. 7 ceremony to protest sexual misconduct and gender inequality, People reports. Some insiders say the protest might continue throughout the awards season. (Last week, McGowan said Alyssa Milano "makes her want to vomit.") The investigation into the mysterious deaths of a billionaire and his wife is now being led by homicide detectives, police saysuggesting the deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman were either murder-suicide or a double murder. Police, who have described the deaths as "suspicious," revealed Sunday that the cause of death for both Shermans was "ligature neck compression," a form of strangulation, the CBC reports. Sources have told the media that the couple were found hanging near an indoor pool in the basement of their Toronto mansion. Police say they haven't found any sign of forced entry, or a note that could explain what happened to 75-year-old pharmaceutical tycoon Barry Sherman and his 70-year-old wife, both renowned philanthropists. The couple's four children have rejected what they say are "rumors" that the deaths are being investigated as a murder-suicide, and many of the influential couple's friends agree. "There is absolutely zero debate in my mind, this was a double homicide," says Canadian Sen. Linda Frum, a longtime friend of the couple, per the New York Times. The Globe and Mail reports that just days before the bodies were found, Honey Sherman was enthusiastically making plans for their annual trip to Florida, emailing friends that she would be traveling to the state on Dec. 18 and Barry Sherman would join her a week later. The couple also sent out invitations last week to a dinner party at their winter home in Palm Beach. (Read more Barry Sherman stories.) The US Border Patrol is having staffing issues, but Customs and Border Protection is hoping a $297 million deal with a private firm will get everything back on track. The Los Angeles Times reports on a government contract with Accenture, which has been tasked with "the full life cycle of the hiring process" for about 5,000 new Border Patrol agents, as well as 2,500 or so other government jobs. That hiring process includes recruiting efforts all the way up to formal job offers. The contract, which can extend for up to five years, will pay out nearly $43 million in its first year alone, per government records. It's being described as one of President Trump's largest outlay of funds yet for border protection. He signed an executive order shortly after being inaugurated calling for the CBP to up its agent count by 5,000 (it's nearly 2,000 agents short of what it's required to have, per Congress). Accenture, which will be supplementing the agency's internal hiring processes, beat out four other bidders for the contract, which some aren't so sure makes financial sense. "They're spending almost $40,000 per hire," says a Cato Institute policy analyst, who says "that seems like a pretty desperate move" and perhaps unnecessary, as illegal immigrant apprehensions are now at an all-time low. In a statement, CBP defends the contract, noting the total amount also includes startup costs for recruiting. It also argues it needs help with hiring, which has taken a hit recently due to "changing generational values, the statewide legalization of marijuana, and a growing distrust of law enforcement," among other reasons. (Read more government contracts stories.) Thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of people in China's far west have been spirited away without trial into secretive detention camps for alleged political crimes that range from having extremist thoughts to merely traveling or studying abroad, rights groups and academics estimate. The mass disappearances, beginning the past year, are part of a sweeping effort by Chinese authorities to use detentions and data-driven surveillance to impose a digital police state in the region of Xinjiang and over its Uighurs, a 10-million strong, Turkic-speaking Muslim minority that China says has been influenced by Islamic extremism. The government has referred to its detention program as "vocational training," but its main purpose appears to be indoctrination. Along with the detention camps, unprecedented levels of police blanket Xinjiang's streets. Cutting-edge digital surveillance systems track where Uighurs go, what they read, who they talk to, and what they say. And under an opaque system that treats practically all Uighurs as potential terror suspects, Uighurs who contact family abroad risk questioning or detention. Reporters with the AP visited the village home of an Uighur student who was taken away by police after returning to China from Egypt. "Yes, that's him," said his mother, tears streaming down her face, after being shown a photo of the young man. "This is the first time I've heard anything of him in seven months. What happened? Is he dead or alive?" (Read more Uighurs stories.) Sarah Palin's troubled eldest son is in an Alaska jail after his second domestic violence arrest in two years. Track Palin was arrested Saturday on a felony charge of burglary and misdemeanor charges of assault and mischief, KTUU reports. According to court records, all the charges against the 28-year-old, who was arraigned Sunday morning, involve domestic violence. The charges, which suggest Palin injured or attempted to injure somebody while committing burglary, appear to stem from an incident in Wasilla, Palin's hometown, the Los Angeles Times reports. Palin, who spent a year in Iraq while serving in the Army, was arrested last year after allegedly punching and kicking his girlfriend before threatening to shoot himself. The case was resolved under a plea deal in a special court for veterans, with Palin convicted of misconduct. "Given the nature of actions addressed last night by law enforcement and the charges involved, the Palins are unable to comment further," family attorney John Tiemessen said Sunday, per Reuters. "They ask that the familys privacy is respected during this challenging situation just as others dealing with a struggling family member would also request." (After the 2016 arrest, Sarah Palin suggested he was suffering from PTSD.) Sebastian Pinera's resounding victory in a presidential runoff election swings Chile back to the right and highlights the increasing number of conservative leaders who have won power in Latin America, the AP reports. With nearly all ballots counted, the billionaire former president won 54.6% of the votes Sunday to 45.4% for former journalist and center-left Sen. Alejandro Guillier. Analysts had predicted a much closer contest, feeling Guillier had gained ground, although there had not been any opinion polls since the election's first round in November. Pinera, who ran on a platform of boosting sluggish economic growth in the world's top copper producer, thanked his opponents and called for unity. The results prompted celebrations by Pinera's supporters across the country of 17 million people. Some people waved flags and held banners, while others beeped car horns and yelled out the last name of the 68-year-old former airline magnate, who was president from 2010 to 2014. Guillier, 64, had received the support of current President Michelle Bachelet, and had vowed to continue her plan to increase corporate taxes to partly finance an education overhaul, reform the constitution, and improve the pension and health care system. Pinera's triumph underscored the fractures in Bachelet's New Majority left-wing coalition and the rise of conservative leaders at the ballot box in recent years in other regional countries, including Argentina, Paraguay, and Peru. (Read more Chile stories.) Thousands in China turned out for the event, which had been publicized on social media four days prior. As people talked and smoked in the stadium in Lufeng in southern Guangdong province, the Guardian reports that 10 people were sentenced to death and then whisked away to be immediately executed. Seven had committed drug-related crimes; the rest had convictions related to murder and robbery. They were among a dozen people who were transported to the stadium in police vans whose sirens were activated, reports the South China Morning Post. The fates of two of the 12 were not given. It wasn't the first open-air sentencing hearing in Lufeng in recent days. The Morning Post reports five people were sentenced and immediately executed in 2015, and another wave of executions occurred after a public sentencing in June. The Guardian notes that while China is secretive about its execution tally, it is believed to put more people to death than the other 22 countries known to currently execute people combined, with 2016 seeing an estimated 2,000 executions in China. Amnesty International reports the US put 20 people to death in 2016, the lowest number since 1991. (This American's execution was started in November, then called off.) The death of a British diplomat in Beirut was not politically motivated but a criminal act, a police official tells the AP. The BBC reports a taxi driver has been arrested in the death of 30-year-old Rebecca Dykes, whose body was found Saturday alongside a highway in the Lebanese city. The official says the suspect, identified as "Tariq H," per the Guardian, has confessed to the crime; it's believed Dykes was sexually assaulted and strangled. The suspect was apprehended Monday using CCTV footage, which captured his license plate number. He reportedly picked Dykes up as she left a farewell party for a colleague in Beirut's Gemayze neighborhood Friday night. The AP notes the murder has rattled Lebanon, which rarely sees crimes of this nature, particularly ones involving foreigners. Indeed, the Telegraph's Beirut correspondent describes Beirut as a "very safe city" and says "everyone is incredibly shocked. ... It's a village city, a very tight-knit community, so when something happens to one person, it feels quite close." Dykes had been at the UK embassy in Beirut as a program and policy manager with the Department for International Development since January, and had been due to head home for Christmas. (Canada has been shaken by the deaths of a billionaire and his wife.) The Russian side's efforts are aimed at forcing the Ukrainian side into dialogue with representatives of illegal armed formations controlled by the Russian Federation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said. "All the Kremlin's actions are aimed at initiating negotiations with their puppets. But at the puppet theater, it is possible to speak with the puppeteers only. Perhaps, [The Adventures of] Pinocchio has turned to be Moscow's manual," Klimkin wrote on Twitter on Monday, December 18. As was previously reported, Russian officers from the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) earlier on Monday left the territory of the self-proclaimed republics in Donbas and went to the Ukrainian-controlled town of Soledar, planning to later depart for Russia. Earlier on that day, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Russian military at the JCCC were leaving Ukraine on December 19 because Kyiv had been impeding their work. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in turn said it was unhappy with Russia's unilateral decision to withdraw Russian military servicemen from the JCCC, saying it looked like an act of "provocation that considerable undermines the Minsk agreements and is an attempt to disclaim any responsibility as a party to the conflict for the consequences of armed aggression against our state." The JCCC's Ukrainian members will continue their work, but they will be relocated from the occupied areas in Donbas for security reasons. Two Americans busted out of a "notorious" Indonesian prison earlier this month, with one captured almost immediately. The second escapee, 32-year-old Chrishan Beasley (the BBC reports his name as Christian Beasley), evaded detection for nearly a week, but was finally caught Saturday on the island of Lombok, about 100 miles away from Bali's Kerobokan Prison, where he'd been imprisoned since an August drug charge, the New York Times reports. "We got him around 9:30pm in a street outside of a [budget hotel]," the local police chief says. Prison officials believe he escaped in the early hours of Dec. 11 by sawing through the steel bars over his cell, using a rope to descend one wall, then using a ladder left by a construction crew to climb over another wall on his escape route, the AP reports. The Washington Post notes the poor state of many Indonesian prisons, plagued by overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, staffing issues, drugs, and violence. Kerobokan, which is designed to hold 300 or so inmates, has at least 1,400. Because of the country's strict drug laws, prisons there are filled with drug offendersBeasley was in Kerobokan after being found at a Bali post office, allegedly with 5.7 grams of hash. Many prisoners decide it's better to attempt an escape than endure another day behind bars, leading to routine jailbreaks. "I've seen people get murdered in there. I've seen people get bashed. I've seen drug overdoses. One guy died in my arms from sickness," a former Kerobokan prisoner from New Zealand notes. A rep from the nation's law and human rights ministry says they're investigating whether prison guards played any role in Beasley's escape. (Read more Indonesia stories.) President Trump on Monday unveils his first blueprint for national security as president, and the Federalist reports that it will break from his predecessor's vision in at least one key way: Trump will drop climate change from the list of national security threats facing the nation. As the site notes, Trump as a candidate had mocked President Obama's decision to include climate change in his own National Security Strategy of 2015, and a draft statement suggests that Trump will shift thinking in the opposite direction. "US leadership is indispensable to countering an anti-growth energy agenda that is detrimental to US economic and energy security interests, the draft statement reads. It also states that "much of the developing world will require fossil fuels, as well as other forms of energy, to power their economies and lift their people out of poverty. Trump's national security strategy also will emphasize the threat posed by the "revisionist" powers of Russia and China, reports the New York Times. But while the strategy talks about confronting Beijing's growing economic clout around the world, it does not deal in detail with the cyber warfare that Moscow is accused of waging, notes the newspaper. The national security strategy will be "as much an economic document as a defense strategy," per USA Today. The newspaper notes that previous presidents have sometimes given the strategy document short shrift, but that Trump is signaling that he's "personally invested" in this one by deciding to unveil it himself in a speech. (Read more national security stories.) "Never in my life had I seen so many hungry children." And that comment from a pediatrician in Venezuela crystallizes a disturbing investigative piece by the New York Times on how the nation's economic collapse is taking a devastating toll on kids. The newspaper tracked 21 public hospitals over five months and found that record numbers of kids are dying of starvation. The government blocks information on such stats, but doctors who were interviewed provided a sense of how the plight of children in the once-prosperous oil nation resembles that of kids in refugee camps. Doctors at just nine of the hospitals saw about 2,800 cases of child malnutrition last year, resulting in about 400 deaths. Across the nation, emergency rooms are overwhelmed by youngsters in similar straits, many of them babies who are too far gone to be saved. The few stats that have dribbled out from the government also convey the problem. The mortality rate for children under 4 weeks old increased a hundredfold, from 0.02% in 2012 to more than 2% in 2015. And the Health Ministry website said that 11,446 kids under the age of 1 died in 2016, up 30% over the previous year. The latter stat drew international headlines before the government removed it and claimed the site had been hacked. The story recounts how infant formula is almost impossible to find, even in hospitals, and is too expensive when it does surface. It tells of desperate parents digging through restaurant dumpsters and of boys who join gangs on the violent streets because they feel they have a better chance of getting food that way than if they stay home. Read the full story, which includes haunting photographs. (Read more Venezuela stories.) "What we witnessed here in the Security Council is an insult. It won't be forgotten." Such was US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley's assessment after the US on Monday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding the US reverse its Dec. 6 decision on Jerusalem. The Egyptian-drafted one-page resolution did not include the words "United States" or "President Trump," reports Reuters, but the target was clear. The resolution described "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem" and stated "any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council." Those aforementioned resolutions date to 1967. The Security Council's view is that Israel does not have sovereignty over Jerusalem, and that Israel and the Palestinians must come to terms via direct negotiations on their respective claims to it. It also asserted that countries' diplomatic missions should be located in places other than Jerusalem. The 14 other Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution, making for a tally that the New York Times describes as "punctuat[ing] the American isolation over a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." In explaining the United States' veto, Haley said the vote was cast with "no joy, but ... no reluctance." The AP notes this outcome was expected, but that the Arab countries who supported the resolution wanted to hold the vote to make clear that even US allies like Britain and France oppose Trump's move. (Read more Jerusalem stories.) Last week Matthew Petersen was on his way to becoming a judge on the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Then Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse tweeted a video of Petersen at his Judiciary Committee hearing failing to answer a series of basic legal questions from Republican Sen. John Kennedy, and suddenly the wheels came off. That video went viral, collecting more than 8.3 million views, and on Monday Petersen withdrew his name from consideration, the Washington Post reports. In a letter sent to the president, Petersen wrote that his nomination had become a "distraction." "I had hoped that my nearly two decades of public service might carry more weight than my two worst minutes on television," he wrote. As late as Friday, the White House was still supporting Petersen's nomination, saying opponents of the president's were "trying to distract from the record-setting success the President has had on judicial nominations." But over the weekend, Kennedy said Trump called him and told him to do his job as he saw fit, Politico reports. "[The president] said, 'Kennedy, when some of my guys send somebody over who's not qualified, you do your job,'" Kennedy said. "And I said, 'Thank you, Mr. President.' And I intend to do that." Kennedy also called Petersen a "really smart" and "decent guy" but said he was simply unqualified for the position. "He has no litigation experience. And my job on the Judiciary Committee is to catch him," he said. "I would strongly suggest he not give up his day job." (Read more judicial nominations stories.) The police chief of Charlottesville, Va., abruptly retired today, four months after a rally held by white nationalists in the city turned deadly and two weeks after a city-commissioned review slammed the police department for its response. Alfred Thomas had served as chief of police since May 23, 2016, CBS reports. "Nothing in my career has brought me more pride than serving as the Police Chief for the City of Charlottesville," said Thomas. "I will be forever grateful for having had the opportunity to protect and serve a community I love so dearly." City Manager Maurice Jones will appoint an interim police chief within a week. In the report released Dec. 1, Thomas was sharply criticized for his role in the Aug. 12 rally that led to the death of a counter-protestor, Heather Heyer, the Washington Post reports. Several officers told the review board that Thomas told them to take a hands-off approach to the violent confrontations that erupted that day, saying, Let them fight for a little. It will make it easier to declare an unlawful assembly. In addition, Charlottesville officers weren't properly trained and many didn't even know how to use the riot gear they were given that day. Thomas' retirement comes three days after Heyer's alleged killer, Nazi sympathizer James Fields, learned that he will be facing first-degree murder charges. (Read more Charlottesville, Va. stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Number of wounded people in Grad attack on Novoluhanske grows to eight people The number of wounded people after an attack on the Ukrainian-controlled village of Luhanske in Donetsk region with the use of Grad multiple rocket launchers has increased to eight, the media liaison office of Donetsk region's police has said. "Eight people have been wounded as a result of the attack, 22 houses have been damaged," the police said on Monday evening. The wounded people were rushed to hospital. Pavlo Zhebrivsky, the head of the Donetsk regional military and civil administration, in turn confirmed in an update that eight people had been wounded. "As of 20:15 local time, there had been eight victims: one is in hospital in Bakhmut, the other are [receiving medical treatment] in Svitlodarsk," he wrote. As Interfax-Ukraine reported earlier, the incident happened on Monday evening. "At about 17:00 on December 18, the Russian occupation forces deployed in the town of Horlivka launched a barbaric, cynical attack from multiple rocket launcher systems on the village of Novoluhanske, which is in the ATO's Luhansk sector. Unfortunately, there are casualties among civilians and the destruction of residential buildings in Novoluhanske. Information about the number of victims and the degree of the destruction is being verified," the ATO HQ wrote on Facebook on Monday evening. New Delhi: The counting of votes for 182 assembly seats in Gujarat is underway. The 'battle of Gujarat' between Congress and BJP will come to an end later in the evening and it shall be clear as to which party has the numbers to form the government in the state. As per the early trends exhibited by News Nation, the BJP holds the slender advantage over its arch rival Congress, leading in its traditional strong vote bases of North and Central Gujarat. However it is a neck to neck fight btw the two rivals in Saurashtra and Kutch regions.Congress looks to have made significant inroads into the BJP pie in the rural ares of Gujarat. Will people of Gujarat break up with Modi and end the 22-year-old relationship with BJP? Or Will they take Prime Minister a step closer to achieve his "Congress Mukta bharat" dream? News Nation brings you all the live action and updates on Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 results here: # 9:25 PM: Results declared for all the 182 seats - BJP wins 99 seats, Congress wins 77, 1 seat won by NCP. Bhartiya Tribal Party and Independent wins 2 and 3 seats respectively. # 6: 40 PM: 30 years back, poison of caste was spread so badly in Gujarat that it took workers like me 30 years to get rid of it. In last few months there were attempts again to sow seeds of casteism, but people rejected it,I congratulate them, but ppl must be alert # 6:39 PM: After 2014, there is hunger for development. Even if you do not like BJP, do not try to derail the progress being made towards development # 6: 38 PM: For me, Gujarat polls are a matter of double joy. I am so happy that after I left the state, my colleagues there continued the good work. # 6:38 PM: BJP won all the seats it contested in 1989 Lok Sabha polls. We won most of the seats we contested in 1990. In 1995, in 1998, in 2002, in 2007 and in 2012 we won. We won most seats in Lok Sabha polls too. # 6:38 PM: Elections results have proven that the country is ready for reform and is looking towards things that perform in a positive way and believes in transformation # 6:37 PM: For me Gujarat win is a reason for double happiness. So many conspiracies were hatched in Gujarat by Congress, misinformation was being spread. People cannot bear if anyone makes fun of 'vikas' # 6:36 PM: Continuous win is a study for election experts. They see it like an accident. Gujarat is an exception. We are winning from last 30 years. # 6:35 PM: Country is for ready for reform # 6: 34 PM: I thank people Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh # PM Modi addresses at BJP Delhi headquarters # BJP President Amit Shah felicitate PM Narendra Modi at BJP HQ in Delhi as party celebrates Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh win # Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at BJP HQ in Delhi, received by BJP President Amit Shah # BJP gets majority in Gujarat, says Election Commission tally # BJP's win in Gujarat a moral defeat for the party. It is face-saving wing, says West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour. It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 18, 2017 # Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweets, "My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congresss greatest strength is its decency and courage." My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congresss greatest strength is its decency and courage. Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 # 4: 32 pm: We are confident that when we go into 2019 elections under the leadership of PM Modi we will once again get people's support. # 4:32 pm: This is a victory of development over dynasty and polarisation. # 4:31 pm: Congress big names lost their seats in Gujarat. # 4:30 pm: I offer heartfelt gratitude to the people of Gujarat and Hiamchal Pradesh that they gave us anther opportunity to serve them. # 4:30 pm: We have once again emerged triumphant. # BJP Chief addresses Press Conference GUJARAT ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 | FULL COVERAGE HIMCHAL PRADESH ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 | FULL COVERAGE # 3:20 PM Latest trends: BJP at 98, Congress+ at 81, NCP at 1 and others 1 #GujaratResults # 3:15 PM There has been tampering in EVMs in Surat,Rajkot and Ahmedabad, hence the gap is very less wherever tampering happened. EVMs are hackable: Hardik Patel # 03:00 PM "I express my gratitude to the people of Vadgam for all their support. Now I will raise the voice of Gujarat's discriminated sections in the assembly," says #JigneshMevani who is leading by 19696 votes from Vadgam #ElectionResults # 12:15 PM Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani wins from Vadgam constituency # 12:00 PM Congress's Arjun Modhwadiya loses from Porbandar to BJP's Babubhai Bokhiriya by 1855 votes # 11:22 AM EC Official trends: BJP leading on 101 seats, Congress on 74, Bhartiya Tribal Party on 2, NCP on 1 & Independent candidates on 3 seats. #GujaratElection2017 #GujaratVerdict #11:20 AM Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani wins from Rajkot West # 11:15 AM Party workers celebrate at party HQ, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh Delhi: Party workers celebrate at party HQ, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh #GujaratVerdict #HimachalPradeshElections2017 pic.twitter.com/BDJxPcB6hN ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 11:05 AM Gujarat Verdict Independent candidate Jignesh Mevani leading by 10785 in Vadgam "Will form Government in both Himachal and Gujarat with clear majority" says Home Minister Rajnath Singh #HimachalPradeshElections2017 #GujaratVerdict pic.twitter.com/TZymBvklV7 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in the Parliament, flashes victory sign. #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/X508VBydeW ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #10:46 AM BJP gains sizeable lead as per trends, ahead in 107 seats #10:40 AM EC Official Trends for #GujaratElection2017: BJP ahead on 98 seats, Congress leading on 70. #10:37 AM BJPs Rakesh Shah wins by 70,000 votes from Ahmedabad Ultimately BJP is going to register victory, contrary to early trends BJP is leading almost everywhere now: BJP's Nitinbhai Patel who is presently trailing by over 2000 votes from Mahesana #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/PD2kSP8zNf ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 10:03 AM "The mood of the people of Gujarat will lead Congress to victory, can't comment much on initial trends; let the final results come" says state party in-charge Ashok Gehlot as counting continues "The mood of the people of Gujarat will lead Congress to victory, can't comment much on initial trends; let the final results come" says state party in-charge Ashok Gehlot as counting continues #GujaratVerdict pic.twitter.com/fGcQKkpOP9 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 9:45 AM Sensex Sinks 850 Points As Early Leads Indicate Close Fight Between BJP, Congress In Gujarat # 9:40 AM EC Official Trends for #GujaratElection2017: BJP leading on 56 seats, Congress ahead on 50. NCP & Bhartiya Tribal Party also enter the fray with lead on 1 seat each. #9:25 AM Neck to neck fight btw the BJP and Cong, both parties lead in 86 leads #9:12 AM Election Commision early trends shows BJP leading in 10, Congress in 13 #9:07 AM Election Commision early trends shows BJP leading in 17, Congress in 18 #9:00 AM Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani trails from Gujarat West #8:58 AM Congress recovers some lost ground, leading in 70 seats (as per trends) #8:54 AM BJP attains majority mark in early trends, ahead in 92 seats EC Official Trends for #GujaratElection2017: BJP leading on 2 seats, Porbandar & Bhavnagar East; Congress also leading on 2 seats, Mandvi & Nadiad. ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #BJP crosses the 90 seat mark in early trends, looks good to claim majority #GujaratElection2017 Counting of votes continues in the state, visuals from a counting center in Kheda pic.twitter.com/nN3Y23B3Ur #8:40 AM BJP leads in 82 of the 134 seats #8:40 AM Guj Dy CM Nitin Patel trails from Mahesana #8:35 AM Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani leading from Gujarat West #8:32 AM BJP surges ahead in early trends, leads in 62 seats out of 98 seats #8:30 AM BJP leads in 50 seats in early trends Questions being raised about EVMs have already been answered by us in the media. VVPATs were there in every polling stations in Gujarat, which enabled voters to see whom they voted for, so issues being raised aren't right. I assure that EVMS cannot be tampered with: CEC, AK Joti pic.twitter.com/PzZU1hgh4u ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #8:06 AM Tight security arrangements have been made, police personnel adequately stationed across the region, says Surat police commissioner Satish Kumar Sharma #8:05 AM Officials at counting centre set up in Ahmedabad's Gujarat College open ballot boxes as counting of votes begins #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/Jq6NJRkZVc ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #8:00 AM Counting of votes for 182 assembly seats in high stake Gujarat begins #7:50 AM Supporters perform 'Hawan' outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence in #Delhi ahead of counting of votes, set to begin shortly #GujaratElection2017 #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/rv5bfsiIa2 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #7:45 AM #GujaratElection2017 Counting of votes for all the 182 assembly seats of the state to begin at 8 AM, Visuals from a counting center in #Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/GAqY4QlfSC ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #7:30 AM #Visuals from BJP Office in #Gandhinagar ahead of counting of votes for all 182 assembly seats in the state, to begin at 8 AM #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/3zhoX0ubgY ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #7:10 AM Surat: Outside visuals of counting centre set up at Surat's Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology. Counting of votes to begin at 8 am. #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/SYCkmWVwO8 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #6:15 AM Welcome to Congress workers monitoring strong rooms where EVMs, VVPATs are kept, ahead of the counting of votes. (Yesterday Visuals) #Junagadh: Congress workers monitoring strong rooms where EVMs, VVPATs are kept, ahead of the counting of votes tomorrow #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/NGvaYfmymp ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2017 #6:00 AM Hello and welcome to the News Nation live coverage of Gujarat Assembly election 2017 results. The counting of votes for the high stake Gujarat assembly will begin at 8 AM. Early trends will start coming from 8:15 AM. On Wednesday, December 20, at 11.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference, entitled "Government and Entrepreneurship: Dialogue or Confrontation." Participants include a member of the Committee of Entrepreneurs of Ukraine, Vasyl Savenko, a representative of the initiative for liberal tax reform B2F - Business to Future, Lina Klebanova, and the coordinator of the Business Help initiative, Oksana Zgureva (8/5a Reitarska Street). Accreditation of journalists is required by phone: (066) 710 6707. New Delhi: As BJP crossed the halfway mark in early trends projected by Election Commission in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, a wave of saffron joy engulfed the party headquarters in different parts of the country. The emotions on the faces of party workers exhibited a sense of victory as they thronged the streets dancing on loud music, chanting Modi-Modi and waving saffron flag. The Dhoklas, Khakhras and other Gujarati snacks were distributed in BJP office in Madhya Pradesh. MP CM Shivraj Singh also joined celebrations. On the other hand, Congress office in Ahmedabad had a deserted look after trends started indicating a clear BJP victory in Modis home state. #Visuals from Congress office in #Ahmedabad as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh #GujaratVerdict pic.twitter.com/VmAe1hHRbI ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 Scores of BJP workers wearing saffron caps reached party headquarters in Delhi, and the lotus flag seemed to be in full blooms. Similar scenes were seen in Himachal Pradesh after BJP crossed halfway mark and looked well set to return to power. In Shimla, ecstatic BJP workers burst fire crackers and distributed sweets outside party office. #HimachalPradeshElections2017: Pradesh: Workers celebrate at party office in Shimla as trends indicate BJP's victory in the state. pic.twitter.com/0SlktZd6J1 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 PM Modi, who reached Parliament ahead of winter session flashed victory sign as he came out of his car. According to the Election Commission Official trends, BJP was leading on 101 seats while Congress was ahead on 74 seats in Gujarat. In Himachal, the Bhartiya Janta Party was leading in 45 seats while Congress was up in only 20 seats. The only setback for BJP in Himachal Pradesh was its CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal who lost his seat from Sujanpur to Congress candidate Rajinder Rana. Also Read | Gujarat election results 2017 LIVE updates: BJP set to retain saffron bastion, Dalit leader Mewani wins Vadgam seat Ahmedabad: Several Congress heavyweights fell by the wayside in the Gujarat Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Monday. The leaders who bit the dust include Arjun Modhwadia, Shaktisinh Gohil, Siddharth Patel and Tushar Chaudhary. Modhwadia, who was the leader of opposition in the state Assembly between 2004 and 2007, was defeated by senior BJP leader Babubhai Bokhiriya by a margin of 1,855 votes in Porbandar constituency. While Bokhirya polled 72,430 votes, Modhwadia got 70,575. Gohil lost the Mandvi constituency to BJP's Virendrasinh Jadeja, who won by a comfortable margin of over 9,000 votes. Gohil is the national spokesperson of the Congress party. In the past he had served as the minister of finance, health, education, and Narmada in two consecutive Congress-led governments in Gujarat. He was the leader of opposition in the state Assembly from 2007 to 2012. In the 2012 assembly elections, he was defeated in Bhavnagar (rural) seat, but won Abdasa in the 2014 by-poll. Siddharth Patel, the son of former Congress chief minister Chimanbhai Patel, lost to BJP's Shailesh Mehta, who contested for the first time from Dabhoi constituency. Also Read| Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Election Results 2017: J-K BJP celebrates Gujarat and HP poll victory Patel, who was appointed as the party's campaign committee head for this year's Assembly elections, had also lost in the 2012 state polls. Tushar Chaudhary, the son of tribal leader and former Congress chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary, lost to BJP's Mohanbhai Dodiya at Mahuva in Surat district by over 6,000 votes. Also Read| Gujarat Election Results 2017: BJP retains power in Gujarat; Congress improves tally He was an MP in the 15th Lok Sabha from Bardoli constituency and a minister in the UPA government. New Delhi: The people's verdict for the Gujarat and Himachal Assembly elections is out and the BJP came out victorious with a thumping majority in both these states. The BJP won a staggering 99 of the 182 assembly seats romping home to power in convincing fashion. The party also secured a landslide victory in Himachal Pradesh winning 44 of the 68 Assembly seats. The Gujaratis have once again restored confidence in the ruling BJP, voting them back to power for the sixth consecutive time. The Saffron party thereby held on to its political fortress, which has been with them for over two decades. Poll trends which emerged early morning indicated a neck to neck fight between BJP and the Congress but as the projections become clearer through the day, BJP surged ahead and crossed the majority mark of 92 seats with relative ease. Touted as a battle of prestige between PM Narendra Modi and newly elected president Rahul Gandhi, the former has drawn first blood with the BJP retaining its political bastion. Congress would draw consolation from their performances in the region of Saurashtra and Kutch where they gained a significant chunk of the BJP's pie. Meanwhile BJP held onto their strong vote base of Central and Northern Gujarat despite a growing resentment against PM Modi's economic reforms namely GST and demonetization, which looked to tilt the tide towards the Congress's side. The on-ground chemistry between Congress and Patidar leader Hardik Patel dint reap many benefits to counter the Modi juggernaut which still casts a spell around the electorate in Gujarat. The fourteen questions posed by Rahul Gandhi to Modi highlighting the so called 'negligent BJP governance' on serious issues like rising unemployment, dismal farmers state and insecurity among the Dalits were left to mere speeches but did not translate into garnering seats for his party. Gujarat election results 2017 | HIGHLIGHTS There have been major breakthroughs in the political landscape with young turks - Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani and Congress leader Alpesh Thakur securing thumping wins from their resp. assembly seats. So a new horizon into the political landscape cannot be completely ruled out. All the big BJP stalwarts held onto their assembly seats. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani won his Rajkot West seat while Gujarat Deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel clinched the Mahesana assembly seat. Himachal Pradesh election results | HIGHLIGHTS Meanwhile some of the big guns like Congress Arjunbhai Devabhai Modhvadiya saw the eye of defeat. HIMACHAL PRADESH POLLS The anti-incumbency against the ruling Congress paid dearly for the Grand Old Party as BJP romped home to power in the hill state. BJP scripted a landslide victory winning 44 of the 68 Assembly seats. However there was a major casualty to BJP as its CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost the Sujanpur seat by over 3000 votes. HIMCHAL PRADESH ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 | FULL COVERAGE So in a nutshell if one were to analyse the Assembly poll results, did the Modi wave overcome the on ground realities prevailing in the poll bound states or did the Congress not have a strong enough narrative to rally the people behind them. Many debates around the same shall hog the limelight over the course in the next week or so. New Delhi: The BJP wrested power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh with a close to two-thirds majority on Monday. The saffron party bagged 44 seats, falling short of a two-thirds majority by two seats in the 68-member house. The BJP, which had won 26 seats in 2012, recorded a 10 per cent jump in vote share that touched 48.7 per cent. The Congress bagged 210 seats. The ruling party had 36 seats earlier, and its vote share declined by 1 percentage point to 41.8 per cent. The CPI-M and an independent bagged one each. An independent was also leading in one seat. Amid the victories, there was some disappointment for the BJP, Prem Kumar Dhumal, the party's chief ministerial candidate in the hill state, lost to Congress' Rajinder Rana in Sujanpur, after he changed his traditional constituency of Hamirpur. He was made the CM face only nine days before the polling. In a tweet, Gandhi said his party "accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states." He thanked his party members for fighting "anger with dignity." Also Read| Congress tried to sow seeds of casteism in Gujarat: Modi to workers "We have set a record in the history of the BJP by winning consecutive assembly polls... Anti-incumbency is not working there. The prime minister's popularity is intact. Amit Shah's strategy has worked," BJP vice president Shyam Jaju said. Also Read| Assembly Election Results 2017: PM Modi wins Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh for BJP As the victories became clear, party workers gathered in the streets and headquarters, distributing sweets and bursting firecrackers. New Delhi: The BJP is ahead in 36 seats while the ruling Congress is leading in 21 in Himachal Pradesh, according to early Election Commission trends two hours after counting of votes in the Assembly polls. Congress veteran and six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his son Vikramaditya Singh are leading from Arki and Shimla(Rural) respectively, according to early trends available for 60 of the 68 seats. Independents are leading in two constituencies while the CPI(M) is ahead in one. Main rivals BJP and Congress contested all the 68 seats at stake. The hill state witnessed a record 75.28 per cent turnout. The Congress and the BJP had 36 and 26 seats respectively in the outgoing House. Himachal Pradesh has a tradition of change in government after every elections and going by the trend, this time it appears to be the turn of the BJP which is upbeat after the exit polls predicted a victory for the saffron party. GUJARAT ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 | FULL COVERAGE HIMCHAL PRADESH ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 | FULL COVERAGE News Nation brings you all the live action and updates on Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 results here: # PM Modi asks BJP workers to raise slogans, 'Jeetega bhai jeetega, Vikas hi jeetega' # After 2014, there is hunger for development. Even if you do not like BJP, do not try to derail the progress being made towards development # Recent elections results have proven that the country is ready for reform, is looking towards things that perform in a positive way and believes in transformation # 6:37 PM: Himachal Pradesh results prove if you are involved in wrong deeds, if your priority is wrong work, after five years people will not accept you. People of Himachal Pradesh voted for development # 6:35 PM: The country is ready for reform # I thank people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh # 6:34 PM: PM Modi addresses BJP Headquarters # BJP President Amit Shah felicitate PM Narendra Modi at BJP HQ in Delhi as party celebrates Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh win # 6:22 PM: Congress leader and Himachal Pradesh's outgoing chief minister Virbhadra Singh won the Arki Assembly seat. # 4:42 PM: The party secured around 10 percent rise in the vote share. # 4: 42 PM: 2/3rd lead in Himachal Pradesh shows that people want to join PM Modi in the journey to development. # 4: 32 PM: We are confident that when we go into 2019 elections under the leadership of PM Modi we will once again get people's support. # 4:32 PM: This is a victory of development over dynasty and polarisation. # 4:30 PM: I offer heartfelt gratitude to the people of Gujarat and Hiamchal Pradesh that they gave us anther opportunity to serve them. # 4:30 PM: We have once again emerged triumphant. # BJP Chief addresses Press Conference # 3:35 PM BJP President Amit Shah arrives at party HQ as workers celebrate party's lead in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh AMIT SHAH LIVE HERE # 3:31 PM "I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly," PM tweeted. I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 # 3:30 PM "Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories," PM Modi tweeted. # 3:00 PM "It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development," says Union Minister Smriti Irani, on a question about Congress giving a tough fight she said, "jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work & the people who trusted development" # 2:40 PM J&K: BJP workers celebrate in Jammu #GujaratVerdict #HimachalPradesh Elections # 2:30 PM As BJP set to win Gujarat, HP, party workers set off celebrations # 2:00 PM EVMs cannot be tampered with, even in the future. I am very clear about this. During my time, BJP had raised doubts on EVM so we had also held a demonstration like earlier this year for all to come and try rig it" says Naveen Chawla, former CEC # 1:45 PM Delhi: Union Minister Rajnath Singh flashes victory sign outside Parliament as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh # 1:30 PM Undoubtedly, a major victory. The kind of work which Party workers have done right from booth workers level till PM's level, everybody put their best foot forward and both #Gujarat & #HimachalPradesh have recognised the good work going on in the name of development: N Sitharaman # 1:00 PM Latest official EC trends: BJP at 43, Congress at 21, CPI-M at 1 and Independent-1 # 12: 30 PM People have rejected divisive politics of Congress, this win is due to the dynamic leadership of BJP and the hard work of BJP workers: Yogi Adityanath,UP CM on Election Results # 12:05 PM A big set back for BJP as its Chief Ministerial candidate Prem kumar Dhumal loses from Sujanpur seat by over 3000 votes. He was defeated by Congress's Rajindra Rana. BJP won/ahead in 42 seats. # 11:45 AM Scene at BJP Headquarter in #Delhi as trends indicate party's victory in both #Himachal and #Gujarat # 11:30 AM Workers celebrate at party office in Shimla as trends indicate BJP's victory in the state. #HimachalPradeshElections2017: Pradesh: Workers celebrate at party office in Shimla as trends indicate BJP's victory in the state. pic.twitter.com/0SlktZd6J1 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 11:15 AM BJP celebrates at party office in Bhopal as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh # 11:00 AM Delhi: Party workers celebrate at party HQ, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh Delhi: Party workers celebrate at party HQ, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh #GujaratVerdict #HimachalPradeshElections2017 pic.twitter.com/BDJxPcB6hN ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 10:48 AM Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in the Parliament, flashes victory sign. #WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flashes victory sign as he arrives at the Parliament. #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/Q4PRNjMpoK ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 10:40 AM "Will form Government in both Himachal and Gujarat with clear majority" says Home Minister Rajnath Singh # 10:25 AM "I am sure in the end Congress will be victorious and form Government in the state" says Vikramaditya Singh, contesting from Shimla Rural #HimachalPradeshElections LIVE: BJP crosses majority mark, ahead in 40 seats, BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal trailing by 1709 votes from Sujanpur https://t.co/MmgPNveghK #ResultsWithNewsNation pic.twitter.com/EAIgNr4t93 News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 18, 2017 # 10:20 AM BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal trailing by 1709 votes from Sujanpur. # 10:02 AM Congress candidate Paresh Dhanani leading from Amreli. BJP ahead in 40 seats, Congress up in 24. # 10:00 AM EC Official trends for #HimachalPradeshElections2017: BJP leading on 38, Congress ahead on 22, Others- 5. EC Offical trends for #HimachalPradeshElections2017: BJP leading on 38, Congress ahead on 22, Others- 5. ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 9:58 AM EC Offical trends for Himachal Pradesh Elections 2017: Virbhadra Singh leading by 1162 votes in Arki # 9:52 AM Shocker for BJP as its CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal is trailing from Sujanpur even the party ahead in 41 seats. Congress leading in 25 seats, others in 2. # 9:45 AM According to initial trends, the current tally for BJP and Congress now stands at 41-25, Other ahead in 2 seats. # 9:40 AM Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya leading by 1316 votes in Shimla Rural. # 9:30 AM EC Official Trends for Himachal Pradesh Elections: BJP now leading on 35 seats, Congress on 16, Others 3 EC Official Trends for #HimachalPradeshElections: BJP now leading on 35 seats, Congress on 16, Others 3 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 9:20 AM As Congress leading in BJP bastion Gujarat, Sensex down by 600.51 points, currently at 32,862.46. Nifty at 10,134.35 # BJP takes a massive lead in Gujarat. Ahead in 35 seats. Congress leading in 18 seats, others in 1. # 9:17 AM EC Official Trends for Himachal Pradesh Elections: BJP now leading on 20 seats, Congress on 9, Others 2 # 9:14 AM BJP leading in 19 seats where Congress is ahead in 11 seats. Others also leading in 2 states. # 9:10 AM Uttar Pradesh Supporters perform 'Havan' in #Varanasi as counting of votes continues for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly election #UttarPradesh Supporters perform 'Havan' in #Varanasi as counting of votes continues for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections pic.twitter.com/V5yOEgOo71 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 18, 2017 # 9:02 AM EC Official Trends for Himachal Pradesh Elections: BJP leading on 11 seats, Congress leading on 4, Others 1 EC Official Trends for #HimachalPradeshElections: BJP leading on 11 seats, Congress leading on 4, Others 1 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 8:58 AM Congress gearing up. Narrows the gap. Leading on 10 seats as compared to BJP's 14. Others also ahed in 2 seats. # 8:50 AM Others also show up. Leading on two seats. Tally for BJP, Congress stands at 14-6. # 8:43 AM EVMs opened at a counting centre in Shimla's Kasumpati as counting of votes continues EVMs opened at a counting centre in Shimla's Kasumpati as counting of votes continues #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/rsid3L2xgd ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 8:40 AM BJP continues to lead in 12 seats, Congress in 5. # 8:34 AM Postal votes counting underway, BJP now leading in 12 seats. Congress ahead in 4. # 8:32 AM BJP streching the lead in early trends. Tally for BJP and Congress now goes to 10-4. # 8:31 AM Counting of postal ballots underway; visuals from a counting center in #Shimla's Kasumpti #HimachalPradeshElections Counting of postal ballots underway; visuals from a counting center in #Shimla's Kasumpti #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/jkFIi3Gtmq ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # "All arrangements have been made in Gujarat by Chief Electoral officer of the state, at all places in counting halls for the state assembly elections" says Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti. # 8:30 AM "I assure you that there can be no tampering with the EVMs" says Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti. # 8:20 AM BJP has taken lead now. Tally for BJP and Congress stands 2-1. # 8:10 AM Initial trends give both Congress and BJP lead on each seat. Tally for BJP, Congress currently stands at 1-1 each. # 8:00 AM Counting of votes begins for Himachal Pradesh assembly elections 2017. # 7:30 AM Supporters perform 'Hawan' outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence in Delhi ahead of counting of votes, set to begin shortly. Supporters perform 'Hawan' outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence in #Delhi ahead of counting of votes, set to begin shortly #GujaratElection2017 #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/rv5bfsiIa2 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 # 7:15 AM Interestingly, more women cast their vote in the Himachal polls that men. As many as 19,10,582 female voters exercised their franchise, according to official figures, while there were 18,11,061 male voters. However, the number of male voters was 74,200 more than females, reports news agency PTI. # 7:00 AM Visuals from counting centres set up in Shimla & Hamirpur Visuals from counting centres set up in Shimla & Hamirpur #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/Z0aSdjTUKp ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 #6:00 AM Hello and welcome to the News Nation live coverage of Himachal Pradesh election 2017 results. The counting of votes for the hill state of Himachal Pradesh will begin at 8 AM. Early trends will start coming from 8:15 AM. New Delhi: Days after UIDAI action against Bharti Airtel, state-owned oil companies have started writing to the Sunil Mittal-led firm, asking it to transfer back the LPG subsidy that was credited to its payments bank accounts. The countrys largest mobile operator has been accused of opening Payments Bank account of its subscribers without seeking their informed consent. Bharti Airtel, which also operates this new category of banks, has been allegedly using Aadhaar numbers of mobile subscribers to open their accounts, which led the subsidy to flow to the latest bank account linked to the biometric ID. The subsidy that government pays to households for buying the cooking gas has got credited to these payments bank accounts, leading to inconvenience to users many of whom did not know that their entitlement was not coming to their regular bank account but going an account which they had not applied for. Taking a lead, Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) has written to Airtel asking it to revert the subsidy to the customers earlier bank account or transfer the same to the oil companies. In a statement, HPCL said oil marketing companies and the oil ministry have been getting a large number of complaints from LPG consumers on not receiving LPG subsidy amounts into their earlier bank accounts for the past few weeks. In many cases across the three oil marketing companies (Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd and HPCL) where the Aadhaar linking of LPG consumers has got changed in the NPCI mapper to Airtel Payments Bank and hence the LPG subsidy is getting sent to the new bank account in the Airtel Payments Bank, it said. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organisation for all retail payments in India. HPCL has written to Airtel Bank and requested that the subsidy amounts of these consumers be immediately either transferred back to the customers earlier bank account or to the respective OMCs, the statement said. Over Rs 167.7 crore LPG subsidy of 37.21 lakh LPG consumers has so far been deposited in Airtel Payments Bank accounts. National biometric ID issuing authority UIDAI had on Saturday temporarily barred Airtel from using Aadhaar to authenticate mobile phone connections and opening new payment bank accounts. In order to check diversions, the government pays subsidy equivalent to buying 12 LPG cylinders of 14.2 kg each in a year, directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. Unlike in the past, LPG now is only available at market price. Beneficiaries get subsidy for one cylinder in advance and are replenished the moment they use it up to buying LPG refill. According to senior government official, of the Rs 167.72 crore, Rs 88.18 crore of subsidy was transferred of 17.32 lakh consumers enrolled with Indian Oil Corp (IOC). Just over Rs 40 crore subsidy belonged to 10.06 lakh consumers enrolled with HPCL and Rs 39.46 crore to 9.8 lakh consumers of Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL). The UIDAI, in an interim order late last week, suspended the eKYC licence key of both Airtel Payments Bank and Airtel, which has 285 million subscribers. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Bengaluru: To attract IT and electronics sector for investment in Uttar Pradesh during UP Investors Summit 2018, scheduled to be held on 21st and 22nd February, UP Government on Monday organised a roadshow in Bengaluru.A Uttar Pradesh Industries Development Minister Satish Mahana and six senior bureaucrats held meetings with many investors and business persons in Bengaluru.A Uttar Pradesh has two big IT hubs at Noida and Greater Noida with more than 25 special economic zones and software technology parks but Uttar Pradesh's BJP government now wants to foster growth in cities like Kanpur, Meerut, Agra, and Bundelkhand region. In an exclusive interview with News Nation, Satish Mahana said, "We want to develop entire state and will provide all the facilities to the companies who will invest in Uttar Pradesh.a Uttar Pradesh Government has announced that all the IT/ITe companies will be provided land at subsidised rates, stamp duty exemption, electricity duty exemption coupled with EPF incentives, added Mahana. New Delhi: A prostitution racket were busted by Hyderabad police on Sunday where in two women, aspiring to be actors were also trapped. The Hyderabad police arrested two men under sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA). Police raided two different five star hotels on Sunday and rescued the two women one of who belongs to the Mumbai film industry and the other a Bengali TV serial actor. According to Task Force (North Zone) Inspector K Nageshwar Rao, police raided two hotels in Panjagutta and Banjara Hills last night and apprehended Monish K and Venkatesh, the alleged organisers of this racket. He said that the two women, one from Mumbai and the other from Kolkata, rescued are actors. The two men have been booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA)and further investigations were underway, the official said. Rs 55,000 cash , three cell phones and a car were also recovered from the accused. The police discovered that the brokers were operating via online and booking rooms from behind the scenes. Amravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday congratulated the BJP over its victory in the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Chandrababu, who is currently holidaying in Maldives with family, tweeted: "Congratulations @BJP4India on winning the elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Wishing them all the best for their forthcoming tenure in governance." Congratulations @BJP4India on winning the elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Wishing them all the best for their forthcoming tenure in governance. a N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) December 18, 2017 The Telugu Desam Party and the BJP are allies, both at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh. TDP spokesperson Y V B Rajendra Prasad also congratulated the BJP over the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh victory. Meanwhile, BJP cadres, led by MLC Somu Veerraju, organised celebrations at the state party office here. They danced to drum beats and distributed sweets. "Taking the Gujarat victory as an inspiration, we will build our strength in AP as well and emerge as a strong force," Veerraju said. The BJP won the Gujarat assembly polls for a record sixth straight victory on Monday. The party got majority in Himachal Pradesh as it won 35 seats and was leading in nine in 68-member Assembly, as per the Election Commission tally. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Monday said party's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh vindicated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's big policy decisions of demonetisation and GST. The poll outcome is also a big slap on those who mocked demonetisation and GST by terming the latter as "Gabbar Singh Tax", he said alluding to Congress newly appointed President Rahul Gandhi comment. "The poll results vindicate PM's decisions of demonetisation and GST (Goods and Services Tax)," Sushil Modi, a member of GST council, told reporters at party's state headquarters here. Sushil Modi accompanied by Bihar ministers Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav and Prem Kumar thanked people of the two states for their verdict and also congratulated the PM and party President Amit Shah over the victory. BJP leaders fed laddoos to each other besides hundreds of party workers burst crackers at party's state headquarters at Beer Chand Patel Path and smeared gulal on each other's face as part of celebration over BJP win. BJP won in big commercial cities like Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara where traders had faced impact of GST, Sushil Modi said to drive home his point. It was not an easy thing to register sixth victory in a row in Gujarat especially when the party was in power for past 22 years and amid Patidar movement and negative campaigns run by opposition against GST and demonetisation, Dy CM, who also holds finance porfolio, said. Sushil Modi used an interesting coinage saying that Congress party vitiated the electoral atmosphere by playing caste politics by invoking "HAJ" (Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani) which was defeated by BJP's "RAM" (Rupani, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi). Anticipating RJD President Lalu Prasad's reaction over Gujarat poll, Sushil Modi said "I know what Lalu Prasad is supposed to say. Now he would find fault with EVMs." Bihar health minister and party's Himachal Pradesh in-charge Mangal Pandey said the people of Himachal Pradesh have voted against "rampant corruption and mafia raj" that prevailed under Congress rule in the hill state. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. KYIV. Dec 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Agricultural producers could hold a rally in Kyiv on December 21 demanding the return of VAT refunds for exports of oilseeds and leaving the state support system in the form of VAT quasi-accumulation. "Today a preventive action has been held to block the roads, it lasted about 2-3 hours, but it will grow into a rally that will last tomorrow, if we are not heard. The government quarter will be blocked on Thursday," Chairman of the Agrarian Union of Ukraine Hennadiy Novikov said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine. According to him, the protest is directed against those changes that were adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on December 7 to abolish VAT quasi-accumulation and export VAT refunds for oilseeds. "Deputies like petty thieves picked the pocket of agrarians for UAH 10 billion," the expert said. Member of the Committee on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations Ivan Miroshnychenko said that the conciliation council of the parliament refused putting bill No. 7403 on the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada. This initiative proposes limiting non-reimbursement of VAT on exports of oilseeds to March 2018. "Today there is no desire to include the bill for consideration by the parliament. The bill to postpone the introduction of norms on abolition of VAT refunds for oilseeds could be included. In September 2018, they could cancel VAT refunds for sunflower, while the term for rapeseeds and soybeans will be shifted for 2020," the people's deputy said. New Delhi: The BJP's performance in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development politics over "dirty caste politics" of Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. "All sections of society have voted above caste politics. This is a win of development politics of the Prime Minister. In Gujarat, OBC, patidar, dalit all were used for caste politics by the Congress but caste politics could not get success," senior BJP leader said. Gadkari said the success of the BJP in both the states is "people's approval of our policies, work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his development agenda". He said, "As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, after he became Congress president, he has lost Himachal Pradesh and could not bring the Congress in power to Gujarat." Gadkari accused the Congress of leaving no stone unturned in portraying the BJP and the central government in bad light and added that "despite the Congress' dirty caste-based politics, people have reposed faith in the BJP". "This will strengthen our policies," he said and added that in Gujarat the BJP is ruling the state since 1989 and after years of governance, the people have reposed faith in the party. Asked about opposition charges of EVM tampering, the senior party leader questioned as to why they raised the issue only after losing elections. "When they lose elections they raise EVM issue. Were EVMs functioning properly when Congress got lead in several seats? "When you (Congress) won Punjab then EVM was functioning properly and when you lose then EVM malfunctions," Gadkari, who is the minister of Road, Transport, Highways, Shipping, Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation, said. He said victory or defeat in politics and elections should be embraced with an open heart and such kind of allegations were not proper. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma on Monday informed the Parliament that the government is planning to set-up a museum dedicated to all the Prime Ministers of India. The proposed museum will be built in the premises of the Teen Murti Estate in New Delhi. The museum will reflect the life and times of all Indian prime ministers and highlight their contributions to the nation Sharma told the Lok Sabha. "The proposed museum on the Prime Ministers of India will showcase the life and works and significant contribution of all the Prime Ministers of India to nation-building. The idea behind the concept is to have a dedicated museum highlighting the contribution of all the PMs of India", said Sharma. The written statement from the minister is significant as it comes amidst opposition from certain sections over whether the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) at Teen Murti Bhavan should remain the preserve of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, or if room should be made for other prime ministers. Sharma's statement in Parliament indicates that there will be no changes in the present structure, but the "construction" of a "new museum" in the premises, virtually resolves the issue. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. BEIJING, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China published a white paper titled "New Progress in the Legal Protection of Human Rights in China" on Friday. Following is the full text of the white paper: New Progress in the Legal Protection of Human Rights in China The State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China December 2017 First Edition 2017 Contents Preamble I. Improving the Legal Framework to Ensure Human Rights II. Promoting Law-based Administration to Protect the Citizens' Lawful Rights and Interests III. Effectively Enhancing Judicial Protection of Human Rights IV. Consolidating Social Mechanisms for Legal Protection of Human Rights V. Strengthening the CPC Leadership over Legal Protection of Human Rights VI. Actively Promoting the Development of Global Human Rights Under the Rule of Law Conclusion Preamble The rule of law is a symbol of human progress, and serves as the guarantee for ensuring human rights. It is the determination and ultimate goal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to fully implement law-based governance of the country, strengthen legal protection of human rights in all areas, ensure that the Chinese people fully enjoy their rights and freedoms, achieve social fairness and justice, and promote overall human development and social progress. Over the years China has upheld the law-based governance of the country as a basic guideline, striving to put the rule of law in a socialist context and making new progress in legal protection of human rights. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party's Central Committee with Xi Jinping as its core has maintained people-oriented development. As an integral part of its effort to modernize the state governance system and capacity, it has created a strategy of fully enforcing the law-based governance of the country, giving more weight to respecting and ensuring human rights in building socialism under the rule of law, and opening a new era of legal protection of human rights in China. In implementing the law-based governance of the country, China has upheld human rights in every link of the process, from legislation through law enforcement and judicial justice to a law-abiding society. Respecting and ensuring human rights has become an important principle in legislation, and the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, with the Constitution at its core, has been steadily improved. Law-based governance has been further implemented, and the exercise of administrative power has been regulated to a fuller extent. Judicial reform has been extended, with the goal of ensuring fairness and justice in every case handled. Further progress has been made in ensuring the rule of law for society, with a significant improvement in elevating public awareness in law and human rights, and the CPC, upholding law-based governance, has laid a solid foundation for legal protection of human rights. After five years of strenuous effort in reform and development, China has made remarkable progress in law-based human rights protection. People's basic rights and freedoms are now better protected under Chinese socialism. The undertaking of human rights protection in China has made much headway. Committed to a great and unprecedented cause, China is contributing to the diversity of human civilization and providing Chinese wisdom and solutions to promote social progress. I. Improving the Legal Framework to Ensure Human Rights A complete system of laws is the precondition and the basis for realizing legal protection of human rights. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has, to a fuller extent, established the Chinese socialist legal system with the Constitution at the core, the laws as the main body, including administrative and local regulations, and various law-related departments, thus laying a solid legal foundation for ensuring human rights. Improving legislative systems and mechanisms. China has revised the Legislation Law, and strengthened the systems for documenting and reviewing regulations, rules, and other normative documents. There is a clear provision that relevant bodies must take the initiative in reviewing normative documents, send feedback to those who request to have the documents reviewed, and release the results to the public. China has rescinded and corrected laws, regulations and normative documents which conflicted with the Constitution or laws, so that there is no impediment to the functioning of the Constitution and other laws. In 2016 legislative bodies reviewed and put on record 37 administrative regulations and judicial interpretations, reviewed local regulations in targeted areas, and handled 92 requests to review such documents. China has improved the allocation of legislative power in the context of local development, and accorded local legislative powers to 240 cities with districts, 30 autonomous prefectures, and 4 prefecture-level cities. By October 2017 the cities and prefectures with newly accorded legislative powers had issued 456 local regulations and 193 government rules. It is stipulated in the Legislation Law that rules and regulations made by a department or local government, if not based on laws enacted by upper levels, must not impair the rights of citizens, legal persons, and other organizations, or increase the scope of their obligations, and must not increase the power of that department or reduce that department' s duties prescribed by law. China has included in its legislation program major reform measures that need to be addressed through legislative procedure, and has revised or abolished laws that fell out of pace with reform. From 2013 to June 2017, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) made 17 legislation authorizations and reform decisions in accordance with legal procedures, ensuring that relevant reforms proceed in an orderly manner within the legal framework. China has improved its legislative process, including procedures such as discussions, hearings, and soliciting public opinion on draft laws, so that the laws reflect the people's will. By October 2017 the 12th NPC Standing Committee had solicited public opinion on draft laws on 74 occasions. For the draft General Provisions of Civil Law alone, the Standing Committee held three deliberation sessions, sought public opinion on three occasions and organized several dozen expert meetings, and received 70,227 suggestions from 15,422 people. When deliberating on the second reading draft of Amendment (IX) to the Criminal Law, the Committee received more than 110,000 suggestions from the public. Fully protecting the citizens' rights and interests by enacting the General Provisions of Civil Law. Adopted at the Fifth Session of the 12th NPC, the General Provisions of Civil Law, developed with the purpose of protecting people's rights, offer clear provisions on the basic principles of equality, free will, fairness, and honesty, give prominence to autonomy of will and protection of rights and interests, and reflect the legislators' intention of giving full protection to the person, upholding the value of the individual, and ensuring personal development. The Provisions have strengthened protection of property rights, stipulating that the "property rights of civil subjects are equally protected by law", through which the equal protection of real rights in Property Law is expanded to equal protection of all property rights. The Provisions have strengthened protection of the civil rights of specific subjects, and in particular of the rights and interests of minors, and have included senior citizens in the guardianship system. By enacting the Provisions China has established a complete civil rights system, with clear stipulations that privacy rights are protected by law, and strengthened the protection of personal information, data, and virtual assets online. Improving legislation on economic, social and cultural rights. It has been made clear that tax categories, tax rates, tax collection and management, and other basic taxation systems can only be set and defined by law. To protect the legitimate rights and interests of workers, China has revised the Employment Promotion Law, the Labor Contract Law, the Law on Production Safety, and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Disease. To enhance protection of people's health, it has promulgated the Law on Traditional Chinese Medicine and revised the Food Safety Law. China has revised the Law on Population and Family Planning, now encouraging all couples to have two children. China has enacted the Law on Ensuring Public Cultural Services and the Film Industry Promotion Law, in an effort to enrich public cultural services, standardize these services and make them more equally available, and ensure the people' s cultural rights. To protect its citizens' right to education, China has revised the Education Law to promote equality and balanced development of education, accelerate expansion of the scope of preschool education, and build a public service network for preschool education that covers the whole country, especially rural areas. With the promulgation of the Interim Regulations on Residence Permit, all permanent residents in cities and towns are covered by basic public services and are able to enjoy access to urban infrastructure. Some other laws that have been amended or revised include the laws on environmental protection, prevention and control of air pollution, protection of wild animals, marine environmental protection, prevention and control of water pollution, environmental impact assessment, and prevention and control of environmental pollution caused by solid wastes. To strengthen environmental supervision and accountability, improve public interest litigation on environmental protection, and ensure citizens' right to know about, participate in and oversee environment-related issues, China has enacted the Law on Environmental Protection Tax. To register all types of real estate, ensure transaction security, and protect the legitimate property rights of owners of the immovable, China has promulgated the Interim Regulations on Real Estate Registration. In order to protect the personal information of consumers, increase the liability for damage caused by fraud on the part of business operators, regulate unfair terms in contracts prepared by operators, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, China has revised the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests. To promote exchanges and cooperation involving overseas non-governmental organizations in China, China has enacted the Law on the Administration of Activities of Overseas Non-Governmental Organizations Within the Territory of People's Republic of China. And to strengthen supervision over charity organizations and charity activities, regulate the use of charity property, promote the development of charity in China, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of charity organizations, donors, volunteers, beneficiaries, and other participants in charity activities, China has promulgated the Charity Law. Improving legislation on civil and political rights. China has revised the Criminal Law, abolishing nine death penalty charges and raising the bar on executing convicts that have received a death sentence with a two-year reprieve; revised the Civil Procedure Law, allowing procuratorial organs to lodge civil public interest lawsuits; and revised the Administrative Procedure Law, to improve the administrative adjudication system, expand the scope of accepting administrative litigation cases, relax restrictions on the qualification of plaintiffs in administrative litigation and third parties, strengthen supervision over administrative adjudication and enforcement of court rulings, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of parties in administrative proceedings. The Standing Committee of the NPC passed the Decision on Annulment of the Regulations on Education Through Labor, putting an end to this sanction. To implement the rule of law and promote humanitarianism, China has implemented the amnesty system stipulated in the Constitution, and granted amnesty for four types of criminals. China has promulgated the National Security Law, National Intelligence Law, Counter-Espionage Law, Counter-Terrorism Law, Cyber Security Law, and Nuclear Security Law. The central government, also known as the State Council, and relevant departments have issued a series of administrative regulations on cyber security; the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate issued the "Interpretation on Several Issues Regarding the Applicable Law in Cases of Using Information Networks to Commit Defamation and Other Such Crimes" and other judicial interpretations, providing a solid legal basis for safeguarding national security, public security, and personal and property security. Strengthening legislation on ensuring the rights of special groups. China has enacted the Anti-Domestic Violence Law, and set up systems such as written admonition, personal safety protection writ, and compulsory report, making clear the legal liabilities of the perpetrators and the procedure of investigation in order to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of victims of domestic violence, particularly minors, the elderly, the disabled, pregnant and lactating women, and the seriously ill. China has revised the Criminal Law, increasing criminal punishment for buyers of abducted women and children, and has criminalized such acts. It is clearly stipulated that anyone who maltreats a minor, an elderly person, a sick person, or a disabled person, for whose support they are responsible, will be held criminally liable if the case is serious. China has formulated the Regulations on School Bus Safety to ensure students' personal safety; and enacted and revised the Regulations on Building an Accessible Environment, Regulations on Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, and Regulations on Education for Persons with Disability, to enhance protection of the rights of disabled persons. A gender equality evaluation mechanism for laws and policies had been set up in 27 provinces and equivalent administrative units by June 2017. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The lights are back on at the nations busiest airport, but not the landingsat least not from the Northeast. More than 1,000 flights were grounded in Atlanta just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush Sunday. Flights to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport from major airports in Connecticut and New York area airports were canceled Monday morning according to flight tracking websites. Cancellations and delays are expected to ripple through airports across the country, particularly for flights with connections in Atlanta. Delta Air Lines, with its biggest hub in Atlanta, will be hardest hit. By Sunday evening, Delta had already canceled nearly 900 flights and another 300 Monday, nearly all of them in Atlanta, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. A sudden power outage that Georgia Power said was caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility brought the airport to a standstill Sunday about 1 p.m. Six flights to Atlanta from Bradley International Airport have been canceled since Sunday morning, including two Monday morning. Five more flights are scheduled for today, but its unclear if theyll be canceled or delayed. New Yorks John F. Kennedy and La Guardia airports also canceled, delayed, or diverted all flights to Atlanta early Monday morning. Some flights were recorded landing in Atlanta Monday morning, mostly international flights that departed on Sunday. The Associated Press contributed reporting from Atlanta. (Xinhua) 07:29, December 18, 2017 Chinese President Xi Jinping(L) holds a welcome ceremony for President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea (ROK) before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Thursday agreed to advance bilateral relations to ensure the long-term stability of their ties. The commitment was made during talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his ROK counterpart Moon Jae-in in Beijing. Xi welcomed Moon on his state visit to China for the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. China and the ROK are friendly neighbors and strategic cooperation partners, Xi said. He said the two countries have made remarkable progress in exchanges and cooperation in various fields, which has brought tremendous benefits to both sides. There have been some twists and turns in China-ROK relations, which have provided enlightenment for both sides on how to create a better future together on the basis of mutual respect for each other's core interests, said Xi. He said China attaches great importance to relations with the ROK and is ready to work with the ROK to maintain the original intention of establishing diplomatic relations and take full account of the well-being of the two peoples. Both countries should uphold the basic principle of respecting each other's core interests and major concerns as well as the principle of treating each other as neighbors with sincerity, he said. Xi also suggested that the two sides adhere to the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation to ensure that the development of bilateral relations is on the right track. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has brought broader prospects for China's cooperation with its neighboring countries, including the ROK, said Xi. He called on the two sides to strengthen political communication, cement the foundation of mutual trust, and make good use of the exchange mechanism between legislative bodies and political parties of the two countries. China welcomes the ROK's participation in the Belt and Road construction, said Xi, hoping to promote the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the ROK's development strategy. He called for increased exchanges in areas such as youth, education, science and technology, media, sports, health and local affairs, for the long-term and stable development of bilateral ties. Moon's visit coincided with China's annual memorial for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which fell on Wednesday. Moon extended his empathy to the victims. This was Moon's fifth trip to China and the first as ROK president. He expressed his admiration for China's development achievements. Calling the two countries important trading partners, Moon said the development of regional countries is closely linked with China's Two Centenary Goals. The ROK expects joint efforts with China to cement political trust and friendship between the two peoples, boost cooperation in various areas and coordination in global and regional affairs, Moon said. The ROK hopes to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, he said. The two leaders also exchanged their views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula. "We must unswervingly uphold the goal of a nuclear-free peninsula and never allow war or chaos on the peninsula," said Xi. China believes that ultimately, the Korean Peninsula issue could only be solved through dialogue and consultation, he said. China and the ROK have important common interests in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, Xi added. China will continue to strengthen communication and coordination with the ROK on maintaining stability and preventing wars on the Korean Peninsula and promoting peace and talks, said Xi. He said China supports the continued improvement of the relations between the two countries on the Korean Peninsula through dialogues and contacts, which will help ease tensions and finally settle the issue. Moon said the ROK is firmly committed to resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through peaceful means, and is willing to work with China to safeguard peace and stability in the region. Xi reaffirmed China's position on the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the ROK and hoped the ROK will properly deal with the issue. After their talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of cooperative documents in areas such as economic and trade, green and ecological industries, environment, health, agriculture, energy and Winter Olympics. VANCOUVER, Dec. 18, 2017 /CNW/ - COCO LISO EXPLORATION CORP ("Coco Liso" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the results of its 2017 exploration program in the Cascabel/Junin Area, Northwest Andes, Ecuador. Platinum was first recognized by chemical scientists in 1735. Yet platinum was used extensively by the Tolita culture of Northwestern Ecuador in their beautiful gold sculptures. These sculptures predate Antonio de Ulloa's discovery of the element Pt (platinum) by several millenniums. Pre-Hispanic platinum metallurgy has no parallel in the Old World. ABOUT THE COCO LISO PROJECT Coco Liso is pleased to announce as a result of its in-house Ecuadorian geochemical soil sampling program of over 2,500 samples, it has discovered platinum group elements ("PGE's"). In addition, Coco Liso has entered into certain confidential agreements for mining interests in the Northwestern Andes of Ecuador. This is a unique and new discovery by Coco Liso for Ecuador. The discovery is a mineral deposit along an under-explored province in the northern section of the richly endowed Andean Copper Belt. "Adding PGE's to our Coco Liso inventory of new discoveries is a pleasant surprise; a generous reward from a hard working Ecuadorian exploration crew. Vince Lombardi Jr once said, 'The man on top of the mountain didn't fall there.' Coco Liso management has researched Ecuador's geology for 15 years, the last 3 years with boots on the ground. Through hard work, in difficult and dangerous terrain, and practical applied earth science, this last year Coco Liso has many new mineral discoveries. Included with the aforementioned platinum group elements are gold, silver, copper, precious gems, and other valuable mineral deposits. It's little wonder Ecuador won Best Country of the Year at the 'Mining and Money America's Outstanding Achievement Awards' night in Toronto, Canada. This award is an acknowledgment of the best improvement in attractiveness to mineral investors, and the importance of the country's growing mining industry." says Timothy McKinnon, Coco Liso's Executive Vice President. "And no better country to explore in than Ecuador, in our opinion, it is a mining geologist's paradise, and surprisingly under-explored." The alteration assemblages on the new Coco Liso discovery which contain gold, silver, copper and PGE's are an early stage, atypical, copper-gold porphyry project located within the Western Cordillera of the Andes, which hosts numerous world class copper-gold deposits in Chile and northwards through Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Druzy quartz and citrine are also present throughout the mineralization. Additionally, though uncommon, platinum-group metals are recovered from some worldwide porphyry deposits. It has been reported the occurrence of platinum-group-metal-bearing tellurides and arsenides in the porphyry deposit at Elatsite, Bulgaria. In addition, some Chilean porphyry systems are often classified due to PGE's present. The zone of alteration is currently mapped at 2.6 kilometers long in the north-northeast direction and 600- to nearly 1,000 meters wide. Two distinct types of crackle breccia are identified within the alteration area. Depth of the alteration zone is yet to be determined, but a historic drill site core analysis supports an estimated zone of alteration of 200 meters. The mineralized zone runs parallel and within close proximity to the Pujili fault and other tertiary arc magmatic events. Recently, Coco Liso obtained confirmation testing by a third party Canadian laboratory of ten of our in-house geochemical samples. The test samples were chosen randomly across the mineralization. Rhodium* rich PGE concentrations of 1,640 grams per ton were confirmed by the third-party lab. Geologically similar projects with porphyry development in other areas of the world with comparable platinum values to the Coco Liso discovery range are described as bonanza grade. As this is a new discovery, Coco Liso will continue analysis of our samples by competent independent third-party laboratories located in Canada and worldwide. Coco Liso has now ramped up its geochemical sampling program in the area, including a 10,000 geochemical sampling program within and nearby the porphyry mineralization, and the re-analyses of an additional 2,200 historic geochemical soil and rock chip samples. PRIVATE PLACEMENT FINANCING Coco Liso is currently undertaking a non-brokered private placement of up to 3,000,000 shares for gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 CDN. The proceeds are budgeted to use $1,900,000 for land consolidating activities, $800,000 CDN to fulfill ongoing drilling commitments, and the remainder of the balance used primarily to further delineate our asset base through ongoing exploration activity and completion of our National Instrument 43-101 report for the above-mentioned discovery and area. COMPANY OVERVIEW Coco Liso Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company that was incorporated in 2014. The company is led by an experienced management team that has engaged in the business of mineral exploration for the purpose of acquiring and advancing mineral properties located in Ecuador. Following the completion of the private placement, the Company will have 6,000,000 common shares outstanding. Shares will be offered by way of private placement in each of the provinces of Canada. If you are would like to learn more about Coco Liso Exploration, please take a few moments to introduce yourselves to us. Certain disclosure in this release constitutes forward-looking statements. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". Forward looking statements contained in this release include statements regarding Coco Liso's anticipated use of funds raised under its current financing and the continuation of its geochemical sampling program, which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may not prove to be accurate. In making the forward-looking statements in this release, Coco Liso has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Coco Liso, including, among others, that Coco Liso will successfully complete its financing in such amount and on terms acceptable to Coco Liso, that it will be successful in identifying and closing on suitable property acquisition opportunities, development opportunities and pursuing continued exploration, and Coco Liso being able to procure personnel, equipment and supplies required for its sampling and exploration activities in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis and that actual results of sampling and exploration activities are consistent with management's expectations. Although Coco Liso considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Risks and factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements include, among others, risks and factors relating to market conditions generally, political stability in the jurisdictions in which Coco Liso operates, changes in legislation (including mining, tax and environmental legislation), availability of labour, mineral exploration, commodity prices, securing financing and acquiring accretive properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Coco Liso does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. *Current price of Rhodium on December 15, 2017 is $1550/oz (quoted from quandl.com) *Current price of Gold on December 17, 2017 is $1255/oz (quoted from goldprice.org) SOURCE Coco Liso Exploration Corp For further information: Timothy McKinnon, Executive Vice President, 403-894-9052, [email protected] Buffalo, N.Y. -- Robert G. Wilmers, longtime Chairman and CEO of M&T Bank Corp., died suddenly Saturday night. He was 83, according to a new release from M&T. He died unexpectedly at his home in New York City. Wilmers held both positions at the Buffalo-based bank for 34 years. He took over when M&T had assets of $2 billion. Those assets have grown to $120 billion. Under Wilmers' leadership, the bank grew from a New York state bank to one with 783 branches in eight states with 17,000 employees, according to the company. "He was a remarkable banker, an even more remarkable citizen and a wonderful friend," said Warren E. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, and longtime M&T shareholder, in the release.. Wilmers was a pillar of Buffalo and Western New York. He's been honored by many organizations in the community, including the Greater Buffalo Chamber of Commerce 'Western New Yorker of the Year' Award (1991); State University of New York at Buffalo School of Management 'Niagara Frontier Executive of the Year' Award (1992); The Buffalo News 'Citizen of the Year Award' (1987 and 1994); American Banker 'Lifetime Achievement' Award (2005); American Banker 'Banker of the Year' Award (2011); the 'Chancellor Charles P. Norton Medal,' the State University of New York at Buffalo's highest honor, for civic patriotism (2015); and 'Officier of the Legion of Honor' by the President of France (2017). He has also received honorary degrees from Canisius College (Doctor of Humane Letters in 1988), Niagara University (Doctor of Commercial Science in 1991) and the State University of New York at Buffalo (Doctor of Humane Letters in 2004). Wilmers graduated from Harvard College and attended the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. After working in banking in New York, he served in New York City government and then went on to work at Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. M&T's Board of Directors named lead outside director Robert T. Brady, former Chairman and CEO of Moog, Inc., as M&T's Non-Executive Chairman, effective immediately. M&T's three Vice Chairmen, Richard S. Gold, Rene F. Jones and Kevin J. Pearson, will be responsible for the bank's day-to-day operations. Wilmers also had served as chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation from 2008 to 2009, Chairman of the New York State Bankers Association in 2002 and as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 1993 to 1998. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Elisabeth Roche Wilmers, his son Christopher and his wife Serena; and his grandsons Dylan and Theodore. He was predeceased by his son Robert G. Wilmers, Jr. Marnie Eisenstadt writes about people, life and culture in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2246 The search for a 77-year-old Schoharie County hunter who's been missing for more than a week continues in Delaware County with numerous personnel, K-9 units, off-road vehicles, helicopters -- even drones -- being used. The hunter, Carl Weaver, of Seward, told friends on the weekend of Dec. 10-11 that he was going hunting and hasn't been seen since, according to cbs6albany,com. Officials have been looking for Weaver since a neighbor reported him missing on Tuesday. Weaver's truck was located Wednesday (Dec. 13) by a relative at the corner of Titus Lake Road and South Worcester Hill Road in Harpersfield, Delaware County. It's an area he's hunted in the past. "For the past five days, Forest Rangers, under a unified command post at the Jefferson Fire Department and with the Schoharie County Sheriff's Department, have organized more than 100 personnel per day and searched over 1,700 acres of wilderness," the state Department of Environmental Conservation said today. "Personnel from the following agencies have assisted with the ongoing search effort: Delaware and Schoharie County Sheriff's and emergency management offices; Schoharie, Delaware, Greene, Albany, Schenectady, Otsego, and Fulton county fire departments; New York State Police; DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs); Schoharie County Search & Rescue; NY Federation of Search and Rescue; Stamford, Jefferson, Hobart, Cobleskill, Summit, and Grand Gorge fire departments; Salvation Army; and the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control. In addition to ground personnel, search efforts have utilized helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones), K-9 units, and off-road vehicles." The DEC added: "The search areas consist of steep, slippery, snow-covered terrain, which has resulted in several injuries to searchers. Search efforts will continue this week." Police say Weaver was last seen wearing an orange hat, camouflage jacket, and blue jeans. Anyone with information about Weaver's whereabouts should call the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office at (607) 652-3617. We've seen this before in corporate media: Star television personality - a guy - acts like a jerk or a predator or a monster. A woman complains about the conduct. Company pays a settlement in an exit package for the woman. Star television guy carries on. And according to the Daily Caller, that's pretty much the sequence of events that protected MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews back in 1999. According to an MSNBC spokesperson, a female employee told CNBC executives - Matthews's show was then airing on the business network; it later to move to MSNBC - that Matthews had made inappropriate jokes and comments at her expense and in the presence of others. The company investigated and found that Matthews' conduct was inappropriate and offensive, though it concluded that he wasn't propositioning the woman. He received a formal reprimand, according to the MSNBC spokesperson; the complainant got a separation package with an undisclosed amount of money. Citing a confidentiality clause, the company declined to provide further information. The woman has moved on to other positions in media, according to the Daily Caller's reporting. "Hardball" has been around for two decades and holds down the 7 p.m. ET time slot with an unapologetic dose of political junkiness. The show's obsession with Beltway politics has its roots in Matthews' past: He ran for Congress as a Democrat in 1974, went on to work in the Carter White House as a speechwriter and later served as an aide to House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill. Along the way, he picked up an interest in the Kennedys, writing biographies on John F. Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy. Hush-hush separation agreements were a common ploy for decades at Fox News, where the late Roger Ailes, who helped to found the network, rigged the organization to allow his sexual-harassing ways. His star anchor, Bill O'Reilly, paid for such settlements out of his own pocket en route to a two-decade career that ended in April following a New York Times investigation of the settlements. Both men received multimillion-dollar exit packages of their own. Critics of the network have called on it to release the women from their nondisclosure agreements as a measure of transparency. Other prominent names in the NBC News family have surfaced in the country's sexual-harassment reckoning. Matt Lauer, the charismatic co-host of the "Today" show, was fired in November following a sexual-harassment complaint. Matt Zimmerman, who worked with Lauer on "Today" bookings, was dismissed earlier that month for "inappropriate conduct with more than one woman at NBCU, which violated company policy." The company ended its arrangements with senior political analyst Mark Halperin after reports of sexual misconduct while he worked at ABC News a decade ago. CHESHIRE The school district is suspending its use of a controversial online education program, Superintendent of Schools Jeff Solan announced Monday. Solan announced his decision on the Summit Learning Program in an email sent to parents Monday afternoon. The suspension of the program, which is being used by students in fifth, sixth and seventh grades, will occur Friday, Solan said in the email to parents. Cheshire is the first district in Connecticut to use the Summit program. Parents have a variety of concerns about the program, from inappropriate third-party advertisements, articles and videos to which the Summit program links , to worries that students are getting frustrated by the self-directed Summit curriculum. Our school system is dedicated to being able to meet the individual needs of our students, Solans email said in part. Moreover, we are committed to asking our learners to demonstrate the application of skills and information through complex activities. While we recognize how the Summit platform married these two goals, there were issues with the content in the platform and a subtantial degree of misunderstanding and misinformation within the community. Solans email does not indicate whether the district is permanently ending its use of the Summit program. The decision to wait until the end of this week to suspend use of the program was made to give our students the opportunity to wrap up ongoing work and allow our teachers the opportunity to transition, he said in the email Solans decision came even as Board of Education members Neeta Vatti and Adam Grippo sought to force a special meeting at which they were prepared to seek a temporary suspension of the program. Neither Vatti nor Grippo was immediately available for comment on Solans decision. School board Chairwoman Cathy Hellreich said Vatti and Grippo had every right to request a special meeting about the Summit program. Neither Vatti nor Grippo had mentioned their plans to seek a suspension of the Summit program during the boards Dec. 7 meeting. I think they wanted a meeting where this issue would be the sole focus, Hellreich said. Hellreich said she has mixed feelings about the decision to suspend the program. There have been students that have made tremendous progress with this program, she said. This is a tool, a resource to help our students make the next step in their education. At the same time, there is no question this has been an issue in our community. Parental objections to the Summit program resulted in an online petition drive being launched to convince school officials to suspend use of the program. The drive had resulted in 460 people signing the petition as of Monday afternoon. There also are concerns about the privacy of students information, which some parents think the board sold out in order to get access to the Summit program for free as well as the roughly 130 Chromebook computers that came as part of the deal. Solan was not available for comment on his decision Monday, including whether the district would have to give back the computers. Hellreich declined comment on whether the computers would have to be returned. A nonprofit charter management and school partnership organization, Summit Public Schools runs the controversial online learning program. Summit has a partnership with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which provides software engineering support to refine and improve the program. The philanthropy is run by pediatrician Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive officer. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com A full-size replica of Buddhist statues from the Yungang Grottoes in North China's Shanxi province. [Photo/chinanews.com] TAIYUAN - Thanks to 3D printing technology, three reproductions of Buddhist statues in the Yungang Grottoes, a 1,500-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site, are being displayed in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao. The Yungang Grottoes art gallery, which opened to the public Saturday, displayed three full-size replicas of Buddhist statues from the caves in northern China's Shanxi Province. The middle one stands 10 meters high, while those beside it are 6 meters high. "It's hard to believe that they are reproduced. They look so real," said Zhang Zhuo, head of the Yungang Grottoes Research Institute. The two-year program was jointly launched by Yungang Grottoes Research Institute, Qingdao Publishing Group and Zhejiang University. Researchers built 3D models for the three statues, then used 3D printers to reproduce them. "The color was first painted automatically by machines. Then artists from Yungang added color in detail," said Diao Changyu, assistant to the dean of the cultural heritage institute at Zhejiang University. "It's amazing to see the Buddha figures of Yungang. I plan to visit the grottoes next year," said visitor Cai Meijiao. The Yungang Buddhist Grottoes in Datong City boast 51,000 Buddhist images in caves stretching for 1 kilometer along a cliff. It was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2001. According to Zhang, the reproduction programs of two other caves, supported by 3D printing technology, are underway. MILFORD Three people from New Haven were arrested Saturday at the Connecticut Post Mall Saturday after a physical altercation, police said. Police responded to the mall at 1201 Boston Post Road at 6:07 p.m. on a report of a fight, police said in a news release. VALLEY-SHORE If you havent been feeling the Christmas spirit lately, theres an instant antidote for that. Its as simple as flipping through the pages of A Connecticut Christmas, Celebrating the Holiday in Classic New England Style, a book of photographs by Chesters Caryn B. Davis and text by state author Eric D. Lehman. The 10-by-8-inch coffee table book, recently published by Guilfords Globe Pequot Press, features images of Connecticut landscapes, homes, churches, barns and boats all decked out during the holiday season. Davis comes to the business of photography with 30 years of experience. She originally worked in documentary television, but since 2000 has been working as a freelance photographer, specializing in architecture, marine, portraits and travel. Jacques Pepin, chef and author, describes the publication as a sentimental journey through the lore of CT, which makes you want to sing Irving Berlins White Christmas From churches, festivals and town greens to private homes, farms and barns, this heartwarming book makes you smile. Already sold out in its first printing of about 3,000 copies, the book is obviously a hit. Davis has been and continues to appear at numerous book signings and has been getting lots of press. Interviewed in the Chester studio/home she shares with husband and artist, Leif Nilsson, Davis said the book has been purchased as gifts for teachers, housewarming gifts for owners of newly purchased homes and for grown children who now live out of state. And when people buy it, she said they usually buy more than one. Besides inspiring the Christmas spirit, its also a guide to events throughout Connecticut and includes a listing in the back of the book. Among those events is the Boars Head Festival on 12th Night at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford, a spectacular celebration of the Epiphany, which includes camels and llamas. The book notes the church was built of brownstone from Portland quarries. Another is the Lantern Light Tours at Mystic Seaport, the 19th century living museum, where visitors enjoy a play, set in 1876 Christmas Eve, walking from place to place in the village, guided by actors in period costumes holding lanterns. The lower Connecticut River Valley and Connecticut Shoreline towns are well represented in the book. It shows the huge display of lights in Ivoryton, the North Pole Express in Essex (otherwise known as the Valley Railroad Companys Steam Train), artist-decorated palettes and Christmas trees at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme (Griswold was born on Christmas in 1850), the arrival of Santa on a fire truck in Chester and lighted boat parades in Mystic and Essex, and more. Lehman is the director of creative writing at the University of Bridgeport and is the author of several books and articles, many about Connecticut. It was such a gift to have him as a writer, Davis said. She said he came on board after the book was photographed and highlighted facts about the places she visited, as well as Christmas traditions. He writes in the section about the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk that the state declared Christmas a legal holiday in 1845 and the following year, an American womens magazine, Godeys Ladys Book, popularized decorating trees at Christmas with its depiction of Queen Victorias tree. Davis mansion photographs show a display of greenery and lights leading to a Christmas tree on the grand staircase, which the text notes cost $50,000 to construct in 1868, a sign of a move toward more elaborate architecture at the time. This is Davis first book. It came to be after she pitched a story to Victoria Magazine about the Connecticut River Valley as a travel destination, which was narrowed down to travel in the area at Christmastime. Ann Nyberg, WTNH Channel 8 television news anchor and book author for the same book publisher, heard about it and connected her to Amy Lyons, an editor at Globe Pequot. Davis said the editor already had a description of the Christmas book, but not the specifics. All that was an evolution as we went along, she said. It took Davis two winter seasons, first six weeks and the next year eight, to travel to 40 towns and 62 locations to get the final some 400 shots in the book. The search for subjects started with the expected. Some were obvious, like the light shows and the boat parades, she said. But over time, the search expanded from online research to people who heard about the project and offered suggestions. Some shots were serendipitous, where Davis had a specific destination, but came upon something else. A lot of it was driving to a certain place, shooting and stopping along the way. Although she had some trouble finding snow she drove up to the northwest corner twice in one day for the sake of snow and took the cover shot in Essex while not feeling well and freezing, the whole experience was far from unpleasant. It was a whole lot of fun, Ill tell you that, she said. Besides discovering interesting places in Connecticut, Davis found out about the people who live in the state. I met a lot of nice people, she said, who were happy to share their stories, traditions and invite her into their homes and communities. For information about Davis, her book and book signings, go to carynbdavis.com. For information about Lehman and his books, go to ericdlehman.org. Chileans are voting in the second round of a presidential election that is too close to call after billionaire Sebastian Pinera failed to win a commanding lead in the first round, roiling the local stock market. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (6 a.m. EST) and will close at 6 p.m., with the first official results expected about an hour later from the Electoral Service. There are no exit polls in Chile. Ruling coalition candidate Alejandro Guillier has spent the month since the first round of voting trying to rally support from a disparate group of more than 17 parties across the center-left of the political spectrum. The task of former President Sebastian Pinera has been more simple, ensuring that his supporters in the two principal right-wing parties come out to vote, while trying to dissuade those in the center from backing Guillier. The vote may now go down to the wire. "It is an election with high levels of uncertainty," said Mauricio Morales, direct of the Center for Political Analysis at Universidad de Talca. "Everything indicates it is going to be very close, but Chileans could surprise us and give us an early winner." Pinera won 36.6 percent of the vote in the first round against 22.7 percent for Guillier and 20.3 percent for Beatriz Sanchez, head of the newly created left-wing Frente Amplio alliance. Sanchez has since pledged her support for Guillier, as has the Christian Democrat candidate Carolina Goic, who won 5.9 percent. Jose Antonio Kast, who garnered 7.9 percent, has endorsed Pinera. "We are going to win by a narrow but clear margin," Guillier said Sunday. "The country is in the mood for renewal." Pinera was equally confident. "We are very hopeful because I firmly believe that we are going to win the elections." The benchmark IPSA stock index tumbled 5.9 percent the day after the first round of voting on Nov. 19, and dropped as much as 9 percent over the next two weeks. The business confidence index also declined for the first time in four months in November, slipping to 47.01 from 48.96 in October. Pinera has pledged to more than double economic growth, create 600,000 jobs, ease industry regulations and narrow the budget deficit. His manifesto represents a respite for industry after four years of the most radical reforms in three decades under President Michelle Bachelet, including increased corporate taxes and moves to empower labor unions. By contrast, Guillier had portrayed himself as the continuity of Bachelet's government with a spending program that he estimates at $10 billion to expand free higher education and boost health-care. "Under a potential Pinera government we would expect to see the undoing of some aspects of the recent structural reforms, mainly on the labor and fiscal fronts," Credit Suisse said in a report Friday. "Growth potential over the next four years would likely be higher under Pinera than under Guillier." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN Corky Weinstein, 80, still remembers feeling a bit of envy at age 12 when she sang at her brothers bar mitzvah, but it wasnt customary in those days for a girl to have the female equivalent of that coming-of-age ritual a bat mitzvah. That all changed for Weinstein Sunday when she says she experienced one of the most exciting days of her life, as she and 13 others made and celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs at Tower One/Tower East, long after the traditional age of 13 for boys and 12 for girls. This is a dream since I was 12 years old, said. I can stand with anyone else who has been bat and bar mitzvahed, and say the Kaddish, one of the most central elements in the Jewish liturgy. The event was called a bnai mitzvah, because it included bar and bat mitzvah celebrations. Thirteen were female residents and one of them was a male employee of the facility Gary Levy, husband of Perri Levy and father of Bailey Levy. Rabbi Benjamin Scolnic of Temple Beth Sholom, who officiated, noted the event was on the fifth day of Hanukkah and that many of those celebrating their own milestone through the years attended bar and bat mitzvahs for children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other countless relatives. Then, after a lifetime, this was their day to be in the set of people obligated to follow the commandments, Scolnic said which they were following anyway as good, loving, honorable people, he said. The women and Levy completed all the rituals at a packed ceremony and received a prayer shawl, before sharing in a feast. Bertha Kahn, 95, who was born in Germany and has lived in New Haven for 76 years, said despite never having had a bat mitzvah earlier, shes always felt completely Jewish, but it still felt good. Were now on the same footing as the men, she said. Herb Mermelstein, 93, read his bat mitzvah speech from 79 years ago and his sentiments remain timeless. Mermelstein said, in part, that Jews even in the most trying times dont lose heart and hope, and that faith and optimism are strong Jewish traits. Scolnic wrote in a welcome message in Sundays program that every Jewish person has what he calls a Jewish biography the individual story of their religious and cultural life. He said that for some the religion and culture permeate everything they do, say and feel, for some, its about identity and for others, Jewishness meant a few family meals a year For the 14 Sunday who were Called to the Torah to become a bar or bat mitzvah they will mark a special moment in their Jewish biographies, he wrote. He continued: Just as the heroes of Hanukkah inspire us, so our bnai mitzvah inspire us by the way they have studied and learned and worked toward this day, Scolnic wrote. For many, this is an act of courage, of overcoming all sorts of issues from the past to say, Here I am, as Jewish as anyone, as good as anyone, asserting my identity. NEW HAVEN The International Issues course at Metropolitan Business Academy, a senior seminar and the culmination of the schools law and politics pathway, can often be depressing as students learn about global human rights abuses, said teacher Leslie Blatteau. We really want to shine a light on the people taking action, Blatteau said, as a means of keeping students outlook positive. Near the conclusion of the second marking period and in honor of Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, students do research projects on defenders of human rights. This year, the students took their work a step further and made a three-day Human Rights Defender Museum in the schools lecture hall. Blatteau estimated between 100 and 150 people visited the museum between Wednesday and Friday. At the museums entrance was a game-style chart of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, where patrons are challenged to match the 30 articles with corresponding images. Students Damyia Jackson and Nyshiah Simon conceptualized and designed the exhibit. I have a creative mind and thought it could be a game for kids, Simon said. Students selected human rights defenders in five broader topics: childrens rights, racial justice, health and safety rights, womens rights and resistance to oppressive government. As students explained their projects to onlookers, many expressed a personal connection to their chosen defenders. Odalys Hernandez said that, although she is Puerto Rican, she was drawn to the Salvadoran reproductive justice activist Morena Herrera, in part because of their shared Latina heritage. I wanted to do it by location in South America or Central America, Hernandez said, and she learned through researching Herrera how strict El Salvadors abortion laws are. Student Victoria Romprey, who said she has been the victim of a drunk driving incident that went unprosecuted, selected Mothers Against Drunk Driving for their work in improving public safety. The drunk driving fatality rate has fallen 50 percent since they started in the 80s, she said. Yasmin Abuhatab selected American political activist Linda Sarsour, who, like her, is a Palestinian-American hijabi. Abuhatab also highlighted her appreciation that Sarsour is interested in social justice causes outside of her own lived experience. She goes where she goes and talks however she wants to talk, Abuhatab said. As a hijabi, I can follow in someones footsteps. Carlos Torre, a member of the Board of Educations curriculum and instruction committee and a career educator, made the rounds and asked students about their projects. Students dont learn when things are boring or disconnected from their lives, he said. As educators, if we can take whatever it is students are interested in and help them see connections, then they will fly like rockets. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN A heroin dealer was sentenced to three years in prison Monday as part of a federal investigation into a trafficking ring that led to charges against 24 people. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer senrtenced Ismael Ruiz, also known as Papo, 51, of New Haven, to 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in the ring, John H. Durham, U.S. attorney for Connecticut, announced in a news release. The mother of a martyred firefighter, who lost her only son two years ago, has given birth to twins at the age of 48, reports Beijing Youth Daily. Fang Zhiying and her husband Pang Fangguo welcomed the pair, a boy and girl, after four attempts at IVF (in-vitro fertilization) at a hospital in the city of Wuhan in central China. Fang Zhiying sheds a tear upon hearing the crying of the babies in hospital in Wuhan, Hubei Province, on Thursday, December 14, 2017. [Photo: Changjiang Daily] The couple decided to have another child despite their age after the death of their son Pang Ti. Pang Ti was a firefighter who died while performing his duty in the explosions at the Port of Tianjin on August 12, 2015 that killed 173 people and injured hundreds of others. He was 24. A photo of Pang Ti, the deceased son of Fang Zhiying and Pang Fangguo [File photo: Beijing Youth Daily] Pang Fangguo said they mourned the death of their son every day, and that this sadness had caused his wife's health to deteriorate. "She has been hospitalized many times over the past two years," he said. According to Pang, they wanted a baby to bring a feeling of hope back into their lives. Due to Fang's age, they turned to IVF treatment. Fang became pregnant with the twins in May. "It is hard to talk about my feelings," said Pang after the babies were born. "All we want now is to raise them and accompany them in life for as long as we can. We are grateful for another opportunity to be parents." The babies are in good condition. [Video screenshot: Beijing Youth Daily] The babies are in good conditions and the mother is recovering in hospital. NORTH HAVEN A multi-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon closed Route 15 for approximately two and a half hours, according to a police report. A Toyota Camry was traveling northbound on Route 15 near exit 62 when it abruptly stopped in the left lane of traffic. Two police cruisers then stopped behind it and activated their emergency lights. Four other vehicles a Ford Ranger, a Subaru, a Honda Civic and a Honda Pilot were all traveling northbound in sequence in the left lane, the report said. The Ford Ranger was struck from behind by the Subaru and then continued on, pulling over to the right shoulder. The Subaru was then struck by the Honda Civic and pushed into one of the police cruisers, spinning out from the impact and striking the other cruiser in the rear. The Honda Pilot subsequently struck the Honda Civic in the rear and went airborne, landed and hit the guardrail on the right shoulder, the report stated. All involved individuals except the operator of the Honda Civic were taken to a hospital for complaints of minor injuries, the report said. NEW HAVEN For some people, seeking help or support can be a matter of swallowing pride; for others, it can mean risking autonomy. Recently, the CT Hearing Voices Network, a local chapter of a network for an international movement, began a peer support group based in New Havens Wilson Branch Library on Mondays at 4:30 p.m. for people between the ages of 12 and 24 who experience voices, visions and unusual sensory perceptions. Although the CTHVN runs multiple support groups across the state, the New Haven group is the only one geared toward youth and young adults. Our mental health system is broken, and I think many people are aware of that, said Judy Murray, who runs the East Haven-based mental health nonprofit Dignity and Advocacy Network. Murray, whose son died from suicide in 2014 at age 23, said she became immediately involved in mental health causes and her outlook has evolved in the ensuing three years. They would tell him he was ill and had bipolar disorder and needed to take medication, she said. Thats when someone loses hope: when you have no one believe in you. Murray said the medical model is to diagnose people hearing voices and to silence them, often involuntarily and with no room for choice. Its not the voices that are the problem, its the response and how someone interacts with their voices, she said. The voices actually represent an attempt for the psyche to heal itself, so when you silence them, you cannot find the meaning behind them. Jenna Rai Miller, program coordinator for the Connecticut Hearing Voices Network and a voice hearer, said she was told in 1990 she would be institutionalized for the rest of her life. Hospitals are traumatizing, Miller said. Not only was she unable to wear her own clothes or leave of her own free will, she said other people began to proclaim themselves as experts on her life and experience. Miller, who trains facilitators for the support groups, dislikes titles such as facilitator. Theres no hierarchy; facilitators are not the experts, the people themselves are, she said. We sit with someones pain instead of calling 911, which is counter to the medical regime. Nothing in the support groups has ever been reported to an outside authority, Miller said, because the focus is placed on sharing experiences voluntarily in a judgment-free zone. The support groups do not accept referrals and are never mandatory. Ive created a sacred space. Theres a need here, and its huge, Miller said. Ken Blatt, a psychiatrist in West Hartford and board president of Advocacy Unlimited, which runs the CTHVN, said he believes there has been a paradigm shift in psychiatry to rush to prescriptions by meeting with people for less time and prescribing psychiatric drugs faster. Murray said psychiatric drugs can be useful in an acute crisis, but individuals should be able to make decisions about their own care. Miller said her psychiatrist told her less is more, and over the span of almost a year, she weaned herself off psychiatric drugs completely. People should have choice. People should have availability to that which they connect with, Blatt said. People fear hospitalization, but they just want to talk about harmful feelings. Sharing experiences can help move them away from the brink. He said people with emotional distress are not afforded many options under the current system without alternatives such as CTHVN support groups. You dont get your rights taken away if you have ulcerative colitis and youre going through problems, he said. You do have your rights taken away by a court if they decide you have a problem with emotional distress. Blatt said there is no scientific research or double-blind studies as to the effectiveness of support groups, but there is narrative research from personal testimonials that reflects people finding comfort and support in these groups. Miller said her groups in hospitals have left surveys when they are discharged where they list the support groups as the most effective marker of their healing. At the Wilson Branch Library support group for young people, the decision was made to separate the young voice hearers from their supporters and to run a separate support group for the adults to discuss their experiences. The CTHVN can be contacted by email at connect@cthvn.org or by phone at 860-995-9172. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com The decline of books in our lives has been predicted for several years because of digitization and changed reading habits. It has been nearly 10 years since Amazon.com Inc. introduced its Kindle e-book reader and challenged the well-developed business models of publishers. Currently, however, U.S. book publishers have watched e-book sales decline as printed book sales rise. This represents a major reversal for an industry that was facing radical change, if not slow death. Many people are pleased that printed books will remain a vibrant force, myself included. In fact, books are even more beautiful than ever with more design sensibility going into them, perhaps because it is recognized that they will not simply be throwaways. A good example is the magnificent new book on Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. The cover is a detail of an oil painting in Florences Uffizi Gallery that was once thought to be a self-portrait painted by Leonardo. Throughout the book we are treated to stunning reproductions of his great paintings, including, of course, The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, as well as Leonardos many drawings and sketches on technical and human subjects. It is a breathtaking tour through the life and works of one of the most extraordinary human beings of all time..., David McCullough is quoted as saying on the back cover. This book will always occupy a prominent place in my library at home. As part of the resurgence of books, in 2017 the Connecticut Center for the Book based at Connecticut Humanities (the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities-NEH) reinstated the Connecticut Book Awards, which had been in hiatus since 2011. It was revived to value the literature that is produced in Connecticut and to recognize and honor books with ties to our state. CCB had more than 100 books to judge, with the help of several distinguished readers. The winners were Danielle Pierati (poetry), Robert Patton (fiction), Obey Ndibe (non-fiction) and Karen Fortunati (young readers). The titles of their books can be found at ct.centerforthebook.org. The awards ceremony was held on a Sunday afternoon in October at the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford. This important event is now back on track for the future and it is planned that books published in 2017 that meet the criteria will be eligible for the next Connecticut Books Awards to be held in October 2018. Holding the 2017 Awards at the Mark Twain House and Museum was very special for those in attendance. Twain was one of the best and most popular American authors, and is generally considered the greatest humorist in American literature. Born in Missouri near the Mississippi River, he learned to pilot boats and experience life on Americas great river, which would become the source for many of his writings. He has said in that brief, sharp schooling I got personally and familiarly acquainted with about all the different types of human nature. When he and his wife moved to Hartford in 1871 they built a house to resemble a Mississippi steamboat. It was here that Twain wrote most of his best books despite his busy schedule lecturing and travel. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) Twain describes the adventures of an imaginative boy in a small Missouri town before the Civil War using his own boyhood to create three memorable characters - Tom, Toms friend, Huckleberry Finn and the enslaved man, Jim. Those characters would reappear in other novels, most notably Huckleberry Finn (1885) considered a masterpiece that dealt with the adventures of the homeless boy Huck and runaway slave, Jim, as they travel down the Mississippi River and engage in real talk resulting in Hucks growing awareness that Jim is a human being, not a piece of property. It is through novels and other forms of literature that opportunities are created for people to rediscover the joy of life-long learning, to see themselves in the full context of their history and heritage, and to explore the infinite variety of human thought and experience that gives shape, meaning and direction to life. Books are an indispensable resource for knowledge and human understanding. Lawrence J. DeNardis is chairman of Connecticut Humanities. He is also a member of the Board of Regents for Connecticut Higher Education, President Emeritus of the University of New Haven and a former U.S. Representative from the 3rd District of Connecticut. (Global Times) 07:51, December 18, 2017 Inspectors sent to study lack of winter heating Natural gas has been transported from the west and south of China to help alleviate a natural gas supply shortage in northern China. Natural gas supplier PetroChina Tarim Oilfield Company, in Northwest China's XinjiangUyghur Autonomous Region has transmitted over 20 billion cubic meters of gas to eastern China as of Friday this year, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday. The 20-billion-cubic meters of natural gas can replace up to 26 million tons of coal, according to the Tarim oilfield. The transmission of natural gas increased to more than 19.3 billion cubic meters in 2016 from the previous 350 million cubic meters in 2004. A total of 7.25 million cubic meters of natural gas will also be transported every day starting Saturday from South China's Guangdong Province to ease shortages in northern China, said Xinhua. According to Guangdong Natural Gas Grid, the natural gas jointly provided by PetroChina Company Limited and China National Offshore Oil Corporation will meet the demands of daily use and heating for more than 1.5 million households in northern China. That number is likely to reach 9 million per day with upgraded facilities, Xinhua reported. "The international supply of natural gas is sufficient, but natural gas suppliers in China had relatively low expectations toward the demand of natural gas this year," Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times. The northern part of the 3,371-kilometer natural gas pipeline, linking China and Russia has begun construction, according to China National Petroleum Corporation. Upon completion, the pipeline will provide China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia annually, the Xinhua reported. The Ministry of Environmental Protection(MEP) dispatched 1,678 inspectors to check the heating shortage problem in northern China from Friday to Sunday. The inspection covers Beijing, Tianjin, and 26 other cities in the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong and Henan, where coal had been banned from providing heating. The MEP examined whether residents in those regions are given proper and stable electricity, natural gas and heating. The notice comes after reports said many regions were suffering from a shortage of electricity or natural gas this winter due to the delayed construction of heating facilities. Yao Qiang, a former director of Tsinghua University's Department of Thermal Engineering, said the heating problems should not simply be blamed on the MEP's campaign to ban the use of coal for heating. Natural gas used by industries and electricity generation also increased faster than expected, Yao said, according to a statement sent to the Global Times by the MEP. According to China's 13th Five-year Plan (2016-20) on energy development, the consumption of domestic natural gas is expected to increase to 10 percent of overall energy consumption by 2020. Lin noted China should increase its domestic natural gas supply annually as the natural gas demand in the future will be huge. Veteran broadcaster, producer and director, Tunde Oloyede is dead. He died this morning at his home in Festac Town, Lagos. He was 70 years old. The former President of Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN) , producer and director of the popular, now defunct, television drama series The Village Headmaster, until his death ran his own production outfit, Media International Production. He has also produced dozens of television commercials. His wife is the veteran broadcaster Bimbo Oloyede, a guest newscaster on Nigerias foremost TV station, Channels. President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday expressed happiness that his health condition has recorded excellent improvement.The president who clocked 75 yesterday, thanked Nigerians for their concern and fervent prayers.Though he did not organise any birthday celebration, his aides presented him with a birthday card at his resident in the Presidential Villa.The planned parade to be mounted by the Brigade of Guards as part of activities to mark presidents birthday was cancelled.The Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Permanent Secretary State House, Jalal Arabia led the presidential aides to present a giant birthday card to him.The card designed in green and white colours, had the presidents photograph with the inscription boldly written, Happy Birthday, Mr. President embossed on its cover.After Kyari presented the card that had earlier been signed by all of them, the president took group photographs with them while they sang birthday songs.Those who joined Kyari included Permanent Secretary, State House, Jalal Arabi; State Chief of Protocol, Abdullahi Kazaure; Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina; Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu; Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Abba Sarki; Personal Assistant to the President, Tunde Sabiu; Presidents Personal Photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo and the presidents security aides.Also present to wish President Buhari happy birthday were Service Chiefs led by Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin. Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, I.E. Ibas and the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, accompanied the CDS.Recall that President Buhari returned to the country on August 19 after spending over 100 days in London on medical vacation.He had also returned to London after attending the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 72), in September.Meanwhile, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State have congratulated Buhari.Saraki in a tweet in his twitter handle, @bukolasaraki, prayed for wisdom and grace for the president.Happy Birthday Mr. President! I wish you the blessings of the Almighty, and continued wisdom and grace as you celebrate another year, the tweet read.Also, Obaseki described Buharis leadership style as exemplary.Commending his dedication to the cause of the common man, the governor said: As you mark this day, we are inspired by your exemplary leadership, dedication to the course of the common man and relentless commitment to restoring the countrys greatness.He further said the perception of Nigeria by the international community is fast changing for the better, as many countries now believe that our problems as a country are not beyond us.On his part, Okowa in a statement issued in Asaba by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, eulogised the Nigerian leader for his patriotic and unrelenting service to the country.He said: On the occasion of your 75th birthday anniversary on December 17, 2017, I write to heartily rejoice with you and your family on behalf of the government and people of Delta State, Okowa said.Tambuwal in a message issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said Buhari has paid his dues in the Nigerian polity, and prayed to God to continue to bless the life of the President.Attaining 75 years in life calls for thanks giving and expression of gratitude to God. I am glad the Almighty Allah has blessed our president with long life and good health.No doubt, the president has proven himself to be a leader of high ethics and morality. We in Sokoto State join all Nigerians in wishing the president a happy birthday, Tambuwal saidIn the same vein, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has commended Nigerians for their wise decision to elect Buhari president in 2015, while stating that landslide victory awaits him in 2019.He described the president as the man God had used to save the country from collapse, saying because at the time Buhari became president, the country was at the verge of being grounded unknown to some people.He also commended Nigerians who voted in 2015 to make Buhari president and concluded that the president has done well to justify the mandate given to him by Nigerians, explaining that God will continue to keep President Buhari alive because He wants him (Buhari) to finish the good works he is doing for Nigerias greatness.In his message, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State described Buhari as a man of uncommon credibility and integrity who undoubtedly came to rescue Nigeria from the brink of collapse and hopelessness.A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Elayo, quoted Al-Makura as commending the president for his effort and commitment to carry out the much needed cleansing of the country of corruption and other social vices.Al-Makura said: The achievements recorded so far by the President are clear indications of his vision for a better Nigeria and therefore Nigerians should be patient with him. Though the road is rough and turbulent, the journey to prosperity and greatness that will ensure. Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo, says President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of God sent to save Nigeria from collapse. Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo, says President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of God sent to save Nigeria from collapse. Okorocha said this in a statement issued on Sunday to congratulate Buhari on his 75th birthday. The governor said Buhari became president at a time when the country was on the verge of being grounded. He said the vote the president would get in the 2019 election would be double of what he garnered in the 2015 election. The governor described president Buhari as the man God had used to save the country from total collapse, the statement by Sam Onwuemeodo, the governors chief press secretary, read. At the time Buhari became president, the nation was at the verge of being grounded unknown to some people and then thanked God for his grace upon the land, called Nigeria. In 2019 the votes the president will get for his second tenure will be two times more than the votes he got in 2015 because most Nigerians have come to appreciate the necessity of his coming and what he is doing with the office. The Department of Petroleum Resources said it has sealed 16 filling stations for selling petrol above N145 per litre pump price.The Operations Controller of DPR in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Tamunoiminabo Sundaye, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Eket on Monday.Sundaye, however, said some of the affected stations had paid the penalty and had signed undertaking with the department to be of good behaviour.He said the department had begun close monitoring of filling stations to ensure that they reverse their pumps to dispense petrol at N145 per litre.He also said the agency had engaged private depot owners to ensure that they sell the product at ex-depot price to marketers.The controller deplored the conduct of independent marketers, who he accused of taking advantage of recent upset in the oil market to exploit the public by selling petrol above regulated rate.He alleged that the marketers were creating artificial scarcity of the product in the state.I will not really say that there is much scarcity in Akwa Ibom because there is no queue.What happened is that our brothers and sisters took opportunity of what happened in Lagos and Abuja, which, of course, is normal now.Our people and their normal way of doing things, started selling above government approved pump price and we have sealed a number of filling stations over it, Sundaye said.He appealed to marketers to do the business in accordance with rules and regulations of the petroleum sector, saying that the present administration would not tolerate sharp practises in the industry.He said that any marketer caught would face the wrath of the law.Sundaye warned marketers not to indulge in under-dispensing of the products in the state, saying otherwise, they would face the penalty.NAN reports that most filling stations in Akwa Ibom State are selling petrol between N160 per litre and N170 per litre. A group known as Buhari Youth Organisation, BYO, has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.The group which stormed Makurdi, Benue State capital yesterday told newsmen that there was no alternative to President Buhari.The youths who organised a two-day conference in Makurdi applauded the anti-corruption crusade of the president which they said was a right step in repositioning the country to its past glory.The national President of the organisation, Comrade Yusuf Nalado, x-rayed the policies and programmes of the President which included war against insurgency, the Treasury Single Account, TSA, the reforms in the customs, Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, the social investment programmes as well as liberalisation of the political space.The image of our dear nation has been enhanced around the world and Nigeria is slowly beginning to retake its pride of place among the coming of nations, he said.The national president maintained that the group was convinced that there is no candidate at this period that can match the credentials of Mr President and urged Nigerians, old and young, to support the Buhari re-election project for him to consolidate the successes so far made and reposition the nation for the future generation.The group also commended Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom for his total support for the Buhari re-election project and threw their support for his re-election bid.According to him, we unequivocally support the 2019 re-election bid of Governor Ortom. This will enable him to continue with the good work he has started. Worthy of a very special note is the anti-open law that has come into effect in Benue. This law alone represents the future of Nigeria. A professor of Systematic Theology and Biblical Studies, Augustus Macaulay, has dragged the National Universities Commission before the Federal High Court in Lagos, challenging the commissions power to regulate theological education in the country.Macaulay, who is a nephew of the late nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, sued on behalf of himself and the United Bible University, Lagos.The Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Christian Theologian is also a plaintiff in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1038/17.Joined as defendants are the NUC and the Attorney General of the Federation.The plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration that they are not answerable to the NUC as regards the affairs of the United Bible University.Their lawyer, Kayode Oyedeji, is contending that since Nigeria is a secular state by virtue of Section 10 of the constitution, the NUC lacks the power to regulate Christian education and theological studies in Nigeria.They are seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants jointly and severally from harassing, disturbing, intimidating or doing anything to affect the liberty of the first plaintiff with respect to the first plaintiffs activities at the United Bible University being regulated by the second plaintiff.Macaulay claimed that trouble began on April 27, 2016 when the Academic Manager of United Bible University, Mrs. Sandra Thompson, and himself were arrest by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission.He claimed that the arrest was at the instigation of the NUC which accused them of operating an illegal university.He maintained that United Bible University being a non-secular university does not need NUCs approval to operate.But the NUC opposed the suit, saying by virtue of its establishment Act of 1974 it had the duty to regulate university education in the country.The NUC maintained that having not been registered (by the NUC) and met the minimum standards for programmes to be pursued in Nigerian universities, Macaulays United Bible University remains illegal.The NUC also challenged Macaulays qualification as a professor, contending that it does not recognise Levites Christian University, which Macaulay claimed awarded him the professorial title.Levites Christian University and United Bible University do not have the NUCs approval to grant professorial awards to any person whatsoever and consequently, the first plaintiff is not qualified to parade himself as a professor, the NUC argued.The case has been adjourned till March 12, 2018. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and some state governors on Sunday joined President Muhammadu Buhari to cut his birthday cakes.The Presidents wife, Aisha, also joined them for the event that took place inside Buharis official residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.The Presidents Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, posted a short video clip of the event on her Facebook page with the caption President Buhari, surrounded by his gorgeous wife, friends and some members of his political family as he cuts his 75th birthday celebration cake. Very many happy returns of the day, Sir. God bless Nigeria.Five giant cakes were seen on the table as the President was surrounded by his wife, Osinbajo, the governors and other top government officials.The governors included Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) among others.The Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha, was also present.Osinbajo later on his Twitter handle, @ProfOsinbajo, on Sunday, described President Buhari as a dependable leader.Osinbajo said Buharis commitment continued to serve as an example to him.To a dependable leader, your commitment to Nigeria continues to serve as an example to me and our nation, Happy Birthday, Boss!Happy Birthday President Muhammadu Buhari! he wrote.Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his Kogi State counterpart, Bello, have described him as an exemplary leader.Obaseki made his remark in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategies, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, in Benin on Sunday.The governor said, As you mark this day, we are inspired by your exemplary leadership, dedication to the cause of the common man and relentless commitment to restoring the country to greatness.He noted that Nigerias standing in the international community was fast changing for the better.We pray and wish you excellent health, divine grace, boundless fulfilment and happiness to celebrate many more years ahead, Obaseki added.The governor lauded the Presidents achievement in the areas of security, corruption eradication and the revamping of the economy, saying they were geared toward building of a better and stronger Nigeria.He prayed that the Presidents birthday would usher Nigerians into another year of giant strides and glory to the admiration of all.Edo and her people wish you happy birthday, long life, prosperity and many more years of active service, he added.Similarly, Bello, in a congratulatory letter he personally signed, hailed Buhari for his steadfastness in creating a better and more respectable Nigeria.Bello said, President Buhari remains a shining light and an unbeatable example for transparency and accountability.I am learning a lot from President Muhammadu Buhari. He is an honest and transparent leader who is selfless, focused and dedicated to the greatness of our dear nation.On several occasions, Baba has continued to drive his ideals into us, which are anti-corruption and service to Nigeria. He defended Nigeria in a military uniform and he is defending the integrity of Nigeria now with his incorruptible nature and commitment to fighting corruption, he said.Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, led some presidential aides to present a giant birthday card to the President in his official residence at the Presidential Villa.The green-and-white card has Buharis photograph and the inscription Happy Birthday, Mr. President embossed on it.After Kyari presented the card signed by the aides, the President took photographs with them while they sang birthday songs.Those who joined Kyari included the Permanent Secretary, State House, Jalal Arabi; Chief of Protocol, Abdullahi Kazaure; Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina; Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu; Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Abba Sarki; Personal Assistant to the President, Tunde Sabiu; Presidents personal photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo; and the Presidents security aides.The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who is a close ally of the President, also presented him with a green-white-green giant card.A leader for all seasons @75. President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR was written boldly on the cards cover alongside the Presidents portrait.The nations service chiefs also joined in the celebration. They included the Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonishakin; Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas, and the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.Buharis grandchildren also joined to celebrate him.One of them, a girl, presented him with a card with the inscription, We love you granddad. Love from Baby See & Ayush.The usual military parade by men of the Presidential Guards Brigade that characterised Buharis two previous birthdays since he assumed office in 2015 however did not take place. By Ifedayo Babalola Profiling the Nigerian anti-tithe coalition is no mean task. For, it is a potpourri assembly comprising many non-Pe... Profiling the Nigerian anti-tithe coalition is no mean task. For, it is a potpourri assembly comprising many non-Pentecostal Christians, old church reverends, adherents of such other faiths which consider Christianity a heresy against God, 24-carat atheists and people, who, frankly-speaking, never cared about any public issue debate other than which of the P-Square brothers married the more beautiful wife.Some say a number of Pentecostal church members as well are closet anti-tithers and were happy to assist outsiders who attempted to upset the ecclesiastical status quo. And so important was this task that such a diverse congregation put all differences aside to mass under the ministration of OAP Freeze, who ironically, is himself a Bible-quoting sort of alternative Daddy.The task of profiling a tithe payer is nevertheless made easier; and for this, we have the anti-tithe heroes to express our gratitude. Tithe payers and offering givers, we were told, are a bunch of brainless, unemployed, underemployed, lazy, miracle-seeking idiots who have been brainwashed by pastors. Moreover, anti-tithing posts labelled those tithers with fat droppings as thieves, rogues, embezzlers and 419ers. Otherwise, where would they get the billions and hundreds of millions and thousands naira and dollar donations from? How do you buy a jet for a pastor in this broken country of beggarly peasants?An anti-tither yields no inch. He takes no prisoners. To him, no Pentecostal church deserves credit for a minuscule grain of good works. In the language of the campaign therefore, no pastor was just a pastor. None at all. The unflattering prefixes qualifying the title are numerous. They are jet-flying, money grabbing, Gucci-sporting, miracle-faking, hell-bound, abracadabra, extortionist, corrupt, corruption-sponsoring and evil, auditorium freaks, to mention but a few. As if these were not enough to sink mens souls, pastors were further debited as conniving with criminals in high places to wreak havoc on the country.In the heat of the debate, Bible verses were rolled out to prove beyond doubt that tithing is not only legalistic in the Christian setting, but a treasonable form of modern slavery. There were incontrovertible arguments about the foolishness of hungry, thirsty parishioners giving only to service jets of con artist spiritual daddies.We had never seen a protest like it. The free airtime radio ministry of the alternative Daddy had enabled his liberating sermons to reach millions of lost Pentecostal souls and their hell bound bishops. Whatsapp Avenue was littered with thousands of screenbills; and such was the sea of anti-tithe protesters at Facebook Square that you wondered if there were people left at Instagram Close to manage the life-saving business of snapping selfies.When you call someone a brainless fool and expect him to follow your advise, look in the mirror. Besides, you can abuse a political party leader and his followers will anoint you a hero. But this is religion. Different game. Different rules.Going through social media posts, newspaper opinions and reactions in the chat rooms, one was tempted to wonder: Where are the tithe payers and collectors to speak themselves? Has it become tiring for followers to defend the excesses of their general overseers, bishops, and superintendents? Just muted voices, even from pastoral biggies, who responded with weak doses of Malachi.Anti-tithers were emboldened. The message had obviously sunk in. Tithers, under the weight of undeniable, overwhelming theological summations, must have abandoned their leaders. The opposition gloated. Year 2017 will definitely be a meatless Christmas season in The House of God, they celebrated. Eat your heart out then, Prophet Malachi, you carnivorous minor prophet elevated to prominence by Nigerias bloodsucking Pentecostal charlatans!Then, enter the convention season. Will the pews be really empty this year in those money-grubbing auditoriums, or will they file out sheepishly like chained slaves to fill up the insatiable offering baskets? Baited breath all around.And as they had done for many decades, as they still obediently do every Sunday, faithful worshippers filed into the safety of churches and convention grounds:Here, we are safe. We are far far away from the siege of the spiritually ignorant and their daddy. We are encircled with walls of fire against the ungodly coalition of Persian kings. How can they comprehend The Lords doing in our lives? What is money compared to the blessings that money cannot buy? Here we are, in this fortress, on these holy grounds, these hallowed temples, to give thanks and to receive much more from Our own Daddy.The preachers poured in as well. Alpha males in own territories. Awe. Reverence. The spirit of Malachi pervaded the air. Alternative daddys personality would be starved of oxygen in this sanctified atmosphere. More Malachi. Why not? It has worked for many generations all over the world. Why abandon it now just because of a few self-appointed supermen circling to rescue the faithful? Who is a human super celebrity in the presence of archangels with the flaming sword?Then the killer punch. More effective than the darling minor prophet. Testimony time! The naysayers may dig from Genesis to Revelation, but who can argue with results? Hard evidence is what we trade. Miraculous healing, pregnancies upon newborn babes, miracle jobs, a 31 times salary increase for a measly one year income pledge, and the dead receive life! Everyone is clapping. They are on their feet, claiming and tapping into.Testimonies are followed by testimonies. We are Pentecostals. We love rhymes.So, troop out they did, but not like shacked, fettered captives. Not once, not twice. They danced, sang and rejoiced and they gave. Critics say they paid up, but thats what critics are for. The grateful faithful were not only giving for what had been done and delivered. They did also for what was prophesied.So, the results have tumbled in. Successful seminars and conferences all over; and we know the parameters of success. You cant argue with Gods blessings. More people. More money. Dollar rain. New converts. Church leaders are smiling all the way. No. Not to the bank. Banks come to them in Nigeria. When they have to go to one, they fly. The itinerary is universal and the work is tedious.In the tactics of theology versus evidence therefore, the latter has won hands down. Anti-tithers say the oppositions victory is only in the short run. But I dare say if the war tactics remain unchanged, then the long run is already here.When you call someone a brainless fool and expect him to follow your advise, look in the mirror. Besides, you can abuse a political party leader and his followers will anoint you a hero. But this is religion. Different game. Different rules. (Global Times) 08:12, December 18, 2017 A video streaming platform banned a girl battling cancer from performing live in the hopes of raising money for her costly treatment, with legal experts calling for greater tolerance. Liu Zinian, a 6-year-old girl suffering from lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes, was banned two months ago from the live stream platform Now Live Broadcast for 10 years, Wei Lihong, Liu's mother told the Global Times on Sunday. To reduce the family's financial burden, Liu and her mother turned to the live streaming platform where she sang and danced on her hospital bed while hooked to an IV. She would turn the virtual gifts she received during her live broadcasts into real money. The platform told Wei it does not allow people to broadcast fund-raising appeals. Liu was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2016 and has been undergoing treatment since then at a hospital in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province. "We've spent 800,000 yuan ($122,000) on treatment in the past year," Wei, who works for a wine seller in Zhengzhou, told the Global Times. Liu, who has lost her hair following chemotherapy treatments, is now using another live streaming platform to give her "performances" and raise money from her audience, Wei said. Liu is not the first seriously ill person who couldn't afford treatment to try to raise funds on live streaming platforms. A 28-year-old farmer Hu Yawen in Henan broadcast the daily life of her 2-year-old son who has leukemia, and received 100,000 yuan, according to Henan Business Daily on December 9. Similar cases have garnered a lot of online comments. "The financial aid from social insurance is far from enough to pay for the treatment of serious diseases," a Netizen commented. "There are still a lot of families that can't afford needed treatments." Some Netizens also doubted that the broadcasters were really ill and in need of help. "As long as the content of the live video does not break the law, raising funds through online live streaming is allowed," Zhu Xiaoding, a Beijing based lawyer told the Global Times on Sunday. "Charity websites aimed at helping the poor or people with serious diseases are actually a better choice than live streaming platforms, since they are better regulated and less troublesome for people in need," Zhu said. Liu has so far had 11 chemotherapy treatments. A charity website has also been created to raise money for the girl. Chris Christie is . How unpopular? Even "Jersey Shore" star DJ Pauly D -- not exactly known for his scintillating viewpoints on politics -- can't wait to see him go. Sure, the reality star and casino DJ is excited about the return of "Jersey Shore" to MTV. But Paul Delvecchio (yeah, that's his real name in case you forgot) told TMZ that he's also looking forward to Governor Chris Christie leaving Trenton. "Anybody's better than him," Pauly D said of Christie when approached by a TMZ reporter. Pauly D complimented Governor-elect Phil Murphy's trolling prowess in the wake of Murphy posing with a picture of Christie's infamous Beachgate moment. Pauly D also went on to drop a few hints of what's in store for "Jersey Shore Family Reunion," MTV's reboot of the show that shaped New Jersey's national reputation (for better or for worse) when it first aired in 2009. According to the reality star, the reboot will run a full season and he believes that it will feature the full original cast. "I don't think they ever should've took it off the air if you ask me," Pauly D told TMZ. Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A federal judge in Newark on Monday ruled an alleged city gang leader is ineligible to face the death penalty, curtailing the second federal capital prosecution in the state's history. Farad Roland. (Essex County Correctional Facility) In a comprehensive opinion filed Monday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas said Farad Roland's intellectual disability made him ineligible for the death penalty under the Eighth Amendment -- which prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment" -- and the Federal Death Penalty Act. The Justice Department in 2015 had authorized then-U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman to seek the death penalty against Roland, 33, the alleged leader of a Bloods-affiliated drug-trafficking gang in the Newark's South Ward. Among other crimes, Roland faces charges of murder in aid of racketeering in connection with five killings in which he is alleged to have taken part as a member of the South Side Cartel. Investigators said the gang, based out of two apartment buildings known as the "twin towers," controlled the drug trade on Hawthorne Avenue for much of the 2000s. Seeking to shield their client from the death penalty, the defense in September filed a motion pursuant to a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which held that executing those with intellectual disabilities violated their Eighth Amendment rights. In granting the motion, Salas said expert witness testimony and extensive evidence submitted on Roland's behalf "abundantly satisfied his burden of proving his intellectual disability by a preponderance of the evidence." Salas specifically cited Roland's numerous academic and developmental struggles as a child, including being labeled "mentally retarded" by the Social Security Administration at age 14, in granting the motion. "Judge Salas today issued a thorough, detailed, thoughtful 135 page opinion that speaks for itself," Richard Jasper, Roland's lead defense attorney, said in an email to NJ Advance Media. "The written opinion is a comprehensive analysis regarding the issues before the Court." A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office said prosecutors had no comment on the ruling. The death penalty was abolished in New Jersey at the state level in 2007, 44 years after the last execution was carried out here, but remains a possible sentence under federal criminal law. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, just three federal prisoners have been executed since 1988, when the first federal death penalty statute was enacted following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to reinstate the death penalty. Among that trio was Timothy McVeigh, who was put to death in 2001 for bombing a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168. Those sentenced to death in federal court await execution on death row at USP Terre Haute in Indiana. Just one other federal death penalty case has been tried in the District of New Jersey. That 2007 trial of a Newark drug dealer, William Baskerville, ultimately convicted of ordering the killing of an FBI informant, ended with a sentence of life in prison after the jury could not agree on whether the defendant deserved to die. Opening statements for Roland's trial in Newark had been scheduled to begin Jan. 29, but Salas previously granted a continuance to allow attorneys to address pre-trial motions in the case. Roland is currently being held at a federal detention center in Brooklyn, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips JERSEY CITY -- A West New York man was sentenced to 21 years in prison with no chance of parole today for sexually assaulting and impregnating his girlfriend's daughter when he was 26 years old and she was 12. "Although he pleaded guilty to having sex with her on the instance that she became pregnant, he had sex with her every time her mother left the house," Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Christina Krauthammer. said at the sentencing. The victim, now a single mother, later suffered extreme depression, to the point hospitalization was required. "Her little brain could not process what she was being put through," the prosecutor said, adding that the girl believed she was in love with the man. When asked if he wanted to speak before sentencing, the 27-year-old said "Just that I would like to say I'm sorry to the mother, to the judge, to the prosecutor and the victim, too. I'm ready to comply with all the time you give me." Hudson County Superior Court Judge John Young told the man that his apology was "shallow" and failed to address the damage he caused to the victim and her child. His name is being withheld in this report in order to protect the victim's identity. "You are going to prison and you are going to prison for a long time and you're not getting out until you finish you sentence," Young told the man, who is not a United States citizen. "And when you get out, unless the law changes, you will be deported." Young also ordered the man to have no contact with the victim or the victim's child for as long as he lives. The man was to be sentenced earlier this month, but in court that day he said he could not remember anything about what happened. Young adjourned that hearing and said the matter would go to trial. But in court today, the man said he did remember. "I was drunk and high, but I do remember," he said through a Spanish translator. Young also said that should the man return to the U.S. after being deported, he must register as a sex offender under Megan's law and undergo supervision for life. The 52nd Street resident made his first court appearance on the charges on Oct. 6, 2016. JERSEY CITY -- The Islamic Center of Jersey City said it has suspended an imam for saying in a Dec. 8 sermon that Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque "remains prisoner in the hands of the Jews" and praying for the annihilation of "the plundering oppressors." Edited video of the sermon was posted online last week by the Middle East Media Research Institute, or Memri, which tracks the Arab/Muslim press. In it, the imam, Aymen Elkasaby, calls Israel "the most cowardly of nations" and Jewish people "the weakest of all peoples," according to Memri. The sermon came two days after President Trump announced he would formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv. The move was denounced by Muslim leaders who call Jerusalem the capital of Palestine. "So long as the Al Aqsa Mosque remains prisoner in the hands of the Jews, this nation will remain humiliated," Memri quoted Elkasaby saying in his sermon. "So long as the Al Aqsa Mosque remans under the feet of the apes and pigs, this nation will remain humiliated." Ahmed Shedeed, the Islamic Center of Jersey City president, issued a statement condemning Elkasaby's sermon, saying it "falsely demonizes an entire people." The imam was suspended without pay for one month, according to Shedeed. "A true Muslim who believes in the scriptures would never call for the genocide of any people let alone the children of Israel, or denigrate a people whose sacred history is the Muslim's sacred history," Shedeed said. Shedeed said Elkasaby will undergo training with imams who have "more interreligious experience" and will be permitted to deliver sermons only when approved by the Imam's Council of the Metropolitan Area. He will also deliver a statement expressing regret, Shedeed said. This is not the first time Jersey City's Muslim community has been the focus of controversy. The blind Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman preached radical Islam in Jersey City mosques before the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center that was carried out by his followers. He died in February while serving a life sentence in a federal prison in North Carolina. During his campaign for president, Trump claimed to have seen "thousands and thousands" of people in Jersey City celebrating the 9/11 attacks, a claim that was widely debunked. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Two men burglarized a church on Bergen Avenue, stealing more than $400 worth in equipment, police said. In the early morning hours on Friday, police were called to the Corinthian Baptist Church on Bergen Avenue near Audubon Park, where two men had reportedly stolen two Panasonic speakers valued at $200 each, authorities said. Police found no one in the church at the time of arrival, but an anonymous caller told police that two men clothed in all black were carrying the speakers up Wegman Parkway towards MLK Drive, police said. The two men had entered the building from a side entrance on the north side of the building and had exited from the front doors, police said. Gen. George Washington's forces battled ice and bitter cold while crossing the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776 on the way to the morale-shifting Battle of Trenton the next day. This Christmas, weather again threatens to interrupt the annual re-enactment of the crossing. This time it's a lack of water in the river. The annual event on both banks of the river at the Washington Crossing state parks (in both states) will go on regardless of the water level, organizers say. The event is about more than just the 1 p.m. crossing, which may still be re-enacted in another form. A decision on exactly how the crossing would occur will be made a few days before Christmas. In past years, re-enactors have walked across the nearby Washington Crossing Bridge, or scaled back the number of boats. "Whether George Washington (and other re-enactors) actually get in Durham boats, that's up in the air," said Joe Capone, executive director of the Friends of Washington Crossing Park. The river needs rain and snow melt in the next week. "We're hopeful," Capone said Monday. At the crossing, the Durham boats need at least 18 inches of water, Capone said. Currently, the average depth is just 10 inches. He said people who've lived in the Washington Crossing areas of Mercer County, N.J. and Bucks County, Pa. say they've never seen it this low. The event uses the height of the river at the Calhoun Street bridge in Trenton as their gauge. The river needs to be at a stage of 9 1/2 feet - and a bare minimum of 9 feet. It's a little over 8 feet Monday. An inch of rain would be ideal across the river's watershed along with some snow melt, Capone said. "We're possibly going to get some rain later this week," he said. The National Weather Service predicts the next chance of rain on Friday. "The rest of the events will go on as planned," Capone said. The crossing is the kickoff of Patriot's Week, with over 35 events taking place during a six-day period highlighting the Trenton area's role in the American Revolution. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Service on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line was suspended Monday after a train and car collided at the crossing in Bradley Beach, injuring the driver of the car, officials said. The crash occurred about 10:30 a.m. at a crossing at Evergreen Avenue and Memorial Drive, according to NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith. The woman in the vehicle was alert and conscious, but was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune Township after complaining of chest pain, Smith said. NJ Transit police were on scene investigating as of 11:30 a.m. North Jersey Coast Line service is suspended in both directions between Long Branch and Bay Head due to a train and motor vehicle accident at a grade crossing in Bradley Beach. NJ TRANSIT (@NJTRANSIT) December 18, 2017 "It's still under investigation if the train hit the car or if the car hit the train," he said. North Jersey Coast Line service has been suspended in both directions between Long Branch and Bay Head. Smith said rail tickets and passes are being accepted on NJ Transit's bus service. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook. I felt like a real skunk. In a tent packed with more than 200 people, Joe DiVincenzo was bathed in the unconditional love of the entire senior leadership of the Democratic Party, as he kicked off his campaign for a fifth term as Essex County executive. Phil Murphy was up front, standing next to Sens. Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, along with several members of Congress, the senior leaders of the Senate and Assembly, and dozens of freeholders and mayors. This was an impressive display of political muscle. "I'm honored to be here," said Murphy, the governor-elect. "Joe, we could not be more proud," said Sheila Oliver, his lieutenant governor. It was a big happy family. Except for me, the skunk. Because to me, DiVincenzo is walking evidence that New Jersey Democrats don't give a damn when they see one of their own use public office to enrich themselves personally. If you're in the club, it's all good. And yes, Bob Menendez, I'm talking about you, too. We'll get to that sad case. DiVincenzo is a talented and tireless county executive, give him that. But he taints that by grabbing money for himself at the same time. He earns a generous salary of $168,000, about what the governor makes. But on top, he collects a public pension of $69,000 a year, for his job as county executive. You may wonder: How can he collect a fat pension for a job he still holds? Aren't pensions supposed to be for retirement? Yes, but the rules in Jersey are creative that way. And Joe D, as he's known, is not strict about following the rules anyway. He just paid a $20,000 fine for using campaign funds to fatten up his personal lifestyle a bit more. He bought a gym membership, tickets to Devils games, a tuxedo, and so on. He even paid parking tickets. But my personal favorite is the repeated use of this money for trips to Puerto Rico, timed just right for Super Bowl weekend. "I didn't do anything wrong," he tells me. How far would he go if someone didn't stop him? Would it be okay to hold next year's meeting in the South of France? Perhaps Thailand? In his defense, the rules are vague. It's not precisely clear how far you can stretch the definition of a "political" event, which would make use of campaign funds legitimate. But as Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once wrote about pornography: "I know it when I see it." None of the Democrats on the stage Monday mentioned any of that. Granted, it wasn't the time and place. But if they have ever whispered a word of criticism over these stunts, I must have missed it. For that, I turned to Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex), a bitter rival who has fought storied battles with DiVincenzo, winning some and losing some. I asked him about the illegal spending, for starters. "That fine was not a slap on the wrist, it was a kiss on the ass," he said. Codey has a long list of all the public officials, many of them in that tent, who have jobs or contracts with the county government. Oliver has worked with Joe D for years, for example, and so has Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex). The list of mayors and freeholders is too long for this column. People often ask me why New Jersey is so ethically challenged, and I don't have a good answer. History. Culture. Maybe something in the water. But one big reason is that we have powerful machines, like those in Essex and Hudson counties. Think of them as political alliances, on steroids. The currency is patronage jobs, public contracts, political money, and muscular ground operations on election day -- all used to fortify the team. If you're in, you're in. That is why Joe D gets a pass on all his sins. He helps them, and they help him. On Monday, he warned Murphy that he will be asking for state help in coming years, adding a friendly reminder of his machine's muscle. "I don't want you to forget the 100,000-vote plurality in Essex County," he said. "So, any time you need to make a decision, and it's a difficult decision, just think of that." Sen. Bob Menendez was up on stage, too. He seems intent on running for re-election next year, and has won endorsements from Murphy, Booker, and almost every hot-shot on stage Monday. Never mind that corruption trial. It ended with a hung jury, and that's enough for Democrats to look away. But undisputed testimony in that case revealed that Menendez took lavish gifts, rode private jets around the globe, and stayed in elite hotels. Testimony also showed that he did special favors for the man who gave him those gifts, Dr. Salmon Melgen. And there is no dispute that he failed to report many of these gifts, as required. Prosecutors could not prove that the favors were done in return for the gifts, which is when this behavior moves from sleazy to criminal. And for reasons I can't fathom, jurors didn't nail him on the disclosure charges either. This is how parties can rot from within. Menendez and Joe D are both getting a free pass on this stuff. Joe D wins every election in a landslide. The machine is only one reason. He's put the county's finances in order, elevating the bond rating over and over. He's turned the county park system a jewel. He built a county psychiatric hospital and a new jail, and the courthouse renovation is stunning. He's building a new county vocational school. Aside from the high taxes - third-highest in the state -- the country runs well. The same goes for Menendez. He's a brilliant man, and anyone who knows Washington will tell you that he's an effective senator. It's a damn shame they both have a habit of sneaking an extra spoonful of sugar for themselves. And it's a damn shame their fellow Democrats don't seem to mind. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. China will cut export tariffs on some steel, fertilizer products, says Ministry of Finance (Global Times) 08:17, December 18, 2017 China will cut export taxes on some steel products and fertilizers and ditch those for sales abroad of steel wire, rods and bars from January 1, the Ministry of Financesaid, in a series of measures that could boost shipments, The move is likely to stir concerns among foreign competitors in the US and Europe that China, the world's top steel producer, may be looking to sell its excess products abroad, media reports said over the weekend. It follows a ministerial level G20meeting in Berlin last month, at which China and the US remained at odds over how to tackle excess steel capacity. The global steel sector is worth about $900 billion a year. Stainless steel plate export tariffs will fall to 5 percent from 10 percent, while billet tariffs will be 10 percent, down from 15 percent currently. The world's second-largest economy exported 64.5 million tons of steel products in the first 10 months of the year, down 30 percent from a year earlier. That included 1.74 million tons of steel wire, down 9.5 percent from a year before. China has also cut some 100 million tons of legal capacity and another 120 million tons of illegal capacity since January 2016, and rejects US claims that it needs to do more. The 2015 global steel sector crisis was blamed on record levels of unfairly traded Chinese steel, but prices have since recovered some 50 percent thanks to China's capacity cuts and infrastructure spending. Export taxes on three fertilizer compounds - nitrogen, phosphorous and potash - will be lowered to 100 yuan ($15.14) per ton, compared with the current rate of 20 percent of the total shipment value, the ministry said. Arthur Johnston, pictured in his booking photo, and his teenage son were arrested after the NOPD says the Lusher Charter School teen threatened on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, "to shoot the school up" the following day, and his father then refused to cooperate with police. (Orleans Justice Center jail) (Global Times) 08:18, December 18, 2017 Signal of new era in tapping polar travel China's first flight lands on Antarctica over the weekend. Photo: courtesy of Deer Jet China's first flight to Antarctica successfully landed on Saturday night, a move signaling the country has started a new era of tapping the nascent South Pole tourism market, which will lift China's position and influence as a rising power in the region, an expert said. The flight, operated by Deer Jet, HNA Group's corporate flight subsidiary, carried 22 Chinese passengers from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Thursday to the Earth's southernmost region, transferring in Cape Town, South Africa after a 15-hour flight to refuel. After the layover, the aircraft then took off again for another 5.5-hour flight and successfully landed on a 2,500-meter runway at an airport in Antarctica, according to a statement Deer Jet sent to the Global Times over the weekend. After some well-needed rest, the passengers were scheduled to take a DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft to the South Pole after an additional five- to six-hour flight, with the group set to become the first Chinese tour group to land at the Earth's most southernmost point, according to the statement. A senior executive from the HNA Group hailed the launch of the route as a "milestone." Prior to the launch of the new flight, China had not developed any tourism resources, nor had it participated in any form of rule-making in Antarctic tourism, the senior executive told the Global Times over the weekend. In the past, Chinese tourists who wished to visit the South Pole had to take cruises run by foreign companies around the white continent, the executive said, noting that the launch of the new route will put an end to that situation. "The commercial flight once again proves that China is gradually shifting from a big country doing activities in the region to a strong one," Dong Yue, a research fellow at the Polar Research Institute of the Ocean University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday. "However, protection comes before utilization. We need to shoulder our obligation to protect the natural resources in Antarctica as a consultative country of the Antarctic Treaty, even though the first flight has much significance in pioneering for the country," Dong stressed. Wang Wen, executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies affiliated to the Renmin University of China, also a passenger on the inaugural flight, told the Global Times over the weekend that China's march into developing Antarctic tourism resources will lift its position and influence as a rising power in helping govern the South Pole, as well as in promoting the region's technological cooperation, environmental protection and compliance with international laws. In recent years, more Chinese have been travelling to the Polar Regions - that is, the Antarctic and Arctic - according to a document that online travel agency Ctrip sent to the Global Times in early December. The number of Chinese tourists traveling to view the Northern Lights has increased fourfold in 2017 compared with last year. In terms of Chinese travelling to Antarctica, the number is forecast to increase 200 percent year-on-year in 2017. Nearly 100 itineraries covering the region priced from tens of thousands of yuan to 300,000 yuan ($45,394) are currently posted on Ctrip's website, the document said, adding the most favorable one links Brazil, Argentina and Antarctica, which takes as long as a month. Most travelers to the region go during the region's summer, ranging from December to February, Dong said. "The high price is mainly due to the high altitude of the continent, requiring long journeys. Also, the lack of tourism support facilities in the southernmost continent adds to the rarity" of the trip, he noted. According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), China became Antarctica's second-largest tourist source in the world in 2016 after the US, accounting for 12 percent of some 46,000 visitors, media reported in November. Travel to Antarctica has become a growth point for China's tourism and ocean economy that requires attention, noted Dong. "Personally, I think the number of Chinese travelers will overtake that of the US in the next few years," Dong said. However, China has no say or decision-making power in tourism rules relating to Antarctica, in which IAATO plays a major role, Dong said, noting a law related to the region's activities including civilian tourism should be quickly enacted by China. 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. Welcome to nonleaguedaily.coms news provision, your go-to source for all non league updates, rumours, interviews, and much more besides. Founded by a team with a genuine passion for the world of non league football, nonleaguedaily.com understands exactly what supporters of the so-called lower leagues are looking for. You want the high-quality reporting, in-depth analysis, and match reporting that matches that is more commonly found in the journalism for the top flights, but with the focus firmly fixed on the national leagues. We understand that your passion, interest, and dedication is constant, and we believe you need a news service that matches that commitment with its own dedication and thoroughness so thats what you can expect from our site. The latest non league news, as and when it happens Conventionally, non league news has always travelled fairly slowly, especially when compared to the instantaneous, constant breaking news cycles found in the upper leagues. 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So if youre wondering whats happening both with your local team and with the lower leagues as a whole, you can visit us for non league news now, and be confident the stories you find are completely up to date. News reported by passionate fans Our efforts to bring you the very best non league football news are undeniably a professional concern, and one that we take seriously. We are if youll excuse the uncharacteristic tooting of our own horns good at what we do, and we know that the efforts we make in this regard are one of the reasons our site has enjoyed such success thus far. However, everyone who writes for us also shares our readers enthusiasm for non league football. Were not just churning out content in the hopes of cashing in on a professional dream; were here because we want to be, and will always be dedicated and committed to non league football as an entity and thriving in the experience of being able to talk about our favourite subject whenever we can. 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So whether youre looking to find the most recent non league football news, seeking a new bookmaker for your non league bets, or hoping to delve deep into a niche non league-related topic, nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be worth a visit. Return to nonleaguedaily.com for all your non league news needs Weve told you what you can expect from nonleaguedaily.coms news; now we need to put our confidence where our promises are, make sure we deliver on those promises, and establish trust as an online non league paper you can trust. We look forward to welcoming you back to our news section and showcasing the best we have to offer, from exciting new non league interviews to cutting-edge news to transfer speculation. If you want to truly have your finger on the non league pulse, then nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be here for you. (Xinhua) 08:29, December 18, 2017 The Convention on Exchange of Overseas Talent, a recruitment fair to be held in China's southern Guangzhou City next week, is expected to attract more overseas talent to China. A total of 109 government delegations and 99 universities, scientific research institutions and enterprises will bring around 2,000 projects and more than 10,000 jobs for overseas talent during the fair. So far, more than 2,500 overseas researchers and students, including foreigners have signed up to participate, with around 60 percent having a doctor's degree. The convention will be held between Wednesday and Thursday in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong Province. China's economy has entered a period featuring medium-high growth rather than fast growth, along with upgraded economic structure and innovation. "The changes in the world's second-largest economy are pushing up demand for skilled workers," said Cai Yifei, associate researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In 2016 alone, more than 432,000 foreign-educated Chinese returned to the country, up 58.48 percent from 2012. DES MOINES State officials warn that Iowa income tax refunds will be delayed in 2018. Iowa Department of Revenue Director Courtney Kay-Decker said the refund delays are a result of her agency doubling down on fraud prevention efforts. Iowa residents were told this past spring that their state tax refunds would be delayed several weeks as a measure to combat identity theft and fraud. But the Des Moines Register found another cause: The state didnt have enough cash to pay residents at the same pace as previous years. When we said we were going to slow down refunds, perhaps people didnt really believe us or they didnt know what that meant, Kay-Decker said. So weve been working harder this year to make sure that we communicate were doing that again. Kay-Decker said potential thieves are aware that filing returns early offers the best chance of receiving a fraudulent refund without getting caught. She said best practices require state tax administrators to wait to send out refunds, ideally until tax season is over. Im not suggesting that were going to do that, she said. Im suggesting and letting you know that were going to take the appropriate amount of time to make sure weve looked at the claims that have been filed and send them out correctly. Nearly 10,500 erroneous refunds were stopped from being processed this year through Nov. 12, according to Kay-Decker. (Xinhua) 08:31, December 18, 2017 OTTAWA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The recent viral video on a starving polar bear in northern Canada's Nunavut region has led to concern on climate change, as well as doubts about the real cause of the beast's emaciation. Earlier this month, video and photos were published showing a scrawny polar bear rummaging in the garbage for food in an abandoned fishing camp on Somerset Island of Nunavut. The heartbreaking scene was shared and retweeted around the world for millions of times, with people in the comments arguing over the phenomenon of shrinking Arctic sea ice because of global warming, which makes hunting harder for animals like polar bears. "The simple truth is this -- if the Earth continues to warm, we will lose bears and entire polar ecosystems," said Paul Nicklen, photographer right at the "soul-crushing scene" with a documentary team. The video directly puts the blame on climate change, as the script in the beginning says, "This is what climate change looks like." Yet there are people doubting the whole thing as agenda driven, saying the polar bear could be terribly sick or suffering from vital injury. Leo Ikakhik, a resident in Arviat village on Canada's western Hudson Bay, is a polar bear monitor working for organizations like the World Wildlife Fund Canada. According to him, the polar bear's wretched condition is "just part of the cycle." "Mother Nature is going to do part of that...I would not really blame the climate change. It's just part of the animal, what they go through," Ikakhik said in an interview with CBC Radio One. While some people refused to take the video as proof of climate change, a conservation group named SeaLegacy hoped the scene could prompt discussions on the negative influence of warming global temperatures on the Arctic and its wildlife. "(The bear) was starving and we want people to know what a starving polar bear looks like, because as we lose the ice in the Arctic polar bears will starve," SeaLegacy co-founder Cristina Mittermeier told CBC Radio One on Friday. A study released in October by a climate research group at the University of Calgary suggested that Arctic Ocean could be ice-free much sooner than the previous predictions of the first ice-free Arctic summer to occur between 2040 and 2050. The consequences would be enormous for polar bears, as these seal-predators' only access to food is from the surface of sea ice. Local filmmaker Nick Mantis is putting together a documentary about the Star Plaza Theatre, which closed permanently after the final Oak Ridge Boys concert Sunday and will soon be demolished. Mantis, who has hosted and produced local Northwest Indiana-centric shows like Around the Region, has been filming at the landmark concert venue since 2003. "I've shot the symphony, the ballet, the local theater," he said. "I want to document the Star Plaza for the archives. This is historical stuff." Mantis said shooting the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra at the venue over the years broadened his musical horizons, to the point where he sometimes listens to classical music while working. He was on hand for the final NWISO concert in early December to shoot footage, and planned to film at the Oak Ridge Boys show. "This is sad," he said. "The symphony and the ballet were here. It helped mom-and-pop businesses in the area. It brought in some big names. It drew people from as far as Detroit and Green Bay. I'm just bummed out. It's a tragedy." White Lodging will raze the theater to make way for a new development at Interstate 65 and U.S. 30 that will include a new hotel and a standalone restaurant. It's drawn as many as 500,000 annual visitors since opening in 1979 and once drew A-listers like Garth Brooks, Liberace and Christina Aguilera, but recently settled into a routine of familiar, proven acts like Alice Cooper and the Buckinghams. Mantis said he hoped to assemble enough archival footage of the Star Plaza, which hosted greats like Jerry Seinfeld, BB King, Sammy Davis, Jr., Whitney Houston, ZZ Top, Alice Cooper, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, and Bette Midler, to put out a film next year. He plans to shop it around to local PBS affiliates. PORTAGE A special judge Monday lifted a 15-day probation revocation hold a few days early for Lake County Councilman Jamal Washington, but Washington remains in custody pending a Tuesday hearing on the underlying criminal case. Porter County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Thode ordered Washington released on his own recognizance in the alleged revocation. The judge also scheduled a Feb. 12 hearing to check on the status of the case rather than hearing evidence in the alleged revocation. Defense attorney Mark Gruenhagen, who sat alongside a shackled Washington, argued in favor of delaying final action on the revocation until the underlying criminal case is resolved. Washington, 44, is accused of battering and confining his 23-year-old cousin during a domestic dispute the night of Dec. 5 at the councilman's home in Merrillville. Prosecutors claim Washington violated his probation because of the new charges. Washington had been convicted last December of misdemeanor battery and invasion of privacy on allegations of attacking his wife and a female employee Dec. 3, 2015, at his home. He pleaded guilty to the misdemeanors and was sentenced to one year in jail, which was suspended for probation. Special Prosecutor Stanley Levco, who also handled the earlier case against Washington, voiced interest Monday in proceeding with the revocation accusations even if Washington is cleared of the underlying criminal case. Gruenhagen sought to have Washington released on his own recognizance, saying he likely faces a significant bond on the criminal end of the case. He said Washington has been compliant in all other ways with his probation, which was one or two days away from ending when the new allegations were filed. Thode also agreed Monday to have Porter County take over probation responsibilities in the case to avoid potential conflicts with Lake County. The CEO of CSX, a railroad company with a terminal in East Chicago and a major presence in the Region, died after a sickness. It is with great sadness that we announce that E. Hunter Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer of CSX, died today in Wellington, Fla., due to unexpectedly severe complications from a recent illness," the company said in a statement Saturday. "The entire CSX family mourns this loss. On behalf of our board of directors, management team and employees, we extend our deepest sympathies to Hunters family. Hunter was a larger-than-life figure who brought his remarkable passion, experience and energy in railroading to CSX." Harrison ran the company that operates the TRANSFLO Terminal Service Bulk Transfer Terminal, maintains nearly 2,600 miles of track in Indiana and handles 2.9 million carloads a year in Indiana. The 73-year-old had extensive experience in the railroad industry, running CN, CPR Ltd. and the Belt Railway of Chicago. The trade publication Railway Age named him Railroader of the Year in 2002. He was widely regarded in the industry as a turnaround specialist and was named CEO of CSX in March. With the passing of Hunter Harrison, CSX has suffered a major loss," CSX board of directors Chairman Edward J. Kelly III said. "Notwithstanding that loss, the Board is confident that Jim Foote, as acting Chief Executive Officer, and the rest of the CSX team will capitalize on the changes that Hunter has made. The board will continue to consider in a deliberative way how best to maximize CSXs performance over the long term. The Jacksonville-based railroad company operates several tracks in Indiana, where it invests tens of millions of dollars a year. The company has been looking to build a new $230 million intermodal facility in Crete that would potentially bring hundreds of jobs just across the state line. EAST CHICAGO With an original aspiration of becoming a social worker, Marla Spann didn't plan on making a career out of working in a library. But the more she got into the work and started helping people, the more she loved it. Fast forward almost 27 years and a master's degree in library science later, and the East Chicago Roosevelt High School grad (Class of 1985) has ascended to the top spot as director of the East Chicago Public Library. That means she will oversee not only the main library on Columbus Drive, but also the Robert A. Pastrick branch on Chicago Avenue and reading rooms located in four of the city's community centers. Spann has worn many hats in the over quarter of a century she has spent with the East Chicago Public Library, most recently serving as associate director of technical services. Spann is also very much a trailblazer, as she became the first permanent African-American director, male or female, in the library's history on her official start date of Nov. 13. In an email statement, Spann said it is honor to be the first and that she looks forward to leaving her imprint on the library just as her predecessors have. Spann remarked on how the library has changed tremendously over time. "When I first started here we were still pretty much one of those be quiet libraries, come in, read, do your homework," she said. Spann said the library has grown into more of a community resource center where people can not only check out books but also access computers or come in for help with filling out resumes and job applications. Spann wants to collaborate more closely with the School City of East Chicago to advance literacy and create a love of reading for students and spoke of opening a teen space within the library where young people can hang out and perhaps have an open mic night. "I want them to feel like they can come here and make this their second home," Spann said. " It's difficult. That is one age group that is so hard to get into the library." Diana Colon, President of the East Chicago Public Library Board, said a nationwide search yielded more than a dozen candidates for the position of director. "She worked her way up through the ranks," Colon said. "But her ability to interview was phenomenal." Colon said Spann knew exactly how to approach different areas the board was interested in, which included more community involvement, additional multi-cultural resources and creating teen spaces. "She's just so keenly aware of the needs that we have and she had so many innovative ideas on how to reach the new generation, the Google generation," Colon said. Colon said hiring from within will eliminate the long "getting to know you" period an outside hire would have necessitated. And Spann, a mother of two and grandmother of two, definitely knows the library. "I can honestly say that this is my library," Spann said. "I didn't just apply at a library. I applied at my library." LAPORTE On a cold day, the county police, a magician, and a clown brought some warmth to area families. And, of course, theres always Santa and Mrs. Claus to lend a lap and a hug. The 54th annual Children Christmas Show presented Saturday by LaPorte County Sheriff Department drew an estimated 250 youngsters to Boston Middle School. The program included a magic show, refreshments, craft balloons and gifts. I love the sense of holiday spirit, Mara Sewell said. Coming to the Christmas show for the first time, Sewell brought three children. The Saturday morning program was free, thanks to support from area businesses and organizations. Tickets were distributed to LaPorte County children through churches and Salvation Army. This is a little fun time before Christmas, said Capt. Mike Kellems, spokesman for the county police. Over the years, weve had two to three generations come here. Kellems said the holiday show has continued because of local support from businesses, citizens and industry. The sheriffs office is proud to continue this tradition of providing deserving children the opportunity to meet with Santa Claus and received a very nice gift, the spokesman said. Shane Yoder, promoter for the show, explained that, after meeting with Santa and selecting a gift, children then received a bag of candy and a book. Harper College donated the books, Yoder said, so kids have a chance to read. Any leftover gifts or books went to Salvation Army. LaPorte County Sheriff John T. Boyd, who offered the opening welcome, noted, There are a lot of deserving kids out there, and theres a lot theyll be smiling for today. The sheriff added, For a couple hours, these families can forget the problems in their lives. Plus, it brings a smile to our faces. Much of the program was devoted to magician Matt Kalita, who wowed his audience with making birds disappear and then reappear, pulling out a few rabbits, and involving youngsters in his tricks. Kalita, a 17-year holiday show veteran, said, I love it. I do a lot of kids shows. With this show, I feel good and it makes me happy. Cradling balloon creatures from clown Nettie Belle, children met with Santa and Mrs. Claus, then moved across the stage to select a present. As is usually the case, children select toys and books, but moms carry all the goodies home. Katrina Culp, of LaPorte, filled four children into her car for the show. We like it. Thats why weve been coming four years in a row, Culp said. Kids like to see Santa and get presents. We really enjoyed the show, said Megan Kreighbaum, an aunt from Michigan City who brought two children. One nephew, Scott Dobrodt, 10, was showing off his Paw Patrol racetrack and new book. I liked the birds and the bunny from the magic show, Dobrodt said, and Santa Claus. Looking over the table with presents, Yoder commented, I wish we would have had this when I was growing up. VALPARAISO After years of not knowing for sure all the ways its vendors were being reimbursed, the Porter County Board of Commissioners decided to simplify the process. The newly revamped board of commissioners decided to start paying vendors a flat fee rather than allowing them the option to earn commissions that could run contrary to the interests of the county, according to County Attorney Scott McClure. The move has not only created greater transparency, but as the commissioners learned last week, is also saving the county money. Representatives from General Insurance Services, who were hired under the new approach as the servicing agents for the county's property and casualty insurance coverage, told the commissioners they were able to save the county about 5 percent in this year's coverage renewal. The county has also had success in using the flat-fee approach in hiring RE Sutton & Associates of Carmel, Indiana, to handle health insurance needs and Capital Cities Investments of Indianapolis to administer the county's new foundation. County Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, is a big advocate of the change after having undergone a battle a couple of years ago while serving as a council member to view an employee pharmaceutical contract entered into by the board of commissioners. The state sided with the county commissioners in granting Biggs access to the CVS Caremark contract, but only after he agreed in writing not to share the contents with anyone, including the public and fellow council members. He said at the time he was interested in learning the cost of the contract and what payments were being made to the county's servicing agent. "I think that's wrong," he said Friday of having representatives for the county receiving payments from the companies they are recommending for business. "That's what had been going on here," he said. SOUTH HAVEN Jayden Moree was all settled on the floor of Saylor Elementary School's library with his fellow kindergarten students Monday morning. They were waiting for their guest reader to read the next chapter of "Because of Winn Dixie." Principal John Zack told the youngsters they had a very special reader that morning, someone near and dear to one of the students. Then he introduced Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Trevor Moree. It took Jayden a moment, but then the 6-year-old jumped up and into the arms of his father. "Daddy," he said, burying his head in his father's chest, holding tight. Trevor Moree hadn't seen Jayden or his younger siblings, Kaison, 4, and Kynsleigh, 3, for 10 months. His wife, Jessica, and her aunt, Phyllis Constatine, of Burns Harbor, had worked with the school to pull off the surprise. Trevor Moree surprised Kaison and Kynsleigh just moments before in a school office. Most recently stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Trevor Moree arrived in Chicago at 1 a.m. Monday. He spent the night at his aunt's home and went to the school where Kaison and Kynsleigh saw him for the first time since April. "Santa Claus brought daddy home," Jessica Moree told the two children. Kaison, like his brother, shouted "Daddy" and ran to Trevor Moree. Kynsleigh, a little shy, took a few moments before she climbed into his lap. He communicated via FaceTime with his children from an airport the night before. He had some bad news, he recalled telling them: daddy wouldn't be home for Christmas. As Kaison sat on his dad's lap, awaiting reading time in the library, he recited his ABCs and counted. "We're going to play games," he said about what he and his dad would do on the 12-day leave. "I'm just going to spend time with him," Jayden said. "We're going to do whatever the kids want to do. I hope it is going to be a white Christmas so we can build a snowman," Trevor Moree said. First on the agenda was getting ice cream, he said. "I haven't had any for a long time." Trevor Moree said the separation had been particularly difficult this time, being so far away for so long and not being able to actively participate in his children's lives. Jessica Moree said the surprise was to be special for Jayden because his dad had missed so many firsts in his life. They wanted to make his homecoming from his longest deployment memorable. Trevor Moree, a native of Summerville, South Carolina, has been in the Marines for nearly 11 years, deployed as far as Afghanistan, Kuwait and Japan. The couple have been married for seven years. Jessica Moree said they moved to South Haven just before her husband's most recent deployment so she could be closer to family. The Hong Kong College of Technology (HKCT) . Photo: HKCT website At the graduation ceremony for the Hong Kong College of Technology (HKCT) on December 16, two graduates refused to stand during the playing of Chinas national anthem. Prior to the ceremony, school officials had informed the graduating students of the rules for behavior during the event and especially during the playing of Chinas anthem. When the moment came to stand and listen to March of the Volunteers, Chinas national anthem, the two students in question remained seated, and it was then turned off. School officials paused the ceremony due to the disrespectful actions displayed by the two students who were then ordered to leave. As they were walking out, about a dozen students followed them in a show of solidarity. Twenty minutes later, the ceremony resumed. After the incident, HKCT President Chan Cheuk Hay spoke with the graduates involved. As a university that loves both its motherland and Hong Kong, HKCT will always remain patriotic, Chan said. He emphasized that if students are not aware of the schools position, then they have chosen the wrong university. Last month, the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress included the National Anthem Law, which went into effect on October 1, into Article 3 of the Basic Laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The law states that when Chinas national anthem plays at government events, formal ceremonies and sporting events, among other occasions, Chinese citizens are to stand, behave solemnly, and act respectfully throughout the anthem. The National Anthem Law is practical and easy to understand. For those in Hong Kong who have been acting disrespectfully while Chinas anthem is played, especially at sporting events, need to stop kowtowing to Western behavior for the sake of foreign media attention. The two students and the others who followed them out of the ceremony spoiled the day for the young graduates and their family members who came to see their child, grandchild, niece or nephew, walk across the stage and receive a diploma from HKCT. It was a selfish act and a failed attempt at tarnishing the importance of academic achievement and what it means to start a new life. VALPARAISO The new Valparaiso High School natatorium, work on which will start next spring, will include a 50-meter pool, lounge, public restrooms and spectator seating for 700 people, James Thompson, president of Gibraltar Designs, told the Valparaiso Community School Board this week. The just under $17 million pool replacement will serve the high school, all grade levels and the community. In other business: Other school construction projects throughout the system remain on schedule and on budget with work continuing through the winter at all sites, Scott Cherry of Skillman Corp. said. Construction sites have been buttoned up in light of recent acts of vandalism which have been addressed by the school corporation and police, School Superintendent E Ric Frataccia said. The school board approved advertising for bids for school furniture, furnishings and equipment at Northview, Parkview, Central and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools. The board also reaffirmed the $151,470 annual salary of Frataccia. VALPARAISO As a single mom of five children, Lois Smith finds it difficult to make ends meet, especially at Christmas. Unfortunately, 2017 brought Smith her share of disappointments and setbacks. Right now Im going through a divorce, Smith said. Because of that, my vehicle got repossessed and I had to find a new one. Although Smith works a full-time job, she and her family still struggle. I have so many bills, Smith said. This has been the roughest year so far. Nothing seemed to go right this year. Thanks to the Marine Corps Leagues Toys for Tots program, which held its distribution day Saturday at the Porter County Expo Center, Smith and her children will have a merry Christmas and plenty of toys under the tree. Jim Atkinson, a member of the Marine Corps Leagues Dunes Leathernecks and the Porter County Toys for Tots program coordinator, said nearly 900 families in Porter, Jasper, and Starke counties benefitted from the groups toy collection this year. Starting in November, Leatherneck members distribute Toys for Tots collection boxes at area businesses, where donors drop their new, unwrapped toys. About $8,000 in donations is also collected, which the group uses to purchase toys for older children, who often get overlooked, said Atkinson. Families, who are pre-registered, submitted their childrens genders and ages, and Saturday volunteers filled bags full with toys, puzzles, and books, while kids bikes were raffled. Nearly 3,000 children will receive toys for Christmas, thanks to the program. The tables (of toys) were filled 30 inches high, and there were boxes underneath and all over the floor area, Atkinson said. We cant even count the number of toys donated. More than 125 volunteers, including the Valparaiso High School cheerleaders, Portage High School Junior ROTC members, area Marine Corps recruiters, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, members of the Marine Corp League Dunes Leathernecks, and the Indiana National Guard from Lafayette, Indiana, helped pick toys for families and carry the goods to their cars. Were happy the weather is nice so people dont have to stand outside in the cold, Atkinson said. Volunteer Karla Eder helped fill bags of toys for the waiting families. When you see those parents out there ... its very rewarding, said Eder, of Hammond. The looks on their faces are great. The program helps Smith and other parents worry a little less at Christmastime because their kids can still believe. Two of them still believe in Santa, Smith said. So I try to keep that going for them. Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted the week of Dec. 6 to 12. Look for this roll call report by Targeted News Service (with a week delay) regularly in Sunday Forum. HOUSE VOTES: IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION: The House has tabled a resolution (H. Res. 646), sponsored by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, that would have impeached President Trump for allegedly committing high misdemeanors by bringing shame and dishonor to the presidency by making discriminatory statements against various groups. The resolution was not debated on the House floor. The vote to table, on Dec. 6, was 364 yeas to 58 nays. YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st) INVESTIGATING VA MEDICAL CENTERS: The House has passed the Enhancing Veteran Care Act (S. 1266), sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. The bill would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to have nonprofit groups that evaluate health care organizations investigate care deficiencies at VA medical centers. The vote, on Dec. 6, was unanimous with 423 yeas. YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st) CONCEALED CARRY RECIPROCITY: The House has passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38), sponsored by Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C. The bill would stipulate that people who have state concealed carry firearm permits and are visiting a state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms can carry their firearms while in that state. Hudson said the bill would uphold Second Amendment rights and the constitutional requirement that states give full faith and credit to the laws of other states. An opponent, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said the bill "is dangerous, it is reckless, and it is secretly packaged as a fix to gun violence, but, instead, it is laced with lethal elements of catastrophic proportion." The vote, on Dec. 6, was 231 yeas to 198 nays. YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd) NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st) BURMA VIOLENCE: The House has passed a resolution (H. Con. Res. 90), sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., condemning ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya group in Burma and calling on Burma's government to stop persecution of the Rohingya, and requesting sanctions against government officials violating the Rohingya's rights. The vote, on Dec. 6, was 423 yeas to 3 nays. YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st) CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS: The House has passed the Further Continuing Appropriations Act (H.J. Res. 123), sponsored by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., to fund the federal government through December 22 and redistribute Children's Health Insurance Program funds through the end of 2017 to state child health plans that are having emergency funding shortfalls. Frelinghuysen said the bill was necessary giving the prospect of a government shutdown on Dec. 8. An opponent, Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., said Republicans should "engage with Democrats" to shape a bipartisan plan for a fiscal 2018 government budget. The vote, on Dec. 7, was 235 yeas to 193 nays. YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd) NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st) AID TO VENEZUELANS: The House has passed the Venezuela Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance Act (H.R. 2658), sponsored by Rep. Eliot L Engel, D-N.Y. The bill would require the State Department to combat human rights violations by Venezuela's government and work with nongovernmental groups to provide food, medicine, and other goods to Venezuelans, and call on the president to make Venezuela's humanitarian and political crisis a priority for the United Nations Security Council. The vote, on Dec. 7, was 388 yeas to 29 nays. YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st) SENATE VOTES: TAX BILL CONFERENCE: The Senate has passed a motion to go to conference with the House to reconcile the two chambers' versions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1). A conference supporter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said: "The American people deserve taxes that are lower, simpler, and fairer. By voting for a conference, we will be one step closer to getting it done." An opponent, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said the two versions of the bill would add $1 trillion to $2 trillion to the debt, and "we shouldn't be deficit-financing a tax reform bill." The vote, on Dec. 6, was 51 yeas to 47 nays. YEAS: Young R-IN NAYS: Donnelly D-IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND TAX BILL: The Senate has rejected a motion sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., to insist that the House-Senate conference report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) not contain any provisions that increase health insurance premiums or increase the number of people without health insurance. Booker said the current versions of the bill "could literally threaten the lives of Americans" by potentially increasing premiums by 10 percent and causing 13 million people to lose insurance coverage. A motion opponent, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said the bill's repeal of health care reform (Obamacare) was needed to stop a deeply regressive tax on those who do not buy health insurance. The vote, on Dec. 6, was 47 yeas to 51 nays. NAYS: Young R-IN YEAS: Donnelly D-IN INTERIOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Joseph Balash to serve as the Interior Department's Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals. A supporter, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said Balash's time as head of Alaska's Department of Natural Resources gave him ample experience with managing government land and mineral resources, making him "super well qualified" for the Interior post. An opponent, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., cited Balash's refusal to recuse himself, if confirmed, from a case in which Alaska was appealing a Bureau of Land Management rejection of the state's bid to obtain Arctic National Wildlife Refuge land for oil and natural gas development. The vote, on Dec. 7, was 61 yeas to 38 nays. YEAS: Young R-IN, Donnelly D-IN CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS: The Senate has passed the Further Continuing Appropriations Act (H.J. Res. 123), sponsored by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., to fund the federal government through December 22 and redistribute Children's Health Insurance Program funds through the end of 2017 to state child health plans that are having emergency funding shortfalls. A supporter, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said the funding was necessary, but also urged Republicans and President Trump to reach a bipartisan budget agreement that replaces the current sequester budget. The vote, on Dec. 7, was 81 yeas to 14 nays. YEAS: Young R-IN, Donnelly D-IN Bird watching is a popular hobby among many, but catching a glimpse of their bright colors against a winter backdrop can be especially rewarding on days when youre stuck inside. While birds are plentiful in heavily forested backyards, there are many ways homeowners can attract them to any landscape. Edward Mattingly, manager at Menards in Michigan City, says a combination of the right feeders, food and bird houses can help create the perfect environment for a variety of birds. Feeder size and location Select a feeder that has a higher capacity and provides an ample supply of food, Mattingly says. Multiple feeders also allow birds several places to access food in the winter. Birds like to have cover and shelter, he said. Place feeders near covered areas such as dense evergreens to shelter birds from storms and predators. Feeder contents A black-oil sunflower mix contains a high proportion of black-oil sunflower seeds, which are better for birds because of their high fat and protein content, Mattingly said. Birds need more energy to keep warm in the wintertime, he said. The National Wildlife Federation also recommends mixes that include hulled peanuts, niger seed or white millet seed. Its also important to provide an all-you-can-eat buffet by keeping feeders full. Mattingly says typically birds come to the feeder early in the morning to refuel after a cold night. They also appear at the end of the day to calorie load. Do not stop filling your feeder in the middle of winter, he said. Birds become accustomed to using your feeders as a food source, so you cannot stop feeding. During severe weather, birds depend on feeders, Mattingly said, which is why its important to shovel snow off and around the feeders. Like other animals, birds can become dehydrated in the winter even if surrounded by ice and snow. The National Wildlife Federation recommends putting a pan of water near the feeder on warmer days. Feeder tips Looking for birds like woodpeckers or nuthatches? Suet does the trick. Suet is a high-calorie fat that is heated and cooled to form suet cakes. These cakes often include sunflower seeds, berries, fruit, and nuts. Birds also enjoy suet year-round, with some suet cakes featuring melt-resistant properties that allow birds to eat them in extreme temperatures, Mattingly said. Officials in Catalonia, Spain's richest and most highly industrialized region, whose capital is Barcelona, recently held a referendum in which there was a 92 percent vote in favor of independence from Spain. The Spanish authorities opposed the referendum and claimed independence is illegal. Catalans are not the only Europeans seeking independence. Some Bavarian people are demanding independence from Germany, while others demand greater autonomy. Germany's Federal Constitutional Court ruled: "In the Federal Republic of Germany...states are not 'masters of the constitution...Therefore, there is no room under the constitution for individual states to attempt to secede. This violates the constitutional order." Germany has done in Bavaria what Spain and Italy, in its Veneto region, have done; it has upheld the integrity of state borders. There is an excellent article written by Joseph E. Fallon, a research associate at the UK Defence Forum, titled "The Catalan Referendum, regional pressures, the EU, and the 'Ghosts' of Eastern Europe" Fallon writes that by doing what it's doing in Bavaria, "Berlin is violating international law on national self-determination. It denies to Bavaria what it granted to the 19 states that seceded from Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. In fact, Germany rushed to be first to recognize the independence of Slovenia and Croatia." It did that, according to Beverly Crawford, an expert on Europe at the University of California, Berkeley, "in open disregard of (a European Community) agreement to recognize the two states under EC conditionality requirements." The secessionist movements in Spain, Germany and Italy have encountered resistance and threats from the central governments, and in Catalonia's case, secessionist leaders have been jailed. The central governments of Spain, Germany and Italy have resisted independence despite them being signatories to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which holds that "all peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development." Fallon notes the hypocrisy of Spain, Germany and Italy, as well as the entire European Union. In 1991, the EC the precursor to the EU "issued its conditions for recognizing the unilateral declarations of independence by states seceding from Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union." Fallon argues these same guidelines should be applied to the states of Catalonia, Bavaria and Veneto. Isn't it double talk for members of the EU to condemn independence movements today, given that they welcomed and supported independence movements for states that were members of the communist bloc? Catalonia, Bavaria and Veneto are relatively prosperous jurisdictions in their countries. They feel what they get from the central governments is not worth the taxes they pay. Each wants the central government off its back. They think they could be far more prosperous on their own. That should sound familiar. Some of the motivation for secessionist movements in Europe is similar to the motivation found in the Confederacy's independence movement of the early 1860s. Throughout most of our nation's history, the only sources of federal revenue were excise taxes and tariffs. In the 1830s, the north used its power in Congress to push through massive tariffs to fund the government. During the 1850s, tariffs amounted to 90 percent of federal revenue. The southern states were primarily producers of agricultural products, which they exported to Europe. In return, they imported manufactured goods. These tariffs fell much harder upon the export-dependent south than they did upon the more insular north. In 1859, southern ports paid 75 percent of federal tariff revenue. However, the majority of the tariff revenue generated was spent on projects that benefited the north. Tariffs being a contributing cause of the Civil War is hardly ever mentioned. (Xinhua) 10:31, December 18, 2017 Russian President Vladimir Putin (Xinhua file photo) MOSCOW, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin called U.S. President Donald Trump to express gratitude to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s information that helped foil terrorist attack attempts in St. Petersburg, the Kremlin said on Sunday. Russia's Federal Security Service said Friday that it detained seven Islamic State supporters earlier this week for plotting to blow up the famous Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia. "The information received from the CIA proved to be sufficient for the search and detention of the suspects," said the Kremlin in a press release. Putin told Trump that the Russian special services, upon receiving information regarding terrorist threats against the United States and its citizens, will immediately provide it to their U.S. counterparts. This was the second phone conversation between Putin and Trump within a week following a call on Thursday, when the two presidents discussed "urgent issues" in bilateral diplomatic relations and situation on the Korean Peninsula. Professor Ward Allen, who died last week at age 95, was a scholar who made a major contribution to the worlds knowledge of the English language. I suspect few who knew this courteous and courtly man as anything but an English teacher and neighbor realize what a singular man walked amongst us. In fact, Ward Allen provided the grist for many eulogies, which I hope will grow into a book someday. Origins of words I met Dr. Allen when I was a columnist for the Auburn Plainsman, writing what he called sentimental fiddle-faddle," and when I lived out of state he wrote me regularlyin ink, in that old-fashioned commercial-cursive hand. Wards letters often explored origins of words, in Greek or Latin, as a way of commenting on the sundry slippages in contemporary life. Generally critical of the times, he was never shrill, often droll and usually right. Moreover, I suspect he knew how much he needed and sometimes enjoyed the worlds follies. Wards letters were exemplary extensions of his scholarship and reflected his absolute delight in discovery. (It tickled himand meto ponder that the Greek root for guile means fish bait.) The letters also point to the miraculous work that made him famous in international high-scholar circles. In fact, it is a miracle (or a divine mystery) that Ward Allen would be the one to rediscover in an Oxford library the long-lost notes of the chairman of the translators of what we call the King James Version. The King James Version It so happened that he had the command of classical languages, the ability to decipher the translators special shorthand (he was a cryptographer in World War II) and the intellect needed to show the world how the music in the KJV was achieved without losing the meaning. No wonder the KJV became not merely the Good Book but the Great Book, our best model of the English language in its fullest flower and a powerful primer for writers and speakers. It remains the greatest achievement by a committee. Much of Wards ground-breaking book is over my head, but I go back to it now and again to marvel at the way those early 16th century clerics made their decisions, after studying original manuscripts and earlier Bibles. How did they argue their way to heavenly host instead of angry army, when both would be nominally accurate? What went through their minds when they deliberately left some meanings ambiguous? Why so many flowing, right words with perfect cadences and alliterations? These are rich questions for pondering. An Auburn man However influential as a scholar, it is Ward Allen the man who left his mark on so many Auburn people. To say he was distinctive is to understate: A man with Old South manners, seemingly ageless, constantly re-framing questions, a keen listener, with an incandescent, ingathering mind. Those of us who spent time on his porch or in his parlor, with a bourbon-and-water, were about as close as well ever come to an ancient-Greek academy. Its fair to say, I think, that Dr. Allen was a character with characterrare in any time. He considered manners as more than mere etiquette, yet however affected his antiquarian ways seemed to some they were, in fact, genuine. Though many may have stereotyped him as quaint, his mind, like Samuel Johnsons, was not predictable. He was certain to provide a fresh perspective, free of cant, inspiring thought. Though conservative in politics he was liberal in spirit, literally. He didnt despise all that was new; he sought what was true. And beneath that exterior was a mind of steel. Dr. Allen could be devastating in argument and unrelenting. Yet he had a forgiving heart, merciful even to those (like me) who stumbled in search of reason. He sharpened thinking in ways that were encouraging, and he transmitted an engagement with life that was uplifting. Ward Sykes Allen Truth to tell, Ward Sykes Allen merits a much broader and better encomium than this one, and I am loath to speak for others. Yet I believe that in expressing both our loss and our great good fortune, we can join in saying, unto the ages of ages, Magnus magister, requiescat in pace. Jerry Elijah Brown was editor of the Auburn Plainsman from 1966-67, returned to teach at Auburn from 1979-99 and was dean of the University of Montana School of Journalism until 2007. He is retired and living in the mountains of North Carolina. Auburn couple Matt and Michelle Shultz have spent the past 15 years ministering to teens and college students. Theyve also shared their experience of dealing with an unplanned pregnancy in college to students who are going through the same. Feeling compelled to do more, the couple founded Baby Steps. A nonprofit organization, Baby Steps is designed to provide support to Auburn University students both mothers and fathers who are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy. Its just an unrecognized population of women and men that are finding themselves in unplanned pregnancies that need help so they can get their education, said co-founder Michelle Shultz. We just wanted to allow an avenue that would allow them to not feel so trapped, so they can have their baby and have their education. The nonprofit is renting a five-bedroom house located in close proximity of Auburn Universitys campus. Its staffed with a full-time, live-in support person, Sarah Hirschseldt. Having opened in September, the home is ready for student mothers who may need housing. They could walk in right now and live there, Shultz said. Full-time Auburn University mothers who are 18 or older and have no other child dependents are welcome to stay at the home from their childs birth until the child is one year of age. Hirschseldt said mothers will be provided rent-free housing, free meals, child care, tutoring and other support during that year. Once the child nears their first birthday, Baby Steps will help the mother and child transition out of the home, she added. The rental home is the perfect setup, Shutlz said, but the nonprofit continues to save for the future purchase of a more permanent house. Donations to go toward the purchase of a permanent home can be made through Baby Step's website, https://www.baby-steps.org. Proudly embracing both its railroad heritage and its more recent recognition as Alabamas 1st Gig City, Opelika is looking to take both into the future as it further solidifies its identity as an East Alabama city. Suggestions on how this can be accomplished were recently provided through DesignAlabama, a nonprofit organization that draws together experts who work collaboratively with representatives of Alabama communities by providing architectural, engineering, graphic and interior design recommendations, according to city officials. Founded in 1987, DesignAlabamas chief objective is to advocate for the collaboration of the design arts and their importance in creating and enhancing place in Alabama, according to the organizations website, www.designalabama.org. Our image and our branding are certainly important to us, said Mayor Gary Fuller. But its something that were very cautious about in how we move forward. And, of course, were receptive to ideas and suggestions from people who have expertise in those matters. And so were going to consider all of the suggestions that the DesignAlabama folks offered us, Fuller added. Some of them are excellent, but well look and consider all of it, and then well take some steps that we believe are important for us to do. Ties the community together Opelika was the first city selected to have a design workshop by DesignAlabama, said Matt Mosley, the citys planning director. Some of what the group did was observe areas of downtown with futuristic eyes geared toward helping expand the revitalization of downtown. The group also focused on developing possibilities of how other areas could be redeveloped or enriched concerning their current sense of uniqueness. The idea is not to create something new, but to build on the citys assets and strengths, Mosley added. Beginning last July 27, representatives of the project hosted a workshop where feedback was sought from citizens regarding outlooks of the city, Mosley said. Particularly, citizens were asked what they liked about the city and how these things could be implemented within other parts of Opelika. The group was basically coming in to look at ideas or areas they could help the city work on, or provide designing assistance, Mosley explained. So they focused on meeting with interested citizens or stakeholders and discussed some focus areas, one of which was downtown. Other areas were our gateways through town, or the former mill sites. And then they also looked at general concepts like opportunities the city can look at as far as for different types of housing that are not currently present in Opelika. Those who attended the workshop were also asked to share about things they dont like and how such factors could be improved, Mosley further explained. With the intent of adding an enhanced sense of clarity, the group looked into how the railroad industry and mills factor into the citys historical identity as well. I think the real idea with that is to basically create a brand or symbolism that follows through all of Opelika and ties the community together, Mosley said. Finding themes that tell Opelikas story and linking things together through a unifying brand or signage. Focused on the future After receiving feedback, the group developed design, architectural and regulatory concepts for improving areas within the overall city, Mosley said. Opelika officials will review these concepts and determine how they can be implemented into plans for various areas. Some could be implemented quickly, within the next 6 months to a year, while others may take longer. Either way, Opelika is focusing on progress as it honors the past, city officials said. We are always looking for ways to improve the city, said Community Relations Officer Leigh Krehling. And through our DesignAlabama project, we are looking at various improvements, including the citys website and brand identity. Mayor Fuller is looking forward to the citys future as well. While we acknowledge that were an old railroad town, were also Alabamas first Gig City, he said. So were focused on the future. But we dont want to forget our past, and we highly value our heritage. Fuller also assured, I dont think theres any question that our best days are ahead of us. Edward Ashabas Isuzu Trooper was stolen in Arua in 2013 but in spite of his best efforts to involve authorities, the car has never been recovered. He shared his ordeal with Prisca Baike. This is all that is left of my car, sarcastically laughs Edward Ashaba as he lays out the logbook of his car stolen four years ago. The silver Isuzu Trooper cost him roughly Shs 40 million in September 2011 but two years later, it was stolen by what Ashaba suspects is a racket of car thieves operating in Arua and parts of DR Congo. As a businessman dealing in printing and stationery, Ashaba was a frequent upcountry traveller. On one of his trips to Arua, he decided to take a bus back to Kampala, leaving his car (registration number UAQ 099R) with his close friend, Shane. Edward Ashaba has spent Shs 10m to recover a similar Isuzu Trooper model that he had bought at Shs 40m Shane and I go a long way back to our childhood and he is very trustworthy. I knew my car would be safe with him until I returned, Ashaba says. However, a few days later, Ashaba received a call from Shane announcing that the car had been stolen. According to Shane, a one Trezor Asidri, who he had known for a few days, had innocently asked for a test-drive of the car that he said looked powerful and stable. Without any suspicion, Shane had handed him the car keys hoping he would return it just like all guys do when they borrow cars. However, Shane would later realize later that his friends car had been stolen from right under his watch as he never saw or heard from Asidri again. A few days later, Shane and Ashaba were notified by some sympathisers that the car had been spotted in Congos border town, Kibali, a small gold-mining town. Upon receiving that information, Ashaba went to Congo to trace his car. While I was still on the bus, I saw my car parked by the roadside, with its registration number plates still on, recalls Ashaba. Excited, he rushed to find out who had parked the car, but his inquiry ended on a fruitless note. Stuck, he tried moving around to gather any available information about who was in possession of the car. While I was on the street, I saw the car being driven at a very high speed by a man I couldnt identify. It sped off past me and that was the last time I saw it, recalls Ashaba. Determined to recover his car, Ashaba crossed back to Arua to solicit help from the area security officials. They warned him to track the car from a distance since meeting the suspects would put his life in danger. Indeed, he was informed by some sympathisers that the car thieves were aware of his intentions to recover his car. They told me the thieves were now after me and that my life was in danger, says Ashaba. Fearing for his life, Ashaba returned to Kampala briefly to officially report the theft of his car. Armed with a letter from the minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Kahinda Otafiire, to Ibrahim Abiriga, the then Arua resident district commissioner, Ashaba was convinced that it was only a matter of time for his car to be returned. True to his conviction, Abiriga reassured him that the car would be in his possession in a matter of days. Abiriga told me the car would be parked under the Mango tree behind his office, reiterates Ashaba. EMPTY PROMISES Three weeks later, the car was nowhere to be seen. A frustrated Ashaba went to Abirigas home to discuss the issue and, just like the first time, he was told the car would soon be recovered. He handed him to one Amin who has a track record of recovering stolen cars in the area. Amin was always asking for heavy facilitation, promising that the car was almost out of the thieves hands. That month alone, I spent Shs 7 million trying to find my car, notes Ashaba. Disillusioned and helpless, Ashaba decided to come back to Kampala to involve a stronger force. From Kampala Central police station, he was referred to Interpol. Both Interpol and Otafiire wrote to the new Arua RDC, who had replaced Abiriga, informing him of the pending case of Ashabas stolen car. I delivered the letters personally to him. He told me to come back to Kampala and wait for my car, says Ashaba. Two years later, there was no single update regarding his car. Ashaba went back to Interpol in 2015 to inquire about the state of his case only to be told that there was nothing else they could do to recover his car. They advised him to forward the issue to the Foreign Affairs ministry, which he did. Despite the fact that he had reported the theft of his car three years earlier, his was not on the list of stolen cars. However, upon producing the evidence of his stolen car report, it was added onto the list. LOSING FAITH After another year of empty promises and the involvement of the polices Flying Squad at one point, Ashaba was notified by the ministry that it was impossible for them to trace his car. They told me the only option was for me to put in a claim and get compensated by government, but that is where it all ended, notes a disenchanted Ashaba. However, as Ashaba notes, his main concern is not just about recovering his car but, rather, achieving justice and having the offenders pay for their uncouth behaviour. I know the car could be scrap by now, given the nature of the roads in Congo, says Ashaba, But let me see that scrap and let these people be brought to justice. According to Ashaba, the fact that his car is out there yet all security organs cannot help him has made him lose faith in the states systems and the safety of the citizens and their property. That car would have been recovered by the Arua RDCs. We knew the culprits, we saw the car and I had the logbook with its chassis number and all the specifications. What exactly stopped them from getting it back? Ashaba wonders, I have lost trust in the way the systems operate. No one seems straight. To date, Ashaba has used over Shs 10 million trying to chase justice. To the world, Ashaba lost a car but, to him, he lost more than that although he chose to rebuild. He has since found solace in animal husbandry. pbaike@yahoo.com The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has said the current NRM government has no will to help the young people out of poverty. Launching the 2016/17 State of the Youth report over the weekend at Parliament, Kadaga said even when MPs deliberately pass laws to get the youth out of poverty and improve their livelihoods, the executive seems to have a different agenda. Kadaga cited a recent example, when she was recently called by President Museveni for passing 'bad laws' against oil investors. Speaker Rebecca Kadaga launching the State of the Youth report at Parliament Kadaga said the ninth Parliament enacted laws on petroleum in consideration of local content, to enable residents in areas where those companies are located sell their products to the companies and their employees but apparently some foreign investors are dismayed by such laws. This is the most painful. We were mindful of what was happening. Can you imagine an oil company based in Bunyoro importing tomatoes from Argentina? Banyoro grow tomatoes, importing beef from South Africa? There are cows in Bunyoro, Kadaga said. What did they do? They went to the president. Parliament made very difficult laws. They said we are failing to do business. The president called me [asking] what did you put in this law? I said; your excellency dont even listen to those people. If you bring the bill back, it will comeback [to you] we are not going to change anything. I said we [MPs] are conscious that our people need market, she added. According to the report, although the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government committed massively to fulfill the demands of young people in the national youth manifesto of 2016-2021, a lot remains unattended to. The youth demands under five thematic areas included jobs, education, youth participation and sports, health, and creative arts. According to the report however, youth venture capital fund has been redundant since the introduction of the Youth Livelihood Programme yet the funds are allocated by the same government because the process of establishing incubation centers meant to contribute to job creation and training is taking too long. Government agricultural interventions like National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads) and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) among others have not benefited the youth. Western Youth MP, Mwine Mpaka said the youth have been left in dilemma despite constituting about 8.2 million of the countrys population which the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) projected at 37.6 million this year. Mpaka said many youth are engaged in agriculture but struggle to find market for their produce especially those dealing in small quantities with no value addition. "Youth venture capital fund remains redundant given the requirements from commercial banks which youth fail to produce. The agricultural credit facility, which was intended to facilitate the provision of medium and long term loans to projects engaged in agriculture and agro-processing on more favorable terms than are usually available from the financial institutions has remained elusive to youth agricultural enterprises," Mpaka said. "Children below 18 years constitute 55 per cent of the population meaning youth numbers continue to bulge. Therefore, there must be concerted efforts to develop this group of the population given their numbers and potential to boost growth and development." Speaker Rebecca Kadaga According to Kadaga, other countries have strong economies because they train, support and monitor youth programmes. The Turkish government provides money for youth but they train you for three month before you touch that money, then they monitor you. You dont just disappear into Katanga, no they monitor you, Kadaga said. In Egypt if you are a foreign company in order for you to get a license you must employee nine Egyptians. If you are a Ugandan and you are there, for every Ugandan nine Egyptians if not you go away. In Malaysia for every foreigner 11 Malaysians must be employed in that company, Kadaga added. She expressed anger that despite the existence of the innovation fund, it was still difficult to know how one can access it. Yes we have the innovation fund but one is not sure where it is. I went to Iganga to do some work. Some people brought me two radios [that] they [had] manufactured. I said; but this is import substitution, we dont need to go to China. So, I got excited, I told them come to my office in Kampala, Kadaga said. I called the minister of Science and Technology [Elioda Tumwesigye], I gave the young men to him, I told him work with them, give them the money. When I met them [and] I asked how far they had gone they said aahh nothing is happening. I asked what do you mean nothing is happening? So, even the will to support the young people is not there, she added. namuloki16@gmail.com Speaker Rebecca Kadaga interprets parliamentary rules as if she stopped in nursery school, suspended Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda has said. Six MPs were today suspended from Parliament sittings for masterminding chaos as the House resumed debate on the proposal to amend the presidential age limit. The MPs suspended by the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, are: Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Allan Ssewanyana, Gerald Karuhanga, Jonathan Odur, Anthony Akol and Mubarak Manyangwa. Ssemujju accused the speaker of flouting parliamentary rules when she severally ignored points of procedure raised by opposition MPs, including some MPs allegedly sitting on multiple parliamentary committees yet the House rules say that an MP can only be a member of one committee. The issue of subjudice was also raised because Parliament had been sued in the East African Court of Justice. Speaker Rebecca Kadaga interprets parliamentary rules as if she stopped in a nursery school - suspended MP Ssemujju Nganda #AgeLimit #Uganda ? @bamulanzeki pic.twitter.com/plDVRP5usG The Observer (@observerug) December 18, 2017 Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee chairman Jacob Oboth-Oboth presenting the age limit bill report to Parliament before This is the second time in less than three months that Ssewanyana and Odur are suspended from the House. They were last suspended in September as part of a group of 25 legislators accused of paralyzing parliamentary business, on the day Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi was expected to table a motion for a private members bill seeking to, among others, amend the presidential age limit. The September 27, suspension resulted in chaos when plain-clothed security personnel raided the Chambers to eject them forcefully. Sewanyana and Odur will stay away from parliament for seven sittings. The others, Ssemujju, Karuhanga, Akol and Munyagwa, who are suspended for the first time, will miss the next three sittings of Parliament, according to the Rules of Procedure. Earlier, Kadaga had warned that members who breach rules of Procedure would face tougher sanctions. However, her caution fell on deaf ears when those opposed to lifting the presidential age limit started singing the National anthem continuously, bringing the House to a standstill akin to the September sessions. Members of the Opposition alleged that they had seen unfamiliar faces in Parliament who they believe were part of security personnel who ejected them from the House in September. They were earlier seen among a group of opposition legislators who were standing on the floor of Parliament persistently raising points of procedure and order even when the speaker directed them to sit. Ssewanyana at a particular point attempted to grab a report that was being read out by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee chairperson Jacob Oboth-Oboth. This prompted a 15-minute consultation between the Speaker, Sergeant-at-Arms and Parliamentary Police before debate resumed. Later, Kadaga read out their names for suspension without giving any reason to justify the decision. Kadaga last week communicated that MP's would be receiving the report on the controversial 'Age Limit' Bill from the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee today. The announcement ended speculation surrounding the delays in presentation of the committee report, a prerequisite for the second reading of the bill. Even as some people sympathize with the Red Pepper Publications following its closure by police last month, others are celebrating its pain. Polarising is what has defined Red Pepper since it hit the streets in 2001 with a salacious brand of journalism. Today, its printing press lies quiet. Eight directors and journalists are on remand in Luzira Prison facing seven counts, including publication of information prejudicial to security, libel and offensive communication. They are Richard Tusiime, Johnson Musinguzi, Patrick Mugumya, James Mujuni and Arinatiwe Rugyendo. Others are Richard Kintu, Ben Byarabaha and Francis Tumusiime. Red Pepper editors and directors in court recently. They have been in jail since the raid on their offices last month Many peoples lives have been turned upside down by the shutdown. Maureen Karamagi, wife of Arinaitwe Rugyendo, a director, speaks about the hazards of a journalists job and how one cannot prepare for what has happened. Karamagi told The Observer, You cannot have peace, when you know that your loved one is in prison. You worry, especially when you know that their source of income has been disrupted. Like the spouses of other Red Pepper bosses, Karamagi has witnessed the zeal and determination with which her husband built the company. And so, even with this current challenge, as she refers to it, she finds the energy; gets up with a positive mind to go and work, trying to keep things normal for their children aged ten, eight, six and three. It has not been easy. The children ask me everyday where their father is. But I cannot bring myself to tell them that he is in prison. It would depress them. So, beyond the physical exertions of work, I make sure that I protect them emotionally too, Karamagi said. Since the Red Pepper premises were cordoned off on November 28, top staff picked up, Karamagi has kept the children from watching the news so that they do not see their father and his colleagues in court. They have been told that daddy is abroad, although they have not stopped wondering why he has not called to ask them what he should bring them. Karamagi hopes this ordeal ends soon. She believes that although her husband and his colleagues have been denied bail, which she feels is unjustifiable, God will get them released. Press freedom defenders and the journalism fraternity have defended the paper regardless of divided individual opinions about its journalism. Dennis Nyombi, the Red Pepper lawyer, told The Observer that this unprecedented incarceration has set the company back tremendously. All adverts, accounting for millions of shillings in revenue, and other business dealings, have stalled. Several sister companies under the Red Pepper umbrella like Juice FM, Kamunye newspaper, Hello and Bwino newspaper were closed too. Upcountry offices in Gulu, Lira, Fort Portal, Mbarara, Mbale, Jinja and Arua have been rendered redundant. In Kampala, close to 200 employees are jobless now. Many had been anticipating a Christmas package from the company. Worse still, during the police raid, a lot of private property belonging to workers was confiscated and damaged. One graphics designer told The Observer, My phones were taken, so I lost all my business contacts. He added, With my computer in hand, I would have secured a few private design projects, to make some money and keep going On social media, some people post about how the Red Pepper destroyed peoples lives, concocting stories about them. Therefore, they argue, they deserve whatever they are getting. Probably no one feels as helpless as news editor, Richard Kintu, who missed some exams at Makerere University. He is a first year bachelor of commerce student. Arrangements have since been made to enable him sit his papers in jail. The detained Red Pepper owners and staff are expected back in court on December 19, to have their bail application reconsidered. jovi@observer.ug A Berlin-based art collective known as Raubdruckerin German for pirate printers has come up with a unique approach to creating textile patterns. They have been traveling around European cities turning utility hole covers into printing presses to decorate totes, t-shirts, hoodies, gym bags, and more. Founder Emma France Raff began experimenting with the concept of urban printing press in 2006 when she founded the project in partnership with her father, Johannes Kohlrusch. They started in Lisbon, but have since expanded to Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin, the latter being their base of operations. The Raubdrucken team members find inspiration in the urban landscape and often overlooked surfaces of the city, such as utility hole covers and drains. Sustainability is a crucial component of the project, as they aim to offer an alternative perspective and approach to mass production. Photo: Raudbruckerin/Facebook The point is that the prints are not drawn by me. I just put them into a new context. They are from surfaces of the streets, from cement surfaces and grids of manhole covers I transfer them to T-shirts and other things and theyre given a new life. Thats why its called Raubdruck because the designs are lifted from manhole covers, Emma France Raff told Euro News. Photo: Raudbruckerin/Facebook The artists make their prints on location, applying ink to the utility hole covers or whatever other surface catches their attention, and printing the designs on totes and t-shirts on the spot. Their supplies are minimalist, consisting solely of a cardboard frame, ink, brushes, and apparel. When they finish printing an item, they take a photograph of it beside the texture that provided the pattern. The entire operation is swift and discrete but still takes place in the public eye. The visibility humanises the project and focuses on the concept of exchange exchange with the city, the street, and the inhabitants and community therein. The collective also regularly runs street-printing workshops that anyone can attend. Photo: Raudbruckerin/Facebook Using the city or what the city is offering is more urban than graffiti, because I am walking on the streets every day, thousands of people do the same, and if she is using the railways to paint, its really part of the city, Marcel Schlutt of fashion mag Katblut said. Photo: Raudbruckerin/Facebook Raubdruckerin clames that its primary motivations are to stimulate our perception regarding the relationship to our surrounding, refine everyday routines, as well as to be sensitive to the beauty hidden in the unexpected. Photo: Raudbruckerin/Facebook Items can be purchased on the Raubdruckerin website or in their small Berlin shop, but youll want to hurry as there are very few items available and the store closes for Christmas. You can also find the collectives apparel on Instagram at @raubdruckerinberlin. U.S. President Donald Trump (File Photo) U.S. President Trump is set to deliver a speech on Monday outlining a new U.S. national security strategy. Some Western media have disclosed that the report will define China as a competitor in every realm and will lay out a more aggressive approach toward China. The Financial Times reported on Saturday that Trump will accuse China of engaging in economic aggression. However, a White House official told CNBC that the Financial Times report is not accurate, adding that the phrase is not specifically linked to China. It remains to be seen what Trump will say about China on Monday, but it is unlikely that the Trump administration would go so far as to accuse China, one of Americas largest trade partners of economic aggression, with at least one Chinese report calling the thought of economic aggression against the United States weird and absurd. "It's hegemonic for the US to accuse any country of economical aggression since no country is able to do so," said the Global Times in an editorial. The Chinese newspaper said that it is understandable for top American leaders to attach importance to U.S. economic growth, but it can be comical and dangerous if they are neurotic about it. In the U.S. government, some people are constantly sounding the China threat alarm, but both countries benefit from the trade relationship. Issues in the China-U.S. trade relationship do exist, but Chinese side has called for solving those issues through negotiation and consultation. "No country in the world is aggressive against the United States. Whether it's security or economy or culture, no country can manage its own economic security more than the United States. If you follow the U.S. standard in this report, then the United States is an aggressor against all countries in the world, said Song Guoyou, Deputy Director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University. "'Make America Great Again' should be through cooperation with the world, and economic reforms need to be carried out in America. If muscle or even confrontation is resorted to, the result is likely to be counterproductive," he added. The national security strategy is a formal document produced by every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan. Reagan, who unveiled the first report in 1987, said that the United States should foster closer relations with China and that the importance of China speaks for itself. National CBS-TV News aired a segment Dec. 15 calling attention to a warning on cellphones issued by the California Dept. of Public Health. The segment noted that about 95% of the U.S. population uses cellphones but few people are aware of warnings that come with the phones. Advice to use the phone in speaker mode or with ear buds is in the instructions for Apple phones but it is buried in fine print, said the segment hosted by John Blackstone. Other advice from the state is not to carry a cellphone in a pocket or sleep near one. Keep the phone at arms length and remove headsets when not on a call, it says. CBS Covered Phones in 2009 CBS on 12/21/09 reported the demand of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom that radiation levels of phones be displayed at the point of sale in a font at least as large as the price. Correspondent Michelle Gielan said there was a growing concern about radiation from cellphones from coast to coast. She noted that legislation like that sought by Anderson was also being proposed in Maine. The Dec. 15, 2017 segment said California recommends using the speakerphone or headphones, sleeping at least an arms-length away from a phone, and avoiding keeping it in your pocket. The move comes after a three year legal battle led by Joel Moskowitz, who forced the state to release a long-secret study of cellphone risk. Unofficial transcript of the segment, as typed by Barb Payne, is as follows: CBS Evening News Anchor Jeff Glor: A recent study found 95 per cent of Americans use cellphones. Now California has put out groundbreaking guidelines to limit exposure to cellphone radiation. John Blackstone has more on this. CBS News Reporter John Blackstone: California officials say the warning about keeping a cellphone pressed up against your ear was issued largely because radiofrequency emissions could be damaging, particularly to children. Dr. Karen Smith, California Department of Public Health: Now children on average are starting at the age of 10 and using cellphones for a lot of activities. CBS News Reporter John Blackstone: Californias Department of Public Health recommends using the speakerphone or headphones, sleeping at least an arms-length away from it, and avoiding keeping it in your pocket. The move comes after a three year long legal battle by Joel Moskowitz, who forced the state to release a long-secret study of cellphone risk. CBS News Reporter John Blackstone (with Joel Moskowitz): Certainly there are those who say this is going to cause panic. Phones O.K. When Properly Used--Moskowitz Joel Moskowitz, Professor, University of California, Berkeley: People are not going to give up these devices. Thats not what were seeking. What were seeking is that people take the appropriate cautions and reduce their risk substantially. CBS News Reporter John Blackstone: Californias warning says that while the science is still evolving, some studies suggest a link between high cellphone use and brain cancer, lower sperm count, and headaches. Joel Moskowitz, Professor, University of California, Berkeley: This is just like the history of tobacco. Stan Glantz, University of California, San Francisco: Now, unlike cigarettes, cellphones are actually useful for something. Tobacco Dangers Withheld CBS News Reporter John Blackstone: Professor Stan Glantz uncovered long-secret tobacco company research that revealed the dangers of smoking. Hes watching the science on cellphones. Stan Glantz, University of California, San Francisco: The case is by no means closed yet, but theres certainly enough evidence to be concerned to the point that I dont usually carry a cellphone. CBS News Reporter John Blackstone: California is not alone in this warning. The Food and Drug Administration says on its website the risk is probably very small but suggests using speaker mode or a headset. And Apple includes a warning, of sorts, on all iPhones but its not easy to find. You have to go to Settings, General, About, down to the bottom here to Legal, then to RF Exposure where finally Apple suggests using headphones or the speakerphone to reduce exposure to radiofrequency emissions. Jeff? CBS Evening News Anchor Jeff Glor: John Blackstone, thank you very much. Economic stats, including lowest unemployment since 2000, rising incomes, and a stock market that is setting records, offset negatives of the Trump Administration. The business community feels it has a friend in the White House and can plan more confidently for the future. Jobs have been added in every month for more than seven years. President Trump, the most communicative president in history, has made numerous verbal and even policy mistakes but the boisterous economy is what he should be graded on. Liberal-oriented media have been too tough and even unfair with him from the day he announced his candidacy. This has hurt the credibility of media. A pro-business Administration is good for all segments of industry including PR. PR firms documenting net fee incomes for the ODwyer rankings have shown strong growth for more than ten years running. Most of what comes under the heading of PR, including press and social media relations, has shifted to the agencies where creativity and diversity of tasks flourish. Women Show Clout The year past posted a high water mark on the influence of women in government and business including PR. Among those carrying the flag for women are Meryl Streep and Gloria Steinem. Streep, appearing in Boston Dec. 7 at the #metoo conference attended by 16,000 women, said women must seek 50/50 by 20/20, meaning equal numbers of women and men in board rooms by that date. Steinem saidt the usual board is three women and 12 other people. Gender stereotypes are learned and normalized at an early age." Streep plays Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham in The Post, a movie set in the President Nixon era when the Watergate scandal broke that led to his resignation. We expect to hear more in 2018 from American Women in PR, an offshoot of a group that started in Canada. AWPR wants PR to be seen as a profession and not as an industry. It wants equal pay/titles with men. With $300 yearly dues, AWPR is up against PR groups that have large female membershipsPR Society of America, Intl Assn. of Business Communicators and New York Women in Communications. Cellphone Dangers Probed by CBS-TV Another topic we have covered, health threats coming from cellphones and other sources of pulsed radiation, got a boost Dec. 15 when national CBS-TV News aired a segment titled calling attention to a warning issued by the California Dept. of Public Health. The segment noted that about 95% of the U.S. population are cellphone users but few are aware of warnings that come with the phones. Advice to use the phone in speaker mode or with ear buds is in the instructions for Apple phones but is buried in fine print. Other advice from the state is dont carry a cellphone in a pocket or sleep near one. Keep the phone at arms length and remove headsets when not on a call, it says. Doug Dome Fusion92 has appointed Doug Dome as president. Before coming to Fusion92, Dome was founder and CEO of Core 7, Inc., a Chicago-based start-up venture that developed a marketing platform which employs artificial intelligence and machine learning to create industry-specific master algorithms. He was also founder and CEO of Dome Consulting and has held executive posts at All Terrain, Gigunda Group, Carmichael Lynch Spong and Hill+Knowlton. Dome will be responsible for managing Fusion 92's day-to-day strategy, planning and execution. Dougs unique background as a data-driven marketer, innovator, entrepreneur, agency leader, management consultant and educator, coupled with a proven track record of agency transformation, will help lead Fusion92 through its current growth phase, said Fusion92 founder and CEO Matt Murphy. Julia Crawley-Boevey London-based tech marketing agency Merkle has named Julia Crawley-Boevey head of mergers and acquisitions for EMEA. Prior to joining Merkle, Crawley-Boevey was head of global business strategy and M&A at digital marketing agency iCrossing. Ar Merkle, she will be responsible for sourcing the EMEA companies best aligned with Merkles aims, leading all deal activity and overseeing post-acquisition integration. Since making its first major company acquisitions in the region in 2015, Merkle has expanded in EMEA to over 1,300 employees, with 12 offices across five countries. Julia has unrivalled experience in helping global companies in our space to grow rapidly through M&A. Were thrilled to be working with her again and were confident that, through her leadership, Merkles growth in EMEA will continue to skyrocket. said Michael Komasinski, president of Merkle EMEA. Ashley Butler Laura Pezzullo Crosby Marketing Communications has added Ashley Butler and Laura Pezzullo to its digital/social media team. Butler, who is coming as social media strategist, will primarily support content marketing activities for Military OneSource, the Department of Defenses program that serves enlisted personnel and their families. Prior to joining Crosby, she was a social media strategist for Chobani Greek Yogurt, managing engagement and content strategy across the brands digital platforms. Pezzullo joins Crosby as senior digital program manager, overseeing content marketing, SEO/SEM, social media, email programs and analytics. She will support clients including Military OneSource, Social Security Administration, USDA, Veterans Health Administration and Maryland Primary Care. Most recently, she was a marketing manager for Bozzuto, leading marketing efforts for more than 40 real estate communities in the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia area. Agricultural News Oklahoma Senator Inhofe Touts Benefits of Tax Reform Conference Report to Oklahoma Ahead of Likely Vote This Week Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe praised the release of the conference agreement on H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which included key Inhofe amendments that would ensure the tax cut bill treats all Oklahoma companies fairly, protecting jobs and economic growth in Oklahoma: "I am pleased the conference committee demonstrated Congress' commitment to making the tax code fair and simple by including my amendment to ensure family-owned businesses of all types are treated the same under the tax code. Many of our manufacturers, retailers, farmers, and community bankers have structured their businesses to maximize their ability to grow and create jobs, but the original Senate bill penalized some because of their specific ownership structure. My amendment addressed that, so now family-owned businesses will not be at a competitive disadvantage. The conference report also included other provisions I fought for to support businesses who make capital investments by expanding interest deductibility and protecting the tax-exempt status for valuable community-serving organizations. " Background on the Amendments Inhofe 1736 - Including trust businesses for pass through deduction. The Senate-passed version of H.R. 1 provided a 23 percent deduction for businesses structured as pass through entities, but it excluded those entities that are organized as trusts. This would have a negative impact on family owned businesses in Oklahoma. Inhofe authored Amendment #1736 to address this issue. The conference report to H.R. 1 incorporated this amendment into the final package; all businesses organized as pass through entities will be treated the same. Inhofe 1602 Increasing the amount of interest that can be deducted by businesses. Both the House and Senate passed versions of H.R. 1 limited the amount of interest that can be deducted by businesses. The House limited the amount to 30 percent of a businesses' annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Senate limited to 30 percent of a businesses' annual earnings before only interest and taxes, a significantly lower number. The Senate language would have resulted in a less favorable tax position for many Oklahoma companies. Inhofe authored Amendment #1602 to address this so that the Senate bill would mirror the House. The conference report to H.R. 1 incorporated this amendment into the final package for the first four years of the bill. Among the groups that were pleased with Senator Inhofe's work on the tax reform package was the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. "I appreciate Sen. Inhofe's efforts during the consideration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to ensure the Oklahoma Farm Bureau is continued to be treated as a tax-exempt organization," said Rodd Moesel, President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. "Each year, the Farm Bureau serves Oklahoma's farmers and ranchers by providing important services to improve the lives of rural Oklahomans. Our mission would have been directly jeopardized if any changes to our tax status had been contemplated in this important legislation. Because of his leadership, agriculture will continue to be a vital component of our state's economy." Other groups and companies across Oklahoma also expressed their support for the work done by Oklahoma's senior Senator. "I commend Senator Inhofe for his leadership to ensure that family-owned businesses will benefit from comprehensive tax reform. Because Senator Inhofe's tireless advocacy, our company will continue to be able to invest in the economy and grow jobs in communities across the United States," said Frank Love, Co-CEO of Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores. "American family owned businesses are key drivers of robust and sustained economic opportunity in communities throughout the United States and should be treated equally under the new tax code." "I appreciate efforts by Senator Inhofe to ensure that family-owned businesses will see a positive impact from comprehensive tax reform," said Jeff Records, MidFirst Bank's Chief Executive Officer. "Community banks, like MidFirst Bank, serve as anchors in our communities, providing economic opportunity for families and small to mid-size businesses across Oklahoma and the other markets we serve. Thanks to Senator Inhofe's tireless advocacy, our family-owned company will continue to be able to maximize our support of community investment and in turn grow the nation's economy." "We greatly appreciate Senator Inhofe's work to ensure that tax reform will encourage more economic growth and investment that will benefit the citizens of Oklahoma," said Alan S. Armstrong, CEO of Williams Companies. "The Williams Company strongly supports this legislation and urges its rapid enactment into law." "The nation's nearly 2,000 Subchapter S community banks greatly appreciate Sen. James Inhofe's successful efforts to improve the tax reform bill to correct a damaging provision on trusts that would have harmed locally focused financial institutions," said Camden R. Fine, President and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America. "ICBA and the nation's community bankers thank Sen. Inhofe for his bold leadership in ensuring that these institutions can continue using their business model to best serve families and small businesses in their communities for generations to come." "Many construction firms utilize trust ownership for a variety of reasons, such as estate and succession planning, and asset protection," said Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. "Excluding trusts from receiving the pass-through deduction would have resulted in increased shareholder taxes at many construction firms, interrupted ownership arrangements, or forced changes in business entities. AGC appreciates Senator Inhofe's leadership on ensuring that pass-through businesses with trust owners fully benefit from tax reform under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act." "NRCA commends Sen. James Inhofe for his strong leadership in ensuring that tax reform treats family-owned roofing industry entrepreneurs fairly," said Jim Barr of Barr Roofing, Abilene, TX, Chairman of the Board, National Roofing Contractors Association. "We greatly appreciate his efforts on this critical issue." Senator Jim Inhofe and his staff have tirelessly worked on a number of issues to ensure that American consumers have access to plentiful affordable energy," said Mike Mears, CEO of Magellan Midstream. "Most recently the Senator played a key role in preserving a competitive structure for Master Limited Partnerships during tax reform deliberations. Magellan and many of America's other pipeline companies are structured as a Master Limited Partnership. This structure provides the public an opportunity to invest in capital intensive energy infrastructure projects. We are grateful for the Senator's leadership on tax reform and other issues important to Oklahoma and the entire country which create jobs and grow the economy." "MLPA thanks Senator Jim Inhofe for his unwavering commitment to MLPs and our nation's domestic energy infrastructure industry," said Lori E. L. Ziebart, Executive Director of the Master Limited Partnership Association. "Through his determined leadership on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, MLPs will continue to be able to attract capital from the public markets to build our nation's critical energy infrastructure and in turn lowering the cost of energy for America's consumers." WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News Chinas consumption is expected to grow to $6 trillion from the current $4 trillion in the next three years thanks to the development of e-commerce, according to JPMorgan Chase, ThePaper.cn reported on Dec. 17. Consumption and innovation will serve as two major driving forces promoting economic growth of the country, noted Jing Ulrich, managing director and vice chairman of Asia Pacific at JPMorgan Chase, who recently attended the 2017 Fortune Global Forum held in Guangzhou, China. According to Chinas National Bureau of Statistics, consumption has contributed over 60% to the countrys economic growth in recent years. The figure was 64.5% in the first three quarters of this year, up 2.8% year on year, and 31.7% more than that made by capital flow. Zhu Baoliang, chief economist at the State Information Center, predicted that given the stability of consumption demand, the countrys household consumption will experience more accelerated upgrading in the next year or two. Ulrich told ThePaper.cn that increasing disposable income, the narrowing income gap, and enhanced social security are all factors affecting consumption. In addition, the changing age structure of the population and decreased household savings will also further drive the growth of consumption. In fact, innovation shares a close bond with consumption, said Quan Heng, head of the Research Institute of World Economy of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. As a driving force that promotes consumption growth, innovation will accelerate the structural upgrading of consumption through the new technologies, new forms, and new modes it produced, Quan explained. In recent years, China has gradually become an innovation power. It rose from 25th to 22nd on the Global Innovation Index released by World Intellectual Property Organization, becoming the only middle-income country in the top 25. In the future, innovation will keep playing its role in changing Chinas economic pattern. Chinas innovation in the future wont be an issue for the government, Yao Yang, dean of the National School of Development of Peking University, expressed his confidence. He began writing in his hospital gown, a day after surgery, a day after someone he would never know gave him a new kind of life. He lay in the intensive-care unit bed and pecked it out on his iPhone, the small keyboard and the painkillers be damned, because he had to write this now. He needed to. It just kind of spilled out of me, Joseph Mitchell says. This month marks the 50th anniversary of a stunning medical breakthrough, when a South African surgeon placed the heart of a newly dead bank employee into the chest cavity of a 55-year-old grocer named Louis, who then managed to live all of 18 days as the worlds first heart transplant patient. In the half-century since, heart transplants have become standard but far from common. About 5,000 a year are performed worldwide, though thousands more wait for their turn. Transplants have become far safer but are still fraught with complication. The average patient now lives a decade or longer, though the unlucky few still can and do die soon after transplantation. But in that time, heart transplants have not lost their ability to stun us. Replacing a busted heart with one that ticks correctly theres still something deeply stirring about that. It feels like medical magic. It feels like the worlds greatest Christmas present. Thats how Joseph Mitchell felt. Thats why, a day after his heart transplant last summer, he lay in his hospital bed and pecked out a thank-you note to the family of the unknown person who had bequeathed Joe his heart. The gift that the donor in your life has given me is immeasurable, Joe wrote. the gift of this heart will give me more than you can possibly imagine. I met Joseph a few weeks ago at a west Omaha Starbucks, and the 40-year-old walked me through a life defined by his bad ticker. In 2004, he noticed abdominal pain. Doctors realized that his heart was shockingly enlarged maybe because of a previous undetected virus and not pumping blood properly. Joseph was then 27. They told me, in no uncertain terms, that if they hadnt found it I would have been dead by Christmas, he says. He quit his full-time job, eventually picking up a more flexible position as a photographer. He started taking strong medication. He got a pacemaker and a defibrillator. He stopped carrying groceries, luggage and anything else weighing more than 20 pounds like the first three children he had with his wife, Christine. The medications and precautions worked for a decade, until they didnt. In 2015, Joseph noticed that he was routinely getting short of breath. In April 2016, he had the complicated and dangerous procedure that placed an LVAD thats a left ventricle assist device to help his heart pump blood. He walked around for the next three months half-terrified that the computer now controlling his heartbeat would crash, killing him within seconds. Its a little crazy to think Man, Im plugging myself in at night to stay alive, he says. And then, around 6 p.m. on a Sunday night in June of 2016, Josephs phone rang. He almost didnt answer, because he thought it was a political robocall. Get to the hospital, the voice on the other end said. Right now. Joseph hung up the phone, cried for 20 minutes, tidied up the house, took out the trash and started to pack. The heart transplant list is a fickle beast. Roughly 4,000 Americans are waiting for a new heart at any given time, and experts estimate that 10 times that number could really use a new heart. But because of limited supply both a lack of people who sign up for donation and a lack of people who die with completely healthy hearts a sizable number of Americans die every year while waiting. Its even worse for people with Type O-positive blood, like Joseph, because they can accept a heart only from a Type O-positive donor. Doctors had warned Joseph that because of his age and blood type he may wait five years for a transplant. Instead, the call about his new heart came after only five months on the list. Several days later, he woke up and immediately noticed the difference. He felt energetic for the first time in a decade. For the first time in a long time, he felt very much alive. So he lay in his hospital bed with his new heart and started writing. He told the donors family about his oldest son, Nicholas, a bright and empathetic boy who turned 8 less than a week before his dads transplant. "While I was in the hospital, Nick told his mom I think Daddy can do more stuff with me now, Joseph wrote. He wrote about his second son, Alex, a little charmer who was 5 at the time and an animal lover, which is why we live in a small zoo. As my wife and I were rushing out the door, I stopped to give each child a hug and tell them how much I love them. Alex told me he was very worried, but also wanted to ask me a question. I braced for one of those questions you dont want to lie about, but also wish you could crawl in a hole and not answer. He simply asked, Will you be able to run outside with us? He wrote about Madison, their third child, 2 years old and in charge of everyone. She loves to build block towers and then knock them down and blame you, he wrote. And she was forever checking with her dad to make sure he had a battery on his thigh the battery that kept his LVAD humming and his heart pumping before the transplant. When she came to see me in the hospital she patted my legs as always, looked at me with surprise and said, No batteries? I told her I didnt need batteries anymore. Joseph told the donors family that his children and, for that matter, his wife had never known him without his heart condition. He told them that the best thing he had ever done was have and raise children. He thanked them over and over. Your loved ones impact on mine was profound, he wrote. They were selfless and righteous. There is nothing I can say at this point that isnt trite, but they saved my life. And for that I am eternally grateful. Joseph Mitchell finished one of the nicest letters you will ever read after maybe an hour or two, he says. Then, a month later, he added the gloriously short-and-sweet postscript and attached a photo. Brooklyn was born 27 days after my transplant. She is healthy and beautiful. It was the couples fourth child. Thanks to an anonymous donor, Brooklyn Mitchell will hopefully get the chance to grow up with a father whose new heart ticks just fine. There are no guarantees, of course. Some day soon there may be complications. Some day in the years ahead he may need a third heart. I always tell people A heart transplant isnt a cure. Its another chronic disease, says Dr. Brian Lowes, a cardiologist and medical director of Nebraska Medicines heart failure and heart transplant program. But the hope is this heart is gonna last a long time for him yet. When I talked to Joseph Mitchell near the 50th anniversary of the first heart transplant a year-and-a-half after his own transplant he told me the donors family hadnt yet written him back. But thats fine, he said. For him, the important part was the letter. It is just what I needed them to know, he says. Its what I needed to tell them. In July, a worker in the U.S. Strategic Commands underground headquarters got mysteriously sick. Then another in the same area did. And another. Eventually seven employees reported similar illnesses, some of which required hospitalization. Dozens of other workers reported headaches, burning eyes and dizziness. StratCom officials now believe theyve found the culprit: a buildup of carbon dioxide in one group of basement offices. The Air Force has since moved 22 workers and is now cleaning the 37,000-square-foot suite of offices in the aging StratCom building at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. The rooms, one floor underground, are the workplace of 200 people from StratComs J5 (Policy and Plans) department. Their job includes preparing the nations plans for nuclear war and for defense against other large-scale threats to the United States. Citing privacy concerns, StratCom officials would not describe the illnesses suffered by workers, but several visited hospitals, said Maj. Gen. Dan Karbler, StratComs chief of staff. None have suffered long-term health effects. All have returned to work. A survey showed that many other workers have experienced irritated noses and eyes, fatigue and dizziness. Indoor carbon dioxide is the result of human activity and is given off when humans exhale. It builds up to higher levels later in the day. Excessive CO2 indoors is usually tied to poor ventilation, experts say. Typical symptoms of exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide can include headaches, dizziness, drowsiness and loss of attention. Recent studies have suggested that even slightly elevated CO2 levels may impair a workers ability to complete complex tasks. Workers in the J5 area began reporting in the summer that the air seemed stale. It just didnt feel like fresh, clean air, said Air Force Master Sgt. Cristy Duncan, who works in J5. But the command didnt fully realize the scope of the problem until several more workers became ill. It took awhile to understand (that) maybe there is a connection, said Col. John Cotton, StratComs surgeon general. Cotton recommended an occupational health inspection of the J5 section. Officials also conducted a survey of J5 workers during the summer regarding health effects. Of 84 who responded, 65 percent reported an irritated or stuffy nose, 62 percent reported fatigue, 48 percent suffered from headaches, 41 percent had itchy or burning eyes and 19 percent reported dizziness. The results led StratCom to suspect elevated carbon dioxide. In September, tests of the carbon dioxide levels in each room showed that levels exceeded standards set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) of 1,000 parts per million almost daily. But they didnt reach the 5,000 parts per million considered unsafe under federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules. Afternoon readings reached as high as 1,600 parts per million. Its above comfort levels, but below OSHA permissible exposure limits, Cotton said. Workers were allowed to move out of the affected spaces if they wished. We said If you are uncomfortable, we will move you, said Col. Jeff Hagan, StratComs deputy chief of staff. Twenty-two workers accepted the offer. StratCom officials said they arent sure why carbon dioxide has built up in these offices. The space doesnt have a history of air-quality problems, Cotton said. One theory, he said, is that it is related to the loss of an air-intake vent that was toppled in an EF1 tornado that hit Offutt on June 16. That vent brought fresh air into the underground spaces at StratCom. It was fixed late in the summer. Workers also repaired an air-handling unit serving the J5 space on Oct. 3. After that, CO2 levels began dropping and have been consistently below the ASHRAE standard since, peaking on most days below 800 parts per million, according to data provided by StratCom. I can tell theres a difference. Somethings been changed, Duncan said. I feel it is (better). The airs cleaner, fresher, said Al Gay, a civilian who has worked at StratCom since 2003. Cotton said the problem may simply be the structures age. It was built in 1957 to house the headquarters of what was then known as the Strategic Air Command. When you have an old building, youre going to have issues, Cotton said. Thats especially true in buildings with basements, he added. Much of StratComs work is done underground, in a facility built to serve as a command bunker. Our basements have basements, Karbler said. With no definite cause, its not clear what else StratCom may do, though officials are planning a deep clean of the space in January. The ultimate solution may be completion of the $1.2 billion StratCom headquarters under construction across the street. That project has had several delays since workers broke ground in 2012, including the persistent discovery of mold in ductwork for its heating and air-conditioning system. Earlier this year, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials estimated that the building will be fully completed and occupied by July 2019. But the current building wont be empty for long. After StratCom moves out, the 55th Wing headquarters staff is scheduled to move in. Most of the Omaha Police Departments patrol officers are on track to have body cameras by the end of next year. The Omaha City Council on Tuesday will vote to approve the purchase of 460 body cameras. The cameras will also be equipped with new technology to automatically activate the devices in the following situations: When an officer readies a Taser When an officer turns on a cruisers emergency lights or camera mounted to the dashboard When other cameras in the area are turned on And the department would test a newer feature that starts the camera when an officer draws a gun. The city would be reimbursed $1.4 million for the 460 cameras by a donation from the Omaha Police Foundation, a nonprofit that raises private money to buy equipment and support the police. Omaha Deputy Police Chief Kerry Neumann said the department wants as many automatic capabilities as possible. The only way body cameras can now be turned on, in most cases, is by an officer doing so manually. Its easy to forget to push a button, let alone when in a high-stress situation, Neumann said. Thats a problem across the country, he said. We recognize that, as well, at the Omaha Police Department that the body cameras arent being turned on under all circumstances. An Omaha officers body camera was not on, for instance, during a June incident in which a mentally ill man died in police custody after being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun. Omaha police got 115 body cameras from Axon in 2016. The newest donation will fund automatic activation technology for the existing cameras, plus buy the new cameras. The department would roll out the new Axon cameras in phases, with the first starting in May and the next in December. Uniformed patrol officers who frequently interact with the public about 425 officers should have the cameras by the end of next year, Neumann said. By December 2019 the department expects to have 575 body cameras with automatic features in use. Officers in the gang unit would also get them. The donation would fund storage of the video, but doesnt cover infrastructure inside the precincts to power the cameras and download the video. That was accounted for in the 2017 budget, Neumann said. Councilman Pete Festersen, a member of the councils public safety committee, said he appreciates the departments proactive work. It wasnt long ago we had concerns about having enough cameras in the cars, let alone body cameras, he said. Were making good progress. The cameras can record audio and video, plus save video from 30 seconds before theyre activated. The department would use the feature that activates when a gun is drawn as part of a free trial for a year, then decide whether to purchase it. It would cost about $200,000 to fully implement. Were saying we have to be convinced this is going to work because the technology is so new, Neumann said. Travelers on a Delta Air Lines flight out of Omaha on Tuesday morning will spot a fellow passenger who looks like hes headed to the North Pole. Andrew Dean of Omaha will be dressed as an elf as part of a fundraiser for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He will encourage fellow flyers, Delta employees, friends and others to donate online. Dean took his first elf flight last December and raised more than $13,500. He said he hopes to raise $20,000 on this trip, which will have stops in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Minneapolis before a return to Omaha the same day. He said he got the idea for the airborne fundraising while flying around the country for his job as a professional photographer at cheerleading and dance competitions. Dean said the elf costume is a good icebreaker and seems to put people in a giving mood. It eases the boredom and makes people laugh, said Dean, who travels more than 250 days a year for his business. Hes known as an outgoing guy and has experience getting dressed in costumes, whether it was as Clifford the Big Red Dog during grade school book fairs or as the Patriot mascot at Millard South High School. Dean also said he has a personal understanding of the importance of raising money for people with medical problems: His mother, Jayne Dean of Omaha, is a breast cancer survivor. He has raised money for breast cancer research and said his moms cancer fight helped inspire him to take on the fundraising for St. Jude. His mother said hes always been outgoing, and compassionate. She remembers that when he was a teenager he performed a juggling show for a family friend who was being treated for cancer. Dean joked around as he juggled, and the boy was smiling wide. It really warms my heart he has a passion for helping other people, his mother said. He said he got positive reactions from fellow flyers and others on last years flight. Airline employees and passengers asked to pose for pictures with him. Airport security didnt have a problem letting a big elf on board, he said. Just as he did last year, he will be handing out business cards Tuesday to direct people to a website where donations can be made. He said passengers and others shared his trip on Facebook last year, which helped spread the word about the fundraising. Hell spend 13 hours in the air Tuesday, plus seven hours in airports. It will be a long day, but Dean said hes glad he can help St. Jude. To donate on Tuesday, visit AndrewTheElf.com. LINCOLN When state legislators visited Nebraska prisons this summer, they said they saw frustration, and even fear, in the eyes of prison workers. Corrections workers, they said, worried about their safety because of staff shortages and an increase in assaults on staff, and spoke of the fatigue of having to frequently work double shifts to cover the vacant posts. On Monday, legislators called on Gov. Pete Ricketts to do whatever is necessary to stem high turnover in state prison jobs; the department sees more than one corrections officer leave the job each day. A 30-page report from a legislative oversight committee called for consideration of higher pay, better benefits, raises for longevity and other retention-focused incentives to stabilize staffing levels. We are encouraging the executive branch to do whatever is necessary, said State Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, who chaired the oversight committee. If we need to spend money, we need to spend money. A spokesman for Ricketts said Monday that he has increased pay for corrections officers over the past three years, and Nebraska now pays more than both Kansas and South Dakota. Additional bonuses were announced for those hired at the Tecumseh State Prison and the State Penitentiary in October, said Taylor Gage, the governors communications director. As we assess the effectiveness of the strategies, the Governors Office and corrections will work together to continue to make staffing and workforce needs a priority, Gage said. Mondays report by the Nebraska Justice System Special Oversight Committee was the latest in a string of legislative reports about the states troubled corrections system. The oversight committee, consisting of seven state senators, visited all 10 state prisons, talking with staff as well as inmates. The group also took testimony on how to address corrections issues. The bottom line, the report said, is that while some progress has been made, much more work is needed, and that addressing the staffing problems is paramount. Theyve still got challenges, certainly, but I think theres a lot of potential, said Ebke, who also chairs the Legislatures Judiciary Committee. The committee, however, expressed some doubts that recent sentencing reforms are cutting into overcrowding that has elevated Nebraska to the second-most crowded system in the country. Because of that, the committee recommended that corrections and the Board of Parole provide an assessment of the costs and risks of releasing hundreds of inmates if, by mid-2020, prison overcrowding is not reduced. Under a state law passed two years ago, an overcrowding emergency will be automatically enacted if Nebraskas prison population exceeds 140 percent of design capacity on July 1, 2020. That would compel the State Parole Board to release hundreds of parole-eligible inmates until the prison population drops to 125 percent of capacity, which is considered the maximum operational capacity of a prison system. That would mean the release of 1,064 inmates under todays prison count of 5,283. Nebraskas prison system now holds about 1,900 more inmates than its design capacity. The prisons have been at or over 140 percent of design capacity for a decade. Both Ricketts and his predecessor, Gov. Dave Heineman, could have voluntarily declared overcrowding emergencies when overcrowding hit 140 percent, but they have declined to do so, saying the system could handle the overload. Meanwhile, the ACLU of Nebraska filed a lawsuit in August, claiming that the overcrowding had led to substandard medical and mental health care. Crowding has also taken part of the blame for two deadly riots at the Tecumseh State Prison over the past 2 years, and for the strangulation killing of an inmate by his cellmate this summer in a double-bunked solitary confinement cell that was designed to hold one inmate. The Ricketts administration has taken several steps to address the high turnover rate at corrections, including a 7 percent pay raise for corrections officers over the past year and added incentives at the two prisons with the worst staffing problems. Despite that, the report said, reductions in staff turnover have not been significant. In October, there were 150 vacant security jobs and 120 in training, leaving a total of 270 vacant posts. The shortage of prison staff, the report said, is at the root of many of the problems in the Nebraska corrections system, including an increase in assaults on staff and a shortage of rehabilitation programming and prison jobs. The document steered clear of some controversial issues, including doing away with mandatory minimum sentences, which is supported by defense attorneys and others as contributing to overcrowding and is opposed by prosecutors and others as an important tool in punishing serious crimes. Instead, the report urges the formation of a working group of attorneys and others in the criminal justice system to look at sentencing reforms. The committee expressed some concern that sentencing reforms enacted by the Legislature in 2015, as recommended by the Justice Center of the Council of State Governments, have fallen far short, so far, in reducing prison overcrowding. Legislative Bill 605 was projected to reduce overcrowding by 921 inmates by July of this year, but had only decreased the prison population by 142. Ebke said that lawmakers see a need to understand which inmates might be released from prison and whether the State Board of Parole has the staffing and funding to supervise a sudden increase in parolees. The overcrowding emergency law gives the Board of Parole discretion to deny release to parole-eligible inmates if it believes they would pose a danger or would not comply with the terms of parole. State Corrections Director Scott Frakes told the oversight committee earlier this year that he doubted an emergency would be necessary in 2020. Nanjing, capital of Chinas eastern Jiangsu province, has initiated a volunteer support bank program to relieve the burden of the citys growing senior population. The volunteer bank will credit the hours spent for taking care of the elderly and allow people to turn that time to cash when needed. Over 5,000 citizens have registered for the program since its pilot in 2005. With the growing number of elderly in many communities, there is a shortage of necessary caring assistance. Therefore, the care bank encourages people to volunteer their time while young with the promise to turn that time to cash in their pension. Two thirds of the volunteers now are relatively young, said Wu Weihua, head of Dayanggou community. Volunteers can apply for 13 kinds of services in the bank, including doing laundry, reading newspapers, and purchasing groceries. Nanjing has 1.3 million senior citizens, accounting for 20% of the permanent local population, and 195,000 are partially or fully disabled. China activated the policy that requires local communities to offer all elderly necessary assistance in 2013. Since then, the number of elderly poor has increased from 10,000 to 1.3 million in 2017. The bank also reduces the local budget for labor. According to Wei Yingbao, project manager in Yaohua community, pension work used to rely on five social workers with 2-million-yuan-a-year salaries, substituted by two volunteers and funding jointly provided by the government, social organizations, and companies. I spend an hour a day serving food and cleaning the floor at a nursing home in the community, said 66-year-old Mrs. Li. Ive been volunteering for months. Its a great opportunity for seniors to help each other. Among the first volunteer group from August 2014, Mrs. Li has saved 835 hours volunteer time in the Yaohua Street bank, which has attracted 1,484 clients and 47,229 volunteering hours in total, providing 146,615 services for 4,262 seniors. Nebraskas child welfare system in recent years has made considerable progress in moving toward greater stability. But major challenges in helping abused and neglected children remain, as reflected in a new report from the state Foster Care Review Office. On the positive side, Nebraska in recent years has improved in meeting federal standards. The Legislature set appropriate guideposts and goals in state law, such as the appropriate maximum number of cases per case manager. In cases where poverty rather than physical abuse is the concern, Nebraskas child welfare system has rightly moved to keep the child in the home and address needs such as transportation, food or shelter. Coordination with juvenile courts and increased use of court-ordered plans for specific services are helping significantly. In Douglas and Sarpy Counties, the Nebraska Families Collaborative formed by Boys Town and other Omaha-area service providers handles child welfare cases. The collaboratives front-line case managers have an average caseload of 13, within the state recommendation. The collaborative has boosted its adoption rate, seeking kinship adoptions as much as possible. The latest report from the Foster Care Review Office points to a variety of concerns to be tackled across the state. The number of children in foster care which totaled 4,123 on any given day in June has increased significantly in southeastern Nebraska and, above all, in the states western third, with Scottsbluff/Gering and North Platte the main population centers. The western region had a 17.7 percent increase during fiscal 2016 and a 10.2 percent increase in fiscal 2017. The state cant walk away from any of these cases it has a responsibility to see that every one is properly addressed. That means the state government has to provide adequate funding, and service providers need to manage the situation effectively. Among other challenges: Continued high rates of removal from the home. A high rate of African-American children in out-of-home custody. Major turnover in front-line workers. Inadequate resources to meet childrens mental health needs. The report and Nebraska service providers point to a range of responses. Some examples: Improve processes to boost the opportunities for kinship placements. Use a system known as Structured Decision-Making to help caseworkers consistently apply standards in handling cases and completing case plans. Focus more closely on gauging parental progress in meeting needed goals. The State of Nebraska has a vital duty to see that the thousands of vulnerable children in its care receive needed care and placement in a stable, long-term environment as soon as possible. The state has made progress, but much more remains to be tackled. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts unveiled the state specialty license plate, Choose Life, by saying Life is precious . . . I have worked to support initiatives that protect and strengthen the culture of life that Nebraskans embody (Ricketts reveals design for Choose Life license plate, Nov. 28 World-Herald). Too many children in our state are going hungry each day. The governor must do more if he stands by his words to support life. He must work hard to ensure reliable nutrition and shelter for our children, as well as make sure they have access to health care. The federal funding for the Childrens Health Insurance Program has expired. The cost of health insurance for many families is soon to become more expensive and more difficult to find. If the governor is truly interested in supporting and strengthening life for Nebraskans, he needs to work hard to preserve Medicaid in our state. He needs to work hard toward a solution to the diminishing funding for childrens health care. He needs to support life after birth as well the unborn. Children remain vulnerable after birth. How can he claim to support life when these minimum needs are not being met right here in Nebraska for so many of our children? Beth Kaiser, Omaha Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Add Lone Pine Capital in the growing list of hedge funds who have thrown their support to activist hedge fund manager Sir Chris Hohn, manager of The Children's Investment (TCI) fund, to remove Donald Brydon from the board of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), reported City AM. The Connecticut-based Lone Pine is the second hedge fund to support TCI, following John Armitage's Egerton Capital who first said it would back Hohn. However, on the other side, the trio of hedge fund managers were also facing a formidable foe as LSE has received the support of Standard Life Aberdeen, together with other major long-term institutional investors, including Blackrock, the Qatar Investment Authority, and Aviva. Hohn's fight with LSE was spurred by his reservation over the board's decision to dismiss former LSE chief executive Xavier Rolet. Lone Pine's support also comes at a time when LSE has begun interviewing possible replacements of Brydon as chief executive, in a move that aims to rebuild the firm's top management team. Brydon is set to retire in 2019. Activist hedge fund Hohn set to lose vote to oust Brydon Meanwhile, Byrdon looks likely to survive a crunch vote this week after winning support from...................... To view our full article Click here The second plane of Chinas homegrown large passenger jet C919 completed its maiden test flight in Shanghai on Dec. 17, indicating that China is becoming a global aviation powerhouse, Peoples Daily Overseas Edition reported on Dec. 18. The plane took off from Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on Sunday. The flight, lasting about two hours, tested the performance of the C919s major systems and equipment, such as taking-off and landing, navigation and communication, and acceleration and deceleration. According to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, the country plans to produce six aircraft for flight testing. More than 1,000 tests will be carried out in terms of performance, structure, electronic equipment, illumination, environmental control, and tolerance to temperatures. The test flight will be made at the Yanliang Testing Base in Xian, capital of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province, and in Dongying, east Chinas Shandong Province. To ensure aviation safety and safeguard public interest, like other countries, civil aircraft in China must be reviewed and certified before it can enter the market. The C919 will only enter the Chinese market after it is tested to meet the airworthiness standard. It usually takes six to eight years for a civil aircraft to acquire the airworthiness certificate. Certainly, problems could occur in the testing process, such as deviations in airworthiness or unknown environmental and flight conditions, but trial flight will help avoid the risks. More test flights under some special conditions will also be made to understand the planes performance limit, so that flight safety can be guaranteed as much as possible. In addition, to expand the international market, China has applied for the airworthiness certificate by the European Aviation Safety Agency for the C919 passenger jet, and the application has been accepted. Chinas electric vehicle startup NIO launched sales of its first car model ES8 on Dec. 16 at the MasterCard Center in Beijing, ThePaper.cn reported Monday. Now customers can make preorders of the electric SUV with a range of 355 to 500 kilometers on a single charge, the company said, adding that the 7-seater ES8 can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.4 seconds. The standard ES8 is sold at 448,000 RMB ($67,758) but the company is also offering a limited edition model for 548,000. The NIO model costs roughly half the price of the Tesla Model X in China. The first batch is scheduled to be delivered in the first half of 2018. The company offers a battery renting structure, which lowers the upfront price to 338,000 RMB if the customers choose the battery renting service. In addition, the company promised that all NIO models will be equipped with standard battery packs, which suggests that early customers will be able to extend the range of their vehicles once the company releases more capable batteries. In addition, all customers will enjoy a lifetime free guarantee, free telematic services, and free roadside assistance. According to William Li, founder of NIO, the company plans to build 1,100 battery-switching stations with a radiance of 3 kilometers each before 2020. About 1,200 charging vehicles will be launched nationwide as mobile charging stations to meet demand. It is learnt that a range of 100 kilometers will be added to the vehicles after a 10-minute charge. Currently, the company has received capital from 56 investors, including Chinese business magnate Pony Ma, chairman of e-commerce giant JD Richard Liu, and tech firm Xiaomis CEO Lei Jun. Fees-free in 2022: Are you eligible? Most domestic students who are new to tertiary education will be eligible for one year of fees-free study at Otago. If you meet the eligibility criteria, the New Zealand Government will pay up to NZ$12,000 to cover tuition fees and student services fees for one year of full-time study. If you are studying part-time, your fees-free entitlement can be spread out over more than one year. To find out if you are eligible, use the Governments online tool at feesfree.govt.nz If you are new to tertiary study and your eligibility is confirmed by the online tool, the Government will let us know, and you wont be charged fees for 2022. If the online tool indicates that your eligibility is unconfirmed, you will need to complete a statutory declaration before the University can treat you as a fees-free student. This will involve getting papers witnessed, so you may need the assistance of your family or whanau. Please check your eligibility as soon as possible, and complete your declarations (if required) before the end of January 2022 to avoid being charged fees. Please note that fees-free does not cover residential college accommodation fees or other associated accommodation costs. More information and FAQs about eligibility criteria Need help? Visit the AskOtago Service Portal "Fees-free" search in AskOtago Future students Choose Otago for your university study A drone delivering medicine provided by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com recently landed in the village on a cliff in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province, indicating that the villages shortage of supplies will be greatly alleviated, guancha.cn reported. Atuleer, the village on a cliff in Sichuans Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, had received little public attention until May last year, when media reported that children from the village had to climb a rattan ladder to get to school each day. The villagers have been facing poverty and backward local medical conditions for a long time. However, the time spent on medicine delivery can now be reduced from 6 to 9 hours by people and ground vehicles to only 4 minutes by drone. Through cooperation with the local government, the e-commerce giant will continue to offer the villagers medical equipment and necessary living supplies to help them shake off poverty. 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. Members of the plaintiffs protest at the Tokyo High Court on Dec. 14. Surviving victims of the Chongqing Bombing have appealed a Japanese courts ruling to the Supreme Court of Japan after their right to seek damages was refused, China Youth Online reported. In the ruling, the Tokyo High Court said it would maintain the verdict of a lower court in 2015, which acknowledged damages caused by the air attacks but refused to recognize the plaintiffs right to seek damages. Some victims chose to protest the ruling, saying they would not give up their appeal until it is recognized and properly handled by the highest court of Japan. A Japanese lawyer on behalf of the plaintiffs disclosed that procedures of the lawsuit finished as of Dec.15. According to data, between 1938 and 1943, Japanese warplanes bombed Chongqing, then China's provisional capital, and nearby cities, killing 11,889 people and injuring more than 14,100. Su Yuankui, 84, head of the plaintiff delegation, who lost his two elder sisters in a bombing attack in 1941, said he was indignant at the ruling. Su joined the protests in Japan, demanding his due compensation and an apology from the Japanese government. The old man also said he will put in more efforts to establish a Chongqing Bombing association responsible for publicizing more facts about the Bombing and the cruelty of war. For some of the victims, the recognition is already a long-awaited victory, said Wang Yonggang, a Chongqing Bombing victim who returned from Japan on Dec. 16. Wang said he will work with a movie company to make a TV series themed on the Chongqing Bombing, and he also plans to build a memorial for the Chongqing Bombing victims. In 2006, some 188 Chongqing Bombing victims filed a group lawsuit against the Japanese government with the Tokyo District Court, demanding an apology and compensation. Representatives of the group made 32 visits from Chongqing to Japan during that time. In 2015, the court made a ruling, acknowledging damages caused by the air raids, but rejecting the plaintiffs demands. Editors note: The weekly Illinois Bicentennial series is a joint project of the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors and Illinois Press Association. More than 20 newspapers are creating stories about the states history, places and key moments in advance of the Bicentennial on Dec. 3, 2018. Stories published up to this date can be found at 200illinois.com. If schoolchildren learn one thing about the War of 1812, its that the British marched on and burned Washington, D.C. But Illinois schoolchildren studying the war could also learn about the burning of a settlement in their own area, one set ablaze by their own countrymen: the village located where Peoria stands today, in a location that had been settled since the late 1600s. The conflagration there, almost certainly unplanned, gave rise to a half-century-long legal fight and slowed the citys development. In the early months of the conflict between the British and Americans, tensions grew in the western territories of the United States, including the Illinois Territory, because of fears that local American Indian tribes were either loyal to the British or being induced to attack American settlers, particularly after an attack at Fort Dearborn. Hence the decision by the states territorial governor, Ninian Edwards, to send a group of militiamen some from Missouri up the Illinois River in November 1812 to check into conditions in the village of fewer than 100 people. The Missourians were deeply suspicious of this thriving and peaceful village, unmolested within 10 miles of the main council site for Indian tribes that swarmed Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa, reads a Journal Star archival piece from 1962. Capt. Thomas Craigs men began to sack the town while residents were at Sunday Mass. In the face of protests from Thomas Forsythe, an official Indian agent and the village priest, the property was temporarily returned, according to another Journal Star historical recounting from 1963. Harmless shots from across the river, probably by hunters, led Craig to say his boats had been fired upon. The French denied it, but Craig demanded the attackers be turned over to him. When the villagers protested, Craig sacked the town. Buildings were burned, cattle killed, the wine vaults raided and villagers were taken prisoner and shipped down river. Belated orders from the governor to free the prisoners finally reached the group, with men, women and children being turned loose with few provisions in freezing weather near modern-day Alton. One of the survivors later became the wife of the states fourth governor, John Reynolds, who called out the states militia for the Black Hawk War. The burning of the village and the stranding of its members in fact helped turn some local Indians against the American settlers. The destruction cleared the way for the construction of Fort Clark at the corner of what is now Liberty and Water streets in 1813 as a bulwark against now-hostile Indian tribes. It remained there for only a few years until rebuilding of residential properties resumed nearby. One problem: The displaced residents from 1812 had deeds to the property, dating back to the original French settlements there and began to petition Congress in 1813 to be reimbursed for their lost land. That process continued as Illinois entered its early days of statehood. By 1837, when surveys were made, American settlers were occupying these lots but the sales to these inhabitants were made subject to the French claims, Ernest E. East writes in an unpublished History of Peoria volume, as later recounted by local historian Bill Adams. Some 32 former residents or their heirs subsequently filed claims on 70 lots some of which devolved into lawsuits in county or federal court. A piece by the Peoria Historical Society explains: But the legal process moved very slowly, which in turn slowed the development of downtown Peoria. As a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln worked on some of these cases in the 1850s. Eventually, the displaced settlers were paid thousands of dollars in reparations for the loss of their homes. A handful of those cases first had to go to the state Supreme Court, and one to the U.S. Supreme Court, the latter with Lincoln as one of the attorneys involved. BLOOMINGTON One of the most popular workers on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus is known for having an ever-present smile, being socially savvy, working as a scientist and having the ability to cheer people up when they're down. He even has his own Facebook page. But he refused to answer questions from a Pantagraph reporter. Perhaps a cat's got his tongue. You won't find him on the payroll. He was part of a package deal. When IWU hired Eric Jensen, the university got more than a president. Along with him came first lady Elizabeth Jensen and first dog Calvin. You might find Calvin walking around the Eckley Quadrangle in costume on Halloween with a wagon of candy. You might find him welcoming new students at Becoming a Titan. You might find him in the dog lab, working as a canine scientist with psychology students. One day last week, you would have found him in the President's House, hosting Between Exams Barks and Beverages for students with his friend Piper, a fellow dog scientist who lives with Michael Gorman, senior web developer for IWU. Calvin has become so much of the IWU scene, he's even featured on this year's Christmas card. Junior Aaron Kahn, a music education major from Glenview, said, The biggest thing I miss from home is not having a dog. Then he met Calvin. He's really calming, said Kahn. College can get real stressful. To have a friend who will always smile at you is a good thing to have. Kahn is part of Calvin's crew, a group of students who walk Calvin from time to time. Elizabeth Jensen recalled a student asking about becoming a part of the crew. When I told her it was $5 a walk, she got very quiet, then said, 'Oh, you pay us,' Jensen recalled with a laugh. Laurence Henderson, a senior in environmental studies from Peoria Heights, recently stopped by for an unscheduled visit with Calvin. I was leaving the library, stressed out, and I needed a smiling face to cheer me up, said Henderson. Kahn sums up the feeling by saying, Everyone needs Calvin time. Calvin loves being petted and chasing squirrels, but his life on campus isn't all play and no work. He takes part in experiments in the psychology research lab that look at how dogs think, interact, exercise self-control and make decisions. Computer touch screens are used and the dogs get a treat if their wet noses touch the right spot. He's a very good boy. He loves science, said assistant psychology professor Ellen Furlong, who runs the lab. He's very socially savvy. He knows how to play the students. Senior Zach Silver, a psychology and music major from Vernon Hills, said Calvin is always a lot of fun to have in the lab. H's probably the most excited to do science, said Silver. Motivation is not a problem. The Jensens adopted Calvin through Safe Hands Animal Rescue, group that gets dogs from high-kill shelters, when they were living in Minnesota. Elizabeth Jensen said he appears to be part golden retriever. Katherine Henebry, a junior in environmental studies and business marketing from Springfield, said, The softness of his fur gets 10 out of 10 from me. As students milled about the president's house, laughing, snacking, drinking hot chocolate or cider, some sitting on the floor, petting Calvin and Piper, Elizabeth Jensen said, It's more like a home on days like this. The mother of two grown children and a former middle-school teacher said, "Because of being a mom, I know how stressful this time is." Senior Jade Molln of Toulon, who studies psychology and plays softball at IWU, said, I love that President Jensen and his wife open up their home for us. BLOOMINGTON Delta Airlines flights Central Illinois Regional Airport should be back to a normal schedule Monday afternoon, following disruptions after a power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport caused massive travel delays across the country. It is sorting itself out, said Fran Strebing, a spokeswoman for the Bloomington airport. We think by Monday afternoon, though, everything will be back on schedule. Thousands of people were stranded Monday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. A sudden power outage that Georgia Power said was caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility brought the airport to a standstill Sunday about 1 p.m. All outgoing flights were halted, and arriving planes were held on the ground at their point of departure. International flights were being diverted, officials said. That caused a trickle-down effect to the Bloomington airport, Strebing said. Once the situation happened Sunday, you had crews that timed out because they can only work for so many hours straight, and you had planes out of place, she said. When it hits a busy airport like Atlanta, sometimes it can effect things for a couple of days. All flights later Monday remain scheduled, including arrivals at 4:40 and 10:20 p.m., and a departing flight at 5:16 p.m. That follows cancellations of two arriving flights Sunday and one departure; a 6 a.m. Monday morning flight also was cancelled. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop for flights to Atlanta at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, meaning that planes were held at their departure airports, and eventually cancelled. Some inbound flights to Atlanta were diverted. Atlanta is the largest hub for Delta Air Lines. The airline told passengers to check the status of their flights. In a statement, officials with the FAA said it had put a ground stop for flights headed to the airport because of the failure, adding that the F.A.A. tower had electricity and was operating normally. However, departures are delayed because airport equipment in the terminals is not working, the statement said. A ground stop means that flights headed to Atlanta are held on the ground at their departure airport. Airport officials said the outage began just before 1 p.m. Georgia Power said it became aware of the outage at that time. BLOOMINGTON A 23-year-old Indiana man is in McLean County jail after being arrested in connection with a child death investigation in Lake County, Ind. Bloomington police said Lamario E. Delgado-Gonzalez of Gary, Ind., was arrested Sunday in the 700 block of Orlando Avenue in Normal. Jail records indicate he was booked into the jail at 3 p.m. Sunday. Police said the Normal Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force assisted in the arrest. K-9 units from Bloomington and Normal also were involved in the arrest. A call to the Lake County states attorneys office was not returned Monday. Records indicate this isnt the first time Delgado-Gonzalez has been arrested out of state in connection with an Indiana homicide. According to court documents, Delgado-Gonzalez was arrested at a residence in Glendale, Ariz., in May 2014 in connection with the Feb. 17, 2014, shooting death of a 16-year-old in East Chicago. Those charges were later dropped when a witness recanted his statement. Delgado-Gonzalez is awaiting extradition to Indiana to face charges. Q: I am a veteran and use the VA for some of my health care at the Peoria clinic. I am having problems with my sight and wonder what kind of services are provided for vision care. I know some services, like dental care, are not available for all veterans enrolled in VA Health Care. A: The Bob Michel VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) is one of three CBOCs in the Illiana VA Medical System that have on-site optometry care. The other two are located at the VA Medical Center in Danville and at the Decatur CBOC. Services range from traditional eye care to managing ocular health, evaluations for traumatic brain injuries, and ocular diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts. The clinics have also been able to diagnose systemic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea. Veterans with VA medical cards can access the optometry units without a referral. Dial 217-554-3000 or toll free 800-320-8387 and ask for transfer to the Optometry Clinic. Happy birthday, National Guard The Massachusetts General Court in Salem issued an order on Dec. 13, 1636, requiring all able-bodied men between 16 and 60 years old to sign up in the first militia on the North American continent, creating a standing Army for protection. With that order, Americas National Guard was born. Service in the Guard may not be a full-time job, but its demands require a lifestyle of commitment and sacrifice. The National Guard today stands as a community cornerstone, just as it did in 1636. Still wondering Q: I served in Vietnam in 1968. I am receiving VA service-connected disability compensation for diabetes and ischemic heart disease because of my exposure to Agent Orange herbicide. What happened to the updated list of VA-presumptive conditions for Agent Orange exposure that was supposed to be released Nov. 1? A: An 18-month study by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) was completed in March 2016. The Veterans Affairs secretary announced Nov. 2 his intent to further explore new presumptive conditions that may qualify. Apparently, part of the issue is that several of the conditions being considered (including hypertension) are also common in the normal aging process. Did you know? The VA remains a world leader in the development and use of innovative therapies, such as telehealth, yoga and other approaches to improve health and well-being. Two innovative treatments to ease the everyday challenges associated with living with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are now available at VA Boston and Jamaica Plain campuses. Results of some studies show LED therapy improves brain function, including attention and memory, emotions and sleep. Availability of the therapy will reach most VA locations in the future. Long Beach Medical Center has begun using stellate ganglion block (SGB) to treat PTSD symptoms. SGB may ease feelings of anxiety and constantly being on alert. It involves an injection, or shot of medication, into the neck. For more information about other emerging therapies, visit VAs Center for Compassionate Innovations at https://www.va.gov/healthpartnerships. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is not considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller even as his administration was again forced to grapple with the growing Russia probe that has shadowed the White House for much of his initial year in office. Trump returned to the White House from Camp David and was asked if he would consider triggering the process to dismiss Mueller, who is investigating whether the president's Republican campaign coordinated with Russian officials during last year's election. The president answered: "No, I'm not." But he did add to the growing conservative criticism of Mueller's move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration, yielding attacks from transition lawyers and renewing chatter that Trump may act to end the investigation. "It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that. My people were very upset about it," Trump said. "I can't imagine there's anything on them, frankly. Because, as we said, there's no collusion. There's no collusion whatsoever." On Saturday, the general counsel for the transition group sent a letter to two congressional committees arguing Mueller's investigators had improperly obtained thousands of transition records. The investigators did not directly request the records from Trump's still-existing transition group, Trump for America, and instead obtained them from the General Services Administration, a separate federal agency that stored the material, according to the group's general counsel. A spokesman for Mueller said the records were obtained appropriately. "When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process," Peter Carr said. But many Trump allies used the email issue as another cudgel with which to bash the probe's credibility. Members of the conservative media and some congressional Republicans have begun to systematically question Mueller's motives and credibility while the president himself called it a "disgrace" that some texts and emails from two FBI agents contained anti-Trump rhetoric. One of those agents was on Mueller's team and has been removed. Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign aide, called the investigation an "attack on the presidency" and told CNN there are "more and more indications that the Mueller investigation is off the rails." The talk of firing Mueller has set off alarm bells among many Democrats, who warn it could trigger a constitutional crisis. Some Republicans also advised against the move, including Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who deemed the idea "a mistake." The rumor mill overshadowed the Republican tax plan, which is set to be voted on this week. Although Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was doing a victory lap on the tax bill on the Sunday talk show circuit, he first had to field questions on CNN's "State of the Union" about whether believed Trump would trigger the process to fire Mueller. "I don't have any reason to think that the president is going to do that, but that's obviously up to him," said Mnuchin. Mnuchin added, "We have got to get past this investigation. It's a giant distraction." But he declined to elaborate on how he would want it to end. Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, was also peppered with questions about Mueller's fate during his own appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" and again urged a quick end to the investigation but insisted that Trump has not discussed firing Mueller. "There's no conversation about that whatsoever in the White House," Short said. -- Associated Press writer Hope Yen contributed to this report. No one is safe from Rose McGowan's rightful wrath in the reckoning of Hollywood's sexual predators, not even Oscar-winning actress and industry legend Meryl Streep. Related | Minnie Driver Blasts Ex-boyfriend Matt Damon Over Sexual Assault Comments McGowan's attack began after Streep discussed Weinstein in a recent interview, calling his rampant sexual abuse of actresses over three decades a "gargantuan example of disrespect." Rose came in hot, responding, "No, Meryl, it's a FUCKING CRIME." Now, after rumors that Streep, along with Emma Stone and Jessica Chastain would don black for the award's season in solidarity with survivors, McGowan was just about done. In a series of now-deleted tweets, the #ROSEARMY leader labeled Streep a "hypocrite" for lack of previous action, suggesting perhaps all the actresses should "wear Marchesa," the brand of Weinstein's ex-wife Georgina Chapman, which the movie mogul famously pushed on actresses up for awards to raise its profile. "Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black @GoldenGlobes in a silent protest," she wrote. "YOUR SILENCE is THE problem. You'll accept a fake award breathlessly and affect (sic) no real change. I despise your hypocrisy." Related | Harvey Weinstein Responds to Salma Hayek's Claims of Harassment Fellow actress and friend of McGowan, Amber Tamlyn, hit out at the activist for her comments. "Rose McGowan is a friend and while I support her kind of movement, I do not support any woman (or man) shaming or taunting the movements of other women. And telling us all to wear Marchesa? This is beneath you, Rose." Seems as though there will be blood on this year's round of red carpets. Image via BFA The former Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper, has advised against plans by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to use proceeds of the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy (PSRL) to stabilise prices of diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). He said it was likely that such a move would be ineffective in the long run, resulting in the return of the dreaded and unsustainable subsidies. He told the Graphic Business in an interview that the country would be better off if the government continued to use the PSRL to build up strategic stocks to stabilise prices. He was speaking to the paper on the pros and cons of a recent directive by the Ministry of Energy (MoE), asking the NPA to use the PSRL as a price stabilisation mechanism to manage the fluctuation of prices at the pump. Already, some experts and members of Parliament (MPs) have argued that the inclusion of the PSRL in the pricing structure under a separate Act of Parliament should go to Parliament for approval. Providing comfort In a letter dated November 30, the MoE directed the NPA to, as a matter of urgency, apply the PSRL to manage the ex-pump prices in the price build-up to ensure that prices are stable as an interim measure. The directive was said to be in line with Section 2 (b) of the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA) 2015 (Act 899), which requires that under-recoveries, in times of rising prices, should be financed from the PSRL and over-recovery, in times of falling prices, should be transferred to the fund. Following the ministrys recent directive, the NPA on December 1, announced a 70 per cent drop in prices of diesel and LPG. It further directed oil marketing companies (OMCs) and LPG marketing companies (LPGMCs) to apply the revisions in their price build-up, effective that day. While this provides some relief to consumers, Mr Terkper, who oversaw the passage of the ESLA in 2015, said such a directive was alien to the ESLA law, which is not specific on using the PSRL to affect the petroleum price build-up, the components of which are regulated by a separate act. He said the law rather called for the setting up of a special fund, which he started using from 2016 to build strategic stocks. He noted that that section of the act on stabilisation was explicit with respect to payment of subsidies for only LPG. He also wondered if the Minister of Finance had issued any directive to the Energy Minister for the use of the funds to pay subsidies. We need to understand that it is only the Minister of Finance who is authorised to manage and apply the funds, he stated. Sustainability Beyond the legal lapse, Mr Terkper said the latest application of the PSRL was not sustainable and could be injurious to the economy, should the ESLA be terminate as envisaged. If you give the funds to the BDCs and OMCs through the price structure, the payment of subsidy will return when the PSRL is terminated and exhausted, unless we make it a perpetual tax. However, under the buffer stock system, we would have been buying at low crude prices and selling when the price is high. If the low and high selling prices are managed well, as is done in some advanced and middle-income countries, a self-financing buffer could result from ploughing back the profit or margin and Ghana can even export from the stocks in times of excess, he noted. Farm tanks The former Finance Minister recalled that prior to leaving office in January this year, the Ministry of Finance was facilitating an arrangement between the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) and the Ghana Oil Company (GOIL) to build more farm tanks across the country to store strategic stocks, using proceeds of the PSRL buffer margins and GIIF Petroleum Fund (ABFA) allocations. Beyond cushioning prices in times of increments, Mr Terkper said a well-managed strategic stock system could become an avenue for exporting to landlocked countries, thereby creating an additional revenue-generating measure for the state. However, with the current system, he feared that the government was indirectly including subsidy in the price build-up, which could return to hurt the economy. Until mid-2015 when fuel subsidies were scrapped, it was estimated that the country was using about GH2 billion to subsidise prices of petroleum products, ostensibly for the poor. 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 The Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, and security analyst, Irbard Ibrahim, were arrested by the Nima Police Command on Saturday morning for engaging in an illegal act. The two were part of a Ghana-Togo Solidarity movement, who were said to be holding a peaceful march to draw the attention of local and international authorities to the political crisis in Togo. They threw me in the pickup as if I was a piece of charcoal They drove us here and put us at counter back. They picked about 12 or 13 of us. The rest scattered. This is really not the democracy fought for. I think that it brings to the fore that our police service is still in the archaic stone-age of doing things and that they can be instructed anyhow by forces outside of their remitThey are telling me that they received instruction from above, Bernard Mornah told Citi News. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr David Eklu, the Director-General of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service indicated that Mr Mornah had earlier served notice to the police of their intention to embark on a demonstration in support of some Togolese nationals in Ghana who had been agitating for what they termed a change in government in Togo. It said the police initially indicated their preparedness to provide the required security for the demonstration but based on information it received that another group had planned to disrupt the demonstration, the police advised Mr Mornah to suspend the demonstration. However he failed to heed to the advice and went ahead to organise the group who assembled at Kawukudi Park ready to embark on the demonstration. The Police Administration is once again appealing to persons or group of persons who intend to embark on any public event, especially during this Christmas period, to cooperate with the police to ensure the security of the demonstrators as well as members of the public, the statement said. Below is a statement copied to peacefmonline.com and signed by Bernard Mornah few days to the march The Ghana Togo Solidarity Movement is formed to press home the sordid political situation in Togo. Since April 14, 1967 when Gnassingbe Eyadema ascended as President, the country has not seen real citizens participation in governance. With the demise of Eyadema, many expected a return to the 1992 constitutional order with two terms presidential limit of five years per term but this was never to be. With the imposition of Faure as president and the subsequent forced endorsement (not elections), he has served two terms and has appropriated a third with no attempt to respect citizens governance. All peaceful manifestations to drum home the oppression and strangulation have been met with military assault and brutality. In recent times the opposition and allied groups have intensified peaceful demonstrations within the country to compel the end of the Dynastic Rule of 50 years. The Ghana Togo Solidarity Movement is in full support of the struggling people of Togo and calls for an end to the situation. The decaying situation is reference to mean the silent killings, the militarisation and the near refugee status that citizens are in. We, in solidarity call for immediate cessation of the atrocities visited on these citizens whose only crime is to see to a restoration of Democratic governance. On Saturday December 16, 2017 at 9am, we invite all Freedom, Peace and Justice lovers to a rally at the kawukudi Park in Accra. Yours faithfully, Bernard Mornah Convener Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Member of Parliament for Nanton Constituency in the Northern Region of Ghana, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed says the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission is being attacked because she decided to fight corruption. Afari Gyan was never interested in the daily operations of the commission; his focus was on elections and so the other operations were not handled by himnow you have Mrs Charlotte Osei she came and took particular interest in many things Dr Afari Djan was not so much interested in he said. Madam Charlotte Osei has been on the receiving end of an avalanche of criticisms since her appointment as the Chairperson of the commission. She is currently involved in an impeachment case which started from her workplace. Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, initiated what may be described as a possible impeachment process when she empaneled a five-member committee last month to look into allegation of corruption against the EC chairperson. The inquisitorial committee, whose members are yet to be made public, is expected to investigate Mrs Osei, together with her two deputies, Georgina Opoku-Amankwa, who is in-charge of Corporate Services, and Amadu Sulley, in charge of Operations. A couple of months ago, some unnamed EC staff petitioned President Akufo-Addo to trigger an impeachment process against Charlotte Osei. The accusation against Charlotte Osei included directing of GH3.9 million to partition an office, her receipt of a Toyota Land Cruiser from the Mahama government, expending about $14 million when the Public Procurement Authority had authorised her to use only $7.5 million. Mrs Osei launched her own attack, drawing in the two deputies. Commenting on the issue, the former MP believes Madam Charlotte Oseis woes would not have started if she had decided not to thread on dangerous grounds. Afari Gyan was never interested in the daily operations of the commission; his focus was on elections and so the other operations were not handled by himnow you have Mrs Charlotte Osei: when the woman was made the electoral commissioner, she should have known that the very people who were bent on becoming the commissioners and never had it, will fight you. She came and took particular interest in many things Dr Afari Gyan was not so much interested in; the daily operations and that is where the chop chop is. She took particular interest because where she worked (at NCCE), she knew what was going on at the Electoral Commission. But she should have also known that coming to fight corruption, you are bound to face obstaclesthe woman should have known and that is where I think she was a bit naive Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minority in Parliament has cautioned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government against the creation of 5 new regions without following due process as enshrined in the 1992 constitution. The additional regions are a fulfilment of the NPPs campaign promise to carve new regions out of some large, existing regions in order to speed up development. A commission of enquiry has since begun work to assess petitions for the creation of the new regions. On the floor of the house on Monday, Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu said several constitutional amendments will have to be effected before the creation takes place and added that a national referendum would have to be carried out. He made this known during the debate on estimates for the Ministry of Regional Reorganization and Development. 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 Inna Patty, the current owner of Miss Ghanas franchise holding company, Exclusive Events Ghana looked into the eyes of Stephanie Karikari, Miss Ghana 2010 in public and said she was too ugly and therefore unfit to be on the same billboard with the then Miss World, Stephanie Karikari has recounted the soul-crushing incident to Ghanacelebrities.com. It wasnt just words; Inna Patty actually made sure it happened. Thats nothing in the grand scheme of how Inna Patty assaults, abuses, exploits and pimps out the young women her organisation crowns Miss Ghana each year to preying men, in return for sponsorship deals and monies, three former Beauty Queens have said. Miss Ghana has for many years been boiling in controversies which the Beauty Queens who have received some of the worst treatments in the hands of Inna Patty have failed to publicly speak aboutbecause of fear of what Inna Patty, described as Manipulative by Miss Ghana 2015, Antoinette Delali Kemavor would do to them. On the back of reports that Miss Ghana 2017, Margaret Dery, has also found herself in the same horrendous, perhaps abusive situation, GhanaCelebrities.Com has spoken to three previous winners of Miss Ghana who have shared the shocking and horrible ordeals they were put through by Inna Patty and her Exclusive Events Ghana. This is to serve as the long overdue warning from the horses own mouths to all reasonable persons interested in ever becoming Miss Ghana Beauty Queens and also to corporate Ghana to re-evaluate their sponsorship relationship with Inna Patty and her Exclusive Events Ghana company. In a total of about 3 hours conversation, Miss Ghana 2010-Stephanie Karikari, Miss Ghana 2015-Antoinette Delali Kemavor and Miss Ghana 2013-Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi have all mastered courage to speak about the different layers of exploitation, verbal and sometimes physical abuses and the sort of sexual baits they were used for by Inna Patty. From what GhanaCelebrities.Com has been told, Inna and her company seem to be running a glorified escort agency masquerading around as a beauty pageant. And the experiences of these young women were not unique; they all suffered the same revolting and inappropriate treatments in the hands of a woman who fits the description of a shrewd Machiavelli. For the first time, weve heard Antoinette Delali Kemavor narrate how Inna Patty told her expressly to be SWEET and ACCEPTABLE of whatever a man they were seeking sponsorship from would demand of herand that was immediately before she took her to have a late night dinner at this mans residence in Nungua, Accra. At the dinner, when Antoinette Delali Kemavor seemed to be getting on well with the man, Inna Patty was said to be happy. And when Delali Kemavor stated that she was tired and therefore wanted to know when they would leave, she said; the man told her, he thought she was sleeping over. Delali Kemavor honestly believes that the conversation Inna Patty had with her immediately before the dinner and the man stating that he thought she was sleeping over only points to the fact that, Inna had probably arranged with the man that she would spend the night at his place unknown to her. It wasnt just Delali Kemavor who said she was asked by Inna Patty, a woman supposed to protect these young Queens to be sweet to men. Stephanie Karikari also mentioned how at the age of 19, a year after she was transferred to Exclusive Events Ghana as the reigning Miss Ghana, Inna asked her to visit a successful businessman to seek for a sponsorship deal for Miss Ghanaadding that, she should be nice to the man to obtain the money. The Inna Patty I know wouldnt explicitly tell any of the Miss Ghana winners to go and have sex with a man for money but she will subtly make you aware that this is what you have to do, one of the three Beauty Queens said. According to all the three Beauty Queens, they were asked via a contract they signed after winning the competition to raise 10,000 GHS each month for Exclusive Events Ghana and Inna said how they obtained that money was not her problem. But she would mostly send them out to offices of men to ask for monies. When one of the Queens asked how she was going to raise that much money each month, Inna Patty told her she is a woman and she is doing it, so she should also be able to do it as a womanshe exclusively told GhanaCelebrities.Com. Why would any Ghanaian businessman give you 10,000 GHS each month for 12 months for even two months? Yet, Inna expected that I obtain this for her. When I challenged her offer to give me 30% of whatever money raised and she taking 70%, she unwillingly accepted that she would take 30% and I would take the 70% as I had to go out there and find this money, Stephanie Karikari said. Asked about what the money was to be used for, all the Queens said the money went straight to Inna Patty under the disguise that it would be used for their Miss Ghana projects. Apart from their monthly unfeasible duty to raise 10,000 GHS, Delali Kemavor spoke about how Inna asked her to raise an extra 10,000 dollars to pay for her Miss World registration fee, despite she finding out from other African contestants that the fee was actually 5,000 dollars. In any case, why must a winner of Miss Ghana be the one to go about asking mostly men for 10,000 dollars to pay for her registration fee for Miss World? Delali Kemavor said; I struggled to raise this amount and I only was able to obtain 5,000 dollars from a politician [name withheld]. No one was ready to just hand out 10,000 dollars to me for nothing. But Inna pressured her to make it happen. For Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi, Inna Patty is a complete fraud who did not only take advantage of her innocence but actually embezzled the monies she was able to solicit from corporate Ghana. Giuseppina said she was actually the best fundraiser of her time. And that she was asked to bring in 10,000 GHS a month, just like other Queens. She was told the funds raised would be used for a project in Northern Ghana but after bringing in the cash, Inna would give her 1000 GHS and take the restand the project was never built. Baafi further told GhanaCelebrities.Com that, Inna Patty asked her to pay 10,000 euros as a registration fee for Miss World. She then told Inna she would rather stay in Ghana than to go out there begging for such a cash from anyone. According to Baafi, Inna called her at odd hours, as late as 11pm to attend strange meetings which she always declined--this contributed to the breakdown of whatever working relationship they initially had. Unlike Stephanie Karikari who was able to compel Inna Patty to agree to a 70-30 share of whatever money she was to bring in a month, Baafi had a 20-80 percentage share with Inna--and even that, she said Inna always dishonoured their agreements. Why funds raised from corporate Ghana for the Miss Ghana Foundation or its projects were being shared this way, with Inna Patty taking almost all and not putting received funds towards projects as mentioned by the former Beauty Queens indicates the deep rot the organisation dwells in, made possible by the obvious lack of accountability and external supervision. Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi captured it as; Miss Ghana is a family business, and that's the problem. In fact, Inna once told me that every member of her family is a director of the company that owns the franchise. All they seek is to make profits, by coercing winners into engaging in unpleasant funds solicitation by whatever way possible. On Miss World, the three Queens all stated emphatically that Inna Patty incessantly threatened that if they expressed any concerns publicly or disobeyed her orders irrespective of the orders were, she would do all within her means to make it impossible for them to attend the world event. In the case of Baafi, she seized her passport which contained a visa for Miss World for 3 months, making it impossible for her to attend. She only got back her passport after several reports to the police that Inna was keeping her passport without her consent, she told GhanaCelebrities.Com. Perhaps it was good that Miss Baafi did not attend the Miss World competition, because Miss Karikari said, describing her Miss World experience under Inna Patty and Exclusive Events Ghana as appalling is generous--it was the worst experience of her life. Miss Karikari recollected how Inna Patty bought for her 1 earrings to wear for the big competition from Primarka vivid indication that she didn't really care about her outlook when other Queens from other countries were properly and glamorously styled. Beyond the shared repugnant experiences of these Miss Ghana Beauty Queens, every reasonable person in Ghana would agree that, asking young vulnerable women to move from one office to another begging for 10,000 dollars or 10,000 GHS each month in a country where men at the top are extensively sexually exploitative clearly suggests one thingwhich is, money has always been placed ahead of the interest of these young girls by those requiring them to do so. It does not matter how many years this has been done in Ghana. Its unacceptable, perhaps intentional, to demand that girls as young as 18 years raise huge funds which are never used for even the intended purposesin an environment that guarantees sexual harassment. Personally, I do not find the signing of two contracts with different detailing innocuous. The Beauty Queens said, at the beginning of the competition at the stage of the first 20 contestants, they are always made to a sign a first contract which contains the duties of an eventual winner. Once you become a winner, you sign a second contractwhich requires you to raise huge sums by whatever means for shame projects and also to cater for your own expenses to Miss World, the ultimate destination. If a young woman is made aware from the onset that, she would have to bring in 10,000 GHS each month, and fully fund her trip to Miss World including paying for her own costume and flight, which sane person would bother with Miss Ghana? I believe its this fact that the organisers seek to circumvent by keeping that information away from the young girls in an unfair after-win contract. I also found it weird, albeit laughable that, Inna would make deductions from the prize money a Beauty Queen has won when the Queen does not do exactly what she wantsto the extent that the deductions would be more than the existing credit and the Queen would end up owing Inna Patty money as it happened to Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi. Why must a prize someone has already won, be subjected to further conditions and deductions which she was not made aware of as part of the rules of engagement? You cannot undermine the struggles and difficulties Inna Patty and her team annually go through for Miss Ghana to take place. But that does not in any way justify the unpardonable and probably illegal tricks they play on these young girlsand the sort of pimping, abuse and exploitation they put these vulnerable young women through. If you have 3, 4 or 5 former Beauty Queens all speaking unpleasant of an individual or an organisation that accorded them such honour, then the plausible position is, all these women cannot be the problem, rather, that one person or organisation which is a constant variable in the equation. Source: ghanacelebrities.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 ADS ADS Our final SIHH preview of the year suggests that there is plenty for the watch fan to look forward to in 2018. Piaget closes out the year in style with the presentation of the worlds thinnest self-winding watch. Discover the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Automatic today on WorldTempus, together with the Piaget Extremely Lady which has a gold bracelet with a sumptuous hand-engraved texture. Three separate stores for Swatch Group brands at the recently-opened luxury Burgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne seem to confirm that the upward trend in the industry is likely to continue next year. Longines CEO Walter von Kanel came to open his brands first corporate store in Switzerland personally (the brand already has its own stores in Lucerne and Interlaken operated by retail partners), showing the importance of this new location for the brand. I recently had the chance to talk to Favre-Leuba CEO Thomas Morf on his plans for the company. He has a refreshingly unpretentious approach to watchmaking and is keen to upheld the brands fantastic history of offering technological innovation and value for money. Read the full interview tomorrow. Our offices will be closed over the holidays, which means that our next regular newsletter will be sent out on 15th January to coincide with the first day of the SIHH. We will nevertheless be bringing you news throughout the holiday period, notably with articles from this years GMT Lady and issue 55 of GMT, which has just been published. Our advent calendar competition continues until 24th December with some great prizes to win. We will announce all the winners on 3rd January 2018. I would like to thank all our readers for their loyalty throughout the year and look forward to bringing you the latest watch news throughout 2018. Tyson Lehr meets Santa, Robert Blais, and Mrs. Claus, Cheryl Agostino, while his mother Bethany Lehr looks on during a special "Silent Santa" session for children with autism at Londonderry Mall, in Edmonton, in this still image made from video on Sunday, December 17, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Robert Drinkwater Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met on Sunday with Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti in Cairo for discussions on the Libyan crisis, cooperation on combatting terrorism and illegal migration, as well as the latest developments in the Regeni murder investigation. In an official statement, the Egyptian presidency spokesman Bassam Rady said El-Sisi highlighted the importance of agreement between the two countries on ways to settle the Libyan crisis, including backing the 2015 UN-brokered Skhirat agreement ahead of Libyan general elections in 2018. He also discussed supporting the efforts of UN envoy Ghassan Salame on the issue, as well as the rebuilding of Libyan state institutions, including the Libyan National Army, the parliament and the government. According to Rady, the president stressed Cairos "sincere determination" to reach final conclusions on the ongoing probe into the 2016 murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo. This comes through high-level judicial cooperation between Egyptian and Italian prosecutions, which has accomplished positive results in the past, the statement read, adding that a meeting between officials from the two prosecutions will be held soon to discuss "positive developments" in the case. Minniti said he appreciated the Egyptian presidents recent public statements on the Regeni case, made during the November World Youth Forum (WYF) in Sharm El-Sheikh. At the forum El-Sisi asserted the Egyptian states commitment to ascertaining the full truth of the matter. The Italian minister stressed the depth and strength of relations between the two countries, adding that the upcoming period will witness more cooperation, especially on combating terrorism and irregular migration. Minniti added that economic relations between the two nations would be boosted by the pumping of more Italian investments to Egypt. Search Keywords: Short link: FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, file photo, live lobsters are packed and weighed for overseas shipment at the Maine Lobster Outlet in York, Maine. A trade deal between Canada and the European Union, which gets rid of tariffs on Canadian lobster exports, could have a negative affect for the U.S. at Christmastime 2017. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former wife of President Jacob Zuma, reacts after losing out to the newly elected African National Congress (ANC) President, Cyril Ramaphosa, at the ANC's elective conference in Johannesburg, Monday Dec. 18, 2017. Outgoing President Jacob Zuma's second and final term as party leader has ended after a scandal-ridden tenure that has seen a plummet in the popularity of Nelson Mandela's liberation movement. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) The remains of Victor Emmanuel III, who reigned as king of Italy through two world wars and died in exile in 1947, were flown back from Egypt on Sunday for reburial at the family mausoleum near Turin. The remains of his wife, Queen Elena, also returned to Italy on Friday for reburial with those of the king at the Sanctuary of Vicoforte, a monumental church near the Piedmont town of Cuneo, a spokesman for the church said. Elena died in 1959 and her remains had lain in Montpelier in France. Victor Emmanuel IIIs 46-year reign, which started in 1900 after the assassination of his father Umberto I, encompassed the period of fascist rule in Italy under dictator Benito Mussolini. He drew criticism for failing to prevent Mussolinis seizure of power in 1922 and for fleeing Rome in 1944 to avoid an invading German army. The monarch known as Sciaboletta, or small sabre, due to his stature abdicated the throne in 1946 in favour of his son Umberto II in a vain effort to avert a plebiscite to decide whether Italy should remain a monarchy or become a republic. After Italians voted for a republic, Victor Emmanuel went into exile in Alexandria, Egypt, where he died the following year. Italys post-war constitution barred male descendants of the royal House of Savoy from setting foot in Italy because of the familys support for Mussolini. The ban was lifted in 2002. The grandson of Umberto II, Emanuele Filiberto, told the Italian press recently that he believed the right place for the remains of former Italian kings was the Pantheon in Rome. Search Keywords: Short link: The foreign ministers of the three North African nations issued their statement on Sunday following talks in Tunisia aimed at resolving Libya's ongoing political and security crisis Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria reiterated on Sunday their support for the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat in December 2015 as a political solution for the country, just hours after it was declared 'expired' and 'no longer binding' by Gen. Khalifa Hafta, head of the Libyan National Army (LNA). In a joint press statement issued following tripartite talks held in the Tunisian capital on the security and political situation in Libya, Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry and his two North African counterparts Tunisian FM Khemaies Jhinaou and Algerian FM Abdel Kader Messahel said the Skhirat agreement is essential to acheiving a political solution. Their statement came hours after the LNA head Khalifa Hafter who maintains control over the eastern part of the country as the UN-backed government operates out of the capital Tripoli in the west said in a televised speech that he no longer accepts the Skhirat agreement or any bodies originating from it, including the Libyan Presidential Council. The Libyan general said that the LNA was now the only body in the country that had any legitimacy. Haftar described the Skhirat agreement and other inter-party dialogues as mere "ink on paper". However, in their statement on Sunday, the three ministers stressed that the Skhirat agreement was approved and mandated by the United Nations, which has a political and legal responsibility toward resolving the Libyan crisis. The UN plays a pivotal role in Libya due to its sponsorship of the Libyan political dialogue, the ministers said. They further said they were relieved by the efforts of UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame to speed up the process of reaching a political settlement. They also welcomed a UN Security Council presidential statement on 14 December 2017, in which the 15member body reiterated that the Libyan Political Agreement of 17 December 2015 remained the only viable framework to end the Libyan political crisis and that its implementation remained key to holding elections and finalizing the political transition. The three ministers called on all Libyan parties to engage in dialogue and implement the September 2017 Action Plan suggested by Salame. They said the transitional phase must be ended soon, with a positive security and political atmosphere established for presidential and parliamentary elections. The Action Plan consists of a number of elements being implemented by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). These include amending the Libyan Political Agreement, organizing a National Conference, preparing for elections, and providing humanitarian assistance. The three ministers stressed their rejection of foreign interference in Libya, as well as any internal escalation or any attempt, from any Libyan side, to undermine the political process. The ministers said they applauded the efforts by the Libyan authorities to solve the problem of irregular immigration, adding that the situation calls for a comprehensive approach by the international community that takes into account the root causes of the problem. The ministers also applauded their own countries' joint security efforts to evaluate terrorist threats to Libya and neighbouring nations. They said they had agreed to boost the exchange of information regarding the movement of terrorist elements from areas of conflict within the region. The ministers agreed to hold their next meeting in Algeria, the statement concluded. This weeks meeting in Tunisia was the fourth in 2017 and is part of a tripartite initiative by Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria to meet periodically to discuss the situation in Libya and coordinate efforts to end the crisis. In November, talks were held in Cairo, at which the three FMs presented their efforts in resolving the crisis, reaffirming their countries' support for Libya's stability and unity. Search Keywords: Short link: Clearly, there's a lot of science to be done with JunoCam images. But JunoCam doesn't have a science team per se -- there are scientists involved, like Candy and Glenn Orton and others -- but their roles are to plan the images; there's no funding to actually do the science. In any case, it would be inconsistent with the philosophy of JunoCam to keep the science fun for themselves. So Candy announced a new page on the JunoCam website, the Analysis page, and invited everybody in the room at AGU to participate and to spread the word. "The goal of it is to do science in a fishbowl," Candy said. "We want to do all of the science analysis in the public eye, to give the public a chance to watch the sausage being made." While she was addressing a room full of scientists, and hoping to entice scientists' interest in the work, it was clear from her presentation that skilled and devoted amateurs like John Rogers and Gerald and Bjorn and Sean would be part of the effort, too. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Trump responded to the Amtrak Washington train derailment with a tweet calling for more infrastructure spending. The problem is that Trumps own budget slashes funding for Amtrak. The President tweeted: The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017 The Washington Post reported in May 2017, President Trumps transportation budget slashes federal aid to the nations rail systems by cutting funding for long-distance Amtrak service and severely limiting money to help expand transit lines and build new ones. The $16.2 billion budget for discretionary transportation spending represents a nearly 13 percent reduction in transportation spending over fiscal 2017. That includes a $928 million cut from transit construction grants, nearly half of what Congress recently appropriated for this fiscal year, and a $630 million reduction in subsidies for long-distance Amtrak routes. Trumps infrastructure plan isnt really an infrastructure plan. The White House plan doesnt spend money to build new projects. Instead, they offer tax breaks to builders to build new infrastructure. Trump is planning to spend to $200 billion to get corporations to spend $800 billion. There is no real plan or legislation behind this Trump scam. The President showed that he is totally clueless. As he calls for more infrastructure, Trumps own budget slashes funding to Amtrak. The President has no idea what is going on around him, as he is only capable of regurgitating his campaign talking points on Twitter. Even when they end up being totally incoherent jibberish that has no bearing on reality, Trump cant stop living in 2016 and spinning in his fantasy universe. NEW YORK Small-business owners are awaiting details of a reported Republican deal in principle on a tax overhaul, the details of which could come soon. The deal, which would reconcile differences in the House and Senate versions of the tax bill, might answer the question of which business owners will pay lower taxes, and how much of a break they'll get. Both bills have raised the possibility that many owners, including professionals such as accountants and consultants, wouldn't see a tax cut. But gains were expected for companies such as builders and manufacturers; both versions of the tax bill would raise the deduction that lets many kinds of equipment purchases be written off right away. Top GOP aides said Wednesday the final House-Senate compromise is on track to be unveiled this week. Before the news of a reported deal, lawmakers appeared in general agreement on some broad themes. Issues where there were significant differences included the tax rates for all types of companies and the size of deductions for equipment, property and interest charges. How much companies will pay in tax starting in 2018 will depend on fine points, technicalities and exemptions, tax experts say. ADVERTISEMENT "The devil's always in the details and it's not there yet," says Edward Reitmeyer, a certified public accountant with Marcum LLP in Philadelphia. Five things small-business owners should know about the two versions of the legislation: PASS-THROUGH INCOME Perhaps the biggest consideration is about the tax rate for the vast majority of businesses those that are sole proprietorships, partnerships and the companies structured for tax purposes as S corporations. These companies are called pass-throughs since revenue and expenses are accounted for on separate tax forms and then "passed through" to the owner's personal 1040 returns and are taxed at individual rates. They differ from most large, well-known businesses structured as C corporations, which pay their taxes at corporate rates. The House version generally provides for the business income of the "pass-through" companies to be taxed at a maximum of 25 percent, compared to the current top personal income tax bracket of 39.6 percent. The Senate bill provides for 23 percent of a pass-through owner's business income to be tax-exempt, with the rest taxed at individual rates. Both bills have limitations. Among them: Business owners who provide professional services, including lawyers, accountants and consultants, could see themselves at least partially excluded from the tax breaks aimed at helping pass-throughs. Some lawmakers view these professionals, particularly if they don't have employees, as high earners who shouldn't get the same breaks as owners of very small companies. But it's questionable how many pass-through owners would see a change in their taxes, according to Joe Rosenberg, a tax researcher with the Urban Institute, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. He said 85 percent to 90 percent of pass-throughs are already taxed at a 25 percent rate or less. CORPORATE TAXES ADVERTISEMENT As for the companies that pay their taxes at corporate rates, both bills set a 20 percent rate, down from the current 35 percent. The Senate bill, however, delays the implementation of the lower rate until 2019. C corporations include all of the Fortune 500 and other publicly traded companies. However, small businesses can also be C corporations. Owners of pass-through companies who won't get any tax breaks might decide to change their business structure to a C corporation, Reitmeyer says. "That is something that has to be looked at for everyone going forward," he said. BUSINESS TAX DEDUCTIONS The deduction that lets companies write off many types of equipment purchases up front rather than depreciate them over a period of years would increase under both bills from its current level of $510,000. The House version would raise the Section 179 deduction (named for a portion of the tax code) to $5 million, while the Senate bill raises it to $1 million. Companies most likely to benefit from the higher limits are those such as construction, farming and manufacturing businesses that invest in large or expensive machinery and vehicles. Depreciation rules that govern larger equipment and property purchases also would change. Currently, many investments in equipment or real estate must be depreciated during a period ranging from 2.5 years to decades, depending on what kind of property it is. Both bills allow for full up-front deductions of purchases each year for the next five years. The Senate version provides for a gradual phase-out of the full deduction during the following four years. Both bills reduce the deductibility of business interest expenses to 30 percent of a company's taxable income. That might be an unwelcome change as under the current law, interest is completely deductible. The House version allows companies with up to $25 million in revenue to keep the full deduction. The Senate version ends the full deduction for companies with more than $15 million in revenue. Landlords, however, will be able to continue fully deducting their mortgage interest. ADVERTISEMENT ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX Another key area of dispute is whether to repeal the alternative minimum tax, or AMT. The tax requires high-earning individuals and corporations to compute their tax liability in two different ways and pay whichever amount is higher. Some Republican lawmakers said retaining it would limit companies' ability to take advantage of some tax credits, such as for research and development. The Senate bill keeps the AMT for corporations. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., suggested this week it's possible that the AMT will be repealed in the final tax bill. Even if the AMT survives, some business owners might escape it in the future, Reitmeyer says, noting that the current bills call for an end to the individual deduction for state and local income taxes. "The No. 1 item that puts our clients into the AMT is the state and local tax deduction," he said. ACCOUNTING METHODS Both bills would simplify financial record-keeping for many small businesses that have inventory, making the cash method of accounting available to them. Under cash accounting, a company records income when it's received and expenses when they're paid. Under the more complex method of accrual accounting, income and expenses are booked when they are owed, not when they're received or paid. Generally, manufacturers and other companies that have inventory are required to use the accrual method, but current law exempts businesses with average annual revenue of $5 million or less. The House bill would raise that exemption to $25 million, while the Senate version would set it at $15 million. AURORA, Ill. It was a missed opportunity I truly regret. By the time I got around to calling Bright Oaks retirement center in Aurora to set up an interview with 86-year old Agnes Hoffman, she had passed away. I could have kicked myself for having lost this chance to meet a Holocaust survivor in person and to listen to stories that, no matter how ugly, we should never tire of hearing. If I would have gotten the chance to chat with Agnes, I would definitely have asked her thoughts about the increasingly-ugly tribalism we are experiencing in this country a disturbing trend that is leading to more online vitriol and physical acts of hate and anger. Unfortunately, that includes a local case recently, when vandals drew a swastika on a colorful "Got Love" sign a St. Charles woman had placed in her front yard, also making reference to sex organs, "White Power" and other disgusting messages about people who identify as LGBT. Kane County Sheriff's Sgt. Patrick Gengler says he's not aware of an uptick in the use of these hate symbols or phrases throughout the county, which he would like to believe is at least in part because "we've got a pretty diverse jurisdiction" where kids are taught in school from an early age on to respect those who are different than they are. ADVERTISEMENT He believes this incident could not be so much about evil hate but the handiwork of knucklehead kids my description, not his who are clueless to the deeply-painful feelings certain words or symbols carry. Necessary story Because this youngest generation is further removed from those who were first-hand witnesses to the horrors of a world war and the atrocities that came to define it, a swastika to them is a middle finger to the establishment they feel compelled to rebel against. Whatever the age or intent of these vandals who chose to go on private property and deface a sign promoting peace, I wish they, too, could have talked to Agnes Hoffman. Thankfully, her story did not die when she passed away this summer. Oldest son Keith Hoffman, who lives in Naperville, Ill., recorded a recent presentation he gave about his mother to the Rotary Club in Downers Grove, Ill., where he is a mortgage lender. Relying on his own recollections, letters and other memorabilia she left behind, along with snippets from an interview she did with the Dallas Holocaust Museum a few years ago, he painted a compelling portrait of an incredibly gifted, giving and, in his own words, "extremely lucky" woman who lost her parents and three siblings to the Nazis during World War II. I'm sure these vandals could not even imagine what it must be like to walk out of a movie one day when you're not quite a teenager the theater was owned by her father Bela in their Hungarian village outside Budapest and see SS soldiers taking over the lobby. Nor could they imagine what it must have been like to lose their home and be forced into a ghetto. Or to hear that your beloved father disappeared one morning while standing outside a train station, never to be heard from again. Later, the rest of the family was crammed into a cattle car and taken to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where her mother and three little sisters, ages 11, 5 and 3, were ordered into a group for the young and old, while Agnes was assigned to a line for women ages 18-35. Can you imagine the sheer terror of being separated from other family members? Or being forced to walk 47 miles to to a place called Auschwitz, where your head is shaved and you are given one thin piece of clothing to wear, with no pillow or blanket to provide warmth for your bed on the floor? ADVERTISEMENT Messenger work Likely being put into the young women's line saved the teen's life, for Agnes never saw her mother or sisters again. She became a messenger running between barracks, a job that forced her to speak to those scary soldiers with their swastikas who held her life in their hands. No one terrified her more, however, than Dr. Josef Mengele, the notorious "Angel of Death," who would walk in at any time, looking for the sick and frail to be sent to their deaths. Hoffman said his mother likely escaped the gas chamber because she had blue eyes, could speak German and was eventually assigned to factory work. A female barracks operator, he added, also took a liking to her and would try to direct her to the jobs she felt would give her the most protection. But the horror continued. Imagine being forced to walk for days to yet another death camp this one in Weiswasser where you are only fed a sip of coffee for breakfast; grass soup for lunch; and a choice of a slice of bread, a bite of cheese or a teaspoon of marmalade for dinner? As news came the Allies were drawing near, Agnes recalled being herded into a field with other prisoners who had so far survived the gas chambers, where guns were raised to shoot them. But at the last minute, the decision was made to hide them inside railroad cars, where guards opened the door every three days to give the prisoners a handful of dry oatmeal. By the time the liberators arrived two weeks later, there were 54 dead people inside the car where Agnes had been imprisoned. She was one of only six who survived. Agnes was sent to Denmark, where, while spending two weeks in a hospital, she taught herself some Swedish. She attended boarding school, lived in a tent while working a farm, was invited to be part of a United Nations peace conference in Switzerland and worked as a nanny for a wealthy steel baron, according to Hoffman. Make it there ADVERTISEMENT At age 19 she arrived in New York aboard the Queen Elizabeth, the fare paid for by her uncle, Adolph Zukor, founder of Paramount Pictures. While in New York, she worked as a high-fashion model and a flight attendant for Scandinavian Airlines. After marrying, she moved to Park Forest and raised four children while also becoming a commodities broker. Despite the horrors his mother went through, "she never let bitterness or hatred enter her heart," her son proudly told me. All her life, she only wanted to give to others, no matter what color their skin or their nationality or their religion. Now do you see why I'm kicking myself I did not get to hear her incredible story in person? Now do you see why I wish whoever painted those ugly symbols on that beautiful sign would have also had a chance to sit across from Agnes before she died? I wonder what she would have told them. Perhaps the same thing she shared with so many others who got to hear her incredible story: "My children say I see things through rose-colored glasses," she is quoted as saying. "But I am the one who colors it rose." Mamdouh El-Sheiti, the media spokesman for Egypt's Damietta port on the Mediterranean, said in press statements on Monday that the port cannot be held responsible for the Sunday theft of a shipment of 15,000 batteries imported for use on the country's first locally manufactured Smartphone 'Sico.' El-Sheiti said that all customs procedures were followed from when the shipment arrived at the port until it departed on a truck loaded with 27 boxes of batteries stored in three containers on its way to the company's factory in Upper Egypt's Assuit. The prosecutor-general's office has questioned the truck driver and summoned for questioning a number of customs officials and the company representatives who received the shipment. Egypt's Sico Technology company delayed on Sunday the commercial launch of the country's first locally manufactured Smartphone from late December to mid-January after the shipment was stolen. Sico CEO Mohamed Salem had said in media statements that the imported batteries for the Android Smartphones disappeared after leaving Damietta port for Assiut, without providing further details. The company has been planning to offer several types of regular and smart phones as well as the Sico tab on the market. Sico manufactures 58 percent of its products' components locally. Salem said that the thousands of pre-orders that have been made for the phone will now be delivered by mid-January. The Sico Smartphone was first unveiled at the inauguration of the 20th annual Information and Communication Technology Conference earlier this month. Search Keywords: Short link: ST. PAUL The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled today that the Goodhue County Board of Commissioners was "not unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious, or contrary to law based on the administrative record" in issuing a conditional-use permit on Feb. 21 for the Circle K Family Farm Z Finisher feedlot. In affirming the county's issuance of the CUP, Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Peter Reyes Jr., noted that to find against the county, it would need to be shown that the board did not follow the standards set forth in the county zoning ordinance regarding the proposed feedlot. The court independently reviewed the Goodhue County Board of Commissioners' decision and the evidence it used in making that decision, the ruling states. The ruling was found to meet the county's standards, and the evidence in meeting those standards was sufficient. The feedlot would house 4,700 finishing hogs animals between 55 and 300 pounds indoors with a liquid manure storage tank that has a volume of 3.5 million gallons. The CUP issued by the county board and the project as a whole was fought by a group of Goodhue County residents, most of whom who live in proximity to the proposed 1,410-animal unit facility, including Kristi and Bob Rosenquist, Sam Michels, Dale Post, Sharon Pagel and Fred Frederickson. ADVERTISEMENT The battle against the hog farm began during the public comment period for the environmental assessment worksheet by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Eventually, the MPCA approved the findings of facts in the EAW, noting that "this project does not have the potential for significant environmental effects." In addition to Goodhue County and the county board, Circle K Family Farms, owned by Yon, Jeff and Mike Kohlnhofer, were named as respondents in the case. "I'm glad that the county followed their rules, which appears to be the outcome of this," said Yon Kohlnhofer. "They didn't act differently for me than anyone else." The appeals case began almost as soon as the CUP was issued, with the case being filed Feb. 21. On Sept. 21, a three-judge panel of Appeals Court judges Lucinda Jesson, Denise Reilly and Reyes listened to 35 minutes of discussion from attorneys on both sides of the case. The drumlines for the three area Rochester Public Schools high schools will host a fundraiser at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in the Century High School gym. Each year, the three public high schools hold a December fundraiser for various charities. Among this year's fundraiser is a battle of the drumlines. Tickets are $3 at the door, and doors open at 7:10 p.m., said Aaron Cole with Mayo Bands. Proceeds will be split between the three schools for their designated charities. ALBERT LEA Up to 85 employees represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota will take part Tuesday in a one-day strike at Mayo Clinic's Albert Lea campus. SEIU is touting the Unfair Labor Practices strike over contract language as the first in Mayo Clinic history. The picket line will begin at 6 a.m. outside the hospital with a public rally starting at 11 a.m., according to SEIU spokesman Josh Keller. Two bargaining units are taking part in the strike, but Mayo spokeswoman Ginger Plumbo says other groups have filed notification of their intent to picket in support including the Minnesota Nurses Association, the Albert Lea teachers union, AFSCME and Save Our Hospital, among others. Plumbo says Mayo notified the union that striking employees will be required to be out of work for seven days, which is the minimum length contract to bring in replacement workers. Plumbo says replacement workers are necessary to maintain safe conditions for patients. However, SEIU workers plan to gather at 6 a.m. Wednesday in hopes of returning to their jobs. ADVERTISEMENT While the vote to strike was approved by 92 percent of SEIU workers, Plumbo said that more than a dozen have said they will cross the picket line to continue working. Mayo filed its first Unfair Labor Practices complaint against SEIU last month, weeks before the strike was announced. SEIU recently filed a new ULP complaint against Mayo after the National Labor Relations Board ruled in Mayo's favor this fall following a two-year debate. Bathed in light from 18 Hanukkah menorahs, Rabbi Michelle Werner welcomed about as many gathered families to share the joy of the holiday at B'nai Israel Synagogue . "This is the light that no one can extinguish; this is what it looks like when we come together," she said Saturday evening amid the menorahs. "The more of us together, the brighter the room." The nightly menorah lighting is typically done at home during the festival of lights, but on Saturday, the fifth day of the eight-day festival, families were encouraged to bring their menorahs from home and light them together. For Rochelle and Michael Wainberg, that meant bringing two menorahs one for each of their children. The couple gave their children each a menorah when they were born, noting the importance of the celebration in their family. ADVERTISEMENT Although Hanukkah doesn't rise to the level of the High Holy Days or Passover in the Jewish religion, Michael Wainberg said the celebration is important. "It's more of a reflection of family time together," he said. "It's all about family and tradition," Rochelle Wainberg echoed. As newer members, the Wainbergs have attended B'nai Israel Synagogue for 18 months and said the concept of family extends to those who gathered Saturday in the house of worship. "The congregation is unbelievably welcoming," Michael Wainberg said. Werner reflected on that idea Saturday as she prepared those gathered to light their candles. "Our room has already been lit up by all these beautiful people who are gathered here," she said, later noting the 18 menorahs carried unplanned significance. "Eighteen is the word for life," she said, reflecting on the Hebrew language. "It's the luckiest number in Judaism." As Benjamin Davis laid a wreath near Thelma O'Neill's grave on Saturday, he said he was thinking about how she might have served with or been friends with his relatives. O'Neill was an Army first lieutenant during World War II. Davis is a Civil Air Patrol cadet. On Saturday, members of the Southeast Minnesota Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol helped lay nearly 200 wreaths at veterans' gravestones in Oakwood and Calvary cemeteries, as part of the national Wreaths Across America project. Other wreaths donned stars at the cemeteries' entrances, as well as at Grandview and Oronoco cemeteries and the veterans' memorial at Soldier Field Memorial Park. Davis, one of nearly 50 local cadets in the squadron, said it was important to be out Saturday because he has relatives who have served in the military. ADVERTISEMENT "I felt it would be a way to remember them," the 14-year-old Rochester resident said. Fellow cadet Phoebe Holtan said she was participating to honor veterans and represent her squadron. "It's kind of a respect thing," the Rochester 14-year-old said. "These people have done so much for us." Civil Air Patrol 1st Lt. Gene Enos said it's those ideals he was hoping to share as an adult leader of the cadets. "Today is a day to remember our veterans during the holiday season," he said. "It is also a day to teach our cadets, our youths, how important it is to remember them." While Enos, along with Rochester resident Terry Throndson, have been distributing wreaths and putting up the program's wooden stars each holiday season, the Civil Air Patrol took a five-year hiatus from the project. Saturday was a return to the tradition. Maj. Othelmo da Silva, the squadron's commander, said he's been looking forward to resuming the annual recognition. ADVERTISEMENT "We want this to be a tradition that continues with the next generation," he said. As the cadets, who range in age from 12 through 20, prepared to place wreaths on graves in Oakwood Cemetery, Civil Air Patrol chaplain Lt. Col. Curtis Martin, said it was important to remember they were part of something bigger. Wreaths Across America started in 2006 with a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. It now includes volunteers placing wreaths on individual veterans' graves in more than 1,200 locations throughout the U.S., with ceremonies at sea and at each of the national cemeteries on foreign soil. At the same time, Enos said the event is also personal for each participant. "You'll have a special moment with that veteran when you lay a wreath," he told the cadets. As they scattered through Oakwood Cemetery, searching out veterans' graves, it was obvious the cadets were experiencing such moments and reflecting on the lives the stones represented. "It's a way to honor the veterans who served our country," Davis said after clearing snow from O'Neill's marker and carefully deciding where to place the wreath. ADVERTISEMENT Just when it looked as if the legal squabbles at the Minnesota Capitol might be settling down, there's a twist. Last week, DFL Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to fill Sen. Al Franken's Senate seat. Franken has said he plans to resign as a result of sexual misconduct allegations. Smith has said she expects that resignation to happen early in January. Smith's move to D.C. will have plenty of ramifications back home. According to the Minnesota Constitution, Republican Senate President Michelle Fischbach automatically will become lieutenant governor once Smith resigns that's something everyone agrees upon. But here's where it gets tricky. Senate Republicans argue a Minnesota Supreme Court decision from 1898 allows Fischbach to serve as lieutenant governor and Senate president. Senate Democrats disagree, arguing a 1972 constitutional amendment prohibits senators from holding another office at the same time. Dayton has asked DFL Attorney General Lori Swanson for her opinion. Why does this matter? Because control of the Minnesota Senate is at stake. Right now, Republicans have a 34-32 seat majority. In February, there will be a special election to fill the seat of DFL Sen. Dan Schoen, of St. Paul Park, who resigned after accusations of sexual misconduct. If Fischbach had to resign her Senate seat, that would set the stage for another special election that could determine control of the Senate if Democrats are able to hold on to the Schoen seat. Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, highlighted the political possibilities in a news release issued soon after Smith's appointment was announced. ADVERTISEMENT "This appointment, and the subsequent ascension of the Senate President to Lieutenant Governor, means the Minnesota Senate will likely face two special elections this winter. The balance of power in the Minnesota Senate will be up for grabs," Bakk said in a statement. Deputy Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said the political curveballs just keep coming. "There's been a lot of bizarre things going on and just nothing surprises me anymore in politics," said Deputy Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, R-Winona. "Just when you thought things were sort of getting back to normal, something like this happens." It has been an unusual year. Dayton vetoed funding for the Minnesota Legislature. The GOP-led Legislature and governor battled over the issue in court. Ultimately, the court decided that the governor's veto was not unconstitutional because lawmakers had access to enough funding to make it to the Feb. 20 session. Dayton has said he is willing to sign a bill next session reinstating the Legislature's funding. Miller said he is confident in Senate Republicans' legal analysis of the situation and believes Fischbach can hold both posts. He said it would be "quite unfortunate" if Democrats play politics with the situation. Sen. Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin, could not be reached Friday for his thoughts on the situation. Sen. Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, said he believes the best way to resolve this would be to hold a special session to appoint a Democrat to the post of Senate president before Smith's appointment takes effect. The Democrat then would ascend to lieutenant governor. "The smoothest way out of this would be for the governor to call a special session," Senjem said. ADVERTISEMENT Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, did ask Dayton about calling a special session to appoint a Democrat to the post, but the governor is not interested. On Friday, Fischbach tweeted a photo of her and Dayton, grinning, with a Christmas tree behind them. The two had dined on walleye and hot fudge sundaes for lunch at the Governor's Mansion. They talked briefly about the sticky situation, but the governor's statement made clear the question of what happens next remains up in the air. "We discussed very briefly her desire to retain her Senate seat, while serving as Lt. Governor. I told her that I am fully prepared to work with her as Lt. governor; her standing in the Senate is beyond my purview, which is why I have requested a legal opinion by the Attorney General on that subject," Dayton said. Feehan selling D.C. home First District DFL candidate Dan Feehan is selling his Washington, D.C., home. Feehan had lived in D.C. while he served as acting Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon during the Obama administration. This spring, he returned to his home state of Minnesota after 20 years away to run for Congress. He is renting a home in North Mankato. Feehan campaign spokesman Sean Oyaas said Feehan expects to close on the sale of his D.C. home on Dec. 29. Feehan grew up in Red Wing. His family moved to a suburb of Chicago when he was 14 years old. He went on to join the U.S. Army in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001 and served two tours of duty in Iraq. He also worked as a teacher before serving in the Obama administration. ADVERTISEMENT Feehan is one of seven Democrats running for the open 1st District seat. They include former state Sen. Vicki Jensen, Mankato attorney Joe Sullivan and Rochester attorney Rich Wright. Some of Feehan's rivals are quick to note they have stayed in the state. On his website, Sullivan says he is running for office because, "I have been working for Southern Minnesota my entire career." Wright's website states that he "was born and raised here in southern Minnesota. I know our values and I believe in our community." Feehan has said his family goes back five generations in Minnesota, and that he has always considered himself a Minnesotan. Two Republicans Jim Hagedorn, of Blue Earth, and state Sen. Carla Nelson, of Rochester also are running for the seat. ST. CLOUD The last time they were counted Oct. 22, 2015 women made up about half of Minnesota's homeless population. And of that, 47 percent did not have a child with them. There has been a push across the state and especially in central Minnesota to reduce the number of homeless kids. "People have put their focus on families," said the Rev. Carol Smith, director of Place of Hope Ministries. "That's how women and the single men get left behind." She said they seem to get less empathy than families experiencing homelessness. "(People) don't realize there may be a lot of barriers other people may have not faced," Smith told the St. Cloud Times . "It's just a lot. It's just so much." ADVERTISEMENT Women who are on their own can be especially vulnerable, Smith said, to situations such as sex trafficking. A warm place to stay can quickly become a dangerous situation. Local programs have noticed. In early 2016, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud opened Emily's Place, transitional housing for single women. This fall, Place of Hope opened its own wing for single women. Smith and others recently celebrated the dedication of Mary Anne's Wing. It can house up to 12 women at a time for up to about three months, depending on needs. The floor is already full with women. "Having these ladies here (has) just been so enjoyable, to watch them come in and being nervous and being scared on the streets," Smith said. "They get here and it's a safe place to be. ... They can just feel secure and be able to put their energies toward moving forward. ... They start to flourish as a human being." They cover a range: young and old, newly homeless or people who have been homeless a long time, women with physical disabilities and mental health problems, women who work but don't make enough money for stable housing and women past retirement age. In the past, many of these women might rely on Church of the Week, a program that gives overflow shelter to people when places like Place of Hope and the Salvation Army have run out of room. Area churches take turns hosting. It's a safe, warm place, but it's still only a mat on a floor. "There's just such a need for single women to have a bed instead of a mat," Smith said. "That's what we fought for ... to get them off of the floors. ... And now they get their own beds." ADVERTISEMENT The wing is named after Smith's older sister Mary Anne Baker. Baker was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease when she was in her 50s. She died at age 64. Baker worked in Litchfield, spending more than two decades as the office manager of the Litchfield Independent Review newspaper. Before her diagnosis, Baker and Smith's other sisters and families would help out at Place of Hope. They adopted a room on the second floor, repainted it and furnished it. "She was a big part of that," Smith said. "Her heart was just here. ... She ... just had a big heart." Baker would talk about retirement when she'd come to Place of Hope and help Smith run the place. "It's just really sad that she couldn't fulfill that dream," Smith said. What would she think about the new wing? "She was a very humble. She'd say, 'Oh you're kidding me!' At the same time, she'd be very honored, I think," Smith said. "You know what she would love. She would love to see the women who are helped." The wing is similar to Katie's Wing, opened last year as a safe place for women with young children experiencing homelessness. It provides shelter for at least eight families. It was named in honor of Katrina Stigman, who died of breast cancer at age 28. ADVERTISEMENT The third floor is transitional housing for men, named after Chad Boeckers. "He lost his battle with mental health issues and his family wanted something positive in his name to help men," Smith said. Place of Hope also has a wing dedicated to veterans. But there's still more to do. While what they have now is workable, the hallway needs to be repainted and the plumbing needs an upgrade. Smith hopes to raise about $7,500 to finish the floor. All in all, the dedication is bittersweet. "Mary Anne was awesome. ... I'm glad that we could do this," Smith said. "I wish she was here." The discussions also included Egyptian efforts to unify various Libyan military factions. Shoukry said that these efforts are supported by all active Libyan sides as well as regional and international partners, according to Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid. Shoukry expressed gratitude to the Tunisian president for his role in establishing the tripartite ministerial initiative between Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria to address the situation in Libya, which Shoukry said has effectively contributed to unifying stances and coordinating efforts on a regional and international status. He also said that Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria should be prepared for a possible influx to Libya and its neighbouring countries of Daesh terrorists who are fleeing defeats in Syria and Iraq. Shoukry stressed the importance of the three countries joining efforts to face security challenges and terror threats in Libya. On Sunday, the Egyptian foreign minister attended tripartite talks on the security and political situation in Libya with his two North African counterparts; Tunisian FM Khemaies Jhinaou and Algerian FM Abdel-Kader Messahel in the Tunisian capital. The three FMs reiterated their support for the Libyan political agreement signed in Skhirat in December 2015 as a political solution for the country's civil conflict, just hours after Libyan General Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army, declared that the agreement had "expired" and was "no longer binding." The ministers agreed to hold their next meeting in Algeria. This weeks meeting was the fourth in 2017 and is part of a tripartite initiative by Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria to meet periodically to discuss the situation in Libya and coordinate efforts to end the crisis. Search Keywords: Short link: The lead headline on the Washington Posts web page right now is: Putin thanks Trump for CIA intel that foiled a planned terrorist attack in Russia. The story isnt earth-shattering but has the virtue of enabling the Post to write a lead headline that includes Putin and Trump. Post reporter David Filipov characterizes Putins call as unusual. He says countries share intelligence all the time, but presidents rarely publicly thank one another for it. In this case, though, the intelligence the U.S. supplied enabled the Russians to thwart a terrorist attack. Seven members of an Islamic State cell reportedly had planned a suicide bombing this weekend at Kazan Cathedral, a St. Petersburg landmark located on Nevsky Prospect, the citys main thoroughfare. Putin told Trump that the information provided by the CIA allowed Russian law enforcement agencies to capture the terrorists just before the planned attack. Lives were saved as a result. Is it unusual for the leader of one country to thank the leader of another country in these circumstances? Probably not. Filipov provides no evidence that it is. Filipov notes that this was the second conversation between Trump and Putin in the last few days. Filipov says that during the first call, Trump thanked Putin for remarks he made acknowledging Americas strong economic performance. The reader is left with the impression that this is what the call was about. In fact, though, Trump and Putin also discussed the small matter of North Korea and its nukes. Russias state-run Kremlin news service reported that there was an emphasis placed on settling the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. The White House said the two sides discussed working together to resolve the very dangerous situation in North Korea. The dishonest Washington Post keeps its readers in the dark (or should I say darkness?) about this important fact. There is no reason why Trump and Putin shouldnt be talking. There is no reason why they shouldnt talk about North Korea, which probably poses the greatest threat to Americas security right now. There is no reason why Putin shouldnt thank Trump for information that likely saved Russian lives and preserved a national treasure. There is no reason, other than raw hatred of Trump, why the Washington Post should treat Putins latest call to Trump as unusual or provide a misleading account of Trumps latest call to Putin. When it comes to President Trump, if it misleads it leads at the Washington Post. Yesterday, Scott called attention to the blockbuster story in Politico about how President Obama derailed a law enforcement campaign targeting drug trafficking by the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. Obama did so because he was desperate to secure a nuclear deal with Iran. I agree with Scott that the Politico story is well worth reading in full, despite its length. The report is, as Scott says, incredibly rich. I want to call attention to one small potential nugget. Part I of the story is called A global threat emerges. It is subtitled How Hezbollah turned to trafficking cocaine and laundering money through used cars to finance its expansion. The used cars reference made me think of a post I wrote about the Awan scandal. This scandal, readers may recall, involves House staffers, most notably staffers of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, with ties to Pakistan who are accused of stealing equipment from members offices without their knowledge and committing serious, potentially illegal, violations on the House IT network. In my post, citing George Raisley of Richard Vigueries Conservative HQ, I wrote: Raisley says the Awans controlled a limited liability corporation called Cars International A (CIA), a car dealership with odd finances that took, but did not repay, a $100,000 loan from one Dr. Ali Al-Attar. According to Raisley, laundering money through used car dealerships is a known Hezbollah tactic. Raisley also cites a former CIA officer who says Dr. Attar, the man who loaned the Awans car dealership $100,000, was observed in Beirut, Lebanon conversing with a Hezbollah official in 2012, shortly after the loan was made. Politico has demonstrated that Hezbollah was laundering narco-terror money through used car dealerships. The Awans owned a used car dealership and obtained a loan from a man who, according to a former CIA official, had connections to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Does this prove that the Awans were laundering money for Hezbollahs narco-terrorist operation? No. It is only suggestive. However, the suggestion seems worth looking into. The Awans handled IT for leading House Democrats and, though this work, had access to highly sensitive intelligence information. Indeed, they performed IT services for at least three members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and five members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs were among the dozens of members who employed them on a shared basis. If the Awans were laundering Hezbollah money, the security implications of the Awan scandal are vast. ISIS has proved to be doubly inconvenient for the left and its media backers like the New York Times. Its rapid rise after President Obama called it the jayvee was enormously embarrassing (not to mention devastating for the Iraq and parts of Syria, and deleterious to the West). Now, its crushing defeat adds to the lefts embarrassment because it comes, in part, at the hands of America under President Trump. The mainstream media has tried to mitigate the embarrassment of ISIS defeat by ignoring it. Ross Douthat is among those who have noticed. Writing in the New York Times, Douthat explores this press failure. He calls it a case where the media is not adequately reporting an important success because it does not fit into the narrative of Trumpian disaster in which our journalistic entities are all invested. Exactly. Douthat notes that its in the realm of foreign policy where many, including Douthat himself, anticipated a Trumpian disaster. He concedes it hasnt happened: [F]or now, the Trump administrations approach to the Middle East has been moderately successful, and indeed close to what I would have hoped for from a normal Republican president following a realist-internationalist course. Moreover: [T]he Trump strategy on Israel and the Palestinians, the butt of many Jared Kushner jokes, seems not crazy? The relatively mild reaction to recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital may be a case study in expert consensus falling behind the facts; the Arab world has different concerns than it did in 1995, and Trumps move has helped clarify that change. . . . The truth is that the specific two-state vision of the late 1990s was overtaken by events a while ago, and demonstrating that some Arab states are more amenable to accommodating Israel is a useful step toward diplomatic clarity. The biggest success so far, though, is the defeat of ISIS. As Douthat says, it was accomplished without massive infusions of ground troops, without accidentally getting into a war with Russia, and without inspiring a huge wave of terrorism in the West. In a future column, perhaps Douthat will tell us whether he thinks President Trumps domestic policy is close to what he would have hoped for from a normal conservative Republican president. And if not, how it differs. Vineland School officials say about half the districts high school students didnt show up for class last week after a threat was found in a bathroom. School officials blamed social media for spreading fear. However, parents who made the decision to keep their children home said they were looking out for their safety. School officials chose not to close Vineland High School on Dec. 12 after the district found a graffiti message in a north campus bathroom that included a threat about mass destruction for that day. We have to take everything seriously, so we contacted the police, Superintendent Mary Gruccio said. She said Vineland police determined the threat was not credible but continue to investigate the incident. Police did not return a call for more information. As a precaution, police increased their presence at the school that day, Gruccio said. Still, about 1,000 students did not attend classes last Tuesday. We sent a letter home to parents notifying them. Kids got on the internet, and you know how things go. They were all freaking out, Gruccio said. The north campus serves students in grades nine and 10, while an adjacent south campus is for grades 11 and 12. Parent Tina Heath, who has a daughter in 11th grade at the south campus, said she decided to keep her home last week out of fear for her daughters safety. You see things on the news, and I feel, as a parent, people just say, That would never happen here. I wasnt taking that chance with my daughter, she said. Heath said her daughter texted her last Monday to let her know there was a threat at the school, but she never received a letter from the district. When she came home, (my daughter) said, Mommy, I really dont want to go to school tomorrow, Heath said. The next morning, Heaths oldest daughter, who lives in Georgia, called her about the threat in Vineland after reading about it on social media. Heath said she saw on Facebook that a lot of parents were upset about the schools parent-notification process. I feel that when theres a snow storm, if theres a cancellation for a game, my husband gets calls all the time. No one called to say, This is whats going on, but we have a handle on it, Heath said. Heath said that with school shootings happening across the country on a regular basis, parents can never be too careful. Its not social media that alarms me; its on the news. And youre seeing this everywhere, she said. According to state Department of Education data, enrollment at the two Vineland campuses in 2016-17 was about 2,264 students. Gruccio said despite the mass absence, the day counts as an instructional day for the school district. She bemoaned the loss of a school day for so many students after she said the school took precautions to ensure student safety. Youve got to weigh all the facts and go by the police expertise, Gruccio said. Community members will come together this afternoon to remember people who had died homeless in 2017 ahead of national Homeless Persons Memorial Day. AtlantiCare Mission HealthCare will hold its 12th annual candlelight vigil from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the William L. Gormley AtlantiCare HealthPlex in Atlantic City. The event honors those who died before they were able to find temporary or permanent housing. The vigil, which will take place outside the entrance of the healthplex, will include reading of the names of the people who died in 2017. Since 1990, Homeless Persons Memorial Day has taken place in cities across the country on or around Dec. 21, the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. Vanessa Vitolo, of Absecon, will be the events keynote speaker. Vitolo, outreach coordinator for Victory Bay Recovery Center in Laurel Springs, Camden County, will talk about her journey with addiction and how she maintains recovery. Vitolo appears alongside Gov. Chris Christie in advertisements, television specials and events for the states addiction support network, ReachNJ.gov. She draws on her experiences as a recovering addict to offer messages of hope, reduce stigma around addiction and advocate for change that can positively impact the national opioid crisis. The Atlantic City Rescue Mission, Jewish Family Service of Atlantic and Cape May Counties and Covenant House will be among several organizations at the candlelight vigil. The event is co-sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the National Consumer Advisory Board and the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness. The American University in Cairo (AUC) has backtracked on its decision to ban the niqab (face veil) on campus after meeting with a group of female students who wear the garment, the university announced in an email to students and faculty on Monday. According to the email, a number of AUC students and faculty members expressed concerns over the decision to ban the niqab. The administration said further talks will be held regarding the decision. The ban was issued last week over security concerns. In 2014, Cairo University banned faculty members from wearing the niqab, saying it would hinder communication between professors and students. Search Keywords: Short link: GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP Authorities on Monday released the name of the person who died in last weeks house fire at Mattix Run. The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office identified the victim of the Dec. 13 blaze as 74-year-old Joseph Castracane, following a medical examiners investigation. Smoke inhalation and thermal injuries were reported as the cause of death, according to the Prosecutors Office. The family is local. Its a really nice family, Galloway Township Mayor Don Purdy said. The townships thoughts and prayers go out to them. Purdy said he grew up with Castracanes son-in-law and that Castracane was an iron worker. He was not yet aware of any funeral arrangements. According to public records, the end unit in the 200 building of the complex was owned by Castracane and Norine J. Stafford, 60. The Prosecutors Office said Monday that Castracane was living at the residence. Galloway Township code enforcement officials said they could not comment on the buildings structure or extent of the damage Monday because the fire was still under investigation. An adjacent unit also was damaged. Castracane and Stafford bought the unit from current tenants, husband and wife Gary S. Barna and Roberta Barna, in March 1998 for $64,000, according to the deed from the Atlantic County Clerks Office. Public records also showed Judi Ellenbogen and Joan F. Rivero as tenants in the unit. Firefighters from several area companies, including Galloway Township, Bayview, Oceanville, Pomona and Absecon responded to the two-story, single-family unit Wednesday. The Galloway Township Police Department and Galloway EMS also were at the scene, as well as South Jersey Gas. The fire was contained to the one unit as firefighters from several companies attacked the blaze amid freezing temperatures Wednesday. A firewall kept the fire from spreading to more units, township Fire Chief Richard Smith said Wednesday. Staff Writer John DeRosier contributed to this report. VINELAND As the redevelopment of the critical East and Landis avenues intersection continues, the first residents of the $17.9 million Landis Square East apartments are preparing to move into the senior development. Situated at the southeast corner of the intersection, the project has 75 units of housing as well as 9,000 square feet of retail, said Sandy Forosisky, director of Economic Development for Vineland. For the past two decades, city officials have debated what to do with the intersection, commonly known as Four Corners. Before the redevelopment efforts started, motorists were greeted by rundown buildings when they entered the city at the intersection. But with the opening of the new senior housing complex and the redevelopment of the Landis Theater, the gateway to the city is slowly undergoing a rebirth. Landis Square East is one of the Four Corners redevelopment plans undertaken by the City of Vineland and Eastern Pacific Development. This intersection is very important to the city, said Hans Lampart, founder and CEO of Eastern Pacific Development. Its exciting to see what is happening. Forosisky said there was a huge demand for units in the facility. We received over 700 applications for housing, Forosisky said. We are very excited for it to open. While increasing housing in the city, the project will add economic value by providing more than $3.1 million, directly and indirectly creating 18, generating $178,000 in state and local taxes annually. When you consider how this mixed-use complex fits into Vinelands downtown Main Street redevelopment plan, there is little doubt that seniors living at Landis Square, as well as residents of the greater Vineland and Cumberland County community, will be in a greater position to benefit from fresh social and economic opportunities that come with a newly revitalized area, said Anthony L. Marchetta, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency executive director, during the ground-breaking for the project in 2016. As part of the redevelopment of the area, contractors are already working to remodel the former Vineland Savings and Loan building, next to the Landis Theater, Forosisky said. The first floor is going to be a bank of something similar, while the second floor is going to be office space, Forosisky said. Lampart said he would like to develop a similar mixed-use residential-commercial project on the southwest corner of the intersection, as well as developing a charter school on the former Sacred Heart High School site. My motto is slow and steady, Lampart said of a time frame for the other projects. ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) New Jerseys Senate president said he doesnt see the state asking voters again whether to authorize a casino near New York City anytime soon, if ever. Steve Sweeney told The Associated Press on Monday he doesnt think the state Legislature will put a second referendum before voters in 2018 or 2019. Voters decisively rejected a ballot question two years ago to authorize two new casinos in the northern part of the state, and 2018 is the earliest proponents could try again. But the Democrat from southern New Jersey said that is unlikely. I dont see it anytime soon, if ever, he said. The owner of the Meadowlands Racetrack, where the new casino would go, says hes prepared to wait five years or more to let voters approve the project. I dont want them to put this on the ballot again until we know its going to win, he told the AP. If it loses again, it will never happen. Gural said the state should wait until New York state opens, or is about to open, three casinos in the southern part of the state. That will likely not happen for at least five more years, Gural estimated. However long I have to wait, Ill wait, he said. As soon as New York opens the three downstate casinos, the argument will no longer be about saving Atlantic City. New York and New Jersey will need revenue after this federal tax bill passes, and the one thing a Meadowlands casinos would do is send $500 million a year to the state. Gural is partnering with Hard Rock on the Meadowlands casino project. Hard Rock also is converting the former Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City into its own branded casino resort, due to open next summer. Gural also said the next referendum, unlike the first one, should not earmark aid for Atlantic City, which he said is doing fine on its own. The citys seven surviving casinos have stabilized their finances after a brutal three-year stretch in which five of them shut down, costing more than 11,000 jobs. Frank Gilliam Jr., a Democrat who will take over as Atlantic Citys new mayor on Jan. 1, called the news an early Christmas present. Thats music to my ears, he said. As an incoming mayor, to know we wont have to worry about having two sets of casinos at opposite ends of the state for at least five years gives me a greater opportunity to have a strong relationship with the (casino) industry. Atlantic County says it lost $5 million in tax revenue from PILOT payments ATLANTIC CITY As Atlantic County looks forward to preparing its 2018 budget, officials are Democratic Gov.-elect Phil Murphy said during the campaign he supports a casino in northern New Jersey as part of a plan to create more jobs. A spokesman for his transition team did not immediately return a message seeking comment Monday. Sen. Paul Sarlo, a Bergen County Democrat in whose district the new casino would open, said he hoped a referendum could be considered in 2019, but acknowledged the need to get it right the second time. It went down pretty decisively, he said. The ballot question was rejected by nearly 80 percent of voters. It left crucial questions unanswered, including precisely where the two casinos would have been located; what rate they would be taxed at; and perhaps most crucially, how the resulting tax money would be divvied up among Atlantic City, the horse racing industry, host towns and counties and programs for senior citizens and the disabled. Public needs to oppose offshore oil drilling Regarding the Dec. 3 story, Trump White House revives push for oil, gas drilling in Atlantic: I am dismayed and angered, but not surprised, to see Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, sponsoring a bill to let oil and gas companies drill off the coast of New Jersey as well as many other places the public hoped to save from the scarring and money grubbing by big oil. I also am not surprised that President Donald Trump supports this legislative effort. There was big time damage from oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, interrupting the fishing, lobster and crabbing industries. The beaches needed cleaning and wildlife was killed. This wont bring down the cost of gasoline. Refineries just freeze output to raise prices. People should provide their input on these drilling proposals by calling their congressional representatives and senators and writing or tweeting the president. Fran Worrell Ocean City Allow concealed carry to counter shootings With all the shootings that have escalated in the past five years to mega proportions, it is unfortunately time for the stable-minded people of this country to be allowed to carry and have a chance by shooting back. I feel safer having a weapon in the house but would feel safer yet when attending an event or just walking down the street and now even going to church. Maybe the shooters would think twice if they thought you might be carrying a weapon. The idea on weapons control in some parts is a good idea, but should be directed to assault weapons because they are so easily converted to fully automatic. I have never agreed with the sale of these weapons, which should be eliminated from public purchase. But if the common guns were restricted from all Americans, then only the bad guys would have guns. It is time for change. We need to have the option to carry to defend ourselves or not. This country is the biggest target in the world and has allowed people in supposedly to have a better life, but whose intention is only to destroy with shootings, bombs, etc. It is past time for our leaders to wake up and get tough. Sheldon Koger Manahawkin Egypts Ministry of Interior said on Monday that security forces have raided several hideouts of terrorist cells that were planning to carry out a series of attacks against state institutions and Christian places of worship in three governorates, with five terrorists killed in a shootout during a security raid. Security forces raided hideouts in the coastal governorate of Alexandria, the Delta governorate of Qalioubiya and El-Wadi El-Gedid governorate in Egypts Western Desert. The ministry said that five terrorists were killed in a shootout with police after the terrorists opened fire on security forces as they were conducting the raid in Qalioubiya. Police also arrested 10 suspects in Alexandria who the ministry said were funded by terrorists in North Sinai governorate. The statement also said that security forces raided a training camp at a farm in El-Wadi El-Gedid where terrorists trained to use firearms. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt has expressed regret over failure of the UN Security Council to pass a resolution that would have required the US president Donald Trump to rescind his 6 December decision to recognise the city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel due to a US veto, the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Monday. Egypt had presented the draft resolution to the Security Council on behalf of Arab countries. The resolution was vetoed on Monday by the US after gaining support from all 14 other members of the Security Council, including key US allies Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine. The ministry said that Egypt regrets the failure to pass a resolution expressing the conscience of the international community which rejected in clear terms the USs recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel It is very worrying that the Security Council failed to issue a resolution that cofirms its previous resolutions and positions regarding the legal status of Jerusalem as an occupied city, a staus that is subject to negotiations on a final resolution for the Palestinian issue based on internationally agreed upon points of reference," the ministry said. The statement added that the Arab countries in UN will meet to evaluate the situation and determine further steps to defend the status of Jerusalem. Egypt has long maintained its support for the establishing of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Search Keywords: Short link: SIMI VALLEY, California, Dec. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Airborne Wireless Network (OTC QB: ABWN) is pleased to announce that on December 14, 2017 it entered into a Support Agreement with GE Aviation, one of the GE (NYSE:GE) Business Units. ABWN anticipates that this relationship should significantly accelerate the development of ABWN's proprietary Hybrid Radio and Free-Optics Communications System to be demonstrated the 2018 calendar year. Michael Warren, CEO of ABWN said, "Our collaboration with GE Aviation should provide the highest quality of engineering support in our upcoming Hybrid Radio and Free-Optics Communications System test. The expertise provided by GE Aviation, which will arrange for tactical-grade Inertial Reference Units (IRU) with embedded GPS that can be utilized for heading, pointing, attitude, and stabilization for the System, should help assure a successful result." "GE has provided inertial reference systems to our customers for more than half a century," said George Kiefer, GE Aviation Product Management Executive. "Tactical inertial navigation and the support of satellite communications solutions are areas of expertise for our team and we're excited to support Airborne Wireless in its mission to reduce the cost of Aviation connectivity and to help connect underserved markets. This is a rapidly evolving market, requiring innovative technologies to enable the future. GE product engineers stand ready to provide world-class product expertise to help Airborne Wireless successfully achieve this important testing milestone." About GE Aviation and GE GE Aviation is a world-leading provider of commercial, military business and general aviation jet and turboprop engines and components as well as avionics, electrical power and mechanical systems for aircraft. GE has a global service network to support these offerings. GE and its customers are also working together to unlock new opportunities to grow and deliver more productivity beyond traditional services. GE Aviation is becoming a digital industrial business with its ability to harness large streams of data that are providing incredible insights and in turn, real operational value for customers. GE (NYSE: GE) imagines things others don't, builds things others can't and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world. www.ge.com About Airborne Wireless Network The Company intends to create a high-speed broadband airborne wireless network by linking commercial aircraft in flight. It is projected that each aircraft participating in the network will act as an airborne repeater or router, sending and receiving broadband signals from one aircraft to the next and creating a digital information superhighway in the sky. The Company intends the network to be a high-speed broadband internet pipeline to improve coverage and connectivity. The Company does not intend to provide retail customer coverage to end users, but, instead, act as a wholesale carrier with target customers, such as internet service providers and telephone companies. Currently, the world's connectivity is achieved by use of undersea cables, ground based fiber and satellites. The Company believes that the Company's airborne digital highway may be a solution to fill the world's connectivity void. Once the network is developed and fully implemented, its uses may be limitless. The Company's network, once developed, should provide low cost, high-speed connectivity to rural areas, island nations, ships at sea, oil platforms, in addition to connectivity to commercial and private aircraft in flight. For further information see: www.airbornewirelessnetwork.com Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward- looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, availability of capital; the inherent uncertainties associated with developing new products or technologies and operating as a development stage company; our ability to raise the additional funding we will need to continue to pursue our business and product development plans; our ability to develop and commercialize products based on our technology platform; competition in the industry in which we operate and market; general industry conditions; general economic factors; the impact of industry regulation; technological advances; new products and patents attained by competitors; manufacturing difficulties or delays; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. Contact: info@airbornewirelessnetwork.com 805-583-4302 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/508284/Airborne_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.airbornewirelessnetwork.com SOURCE Airborne Wireless Network (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/619940/Finom_AG_Token_Sale.jpg ) (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/619911/Finom_AG_Logo.jpg ) Finom makes the world of finance available to everyone by providing a blockchain ecosystem with a single point of entry and AI-assistant. It will help the system adapt to user's goals and offer relevant solutions. FIN token is a digital equivalent of Finom's shares. When purchasing security tokens, each investor gets utility as a bonus in 1:1 proportion. NOM tokens are expected to be listed on cryptocurrency exchanges after the token sale. The NOM token gives commission discounts, along with special privileges attached to using Finom bank cards and Finom advertising system. The Finom ecosystem will eventually take care of all financial operations including banking integration, payments processing, factoring. Finom plans to introduce cryptocurrency wallets with linked debit cards, launch a cryptocurrency bank with a network of terminals by 2020. Finom is a financial blockchain corporation grown out of five companies: Nanopool, TabTrader, Cryptonit, Cryptal, Beetle.io. Services already reach 520,000 users. Disclaimer: This press release contains statements which, to the extent that they don't recite historical facts, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the fact that they don't relate strictly to historical or current facts and may include the words "may," "will," "expect," "plan" or other words or expressions of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of Finom about future events. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from those that might be anticipated from forward-looking statements. Considering these and other uncertainties, the reader should not regard the inclusion of a forward-looking statement in this press release as a representation by Finom that its plans and objectives will be achieved, and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Finom does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Contact: Toma Besedina PR Manager, Finom pr@finom.io +79650195246 SOURCE Finom AG LOS ANGELES, December 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of the world's second largest lithium producing country is in question. An impending election in Chile threatens to severely restrict the country's mining industry- A shift that could cause new regions to have to step up. Companies with operations outside of the country could stand to benefit from any added Chilean lithium restrictions-This would include companies like QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX-V: QMC) in Canada, Millennial Lithium Corp. (OTC: MLNLF) (TSX-V: ML) and FMC Lithium (NYSE: FMC) in Argentina, and Lithium X Energy Corp. (TSX-V: LIX) (OTC: LIXXF) in Argentina and the United States. According to a report from Geopolitical Intelligence Researchers, Stratfor, one of two potential results from the December 17th election could see the creation of a state-owned lithium company, heavy restrictions on raw lithium exports, and ultimately put Chile behind other lithium-rich nations. Should Chile go down this route, Stratfor predicts, "A decision to limit exports of raw lithium from Chile could only help increase investment in other lithium producers elsewhere." Currently as the largest producer in South America's "Lithium Triangle" that includes Argentina and Bolivia, Chile could be about to inadvertently deter billions of dollars in foreign investment. That investment could very well flow to other countries such as Argentina, Canada, and the United States, and many of the lithium companies with projects within them-including FMC Lithium (NYSE: FMC), Lithium X Energy Corp. (TSX.V: LIX) (OTC: LIXXF), Millennial Lithium Corp. (OTC: MLNLF) (TSX.V: ML), and QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX.V: QMC). CHILE'S LONG ROAD TO LITHIUM INDUSTRIALIZATION Set for December 17th, the Chilean presidential election has narrowed down to a run-off between the final top two finishers from the first round of balloting-center-right candidate Sebastian Pinera, and center-left candidate Alejandro Guillier. Despite two relatively centrist candidates being in the running, an unexpectedly strong showing from the candidate from the left-wing coalition (dubbed "Broad Front") seems to have shifted the debate to the left, with each remaining candidate looking to secure a win by appeasing some of the coalition's most ardent supporters. In particular, it's Guillier that can see a path to victory by winning the coalition's backing-by incorporating Broad Front's economic proposals, which could have a major impact on Chile's energy and mining industries. During the first round, Pinera won 36.6%, compared to Guillier's 22.7%. However it was the Broad Front candidate that won 20.2%, showing the coalition's rising political sway. The result has been speculation that Guillier will move further to the left, and force a need to cover the added cost of inflated public spending that includes promises for free universal education and health care in Chile. Many speculate that in order to secure new sources of tax revenue, Guillier will have to throw the government more heavily into the country's copper and lithium industries. As it stands, 25% of Chile's national revenue comes from copper, and the lithium industry grows at a faster rate every year due to increasing demand from electric vehicles (EVs) and other lithium-ion battery manufacturing. So far Guillier has proposed to tighten raw lithium exports, and to create a state-owned company to control lithium production. The potential for Guillier's win has already started to cause economic shockwaves. The day after the first round of the election's results were announced, Chile's stock market dropped nearly 6%. And already there's a cascade effect happening in South America's "Lithium Triangle", including a shift from Chile's largest lithium producer Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile. Amid an EV boom led by automakers such as Tesla and Mitsubishi, SQM is looking to establish a foothold in a fourth country of operations. Currently SQM is operating in Chile, Argentina, and Australia. Of the countries that SQM could potentially invest its resources and capital into, are the USA (brine), Canada (hard rock), Mexico or Serbia. But of the leading potential regions that look to absorb the added investment that would come from a pullback of activity in Chile, Canada is a leading candidate due to its mining history, favorable tax regimes, and fairly administered logical environmental regulations. QMC'S STABILITY ADVANTAGE As foreign investors (including Chilean lithium giant SQM) look for safe, stable jurisdictions to operate outside South America's current uncertainty, Canada (in particularly its Prairie provinces) is now among the best places for mining in the world according to Fraser Institute's global ranking. Operating out of one of the world's most stable, and mining-friendly districts, junior explorer and developer QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (TSX.V: QMC) (OTC: QMCQF) is an example of an up-and-coming company that's working towards developing a major lithium production outside of Chile and South America's "Lithium Triangle". QMC's flagship operation called the Cat Lake property resides within the Canadian prairie province of Manitoba, which based on a global survey was the second-best mining district in the world. With business-friendly incentives-such as competitive tax regimes, smooth, efficient, and fair permitting procedures, along with consistent and logical environmental regulations and land-claim handling-Manitoba is a mining company's dream. Since QMC strategically acquired the Cat Lake discovery on a property formerly known as the Irgon Mine back in 2016 the company has steadily developed the property towards its true production potential. Historical drilling on Cat Lake dating back to the 50s discovered a massive resource estimate of 1.2 million tonnes-that showed grades of 1.51% Li20 over a 365-meter strike length, and to a depth of 213 meters. QMC recently sent over 100 samples from the former Irgon Lithium Mine property to SGS Labs in Lakefield, Ontario for geochemical analysis. They're currently drilling and stripping their way towards bringing the 1.2 million tonnes of historical resource up to today's compliance standards. With the historical drilling, and recent sampling, there's going to be plenty of data that will allow QMC's technical team to believe the company is sitting on a very significant amount of lithium-1.2 million tonnes or more is a plausibly large enough amount of lithium to be feasibly be brought to production, especially through today's rising lithium prices. The team's belief is that with more development work, not only will they prove up Cat Lake's historical lithium resource into modern compliance, but they'll also be able to extend the known strike length, and increase the project's overall tonnage. As large-scale foreign investors and corporations look for alternatives to Chile for lithium investment, an alliance with QMC to bring Cat Lake to production could speed up the process and get production ready in time to fully capitalize on the current flurry of lithium buying. QMC's Canadian operations represent one of multiple options for the global lithium market to look at, should Chile's path lead away from lithium-friendly investment. Other countries that could also see investment would be Argentina, the USA, Serbia and Mexico, while other much larger companies will also continue to draw interest in the sector. However, QMC is showing a lot of promise as a legitimate alternative outside of the "Lithium Triangle." POTENTIAL COMPARABLES FMC Lithium (NYSE: FMC) FMC Lithium is a subsidiary of the FMC Corporation, which is a diversified chemical company, that provides solutions, applications, and products for the global agricultural, consumer, and industrial markets. FMC Lithium offers lithium for use in batteries, polymers, pharmaceuticals, greases and lubricants, glass and ceramics, and other industrial uses. FMC Corporation was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Millennial Lithium Corp. (OTC: MLNLF) (TSX.V: ML) Millennial Lithium engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of lithium mineral properties and oil and gas resource properties. It primarily holds 100% interest in the Pastos Grandes Lithium Project located in Salta Province, Argentina. Millennial Lithium Corp. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Lithium X Energy Corp. (TSX.V: LIX) (OTC: LIXXF) Lithium X is a resource company operating as a lithium explorer and developer in Argentina and the United States. The company owns a 50% interest in the Sal de los Angeles project comprising 8,156 hectares located in Salta Province, Argentina, and 100% interest in the Clayton Valley South project consisting of 477 federal placer mining claims covering approximately 9,540 acres located to the southwest of Tonopah, Nevada. Lithium X Energy Corp. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. For a more in-depth look into QMC you can view the in-depth report at USA News Group: http://usanewsgroup.com/2017/12/12/how-to-play-the-stock-markets-january-effect/ Article Source: USA News Group http://usanewsgroup.com info@usanewsgroup.com Legal Disclaimer/Disclosure: This piece is an advertorial and has been paid for. 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Media Contact Information: FN Media Group, LLC editor@financialnewsmedia.com U.S. Phone: +1(954)345-0611 SOURCE USA News Group Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah faction on Saturday called for a massive demonstration next week to protest against a visit to Jerusalem by US Vice President Mike Pence, after Washington said it would recognise the holy city as Israel's capital. Breaking with decades of US policy, President Donald Trump also said on December 6 that he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "We call for angry protests at the entrances to Jerusalem and in its Old City to coincide with the visit on Wednesday of US Vice President Mike Pence and to protest against Trump's decision," Fatah said in a statement. The call to protest came as thousands of Palestinians took part in funerals for four men killed Friday in clashes with Israeli forces during protests in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. Mourners chanted anti-Trump slogans and masked men fired into the air during one of the ceremonies in the village of Beit Ula in the occupied West Bank. Funerals were also held for the two other Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, where the enclave's Islamist Hamas rulers had on Friday called for a "day of rage". One of those killed was Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh, a Palestinian who lost his legs in an Israeli attack a decade ago. With his wheelchair, he was a regular feature at protests along Gaza's border with Israel. Hamas chief Ismail Haniya attended Abu Thurayeh's funeral in a refugee camp west of Gaza City. Friday's deaths brought to eight the number of Palestinians killed in violence or air strikes since Trump's Jerusalem move, and hundreds have been wounded. Pence will no longer see Palestinian officials during his visit to the region after they -- as well as Egyptian Muslim and Christian religious leaders -- cancelled meetings in protest at the embassy move. "We understand that the Palestinians may need a bit of a cooling off period, that's fine," a senior White House official said Friday. "We will be ready when the Palestinians are ready to re-engage." Pence is expected to try to push the Israeli-Palestinian peace process forward after he lands in Jerusalem on Wednesday, US administration officials have said. They also suggested that the Western Wall -- in Palestinian east Jerusalem -- would almost certainly be part of Israel under any deal, sparking Palestinian condemnation. "We will not accept any changes to the 1967 border of east Jerusalem," Nabil Abu Rudeina, a spokesman for the Palestinian president, said Saturday. "This American position proves once again that the current US administration is completely out of the peace process," he said. A US administration official said Friday: "We cannot envision any situation under which the Western Wall would not be part of Israel." Another added: "We cannot imagine Israel would sign a peace agreement that didn't include the Western Wall." The Western Wall is the holiest site where Jews are permitted to pray, at the foot of the Haram al-Sharif compound housing the Al-Aqsa mosque and the golden-topped Dome of the Rock, the third holiest site in Islam. *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: NEW YORK, December 18,2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, will ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on December 20, 2017 to celebrate its fifth anniversary of being listed on the exchange. To commemorate this anniversary, Mr. Pravin Rao, Interim Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director and Mr. MD Ranganath, Chief Financial Officer along with other Infosys team members, will ring the New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell. "We are thrilled to ring the Opening Bell at the NYSE as it's a very exciting time for our employees, customers and partners as we celebrate the fifth year of being listed on the NYSE. This occasion is especially significant for us as we strengthen our presence in the U.S. with our commitment to hire 10,000 American workers and set up Technology and Innovation hubs across the country," said Mr. Rao - Interim CEO and Managing Director "As a company with a large base of global shareholders, we are happy with the healthy liquidity provided by our listing on NYSE. This event is yet another key milestone in our fruitful journey of nearly two decades of listing and trading of our ADRs in the United States," said Mr. MD Ranganath - Chief Financial Officer. "We are honored to have Infosys ring the NYSE Opening Bell," said John Tuttle, NYSE Global Head of Listings. "As one of India's leading technology companies, Infosys has been a great addition to our community of globally recognized companies, and we look forward to continuing our long-term partnership together." For more than three decades, Infosys has helped companies in the U.S. and around the world become more competitive, faster to market and more innovative with technology. It has more than 198,000 employees servicing clients in 45 countries. In the U.S., Infosys has announced plans to hire 10,000 American workers over the next two years, and operate four new U.S. technology centers. Through a partnership with Stanford University, Infosys has trained more than 140,000 of its employees globally, including thousands in the U.S., on design thinking, and the company is working with Udacity to train 500 employees worldwide on autonomous technologies. Infosys is also committed to bridging the digital divide in America through the Infosys Foundation USA, which supports high-quality computer science education and coding skills with a particular focus on underrepresented communities. So far, Infosys Foundation USA has helped more than 13,000 teachers obtain computer science training through its $10 million investment in partnership grants since 2015. More than 4.7 million students across more than 21,000 schools in the U.S. have benefitted from a variety of Foundation grants and resources such as new classroom technology, teaching aids, and makerspaces. The Opening Bell ceremony will be broadcasted via livestream at https://livestream.com/NYSE at 9:30 a.m. EST (8:00 p.m IST) on December 20. A link of the same will also be available on Infosys' Investor Relations webpage. About Infosys Ltd Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in 45 countries to create and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From engineering to application development, knowledge management and business process management, we help our clients find the right problems to solve, and to solve these effectively. Our team of over 200,000 innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and technologies that we bring to every project we undertake. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law. Media contacts: Asia Pacific Sarah Gideon Infosys, India +91 80 4156 3998 Sarah_Gideon@infosys.com EMEA Margherita Di Cerbo Infosys, Europe +44 2075162748 Margherita.DiCerbo@infosys.com Americas Chiku Somaiya Infosys, USA +1 408 375 2722 Chiku.Somaiya@infosys.com This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire. SOURCE Infosys Limited LONDON, December 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Two leading investment management firms have forged a partnership to offer a one-stop solution for ManCo services to its international client base of hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds. Lawson Conner Group, a leading ManCo, compliance and regulatory outsourcing firm, is teaming up with Fuchs Asset Management, an expert and established management company, to expand its ManCo services into Luxembourg. Fuchs Asset Management is the asset management arm of a well-established, family-run finance group, located in Luxembourg, Belgium and Switzerland. The partnership will give Lawson Conner's clients access to integrated fund solutions and ManCo services in Luxembourg, including Alternative Investment Funds, Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) and Reserved Alternative Investment Funds (RAIFs). Luxembourg is currently the largest fund centre in Europe and more than 75% of UCITS funds distributed internationally are based in the country. The move is a strategic decision for Lawson Conner to continue to offer the most flexible fund management options across the UK and European jurisdictions. Clients of both firms will benefit from access to European markets and the partnership will harness the companies' respective strengths across two main areas. Lawson Conner will continue to act as the leading provider of compliance and regulatory infrastructure to its clients, while Fuchs Asset Management will provide AIFM / UCITS compliance, risk, governance and portfolio management, as well as the ability to distribute funds to European investors through the Passport Regime. Gerhard Grueter, Managing Director of Lawson Conner, said, "The demand from our clients to help them navigate through the ever-increasing complexities of fund management, compliance and regulations is a key driver for us to continuously find new solutions across our services spectrum. Today's announcement of the partnership with Fuchs is another important step towards offering our clients fully integrated compliance and regulatory infrastructure solutions across different jurisdictions. This partnership will help us fully deliver on our strategy, giving us a strong set of new capabilities and robust foundations in a post Brexit environment. Fuchs Asset Management is the perfect partner to help us serve our clients in the long term." Timothe Fuchs, CEO of Fuchs Asset Management, said, "The relationship with Lawson Conner represents a powerful opportunity for Fuchs Asset Management to significantly expand our presence into the United Kingdom, a vibrant and very important market, and extend it to other parts of the world over time. Lawson Conner has clearly demonstrated its ability to apply its considerable resources and expertise to lead major market segments. We are excited to partner with Lawson Conner as we focus our combined energies to serve a broader range of clients in the fund management industry." Notes for editors About Lawson Conner Lawson Conner Group is a leading investment manager platform and provider of outsourced compliance services solutions which include regulatory hosting, ManCo and fund platform services. Founded in 2010, Lawson Conner helps financial services firms navigate through the complexities of compliance and regulations in the UK, Europe, the US and Asia, using innovative solutions and expert advice, which save time, reduce risk and increase efficiency. Sapia Partners LLP, G10 Capital Limited, Lawson Conner Services Limited are members of the Lawson Conner Group of companies. About Fuchs Asset Management Fuchs Asset Management is a Luxembourg based Management Company, which is regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF - Luxembourg Financial Supervisory Authority). It is part of the Fuchs Group and operates in accordance with UCITS and AIFMD regulations. Innovation, tradition and an international outlook are a core of Fuchs' guiding principles. The employees supporting the management team combine skill and expertise in both client relations and investment solutions. Their long experience of the investment fund industry and the expertise of their teams allow them to offer a bespoke service with real added value, benefitting from the support of more than 150 professionals at the Group level. As the long-term partner responsible for supervising investment vehicles, they help to draw up a fully customised solution that best suits each client's needs. They offer a wide range of services as a management company for investment funds, including Governance, Risk Management & Compliance, Portfolio Management and Distribution. SOURCE Lawson Conner TORONTO, December 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lisa Lisson, the first woman to be appointed President at FedEx Express, has released her first book, Resilience: Navigating Life, Loss, and the Road to Success, across the United Kingdom. Resilience, which has become a #1 Bestseller in the Leadership and Business category in Canada, is part memoir of personal loss, and part leadership guide, as she describes her ascent up the corporate ladder at one of the world's most recognized brands. Lisson is a powerful and inspirational advocate for women's advancement, and her story of breaking through the glass ceiling to become one of the industry's top business leaders is now available for purchase on Amazon.co.uk and Foyles.co.uk., and in select stores. To learn more about Lisa, please visit http://www.lisalisson.ca. Reviews: Lisson's inspiring memoir shares her hard-won insights on surviving devastating personal loss as well as on how to succeed as a woman in the corporate world Lisson had humble beginnings and started work at the bottom of the corporate ladder. What set her apart from others, she writes, was her constant determination to do better, to increase her scope of knowledge, and to watch carefully and learn from others' mistakes. Her story of breaking through the glass ceiling will inspire other women to aim higher, strategize more carefully, and reach their full potential, too. - Publishers Weekly About Lisa Lisson As President of FedEx Express Canada, Lisson leads a team of 6,700 employees at more than 70 locations across Canada. Under Lisa's leadership, FedEx Express has consistently ranked highest among all transportation companies in Canada, and her employees have ranked FedEx Express Canada as one of the country's best places to work in every year of her presidency. After being named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women four consecutive years in a row, Lisson was inducted in the Women's Executive Network's Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her achievements and work in the community. Lisa is a mother of four, and a passionate advocate for children's access to quality healthcare. In 2013, she joined the Board of the SickKids Foundation - one of North America's leading medical facilities for children. Lisa is the chair of the Human Resource and Compensation Committee, and is on the board of directors for the Canadian Business Council of Canada. For media inquiries please contact: Justin Burrows, Justin@venturecommunications.ca , +403-237-2388-x162. SOURCE Lisa Lisson A spokesperson for the Hamas Islamist group, Hazem Qassem, said on Monday that the Israeli occupation forces' overnight strikes against Gaza are an extension of its crimes against the Palestinian people in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, Palestinian news agency Maan reported. The intensive strikes against Gaza are a failed attempt to pressure the people to stop their uprising against the US President Donald Trump's recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Qassem added. On Monday morning, the Israeli occupation forces said it attacked a Hamas training compound in the besieged Gaza strip in response to rocket strikes from the Palestinian enclave, Reuters reported. In the last few days, several rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel, but with no injuries reported. According to Reuters, there were no reported casualties in the overnight shelling exchange, which occurred days before US Vice President Mike Pence's planned visits to Israel and Egypt. The Israeli crackdown on Palestinian protests against Trump's 6 December decision has left at least 11 Palestinians killed and more than 3,000 injured in the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Palestinain authorities have said that al least 500 Palestainains have been arrested by Israeli occupation forces since the start of the clashes, many in East Jerusalem. The Gaza Strip, home to almost two million Palestinians, has been under an Israeli siege since 2007. The UN Security Council is expected to vote on Monday on a draft resolution critical of Trump's move. Search Keywords: Short link: Germany on Monday said its continued support for Iraq and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government was contingent on peaceful efforts by both sides to resolve their differences. The German government has provided more than 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in humanitarian, development and stabilisation aid to Iraq since 2014, making it one of the biggest international donors. "Our support is for Iraq as a unified state," Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told reporters after meeting with KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in Berlin. "We want to continue that, but the precondition is that Iraq solves its internal conflicts peacefully and democratically, and that we find a way out of the tense situation we are in now." Gabriel noted that Germany had warned the Kurdish region against holding the Sept. 25 referendum, in which Iraqi Kurds voted overwhelmingly to break away from Iraq, and said the goal was to restore dialogue between the two sides. The Kurdish vote was rejected by Baghdad and triggered an Iraqi military offensive that recaptured disputed areas of the north from Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. Gabriel said Berlin would push the government in Baghdad to respond to offers of dialogue by the KRG. Barzani urged Germany to "play a stronger role in bringing us together". Barzani also thanked Germany for supporting his region's fight against Islamic State, and training Peshmerga fighters. The German parliament voted last week to extend its military mission in northern Iraq, around 150 strong, to the end of March to allow a new government to weigh a longer extension. But the rise in tensions between Kurds and Baghdad has raised concern in Germany about the mission's future. After failing to agree on a new government with two smaller parties, Chancellor Angela Merkel is now trying to rebuild the "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats (SPD) that has ruled Germany for the past four years. It is unclear if Gabriel, a former SPD leader, would stay on as foreign minister if the two blocs reach a deal. Search Keywords: Short link: 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 Mumbai, Dec 13 : Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has described her sister-in-law Soha Ali Khan as a solid woman. Soha on Tuesday launched her first book "The Perils of Being Moderately Famous" here. In a rare picture perfect moment, the entire family, including Sharmila Tagore, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena, Saba Ali Khan and Soha's husband Kunal Kemmu gathered on the stage. Kareena said of Soha: "I truly believe that she is torchbearer of the family and this book's title doesn't do justice to her being famous or not famous because I think she is the grounding on which all of us stand on, and I have truly seen the way she has compassionately and with just a breaking heart, looked after her father (the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi). "I have never ever seen any daughter like that. I am a daughter, but I don't know if I could have done it the way she looked after him and that. In my eyes, she is a solid woman and I am sure Abba is listening to this." Sharing her personal relationship with Soha and revealing some interesting stories about her, Kareena said: "I rarely get intimidated by anyone, but if there is one person in the family that I am completely in awe of I think is Soha. When I am at dinner with Saif or Soha, I am like, 'Oh my God, I am never going to understand their conversation. "Soha has always been so polite with me. She always asks me about what's the gossip or what shopping I did recently, but apart from that, I think we have found our way and if there is anyone in the family that any of us turned to when Amma (Sharmila Tagore) is all worked up and fired up, then there is just one person that can control the situation and that is none other than Soha." During the book launch, the family members shared anecdotes about Soha's life -- right from her childhood, her college days till her motherhood phase. Seoul, Dec 14 : Samsung Electronics Co is likely to lose ground in the smartphone segment in 2018 due to the rise of Chinese smartphone manufacturers, an industry tracker said on Thursday. Strategy Analytics said the company is expected to post a market share of 19.2 per cent in the global smartphone industry in 2018 by shipping 315 million units, down from 20.5 per cent estimated for this year, Yonhap News Agency reported. The weaker outlook comes as rival Apple Inc is expected to expand its presence in the high-end segment, while Chinese companies are quickly making inroads to the industry with budget devices, experts said. "While the iOS-powered smartphones do not have competitors, Samsung will face tougher challenges in the Android segment," said Park Nam-gyoo, a professor of business at Seoul National University. It will mark the first time that Samsung will post a decline in smartphone shipments on-year, excluding 2016, when the company suspended the production of Galaxy Note 7 over safety issues. Samsung Electronics did not comment on the outlook. Apple, on the other hand, is expected to take up 14.3 per cent of the market in 2018 by shipping 234 million units, up from 14 per cent posted this year. China-based Huawei Technologies Co and OPPO Electronics Corp are also set to expand their shares to account for 10 per cent and 7.8 per cent, respectively, next year, the data also showed. Industry watchers said Samsung Electronics must prepare to cope with the rise of Chinese smartphone makers, as they are also starting to set their eyes on the premium segment as well. Ahmedabad, Dec 15 : The Reliance Anil Ambani group has filed a Rs 5,000-crore ($ 780 million) defamation suit here against Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, accusing him of making "false, defamatory and libellous statements". The suit has been filed in the Gujarat High Court. According to company sources, the Congress leader "made false, defamatory and libellous statements against the group. We have filed a Rs 5,000-crore suit for damages against him for making these false and defamatory statements". Singhvi had, on November 30, attacked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, contending that he was "fooling" people by saying the government had not waived loans of big defaulters. Alleging that the government had written off Rs 1.88 lakh crore debt of wilful defaulters, he had said: "We all know that top 50 corporates owe Rs 8.35 lakh crore to banks and out of those, three top Gujarat-based companies -- Reliance (Anil Ambani Group), Adani and Essar -- owe Rs 3 lakh crore." He had charged that the Finance Minister, instead of declaring these liabilities as NPAs, was "trying to help the defaulter with further defence contracts like the Rafale deal". A Reliance Defence statement had earlier clarified the joint venture between Reliance Aerostructure Ltd and Dassault Aviation was a bilateral agreement between two private companies -- and had nothing to do with the government. The statement had added: "Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd will be only one of the key players in the discharge of offset obligations. Over 500 large, medium and small Indian companies will benefit from the offsets which are nothing but an export obligation for goods and services from India. Offsets referred to are spread over a period of nearly 10 years." Mumbai, Dec 15 : Bollywood composers Vishal-Shekhar have been entrusted with the task of treating Hollywood star Will Smith to a musical evening during his India visit next week. Smith will be flying down to Mumbai to promote his latest Netflix film "Bright". He will be arriving with co-stars Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace and director David Ayer. Netflix is set to create the "Bright" experience exclusively for fans here. The team will be meeting and greeting their fans at High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, prior to the screening on Monday afternoon. The screening will be held at PVR Phoenix, Lower Parel, on Monday night and fans will have to register at brightmumbai.eventbrite.com or bright@publicisconsultants-asia.com, read a statement. Bani Judge, Rannvijay Singha, Prayag Mehta and Rishabh Joshi of DJ duo Lost Stories, Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani will be performing before Smith takes the stage. "Bright" is an action-thriller that takes place in an alternate present-day South Los Angeles. The action-thriller, which will launch around the world on December 22, is about two LAPD officers, played by Smith and Edgerton, who work to keep the streets of an alternate-reality Los Angeles safe from a sinister, dark underworld. Earlier this year, Netflix had brought Brad Pitt to India too to promote his film "War Machine". New Delhi, Dec 15 : Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday met differently-abled children from Asha school of Delhi Cantonment, and stressed that society should be more sensitive and accepting towards such children. A total of 108 students, 22 teachers and 19 non-teaching staff from the school visited the Army chief's residence, and interacted with him and Army Wives Welfare Association President Madhulika Rawat. Rawat complimented the Principal and the staff of the school for their dedication and said: "The society should be more sensitive and accepting towards the differently-abled children." A special Dog Show was organised for the children using trained military dogs and various games were also conducted. The Asha School at the Delhi Cantonment was established in 1991 to provide education, care and rehabilitation to the differently-abled children of defence personnel and civilians. The Indian Army runs 38 such welfare schools across the country. The Army also runs the Vishwas Employment Assistance Centre for skill training of the differently-abled. New Delhi, Dec 15 : Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday said the One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme, aimed to support women affected by violence, will now focus on high-level training courses for women across the country. "We are regularly monitoring the working of these centres and for capacity building of the staff managing these centres OSC will evolve high level training courses women," the minister added. Gandhi was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day national workshop on role of Sakhi-OSC in strengthening multi-sectoral response to violence in the national capital. Around 400 Sakhi-OSC Functionaries and nodal officials from the state department of WCD from 33 states and UTs across the country are participating in the workshop. "OSC Scheme is a highly critical intervention to protect and help women affected by violence. Keeping in view the importance of the scheme, it has to be ensured that the OSCs are run in a professional and efficient manner and complete empathy has to be shown for the women in distress who are visiting the centres. The purpose of the OSCs is to provide safe and pleasant environment to such women," the Minister added. The first One Stop Centre was set up in Raipur, Chattisgarh under the Nirbhaya Fund. Currently there are more than 151 One Stop Centres across the country. Kolkata, Dec 15 : After its crackdown on multiple drug peddlers in the city, Kolkata Police arrested two more drug dealers and seized charas (hashish) worth Rs 60,000 from them, an officer said on Friday. "Two notorious drug dealers Ranajit Dey (60) and Ansar Ahamed (45) were arrested from north Kolkata's Narkeldanga area on Thursday," Joint Commissioner of Kolkata Police (crime), Vishal Garg said. "The duo were found in possession of charas weighing 233 grams and 348 respectively. The total seized substance has a market value of nearly Rs 60,000," he said. Police said, both the arrested drug dealers are residents of Kolkata. "Both the accused were charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The two were produced at the Alipore court on Friday where they have been remanded to police custody till December 21," the officer added. In a recent drug racket haul, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested five persons in the city, including a DJ and an events manager, in the last one week and seized hashish, LSD strips and drugged candies from them. Srinagar, Dec 17 : Protests erupted on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district after a civilian driver was killed during an Army ambush the previous day, a police official said. The victim, Asif Iqbal, was injured when an Army ambush party fired at a vehicle in Thandipora village on Saturday evening following reports about the presence of militants in the area. "He was hospitalised but succumbed to critical injuries," the official added. The protests erupted after residents of Batpora village clashed with the security forces. The forces used tear smoke to disperse the protesters. Internet has been suspended across Kupwara. Cairo, Dec 18 : The Arab League (AL) announced on Sunday that it has formed a ministerial delegation tasked with responding to the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The delegation will respond on the diplomatic and media levels to "the dangerous US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," Xinhua quoted AL spokesman Mhamoud Afifi as saying. The delegation includes the foreign ministers of Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as AL Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Afifi said the delegation was formed in light of the contacts made by Jordan in recent days, in its capacity as the chair of the Arab summit and the Arab Peace Initiative Committee. He added that the delegation will hold its first meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman early next week. Defying strong opposition and warnings from the Palestinians and Muslim countries, US President Donald Trump announced on December 6 to recognise the disputed holy city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ordered to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The United States on Monday vetoed a draft UN resolution rejecting President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, after all 14 other Security Council members backed the measure. The veto cast by US Ambassador Nikki Haley highlighted Washington's isolation over Trump's announcement that the US embassy will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, effectively ignoring Palestinian claims on the city. Key US allies Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine were among the 14 countries in the 15-member council that backed the measure asserting that any decisions on the status of Jerusalem "have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded." "The United States will not be told by any country where we can put our embassy," Haley told the council after the veto. "What we witnessed here today in the Security Council is an insult. It won't be forgotten," she said, describing the measure as "one more example of the United Nations doing more harm than good in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Egypt had requested the vote on Sunday, a day after it presented a draft resolution critical of Trumps decision to members of the council. Earlier on Monday, Egypts permanent representative to the UN, Amr Aboulatta, said that any attempt to change the status of the city of Jerusalem is a violation of international law and would be considered a "unilateral decision." He also called on countries not to set up or transfer their diplomatic missions to Jerusalem. Israel had seized control of the eastern part of the city in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, a move that has never been recognised by the international community. The Palestinians have long-demanded occupied East Jerusalem for the capital of their future state. Peace negotiations between the Palestinian authorities and Israel which have lasted for more than two decades based on the 1993 Oslo accords have broken down since 2014. In recent years, Israel has intensified the construction of hundreds of illegal Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, thus creating new demographics that weaken the abilities of the Palestinians to build a geographically contiguous state. There are an estimated 4.3 million Palestinians who live in the occupied territories; two million in Gaza, two million in the West Bank and 325,000 in East Jerusalem. The Israeli crackdown on Palestinian protests against Trump's decision has left at least 11 Palestinians killed and more than 3,000 injured in the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Over the past 50 years, the US has repeatedly vetoed resolutions that condemn Israeli aggression or illegal settlement-construction. Search Keywords: Short link: Cairo, Dec 18 : Egypt condemned on Sunday the suicide bombing attack against a Christian church in Pakistan that killed at least eight people and injured 44 others. "The Egyptian government and people stand in solidarity with the Pakistani government and people against terrorism," Xinhua quoted the Egyptian Foreign Ministry as saying. At least nine people have been killed, including two of the attackers, and another 30 injured after four armed insurgents attacked a Methodist church on Sunday in Quetta in Pakistan. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack on the Bethel Memorial church on Imdad square, where around 400 people were present, started at 12.10 p.m. when a suicide attacker detonated the explosives he was carrying at the church's entrance, police spokesperson Muhammed Ramzan said. Another of the attackers, who failed to detonate his explosives-laden vest, was killed in a shootout with the police inside the church while the remaining two assailants fled the scene, reports Efe news. San Francisco, Dec 18 : Aimed at reducing hateful content on its platform, Twitter will start penalising accounts from Monday that include "hateful imagery and display names", or those who "use username, display name, or profile bio to engage in abusive behaviour", the media reported. According to a report in ReCode late on Sunday, "for Twitter, the two new restrictions are attempts to combat rampant harassment and abuse on the site". Twitter announced new guidelines covering abuse, hateful conduct, violence and physical harm in November. Facing criticism over the years for its poor handling of "abuse", Twitter "updated" its rules in October and November, clarifying its policies on graphic violence, spam and self-harm, among others. The changes are part of revamp to Twitter's policies surrounding online abuse. The biggest updates on the platform include abusive behaviour, self-harm, spam and related behaviours, graphic violence and adult content. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has also announced plans to act more aggressively on violence and sexual abuse. In an internal email which was obtained by Wired.com, Twitter's head of safety policy in October emailed members of its Trust and Safety Council on new rules to promote free speech and curb violence and sexual harassment. "We hope our approach and upcoming changes, as well as our collaboration with the Trust and Safety Council, show how seriously we are rethinking our rules and how quickly we're moving to update our policies and how we enforce them," Twitter said. "We will immediately and permanently suspend any account we identify as the original poster/source of non-consensual nudity and/or if a user makes it clear they are intentionally posting said content to harass their target," the email read. "If the account appears to be dedicated to posting non-consensual nudity then we will suspend the entire account immediately," it added. On hate symbols and imagery, it said: "At a high level, hateful imagery, hate symbols, etc will now be considered sensitive media (similar to how we handle and enforce adult content and graphic violence)". On violent groups, Twitter said it will take enforcement action against organisations that use or have historically used violence as a means to advance their cause. New Delhi, Dec 18 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the BJP was going to form majority governments in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh and the elections results in both states were as per its expectations. "The results are as per our expectations. We are going to form majority governments in both states," Rajnath Singh told reporters outside Parliament. Asked if the BJP's poll victory in the assembly elections was an affirmation of people's faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Home Minister said: "Yes, it is. It is a seal of people's faith in his development work." Gandhinagar, Dec 18 : The ruling BJP was on Monday set to retain power in Gujarat, with its candidates on the victory lap in 104 of the 182 seats as the Congress again settled for the second place but with an improved showing. After surprisingly leading over the Bharatiya Janata Party at one point and sending the stock market crashing, the Congress began to trail to the BJP again. Election Commission officials said the Congress was expected to grab 75 seats. The BJP won 115 seats and the Congress 61 in 2012. BJP supporters began celebrating in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar even though some of its leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel (Mehsana), were trailing to the Congress as officials counted the millions of votes polled on December 9 and 14. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani too trailed at one time in Rajkot West but managed to reverse the situation after a while and ultimately won, the officials said. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, with Congress backing, was leading by 6,900 votes. As the BJP crossed the half-way mark of 92, the BJP heaved a sigh of relief. But the trends were very different from the exit poll predictions of a sweeping win for the BJP. BJP President Amit Shah had repeatedly claimed that his party would bag 150 seats. As overjoyed Congress activists, expecting a victory, began celebrating early in the day, the stock markets took a beating. But the Congress celebrations were shortlived -- and the stock markets made a quick recovery. Modi, who had been the Gujarat Chief Minister from 2001 until he became the Prime Minister in 2014, flashed a V sign outside Parliament. Modi was the main campaigner for the BJP in Gujarat, his home state. "We will form a government both in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in New Delhi. Before the BJP crossed the half-way mark, Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza had said her party was equally confident of coming to power in Gujarat, saying people were "sick and tired of the 22 years of BJP misrule". The BJP's better showing came from South Gujarat, Central Gujarat and North Gujarat. The Congress led in 33 seats in Saurashtra region compared to the BJP's 20. The BJP was ahead in 26 seats (Congress 9) in South Gujarat. In Central Gujarat, BJP nominees had forged ahead in 27 constituencies (Congress 12) and in 31 seats in North Gujarat (Congress 21). It was the first Assembly election in Gujarat after Modi became the Prime Minister. Latest updates on Howdy Modi Houston Naivasha (Kenya), Dec 18 : The Naivasha wetlands, nestled amidst the volcanic mountains of Kenya's Great Rift Valley, are dying a slow death. Concerned at the impending ecological crisis, United Nations Environment stepped in to initiate a five-year Freshwater Strategy, part of its global action plan, to protect Lake Naivasha from certain extinction. Roughly half of the country's 127 flower farms are concentrated around Lake Naivasha. UN Environment Freshwater Unit Head Joakim Harlin told IANS that tackling water pollution and quality and the health of freshwater ecosystems owing to urbanisation are two of the cornerstones of UN Environment's global Freshwater Strategy 2017-2021. He said the new initiative aims to address water-related disasters and the use of integrated science-based water resources management approaches to protect, manage and restore freshwater resources. The Freshwater Strategy, by involving governments and local partners at national, regional and global levels, provides actionable guidance to support implementation of sustainable freshwater management practices globally. Lake Naivasha supports a mammoth population of hippos, is the wintering ground of myriad avian species and sometimes also supports a small population of flamingos. It is a major tourism destination. Besides, the lake is the only source of water for this town, some 90 km northwest of capital Nairobi. Experts attribute the shrinkage and water deterioration of Kenya's second-largest freshwater lake to pollution from pesticides, fertiliser and sewage effluents, water abstraction for floriculture, overgrowth of weeds, siltation and the mushrooming of resorts that are pushing this Ramsar-designated site towards certain death. Imarisha Lake Naivasha Catchment Management Programme Chief Executive Officer Kamau Mbogo blamed the growing population in urban slums that are ringed around the lake for its water deterioration and shrinkage. "The lake is now turning fast into a dump for domestic and agricultural wastes generated from business, tourism and housing within its catchment area. The deterioration started in the late 1980s. Now it's shrinking fast and its deepest point has reduced to 18 metres (off Crescent Island)," he told this visiting IANS correspondent. He said pollution from fertilisers and pesticides in the run-off from fields is boosting the growth of algae, which is suffocating the fish. Over 700,000 people live in the lake's approximately 3,400 sq km catchment area that is semi-arid with an average annual rainfall of 1,350 mm in the mountains and 600 mm on the lake's shores. Lake Naivasha, which almost dried up in 2010 owing to scarce rains, provides water for irrigation that supports one of the biggest floriculture hubs in Kenya that caters mainly to the European Union. Kenya is the world's third-largest exporter of cut flowers, accounting for around 35 per cent of all sales in the European Union. Experts say the receding water level and rising water toxicity are posing a serious challenge to the cut-flower industry that employs tens of thousands of people. According to the Horticultural Crop Directorate, the country's floriculture industry, which generates 1.1 percent of GDP, earned 70.8 billion Kenyan shillings ($688 million) in 2016. Fishermen too expressed concern over a possible extinction of the tilapia fish species due to pollution. "Earlier we used to catch three to four tilapias in a day. Now there is hardly any catch, even for days. I don't know where our fish have gone," a perturbed fisherman, Paul Okello, remarked. Growers in the region have adopted sustainable farming methods to check the lake's deterioration. Longonot Farm is one such in the Lake Naivasha area that introduced its own constructed wetlands -- a natural system that filters chemicals from the farm and allows water to be re-used to irrigate flowers instead of ending up in the lake. It produces around one million roses daily for export to British, European and other markets and employs 12,000 people. The farm has also created a biogas system that uses waste biomass, rejected flowers and other agricultural produce to generate enough clean energy to power the farm and light up 15,000 homes. It is able to produce so much energy from waste that it sells electricity to the national grid. The system also generates enough organic compost for the entire farm. (Vishal Gulati was in Nairobi at the invitation of UN Environment to cover its third annual session. He can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) New Delhi, Dec 18 : The Rajya Sabha on Monday saw repeated disruptions and was adjourned for the day as Congress members denounced the allegations levelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against his predecessor Manmohan Singh. As the House met for the day, agitated Congress members trooped to the Chairman's podium shouting slogans against Modi and the BJP after their notice to discuss the matter under Rule 267 was rejected. Under the Rule 267, the House's listed business is suspended to discuss full time the matter for which the notice is given. "You cannot reject everything every day. What are we doing here then? The charges levelled against a former Prime Minister who held office for 10 years will have to be proved. They (BJP) are answerable to the people," a miffed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said. The Congress had also pressed the matter on Friday but their notices were rejected by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu. Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House till 12 noon amid pandemonium. But as soon as the House met again for Question Hour, the Congress MPs again raised the issue and asked Naidu to allow a discussion on the matter. "Sir, you have to protect the members' honour," Congress leader Anand Sharma told the Chair. As Naidu insisted on continuing with the Question Hour, the Congress MPs again came near the podium shouting slogans like "Pradhan Mantri maafi mango" (Prime Minister, apologise). Naidu then adjourned the House for the day. Jakarta, Dec 18 : Indonesian authorities have recaptured a US citizen accused of drugs offences who escaped from a prison in Bali last week. Christian Beasley, 32, was caught on the neighbouring island of Lombok. "He was arrested on Friday in one of the homestays in Senggigi beach at Lombok," Kerobokan prison chief Tonny Nainggolan told the BBC on Monday. Before his prison break, he had been awaiting sentencing for allegedly receiving a package containing 5g of hashish. It was not clear how much jail time he was likely to get. He had escaped by climbing over a wall in the notorious Kerobokan prison with a fellow inmate who was recaptured immediately. Indonesia has very strict anti-drugs laws and frequently arrests foreigners on drug-related charges. The maximum sentence for drug trafficking is death. Kerobokan prison houses more than 1,300 inmates, three times its capacity. Jailbreaks are common in Indonesia, where most facilities are overcrowded and do not have enough security personnel. New Delhi, Dec 18 : Actor Darsheel Safary, who made his Bollywood debut with "Taare Zameen Par" in 2007, has completed a decade in showbiz. He feels happy that people still recognise him for playing Ishaan Awasthi, and have attached it to their memory. He was just 10 years old when he essayed the role of a dyslexic child, Ishaan, in the Aamir Khan directorial. "It's been a fantastic experience. Ten years have taught me so much. I did three more films, a dance-based reality show and a few ads (after 'Taare Zameen Par'). After school, I crazily read and learned things about movies," Darsheel told IANS. "I got into theatre recently and that is another world in itself. I like it so much that I've decided to continue doing theatre with films. "The best part is people still remember 'Taare Zameen Par' and really like my character. It's a great feeling when people attach your performance as a pleasant memory in their life and love you for it even after a decade," he added. "Taare Zameen Par" will be aired on &pictures on Thursday. Darsheel, 20, has also appeared in films like "Bumm Bumm Bole", "Zokkomon" and "Midnight's Children". "I can't wait to work in the film industry full time. I literally live and breathe cinema, so I can't wait to get back," he said. Darsheel will soon start shooting for "Quickie", which will also feature actress Shweta Tiwari's daughter Palak. "'Quickie' is one film that adequately showcases the college life and teen scenario. It's a youth-oriented comedy which is in absolute touch with reality and people. The youth will relate to it," Darsheel said. "We are rolling soon. We have taken our time in the workshops and developing the story. Palak is very talented and it's in her genes. "We had loads of fun during the workshops and discussed about our respective characters and learnt a lot of interesting things. I think everyone will be surprised once the film comes out," he added. Srinagar, Dec 18 : The National Conference (NC) on Monday staged a protest march here in Jammu and Kashmir against the killing of a civilian in Kupwara district and electricity shortage in the valley. Led by party General Secretary and senior leader, Ali Muhammad Sagar, dozens of NC activists took out the march from Nawa-e-Subha party headquarters to protest the killing of Asif Iqbal. Iqbal was killed in Thandipora village during an army ambush on Sunday. The army has said Iqbal was killed in a cross fire between the army and the militants. Police has registered an FIR and the state government has also ordered a magisterial probe. The NC activists shouted slogans against the government for its alleged failure to protect the lives of civilians. The protesters also carried lanterns to highlight their anger against the government's inability to provide electricity to the people in the valley during the winter months. New Delhi, Dec 18 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday visited Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here to pay his last respects to one of his close friends who died at the hospital. According to the hospital authorities, Kovind reached the hospital around 12 p.m. "He (Kovind) came to pay tributes to his close friend Anant Prakash Bhargava who was suffering from cardiac and kidney related ailments. He died today around 8.20 a.m.," said a senior doctor from the hospital. Sources said that Bhargava was known to Kovind for the last couple of decades. New Delhi : For the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to have struggled to cross the 100-seat mark in Gujarat when it was boasting about bagging 150 is suggestive of an undeniable downward turn in its popularity ratings. Considering that it tried all the tricks in the book, including several dirty ones, to cross the winning line showed that the party was uneasy about the outcome from the start, although Gujarat is Narendra Modi's home state and few would have normally expected the locals to move decisively against a Gujarati Prime Minister. But the fact that the previously unheralded Congress did reasonably well by adding to its 2012 tally of 61 seats was a sign that for the first time in more than two decades, the BJP was facing a challenge. The increase in the number of seats won by the Congress, and the fall in the BJP's, underlined the fact that but for the relentless campaign undertaken by Modi and almost his entire cabinet, the BJP would have been hard put to win. Along with the intensity of the campaign, with the Prime Minister concentrating so much on one state when he went only a few times to Himachal Pradesh, which also went to the polls, what was also noteworthy was the eagerness with which he latched on to the Congress maverick, Mani Shankar Aiyar's gaffe about calling Modi names to assert that any slur on the Prime Minister is an insult to Gujarat. Arguably, neither Modi's claim of personally representing the state's asmita or pride, nor his preposterous charge against his predecessor, Manmohan Singh, about conspiring with Pakistan had any noticeable impact on the mindset of the voters. In all probability, the outcome would have been the same even otherwise. But what these unprecedented outbursts, including the one about Aiyar having planned a "supari" operation to eliminate Modi, showed was that the BJP had the scare of its life during the elections. The nervousness may have been all the greater because the party could not have expected the Congress to put up a fight. Although the Grand Old Party (GOP) always had a 40 per cent vote share in the state, there had never been any expectations about its prospects because of its moribund condition with hardly any organisational muscle or effective local leaders capable of drawing crowds. However, perhaps to its own -- and certainly to the BJP's surprise -- Rahul Gandhi's entrance made a dramatic difference. For the first time since it went out of power, the Congress could seriously think of regaining it. Even if in the end, the HAJ factor made up of Patidar leader Hardik Patel, backward caste leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani did not make as much of an impact as was earlier thought, it proved that it was possible to mobilise the disaffected elements in the state against the seemingly all-powerful ruling party. It cannot be said for certain whether the Congress will be able to sustain this combination of ambitious first-timers in politics -- two of whom do not belong to it -- for any length of time, especially when the prize for which they came together has eluded them. Besides, the Congress does not have anyone based in the state who can keep them together with a focussed agenda. One cannot expect Rahul Gandhi to continue playing the role of a unifier once the battle drums are silenced. For the Congress, therefore, it is almost back to square one in Gujarat as the state has once again slipped out of its grasp and it will have to re-engage all over again in building the party's ground level base. But the big takeaway nevertheless for the GOP is that, first, it has succeeded in giving the BJP a scare which no one would have thought possible in 2014, or earlier when the Congress lost four assembly elections in a row; and, secondly, that the party can now look forward with considerable confidence to next year's elections in the three BJP-ruled states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where it may not be possible for Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to stave off the anti-incumbency factor as well as they have done in Gujarat. For the BJP, the realisation must have dawned that the euphoria of 2014 is gone. Modi may still draw crowds, but it is possible to give him the jitters. It is unlikely that either he or his party will continue to make their arrogant claims about ushering in a Congress-mukt (free) India any longer. It will also help the party if the setback leads to a toning down of the haughtiness which has been its hallmark in the last few years. (Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com) Beirut, Dec 18 : A woman who worked at the UK embassy in Lebanon was found dead at the side of a highway here and a man has been arrested over the death, the police said. The body of 30-year-old Rebecca Dykes, who had been working at the Department of International Development, was found by the side of the Metn highway leading out of the capital in the early hours of Saturday morning, the Telegraph reported. A post-mortem suggested she had been strangled and police sources told the daily she had been sexually assaulted. The man, identified only by the initials T.H, was arrested at 3 a.m. on Monday. He was reported to be a local taxi driver. Dykes, from London, had been out at a bar on Friday night for the farewell party of an embassy colleague in the central Gemmayzeh neighbourhood of the city. She left with a friend before midnight, telling others she had an early flight home to catch for Christmas. The two women parted soon after and it is not clear what happened to Dykes during the four hours before she died around 4 a.m. and her body dumped several miles away on the Metn highway. Security sources told the daily that the murder does not appear to be politically motivated. Dykes had been working in Beirut as the programme and policy manager for the Department for International Development since January. She had worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 2010, previously on Libya and Iraq. In a statement her family said: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened." Hugo Shorter, the British Ambassador to Lebanon, said: "The whole embassy is deeply shocked, saddened by this news. My thoughts are with Becky's family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss. "We're providing consular support to her family and working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation." The information branch of Lebanon's internal security forces, the intelligence department of the police, was conducting the investigation. Los Angeles, Dec 18 : Rapper Jay-Z stopped a concert to invite a cancer survivor on stage for a hug. The "99 problems" hitmaker called a timeout in the middle of his show at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, after spotting Christina Cruz in the crowd when he read the placard she was holding: "I beat cancer twice to see you. I love you! Selfie or hug?", eonline.com reports. Jay-Z said to Cruz: "You beat cancer twice. I got to give you at least a hug." The star then brought her on stage, embraced her and had a quick chat with her before carrying on with the concert. Cruz later wrote on social media: "I can't believe he pulled me on stage and I got to hug him not once but twice! Truly a dream come true! Thank you Jay-Z". The "Empire state of mind" hitmaker also halted a gig in Cleveland, Ohio, in November to give an inspirational message to a nine-year-old girl, telling her she could be President of the United States one day if she wanted to. Jay-Z said: "You can be anything that you want to be little girl. I got to tell you something - at this very moment America is way more sexist than they are racist. But you young lady, you got the potential to be the next president of the United States, you believe that." A video posted on social media shows the little girl nodding enthusiastically to rapturous applause from the crowd. Bengaluru, Dec 18 : The BJP was upbeat about wresting power from the Congress in poll-bound Karnataka after its victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections on Monday. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit president B.S.Yeddyurappa expressed confidence that the "massive victory" of the party will also reflect in the elections of the southern state, where assembly polls are due in April-May next year. "The election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have shown that people have once again supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his pro-poor policies," he told reporters at the party office here. People of Himachal Pradesh have overthrown "corrupt" Congress government and have chosen the BJP, the former Chief Minister said.A "Karnataka will also similarly throw out corrupt Congress government in the state in the 2018 elections. Gujarat elections will have a positive impact over Karnataka's elections too," he claimed. BJP leader and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said the assembly results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh depict people's support for Modi's policies. "The results show that people are not actually against note ban and demonetisation policies and have supported our PM's initiatives," he said. The BJP came to power in the state on its own in 2008 but lost to the Congress in May 2013 assembly elections following a split in the state leadership in 2012 when Yeddyurappa quit the party and formed the Karnataka Janata Paksha. He subsequently rejoined the BJP. Jaipur, Dec 18 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday congratulated the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for "choosing development", as the BJP was poised to win assembly elections in both states. She said by voting in favour of BJP, the people of the two states have "proved" that they want development. In a press note issued by the Chief Minister's Office, she said: "The credit of this success goes to the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is dedicated to the progress of the country. Similarly, Party president Amit Shah's working should also be praised who is burning the midnight oil to strengthen the party across the country." Attributing the party's success to these two leaders, she said their hard work and dedication for the country's development are bringing in consecutive victories for BJP in India. She added that "these elections have proved that there is no substitute to Bharatiya Janata Party". The party forming the government in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive time speaks volumes about the trust, confidence and faith the people of state has put into it, she added. Even the elections results in Himachal Pradesh have proved that the country is heading towards "Congress Mukt Bharat", she added. Raje expressed her confidence of forming the government in Rajasthan in the forthcoming Assembly elections. "People of the state have been putting their trust in BJP and we have been going all out to ensure this trust is maintained," she added. Bhopal, Dec 18 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday described the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh state elections as the victory of a development-focussed campaign. "The BJP has a leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is striving hard for an all-round development of the country. This is a gift of God that India has such a leader," said Chouhan at a programme organised in the state BJP office here. "While the country is moving fast on the path of development under the leadership of Modi, we have another hard-working person in party President Amit Shah, who has successfully steered the party to victory election after election," the Chief Minister added. The vision of India becoming the "Vishwa Guru" (world leader) would be realised under the leadership of Modi as "he is a global leader", he stressed. "Modi is the 'mukut-mani' (jewel in the crown) of India and lives in the hearts of crores of Indians. On one hand, we have emerged victorious in Gujarat yet again, on the other, we have snatched power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh under his able guidance," said Chouhan. Without naming the Congress, the MP Chief Minister said that every fair or foul measure was resorted to in the two states, but nothing worked for them. "The people of both states have once again showed trust in Modi, his development model and the BJP. We are thankful to the voters of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh." Following the victory of the party in the two states, BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh are celebrating from the state capital Bhopal to the village level. The party workers celebrated at the state party headquarters in the presence of state unit President Nandkumar Singh and CM Chouhan. Abu Dhabi, Dec 18 : A conference on women empowerment to promote international peace and security was held in the United Arab Emirates' capital on Monday. The conference titled "Women, Security and Peace Summit: The Gender Dimensions of International Peace and Security: Keys to Prosperity and Peace" was organised by the General Women's Union (GWU) in co-operation with TRENDS Research and Advisory in Abu Dhabi, Women in International Security in Washington and the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The summit discussed the key topic of women's empowerment for peace and security, the gender dimensions of regional security challenges and the necessity of decreasing the gender gap. It highlighted the UAE's leading role in reducing the gender gap to achieve leading positions in international competitiveness reports along with its commitment to the recommendations of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda under UN Resolution 1325. Noura Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the GWU, stressed that the summit will aim to accelerate the integration of the working schedule of women in areas of security and peace. Manchester, Dec 18 : Greater Manchester Police (GMP) on Monday started their investigation into the alleged racial abuse of Manchester City midfielder Raheem Sterling which occurred before their English Premier League (EPL) clash with Tottenham. The 23-year-old was kicked and racially abused as he arrived at City's training ground on Saturday ahead of their game against Tottenham later that day. "On Sunday 17 December 2017, police were made aware that a 23-year-old man had been subject to a racially aggravated assault on Clayton Lane on Saturday, December 16. "While an official report has not yet been made, enquiries will be carried out and officers are treating it as a hate crime. "Hate crime will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester," the Greater Manchester Police was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18 : Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday approached the Kerala High Court with a plea to quash Justice G. Sivarajan (retd)'s judicial probe report into the solar scam, submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier this year. The multi-crore solar energy investment fraud that rocked the then Chandy government in 2013 was led by Saritha Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan, as it came to light that a section of the CM's office had links with the couple. Following a huge outcry from the then Left opposition, Chandy himself appointed the judicial commission to probe the scam with clear terms of reference. Speaking to IANS, Chandy confirmed that he had taken the judicial route to ensure that this probe report was quashed as violations had taken place. "Yes, I have approached the high court to get it quashed as there have been violations in the manner in which it went about the probe," said Chandy. Vijayan, on the day of the Vengara Assembly poll on October 11, informed the media that the judicial report had been accepted, adding that cases would be registered against Chandy and all others based on the letter of Saritha Nair that she was sexually exploited. Following this, Vijayan on November 9 called a special one-day session of the Kerala Assembly as that is the official way to place the report of any judicial probe in the House. With this, the report became a public document and since then Chandy and other Congress leaders, including Lok Sabha members ande legislators, named in the report for having links with Saritha Nair, were waiting for an opportune moment to take steps to counter the report. What gave Chandy the confidence to go ahead with the petition was a legal opinion that Vijayan sought from Arijit Pasayat, a retired Supreme Court judge, which pointed out that there was little merit in the report as it was largely based on a letter from Saritha Nair. Ever since the report was submitted, Chandy was confident that this was nothing but a vindictive action, that he would fight it out and appearing for him would be senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal. New Delhi, Dec 18 : The BJP's win in Gujarat is a victory of "developmental politics" over dynasty and the politics of appeasement, BJP President Amit Shah said on Monday, and attributed the party's lesser number of seats to the "caste-based campaign" of the Congress and its allies. Shah declared that the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha election was "definite". He also pointed out that the BJP, with this victory, was now in power in 14 states in the country, and was a part of coalition government in five other states, bringing the total tally to 19. Asked about the drop in the BJP's number of seats in Gujarat, he blamed it on "caste politics" and the "low level of political discourse". He also said that a meeting would be held to look into the reasons for the reduced seats. "Congress brought the level of the campaign down, because of which our number of seats went down, but our overall performance was good as we got eight per cent more vote share compared to last time," Shah said at a press conference here as the party won both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Later, addressing party workers as he shared the podium with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah accused the Congress of trying to spread the "poison" of casteism. "Congress tried to spread the poison of casteism, brought down the level of discourse, and used derogatory words for the Prime Minister. This victory proves how much confidence people have in Narendra Modi," he said. He said in 2012, the BJP got 47.8 per cent votes, while this time, so far it has got 49.10 per cent vote share, showing an increase of 1.25 per cent. "Since 1990, BJP has never lost any election in Gujarat, and it is going to form the government for the sixth time in the state." "Politics of dynasty, casteism and appeasement has lost... This is the beginning of the new era of performance-based politics. "I believe in the leadership of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, the face of democracy is changing after 70 years... This is an expression of faith in Modi's developmental policies," he said. "We are going to form a government, and our vote share has also increased," he added. Slamming the Congress for "bringing down the level of discourse" during the Gujarat election campaign, he said: "If they (Congress) can learn a lesson from this, 2019 General Elections will hopefully be held in a better atmosphere." Asked about allegations of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) being manipulated, Shah said: "Can we change the EVMs? It is not something in the hands of the government, it is the Election Commission that handles it." Shah said the "victory march" of the BJP will not stop here, and the party will also win Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Karnataka in 2018. "We will get a huge victory in 2019 General Elections as well, and in 2022, we will fulfil Modi ji's dream of a new India," Shah said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow hopes that the United States and North Korea will start a dialogue, Russian state-run RIA news agency reported on Monday. Ryabkov said Washington and Pyongyang should start actual talks instead of discussing conditions for such talks. Search Keywords: Short link: Los Angeles, Dec 18 : Rapper Jay-Z has received a death threat from a gunman George Zimmerman. Zimmerman is threatening to "beat Jay-Z" and feed him to "an alligator" after claiming that a production team of the upcoming Trayvon Martin documentary -- produced by Jay-Z -- "harassed" his family, reports aceshowbiz.com. Zimmerman, who gunned down 17-year-old Martin in February 2012, said he has a score to settle with Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, since the rapper's production team began filming a new documentary on the case. He said the film crew made unannounced visits to the homes of his parents and an uncle in Florida, noting Jay-Z and executive producer Michael Gasparro indirectly "harassed" his family. "I know how to handle people who f**k with me. I have since February 2012," Zimmerman told web portal The Blast. He added that "anyone who f***s with my parents will be fed to an alligator." Jay-Z is producing a six-part documentary called "Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story", which is based on attorney Lisa Bloom's book "Suspicion Nation". The project will chronicle the very short life of Martin, his fatal shooting on February 26, 2012, and Zimmerman's acquittal the following year. Lucknow, Dec 18 : Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Bipin Rawat on Monday arrived in the state capital here on a day-long visit. He was received by Lt. General BS Negi, Army Commander, Central Command at Surya Khel Parisar. The Army chief during his visit to the station interacted with officers of Headquarters Central Command and veterans of Uttar Pradesh. He also interacted with officers, serving soldiers and recruits of the 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre, an official statement said. Later in the day, Rawat is to meet Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Rawat expressed satisfaction on the operational and administrative preparedness of formations and lauded the selfless service of the troops deployed in the remote and challenging areas, the statement added. Bengaluru, Dec 18 : Biotechnology major Biocon's Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shah and Yes Bank's Chief Executive Rana Kapoor were on Monday named the most respected entrepreneurs of the year 2017 by the London-based Hurun Report. "Shaw and Kapoor are the most respected entrepreneurs of the year for their role in the growth of their individual business, job creation, philanthropy and contribution to the development of the nation," said the luxury publishing and events group Hurun in a statement here. Realty major Embassy Group Chairman Jitendra Virwani is the Impact Entrepreneur of the year, while Thyrocare Technologies Managing Director Arokiaswamy Velumani is the Self-Made Entrepreneur of the year. Shaw, 64, the only self-made woman billionaire entrepreneur from India in the Hurun India Rich List 2017, grew her business by 200 per cent in the last one year alone. "Kapoor has been recognised for the innovation in the financial sector in India. Virwani, who has grown his business of co-working spaces, has adopted 36 schools in Bengaluru," said the statement. Four billionaires declared winners of the Industry Achievement awards for their contribution in their sectors are tyre maker Ceat Managing Director Anant Goenka; software services Quess Corporation Chairman Ajit Issac; amusement parks Wonderland Holidays Managing Director Arun Chittilappilly and Trivitron Healthcare Group Chairman G.S.K. Velu. The Hurun annual awards are bestowed after careful data gathering and qualitative research of India's richest individuals. "The most respected entrepreneur award focusses on two growing economies - China and India. The award was set up in 1999 to recognise the success of entrepreneurs and talk about their stories on a global platform," said the statement. The report recognises the contributions made by entrepreneurs towards nation building by creating more jobs, build big businesses and engaging in philanthropy. "China and India are the two economies that will lead the world in the next 10-20 years. We have seen how the Chinese entrepreneurs have grown over the last two decades. We see a similar pattern in India," said Hurun Report India Managing Director and Chief Researcher Anas Rahman Junaid in the statement. The awards' jury consists of members from Hurun India and China teams, top entrepreneurs from India and Britain, members from the Hurun India Rich List and economists who track India and China. Kabul, Dec 18 : At least one militant was killed on Monday in an attack on a training centre of Afghanistan's main intelligence agency in Kabul, where terrorists and security forces are engaged in a shootout, officials said. The attackers were holed up in a building under construction near the training centre of the National Directorate of Security in western Kabul, Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told Efe news. The strike was claimed by the Islamic State militant group through its affiliated Amaq news agency. The terror group claimed that two of its fighters carried out the attack. The Ministry spokesman said: "One of the attackers have been killed by the security forces. The first and second floors of the building have already been cleared and the security forces are now clearing the third and fourth floors." "We believe two more attackers are resisting in the building," he added. According to media reports, at least five explosions were heard. The assailants had AK-47 assault rifles, machine guns and rocket propelled grenades, a witness said. The Afghan capital has witnessed a number of major insurgent attacks this year. A month ago, 17 people were killed in a suicide attack at the entrance of a hotel in northwestern Kabul. The worst attack in the Afghan capital since 2001 took place in May, when a truck loaded with explosives left 150 people dead and over 300 wounded. Since the end of NATO's combat mission in January 2015, Kabul has been steadily losing ground to insurgents and now controls only 57 per cent of the country, according to the US Special General Inspector for Reconstruction of Afghanistan. Patna, Dec 18 : BJP ally, Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U President Nitish Kumar on Monday taunted the Congress, saying the party had claimed victory in Gujarat and it lost Himachal Pradesh too. He also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah over the party winning in both states. "Claiming victory in Gujarat, Congress lost in Himachal Pradesh also," Nitish Kumar said in a tweet reacting to the outcome of assembly polls in the two states. He gave the credit of victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh to Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, a senior BJP leader, targeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying: "Demonetisation of Gabbar had been done in Gujarat. He was referring to Rahul Gandhi describing GST as "Gabbar Singh Tax" during the campaign in Gujarat polls to reach out to people about how badly it had hit them. "People of Gujarat have put their stamp on GST and demonetisation. Gabbar has been demonetised in Gujarat. BJP victory in Gujarat is a victory of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah," he said. Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, who is incharge of BJP in Himachal Pradesh,said people in Himachal as well as in Gujarat had voted for development and governance led by Modi and Amit Shah. "BJP victory in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat have made it clear that the days of caste and communal politics are over." Pandey said people have proved again that Modi is the most popular and accepted leader in the country. Union minister Griraj Singh said Rahul Gandhi had tried to break the social fabric of Gujarat but failed to. "The people of Gujarat have voted against his attempt to break social unity." Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Satrughan Sinha also congratulated Modi for his untiring efforts, sincerity, energy and his magic, which remains intact. The BJP leaders and workers across Bihar are celebrating the victory of party in the two states. Mumbai, Dec 18 : Actor Vijay Deverakonda says that working on "Arjun Reddy" sapped him. Excerpts from an interview: Q. How do you look back on the "Arjun Reddy" experience? It sapped me. Exhausted the hell out of me. I had to be constantly probing into the darkest areas of my consciousness, digging out feelings and tapping into emotions I had never touched in myself. You see, when it comes to probing and showing my feelings, I am a shirker. Q. What do you mean? I can't show let alone share my emotions. In fact I've kept it all locked up within myself all my life. Yeah, it's a problem, specially when it comes to relationships with the people close to me. Q. I remember you telling me it was causing a problem with your girlfriend? It's always been a problem. That's why "Arjun Reddy" was very hard for me. The character is constantly diving into grey and dark areas of his subconscious. Left to myself I won't even go there. Q. Did you expect "Arjun Reddy" to make such an impact? We knew we were doing something never done before, at least not in Telugu cinema. We were sure we'd make some kind of an impact. It went much further than we expected. But now I'm done with "Arjun Reddy". My next film in Telugu in "Taxiwala". It's a supernatural thriller, a world as far removed from "Arjun Reddy" as possible. I play a cabbie. Q. And in the the biopic on actress Savithri you play MGR? You mean "Mahanti" in Tamil? Yes, I am doing that film. In fact I've just started shooting for it. But I am not playing MGR. I sometimes hear I am playing MGR, sometimes NTR. I am playing neither. I am actually playing a journalist. Both Samantha Ruth Prabhu and I play journalists who set out to piece together the story of Savithri's life. Q. Like Orson Welles in Citizen Kane? Yeah, kind of. Do you know, I've hardly watched the classics? I spent half my life in a boarding school where we were shown only the sporadic wholesome classic like "The Sound Of Music". So I am not familiar with most of the works of the acting greats in Bollywood, Hollywood or Tamil-Telugu cinema. We were shown sanitized films where even a brush on the lips was cut. Q. So where did all that horniness in "Arjun Reddy" emerge from? (Laughs) I don't know. Probably it was suppressed inside me. All of it came bubbling to the surface in "Arjun Reddy". Yeah, this guy believed in pre-marital sex and was very physically sexually active. But in my next film which I start shooting in February I play a virgin. Q. You have to be kidding? No, seriously. The guy I am playing in my next is a sweet wholesome lovable family man who wouldn't dream of asking his girlfriend for a kiss let alone sex. This is my homage to the archetypal angel-hero that Salman Khan plays in Sooraj Barjatya's film. Q. Do you find it challenging to play a sweet-natured character? It's a big challenge. I am done with sweetness and virginity with this film. The three films after this would all have me playing dark disturbed characters. Exploring the dark side of my characters' personality is my forte. Q. Are you looking at doing a sequel to "Arjun Reddy"? My director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and I discussed it even while we were filming "Arjun Reddy". There is so much to this character that remains unexplored. We will return to Arjun at some point, though not right away. For now I'm just happy with the impact this film and my character has made. I've just received my first Best Actor award from Zee Telugu. And that too from the legendary Chiranjeevi Sir. Q. What next? Well, now I leave for a two-week European holiday to Spain and Belgium. I think I've earned myself this break. I come back after the New Year to complete my work in Mahanati. Q. Will the high expectations you have generated with "Arjun Reddy" come in the way of audiences appreciating you in your forthcoming films? I am happy with my role in "Taxiwala". It gave me a chance to do a character that was fun. I didn't have to agonize over every scene. As for "Mahanati" it's a relatively small role in a film that pays a homage to one of Tamil cinema's greatest actresses. Sometimes it is liberating for an actor to just be a part of film where he doesn't have to shoulder all the responsibility. New Delhi, Dec 18 : The BJP just scraped through to victory in Gujarat, helped largely by the extensive campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his home state, but the party's lowest tally in the last 22 years can be seen as a warning bell ahead of crucial state battles in 2018 and the next Lok Sabha election in 2019. The results in Gujarat reflect some dissatisfaction with the policies of the party government at the state and the Centre, especially demonetisation and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will help the BJP retain the electoral momentum ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, though the outcome in the western state has also given the Congress a fresh hope of taking on BJP in the coming battles. The BJP's tally in Gujarat was nowhere near its stated claim of getting 150 seats in the 182-member assembly and the party could barely stop a resurgent Congress, which had stitched a broad social coalition by getting the backing of young leaders Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mewani and Alpesh Thakore. Though the BJP's tally went down the party took comfort in the 1.25 per cent increase in its vote share compared to 2012 polls. But in terms of the party's vote in 2014, when it swept the state claiming all the 26 Lok Sabha seats and got 60.11 per cent, the vote share has come down considerably. The 2014 poll performance had equalled the BJP taking the lead in over 165 assembly segments. The Congress efforts in Gujarat have yielded the party its highest seat tally in the last 27 years and its highest vote share. The party polled 41.4 per cent votes, which is 2.47 per cent more than that in 2012. The Congress also significantly improved its vote share from 2014 Lok Sabha polls when it had got 33.45 per cent votes. It was the first election in the last 15 years when Modi was not the Chief Minister of the state but he remained the BJP's face throughout the campaign. BJP leaders admitted that the election was "tough" and the party faced anti-incumbency, but it was an election that the party could ill afford to lose. With Gujarat being the home state of both Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, a loss in Gujarat could have reflected badly on the two top leaders of the party and certainly set the stage for revival of Congress ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were the first state elections since the implementation of GST, and the new indirect tax regime had created a deep sense of unease among the large trading community in Gujarat. The BJP-led government had to extend a series of concessions in a bid to mollify the community, a traditional support base of the party. The small traders had also been hit by demonetisation, carried out by the Modi government last year. The quota stir by Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel had created troubles for the BJP government in Gujarat and his joining hands with the Congress hugely dented the BJP's traditional support base among the Patidar community. Dalit lawyer and activist Jignesh Mewani also joined hands with the Congress while OBC leader Alpesh Thakore joined the party to create a broad social coalition that had a special appeal among the youth, a section that has traditionally backed Modi. The BJP sought to portray the alliance as "casteist", and suggested that the promise of quotas in jobs and education for Patidars was unworkable. Another apparent reason for the BJP's tally sliding down is the lower voting percentage compared to 2012 as also fewer women coming to vote. Women are seen to vote for BJP in greater numbers than men. Congress President Rahul Gandhi put up a spirited fight making bold attacks on Modi and BJP, but the party apparently lacked organisational strength at the booth level to fully convert its support into votes. The party also lacked a chief ministerial candidate and some of its top leaders in the state, including Arjun Modhvadiya, lost the polls. Indiscreet remarks by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was later suspended from the party, gave Modi a handle to target the opposition party and harp on the "son of the soil" image. The Congress also sought to counter BJP's Hindutva leanings with temple visits of Gandhi. The BJP did well in urban and semi-urban areas of the state compared to the rural areas. It also apparently lost some of its support among the farmer community. The BJP sought to woo the OBCs and tribals to make up for expected loss of Patidar votes. The BJP had the task of defending an incumbent government in Gujarat, something it will be called upon to do in the crucial assembly polls next year in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh next year. The elections in the three states will be close to the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, and a defeat in Gujarat would have set a bad precedent. The BJP wrested Himachal Pradesh from Congress by getting a comfortable majority in the 68-member assembly as part of cyclical political outcome in the hill state. But the seats won by the party were a little less than the expectations of its own leaders. The shock for the party was the loss of its chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal. The BJP got almost 10 per cent vote more than the 2012 polls while Congress also marginally improved its vote share. Hyderabad, Dec 18 : The Kaleswaram project, being built across Godavari River in Telangana, has received environmental clearance from the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, it was announced on Monday. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on irrigation projects gave the clearance for the project at its meeting held on December 5, according to the minutes of the meeting released here by the Telangana government. Being built at a cost of about Rs 80,499 crore, the project will divert 180 TMC of water to irrigate 7.38 lakh hectares. It envisages construction of a barrage near Medigadda village in Karimnagar district to irrigate the land in seven districts. Proposed to be completed in three years, it is also expected to stabilise the existing command area of 7.62 lakh hectares. The project also proposes to provide drinking water facility for Hyderabad and Secunderabad cities. It required about 32,000 hectares of land out of which 2,866 hectares is forest land. The construction of the project will lead to submergence of about 13,706 hectares including 302 hectares in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has hailed the environmental clearance for the project. The project had already secured the forest clearances for the phase I and II. He asked the officials to complete the project on fast track to remove the suffering that was endured for decades for want of water. According to a statement from the Chief Minister's office, the EAC expressed satisfaction over the project report prepared by the Telangana government and observed that there is no danger to the environment due to this project. New Delhi, Dec 18 : Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Monday said the party was not trying to portray a "soft Hindutva" face when Rahul Gandhi visited temples during the campaign for the Gujarat elections. He said the Congress never had any intention to play a "Hindu card". "That was their (BJP's) intention. Congress never wanted to play a Hindu card... There was no intention of soft Hindutva behind it," Patel said in an interview to NDTV news channel. He said during the campaign Rahul Gandhi travelled more through roads, and hence visited several temples. On about the Congress' statement that Rahul Gandhi is a "janeu-dhari Hindu", he said: "After Somnath temple... whatever register they gave he signed. They twisted it as if he is non-Hindu. Therefore Congress party had to counter it." Patel said during the campaigning, the then party Vice President Rahul Gandhi got a good response from the people of Gujarat, and that in certain places "he was attracting more crowd than Narendra Modi". He also said that his being the Chief Minister of Gujarat was "out of the question". "I have always been low-profile... I don't have any ambition for any government post, I have never been a Minister. It is all propaganda... these were gimmicks of Narendra Modi..." Patel said. Patel alleged that the BJP, which has been in power in Gujarat for the past 22 years, misused the administration to influence elections, and also distributed liquor. "The way they spent money, not just money but liquor as well. They even misused the administration," he said. Asked if Rahul Gandhi, who was made Congress President on Saturday, had emerged as a hero after the results, Patel said the poll was more about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah's prestige. "Gujarat is the home turf of the Prime Minister. It is the state of BJP's national president. It is a prestige issue for them, they can't lose this state," he said. To a question on whether Sonia Gandhi will continue in active politics or retire, Patel refused to answer. "This question only she can answer... When elections come up in Rae Bareli she will decide," he said. Gandhinagar/Shimla, Dec 18 : The BJP on Monday just managed to hold on to power in Gujarat, edging past the half-way mark to clinch a sixth term in government, but wrested Himachal Pradesh from Congress with a comfortable majority. Overcoming initial setbacks in a seesaw battle, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged 99 seats, seven more than the magic figure of 92 in a House of 182. Putting up an improved performance, the Congress secured 77 seats while its allies got three more. The NCP, which fought alone, got a lone seat and Independents got two. In contrast, Himachal Pradesh lived up to its reputation of changing the ruler every election, as the BJP comfortably beat Congress, winning 44 of the 68 seats that were up for grabs. The Congress won 21 in the hill state where it had previously held 36 seats. Two seats went to Independents and a lone seat was taken by CPI-M. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who put up an aggressive campaign in Gujarat, camping in his home state for days, described the BJP's electoral victory in the state as "historic" as "in this age for a party to keep winning for so long" is unheard of. In his victory speech at BJP Headquarters in Delhi, Modi said the support for the party showed that "the nation is ready for reform agenda as every citizen wants India transformed". "I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in the BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly." In a message to his opponents, he said "let bygones be bygones" in a reference to the coming together of leaders heading caste formations to ally with Congress, to build a new Gujarat. After Modi's speech, the Central Parliamentary Board of the BJP met at the party headquarters in Delhi and decided to depute Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and General Secretary Saroj Pandey to Gujarat for holding consultations on choosing the new Chief Minister. For Himachal Pradesh, where the chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal suffered a defeat, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Rural Development Minister Narendra Tomar are being sent to decide on a new leader. While the BJP celebrated all across Gujarat and in Delhi, the 99-seat tally in Gujarat was far less than the 150 seat target set by BJP President Amit Shah and 16 less than what it got in 2012 despite intense campaigning by Modi. The Congress, whose campaign was spearheaded by its now President Rahul Gandhi, conceded defeat but took a veiled jibe at the BJP. "My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated... the Congress' greatest strength is its decency and courage," Gandhi tweeted. The BJP's overall vote share in the state plunged from 60.11 per cent notched in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls to 49.1 per cent, indicating a sharp erosion in its support base in a state which the party considers its fortress. The vote share of the Congress, which joined hands with Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakore, soared from 33.45 per cent of 2014 to 41.4 per cent. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani brushed aside reports of BJP's waning support, saying the winner was always the king. "Jo jeeta wo hi Sikander." The Gujarat election campaign was marked by viciousness that pitted Prime Minister Modi against Congress leaders, including his predecessor Manmohan Singh. It was the first Assembly election in Gujarat after Modi shifted to New Delhi. In Himachal, the BJP was set to form the government although its two top leaders -- Chief Ministerial candidate P.K. Dhumal and state unit chief Satpal Satti were worsted in the hard-fought contest. With Himachal in its kitty now, the BJP has 14 states where it has its chief ministers and rules with coalition partners in five others. Congress is now left with power in just four states -- Punjab, Karnataka, Meghalaya and Mizoram and union territory of Puducherry. Among the top winners in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani from Rajkot West, a seat formerly occupied by Modi, by a margin of over 50,000 votes. His deputy and Finance Minister Nitinbhai Patel won by 7,951 votes in Mahesana. The BJP held on in most seats affected by the Patidar agitation, provoking community leader Hardik Patel to complain about faulty Electronic Voting Machines. While the BJP dominated over the Congress in South, Central and North Gujarat, the Congress held the upper hand in the sprawling Saurashtra/Kutch region. The BJP also proved its sway over urban centres while the Congress seats came mostly from rural regions. Four of the six Congress turncoat legislators in Gujarat who had bagged BJP tickets lost while some of the Congress' prominent state leaders, including Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhvadia were also humiliated. All Congress Chief Ministerial contenders lost -- Shaktisinh Gohil (Mandvi), Arjun Modhwadia (Bokhiria) and Siddharth Patel (Dabhoi). But the BJP suffered a setback in Unjha constituency which includes Modi's hometown Vadnagar where he grew up. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who contested as an independent with Congress support, won from Vadgam seat defeating BJP's nominee Vijay Chakravarti by 19,696 votes. In Himachal, key winners included outgoing Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Among those who lost in the hill state was BJP's Chief Ministerial face P.K. Dhumal and his confidants Ravinder Ravi, Gulab Singh and Randhir Sharma, all outgoing legislators. (With inputs from Amit Cowper) Egypt will allow oil companies to export gas output not needed for local supply in five years, Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla said on Monday. "In the new exploration and search contracts, there's a clause that allows companies to export a part of their share of extracted gas abroad in case it's not needed by Egypt," Molla told a news conference. Once an energy exporter, Egypt became an importer of natural gas after domestic output failed to keep pace with rising demand. It aims to regain self-sufficiency in natural gas by the end of 2018 with the help of three recently discovered major gas fields. Output from the giant Zohr gas field in the Mediterranean will raise Egypt's natural gas production to 5.5 billion cubic feet per day from 5.1 billion, El Molla told Reuters on Sunday. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, Dec 18 : Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Monday saw disruption and repeated adjournments as the Congress demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the allegations levelled by him against his predecessor Manmohan Singh. In the Lok Sabha, the first adjournment came minutes after the house met, as Congress members stood at their seats, and created a ruckus over the issue. From the treasury benches -- BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who had the first question listed against his name, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was headed for victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. "...People have given a very good reply... Congress has lost Himachal Pradesh, and I want to thank the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for the unprecedented victory in Gujarat," he said. The Speaker then adjourned the house till noon, amid ruckus from both the ruling and opposition benches. As the House met at noon, Congress members once again raised the issue of the Prime Minister's allegations, but were denied permission by the Chair. "You want to raise the same issue everyday... This is not done," Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said. Congress members also trooped to near the Speaker's podium, raising slogans seeking an apology from Prime Minister Modi. "We will not tolerate insult of the former Prime Minister," they said. Amid the ruckus, papers were laid on the table of the House and bills were introduced, after which Speaker Mahajan adjourned the House for the day. The script was the same in the Upper House. As the House met for the day, agitated Congress members trooped to the Chairman's podium shouting slogans against Modi and the BJP after their notice to discuss the matter under Rule 267 was rejected. Under the Rule 267, the House's listed business is suspended to discuss full time the matter for which the notice is given. "You cannot reject everything every day. What are we doing here then? The charges levelled against a former Prime Minister who held office for 10 years will have to be proved. They (BJP) are answerable to the people," a miffed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said. The Congress had also pressed the matter on Friday but their notices were rejected by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu. Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House till 12 noon amid pandemonium. But as soon as the House met again for Question Hour, the Congress MPs again raised the issue and asked Naidu to allow a discussion on the matter. "Sir, you have to protect the members' honour," Congress leader Anand Sharma told the Chair. As Naidu insisted on continuing with the Question Hour, the Congress MPs again came near the podium shouting slogans like "Pradhan Mantri maafi mango" (Prime Minister, apologise). Naidu then adjourned the House for the day. Modi, during the campaign for the Gujarat Assembly polls, had claimed that at a meeting in Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's house, the guests including Manmohan Singh, discussed the Gujarat polls with Pakistan's High Commissioner to India and former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri. Kabul, Dec 18 : At least three people were killed and 31 others injured after a suicide car bombing struck a police checkpoint in Lashkar Gah, capital of Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Monday, officials said. The incident occurred at 5.30 p.m. after a suicide bomber detonated the vehicle near the targeted police post, locating in a crowded bazaar, spokesman of provincial governor Omar Zwak told Xinhua. "One police and one civilian were killed while the bomber also died on the spot following the explosion. Among those injured people were 12 police personnel," Zwak said, adding the number of casualties may rise. "At the time of writing, 20 wounded have been taken to our Surgical Centre in Lashkar Gah due to a car bomb explosion on the bridge towards Bolan, not far from our hospital. And mass-casualty procedures were activated," Emergency Surgical Centre for Victims of War, an international charity, tweeted. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Earlier on Monday, three Islamic State militants were killed and two Afghan special force soldiers were injured after the militants attacked an intelligence agency training center in national capital of Kabul. New Delhi, Dec 18 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday directed expeditious notification of the rules of the Enemy Property Act 2017. "The rules should be notified expeditiously considering the importance of the new provisions in the Enemy Property Act 2017," he said while reviewing the functioning of Freedom Fighters and Rehabilitation Division (FFRD) of the Home Ministry. The Minister also asked that the custodian office be strengthened for this purpose and the FFRD should identify the properties free from encumbrance for quick disposal and monetisation. A statement from the Ministry said that similar properties in Pakistan belonging to Indians have been disposed of. The Parliament last year passed a bill for amending Enemy Property Act, a 49-year-old law, saying the successors of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during partition will have no claim over the properties left behind in India. Rajnath Singh further said that the appointment of nodal officers by the state governments be pursued to coordinate identification, vesting and valuation of enemy properties. During the meeting, it was also informed that the survey of 6,289 properties has been completed and the process in respect of remaining 2,991 properties will be completed soon, said the statement. "Also the properties in the process for vesting numbering 5,863 may also be surveyed at the earliest." The meeting also decided that the distribution of pension through banks to the freedom fighters under Swantratra Sainik Samman Yojana should be further streamlined by strengthening Pension Distribution Monitoring Cell to reconcile on monthly basis. It was informed that 73 per cent of pension accounts have been linked to Aadhaar by the banks and the division was given the target to achieve 100 per cent linkage at the earliest by coordinating with the all 23 banks. The rehabilitation issues relating to Sri Lankan Tamilians staying in 107 camps and Tibetian refugees were also reviewed in the meeting and the division was advised to ensure their good living conditions. The progress of developmental activities for settling about 1,000 returnees from former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and infrastructure development in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal was also reviewed at the meeting, said the statement, adding that so far, Rs 413 crore has been released to the West Bengal government for developing the infrastructure. Rajnath Singh also asked the officials to monitor the progress of the implementation regularly to ensure timely completion of the project to rehabilitate the returnees. Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and senior officers of the Home Ministry also attended the meeting. Mumbai, Dec 18 : At least 12 persons, including a Nepali national, were killed and another two injured when a major fire engulfed a dry snacks and sweetmeats shop here early on Monday, officials said. According to the BMC Disaster Control, the blaze was reported in the Bhanu Farsan shop on Khairani Road in Andheri East area, near Laxmi Narayan Temple of Sakinaka, around 4.15 a.m. The fire, due to a suspected short-circuit, quickly spread to huge stocks of eatables, cloth sheets, furniture and electrical fittings. So strong was the intensity of the inferno that all the 12 victims were found to have 100 percent burns and some have yet to be identified. One worker, identified as Akhilesh Ramkishore Tiwari, 25, managed to jump out of a window in the burning shop and suffered severe fractures in both the legs, an official said. Later the structure - where large quantities of ready-to-eat dry snacks and namkeens were manufactured in an area measuring around 200 square feet, came crashing down, trapping the victims. The bodies of the workers - all aged 30 - were taken to the Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar for an autopsy and two are yet to be identified, said a hospital official. The identified victims were Jitendra, Gulam, Ramnresh Gupta, Naim Salim Mirza, Wasim Salim Mirza, Bhola, Lambu, Manohar Pandit and Raju Yadav, while Lullu was a Nepalese national. The exact causes of the fire are being investigated, though around three or four workers managed to escape to safety, local eyewitnesses said. Three fire-tenders and four jumbo water tankers fought the blaze which did not spread and was restricted to the small shop in the congested and thickly populated locality of Andheri east and managed to extinguish it soon. Ahmedabad, Dec 18 : Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani, who won the assembly polls from Vadgam in Gujarat, said on Monday that the country is ready for change in the 2019 Lok Sahba elections as the BJP could get only 99 seats despite its repeated claims of winning 150. "The country is ready for change. That's why against the target of 150 seats you could manage to win only 99. And it is just the beginning. A storm will come for a change," Mevani said in a tweet. Mewani's tweet was in apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Monday in which he said that the country was ready for economic reforms. Mevani also took potshots at Modi in a Facebook post by referring to Vadnagar, the home town of the Prime Minister. "The people of Vadgam has given reply to the one from Vadnagar. In 2-4 days a road show from Vadgam to Vadnagar will be arranged and an agitation of cleanliness workers will be planned," he said. Mevani had said on Saturday that he will organise a 50-km road show from Vadgam to Vadnagar. Mevani had contested the polls as an independent and was backed by the Congress. The 36-year old Dalit leader also vowed to raise issues concerning farmers and labourers in the state assembly. Mevani has led a movement in Gujarat for empowerment of Dalits, who comprise about seven per cent of the state's population. He became the face of the Dalit backlash after four Dalit youths at Una in Gujarat were whipped by cow vigilantes. Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged the Centre for early release of a commemorative postage stamp on the Paika Rebellion. "I would request you to kindly initiate necessary steps for early release of the commemorative postage stamp," said the Chief Minister in a letter to Union Minister of Communications Manoj Sinha. Patnaik informed that the state government is celebrating the bi-centenary of Paika Rebellion in a grand manner, befitting its rightful place in the history of India's freedom struggle. The Paik Rebellion was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817. The Chief Minister said the state government has given a proposal to the Centre to release a commemorative postage stamp in the memory of this historic revolt on the occasion of its bi-centenary. Kohima, Dec 18 : Nagaland's ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) on Monday projected Chief Minister T.R.Zeliang as its Chief Ministerial candidate in next year's assembly polls. A DAN legislature party meeting here also decided to urge upon all DAN party members to "co-operate and work in unison" for its successful return to power under the leadership of Shurhozelie Liezietsu. Liezietsu, who was ousted by Zeliang on July this year, is the supremo of the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) and Chairman of DAN, which includes the Bharatiya Janata Party which has four legislators in the 60-member Nagaland assembly. Zeliang's projection follows reconciliation by two NPF factions led by him and Liezietsu on December 8. Meanwhile, the NPF legislature party, which also met this evening, reaffirmed confidence and trust in the two's leadership, while placing on record "its deep sense of appreciation" at the reconciliation and the decision to revoke all suspension and expulsion orders against some members and withdrawal of all pending cases from courts, the Election Commission and the Speaker. It also resolved to remain firmly united in the reconciliation process and the need to continue fostering a congenial atmosphere in the state for facilitating an early settlement to the Naga political issue. The NPF and DAN legislature parties also appreciated the party's leadership for the steps taken in bringing about understanding and reconciliation in the NPF to facilitate a united stand in supporting the ongoing dialogue between the Nationalist Socialist Council of India-Isak-Nuivah and others with the Indian government for bringing about a solution to the Naga political issue. The DAN Legislature Party called for an early, "inclusive, acceptable and honourable" solution before the polls. Damascus, Dec 18 : Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held talks here on Monday with Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and Russian officials which focused on rebuilding war-ravaged Syria and fighting terrorism, reports said. The continuous victories achieved in the fight against terrorism (the government's term for armed rebel groups) in Syria provide the necessary conditions for accelerating the reconstruction of many areas of the country, said Assad, state-run news agency Sana reported. The process of rebuilding offers "wide economic prospects and further opportunities for cooperation between Syria and Russia", it quoted him as saying. Rogozin underlined "the significant progress in Syrian-Russian economic cooperation and the efforts exerted by the Syrian-Russian Joint Committee for expanding this cooperation further to benefit the peoples of the two countries," Sana reported. The Russian delegation also included the Deputy Foreign, Economic Development, Energy, Transport, Industry and Trade Ministers, as well as Russia's Ambassador to Syria and directors of prominent Russian companies, according to Sana. Syria's Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem attended the meeting along with the country's Finance, Petroleum, Electricity and Transport Ministers and other senior officials, said Sana. Rome, Dec 18 : Italy's pro-fascist King Victor Emmanuel III, who died in exile in Egypt after abdicating in 1946, will not be buried at Rome's ancient Pantheon monument, upper house of parliament's Speaker Pietro Grasso said on Monday. "The return of (Victor Emmanuel III)'s corpse to Italy is merely an act of human compassion without public honour," said Grasso. "The possibility of burial at the Pantheon has been categorically ruled out....I hope the controversy that has been raging over this presents a serious opportunity for debate and historical reflection especially among Italy's younger generations," he said. Italy's Jewish community and partisan association ANPI earlier expressed dismay that a state flight was used to bring back the body of the king, who signed the fascist racial laws targeting Jews, is accused of complicity with the regime of dictator Benito Mussolini and died in exile in 1947 in Egypt's northern port city of Alexandria. Victor Emmanuel III's body was interred on Sunday in a family mausoleum at a chapel inside the Sanctuary of Vicoforte, a church in the north-west Piedmont region, which was the royal family's base. His wife Queen Elena's remains have also been buried with him in the mausoleum after they were transferred there last week from France. New York, Dec 19 : Unveiling his "America First National Strategy," US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington will support a "leadership role" for India in the "broader" Indo-Pacific region. Trump's all-encompassing strategy plan looks for allies to face what he sees as "an extraordinarily dangerous world, filled with a wide range of threats". Against this scenario, he declared: "We will deepen our strategic partnership with India and support its leadership role in Indian Ocean security and throughout the broader region." Turning to Islamabad, Trump said, "We will press Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts, since no partnership can survive a country's support for militants and terrorists who target a partner's own service members and officials. The United States will also encourage Pakistan to continue demonstrating that it is a responsible steward of its nuclear assets." A significant part of his strategic document that he was scheduled to present in Washington was devoted to threats from China which he framed as "a geopolitical competition between free and repressive visions of world order is taking place in the Indo-Pacific region". "China is using economic inducements and penalties, influence operations, and implied military threats to persuade other states to heed its political and security agenda," he said. In this theatre, he said: "We welcome India's emergence as a leading global power and stronger strategic and defense partner. We will seek to increase quadrilateral cooperation with Japan, Australia, and India." While Trump has set out an American strategy along these lines in recent months, these declarations of India's role and ties with it were reiterated in a global context with his strategic plan. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) Egypt wants to satisfy local demand in natural gas before exporting to other countries, petroleum minister Tarek El-Molla said Egypt is looking to buy the shares of foreign partners in Egyptian natural gas, petroleum minister Tarek El-Molla said at Al-Ahram's first energy conference on Monday. The minister said the gas produced will first be used to meet local demand before it is produced for export. "Our aim is not to export; we focus on providing gas for industries and on achieving self-sufficiency in natural gas," El-Molla said. The ministry has contractual commitments for exports that it will fulfil without compromising on meeting local demand, the minister added. Egypts super-giant Zohr gas field started pumping on Saturday at 350 million cubic feet per day. The field is set to yield 1 billion cubic feet per day at the end of the first phase by mid-2018. Search Keywords: Short link: European Home - Modern Fireplace Design Whether your style is industrial, transitional, or completely modern and minimalist youll find the perfect combination with over 200 design iterations to choose from. While they are the exclusive distributor of iconic fireplace brands such as Focus Fires, Element4 and Gavin Scott Design, European Home also manufactures their own line of modern gas fireplaces. Their most popular design, the H Series fireplace, is completely vent-free and features a modern trimless design. As a brand that prides itself on passionate, thoughtful design, European Home has created an interactive webpage to help customers design and purchase their own fireplace surrounds using beautiful premium finishes such as aged copper, rose gold and Italian tile. The digital Fireplace Surround Builder is located on the European Home website, here: https://www.europeanhome.com/designer-surrounds/ Choosing the perfect fireplace and fireplace surround takes much consideration. A fireplace should be the heart of the home. As owner Holly Markham puts it, "Fireplaces encourage conversation and relaxation; in a way, they bring us back to our roots as human beings. There is simply an emotional and universal draw to fire. European Home believes it is essential to choose a fireplace that fits one's unique design style, indeed a fireplace that can tell one's story at a single glance." As Markham explains, "The new Digital Fireplace Surround Builder function allows you to choose a fireplace size, a design style or configuration, as well as the surround materials. From here, you become the designer with a lush palette of gold, marble, aged copper and even corten steel finishes are your fingertips. Whether your style is industrial, coastal, transitional, or completely modern and minimalist youll find the perfect combination with over 400 design iterations to choose from. Once youve built your perfect surround online simply request a quote and a European Home fireplace specialist will guide you every step of the way." "Take a look at the Digital Fireplace Surround Builder and build your perfect fireplace surround today." About European Home Located north of Boston, in Middleton, Massachusetts, European Home was one of the first companies in North America to offer modern linear fireplaces. Developed as a niche industry in 2003 and now becoming mainstream, owners Holly and John Markham continue to bring stunning, high-quality, design-oriented hearth products to the North American market. All products are distributed and serviced through regional fireplace stores, benefiting local economies. Learn more at https://www.europeanhome.com/. For more information,please contact Marketing Manager Cory Ploessl: cory(at)europeanhome(dot)com or 781-324-8383 ext. 220. We have chosen to support research in the fields of regenerative medicine and cellular therapies as we believe that development in these areas will lead to significant and successful management of many common musculoskeletal impairments. The Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) and the National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF) announced today that a research grant of $800,000 has been awarded to Christopher L. Mendias, PhD, of Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Dr. Mendias received the OREF Clinical Research Grant in Cellular Therapy in Honor of James Urbaniak, MD. The study, SVFC Therapy to Improve Rotator Cuff Tears: A Phase II Clinical Trial, seeks to determine if autologous stem cell therapy will enhance the regeneration of musculoskeletal tissue and improve surgical outcomes for patients with chronic rotator cuff tears. This is the second collaboration between OREF and NSCF to advance promising research in adult stem cell therapies, expected to play a key role in the future of orthopaedic medicine. The grant will provide up to $800,000 over a three-year period, making it the largest OREF grant ever awarded. OREF President David G. Lewallen, MD, noted that grants of this significance are only possible when the orthopaedic community joins together. Whether its individual contributions or funding collaborations such as OREFs ongoing partnership with NSCF, we should celebrate the power of unity to advance musculoskeletal science and the care of our patients. We are pleased that through this collaboration with NSCF, we are able to provide significant funding to an investigator whose research may result in better treatment options for a common and debilitating condition. Funding for the grant was provided by NSCF and individual donor contributions to the OREF James R. Urbaniak, MD Mentor Campaign. Dr. Urbaniak offered his congratulations to Dr. Mendias on being named the recipient of this grant and stated, As a dedicated contributor and former OREF Board member, I have indeed been honored to partner with OREF to raise funds for grants such as this one. We have chosen to support research in the fields of regenerative medicine and cellular therapies as we believe that development in these areas will lead to significant and successful management of many common musculoskeletal impairments. The ongoing collaboration between NSCF and OREF provides funding to accelerate the development and availability of adult stem cell therapies with the greatest potential for immediate impact, said Dr. Paula Grisanti, Chairman & CEO of NSCF. We join the orthopaedic community in congratulating Dr. Mendias on receiving this prestigious grant in honor of Dr. Urbaniak. About the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation The Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization committed to improving lives by supporting excellence in orthopaedic research. OREF is dedicated to being the leader in supporting research that improves function, eliminates pain and restores mobility, and is the premier orthopaedic organization funding research across all specialties. A list of research and funding priorities is available at http://www.oref.org/grants or by following @oreftoday on Twitter. About the National Stem Cell Foundation The National Stem Cell Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that funds adult stem cell and regenerative medicine research, connects children with limited resources to clinical trials advancing research into therapies for rare diseases, and sponsors scholarships for middle school science teachers inspiring the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) pioneers nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.nationalstemcellfoundation.org. Meet Magento events are a great opportunity for us to learn from leading international and local retailers and to showcase how our Magento hosting platform can take their eCommerce stores to the next level. Nexcess, a leading provider of performance-optimized Magento hosting, is sponsoring Meet Magento India 2018 and its associated Magento Contribution Day, a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in Magento development to learn from the Magento Community Engineering team. Meet Magento India will be Indias first Meet Magento event, and will bring together Indian and international Magento professionals, developers, and eCommerce retailers. Its an unmissable opportunity for Magento users and developers to build relationships and exchange knowledge and ideas. Jeries Eadeh, Nexcess VP of Channel Sales, will be at Meet Magento India to speak about eCommerce and application cloud management. Understanding Application Cloud Management will be useful to anyone interested in how cloud and application management intersect. Nexcess Senior Developer Miguel Balparda will also be present at Meet Magento India to deliver a talk called Making Your Life Easier With the Magento 2 CLI, a deep dive into using and extending the Magento 2 command line to streamline Magento workflows. Meet Magento India 2018 takes place on Saturday, January 6th at the Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Were looking forward to visiting India and meeting with members of its thriving eCommerce and Magento communities, commented Chris Wells, President and CEO of Nexcess. Meet Magento events are a great opportunity for us to learn from leading international and local retailers and to showcase how our Magento hosting platform can take their eCommerce stores to the next level. Nexcess is a global Magento hosting provider with facilities across the US, Europe, and Australia. Nexcess is focused on providing the fastest and most reliable Magento hosting in the world. With an unmatched reputation for performance and support, Nexcess is the ideal hosting provider for Indian eCommerce retailers seeking access to US, European, and Asia-Pacific retail markets. Meet Magento India offers a diverse range of speakers from across the industry, including Ben Marks, Magento Evangelist with Magento Inc.; Anupam Pahuja, Managing Director of PayPal India; Vatsal K Shah of Pragmatic Consultancy; and Vijay Golani, VP of Development with Wagento. About Nexcess Nexcess is a Southfield, Michigan-based global Magento hosting provider, with data centers throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia. Nexcess offers a variety of managed Magento hosting options, ranging from entry-level packages to enterprise clustered hosting configurations, with an emphasis on achieving maximum performance for high-traffic eCommerce stores. For more information, visit http://www.nexcess.net. Johnson Family Dental Johnson Family Dental, in partnership with Smile Brands, is expanding to provide greater access to high-quality, affordable dental care throughout the Central Coast area, Smile Brands Inc. together with its affiliate Johnson Family Dental announced today the acquisition of the California Dental Groups Port Hueneme location at 305 E. Port Hueneme Road. Johnson Family Dental is a growing group dental practice with five convenient locations in Central California. The group provides comprehensive general and specialty dental care plus orthodontics to residents of Santa Barbara, Solvang, Ventura, Camarillo and now Port Hueneme. Founded in 1963, Dr. Steven Johnson purchased the practice from his father in 2001 and has rapidly expanded by adding new locations and services. Johnson Family Dental, in partnership with Smile Brands, is expanding to provide greater access to high-quality, affordable dental care throughout the Central Coast area, stated Dr. Steve Johnson. We see big opportunity in the growing Port Hueneme community and are thrilled to be able to offer residents full service care at this location. The practice will be rebranded Johnson Family Dental, but Port Hueneme residents can expect the same great care they are accustomed to from Dr. Joshua Barkhordar and his team. Additional services including orthodontics and financing options will make it easier for local patients to get the care they need. Smile Brands launched their partnership with Johnson Family Dental in June, 2017 to provide business support services; including purchasing, payroll, billing, real estate, marketing and more. By partnering with Smile Brands, affiliated groups can accelerate their growth through add-on acquisitions, new locations and by leveraging the combined scale and operational expertise of Smile Brands and their supported groups. Steve Bilt, CEO of Smile Brands, stated, The Johnson Family Dental team reflects everything we look for in a partner; commitment to clinical quality, entrepreneurial spirit and a great employee-focused culture. Smile Brands is committed to supporting affiliate partners like Johnson Family Dental with the services they need to grow their business and deliver top quality care. Were excited to be helping Johnson Family Dental expand services across their region. About Johnson Family Dental Johnson Family Dental is a rapidly growing group dental practice based in Santa Barbara, California. Since 1963, Johnson Family Dental has been delivering quality care to Central California residents. With five convenient locations, Johnson Family Dental provides comprehensive general, specialty and orthodontic care in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Solvang, Camarillo and Port Hueneme. Driven by their belief that a smile can change your life, the Johnson Family Dental team is committed to delivering gentle and compassionate care at an excellent value. Johnson Family Dental relies on Smile Brands to provide world-class business support services so they can focus on delivering highly personalized patient care. Learn more at johnsonfamilydental.com About Smile Brands Based in Irvine California, Smile Brands Inc. is one of the largest providers of support services to dental groups in the United States. Smile Brands Inc. provides comprehensive business support services through exclusive long term agreements with affiliate dental groups, so dentists can spend more time caring for their patients and less time on the administrative, marketing, and financial aspects of operating a dental practice. Smile Brands supports 350+ Bright Now! Dental, Monarch Dental, Castle Dental, A+ Dental Care, OneSmile Dental, and Johnson Family Dental offices in 15 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Smile Brands is a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors (Gryphon), a leading middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit http://www.smilebrands.com. Contacts: Smile Brands, Inc. Jody Martin 714.428.1299 jody.martin(at)smilebrands(dot)com Johnson Family Dental Alex McBride 805.682.4800 ales(at)johnsondmc(dot)com Several years back we decided to do more around the holidays to help others in the local area. Rather than buying gifts for each other, we now opt to put the money toward giving back to our community. Counsel Financial announced today the recipients of its holiday-season giving campaign. Through the generosity of employees and a company match for all funds raised, the company has chosen to help support an employees extended family undergoing extensive medical treatment and associated hardship. Collectively, the company elected to offer support to one of their own and forego the giving of gifts amongst coworkers again this season. Chief Operating Officer, Megan Payne, stated, Several years back we decided to do more around the holidays to help others in the local area. Rather than buying gifts for each other, we now opt to put the money toward giving back to our community. In addition to monetary donations, the team at Counsel Financial pulled together to help supply much-needed clothing and toys to the Silver Creek Food Pantry. The Silver Creek Food Pantry provides emergency food to the working poor population in Silver Creek, New York and the surrounding communities. Winter coats and warm apparel are given out to the residents served by the organization, and parents are able to select donated toys to gift to their children for the holidays. Counsel Financial is committed to giving back to the community and fully supports the spirit of volunteerism. Throughout the year, the company supports numerous organizations including Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Camp Good Days, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and many others. Each summer, the company also hosts a charitable benefit in conjunction with the Mikey's Way Foundation, which provides electronics and internet-ready devices to children undergoing cancer treatment. This years event will take place on August 2, 2018 at Buffalo Riverworks. About Counsel Financial Counsel Financial is the largest provider of working capital lines of credit to plaintiffs attorneys in the industry, having loaned over $1.5 billion exclusively to plaintiffs attorneys in its 15-year history. Counsel Financial sets the standard for innovation and flexibility in its loan offerings, structuring terms that are conducive to the unique demands of contingency-fee practices. Leveraging 200+ years of internal legal experience, Counsel Financial has financed the growth of firms in every area of plaintiffs litigation, including personal injury, mass torts, class action and labor and employment. The company is exclusively endorsed by multiple national and state trial organizations, including the American Association for Justice and The National Trial Lawyers. Our ShopRite butchers provide great service with a real personal touch that our customers appreciate, said ShopRite Pearl River Meat Manager Bill Scorzetti. We want to give the best cut of meat to our customers because that means they will come back to us. Every day, ShopRite butchers butterfly pork chops, thin slice chicken breasts, split steaks and custom grind cuts of meat, all to a customers taste. And this holiday season, ShopRite is highlighting its team of highly trained butchers as in-house experts who can help customers make the most of holiday meals, whether barbecuing, roasting or stewing. When it comes to the holidays one of the busiest times of year for ShopRites meat departments ShopRite stores take extra steps to ensure their customers are getting a premium service while saving them precious time. ShopRite butchers can help customers find the perfect size turkey for their guests, and shoppers can pre-order sausage for their stuffing or extra thighs and wings for gravy. Special orders really ramp up in December, when many of the prime rib roasts in the meat case are loosened off the bone and hand-tied by ShopRite butchers who prepare the holiday roasts to meet increased demand. Butchers are always available to take special orders and make suggestions on the best cuts of meat. Few supermarkets offer both the expertise of in-store butchers and the guaranteed freshness of daily deliveries. But ShopRite offers both, with butcher service similar to the old-fashioned corner meat market. ShopRite of Pearl Rivers team of butchers in the ShopRite store in Pearl River, N.Y. has nearly 160 years of combined experience. Its not uncommon for customers to ask for their favorite butcher at the ShopRite of Pearl River. Our ShopRite butchers provide great service with a real personal touch that our customers appreciate, said ShopRite Pearl River Meat Manager Bill Scorzetti. We want to give the best cut of meat to our customers because that means they will come back to us. Eighty-three-year-old Bernard Smith, who has worked at the Pearl River store for the last decade, stumbled into the trade more than 60 years ago when his mother wanted him to find a job. She got him a spot in a butcher shop in Manhattan and he never looked back. I love what I do, and I love working with customers. We take a lot of pride in our work, said Smith. At ShopRite of Hillsdale in Hillsdale, N.J., Tony Garcia, a third-generation butcher, also followed his familys tradition in the trade. The first thing my dad said was, You have to take care of the customer, Garcia said. Thats the key to the business. If you take care of the customer, youll be fine. The ShopRite of Hillsdale recently opened one of the very first certified organic butcher shops in a supermarket. Butchers at the store will have the ability to custom cut organic beef, poultry and pork on a USDA-certified counter dedicated to organic food preparation. More shoppers today are seeking grass-fed, organic, and pasture raised meats. ShopRite, which has expanded organic and natural sections in the meat department, also recently introduced Farm Promise, a line of beef and pork products that comes from family-owned farms in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and upstate New York. ShopRite stores were also recognized recently for being a top seller of high quality Certified Angus Beef (CAB), meeting strict standards for marbling, tenderness, appearance and taste when it comes to the CAB label. Whether its seasoned burgers for shoppers needing a quick dinner solution, grass-fed, paleo-friendly meats, or the perfect roast for a holiday dinner, ShopRites butchers are committed to providing a robust selection, great service and the finest, freshest meat thats really a cut above the rest. For more information, visit http://www.shoprite.com. About ShopRite ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With more than 270 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than six million customers each week. A long-time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite has donated more than $43 million to 1,700 worthy charities and food banks since the program began in 1999. For more information, please visit http://www.ShopRite.com. ### ME Skin Care - Men's Skin Care Made Simple ME (Mens Essentials) Skin Care, a lifestyle brand of skin care products solely for men, is pleased to announce its official launch. Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, the family-owned company serves customers across the country via their official website, https://www.me1skincare.com/. ME Skin Care is designed to clear out the clutter, simplifying mens skin care to a compact line of highly effective products. Every item is produced in the United States by a manufacturer that is FDA registered and CGMP (current good manufacturing practices) compliant. All products are paraben-free, sulfate-free, and free of artificial colors. Rather than pushing numerous unnecessary products, the company is passionate about providing men with just the items they need to look and feel their best. ME Skin Care is equally passionate about customer service. Their phone line is answered by the owners, who work hard to make every interaction excellent. ME Skin Care encourages customers to join their email list for access to special discounts, sales, and new product information. They also maintain an active social media presence, and welcome stories and photos with the hashtag #me1skincare. Men who are ready for a simple, effective skin care line designed to meet their needs are invited to visit the website (https://www.me1skincare.com) or to call the company at 855-ME1-SKIN for more information. FedComp, the Virginia-based core data processor, today announced a partnership to introduce Venminder third-party vendor risk management services to its more than 600 credit union clients. Venminder, headquartered in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, provides personnel and software to help credit unions and other financial services businesses with the tactical work of assessing and mitigating third-party vendor risk. In addition to partnering with Venminder to extend services to its clients, FedComp also uses Venminder to manage its own vendor relationships. Third-party vendor relationships are a fact of life for every financial institution, and financial institutionsincluding the credit unions FedComp so proudly serveshave a regulatory obligation to carefully manage those relationships, explains FedComp Chief Operating Officer Anna Duff. Even small credit unions can use upwards of 50 outside vendors, so this obligation presents significant manpower and resource challenges. Although financial institutions cant outsource ownership of third-party vendor risk, they can outsource the tactical work of assessing that riskwhich is why were partnering with Venminder for the benefit of our credit unions. Its easy for our clients to launch with Venminder, so theyll quickly benefit from top-quality vendor managementjust like we do here at FedComp, adds Karen Rys, FedComp program director. But Venminders defining difference is the quality of its people. Theyre experts in every facet of vendor management. And from our own experience, I know Venminder personnel care deeply about their work and the people they advise. The partnership with Venminder enables FedComp to pass on attractive pricing to its credit union clients. With FedComp as their critical core processor and many of our credit union clients using overlapping providers, our partnership makes it affordable for even our smallest clients to work with Venminder, Rys comments. But, its not just about the attractive pricing. In addition to acquiring control over their third-party vendor relationships from a compliance standpoint, working with Venminder also can help them facilitate closer partnerships with their vendors, resulting in better vendor performance and, for some, even lower costs. FedComp clients look to us for education, direction and advice to keep them at the top of their game in serving their members and staying compliant, and we take their trust seriously, says Duff. Third-party vendor management is a pain point that, if not handled diligently and well, has substantial consequences, and regulators have made clear that vendor management will be an increased focus in examinations. Having found a partner in which we have confidence to aid us in our own vendor management, were confident in connecting our clients to this trusted resource. Compton Unified School Districts (CUSD) dramatic turnaround was firmly sealed this week with the release of its official high school graduation rate of 86.1%, a 6% increase over the prior school year. The latest California Department of Education Accountability Dashboard shows graduation rates for three of the Districts high-schools (Compton, Centennial and Dominguez) as being at 86% and higher, with increases in graduation numbers shown across all demographic groups tracked in the Dashboard. The Dashboard shows that more CUSD scholars are graduating than ever before, said CUSD Board President Satra Zurita. This is a testament to the hard work of our students, families, teachers, principals and stafftoday is truly a great day in Compton! The now-dubbed Compton Turnaround was initiated five years ago when Superintendent Darin Brawley, along with the current Board of Trustees, pulled the district out of dire financial straits and chronic low-achievement. Though we have achieved growth or maintained the prior years growth in many of the areas other than graduation tracked by the dashboard, we recognize that there is still much work to be done, as graduation is just one step to ensuring students are college and career ready, shared Dr. Brawley. Even still, we are excited about the direction we are heading in and are ready to meet the challenge of continued growth and exponential improvement in achievement. A laser-sharp focus on student achievement and student safety has been at the core of the turnaround, bolstered by a shift toward a heightened integration of STEAM throughout all schools, facilities improvements, student wellness and of course, strengthening instruction. What I am most happy about when it comes to this exciting news, is that it points directly to our amazing students while completely turning on its head how some folks perceive Compton, commented Board Vice President Micah Ali, also one of the architects of the Compton Turnaround. I hope theyre ready, because this is just the beginning! Below are the high school graduation rates as found in the California Dashboard. It should be noted that Compton Early College is in its second year of operation and will have its first graduating class in the 2019-20 school year. Dominguez 87% Centennial 87% Compton 89% Total 86% In addition, the district will be partnering with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) and the California Department of Education to enact continuous improvement measures in certain areas tracked by the Dashboard. Information on the Dashboard can be found at https://www.caschooldashboard.org/#/Home. The Compton Unified School District is located in the South Central region of Los Angeles County, California, and encompasses the city of Compton and portions of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles. The district currently serves nearly 26,000 students at 40 sites: twenty-four elementary schools, eight middle schools, four comprehensive high schools and five alternative schools. The mission of the Compton Unified School District is to empower leaders to lead, teachers to teach and students to learn by fostering an environment that encourages leaders and teachers to be visionary, innovative and accountable for the achievement of all students. END KeywordFirst was ranked one of 15 leaders in the Clutch digital agency matrix. KeywordFirst, an independent digital marketing agency, today announced that it has been ranked by research firm Clutch as a market leader for pay-per-click advertising. Earlier this year, Clutch also ranked KeywordFirst as one of leading Chicago-based digital marketing agencies. Clutch, a business-to-business research firm, evaluated and ranked global digital marketing agencies using a proprietary research methodology that incorporated factors ranging from the agencys market presence to client reviews. The reviews covered agency attributes such as quality of work performed and project management skills. KeywordFirst was ranked one of 15 leaders in the Clutch digital agency matrix. Clutchs research noted the all-around quality of KeywordFirsts capabilities in areas such as pay per click, digital strategy, and social media marketing; its portfolio of clients; and consistently strong customer reviews. The complete KeywordFirst profile, including client reviews, is available here: https://clutch.co/profile/keywordfirst Clutch also ranked KeywordFirst as one of the global leaders in pay-per-click advertising in 2016. Kurt Anagnostopoulos, KeywordFirst owner/founder, said, "The Clutch ranking is especially meaningful because KeywordFirst built our reputation by delivering results with performance media. Were honored to be ranked as a leader. Mark Smith, KeywordFirst principal, said, "Were also pleased to be ranked as a leader in two Clutch evaluations in 2017 as we build off our roots in pay-per-click advertising and deliver comprehensive digital marketing services. Chicago-based KeywordFirst, which manages performance media such as paid search, social and display, has a reputation for being measurable, open and accountable in its work. The agency continues to build its brand by developing client relationships, talent, marketing and thought leadership. About KeywordFirst KeywordFirst is an independent digital marketing agency that creates customer relationships through performance media. Its clients include brands such as Business Outfitters by Lands' End, United Airlines, Michaels and Pond5. KeywordFirst's services, which include paid search, mobile, organic search and display, ensure that its clients' digital media spend leads to measureable results such as increased sales and stronger customer advocacy. The Chicago-based agency draws upon the talents of industry veterans who have been doing paid search longer than Google has. The agency's core values are transparency in execution, accountability for results and collaboration with clients. Visit http://www.keywordfirst.com to learn more. The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce will recognize the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue, Law Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Personnel at the 7th Annual Public Safety Awards. The awards breakfast will be held on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Brunswick Volunteer Fire Hall. Honorees will be selected by an unbiased committee of Chamber Members based on heroic acts and community service performed above and beyond the call of duty. More than 300 attendees attended this event last year, including the division heads from Frederick Countys Law Enforcement, Fire and Rescue, Animal Control, and Emergency Communications, as well as elected officials from the city and county. Dianah Gibson, WFRE radio personality will emcee the event and Sam Vitale, Sicilian Tenor, will perform the national anthem. Awards will be presented to Fredericks bravest and most committed professionals who have made personal sacrifice to keep the community safe. Sponsorships are now available, please contact Kelly Beach at kbeach@frederickchamber.org for more information. Advance registration available online at frederickchamber.org beginning January 2, 2018, and is required to attend. Snow date for this event is March 20, 2018. The 2017 Public Safety Awards was made possible by the following generous sponsors: Complete Document Solutions Maryland Corp OHS Hankeys Radio Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling Tranquillity of Fredericktowne Audio Video Group Frederick County Bank Stauffer Funeral Homes Antietam Technologies Frederick Brick Works Leidos Biomedical Research National Safety Supply Plamondon Companies Atlantic Emergency Solutions Berman, Sobin, Gross, Feldman and Darby, LLP City of Brunswick Colonial Jewelers Mount St. Mary's University PNC Bank - Frederick HR Answer Box About the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce: Frederick County Chamber of Commerce members represent over 35,000 local jobs in a wide variety of industries: Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Skilled Trades, Service and Hospitality, Technology, Government, Nonprofit, Biotechnology, and Education. More than 80% of members are small businesses with 20 or fewer employees. The Frederick Chamber is the first Chartered Chamber in the United States. To learn more about the Chamber, call 301.662.4164 or visit frederickchamber.org. ezbob is pleased to announce that its white label LaaS platform has won Best Technology Initiative for 2017 from the Financial Innovation Awards. Tomer Guriel, CEO of ezbob stated, "its great to to receive recognition from the banking industry in which we operate. We launched our platform in 2012 and have continuously developed the technology to a point where an SME can apply for business funding online in less than 10 minutes with no paperwork and receive funding within hours." Guriel added, "we view our technology as a facilitator for financial inclusion. As an entrepreneur, we all know how long it typically takes to apply for a loan from a bank and as a business owner, time is precious. We at ezbob, made it our mission to expedite the process and we believe that we have revolutionized SME borrowing experience." ezbob's lending platform caters to the UK's entire 5.2M SMEs from Sole Traders, Partnerships and Limited Companies. ezbob clients include RBS / NatWest under the ESME loans brand as well as Clydesdale Yorkshire Bank. About: The Financial Innovation Awards are judged by the London Institute of Banking and Finance as well as UK Finance; an organisation that combines the activities of major UK organisations including the Asset Based Finance Association, the British Bankers Association, the Council of Mortgage lenders and more. About ezbob ezbob is a UK based 'Lending as a Service' software provider for banks and other financial institutions. The company's leading product is an digital end to end business loan platform. The automated online platform analyzes the applicant's personal and business information, including links to business bank accounts, online marketplaces, online accounting providers, payment service providers, and e-commerce platforms with which ezbob is integrated. ezbob compiles this data into a workable client profile in an instant so that its risk engines can make a qualified decision, allowing the approved applicants immediate funding. Oak Tree Capital, Bank Leumi, the Hagshama Fund and the UK Government's Business Bank's Angel Co-Fund are equity investors in the company. Partners include Alibaba. For millions of fortunate people around the world, Christmas-time is often spent in a family home together. Together, we generously share gifts, eat fabulous food and make many memories. Usually, we also sit around the T.V together and watch an iconic Christmas movie. There are many reasons a Christmas movie can become iconic, but one thing they all have in common is a central hub (often a home) where a lot of the action takes place. Its often these homes which remain imprinted in our memory and instantly recognisable, despite not having seen the movie for years. But what would some of these houses be worth in todays market and what sort of mortgage deal could you get? MortgageKey take a look at these houses in more detail. #1 Home Alone (1990) How Much Is It Worth? Where else would we begin, other than the McCallisters monstrous family home? Situated in a quaint and suburban setting, the property itself is anything but ordinary. Its value is clearly reflected in the devastating size of the house. Therefore, it was no surprise that young Kevin McCallister went to extreme lengths to thwart off the threat from local looters Marv and Harry! Value in 1990: 1,500,000 Todays Value: 1,585,000 Location: 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, Illinois, Chicago Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: 317,000 (20%) Mortgage Length: 25 years Interest Rate: 4.0% Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Repayment: 6,693 Total Interest Payable: 739,891 #2 Elf (2003) Buddys Dads Apartment The loveable elf, Buddy, makes the most of living in his fathers extravagant apartment, despite being unfamiliar in his surroundings. Although the character may be out of place, the Manhattan apartment is perfectly situated in the city, and the sort of establishment many of us fantasise about ( just as much as Buddy fantasises about Christmas itself). Value in 2003: 530,000 Todays Value: 1,050,000 Location: 55 Central Park West, Manhattan, New York Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: 315,000 (30%) Mortgage Length: 30 years Interest Rate: 3.8 % Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Repayment: 3,425 Total Interest Payable: 497,923 #3 Love Actually (2003) Martine McCutcheons House Loveable gent, Hugh Grant, plays David (the recently elected Prime Minister) who falls for Natalie (a new member of staff at 10 Downing Street). Now, were not going to begin to estimate the cost of the Prime Ministers home, instead, its the girl next doors simple terraced house were interested in. Love Actually House Price Value in 2003: 255,000 Todays Value: 1,800,000 Location: Wandsworth, Herne Hill, London Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: (25%) 450,000 Mortgage Length: 28 years Interest Rate: 3% Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Repayment: 5,944 Total Interest Payable: 647,053 #4 The Holiday (2006) The Idyllic House You know the one. The charming, and typically English, cottage in an idyllic setting where Kate Winslet lives. She then allows Cameron Diaz to inhabit it for a short time. Furthermore, not only was Jude Law a neighbour but a frequent visitor to the cottage; were not sure if this has anything to do with the overall value though. The Holiday House - How much is it worth Value in 2006: 475,000 Todays Value: 725,000 Location: Godalming, Surrey Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: (20%) 145,000 Mortgage Length: 20 years Interest Rate: 3.2% Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Repayment: 3,275 Total Interest Payable: 206,011 #5 Bridget Jones Diary (2001) Bachelorette pad The one-bed flat, come solo drinking saloon, may well be all too identifiable for a lot of lonely Londoners. However, its location overlooking the bustling Borough Market made many of us green with envy throughout the first installment of Bridgets world of mishaps, madness and misfortunes. Yet, we suspect, many of us wouldnt mind a lifestyle and a little pad just like Bridgets. Bridget Jones' Apartment Value in 2001: 190,000 Todays Value: 650,000 Location: Borough Market, London Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: (50%) 325,000 Mortgage Length: 10 years Interest Rate: 4% Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Repayment: 3,290 Total Interest Payable: 69,856 #6 About A Boy (2002) Bachelor Pad A film familiar to many because of the Badly Drawn Boy theme tune Something to Talk About, the little lads outlandish haircut, Will Freemans (Hugh Grant) lonely, lothario lifestyle and a duck murdered by a loaf of bread. In amongst that though was Wills luxurious bachelor pad, earnt through the royalties of his fathers famous Christmas song Santas Super Sleigh. About a boy batchelor pad Value in 2002: 345,000 Todays Value: 1,500,000 Location: Eastern Central (EC1), London Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: (50%) 325,000 Mortgage Length: 10 years Interest Rate: 4% Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Repayment: 3,290 Total Interest Payable: 69,856 #7 Miracle on 34th Street (1994) The Dream Suburban Home This is the Christmas movie which makes us realise that believing in Santa is just as fictitious as believing in God. Because if In God We Trust like the back of the American $1 bill suggests, then in Santa we should trust too. Even more so, if he helps deliver the wishes of little Susan Walkers who dreams of a picturesque house, the perfect bedroom and baby brother. Lone and behold they all come true. Thanks, to Santa! Miracle on 34th street house Value in 2002: 1,380,000 Todays Value: 2,750,000 Location: Forest Lake, Illinois Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: (35%) 962,500 Mortgage Length: 25 years Interest Rate: 2.8% Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Mortgage Repayment: 8,292 Total Interest Payable: 700,027 #8 Bad Santa (2003) Christmas In The Sun Billie Bob Thornton plays dishevelled, disgruntled and disgraced shopping mall Santa (Willie Stokes). He has an elf side-kick with whom he masterminds criminal activities. However, it isnt until the naive Thurman Merman, sees the real Santa in Willie and invites him into his grandmothers home, that we see the full splendour of the property. Bad Santa House Value in 2003: 699,000 Todays Value: 1,130,000 Location: Whitehall Lane, West Hills, CA Typical Mortgage Example Deposit: 226,000 (20%) Mortgage Length: 30 years Interest Rate: 3.5% Mortgage Type: Repayment Monthly Mortgage Repayment: 4,049 Total Interest Payable: 557,371 http://mortgagekey.co.uk/blog/8-iconic-christmas-movie-homes-much-they-cost/ American Veterinary Group We are fortunate for the opportunity to partner with a hospital like Lakeside Animal Hospital as Dr. Diasti has built an impeccable reputation for quality care and customer service in the North Tampa community since 2003. American Veterinary Group, a Florida-based network of animal hospitals, is pleased to announce that Lakeside Animal Hospital has joined the AVG family. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Azza Diasti, her Associate Veterinarian Dr. Colleen Elligott, and the entire team to the AVG family, commented Craig Niebur, Chief Executive Officer of American Veterinary Group. We are fortunate for the opportunity to partner with a hospital like Lakeside Animal Hospital as Dr. Diasti has built an impeccable reputation for quality care and customer service in the North Tampa community since 2003. At the American Veterinary Group, we understand the issues facing veterinary business owners because our leadership team has been in this industry for over 100 collective years. Founded in 2015, our goal is to be a flexible partner for veterinary business owners at all stages, from younger veterinarians wanting to invest in a practice, to more experienced veterinarians preparing for retirement. Based in Florida, with local team members, we provide ongoing, in-person support to ease the burden of the day-to-day operations of veterinary practices, including in-office staff training, educational and marketing tools, and back office support. We deliver high touch practice management solutions to help veterinarians focus on the needs of their patients, instead of the needs of their business. We are animal lovers above all else, and operate with the motto pet first, client first. After nearly 15 years of building and driving all aspects of my veterinary practice, the burden of the administrative side of the practice continued to take an increasing amount of time away from my primary goal caring for our patients and their families, said Dr. Diasti. I plan to continue practicing at Lakeside for many years to come so ensuring that I found a partner with a similar culture and getting to know and trust the leaders that Id be working with were critical to my decision process. After meeting the American Vet Team, I quickly realized that they were the right fit for my hospital and brought the resources and skillsets I needed to bring my practice to the next level. We respect the unique personality and culture of each veterinary hospital and understand how important it is to preserve the special relationships that clients have with their vets, continued Craig Niebur. Our veterinary practice partners can attest to our hands-off approach on medical decision-making. AVGs collaborative approach to behind-the scenes management support enables animal hospitals to serve their communities even better. The partnership with Dr. Azza Diasti and Lakeside Animal Hospital is the second new hospital partnership in 2017 as AVG continues to ramp up its development efforts within the state. About American Veterinary Group Founded in 2015, American Veterinary Group owns and manages a network of veterinary hospitals that treat and protect over 50,000 pets annually. AVG delivers high touch practice management solutions to help veterinarians at all stages of the practice lifecycle, focus on the needs of their patients, instead of the needs of their business. American Veterinary Group is a portfolio company of Latticework Capital and Trive Capital. More information is available at http://www.americanveterinarygroup.com. About Latticework Capital Founded in 2014, Latticework Capital is a Dallas, Texas-based private equity group focused on making control equity investments in lower-middle market healthcare companies across the United States. Latticework leverages its over 40 combined years of healthcare experience, as well as its network of industry executives, to help companies and management teams grow and realize their full long-term value. More information is available at http://www.latticeworkcapital.com. About Trive Capital Trive Capital is a Dallas, Texas-based private equity firm managing over $2 billion in capital. Trive focuses on investing in what it sees as strategically viable middle-market companies with the potential for transformational upside through operational improvement. Trive seeks to maximize total returns to its investors through a hands-on, collaborative partnership with management teams and equity partners. For more information, visit http://www.trivecapital.com. Dental Aid, the areas only nonprofit organization that supports the oral health care needs of low income adults and children, is pleased to share three impact stories on how its SMILES Dental Project program has not only improved the oral health of participants, but their overall quality of life, too. Launched in March 2017, the SMILES Dental Project operates out of four remote sites including Mental Health Partners, Sister Carmen Community Center, Bridge House and OUR Center. Dental Aids SMILES project uses collaborative, telehealth-connected dental teams to perform preventive and early intervention services for adults and children in low-income, rural areas. The teams also initiate referrals, as needed, for follow-up treatment with a dentist, thereby expanding access to dental services and improving overall health outcomes. The program delivers these services to approximately 30 patients a week. Dental Aid is one of six organizations across Colorado selected as a SMILES Dental Project participant; it is the only such provider in Boulder and Broomfield counties. Many adults and children especially in low-income, rural communities dont visit dental offices and clinics on a regular basis due to the cost, location of services, cultural and language barriers. Without ongoing preventive care, patients suffering from pain and infections end up in emergency rooms where they rack up higher healthcare costs. Some recent impact stories include: Sallys Story Sally, a Boulder county resident, found about Dental Aids SMILES project through Boulder-based Mental Health Partners (MHP). In her words, My mouth pain and inability to get to, and afford, a dentist caused me to spiral downward into a place of hopelessness. The resulting increase in her sense of fear and anxiety led to her increase her self-medication. I was seeing my MHP counselor and she connected me to the Dental Aid hygienist that operates right there, said Sally. Sally is now out of pain. She regularly sees the dentist, and her counselor, who sees a direct correlation between Sallys improved well-being and access to the care provided through the Dental Aid SMILES project. Mental Health Partners Collaboration Toni Moon, Mental Health Partners Director of Health Homes and Integrated Care, added, People with mental health concerns often have many significant co-occurring physical health, quality of life and social challenges. As a result, the idea of going to the dentist on a regular basis, if at all, can be an insurmountable task. We need oral health care to come to where our people already are and address the most urgent dental concerns in the context of their daily lives. Oral health care is an important piece of their wellness that cant be ignored, she said. Integrating oral health care into the life of a person struggling with mental health challenges is a long, intentional and important journey. Dental Aids approach is to first introduce the patient to the dental hygienist, show them the room and equipment, talk through fear, anxiety, myths, and facts, and then rehearse. After that step is complete, an appointment is scheduled do one small procedure. Moon added, Over time, Ive seen how the attention to oral health among those with significant mental health concerns can, and often does, lead to increased socialization, employment, interest in self-management, empowerment, improved quality of life and overall heath. A Bridge House clients story It was clear Max, a client Bridge Houses resource center for the homeless, had significant dental needs when he first connected with the Dental Aid SMILES program at the center. It can be challenging for any community service organization to stay in touch with the homeless. This was the situation with Max until a former Bridge House client, now employee, helped reconnect him with Dental Aid. The employee was able to share program details along with a message stating if Max could get to any of the program sites, Dental Aid would help him. And, to Maxs credit, he sought out Dental Aids help at their program site based at Mental Health Partners (MHP). Max made an appointment to see the Dental Aid team after his MHP counseling sessions. As a result, some of Maxs front teeth were repaired restoring Maxs self-esteem and smile. Max is now working and is off of the streets! He now maintains his oral health through Dental Aids SMILES program site at Mental Health Partners office. Barriers such as cost, transportation, and meeting daily needs of food and shelter, can make dental care inaccessible to struggling members of our community. The Dental Aid and Bridge House staff, as well as his counselor at Mental Health Partners, all strongly believe that Maxs connection to oral health never would have happened if he had to initiate his dental care on his own. Dental Aid believes everyone deserves to have healthy teeth and gums. Financial status should not limit anyone from receiving high quality oral health care, said Dennis Lewis, Dental Aid president. This program aligns with our mission to deliver quality dental care services to our areas underserved residents who cannot get to our clinics. This grant has enabled Dental Aid to reduce many of the dental care access barriers for the underserved in Boulder and Broomfield counties. SMILES Dental Project is funded jointly by the Caring for Colorado Foundation and the Colorado Health Foundation. We have a long-standing commitment to improve oral health for underserved populations in Colorado, says Chris Wiant, president and CEO of Caring for Colorado Foundation. The SMILES Dental Project gives us the opportunity to test new and innovative ways of providing access to care for populations unable to access care through the traditional dental care system. About Dental Aid Dental Aid provides compassionate, affordable, high quality dental care and education to low-income and uninsured residents of Colorados Boulder and Broomfield counties. The long term clinical focus of Dental Aid follows a chronic disease management model directed at prevention, education and treatment in the early stages of disease. In addition to direct clinical care, Dental Aid prioritizes education and outreach to high-risk patients including: Families and children of all ages Pregnant women People with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and HIV/AIDS People with physical, mental or emotional disabilities Dental Aid was one of the first stand-alone, nonprofit, complete-care dental clinics in the U.S. The organization as founded in 1974 as a referral organization and opened its first full-service clinic in 1980. Today, Dental Aid provides dental care to more than 8,000 children and adults annually. It provides services through three clinics (Boulder, Longmont and Louisville, CO) and a satellite clinic at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless. In addition, portable dental equipment is used to bring dental care to the homebound or those living in long term care facilities. For more information, visit http://www.dentalaid.org. About SMILES Dental Project SMILES Dental Project is funded jointly by Caring for Colorado Foundation http://www.caringforcolorado.org and the Colorado Health Foundation. http://www.coloradohealth.org. To learn more, visit the SMILES blog at http://www.caringforcolorado.blogspot.com. John P. Hutchins You may ask yourself, Who would fall for this? But it works far more often than you might expect. As companies strive for better data privacy and cyber security, they should keep in mind that social engineeringoften in the form of simple con jobsremains the biggest threat, cautions LeClairRyan attorney John P. Hutchins in a new post on the national law firms Law & Technology blog. Theres evidence to suggest that users are getting suckered by fake messages more and more every year, writes Hutchins, co-leader of LeClairRyans Technology & Innovations practice team and a shareholder in its Atlanta office. According to Verizons 2016 Data Breach Investigation Report, in fact, 30% of phishing messages were opened by their intended targets, and about 12% of recipients then went on to click malicious attachments or links. In the Dec. 5 post (Despite Equifax Breach Causes, Social Engineering Still Biggest Threat to Data Security), Hutchins notes that complex technical issues related to cyber security and data privacy have been the focus of recent high profile data breaches, citing the massive data breach revealed by Equifax this past September as an example. While early media reports largely focused on the companys alleged failure to apply a patch to fix a security hole in open source software called Apache Struts, Hutchins writes, many experts are not so sure this actually caused the breach. Most security breaches are not the result of sophisticated technical hacks, he writes. The fact is that social engineering is the top method of gaining access to corporate computer systems and the sensitive data they hold. In the post, Hutchins describes common ways in which employees can be tricked into divulging confidential information such as passwords or ID numbers. Employees might, for instance, double-click email attachments that contain malicious code, thereby giving attackers access to computer systems and valuable data. Or they could be suckered into interacting with unexpected pop-ups, fake apps or games that request profile information and/or include malware. Social engineers are creative, the attorney writes, and are continually coming up with new twists on old techniques such as phishing emails or fake texts (SMiShing). However, Hutchins writes, data thieves are also perfectly willing to take low-tech approaches such as dumpster diving for documents that should have been shredded, or just visiting an office and pretending to be a vendor, a rep from building management/security, a new employee who needs help, or someone from another office in the company. To illustrate, Hutchins cites the example of a lurker standing in the hallway carrying stacked boxes. As you approach, he appears to clumsily reach for his key-card, Hutchins writes. You swipe yours instead, kindly holding the door for him as he walks in with his boxes. A con job like this gives the innocent-looking lurker access to files, the network, or other sensitive information or infrastructure. Simple impersonation tends to work because it leverages the human tendency to trust othersespecially if they display credentials such as uniforms, badges or ID cards. But these markers of legitimacy can pretty easily be faked, Hutchins writes. His post also covers common phone scams such as the infamous CEO/manager scheme. Here, attackers gather publicly available info about the target company, the CEO and those managers and employees who may be authorized to handle cash transfers. The schemers use this data to make a call to a target employee, impersonating the CEO, and coercing the employee into making an urgent and high-dollar cash transfer to a designated bank account, Hutchins writes. You may ask yourself, Who would fall for this? But it works far more often than you might expect. In the post, he advises that almost all social engineering depends on attackers establishing familiarity or authority to build trust. Companies should watch out for strangers making liberal use of company lingo, or mouthing details that seem to verify their claimed identities but that, upon further investigation, fall apart, he writes. Social engineers like to try to create a sense of urgency, so the victim will act faster than usual and make the mistake the attacker is banking on, Hutchins notes in the post. Most often, if the target will take a few seconds to think it through, he or she will get the feeling that somethings not quite right, and that instinct is usually correct. Or if the target will make that one extra call to verify, the scammer claiming to be from building maintenance will suddenly disappear. In conclusion, Hutchins cautions that social engineering is still very much alive. Your company is most likely to be hit by a debilitating data breach because your employee base isnt well-enough-equipped to recognize social engineering when it happens, he writes. That leaves your company at serious risk, regardless of how up-to-date your technical systems are. Regular and high quality training is readily available, and it is absolutely essential. Launched earlier this year, LeClairRyans cross-office, cross-disciplinary Technology & Innovations team focuses on ramping up service for companies that sell or are heavily dependent upon technology. Members include attorneys with broad experience in tech-related issues associated with transactions, litigation, IP, communications, regulations/compliance, deal making and more. The full blog post is available at https://lawandtechnologyblog.com/despite-equifax-breach-causes-social-engineering-still-biggest-threat-to-data-security/ About LeClairRyan As a trusted advisor, LeClairRyan provides business counsel and client representation in corporate law and litigation. In this role, the firm applies its knowledge, insight and skill to help clients achieve their business objectives while managing and minimizing their legal risks, difficulties and expenses. With offices from coast to coast, the firm represents a wide variety of clients nationwide. For more information about LeClairRyan, visit http://www.leclairryan.com. ### Press Contacts: At Parness & Associates Public Relations, Bill Parness, (732) 290-0121, bparness(at)parnesspr.com. Its no secret that the workforce is changing. Social media, big data, and Millennials have made their permanent mark on todays business landscape, says Catherine Gray, JD, senior managing editor of HR for BLR. Competing for top talent in this marketplace requires new strategies and better ways t BLRBusiness & Legal Resources, the leading provider of employment compliance, recruiting, and learning and development solutions and the publisher of Recruiting Daily Advisor e-newsletter, is traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, for its 3rd annual RecruitCon conference. The 3-day event features an all-new agenda, including intensive preconference workshops, learning labs, dynamic keynotes, and networking opportunities. RecruitCon will equip talent acquisition professionals with cutting-edge best practices to supercharge their acquisition efforts, as well as new technologies to streamline recruiting, the latest analytics to support evidence-based talent decisions, and so much more. Businesses often struggle with time to fill, which can cost $22,000 per position over the average period of 44 calendar days. RecruitCon provides use-them-now strategies for reducing time to fill, optimizing the job candidate experience, and so much more. The opening keynote speaker is John Hall, CEO of Influence & Co. and the best-selling author of Top of Mind. The Business Journal named Hall a top-100 visionary, and he was recently recognized by Forbes as a must-see speaker. Hall kicks off the main event discussing ways to naturally build trust with candidates and attract the best talent. Launching day 2 of the conference is Bob Kelleher, employee engagement expert, best-selling author, and international speaker. Kellehers keynote is titled You DONT Have an Engagement Issue, You Have a HIRING Problem, and he will focus on hiring for the important behaviors and traits that define the organizational culture. In addition to intensive workshops, superior networking opportunities, and optional preconference sessions, RecruitCon 2018 takes place in the heart of downtown Nashville, named one of the hottest tourism spots of 2017. Here is a curriculum sneak peek for RecruitCon 2018: Groundbreaking Talent Strategies for the Future of Business: May 9, 2018 | Preconference Sessions Preconference Workshop (a.m.): Growing Your Online Presence: How to Build Out Your Social Media Recruiting Strategy Preconference Workshop (p.m.): Interviewing Dos and Donts to Help You Avoid Legal Pitfalls, Identify Ideal Candidates, and Negotiate a Winning Offer May 10, 2018 | Main Conference Opening Keynote: If They Dont Trust You, They Wont Give You the Time of Day: Steps to Unleash Your Influence and Engage Those Who Matter to You General Session: Outlook on the 2025 Workplace: How to Attract the Next Generation of Talent by Effectively Attracting Millennials and Gen Z Workshop: How to Effectively Use Photos and Videos to Create Job Postings that Are Sure to Attract Talent And more May 11, 2018 | Main Conference Opening Keynote: You DONT Have an Engagement Issue, You Have a HIRING Problem General Session: Recruit Like a Private Investigator: Using Social Profiles and Other Tools to Track Down the Most Valuable Candidate Information Workshop: 5 Steps for Creating Compelling Candidate Communications to Boost Response Rates And more Its no secret that the workforce is changing. Social media, big data, and Millennials have made their permanent mark on todays business landscape, says Catherine Gray, JD, senior managing editor of HR for BLR. Competing for top talent in this marketplace requires new strategies and better ways to reach candidates. RecruitCon 2018 will help attendees understand these trends, roll out their own improved recruitment processes, and discover better ways to improve candidate engagement and onboarding, which will ultimately aid in boosting employee retention and business performance. Recruiting Daily Advisor offers free webcasts, articles, and reports on topics important to recruiting and talent professionals. Its content comprises the most up-to-date best practices and technologies being used and tested in the workforce today. RecruitCon 2018 will be held at the Hilton Nashville Downtown in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information on attending or sponsoring the event, please visit live.blr.com/recruitcon. About BLR BLRBusiness & Legal Resources helps U.S. businesses simplify compliance with state and federal legal requirements and helps them become more successful. It does this by offering authoritative content and practical, easy-to-use tools. Through their expert in-house editors and exclusive attorney network, the company provides the most comprehensive, reliable, state-specific information availableand does it in all 50 states. Its award-winning information productsincluding training programs, events, Web portals, reports, and subscription servicesgive businesses of all sizes and industries the best tools available at affordable prices. Connect with the organization at https://www.linkedin.com/company/blr. Contact Kimberly St. Lawrence Senior Marketing Manager | Events BLRBusiness & Legal Resources 100 Winners Circle, Suite 300, Brentwood, TN 37027 P 800-727-5257, Ext. 3874 kstlawrence(at)blr(dot)com http://www.BLR.com Southport Truck Group Tampa Truck Center and Fort Myers Freightliner, both wholly owned by Tampa Truck Center LLC, have united under a common brand nameSouthport Truck Group. This re-branding precedes the completion of new 26,000 square foot dealership facility at 16110 Lee Road in Fort Myers and is part of a broader growth strategy on the part of the executive team. Principal owner, Cary Addison puts it this way, We almost did this 8 years ago when we acquired the Tampa location. We thought then, and know now, we dont want to be constrained by a geographic orientation in our name, and we want our associates and customers to know were all on the same team. The Fort Myers facility represents a significant commitment to the commercial truck & RV customers of Southwest Florida. It will be the most modern commercial truck dealership in the area consisting of 17 service bays, a 5000 sq ft parts warehouse, sales offices, and ample parking for tractors, trailers, and RVs. The location is ideally suited with easy access from Interstate 75 via the Alico Road exit. It is projected to be fully operational by March 2018. Mr. Addison explains, Southport Truck Group will allow us to continue our growth strategy under a unified name. We are always looking for opportunities to expand and improve our ability to serve commercial truck and RV users. About Southport Truck Group Southport Truck Group, formerly Tampa Truck Center & Fort Myers Freightliner, is a full service commercial truck dealership representing Daimler Trucks North Americas Freightliner and Western Star truck brands as well as Mercedes Benz USAs Freightliner Sprinter commercial vans. In addition, Southport Truck Group is an authorized parts, service and warranty provider for Freightliner, Western Star, Sprinter, Detroit, Freightliner Custom Chassis, and Cummins. Visit southporttruck.com for more information. Nikolaos Psillakis, an immigrant and citizen of the United States, has completed his new book How To Pass The Citizen Examination: a comprehensive study guide created by the author from his own experiences and extensive research. According to Psillakis, I was an immigrant also and I have reached my dream of becoming an American citizen. Citizenship is the most important thing you need to achieve in order to move to a higher ground in this great country. I have done extensive research on this topic in order for you to pass the citizenship examination. Thousands of people who have read this manual all passed the exam with flying colors. You will save a lot of money and time being in classrooms. In a very short time, you will know what you need to do to pass the citizenship exam. Good luck to you, in the greatest country on earth! Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Nikolaos Psillakiss educational work summarizes all subjects and categories that are included in the citizenship examination in extensive detail. The author is confident that if readers thoroughly study this book they will be successful on passing the citizenship examination. Psillakis wanted to help others on their journey to obtaining citizenship and save money and time on classes in the process. This guide will put readers well on their way to completing the citizenship test with flying colors. Readers who wish to experience this educational work can purchaseHow To Pass The Citizen Examination at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Kobo, 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. America Campaign - TIE Joint Logo America Campaign and Technology & Innovation in Education (TIE) are proud to announce the launch of Teachers Teaching Tech, a joint partnership with Code.org to provide computer science professional development to K-12 educators in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota. The Teachers Teaching Tech initiative will raise awareness of the importance of computer science education in these four states and will work with local school districts to recruit and train 6,000 new computer science teachers by Fall 2021. This multi-year partnership with Code.org puts a national spotlight on the growing computer science education movement in rural states and communities. Through this partnership, Code.org will invest more than $615,000 over the next 3 years to support the professional development of K-12 teachers in the Teachers Teaching Tech region. We are excited to grow our relationship with Code.org and to be working with our new partner Technology & Innovation in Education to expand the partnership in our neighboring states. said Devin B. Holmes, Founder of America Campaign, After a successful first year as Code.orgs Regional Partner in Montana, we now have over 60 teachers and over 11,000 K-12 students studying Computer Science in Montana, an increase of almost 400% from 2016. By continuing to bringing Code.org curriculum to teachers and schools, we will be able to better prepare K-12 students in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota for the jobs of the future Our partnership with America Campaign and Code.org allows us to substantially grow the effort to bring quality computer science learning experiences to students in the region. In the last year, TIE provided free training to nearly 1000, K-5 classroom educators in South Dakota. The four state partnership allows us to expand the outreach to additional grade levels in and beyond South Dakota. By capitalizing on the high quality, free Code.org curriculum and training provided by our organizations, schools have an easy entry point into the realm of computer science. The outreach provided by the partnership is a key component of addressing essential workforce needs in the region, said Julie Mathiesen, TIE Director. "Code.org is proud to partner with America Campaign and Technology & Innovation in Education (TIE) to expand access to computer science in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota at a time when the majority of K-12 schools still don't offer it, says Hadi Partovi, CEO and Founder of Code.org. By offering Code.org Professional Learning Programs, America Campaign and TIE will give teachers the tools and support they need to introduce foundational 21st-century skills into their classrooms and put all students on a path to success in today's high-tech world." To learn more about Code.orgs Regional Partner program, visit: https://code.org/educate/regional-partner About Teachers Teaching Tech Teachers Teaching Tech is a joint partnership between America Campaign, Technology & Innovation in Education and Code.org. As the Regional Partner for Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota, the Teachers Teaching Tech initiative brings no cost professional development in Computer Science for K-12 teachers to these four states. To learn more, visit: http://www.teachersteachingtech.org. About America Campaign The America Campaign is a national nonprofit focused on improving lives through technology, education and the arts. Its educational initiatives include the Big Sky Code Academy, an accelerated coding boot camp offering online and on-site immersive training for the next generation of software developers, Montana Code Girls, a girls only youth program offering events, after-school programs and summer camps to Montanas girls and young women interested in technology and most recently Teachers Teaching Tech, a joint partnership with TIE and Code.org to bring K-12 computer science professional development to teachers in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota. To learn more, visit: http://www.americacampaign.org About Technology & Innovation in Education Technology and Innovation in Education (TIE), a division of Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (BHSSC), has provided over 30 years of quality professional development opportunities for educators, with a focus in high-need, rural areas. TIEs purpose is to make a difference in the education environment, by providing quality service, and staying on top of cutting-edge technology and training strategies Learning is our work. To learn more, visit http://www.tie.net About Code.org Code.org is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities. Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science, just like biology, chemistry or algebra. Code.org organizes the annual Hour of Code campaign which has engaged 10% of all students in the world and provides the leading curriculum for K-12 computer science in the largest school districts in the United States. To learn more, visit http://www.code.org ### Christopher Mason, PhD Associate Professor Weill Cornell Medicine WorldQuant (WQ) Scholar & Director, WQ Initiative for Quantitative Prediction; Shuiquan Tang, PhD Scientist, Zymo Research Corp. Infectious disease surveillance and monitoring is critical in settings where disease outbreaks and antibiotic resistance can dramatically impact human health. Rapid and accurate detection of human pathogens between closely related strains and across phylogenetic kingdoms is paramount to mitigate disease outbreaks and to diagnose affected individuals. This webinar will demonstrate cross-kingdom species detection by simultaneously sequencing DNA from eight bacteria and two fungi in the ZymoBIOMICS control. Speakers will describe the impact of a sickness on the proportion of natural flora. Participants will learn the tools implemented for microbiome and metagenome data analysis and species detection, such as BLAST, MetaPhlAn, and CLARK. They will learn the most prevalent bacteria of the skin, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, oral cavity, and urogenital tract. The speakers for this webinar, which is sponsored by Zymo Research, will be Dr. Christopher Mason, Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Dr. Shuiquan Tang, a scientist at Zymo Research Corp. Mason completed his dual Bachelor of Science in genetics and biochemistry from University of Wisconsin-Madison, before going on to earn his doctorate in genetics from Yale University. He is currently an Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, with appointments at the Tri-Institutional Program on Computational Biology and Medicine, the Meyer Cancer Center, and the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute. The Mason laboratory develops and deploys new biochemical and computational methods in functional genomics to elucidate the genetic basis of human disease and human physiology. Tang is currently a research scientist at Zymo Research. He received his doctorate from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry from the University of Toronto. He joined Zymo Research in 2014, and has since been instrumental in the research and development of Zymo's microbiomics and metagenomics programs. Most recently, Dr. Tang has been involved in the development of Zymo Research's microbiomics portfolio. LabRoots will host the event January 30, 2018, beginning at 9:00 a.m. PST, 12:00 p.m. EST. To learn more about this event, the continuing education credits offered, or to register for free, click here. About Zymo Research Corp. Zymo Research Corp., also known as "The Epigenetics Company", is a privately held company based in Irvine, California, USA. Since its inception in 1994 it has been serving the academic and biopharmaceutical scientific communities by providing DNA and RNA purification products. Zymo Research was an early adopter in the field of epigenetics and offers a line of products used in DNA methylation detection and quantitation. In addition to the epigenetic and nucleic acid purification products, Zymo also provides genetic, epigenetic and transcriptome analysis services. Follow Zymo Research Corporation on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Zymo Research Corp., the stylized logo, and the tagline "The Beauty of Science is to Make Things Simple" are trademarks of Zymo Research Corp. and are registered with the USPTO. About LabRoots LabRoots is the leading scientific social networking website, which provides daily scientific trending news, as well as produces educational virtual events and webinars, on the latest discoveries and advancements in science. Contributing to the advancement of science through content sharing capabilities, LabRoots is a powerful advocate in amplifying global networks and communities. Founded in 2008, LabRoots emphasizes digital innovation in scientific collaboration and learning, and is a primary source for current scientific news, webinars, virtual conferences, and more. LabRoots has grown into the worlds largest series of virtual events within the Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics community. Diana Lewis is returning to the WXYZ Channel 7 airwaves beginning Sunday, December 17th at 11pm. During her time at WXYZ (1977-2012), Lewis made her mark as the best known and most popular female news Anchor ever in the Detroit TV Market. Lewis, who has been beloved over the years by millions of Metro Detroiters, returns to TV in a new role. Lewis has been hired by Goodman Acker as a spokesperson, and her spots in her year long campaign will begin this Sunday during the 11:00pm News on WXYZ Channel 7. A second spot will run between 11:30pm and Midnight. Spots will continue to air throughout the next 52 weeks exclusively on WXYZ. Commercials will also air on WMYD, Channel 20. "I am so excited and proud to be working with the good people at Goodman Acker, and it is fitting these spots will be airing on WXYZ Channel 7, my home for more than 35 years, Lewis said. Gerald Acker, Senior Partner at Goodman Acker stated, Diana Lewis is the trusted member of the news media that we always looked to over the last 30 years. We knew that people could trust her, the same way that theyve trusted Goodman Acker over the last 30 years. Goodman Acker will continue its Goodman Acker, Good Decision Campaign, produced by Mindfield Productions of Detroit, which airs on all stations, including WXYZ Channel 7. Goodman Acker is located at 17000 West 10 Mile Road, between Greenfield and Southfield Roads, in Southfield, Michigan. It handles all types of personal injury accident cases statewide, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, slip and fall accidents, and more. Visit http://www.GoodmanAcker.com/DianaLewis for more information. Visit http://www.GoodmanAcker.com or call (248) 793-2010 for more information about the law firm. Renters Warehouse "This acquisition not only adds more units to our current portfolio, but we are now the preferred leasing and property management vendor for Home Invest here in Milwaukee. Renters Warehouse, one of the largest and highest reviewed residential property management companies in America, announced today that its Milwaukee franchise, established in October 2014, has taken over the property management contracts for hundreds of single-family properties from Home Invest Property Management of WI, LLC. Renters Warehouse Milwaukee acquired a total of 223 units from Home Invest, bringing its total doors under management to 453. At this time, 408 (or 90%) of those properties are currently occupied on account of a strong rental market in the Milwaukee area and across the Midwest. This strategic acquisition is key to building an even bigger Renters Warehouse footprint and brand across the state of Wisconsin. It also helps extend the brand much further given that Home Invests varied client base is located throughout the United States and around the world. As local franchise owners Andrew Noegel and Tom Didier shared, We are very excited to grow the business. This acquisition not only adds more units to our current portfolio, but we are now the preferred leasing and property management vendor for Home Invest here in Milwaukee. While Home Invest will continue to internalize property management in other markets across the country, the Home Invest Acquisitions & Rehab team will add anywhere from 10 to 30 additional units per month to the Renters Warehouse leasing and management business in Milwaukee. Something Noegel and Didier look forward to as part of a much larger future partnership. We are thrilled to be providing top-notch leasing and management services for both our current and future Home Invest clients in our market, they shared. We are very much looking forward to future investor growth here in Wisconsin. With the Midwest being known for its affordable lifestyle and scenic escapes, its no surprise that many Americans are choosing to settle down in cities such as Milwaukee, making it an attractive landscape to invest in single-family rental properties. The median rent price in Milwaukee is between $1,050 and $1,200, according to Zillow with the median listing price for a home for sale at $119,900. Renters Warehouse exists to help homeowners and investors create wealth and financial freedom through Rent Estate. To learn more about Rent Estate, visit http://www.rentestaterevolution.com and order your copy of Rent Estate Revolution, Renters Warehouses cornerstone book for the masses authored by Kevin Ortner and with foreword Dr. Arthur B. Laffer, Phd., Economic Policy Advisor to President Ronald Reagan. About Renters Warehouse Renters Warehouse is one of the fastest growing and highest reviewed residential property management companies in America. Backed by growth equity investor and majority stakeholder Northern Pacific Group, and under the leadership of President and CEO Kevin Ortner, Renters Warehouse now manages more than $3 billion in residential real estate, servicing over 13,000+ investors across 20,000+ residential homes over 42 markets and 25 states. NPG Managing Partner Scott Honour, who in 1999 was a founder of YapStone, a leading online rental property payment service provider, serves as Chairman. Renters Warehouse expertly serves everyday single-property homeowners as well as real estate investors. In 2015, the company officially trademarked the term Rent Estate to redefine the entire SFR (Single Family Rental) industry as more traditional real estate gives way to this new lucrative asset. Through their dedicated Portfolio Services Division led by Chief Investment Officer Anthony Cazazian, the company also brings professional, scalable and efficient single property management solutions to investment portfolios with both centralized services and local market expertise and staff. Not only has Renters Warehouse received the prestigious honor of being included on the Inc. 500 | 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies in America eight consecutive years in a row, it was also named one of the Best Places to Work in Minnesota (where they are headquartered) by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016. The company was also honored as a best place to work in Arizona (a centralized corporate services center) by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2013, 2014 and 2017, and achieved a spot on the prestigious 2016 Top Companies to Work for in AZ list. Nationwide, Renters Warehouse has been honored as one of America's "Best Places to Work" in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 by Outside Magazine. Recognized as pioneers in real estate, business management and innovation, Renters Warehouse has been awarded 22 Business Stevie Awards both internationally and stateside. In 2017, Renters Warehouse received an A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) after meeting the BBBs eight Standards of Trust and earning BBB Accreditation. In 2016, Morningstar Credit Ratings, LLC, a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) offering a wide array of services including operational risk assessments, assigned its MOR RV2 residential-vendor ranking to Renters Warehouse as a residential property manager, indicating that the company demonstrates proficiency in managing key areas of operational risk. In 2017, Renters Warehouse published its first book - Rent Estate Revolution. Authored by CEO Kevin Ortner, the book shares the Renters Warehouse philosophy and business expertise around single-family rentals and the power of Rent Estate to drive long-term wealth creation, retirement security and financial freedom for the everyday person. Order your copy today: http://www.rentestaterevolution.com. Media Inquiries / Interviews: Crystal Richard Public Relations crystal(at)renterswarehouse.com Reggie Calloway leads group during recording of "Houston." Photo credit: Melvin Galloway The song Houston is a symbol of hope in a time of much need. It is a powerful call to action for the music-making and music-loving communities to support the rebuilding of the decimated Houston public school music programs. Led by five-time Grammy nominee and Sound Royalties Director of Funding Reggie Calloway, a group of renowned musicians from the Los Angeles area today released a new charity single to benefit and grow music programs in the Houston Independent School District recently devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Titled Houston with the main message of Bless Your Children, the song is now available on iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music and a variety of digital and streaming platforms. The soul-stirring track is led by Reggie Calloway and Vincent Calloway and features Walter and Wallace Scott of The Whispers, Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge, Kevin Toney of The Blackbyrds, Brian ONeal of The BusBoys and musicians Freddie Washington and Herman Jackson, among others. The cohort pledged their time and talent for an all-day recording session at Skip Saylor Recordings studio and then later at the studio of respected producer Tommy Brown. Inspired to take meaningful action in the aftermath of the catastrophic Hurricane Harvey, Calloway wrote the song and then assembled the talented group of Los Angeles musicians to bring his idea to life. A behind-the-scenes video that will premiere on December 22 on YouTube will showcase clips from the making of the songs and highlight the power of creative teamwork with a uniting purpose. The song Houston is a symbol of hope in a time of much need. It is a powerful call to action for the music-making and music-loving communities to support the rebuilding of the decimated Houston public school music programs, Calloway said. So often, the perils and disasters that occur in the world seem to leave us paralyzed and we do nothing. But I have learned that we can make a difference one word at a time, one song at a time, one instrument or book at time, and one child at a time. Houston, bless your children. Member of the duo Calloway and founder of popular techno-funk band Midnight Star, Reggie Calloway is a five-time Grammy nominee, including a nomination for R&B Songwriter of the Year for his hit song Casanova. Currently, he serves as Director of Music Royalty Funding for music-focused finance firm Sound Royalties, which is a strong champion of this effort by Calloway. Sound Royalties is proud to support our very own Reggie Calloway in this important project to help build back Houstons public school music programs, said Alex Heiche, Founder and CEO of Sound Royalties, which ran its own hurricane relief efforts for affected musicians in September. We encourage the music community to rise in support of music education across the globe, starting with this vital campaign for Houston. Houston is available now on iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music and a variety of digital and streaming platforms. All proceeds will benefit music programs in the Houston Independent School District affected by Hurricane Harvey. About Sound Royalties Founded by CEO Alex Heiche, Sound Royalties, LLC is a privately-owned specialty finance firm that helps music industry professionals fund personal and professional projects while allowing them to retain the rights to their music and royalties. The companys core business is offering royalty advances of anywhere from $5,000 to $10 million, without having to deal with credit issues, while preserving all rights to the artists music. It does this by advancing artist royalties paid through music labels, digital performance royalties paid through Sound Exchange, songwriter royalties and performance royalties paid through music publishers and Performing Rights Organizations such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, and music streaming royalties from Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. To date, Sound Royalties, LLC has worked with a wide range of leading music industry professionals, including Grammy Award winners, platinum recording artists and notable music industry executives in every genre. Learn more at https://www.soundroyalties.com. Firewood Marketing employees stepped up to support the community this holiday season by raising over $56,000 for Bay Area nonprofits through employee-driven holiday activities. In Firewoods annual Season of Giving program, employees nominated Hack the Hood, National Alliance on Mental Illness in San Francisco, Senior Access, and UndocuFund to be part of this years charitable donations made by the agency. Agency employees shared reasons why they nominated the organizations during Firewoods recent holiday party. Each organization was selected to receive a $10,000 donation from Firewood. Additionally, Firewood turned a November employee happy hour into a charitable giving opportunity to support victims of the recent fires in Napa and Sonoma counties, collectively raising more than $16,000 through employee donations matched by the agency. The funds were donated to the La Luz Center Fire Relief Fund that supports underserved families affected by the fires. Employees are also supporting the community through a new Firewood Spark program launched in September, which provides pro bono digital marketing services for Bay Area nonprofits. Firewoods digital marketing experts are offering their skills to help numerous charitable organizations. Services include setting up a Google Ad Grants nonprofit account, as well as consultation about Google AdWords search marketing strategy, keyword research, campaign building, YouTubes nonprofit ads program, and paid social media outreach. Nonprofit organizations may learn more and apply for pro bono digital marketing assistance through the program site at https://firewoodmarketing.com/giving-back/. Our employees are at the heart of Firewoods charitable efforts, and were proud of their involvement in supporting the community, said Lanya Zambrano, co-founder of Firewood. From day one, we have always focused on giving back to our communities. This is part of the fabric and values we all share at Firewood. We look forward to further leveraging our resources to partner with many more organizations in the future. To learn more about the organizations supported through Firewoods holiday giving activities, visit: Hack the Hood at http://www.hackthehood.org La Luz Center Fire Relief Fund at http://www.laluzcenter.org National Alliance on Mental Illness in San Francisco at http://www.namisf.org Senior Access at http://www.senioraccess.org UndocuFund at http://www.undocufund.org About Firewood Marketing San Francisco-based Firewood Marketing provides strategy, creative, and digital marketing solutions for a variety of clients, including notable high-tech brands, start-ups, and Fortune 500 companies. They partner with clients both through a traditional agency model and through an innovative, embedded approach. They are a team of dedicated professionals who work hard to deliver above expectations with curiosity that extends far beyond their work. To learn more, visit http://www.firewoodmarketing.com. AEPONYX, the worlds emerging leader in micro optical switches, today announced a seed financing round of CAD 4.3 million led by Fonds Innovexport and Ecofuel Fund, in collaboration with private investors. This funding enables AEPONYX to complete the development and industrialization of its revolutionary planar micro optical switch chips based on a unique proprietary platform combining silicon photonics with micro-electrical-mechanical-system (MEMS). The funding, aggregated to the California-based incubator Silicon Catalysts in-kind contribution and to secured non-dilutive government financing, completes AEPONYXs total investment of CAD 10 million for ramp-up of production by 2019. AEPONYX has exceptional potential to revolutionize fiber optic communications and to accelerate the transition to the new, faster and more efficient global NG-PON2 standard, said Richard Bordeleau, President of Fonds Innovexport. MEMS and silicon photonics-based micro optical switches dramatically increase the speed of large-scale telecommunications systems and reduce the energy needs of data centers. The AEPONYX team, led by CEO Philippe Babin, is impressive, added Bordeleau. Philippe was able to rapidly build a strong network of partners and investors to support AEPONYXs growth. AEPONYX is a tangible example of how an energy efficient innovation can have a positive impact on the environment, said Richard Cloutier, Managing Partner of the Ecofuel Fund. We are happy to partner with AEPONYX and work with Philippe and the management team to build on this momentum to execute the companys business plan. We are delighted to count Fonds Innovexport and Ecofuel Fund as part of our investor consortium, explained AEPONYX CEO, Philippe Babin. Beyond financing, they also provide the continuous support and guidance needed to capitalise on this global opportunity. The level of our technological innovation is at par with leading platforms in the fast-growing markets that can leverage it, he added, including next-generation fibre optic telecommunications access networks, datacenters, and 5G mobile networks which, combined, represent a multibillion-dollar opportunity. Silicon Catalyst CEO, Rick Lazansky, said, This round of funding is further proof that promising innovative companies such as AEPONYX are now attracting increasing investor attention. Silicon-based solutions like AEPONYXs planar micro optical switch chips are asserting their central position in the continuing telecom and data center revolution, added Lazansky. For more information, visit: http://www.aeponyx.com. About Fonds Innovexport Based in Quebec City, Fonds Innovexport invests in start-up companies headquartered in the Province of Quebec and dedicated to the development and commercialisation of innovative products or services with strong export potential. Innovexport comprises twenty-five experienced entrepreneurs, as well as the Government of Quebec represented by Investissement Quebec, the Fonds Espace CDPQ de la Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, Desjardins - Innovatech, the Fonds de solidarite FTQ, and Fondaction CSN. Innovexport benefits from the financial support of the City of Quebec under its Economic Development Strategy Program. For more information, visit: fondsinnovexport.com About Ecofuel Ecofuel is a venture capital fund and a specialized and personalized accelerator dedicated to cleantech startups. Ecofuel, powered by Cycle Capital, works with entrepreneurs to help build globally competitive companies. The Ecofuel Fund invests smart money in seed and early stage startups that develop and commercialize clean technologies while the Ecofuel Accelerator offers entrepreneurs training workshops, networking sessions, an experienced mentor ecosystem. With $30M in assets under management, the Ecofuel Fund, co-founded by Cycle Capital, is sponsored by Investissement Quebec, acting as mandatory of the Government of Quebec, BDC Capital, the investment arm of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Fondaction, the Fonds de solidarite FTQ and the Centre Quebecois de valorisation des biotechnologies (CQVB). For more information, visit: ecofuelaccelerate.com. About Silicon Catalyst Silicon Catalyst is the only incubator focused exclusively on solutions in silicon, building a coalition of in-kind and strategic partners to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of development. With a world-class network of mentors to advise startups, Silicon Catalyst is helping startups address challenges moving from idea to realization. The incubator/accelerator supplies startups with facilities, a path to funding, tools, networking and marketing acumen to successfully launch their companies novel technology solutions. Silicon Catalyst was the recipient of the prestigious 2015 ACE Award for Start-Up Company of the Year. For more information, visit: siliconcatalyst.com. About AEPONYX Inc. AEPONYX is a micro optical switch leader designing and marketing chips for fiber optic access to the cloud. With its patented technologies, combining planar Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) and Silicon Photonics, AEPONYX builds the fastest, most affordable and smallest micro optical switches for tunable transceivers and optical circuit switches. AEPONYX is an alumnus of Silicon Catalyst, the world's first incubator focused exclusively on semiconductors based in California. For more information, visit: aeponyx.com. Media Contact: Philippe Babin, CEO, AEPONYX Philippe.Babin(at)aeponyx(dot)com P: +1 (514) 360-7746 We are excited to continue to grow in the great state of Kentucky, and share the Pieology brand with the Florence community. Pieology, the creator of personally-inspired pizzas, announces the grand opening of its newest location at 6785 Houston Rd, Suite #300 in Florence, Kentucky. Join the local Florence community as it officially welcomes Pieology to the neighborhood on Tuesday, December 19. As the restaurant opens its doors, guests can expect delicious handmade personal pizzas crafted with only the freshest ingredients and signature sauces. Boasting a variety of menu options as well as the ability to create your own personalized pie, Pieology delivers limitless pizza combinations, all of which are stone oven fired in six minutes or less.* The fast-casual pizza restaurant is excited to bring its newest location to Florence as it continues to grow its community of Pieology lovers. What began in California as a promise to deliver creative and delicious personally-inspired pizzas has grown into a nationwide family of restaurants that is excited to bring that same quality experience to the Florence community." Award-winning Pieology has been dishing out delicious hand-crafted pizzas since 2011, growing from a simple idea to bring creativity back to pizza that now encompasses over 100 stores across the nation. In addition to Pieologys original thin crust and new PieRise* thick crust pizzas, guests can enjoy custom salads as well. Even dairy-free diners can rejoice, as this location will offer Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese. With all of these delicious offerings available for dine-in, carry out, and online ordering options, Pieology truly offers something for everyone. In addition to serving up delicious pizza, Pieology is committed to making a positive difference in the community it serves by hosting fundraising events to support local causes. Weve taken great pride in delivering delicious and creative pizza while connecting with the communities of southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky, says Andrew Ransick, general manager of Pieology Florence. We are excited to continue to grow in the great state of Kentucky, and share the Pieology brand with the Florence community." Pieology Florence will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Guests can stay up to date on the latest offerings and get special access to deals by joining Pie Life, Pieologys community of friends and flavor pioneers. To learn more about Pieology, visit http://www.pieology.com or find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. *PieRise may take slightly longer depending on location About Pieology Pizzeria Using only the freshest ingredients along with signature sauces and crusts, award-winning Pieology offers hand-crafted, personally-inspired pizzas in unlimited flavor combinations that are stone oven fired in six minutes or less. Founded in 2011, Pieology was created from the simple idea to turn Americas most craveable food into an affordable and interactive experience. Pieologys mission is to inspire individual creativity in a positive atmosphere where guests can gather with family and friends, while enjoying their delicious pizza creations. Along with providing great food and a memorable dining experience, Pieology is committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves, one pie at a time. For more information, visit http://www.pieology.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Much has been said about happiness about what it is and how to get it, but little has been said about how to stay happy. My book answers why this is by addressing the reasons instinct needs us to be unhappy. - Dr. Robert Dawson In time for New Years resolutions, author and retired clinical psychologist, Dr. Robert Dawson, has released How to be Happy in Spite of Yourself, which details ways to achieve happiness, how to stay happy, and explains how instincts cause unhappiness. With over 40 years of experience, including owning his own private practice, Dr. Dawson is now providing his methods for anyone to discover in his new book. Much has been said about happiness about what it is and how to get it, said Dr. Dawson. Little has been said about how to stay happy. We all share the experience that happiness is hard to achieve and even harder to hold on to. We are not often happy, and when we are, we dont stay happy for long. In contrast we are often unhappy, and when we are it seems to be enduring. My book answers why this is by addressing the reasons instinct needs us to be unhappy. In the book, Dr. Dawson details the three-step habit people need to develop to moderate the negative effect of the human survival instinct on the quality of life that he discovered through his study of evolutionary psychology. Upon reading the book, readers will be able to identify how their instinct is undermining their happiness and see it for what it is a normal and necessary automatic reaction to lifes challenges and then, they can be on their way to being happy in spite of it. To learn more please visit http://www.drrdawson.com. How to be Happy in Spite of Yourself By Dr. Robert Dawson ISBN: 978-1-5043-0978-3 (sc), 978-1-5043-0979-0 (e) Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Balboa Press Bookstore About the author Dr. Robert Dawson graduated with an honors degree in psychology from the Australian National University, a masters degree in clinical psychology, and a PhD from the University of Melbourne researching the comparative effectiveness of cognitive and behavior therapies. He is a member of the specialist Clinical College of the Australian Psychological Society and has worked in private practice as a clinical psychologist for more than forty years. He has lectured in the psychology programs of three Australian Universities and was in charge of the Psychology Department of Royal Darwin Hospital. For ten years he trained Psychiatrists, Doctors, Psychologists, and other Allied Health Professionals in the skills of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Dr. Dawson lives in Queensland, Australia. For general inquires & review copies contact: LAVIDGE Phoenix Lauren Dickerson ldickerson(at)lavidge(dot)com 480-998-2600 Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum Awards to Gilbane We are pleased to honor Gilbane with this award due to their efforts in identifying and working with capable minority subcontractors on their projects. - Milton Thibodeaux, President, GHBPF Leading global construction and facilities-related services firm, Gilbane Building Company, was recently honored with multiple awards for efforts in promoting and enhancing the success of economically and socially disadvantaged businesses in Houston. The Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum (GHBPF) honored Gilbane with the Majority Construction Firm of the Year, and employee Darlene Cowins with an Award of Merit for her efforts in coordinating activities. We are pleased to honor Gilbane with this award due to their efforts in identifying and working with capable minority subcontractors on their projects. They have done an outstanding job in participating in the forum and hosting outreach events at their downtown Houston office giving minority firms a chance to present their capabilities and network with each other and with Gilbane, says Milton Thibodeaux, President, Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum, We look forward to a continued successful partnership with Gilbane as we go into the coming year. We are fortunate to work in a community where many talented small businesses are looking for opportunities to participate in our projects in meaningful ways that allow them to grow and develop their business. This also allows us to increase the number of quality companies that we have at our disposal to work with us on our projects. says Jim Springer, Vice President, Gilbane Building Company. The Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum (GHBPF) was established in 1991 to be a world class Forum uniquely designed to provide advocates an opportunity to promote and enhance the success of economically and socially disadvantaged businesses". About Gilbane Building Company Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build and facility management services for clients across various markets. Founded in 1873 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has 48 office locations around the world. NFP, a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property & casualty (P&C), retirement and individual private client solutions, today announced that it has acquired Dalton Timmis Insurance Group, Inc. (DTG). The transaction closed on December 7, 2017. Based in Ancaster, Ontario, DTG is a market-leading P&C insurance broker with commercial expertise in trucking and transportation and a unique personal lines offering. DTG was recognized as the top brokerage by Insurance Business Canada (2017) and as Brokerage of the Year by Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (2016). The organization has additional offices across Ontario (Burlington, Mississauga and Midland) and Western Canada (Edmonton and Calgary). Principals of the firm Brian Timmis, Domenic Tesone and Greg Padovani have all been instrumental DTGs success and will join the executive leadership team of NFP in Canada, reporting to Marty Shaw, President of NFP in Canada. DTGs outstanding senior leadership team of Tara Carruthers, Josh Pauls and Dan Avon will also join NFP as vice presidents. Were excited to welcome the entire DTG team to the NFP family. Were committed to the Canadian market and have total confidence that DTGs leadership team and employees will be outstanding partners to help us drive our Canadian expansion strategy alongside Marty and his team, said NFPs Chairman and CEO Doug Hammond. Marty Shaw added, The DTG transaction opens a new chapter for NFP, creating a premier P&C platform in Canada, and expands our P&C services in two of Canadas largest provinces, providing significant resources to NFPs footprint in the region. The result is a full-service broker, complementing our world-class benefits and pension portfolio across Canada. Were especially excited about the possibility of increased synergies between our benefits and P&C offerings. Were happy to close the year with this impactful transaction, which will provide strong growth momentum heading into 2018 and beyond, said Timmis, Tesone and Padovani in a joint statement. Building on a robust set of existing services, joining NFP will generate a deeper portfolio of consultative services and product offerings for both our existing clients and prospects. We couldnt be happier. About NFP At NFP Corp., our solutions and expertise are matched only by our personal commitment to each client's goals. Were a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property & casualty, retirement and individual private client solutions through our licensed subsidiaries and affiliates. NFP has more than 3,800 employees and global capabilities. Our expansive reach gives us access to highly rated insurers, vendors and financial institutions in the industry, while our locally based employees tailor each solution to meet our clients' needs. Weve become one of the largest insurance brokerage, consulting and wealth management firms by building enduring relationships with our clients and helping them realize their goals. Recently NFP was ranked the 4th largest U.S.-based privately-owned broker and the 5th largest benefits broker by global revenue by Business Insurance, the 9th largest property & casualty agency by total 2016 P&C revenue by Insurance Journal, the 11th largest global insurance broker by Bests Review and the 12th largest broker of U.S. business by Business Insurance. For more information, visit NFP.com. Partnering with EVO Payments International is the perfect choice for Sabadell. Banco Sabadell (Sabadell) and EVO Payments International (EVO) have reached agreement on a 7-year strategic partnership in which EVO will provide its industry-leading products and services to Sabadells merchant customers. EVOs payment solutions will be marketed through Sabadells retail branch network in Mexico and by corporate banking representatives. The partnership enables Banco Sabadell to significantly enhance its merchant offerings, at a time when the bank is experiencing significant growth in Mexico, by deepening its relationships with business and corporate customers, strengthening its position as a financial solutions provider and increasing its market share across all products. Partnering with EVO Payments International is the perfect choice for Sabadell, said Banco Sabadell Executive VP Product, Operations & Technology Rafel Niell Galmes. The relationship allows our bank to focus our time and resources on core banking products while meeting the ever-changing payments needs of our merchant customers. It reflects Banco Sabadells commitment to provide our customers with best-in-class solutions across all financial products. Gabriel Mejia, General Manager of EVO Mexico, stated, We thank Banco Sabadell for entrusting EVO with the opportunity to partner with the Bank. We feel certain EVOs suite of value-added products and services will significantly enhance the experience of Sabadells existing customers and position Sabadell for additional growth in the Mexican market. About Banco Sabadell Banco Sabadell is currently the fourth largest Spanish bank with more than 2,767 offices and about 26,412 employees. Its total assets already exceed 219,092.80M Euros. Located in Barcelona, it has been operating in the Spanish financial market since 1881, and represents a leading franchise in the segment of business and entrepreneurs with international presence. Since 2016, the Bank has been licensed to operate as a financial entity in Mexico. It has significantly exceeded its growth forecast in terms of volume ever since, based on the growth experienced in its business and corporate banking credit portfolio. Likewise, it has placed credits over MXN$4.8B in Business Banking and over MXN$31.3B in Corporate Banking in a high credit rating, Tier 1 and 2 Company-centered portfolio. Furthermore, it already has an important presence in the market as it has 250+ collaborators, as well as 13 corporate and office centers located in key cities such as Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Leon, Queretaro, and Cancun. Visit us at http://www.bancosabadell.com. About EVO Payments International EVO is a leading payments service provider of merchant acquiring and processing solutions for merchants, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), financial institutions, Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), government organizations and multinational corporations located throughout North America and Europe. A principal member of Visa and MasterCard, EVO offers an array of innovative, reliable and secure payments solutions and merchant services, backed by an uncompromising commitment to exceed the expectations of our customers and partners. For more information, please visit http://www.evopayments.com. The LEAD Fund is thrilled to foster and support the development of a new generation of thought leaders on the critical issues of our time, said Jennifer Tucker, Chair of the LEAD Fund Board of Directors. The Fund for Leadership, Equity, Access and Diversity (LEAD Fund) announced its first class of LEAD Fund Authors today. The LEAD Fund Authors were chosen from the research papers submitted by students or graduates of colleges and universities. The topics for the papers had to relate to the mission of the Fund, which is access, equity, social justice, diversity and inclusion. This years authors, Natalie Giron and Dakota Strode, both attended or are currently enrolled at American University in Washington, DC. Natalie D. Giron, a recent honors graduate from American University, conducted research on the Educational Experience of Undocumented Latinx Students and Families in the New Political Climate. Dakota Strode, a senior at American University currently spending his first semester at Trinity College in Ireland, wrote about LGBTQA+ Rights & Obama. The LEAD Fund is thrilled to foster and support the development of a new generation of thought leaders on the critical issues of our time, said Jennifer Tucker, Chair of the LEAD Fund Board of Directors. Both topics are very timely, given the current debates about the rights of immigrant students under the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals, or DACA initiative, and the protections of members of the LGBTQA+ community, said Shirley J. Wilcher, President and CEO of the LEAD Fund. These papers were well-written and are a testament to the outstanding potential of our future scholars in the Academy and practitioners in the equity and diversity professions, she added. The Fund for Leadership, Equity, Access and Diversity (LEAD Fund) was established to provide thought leadership in promoting inclusive organizations and institutions through research and education on issues related to diversity, social responsibility, human and civil rights. The LEAD Fund is a Think and Do tank, which advances new knowledge and tested strategies aimed at eliminating prejudice and discrimination. The Fund is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. It complements the work of the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (AAAED) through programs and activities that address a range of concerns, including affirmative action, equal opportunity, equity, access, civil rights, and diversity and inclusion in education, employment, business and contracting. The scope of the Funds activities is both domestic and international. The LEAD Fund places a special emphasis on the emerging demographics in the United States in all of its work. The LEAD Fund Authors Program emphasizes Diversity in Action and is committed to promoting undergraduate and graduate research that advances new understandings and tested strategies aimed at expanding organizational or institutional knowledge of access, equity, and diversity. LEAD Fund Authors are selected among a diverse pool of applicants who present their work in the form of poster presentations at the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversitys (AAAED) annual conference and in other venues. They may also submit their papers directly to the Fund. Selected presenters will become LEAD Fund Authors and will have the opportunity to have their presentations published by the Fund. If their research is chosen for publication, LEAD Fund Authors will receive an honorarium. To view the 2017 LEAD Fund Authors papers, visit the LEAD Fund webpage at: https://www.aaaed.org/aaaed/LEAD_Fund_Authors_of_2017.asp. U.S. Xpress Logo We place a very high value on the experience, commitment and work ethic of veterans. Our Top 10 Military Employer honor is fueling our drive to find even more innovative ways to give these deserving men and women a jump start on a high-paying, rewarding career. -- Eric Fuller, CEO of U.S. Xpress U.S. Xpress, one of the countrys largest truckload carriers, is pleased to announce today that the carrier has been designated as a Top Military Friendly Employer by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouses magazines. This recognition comes after U.S. Xpress was named number seven on the 2018 Top 10 Ranking of Military Friendly Employers with revenues above $1 billion and acknowledges the companys continued focus and overall commitment to hiring veterans and supporting them during their civilian careers. U.S. Xpress appreciates the tremendous contributions our veterans have made and continue to make to this country and our company, said Eric Fuller, CEO of U.S. Xpress. We place a very high value on the experience, commitment and work ethic of veterans. This is why our company pushed so hard to make our Apprenticeship Program a reality, and now, our Top 10 Military Employer honor is fueling our drive to find even more innovative ways to give these deserving men and women a jump start on a high-paying, rewarding career. Victory Medias Military Friendly list, which has been published since 2003, helps connect veterans returning home with careers, schools and various support opportunities across the United States. The ranking is based on how companies and organizations perform across six categories: Career Opportunity and Advancement, Culture and Commitment, Hiring and Onboarding, Military Employee Policies and Compliance, Military Employee Support and Retention, Recruiting and Sourcing. Through its annual Top 10 list, Victory Media uses the Military Friendly designation to honor companies and organizations that are doing the most to promote sustainable success for veterans. Statistically and comparatively, we exceeded the standard in every surveyed category, said Paul Thompson, military recruiting manager for U.S. Xpress. In just the second year of our military program, we moved from a prestigious Silver rating last year to being designated as a Top 10 Employer this year as well as being the highest rated truckload carrier with revenues above $1 billion this year. As a veteran myself, I believe in the good work Military Friendly is doing on behalf of veterans, and I am honored to know that they believe in what were doing here at U.S. Xpress. One key difference-maker that vaulted U.S. Xpress into the Top 10 list is how the company became one of a select few trucking companies in the country to be accredited by the Veterans Administration (V.A.) as part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill Apprenticeship Program. Through this ground-breaking initiative, veterans can now receive up to $25,700 in tax-free housing benefits checks from the V.A. in addition to earning excellent pay from U.S. Xpress as a driving professional or diesel mechanic. For more information on this program, you can visit http://www.usxjobs.com/veteran-trucking-careers. An overview of U.S. Xpress performance as a Top Military Friendly Employer is available to view at http://militaryfriendly.com/employers/u-s-xpress-inc. U.S. Xpress will also be showcased along with other 2018 Military Friendly Employers in the December issue of G.I. Jobs magazine. The full listing of Victory Medias Military Friendly Employers is available at MilitaryFriendly.com. For more information about become a truck driver for U.S. Xpress, please visit http://www.usxjobs.com or call 866-576-2979. # # # About U.S. Xpress, Inc.: Founded in 1986, U.S. Xpress, Inc. is one of the nations largest truckload carriers, providing a wide variety of transportation solutions throughout North America. Recently recognized as a Top Military Friendly Employer by G.I. Jobs, U.S. Xpress employs more than 10,000 people, of which roughly 10 percent are military veterans. We are also committed to being at the forefront of safety compliance, using comprehensive training for our staff and drivers and ensuring our trucks feature the latest safety innovations. With a dedication to minimizing our impact on the environment, U.S. Xpress is a SmartWay Transport Partner, twice receiving the SmartWay environmental Excellence Award for reducing pollution and greenhouse gasses. For more information visit http://www.usxpress.com. About Military Friendly Employers The Military Friendly Employers list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for thousands of federal contractors nationwide, input of military employees, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly Employers survey from participating companies. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weightings were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. Data calculations and tabulations were independently evaluated for completeness and accuracy by EY. The survey is administered for free and is open to companies that have hired veterans in the past 12 months. Criteria for consideration can be found at: https://militaryfriendly.com. About Victory Media Founded in 2001, Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur, STEM JobsSM and Military Friendly brands. Learn more about Victory Media at http://www.victorymedia.com. First Light Provincetown First Light is a weeklong extravaganza. Take an icy plunge into the depths of Provincetown Harbor, watch as colorful bursts light up the night sky, and warm up with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Enjoy all this and much more at Provincetown First Light (December 28, 2017 January 2, 2018). First Light is a weeklong extravaganza filled with a free fireworks display on the beach, New Years Eve dance parties, drag shows and live performances, and plenty of delicious food at our one-of-a-kind restaurants. Make this New Years an unforgettable one visit Provincetown First Light. See if you have what it takes at the Polar Bear Plunge on New Years Day. Proceeds go to Center for Coastal Studies, so jump in the harbor and feel the chill for a good cause, then cozy up with a cocktail and a steaming bowl of chili at Harbor Lounge. With a guest emcee, music, and plenty of hot beverages to keep warm, those cheering from the sidelines are sure to have just as much fun. After taking the plunge, or observing warm and dry from afar, relax and experience the beautiful fireworks display over the Provincetown harbor. If you dont mind a climb, take in the champagne and oyster reception at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum for a classy night out. With stunning views of the fireworks from the highest point on Cape Cod, it is sure to be a New Years celebration you wont soon forget. The Light Bright Bike Ride rolls into Provincetown on New Years Eve. Riders whiz through town on bikes with beautiful, bold colored lights and prizes are awarded for the brightest, the most colorful, and the most creative bike decorations. Provincetwon Light Bright is a joyful, must-see event. First Light Provincetown pulls out all the stops to entertain. Its out with the old and in with the new at the Illusions Drag Revue at the Crown and Anchor (December 29). Described as high energy, high style, and high camp, Provincetowns longest running drag revue is packed with some of the funniest, most glamorous queens. If one night of drag is not enough, then head back to the Crown and Anchor for Drag Bingo (December 30). Hosted by Tiki Bronstein, this is not your grandmothers bingo. Bonus: proceeds go to the Provincetown Business Guild. Need even more drag? Catch drag legend Thirsty Burlingtons Holiday Spectacular at the Crown and Anchor (December 30) and Miss Richfield 1981 in Fall on Your Knees at Sage Inn (December 30). For one-night only, the four talented men of Well Strung are back in Provincetown where they created the all-male singing string quartet. From Madonna to Mozart, enjoy the beautiful blending of vocals and a seamless mix of pop and classical music at Town Hall (December 30). If youre in the mood to groove, New Years weekend at Wave Bar has not one but three nights and three chances to dance til dawn (December 29th 31st). Then dance into the New Year with DJ Chris Racine at the Paramount 2018 Resolution Dance party (December 31). For a more interactive music experience, check out Provincetowns favorite piano man, Bobby Wetherbee, at Central House Cabaret (December 29-31). And dont miss Suede in concert for her annual New Years Show at the Crown and Anchor (January 1). First Light is fun for the whole family with plenty of kid-friendly activities. If outside gets a little chilly, warm up indoors at the Provincetown Library with a full program of events. First up is the Family Snacks & Crafts Meet Up (December 29). Then, in partnership with the Family Equality Council, the library is offering Drag Story Time with Miss Richfield 1981 (December 30). The next day, stretch your creative muscles at the Family Bike Decorating & Crafts in the Library (December 31). Whether you enjoy the great number of outdoor activities or you keep warm indoors at one of our historic inns or B&Bs, start 2018 off with a bang at First Light Provincetown. About Provincetown Provincetown, Massachusetts is a true melting pot. Located on the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown boasts beautiful beaches, Zagat-rated restaurants, art galleries and charming shops. A top LGBTQ destination, this open-minded community celebrates individuality and freedom of expression. Provincetown has a rich creative history and is home to one the oldest continuous art colony in the country. The diverse population of artists, sailors, fisherman, authors, and more, makes Provincetown unique. From Carnival in August to Womens Week in October and First Light at years end, Provincetown is thriving 365 days of the year. A rare British Meteor, the world's oldest flying original jet, will be among the aircraft at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018. Many people have never seen some of these jets fly in-person, which is why bringing these airplanes together is another reason EAA AirVenture 2018 is a cant-miss event for aviation fans. Some of the oldest jet aircraft in existence will be flying over the flightline at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 as the worlds largest fly-in convention brings together a rarely-seen gathering of these early jets. The 66th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention is July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The event annually welcomes more than 10,000 airplanes and 500,000 people from 80 nations to celebrate the history and future of flight. Among the airplanes expected to participate is a rare British Meteor, currently the oldest flying original jet in existence, which will arrive from the United Kingdom. British Venom and Vampire jets will be part of the gathering, as will American designs such as the T-33 Shooting Star and F-86 Sabre, as well as a Soviet-era MiG-17. Classic jets have been part of the EAA AirVenture warbirds lineup for a number of year, but to include rare British aircraft such as the Meteor, Venom and Vampire makes the 2018 gathering even more special, said Rick Larsen, EAAs vice president of communities and member programs who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. Many people have never seen some of these jets fly in-person, which is why bringing these airplanes together is another reason EAA AirVenture 2018 is a cant-miss event for aviation fans. Oshkosh is known as the place where everything that flies is welcome and is appreciated by attendees, so to bring these rare jets to the AirVenture flightline is among the highlights of our odyssey to save, restore, and fly these magnificent airplanes. said Marty Tibbitts, President of the World Heritage Air Museum of Detroit, Michigan, which is bringing the British jets to Oshkosh in 2018. The museums mission is to rescue military jet aircraft from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Other early jet aircraft will be coming from members of the Classic Jet Aircraft Association as well as private owners throughout North America. These enthusiasts are encouraging all owners of vintage jet aircraft to fly to Oshkosh in 2018 to make this reunion one of the largest ones even undertaken. The opportunity to be a part of the air shows and programming at Oshkosh is one that all classic jet owners should attend, said Zach McNeill, Classic Jet Aircraft Association president. These airplanes have unique histories and so many individual stories. The best place to share them is at Oshkosh, where worldwide aviation fans are eager to hear and appreciate more about these airplanes. The F-86 and T-33 aircraft communities are also urging their members to bring their aircraft to AirVenture, where they will participate in the daily air shows, displays on the Boeing Plaza main showcase ramp, and up-close presentations as part of the Warbirds in Review program. Complete details, including air show participation, will be released as they are finalized. Were looking to create a reunion of these legendary jets at Oshkosh that is rarely seen by the public, said Paul Keppeler, who owns and flies both a T-33 and F-86 jet aircraft. There is something about being part of the Oshkosh experience that creates unforgettable moments, and we want as many of these jets as possible to be there this coming summer. About EAA AirVenture Oshkosh EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the Worlds Greatest Aviation Celebration and EAAs yearly membership convention. Additional EAA AirVenture information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available online at http://www.eaa.org/airventure. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit http://www.eaa.org. Immediate news is available at http://www.twitter.com/EAA. Although there are many candy subscription clubs, none can match the selection and service offered by Candy Club itself. TopConsumerReviews.com recently awarded their highest five-star rating to Candy Club, a market frontrunner among companies offering Candy Club memberships. Candy is everywhere: from the lobby at the doctors office to the crystal dish at Grandmas house. From gummies and sours to hard candies and chocolates, candy represents a universally-recognized way to have a treat. Candy Clubs make it possible to get the worlds best variety of sweets delivered directly to the home or office - for the customer or for a lucky gift recipient. These clubs can be purchased for a month, six months or longer, extending the tasty surprises as long as one likes. Although there are many candy subscription clubs, none can match the selection and service offered by Candy Club itself, stated Brian Dolezal, of TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC. Candy Club offers a mouth-watering selection of candies; every shipment includes at least 3 candy cups and assorted loose candies, and Candy Club is the only one on the market that lets members customize the candies they receive. Theyre also the only candy membership that offers a rewards program for purchases, reviews, and shares on social media. Backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee, every Candy Club subscription is sure to delight. This retailer easily earns our highest ranking among providers of Candy Clubs in 2017. To find out more about Candy Club and other Candy Clubs, including reviews and comparison rankings, please visit the Candy Clubs category of TopConsumerReviews.com at http://www.topconsumerreviews.com/candy-clubs/. About Candy Club Candy Club is the Premiere Candy of the Month Club, bringing the candy store to your door. They take pride in offering members an amazing variety of delicious and differentiated candies, specially selected by their team of candy experts for members enjoyment, discovery and surprise. Their team selects the most popular, best-loved candies from all over the globe and discover other hidden gems to bring customers a splash of fun and deliciousness. Their goal is to deliver a box of happiness to your door all year round. About TopConsumerReviews.com TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of independent reviews and rankings of hundreds of consumer products and services. From Candy Clubs to Chocolate Clubs and Dessert Clubs, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier. Women's Excellence in Obstetrics and Gynecology welcomes Kenan Asbahi, MD, to the Team. Dr. Kenan Asbahi received his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science at Wayne State University followed by his Doctor of Medicine at Ross University School of Medicine in 2013. He completed his residency at the Detroit Medical Center and Hutzel Womens Hospital in 2017. He has a special interest in exercise and nutrition as well as minimally invasive surgery. Womens Excellence is the most comprehensive obstetric and gynecologic office in Michigan. Additionally, they specialize in menopause, weight control, bladder control, endometriosis, robotic surgery, oncology and midwifery services. Womens Excellence is committed to staying at the forefront of innovation with cutting edge technologies utilizing robotic surgery and minimally invasive surgical options when possible. The knowledgeable, compassionate physicians and healthcare providers of Womens Excellence focus on patient-centered processes to deliver the highest quality of care. They are affiliated with most insurances. They offer seamless medical record access via a state of the art patient portal and use the latest technology for record keeping and sharing, making the patient experience easier and more efficient. Womens Excellence is taking new patients and is conveniently located throughout southeastern Michigan in Birmingham, Lake Orion, Clarkston, Rochester, and West Bloomfield. For more information, visit http://www.WomensExcellence.com. The Chief Secretary for Administration, The Hon. Matthew Cheung (3rd from left), presents a souvenir on behalf of PolyU to the representatives of the Chan family. PolyU has been working with industry to transform innovations into impacts and to boost societal well-being. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has named the premises of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management after a pioneer Hong Kong hotelier, the late Mr Chan Chak-fu, and his wife Mrs Esther Chan Wong Chi-lan in appreciation of the familys significant contributions to PolyUs hospitality and tourism management education. The naming ceremony held today (15 December) was graced by the presence of the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, The Honorable Matthew Cheung Kin-chung as the Guest of Honour. Other members of the officiating party included Mr Lawrence Chan, the eldest son of Mr Chan Chak-fu, and his two siblings, Mr Charles Chan and Mr Joseph Chan, and his daughter Ms Dee Dee Chan; PolyU Council Chairman Mr Chan Tze-ching; PolyU President Professor Timothy W. Tong; PolyU Foundation Chairman Dr Patrick Poon; PolyU Foundation Deputy Chairman Dr Katherine Ngan; and PolyU Dean of School of Hotel and Tourism Management Professor Kaye Chon. Chans family members and friends also attended the ceremony to witness this memorable occasion. Mr Matthew Cheung said that in recent years we have witnessed a monumental shift of hospitality business to Asia. The Chief Executives inaugural Policy Address has also outlined our vision to develop a high value-added and diversified economy while strengthening the traditional economic pillars in the face of fierce competition from our counterparts. He trusted that with the expertise and passion of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the University will continue to nurture new blood contributing to the well-being and development of our society. Mr Chan Tze-ching extended his sincere gratitude to the late Mr Chan in his welcoming speech for his generous contributions and philanthropic spirit in launching the hospitality vocational training programme supervised by the then Hong Kong Polytechnic as early as in the 1980s. Since then, PolyUs School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) has become a global centre of excellence in hospitality and tourism education and research, as illustrated by the consistent top positions in international rankings placed by reputable professional organisations. Prof. Timothy W. Tong said PolyU has been working with industry to transform innovations into impacts and to boost societal well-being. The University needs support from partners who share its vision and commitment, like the Chan family, to sustain its contribution to society as it continues to build on the heritage of academic excellence and community services. He hopes that more members of the community will be inspired by the benevolent Chan family to invest in education, which is the key to developing the next generations, who will shape the future of society. The Mr and Mrs Chan Chak Fu Building is the school premises of PolyUs School of Hotel and Tourism Management located at 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, adjoining Hotel ICON, the innovative teaching and research hotel of PolyU. The Building occupies a total floor area of 6,400 m2 and can accommodate about 3,000 students. Equipped with world-class teaching and research facilities, it represents a global centre of excellence in hospitality and tourism education and research. Mr Chan Chak Fu built a hotel empire in Hong Kong and the world during the 1950s-1980s. He had contributed tremendously to the grooming of local talents and to advancing the international standard and image of Hong Kong hotel business. Officials with The Creativity Workshop (https://creativityworkshop.com/) announced today that it will host a workshop July 9 13, 2018 in Prague which will be its 14th consecutive year of teaching its workshop in the city. Ceci Glusman, spokesperson for The Creativity Workshop, said the five-day Creativity Workshop in Prague will meet for 3 1/2 hours per day from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Prague, which is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic, is also the fourteenth-largest city in the European Union. Class will be held at Hotel Paris, a beautiful Art Nouveau building in Pragues historical center, in a section primarily open to pedestrians only, Glusman said. From here, you will be within easy walking distance of Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Glusman explained that those who attend The Creativity Workshop will learn how to become more creative in their personal and professional life. The creativity training we provide uses the tools of creative writing, memoir, art, photography, storytelling, mapmaking, and guided visualization, Glusman said. Participants will have the rest of their time free to take in the breathtaking city of Prague, which is famous for its blocks of original Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings. The Creativity Workshop, which has been mentioned by National Geographic as one of the best worldwide vacations to enrich your life, is an organization thats dedicated to teaching individuals and groups about creative processes. It helps people jumpstart their creative abilities by exploring how to stimulate the imagination, gain inspiration from unexpected sources, and overcome such obstacles as self-criticism, writers block, and the fear of making mistakes, Glusman said, before adding, Attendees of our worldwide workshops include teachers, business executives, writers, artists, doctors, scientists, and retirees from many different nations. Glusman said Prague was chosen as a destination due to the fact that traveling outside ones own culture is known to be one of the greatest ways to spark creativity and achieve self-discovery. While participants surroundings and experiences in Prague will help to awaken the imagination, the techniques we explore in class will sharpen their appreciation of Prague, Glusman said. For registration and tuition information, please visit: https://creativityworkshop.com/creativity-workshop-in-prague.html and https://creativityworkshop.com/business.html About The Creativity Workshop The Creativity Workshop is based in New York City and is taught around the world. The Creativity Workshop was established in 1993 by educator and writer Shelley Berc and multimedia artist Alejandro Fogel. The organization is dedicated to teaching individuals and groups about creative processes. Contact Details: The Creativity Workshop One Columbus Place 40th Floor Suite N40F New York, NY 10019 Tel: (212) 203-3252 Email: questions@creativityworkshop.com Source: The Creativity Workshop ### Two nationally acclaimed business leaders will headline The Small Business Cookout Summit to be held February 9-10, 2018 at The Hilton Center City of Charlotte. Hosted by the Founders of OnceLogix, The SBC will consist of a two-day experience. Attendees will immerse in knowledge and best practices that will take the individual and their business to the next level. We are pleased to announce Trinity Manning, CEO of OnceLogix, and Ty McLaughlin, CFO of OnceLogix, as headline speakers for our first Business and Entrepreneur Summit, said Rod Brown, OnceLogix COO. Both Manning and McLaughlin will bring unique perspectives on what businesses can do to succeed. This is a do-not-miss event for those who want to hear directly from leaders who are at the forefront of the technology and leadership." As chief executive officer, Manning heads up a multimillion-dollar software company. In this role, Manning sets the vision and strategy for OnceLogix. Today, more than 450 different companies with thousands of doctors, therapists, counselors, psychiatrists and other professionals are utilizing OnceLogixs breakout software. At the Summit, Manning will discuss how innovation and technology should do the heavy lifting in business. He will share how OnceLogix transitioned into to a technology powerhouse. McLaughlin, CFO of OnceLogix is a seasoned financial executive with extensive experience leading national financial organizations in technology and software. With a history of leading and completing business transformations, and a strong discipline in enterprise software models, McLaughlin will share tips on bootstrapping, funding and how to succeed in todays competitive marketplace. OnceLogix, LLC is a nationally recognized award-winning Software Company in Winston-Salem North Carolina. Over the past 10 years, OnceLogix founders have created several successful, profitable businesses that continue to sustain profitability year after year. In 2016, Inc. magazine ranked our Winston-Salem based company 3,719th on its 35th annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment its independent small businesses. After learning that less than 1.5% minority-owned companies were on the list, the founders concluded that they wanted to do something to help with this systemic problem creating The Small Business Cookout. For more information about the Small Business Cookout and to register, please visit the conference website here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-small-business-cookout-charlotte-nc-tickets-39480601542. Petplan's Vet Tech of the Year winner Purvi Patel (r) with NAVTA's Julie Legred at the 2017 Veterinary Excellence Awards. In 2019, the award will be named Registered Veterinary Nurse of the Year. We think a standardized credential for veterinary nurses is long overduenot only to recognize the quality of the care they provide, but to continue to elevate the profession, said Petplan co-CEO Natasha Ashton. Petplan pet insurance today announced their endorsement of and sponsorship support for the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI), created and led by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). VNI is actively pursuing nationwide legislative amendments to establish the name and credentialing of Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVN). Petplan will sponsor the initiative primarily through the annual Veterinary Excellence Awards, an industry event designed to honor and promote the best and brightest in the veterinary industry, and with the launch of a new veterinary nurse-focused column in its quarterly pet health magazine, fetch!. Were so pleased to lend our support to this initiative, says Natasha Ashton, co-founder and co-CEO of Petplan. Petplan and NAVTA have also partnered to collaborate on the new fetch! column, The IV League, that will provide readers with an inside line to the advice and experience of some of the most hands-on members of their pets health care team. Giving veterinary nurses a voice in a forum such as fetch! magazine is a really wonderful show of support for our efforts from Petplan, says NAVTA Executive Director Julie Legred. Were really honored to have such high-profile pet industry partners joining in the Veterinary Nurse Initiative. For more information about NAVTAs Veterinary Nurse Initiative, click here. ABOUT PETPLAN Petplan has built an industry-leading pet insurance policy for pet parents who demand a higher pedigree of care for their best friends. Weve leveraged 40 years of global experience to create completely customizable coverage pet parents can feel confident in, and world-class claims service that operates 24 hours a day, every day. Petplans innovative approach to pet insurance has been recognized by Forbes, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Inc. magazine, Smart CEO, the Communicator Awards, Ernst & Young and many others. Petplan policies are underwritten in the U.S. by XL Specialty Insurance Company and in Canada by XL Specialty Insurance Company-Canadian Branch. The company is rated A+ by S&P (2017). Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. For more information about Petplan pet insurance, visit http://www.gopetplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875. About NAVTA The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America is a nonprofit organization that represents and promotes the profession of veterinary technology. NAVTA provides direction, education, support and coordination for its members. Incorporated in 1981, NAVTA is the national organization devoted exclusively to developing and enhancing the profession of veterinary nursing and technology. For more information about NAVTA, visit their website at http://www.navta.net. Roger Teachout We only hire the best local painters and they all have to pass a criminal history background check. We want you, the customer, to feel extremely comfortable with who will be working in your home or business. - Roger Teachout Roger Teachout is pleased to announce the grand opening of his new, professional painting business, Fresh Coat of Portland. Fresh Coat offers residential and commercial painting services including interior and exterior painting, wood staining, finishing, and many other services for nearly every protective paint application. The company has a 24/7 receptionist, online scheduling and detailed, competitive, free quotes. Fresh Coat of Portland will be serving York and Cumberland County primarily, but will quote, service and complete projects outside of those counties where there is demand. Teachouts professional painters, who, on average, have more than ten years of painting experience, are vetted, tested, trained and insured after passing a rigorous employment check and background investigation. Im looking forward to offering a premier painting service in this area through Fresh Coat Painters of Portland, Teachout said. Fresh Coat has a fantastic system and the national Fresh Coat team from the corporate staff to the owners across the country have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Fresh Coat of Portland is new and locally owned and operated, but we are backed by a national company with an amazing reputation, great reviews and a firm commitment to quality and service. In the last 14 years, Teachout has owned and operated several successful businesses in Southern Maine, including an oceanfront hotel and a large apartment complex. He was looking for his next opportunity when he found Fresh Coat. Teachout was attracted to Fresh Coat Painters for multiple reasons, but hes especially excited about having his own employees rather than working with subcontractors. Although having employees is more expensive than sub-contractors, Teachout has more control over the type and quality of employee that is being hired, raising the quality of the employee within the business. Hes also able to evaluate, train and elevate each employee to become most effective and efficient painter possible. One of the things that makes Fresh Coat different is that we have a very in-depth hiring process. We only hire the best local painters and they all have to pass a criminal history background check. We want you, the customer, to feel extremely comfortable with who will be working in your home or business, Teachout said. Additionally, since they are employees and not subcontractors, we know exactly who were sending to your home or business. Fresh Coat offers a commitment to service that includes a 3-3-3 service pledge. This pledge promises to answer a phone call within three rings, quote a job within three days (customer schedule permitting) and starting that project (once contract approved) within three weeks. With more than 120 locations nationwide, Fresh Coat Painters brings quality customer service, top-notch painting products, professionalism and competitive pricing to the residential and commercial painting industry. Fresh Coat was founded in 2004 as part of Strategic Franchising Systems. Since 2015, Fresh Coat has been included in the Bonds Top 100 and named to Entrepreneur Magazines Franchise 500 list. Fresh Coat is also a part of the International Franchise Association, the Small Business Associations Franchise Registry, VetFran, and Minority Fran. All Fresh Coat of Portland employees are trained, dependable, fully insured and background checked and the company is bonded and insured. For more information about Fresh Coat of Portland, call 207 579-0555, email rteachout(at)freshcoatpainters.com or visit http://www.freshcoatportlandme.com. Folio: will host an Awards Gala in New York City on April 5, 2018 to celebrate outstanding web, mobile and social media initiatives among publishers of digital content. The program is open for entries through Tuesday, December 19, 2017. More Information Our ultimate goal for the Folio: Digital Awards is to recognize and celebrate the innovative spirit thats transforming magazine media, says Caysey Welton, Content Director at Folio:. This program honors the people, products, platforms and strategies that position our industry for a successful future. We cant wait to see this years nominees! Categories Include: Campaign/Product Awards App Digital Brand Extension Digital Edition Digital Excellence Digital Momentum Award Data Visualization Ecommerce E-letter Design Integration with Print Microsite/Custom Website Mobile Site Design New Digital Product Podcast User Experience Website Redesign/Relaunch Website Launch Use of Archives Use of AI/Machine Learning Individual/Team Awards Digital Hall of Fame Digital Executive of the Year Digital Team of the Year Digital Editor of the Year Social Media Genius Product Developer of the Year Product Team of the Year More Information Folio: Digital Awards entries can be submitted online here. For any questions regarding the Folio: Digital Awards, or assistance entering, contact Jessica Coonan at jcoonan@accessintel.com. For questions about sponsoring the Folio: Digital Awards, contact Tania Babiuk at tbabiuk@accessintel.com. About Folio: Folio: is a multi-channel resource for the magazine and online media industry. Our primary mission is to help media companies generate revenue and increase audience engagement. For more information, please visit http://www.FolioMag.com. Cruise Planners 2018 travel trend predictions include luxury, extras and wow moments "The level of technology, luxury accommodations or custom travel experiences that travelers expect is high," said Vicky Garcia, COO and co-owner of Cruise Planners. "Travel agents continue to be the essential part of delivering these experiences to travelers With the integration of faster, innovative technology in the travel landscapes, travelers expectations have elevated and travel agents are curating experiences exceeding their clients wants. In a tech-savvy world, travelers today want meaningful connections and high-value experiences when they take their vacations, no matter their budget. Change is an exciting part of the travel industry, said Vicky Garcia, COO and co-owner of Cruise Planners, an American Express Treavel Representative. Things that were once considered innovations are now expectations. The level of technology, luxury accommodations or custom travel experiences that travelers expect is high. Travel agents continue to be the essential part of delivering these experiences to travelers. Knowing consumer demands are evolving, here are Cruise Planners 2018 travel trend predictions directly from the nations top home-based travel agency: Here are Cruise Planners trends for 2018: 1. Luxury Expeditions Getting down and dirty doesnt always appeal to explorers, but stately accommodations and champagne toasts in exotic locations just might. Expedition cruising is taking travelers to the far corners of the earth on small-ship cruises with modern amenities, delicious cuisine and authentic experiences in a style explorers from days of old could not even fathom. The Scenic Eclipse, Scenic Cruises new 6-star luxury discovery yacht launches in 2018 and is equipped with a helicopter and submarine. Hurtigruten is expanding its fleet, starting with the MS Roald Amundsen, and making sailing Antarctica and the Arctic more immersive and environmentally sustainable. Private yacht charters are gaining popularity with intimate experiences and stellar service as guests travel to hard-to-reach destinations. For guests not looking to charter a ship, small ships such as the Crystal Esprit offer the exclusivity of yachting with only 62 passengers. 2. BIG Little Extras Travel agents are curating meaningful moments for their clients that surprise and delight. From booking a photographer to capture a proposal in front of the Eiffel Tower to arranging a scenic helicopter transfer to a five-star hotel, travel agents are making dreams come true that travelers didnt even know they had. Travel agents are upping the wow factor of the worlds most iconic museums and monuments by scheduling early admittances or private evenings for guests. Cruise lines and tour operators are partnering with cultural hot spots to provide the exclusive tours and experiences that money simply cant buy, either before the crowds arrive or after the sun goes down. 3. Skip-Gens Skip-Gen travel are vacations where grandparents take the grandkids on a special adventure, leaving the parents behind to enjoy their own time off. Vacations are the perfect time to make lasting memories while taking the time to learn from each other. Grandparents might figure out how to take the perfect selfie while grandkids hear about life *gasp!* before cell phones. 4. Experiences of a Lifetime Whether it only happens once or only happens once a year, travel agents are sending their clients to events offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience that also give their clients serious bragging rights when they return back home. Travelers are already planning trips for 2020s Tokyo Olympic Games and the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany. Annual celebrations such as Germanys beer festival, Oktoberfest, or Indias color festival, Holi, take cultural immersion to a new level for travelers looking to not only see a destination, but experience it at its height of celebration. 5. Room for One, Please. Traveling solo doesnt have to mean traveling alone as cruise lines and tour operators make it easier and more comforting for those looking to explore the world with like-minded travelers. For retirees, millennials and everyone in between, solo travel could be as complex as wanting to find oneself or as simple as being the only family member on the trip not sharing a room with a significant other. Cruise lines such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Holland America Line feature single cabins on select ships while other cruise lines, including AmaWaterways, offer waived single-supplement fees on select sailings so solo travelers only pay one cruise fare. Tour operators, including Contiki, offer roommate-matching programs where solo travelers are assigned a roommate of the same sex. 6. Intuitive Tech Technology is elevating the entire travel process, starting with trip planning. Virtual reality is giving travelers a 360-degree peek at what their destination may be like while Cruise Planners exclusive Alexa Skills are keeping travelers connected to their travel agents hands-free. Smart technology on board continues to innovate, most notably with Princess Cruises Ocean Medallions which will be available on their entire fleet by the end of 2019. 7. River Cruising for All Just as ocean cruising has seen major shifts over the past two decades, river cruising is coming out of its shell, diversifying its offerings and targeting more than just Baby Boomers. U by Uniworld is designed exclusively for travelers aged 21-45, offering the allure of backpacking through Europe, but without the backpacking, hostel stays or uncertainty. Families are finding river cruising to be an appealing multi-generational trip with childrens programming including AmaWaterwayss Adventures by Disney sailings and Tauck Bridges itineraries. The variety of on-shore experiences are expanding with more active excursions, such as the Avalon Active Discovery itineraries and more culturally immersive opportunities such as cooking in a locals home. Cruise Planners travel professionals are located in all 50 states and ready to make 2018 travelers most memorable year yet. About Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative: Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, is the nations largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the travel industry. Cruise Planners operates a network of more than 1,800 franchise owners who independently book amazing vacation and travel experiences for their clients. The Florida-based Home Office Team positions a nation-wide network of franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing, booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industrys top executives. The company continues to be lauded and has been named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 14 consecutive years. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, has been ranked as the #1 travel franchise by Franchise Business Review for 6 years in a row, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel since it started ranking companies. Headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla. with more than 23 years of experience, Cruise Planners has achieved top producer status with every major cruise line. Accolades include numerous Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly, American Express Travel Representative Excellence Award for 13 consecutive years (2004-2016), American Express Agency of the Year (2010), Royal Caribbean International Chairmans Award (2015), Royal Caribbean International Presidents Award for Overall Achievement (2012 and 2014), Royal Caribbean International Home-Based Partner of the Year (2007-2013), Norwegian Cruise Line Elite Agency of the Year (2016), Norwegian Cruise Line Franchise Agency of the Year (2011-2015), Celebrity Cruises Home-Based Partner of the Year (2016), Celebrity Cruises Field Sales Account of the Year (2015), Celebrity Cruises Home-Based Account of the Year (2013-2014) and Celebrity Cruises Southeast Region Travel Agent Partner of the Year (2010), Travel Impressions Best of the Best Globe Award (2008-2016), Sandals Top Host Worldwide, Globus Family of Brands Premier Agency Partner (2009-2016), Platinum Circle Member with Viking River Cruises (2009-2015), Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Top Producer (2008-2014) and Regent Seven Seas Cruises Top Producer. Cruise Planners is one of the Top 50 franchises for Veterans according to GI magazine, the Top Franchise Brand for Veterans according to Franchise Business Review, has been named one of the Top 25 franchises for African-Americans by Black Enterprise magazine and is a member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association. For more information, visit http://www.cruiseplanners.com. Stay in Touch: Media can stay up-to-date with Cruise Planners by visiting our media room, following us on Twitter @Cruisitude or on Facebook. For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers should locate a travel advisor near them. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit the Cruise Planners franchise website. # # # Media Contact: Caitlin Gardner, Director of Public Relations Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative CGardner@cruiseplanners.com 954-344-8060 The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation has awarded Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health $2.8 million to bring lung cancer screening, care and prevention programs to underserved communities in Philadelphia. Jefferson, home to the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and the Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute, will use the gift to launch a citywide campaign in low-income, high-risk communities to increase knowledge about lung cancer, promote prevention, reduce the stigma of the disease, introduce screening programs, and improve lung cancer care and outcomes. The disparities in cancer mortality in Philadelphia are unacceptable, said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Jefferson. As part of our commitment to our community, we want to establish greater collaboration between Jefferson Health patients, clinicians and community partners. We are grateful to Bristol-Myers Squibb for making this investment to improve the lives of Philadelphians. Philadelphia ranks the highest in poverty among the nations 10 largest U.S. cities, and also has the highest rate of smokingthe leading cause of lung cancer among adults. Because of Jeffersons location, we are already connected to some of the most medically vulnerable residents in the city, and have an immediate opportunity through our clinical base to engage those at highest risk, said Gregory Kane, MD, the Jane and Leonard Korman Professor of Pulmonary Medicine and chair of the Department of Medicine at Jefferson. We operate hospitals in neighborhoods with the highest lung cancer burden, and can reach out to minority populations at risk for lung cancer with a model prevention and control program. Despite new national lung cancer screening guidelines and broad reimbursement, rates remain very low, with less than 4 percent of eligible people getting screened. This problem is compounded in impoverished areas of Philadelphia where the average family income can be well below the federal poverty level. Lack of effective communication about the purpose and process of screening, screening services, and treatment results in higher mortality rates for cancer patients in the city. Jefferson aims to collaborate with clinical and community partners to remove barriers and provide lung cancer programs to the citys uninsured and underinsured residents. We are proud to support Jeffersons inclusive approach to establishing a new standard of care and support for Philadelphians at high risk for lung cancer, said John Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. This initiative will help ensure no patient is left behind as well as improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations. These efforts will be led by the Korman Respiratory Institute, a collaboration between Jefferson Health and National Jewish Health, the combined services of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and its Center for Health Decisions, and the Center for Urban Health, a signature program of the Jefferson Department of Family and Community Medicine. About the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation The mission of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is to help reduce health disparities by strengthening community-based health care worker capacity, integrating medical care and community-based supportive services, and mobilizing communities in the fight against disease. For more information about the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, please visit https://www.bms.com/about-us/responsibility/bristol-myers-squibb-foundation.html or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. For more information, visit Jefferson.edu/Korman Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East News World news France will not follow Germanys example by phasing out nuclear energy, Macron says Nuclear and renewable energy will help France to reduce carbon emissions AUTHOR: publics.bg According to French President Emmanuel Macron, Germanys decision to shut all their nuclear boosted the use of coal. Elysee.fr French President Emmanuel Macron said he would not follow Germanys example by phasing out nuclear energy in France because his priority was to cut carbon emissions and shut down polluting coal-fired production, Reuters reported as referred to an interview of French President for France 2 television. I dont idolize nuclear energy at all. But I think you have to pick your battle. My priority in France, Europe and internationally is CO2 emissions and (global) warming, he told for France 2 television. Macron, who has worked to establish his role as a global leader since his election win in May, presided over a climate summit in Paris last week to breathe new life into a collective effort to fight climate change. But renewable energy only amounts to a tiny share of French electricity production, which is dominated by nuclear for 75 percent of it. Nuclear is not bad for carbon emissions, its even the most carbon-free way to produce electricity with renewables, Macron said. The 39-year old, who has sought to forge strong ties with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, did not show any enthusiasm for her decision to phase out nuclear energy, one of her landmark policies, Reuters writes. What did the Germans do when they shut all their nuclear in one go?, Macron said. They developed a lot of renewables but they also massively reopened thermal and coal. They worsened their CO2 footprint, it wasnt good for the planet. So I wont do that. Macron said he wanted to boost the growth of renewable energy but would wait for the French nuclear watchdogs opinion before shutting ageing nuclear reactors or upgrading others. The ASN nuclear regulator said last month it would rule on a potential lifespan extension of Frances 58 nuclear reactors - all operated by state-owned EDF - in 2020-21. Nuclear and renewable energy will help France to reduce carbon emissions French President Emmanuel Macron said he would not follow Germanys example by phasing out nuclear energy in France because his priority was to cut carbon emissions and shut down polluting coal-fired production, Reuters reported as referred to an interview of French President for France 2 television. I dont idolize nuclear energy at all. But I think you have to pick your battle. My priority in France, Europe and internationally is CO2 emissions and (global) warming, he told for France 2 television. Macron, who has worked to establish his role as a global leader since his election win in May, presided over a climate summit in Paris last week to breathe new life into a collective effort to fight climate change. But renewable energy only amounts to a tiny share of French electricity production, which is dominated by nuclear for 75 percent of it. Nuclear is not bad for carbon emissions, its even the most carbon-free way to produce electricity with renewables, Macron said. The 39-year old, who has sought to forge strong ties with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, did not show any enthusiasm for her decision to phase out nuclear energy, one of her landmark policies, Reuters wrote. What did the Germans do when they shut all their nuclear in one go?, Macron said. They developed a lot of renewables but they also massively reopened thermal and coal. They worsened their CO2 footprint, it wasnt good for the planet. So I wont do that. Macron said he wanted to boost the growth of renewable energy but would wait for the French nuclear watchdogs opinion before shutting ageing nuclear reactors or upgrading others. The ASN nuclear regulator said last month it would rule on a potential lifespan extension of Frances 58 nuclear reactors - all operated by state-owned EDF - in 2020-21. LONDON The UK's public spending watchdog produced a damning report on Friday into the government's system for tackling modern slavery, saying the Home Office "does not know" how much money is being spent or whether services meet care quality standards. The National Audit Office said the Home Office has "limited means" of tracking the Modern Slavery Strategy's progress and an "incomplete picture" of the crime, the victims and perpetrators. Until the government is able to establish effective oversight of the system, the report said, it will not be able to significantly reduce modern slavery or achieve value for money. "The Home Office does not know how much is spent on tackling modern slavery across government, or how effectively this money is spent," it said. To combat modern slavery," said Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, the government "will need to build much stronger information and understanding of perpetrators and victims than it has now. Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking. In 2014, the Home Office estimated there were between 10,000 and 13,000 potential victims of modern slavery in the UK in 2013. The NAO found there are no independent inspections done to check the quality of care and support provided in safe houses to potential victims of trafficking and slavery, and there are "no minimum care standards." Although the Home Office said safe houses are required to be inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), it was unaware safe houses do not fall within the CQC's remit. The process by which individuals are identified as victims of modern slavery done via the National Reporting Mechanism (NRM) was also found to be "inefficient." NRM decisions being made by the Home Office and National Crime Agency are taking longer than expected, the report said, and the average wait time for a final decision is 132 days. Almost half (46%) of all referrals made in 2016 had not received a final "conclusive grounds" decision by March 2017, and as of April 2017 there were still 16 referrals made in 2013 pending decisions, 312 waiting from 2014, 845 waiting from 2015 and 2,053 from 2016. There is no target time frame within which these decisions should be made. Although the Home Office found in 2014 the NRM process needed to be redesigned, this is yet to occur. Under legislation introduced in 2015, any business (excluding public bodies) with a turnover in excess of 36 million must produce an annual slavery and human trafficking statement, detailing what it is doing to prevent trafficking in their supply chains. But the Home Office does not monitor compliance, and there are no requirements regarding the quality or detail of the statement. "Failure to comply may damage the reputation of the business," said the government's reporting guidance, "it will be for consumers, investors and NGOs to engage and/or apply pressure where they believe a business has not taken sufficient steps." The Home Office itself has a contract with charity the Salvation Army for support with victim care. However, neither the charity nor its subcontractors are subject to independent inspections or standards of care. Instead, this relationship works on a "trust basis." Earlier this year, new legislation was passed to force banks and building societies to carry out immigration checks on accounts deemed to belong to illegal immigrants, and close them down. The first quarterly checks will occur at the start 0f 2018. But this will play into traffickers' hands, Joanna Hunt, senior associate at law firm Lewis Silkin, told Business Insider, because victims of slavery will be even more reliant on cash jobs and the black economy. The Home Office's plan to create a "hostile environment" for people without settled status will have "adverse consequences" and drive more people "underground," she said. The Modern Slavery Unit's budget is 1.5 million for 2017-18, most of which are staff costs, but the Home Office does not calculate how much it spends on tackling modern slavery each year, the NAO found. An official said they were taken to police headquarters, where they are due to be questioned. "Operations are ongoing," government spokesman Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze told AFP. "We are not commenting at this stage." National Geographic confirmed that the targets of the attack were working for the organisation. "We are deeply saddened to confirm the reports that the two Danish nationals horrifically attacked in Gabon are members of the National Geographic family," it said in a statement. "We are in direct contact with the victims and the Danish production company with whom they were on assignment, and our main objective is to support their recovery and safe return to Denmark." Police said the assailant is a 53-year-old Nigerien man who, according to witnesses, shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) during the attack. The man, who has lived in Gabon for 19 years, said in his first statements that he "acted in retaliation for US attacks against Muslims and America's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital," Defence Minister Etienne Massard said. Residents said the man was from the Muslim Hausa/Fulani community and sold smoked meat from a cart in the city and in the market. "We are still gathering information," Bilie By Nze said. The market in Libreville, popular with tourists, was shut down after the incident and remained closed on Sunday, with security forces manning the gates. Authorities have said the attack appeared to be politically motivated, but have not publicly classified it as terrorism. Tensions were running high as unemployed protesters and activists marched through the streets angry over the lack of jobs and opportunities that continue to plague Sidi Bouzid. Some 40 members of radical Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir were detained for trying to hold an unsanctioned rally and unfurling banners critical of the authorities, security sources said. On Saturday evening, security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators after they blocked some roads with tyres in the symbolic cradle of the revolution. The mood was sombre at an official event to mark the occasion on Sunday, with allegations from organisers that the authorities were trying to downplay the key date in Tunisia's recent history. The protests that began in Sidi Bouzid unleashed a wave of revolt that continues to reverberate around the Middle East. He was acutely aware of the immense obstacles faced by the continent. Yet he approached each challenge with unfailing optimism, and sound advice. Both Kenyas President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga paid tribute to him shortly after his death on December 15. Odinga commented: As a country, we are all better off because we produced Prof Juma. Juma started his professional career as a teacher before becoming a journalist and then researcher at Nairobis Environment Liaison Centre. After completing a doctorate in science and technology policy studies at the University of Sussex in the UK, he went on to achieve global recognition for his research on technological innovation, genetic patenting and how to transform agriculture on the continent. High up on his list of priorities was the continents food gap. His quest was to find pragmatic and innovative approaches to the problem. This included being highly critical of government policies that threatened the agricultural sector. He also wrote extensively about disruptions that technological advances would trigger, and how Africa had the potential to lead the way. Professor Juma engaged passionately and widely on these and other subjects. He used social media, and other media platforms like The Conversation, to share his wealth of knowledge and to engage with as wide a global audience as possible. As President Uhuru Kenyatta put it: He was a jovial, generous and humble man. We at The Conversation Africa were deeply saddened to learn of Professor Jumas passing. We recognise the enormous contributions he made to public life across the continent, and express our thanks for the fine work he did with us. Our thoughts and sympathies are of course with his family and friends at this time. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Prosecutor, Mrs. Florence Auhioboh told the Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja that The accused was expected to be on duty at the time the crime was committed but he deliberately abandoned his duty. The accused was sleeping and abandoned his duty post, paving the way for burglars to gain access into the complainants spare part shop, she said. The burglars, according to the prosecution, made away to the complainants goods worth N363, 000, and no amount of effort by the Utako Police could lead to the discovery of the goods stolen on December 8. Fox news reported that the 57-year-old lawmaker and preacher shot himself on a bridge in Mt. Washington, southeast of Louisville and his body was washed ashore a riverbank near the bridge with his weapon found at the scene. Reports say the Kentucky Centre for Investigative Reporting had published an account of a woman who claimed that Johnson sexually assaulted her in 2013, when she was 17 years old. She said she had attended a party at Johnsons home, but fell asleep on a sofa, only to wake up to see Mr. Johnson kneeling over her, and sexually assaulted her that night. The incident happened on December 16, just three weeks after their marriage, according to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN). READ MORE: Men of God who rode on the back of undeserved fame and crashlanded for good Reports indicated that Shafa Muhammad was forced to marry Umar Shehu against her will, hence the action to obviously protest her stay with the man for life. A source close to the family was reported to have said that The husband went into her room to consummate the marriage when she attacked him with a razor blade, according to Africanspotlight.com He sustained injuries on the head as a result of the attack. The spokesperson for Sokoto State Police Command, Ibrahim Abarass, who confirmed the incident to NAN said the victim had been taken to the hospital and treated, saying the injuries were not life-threatening. This follows a protest mounted by the Minority in Parliament. The Minority said it could not find the name of the Ministry in the list of the executive instrument outlining various ministries. READ ALSO: Fire Service begins recruitment A former Deputy Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson who raised the issue argued that the Minority will not support the approval of monies for an institution which is not covered by an executive instrument. The office of the Senior Minister has therefore been encouraged to depend on the office of government machinery for its expenditure in the years ahead. In the presentation of his 2018 budget, the Finance minister Ken Ofori Atta announced that GHC6 million had been allotted to the office of the senior minister. READ ALSO: BoG to ban licencing on new banks The senior minister in his initial comment on the budget said it was a classy one. The BoG said issuance of licences to new universal banks, savings and loans companies or microfinance institutions will be banned in 2018. According to the Governor of BoG, Dr Ernest Addison, the measure would help facilitate the full implementation of the recapitalisation process and also ensure solvency of banks and stability in the banking industry by the end of the reforms. Speaking at the launch of The BEIGE Bank (TBB) in Accra, he said "The central bank is considering not licensing new universal banks or savings and loans companies or microfinance institutions in the country next year as we implement the recapitalisation process. "The Bank of Ghana will introduce a new licensing regime that will align with the overall financial sector landscape to deliver a strong, solid, well capitalized, and geographically diversed financial landscape. That is the vision to support the governments transformational agenda." The BoG would also introduce a new licensing regime to enable the financial services sector to deliver a strong and well-capitalised financial system that was positioned to support the governments transformational agenda. He added: "As we implement the recapitalisation of the existing banks, we shall not allow potentially insolvent banks to enter the industry. We need to manage entry to ensure that down the line we do not manage the exit of banks as we did this year." READ MORE: Parliament approves budget without minority The Bank of Ghana, in September has formally direct banks in the country to recapitalise to GH400 million, equivalent to about US$100 million. The central bank will give the banks until December 2018 to raise the amount, which represents a 333.3 per cent increase from the current minimum capital of GH120 million. The five minutes video has sparked outrage on social media with many Ghanaians calling on the security agencies to arrest the culprits. READ ALSO: Armed robbers jump to death as they tried to escape in Ashanti Region The boys, whose faces could easily be identified in the video, forced to have their way with the young lady who seems to be in her 20s. The boys spoke Twi in the video. The young lady kept struggling with the guys who were giggling throughout the video. In the video, a man, whose face was not shown, entered and room and forced the young men to set the girl free and vacate the room. The boys who committed this heinous crime recorded their ordeal and uploaded on Facebook, but deleted it shortly after. The tribunal, presided over by Employment Judge Glennie, dismissed Mr Arthur's petition although it said it was possible to have some sympathy with his position given Otumfou's status and the fact that he could not question the king when he handed him the money for deposit. "The Tribunal concluded that whatever had gone before did not mean that the Claimant was justified in doing what he did or had any reason to believe that what he was doing was acceptable. "For the reasons outlined above, this was a serious breach of several aspects of the due diligence that should be carried out in respect of transaction of this nature. We have already set out above the problems that there were in relation to the source of the funds, accepting such a large sum in cash, checking whether the relevant exchange controls had been complied with, and the security of the funds while they were being transferred to the Bank. The Claimant stated in his own evidence that he was placed in a dilemma. This arose because he knew that what the King was asking him to do was something that he should not do, but because of the Kings status he felt unable to challenge him over it," the judgement read. The judge court Anthony Yeboah in his judgment condemned the EC for breaching the rights of the diasporans to vote for the last ten years. According to him, the excuses given by the commission for not implementing the law did not hold hence is decision. READ MORE: EC sued over ROPAA implementation Justice Yeboah further ordered the EC and its commissioners to ensure all eligible Ghanaians living outside are registered and allowed to partake in the 2020 general elections. Background Five Ghanaians resident in the United States have sued the Electoral Commission (EC) over the non-implementation of the law. The applicants want the Human Rights High Court to declare that the failure by the EC to operationalise the Act since it became law on February 24, 2006, is a breach of their fundamental rights under the various laws (Articles 42 and 33 (5), (Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, etc.) and legal instruments. The five Kofi A. Boateng, Agyenim Boateng, Nellie Kemevor, Obed Danquah and Christiana Sillim also want the court to declare that the refusal to uphold full operationalization of the Act by the Attorney General (AG) who is also a party to the suit since it became law, is a breach of the said various laws and legal instruments. The Applicants who are all members of the Progressive Alliance Movement (PAM) a New York State incorporated non-profit organization, seek from the Court a Declaration that Applicants have fundamental human rights under Articles 17(2), 42 and 33(5), of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2006 [Act 699] Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, Article 25 of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Protocol 1 (article 3) of the European Convention on Human Rights, a) to be registered as voter[s] while resident abroad and being outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana, and doing so from/at their places of residence abroad or designated centers close to their places of residence abroad or from/at the Ghana Mission/Embassy within their jurisdiction abroad; b) to be issued voters Identity Cards to enable them to vote in public elections and referenda while resident abroad and being outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana at the time of such elections, and doing so from/at their places of residence abroad or designated centers close to their places of residence abroad or from/at the Ghana Mission/Embassy within their jurisdiction abroad; c) to vote in public elections and referenda particularly Presidential and Parliamentary elections while resident abroad and being outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana at the time of such elections, and doing so from/at their places of residence abroad or designated centers close to their places of residence abroad or from/at the Ghana Mission/Embassy within their jurisdiction abroad; READ ALSO:High Court orders EC to provide evidence for ROPAA implementation d) A Declaration that the non-compliance of 1st Respondent in particular to operationalize the Act 699 since same became law on the 24th day of February 2006 is a breach of Applicants fundamental rights under said various laws and legal instruments; e) A Declaration 2nd Respondents failure, neglect or refusal to uphold/ensure full compliance/operationalization of the Act 699 since same became law on the 24th day of February 2006 is a breach of Applicants fundamental rights under said various laws and legal instruments; f) A Declaration that each of the Applicants right to vote and entitle[ment] to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda in light of the Act 699 and said various laws and legal instruments is not subject to any condition precedent aside the article 42 age and sanity of mind criteria; g) A Declaration that it is discriminatory for Respondents particularly 1st Respondent to continue to register abroad and ensure that a category of citizens studying abroad or working in Ghanas Missions/Embassies abroad vote in public elections and referenda while abroad to the exclusion of the Applicants. h) An Order of mandamus directed at Respondents particularly 1st Respondent to forthwith, uphold/ensure full compliance/operationalisation of Act 699. Response by EC The Electoral Commission at the last hearing prayed the court to allow it prove it was in the process of implementing the law, but failed to provide enough evidence to that effect. The EC, primarily argued that, it had plans to implement the law and should not be compelled to do so. It also challenged the process by which the applicants invoked the courts jurisdiction as wrong, while insisting that the right to vote is not a human right. State Attorneys representing the 2nd Respondent in court had at the start of the case also told the court that they will associate themselves with arguments of lawyers of the 1st Respondent (EC), throughout the entire process. The case was originally filed in 2016, but withdrawn ahead of the elections and refiled after the elections. The Kufuor administration superintended the passage into law in 2006 of Act 699 to allow citizens, including dual nationals, to be registered abroad and to vote from abroad. Background Five Ghanaians resident in the United States have sued the Electoral Commission (EC) over the non-implementation of the law. The applicants want the Human Rights High Court to declare that the failure by the EC to operationalise the Act since it became law on February 24, 2006, is a breach of their fundamental rights under the various laws (Articles 42 and 33 (5), (Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, etc.) and legal instruments. The five Kofi A. Boateng, Agyenim Boateng, Nellie Kemevor, Obed Danquah and Christiana Sillim also want the court to declare that the refusal to uphold full operationalization of the Act by the Attorney General (AG) who is also a party to the suit since it became law, is a breach of the said various laws and legal instruments. READ ALSO: High Court orders EC to provide evidence for ROPAA implementation Before the vote, rightwing opposition leader Lulzim Basha had criticised socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama for wanting to appoint a "puppet" to follow his commands. The accusation comes amid an investigation into Saimir Tahiri, a close ally of Rama's and until March Albania's interior minister, who is accused of having links to international cannabis trafficking. Opposition MPs tried in vain Monday to stop the proceedings, but Arta Marku was eventually sworn in as interim attorney general as smoke still filled the room. Marku's appointment "is a constitutional violation and can lead to a destabilisation of the country," Basha had said Sunday night. He said the job of naming a new attorney general should fall to the prosecutor's office high council, as a plan to reform the current law, which has not yet been voted on, has laid out. Rama "is asking us to violate the constitution because he wants an attorney general under his thumb," Basha added. Marku is due to fill the role for the next two to three months, or until a new prosecution high council has been created. Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for the past five years, has angered Madrid by using Twitter to pump out messages of support for Catalonia's independence drive and accuse Spain's central government of "repression". Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis has said there were signs that Assange was "trying to interfere and manipulate" amid the Catalan crisis after the outspoken Australian met last month with a prominent Catalan pro-independence figure. "We do not want to intervene under any circumstances with respect to Catalonia. We hope the problem is resolved as soon as possible for the benefit of all Spaniards," Moreno told top-selling Spanish daily El Pais. "We have reminded Mr Assange that he has no reason to interfere in Ecuadorian politics because his status does not allow it. Nor in that of nations that are our friends. He does not have the right to do so and he has committed himself to this." Last month Ecuador's foreign ministry said it had told Assange to avoid making statements "that could affect Ecuador's international relations" with Spain and other nations. Moreno begins a three-day official visit to Spain on Sunday with a meeting with Ecuadorian immigrants in Madrid. He is scheduled to hold talks with Spain's King Felipe VI and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday. Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since June 2012 after seeking asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden to face a rape allegation. Although Swedish prosecutors dropped their rape probe in May, Assange -- who denied all allegations -- still faces arrest by British police on a charge of skipping bail if he leaves the embassy. He fears he will be extradited to the United States and put on trial for WikiLeaks publishing leaked secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010. Spain was plunged into its worst political crisis since a failed coup attempt in 1981 after the Catalan government pushed ahead with a banned independence referendum on October 1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport experienced a power outage on Sunday that led to the cancellation of over 1,200 flights on Sunday and Monday. Activity at the world's busiest airport came to a halt after a fire in an underground electrical facility caused the outage at 1 p.m on Sunday. Power returned to the airport early Monday morning. Delta Air Lines suffered the most of any airline, canceling about 1,200 flights on Sunday and Monday. Some say the airline most likely won't resume normal operations in Atlanta until Tuesday. Betsy Klein, a CNN reporter, documented the experience on Twitter, describing how the airport slowly descended into chaos as passengers were left in the airport or on planes with limited food, water, and information about the power outage. Everyone on the plane - so ... @ Betsy Klein "It's hard to see how this ... @ Betsy Klein Pilot also told some of the... @ Betsy Klein The deplaning > Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SunCoke Energy, Inc. (SXC) : Free Stock Analysis Report TotalFinaElf, S.A. (TOT) : Free Stock Analysis Report ENI S.p.A. (E) : Free Stock Analysis Report Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NOG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Just months after Ford (NYSE: F) cancelled plans to build a plant in Mexico and not move some vehicle production south of the border, the automaker says it plans to shift future production of an electric vehicle from Michigan to Mexico. The move is part of a larger plan to free up production space at the automaker's plant in Flat Rock, Michigan so it can build its first autonomous-drive vehicle. That vehicle, will be a gas-electric hybrid model capable of operating 20 hours a day."You're starting to see the foundation of Ford's bet on A-V's (autonomous-drive vehicles). We're very excited about what we are doing," said Jim Farley, president of global markets for Ford.For now, Ford is not revealing many details about the autonomous-drive vehicle it plans to build in Michigan except that it will have commercial grade performance and durability."While others are focusing on A-V's for ride-hailing, our business model will be much more diverse," said Farley. "We'll move people and goods." Earlier this year, Ford announced a partnership with Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) to develop self-driving cars to deliver pizzas to customers. Farley says the automaker will announce more commercial partners in the months to come. The automaker says it will be investing an additional $200 million and adding another 150 jobs as it makes the Flat Rock assembly plant a center for autonomous vehicle development and production. While the additional jobs and investment are welcome news in Michigan, it remains to be seen if moving future production to Mexico will raise the ire of President Donald Trump . While campaigning in 2016, Trump repeatedly bashed Ford for its plan to open a small car assembly plant in Mexico. The constant attacks and promises to force Ford, as well as other automakers, to move production back to the U.S., were part of Trump's appeal to voters in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania and Michigan.After Trump was elected, Ford canceled plans to build a new assembly plant in Mexico and later said it would cancel plans to move production of the Lincoln MKC crossover utility vehicle from Louisville to Mexico.Farley declined to comment on whether Ford's decision to shift production will sit well with the president: "This is not a trade-off. We are hiring and investing in the U.S.," he said. Just months after Ford (NYSE: F) cancelled plans to build a plant in Mexico and not move some vehicle production south of the border, the automaker says it plans to shift future production of an electric vehicle from Michigan to Mexico. The move is part of a larger plan to free up production space at the automaker's plant in Flat Rock, Michigan so it can build its first autonomous-drive vehicle. That vehicle, will be a gas-electric hybrid model capable of operating 20 hours a day. "You're starting to see the foundation of Ford's bet on A-V's (autonomous-drive vehicles). We're very excited about what we are doing," said Jim Farley, president of global markets for Ford. For now, Ford is not revealing many details about the autonomous-drive vehicle it plans to build in Michigan except that it will have commercial grade performance and durability. "While others are focusing on A-V's for ride-hailing, our business model will be much more diverse," said Farley. "We'll move people and goods." Earlier this year, Ford announced a partnership with Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) to develop self-driving cars to deliver pizzas to customers. Farley says the automaker will announce more commercial partners in the months to come. The automaker says it will be investing an additional $200 million and adding another 150 jobs as it makes the Flat Rock assembly plant a center for autonomous vehicle development and production. While the additional jobs and investment are welcome news in Michigan, it remains to be seen if moving future production to Mexico will raise the ire of President Donald Trump . While campaigning in 2016, Trump repeatedly bashed Ford for its plan to open a small car assembly plant in Mexico. The constant attacks and promises to force Ford, as well as other automakers, to move production back to the U.S., were part of Trump's appeal to voters in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. After Trump was elected, Ford canceled plans to build a new assembly plant in Mexico and later said it would cancel plans to move production of the Lincoln MKC crossover utility vehicle from Louisville to Mexico. Farley declined to comment on whether Ford's decision to shift production will sit well with the president: "This is not a trade-off. We are hiring and investing in the U.S.," he said. More From CNBC Power has been restored to the world's busiest airport in Atlanta after an outage caused travel chaos for passengers, with more than a thousand flights cancelled during the power cut.A power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport grounded operations on Sunday, stranding thousands of passengers. The outage lasted nearly 11 hours before power was finally restored around 11:45 p.m. E.T.During the outage, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a ground stop on flights, meaning planes are held at their departure points. Planes also were not departing the airport. The airport handles some 275,000 passengers a day. Travelers posted photos on social media of fellow passengers sitting on the airport floor, dark departure halls, and staircases that were brought up to planes to deboard passengers after the electricity outage prevented the use of gates and jet bridges. Airlines had canceled 1,173 flights to or from the Atlanta airport as of 10:55 p.m., according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) said it canceled more than 900 mainline and regional flights due to the outage and diverted 48 flights to other airports. It also canceled 300 flights scheduled for Monday. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) canceled the remainder of its flights to and from the Atlanta airport on Sunday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said some international flights were sent to other airports.Power was restored to terminals and for "all essential" airport activities shortly before midnight said Georgia Power, the airport's electricity provider. The company had said it "believed" the outage was caused by a fire that damaged an underground facility and affected substations serving the airport.Tweet More than 104 million travelers passed through Atlanta's airport last year, making the Delta Air Lines hub the world's busiest for passenger traffic, according to Airports Council International. The airport handles around 2,500 arrivals and departures, according to the airport's figures.The lack of electricity complicated efforts to get passengers off planes. Such delays can be costly for airlines. Airlines can face fines of up to $27,500 per passenger if a domestic flight is on the tarmac longer than three hours. "Any flights that exceed the tarmac delay rule will start running up big numbers," said Gary Leff, a travel expert who writes the View from the Wing blog. He added that compensation given to travelers could be used to lower fines. CNBC's Ted Kemp contributed to this article Power has been restored to the world's busiest airport in Atlanta after an outage caused travel chaos for passengers, with more than a thousand flights cancelled during the power cut. A power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport grounded operations on Sunday, stranding thousands of passengers. The outage lasted nearly 11 hours before power was finally restored around 11:45 p.m. E.T. During the outage, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a ground stop on flights, meaning planes are held at their departure points. Planes also were not departing the airport. The airport handles some 275,000 passengers a day. Travelers posted photos on social media of fellow passengers sitting on the airport floor, dark departure halls, and staircases that were brought up to planes to deboard passengers after the electricity outage prevented the use of gates and jet bridges. Airlines had canceled 1,173 flights to or from the Atlanta airport as of 10:55 p.m., according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) said it canceled more than 900 mainline and regional flights due to the outage and diverted 48 flights to other airports. It also canceled 300 flights scheduled for Monday. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) canceled the remainder of its flights to and from the Atlanta airport on Sunday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said some international flights were sent to other airports. Power was restored to terminals and for "all essential" airport activities shortly before midnight said Georgia Power, the airport's electricity provider. The company had said it "believed" the outage was caused by a fire that damaged an underground facility and affected substations serving the airport. Tweet More than 104 million travelers passed through Atlanta's airport last year, making the Delta Air Lines hub the world's busiest for passenger traffic, according to Airports Council International. The airport handles around 2,500 arrivals and departures, according to the airport's figures. The lack of electricity complicated efforts to get passengers off planes. Such delays can be costly for airlines. Airlines can face fines of up to $27,500 per passenger if a domestic flight is on the tarmac longer than three hours. "Any flights that exceed the tarmac delay rule will start running up big numbers," said Gary Leff, a travel expert who writes the View from the Wing blog. He added that compensation given to travelers could be used to lower fines. CNBC's Ted Kemp contributed to this article More From CNBC Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 6, 2017) - Quaterra Resources Inc. (TSXV: QTA) (OTCQB: QTRRF) ("Quaterra" or the "Company") today announced that recently completed summer drilling at the Groundhog copper prospect, Alaska, has intersected intrusive rocks and sulfide mineralization commonly associated with porphyry copper mineralization. The Groundhog property is located in an established copper porphyry belt 200 miles southwest of Anchorage, and three miles north of the large Pebble porphyry copper, gold and molybdenum project. The objectives of the reconnaissance drilling program were to determine the source of numerous IP anomalies identified by historic and 2017 surveys and to confirm the prospectiveness of the area for porphyry copper mineralization. Four widely-spaced core holes totaling 4,073 feet the first ever drilled on the 40,000-acre Groundhog property were drilled to test induced polarization (IP) anomalies over an area approximately six miles north-south by three miles east-west. The holes targeted only the southernmost of three magnetic anomalies that have been defined on the property by historic surveys and 26.1 kilometers of new IP completed by Zonge International in June and July this year. (For drill hole locations and geophysical features please see map on the Company website at https://www.quaterra.com/groundhog-drill-map-2017/ ). Hole 3/3A , drilled to a depth of 1,178 feet (S65E at -70 degrees), encountered strong propylitically altered Jurrasic-age gabbro-pyroxenite-basalt basement rocks in the entire hole from 0 to 1,178 feet. The strongly altered and pyritized core was uniformly anomalous in copper (25 to 612 ppm) with scattered anomalous molybdenum (trace to 177 ppm) and gold (trace to 827 ppb). The hole did not penetrate the full extent of the IP anomaly. The strong alteration and anomalous copper, molybdenum, and gold suggest that the hole may be above or adjacent to a porphyry copper system. Hole 4 , collared approximately six miles south of Hole 3, encountered variably pyritized and silicified multi-phase intrusive porphyry rocks over its entire 985-foot length (S45E at -77 degrees). The dominant rock was a crowded quartz-plagioclase-potassium feldspar porphyry intruded by a more altered and mineralized feldspar porphyry, both of which were intruded by a late unmineralized intrusive breccia. The strongly altered and pyritized porphyritic rocks contain weakly anomalous copper and zinc values. Holes 1 and 2, drilled approximately three miles apart midway between Holes 3 and 4, intersected weak sulfide mineralization currently interpreted as Tertiary epithermal mineralization and syngenetic pyrite, respectively. Today's results confirm that pyrite is the source of all IP anomalies tested and will be an effective tool for exploring the project's large land position; and that intrusive rocks similar to those at Pebble were intersected in Holes 3 and 4 and extend well into the Groundhog land block. IP surveying to date has defined a large sulfide anomaly(s) open laterally and at depth whose ultimate extent and source will be determined by additional surveys and deeper drilling. Data compilation and analysis will be completed prior to finalizing 2018 work plans. Groundhog is located on State of Alaska claims covering the northern extension of a 10-kilometer wide north-northeast trending structural zone that hosts a number of porphyry copper-gold prospects. Regional magnetic data suggest that geology similar to that at the Pebble porphyry deposit extends under cover for an additional 30 kilometers northeast from Pebble. Quaterra has signed a lease agreement with Chuchuna Minerals Company ("Chuchuna"), an Alaska corporation, giving Quaterra an option to purchase a 90% interest in Groundhog. Chuchuna is jointly owned by Kijik Corporation ("Kijik"), the ANSCA village corporation for the community of Nondalton, and Alaska Earth Sciences ("AES"), an Anchorage-based mineral exploration company whose principals have more than 40 years of experience throughout Alaska, and have been involved in major discoveries including the Donlin Creek gold deposit. Chuchuna is the operator of the project and plans, implements and manages exploration field programs as set out in a budget and work plan approved by Quaterra. Core drilling was contracted to AES which completed four BTW core holes with a Discovery 1 drill rig. Core samples were sawed in half and sealed in heavy plastic bags into two- to three-meter samples by AES personnel. The samples were then sealed into two foot by three foot rice bags and shipped by a commercial air carrier from Nondalton, Alaska, to Anchorage, Alaska. In Anchorage the samples were picked up by AES personnel who then inserted sample blanks from a local rock quarry approximately every tenth sample. The samples were then shipped by Lynden Transport trucks to the ALS USA's Prep Laboratory in Fairbanks, Alaska, where they were crushed, pulverized and split. ALS then shipped a split of the samples to their Reno Nevada analytical lab where they were analyzed by ME-MS41 ultra trace Aqua Regia ICP-MS and Au-AA23 (Au 30g fire assay with AA finish, 0.005 ppm Au detection limit). ALS routinely inserts about 15 duplicate samples, blanks, and standards with each sample shipment. About Quaterra Resources Inc. Quaterra Resources Inc. (TSXV: QTA) (OTCQB: QTRRF) is a copper exploration and development company with the primary objective of advancing its U.S. subsidiary's copper projects in the Yerington District, Nevada. The Company also looks for opportunities to acquire copper projects on reasonable terms in mining-friendly jurisdictions that have the potential to host large mineral deposits attractive to major mining companies. The Company this year acquired the right to earn a 90% in the Groundhog copper project in Southwest Alaska. Technical information in this news release has been approved by Thomas Patton, Ph.D., the CEO of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Thomas Patton, Chairman & CEO Quaterra Resources Inc. For more information please contact: Thomas Patton, Chairman & CEO Quaterra Resources Inc. 604-641-2758 Gerald Prosalendis, President and COO Quaterra Resources Inc. 604-641-2780 Disclosure note: Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements under Canadian securities laws and within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are identified in this news release by words such as "will", "may", "intends", "anticipates", "offers the potential", "suggests", and similar language, or convey estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives, potential outcomes, expectations, or goals. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. In particular, forward looking statements in this news release include that the Company will be able to finance exploration efforts and acquisition costs; that commodity markets and copper prices will improve; that mapping, sampling, IP and exploration drilling will be undertaken; that results will define mineralization or high grade zones; that historical and new exploration will support a resource on the property; and that the Groundhog assets have the potential to support mining operations. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. A summary of risk factors that apply to the Company's operations are included in our management discussion and analysis filings with securities regulatory authorities, and are publicly available on our website. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's main public-sector labor union staged a half-day strike on Sunday, closing the airport, stock exchange, banks and all government ministries to protest at mass layoffs planned by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries . Debt-ridden Teva , one of Israel's largest companies and the world's largest generics drugmaker, said last week it would cut its global workforce by more than a quarter, or 14,000 jobs. Some 1,700 jobs will be cut and a manufacturing site will be closed in Israel. This has angered unions and politicians, who believe Teva's employees should not pay for the company's failed investments abroad. Sunday is the beginning of the Israeli work week. Hundreds of thousands of workers went on strike until 12 noon (1000 GMT) and many held solidarity rallies outside Teva facilities. Protesters also blocked major roads across the country, including the entrance of Jerusalem, and burned tires outside many Teva offices. Demonstrators sat in the middle of streets and crosswalks, halting traffic in a number of cities. The Histadrut labor federation said hundreds of Teva workers in its Jerusalem plant were squatting inside and would continue a strike again on Monday, while there will also be strikes at other Teva facilities. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange shortened its trading day, opening at 1 pm and closed as usual at about 4:30 pm. Teva's shares fell 0.8 percent. Departing flights at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport between 8 a.m. and at least 12 p.m. were either canceled or delayed. Similarly, no flights were allowed to land until after 12 p.m. PUBLIC TRANSIT KEPT RUNNING FOR SOLDIERS Trains and buses were initially supposed to strike as well, but the Histadrut allowed public transit to operate so that soldiers could get back to their bases as usual. "We are fighting on behalf of Teva's workers to save Israel's industry ... and to convey the message that layoffs are the last and not the first step in the public and private sectors," Histadrut chief Avi Nissenkorn said. He called the current crisis the fault of Teva's management and board, adding: "It is the state's responsibility to prevent thousands of Israeli families from paying the price for this." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he planned to meet with Kare Schultz, Teva's chief executive, this week to try and minimize the blow to workers. "We need to do everything possible to prevent the closure of plants in Jerusalem," Netanyahu said at the outset of a cabinet meeting, adding Teva should remain based in Israel. "It employs thousands of workers," he said. "It started as an Israeli company and we want it to remain as an Israeli company. We will use various means at our disposal to try and achieve these goals." He did not elaborate. Schultz said Teva would maintain its headquarters in Israel. Saddled with nearly $35 billion in debt since acquiring Allergan's Actavis generic drug business for $40.5 billion, Teva made a series of changes after Schultz joined as its new chief executive on Nov. 1. Its two-year restructuring plan is intended to reduce Teva's cost base by $3 billion by the end of 2019, out of an estimated cost base for 2017 of $16.1 billion. Nissenkorn said he would meet with Israel's finance and economy ministers, along with the Teva workers union, on Monday. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; editing by Mark Heinrich) Workers of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries stand at the entrance to their facility in Ashdod, Israel December 17, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen (Reuters) By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's export-dependent economy is expected to take a hit from planned job cuts and plant closures at its largest company, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, but overall growth should stay strong. Teva, the world's largest generic drugmaker, accounts for as much as 3 percent of Israeli economic output, according to economists. Teva, along with Israel Chemicals (ICL) and Intel's Israel plants, accounts for close to half of industrial exports. As such, Teva's announcement that it planned to slash its global workforce by a quarter, or 14,000 jobs -- 1,700 of those in Israel -- has caused concern, especially since ICL and Intel's exports have slipped in recent years. "We intend to reduce our (Israeli) export and GDP forecasts for next year," said Bank Leumi chief economist Gil Bufman. "In terms of GDP, it will mark down forecasts in 2018 by 0.3 percentage point. But it won't completely derail the economy." Israel's economy is poised to grow around 3 percent this year and economists had expected a faster rate of at least 3.5 percent in 2018. But Bufman believes it will be between 3 and 3.5 percent. Over the first 11 months of 2017, pharmaceutical exports -- which are mostly Teva -- rose to $6.8 billion from $6.3 billion in the same period in 2016, although monthly pharmaceutical exports have slipped by 40 percent since peaking in August, government data showed. Not only will Israel's exports be reduced by plant closings, Teva also sells to the domestic market and there is a multiplier effect of smaller companies selling to Teva, economists noted. Exports make up more than 30 percent of Israel's economic growth, but industrial exports excluding diamonds -- $44 billion in 2016 -- have shrunk to around 16 percent of that. Fast-growing services such as those in the high-tech sector, which provide more added value and are less dependent on currency effects, are 14 percent of Israeli exports. Story continues Even before the mass-layoffs were announced, financial woes at Teva worried policymakers at the Bank of Israel. Minutes of an Aug. 29 rates decision showed that committee members discussed developments at Teva. "The developments wont create a macroeconomic impact in the short term, but in the long term there will likely be some negative impact on exports and on GDP," the minutes said. One potential silver lining for Teva, economists said, is that most of its laid-off employees in Israel would ultimately find new jobs. Between September and November, the number of job vacancies jumped an annualised 13.8 percent, based on trend data issued by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Sunday. With a jobless rate of 4.1 percent in the third quarter, Israel's labour market is deemed at or close to full employment -- but with excess demand for labour. "The economy is poised nicely to absorb most of these workers that are laid off," said Jonathan Katz, chief economist at Leader Capital Markets. "So the impact on the general growth picture should be minimal." (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - December 18, 2017) - Turquoise Hill Resources (TRQ) (TRQ) (TRQ) today announced the appointment of Stephen Jones to the Company's Board of Directors effective December 18. Peter Gillin, Turquoise Hill Chairman, said, "The board welcomes Stephen and we look forward to working with him. We will benefit from his extensive mining experience as well as his in-depth knowledge of Oyu Tolgoi." Mr. Jones has more than 20 years of experience working for Rio Tinto in Growth and Innovation, Copper and Coal, Aluminium, Iron Ore as well as Technology and Innovation in Australia, Canada, Mongolia and the U.S. In December 2017, he was appointed Chief Advisor -- Surface Mining and Geosciences. Previously, Mr. Jones spent four years working in Mongolia for Oyu Tolgoi LLC, with roles including Chief Operating Officer, Acting Chief Executive Officer and General Manager - Operations. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) from the University of Queensland, Australia and a Graduate Diploma in Management from Deakin University, Australia. Follow us on Twitter @TurquoiseHillRe Travis Kalanick REUTERS/Adnan Abidi There are a lot of explosive claims in a recently unsealed letter written by a lawyer for a former Uber intelligence manager. One claim is that Uber contracted with ex-CIA operatives to bug hotels, infiltrate WhatsApp groups, and obtain sensitive information. In one example cited in the letter, these operatives were able to record executives at a competitor holding a business meeting at a hotel reacting to news that Uber had receieved billions in funding from the Saudi government. An explosive letter recently unsealed in the Uber-Waymo trade secrets legal battle has a lot of details that Uber probably wishes weren't public. The so-called "Jacobs letter" was written by a lawyer for a former Uber intelligence manager, and it contains allegations that the company had internal teams tasked with bugging hotels, infiltrating sensitive WhatsApp groups, and obtaining trade secrets from its competitors. A lot of this espionage was conducted by actual CIA-trained "case officers," who posed as legitimate businessmen and businesswomen, but collected intelligence on the side for Uber, according to the letter. Uber called these operatives "LATs." Uber hasn't verified all the claims in the so-called "Jacobs letter," a spokesperson told Business Insider on Friday. Here's the footnote from the letter describing Uber's LAT operatives: Uber LAT Public records Here's what it says: "LAT operatives are CIA-trained case officers fielded by Gicinto. They are capable of collecting foreign intelligence in priority locations for Uber. They are commercially covered, deeply back-stopped business persons with established reasons to travel to high priority locations important to Uber on little notice. They conduct business meetings, but collect intelligence for Uber on the side. Around early-to-mid 2016, they quickly became Uber's stable of non-official cover operatives. These independent contractors were given the meaningless acronym "LAT" to protect discussions about this resource and poke fun at Tal Global, a former vendor who provided intelligence collection support to Uber. LATs were seen as the opposite of Tal, who Uber had discontinued work with due to their low quality work." Story continues Uber exec allegedly said that its CIA-trained spies were "Boy Scouts now" The logo of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is shown in the lobby of the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia March 3, 2005. U.S. President George W. Bush visited the headquarters for briefings Thursday. REUTERS/Jason Reed JIR Thomson Reuters"Gicinto," in the above passage, refers to Nick Gicinto, who was in charge of Uber's "Strategic Services Group." The group was responsible for collecting sensitive information using in-house Uber employees and outside vendors, according to the letter. The letter claims Gicinto said that although the LAT operatives had conducted espionage in their previous careers, they were "all Boy Scouts now." These LATs show up several times in the narrative presented in the 37-page letter, which alleges that LAT operatives impersonated actual people to access closed social media groups, placed recording devices, and collected information on political figures and parties. One claim in the letter is that an Uber LAT operative had found a "new technical capability" in a redacted foreign country that allowed it to collect mobile-phone metadata, including call logs with the time and date of various communications, likely phone calls and texts. "The subsequent link-analysis of this metadata occurred on U.S. soil and revealed previously unknown, non-public relationships between Uber opposition figures, politicians, and regulators with unfavorable views on Uber and the ride-sharing industry," according to the letter, which claims the LATs conducted "foreign espionage" against a sovereign nation. LAT operatives were also active in the United States, according to the letter, citing an example of an operative gaining access to a private WhatsApp chat group by impersonating a taxi driver. In one example cited in the letter, LAT operatives were able to record executives at a competitor holding a business meeting at a hotel reacting to news that Uber had receieved billions in funding from the Saudi government. It shouldn't be surprising that Uber had several groups dedicated to collecting sensitive business information from competitors and regulators, but contracting with former CIA spies is an aggressive move, even for a company that regularly pushed the boundries of the law. Read the entire Jacobs letter below: NOW WATCH: Why Korean parents are having their kids get plastic surgery before college See Also: SEE ALSO: A bombshell letter charges that Uber hacked into competitors' networks and wiretapped people at a hotel Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2017) - Westminster Resources Ltd. (TSXV: WMR) (FSE: 08W2) is pleased to provide an update on its proposed transaction to acquire IOCG and porphyry copper projects in southern Peru. Conditional approval was granted by the TSX Venture Exchange on Thursday, December 7, 2017. A technical report on the projects has been submitted to the TSX Venture for their review. Legal due diligence is nearing completion, and Jason Cubitt, director of Westminster Resources, is in Peru finalizing plans for the transition. Glen Indra, President of Westminster Resources commented "Westminster is excited to be moving ahead with this acquisition copper prices have continued to trend upwards, and the Ilo Norte and Ilo Este Projects have exceptional potential". As released on September 9, 2017, Westminster is acquiring a 100% interest in 3 groups of concessions totaling 36,225 hectares in southern Peru, covering both Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) and porphyry copper styles of mineralisation. Ilo Norte is 29 km north of the port city of Ilo and is reported to host IOCG and Skarn replacement style mineralisation in a package of Jurassic-age volcano-sedimentary rocks. Substantial historical drilling has returned both high-grade copper over intervals between 3 and 6 metres in length, as well as 15 to 30 metre-intervals of continuous mineralisation. Ilo Este is a large copper porphyry system with coincident gold, silver and molybdenum mineralisation which has been mapped at surface over an area greater than 3 square kilometres, with a similar-sized extension to the east. Additionally, Westminster is acquiring concessions covering 9 other earlier-stage projects, all within this same Coastal IOCG/Porphyry copper belt in Southern Peru, providing a pipeline for future value creation. Regionally, it is reported that over 125 billion pounds of contained copper in published reserves and resources are found within 100 kilometres of the Ilo Norte and Ilo Este concessions, with approximately half of Peru's copper production coming from this region. This transaction remains subject to shareholder and final TSX Venture approval, and the Company cautions that it has not done any work on the projects to confirm the information contained in this release. The information in this release has been sourced from the seller, Latin Resources Limited, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WESTMINSTER RESOURCES LTD. "Glen lndra " President About Westminster: Westminster is in the process of acquiring two 100% owned, highly prospective copper properties in Southern Peru. The projects comprise of concessions totaling over 36,225 hectares on the country's prolific coastal copper belt, source of nearly half of Peru's copper production - the world's second largest by tonnage. Exploration drilling has been completed, through which both IOCG and Porphyry style mineralization have been identified; demonstrating significant upside for the development of the properties. For further information regarding Westminster Resources Ltd., please contact Bill Conlin or Mark Carruthers at 604-608-0400, Toll free: 1-877-608-0007. By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A union ordered a strike by workers at Israeli drugsmaker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries on Tuesday after two days of protests by employees over planned job cuts by the indebted firm. Hundreds of Teva employees, many wearing white lab coats, blocked the road and entrance to the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem, where union leaders met ministry officials and Teva representatives. After that meeting, Avi Nissenkorn, head of Histadrut, an umbrella organization representing public sector unions and also workers at some private firms such as Teva, ordered a suspension of activity at all Teva sites in Israel on Tuesday. He also said workers would protest in front of the prime minister's office on Tuesday. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said the government supported Teva workers and would do all it could to reduce the number of job losses and factory shutdowns. He did not give details. Teva, one of Israel's biggest employers, declined to comment. The world's largest generics drugmaker said last week it aimed to reduce its debts by cutting its global workforce by more than a quarter, or 14,000 jobs, including 1,700 in Israel where it will also close a manufacturing site. The plans have angered unions and politicians, who believe employees should not pay for Teva's failed investments abroad. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would meet Teva CEO Kare Schultz this week to minimize the impact on staff, after thousands of public sector workers staged a half-day strike on Sunday to show solidarity with Teva workers. The strike forced the closure of Ben-Gurion airport, banks, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and government ministries, while protesters also blocked roads and burned tires. Union leader Nissenkorn said "job cuts were a last resort" and called on the government to minimize harm to workers and ensure Teva's plants remained in Israel. Workers at Teva Medical blocked an entrance to the port city of Ashdod and the company's headquarters, and two other plants were shutdown. Hundreds of workers protested inside a plant in Jerusalem, preventing it from operating. Histadrut said 250 staff the Kfar Saba plan, north of Tel Aviv, had said they would stop work for several hours on Monday, and that protests would be staged at other sites. Teva has been weighed down by $35 billion in debt it took on to acquire Allergans Actavis generic drug business for $40.5 billion last year, a move that coincided with tumbling U.S. prices for generic drugs and the start of competition to Teva's blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone. Under a two-year plan, Teva aims to reduce costs by $3 billion by the end of 2019, from about $16.1 billion in 2017. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Susan Fenton and Edmund Blair) For Immediate Release Chicago, IL Dec 18, 2017 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Industry: Steel, Part 2, including Nucor Corp. NUE, United States Steel Corp. X, AK Steel Holding Corp. AKS and Steel Dynamics Inc. STLD. Industry: Steel, Part 2 Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/140189/steel-industry-stock-outlook---december-2017 Steel is not only the world's most important engineering and construction material, but is also utilized in countless products given the metal's combination of high strength and a relatively low production cost. Consequently, it is considered a crucial element of economic growth. Both advanced and developing economies are exhibiting stronger economic momentum this year, which bodes well for the steel industry. Further, President Trumps plans for colossal infrastructure spending one of his key campaign promises will be a catalyst for American steel makers as it is likely to have a beneficial effect on the U.S. steel industry given the expected increase in steel consumption. So it is safe to say a lot of hopes rest on the President. Notably, Trumps aggressive trade policies are also anticipated to provide more protection to the U.S. steel industry. Moreover, the industry continues to benefit from the sustained healthy demand in the automobile and construction sectors. Steel Production Expands at a Solid Pace Per the World Steel Associations (WSA) data available til October 2017, global steel production surged a healthy 5.6% to 1410 metric tons (Mt) on a year-over-year basis propelled by higher output across all regions. Steel production in Asia was at 975 Mt in 10 month-period, an increase of 6.0% year over year. North Americas crude steel production registered a 4.1% rise to 96.5 Mt while the EU produced 140.8 Mt of crude steel, rising 3.7% year over year. Steel production in the C.I.S. was at 85.2 Mt, a 0.4% rise year over year. China, the worlds largest steel maker which accounts for around half of the global production, delivered a 6.1% rise in steel production during the first 10 months of the year. Story continues Concerns about Chinas slowdown had dealt a massive blow to the global steel industry over the last couple years, with overcapacity and lower steel prices denting the margins of Chinese steel producers. Efforts have been undertaken to reduce overcapacity and upgrade production in China's steel industry to negate these factors. To mitigate the impact of rebalancing, the Chinese government issued a number of mini stimulus measures. This led to a short-term boom in infrastructure investment and the housing market, working in favor of the steel industry. Consequently, Chinas steel demand grew 1.3% in 2016 and the industry continues to witness strong steel demand so far in 2017. The countrys steel exports slumped 31% for the first 11 months of 2017, per data released by the General Administration of Customs. Notably, November marks the 15th consecutive month in which Chinese steel exports have registered a yearly decline. Positive rulings in trade cases (resulting in levy of heavy tariffs) against China is contributing to a decline in Chinese steel exports. Further, Chinas actions to reduce excess steel supply are also expected to lend support to steel prices in 2017. The worlds largest steel producer has pledged to cut steel production capacity by around 50 million Mt in 2017 to tackle pollution and curb excess supply. Cheap Imports Continue to Hinder Growth U.S. steel mills remain impacted by depressed capacity utilization and a surge of unfairly traded imports. The domestic market continues to be inundated with cheap imports from overseas producers, especially China. According to a recent report from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), total and finished steel imports for the first 10 months of 2017 shot up 19.4% and 15.4% year over year, respectively. Year to date, finished steel import market share is estimated at 28%. American steel makers including Nucor Corp., United States Steel Corp., AK Steel Holding Corp., Steel Dynamics Inc. and ArcelorMittal USA have been bearing the brunt of high levels of cheap imports. This has resulted in declining orders, idling of mills and layoffs across the board. Consequently, U.S. steel makers continue to actively press the U.S. regulators to stop unfair trade practices and enforce new trade laws to rescue the crisis-hit American steel industry. Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year.See these high-potential stocks free >>. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com/ Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AK Steel Holding Corporation (AKS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD) : Free Stock Analysis Report United States Steel Corporation (X) : Free Stock Analysis Report Nucor Corporation (NUE) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MGX Minerals Inc. (MGX or the Company) (CSE:XMG) (OTCQB:MGXMF) (FKT:1MG) is pleased to announce development activity has commenced at its Kootenay and Wonah Silicon Projects located near Canal Flats, British Columbia. Exploration design and permitting activities have commenced. Archaeological assessment (AOA) and environmental assessment are expected to commence shortly. Infrastructure evaluation is currently underway including assessment of the bulk commodity load out facility at Canal Flats, inclusive of ten railcar siding, previously used for gypsum loading. High grade silica is the feedstock used in industrial silicon metal and solar silicon metal applications. Energy Applications To further the Companys expansion into low cost energy mass storage systems, following the acquisition of ZincNyx Energy Solutions (see press release, December. 13, 2017), MGX has prioritized evaluation and development of its silicon projects for silicon metal potential. One of the primary uses of silicon metal is in solar panels. Solar panels are a cornerstone to remote and distributed energy solutions. Solar, combined with a mass storage system such as that currently under development by ZincNyx, serves to replace or augment diesel generators, as well as having broad applications in energy storage for residential and commercial grid load balancing and backup, and in providing primary and backup power for industrial sites, telecommunications, large scale computer server arrays and military bases. Additional information on the integration of solar with ZincNyx energy storage systems is available by video and at ZincNyx.com. Metallurgy Test Design A metallurgy program has been designed to test for suitability of upgrading to silicon metal and solar grade silicon. A bulk sample requirement of two tonnes has been requested by the evaluation laboratory. The evaluation laboratory is qualified to complete process and plant design should the silica be found suitable for upgrading to silicon metal. Wonah Silicon The main target includes the ridge where steeply dipping Ordovician age quartzite is exposed over a strike length of approximately 850 meters. Geological mapping, geochemical sampling, and surveying identified a series of white quartzite outcroppings (Wonah Quartzite Formation) that form 2 lenses, the Central Zone that has been traced for approximately 500 m, and South Zone traced for 350 m along strike. The Central and South Zones consist of a highly competent quartzite unit that trends N to NNE, is approximately 50 meters in width, and has a steep east dip. There is an ESE trending fault between the Central and South Quartzite Zones that has an approximate 200 m sinstral, horizontal displacement. A total of 11 rock chip quartzite samples were taken from the Central & South Zones by MGX VP Exploration Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.) shortly after acquisition in 2015. Rock chip samples were analyzed by ALS Minerals, North Vancouver, BC, using Li Borate fusion, whole rock analysis ME-XRF-06 (XRF26), results of significant elements are summarized by percentage as follows: Sample ID SiO2 Fe2O3 MgO CaO P2O5 LOI Total 15WONAH-1 99.4 0.04 0.02 0.01 <0.01 0.14 99.76 15WONAH-2 99.2 0.04 0.01 0.01 <0.01 0.12 99.51 15WONAH-3 99.7 0.03 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.08 99.87 15WONAH-4 99.5 0.04 0.01 0.01 <0.01 0.1 99.76 15WONAH-5 99.5 0.06 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.21 100.1 15WONAH-6 98.9 0.03 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.1 99.14 15WONAH-7 99.2 0.05 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.06 99.43 15WONAH-8 99.9 0.04 0.01 0.01 <0.01 0.11 100.17 15WONAH-9 99.3 0.05 0.01 0.01 <0.01 0.21 99.73 15WONAH-10 99.5 0.03 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.11 99.74 15WONAH-11 99.3 0.05 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.13 99.59 Kootenay Silicon The property was previously drilled by COMINCO with a total of 477.16 meters of NQ core with 8 holes drilled from 7 different locations in 1981. The Kootenay property consists of a total area of 165.7 hectares (409.4 acres). Fieldwork was performed in 2015, shortly after the acquisition of the property by MGX Minerals, by VP of Exploration Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.) which consisted of geochemical sampling and geological mapping. Geochemical sampling was carried out on exposed surface bedrock located in close proximity to historic diamond drilling performed by Cominco. A total of 8 rock chip samples were collected from surface outcrop near previous drilling, and rock chip samples were analyzed by ALS Minerals, North Vancouver, BC, using Li Borate fusion, whole rock analysis ME-XRF-06 (XRF26). Highlights of significant results from Koot North, Middle and South Zones are listed by percentage: Sample ID SiO2 Fe2O3 MgO CaO P2O5 LOI Total Koot-15-AR-1 97.97 0.53 0.01 0.03 0.01 0.24 99.17 Koot-15-AR-2 98.82 0.44 <0.01 0.05 0.01 0.2 99.91 Koot-15-AR-3 98.39 0.48 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.25 99.75 Koot-15-AR-4 97.87 0.46 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.28 99.14 Koot-15-AR-5 97.95 0.46 0.01 0.01 <0.01 0.34 99.36 Koot-15-AR-6 97.89 0.55 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.31 99.32 Koot-15-AR-7 97.61 0.52 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.33 99.36 Koot-15-AR-8 97.63 0.51 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.4 99.16 Exploration and Development Plan Both properties are located near infrastructure and centralized loadout facility. The Company is prepared for immediate 10-hole drill program at each property followed by small bulk sample for metallurgical testing. Upon completion of suitable metallurgy infill drilling is planned for the purpose of generating a NI 43-101 Resource Estimate. The properties are generally suited for quarry type operation. Development strategy is largely dependent on the outcome of metallurgy. Evaluation of potential strategic partnerships within the silicon metal and solar sectors is underway which would play a significant role in development plan should silica be found suitable for the targeted applications in the silicon metal industry. Qualified Person The technical portions of this press release were prepared and reviewed by Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.), Vice President of Exploration for MGX Minerals. Mr. Kikauka is a non-independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards. MGX may decide to advance its silicon projects into production without first establishing mineral resources supported by an independent technical report or completing a feasibility study. A production decision without the benefit of a technical report independently establishing mineral resources or reserves and any feasibility study demonstrating economic and technical viability creates increased uncertainty and heightens economic and technical risks of failure. Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic or technical failure. About MGX Minerals MGX Minerals is a diversified Canadian resource company with interests in advanced material and energy assets throughout North America. Learn more at www.mgxminerals.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Tierra Energy Inc. ("Gran Tierra" or the "Company") (NYSE American:GTE) (NYSE MKT:GTE) (TSX:GTE), a company focused on oil and gas exploration and production in Colombia, is pleased to announce its 2018 capital budget and production guidance. All dollar amounts are in United States (U.S.) dollars and all production volumes are on a working interest before royalties ("WI") basis, unless otherwise indicated. Highlights Gran Tierra expects 2018 average production of 36,500 to 38,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day (" boepd "), representing organic growth of 20 to 27% over 2017 year to date average production 1 and an increase of 39 to 47% over 2016 average production 1 Gran Tierra's production guidance includes only forecasted volumes from existing operations and expected development projects and no volumes are assumed for any exploration success "), representing organic growth of 20 to 27% over 2017 year to date average production and an increase of 39 to 47% over 2016 average production Gran Tierra's production guidance includes only forecasted volumes from existing operations and expected development projects and no volumes are assumed for any exploration success 2018 capital budget of $250-270 million 2018 cash from operating activities 2 forecast of $265-285 million at $57/barrel (" bbl ") Brent oil price forecast of $265-285 million at $57/barrel (" ") Brent oil price Gran Tierra has significant control and flexibility on capital allocation and timing as the Company operates over 90% of its production, 15 out of its 16 blocks in the Putumayo Basin 3 and 4 out of its 4 blocks in the Middle Magdalena Valley Basin (" MMV ") With the Company's operated, low cost, high netback, and low decline asset base, Gran Tierra's focus is on organic production growth and drilling 30 to 35 exploration wells over the next three to five years, all expected to be funded from expected cash from operating activities 2 and 4 out of its 4 blocks in the Middle Magdalena Valley Basin (" ") With the Company's operated, low cost, high netback, and low decline asset base, Gran Tierra's focus is on organic production growth and drilling 30 to 35 exploration wells over the next three to five years, all expected to be funded from expected cash from operating activities Based on current evaluations of the Company's portfolio of exploration and development opportunities, Gran Tierra anticipates average annual production growth of 12 to 20% in 2019 over forecasted average annual production for 2018 If oil prices meaningfully exceed Gran Tierra's 2018 forecast, the resulting increase in cash from operating activities2 may be directed to accelerated capital spending, the repayment of debt or share buybacks under our previously announced Normal Course Issuer Bid; alternatively, if oil prices drop materially below the Company's forecast, Gran Tierra has the ability to moderate the rate of spending accordingly due to the Company's high operated interest across the asset portfolio 2018 Capital Budget and Expenses Gran Tierra is forecasting the following ranges for the Companys 2018 capital budget, all to be invested in Colombia: 2018 Budget Forecast Low Case High Case Brent Oil Price ($/bbl) 57.00 45.00 65.00 Cash from Operating Activities2 ($ million) 265-285 220-240 300-320 Total Capital ($ million) 250-270 Development (19-21 gross wells) 100-105 Exploration (8-11 gross wells) 80-90 Facilities 50-55 Seismic & Studies 20 Based on the midpoint of the guidance, the 2018 capital budget is forecasted to be directed approximately 60% to development and 40% to exploration Approximately 30-35% of the 2018 development capital program is expected to be directed at facilities, with approximately 75% of this investment dedicated to the ongoing facilities expansion at the Acordionero field that is forecasted to increase its production capacity up to 45,000 barrels of fluid per day (" bfpd ") by end of second quarter 2018 ") by end of second quarter 2018 The 2018 capital program assumes up to 4 drilling rigs being active during the year Gran Tierra expects approximate 2018 expenses to be in the following ranges (barrel oil equivalent = boe): 2018 Budget Forecast Brent Oil Price ($/bbl) 57.00 Expenses ($/boe) Transportation and Discount 12.00 - 14.00 Royalties 7.00 - 8.00 Operating Costs 7.50 - 8.50 General and Administrative 2.00 - 3.00 Interest and Financing 1.00 - 2.00 Taxes 3.00 - 4.00 Gary Guidry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gran Tierra, commented "During 2017, we have successfully executed our strategy of delivering profitable organic production growth with our diversified portfolio of exploration and development assets in Colombia. Our 2018 capital budget is expected to build on the operational momentum achieved by our team in 2017 and to be fully funded from cash from operating activities2. With our returns-focused capital program, we plan to deliver strong organic production and reserves growth as we drill development and exploration oil wells throughout our extensive Colombian opportunity set. With our robust portfolio of reserves, we have the ability to adjust the pace of development to changes in the oil price. We can accelerate our cash flow funded capital program if oil prices increase significantly in 2018 or decrease capital investment if oil prices drop materially below our forecasts. In the Middle Magdalena Valley Basin (MMV), we anticipate an ongoing ramp-up in production at our Acordionero field, where results to date have exceeded our original expectations. At Acordionero, we expect to continuously drill both production and water injection wells throughout 2018 and beyond, while fully implementing a waterflood program for enhanced oil recovery during 2018. We also plan to be generating our own power from associated natural gas production and injecting water from non-potable subsurface water production. In the Putumayo Basin, we expect to further delineate the exciting A-Limestone and N-Sandstone plays by continuing to drill a mix of development, appraisal and exploration wells. With the key acquisitions completed in 2016, we believe Gran Tierra is well positioned in the most prospective fairways of this proven, under-explored basin. We are the largest landholder in the Putumayo Basin with 16 blocks and approximately 1.1 million gross acres (0.9 million net acres) of land and our extensive and proprietary seismic database allows optimization of capital allocation and focused regulatory approval. "Today, we are also announcing strategic farm-ins on the Alea 1848-A and 1947-C Blocks in the Putumayo Basin which will increase Gran Tierra's WI in both blocks to 75% and designate the Company as operator.3 The Alea farm-ins are a continuation of Gran Tierra's focused strategy of further building our high-quality, diversified portfolio to efficiently create value in the multi-horizon, proven hydrocarbon producing basins of Colombia. We expect these farm-ins to provide drill-ready prospects targeting the multi-zone potential of the N, U and T Sands and the A-Limestone. This further consolidation of our commanding land position in the prolific Putumayo Basin will add additional prospective resources to Gran Tierras portfolio and enhance our ability to execute the drilling of exciting exploration prospects over the next three to five years. "We believe that Gran Tierra has a self-funding sustainable business model with the portfolio to deliver significant growth in per share values in terms of net asset value, production, reserves and cash flow. We operate and control virtually all of our exploration and development program, which provides flexibility in our capital expenditures. We will continue to review and evaluate our capital spending program with a strict and disciplined focus on returns. Additional Details of 2018 Capital Budget 2018 Development Capital Budget ($155 - $165 Million) Acordionero (MMV): Drill 12 wells: 8 development, 3 water injection and 1 water source Central processing facility expansion: increase water injection capacity up to 40,000 barrels of water per day, fluid handling capacity up to 45,000 bfpd and truck loading capacity up to 30,000 barrel of oil per day (" bopd ") Expand gas to power project using associated natural gas production Waterflood implementation expansion: previous injectivity and facility pilot tests proven successful and waterflood now into full development In 2018, the field is expected to generate free cash flow In 2019, there are no major facility costs expected in Acordionero and, with a higher anticipated production base in 2019, the field is expected to generate significant free cash flow Drill 12 wells: 8 development, 3 water injection and 1 water source Central processing facility expansion: increase water injection capacity up to 40,000 barrels of water per day, fluid handling capacity up to 45,000 bfpd and truck loading capacity up to 30,000 barrel of oil per day (" ") Expand gas to power project using associated natural gas production Waterflood implementation expansion: previous injectivity and facility pilot tests proven successful and waterflood now into full development In 2018, the field is expected to generate free cash flow In 2019, there are no major facility costs expected in Acordionero and, with a higher anticipated production base in 2019, the field is expected to generate significant free cash flow Putumayo Basin and Minor Fields: Drill 7-9 development wells 8-10 workovers/reactivations and stimulations 2018 Exploration Capital Budget ($95 - $105 Million) Gran Tierra's 2018 exploration program is targeted mainly at drilling in proven basins with known oil accumulations and stacked pays. The Company believes that this approach increases chances of success and significantly lowers the risk of drilling dry holes. Putumayo Basin: Drill 5-6 exploration wells targeting prospects with multi-zone potential, including carbonates (A, B and M2 Limestones) and N Sand Commence three 3D seismic surveys covering a total of approximately 250 square kilometers Drill 5-6 exploration wells targeting prospects with multi-zone potential, including carbonates (A, B and M2 Limestones) and N Sand Commence three 3D seismic surveys covering a total of approximately 250 square kilometers Llanos Basin: Drill 1-2 exploration wells Drill 1-2 exploration wells MMV: Drill 1-2 exploration wells Drill 1-2 exploration wells Sinu Basin: Drill 1 exploration well 2018 Hedging Program Gran Tierra has 10,000 bopd of oil hedges in place for 2018, representing approximately 26-27% of forecasted production. These ICE Brent hedges are composed 50% of swaps (weighted average floor of $55.90/bbl) and 50% of participating swaps (weighted average floor of $52.50/bbl, weighted average call of $56.11/bbl); the participating swaps allow Gran Tierra to participate in 100% of the upside over the call strike while retaining a firm floor price. Foreign exchange hedges are also in place on approximately 27% of expected Colombian peso ("COP") exposure. These hedges are collars with a floor of 3,000 COP/U.S. dollar ("USD") and a weighted average cap of 3,107 COP/USD. Strategic Farm-Ins: Alea 1848-A and 1947-C Blocks, Putumayo Basin (Gran Tierra 75% WI and Operator)3 Gran Tierra has entered into two agreements to acquire, subject to approval from the Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (ANH), additional WI's in the Alea 1848-A and 1947-C Blocks in the Putumayo Basin. Under the terms of the agreements, Gran Tierra will increase its position to 75% WI in each of the blocks and will carry the farmor on current contract phase obligations, to a combined maximum of $4.8 million. The applications for approval to be submitted to the ANH will include the appointment of Gran Tierra as operator of these blocks. The Alea 1848-A & 1947-C Blocks are expected to provide drill-ready prospects targeting the multi-zone potential of the N, U and T Sands and the A-Limestone. Gran Tierra has already mapped several prospects on existing Company 2D and 3D seismic data. 1Colombia only, adjusted for sale of Brazil assets effective June 30, 2017; average 2017 Colombia only production through September 30, 2017 was 30,398 boepd. 2Cash from operating activities refers to the GAAP line item net cash provided by operating activities. 3Subject to ANH regulatory approval; Gran Tierra currently operates 13 of its 16 blocks in the Putumayo Basin; after approval of the Alea farm-ins, Gran Tierra would operate 15 of its 16 blocks in the Putumayo. Contact Information For investor and media inquiries please contact: Gary Guidry Chief Executive Officer Ryan Ellson Chief Financial Officer Rodger Trimble Vice President, Investor Relations 403-265-3221 info@grantierra.com About Gran Tierra Energy Inc. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. together with its subsidiaries is an independent international energy company focused on oil and natural gas exploration and production in Colombia. The Company also has business activities in Peru, which are expected to be sold pursuant to an agreement dated November 9, 2017, subject to certain conditions, including a successful financing by the purchaser. The Company is focused on its existing portfolio of assets in Colombia and will pursue new growth opportunities throughout Colombia, leveraging our financial strength. The Companys common shares trade on the NYSE American and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GTE. Additional information concerning Gran Tierra is available at www.grantierra.com. Information on the Company's website does not constitute a part of this press release. Investor inquiries may be directed to info@grantierra.com or (403) 265-3221. Gran Tierra's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov and on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. Forward Looking Information Advisory This press release contains opinions, forecasts, projections, and other statements about future events or results that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and financial outlook and forward looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, forward-looking statements). All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding our financial position, estimated quantities and net present value of reserves, business strategy, plans and objectives for future operations, capital spending plans and those statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words believe, expect, intend, anticipate, forecast, budget, will, estimate, target, project, goal, plan, should or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Companys capital budget, drilling and capital program including the changes thereto along with the expected costs and the allocation of capital and drilling including trends, infrastructure schedules and the expected timing of certain projects and the portion of the capital program being represented by Colombia; the Company's operations; future projected or target production and the growth of production including the product mix of such production and expectations respecting production growth, expected future net cash provided by operating activities (described in this press release as cash from operating activities); our strategy regarding changing oil prices; expected cost savings; anticipated capital expenditures, including the location and impact of capital expenditures, our business strategies; our ability to grow in both the near and long term and the funding of our growth opportunities; the plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the Company regarding production, exploration and exploration upside, development; Gran Tierra's financial position including liquidity and financial capacity, and the future development of the Company's business. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect several material factors and expectations and assumptions of Gran Tierra including, without limitation, that Gran Tierra will continue to conduct its operations in a manner consistent with its current expectations, the accuracy of testing and production results and seismic data, pricing and cost estimates (including with respect to commodity pricing and exchange rates), rig availability, the effects of drilling down-dip, the effects of waterflood and hydraulic stimulation operations, the extent and effect of delivery disruptions and the general continuance of current or, where applicable, assumed operational, regulatory and industry conditions including in areas of potential expansion, the receipt of approval from the ANH and the ability of Gran Tierra to execute its current business and operational plans in the manner currently planned. Gran Tierra believes the material factors, expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable at this time but no assurance can be given that these factors, expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements in this press release are: sustained or future declines in commodity prices and potential resulting future impairments and reductions in proved reserve quantities and value; Gran Tierras operations are located in South America, and unexpected problems can arise due to guerrilla activity; technical difficulties and operational difficulties may arise which impact the production, transport or sale of our products; geographic, political and weather conditions can impact the production, transport or sale of our products; the risk that current global economic and credit conditions may impact oil prices and oil consumption more than Gran Tierra currently predicts; the ability of Gran Tierra to execute its business plan; the risk that unexpected delays and difficulties in developing currently owned properties may occur; the timely receipt of regulatory or other required approvals for our operating activities; the failure of exploratory drilling to result in commercial wells; unexpected delays due to the limited availability of drilling equipment and personnel; the risk that oil prices could decline, or current global economic and credit market conditions may impact current oil prices or expectations regarding future oil prices and oil consumption, which could cause Gran Tierra to further modify its strategy and capital spending program; and the risk factors detailed from time to time in Gran Tierras periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, under the caption Risk Factors in Gran Tierra's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 1, 2017 and its other filings with the SEC. These filings are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov and on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. Although the current guidance, capital spending program and long term strategy of Gran Tierra is based upon the current expectations of the management of Gran Tierra, should any one of a number of issues arise, Gran Tierra may find it necessary to alter its business strategy and/or capital spending program and there can be no assurance as at the date of this press release as to how those funds may be reallocated or strategy changed and how that would impact Gran Tierra's results of operations and financing position. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the fact that this press release remains available does not constitute a representation by Gran Tierra that Gran Tierra believes these forward-looking statements continue to be true as of any subsequent date. Actual results may vary materially from the expected results expressed in forward-looking statements. Gran Tierra disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities laws. Gran Tierras forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The estimates of future production, net cash provided by operating activities (described in this press release as cash from operating activities) and certain expenses may be considered to be future-oriented financial information or a financial outlook for the purposes of applicable Canadian securities laws. Financial outlook and future-oriented financial information contained in this press release about prospective financial performance, financial position or cash flows are based on assumptions about future events, including economic conditions and proposed courses of action, based on managements assessment of the relevant information currently available, and to become available in the future. In particular, this press release contains projected operational information for 2018 and 2019. These projections contain forward-looking statements and are based on a number of material assumptions and factors set out above. Actual results may differ significantly from the projections presented herein. These projections may also be considered to contain future-oriented financial information or a financial outlook. The actual results of Gran Tierras operations for any period could vary from the amounts set forth in these projections, and such variations may be material. See above for a discussion of the risks that could cause actual results to vary. The future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks contained in this press release have been approved by management as of the date of this press release. Readers are cautioned that any such financial outlook and future-oriented financial information contained herein should not be used for purposes other than those for which it is disclosed herein. The Company and its management believe that the prospective financial information has been prepared on a reasonable basis, reflecting managements best estimates and judgments, and represent, to the best of managements knowledge and opinion, the Companys expected course of action. However, because this information is highly subjective, it should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of future results. Oil and Gas Disclaimer BOEs have been converted on the basis of 6 thousand cubic feet ("Mcf") of natural gas to 1 barrel of oil. BOEs may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 barrel is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. In addition, given that the value ratio based on the current price of oil as compared with natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalent of six to one, utilizing a BOE conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 barrel would be misleading as an indication of value. Falls Church, Va., Dec. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A group of investors has filed for the second time a shareholder resolution with Chevron Corporation focused on the persecuted Rohingya minority in Burma (Myanmar). The proposal asks the energy giant to report on the feasibility of enacting a policy of not doing business with governments engaged in genocide or crimes against humanity. Azzad Asset Management filed the resolution, and at least four other socially responsible investment institutions co-filed. Azzad and the Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk filed a version of this resolution last year. For 2018, it was updated to take into account the heightened atrocities and the resulting mass exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar over the summer and fall. To date, this is the only shareholder resolution focused on the Rohingya submitted to a U.S. corporation. Through its subsidiary Unocal Myanmar Offshore Co., Ltd., Chevron entered into a production sharing contract with the state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) in 2015 to explore for oil and gas in the Rakhine Basin. Rakhine state was until recently the home of most of Burma's Rohingya population. The resolution says in part: "As shareholders, we believe that our company has the duty to avoid the moral, legal, financial, reputational, and operational risks posed by doing business with governments complicit in genocide or crimes against humanity. It is incumbent that our board adopt policies that protect shareholder value from these risks." At Chevron's annual general meeting in May 2017, the original proposal garnered six percent of Chevron shareholder votes. Because the vote tally was greater than three percent in favor, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules allow the Rohingya resolution to be resubmitted to Chevron for 2018. In August 2017, a new crackdown by Myanmar's military drove an estimated 620,000 Rohingya, half of them children, to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. In November 2017, following a visit to the region and analysis of the facts, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described the Myanmar army offensive against the Rohingya as "ethnic cleansing" and called for a "credible, independent investigation" of the militarys reported human rights abuses. Tillerson also signaled possible U.S. sanctions against Burmas army. See: Myanmars Crackdown on Rohingya Is Ethnic Cleansing, Tillerson Says (NY Times) In August, an investor coalition representing more than $30 billion in assets sent a letter to Chevron asking it to reassess its relationship with the Myanmar government in light of ongoing atrocities. In October, investors with more than $53 billion in assets under management sent similar letters to six other oil and gas companies that also have contracts with MOGE. After dialogue with shareholders following about that letter, Chevron told BBC News that it will promote "the need to foster a business environment that respects human rights." See: Chevron says it will push for Myanmar human rights (BBC) The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has reported that the Rohingya are at grave risk of additional mass atrocities and even genocide. In November 2017, Amnesty International issued a report detailing how Rohingya in Myanmar are subject to a "vicious system of state-sponsored, institutionalized discrimination that amounts to apartheid," meeting the international legal definition of a crime against humanity. ABOUT AZZAD Azzad Asset Management is committed to providing investment services designed to help people enjoy optimum performance without compromising their values. The firm, based outside Washington, DC, is a registered investment advisor that operates with the belief that companies in ethical lines of business offer relatively less business risk and are in a better position to thrive over the long term. - END - Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4577c761-4458-4223-9073-26de2468cfad BANON wrote: At a certain school, the ratio of the number of second graders to the number of fourth graders is 8 to 5, and the ratio of the number of first graders to the number of second graders is 3 to 4. If the ratio of the number of third graders to the number of fourth graders is 3 to 2, what is the ratio of the number of first graders to the number of third graders? A. 16 to 15 B. 9 to 5 C. 5 to 16 D. 5 to 4 E. 4 to 5 We are given the following:1) The ratio of the number of second graders to the number of fourth graders is 8 to 5.2) The ratio of the number of first graders to the number of second graders is 3 to 4.3) The ratio of the number of third graders to the number of fourth graders is 3 to 2.We can use this information to create three different ratio expressions with variable multipliers. We have:1) 2nd : 4th = 8x : 5x2) 1st : 2nd = 3x : 4x3) 3rd : 4th = 3x : 2xWe must determine the ratio of 1st to 3rd.To determine this, we must manipulate our ratios. Lets start with our first two ratios. We have:1) 2nd : 4th = 8x : 5x2) 1st : 2nd = 3x : 4xNotice 2nd is common to both ratios. So if we make 2nd the same in both ratios we can create a 3 part ratio comparing 1st to 2nd to 4th. To make the 2nd the same in both ratios, we can multiply 1st : 2nd by 2. That is:1st : 2nd = 3x : 4x1st : 2nd = 2(3x : 4x)1st : 2nd = 6x : 8xBecause we know that 2nd : 4th = 8x : 5x, we can say that:1st : 2nd : 4th = 6x : 8x : 5xEliminate the 2nd, and we have:1st : 4th = 6x : 5xNow, recall that we were originally given:3rd : 4th = 3x : 2xWe should notice that the common term in our two ratios is 4th. Thus if we can make those values the same, we can compare 1st to 4th to 3rd, and this will be enough for us to calculate the ratio of 1st to 3rd. The easiest way to do this is to turn 5x and 2x into 10x. Lets first adjust 1st : 4th1st : 4th = 6x : 5x1st : 4th = 2(6x : 5x)1st : 4th = 12x : 10xNext we can adjust 3rd : 4th.3rd : 4th = 3x : 2x3rd : 4th = 5(3x : 2x)3rd : 4th = 15x : 10xSince the 4th is now 10x in both ratios, we can say:1st : 4th : 3rd = 12x : 10x : 15xBy eliminating the 4th, we can see that 1st : 3rd = 12x : 15x = 4x : 5x = 4 to 5Answer E._________________ Upset over the high-handedness of the security agencies, the Police Chief expressed his displeasure to the government First Attempt 710 - http://gmatclub.com/forum/first-attempt-141273.html Signature Read More A. Upset over the high-handedness of the security agencies, the Police Chief expressed his displeasure to the government.B. Upset over the high-handedness of the security agencies, the displeasure of the Police Chief was expressed to the government.C. Being that he was upset over the high-handedness of the security agencies, the Police Chief expressed his displeasure to the government.D. Upset from the high-handedness of the security agencies, the Police Chief expressed his displeasure to the government.E. The high-handedness of the security agencies upsetting him, the Police Chief expressed his displeasure to the government._________________ Chennai, Dec 17 (IBNS) Tamil Nadu's main opposition DMK leader MK Stalin has accused the ruling AIADMK of distributing Rs 100 crore among voters to try to win a byelection in Chennai's RK Nagar, media reports said on Sunday. In a letter to the Election Commission, Stalin wrote: "Tamil Nadu is witnessing the large-scale distribution of money to the tune of more than Rs 100 crores by the ruling AIADMK party to the voters for the by-election to RK Nagar Assembly Constituency." The seat was earlier represented by late AIADMK supremo and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Jayalalithaa on Dec 5 last year. According to media reports, Stalin claimed that AIADMK spent Rs. 6,000 on each voter and took the help of the police to carry out the operation to keep control of the seat. Stalin has urged the Election Commission to take action against AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan. Earlier in April, the Election Commission had cancelled the by-elections in RK Nagar after cash for vote videos surfaced. New York, Dec 19(Just Earth News): Denouncing Mondays attack on a Methodist church in western Pakistan, United Nations Secretary-General called for those behind the incident be held accountable. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General Anthony Guterres strongly condemned the attack which occurred in the city of Quetta, which is also the capital of the Balochistan province in the country. He calls for the perpetrators of the attack to be brought to justice, the statement added. According to reports, at least nine people were killed in the suicide attack and many have been wounded. In the statement, Guterres also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. UN Photo/Violaine Martin (file) Source: www.justearthnews.com Ahmadinejad cautioned Larijani in a video clip circulated by Dolate Bahar, a website promoting him and his allies, saying, Sadly, the head of judiciary, who is expected to respect the Islamic Republics Constitution and general laws more than anybody else, has repeatedly violated articles 36 and 37 of the Constitution. Article 36 of the Constitution refers to due process of law, while Article 37 states, The law does not consider anyone guilty unless the persons guilt is proven at a qualied court. However, it is unclear when the 48-hour deadline ends. The former president responded to comments made y Larijani at a meeting with university students last week, The head of judiciary has charged me and my colleagues with a list of accusations. He has described us as seditionist, devious Mizan news website, affiliated with the Islamic Republics judiciary, wrote, During a meeting with university students on Wednesday, December 13, ayatollah Amoli Larijani accused Ahmadinejad and his close allies of weakening the ruling system through debilitating the judiciary. Ahmadinejad pointed to the case of Babak Zanjani, who has been imprisoned for embezzlement of Irans oil money, saying, If my government or others have had any connection with his case, we expect the judiciary to disclose the documents affirming the existence of such relations. The former president declared that he will defend peoples rights against the Islamic Republics judicial organ. More than ever, this is the right time to defend the oppressed against the judiciary. If the judiciary is reformed, everything would be set aright in Iran, Ahmadinejad said, adding, These people must go and, soon they will be gone. He responded to criticism that he was silent in the face of the justice systems unfair and unjust actions through his eight years of presidency, Ahmadinejad said, We were truly unaware of the unjustifiable actions by the judiciary at the time. We really did not know but later we were informed [of many facts], and argued, As you are not aware of many facts for the moment, we were also unaware of many cases and kept in the dark at the time. Nevertheless, God willing, you will soon be informed of the facts, as well. On 14 December, a Mexican government delegation led by Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso and Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong attended a second meeting on the Mexico-US Strategic Dialogue on Disrupting Transnational Criminal Organisations held in Washington DC. During the meeting the Mexican delegation met with US government officials including Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and the newly designated Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen. In a joint press conference after the meeting, the officials revealed that they had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which the US authorities are to share information about the criminal history of any Mexican nationals deported from the US back to their home country. Secretary Nielsen explained that via the Criminal History Information Sharing Program, US Immigration and Customs and Customs Enforcement will be able to provide Mexico with US criminal history of repatriated Mexicans. Secretary Nielsen added that the plan is for the MOU to eventually translate into a biometric-based platform that will allow the US authorities to share biometric data and the convictions and any known gang affiliations of individuals with their Mexican counterparts. By sharing information and resources and increasing detection and interdiction of illegal goods we are combatting the TCOs [Transnational Criminal Organisations] that threaten the security of our communities, Nielsen concluded. End of preview - This article contains approximately 828 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask you enter in the text you see in the image below so we can confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation. By PTI: (Eds: Updating with more details) By Anisur Rahman Dhaka, Dec 18 (PTI) At least 10 persons, mostly Hindus, were killed and nearly 50 others injured today in a stampede in Bangladesh during the post-funeral prayer and feast of a former Chittagong mayor, police said. The tragedy happened in the Jamal Khan area at a memorial event organised for the minority Hindu community, The Daily Star reported from the port city. advertisement A police official said all of the dead were men who had been attempting to attend the event. The death toll is expected to rise as several others have been seriously injured in the incident at a convention centre, officials said. "According to information we received, 10 people were killed," a home ministry spokesman told PTI. The scene of the tragedy was Rima Community Centre, where food was being served mostly for the Hindus as part of the Muslim rite of "Qul-khwani" (prayers for a departed soul) of former mayor and ruling Awami League leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, the spokesman said. The incident happened at the entrance of the two-storey building. With the crowd swelling out of control, people jostled for space on the ramp outside the entrance forcing some visitors to fall only to be trampled on by those behind, Bdnews24 reported. Reports from Chittagong suggest nine of the dead were Hindus with the 10th being a Buddhist. The deceased were identified as Shudhir Das, Jhontu Das, Krishna Pada Da, Dipankar Das Rahul, Alak Bhowmik, Pradip Das, Liton Dey, Titu, Dhonashil, and Ahish Barua. Mohiuddin?s family announced Taka 100,000 in compensation for each of the families of the dead, said Awami Leagues Chittagong City unit Deputy Office Secretary Jawaharlal Hajari. They will also receive an additional Taka 5,000 for the funeral and the family will also bear the cost of treatment for those injured, said Hajari, who was in charge of the event at the community centre. Thousands of people joined the "Qul-khwani" staged simultaneously at 14 convention centres where lunch was served as part of the rite. Chowdhury, the Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League chief, had served the city corporation for 16 years. He died on Friday at the age of 73. Stampedes during religious events are not rare in Bangladesh. In 2015, two incidents left 37 people killed. As many as 10 people, seven of them women, were killed during a Hindu ritual bath in Narayanganj in March 2015. In July, 27 people? all of them women and children?died in Mymensingh where thousands of people had gathered for a free Zakat clothes giveaway. PTI UZM/AR AMS AKJ AKJ --- ENDS --- advertisement VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents. Today we are talking about William Jefferson Clinton better known as Bill Clinton. Clinton took office in 1993, and was re-elected in 1996. In many ways, historians consider his time in office a success. The economy expanded, and the country was largely at peace. But Clinton had some notable failures, too. He could not persuade Congress to accept a plan to reform the nations health care system. And, in his second term, the House of Representatives took steps to remove him from office. But the Senate decided not to act. Clinton finished his second term with high approval ratings. Yet he is also remembered for being only the second U.S. president to be impeached. Early life Bill Clinton came from a town with a memorable name: Hope. He grew up there, and in another nearby town in the Southern state of Arkansas. For most of his early life, Bill was raised by his grandmother and his mother, both nurses. His father had died in a car accident before he was born. People who knew Bill as a young man remember him as very intelligent, charming with people, and talented in music. His mother told him he would be president one day. Sure enough, Clinton pursued activities that would lead to a political career. He attended college at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where he studied international affairs; led student government groups; and took a position as a clerk in the U.S. Senate. He went on to study at Oxford University in England on a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Then he graduated from law school at Yale University. There, he met another student who would be his wife, Hillary Rodham. The two went on to have one child together, a daughter named Chelsea. After finishing his studies, Clinton returned to his home state of Arkansas and pursued political office. At 32, he became one of the youngest governors ever in the country. Two years later, he was voted out of office, and -- as historian Russell Riley notes -- he became the youngest former governor. And that is how a good deal of Clintons political career continued: in a pattern of successes and failures. His successes often came as a result of his centrist policies, which appealed to people of different political beliefs. He also was an effective public speaker and, to many, a likable, charismatic person who seemed to care deeply about others. But, his critics pointed out, Clinton also appeared to make many decisions simply for political advantage. And he sometimes tried to please so many people that he pleased no one. Following a series of increasingly national roles as well as a series of setbacks Clinton campaigned for president in 1992. At first, he did not do well in the campaign. He was young and not well-known. He also suffered from reports that he had relationships with women who were not his wife. But in time, Clinton began winning primary contests. Reporters called him the Comeback Kid. He earned a public image as a politician who could survive problems. In the general election, Clinton competed against the sitting president, Republican George H.W. Bush. The two men also faced an unusually strong third-party candidate named Ross Perot. On Election Night, Clinton prevailed. Because Americans had split their votes among three major candidates, Clinton earned less than 50% of the popular vote. But he won enough electoral votes to become the next U.S. president. Presidency The people who worked on Bill Clintons presidential campaign adopted an informal motto. They said, Its the economy, stupid. In other words, campaign officials believed that most Americans cared primarily about how a presidents policies would affect their financial concerns. So, President Clinton quickly set about making a series of economic changes. They included raising taxes on wealthier Americans and cutting spending to help poorer Americans. In a few years, the U.S. budget deficit was gone, the federal government had a surplus, and the countrys financial situation was strong and healthy although not everyone approved of the steps Clinton took to get there, or believed he should get all the credit. Early in his first term, Clinton sought an additional reform he believed would help voters financial concerns: affordable health insurance for all Americans. Most people in the U.S. either bought private health insurance or did not have any insurance to help pay for medical costs. Clinton wanted to find a way for the U.S. government to support Americans health-related expenses. He appointed his wife, first lady Hillary Clinton, to lead a healthcare reform effort. Hillary Clinton, a lawyer, had led a similar effort to reform education in Arkansas when her husband was governor there. But some lawmakers in Congress as well as some voters rejected her efforts. The reform effort failed. Clinton also struggled in some early foreign policy moves. He withdrew American troops from Somalia after their humanitarian efforts there turned into a bloody military struggle. He was also criticized for failing to intervene quickly in the genocide in Rwanda, where hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Later, Clinton won praise for some of his foreign policy. His government helped restore the elected president in Haiti after a coup. It also helped negotiate peace agreements in Bosnia and Ireland. And it cooperated with NATO to intervene in the Kosovo area and stop attacks on Albanians there. In general, Clinton believed the U.S. had an important role to play in maintaining peace and protecting human life around the world. At the same time, he did not want to use too many American resources to do so. He aimed to cooperate with other nations, and to set moderate goals. As usual, Clinton adopted an approach that was not too extreme on one side or another. Impeachment During most of his time as president, Clinton had been under investigation. Federal judges had appointed a special counsel, named Kenneth Starr, to find out if the president had committed any crimes related to financial investments before he took office. During the investigation, Starr learned that the president had been having a sexual relationship with a young woman who worked in the White House. Starr asked Clinton about the affair under oath. Later, Starr accused Clinton of lying about his relationship with the woman. Starr said that Clinton had also tried to prevent others from telling the truth about some of his activities. In time, the president publicly admitted the relationship, and he apologized to voters and his family. But he said he had not lied or told anyone else to lie for him. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives did not accept Clintons defense. They advanced two articles of impeachment. Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate then considered the case. It is their job to examine the evidence and decide whether to remove a president from office. A majority did not believe the actions Clinton was accused of were serious violations against the country. They voted to acquit Clinton of the charges and permit him to continue as president. Legacy In the U.S., a president can serve only two full terms. After his second, Bill Clinton and his wife settled in a town outside New York City. In time, Hillary Clinton became the U.S. senator from New York, as well as a secretary of state and the Democratic Partys candidate for president. Bill Clinton, like many other U.S. presidents, wrote about his experiences and helped develop his presidential library. He also worked on humanitarian, health, and economic issues with his familys organization, the Clinton Foundation. For many, Clintons time in office is remembered as a mixed experience. The economy was at one of its strongest in U.S. history. Most people could find jobs, and many Americans bought homes for the first time. In the mid-1990s especially, the Internet and other new developments created a technology boom. In addition, Clinton was an effective public speaker, and he inspired new groups of people to support his Democratic Party. Many voters approved of his appointments of women and minorities to positions of power in his government. They also liked the steps he took to reduce the use of handguns, protect the environment, and provide paid time off work for some people to care for themselves or their families. But both Democrats and Republicans found fault with some of Clintons efforts. And even his supporters note that the president had to spend much of his time in office answering charges of wrongdoing. Im Kelly Jean Kelly. Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Listening Quiz See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play the video, then choose the best answer. Quiz - America's Presidents: Bill Clinton Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story impeach - v. to charge (a public official) with a crime done while in office clerk - n. a person whose job is to keep track of records and documents for a business or office centrist - adj. having political opinions that are not extreme; having beliefs fall between those of liberals and conservatives 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. United Parcel Service, Inc. provides letter and package delivery, transportation, logistics, and related services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States. The International Package segment provides guaranteed day and time-definite international shipping services in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment offers guaranteed time-definite express options. The company also provides international air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, distribution and post-sales, and mail and consulting services in approximately 200 countries and territories. In addition, it offers truckload brokerage services; supply chain solutions to the healthcare and life sciences industry; shipping, visibility, and billing technologies; and financial and insurance services. The company operates a fleet of approximately 121,000 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; and owns 59,000 containers that are used to transport cargo in its aircraft. United Parcel Service, Inc. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. By PTI: Dhaka, Dec 18 (PTI) At least 10 persons were killed and 15 others injured today in a stampede in Bangladesh during a funeral procession of a former Chittagong mayor, according to a media report. Officials fear the toll might rise as several others have been injured in the incident at a convention centre in the port citys Jamal Khan area, Dhaka Tribune reported. advertisement Ten people have been killed and 15 others injured in a stampede at the funeral procession of former Chittagong mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury, the report quoted officials as saying. Chowdhury, the Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League chief, had served the city corporation for 16 years. He died on Friday at the age of 73. PTI UZM AKJ UZM --- ENDS --- Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) is the largest dedicated owner and operator of MOBs in the United States, comprising approximately 25.1 million square feet of GLA, with $7.4 billion invested primarily in MOBs. HTA provides real estate infrastructure for the integrated delivery of healthcare services in highly-desirable locations. Investments are targeted to build critical mass in 20 to 25 leading gateway markets that generally have leading university and medical institutions, which translates to superior demographics, high-quality graduates, intellectual talent and job growth. The strategic markets HTA invests in support a strong, long-term demand for quality medical office space. HTA utilizes an integrated asset management platform consisting of on-site leasing, property management, engineering and building services, and development capabilities to create complete, state of the art facilities in each market. This drives efficiencies, strong tenant and health system relationships, and strategic partnerships that result in high levels of tenant retention, rental growth and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, HTA has developed a national brand with dedicated relationships at the local level. Founded in 2006 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, HTA has produced attractive returns for its stockholders that have outperformed the US REIT index. AbbVie Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals in the worldwide. The company offers HUMIRA, a therapy administered as an injection for autoimmune and intestinal Behcet's diseases; SKYRIZI to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults; RINVOQ, a JAK inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients; IMBRUVICA to treat adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and VENCLEXTA, a BCL-2 inhibitor used to treat adults with CLL or SLL; and MAVYRET to treat patients with chronic HCV genotype 1-6 infection. It also provides CREON, a pancreatic enzyme therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; Synthroid used in the treatment of hypothyroidism; Linzess/Constella to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation; Lupron for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer, endometriosis and central precocious puberty, and patients with anemia caused by uterine fibroids; and Botox therapeutic. In addition, the company offers ORILISSA, a nonpeptide small molecule gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist for women with moderate to severe endometriosis pain; Duopa and Duodopa, a levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel to treat Parkinson's disease; Lumigan/Ganfort, a bimatoprost ophthalmic solution for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension; Ubrelvy to treat migraine with or without aura in adults; Alphagan/ Combigan, an alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist for the reduction of IOP in patients with OAG; and Restasis, a calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant to increase tear production, as well as other eye care products. AbbVie Inc. has a research collaboration with Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. The company was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois. The following companies are subsidiares of PepsiCo: Alimentos Quaker Oats y Compania Limitada, Alimentos del Istmo S.A., Amavale Agricola Ltda., Anderson Hill Insurance Limited, Asia Bottlers Limited, BAESA Capital Corporation Ltd., BFY Brands, BFY Brands LLC, BFY Brands Limited, BUG de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Balmoral Industries LLC, Bare Foods Co., Barrhead LLC, Be & Cheery, Beaman Bottling Company, Bebidas Sudamerica S.A., Beech Limited, Bell Taco Funding Syndicate, Bendler Investments II Ltd, Bendler Investments S.a r.l, Beverage Services Limited, Beverages Foods & Service Industries Inc., Bishkeksut OJSC, Blaue NC S. de R.L. de C.V., Blue Cloud Distribution Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arizona Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arkansas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Colorado Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Florida Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Georgia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Illinois Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Indiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Iowa Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Kentucky Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Louisiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Minnesota Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Mississippi Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Missouri Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nebraska Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nevada Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of North Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Ohio Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Oklahoma Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Pennsylvania Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of South Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Tennessee Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Texas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Virginia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Wisconsin Inc., Blue Ridge Sales LLC, Bluebird Foods Limited, Bluecan Holdings Unlimited Company, Bokomo Zambia Limited, Bolsherechensky Molkombinat JSC, Boquitas Fiestas LLC, Boquitas Fiestas S.R.L., Bottling Group Financing LLC, Bottling Group Holdings LLC, Bottling Group LLC, Bronte Industries Ltd, C & I Leasing Inc., CB Manufacturing Company Inc., CEME Holdings LLC, CMC Investment Company, Caroni Investments LLC, Centro-Mediterranea de Bebidas Carbonicas PepsiCo S.L., Ceres Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, ChampBev Inc., China Concentrate Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Chipsy International for Food Industries S.A.E., Chipsy for Food Industries S.A.E., Chitos Internacional y Cia Ltda, Cipa Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cipa Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cocina Autentica Inc., Comercializadora CMC Investment y Compania Limitada, Comercializadora Nacional SAS Ltda., Comercializadora PepsiCo Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Compania de Bebidas PepsiCo S.L., Concentrate Holding Uruguay Pte. Ltd., Concentrate Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd., Confiteria Alegro S. de R.L. de C.V., Copella Fruit Juices Limited, Copper Beech International LLC, Corina Snacks Limited, Corporativo Internacional Mexicano S. de R.L. de C.V., CytoSport Holdings Inc., CytoSport Inc., Davlyn Realty Corporation, Defosto Holdings Limited, Desarrollo Inmobiliario Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Dilexis S.A., Donon Holdings Limited, Drinkfinity USA Inc., Drinkstation Inc., Drinkstation Innovation Co. Ltd., Drinkstation Limited, Dutch Snacks Holding S.A. de C.V., Duyvis Production B.V., EPIC Enterprises Inc., Echo Bay Holdings Inc., Elaboradora Argentina de Cereales S.R.L., Enter Logistica LLC, Environ at Inverrary Partnership, Environ of Inverrary Inc., Eridanus Investments S.a r.l, Evercrisp Snack Productos de Chile S.A., FL Transportation Inc., FLI Andean LLC, FLI Colombia LLC, FLI Snacks Andean GP LLC, Fabrica PepsiCo Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Fabrica de Productos Alimenticios Rene y Cia S.C.A., Fairlight International SRL, Far East Bottlers Hong Kong Limited, Food Concepts Pioneer Ltd., Forest Akers Nederland B.V., Forty-Six Peaks Holding Inc., Fovarosi Asvanyviz es Uditoipari Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Freshwater International B.V., Frito Lay Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Frito Lay Poland Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay de Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Frito-Lay Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Frito-Lay Dip Company Inc., Frito-Lay Dominicana S.A., Frito-Lay Global Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Inc., Frito-Lay Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Manufacturing LLC, Frito-Lay Netherlands Holding B.V., Frito-Lay North America Inc., Frito-Lay Sales Inc., Frito-Lay Trading Company Europe GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company Poland GmbH, Frito-Lay Trinidad Unlimited, Fruko Mesrubat Sanayi Limited Sirketi, GB Czech LLC, GB International Inc., GB Russia LLC, GB Slovak LLC, GMP Manufacturing Inc., Gambrinus Investments Limited, Gamesa LLC, Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Gas Natural de Merida S. A. de C. V., Gatorade Puerto Rico Company, General Bottlers of Hungary Inc., Golden Grain Company, Goveh S.R.L., Grayhawk Leasing LLC, Green Hemlock International LLC, Grupo Frito Lay y Compania Limitada, Grupo Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Mabel, Grupo Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gulkevichskiy Maslozavod JSC, Hangzhou Baicaowei Corporate Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Tao Dao Technology Co. Ltd., Health Warrior, Health Warrior Inc., Heathland LP, Helioscope Limited, Hillbrook Inc., Hillgrove Inc., Hillwood Bottling LLC, Hogganfield Limited Partnership, Holding Company "Opolie" JSC, Homefinding Company of Texas, Hudson Valley Insurance Company, IC Equities Inc., IZZE Beverage Co., Inmobiliaria Interamericana S.A. De C.V., Integrated Beverage Services Bangladesh Limited, Integrated Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., International Bottlers Management Co. LLC, International KAS Aktiengesellschaft, Inversiones Borneo S.R.L., Inversiones PFI Chile Limitada, Inviting Foods Holdings Inc., Inviting Foods LLC, KAS Anorthosis S.a r.l, KAS S.L., KFC, Kevita Inc., Kinvara LLC, Kungursky Molkombinat JSC, Larragana S.L., Latin American Holdings Ltd., Latin American Snack Foods ApS, Latin Foods International LLC, Lebedyansky, Lebedyansky Holdings LLC, Lebedyansky LLC, Limited Liability Company "Sandora", Linkbay Limited, Lithuanian Snacks UAB, Mabel, Marbo Product d.o.o. Beograd, Marbo d.o.o. Laktasi, Matudis - Comercio de Produtos Alimentares Limitada, Matutano - Sociedade de Produtos Alimentares Lda., Mid-America Improvement Corporation, Mountainview Insurance Company Inc., Muscle Milk, NCJV LLC, New Bern Transport Corporation, New Century Beverage Company LLC, Noble Leasing LLC, Northeast Hot-Fill Co-op Inc., Office at Solyanka LLC, Onbiso Inversiones S.L., One World Enterprises LLC, One World Investors Inc., P-A Barbados Bottling Company LLC, P-A Bottlers Barbados SRL, P-Americas LLC, PAS Luxembourg S.a r.l, PAS Netherlands B.V., PBG Canada Holdings II LLC, PBG Canada Holdings Inc., PBG Cyprus Holdings Limited, PBG Investment Partnership, PBG Midwest Holdings S.a r.l, PBG Soda Can Holdings S.a r.l, PCBL LLC, PCNA Manufacturing Inc., PR Beverages Cyprus Holding Limited, PR Beverages Cyprus Russia Holding Limited, PRB Luxembourg S.a r.l, PRS Inc., PSAS Inversiones LLC, PSE Logistica S.R.L., PT Quaker Indonesia, Papas Chips S.A., Pei N.V., Pep Trade LLC, Pepsi B.V., Pepsi Beverages Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bottling Group Global Finance LLC, Pepsi Bottling Group GmbH, Pepsi Bottling Group Hoosiers B.V., Pepsi Bottling Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bugshan Investments S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Colombia Ltda, Pepsi Cola Egypt S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Panamericana S.R.L., Pepsi Cola Servis Ve Dagitim Limited Sirketi, Pepsi Cola Trading Ireland, Pepsi Logistics Company Inc., Pepsi Northwest Beverages LLC, Pepsi Overseas Investments Partnership, Pepsi Promotions Inc., Pepsi-Cola Advertising and Marketing Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bermuda Limited, Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Holding C.V., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company Of St. Louis Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach LLC, Pepsi-Cola Company, Pepsi-Cola Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Development Co. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Finance LLC, Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Poland Sp. z o.o., Pepsi-Cola Industrial da Amazonia Ltda., Pepsi-Cola International Cork, Pepsi-Cola International LLC, Pepsi-Cola International Limited, Pepsi-Cola International Limited U.S.A., Pepsi-Cola International Private Limited, Pepsi-Cola Korea Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Management and Administrative Services Inc., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Company Of Uruguay S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing International Limited, Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Mediterranean Limited, Pepsi-Cola Marketing Corp. Of P.R. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mediterranean Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Company Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mexicana Holdings LLC, Pepsi-Cola Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Pepsi-Cola National Marketing LLC, Pepsi-Cola Operating Company Of Chesapeake And Indianapolis, Pepsi-Cola Sales and Distribution Inc., Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations Inc., Pepsi-Cola Thai Trading Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola de Honduras S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola of Corvallis Inc., PepsiAmericas Nemzetkozi Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, PepsiCo ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Alimentos Antioquia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Colombia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Ecuador Cia. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Z.F. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos de Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Amacoco Bebidas Do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCo Asia Research & Development Center Company Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Cyprus Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Limited Partnership, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 1 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 2 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Limited, PepsiCo Australia International, PepsiCo Austria Services GmbH, PepsiCo Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company, PepsiCo BeLux BV, PepsiCo Beverage Sales LLC, PepsiCo Beverage Singapore Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Beverages Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Beverages International Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Italia Societa' A Responsabilita' Limitata, PepsiCo Canada Finance LLC, PepsiCo Canada Holdings ULC, PepsiCo Canada Investment ULC, PepsiCo Canada ULC, PepsiCo Captive Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Caribbean Inc., PepsiCo China Limited, PepsiCo Consulting Polska Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo De Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Del Paraguay S.R.L., PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH, PepsiCo Eesti AS, PepsiCo Euro Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Euro Finance Antilles B.V., PepsiCo Europe Support Center S.L., PepsiCo Finance Americas Company, PepsiCo Finance Antilles A N.V., PepsiCo Finance Antilles B N.V., PepsiCo Finance South Africa Proprietary Limited, PepsiCo Financial Shared Services Inc., PepsiCo Food & Beverage Holdings Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Foods A.I.E., PepsiCo Foods China Company Limited, PepsiCo Foods Group Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Foods Guangdong Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Nigeria Limited, PepsiCo Foods Private Limited, PepsiCo Foods Sichuan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Vietnam Company, PepsiCo France SAS, PepsiCo Global Business Services India LLP, PepsiCo Global Business Services Poland Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Global Holdings Limited, PepsiCo Global Investments B.V., PepsiCo Global Investments S.a r.l, PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC, PepsiCo Global Real Estate Inc., PepsiCo Global Trading Solutions Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Golden Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Group Finance International B.V., PepsiCo Group Holdings International B.V., PepsiCo Group Spotswood Holdings S.a r.l, PepsiCo Gulf International FZE, PepsiCo Hellas Single Member Industrial and Commercial Societe Anonyme, PepsiCo Holding de Espana S.L., PepsiCo Holdings, PepsiCo Holdings LLC, PepsiCo Holdings Toshkent LLC, PepsiCo Hong Kong LLC, PepsiCo Iberia Servicios Centrales S.L., PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, PepsiCo India Sales Private Limited, PepsiCo Internacional Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., PepsiCo International Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo International Limited, PepsiCo International Pte Ltd., PepsiCo Investments Europe I B.V., PepsiCo Investments Ltd., PepsiCo Ireland Food & Beverages Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Japan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Light B.V., PepsiCo Logistyka Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PepsiCo Management Services SAS, PepsiCo Manufacturing A.I.E., PepsiCo Max B.V., PepsiCo Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo Nederland B.V., PepsiCo Nordic Denmark ApS, PepsiCo Nordic Finland Oy, PepsiCo Nordic Norway AS, PepsiCo Nutrition Trading DMCC, PepsiCo One B.V., PepsiCo Overseas Corporation, PepsiCo Overseas Financing Partnership, PepsiCo Panimex Inc, PepsiCo Products B.V., PepsiCo Products FLLC, PepsiCo Puerto Rico Inc., PepsiCo Sales Inc., PepsiCo Sales LLC, PepsiCo Services Asia Ltd., PepsiCo Services CZ s.r.o., PepsiCo Services LLC, PepsiCo Twist B.V., PepsiCo UK Pension Plan Trustee Limited, PepsiCo Ventures B.V., PepsiCo Wave Holdings LLC, PepsiCo World Trading Company Inc., PepsiCo Y LLC, PepsiCo de Argentina S.R.L., PepsiCo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo do Brasil Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda., PepsiCo do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCola Interamericana de Guatemala S.A., Pet Iberia S.L., Pete & Johnny Limited, Pine International LLC, Pine International Limited, Pinstripe Leasing LLC, Pioneer Food Group Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Groceries Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Group Ltd., Pioneer Foods Holdings Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods UK Ltd, Pioneer Foods Wellingtons Pty Ltd, Pipers Crisps Limited, PlayCo Inc., Pop corners, PopCorners Holdings Inc., Portfolio Concentrate Solutions Unlimited Company, Premier Nutrition Trading L.L.C., Prestwick LLC, Prev PepsiCo Sociedade Previdenciaria, Productos Alimenticios Rene LLC, Productos S.A.S. C.V., Productos SAS Management B.V., Punch N.V., Punica Getranke GmbH, Q O Puerto Rico Inc., QFL OHQ Sdn. Bhd., QTG Development Inc., QTG Services Inc., Quadrant - Amroq Beverages S.R.L., Quaker Development B.V., Quaker European Beverages LLC, Quaker European Investments B.V., Quaker Foods, Quaker Global Investments B.V., Quaker Holdings UK Limited, Quaker Manufacturing LLC, Quaker Oats Asia Inc., Quaker Oats Australia Pty Ltd, Quaker Oats B.V., Quaker Oats Capital Corporation, Quaker Oats Europe Inc., Quaker Oats Europe LLC, Quaker Oats Limited, Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc, Raptas Finance S.a r.l., Rare Fare Foods LLC, Rare Fare Holdings Inc., Reading Industries Ltd, Real Estate Holdings LLC, Rockstar Energy Drink, Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, S & T of Mississippi Inc., SIH International LLC, SVC Logistics Inc., SVC Manufacturing Inc., SVE Russia Holdings GmbH, Sabritas LLC, Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Sabritas Snacks America Latina de Nicaragua y Cia Ltda, Sabritas de Costa Rica S. de R.L., Sabritas y Cia. S en C de C.V., Sakata Rice Snacks Australia Pty Ltd, Sandora Holdings B.V., Saudi Snack Foods Company Limited, Sea Eagle International SRL, Seepoint Holdings Ltd., Senselet Food Processing PLC, Senselet Holding B.V., Servicios GBF Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Servicios GFLG y Compania Limitada, Servicios Gamesa Puerto Rico L.L.C., Servicios SYC S. de R.L. de C.V., Seven-Up Asia Inc., Seven-Up Light B.V., Seven-Up Nederland B.V., Shanghai PepsiCo Snack Company Limited, Shanghai YuHo Agricultural Development Co. Ltd, Shoebill LLC, Simba (Proprietary) Limited, Simba Proprietary Limited, Sitka Spruce, Smartfoods Inc., Smiles and Bites Holdings S.de R.L. de C.V., Smiths Crisps Limited, Snack Food Investments GmbH, Snack Food Investments II GmbH, Snack Food Investments Limited, Snack Food-Beverage Asia Products Limited, Snacks America Latina S.R.L., Snacks Guatemala Ltd., So Spark Ltd., Soda-Club CO2 Atlantic GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 Ltd., Soda-Club Switzerland GmbH, Soda-Club Worldwide B.V., SodaStream, SodaStream Australia Pty Ltd, SodaStream CO2 SA, SodaStream Canada Ltd., SodaStream Enterprises N.V., SodaStream France SAS, SodaStream GmbH, SodaStream Iberia S.L., SodaStream Industries Ltd., SodaStream International B.V., SodaStream International Ltd., SodaStream Israel Ltd., SodaStream K.K., SodaStream New Zealand Ltd., SodaStream Nordics AB, SodaStream Poland Sp. z o.o., SodaStream SA Pty Ltd., SodaStream Switzerland GmbH, SodaStream USA Inc., SodaStream Osterreich GmbH, South Beach Beverage Company Inc., South Properties Inc., Spitz International Inc., Sportmex Internacional S.A. de C.V., Springboig Industries Ltd, Spruce Limited, Stacy's Pita Chip Company Incorporated, Star Foods E.M. S.R.L., Stokely-Van Camp Inc., Stratosphere Communications Pty Ltd, Stratosphere Holdings 2018 Limited, Streamfoods Ltd, TFL Holdings LLC, Tasman Finance S.a r.l, The Gatorade Company, The Good Carb Food Company Ltd., The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada ULC, The Quaker Oats Company, The Smith's Snackfood Company Pty Limited, Thomond Group Holdings Limited, Tobago Snack Holdings LLC, Tropicana Alvalle S.L., Tropicana Beverages Limited, Tropicana Europe N.V., Tropicana United Kingdom Limited, Troya-Ultra LLC, United Foods Companies Restaurantes S.A., V-Water, VentureCo Israel Ltd, Veurne Snack Foods BV, Vitamin Brands Ltd., Walkers Crisps Limited, Walkers Group Limited, Walkers Snack Foods Limited, Walkers Snacks Distribution Limited, Walkers Snacks Limited, Whitman Corporation, Whitman Insurance Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages JSC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Central Asia-Almaty LLP, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods LLC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Georgia Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann JSC, and Wimm-Bill-Dann Ukraine PJSC. Read More Matador Resources Company, an independent energy company, engages in the exploration, development, production, and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through two segments, Exploration and Production; and Midstream. The company primarily holds interests in the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. It also operates the Eagle Ford shale play in South Texas; and the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana. In addition, the company conducts midstream operations in support of its exploration, development, and production operations; provides natural gas processing and oil transportation services; and offers oil, natural gas, and produced water gathering services, as well as produced water disposal services to third parties. As of December 31, 2021, its estimated total proved oil and natural gas reserves were 323.4 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 181.3 million stock tank barrels of oil and 852.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The company was formerly known as Matador Holdco, Inc. and changed its name to Matador Resources Company in August 2011. Matador Resources Company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Nobody knows what happened to the Uighur student after he returned to China from Egypt and was taken away by police. Not his neighbors, not his classmates, not his mother. Is he dead or alive? the mother said, tears streaming down her face when Associated Press reporters visited her at home unexpectedly and showed her a photo of the student. The students friends think he joined thousands possibly tens of thousands of people who have been spirited away without trial into new indoctrination centers. The mass disappearances, beginning the past year, are part of efforts by Chinese authorities to use detentions and data-driven surveillance to impose a police state over the region of Xinjiang and its 10 million Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority that China says has been influenced by Islamic extremism. Unprecedented levels of police blanket Xinjiangs streets in many cities. Cutting-edge surveillance systems track where Uighurs go, what they read, who they talk to and what they say. Through rare interviews with Uighurs who recently left China, a review of government procurement contracts and unreported documents, and a trip through southern Xinjiang, the AP pieced together a picture of a campaign thats ostensibly rooting out terror but instead instilling fear. Most of the more than a dozen Uighurs interviewed for this story spoke on condition of anonymity for fear that Chinese authorities would punish them or their family members. The AP is withholding the students name and other personal information to protect people who fear government retribution. The Xinjiang regional government did not respond to repeated requests for comment. But Chinas government describes its Xinjiang security policy as a strike hard campaign thats necessary following a series of attacks in 2013 and 2014, including a mass knifing in a train station that killed 33. A Hotan city propaganda official, Bao Changhui, told the AP: If we dont do this, it will be like several years ago hundreds will die. China also points to decades of heavy economic investment and cultural assimilation programs and measures like preferential college admissions for Uighurs. Authorities refer to the detention program as vocational training, but its main purpose appears to be indoctrination. Training sessions on Mandarin, law, ethnic unity, de-radicalization, patriotism are described as lasting anywhere from 3 months to 2 years. In Korla, one center the AP visited was labeled a jail. Another was downtown on a street sealed off by rifle-toting police. Southern Xinjiang, where Korla is located, is one of the most heavily policed places on earth. In Hotan, police depots with flashing lights and foot patrols are set up every 500 meters. Motorcades of more than 40 armored vehicles rumble down city boulevards. Police checkpoints on every other block stop cars to check identification and smartphones for religious content. Xinjiangs published budget data shows public security spending this year is on track to increase 50 percent from 2016 to roughly 45 billion yuan (USD6.8 billion) after rising 40 percent a year ago. Its quadrupled since 2009, when a Uighur riot broke out in Urumqi, killing nearly 200 people. But much of the policing goes unseen. Shoppers entering the Hotan bazaar must pass through metal detectors and place their national identification cards on a reader while having their faces scanned. AP reporters were stopped outside a hotel by a police officer who said the public security bureau had been remotely tracking the reporters movements by watching surveillance camera footage. The governments tracking efforts have extended to vehicles, genes and even voices. A biometric data collection program appears to have been formalized last year under Document No. 44, a regional public security directive to comprehensively collect three-dimensional portraits, voiceprints, DNA and fingerprints. The documents full text remains secret, but the AP found at least three contracts referring to the 2016 directive in recent purchase orders for equipment such as microphones and voice analyzers. China has also turned to a familiar low-tech surveillance tactic: recruiting the masses. A Uighur businessman from Kashgar who fled China said his four brothers and his father were in prison because of his escape and that families tasked with spying on one another in his community had also been punished. Members from each were sent to re-education centers for three months, he told the AP. A document obtained by U.S.-based activists and seen by the AP shows Uighur residents in the Hebei Road West neighborhood in Urumqi, the regional capital, being graded on a 100-point scale. Those of Uighur ethnicity are automatically docked 10 points. Being aged between 15 and 55, praying daily, or having a religious education, all result in 10 point deductions. A neighborhood police official in Urumqi surnamed Tao confirmed that every community committee in the city needed to conduct similar assessments. Uighurs abroad say its too risky to stay in touch with their families in China. When Salih Hudayar, an American Uighur graduate student, last called his 70-something grandfather this summer, the elderly man told him kindly not to call again. He later heard his grandfather had been sent to an indoctrination camp. A Uighur student who moved to Washington following the crackdown this summer said that after his move, his wife, a government worker still in Urumqi, messaged to say the police would show up at her home in 20 minutes. She had to say goodbye: after that she would delete him permanently from her contacts list. Later, he couldnt help himself placing one last call home. His daughter picked up. Mom is sick but she doesnt want me to speak to you. Goodbye, she said. Gerry Shih, Korla, AP Muslim clerics called for a boycott of American products yesterday in Indonesias largest protest against President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. Wearing white robes and carrying banners reading Indonesia unites for Palestine and Save our Palestine, an estimated 80,000 people rallied in the capital of the worlds largest Muslim nation in the 10th straight day of protests. Anwar Abbas, a top cleric from the Indonesian Council of Ulema, read a petition calling on Indonesians to stop buying American products until Trump revoked his move. Dont rely on their products, he said, as the crowd including men, women and children responded by waving Indonesian and Palestinian flags and shouting boycott! In the petition, the clerics urged Trump to immediately revoke his recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital because it has hurt international justice, violated human rights of the Palestinians and undermined peace efforts. It also demanded nations not follow the U.S. in moving their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and urged the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency session to discuss Trumps declaration. The chairman of the clerics council, Maruf Amin, said lets fight together with the government and the world for the freedom of Palestine through political, diplomatic and economic ways. Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo has strongly condemned Trumps move as a violation of U.N. resolutions. Indonesia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and has long been a strong supporter of Palestinian aspirations for a statehood. MDT/AP By PTI: (Eds: Updating toll and further details) By Anisur Rahman Dhaka, Dec 18 (PTI) At least 10 persons, mostly Hindus, were killed and 50 others injured today in a stampede in Bangladesh during a funeral rite of a former Chittagong mayor, according to a media report. The death toll is expected to rise as several others have been seriously injured in the incident at a convention centre in the port citys Jamal Khan area, officials said. advertisement "According to information we received, 10 people were killed," a home ministry spokesman told PTI. The scene of the tragedy was Rima Community Centre, where food was being served mostly for the Hindus as part of the Muslim rite of "Qul-khwani" (prayers for a departed soul) of former mayor and ruling Awami League leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, the spokesman said. The incident happened at the entrance of the two-storey building. With the crowd swelling out of control, people jostled for space on the ramp outside the entrance forcing some visitors to fall only to be trampled on by those behind, Bdnews24 reported. Initial reports from Chittagong suggest nine of the dead were Hindus with the 10th being a Buddhist. Thousands of people joined the "Qul-khwani" staged simultaneously at 14 convention centres where lunch was served as part of the rite. Chowdhury, the Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League chief, had served the city corporation for 16 years. He died on Friday at the age of 73. PTI UZM/AR AMS AKJ AMS --- ENDS --- The Indonesian consulate in Hong Kong and Macau said that it is working closely with the citys Labour Affairs Bureau to address local migrant groups call for rights protection. Compared to neighboring Hong Kong, where foreign domestic workers are entitled to various benefits under the Employment Ordinance, the MSAR lacks protection such as a minimum wage law for these workers. Tri Tharyat, consul general of the Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong and Macau, said the matter is also being assessed by Indonesian authorities. Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference yesterday, Tharyat said, we need to work more and more [] This is one of the issues that my authorities back in Indonesia will determine [] whether Macau is considered [to have] enough protection for our workers. To date, Indonesia has blacklisted 15 countries and regions all in the Middle East for inadequate protection of Indonesian migrant workers. We are still reviewing the current status of Macau, he said. Macau is not on the list yet but we are reviewing Macaus status. [] There is still some homework that we need to [settle] with the Macau government. At the moment, we are trying our best to [keep] Macau open for our market. He admitted that it is challenging to control the activities of Indonesian workers in Macau, as most of them arrive in the city on travel visas. Hong Kong authorities had previously announced that the city would need 240,000 new domestic workers in the next 30 years to cater to the needs of its aging population. The consul general revealed that he has met with more than 30 job agencies which travel to Indonesia and the surrounding provinces to find people interested in working in Hong Kong. He noted that Indonesians are more demanding than Filipino nationals as they master the local language quicker. Asked whether there is a similar demand in Macau, Tharyat noted that the consulate has not received any official information or announcement. He added that Hong Kong authorities only grant visas to these workers after receiving a stamp from his office, which is a different process from Macaus. He said this is just one of the procedures that the Indonesian consulate uses to keep track of migrant workers, along with local agencies back in Indonesia and Hong Kong. With over 5,500 Indonesian workers in the city, the consulate which is open in Macau three days a week recently expanded its premises due to the increasing number of migrant workers in need of assistance. The office currently has one personnel in the region that operates a 24-hour hotline, which can be reached from Indonesia as well. Tharyat said the real challenges are human trafficking syndicates which bring many Indonesian workers to China and other countries and the Indonesian nationals who use Macau as a point of transit when travelling to other countries for illegal work, which the consulate cannot control. Since [last] year, I have received 13 reports of this type. Of these 13 reports, we managed to help all of them; three cases were brought to trial in Indonesia, he said. Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for about four hours yesterday over two corruption scandals surrounding the long-ruling leader, one of which involves Australian gaming tycoon James Packer. It was the sixth time police have questioned Netanyahu over the scandals, which have yet to threaten his rule but have chipped away at his public approval ratings. Police suspect him of being involved in bribery, fraud and breach of trust. One investigation concerns allegations that Netanyahu accepted lavish gifts from wealthy supporters, including Packer, who until December 2016, owned a stake in Macau gaming operator Melco Crown Resorts. On Friday, Prime Minister Netanyahu was presented with Packers testimony that several Israeli media reports said strengthened the likelihood of bribery charges against him. I admire Prime Minister Netanyahu and am happy that I was given the opportunity to be his friend, Packer said in his testimony, according to Israeli media. I was happy to give him presents, many times at his request and his wife Saras request. Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the gifts were occasional and certainly not [given] in the systematic and planned way as alleged. He also called the accusations against him a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media. MDT/AP Two suicide bombers attacked a church in the southwestern city of Quetta yesterday, killing five people and wounding 18 others, officials said. Sarfaraz Bugti, home minister for Baluchistan province, said hundreds of worshippers were attending services at the church ahead of Christmas. He said the attackers clashed with security forces, with one assailant killed at the entrance while the other made it inside. Baluchistan police chief Moazzam Ansari confirmed the death toll. He praised the response of security forces guarding the church, saying the attacker who made it inside was wounded and unable to reach the main building. Otherwise the loss of lives could have been much higher, he told reporters. Quetta police chief Abdur Razzaq Cheema said a search is underway for two suspected accomplices who escaped. Local television showed ambulances and security patrols racing to the scene while women and children were being led out of the churchs main gate. Hospitals officials said two women were among the dead while another five women and two children were among the wounded. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Muslim extremists have targeted Pakistans Christian minority in the past. MDT/AP Two teams formed by postgraduate students from the University of Macaus (UM) Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) received second prize and third prize, respectively, at the Challenge Cup, a national competition in extracurricular high-tech projects for college students. Held at Shanghai University, the competition attracted 1,230 entries from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. One of the UM teams, led by Assistant Professor Wang Chunming, received second prize for a new type of wound dressing they developed from Chinese medicines that can effectively heal stubborn wounds. The other UM team, led by ICMS Director Wang Yitao and Wang Shengpeng, received third prize for a new type of sunscreen spray, with Chinese medicines as its main ingredients. According to a statement issued by the UM, since its founding in 2003, the ICMS has achieved significant results in producing graduates, as it has received several awards at the Challenge Cup over the past 15 years. The Challenge Cup is a national science and technology competition held in China. It is hailed as the Olympics in technological innovation among Chinese university students. The competition is hosted by well-known mainland universities and jointly organized by the Central Committee of the Young Communist League, the Chinese Association for Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the All-China Students Federation, and provincial governments. Campus tour launched The University of Macau recently launched an A Day at UM Campus Tour Campaign. Guided by PR Student Ambassadors, participants will visit various locations on campus and learn more about the experiences of UM students. The A Day at UM campus tours are available Monday through Saturday, with two 1.5-hour sessions per day. Participants will also have the opportunity to receive limited-edition souvenirs. A minimum of ten people are required for each tour. Tensions over Chinas island-building in the South China Sea may have eased in the past year, but Beijing has kept busy. New satellite imagery shows China has built infrastructure covering 72 acres in the Spratly and Paracel islands during 2017 to equip its larger outposts to be air and naval bases. The Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative closely tracks developments in the South China Sea, where China and several Asian governments have conflicting territorial claims. It said Thursday there has been construction of hangars, underground storage, missile shelters, radar arrays and other facilities. The activity comes as China joins what are likely to be protracted negotiations with Southeast Asian nations on a code of conduct for South China Sea. Tensions with the U.S. on the issue have also eased, despite Washingtons criticism of Beijings conduct. The construction is the follow-up phase to a campaign of land reclamation that was completed by early 2016 in the Spratlys, an island chain where Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei also have claims. According to the Pentagon, China has added more than 3,200 acres of land to the seven land features it occupies in the area. China also seems to have halted smaller-scale operations to expand islands in the Paracels that lie farther north, the initiative said. The U.S. and others have accused Beijing of further militarizing the region and altering geography to bolster its sweeping claims across the South China Sea. China says the man-made islands in the Spratlys, which are equipped with airstrips and military installations, are mainly for civilian purposes and to boost safety for fishing and maritime trade. Greg Poling, the initiatives director, said China had seized a diplomatic opening after the election of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who adopted a conciliatory stance toward Beijing over their territorial dispute. Its also been less of a focus for President Donald Trumps administration, preoccupied by North Koreas nuclear threat and trade disputes with China. Its gotten off the front pages, but we shouldnt confuse that with a softening in Chinas pursuit of its goals. They are continuing all the construction they want, Poling said. The most construction has been on Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratlys, including hangars alongside its 3,000-meter airstrip, underground structures likely intended to house munitions or other materiel, hardened shelters for missile platforms, and communication and radar facilities, the initiative said. It also noted that China has deployed new military aircraft at Woody Island in the Paracels. At the end of October, the Chinese military released images of J-11B fighter planes there for drills. In mid-November, Y-8 transport aircraft were spotted on the same island that may be capable of electronic intelligence gathering. Marine Lt. Col. Christopher Logan, a Pentagon spokesman, said last week that he could not comment in detail on U.S. assessments of the region but that further militarization of outposts will only serve to raise tensions and create greater distrust among claimants. The United States does not claim territory in the South China Sea but has declared it has a national interest in ensuring that the territorial disputes there are resolved peacefully in accordance with international law and that freedom of navigation and overflight are guaranteed. China has opposed what it calls U.S. meddling in an Asian dispute. Matthew Pennington, Washington, AP That legal weed you'll be able to buy in California on New Year's Day may not be as green as it seems. Any marijuana sold when recreational sales become legal Jan. 1 in the nation's most populous state will have been grown without regulatory controls that will eventually be in place. Pot could contain pesticides, molds and other contaminants. "Buyer beware," cautioned Donald Land, a University of California, Davis, chemistry professor who is the chief scientific consultant at Steep Hill Labs Inc., which tests marijuana in several states. Earlier this year, Land oversaw testing that found 93 percent of samples collected by KNBC-TV from 15 dispensaries in four Southern California counties tested positive for pesticides. That may come as a surprise for consumers who tend to trust what's on store shelves because of federal regulations by the U.S. Agriculture Department or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Unfortunately, that's not true of cannabis," Land said. "They wrongly assume it's been tested for safety." Stiffer regulations and testing requirements are being phased in next year, but growers and sellers have a six-month grace period to sell existing inventory grown under the loosely regulated medical marijuana program in place two decades. With only a year to a develop a complex bureaucratic infrastructure of regulations, taxes and licensing for recreational marijuana, state officials recognized it wasn't realistic or fair to require inventory grown or manufactured under existing rules to suddenly meet testing standards. Shops will have six months to sell the current crop of cannabis before their inventory has to pass tests. Any pot harvested or manufactured after Jan. 1, however, will be subject to testing for potency and contaminants with a high public health risk. Stricter limits will be phased in by the start of 2019. Meanwhile, any pot that hasn't been tested will need to be labeled, said Alex Traverso, Bureau of Cannabis Control spokesman. "That's one of the biggest reasons for regulation: to establish rules that protect public safety and improve the quality of the product," Traverso said. "When people see a sticker that says 'Not tested,' at least they know and they can choose whether they want to purchase that or not." That means there will probably be a lot of labels required when everything from joints to cookies and oils go on sale. Land estimated that less than 5 percent of medical marijuanathe only pot legal to sell before 2018is now tested. As the industry emerges from the shadows, growers, manufacturers, shops and related businesses have to navigate a maze of regulations that are still taking shape across state and local jurisdictions as sales are about to begin. Juan Hidalgo, agricultural commissioner for Santa Cruz County, said pesticides are a top concern, and he wants to know what is being applied and whether workers on site are protected. Farmers who spray their own pesticides have to get a certificate from the commissioner that requires passing a test and taking refresher courses every three years. "A lot of these folks, up until now, they haven't been aware of what those requirements are and the proper use of pesticides," Hidalgo said. "That's something we're hoping we can change in the coming weeks." The incentive will be that entire crops or batches will have to be destroyed if unacceptable levels of contaminants are discovered. Several years ago, Steep Hill tested concentrates at a cannabis contest and found traces of solvents from extracting hash oil used in edibles and other products in all but three of 135 samples, Land said. "At first they were mad because they couldn't sell their stuff the way they wanted to," Land said. But eventually, manufacturers figured out how to more safely produce their products, and two years later all 140 samples the lab tested passed. He thinks a similar thing will happen with pesticides as testing becomes mandatory and the industry adapts. Initially, though, it could mean lower yields. Mike Winderman, manager of The Green Easy in Los Angeles, supports the idea of eliminating pesticides, but also thinks the issue has been overhyped when the vast majority of crops that people eat are grown with pesticides and even organic crops could be subject to pesticides drifting from nearby farms. "I think it's a little funny that this year everybody's caring about pesticides," he said. "People have been smoking weed 30, 40, 50 years, and it's never been an issue." Like many shops, Winderman's products are tested for potency, but not pesticides. Prices are dropping for the current crop because they have a limited shelf life due to the regulatory controls that will eventually go into place. Winderman said he wouldn't be surprised to find shops snapping up inventory now to avoid taxes that will take effect Jan. 1 and because some popular products may not be available if small producers who don't want to pay registration fees drop out of the industry. Robert Watson, assistant manager of Dutchman's Flat in San Francisco's Dog Patch neighborhood, said it isn't an issue because his dispensary always tested for pesticides and will continue to do so if it is allowed to sell recreational pot. "It's something we believe in," Watson said. "I think most patients out there wouldn't get medicine that isn't tested." 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that black and Hispanic young adults from disadvantaged childhoods do not enjoy the same health-promoting benefits of college completion as their upwardly mobile white peers. The paper is the first to document improved mental health but worse physical health risk associated with college completion among disadvantaged minority young adults and it illustrates the importance of programs and policies that support the upward mobility of minorities. "Our findings provide a piece of the puzzle for why racial disparities in health persist at equal levels of education," says senior author Kathleen Mullan Harris, James Haar Distinguished Professor at UNC and faculty fellow at UNC's Carolina Population Center (CPC). "The physical health of disadvantaged minorities who manage to get ahead and achieve upward mobility is compromised in young adulthood." The study draws on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), the largest, most comprehensive longitudinal study of adolescents ever undertaken. First interviewed in the mid-1990s, the adolescents have been followed for more than 20 years into young adulthood. The research team used characteristics of the adolescents' family, neighborhood, and school environment to measure socioeconomic disadvantages in early life. Among those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the researchers then contrasted depression and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of physical health conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes) for college graduates and non-college graduates in young adulthood among whites, blacks, and Hispanics. Gaydosh, Harris and colleagues examined depressive symptoms as an outcome of mental health, and metabolic syndrome as a measure of physical health. The team found that college graduates had lower depression in young adulthood regardless of childhood socioeconomic background, race, or ethnicity. But the study suggests that while whites who complete college had lower rates of metabolic syndrome than non-graduates, blacks and Hispanics from disadvantaged backgrounds were more likely to have metabolic syndrome if they completed college, compared to those who did not complete college. Take for example two individuals who were raised in severely disadvantaged backgrounds - one who completes college, and the other does not. Our statistical analyses predict that if these two individuals are white, the college graduate is 3 percentage points less likely to have metabolic syndrome than the non-graduate (31 percent compared to 34 percent). If the two individuals are black, the pattern is reversed; the black college graduate is 9 percentage points more likely to have metabolic syndrome than his/her less educated peer (43 percent compared to 34 percent). Similarly, for Hispanics, the college graduate is 8 percentage points more likely to have metabolic syndrome than the non-graduate (45 percent compared to 37 percent). The study will be published on Dec. 18, 2017 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (an embargoed version is available on the EurekAlert link below). "American minorities we studied, who strive to overcome backgrounds of socioeconomic disadvantage by completing college, continually face barriers that impede their progress and inflict wear and tear on their bodies," says Lauren Gaydosh, postdoctoral scholar at CPC and the study's first author. "We found upwardly mobile minorities are psychologically hardy, which may in part explain how they are able to persevere in the face of significant adversity," says Gaydosh. "But the constant effort needed to overcome obstacles blocking their opportunity discrimination, isolationis stressful, and takes a toll on their physical health." "It's clear that there is something distinct about achieving upward mobility for minorities in the United States that prevents them from receiving the same health benefits as whites," Harris adds. "We have yet to see whether such health risks continue through adulthood, or whether later in life they are able to translate their new socioeconomic advantage into health protection. But we collectively need to develop programs and policies that make success more common and less stressful." More information: Lauren Gaydosh el al., "College completion predicts lower depression but higher metabolic syndrome among disadvantaged minorities in young adulthood," PNAS (2017). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Lauren Gaydosh el al., "College completion predicts lower depression but higher metabolic syndrome among disadvantaged minorities in young adulthood,"(2017). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1714616114 Police said the girls were brought to cater to highend customers during the year-end celebrations. By Ajay Kumar: Gurugram police busted a flesh trade racket in city's posh sector-39 and arrested 12 high-profile girls, including an Afghanistan national, kingpin and three customers. Police said the girls were brought to cater to highend customers during the year-end celebrations. The racket operated from a guest house named Ganga Villa and its manager Kaptan Singh is said to be the kingpin who ran the illegal activity in connivance with its owner. advertisement Acting on a tip-off, Vijay Kumar, Sadar police station SHO, constituted a special team and raided the guest house on Sunday night. "Upon specific information, we sent two constables poised as decoy customers to assess the situation. They struck deals with the manager and signaled the team through WhatsApp to conduct raid," said Kumar. The accused were booked under relevant IPC sections and produced before judicial magistrate and were sen to judicial custody. --- ENDS --- Credit: stock.adobe.com Two-thirds of young women aged 18-26 who were eligible to receive Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine have missed at least one opportunity to receive the vaccine during a visit to an obstetrics and gynecology clinic, Yale researchers report. This study also confirms previous research showing racial disparities in vaccination for HPV: Women who identify as black are 61% more likely have had a missed opportunity than women who identify as white. These findings are published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. HPV is a well-known cause of pre-cancerous cervical lesions, which, if untreated, could develop into cervical cancer. Immunization against HPV has been shown to be safe and effective in preventing these pre-cancerous lesions. The two-dose HPV vaccine is recommended for administration to It is recommended that girls ages 11-12 receive the two-dose HPV vaccine,and that those through age 26 receive the three-dose vaccination for "catch-up." Yet, rates of immunization for HPV remain low overall in the United States. Previous research has identified missed clinical opportunities as one of the key reasons for the low immunization rate. This study intends to further the literature on missed opportunities. "We wanted to identify and describe in detail the missed opportunities for administering the HPV vaccine to young adult women," said senior author Sangini Sheth, M.D. "Most studies about missed opportunities for administering the HPV vaccine have focused on adolescents (13-17), but there is still an important role for providers in vaccinating young adult women (18-26) for HPV, especially when the national vaccination rates are lower than the target goals. What we found was that two-thirds of young women had had at least one missed clinical opportunity to receive HPV vaccine, with an average of 1.3 missed opportunities per person." The researchers analyzed the medical records of non-immunized women aged 18-26 who sought care at an urban, hospital-based obstetrics and gynecology clinic over a one year period (Feb. 2013Jan. 2014). They identified the "missed opportunity" visits as postpartum check-ups, sexually transmitted disease screenings, or appointments for contraceptives. Of patients with at least one missed opportunity, 26.5% had received an injectable medication or other vaccine as part of their treatment. "One trend that we observed is that for many of these 'missed opportunity' visits, the patients were meeting with a nurse only," said Sheth. "For example, patients who use the injectable contraceptive, Depo Provera, come to the office every three months for a nurse to administer the injection." Sheth and the other researchers see this as an opportunity to revise current practices. "If we can create a clinical culture where nurses are empowered to discuss, recommend, and administer the HPV vaccine, we could potentially affect the rates of immunization for a population like the one we studied. Nurses are always allies and partners in care, especially in preventative and primary care medicine." This study fills a hole in the literature about when, where, and with whom HPV immunization opportunities are missed, said the researchers. According to Sheth, the next step and the ultimate goal will be intervention. The research team is currently developing and testing toolswhether to enhance electronic record-keeping or shifting primary care cultureto help improve the lagging immunization rates for HPV among young women. "We hope to share our data shortly," said Sheth. More information: Carlos R. Oliveira et al. Missed Opportunities for HPV Immunization Among Young Adult Women, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2017). Journal information: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Carlos R. Oliveira et al. Missed Opportunities for HPV Immunization Among Young Adult Women,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.11.602 Credit: CC0 Public Domain We tend to overstate our negative feelings and symptoms in surveys, shows a new study by a team of psychology researchers. This bias wears off over time, but the results point to the possibility that measurements of health and well-being, which are vital in making medical assessments and in guiding health-related research, may be misinterpreted. "Understanding the magnitude of this bias is essential in accurately interpreting survey results that include subjective reports of feelings and symptoms," says Patrick Shrout, a professor in New York University's Department of Psychology and a co-author of the paper, which appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It's long been understood that survey instruments are imperfect measurements of mood and emotions. However, they nonetheless provide insights into people's preferences, fears, and prioritiesinformation on which policy makers, industry leaders, and health-care professionals rely in their decision-making. Less clear, in particular, is the accuracy of capturing our sentiments over time using repeated measurements, which is a common method to gauge changes in symptoms, attitudes, and well-being. Notably, there have been puzzling findings in the psychological literature that reports of anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms decline over time, regardless of the circumstances of the people being studied. To study this decline, the researchers conducted four separate experiments in which the subjects in each were asked, multiple times, about their anxiety, physical symptoms, and energy level. In three of the four studies, the subjects were facing stressful events and the expectation was that anxiety and physical complaints, such as headaches and sleep disturbance, would be more common as the event drew near. One of these studies focused on recent law school graduates preparing for the bar examination and two others centered on college students who were preparing for difficult pre-med science examinations. The fourth study was a bi-monthly survey of college students over the course of an academic year. All four studies were designed so that groups of subjects gave their first reports at different times relative to the stressful event or academic year. In all studies, the subjects reported more anxiety and symptoms the first time they completed the survey compared to their own later reports. This initial elevation was limited to the first survey day, and it was inconsistent with the course of anxiety and symptoms normally associated with a difficult event. Although previous researchers have assumed the pattern of decline was due to response bias of later reports, Shrout and his colleagues concluded that the pattern of decline over time was likely due to an overstatement of distress and symptoms the first timerather than an understatement in later times. This is the only explanation that accounted for the fact that anxiety was more elevated four weeks before the exam than three weeks before, they note. Moreover, the law school graduates who were asked to report current anxiety and symptoms for the first time one week after the bar exam had elevation similar to others who had not yet taken the exam. "Because many political and health surveys only ask questions one time, the bias associated with the initial overstatement can be confused with levels of genuine negativity," observes Shrout. Stroke survivors with higher scores on widely used outcome measures are more likely to be discharged home from the hospital, while those with lower scores are more likely to go to a rehabilitation or nursing care facility, reports a paper in the January issue of The Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy (JNPT). Standardized rating scales can help to support decisions about discharge destination for stroke patients leaving the hospital, according to the analysis by Dr. Emily Thorpe, PT, DPT, and colleagues of Walsh University, North Canton, Ohio, under the mentorship of Dr. Robert S. Phillips, PT, DPT, PhD, NCS. "These results provide a framework with which to start the plan of care and discharge process in acute and sub-acute settings," the researchers write. Outcome Measure Scores to Predict Stroke Discharge - Pooled Evidence Analysis In a systematic research review, Dr. Thorpe and colleagues identified nine previous studies of the relationship between standardized outcome measures and discharge destination in patients with stroke. Five studiesincluding more than 6,000 patientsprovided evidence suitable for analysis of pooled data, called meta-analysis. Meta-analyses assessed the predictive value of two outcome measures. Four studies evaluated the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), which assesses the level of assistance needed to perform daily tasks. The FIM is commonly used in hospitalized patients with a wide range of conditions. Two studies used the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), which is specifically designed to assess stroke severity and resulting disability. (One of the studies included both measures.) Both rating scales were good indicators of the discharge destination for stroke patients, according to the meta-analyses. For each one-point improvement in the FIM score (on a scale from 18 to 126), patients were about eight percent more likely to be sent home from the hospital, rather than to a rehabilitation or nursing facility. On both the FIM and NIHSS, patients who scored in the "above average" range were 12 times more likely to be discharged to home. In contrast, patients with "average" scores were 1.9 times more likely to be discharged to a care facility. Patients with "poor" scores on the FIM and NIHSS were 3.4 times more likely to be discharged to an institution. For this group, the discharge destination was more likely to be a skilled nursing facility, rather than to an inpatient rehabilitation center. Interdisciplinary rehabilitation services are crucial to help stroke patients toward regaining their functional ability and lifestyle. With the aging population and increased spending for stroke management, it's more important than ever to provide efficient care for patients recovering from a stroke. About 20 percent of stroke survivors require institutionalized care beyond three months; many patients need continued assistance after they return home. Outcome measures such as the FIM and NIHSS are widely used to assess the functional abilities or clinical condition of stroke patients. However, it has been unclear how scores on these rating scales are related to discharge destination. The new analysis provides evidence-based data to support critical decision-making about discharge destination in stroke patients. "Findings from these meta-analyses are consistent with common sense practice: the better a patient's outcome measure score, the greater the likelihood of home discharge," Dr. Thorpe and coauthors write. The results show the "quantitative impact" of outcome measure scores on discharge decisions. The researchers emphasize that rating scales such as the FIM and NIHSS are just one factor to consider in determining the best discharge destination for each individual patient after a stroke. Dr. Thorpe and colleagues conclude: "Ultimately, standardized outcome measures should be further used and studied among the post-stroke population to improve healthcare policy and compliment clinical judgment in the task of recommending discharge destinations for patients to receive the necessary care for achieving their optimal function." More information: Emily R. Thorpe et al, Outcome Measure Scores Predict Discharge Destination in Patients With Acute and Subacute Stroke, Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy (2017). Emily R. Thorpe et al, Outcome Measure Scores Predict Discharge Destination in Patients With Acute and Subacute Stroke,(2017). DOI: 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000211 Diabetes patients who take the most commonly prescribed diabetes drug, metformin, are the least likely to follow medical advice regarding their medication due its side effects, a new article in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism reports. Researchers from the University of Surrey examined in detail how likely 1.6 million people with Type 2 diabetes were to take their medication. The study combined data from clinical trials and observational studies looking at adherence rates for both tablet and injectable medicines. They found that those who took metformin, the most commonly prescribed drug to treat Type 2 diabetes, were the least likely to take the required dosages compared to other diabetes drugs. It was discovered that 30 per cent of metformin doses prescribed to patients are not taken compared to 23 percent of sulfonylureas (such as gliclazide) and 20 percent for pioglitazone. Interestingly, DPP4 inhibitors (gliptins), one of the newer medication classes have the highest rates of adherence, with only 10 to 20 percent of medication doses not taken. When comparing injectable medications, it was found that patients are twice as likely to stop taking GLP1 receptor agonists (such as exenatide) compared with insulin. Researchers believe that the variance in adherence rates are in part due to side effects of the different drugs. Metformin commonly causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea and flatulence, whereas DPP4 inhibitors are generally better tolerated by the body. It is also thought that having to take the multiple doses a day required for some drugs may have an impact on people taking the required medication. Dr Andy McGovern, Clinical Researcher at the University of Surrey, said: "The importance of diabetes patients taking their prescribed medication cannot be underestimated. A failure to do so can lead to complications in their condition including eye disease and kidney damage. Medication which is not taken does no good for the patient but still costs the NHS money so this is an important issue. "We have known for a long time that a lot of medication prescribed for chronic diseases never actually get taken. What this latest research suggests is that patients find some of these medication classes much easier to take than others. "I urge anyone who is struggling to take their medication as prescribed, whether this is because of side effects or because the schedule is too complicated, to discuss this openly with their doctor or nurse. Fortunately for type 2 diabetes we have lots of treatment options and switching to a different medication class which is easier to take could provide an easy way to improve adherence. I would also encourage doctors and nurses to actively ask their patients about medication adherence." Figures from Public Health England report that 3.8 million people in the UK have diabetes, with approximately 90 per cent suffering from Type 2. It is estimated that the condition is a contributing factor in 22,000 early deaths in the UK and costs the NHS 8.8billion every year. Data for this article was extracted from 48 studies, of these 25 compared oral therapies, 19 compared injectable therapies, three included comparison between oral and injectable therapies and one which compared an oral to an inhaled agent. More information: Andrew McGovern et al, Comparison of medication adherence and persistence in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (2017). Andrew McGovern et al, Comparison of medication adherence and persistence in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis,(2017). DOI: 10.1111/dom.13160 Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have discovered that the Maraba virus, or MG1, can target and destroy the kind of HIV-infected cells that standard antiretroviral therapies can't reach. Lead author Dr. Jonathan Angel, senior scientist and infectious disease physician at The Ottawa Hospital, and professor at the University of Ottawa. Credit: The Ottawa Hospital While Ottawa researchers are known for their work on cancer-fighting viruses, one team is applying these viruses to a new target: HIV. Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have discovered that the Maraba virus, or MG1, can target and destroy the kind of HIV-infected cells that standard antiretroviral therapies can't reach. This laboratory discovery was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. If this technique works in humans, it might possibly contribute to a cure for HIV. While daily medications keep the level of HIV virus in the blood low, there is currently no way to totally eliminate dormant HIV-infected cells from the body. If a person living with HIV stops taking antiretroviral medications, these hidden viruses rapidly rebound. These latently HIV-infected cells are hard to target because they are not distinguishable from normal cells. Dr. Jonathan Angel and his team tried a new approach of identifying these dormant cells by using the MG1 virus. This virus attacks cancer cells that have defects in their interferon pathway, which makes the cells more vulnerable to viruses. Dr. Angel and his team previously found that latently HIV-infected cells also have defects in this pathway. "We thought that because latently HIV-infected cells had similar characteristics to cancer cells, that the virus would enter and destroy them," said Dr. Angel, senior scientist and infectious disease physician at The Ottawa Hospital, and professor at the University of Ottawa. "It turns out we were right." Using a number of laboratory models of latently HIV-infected cells, the researchers found that the MG1 virus targeted and eliminated the infected cells, and left healthy cells unharmed. While most of these cells in patients are in the lymph nodes and other organs, a tiny number are found in the blood. When the researchers added MG1 to relevant blood cells taken from HIV-positive individuals, the levels of HIV DNA in the sample dropped. This indicated that the HIV-infected cells had been eliminated. "We know that the Maraba virus is targeting and killing the latently HIV-infected cells, but we don't know exactly how it's doing this," said Dr. Angel, who is also Head of the Division of Infectious Disease. "We think the virus is able to target the cells because of an impaired interferon pathway, but we need to do more research to know for sure." The research team's next step is to try the virus in animal models of HIV or move directly to clinical trials pending funding and approvals. All research at The Ottawa Hospital is supported by generous donors who contribute to hospital priorities, including research to improve patient care and a research chair in gay men's health. The study was also funded by the Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, More information: Nischal Ranganath et al, The oncolytic virus, MG1, targets and eliminates latently HIV-1-infected cells: implications for an HIV cure, The Journal of Infectious Diseases (2017). Journal information: Journal of Infectious Diseases Nischal Ranganath et al, The oncolytic virus, MG1, targets and eliminates latently HIV-1-infected cells: implications for an HIV cure,(2017). DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix639 Provided by The Ottawa Hospital In 2017, Gumtree South Africa experienced its fastest growth since it started operating in the country 11 years ago. This is according to Johan Nel, Director-GM of Gumtree SA, who said all their core metrics showed great improvements this year. Its not just true for Gumtree. The entire ecommerce space has been reinvigorated, said Nel. He said new businesses and alliances are popping up and revenue levers are spinning across the board. While it is hard to attribute a single factor to the phenomenon, Nel believes it is largely due to the maturation of the market. Consumers have been pushed to participate in the ecommerce space due, in part, to economic pressure, but also due to the lucrative opportunities that those spaces have created, said Nel. No industry has demonstrated this more clearly than the automotive arena, with record numbers of dealerships adding classifieds to their sales strategy. As financing becomes more difficult to obtain and new car prices surge, entrepreneurial informal car traders have generated close to R4.6 billion in turnover per month in 2017, by simply buying and selling cars for profit online, said Nel. Gumtree has become a business tool for the average cash-strapped South African, making it easier for entrepreneurs to enter the market and launch their own businesses. What to expect in 2018 Nel told MyBroadband there have been a few consolidations in 2017 that will come to fruition next year, and consumers will reap the benefits. South Africa is still a tumultuous market for any businesses to operate in, but uncertainty only fuels classifieds from the ground up, he said. A weaker economic outlook and high unemployment creates greater consumer interest and participation in the space, because of the ease of entry and associated cost savings. This should see new players enter the market, coupled with increased marketing spend and investment from established businesses. Nel said Gumtree will also remain true to its goal of helping South Africans trade successfully. Weve been the number one classifieds platform in terms of our size and popularity for a number of years now, but weve never taken that for granted. 2018 will see a renewed focus on the quality of the user experience, their needs, concerns, and goals. The platform will also offer its clients improved advertising services through Gumtree Media. South Africa is on the cusp of a new, smarter era of online advertising and Gumtree will lead the charge, said Nel. Prime Minister of Finland: Europe is now too reliant on Chinese technology Turkey to require insurance from oil tankers when passing through its waters EU to provide Ukraine with generators and kits to repair power grids Turkey sentences sect founder to 8,658 years in prison Xi Jinping urges world to abandon any Cold War mentality Aliyev rules out talks with Artsakh State Minister FP: Ukraine's appetite for weapons depletes Western stocks Putin and Aliyev discuss energy cooperation Armenian financial technologies to enter international market: VISA and Idram sign memorandum in Yerevan Incident in Poland causes disagreement between Kyiv and West Mark Milley urges Kyiv and Moscow to find political solution: Chances of military victory are unlikely New NATO Secretary General to be announced at Vilnius summit in 2023 Finnish Defense Ministry announces largest batch of military aid to Ukraine Pashinyan receives Ukrainian businessmen of Armenian origin Armenian soldier wounded in Azerbaijani shooting Erdogan: Turkey-Israel relations entered a new phase of development Mishustin: Cooperation between Moscow and Baku has become truly strategic and allied Igor Khovaev to visit Baku Mishustin arrives in Baku Russian Foreign Ministry: South Caucasus is a strategic transport hub for Eurasia U.S. general lays flowers at eternal flame at Armenian Genocide memorial Republicans stand for same-sex marriage rights Pallone says US State Department should not hesitate to speak about Azerbaijani aggression Aliyev refuses to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh and threatens Armenia with new aggression Greek minister doesn't get off plane to meet head of Libya's presidential council Sergey Lavrov to visit Yerevan Lebanese parliament fails to elect president of country Kremlin on Zelenskyy's proposal to hold 'public' talks National Assembly Speaker: Armenia is extremely interested in establishing strategic relations with Georgia Canada provides additional military aid to Ukraine Representatives of defense agencies of CSTO countries discuss crisis response issues Armenian Defense Minister and American General discuss defense cooperation Tehran accuses Israel and West of trying to organize civil war in Iran Oppositionist: No guarantees that war with Azerbaijan can be avoided Issue of biometric passports to Armenian citizens is temporarily suspended Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement to be signed till end of year? Pashinyan's associate voices conditions Erdogan says Russia and US agreed to refrain from using nuclear weapons Azerbaijani oppositionist complains of torture by police Kyaram Sloyan and Andranik Zohrabyan posthumously bestowed 'Hero of Artsakh' title UN Secretary General Guterres welcomes parties' agreement on renewal of food deal Eurasian Development Bank: Armenia is the leader among EEU countries in terms of economic growth Greece promises to continue military support to Ukraine Number of appeals from Azerbaijan to ECHR is growing Pashinyan: The wheel of processes related to confiscation of illegal property is spinning Fire hits Baghdad airport North Korea fires ballistic missile towards Sea of Japan Istanbul agrees to extend 'grain initiative' for another 120 days 'Hayastan' Fund to build 6 residential houses in Nerkin Khndzoresk village Vocal as Russophobic propaganda: Azerbaijani singer sings about 'disgusting peacekeepers' Biden congratulates Republicans on winning majority in House of Representatives 14 freight cars derailed in Kazakhstan, train traffic suspended Newspaper: Ruben Vardanyan does not hurry to make changes in composition of Karabakh government Russia attacks Ukraine with missiles in morning: Explosions heard in Dnieper, air defense works in Kyiv region U.S. National Security Council: It is clear that the party ultimately responsible for this tragic incident is Russia Gold prices decline Russian Trade Representative to Armenia: Situation at Upper Lars checkpoint is not related to geopolitical issues Trade Representative of Russia: Trade turnover with Armenia sets new record Copper falls in price Gas explodes in Fatih district of Istanbul, 10 people injured Oil prices go down Meteorite that fell in Britain contains key information about how oceans and life formed on Earth Gamer drinks 12 energy drinks in ten minutes and ends up in hospital Chinese customs officers accidentally find cockroach unknown to science Man removes cobra's teeth with manicure pliers and gets arrested Sweden to provide Ukraine with new military aid worth $287 million Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania meet conditions for joining Schengen zone Oil prices may reach $120 a barrel and stay at this level for 2 years Zelenskyy receives 'signals' that Putin wants direct talks Security Service of Ukraine puts Ramzan Kadyrov on wanted list Unidentified men open fire at market in Izeh city in southwestern Iran Karen Donfried tries to explain State Department's decision to exempt Azerbaijan from 907th Amendment Philip Reeker says U.S. administration representatives have no access to Nagorno-Karabakh Rimac Nevera sets speed record for production electric cars Reeker: Pace and depth of current talks between Yerevan and Baku demonstrate potential to resolve conflict FBI director considers TikTok threat to US National Security Bob Menendez says Ukraine supplies Azerbaijan with phosphorus bombs it used in Karabakh Delegation headed by Speaker of Armenian Parliament is in Tbilisi Austin: U.S. intends to continue supplying weapons and aid to Ukraine during winter Armenian politician charged with abuse of office, money laundering Donfried says Armenia and Azerbaijan have historic opportunity to establish lasting peace Bob Menendez: How on earth can we justify sending any support, security or otherwise, to the regime in Baku? Azerbaijan fires at residents of Sarushen village of Artsakh Head of Portugal's Finance Ministry: EU countries must work faster on energy intervention Kuwait executes 7 prisoners Czech Republic plans to train up to 4,000 Ukrainian servicemen next year Ukraine once again asks US for powerful drones Belarusian border guards shoot down drone intruding into airspace from Ukraine Armenian Deputy PM: Regional electricity export opportunities significantly increased Greek authorities temporarily ban export of firewood from country Azerbaijan protests to France in connection with Senate resolution Blinken calls on Aliyev to observe ceasefire and limit provocations Pashinyan: We're advancing rights of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan: Armenia invites Azerbaijan to sign framework agreement on peace Pashinyan: Most of the arable land of 4 villages in Tavush Province is occupied by Azerbaijanis Armenian Prime Minister: Let the opposition loudly reject Russia's proposals Pashinyan: 2023 budget growth in social protection compared to 2018 is 56% Inflation in UK up to 41-year high of 11.1% in October Pashinyan: We don't want to provoke war between CSTO and Azerbaijan Pashinyan's explanation: How should we fight inflation? Pashinyan: Armenia submitted its proposals for peace treaty to Azerbaijan, we are waiting for a response By PTI: (Eds: Updating with more details) Mumbai, Dec 18 (PTI) At least 12 people were killed when a massive fire broke out at a snack shop in Saki Naka-Kurla area in the early hours today, an official said. The blaze erupted in the Bhanu farsan (snack) shop in Makaria Compound on the Khairani Road at around 4.25 am following which the structure collapsed, the official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)s Disaster Management Cell said. advertisement Twelve people working inside the shop were trapped due to intense heat and smoke, he said. The fire spread quickly due to the presence of electric wiring and electrical goods, huge stock of eatables and furniture inside the shop. It led to the collapse of the loft, trapping the workers under the debris, the civic official said. Three fire engines, four jumbo water tankers, rescuers and ambulances reached the spot and launched a rescue operation, he said. All the 12 workers were pulled out of the debris and taken to the civic-run Rajawadi Hospital in suburban Ghatkopar where they were declared dead before admission, the official said. The cause of the fire was not yet known, he said, adding a probe was underway. PTI DC GK RSY AAR --- ENDS --- YEREVAN. The role of civil society should be expanded in Armenia. Ambassador Piotr Switalski, Head of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Armenia, on Monday stated the aforementioned at a public discussion devoted to role of Armenias civil society in the formation of the state policy agenda and in ensuring accountable governance. As per the head of the EU delegation, this should be done by way of social entrepreneurship development in Armenia. The European diplomat said they have achieved great success together with their partners, and that this is extremely important to them. He added, however, that we should not be satisfied with the success already achieved. Ambassador Switalski stressed that we need to work towards achieving more tangible success through cooperation, and noted that in order to resolve problems quickly, this cooperation should develop together with the Armenian government. YEREVAN. -- NATO hopes to see new momentum in resolving the Karabakh conflict as it will be good for entire region if it can be resolved, Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller said in Yerevan on Monday. On behalf of NATO I would say we are very positively glad to see recent high level diplomatic efforts and hope that it will get there soon, she said during a meeting at the Yerevan State University. Gottemoeller added that she was working for President Clinton back in the 90s and remembered the early days of the crisis. I regret that 25 and more years have gone by and the conflict is still unresolved. It is very important for Armenia and Azerbaijan to be working together. I was glad that foreign ministers got together on the margins of the OSCE ministerial meeting two weeks ago in Vienna and the presidents met in October, Gottemoeller said, adding that she is delighted that U.S. at such a level is again engaging in the peace process. NATO is not an alliance acting against any one or any country, but an alliance that defends certain important principles and rules of the international law, Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller said in Yerevan. NATO is dealing with new modern threats, for example, terrorism, which is an excellent example how the Alliance stands for defending against non-state actors who would cause violence to public, innocent citizens, Gottemoeller said during a meeting at the Yerevan State University. The NATO official named cyber attacks among the new threats NATO is face with in the modern world. We do not see a return of the Cold War. We see a different work nowadays, a world that is defined by different challenges and threats, and NATO has to think how to defend against wider array of challenges, she added. By PTI: (Eds: Updating with more details) Mumbai, Dec 18 (PTI) At least 12 workers were killed and one injured when a massive fire broke out at a snack shop in Sakinaka-Kurla area in the early hours today, police said. The blaze erupted in the Bhanu farsan (snack) shop in Makaria Compound on the Khairani Road at around 4.25 am following which the structure collapsed, a senior police official said. advertisement As per the official, it is suspected that a short circuit, followed by LPG cylinder bylast triggered the fire. At least 21 persons were inside the shop when the blaze erupted, he said, adding nine of them managed to escape, whereas 12 persons got trapped on the loft inside due to intense heat and smoke, he said. The fire spread quickly due to the presence of electric wiring and electrical goods, huge stock of eatables and furniture inside the shop, the official said. All the 12 workers were pulled out of the debris by fire brigade personnel and taken to the civic-run Rajawadi Hospital in suburban Ghatkopar where they were declared dead before admission, a civic official said. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-10) Navinchandra Reddy told PTI that prime facie the fire started from the electrical switch board and it spread in the shop following which there was a LPG gas cylinder blast. Police have called forensic science experts to ascertain the exact cause of the fire. "We are also waiting for fire brigade report in this case. However, the procedure of registering an offence has been initiated. After enquiry we will register an offence against those who are responsible for the tragedy," another police official said. Of the 12 deceased, identify of 10 has been ascertained so far, the officer said, adding the injured has been admitted to the Rajawadi hospital. PTI DC AVI GK RSY NRB DIP --- ENDS --- It is up to NATO member states to make decisions on selling weapons to various countries, Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller said in Yerevan on Monday. Asked what is NATOs position on the recent U.S. decision on weapon supplies to Georgia, Gottemoeller said from NATO perspective it is a bilateral matter between Washington and Tbilisi. It is not up to NATO, but we do provide training and try to advise and assist countries to be able to be more effective, we have excellent relations with Georgia, she added. In November U.S. State Department approved the $75 million sale of 72 Javelin anti-tank guided missile launch units along with 410 Javelin Missiles. NATO stands for territorial integrity of Iraq, and the alliance urges the government in Baghdad to work closely and in a positive way with the Kurdish government which was a force for stabilization and economic development, NATO Deputy Secretary General said in Yerevan on Monday. During a meeting at the Yerevan State University, Rose Gottemoeller urged Iraq Baghdad to focus on unity and to look for the ways to work with the Kurds, perhaps to provide a special status for them. However, NATO is not a facilitator. We urge certain policy, but it is not for us to solve the problem, she said when asked about NATOs position on the situation in Iraq. The NATO goals in Iraq and Afghanistan have changed, she said, adding that their main goal now is to give resources and tools to maintain security and stability. YEREVAN. Armenia has evolved from a consumer of peace and security to a supplier, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at a briefing following a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller who is on a visit to Armenia. As the minister emphasized, partnership between Armenia and NATO began 25 years ago and the cooperation has expanded. This visit is a good opportunity to sum up the achievements and outline the prospects, Nalbandian said, recalling that the traditional week of NATO is taking place in Yerevan on December 13-18. During the meeting with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, the importance of high-level political dialogue and contacts was underscored. The sides noted with satisfaction the launch of the implementation of the fifth Individual Partnership Action Program, Nalbandian said, adding that the importance of the practical implementation of the Trust Fund has been stressed. The Foreign Minister said that Armenia continues to make an important contribution to peacekeeping activities. Our country, having serious security problems itself, nevertheless contributes to the preservation of peace and security in the world, he emphasized. According to the Minister, during the meeting the sides touched upon a number of regional and international issues. I presented the current stage of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries into finding an exceptionally peaceful settlement. In this context, we attach importance to the contribution of NATO to the efforts and approaches of the co-chairing countries, Nalbandian added. YEREVAN. Armenia and NATO have been cooperating for already 25 years, and this cooperation stems from mutual interests. Rose Gottemoeller, the Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), on Monday stated the aforementioned at a briefing after her talk with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian of Armenia. The NATO Deputy Secretary General is in Armenia within the framework of the NATO Week events in the country. As per Gottemoeller, she and Nalbandian discussed the challenges facing and the prospects for the enhancing of Armenia-NATO relations. The NATO Deputy Secretary General added that a new Individual Partnership Action Plan has been approved, and a trust fund will be launched soon. In her words, NATO is grateful to Armenia for its participation in the peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Also, Rose Gottemoeller thanked FM Nalbandian for holding the NATO Week and organizing a womens security conference in Armenia. In conclusion, the Deputy Secretary said Armenia and NATO can work in several domains stemming from their interests, and added that she looks forward to continued cooperation. By PTI: Jammu, Dec 18 (PTI) As many as 85 residents of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) today travelled by the cross-LoC bus to meet their relatives on the two sides of the Line of Control, officials said. Thirteen PoK residents arrived here on the cross-LoC bus service via Poonch-Rawalakot in Jammu and Kashmir, while one Indian returned by the bus, a senior official said. advertisement From India, 51 PoK residents returned on the LoC bus, while 20 freshers from India travelled on the LoC bus to PoK, he said. The weekly bus service, popularly known as paigam-e-amun or message of peace, resumed on November 6 after remaining suspended for nearly four months owing to heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch district. Billed as the biggest confidence building measure, the bus service was started on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route in the Kashmir Valley in April 2005 and the Poonch-Rawalakot route in the Jammu region on June 20, 2006, to facilitate easier trade and travel between the divided families of Jammu and Kashmir and the PoK. The trade between the two parts of Kashmir started in October 2008 on barter system. PTI AB SNE SNE --- ENDS --- YEREVAN.- Armenian Defense minister Vigen Sargsyan on Monday held a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, the ministry reported. During the meeting Rose Gottemoeller highly appreciated the participation of Armenian peacekeeping troops in the NATO operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo, attached importance to the joint efforts for capacity development, improvement of mutual partnership, as well as the cooperation on military education and other directions. The sides exchanged views on the implementation process of the Individual Partnership Action Plan, as well as on other programs. The defense minister presented to the guest the reforms of the defense legislation conditioned by the constitutional changes, the new initiatives aimed at improving the military service, modernizing the defense education, improving the civilian and public control system of the Armed Forces, as well as the cooperation prospect. Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has once again questioned the fact of the Armenian Genocide. In an interview to RTV TV channel, he noted that the proposal to recognize the Armenian Genocide as Turkey's peak is not acceptable: "I do not think that it is acceptable to rake this very issue, which is in many respects purely historical, controversial and theoretical. I do not think that this has a concrete impact on Israel's current position on Turkey." At the clarifying question whether the relationship Azerbaijan is an obstacle to this, Liberman said: "First of all." According to him, relations with Azerbaijan is priority for Israel." The day before the Israeli defense minister Avigdor Liberman urged to review the economic relations of the Jewish state with Turkey, following the statements of the country's President Tayyip Erdogan. Earlier Erdogan announced the intention of the republic to open an embassy in East Jerusalem in response to Washington's decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel and Turkey normalized the relations with each other only in 2016 after the crisis lasting six years. Thousands of people took to the streets to protest in Iraqi Kurdistan. The demonstrators protest over lack of basic services, delayed and reduced salaries, Rudaw reported. Protests began on Monday in Sulaimani, Halabja and Raniya provinces. The protest escalated into clashes with security forces in Sulaimani. In the town of Piramagrun, protesters set fire to the buildings of the five largest Kurdish parties. According to the source, Kurdistan has been suffering from an economic crisis since 2014. The regional government planned to reduce the salaries by 33 percent after the loss of Kirkuks oil fields. Kurdish government has implemented unprecedented austerity measures that mean the suspension of all major government-backed investment projects and the reduction of wages for government employees. The government has said that it will pay back the outstanding amount of the reduced salaries when oil prices rise or the economy stabilizes. YEREVAN.- Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received on Monday Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller, who is in Armenia to participate in the events in the sidelines of the NATO Week, the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office reported. Greeting the guest, the President of the Republic highlighted the traditional NATO Week events held in Armenia in terms of keeping the Armenian public aware of Armenia-NATO relations. President Sargsyan documented with satisfaction that Armenias relations with NATO develop in a natural way and thanked for the assistance rendered by the NATO to Armenia. Taking advantage of the occasion, Serzh Sargsyan asked to convey his congratulations and warm wishes to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the occasion of prolonging his tenure. The interlocutors mutually recalled their previous meetings with warmth in 2011 when Rose Gottemoeller was the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State and afterwards, on February 27 of the current year during the meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. In addition to Armenia-NATO relations, a reference was made to Armenias foreign and security policy, regional developments, and in that context the negotiation process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. The Deputy Secretary General of NATO thanked Armenia for its resolve and consistent support in international peacekeeping missions, making its important contribution to international peace and security. Rose Gottemoeller talked with satisfaction about the implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan with Armenia, noting that 4 action plans have been successfully implemented and now the fifth one has been confirmed for 2017-2019. The BJP's saffron surge in the Gujarat election decimated Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made its political debut in Narendra Modi's home state. Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), won't be pleased with his candidates' performance in the Gujarat election (File photo: PTI) By India Today Web Desk: The BJP continued its winning streak in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat, winning the state for a sixth straight term by a simple majority and denying Rahul Gandhi his big comeback, days after being crowned as Congress president. The saffron surge also decimated debutant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had drowned the BJP in Delhi only two years ago. advertisement Of the 30-odd seats that Arvind Kejriwal's AAP contested in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly election, the party ended up playing an (unwilling) foil in two. In nearly all the remaining seats, the AAP candidates lost their deposits, with some of them even polling votes in two digits. The three seats where the AAP made its presence somewhat felt are Chhota Udepur, Wankaner, and Bapunagar. In Chhota Udepur, AAP's Arjunbhai Versingbhai Rathva polled nearly 4500 votes, which was the best performance by any AAP leader in Gujarat, where electoral politics is largely marked by a bipolar contest between the BJP and the Congress. Moreover, Rathva's 4500 votes gain significance when one looks at the margin of victory in the Chhota Udepur constituency: the winning Congress candidate, Mohansinh Chhotubhai Rathava, defeated his rival from the BJP, Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathwa, by merely 1000 votes. LIVE | Gujarat election: Complete list of winners Similarly, in Wankaner, the AAP's Sherasiya Usmangani Hushen polled close to 3000 votes. The margin of victory in that constituency, again won by the Congress, is less than 3000. In the high-profile Unjha Assembly constituency dominated by the Patidars, the AAP's Ramesh Patel ended up at the eighth spot and could manage less than 400 votes. The Congress's Dr Asha Patel won the seat by polling 80927 votes. Reports said that though the AAP had decided to contest nearly 30 seats in Gujarat, it had decided to focus on 10 seats where the party was hoping for a victory following an internal survey. Those ten seats, apart from are Unjha and Chhota Udepur are Palanpur, Rajkot (East), Gondal, Lathi, Kamrej, Karanj, Pardi, and Dhrangadhra. Let's have a quick look at those seats: Palanpur: Nabhani Rameshkumar Khemrajbhai (452 votes) Rajkot (East): Ajit Ghusabhai Lokhil (1927 votes) Gondal: Khunt Nimishaben Dhirajlal (2179 votes) Lathi: MD (Bhanubhai) Manjariya (797 votes) Kamrej: Ram Dhaduk (1454 votes) Karanj: Mehta Jignesh Dhirajlal (325 votes) Pardi: Dr Rajiv Shambhunath Pandey (539 votes) Dhrangadhra: Dadhaniya Kamlesh Muljibhai (505 votes) ALSO WATCH | Little Modi from BJP's Gujarat rally reaches party's headquarter in Delhi for celebration advertisement --- ENDS --- By PTI: Chandigarh, Dec 18 (PTI) A project led by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) can help address the issue of stubble burning, a release issued today by the Australian High Commission said. Titled "Value chain and policy interventions to accelerate adoption of Happy Seeder zero-tillage in rice-wheat farming systems across the Gangetic Plains", the project was aimed at building momentum for a Happy Seeder revolution, it said. advertisement Happy Seeder is a zero-tillage solution whereby seeds can be planted directly into the stubble without the need for land clearing or tilling, eliminating the need to burn crop residue. It was developed by the Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University, and Australian engineers and scientists with support from the ACIAR a decade ago, the release said. Each year, Punjab and Haryana generate an estimated 30 million tonnes of paddy straw, which is later burnt and become one of the main causes of air pollution. The release quoted the Australian High Commissioner to India, Harinder Sidhu, as saying, "Through this new project, we can work collaboratively with Indian partners to not only ensure better productivity and soil health, but also address the issue of stubble burning." The project would kick off with a workshop hosted by the International Food Policy Research Institute in Chandigarh next week that would bring together officials from the central government and the states of Punjab and Haryana, including scientists, extension officials, farmers and machinery manufacturers to discuss ways to promote the Happy Seeder technology. ACIAR will work with the Centre for Global Food and Resources at the University of Adelaide, and Indian partners from the government and the agribusiness sector to deliver the project, the release said. PTI CHS IJT --- ENDS --- By PTI: Guwahati, Dec 18 (PTI) Assams civilisation has thrived on the banks of rivers Brahmaputra and Barak and saving them is a priority of the state government, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said today. Sonowal was speaking at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Environment and Forest Department of Assam and Isha Foundation for rejuvenation and conservation of rivers. advertisement These rivers are the lifelines of our state and they have been sustaining our economy and culture since ages. We have taken initiatives to turn these rivers into valuable resources by managing their waters effectively," he said. Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudevs nationwide Rally for Rivers campaign is an initiative for revitalising Indias rivers. Assam is the sixth state to sign the MoU with Isha Foundation. The state government-organised Namami Brahmaputra and Namami Barak festivals were initiatives to revitalise these rivers and explore their potential to become major water navigation routes, Sonowal said. He hoped the state governments collaboration with Isha Foundation would help in mitigating perennial floods in the state. The state government is also working on forging trade links with neighbouring Bangladesh via Brahmaputra waterways and exploring possibilities of planting bamboo trees along the expressway to be built on both sides of River Brahmaputra. Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain, and Environment and Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma along with senior officials were present on the occasion. PTI DG JM --- ENDS --- BJP clinched the Gujarat Assembly polls sixth time in a row today, winning 99 seats, while in Himachal it secured a simple majority by winning 44 seats. Party workers and supporters celebrating BJP's success in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections outside the party headquarters in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI) By Indo-Asian News Service: The BJP today just managed to hold on to power in Gujarat, edging past the half-way mark to clinch a sixth term in government, but wrested Himachal Pradesh from Congress with a comfortable majority. Overcoming initial setbacks in a seesaw battle, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged 99 seats, seven more than the magic figure of 92 in a House of 182. Putting up an improved performance, the Congress secured 77 seats while its allies got three more. The NCP, which fought alone, got a lone seat and Independents got two. advertisement In contrast, Himachal Pradesh lived up to its reputation of changing the ruler every election, as the BJP comfortably beat Congress, winning 44 of the 68 seats that were up for grabs. The Congress won 21 in the hill state where it had previously held 36 seats. Two seats went to Independents and a lone seat was taken by CPI-M. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who put up an aggressive campaign in Gujarat, camping in his home state for days, described the BJP's electoral victory in the state as "historic" as "in this age for a party to keep winning for so long" is unheard of. In his victory speech at BJP Headquarters in Delhi, Modi said the support for the party showed that "the nation is ready for reform agenda as every citizen wants India transformed". "I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in the BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly." In a message to his opponents, he said "let bygones be bygones" in a reference to the coming together of leaders heading caste formations to ally with Congress, to build a new Gujarat. After Modi's speech, the Central Parliamentary Board of the BJP met at the party headquarters in Delhi and decided to depute Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and General Secretary Saroj Pandey to Gujarat for holding consultations on choosing the new Chief Minister. For Himachal Pradesh, where the chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal suffered a defeat, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Rural Development Minister Narendra Tomar are being sent to decide on a new leader. While the BJP celebrated all across Gujarat and in Delhi, the 99-seat tally in Gujarat was far less than the 150 seat target set by BJP President Amit Shah and 16 less than what it got in 2012 despite intense campaigning by Modi. The Congress, whose campaign was spearheaded by its now President Rahul Gandhi, conceded defeat but took a veiled jibe at the BJP. advertisement "My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated... the Congress' greatest strength is its decency and courage," Gandhi tweeted. The BJP's overall vote share in the state plunged from 60.11 per cent notched in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls to 49.1 per cent, indicating a sharp erosion in its support base in a state which the party considers its fortress. The vote share of the Congress, which joined hands with Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakore, soared from 33.45 per cent of 2014 to 41.4 per cent. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani brushed aside reports of BJP's waning support, saying the winner was always the king. "Jo jeeta wo hi Sikander." The Gujarat election campaign was marked by viciousness that pitted PM Modi against Congress leaders, including his predecessor Manmohan Singh. It was the first Assembly election in Gujarat after Modi shifted to New Delhi. In Himachal, the BJP was set to form the government although its two top leaders - Chief Ministerial candidate Dhumal and state unit chief Satpal Satti were worsted in the hard-fought contest. advertisement With Himachal in its kitty now, the BJP has 14 states where it has its chief ministers and rules with coalition partners in five others. Congress is now left with power in just four states - Punjab, Karnataka, Meghalaya and Mizoram and union territory of Puducherry. Among the top winners in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani from Rajkot West, a seat formerly occupied by Modi, by a margin of over 50,000 votes. His deputy and Finance Minister Nitinbhai Patel won by 7,951 votes in Mahesana. The BJP held on in most seats affected by the Patidar agitation, provoking community leader Hardik Patel to complain about faulty Electronic Voting Machines. While the BJP dominated over the Congress in South, Central and North Gujarat, the Congress held the upper hand in the sprawling Saurashtra/Kutch region. The BJP also proved its sway over urban centres while the Congress seats came mostly from rural regions. Four of the six Congress turncoat legislators in Gujarat who had bagged BJP tickets lost while some of the Congress' prominent state leaders, including Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhvadia were also humiliated. All Congress Chief Ministerial contenders lost - Shaktisinh Gohil (Mandvi), Arjun Modhwadia (Bokhiria) and Siddharth Patel (Dabhoi). advertisement But the BJP suffered a setback in Unjha constituency which includes Modi's hometown Vadnagar where he grew up. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who contested as an independent with Congress support, won from Vadgam seat defeating BJP's nominee Vijay Chakravarti by 19,696 votes. In Himachal, key winners included outgoing Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Among those who lost in the hill state was BJP's Chief Ministerial face PK Dhumal and his confidants Ravinder Ravi, Gulab Singh and Randhir Sharma, all outgoing legislators. VIDEO | Comprehensive analysis of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly election results --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Namish Taneja, who's currently starring in Ikyawann, has been following Bigg Boss 11 and is quite fond of three contestants--Vikas Gupta, Shilpa Shinde and Hina Khan. Luv Tyagi and Priyank Sharma too are in his favourites list. The actor, however feels it is Hina, who will go on to win the show. Namish Taneja "She is not playing unfair. It is easy to get irritated when you are locked inside the house and it is natural to fight. She accepts her mistakes and moulds herself as per the situation. According to me, she's managing quite well and is giving her best to the show. I don't know if the viewers are liking her on the show or not, but she's trying her best to win hearts," he told IndiaForums. advertisement Last night, Hiten Tejwani got evicted after getting into bottom two and then voted out by the contestants. Hina Khan, Shilpa Shinde, Vikas Gupta, Arshi Khan, Puneesh Sharma, Akash Dadlani, Priyank Sharma and Luv Tyagi are the remaining contestants. The show is expected to conclude by the end of January. --- ENDS --- BJP back in Himachal Pradesh with a 44 seat majority but people have rejected the two time chief minister and three time MP Prem Kumar Dhumal. By Manjeet Sehgal: Returning to power with a thumping majority, Bharatiya Janata Party is facing a peculiar situation in Himachal Pradesh. People voted for the party but rejected the chief ministerial candidate in the state. A party veteran, Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was announced as the chief ministerial candidate during the fag end of election campaigning, was on Monday defeated by none other than his former aide Rajendra Rana who had revolted and joined Congress. advertisement Interestingly, BJP national chief Amit Shah had broken party norms to announce Prem Kumar Dhumal as party's face in Himachal on the basis of the feedback provided by his own party men that Dhumal was still regarded as the leader of the masses. However, the estimation proved wrong. The two time chief minister and three time MP Prem Kumar Dhumal lost the election by a margin of 1911 votes. He was trailing behind his nearest Rival Rajendra Rana in the beginning and the trend continued till the last round. Dhumal is not the only senior BJP leader who lost the Assembly election in Himachal Pradesh. Almost half of his close confidants including Ravinder Ravi, Gulab Singh Thakur, Randhir Sharma and Himachal Pradesh BJP Chief Satpal Singh Satti also lost their Assembly seats. Election results have come as a major shocker for Dhumal who was eyeing a chief ministerial berth third time. The election result has however, failed to dampen the spirit of Dhumal's supporters. Virendra Kanwar, who won Kutlehar, Una assembly election has offered to vacate his seat for Prem Kumar Dhumal. Meanwhile, the teacher turned politician Prem Kumar Dhumal has accepted his defeat but thanked the voters for voting the party back to power. "I was not expecting a defeat; I will do an analysis. However, the personal loss hardly matters when the people trusted the party which is going to form a government in the state. We are thankful to the people who trusted the party and ensured the victory," says Prem Kumar Dhumal. Dhumal may be planning to contest a by-poll if the Kutlehar MLA vacates by his seat Vote the boss. However, Dhumal's opponents like Virbhadra Singh have termed his defeat as an end to his political career. "It was unexpected but the people did not trust Prem Kumar Dhumal as a Chief Minister and not only Dhumal but his trusted party candidates also lost the elections. Me and my son Vikramaditya will be sitting in the opposition but we have enough ammunition do make a strong opposition in the state," Virabhadra Singh told India Today. advertisement The 73 year old senior BJP leader, Prem Kumar Dhumal is regarded as a common man's representative and is known for promoting infrastructure like roads in the state. He is also known as the Chief Minister who built network of roads in Himachal Pradesh. Dhumal is the son of a soldier as his father retired from Indian Army. Dhumal started his Political career as an ABVP activist and then rose to the rank of vice president of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in 1982. He had contested his first election for Lok Sabha from Hamirpur constituency in 1984 but lost. He however won 1989 and 1991 Los Sabha elections. Dhumal is a two time chief minister. He was Chief Minister between 1998 to 2003 and 2008 to 2012. However, his wish to become a chief minister third time was not fulfilled by the voters of Sujanpur Assembly Constituency from where he contest the election first time and lost. ALSO WATCH | JP Nadda: Nirmala Sitharaman, Narendra Tomar will assess Himachal Pradesh's BJP leadership --- ENDS --- advertisement People have rejected Congress and its leadership over and over and they should now mull a strategy for 2024 Lok Sabha elections, said Adityanath. By Indo-Asian News Service: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) set to return to power in Gujarat, a state it has ruled continuously for 22 years, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday taunted the Congress and asked it to prepare for the "2024 general elections" as a BJP win in 2019 polls was a "certainty". Talking to reporters, ahead of the day's proceedings at the ongoing winter session of the state assembly, Yogi Adityanath said that people have rejected the Congress and its leadership one after another and that they should now mull a strategy for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. advertisement He also observed that people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh had proved beyond a point that they are for positive and development oriented politics. "The results have shown that the people of Gujarat and Himachal are strongly with the economic initiatives taken by Prime Minister Modi and will continue to support him to see India emerge as a global economic superpower," he added. The monk-turned-Chief Minister also advised opposition leaders to accept the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Adityanath had campaigned extensively in Gujarat, often spending nights there and hopping through the length and breadth of the state. As a star campaigner, he spoke of the development politics that the BJP perused in Uttar Pradesh and also spoke for an end to the politics of appeasement. Many of his Ministers and state BJP office bearers had camped in Gujarat cities to campaign, especially in areas with a large population of 'poorvanchalis' (natives of eastern Uttar Pradesh), now settled in Gujarat. ALSO WATCH | BJP workers erupt in joy as party set to win Gujarat, poised to take power in Himachal --- ENDS --- Domestic airlines won't charge you a flat flight cancellation fee of Rs 3,000 any more. You can thank Jayant Sinha, the civil aviation minister in the Modi government. Read on to learn why. No more flat cancellation fee for domestic flights (Photo for representation: PTI) By India Today Web Desk: Need to postpone that trip home by a week? Booked well in advance and not flying an in-demand route? Rejoice: Domestic airlines won't charge you that Rs 3,000 cancellation fee anymore. From now on, you'll need to pay "Rs 3,000 or base fare plus fuel surcharge per passenger, whichever is lower." But why change the rules? advertisement Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha feels the flat Rs 3,000 fee is too much. What's more, there a rule that says the cancellation fee can't be higher than the sum of the base fare and fuel surcharge. "Our UDAN (subsidised regional flying) scheme has capped fares at Rs 2,500 per hour of flying. These cancellation charges need to be brought back into balance," Sinha said. After the minister expressed concern, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked airlines for information on cancellation fees. The policy was then altered based on DGCA rules. Contest courtesy: Business Today WATCH | Privatisation of Air India: How does it impact you? --- ENDS --- By PTI: By K J M Varma Beijing, Dec 18 (PTI) A Chinese court has sentenced an ethnic Han to two years and six months in jail for attacking Islam and Muslims online. The Heping district Peoples Court in Shenyang in Liaoning Province in its verdict charged the man with inciting ethnic hatred after he set up a website and online chat groups and posted pictures and articles attacking Muslims from April 2009 to June 2016. advertisement Several Muslims reported Li to local authorities, state- run Global Times reported today. The verdict delivered in November said that Lis behaviour violated the principle of ethnic equality and negatively impacted society. Li was detained in September 2009 for inciting ethnic hatred, but later released on bail. However, he was arrested again for the same charge in June 2016, the verdict read. Chinas top legislature adopted the Cybersecurity Law in 2016, which states that any online activity that undermines national unity is prohibited. The law also forbids activities such as inciting ethnic hatred, discrimination and spreading violent and obscene content online. PTI KJV ZH --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal today directed the Delhi government to consider shutting schools whenever air quality touches emergency levels to save the children from inhaling pollutants. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the AAP government to look into this aspect and incorporate it in its action plan to deal with the problem of air pollution. advertisement "Why dont you close schools whenever the particulate matter levels are found to be beyond 900 microgram per cubic meter. Ask the schools to run on Saturday and Sunday if required," the bench observed. Advocate Tarunvir Singh Khehar, appearing for the Delhi government, said that this was difficult to implement because the children will have to suffer academically. He said that air quality is bad in winter season for three months and if schools are closed during this period it would be difficult to complete their syllabus and examinations will have to be postponed. The bench, however, expressed dissatisfaction and said, "You dont do your duty and now you are giving reasons. You are spoiling the lives of children. Infants are taking antibiotics in Delhi. Why should they suffer? "In the last 12 years, the Delhi government has not taken a single step to bring down the ambient air quality within permissible limits. If the lungs of children are affected today, imagine the disease they will have after 20 years," it said while directing it to consider the suggestion. The NGT also rapped the AAP government for not installing air purifier in government schools as per its earlier direction. During the proceedings, the Delhi government submitted its action plan for the period when air quality touches emergency levels which it divided in three categories dealing with different levels of pollution. The NGT said that it would pass detailed order on ways to handle air pollution after perusing the action plans submitted by the Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh governments. The tribunal had on December 6 slammed the AAP government and the neighbouring states over their action plan on ways to deal with severe air pollution in the city and directed them to file a detailed document to tackle the problem. It had observed that air pollution was never at "normal level" in the national capital and directed the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan to file the action plan afresh. PTI PKS RT --- ENDS --- advertisement I enjoyed Fionas and Ians scenes. Weirdly enough I felt worse for her in this ep and less bad for Ian. It seems like hes supposed to be behaving weirdly, that last scene with Ian and Fiona was really weird, so Im curious about where thats going. I felt terrible for lip in this episode. Meh @ Debbie and Carl. V and Kevs scenes where hilarious even though it seems like svetlana has disappeared. Edited at 2017-12-18 03:49 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link came here wondering the same thing. Either he's still depressed because of Monica or he's still taking his meds but he feels they're not working anymore. Reply Parent Thread Link I stopped watching back when Fiona got married and Debbie got pregnant. I used to love this show so much, but I quickly ended up hating it. I might give it another chance after the season ends, but Frank still isnt dead so....meh Reply Thread Link What happened to queen Svet? I hope this whole I just like Lana cuz she's bitchy thing isn't an excuse to get rid of the thrupple! UGH I wish they hadn't made debbie so stupid! She used to be one of the smart ones and now....*sigh* Reply Thread Link Ian / Fiona scenes were nice. I'm worried about him. Glad Trevor shut him up tho. He was taking things out of proportion, Fiona got him ANOTHER fucking building. I didn't actually hate Debbie this time. that urologist was a jerk. i liked Kevin and V, although i'd much rather have sexually fluid Kevin and sexually fluid V have a four-ple with Svet and another dude. Frank's gonna go back to his shitty ways by the end of the season right? Reply Thread Link kev & v are so ridiculous. lol i love them. im glad kev's infatuation with the redneck family that abandoned him is over bc that was annoying af although worth it for all the side eyeing V was throwing his 'family'. wtf is up with ian. he's had me so irritated the past few episodes, esp last night's. his heart was in the right place at first. i just can't decide if he was more so pissed at thinking he'd win back trevor by finding a place for the shleter and got irritated at fiona for being one step ahead and then making it more about himself or if he is really off his meds. the convo in his room at the end though was super weird. something is definitely up. he seemed like he wanted to say something but didnt and the 'bigger things' comment kinda set off alarm bells. and frank's fucking ass. UGH. the definition of entitled white men who have literally done NOTHING to earn their way and work a few weeks in management and think you deserve a white collar 6 figure salary and you are too good for anything less talking about white ppl being left behind. that whole scene made me furious bc frank is the embodiment of white male privilege. ihate frank but im glad they showed it. Reply Thread Link Who the fuck is franny? Debbie had a bb???? (I quit shameless ages ago) Reply Thread Link I could do without Franks storyline, honestly. For me, he's always the weak link each episode. What's up with Ian being weird? Hope it leads to a more interesting storyline for him, he's been pretty boring lately. Reply Thread Link that final scene with ian made me worried he's going to commit suicide. i really hope it's not going that way but i wonder if they'd ever go that route if cameron had the chance to be a regular on gotham? i don't know, that's a blow that would be really hard on the family. the winter seasons seem to be the more depressing ones so it makes me worried about what next season holds. Reply Thread Link that whole snoke battle moment was sick. kyle is still a bitch tho. im sure hell get his stupid ass redemption in the next movie, but i want him dead. Reply Thread Link If anything I feel like this film proved redemption is not in his cards, maybe like a last minute moment before death like Vader. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, I walked out of the movie wondering who thought TLJ made it seem like Ren was redeemable. Even his mom was like "shrug, take that asshat out" Reply Parent Thread Link i just dont trust them tbh. like, i can totally see his dumb ass being redeemed by rey somehow right at the end or some nonsense. i hope im wrong though. Reply Parent Thread Link ikr actually, like I was warned this film was alllll about Kyle and his stupid redemption, and i'd hate it, but actually I went with my bff and like she said right after on the way out (i'd warned her what ONTDers had told me as she also hates his whiny ass) it ACTUALLY is more Rey's story, and Kyle is there as the catalyst for her realising she has to grow up/stop believing in fairytales/realise not everyone can be saved etc. Just like Holdo is there to make Poe realise he has to think of the bigger picture and not be such a hothead if he's going to lead the people. TLJ very clearly (imho) showed that Kyle had his chance thanks to Rey's overly hopeful childhish hope, and he fucking blew it. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That is what I was thinking. Which is BS, let him go. Let him become evil and die. Reply Parent Thread Link Same same same. I loved the throne room fight so much, but I actually want to him to stay evil until the end; that's what he literally chose. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, in terms of redemption they have two options: he gets a lame-ass Vader-style redemption where he does one slightly not bad thing then dies or he gives himself up to the rebellion and is tried as a war criminal. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link personally i think if he was going to be redeemed they would've explained the snoke brainwashing more and reiterated that he'd been in his mind since ben solo was a baby or whatever that they didn't and that he LITERALLY CHOSE 2 be an evil psycho at the end of it means 2 me that a redemption would be illogical - if he'd taken rey's hand then i would've been fine w/ that arc ngl and i like kylo ren personally but i think his arc needs to make sense and a redemption at this pt would have 2 be really well written 2 make any sense, and the last thing star wars has is rly good writing Reply Parent Thread Link I love that everyone is calling him Kyle. I love that it stuck. Reply Parent Thread Link [ SPOILERS!! ] If what they have is a force bond, then killing one could either kill the other or severely damage their souls. I don't know if he'll get a redemption, but I think it may come down to a similar choice: the first order or Rey. And not in a romantic way.I could see him being forced to leave the FO and helping defeat them but ending up exiled or something. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm honestly confused about people saying Kylo isn't redeemable. I get that he refused redemption this time around, but it's hardly the end. Yeah, he's a monster, but so was Vader. I mean, Vader's Greatest Hits include: --slaughtering a bunch of children --Force-choking his pregnant wife --trying to kill his mentor --a few decades of terrorizing the galaxy as Palpatine's Dragon --actually killing his mentor --torturing his daughter --torturing Han Solo and having him frozen --lopping off his son's hand --killing a shitload of people Kylo's an enthusiastic amateur compared to all that. If he can't be redeemed, Han's death means nothing. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah those scenes worked even with Johnson's stupid dialogue, [ Spoiler (click to open) ] I loved the twin force-bond callback when he woke her frm her coma Edited at 2017-12-18 08:33 pm (UTC) lmao you stole my answeryeah those scenes worked even with Johnson's stupid dialogue, Reply Parent Thread Link same. on both lol. Reply Parent Thread Link i missed the carrie tribute because ppl got up immediately and blocked the screen :( Reply Parent Thread Link that happened in my fucking theater too! Reply Parent Thread Link One of my favorite scenes in the movie. Reply Parent Thread Link Me too. Reply Parent Thread Link Carrie wrote that scene apparently. I think what made me sad was the damn Luke and Leia song playing somberly in the background. :/ Reply Parent Thread Link SAme here Reply Parent Thread Link I would've taken more Luke and Rey training scenes over whatever the fuck was going on in the casino. Those scenes felt like they were deleted scenes from the prequels that the director accidentally dropped in the middle of the movie. Their tone/comedy didn't fit the rest of the movie at all. Reply Thread Link its weird because i liked those scenes, but they just felt like they didnt belong. idk, it gave finn something to do, but it really padded the runtime...a lot. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, I liked the general concept of them and I love Finn. (And the horse things were cute lol) They just felt weirdly out of place. Like, even the bright colors in those scenes were jarring compared to the muted colors of the rest of the scenes. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah, they did not go with the overall story, but they had some of my favorite moments. I think those scenes could have worked had they not been set up as "HEY we need go have a rollicking fun time to find a guy who can help us because we run out of fuel in 10 hours. BYE" Reply Parent Thread Link I actually liked the idea but it just felt so out of place. Actually, the entire Rey/Finn subplot just felt thrown on to give them something to do outside of the Force storyline. They are fun characters, sad that they were wasted with a nothing storyline. Reply Parent Thread Link Faves [ Link to spoiler ] Unpopular opinion but I liked DJ and kind of hope he comes back oop I want to say there's some stuff the could have cut from the run time but I can't really think of what lolFavesUnpopular opinion but I liked DJ and kind of hope he comes back oop Reply Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] The Praetorian Guard fight is so epic and I don't even know whether to look at Rey or Kylo when they're fighting back to back; I love good lightsaber fights but ones that aren't OTT like the prequel ones (outside of Darth Maul vs Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon). And then at the end when Rey throws him the lightsaber and he turns it on through that guards head? At the midnight screening I went to everyone reacted in unison to that, lmao. As well as the Holdo lightspeed sacrifice scene. Why do you like DJ? Those are both great shots.Why do you like DJ? Reply Parent Thread Link Not the OP, but I like DJ because I think he's hot tbh, but I've always been trash for Benicio and DJ was the best he's looked in years. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link [ Link to spoiler ] then kyle ron had to ruin everything (let us not talk about it) But I'm a sucker for enemies teaming up ngl Idk I like characters like that. Not saying I want him like, good but I liked how he was with Finn and Rose Plus I'm shallow It's my 3rd fave lightsaber fight.Idk I like characters like that. Not saying I want him like, good but I liked how he was with Finn and RosePlus I'm shallow Reply Parent Thread Expand Link tbh I like the prequel lightsaber fights the most aside from Darth Vader in Rogue One. I feel like they truly showed the incredible skill of the Jedi bar some ridic flips lmao Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The way they styled General Leia in this movie made me swoon every time I saw her. She was gorgeous and regal and I still can't believe she is gone. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm NHF Kylo in any way but that fight scene was choreographed BEAUTIFULLY. Even just that gif alone where he steps back & inadvertently gives Rey the momentum for that kick is so *stareyes.gif* Reply Parent Thread Link omggggg that red room fight is EVERYTHING. Reply Parent Thread Link Those gifs were two of my fav scenes too Reply Parent Thread Link I had my hands over my mouth to contain my gasps for like 50% of the movie, but that Praetorian guard fight had me LITERALLY on the edge of my seat. it was so great. Reply Parent Thread Link The Praetorian Guard fight is TLJ's Duel of the Fates. one of the best fight scenes in the entire series and burdened down by being attached to one of the worst movies in it. that scene is the only good part of TLJ for me, exactly like DotF is for TPM. Reply Parent Thread Link I am 10000000% against Reylo, but that gif is hot. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, I will watch them eventually but I am glad the movie wasn't any longer because it already felt very long. I liked Rose and Laura Dern. Oh and the visuals with the red salt was probably my favorite visual from a SW movie ever, that whole scene looked so cool. Edited at 2017-12-18 08:01 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link [ Link to spoiler ] I was bawling at the Luke/Leia reunion What got me was realizing that's the last time we'll ever see the twins onscreen and my heart broke I wish there was more Third time seeing Reply Thread Link omg right i tear up just thinking about it Reply Parent Thread Link [ SPOILER ] with the phantom dice it made me think he wasn't just meaning Kylo when talking about how no one is ever fully gone and we might get some Han in the next part...which would whet people's appetite for the Solo spin-off Edited at 2017-12-18 08:16 pm (UTC) I know! I'm still sad we didn't get at least one original trio scene...although Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah I was a crying mess when I saw it. I knew it was coming and I was still surprised how emotional it made me. Reply Parent Thread Link The red room scene was everything to me. So much it made Driver and Ridley look sexy. Reply Thread Link The red room. The silent space sacrifice. And Luke's final battle and words to Kyle Ron. Reply Parent Thread Link I enjoyed it but it felt way too short. Like those guards are trained, that should have lasted way longer. Reply Parent Thread Link Hah, are you me? That was some Samurai shit going on, sexy!! Reply Parent Thread Link my faves were the red room battle and holdo lightspeeding through the FO ship Reply Thread Link Yeah, the battle was amazing. Reply Parent Thread Link The light speed missile was honestly the coolest shit I've seen. And I love that all the audio dropped out as it happened to really give it that extra awe. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah both were such beautiful scenes Reply Parent Thread Link the lightspeed scene was so bad ass. i know people think the whole self sacrifice thing was derivative bc of rogue one but it was such a bad ass scene. especially after the emotional scene her and leia had. Reply Parent Thread Link oooh I forgot to add the lightspeed scene to my list. Stunning, and loved that it was silent too. Reply Parent Thread Link Holdo's major hero moment honestly had me GASPING, it was so beautiful. Reply Parent Thread Link I gasped out loud myself. It was beautiful. Reply Parent Thread Link it was amazing Reply Parent Thread Link this was me. pretty much everyone gasped when it happened Reply Parent Thread Link i wish we got more of holdo i love her Reply Parent Thread Link the light speed ship missile was a super cool SHOT but not very great narratively...since it lost weight being attached to Holdo's character since we almost had no time to be genuinely invested in her as she was introduced just in this movie and was fairly one dimensional (I just thought Holdo could have been a great character and they dropped the ball so badly) AND it was obviously going to happen the second the shuttles started getting blown up. It was an obvious move I was expecting at that point so when she did it it was more like a "finally, can't believe ya just let shuttle after shuttle go down before doing it" it WAS amazingly shot, and having no sound during it was a good choice. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The light speed moment and Rey's moment in the cave were both amazing. People are sleeping on that Rey scene but it was amazing and chilling and oddly deep. Reply Parent Thread Link Her death scene ranks up there with Jyn and Cassians death scene for me. Reply Parent Thread Link everyone gasped during the lightspeed scene Reply Parent Thread Link My audience was boring and stone silent for most of the movie (like, not even laughing at anything), but there was audible gasps/omgs/holy shits during the lightspeed kamikaze moment, it was incredible. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link the quick cuts and the silence during that scene were so good Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I was like "holy shit" and it was shot so beautifully. Reply Parent Thread Link YesSS the light-speed scene was amazing Reply Parent Thread Link We got robbed of some really emotional Luke/Rey moments. Rian hyped their relationship as "the beating heart of the movie" but, like, we hardly got any meaningful scenes??? Only those revolving around Kylo. Why would you cut their scenes, Rian? Why? My favourite scene is the Luke/Artoo reunion. I'm such trash for their interactions. I was sobbing uncontrollably. Edited at 2017-12-18 08:11 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Idk, maybe Rian thought the titty milk scene was more important than the other Luke/Rey moments. Reply Parent Thread Link "titty milk" lol, so just 'milk' then? Reply Parent Thread Link ia. and the reunion got me. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link She didn't bond with Luke, they had no relationship. He died and she just did a 'oh, semi sad face'. The last time they talked she beat him. WTF Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I wanted more Rey/Luke scenes. That plot was the most interesting of them all and it felt like it needed a little more development. The casino scenes were visually interesting, but kind of worthless. Reply Thread Link I wanted more Rey/Luke scenes. That plot was the most interesting of them all and it felt like it needed a little more development. Yes. Reply Parent Thread Link ALL OF THIS. Reply Parent Thread Link Agree 100%. Rey's storyline is everything and the film needed more of that and less of Poe and Finn. Reply Parent Thread Link Yep. There needed to be an added element of danger for them on Canto but nothing. Reply Parent Thread Link Rey/Luke needed development period. It felt like there was none. I'm seriously hoping the appearance of Yoda is foreshadowing Luke coming back as a force ghost to council Rey bc their entire arc felt like a lot of build up for zero payoff. Reply Parent Thread Link things i didn't like: the whole casino planet thing was so heavy handed and bored the hell out of me. the leia moment was just... too much lol. and the rose/finn love moment was damn awful too. poe's entire bad boy subplot that could've been so easily avoided that it was the only thing i could think during the ENTIRE thing. things i did like: all the luke, rey, and kylo stuff. i don't agree with people saying the flashback with kylo was ooc. i thought the way it was written was that for a moment he was feeling/thinking with the force and it overcame him until the last second when he beat it back. luke would never have done that, but i interpreted it as more him being sucked into the dark side of the force when he was seeing kylo's dreams. i also felt really bad for kylo that that moment pretty much determined the course of his character moving forward. he had plenty of opportunities to turn back but i feel like after he thought luke (his uncle and the one jedi able to turn around darth-fucking-vader) believed him to be a lost cause, he believed it too and nothing was going to change that. also loved the luke/leia reunion, the finn/rey little reunion, the kylo/rey fight, and the kylo/luke fight. oh, and also props for giving into the ott cheese that is hux's entire character and just treating him like a running joke. honestly, i think the meat of the story was good but damn if everything else surrounding it wasn't weak and stupid as hell. i hope poe and finn get better stuff in the next movie. Edited at 2017-12-18 08:06 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link ia about the Kylo flashback, I liked it and I didn't think it was really ooc. I liked that it showed that giving in to the dark side in a moment of weakness is still a threat even to established Jedis like Luke. I thought it was much more interesting than Luke just being a perfect Jedi all these years later. Reply Parent Thread Link ia w/ pretty much all this the poe + holdo subplot was basically a long ass misunderstanding that would've fit right into like a star wars broad city ep or some sitcom shit i'll also add that i loved rose and they did her dirty with the random ass mormon kiss w/ some dude she's known for like 3 seconds Reply Parent Thread Link My problem with the Kylo flashback (and his whole arc, tbh) was that it treated him like he was a child or a teen who couldn't make his own decisions, when in fact he had already been recruiting members for Knights of Ren behind Luke's back for some time. And Ben/Kylo was already ~24 or so, which is about the same age as Luke and Leia were in ROTJ, i.e. actual adults. It doesn't really make any sense that the narrative keeps treating him like a child; it feels like an excuse. Reply Parent Thread Link omg u just reminded me did they drop knights of ren? like wtf happened to that storyline lmao idgi Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah, the timeline of the new movies needs to be better thought out, because a bunch of it doesn't match up. Cause if Ben were in his 20s and fucking around with Snoke, then.... Also like, what the hell happened that Luke felt like he had to kill Ben, his own fucking best friend and sister's child? That's not just a little feeling. That's why it feels a little OOC for me. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah, the writing was dishonest when you take everything into account. I still think Luke taking his weapon while checking on nephew dearest and lighting it was OOC. Reply Parent Thread Link i legit think rian retconned sooo much that was starting in TFA. knights of ren + the rey parentage storyline: she cries at a ship and i don't feel like poor parents who need alcohol would suddenly buy a ship after selling their daughter? so idk, i think jj wanted to go somewhere totally different lol. Reply Parent Thread Link they ruined Poe's character. there some people bitching on twitter at people saying that like "oohh ya they ruined a character you knew for a total of 10 minutes in TFA, please" and that pisses me off. Poe Dameron was a BIG 3 CHARACTER, was marketed as such, and opened TFA. His character is well established through a ton of heavy scenes including the Jakku village battle, getting captured by the FO, being tortured by Kylo Ren, escaping with Finn, etc. and ya they basically were like "nah lets turn him into a bratty fuckboy who would literally do things that would have him court martialed IRL and would be considered treason just so we can have Laura Dern cheekily call him a ~troublemaker~" Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Someone on tumblr made a really great post about the scene with Ben Solo's fall to the dark side based on that flashback. It made me my brain swim in a sea of what ifs. The final battle between them was amazing and the one joke fan theory for episode IX is that its going to be Luke nagging Kylo back to the light side. I had a theory that for all we'd been laughing at Hux this movie, he'll probably be a big bad in IX, and that his actions could turn Kylo against the First Order. I don't know if Kylo Ren has a redemption arc, but I could see him just choosing between the FO and Rey. Especially with their Force bond. Poe and Finn (and Rose) will no doubt get better stuff. They'll all be in the thick of it with Rey this time. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I totally agree with all of this. Reply Parent Thread Link Luke/Leia reunion, Holdo/Leia moment and the red room fight scene were probably my faves. I'm seeing it again Thursday so hopefully I'll enjoy it more. rme at Johnson cutting out an emotional Luke/Rey scene because luke milking that sea cow was real important Reply Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] Yoda showed up. My favorite scene was whenMy heart lit up like a little bb. Reply Thread Link I wasn't* excepting it but I was so happy. I was smiling so hard!! Edited at 2017-12-18 08:09 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I wasn't expecting it either! Makes me hope for an Ewan MacGregor as Obi Wan Force ghost appearance in ep 9. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This was my favorite scene too. I fucking love that little guy Reply Parent Thread Link That really was a great scene. I kind of wished they had gotten Ewan McGregor though. And Yoda looked so fake why cant they use a puppet like they did in ESB and ROTJ? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It line about Masters at the end of the talk was so great and worth it for that one sentence alone. Reply Parent Thread Link IDGAF I loved every minute of the porgs. In the scene where Rey was learning what the force is and little Mama and Baby Porgs in the nest...*creys* Reply Thread Link I can't tell you how my hand was over my heart FEARING when [ Spoiler (click to open) ] those two Porgs were investigating Luke's lightsabre, and one was looking down the front of it, and the other was playing about with the ON BUTTON. I was like..... DON'T SKEWER THAT PORG. Me too tbh!! And how a mama and bb Porg had made a nest in the Millennium Falcon too, and Chewie's Porg friend getting way into the battles lmao.I can't tell you how my hand was over my heart FEARING when Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO in the Art of the Last Jedi book, there's concept art of the porg getting blasted through the head with the lightsaber. I was so anxious for that porg in the movie Reply Parent Thread Expand Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] LMAO I was waiting for barbecue Porgs during that scene, wondering if the movie would actually go there (showing them actually die, since we did see Shish kebab porgs) Reply Parent Thread Link That moment was adorable :3 Reply Parent Thread Link I loved (mostly) everything about this movie, which is shocking because I re-watched TFA and it was so goddamn boring. Reply Thread Link I actually liked TFA better. Reply Parent Thread Link I did too. I watched it twice before making that decision. I did have more fun on the second viewing but there are some serious story decisions I just cant get past. Reply Parent Thread Link Why is he doing this? Reply Thread Link He's on a promo tour for Downsizing so he's doing lots of interviews. Also he's a fucking idiot. Reply Parent Thread Link His PR agent legit needs to screen interviewers for these questions because the potatonaut sis canNOT field them whatsoever. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link that movie already looks horrible I'm glad critics hate it Reply Parent Thread Link I know this is rhetorical question but Im going to attempt an answer anyway. I think because he had the whole harvard intellectual actor image for so long and that people would listen to what he had to say and put value on his opinions, he hasnt stopped believing all the smoke that was blown up his ass so he keeps talking because hes used to being revered for his alleged intellectual prowess. I hope that makes sense lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link as someone did, he's doing press junkets so lots of opportunity for him to indulge his self obsession and privilege. it must be a hell of a trip being a white man like him, because I can not FATHOM saying something so ignorant and naive like he did, getting UNIVERSAL backlash for it so bad my famous ex from 20 years ago had to come out and berate my ass for it...and then being like "im gonna double down instead". there is a disconnect in my brain that can't comprehend that level of delusional self importance. Reply Parent Thread Link Man, shut the fuck up already Reply Thread Link This mess is somehow a bigger mess than trainwreck Ben Affleck. I'm enjoying it however. He is exposing his true self Reply Thread Link This day has been truly fucking horrific and he's the last person I want to fucking hear from. He's such a dickhead. Reply Thread Link Like just the fact that he keeps talking about this after the backlash pisses me off so much. Just admit your dumbass opinion doesn't matter. Why is it so fucking hard. No. one. cares. Reply Thread Link yep Reply Parent Thread Link JFC. All this just makes me wonder what the fuck is he hiding Reply Thread Link lol I've genuinely come to believe he's not hiding stuff, but just is that fucking stupid. Idt if he was hiding stuff he would be this willing to put in his two cents. He has not stfu ever since. Reply Parent Thread Link lol i would legit not be surprised if he is hiding crap, but at the same time I've thought this too. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. I think hes just saying all this bullshit because his best pals, The Afflecks, have been accused so hes pissed off cause he knows theyre not really like that and blah blah blah. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Mhmmmmmm Reply Parent Thread Link Same. His detailed explanation of how to cover up harassment with an NDA was another give away for me. Reply Parent Thread Link Go away, Matt Damon. Reply Thread Link jfc, stop talking!!! Reply Thread Link keep talking matt! keeeeeep talking. Reply Thread Link lol i love how everyone is like "stop" and i'm like "yasss, keep digging that hole!" Reply Parent Thread Link I read this in a Kelis voice Reply Parent Thread Expand Link mte- keep showing everyone how fucking awful/stupid you are Reply Parent Thread Expand Link How much farther down can this hole he's digging get? He should've hit Earth's core by now. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link SAME. keep digging, moron. I can still see your head peaking out the top of that hole so just a little bit deeper and then I won't have to see your dumb ass at all anymore. KEEP. GOING. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link In 2017, he can dig as deep as he likes and not have to fear censure. The President taught ha. Reply Parent Thread Link right? let him bury himself Reply Parent Thread Link Omg this gif is still just as adorable as it was when I first saw it! Reply Parent Thread Link Oh boy Reply Thread Link Yiiiikes Reply Thread Link Oh, Amy :/ Reply Thread Link Someone teach Amy the definition of consent. Reply Thread Link Oh amy not so smart after all Reply Thread Link Whenever I see a Hallmark movie, I'm always like "is that Amy Smart or the other blonde Hallmark chick who looks & sounds just like her ?" Reply Parent Thread Link 12 DAATES OF CHRRRISTMAAAS!! I love that on. Reply Parent Thread Link Sadly and I always enjoyer her too. I'm not surprised that this was her response. I'm hoping she will get some feedback and rethink her opinion. OT but your icon :) I'm so ready for the new season. Reply Parent Thread Link Its always great that women are speaking up until they speak up about your man. Reply Thread Link Yeppers, it's fine and good unless it personally affects you. Reply Parent Thread Link exactly Reply Parent Thread Link yep Reply Parent Thread Link fr Reply Parent Thread Link Mte Reply Parent Thread Link Womp Reply Parent Thread Link yep Reply Parent Thread Link ding ding ding Reply Parent Thread Link Or friend. See- Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner. Reply Parent Thread Link ding ding ding Reply Parent Thread Link This needs the quote she wrote bc she is disgusting. When you are in a CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIP, then you need to take responsibility for engaging in that and not play victim. IF a relationship does not work out the way you want it to, then sorry, but that is the risk you take when getting intimate with another person. There are plenty of relationships I wish I could go back and make different choices about, but it was on me to decide. We need to take responsibility and learn from our mistakes and choices. Women are powerful and we need to be reminded of the strength and power we hold and learn ways to take care of ourselves so we dont find ourselves saying yes when we really need to say no. The article is very damaging and cruel to one of the most kindest, loving, non-aggressive men I have the privilege of knowing and I am so sorry for these salacious words being thrown around, they are extremely hurtful. Not the whole thing but this is Victim blaming at the finest. Reply Thread Link do you know how to embed the IG post? every time i tried it came up looking all fucked up and the caption was at the top? eta: meh i just c/p the whole thing lol one day ill figure out how to embed IG correctly! Edited at 2017-12-18 11:20 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Oh, jeez Reply Parent Thread Expand Link IF a relationship does not work out the way you want it to, then sorry, but that is the risk you take when getting intimate with another person. So, by that logic, if you get raped in a consensual relationship with someone then its your own fault because prior sexual activity makes it okay to do it again?! She can really just go fuck herself. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Oh, so shes one of those people who think women are vengeful, immature bitches who make shit up when a relationship ends badly. Okay then. Reply Parent Thread Link Wow. At first I thought maybe her husband told her it was a vengeful ex and she bought it, but wtf @ "Women are powerful and we need to be reminded of the strength and power we hold"? Girl, you know that's a lie. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, so if your partner assaults you then it is your responsibility,am I right? Geez, women these days! Reply Parent Thread Link Your husband coerced another woman into a sex act against her will multiple times and YOURE worried about personal lives being damaged. So sick of women claiming to champion victims for speaking up then saying, Oh, wait, dont say anything! when their husband or boyfriend is accused. If the Weinstein scandal has taught us anything as women, its that every single man has the potential to be an absolute asshole when hes around women whether he did anything wrong or not. Your husband coerced another woman into a sex act against her will multiple times and YOURE worried about personal lives being damaged. So sick of women claiming to champion victims for speaking up then saying, Oh, wait, dont say anything! when their husband or boyfriend is accused. If the Weinstein scandal has taught us anything as women, its that every single man has the potential to be an absolute asshole when hes around women whether he did anything wrong or not. Reply Thread Link She said most kindest. Thats all that you really need to know. Reply Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link She's the best damn tapper, the most smartest Reply Parent Thread Link Loretta Reply Parent Thread Link Girl, no! I've always had such a soft spot for her but this is so fucked up. Reply Thread Link omg i assumed she had said something like ~i trust my husband~ but she was vicious! fuck. i guess i won't be rewatching the 12 dates of xmas this year. Reply Thread Link Wow I used to be sorry when her career flopped. Of course I hope she is not facing any abuse from her POS husband, but yeah this all pretty gross and way to throw other victims under the bus with your bullshit comments. The way she is implying that rape and assault can't happen when you are in a relationship is just disgraceful. Reply Thread Link oh my god i just read all of this thinking it was about elizabeth smart and was so shocked and confused Reply Thread Link if someone comes after Elizabeth Smart again, I will get out the heavy old bat my dad gave me & smash someone Reply Parent Thread Link Canada's Health Minister Approves Emergency Overdose Prevention Sites Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the federal Minister of Health, had announced in November that Health Canada would authorize emergency overdose prevention sites for provinces and territories that request them, as an "immediate short-term response to save lives." Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Canada's federal Minister of Health, recently announced she has approved Ontario's request for approval of emergency overdose prevention sites there. "I am concerned and saddened by the latest data on opioid-related overdose deaths from Ontario," she said. "Each opioid-related death is a lost family member, friend, community member and Canadian. We must all take a moment to acknowledge the immense loss for the communities and families impacted by this crisis across this country. These numbers confirm that the current crisis is worsening despite our collective efforts to date. Every day, individual Canadians from all walks of life and all parts of the country are losing their lives to this crisis. And the numbers continue to climb. I believe this crisis requires a comprehensive whole-of-government response. It is absolutely critical that we address both the immediate crisis and the longer-term factors at the roots of problematic substance use." She had announced in November that Health Canada would authorize emergency overdose prevention sites for provinces and territories that request them, as an "immediate short-term response to save lives," she said. The Government of Ontario formally requested approval for overdose prevention facilities in the province, and Taylor spoke with Ontario Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins to discuss the situation and then confirmed that Health Canada had received all of the documentation from Ontario and had granted its request for a class exemption. Taylor said this emergency action echoes efforts taken in British Columbia to address the opioids crisis there. "These overdose prevention sites are one step in what has been and will continue to be a concerted and urgent response to this crisis," she explained. "This crisis is unlike any other public health crisis we have experienced in recent years. For that reason, I am committed to moving quickly on my mandate to review Canada's framework for dealing with public health emergencies in collaboration with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Through this review, I have asked Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada to identify any additional measures or powers that would help me, as Minister of Health, address the current crisis and any similar crisis in future." "I am committed to making sure that we have the appropriate resources and tools needed to address this crisis," she added. "Whether it is increasing access to treatment services for all Canadians, reducing systemic barriers like stigma that prevent people from receiving help, or expanding the evidence base to inform and evaluate our response, the government of Canada will continue to work hand-in-hand with the provinces and territories, health professionals, front-line workers, and people with lived and living experience to reverse the trend of opioid overdoses and deaths in Canada." Final Publication of ISO 45001 Coming in March 2018 The international standard ISO 45001 has reached the Final Draft International Standard stage, which means interested parties can submit feedback on the draft until Jan. 25, 2018, before its final publication. ANSI announced that the international standard ISO 45001 has reached the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stage, which means interested parties can submit feedback on the draft until Jan. 25, 2018, before its final publication. It currently exists as ISO/FDIS 45001:2017 - Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements with guidance for use. The announcement on the ANSI website said voting on ISO/FDIS 45001:2017 began on Nov. 11, 2017, and will end Jan. 25, 2018. The final publication of ISO 45001 is expected in March 2018. it will contain guidelines needed for an organization to adopt an occupational health and safety management system, which is vital to prevent the millions of workplace injuries that occur annually around the world, according to the organization. ISO 45001 is intended to replace OHSAS 18001 "and takes into account other international standards in this area, makes use of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle to lay out the framework for the strategic and operational decision of implementing an OH&S management system in an organization," it reported. New Pennsylvania Law Grants Authority to License or Certify Recovery Homes "It's our goal to provide recovery house residents with a safe, supportive, and drug-and-alcohol-free environment during a critical time in their recovery journey," Gov. Tom Wolf said. "The legislation will require DDAP to create and maintain a publicly accessible registry of all licensed or certified drug and alcohol recovery houses within the commonwealth." Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf thanked state legislators Dec. 13 for passing Senate Bill 446, which will give the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs regulatory authority to license or certify recovery homes that receive public funds or referrals from state, county, or federal agencies. "As we continue to battle against the heroin and opioid crisis and provide those recovering from the disease of addiction with the best possible care, I applaud the General Assembly for passing this important legislation," Wolf said. The government in October outlined his legislative priorities to further address the opioid epidemic, including SB 446. "It's our goal to provide recovery house residents with a safe, supportive, and drug-and-alcohol-free environment during a critical time in their recovery journey," he said. "The legislation will require DDAP to create and maintain a publicly accessible registry of all licensed or certified drug and alcohol recovery houses within the commonwealth." Currently, recovery homes are only subject to the local ordinances of the municipality or township in which they are located. "Recovery homes can be a safe and productive space for individuals in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction," Acting DDAP Secretary Jennifer Smith said. "Before this legislation, these homes have had very little regulation and oversight. Licensing these facilities allows DDAP to ensure that these homes are held to the same standard as other treatment facilities. I am grateful that the General Assembly passed this legislation to protect individuals residing in recovery homes around Pennsylvania." The interstellar object 'Oumuamua (circled) as seen by the 4.2m William Herschel Telescope on La Palma. Background stars and galaxies appear as streaks due to the telescope following 'Oumuamua as it moved across the sky. Credit: A. Fitzsimmons, QUB/Isaac Newton Group, La Palma. Scientists at Queen's University Belfast have led worldwide investigations into a mysterious object that passed close to Earth after arriving from deep interstellar space.Since the object was spotted in October, Professor Alan Fitzsimmons and Dr Michele Bannister from the School of Mathematics and Physics at Queen's University have led an international team of astronomers to piece together a profile of the strange visitor, which has been named `Oumuamua. The team was made up of researchers from elsewhere in the UK, the US, Canada, Taiwan and Chile and in total seven researchers from Queen's were involved. Professor Alan Fitzsimmons headed up a team which measured the way that `Oumuamua, reflects sunlight, and found it similar to icy objects covered with a dry crust. This is because `Oumuamua has been exposed to cosmic rays for millions, or even billions, of years, creating an insulating organic-rich layer on its surface. The research, which has been published this week in Nature Astronomy, suggests that `Oumuamua's dry crust could have protected its icy interior from being vaporised - even though the object was just 23 million miles from our sun in September when it zipped past. Professor Alan Fitzsimmons commented: "We have discovered that the surface of `Oumuamua is similar to small solar system bodies that are covered in carbon-rich ices, whose structure is modified by exposure to cosmic rays. "We have also found that a half-metre thick coating of organic-rich material could have protected a water-ice-rich comet-like interior from vaporizing when the object was heated by the sun, even though it was heated to over 300 degrees centigrade." An artist's impression shows the first interstellar asteroid, 'Oumuamua. Observations show that this unique object was traveling through space for millions of years before its chance encounter with our star system. Credit: ESO/M.Kornmesser Dr Michele Bannister and her team observed `Oumuamua while it was still within reach of the largest telescopes in the world and their findings are being published in Astrophysical Journal Letters later this month. They found the object was the same colour as some of the icy minor planets they had been studying in the outskirts of our solar system. This implies that different planetary systems in our galaxy contain minor planets like our own. Working together, the researchers have been able to uncover some very important facts about `Oumuamua. Dr Michele Bannister said: "We've discovered that this is a planetesimal with a well-baked crust that looks a lot like the tiniest worlds in the outer regions of our solar system, has a greyish/red surface and is highly elongated, probably about the size and shape of the Gherkin skyscraper in London. Short loop of 'Oumuamua moving against the background stars. Credit: A. Fitzsimmons, QUB/Isaac Newton Group, La Palma. "It's fascinating that the first interstellar object discovered looks so much like a tiny world from our own home system. This suggests that the way our planets and asteroids formed has a lot of kinship to the systems around other stars." She added: "We are continuing our research into `Oumuamua and are hopeful that we will make more discoveries in the near future. Discoveries like this really help to give a little more insight into what's out there and encourages people to look up and wonder." Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said the Congress should take all secular parties along to usher a change in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. By Indo-Asian News Service: Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said the Congress should take all secular parties along to usher a change in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Commenting on the election trends in Gujarat which show the BJP losing some ground to the Congress, Yadav said that regional parties and regional issues will have a role to play in the next general elections. advertisement "The BJP speaks of sabka sath, sabka vikas but when we try to give justice to all sections of society, the same BJP calls it appeasement. We can build a strong Bharat only with taking all people and all sections along," the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said. He said the nation cannot progress when farmers are distressed, and youth are unemployed. "The elections should be fought on issues. Farmers' distress, youth unemployment are issues... In 2019, you will see change," he added. ALSO WATCH | PM Modi flashes victory sign as BJP set to retain Gujarat for sixth straight term --- ENDS --- Author Suzanne Alonzo observes spawning sixbar wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke) off Moorea Island in French Polynesia (1730? S, 14950? W), 17 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Tahiti. Credit: Jeffrey Shima Parents' choices about when to breed have lifelong consequences for offspring. For the sixbar wrasse, the flexibility of babies to delay their critical swim towards adulthood frees adults to spawn more often, say ecologists in a new research report in the Ecological Society of America's journal Ecology. A delay of a few days sets up differences in experience that could have far reaching consequences for fishes' lifetime success. In a species that can choose its sex, consequences could include which fish grows large enough to compete as a male and produce the most offspring. Sixbar wrasse hatch at sea and spend about seven weeks in open water before they must make a dangerous dash for their adult home on a coral reef. The first to arrive can avoid the crowds and are more likely to survive. "Presumably, the early arrivers can get the lay of the land and select the best hiding spots," said first author Jeff Shima, a professor at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Moonlit nights, full of watchful predators, are not safe for small reef fish. Baby sixbars that arrived on the reef during the full moon or as it waxed past the first quarter were more likely to disappear. Fish that settled in the last quarter had the best chance of survival, Shima and his coathors found. "Baby fish making their way back to the reef must traverse a dangerous wall of mouths. Most will attempt this journey at night, during the new moon, under the cover of darkness," Shima said. Babies that arrived on the reef during the moon's last quarter, the researchers discovered, were 10 percent larger than other new arrivals. The researchers concluded that that these fish were larger because they were older. These babies may have delayed departure for up to 8 days to avoid travel on bright full moon nights. The sixbar wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke) is a common inhabitant of coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly the shallow lagoons of Moorea Island in French Polynesia (1730' S, 14950' W), 17 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Tahiti. A 60-kilometer barrier reef encloses a beautiful, bright blue lagoon around the steep, green slopes of the old volcano. Sixbars settle in the lagoon on small reef patches, surrounded by sand, rock, or cobble, that have grown from the lagoon bottom. "We are interested how the timing of spawning and the developmental decisions of offspring sets some individuals on a pathway to greater reproductive success. Are the most successful fish born at just the right time or did they make decisions that made them a winner?" Shima said. To give both their eggs and themselves the best chance of avoiding predators that hunt by sight, sixbars meet to mate at the edge of the reef, on outgoing tides. They court on reef promontories where their fertilized eggs will be swiftly swept out to sea. Sixbars might be expected to avoid courting at times of the month that place their babies on a schedule to settle back to the reef during a full moon, but that does not appear to be their strategy. Nor do they always time their courtships to bring their babies back to the reef when the moon is dark. In the twenty-odd years Shima has studied sixbar wrasse and coral reef ecosystems, he has seen fish spawning across all periods of the lunar cycle. Baby fish, however, seemed to return to take up residence on the reef in higher numbers at the new moon, when the night is darkest. "If there really is a good time for babies to come back onto the reef, why are adults spawning all the time?" To investigate this question, Shima and his colleagues dug into old data collected in 2004 and 2005. The researchers had measured the size of young sixbars, which could give a good approximation of the fishes' ages, because juveniles grow at a steady rate. Sixbar wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke). Credit: Jeffrey Shima. The data tracked the fates of 1038 sixbar wrasse dwelling in 192 small patches of reef. For six lunar cycles in January through July of 2004 and five lunars cycles from February to June of 2005, researchers returned every few days to observe the number and size of juvenile sixbars in residence. They could identify new arrivals as the smallest fish on the reef (9-13 millimeters), with colorless bodies, and a characteristic tendency to hunker down under coral or seaweed during their first days on the reef. Baby sixbars spend an average 47 days at sea before surfing over Moorea's barrier reef and dashing 100 to 1000 meters through the lagoon to find a safe coral nook. More than half arrived during the new moon. A quarter made the trip during the moon's first quarter. But arrivals during the last quarter and full moon were much lower than would be expected by chance, averaging less than a sixth and eighth of arrivals during the lunar cycle. The simplest explanation was that few migrating baby sixbars evaded predators on moonlit nights. But the larger size of babies arriving to settle on the reef during the moon's last quarter suggested unlucky babies that turned 47-days-old at the full moon could choose to wait until a waning moon, or opportune cloudy night, gave them a better chance of reaching the reef uneaten. Shima and his team are now working on refining the age estimates for young sixbar reef settlers by examining tiny structures in the inner ear called otoliths. Built, like shells, from calcium carbonate, otoliths grow a visible ring of new material every day, serving as tiny chronometers in the heads of every fish. There might be advantages to spawning under an inauspicious moon. Fewer babies may survive a journey over the barrier reef during the full moon, but those that do face less competition from rivals of the same age. This could give them a fitness edge. "It's possible that some parents are positioning their offspring to settle early, and beat the rush," Shima said. He and his students have some preliminary results suggesting that larger females spawn at different times of the lunar month. Switching sex seems fairly easy for wrasses, which have relatively simple internal plumbing, Shima says. As baby fishes grow, most will become female because they can be assured of mating opportunities with males who are always ready and willing. If a good opportunity presents itself, the largest females can switch to male. For males, mating is highly competitive. Male wrasses are territorial, protecting either a harem of females or a prime mating promontory, depending on the species. Successful males get to breed many more times per day, with many different femalesgiving a greatly increased reproductive success. Unlike salmon, which die after they spawn, wrasse breed many times during their lifetimes, giving them opportunity to employ a portfolio of reproductive strategies. By spreading the birth of their offspring throughout the lunar cycle, parents could be hedging their reproductive bets, putting some money on safety and some on high stakes winners. Shima says his results may not surprise other ecologists working on coral reefs. He and his coauthors have quantified behaviors that other scientists have observed in reef fishes for years. But he thinks the implications of these differing developmental histories may be underestimated. "It suggests that there is a lot of variation in the players, the individual fish that arrive at the reef and interact and compete and try to avoid being eaten. Each individual carries the 'baggage' of its own birthdate and developmental history. Some of these factors could explain the demographic variation among individuals and the social dominance hierarchies that play out in these systems." Shima is a parent of four children himself, and says he can't resist drawing analogies to parenting strategies. "I think parents naturally worry about many decisions they make, and how these may be detrimental to their own children. It is reassuring to know that offspring are resilient, and have real capacity to improve their lot in life." More information: J. S. Shima et al, Born at the right time? A conceptual framework linking reproduction, development, and settlement in reef fish, Ecology (2017). DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2048 Journal information: Ecology In this May 26, 2016 file photo, people walk past an illuminated logo for Huawei at a launch event for the Huawei MateBook in Beijing. An executive of Huawei says the Chinese smartphone brand will start sales in the United States through phone carriers next year 2018, in a move that would dramatically increase the American presence of the No. 3 global handset seller. The president of Huawei Technologies Ltd.'s consumer business, Richard Yu, said Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, he would announce details at next month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Huawei sells some models in U.S. electronics stores but has a minimal share of a market in which most sales are through carriers.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) Chinese smartphone brand Huawei will start sales through U.S. carriers next year, a Huawei executive said Monday, stepping up the No. 3 global handset seller's presence in the home market of rival Apple Inc. The president of Huawei Technologies Ltd.'s consumer business, Richard Yu, said he would announce details at next month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. He said sales would start with the flagship Mate 10 but declined to give a price or say through which carrier or carriers they would be sold. Huawei sells some models in U.S. electronics stores and online but has a minimal share of an American market in which most sales are through carriers. Globally, the company trails Samsung and Apple by handset shipments but leads in China, the biggest market, and says it expects to ship a total of 150 million units this year. "We will sell our flagship phone, our product, in the U.S. market through carriers next year," said Yu in an interview. "I think that we can bring value to the carriers and to consumers. Better product, better innovation, better user experience." Yu expressed confidence the smartphone business wouldn't be affected by American government concerns Huawei might be a security threat, which derailed U.S. demand for its network gear. "In consumer sales, when people really start using Huawei products, they will change their minds," said Yu. Huawei, founded in 1987 by a former military engineer, is the first Chinese brand to break into the top ranks of global technology suppliers. The company, headquartered in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, is the world's biggest supplier of switching equipment used by telephone and internet companies. It has manufactured mobile phones since the 1990s and launched its own smartphone brand in 2010. Huawei reported 2016 profit of 37 billion yuan ($5.4 billion) on revenue of 521.6 billion yuan ($75.6 billion). The company is owned by its employees, with no publicly traded shares, but reports financial results in an effort to allay security concerns in the United States and Europe. Helped by a strong position in China, India and other developing markets, sales by its premium-priced Huawei and mid-market Honor smartphone brands have grown faster than those of Samsung or Apple. That prompted suggestions Huawei might pass its American rival. In the latest quarter, Huawei's handset shipments rose 16.1 percent over a year earlier to 39.1 million, well ahead of Apple's 2.6 percent growth to sales of 46.7 million, according to IDC. Samsung sales expanded 9.5 percent to 83.3 million units. "We are a Top 3 smartphone supplier but we are very close to the Top 2. So maybe quickly we can be Top 2," said Yu. The Mate 10, unveiled in October, offers an extra-wide display, high-end cameras and other advanced features at prices 15 to 30 percent below those of Samsung and Apple. Yu said the Mate 10 will be "competitively priced" in the United States but Huawei expects to compete on performance instead of cost. "Our strength is in developed markets," where consumers will pay for performance, said Yu. "We are not a cheap, low-cost company." Also next year, Huawei plans to start selling through carriers in Japan, where its phones already are sold in stores, Yu said. "I think next year is a very important year for Huawei," he said. Huawei's U.S. business suffered a setback when a congressional panel recommended in October 2013 that phone carriers avoid doing business with it or a smaller Chinese rival, ZTE Corp. Beijing rejected the report as false and an effort to block Chinese companies from the U.S. market. Huawei denied being a security threat and rejected the U.S. complaints as politically motivated or possibly an attempt by competitors to keep it out of the market. "They are lying," said Yu. "We are a company that really cares about cybersecurity and privacy protection. We do a lot better than the other vendors." 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. An aerial view of the Navajo Dam and reservoir. Credit: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Thousands of dams built along U.S. rivers and streams over the last century now provide electricity for homes, store water for agriculture and support recreation for people. But they also have significant downstream impacts: They reduce the amount and change the timing of flowing water that fish rely on for spawning, feeding and migration. Recognizing that many large dams are here to stay, a University of Washington team is investigating an emerging solution to help achieve freshwater conservation goals by re-envisioning the ways in which water is released by dams. The hope is that "designer flows" downstream from dams can be tailored to meet the water needs of humans while simultaneously promoting the success of native fishes over undesirable invasive fish species. The team's approach is described in a paper appearing Dec. 18 in Nature Communications. "Rapidly changing water availability demands new dam management strategies to deliver water downstream that balances human and ecosystem needs," said senior author Julian Olden, a UW professor of aquatic and fishery sciences. "So, the question is whether designer flows can be engineered to meet human water demands, and take advantage of mismatches between native and nonnative species' responses to flow to provide the greatest conservation benefit." The researchers examined the designer flow concept in the San Juan River, a major tributary to the Colorado River that flows through parts of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Every drop of water is significant in this arid landscape, and along the river's roughly 380-mile length, the mighty 402-foot Navajo Dam is impossible to ignore. The river is home to at least eight native fish species, but over the years a number of invasive fish species have also taken up residence, including predatory channel catfish, red shiner and common carp. By integrating multiple decades' worth of data about dam operations, river hydrology and fish species abundance into a multi-objective model, the researchers were able to identify specific water-release schedules that benefitted native fish over the invasive fishwhile still ensuring that all of the domestic and agriculture needs that rely on the San Juan River's water are met. "We were also pleased to discover that our model predicts that the ecological benefits of designer flow releases do not evaporate during times of drought," Olden said. This method can guide water management in any river with large dams, Olden said. It's particularly relevant in more arid regions of the American Southwest where water is at a premium, but major rivers like the Columbia or the Mississippi, which are similarly peppered with dams, also could have their dams programmed to release water in ways that aim to benefit both humans and freshwater ecosystems. The key to the researchers' approach is capitalizing on the fact that invasive fishes have only a recent evolutionary history in these river systems. Consequently, important life events of invasive fishessuch as spawning and habitat useshow slightly different relationships to patterns in streamflow compared with native fishes. The designer flows in their study exploited these small differences to identify dam releases during certain times of the year that would benefit native fishes and be detrimental to invasive fishes. These tailored water releases are not trying to mimic the natural flow of a river before it was dammed, but rather emphasize the most important flow events for native fish in an altered river system, the researchers explained. According to their model, water releases in the San Juan River should occur in late winter, late summer and mid-autumn to get the best outcomes for native fishes over invasive ones. While both designer and natural flows were predicted to be beneficial for native fishes, they found that designer flows could lead to double the loss of invasive fishes in the river, compared with a dam-release scenario that mimicked natural water flows, before the dam existed. Occasionally, dammed rivers will flush a deluge of water downstream, attempting to mimic natural river flowsbut with mixed success for fish. This study suggests that such efforts could be better optimized. This work is still in the modeling phase, and the researchers want to look next at how these water-release practices could potentially benefit other aspects of dammed river systems, such as restoring shoreline vegetation, benefiting aquatic insects and even bolstering river recreation by manipulating the water releases to encourage formation of large sandbars. Ultimately, the researchers hope to test their designer flows in a real river system, in cooperation with dam operators, engineers and water users. "Let's be honest: Carefully tweaking dam operations all year round to implement a designer flow regime would require a giant leap of faith, but anything new we do in water resource management involves some risk," Olden said. "If we don't try, we'll never know how much better we actually could do." More information: William Chen et al, Designing flows to resolve human and environmental water needs in a dam-regulated river, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02226-4 Journal information: Nature Communications Close up of polyps are arrayed on a coral, waving their tentacles. There can be thousands of polyps on a single coral branch. Credit: Wikipedia Almost all the wildly varied, colorful fish that populate coral reefs start life as tiny, colorless, tadpole-like larvae. Telling one from the other is nearly impossible - even for experts - and this presents a difficult challenge to those who study the ecology of the reefs. Prof. Rotem Sorek of the Weizmann Institute of Science; Prof. Roi Holzman of the School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University; and Dr Moshe Kiflawi of Ben Gurion University have now produced a way to understand precisely which species of larvae are present in the water around reefs. Their study, which involved genetic "barcoding" of nearly all the fish species in the gulf between Eilat and Aqaba, not only showed which larvae were in the gulf, but how many of each were swimming around, at what time of year and at what depths. This study was recently published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. "Understanding the types and distribution of the larvae is important for a number of reasons," says Holzman. He and Kiflawi are resident researchers at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI) in Eilat. For one, it is only the larvae that disperse, washed by currents and flows, while adult reef fish tend to stay close to their home reef. To the marine ecologists who would monitor the larvae, they are an integral part of the ecosystem - as well as its future. And since larva numbers can reveal something about the prospective populations of adult fish, monitoring them might be useful to fishery management as well. The researchers used the IUI's research vessel, which is equipped with sophisticated gear that can sample larvae from set depths. They sampled larvae twice a month over the course of a full year at various sites and depths near the two coasts of the narrow gulf as well as in its deep middle. "We had over 10,000 sampled larvae," says Kiflawi, "but current techniques involve inspecting larvae under a microscope and counting their spines - which can point to the taxonomic family, but not the species, and also takes a lot of time. Luckily, we had discussed this with Sorek who was then visiting the IUI." Sorek's lab in the Weizmann Institute's Molecular Genetics Department normally deals with different genomes - those of bacteria. "I thought that the techniques from the genomic research we employ in my lab could determine the identity of larvae by sequencing a 'barcode' from their genomes," he says. Research student Naama Kimmerling from Kiflawi's lab, Staff Scientist Tamara Gurevitch from Holzman's lab, research student Omer Zuqert and Staff Scientists Dr. Gil Amitai and Sarah Melamed from Sorek's lab, together with their research groups and colleagues, adapted these techniques to identifying fish larvae. "But before we could apply the method," says Sorek, "we had to create a database of 'barcodes' for all the reef fish in the gulf. That was a feat in itself. For it, the team members took up diving in the gulf to clip the fins of adult fish for DNA analysis. Ultimately, we managed to create a database of barcodes for around 80% of the main fish species (420 of about 540) known to frequent the reef." Genetic barcoding is a technique based on comparing the DNA of one specific gene whose sequence varies from species to species. This convenient, very precise "labeling" technique has numerous uses in the world of biological research; it was an incontrovertible way to match larvae to their adult forms. The sequencing of the larval genomes was conducted in the advanced facilities of the Stephen and Nancy Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine on the Weizmann campus. Until now, using barcoding to analyze large samples has been impractical. But in this study, all of the DNA in each sample was sequenced together using a 'metagenomics' technique, whether the sample contained one individual or 500 larvae. "We invented a 'trick' that matches pictures of the larvae to their DNA sequence," says Sorek, "and this enabled us to tell exactly how many individual larvae of each species were in the sample. But to get that one for each, we had to sequence trillions of DNA bases." Altogether, the team sequenced the genomes of around 10,000 larvae in 400 different samples. Ultimately, they created a sort of map that could tell them, species by species, how many could be found, at what time of year, at which particular location and depth. "Because we could now analyze thousands of larvae at a much finer resolution than was previously possible," says Kiflawi, "we could now zoom in on ecological differences between species. If the larvae of one family of fish had been presumed to live in both shallow and deep waters, we could now see that some species in the family prefer the shallow waters, while others prefer deeper waters - a difference that can affect their survival and dispersal." The findings also solved several mysteries - for example, the invasion into the Mediterranean of a small puffer fish known as a Spiny blaasop. The adult fish live at depths of several hundred meters, yet they presumably cross over through the Suez Canal, which is only around 25 meters deep. The study shows that the larvae can dwell in the shallows, and it is probably these that have moved along the shipping lanes. The sampling also turned up larvae of fish that are found farther south in the Red Sea, but not in the gulf. This finding raised new questions about why these larvae do not make it to adulthood there. Sorek: "Although the initial process was a bit arduous, we now have an excellent tool for monitoring the health of the reef ecosystem, and other reef researchers may follow suit." More information: Quantitative species-level ecology of reef fish larvae via metabarcoding, Nature Ecology and Evolution (2017). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41559-017-0413-2 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution From 1876-78, droughts cause crop failures around the world, causing millions to die. Credit: dasroofless via Flickr From 1876 to 1878, the Great Famine killed between 30 and 60 million people around the world. Drought enveloped much of the planet, causing food shortages all the way from Brazil to India and China, and wiping out approximately three percent of the global population. Climate scientist Deepti Singh from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory recalls reading about the droughts' devastation and wondering, "What could cause something like this? And what's the likelihood that it could happen again in the coming decades?" She and her colleagues are quantifying the extent and severity of the global drought, and trying to find out what made it so severe. She presented the research on Friday at the meeting of the American Geophysical Union in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Great Famine was "arguably the worst environmental disaster to ever befall humanity," the team notes in a forthcoming paper. It "helped create the global inequalities that would later be characterized as 'first' and 'third worlds'." Understanding the drought's driving forces is important, says Singh, since they could strike again at any timeperhaps worse than ever, since hotter temperatures make droughts more intense. Scientists have long suspected that El Nino was partially to blame for the global famine. Driven by temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, El Nino is a climate pattern that often comes with warm and dry conditions in India, Australia, and South America. In their paper (which has not yet been published), Singh and her colleagues provide some of the first quantitative evidence that this environmental catastrophe was likely driven by the strongest El Nino that human instruments have ever measured. Other record-breaking conditions may have been at play as well, they find. A Global Problem To find out exactly where, when, and how long the droughts occurred, as well as their severity, the researchers turned to tree-ring based drought atlases. Tree rings grow thicker during wet years, so old trees can provide a history of past climate conditions. Edward Cook, co-author and director of Columbia's Tree Ring Lab, developed three of the atlases used in the paper. Rain gauge data, some of which goes back 175 years, also indicated how scarce water was at the time of the drought. The team's findings suggest that the 1876-78 droughts extended far beyond Brazil, India, and China, although that's where famine struck the hardest. The search turned up evidence for dry conditions in Egypt, Morocco, Australia and even southwestern and eastern North America. Tree rings suggested Asia's drought was the worst in 800 years or more. Prelude to Disaster To find out what made the conditions so severe, the researchers looked at sea surface temperature data collected by sailors going back as far as the 1870s. Sea surface temperatures confirmed that there was indeed an intense El Nino that persisted for the larger part of two years of the Great Famine (1877-78). But the extreme El Nino may have been primed by cooler waters in the central tropical Pacific from 1870 to 1876. This prolonged period of coolnessthe longest on the recordmay have led to immense buildup of warm water in the western tropical Pacific. This ended in a strong La Nina event in 1875-76. The La Nina kicked off dry conditions in India, Mexico and the southwestern U.S., then discharged into a strong El Nino, which brought along more dryness across a large fraction of the globe. "It's like a pendulum," explains Singh. "If you keep pushing it in one direction, further and further from the center, and then release it, it's going to go to the extreme in the other direction." The Great Famine killed an estimated 12 to 29 million people in India. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Oceanic Accomplices El Nino didn't work alone in generating the Great Famine. Singh and her colleagues found evidence of exceptional conditions in the Atlantic and Indian oceans as well. In 1877, the Indian Ocean experienced exceptionally warm temperatures, particularly in its western portion, generating a dipole in sea surface temperatures. These contrasting conditions in the Indian Ocean can often lead to dry conditions in Australia and South Africa. But in 1877, the thermal contrast between the two halves was the strongest ever recorded before or since, which likely assisted El Nino in generating severe droughts in those regions. In 1877 and 1878, the north Atlantic was the warmest it has ever been, according to records that date back to the 1850s. This may have pushed moisture-carrying atmospheric winds northward, away from the Brazilian Nordeste, which lost two million lives during the famine that followed. Scientists disagree over whether El Nino could have triggered these effects in the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Maybe it was just bad luck that extreme conditions happened in all three oceans at once. But the oceans are all connected, and Singh and her colleagues suspect El Nino set off the cascade of effects. "It's hard to think that all of this was a coincidence," Singh says. Looking to the Future All in all, the team concludes that a host of record-setting conditionsan intense and long-lasting El Nino, likely primed by a cool Pacific, and exacerbated by a warm Atlantic and strong thermal contrasts in the Indian Oceancombined into the perfect storm that was the Great Famine. And it could happen again. Since the conditions that cooked up the Great Famine arose from natural climatic variation, there's nothing to stop a global drought from recurring. If those conditions were to arise again, they could again put global food security in jeopardy. In fact, it could be worse the next time around. As the global thermostat rises, the warmer temperatures could make future droughts more severe, says Singh. Next, she and her colleagues hope to find out how often events like this might happen in the future, how severe they might be, and which countries would be worst affected. Understanding what caused the global drought could help to predict and prepare for the next one, in hopes that it won't trigger another global famine. The study is currently is in preparation for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Provided by Earth Institute, Columbia University This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu. Credit: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2017), processed by KNMI The new Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite captured the presence of elevated absorbing aerosols caused by fires in the atmosphere off the west coast of the US on 12 December 2017. While hundreds of firefighters battle the fires, more than 200 000 people have been forced to flee their homes. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the 2017 California wildfire season is the worst on record. The Sentinel-5P satellite is still in its commissioning phase, so its Tropomi instrument is not yet fully calibrated, but images like these give us a preview of the data to come from the atmosphere-monitoring mission for Europe's Copernicus programme. Reconstruction of Algorachelus peregrinus in a coastal environment of Laurasia 95 million years ago. Credit: Jose Antonio Penas About 95 million years ago, a river turtle adapted to marine environments and made an extraordinary migration from the ancient continent of Gondwana, which grouped what is now Africa and South America, to Laurasia, of which the Northern continental mass of which Europe, Asia and North America were part. Species remains, found in the town of Algora in Guadalajara (Spain) and in Portugal, are evidence of the first known dispersal event of a turtle from Gondwana. The researchers call the turtle "traveler," but the journey of Algorachelus peregrinus, as they have called it, did not start in Algora (Guadalajara-Spain), where it was recently discovered, but in Africa during the Upper Cretaceous. "It is not just any turtle, but, as the name suggests, it gives us the necessary clues to describe how a successful migration occurred about 95 million years ago; this journey would have drastic consequences," explains Adan Perez -Garcia, researcher in the Evolutionary Biology Group of the UNED, the National University of Distance Education (Spain), to Sinc. Millions of years ago, the distribution of the continents was not as we know it now. The rupture of supercontinent Pangea gave rise to two large continental masses: Gondwana -in which the current Africa and South America, among other regions- joined together, and Laurasia, which included North to Europe and North America, among others. "This geographic isolation allowed the development of lineages of independent animals in both continental masses," says Perez-Garcia, the only author of the study published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.From the Jurassic, the turtles were classified into two groups: Cryptodira (terrestrial, marine and freshwater) and Pleurodira (rivers and coastal environments). The 'traveler' turtle, now extinct, belongs to the latter and its origin was African. But according to the finding, these reptiles adapted from purely freshwater environments to coastal marine environments. "That's how they moved to Laurasia, specifically to Europe, much earlier than previously considered," the paleontologist points out. The first turtles that arrived in Europe These turtles settled in the new continent, where they became the queens of rivers and coastal environments and became abundant and diverse until the end of the Mesozoic, about 65 million years ago. Proof of this is the identification of a skull and numerous fossils, including carapaces, in Guadalajara, which make this turtle the best represented Pleurodira of the European Mesozoic record. In another study, published in Cretaceous Research, the discovery of other fossil remains of a shell in Nazare (Portugal) has provided more data on this migration from Africa. "Its discovery has allowed us to know that the faunal replacement had already begun at that time. Algorachelus corresponds to the first form of Pleurodira recognized in the continents of the northern hemisphere (Laurasia)," says Perez-Garcia, also the first author of this work. According to the scientists, the journey of the turtle was a success because it did not end in Spain. Algorachelus and other turtles closely related to her continued their journey to the United States. Global elevational view of Venus with locations of tectonic blocks circled around the poles. The global regularity and distribution of these blocks possibly indicate the presence of a global systematic geologic process. Credit: Paul Byrne For planetary scientists, Venus's geologic heartbeat flat-lined around 700 million years ago. Now, a global view of some well-known deformation features on Venus's surface may indicate it's capable of crustal motion, and that motion might even be happening today, scientists reported Monday at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in New Orleans. Scattered on Venus's surface are various narrow mountain ridges and surface grooves, or grabens. Scientists have known about these Venusian features for decades, but had only viewed them in isolation from one another. Paul Byrne, a planetary geologist at North Carolina State University who presented the new research, and his colleagues used radar images of Venus's surface from the Magellan mission between 1990 and 1994 to view these structures from a global perspective. Doing so revealed a new pattern: these mountain ridges and grabens converge to isolate blocks of flat, low-lying plains of cooled lava along the planet's poles, something never noticed before. "When you zoom out, you see that these features form a connected pattern," Byrne said. "That's when you realize that they seem to be working together." From this higher vantage point, the structures looked a lot like features seen on Earth, such as the Tarim Basin in northwestern China. Basins like Tarim are large pieces of continental crust that jostle, rotate and crash into surrounding terrain due to forces from the mantle below. Consequently, the basins deform the surrounding terrain into mountain ranges or grabensfeatures identical to those on Venus. Examples of low-lying tectonic blocks outlined by mountain ridges and/or grabens formed by compression and extension of the planets surface. Credit: Paul Byrne That uncanny similarity persuaded the team that a comparable process may be happening on Venus. With the scorching 462-degree Celsius (864-degree Fahrenheit) temperature at Venus's surface, Byrne and his colleagues estimate the crust could heat enough that it will slightly detach from the planet's mantle only 10-15 kilometers (6-9 miles) down, creating thin, "crustal blocks" that could jostle, crash and rotate just like those on Earth. "It's not plate tectonics," Byrne said, "but it does suggest that the outer, rigid, brittle surface layer of Venus, in some places at least, has broken into these small blocks," many of them only a couple hundred kilometers to as many as 1200 kilometers (745 miles) across. What excited Byrne the most were signs of deformation within a few of the lava plains. The presence of any deformation atop the young lavaa meager 700 million years oldindicates "at least some of the jostling and moving and rotating could have taken place very recently," he said. For a planet theorized to have had no activity in millions of years, that prospect seemed revolutionary. Byrne compared this jostling process to the three layers in a Mars Bar: Venus's thin upper crust as the chocolate, its more fluid mantle as the caramel, and its deeper core as the nougat. If you put your Mars Bar into the fridge, pull it out, and try to break it, each layer breaks in its own way. The thin chocolate "crust" breaks into discrete chunks, whereas the caramel goes "all flowy." Comparison between enclosed lava plains on Venus (left) and the Tarim Basin in China (right). The similarity between the two offers insight about block tectonics on Venus. Credit: NASA "That's essentially what characterizes the mechanical behavior of this stuff," Byrne said. But what could cause these tumultuous blocks to jostle in the first place? And why only at the poles? Byrne could only conjecture, but he suspects one possibility is very slow convective movement in the mantle. With the thin crust at the surface sitting only tens of kilometers above the mantle, convective motion could slowly push or drag surface chunks along. But because an enormous spreading rift also exists around the equator of Venus, it's possible that a global spreading process systematically pushes these blocks, causing them to jostle and deform. "Again, it's not plate tectonics," Byrne emphasized. "These are little chunks of land that just rotate and move around. But if we were to put seismometers on Venus, maybe you'd hear some of these chunks go off today." This story is republished courtesy of AGU Blogs (http://blogs.agu.org), a community of Earth and space science blogs, hosted by the American Geophysical Union. Read the original story here. A scientist from Siberian Federal University (SFU) and his colleagues from Austria and Germany constructed a physical and mathematical model of Mars- and Venus-sized planet formation. The team concluded that Mars had no chances to develop a thick atmosphere and biosphere. In the case of Venus it depended on solar activity: according to the scientists, it managed to keep its atmosphere due to the fact that young Sun was not very active. Credit: Nikolai Erkaev A scientist from Siberian Federal University (SFU) and his colleagues from Austria and Germany constructed a physical and mathematical model of Mars- and Venus-sized planet formation. The team concluded that Mars had no chances to develop a thick atmosphere and biosphere. In the case of Venus, it depended on solar activity: According to the scientists, it managed to keep its atmosphere due to the fact that young sun was not very active. The study was published in Icarus. According to the model, Mars and Venus arose from protoplanets (and they, in turn, from gas and dust clouds). Planet "embryos" collide, thus forming protoplanets. They get heated, and magma oceans are formed. During their solidification volatiles of the mantles form a thick and hot atmosphere that predominantly consists of water and carbon dioxide. However, due to the low gravity of Mars-sized planets and high stellar EUV luminosity of young stars, their atmospheres tend to escape. Hydrogen is quite light and goes first, dragging heavier elements (oxygen, carbon dioxide, and noble gases) with it. Hydrogen wind that is formed in the upper layers of the atmosphere is able to pick up heavier particles from lower ones, like a storm in Earth atmosphere can carry away dust, aerosols, and so on. The researchers considered a wide range of possible scenarios describing changes in solar activity. They used all known empirical models of EUV dependence from the age of young stars (in millions of years). They also constrain realistic cases by comparing modeled noble gas isotope ratios with present observations. However, whatever the scenario, Mars-like planets lost their atmospheres and therefore were bound to lose water as well. It takes an atmosphere only tens of millions of years to escape, which is a very short period on the solar system timescale. "Available data on the composition of Venus' atmosphere allowed us to look into the past and understand how the sun used to act. It seems that solar activity was quite low initially," said Nikolai Erkaev, a co-author of the article. In some scenarios (with high solar activity), Venus would have lost its atmosphere, while in others (moderate radiation), it would have retained it, as is the case. Generally, the results of the modeling are in favor of the scenario in which solar activity was low and the atmosphere with a small amount of residual hydrogen was formed from a protoplanetary nebula on early accretion stages. In other cases, too much CO2 is lost during planetary evolution, which does not correspond to the present state of Venus' atmosphere. According to the model, for Venus to become as it is today, the sun should have been relatively inactive during the early stages of the solar system development. Provided by Siberian Federal University The researchers measured the length, width and height of moose skulls to study the impact of climate change on the iconic Northwoods species. The team measured 662 moose skulls and observed a 16 percent decrease in size over 40 years. Credit: Sarah Bird/Michigan Tech Researchers from Michigan Technological University know the smartest way to know a moose is by its brain. Specifically, skull measurements reveal information about body size, physiology and the conditions of a moose's early life. Put together, measurements through time reveal the health of a population and even changes in their environment. For the booming moose population of Isle Royale, a key species in the world's longest running predator-prey study on the island, skulls have shrunk by about 16 percent over a 40-year period. The results were published recently in Global Change Biology. Sarah Hoy, a research fellow in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (SFRES) at Michigan Tech, led the study. "The conditions you're born into have a massive impact on not only how big you are but also how long you're going to live," Hoy says. "This idea isn't newwhat we're trying to do is establish how climate warming is affecting this iconic, cold-adapted species. We found evidence suggesting that moose experiencing a warm first winter tended to be smaller as adults and live shorter lives." The results from the Isle Royale moose study are significant for several reasons, especially taken in the context of nearby moose populations. In northern Minnesota, moose populations have been halved in the past 12 years. Many ecologists consider three main factors at play: predation, disease and climate change. In particular, the influence of warmer temperatures on moose nutritional condition and moose parasites, including a fatal brain worm parasite that is spread by white-tail deer, which have moved farther north into moose territory as the climate has gotten milder. The researchers observed around a 16 percent decrease in skull size over a four-decade period, which is about the difference between the middle two skulls. Credit: Sarah Bird/Michigan Tech "The moose populations in northern Minnesota have tanked," Hoy says. "Climate is considered a main driver, whether it's direct through warmer winter temperatures causing heat stress and influencing the nutritional condition of moose or indirectly by establishing more favorable habitat for white-tail deer." As Minnesota moose have declined, the Isle Royale moose have flourished, the population growing annually by more than 20 percent for the past six years. There are also no white-tail deer to spread parasites on Isle Royale. Yet the two groups of moose do share a similar climate, so Hoy and her team wondered if the skulls of Isle Royale moose would reveal adverse impacts of climate change. Moosewho are naturally creatures of the northprefer the cold. Warmer winters in the Northwoods raise concerns about how animal populations will adapt to climate change. By measuring the length, width and height of moose craniumson 662 skulls gathered on Isle Royale by hundreds of citizen science volunteers over four decadesclear patterns emerge. First, the skulls have decreased in size and, second, the evidence suggests that moose calves experiencing a warm first winter tended to be smaller as adults and live shorter lives. Hoy's collaborator Rolf Peterson, an SFRES research professor at Michigan Tech, helped haul in some of the skulls. "The farthest we had to hike was 20 miles," Peterson says. "These aren't changes you can see out in the field; we're looking for trends over time in the whole population." Rolf Peterson, Sarah Hoy and John Vucetich are researchers from the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (SFRES) at Michigan Tech. They lead the Isle Royale predator-prey study, the longest-running study of its kind in the world. Credit: Sarah Bird/Michigan Tech Hoy, Peterson and their collaborator John Vucetich, a professor of ecology at Michigan Tech, suggest the trends reflect a population in transition. Part of the Isle Royale moose's transition has to do with another of the island's key specieswolves. It seems like a paradox: a growing population with shrinking individuals and shorter lifespans. Yet when the ecological balance of food availability and predation are considered, the contradiction makes more sense. As the wolves have died off on the islandonly two remained during last year's winter studythe moose population has tripled in the past decade, reaching about 1,600 in the 2017 survey. Competition for food can also contribute to malnutrition and therefore smaller moose. "Decreasing skull size may be an early indicator of population change," Vucetich says. "We're likely looking at a population in transition, and the healthiest transition would almost certainly involve restoring wolf predation to Isle Royale." Adapting to climate change is already tough on moose; adding the present day's imbalance in the predator-prey dynamics puts additional stress on the Isle Royale ecosystem. Drawing from six decades of data, the Isle Royale Winter Study will come out later this winter to document the impacts of population change in the island's ecosystem. In the meantime, the National Park Service plans to release its decision this winter on whether or not to reintroduce wolves to Isle Royale. More information: Sarah R. Hoy et al, Climate warming is associated with smaller body size and shorter lifespans in moose near their southern range limit, Global Change Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14015 Journal information: Global Change Biology By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Organisations can pull off major performance and productivity improvements by taking a more strategic approach to where they place their people, says an EY-LinkedIn report. According to the report titled Right people, wrong place?, location of an organisations talent footprint is now key to high productivity and profit. "Placing talent where the sector market opportunity is instead of only the headquarter country or legacy markets can bring substantial gains for companies," said Sonu Iyer, Tax Partner and People Advisory Services Leader, EY India. advertisement The report, which analysed 659 organisations of varied size and scale across 11 sectors, noted that firms headquartered in North America tend to achieve a considerably higher talent-to-market alignment than those with headquarters in the Asia-Pacific and Europe. Firms headquartered in emerging market locations like Central and South America, India and Africa had the largest scope to improve their talent-to-market alignment, it added. "India has a huge potential to grow and improve its talent-to-market alignment. Further to that, there is scope for firms headquartered in India to improve the match between their workforce and the markets that will drive future growth in top and bottom line," said Anurag Malik, Partner - People Advisory Services, EY India. When it came to seniority and business function alignment, the report further said, many companies often misalign the location of their talent with legacy mature markets rather than with countries where greater revenue and faster growth opportunities lie. "Notable trends were seen in how companies distribute their senior executives, sales, marketing and research talent around the globe, with key functions often being underrepresented in crucial markets," it noted. The research for the report was based on combined analysis of 659 companies across 11 sectors. Out of the total sample size, 24 are from India. PTI DRR ARD --- ENDS --- These nanoparticles average just 300 billionths of a meter across and contain vaccine antigens. Credit: Nanovaccine Institute For many of us, a flu shot is a fall routine. Roll up a sleeve, take a needle to the upper arm and hope this year's vaccine matches whichever viruses circulate through the winter. The most common method to make that vaccine is now more than 70 years old. It requires growing viruses in special, pathogen-free chicken eggs. It's not a quick and easy manufacturing process. And, at best, it provides incomplete protection. Researchers from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Wisconsin-Madison all of them affiliated with Iowa State's Nanovaccine Institute are working together to develop and test what they think could be a better way to fight the flu. "What we're doing is a completely new approach," said Thomas Waldschmidt, the associate director of the Nanovaccine Institute, the Clement T. and Sylvia H. Hanson Chair in Immunology and a professor of pathology at Iowa. "This is a completely different ball game." What the researchers are doing is loading synthesized influenza proteins into nanoparticles. Those nanoparticles are about 300 billionths of a meter across and are made from biodegradable polymers. The nanoparticles are incorporated into a nasal spray and delivered with a sniff. Based on preliminary studies, researchers believe the nanovaccine will activate both kinds of immune cells (T cells and B cells) and provide protection in the upper airway (the nose, throat and voice box) and the lower airway (the windpipe and lungs). All of that could mean better flu protection than today's typical flu shot. Looking for more complete protection The National Institutes of Health is supporting the study of a flu nanovaccine with a five-year, $2.8 million grant. Kevin Legge, an associate professor of pathology at Iowa, is leading the study. The research team also includes Waldschmidt; Balaji Narasimhan, the director of the Nanovaccine Institute and an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and the Vlasta Klima Balloun Chair in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State; and Thomas Friedrich, an associate professor of pathobiological sciences at Wisconsin. So far, the researchers have tested a flu nanovaccine on mice, ferrets and pigs. The current study also calls for tests on monkeys. Legge said today's flu vaccines activate B cells and their production of antibodies. Those antibodies circulate throughout the body and attack viruses by binding to them, coating them and disabling them. Antibodies also signal other defensive cells to attack and destroy the virus. Rodent studies have shown that the flu nanovaccine drives B cell as well as T cell activity, Legge said. T cells fight disease by attacking cells that have been infected by a virus. Activating both B cells and T cells provides "a greater level of protection," Legge said. "This is a more complete, robust response to vaccination." Legge and Narasimhan said the nanovaccine also seems to be better at building immunity in the lungs than current flu shots or the flu mist that was common several years ago and is no longer recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Narasimhan said there are other advantages to a flu nanovaccine: it can easily be loaded with proteins synthesized from many different types of flu, it can be modified and produced quickly (the researchers call it "plug-and-play" technology) and it can be safely stored for long periods at room temperature. The technology, he said, has the potential to check all the boxes for a better flu vaccine. Learning the mechanisms, testing different types But there's more to learn about a flu nanovaccine before it's available every fall. Legge and Waldschmidt said they want to understand how, exactly, the nanovaccine provides protection from the flu. They also want to further define how the vaccine activates an immune response from B cells and T cells. They'll also study nanovaccine effectiveness against different types of influenza, including deadly strains such as H5N1, or bird flu. "We want to confirm that this vaccine platform will work with any influenza payload," Waldschmidt said. Narasimhan said it's also important to find just the right size of nanoparticles for a flu nanovaccine. "It's the 'Goldilocks problem,'" he said. "Too big is not good and too small is not good. We're looking for just right." And, the project will include tests of the flu nanovaccine on some of the monkeys studied by Friedrich at Wisconsin. It's important to study the nanovaccine in monkeys because their respiratory tracts and immune systems are similar to those in humans, Friedrich said. "Monkeys are there to give us confidence that what is found in mice studies is truly relevant to humans," he said. "And if problems are found in monkey studies, the vaccine can be tweaked to make it more effective before it goes to human trials." Friedrich also said that the monkeys used in this study are expected to recover from any illness and will be used in other studies. A model project In many ways, Narasimhan said this particular study is a model of how the Nanovaccine Institute is supposed to work. The study, for example, features a research team built across institutions and disciplines. The study was launched with internal grants from the Nanovaccine Institute and the University of Iowa's Carver Trust Medical Research Initiative. Those grants provided the preliminary data necessary to win a multimillion-dollar grant from NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The institute grew from seed funding awarded in 2013 by Iowa State's Presidential Initiative for Interdisciplinary Research. Narasimhan said then the idea was to create a dream team of nanovaccine researchers capable of revolutionizing disease prevention and treatment. Last June, the State Board of Regents approved making the initiative a full research institute on the Iowa State campus. It now includes 70 researchers from 21 institutions. They're currently studying nanovaccines and nanotherapies for respiratory infections, neural disorders, tropical diseases, cancer and veterinary diseases. So far, the institute's researchers have attracted more than $18 million in grants. "We're creating mini dream teams for each of these areas," Narasimhan said. "Because of that we're competing for grants and gaining national and international prominence." And, because of the institute's work, our fall flu routine could one day include a dose of nanovaccine. The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration flight assembly arrived at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in mid-September. The assembly will serve as the backbone for the payload, to which all of LCRDs components will attach. Credit: NASA Goddard/Barbara Lambert NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) mission has begun integration and testing at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The mission will demonstrate how a transition from radio to laser communications will exponentially improve the way we connect with astronauts and spacecraft. "LCRD is a big step in the evolution of space communications," said Dave Israel, LCRD's principal investigator. "LCRD will demonstrate how laser communications technologies can be applied to significantly enhance the capabilities of NASA's communications infrastructure." Until recently, NASA spacecraft have wholly depended upon radio communications. Now, NASA is developing cutting-edge laser communications technologies in a paradigm shift from exclusively radio communications to a hybrid of radio and laser. Laser communications could provide 10 to 100 times better data rates than radio due to higher bandwidth. This means that laser communications can transmit more data at a time than radio, even though both communication types can only travel as fast as the speed of light. To transmit a one-foot resolution "Google map" of the entire Martian surface, the best radio frequency communications system would take nine years to send all the data. Laser communications could do it in nine weeks. Additionally, laser communications systems take up much less area and weight for the same (or better) data rates than radio systems. The LCRD mission continues the legacy of the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD), which flew aboard a moon-orbiting spacecraft in 2013. Overall, compared to traditional communications systems on spacecraft today, LLCD used half the mass, 25 percent less power, and still transmitted six times as much data per second. LCRD will pioneer the relay of data through lasers. The mission will demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of laser communications in future networks. Integration and testing, underway now at Goddard, is a crucial step in ensuring these technologies perform in the harsh environment of space. LCRD engineers place Flight Modem 2 in the thermal vacuum chamber for testing. LCRDs flight modems are a critical part of the LCRD payload. They encode data into laser light to be transmitted to the ground. Credit: NASA Goddard/Barbara Lambert "There are three phases to integration and testing leading up to launch," said Glenn Jackson, LCRD payload project manager. "We're on track to finish the first phase, payload integration, by the end of December. The next phase is to test the entire payload in a flight environment including electromagnetic, acoustic and thermal vacuum testing." Testing takes place in Goddard's Environmental Test Engineering and Integration Facility. The facility ensures that every instrument is launch-ready, testing them under conditions mimicking launch and space. A 42-foot tall acoustic test chamber exposes instruments to launch sounds equivalent to 150 decibels, or the volume of a jet take-off from 80 feet away. A thermal vacuum chamber chills the spacecraft to sub-zero temperatures in an artificial vacuum. "Integration and testing is all about making sure the instruments are speaking to each other, working together," said Bill Potter, project manager for LCRD's integration and testing activity. "We have a team of about 60 engineers across a number of disciplines making sure the device works as intended in the space environment." Alongside testing at Goddard, NASA is calibrating Optical Ground Station 2, one of two ground stations that will communicate with LCRD. The station sits atop a mountain in Hawaii to avoid transmission interference from cloud coverage. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, operates LCRD's other ground station at a facility in Table Mountain, California. LCRD technologies will, once proven, be leveraged aboard two upcoming NASA missions, the Integrated LCRD Low-Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) and the Optical-to-Orion (O2O) project. LCRD engineers prepare Flight Modem 2 for vibration testing. Credit: NASA Goddard/Barbara Lambert ILLUMA-T will fly aboard the International Space Station as the first demonstration of a fully operational end-to-end laser communications system. It will provide the station with a state-of-the-art laser communications terminal with improved size, weight, power and data rates over comparable radio systems. NASA plans to fly O2O aboard the Orion spacecraft on the first flight with astronauts, leveraging laser communications for future human spaceflight. Its higher data rates will enable astronauts to video conference with Earth and stream high-definition video of exploratory missions beyond low-Earth orbit. The recent launch of NASA's last Tracking and Data Relay Satellite closed a chapter in the history of space communications. Future generations of Space Network satellites will incorporate laser technologies developed in this decade. The LCRD mission is an important milestone of that journey. The LCRD mission is a collaboration between NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and NASA's Space Communications and Navigation program office, and is being developed in cooperation with the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The LCRD payload will be onboard a U.S. Air Force spacecraft as part of the Space Test Program (STP-3) mission and is scheduled to launch in 2019. Visit the Exploration and Space Communications division's website for more information about LCRD and laser communications. Provided by NASA A new filtration system is using natural molecules to remove 95 % of hormone-affecting chemicals from wastewater. Credit: CC0 A new filtration system that uses natural molecules to remove hormone-affecting chemicals from wastewater has succeeded in trapping 95 % of these substances before the water goes back into the environment. It's part of a wave of research into new ways of protecting us against so-called endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which also includes working on different types of fertilisers and training a new generation of researchers to better identify health risks. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body's hormone system and produce adverse effects in both humans and wildlife. Some derive from natural sources such as plants, while others are chemicals synthesised for industrial or household products, like pesticides, flame retardants, or pharmaceuticals. Long-term exposure has been linked to medical conditions such as cancer or birth defects. Pharmaceuticals that are designed to influence the hormone system and are then excreted from the body are one example of how endocrine disruptors can get into the environment, and work is now underway to minimise their impact. 'When we design medicines, we want them to have a long-lasting effect in the body,' said Martin Ryen, CEO of Swedish company Pharem Biotech. 'That also makes it very hard to break them down in wastewater.' As part of the EU-funded DePharm project, Pharem Biotech has designed a new way of removing endocrine-disrupting chemicals in water treatment plants and have succeeded in trapping over 95 % of those transiting through a sewage treatment plant in Stockholm, Sweden. Fungi and microbes Their system involves using enzymes extracted from fungi and microbes to react with endocrine disruptors flushed down water pipes, and dismember them into harmless pieces. The filtering enzymes stay submerged and purify the water flowing through them. 'Natural enzymes are very good at breaking stuff down,' said Ryen. And they do so autonomously, in a 'circular, catalytic process. Enzymes don't get used up. They don't consume energy or require new raw materials.' Because of this, Ryen says the new method could halve costs, opening new opportunities for treating wastewater on an industrial scale. To date, filtering hormone-disrupting chemicals out of the water has involved energy-guzzling technologies that expend ozone or active carbon while they run, making these approaches too expensive to use on the scale of sewage treatment. The company plans on rolling out larger demonstration projects, notably in Sweden, the Netherlands and Malaysia. So far, the company has isolated molecules from fungi and microbes that can neutralise six varieties of endocrine disruptors, plus another 500 kinds of troublesome pharmaceutical compounds. In time, Ryen says that the enzymes could be used on a broader range of hormone-disrupting chemicals. Another approach is to find substitute chemicals that could retain the benefits of current products while ditching any potential for hormone-disrupting side effects. As part of the EU-funded project EUCLID, for example, researchers in Europe and China are investigating profitable ways of growing crops like tomatoes, leafy vegetables and grapes without using large concentrations of pesticides, which may contain endocrine disruptors. Around 4 % of the EU's vegetable imports come from China, as well as some agricultural pests, so sharing experience and test facilities makes the exchange mutually beneficial. 'We are developing more sustainable methods for managing pests, and guidelines to help farmers combine them,' said EUCLID coordinator, Dr Nicolas Desneux from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research. Early-stage researchers are being trained to look at how different endocrine disruptors mix together, which could result in potentially harmful combinations. Credit: PROTECTED The UN-endorsed techniques include spraying crops with natural pesticides based on orange oil, or releasing natural predators that prey on the pests. Success would demonstrate that today's leading economies can feed the world through healthy and sustainable farming practices and EUCLID's guidelines will be released by the end of 2018. Unmasking While pharmaceuticals and pesticides are obvious places to look for endocrine disruptors, unmasking the chemicals within modern environments can often be more challenging. Dr Lisa Connolly, a food toxin safety expert at Queen's University Belfast in the UK says that their effect on the human hormone system tends to be complicated and symptoms sometimes emerge only decades after exposure, or even in future generations. 'It is much more complex to spot these problems than purely toxic compounds,' said Dr Connolly. Although all compounds sold in the EU are tried and tested under realistic user conditions, Dr Connolly points out that in everyday life different endocrine disruptors can mix with each other. Less is known about the effects of these combinations. She is helping to train a new generation of scientists in how to assess and understand the real-life risk of these complex mixtures, with the aim that they can convert their knowledge and ideas into new tools and services to protect health. 'One of the main gaps in current understanding is how mixtures of endocrine disruptors influence our hormone system,' said Dr Connolly. She also warns of how comparatively little is known about endocrine disruptors stemming from natural toxins. 'We still don't know about all the kinds of endocrine disruptors out there.' As part of the EU-funded PROTECTED project, 15 early-stage researchers are acquiring the interdisciplinary skills needed to combine results from fields as diverse as epidemiology, computer modelling and toxicology. 'We need to train these young researchers with skills from different research areas so that they can understand the wider complexity of endocrine-disrupting chemicals,' said Dr Connolly. The project trains researchers to detect potentially harmful chemical compounds, identify their effect on living cells, predict how they will behave in the body using computer methods, and correlate the results with public health effects in population studies. Importantly, candidates are also learning to tie all this information together, notably to communicate their findings to a wider audience. The idea is to build multidisciplinary skills and expertise to help control the risks of endocrine disruptors in our surroundings and properly inform future legislators, ultimately improving health. The Issue Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are already regulated through legislation in areas including consumer products and food and feed safety. It is an evolving field of research and the EU is also funding research to better understand endocrine disruption and to develop the necessary tools for their assessment and regulation. It has allocated EUR 52 million in 2018 for research into new testing and screening methods to identify endocrine-disrupting chemicals. This sample of rock was taken from the Apex Chert, a rock formation in western Australia that is among the oldest and best-preserved rock deposits in the world, in 1982 and was soon found to contain evidence of early life on Earth. A study published by UCLA and UW-Madison scientists in 2017 used sophisticated chemical analysis to confirm the microscopic structures found in the rock are indeed biological, rendering them -- at 3.5 billion years -- the oldest fossils yet found. This is the rock after analysis in the WiscSIMS Laboratory. Credit: John Valley, UW-Madison Researchers at UCLA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have confirmed that microscopic fossils discovered in a nearly 3.5 billion-year-old piece of rock in Western Australia are the oldest fossils ever found and indeed the earliest direct evidence of life on Earth. The study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by J. William Schopf, professor of paleobiology at UCLA, and John W. Valley, professor of geoscience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The research relied on new technology and scientific expertise developed by researchers in the UW-Madison WiscSIMS Laboratory. The study describes 11 microbial specimens from five separate taxa, linking their morphologies to chemical signatures that are characteristic of life. Some represent now-extinct bacteria and microbes from a domain of life called Archaea, while others are similar to microbial species still found today. The findings also suggest how each may have survived on an oxygen-free planet. The microfossilsso called because they are not evident to the naked eyewere first described in the journal Science in 1993 by Schopf and his team, which identified them based largely on the fossils' unique, cylindrical and filamentous shapes. Schopf, director of UCLA's Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, published further supporting evidence of their biological identities in 2002. He collected the rock in which the fossils were found in 1982 from the Apex chert deposit of Western Australia, one of the few places on the planet where geological evidence of early Earth has been preserved, largely because it has not been subjected to geological processes that would have altered it, like burial and extreme heating due to plate-tectonic activity. But Schopf's earlier interpretations have been disputed. Critics argued they are just odd minerals that only look like biological specimens. However, Valley says, the new findings put these doubts to rest; the microfossils are indeed biological. "I think it's settled," he says. An example of one of the microfossils discovered in a sample of rock recovered from the Apex Chert, a rock formation in western Australia that is among the oldest and best-preserved rock deposits in the world. The fossils were first described in 1993 but a 2017 study published by UCLA and UW-Madison scientists used sophisticated chemical analysis to confirm the microscopic structures found in the rock are indeed biological, rendering them -- at 3.5 billion years -- the oldest fossils yet found. Credit: J. William Schopf, UCLA Using a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) at UW-Madison called IMS 1280one of just a handful of such instruments in the worldValley and his team, including department geoscientists Kouki Kitajima and Michael Spicuzza, were able to separate the carbon composing each fossil into its constituent isotopes and measure their ratios. Isotopes are different versions of the same chemical element that vary in their masses. Different organic substanceswhether in rock, microbe or animalcontain characteristic ratios of their stable carbon isotopes. Using SIMS, Valley's team was able to tease apart the carbon-12 from the carbon-13 within each fossil and measure the ratio of the two compared to a known carbon isotope standard and a fossil-less section of the rock in which they were found. "The differences in carbon isotope ratios correlate with their shapes," Valley says. "If they're not biological there is no reason for such a correlation. Their C-13-to-C-12 ratios are characteristic of biology and metabolic function." Based on this information, the researchers were also able to assign identities and likely physiological behaviors to the fossils locked inside the rock, Valley says. The results show that "these are a primitive, but diverse group of organisms," says Schopf. The team identified a complex group of microbes: phototrophic bacteria that would have relied on the sun to produce energy, Archaea that produced methane, and gammaproteobacteria that consumed methane, a gas believed to be an important constituent of Earth's early atmosphere before oxygen was present. It took Valley's team nearly 10 years to develop the processes to accurately analyze the microfossilsfossils this old and rare have never been subjected to SIMS analysis before. The study builds on earlier achievements at WiscSIMS to modify the SIMS instrument, to develop protocols for sample preparation and analysis, and to calibrate necessary standards to match as closely as possible the hydrocarbon content to the samples of interest. The Apex Chert, a rock formation in western Australia that is among the oldest and best-preserved rock deposits in the world. In 1982, at the site pictured here, a team of geologists sampled rock that was ultimately found to contain microfossils of the oldest life yet described on Earth. Pictured are UW-Madison geoscience researchers on a field trip to the site in 2010. Credit: John Valley, UW-Madison In preparation for SIMS analysis, the team needed to painstakingly grind the original sample down as slowly as possible to expose the delicate fossils themselvesall suspended at different levels within the rock and encased in a hard layer of quartzwithout actually destroying them. Spicuzza describes making countless trips up and down the stairs in the department as geoscience technician Brian Hess ground and polished each microfossil in the sample, one micrometer at a time. Each microfossil is about 10 micrometers wide; eight of them could fit along the width of a human hair. Valley and Schopf are part of the Wisconsin Astrobiology Research Consortium, funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute, which exists to study and understand the origins, the future and the nature of life on Earth and throughout the universe. Studies such as this one, Schopf says, indicate life could be common throughout the universe. But importantly, here on Earth, because several different types of microbes were shown to be already present by 3.5 billion years ago, it tells us that "life had to have begun substantially earliernobody knows how much earlierand confirms it is not difficult for primitive life to form and to evolve into more advanced microorganisms," says Schopf. Earlier studies by Valley and his team, dating to 2001, have shown that liquid water oceans existed on Earth as early as 4.3 billion years ago, more than 800 million years before the fossils of the present study would have been alive, and just 250 million years after the Earth formed. "We have no direct evidence that life existed 4.3 billion years ago but there is no reason why it couldn't have," says Valley. "This is something we all would like to find out." UW-Madison has a legacy of pushing back the accepted dates of early life on Earth. In 1953, the late Stanley Tyler, a geologist at the university who passed away in 1963 at the age of 57, was the first person to discover microfossils in Precambrian rocks. This pushed the origins of life back more than a billion years, from 540 million to 1.8 billion years ago. "People are really interested in when life on Earth first emerged," Valley says. "This study was 10 times more time-consuming and more difficult than I first imagined, but it came to fruition because of many dedicated people who have been excited about this since day one ... I think a lot more microfossil analyses will be made on samples of Earth and possibly from other planetary bodies." More information: J. William Schopf el al., "SIMS analyses of the oldest known assemblage of microfossils document their taxon-correlated carbon isotope compositions," PNAS (2017). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1718063115 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences In the years since World War II, as the global geopolitical map was drawn and redrawn along ideological lines, the world witnessed ascension of many authoritarians. They often ruled for long stretches, but eventually most faced a political reckoning. The people they governed no longer accepted their authority and demanded change. The fate of authoritarians in the aftermath of such crises is the subject of a new study in the journal Party Politics written by Stanford political scientist Anna Grzymala-Busse. At such inflection points, she says, authoritarians face a choice: they can cling to power, albeit by ceding a certain degree of control, or they can exit governing altogether, either by dissolving the party entirely or, more dramatically, by reinventing themselves as democrats. Newly minted democrats It was these reinventors the newly minted democrats that intrigued Grzymala-Busse the most. She found that while many enjoyed initial electoral success, most ended up losing power in the long run. "Paradoxically," Grzymala-Busse said, "this fate seems to flow precisely from the decision to reinvent their organizations, their political symbols and their state programs to fit the norms of free political competition." In adopting democratic rhetoric and standards of competence, it seems, the parties find initial success, but then are unable to sustain newfound democratic philosophies and programs. They hoist themselves on their own petards, as she put it in her paper, alluding to Shakespeare's Hamlet. These reinvented parties often attract new politicians who are more entrepreneurial than their predecessors. Those new faces, however, often prove to be mere opportunists. The resulting scandals destroy party credibility and contribute to an unending downward political spiral. Ironically, Grzymala-Busse found that the best choice for authoritarians is simply to cling to power "counting on a loyal if unhappy electorate," even if it means ceding much of their once-monopolistic grip on power to democratic reforms. 81 governments studied For her study, Grzymala-Busse examined and quantified the resulting political denouements of 81 authoritarian governments spanning the period from 1945 to 2015. Countries studied include the former Soviet Bloc, China, Cuba, several in Southeast Asia, many African nations and Mexico. The governing systems ranged from the communism of the Soviet Bloc and socialism to secular state-building and rule for the sake of national security. The success of the reinventors can be rapid and remarkable, but so too can be the demise. Grzymala-Busse noted that the Hungarian Socialist Party won 43 percent of the vote and 49 percent of the seats in 2006, only to succumb to allegations of deception, mismanagement and fraud soon afterward. In Poland, the Democratic and Left Alliance (SLD), which won 41 percent of the vote in 2001, watched as its power steeply declined in the subsequent decade until the party dissolved entirely in 2011. "Those who reinvented shone more brightly for a brief time, but burned out. Those who chose orthodoxy never enjoyed the great success of the reinventors, but they survived," she said. And what of those authoritarians who choose neither to remain nor to reinvent? Grzymala said that they simply dissolve back into society where former members often capitalize on their connections to become captains of industry. "Some become oligarchs," she said, "retaining power by other means." Lessons on change The takeaway of her study for at-risk authoritarians, Grzymala-Busse said, is that reinvention alone is not enough to carry the party. New parties cannot survive as the remnants of their former selves. They must become entirely new organizations with viable programmatic approaches. Likewise, she said, when newly minted democrats hail competence as a competitive advantage, they must make good on the promise. If they fall short, they face exceptionally harsh outcomes at the polls. "The irony is, without real change, the parties that built democracy by supporting free elections fall victim to those same democratic forces they championed." More information: Anna Grzymala-Busse. Hoist on their own petards? The reinvention and collapse of authoritarian successor parties, Party Politics (2017). DOI: 10.1177/1354068817740336 The sensor is made from a quantum material that, surprisingly, functions well in the cold, ambient temperatures typical of seawater . Credit: Purdue University image/Marshall Farthing A "quantum material" that mimics a shark's ability to detect the minute electric fields of small prey has been shown to perform well in ocean-like conditions, with potential applications from defense to marine biology. The material maintains its functional stability and does not corrode after being immersed in saltwater, a prerequisite for ocean sensing. Surprisingly, it also functions well in the cold, ambient temperatures typical of seawater, said Shriram Ramanathan, a Purdue professor of materials engineering. Such a technology might be used to study ocean organisms and ecosystems and to monitor the movement of ships for military and commercial maritime applications. "So, it has potentially very broad interest in many disciplines," said Ramanathan, who led research to develop the sensor, working with a team that included Purdue postdoctoral research associate Zhen Zhang and graduate student Derek Schwanz. Findings are detailed in a research paper appearing online Dec. 18 in the journal Nature. The paper's lead authors were Zhang and Schwanz, working with colleagues at Argonne National Laboratory, Rutgers University, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Canadian Light Source at the University of Saskatchewan, Columbia University, and the University of Massachusetts. A complete list of co-authors is included in the abstract. The new sensor was inspired by an organ near a shark's mouth called the ampullae of Lorenzini, which is capable of detecting small electric fields from prey animals. "This organ is able to interact with its environment by exchanging ions from seawater, imparting the so-called sixth sense to sharks," Zhang said. The organ contains a jelly that conducts ions from seawater to a specialized membrane located at the bottom of the ampulla. Sensing cells in the membrane allow the shark to detect bioelectric fields emitted by prey fish. The new sensor is made of a material called samarium nickelate, which is a quantum material, meaning its performance taps into quantum mechanical interactions. Samarium nickelate is in a class of quantum materials called strongly correlated electron systems, which have exotic electronic and magnetic properties. Because this material can conduct protons very fast, the researchers wondered whether they might develop a sensor that mimics the shark's organ. "We have been working on this for a few years," Ramanathan said. "We show that these sensors can detect electrical potentials well below one volt, on the order of millivolts, which is comparable to electric potentials emanated by marine organisms. The material is very sensitive. We calculated the detection distance of our device and find a similar length scale to what has been reported for electroreceptors in sharks." The quantum effect causes the material to undergo a dramatic "phase change" from a conductor to an insulator, which allows it to act as a sensitive detector. The material also exchanges mass with the environment, as protons from the water move into the material and then return to the water, going back and forth. "Having a material like that is very powerful," Schwanz said. Metals such as aluminum, for example, immediately form an oxide coating when placed in seawater. The reaction protects against corrosion but prevents further interaction with the environment. "Here, we start with the oxide material and we are able to maintain its functionality, which is very rare," Ramanathan said. The material also changes optical properties, becoming more transparent as it becomes more insulating. "If the material transmits light differently, then you can use light as a probe to study the property of the material and that is very powerful. Now you have multiple ways to study a material, electrically and optically." The material was tested by immersing it in simulated ocean water environments designed to cover the wide ranges of temperature and pH found across earth's oceans. In future work, researchers plan to test the devices in real oceans instead and may team with biologists to apply the technology to broader studies. A technique called neutron reflectometry was performed at NIST. Adding protons to the crystal lattice of the quantum material causes the lattice to swell slightly. Shining a neutron beam on the material allows researchers to detect this swelling and determine that the protons moved into the material. "Neutrons are very sensitive to hydrogen, making neutron reflectometry the ideal technique to determine whether or not the swelling and huge resistance change is caused by hydrogen entering the material from salt water," said Joseph Dura, a NIST physicist. Researchers manufactured the device at Purdue using a method called physical vapor deposition. More information: Perovskite Nickelates as Electric Field Sensors in Salt Water, Nature (2017). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature25008 Journal information: Nature Different gut bacteria in honey bees, whether they are helpful or harmful to the host, spread antibiotic-resistant genes to each other. Credit: Christofer Bang It's the kind of thing you might lose sleep over. How will humans survive serious infections in the future if we're running out of tools today to fight them? Antibiotic resistance among disease-causing bacteria is of global concern, as some last-resort drugs can no longer cure common illnesses such as urinary tract infections. To make matters worse, researchers from Arizona State University and Norwegian University of Life Sciences have discovered that our very own gut bacteria may be perpetuating the resistance. Scientists uncovered this startling finding while investigating the microbial life in honey bee guts. "To our surprise, we found that instead of one gut bacterium acquiring resistance and outcompeting all the other gut bacteria in honey bees, the resistance genes spread in the bacterial community so that all strains of bacteria survived," said Gro Amdam, a professor with ASU School of Life Sciences and co-author of the paper. The finding was published in the current issue of the journal Molecular Ecology. In the study, scientists investigated gut bacteria in honey bees to explore the question, "What happens to gut bacteria when they are exposed to antibiotics over a long period of time?" While honey bees have a simpler microbial community in their guts compared to humans, they also have features in common. In this study, researchers focused on microbes that are resistant to tetracycline. In addition to use in human medicine, tetracycline is an antibiotic that has been widely used for decades to promote growth in animals -- often in chicken, cattle and pig farming. It's also commonly sprayed on plants, including apple and pear trees, to prevent diseases such as fire blight, which can devastate crops. In the US, tetracycline has been used even on organic farms. In Norway, rules on antibiotic use in farming of any kind are much stricter.The scientists compared the antibiotic-resistant genes in honey bee populations from Arizona and Norway. There were surprising geographic differences.When the research team studied the antibiotic-resistant genes in the Arizona honey bee population, they found six different variants of this genetic resistance -- each variant is the product of a mutation within the gene. In the bee population in Norway, the team found only one adaptation. Credit: Asmund Andersen "There is an important similarity between honey bee and human gut bacteria, in that some bacteria are in symbiosis with the hostthese are important for host health," said Jane Ludvigsen, a doctoral student with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and lead author of the paper. "The bacteria we investigated are symbiotic for the honey bee, and they each have important functions. Because they must all be there for the host to be well, we think this is the reason that antibiotic-resistant genes have spread to all." Overuse of antibiotics In this study, researchers focused on microbes that are resistant to tetracycline. In addition to use in human medicine, tetracycline is an antibiotic that has been widely used for decades to promote growth in animalsoften in chicken, cattle and pig farming. It's also commonly sprayed on plants, including apple and pear trees, to prevent diseases such as fire blight, which can devastate crops. In the U.S., tetracycline has been used even on organic farms. In Norway, rules on antibiotic use in farming of any kind are much stricter. The scientists compared the antibiotic-resistant genes in honey bee populations from Arizona and Norway. There were surprising geographic differences. "In the bees from Arizona, we saw that even though they have not been in contact with tetracycline for many years, the resistance genes are still there," said Ludvigsen. "Also, in the Norwegian population, we found some antibiotic-resistant genes, but few. "I think that if there are more resistance genes in the environment, more transfer happens. Also, if the bees are exposed to tetracycline in their environment, they may need to get and keep the resistance genes. Tetracycline is used still in the U.S., so that might be a trigger. That deserves further study, as it was not the focus of this paper." Antibiotic use in farming and human health leads to bacteria acquiring resistance (indicated by a + sign in the illustration). Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment are picked up by honey bees during pollination. In the bee's gut, genetic material for resistance "jumps" to natural gut bacteria, which can spread resistance further. Overuse of antibiotics (USA) leads to more widespread and elaborate patterns or resistance (indicated by multiple colors of + signs). Restricted antibiotic use (Norway) leads to limited and less complex patterns of resistance. Credit: ASU VisLab When the research team studied the antibiotic-resistant genes in the Arizona honey bee population, they found six different variants of this genetic resistanceeach variant is the product of a mutation within the gene. In the bee population in Norway, the team found only one adaptation. Amdam said one way to think about it is this: Tetracycline-resistant microbes are everywhere. They are in the dirt, on plants and animals, and even inside us. But given enough time, without exposure to antibiotics, some of this resistance should go away. One factor needed for antibiotic resistance to remain prevalent is to keep the selective pressure on. This is why Amdam and Ludvigsen say it's important to reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics in both agriculture and farming, and limit unnecessary use in human health as much as possible. Antibiotic-resistant microbes in humans Many people believe that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are mainly found in places such as hospitals. And although dangerous microbes can be found there, they are also found in our everyday environments. "Our paper predicts that if there is already antibiotic resistance in your gut, then most or all of your gut microbes will also carry this resistance. Basically, we've become potent reservoirs for carrying antibiotic-resistant genes," said Amdam. "This is not good news from an epidemiological point of view. If our paper is right, then from what we see in the U.S. and Norway, you can keep accumulating multiple versions of antibiotic-resistant genes. If pathogenic bacteria pass through your body, they can also pick up this resistance." The researchers say one next step could be to study how the bees' gut selects for certain kinds of bacteria, and not others. For example, in humans, we know that the immune system is involved in accommodating the "right" gut bacteria, but the role of the honey bee immune system is largely unknown. More information: Jane Ludvigsen et al, Geographically widespread honeybee-gut symbiont subgroups show locally distinct antibiotic-resistant patterns, Molecular Ecology (2017). DOI: 10.1111/mec.14392 Journal information: Molecular Ecology The structure of the new substance. Credit: Maksim Molokeev. A physicist from Siberian Federal University (SFU) and Kirensky Institute of Physics Federal Research Center KSC SB RAS (IF) has described the structure and properties of a new substance obtained by his Chinese colleagues. These are layered crystals of rare earth metal hydroxides Ln 2 (OH) 4 SO 4 (Ln=Eu-Lu, Y) that may be eco-friendly sources of phosphors (substances that transform different energies into light emission) for panels, screens and other electronic devices. The discovery was reported by Chemistry: A European Journal. As usual, the discovery happened by chance. Chinese researchers synthesized a new powder substance mixing rare earth metal nitrates with ammonia sulfates and hydrates. The compound contained rare earth elements, and therefore had luminescent properties. However, its spectrum was unique and inconsistent with any expected result. Scientists were surprised to learn that its X-ray pattern was not comparable to any other from their database. Therefore, the substance not only had new composition, but belonged to a whole new class of compounds. First of all, the researchers had to characterize the substance's crystal structure to determine the atoms it consists of and their location relative to each other. "What was difficult about it is that we were unable to obtain the substance in the form of a monocrystal, so standard single-crystal X-ray methods could not be used. Determining structure from powder is a very complicated task that requires vast experience and knowledge," said Maksim Molokeev, a co-author of the work, candidate of physical and mathematical sciences, senior researcher of Kirensky Institute of Physics, and a senior tutor at SFU. This was the task that Chinese scientists asked Maksim Molokeev to solve. He managed to successfully decode the X-ray pattern of the powder. It turned out that the new material consisted of SO 42 - tetrahedra and ions of rare earth elements surrounded by atoms of oxygen in the form of a three-caped trigonal prism. The SO 42 - tetrahedra were disordered in several positions, i.e. these structural elements constantly changed their orientation in space and time (making the interpretation of the structure even more difficult). After the structure of this layered compound was determined, it confirmed its unique nature. The substance was really a part of a new previously unknown class. Moreover, the researchers found out that the compound had very rare and valuable properties. When it is heated to 800 C, water is evaporated, leaving industrially useful phosphor appropriate for screens. Traditional production methods are "dirty," and cause emissions of toxic by-products. The new substance achieves the desired results in an eco-friendly way. In the future, new iso-structural compounds (i.e. the compounds in which ions are replaced with different ones without material structural changes) are likely to be added to this class of substances. These new compounds may be used in the manufacturing of catalysts, microelectronics. UV protection, and other prospective scientific and technical areas. Provided by Siberian Federal University Mini coal-fired CHP plant on the basis of synthesis gas generator (CO + H2) and electrochemical current generator (experiment/factory). Credit: Sergey Shcheklein Bituminous coal comprises over 90 percent of organic fuels in the lithosphere of the Earth. Burning coal and other fossil fuels powers electricity generation (which is mainly happening at HPPs). However, the existing generation methods are not efficient, bad for the environment, and extremely resource-demanding (i.e. producing a lot of waste). Coal production and burning result in soil and air pollution, and adversely influence flora and fauna. If fossil fuels could be directly converted into electrical energy, this would simplify and at the same time improve the structure of electrical power plants. Such direct conversion is possible with the use of electrochemical generators fueled with natural gas or mixtures with similar composition. The team of scientists suggested an unusual scheme for the production of syngas (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide that is used as a replacement for natural fuels) from bituminous coal and analyzed the efficiency of its use in an electrochemical generator. It turned out that the new development may be used instead of coal burning that is environmentally unfriendly and non-productive and make the process greener and waste-free. All products generated by the new unit may be either liquefied and buried or used in the manufacturing of industry-important substances such as ethanol, ethylene, or other hydrocarbons. "Our task was to replace a unique productnatural gaswith bituminous coal, simultaneously improving energy and ecological characteristics of the units compared to the existing coal power plants. The technology proved to be very effective in joint generation of electrical and heat energy, while the configuration of the unit is much simpler," said Sergey Schecklein, a co-author of the article. Syngas was generated in a unit with a boiling layer developed at UrFU under the guidance of professor Alexey Dubinin. It increases the intensity of reactions multiple times, leading to the manufacture of a cleaner final product. After its purification, the scientists put the product into a high-temperature solid oxide fuel cell where electrical energy was generated as a result of a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the air. The remaining hydrogen and carbon monoxide were transferred to a waste heat boiler where heat energy required for the technological process and generators was produced in the course of a burning reaction. WHB combustion products contain no cinder or sulfur and therefore no deep purification is needed. The work consisted of two stages: a theoretical and an experimental one. During the first stage, the scientists considered energy, physical and chemical processes that take place in the suggested unit scheme, and determined its main energy characteristics. The suggested technological scheme provided for the same fuel efficiency characteristics as cutting-edge solutions using fuels in short supply, such as oil and gas. During the experimental stage of the work, scientists obtained syngas from coal fuel. It is a quite energy-intensive and easily transportable material. The authors studied the composition of the gas in a wide range of regimes and determined the area of maximum boiling layer stability and efficient gas generation. Research in this area is being carried out all over the world with the U.S., China and Germany among the leaders. Still, the Russian solution is unique. Right now, the team negotiates the development of demo units with industry partners. The next step will be the scaling of the unit and the launch of its mass production. "The obtained results may lay the ground for the new energy sector of the 21st century," concluded the scientist. More information: A.M. Dubinin et al, Mini coal-fired CHP plant on the basis of synthesis gas generator (CO + H2) and electrochemical current generator, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.06.190 Journal information: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy At a time of growing human impacts, spending on environmental protection is more important than ever. Australia's native plants and animals are integral to the success of our society. We depend on wildlife to pollinate many of our crops. Most of our cities depend on effective water catchments to provide clean water. And medical scientists are making important breakthroughs in managing disease and health issues based on discoveries in nature. The mental health benefits of a "dose of nature" are becoming more widely recognised, on top of our own experiences of having fun and enjoying the natural wonders of national parks. Our nature inspires us in all kinds of ways, and you can build major industries around that; the Great Barrier Reef is reportedly worth A$56 billion to the Australian economy. It is therefore surprising, on one hand, to read the Australian Conservation Foundation and WWF Australia budget submission that the Australian government has slashed environmental spending by one third since 2013. On the other hand, I'm not especially surprised because we ecologists have been living through the ongoing attack on the environment every day. We see how cuts to environmental budgets play out. Our native species and ecosystems are under growing pressure. Australia's 1.6% annual population growth outstrips many other countries. This is compounded by rises in per-capita consumption and greenhouse emissions. Escalating consumption translates into growing impacts on biodiversity as more land is released for housing and infrastructure, extractive industries such as mining, recreational and industrial fishing expand and agriculture intensifies. Climate change further interacts with land clearing associated with producing more for a growing and greedier population. Many species are expected to have to shift their range as the environmental conditions they live in move, and if they can't move because there is no habitat to move through, extinctions will result. State of the Environment reports document the extent of the problem. For example, between 2011 and 2015, there was a 66% increase in the number of critically endangered animals (from 38 in 2011 to 63 in 2015), and a 28% increase in critically endangered plants (112 in 2011; 143 in 2015). By critically endangered, we mean that extinction is a real possibility in the short term for these species. Immediate action is needed if we are to avoid terminating millions of years of independent evolution, as these biological lineages die out. Given the extraordinary value of biodiversity and the extreme and growing threats, it would make sense to maximise our spending on biodiversity conservation now, to protect our wildlife through this period of peak human. This Christmas Island Forest Skink was the last known member of her species. Credit: Director of National Parks/Supplied Key areas for investment include creating an effective national reserve system, at least meeting the arbitrary international goals of 17% of the land and 10% of the sea area. Funding is needed to manage the reserve system, containing threats and nurturing already threatened species. Meanwhile, outside of reserves where most of the people live and interact with nature, biodiversity needs to be provided for, and threats need to be managed. Biosecurity is a critical area for funding, particularly to more tightly regulate rogue industries, like horticulture. Horticulture was recently responsible for introducing myrtle rust, a disease that is devastating many gum-tree relatives, in the family Myrtaceae. Finally, climate change demands a strong response, both in mitigation and adaptation. Science and environment work needs funding I've never seen so many fantastic, skilled, enthusiastic young ecologists struggling to get a job. At a time when ecologists and conservation scientists are needed more than ever to help solve the problems created by the growth economy, funding for ecology is at a low. Of course, beyond the people, we see conservation programs in desperate need of support that just isn't forthcoming. Christmas Island is a case in point. The island's reptiles have been devastated by invasive pests, most likely the wolf snake and perhaps the giant centipede. Two endemic species (species that only lived on Christmas Island) are presumed extinct; the last known forest skink died in 2014. Two other endemic species are extinct in the wild, but small populations of around 1,000 animals are kept in captivity on the island and at Taronga Zoo. While ideally a population of at least 5,000 would be maintained to minimise loss of genetic diversity, funding is not available to house that many animals. And it's rock-bottom budget accommodation; Lister's geckos are housed in tents because the budget doesn't stretch to building something permanent. We've also seen important long term research programs defunded. Long-term data provides crucial insights into how our biodiversity responds to decadal changes in weather patterns as well as longer-term changes caused by the greenhouse effect. It is unimaginable that the government have slashed the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's funding so far that well-established long-term data series are now being compromised. Ultimately, the environmental funding shortfall needs to be fixed. Our livelihoods and well-being depend on it. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The proposed system of marking attendance will be enforced with the help of an app, for which the university will provide professors with tablets. By Arpan Rai: Teachers at Delhi University (DU) are not sold on the idea of the soon-to-be-introduced digital attendance-recording system for students. While some professors say the centralised application-based hourly mechanism is going to benefit teachers bearing the brunt of "smart" students capable of dodging attendance, others believe that it is only going to "cage them". The proposed system of marking attendance will be enforced with the help of an app, for which the university will provide professors with tablets. advertisement Some professors have highlighted that many teachers avoid getting monitored as classes are often rescheduled, which is a cause for concern. "The teachers are wondering how such changes will be accommodated," a professor said, requesting anonymity. In contrast with the current method of recording attendance manually on a monthly basis, the new application will mark a student's presence or absence immediately. The teachers will be given a 15 minute window to register a student's attendance after the lecture, making the process a transparent and everyday affair, say professors working on the app. Member of DU's executive council and professor of Rajdhani College Rajesh Jha, said the issue of tracking teachers' attendance was rejected by members in 2009. "Professors had not approved the biometric method of tracking teachers in the university. The latest app-based method has also been kept out of university's academic council and executive council's agenda and is being slyly introduced," he said. A professor working on this centralised application pointed out that at present the compilation of the records by teachers takes a lot of time and this will come down to zero with the app. Principal at Aryabhatta College, Manoj Sinha, said such app-based systems are being used in top educational institutions around the world such as the London School of Economics and Harvard. "With this move, compliance by teachers is likely to improve and everyday monitoring will help address acts of smartness by students, which is often bordering on criminal behavior, to corner teachers," Sinha said. The centralised method of marking attendance has been introduced on a pilot basis in colleges facing problems. The list includes Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Shivaji College, Lakshmibai College and Aryabhatta college. --- ENDS --- Lavoisiera canastrensis, a new princess flower from Brazil. Credit: Frank Almeda 1998 California Academy of Sciences In 2017, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 85 new plant and animal species to the family tree, enriching our understanding of Earth's complex web of life and strengthening our ability to make informed conservation decisions. The new species include 16 flowering plants, one elephant-shrew, 10 sharks, 22 fish, three scorpions, seven ants, 13 nudibranchs, seven spiders, three wasps, one fossil sand dollar, one deepwater coral, and one lizard. More than a dozen Academy scientistsalong with several dozen international collaboratorsdescribed the discoveries. Proving that our planet contains unexplored places with never-before-recorded plants and animals, the scientists made their finds over five continents and three oceans, venturing into vast deserts, diving to extreme depths, and scouring rugged mountain ranges. Their results help advance the Academy's mission to explore, explain, and sustain life on Earth. "Despite tireless efforts to explore from the far-flung corners of the globe to our backyard crannies," says Dr. Shannon Bennett, Academy Chief of Science, "scientists estimate that more than 90 percent of species have yet to be discoveredwith many going extinct before we even know they exist. We are not only losing members of the tree of life; we are also forfeiting potential breakthroughs in medicine, agricultural pollinators, water purifiers, and many other critical components of a healthy planet. Our understanding of sustainable ecosystemsand the diversity of species comprising themwill help us chart a successful way forward for the future of all life on Earth." Below are a few highlights from the 85 new species described by the Academy in 2017. Plateau princesses Every spring, plants in the princess flower family color the rocky plateaus in Southeastern Brazil with flowers ranging from shades of purple, magenta, and pink to white, yellow, and orange. "The plants have evolved small, thick leaves to retain water during the dry season and a woody underground root for water storage and weathering periodic fires," says emeritus curator of botany Dr. Frank Almeda. Lavoisiera canastrensisone of several new species described this yearis critically endangered. This species is known from fewer than a dozen populations that grow on a single loaf-like mountaintop in Brazil's Serra da Canastra National Parktheir only known habitat on Earth. Roa rumsfeldi from the twilight zone A newly described species of brown-and-white, charismatic butterflyfish made a fantastic, 7,000-mile journey before surprising scientists with its unknown status. Live specimens collected from 360 feet beneath the ocean's surface in the Philippine's Verde Island Passage escaped special notice until a single black fin spine tipped off aquarium biologists back in San Francisco."We named this reef fish Roa rumsfeldi because, as Donald Rumsfeld once said, some things are truly 'unknown unknowns,'" says senior author Dr. Luiz Rocha, Academy curator of ichthyology and co-leader of its Hope for Reefs initiative to research, explore, and sustain global reefs. Roa rumsfeldi joins 21 other fish, including a catfish from China (described by Senior Collections Manager David Catania and Academy research associate Dr. William Poly) and twenty new reef fish (described by Academy research associate Dr. Mark Erdmann, also of Conservation International). Rhynchocyon stuhlmanni, a new elephant-shrew from the Congo Basin. Credit: Jabruson / NPL / Minden Pictures Sea slugs galore Academy curator of invertebrate zoology Dr. Terry Gosliner has discovered one thousand species of sea slugs (and counting)over half of all species known to scienceand this year he formally describes 13 of his finds. Eight of the new species were described from the Philippines and are members of the bat-wing family. Unlike most sea slugs, they are capable of swimming. "They have tiny 'wings' on the side that they flap to move through the water," says Gosliner. He named one species Siphopteron dumbo given its resemblance to the famed flying elephant. Three new species join the club-tailed scorpions A painstaking revision of a large group of Neotropical "club-tailed" scorpions led to three new descriptions of colorful species (and two new groups) hailing from the tropical regions of North, Central, and South America. "One wild thing about this group is that many species have the unique ability to make sounds by rubbing a specialized comb-like structure against their sandpaper-like abdomen," says arachnology curator Dr. Lauren Esposito. She says the warning is audible to the human ear, "sounding like a hiss, or a maraca shaking," and is likely a loud way to tell predators: back off. Meet night blooms, where bats loom For one month out of the year, a rare flowering tree in the Oaxaca region of Mexico opens creamy white blooms around mid-afternoon. Hummingbirds visit until the light fades, and at dusk, bats arrive to pollinate throughout the night. By dawn, the flowers have dropped and the treerecently named Louteridium dendropilosum by emeritus botany curator Dr. Tom Danielis already preparing a fresh set of blooms for the next afternoon. Welcome back to an elephant-shrew In a triumphant return, Academy scientists elevated a subspecies of elephant-shrew known as Rhynchocyon stuhlmanni back to its original full species status. These small mammals are more closely related to elephants, sea cows, and aardvarks than to true shrews. "Understanding the evolutionary relationships among elephant-shrews has proven particularly challenging given they have relatively few differentiating physical traits," says co-author and mammalogy curator Dr. Jack Dumbacher. "Cutting-edge genetic tools paired with preserved museum specimens has greatly aided in our ability to make modern discoveries." Siphopteron dumbo, a new species of sea slug from the Philippines. Credit: Terry Gosliner 2017 California Academy of Sciences Ants come marching one by (seven) This year seven new species of ants join the tree of life in their march toward global domination. (Ants rival humans having colonized almost every landmass on Earth.) One new species, collected in Taiwan, was described from the Stigmatomma genus of 'Dracula ants' infamous for drinking the blood of their larvae. "Members of this cryptic group are rarely collected," says postdoctoral researcher Dr. Flavia Esteves. "It's an exciting new species to describe since it spends the entirety of its life beneath the soil or inside rotten logs." Entomology curator Dr. Brian Fisher has uncovered numerous Dracula ants in Madagascar, where he opened the nation's first biodiversity center and has spent two decades researching insect diversity. This year he discovered an additional six species from the island, increasing his impressive career tally to over 1,000 new ant finds. Ghost sharks revealed From "Austin's guitarfish" to the "Long-nosed African spurdog," many recently described species of sharks sound like cartoon characters from a faraway world. Indeed, several new finds from the ghost shark group are "rarely encountered because they inhabit great depths of over 7,000 feet," says ichthyology research associate Dr. David Ebert, who tallied ten new species of sharks and rays this year. "However, as commercial fisheries move into deeper waters these species are being discovered and described at a higher rate than ever." Shapes of the deep In a 2011 deepwater exploration of the Philippines' Verde Island Passagethe "center of the center" of marine biodiversitya beam trawl drew an octocoral from over 1,000 feet beneath the surface. (Octocorals are distinguished from other corals by the eight tentacles on their polyps.) But it would take close inspection to confirm the denizen of the deep as a new-to-science find. "By using an electron microscope, I was able to pinpoint a distinguishing featuretiny mineralized structures known as spicules that are common to all octocorals were markedly rectangular in shape," says octocoral expert and invertebrate zoology curator Dr. Gary Williams, who formally described the species as Grasshoffia profundica (which means deep) this year. Peaceful wolf spiders Research associate Dr. Charles Griswold and his team described seven new spiders this year, and two are named in honor of peace. Devendra saama and Devendra amaiti are false wolf spiders that skitter across their only known home in the southern highlands of Sri Lanka. Both names mean peace in the prominent languages of the nationSinhalese and Tamiland were chosen "to express our gratitude that the 26-year civil war has ended and our hope that Sri Lanka continues to live in harmony," says Griswold. The sequence starts with solar minimum in 1996, shows the progression to solar max in 2001, and the return to solar minimum in 2006. Credit: Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Scientists from Skoltech, the University of Graz and the Royal Observatory of Belgium have developed a method to forecast the strength of the 11-year solar activity cycle. The results of this study may shed light into the process by which magnetic fields are generated on the sun. This is key, as these magnetic fields affect health and the operability of various earthbound devices. Following the invention of the telescope, astronomers Galileo Galileo, Thomas Harriot, Christoph Scheiner and Jan Fabricius discovered spots on the sun's disk. But it would be another 250 years before it was understood that the sun's behavior is subject to 11-year cycles. The 11-year periodicity of solar activity was accidentally discovered in the 19th century by German chemist Henry Schwabe. He was fond of astronomy, and with the help of an amateur telescope, sought to find a hypothetical small planet inside the orbit of Mercury. He never found the planet, but thanks to systematic observations he discovered the cycles of solar activity. At present, such sunspots observations are carried out twice a day throughout the year by observatories around the world and the prediction of the 11-year solar cycle is very important in many areas of human activity in space and on Earth. At the start of the 20th century, renowned Russian scientist Alexander Chizhevsky proposed the idea of space weather and laid the foundation for the emergence of a new branch of science exploring the relationship between the sun and the Earth. He theorized that solar wind constantly flows from the solar corona, the atmosphere of the sun. This wind is a stream of charged particles that blows toward the Earth and other planets of the solar system. The solar wind carries the energy of the sun, and stretches and carries the solar magnetic field into outer space. As a result, the entire solar system is affected by the solar wind and the solar magnetic field. And since the sun rotates, the magnetic field in the interplanetary space takes the form of wavy spiral folds, like a ballerina's skirt. The Earth and all the planets of the solar system exist within these folds. People regularly take solar activity forecasts into account. Switching satellites into safe mode during active events on the sun can prevent disruption of the operation of solar cells and key satellite systems. Space weather can pose a threat to astronauts in space, who face significant radiation exposure and the risk of radiation sickness. Active events on the sun can lead to interference in the propagation of radio signals. Space weather affects the radiation doses that airline pilots and passengers receive, especially with transpolar flights. The timely forecasting of space weather is of great importance for the aviation industry and the protection of a number of ground-based technical systems, as well as for manned space flights and the launching of scientific and commercial satellites. The solar cycle begins with the birth of sunspots on the sun's poles. As the cycle develops, more sunspots emerge, moving from the poles to the sun's equator. During lulls in solar activity, when sunspots on the sun are practically absent, the magnetic field of the sun looks like an ordinary magnet, with circular magnetic lines and two poles. Since the equator of the sun rotates faster than the poles, during the rotation of the sun, the magnetic field is tangled like thread. As we approach peak solar activity, the usual magnetic field with two poles turns into a lot of local magnetic fields on the surface of the sun, in the atmosphere of the sun, the entangled loops that contain solar matter. These can be thrown out as flares and coronal mass ejections and reach the Earth. Consequently, during peak solar activity, the number of active events on the sun increases substantially. On the other hand, at the peak of its activity, the solar magnetic field is so strong that it forces out galactic cosmic rays from the solar system. These pose a great danger to technological systems in space. Every 11 years, the poles of the sun switch; the southern pole takes the place of the northern one, and vice versa. This is a complex process that has not been fully understood. The solar dynamo model is one of the most complex nonlinear problems in mathematical physics. Each solar cycle is assigned a number; for example, we are now approaching of the nadir of the 24th cycle of solar activity. The scientific goal is to predict the strength of the 25th cycle as early as possible. Scientists from Skoltech, the University of Graz and the Royal Observatory of Belgium have developed a method that makes it possible to forecast the strength of the next 11-year cycle far in advance of what was previously thought possible namely, during the peak of the current solar cycle. In other words, once the current solar cycle peaks and the poles of the sun swap places, researchers will know how strong the next 11-year cycle will be. These discoveries contribute to the study of the solar dynamo. The analysis revealed that short-term variability of solar activity in the declining phase of a cycle is related to the strength of the following cycle. Sudden variations of activity in the declining phase are associated with a slowdown of the decline of the sunspots, which can be evidence of activity that manifests itself as a larger amplitude in the next cycle. In the current study, a new and robust method is introduced to quantify the short-term variations of sunspot activity around the peak of a current cycle, producing a relevant indicator with predictive power for the strength of the ensuing cycle. According to the forecast, the future solar activity will be low and the strength of the next 25th cycle of solar activity will be even lower than the current cycle. The results of the study are published in the The Astrophysical Journal. "Space weather is the science of the future. It's what unites us all, makes our lives better, allows us to take care of our planet. This is the next step in the exploration of outer space. And whatever storms are raging, we wish you good weather in space," said Skoltech Professor Tatyana Podladchikova, the study's lead author. More information: Podladchikova, T., Linden, R. Van Der, & Veronig, A. M. (2017). Sunspot Number Second Differences as a Precursor of the Following 11-year Sunspot Cycle. The Astrophysical Journal, 850(1), 81. doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa93ef Journal information: Astrophysical Journal An American military C-130 cargo plane converted for Antarctic radar surveys at Williams Field in Antarcticas McMurdo Sound. Credit: Courtesy SPRI Fifty years ago, a team of scientists crisscrossed Antarctica by plane, collecting radar images of the ice sheets. Now, a multi-continent effort to digitize and analyze that old data with an assist from Hollywood is providing invaluable insights about the form and flow of the southern continent's ice sheets and their contributions to sea level rise as the world warms. The project, a collaboration between Stanford University and the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) at Cambridge University in the UK, was spearheaded by Stanford geophysicist Dustin "Dusty" Schroeder, who believed so strongly in the value of the data stored on the films that he risked a healthy chunk of his research budget on a state-of-the-art digital film scanner. "It was a serious gamble, but it's so rare that you have the opportunity to recover information from early observations that formed the foundations of your field and to make it accessible to the modern scientific community that we had to try," says Schroeder, who is an assistant professor of geophysics at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences. The nearly 1,000 rolls of 35mm and 8mm film had been gathered in the late 1960s and 1970s as part of an Antarctic survey conducted by an international consortium of American, British and Danish geoscientists. The flights, made using a converted American military C-130 long-range aircraft, were geared toward exploring Antarctica, which was in many ways terra incognita at the time. "It was the final unexplored continent, and these scientists were trying to answer fundamental questions, like what was underneath all that ice," Schroeder says. David Drewry at radar controls in C-130 No. 131, Williams Field, McMurdo Sound, during 1974-75 season. Credit: Courtesy SPRI Those historic radar measurements are still relevant today, Schroeder says, and could help improve scientific predictions about how climate change is affecting ice on the frozen continentone of the biggest uncertainties in sea level rise predictions. "The IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] is working hard to make climate change predictions extending 20, 30, 50 years into the future," Schroeder says. "With these old records, we know what Antarctica looked like 40 years ago, so we can see how well our models can accurately simulate the past changes that have occurred. If they do, that gives us more confidence in their projections for the future." Breathing new life into old film Conducted over the course of about a decade, the airborne surveys involved crisscrossing Antarctica repeatedly, covering a total of about a quarter million line miles, and using ice-penetrating radar to peer beneath the surface down to a depth of about 3 miles. Because digital hard drives did not exist back then, scientists recorded the radar data on analog film, which had to then be developed and painstakingly analyzed by hand. "They would shine a light through the film to see the squiggles and images recorded onto the analog record of the film itself, or they'd have to make prints of the film in order to study them," Schroeder says. Flight maps of Antarctic radar surveys conducted in the late 1960s and 1970s by an international consortium of scientists. Credit: Courtesy Dustin Schroeder In the intervening years, digital film scanners have been developed that can pluck out new details from old film. "We're able to now see in the scanned images much fainter features than are discernable to the human eye," Schroeder says. Schroeder isn't the first to have the idea of running old scientific film through modern scanners in order to wring out every last bit of useful data. A project at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory involves restoring and digitizing old films of atomic bomb tests to improve modern computer models of nuclear detonations. Lasergraphics, a film scanner company based in Irvine, California, provided the scanners used in both the Livermore and Antarctic projects. The particular model Schroeder used cost roughly $100,000 and can scan film at up to 30 frames per second at 5K resolution. Before the vintage films could be analyzed, Stanford and SPRI researchers had to catalog, preserve and prepare them into a format the digital scanner could handle. The approximately 1,000 rolls of Antarctic film were stored in a museum in the UK, and Schroeder had permission from SPRI director Julian Dowdeswell to access them. "I knew Dusty from when we were part of a collaborative airborne radar program a few years ago, so I was happy to work with him, given his detailed expertise in the analysis and interpretation of radar data," Dowdeswell says. View of Whitmore Mountain in central West Antarctica from the C-130 flight deck. Mountain peaks provided valuable fixed points for navigation as well as regions for scientific investigation. Credit: Courtesy SPRI The films' fragility, however, and the fact that they were also important historical artifacts of polar exploration, meant they could not leave the museum. In order to digitize the film, Schroeder and his scanner which required two people to carry had to travel to Cambridge. With the aid of two art historians he hired for the project, Schroeder spent two weeks at the University of Cambridge meticulously cataloging and then splicing hundreds of rolls of film into approximately 75 reels that the digital scanner could read. "We were in the museum for 14 to 16 hours a day. We were hosted at Cambridge University and ate in the faculty dining hall," Schroeder says. "It was a very Harry Potter-like experience." All told, the Antarctic radar measurements stored on the film took up 80 terabytes' worth of data, which Schroeder transported back to Stanford on 12 hard drives for analysis. Thank you to the Academy There was one final hurdle to overcome before Schroeder felt the scanning was complete: In addition to the hundreds of rolls of developed film, there were about 70 cartridges of undeveloped 8mm film. Gordon Robin (left) and Stan Evans discussing flights at Williams Field in Antarcticas McMurdo Sound in January 1970. Credit: Courtesy SPRI "The 8mm film contained radiometric information that was absent from the 35mm film," Schroeder says. "Making use of that information was one of the things I was most excited about on the project." But despite all his efforts, Schroeder couldn't find a place in the UK that still developed the old film format. With his time at Cambridge winding down, Schroeder almost gave up, but then he had an idea. "I went to Oscars.com, because I figured they know about film," he says. "That led me to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and remarkably they were able to put me in touch with some film developers in California. So, I would like to thank the Academy for that." Schroeder was allowed to transport the unexposed 8mm film to California for developing, but on one condition: He had to hand carry it and never let it out of his sight. That stipulation led to a tense exchange at Heathrow Airport when Schroeder refused to let security X-ray the film. "I was there holding on to the film, and telling them 'This is a priceless climate record! Are you comfortable destroying it?'" Schroeder says. "Eventually we came to an understanding and I managed to catch the plane." The film was eventually shipped to Pro8mm, a film processing company located just two miles from the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California. Although the company cautioned Schroeder to not get his hopes up with such old film, they were able to digitize everything in a day. Professor Dustin Schroeder (foreground) and art historian Jessica Daniel splice 50-year-old film containing radar measurements of Antarctica into a reel in preparation for digital scanning at the Scott Polar Research Institute in the UK. Credit: Courtesy Dustin Schroeder To make sense of the newly digitized radar data, Schroeder collaborated with Stanford computer scientists who applied computer vision and machine learning techniques to automatically read and record key numbers on the scanned film images. The numbers represented information about the configuration of the radar antennas and time stamps of the flights that, when paired with the scientists' handwritten logs, yielded valuable latitude and longitude information. "To do anything useful with the data, we had to extract all of the printed digits on the film," says John Emmons, a computer science doctoral student at Stanford who worked on the project. Emmons developed a program to read or guess what number a digit represents, even when the digit was on film that had been flipped upside down, or reversed, or partially obscured by adhesive tape. Keith Winstein, an assistant professor of computer science at Stanford and Emmons' advisor, says he was excited to work on such an unusual project. "The opportunity to use big data analysis and computer vision techniques to make a contribution to glaciology that's a rare and thrilling thing for us," Winstein says. Schroeder says the results from his team's preliminary analyses of the processed data look promising. "Our images show ice layers that were not visible in the older publications because the resolution of the scanned film is so much higher," Schroeder says. Nils Sko undertaking maintenance on a 300MHz radar antenna on a C-130 plane at McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. Credit: Courtesy SPRI It's not only that scientists can now see more in the old films, they are also looking at them with a fresh perspective one that benefits from half a century's worth of scientific hindsight. "These data were collected during a time when not much was known about the Antarctic ice sheet," Schroeder says. "Since then, scientists have found channels beneath the ice shelves and we know more about how grounding lines work. We understand that Antarctica is a much more dynamic place than we thought at the time. When we look at this film now, we can see evidence of a lot of these things in the old records because we know what to look for." Schroeder's group expects to publish results from their project next year and they are working with Stanford Libraries to make the data publically available through an online virtual exhibition. Increasingly, Schroeder says his gamble on the high-end film scanner is looking like a smart bet. "We've since learned of other similar airborne ice-penetrating surveys of Antarctica and Greenland that were also recorded on film and we're working toward digitizing them as well," he says. "The scanner has been a much more interesting and long-lived investment than I thought it was going to be." With BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal losing his election from Sujanpur constituency, party is reportedly looking for options after it has been voted to power in Himachal Pradesh with a thumping majority. By Anand Patel: With BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal losing his election from Sujanpur constituency, party is reportedly looking for options after it has been voted to power in Himachal Pradesh with a thumping majority. Dhumal, meanwhile has ruled out that he is in the race to become CM despite some MLAs offering to vacate their seat for him to seek re-election. advertisement While reacting to his loss Mr Dhumal said,"There may be something lacking in me that's why people have voted me out." Mr Dhumal had won from Hamirpur in 2012. But his constituency was changed this time from Hamirpur to Sujanpur by the party. But the two time Chief Minister refuses to accept that party offered him a tough seat. "When party gave me the seat then it was my responsibility to win it for the party, I went to my constituency as well as where ever it was necessary for me to campaign," he told India Today. Reacting to loss of some of his close aides Mr Dhumal said,"I don't think there was any factionalism which has led to defeat for some of our senior candidates, it's wrong to portray that there was some conspiracy to defeat leaders close to me." Following his stunning loss, Mr Dhumal has ruled out that he is in the race to become CM. "I never staked claim to be the Chief Minister candidate, it was the party high command which declared my name, so no question of asking party leadership to consider my name for the top job," he said. "Now it's for the organisation to find out what went wrong and decide the road ahead for me," Mr Dhumal added. ALSO WATCH | JP Nadda: Nirmala Sitharaman, Narendra Tomar will assess Himachal Pradesh's BJP leadership --- ENDS --- Can You Accept Global Payment Standards? I hadnt expected the sport of fencing to feature at the recent nexo standards annual conference in Berlin. When Francois Mezzina of nexo member, Total, however, used the sport to explain to the international audience of schemes, merchants, processors, acquirers and other payment stakeholders why international standards for payments acceptance were so important, it all fell into place. When competing in national tournaments, fencers use their mother tongue to punctuate their bouts: ready, fence! And so on. At international competitions, however, French is universally adopted en guarde! enabling all parties to exchange in the same way and thus compete equally. The verbal exchanges are so important to the sport that using a standardised form of communication is a necessity. The same goes for global payment acceptance. A standardised way for all global stakeholders to exchange payment data is necessary if a truly international and harmonised payment infrastructure is to be created. This sentiment was echoed by Matthias Honisch, Head of Cards Business Unit at the National Association of German Cooperative Banks, during his keynote presentation. When asked to explain what a payment is, Matthias summarized it well a payment, is a payment, is a payment. What Matthias is saying here rings true to us all. A payment means many things to many people. Today, a transaction can be accomplished with cash, cards, a mobile, onlinethe list goes on. Indeed, when we consider how many transactions are made globally using different currencies, devices and payment methods, the task of standardising the exchange of payment acceptance information seems intimidating. Yet the more options become available, the more we need a common baseline that can facilitate todays global economy. How to be omnipresent? Commerce will change more in the next five years than it has done in the last 50, stated Jonathan Vaux, Executive Director of Innovation and Partnerships at Visa in his presentation to delegates. He is right. Consumers are becoming increasingly empowered and influential in how, when and where payment transactions are made. For many, time is a currency more valuable than money itself. New generations are demanding more convenience from their shopping experience, to save them time. Todays customer journey typically incorporates multiple channels such as a website, followed by a visit to a shop and then finishing off with a purchase made via an app. In such a diverse omnichannel landscape, merchants need to respond to consumer demands quickly if they are to ensure that they remain current and competitive in a fierce market for their attentions. The omnichannel theme featured heavily throughout the days presentations. Olivier Nora, Vice President Operations, Southern Europe at Verifone questioned how can we maintain the richness of existing services and accelerate our development of the omnichannel approach. His answer? Standards. With a different way to pay in every country, myriad payment devices and domestic protocols to consider, the payment industry stakeholders that really want to deliver seamless, borderless and cost-effective omnichannel services must look to standards as the great facilitator. Celebrating success Delegates were also treated to a deep dive into a payments success story a partnership between three payment industry leaders, who, by using nexos payment acceptance messaging protocols and specifications, were able to create a powerful, cross-border payment platform for acceptance and acquiring, which today supports 35,000 live devices across Spain, France and Belgium. During the session, Carrefour, Credit Mutuel and Ingenico explained how todays fragmented global payments acceptance infrastructure is hindering innovation in the payments world. The sheer volume of domestic schemes and regulations is the biggest obstacle to overcome, explained Frederic Collardeau, Chief Operation Officer and Development manager at Market Pay (payment institution of Carrefour Group). For companies such as Carrefour, adhering to differing country regulations means working with new suppliers in each region. The result? Rocketing costs and big delays in getting to market. The three companies explained how building their platform on nexos ISO 20022 messaging protocols enabled them to create a dedicated, standardised payments infrastructure that provides fast, interoperable and borderless card payments across multiple countries, saving money, accelerating product cycles and enabling more innovative services to reach consumers. PSD2: Industry pain point or global opportunity? No payments conference is complete without a discussion on the Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2). It comes as no surprise that the PSD2 panel Reinventing payments in the digital age was a lively affair. Moderated by Alan Moss, Vice President of Product Marketing at Verifone, the panel session addressed a wide range of topics that will be front of mind for payment stakeholders across Europe and beyond. What does PSD2 actually mean? What problems is it trying to solve? Are the banks happy to make the updates that are required within the new directive? How does it help the merchants? In reality, does PSD2 present an opportunity or is it just another regulation headache? What was clear from the discussions is that for many, while PSD2 represents an opportunity, the resultant transformation is not happening quickly enough. The work done by associations such as nexo in standardising the landscape will help to facilitate global understanding and accelerate integration of regulations, including those set out by PSD2. The thread that ties it all together The thread that ties all of these elements together is the dire need for global standardisation. Jim Mortimer, Head of International Propositions at Vocalink (a Mastercard company) highlighted the challenge this need poses to banks that have been using the same proprietary standard for many years. It can be tough and expensive to migrate to a common standard. This is precisely why nexo exists. Our association is an international facilitator; its mission is to support all card payment acceptance stakeholders by establishing a standardised and universally beneficial way to apply ISO 20022, through a portfolio of implementation specifications and messaging protocols. By collaborating with all stakeholder groups in the payment acceptance chain and likeminded associations such as the European Card Stakeholders Group, which is in charge of cards standardisation in the Single Euro Payments Area (as presented by Esteban Martin, Vice President, Industry Engagement with the European Market Development Unit at Mastercard), nexo is delivering greater efficiency, choice, flexibility and more opportunities for all stakeholders in the market. Other Point of Sale News: Retail Store Tours to Launch at #NRF18: Retails Big Show Retail Store Tours to Build Worlds Most Innovative Retail Experience Platform International, experiential, inspired by creative thinking & store design NEW YORK, December 11, 2017 Retail Store Tours launching in New York City on January 13, 2018 provides curated experiences showing how innovative retailers are driving traffic to their stores, leveraging the latest technology, and integrating omni-channel strategies to maximize the store experience and set themselves apart. Retail Store Tours (RST) guides you through a curated list of stores in New York City, so you can see the very best of current retail practices that make the in-store experience relevant in the digital era. Retail Store Tours will be offered in New York City as a pilot, with plans to offer similar tours in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, London, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, and Dubai next year, the website is viewable in ten languages including English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. At its core, RTS is a brand-new class of active-learning-experience platform. It is organized and coordinated to compliment the NRF 2018, Retails Big Show, which attracts 35,000 industry professionals to New York City to explore the latest tech, trends and ideas that are transforming retail. Executives participate in highly-curated walking reviews of the most innovative retailers in New York City. The active-learning approach was created to help retail executives absorb and process information critical to their business in short digestible time periods, said Dan Hodges, Founder & CEO of Retail Store Tours. A 2014 study by Stanford researchers found that walking boosts creative inspiration, thus helping information absorption. Stanford examined creativity levels of people while they walked versus while they sat. A persons creative output increased by an average of 60 percent when walking, according to the Stanford Study. The NRF 2018, Retails Big Show, to be held in New York from January 14-16, 2018 was selected for the launch of Retail Store Tours because it is by far the largest, most important industry event in the world. New York City offers a wealth of retail experience innovation all with an easy-to-walk format. Retail Store Tours highlight how savvy retailers are using their understanding of changing behaviors and technology to enhance their customers journey. Todays path to purchase includes chat bots, smartphones, shopping apps, social experiences, and home or office delivery. The Tours explore how innovative retailers are empowering their teams to develop dynamic store practices to give shoppers a consistently positive retail experience. Our innovative retail briefings provide real-time best practices and explore worldwide trends driving the changing face of retail. Hodges, RST Founder & CEO, said: We analyzed locations around the world and identified New York City as unique, due to The Big Apples competitive retail economy and its international business environment. Myung Choi, EVP of Brand Strategy for Retail Store Tours, added, The team understood the importance of building the worlds largest retail experience platform with inputs from the retail business and creative communities. Anindya Ghose professor of Information, Operations and Management Sciences and Marketing at New York Universitys Leonard N. Stern School of Business, observed that the rapid pace of change over the next decade will require new and innovative ways to understand marketplace dynamics and decision-making. RETAIL STORE TOURS (http://retailstoretours.com/) is a division of the CONSUMERS IN MOTION GROUP (https://consumersinmotion.com), a strategic global disruption advisory group based in New York City. We work with our clients to understand and utilize disruptive technologies and emerging consumer behaviors for business success, and partner with organizations who believe the future belongs to the fast-to-market who are driven by continuous intelligent innovation. Our CUSTOM CURATED EXPERIENCE division (http://customcuratedexperience.com) is the trusted provider of global event curation sparking innovation and business development for your organization. Our mission is to connect our clients with the technologies, people and trends transforming their business. More news from Pointofsale.com: Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether Read more " " Lonnie Thompson, distinguished university professor in the School of Earth Sciences at The Ohio State University, cuts an ice core retrieved from the Guliya Ice Cap in the Kunlun Mountains in Tibet in 2015. Giuliano Bertagna/Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center The history of life is chronicled in our fossil record. Scientists use skeletons, trackways and other tangible calling cards to learn new things about prehistoric organisms. But how do they study prehistoric climates? Unlike dinosaurs or mastodons, the climate has no bones to leave behind, no footprints to track. Telltale indicators of past weather conditions can still be found, though if you know where to look for them. One important line of evidence lies inside the world's glacial ice. Glaciers form where snow is steadily accumulating, but not melting. Slowly, the weight of new layers deforms the snow crystals below them. The compression fuses old, buried snowflakes together until they become a dense, rock-hard sheet of ice. Eventually, that becomes a glacier, which is a towering pile of these sheets. The oldest of those sit at the bottom. Advertisement Scientists like to describe glacial ice as a kind of annual record book. While a new layer forms, tiny bubbles of air get trapped inside. By analyzing that trapped air, they can determine how much greenhouse gas was in the atmosphere back when a given ice chunk first solidified. Hardening glacial ice can also trap volcanic ash, which lets us know when an ancient eruption must've taken place. Other things extrapolated from the ice include the strength of prehistoric winds and the global temperatures of bygone ages. The precious information is harvested via drilling. With the help of mechanical or thermal drills, a research team can extract a tall, vertical cross-section from a glacier. Glaciologists call these frozen columns "ice cores." The shortest are usually around 328 feet (100 meters) long, but cores stretching more than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from end to end have also been collected. During the extraction process, a core is broken up into smaller pieces, which are then placed into metal cylinders and stored in chilled laboratories. A convenient feature of glaciers at least for researchers is the fact that they're made up of annual layers. By counting these, scientists can get a good idea of how old an ice core segment is. (Another applicable technique is radiometric dating.) Also helpful is the global distribution of glaciers; there's at least one glacier on every continent but Australia. Despite this, most of the ice cores recovered so far were drilled in either Greenland or Antarctica. That's not to say scientists are ignoring glaciers in other places, though. In mid-December, scientists announced they had an ice core of huge historical importance that was removed from the Tibetan Plateau. The news comes out of The Ohio State University, which gave an update on the results of a joint expedition by scientists from the school's Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center (BPCRC) and the Chinese Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research. Their venture began in September and October 2015, when the international party made its way to the Guliya Ice Cap in Tibet's western Kunlun Mountains. Accompanying them was 6 tons (5.4 metric tons) of equipment that was flown over from the U.S. Their objective? Drill new ice cores to enhance our knowledge of west Tibet's glacial history. By investigating the past, we may be able to make predictions about the area's uncertain future. More than 1.4 billion people get their fresh water from the 46,000 glaciers that stand on the Tibetan Plateau, a region nicknamed "the third pole." Climate change has put the area's long-term stability in question. According to a 2012 report published in the journal Nature, most of the glaciers in Tibet have shrunk over the past 30 years. And melting ice from Tibet's highlands has been cited as a large contributor to the rise of global sea levels. Altogether, the international team pulled five ice cores out of Guliya. The longest among them is a record-holder. At more than 1,000 feet (304.8 meters), it's nearly twice as long as the Washington Monument is high. More significant is its age; the lowest layers were formed around 600,000 years ago. That's the oldest date ever represented in an ice core that was found outside of Earth's two polar circles. From a certain point of view, though, it's still just a baby. Some 2.7 million year-old glacial ice was taken from an Antarctic core in 2015. Still, that doesn't diminish the importance of these new Tibetan cores. It isn't every day that humanity finds 600 millenniums' worth of preserved climate history. Plus, any addition to the global ice core supply will only benefit future research. By consulting the cores found in different parts of the world, scientists can figure out if historic weather trends were universal or just regional. In the early 2010s, for example, scientists compared specimens from Tibet and Europe. The data showed that while the latter continent saw a temporary warm period in medieval times, central Asia most likely didn't. Chinese and American scientists will be putting these newfound cores through an intensive chemical analysis over the next few months. Now That's Interesting A common misconception about woolly mammoths is that their frozen remains have been found inside glaciers. That's false. All the corpses on record were buried in permafrost (i.e., frozen soil) when paleontologists recovered them, not glacial ice. " " The McMurdo Dry Valleys are a row of valleys west of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, so named because of their extremely low humidity and lack of snow and ice cover. Scientists consider the Dry Valleys to be the closest of any terrestrial environment to Mars. Robert Simmon/Getty Images Life's resilience keeps astounding us. Unimaginable as it may seem, there's a thriving population of micro-orgnisms in the cold, dry, nutrient-poor soils of Antarctica. A study may have just revealed the secret to their survival and that revelation could transform our quest to find life on other planets. Antarctica is a continent which, famously, goes dark for months on end during the winter season, a period in which it sees no sunlight. This presents a big challenge to organisms who need to photosynthesize (i.e., convert solar light into food). Intense dryness is another hurdle. Certain parts of the continent receive no precipitation whatsoever. Also, even though Antarctica is covered in ice, drinkable water is scarce. And then we have the issue of carbon. All known life is based on this element, and yet very little of it can be found in Antarctic dirt. Advertisement Ah, but life goes on. For years now, biologists have known about the existence of diverse bacteria communities in Antarctica's soils. How can anything survive under such extreme conditions? To gain some insight, a team of Australian and New Zealander scientists took a hard look at microbe-filled dirt samples from two ice-free sites in eastern Antarctica. "Both areas are pristine polar deserts devoid of any vascular plants," explained Dr. Belinda Ferrari, a microbiologist at the University of New South-Wales, Sydney and senior study author, in a press release. On Dec. 6, 2017, the team published their findings in the journal Nature. There, Ferrari and her colleagues reported seeing DNA traces from 23 microbial organisms inside those Antarctic soil samples. By reconstructing their genomes, the scientists learned that many of these life-forms had genes that make them exceptionally good at processing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The researchers theorized that the organisms are able to meet their energy requirements by pulling both gasses along with carbon dioxide straight out of the atmosphere. In other words, because of Antarctica's shortage of sunlight and suitable water, as well as nutrient-poor soil, these microbes could be surviving off of air alone. Should this be true, planets and moons that were once written off as completely uninhabitable might be able to sustain life after all. Maybe alien organisms don't need drinking water or abundant sunlight on their home worlds. Instead, it could be that the only thing they require is the right combination of atmospheric gases. "This new understanding about how life can still exist in physically extreme and nutrient-starved environments like Antarctica opens up the possibility of atmospheric gases supporting life on other planets," adds Ferrari. But, the scientists say, more research is needed to see if this phenomenon exists in other parts of the world as well as outside of it. Now That's Interesting Antarctica's McMurdo Dry Valleys region has been compared to the surface of Mars. The place has received no rainfall in almost 2 million years, its humidity levels are staggeringly low, and ice, snow and liquid water are all practically nonexistent there. South London heads to Denmark to sample the delights of Kobenhavn in Withsections latest clip, hitting Broen, Wonderland and more in their latest edit, featuring the expected levels of booze-infused carnage and lo-fi, raw skate rat-ism. They even found a building proudly flying the flag of Penge, one half of the Copenhagen South London challenge which can be completed by finding the Ferfect Fried Chicken in Norrebro* Featuring Husky, Curt ODell, Dom B, Jakub Grochla and Nino. *There is no Ferfect Fried Chicken in Norrebro really, I made it up. Sorry to everyone not from the very specific geographical location which will help that sentence make sense. Read a companion piece from Slates science editor on this investigation. On a sunny autumn day three years ago, when Kesia Lyng was 30, she had a visit from her youngest sister, Eva. The two were close, and as they sat at the kitchen table in Lyngs apartment, Eva confronted her chronically ill sibling with a painful fact: You almost cant take care of your own kids, she told her. You cant keep pushing yourself so hard. Advertisement Lyng, who was living with her husband and their two children in a lusterless part of Copenhagen, Denmark, had been struggling for years with inexplicable health problems: joint and muscle pains that came and left, powerful headaches, and a crushing exhaustion that even copious amounts of sleep could not cure. She was working part-time in the kitchen of her daughters kindergarten, the latest in a string of odd jobs. But her sick days had begun to multiply again. Often she would call her husband at work, sobbing from weariness, and ask to be picked up. At home, she was drained, with no energy to clean or cook or tuck the kids in bed. In her medical records, which she shared with me, her doctor noted that she was having a very difficult time and that she worried about losing her job if she asked for a sick leave. Advertisement Advertisement On bad days, Lyngs symptoms were incapacitating. Your body is so tired you almost cant move. Everything hurts. It hurts just to stretch, it hurts to get up. Your feet feel like big blocks. Theres this burning sensation in your body and the feeling that your muscles are about to cramp. Even small things, like having to go and buy milk, can be completely overwhelming, she told me recently. Ive been incredibly frustrated at my body, because its so limiting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trouble began in late 2002, just before Lyng turned 19. At first it felt like the flu, but there was no improvement. In the mornings, her body was stiff and achy and she found it increasingly hard to rise. When she was able to get up and go to school, she often fell asleep during class. If she ventured more than a few minutes away from home, she would nap on park benches or in cafes to summon the energy to get back. Eventually, she dropped out of school. Advertisement The abrupt transformation baffled people around the teenager. They saw a gregarious tomboy turn into someone who kept breaking dates, spent much of her time in bed, and used painkillers nonstop. We thought it was a depression, her friend Nanna Voltolina recalled. She couldnt do the same things as the rest of us. It was difficult for me to understand. Just before Lyng got sick, she had signed up to participate in a clinical trial of a then-experimental vaccine: Mercks Gardasil was supposed to prevent infection from human papillomavirus, or HPV, a sexually transmitted disease. The virus causes no harm in the vast majority of people. But some HPV types can lead to genital warts, and others have been found to play a role in nearly all cases of cervical cancer, a malignancy that will affect 6 in 1,000 U.S. women at some point during their life. Lyngs grandmother had died of cervical cancer the year before, so when a letter arrived offering her $500 to take part in a crucial international test of Gardasil, the decision was easy. She got her first shot of the vaccine at Hvidovre Hospital in Copenhagen on Sept. 19, 2002. Advertisement Advertisement The symptoms snuck up on her shortly after her second shot on Nov. 14. They never abated. It wasnt until 2016 that she received her diagnosischronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The little-understood condition was once dismissed by many as a psychological problem, but is now recognized as a serious long-term illness that may have its roots in abnormal immune responses. There is no established treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, Lyng has become suspicious that there is a connection between her disease and her Gardasil immunization. Her ailments evoke descriptions found in hundreds of news stories from women who also received the vaccine, as well as several medical case reports from around the world. As these stories began to make headlines, HPV-vaccination rates in Denmark and elsewhere have tumbled and controversy has erupted. Many pointed out, rightly, that the accounts amounted to no more than anecdotal evidence, and that none of them cited data proving that the vaccine had actually caused any harm. The women might have gotten sick anyway, as Lyng might have; indeed, one recent epidemiological study found no increased risk of CFS in Norwegian girls following Gardasil vaccination. Advertisement As these stories began to make headlines, HPV -vaccination rates in Denmark and elsewhere have tumbled and controversy has erupted. Its also true that more than 80 million girls and women have been vaccinated against HPV, and the vast majority have suffered no more than temporary discomfort at the injection site. In an emailed statement, Merck said it was confident in Gardasils safety profile, which was established in clinical trials involving more than 25,000 females and males and examined further in several surveillance studies. It also pointed out that regulators had found no scientific support for some of the most heavily publicized concerns, which focused on a couple of serious neurological disorders seen in vaccinated girls. Twice, the firm emphasized to me that according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the benefits of HPV vaccines continue to outweigh their risks. Health authorities across the globe share this view. Repeatedly, they have issued reassurances about the thorough randomized trials the vaccines were subjected to before approval. Such studies have long been researchers best yardstick to judge if something is a real risk or just a fluke. As the NIHs National Cancer Institute notes on its website, all three HPV vaccines on the market today have been tested in tens of thousands of people in the United States and many other countries. Thus far, no serious side effects have been shown to be caused by the vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An eight-month investigation by Slate found the major Gardasil trials were flawed from the outset, however, and that regulators allowed unreliable methods to be used to test the vaccines safety. While these flaws do not mean Gardasil caused the rare crippling illnesses reported by the media, they are troubling. Public health officials use trials like these both to determine safety and, as evidenced by Mercks statement above, to reassure the public when concerns like the ones about Gardasil arise. A flawed study design can complicate both tasks. What is special about Lyngs case is that she got sick during a clinical testindeed, the largest-ever randomized placebo-controlled trial of Gardasilyears before the vaccine was approved (which it was, in 2006, in both Europe and the U.S.). Drug regulators tend to look much more seriously at potential side effects that surface during a pre-licensure study, which is what Lyng participated in, rather than after a product has already been found to be safe and been put on the market. But regulators never learned of Lyngs plight. In fact, her repeated complaints of debilitating symptoms were not even registered in the study as potential side effects (adverse events, in medical parlance). Advertisement This study design put the cart before the horse, asking investigators to decide which symptoms might be side effects, rather than tracking everything in the same way. Lyngs experience was not unique. Interviews with five study participants and more than 2,300 pages of documents obtained through freedom-of-information requests from hospitals and health authorities suggest inadequacies built into Mercks major clinical tests of Gardasil. To track the safety of its product, the drugmaker used a convoluted method that made objective evaluation and reporting of potential side effects impossible during all but a few weeks of its yearslong trials. At all other times, individual trial investigators used their personal judgment to decide whether or not to report any medical problem as an adverse eventessentially, as a potential side effect worth evaluating further. Other health issues went on a worksheet for new medical history, reserved for conditions that bore no relation to the vaccine. This study design put the cart before the horse, asking investigators to decide which symptoms might be side effects, rather than tracking everything in the same way. While the company now says otherwise, there is no indication in the confidential study protocol that it submitted to regulators for approval that it would use new medical history as a safety metric. And it hardly would have qualified as such: The worksheet allotted just one line per entry, with no measurement of symptom severity, duration, outcome, or overall seriousness. Even if the company then used the data in subsequent safety assessments, the lack of detail would have hampered meaningful analysis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European health regulators worried about Mercks methods during a review of the companys marketing application for Gardasil 9, the latest version of the vaccine, but have not made their concerns public. In an internal 2014 EMA report about Gardasil 9 obtained through a freedom-of-information request, senior experts called the companys approach unconventional and suboptimal and said it left some uncertainty about the safety results. EMA trial inspectors made similar observations in another report, noting that Mercks procedure was not an optimal method of collecting safety data, especially not systemic side effects that could appear long after the vaccinations were given. If I were a research subject, I would feel betrayed, Trudo Lemmens, a bioethicist and professor of health law and policy at the University of Toronto, told me. If the purpose of a clinical trial is to establish the safety and efficacy of a new product, whether its a vaccine or something else, I would expect that they gathered all relevant data, including whether it had side effects or not. Advertisement Merck, which is known as Merck Sharp & Dohme outside the U.S. and Canada, did not address the EMAs safety concerns. But it said its clinical trials follow laws, regulations and guidelines wherever they take place, and proceed only after approval by regulators and ethics committees. The company also stressed that collection of New Medical History occurred at each study visit and was mandatory for all study subjects. New Medical History includes the collection of non-serious adverse events. When I asked the EMA to expand on its confidential observations, I was told by email that the concerned inspectors had, after all, considered the trial data to be usable. The company had successfully mollified the agency during preapproval discussions. The clarification from the applicant that collection of new medical history data was mandatory for all subjects, and did not appear to be passively collected, but for at each study visit [sic], was found to be reassuring, the EMA informed me. Therefore, it appeared that the safety surveillance in the studies captured all medically relevant events. The agency did not comment on the limitations of relying on new medical history instead of straightforward reporting of adverse events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Underreporting of adverse events, to the extent that it occurred here, is nothing new to medicine. Trial investigators often miss participants symptoms, researchers say, and the data they do collect may not always see the light of day. A review out in 2016 found strong evidence that much of the information on adverse events remains unpublished and that the number and range of adverse events is higher in unpublished than in published versions of the same study. In 2009, Dr. John Ioannidis of Stanford University put the problem succinctly in an Archives of Internal Medicine editorial titled Adverse Events in Randomized Trials: Neglected, Restricted, Distorted, and Silenced. Much less clear is how adverse events are handled during the actual conduct of clinical trials, and what the impact is. Are symptoms recorded as separate entities when they are really part of a larger constellation of health problems? Do they appear as innocuous one-time occurrences when in fact they are, or may become, chronic? And how many safety problems are simply missed because of short follow-up? Lyngs was no isolated case: At least five other Danish women say they developed chronic health problems during the trial. Future 2, as it is known, enrolled more than 12,000 young women from 13 countries, including the U.S. It was the larger of the two major randomized, placebo-controlled Gardasil trialstechnically known as pivotal trialsthat Merck conducted to support its marketing application for the vaccine. (The other study, less than half the size, was called Future 1.) Together, the two trials account for a large portion of the data that drug regulators in both the U.S. and Europe used to judge Gardasils safety before it was approved. At Aalborg University Hospital, one of the Future 2 trial sites in Denmark, Miam Donslund began to experience persistent flu-like symptoms as well as two infections, one of which required hospitalization, shortly after immunization. These incidents were recorded, but again only as new medical history, meaning they were not processed as adverse events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donslund, now 38, told me she became so tired during the trial that at one point she was accused of being a drug addict. The year after she was vaccinated, she developed severe pains that forced her to use a wheelchair for a while; today she regularly uses crutches. Doctors have told her she might have psoriatic arthritis, but she never received a definite diagnosis. More than a dozen years later, I work two days a week and the rest of the time Im at home in bed and I cant do the most basic things, she said. Stine Srensen, 34, got her first shot of Gardasil a few months after Lyng, also at Hvidovre Hospital. Around this time, she began to experience general discomfort, headaches, and a profound fatigue that often made her miss school. My mom and dad asked me, Stine, are you on drugs? And I clearly remember that I got so angry, she told me. Srensen, who is currently employed under a special agreement for people with chronic illness, says she told study personnel about her problems during the trial; her records mention none of them. (All three women received the vaccine in the trial.) The trial investigator who dealt with both Lyng and Srensen, Dr. Anette Kjrbye-Thygesen, an OB-GYN at Hvidovre, declined to be interviewed for this story. In an email, a hospital press officer told me, Regarding registration of various symptoms and health data, the doctor states that she has followed the trial protocol. The hospital also declined to address my questions. But this is a false dichotomy that belies the complexity of medicine. Safety is not an absolute. Imagining a link between HPV vaccination and CFS is not all that far-fetched, according to Dr. Jose Montoya, a professor of medicine at Stanford University and a CFS expert. The condition usually starts with an insult to the immune systema severe infection, a car crash, a pregnancy. The first symptoms are flu-like, but months go by and the patient realizes she isnt getting better. In a few genetically predisposed individuals, Montoya told me, it is biologically plausible that the vaccine, which mimics a natural infection, could also trigger an immune response powerful enough to lead to CFS. To find out if that is the case, trial investigators would need to carefully track participants symptoms for at least one year, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Montoya was also quick to tell me that he is pro-vaccine, and he doesnt think people should stop getting them. His eagerness to make that point underscores a larger issue with unpacking the shortcomings of Mercks research: Acknowledging any uncertainty around the safety of vaccination can be a difficult exercise for health authorities, not least because of the debunked autism scare that continues to stoke anti-vax sentiments among parents. In todays polarized conversation, either you believe vaccines are categorically safe, or you think they are so dangerous that you avoid them at significant personal risk. But this is a false dichotomy that belies the complexity of medicine. Safety is not an absolute. Like drugs, vaccines are a varied lot, each with its own set of risks and benefits that relate to its particular use in particular individuals. And unfortunately, our knowledge about side effects is often woefully incomplete. To Lemmens, the University of Toronto bioethicist, the reluctance to have a frank discussion about the safety of Gardasil is counterproductive. We do a disservice to science, and we play into the hand of the anti-vaxxers, if were not publicly discussing potential problems, he told me. Before I sent them to her, Lyng had never seen her trial records, which are owned by Merck. As we looked through them together, on a balmy day in August, she grew visibly upset. Whats the use of testing a vaccine if you dont register everything properly? said Lyng, a pale and reedy woman with light-blue eyes. It had enormous consequences for my life. We were sitting outside the house that she and her husband had recently bought on the outskirts of a small town near Copenhagen. There are fields at the end of their street, and a school just opposite their house that the children now attend. Lyng had been fired from her job as a kitchen helper in late 2014, but her sickness benefits and her husbands salary kept the family afloat. The extra time to herself and her CFS diagnosis also gave her some peace of mind. Over the years, she had been diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder, depression, even soft bipolar. None of these diagnoses fully explained her problems, she felt. Why would she get sudden fevers and rashes that would disappear again just as suddenly? Why would her body hurt on some days and not others? Why would she need to rest for two weeks if she had volunteered to plan the menu for her churchs New Years Eve party? The diagnosis gave her at least one answer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Lyngs records from Future 2, we discovered, there was no mention of fatigue, one of her most debilitating symptoms. Meanwhile, her family doctor began documenting the problem on March 20, 2003, nine days after she got her third and final shot of Gardasil. In 2004, after several lab tests and specialist consultations had come up empty, he noted that Lyng continued to have periods of headache, fatigue, pain in large and small joints, poor concentration and sleep problems. Her mood is fluctuating. There has been no suspicion of depression. Lyng told me she brought up her symptoms with study personnel at every visit during the four-year trial. (Trial subjects met with investigators regularly over four years, but the later visits were meant to monitor the vaccines efficacyin this case, whether it prevented HPV-linked cell changes.) She even told them her illness had forced her to quit school. But no one seemed to take her seriously: They keep saying, This is not the kind of side effects we see with this vaccine. Kjrbye-Thygesen, the trial investigator who saw Lyng, and a staffer with the initials BW, presumably a nurse, did report the headache and the joint pain, and also gastroenteritis and influenza, but not as adverse events. Instead, they used the worksheet for medical history, which directed investigators to list Any new background or concomitant conditions, drug allergies and surgeries/procedures. A note in the records, initialed by Kjrbye-Thygesen, said the vaccine was hardly to blame for Lyngs joint pains, offering no further explanation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the oxymoronic instruction to list new conditions as history, this was no mistake. Mercks study protocol shows that for participants outside the U.S. and the U.K., who made up the majority of the trial, only adverse events that investigators considered serious were to be reported. Other health complaints would be registered in much less detail as new medical history. (In the U.S. and the U.K., both serious and nonserious events were reportable.) In all the trial locations, Merck also chose to restrict the reporting of adverse eventswhat the study protocol calls the clinical follow-up for safetyto just 14 days following each of the three Gardasil injections in the trial. Illness occurring outside these narrow time slots again was relegated to a single line on the medical-history worksheet, whereas for each adverse event, several assessments would need to be carried out and reported. There was an exception: Deaths or serious adverse events brought to the investigators attention and felt to be related to the vaccine or a study procedure were to be reported at any time. This design put individual investigators in charge of deciding, for most of the trials duration, what would be assessed and reported as a potential side effect. (Future 1 did report nonserious adverse events for all, but it relied on the same short follow-up as Future 2 and also labeled many adverse events as new medical history.) This design put individual investigators in charge of deciding, for most of the trials duration, what would be assessed and reported as a potential side effect. Experts I talked to were baffled by the way Merck handled safety data in its trials. According to Dr. Yoon Loke, a professor at the University of East Anglia who studies side effects, letting investigators judge whether adverse events should be reported is not a very safe method of doing things, because it allows bias to creep in. In essence, this feature meant that if you started out thinking the vaccine was safe, you would be less likely to find potential side effects. Of the short follow-up, Loke told me, Its not going to pick up serious long-term issues, which is a pity. Presumably, the regulators believe that the vaccine is so safe that they dont need to worry beyond 14 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A drug-safety adviser at a multinational pharmaceutical company told me, Everything from the first injection to the last plus a follow-up period is what we call treatment-emergent adverse events. She puzzled over the brief, interrupted follow-up periods in the Gardasil trials, as well as Mercks choice not to report nonserious adverse events for all participants and its dismissal of many events as medical history. This is completely bonkers, she said, requesting not to be named for fear of compromising her position in the industry. Theyve set up a protocol that seems very poorly thought through from a medical and safety perspective. According to the EMAs emailed statement, The scope of adverse experience collection in the clinical program for Gardasil reflected the standard across vaccine programs of this company. It added, The standard follow-up for a non-replicating vaccine [such as Gardasil] has been 14 days (Days 1 to 15) following each vaccination. There are no rules dictating the exact duration of adverse-event reporting in vaccine trials. For some studies, it can be measured in days; for others, it runs from start to finish, with all events recorded the same way regardless of their possible link to the vaccine. Indeed, reviews from 2005 and 2013 found striking variation in how vaccine researchers collected, analyzed, and presented safety data. The field has since seen efforts toward standardization, and health authorities are increasingly recognizing that some side effects may occur late. In guidelines published this year, the World Health Organization noted that while most vaccine side effects occur within two weeks, there may be reasons to suspect that illnesses with onset many months after the last dose could be related to prior vaccination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lyng and I also read the definition of serious adverse experience on the worksheets that investigators had to fill out at each visit following a vaccination. It included events resulting in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, meaning a substantial disruption of a persons ability to conduct normal life functions. On all the forms, the only checked box was the one that said None. Was this an error? Arguably not, because Lyngs symptoms, as recorded by the study personnel, began three to four weeks after her second shotoutside the protocols mandatory follow-up for safety. A press officer from the Danish Medicines Agency, which approved Future 2 in 2002, pointed out that Mercks study protocol contained no mention of new medical history or new medical conditions. In an email, she wrote, We are also not aware of whether this category has been used in other clinical trials with drugs, as these are not terms that are used according to guidelines. She added that there had been no concerns at her agency over the safety testing in Future 2. The safety measurements complied with applicable guidelines for vaccines, she told me, adding that the 14-day follow-up is in accordance with EMAs scientific guidelines for vaccines. It was a description of a 15-year-old Colombian girl with neurological problems that first caught the attention of Dr. Rebecca Chandler, an American expat working at Lakemedelsverket, the Swedish Medical Products Agency. Sweden is an EMA rapporteur for Gardasil and Gardasil 9, meaning that it was tasked with evaluating the marketing applications for the two vaccines on behalf of the European Union. As a clinical safety assessor at Lakemedelsverket, Chandler had been looking into post-marketing reports from Denmark and Japan about two serious, little-known neurological disorders in girls and young women vaccinated with Gardasil. In both countries, these cases had ignited vitriolic national debates that sent vaccination rates plummeting. When the application for Gardasil 9 arrived, Chandler decided to scrutinize the trial data to see if she found any references to the two conditions, known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The syndromes overlap to some extent, and also share a number of features with CFS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At first, she found nothingno instance of either disease was listed in the companys application. But the Colombian teenagers symptoms, as described in the clinical trial data, made her suspect POTS, and she asked the drugmaker to comb through its database for similar cases. Three girls vaccinated with Gardasil 9 had been diagnosed with POTS, it turned out, and one with CRPS. There were also several cases of neurological disorders of interest, Chandler wrote in her 2014 assessment. But none of them had been reported by the company as adverse events; rather, they were all labeled as new medical history in accordance with Mercks study protocols. Chandler, who now works at the Uppsala Monitoring Centre, a leading drug-safety research institution in Sweden, told me she argued quite much about her findings at the agency, because I was very concerned that the study design was not appropriate to pick up these things. Her regulatory colleagues apparently shared her apprehension, laying out their misgivings in a series of confidential EMA reports leading up to the approval of Gardasil 9. (I obtained these reports from Lakemedelsverket through several freedom-of-information requests.) One confidential EMA report from 2014 called Mercks approach to safety an unconventional and suboptimal study procedure; another observed that the design brings some degree of uncertainty into the overall safety assessment. Chandler found Mercks data bolstered concerns about an association between the vaccine and POTS, but she was overridden by her agency colleagues. Later, a contested EMA review from 2015 and a U.S. study based on post-marketing data also found no support for a link. Officials inspecting a Gardasil 9 trial for the EMA also felt compelled to spotlight how Merck dealt with safety, despite considering it a systemic issue related to study design and as such not an inspection finding. The unorthodox design complicated the reporting of adverse events, the inspectors wrote, in part because the information on new medical events was limited, as only symptoms were collected and no further medical assessments were made and no outcome was recorded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In their final report recommending conditional approval of Gardasil 9, the EMA rapporteurs asked the drugmaker to discuss the impact of [its] unconventional and potentially suboptimal method of reporting adverse events and provide reassurance on the overall completeness and accuracy of safety data provided in the application. Lakemedelsverket refused to share the companys response. In the EMAs public assessment of Gardasil 9, all mention of the safety concerns has been scrubbed. In response to my questions, the EMA pointed out that its experts, in a public assessment of the original Gardasil vaccine from 2006, found Mercks way of evaluating safety established and appropriate. But the agency failed to explain how that opinion squares with its unpublicized reservations about the Gardasil 9 research, which handled safety essentially the same way. Dr. Susanne Kruger Kjr, a professor of gynecological cancer epidemiology at the University of Copenhagen who oversaw the Danish part of Future 2, declined to address the safety concerns. I cant answer any of those questions because I didnt design the trial, she told me. She is one of the authors on the main scientific publication from the trial, which appeared in 2007 in the New England Journal of Medicine and contains no mention of new medical history. In its statement, Merck said that using the new medical history category allowed broad collection of potential safety events including new conditions, symptoms, and laboratory or imaging tests thereby allowing comprehensive safety assessment. It cited a study from 2010 that analyzed new medical history and found comparable rates in trial participants given vaccine and placebo, respectively. On a rainy day in September, I flew with Lyng to Berlin to visit Gerd Wallukat, a scientist at the biotech startup Berlin Cures. Wallukat, a heavyset man in his mid-70s, has pioneered research into a special class of autoantibodiesproteins made by the immune system that attack the bodys own cells instead of foreign invaders like viruses or bacteria. Researchers have been finding these agonistic autoantibodies in people with different diseases, including CFS, POTS, and CRPS, but their role is not fully understood. Berlin Cures is in the middle of early-stage trials to see if neutralizing them could have a therapeutic effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Lyngs doctors in Denmark had been working with Wallukat to look for autoantibodies in girls and women who fell ill following Gardasil vaccination. Their preliminary, unpublished findings suggested that nearly all of these women harbor one or more agonistic autoantibodies, and Wallukat had offered to test Lyng, too. On the plane, she was nervous and chatty. She didnt want to be sick, she explained, but it was taxing having to convince people around herher caseworker, her family, even her husbandthat she was physically sick while one test after another came up empty. She dreaded the thought of receiving yet another negative result. She didnt. You have beta-2, nociceptin, muscarinic, Wallukat told her, referring to three types of autoantibodies, the classical pattern Ive seen in patients after vaccination. From a coffee shop, Lyng called her husband. Im completely overwhelmed. Its the first time Ive had a positive result, she told him. This means its not just in my headall those doctors whove asked if it could be psychological. But Lyngs positive test triggers more questions than it answers: What induced those autoantibodies, and how? Did they cause her symptoms, as her doctor speculated? And would neutralizing them bring about improvement, as Berlin Cures wagered? The test brought another piece to the puzzle that is Lyngs case; but as so often happens in science, it did not bring certainty, and it proved nothing in the way of causality. Should it turn out that Gardasil does have serious side effects, its apparent that they must be rare. Whats more, the vaccine might still be worth that hypothetical riskcervical cancer, though uncommon, is a terrible disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The test brought another piece to the puzzle that is Lyngs case; but as so often happens in science, it did not bring certainty. If theres one clear lesson from Lyngs experience, its that science is a work in progress. To borrow the words of the American psychologist Brian Nosek, Science isnt about truth and falsity, its about reducing uncertainty. Not owning up to that uncertainty, when it is legitimate, likely will only slow scientific progress. In the controversial realm of vaccines, it will also create fodder for conspiracy theorists spreading overblown or unfounded fears among an already distrustful public. One way to respond to public concerns is to acknowledge the limits of our current body of research and to welcome discussion about what we know and dont know, according to Lemmens, the bioethicist. Transparency and open debate around side effects are essential to safeguard trust in the provision of medication and public-health planning, he told me. Instead, as confidence in Gardasil nosedived in Denmark, regulators doubled down on the simplistic message that the vaccine has been thoroughly tested and is unquestionably safe. At a press conference in May, Dr. Sren Brostrm, the director general of the Danish Health Authority and an OB-GYN, told journalists that for us, as authorities, there is no doubt about this vaccines efficacy and safety. This seems to contradict the EMAs own deliberations about the way Merck reported safety data in its trials. As Dr. Christian Gluud, who heads the Copenhagen Trial Unit, a research center at Copenhagen University Hospital, told me recently, If we had tested our vaccines properly, we wouldnt be having the discussion were having now. By PTI: Chennai, Dec 18 (PTI) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized narcotics drug worth Rs 8.84 crore consigned to Malaysia at the Container Freight Station here, an official said. Acting on specific information that a chemical substance was being smuggled to Malaysia through Chennai sea port, officials of DRI Chennai unit inspected the consignment at the Container Frieght Station on December 15 and recovered 44.2 kg of Methaqualone a psychotropic substance used as a party drug, an official release said here. advertisement The container also had 5.9 kg of Piperonal, another substance used in the manufacture of ecstacy concealed in two bags in the container, the release said. The value of the seized drugs were about Rs 8.84 crore in the international market, it said. Methaqualone is a psycotropic substance and is listed under Schedule to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 prohibited for export. Piperonal is a controlled substance under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and requires a specific license to export. The priliminary investigation revealed that the person behind this attempt to smuggle the substance was absconding and further investigation was underway, it added. PTI VIJ DIP --- ENDS --- More than two thirds of Czechs and Slovaks still believe there should have been a referendum on the division of their common state in 1992. Vladimir Meciar (L) and Vaclav Klaus discuss the division of Czechoslovakia in 1992. There was no referendum to support the decision. (Source: TASR archive) Font size: A - | A + On New Years Day, Slovaks not only celebrate 25 years of the existence of the state they live in, but also remember the Czecho-Slovak breakup. Research shows that it is not a fond memory for most. Back in 1992, as the federative bodies and the national parliaments launched the process that led to founding two new republics on January 1, 1993 - the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic - most people on both sides of the emerging border were opposed to the idea that the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic should be divided. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Read also: Read also: Radicova: Links will remain as long as Czechs and Slovaks inspire each other Read more Only 27 percent of Czechs and 35 percent of Slovaks now older than 43 years of age say they were in favour of the move, according to the survey by the Slovak think tank Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) and the Czech think tank Centre for the Research of Public Opinion (CVVM) conducted in October 2017. With the passage of time the opinion has only slightly shifted towards the positive: 46 percent of Czechs and 44 percent of Slovaks say they are in favour of the division nowadays. But more than two thirds of both Czechs and Slovaks have not gotten over the fact that they were not allowed to express their opinion on the matter back in the early nineties in a referendum vote. It is evident that people with a critical opinion of the division of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic saw the referendum as a possibility of preventing it, and that they still see it as a negative thing that politicians denied them that option, Paulina Tabery of CVVM said during the presentation of the results, as quoted by TASR. Henkel employees teach children how to behave sustainably towards the environment Font size: A - | A + Marek Sihelsky from Henkel Slovensko during the lesson at Nobelovo namestie Primary School in Bratislava Inspired by the motto "If we want to change something, we have to start with ourselves," Henkel Slovensko employees educate primary school students across Slovakia. The goal is simple: trained employees teach them how to behave in an environmentally friendly way and be a role model for their siblings, parents and people around them. Thanks to a hundred ambassadors, the Sustainability Ambassadors program has reached more than 5,000 children in dozens of Slovak schools across the country this year. This can save up to 50 million litres of water or 2.6 million kWh of electricity a year. If we do not change anything, we're going to need five planets by 2050 The Sustainability Ambassadors program shows third and fourth grade students of primary schools how they can easily save water and energy or reduce the amount of waste, all through a sample lesson during which everything is explained in a playful way. An interactive lesson, conducted by employees of Henkel Slovensko, gives children a practical guide on how to conserve the environment, by: turning off the water tap when they don't need it (for example, while brushing their teeth); when they don't need it (for example, while brushing their teeth); turning off the light when they leave the room; when they leave the room; completely turning off the TV (pressing the red button is not enough because it only puts the TV in standby mode, which still consumes electricity); (pressing the red button is not enough because it only puts the TV in standby mode, which still consumes electricity); closing the fridge as soon as they take what they need out of it; as soon as they take what they need out of it; using cloth tea towels rather than paper ones; rather than paper ones; using towels repeatedly, without putting them in the laundry basket after each use. "If we do not change the way we live, we will need five planets in 2050. It is important that we all respect our planet and behave sustainably. Each of us can make a change. That's why we decided to teach children how they could help the environment and, at the same time, inspire their parents and siblings to do the same," explains Christian Schulz, the President of Henkel Slovensko. Since our own employees are our most important source when it comes to creating more sustainable solutions and raising awareness of the topic, we decided to set up a program which enables them to become ambassadors, added Christian Schulz. Five thousand children know how to behave sustainably towards the environment The Henkel employees who volunteer to become Sustainability Ambassadors receive special training. They also receive all the information and props needed for their interactive lesson, such as an animated video featuring an interactive globe. Thanks to the tips received during the lesson, the students become little ambassadors who talk about sustainability with their own families, friends, and other people around them. "This year, we set a goal of teaching the principles of sustainability to 3,000 children. However, we met this ambition back in June already. Today, we can proudly say that we have exceeded the limit of 5,000 children and that by the end of the year we will be, dare we say, approaching 5,500 children all thanks to the proportional increase in our volunteer trainers. Our employees are encouraged to go back to their schools, meet their former teachers, and share a valuable lesson with the students. The number of our active volunteers has already exceeded one hundred," says Christian Schulz. Henkels lesson on sustainability can be booked by any school Students from Nobelovo namestie Primary School in Bratislava have also found that learning about sustainability and ecology can be both useful and fun. "The school is becoming more aware of the importance of talking about sustainability. That is why we welcomed Henkel Slovakia's initiative to organise an interactive lesson for us. The pupils really enjoyed it. In a fun way they became familiar with the resources and the importance of saving energy in the interest of nature protection. I believe that they will further develop and use the knowledge they received today in their daily lives, both at home and here at school," says headmistress Valeria Fogasova. Students from the class 4.A at Nobelovo nam. in Bratislava have gained valuable knowledge about sustainability issues Every primary school in Slovakia can join The Sustainability Ambassadors program through www.sampioni.sk, a website established by Henkel Slovensko. The site contains all the information about the project, including a quiz in which you can test your knowledge. In one year,The Sustainability Ambassadors project can help save: up to 50 million litres of water up to 2.6 million kWh of electricity * Provided that all members of the 5,000 households take showers instead of baths once a week, turn the TV completely off, and reduce the weekly wash temperature from 60C to 30C. About Henkel: Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2016, Henkel reported sales of 18.7 billion euros and an adjusted operating profit of 3.2 billion euros. Combined sales of the respective top brands of the three business units Loctite, Schwarzkopf and Persil amounted to more than 6 billion euros. Henkel employs more than 50,000 people globally a passionate and highly diverse team united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkels preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please visit www.henkel.com. Henkel has been operating in Slovakia in all its three strategic areas since 1991. Henkel Slovensko sells more than 50 brands and, as of today, employs more than 1,600 people. The nuclear regulator has not completely ruled out a further possible delay in the completion. Font size: A - | A + The planned deadlines for the completion of the third and fourth units of the nuclear power plant in Mochovce (Nitra Region) are still realistic, stated the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (UJD) in late November. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The power plants operator, the dominant energy utility company Slovenske Elektrarne, will most likely put it into operation at the end of 2018 and 2019, respectively. The permit holder for the construction of the Mochovce nuclear power plant regularly informs us about the progress of the completion at monthly intervals, said Zuzana Hostovecka, spokesperson for UJD, as quoted by the SITA newswire. The current license holder declares the expected deadline for loading the first fuel assembly into the reactor of Mochovces third unit in mid-July 2018. The start of the physical launch of the nuclear power plant begins with the loading of the first fuel assembly, Hostovecka added, as quoted by SITA. Read also: Read also: Skyline over Bohunice is changing Read more However, the regulator did not completely rule out a further possible delay in the completion. With such a large and complex project as the construction of a nuclear power plant, there are problems that cannot be predicted and that may have an impact on the overall construction and commissioning schedule of the nuclear installation, Hostovecka said, as quoted by SITA. The proper coordination of construction and assembly works as well as the functional testing of individual operating systems are prerequisites for observing the set deadlines, the UJD claimed. We place the greatest emphasis in performing our supervisory activity on observing the principle of prioritising nuclear safety over other activities, Hostovecka added, as quoted by SITA. Interrupted administrative procedure no threat The UJD interrupted the administrative procedure for issuing a permit to commission a nuclear installation in September. The interruption of the administrative procedure in no way prevents further progress in the completion of Mochovce. The organisation of Mochovces completion is entirely the responsibility of Slovenske Elektrarne, the UJD spokesperson explained to SITA. We decided to suspend the administrative procedure and set the conditions for its continuation, from which the decisive condition is achieving the appropriate state of preparedness of the third unit equipment for commissioning. Slovenske Elektrarne is gradually delivering documentation to the UJD with corrected deficiencies in the submissions that the UJD identified. Read also: Read also: No new nuclear power plant planned Read more So far, not all the documents in which the UJD found deficiencies have been sent back, Hostovecka said, as quoted by SITA. The deadline for addressing the deficiencies in the documentation is February 15 of next year, so there is still time to meet this condition. It turns out that the decisive factor for continuing the procedure will be achieving the preparedness of the third unit for a cold-pressure test of the primary circuit. The latest deadline for meeting this condition is the end of August 2018. This date is realistically achievable and is in line with the completion schedule, the spokesperson said. However, its fulfilment requires the further improvement of coordinating the construction and assembly work on the construction and testing of the third unit facilities, Hostovecka added, as quoted by SITA. Tests being prepared Currently, preparations are underway in Mochovce for the start of a cold pressure test of the primary circuit. This is the first of the complex tests on the nuclear unit as a whole, which requires the mutual cooperation of the decisive systems of the power plant, the UJD spokesperson continued. Mochovces third unit is almost 96 percent complete and the fourth unit 84 percent complete, the recently published information indicates. Slovenske Elektrarne officially began the completion of Mochovce on November 3, 2008. The original deadlines for completing the third and fourth units were scheduled for 2012 and 2013, respectively, but the company has failed to meet them. Apart from the deadlines, the budget for completing the nuclear units has changed several times. The latest budget for completion is 5.4 billion, up from the 2.8 billion expected back in 2008, SITA reported. Slovak PM Robert Fico reiterated that refugee quotas are nonsensical and arent working Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled After a meeting between the Visegrad Four (V4) prime ministers and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni in Brussels last week, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed that the V4 member countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) will participate with equal amounts in financial assistance for Libya worth 35 million. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement In order to show solidarity, I decided not to argue and use some criteria related to the size of the country, the population or GDP, said Fico as cited by the TASR newswire. Fico added that the Italian side welcomed the V4s joint project with Italy in Libya with pleasure. At the same time, this initiative will save millions of euros for the European Commission. We had the opportunity to speak to Gentiloni and Juncker about a project that is unique, namely the participation of the V4 countries in resolving the migration problem in Libya because were saying that refugee quotas are nonsensical and arent working, said Fico, adding that Slovakia has always spoken about the need to protect the EUs external borders and work directly in the countries of origin and transit of migrants, as is the case with this project. Slovakia will manage to provide almost 9 million, especially when it comes to efficiently spent money because the country will be able to supervise it along with Italy, said Fico. He reminded that this is not a general contribution to the Fund for Africa, to which Slovakia has already contributed - initially with 600,000 and later with another 1 million. None of the legislative changes introduced in 2017 are as far-reaching, in practice and in expectations, but the government has nevertheless passed a number of changes that are set to significantly influence businesses in Slovakia. Font size: A - | A + Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska introduced the key measure of her term, the anti-shell law, in her first year in office under the third government of Robert Fico. None of the legislative changes introduced in 2017 are as far-reaching, in practice and in expectations, but the government has nevertheless passed a number of changes that are set to significantly influence businesses in Slovakia. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement New rules for distrainment, including personal distrainment, and major restructuring rules, are among the changes that became effective in 2017. Another measure, anchored in the amendment to the Business Code, is expected to prevent the malicious fusions of companies and introduces rules against using strawmen. Moreover, the government has introduced a set of 34 measures, the so-called Business Package, through which the Economy Ministry pledges to improve the countrys standing in the Doing Business ranking and decrease the bureaucratic burden on businesses. 34 measures Economy Minister Peter Ziga pledged the 34 measures would apply to all businesses and should help reduce their costs by 44 million. The measures concern public administration services, increasing competitiveness, hiring employees, as well as tax and business support. Andre Staltz A plan to rescue the Web from the Internet My previous article, The Web began dying in 2014, heres how, raised much more awareness than I thought it would. Many people found it to be an insightful analysis of the Web under the control of tech giants, but the article ended without providing anything positive to hold on to. I actually have hope for the Web. There are legimately viable ways of preserving freedom on the Web while taking the platform forward and keeping it competitive against proprietary alternatives from tech giants. But it can only happen if the Web takes a courageous step towards its next level. If it stays in its current form, the Web has little chance of being relevant while Americas FCC kills Net Neutrality rules, the W3C favors DRM, and tech giants build their Web-less vision of the future. The community of peer-to-peer technologists has brought to the world several revolutionary technologies: USENET, Napster, BitTorrent, Kazaa, Skype, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and actually even the Web itself. Once again, we can turn to this community to seek digital solutions that defend freedom. Many months ago I quit my job in order to join a group of peer-to-peer programmers and help build technology that can rescue our digital freedoms. I want to share with you our plan, which in short is: Build the mobile mesh Web that works with or without Internet access, to reach 4 billion people currently offline To explain this plan, we need to realize that the Web can be independent from the Internet. The core weaknesses of the Internet have to be recognized, and how exactly they were exploited by middlemen businesses. The problem we are solving is both social and technical, so the solution must be a harmony of these two. Finally, all the tools and opportunities we need to supersede them are already in our hands: smartphones, peer-to-peer protocols, and mesh networks. The rise of closed cyberspaces The Web is an open cyberspace, a digital context where society can happen, where no single organization, company, or government has the final word on what is allowed or forbidden. It is also an access point to other cyberspaces. Every time you sign in with an account on a website, you are entering a closed cyberspace. These cyberspaces are hosted by servers owned by the company or organization behind that website. Most closed cyberspaces dont threaten the Webs role as a public space. A schools intranet is a closed cyberspace, and so is a private discussion forum or a companys internal discussion platform. Most people will understand how it is necessary for those cyberspaces to be closed and controlled. The real threat comes with giant closed cyberspaces that disguise themselves as public spaces. Facebook, for instance. Many of its users think of it as a neutral public space where society comes together, and in fact Facebook often efficiently carries out that role. It is, nevertheless, closed and controlled. It started as one of those justifiably closed cyberspaces: it was a private community of Harvard students. With its explosive growth, though, it had to quickly evolve to encompass all types of social structures. While Facebook was growing on the Web, Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, and the world was revolutionized by smartphones after that. Zuckerberg saw the mobile megatrend before many others did, and as early as 2009 there was a Facebook mobile app with explosive growth. Facebook began re-imagining itself as a platform independent from the Web. Fast forward to December 2016, and 94% of all Facebook monthly active users access the blue closed cyberspace routinely through mobile apps (divide mobile MAU by MAU), while 62% access it only from mobile (divide mobile-only MAU by MAU). As a result, 84% of FBs revenue comes from mobile advertising. As an extrapolation of this data, their mobile-only users likely comprise today (December 2017) between 70% 79% of all their users. (Sources: [1] [2] [3]) Those are large enough numbers to admit that the open Web is already rather irrelevant to Zuckerbergs products. By now, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp are arguably non-Web closed cyberspaces of comparable scale to the Web (users of FB products are roughly 2/3 of all Internet users). Facebook even has its own concept of cyberwarfare. It competes with the Web in many use cases that people want from a public cyberspace: sharing notes and images, engaging with communities, doing business, marketing services and products, and organizing events. Similarly, this argument can also be made for YouTube. In fact, any closed cyberspace that grows too much could become a threat to the open Web. Which brings me to the question: is it fundamentally inevitable that a closed cyberspace will use the open cyberspace to eventually outgrow it? I would answer: no. The Web only got to this current situation because of fundamental flaws in the Internets architecture which rigged the system. Closed cyberspaces thrive because they have artificially imposed incentives to thrive. Technical flaws that supported middlemen businesses The Internet that supports the Web (as well as other applications such as email, Skype, WhatsApp, online mobile apps) is a technical marvel, but it shares similarities with some archaic systems. The way data travels through the Internet is quite similar to how the postal system works. Each recipient needs a unique address. On the Internet, these are the so-called IP addresses, which are simply numbers given to each computer. A computer may be assigned the number 198.153.192.40, where the first part 198 refers to a specific region in the USA, and the other numbers help specify which particular computer in that region is the recipient. Heres the problem with IP addresses: there arent enough of them. When the Internet was being planned, it was initially a system of military and university networks. They did not account for the massive popular adoption of the Internet that made it mainstream in business, commerce, and for inter-personal communication. Imagine if there could only be a limited number of mailboxes in the postal system that is virtually what occured to the Internet. There was a quick solution to this, though: a mechanism called Network Address Translation (NAT). Jargon aside, its a simple idea: one computer gets a real IP address and acts as an intermediate for other computers which do not have real IP addresses. Imagine that your neighborhood would share a single mailbox, then one person would be responsible for sorting and forwarding each received mail to the correct final destination. That is what NAT accomplishes for Internet addresses, and it is commonly deployed on local routers, such as the box you might have installed in your home or office. The advent of NAT routers also allowed for that intermediate computer to become a guardian and protect other computers from some dangers of the open Internet. It also meant that some computers were first-class citizens on the Internet, while other computers were subordinates. In addition, the scarcity of IP addresses caused them to be considered valuable assets, and so it became a business opportunity. IP addresses are being sold so that some computers can become first-class citizens on the Internet. It seems easy to solve this problem, though: just provide more IP addresses, since they are after all just artificial resources. That is what IP version 6 is all about, and its purpose is to make sure there would always be enough addresses for everyone (the limit is more than a trillion trillions). However, IPv6 was declared ready for use in 1998 two decades ago but its adoption among organizations around the world is still just catching up, because it demands teaching every Internet-connected machine to understand and utilize the new types of addresses. There isnt enough economic incentives for IPv6, though, since the information industry has made its nest in massive systems that assume IPv4 plus NAT. Companies that sell IPv4 addresses see little benefit in adopting IPv6 and companies that depend on IPv4 + NAT systems prefer to avoid the risks associated with disturbing the infrastructures that power their always-online businesses. Even if all the computers started using IPv6, too many programs were built with NAT in mind, which could reveal many security vulnerabilities when exposed to a world without NAT. In other words, the Internet economy simply isnt ready for a scenario where IPv6 is used everywhere and NAT is abandoned. We are stuck with what we have. As a consequence, the Internet has allowed intermediate computers to rule. These are like parasites that have grown too large to remove without killing the host. The technical flaw that favored intermediate computers prefigured a world where middlemen business models thrive. Google and Facebook connect consumers with advertisement publishers, and charge fees for each ad. Amazon is a middleman business as well: it connects retailers with consumers, and takes a cut on transactions. Many popular sharing economy startups and services are also middlemen: Airbnb, Uber, Kickstarter, Patreon, and many others. It is hard to imagine how things could be different, yet the incentives for these businesses to exist were artificially erected. It is not fundamentally necessary to have any intermediate company profiting whenever a person reads news from their friends, rents an apartment from a stranger, or orders a ride from a driver. This is why it is important to analyze technical systems from an economical and societal perspective: because early design decisions foreshadow certain social orders. We can and urgently must provide alternative ways of digitally supporting popular use cases for Web services. It is possible to escape middlemen businesses by decreasing reliance on the infrastructure that plugs their systems together: wires. The Internet, on a leash The physical foundation of the Internet is a global network of thick bundles of privately-owned fiber optic undersea cables spanning oceans to connect all the continents together. Undersea communication cables exist since the 1850s. (Source: Reuters/Landov) These cables follow a hierarchical layout: continents are connected to other continents, countries connected to countries, and within those countries, different companies (Internet Service Providers, ISPs) have to agree with their local government in order to plug into that network of cables. This well organized hierarchy is the only way the wired Internet can be feasible. Otherwise, a grassroots wired internet would be a true mess of cables. Countries and organizations also manage the distribution of IP addresses. Although the Internet is praised as the technology that ushered us into a new era, the information age, it is just a fancy way of transfering data from computer A to computer B. It is highly efficient in transferring data globally at almost instantenous speeds, but it is nevertheless much like a USB cable that connects your computer to an external hard drive. In fact, transfer speeds are almost always better through USB cables than through the Internet. The real benefit of the Internet is instant globalization through the fact that it makes all computers in the world seem like they are in the same room. The global real-time economy enabled by the wirenet is a historical achievement with permanent implications to humanity. That said, often we engage with apps that have no need for global connectivity. For instance, staying in contact with friends in the same city a naive but likely the most popular use case for technology requires no connections to countries on the other side of the planet. Yet we overutilize the global tangle of inter-connected cables to run proprietary and foreign (often American) apps which deliver messages that travel around the world just to reach a colleague nearby. This has opened our lives and our nations to digital colonialism from surveillance capitalism corporations (pick your favorite Silicon Valley company) married to three-letter intelligence agencies. What could be the alternative? So much of our digital lives depend on technologies that are out of our reach, physically, legally, and economically. Gladly, technology itself has recently provided the first building blocks that can be put together to create a new cyberspace. Untapped opportunities Technological innovation is quick to introduce amazing things such as smartphones, 4G connectivity, cryptocurrencies, and digital social networks. None of these existed when the Internet was being planned. Yet all of them rely on the very old idea (from the 19th century) of telecom companies, not as a fundamental requirement, but due to lack of alternatives. As a thought experiment, how would the Next Internet look like if it were reinvented using all the accumulated knowledge from the last 3 decades of global cyberspaces? There are three promising things that can enable a reinvented Internet: The people-centered Web Mobile mesh networks 4 billion people The Web is classically a location-centered cyberspace. When you access the Web, you visit locations (URLs, like wikipedia.org ) that contain content. You often dont see the people who created that content, but they are implicitly assumed to be there. The problem with location-centered content prefigured by the way HTTP was designed is that its not easy to archive for posterity. An image hosted through some link may be there today, but maybe not tomorrow. Novel peer-to-peer protocols such as IPFS and Dat help replace HTTP and make the Web a content-centered cyberspace. This way the link to an image can be something like QaPdNnDWRLF1b a so-called hash of the image, summarizing it instead of mywebsite.com/pic.jpeg so that even if mywebsite.com servers are removed, you can still get the image by fetching it from any computer that has stored QaPdNnDWRLF1b . If you dont like the unreadable code, you can just use a link shortener like bit.ly to create a shortcut to the unreadable code. This way, even if your bit.ly short link disappears, the content can still be recovered from the crowd of online computers. Browsers can be made to work like that, and although its a small tweak to how the Web works, it has massive effects on social structures in cyberspace. The Beaker Browser is the best demonstration of that, which you can easily install and start using today. It allows your browser to directly share content with other peoples Beaker installations, without intermediate servers (like YouTube servers, Medium, blogs, etc). These above mentioned technologies fix the Web by making it truly content-centered instead of location-centered. That said, the Web is good at putting content on stage, while keeping content authors in the backstage. While there are many use cases where its desirable to de-emphasize people, such as anonymous reports, crowd-sourced encyclopedias, and cat videos, in the recent years we have discovered a game-changing way of structuring cyberspaces: the Social Web, where content orbits the author like planets orbit a star. It makes sense for a cyberspace, a digital context for people to engage with each other, to be people-centered. Websites in the social realm took a daring approach of making You a location: the URL twitter.com/andrestaltz means that this content is a person. In fact, one of the earliest large social networks was named Myspace, emphasizing the location and its association with a person. We all have experienced how revolutionary this concept has been, and how it has pervasively reached to many corners of the Web: you can sign in with a Facebook account or insert blog comments using your Facebook profile. Now that we have experience with some of the intricacies of the social Web, we can reinvent it to put people first without intermediate companies. The peer-to-peer protocol Secure Scuttlebutt (SSB) does that, designed with diversity-first principles that prefigure (hopefully) social structures with freedom, subjectivity, and political structures that can prevent capitalistic monopolies. SSB was envisioned and created by a nomad programmer who had unreliable Internet connection and wanted to enable social networks for off-grid lifestyles. A growing community of pioneers and programmers are using SSB on a daily basis as their main social network. I really hope you click through all those links and explore SSB in more depth. The mix of off-grid lifestyles with digital social networks is unusual, because we tend to associate technology with dependency on the Grid for energy and Internet connectivity. However, to create an alternative to the Grid, we need to look for technologies that provide energy and connectivity without the Grid. Solar panels provide the former and are a staple of the off-grid sustainability movement known as Solarpunks. To provide the latter, we can use wireless technologies. Cables gave birth to the information age, but wireless gave us wings to go untethered. And today, digital society gets together through smartphones more than it does through desktop computers. While smartphones enable us to easily share files directly to other devices without intermediates using Bluetooth or Apples AirDrop, we dont transfer data through that as compulsively as we do through cables. Wireless technology exists today as a mere extension of the wired world, but it could be so much more than that. It could be, in fact, the opposite: wires as a mere extension of the wireless world. You probably havent heard of mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs), also known as meshes. One of the reasons for their lack of popularity is that meshes would threaten the business of telecom operators, so there is little incentive from the establishment to develop and deliver mobile ad-hoc networks to you. A MANET is like AirDrop, but automatically and seamlessly connects to devices around you and delivers data in multiple hops between those devices. Even if Bluetooth connections can only reach a few meters, after multiple jumps, you can connect to devices a few kilometers away. Information literally spreads through the air to a mesh of devices in a region. It is propelled even more by the fact that mobile devices are moving around, doing half of the work of transporting data. On the other hand, the primary reason why MANETs are underappreciated is that they do not yet provide data transfer speeds comparable to those in the wirenet. A MANET upholds principles like freedom from fixed intermediate organizations, but it is simply too slow for transfer-intensive use cases like streaming video or instant messaging. Their adoption would feel like a step backwards to the early days of the Web when speeds were measured in a few Kilobits per second, not the usual Megabits per second you are used to in developed countries. Mesh networks are nevertheless still promising, for two facts. First, the technology is evolving, with Apple MultipeerConnectivity and Bluetooth Mesh as a few cutting-edge examples. Novel protocols are being developed that envision IPv6 without ISPs, ideal for meshes. Second, because many developing countries do not yet have Internet access. This accounts for 4 billion people, out of the total 7.6 billion, with currently zero bits per second of transfer speeds. Even if it seems like the Internet encompasses the whole world, it still barely reaches 45% of the planet. Some may have Internet connectivity, but its intermittent or not consistently speedy. For people with intermittent or unexistent connectivity, ISP-free mesh networks with moderate but consistent speeds become quite attractive. Image: Internet users in 2015 as a percentage of a countrys population by Jeff Ogden (W163) Facebook and Google are desperate for getting an early grip of those 4 billion people, e.g. through Internet.org and Project Loon. However, because their middlemen businesses are tethered to the Internet, all of these projects require the old hierarchical structures of ISPs and cables. Their businesses and modus operandi are inherently infrastructure-heavy. The difficulties are several: balloons cannot reliably cover all the regions, local ISPs or local governments may be corrupt, and any other wired infrastructure project takes years or decades. The exciting part is that we can actually beat the tech giants at this game by simply giving local and regional connectivity to people in developing countries. With mobile apps that are built mesh-first, the smartphones would make up self-organizing self-healing MANETs. Frankly, this is quite easy to do, if we are willing to gift mobile devices without expecting anything back, unlike tech giants. It wont be an easy fight, though, Facebook is working hard to build a compromise that still gives them the middleman upper hand. Zuckerbergs 10-year roadmap puts connectivity projects in the long-term spectrum (510 years). Thats basically our deadline, we need to get grassroots meshes in Africa before that. The mobile apps for meshes would have to be best suited for the particular limitations of (current) MANET technologies. Video streaming and instant messaging are not the first options, but lightweight websites in content-addressed style (like in the Beaker Browser with Dat) and text-first social news feeds are applications that can be realistically delivered in the short term. Such apps dont even require constant connection to other devices in the mesh. For text-based social news feeds, it suffices to occasionally sync the latest news with other devices whenever they are in range. Even the mobile apps themselves can be deployed through MANETs, and I have already developed an app store mobile app that fits that use case, called Dat Installer. My main project at the moment is to build a mesh-friendly social network mobile app running on SSB. It is important to highlight that while these apps are built for meshes, they know how to surf the Internet and utilize it as a fallback. When talking about decentralized peer-to-peer protocols in 2017, it is imperative to mention blockchains and cryptocurrencies. These are great innovations and directly tackle intermediate organizations (mostly banks) as a problem, much like IPFS, Dat, and SSB. On the other hand, most blockchain protocols were designed with high Internet speeds, powerful hardware, and global connectivity in mind. What most of these innovations share in common is the accomplishment of a distributed global database where no single actor is to be trusted above the others. There are legitimately useful use cases of this, such as decentralized Web domain registration. On the other hand, requiring global consensus, high Internet speeds, and powerful hardware makes it difficult to utilize blochchains for mesh networks in developing countries. Alternative not-quite-blockchain experiments like IOTA might change this, though. The plan While growing local mesh networks for-charity in developing countries is the proposed strategy, how is it connected to a plan for countering the tech oligarchy in developed countries? In Internet-less regions there is potential for scaling quickly, and through that we can spawn a new industry around peer-to-peer wireless mesh networks. If this industry grows, it can also support meshes in the developed world. Scaling fast is important to make meshes more than just niche projects by a few enthusiasts, but instead become a thriving ecosystem. The mega-projects listed below are a plan to rescue the Web from the Internet: In the next year or two: Developers improve peer-to-peer protocols that support the content-centered Web (IPFS, Dat) and the people-centered Web (SSB) Developers and hardware manufacturers write open protocols for mesh networking (comparable to MultipeerConnectivity, CJDNS, Open Garden) Developers bring peer-to-peer protocols to smartphones and build mobile apps that use those Web enthusiasts and archivers help migrate content from the old Web to the new protocols Hardware startups compete in the market for regional mesh networks (e.g. goTenna, Beartooth, and others) In two years or more: Smartphone manufacturers sell mesh-first mobile devices for the developing world Developers work with regional communities to localize mesh mobile apps (note the possibility of forking open source projects and customizing them to different cultures) Charitable organizations or companies offer mesh-first smartphones for free (or subsidized and cheap) to people in developing nations Mesh-based cyberspaces start to thrive in some countries Similar mesh cyberspaces in the developed world also gain relevance, specially in countries with unfair ISPs In six years or more: Ecosystem of wireless mesh networks expands from regional airnets to national airnets National airnets are weaved together through a global mesh of satellites (much like Blockstream) Make the global airnet competitive with the wirenet As a result of having competition between the two, we can hope to fix the overutilization of the wirenet and the underutilization of airnets, bringing balance to the wire-versus-air dichotomy, providing choice in how data should travel in each case. Choice is freedom. If you liked this article, consider sharing (tweeting) it to your followers. Copyright (C) 2017 Andre 'Staltz' Medeiros, licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0, translations to other languages allowed. You can make sure that the author wrote this post by copy-pasting this signature into this Keybase page. This Is what I remember about my grandfather, John Raymond Riggs I. I remember the smell of his chewing tobacco. I remember him coming to see us when we lived in Florida. He looked so out of place in his cowboy hat there. He didnt care though. He was a cowboy. I remember him teaching me how to ride a horse. I never could put the saddle on to his specifications though. I remember watching him care for the little kittens at the ranch. There were always a dozen feral cats out there, and he always had a soft heart for the smallest and weakest of them. I remember the orphaned pet goats and sheep that were always around on the ranch too. He would find them out in the pasture and feed them from a bottle until they could make it on their own. Of course after all that care they all followed him around like a dog. There was a sheep named Wrinkle-Snoot. There was even a cow they named Sally that did the same. I remember every time we came in from outside he would tell us to wash our hands. The only soap I ever remember was that original yellow Dial hand-soap. I remember going to see him at his day-job one time. He worked for the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission on the border between the U.S. and Mexico. I remember him telling me to get out and open the bump-gate whenever we drove a vehicle without a grill-guard on the ranch. I let the gate slip once and dinged the side of my cousins old truck. He was not even that mad about it. I remember sleeping in the back of my grandparents house in town sometimes during the summer. Everyone would watch T.V. after dinner. And my mom and I would sometimes call my dad who was back in Saudi Arabia from an old telephone in the back bedroom. I remember him saying the prayer before every meal. It was his house, and he was always the one who prayed before we ate. It always started: We thank the oh gracious heavenly father I remember him passing the offering plate as a deacon at church, and I remember the Juicy Fruit gum he always kept in his shirt pocket. I remember him taking us hunting. Ranch hunting, that is. We would ride around in the truck with the windows down listening to the radio, with the heater turned up. I never remember getting in his truck that the radio wasnt turned on. I remember working with him and my cousin on the ranch. We would get up early before the sun, nap in the heat of the day, and sit on the front porch after a late dinner. We would train horses, fix fences, dig post holes, paint gates, brand cattle, and take cattle off to auction. As dusk came, sometimes a flock of wild turkeys would roost in the tree by the far gate. One time in particular that my grandfather woke us up, my cousin and I complained about the alarm clock. He said he would quit using it. The next morning he woke us up standing in his underwear. He had on a white t-shirt, playing a guitar and singing at the top of his lungs. Scared us to death. I wish I could remember what song it was. We were only kids and we thought that was so funny. And I remember him holding my daughter at his 90th birthday party. They say smell is the most nostalgic of the senses, and most of all, I remember the smell of my grandfathers chewing tobacco. I remember opening a pouch of it and smelling it as I sat in the front seat of his truck. I can still smell it today. See, both my grandparents died a few weeks ago. My grandfather had recently turned 93. And my grandmother was 88. They were married for 71 years and they died just over two days apart. Its alright though, they both had a good long life, and Ill see them soon. The BJP has registered sixth consecutive electoral victory in Gujarat Assembly election while it managed to wrest power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh. By India Today Web Desk: It is a double whammy for the Congress as the party lost power in Himachal Pradesh - its last fortress in the hills - and failed to wrest power from the BJP in Gujarat despite stitching an all-Opposition unity. The BJP today headed for a victory in Gujarat to retain its two-decade dominance in the state and also stayed on course to oust the Congress in Himachal Pradesh. advertisement Union Human Resources Minister Prakash Javadekar gave credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "agenda of development" for the twin victory. "Development is the mantra of today's polity. And therefore people are with Modiji," Javadekar said in New Delhi. Earlier, commenting on the election result trends, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the BJP would form governments in both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. "We will get majority in both states and form governments," Rajnath Singh said. However, the Congress did not do as bad in Gujarat. It improved its tally from 2012, when it secured 61 seats. As per the latest round of counting, the Congress had won or leading on 76 seats while the BJP was ahead in 103 constituencies. The BJP had won 116 seats last time. ELECTION RESULTS 2017: LATEST FROM GUJARAT AND HIMACHAL Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing after the count of postal ballots, is now leading over Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West seat. Prem Kumar Dhumal, BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Himachal Pradesh, was trailing behind Congress's Rajinder Rana in Sujanpur. At this stage, the BJP had a vote share of 49.2 per cent while it was 41.7 per cent for the Congress. Its vote share in 2012 was 38.93 percent. Early trends indicated a neck and neck race in Gujarat, which gave slight jitters to BJP workers. But soon the BJP pulled ahead and the numbers began to conform to exit poll results. The EC figures showed the NCP, Bhartiya Tribal Party and an independent candidate leading in five seats together. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel was trailing from Mehsana against Congress candidate Jivabhai Patel by 3,000 votes. But later gained a lead. Mehsana was the epicentre of the Patidar reservation agitation. Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia was trailing in Porbandar by just 50 votes after counting of three rounds, against BJP leader and fisheries minister Babubhai Bokhiriya. Congress' Alpesh Thakor has won the Radhanpur seat defeating Lavingji Thakor of BJP. Senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil was trailing against BJP's Virendrasinh Jadeja from Mandvi seat. State BJP chief Jitu Vaghani was leading over Dilipsinh Gohil of Congress in Bhavnagar West. During initial rounds, Jitu Vaghani was trailing. The elections were held on December 9 and 14, after a deeply acrimonious campaign, which was dominated by a face-off between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The BJP has won every election since 1995 in the home state of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. However, it was out of power for a couple of years due to party infighting and rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghela. BJP came back to power in 1998, and has ruled uninterrupted since then. In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP was ahead on 42 seats while the ruling Congress is leading in 22. Others were leading on the rest of four seats. The Congress and the BJP had 36 and 26 seats respectively in the outgoing House. Congress veteran and six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his son Vikramaditya Singh are leading from Arki and Shimla(Rural) respectively, according to early trends. Main rivals BJP and Congress contested all the 68 seats at stake. The hill state witnessed a record 75.28 per cent turnout. Himachal Pradesh has a tradition of change in government after every elections and going by the trend, this time it appears to be the turn of the BJP which is upbeat after the exit polls predicted a victory for the saffron party. The BJP ousted the Congress in 1990 and the Congress avenged the defeat in 1993. The BJP formed the government with the help of Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998 and the Congress was back in power in 2003. The BJP made a comeback in 2007. advertisement (With PTI inputs) --- ENDS --- advertisement The following companies are subsidiares of Nokia Oyj: AO Nokia Solutions and Networks, ATG Germany GmbH, Aircom International, Alcatel - Lucent, Alcatel Centroamerica S.A., Alcatel IP Networks Limited, Alcatel Lucent, Alcatel Lucent Middle East North Africa DMCC, Alcatel Lucent Teletas Telekomunikasyon A.S., Alcatel SEL Unterstutzungs GmbH, Alcatel Submarine Networks, Alcatel Submarine Networks Brazil Ltda., Alcatel Submarine Networks Denmark ApS, Alcatel Submarine Networks Hong Kong Limited, Alcatel Submarine Networks Marine, Alcatel Submarine Networks Norway AS, Alcatel Submarine Networks UK Ltd, Alcatel Submarine Networks USA Inc., Alcatel de Venezuela C.A., Alcatel-Lucent Angola Limitada, Alcatel-Lucent Benin SA, Alcatel-Lucent Centro Caribbean Holding Limited, Alcatel-Lucent East Africa Limited, Alcatel-Lucent India Limited, Alcatel-Lucent International, Alcatel-Lucent International Holdings Inc., Alcatel-Lucent Managed Solutions India Private Limited, Alcatel-Lucent Nigeria Limited, Alcatel-Lucent Pakistan Limited, Alcatel-Lucent Participations, Alcatel-Lucent Participations Chine, Alcatel-Lucent Portugal S.A., Alcatel-Lucent RT International B.V., Alcatel-Lucent Saudi Arabia Co. 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Read More Birds Of A Feathers Christmas special airs tonight on ITV heres the cast and plans for the next series. Birds Of A Feathers Christmas special starts tonight at 9PM on ITV. Its Christmas in Chigwell and the Birds are back. Tracey has got big plans that could upset the festive harmony in the house, Sharon has found a novel way of doing her Christmas shopping and Dorien has got a mystery to solve. What could possibly go wrong? Birds Of A Feather Cast Sharon Theodopolopodous Pauline Quirke Tracey Stubbs Linda Robson Dorien Green Lesley Joseph Joining them are Charlie Quirke as Travis Stubbs and Samuel James as Garth Stubbs. Its the latest episode of the long running comedy, which last aired Christmas 2016. In that episode, Sharon, Tracey and Dorien embarked on an adventure to Tangier, Morocco to search for Traceys missing son, Travis. Travis had finally been allowed to fly the nest on a gap yearto Spain. However, nobody had heard from Travis in four days and he was last seen getting on a ferry to Morocco with his girlfriend. Convinced something terrible has happened to him, Tracy was on the next flight and Sharon, not one to pass up on the chance of a holiday, went with her. And Dorien invited herself along, seeing it as a great opportunity to get material for her saucy new book. The Christmas specials will lead in to a brand new full series which will air on ITV in 2018. By PTI: New York, Dec 18 (PTI) Scientists have developed floating solar cells that can harness the Suns energy to produce hydrogen fuel from water. Hydrogen is a clean fuel that is currently used to propel rockets in NASAs space programme and is widely expected to play an important role in a sustainable energy future. The vast majority of todays hydrogen is produced from natural gas through a process called steam methane reforming that simultaneously releases carbon dioxide (CO2), but water electrolysis using electricity from solar photovoltaic (PV) offers a promising route to produce hydrogen without any associated CO2 emissions. advertisement Researchers from Columbia University in the US have developed a novel photovoltaic-powered electrolysis device that can operate as a stand-alone platform that floats on open water. The floating device can be thought of as a "solar fuels rig" that bears some resemblance to deep-sea oil rigs, except that it would produce hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water instead of extracting petroleum from beneath the sea floor, researchers said. State-of-the-art electrolyzers use expensive membranes to maintain separation of these two gases. The new device relies instead on a novel electrode configuration that allows the gases to be separated and collected using the buoyancy of bubbles in water. The design enables efficient operation with high product purity and without actively pumping the electrolyte. Based on the concept of buoyancy-induced separation, the simple electrolyzer architecture produces H2 with purity as high as 99 per cent. "The simplicity of our PV-electrolyzer architecture - without a membrane or pumps - makes our design particularly attractive for its application to seawater electrolysis, thanks to its potential for low cost and higher durability compared to current devices that contain membranes," said Daniel Esposito, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Columbia University. "We believe that our prototype is the first demonstration of a practical membraneless floating PV-electrolyzer system, and could inspire large-scale solar fuels rigs that could generate large quantities of hydrogen fuel from abundant sunlight and seawater without taking up any space on land or competing with fresh water for agricultural uses," Esposito said. PTI MHN SAR MHN --- ENDS --- Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) said on Sunday it had signed a three-year alumina supply agreement with a Vietnamese state-owned firm, its first such deal with Vietnam. EGA, owned equally by Abu Dhabi and Dubai investment funds, has signed the deal with Vinacomin for supply of 300,000 tonnes of alumina per year, it said in a statement. The deal is the first long-term agreement to supply Vietnamese alumina to the United Arab Emirates, a move that boosts bilateral trade between the two countries, the statement said. EGA, which currently imports all the alumina it needs, is building the UAEs first alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi with plans to produce two million tonnes of alumina annually. EGA is also building a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea in West Africa. A Buddhist statue made of flowers in Da Lat, a popular destination in Vietnams Central Highlands, has been named the worlds largest. The Vietnam Book of Records, authorized by the World Records Union, recognized the statue in Linh Phuoc Pagoda, in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province, as the worlds biggest Buddhist statue made of flowers on Sunday. The 17-meter-tall display features the Avalokitesvara bodhisattva. According to the Venerable Thich Tam Vi, abbot of the pagoda, the statue was built in front of the seven-story bell tower between November 25 and December 31, 2009, on the occasion of the third Da Lat Flower Festival. The event is the countrys largest flower festival, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors. This year, the festival is scheduled to run from December 23 to 27. The statue has a steel core and is made of about 650,000 everlasting flowers, weighing in at 1.6 metric tons. The blooms are renewed every two years. The work was honored with the Vietnamese record in 2010 and Asias record in 2012. Built in 1949, Linh Phuoc Pagoda is one of the most famous destinations in Da Lat. It is located about 12 kilometers from the city center. The pagoda currently holds 13 Vietnamese records, one Asian record, and a world record, contributing to the promotion of Buddhism to both local and foreign visitors. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man in a border town in southern Vietnam has been taking local children to school on his old motorcycle for the past eight years. After the story of Nguyen Van Hoi was reported in local media, readers and benefactors across the country have expressed their admiration and funded a brand new motor cart for him to continue his good deed. Hoi, a 40-year-old single man, lives with his elderly mother in Phu Hoi Commune, An Phu District, An Giang Province, which is next to the Cambodia-Vietnam borderline. With the hope for all children in the locality to be able to go to school, Hoi has been using his motorcycle to bring local kids to school. These young children are students of an elementary school. They mainly come from poor families and could not go to school due to a long distance from home. The motor cart is specially designed for the transport of young students. Photo: Pham Minh Hien For these children, to study is to survive. I cannot just let them give up the education they deserve and continue living in such difficult circumstances, Hoi said. The man starts his normal day at 4:00 am by preparing meals, tidying up the house, and taking care of his mother, before heading out at 5:00 am. Hoi arrives at the houses of local kids and take them to school on his motorbike. He carries three kids each turn and is able to bring all 60 students to the school before 7:00 am. The man has done that during the past eight years. Nguyen Van Hoi carries three children on his old motorbike. Photo: Pham Minh Hien All the children he has been helping now call Hoi their father. Local residents have also showed great admiration for the man. With the new motor car, Hois dream has come true as the vehicle will ensure safer journeys for the young students. The motor cart is equipped with a roof to protect them from the weather. I thank you all for making my little dream a reality. This is the foundation for bigger dreams to be fulfilled, Hoi said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! In the intervening 25 years since Romper Stomper first screened with a young Russell Crowe, much has changed. Skinheads now sport #1 buzz-cuts. Ethnic clusters are no longer confined to Vietnamese but Muslim-based communities. Australian patriots now oppose the establishment. Media is an active participant in stirring up hostilities. And Gabe (Jacqueline McKenzie) has grown up to become a businesswoman running childcare centres. The Footscray backdrop so prominent in Geoffrey Wrights 1992 acclaimed film has broadened, to match the wider lens of a 6 part sequel on Stan. It has largely moved further west where everybody has big screen TVs in McMansions, but there are also hotbeds of drama in St. Kilda and Melbournes CBD. The central character in this ensemble is Kane (Toby Wallace), a young ex-Army recruit who is largely a silent observer to an urban warfare waged by Blake (Lachy Hulme), leader of the extreme right Patriot Blue group and a masked Anti-Fasc group. If Kane is the Russell Crowe of this new-gen tale then he is well-positioned to succeed. But in this world of binge TV playing style, he is one of the new breed of performers to contain his emotions, as opposed to the fists and tirades of Crowe. The offensive, blinkered views of Blake and his young Christian wife Zoe (Sophie Lowe), ignite much of the opening action. A Halal Festival turns bloody, and caught in the middle of it are young Lebanese couple Laila (Nicole Chamoun) and Farid (Julian Maroun). Subversive group Anti-Fasc, led by Petra (Lily Sullivan) and Danny (Tysan Towney), stage public defacings and Assange-like events all for the benefit of their weapon of choice, social media. There is a further sub-plot with Kanes sister Cindi (Markella Kavenagh) who escapes juvenile detention. David Wenham will appear as a self-serving SKY News-like media host, whipping up debates and ratings, while Gabe is seen visiting her bed-ridden father Martin (Cliff Green replacing actor Alex Scott). Original cast member Dan Wyllie will also appear. Expanding the palette from the films original focus will likely require a number of episodes to ascertain whether it is a better form than a telemovie run. Pleasingly Geoffrey Wright is writer and director for the first two episodes (that ominous, marching theme music is back), but while the urban enemy may have shifted cultures in 2017, the monster from within, as personified by the Patriot Blue gang, is far more sinister than the thuggery of Crowes skinhead gang. Were in a war, we have to win, Blake tells his followers. One day that city will be a battlefield, without discipline we dont stand a f***ing chance. But cracks appear in his flag-bearing group when Zoe is drawn to Kane, nearly as much as she is to alcohol. Anarchy bubbles underneath the supposed united and righteous. Elsewhere it is Laila and Farid who emerge as the moral centre of the tale, trying to hold down jobs under judgmental eyes, in a city where Muslims are routinely labelled as either terrorists or Waleed Alys. Of the performances a bleach-blonde Lachy Hulme is to be applauded for undertaking such an unlikeable, unpopular character with the conviction needed of a more heroic one, and Nicole Chaiman impresses in a sympathetic role. Toby Wallace steps into the shadow of Crowe well, although whenever he nears Sophie Lowe, both risk turning hypnotic with sullen looks that give way to lust. I would have liked more from McKenzie, given her links to the original, but watch for some pleasing cameos, such as one from veteran actor Terry Norris. Sometimes in skyscrapers, offices and affluent homes, this Romper Stomper shifts its street cred and insight into gang wars to a broader, politicised fight. Rather than fisticuffs in back alleys, the war is now waged on Facebook and primetime TV. The fact there is still a war at all is arguably what justifies a sequel in the first place. With such a strong pedigree fingers crossed it can live up to the fight. Romper Stomper premieres Monday January 1 on Stan. The European Central Bank will be paying special attention to London-based banks relocation plans, issuing a warning at the start of the week against any temptation to set-up empty shell offices in the EU after Brexit. Policymakers were worried that lenders would open offices in EU countries just in order to get the prerequisite banking licence to operate within the single currency bloc yet still work from London. Hence, the monetary authority said it would be monitoring the relocation plans of those banks intending to move to the Eurozone and their requests for banking licences. The ECB established four main areas of supervision, including an analysis of lenders' business models, their ability to trade locally and local risk committees. UK lender had already begun taking steps ahead of the anticipated start of second-phase negotiations between the EU and the UK, with twenty having already applied for banking licences to ensure they can serve their European clients after Brexit and as many as 50 thought to be considering relocating parts of their operations. Some of these applications hint towards the "empty shell too reliant on group entities in third countries," said the ECB. Another option that banks were looking at was the "dual-hatting" practice, involving bankers working for more than one entity. Transactions would thus be booked by the EU subsidiary but then executed in the UK; although that might result in insufficient client attention. German Bundesbank's board member Andreas Dombret went on record earlier in 2017 warning that: "supervisors wont accept fly-and-drive banking, where bankers fly in daily from London." Indeed, the Bank of England had forecast the loss of 75,000 finance jobs because of Brexit, although some observers believed that the cost of the break wouldn't be so dramatic. By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Properties belonging to people who had left for countries like Pakistan after the partition and free from legal tangle will soon be disposed off with Home Minister Rajnath Singh giving his nod, the home ministry said. The issue was discussed threadbare at a high-level meeting chaired by the home minister here today. advertisement The home minister directed that considering the importance of the new provisions in the Enemy Property Act, 2017, which was amended recently to include disposal/transfer of enemy properties, the rules may be notified expeditiously. "It was also decided that the custodian office be strengthened for this purpose and the ministry should identify the properties free from encumbrance for quick disposal and monetisation," a home ministry statement said. According to the amended Act, "Enemy property" refers to any property belonging to, held or managed on behalf of an enemy, an enemy subject or an enemy firm. The owners of the enemy properties are those who have left India and settled in Pakistan or China. The government has vested these properties in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India, an office instituted under the central government. After the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, the Enemy Property Act was enacted in 1968, which regulates such properties and lists the Custodians powers. The home ministry today said similar properties in Pakistan belonging to Indians have been disposed of and the appointment of nodal officers by the state governments be pursued to coordinate identification, vesting and valuation of enemy properties. During the meeting, it was also informed that the survey of 6,289 properties has been completed and the survey be completed in respect of remaining 2,991 properties which are vested with the custodian, the statement said. Also the properties in the process for vesting numbering 5,863 may also be surveyed at the earliest. PTI ACB DIP --- ENDS --- A London High Court injunction has blocked Nostrum Oil & Gas executive chairman Frank Monstrey from dealing with his shares in the company, including voting and other rights. The court order relates to ongoing proceedings at the High Court brought by Kazakhstan's BTA Bank against Mukhtar Ablyazov and various other defendants over charges of embezzlement, though neither of Monstrey's Claremont Holdings vehicles is a defendant to the proceedings and no substantive claim is made against them. The High Court injunction has the effect of preventing Claremont from dealing with their assets, including any shares they hold in Nostrum Oil & Gas plc, which may prevent the exercise of the voting and other rights attached thereto. The court hearing in related to the order is scheduled for 31 March 2017. Last week the Moscow Commercial Court granted a petition by BTA Bank demanding to uphold and execute in Russia the London High Court ruling to collect $420m from the banks ex-chairman Ablyazov. The Kazakh banker fled from Kazakhstan to the UK and was granted political asylum in 2011 after the Kazakh government acquired a stake in BTA Bank in 2009. On Friday his trial in absentia on embezzlement charges began in Kazakhstan. Kazakh authorities have arrested Ablyazov in absentia as they claim he has embezzled funds from BTA Bank, including stealing pension assets and personal savings of citizens as well as loans received from foreign financial institutions, which is reported at more than $7.5bn. He is also wanted in Russia and Ukraine. Vodafone said revenue fell 4.5% to 13.37bn in the first quarter including a 5.3 percentage point negative impact from foreign exchange rate movements. The company said trading in the quarter was consistent with management's expectations underlying the outlook statement for the 2017 financial year and confirmed its outlook for the full year. UK service revenue declined 3.2%, reflecting the impact of operational challenges following a billing system migration, lower out of bundle revenues and the benefit of a large enterprise contract win in the first quarter of the prior fiscal year. Mobile service revenue fell 3.6% with consumer contract in-bundle revenue growth being more than offset by a decline in out of bundle usage compared to the prior year and the impact of expanding roaming propositions in enterprise mobile. Chief executive Vittorio Colao said European growth remained stable despite regulatory pressure on roaming revenue, with good performance in Germany, Spain and Italy. Our growth momentum in AMAP remains strong, with excellent performance in South Africa, Turkey and Egypt and ongoing recovery in India. Customers in multiple markets are attracted by our 'more-for-more' commercial offerings of larger data bundles and extra services, while we are seeing continued success with our fixed broadband and enterprise strategies," he said. Chief executive James Henderson left with immediate effect and was replaced by Philip Bowcock, the current chief financial officer, in the interim. A permanent position will be appointed in due course. On Friday Canaccord Genuity cut its target price for William Hill from 301p to 340p. The company had experienced poor results from the Cheltenham horse race, tighter regulation and technology challenges. In June UBS said the bookmaker had lost market share in Australia amid fierce competition. In March, William Hill said it expected operating profit to fall between 260m and 280m this year from 291m last year. William Hill said Hendersons leaving arrangements will be consistent with the director's remuneration policy. His 12 months notice period started on the 21 July and he will remain an employee for four weeks. Peel Hunt said: The company says that trading is in line with previous guidance: EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) of 260-280m. William Hills business has faltered recently, particularly online, and there have been numerous operational management changes. Changing the CEO with no replacement lined up shortly before the interims - due 5 August - implies that the problems of the business are yet to be resolved. "Despite the poor recent share price performance and the reassurance on trading we expect the share price to struggle today. We are putting our forecasts and recommendation under review ahead of the interims. On consensus forecasts, William Hill shares trade on 12x FY16 PER, falling to 11x FY17, and a 4.4% dividend yield, based on consensus." The FTSE 250 listed company said there is no entitlement to pay Henderson's 2016 bonus following a notice of termination. But Henderson will be paid the executive bonus matching scheme award in March 2018. In 2015 he was awarded 77,754 deferred bonus shares for the annual bonus earned in 2014. Chairman Gareth Davis said: "James's career with William Hill has spanned over 30 years covering the retail, online and international businesses. We would like to thank him for his significant contribution and we wish him all the best for the future. Philip has a clear set of priorities as interim CEO, principally the continued turnaround of the online business. We will confirm a successor in the coming months." Bowcock joined William Hill in November 2015 and has experience in the leisure industry and a commercial background in multi-site international businesses. Shares in William Hill were up 1.56% to 279.40p at 0928 BST. One of the countrys best-known entrepreneurs has raised fears that Britains largest technology company will be milked for its cash after it is sold to SoftBank, of Japan, for 24.3 billion. Hermann Hauser, founder of Acorn Computers, the parent of Arm Holdings , has declared that Arms loss of independence is a loss to the UK and dismissed the argument that the sale was necessary for Arm to fulfil its potential. - The Times Britain has voted to renew its nuclear deterrent after a heated debate in the Commons in which new prime minister Theresa May firmly set out the case for Trident, while the motion was passed by 472 votes to 117. The vote was not on full approval for the new submarines as the government has opted to approve the investment in stages in an effort to control costs. - Financial Times The North Sea oil industry is heading for its first strike action in a generation after 400 rig workers agreed to down tools during a 24-hour stoppage next week. Members of the Unite and RMT unions working for Wood Group, the engineering contractor, on eight Shell oil and gas platforms in the North Sea are angry over pay cuts of up to 30 per cent and changes to allowances. - The Times Households may be able to bundle their water bills with their energy charges or broadband costs in a new world of water competition, the regulator Ofwat has said. Water competition will be introduced for non-domestic customers from next spring, allowing companies with sites around the country to use one supplier nationwide or enabling big industrial users or large institutions such as government departments or local councils to shop around for the cheapest provider. - The Times Greek investigators have raided the home of a former local boss of UBS as part of a widening investigation into suspected tax evasion. The July 4 raid on Christos Sclavounis Athens residence is the latest attempt by cash-strapped European nations to pierce the secrecy of Swiss banks in the hope of boosting depleted coffers. Police took away computers, documents and disks, according to people with knowledge of the raid. - Financial Times Only 16% of workers in the UK would be comfortable building a website, compared with 39% in Brazil and 37% in India, according to a report, which warns that Britains digital skills lag behind other countries. A report into digital education, skills and confidence, commissioned by Ashok Vaswani, the chief executive of Barclays UK, found that Britain, one of the most active online consumer markets in the world, is being outpaced when it comes to being able to create new digital technologies. - Guardian Gas prices have surged close to their highest level in a year as traders react to the shutdown of Britains biggest gas storage facility in the North Sea. Rough, a depleted gasfield about 30km off the coast of East Yorkshire, holds about 75 per cent of the UKs total gas storage capacity. - The Times Rolls-Royces troubled marine unit has delivered a rare piece of good news, landing a 25m deal to design a new generation of environmentally friendly cruise ships. The two vessels for Norwegian operator Hurtigruten will be capable of sailing in the polar regions, and as well as the innovative design, Rolls will also supply equipment to the ships. - Telegraph Broadband builder Hyperoptic has won a 21m loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) just days after another UK start-up complained that Brexit had caused its deal with the lender to fall through. The EIB, which is backed by the EU's member states and lends to businesses in the 28-member bloc, has issued an eight-year loan despite the UK's decision to exit the EU which will be complete within two years of formally starting the exit process. - Telegraph Societe Generale has pushed for the postponement of a trial involving claims that its staff paid nearly $60 million in bribes to Libyan officials to win business from the countrys sovereign wealth fund during the Gaddafi era. Lawyers for the French bank have asked for a delay to a courtroom showdown with the Libyan Investment Authority over $2.1 billion of disputed trades that the fund says were sold to it despite bankers knowing they were unsuitable investments. - The Times Twelve hotel groups have expressed an interest in running Admiralty Arch known as the gateway to Buckingham Palace which is being turned into a 100-bedroom hotel with a private members club. The Grade 1 listed monument on The Mall was built in 1910 and was the residence of the first sea lord. It was then occupied by the Cabinet Office until 2011 when it was deemed too expensive to renovate. - The Times Plunging levels of homeownership and an increased reliance on state benefits to top up salaries have meant that Britains middle-income families increasingly look like the poor households of the past, according to one of the UKs leading thinktanks. A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies showed that the old link between worklessness and child poverty had been broken, with record levels of employment leading to a drop in the number of poor children living in homes where no adult works. However, the study found that by 2014-15, two-thirds of children classified as living below the poverty line had at least one parent who was working. - Guardian Up against BJP's Vijay Chakravarti, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani emerged a winner in an easy contest today from a reserved Assembly constituency for Scheduled Caste candidate. By India Today Web Desk: Dalit rights campaigner Jignesh Mevani has won from his constituency Vadgam in Banaskantha district by 18,150 votes as an independent candidate. Up against BJP's Vijay Chakravarti, Mevani emerged a winner in an easy contest today from a reserved Assembly constituency for Scheduled Caste candidate. "I express my gratitude to the people of Vadgam for all their support. Now I will raise the voice of Gujarat's discriminated sections in the Assembly," assures Mevani after win. advertisement In what many believed was a predetermined win after Congress and AAP withdrew their candidates, Jignesh Mevani's win today has surely heralded a change in the home turf of Prime Minister Modi. LIVE COVERAGE | Gujarat election results 2017 Mevani shot to fame after he organised agitations in the aftermath of reports of atrocities against Dalits in Una district of Gujarat. He led a long march 'Azadi Kooch' demanding land for his community. The 36-year-old lawyer and activist's political debut was no less than a blockbuster, when back in July, he vanguarded a justice-siege for Dalit youths publicly beaten for skinning a dead cow in Una, Gujarat. In another hiccup for the Gujarat government, Mevani then organised Dalit protests against the old-age practice of disposing animal carcasses over the Una incident. Soon after he hit the anti-BJP sentiment, political observers proclaimed him as "The face of resistance against BJP", along-with Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakor. NOT WITH CONGRESS Mevani fought from Vadgam unopposed from Congress but while campaigning, maintained that it should not be confused with an under-carpet support. In an exclusive interview with India Today in November, the 36-year-old had emphatically stated that no negotiation was struck with the Congress party. He had said, "We want to overthrow the 22 years of BJP rule. But we are not endorsing Congress either... People of Gujarat are smart enough to choose whom to cast their vote to. We don't have to tell them." --- ENDS --- Freeport-McMoRan Inc. engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. The company primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals, as well as oil and gas. Its assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Tyrone and Chino in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. The company also operates a portfolio of oil and gas properties primarily located in offshore California and the Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2021, it operated approximately 135 wells. The company was formerly known as Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and changed its name to Freeport-McMoRan Inc. in July 2014. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. PPG Industries, Inc. manufactures and distributes paints, coatings, and specialty materials worldwide. The company's Performance Coatings segment offers coatings, solvents, adhesives, sealants, sundries, and software for automotive and commercial transport/fleet repair and refurbishing, light industrial coatings, and specialty coatings for signs; and coatings, sealants, transparencies, transparent armor, adhesives, engineered materials, and packaging and chemical management services for commercial, military, regional jet, and general aviation aircraft. It also provides coatings and finishes for the protection of metals and structures, such as metal fabricators, heavy duty maintenance contractors, and manufacturers of ships, bridges, and rail cars; paints, wood stains, adhesives, and purchased sundries for painting and maintenance contractors, and consumers for decoration and maintenance of residential and commercial building structures; and paints, thermoplastics, pavement marking products, and other technologies for pavement marking. The company's Industrial Coatings segment offers coatings, adhesives and sealants, and metal pretreatments, as well as services and coatings applications for appliances, agricultural and construction equipment, consumer electronics, automotive parts and accessories, building products, kitchenware, and transportation vehicles and other finished products; and on-site coatings services. It also provides coatings for metal cans, closures, plastic tubes, and promotional and specialty packaging; amorphous precipitated silica for tire, battery separator, and other end-uses; TESLIN substrates for labels, e-passports, drivers' licenses, breathable membranes, and loyalty and identification cards; and organic light emitting diode materials, displays and lighting lens materials, optical lenses, color-change products, and photochromic dyes. The company was incorporated in 1883 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Under Armour, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the developing, marketing, and distributing performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and youth. The company offers its apparel in compression, fitted, and loose fit types. It also provides footwear products for running, training, basketball, cleated sports, recovery, and outdoor applications. In addition, the company offers accessories, which include gloves, bags, headwear, and sports masks; and digital subscription and advertising services under the MapMyRun and MapMyRide platforms. It primarily offers its products under the UNDER ARMOUR, UA, HEATGEAR, COLDGEAR, HOVR, PROTECT THIS HOUSE, I WILL, UA Logo, ARMOUR FLEECE, and ARMOUR BRA brands. The company sells its products through wholesale channels, including national and regional sporting goods chains, independent and specialty retailers, department store chains, mono-branded Under Armour retail stores, institutional athletic departments, and leagues and teams, as well as independent distributors; and directly to consumers through a network of 422 brand and factory house stores, as well as through e-commerce websites. It operates in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Under Armour, Inc. was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Congress' Indranil Rajyguru are locked in a contest for the state's most high-profile seat- Rajkot West . By India Today Web Desk: In a high-octane battle for Gujarat today, corridors of powers are shaking like never before, with Congress looking to give BJP an air-gasping fight. After early trends awarded an edge to the BJP, India's Grand Old Party has engaged the saffron brigade into a neck and neck contest. In what could have become a huge embarrassment for BJP, CM Vijay Rupani was lacking far behind in Rajkot West against Congress' mighty Indranil Rajyguru by 6234 votes. advertisement But in a timely save, Gujarat Chief Minister is currently leading with 9000 votes against Rajyguru. Same cannot be said about Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel- who is trailing in Mehsana by 2000 votes. LIVE COVERAGE | Gujarat election results 2017 Rajkot West is the most high profile seat of the Gujarat Assembly election as Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is facing a tough challenge from Rajyaguru of the Congress. Hardik Patel has campaigned heavily against the BJP and this is Patel stronghold. This seat is also significant as Narendra Modi contested from Rajkot West as Gujarat chief minister in 2002. This seat has been with the BJP for past 32 years. CM Rupani had won the seat in the 2014 bypoll. The Congress has brought in Indranil Rajyaguru from neighbouring Rajkot East to exploit the caste equation in the constituency. ABOUT VOTING, ELECTORAL HOPES For long this election has been touted as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's prestige battle against Congress and with Rahul Gandhi at helm of affairs- this election could very well herald a political earthquake. The counting of votes for the Gujarat Assembly Election result 2017 are underway at 37 centres across the state's 33 districts, amid tight security. Gujarat Assembly election results 2017 are expected to have a bearing on the 2019 parliamentary polls also as Modi had come to power in 2014 based on the 'Gujarat model of development'. An average 68.41 per cent polling was recorded in the two-phase Assembly elections in Gujarat. According to the final figures released by the Election Commission, the voter turnout in the second phase of balloting on December 14, for 93 seats of North and Central Gujarat, stood at 69.99 per cent. In the first phase of polls held on December 9 for 89 seats in Saurasthra, Kutch and South Gujarat, 66.75 per cent voting was recorded. The total voter turnout this time has seen a dip of 2.91 per cent, as compared to the 2012 polls when 71.32 per cent polling was registered. In terms of numbers, of the total 4.35 crore registered voters, 2.97 crore exercised their right to franchise in the elections held on December 9 and 14. --- ENDS --- advertisement Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Health, Wealth and Career; and Risk and Broking. The company offers actuarial support, plan design, and administrative services for traditional pension and retirement savings plans; plan management consulting, broking, and administration services for health and group benefit programs; and benefits outsourcing services. It also provides advice, data, software, and products to address clients' total rewards and talent issues. In addition, the company offers risk advice, insurance brokerage, and consulting services in the areas of property and casualty, aerospace, construction, and marine. Further, it offers investment consulting and discretionary management services to insurance and reinsurance companies; insurance consulting and technology, risk and capital management, pricing and predictive modeling, financial and regulatory reporting, financial and capital modeling, merger and acquisition, outsourcing, and business management services; wholesale insurance broking services to retail and wholesale brokers; and underwriting and capital management, capital market, and advisory and brokerage services. Additionally, the company provides primary medical and ancillary benefit exchange, and outsourcing services to active employees and retirees in the group and individual markets, as well as delivers healthcare and reimbursement accounts, including health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, flexible spending accounts, and other consumer-directed accounts. The company was formerly known as Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company and changed its name to Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company in January 2016. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company was founded in 1828 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. CBT is always better than psycho-educational strategies, or support groups, lead author Gabriele Wilz of Freidrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, told Reuters Health. Psycho-education is important, but not sufficient, for example, to cope with burdensome emotions, or learn new strategies to cope with challenging behavior, or to change dysfunctional thoughts, or to promote recreation time for the caregivers. Researchers randomly assigned 273 family caregivers of a dementia patient to either individual telephone-based CBT, or to a control group that only had access to their usual community resources. At the beginning of the study all participants had higher levels of depression, physical pains and heart symptoms than the noncaregiving population. At six months the telephone CBT caregiver group reported less depression and physical pain, and positive changes in their emotional health and ability to cope with the often-challenging behaviors exhibited by their loved one with dementia. At the 12-month mark, while there was not much difference between the groups in depression or physical health levels, the CBT group continued to experience greater feelings of well-being and felt better able to cope with their loved one's condition. Unlike someone who might be depressed in another context, these caregivers have unremitting demands and burdens. Someone is not magically going to make them go to sleep and have a full night, Lisa Onken, director of the behavior change and intervention program at the U.S. National Institute on Aging, told Reuters. Onken, who was not involved in the study, noted that while it was promising, more studies are needed on the topic. "It fits easily into Germanys health care system, but its not clear how it fits in with the health care system in the U.S., she said. Three charged in connection to missing Aberdeen man As the Aberdeen Police Department continues to investigate the disappearance of Simon Deng in Aberdeen, three people now face charges. In light of the heightened interest both locally and nationally in sexual harassment, its simply unacceptable that the director of the New Mexico Legislatures administrative arm is refusing to release records related to two sexual harassment complaints at the state Capitol. Legislative Council Service Director Raul Burciaga claims that one of the few exemptions to the states Inspection of Public Records Act which excludes matters of opinion in personnel files from disclosure allows him to withhold the complaints. And, although an IPRA request by the Journal sought documents related to such complaints filed in the past five years, Burciaga inexplicably also left out allegations against Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales, who was accused by an outgoing legislative branch official of sexual harassment in 2016. Sapien says the claims are a fabrication. Gregory Williams, president of the watchdog organization New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, cites a state Court of Appeals ruling that determined complaints against police officers are public record which begs the question of why complaints against elected officials and Capitol employees wouldnt be. Williams notes that state law allows redaction of opinions in such documents, but everything else must be provided, including witness statements, final disciplinary records, etc. The issue of sexual misconduct has come under heightened scrutiny both in New Mexico and nationally amid a wave of allegations levied against prominent male politicians, actors and media figures. State Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla recently dropped out of the race for lieutenant governor over sexual harassment allegations lodged against him a decade ago when he was employed by the city of Albuquerques dispatch center. The allegations, which he denied, were widely reported at the time, and the city ended up settling sexually hostile work environment claims. A USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll released Wednesday shows three out of four polled call workplace sexual harassment a serious problem in need of real solutions. That was the overwhelming opinion by men and women, Republicans and Democrats. Overall, 74 percent of those polled said they are less likely to vote for a candidate if he or she faces credible allegations of sexual misconduct. Tuesdays defeat of Alabama Sen. Roy Moore, accused of serially hitting on teenage girls half his age, supports the polls findings. Burciaga said the two sexual harassment allegations filed in the past five years involve Capitol employees and not elected officials. However, they are still public employees working on taxpayers dime, and given Burciagas broad interpretation of the act, sexual harassment complaints against lawmakers could presumably fall under the same blanket of secrecy which protects only the guilty. State Attorney General Hector Balderas should review Burciagas claimed exemption and issue an opinion. Although his opinion isnt legally binding, it would put the burden on the Legislative Council Service to challenge it, if it so chooses. In view of the current, and much needed, focus on sexual harassment, including a potential legislative revamping of state harassment policy, we can think of few public records of more interest to the voting public than those accusing legislators who must ultimately decide whats lawful and what is not of sexual harassment. 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. Michelle Hernandez was glad to return to New Mexico after spending three years in Los Angeles getting her law degree. For one thing, the Albuquerque native had to endure being asked for a green card when she wanted to open a bank account in Westwood, an LA neighborhood. Then there was her experience in a local laundromat, where she was accused of not speaking English because she looked Hispanic. But above all, she said she was frustrated trying to find a community group with which she could volunteer. One of the reasons I came back to Albuquerque is I was trying to do that (volunteer work) while I was a student in LA, and I never felt like it was my community, she said. I always felt like you needed to be born and raised in LA to feel like youre from LA So Hernandez came home and found what she was looking for with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce starting with her first introduction in 1997 up to now, as she takes over as chair of the nations largest Hispanic chamber. Hernandez, a certified health law specialist, is the ninth woman to lead the chamber since its inception in 1975. And shes doing so at a time when theres a new chamber president and CEO (Ernie Cde Baca), new board members and a new Albuquerque mayor (Tim Keller). Its a transition year, said Hernandez, 46, who works at the Modrall Sperling law firm. I think its exciting. Weve got a really engaged and active board. They are very committed. The chamber has 1,300 members, most of whom are based in Albuquerque, although it also has some out-of-state members. One of Hernandezs goals during her one-year term is to make sure the chamber is reaching out to young professionals in the welcoming way that greeted her when she returned from Los Angeles. Its not always easy to be a young professional in Albuquerque, especially if you havent grown up here, or for someone like me youve come back and it seems like a whole new world because now youre here as an adult, she said. She recalled attending her first La Noche Encantada, the chambers annual fund-raising gala, in 1997. I had just moved back, Hernandez said. I had never been to anything like that just the sheer number of people and it was black tie and it was gala. I just was in awe at how big it was and then to see the organization that was running it, professional Hispanic leaders at all these really high levels of business and politics. She said she wants other young people to have the opportunity she did to find a network of professionals, and not just those in their own age group but across generations, as well. I do think theres a great opportunity to make sure we are making it more of a community effort, so its cross-professional and cross-generational. Another of Hernandezs goals is to make sure there are opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses. She points to the chambers efforts to get its members signed up with the citys Minority Business Enterprise program. The program requires the city to take affirmative action on hiring women and minority-owned businesses. Were promoting it to businesses to make sure theyre signed up, she said. The chamber also works with the city on convention and tourism efforts through an annual $700,000 contract, Cde Baca said. Under the agreement, which is renewable every five years, the chamber promotes Albuquerque as a destination for Native American and Hispanic markets, Cde Baca said. Hernandez said another of her goals is to make sure the chamber is providing its members value-added benefits during a time when chambers of commerce are struggling to remain relevant. The board, she said, will likely have a retreat to focus on what is the role of a Chamber of Commerce today, because that has changed. The Hispano chamber offers team membership engagement specialists who are assigned to each business that joins, offering help with anything from expanding a business to finding the right person at City Hall who can help with a permit, Hernandez said. The group also is working on an internal referral system like an inhouse Yelp so members can do business with each other when they need to purchase an item or a service. Simply put, its no longer good enough for a Chamber of Commerce to charge people dues in exchange for doing nothing more than publishing an annual directory, Hernandez said. So its not just sign up members, get in a book and hopefully it all works out, she said. Were trying to really make sure were relevant and providing a service to our members. Michelle Hernandez Age: 46 Education: University of California at Los Angeles, law degree, 1997; University of New Mexico, bachelors degree in political science, 1993. Job: Litigator for Modrall Sperling; board-certified health law specialist, with close to 19 years of experience in civil litigation, including products liability, professional liability, asbestos litigation, construction defects and insurance coverage. Past experience: Judicial law clerk to then-state Supreme Court Justice Joseph Baca, 1997-99. Professional activities: National Institute of Flamenco, board, 2016-present; Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, board chair, 2017, board member, 2013 to present; vice chair, executive committee, 2016-present; State Bar of New Mexico, 1997-present, Committee on Women and the Legal Profession, 2013-present; New Mexico Commission on Professionalism, executive committee, 2012-present; New Mexico Supreme Court Committee on the Rules of Civil Procedure, 2011-present; American Bar Association, member Minority Trial Lawyer Committee, 2009-present; New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association, president, 2012, board member, 2007-2012; New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry, member, 2007-2011; board member, 2009-2011; Hispanic National Bar Association, member, 1997-present; regional president, appointed to two-year term in 2015, deputy regional vice president, 2008-2009, 2014-present. Family: Husband, Jon; daughters Mia, 13 years old, and Lena, 10 years old. In my last column, I wrote about my visit with Mexican Ambassador Geronimo Gutierrez, during his November 16 trip to the El Paso/Juarez/southern New Mexico region. This is the second part of a two-part series. During Gutierrezs visit to the El Paso/Juarez/southern New Mexico region, he provided his governments stance on the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiations, which will be entering the next round of talks sometime early next year. The following are the ambassadors thoughts on the negotiations. According to Gutierrez, there are four major issues that are at the heart of the NAFTA renegotiations. The first is the issue of modernizing the agreement. When NAFTA was implemented in 1994, the internet age was in its first stages. Phenomena such as e-commerce and internet fraud were terms that were barely being understood. Likewise, in 2013, Mexico introduced changes to open up its energy industry in the major areas of oil, natural gas, and electricity to foreign participation. Mexicos energy sector had been nationalized since 1938, and the energy laws were a monumental shift. These changes and the foreign participation in this industry were not part of the original NAFTA negotiations and are being discussed in the renegotiations. According to Gutierrez, this first issue comprises approximately 50 percent of the NAFTA renegotiations. Issue two deals with what Gutierrez refers to as the progressive agenda. This concerns environmental issues and labor rights. It also deals with indigenous people, especially as relates to Canada. While these are important topics, Gutierrez doesnt believe any part of the progressive agenda will be a deal-breaker in the renegotiations. The third issue of the renegotiations focuses on government procurement and changing the process of investor settlement disputes. There has been tough talk bandied about by the Trump administration pertaining to dispute resolution under NAFTA. At times, this seemed to be a major sticking point going into the negotiations. However, according to Gutierrez, this issue should also be resolved. This leads us to what the ambassador deems the fourth and most difficult category of the renegotiations, which is establishing a national component system for the automotive industry, and the proposal by the U.S. that NAFTA will automatically expire every five years and renegotiations will need to take place. As to the automotive component system, Gutierrez believes that imposing a content requirement more stringent than the one that is already in place will be extremely difficult and disruptive for the automotive industry. Automobiles are no longer 100 percent made in any one country. Automotive manufacturers set up production around the globe where it makes sense from cost, supply, and logistics standpoints. Automobiles are also assembled based on these same principles. For the government to step in and mandate a different content than what the companies are subject to at present could cause havoc in supply chains and rising costs of the final product, which would eventually be passed on to the consumer. As to sunsetting of NAFTA every five years and having to renegotiate the agreement anew, Gutierrez believes that this is a definite deal-breaker. Companies operate on strategic plans in which decisions are based years into the future. Renegotiating NAFTA every five years runs contrary to attracting industrial investment and keeping companies confident that politics will not interfere in their long-term decisions. Constantly renegotiating NAFTA would make the agreement subject to the whims of the politicians who are in office in times of renegotiations, rather than providing the security that the three nations have created a viable agreement, which will carry across political administrations. As we go into subsequent NAFTA talks in early 2018, these four areas will be discussed in further detail. It behooves all sides to consider that introducing unreasonable demands to try to exact leverage could backfire. The North American Free Trade Bloc, which Canada, the U.S., and Mexico created based on NAFTA, has been one of the most successful trade agreements during the past 20 years. At this point in the renegotiations, throwing out the baby with the bathwater would be disastrous to all three partners. Copyright 2017 Albuquerque Journal The Attorney Generals Office recently told the city of Rio Rancho that charging citizens $30 for copies of 911 call recordings might violate the states sunshine law. But the city disagrees and could start charging more for more time-consuming requests. In a case that highlights a key difference between New Mexicos Public Records Act and the law governing public access to those documents formally called the Inspection of Public Records Act Rio Ranchos city attorney argues that state statute allows municipalities to charge a reasonable fee to provide copies of records stored in database. That includes the time employees spend pulling the records. While Assistant Attorney General Lori Chavez described Rio Ranchos 911 call fee as excessive, Rio Rancho City Attorney Gregory Lauer signaled in a response letter that it might be insufficient in some cases. Since some public records requests may entail costs both slightly lower and significantly higher than the citys standard $30 charge, the City will consider soon whether it needs to shift its records policies to charge for actual costs to produce the recordings, Lauer wrote in the Nov. 15 letter. In October, Chavez had issued an opinion letter in response to a citizen complaint that Rio Rancho was violating IPRA. The city earlier this year told Dianne Goodman she needed to pay $30 up front for each of four 911 recordings she had requested under IPRA. Chavez determined that the city violated IPRA by not allowing Goodman access prior to charging for downloading copies and might have violated IPRA with the $30 fee. The city has since provided Goodman the four recordings and offered to refund her payment. While IPRA allows public agencies to charge the actual costs for downloading copies of records, such as the storage device, IPRA does not permit agencies to charge for identifying and isolating records responsive to the request, Chavez wrote. But Lauers letter cites a separate statute, the Public Records Act, which has special provisions for information stored in databases that enable municipalities to charge a requester based on costs that include staff time. The City can require payment of actual costs to produce 911 recordings pursuant to both IPRA and PRA, two statutes that must be interpreted together and harmoniously, city spokeswoman Annemarie Garcia said in an emailed statement to the Journal. Costs may be less than or greater than $30 because they would be actual costs. An administrative process that would involve the City Council would be required to change the current fee structure, she said. But attorney Kip Purcell, a New Mexico Foundation for Open Government board member, said that, under the same law, citizens should still be able to get recorded information in a written format, such as a transcript, without paying any copy fees. Added FOG Executive Director Peter St. Cyr: They shouldnt be shifting the burden of their ineffective management system to the public were already paying them (through their salaries). Their approach should be, What can we do to provide this information quickly? Lauer estimated that producing one redacted copy of a 10-minute 911 call requires a dispatcher at least 55 minutes. Dispatchers with the authority to make them earn an average of $20.70 per hour, he wrote. Creating an inspectable version of the call involves searching the database, listening to the call, copying it, and making the necessary redactions. The attorney argues that Rio Rancho cannot simply make its databases wholly and publicly accessible, since they are part of the Sandoval County Regional Communications Center, a partnership that also includes information from four other governmental and tribal entities. At one point, Lauer also questions whether IPRA even accounts for auditory examination of records, writing by plain meaning, and given the historical context of public records in the form of print on paper, the more reasonable and likely interpretation of inspect connotes a visual examination. But Purcell noted that IPRA defines public records to include all documents relating to public business regardless of physical form or characteristics, including recordings. Garcia, the spokeswoman, said the city will not change any of its policies without further input on IPRA and PRA language which we believe was not taken into consideration/addressed as part of the first AGO response. A spokesman for the attorney general said the office does not reconsider its determinations, but he also noted that the office does not have the authority to fine or reprimand agencies that violate IPRA. We intend to work with the City to revise their policies and hopefully resolve the pending issue, spokesman James Hallinan said in an email. Goodman said IPRA gives citizens the right to inspect records. This is necessary and the only avenue citizens have other than filing a lawsuit in order to ensure that our government is operating efficiently, respecting the law and their own policies and procedures, she said in an email. Copyright 2017 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE New Mexico lawmakers will have a $25 million question to answer when they begin crafting a new budget next year. Should the state send more money into a program that provides child care for low-income families, or is the money better-spent elsewhere? The debate comes as New Mexico ramps up spending on a variety of early childhood programs and evaluates their effectiveness. Lawmakers have heard conflicting reports this year on child care assistance the state program that provides a subsidy to low-income families so they can send their children to day care while the parents work or attend school. Nonpartisan analysts for the Legislative Finance Committee reported in August that child care assistance hasnt shown evidence of boosting academic achievement, though they acknowledged it has other benefits for working families. They were much more positive about pre-kindergarten as a tool to close the achievement gap among students of different ethnic and demographic groups. But Monique Jacobson, secretary of the state Children, Youth and Families Department, has approached legislators with her own data: Children in the program, she says, are far less likely to be the victims of repeat maltreatment two substantiated allegations of abuse or neglect within six months than the general population. And it has the added benefit of encouraging parents to work or attend school something that can make a lasting difference for adults and children alike, she said. For families, having wrap-around child care is in many cases what makes it possible for them to participate in pre-K, Jacobson said in an interview. And we know its really important that parents are in a position where they can work consistent hours or go to school. Standards raised But its expensive. Jacobson is asking the Legislature to approve an extra $25 million next year for child care assistance a 16 percent increase, to about $134 million a year. The boost is necessary, she said, just to keep up with enrollment trends and avoid cuts. Generally, to enter the program, a family has to make less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $30,600 for a family of three. The amount of the subsidy paid directly to the child care center depends on the familys income level. The parent or guardian who applies must be working or attending school, though there are limited exceptions. Two primary factors are squeezing the programs financing: More children are enrolling, and the quality standards for child care centers are increasing, which means the state must pay them more. The number of children participating climbed 31 percent over a three-year period, to about 21,000. And the average monthly cost per child is up by over 40 percent since the 2013 fiscal year, to about $521 last year, according to legislative data. Thats a result of the state providing an incentive for child care centers to improve their quality because they get paid more if they do. The commitment to higher-quality care is part of the appeal to legislators. Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, chairman of the influential Senate Finance Committee, said improving the quality of child care centers helps ensure the money is spent effectively, not just dumped down a hole. Jacobsons request for an extra $25 million, he said, was received very favorably. I think, in a bipartisan fashion, the Senate will support a large percentage of her request, Smith said. Lawmakers will meet in a 30-day session starting Jan. 16 to craft a budget to send to Gov. Susana Martinez. The state is expected to have nearly $6.3 billion to spend on basic operations next year, or $199 million more than current spending levels. Child care boosts safety Analysts for the Legislative Finance Committee have been circumspect in their comments about child care assistance in contrast to their evaluations of pre-kindergarten services, which they say have shown evidence of boosting academic achievement and contributing to long-lasting gains. An LFC report in August pointed out that child care assistance costs are climbing but the effect of the improved quality standards has yet to be fully evaluated. There isnt evidence yet of improved academic outcomes resulting from child care assistance, one analyst told legislators, though the program provides important services for working families. Jacobson, in turn, has pitched child care assistance as a way to keep children safe. Her department examined the number of children in the program who were the subject of a substantiated allegation of child maltreatment. Of those in child care assistance, only about 2.8 percent faced a second substantiated allegation within six months. For the general population, the rate is 11 percent, she said. That isnt, of course, a rigorous, scientific study that controls for other factors. For example, it could be that the kind of families who enroll in child care assistance in the first place already have a certain amount of stability that allows them to respond to allegations and fix them. But Jacobson said her numbers are a worthwhile high-level look at child care assistance and that a comprehensive study might make the program look even better. At the least, she said, its a safe place for children and a consistent source of food and care. Youre going to have more eyes on these kids when theyre in child care, Jacobson said in an interview, so its less likely theyre going to slip through the cracks. New Mexicos children, by some standards, are less safe than kids elsewhere. The rate of child maltreatment, for example, was far worse than the national average in 2015, according to the LFC. At least nine infants or school-age children, Jacobson said, have died since 2015 as a result of being left alone or with an inappropriate caretaker. All of our early childhood services are important, Jacobson said. They each play a slightly unique but important role. But child care assistance, Jacobson argues, is where the money is most needed. Without that funding, we wont be able to maintain the programming we have in place. Two recently filed lawsuits claim that a dog and a cat from the citys Lucky Paws Pet Adoption Center have attacked people. Rocky the cat, adopted from the store in the Coronado Center in December 2015, seemed fine with its new owner, Julie DeMasseo, when the two visited in the store and as they got to know each other at home for a few days after adoption. But when the pair woke up from a nap Dec. 15, 2015, DeMasseo says in her lawsuit, the cat, which had been sleeping on her lap, viciously attacked her. The cat attack was so severe that Mr. Jim DeMasseo had to pry Rockys jaw open in order to get it away from Julies arm, the suit says. The attack triggered complications and an infection at the site of previous surgical implants Julie DeMasseo had to treat severe rheumatoid arthritis, the suit says. The infection required hospitalization for two days. The suit says the city and Lucky Paws were negligent in adopting out a cat they should have known was vicious and liable to attack or injure human beings. Julie DeMasseo, of Rio Rancho, seeks compensation for her pain and suffering and legal fees. Her attorney did not return calls for comment. In a separate suit, John J. Salas, of Bernalillo County, also seeks money for the pain and suffering he says he endured after a Lucky Paws dog being walked by a Lucky Paws employee jumped up on Salas who had approached the dog and bit his lip, tearing flesh from his face. Salas says in the suit that the city and the mall were negligent in not warning him about the dogs violent nature and history and in not restraining the dog properly. Salas attorney did not return calls for comment. The city also did not respond to a request for comment. The ground floor of the new Lobo Rainforest in Downtown Albuquerque is now fully leased thanks to tenants like Sandia National Laboratories and General Atomics. But the same cannot be said for the University of New Mexico student apartments on the buildings five other floors. Residential occupancy sits at 30 percent, leaving UNM short of rental funds it expected to cover its Rainforest lease payments and prompting regents last month to approve $520,000 in reserves to meet this years $2.2 million obligation. Administrators say they do not anticipate ongoing trouble filling the units at the Rainforest a cornerstone of the Innovate ABQ site at Broadway and Central and blame timing for this years high vacancy. The freshly built apartments opened just days before the fall semester, creating a marketing challenge. Chris Vallejos, associate vice president of Institutional Support Services at UNM, said the school had aimed to mimic the marketplace and rent at least 90 percent of its units, but we didnt really have a product to show prospective students. The Lobo Rainforest boasts 155 two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments. It has 94 residents out of a possible 310. Students pay $629 a month, compared with a more standard campus dormitory rate of $489. But Vallejos noted that Rainforest residents have their own bathrooms, and that each unit features a full kitchen and washer and dryer. The university is hoping to recruit more residents from the pool of students taking classes at UNMs on-site Innovation Academy, he said. The school is also interviewing Rainforest residents to see what, if anything, needs tweaking, because satisfied customers can help spread the word. The majority of them are liking it, Vallejos said, noting that one area of concern has been construction along Central. But with work wrapping up on the Albuquerque Rapid Transit line and new amenities coming to the area, I think (the Rainforest is) just going to be very popular, he said. Rainforest resident Kyle Guin is happy with the building, deeming it UNMs nicest living facility. The UNM junior is so enthusiastic about the buildings potential especially as a venue for students to interact with the tech heavyweights downstairs that he asked officials if he could assume the title of student ambassador for the Rainforest. Guin said UNM this spring will collaborate with its commercial tenants to host student-oriented events to better showcase the building. I think 2018 we are going to have a ton of students (living) here, Guin said. Its not because students didnt want to live here; it was because there wasnt awareness. They didnt know it existed, and it just didnt open in time. PAAS leader Hardik Patel claims an Ahmedabad-based firm has made preparations to hack the source-code of several thousand EVMs in the Gujarat election. By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: A day before the counting of votes for the Gujarat Assembly election, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel expressed apprehension that the EVMs in Gujarat would be hacked to favour the BJP. However, his fears were rejected by the ruling BJP saying the Patidar leader had made a volte face on the issue within a matter of few days. advertisement In a series of tweets, Hardik Patel, who has aligned with the Congress in the Gujarat Assembly election, alleged that preparations have been made by an Ahmedabad-based firm to hack the source code of 5,000 EVMs with the help of 140 software engineers. He further alleged that there have been attempts to hack the EVMs particularly in the Patel and tribal-dominated constituencies such as Visnagar, Patam, Radhanpur, Unjha, Jetpur, Rajkot, Lathi-Babra, Chhota Udepur, Sant Rampur, Sanwli, Nadod and Dabhoi. The Patidar leader said, "It would make people laugh but no one will consider what I say. If the human body, which has been created by God, can be fiddled with, why cannot EVMs? If ATMs can be hacked, why not EVMs?" The Patidar leader, however, went on to allege that the BJP would win Gujarat by hacking EVMs but would deliberately lose Himachal Pradesh to make the results appear as genuine. However, Hardik Patel's allegations were rubbished by the BJP. The ruling party's national in charge of information and technology cell, Amit Malviya, retorted by saying that Hardik Patel was making excuses in the face of defeat in Gujarat. "In his Surat rally on December 3, Hardik Patel said there is no problem with EVMs. But now when the big defeat has become evident, he is singing a different tune. Poor Congress has also latched on to him," Malviya tweeted. Hardik Patel's fears over hacking of EVMs come on the heels of at least two senior Congress leaders rubbishing the allegations. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said if the EVMs were tampered, he would not have been in power in the state. Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Veerappa Moily has also said raising questions over EVMs shows defeatist mentality. Interestingly, Hardik Patel's comments came on a day when the Congress swept the local bodies' election in Punjab. These raise serious doubts over the Patidar leader's allegations. India Today brings you the best coverage of the Gujarat assembly election result 2017 - follow our live blog, watch live TV and read all our stories on the election results. And here's our Himachal Pradesh assembly election result live blog. advertisement WATCH | India Today - Axis My India poll suggests BJP will lead in Gujarat assembly elections --- ENDS --- Dozens of Albuquerque veterans filled up on classic holiday staples Sunday thanks to two local groups dedicated to supporting those who served. To many of the diners most of whom are experiencing homelessness or near homelessness and the volunteers, the annual meal is more about camaraderie and comfort than it is about food. Members of the local Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association chapter served up homemade dishes and desserts at the New Mexico Veterans Integration Centers, which offers transitional housing and other support services. Paul Temple, a Navy veteran who served during the first Gulf War, stopped by for a hot meal and said he enjoyed chatting with other combat vets while he ate. Temple lives in VIC housing and said he is working through a two-year program in order to get a permanent home of his own. He said veterans understand what other veterans have been through. Weve been there. We know what its like, he said. Theyre not outsiders looking in. They understand. Bruce Hill, spokesman for the motorcycle association and a member of the Air Force reserve, said the holiday season can be particularly tough for some veterans. They may not have a home to go to. They may not have a family to turn to, Hill said. You soon realize that you have a family in the veteran community. Wendy Webber, outreach coordinator for VIC, said social events are a vital service that groups like the motorcycle association bring to the center. Being together with other veterans who understand what weve gone through is comforting, she said. And to Temple, that means a lot. These people here are going out of their way to help fellow veterans. They dont have to, but they do it, Temple said. And I cant tell you what that means to the rest of us veterans that need help. It lets us know were not alone. ATLANTA Minutes after its midnight deadline to get the electricity back on at the worlds busiest airport, Georgia Power announced early Monday that power had been fully restored to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where more than 1,000 flights were grounded just days before the start of the Christmas travel rush. A sudden power outage caused by a fire in an underground electrical facility brought the airport to a standstill. Georgia Power said on its Twitter page that Power has been restored on all concourses. 5,000+ meals are being delivered to passengers. Trains will be operational soon. Passengers at the airport were left in the dark when the lights went out at around 1 p.m. The outage halted all outgoing flights, and arriving planes were held on the ground at their point of departure. International flights were being diverted, officials said. Mayor Kasim Reed tweeted Sunday night that all passengers had been safely deplaned. The City of Atlanta said on its Twitter page that it would provide shuttle service to the Georgia Convention Center for travelers in need of a place to stay and Chick-fil-A would be provided. Delta passenger Emilia Duca, 32, was on her way to Wisconsin from Bogota, Colombia, when she got stuck in Atlanta. She said police made passengers who were in the baggage-claim area move to a higher floor. She said restaurants and shops were closed. Vending machines werent working. A lot of people are arriving, and no one is going out. No one is saying anything official. We are stuck here, she said. Its a nightmare. Adding to the nightmare are what some passengers said was a lack of information from airport officials and help from first responders to get the disabled and the elderly through the airport without the use of escalators and elevators. They had these elderly people, handicapped people lined up in wheelchairs, said stranded passenger Rutia Curry. The people were helpless, they cant get down the stairs, it was just a nightmare. Passenger James Beatty said there was no real method for evacuation. I mean there was 40 or 50 people per the terminal area that were confined to wheelchairs and some that couldnt get through the airport very well, some of them actually couldnt walk and there was no plan at all to get them out of here without any power. Beatty said passengers carried those who used wheelchairs down stairs. Delta, with its biggest hub operation in Atlanta, will be hardest hit. By evening, Delta had already cancelled almost 900 Sunday flights and another 300 on Monday, nearly all of them in Atlanta, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. Delta customers flying to or from Atlanta can make a one-time change to travel plans without incurring a $200 change fee. The airline also encouraged travelers not to pick up their bags on Monday because of anticipated congestion at the airport. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former American Airlines executive, said it likely will be Tuesday before Deltas operations in Atlanta return to normal, and for passengers it could be most of the week because there arent many open seats on other flights in the last week before Christmas. Tomorrow is going to be a long and difficult day for everybody, Mann said. One bit of good news, according to Mann: Delta has more spare planes and available crews in Atlanta than anywhere else, which will help it to recover. Still, when flights at Atlanta were grounded for most of one day last spring, it took Delta five days and about 4,000 cancelled flights before it fully recovered. Like Sundays outage, that April storm hit Deltas largest hub at a busy travel time when there werent many empty seats to accommodate customers from cancelled flights. At the time, CEO Ed Bastian vowed that Delta would make significant improvements to its system for scheduling and tracking aircraft crews to recover more quickly from disruptions. Other airlines also canceled flights for the rest of Sunday. American Airlines canceled 24 departures and an equal number of arrivals, said spokesman Ross Feinstein. The airline also diverted three planes that were headed to Atlanta when the outage struck, sending them instead to Dallas, Nashville and back to Philadelphia. The FAA said it would staff the airport control tower throughout the night so that it can handle flights once they resume. The FAA said the tower could operate normally but flights were affected because airport equipment in the terminals was not working. According to a Georgia Power statement, a fire in an underground electrical facility may have been responsible for the outage. The cause of the fire was not known. No personnel or passengers were in danger at any time, the statement said. No areas outside of the airport were affected by the power loss. The utility said that there are many redundant systems in place to ensure the power supply to the airport and that such outages at the airport are very rare. That wasnt enough to comfort Jeff Smith, 46, of Pittsburgh, who ended up stuck in a plane on the tarmac for three hours after it landed. This is the worst experience Ive ever had at an airport, he said. Sara Melillo, who was traveling to Pittsburgh from Kenya, where she lives with her husband, Greg Presto, to spend Christmas with his family were stuck on the tarmac for six hours. The couple had made stops in Nairobi and Amsterdam and landed shortly after the lights went out in Atlanta. She said the pilot didnt have a lot of information for the travelers but the plane had air conditioning and attendants offered water and juice a few times. She described the Delta terminal as big chaos with not enough customer service for the hundreds of people trying to find a flight to their next destination and a place to sleep for the night. With her new boarding pass handwritten and her bags still stuck on a plane, Melillo was hopeful that she and her husband would be able to get a flight in the morning to Pittsburgh, she said as she waited for an Uber to take them to a hotel. Airport workers were distributing bottled water, and Dunkin Donuts was giving out doughnuts. Officer Lisa Bender of the Atlanta Police Department said officers were at the airport to help with crowd control and managing traffic around the airport. At Southwest Airlines, about 70 Atlanta departures out of 120 scheduled for Sunday were cancelled, an airline spokesman said in an email. United Airlines and JetBlue Airways were among carriers reporting delays or cancellations. Mozell Smith, 58, of Atlanta arrived at the airport hours after the electricity went off. He was headed to Las Vegas with a sister and a friend. This is terrible. I wish someone wouldve given us a heads-up before we got to the airport, he said. I wish there would have been better communication. American Airlines reported only a handful of diversions and cancellations because the carrier does not use Atlanta as a hub, airline spokeswoman Alexis Aran Coello. Hartsfield-Jackson, which serves 104 million passengers a year, is the worlds busiest airport, a distinction it has held since 1998. The airport serves an average of 275,000 passengers daily, according to its website. Nearly 2,500 planes arrive and depart each day. ___ This story corrects Mozell Smiths age to 58. ___ AP Airlines Writer David Koenig in Dallas, Texas, contributed to the story. West Mesa High students got a first-hand lesson on the consequences of driving while intoxicated recently thanks to a Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court program that brings real defendants to local schools. Several hundred students gathered in West Mesas Performing Arts Center to watch Judge Yvette K. Gonzales hear two cases from a bench set up on the stage. The Courts-to-School Program, launched in 2010, replicates a real courtroom. Its a unique mix of civics education, career exploration and scared straight. After hearing their sentences, the defendants both second-time DWI offenders delivered emotional statements about the impact of their crimes. I felt like my whole world was crashing down on me, said Matthew Widdows of his arrest. Being booked into jail was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life. Widdows, who works in correctional facilities, had decided to drive a half mile to pick up some pizzas, even though he had consumed a number of drinks. He was pulled over because he didnt have his headlights on, and found to be intoxicated. In the aftermath, Widdows lost his car, drivers license and girlfriend, and barely held on to his job. Legal fees and lost wages added up to thousands of dollars. I made an extremely bad choice, Widdows said. I hope you will make good choices. Michael McGranahan, the second defendant, had a blood alcohol level of .15 well above the .08 legal limit when an officer stopped him for speeding. He spent four days in jail and said he would have been fired if his parents didnt own the business where he works. McGranahans service technician position requires driving, but he cant get insurance to operate a company vehicle for five years. If I could go back, Id call Uber, McGranahan said. Under the terms of their sentences and probation, both men will spend four days in jail, have to place an ignition interlock on their vehicle, complete 48 hours of community service, pay roughly $800 in court costs, and undergo random drug and alcohol testing. After the proceedings, the judge, attorneys and probation officers answered questions from the audience. Gonzales told the Journal she hopes Courts-to-School inspires students to learn more about the legal system. He was just so nice. She was smitten almost from the moment she found him on an online dating website. Tall, charming and handsome in that rural, rancher kind of way, Jimmie Stuteville seemed to be the perfect man for her. He reminded her of Bill, her late husband. Bill was the love of my life, the nicest, kindest man in the world, and I was devastated when he died, Judy Holcomb said of the man she had loved for 25 years until his death of health problems in May 2003. Then here comes this man who looks like him, talks like him, even wears the same size clothes. And hes telling me God sent him to help me with my children, and I believed him because I wanted to stop crying, and I let him in. Stuteville, as he describes himself in his online profile, was 56, a longtime rancher and farmer, former safety manager of a large company and a believer of God, family and country. Holcomb was a domestic violence hearing officer for the 7th Judicial District in Socorro, an associate professor at New Mexico Tech and a mother of seven children, including five children she and Bill had adopted from Vietnam. She was two weeks shy of her 53rd birthday and thinking she had just been given the perfect gift: someone to heal her heart, help her raise her children and run her 26-acre ranch near Magdalena. They married in September 2004, six weeks after they met. In 2005, she underwent in vitro fertilization and gave birth to the couples son. To her friends in the far-flung ranching communities of central New Mexico, her life seemed nice. Her children were bright and friendly. Several of the girls were accomplished horsewomen and royalty in local rodeos. They were so fun and so well-mannered, friend Dawn Weaver said. Everybody knew Judys kids. But the marriage was turning out to be not so nice, Holcomb said. After 10 years, the marriage was through. Holcomb said she had become aware of Stutevilles secrets. He had been married numerous times, at least two of those marriages ending in annulments over allegations of fraud. Court documents filed in 2003 by a Tucson woman to whom Stuteville had been married for eight months, for example, accused him of fabricating information and making serious misrepresentations and omissions concerning his financial worth and abilities. Holcomb contends he appeared to go from woman to woman, mooching off them. That seemed to be what he was doing to her, she said, living off her income and the monthly $1,000 Social Security benefits each minor child from her previous marriage received after their fathers death. Holcomb said she believes Stuteville also knew that she was beneficiary of an aging aunts sizable estate. Several attempts to reach Stuteville by telephone for this story were unsuccessful. He tried to kill me On Sept. 17, 2014, things turned far darker for Holcomb. The marriage, by then, had already crumbled. Holcomb said she had told Stuteville she wanted a divorce. What happened that night changed her life forever. She suffered serious injuries that have led to permanent damage, which she says her husband caused trying to kill her. A grand jury eventually heard the case against him but decided not to indict. She has not seen her younger children since that night, and a court has decided that neither parent should have custody of the children at this point. According to court, hospital and State Police records: Holcomb says she woke up at 4:30 that morning at her Magdalena ranch because she had plans to meet her daughter AnneMarie, who lives in Socorro, on her way to Albuquerque. Stuteville, she said, was already up and standing next to the stairwell next to one of her teenage sons. OK, she heard Stuteville say, lets get this done. Then, she told authorities, he flung her down the stairs. She was dragged to another flight of stairs and thrown down again. She was dragged back up to the top of the stairs and thrown down for a third time. I remember hearing Jim say, You just need to die. Why wont you die? Your kids want you dead, she said in an interview with the Journal. The son later told State Police that Stuteville had asked him if he was ready to kill his mother. He went on to say that his father was tired of her and that he said that she was crazy and it was time for her to go, the police report says. Holcomb said she agreed to help Stuteville kill her by taking an overdose of pain medication because it would end her agony. By that time, her daughter AnneMarie, concerned that her mother hadnt shown up, started making calls. Holcomb said she believes Stuteville felt he had no choice but to take her to the hospital in Socorro. But on the way, he crashed his truck. Holcomb had not been secured in a seat belt. One of Holcombs daughters told police that Stuteville was going to crash the truck in attempts to kill her mother. Records show Holcomb arrived at the Socorro hospital emergency room more than seven hours after her first fall down the stairs. She suffered a fractured right arm, traumatic brain injury, a large cut to the back of her head and extensive bruising. Before losing consciousness, she whispered: He tried to kill me. Fifteen days later, she filed for divorce. Grand jury Stuteville provided an entirely different picture of what transpired that morning. According to divorce documents filed by his attorneys, he contends that Holcomb had either intentionally or accidentally fallen down the stairs while under the influence of hydrocodone and Xanax, empty bottles of which had been found in her bedroom. Stuteville also alleged that Holcomb was an abusive mother who beat her children with a large wooden post. The children were so terrified of her that they had formed a suicide pact should they be forced to live with her after her release from the hospital, he said. Several had cut themselves. Others had hidden backpacks in the woods nearby should they have to flee the home quickly, the court documents allege. Holcomb has denied the abuse allegations. And Weaver, her friend, said she had often been around the children and never saw signs of abuse. But Family Court Judge Gerard Lavelle in Albuquerque was not convinced. Lavelle, assigned the case after judges in Socorro recused themselves because Holcomb was a colleague, awarded custody of the minor children, ages 11 to 17, to Stuteville and allowed him to remain in Holcombs Magdalena home. Holcomb, still healing physically and mentally, said she had no choice but to agree. In October 2016, she was stronger and so was the case against Stuteville. Laura Cass, court-appointed guardian ad litem for the children, issued an emergency recommendation urging the judge to remove the children from Stutevilles custody because she believed that Stuteville had indeed tried to murder their mother, coerced the children to cover up the crime and was using them to help find a new woman. Father had a financial motivation to kill Mother along with a marriage that had deteriorated, Cass wrote. In his attempt to meet his own greed and interests, he included the children in a crime and cover up. But she also recommended that the children not be returned to Holcomb because of the allegations of abuse against her. Both parents, she said, were unfit. The judge agreed and ordered that the children be placed in third-party homes with other families and that neither parent be allowed to see them. The judge also echoed Cass opinion that Stuteville had attacked Holcomb. Respondent was the principal, if not only, actor in a brutal assault on the petitioner in the parties home, with the children present, Lavelle wrote. Stuteville was not charged in the case. But earlier this year, Weaver and other friends of Holcombs obtained enough signatures to file a petition to convene a citizens grand jury to hear the case against Stuteville. Last month, that grand jury was convened. On Nov. 29, the grand jury chose not to indict Stuteville. Because grand jury proceedings are secret, its unclear why. I can tell you that the grand jury met over a period of four days and heard from numerous witnesses and rendered their decision, said Henry Valdez, the former district attorney in Santa Fe who was appointed as special prosecutor to present the case. Nobody can tell you what the grand jury heard. With no indictment forthcoming, Stuteville on Monday renewed his legal claims to regain custody of the four minor children. Lawsuit filed Holcomb has remained undeterred. In June 2016, she filed what may be one of the first civil lawsuits seeking to recover damages as the spouse victim of a domestic violence attack. A decision by state District Judge Allen Smith in Socorro is expected in January. If I lose, it means victims like me will never have recourse from injuries inflicted as part of a marriage, Holcomb said. Holcomb knows a lot about losing these days. She has not seen her younger children since September 2014. She still struggles with the residual effects of her injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder. She is no longer able to work. A day after Thanksgiving, her ranch house in Magdalena mysteriously burned to the ground. All she was able to save were her laptop, her dogs, her cockatoo and the clothes she was wearing. For now, home is an extended-stay suite in Albuquerque. I literally have nothing left, she said. Still, she said, she is thankful for the friends who still surround her and for her children, who are grown and out of reach of both the courts and her ex-husband. Posts on one sons Facebook are filled with photos of happier times as a family. On one photo, he wrote about his hopes that life will be nicer for the family in 2018. His mother hopes for that, too. UpFront is a 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 removed climate change from the list of worldwide threats menacing the United States on Monday, a shift that underscores the long-term ramifications of the America first world view he laid out in his new National Security Strategy. The document depicts Russia and China as combative rivals in perpetual competition with the U.S. But it makes no mention of what scientists say are the dangers posed by a warming climate, including more extreme weather events that could spark humanitarian crises, mass migrations, and conflict. Its a significant departure from the Obama administration, which had described climate change as an urgent and growing threat to our national security. And it demonstrates how Trump, despite struggling to push his own agenda through a Republican-controlled Congress, has been able to unilaterally dismantle one of his predecessors signature efforts. As far back as 2003, during George W. Bushs presidency, a report commissioned by the Defense Department said abrupt climate change threatened disruption and conflict, refugee crises, border tensions and more military conflicts. Trumps national security report, required annually by Congress, emphasizes that economic security is national security for the U.S. It makes clear the United States will unilaterally defend its sovereignty, even if that means risking existing agreements with other countries. The new document doesnt eliminate references to the environment entirely. It recognizes the importance of environmental stewardship and says that climate policies will continue to shape the global energy system. The United States will remain a global leader in reducing traditional pollution, as well as greenhouse gases, while expanding our economy, it reads. But Trump, in a speech about the report, blamed past administrations for putting American energy under lock and key and said his approach embraces a future of American energy dominance and self-sufficiency. Our nation must take advantage of our wealth in domestic resources and energy efficiency to promote competitiveness across our industries, he said. That thinking represents a reversal, not just from previous Democratic administrations, but from Republican as well, said Geoffrey Dabelko, director of environmental studies at Ohio University. Proscribing more fossil fuels rather than seeing that as a fundamental source of vulnerability that undercuts resilience that is definitely a departure, in some ways turning the argument on its head, he said. The last national strategy document, prepared by President Barack Obama in 2015, identified climate change as a national security risk alongside threats like the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and catastrophic attacks on the U.S. homeland. Climate change, that document warned, was contributing to increased natural disasters, refugee flows and conflicts over basic resources like food and water and was already being felt from the Arctic to the Midwest, with rising sea levels and storm surges threatening coastal regions, infrastructure and property. Jamil N. Jaffer, founder of the National Security Institute at George Mason Universitys law school, sees the broader new strategy as a shift that reasserts Americas role in the world as a nation willing to assert its power and influence in its own interest, and as a nation ready and willing to engage in competitionand winin areas ranging from economics to diplomacy. But Rosina Bierbaum, a University of Michigan environmental policy scientist, said, Not including climate change in a document about security threats is putting our head in the sand. Climate change is absolutely a security threat, posing risks to U.S. coastal infrastructure, expanding the ranges of pests and pathogens, and fueling more powerful storms and wildfires, she said. Around the world, the changing climate threatens food and drinking water shortages that will boost mass migration and heighten international tension, said Bierbaum, a former associate director of the White House Office of Science and Technology during the Clinton administration who helped write the initial congressionally mandated national climate assessment. Michael Oppenheimer, a climate scientist at Princeton University, said, Theres a big element of cutting off our nose to spite our face just because the administration doesnt like the words climate change.' Since taking office, Trump has worked to roll back regulations on planet-warming carbon emissions. He announced his intention to withdraw from what he described as the very expensive and unfair Paris climate agreement signed by nearly 200 nations, approved the Keystone XL pipeline, and worked to scrap Obama-era initiatives meant to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, among a long list of measures. Trump has personally expressed skepticism about the reality of climate change, describing it on Twitter as an expensive hoax that was created by and for the Chinese to hurt U.S. manufacturing. However, members of the Trump administration, including Defense Secretary James Mattis, have made clear they believe a changing climate should be taken into account by the U.S. military. Trump himself signed a defense spending bill this month that orders the Pentagon to assess the vulnerabilities to military installations and combatant commander requirements resulting from climate change over the next 20 years. Trump is not just ignoring science and public opinion about the dangers of the climate crisis, hes ignoring American generals and the Pentagon about what it takes to keep our military and our country safe, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, said in a statement. But David Titley, a retired rear admiral and the director of the Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk at Penn State, said he was pleased to see at least some reference to greenhouse gases and pollution in the document, although he said it was unlikely to have much impact on day-to-day actions by the Department of Defense. The facts on the ground are the earth is continuing to heat up. The sea level continues to rise. So whether or not this administration talks about climate risk, the DoD is going to have to deal with it, he said. ___ Associated Press writers John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, and Bradley Klapper, Catherine Lucey, Matthew Lee, Jonathan Lemire, Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report. COLUMBIA, S.C. An Arizona man has pleaded guilty to selling venomous desert reptiles in South Carolina. The State of Columbia reports that the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said in a release Friday that Jonathan Sampson Benson pleaded guilty last week to three counts of violating a federal law restricting people from selling wildlife across state lines. Benson, a former Greenville-area resident, received five years probation, $5,000 in fines and an order to turn over the wildlife to the government. DNR spokesman David Lucas said animals packaged for sale in South Carolina included two Gila monsters, two prairie rattlesnakes, two tiger rattlesnakes and a speckled rattlesnake. The venomous animals were intercepted before they reached their destination. Lucas said importing non-native wildlife threatens native wildlife and can also be dangerous to humans. ___ Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com BATON ROUGE, La. Federal regulators have found fresh evidence of an ongoing oil release at the site of a 13-year-old oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, where chronic sheens often stretch for miles (kilometers) off Louisianas coast, according to government lawyers. In a court filing Friday, Justice Department attorneys said recent scientific surveys revealed two plumes of oil and gas flowing from where an underwater mudslide during Hurricane Ivan in 2004 toppled an offshore platform and buried the cluster of wells owned by Taylor Energy Corp. The New Orleans-based company has repeatedly insisted there is no evidence that oil is seeping from any of its unplugged wells on the seafloor. The governments court filing doesnt address whether any of Taylors wells could be the source of the plumes. There is no evidence of an actively leaking well, and all evidence continues to support the conclusion of remnant oil that has long been trapped in sediment on the sea floor, Taylor Energy spokesman Todd Ragusa said in a statement Monday. But the presence of the plumes could complicate the companys efforts to negotiate a settlement that could allow it to recover millions of dollars it set aside for work to end the leak. Taylor Energy sued the federal government nearly two years ago, seeking to recover up to $432 million from a trust it formed nearly a decade ago. The lawsuit has remained on hold for months amid settlement talks between the government and company. Those negotiations were ongoing when the Interior Departments Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement conducted an underwater survey of the leak site in September, using a remotely operated vehicle. Earlier this year, scientists for the government and the company also performed a series of studies at the leak site. The survey and studies showed the two active plumes emanating from a depression adjacent to and partly underneath the wreckage of Taylor Energys toppled platform, Justice Department lawyers said in Fridays filing. They didnt disclose any other details of their findings. In its January 2016 lawsuit, the company said it had eliminated two oil plumes that were present at the site in Ivans aftermath. Sonar surveys confirmed an absence of any plumes (well leaks) remaining in existence, the company said in a November 2016 court filing. Taylor Energy has argued nothing can be done to completely eliminate the persistent slicks on the surface. The company has claimed the sheens are coming from residual oil oozing from contaminated sediment. Ragusa, Taylor Energys spokesman, said the recent detection of plumes is not new information and merely refers to a well-known water column anomaly largely consisting of naturally occurring biogenic gas, which is prevalent in the Mississippi River Delta area. But an expert said the plumes could be the source of the oil on the waters surface. If these plumes are associated with the oil slicks on the surface, then its not just incidental gas common everywhere in the Mississippi River Delta, said Ian MacDonald, a Florida State University oceanography professor. MacDonald, who has flown over the leak site roughly 20 times in the past five years, was an expert witness for environmental groups that sued Taylor Energy in 2012. Representatives of Taylor Energy and the agencies overseeing the companys response work are scheduled to meet Tuesday in New Orleans. The government believes that this meeting will likely have important ramifications with respect to the response to the ongoing oil release from the Taylor site, Justice Department lawyers wrote. Regulators have warned that the leak could last a century or more if left unchecked. A 2015 investigation by The Associated Press revealed evidence that the leak is worse than the company, or government, had publicly reported. Presented with APs findings that year, the Coast Guard provided a new leak estimate that was about 20 times larger than one cited by the company in a 2014 court filing. Using satellite images and Coast Guard pollution reports, West Virginia-based watchdog group SkyTruth estimated in 2015 that between 300,000 and 1.4 million gallons (1 to 5 million liters) of oil had spilled from the site since 2004. The leak site is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) off Louisianas coast. The mudslide during Ivan buried Taylor Energys wells under treacherous mounds of sediment. The company plugged nine wells at the site, but has cited experts as concluding it would be impossible to plug the other 16 wells and remove the contaminated soil without risking environmental damage. MOSCOW As the most serious challenger during Vladimir Putins 18 years in power, Alexei Navalny has endured arrests, show trials and facefuls of green antiseptic that damaged his vision. But in an interview Monday with The Associated Press, he said the biggest thing keeping him from becoming Russias next president is a political system that punishes him for rallying support and conspires to keep his face off the airwaves. Putins approval rating is astronomical and he is widely expected to win another term with ease, but the fact that he wont even say Navalnys name suggests the anti-corruption crusader has struck a nerve. Navalnys criminal record will probably keep him off the ballot a sign, he says, of how much he frightens the political class. Navalny, in his first interview since the start of the presidential campaign, said he would win it if I am allowed to run and if Im allowed to use major media. And he said the Kremlin knows it. Its the main reason they dont want me to run, he said. They understand perfectly how ephemeral the support for them is. That support certainly looks strong: The latest independent poll, conducted this month by the Levada Center, suggests 75 percent of Russians would vote for Putin. People in much of Russia back Putin as a matter of course, and Navalny supporters are routinely heckled, arrested and fined when they try to spread their message. But there are also signs that enthusiasm for Putin may be starting to wane. Another Levada poll, conducted in April, found that 51 percent of people are tired of waiting for Putin to bring positive change 10 percentage points higher than a year ago. Both polls surveyed 1,600 people across Russia and had margins of error of 2.5 percentage points. Navalny hopes to capitalize on that discontent. Putin has nothing to say, Navalny said. All he can promise is what he used to promise before, and you can check that these promises did not come true and cannot come true. Navalny gets out his message on social media, using Twitter and Telegram and broadcasting a weekly program on YouTube. But television the main source of information for most Russians remains off limits because its controlled by the government. Other opposition candidates are expected to run, notably socialite Ksenia Sobchak, the daughter of Putins mentor but there is wide speculation that her candidacy is a Kremlin plot to split Navalnys support. The only other candidates who are critical of Putin have too little support for the Kremlin to view them as threats. Putin himself has announced his re-election bid but so far refrained from any campaigning events. Even so, his face is everywhere at his annual news conference last week, carried live for nearly four hours on Russian television, he touted his accomplishments and even taunted Navalny but stuck to his practice of not saying his name. Navalny was not a candidate during Russias last presidential election in 2012, but he spearheaded massive anti-government protests that rattled Putin. Amid dwindling popularity, Putin seized Ukraines Crimean peninsula and threw support behind separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, striking a chord with millions of Russians who felt like losers in the outcome of the Cold War. Now, people are tiring of the Ukrainian conflict and becoming more focused on their own economic woes, providing fertile ground for Navalnys message. Navalny published his full election platform last week, focusing on fighting corruption and funneling more money into education and health care. He calls for a windfall tax on oligarchs and huge cuts to Russias bloated bureaucracy. Unlike Putins focus on foreign policy, Navalnys platform is almost entirely domestic, which he credits for growing support in places like Novosibirsk, Russias third-largest city, where he drew a large crowd in October. Our government is in the grip of illusions. They deal with Syria and theyre not interested in whats happening in Novosibirsk, and people there feel it, Navalny told the AP. That translates into the fact that Im receiving more support. The blue-eyed Moscow lawyer first made his name in 2009 when he began publishing investigations into corruption at Russias biggest state-owned companies. When the AP first interviewed Navalny in 2010, he was a lone wolf, but he has since acquired allies and supporters who have been made investigations into official corruption their full-time job. With the visibility came the backlash: The 41-year old Navalny has been convicted on two sets of unrelated charges, and his brother was sent to prison in what was largely viewed as political revenge. A conviction on one of the charges bars Navalny from running for public office without special dispensation and the election official who will consider that request in the coming weeks has already said she sees no legal grounds for him to run. In his only formal election campaign, Navalny ran for Moscow mayor in 2013 and got nearly 30 percent of the vote. His presidential bid began a year ago, when he started to build a network of supporters across Russia. He currently counts over 190,000 volunteers, most of them young, from Russias western exclave of Kaliningrad to Vladivostok on the Pacific. His supporters have opened campaign offices in 83 cities and towns, including many where Putin is accustomed to winning by a landslide. On his most recent visit to Putins heartland, 1,000 people braved temperatures of -15 Celsius (-5 Fahrenheit) to hear him speak in the industrial town of Novokuznetsk, where Putin got 77 percent of the vote in 2012. Many of those in the crowd sounded weary of the president but said they saw no alternative. Asked about Navalny, many said they had heard very little about him. While Navalny has captured the attention of a younger generation and the politically active via social media, he conceded he wont be able to reach the broader population as long as he is barred from state television. We have won among the active political class despite the ban, he said. The politically active class will turn the politically dormant one in our favor. Its going to happen in this election if Im allowed to run. PHOENIX A Maricopa County grand jury has indicted a man on six counts of sexual assault in cases from 2003 to 2006. Authorities say 28-year-old Michael Paladino is in custody and facing a Jan. 29 court date. It was unclear Monday if he has an attorney. County prosecutors received notification in April that a previously untested sexual assault kit from 2005 had come back with a match to Paladinos DNA. Authorities then found Paladino was listed as a suspect in multiple sexual assault cases in the Phoenix metro area and many of the victims were juveniles at the time. Paladino was arrested last month for a non-related driving offense and gave investigators the opportunity to interview him in relation to the sexual assaults. He has denied the allegations of sexual assault. An Albuquerque robber wasnt just in it for the money he wanted pizza and soda, too. Police say a man has called various pizza joints Dominos, Papa Johns Pizza and Pizza 9 and ordered food six times in the past month. When the delivery drivers arrived, one to two armed men charged at them and took their money, police say. One of the suspects, 19-year-old Xavior Akina, was arrested Tuesday and remained in the county jail on a $50,000 cash or surety bail Wednesday evening. Sometimes the robbers also made off with stacks of hot pizzas, according to a criminal complaint filed against him. Police tracked Akina down when they realized he made many of the pizza orders from the same phone number. The first robbery was on Feb. 4 when a man who said his name was Tony ordered pizza from Papa Johns and asked it to be delivered to a home near Zuni and Louisiana SE. The delivery man couldnt find the apartment and was walking back to his car when two men walked up to him and one of them pointed a gun at him. They took $40 from his pocket and his bag full of pizza and walked away, according to the complaint. Two weeks later, on Feb. 19, Tony struck again. He ordered pizza from Papa Johns and when the delivery driver couldnt find anyone at the home, which was near Kathryn and Ridgecrest SE, two armed men ran up to him and patted him down, stealing $300. While running away the subjects were shooting what sounded like BB guns at car windows from the guns they were holding, an officer wrote in the complaint. Five days later, a Pizza 9 delivery man was robbed of $150 and the next day a Dominos driver was robbed of $20. A week later, another Dominos driver was robbed of $360. On Monday, in the most violent incident yet, Tony targeted a Papa Johns driver on the West Side. A delivery woman went to a home near Coors and Sequoia NW and a man pointed a gun at her and took $20, pizza and soda. He then struck her on her left side near her kidneys with the butt of the gun, an officer wrote in the complaint. Police connected the phone number used to order pizza to Akina, and one of the drivers picked him out of a photo lineup. There is probable cause to believe Xavior Akina committed the above listed armed robberies, the officer wrote in the complaint. Police issued a warrant for him, charging him with six counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, six counts of aggravated assault and two counts of conspiracy. Its unclear if the second suspect in the two earlier robberies has been identified or arrested. Jeremy Jones, a manager at the Papa Johns near Central and Coors, said delivery driver robberies are rare. But he said employees have been watching out for the phone number Akina allegedly used. Theres always the risk, he said. We are taking extra precautions. Narendra Modi's charisma and Gujarati asmita (pride) seem to have won the day. His BJP is all set to rule Gujarat yet again, and extend its 22-year-long reign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP is all set to form another government after the Gujarat election, defying anti-incumbency and a host of other challenges (File photo: AP) By India Today Web Desk: It's no more neck-and-neck in Narendra Modi's Gujarat, with his BJP set to retain the state for the sixth straight term, according to the Assembly election results trends at 10:15 am. The BJP candidates have forged ahead of the Congress in 106 of the 182 Assembly seats, 14 more than the half-way mark needed to control the House. Both Chief Minister Vijay Rupani (Rajkot West) and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel (Mehsana) were leading against their Congress opponents. The Congress, which had put up a good fight in its hope to topple the BJP's 22-year run in Gujarat, is leading in 74 seats. advertisement HIMACHAL PRADESH ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 LIVE BLOG GUJARAT ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 LIVE BLOG The trends so far are also close to the India Today-Axis exit poll, which had predicted 105 seats to the BJP and the Congress 75. PM Modi was seen showing the victory symbol before entering Parliament. #WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flashes victory sign as he arrives at the Parliament. #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/Q4PRNjMpoK- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 WATCH LIVE | TV Coverage of counting day in the Gujarat Assembly election FROM NECK-AND-NECK TO VICTORY Trends from counting centres had indicated a neck-and-neck battle for about 45 minutes, with the Congress at times inching ahead of the BJP. But ultimately the BJP sprinted ahead but not in the emphatic manner as exit polls had predicted. Trailing initially after the vote count began at 8 am, BJP nominees were on the victory lap in 98 constituencies and the Congress in 80. The probable winners in four seats appeared to be smaller parties or independent. At one time, overjoyed Congress activists, expecting a victory, began celebrating in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The stock markets too took a beating. But the Congress celebrations were shortlived. "We are going to form a government in Gujarat. People have voted for us on development issues," BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told the media. Before the BJP crossed the half-way mark, Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza was equally confident. "People have got sick and tired of the 22 years of BJP misrule in Gujarat. The Gujarat model which the BJP touted so proudly to take power nationally is not clicking in Gujarat... We are sure we will form the government." It was the first Assembly election in Gujarat since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014. Modi had led the BJP to victory in Assembly elections in 2007 and 2012. India Today brings you the best coverage of the Gujarat assembly election result 2017 - follow our live blog, watch live TV and read all our stories on the election results. And here's our Himachal Pradesh assembly election result live blog. advertisement WATCH | Battleground Gujarat Assembly election verdict: BJP takes initial lead --- ENDS --- ad:tech New Delhi, the original industry authority for advertising, marketing and media technology in India will host its 8thedition on the 8th and 9th of March 2018 at The Leela Ambience, Gurgaon. This year the focus will be on the Post-Advertising Era, where the demand for personalized, meaningful and inspiring brand interactions have led to a new wave of marketing strategies backed by a powerful array of technology platforms. This shift is the focal point of the Post-Advertising Era, where the creative use of technology is expected to push business ahead and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Over 100 speakers from the worlds largest brands and agencies will be tackling this years theme, and focusing on cutting edge technology and creative innovations that modern marketers can benefit from. Watch out for the Agenda, created under the mentorship of ad:techs local Advisory Board -View members of the Advisory Board here. Digital marketing is the fastest growing medium in the country and is expected to be 25% of all advertising expenditures by 2020. ad:tech 2018 will bring together marketers, creative thinkers, and leading technology experts to make the most of this growth curve said Jaswant Singh, Country Head, Comexposium India. He further added Technology is now playing an important role as marketers demand personalized & meaningful engagement with their audiences.Our 2018 show embraces this new journey for our industry's most progressive practitioners and were excited to bring prominent voices from marketing, technology, media to illuminate how brands are approaching these unchartered water ad:tech New Delhi 2018 will bring together over 6,400 marketing pioneers, innovators and brand trail blazers across regions under one roof in Gurgaon. The show will have 100+ companies exhibiting whats new and whats next in AI, IOT, Big Data, Programmatic, Content Marketing, Creative Tech, Mobile Marketing and more. Godrej Appliances, a division of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., one of Indias largest Home Appliances companies released a new television commercial for the Godrej Eon Front Load Washing Machine. The film is an extension of the brands promise Soch ke banaya hai brought alive by the primary insight - cleans what you see and what you dont. Conceptualized by Creativeland Asia, the TVC emphasizes on the new feature i.e. allergy protect mode, which helps remove allergens and bacteria along with stains. About the film, Ms. Swati Rathi, Marketing Head, Godrej Appliances said, At Godrej Appliances, we consistently upgrade & develop our product portfolio to cater to the evolving needs of customers. In line with this, we have introduced the Godrej Eon Front Load Washing Machine with features that resonate well with our core brand values of being thoughtful and innovative. In our new commercial, we are communicating the allergy protect mode a relevant advancement over the core concept of cleanliness. On the recently launched film, Anu Joseph, Chief Creative Officer, Creativeland Asia said, The symphony of sneezes and scratches was a great way of driving home the point of allergies coming in the way of a childs interests and efforts. It also stays true to the brand philosophy of Soch ke banaya hai. The film begins in a school auditorium where the school band has gathered to practice in front of the music teacher and school principal. They are about to begin their performance when a boy starts itching a rash on his arm. Another kid starts sneezing. Soon we see the whole band sneezing and scratching through their performance. One kid who isnt affected by the infection expresses his concern by saying that they cannot succeed if they continue sneezing and scratching. The film then shows how the new Godrej Eon Front Load Washing Machines allergy protect mode gets rid of invisible allergens and bacteria as well as stains. Visionary, enigmatic, magnanimous, revolutionary- these are just some of the words to describe the extraordinarily gifted filmmaker, Steven Spielberg. Considered as one of the founding members of the new Hollywood era, the iconic director-producer has touched the lives of millions with his nuanced films creating a cinematic experience like no other. In honour of the living legends 71st birthday on 18th December, &Prive HD, the premium English movie channel, presents Club Prive: Spielberg Edition a curation of five of Spielbergs best movies exploring different sides of human emotions. The special will air from 18th to 22nd December at 11 pm only on &Prive HD. A master of emotions and technique, Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the most influential film personalities of all time. Winner of 3 Academy awards and 7 nominations, he is known for his signature filmmaking style with an enviable filmography. Spielbergs films have been instrumental in revolutionizing the film industry and refining the views of its audience, as each of his movies compels the audience to delve deeper into the lives of their protagonists and feel the other side of cinema. The Club Prive: Spielberg Edition is in line with the channels promise of presenting quality cinema to its discerning non-conformist viewers. Upholding its promise to deliver the finest films to its perceptive audience, &Prive HD celebrates the filmmaker extraordinaire with movies that highlight the intricacies of their characters. Each of the carefully curated films deliver a distinct insight to the audience, presenting them with multiple layers that appeal to their appetite for cinema that touches the soul. The line-up of movies includes: Bridge of Spies (18th December, 2017) Starring Tom Hanks as a lawyer (Donovan) tasked with coordinating a prisoner exchange, the film is a Cold War tale of moral principles colliding with the imperatives of national security. It not only unfolds the story behind how Donovan bargains for the exchange, but also entices audiences to root for a soviet spy as he is returned to his country. The Terminal (19th December, 2017) Starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta Jones, the film depicts heart-warming story of an immigrant, who finds himself stranded in a busy New York airport terminal due to unseen circumstances. Nevertheless, he makes the best of his situation, essentially adopting the terminal as his home, befriending the staff and even falling in love with one of the flight attendants. Super 8 (20th December, 2017) The cult classic sees six teens making a zombie movie and get caught up in a military cover-up involving a mysterious beast. It projects how the unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined. Amistad (21st December, 2017) Relating to the American cultural landscape, this courtroom drama is based on the true story of the events in 1839 aboard the slave ship La Amistad, during which Mende tribesmen abducted for the slave trade managed to gain control of their captors' ship off the coast of Cuba, and the international legal battle that followed their capture by a U.S. revenue cutter. With the justice system and defence attorneys all presenting a different viewpoint, the film explores the different opinions of each character, and how each is crucial to the final verdict. Catch Me if You Can (22nd December, 2017) Starring powerhouse performers Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Hanks, the film illustrates the events of a successful con artist and master of deception. While the film shows Frank as a brilliant forger, whose skill at check fraud has netted him millions of dollars in stolen funds, it also highlights the story of Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) as a sharp cop on Franks tail. A deeply moving coming of age black comedy that follows the true story of Frank Abagnale, one of the most famous con-artists in history. Since its launch, &Prive HD has presented some of the most-awaited critically-acclaimed movies for its audience. With Club Prive: Spielberg Edition, its time to raise a toast to Steven Spielberg and the sheer brilliance of his work. Tune-in to &Prive HD from 18th to 22nd December, at 11 pm LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the wildfires that have ravaged Southern California, Ralphs Grocery Company announced today that it would be collecting donations at the check stands in all of its supermarkets to help the victims, families and communities in Southern California affected by the fires. Customers can support the relief efforts to bring aid to victims of the wildfires by donating their spare change in specially marked collection canisters located at the check stands in their neighborhood Ralphs store. All funds collected will go directly to support local wildfire relief efforts. "Ralphs has a long history of increasing our community support during times of disaster," said Myeisha Gamino, manager of corporate affairs for Ralphs. "The wildfires raging across Southern California have impacted our customers, communities and our own associates. It was an easy decision to move forward with aiding the relief efforts." In addition to the Southern California wildfire relief fundraising campaign, local Ralphs stores in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Counties have responded with donations of food, water and other supplies to Red Cross evacuation centers. Ralphs has a long history of being a corporate leader in disaster relief. Earlier this year, the supermarket company raised more than $45,000 to support relief efforts for the victims of California wildfires. Ralphs has also provided relief funds to assist victims and communities of many other natural and man-made tragedies including Hurricane Harvey earlier this year, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. About Ralphs Ralphs Grocery Company is dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit . We are more than 22,000 associates serving customers in 191 supermarkets across Southern California. From the company's headquarters in Los Angeles County, Ralphs is a recognized leader in community service and giving. Last year, the company contributed more than $6 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the world's largest retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs, please visit our website at www.ralphs.com. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ralphs-announces-fundraising-effort-to-assist-with-wildfire-relief-efforts-in-southern-california-300572895.html SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company Horst Faas, who died in 2012, was one of the greatest war photographers of his generation, a two-time Pulitzer winner known for capturing precise moments of high emotion and danger on the battlefield, writes photographer James Hill in an essay at The New York Times. For the essay, part By India Today Web Desk: The India Today-Axis gets it bang on. The exit poll released on Thursday last week had predicted 99-113 (average 106) seats for the ruling BJP, and 68-82 (average 75) seats for the Congress. Today, as the votes are counted in the high-stakes state, trends at 10.30 am showed the BJP leading in 107 and the Congress in 74 seats. advertisement In Gujarat's Saurashtra and North Gujarat regions (barring Ahmedabad), which contribute 86 seats in the 182-member Assembly, the exit poll had predicted support for the Congress. In South and Central Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, which have 96 seats, the India Today-Axis poll had said the ruling BJP is strong and could prove to be decisive. The forecast had also said the BJP is ahead in South Gujarat (Surat) where the negativity of the controversial Goods and Services Tax (GST) did not have much impact. The angry traders still preferred the BJP as against the Congress, it had said. FOLLOW THIS FOR LIVE UPDATES ON GUJARAT ELECTION RESULTS FOLLOW THIS FOR LIVE UPDATES ON HIMACHAL PRADESH ELECTION RESULTS --- ENDS --- S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster issued executive orders Monday to address the state's growing opioid addiction and overdose crisis. "The worst thing we can do right now is hesitate," McMaster said at a Monday morning press conference. "And we're not going to hesitate. We're going full-blast into this." Gov. Henry McMaster announces opioid emergency response team On Dec. 18, Gov. Henry McMaster announced he was taking several executive actions to combat the state's mounting opioid epidemic. McMaster's executive order declares a statewide public health emergency effective immediately. "This designation allows me to bring the full power," McMaster said, describing opioid addiction in the state as a "silent hurricane." An "opioid emergency response team," the governor said, has been initialized. Members include federal and state law enforcement, the state health and environment department, the state coroner's association and members of BlueCross BlueShield. The team will be led by State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel and Sara Goldsby, the director of the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services. The team will meet bimonthly, McMaster said, with the first meeting planned for Dec. 19. The opioid response team, McMaster continued, will focus on "cooperation and collaboration" and is loosely modeled after Operation Jackpot, a 1980s federal drug task force based in South Carolina that convicted more than 100 cannabis smugglers. McMaster, South Carolina's attorney general at the time, organized Operation Jackpot. On Monday, McMaster described opioid-related deaths in the state as a "growing epidemic." The newly formed task force, he added, is a "bold, new approach to an unprecedented problem." The governor told reporters opioid-related overdose deaths have "outpaced" homicides and drunken driving deaths in the state. In 2016, there were 366 homicide-related deaths and 331 drunken driving-related deaths; there were 616 opioid overdose deaths the same year, he said. Opioid-related deaths surpassed homicide-related deaths in 2015 and 2016. Heroin overdose deaths increased 67 percent between 2014 and 2015 and 14 percent between 2015 and 2016, according to DHEC. "You see the tremendous scale," McMaster said, "and you can imagine the tremendous suffering." Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton said he has seen a "dramatic increase" in the number of accidental overdoses in the past year alone. According to DHEC information, 23 overdose deaths in Aiken County in 2016 can be attributed at least in part to opioids. As of Dec. 14, Carlton said, there have been more than 40 accidental overdose deaths in the county in 2017. "To me, this is scary," Carlton said. Goldsby said the state has yet to reach "peak" overdose rates: "We're not out of the woods yet." Access to Naloxone, the nasal spray that effectively reverses opioid overdose symptoms, can help slow the state's mounting overdose death count, she said. More than 4,000 police officers across all South Carolina counties have used Naloxone, according to Goldsby. The director said 149 lives have been saved this year because of Naloxone, sometimes referred to as Narcan, its brand name. Naloxone was used approximately 6,400 times last year across the state. It was used 1,043 times in Horry County alone. In Aiken County, Naloxone use last year was up 45 percent used at least 97 times compared to the year before, according to DHEC information. Those that administer Naloxone to someone suspected of overdosing are protected under a 2015 state law. Accidental overdoses soar in Aiken County Most everyone has heard about the current opioid epidemic plaguing the United States, but residents may not realize how bad the problem is in McMaster's executive orders also call on the state health and human services department to limit initial opioid prescriptions for acute and post-operation pain to a maximum of five days. He said this action will cut back the window of addiction. Exceptions can be made, the executive order reads, for cancer pain and palliative care. The policy is due March 1, 2018. McMaster has also called on the Legislature to make a similar five-day limit state law. "We are confident we will have success," he said. Goldsby said the new limits are "a huge gain for us" and would prevent new addictions from setting in. Gov. Henry McMaster's Executive Order Gov. Henry McMaster issued several executive orders Dec. 18, one of which limits initial opioid prescriptions to five days. The governor said the the fight against opioids now including the actions taken Dec. 18 "is going to require dedication." He said the South Carolina National Guard will provide structure and intelligence for the statewide effort. South Carolina National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston Jr. said, "Team South Carolina is ready to respond." McMaster later added that the public must get involved and that abuse education is vital for moving forward. "If you see something, say something, and say it quickly. That is an important part of this," McMaster said. According to McMaster, the actions taken Monday won't "add a penny" to the budget. The North Augusta City Council meets Dec. 18 to discuss amendments to the City Code, illuminated street signs and the removal of roads from state control. City Council meets on the third floor of the Municipal Building, 100 Georgia Ave., at 7 p.m. Council will hold a study session one hour before that. City Council Agenda The North Augusta City Council meets next Dec. 18. City Council will first recognize a donation made by the North Augusta Rotary Club. The Council will then discuss a possible amendment to City Code that would alter the Building Codes Board of Appeals. The Council last met Dec. 4 and passed the first and second readings of the issue. Under engineering and public works, City Council will discuss a resolution that would authorize the City to accept a quote for illuminated street signage in the downtown area. The Council will also discuss a resolution that would authorize the removal of Revco Road and Pittman Court from the state's highway system. The resolution would transfer "acceptance of ownership and maintenance responsibility," according to the agenda, to the City. December 14, 2017 CAIRO Egyptian member of parliament Hiyam Halawa announced Dec. 3 that she had finalized a proposal for the establishment of a Ministry for Women's Affairs. Egypt would not be the first Arab country to establish a Ministry for Womens Affairs. Other countries, such as Tunisia, Lebanon and Palestine already took this step. But in Egypt, the National Council for Women (NCW) is the national mechanism regulating and addressing Egyptian women's affairs. The council was established by a presidential decree in 2000 and is subordinate to the president of the republic. The NCW proposes the general policy when it comes to the development of womens affairs, empowering women to fulfill their economic role, integrating their efforts into comprehensive development programs, submitting proposals and observations to the competent authorities, and expressing an opinion on all conventions relating to women. Halawa talked to Al-Monitor about her proposal. The establishment of this ministry aims to create a single entity that includes all institutions concerned with women's rights. It will be responsible for distributing their roles, developing their plan of action and addressing neglected womens issues. The ministry will have its own administrative structure and enjoy all ministerial competences, she said. She added, The ministry will work on all women-related issues and provide protection to women in the social, economic and political fields. It will see to the application of the constitutional provisions providing for equality between men and women in all rights and duties. She explained that the proposal took into consideration the state budget. A provision in the proposal specifies that the budget to be allocated to the new ministry would be secured from the budget already allocated by the government to women's institutions such as the NCW, and that the proposal is so far under review and discussion. Several female human rights activists spoke to Al-Monitor by phone, saying they believe this proposal would not change the situation for women in Egypt, especially since the NCW is the national mechanism entrusted with advancing womens situation. They also believe that a new entity must have a different role in supporting women. Women in Egypt, accounting for 49% of the population, suffer difficult economic and social conditions. According to the NCW's Women's Empowerment Strategy 2030 launched in March, 26.3% of female breadwinners in Egypt lived under the poverty line and the employment rate among women was 24% in 2015, while 24.2% of women participated in the labor force in 2016. The document also notes that female employees in public office represented 5% of the total staff in 2016. Also, the strategy document indicates that data suggests 2.5 million women were subjected to harassment in 2014. In 2014, sexual violence at the hands of their husbands affected 4.1% of Egyptian women, 25.2% experienced physical violence from their husbands and the percentage of females ages 20-29 who married before the age of 18 was 18%. Meanwhile, Egypt is making efforts to eliminate violence against women and improve their situation. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared 2017 the Year of Women. The NCW had launched the Women's Empowerment Strategy 2030 earlier this year with the main objective to improve all female-related indicators by 2030. At the political level, with 89 female members of parliament, women in parliament represent about 15% of total parliamentarians. This level of representation has never been registered in the history of the Egyptian parliament. Women also assume four portfolios in the current 33 ministries: Manpower and Migration, Investment and International Cooperation, Social Solidarity, and Planning. The NCW is sufficient to take care of women's affairs, said Azza Suleiman, the head of the Center for Egyptian Women Legal Assistance. She refuses to resort to other entities that may not be necessarily helpful. The state ought to establish the independent commission entrusted to eliminate all forms of discrimination provided for by Article 53 of the 2014 constitution and to follow up on and implement the women-related recommendations issued by the relevant local and international concerned authorities, she said. On the other hand, member of the NCW Dina Hussein welcomed all efforts that seek to establish parallel institutions that support the status of Egyptian women. Proposals should bring something new to the table, especially in a period seen as one of the most auspicious ages of the NCW, she told Al-Monitor. Wondering about the plan that the new ministry would adopt, Hussein noted, Even if the ministry exerts efforts to reach all women, the NCW would remain one step ahead because it operates through 24 branches nationwide. The NCW has been recently making remarkable efforts. It launched in June 2016 a media campaign under the slogan The Taa' Marbouta is your strength in Arabic, a language where words have grammatical gender, the taa marbouta is a letter at the end of a word to denote femininity. The campaign aims to encourage women to break all barriers standing in their way and not to accept societys narrow perceptions. It was launched in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, UN Women, the United Nations Development Program and the Swedish Embassy. In October, the NCW launched another campaign titled 17 Days of Activity to Empower Rural Women to Develop Their Communities. Establishing a Ministry for Women's Affairs will encourage other areas [in society] to make the same demand, which is unacceptable, member of parliament Margaret Azar told Al-Monitor. She believes women now are experiencing positive discrimination with 89 seats in parliament, and with time women would become equal to men without the need for such positive discrimination. She said, Improving the status of women does not require a ministry, but efforts to empower them in all fields and to enforce the articles of the constitution that guarantee their rights and the laws that help to enable them politically and economically. During a meeting of the World Youth Forum Nov. 8, Sisi said politics alone is not enough to empower women, but that community culture must be changed, pledging to develop formation programs to support women into assuming decision-making positions. December 18, 2017 CAIRO Just like in 2012, religious institutions in Egypt continue to influence the actions of candidates running for the 2018 presidential elections. Local press reports from Nov. 30 said that former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq had contacted a number of politicians, including leaders in the Salafist Nour Party, before he announced Nov. 29 his intention to run for the 2018 elections. Also, a number of journalists and politicians who support President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi such as Dandarawy al-Hawari, the executive chief editor of the Youm7 newspaper have focused on the ties that Shafiq forged in 2012 with the Salafist Dawa Party and its political arm, the Nour Party, as a means of disparaging Shafiq among the popular bases and the opponents of any religious role in politics. The Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, faced such an opposition on the part of people who refused any religious role in politics, before the Egyptian armed forces toppled former President Mohammed Morsi on July 3, 2013. This came following popular protests that broke out against Morsi and the Brotherhood on June 30 of the same year. Hawary wrote in a Dec. 5 article in the Youm7 newspaper, Shafiq keeps issuing slogans while only working for his own interest. This was made evident in the 2012 presidential elections when he worked hand in hand with the Salafists and turned into a Salafist. He hosted Yasser Borhami, a top Salafist, in his house on the eve of the elections for coordination purposes. Borhami, the deputy chairman of the Board of the Salafist Dawa Party, confirmed this meeting around three months after the elections in an interview he gave to the Ana Salafy website on Sept. 27, 2012. In this context, the question arises as to whether Shafiq will manage to mobilize the Egyptian influential religious blocs, such as the Salafist Dawa Party and the Copts. These two groups are the only remaining religious blocs in Egyptian society following the isolation of the Muslim Brotherhood and the detention of most of its leaders on charges of terrorism, knowing that some of these leaders have escaped such sentences by fleeing abroad. Hassan Nafea, a senior political analyst and former head of the political science department at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor, Shafiqs candidacy announcement has surely created a political buzz. If he actually runs for the upcoming presidential elections, then the elections would look like a second round of the 2012 elections, which saw Shafiq and Morsi two strong candidates compete against each other. These candidates have the ability to mobilize entire voting blocs. The first round of the Egyptian 2012 presidential elections witnessed a competition between 13 candidates, most notably Amr Moussa, a former minister of foreign affairs and former secretary-general of the Arab League; Hamdeen Sabahi, a leftist; Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood; Khaled Ali, a human rights lawyer; Shafiq; and Morsi. The second round saw Shafiq and Morsi compete against each other, as Shafiq got 12.3 million votes and Morsi won the presidency with 13.2 million votes. Nafea added, Shafiq tends to forge alliances for the sake of attracting votes. In the first round of the 2012 elections, media outlets presented Moussa as the strongest presidential candidate. Although many voters perceived Shafiq and Moussa as an extension of the [Hosni] Mubarak regime and as two outright enemies of the Muslim Brotherhood, Shafiq still managed to attract votes in the days leading up to the elections. He did so at the expense of Moussa in the first round through a number of deals and agreements he mainly made with religious blocs such as the Copts, and at the expense of Morsi through a deal with many Salafists who are staunch opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood. Asked about his predictions for the 2018 elections, Nafea said, The bloc made up of the Salafist Dawa Party and the Nour Party is still fragile. Sisi only kept them in political life because they were an essential part of the agreement to overthrow Morsi. However, they faced under Sisi restrictions on public speaking. One example is the Law of Oration [issued in 2014], which subjected mosque sermons to the Ministry of Endowments pre-approval. Also, regime supporters won the majority of the parliament at the expense of the Nour Party in 2015. Yet still, it is going to take the Nour Party some political boldness to announce its support for Shafiq, because another Sisi mandate would only further tighten the noose on the party [in the event that they supported Shafiq and he lost]. Salah Abdel Maaboud, a member of the Supreme Council of the Nour Party, told Al-Monitor, The Supreme Council of the party did not discuss Shafiq's candidacy, and no contact was made between the council and Shafiq. There may have been some contacts with some members of the council, but the matter has not been and will not be discussed until the presidential elections actually kick off. President Sisi has not yet announced his intention to run for those elections, and we cannot declare our support for a specific candidate until all the candidates have been announced by the High Elections Committee. Nafea ruled out that the Copts would vote for Shafiq and said, In the 2012 elections, the Copts supported Shafiq out of fear that Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood would win. All they knew about Shafiq was promises he did not deliver on because he did not win. It is difficult for the largest Coptic bloc not to vote for Sisi, whom they believe has made an achievement in protecting them by overthrowing the Muslim Brotherhood and granting them the right to establish places of worship. Yet still, some young opponents may root for Shafiq as a punitive measure against Sisi, whom they consider to be behind the arrest of many of their colleagues in the Shura Council demonstrations in 2013 and the Tiran and Sanafir protests in 2016. Nafeas point of view is supported by Coptic thinker Kamal Zakher, who told Al-Monitor, Shafiq is a veteran politician and a national symbol, but I think Sisis chances are better as the latter became a national symbol by pouring his heart out to fight the Muslim Brotherhood and overthrow Morsi. This symbolizes the states struggle for survival and development in the face of that group and all the countries that support it financially and politically. Sisis chances are seemingly better than Shafiqs when it comes to attracting the votes of the two above-mentioned blocs. While most of the Copts are likely to vote for Sisi in recognition of his struggle against the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafists do not seem to be lured by Shafiq into taking the risk of supporting him, knowing that such support could further tighten the noose on them in the event that Sisi wins a second term. December 18, 2017 CAIRO A few hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Cairo to meet with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Dec. 11, he ordered the Hmeimim air base in Syrias Latakia province to begin withdrawing the bulk of Russian troops stationed in Syria, while maintaining a presence at Hmeimim and the Russian naval facility in Tartus. Putin went to Cairo to hold a joint summit with Sisi, which resulted in the signing of the final contracts for the construction of the Dabaa nuclear plant in northern Egypt. Putin also revealed Moscow's readiness to resume Russian flights over Egypt, as all flights had been suspended after a Russian aircraft was downed in the Sinai on Oct. 31, 2015. In addition, both presidents discussed ways of countering terrorism. This visit followed the signing of a draft agreement between Egypt and Russia on Nov. 30, allowing the military aircraft of the two countries to share airspace and air bases. The text of the Nov. 30 agreement was included in a decree issued by the Russian government, which ordered Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to conduct direct negotiations with Egyptian officials and sign the document once the two parties reached an agreement. According to the draft agreement, Russian and Egyptian warplanes would be able to use each others airspace and air bases after five days' notice. This renewable agreement is expected to be valid for five years. Egypt and Russia signed the draft agreement on the sidelines of Shoigus visit to Cairo on Nov. 29, during which he participated in Russian-Egyptian joint military-technical cooperation sessions. The agreement is expected to include more joint training between the two sides and would make it easier for Egyptian pilots to fly Russian planes. Russia and Egypt also would be able to carry out bilateral anti-terrorism measures in the Sinai Peninsula, where terrorist operations are on the rise, according to the Russian news website RBC. The Egyptian-Russian military cooperation to combat terrorism was demonstrated during the joint exercise known as Protectors of Friendship 2 on Sept. 14, carried out by Egyptian paratroopers and Russian air-landing forces in the Russian city of Novorossiysk. The training aims to regain control of vital locations by leading an eradication of terrorists in Sinai. During the joint press conference between Sisi and Putin in Cairo on Dec. 11, Putin hinted at the role of the Russian air force in the fight against terrorism, saying, I revealed to President Sisi the results of my visit to Syria today. Thanks to the Russian air force, all of the Syrian territories have been liberated from terrorists, and I believe that the objectives for which the Russian army intervened have been achieved. Egypt has been suffering from an increase in terrorist attacks since July 2013, the latest of which was the attack on Al-Rawda Mosque in North Sinai on Nov. 24, which killed about 310 worshippers. In a meeting with foreign journalists in Sharm el-Sheikh on Nov. 9, Sisi expressed his concerns about Islamic State (IS) terrorists relocating to Sinai and western Egypt after being defeated in both Iraq and Syria. Nurhan al-Sheikh, a Russian affairs expert and a professor of political science at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor over the phone, It is in Egypt's best interest to cooperate with Russia when it comes to countering terrorism, especially after Russias unprecedented success in liberating all Syrian territories from IS. Sheikh said, Cooperation with Russia in the fight against terrorism is not a matter of choice but a necessity imposed by the need to protect Egypts national security, especially since large numbers of armed militants are expected to arrive in Egypt and defeating them requires Moscows expertise. For his part, Russian political analyst Taimour Dwidar, who works with several Arabic channels, told Al-Monitor, Russia needs bases in Africa to fight terrorism in the region and play a role in the Libyan crisis, noting that Russia expressed a desire to use the Sidi Barrani base in March on the northern coast near the Libyan border, a request that Egypt denied. Russia supports the Libyan army forces led by Khalifa Hifter. Russian Ambassador to Libya Evan Molotkov had announced in May Russia's readiness lift the ban on arming the Libyan armed forces. Hifter met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Shoigu in August. In May 2017, the Russian naval forces conducted maneuvers near the Libyan coast. The agreement between Egypt and Russia to use each others air bases seems to be of more convenience to Egypt, which opposes foreign parties building their own bases on its territory or renting Egyptian military bases. On Oct.16, 2016, Sisi told the Egyptian press that the building of air bases by foreign parties in Egypt was out of the question, saying, Egypt is not like that. It never was and it never will be. Hussein Haridi, former Egyptian ambassador to Washington and former assistant Egyptian foreign minister, told Al-Monitor over the phone, This agreement will be a very strong addition to the Egyptian army in terms of modernizing the troops and providing equipment and advanced weapons. Haridi, saying Egypt's relationship with Russia is no less than Turkeys, said he expects Russia to provide Egypt with the S-400 surface-to-air missile system; Russia is in the final stages of talks with Turkey on supplying the system. Haridi added that Russia would soon supply Egypt with MiG-29 fighter jets and has won a tender to sell Egypt Ka-52 helicopters for French-built Mistral ships. As for the US response to the Egyptian-Russian military rapprochement, Haridi said Egypt has a special vision regarding the changes taking place in the region, stressing that Washington has no right to dictate to Egypt the sources of its weapons. For her part, Sheikh said that the United States is one of Egypts key partners, that both countries cooperate within the partnership program with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and that Russia has not interfered in the Egyptian-US relationship. Sheikh also said that Turkey is a member of NATO but still enjoys good military relations with Moscow, ruling out the possibility that the military rapprochement between Egypt and Russia will affect Egypt's relationship with the United States. December 18, 2017 US Vice President Mike Pence arrives in Israel on Dec. 20. Although the original aim of his visit was to pave the way for presentation of an American peace initiative, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has already announced that Pence is not welcome and senior Palestinians would not meet with him as a result of President Donald Trumps Dec. 6 recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The highlight of Pences Israel trip will be a visit to the Western Wall, Judaisms holiest site and a flashpoint of the Israeli-Arab conflict. A senior White House official briefing Israeli reporters explained that the Trump administration could not envision any scenario in which the wall would not be part of the State of Israel in any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. He added that Pences visit to the Western Wall, unlike Trumps May 22 stop, will not be private but an official visit in his role as vice president. For the Palestinians, the White House comments about the wall and Pence's visit to the site, adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, are adding fuel to the violent protests that were ignited in the West Bank and Gaza by Trumps declaration. Abbas announced that the US position on Israeli sovereignty over the Western Wall, located in the predominantly Palestinian eastern part of the city, underscores once again that the Trump administration is not fit to play any role in the peace process. In other words, theres no point discussing negotiation with Israel, and certainly not with US mediation. Several hours after he spoke, Abbas Fatah movement announced that its leaders had conferred and decided to continue the day of rage protests launched in the West Bank following Trumps proclamation. They intend to escalate the protests during Pences visit to the Western Wall on Wednesday night. Senior Fatah official Qadura Fares told Al-Monitor that despite Trumps pledge that Jerusalems final borders would be decided in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, his official recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital followed by the White House position on the wall clearly mark the citys future boundaries. Since the 1993 signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Accord and throughout years of subsequent negotiations, all parties understood that the Western Wall that Israel captured in the 1967 war would fall under Israeli sovereignty. The bedrock of our existence, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu famously dubbed the Western Wall when he first assumed office in 1996 (following the Western Wall tunnel crisis), has become a bedrock of division following Trumps declaration. Martin Indyk, the former US ambassador to Israel who led the US team in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in 2013 and 2014, affirmed on Twitter that throughout the negotiations, the Palestinians never imagined the wall would not be under Israeli control, whatever the conditions and type of agreement reached. Not anymore, he added, attributing the change in the Palestinian position to the unrest spawned by Trumps declaration. All the political camps and factions within all the Palestinian Authority (PA) are taking advantage of the Jerusalem declaration to advance their various interests, including rivals Fatah and Hamas. However, of particular interest is the interaction among the camps within Fatah. Both the PA presidents supporters and his opponents regard Trumps move as the death knell of the peace process, signaling that the time has come for Fatah to change course. Top Fatah officials have started counting the days to Abbas departure from office. Trumps Jerusalem declaration has destroyed what was left of Abbas credibility among his people, as reflected in a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. The poll, conducted among a sampling of 1,270 Palestinian adults following the US declaration, indicates that 70% of respondents would like Abbas to step down; 44% think the most effective way to achieve Palestinian statehood is through violent resistance, which Abbas rejected; and about half believe violence is the fitting response to Trumps announcement. The movement has already started acting on these public opinion trends. It is clear that [Abbas] has become a liability for the movement, and we believe he understands this full well, a top Fatah official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. If he fails to act soon, the battle over his succession will go public, says the source, adding that Fatah is engaged in a do-or-die struggle. The Fatah point man leading the day of rage activities in the West Bank is Mahmoud Al-Aloul, named at the start of 2017 as Abbas deputy. The Palestinian president, who for years refused to name a deputy, made the appointment in light of growing political unrest within Fatah and in a bid to block other contenders for the leadership he viewed as more of a threat. It turns out that Al-Aloul has a keen understanding of public sentiment, which no longer believes Trump will present a peace plan ending the Israeli occupation. Following the Jerusalem declaration he said, Oslo has ended. We are in a state of constant conflict with the occupation. The conflict cannot be stopped. We have adopted a path of civil disobedience. Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, saw these remarks as a call to armed struggle. On his offices Arabic-language Facebook page, he warned Al-Aloul and his friends in Fatah against incitement that could result in an Israeli reaction. Nonetheless, Israeli threats are unlikely to tone down the rhetoric of the young generation vying for the Fatah leadership. The battle for succession has begun, and in order to stand out and gain the upper hand, all Fatah officials who view themselves as Abbas potential heirs will adopt a more militant policy than he did. Trumps declaration marked the official failure of the conciliatory, diplomatic and moderate approach espoused by Abbas and eschewed by most of the Palestinian public. As the war of succession heats up, so will the tone of the wannabe Fatah leaders. One intriguing potential successor who has so far remained mum is former Fatah senior Mohammed Dahlan. Probably not for long. By India Today Web Desk: The counting for votes in the high-stakes Gujarat Assembly Election results is underway. The results of the crucial Assembly election results will determine the future course of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's home turf who has also served as the chief minister of Gujarat for four times. The Gujarat Assembly Elections are also being seen as a Litmus test for newly appointed Congress president Rahul Gandhi. advertisement The first phase of the Gujarat Assembly Elections took place on December 9 with 65.75 per cent voter turnout and the second phase polls took place on December 14 with 69.99 per cent voter turn out. The overall voter turnout for the Gujarat Assembly election according to Election Commission stood at 68.41 per cent. According to the exit polls results, the prediction hints that the BJP is set to form the Gujarat government for the sixth consecutive time, however, today's result will most probably change the future course of Gujarat. You can watch the live results on IndiaToday TV here: An experienced team of journalists is doing a threadbare analysis of the Gujarat election results and trends on IndiaToday TV with eminent political observers, top leaders and noted psephologists. The IndiaToday TV team had undertaken an extensive tour of Gujarat before and during the elections. GUJARAT IN FOCUS Counting of votes for all 182 assembly seats in Gujarat is underway. More than 2.97 crore voters cast votes in the two-phase election which took place on December 9 and 14. Over 25 lakh more voters voted this year compared to 2012. The Congress formed a caste combination on the lines of KHAM, which stands for Kshatriya, Harijan (Dalits), Adivasi (tribals) and Muslim, the theory propounded by former Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki - the father of current Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki. It fetched the Congress 149 of the 182 seats in 1980. Joining hands with Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PASS) convener Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani seems to have worked in favour of the Congress. The Patidar movement, counter-protests by a section of the OBCs and agitations by Dalits against atrocities brought caste to the fore. The Congress used the opportunity to try reap a harvest. BJP KEEPS HOPE FLYING To counter the Congress, the BJP raked up issues of Ram Temple at Ayodhya and the "neech" remark made by now suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyer and accused Pakistan of colluding with the Congress to help it win in the state. advertisement Since Modi became chief minister of Gujarat in 2001, the BJP's seats and vote percentage has reduced in each assembly election. In 2002, the BJP won 127 seats and got 44.81 per cent vote share, the highest ever while the Congress won 53 seats and got 35.28 per cent votes. In 2007, the BJP won 117 seats and 49 per cent vote share while the Congress won 59 seats with 39.63 per cent votes. In 2012, the BJP got 115 seats with 48.30 per cent while the Congress won 61 seats with 40.59 per cent. But, the party is confident of winning the most crucial election in political terms. --- ENDS --- December 18, 2017 The general strike announced on Dec. 13 by Israeli Labor Union Chair Avi Nissenkorn, in response to the mass layoffs at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, will not turn things around. The Israeli pharmaceutical giant is in a deep crisis, fighting for its life, and if it does not become more efficient and carry out aggressive rehabilitation steps, it will not be able to survive. Nissenkorn knows this, as do the leaders of the powerful labor unions at the company plants in Israel. Yet on Dec. 17, Israels whole public sector, health services and banks ground to a halt from early morning until noon. Flights in and out of the country were also suspended. The cost of this strike is estimated at hundreds of millions of shekels. In his interviews, Nissenkorn explained: "The solidarity strike to save the Israeli industry sends a clear message of mutual responsibility and support of Israeli businesses and it protests the silence of anyone who abuses government resources and sends thousands of families into the cycle of welfare stipends. We will not let that happen. This is a difficult time, but we are fighting for Israel's social image, and we are determined and united in our battle. These statements, formulated by political media advisers, were probably intended mainly to demonstrate to the powerful labor unions Nissenkorns base some kind of activism vis-a-vis the government and the heads of Teva. But the emperor has no clothes, as these are all empty and basically populist statements. The negotiations to be held over the coming days and weeks with Teva's management, under the auspices of Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will not significantly change the scope of the layoffs around 1,700 employees in Israel alone by 2019. Netanyahu announced that he would act to minimize the layoffs and prevent the closure of the company's plant in Jerusalem, and he even spoke with Teva CEO Kare Schultz, but these so-called achievements, if any, would be marginal at most, as Teva is a business operating in a competitive market and cannot suffer losses forever. So what then? At least all political players can now boast how diligent they are in their battle on behalf of the employees. Such are the headlines since the outbreak of the crisis. Knesset member Shelly Yachimovich of the Labor Party, best known for her socialist agenda and social activism, was one of the first to identify the explosive potential inherent in Teva's layoff plan and leverage the whole affair. She called on Netanyahu and Kahlon not to stand idly by as employees are sent home with meager severance pay, but to take a hard stance on Tevas management. She also disclosed that just this week CEO Schultz received a brand new Jaguar estimated at 1.3 million shekels ($371,000). It is a bold symbol of the companys managements warped outlook. The company is ditching its employees, while at the same time padding its senior executives with outrageous compensation and perks, said Yachimovich. Labor Party Chair Avi Gabbay added an empty statement of his own against his political rivals when he tweeted: Kahlon and Netanyahus handling of this crisis is that of someone who starts preparing for an earthquake only after the fact. Too little, too late. That is not how you run a country. Tevas layoff crisis stirred up a media and political storm. The newspapers are filled with reports of employee demonstrations and roadblocks, alongside personal accounts of job losses and the economic devastation awaiting so many families. In such a volatile atmosphere, reports of Schultzs Jaguar and the billions in tax benefits that Teva received over the years portray a distorted picture of reality, turning Teva into the enemy. While it is true that Teva enjoyed over the past three decades astronomical tax benefits, it has also supported during this period tens of thousands of families, contributed to the prosperity of Israel's economy and gained prestige as one of the world's largest and best pharmaceutical companies. It was a win-win deal for both sides. In its heyday, Teva kept its plants in Israel, even when it could reduce production costs and transfer some of them to India. The Teva crisis stems from strategic management errors, leading this giant company, which at its peak (in the summer of 2015) had a market value of $55 billion, to decline to $29 billion and accumulate a huge debt of $35 billion to be repaid in the next few years. With its Zionist affinity, Teva has a unique bond with the State of Israel, sealed by its founder, Jerusalem-born industrialist Eli Hurvitz. Hurvitz, who served as CEO of Teva from 1977 to 2002, made it a world-leading generic company, but also preserved its Israeli character. The company's articles of association stipulate, for example, that its management headquarters must remain in Israel and that most members of the board of directors must be residents of Israel. They also stipulate that the CEO of the company must be a resident of Israel throughout his term of office and that the board of directors' meetings must be held in Israel. It was all romantic and glorious as long as business was booming. The Israeli government is not to blame for the Teva crisis, but it is certainly responsible for those employees who will lose their jobs, as it should be responsible for anyone who is let go, even if they are not part of a major media battle gaining headlines. In lieu of meaningless populist statements that would not prevent any layoffs, Nissenkorn and the social activist" Knesset members would do far better if they leveraged this crisis to steer Netanyahu and Kahlon toward legislation that would provide a safety net for every layoff in Israel, with vocational training, loans and financial assistance, as well as increased unemployment benefits. Claiming that a government should not grant tax benefits to giant global companies that can set up factories anywhere else in the world or punishing Teva for providing a decent living to tens of thousands of families is basically a problematic, populist and empty argument. December 15, 2017 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Wataniya Mobiles share price fell below $1 on the Palestine Stock Exchange at the end of November. This drop came after the Palestinian cellular provider started operating in Gaza on Oct. 24 amid expectations that it would make a healthy profit when competing with Jawwal, the telecom provider that has monopolized the Gazan market for two decades. Wataniya Mobiles stock price had witnessed a rally during the second quarter of 2017, and it reached $1.37 on Oct. 12, a record high since the end of 2011. The company, however, is still operating at a loss, and its share price is on a losing streak. This led analysts and economists to believe that Wataniyas entry to Gaza would only lead to further losses amid the promotional approach it adopted and the services it is offering. Riyad Shaheen told Al-Monitor, When Wataniya announced the launch of its services, it offered us the chance to keep the same Jawwal number we have for free, which encouraged me to try out its services for a change. He added, However, the services and prices it offered were not so different from those of its competitor, and this is something we did not expect. Laila Mohammed told Al-Monitor that she decided to switch to Wataniya after its representatives came to the headquarters of the institution she works for to promote the companys offers and packages, motivating her to try out Wataniya. She said, however, that she thought the company needs to offer special programs to serve as incentives for customers. The only advantage in Wataniya is that its prices are the same for all networks, meaning if one calls another network, the price wont double, as is the case with Jawwal. However, its prices are still high, especially as far as the 2G internet packages are concerned, Mohammed said. Haitham Abu Shaaban, the acting chief commercial officer and general manager of the Gaza operations for Wataniya, told Al-Monitor, We were supposed to start operating simultaneously in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in 2006 after we obtained the license to operate the 3G and 2G systems, but the Palestinian division and the Israeli restrictions delayed the entry of equipment and prevented us from starting earlier. He said Wataniya began operating in the West Bank in 2010 after securing all the required equipment. Company officials were unable to get the necessary equipment into Gaza because the Israeli side would not allow them to. He said some equipment was allowed into Gaza in 2013, more came in three years later and the rest in April. Asked about 3G service in Gaza, Abu Shaaban said the company has the required license but needs Israeli approval to be able to get the needed equipment through. The Paris Protocol, he said, gives the Israeli side control over imports to the Palestinian territories. He said Minister of Communications and Information Technology Alam Moussa announced during the launch of the Wataniya services Oct. 24 that preparations were underway for the 3G service launch in Gaza, but he did not specify when such a service would start amid the nebulous political conditions. Abu Shaaban said the company has taken into account the economic and political conditions of the Gazan telecommunications market and designed its programs accordingly. He said that the network covers all of Gaza and that there are technical teams tasked with monitoring any potential problems. He said sales have been better than expected, but refused to disclose the number of phone chips sold. Some news websites said Wataniya sold nearly 120,000 chips within 20 days of its launch. Abu Shaaban said Wataniya has 33% of the market share in the West Bank, indicating it might be higher were it not for the delay in the company's operation in Gaza, which limited its expansion. He expected company profits to rise due to the expansion of the companys operations. Asked about the reason behind the decline in the price of Wataniya shares on the Palestine Stock Exchange, Abu Shaaban said it had nothing to do with the companys launch of operations in Gaza or failure to keep up with the competition, stressing that there are other variables, which he did not specify, that affect stock exchange prices. Ziad Al-Sheikh Dib, the director general of licenses at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, told Al-Monitor that the ministry, using strategic plans and laws, aims to promote competition in Gaza, keep the market open for all competitors, create a market-friendly environment and put an end to long-term agreements that promote monopoly. When Wataniya Mobile entered the fray, it eliminated a two-decade monopoly in the mobile telecom market, and this is bound to positively affect Gaza, he said. Dib said the ministry receives complaints from citizens about the services provided by the two companies through its complaints and follow-up unit. It also periodically monitors and checks companies compliance with applicable regulations and laws. Economic analyst Amen Abu Aisha told Al-Monitor that Wataniya did not provide what he called a hearty meal for Palestinian consumers and thus failed to motivate them to switch from Jawwal. Wataniya's prices, services and offers were very close to those made by Jawwal, which had monopolized the market since 1999. Also, the offers were not well promoted and did not take into account the needs of the Gazan citizens. Consumer demands must be met efficiently and qualitatively. And prices should be reduced, he said. Abu Aisha said the share price decline was caused by the companys failure to attract new consumers, while indicating that other market variables also were at play. He said that acquiring only 33% of the West Bank market, despite being operational there for more than six years, is not a good rate. He called on the company to base all its programs on both community responsibility and the development process. Residents of the Gaza Strip are still hoping Jawwal and Wataniya will offer packages and reduced prices in line with their needs and economic conditions. They also hope the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology will allow a third mobile telecommunications company to enter the fray. December 18, 2017 US President Donald Trumps inaugural national security strategy frames Iran as a rogue state and primary competitor to US interests in the Middle East. Released on Monday, the 55-page document draws from Trumps foreign policy speeches throughout his first year in office. It notably accuses China and Russia of seeking to shape a world antithetical to US values and interests by displacing the United States from Asia and weakening Western institutions such as NATO and the European Union. The periodic document, which can sometimes serve as a predictor for White House foreign policy, also calls for the United States to foster development to make sure the Middle East is not a safe haven or breeding ground for jihadist terrorists, not dominated by any power hostile to the United States, and that contributes to a stable global energy market. Speaking at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building just blocks from the White House on Monday, President Trump outlined the strategy as a break with Obama-era foreign policy that emphasized democracy promotion in the Middle East. Our leaders engaged in nation building abroad but failed to build up and replenish our nation at home, Trump said, blaming his predecessor for a disastrous, weak, and incomprehensibly bad deal with Iran and allowed terrorists such as ISIS to gain control of vast parts of territory all across the Middle East. Administration officials say they are already taking steps to deal with the regions challenges, including economic stagnation, the experience of state collapse during the rise of the Islamic State and Iranian expansion. Its a strategy that is already operationalized. These are principles that have been put into effect over the last year, a senior administration official said on Sunday. We reaffirm the presidents Iran strategy, we dont get into specifics, but we do understand that Iran is a malign actor in the region. The document puts an emphasis on growing Americas trade relationships, without going into great detail regarding future US policy in the region. It does, however, cite a desire to work through the Gulf Cooperation Council, the regional bloc that has suffered setbacks with a Saudi-led blockade of Qatar since June. The White House initially sought for Muslim partners to take the lead on countering Islamic extremism after the military defeat of IS. When Trump visited Riyadh in May, he opened a new Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology and pledged $110 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia. It is not clear, however, how much the regional bloc will focus on the fight against extremism absent significant US cajoling. Only Kuwait and Qatar attended a GCC-wide summit earlier this month aimed at ending the monthslong regional squabble, which has also prompted Congress to hold up arms sales. The Trump strategy comes as the White House is trying to deter Iran, dubbed the worlds most significant state sponsor of terrorism in the document, from strengthening ties with Shiite groups such as Iraqs Popular Mobilization Units, Lebanons Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Last week, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley held a press conference in Washington with purported fragments of Iranian missiles that the Houthis fired into Saudi Arabia. Our new strategy was prompted by the undeniable fact that the Iranian regimes behavior is growing worse, she said. Mondays strategy could provide a preview of how the Trump administrations pressure campaign will develop over the next year. It cited Irans efforts to beef up its influence through proxy groups, weapons proliferation and a recommitment to its ballistic missile program, activities that have continued unabated since the 2015 nuclear deal. Another official said the national security strategy, the first since the Barack Obama administrations effort in February 2015, said that Trumps first cut of the document reflects a principled realism that takes a clear-eyed view of the threats we face. Some past national security documents have had a significant impact on US foreign policy. President George W. Bushs 2002 version emphasized the doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against aspiring developers of weapons of mass destruction, which laid the political groundwork for the US invasion of Iraq the following year. Trumps vision does not appear to include similar insights, with no mention of pre-emption or how the United States might prepare for a two-front war, despite offering stern words for Iran and North Korea. Some of those challenges may be mentioned in upcoming US strategy documents, such as the Pentagons national military strategy, due out in January, and the Missile Defense Review, also slated for an early 2018 release. The scourge of the world today is a small group of rogue regimes that violate all principles of free and civilized states, the document reads. The longer we ignore threats from countries determined to proliferate and develop weapons of mass destruction, the worse such threats become, and the fewer defensive options we have. December 14, 2017 DIYARBAKIR, Turkey The Kurds in Iraq are suffering from their loss of the lucrative Kirkuk oil fields, which the central government retook by force recently. What some people might not realize is, Turkey also has a lot to lose because of the change. Since the British first discovered oil in Iraq at Kirkuk in the late 1920s, the struggle for its ownership has never ceased, although the players involved have changed. This lucrative oil source whose ownership is claimed outright by both Kurds and Arabs, and partially by Turkey is back in the news. During the Islamic State (IS) offensive, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq recaptured Kirkuk in 2014. For three years, the KRG sold oil from Kirkuk via a pipeline running from there to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. But tension recently mounted in the region when the KRG held an independence referendum in September. In response, the Iraqi army marched on Kirkuk and with the support of the mostly Shiite, Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Units, captured the oil fields. Turkey was pleased that Kirkuk was once again under Baghdad's control, particularly because of the 600-mile-long Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline. This line, with a daily capacity of 150,000 barrels, was being used only sporadically, and the flow halted altogether after the September referendum. After Baghdad took over Kirkuk, Turkey hoped the flow would resume and serve Turkey's economic interests but it hasn't. Iraq feels it owes Iran a debt of gratitude for Tehran's support against IS. On Dec. 9, Iraqi Oil Minister Jaber al-Luaibi announced that Baghdad had signed an agreement to move the Kirkuk oil through Iran which came as a major blow to Turkey. The agreement calls for pumping 30,000-60,000 barrels of oil daily to Kermanshah, Iran. The deal could change many equations in the region. Arez Abdullah, a senior member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party in the Iraqi parliament, and also chairman of the parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee, said Iraq is keen to develop its oil and trade relations with Iran. Abdullah noted that with this agreement, the existing Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline could become irrelevant and inoperative. This is going to affect Turkey badly. The Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline will remain for the time being. Iraq will assess its profits and may well abandon the Ceyhan line, he told Al-Monitor. Abdullah said the United States will not be pleased with the Iraq-Iran agreement. But I dont think it will openly come out against it, as the United States knows well the close economic, social and religious ties between the two countries, he added. Arzu Yilmaz, the chairman of the Department of International Relations at the American University of Kurdistan in Dahuk, said the agreement has diverse dimensions. Kirkuk is also the economic heart of Kurdistan. Iran, while dominating the Baghdad region economically, militarily and politically, could not extend its dominance to Kurdistan. With this agreement we can say that Iran has added Kurdistan to its sphere of influence, by controlling Kirkuk [through Iraq]. This deal will have repercussions also in the domestic politics of Kurdistan," Yilmaz told Al-Monitor. She said, "The Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline has played a key role in economically strengthening the Kurdistan Democratic Party [KDP] rule. This pipeline had a significant role in developing economic and political relations with Turkey. Transiting the pipeline through KDP-controlled terrain profited the Kurdish authority. Now the [route could instead] traverse the areas controlled by the Gorran and PUK parties and may provide similar benefits to Yekiti-Gorran factions." Yilmaz thinks that if a political settlement is reached in Syria's conflict, an oil route from Kirkuk to the Syrian port of Banias can be discussed, which would further marginalize Turkey in the regional economic structure. "Recent developments suggest that this is a likely option" that would isolate Turkey economically from Iraq, and Ankara is already isolated from Baghdad politically, she said. "After the 2014 IS offensive, Turkey was sidelined from the Iraqi political scene. An Iraq-Iran oil accord will mean some economic hardships for Turkey, but if a Kirkuk-Banias line is activated, Turkey would be totally isolated, she added. How will the United States react to Iran's growing influence in the region? Yilmaz noted that the United States and Iran have been quietly cooperating for a long time to combat IS. Although the US president keeps making anti-Iran statements, US-Iran cooperation [against IS] in the Iraqi scene is obvious. The United States which has serious issues with Turkey is having problems abandoning Iran. While Turkey flirts with Russia, the United States discreetly continues to work with Iran, she said. In the tension that arose with the Kurdish referendum, Turkey chose to side with Baghdad instead of mediating. Turkey, which at one time had kept its distance from the Iraqi Kurdish market because of the Kurds' nationalist sentiments, had been slowly coming to dominate this market, particularly its oil segment. Irans latest move has at least partially challenged Turkeys market domination. If this becomes reality, then Turkey will be totally sidelined. Turkey, along with the United States, is slowly abandoning Iraq's political and economic scenes, leaving Baghdad to Iran. The biggest loser will again be the Kurds. December 18, 2017 The outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has been fighting the Turkish army initially for independence and later for Kurdish self-rule inside Turkey for the past 33 years. One of the hallmarks of the group is that it has succeeded in prizing away thousands of women from the clutches of patriarchy and into the battlefield. Now the Turkish army, it seems, is preparing to respond in kind. The Turkish Gendarmerie Command has announced that it will recruit 8,000 women whose duties will include combating terrorism, which is shorthand for fighting the PKK, and defending the countrys borders. Ladies who are older than 26, shorter than 1 meter 64 centimeters or have a criminal record need not apply. The move is set to dramatically boost the share of women in the gendarmerie forces from its current 1% to 10%, and within the Turkish Armed Forces as a whole. As of 2013, the last year of official data, there were only 1,345 female commissioned officers and 370 noncommissioned ones out of a total of 723,741 military personnel in Turkey. The private NTV news channel reported that female commandos will be trained alongside their male peers and deployed to freezing mountain terrain in eastern Turkey as well as to the heavily Kurdish southeast, where the conflict between the PKK and Turkish security forces is concentrated. Female officers are viewed as an effective tool in the governments campaign to win Kurdish hearts and minds as they can interact with women in a way that men in the deeply conservative Kurdish provinces cannot, especially if they are not locals. In February, the government announced a tectonic shift in the armed forces dress code when it said women who wear the Islamic-style headscarf could finally join its ranks. Turkeys military has long been viewed as the guardian of the secular republic founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk 94 years ago, a role that the generals enshrined in the constitution they drew up following their last hard coup in 1980. For Turkeys beleaguered secularists, the move amounted to a final nail in Ataturks coffin. Many others, including some feminists, argue that the easing of once rigid bans on the headscarf allows pious women to seek work without seeming to compromise their morals. In a further sign of how times have changed, it emerged last week that Turkey's Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar was sponsoring the construction of a mosque in his native Kayseri. The city's Mayor Mustafa Celik revealed that the mosque would house up to 750 worshippers and be engraved with Seljuk motifs. In the old days, getting ahead in the military involved burnishing one's secularist credentials by, among other things, imbibing glasses of raki and dancing the polka with one's bottle-blonde spouse. In Syria, a PKK affiliate called the Womens Protection Units remains the object of fawning in the Western media due to its steely courage in the US-led coalitions battle against the Islamic State. Syrian Arab women who are being trained by Turkish police in the so-called Euphrates Shield pocket of territory in northern Syria, which is under Turkish-backed rebels' control, have elicited less excitement. There are at least 90 of them and photographs shot during the newly minted policewomens oath-taking ceremony last October suggest most of them cover their heads. But be they Turkish, Arab or Kurdish, and even in combat gear, women continue to be suppressed across the Middle East. A Western diplomat with intimate knowledge of the region who bemoaned the irritating fetishization of the Kurdish female warrior everywhere in the Western press, told Al-Monitor, Just because women fight and kill and [are] killed alongside men doesnt mean that they are making Kurdish society feminist, because when they come home, they return to doing all the traditionally female gendered work as well. The same will likely hold true for the Turkish gendarmeries female inductees. The alleged Sony Xperia XZ2 was recently spotted in a leaked photo, presenting a tall 18:9 aspect ratio and a full-screen design with very thin bezels around the display. As usual in terms of leaked images especially ones that pop up early theres no guarantee that the device shown in the picture is the actual Sony Xperia XZ2 but it may very well be a sneak preview of the Japanese OEMs upcoming smartphone design language Mirai which is meant to replace the aging OmniBalance aesthetic next year. According to the source of the image, the upcoming Sony Xperia XZ2 will boast a screen-to-body ratio of more than 90 percent, and sure enough, the device seen in the leaked image does seem to feature such a bezel-free look. Aside from the top bezel which is a little bit thicker in order to accommodate a loudspeaker, front-facing camera, and a sensor array, the device presents very thin bottom and side bezels, leaving no room for front-facing physical buttons or a fingerprint scanner, the latter of which appears to have been embedded into an indentation on the right edge. The same edge also seems to accommodate a volume rocker and what could be a dedicated camera shutter button judging by its lower placement. Lastly, the device adopts the color blue, and interestingly enough, Sony did recently mention that this particular hue has grown in popularity among people who purchase Xperia-branded Android devices. The Sony Xperia XZ2 is currently linked with the model number H8216 which was previously leaked along with a list of hardware specifications which suggested the device will feature a 5.5-inch display with a Full HD resolution and use the Snapdragon 845 chipset from Qualcomm, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of on-board memory. The front panel should feature a 13-megapixel camera, and the back panel which remains unseen in the newly leaked image is rumored to accommodate two 12-megapixel sensors. Lastly, the Sony Xperia XZ2 will reportedly rely on a 3,130mAh battery with Quick Charge capabilities, and all of its components could be wrapped in a body weighing 156 grams and measuring only 7.4-millimeters in thickness. Though no official announcements have been made on the matter, the Sony Xperia XZ2 is expected to be unveiled at MWC 2018 in late February. Following an order for SPIKE Missiles signed in 2015 by the Romanian government from EuroSpike GmbH (a joint venture between Rafael, Diehl and Rheinmetall), the Romanian Army has recently completed testing and evaluation of ten SPIKE LR (Long Range) missiles. The missiles were fired as part of the Romanian army procurement and evaluation process at the Cincu National Training Center in Brasov, Romania. Spike LR portable launching station and missile has been tested by Romanian army (Picture source Rafael) Nine of the ten SPIKE missiles were fired by Romanian gunners at the end of the qualification process. The SPIKE LR System was tested in different firing scenarios, including day mode and IR mode, and was fired against tanks and APCs at different ranges. All ten missiles hit their targets with high performance of both the weapon system and its operators. The Romanian army is a long time user of the SPIKE Missile family, and has deployed the SPIKE LR in its vehicle-mounted version on a 30 mm RCWS on the BMP Platform, and the SPIKE ER Missile (8km) on the PUMA (SOCAT) helicopters. The tests conducted in Romania involved the infantry launcher configuration of the ICLU (Integrated Control Launch Unit) which is the new modern digital launcher for SPIKE missiles. The ICLU enables very long range target detection capabilities and integration to a tactical network. The tests were attended by high ranking Romanian officials of army, MOD and local media teams. The Portable Anti-tank SPIKE-LR Procurement Program will run through 2017-2019 and will equip the infantry, reconnaissance and mountain troop brigades as well as the artillery regiments of the Romanian Land Forces. The SPIKE Family consists of missiles suited for land, air and sea platforms, multiple ranges and a variety of targets. The missiles in this family have sophisticated electro-optic CCD or IIR sensors for day/night all-weather operation, as well as a tandem warhead. Their lofted trajectories enable the warhead to strike the target at its most vulnerable location with pinpoint precision. All of the SPIKE Family members have a low life-cycle cost, due to high reliability and operational, logistic support and production commonality between members. In Thailand, the employee-employer relationship is governed by a series of laws and regulations, the chief one being the Thai Labor Protection Act B.E.2541 (LPA) and the Thai Civil and Commercial Code (TCCC). Other laws include the Labor Relations Act, the Social Security Act, the Act establishing the labor court and labor court procedure, the State Enterprise Labor Relations Act, the Workmens Compensation Act, and the Foreign Employment Act. These laws cover all areas related to employment such as working hours, holidays and leave, notice, overtime, sick pay, and severance, and are applicable to both Thai and foreign employees. The Ministry of Labor (MOL) is the primary authority responsible for setting and enforcing minimum employment standards in the country. Thailand does not mandate a written agreement between the employer and an employee. However, it does impose strict labor regulations with regards to working terms and conditions. In practice, therefore, it is advisable for employers to set out written terms and conditions of employment to avoid legal disputes or liability with regards to remuneration. If an employment agreement is made in writing, an employer must provide a copy to the employee immediately after it has been signed. Probationary period Further, companies employing 10 or more workers must publish written work rules at the workplace and file them with the district labor office within the prescribed period. These rules must be published in the Thai language as well as in English for foreign workers. The published rules must include the following: working days; regular working hours and rest periods; holidays and rules for taking holidays; rules concerning overtime work and work on holidays; date and place of payment of basic pay, overtime pay, holiday pay and holiday overtime pay; leave and rules for taking leave; discipline and punishment; submission of complaints; and termination of employment, severance pay and special severance pay. Additionally, a workplace having 20 or more employees must also provide a written working conditions agreement as part of the employees contractual employment terms. Thai law does not explicitly mention probationary period in employment relationships. However, it does specify severance pay for employees who have worked for 120 days or more and are terminated without cause. As a result, to avoid paying severance, many employers in Thailand set probation periods of up to 119 days. Working hours Provisions related to working hours are set out in ministerial regulations issued by the MOL and are based on the nature and type of work. In general, working hours must not exceed eight hours per day and 48 hours per week. For employees involved in hazardous work, normal working hours are restricted to seven hours per day and 42 hours per week. Terminating an employment contract and severance pay If the employment agreement does not specify the duration of the contract, both the employer and employee have a statutory right to terminate the contract after giving prior notice. The minimum notice period must be at least one week and not more than three months long. In certain circumstances, however, an employer may dismiss an employee without prior notice and due compensation. For example, if an employee intentionally causes the employer to suffer losses; does not perform his duties honestly, or commits a crime against the employer or another employee. In case of termination, the LPA entitles employees who have worked for at least 120 days to severance pay equivalent to 30 days pay; those who have worked for one to three years, to severance pay equivalent to 90 days pay; whereas those who have worked for six to ten years are entitled to receive a compensation equivalent to 240 days pay. As per amendments to the LPA, which were passed by the Thai National Assembly on December 13, 2018, employees with at least 20 years of service will be entitled to a severance pay equivalent of 400 days of the last drawn salary. Personal income tax For the purpose of taxation, individual taxpayers are categorized into resident individuals or non-resident individuals. Thai laws define resident individuals as those who have lived in the country for an aggregate period of 180 days in any calendar year. As a result, all foreign employees working in Thailand qualify as resident individuals and are liable to pay tax on their income earned in the country as well as on the income earned from abroad. A non-resident, however, is exempted from paying tax on income earned in Thailand. Current personal income tax rates for resident individuals are given in the table below. Foreign employees working in Thailand may seek tax benefits available under relevant double taxation treaties between Thailand and their home country. Social Protection Employers are generally required to register their employees with the workmen compensation fund and social security fund. Both employers and employees are required to contribute to the Social Security Fund at the rate of 5 percent of the employees income, up to a maximum of THB750 (US$23) per month. Further, a provident fund is managed wherein both employer and employee make equal monthly contribution ranging between two to 15 percent of the monthly remuneration. Conclusion Thailand has a complex and strictly regulated employment system. Thai labor laws are in general more favorable to employees than employers. Professional advice in preparing an employment contract can significantly help employers avoid legal disputes with their employees and ensure complete compliance with Thai labor laws. Editors Note: This article was first published on December 18, 2017 and has been updated on December 20, 2018 as per latest developments. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. The claim of a moral win came as India Today TV's tally of results and leads showed Rahul Gandhi's trailing Narendra Modi's BJP by around 20 votes in the Gujarat election. Rahul Gandhi has congratulated the BJP on winning the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat elections (Photo: PTI) By India Today Web Desk: Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the BJP on its double triumph in the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat elections, minutes after his party claimed a moral victory in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi added a personal message for both voters in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, and his own party workers. My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the CongressA??s greatest strength is its decency and courage.- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 advertisement The Congress' claim of a moral win came as India Today TV's tally of results and leads showed the Grand Old Party trailing Narendra Modi's BJP by around 20 votes. Gujarat assembly election results 2017: Complete list of winners LIVE Himachal Pradesh assembly election results 2017: Complete list of winners LIVE Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said the BJP was struggling cross the 100 seat mark, at around the same time that the saffron party's chief, Amit Shah, claimed victory in both assembly elections. At the time, India Today TV's tally gave the BJP around 99-100 seats, and the Congress around 79-80. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala claimed 84 seats in the Gujarat election: He said both the NCP and two independents supported his party. Two Independents who won support Congress+ and so does NCP so the Congress+ tally right now is 84 and BJP is 98-99: Randeep Surjewala,Congress pic.twitter.com/zXCmSmgvqs- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 Gehlot said the Congress' performance in Gujarat polls was a triumph of new party chief Rahul Gandhi's 'issue-based' campaign. As for the Himachal Pradesh election, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh accepted defeat and - as his party's leader in the state - took responsibility. I accept the victory of BJP. I, being the CM, take full responsibility of our performance here. I hope Vikramaditya (Singh) keeps winning in future, like he won today: Virbhadra Singh #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/ImNkW32qdy- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 The Congress wasn't alone in talking about 'moral' victories and defeats. Here's what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had to say. I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour. It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019- Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 18, 2017 (Inputs from ANI) WATCH | Listen to this BJP worker lavish praise on PM Modi like no one --- ENDS --- After the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat election results, only nine states are outside BJP, BJP-alliance or NDA-governed territory. The political map of India before the 2014 Lok Sabha poll and after the Himachal and Gujarat Assembly elections. (NOTE: Andhra Pradesh is governed by the TDP, a member of the NDA, like the BJP) By India Today Web Desk: As someone noted during India Today TV's live coverage of the Gujarat election results, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is a lonely, lonely man in North India. So is Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. Why? Just a look at the map above (on the right). Congress-governed Punjab is surrounded on three sides by a vast expanse of saffron. His nearest chief ministerial party colleagues are in Karnataka and Meghalaya, both of which could go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP after assembly elections in 2018. advertisement The BJP's seemingly inexorable political conquest of India continues: it is all set to form governments in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. In Gujarat, Narendra Modi's home state, the prime minister's personal charisma and Gujarati 'asmita' seem to have won the day. Himachal Pradesh, a swing-state, has swung right. The BJP's biggest win this year was Uttar Pradesh, where Yogi Adityanath leads a team of over 300 lawmakers in the country's largest state Assembly. It also won Uttarakhand, and formed governments in Manipur and Goa. Amarinder Singh's win in Punjab was the Congress' consolation prize. After the Himachal and Gujarat election result, only nine states remain outside BJP, BJP-alliance or NDA territory: Tamil Nadu (AIADMK), Kerala (CPI-M), West Bengal (Trinamool Congress), Odisha (Biju Janata Dal), Meghalaya (Congress), Telangana (Telangana Rashtra Samiti), Mizoram (Congress), Delhi (Aam Aadmi Party) and Tripura (CPI-M) Modi and BJP president Amit Shah will have a chance to paint at least four of them - Karnataka, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya - saffron next year. NOTE : The TDP, which governs Andhra Pradesh, is a member of the NDA. So is the NPF in Nagaland. The BJP is also in alliance with other parties in some states, like Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir. CORRECTION: The map in an earlier version of this article said BJP and Cong, whereas it should have said BJP + and Cong +. Also, Nagaland wasn't marked saffron in either map (It should have been. The Naga People's front is an NDA member) India Today brings you the best coverage of the Gujarat assembly election result 2017 - follow our live blog, watch live TV and read all our stories on the election results. And here's our Himachal Pradesh assembly election result live blog. WATCH | BJP workers erupt in joy as party set to win Gujarat, poised to take power in Himachal --- ENDS --- TDI 4Motion According to the cited publication, the third-generation sport utility vehicle will look a lot like the T-Prime Concept GTE from Auto China 2016. Based on a flurry of spy photos of pre-production prototypes, its true the production model is akin to the T-Prime in more than one way.The 2018 Touareg will join the likes of the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga, and Lamborghini Urus, for they all share the MLB Evo platform. To this effect, Volkswagens next Touareg will be offered with a selection of tried-and-tested engines, including the 3.0and 3.6 VR6.Changing to MLB Evo means the Touareg will lose a few hundred pounds from the current model. Over in the U.S., the mid-size utility vehicle hasnt been updated for the 2018 model year , and the only way to get one is to search whatever Touareg floats your boat from remaining 2017 stock.It is highly likely the Touareg wont return to the United States too soon because of the locally-built Atlas, which is far more spacious and perfectly tailored for Volkswagens customer pool in North America. Going back to the 2018 Touareg, its worth remembering that the automaker is committed to rolling out plenty of R-badged models in the coming years. If the Touareg will be gifted with such a badge, then its common sense to expect the VR6 engine to be boosted to 400-plus horsepower or thereabouts.In select markets (think China ), the 2018 Touareg is further expected to be available as a plug-in hybrid. Even in this eco-friendly configuration, the sport utility vehicle should ship withas standard and an eight-speed automatic transmission of the torque-converter variety. EV Despite that, Toyota's push for liquid hydrogen fuel cell powertrains wasn't very well received by the public even though it had some support from fellow Japanese manufacturer Honda, and also Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and, to a smaller degree, a few others.But Toyota hasn't been a stranger to plug-in vehicles. As we all know, the Japanese were the first to make hybrids popular with the Prius, a model that is now offering a version that can be recharged from a power outlet or a charging station as well.A quick look at the market trends right now will immediately tell you that's not enough, and Toyota hasn't stayed on top by ignoring the dynamics of its environment, so it knows it all too well. It can't openly admit it's been wrong about fuel cell because that would tarnish its reputation a bit, but it can't afford to be trailing to much in thesegment either, so it needs to take action.One year ago, the giant manufacturer's CEO, Akio Toyoda was named the head of the newly-founded EV division within the company, but not much was said about the programs unfolding there since. Now, however, with the first traditional carmakers about to release their first true EVs, Toyota is making its intentions known. And they seem to be looking to make up the lost ground quite quickly.According to the Daily Mail, Toyota plans to launch over ten battery-powered models in the "early 2020s," though it didn't go into any specifics. Executive Vice President Shigeki Terashi said the EVs would first be sold in China, the world's largest market for this type of vehicles, but they would reach other parts of the world - Japan, Europe, the U.S.A. - at a later date.Furthermore, Toyota wants to have some sort of electrification options for any model in its lineup by 2025, whether we're talking about a pure EV, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or a fuel cell-powered electric powertrain.Not that anyone doubts something the Japanese say, but just to make its commitment all the more believable, Toyota has also signed a deal with Panasonic Corp. to develop battery cells. The Japanese electronics maker is also engaged in Tesla's Gigafactory and with these two contracts, could easily become the world's largest battery cell manufacturer. A piece of aviation history roared to life for the first time in a decade last week in an important milestone toward first flight. Crews at Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh started the No. 1 engine in Thats All Brother, the C-47 that led 800 other aircraft in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. The plan is to fly the thoroughly restored warhorse to France for a flyby on the 75th anniversary of the epic battle in 2019. Thats kind of why the rush is on and why were doing all of this in the dead of winter in Wisconsin, Keegan Chetwynd, curator of the Commemorative Air Force, told The Associated Press. The engine start revealed a hydraulic leak that will be fixed before another prop is turned. The aircraft was discovered by an Air Force researcher in Baslers boneyard, where it was destined to be converted to a BT-67, a turboprop version of the DC-3 that Basler sells worldwide. After he positively identified the aircraft as the one that led the invasion and dropped the first paratroopers on the beaches, the CAF launched a fundraising campaign that earned $380,000 in a month. To date, about 22,000 man-hours have been spent bringing the aircraft back from the scrap heap. First flight is planned for early in 2018 and the aircraft is expected to be used by the CAF in airshows and other outreach throughout the year. In 2019 it will retrace its flight path over the beach. The aircraft finished out the war in a combat role and went through 16 civilian owners before Basler bought it. Power was fully restored to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport early Monday but it will likely take aday for the airport to recover from the unprecedented electrical failure. Fires apparently took out both the main and backup power supplies resulting in more than 1,000 cancellations and stranding tens of thousands of passengers at Atlanta and airports around the world. Airlines were reportedly using emergency exit slides to deplane passengers stuck on the ramp at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Sunday. The travel industry website eTurboNews reported the extreme measure about five hours into theemerging crisis but did not cite a source. The lights went out just about 1 p.m. and some power was restored later in the afternoon but the airport was crippled for almost 12 hours. By early evening, Sunday, FlightAware was showing arrivals and departures at the airport with arrival delays of 55 minutes and departure delays of 87 minutes. The FAA said air traffic control was operating normally but lack of computers and other equipment in the terminal was keeping aircraft at the gates. International flights were being diverted because Customs and Border Protection was unable to process passengers. After five hours, police arrived to keep tabs on the deteriorating situation. A shadowy office deep in the Pentagon that investigates unexplained encounters by military aircraft with flying objects continues to operate even though its mandate was officially ended five years ago, according to The New York Times. The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification program was a pet project of retired Nevada Sen. Harry Reid and spent $22 million a year looking into sightings of things by American aircrews that dont behave like other aircraft. The office released a video taken from a Navy F/A-18 head up display of an oval object about 100 miles off the coast of California in 2004. The object appears to accelerate at a high rate as the fighter and his wingman move closer. The offices mandate isnt specifically to chase down extraterrestrials and an AVweb reader suggests its real purpose is to be on the lookout for unknown aircraft and drones from foreign powers. Regardless of its true purpose, the offices funding was ended by the Department of Defense but it seemed to keep going with staffers who fit in the investigations while doing their other work at the Pentagon. Luis Elizondo, a military intelligence official who ran the program from its inception, quit in October, complaining about a lack of resources and excessive secrecy. He told the Times he was replaced but declined to name his successor. It almost invariably starts out simply. A half dozen or so pilots who are connected in some fashionwork, school, neighborhood, FBO customersget to talking, and complaining, about their desire to fly more and the barriers to doing so. Most often the barrier is cost, sometimes its difficulty scheduling at the local flight school, others its simply a lack of airplanes to rent on the only convenient airport. As one grouses about the condition of the Warrior she rented last week and another complains that the flight school wont let him rent an airplane so he can take a weeklong trip with his family, someone else peers into his coffee cup and says, Why dont we set up a flying club and run it the way we want? If at least half of those present are willing to do more than just run their mouths about the poor state of general aviation, the chances are that the group can form a flying club that can overcome the barriers to flight theyd just identified. The question is how to keep the club viable so that it attracts and maintains a healthy level of membership for financial well-being and is just plain fun. To find out, we spoke with officers and members of a number of clubs and looked back at the experience weve had in clubs weve been in over the years. The Entity and Airplane to Pilot Ratio Flying clubs vary between those that are operated as a for-profit corporation or LLC with the members being stockholdersand responsible for selling their stock when they leaveand those that are nonprofit organizations501(c)(3) or (c)(4) were the two types we observedwhere the members pay a fee to buy in. Its usually not refundable. Both models seem to work. We found that all clubs charged monthly dues. Our observation was that the monthly dues should be enough to cover all of the fixed costs of the club, otherwise its financial position can go downhill in a hurry with a couple of months of poor flying weather. One of the biggest problems clubs have is internal fights over setting the amount of monthly dues and hourly aircraft rental rates. Pilots are notorious tightwads and they want to fly as much as they can for as little money as possible. They dont like to pay big money out each month if they are not flying and some simply dont give a damn about the financial condition of the clubif it folds, theyll go somewhere else to fly. A club that has a climate of were all in this together seems to have fewer fights over dues and rental rates. One essential condition, in our opinion, for creating a positive atmosphere among members is to make certain that every bit of the clubs financial information and insurance coverage is completely transparent. The moment the members get the impression that the officers are hiding something, the willingness of club members to vote to set dues and hourly rates for the airplanes at rates that reflect the true cost of operation starts going away. When club members can easily see that the monthly fixed costs are X, the officers are working to keep those monthly costs down and the number of members is Y and that all members are really paying their dues, then the process of setting dues at a level that covers those costs is more likely to be routine rather than contentious. As background, we like the information the AOPA has on its website about flying clubsits an excellent resource, particularly for starting out. We agree with its recommended maximum ratio of pilots to airplanes at 12 to 1. Club officers we spoke with said that if that number is exceeded scheduling problems start showing up. If the number goes below 7 to 1, the cost to the members becomes prohibitive. Armand Vilches, president of Lebanon Flying Club based at the Lebanon, Tennessee, Municipal Airport, told us that when a club is organized, it should not make its bylaws its operating rules. We agree, because amending the bylaws often requires a vote of the membership and some sort of a supermajority, making what should be routine changes become a headache. Also, frequently amended bylaws tend to become a mess and theres always confusion as to what is the current version. We agree with Vilches analysis: Bylaws should be the clubs constitution and the operating rules should be a separate documentessentially the clubs laws. Board of Directors Keeping a flying club on an even keel requires people who are willing to be involved in the day-to-day operationseverything from making sure bills get paid and new members get processed through assuring maintenance is performed on the airplanes. To keep costs down, that means the members have to be willing to volunteer and fill the needed positions that make the club work. At a minimum, there has to be a president, a secretary/treasurer (usually the most labor-intensive job), maintenance manager (depending on the number of airplanes, there may need to be more than one), website manager, safety officer and membership manager. Because of the time commitment of the position of president and treasurer and potentially the maintenance manager, its our recommendation that they be rewarded in some fashionand that the membership know precisely what that is. We like something along the lines of an hour free flying time per month for the president and two for the treasurer. Weve seen that abused in clubs with officers given several hours of free flying time per month, which unreasonably drove up the costs for the members. We also noted that in those clubs the officers tended to be the same year after year and ruled things with an iron handuntil the club either folded or the members revolted. We recommend term limits for board membersbut suggest they be used cautiously as they can be a bad thing if too short. It takes some time for a person in a new position to learn it and become effective. Based on our observations and interviews, we think that a person should not be able to hold the same board position for more than three or four yearsand can come back to it after an absence of two. Its the boards job, in our opinion, to set the tone for the clubkeeping actions transparent, encouraging members to fly and expand their horizons, setting up social events such as flyouts, making changes to the rules in an open fashion (and which can be overridden by a supermajority of the membership) and dealing with members who become problem children. The board has the difficult duty of suspending or terminating a pilots membership for anything from repeatedly not cleaning up an airplane after flying it to harassing another member through unsafe operations. We observed that when a member errs, a quiet meeting with him and a couple of the board members generally results in the member straightening out. (We also recommend that when there is a problem, the better solution is counseling the offender rather than imposing a new rule on everyone that represents playing to the lowest common denominator.) However, weve also observed that, pilots being human, there are some that feel so entitled that they dont respond to counseling and the board has to have the power to take action to toss out the miscreants. One club has a procedure that allows a member that is terminated by the board to make a presentation to the full membership to tell his side of the storyand the membership can override the board with a supermajority vote. We think thats a good idea for clubs that are small enough to have regular membership meetings. Why Fly? One of the reasons pilots drop out of flying is that they get bored. They learned to fly because it looked like it was fun and cool. It is. Going out to the airport for just 30 minutes of touch and goes in the pattern isnt fun or cool for very long. Successful flying clubs keep things fun and cool by organizing flyouts for dinners or weekend eventsrecognizing that cost is always an issue. We particularly liked a practice followed by some of the clubs we ran across: dinner flyouts with all of their airplanes. Each airplane would have a club instructor in the right seat, not being paidthe cost of the airplane was split between the two club members who do the flying. As most club airplanes are four-place and wont really carry more than three adults, the other two club members split the out and back legs. For the leg home, after dark, the left-seater is the pilot with less night experience. He or she gets more night experience with a CFI in the other seata very good thing. The club members get a chance to socialize with others who speak the language of flight, make a flight that isnt just grinding around the pattern and which may expand their horizons if they havent done much night flying or, if the weather cooperates, into IMC on an instrument flight plan. We think regular club meetings are wise. The Lebanon Flying Club meets monthly for dinner and business. A member who misses three meetings has to have a chat with the safety officer. The Ann Arbor Flyers, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has regularly scheduled wash and wax days where the members get together to clean the fleet. That club has been around for 75 years and weve observed the camaraderie built through its regular member gatherings. Scheduling We found that every club we spoke with had wrestled with finding a way to allow members to schedule flights so that the most members could fly, members didnt hog airplanes and members could take extended trips. The advent of internet-based scheduling programs has helped. The clubs that seemed most successful were responsive to the membershipespecially as membership changed and the economy changed. Over the last five or six years as the economy grew steadily, clubs told us that members flew more and they had more pilots seek to join. That meant more demand for vacation trips, causing them to fine-tune their scheduling policies. We saw clubs that allowed members to schedule one long trip (not more than seven days), otherwise trips were limited to two or three days. Another allowed a max of three days unless the pilot went to the membership to ask for longer. We thought that was unwieldy but learned that it worked and that no pilot had ever been turned down. The bottom line was to keep the scheduling policy flexible and make sure that it is applied fairly. We did hear a bitter complaint from a former member of a club who said that at his club officers had the power to preempt the schedule and take a plane that was already scheduled. It was why he was a former member. Training A major part of any flying club is trainingfor new ratings and recurrent. From a safety standpoint, virtually every club we spoke with required that instructors who desired to instruct in club aircraft be approved by the clubs safety officer. They also required that each club member take an annualrather than biennialflight review with a club instructor. We found that a lot of clubs actively marketed themselves to people who wanted to learn to fly and so had an active subset of members who were working on the private rating. That led to discussions as to maintenance of the airplanesthe clubs found that to attract members the airplanes had to look good and everything had to work. If a radio were inop for any length of time, it angered members working on ratings, especially the instrument rating. All of the clubs we spoke with wrestled with the cost of either keeping their airplanes looking fresh and modern through refurbs or replacing them periodically. We spoke with board members of the Michigan Flyers in Ann Arbor and were told that they recently needed to add another Cessna 172 to their fleet. It would be required to serve both as a primary trainer, instrument trainer and cross-country traveling machine for the members. The board members were surprised to learn that in the less than a year since theyd bought another 172, the prices had skyrocketed as the demand for them from flight schools went through the roofthey were looking at nearly $200,000 for one that fit the bill. We heard from clubs that had a de facto policy of spending as little as possible on aircraft upgrades; they would let paint, interior and avionics go as long as possible. Former members of such clubs reported that it was almost impossible to sell their shares as potential members took a look at the ratty condition of the airplane and went elsewhere. We also had a chance to look at the airplanes in the fleets of the Michigan Flyers and Ann Arbor Flyersthe former a mix of 152s, 172s and a 182 and the latter consisting of three Piper Archers and a Saratoga. While none were manufactured in the last decade and some were over 20 years old, all were in excellent shapethe result of the clubs being willing to budget for refurbs for interiors, avionics and paint. Keeping the airplanes in good shape and requiring annual recurrent training was felt to be a factor in cost of insurance, according to conversations we had with board members who were involved with obtaining insurance for their clubs. We liked, and recommend, the approach taken by the clubs that made sure that the members, not just the club itself, were insured under the clubs policy. A pilot who spends the money to join a club should be covered by its insurance, in our opinion; she or he shouldnt then have to shell out for renters insurance on top of membership costs. Personality In our experience, flying clubs develop their own personalities. Some become almost indistinguishable from commercial flight schools with little interaction between members; others are small groups that become so close knit that members form friendships that last for life. No matter what, personality conflicts are inevitable and philosophies as to how a club should be runnotably what upgrades should be made to the airplanesdiffer. In an increasingly contentious society, we think a flying club should be a friendly place where members show courtesy and respect for each other so differences in opinion can be hashed out and resolved. Beyond making membership fun, resolving disagreements amicably can, in our opinion, affect safety. Airplanes that dont get repaired because angry members refuse to spend the money can quickly cross the line from inconvenient to unsafe. We recommend that clubs have an application process that involves a prospective member meeting the membership after filling out an application that the membership sees and making a very short presentation to the membership outlining why she or he wants to join. Afterward, in a secret ballot, the membership votes on the applicant. (We recommend that no one or two members have the power to veto applications as that can easily lead to denying membership because of the biases of a few.) Clubs that have applicants meet the membership before acceptance report that they felt that theyd avoided bringing in members who would not have had the appropriate level of respect for other members, safety and/or keeping the airplanes in good condition. Clubs that didnt have such a policy reported that from time to time they had to throw out members who didnt respect the airplanes and/or other members. Weve had some of the best experiences in our flying lives in flying clubs and made friends who we treasure. Weve learned a lot from flying club instructors on days the weather went down, people who were scheduled to fly were in the office and an impromptu ground school developed to talk over an advanced subject that interested us. And, only somewhat tongue-in-cheek, weve also learned that when a club based at a controlled field throws a hangar party with beer for the members, that its wise to invite the air traffic controllers to partake of free beer. Somehow club airplanes always get good handling and its been known to help smooth over those inevitable times when a member gets a bit of fumble-mouth when talking with the tower. Rick Durden holds a CFII and ATP with type ratings in the Douglas DC-3 and Cessna Citation and is the author of The Thinking Pilots Flight Manual or, How to Survive Flying Little Airplanes and Have a Ball Doing it, Vols. 1 & 2. Vice President Mike Pence, who was scheduled to leave Tuesday for a trip to Egypt and Israel, is delaying the visit until Jan. 14, the Washington Post reports. The backdrop: Pence's office said he's staying in D.C. for the House and Senate votes on the GOP tax plan, which is likely to reach Trump's desk by the end of the week. The delay also comes in the middle of widespread protests in the Middle East region over Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "The largest tax cut in American history is a landmark accomplishment for President Trump and a relief to millions of hardworking Americans. The Vice President is committed to seeing the tax cut through to the finish line. The Vice President looks forward to traveling to Egypt and Israel in January." - Alyssa Farah, Press Secretary for the Vice President President Trump said yesterday "No, I'm not" when asked if he's considering firing Special Counsel Bob Mueller. Truth is, his high-level Republican allies don't think he will need to. Be smart: The Trump lawyers' strategy is to cooperate with Mueller on the inside game. The outside chorus tries to rough up Mueller, in case his findings are trouble for POTUS. The rising conservative drumbeat to discredit the investigation and the investigators is gaining GOP converts. to discredit the investigation and the investigators is gaining GOP converts. Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), the chamber's #2 Republican, said on ABC yesterday that it would be "a mistake" to fire the special counsel. But Cornyn tweeted a day earlier: "Mueller needs to clean house of partisans." (Texas), the chamber's #2 Republican, said on ABC yesterday that it would be "a mistake" to fire the special counsel. But Cornyn tweeted a day earlier: "Mueller needs to clean house of partisans." Trump said yesterday when asked about the tens of thousandsof transition emails Mueller had obtained from the GSA, which ran the server: "Not looking good. It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that. My people are very upset about it. ... A lot of lawyers thought that was pretty sad." when asked about the tens of thousandsof transition emails Mueller had obtained from the GSA, which ran the server: "Not looking good. It's not looking good. It's quite sad to see that. My people are very upset about it. ... A lot of lawyers thought that was pretty sad." A source close to the White House said: "You're starting to win over mainstream conservatives to the backlash over overreach." close to the White House said: "You're starting to win over mainstream conservatives to the backlash over overreach." The source said that Trump, not known for patience, has attacked the investigation but mostly resisted personalizing attacks on Mueller. One sign: Trump isn't calling Mueller by a demeaning nickname. The N.Y. Times' Michael Schmidt reports that "as the investigation has reached deeper into Mr. Trump's inner circle, ... Trump's lawyers and supporters have significantly increased their attacks on Mr. Mueller": "[T]he F.B.I. has handed them fresh ammunition to claim that the agents investigating the president may be biased." has handed them fresh ammunition to claim that the agents investigating the president may be biased." But, but, but: "Legal experts said there was no indication that Mr. Mueller, who has wide power to obtain documents through written requests, subpoenas and search warrants, improperly obtained the transition emails." Fox News' Jesse Watters (one of the 45 Twitter accounts Trump follows) used the onscreen headline "A COUP IN AMERICA?" this weekend as he decried what he called "smoking-gun evidence" the probe of Trump is tainted: President Serzh Sarkisian should continue to govern Armenia after completing his final presidential term in April, a deputy chairman of his Republican Party (HHK) said over the weekend. I think that given the security, foreign policy and economic challenges [facing Armenia,] the best solution would be to continue the ongoing work in the existing internal and external environment under Serzh Sarkisians leadership, Armen Ashotian told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). Ashotian said he is therefore ready to nominate Sarkisians candidacy for the post of prime minister at the end of the latters decade-long presidency. Ashotian stressed at the same time that he is only expressing his personal opinion and that the president and the HHK have still not made a final decision regarding April. There has also been no reaction yet from [foreign] diplomatic circles, he added. In an interview with the Armenia TV channel aired late on Thursday, Sarkisian again declined to clarify what he is planning to do after serving out his second five-year term. He said that the time has not yet come for him to announce whether he will become prime minister or take up another state post. Armenia will also switch in April to a parliamentary system of government, meaning that most of the sweeping powers currently enjoyed by the head of state will be given to the countrys prime minister. The current Armenian premier, Karen Karapetian has repeatedly indicated his desire to retain his post. Sarkisian said on Thursday that Karapetian is very acceptable and useful to us as a prime minister and as a person. But he said the HHK leadership will weigh up all factors before deciding who can do a better job where. The televised remarks were construed by another senior HHK lawmaker, Khosrov Harutiunian, as a further indication that Sarkisian will stay on in power as prime minister. That is the most likely and logical scenario, he said. NATOs Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller praised Armenias increased cooperation with the U.S.-led alliance and said it will deepen further when she visited Yerevan on Monday. Gottemoeller met with President Serzh Sarkisian and other Armenian leaders for talks that touched upon Armenia-NATO ties and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We spoke about current security challenges and how we can take our cooperation farther, she said after the talks with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian which preceded her meeting with Sarkisian. NATO and Armenia have developed partnership over 25 years, she said. Cooperation between NATO and Armenia is in both of our interests. Earlier this year, Armenia agreed to a new Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO, and we will be working together more closely on interoperability, defense education and defense reform, added Gottemoeller. The first Armenia-NATO IPAP was launched in 2006. The current, fifth such plan approved by NATO in April lists joint activities planned for 2017-2019. In addition to this policy framework, Armenia has stepped up its involvement in NATO-led security missions. It currently has 121 Armenian soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and 35 others in Kosovo. A senior Armenian Defense Ministry official said last week that Yerevan will continue to participate in these multinational missions in the years to come. We are grateful for Armenias important contribution to our Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan and our KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, Gottemoeller told reporters. Sarkisian likewise noted with satisfaction the developing Armenia-NATO ties when he met with the senior NATO official. He also thanked the alliance for its assistance provided to Armenia. The two also discussed recent developments in the Karabakh peace process. Meeting with students and professors of Yerevan State University earlier in the day, Gottemoeller welcomed progress reportedly made at high-level Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations held in October and November. NATO hopes for further progress in the peace process, she said, adding that a Karabakh settlement would have a very positive impact on the region. At a havan performed outside Rahul Gandhi's home, Phool Singh, a Congress leader, displayed a poster congratulating him for 'winning' the elections - even before counting began. Yes, they jumped the gun a bit. Counting of votes in the Gujarat election hadn't even begun when this happened (Photo: Supriya Bhardwaj) By India Today Web Desk: Congress worker Phool Singh organised a havan right in front of the official residence of Rahul Gandhi, Congress's new president, and congratulated him for winning the Assembly elections in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Phool Singh began his celebratory fire at 6 am, two hours before counting began. We repeat that the Congress worker's name is spelt correctly in the earlier paragraph. It is not Fool Singh but Phool Singh. advertisement Counting of votes for the states of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh began at 8 am and early trends suggest BJP has taken a big lead in both the states. Early trends however can be hugely misleading. Phool Singh's declaration of a Congress victory notwithstanding, all exit polls suggest the Congress will lose Himachal Pradesh to BJP and fail to snatch Gujarat from the ruling party. Rahul Gandhi has campaigned vigorously in Gujarat as he rediscovered his mojo early on. He also had the support of the Young Turk Trio of Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani. (Photo: Supriya Bhardwaj) The strong resentment against the Goods and Services Tax introduced by the Narendra Modi government is expected to help the Congress in the urban areas but nobody believes Urban Gujarat is ready to leave the BJP. Not yet. The Congress is expected to do better than that in Saurashtra and North Gujarat areas. The agrarian distress in Saurashtra and the Patidar reservation agitation are two factors, experts believe, will also go in Congress's favour. The results will give a clearer picture by 11 am, by which time, BJP president Amit Shah has claimed he would declare victory. Amit Shah has decided to wait for the better picture. Phool Singh, we repeat, Phool Singh did not have that patience. He has gone ahead and garlanded his party president's photo. Just in case, the winning moment fails to arrive. India Today brings you the best coverage of the Gujarat assembly election result 2017 - follow our live blog, watch live TV and read all our stories on the election results. And here's our Himachal Pradesh assembly election result live blog. ALSO WATCH | India Today - Axis My India poll suggests BJP will lead in Gujarat assembly elections --- ENDS --- 18 December 2017 09:53 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 112 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on December 18. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 13:23 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Furniture is the most important thing in any home. It is the furniture that sets the atmosphere of comfort and coziness in a house. Furniture and generally other household items are among the most demanded products in Azerbaijan. Today, there is very wide range of furniture choice, and one can found stores for every taste at every corner of the capital and in the regions. Tables, chairs, wardrobes, beds once a bulky share of all this items was brought to Azerbaijan from abroad including Turkey, Malaysia, Italy, Spain and Russia. However, the field began to steadily develop in Azerbaijan about ten years ago and today the country has more than 20 companies operating under the national brand. In addition, many people are turning to private workshops to order the unique furniture. Currently, there are thousands of large and small furniture makers in the country, economic expert Parviz Heydarov told Azernews. The expert said that earlier people mostly preferred exported furniture, since its prices was affordable and has no alternatives. However, in a very short time, new local producers have appeared in the market and the corresponding industry was formed. About 80 percent of the populations demand for furniture is covered by domestic production, according to the Statistics Committee. So, the domestic production of furniture is growing, he said. In January-August of 2017, the country produced industrial products for 24.8 billion manat ($14 billion), of which furniture production increased by 20.2 percent. This means that in our country, goods belonging to the domestic furniture industry are well-realized in comparison with their foreign analogues. The reason is that local furniture is affordable for both price and quality, Heydarov explained. However, the expert said that demand does not always mean that there is a purchasing power, so much depends on the payment ability. Thats why the needs of Azerbaijani population in furniture are unique, according to Heydarov. The per capita cost in furniture spending in Azerbaijan is relatively low compared to the European countries. In foreign countries, furniture used at home and office is changed almost every 3-4 years, while in our country, this figure is approximately 10-15 years, he said. Heydarov stressed that the financial situation of the citizens allows to buy mostly home-made furniture, since buying the best furniture of domestic production costs more than 1,000-2,000 manats ($591-$1,183). The expert consider that if the government pays special attention to this industry, then in the next 5-10 years the furniture may take significant place among the well-known products under the brand Made in Azerbaijan. I think that furniture production in Azerbaijan can be further improved and developed. We have all conditions for this, he said, adding that raw material is not a prerequisite in this matter. The expert said that when paying attention to the world's major furniture manufacturing countries, we will witness that they also buy raw material from outside. For example, more than 25 percent of world wood resources, ie 1/4 of them are located in Russia ... However, the Russian furniture industry is not widely recognized compared to manufacturers from China, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary and Italy. The main factor is quality It is possible to achieve a number of successes in this field by obtaining relevant technologies, establishing joint ventures and other means, he said. In general, the fact that the furniture industry has great perspectives in the non-oil sector of the county is undeniable. Domestic market analysis suggests that the demand for home-made furniture products will continue to grow faster, rather than diminish, according to Heydarov, who added that this requires a special approach to the field. If today we can afford to pay 80 percent of our domestic demand at the expense of domestic production, then we can enter the world markets and, of course, why not to think about it. For that, we must pay big attention to quality. The competitiveness of domestic furniture with its foreign analogues should be maintained at a high level, he said. Meanwhile, home-made furniture, albeit in small quantities, has long been exported abroad. Anar Mehdixanli, Director of Sale Department of Embawood company, the leading furniture producer in the country with 21-year-old experience in the market, told Azernews that the company export its products to Germany, France, Kazakhstan and African countries. He said that the main customers of the national brands are the middle and low-income segments of the population. In general, the expert claimed that support and incentive measures for the development of the furniture industry in the country could have had a great impact in this direction. So, the support is fast approaching. With the goal of further development of the furniture productions sphere in the country, the Association of Furniture Manufacturers is being created in Azerbaijan, which will obtain Turkish and other countries experience. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 13:46 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan will hold next auction on privatization of state property on January 16, where 145 state objects will be put up for sale. The auction will offer 68 small state enterprises, 49 non-residential areas, 25 joint-stock companies and three vehicles. The small state enterprises are located in Baku, Ismayilli, Salyan, Neftchala, Imishli, Aghjabadi, Yevlakh and other cities and regions of the country. Thirty-six of the non-residential areas to be put up for the auction are located in the capital city, the rest-in other regions of the city. The joint-stock companies, put up for the auction, include enterprises specializing in poultry farming, agriculture, transport, construction, repair, trade, production, processing and others. In order to buy property at auction two procedures must be passed: Firstly, it must be made an order through the website of the State Committee (www.e-emdk.gov.az) and secondly, 10 percent of the lot value must be paid. Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues holds electronic auctions starting from July 4. The "electronic auction" service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented. 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 develop the business environment of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 15:45 (UTC+04:00) Azercell Telecom, dedicated to its tradition to take part in the career fairs in the country, has joined next event of a similar kind held at Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University. The career fair was organized on December, 16 by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population under the slogan First step in career. Azercell participated in the event with the existing vacancies and Student Programs. Azercell stand stood out for its active participation and was welcomed by the students with great interest. The employees of Human Resources Department answered the questions of the visiting students and provided detailed information about Student Bursary and Internship Programs of Azercell. Also, they gave some useful advice to young fellows aspiring to build career at Azercell. The job fair was primarily aimed to inform the students and graduates about the existing demand for his/her field of specialization in labor market, build up first relations with employers, while the employers had a chance to shortlist potential employees, and assist young jobseekers to land a decent job in the market. It should be noted that Azercell Telecom has provided support to students and youth from the beginning of its operation. Many projects conducted by the company are focused on the development of youth and education in the country. For more information, please contact [email protected] The leader of the mobile communication industry, the largest taxpayer and the biggest investor of the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48% share of Azerbaijans mobile telecom market Azercells network covers 80% of the territory (excluding 20% of the occupied territories) and 99,8% of population of the country. Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, mobile internet services, Metro coverage, 24/7 call centre service, 7 day/week Front Office service, M2M services, one-stop-shopping approach Azercell Express offices, Online Customer Care and Social Media Customer Care services, Mobile Customer Care office, mobile e-signature service ASAN Imza etc. Azercell deployed first 4G LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012. According to the results of mobile network quality surveys of Global Wireless Solutions company and international systems specialized in wireless coverage mapping such as Opensignal and Testmy.net, Azercells network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 18:36 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The export promotion portal of Azerbaijan - azexport.az received orders worth $444.6 million from 71 countries during the eleven months of 2017. The report of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications for December reads that during the 11 months of 2017, the total volume of non-oil export operations with the participation of 1,824 companies amounted to $1.39 billion, which is by 22 percent more than the figure fixed in the same period of 2016. During 11 months non-oil products worth $498 million were exported to Russia, $264 million to Turkey, $133 million-to Switzerland, $120 million-to Georgia and $52 million to Italy. The analysis shows that the first place in non-oil exports is taken by tomato with $140.2 million, the second place-gold with $116.4 million and the third place-hazelnut with $105 million. Russia leads the list of countries that have made orders from Azerbaijan with 18.4 percent. Some 7.1 percent of export orders fall to Turkeys share, 5.8 percent-to Ukraines, 4.5 percent-to Indias. Then comes the U.S. with 4.2 percent, Kazakhstan with 3.7 percent and Iraq with 3.4 percent. For the first time orders were received from Kuwait, Syria, Hungary, Macedonia and the South African Republic in November. The volume of export orders received in January amounted to $48 million, in February to $6.5 million, in March to $27 million, in April-to $29.9 million, in May-to $19 million, in June-to $62.3 million, in July-to $71.6 million, in August-to $44.1 million, in September-to $47.4 million, in October-to $41.5 million, in November-to $47.3 million. Among the orders received during the reported month are mainly nuts, wine, tobacco, milk powder, chicken eggs, silk carpets, apple, onion, pomegranate, pomegranate juice, engine oil, etc. Azexport.az was created in accordance with the order "On creation of a unified database of goods produced in Azerbaijan Republic", signed on 21 September 2016 by President Ilham Aliyev. Mission of Azexport.az, managed by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication is to provide information about products of Azerbaijani origin and becoming the beneficial platform for their sales in foreign and domestic markets. Azexport.az, integrated with the most popular electronic trading platforms makes the products available to potential buyers from anywhere in the world. Being available in the Azerbaijani, Russian and English languages, it acts as a single digital destination for trade, bringing together and connecting local entrepreneurs, international buyers and international investors. The portal offers fast and secure payment to VISA, Master Card and American Express cards owners. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 11:12 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy has to be more involved in resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Nathalie Goulet, French senator and vice-chair of the Senates Foreign Affairs Committee. She made the remarks to Trend when commenting on the Annual Report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policyadopted by the European Parliament, with reference to the Eastern Partnership countries. The report for the first time reaffirmed EU's commitments to support the territorial integrity of all Eastern Partnership countries within their internationally recognized borders. Goulet noted that the EU has finally made a statement supporting the territorial integrity of the Eastern Partnership states. "We have now to wait the concretizations of this announcement," she said, stressing that the best would be strong decisions. "Words are fine but I do prefer acts. I think the parliamentary diplomacy is a major tool. We have to work more together with the European Parliament and the MPs involved and knowledgeable on the question," Goulet added. Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years. Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 11:35 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The Swiss mobile operator Swisscom has ceased cooperation with Karabakh Telecom, which carries out illegal activities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Switzerland told Trend on December 18. After the intervention of the Azerbaijani embassy, Swisscom terminated its roaming agreement with Karabakh Telecom. The embassy noted that Karabakh Telecom operated using the code of Armenia, thereby wanting to legitimize the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. The Swiss Foreign Ministry, in turn, said it had no information on the Swisscom roaming agreement with the illegally functioning Karabakh Telecom and learned about this only after the appeal of the Azerbaijani embassy. Azerbaijan takes necessary measures against those, who are engaged in illegal business or economic activity in the countrys territories occupied by Armenia. Moreover, unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan are considered illegal and individuals who pay such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys black list. Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war. Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. within the OSCE Minsk Group have produced no results so far. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 16:33 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov A group of Azerbaijanis held a protest action in front of the Armenian Embassy in France, Report informed on December 15. The rally participants demanded the release of two Azerbaijanis Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, who are kept hostages by Armenian militaries in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan for more than three years. The protesters noted that Armenia is an aggressor state and brought to the attention of the French public the fact of captivity of Azerbaijani citizens in the territories recognized as lands of Azerbaijan in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. They also noted the fact of violation of the Geneva Convention and that one million Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homes as a result of Armenias aggression against Azerbaijan. Asgarov and Guliyev were detained by the Armenian armed forces in July 2014 while visiting their native places and graves of loved ones in the occupied Kalbajar region of Azerbaijan. Moreover, Armenian forces killed the third captivated Azerbaijani, Hasan Hasanov. Later, Guliyev and Asgarov were judged illegally by the unrecognized courts of a separatist regime in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Following an expedited judicial process in December 2015, Asgarov was sentenced to life imprisonment and Guliyev to 22 years. Attempts of Azerbaijan to provide justice and to free the hostages are still unsuccessful. Azerbaijans State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and other agencies have repeatedly urged international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to assist in release of Guliyev and Asgarov, whilst the problem remains topical yet. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on the country. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. To this day, Armenia has not implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 16:58 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova YARAT Freestyle invites you to attend a lecture by Swami Jyotirmaya, the accepted guru of The Art of Living Foundation. The lecture "Dive deep into meditation" will be held on December 20 at 19:00. Swami Jyotirmaya (India) is one of the senior students of the famous spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. As an international teacher of The Art of Living Foundation, he travels around the world to build a stress-free society. After visiting more than forty countries in Europe, as well as the Far, Central and Middle Asia, guided by ancient Indian wisdom, Swami Jyotirmaya teaches people how to handle their body, breath and mind in a proper way. Visiting many countries, he conducts various courses such as "Happiness", "The Art of Silence, "Yoga and Wisdom for Health and Happiness, "The Art of Meditation. He also represented The Art of Living Foundation at The World Economic Forum (2012) and The World Culture Festival (2011); met with the representatives of NATO, UNESCO and the United Nations. In 2016 he represented the The Art of Living Foundation at Baku International Humanitarian Forum. The number of seats is limited. So, to attend the lecture, you need to register in advance by calling: +994125051414 or +994502469292 Address: YARAT Contemporary Art Centre (2nd floor, multifunctional room) YARAT is an artist-founded, not-for-profit art organisation based in Baku, Azerbaijan, established by Aida Mahmudova in 2011. YARAT (which means 'create' in Azerbaijani) is dedicated to contemporary art with a long-term commitment to creating a hub for artistic practice, research, thinking and education in the Caucasus, Central Asia and surrounding region. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 10:44 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov An area of 4,500 square meters has been completely cleared in Jojug Marjanli village of Azerbaijans Jabrayil region, National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) told Trend on December 9. During the past day, an area of 4,500 square meters was completely cleared in the village, while no mines or unexploded ordnance were found, the message says. Currently, ANAMA continues clearing of Jojug Marjanli from mines and UXOs. The Agency was established in 1998 for planning and coordination, management and monitoring of mine action related activities all over the country. The problem of unexploded ordnance in Azerbaijan can be divided into the areas that are still under the occupation of Armenian forces and other areas of the country. Most of the unexploded ordinances are the result of Armenian aggression. Jojug Marjanli village was liberated by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces from the Armenian occupation in April 2016. In late January 2017, President Ilham Aliyev ordered to restore the village. ANAMA professionals carry out the operation in the village with the aim to ensure full security for its residents. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The BJP can revel in victory in the prestigious election for the sixth time in a row since 1995. By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: The Gujarat Assembly election results 2017 is a mixed bag of developments for both the main contesting parties - the BJP and the Congress. The BJP can revel in victory in the prestigious election for the sixth time in a row since 1995. It can also rejoice the increase in vote share. However, the two positive developments get dampened by the fewer seats it has been winning since 2002. advertisement Similarly for the Congress. The party has to do introspection for the defeat despite Congress president Rahul Gandhi going all out on the offensive to put the ruling BJP on the defensive. However, the principal opposition party can afford to make merry on two counts - the number of its seats and the vote share has almost consistently shown a marked increase. GUJARAT ELECTION RESULTS 2017 As per the latest tally, the BJP has won or is leading in a total of 105 of the 182 seats in the Gujarat Assembly. This is 10 seats lesser than its 2012 tally. According to the Election Commission, the ruling party has garnered a vote share of 49.1 per cent (till reports last came in at 1.45 pm), an increase of 1.25 per cent over the 2012 Assembly election. As far as the Congress is concerned, it has so far bagged 75 seats, an increase of a whopping 14 seats. On the voteshare front too, the Congress has seen a jump. It had polled 38.95 per cent of the votes in 2012 election. Now it has garnered 41.5 per cent of the votes polled, registering an increase of 2.57 per cent votes. BJP'S REDUCING SEATS SINCE 2002 The BJP had set an ambitious target of winning 150 seats. However, it has got reduced to the lowest ever tally in Gujarat. The BJP had won three consecutive Assembly elections - in 2002, 2007 and 2012 - with Narendra Modi as the chief minister of the state. In the 2002 Assembly election, the party won 127 seats and garnered 49.8 per cent of the votes. It is the highest number of seats the party has ever won in the state. In the 2007 Assembly elections, the BJP won 117 seats. Besides the number of seats, BJP's vote share also saw marginal decrease to 49.1 per cent. In the 2012 election, the BJP's seats and vote share reduced further. While the party won 115 seats, its vote share reduced to 47.85 per cent. advertisement However, for a change, the downward swing of vote share has been reversed for the first time since 2002. However, it could not translate into seats. Between 2002 and 2017, which has four Assembly elections, the BJP lost 22 seats and 0.7 per cent of vote share. CONGRESS' IMPROVING PERFORMANCE Though the Congress has lost all four Assembly elections since 2002 when Modi was the chief minister, the number of seats it has won has witnessed a steady increase. The opposition party has succeeded in maintaining a minimum base vote share of 38 per cent. In 2002, the Congress won 51 seats getting 39.3 per cent of votes polled. In 2007, the number of seats it won increased to 59. However, its vote share marginally decreased to 38 per cent. The 2012 election saw a further increase in the number of seats the Congress won. While it bagged 61 seats, it garnered 38.93 per cent of votes. In the current election, the Congress has bagged 75 seats and garnered a voteshare of 41.5 per cent. Vote share in Gujarat Assembly election 2017. In the process, between 2002 and 2017, the Congress increased its number of seats by 24 seats. advertisement As far as its voteshare is concerned, it fell from 39.3 per cent in 2002 to 38 in 2007 but it again rose to 38.93 in 2012. This year it has risen by 2.2 per cent. 2022 If the present trend continues, the BJP's seats may further dip and the Congress stands a bright chance to grab power in Gujarat for the first time since 1985 when it had won 149 seats. VIDEO | PM Modi flashes victory sign as BJP set to retain Gujarat for sixth straight term --- ENDS --- 18 December 2017 12:11 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The Employment Fund will be formed in Azerbaijan due to the enactment of the law On unemployment insurance from January 1, 2018. Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Metin Karimli made the remarks at the opening of the 3rd Graduate-Career exhibition, held at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industrial University. The Deputy Minister noted that the activities of the Employment Fund, with the participation of employees of the Ministry of Labor, will allow to implement numerous active labor programs, including, self-employment programs and employment of young people with subsidized wages. Karimli went on to say that this year the ministry has held Graduate-Career exhibitions in nine universities of the country, where more than 5,000 vacancies were offered to students. The President Ilham Aliyev approved a new Law On Unemployment Insurance. The Law is aimed to establish relations and new financing mechanisms based on a risk transfer in the labor market, compensate lost wages of insured persons and ensure the social protection of the population through preventive measures to prevent the occurrence of unemployment. The Law is intended to apply to those, whose employment agreements have been terminated due to liquidation of the state authority or legal entity or the redundancy. The Law will not apply to those holding political office. The insurance will enable the unemployed to get payments over a definite period. In order to be eligible for an insurance payment, the unemployed shall be registered within the State Employment Fund. The amount of payments will be differentiated depending on the length of insurance record and the amount of past average monthly salary. In 2016, 56,631unemployed and job seeker citizens were provided with suitable jobs by the State Employment Service under the Labor Ministry. Roughly 36.2 percent of them, as well as 27 percent out of 1, 147 people involved in paid public works, were young people. Azerbaijan is one of the ten leading countries declared by the UN on youth employment. Unemployment rate in Azerbaijan is 5 percent, while the poverty level equals to 5.3 percent. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 14:13 (UTC+04:00) By Aygul Salmanova There is dynamic and efficient cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU, said Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan. The recent Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels is an example of this cooperation. Kestutis Yankauskas made the remarks at an event dedicated to the International Migrants Day in Baku on December 18. The ambassador said that the work is underway to prepare a comprehensive agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU. He added that the EU is implementing joint programs with the Azerbaijan State Migration Service and other state structures. Tourist flow between Azerbaijan and the EU is of paramount importance for the further expansion of relations, he noted. Therefore, the EU would like to see more people traveling from EU member countries to Azerbaijan and in the opposite direction, Jankauskas added. Over the past years, Azerbaijan had a very close cooperation with EUs various institutions and member countries. The energy-rich country signed and adopted documents on strategic partnership with nine member countries of the EU. The Baku-Brussels cooperation covers all the area, while the energy and transport sectors have a unique place. Azerbaijan is committed to further development of energy cooperation with the EU by realization of Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), a unique project which will bring Caspian gas to Europe. Last year, the European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan. The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement. This will enable better to take account of the common goals and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today. The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 14:38 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Iran and Azerbaijan will always be friends, said speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani. He made the remarks at a meeting with Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, Vasif Talibov, in Tehran. Larijani noted that the Iran-Azerbaijan relations have a very ancient history and these two countries have always supported each other. Iran is serious in its friendship with Azerbaijan, said Larijani, adding, "We will always stand by our friends." Larijani added that the high level of cultural relations between the two countries allows expanding political and economic relations. He said Iran and Azerbaijan should expand cooperation in political and security spheres and help peacebuilding in the region. Touching upon the issue of the status of the Caspian Sea, Larijani said there were fruitful negotiations between the leaders of the two countries. Vasif Talibov, for his part, spoke about the friendly relations of the two countries and added that the increase in tourist inflow is an indicator of this friendship. 18 December 2017 15:46 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Foreign ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Iran will discuss regional issues during a trilateral meeting to be held in Baku on December 20, the Turkish Foreign Ministry told Trend on December 18. The ministry said that this meeting of the three countries foreign ministers will make a great contribution to the process of ensuring peace and stability in the region. During the trilateral meeting, the sides will discuss the decisions made at previous meetings, said the Turkish Foreign Ministry in its message. The message also says that as part of the Baku visit, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will have bilateral meetings with his Azerbaijani and Iranian counterparts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 15:39 (UTC+04:00) By Trend The issue of the return of Azerbaijani children from Iraq is in the focus of attention of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, Chairman of the State Committee Mubariz Gurbanli told reporters in Baku on December 18. Azerbaijani structures continue work, on the return of Azerbaijani children from Iraq. Some of them have already been returned to their homeland, and this process continues," Gurbanli said. According to previous reports, two Azerbaijani children - two-year old Khadija and four-year old Abdullah - were found in Syria. Abdullah was brought home and handed over to local authorities. Earlier, the head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan Lieutenant-General Madat Guliyev said over the past five years, about 900 Azerbaijani citizens joined "Islamic State"(IS) terrorist organization. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 16:14 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Euronews has released a report on the Bakutel-2017 exhibition in Baku. The channel also spoke to Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, about the importance of the exhibition. "ICT development is one of the top priorities for our country," Ilham Aliyev said. "We are planning to continue the policy of diversification of our economy and, in this respect, development of ICT is very important." The report notes that Virtual and Augmented Reality were the stars of this years edition of Bakutel, Azerbaijans International Telecommunication and Information Technologies Exhibition. "One of the trends this year was the combination of the two technologies for applications in fields ranging from art to medicine. One stand featured connected surgical glasses help surgeons better visualize the features of a patients face during an operation," reads the article. The general concept of this project is to combine the virtual anatomy of each patient with the real anatomy of the patient who will be operated. During surgery, if you are wearing these glasses, you can see the internal anatomy of the patient its like looking through the skin of the face, you can see the facial skeleton, the muscles, the nerves, the vessels and so on," Ismayil Ferzeliyev, doctor, Azerbaijan Medical University told Euronews. Virtual Reality is still a key element in the gaming world, but the field of application of this technology is growing fast, according to the article. This platform that you see is not only for gaming. A lot of countries use it in medicine. Our company has started to develop some platforms especially for medicine, for training for example fire training, said Aygun Hasanova, spokeswoman, Phobia VR. The article notes that Bakutel is a unique platform for professionals in the ICT field to meet. This edition brought together more than 190 companies from 20 countries. Wand is an electronic device that sends every scratch you made on the paper via bluetooth to your smartphones application. After you have written on the paper the ink evaporates after 30 minutes but during this time your data has been safely saved on our servers in our software application," Wand project manager Elchin Aghazade told Euronews. According to a 2016 World Bank study, ICT has strong growth potential in Azerbaijan, which is faced with the challenge of diversifying its economy away from energy resources to create new sources of growth, the article reads. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 17:19 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Azerbaijan is an attractive country, so the number of migrants arriving in the country is growing, Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan Elmira Suleymanova said on December 18 in Baku at an event dedicated to the International Migrants Day. She said that all conditions for migrants are created in Azerbaijan in accordance with the countrys legislation, and joint work to protect the rights of migrants is carried out with international organizations. Suleymanova also added that no migrant is subjected to violence in Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 17:43 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The 10th session of the GUAM, a regional organization uniting Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova, Parliamentary Assembly (PA) kicked off on December 17 in Tbilisi. The meeting discusses the common approach to regional security, the fight against cross-border crimes, and the strengthening of joint efforts for a sustainable future. The two-day session is attended by the head of the delegation of the Azerbaijani Parliament in PA GUAM Azer Karimli, MP Ali Masimli, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Georgia and other officials. Addressing the session, Georgias Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze said that the protracted conflicts in the GUAM member countries hamper the development of the region. He went on to say that peace and security problems within the framework of GUAM have not been fully achieved. The issue of territorial integrity remains topical. It will be impossible to fully realize the potential of the region without addressing these problems. There is a great need for the support of the international community in this area, added Georgias top diplomat. Janelidze stressed that GUAM has become a reliable partner in the region and beyond. Joint priorities for economic development in the future, political consolidation and cooperation among peoples have been defined within the framework of the organization, he said. Within the framework of the annual session, a joint statement will be adopted, the main emphasis of which will be on the need to work together to address problems related to territorial integrity. In addition, a meeting of members of the GUAM PA Bureau with members of the Presidium of the Baltic Assembly will be held. A final declaration is expected to be adopted at the end of the session, which will last until December 19. Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM is a regional organization established in 1997. The charter of the organization was signed in 2001, the statute-in 2006. The GUAM main goals are strengthening of democratic values, ensuring the supremacy of law and respect for human rights; ensuring sustainable development; strengthening international and regional security and stability; deepening European integration for the creation of a common security space and the enlargement of economic and humanitarian cooperation; developing of socio-economic, transport, energy, scientific, technical and humanitarian potential; stimulating of political interaction and practical cooperation in fields of mutual interest. The structure of the Organization includes the Council and the Secretariat. The Council is the major body of the Organization. It conducts its work at the levels of Heads of State (Summit), Foreign Ministers, National Coordinators and Permanent Representatives. The Parliamentary Assembly of the GUAM was established in 2004 which includes three committees: political; trade and economic; science, culture and education. GUAM Member States cooperate at the level of international organizations, in particular, the UN and the OSCE. GUAM was granted observer status in the UN General Assembly in 2003. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 18:12 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Since February of next year, religious figures working in Azerbaijani mosques will be able to receive salaries, Mubariz Gurbanli, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, said on December 18. He said that from next year through the Foundation for Propagation of Spiritual Values, religious figures working in mosques will receive official salaries. Gurbanli said the questions of salary amount and who will be receiving it, are to be solved at a later stage. He said that imams (Islamic religious leaders) and other religious figures appointed by the Caucasus Muslims Administration in the mosque will receive salaries on the recommendation of the administration itself. "The issue of salaries has a very great socio-political significance," he said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 10:13 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman called to review the economic relations of the Jewish state with Turkey following the statements of the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Turkish President Erdogan uses any excuse for open incitement against the Jewish state. I think we need to review much in our relations with Turkey", Lieberman posted on Facebook. Earlier Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey wants to open an embassy in East Jerusalem, following a decision by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The Congress has improved its vote share and the number seats in Gujarat Assembly in most of the regions of the state. But, that was not enough to wrest Gujarat from the BJP. By India Today Web Desk: With the BJP retaining Gujarat and snatching Himachal Pradesh from the Congress, the grand old party is now holding power in just four states including Meghalaya and Manipur, which will go to the polls next year along with Karnataka, where the ruling party is facing huge anti-incumbency. On the contrary the BJP seems to have mastered the art of beating anti-incumbency. In Gujarat, the BJP has come back to power for sixth consecutive time. advertisement Different pockets of Gujarat voted differently in the election but the overall vote share of the BJP has increased. HOW GUJARAT VOTED IN 2017 ELECTION: THINGS TO KNOW In the 50-seat north Gujarat region, the BJP had won over 50 per cent vote share. It improved the vote share in north Gujarat by 1 per cent. The Congress also improved its vote share by 2 per cent to poll 42 per cent votes. Others suffered a loss of 4 per cent. In terms of number of seats, the BJP maintained its sway in the north Gujarat by winning the same number of seats as 2012 Assembly election. But, so did the Congress. Both secured the same tally with BJP winning 32 and the Congress pocketing 21. In Saurashtra and Kutch, the BJP has suffered major loss over 2012 Gujarat Assembly election. In 2012, the BJP had won 35 of 54 seats while this election, it could win only 23 seats. The Congress is clear winner in Saurashtra and Kutch with 30 seats. It had won 16 seats in 2012 in the region. The BJP has faced marginal loss in south Gujarat which includes business hub of Surat. The BJP won 25 of 35 seats in south Gujarat compared to 28 won in 2012. The Congress improved its tally from 6 to 10. The others failed to win any seat here. Last time one seat went to others. In the central Gujarat, the BJP stayed ahead of the Congress winning 25 of 40 seats. The BJP had won only 20 seats in 2012. The Congress has suffered a loss of five seats in central Gujarat. The Congress won 13 seats this time, five less than 2012. The others maintained their tally of 2 win in central Gujarat. The Congress has done reasonably well in Muslim dominated areas in Gujarat which sends 20 MLAs to the state Assembly. The congress won 12 seats compared to 8 in 2012. The BJP suffered a loss of 4 seats and had be content with only 8 seats. In Patel dominated 25 constituencies, the Congress improved its tally by one to 12. The BJP secured victory on 13 seats suffering the loss of one seat in Patel dominated region. Overall, the BJP looks set form government with 101 seats while the Congress has emerged as strong Opposition force with 78 seats. The BJP suffered a loss of 14 seats while the Congress gained 17 seats. The others had won six seats in 2012. This time, they could win only three seats. advertisement In terms of vote share, the Congress improved its vote share by four per cent to 43 per cent. The BJP also bettered its record by one per cent over 2012 to poll 49 per cent votes. Others secured six per cent votes. --- ENDS --- 18 December 2017 11:59 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Irans largest auto manufacturer, Iran-Khodro has opened production line for two new models of Sedan. One of the new products was Dena+ Turbo charge, a remote facelift of Peugeot 405, and the other an automatic-transmission version of Peugeot 207 with an added trunk, Trend correspondent reported from the event. Speaking at a conference on the occasion, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani pointed to problems that hinder investment in car as well as other industries in Iran, complaining about the tough and arduous bureaucracy that lies ahead of investors. Nonetheless, he went on to promise the car makers that if they improve their products safety, develop their indigenous R&D sections, and improve exports, the Parliament will financially support them by allocating loans from the National Development Fund. Minister of Industry Mohammad Shariatmadari also addressed the conference, saying governmental monopoly over industries has grounded them. "Governmental ownership has been a real challenge to the auto industry. The government should bring down to zero its share of ownership," he noted, adding that talks are being held with Iran-Khodro and the other major car maker Saipa to privatize the companies. He also said that the government is preparing support packages for industries in the country, including 100 trillion rials (1 US dollar = 42,000 rials) from the National Development Fund, 100 trillion rials more from government resources, as well as 100 trillion rials via banks and private sector. "Today there are 30 auto enterprises in Iran, making 3.5 percent of the countrys GDP. The industrys added value is 18.5 percent of that of the entire industries of the country," Shariatmadari noted. The minister said the Iran envisions taking the 5th place in Asia and 11th place in the global car market by 2025. He also noted that there are some 1,200 auto part makers in the country, and they should be merged into a big conglomerate. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 12:36 (UTC+04:00) By Trend President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will receive the head of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) Serdar Cam, said the Uzbek Foreign Ministrys press service in a message on December 18. The TIKA delegation will arrive in Tashkent today, according to the message. The visits program includes meetings and negotiations at the government, Foreign Ministry, State Committee for Investments. TIKA was founded in 1992 in order to provide technical assistance to developing countries and to boost relations with them in the fields of economy, trade, technology, culture, education and social development through the projects and programs of the organization. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 19:00 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Turkey will strengthen border control procedure for Russian tourists arriving at Istanbul airport, the Aksam newspaper reported on December 18. This decision was made at a meeting of the Turkish and Russian presidents held in Sochi on November 22, according to the report. The report says that this step is aimed at ensuring the Russian tourists security and preventing attempts of terrorist attacks that can be committed after the normalization of relations between the two countries. After passing the passport control, Russian tourists will have to go through another two checkpoints. The relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated sharply in late 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board. In June 2016, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of condolences to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the death of a Su-24 pilot and expressed regret over the incident. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 12:43 (UTC+04:00) By Aygul Salmanova Speaking of tourists visiting Azerbaijan, it is impossible to avoid the growing number of tourists coming from Muslim countries. Due to the influx of Muslim guests, the country now is considering to develop halal tourism, a sub-category of tourism that is aligned with the laws and traditions of Islam. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is preparing a state standard project called Halal Management System Hotels. The project has general requirements for hotels offering halal services. These requirements envisage that hotels providing halal service must fulfill their commitments to customers in accordance with the presentation. Advertising, campaigns, and prices aimed at deceiving guests should not be allowed, maximum attention should be given to the guests' religious sensitivities. The project states that the hotels offering halal services must meet certain requirements, in particular, to provide customers with services specified in the advertisement. The chemicals and materials used to meet sanitary and hygiene requirements must be suitable for use in the halal field, according to Rahman Safarov, one of the authors of the project, Dean of Tourism and Hospitality of the Azerbaijan Tourism and Management University. Such hotels should not have video surveillance and audio recording in rooms, showers, swimming pools, massage rooms, locker rooms. Moreover, men and women in certain designated places should be serviced by workers of the same sex. Employees of the hotel are required to undergo a medical examination in accordance with the established procedure, their activities must meet the requirements of sanitary and hygienic standards. The uniform of hotel workers should not contradict the norms of Islam. The preliminary verification of the standard will begin in 2022 and will last five years. Today, the Muslim travel market one of the fastest-growing segments in the global travel industry, if to consider that Muslims represent nearly one-fourth of the worlds population. Last year about $155 billion were spent by Muslim travelers, which represent about 13 percent of the total global travel expenses, according to the data of the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI). This May, the GMTI predicted that the Muslim travel market will be worth $220 billion by 2020 and $300 billion by 2026, spurred by Muslim-friendly amenities and easy access to travel information. It should be particularly mentioned that Azerbaijan has lately became the most favorite place for travel of many Arab tourists. The majority of them are from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Iraq. Short distance between Azerbaijan and their countries is one of the reasons of such a great tourist growth. Meanwhile, this year the GMTI put Azerbaijan 24th on development of halal tourism. In the 2016 survey of GMTI covering 130 tourist destinations, Azerbaijan, has ranked 20th among the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The countrys incomparable historical and cultural heritage, as well as expertise in halal hospitality, allowed Azerbaijan to enter the list of the top Muslim holiday destinations. In Azerbaijan, where modernity and intellect meet Islam and modern cultures, Muslim visitors can have an unforgettable experience. Meanwhile, this year the GMTI put Azerbaijan 24th on development of halal tourism -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 18 December 2017 15:26 (UTC+04:00) By Aygul Salmanova The number of tourists visiting Barda, one of the most significant and ancient cities of the country, has significantly increased. Hikmet Heydarov, Head of the Tourism Information Center, told Azernews that the number of tourists visiting the region increased by 65 percent compared to the same period of last year. During the first 11 months of this year, 7,250 tourists from different cities and regions of the country visited Barda while the number of foreign tourists was 1,233. He noted that to achieve this increase Barda Tourism Information Center with Regional Cultural Administration department of the Tourism and Culture Ministry carried out a joint promotional work. The introduction of a simplified visa regime and the overall rise of the tourist flow to the country also gave impetus to increase of the number of tourists visiting Barda, he added. It was possible to raise awareness about Barda and its historical sites, as overall information about the city can be found in media and various tourism information websites, he said. The frequent tourists are from CIS countries, Heydarov noted. In addition, a considerable part of tourists are coming from Arab countries and Iran to see the city. Tourists from countries such as India, England, the U.S. also travel Barda, he said. Heydarov noted that a number of measures are taken to develop the citys tourism sector: Printed brochures and information cards, the map of the city are presented to tourists in order to facilitate their tour of the city." Various exhibitions reflecting the customs and traditions of the city, including art and tourism exhibitions, are organized in the city. Tourists visiting Barda are more interested in the historic sites of the region. Barda Tomb, also called as Allah-Allah or Nushaba tomb, is one of the most important monuments reflecting the history of the city. Heydarov noted that the local people call this monument Nushaba Tomb while its formal name is Barda Tomb. Some people, however, call it Allah-Allah due to more than 280 inscriptions reading Allah-Allah in Arabic. Tourists also visit Torpaggala of 18-19 centuries, one of two existing monuments of its type in the world, Hamam located in the village Shirvanli, Juma Mosque built in the 20th century, bridge on the river Tartar, tomb located in the village Gulallah, etc. Another monument, according to Heydarov, that makes the city one of the most developed zones of faith tourism is Imamzade mosque. He noted that every day quite high number of tourists from Iran and some Arab countries visit this monument. Although Imamzada mosque was mostly visited by Syrian tourists before. Heydarov also noted that he strongly recommends the visitors of the city to come and see the house of Bala Bey. This marvelous house, built in the 18th century in accordance with the plan that was made in England, was constructed in gothic style, he noted. Barda, one of the oldest living centers not only in Azerbaijan but also in the Middle East, is rich with many cultural monuments covering a vast period from the second millennium BC to the Middle Ages. Through the city, located to the east of the Murovdag ridge, in the western part of the Shirvan plain, flows the river Terter. The city was the key point in which many arteries forming the Great Silk Road converged. With such a favorable geographical position characterized by a location at the intersection of all caravan routes, the ancient Barda was the largest commercial and artisan city. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare closed Abrazo Maryvale Campus, a 232-bed hospital in Phoenix, on Monday. The hospital, which announced plans in October to shut down and ended inpatient care Dec. 1, closed primarily because of dwindling patient volumes. "Over the past several years Abrazo Maryvale has experienced a significant decline in community demand for its services," Frank Molinaro, market CEO for Abrazo Community Health Network, told Becker's Hospital Review in October. "The Abrazo Community Health Network's top priority is delivering high-quality, cost-effective care to residents of the greater Phoenix area, and we are properly allocating our resources to meet our patients' and our communities' healthcare needs." Officials said the closure of Abrazo Maryvale should not impact the community's access to care, as there are four acute care hospitals and 11 urgent care centers within the 6-mile area surrounding Abrazo Maryvale. Most of the 300 employees affected by the closure will be transferred to other positions within Abrazo Community Health Network and its affiliated partners. Although the hospital is closed, patients can still request their medical records, access the patient portal and pay their bills online. Tenet, Abrazo Maryvale's parent company, is exploring a number of strategic options. The company ended the third quarter of this year with a net loss of $367 million on revenues of $4.59 billion. That's compared to the same period of 2016, when the company recorded a net loss of $8 million on revenues of $4.85 billion. More articles on healthcare finance: At least 26 nonprofit hospitals at risk of bankruptcy: 5 things to know Hospital loses tax-exempt status after inking JV with for-profit company Ascension's operating income sinks 93% in Q1 St. Louis-based Ascension selected Karen Springer to serve as president, healthcare operations within Ascension's healthcare division, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Ms. Springer has served as senior vice president of Ascension Health and Tennessee Ministry Market Executive since 2015. She also currently serves as president and CEO of Nashville, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Health, a role she has held since 2011. During her time leading Saint Thomas Health, the organization expanded their medical missions in new counties and also formed a partnership with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools to inculcate an interest in healthcare professions among high school seniors. She serves as board chair for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville and is active on the Nashville Healthcare Council's board of directors. In her new role, Ms. Springer will focus on advancing enterprise excellence and will oversee Ascension Healthcare's small and medium Ministry Markets. Time's 2017 Person of the Year cover features the faces of five women who represent "The Silence Breakers" and serve as early examples for the thousands of people who have come forward in recent months and relayed their experiences of sexual harassment and assault. Why, then, does the cover appear to crop out the face of a sixth individual? Time released a statement about the woman who was cropped out of the cover. She is a hospital worker from Texas who chose to disclose her story to the magazine anonymously to prevent her family from experiencing any backlash or negativity, according to the report. "She is faceless on the cover and remains nameless inside TIME's red borders, but her appearance is an act of solidarity, representing all those who are not yet able to come forward and reveal their identities," according to Time. The woman reportedly issued a sexual harassment complaint anonymously to her employer. She told the publication during an interview she remembers vivid details of the encounter, but couldn't stop wondering if she could have done more to prevent it from happening. The anonymous Texas woman is featured alongside the faces of five other women early to the #MeToo movement, including former Uber engineer Susan Fowler, lobbyist Adama Iwu, Taylor Swift, Ashley Judd and Isabel Pascual, a strawberry picker and immigrant from Mexico whose name was also changed to protect her identity, according to the publication. New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System reportedly reached a tentative agreement to assume operations of Louisianas safety-net hospitals in Monroe and Shreveport, according to The News Star. Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Edwards will officially announce the partnership Tuesday, according to the report. The state, former hospital operator Shreveport-based BRF, Baton Rouge-based Louisiana State University Health Care Services and Ochsner will sign nonbinding letters of agreement to pursue permanent contract terms during Tuesday's announcement. University Health Shreveport (La.) and University Health Conway in Monroe, La., are owned by Shreveport-based University Health System, the clinical affiliate of New Orleans-based LSU School of Medicine. In order for Ochsner to take over operations of both hospitals, LSU, the state, BRF and Ochsner must all agree on the proposed arrangement. BRF will still maintain a role in the University Health System infrastructure for the two hospitals, but the organization's role will not be as prominent, according to the report. BRF secured the contract to operate the two hospitals in 2013 as part of former Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal's plan to privatize the state's charity hospital system. However, the state and LSU accused BRF of being undercapitalized and inexperienced shortly after the institution received the contract. In response, BRF contended the state funds it received to support the safety-net hospitals were considerably less than the funds allocated to a private partner the state allows to lease facilities in New Orleans, placing BRF in a less-than-ideal financial situation. The prime minister can be credited with single-handedly steering the BJP to victory despite all odds. It was Modi versus the whole world. And Modi emerged victorious. By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: The BJP has finally won the prestigious Gujarat Assembly election 2017. This is record sixth consecutive victory for the party in power since 1995. Though the ruling party could not accomplish 'Mission 150', as set by party president Amit Shah, it surely managed to cross the victory line thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Had it not been for PM Modi, the Gujarat election results would not have been as favourable for the BJP as it has turned out to be. advertisement The prime minister can be credited with single-handedly steering the BJP to victory despite all odds. It was Modi versus the whole world. And Modi emerged victorious. At one point in time, it even appeared that the BJP would lose the crucial battle. However, Modi put his soul and body to campaigning in his home state. He did not allow the situation to slip out of the BJP's grip. Modi made several rounds of the state to campaign for the BJP. He took on several challenges firing from all cylinders in all directions. HIMACHAL PRADESH ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 LIVE BLOG GUJARAT ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 LIVE BLOG ODDS There were several factors working against the BJP. The foremost was the anti-incumbency of 22 years against the incumbent government. Of these years, Modi had ruled Gujarat for about 13 years from October 2001. The caste combination was also against the ruling dispensation. Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti convener Hardik Patel, Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor who later joined the Congress opened fronts against the BJP. The BJP was on the backfoot following the police firing on Hardik Patel-led Patidar quota agitation in Ahmedabad in August 2015. It saw the death of 10 people. Despite replacing the then chief minister Anandiben Patel with Vijay Rupani and making Nitin Patel the deputy chief minister, the Patidar anger had not subsided. Mevani had spearheaded an agitation following the public flogging of four Dalits in Una for skinning a dead cow. Thakor too was fanning passions against the BJP. The farmers were in distress following the agrarian crisis. Besides on ground, the Congress and Hardik Patek had launched an aggressive campaign against the BJP also on the social media. Their 'Vikas gando thayo chhe (development has gone crazy)' was a runaway success. The traders, considered to be BJP's core votebanks, were sulking against the Modi government for the demonetisation move and implementing Goods and Services Tax (GST). On top of these, Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched an offensive, never witnessed before, against the BJP governments at the Centre and in the poll-bound state. advertisement One by one, he sought to demolish the Gujarat model of development, a perception built assiduously by Modi over the years as the state chief minister. MODI MAGIC However, Modi got into action despite all odds. He used his personal appeal to strengthen his bond with the voters. He called himself the "son of the soil" to bind with the state voters. The prime minister switched over exclusively to Gujarati for delivering his election rallies after the announcement of poll schedule by the Election Commission. Earlier, he would generally speak in Hindi and intersperse his speech with Gujarati to explain specific issues such as GST. But Modi did not let go of any opportunity to neutralise the adversities and turn the tides in his favour. He frequently visited the state and campaigned extensively employing several measures to combat the adverse situation. The prime minister took several steps to present a development agenda for the Gujarat. The ground breaking ceremony for Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train, inauguration of Sardar Sarovar Dam and the first phase of the Rs 615-crore 'roll-on-roll-off' (Ro-Ro) ferry service between Ghogha in Saurashtra and Dahej in south Gujarat were just three such initiatives. advertisement As a counter to the united Opposition's 'Vikas gando thayo chhe' offensive, Modi gave a personalised slogan of 'Hoon chhun vikas, hoon chhun Gujarat (I am development, I am Gujarat)'. He told the voters that the people of Gujarat would have "laddoos" in both hands and all 10 fingers dipped in "ghee" if there are BJP governments in the state and at the Centre. Modi did not miss any opportunity either to derive political mileage out of any situation. When senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar called him "neech aadmi", the prime minister used it to his advantage. He attacked Aiyar for mocking his caste (OBC) and humble origins as a tea-seller. The PM even lashed out at his predecessor Manmohan Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari (without taking the latter's name) for meeting Pakistan envoy in a party thrown by Aiyar ahead of the Gujarat elections. Modi even mocked Rahul. He attempted to convey the message that the state's future was secure in a BJP government's hands. He sought to tell the people of the state that whatever their grievances against the BJP and him personally, he would address them. Modi magic finally worked in Gujarat. Modi mania seems to be intact in his home state. Riding on Modi's persona, the state returned the BJP to power, yet again. advertisement VIDEO | PM Modi flashes victory sign as BJP set to retain Gujarat for sixth straight term --- ENDS --- A former healthcare inspection supervisor at Florida's Agency for Healthcare Administration was sentenced Friday to nearly five years in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for alerting a nursing home executive to state inspections and patient complaints, according to the Miami Herald. Bertha Blanco who was fired in late 2016 after working for the state agency for 30 years admitted in a guilty plea that she accepted $100,000 in bribes from intermediaries who allegedly collaborated with Philip Esformes, the head of a network of Miami-Dade nursing homes. Mr. Esformes used the information to fix the complaints and problems brought to the agency before state regulators inspected any of his 20 skilled nursing or assisted-living facilities. This information allowed Mr. Esformes to avoid losing Medicare contracts at his facilities and allowed him to continue to bill Medicare for questionable patient services. Earlier this year, Mr. Esformes was arrested on charges of conspiring with other healthcare operators in a $1 billion Medicare fraud scheme. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Indianapolis fertility physician accused of inseminating patients with own sperm pleads guilty to obstructio Police arrest man in connection to bomb threat at Dayton Children's Hospital South PhRMA files lawsuit, claims California drug pricing transparency law is unconstitutional The Association of American Medical Colleges reported the number of women enrolled in U.S. medical schools surpassed the number of enrolled men. Here are five takeaways: 1. Of the 21,338 new enrollees, females made up 50.7 percent in 2017, up from 49.8 percent in 2016. 2. While the female enrollees rose 3.2 percent, male enrollees decreased 0.3 percent. 3. Male enrollees have seen a 2.3 percent decrease since 2015, in contrast to female enrollees' 9.6 percent increase. 4. Although the number of medical school enrollees rose 1.5 percent in 2017, the number of applicants decreased 2.6 percent. Female applicants decreased 0.7 percent and male applicants decreased 4.4 percent. 5. Although females beat out males in terms of enrollment, men still surpassed females in terms of applicants, representing 50.4 percent. Craig van Horne, MD, and his colleagues at Lexington-based University of Kentucky Brain Restoration Center, performed the first deep brain stimulation at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in Henan, China. Here are five things to know: 1. Dr. van Horne treated a patient who suffered from Parkinson's disease. Following the surgery, Dr. van Horne visited the patient who recovered and was released a few days after the procedure. 2. The surgery was to expand the scope of neurosurgery in China. The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University has since grown its deep brain stimulation surgery program with physicians at the hospital performing deep brain stimulations surgeries regularly. 3. Zhengzhou University's hospital is the world's largest hospital with more than 7,000 beds. 4. Dr. van Horne's team included: Greg Gerhardt, PhD, director of the center for microelectrode technology Ann Hanley, program director for neurorestoration George Quintero, PhD, research analyst and neurophysiologist 5. UK and The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University hope to continue collaborating between research fellows. Northern Ireland's technology and science park has collected more than 4,000 for charity Northern Ireland's technology and science park has collected more than 4,000 for charity. Catalyst Inc hosted more than 100 people at the 'spinathon' event to raise cash for Bowel Cancer UK. Catalyst Inc held the 12-hour event across its three campuses in Belfast, Londonderry and Ballymena with staff from more than 30 companies taking part. Earlier this year the science park announced a three-year partnership with Bowel Cancer UK with the goal of raising 15,000 for the charity, with all funds going to initiatives and programmes across Northern Ireland. A Belfast man whose company works with some of the world's pharmaceutical giants says it expects to grow its staff by a further 35 next year. Peter Keeling's Diaceutics, which now boasts turnover of around $10m (7.5m), has industry leaders like GSK and Diagnology among its clients. In the last few years it has enjoyed year-on-year growth of around 50% The data analytics company connects patients to the right diagnostic test so they can get personalised medicine to treat or cure their condition first time. The company announced 30 new jobs earlier this year on the back of 60% revenue growth. It was set up in 2005 by Belfast man Mr Keeling. He said: "We focus on an area of medicine, which is precision or personalised medicine. "It's a growing area around how medicine is changing, moving from one size fits all, where everyone gets the same type of tablet. "What we do is collaborate with the leading pharmaceutical companies. When they launch the drug, we launch the diagnostic." The company currently has a workforce of around 60. But that's set to grow thanks to the latest jobs announcement. "We have taken a slightly slower route... we are pioneering in this area," he said. "It has grown rapidly. We added 25 staff this year, and 30-35 next year. "We are at a crucial point... we probably will bring on more capital. "I was born in Belfast and went to Queen's University, where I studied a business degree. I worked for GSK and was in the Middle East for four years, then the Far East for another four years, then back to London. "It pushed you in to challenging roles. Then I left and became a visiting fellow at MIT in Boston - it was my gap year at 35! "That gave me the confidence to see, let's see if we can set up a business which is more disruptive. I hope we are on that crest of wave which is about to rise." The firm has operations in Dundalk and New Jersey in the United States. On the subject of Brexit, he said: "There is a direct and indirect impact. "For us, there is no direct impact. "The indirect risk is probably the same as everyone else. My team members in the UK, what is going to happen to them? "Our clients are looking at what does this mean when the UK is not part of Europe." Eamonn Holmes was among the first to congratulate Belfast doctor Ciara Mackey after her stunning performance on Michael McIntyre's Big Show at the weekend. But her shock at being tricked by her boyfriend into becoming the episode's 'Unexpected Star of the Show' was nothing compared to that of the audience when they heard her stunning voice. The 30-year-old A&E doctor delivered a show-stopping rendition of the Les Miserables classic, On My Own, in front of 2,500 people, with millions more watching on Saturday night television. Speaking last night, Ciara said she really believed she was checking into a central London hotel shortly before she found herself starring in the Bafta-winning variety show. "It was a total shock," she said. "I was 100% in a hotel. "It's so hard to explain the altered reality when the curtain was pulled back and I wasn't... I just couldn't figure it out. They 100% got me. "I can still see that moment in my mind's eye." After getting over the initial shock, however, Ciara, who has been based in Belfast for nine years, delivered a powerhouse performance. She's no stranger to singing on stage, having been part of the cast of Spamalot in Belfast's Grand Opera House, but the Dublin native conceded that Michael McIntyre's Big Show is a different level entirely. "It was difficult trying to wrap my head around what was actually happening," she explained. "But it all flew in so quickly I didn't have time to think about it. "At one point I shed a tear backstage, just for about 20 seconds, but obviously they showed that. It was overwhelming." Ciara, who looked radiant in a red dress, revealed that the robe was waiting for her backstage ahead of the performance, which was organised, without her knowledge, by her partner of two years Simon Black, a video producer from Newry. "They tried it on me and made the adjustments so that's why it did fit so well," she said. "But you don't get a lot of time; just enough for you to get your make-up done and rehearse." Despite her nerves, Ciara's voice wowed fans on social media, with famous Northern Ireland journalist and broadcaster Eamonn Holmes leading the way. The former Sky News Sunrise and This Morning presenter tweeted: "Wasn't Dr Ciara amazing on Michael McIntyre's Show tonight as The Unexpected Star! Belfast at its best." So what's next for the sensational singing doctor? Will she be swapping emergency medicine for the stage and stardom any time soon? "All I know for sure is that I have a twelve-and-a-half hour shift ahead of me at Belfast City Hospital," she replied. Theresa May and her husband Philip on their way to church yesterday Theresa May looks set to avoid a humiliating second Commons defeat after a compromise deal was reached within Tory ranks over plans to write the Brexit date in law. Behind-the-scenes efforts to prevent a revolt appear to have resulted in a situation which will see March 29, 2019, written into the Government's Brexit legislation as the Prime Minister promised, but with flexibility allowing the date to be changed if negotiations with Brussels look set to stretch beyond that date. Rebels who helped inflict Mrs May's first Commons defeat on Wednesday lined up behind the compromise, which has been put forward by prominent backbenchers on both sides of the EU referendum divide. The Government is understood to be "looking closely" at the amendment tabled by MPs including Remain supporter Sir Oliver Letwin and Brexiteer Bernard Jenkin - which would give ministers flexibility to change the departure day if Parliament agrees. The Government has not formally supported the move but it would appear certain to back the measure if it presented a way for Mrs May to avoid another Commons reverse. Former Cabinet minister Nicky Morgan - one of the rebels who helped inflict Mrs May's first Commons defeat on Wednesday - gave her support to the compromise over the Brexit date. She said the new amendment "demonstrates how all Conservative MPs can work together" to deliver the best possible Brexit and reflects the flexibility within the Article 50 withdrawal process. The amendment also emphasises that "Parliament will be fully involved in Brexit", she said. But one senior Leave-supporting Tory said the rebels had now accepted that Government ministers are in control of setting the Brexit date. "It is very reasonable for the Bill to mirror Article 50 more closely, but they have had to give up scrapping the date altogether and to accept that the Government remains in control of the date," the MP said. In an apparent indication of the efforts to find a compromise, Tory chief whip Julian Smith sent a cryptic tweet of an image of a telephone with a reference to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding and the message "great news and great example - agreeing the date shouldn't be hard". The progress in the domestic Brexit battle came hours after Mrs May received a boost in Brussels, with the 27 other EU countries formally agreeing to allow negotiations to proceed to their second phase. The Prime Minister made clear she wanted talks on post-Brexit trade relations with the EU to begin "straight away", as the UK continues with its goal of negotiating a deal which can be signed immediately after the official date of departure. The jobs advertised are for existing checkpoints. The Home Office has rejected claims its latest recruitment drive for border patrol officers contradicts the Prime Minister's commitments to having a frictionless border in Ireland. The government organisation said the jobs would instead boost staffing levels at existing border checkpoints at the UK's ports and airports. Border Force plans to recruit 300 new officers with some posts based in Belfast. Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson claimed this went against the UK's aim of avoiding a hard border in Ireland saying it emphasised the case for special status for Northern Ireland. "This also highlights the importance of ensuring that the communique agreed between the British government and the EU is legally enforced and fully implemented," she said Read More However, the Home Office rejected the MEP's concerns. It is untrue to suggest that current border force officer recruitment in any way contradicts the guarantee that there will be no hard border on the island of Ireland," a government spokeswoman said. "Last weeks agreement with the EU ensures the continued, uninhibited movement of British and Irish citizens between our two countries. The additional resource from this recruitment round will supplement existing staffing at UK ports and airports. A Co Down Christmas "wonderland" has been shut down after a disastrous first day provoked a furious backlash from angry customers. Instead of queuing up to see Santa Claus at the Winter Wonderland at the Clandeboye Estate in Bangor, outraged parents were lining up for refunds following a shocking experience on Saturday. Rhonda Elliott (43) and her husband William (49) had been looking forward to a magical day out with their four-year-old daughter Katie since June. "It might have been called a winter wonderland, but it was only winter - the place was filthy and the atmosphere was terrible," Mrs Elliott said. The family group, which included her sister and young nephew, were very excited about meeting Santa at 4pm. But the day quickly descended into chaos. "We ended up having to stand in a huge line full of prams with kids getting upset and an elf trying to push us further along even though there was nowhere to go - it was terrible," she claimed. The Bangor woman said the "horrendous situation" only got worse when they finally met Santa, who the organiser previously claimed had a real beard. "It was shockingly bad, his beard didn't have a hole in it for his mouth so he had to pull it down to speak. Horrified kids were shouting: 'He isn't real'," she said. "The decorations were terrible, a string of fairy lights looked like they had been blue-tacked to the wall and a banner behind Santa's chair kept falling down. Parents were holding it up for the photos. "There was a 5ft Christmas tree which looked like someone had just thrown gold glitter at it and the smell was stinking." Mrs Elliott slammed the organiser for failing to deliver on what they had promised. "In the end it was just an elf chucking terrible presents at the kids just to get rid of them, they (the gifts) weren't even age-appropriate," she said. Winter Wonderland NI, which leased the Clandeboye Estate in order to host the event, did not respond to questions last night as customers took to social media to complain about a range of issues including an 'ice rink' that was made of plastic. Mrs Elliott said even the bouncy castle left customers deflated. "It was filthy, the floor in the cinema room was disgusting and there was only one face-painter - everyone was losing the bap," she said. The Belfast Telegraph made numerous attempts to contact the organiser but they did not comment. However, in a statement on the Winter Wonderland NI website it issued an apology and acknowledged the planned week-long event fell "way short" of expectations. It has been cancelled from today. "Whilst we understand that this will be greatly disappointing to many we feel we cannot recover from the negative publicity and it is clear that we have hosted an event which has not met the high standards we had aimed to deliver," it said. The organiser vowed to refund anyone who had planned to attend the event between December 18-23 within 28 days. Clandeboye Estate and said it was "extremely disappointed" with the externally-organised event. Stitching together Patidars, OBCs and Dalits, Rahul Gandhi's Congress gave a tough fight to the BJP in Gujarat election. But, PM Modi's personal connect with Gujarat and Amit Shah's astute booth management exposed Congress' organisational weakness in the state. Gujarat election results 2017: Rahul Gandhi's Congress gave a tough contest to Narendra Modi's BJP before bowing down in the keenly fought electoral battle. By Prabhash K Dutta: Gujarat Assembly election 2017 saw a new Rahul Gandhi, who tried everything to put the Congress back on track in the state. It was Rahul Gandhi's strategic moves and relentless campaign in Gujarat Assembly election that forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to virtually stay put in his home state for weeks to defend BJP's strongest bastion. advertisement At the end, powered by PM Narendra Modi-led campaign and astute booth management by party president Amit Shah, the BJP came home in Gujarat Assembly election. The BJP was voted to power for another five years in Gujarat. The contest looked much closer and in the neck and neck fight, the Congress, at one point of time, surged ahead of the BJP. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel both even trailed their Congress rivals for considerable period of time. The credit for such a mouth-watering electoral fight must go to newly elected Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Latest updates are here HIMACHAL PRADESH ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 LIVE BLOG GUJARAT ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017 LIVE BLOG WHERE RAHUL GANDHI EXCELLED? In the run up to Gujarat Assembly election 2017, the Opposition though looked formidable but immensely divided. The grounds had been prepared by three young caste-based leaders - Hardik Patel of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani. Hardik Patel emerged as a hero of Patidars and looked to play the wrecker-in-chief for the BJP in Gujarat election. But, Hardik Patel faced a competitor in Alpesh Thakor, who shot to fame due to his staunch opposition to Patidar quota agitation. Then there was Jignesh Mevani, the Dalit leader, who hit the headlines with his organised rallies to protest atrocities on the community in the name of cow protection at Una. He was canvassing for his own community but almost indifferent to Patidar and OBC agitations. Rahul Gandhi brought these leaders, with conflicting agenda, together and projected the Congress as an umbrella organisation in Gujarat for all anti-incumbency voices. These efforts by Rahul Gandhi set the narrative for Gujarat election 2017. The narrative was so powerful that it seemed to punch big enough hole in the Gujarat model of development for the BJP to fall through but for the magic that Narendra Modi spun during his tireless election campaign all over the state. WHERE RAHUL GANDHI FAILED? The defeat of the Congress in Gujarat is as much a statement of Narendra Modi's stamp on the Gujarat as the organisational weakness of the Congress. Rahul Gandhi failed to the match Narendra Modi's personal and emotional connect with Gujarat. The Opposition's narrative took a nosedive after senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar made his objectionable "neech kism ka aadmi" comment just a day ahead of the first phase of polling in Gujarat. advertisement Narendra Modi cashed in on the comment telling the voters of Gujarat that the Congress harboured an ill-will towards people belonging to lower strata of society. Rahul Gandhi's seemingly swift action of suspending Aiyar from the party could not undo the damage already done. But, the most critical weakness of the Congress seemed to be the last-mile disconnect of the party with the masses. The Congress looked top heavy in Gujarat like rest of India. It lacked strong ground level poll machinery. Elections are won and lost at polling booth, goes the old saying and BJP president Amit Shah is a master of booth management of a party that is cadre-based. Rahul Gandhi failed to galvanise his booth level workers despite setting the broader agenda of the Gujarat Assembly election. At the end, Rahul Gandhi's Congress faltered in the last lap of the electoral run though it improved its tally. The Congress registered its best figures in Gujarat Assembly since 1990. --- ENDS --- advertisement Residents in a quiet south Belfast street have been left baffled by the police silence over a shooting incident on Saturday night, according to a Green Party MLA. Clare Bailey said a 34-year-old man was taken to hospital in an ambulance after the incident, which took place in Jameson Street off the Ormeau Road. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. She said that none of the residents she had spoken to knew who lived in the house, which was damaged in the shooting. "It's odd that the police have not released any information about the shooting - not even an appeal for witnesses or information," Ms Bailey said. "All they would tell me was that it was not a murder. "The whole street was sealed off." The MLA added: "The house where the shooting happened is at the St Jude's end of Jameson Street. It has broken windows and bullet holes. Elderly residents are very upset, they're really shaken up." Reilly and a co-accused are to stand trial on dissident republican terror charges arising from a surveillance operation. A Crown Court Judge refused to vary bail conditions imposed upon a Belfast man who wanted access to the internet so he could FaceTime relatives over the festive period. Carl Reilly and a co-accused are to stand trial on dissident republican terror charges arising from a surveillance operation. Reilly (41), from Pollard Close in the west of the city, has been charged with directing a terrorist organisation - namely the IRA - between January 2014 and October 2015. He has also been charged with belonging to the same proscribed organisation on the same dates. An application to vary aspects of Reilly's bail was made at Belfast Crown Court today. One strand of the application, which was launched by Reilly's barrister Dessie Hutton, was to relax the current condition which bans him from having a mobile phone with internet access, or using a computer with internet access. Mr Hutton asked Judge Patricia Smyth to relax this restriction to allow Reilly to communicate over Christmas with friends and relatives "outside this jurisdiction" via WhatsApp, FaceTime and email. The barrister said: "Ten years ago this restriction would not have been looked upon as a hardship. As a sign of the times we are living in now, no internet access is something that affects his daily life. Mr Hutton also asked for a variation on the signing aspect of Reilly's bail conditions. He is currently ordered to sign with police five times a week, at 7pm. After revealing that Reilly has recently been informed by police that he is under threat, Mr Hutton asked that the set time his client signs with police is widened. Before she gave her decision, Judge Smyth sought the opinion of a Crown barrister on the application to vary conditions. The Crown barrister said: "At the time these conditions were imposed this July, they were deemed to be necessary and proportionate to prevent re-offending." Judge Smyth then extended the times Reilly can sign with police, but refused to relax the ban on internet access. He was arrested on Sunday evening. A 41-year-old Bulgarian man has been arrested in connection with a murder in his native country. He was arrested on Sunday evening County Antrim on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued in Bulgaria. Police said he appeared before Belfast Recorders Court on Monday December 18 and has been remanded in custody. Sean Magee says he has been in turmoil since Ulster Bank took over his business A Northern Ireland man says he faced suicide amid an ongoing 10-year battle with Ulster Bank which took over and effectively shut down his business. Sean Magee says he has been in court around 30 times with Ulster Bank, after it took control of his property business in 2008. His firm, Browning Developments, was then taken over by Ulster Bank's owner, RBS's now disgraced Global Restructuring Group (GRG) in 2013. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, he alleged that "as far as I'm concerned they crashed the business into the wall". He says his company was in a healthy state, but that when the GRG took over, it ran the business into the ground. The west Belfast man (55) is one of the few Northern Ireland businessmen to speak out about the GRG. "This has been going on 10 years - this is our 10th Christmas. Christmas doesn't mean very much to my family. We are in a permanent winter," he said. "When Ulster Bank took control of the company, it was like someone had switched off the lights. It had profound consequences for me and my family, my personal life, my future hopes and dreams were destroyed, and my mental and physical health were seriously affected. "I became suicidal. I credit my GP and a wonderful counsellor for saving my life. She kept me alive. "My last conversation with my father was in 2009. I'm trying to assure him everything is going to be all right, and he's lying on his death bed." His lengthy legal battle is centred around Ulster Bank's claim that it is owed money from Mr Magee over a personal guarantee with his company. The firm at that point was centred around an apartment development on Blacks Road, which he then owned. The limited company still exists, but Mr Magee said it is now just "a husk". He has been in court around 30 times, but in September, Mr Magee was successful in some part, with a judge ruling against Ulster Bank's attempt to strike out the case. It is understood Ulster Bank has since appealed that decision. Almost 6,000 small and medium-sized companies went through GRG between 2008 and 2013. RBS, which is 71% owned by the taxpayer, was found to have "systematically" mistreated businesses by an FCA review commissioned in 2014. "Four years in December and I still don't have a date for a hearing. That's an affront to my human rights," Mr Magee said. He has been a customer with Ulster Bank since 1994. The former St Mary's Christian Brothers' pupil left school at 15 before starting an apprenticeship as a joiner soon after, and earning his living in the trade. He has also met with the Human Rights Commission over the impact he says the situation is having on him. And he is asking for those who may have worked with the GRG to come forward. "I ended up suicidal. I wanted to die. I wanted to get out. I could see no other way out. It was like being in a shark's mouth. There is no reasoning with a shark," he said. Mr Magee wants RBS boss Ross McEwan to "face up" to what the bank has done and "compensate the people whose lives were destroyed". A long-awaited summary report from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said the bank's "inappropriate treatment" of small business customers included poor and in some cases "misleading" communication. A leaked report earlier this year found "inappropriate action" by GRG, which was experienced by more than 90% of the "viable firms" they dealt with. But the report from the FCA said it did not "profit from their distress". Mr Magee said: "We never missed a payment. I did nothing wrong." Ulster Bank did not wish to comment. A series of potentially dangerous failings have been uncovered at Northern Ireland's regional children's hospital. It has emerged that a surgical ward at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children was not carrying out adequate checks to protect patients from the potentially deadly pseudomonas bug earlier this year. Inspectors from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) carried out a three-day unannounced inspection of Barbour Ward and the emergency department at the children's hospital in May. As a result, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust was ordered to implement a water testing regime at Barbour Ward to ensure the safety of some of the sickest children in Northern Ireland. It comes after an outbreak of pseudomonas aeruginosa at hospitals here in December 2011 and the beginning of 2012 which led to the deaths of four babies. Infected taps were subsequently blamed for the scandal by then Health Minister Edwin Poots and measures were put in place in hospital wards across the province to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again. However, following on from May's inspection, the RQIA has published a damning report highlighting a series of startling concerns over working conditions and the safety and dignity of patients in both units, including concerns about water safety. The document said: "Many of the surgical/medical specialities catered for in Barbour ward are included in the category of augmented care. "Barbour ward does not currently operate as an augmented care ward in terms of water management - there is no evidence of water flushing, water testing or records to provide assurance that opportunistic organisms such as pseudomonas aeruginosa are not present in the water system." During the inspection staff in the unit - where children recover from transplant surgery and newborn babies are treated - described the hospital "as having disconnected leadership". The RQIA team discovered there had been no ward sister on Barbour Ward since last December, and senior nursing staff were carrying out administrative work at home. The watchdog's report continued: "Nursing staffing levels and middle grade doctor staff shortages had impacted on overall workload, morale and reduced the ability of staff to avail of educational opportunities. "Staff reported that a lack of visibility and engagement of senior management and executive teams had been very frustrating, leaving them with a feeling that their problems were not being listened to. The hospital was described as having a disconnected leadership." It emerged the ward had recently lost six whole time equivalent (WTE) senior nursing staff and had four WTE nursing vacancies. Junior doctors said staff shortages "can frequently lead to delays in important aspects of patient care such as procedures or investigations performed". The inspectors also deemed the layout of the ward had the "potential to impact negatively on safety and quality of care". Junior doctors in the unit also complained the induction process was "suboptimal" and said they needed training in the likes of paediatric life support and drug calculations. A call bell system was not in place in the high dependency unit of Barbour Ward and RQIA inspectors saw children being changed without curtains being pulled around their bed space. Staffing levels were also raised as a major concern in the hospital's emergency department. The RQIA team was told the "need for additional staff" had been "discussed with senior trust staff over 18 months ago". However, the matter was still under review at the time of the inspection, which also uncovered "extensive gaps" in the unit's registrar rota. The RQIA report said: "Currently, 0.75 WTE doctors are staffing a six-person rota at the middle tier level, within the next month there may be no doctors on this middle tier rota. "Junior doctors reported that rota gaps are not currently impacting on patient care, as emergency department consultants are taking on increased duties and workloads; however, this approach is very unlikely to be sustainable going forward. "Junior medical staff indicated that at times overnight cover can be insufficient due to the volume and/or complexity of children presenting. Junior medical staff reported they were supported by the medical staff on the hospital wards; however, they are reluctant to regularly rely on this support as the ward-based medical staff were also very busy overnight." A shortage of middle grade doctors in Northern Ireland has previously resulted in the reduction of services, including the closure of the A&E at Belfast City Hospital and the overnight closure of Downe Hospital's emergency department. Meanwhile, the future of the emergency department at Daisy Hill Hospital is also under threat due to a shortage of consultants. The RQIA inspection in May further discovered there was no porter system in the hospital, meaning nurses had to transfer patients to other wards, which the watchdog said "can leave the emergency department short-staffed for periods of time". The inspection team also raised concerns about a lack of medical equipment and facilities in the adjoining short stay assessment unit. The Belfast Trust said it welcomed the findings. "RQIA have confirmed that the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children delivers high quality, effective, efficient and compassionate care. We are pleased that RQIA's report has recognised the tremendous strides made by staff to continually improve the safety of care provided to our patients," it said. "As a learning organisation, we accept there are areas that would benefit from improvement. "After inspection, RQIA gave us verbal feedback regarding improvements, staff moved to put them in place and an action plan was implemented." It said the nurse staffing levels in Barbour Ward are set at the correct nurse/bed ratio. It added: "The band seven post is currently filled with a temporary member of staff and the permanent post is currently advertised. A Water Safety Group is set up within the trust and water is tested regularly. "Belfast Trust is fully supportive of RQIA's inspection process and will continue to work with the regulator to improve and enhance patient safety and experience." Simon Coveney said the Good Friday Agreement may be looked back at Ministers will have to go back to the Good Friday Agreement if power-sharing cannot be restored in Northern Ireland, the Republic's Foreign Affairs Minister has warned. Simon Coveney made the comments during an interview he gave on RTE's the Week In Politics show. He said that if Sinn Fein and the DUP cannot agree to resurrect the Executive, the Good Friday Agreement needed to be "looked back at", because "that was where the rules were set". Mr Coveney said the absence of a power-sharing Executive at Stormont was part of the problem of Brexit. He added: "Then there is the prospect of a whole series of other choices - from another election, to the triggering of Intergovernmental Conferences to make decisions on Northern Ireland." "That is not where we want to be. "That will cause tension. "It will be a very frosty environment to make decisions in... so we all have a responsibility, in a practical sense, to find a way forward." Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has already called for a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference to be held in the new year. The conference is a mechanism within the Good Friday Agreement designed to address Northern Ireland matters if the Assembly is suspended. It has not met since 2007. In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Coveney also said that the Irish Government's relationship with the DUP needs to be repaired He said he wanted to meet Northern Ireland's largest unionist party before the end of the year, and blamed tensions around agreeing phase one of the Brexit deal for the deterioration. Speaking on RTE yesterday, Mr Coveney said: "Because of the tension around trying to get the deal we felt was needed for everyone on this island, yes, of course there is repair work to do." The DUP has accused Mr Varadkar of "politicking" over Brexit after its 10 pro-Brexit MPs - whose votes in Parliament are supporting Theresa May's minority Government - scuppered an initial deal between the British Government and EU. Reacting last night to Mr Coveney's remarks, DUP MLA Peter Weir, a former Stormont minister, said via social media: "So Simon Coveney expresses need to repair relationships with unionism and the DUP, and in the same interview makes a pitch for joint authority in the absence of a deal, yet fails to see the contradiction. "Wonder where he is going wrong!" Meanwhile, Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill said yesterday that she was hopeful that functioning devolved government can be restored in 2018. But the Sinn Fein MLA also laid the blame for the collapse of the institutions in January this year at the door of the DUP, Sinn Fein's partner in any restored Executive. Speaking to yesterday's Sunday Politics show on BBC Northern Ireland, Mrs O'Neill said: "At the heart of the Good Friday Agreement was mutual respect and parity of esteem and that was a principle which the DUP have failed to take on board and look after all the citizens we're elected to look after. "They've continued to block people's rights, whether that be marriage rights, legacy inquest rights, or language rights. "These are not silly side issues. "These are fundamental rights. We believe that the Good Friday institutions are right for the people here, that they will serve the people well - but only if they work for all of the people. "The blockage - in terms of establishing the institutions - falls at the feet of the DUP." Mrs O'Neill hit out at the record of her prospective Executive partners, saying she wanted to bring hope to the people of Northern Ireland. "The DUP have reneged on their agreements made both publicly and privately," she said. "The DUP have failed to deliver rights for all citizens. "I want to give hope to people, because I believe that this can be done." She added: "But it can only be done if there is political will there." The driver of a gritting lorry has escaped injury after the truck toppled over into a field in treacherous driving conditions at the weekend. The incident happened on Church Road just outside Ballynure in the early hours of Saturday. The road was closed for much of the day following the accident. A local resident said the road was notorious for frost and ice and described it as being like a "glass bottle". "It is like Jack Frost arrived and there is black ice everywhere," they said. Police took to social media to warn motorists about the risk of black ice following the crash, which was among 16 road accidents reported in their Northern control area between 6.30am and 8.30am. Larne and Newtownabbey were particularly bad, the PSNI said. Freezing weather conditions also resulted in the closure of a main route in and out of Belfast for almost three hours on Saturday. "Hazardous weather conditions resulted in the closure of the A8 road between Belfast and Larne on Saturday between 11am and 1.45pm," the Department for Infrastructure said. "The road was gritted twice before it was closed, once during the closure and again after it reopened. There have been no other issues with gritting that the department is aware of over the past two weeks." Meanwhile, an articulated lorry came within just a few feet of smashing through a house in Randalstown in the early hours of Saturday. A crash barrier prevented the cab and trailer from destroying the home on Blackthorn Way. There were no reports of any injuries. Three more collisions occurred near Six Road Ends just outside Bangor, resulting in the road being closed for a short time. Today is expected to be mainly dry with the best of any brightness through Antrim and Down, the Met Office said. Low cloud and mist could become extensive at times, particularly through Fermanagh and Tyrone later in the day. The top temperature is expected to be 11C. Alan Lockhead, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, has also been charged with wounding his mother. A 55-year old man appeared in court on Monday charged with trying to murder his elderly father. Alan Lockhead, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, has also been charged with wounding his mother. The accused, whose solicitor stood beside him in the dock of Belfast Crown Court, was charged with attempting to murder Desmond Lockhead on March 22 this year, and of wounding Sylvia Lockhead with intent to do her grievous bodily harm After both charges were put to Lockhead, he replied 'not guilty' to each offence. Although no details of the charges faced by Lockhead were mentioned, a previous bail hearing was told that Lockhead is accused of trying to strangle his elderly father with a telephone cable in the couple's Belfast home, and of stabbing his mother when she tried to intervene. Lockhead's barrister said he was awaiting medical reports, and also revealed Lockhead will be undergoing psychiatric tests ahead of the start of the trial. While no trial date has yet been set, Judge Patricia Smyth said she hoped it would commence around next March. Following the brief hearing, Lockhead was remanded back into custody. The man was detained by the PSNI after a European Arrest Warrant was issued A Bulgarian man wanted in connection with a murder in his native country has been arrested. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland detained the 41-year-old after a European Arrest Warrant was issued. He appeared before Belfast Recorder's Court on Monday and was remanded in custody, police said. A Belfast man who was on the run for over a month was remanded back into custody on Monday following an early morning weekend arrest. James Valliday had been unlawfully at large from Maghaberry Prison since November 9. He and his brother Charlie were both granted compassionate bail to attend a relative's funeral, but the pair failed to return to custody. The PSNI launched an appeal to help trace the brothers - and while 52-year-old James was apprehended in the early hours on Sunday, 45-year old Charles Valliday remains at large. Following his arrest in north Belfast on Sunday, James Valliday was produced at Belfast Crown Court today. When asked by the clerk of the court "are you James Valliday?", the defendant replied "yes love." A detective inspector confirmed to the court that Valliday was apprehended after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Judge David McFarland said that "in the circumstances", he was going to remand Valliday into custody. The accused was then led from the dock in handcuffs. Both brothers are currently facing charges arising from the murder of Charles Mackin, who died following a drive-by shooting in the city centre in 2012. At 9:15 am, the Congress led the BJP by 5 seats in the Gujarat election The election symbols of the BJP and the Congress, the main parties in the fray in the Gujarat election and the Himachal Pradesh election (Photo: Reuters) By India Today Web Desk: Early trends showed that PM Narendra Modi's BJP was leading over the Congress (96-82) in the Gujarat election - the biggest poll of the year. In the Himachal Pradesh election, these were the numbers (Congress + : 20, BJP: 24). Will the Congress pull off the biggest upset of the year in the Gujarat election - in Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state? It would be the best possible present for the new party chief. Will the Bharaitya Janata Party (BJP) win big in Himachal Pradesh, as exit polls have predicted it will - or will the Congress remain in charge? advertisement It will all become clear in a few hours. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, a candidate from Rajkot West, will find out if he's won another term in his state's Assembly. So will his Himachal Pradesh counterpart, Virbhadra Singh. India Today will bring you live coverage of both the Gujarat election result and the Himachal Pradesh election result, across formats. Take your pick: You can follow our Gujarat results live blog, our Himachal Pradesh results live blog, our highlights page, watch live TV, or read every single story we have done - or will do - on both assembly polls. You can also watch videos of interviews and ground reports here. History could be made if the Congress snatches Gujarat from the BJP today. Exit polls suggest that Rahul Gandhi will need to wait some more time for such a massive electoral triumph, but in the end, it's the people's verdict that matters. To learn more, read Dev Goswami's analytical piece on what's at stake for the BJP and the Congress in the Gujarat poll. And here's what you need to know about the Himachal election. WATCH | India Today - Axis My India poll suggests BJP will lead in Gujarat assembly elections --- ENDS --- Belfast man Philip Hull has changed his mobile five times in the last three months, a judge was told. A convicted paedophile repeatedly "panicked" and gave his smartphones away to charity after using them to view indecent images of children, the High Court heard on Thursday. Belfast man Philip Hull has changed his mobile five times in the last three months, a judge was told. The 40-year-old also told police that on a scale of one to ten, his current sexual interest in pre-teens is seven. He was refused bail amid heightening concerns he has visited city centre locations where Santa's Grottos are operating over the Christmas period. Hull, with an address at Claremont Street in south Belfast, is charged with breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by deleting his internet browsing history. The alleged offence was committed between December 9-11. Crown lawyer Conor Maguire said Hull told police he had accessed a porn website on his phone before restoring it to factory settings. Under the terms of a SOPO imposed after he was previously convicted of having indecent images of children, he is prohibited from deleting his browsing history. During questioning he said that he had used a search engine to view hardcore images of pre-teens, the court heard. Asked by officers why he then used a factory reset, he replied: "Because I didn't want to get caught again, I didn't want to go through the system again." Mr Maguire continued: "The applicant went on to say he had a number of phones in the last few months because he uses them to search for and view indecent images of children. "He said he then panics and gives the phones to charity. "He admitted using an old phone to view indecent images of children, and then the following day he gave that phone to the British Heart Foundation." When questioned about whether he cared if someone else saw those photos after the devices were handed in to charities, he said he hadn't thought about that. Prosecution counsel also submitted: "Asked about his current sexual interest in children on a scale of one to ten, he said he felt it was a seven." With phone examinations continuing, bail was opposed amid fears of an escalation in Hull's behaviour. "The applicant has admitted to police that he has visited Castlecourt (shopping centre) and the Christmas Market in Belfast, both of which have Santa's Grottos in them," Mr Maguire said. "That, combined with an admitted sexual interest in pre-teen children where he said the interest was seven out of ten, gives rise to considerable police concerns. "The applicant has also notified his risk manager of five mobile phone changes from September 20 this year." Denying bail, Sir Richard McLaughlin said it would be "totally irresponsible" to release Hull from custody. The judge added: "Nobody in their right mind is going to give him bail. It just doesn't even get to first base." Late return of books to Queens library has netted 53k in fines Students at Queen's University were fined more than 50,000 in the last year because they didn't return library books on time. Penalties can mount up quickly at a cost of as much as 2.50 per day for overdue items on short term loan. The university said the charge was applied to "encourage prompt returns". Queen's also said renewals and requests were not possible because the books were in "heavy demand". During the 2016/17 academic year, the amount of money received by Queen's University related to overdue items totalled 52,889. The figures were revealed after a Freedom of Information request. By comparison, Belfast Central Library, the city's largest, has not reported income above 21,111 generated by fines from overdue items and room hire in recent years. Queen's Students' Union president Stephen McCrystall described the sum as a "hefty amount of money" for students who are already experiencing a "big financial burden". He accused Queen's of "going for the easy option" by imposing fines rather than exploring alternative options. He suggested that this could include restricting access to the library until items are returned. "Fines are not really an appropriate way of putting sanctions on students," he said. "We have made the case in the past about the university exploring alternative options. "It is clear that fines do not work. The only result is that students are out of pocket." He said it would be a "little" more understandable if the revenue generated by the fines was invested in the university's library. A university spokesperson stated that this is the case. The fine for the late return of "standard" books is 10p per day. It rises to 40p per day for standard book loans requested by another borrower, rising to a maximum charge of 2.50. Students are advised that they will not be able to borrow if they have outstanding charges of 5 or more. Borrowers who have very overdue items can be invoiced for their replacement cost. A spokesperson for Queen's University Belfast said: "The library imposes fines only because late return of books may impact negatively on the work of other students who are working to deadlines. "The library has a responsibility to keep books in demand in circulation. "We have a number of ways in which we make it easy for students to return items on time so that fines can be avoided. Receipts clearly highlighting due dates are issued and the library sends reminder notices before items are due for return. "Alerts relating to fines are clearly visible on a student's library account and also when they log onto the university portal. "Funds accrued from library fines are used to purchase stock and develop the library service." Ulster and Ireland captain Rory Best has been handed the freedom of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council unanimously agreed to bestow the Freedom of the Borough to the rugby player in recognition of his outstanding sporting achievements at a meeting on Monday night. Lord Mayor Alderman Gareth Wilson, said it was the highest civic honour the council could bestow on its favourite son. "This represents our formal expression in recognition of his outstanding sporting achievements and acknowledges Rory as an excellent ambassador for his sport and our borough, he added. Rory Best was raised and educated in Poyntzpass and went to Tandragee Junior High and Portadown College. He played rugby for Banbridge and his wife Jodie teaches in Armstrong Primary School in Armagh. UUP councillor, Alderman Jim Speers, added: Captain of Ireland and Ulster Rugby as well as a British and Irish Lion, Rory brings great pride and honour to our area throughout his long and distinguished career and this is a fitting tribute to Rory who widely represents our borough. With Ireland Rory won an historic Grand Slam and Triple crowns and in November 2016 led Ireland to their first ever Test victory over New Zealand, ending the All Blacks record-winning streak of 18 games. Ireland's subsequent win over Australia in the same series resulted in Ireland achieving victories over the Southern Hemisphere big three in the same calendar year for the first time in their history. A ceremony to bestow the honour to Rory Best will be held in 2018. Brexit has put the brakes on Fianna Fail's decision over whether to field candidates in Northern Ireland in the next council elections, it was reported yesterday. Micheal Martin was expected to make his intention clear by Christmas, having previously vowed to run nominees here in 2019, and the matter was recently discussed by the party's ruling body. But the leader has delayed revealing his stance on the issue amid fears that doing so could now be regarded by unionists as part of a nationalist takeover as tensions heighten over Brexit. Councillor Sorcha McAnespy, Fianna Fail vice-president, joined the party earlier this year after leaving Sinn Fein in April 2016, citing "misogyny and nepotism" at local level. Ms McAnespy, who currently sits on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council as an independent member, said she was hoping Fianna Fail would put itself in a position to contest the local elections in two years' time. "You can't just parachute people in and put them in an area," she said. "I believe it needs to be done organically and from the bottom up. It would have to be local people selected by local people." Fianna Fail's 15-person ruling body has one seat for a representative from Northern Ireland. But if it is to have any realistic chance of success, the party would need to begin organising members early in 2018. Candidates would be in direct competition with Sinn Fein and the SDLP for the support of nationalist votes. Fianna Fail has not contested an election in Northern Ireland since Eamon de Valera was returned to Stormont on an abstentionist ticket in 1932. The party is currently finalising its long-awaited United Ireland policy document. Leo Varadkar said the cabinet will have a "collective position" when any proposal for a referendum is put to the Dail Cabinet ministers will be free to oppose the Government position on the abortion referendum debate, the Taoiseach has said. Leo Varadkar said the cabinet will have a "collective position" when any proposal for a referendum on the Eighth Amendment is put to the Dail, but indicated that would not prevent individual ministers from dissenting from that stance. That raises the prospect of ministers taking different sides on the sensitive debate in a free vote in the Dail. "What I would anticipate is cabinet acting collectively, as it always does," said Mr Varadkar. "So if we put a procedure or proposition to the Dail and Seanad, that will be a collective decision of the Cabinet. "That is not to say that people couldn't dissent from that." Mr Varadkar said the Cabinet can "only operate collectively". "Even in the old days when there were votes at Cabinet, and that probably hasn't happened for decades - you could have eight people voting one way, two people voting the other - but they would all agree that this was the collective decision of the cabinet. "That wouldn't prevent them from dissenting to it." On his personal opinion, the Fine Gael leader said he remained in "listening mode" ahead of Tuesday's publication of the report by the Oireachtas committee set up to examine whether Ireland's constitutional position on terminations should change. He said his own view would not dictate the Government's position. "I have a personal view on this but I also hold a very important office and the law of the land isn't going to be changed according to my personal views," he said. "The committee is going to publish their report this week and in deference to the enormous amount of work they've done - and with respect in particular to the chair Catherine Noone - I want to see that report, I want to spend a bit of time over the weekend, over the Christmas break, reading it. "I then intend having a special meeting of the Fine Gael party, my party, in the new year to hear their views. "It will then be debated in the Dail as well and there'll be a discussion at Cabinet. "I'll be in keen listening mode at least for the next couple of weeks to hear what people have to say, including members of the public about their views on the report and we'll take it from there. "My commitment though is that people will be given a choice to make a decision on this next year." In his pre-Christmas press briefing, the Taoiseach emphasised the importance of a referendum commission in informing public debate ahead of next summer's referendum. "It will be their job to give objective views and to refute perhaps things that aren't true," he said. A culture change is needed to ensure safety is prioritised over costs in the construction industry, a probe ordered after the Grenfell Tower fire has found. Building regulations are confusing and the profession suffers from competence issues, Dame Judith Hackitt said as interim findings from her review were due to be published. The former health and safety chief has been assessing the adequacy of current guidelines in the wake of the disaster, which raised fears that unclear industry standards had allowed dangerous material to be installed on towers. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry attended the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service at St Pauls Cathedral (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry attended the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service at St Pauls Cathedral (Stefan Rousseau/PA) A focus on cost-cutting was one of the factors flagged up by the investigation, Dame Judith told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. But she said she hadnt looked at the detail of exactly what should be recommended to make sure that high-rise blocks were built safely, such as by adding fire sprinklers. This will be examined in the next phase of the review, which hopes to rebuild the regulatory system and improve safety standards. Dame Judith told the programme: Unless we achieve that culture change where people are doing things because we believe, and we are all committed, to making buildings safer rather than simply doing things at least cost and so on, those are some of the changes in culture that need to drive this, rather than newer and simpler regulations. Expand Close A silent walk to honour those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire marked the six month anniversary (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A silent walk to honour those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire marked the six month anniversary (Yui Mok/PA) It is suspected that pressure to drive down the price of refurbishing Grenfell Tower led to cheaper, flammable material being installed on its exterior. Seventy-one people died when a fire tore through the west London block on June 14, while a subsequent safety operation identified hundreds more buildings with similar cladding systems. Dame Judith added that the regulations which guide how buildings are constructed were probably too complicated in their current form. She said: I think its also the case that when regulations are complex, rather than that complication giving people everything they need to know, it makes it quite difficult to penetrate that complexity and truly understand what they are required to do. Regulations themselves were relatively simple, but were accompanied by vast guidance documents detailing different areas that were hard to dip into individually, she said. Expand Close It is suspected that pressure to drive down the price of refurbishing Grenfell Tower led to cheaper, flammable material being installed on its exterior (PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp It is suspected that pressure to drive down the price of refurbishing Grenfell Tower led to cheaper, flammable material being installed on its exterior (PA) She continued: Clearly, there is an opportunity to make this much simpler and to guide people to the right answer rather than presenting them with all that information. Local authorities have been tussling with central Government over who will foot the bill for fire safety improvements recommended following the blaze. Council chiefs have said funding should be provided by Whitehall to cover measures such as the retrofitting of sprinklers and the removal of dangerous cladding. Dame Judith, a former chairwoman of the Health and Safety Executive, said she believed it was a shared responsibility but added: I think one of the things we have to do in this next phase is be very clear about who is responsible for what. The woman is no longer believed to be in Northern Ireland. Police have said they no longer believe a 35-year-old woman and her three children, who were reported as missing, are in Northern Ireland. The PSNI had issued an appeal for Kelly Lloyd and her three children who were thought to have travelled here from Wales. Officers confirmed they had been contacted by South Wales Police and "no longer believe that Kelly is in Northern Ireland". A spokesman said: "Our social media appeals have now been removed." Mrs May was boosted by the terms of a statement agreed by the EU27 at the European Council summit in Brussels (Jonathan Brady/PA) Theresa May is committed to maintaining workers rights after Brexit and Cabinet ministers are not expected to discuss EU regulations which limit the working week to 48 hours at a crunch meeting on Monday, Downing Street said. The Prime Ministers official spokesman reiterated her commitment to maintaining and where possible enhancing workers rights as senior ministers began thrashing out plans for a post-Brexit UK-EU trade deal. A meeting of the Brexit war cabinet formally called the Cabinet European Union Exit and Trade Committee was taking place on Monday, with a full Cabinet on Tuesday, as ministers consider the relationship the Government wants with the EU. The spokesman dismissed reports that Brexit-backing ministers could demand an end to the EU Working Time Directive, which limits the working week to 48 hours. Expand Close Secretary of State for Environment Michael Gove arriving in Downing Street for the Brexit Cabinet meeting (Dominic Lipinski/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Secretary of State for Environment Michael Gove arriving in Downing Street for the Brexit Cabinet meeting (Dominic Lipinski/PA) I wouldnt anticipate its part of the Cabinet discussion, he told a regular Westminster briefing. The spokesman added: The Government position on this is clear as part of the Withdrawal Bill those existing EU regulations are being moved over into UK law and going forward Ive got nothing to add beyond the Prime Ministers stated words that shes committed to maintaining and where possible enhancing workers rights. According to the results at 4.20 pm, Dhumal had polled nearly 18,000 votes against his Congress rival, Rajinder Rana, who is leading with over 21,000 votes. By India Today Web Desk: Despite the BJP wresting power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, the saffron party's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal has lost his election from the Sujanpur constituency. According to the results at 4.20 pm, Dhumal had polled nearly 18,000 votes against his Congress rival, Rajinder Rana, who is leading with over 21,000 votes. "This is politics... winning and losing is a part of life," Dhumal sought to downplay his defeat. "Personal loss in not important. It's bigger that the party has won." Personal loss is not of much importance.The gain that victory has brought to state BJP is important. Thankful to people of the state for voting for BJP. In politics, sometimes one wins, sometimes one loses. I was not expecting to lose, I will do an analysis: PK Dhumal #Himachal pic.twitter.com/7UrumoxVhp&; ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 advertisement When asked about Dhumal's loss, BJP president Amit Shah said, "Today, we have the BJP parliamentary board meeting. We will discuss the matter in the meeting." The BJP is leading in 44 seats while the Congress is at 21 seats in the 68-member Assembly. Congress stalwart and incumbent chief minister Virbhadra Singh, arch rival of Dhumal, won from his constituency Arki where he defeated BJP candidate Rattan Singh Pal. According to the India Today-Axis My India survey, Singh was still the most popular leader in the hill state. Of all the people surveyed, 31 per cent felt that Singh should be the chief minister. He was followed by Union Health Minister JP Nadda (24 per cent) of the BJP. With 16 per cent votes, Prem Kumar Dhumal was the third choice for the CM's post. Dhumal was not an automatic choice for the BJP. Reports suggested that the BJP leadership preferred Nadda as the chief ministerial candidate in Himachal Pradesh. VIDEO | BJP workers erupt in joy as party set to win Gujarat, poised to take power in Himachal --- ENDS --- A second referendum on Britains membership of the European Union would be a betrayal, Prime Minister Theresa May has told MPs. Mrs May poured scorn on conflicting statements from Labour on the need for a second vote, saying the approach was the best way to get the worst deal. Senior Labour figures appeared at odds on Sunday after deputy leader Tom Watson said you shouldnt rule anything out while shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the Labour Party doesnt support a second referendum. 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 DUP Westminister leader Nigel Dodds said a second referendum was the surest way of getting a difficult deal. Mr Dodds, speaking after Mrs May updated the House on the latest European Council summit, said: The Prime Minister will have heard some confusion and conflicting statements from opposition members about the need for a second referendum and their desire to have one. Some say one thing, others say another thing. Would the Prime Minister agree that a second referendum is the surest way of making the European Commission and European Union make the hardest and most difficult deal possible for the UK? What people want is to get on and deliver the first referendum. 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 Mrs May said: The best way to get the worst deal would be to suggest that we agree to a second referendum, but its more than that, I think. It would actually be betraying the British people. This Parliament gave them the vote and it is up to us to deliver on the result of that vote. Protesters burn images of US President Donald Trump and sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the West Bank city of Ramallah (Nasser Shiyoukhi/AP) Britain has joined 13 other members of the United Nations Security Council in backing a resolution, vetoed by the US, which rejected the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The vote, in which the two close allies unusually lined up on opposing sides, amounted to a demonstration of global concern at President Donald Trumps decision to move the US embassy to the holy city. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May personally restated her disagreement with Mr Trumps decision in a telephone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 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 Mr Trump sparked protests across the region by breaking from decades of US neutrality in the Middle East peace process on December 6 to announce he recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital and would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv. Mrs May moved quickly at the time to say she regarded the decision as unhelpful for prospects for peace in the region and to restate Britains position that the status of Jerusalem claimed as capital by Israelis and Palestinians should be settled as part of a negotiated settlement. Speaking after Mondays vote in New York, Britains UN ambassador Matthew Rycroft said: The status of Jerusalem should be determined through a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. The vetoed resolution would have demanded that all countries comply with earlier Security Council decisions on Jerusalem, dating back to 1967, requiring the citys final status to be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. 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 Any decisions by a UN member state which purport to alter the status of the city have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded, said the resolution, tabled by Egypt. There was never any question of the US opting not to exercise its veto on a resolution which would have had the effect of forcing Mr Trump to reverse his decision. US ambassador Nikki Haley called it an insult and said she wielded the veto in defence of American sovereignty and in defence of Americas role in the Middle East peace process. Palestinians immediately said they would seek a similar resolution in the 193-member UN General Assembly, where there are no vetoes but decisions are not legally binding. Turkey has been at the forefront of global criticism of the US move, hosting a conference of Muslim nations which denounced it as an unlawful decision that might trigger chaos in the region. In her phone call with Mr Erdogan, Mrs May repeated her disagreement with Mr Trumps decision and restated the UKs position that Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and Palestinian states. She also stressed the importance of continuing to work with the US to encourage them to bring forward proposals that will re-energise the peace process, said Downing Street. The two premiers also discussed the significant strengthening of ties between the UK and Turkey following Mrs Mays visit to the country in January, featuring the signing of a 100 million defence deal, as well as Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirims trip to Britain last month. The UK is set to provide an emergency 50 million aid package to help feed millions of Yemeni people caught in the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has committed the UK to providing food vouchers for 3.4 million Yemenis for one month, 106,000 tonnes of grain and fuel to keep hospitals running and pump clean water. The country has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 2014 when rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa. 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 In recent months there has been an escalation in fighting and restrictions on aid access threaten to push Yemen into a catastrophic famine, Ms Mordaunt has warned. Speaking in Djibouti, from where UK aid is shipped to Yemen, Ms Mordaunt said: The harrowing stories I have heard from Yemenis and aid workers today are a powerful reminder of the human tragedy of the worlds worst humanitarian crisis where three quarters of the population are in desperate need. Every day, parents are carrying their malnourished children to hospital because they havent eaten in days, and families are watching as loved ones die needlessly from treatable illnesses because they do not have access to medical care. UK aid will save lives with new food and fuel; fuel that will produce food, pump clean water to help stop the spread of cholera, and power hospital generators. Expand Close Penny Mordaunt (Nick Ansell/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Penny Mordaunt (Nick Ansell/PA) Ms Mordaunt also visited Saudi Arabia and met key high-level political figures where she made clear that commercial and humanitarian supplies on which Yemen depends to meet 90% of basic needs must be resumed and that immediate access must be granted to avert a catastrophic famine. This builds on the Prime Ministers visit to Saudi Arabia last month, where she reiterated the need to ensure full access across Yemen, renewed calls for all sides to find a peaceful solution and emphasised the importance of full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida. Ms Mordaunt said: The UK Government is calling on all parties to this conflict to immediately restore full access for humanitarian and commercial imports and find a peaceful solution to this conflict to stop Yemen falling into a catastrophic famine. The UK is the second largest donor to the UN appeal and this new package of support will bring the total UK aid to Yemen to 205 million for 2017/18, making the UK the third largest donor overall. A dream trip to Las Vegas turned into a nightmare when a GAA star was locked up for three weeks after being accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl - a charge that he vehemently denies. Tyrone inter-county player Dean McNally (26), from Kildress, had gone to the gambling mecca with pals for a stag party. But the fun came to an abrupt end on their first day when, in a crowded street, he encountered a person dressed up as a bear. "There was someone in a bear costume standing with their back to us," he told Sunday World. "I had no idea if it was a man or a woman. "It was busy and I put my hand on their back and said: 'What's the craic?' "They turned round, but all you could see were the eyes through the costume. "Next thing I know this big man is jumping on my back and then throwing me across the pavement. "I thought he must have been on drugs or something. "He was going crazy and was shouting: 'You sexually assaulted my daughter'. "I had no idea what he was talking about and it took five minutes for me to realise his daughter was in the bear costume. "I tried telling him it was a mistake, but he couldn't be calmed down." The girl's father phoned the Las Vegas police, with the result that Mr McNally was arrested and thrown into Clark County Detention Centre for four days, sharing a cell with prostitutes and drug pushers, until his first court appearance He learned that the district attorney was pushing for a 10-year sentence. "That's when I knew I was in serious trouble," he told the newspaper. "Up until that point all I had been worried about was keeping my job - now I was worried about my whole life." Family members flew to Vegas to support him, and began to plan the legal battle to clear his name. But his lawyer arranged a deal by which, if he accepted a lesser charge of simple battery, he would be released instead of spending up to two years behind bars waiting for his case to come to trial. "I had no choice but to accept," he said. "I stood in court and watched as this judge held my life in her hands. "She could have rejected the deal and made me stand trial." Now back home in Tyrone, he added: "It's been a complete nightmare. "They accused me of touching the bum of a 12-year-old girl while walking down the street. It was completely untrue." The physiotherapist, who is due to be married next year, said: "I want to put this behind me, and I want to start work again. "And I want to thank all the people who supported me, they have been crazy good with the support - and it means so much." The main hall of the church in Quetta, Pakistan, following an IS suicide attack (AP Photo/Arshad Butt) Pakistani security forces were on high alert across the country on Monday, following a suicide attack on a church by the Islamic State group that killed nine people, officials said. The assault in Quetta, the capital of south-western Baluchistan province, on Sunday also wounded about 60 worshippers. It was the first attack on a church claimed by the IS affiliate in Pakistan. Mass funerals of those killed in the attack were to be held in Quetta later on Monday. The provincial police chief, Moazzam Ansari, said security forces were trying to find those who orchestrated the attack. About 400 worshippers were attending the service when two bombers carrying assault rifles stormed the church, triggering a gun battle in which one assailant was killed by police guards and the other opened fire at worshippers and detonated his explosives vest. The Islamic State affiliate initially only claimed responsibility for the attack but a second statement posted on the IS-linked Aamaq news agency said two IS "martyrdom-seeking fighters clad in explosive vests and carrying machine guns and hand grenades attacked the church". One of the attackers detonated his vest among the "Crusaders while the other was killed in a clash with the renegade Pakistani security forces", it said. IS has claimed several attacks in Pakistan in recent years though Islamabad denies the group's presence and claims it has no organised network in the country. Prime Minister Shahif Khaqan Abbasi and army chief General Qamer Javed Bajwa condemned the attack. Naseem Masih, who was wounded in the assault, said one of the attackers reached the entrance of the prayer hall, where he opened fire before blowing himself up. "We were praying when a bullet hit me." It is the first time IS has claimed an attack on a church in Pakistan, though Muslim extremists have targeted churches in the past. The deadliest previous attack on a church was in September 2013, when twin suicide bomb blasts killed 85 people in a Peshawar church. Jundullah, or Army of God, then a little-known militant group, claimed responsibility for that attack. In March 2015, two suicide bombers attacked two churches in the eastern city of Lahore, killing 15 people. The Pakistani Taliban claimed that attack. AP The Dail will see the Republics political leaders wrestle with the issue of abortion As if there wasn't enough to worry about with dire forebodings and angry divisions over Brexit, massive rows about abortion will be a major distraction on our island for the first few months of next year. I should declare my position. I've been fretting about abortion for my whole adult life: I hate it but I know I'd be incapable of insisting, for instance, that a rape victim bear the rapist's child. I think a lot of Irish people feel similarly conflicted. If you think a referendum in the Republic has no implications for Northern Ireland, then think about the farcical kerfuffle in Tyrone that is republicanism at its weirdest and is giving Sinn Fein a taste of things to come. But first the facts. Almost certainly there will soon be a referendum in the Republic over a proposal to replace Article 40.33.3 - aka the eighth amendment to the Irish constitution. It was passed in 1983 after a period when, for electoral reasons, the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour had been bounced by the pro-life lobby into agreeing to amend the constitution to prevent any danger of a judicial ruling allowing abortion. In the middle of a rancorous debate there was little consideration given to the inherent contradictions in the agreed form of words and the problems it could pose for medics while providing fertile ground for lawyers. In the words of that honest man, Charlie Flanagan of Fine Gael, it was a "real and enduring mistake". This is what in a moment of absent-mindedness 67% of the voters agreed to: "The state acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right." It might have seemed fine in theory as a reflection of a largely pro-life society, but its inherent ambiguities led to further amendments and an increasing clamour from pro-choice groups for liberalisation of abortion law to represent changes in public opinion. In an increasingly open and secular society, exporting social problems to Britain is less tolerated, and there was much discussion of the thousands of women who go to Britain to seek abortions they are forbidden at home. A randomly-selected Citizens Assembly voted in June for the replacement of the eighth amendment by a provision allowing the Oireachtas (parliament) to legislate on abortion and recommended that terminations be allowed without restriction up to the 12th week of pregnancy, for various other reasons (including socio-economic) up to the 22nd, and in the case of fatal foetal abnormality, up to birth. An Oireachtas sub-committee did not go that far, but it has endorsed most of the assembly's recommendations, including the unrestricted period of 12 weeks. The battle lines have already been drawn, and every political party recognises it has a split membership on the issue. Rural, older and religious types tend to have very different views to the young, urban and secular. Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are dealing with this by allowing their TDs to have votes of conscience. That is not Sinn Fein's way - it requires everyone to toe the party line. Embarrassingly, because it is bound by ard fheis policies, it finds that some Fianna Fail TDs have already shown themselves more liberal than the self-styled progressive Sinn Fein party. It will be facing challenges from its left as well as its right. Now to Tyrone, where the county president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), independent republican activist Gerry McGeough, who was elected to the job when he was not long out of jail for attempting in 1981 to murder Sammy Brush of the DUP, has demanded officers sign a "pro-life charter" against abortion. Although there are Sinn Fein supporters among the Tyrone AOH membership, Mr McGeough long ago split with what he calls "nouveau Sinn Fein" over its conversion to social liberalism. He will not have taken kindly to Gerry Adams's recent declaration that he was in favour of a woman's right to choose. The abortion wars are just beginning, and they'll be waged all over Ireland. Brexit could look like light relief. There is no doubt that the negotiations leading up to the agreement on phase one of the Brexit talks created a tension between politicians in Belfast and Dublin, and this is in no one's interest. So the latest remarks by the Republic's Tanaiste Simon Coveney are welcome. He said on RTE Radio he wanted to meet the DUP before the end of this year, and that "there is repair work to do". It should be said that Mr Coveney, in his direct remarks on the relationship between Ireland and the UK in general, and the DUP in particular, won few if any friends among the majority here, but now that phase one is safely over, the time is ripe for a more considered approach all-round. The recent weeks of negotiations created a difficult atmosphere where all the main participants were playing for high stakes. Regrettably, the tone of some remarks from Dublin has been less than helpful. It is more important than ever that the lines of communications between North and South are kept open, as efforts continue to restore the Assembly. The first major hurdles in the Brexit negotiations have been overcome, as far as possible, but there is still a long and tortuous road ahead, which will carry many potential hazards for relationships across these islands. It is important for all sides to realise that everyone has a great deal to lose if the Brexit initiative unravels, and people must be aware that they should choose their words carefully and do all they can to conduct the further negotiations as good neighbours. The DUP must also react carefully to Mr Coveney's suggestion that he might meet it before the end of this year, which is only a couple of weeks away. There still may be a rawness among the DUP at the tone of recent remarks, but nobody will benefit from keeping this quarrel alive, and more direct comments might make the situation worse. The Brexit negotiations have been intricate, and there is every indication that they will continue in this vein. It is thus even more important that cool heads remain as we move into the uncharted waters of the next stage of Brexit. It is in no one's interest to resort to the bad old days of megaphone confrontations over border issues. There is so much at stake that all eyes must be on a more civilized relationship as we all look to the future. 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. Party workers and supporters celebrating BJP's success in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh state assembly elections, outside the BJP headquarter, in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI) By Yusuf Begg: Voters in Himachal Pradesh lived up to their reputation of booting out the incumbent government. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the 2017 Assembly elections, comfortably cantering home with 40-odd seats in the 68-member legislative assembly. Addressing BJP workers at the party headquarters in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Himachal voters had opted for development. What came as a shock to the saffron party though was their Chief Minister-designate Prem Kumar Dhumal losing to Congress candidate Rajinder Rana. Dhumal is a two-time CM. The race for the CM's post in Himachal Pradesh is now wide open. advertisement Incidentally Rana is a former aide to Dhumal, jumping ship to join the Congress in 2014. Dhumal, however, was philosophical in loss. "Personal loss is not of much importance. The gain that victory has brought to state BJP is important," he told ANI. BJP president Amit Shah was diplomatic: "Today, we have the BJP parliamentary board meeting. We will discuss the matter in the meeting." While accepting defeat incumbent Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said: "I accept the victory of BJP. I, being the CM, take full responsibility of our performance here." While Virbhadra Singh managed to win from the Arki constituency, his son Vikramaditya Singh secured the prestigious Shimla Rural seat. BANKING ON MODI Part of BJP's win in Himachal Pradesh is because of the party's strong showing in the 15 constituencies in Kangra district. As the saying goes, the road to Shimla lies through Kangra. The saffron party also played the anti-incumbency card well. Corruption charges against Virbhadra Singh and his wife added ammunition to BJP's arsenal. The rape and murder of a 16-year-old schoolgirl in July this year had seriously dented the government's image. The incident tarnished the state's image nationally. Factionalism in the Congress made things easier for the saffron party. But more than anything else it was the Modi magic that did the trick. BJP has a well-oiled machinery in the state that used all these factors to topple the Congress from power. PLAY REWIND Himachal Pradesh went to polls on November 9 with a 74 per cent turnout. While BJP and Congress fielded candidates for all the 68 seats, BSP had BSP had 42 candidates and CPI (M) 14. Congress was in power in the state in 2012, 2003, 1998 and 1993 while BJP was in government in 2007 and 1990. WATCH | BJP workers erupt in joy as party set to win Gujarat, poised to take power in Himachal --- ENDS --- By Kandace York Gabrielle Yarbroughs business degree specialization finance and insurance, with a minor in business pre-law is often associated more with analytics than with soft skills. But the Akron, Ohio, native said a focal point of her Bowling Green State University experience has been her interactions with other people, especially helping other students. It started with the sense of belonging she felt when she first considered BGSU for her business degree. I looked at 10 other schools and was even offered a full ride at one, she said. I chose BGSU because of the people how kind and helpful everyone was, even before I enrolled. That feeling has continued throughout her years at the University. Often, she said, it is the little things that have made a difference. I like how engaged Dean Ray Braun was with me and the other first-year students, making an effort to get to know everyone by name. I think it says a lot that he goes out of his way to learn our names in the first weeks of the semester. She has excelled in the classroom, but beyond her business studies, she has shared her time and talents with a cause that holds great meaning for her: diversity. She became a mentee in the Office of Multicultural Affairs Falcon Success Initiative and in the Office of Residence Lifes SMART program. Both offer social, cultural, leadership and academic support to first-year students of color; the SMART program focuses on students living on campus, while the Falcon Success Initiative is open to students on and off campus. Doug Good graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in computer science. Goods passion for information technology began with his role as a lab supervisor in the BGSU computer labs, and now his career in IT has spanned 27 years. Good joined Cisco, an industry leader transforming the global platform of technology, in 1996 as a systems engineer. Up until last week, he served as the vice president of Engineering and Architectures, Americas Sales, for the multinational company. His team consists of 2,500 specialists supporting $20 billion in annual sales for the company, covering the United States, Canada and Latin America. Good is passionate about BGSU and is Ciscos Executive Sponsor for the University. He addressed the colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education and Human Development during the December 16 commencement ceremony at the Stroh Center. Twenty-seven years ago, I sat in an audience much like this one, nervous and excited about the endeavor I was about to start, he told the graduates. I can assure that the journey is full of surprises, successes and some failures. Every one of you has the potential to achieve, overcome and thrive. That potential is inside each and every one of you. All you have to do is let it out. Let it out each and every day. Congratulations to all of you, and I wish you happiness in whatever you pursue. Good pass along his thoughts on leadership and and the qualities of a good leader. Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another, said Good, quoting the Leadership expert and author John Maxwell. Every Day Leadership, Good said, is what you do every day to inspire and motivate those around you. It is not about the big presentation, the product launch or the completion of a project. These events should be celebrated, but they are the outcome of leadership, not the definition. Every Day leadership is about the phone call to a colleague encouraging them before a big meeting, its lifting someone up when they have had a tough time, its checking in with your colleagues and being available to your team. Its about how you make others feel so that they can give their best. When I started at Cisco 21 years ago as a systems engineering in Cincinnati, on my very first day, the director of engineering out of Atlanta someone that was three levels above me in the organization called to welcome me to the company and offer his assistance as I settled into a new company, Good said. I still remember that call vividly. Im sure Sam has long since forgotten that phone call, but thats the beauty of every day leadership. It has a much greater impact on the recipient than the leader. Good said the best part of every day leadership has nothing to do with title, tenure or organizational structure. Its something that can be applied at work, in school, in your community or at home. It can be applied from your very first day in a new role. Anyone can be an every day leader. Strengths Based Leadership, another tenet of Maxwell, is based on the belief that we can accomplish more by applying and developing our strengths than by focusing on improving our weaknesses. Lets start by defining a strength, Good said. In order for it to be a strength, you must be good at it and derive energy from it. Its human nature to focus on our weaknesses. We spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to get better in our weakest areas. It is important that are weaknesses are not so inhibiting that they become obstacles to our success, but the rest of our energy should be applied to our strengths. Good said in order to find your strengths, reflect on what makes you unique. What are you really good at? What do you do better than those around you and what gives you energy? Ask your friends and family what you do that is unique. Focus on leveraging that unique strength. Then, hone it, grow it and develop it. That is what will set you apart from others. This will become your brand, he said. It will be what you are known for and what others will turn to you for. Spending time on your weaknesses will help bring them up to par with everyone else. Spending time refining and applying your unique strengths will set you apart from everyone else. Great leaders will not only recognize the strengths in themselves, but also in those around them and enabling those strengths to get the best out of the entire team. Now, imagine the power of combining every day leadership with strengths based leadership. If you apply your unique strengths and you do it every day, you will be a tremendous leader. If you are already doing this, you are a tremendous leader. Now, she is graduating with a 3.95 GPA and waiting to see which of the four graduate schools she applied to, including BGSU, accepts her application. Clune said she always has been linguistically inclined and looks at things through a language lens, which helped her fall in love with the reminiscence care population, seeing their need for communication. It also helped her decide what direction to take for her research project. Its definitely led to a better appreciation and understanding that its more than memory loss, said Clune, who has been working with dementia patients since she was 16. Theres a lot of other challenging aspects to it that I do believe our field can help with. We just have to get our minds around the best way exactly to do it. Her work focused on what kind of activities can help foster communication and social engagement among residents. She discovered there are many activity types, as well as possible training or strategies, that facilitators can use even if theyre conducting an activity that isnt necessarily the most beneficial communicatively. There are more physical-based activities like noodle ball, which is where each resident gets a little piece of a pool noodle and they blow up a balloon and they bat it around, she said. They play catch and throw a ball around a circle, things like that. There are a lot of arts and crafts, sing-along activities and music therapy. There really is a range, and it depends a lot on the director what they plan. But what I looked at is, of these types of activities, which activities seemed to work most for some of the residents, which activities didnt work so well, as well as what characteristics could potentially be imbued in those lower-ranging activities from the higher-ranging activities. During her time at the University, Clune was president of the BGSU chapter of the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and an ambassador to the Honors College. She also presented her capstone research project, Vocalizations Elicited by Leisure Activities in a Dementia Unit, at the NSSLHA national convention in Los Angeles. Its really an ideal place to be as a student, but it was even more ideal that I got to present some of that work in front of the national research community, she said. Ive had a lot of really great experiences come out of my capstone project. Its the project I had to complete to graduate with honors, but its turned out to be so much more than a capstone project. She also received awards for two of her papers from the Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education and submitted her research to the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Archives of Communication Disorders. Ultimately, Clune would like to be an academic, especially since her field is going through a shortage right now. My interest in research just happened to fall at the right time when its totally feasible to be a researcher and become a professor, she said. I cant think of anything more fun than answering your own questions for the rest of your life as a career, training the future of your profession as well as pursuing what you find interesting. To me, thats the dream. If there is a job market for it, Im going to be one of the people who fill that need. Each review score is between 1-10. To get the overall score that you see, we add up all the review scores weve received and divide that total by the number of review scores weve received. In addition, guests can give separate subscores in crucial areas, such as location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money and free Wi-Fi. Note that guests submit their subscores and their overall scores independently, so theres no direct link between them. You can review an Accommodation that you booked through our Platform if you stayed there or if you arrived at the property but didnt actually stay there. 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Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, express or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. In 1928, San Francisco unveiled a hotel to welcome pursuers of opportunity, creators of connection, and takers of roads untaken. This San Francisco hotel in Union Square is just steps from Chinatown. On-site dining and a 24-hour gym are available for guest convenience. Located in the heart of downtown San Francisco and just 5 minutes' walk from the Powell Street subway station, this Hilton features an on-site Herb n Kitchen and a beautiful courtyard pool. Located adjacent to the Powell and California cable car stop, Stanford Court San Francisco is a technology-friendly boutique hotel that features a lobby and business centre equipped with 7 MacBooks,... Offering Italian-inspired design, this centrally located San Francisco hotel is just 3 minutes walk from the popular sights of Union Square. Named on the National Register of Historic Places, this hotel offers Victorian charm combined with modern amenities and is located a short stroll from area attractions, including cable car lines. Home to the historic Magneta Grandfather Clock, this luxury Union Square hotel is directly in front of a San Francisco cable car stop. Adjacent to the landmark Dragon Gate in San Francisco's historic Chinatown, this hotel offers guest rooms with free WiFi and a 24-hour reception. Situated in the heart of San Francisco's business and financial district, Club Quarters Hotel Embarcadero, San Francisco features comfortable accommodation in a private club-like atmosphere. Located in San Franciscos quaint Nob Hill neighborhood, this hotel near the Golden Gate Bridge and Union Square offers on-site dining. Guest rooms feature city or bay views and free WiFi. 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Located within 15 minutes walk of San Franciscos Civic Center and attractions such as the Asian Art Museum and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, HTL 587, Ascend Hotel Collection features rooms with... This boutique Union Square hotel, located on the Powell Cable Car Line, is just 2 minutes' walk from cafes and shopping at Tiffany's, Macy's, Niketown and other popular Central San Francisco stores. Located within 10 minutes walk from Pier 39, the family-friendly Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf is a non-smoking accommodation that features an outdoor pool. Located in downtown San Francisco and just 5 minutes walk from Union Square, this charming hotel offers guest rooms with cable TV and free WiFi. Chinatown is 9 minutes' walk away. Our downtown San Francisco hotel is within three blocks of the Moscone Center, Yerba Buena Gardens, and several museums. This San Francisco hotel is located in Union Square, a 5-minute walk from the Powell Street cable car line. It offers an outdoor pool and rooms with an MP3 connection. Commission paid and other benefits may affect an accommodation's ranking. Find out more. This is a Preferred Partner property. It is committed to providing guests with a positive experience thanks to its commendable service and good value. This property may pay Booking.com a bit more to be in this Programme. Despite exit poll results claiming that BJP will sweep Himachal Pradesh, CM Virbhadra and Congress were hopeful that they will register a win in the hilly state. By India Today Web Desk: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh has accepted BJP's victory in the assembly elections today. While speaking to the media, CM Virbhadra Singh said, "I accept the victory of BJP. I, being the CM, take full responsibility of our performance here. I hope Vikramaditya (Singh) keeps winning in future, like he won today." I accept the victory of BJP. I, being the CM, take full responsibility of our performance here. I hope Vikramaditya (Singh) keeps winning in future, like he won today: Virbhadra Singh #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/ImNkW32qdy- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 advertisement Virbhadra Singh was hopeful for winning another term as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh and had neglected the exit poll results. Virbhadra won from his constituency Arki where he defeated BJP candidate Rattan Singh Pal. Meanwhile, Virbhadra Singh also congratulated his son Vikramaditya who won from Shimla Rural and hoped that he continues to win. Despite exit poll results claiming that BJP will sweep Himachal Pradesh, Himachal CM Virbhadra and Congress were hopeful that they will register a win in the hilly state. Himachal Pradesh has a tradition of unseating the ruling government every five years, thus making it more difficult for Congress to win in these assembly elections. BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal is trailing in Sujanpur, where Congress candidate Rajinder Rana is leading. Read the highlights of Himachal Pradesh elections results here. --- ENDS --- Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/12/2017 (1795 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. BALDUR A farmer from Baldur who ran an aerial spraying company has died in a plane crash. Harold Parsonage, 60, was killed after his personal Piper aircraft crashed into a wooded area Friday night just north of Greenway, approximately 100 kilometres southeast of Brandon. Parsonage was flying alone from Gillam, a community 300 kilometres northeast of Thompson, to a private landing strip near the crash site. Air Greenway Baldur Fire Department Chief Mark Everett said Sunday that Harold Parsonage, 60, the chief pilot for the family-owned aerial spraying business Air Greenway located east of Baldur, was killed after his plane crashed just north of Greenway on Friday night. On Sunday, Baldur Fire Department Chief Mark Everett confirmed Parsonage was the pilot who died in the plane crash. The plane was located Saturday afternoon. Hes been in Baldur all his life and raised his family here, Everett said. For a small town, any time you lose somebody its pretty tough. The Manitoba RCMP did not name Parsonage as the victim in the crash, but police did confirm the death in a news release Saturday night. RCMP said Parsonage was set to arrive at a private landing strip in the RM of Argyle at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Friday. But just past his scheduled arrival time, contact was lost with the pilot and aircraft. At 7:45 p.m., Killarney RCMP received a report of an overdue plane. A Canadian Forces Hercules aircraft searched for the missing plane that evening and resumed the search, along with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association of Manitoba, the following morning. At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, the plane was located and Parsonage was pronounced dead at the scene. Police remained at the scene leading into Sunday afternoon. A police cruiser blocked an access road leading to the crash site, located south of Road 26 N. between Highways 23 and 342. RCMP said investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada have been notified and will be leading the investigation. A cause for the crash has not been released. Parsonage was the chief pilot of the family-owned aerial spraying business Air Greenway. A biography posted on the companys website says Parsonage was born in 1957 and was one of eight children. Michael Lee/The Brandon Sun An RCMP officer parks his vehicle at the top of a private road outside Baldur on Sunday afternoon, just beyond the area where a plane crashed Friday night killing the pilot. The cause of the crash has yet to be determined. Parsonage learned to fly out of Gladstone, Brandon and Winnipeg and passed his private pilot check ride, or practical test, in November 1978 and his commercial check ride in January 1981. He began crop spraying in 2008 and is the father of four children. The news of Parsonages death came as a shock to many in the community, many of whom have known Parsonage and his family for some time. Tom Kay, a councillor for the RM of Argyle, said he knew Parsonages father and described Harold as a good guy. It cant help but impact everybody because everybody knows everybody, Kay said. Most people in the community either went to school with Harold, or knew him as a child, or knew his parents and his uncles. Darrian Vermeersch, deputy reeve for the RM of Argyle and one of Parsonages neighbours, said Harolds death was tragic for everyone. We felt very bad, Vermeersch said. We feel very bad for the whole family. Theyre a very close family. mlee@brandonsun.com Twitter: @mtaylorlee Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate Rakesh Singha has won a seat in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election from Theog constituency. By India Today Web Desk: Himachal Pradesh has sprung a red surprise. Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate Rakesh Singha has won from the Theog constituency. This is the second time he will enter the state Assembly as an MLA. Way back in 1993, Singh had represented the Shimla constituency in the Assembly. A CPI-M veteran, Singha had shifted his fight to Theog in 2012 Assembly elections and got only 10,000 votes. This time, he romped home with 24,791 votes while the runner up, Bharatiya Janata Party's Rakesh Verma could muster 22,808 votes. Congress party's Deepak Rahour stood third with just 9,101 votes. advertisement LIVE | Himachal Pradesh assembly election results 2017: Complete list of winners CPIM Politburo congratulates people of Theog, #HimachalPradesh for electing CPIM candidate Rakesh Singha. This victory reflects the faith people of Theog have reposed in the CPIM to protect their rights & work for peopleA??s interests.#ElectionResults2017https://t.co/Iy6UkIZSU0 pic.twitter.com/GW3UZH2lBf- CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) December 18, 2017 Earlier, in 1993, he had won the election from Shimla seat and in 2012 assembly election, he had secured around 10,000 votes while contesting from Theog assembly seat. Congress was on back foot in this seat after senior Congress leader Vidya Stokes could not contest the election. She initially had sought ticket for her supporter but party high command fielded Deepak Rathore from this sea. WATCH | BJP can always have a new chief minister in Himachal Pradesh: Meenakshi Lekhi --- ENDS --- Thousands of more cases of customers caught up in the tracker mortgage scandal are expected to be revealed this week. It is understood banks have until close of business today to submit updated figures on the controversy. The Irish Times reports this may exceed the 30,000 level, including more than 7,000 cases resolved in 2010. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe is expected to publish an update on progress on Wednesday. Brian Hayes MEP today said the tracker mortgage scandal could raise supervisory concerns which would force the ECB to take action against Irish banks. The Chair of the ECBs Supervisory Board, Daniele Nouy, confirmed in a letter to Mr Hayes that if banks are required to pay substantial compensation to customers, this would raise concerns for the ECB. The ECB confirmed that it cannot investigate conduct supervision issues in banks; that is a job for the Central Bank of Ireland. The ECB is tasked to investigate the health of banks balance sheets from a systemic risk perspective," Mr Hayes said. While there are no current indications that this scandal could represent a systemic threat, there are still a lot of questions about the full extent of the scandal. The Central Bank is continuing its investigation," he added. What is really important at the end of this process is that there are answers for all those who were affected. Separately, I have asked the European Commission to investigate the scandal from a competition perspective and to see whether banks colluded together, acting as a cartel. "The Commission is currently monitoring developments related to the issue and has encouraged whistleblowers to come forward if they have information about the activities of the banks. We still have not had an adequate explanation from banks and that is a problem. Until we got get proper answers, I think that trust in Irish banking will continue to suffer, he added. Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election results 2017 has been declared today with BJP winning the state with 44 seats. Also check out the GUJARAT ELECTION LIVE BLOG By India Today Web Desk: Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election results 2017 will be out by today. Himachal Pradesh's one-month-long wait will finally come to an end today as the counting of votes is slotted for this morning. Himachal Pradesh voted to elect its legislative assembly on November 9. The exit polls released recently said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Party president Amit Shah, is expected to sweep the state with around 47-55 seats. advertisement The India Today-Axis-My-India exit poll claimed that BJP will secure around 50 per cent vote share in Himachal Pradesh followed by Congress which is expected to secure a vote share of 41 per cent. The rest 9 per cent will be divided among small groups or independent candidates. Himachal Pradesh has a tradition of unseating the party in power every five years, thus making the results even more important. The election results for Himachal Pradesh assembly elections are being announced on http://eciresults.nic.in. Here's a complete list of winning candidates in Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. Read below for the live updates of Himachal Pradesh election results 2017 LIVE: 8:45 PM - Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti lost against Congress' Satpal Singh Raizada in Una. 4:32 PM - Rahul Gandhi tweets about Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat election results: The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me.- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress's greatest strength is its decency and courage.- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 4:16 PM - BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal loses from Sujanpur. 4:00 PM - Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh concedes defeat, says I accept BJP's victory. I accept the victory of BJP. I, being the CM, take full responsibility of our performance here. I hope Vikramaditya (Singh) keeps winning in future, like he won today: Virbhadra Singh #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/ImNkW32qdy- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 3:59 PM - Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya wins in Shimla Rural. 3:53 PM - Congress wins in Kullu, Rampur, Rohru, Sri Renukaji 3:51 PM - BJP registers win in Chopal, Gagret, Jubbal-Kotkhai, Kasauli constituencies. advertisement 3:44 PM - PM Narendra Modi tweets ahead of BJP's victory in Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???, ????? ?? ??? ???? ????- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 3:37 PM - "Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development", tweets PM Modi on assembly election results of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories.- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly.- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 3:34 PM - Congress candidate Satpal Singh Raizada wins from Una. 3:24 PM - Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh wins in Arki. He defeated BJP candidate Rattan Singh Pal. 3:20 PM - 30,659 people voted for NOTA in Himachal Pradesh. 2:59 PM - BJP wins in Bilaspur, Doon, Churah, Dharamshala advertisement 2:55 PM - BJP candidate Kishan Kapoor wins from Dharamshala. 2:53 PM - BJP wins 6 seats, Congress wins 3. 2:37 PM - Latest trends put BJP at 43, Congress at 21, CPI-M at 1 and independent candidate at 1. 1:36 PM - Indian National Congress' Harshwardhan Chauhan wins from Shillai, Himachal Pradesh. 1:34 PM - Himachal Pradesh gets its first CPI(M) leader, with CPI(M)'s Rakesh Singha defeating BJP's Rakesh Verma. 1:26 PM - BJP wins seat in Lahaul & spiti. BJP candidate Dr. Ram Lal Markanda defeated INC candidate Ravi Thakur. 1:03 PM - Prem Kumar Dhumal trailing by 3100 votes in Sujanpur. 12:52 PM - Himachal may get its first CPI(M) MLA as Rakesh Singha of CPI(M) is headed for a win in Theog, Himachal Pradesh. 12:15 PM - BJP workers celebrate in Mumbai as trends point towards BJP's win in Himachal and Gujarat. 12:11 PM - BJP's Suresh Bhardwaj wins in Shimla. 12:10 PM - BJP's Kishori Lal wins in Anni, Himachal Pradesh. 12:00 PM - Here's an infographic showing the seat share in Himachal Pradesh till 12 noon. advertisement 11:43 AM - BJP leading in 42 seats, Congress in 21, Independent candidate in 2and CPM in 1, according to official data by Election Commission. 11:33 AM - BJP workers celebrate in Shimla as trends indicate BJP's victory in Himachal assembly elections. #HimachalPradeshElections2017: Pradesh: Workers celebrate at party office in Shimla as trends indicate BJP's victory in the state. pic.twitter.com/0SlktZd6J1- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 11:26 AM - Congress' Anirudh Singh wins in Kasumpti constituency. 11:19 AM - Results declared : BJP win in 3 constituencies( Anni, Balh, Jaisinghpur), Congress in 1 (Kasumpti). 11:09 AM - BJP party workers celebrate at BJP headquarters in Delhi after trends show BJP's victory in Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. Delhi: Party workers celebrate at party HQ, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh #GujaratVerdict #HimachalPradeshElections2017 pic.twitter.com/BDJxPcB6hN- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 10:57 AM - Congress catches on with lead in 23 seats, while BJP lead in 36 seats. Latest tally: BJP - 36 Congress - 23 Independent - 2 CPM - 1 10:47 AM - Congress' tally goes up in Himachal Pradesh, now leading in 22 seats. BJP maintains its position at 37 seats. 10:45 AM - Home Minister Rajnath Singh says will form government in Himachal Pradesh. "Will form Government in both Himachal and Gujarat with clear majority" says Home Minister Rajnath Singh #HimachalPradeshElections2017 #GujaratVerdict pic.twitter.com/TZymBvklV7- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 10:35 AM - BJP takes lead in 37 seats followed by Congress leading in 21 seats. 10:23 AM - Congress hopeful about winning Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. "I am sure in the end Congress will be victorious and form Government in the state" says Vikramaditya Singh, contesting from Shimla Rural #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/bmZP0RWeec- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 10:20 AM - BJP leading in 36 constituencies while Congress is leading in 21, according to Election Commission. 10:10 AM - BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal trailing by 1709 votes in Sujanpur. BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal trailing by 1709 votes from Sujanpur #HimachalPradeshElections- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 10:05 AM - BJP leading in more than 50 per cent seats in Himachal Pradesh. Latest tally according to Election Commission: BJP - 35 Congress - 21 CPM - 1 Independent candidates - 2 10:00 AM - Himachal Pradesh Assembly election roundup: BJP maintains the lead in Himachal Pradesh with the latest data suggesting that the party is likely to hit the halfway mark in leading constituencies. Experts suggest that BJP is likely to win the Himachal elections. Congress and other small parties are following closely with Congress leading in 21 seats. 9:52 AM - Virbhadra Singh takes the lead in Arki, leading by 1162 votes. EC Offical trends for #HimachalPradeshElections2017: Virbhadra Singh leading by 1162 votes in Arki- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 9:44 AM - Latest tally according to Election Commission: BJP - 28 CPM - 1 INC - 19 9:37 AM - BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal trailing in Himachal Pradesh. BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal trailing by 540 votes from Sujanpur #HimachalPradeshElections- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 9:35 AM - Vikramaditya, Himachal CM Virbhadra's son leading by 1316 votes in Shimla Rural. Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya leading by 1316 votes in Shimla Rural #HimachalPradeshElections2017- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 9:27 AM - Congress candidates leading in Jhanduta, Kasumpti and Kinnaur. 9:25 AM - BJP leading Anni, Hamirpur, Gagret and Darang. 9:21 AM - BJP maintains its lead in Himachal, leading in 29 seats while Congress is trailing with a lead in 20 seats. 9:12 AM - BJP leading in 25 seats and Congress in 18. 9:08 AM - Election Commission releases figures as counting is underway in Himachal Pradesh. 9:03 AM - BJP takes the lead in Himachal Pradesh. Latest tally: BJP - 21 Others - 4 Congress - 11 9 AM: Himachal Pradesh assembly election results Roundup While Congress had a slow start with BJP leading in 13 seats and Congress in 2, the party took a leap and is now leading in 10 seats with BJP leading in 18. Smaller parties and independent candidates are leading in 2 constituencies. 8:57 AM - Latest tally: BJP - 18 Congress - 10 Others - 2 8:52 AM - BJP leading in 16 seats while Congress leading in 11 seats. 8:40 AM - EVMs opened in Shimla's Kasumati as counting of votes cast via EVMs begin in Himachal Pradesh. EVMs opened at a counting centre in Shimla's Kasumpati as counting of votes continues #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/rsid3L2xgd- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 8:37 AM - BJP goes down to 9 seats, while Others lead in 2 seats in Himachal Pradesh. Latest tally: BJP - 9 Others - 2 Congress - 7 8:32 AM - Congress takes the lead in 7 seats, while BJP goes down to 11 seats from 13. Latest tally : BJP - 11 Congress - 7 8:30 AM - Roundup assembly elections Himachal Pradesh - Though both the parties started slow, BJP took the lead in 13 seats while Congress is leading in 4 seats in Himachal Pradesh. 8:28 AM - BJP's Rajeev Bindal is leading in Nahan seat. 8:23 AM - Congress leading in 4 seats in Himachal Pradesh. 8:22 AM - BJP leading in 13 seats while Congress is leading in 2 seats. 8:20 AM - Latest trends in: Congress and BJP leading in 2 seats each in Himachal Pradesh. 8:18 AM - Visuals from counting center in Kasumpti, Shimla. Counting of postal ballots underway; visuals from a counting center in #Shimla's Kasumpti #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/jkFIi3Gtmq- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 8:17 AM - Congress leading in 1 seat in Himachal Pradesh, BJP leading in 2 seats. 8:15 AM - BJP leading in two seats in Himachal Pradesh, counting underway. 8:14 AM - Counting of Postal ballots begin in Himachal Pradesh. Visuals from Sanjauli in Shimla. Postal ballots de-sealed by officials at a counting centre in Shimla's Sanjauli, as counting of votes begins. #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/kQ5vi7Tx0Y- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 8:10 AM - First trends in: BJP leading in Himachal Pradesh. 8:00 AM - Counting of votes begin. 7:23 AM - Counting of votes is set to begin in Himachal Pradesh shortly. Here are some visuals from counting centers set up in Shimla and Hamirpur. Visuals from counting centres set up in Shimla & Hamirpur #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/Z0aSdjTUKp- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 7:20 AM - Here's a look at the predicted seat share in Himachal Pradesh according to the India Today-Axis exit poll. 7:15 AM - If Congress wins and Virbhadra Singh is elected as the chief minister this will be his 5th term as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh. 7:00 AM - 337 candidates are contesting for 68 seats in the state of Himachal Pradesh. 6:45 AM - Counting of votes will begin at 8 AM. 6:26 AM - The Himachal Pradesh election results 2017 will have a bearing not only on the future of CM Virbhadra Singh but also on the Congress' quest of political survival in the face of the mammoth challenge thrown by PM Narendra Modi-Amit Shah partnership. Read more 6:17 AM - Himachal Pradesh's CM Virbhadra Singh has full faith in his party and is confident that the exit poll results will be proven wrong. 6: 04 AM - If BJP comes to power, BJP candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal will be appointed as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh. 6: 02 AM - 337 candidates, including incumbent Virbhadra Singh, and his predecessor Prem Kumar Dhumal will be determined today. 6: 02 AM - BJP had to face conflicts within the party in Himachal Pradesh among factions led by JP Nadda, Shanta Kumar and PK Dhumal. 6: 00 AM - Himachal Pradesh went to polls on November 9. --- ENDS --- Miner Rio Tinto will significantly expand automation at its Pilbara iron ore operations with the retrofitting of 48 giant haul trucks with autonomous technology over the next two years, as part of a wide-ranging $5 billion productivity program. The company is also investigating future additions to its autonomous Pilbara fleet, and says its fully-autonomous heavy haul rail network is on track to be completed by the end of next year. Rio Tinto autonomous haulage trucks, West Angelas minesite. Credit:Christian Sprogoe When the conversions are completed more than 130 trucks in Rios haul fleet, almost one in three, will be autonomous. Rio says the truck project will improve productivity and help the iron ore division deliver an extra half a billion dollars a year in free cash flow from 2021. US software giant Oracle has made a $1.56 billion offer to buy a Melbourne construction management software business founded by two school friends over a game of squash. ASX-listed Aconex said on Monday its directors had unanimously recommended the $7.80-a-share offer, which represents a 47.4 per cent premium to Friday's closing price of $5.29. Aconex founders Leigh Jasper and Rob Phillpot often discussed how the internet could improve organisations' management and storage of large amounts of information over weekly squash games. Credit:Gary Medlicott Leigh Jasper and Rob Phillpot founded the business, which digitally connects owners, builders and other teams to manage data, documents and costs across all stages of a construction project, in 2000. Mr Jasper ,who is Aconex's chief executive, will stay on under the terms of the deal. The average wedding these days costs in the tens-of-thousands of dollars, but if you happened to invest early in bitcoin, you could tie the knot for a steal. Broadbean Catering and Events, who run the catering and functions at the National Portrait Gallery and the Museum, will now accept bitcoin as payment for weddings. You can now pay for weddings at the National Museum and Portrait Gallery using bitcoin. Credit:Mel Hill Photography Broadbean Catering's Anthony Barhoush said they believe they're the first Australian company to accept cryptocurrency as payment for nupitals. "We had a wedding couple enquire at the Portrait Gallery and we were just casually talking about bitcoin pricing and they were joking they wanted to pay for their wedding in bitcoin, cause they actually bought a couple of bitcoin about a year ago," he said. Doug Dilger is battling injuries in hospital after he was attacked in his own home in Childers. A 90-year-old man bashed in his own home is hoped to well enough to be flown to Brisbane for surgery on his jaw, which was broken in three places during a "targeted" home invasion and robbery, according to police. Detectives believe someone wearing a skin-coloured stocking attacked Doug Dilger between 6.30pm and 7pm on Friday in an incident that shocked the small central Queensland town of Childers. Mr Dilger, a former cane farmer who lived in the area for years, was rushed to the Bundaberg Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition for treatment of facial, chest and arm injuries. Inspector Gary Pettiford said the male intruder entered Mr Dilger's home on North Street through an unlocked back door. The home invader immediately grabbed the victim and demanded money before punching him several times in the head. A Catholic priest in Queensland has told his congregation the church is a flawed institution, and Australian archbishops must fight for change to stop sexual abuse. Father Peter Schultz used his homily on Sunday to personally apologise to anyone who'd suffered abuse, which he said was the fault of the church hierarchy. "We are a flawed institution and we have to own that fact," he told followers at St Thomas More's Church in South Toowoomba, just a few days after the royal commission into institutional abuse handed down its final report. "I hope and I think there are enough people both within the church and outside to keep calling it to account, keep calling it to act properly." Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull looks set to end the year with a cabinet reshuffle as he seeks to capitalise on the weekend's Bennelong byelection win. Reshuffle chatter has persisted throughout the year but the shakeup is now likely to happen later this week, after Monday's release of the mid-year economic outlook. Attorney-General George Brandis is widely expected to replace Alexander Downer as high commissioner to London, creating an opportunity for Mr Turnbull to start 2018 with an invigorated lineup. A spokesman for Senator Brandis did not return calls on Monday morning. New York: An Amtrak passenger train derailed on a bridge over a major highway in Washington state on Monday morning, sending part of the train crashing down onto Interstate 5 and killing several passengers, authorities said. The Associated Press, citing an unnamed US official, reported that at least six people were killed in the crash. Washington Governor Jay Inslee has called a state of emergency in response to the derailment. Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer told news media that there were fatalities on the train and that motorists had been injured, but not killed. A total of 77 people were sent to hospitals in Pierce and Thurston counties, according to CHI Franciscan Health, which operates numerous hospitals in Western Washington. Four of the injured are "level red" patients, with critical injuries. Satellite images reveal the destruction of Rohingya villages has continued for weeks after Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi claimed military operations against the Muslim minority had ceased in her country's Rakhine State. Images show dozens of buildings were set alight the same week that Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement on November 23 to start to return more than 835,000 Rohingya from refugee camps in Bangladesh, where aid groups say a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding. Dozens of refugees arriving at the Bangladeshi border from Rakhine have also told Fairfax Media they were fleeing ongoing intimidation and burnings in Rakhine, which is home to more than a million Rohingya. Analysis of new images shows that 354 villages have been partially or completely destroyed in Rakhine since August 25, the day Myanmar's military began attacking Rohingya in what it called "clearance operations" in response to insurgent attacks on police posts. By PTI: Panaji, Dec 16 (PTI) Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu today called for a collective focus on agriculture as he said India with a population of 130 crore cannot survive on imported food security. He was addressing the India Ideas Conclave 2017 here. "I hope the Centre, states and society will focus together, more and more, on agriculture because India with a population of 130 crore cannot survive on imported food security," Naidu said. advertisement "We can export (agricultural produce) for the time being but the population is growing," he pointed out. The vice president said agriculture was becoming an unviable pursuit and thus, the aim to double farmers income by 2022 was a challenge. "People are leaving agriculture and going to other professions. An agriculturist does not want his son to continue with the profession because of uncertain monsoons, natural calamities, market exploitation etc. All this is affecting agriculture," Naidu said. "The prime minister has set a target of doubling farmers? income by 2022. It is a challenge because agriculture is becoming unviable," he stated. Adding that the rural-urban divide had to be bridged, Naidu said, "Gandhiji had said Ram rajya was incomplete without gram rajya, this has to be kept in the mind. I am sure the government is focusing on ending the urban-rural divide and ensuring that people living in rural areas are provided basic amenities". Naidu urged the people to join the efforts of the government in promoting agriculture. PTI RPS BNM SRY --- ENDS --- Ottawa: Canadians consumed as much as $C6.2 billion ($6.3 billion) of marijuana in 2015, almost as much as they spent on wine, the federal statistics agency said on Monday as it gears up to officially track weed when it becomes legal next year. The agency calculated the value by estimating 4.9 million people consumed 698 metric tons of cannabis that year, at an assumed price range of $C7.14 to $C8.84 a gram ($7.20-$8.97). It used government health and social surveys and outside research to create its model. A man enjoys a joint in Toronto, Canada, where weed will become legal for personal use in 2018. Credit:KEVIN FRAYER Statistics Canada called its report 'Experimental Estimates of Cannabis Consumption in Canada, 1960 to 2015' and admitted there is "currently no systematic process" for measuring usage. The agency warned its estimate for the market is very rough, and actual consumption could "reasonably" be as low as half or as much as double. Washington: Matthew Petersen, a nominee to the federal judiciary, has withdrawn from consideration days after a video clip showed him unable to answer basic questions about legal procedure, the White House confirmed on Monday. Petersen, nominated for a seat on the US District Court for the District of Columbia, is the third Trump judicial pick to withdraw in the past week amid criticism from Democrats and others about their qualifications. White House spokesperson Raj Shah confirmed that Petersen's nomination has been withdrawn and declined to comment further. Latest News Which banks have passed on the latest rate hike to mortgage borrowers? Here's a breakdown on how the major lenders have responded to the latest OCR hike Bridgit joins Finsure's panel Partnership expands lender's offering to brokers Najam Shah, 58, of Victoria, has been sentenced to five years jail after pleading guilty to one charge of conspiring to defraud financial institutions. Shah must serve three years and three months before being eligible for parole.The sentencing follows an ASIC investigation into Footscray-based finance broking company Myra Home Loans, which traded as Myra Financial Services (Myra).The charge relates to Shah's role at Myra and the creation and use of false documents to support loan applications valued at a total of approximately $170m.On 13 February 2017, Shah entered the guilty plea during an appearance at the County Court of Victoria. Shahs plea followed his arrest and charge in January 2015. By pleading guilty, Shah admitted to conspiring to defraud financial institutions.In sentencing Shah, Judge Gucciardo noted that mortgage fraud of this nature damages the integrity of the lending system and that Shah's well organised deception enabled such corruption. He further noted that Shah was motivated by greed.ASIC deputy chair Peter Kell said, "ASIC will continue to ensure that mortgage brokers who provide false documentation are held to account. Today's sentencing reflects both the severity of Mr Shah's actions and the consequences facing those who do not abide by the law."The matter was prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.ASIC's investigation is continuing.Shah's charge relates to conspiring with others to defraud financial institutions through the provision of false documents in support of loan applications submitted on behalf of Myra clients between about March 2008 and August 2010.The misconduct involved the submission of false documents for more than 500 loan applications valued at approximately $170m to numerous banks and financial institutions, including the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corporation, St George Bank, Bankwest Choice Home Loans , Citibank, National Australia Bank, Pepper Homeloans and Suncorp Bank The false documents included bank statements, payslips, citizenship certificates and statutory declarations. These were predominantly used in support of applications for home loans for house and land packages as well as for the purchase or refinance of existing homes. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams It shoulda been shorter. But thats my only real complaint about It Shoulda Been You, the latest musical production from Park Slopes Gallery Players, playing through Dec. 17. The play is a bit of fluff, a frothy farce that should go down like a flute of champagne so when the first act starts to drag, its like getting overserved, until the second-act palate cleanser wipe away all sins. It Shoulda Been You is a mis-matched wedding comedy the bride is Jewish, the groom is so white-bread, he bleeds mayonnaise, their families are appalled, and her ex-boyfriend shows up to ruin everything. The story is well-worn, but its well-made the mothers meddle, the bride gets cold feet, and characters pop in and out of doorways in a Scooby Dooesque chase sequence. So the story is predictable until suddenly its not. A twist at the end of the overlong first act is genuinely unexpected it brought gasps from the audience and it invigorates the second half with extra laughs and energy, dragging the plot from the sitcom conventions of the 1960s into, if not quite the present day, at least 2010, and giving every character a chance to show a new side. Whatever the era, these performers are killing it. At the Saturday matinee this reviewer saw, they took a group of familiar characters and played them to the hilt. Gin-drinking WASP mama Georgette Howard (Lorinne Lampert), is deliciously bitchy, and she is ably matched in a passive aggressiveoff against the mother of the bride (Luisa Boyaggi), in a scene that threatens to come to blows at any moment. The secondary characters sparkle around the edges of the story. Joseph Peterson, as the fey, seemingly-omniscient wedding planner Albert, is a dream, wafting over the production and sprinkling fairy dust over the fourth wall as needed. Walters barely-competent assistant Walt, played by Sam Laasko, steals many of the laughs, and as does Sonya Rice, vamping it up as the boozy, man-hungry Aunt Sheila. Youve got two more weekends to catch this lightweight delight just be sure to hang on until the end. It Shoulda Been You at the Gallery Players (199 14th St. between Fourth and Fifth avenues in Park Slope, www.galle rypla yers.com ). Playing through Dec. 17, WedFri at 8 pm; Sat, 2 pm and 8 pm, Sun, 3 pm. $25 ($20 students and seniors). Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Religious leaders must not disown the Brooklyn man who last Monday allegedly ignited a bomb in a tunnel linking two subway stations, but instead recognize his connection to the Islamic faith and better educate young worshippers, argued some local Muslims who gathered at a Kensington restaurant the day after the incident. He is Muslim, he belongs to us. He did something wrong, and saying he doesnt belong to us doesnt solve the problem, said local Sirajul Islam. Many dont provide proper Islamic education to their children, but when it comes to condemning this and finger-pointing, theyre experts. More than 100 people attended the event, including members of Kensingtons Masjid Nur al-Islam mosque, where the suspect 27-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant Akayed Ullah sometimes prayed, according to a congregant. People in the mosque have seen him, said Maruf Alam. I may have seen him. Hes a very quiet kid. Local religious leaders need to more actively engage young Muslims in their communities because youths here have unfettered access to ideologies that can corrupt their understanding of the faith, another attendee said. Islam is not for killing people so you can go to jannah, said Kensington resident Abdul Hamman, using the Arabic word for heaven. Our youngsters do anything here. Theres no freedom back home, but freedom has a limit. We need to watch what they are watching and doing. But others at the meeting argued that local Muslims and Bangladeshis should not collectively accept blame for Ullahs alleged act of terror, because he acted alone when committing the crime. You dont have to say, Nobody I know supports terrorism, because this is not our mistake, said Kazi Fouzia, who heads South Asian activist group Desis Rising Up and Moving. Nobody can target us. We are okay as a Bangladeshi community and proud. Another local firmly rejected the possibility that area Muslims share the radical view of Ullah, who told investigators he set off the bomb in support of the Islamic State. As Muslims we never accept or support it, said Kensington resident Mohammad Khan. And one speaker expressed concerns about how community leaders will broaden their outreach to further the anti-extremist message preached at the session, which two New York Police Department community affairs officers, reps from the citys Commission on Human Rights, and local pols including Assemblyman Robert Carroll (DKensington) and Councilman Brad Lander (DKensington) also attended. This was largely attended by older men in the community no women, no young people and it wasnt advertised, said Shahana Hanif, Landers Bangladeshi-community liaison. Reach reporter Adam Lucente at aluce nte@c ngloc al.com or by calling (718) 2602511. Follow him on Twitter @Adam_Lucente. It was announced last week that Cork-based Crest Solutions has won the top prize of 40,000 in IrishJobs.ies Payback Competition. The IrishJobs.ie PayBack Competition took place in October and offered a 40,000 cash payment to one IrishJobs.ie customer to grow or improve any aspect of their business. The prize could be used to pay the salary for a new hire, refurbish the office or shop, or to pay for that advertising campaign that they otherwise couldnt afford. The Little Island engineering and software company beats off competition from 68 entries from across Ireland to win the competition. Entrants were asked to outline how a recent hire through IrishJobs.ie had helped to improve and grow their business. The submission won over the judging panel, which included Sunday Independent Business Correspondent - Gavin McLoughlin, Jane Lorigan - European CEO of IrishJobs.ie parent company saongroup.com and Safann Mac Carthy - European Marketing Director at saongroup.com. Speaking last week, General Manager at IrishJobs.ie, Orla Moran said, "We were delighted to receive so many excellent entries in our Payback Competition. Irelands thriving, high-value STEM sector was particularly well-represented. This is positive news as the country continues to establish itself as a global leader in tech and engineering." She added, "Crest Solutions demonstrated this drive, and their ambition to continue to grow their business, upskill staff and create additional high-quality jobs in Cork impressed the judging panel. We offer Mr Madden and the rest of his team our congratulations and continued success in business." Source: www.businessworld.ie China blacklisted 40 online foreign-exchange brokers for allegedly illegal operations,including 24 operating in Hong Kong and the U.S. Photo: CFP China is stepping up its crackdown on unauthorized foreign-exchange trading, a fast-growing business that took off alongside the boom in internet finance. Third-party payment-service providers have been told not to handle unapproved currency trading. The Central Banks Jinan branch, in the eastern province of Shandong, recently issued a circular ordering all such providers to inspect their transactions and immediately stop offering payment services to unauthorized foreign-exchange trading platforms, Caixin learned from sources close to the matter. All related transaction data and customer information must be preserved for future investigation. The action the latest in a series of warnings came after the central banks foreign-exchange supervision arm, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), detected that some non-bank payment agencies have been providing payment services for illegal online forex-trading platforms, according to the circular. The campaign was initiated by SAFE, an official at the administration told Caixin. The circular blacklisted 40 online foreign-exchange brokers for allegedly illegal operations. These included 24 operating offshore in Hong Kong and the U.S. The other 16 platforms are based in mainland provinces and cities, including Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shandong, Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, Caixin has learned. Separate sources from the central bank told Caixin that the latest inspection of payment firms wouldnt be limited to Shandong but instead would cover all regions where the 40 foreign exchange-trading platforms have been conducting business. A central bank official overseeing the payment sector told Caixin that it had been difficult for payment firms to identify whether their customers were operating illegally before the regulator gave clear instructions. Payment companies make business decisions based on their experiences and risk-control requirements, and are not in a position to define which businesses are illegal. But as soon as regulators said such platforms are illegal, they should stop doing business with them, the official said. Online foreign-exchange trading has grown quickly in China in recent years amid the boom in internet finance. But it has been operating beyond the reach of regulators, despite rules that say only banks and some financial institutions approved by the central government can legally engage in foreign-exchange investments for public investors. Private foreign-exchange investing emerged in China in the late 1980s alongside the countrys early period of opening up its economy. In the early 1990s, private investors in big cities like Beijing and the southern export gateway Guangdong started engaging in leveraged and margin trading of foreign currencies. But in 1994, regulators began cracking down on foreign-exchange trading as authorities ratcheted up supervision of capital outflows and grew concerned about financial fraud. But as internet financial-services rose, some unauthorized foreign-exchange trading platforms emerged and changed the market pattern, the central bank official said. In November, the National Internet Finance Association of China, an online finance watchdog, issued a statement warning of dangers posed by unauthorized online foreign-exchange trading. The association said internet platforms providing leveraged trading for foreign exchange and precious metals are illegal. Investors using such platform to invest arent protected by law, the association said, adding that online financial-service providers and payment firms shouldnt provide services for such trading. In October, a report issued by the National Committee of Experts on Internet Financial Security Technology, a government-backed industry organization, said a large number of online foreign-exchange investment platforms are operating in China, and that some of the business involves suspected illegal financing or Ponzi scheme-style fraud. Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) 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. By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Pending ratification from Bhutan, India plans to operationalise BBIN motor vehicle agreement (MVA) with Bangladesh and Nepal for seamless movement of passenger and cargo vehicles, Parliament was informed today. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) had signed a framework MVA in June 2015 to enable movement of passenger and cargo vehicles across borders among the four countries. advertisement Bhutan has not yet ratified the pact for its entry to come into force, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. "Pending ratification, however, Bhutan has given its consent for the BBIN MVA to enter into force amongst the other 3 countries i.e. Bangladesh, India and Nepal, who have already ratified it," he said. He India has approached Bangladesh and Nepal through diplomatic channels for evolving modalities to operationalise the MVA among Bangladesh, India and Nepal (BIN). PTI NAM SA --- ENDS --- A recent announcement by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) comes as a game changer to the Engineering courses. According to the new approval handbook released on Friday evening by AICTE, the number of BTech/BE seats in the country is set to go down by almost a lakh in 2018-2019. This means that the colleges will reduce the students' intake by at least half. The varsities that already suffer less enrollment for engineering admissions will also be under the purview of this order. Technical Courses in India Engineering makes up 70 percent of the technical education seats in India. AICTE Announces Shut Down of 800 Engineering Colleges: Find Out Why! Other technical courses Management (MBA) Pharmacy Computer applications (MCA) Architecture Town planning Hotel management Applied arts and crafts Also Read: AICTE GPAT 2018 Registration Open: Apply By December! Number of vacant engineering seats in 2017 According to AICTE report, of the 15.5 lakh BE/BTech seats in 3,291 engineering colleges across the country, over half (51 per cent) were vacant in 2016-17. Also, reports are doing rounds that even deemed universities will come under the jurisdiction of AICTE for taking approval for the technical courses. Rule to open a new college It has been categorically mentioned in the handbook that Council will henceforth not permit the establishment of a new college if the state government concerned has refused a NOC (No Objection Certificate) to the applicant, based on a perspective plan. What is a perspective plan? A perspective plan maps the current situation of the industry, jobs and total seats in education, and uses that to predict the demand for engineers. The bigger picture A daily newspaper reported the glaring poor infrastructure of colleges, teaching methods and industry needs to be the reason for the poor condition of engineering graduates. This move by AICTE is set to alleviate the poverty condition of engineering education in India. MHRD AICTE Girl Child Scholarship: Apply Now! The final answer keys of the TSPSC FBO exam has been released. Registered candidates can now check it out online. TSPSC Exam 2017 date Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC), Hyderabad held the exam on October 29, 2017. The answer keys of written examination of Forest Beat Officer (FBO) recruitment in Telangana Forest Department is now available online. Where to find the TSPSC FBO Recruitment Exam Answer Key? For checking the TSPSC FBO answer key, the candidates may visit the official website, www.tspsc.gov.in. According to TSPSC, no further objections will be entertained on final keys that has been released. BSE Telangana SSC 2018 Exam Timetable Published: Check Now! Vacancies to be filled TSPSC invited application from qualified candidates for the post of Forest Section Officer in Forest Department (EFS&T) in August this year. The TSPSC had notified a vacancy of 90 for this recruitment. How to check the TSPSC Forest Beat Officer answer key? In order to check the TSPSC Forest Beat Officer answer key, follow the steps given here: Log on to the TSPSC official website: www.tspsc.gov.in Under the 'What's New' section, click on 'Forest Beat Officer - Final keys and web note' link. A new window will open. The answer keys for General Knowledge and Mathematics paper has been released separately. Click on the link for each paper in the new window. The answer key will be displayed in a pdf format Save it to your computer and take a print out of it for future reference TSPSC Forest Beat officer Written Exam results are expected to be out soon. Stay updated with Careerindia for more news on TSPSC. TSPSC Forest Section Officer Exam Final Answer Key 2017 Published! An official notification has been released by the L&T Construction calling out for interested and eligible candidates to apply for the L&T Build India Scholarship 2018. This is for students who want to pursue M.Tech in Construction Technology & Management. Scholarship objective This scholarship gives students the opportunity during their 24-month course to build their career with L&T in Project Management and Execution. Scholarship award Monthly stipend of INR 13,400 Young India Fellowship 2018 for Graduates: Apply Now! Eligibility In order to avail the scholarship, Candidate must be first class engineering graduate in core Civil/core Electrical branch. Candidates who are expected to pass out in 2018 are only eligible to apply. Candidate must have obtained 65% marks or above in B.E/B.Tech How to apply for L&T scholarship? In order to apply for L&T scholarship, follow the steps given here: Log on to the official website Enter the required details Attach all the required documents Click to submit Complete the registration process Scholarship duration The amount of scholarship will be provided only for 2 years. Selection process Selection of the candidate will be done on the basis of the online written test followed by an interview conducted by IIT Madras/Delhi, NIT Tiruchirappalli/Surathkal in coordination with L&T Construction. Deadline The deadline to apply for this scholarship is 27 December 2017. Indian Council for Medical Research Offers Scientist Scholarship: Apply Now! California authorities have declared that the Thomas wildfire, which has been raging for two weeks in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, is 45 percent contained. Is that reassuring or horrifying? Its a question the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection just cant answer. For the agency known as Cal Fire, the comfort level of the official stages of control is always enigmatic, never more so than in this furious season and with the Thomas conflagration in particular. Santa Ana and sundowner winds, at times exceeding 70 miles per hour, have fanned flames across some 270,000 acres. A Cal Fire engineer died last week battling the firestorm. These fires this year have so much potential, said Scott McLean, a Cal Fire spokesman whose son is a firefighter on duty in the Thomas sector. Its just so volatile. In Cal Fire terminology, 45 percent containment means that about that much of a hot zone is penned in by physical barriers, either roads, waterways or bulldozed or hand-shoveled clearings. The problem is, when winds shift, the line of containment can be breached and embers can create spot fires, said Max Moritz, a fire specialist for the University of California Cooperative Extension. Thats what we see with these wind-driven events. The dry, hot, powerful Santa Anas also called devil winds sweep in from inland deserts regions this time of year. The sundowners arrive in late afternoon or evening, coming from the north. Both phenomena have helped fuel other wildfires in Southern California this month. These extreme wind events really challenge most of the norms, said Moritz, who had to evacuate his home in Santa Barbara. You can take any tiny bit of ember and whip it back into a real fire. A wildfire is considered out when its fully contained and no hot spots are detected for at least 48 hours, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, which includes federal agencies such as the Interior Department and Forest Service. For the Thomas, the anticipated date for complete containment is Jan. 7, or 20 days from now. The cause hasnt been determined. Containment contours are drawn on the front lines. Firefighters are assigned to branches that are responsible for sections of a blaze what they call a span of control and within those branches are smaller divisions. Every afternoon, by 3 p.m., each one reports by radio, email or text exactly how much of its area it can confidently say is contained. The reports are penciled onto a map, and the tally is posted on the Cal Fire website. The containment level may change by a percentage point from one day to the next. McLean said the agency is very stingy when it comes to moving the figure up a notch. The slightest ascent, though, is encouraging. Its a glimmer of hope. The men and women in the field arent tracking just flames but also looking at vegetation that can act as tinder and assessing which way winds are blowing. Their aim is to determine what McLean called the potential for re-ignition. Wind is the unnervingly unpredictable factor. Take the Tubbs fire, by far the most devastating of the wine country blazes in Northern California that all told destroyed hundreds of homes and killed more than 40 people in October. Gusts drove it this way and that. That sucker blew into Calistoga, into Santa Rosa, in less than a day, and then it stopped spreading that way and went south and north from there, McLean said. He said he simply couldnt give a percentage below 100 that should make people breathe easy. Even at 90 percent contained, theres always a chance that there could be a sleeper or an ember that goes across the line, and then were at it again. More than 8,000 firefighters have been deployed, with costs surpassing $123 million, according to Cal Fire. Late Sunday, the agency said 18,000 structures remained under threat; so far, more than 1,000 have been destroyed. Winds are expected to be calmer Monday. But we cannot become complacent, McLean said. Things can change in a heartbeat, especially with what weve been dealing with this year. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Toure and her co-leader, former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (second from left), observed electoral procedures from before sunrise until long after sunset. (All photos: The Carter Center/N. Siegel) Once the polls closed, the ballots were counted by hand. Here, Carter Center co-leader and the former Prime Minister of Senegal Aminata Toure (center, in hat) watches as the ballots are counted. Voters went to the polls to choose candidates in local, parliamentary, and presidential races. The top two presidential candidates were incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, who had run for president three times before and lost. Citizens turned out in droves for Kenyas Aug. 8 general election, with some standing in line for six hours or more. On Aug. 8, the Kenyan people stood for hours in long lines to cast their votes in presidential, parliamentary, and local races. Despite their patience and determination, the underlying mood was tense. No one had forgotten the violence that followed the 2007 election. Then, both opinion and exit polls predicted a win for Raila Odinga. When his opponent, Mwai Kibaki, was declared the winner, Odingas supporters took to the streets. Neighbor fought neighbor. Ultimately, more than 1,000 died and some 600,000 fled their homes. Odinga ran against Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 and again lost. That election didnt see the sort of violence that marred 2007, but Odinga claimed fraud, took his case to court, and lost. Augusts election pitted him against Kenyatta a second time. Many citizens sent their families and children out of Nairobi, worried about predictions of widespread violence should Odinga lose once more. Fears only increased after the still-unsolved murder of election commissioner Chris Msando shortly before election day. Because of these past troubles, The Carter Center accepted Kenyas invitation to observe the 2017 election. On election day, the Center deployed more than 100 people across the country, including the missions co-leaders, former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and former Prime Minister of Senegal Aminata Toure. Despite concerns, voting on election day was peaceful. But no one that day could have predicted the many twists and turns the electoral process would take before a new leader could be inaugurated. In its preliminary report, issued two days after the election while tallying was still ongoing, the Center said that the voting and counting processes had functioned smoothly and commended the people of Kenya for their remarkable patience and resolve on election day. The Center went on to point out that the electronic transmission of results had proven unreliable and that it wouldnt be able to make a complete assessment until the process was complete. Odingas team was already claiming fraud. After what happened in 2013, he said, he planned to take his case to the court of public opinion, not to the actual courts. The Carter Center and other international observers urged him to pursue his claims through the legal process, which he ultimately decided to do. And on Sept. 1, in a history-making moment for Kenya and the entire continent of Africa, Kenyas Supreme Court sided with Odinga and nullified the results of the presidential election, ordering a new race eventually set for Oct. 26. The courts decision focused largely on problems in the electronic transmission of results forms, which our team had pointed out as well, said David Carroll, director of the Carter Centers Democracy Program. The court stopped short of saying fraud had occurred, but it said the many irregularities and illegalities had affected the integrity of the election. Kenyas key players invited the Center to observe the fresh election. Then Odinga declared he was pulling out of the race because he didnt think enough changes had been made to ensure a fair and credible election. Though his name stayed on the ballot, he urged his supporters to boycott the polls. There were many protests, some of which turned violent. In all, more than 60 people died as a result of election-related violence. The Center ultimately decided that the situation on the ground precluded a full election mission and instead launched a limited mission with 10 long-term observers and the same core team of experts who have been on the ground since April. Kenyatta won the new election with 98 percent of the vote. But turnout was exceedingly low around 38 percent of registered voters because many Odinga supporters stayed home, and in some areas, made it impossible for polls to even open. In several counties, voting was postponed indefinitely. The results were again challenged in court, but this time the Supreme Court declared the process valid, and Kenyatta was sworn into office on Nov. 28. In a statement issued after the Supreme Court decision, The Carter Center called for national dialogue and electoral reform to help reunite the country, ease its political and tribal divisions, and improve future electoral processes. The Center is currently exploring ways it might help play a role in this. Alanna Kelly UPDATE: 2:10 p.m. Passengers were stuck inside an Air Canada plane for three hours after the de-icing machine broke. The aircraft departed from Kelowna International Airport just after 2 p.m. on Sunday. It was expected to leave at 11:05 a.m. for Vancouver. UPDATE: 1:30 p.m. Crews are scrambling to fix a broken de-icing machine, which has caused delays for Air Canada flights at Kelowna International Airport Sunday. Frustrated passengers have been stuck inside a departing aircraft since 11:05 a.m. It has nothing to do with baggage, the company that does the de-icing for Air Canada had a mechanical failure, said Sean Parker spokesperson for YLW. They are working on it right now, he said. An alternative plan is in process to de-ice the aircraft and is expected to take 30 minutes. The truck is going to be up shortly, but we have a backup plan we are rolling out right now, said Parker. The mechanical failure has caused delays for other Air Canada flights. They are scrambling to get it sorted out right now, he said. It has caused an issue for Air Canada absolutely there is a bit of a snowball effect. ORIGINAL: 12:50 p.m. Passengers have been sitting inside an aircraft for two hours after their departing flight from Kelowna International Airport has been delayed. Air Canada flight 1185 to Vancouver was expected to leave Kelowna at 11:05 a.m. but has not left the tarmac. Pilot stated Kelowna operations staff shortages will result in late baggage loading delayed 40 minutes and counting, said Jim Marshall who is onboard the flight. Marshal said it seems the airport is at a standstill. "Things have gone from bad to worse, people are missing connections," he said. Castanet reached out to YLW for comment but have not received a response at the time of publication. Departing Air Canada flights 8415 and 8417, WestJet flight 3325 and Flair Airlines flight 8310 are all delayed. For updates on flights visit this link. West Africa looks to exports Published 18 December 2017 While lower oil prices, Ebola and civil unrest have impacted west African economies, the regions cement market has continued to expand with further growth forecast for the next few years. However, as domestic producers have upgraded their capacities and new players have entered the market, overcapacity is creating the need to export surpluses. By Trond Waerp, Africa Consulting Services AS, Norway. West Africa, defined as the region from Senegal in the northwest to Nigeria in the southeast, has seen its population grow by 2.2-2.5 per cent in the last few years to around 352m in 2016. However, this hides wide differences between countries. The population of Nigeria is almost seven times that of Ghana, the second-largest in west Africa, and 100 times that of the smallest countries, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Iraq has overtaken Saudi Arabia for the first time to become Indias top crude oil supplier in the current fiscal, helped by sales of discounted heavy crude, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today. Saudi Arabia traditionally has been Indias top oil source but in the April-October period of 2017-18, Iraq dethroned it, supplying 25.8 million tonnes (MT) of oil. advertisement In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Pradhan said Saudi Arabia supplied 21.9 MT of crude oil in the first seven months of 2017-18. For the second year in a row, Iran continues to be the third largest supplier to India by selling 12.5 MT oil during the period. Iran was Indias second biggest supplier of crude oil after Saudi Arabia till 2010-11 but western sanctions over its suspected nuclear programme relegated it to the 7th spot in the subsequent years. In 2013-14 and 2014-15, India bought 11 MT and 10.95 MT respectively from it. Sourcing from Iran increased to 12.7 MT in 2015-16, giving it the sixth spot. In the following year, the Iranian supplies jumped to 27.2 MT to catapult it to the third spot, Pradhan said. Venezuela is Indias fourth largest supplier with 11.5 MT during the period, followed by Nigerial with 10.6 MT, Pradhan said. India is 80 per cent dependent on imports to meet its oil needs. Easing of western sanctions in 2015 has led to the Indian refiners raising their purchase from Iran. Kuwait, which was the third largest supplier in 2013-14 has steadily slipped, supplying just 6.4 MT in the first seven months of the current fiscal. It had in 2014-15 supplied 17.9 MT crude, which came down to 9.8 MT in 2016-17, Pradhan said. He said India imported 125.8 MT of crude oil in the April -October period for USD 45.1 billion. In 2016-17, crude oil imports stood at 213.9 MT, costing USD 70.2 billion. In 2015-16, India imported 202.9 MT crude oil at USD 64 billion. Pradhan said Indias dependence on the Middle East for its crude oil needs has increased from 58 per cent in 2014-15 to 63.5 per cent in the April-October period of this fiscal. India had imported 109.9 MT out of 189.4 MT of total crude imports in 2014-15 from the region. In the current fiscal so far, the Middle East has accounted for 79.9 MT of crude oil supplies from India. PTI ANZ SA --- ENDS --- advertisement LafargeHolcim plans PLN150m investment in Kujawy ICR Newsroom By 18 December 2017 LafargeHolcim intends to invest PLN150m (US$42m) in alternative fuel-related projects in its Cementownia Kujawy cement works in Poland. The company will modify the clinker line to burn alternative fuels and improve product quality. The investment will also include the construction of new cement loading terminals and the launch of a fully-automated laboratory. Published under Bamburi Cement suspends plans to switch to solar power ICR Newsroom By 18 December 2017 Bamburi Cement has put its plans to switch to solar power on hold, reports Standard Digital. The high cost of the project has left the company to resort to other methods to reduce its rising energy expenses, such as using waste tyres for fuel. Bamburi Cement spends KES2.4bn (US$23.2m) annually on electricity to run its two plants in Mombasa and Nairobi. These figures make it the second-highest consumer of electricity in Kenya. To reduce that power usage by a significant factor, the company would have to build a 15MW solar power plant. But for solar to generate 15 MW we needed at least five acres of land. For us, that is just not viable at the moment considering in Mombasa alone, we spend KES120m on power every month, said Susan Maingi, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability. Although using waste tyres has not had the same effect as a solar power plant would, Bamburi has managed to recycle 400,000t of tyres. Published under If you have even an elementary knowledge of world history, you probably know that everybody doesnt always get along. Some countries have lots of friends. But others have many enemies. Likewise, some countries have great reputations worldwide. Other countries not so much. You could describe some countries as universally loved, and others as widely hated. But interestingly enough, the most hated countries may not be the ones youd assume. The Reputation Institute offer a fascinating look at which countries are the most and least popular. The group reports that people around the world form their perceptions of each country through direct experience, [their] own communication, third parties perspectives, and generally accepted stereotypes. The most loved countries have a positive reputation for factors like quality of life, quality of institutions, and level of development. But countries with a poor reputation the most hated countries make a negative impression in those arenas. Read on to learn which nations make the list of the most hated countries. You can even find out whether the United States makes the list. 15. Qatar At fifteenth place on the list of the most hated countries is Qatar. The report indicates that Qatar has a weak reputation worldwide. Part of Qatars reputation problem? The wealthy countrys supposed ties with terrorism. Six Arab countries Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, and Yemen severed their ties with Qatar in 2017 because of the governments links to terrorist groups. These countries accused Qatar of supporting ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as Shia rebels in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Additionally, Qatar is a country where men dramatically outnumber women, and many workers face exploitation and abuse. Next: This Middle Eastern country, currently embroiled in a conflict with a neighbor, is approximately the size of New Jersey. 14. Israel Next on the list of the most hated countries? Israel. This nation has a long and complex history. But the conflict that currently impacts the worlds view of Israel is its conflict with Palestine. As Vox explains, The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is over who gets what land and how its controlled. Palestinians, the Arab population that hails from the land Israel now controls, want to establish a state on that land. Several parties have suggested a two-state solution. That would establish Palestine as an independent state in Gaza and the West Bank and leave the rest of the land to Israel. But the two sides dont agree on how to make it work in practice. Clashes between Israelis and Palestinians still happen frequently. Plus, both groups blame each other for terror attacks that routinely kill civilians. Next: This country has had a long series of PR problems. 13. Romania Most Americans probably dont know much about Romania, the largest of the Balkan countries. So what lands it on the list of the most hated countries in the world? The BBC reports that Romania has had a long line of public relations problems. It doesnt help that Romania remains one of the most corrupt countries in Europe. Plus, the country has faced criticism for its prejudicial treatment of the Roma ethnic community. Many Europeans look down on Romania as a source of immigrants who steal their jobs. Plus, news stories about horse meat coming from the countrys slaughterhouses played into prejudices against the country. Romanias recent past as a Communist dictatorship also looms large in the public imagination. As the BBC notes, For many people in the West, images of children abandoned in Soviet-era orphanages are the first thing they associate with Romania. Next: Youve likely only heard of this former Soviet republic because of a movie. 12. Kazakhstan Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence when the Soviet Union fell apart. But this young nations poor reputation makes it one of the most hated countries in the world. Kazakhstan has vast oil, gas, and mineral resources. But international organizations have expressed concern about the countrys observance of human rights, protection of civil liberties, and adherence to democratic procedures. Most Americans have probably only heard of Kazakhstan because of the movie Borat. The movie may have damaged Kazakhstans international image, but Slate reports that Borats Kazakhstan bears little resemblance to the real Kazakhstan. Little resemblance, but not no resemblance. Kazakhstan is a majority-Muslim country, and anti-Semitism isnt prevalent in the country, despite what Borat might suggest. Plus, the movies portrayal of prostitution is wildly exaggerated, though prostitution does remain a real problem in the country. Next: This Eastern European country has only been independent since 1991. 11. Ukraine Next on the list of the most hated countries? Ukraine, another young nation that has only been independent since 1991. Newsweek reports that Vladimir Putins decade-long media campaigns turned Russians against Ukrainians and the Ukrainian state prior to his 2014 annexation of Crimea. Thanks to Putin, Russians hate Ukraine as both a country and as a people, and Moscow has subjugated or ruled Ukraine for generations. But its not just Russians who hate Ukraine. Anti-Ukrainian sentiment has reportedly swelled in Poland, thanks at least in part to what Ukrainians call the tabloidization of the painful chapters in history between the two nations, particularly the Volyn massacres in 1943-1944. Additionally, 1.5 t0 2 million Ukrainians moved to Poland after the 2014 Maidan uprising, which has exacerbated the situation. Plus, Ukraines reputation for restricting media freedom doesnt help. Next: Youve probably heard about a coup in this country. But you likely dont know everything about its aftermath. 10. Turkey Turkey lands in 10th place among the most hated countries in the world. One major reason why? Its reputation for human rights violations. Youve likely seen headlines about Turkeys struggles, as relations have soured between Turkey and the United States in the months since an attempted coup against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But human rights issues also impact Turkeys reputation in the U.S. and worldwide. After the coup, Erdogans government jailed thousands of soldiers and embarked on a wholesale purge of public officials, police, teachers, judges, and prosecutors. The government also passed decrees that conflict with basic human rights safeguards. The government can now confiscate property. It can also dismiss public employees without an investigation. And it can hold people in custody for up to 30 days. The weakening of safeguards coincided with increased reports of torture and other abuses. Plus, Erdogans government has become notorious for censoring what Turkeys citizens can see on the internet. Next: This country has become a major world power, but has some work to do on human rights. 9. China It seems that everybody hates China. That makes it unsurprising to see China on the list of the most hated countries. The Reputation Institute reports that as China gains relevance as a national leader, its reputation has slowly improved. But Chinas reputation is still weak, and it saw a pretty major decrease in perceptions that its an ethical country. And, if nothing else, people around the world likely object to Chinas blatant racism and sense of cultural superiority. Public Radio International reports that growing Chinese nationalism and Chinas assertion of claims in the South China Sea have garnered global criticism. Those factors have also disrupted Chinas relationship with the U.S. Additionally, many Chinese people want more freedom. But the Chinese Communist Party doesnt want to change its authoritarian posture. The result? What the Human Rights Watch calls a dire outlook for fundamental human rights, including freedoms of expression, assembly, association and religion. Next: This country has a terrible reputation thanks to its drug trade and 50-year-long war. 8. Colombia The Reputation Institute reports that Colombias reputation has seen a positive trend since the peace process started, referring to the efforts to end the decades-long war between the government and rebel groups. The recent Panama Papers scandal had little effect on Colombias global reputation. (However, the scandal did have an effect on some attributes of the countrys reputation. In its aftermath, fewer people consider Colombia a responsible participant in global affairs or an ethical country.) Nonetheless, Colombia consistently makes the list of the most hated countries because of its massive drug trade and the crime associated with it. The Guardian reports that Colombia is producing more cocaine than ever. During the decades-long conflict, rebel groups like the FARC financed their fight through the drug trade. The war spanned more than 50 years and resulted in the deaths of more than 220,000 Colombians, but peace remains fragile. Next: This North African country has been ravaged by civil war. 7. Algeria Algeria is another nation that makes the list of the most hated countries thanks to a long war and numerous human rights violations. NPR reports that the countrys black decade of civil war still weighs heavily on Algerian memories (and likely on global perceptions of the country, too). During the 1990s, the government brought a brutal civil war against an Islamist insurgency. The government eventually won, but 200,000 civilians died in the process. The Human Rights Watch reports that the Algerian government promised reforms in 2011. However, Algeria has made little progress since then. Authorities still curtail free speech. They also impede Algerians rights to freedom of association, assembly, and peaceful protest. Additionally, the government arbitrarily arrests and prosecutes activists. And perpetrators of torture, murder, and other abuses during the civil war still enjoy impunity. Next: Americans know this country for its oppression of women and gender segregation. 6. Saudi Arabia Few Americans will feel surprised to see Saudi Arabia on the list of the most hated countries in the world. Thats because most Americans have heard of this Arab states centuries-old attitude toward women. The austere Wahhabi form of Islam has shaped Saudi Arabias culture, and the conservative religious kingdom only recently declared that it would allow women to drive. But Saudi Arabia still oppresses women in many other ways. The World Economic Forums 2016 Global Gender Gap Report ranked the kingdom 141 out of 144 countries on gender parity. A Saudi Arabian woman cant marry, divorce, travel, or get a job without permission from a male guardian. (Usually her father, husband, brother, or even her son.) She cant eat at restaurants that dont have a designated family section. Nor can she enter through the same door as male patrons, as the country segregates by genders. And she cant get a fair hearing in court, because the Saudi Arabian legal system holds women as legally equal to minors. Next: You often hear about this country in the news. 5. Russia Anybody who pays attention to the new could probably have guessed that Russian would land on the list of the most hated countries worldwide. The Reputation Institute reports that Russias reputation got worse in 2017 after a peak in 2016. In particular, consumers worldwide grew a lot less confident in Russias status as an ethical country and a responsible participant in the global community. As The Chicago Tribune reports, the world hates Russia, and Russia hates it back. People almost everywhere in the world have an unfavorable opinion of Russia. Many of them cite concerns with Russias foreign policy, such as Vladimir Putins efforts to destabilize Europe or his choice to support Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Russia has also attracted criticism for human rights violations, including its treatment of LGBT citizens. The country classified homosexuality as a crime until 1993 and a mental illness until 1999. More recently, it passed a law banning gay propaganda, and hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens surged. Next: Many factors, including Ebola, have hurt this African countrys reputation. 4. Nigeria Nigeria is Africas most populous country, as well as Africas largest economy thanks to large oil reserves. But the nation lands on the list of the most hated countries in the world for a few reasons. For decades, Nigeria has had a reputation for corruption. Nearly a third of Nigerian adults who had contact with local public officials reported cases where bribes were solicited or paid to a public official, according to a recent survey. On average, Nigerians pay such bribes six times per year. Nigerias reputation also took a hit thanks to the Ebola outbreak. The rise of the Boko Haram terrorist group didnt help, either. About 2.5 million Nigerians remain displaced by Boko Haram attacks. Even worse? The governments humanitarian response has been criticized as insufficient. Displaced Nigerians often dont have access to adequate food, shelter, education, or healthcare. Most also lack sufficient protection for harm or freedom of movement. Displaced women and girls also suffer rape and sexual exploitation. Next: This South Asian country has a very violent reputation. 3. Pakistan Pakistan lands in third place among the most hated countries in the world. As the only nuclear power in the Muslim world, Pakistan plays an important role in the international community. But this South Asian country has a violent reputation thats only been exacerbated by concerns over human rights violations. As the Human Rights Watch explains, militant violence routinely kills people through bombings targeted at courts and mosques and carried out by the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and their affiliates. Law enforcement and security agencies dont stand accountable for human rights violations, and secret military courts sentence people to death. The government also curbs Pakistanis freedom of expression, and has cracked down on peaceful speech on the internet. Pakistan also fails to protect women, religious minorities, and transgender people from violence. Next: Youve probably heard about a nuclear deal with this country. 2. Iran Though Iran has a fascinating history as a home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world, its instability makes it one of the most hated countries in the world. Donald Trump has repeatedly insulted the nation as a dictatorship of murderous leaders, whom he accused of spreading death, destruction, and chaos all over the globe. Trumps insults havent helped the situation, but the Human Rights Watch does express some major concerns about the countrys lack of respect for civil and political rights and the governments choice to punish many crimes with death. Irans human rights abuses arent the only factor to cause national concern. Its nuclear program has also caused some serious concerns (again, from Trump, but also from other players on the international stage). Irans behavior from testing ballistic missiles to funding violent militia groups throughout the Middle East troubles leaders worldwide. As Vox notes, Iran has made a policy of undermining Americas allies by supporting their enemies. Next: This country is the most hated country of all. 1. Iraq Nobody will feel surprised to see Iraq among the ranks of the most hated countries in the world, particularly because of its status as an extremely high-profile war zone. The longstanding conflict between ISIS and government forces has ravaged the country. As the Human Rights Watch explains, ISIS used civilians as human shields, fired indiscriminate weapons into civilian areas, carried out car bomb and other suicide attacks, and planted landmines. ISIS hasnt been defeated yet. And Iraqs government isnt innocent, either. Government forces destroyed civilians homes and engaged in looting. They also committed other abuses against civilians such as enforced disappearances, torture, and executions. Government forces have even used child soldiers. That alone seems enough to solidify Iraqs status as the most hated country in the world. Next: What about North Korea? What about North Korea? Are you wondering Wheres North Korea? We have a couple of answers for you. First, the unexciting one: The Reputation Institute tracks only the 55 largest economies by GDP. North Koreas economy experienced record growth in 2016, but the isolated countrys per capita gross national income was just 1.5 million won, or roughly $1,342. Thats not enough to land North Korea on the list of the largest economies. Nonetheless, people around the world have found plenty of things to criticize about North Korea. For one, it remains a repressive authoritarian state. Kim Jong Un forces North Koreans to obey through public executions, arbitrary detention, and forced labor. Tight travel restrictions prevent North Koreans from leaving. The government commits numerous human rights violations including murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortion, and other sexual violence. And, of course, North Koreas nuclear program is a source of anxiety. Next: How about the United States? What about the United States of America? Finally, a note for those worried that theyd see America among the ranks of the most hated countries. The United States doesnt land among the 15 most hated countries. But it sits just three spots above Qatar number 15 with only a moderate reputation worldwide. Additionally, the Reputation Institute characterizes the United States as the country with the highest reputation drop in 2017. The world regards the U.S. highly for its well-known brands, its technology, and its culture. But America loses out on some other factors. Consumers worldwide give the U.S. poor ratings for its status as a responsible participant in world affairs and its enactment of progressive social and economic policies. Perhaps even worse? They also dont show a lot of confidence in the United States as an effective government or as an ethical country. The perception of the U.S. as an effective government dropped dramatically in 2017, a dip that Forbes termed the Trump effect. Read more: These Insane Conspiracy Theories About North Korea Will Blow Your Mind Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The British Royal Family Has a Massive Net Worth, but They Arent the Only Wealthy Royal Family It takes a ton of money and effort for royals to look regal. From the jeweled crowns and lavish ceremonies to expensive travels, balls, and parties, royal families around the world have monumental expenses to keep up with their lifestyles. Though taxpayers often contribute to the monarchies expenses, generations of wealth, property, and investments have also made royals from around the world extremely wealthy. From the British monarchy who have a massive amount of wealth as private citizens to other monarchies across the globe who are rolling in dough, the net worth of todays royal families will leave you astounded. 15. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, $9 million The Spanish crown gets their money right from taxpayers. Each year, they are paid just over $9 million. Their payments are broken up into monthly installments with the king, the queen, the prince, and the princess getting various monthly sums. Spains National Heritage group is in charge of maintaining the crowns royal palaces, country residences, and art collections. If this is how much the family is bringing in each year, we cant begin to imagine how much they are worth overall. Next: The $12 million dollar Queen of Denmark 14. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, $12 million The Danish royal family is granted about 800,813 per month which is just over $1 million USD. Much of the money is used to cover the queens expenses. The queen also has a very extensive art collection that she owns as a private citizen, and many of the estates the family has are also privately owned. Next: The king who must pay for his own private flights 13. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, $46 million Each year, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is allocated about $46 million to cover his familys expenses. His allowances also cover overseas visits and tours. However, in 2014, the budget stopped covering private flights. Somehow, we dont think King Willem-Alexander is too upset by this; he has a personal fortune from his real estate ventures and investments, and he has a major stake in Shell oil. Next: The kingdom that has all of their royal household expenses paid for 12. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, $71 million Each year, the Swedish Crown is given about $8 million by the state to cover the cost of the kings official duties, as well as the royal households expenses. Then, the palace administration gives another $8 million to keep up with the palaces and royal art collections. But none of this includes the familys personal fortunes. King Carl is worth $71 million by himself. Next: The sultan that made his fortune in gas and oil 11. The Sultan of Oman, $700 million Qaboos bin Said al Said is the Sultan of Oman, who has built his fortune from Omans immense gas and oil resources. Hes used an extensive amount of his $700 million net worth to personally restore mosques around the world. Its a pretty cool way to spend money if you ask us. Next: A prince known for his global charity work 10. Prince Karim Al Husseini Aga Khan, $800 million Though Shah Karim al-Hussayni Aga Khan IV is a prince, he doesnt actually rule over anything. Instead, he is a revered religious figure. What he does do however is use his $800 million net worth to purchase lavish things, like an extravagant yacht club in Sardinia. He is also known for his global charity work. Next: A prince who has stakes in the Monte Carlo Casino 9. The Prince of Monaco, $1 billion The late Princess Grace Kellys son, Prince Albert II, runs Monaco, but that didnt stop him from investing wisely. Prince Albert II is worth $1 billion because he has shares in the Societe des bains de mer de Monaco. The company manages Monte Carlo Casino and the Opera de Monte-Carlos funds. Wed say thats a really sound investment. Next: The former Emir who helped established Al Jazeera 8. Former Emir of Qatar, $2.4 billion Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar, made his fortune by establishing the Qatar Investment Authority. It seems like a really good business to be in because it manages the countrys excess oil and gas reserves. However, you probably know Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for an entirely different reason. He established Al Jazeera, giving the organization $137 million to help kick off. Next: The prince who loves to spend all of his money on art 7. The Prince of Liechtenstein, $3.5 billion Being a prince and being able to own a private wealth firm at the same time seems like an iconic job. It certainly helped Hans-Adam II, the Prince of Liechtenstein amass quite a fortune. Along with his family, Prince Hans II owns the Liechtenstein Global Trust, which is the largest in the family-owned private wealth firm in the world. The prince likes to spend his money on art, and his extensive art collection is on display at Liechtenstein Museum. Next: The Prime Minister who is committed to giving his fortune away 6. Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, $4 billion Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is the current Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates, and hes worth an immense $4 billion. However, the Prime Minister has been committed to giving his fortune away. He contributed $10 billion in 2011 to his foundation, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation. The organization empowers future generations to develop sustainable solutions in the Arab world. If Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has anything to say about it, the UAE is going to continue to expand their wealth. Next: The man who is both a President and a philanthropist 5. The President of the United Arab Emirates, $15 billion Just because you have a ton of money doesnt mean you cant be a giving person. Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and the Emir of Abu Dhabi amassed his $15 billion dollar empire when he was chairman of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Despite his net worth, President Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan is a huge philanthropist who contributes to medical facilities. Next: The monarchy who is thriving from oil 4. The Saudi Arabian monarchy, $18 billion They say you cant take your money with you, but the late King of Saudia Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, would have been rich in the afterlife if he was able to take his money with him. Before his death in 2015, the king was worth $18 billion, mostly from oil. Next: The sultan who has 600 Rolls-Royces 3. Bruneis Sultan, $20 billion Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, had an estimated wealth of $20 billion back in 2011, and if we could guess wed say it has only grown from there. Sultan Bolkiah made his fortune as a result of oil and gas development in his country. The word is, the 71-year old knows how to spend his dough well. He apparently owns more than 600 Rolls-Royces because those cars are essential to life apparently. His palace which is named Istana Nurul Iman is the largest in the world and is worth an enormous, $350 million. Next: The late king who has shares in several different banks 2. The late King of Thailand, $30 billion Before he passed away in 2016, the late King of Thailand was worth an astounding $30 billion. He owned 3,000 acres of land in central Bangkok and shares in several different banks. During his life, he was the longest-reigning monarch, so of course, he had to have some massive bling. King Adulyadej owned a 545-carat Golden Jubilee Diamond, which is basically worth more than life itself. Next: The most recognized royal family in the world 1. The British royal family, $88 billion Each year, Brand Finance comes up with a value for the British monarch by calculating the Windsors actual assets as well as their value impact (whatever that means). This year theyve come up with an astounding number to the tune of $88 billion dollars. Considering Buckingham Palace, the royal collection of art, the famous Crown Jewels, and the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall make up a whopping $33 billion collectively, that number doesnt seem too far-fetched when you really think about it. The royals are a massive tourism draw. Duchess Kate Middleton and now Meghan Markle will add to the fashion industry and shows like The Crown, and with films like The Queen, its no shock that being royal adds up to a pretty penny. Queen Elizabeth II is worth $500 million on her own. Still, its not easy being royal. Taxpayers in the U.K. contribute 292 million ($388 million) to the monarchy each year. Follow Aramide Tinubu on Twitter @midnightrami. Read more: British Royal Family Drama: Craziest Feuds You Wont Believe Actually Happened Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Held captive by a determination to keep religion confined to churches and homes, the Freedom from Religion Foundation is demanding the Wisconsin Department of Corrections sever ties with an educational ministry that offers inmates a degree in Biblical studies. Modeled after the 22-year-old seminary housed at Angola Prison in Louisiana, the Wisconsin Inmate Education Association (WIEA) and Trinity International University (TIU) formed a partnership to create Operation Transformation, an educational program offering a Bachelor of Science in Biblical studies to inmates serving life or long-term sentences. After completing the four-year program, the inmates are reassigned to other prisons as field ministers. The Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) calls Operation Transformation a grave violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and claims in a letter sent to state officials that inmates would be better served by a non-religious education. Representatives for the WIEA and TIU would not comment on the FFRF letter because they were not aware of its existence until I asked them about it, but they said they are looking into the matter. A representative from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections did not respond to questions by deadline. The letter demands an immediate suspension of the prisons association with the WIEA and the university and asks Wisconsin Department of Corrections Secretary Jon Litscher to respond in writing with a detailed plan to ensure the department meets its constitutional obligations. Colin McNamara, an FFRF attorney, cited laws prohibiting state actors from requiring conformance or participation in religious activities but did not indicate how Operation Transformation violates any of those statutesother than by its mere existence. Fourteen states have active or developing seminaries within their prison systems, according to the Global Prison Seminaries Foundation, a ministry started by Burl Cain, the former Angola Prison warden who established a seminary program there. Cains work in encouraging Christian ministry at Angola is credited with dramatically reducing violence in a prison once known as Americas bloodiest. Angolas turnaround prompted other states to adopt similar initiatives. Wisconsin is one of the newest adoptees. Its first class of 25 seminary students is five weeks into the four-year degree program. Inmates meet for class six hours a day, five days a week. The FFRF claims the seminary program amounts to an unconstitutional motivational carrot to coerce participation in a religious activity. It is illegal for correctional institutions to condition any benefit to inmates on their attendance at religious programs, McNamara warned, without giving context for the allegation or noting any specific conditions for joining the Waupun Correctional Institute program. But, of the 25 students enrolled in the first class, 18 relocated from medium- or minimum-security state prisons to the maximum-security Waupun Correctional Institute. They will live among the general population for four years before being transferred to other maximum-security prisons as men of peace in violent and hopeless environments. For these inmates, moving into a maximum-security prison has been a significant sacrifice, said Robin Knoll, the executive director of WIEA. Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com Publication date: December 18, 2017 At least nine people were killed and more than 50 others injured after ISIS extremists attacked a church in southwestern Pakistan during a Sunday service. The attack was on Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, where one ISIS radical detonated a bomb that was strapped to him. A second ISIS fighter was killed while he opened fire on the worshippers. Two other ISIS radicals escaped and police are searching for the suspects. Baluchistan Police Chief Moazzam Ansari said security personnel and officers prevented a much more deadlier attack. Some 400 people were attending the service. Arguably, the quick response of the security forces at the church reduced the impact of this attack, but that has done nothing to ease the anxiety that Christians are feeling," Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the London-based charity British Pakistani Christian Association, said in a statement. "Christians clearly need more protection as two attacks on churches in two months is becoming too common an incident. Two women were among the nine killed and 10 other women and seven children were among those injured in the attack. Law enforcement agencies have badly failed in protecting common citizens, and minorities in particular," Shamaun Alfred Gill, a Christian activist in Islamabad told The New York Times. "December is a month of Christian religious rituals," Gill added. "We had demanded the government beef up security for churches all over the country. But they have failed to do so. Pakistan is ranked as the fourth worst nation in the world in persecution of Christians, according to Open Doors USAs 2017 World Watch List. "Attacking worshipers, especially over the Christmas season, is an act of cowardice," Nasir Saeed, Director of the U.K.-based Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, said in a statement. "It is condemnable and such hate and violence cannot help anyone to make a place in Heaven." Photo courtesy: Religion News Service Publication date: December 18, 2017 Roy Moore continues to ignore calls to concede the Alabama Senate race he lost to Democrat Doug Jones on December 12th. In the days following the election, Moores campaign released an almost five-minute video in which Moore spoke about the issues facing our nation and why he will continue his fight to have the election results examined and sent a letter to supporters to raise funds for an election integrity fund. In the video released by his campaign, Moore thanked his supporters for standing by him and pledged to watch closely as military and provisional ballots continue to be counted. We are indeed in a struggle to preserve our republic, our civilization, and our religion and to set free a suffering humanity. And the battle rages on. In this race, we have not received the final count to include military and provisional ballots. This has been a very close race and we are awaiting certification by the Secretary of State. He moved on to name a long list of issues facing our nation, including how our political process has been affected with baseless and false allegations which have become more relevant than the issues which affect our country. He cited this Senate race as proof of the corruption in our political process, saying that, This election was tainted by over $50 million dollars from outside groups who want to retain power and their corrupt ideology. In the letter supporters received last week, he said that his campaign needed to collect $75,000. They would use these funds to gather instances of voter fraud and other irregularities at polling locations throughout the state. He continued, My campaign team is busy collecting numerous reported cases of voter fraud and irregularities for the Secretary of States office. Moore has few friends in high places helping him with his campaign to challenge the results of the election, which he lost by over 20,000 votes out of the over 1.3 million cast, or 1.5 percent of the vote. President Trump answered a question about Moore conceding Friday at the White House. I think he should," said the President. In addition, a source told CNN that former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who visited Alabama to campaign for Moore, told Moores campaign that he needs to concede. Alabamas senior Senator, Richard Shelby, congratulated Doug Jones on his victory. Shelby did not support Moore in the campaign and wrote in another name rather than voting for him. Senator Luther Strange, whom former Governor Robert Bentley appointed to fill the seat until the special election, has already pledged to help Jones with the transition that needs to take place before he takes his seat. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, a Republican who voted for Moore, expects to certify the vote the week after Christmas. He told CNNs Jake Tapper that he does not anticipate any issues that would change the results of the elections. The people of Alabama have spoken tonight. Theyve made their voice heard loud and clear. Photo courtesy: Religion News Service Publication date: December 18, 2017 A Messianic Jew Reflects on Christmas Is Christmas a holiday with pagan origins? Is Christmas a holiday with pagan origins? Is it wrong to celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25th? And what about putting up a Christmas tree? Is that a direct violation of Jeremiah 10? As a Jewish follower of Jesus (commonly called a "Messianic Jew"), I do not relate to the Christmas season the way many Christians do, especially those who were raised in a home where Christmas was celebrated. Yet I do not have a problem with the Christian celebration of Christmas as long as the spirit of the celebration is right. If Jesus is being adored and his birth is being commemorated, the date of that commemoration is not a concern to me. It is true that there is no biblical holiday that marks the birth of Jesus, nor is there a command given to celebrate it at a later time. But that doesn't mean it was wrong for the later Church to develop the Christmas tradition. To be sure, some traditions are negative and destructive, going against the Scriptures and even making void what the Bible teaches. And Jesus actively opposed such traditions. But other traditions are neutral, while still others can be positive. If, over time, Christians felt it important to remember the birth of the Messiah along with his death and resurrection, what harm is there in doing so? It is true that the evidence appears against Jesus being born on December 25th, although there were early Church leaders who did believe he was born at that time. More importantly, December 25th was a pagan holiday, and many believe that the Church adopted this day to celebrate Christmas as a capitulation to paganism. While this is certainly possible (as a Messianic Jew, I don't relate to Church history the way many Christians do), it's also possible that this was not the case at all. As the recently departed theologian R. C. Sproul explains, "It just so happens that on the twenty-fifth of December in the Roman Empire there was a pagan holiday that was linked to mystery religions; the pagans celebrated their festival on December 25. The Christians didn't want to participate in that, and so they said, 'While everybody else is celebrating this pagan thing, we're going to have our own celebration. We're going to celebrate the thing that's most important in our lives, the incarnation of God, the birth of Jesus Christ. So this is going to be a time of joyous festivities, of celebration and worship of our God and King.'" The whole gospel story is a story of redemption, and since God owns every day of the year, why not redeem a day set apart for pagan worship and use it instead to glorify the Lord? Regardless of why this date was chosen, since it is the date on which hundreds of millions of Christians do mark the Messiah's birth, it's as good a day as any to celebrate it, should you be so inclined to do so. Many Messianic Jews celebrate the birth of Jesus (whom they call Yeshua, using his original Hebrew name) during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), which takes place in September or October. They believe an argument can be made that he was born at this time of the year, they point out that this is already a time set apart on the biblical calendar as holy to the Lord, and they point to John 1:14, which states that "the Word" (speaking of Jesus) tabernacled among us. Personally, I think that's wonderful as well. But I also believe it's fine not to celebrate the birth of Jesus on any particular holiday. Let every day be a celebration of his birth! At the same time, since the gospels take considerable time to describe these important events (historically, in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2, and theologically in John 1), it's fine to mark this with a special, annual celebration where these texts are read again and familiar hymns, like "Joy to the World" are sung. Hope remains alive because God sent his Son into the world. I'm aware, of course, that there's no evidence that the earliest disciples specially marked the day of his birth, and I'm aware that in early American history, the celebration of Christmas was actually banned, primarily through Puritan influence. But once again, I believe the spirit of the event is what matters most, not the questions of date or timing. What about erecting a Christmas tree? Does this have anything to do with the birth of Jesus? Obviously not. Does it have pagan origins? There are arguments for or against such origins. Let each one decide for himself or herself. Is it a violation of Jeremiah 10:2-4? Certainly not. The text in Jeremiah reads, "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move." This is talking about making an worshiping an idol, and nothing more. It is not referring to putting up a Christmas tree in your home! As noted on the CARM website, "If people were praying to their Christmas trees or worshiping them as deities, these passages would certainly apply. But that is not, nor has it ever been, how Christmas trees are used. Christmas trees were never appealed to for blessings nor incorporated into religious rituals or acts of worship. While the exact origin of Christmas trees is unknown and highly disputed, the tradition seems to have come into existence as late as the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation in Germany. There is no evidence that Christians ever used them as anything other than home decorations for the holidays. There is nothing in this tradition that is innately idolatrous or in any way contrary to the biblical prohibitions against carving trees into false gods." My personal perspective on Christmas trees is this. If it's just a fun family tradition that has no religious significance, there's nothing wrong with that in itself. And if the tree is decorated in such a way that it reminds a family about the birth of Jesus, I see no reason to be critical. On the other hand, if the tree is the center of a hyper-materialistic, greed-driven celebration, it's best to separate this from the miracle of the incarnation (the Son of God becoming flesh), lest we degrade his birth into an excuse for carnality. So for me, as a Messianic Jew, even though I don't appreciate "the spirit of Christmas" the way many Christians do, I can enjoy Christmas in a non-religious way (a fun time for the family to get together) and I can affirm other believers who set this time of the year aside in a holy way. I can enjoy singing the special hymns too. Let there be liberty here as long as Jesus is being exalted. You Spent $22 Million Investigating UFOs Have you heard of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program? Have you heard of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program? Neither had I. But the New York Times is reporting that this little-known government agency spent $22 million of our tax dollars between 2007 and 2012 investigating unidentified flying objects. Even though funding ended five years ago, the program has continued. However, I could find no mention in the Times article that any proof of extraterrestrial life has so far been discovered. In related news, this headline caught my eye: "Stephen Hawking's search for extraterrestrial life came up short." An organization he founded has been studying 'Oumuamua, a cigar-shaped interstellar asteroid that zipped past Earth recently. (The name means "messenger from afar arriving first" in Hawaiian.) It is the first-ever documented interstellar asteroid to fly by our planet. The researchers hoped to detect alien spaceship transmissions or signals emanating from the asteroid. However, none were discovered. One more story from the sky: the Geminid Meteor Shower made another appearance last week. It peaked around 2 a.m. Thursday morning. I walk in our neighborhood early each morning after publishing the Daily Article and had an excellent opportunity to see the meteor shower, but I forgot to look up. Therein lies my point today. The reason for democracy's falling popularity In his latest New York Times column, David Brooks focuses on an essential truth that is foundational to our democracy. Citing novelist Thomas Mann, Brooks defines the "one great truth" with which democracy begins: "the infinite dignity of individual men and women. Man is made in God's image. Unlike other animals, humans are morally responsible." Here's his point: democracy is "the only system built on respect for the infinite dignity of each individual man and woman, on each person's moral striving for freedom, justice and truth." As a result, "It would be a great error to think of and teach democracy as a procedural or political system, or as the principle of majority rule." Rather, it is a "spiritual and moral possession." This point is urgent for today's culture. Democracy is in conflict with other political systems around the globe, from the "centrally managed capitalism" of China's one-party rule, to the Communist aggression of North Korea, to the theocratic aspirations of Islamic jihadists. But our democracy is also in conflict with itself. In Western countries, the percentage of people who say it is "essential" to live in a democracy has plummeted in recent years. Only about 30 percent of American millennials consider democracy to be essential to our lives. The falling popularity of democracy is unsurprising in a culture that is abandoning the biblical worldview, including its emphasis on the sanctity of every human life. Our society now measures worth by utilityyou are valuable to the degree that you contribute to society. Unborn babies and infirm elderly persons are considered less valuable than the rest of us, which is why our culture has decided they can be aborted or euthanized if other, more "valuable" people (i.e., their parents or children) so choose. If we believe that every person is inherently as valuable as every other person, we will love our poor, homeless, mentally challenged, and other marginalized neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39; 25:40). And, as Brooks notes, we will believe in democracy's inherent commitment to "the infinite dignity of individual men and women." The good news is the good news To revive our democracy, we need to look beyond our democracy. We need to look up, not down or around. We need to look beyond the stars to the God who "determines the number of the stars" and "gives to all of them their names" (Psalm 147:4). If our Father can name every one of the 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars in the known universe, he can name every one of the 7,588,661,333 people on our planet this morning. Including you and me. What can we do to help more people know that God knows them? One: Love others as God loves us. A seven-year-old girl living in an impoverished home wrote to Santa Claus asking for a blanket, food, and a ball she could share with her brother. When her story was made public, donations poured in. How can you help someone who needs what you have this week? Two: Tell people that God loves them. An evangelical pastor recently met with Pope Francis in Rome. What was the pontiff's advice for him? "Preach. Preach the Good News. The world needs better preaching. Preach. Don't ever stop. Tell as many people as you can. Our world needs Good News. Our world needs Jesus. So preach." Who will hear the good news from you this week? Three: Believe that God loves you. We cannot give what we do not have. When we truly believe that God loves us so much that he sent his Son at Christmas just for us, we will want to share what we have received. Philip Yancey: "Sociologists have a theory of the looking-glass self: you become what the most important person in your life (wife, father, boss, etc.) thinks you are. How would my life change if I truly believed the Bible's astounding words about God's love for me, if I looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?" What do you see in your mirror today? Originally posted at the Denison Forum. As Karnataka too gears for Assembly election in 2018, senior state BJP leaders though relieved with Gujarat and Himachal results have realised it is time to pull their socks. By Nagarjun Dwarakanath: As BJP looks set to win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the Karnataka BJP unit is not very pleased with the results. As Karnataka too gears for Assembly election in 2018, senior state BJP leaders though relieved with Gujarat and Himachal results have realised it is time to pull their socks. Reportedly, the top brass believes that Karnataka Assembly election will not be an easy fight- after Congress' stellar contest today. advertisement LIVE COVERAGE | Gujarat election results 2017 LIVE COVERAGE | Himachal Pradesh election results 2017 But many are also rejoicing with the results in favour of the saffron brigade, exuding confidence that this win will only help energise and mobilise the cadre in state. Addressing a press conference today, BJP president Amit Shah said that BJP will definitely form government in Karnataka. Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress is undeterred with the results today. "We will win the upcoming election and gift the victory to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, ", said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Karnataka is the only state where the Congress is in power in the south. Watch: BJP was successful in distracting people in Gujarat : Akhilesh Yadav --- ENDS --- Five holiday movies to watch with kids before Christmas Christmas will be here before everyone knows it and while people are already busy buying gifts and preparing their greeting cards and doing all kinds of last-minute preparations for the celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ's birth, it would not hurt to sit back with the family to watch a few movies that would bring the kids more Christmas feels in anticipation for the big day. Here are five family-friendly Christmas movies that kids will surely love: "Home Alone" Ask any person who was born before the nineties if they knew what "Home Alone" was and chances are, they would probably answer with a resounding "YES!" After all, who didn't love Kevin McAllister who, despite being naughty enough to make it off Santa's list, was still able to win the hearts of everyone because of his charming ways and quick thinking. His brave attitude tells other kids that just size doesn't matter, as seen when he successfully defended his house from two notorious burglars. This is a family movie that the younger viewers can show to their own children when they grow up and their kids would still love it. Disney's "A Christmas Carol" Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Jim Carrey, "A Christmas Carol" is Disney's take on the classic story from the Charles Dickens novel of the same name. It follows old miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Carrey), who is visited by the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future to give him a second chance to turn his life around or suffer a sad, miserable fate. This is a fun adventure to watch and it also teaches kids how to be generous and compassionate to others. "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" The sequel to the previous "Home Alone" film, Kevin is once again forced to look out for himself when he gets separated from his family as they leave for Florida. Kids who loved the first "Home Alone" would definitely find this twice as hilarious. It is also good as a standalone movie, so the family does not necessarily have to watch the first movie to enjoy this one. "Jingle All the Way" Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his less serious roles, this movie is more about showing what lengths parents are willing to go through just to make their children happy for the holidays. Still, the entire family will enjoy seeing Arnold bump and scratch and claw his way in and out of trouble in search of the elusive Turbo Man. Kids who love superhero movies would want to watch this until the end. "The Grinch" Based on the 1957 story by Dr. Seuss, the movie is a must watch for families who want to teach their kids that Christmas is more than just gift giving and having fun. The Grinch's multiple failed attempts to sabotage Christmas culminates to a change of heart, and the realization that Christmas is not just about merrymaking but also spending time with one's family. Quetta church death toll rises, ISIS claims responsibility for attack Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan on Sunday. While the claim has not been verified and IS has a track record of opportunism in taking credit for attacks, nine people are now known to have died and more than 50 were injured when two men attacked the church. One was killed by guards on the roof and at the entrance, but the other denonated a suicide vest just after the service began. Baluchistan police chief Moazzam Jah said there were nearly 400 worshippers in the church for the pre-Christmas service. The death toll could have been much higher if the gunmen had forced their way into the sanctuary, he said. He said the church was on high alert as Christian places of worship are often targeted by Islamist extremists over the Christmas season. Video footage of the aftermath shows a scene of devastation in the church, which held about 400 people at the time of the attack. One member of the congregation, Aqil Anjum, who was shot in his right arm, said he heard a blast followed by gunfire. 'It was chaos. Bullets were hitting people inside the closed hall,' he said. Kal Alaxander, 52, was at the church with his wife and two children when the attack happened. 'We were in services when we heard a big bang,' he told Reuters. 'Then there was shooting. The prayer hall's wooden door broke and fell on us ... We hid the women and children under desks.' Footage obtained by Pakistan's Geo News shows the bombers trying to jump over the wall of the church compound. One succeeds and opens the gate for the other. At this point a guard shoots one of them. Christians in Quetta gathered outside the hospital where the wounded were being treated to protest against the lack of security for them. The attack has been widely condemned, including by Pakistan's president and the influential army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who said: 'Quetta church attack targeting our brotherly Christian Pakistanis is an attempt to cloud Christmas celebrations. We stay united and steadfast to respond against such heinous attempts.' Nasir Saeed, director of the UK-based Pakistan rights organisation CLAAS-UK, said. 'My heart goes out to the victims and their families. It is especially sad as Christmas is only a week away and Christians, already in the Christmas spirit, have been attacked. 'Attacking worshipers, especially over the Christmas season, is an act of cowardice. It is condemnable and such hate and violence cannot help anyone to make a place in heaven.' The attack is the second on Christians in Quetta this month. On December 1 a seven-year-old boy, Issac Masih, was killed and a four-year-old wounded by a bomb. Wilson Chowdry, chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Alliance, said: 'Arguably, the quick response of the security forces at the church reduced the impact of this attack, but that has done nothing to ease the anxiety that Christians are feeling. Christians clearly need more protection as two attacks on churches in two months is becoming too common an incident. 'Christians in Pakistan are buoyed by the condemnation of the Islamists by senior figures in the Government of Pakistan, but say it does little good. They desire a more robust investigative process to stop the terrorists before they attack or stronger security presence around churches especially during celebrations like Christmas, where radicalised Muslims are frenzied by the more overt Christian display of their faith.' The general secretary of the World Council of Churches , Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, said: 'We condemn this tragic disregard for human life at a time when people were gathered to worship as a community. We will not allow this devastating act weaken our faith, our unity, and our common work for peace and justice in the world.' A message from the president and vice-president of the Methodist Church in the UK said: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with our Methodist brothers and sisters in Pakistan after a suicide bomb and gun attack on a church in the city of Quetta. Hundreds of worshippers were inside the church and quick responses prevented a much higher death toll. Many Christians in Pakistan live in a climate of suspicion and discrimination.' Recovering Reform: The legacy of RC Sproul The Elim minister was quite adamant. Yes, he was a Pentecostal, but he was also very definitely Reformed. 'How did that happen?' I asked. 'Oh, I went to Florida to hear RC Sproul.' His story is not uncommon. Robert Charles Sproul who died on December 14, 2017, aged 78, was an unusual pastor in the Reformed tradition. He was educated at Westminster College, Pittsburgh-Xenia Seminary, and at the Free University of Amsterdam. He established the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Pennsylvania in 1971, whose goal was 'to awaken as many people as possible to the holiness of God by proclaiming, teaching, and defending God's holiness in all its fullness'. Later on he was to develop the use of video to help teach small groups and adult Sunday schools. A highly intelligent man, he combined this with a superb ability to communicate and unusually for those in the Reformed world at that time, he was gifted in utilising wider media. The newsletter Tabletalk, (whose readership is now over 250,000), a bestselling and highly influential book on The Holiness of God and The Ligonier Statement on Biblical Inerrancy were all to have a deep influence on many. He ended up writing or being involved in over 100 writing projects, including several children's books. He edited the Reformation Study Bible. Ligonier, the ministry he founded, now has a worldwide ministry through its website, Refnet, an internet radio station and a liberal arts college, Reformation Bible College. In 1984 the work of Ligonier moved to Orlando, Florida, where many thousands gathered annually, and further Ligonier conferences were held throughout the US. In 1997 RC planted a church called St Andrews Chapel in the north of Orlando and spent his last years primarily as a pastor. He was married to Vesta, his childhood sweetheart, for 57 years. Their children Sherrie and RC Jr, along with grandchildren and great grandchildren, will bear his loss the most. But the whole church in the USA and in many other parts of the world will also experience loss. His influence and teaching have been profound. He was one of the key figures in what has been described as resurgence in Calvinistic theology, leading to the 'young, restless and reformed' movement. He would have hated the very idea but someone described him as a man who made Calvinism cool. His influence extended beyond the Reformed community precisely because he sought to preach Christ and glorify God. His great legacy was to point people to the greatness and holiness of the triune God and to encourage us to believe in the truth and inerrancy of his word. 'Death frightens us. When we see another person die, we are reminded that we are also mortal, that someday death will come to us. It is a thought we try to push from our minds. We are uncomfortable when another's death rudely intrudes into our lives and reminds us of what we will face at some unknown future date. Death reminds us that we are creatures. Yet as fearsome as death it is, it is nothing compared with meeting a holy God. When we encounter Him, the totality of our creatureliness breaks upon us and shatters the myth that we have believed about ourselves, the myth that we are demigods, junior-grade deities, who will try to live forever' RC Sproul, The Holiness of God. 'Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labour, for their deeds will follow them"' (Revelation 14:13). David Robertson is Associate Director of Solas CPC in Dundee and minister at St Peter's Free Church. Follow him on Twitter @TheWeeFlea. 'The Walking Dead' news: Showrunner Scott Gimple petitioned to be fired by fans for killing of Carl Fans of AMC's zombie apocalypse television series "The Walking Dead" launched an online petition to fire showrunner Scott Gimple for killing Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs). So far, over 50,000 fans have already signed the petition. In the midseason finale of the series, it was revealed that Carl was bitten by a walker. The decision by the showrunners resulted to backlash from longtime fans. A particular fan, Tyler Sigmon, then decided to launch an online application to fire Gimple for his decision to get rid of Carl. In the petition description, Sigmon wrote, "Scott has decided to kill off the shows most pivotal character Carl Grimes, son of the main character Rick Grimes. The entire show has been a lead up to showing Carl become the leader that his father is." So far, the petition has received over 50,000 signatures and is making its way to 75,000. Sigmon also pointed out the fact that Riggs even considered postponing his college education to make way for the series. The petitioner concluded his message with, "This petition is meant to bring AMC TV into the spotlight and fire The Walking Dead showrunner Scott Gimple for his actions and unfair treatment of actor Chandler Riggs." During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Riggs himself said that it was painful for him that his character was killed off. "It was devastating for me and my family because the show has been such a huge part of my life for so long. For a few days, we didn't know what to do," he said. Riggs also revealed that there was no discussion about the decision to kill Carl. Riggs stated, "I have no clue to be honest. When Scott told me, that was his decision." Gimple has not addressed the petition for him to be axed. There are now questions if the show will change the fate of Carl due to the outrage from fans, or if AMC will indeed fire Gimple. The series will resume on Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. EST on AMC. Note: This essay is an edited version of Jonathan Haidts Wriston Lecture for the Manhattan Institute, delivered on November 15. What is happening to our country, and our universities? It sometimes seems that everything is coming apart. To understand why, I have found it helpful to think about an idea from cosmology called the fine-tuned universe. There are around 20 fundamental constants in physicsthings like the speed of light, Newtons gravitational constant, and the charge of an electron. In the weird world of cosmology, these are constants throughout our universe, but it is thought that some of them could be set to different values in other universes. As physicists have begun to understand our universe, they have noticed that many of these physical constants seem to be set just right to allow matter to condense and life to get started. For a few of these constants, if they were just one or two percent higher or lower, matter would have never condensed after the big bang. There would have been no stars, no planets, no life. As Stephen Hawking put it, the remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life. Some have suggested that this fine-tuning might be evidence for the existence of God. This would be a deist conception of God, of the sort that Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and most of the Founding Fathers believed in: a God who set up the universe like a giant clock, with exactly the right springs and gears, and then set it in motion. I myself am not taking fine-tuning as evidence of God. Im simply using it as a way to open this lecture. I want to lift your attention up into the cosmos and put you into a mindset that is awestruck at our improbability. And if I have succeeded in doing that, then Id like you to take that same mindset and apply it to the existence of our improbable country. Id like you to consider an idea that Ill call the fine-tuned liberal democracy. It begins by looking backward a few million generations and tracing our ancestry, from tree-dwelling apes to land-dwelling apes, to upright-walking apes, whose hands were freed up for tool use, to larger-brained hominids who made weapons as well as tools, and then finally to homo sapiens, who painted cave walls and painted their faces and danced around campfires and worshipped gods and murdered each other in large numbers. When we look back at the ways our ancestors lived, theres no getting around it: we are tribal primates. We are exquisitely designed and adapted by evolution for life in small societies with intense, animistic religion and violent intergroup conflict over territory. We love tribal living so much that we invented sports, fraternities, street gangs, fan clubs, and tattoos. Tribalism is in our hearts and minds. Well never stamp it out entirely, but we can minimize its effects because we are a behaviorally flexible species. We can live in many different ways, from egalitarian hunter-gatherer groups of 50 individuals to feudal hierarchies binding together millions. And in the last two centuries, a lot of us have lived in large, multi-ethnic secular liberal democracies. So clearly that is possible. But how much margin of error do we have in such societies? Here is the fine-tuned liberal democracy hypothesis: as tribal primates, human beings are unsuited for life in large, diverse secular democracies, unless you get certain settings finely adjusted to make possible the development of stable political life. This seems to be what the Founding Fathers believed. Jefferson, Madison, and the rest of those eighteenth-century deists clearly did think that designing a constitution was like designing a giant clock, a clock that might run forever if they chose the right springs and gears. Thankfully, our Founders were good psychologists. They knew that we are not angels; they knew that we are tribal creatures. As Madison wrote in Federalist 10: the latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man. Our Founders were also good historians; they were well aware of Platos belief that democracy is the second worst form of government because it inevitably decays into tyranny. Madison wrote in Federalist 10 about pure or direct democracies, which he said are quickly consumed by the passions of the majority: such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention . . . and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. So what did the Founders do? They built in safeguards against runaway factionalism, such as the division of powers among the three branches, and an elaborate series of checks and balances. But they also knew that they had to train future generations of clock mechanics. They were creating a new kind of republic, which would demand far more maturity from its citizens than was needed in nations ruled by a king or other Leviathan. Here is the education expert E.D. Hirsch, on the founding of our nation: The history of tribal and racial hatred is the history and prehistory of humankind. . . . The American experiment, which now seems so natural to us, is a thoroughly artificial device designed to counterbalance the natural impulses of group suspicions and hatreds. . . . This vast, artificial, trans-tribal construct is what our Founders aimed to achieve. And they understood that it can be achieved effectively only by intelligent schooling. (From The Making of Americans) Thomas Jefferson wrote, in 1789, that wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their own government; he backed up that claim by founding the University of Virginia, about which he wrote, in 1820: This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow the truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error as long as reason is left free to combat it. So, how are we doing, as the inheritors of the clock? Are we maintaining it well? If Madison visited Washington, D.C. today, hed find that our government is divided into two all-consuming factions, which cut right down the middle of each of the three branches, uniting the three red half-branches against the three blue half-branches, with no branch serving the original function as he had envisioned. And how are we doing at training clock mechanics? What would Jefferson say if he were to take a tour of Americas most prestigious universities in 2017? What would he think about safe spaces, microaggressions, trigger warnings, bias response teams, and the climate of fearfulness, intimidation, and conflict that is now so prevalent on campus? But first, lets ask: How did we mess things up so badly? Ive been studying political polarization since 2007. Data from Gallup and Pew show steadily rising polarization since the 1990s, whether you ask people how much they dislike the other side, how much they think the other side is a threat to the country, or how upset theyd be if their child married someone from the other side. Why do we hate and fear each other so much more than we used to as recently as the early 1990s? The political scientist Sam Abrams and I wrote an essay in 2015, listing ten causes. I wont describe them all, but Ill give you a unifying idea, another metaphor from physics: keep your eye on the balance between centrifugal and centripetal forces. Imagine three kids making a human chain with their arms, and one kid has his free hand wrapped around a pole. The kids start running around in a circle, around the pole, faster and faster. The centrifugal force increases. Thats the force pulling outward as the human centrifuge speeds up. But at the same time, the kids strengthen their grip. Thats the centripetal force, pulling them inward along the chain of their arms. Eventually the centrifugal force exceeds the centripetal force and their hands slip. The chain breaks. This, I believe, is what is happening to our country. Ill briefly mention five of the trends that Abrams and I identified, all of which can be seen as increasing centrifugal forces or weakening centripetal forces. External enemies: Fighting and winning two world wars, followed by the Cold War, had an enormous unifying effect. The Vietnam War was different, but in general, war is the strongest known centripetal force. Since 1989, we have had no unifying common enemy. The media: Newspapers in the early days of the republic were partisan and often quite nasty. But with the advent of television in the mid-twentieth century, America experienced something unusual: the media was a gigantic centripetal force. Americans got much of their news from three television networks, which were regulated and required to show political balance. That couldnt last, and it began to change in the 1980s with the advent of cable TV and narrowcasting, followed by the Internet in the 1990s, and social media in the 2000s. Now we are drowning in outrage stories, very high-quality outrage stories, often supported by horrifying video clips. Social media is turning out to be a gigantic centrifugal force. Immigration and diversity: This one is complicated and politically fraught. Let me be clear that I think immigration and diversity are good things, overall. The economists seem to agree that immigration brings large economic benefits. The complete dominance of America in Nobel prizes, music, and the arts, and now the technology sector, would not have happened if we had not been open to immigrants. But as a social psychologist, I must point out that immigration and diversity have many sociological effects, some of which are negative. The main one is that they reduce social capitalthe bonds of trust that exist between individuals. The political scientist Robert Putnam found this in a paper titled E Pluribus Unum, in which he followed his data to a conclusion he clearly did not relish: In the short run, immigration and ethnic diversity tend to reduce social solidarity and social capital. New evidence from the US suggests that in ethnically diverse neighborhoods residents of all races tend to hunker down. Trust (even of ones own race) is lower, altruism and community cooperation rarer, friends fewer. In short, despite its other benefits, diversity is a centrifugal force, something the Founders were well aware of. In Federalist 2, John Jay wrote that we should count it as a blessing that America possessed one united peoplea people descended from the same ancestors, the same language, professing the same religion. I repeat that diversity has many good effects too, and I am grateful that America took in my grandparents from Russia and Poland, and my wifes parents from Korea. But Putnams findings make it clear that those who want more diversity should be even more attentive to strengthening centripetal forces. The final two causes I will mention are likely to arouse the most disagreement, because these are the two where I blame specific parties, specific sides. They are: the Republicans in Washington, and the Left on campus. Both have strengthened the centrifugal forces that are now tearing us apart. The more radical Republican Party: When the Democrats ran the House of Representatives for almost all of six decades, before 1995, they did not treat the Republican minority particularly well. So I can understand Newt Gingrichs desire for revenge when he took over as Speaker of the House in 1995. But many of the changes he made polarized the Congress, made bipartisan cooperation more difficult, and took us into a new era of outrage and conflict in Washington. One change stands out to me, speaking as a social psychologist: he changed the legislative calendar so that all business was done Tuesday through Thursday, and he encouraged his incoming freshmen not to move to the District. He did not want them to develop personal friendships with Democrats. He did not want their spouses to serve on the same charitable boards. But personal relationships among legislators and their families in Washington had long been a massive centripetal force. Gingrich deliberately weakened it. And this all happened along with the rise of Fox News. Many political scientists have noted that Fox News and the right-wing media ecosystem had an effect on the Republican Party that is unlike anything that happened on the left. It rewards more extreme statements, more grandstanding, more outrage. Many people will point out that the media leans left overall, and that the Democrats did some polarizing things, too. Fair enough. But it is clear that Gingrich set out to create a more partisan, zero-sum Congress, and he succeeded. This more combative culture then filtered up to the Senate, and out to the rest of the Republican Party. The new identity politics of the Left: Jonathan Rauch offers a simple definition of identity politics: a political mobilization organized around group characteristics such as race, gender, and sexuality, as opposed to party, ideology, or pecuniary interest. Rauch then adds: In America, this sort of mobilization is not new, unusual, unAmerican, illegitimate, nefarious, or particularly leftwing. This definition makes it easy for us to identify two kinds of identity politics: the good kind is that which, in the long run, is a centripetal force. The bad kind is that which, in the long run, is a centrifugal force. Injustice is centrifugal. It destroys trust and causes righteous anger. Institutionalized racism bakes injustice into the system and plants the seeds of an eventual explosion. When slavery was written into the Constitution, it set us up for the greatest explosion of our history. It was a necessary explosion, but we didnt manage the healing process well in the Reconstruction era. When Jim Crow was written into Southern laws, it led to another period of necessary explosions, in the 1960s. The civil rights struggle was indeed identity politics, but it was an effort to fix a mistake, to make us better and stronger as a nation. Martin Luther Kings rhetoric made it clear that this was a campaign to create conditions that would allow national reconciliation. He drew on the moral resources of the American civil religion to activate our shared identity and values: When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note. And: I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. Of course, some people saw the civil rights movement as divisive, or centrifugal. But Kings speech is among the most famous in American history precisely because it framed our greatest moral failing as an opportunity for centripetal redemption. This is what Im calling the good kind of identity politics. Let us contrast Kings identity politics with the version taught in universities today. There is a new variant that has swept through the academy in the last five years. It is called intersectionality. The term and concept were presented in a 1989 essay by Kimberle Crenshaw, a law professor at UCLA, who made the very reasonable point that a black womans experience in America is not captured by the summation of the black experience and the female experience. She analyzed a legal case in which black women were victims of discrimination at General Motors, even when the company could show that it hired plenty of blacks (in factory jobs dominated by men), and it hired plenty of women (in clerical jobs dominated by whites). So even though GM was found not guilty of discriminating against blacks or women, it ended up hiring hardly any black women. This is an excellent argument. What academic could oppose the claim that when analyzing a complex system, we must look at interaction effects, not just main effects? But what happens when young people study intersectionality? In some majors, its woven into many courses. Students memorize diagrams showing matrices of privilege and oppression. Its not just white privilege causing black oppression, and male privilege causing female oppression; its heterosexual vs. LGBTQ, able-bodied vs. disabled; young vs. old, attractive vs. unattractive, even fertile vs. infertile. Anything that a group has that is good or valued is seen as a kind of privilege, which causes a kind of oppression in those who dont have it. A funny thing happens when you take young human beings, whose minds evolved for tribal warfare and us/them thinking, and you fill those minds full of binary dimensions. You tell them that one side of each binary is good and the other is bad. You turn on their ancient tribal circuits, preparing them for battle. Many students find it thrilling; it floods them with a sense of meaning and purpose. And heres the strategically brilliant move made by intersectionality: all of the binary dimensions of oppression are said to be interlocking and overlapping. America is said to be one giant matrix of oppression, and its victims cannot fight their battles separately. They must all come together to fight their common enemy, the group that sits at the top of the pyramid of oppression: the straight, white, cis-gendered, able-bodied Christian or Jewish or possibly atheist male. This is why a perceived slight against one victim group calls forth protest from all victim groups. This is why so many campus groups now align against Israel. Intersectionality is like NATO for social-justice activists. This means that on any campus where intersectionality thrives, conflict will be eternal, because no campus can eliminate all offense, all microaggressions, and all misunderstandings. This is why the use of shout-downs, intimidation, and even violence in response to words and ideas is most common at our most progressive universities, in the most progressive regions of the country. Its schools such as Yale, Brown, and Middlebury in New England, and U.C. Berkeley, Evergreen, and Reed on the West Coast. Are those the places where oppression is worst, or are they the places where this new way of thinking is most widespread? Let me remind you of the educational vision of the Founders, by way of E.D. Hirsch: The American experiment . . . is a thoroughly artificial device designed to counterbalance the natural impulses of group suspicions and hatreds . . . This vast, artificial, trans-tribal construct is what our Founders aimed to achieve. Intersectionality aims for the exact opposite: an inflaming of tribal suspicions and hatreds, in order to stimulate anger and activism in students, in order to recruit them as fighters for the political mission of the professor. The identity politics taught on campus today is entirely different from that of Martin Luther King. It rejects America and American values. It does not speak of forgiveness or reconciliation. It is a massive centrifugal force, which is now seeping down into high schools, especially progressive private schools. Todays identity politics has another interesting feature: it teaches students to think in a way antithetical to what a liberal arts education should do. When I was at Yale in the 1980s, I was given so many tools for understanding the world. By the time I graduated, I could think about things as a Utilitarian or a Kantian, as a Freudian or a behaviorist, as a computer scientist or a humanist. I was given many lenses to apply to any one situation. But nowadays, students who major in departments that prioritize social justice over the disinterested pursuit of truth are given just one lenspowerand told to apply it to all situations. Everything is about power. Every situation is to be analyzed in terms of the bad people acting to preserve their power and privilege over the good people. This is not an education. This is induction into a cult, a fundamentalist religion, a paranoid worldview that separates people from each other and sends them down the road to alienation, anxiety, and intellectual impotence. Here is how one young queer activist described the cult. The essay is titled Everything is Problematic: My journey into the center of a dark political world, and how I escaped. The author identifies four features of the culture: dogmatism, groupthink, a crusader mentality, and anti-intellectualism. Of greatest relevance to our exploration of tribalism, he writes: Thinking this way quickly divides the world into an ingroup and an outgroupbelievers and heathens, the righteous and the wrong-teous. . . . Every minor heresy inches you further away from the group. When I was part of groups like this, everyone was on exactly the same page about a suspiciously large range of issues. Internal disagreement was rare. Can you imagine a culture that is more antithetical to the mission of a university? Can you believe that many universities offer dozens of courses that promote this way of thinking? Some are even requiring that all students take such a course. Let us return to Jeffersons vision: For here we are not afraid to follow the truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error as long as reason is left free to combat it. If Jefferson were to return today and tour our nations top universities, he would be shocked at the culture of fear, the prevalence of unchallenged error, and the shackles placed on reason. Now that I have thoroughly depressed you, let me end with a few rays of hope and some thoughts about what can be done. I began this lecture with a discussion of the fine-tuned liberal democracy, which is the hypothesis that human beings are unsuited for life in large diverse secular democracies, unless we can get certain settings finely adjusted. I think this hypothesis is true, and I have tried to show that we have stumbled into some very bad settings. I am pessimistic about our future, but let me state clearly that I have low confidence in my pessimism. It has always been wrong to bet against America, and it is probably wrong to do so now. My libertarian friends constantly remind me that people are resourceful; when problems get more severe, people get more inventive, and that might be happening to us right now. If you want hope, you need only put this quotation up on your bathroom mirror: We cannot absolutely prove that those are in error who tell us that society has reached a turning point, that we have seen our best days. But so said all before us, and with just as much apparent reason . . . On what principle is it that, when we see nothing but improvement behind us, we are to expect nothing but deterioration before us? That was written by the British historian Thomas Babington Macauley in 1830. It is probably still true today. And if you want more hope, let me tell you why I think things are going to start to improve on university campuses, beginning in the fall of 2018: because as things get worse on campus, more people are beginning to stand up, and more people are searching for solutions. Some college presidents are starting to stand up. They all know they are sitting on a powder keg, and they want to defuse it. Also, they are generally liberal scholars, deeply opposed to illiberalism. Carol Christ, the new chancellor of U.C. Berkeley, is clearly mortified by what happened to her schools reputation last spring, and she has taken a very strong and public stand, saying that U.C. Berkeley supports freedom of speech and will pay to protect speakers. Robert Zimmer, the president of the University of Chicago, has been consistently excellent. I have spoken with several other college presidents who would like to stand up publicly but still feel that the illiberal factions on their campuses are too strong. But if a few more presidents stand up, and if applications to schools like the University of Chicago surge this year, then I think well see the floodgates open, possibly next fall. Professors are starting to stand up, too. At Heterodox Academy, we started with 25 members two years ago; now we have over 1,400, evenly balanced between left and right. We got a big surge of members after the violence at Middlebury because that was a tipping point. Professors are overwhelmingly on the left, but they are mostly liberal Left, not illiberal. My fieldsocial psychologyfor example, is quite sane. I have been raising the alarm about political imbalance and orthodoxy since 2011, and so far nothing bad has happened to me. I have not been ostracized. The problem on campusthe intense illiberalismis concentrated in a few departments that are committed to political activism. When you look at who signs the petitions denouncing professors for what theyve written, or demanding that journal articles be retracted, it is mostly professors from about seven departments in the humanities and identity studies. Few professors dared risk the ire of this illiberal Left back in 2015, but with each new witch hunt, each aggressive shout-down, more members of the liberal Left are willing to stand up and say: enough is enough. This is contrary to my values. And most importantly, some students are beginning to stand up. At Reed College, one of the most politically orthodox schools in the country, social-justice activists had been protesting and disrupting the first-year humanities course for more than a year. They called the course an act of white supremacy because it focused on dead white authors. They said the course was traumatizing to non-white students. They brought their signs and chants into the classroom every day, making it hard for professors to teach or for students to learn. Many Reed students and professors objected, but none dared to do so publicly, lest they be called racist themselves. Finally, this fall, several Asian students stood up, criticized the protesters, and asked them to stop interfering with their education. Once these students stood up, support for the protesters collapsed. Many people had been going along out of fear, rather than conviction. At Heterodox Academy, were tracking these trends very closely, and we are putting out ideas and tools that help people stand up for viewpoint diversity and open inquiry. Weve created a guide to colleges to steer applicants toward the schools that offer more viewpoint diversity. Weve created an online survey that schools can use to assess the level of orthodoxy and fear on campus, or in any classroom. And most importantly, weve created the OpenMind app. Its a self-guided app that teaches students about the value of viewpoint diversity and then trains them to engage with people who dont share their values. We have many more initiatives planned for 2018. I also want to call your attention to someone else who is searching for a solution: Lenore Skenazy has been sounding the alarm about what happens to kids when we raise them like veal, protecting them from everything including emotional harm. Answer: they ask to be protected in college, too. They expect that college will be a giant safe space, and that there will always be a designated adult to resolve their conflicts. Lenore has so many ideas for how to restore childhood to childrento give them the unsupervised time they need to become autonomous, self-supervising adults. With seed money from Daniel Shuchman, she has started a nonprofit called LetGrow.org. I serve on the board, along with Peter Gray, from Boston College. One of the reasons LetGrow is so important, and the reason I mention it now, is that unsupervised free play turns out to be crucial for the development of democratic citizenship. I just want to read you a few sentences from one of Grays articles on the importance of unsupervised free play: To play with another person, you must pay attention to the other persons needs, not just your own, or the other person will quit. You must overcome narcissism. You must learn to negotiate in ways that respect the other persons ideas, not just yours. [Gray goes on to describe the way that kids learn about rules, when adults are not present.] They learn in this way that rules are not fixed by heaven, but are human contrivances to make life more fun and fair. This is an important lesson; it is a cornerstone of democracy. So please do not despair. Be alarmedthe situation is truly alarming. But most Americans are decent, thoughtful people who dont want to give up on their country or its universities. There are many things we can do to reduce tribalism, strengthen our kids, and repair our universities. Wethe baby boomers and gen-Xers who fill this roomwe have made a mess of the clock. Left and Right, Republicans and Democrats. But we can make up for it if we can come together, admit that we messed up, and change what we are doing to kids, and to college students. We just might be able to raise a generation of kids who can care for the clock after all. Photo: A-Digit/iStock Christmas is a magical time of year when retailers and media companies go all out to raise money and awareness for their selected charities. We take a look at which charities have won the backing of key players. Media The Guardian and Observer This years theme at the Guardian and Observer is homelessness, with the papers charitable efforts supporting Depaul UK, Naccom (the No Accommodation Network) and Centrepoint. So far, the appeal has raised more than 300,000. Journalists have taken part in an annual telethon and pieces about the charities and their beneficiaries have appeared across the titles. BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 also focused on homelessness and ran an appeal to raise money for The Connection at St Martins and the Vicars Relief Fund (VRF) to help people who are either homeless or in danger of becoming so. It is the 91st year St Martin-in-the-Fields and BBC Radio 4 have run a Christmas appeal together, with last years raising 2.85m. The Times The Times and Sunday Times are raising money for three charities the Ellen MacArthur Trust for children with cancer, the Alzheimers Society and Children on the Edge, a charity that was set up by the late Dame Anita Roddick and works with vulnerable Rohingya children in Bangladesh. Telegraph Now in its 27th year, the Telegraph Christmas appeal is raising money for Missing People, food redistribution charity FareShare and Canine Partners, which provides assitance animals. Last year the appeal raised 550,000. Independent and London Evening Standard This year the Independent and London Evening Standard are supporting the Felix Project, which aims to support people affected by food insecurity. The charity was set up in 2016 to redistribute surplus food from retailers to charities. Financial Times This year the FT is supporting Alzheimer's Research UK. Goldman Sachs is providing a match fund of 300,000. HuffPost UK HuffPost UKs Christmas appeal is raising money for Unicefs work with Syrian refugees. The media outlet said it had chosen to focus on Syria because there is a risk that people will forget at a crisis that has been around for seven years. Retail John Lewis Barnardos is the department stores charity partner this year, with 10 per cent of the price of Moz the Monster merchandise going to the charity. Thorntons Chocolate retailer Thorntons is supporting the military charity SSAFA through its Pass on the Love campaign. A TV advert features a young naval officer arriving home to meet his girlfriends family with a box of Thorntons Continental chocolates. The range has recently been refreshed and 2 per cent of sales will go to the charity. Tesco Over 300,000 Tesco staff took part in its Festive Bash fundraisers to support the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. It was the final major fundraiser for the partnership which will come to an end in January 2018 after three years. Enesco Gift company, Enesco is donating 1.35 from the sale of every cuddly Peter Rabbit soft toy to Great Ormond Street Hospital Childrens Charity. Oliver Bonos Fashion and home retailer, Oliver Bonas, is donating 5 from the sale of a 29.50 heart necklace to the Eve Appeal. Despite protestations to the contrary, President Trump is an avid watcher of cable television. Need evidence? Just this morning, he referenced his favorite show, Fox & Friends, in two tweets. What Trump is seeing, on opinion programming across several shows on his preferred network, has raised concerns about the future of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. ICYMI: A death in the CJR family Fox Newss anti-Mueller rhetoric reached a fever pitch over the weekend, with a banner during Jesse Watterss Saturday interview with Kellyanne Conway, reading A COUP IN AMERICA? Jeanine Pirro referred to Mueller and those investigating ties between the Trump team and Russian officials as a criminal cabal who should be taken out in cuffs. The campaign to discredit Muellers wide-ranging investigation as politically-motivated picked up steam after the Justice Department released anti-Trump text messages that an agent overseeing the investigation had sent to a colleague, and a lawyer representing Trumps transition team claimed that the special counsel had wrongfully obtained thousands of emails from transition officials. Cable news banners dont just appear out of thin air. Producers brainstorm, fact-check, proof-read them. Hosts are sometimes involved too. Yes, mistakes slip through occasionally. But this doesnt look like a mistake pic.twitter.com/nZkbRyKxUE Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 17, 2017 Analyzing the feedback loop between Fox News and the White House, CNNs Brian Stelter writes, the right-wing commentary and President Trumps criticism of the FBI are part of a vicious circle. The TV hosts encourage Trump, then Trump supplies sound bites for their shows, and then the hosts are even more emboldened. Trumps interaction with Fox News isnt limited to viewing and tweeting. He speaks regularly with Rupert Murdoch and Sean Hannity, and hes hosted Pirro at the White House. Sign up for CJR 's daily email ICYMI: NY Journalist handcuffed to railing over his head After criticizing the investigation earlier in the weekend, Trump on Sunday tried to calm fears that he would attempt an end run around the investigation. No, Im not, he said in response to the question of whether he intended to fire Mueller. For now, at least, cooler heads seem to have prevailed, but the escalating rhetoric that caused the question to even be considered is troubling. Below, more on Muellers investigation and the campaign to discredit it. Worth watching: On CNNs Reliable Sources, Kurt Bardella, Hadas Gold, and David Folkenflik joined Brian Stelter to discuss the conservative media attacks on Muellers investigation. The clip includes a disturbing compilation of attacks on Mueller and the FBI from Fox hosts. On CNNs Reliable Sources, Kurt Bardella, Hadas Gold, and David Folkenflik joined Brian Stelter to discuss the conservative media attacks on Muellers investigation. The clip includes a disturbing compilation of attacks on Mueller and the FBI from Fox hosts. Trouble brewing: The New York Timess Michael S. Schmidt reports that the image of cooperation between the White House and Mueller is starting to fracture. The New York Timess Michael S. Schmidt reports that the image of cooperation between the White House and Mueller is starting to fracture. Speaking out: On Sunday, Former Attorney General Eric Holder tweeted: ABSOLUTE RED LINE: the firing of Bob Mueller or crippling the special counsels office. If removed or meaningfully tampered with, there must be mass, popular, peaceful support of both. The American people must be seen and heard they will ultimately be determinative. On Sunday, Former Attorney General Eric Holder tweeted: ABSOLUTE RED LINE: the firing of Bob Mueller or crippling the special counsels office. If removed or meaningfully tampered with, there must be mass, popular, peaceful support of both. The American people must be seen and heard they will ultimately be determinative. Coming this week?: CNN reports that Trumps lawyers are set to meet with Mueller and members of his team as soon as this week. Other notable stories After nearly 40 years as the grande dame of documentary, Sheila Nevins is leaving HBO. Nevins made her announcement in a conversation with The New York Timess Maureen Dowd. WNYC, New Yorks flagship public radio station, is facing a leadership crisis after several longtime hosts were accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. CJRs Meg Dalton says that a public board meeting meant to clear the air left supporters disappointed and skeptical. The Daily Callers Amber Athey reports that in 1999, NBC made a separation-related payment to one of Chris Matthews employees after the woman complained about sexual harassment. In Italy, the #MeToo movement is finding limited media interest, reports The New York Timess Jason Horowitz. Politicos Elana Schor and Rachael Bade report that paranoia has gripped the halls of Congress over rumors that a major story about sexual harassment in government is imminent. Members and aides are now perpetually bracing for the next allegation to drop, they write. The Washington Posts Margaret Sullivan says Meryl Streeps portrayal of former Post publisher Katharine Graham comes at a timely moment for women in the industry. Sports Illustrateds Richard Deitsch presents his choices for the best and worst of sports media in 2017. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon. A New Hampshire judge on Friday put off a decision on whether to dismiss a lawsuit accusing a Vermont man of killing his millionaire grandfather and possibly his mother for the inheritance money. Nathan Carman has been called a suspect in the 2013 shooting death of 87-year-old real estate developer John Chakalos in Connecticut. No one has been arrested. He also has been questioned about the day his boat sank last year near Rhode Island with his mother onboard. Shes presumed dead. Carman, who was not in court Friday, has denied any involvement in either case. His mothers three sisters sued in New Hampshire in July, noting Chakalos had New Hampshire driving and boating licenses and that he voted in the state. Known as a slayer lawsuit, their attorney said the family is trying to prevent Nathan Carman from profiting from the murder of his grandfather. Carman wants the lawsuit dismissed, saying his grandfather wasnt a resident of New Hampshire at the time of his death. Attorneys for the sisters also are calling for additional documents related to the case to remain sealed. They argued in court that the documents could impede the investigation and bring unwanted media attention to anyone named in them. Judge David King said he would take the request under advisement. He didnt rule on the request to dismiss the lawsuit, saying he would give the two sides several more months to collect information before returning to update him. The family is very happy that we are moving forward with discovery in this matter, the sisters attorney, Dan Small, told reporters. There are a lot of questions without answers and a lot of answers without justice. In July, the sisters filed a lawsuit in New Hampshire accusing Carman of killing Chakalos and possibly Carmans mother. Theyve asked a judge to block Carman from collecting money from his grandfathers estate. Chakalos left more than $29 million to his four daughters, including Carmans mother Linda, and $7 million of that money could go to Carman. Small has said all the evidence points to Carman as the killer. If the family wins the lawsuit, Small has said any money that would have gone to Carman would go to investigate the deaths. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. By India Today Web Desk: Kodinar Constituency ID is 06092. Sitting MLA was Jethabhai Danabhal Solanki, who quit BJP. Ladani won the 2012 Assembly Election from the constituency. This year, main contestants are BJP's Vadher Rambhai Mepabhai and Congress' Mohanlal Malabhai Vala. FOLLOW THIS FOR LIVE UPDATES ON GUJARAT ELECTION RESULTS FOLLOW THIS FOR LIVE UPDATES ON HIMACHAL PRADESH ELECTION RESULTS Gujarat - Kodinar Result Declared Candidate Party Votes MOHANLAL MALABHAI VALA Indian National Congress 72408 VADHER RAMBHAI MEPABHAI Bharatiya Janata Party 57873 VINODBHAI KHIMABHAI SOLANKI Bahujan Mukti Party 1780 VALA LALITKUMAR MADHUBHAI Nationalist Congress Party 1211 VADHEL MALABHAI TEJABHAI Independent 1176 VADHEL JAGDISHBHAI NATHABHAI All India Hindustan Congress Party 632 None of the Above None of the Above 2385 --- ENDS --- advertisement Though employers and workers compensation insurers have been utilizing telemedicine for quite some time, theres been a recent uptick in interest surrounding virtual physical therapy, also known as telerehab. Mitchell, a property & casualty claims technology provider, recently announced its investment in Wisconsin-based Consumer Health Connections, a telehealth company serving the workers comp industry. Michelle Despres, vice president and national product leader at workers comp solutions provider One Call, said telerehab is convenient because it can be done via a cell phone, tablet or a computer. According to a recent white paper released by MedRisk, while not all treatment is translatable to telerehab, online exercise demos, virtual workout supervision, and secure communication tools make it possible to supplement in-clinic physical therapy with valuable remote services including patient follow-ups, home treatment plans, questions and answers, and consultations with specialists. Sean Sullivan, COO and vice president of Business Development for the national rehab and wellness provider Go2Care, added that telerehab can include the whole spectrum of what we call musculoskeletal care management. Both experts define telerehab as virtual access to physical therapy, intended to be a replacement for an in person visit to an outpatient facility. The process can work via live or pre-recorded videos and mobile apps, said Despres. Remote patient monitoring can be achieved by using health and fitness trackers or through patient self-reporting. They would have access to one on one live treatment with a physical therapist (PT), the idea being that theres a convenience factor. If someone would like to be treated, we offer hours between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM. Theres a lot of flexibility. Most outpatient clinics are not open to those hours, added Despres. There may be a possibility that someone could say at lunchtime, Im going to do my PT. Im not going to leave my office. Im going to do it right here.' She added that the injured worker could do it anywhere they have the privacy and the availability to perform their visit. Highly adaptable, telerehab can begin with online videoconferencing and move toward live, face to face interaction, said Sullivan. With a remote home exercise program, for example, patients can get access to automated solutions when theyre not with the physical therapist to monitor how theyre doing, he explained. Were also looking at telerehab being defined as a home exercise program support application. This is an apps based concept, said Despres. It allows the treating therapist in the brick and mortar facility to offer their individual patients and injured workers the ability to log into an app, much like a fitness app, that many people use on their phones or their tablets and have the opportunity to have their home program delivered electronically. The app allows the injured worker the ability to access their home exercise program and provide feedback on the assigned exercises. The PT can customize their exercises within the app. The PT also has a dashboard that they can access at any time thatll show them when the injured worker has done their exercises, how often, what their compliance is, she added. The physical therapist can pull up the information to determine if adjustments need to be made. Interest in Telerehab Grows While theres been traction in both the group health and Medicare market, there has been a slow adoption rate by the workers comp industry, despite the fact the concept has been around for quite a while, said Sullivan. Youll see articles about someone testing it out in 1990 with some population of patients that had a spinal cord injury. Or the VA using it for remote veterans for very specific subsets of conditions, said Sullivan. In workers compensation, to my knowledge no one yet has any deliverable data or outcomes information to be able to say that its being adopted at X rate in the work comp space, said Despres. Momentum began to shift this year. There was a push, not from the carriers but fromthe employers, said Sullivan. Im having a lot of carriers come to me saying, We want to do it, but they dont know where to start. When the carriers right now are talking to me, theyre saying, Do we do the prevention? Do we do the treatment, or do we do the monitoring?' He expects carriers will pilot one or all three aspects to determine the best fit. According to both Despres and Sullivan, this type of virtual treatment is best suited for soft tissue injuries, strains and sprains. Not every conditions appropriate for telerehab, said Sullivan. When a patient comes to see us, the very first thing we do is we implement a triaging system that determines whether that patient is too complex to be seen online. Things like common sprains and strains, lateral epicondylitis, early carpal tunnel syndrome, things that we can address remotely, explained Sullivan. Its not going to be complicated disc herniations. Im focused on joint sprain and strain as what were going to have the most success treating. Despres added that its driven both by diagnosis and circumstances. She provided the example of an individual that had fractured their neck and their wrist. The wrist came out of a cast and required therapy, but this person lived hours from everything. It was at least two hours to get to a facility for therapy for their wrist. There were no home health options in the persons area. There were not a lot of options for anything that this person could receive at home, and putting a person in a car for two hours or four hours a day in order to receive therapy, especially if theyre in a halo for their neck, is not a great approach, explained Despres. Someone like that would be a great candidate for a virtual visit, because their circumstances have dictated it. Someone who travels quite a bit or does a lot of overnight travel could also be a good candidate for telerehab. Its difficult to get some continuity of care if the person either is not home enough to have therapy with their therapists facility, or they have to try to go to different facilities, said Despres. Not much is needed for telerehab to work, said Sullivan and Despres. They dont require anything except the injured worker has to have their own Wi-Fi or their own device a cell phone, a smartphone or a tablet, or a computer, said Despres. The employer doesnt have to set up anything, though they might choose to offer a private room that employees could use at lunchtime or at their own discretion. They could give them an on site opportunity, but that would just require a space. It wouldnt require any particular equipment, she added. It can be done from anywhere. Were servicing a manufacturing site in rural America. Theres not a whole lot around it, but there are 600 employees, Sullivan said. We just set up a kiosk at the location. The employee has the freedom to elect to conduct that visit in the comfort of their home, should they choose. But theyre not choosing that, at least, to date. Sullivan described a large pilot program with a national employer. We go ahead and set all the visits to occur at the employer worksite. The technology needed is a computer. We set them up with a webcam, and we put it in the nurses office, said Sullivan. Benefits of Telerehab According to Sullivan, employees like the idea of personalized treatment. Since we are actually integrated with your employer, we know all about your job as a mechanic. We know all about the types of push/pull forces youre working with, said Sullivan. Were actually going to provide you rehab thats a little bit more tailored to what you might recognize as work conditioning. MedRisks white paper, Telerehabilitation & the Injured Worker, noted several benefits of telerehab, including greater patient compliance, smoother care coordination among clinicians, a more flexible rehabilitation timeline, and cost and time savings for key stakeholders. In addition, the paper noted that injured workers benefited from increased access to care. A Good Fit for Some Telerehab might not work for everyone, said Despres, who added that its a better fit for those who embrace technology. I think by and large, as a society, we think its going to be the younger folks, said Despres. This will be a no brainer for the younger group, but I do think we cant discount the older population either. Anyone who embraces technology and possibly leads a busy life. Someone whose employer might say, Hey, you have to do your therapy outside of work hours. or whatever the case may be. While Sullivan said there is no specific data on utilization, such as by gender or age, usage is trending towards a younger population thats looking for convenience. In addition, workers may be more open to telerehab where employers promote the treatment option, said Despres. Sullivan said hes seeing telerehab opportunities in certain industries. Were finding our sweet spot is heavy industry, working with oil and gas sector, working with transportation, said Sullivan. These guys are on the move. Working with distribution and warehouse facilities, where we see the type of injury that we can service in high volume. MedRisks white paper stated, The value and the convenience for traveling sales reps, cruise ship staff and employees in the transportation and distribution industries is enormous. Small businesses are another area that will benefit from telerehab. For the first time, small businesses or mid sized businesses that formed cooperatives or aggregates now have access to an online solution, where if youre an employer and youve got 10 people, youre not going to get the same kind of on site PT access as Amazon gets, right? You dont get access to the same type of benefits, explained Sullivan. Since were online, we want to go to the carriers and say, Hey, we can be available to any of your clients, no matter their size and no matter their location.' A challenge, both Despres and Sullivan said, is that while everyone wants to know about telerehab, no one really knows how to implement it. I hear, Hey, how can we get that as a solution?, but I find that most people havent clearly defined in their head what that means, said Despres. When I ask payers What do you have in mind? Beyond the term telerehab, I dont find that people have a real clear plan for what they think it is. A clearer definition of how it impacts the injured worker is needed, she added. Everything doesnt necessarily require us to touch a person to be successful, said Despres. I think theres a place for it. Were going to do a pilot for six months to come back and give some solid answers as to where it fits into the work comp world. Hopefully, at that point well have a better understanding of how these folks are going to adopt it. Sullivan added there are barriers to expanding workers comp, including the fact that not a lot of workers comp laws have specific language to address the concept. Another challenge, he said is that employers are not as quick to adopt telemedicine options. The massive wildfire that California has been battling since early December has now ballooned into the third-largest in the states history, burning a record amount of acreage, officials said Saturday. Steve Concialdi of the Orange County Fire Authority said the Thomas Fire, which started Dec. 4 in Santa Paula, has now burned 259,000 acres (nearly 105,000 hectares). That exceeds the devastating Rim Fire in 2013 by 2,000 acres. As of this morning, were at 259,000 acres and still growing, Concialdi said. The region has had red flag or hot, dry and windy conditions for an unprecedented 13 consecutive days. The National Weather Service says those conditions would last at least through Saturday evening, with winds gusting to 40 mph in the Santa Barbara County mountains where the fire is burning. Everything about the fire was massive, from a footprint larger than that of many cities to the sheer scale of destruction that cremated entire neighborhoods or the legions attacking it: about 8,300 firefighters from nearly a dozen states, aided by 78 bulldozers and 29 helicopters that were dropping thousands of gallons (liters) of water on fires and hot spots. Firefighting costs were approaching $89 million. The Thomas Fire surging through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties has already burned more than 1,000 buildings, including well over 750 homes. Another 18,000 buildings are still in jeopardy, including mansions in the wealthy enclave of Montecito. Some 315 fire engines are stationed in and around homes in Montecito and Santa Barbara, along with hand crews armed with equipment like chain saws and drop torches. Another 200 fire engines are on standby. Concialdi said authorities are hoping to have the blaze contained by Jan. 7. Santa Barbara has had only a tiny amount of rain since Oct. 1, the start of the new water year, and is more than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) below normal to date. Another focus of firefighting was on the eastern flank in canyons where a state firefighter was killed Thursday near the agricultural town of Fillmore. Officials have released no details on the death of 32-year-old Cory Iverson, but it was a stunning blow to those fighting the flames. When that happened, this fire hit a whole new level because all the firefighters know that could have been them, Concialdi said. When you lose a fellow brother, that hits all of us and our families extremely hard. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. By PTI: Kolkata, Dec 18 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today remembered Tapasi Malik, who was raped and burnt to death during the Singur agitation over land acquisition in 2006. She also urged people to never forget the martyrs of political violence during the Left front rule. "On this day in 2006, Tapasi Malik was brutally raped and burnt to death in Singur. Let us also never forget the martyrs of the 34 years of violence under the Left Front," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle this morning. advertisement Malik was a member of the Save Singur Farmland Committee. Her charred remains were recovered from the Tata Motors Nano factory site in Singur on December 18, 2006. Singur witnessed large scale protests in 2006, when the CPM-led Left Front tried to acquire land for the factory. The agitation that lasted for months made headlines across the world and catapulted then opposition leader Mamata Banerjee to limelight. PTI SCH RMS --- ENDS --- Once a protege of Prem Kumar Dhumal, life has come full circle for Rajinder Rana who defeated his political guru in Sujanpur constituency in the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls. By Anand Patel: Once a protege of Prem Kumar Dhumal, life has come full circle for Rajinder Rana who defeated his political guru in Sujanpur constituency in the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls. Rana won by a margin of 1911 votes. Dhumal's humiliating loss spoiled celebrations for BJP on the day the party marched back to power with a thumping majority. advertisement "I thank the people of my constituency for showing faith in me, it is their win. And I will continue to work like before," said a beaming Rajinder Rana after he was declared the winner. "I owe this success to Dhumal ji, who is also my political guru, I am sure he must be proud of my victory," he added. "This was a battle between a big name and a ground worker, people of Sujanpur chose the latter," said Rana. He is credited for his efforts in setting up a mini Secretariat in Sujanpur which was long pending demand of the locals. The constituency is Rana's stronghold and was considered a tough seat to win for BJP. This was a reason why BJP top leadership chose Prem Kumar Dhumal to fight from Sujanpur instead of his preferred Hamirpur seat. Sujanpur constituency result was held up due to discrepancy in postal ballots. This was sorted out and result was declared late evening after counting of votes for the last two rounds. --- ENDS --- Obamacare's individual mandate is not the most popular aspect of the Affordable Care Act. But as Congress moves toward repealing the mandate as part of tax reform, voters, legislators and industry experts have flocked to its defense, pointing out that doing away with it would cause already high premiums for individual health plans to rise by 10 percent. As a result, "a coalition of physician, hospital and health insurance industry associations called on Congress [earlier this fall] to keep the individual mandate," reports CNN. They warned repeal would lead to "a significant increase in premiums" for those seeking to buy insurance on Obamacare marketplaces, which offer coverage to those who don't have insurance through an employer or elsewhere. That increase would add about $1,000 to the annual cost of coverage for an individual health plan for the average unsubsidized family shopping for coverage via government exchanges. (The Kaiser Family Foundation breaks down which lower- and moderate-income families qualify for subsidies here.) That family would go from paying about $10,000 a year on premiums alone, which is what it spent in 2016, to about $11,000. The average unsubsidized individual, meanwhile, would go from paying about $3,800 a year on premiums to about $4,180. And the Center for American Progress, which crunched the numbers before the House and the Senate reconciled their bills, warned that the forecast could be even more dire: "A typical middle-class family buying individual market insurance would see premiums increase nearly $2,000." Increased costs would also threaten the health insurance of about 13 million Americans, according to estimates from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. watch now Bitcoin will surge past $20,000 and continue its meteoric march into six figures, according to independent research analyst Ronnie Moas. "Bitcoin is already up 500 percent since I recommended it in the beginning of July, and I'm looking for another 500 percent move from here," said Moas, the founder of Standpoint Research, a self-described "one-man operation" based in Miami. Over the summer, Moas put a $5,000 price target on bitcoin for 2018. At the time, the digital currency was trading at just $2,600. Since then, it has surged to $18,168 as of Monday, according to prices tracked on Coinbase. "The end-game on bitcoin is that it will hit $300,000 to $400,000 in my opinion, and it will be the most valuable currency in the world," Moas told CNBC's "The Rundown." I don't know how much gold there is in the ground, but I know how much bitcoin there is, and in two years there will be 300 million people in the world trying to get their hands on a few million bitcoin. Ronnie Moas founder, Standpoint Research The analyst's comments came as the CME, the world's largest futures exchange, launched its own bitcoin futures contract. The Cboe did the same earlier this month. His aggressively bullish call a near-$380,000 dollar appreciation on today's prices is based on the idea that since only 21 million bitcoin can ever exist. Increasing demand for the digital currency will naturally drive its price up, he said. "I don't know how much gold there is in the ground, but I know how much bitcoin there is, and in two years there will be 300 million people in the world trying to get their hands on a few million bitcoin. This mind-boggling supply and demand imbalance is what is going to drive the price higher," Moas said. Not everyone agrees China's electric vehicle start-up Nio launched its first mass-produced model over the weekend, in a home market marked by competition with companies such as Tesla . The ES8, which starts at 448,000 Chinese yuan ($67,765) is half the starting price of Tesla's 836,000 yuan ($126,470) Model X in China. Nio also enjoys the advantage of Beijing's state subsidies for electric vehicles. "It's hard to assume" how this will affect Tesla's sales in China, Nio Founder and Chairman William Li told CNBC over the weekend. "Maybe Tesla will sell less ... after our product is out. Or probably, because the whole market is growing, they will still maintain growth in sales. It's hard to say." "But we do have lots of customers that turned to us from Tesla, and many who have bought buy products from both," said Li, who spoke to CNBC on the sidelines of the ES8 launch event. What is clear is that the two are competitors. "For sure I think Tesla is our rival in that consumers will choose between our products. But I wouldn't say we are the Chinese Tesla, or they are the American Nio," Li said. A seven-seat electric vehicle, the ES8 is made to order, customizable and equipped with an artificial intelligence system. The car will be able to accelerate to 100 km per hour (62 miles per hour) in 4.4 seconds. Orders can be placed through an app. President Donald Trump pauses as he speaks to members of the White House Press Corps prior to his Marine One departure from the South Lawn of the White House December 15, 2017 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he has no intention to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading a probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and alleged collusion by the Trump campaign. When asked whether he planned to fire Mueller, Trump said, "No, I'm not ... Are you surprised?" The president had just returned to the White House from Camp David. Trump's comment comes amid escalating tension between allies of the president and the special counsel's office, which has obtained tens of thousands of emails from the Trump transition team as part of the Russia probe. A lawyer for the transition team, Kory Langhofer, sent a claiming that Mueller had obtained the emails unlawfully. When asked whether the emails had been improperly obtained, Trump said it is "not looking good" and again rejected allegations that his campaign colluded with Russia. "I can't imagine there's anything on them frankly, because, as we've said there's no collusion, there's no collusion whatsoever," Trump said. Republican allies of Trump have accused Mueller's team of bias, after it was revealed that an FBI agent working on the Russia probe had sent text messages critical of Trump. Mueller removed the agent, Peter Strzok, from the probe over the summer after he became aware of the texts. Trump's legal team has called for to investigate alleged conflicts of interest among Mueller's team. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended the special counsel in testimony before Congress. When asked whether he had , Rosenstein said "no." The deputy attorney general also said that he was "not aware" of any impropriety on the part of Mueller's team. Rosenstein appointed Mueller special counsel, after taking over responsibilities from Attorney General Jeff Sessions in matters involving the Russia probe. Sessions recused himself due to his failure to disclose contacts with the Russian ambassador. When the pandemic first hit one of the world's most valuable start-ups saw its private value nearly halved. Now as hotels suffer but vacation rentals boom, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is reportedly planning to file for a long-awaited IPO. Airbnb is set to book its first full year of profitability, putting it in a rare class among large venture-funded Silicon Valley companies. "The third quarter was the strongest quarter in the company's history and this year, we will be profitable, as measured by EBITDA," Laurence Tosi, chief financial officer of the home-sharing company, told CNBC. A source familiar with Airbnb's financials said the company will end 2017 with bookings up approximately 50 percent from 2016. CNBC reported previously that revenue last quarter hit about $1 billion, up more than 50 percent from the same period last year. Making money not losing it puts Airbnb in stark contrast to other tech upstarts such as Uber, Lyft and Spotify. Uber's losses widened last quarter to $1.46 billion, a jump of nearly 40 percent year over year, as the ride-hailing company faced increased competition from global rivals such as Didi, and as Lyft gains market share in the U.S. As Uber retreats from global markets such as China and Russia, Airbnb is scaling up its international presence. To woo Chinese users, it rebranded its Chinese operations with a Chinese name, Aibiying, and CEO Brian Chesky pledged to double investment. According to the company, that push is showing early results. Airbnb told CNBC that guest arrivals at listings in China grew 180 percent from the previous year to 1 million in the third quarter, making the market its second-fastest-growing country during the period, after Cuba. Just 3 years ago, in 2014, Airbnb had roughly 10,000 guest arrivals in China in the third quarter. Airbnb expects to end 2017 with another China milestone it's the top trending country for travelers on New Year's Eve, with the city of Suzhou, about 60 miles from Shanghai, taking the top spot. But the company is facing challenges in China too fierce competition from local rivals, an abrupt executive departure and regulatory crackdowns. Chinese home-sharing platform Xiaozhu raised $120 million in a funding round led by Jack Ma's Yunfeng Capital this year, while another, Tujia, tapped investors for $300 million, led by Chinese online travel giant Ctrip. In October, the head of Airbnb's China business left just four months after taking the position. Beyond China, Airbnb faced other challenges in 2017. Growth of listings is slowing in some of Airbnb's biggest cities, where it also faced stricter regulations. Investors have focused on the bright spots, putting another $1 billion into the start-up, bringing its valuation to $31 billion more than the valuations of publicly traded hotel giants Hilton and Hyatt . Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled Laurence Tosi's first name. British police arrested a man who tried to force his way into a military base in central England used by the U.S. air force, triggering a brief lockdown. The Mildenhall Royal Air Force base said security staff locked down the base, used by the United States to refuel U.S. and NATO aircraft in Europe, at about 1300 GMT following reports of a disturbance. "The incident has been contained," a U.S. Air Force spokeswoman said. "There is a suspect that has been apprehended." Britain's Ministry of Defence said it was aware of an incident at the base and that police were taking a lead in the case. The U.S. embassy declined immediate comment. "Members of the public are asked to avoid the area around RAF Mildenhall for the time being," Suffolk Police said. The 1,162-acre base, which houses about 3,100 U.S. military and an additional 3,000 family members, is set for closure after the U.S. said it was going to move is operations from the base to Germany. Do you want your medical treatment to be based on science? The Trump administration disagrees. It banned the top U.S. public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from using seven words, including "evidence-based" and "science-based" in preparing official documents for 2018's budget. Prominent public health advocates including Sandro Galea, dean of the Boston University School of Public Health, have expressed outrage about these measures. Such censorship is a direct blow at the essence of science: accurately describing the physical world around us. Science is the best method that we as human beings have of figuring out the truth of reality, and wishing away the facts by trying to substitute them with "alternative facts" will greatly impede scientific progress. Moreover, these measures will cause many more people to get sick and die. After all, how can the CDC implement effective public health interventions if it cannot use terms like "evidence-based" and "science-based" in its official budget documents? To be clear, the CDC cannot get around this censorship by using terminology like "based on scientific studies." In fact, the Trump administration directed the CDC to replace "science-based" and "evidence-based" with "CDC bases its recommendations on science in consideration with community standards and wishes." So apparently it wants doctors to shift away from treating people based on the best scientific research, and instead move toward the fuzzy standard of "community wishes." Unfortunately, "community members" - are too easily fooled by false but emotionally appealing claims. For instance, the homeopathy industry is a multi-billion dollar business. Homeopathy is based on the false claim of the benefit of super-diluted substances and the principle of "like cures like." The victims were declared dead before arrival at Rajawadi hospital. A fire broke out in a shop on Mumbai's Khairani road today. By India Today Web Desk: A massive fire broke out early this morning in a snacks and sweetmeat shop on Mumbai's Khairani road in Andheri east, killing at least 12 people, police said. After firemen pulled them out of the debris, they were declared dead before arrival at Rajawadi hospital. Their identities are being ascertained. Witnesses said around five to six workers managed to escape. advertisement The blaze was reported in the Bhanu Farsan shop, according to the BMC Disaster Control. The shop, where large quantities of ready-to-eat dry snacks were manufactured in an area measuring around 200 square feet, came crashing down, trapping people, mostly workers inside. The Mumbai Police said traffic had been diverted. A Fire has broken out at the Farsan (Sweet) company at Khairani road., Sakinaka due to which traffic has been diverted on the Andheri kurla road.- Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) December 18, 2017 (Inputs from PTI) ALSO WATCH | The Butcher Island fire in Mumbai --- ENDS --- Global central banks will start holding digital currencies in the next year, the chief executive of a cyrptocurrency wallet platform told CNBC Monday. "I think this year will be the first year we start to see central banks start to hold digital currencies as part of their balance sheet," Peter Smith, CEO of Blockchain, told CNBC. Smith said that central banks would likely buy bitcoin and Ethereum as part of their reserves. Central banks hold gold and foreign currency reserves to allow them to act if there are any market shocks. The rise of bitcoin as an asset could mean some monetary authorities will have to begin holding it. "Bitcoin is already a top 30 currency by supply, and this trend, and pressure to hold digital currency as part of reserves will only accelerate as the price rises," Smith said. There is a growing chorus of voices suggesting that cryptocurrencies could be bought by central banks. In an opinion article on Coindesk, Eugene Etsebeth, a former central banker with the South African Reserve Bank, said that cryptocurrencies will fulfill a new requirement as "digital gold." "In 2018, G-7 central banks will witness bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies becoming the biggest international currency by market capitalization," Etsebeth wrote. "This event, together with the global nature of cryptocurrencies with 24/7 trading access, will make it intuitive to own cryptocurrencies as they become a de-facto investment as part of a central bank's investment tranche." He added that cryptocurrencies would be used in international trade. Chateau Louis XIV in Louveciennes, near Paris, is owned by Crown Prince Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. The mystery behind who owns a $300 million French chateau appears to have been solved. Chateau Louis XIV is a 54,000 square foot palace near Versailles which, when sold in 2015, was described by at least two reports as "the world's most expensive home." The identity of the buyer was not revealed but the New York Times has claimed in a report that the buyer was Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The newspaper's investigation said the purchase ranks alongside a number of recent extravagances by the crown prince, including a $450 million Leonardo da Vinci painting and a $500 million yacht. "By eliminating the mandate requiring all citizens to buy health insurance or face a tax penalty, the bill will surely end Obamacare as we know it." So where has the Democrats' outrage over this been? Oh, I'm not talking about the smattering of sound bites and editorials out there. I mean "take to the streets" outrage. That is, the kind of outrage we've seen over allegations of Trump campaign collusion with the Russians or President Trump's alleged racism against Muslim refugees. Here's the first part of the answer: The Democrats and the left in general have blown their wad. They started blowing it on day one with the massive and often violent protests during on inauguration day. Just a day later they outdid that with a massive "Women's Day" march that quickly morphed into a resist Trump event. Then there were the many protests at airports over President Trump's immigration and travel ban. But nothing compares to the regular attention the Democrats and all anti-Trumpers have given to the ongoing investigation of alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Even this past weekend, the most passionate rhetoric from the left was all about how there should be riots in the streets if President Trump fires special counsel Robert Mueller. The resist Trump movement is clearly stretched too thin. The second part of the answer is that tax reform is harder to understand than accusations of racism, treason, and mistreating women. Even many Democrats in Congress have clearly had a hard time figuring out how to find a detail in the bill to create national outrage. Take California Senator Dianne Feinstein for one, who sent out this ill-advised tweet: Hear that folks? People with mortgages of more than $750,000 are getting screwed! I don't know about you, but it doesn't seem like a good bet that hundreds of thousands of Americans are going to be motivated to take to the streets to protect people who can otherwise afford a $750,000 mortgage. Considering what's financially at stake for the Democrats from other parts of the bill, you'd think they would have done much more to get just the three Republicans they needed in the Senate to defeat it. Instead, it now looks like every Republican will vote for the bill, (except Senator John McCain who is going home to Arizona for more medical care). The Democrats are still trying to gain traction. They're calling a last minute perk for real estate the "Corker Kickback," referring to Senator Bob Corker who recently changed his no vote to a yes. Mr. Corker has real estate holdings and could benefit from the last minute break. Democrats are trying to flip him back to the 'no' column. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders penned on OpEd in the New York Times on Sunday, calling the tax plan "an enormous tax giveaway to the wealthy." And the party as a whole is trying to get the hashtag #GOPTaxScam trending. But is it too little too late? Would the widespread protests like they organized earlier this year over other issues have done the trick sooner? What about more editorials and a sole focus on defeating this bill for a few weeks? We may never know. Tax reform barely got a word in edgewise recently. Even the push against the repeal of Net Neutrality got equal or better billing the last few days. The bottom line is when President Trump signs this tax bill, the Democrats will share responsibility for letting it happen. They're just going to have to hope the voters forget about that when the 2018 midterm elections roll around. Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. More than a quarter of residents in or near Detroit say they would want to work at Amazon if the company were to select their area for the site of its much anticipated second headquarters, and more than three quarters say that HQ2, as it is known, would be a good thing for their area. These results make Detroit by far the most enthusiastic of Amazon's HQ2 prospects among all large metropolitan areas in the United States. These statistics come from the latest CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, conducted Nov. 20Dec. 4. Though the quarterly survey focuses on small business owners, this iteration also asked 10,392 people across the U.S. who don't own small businesses about their thoughts on Amazon. Most people across the country are supportive of their region winning Amazon's HQ2. More than half (55 percent) say this would "definitely" be a good thing for their area, while 38 percent say "possibly" and just 5 percent say "definitely not." But certain areas are more enthusiastic than others. We grouped respondents into "combined statistical areas," which are geographic units defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget that combine metropolitan areas with surrounding areas that have commuting and economic ties to the more populous region. This type of analysis allows us to account for the fact that the arrival of Amazon HQ2 would impact not just the immediate city but the surrounding region as well, and it gives us a large enough sample size to do a nationwide analysis. Jobs If Jeff Bezos wants to ensure he will have enough of a workforce to start Amazon's second headquarters, Detroit and Atlanta are the obvious places to start. In the Detroit area, 28 percent of people said they would "definitely" want to work for Amazon if the company brought its second headquarters to town. In the Atlanta region, 26 percent of people said they would definitely want to work for Amazon, as did 24 percent of those in the Houston region, 23 percent of those in the Miami region and 23 percent of those in greater Los Angeles. Region Percent of population that wants to work for Amazon Detroit 28% Atlanta 26% Houston 24% Miami 23% Los Angeles 22% Chicago 20% Minneapolis 19% Dallas 18% D.C. 18% Boston 18% New York City 17% Philadelphia 14% Denver 11% San Francisco/Bay Area 10% Source: CNBC | SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, Q4 2017 Amazon has projected the creation of 50,000 new jobs in whatever city or region it ultimately chooses. The most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts unemployment in Detroit and Atlanta at 4.2 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively, as of October roughly in the middle of the pack. Good thing for your area Amazon's considerations go well beyond hiring. The internet giant has reshaped the city of Seattle in its own image, attracting tech employees from around the world, driving up housing prices and compelling the city to invest more heavily in transit options and infrastructure. The same would likely occur in whichever city hosts its second headquarters, which would be a boon for many cities. Aside from their own desire to work for Amazon, residents of the Detroit area were again the most enthusiastic about HQ2 coming to town in terms of their expectations for its impact on the region. More than 3 in 4 people living in Detroit and the surrounding region said that Amazon would be a "good thing" for their area the highest of any region with at least 150 respondents reporting in our survey. Region The cities that want Amazons HQ2 the most Detroit 77% Boston 61% Dallas 60% Minneapolis 58% Atlanta 58% Chicago 56% Houston 56% Philadelphia 54% D.C. 51% Denver 48% New York City 47% Miami 46% Los Angeles 41% San Francisco/Bay Area 33% Source: CNBC | SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, Q4 2017 Overall, more people want Amazon to come to their area than actually want to work for Amazon. Though Detroit is by far the most enthusiastic, large proportions of a number of cities say that Amazon would be a good thing for their respective areas, including Boston (61 percent), Dallas (60 percent), Minneapolis (58 percent) and Atlanta (58 percent). Nationally, 55 percent of people would want Amazon to locate its second headquarters near them, though just 18 percent say they would want to work at HQ2. Less enthusiasm in ... The survey found that 42 percent of Americans expect their wages to rise in the next year, and 41 percent of homeowners see their home values going up, the highest level recorded since 2007. In 2011, while the country remained in an economic funk from the financial crisis, just 15 percent of homeowners thought their home prices would rise. "We're not measuring a marginal change in the economy, we're measuring a different economy,'' said Public Opinion Strategies' Micah Roberts, the Republican pollster for the survey. The poll of 800 adults across the nation, with a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, was conducted Dec. 10-13 by that firm and Democratic pollster Hart Research. The CNBC All-American Economic Survey found that for the first time in at least 11 years, more than half of respondents to the survey rated the economy as good or excellent, while a near record 41 percent expected the economy to improve in the next year. American optimism on the economy is reaching new heights and President Donald Trump 's approval ratings look to be benefiting, at least somewhat. "2017 is the year that Americans finally put the recession behind them in terms of their attitudes about the economy, and it took a change in leadership" to make it happen, said Roberts. Trump's approval rating has mostly been disconnected from the better economic data but that could be changing. With gross domestic product rising strongly the past two quarters and the unemployment rate remaining low, Trump's approval rating has jumped. Forty-two percent in the poll approve of the job Trump is doing as president, up 4 points from the September survey, while 49 percent disapprove, down 3 points. The president's net negative rating of minus 7 (approval minus disapproval) is half of what it was in the summer and his best showing since taking office but still weak for such a strong economy. The president has made the best strides with members of his own party, up 10 points from last quarter to an 83 percent approval rating. White men and women and people in the South and Midwest give the president net positive approval ratings, but he is underwater with every major income and educational demographic in the poll. "Whether it is due to the Russia investigation, the gangbusters economy, his talk of tax cuts ... or some combination of these and other factors, his base is digging in," said Jay Campbell of Hart research. The president's approval numbers are substantially better on the economy. Forty-seven percent approve of his handling of the economy, up 4 points from September, while 43 percent disapprove, up 2 points. For the first time during the Trump presidency, more than half of independents approved of the president's economic stewardship. The president also improved his standing with women and blue- and white-collar workers. What could still be hurting the president is his signature tax plan, which is widely unpopular. The GOP tax plan polls poorly across nearly every demographic, with even support from Republicans tepid at best at 56 percent. Only 26 percent of Americans approve of the plan while 38 percent disapprove. But 36 percent more than the percentage who support the bill say they really don't know enough about it, suggesting some possibility for Republicans to grow support. One place to start would be their own party: 34 percent of Republicans say they don't know enough to give the plan a thumbs up or down. Every income group shows net disapproval of the bill but also large numbers of "don't knows." Campbell says the confusion stems from the complexity of the tax bill and the frequent amendments. The result: An increasing number of Americans don't believe they'll even get a tax cut. In fact, 70 percent of the public believe their taxes in the next couple of years will either stay the same or increase. The 35 percent who believe their taxes will go up represents an 8-point increase from last quarter. A net 33 percent of Democrats believe their taxes will rise, along with a net 16 percent of independents. By an 11 point margin, Republicans believe their taxes will go down. Still, 20 percent of Republicans believe higher tax bills are in their future and 39 percent believe they will stay the same. So roughly 60 percent of even Republicans don't believe they are getting a tax cut. EU state aid regulators will investigate whether Swedish furniture retailer Ikea's tax arrangement with the Netherlands helped cut its tax bill - the latest crackdown on unfair tax deals between multinationals and EU countries. The European Commission said on Monday it was looking into two tax rulings issued to Inter Ikea, which operates Ikea's franchise business and collects a fee of 3 percent of turnover from all Ikea shops via subsidiary Inter Ikea Systems in the Netherlands. "All companies, big or small, multinational or not, should pay their fair share of tax. Member states cannot let selected companies pay less tax by allowing them to artificially shift their profits elsewhere," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said. The Commission said the first tax ruling, which covered 2006 to 2011, resulted in a significant part of Inter Ikea Systems' franchise profits shifting to a Luxembourg unit where it was not taxed. A 2011 ruling, brought in after the Commission declared the first deal illegal, allowed a substantial part of the company's franchise profits after 2011 to be transferred to its Liechtenstein parent. Inter Ikea said it and Inter Ikea Systems were committed to paying tax in line with the laws of the countries in which they operate and it believed that the way it had been taxed was in accordance with EU rules. Fast food chain McDonald's and French energy company Engie are also in the EU crosshairs over their Luxembourg tax deals. The Commission has to date ordered Apple to pay a record amount of back taxes up to 13 billion euros ($15.3 billion) to Ireland, Starbucks up to 30 million euros to the Netherlands and Amazon 250 million euros to Luxembourg. Belgium has been told to recover a total of 700 million euros from 35 firms, among them Anheuser-Busch InBev , BP and BASF because of an illegal tax scheme. Last month the Commission launched an investigation into a British tax exemption for multinational companies set up in 2013 by the then-Conservative-led government to attract companies to set up headquarters in Britain. Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Facebook Inc., speaks during an event in Menlo Park, California. Facebook said Monday the U.S. government is making more secret requests for data about more users than ever before. The government made 32,716 requests for data from the company in the first half of 2017, with 57 percent of those requests coming with demands for confidentiality, the company said in its semi-annual Transparency Report. Those requests asked for data on 52,280 users, and the company provided such data 85 percent of the time. The number of requests was up 25.7 percent from the 26,014 made during the last six months of 2016, Facebook said. Those requests covered 41,492 users, and Facebook produced data on 83.4 percent of them. "Fifty-seven percent of the data requests we received from law enforcement in the U.S. contained a non-disclosure order that prohibited us from notifying the user, up from 50% in our last report," the company said in a Facebook post announcing the report. The report also contained redacted copies of five U.S. requests for data that the company was not allowed to disclose previously due to national security concerns. These national security letters were received from FBI offices in Michigan, California, Virginia and Florida between 2012 and 2015. The company also said it received 352,889 copyright and trademark complaints during the first half of this year regarding content on Facebook and Instagram. Pharmaceutical companies are seen as experts in health care rather than being at the cutting edge of digital technology, but the industry like many others is going through a revolution. At GSK, which owns brands including Horlicks, Aquafresh and weight loss product Alli, digital technology is having an impact on how the business operates from human resources to legal. In marketing terms, it's about developing a closer relationship with consumers, or selling direct rather than through retailers. "The more direct relationships we have with the consumers the better, right? Because (it) enables us to do lots of great things like feeding into the innovation pipeline, so we create better innovation," GSK Chief Digital Officer Marc Speichert told CNBC's "Marketing Media Money" anchor Carolin Roth. It also means working more closely with Google to find out how people are searching for its products, according to Brian McNamara, chief executive of GSK's consumer health care business. A historical ad for baby product Glaxo GSK "We work directly with Google and actually have a deal that we signed with them recently which actually allows us to own the data that we use (It) allows us to have much more visibility, much more capability and understand how consumers are behaving, how they react to certain messages, how they're searching for our products," he told "Marketing Media Money". "We can use those insights and analyze that to help get better at what we do. So I think it's a big opportunity for the industry," he added. When someone searches for a particular health condition or treatment, they may want in-depth information rather than a quick answer, Speichert said, and this is an opportunity for GSK to start marketing to someone. "There's a perception around people actually want(ing) everything shorter, which is actually not true. I think you need to get them quickly to the passion point (that they are interested in) and that needs to be very kind of immediate and quick." "But once you get them to something that they (are) really interested in, they actually want depth. If you look at (search term) 'how do I treat arthritis?' we actually bring them to an arthritis site that isn't very heavily branded as (anti-inflammatory) Voltaren, because we think that it's a great destination where they'll get lots of in-depth (information) in terms of answering that question. It's just the first step of their path to purchase," he told "Marketing Media Money". GSK Senior Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee expect to wrap up their probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election in the coming weeks, NBC News reported Monday. Conservative lawmakers on the panel told NBC they have completed most of the necessary interviews despite pleas from Democrats to investigate what they say are new leads. "We're not a criminal investigation," Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., told NBC News. "If I honestly thought that there was fire somewhere we have an obligation constitutionally to look further into, I would have no problem doing that. But when you don't and you've got to the point where you're getting into the fifth and sixth level of people coming in here, then you're spinning your wheels." The Republican heading the investigation, Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas, declined to offer a timetable. "We're working hard to finish it. But I've got no timeline in mind," he told NBC. A spokesperson for the committee did not respond to a CNBC request for comment. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., confirmed to The New York Times that he told California Democrat Jackie Speier, who is also on the committee, that the end of the year offered a "natural boundary" for the panel's work. Democratic lawmakers on the committee have said there is more investigative work to do and have criticized what they've said are attempts to shut the probe down. "I'm increasingly concerned that pressure from outside the building from the president, from Steve Bannon and their allies to shut us down is having its effect," said the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California. "All too often when we interview witnesses and they provide leads that we need to corroborate or that we need to investigate further, my colleagues won't allow those," Schiff told NBC News. The House Intelligence Committee investigation has lasted for more than a year. It has included interviews with the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.; Attorney General Jeff Sessions; former FBI Director James Comey and White House senior advisor Jared Kushner. Two Senate committees and Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller are also looking into reports of inappropriate ties between President Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia. The president has repeatedly and forcefully denied that there was any wrongdoing. Read the full report at NBC News. If you want a job at Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX, there is one thing all candidates absolutely need to have: an appetite for exploration. "We're out there looking for people that want to help us achieve that goal of making humans multi-planetary," SpaceX vice president of human resources Brian Bjelde recently told job listings and career site Glassdoor. Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 and has since been making historic strides toward making reusable rockets, including its most recent accomplishment of launching the first reused rocket on a NASA mission. The company's ultimate goal is to enable people to live on other planets. SpaceX has been rated one of the top places to work on Glassdoor for two consecutive years now. Given the volume of applications the company receives, Bjelde said he also looks for three things in candidates: passion, drive and talent. While your resume is key to detailing your accomplishments, Bjelde said his team really wants to learn what makes you tick, what motivates you to do your best work and how you like to be challenged. "Resumes gauge the ability to write a bulleted list of achievements, and that's not always indicative of success the resume is not going to be sitting in the seat doing the work on Monday," Bjelde said. One way he recommends that you make your resume more personable is to discuss a failure you've experienced in your career so far and discuss how you overcame it. Furthermore, Bjelde wants hiring managers and employees who are part of the interviews to "always be focused on hiring people better than themselves." "If you're given the opportunity to grow your team and you seek out someone better than yourself, then you're going to make the company better," he added. Previously an engineer at NASA and SpaceX, Bjelde noted that it's also important to put the candidates' skills to the test before hiring them. By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Dec 18 (PTI) Nepal today reopened a newly- built primary school damaged in the devastating 2015 quake in the countrys Kavre district with the assistance of multilateral lender Asian Development Bank (ADB). The 7.8 magnitude quake in April 2015 had devastated the country, killing more than 8,000 people and displacing lakhs of others. advertisement Thousands of schools including over 25,000 classrooms were reduced to rubble in the devastating earthquake. Shree Kali Devi Primary School was handed over by the government to the local community during a ceremony. The earthquake had completely damaged a portion of the school building, destroying five classrooms and other school facilities. "The reconstruction of the school was an opportunity to build back better and now the school is not only rebuilt to earthquake-resistant standards but also provides an improved learning environment for children," ADBs country director for Nepal Mukhtor Khamudkhanov said. "We hope this new building will inspire teachers and students to do their best," the official said. The newly-built school has seven classrooms and a library in three buildings as well as separate toilet blocks for girls and boys. The modern structures, resistant to earthquakes, are equipped with differently-abled friendly features. The building was reconstructed under the Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) jointly financed by the ADB, which provided USD 200 million and the Government of Nepal which provided USD 33.4 million. The United States Agency for International Development provided USD 10 million in cofinancing. Under the project, 154 schools damaged by the earthquake are to be built, enabling thousands of children to return to education. Eleven schools have been completed. PTI SBP CPS --- ENDS --- U.S. health insurer Humana is in advanced talks to acquire acute care provider Kindred Healthcare in partnership with private equity firms Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe and TPG, a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday. A deal would provide the latest example of the growing convergence between consumer health and insurance, following CVS Health's agreement earlier this month to acquire Aetna for $69 billion. Humana has been investing significantly in its home health capabilities, Humana At Home, which the insurer touts as a compliment to its Medicare Advantage franchise. If the negotiations are successful, a deal could come as early as this week, the source said, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the talks, said the deal could value Kindred at $9 per share. On Friday, the company's stock closed at $8.60, giving it a market value of $750 million. Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe and TPG would take over Kindred's facility-focused business, which includes long-term acute care hospitals and rehabilitation centers. The private equity firms together with Humana would get Kindred's home and hospice care operations, the WSJ reported, citing sources it did not identify. Kindred and Humana did not immediately respond to requests for comment. TPG and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe also were not immediately available for comment. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Kindred is the largest home healthcare provider and hospice operator in the United States. The company, which has long-term debt of $3.2 billion, has suffered due to its reliance on the Medicare federal health insurance program for revenue. It is also at risk for changes to how post-acute care services are reimbursed if U.S. President Donald Trump restructures the health-care system. Earlier this year, Kindred announced plans to coordinate skilled nursing operations with Genesis HealthCare , one of the largest operators of skilled nursing facilities in the United States. In 2015, Kindred acquired Gentiva Health Services for $1.8 billion, turning it into the biggest U.S. provider of home health and hospice care, but also saddling it with debt. Health insurance companies are exploring new ways to diversify their revenues with acquisitions in acute care after federal regulators blocked two major mergers in the sector, and insurance exchanges set up under the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, came under pressure from Republicans. A view of the hospital where British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes' body is believed to have been transferred in Roumieh Village, near Beirut, Lebanon December 18, 2017. This story is developing. Please check back for updates. The Lebanese man detained on suspicion of murdering a British embassy worker in Lebanon is a driver for Uber and has previous criminal violations, a senior Lebanese security source said on Monday. An Uber spokesman said in an email: "We are horrified by this senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with the victim and her family. We are working with authorities to assist their investigation in any way they can". Being the dominant governing party is a mixed bag. You and your allies enjoy all the perks and can set the agenda, but your freedom of action is limited not just by the Constitution's checks on authority but the prudential compromises that republican politics demands. Politicians promise the world on the stump. When they fail to deliver, they leave a trail of disaffected partisans in their wake. So, for true believers, being in power often means being disappointed, but Republicans appear to be uniquely depressed. And why shouldn't they be? Most of what they hear from the sources they trust is how much they are losing. Following a series of unsatisfying "moral victories" at the polls in 2017, Democrats managed to engineer an old-fashioned kind of victory in, of all places, Alabama. FiveThirtyEight's analysts crunched the numbers and found that (by comparing the vote margin in the last two elections to the nation as a whole) Democrats outperformed the state's traditional partisan leanings by 31 points. Some of that margin is likely attributable to the Alabama GOP's decision to nominate one of the most unqualified, poisonous candidates for U.S. Senate in modern American history, but not all of it. More from Commentary Magazine: Lioness of Judah The Left's Nuclear Delusions Die Hard Blame Voters In the most hotly contested special elections in 2017, the Democratic Party beat expectations almost across the board. That performance tracks with how Democrats fared in November's off-year elections. The party took back the governor's mansion in New Jersey and held it in Virginia. It captured legislative seats in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and New Hampshire and engineered the largest shift in Virginia since Reconstruction. In fact, one of the only races in which Democrats underperformed was a special election in Utah's 3rd District. That tells you something; the only state in which the local Republican Party isn't just skeptical but actively anti-Trump was the only place where the GOP turned out. From Georgia to Alabama, from California to Maine, Democrats have managed to get their voters to the polls at rates commensurate with turnout in a presidential year. That's a remarkable feat, for sure, but Democratic enthusiasm is only half of the story of 2017. The other half is the GOP slump. Even venues that are almost explicitly designed to cheer up Republicans are no longer doing the trick. A Suffolk University/USA Today survey released this week found that Trump's favorability among Fox News Channel viewers has declined from 90 percent in June to 74 percent in October to just 58 percent in Decembera 32-point decline over six months. Reasonable conservatives who take the Trump presidency as a whole have observed that there is a lot to like about this administration. On the domestic front, the Trump White House has either allowed hundreds of onerous regulations to expire or it has never implemented them in the first place. Puerto Rico, as a U.S. territory, has had favorable tax treatment for its investors for decades. The island is a separate fiscal jurisdiction from the mainland U.S., a status that offers its residents unique tax protections. Income that a resident of Puerto Rico earns from a bond issued by the commonwealth is 100 percent free from U.S. taxation; however, if a resident owns a security issued outside of Puerto Rico, the income is subject to U.S. taxes, just like any other American citizen. This is what "led ultimately to the creation of a capital market in Puerto Rico," Carlos Ubinas, the current president of UBS Puerto Rico's broker-dealer and trust company, explained to a FINRA panel in 2015 during sworn testimony. UBS Puerto Rico, a subsidiary of UBS Financial Services headquartered in Weehawken, New Jersey, is the largest broker-dealer on the island, controlling about 49 percent of total retail brokerage assets at its peak. The broker-dealer has been the primary underwriter of a series of closed-end fund companies since the mid-1990s. And managed or co-managed 23 proprietary closed-end funds that could only be sold to Puerto Rico residents and corporations whose primary place of business is on the island. Two types of funds, open-end and closed-end mutual funds, are managed by UBS Asset Managers of Puerto Rico. Each fund offers "its own investment strategy, management style and level of risk," the fund disclosure document says. The open-end funds allow investors to continually buy and redeem shares by adding or withdrawing their money from the fund with no limit to the number of shares that can be issued. The closed-end funds issue a fixed number of shares to raise capital, similar to how an initial public offering stateside operates. After the IPO, the shares of the funds are traded in the secondary market between investors. "They were an extremely popular investment on the Island until the 2013 market collapse because they consistently provided high rates of return with very substantial tax advantages that were only available to Puerto Rico residents who invested in Puerto Rico securities," UBS said in a statement, in response to CNBC inquiries about the funds. The funds provided Puerto Rico-based investors the ability to own a portion, up to 33 percent of the fund's total assets, of U.S. mainland-issued securities, while still retaining the characteristics of a Puerto Rico investment. At least 67 percent of the fund's total assets had to be invested in Puerto Rico obligations in order for the income to be tax-free. "The [closed-end funds] provided diversification as up to one third of the holdings were in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government," a UBS spokesman said. They were marketed to investors with the objective of current income, consistent with the preservation of capital. Craig McCann, Securities Litigation and Consulting Group, Inc Founder and Principal. CNBC At its peak, UBS had the largest wealth management business in Puerto Rico, representing an estimated 20,000 households. By 2012, UBS investors on the island had about $10 billion invested in the funds, or roughly 10 percent of the island's gross domestic product. Additionally, the closed-end funds in Puerto Rico, since they are offered in a U.S. territory, rather than a U.S. state, aren't listed on any exchange like a typical U.S. mainland closed-end fund. This is due to an exemption from the Investment Company Act of 1940. That legislation, among other things, requires that funds and the shares they offer to investors, be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and limits the use of leverage. It also bars certain types of transactions. This loophole "allows the funds to engage in some affiliated party transactions that would not be allowed here on the mainland. And it allows them to be more highly leveraged," said Craig McCann, founder and principal of Securities Litigation and Consulting Group (SLCG). The closed-end funds that UBS Puerto Rico sold were highly leveraged, in many instances roughly 2 to 1. That was the maximum amount allowed by Puerto Rican securities regulations, according to SLCG analysis. Often clients were also offered lines of credit that could be used for purposes other than buying additional securities such as buying a house or investing in a business and were able to use their closed-end fund investments as collateral for the loan. At one point, the credit lines extended (which were overseen by the credit division of UBS Americas in Weehawken) totaled more than $1 billion. But as UBS points out in its statement, the funds provided very high interest for investors before they imploded. "Many of the Funds generated tax free returns greater than 12% in 2010, 2011 and 2012," the spokesman wrote in his statement to CNBC. "Puerto Rico closed-end funds (CEFs) generated more than $3 billion in earnings for investors, in a wide variety of market conditions for two decades," the spokesman said. 'Didn't miss a penny' At its peak, UBS Puerto Rico's closed-end funds provided a profitable revenue stream for its parent company. Through the years 2004 to 2008, the direct and indirect revenue generated by the bond funds accounted for 42 to 53 percent of UBS Puerto Rico's total revenue. The profits flowed up the chain to the parent company, UBS AG . UBS Puerto Rico also provided investment banking services to the commonwealth, typically as part of the underwriting teams. They advised and underwrote the issuance of the bonds. They were the bond dealer that sold the bonds to the fund. Then UBS underwrote those funds and sold them to their retail clients, said McCann, who is also an expert witness for plaintiffs in FINRA arbitration cases. "UBS had its finger in every pie," said McCann. "They didn't miss a penny." McCann, a former senior financial economist at the SEC, believes another major issue with the funds were the "problematic" Puerto Rican bonds that the funds held. UBS started to replace the bonds in the funds with ones they were the lead underwriter on. In 2007 and 2008, UBS was the lead underwriter for two securities. One was the island's bonds tied to the Employee Retirement System, which provides pensions for the government's workers. The second were bonds supported by local sales and use tax revenues. "These bonds ended up being the bulk of what's in these funds, and what caused the losses ultimately," McCann said. UBS sold 39 percent to 44 percent of the $1.6 billion ERS Series A bonds into its proprietary bond funds, while 98 percent of the $1.1 billion ERS Series B bonds were purchased by UBS and Santander bond funds, according to SLCG analysis. Both sets of securities were exclusively offered in Puerto Rico and generated $22 million in fees for UBS and the co-underwriters. UBS also was lead (and only) underwriter for the $737 million Cofina 2008 Series A bonds that went to market in August 2008, with UBS selling 99.6 percent of the bonds into its closed-end funds. This resulted in an immense overconcentration of the two securities within the funds. By the end of June 2013, the ERS and Cofina bonds accounted for more than 90 percent of the net assets in 10 of the UBS funds. The heavy concentration and high leverage of the funds ultimately led to staggering losses for investors in 2013 after Puerto Rican bonds, including the ERS and Cofina bonds, suffered a massive sell-off. By the end of 2013, the 23 closed-end bonds funds managed or co-managed by UBS Puerto Rico lost $3 billion in value, or nearly 70 percent, in that year alone, SLCG data show. Watch: Puerto Rico's broken bonds Bond vigilantes are poised to wrest back power in 2018. For the first time in four years, the U.S., Japanese, euro zone and UK governments will together issue more net debt than their central banks will buy. That gives investors a welcome chance to hold profligates to account. But markets may be prone to over-reaction as money managers rediscover their rusty powers of discernment. Combined net debt issuance by these so-called G4 economies will total $1.3 trillion, up by a third from the projected issuance for 2017, according to Morgan Stanley. The increase in supply will coincide with a decline in demand from central banks, which are expected to reduce their combined bond purchases. That makes for a watershed year in which net issuance will exceed official purchases of debt. Bond prices will respond. In the past couple of years, buying by central bankers dwarfed issuance, on a net basis, and drove down yields, sometimes into negative territory. About 43 percent of outstanding European government bonds and 60 percent of Japanese ones were yielding less than zero at the end of October, according to Tradeweb. Investors who wanted better returns have been forced to buy longer-dated or riskier debt, and venture into other markets. Liquid assets, such as equities, were bid up by what Citi analysts dubbed bond "refugees". So were illiquid alternatives such as infrastructure and private equity funds. As the balance between the supply and official purchases of government debt flips, investors may return to their natural comfort zone. More from Breakingviews: America loses its regional-bank champion If all goes well, that shift will be gradual and bond yields will rebound slowly. That's not a given. Say corporate defaults were to rise markedly. Authorities have dampened sensitivity to these risks for so long that investors may over-react when confronted with them. Price swings will be further amplified if asset managers find themselves stuck in illiquid markets during a broader sell-off. Those who cannot bail out of their riskiest holdings may be forced to sell less risky but more liquid bonds. Bond prices have been getting less volatile for several years. When valuations are less driven by central banks, that will no longer be the case. A necessary shift, to be sure, but one likely to create some unsettling market moves. This is a Breakingviews prediction for 2018. To see more Breakingviews commentary, click here. The Japanese car company has pledged that its entire fleet will be available in an electric or hybrid version by 2025. In a press release Monday, Toyota Motor Company said it also wanted electrified cars to account for more than half of group sales by 2030, with a volume target of around 5.5 million cars a year. Toyota also said it will have more than 10 different pure battery electric cars for sale from 2020, with China the first target market. The company said it will then expand that electric vehicle range into Japan, U.S., Europe, and India on a "gradual" basis. The automaker added that by 2025 it will no longer develop any Toyota or Lexus branded car that doesn't offer a "dedicated electrified model or have an electrified option." Toyota said it was also working with Panasonic to reduce the weight and cost of batteries. It said it expected "next-generation solid-state batteries" should be commercially available by 2020. According to data supplied by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), Toyota was 2016's largest car producer, accounting for more than 10 million vehicles. The company itself said to date it has produced more than 11 million vehicles that use electric technology. Toyota shares ended the Japanese trading session 2.8 percent higher on Monday. In a tweet, Trump contended that the accident "shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly." The high-speed Amtrak train with 83 passengers spilled onto Interstate 5 in the state after leaving the tracks. Federal investigators trying to determine the cause of the crash said the train was traveling at 80 mph, 50 mph above the speed limit. President Donald Trump promoted his planned infrastructure push Monday in a tweet addressing a train derailment in Washington state, that reportedly killed at least three people and injured several others. An Amtrak train derailment hangs over an overpass along I-5 south of Seattle on Dec 18th, 2017. Trump tweet on infrastructure It is unclear how Trump's infrastructure proposal specifically would have prevented the accident. The area of track where the train derailed just got upgraded as part of a $181 million project, according to The Associated Press. It was the first day of public use for the track, which had been upgraded from a freight and military route to passenger rail service. The accident followed what Washington state transportation officials described as "weeks of inspection and testing." In a subsequent tweet sent minutes later, Trump said his "thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the train accident" and thanked first responders. The White House plans to start its push for a massive infrastructure program next month. The Trump administration is expected to promote a program that would include $200 billion in federal spending and aims to spur $800 billion in state, local and private sector spending. A promised revamp of roads, bridges and airports figured prominently in Trump's presidential campaign but has taken a backseat so far to efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and overhaul the U.S. tax code. Trump's call for infrastructure spending comes as Republicans are on the verge of passing a tax plan which would add an estimated $1 trillion or more to federal budget deficits over a decade. Trump has been inconsistent on when to call for policy changes after a catastrophic event. On Halloween, Trump ordered an acceleration of his "extreme vetting" of foreigners entering the U.S. following a fatal terror attack in New York. However, following the shooting massacre of dozens of concertgoers in Las Vegas earlier this year, the White House repeatedly said it was too early to talk about possible policy solutions. Correction: The Trump administration is expected to promote an infrastructure program that aims to spur $800 billion in state, local and private sector spending. An earlier version misstated the figure. By PTI: Eds : Rptg after correcting date in fourth para Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 (PTI) Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram has urged Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to return untilised central funds provided to the state government to ensure minimum support price (MSP) on minor forest produces for tribals. The Centre had provided Rs 49.91 crore in 2014 under the mechanism for marketing of minor forest produce (MFP) through minimum support price and development of value chain of MFP to undertake procurement operations. advertisement Though the state government was provided the sum as revolving fund to undertake procurement for implementation of the scheme, it could utilise only Rs 3.80 crore in the last four years, Oram said in his letter to the chief minister. The letter was dated December 13 but was circulated among the media today. "In case the state decides to follow alaternate methods to benefit tribals in this sector, I suggest that the untilised funds may please be refunded with accured interest along with an audit report so that same can be optimally utilised for those states which are implementing the scheme," Oram wrote to Patnaik. The managing director of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited and a team of officials from the ministry of tribal affairs had interacted with state govenrment officials at a meeting chaired by Odisha chief secretary at Bhubaneswar on September 15, 2017 to discuss about the scheme and its implementation, Oram said. "I would like Odisha to provide MSP to the tribals of the state at the Haat Bazar level where they bring their forest produces in the sprit of the Govenrment of India Scheme mentioned above," he said adding that it would protect tribals from possible exploitation. Oram also requested Patnaik to look into the matter and issue suitable direction to concerned officials in the best inetrests of tribals of Odisha. PTI AAM KK KK KK --- ENDS --- Burns agreed that China and Russia are competitors with the U.S. for global and regional power. He also said the power of the U.S. economy is the foundation for the country's global influence. The president's speech on Monday followed the unveiling of his 68-page strategy document earlier in the day. The administration's approach reflects Trump's "America First" campaign pledge and looks at China and Russia as two countries challenging U.S. power. President Donald Trump made some strong points in his national security speech, but his actions in office so far haven't backed up his words, former diplomat Nick Burns told CNBC on Monday. President Donald Trump pauses while speaking during a national security strategy speech at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. However, he said Trump has weakened the U.S. position on trade. "He is not seen by the Europeans as the leader of the West, as every other American president. He's been so critical of the European allies," Burns said in an interview with "Power Lunch." The CNBC contributor and former U.S. ambassador to NATO under President George W. Bush also criticized Trump's immigration policy. "He's trying to shut down immigration, I think, in a way that will hurt our economy and hurt the ethos and spirit of the country," he said. "The actions of the last 12 months are a lot more important than this speech and this document, and the two don't really meet in the middle." Trump has also been critical of NATO allies who he said are not paying their fair share. At his first NATO meeting in May, he called upon members to spend more in defending terrorism. Burns agreed that NATO allies need to spend more, but noted that 20 of the 28 European allies began to raise defense spending in 2014. "He needs to be a critic, obviously, but he also needs to encourage and lead, and he hasn't done that. It took him five months to say that he actually agreed with the heart of NATO: An attack on one is an attack on all," he said. Meredith Sumpter, who directs the Asia practice at the Eurasia Group, said major powers are watching Trump's actions closely. If the U.S. is walking away from "the mantle of global leadership," they have key questions about trade and international institutions, she said. "They are at this moment where they are wondering if the U.S. is not going to lead internationally then who will and what does that mean?" she said in an interview with "Power Lunch." If the finance industry is to support the achievement of the 2030 targets set by the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, then asset management is one of the key. The capital sums controlled by the sector are vast. The cultural and commercial influence of big investors and leading fund managers is tremendous. Fortunately, the omens are good. The asset management industry is increasingly committed to the goals of Sustainable and Positive Impact Finance. "There are three key reasons why there is such as strong appetite," says Isabelle Millat, head of sustainable investment solutions within the markets activities of Societe Generale. "The first is the mounting evidence that there is a risk-return enhancement by adopting ESG (environmental, social, governance) criteria amongst other investment criteria." "Second, the desire to have a positive environmental or social impact is driven by the end owners of the assets, the investors." "And third, there is a regulatory incentive. In France, article 173 of the Energy Transition Law strengthens ESG reporting requirements for institutional investors, including asset owners and investment managers. So those who are not pushed by the first reason or the second, will be by this third, regulatory constraint." This three-pronged motivation means the ESG-compliant assets are growing fast. The Global Sustainable Investment Review 2016, produced by the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance, calculated that there was $22.89 trillion of assets being professionally managed under responsible investment strategies at the time of publication, an increase of 25 percent on 2014. In terms of all professionally managed assets globally, responsible investing constitutes 26 percent of the total. The report states emphatically: "Clearly, sustainable investing constitutes a major force across global financial markets." It must be noted there are shades of disagreement over the definition of sustainable investment. The review looks at seven categories: The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form By PTI: Islamabad, Dec 18 (PTI) Pakistan government today informed the National Assembly that it was clueless of the whereabouts of the countrys first national flag. The national flag was presented by Pakistans first prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan to Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah during the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, Dawn newspaper reported. advertisement In a written reply to a question by a ruling party lawmaker, the interior ministry said it was "not responsible for the protection of the first flag and was only responsible for rules regarding the flag", the report said. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker Khalida Mansoor had asked about the whereabouts of the first flag of the country which was presented to Jinnah by prime minister Khan, the report said. The national flag of Pakistan - with a green field with a white crescent moon and five-rayed star at its centre, and a vertical white stripe at the hoist side - was adopted during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947. PTI AKJ AKJ --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) A multi-centric cross-sectional study spanning five different geographical regions, has been initiated by the Centre to estimate the seroprevalence of dengue virus infection in the country, the government said. Union Health Minister J P Nadda in a written reply to the Lok Sabha has said that the study is being coordinated by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai. advertisement "A multi-centric study has been initiated to estimate the seroprevalence of dengue virus infection in India with the main objective to establish age-specific seroprevalence of dengue virus infection in different geographic regions of states. "This in turn, will enable the government to take a policy decision on introduction of dengue vaccine into the country," Nadda said. Three states would be selected in each region by simple random sampling, in three different age groups: 5-8 years, 9- 17 years, and 18-45 years. "A total of 10,000 samples will be collected from all age groups and will be tested for dengue IgG antibodies," Nadda said. The five participating regions are: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan; Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradsh; Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka; Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha; and, Assam, Meghalaya and Dibrugarh. As per the government data shared in the reply by the government, 1,50,482 dengue cases were recorded across the country this year till November 30, with 225 deaths reported due to it. The cases of dengue reported in last three years are as follows: 40,571 (2014), 99,913 (2015) and 1,29,166 (2016), according to the government. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey in another reply said, dengue and chikungunya cases have increased in the last few years. "This is due to involvement of newer districts and better diagnostic surveillance with establishment of sentinel laboratories across the country," he said. According to the data shared in his reply, 7,47,028 cases of malaria were recorded this year across the country till October, while 98 people succumbed to it. Total number of chikungunya cases recorded this year stood at 58,335 till November 30. As many as 1,987 cases of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) were recorded till December 3 across the country while 226 people died due to it, it said. PTI KND KJ --- ENDS --- CORNWALL, Ontario Times are changing and as a charitable organization, we at United Way Centraide SD&G have embraced a new direction of change a direction of consistent evolving and growth. We are proud of the work we do. Changing Lives is our mission to create a happy and healthy community for everyone. What would our community look like without United Way? Many essential programs assisting those who need it most would not exist or be drastically reduced without United Way support. Programs which feed the elderly, support our youth to make the right choices or give a child the mentor they so desperately need could be lost. We invest your dollars to the best of our ability to ensure we are changing lives and creating significant lasting impact throughout Cornwall and SDG. We are proud to be a locally operated office from our fundraising activities to our investment into our local community. All funds raised in SDG stay in SDG to help your neighbours in need. As we are a small office of only 3 staff, we rely heavily on our volunteers in our fundraising efforts and community investment. All decisions to allocate the funds we receive are made by a committee of volunteers and approved by our volunteer Board of Directors. We deal directly with our partner agencies and invest into programs and services that benefit local children, youth, individuals, families and the elderly. The need is always great. We are grateful that many individuals, families and businesses have embraced our recent change in direction and we encourage everyone to invest in United Way SD&G today or yearly to help Change Lives in our local community. With donating, you are a United Way HERO! Wrapping up the Holiday Season we are thrilled to announce that Peggy Levac is the lucky winner of our traditional Celebration Sleigh raffle held at Baxtroms YIG, the prize made up of $2,500 worth of prizing donated by local businesses. Thanks to Jolly Tours & Travel Carlson Wagonlit Kevin Gillis has a $3,000 travel voucher to book his dream vacation. To each and every one of our United Way Centraide HEROES, thank you! We extend our warmest wishes to everyone during this Holiday Season. CORNWALL, Ontario The forearm of Saint Francis Xavier will be visiting Cornwall on Dec. 27, 2017. The unusually large arm relic is a virtually permanent fixture in Rome; it rarely leaves its post for any reason. So it is only appropriate that the relic has its own seat aboard Air Canada for its Canadian debut. Cornwall will be the relics first stop on its 15-city Canadian tour. The tour is being organized by the Archdiocese of Ottawa, the Canadian Jesuits and Catholic Christian Outreach (a national university student movement.) St. Francis Xavier is considered by many to have been the greatest missionary and evangelist since St. Paul. Though he died nearly 500 years ago, St. Francis Xaviers arm is showing only partial signs of decay. The entirety of the saints remains are in Goa, West India, where he dedicated the bulk of his lifes work. Not only was St. Francis Xavier a veritable miracle man attributed with having raised several people from the dead, but he also baptized over 100,000 people throughout his ministry. His remains, including the travelling arm relic, are considered by the Church to be incorrupt. This means that, for scientifically unexplainable reasons, the saints body has not succumbed to the natural decaying process that typically follows death. Its usual resting place is across from the remains of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, to which St. Francis belonged. The Jesuit order is still flourishing today. In fact, Pope Francis along with Ottawas Archbishop (and Cornwalls Apostolic Administrator), the Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast both belong to the Jesuit order. Saint Francis Xavier is one of the most revered saints of all time, says Terrence Prendergast, SJ, Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall. He was a man of extraordinary courage and faith who shared the Gospel message of Jesus with thousands across Southeast Asia, Goa and India. The veneration of relics are a longstanding, scripturally-based Christian tradition. In honouring the relics of a saint, the faithful show respect for someone who has lived a virtuous, godly life. Though Catholics do not worship the saints, their relics remind us that our faith is not just spiritual; it is also physical. When we love someone, we refer to physical objects to summon up feelings of fondness in their absence (photos, clothing, scents). Our bodies are loved by God and are meant to serve God on earth and then be reunited with God in heaven on the last day. Therefore, our bodies are meaningful. Catholics ask the saints to join them in prayer to God for special intentions. The relic is scheduled to travel to the following cities: Ottawa, Quebec City, St. Johns, Halifax, Antigonish, Kingston, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria and Montreal. The relics will be on display for veneration in Cornwall at St. Columbans Church on Wednesday, Dec. 27 from 1:30-4:30 pm. All are welcome. There will be a Mass following the exposition at 4:30pm. For media inquiries or for further information, please contact Kimberly Walsh at 613-933-1138, ext. 32 By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Special prayers were offered for the victims of the 2014 Peshawar school attack, at the Pakistan High Commission here, with its envoy today asserting that the occasion was also to reaffirm the nations "iron resolve" to defeat terrorism. Nearly 150 people, mostly children, were killed on December 16 three years ago, when heavily armed Taliban suicide bombers stormed a Pakistan military-run school in Peshawar. advertisement "Quran Khawani and dua were held at the Pakistan High Commission for the Esale-e-Sawab of the martyrs of the Army Public School (APS), Peshawar. Special prayers were offered for the departed souls and for the bereaved families," the High Commission said in a statement. The officers and staff of the mission participated in the commemoration ceremony. Innocent young students and their teachers became victims of the dastardly terrorist attack, which left the families, the entire Pakistani nation, and indeed the international community, overwhelmed with deep grief and sorrow, Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood said. "The world stood in strong solidarity with the people of Pakistanm," he was quoted as saying by the statement. Mahmood, while remembering the sacrifice of the martyrs, also prayed for his countrys valiant security personnel battling the terrorists. "This was also the occasion to reaffirm the nations iron resolve to decisively defeat the scourge of terrorism and to continue to build a strong and secure Pakistan," he said. PTI KND KJ --- ENDS --- On the heels of announcing 2018 deployment for the Norwegian Joy, the company gathered its leading travel partners for a night of festivities and awards in Shanghai at the St. Regis last week. David Herrera, president of China for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, was on hand to lead the dinner and event, which included a signing ceremony welcoming some 29 new travel partners for 2018, who will distribute Norwegian, Regent and Oceania products. Awards were handed out to the top performing agents by Chinese region, also including top performers in selling overseas packages. There were additionally best partner and best contribution awards, with some 35 travel agencies taking home some level of recognition. Given whats happened in 2017 the Equifax breach, state-sponsored attacks, Russian manipulation of social media, Wannacry, and more phishing scams than we can count you might not be looking forward to 2018. Breaches will be bigger, hackers will be smarter, and security teams and budgets wont seem to keep pace. There is reason to be optimistic, though. Yes, some things will get worse before they get better, but we expect real progress in a few areas. Heres what we think will happen next year. 1. Many, if not most, U.S. companies will not meet GDPR compliance by deadline Surveys show that U.S. companies subject to the European Unions (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are far behind where they need to be to make the May 25 compliance deadline. For some, it might not matter. Regulators will not audit for GDPR compliance, so companies are vulnerable to fines only if there is a breach or EU citizens file complaints. Even if a company experiences a breach or complaint, regulators will likely treat it leniently if the company can document good-faith efforts to comply. Organizations that dont take GDPR seriously and experience an event that triggers an investigation by regulators are at real risk of a heavy fine. That leads us to our next prediction. 2. GDPR regulators will quickly make an example of an organization There are two schools of thought about whom regulators will target first. Some say they will set a precedent first with an EU company because they are perceived to be less likely to fight a fine. Others believe that regulators will not only go after a U.S. company early, but they have specific companies in mind. Its not hard to guess which companies they might be. Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook have all had contentious relationships with the European Commission on privacy and antitrust issues. If any of these four show signs of non-compliance with GDPR, EU regulators might well seize the opportunity to make a statement. Other companies are not likely to be early targets unless an especially egregious event occurs that could have been prevented or minimized had GDPR rules been followed. The safe plan is to make your best effort to be in compliance by May 25. 3. The decline of password-only authentication will accelerate The Equifax and Anthem breaches were wake-up calls for many consumers, who are now asking questions about the safety of their online accounts. Most still have no idea about password alternatives or enhancements like multi-factor authentication (MFA) or risk-based authentication, but they are more aware that passwords alone no longer are enough. In fact, research done by Bitdefender shows that U.S. citizens are more concerned about stolen identities (79 percent) than email hacking (70 percent) or home break-ins (63 percent). This is important, because companies often cite a lack of demand for stronger authentication as a reason for not offering it. They are reluctant to do so, in part, because they dont want more complicated authentication degrading the user experience. That worry will be eased by risk-based authentication tools that are becoming widely available. These tools work in the background to assess behavior and other data to determine the likelihood that the person attempting access is actually authorized. Coupled with MFA, risk-based authentication puts up a strong barrier to unauthorized access. Risk-based authentication is often bundled with identity and access management (IAM) tools. According to Stratistics MRC, the IAM market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.8 percent in 2018, which is another indicator that password-only authentication is headed to extinction. Liability concerns over compromised credentials are also driving companies to stronger authentication. In its Data Breach Industry Forecast, Experian points out that, after a major data breach at one company, credential reuse affects other companies. They are forced to notify users when hackers use their stolen credentials to fraudulently access services. Experian calls this an aftershock breach, and the report urges organizations to deploy secondary authentication methods. Given the continued success of aftershock breaches involving username and passwords, we predict that attackers are going to take the same approach with other types of attacks involving even more personal information, such as social security numbers or medical information, the report stated. 4. State-sponsored attacks will increase The usual suspects for state-sponsored attacks North Korea, Iran, and Russia dont have much to lose by continuing their attempts to extort, steal, spy and disrupt by infiltrating information systems. All are already heavily sanctioned, and the consequences at least those we know about in response to state-sponsored attacks have been minimal. This makes the risk of escalating those attacks seem low. Expect state-sponsored attackers to keep pushing the envelope in terms of scale and impact of their assaults. An area of particular concern is critical infrastructure like power and communications grids. The progression of cyber attacks driven by nation-states will undoubtedly place critical infrastructure in the crosshairs, potentially leading to widespread outages or exposed personal information that could impact millions of innocent consumers, stated Experians 2017 Data Breach Industry Forecast. Affected nations and the international community will respond with more pressure on the bad actors. More sanctions and indictments of foreign nationals deemed responsible are likely. Unfortunately, until there is a clear international agreement regarding rules of engagement in cyberspace, these attacks are likely only going to increase and escalate, the Experian report stated. State-sponsored attacks might also spur countries to form alliances to fight them. Increased attacks on critical infrastructure will drive countries to begin discussing cybersecurity alliances. Establishing these alliances will provide mutual defense for all countries involved and it will allow for the sharing of intelligence in the face of attributed nation-state attacks, not to mention agreements to not attack each other, says Eddie Habibi, CEO of PAS Global. Until effective deterrents are in place, offending nations will escalate their attacks until the cost is too high. That cost might come in the form of in-kind counter-attacks or even some kind of physical strike. Lets hope we dont end up with the kind of brinkmanship that kept the world on edge during the Cold War. 5. Attacks via compromised IoT devices will get worse Millions of connected devices have little or no defense against hackers who want to gain control of them. In fact, its getting easier for hackers to take over scores of internet of things (IoT) devices. All they have to do is purchase a botnet kit from the dark web and they are in business. The top three botnet kits Andromeda, Gamarue and Wauchos are estimated to be responsible for compromising more than a million devices a month. The Reaper botnet has infected more than a million devices. The problem is that we havent yet seen what the hackers who control the botnets intend to do with them. Will it be to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks? Send massive amounts of spam? Or will they do something we havent seen before? Well find out in 2018. It takes time to build, secure, and set up the command infrastructure for a botnet at a Reaper-like scale. A hacker would not likely invest that kind of effort without expecting a large return. Botnet attacks in 2018 could be very interesting, and not in a good way. Thats the bad botnet news. The good news is that efforts against botnets are improving. In December, three people pleaded guilty to charges related to their creating and using the Mirai botnet to launch a DDoS attack on DNS service company Dyn. Also in December, ESET and Microsoft announced that they had cooperated to take down 464 botnets and more than 1,200 command and control domains. Also encouraging, an individual believed to be associated with the botnets was arrested in Belarus. International cooperation will be necessary to stop botnets. The Belarus arrest along with the arrest of Peter Levashov, the hacker behind the Waledac and Kelihos spam botnets, in Spain last spring give hope that hackers will have fewer safe havens next year. IoT device makers are slowly making progress on securing their devices as well. That wont help the scores of devices already deployed that are difficult or impossible to patch, however. Manufacturers will start to address these security faults or risk losing to the companies that bake-in security from the start, says Ken Spinner, VP of field engineering at Varonis. GDPR may save the day in the long run, forcing businesses to reconsider personal data collection via IoT, but we wont see this effect until at least 2019." 6. Automation of some threat-detection tasks will increase Security teams wade through massive volumes of alerts and data every day to determine what is or isnt a likely threat. That volume will increase, driven by more attacks and more attack vectors. Filtering the alert data is repetitive, tedious work, which makes it a perfect candidate to automate using software. Organizations are already taking advantage of machine-learning-based tools to help filter alerts to lighten the load of over-burdened security staff. We expect this trend to accelerate in 2018 as the volume of threat indicators increase and the security talent pool remains constrained. And why not? Studies have shown that, properly deployed, automation tools are highly effective at identifying which alerts a person needs to look at. The automation trials that organizations are doing now will give them confidence in the technology and help them understand where it can and cant help. That will encourage security teams to expand the use of automation where it makes sense. Automation will not be a panacea or replace staff, but it will boost threat detection effectiveness and free staff for other important tasks. With the increased use of machine-learning-based automation will come a greater awareness of what it cant do. For example, machine learning is only as good as its model and the data available to analyze. It will likely miss any new type of attack. This better understanding of machine learning and automation will allow security teams to deploy the technology more effectively. 7. Trust will be a casualty of the war on cyber crime Who can blame anyone for mistrusting everything when it comes to cyber security? No ones personally identifiable information (PII) is safe. Companies cant count on the integrity of their suppliers and partners security capabilities. The U.S. government is even throwing shade on a leading providers of security software because its based in Russia. This lack of trust is starting to have a real effect on business that will continue into 2018. Uber did not help matters when it was revealed that the company hid a large breach for a year. It will be harder to engage consumers when they are reluctant to trust companies with their PII. As explained above, this will drive companies to provide stronger authentication. Expect more companies to demand security audits of their partners, suppliers, and service providers. Third-party breaches are becoming more common, and it shows that any organizations security is only as good as its extended network. It cant assure its customers and employees that their data is safe if they dont know the risk presented by other organizations with which it does business. The U.S. government has banned the use of Kaspersky software in government agencies because it believes the risk of Russian influence to compromise the software too high. Similar actions by other countries are likely in 2018. Other countries have shown similar nationalistic tendencies such as China and its recently passed, far-reaching cybersecurity law that requires access to vendor source code. We predict that the U.S. Executive Branch will show similar tendencies and direct government agencies to exercise procurement preference for vendors with development and manufacturing in the U.S. or allied countries, says PAS Globals Habibi. The environment of mistrust will present opportunities for companies that can show genuine concern for protecting data and that they have proper security infrastructure in place. In other words, earned trust becomes an asset when consumers and other organizations are willing to do business with you because they feel secure doing so. Most organizations will suffer one or more major security incidents in which an attacker has administrative control over the IT systems that enable business processes and storing critical data, according to the Microsoft Incident Response Reference Guide. Business leaders and IT executives arent expected to entirely prevent cyber attacks, but theyre expected to react immediately and manage the fallout. Poor incident response including, but not limited to, delayed response has caused incalculable damages and reputational harm to Yahoo, Equifax, and most recently Uber, to name a few. [ How much does a data breach cost? Here's where the money goes. | Get the latest from CSO by signing up for our newsletters. ] Are organizations properly budgeting for incident response? Microsoft advises individuals in the roles of CIO, CISO, general counsel, head of PR, and immediate colleagues to prepare for a crisis. And in a crisis, they should engage professional assistance for an active major incident. Better yet, organizations should be in touch with outside experts to help budget for potential breach responses ahead of time. Theresa Payton, a cybersecurity and intelligence operations expert and former White House CIO, is one of the top incident responders globally. She helps answer the IR budget question for CSO readers. In my experience, I've rarely seen a company stop an active incident response due to lack of budget. However, these unexpected breaches can wreak havoc on a company's bottom line, says Payton, now CEO at Fortalice, a cybersecurity firm based in Charlotte, N.C., with cyber operatives in Washington, D.C. and other locations. Monty Brinton, CBS Theresa Payton, CEO, Fortalice Apparently, most organizations have built-in approval to kick off IR when theyre hacked. But its not clear if the budget spicket stays turned on the whole time or if gets turned on and off, which slows down the IR. In some cases, the IR may take longer due to tight budgets, says Payton. It's imperative that corporations of all size prioritize cybersecurity spending, including allocating funds for swift, comprehensive incident response. IR costs and cyber insurance How much will an organization spend on IR for a major incident, and will cyber insurance help cover the costs? According to an article by Computer Weekly, companies spend an average of $89,000 per cybersecurity incident, but I've seen investigations cost well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars," Payton explains. Some of the companies we have worked with have cybersecurity liability insurance policies, but when they execute the policy, they find that the IR support is limited in scope and not a turnkey service." Are CISOs ready? The program manager responsibilities for the IR ends falling squarely on the shoulders of either the CIO or CISO even though this might be their first major incident, Payton adds. Imagine taking a doctor who has never worked in the trauma ER unit and putting them in charge of that high pressure situation. This may explain why some CISOs become ex-CISOs after a breach, capping the IR. How intertwined is budget and IR? In the event of a breach, companies that arent prepared for an attack and dont have a well-defined incident response plan and/or budget may end up far outspending those who do, says Payton. First, it takes time to assess the issue, plan, find capable people, etc. The more time it takes to respond to an incident, the more room hackers will have to commandeer what theyd like. Second, if companies havent clearly defined how they will respond and who will take charge, staff will likely be taken away from their core duties, which in turn costs the company money, she says. Payton agrees with Microsofts assertion that most organizations will suffer a hack. Candidly, companies can't afford NOT to have an incident response plan in place. The reality we live in is that breaches are more of a 'when' scenario than an 'if,'" she says. Are the cost-per-breach estimates accurate? The short answer: The true costs of an incident response appears, from our point of view, to be well beyond industry statistics, says Payton. Cyber crime damages are expected to cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021, up from $3 trillion in 2015, according to a report from Cybersecurity Ventures. Cybercrime costs include damage and destruction of data, stolen money, lost productivity, theft of intellectual property, theft of personal and financial data, embezzlement, fraud, post-attack disruption to the normal course of business, forensic investigation, restoration and deletion of hacked data and systems, and reputational harm, states the report. Reputational harm? The last line item, but certainly not the least, can be a real doozy for some brands: reputation. Of all the major costs and risks associated with managing a security incident, the potential hit to brand and reputation and loss of customer trust could be the most damaging, according to the Microsoft IR Guide. In the guide, an Edelman security study states 71% of global consumers said they would switch providers after a company they rarely used suffered a data breach. Verizon paid $350 million less than what they originally offered to buy Yahoo arguably due to Yahoos poor IR, which took years to reveal all of its 3 billion user accounts were exposed. For anyone who thinks major security incidents are reserved for major brands, think again. While the biggest companies usually make cyber crime headlines, countless organizations of all sizes and types have been hacked over the past year. Organizations of all sizes, types should prepare to be hacked A glance at the latest Data Breach Diary lists a slew of cyber attacks on businesses globally as well as the negative outcomes, which include numerous class-action lawsuits against victimized corporations. IR is a thorny topic (barely covered here) and one that every CISO and IT security pro should bone up on if they havent already. The best starting point is the Guide for Cybersecurity Event Recovery, published in December 2016 by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). You have to spend money to make money. If getting hacked is a foregone conclusion, then IR is the best cybersecurity ROI. Every CISO should be able to explain that to their CEO and board. Visit SteveOnCyber.com to read all of my blogs and articles covering cybersecurity. Follow me on Twitter @CybersecuritySF, or connect with me on LinkedIn. Send story tips, feedback and suggestions to me here. The House and Senate this week are expected to take up the final tax reform bill, which, to NAFCUs urging, keeps the credit union tax exemption intact. Both chambers hope to have the bill passed and on the presidents desk for his signature before Christmas. NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger and other members of NAFCUs legislative affairs team have been actively engaged on Capitol Hill and with the White House to ensure the credit union tax exemption is left alone in this tax bill. In August, the association and several member credit union representatives met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss tax reform efforts, and Berger was invited on FOX Business to explain the importance of the exemption. The association has also held numerous meetings with senators, representatives and administration officials throughout the year. Last month, NAFCU launched a grassroots effort calling on member credit unions to defend the industrys tax-exempt status at the local level. An independent tax study released by NAFCU earlier this year found the credit union tax exemption benefits $16 billion to the U.S. economy each year. (Read more on the tax bill here.) STORY LINK GBP AUD Exchange Rate Strengthens as CBI Factory Orders Hold Steady Pound (GBP) Bolstered by CBI Factory Figures Australian Dollar (AUD) Dips as GDP Revised down GBP AUD Forecast: EU Summit to Vote on Fate of Brexit Talks Current Interbank Exchange Rates Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Australian Dollar (GBP AUD) exchange rate is rallying this morning as the Confederation for British Industrys monthly industrial orders beat expectations this morning.The Pound was strengthened this morning as the data revealed that UK factory orders beat expectations in December.According to data published by the CBI the factory orders in the UK remained robust this month, with its industrial orders index holding a 30-year high of 17, beating expectations that the index would have slipped to 14.The survey of 371 manufacturers showed that the strong orders this month were mainly driven by demand from Motor Vehicles and Transport Equipment, and Mechanical Engineering sectors, although order strength was fair robust across the various sub-sectors.However despite the uptick in orders export orders slipped slightly this month, with many of those responding to the survey expecting that output growth is likely to moderate over the next few months.There are also growing concerns over the rising costs facing firms particular in regards to input costs as the weakness of Sterling remains a double edged sword for manufacturers.Anna Leach, CBI Head of Economic Intelligence, said;As we head towards the end of 2017, UK manufacturers total order books remain at a near 30 high, with export order books remaining at their strongest since the mid-1990s.While the lower level of sterling continues to support exporters, cost pressures remain intense. Businesses will expect to see the Governments Industrial Strategy make rapid progress next year to support manufacturing and the wider economy in every corner of the UK.Overall however this is a strong end of the year for UK manufacturers and may help UK economic growth to have picked up a bit more in the last quarter of 2017.The Australian Dollar is trending lower today after the Australian Government revised down its growth forecast for 2017.According to the governments Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), real GDP was revised to 2.5% in the 2017/18 financial year, down from 2.75% in Mays budget.This reflects the significant downturn in household consumption in the tail end of the year.However on a more positive note the governments budget outlook is considerably more upbeat, with the government deficit now expected to be AU$23.6bn by the end of the 2017/18 financial year, thats AU$5.8bn lower than forecast in May.John Peters, at the Commonwealth Bank said;The recent winks and nudges from the national capital hinted at a further improvement in the MYEFO Budget figuring on the back of upgraded company profitability and tax receipts, and despite very tepid wages growth. And that expectation is exactly what Treasurer Morrison delivered earlier today.In the arcane realm of fiscal policy, and given the vicissitudes and complexity of making spending and revenue forecasts over a span of years, the projected improvement in the fiscal position is not all that substantial. But it is undoubtedly heading in the right direction. And this fact should keep the rating agencies onside for now anyway.Looking ahead the GBP AUD exchange rate may continue to strengthen tomorrow if the CBIs distributive trade figures prove to be as robust as todays factory orders, although economists currently forecast that the retail index will have slipped from 26 to 20 in December.Meanwhile the Australian Dollar may recoup some of its losses overnight with the release of the minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australias (RBA) December policy meeting, with the minutes expected to re-affirm the banks upbeat outlook.At the time of writing the GBP AUD exchange rate was trending around 1.7479 and the AUD GBP exchange rate was trending around 0.5722. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Australian Dollar Forecasts STORY LINK GBP EUR Exchange Rate Strengthens on Increased Market Optimism Over Brexit GBP EUR Exchange Rate Remains Vulnerable to Brexit Jitters In a narrow vote, Parliament secured the right to grant final approval. Another confrontation and possible defeat could be avoided in the week ahead if the specific date of 31 March 2019 can be removed from withdrawal bill. Given that Q1 18 will be spent discussing the transition period, a hard date may make that period more difficult. It is in the EU's interest to argue for a standstill agreement; this is one that keeps the UK firmly in the EU's rules and regulations, while the UK would be technically out of the EU. It also seems widely recognised that the Irish border issue has not been resolved in any meaningful way, implying that it could emerge again as a formidable challenge. Euro Vulnerable as German Politics Remains in Limbo In Germany's way, there will be exploratory talks first. These can talk several weeks. Merkel does not want to lead a minority government. The SPD does not want to lose its identity in another coalition government. Both blocs do not want to return to the polls. In the September election, both saw their public support fall to post-WWII lows. A type of arrangement where the SPD and CDU/CSU agree on several broad programs and then fight for the rest of the agenda in the Bundestag seems like a minority government. However, it may be the basis of a compromise. It allows the SPD to still be the main opposition party (rather than the AfD) and draw the parliamentary privileges associated with it. Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Euro exchange rate rallied at the start of the week, with investors taking comfort from the prospect of Theresa Mays cabinet formally discussing the UKs future trade deal with the EU for the first time.This encouraged Sterling to trend sharply higher across the board, boosting hopes that markets will soon get a greater sense of clarity over the governments Brexit plans.However, there is still a significant degree of division within the cabinet over the nature of the future trade relationship with the EU, creating the potential for further market jitters down the line.While the Euro also saw increased demand, thanks to an optimistic monthly report from the Bundesbank, this was not enough to prevent the GBP EUR exchange rate making some robust gains.Speculation over Brexit is likely to continue to dominate the outlook of GBP exchange rates for the foreseeable future, with Parliament still debating related legislation.As researchers at BBH commented:Unless there are signs of a greater consensus emerging over key Brexit issues then the GBP EUR exchange rate could come under renewed downside pressure.Even so, the Pound could find some support on the back of the CBI reported sales figures for December.Providing the economy shows signs of improving health GBP exchange rates could find a fresh rallying point, even though a significant degree of economic uncertainty remains.On the other hand, a fresh dip in sales could put renewed pressure on Sterling, underlining a general weakening in confidence within the UK economy.EUR exchange rates may struggle to sustain a positive outlook in the coming days, with questions still hanging over the future of the German government.Considering the political situation, researchers at BBH noted:Even so, focus is more likely to fall on Decembers German IFO business sentiment surveys in the near term.So long as businesses maintain a relatively optimistic view this could encourage the Euro to trend higher, adding weight to expectations that the Eurozones powerhouse economy will motor on in spite of political uncertainty.Investors may also be encouraged if Octobers Eurozone construction output figures prove positive.While the European Central Bank (ECB) looks set to leave monetary policy on hold over the coming months a stronger showing here could still bolster the appeal of the single currency.On the other hand, any signs of slowing momentum may offer the GBP EUR exchange rate further support. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Euro Forecasts Nancy Pelosi's legacy: From passing Obamacare to impeaching Trump Congressional scholars and modern politicians rate Speaker Nancy Pelosi as one of the most consequential legislative leaders in U.S. and House history. To get the Asia AM Digest every day, SIGN UP HERE The US Dollar corrected higher Friday having been badly battered following the FOMC monetary policy announcement. The New Zealand Dollar managed to hold its own against its US counterpart while scoring impressive gains versus the rest of the G10 FX field, seemingly still reveling in fade the Fed dynamics. The British Pound turned sharply lower in a move that might have marked pre-positioning before the European Commission opines this week on prospects for a post-Brexit transition period smoothing the UK/EU divorce process. DailyFX Economic Calendar: Asia Pacific (all times in GMT) DailyFX Webinar Calendar CLICK HERE to register (all times in GMT) IG Client Sentiment Index Chart of the Day: NZD/USD CLICK HERE to learn more about the IG Client Sentiment Index Retail trader data shows 57.1% of traders are net-long NZD/USD, with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.33 to 1. In fact, traders have remained net-long since Oct 18 when NZD/USD traded near 0.70693; price has moved 0.8% lower since then. The percentage of traders net-long is now its lowest since Oct 11 when NZD/USD traded near 0.70946. The number of traders net-long is 2.9% lower than yesterday and 20.7% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 5.4% higher than yesterday and 45.2% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests NZD/USD prices may continue to fall. Yet traders are less net-long than yesterday and compared with last week. Recent changes in sentiment warn that the current NZD/USD price trend may soon reverse higher despite the fact traders remain net-long. Five Things Traders are Reading To get the Asia AM Digest every day, sign up here To get the US AM Digest every day, sign up here To get both reports daily, sign up here 07:55pm: Moments away from the final results, the tally stands as follows: BJP has won 97 seats and is leading in 2, Congress has won 75 and is leading in 2. NCP has won 1. BTP has won 2 and other independent candidates have won 3 seats. Photo: Screengrabs 06:55pm: 30 years ago, the poison of caste was spread so badly in Gujarat that it took workers like me 30 years to get rid of it. In last few months there were attempts again to sow seeds of casteism, but people rejected it. I congratulate them, but people must be alert, PM Narendra Modi. Gujarat election results are historic. In this day and age, for a party to keep winning for so long: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/wU4sENa18C December 18, 2017 In Gujarat, BJP won all the seats it contested in 1989 Lok Sabha polls. We won most of the seats we contested in 1990. In 1995, in 1998, in 2002, in 2007 and in 2012 we won. We won most seats in Lok Sabha polls too: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/zRzXTk9bC1 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 For me, Gujarat polls are a matter of double happiness. I am so happy that after I left the state, my colleagues there continued the good work: PM Modi ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 So many conspiracies were hatched in Gujarat by Congress, misinformation was being spread. People cannot bear if anyone makes fun of 'vikas': PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/GOafVB23i5 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 After 2014, there is hunger for development. Even if you do not like BJP, do not try to derail the progress being made towards development: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/DCglJpP2TR ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 30 years back, poison of caste was spread so badly in Gujarat that it took workers like me 30 years to get rid of it. In last few months there were attempts again to sow seeds of casteism, but people rejected it,I congratulate them, but ppl must be alert: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/srlI5bsa3Y ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 06:48pm: PM Modi: "The results in Himachal Pradesh show that if you don't do development and are embroiled in all wrong acts then after 5 years people will not accept you." 06:40pm: During UP elections it was said BJP would lose due to GST effect in urban areas, same was said in Gujarat elections and local body polls in Maharashtra. But now the entire nation is joining our vikas yatra. Support for BJP shows the nation is ready for reform agenda and every citizen wants India transformed, PM Narendra Modi at BJP HQ in Delhi. Support for BJP shows the nation is ready for reform agenda and every citizen wants India transformed: PM @narendramodi https://t.co/w2kgnZAB5Z pic.twitter.com/ee4ugLvB4I BJP (@BJP4India) December 18, 2017 06:36pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks after BJP victory in Gujarat 06:33pm: This journey of vikas will not come to a stop. Next will be Tripura, Karnataka, Mizoram and Meghalaya. BJP vice-president Amit Shah. 06:26pm: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee weighs in on BJP's Gujarat victory. (via PTI) Photo: DailyO 06:21pm: Photo: DailyO 06:07pm: The BJP's performance in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development politics over dirty caste politics of Rahul Gandhi-led Congress. All sections of society have voted above caste politics. This is a win of development politics of the prime minister. In Gujarat, OBC, patidar, dalit all were used for caste politics by the Congress but caste politics could not get success," said Union minister Nitin Gadkari said. (via PTI) 06:03pm: The Election Commission has declared BJPs victory in 88 seats while having a lead in 11 others; and Congress victory in 73 seats and the partys lead in 4 others. Photo: Screengrabs 05:59pm: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani thanks Narendra Modi for leaving no stone unturned in polls Gujarat is thankful to PM Shri @narendramodi Ji for always being there for the state & leaving no stone unturned to transform the state as well as the nation. I also express gratitude to BJP President @amitshah Ji for his constant guidance to our karyakartas. Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) December 18, 2017 05:56pm: The Congress party tweets, see you on the campaign trail in 2018! The Congress Party extends a huge thank you to the people of Himachal Pradesh & Gujarat for having faith in us and giving us their vote. Our congratulations to the Bharatiya Janta Party. However we aren't taking off our gloves just yet; see you on the campaign trail in 2018! Congress (@INCIndia) December 18, 2017 05:55pm: Photo: DailyO 05:18pm: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor congratulates new governments in both states (Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh) Gracious concession by #CongressPresidentRahulGandhi: "@INCIndia accepts verdict of people &congratulates new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat&Himachal w/all my heart for love they showed me." Still, 77 seats,&pulling BJP below 100 in PM's home state: OK! Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 18, 2017 05:15pm: "I would like to give credit for this victory to the people of Gujarat, also give assurance that in the coming five years BJP will work towards what the people of the state want," says Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani. 05:13pm: This victory reiterates pan-India trust of people in the development agenda and policies of our government led by PM Narendra Modi ji, says finance minister Arun Jaitley. Congratulations to people of Gujarat, @BJP4India & @BJP4Gujarat Karyakartas on BJP winning the #GujaratAssemblyElections2017 This victory reiterates pan India trust of people in the development agenda & policies of our government led by PM @narendramodi ji. Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) December 18, 2017 04:48pm: The battle is now neck-to-neck with the Election Commission declaring BJPs victory in 72 seats while having a lead in 27 others; and Congress victory in 65 seats and the partys lead in 12 others. Photo: Screengrabs 04:40pm: Congress senior leader Ashok Gehlot, the party's strategist for the Gujarat polls, said: Photo: DailyO 04:30pm: Rahul Gandhi concedes defeat; congratulates BJP for win Taking to social media platform Twitter, Congress president Rahul Gandhi accepted the verdict of the polls in the two states. The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me. Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 The Gandhi scion also thanked the Congress cadres for their work during the elections and congratulated them for fighting against the BJP with"dignity". My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congresss greatest strength is its decency and courage. Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 04:10pm: Victory against casteism, appeasement and vote bank politics: Amit Shah BJP's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh is a victory of PM Narendra Modi's development agenda and against the politics of casteism, appeasement and vote bank... This is a lesson to the parties which indulge in caste-politics and dynasty said BJP president Amit Shah. Addressing the media from the party headquarters in Delhi, the BJP president further went on to thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for bringing the saffron party to power. He added, "We have once again emerged triumphantly. I offer heartfelt gratitude to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh that they gave us another opportunity to serve them." 03:53pm: Former chief election commissioner TS Krishnamurthy said that EVMs are the real winner in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections and their bashing should stop now. They [EVMs] have done their job well. After all, the Congress has increased its position. Some leaders of the BJP have been defeated. EVMs have served the purpose, Krishnamurthy told PTI. 03:38pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP karyakartas in these states for their hard work which has led to these impressive victories. I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly. 03:27pm: The movement of indices today shows that much of that confidence in Modi's leadership is intact. Despite the economy suffering the double blow of demonetisation and GST, a looming agrarian crisis and lack of job opportunities, the trust in Modi's ability to steer the country through the economic mess holds. Read more: Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017: Why markets reacted positively to BJP's win | https://t.co/K1tJS9voWO pic.twitter.com/p1wwQC87HS DailyO (@DailyO_) December 18, 2017 03:25pm: Amit Shah to brief press at 3:30pm 03:15pm: There has been EVM tampering in Surat, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, which is why the gap is very less wherever tampering happened. EVMs can be hacked said Hardik Patel. (via ANI) 03:13pm: More than five lakh people have opted for NOTA (none of the above) in Gujarat polls, close to 1.8 per cent of all voters. 03:10pm: BJP Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi shares map of the partys victories throughout the country Congratulations to PM Shri @narendramodi, BJP President Shri @AmitShah and all the workers of @BJP4India for victory in Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. pic.twitter.com/WSszz7c1g6 Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (@naqvimukhtar) December 18, 2017 02:48pm: As per EC poll tracker, BJP has won 28 seats and is leading in 70. Congress has won 21 seats and is leading in 57 Photo: Screengrabs 02:40pm: Goa CM Manohar Parrikar pokes fun at Congress president Rahul Gandhi "In his opening innings he scored zero" says Goa CM Manohar Parrikar on #RahulGandhi #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/CeKxX9HikR ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 02:30pm: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar taunts Congress on its Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat loss 02:27pm: Playing down BJP's victory in Gujarat, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam has claimed the BJP's good showing in the state was down to the use of EVMs in the elections. He also termed electronic voting machines a "big threat to Indian democracy". (via PTI) I still stand by this tweet. This would have been the result if #EVM would not have been tampered.#GujaratElection https://t.co/FRsvaV6sLq Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) December 18, 2017 02:20pm: Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal (United) congratulated INC and party president Rahul Gandhi on his improvement" Congratulate Sh Rahul Gandhi & d Congress party for decent improvement in seats in Gujarat assembly election. Also congratulate Mr. Chhotobhai Vasava our candidate of B.T.P who won two seats out of four. Its visible now that our united efforts can give strong fight to opponents. SHARAD YADAV (@SharadYadavMP) December 18, 2017 02:18pm: Rajya Sabha MP Ram Vilas Paswan of the Lok Janashakti Party congratulates PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on Gujarat victory Hearty Congratulations to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and BJP president Shri Amit Shah Ji for comprehensive victory of BJP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections. @narendramodi @AmitShah Ram Vilas Paswan (@irvpaswan) December 18, 2017 02:15pm: As per the EC poll tracker Photo: DailyO 02:05pm: People all over the world have appreciated the Gujarat model but Congress has raised questions. This is a lesson for the Congress and the opposition parties, said UP CM Yogi Adityanath. (via IANS) 1:58:pm BJP leads in 103 Assembly seats, Congress in 72, and others in 6 1:57:pm Congress would've done better if it allied with NCP: Praful Patel (via ANI) 1:56:pm Undoubtedly, a major victory. The kind of work which Party workers have done right from booth workers level till PM's level, everybody put their best foot forward and both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh have recognised the good work going on in the name of development: Nirmala Sitharaman (via ANI) 1:55:pm Abhi toh kuch nahi bolunga kyunki woh haal hi mein adhyaksh bane hain lekin 'sar mundwate hi ole pade': Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Rahul Gandhi (via ANI) Delhi: Union Minister Rajnath Singh flashes victory sign outside Parliament as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh #GujaratVerdict #HimachalPradeshElections2017 pic.twitter.com/8x8q5gGNsp ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 01:50pm: Sitting BJP MLA Ketan Inamdar retains Savli Assembly seat in Vadodara district by margin of 41, 219 votes. (via India Today) 13:48pm: Former chief election commissioners speak about EVM tampering "#EVMs cannot be tampered with, even in the future. I am very clear about this. During my time, BJP had raised doubts on EVM so we had also held a demonstration like earlier this year for all to come and try rig it" says Naveen Chawla, former CEC pic.twitter.com/xXRpduibUK ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 "EVMs are stand alone machines, aren't connected to any network, can't be influenced over Bluetooth or wireless message,so to say EVMs have something wrong is absolutely incorrect. It's only a glorified calculator, moment you open it, it goes dead" says N Gopalaswami, Former CEC pic.twitter.com/jKWQiV5Gky ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 01:43pm: So far, the EC has declared BJPs victory in 11 constituencies, Congress in 9 and NCP in 1. According to their numbers, BJP is leading in 91 seats while Congress in 66. 01:44pm: BJP candidate Shailesh Mehta Sotta, who said, If someone with dadhi-topi [beard and cap] is among the people here, forgive me, but their number here has to reduce, wins Dabhoi Assembly constituency in Vadodara defeating Siddharth Patel of Congress. 01:35pm: As per India Today Photo: DailyO 01:22pm: Updates from the EC poll tracker Photo: Screengrabs 01:20pm: "I firmly believe that our EVMs, VVPATs cannot be tampered with. This matter should be closed once and for all as it is tried and tested. EVM is a standalone machine, question of hacking doesn't arise," HS Brahma, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India. (via ANI) 01:12pm: Alpesh Thakor of Congress wins from Radhanpur. BJP now ahead in 102 seats. Congress leads in 76 seats. 01:07pm: As BJP is inching towards victory, the party's Delhi unit celebrated with a cake that had photos of mushrooms on it. A clear message to Alpesh Thakor, who made a jibe at PM Modi saying, Modi ji eats mushrooms from Taiwan and one mushroom costs Rs 80,000 and he eats five mushrooms every day. 12:58pm: Ram Singh Parmar who joined BJP after quitting Congress losses Thasra seat in Gujarat. (via India Today) 12:57pm: According to the EC, so far 4,52,245 voters (1.8 per cent) in Gujarat have opted for NOTA. 12:54pm: UP CM Yogi Adityanath told ANI, Maine pehle hi kaha tha ki Congress ka netritve badalna BJP ke liye shubh sanket hoga (I had correctly predicted that Congress change in leadership is good sign for BJP). 12:45pm: Live on Aaj Tak 12:42pm: Union minister Smriti Irani tells ANI, It is a matter of happiness for us. This is the victory of development. Jo jeeta wohi Sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work and the people who trusted development." 12:30pm: Vote share according to EC BJP (49.4 per cent 110,02,569) and Congress (41.3 per cent, 92,01,601) 12:25pm: BJPs Purnesh Modi wins Surat West, Congress Vansh Punjabhai wins Una. 12:21pm: BJP vote share hits 50 per cent, a rise of two per cent over 2012 Interestingly BJP voteshare hits 50%, a rise of 2% over 2012, despite Hardik Patel-Jignesh Mevani-Alpesh Thakor caste coalition supporting Cong Minhaz Merchant (@MinhazMerchant) December 18, 2017 12:19pm: EC's Gujarat tracker Photo: Screengrabs 12:17pm: India Today's Gujarat tracker Photo: Screengrabs 12:15pm: BJP's Jitu Vaghani wins from Bhavnagar West. (via India Today) 12:13pm: Gujarat deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel wins Mehsana seat. Congratulations to Guj Dy, CM Shri @Nitinbhai_Patel for winning #Mehsana seat in #GujaratElection2017. It is a triumph of the Politics of Progress over petty casteism. pic.twitter.com/tq1KwSgwR0 Varshaben Doshi MLA (@VarshabenDoshi) December 18, 2017 12:05pm: Jignesh Mevani wins Vadgam seat. (via India Today) 11:58am: Celebrations at BJP office 11:54:am: Congress's Arjun Modhwadiya loses from Porbandar to BJP's Babubhai Bokhiriya by 1855 votes (via ANI) 11:45:am: EC Official trends: BJP leading on 105 seats, Congress on 69, Bhartiya Tribal Party on 2, NCP on 1 & Independent candidates on 4 seats. 11:42:am: Election Commission official tracker shows BJP leading in 103 seats (and victorious in one), while Congress in 72. Photo: Screengrabs 11:39am: Congress Party's Arjun Modhwadia trailing by 1800 votes from Porbandar. (via EC) 11:37am: BJP retains its hold on Ahmedabad. Currently leading on 17 of 21 seats in Ahmedabad district. Meanwhile, BJP leading on 13 of the 16 seats in Surat district. BJP has lost two seats in Surat over its 2012 tally. In Vadodra BJP leading on 9 of 10 seats in district. 90% strike rate Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) December 18, 2017 11:24am: BJP is leading on a whopping 43 of the 55 urban seats of Gujarat. BJPs strike rate on urban seats is a massive 78%. Congress has managed to make inroads into only 12 urban seats. Net net BJP has lost two of the urban seats it won last time. Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) December 18, 2017 In urban Gujarat Congress has gained 6% vote share in comparison with 2012 polls, but is still 8% behind the BJP. BJPs vote share on urban seats is 54%. Congress vote share is 42%. BJP has lost 2% vote share. Cong has done better than in previous elections but gap is still huge Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) December 18, 2017 11:22am: Sensex moves with election results, as BJP recovers in Gujarat, markets in green Sensex fell by over 600 points this morning as initial trends showed a neck-and-neck contest in the Gujarat election, but recovered as the BJP came from behind to establish a commanding lead over the Congress. The figure last recorded according to an India Today report was 209.22. 11:10am: Celebrations in BJP headquarters Delhi: Party workers celebrate at party HQ, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh #GujaratVerdict #HimachalPradeshElections2017 pic.twitter.com/BDJxPcB6hN ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 11:07am: Updates from the EC tracker Photo: Screengrabs 11:03am: Jignesh Mevani leading by 10,785 in Vadgam. (Via India Today) 10:56am: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani wins Rajkot West against Congress' Indranil Rajguru. (via reports) 10:52am: As per EC tracker, BJP ahead on 100 seats, Congress leading on 70. 10:49am: #WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flashes victory sign as he arrives at the Parliament. #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/Q4PRNjMpoK ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 10:30am: Ultimately BJP is going to register victory. Contrary to early trends, BJP is leading almost everywhere now: Gujarat deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel who is presently trailing by over 2000 votes from Mahesana. (via ANI) 10:20am: According to the EC, so far 1,23,174 voters (1.9 per cent) in Gujarat have opted for NOTA. 10:16am: India Today's live tracker Photo: Screengrabs 10:10am: Election Commission official tracker shows BJP leading in 94 seats, while Congress in 64. (Status known for 163 out of 182 constituencies so far, as per website) 10:02am: Partywise vote share in a pie chart, according to the Election Commission's official tracker Photo: Screengrabs 10:00am: According to the Election Commission's official partywise tracker Photo: Screengrabs 9:57am: Congress leads on all four seats of Gir-Somnath ! Significant tred from Koli dominated areas. #Gujarat2017 anshuman tiwari (@anshuman1tiwari) December 18, 2017 9:45am: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani (BJP) leading by 7600 votes from Rajkot West, at the end of Counting round 3. (Via ANI) 9:42am: "The mood of the people of Gujarat will lead Congress to victory, can't comment much on initial trends; let the final results come," says state party in-charge Ashok Gehlot. (Via ANI) 9:39am: India Todays live broadcast: 9:36am: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani trails by 6234 in Rajkot West. (via Aaj Tak) 9:29am: BJP's Nitinbhai Patel (deputy CM of Gujarat) trailing by over 3000 votes from Mahesana. (Source: ANI) 9:24am: Sensex down by 600.51 points, currently at 32,862.46. Nifty at 10,134.35 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 9:19am: Congress leads in 85 seats, ahead of BJP in Gujarat for the first time. 9:16am: According to India Today's tracker, BJP leads with 83 seats, while Congress is not far behind with 82. Perhaps, one of the most important assembly elections in the country, the Gujarat polls have been surrounded by questions, allegations and mud-slinging right from the start. While the ruling party, BJP, has an obvious advantage, with it being Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state, the Congress party has been able give the party some stiff competition, especially in the form of their star trio Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani. According to India Today-Axis My India exit polls, the BJP is expected to get 99-113 seats in the crucial Gujarat Assembly elections, the actual results of which are scheduled to be declared on Monday, December 18. The Congress is expected to get 68-82 seats in Gujarat this year, a gain of almost 10-16 seats from last year's 61, which will certainly be attributed to Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi's well-fought campaign, but which may not be enough to break the BJP's unbroken stint of sixth consecutive win in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. The election victory of a coalition of two Communist parties in the recent elections in Nepal signals difficult days for Indo-Nepal relations. The coalition of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) led by Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) led by KP Sharma Oli is on track to win the majority of the seats in the 275-member Parliament, six of the seven new provincial assemblies and a majority of the 753 new local councils. Madhesi factor The scale of the defeat of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deubas Nepali Congress is staggering. The Left coalition can end up capturing 70 per cent of the 165 seats allotted in the firstpast the post system. The royalists backed by a section of the Sangh Parivar in India is likely to get just one such seat. By all accounts, the Nepali Congress ran a lacklustre campaign and its efforts to ally with Madhesi parties did not work out. None of this means that the issues the Madhesi parties had raised that of discrimination against their region, Dalits, women and other minority groups have gone away. Or the fact that Nepal has been a poor, misgoverned country whose main export is manpower to India and other destinations. The outcome is bound to have significant foreign policy implications for Nepal. Oli, who was replaced as Prime Minister by Prachanda in 2016 allegedly through New Delhis machinations, is bitterly anti-Indian. He is likely to return as prime minister. Nepal has seen almost continuous turmoil, physical and political, in the past two decades. First, there was the Maoist insurgency, which led to the deaths of nearly 20,000 people. Then came the prolonged political wrangling that has seen nearly 10 prime ministers in as many years. A devastating series of earthquakes caused a great deal of physical and psychological damage to the nation. There were expectations that after the adoption of Nepals Constitution, things would stabilise, but it was not to be. Madhesi groups living in the Terai region mobilised against what they said was a Constitution which was discriminatory to them and they instituted blockades on key roads connecting India. The Nepali elites, however, blamed New Delhi for the blockade which denied medicines, construction material and fuel to help Nepals recovery from the devastation of the earthquakes. Challenges The decisive nature of the victory is good news for Nepal which now has a government which cannot be voted out for two years. It also has a comfortable majority which should promote stability. However, its performance will depend, first, on the manner in which the coalition functions, and secondly, the way it deals with its two giant neighbours India and China. The new government does confront a major challenge with regard to its internal coherence. They may be Communist parties, but like all such formations, they are strong on ideological issues, and equally tend to get divided on them. Both Oli and Prachanda are powerful and capable leaders, and this could lead to either efficient government by them or a dissonance leading to political instability. Almost certainly, the new government will reverse Deubas decision to cancel an award to a Chinese company to develop a large hydroelectric project, which included the building of a dam on the Budi Gandaki river. In November 2017, the Deuba government said the project which was awarded in the wake of Nepals decision to join the One Belt One Road scheme, was being cancelled because of alleged irregularities by the Chinese company Gezhouba Group. Security concern We should not get needlessly distracted by the China versus India scenarios that are being put forward. Both Oli and Prachanda are known to be pragmatic and will seek to maximise assistance from India and China. Which is as it should be Nepal occupies a strategic position and it should exploit it to its own benefit. If the Chinese are willing to invest in Nepals infrastructure, India should not be too concerned. The reason is very simple. No matter how you look at it, Nepal is locked into a close relationship with India through history and culture. More important, no amount of Chinese investment and infrastructure can change the tyranny of geography. The high Himalayan limit, the intercourse that is possible between Tibet and Nepal, whereas through treaty and custom, India allows millions of Nepalis to work and own property in the country without any permit or document. Given the recent past, security is a major concern for India. The Indo-Nepal border is virtually open and lightly policed. If Kathmandu does not heed Indian concerns, it will have to confront New Delhis ire. But this said, India too needs to back off from viewing its relationship with Nepal only through the lenses of security and see how it can further them in terms of economic integration and partnership. By PTI: By Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Dec 18 (PTI) Pakistans security czar today said that the stability of the South Asian region hangs in a delicate balance and the possibility of a nuclear war cannot be ruled out. National Security Advisor Lt Gen (retd.) Nasser Khan Janjua also accused the US of conspiring against the multi- billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with India, The Express Tribune reported. advertisement Addressing a seminar on issues of national security here, Janjua claimed that India has been stockpiling a range of dangerous weapons and it threatens Pakistan continuously of conventional warfare. "The stability of the South Asian region hangs in a delicate balance, and the possibility of nuclear war cannot be ruled out," he claimed. The NSA stressed that supporting US forces in the region had given birth to the rise of terrorism inside the country. "As the Taliban grow stronger in Afghanistan, America has started to shift the blame for its failures in the country onto Pakistan," he said. He also alleged that as part of its policy to counter Chinese influence in South Asia, the US is conspiring against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor along with India. "The US has given India role in Afghanistan?s political process, giving New Delhi priority over Islamabad, and has opposed the CPEC," he said. The nearly USD 50 billion CPEC, a flagship project of China?s prestigious One Belt One Road (OBOR), passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The CPEC links Chinas restive Xinjiang region with Pakistans Balochistan province. "The US-India alliance has an identical stance on the Kashmir issue, and America frequently gives India preference over Pakistan," Janjua said. He said Pakistan encountered the menace of terrorism only after it started supporting the operations of US-led forces in Afghanistan. "Pakistan has been battling with security problems for the past forty years. Peace in Afghanistan remains our top priority," he said. PTI SH ZH AKJ ZH --- ENDS --- Harley-Davidson, Inc. manufactures and sells motorcycles. The company operates in two segments, Motorcycles and Related Products and Financial Services. The Motorcycles and Related Products segment designs, manufactures, and sells Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including cruiser, touring, standard, sportbike, and dual models, as well as motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and related services. This segment sells its products to retail customers through a network of independent dealers, as well as e-commerce channels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The Financial Services segment provides wholesale financing services, such as floorplan and open account financing of motorcycles, and parts and accessories; and retail financing services, including installment lending for the purchase of new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as well as point-of-sale protection products comprising motorcycle insurance, extended service contracts, and motorcycle maintenance protection. This segment also licenses third-party financial institutions that issue credit cards bearing the Harley-Davidson brand. Harley-Davidson, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. provides insurance and financial services to individual and business customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. Its Commercial Lines segment offers workers' compensation, property, automobile, liability, umbrella, bond, marine, livestock, and reinsurance; and customized insurance products and risk management services, including professional liability, bond, surety, and specialty casualty coverages through regional offices, branches, sales and policyholder service centers, independent retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents, and reinsurance brokers. The company's Personal Lines segment provides automobile, homeowners, and personal umbrella coverages through direct-to-consumer channel and independent agents. Its Property & Casualty Other Operations segment offers coverage for asbestos and environmental exposures. The company's Group Benefits segment provides group life, disability, and other group coverages to members of employer groups, associations, and affinity groups through direct insurance policies; reinsurance to other insurance companies; employer paid and voluntary product coverages; disability underwriting, administration, and claims processing to self-funded employer plans; and a single-company leave management solution. This segment distributes its group insurance products and services through brokers, consultants, third-party administrators, trade associations, and private exchanges. Its Hartford Funds segment offers investment products for retail and retirement accounts; exchange-traded products through broker-dealer organizations, independent financial advisers, defined contribution plans, financial consultants, bank trust groups, and registered investment advisers; and investment management and administrative services, such as product design, implementation, and oversight. The company was founded in 1810 and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. DTE Energy Company engages in the utility operations. The company's Electric segment generates, purchases, distributes, and sells electricity to approximately 2.3 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southeastern Michigan. It generates electricity through fossil-fuel, hydroelectric pumped storage, and nuclear plants, as well as wind and other renewable assets. This segment owns and operates approximately 698 distribution substations and 449,800 line transformers. The company's Gas segment purchases, stores, transports, distributes, and sells natural gas to approximately 1.3 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout Michigan; and sells storage and transportation capacity. This segment has approximately 20,000 miles of distribution mains; 1,304,000 service pipelines; and 1,305,000 active meters, as well as owns approximately 2,000 miles of transmission pipelines. The company's Power and Industrial Projects segment offers metallurgical coke; pulverized coal and petroleum coke to the steel, pulp and paper, and other industries; and power, steam and chilled water production, and wastewater treatment services, as well as supplies compressed air to industrial customers. Its Energy Trading segment engages in power, natural gas, and environmental marketing and trading; structured transactions; and the optimization of contracted natural gas pipeline transportation and storage positions. The company was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. GoDaddy Inc. engages in the design and development of cloud-based technology products in the United States and internationally. The company provides domain name registration product that enables to engage customers at the initial stage of establishing a digital identity. It also offers shared Website hosting products that provide various applications and products, such as web analytics, Secure Sockets Layer certificates, and WordPress; Website hosting on virtual private servers and virtual dedicated servers products, which allows customers to select the server configuration suited for their applications, requirements, and growth; managed hosting products to set up, monitor, maintain, secure, and patch software and servers for customers; and security products, a suite of tools designed to help secure customers' online presence. In addition, the company provides presence products, such as Websites + Marketing, a do-it-yourself mobile-optimized online tool that enables customers to build websites and e-commerce enabled online stores; a range of marketing tools and services designed to help businesses acquire and engage customers, and create content, as well as search engine optimization that helps customers get their websites found on search sites; and social media management services. Further, it offers business application products, such as Microsoft Office 365, email accounts, email marketing, and Internet-based telephony services; online store capabilities that allows customers to transact business directly on their websites; GoDaddy Payments, a payment facilitator; and point-of-sale (POS) devices, as well as software for POS. The company serves small businesses, individuals, organizations, developers, designers, and domain investors. GoDaddy Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. The photo, a part of their Christmas card, features Prince George and Princess Charlotte as well. By India Today Web Desk: It's almost time for Christmas and the Royal Family is gearing up for a grand bonanza on the big day. This year's Christmas--which will also be Meghan Markle's first with the Queen and her family--already has people, from across the world, eagerly awaiting a sneak-peek into the celebrations. As part of the preparations, the Royal Family has crafted a Christmas card, featuring the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with their children. advertisement Kensington Palace recently shared a family portrait of Prince William and Kate Middleton on social media. The couple is seen smiling at the camera while they struck a pose with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Picture courtesy: Instagram/kensingtonroyal Blue seems to be the running theme in this cute family portrait. Prince William is seen dressed in a royal blue suit, with a light blue, patterned tie. Kate is dressed in a long-sleeved blue dress, with beige heels. Prince George, sticking to his shirt-shorts combination, is seen donning royal blue shorts and a light blue, chequered shirt. Princess Charlotte, on the other hand, looks pretty cute in a blue-and-white printed frock dress, with matching, blue, buckled shoes. Also Read:This is what the British Royal Family eats for Christmas; this year, they'll break a tradition Prince William is not the only one to have released a family Christmas card. Earlier today, Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, also released their official Christmas card. Prince William's family portrait was clicked earlier this year, by Chris Jackson Getty, which explains why we don't see Kate's baby bump in the snapshot. Kensington Palace also revealed that Princess Charlotte will be joining the Willcocks Nursery School in London, in January 2018. advertisement "We are delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen the Willcocks Nursery School for Princess Charlotte. We look forward to welcoming Charlotte to our nursery in January,'' Willcocks Nursery School was quoted in the post. --- ENDS --- Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors, which control, transmit, and contain fluid; control solutions for extreme corrosion resistance, temperatures, pressures, and precise flow; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and distributors who serve the replacement markets in manufacturing, packaging, processing, transportation, construction, refrigeration and air conditioning, agricultural, and military machinery and equipment industries. The Aerospace Systems segment offers products for use in commercial and military airframe and engine programs, such as control actuation systems and components, engine build-up ducting, engine exhaust nozzles and assemblies, engine systems and components, fluid conveyance systems and components, fuel systems and components, fuel tank inerting systems, hydraulic systems and components, lubrication components, pilot controls, pneumatic control components, thermal management products, and wheels and brakes, as well as fluid metering, delivery, and atomization devices. This segment markets its products directly to OEMs and end users. The company markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The following companies are subsidiares of IQVIA: 159 Solutions LLC, 159 Technology Solutions Private Ltd, AECIO IT Solutions India Private Ltd., ALIMED Egeszsegugyi Szolgaltato Kft., Advanced Health Media LLC, Advanced Health Media Services Ltd., Aileron Solutions, Albatross Financial Solutions Limited, Allcare Plus Pharmacy LLC, Aposphare GmbH, Appature Inc., Ardentia International Limited, Ascott Sales Integration Pty Ltd, Asesorias IQVIA Solutions Chile Limitada, Asserta Centroamerica Medicion de Mercados S.A., Avacare Clinical Research Network (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BUZZEOPDMA LLC, Battaerd Mansley (Proprietary) Limited, Battaerd Mansley Pty. Ltd., Benefit Holding Inc., Biofortis LLC, Branch of IQVIA RDS GesmbH in Novosibirsk, Branch of IQVIA RDS GesmbH in St. Petersburg, CDS - Centre de Service SAS, CFS Clinical UK Limited, CRM Health Korea Ltd., CSD Health Korea Ltd., CT Clinical Portugal Unipessoal Lda, CT Clinical Services Eood, CT Consulting Inc., Cambridge Pharma Consultancy Inc., Cambridge Pharma Consultancy Limited, Cegedim Venezuela C.A., Cenduit (India) Services Private Company Limited, Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit Holdings LLC, Cenduit LLC, Cenduit LLC Shanghai Rep. Office, Cenduit Limited, Cenduit Mauritius Holdings Company, Centrix Innovations (Pty) Ltd., ClinTec Austria GmbH, ClinTec CRO Services (India) Private Limited, ClinTec Gesellschaft fur Klinische Entwicklung GmbH, ClinTec International (Pty) Ltd., ClinTec International (Pty) Ltd. (Malawi branch), ClinTec International (Thailand) Limited, ClinTec International AG, ClinTec International Belgium BV, ClinTec International Bulgaria OOD, ClinTec International Co. Ltd., ClinTec International Denmark ApS, ClinTec International FZ-LLC, ClinTec International Hong Kong Limited, ClinTec International Hungary Kft, ClinTec International Italy S.r.l., ClinTec International LLC, ClinTec International Limited, ClinTec International Ltd (Netherlands Branch), ClinTec International Ltd UK Filial Sverige, ClinTec International Ltd., ClinTec International Norway AS, ClinTec International Off-Shore S.A.L., ClinTec International Pte Ltd., ClinTec International Pty Ltd, ClinTec International RUS LLC, ClinTec International Romania S.R.L., ClinTec International S.a r.l., ClinTec International SL, ClinTec International Services Inc., ClinTec International d.o.o. za trgov inuisludge, ClinTec International doo, ClinTec International s.r.o., ClinTec International sp. z.o.o., ClinTec Luxembourg S.A., ClinTec Turkey Medikal ve Farmasotik Hizmetler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, ClinTech Ireland International Research Limited, Clinical Financial Services LLC, Clinical Insourcing Solutions Limited, Clinical Insourcing Solutions S. de R.L. de C.V., Clinical Lab Minority Shareholder Limited, Clintec International Inc., Clintec International Pharmaceutical Services Ltd, Compliant Community Projects (Pty) Ltd., CoreZetta Co Ltd., Data Niche Associates Inc., Dataline Software Limited, Datandina Ecuador S.A., Datec Industria e Comercio Distribudora Grafica e Mala Direta Ltda., Dimensions Healthcare Company Ltd, Dimensions Healthcare LLC, Dimensions Healthcare LLC (Dubai Branch), DrugDev, DrugDev Inc., DrugDev Limited, EA Institute L.L.C., EPID Research Oy, EPID Research Sweden, EPS Research Limited, EPS Software Limited, Enterprise Associates L.L.C., Epernicus LLC, Excel Life Sciences Inc., Excel Life Sciences Pvt Ltd India, Forcea NV, Foresight IT Solutions and Consulting India Private Limited, GCE Clin Solutions Limited, GCE Global Solutions LLC, GCE Solutions GmbH, GCE Solutions International LLC, GCE Solutions Proprietary Limited, GCE Solutions S. de R.L. de C.V., Global Crown Investment Limited, Grace Data Corp., HighPoint Solutions LLC, Highpoint Solutions LLC (Geneva Branch), Hospital Marketing Services Ltd., Hotel Lot C-8B LLC, IMS (UK) Pension Plan Trustee Company Limited, IMS AB, IMS Government Solutions Inc., IMS HEALTH GROUP LIMITED, IMS HEALTH KOREA LTD., IMS Health (Australia) Partnership, IMS Health Analytics Services Private Limited, IMS Health Information Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd, IMS Health Information Solutions India Private Ltd., IMS Health Networks Limited, IMS Health Paraguay SRL, IMS Health Surveys Limited, IMS Health Uruguay S.A., IMS Health de Venezuela C.A., IMS Hospital Group Limited, IMS Information Solutions Medical Research Limited, IMS Information Solutions UK Ltd., IMS International (Proprietary) Limited, IMS Meridian Limited, IMS Meridian Research Limited, IMS SOFTWARE SERVICES LTD., IMS Technology Solutions UK Limited, INCARNUS MALAYSIA SDN BHD, IPP Informacion Promocional y Publicitaria S.A. de C.V., IQVIA (Thailand) Co. Ltd., IQVIA AB, IQVIA AG, IQVIA AG (Basal Branch), IQVIA AG (Dubai Branch), IQVIA AG (Mexico Branch), IQVIA AG (Representative Office - Algeria), IQVIA AG (Representative Office - Dubai), IQVIA AG (Representative Office - Jordan), IQVIA AG (Representative Office - Lebanon), IQVIA AG (Representative Office - Serbia), IQVIA AG (Rotkreuz Branch), IQVIA AG (UK Branch), IQVIA Adriatic d.o.o. za Konzalting, IQVIA Asia Pacific Commercial Holdings LLC, IQVIA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, IQVIA BioSciences Holdings LLC, IQVIA Biotech LLC, IQVIA Biotech Ltd., IQVIA CHINAMETRIK INC., IQVIA COMMERCIAL FINANCE INC., IQVIA COMMERCIAL INDIA HOLDINGS CORP., IQVIA COMMERCIAL SERVICES LLC, IQVIA COMMERCIAL TRADING CORP., IQVIA CSMS GmbH, IQVIA CSMS US Inc., IQVIA Clinical AB, IQVIA Clinical Filial af IQVIA Clinical AB, IQVIA Commercial Consulting Sp. z.o.o., IQVIA Commercial Deutschland GmbH, IQVIA Commercial GmbH & Co. OHG, IQVIA Commercial I LLC, IQVIA Commercial Software GmbH, IQVIA Commercial Sp. z.o.o., IQVIA Consulting Solutions BV, IQVIA Consulting and Information Services India Private Limited, IQVIA FZ-LLC, IQVIA Finance Ireland Designated Activity Company, IQVIA GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS INC., IQVIA Healthcare (QFC Branch), IQVIA Hellas Technology Solutions Single Member S.A., IQVIA Holdings (UK) Ltd., IQVIA Holdings France SAS, IQVIA IES Brasil Ltda., IQVIA IES Denmark ApS, IQVIA IES Europe Limited, IQVIA IES European Holdings, IQVIA IES Italia S.r.l., IQVIA IES OY, IQVIA IES Overseas Holdings Limited, IQVIA IES Portugal Unipessoal LDA, IQVIA IES Puerto Rico Inc., IQVIA IES South Africa (Pty) Limited, IQVIA IES UK Limited, IQVIA II Technology Solutions Portugal Unipessoal LDA, IQVIA INC., IQVIA INFORMATION MEDICAL STATISTICS (ISRAEL) LTD., IQVIA Inc. (Thailand Branch), IQVIA Information S.A., IQVIA Information Solutions (China) Co. Ltd., IQVIA Information Solutions GmbH, IQVIA Integrated Services NL, IQVIA Investment Holdings Limited, IQVIA Korea Co. Ltd., IQVIA LTD., IQVIA Lebanon S.a.r.l., IQVIA Market Intelligence LLC, IQVIA Marktforschung GmbH, IQVIA Maroc S.a r.l., IQVIA MedTech Inc., IQVIA MedTech NV, IQVIA Medical Communications & Consulting Inc., IQVIA Medical Development (Dalian) Co. Ltd., IQVIA Medical Education Inc., IQVIA Medical Radar AB, IQVIA Operations France SAS, IQVIA PHARMA Inc., IQVIA Partners AS, IQVIA Pharma Services Corp., IQVIA Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Ltd., IQVIA Phase One Services LLC, IQVIA RDS (India) Private Ltd., IQVIA RDS (Pty.) Limited, IQVIA RDS (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IQVIA RDS AG, IQVIA RDS Argentina S.R.L., IQVIA RDS Asia Inc., IQVIA RDS Austria GmbH, IQVIA RDS BT Inc., IQVIA RDS Brasil Ltda., IQVIA RDS Bulgaria EOOD, IQVIA RDS Canada ULC, IQVIA RDS Chile, IQVIA RDS Clindata (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA RDS Clindepharm (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA RDS Colombia S.A.S., IQVIA RDS Costa Rica S.A., IQVIA RDS Czech Republic s.r.o., IQVIA RDS ESTONIA OU, IQVIA RDS East Asia Pte. Ltd., IQVIA RDS Eastern Holdings GmbH, IQVIA RDS Egypt LLC, IQVIA RDS Finland OY, IQVIA RDS France SAS, IQVIA RDS Funding LLC, IQVIA RDS GesmbH, IQVIA RDS GmbH, IQVIA RDS Guatemala S.A., IQVIA RDS Hellas Single Member S.A., IQVIA RDS Holdings, IQVIA RDS Hong Kong Limited, IQVIA RDS Hungary Pharmaceutical Development and Consulting Limited Liability Company, IQVIA RDS ISRAEL LTD., IQVIA RDS Inc., IQVIA RDS Ireland (Finance) Ltd., IQVIA RDS Ireland Ltd., IQVIA RDS Italy S.r.l., IQVIA RDS Latin America LLC, IQVIA RDS Latin America LLC (Argentina Branch), IQVIA RDS Latvia SIA, IQVIA RDS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., IQVIA RDS Netherlands B.V., IQVIA RDS Norway, IQVIA RDS Panama Inc., IQVIA RDS Peru S.r.l., IQVIA RDS Philippines Inc., IQVIA RDS Poland Sp. Zoo, IQVIA RDS Pty. Limited, IQVIA RDS Pty. Ltd., IQVIA RDS Slovakia s.r.o., IQVIA RDS South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA RDS Spain S.L., IQVIA RDS Spain S.L. - Representacao Permanente em Portugal, IQVIA RDS Switzerland S.a r.l., IQVIA RDS Taiwan Ltd., IQVIA RDS UAB, IQVIA RDS UK Holdings Ltd., IQVIA RDS Ukraine, IQVIA RDS Vietnam LLC, IQVIA RDS and Integrated Services Belgium NV, IQVIA RDS d.o.o. Beograd, IQVIA Research and Development Solutions Saudi Arabia Limited, IQVIA Romania S.R.L., IQVIA SOLUTIONS CANADA INC, IQVIA SOLUTIONS JAPAN K.K., IQVIA Services Japan K.K., IQVIA Solutions (NZ) Limited, IQVIA Solutions (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Argentina S.A., IQVIA Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd, IQVIA Solutions Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions B.V., IQVIA Solutions Bangladesh Limited, IQVIA Solutions Belgium BV, IQVIA Solutions Bolivia S.R.L., IQVIA Solutions Bulgaria EOOD, IQVIA Solutions Colombia S.A., IQVIA Solutions Consulting Myanmar Company Limited, IQVIA Solutions Denmark AS, IQVIA Solutions Egypt Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Enterprise Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), IQVIA Solutions Enterprise Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance B.V., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK I Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK II Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK III Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK V Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finland OY, IQVIA Solutions Global Holdings UK Ltd., IQVIA Solutions HQ Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Holdings (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Hong Kong Limited, IQVIA Solutions Ireland Limited, IQVIA Solutions Italy S.r.l., IQVIA Solutions Kazakhstan LLC, IQVIA Solutions LLC, IQVIA Solutions Lanka (Private) Limited, IQVIA Solutions Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., IQVIA Solutions Norway AS, IQVIA Solutions Operations Center Philippines Inc., IQVIA Solutions Pakistan (Private) Limited, IQVIA Solutions Pharmaceutical SRL, IQVIA Solutions Philippines Inc., IQVIA Solutions Portugal Lda, IQVIA Solutions Puerto Rico Inc., IQVIA Solutions Regional Pte. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Republica Dominicana S.R.L., IQVIA Solutions Saudi Arabia Limited, IQVIA Solutions Services Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Sweden AB, IQVIA Solutions Tunisia S.a r.l., IQVIA Solutions UK Investments Ltd., IQVIA Solutions UK Limited, IQVIA Solutions a.s., IQVIA Solutions del Peru S.A., IQVIA Solutions do Brasil Ltda., IQVIA Solutions s.r.o., IQVIA Solucoes de Tecnologia do Brasil Ltda, IQVIA Staff Services Sp.A., IQVIA TRANSPORTATION SERVICES CORP., IQVIA Technology Services Ltd., IQVIA Technology Solutions (China) Co. Ltd., IQVIA Technology Solutions Colombia Ltda., IQVIA Technology Solutions Egypt LLC, IQVIA Technology Solutions Finland OY, IQVIA Technology Solutions Poland SP. z.o.o, IQVIA Technology Solutions Romania Srl, IQVIA Technology Solutions S.R.O. (Bulgaria Branch), IQVIA Technology Solutions Ukraine LLC, IQVIA Technology Solutions s.r.o., IQVIA Technology Tunisia S.a r.l., IQVIA Tibbi Istatistik Ticaret ve Musavirlik Ltd. Sirketi, IQVIA Trading Management Inc., IQVIA World Publications Ltd., IQVIA Zagreb d.o.o., Iasist Holdco Limited, Iasist Portugal Consultadoria na Area de Saude Unipessoal Lda, Iasist SAU Agencia en Chile, Iasist Sociedad Anonima Unipersonal, Impact RX Data Management (Pty) Ltd., Infocus Health Limited, Infopharm Ltd., Innovex Holdings I LLC, Innovex Merger Corp., Innovex Saglik Urunleri Pazarlame ve Hizmet Danismanlik Anonim Sirketi, Intercontinental Medical Statistics International Ltd., Intercontinental Medical Statistics Kenya Ltd., Interface Clinical Services Ltd., Interstatistik AG, Iqvia Solutions Taiwan Ltd., Jager Health Gmbh, Kun Tai Medical Development Hong Kong Limited, Kun Tuo Medical Research & Development (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Laboratorio Commuq Pharma SLU, Linguamatics, Linguamatics Limited, Linguamatics Solutions Limited, M&H Informatics (BD) LTD., Mecurial Insights Holding Pty. Ltd., Mecurial Insights Pty. Ltd., Med-Vantage Inc., Meddata Group LLC, MedicSense Ltd., Medineos S.r.l., Mercados Y Analisis S.A., Meridian Research Vietnam Ltd., Novasyte LLC, Novella Clinical LLC, Novex Pharma Laboratorio S.L., Novex Pharma Limited, Nuevo Health Pty Ltd, Operaciones Centralizadas Latinoamericana Limitada, Optimum Contact Limited, Outcome Sciences LLC, PR Editions S.A.S., PT IQVIA RDS Indonesia, PT IQVIA Solutions Indonesia, Penderwood Limited, PharmARC Consulting Services GmbH, PharmARC Inc., Pharma Deals Limited, Pharma Strategy Group Limited, Pharmadata s.r.o., Pharmaforce S.A. de C.V., Polaris Management Partners LLC, Polaris Solutions LLC, Polaris Solutions Ltd., Privacy Analytics Inc., Professional Pharmaceutical Marketing Services (Pty.) Ltd., Prometheus Research LLC, Public Relations Algeria, Q Squared Solutions (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions (India) Private Limited, Q Squared Solutions (Quest) LLC, Q Squared Solutions (Quest) Limited, Q Squared Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions B.V., Q Squared Solutions BioSciences LLC, Q Squared Solutions China (Quest) Limited, Q Squared Solutions China Limited, Q Squared Solutions Expression Analysis LLC, Q Squared Solutions Holdings B.V., Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC, Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited, Q Squared Solutions KK, Q Squared Solutions LLC, Q Squared Solutions Limited, Q Squared Solutions Proprietary Limited, Q Squared Solutions Pte. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions S.A., Q2 Solutions, QH Research Limited, QIMS Pharma Services SA DE CV, Qcare Site Services Inc., Quality Health Limited, Quintiles Benin Ltd., Quintiles Clinical and Commercial Nigeria Limited, Quintiles Commercial Laboratorio S.L.U., Quintiles Commercial Rus LLC, Quintiles East Africa Limited, Quintiles Finance Uruguay S.r.L., Quintiles IMS Japan GK, Quintiles Lanka (Private) Limited, Quintiles Mauritius Holdings, Quintiles Medical Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Quintiles Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Quintiles New Zealand, Quintiles Phase One Clinical Trials India Private Limited, Quintiles RDS Latin America LLC, Quintiles Site Services S.A., Quintiles West Africa Limited, RX India LLC, Radar Acquisition Blocker Inc., Redsite Limited, Representative Office of IQVIA RDS GesmbH in Moscow, STI Technologies Limited, Schwarzeck Verlag GmbH, Secureconsent LLC, Shanghai IMS Market Research Co. Ltd., Smart I.T. Systems BV, Source Informatics Limited, Spartan Leasing Corporation, StatFin Estonia, Statfinn Oy, Targeted Molecular Diagnostics LLC, Tarius A/S, Temas Srl - Societa Unipersonale, TforG Support NV, The Amundsen Group Inc., Themis Limited, UAB IQVIA Commercial, VCG&A Inc., VCG-BIO Inc., Valuecentric Global Services Gmbh, Valuecentric Privacy Solutions LLC, Valuemedics Research LLC, Vivacity Health Pty. Ltd., genae Germany Gmbh, genae International Ag, and iGuard Inc.. Read More By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Dec 18 (PTI) Russian President Vladimir Putin has called to thank his US counterpart Donald Trump for a CIA tip-off that helped foil a major terror strike in St Petersburg, the White House said today, the second telephonic talk between the two leaders in four days. Putin told Trump that the information provided by the CIA allowed Russian law enforcement agencies to track down and detain a group of suspects who were planning to bomb the centrally located Kazan Cathedral and other crowded parts of Russia?s second-largest city. advertisement "Based on the information the US provided, Russian authorities were able to capture the terrorists just prior to an attack that could have killed large numbers of people," the White House said in a readout of yesterdays call. A similar readout by the Kremlin said the information shared by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) allowed Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) to detain the suspects plotting a suicide bombing in the citys crowded areas. No Russian lives were lost and the terrorist attackers were caught, the White House said. "Trump appreciated the call and told Putin that he and the entire US intelligence community were pleased to have helped save so many lives," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. Trump stressed the importance of intelligence sharing to defeat terrorists, she said, adding that the two leaders agreed that this serves as an example of the positive thing that can occur when the countries work together. Putin also thanked the CIA and its director Mike Pompeo. "President Trump then called Director Pompeo to congratulate him, his very talented people, and the entire intelligence community on a job well done!" the White House said. Yesterdays call was the second between Trump and Putin in three days. They last spoke by telephone on Thursday, when they discussed US-Russian ties and the increasing tensions surrounding North Korea. The leaders relationship is embroiled in controversy by the ongoing investigations into the Trump campaigns ties to Moscow. US intelligence agencies have previously concluded that Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 presidential election in an effort to help Trump get elected. Putin has denied the accusation. PTI LKJ CHT UZM --- ENDS --- The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited. Read More Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. operates as bank holding company for the Prosperity Bank that provides financial products and services to businesses and consumers. It accepts various deposit products, such as demand, savings, money market, and time accounts, as well as and certificates of deposit. The company also offers 1-4 family residential mortgage, commercial real estate and multifamily residential, commercial and industrial, agricultural, and non-real estate agricultural loans, as well as construction, land development, and other land loans; consumer loans, including automobile, recreational vehicle, boat, home improvement, personal, and deposit account collateralized loans; and consumer durables and home equity loans, as well as loans for working capital, business expansion, and purchase of equipment and machinery. In addition, it provides internet banking, mobile banking, trust and wealth management, retail brokerage, mortgage services, and treasury management, as well as debit and credit cards. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 273 full-service banking locations comprising 65 in the Houston area, including The Woodlands; 30 in the South Texas area including Corpus Christi and Victoria; 63 in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area; 22 in the East Texas area; 29 in the Central Texas area, including Austin and San Antonio; 34 in the West Texas area, including Lubbock, Midland-Odessa and Abilene; 16 in the Bryan/College Station area; 6 in the Central Oklahoma area; and 8 in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area doing business as LegacyTexas Bank. Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in Houston, Texas. American Water Works Company, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides water and wastewater services in the United States. It offers water and wastewater services to approximately 1,700 communities in 14 states serving approximately 3.4 million active customers. The company serves residential customers; commercial customers, including food and beverage providers, commercial property developers and proprietors, and energy suppliers; fire service and private fire customers; industrial customers, such as large-scale manufacturers, mining, and production operations; public authorities comprising government buildings and other public sector facilities, such as schools and universities; and other utilities and community water and wastewater systems. It also provides water and wastewater services on various military installations; and undertakes contracts with municipal customers, primarily to operate and manage water and wastewater facilities, as well as offers other related services. In addition, the company operates approximately 80 surface water treatment plants; 480 groundwater treatment plants; 160 wastewater treatment plants; 52,500 miles of transmission, distribution, and collection mains and pipes; 1,100 groundwater wells; 1,700 water and wastewater pumping stations; 1,300 treated water storage facilities; and 76 dams. It serves approximately 14 million people with drinking water, wastewater, and other related services in 24 states. American Water Works Company, Inc. was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Camden, New Jersey. AAR Corp. provides products and services to commercial aviation, government, and defense markets worldwide. The Aviation Services segment offers aftermarket support and services; inventory management and distribution services; and maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as engineering services. This segment also sells and leases new, overhauled, and repaired engine and airframe parts, and components; and provides inventory and repair programs, warranty claim management, and outsourcing programs for engine and airframe parts and components, as well as performance-based supply chain logistics programs in support of the U.S. department of defense and foreign governments. In addition, it offers airframe inspection, maintenance, repair and overhaul, painting, line maintenance, airframe modification, structural repair, avionic and installation, exterior and interior refurbishment, and engineering and support services; and repairs and overhauls components, landing gears, wheels, and brakes. The Expeditionary Services segment provides products and services supporting the movement of equipment and personnel by the U.S. and foreign governments, and non-governmental organizations. This segment also designs, manufactures, and repairs transportation pallets, and various containers and shelters; and provides engineering, design, and system integration services for command and control systems. The company serves domestic and foreign passenger airlines; domestic and foreign cargo airlines; regional and commuter airlines; business and general aviation operators; original equipment manufacturers; aircraft leasing companies; aftermarket aviation support companies; and domestic and foreign military customers. It primarily markets and sells products and services through its employees and foreign sales representatives. AAR Corp. was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Wood Dale, Illinois. The Boeing Company is the worlds largest manufacturer of airplanes and commands more than 50% of the market in some channels and categories. The company and its family of subsidiaries design, develops, manufacture, sell, service, and supports commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight, and related services worldwide. The company operates through four segments including Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital providing products and services to end-users in 150 countries. Boeing got its start in 1910 when William E. Boeing developed a love for aircraft. Soon after he takes his first plane ride which leads him to build a hangar and begin construction of his first plane. The onset of WWI helped spur the companys growth but business was cut drastically in its wake. The start of WWII was another milestone for the company and one that led to its current position of dominance. The company was incorporated in 1916 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. Boeing employs over 140,000 people in 65 countries making it one of the most diverse employers on the planet. The Commercial Airplanes segment is built around the iconic 7-series which includes the 737, 747, and 787. The segment provides commercial jet aircraft for passenger and cargo requirements, as well as fleet support services for regional, national, and international air carriers and logistics and freight companies. In terms of global volume, the company estimates about 90% of all air freight is carried aboard one of its jets. This segment also includes the Dreamliner family of planes. The Dreamliner is a game-changing airplane for many carriers as it opens up the potential for new one-stop destinations because of its capacity and range. The Defense, Space & Security segment develops and manufactures a range of systems including manned and unmanned aircraft, missiles, missile defense systems, satellites, communications equipment, and intelligence systems for governments. Among the many iconic brands within this segment are the AH-64 Apache, Air Force One, B-52, C-17 Globemaster, Chinook, F/A-18, and the V-22 Osprey VTOL aircraft used by the Marines. The Global Services segment offers a range of products and services that include supply chain and logistics management, engineering, maintenance, upgrades, conversions, spare parts, pilot and maintenance training, technical and maintenance documents, and data analytics to its commercial and defense customers. Boeing is also a leader in innovation, leveraging its many decades and avenues of experience to further aerospace and defense technology. Among the many innovations is the MQ-25 Stingray which will be the worlds first autonomous aircraft. The Stingray is only one of many areas of research that also include drones and undersea vehicles. By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) A day after assuming charge as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi today hosted a dinner for party MPs and senior leaders as well as leaders of opposition parties. A number of senior opposition leaders attended the dinner here along with Congress MPs and the partys state chiefs and legislative party leaders, a move viewed as an attempt to bring them closer to Rahul Gandhi. advertisement Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi, former president Pranab Mukherjee, former vice president Hamid Ansari and former prime minister Manmohan Singh were also present. The dinner comes at a time when the opposition is seeking to corner the government on various issues in the truncated winter session of the Parliament that started on December 15. The opposition will formalise its strategy soon after the Assembly election results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh tomorrow. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, NCP leader Praful Patel, TMCs Derek OBrien, former JD (U) chief Sharad Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav, RJDs Misa Bharati and Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav also attended the event. "We greeted Rahul Gandhi on his elevation during the dinner," said CPI national secretary D Raja, also present there. Though Congress leaders said it is a customary dinner organised during the Parliament session, some view the effort as a an attempt to bring them closer to Rahul Gandhi. Rahul took charge of the Congress partys reins yesterday at a formal function from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who remained at the helm for 19 years. PTI SKC ENM ANB --- ENDS --- Ashland Inc. provides additives and specialty ingredients worldwide. It operates through Life Sciences; Personal Care & Household; Specialty Additives; and Intermediates and Solvents segments. The Life Sciences segment offers pharmaceutical solutions, including controlled release polymers, disintegrants, tablet coatings, thickeners, solubilizers, and tablet binders; nutrition solutions, such as thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and additives; and nutraceutical solutions comprising products for weight management, joint comfort, stomach and intestinal health, sports nutrition, and general wellness, as well as custom formulation, toll processing, and particle engineering solutions. The Personal Care & Household segment provides a range of nature-based, biodegradable, and performance ingredients; solutions for toothpastes, mouth washes and rinses, denture cleaning, and care for teeth; and household supplies nature-derived rheology ingredients, biodegradable surface wetting agents, performance encapsulates, and specialty polymers. The Specialty Additives segment offers rheology modifiers, foam control agents, surfactants and wetting agents, pH neutralizers, advanced ceramics used in catalytic converters, environmental filters, ingredients for the manufacturing of ceramic capacitors, plasma display panels and solar cells, ingredients for textile printing, thermoplastic metals, and alloys for welding. The Intermediates and Solvents segment produces 1,4 butanediol and related derivatives, including n-methylpyrrolidone. It offers its products to customers in a range of consumer and industrial markets, such as architectural coatings, construction, energy, food and beverage, nutraceuticals, personal care, and pharmaceutical. The company was formerly known as Ashland Global Holdings Inc. Ashland Inc. was founded in 1924 and is based in Wilmington, Delaware. 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 CVS Health: ACS ACQCO CORP., ADMINCO Inc., AE Fourteen Incorporated, AHP Holdings Inc., AMC - Tennessee LLC, APS Acquisition LLC, ASCO HealthCare LLC, ASI Wings LLC, AUSHC Holdings Inc., Accendo Insurance Company, Accordant Health Services L.L.C., Active Health Management Inc., Administrative Enterprises Inc., AdvancePCS SpecialtyRx LLC, AdvanceRx.com L.L.C., Advanced Care Scripts Inc., Aetna, Aetna (Beijing) Enterprise Management Services Co. Ltd., Aetna (Shanghai) Enterprise Services Co. Ltd., Aetna ACO Holdings Inc., Aetna Asset Advisors LLC, Aetna Behavioral Health LLC, Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health Premier Plan MMAI Inc., Aetna Better Health of California Inc., Aetna Better Health of Florida Inc., Aetna Better Health of Illinois Inc., Aetna Better Health of Indiana Inc., Aetna Better Health of Kansas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Missouri LLC, Aetna Better Health of Nevada Inc., Aetna Better Health of North Carolina Inc., Aetna Better Health of Oklahoma Inc., Aetna Better Health of Tennessee Inc., Aetna Better Health of Texas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Washington Inc., Aetna Capital Management LLC, Aetna Card Solutions LLC, Aetna Corporate Services LLC, Aetna Dental Inc., Aetna Dental of California Inc., Aetna Financial Holdings LLC, Aetna Florida Inc., Aetna Global Benefits (Asia Pacific) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bermuda) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Europe) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Middle East) LLC, Aetna Global Benefits (Singapore) PTE. LTD., Aetna Health Holdings LLC, Aetna Health Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Aetna Health Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe DAC, Aetna Health Insurance Company of New York, Aetna Health Management LLC, Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company, Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of Iowa Inc., Aetna Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Health of Ohio Inc., Aetna Health of Utah Inc., Aetna HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Aetna Holdco (UK) Limited, Aetna Holdings (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Inc., Aetna Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Aetna Insurance Company Limited, Aetna Insurance Company of Connecticut, Aetna Integrated Informatics Inc., Aetna International Ex Pat LLC, Aetna International LLC, Aetna Ireland Inc., Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd., Aetna Life Assignment Company, Aetna Life Insurance Company, Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC, Aetna Network Services LLC, Aetna Partners Diversified Fund LLC, Aetna Pharmacy Management Services LLC, Aetna Resources LLC, Aetna Risk Assurance Company of Connecticut Inc., Aetna Rx Home Delivery LLC, Aetna Services (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Aetna Student Health Agency Inc., Aetna Ventures LLC, Aetna Workers Comp Access LLC, Alabama CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Alaska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Allina Health and Aetna Health Plan Inc., Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, American Drug Stores Delaware L.L.C., Arbor Drugs, Arizona CVS Stores L.L.C., Arkansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Badger Acquisition LLC, Badger Acquisition of Kentucky LLC, Badger Acquisition of Minnesota LLC, Badger Acquisition of Ohio LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Company, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Plan Inc., Beauty Holdings L.L.C., Best Care LTC Acquisition Company LLC, Busse CVS L.L.C., CCI Foreign S.a R.L., CCRx Holdings LLC, CCRx of North Carolina LLC, CHP Acquisition LLC, CP Acquisition LLC, CVS 2948 Henderson L.L.C., CVS 3268 Gilbert L.L.C., CVS 3745 Peoria L.L.C., CVS AL Distribution L.L.C., CVS AOC Corporation, CVS AOC Services L.L.C., CVS Albany L.L.C., CVS Bellmore Avenue L.L.C., CVS Cabot Holdings Inc., CVS Cabot Holdings Inc. Coram Clinical Trials Inc. 99.72%/Aetna Inc. .28%, CVS Care Concierge LLC, CVS Caremark Advanced Technology Pharmacy L.L.C., CVS Caremark Indemnity Ltd., CVS Caremark Part D Services L.L.C., CVS Caremark TN SUTA LLC, CVS Foreign Inc., CVS Gilbert 3272 L.L.C., CVS Health Applications LLC, CVS Health Solutions LLC, CVS Health Ventures Fund GP LLC, CVS Health Ventures Fund LP, CVS Health Ventures Management LLC, CVS Indiana L.L.C., CVS International L.L.C., CVS Kidney Care Advanced Technologies LLC, CVS Kidney Care Health Services LLC, CVS Kidney Care Home Dialysis LLC, CVS Kidney Care LLC, CVS Management Support LLC, CVS Manchester NH L.L.C., CVS Media Exchange LLC, CVS Michigan L.L.C., CVS Orlando FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS PA Distribution L.L.C., CVS PR Center Inc., CVS Pharmacy Inc., CVS Pharmacy Overseas Online LLC, CVS RS Arizona L.L.C., CVS Rx Services Inc., CVS SC Distribution L.L.C., CVS Shaw Holdings Inc., CVS Shaw Holdings Inc. Coram Clinical Trials Inc. 99.72%/Aetna Inc. .28%, CVS State Capital L.L.C., CVS TN Distribution L.L.C., CVS Transportation L.L.C., CVS Vero FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS-SHC Kidney Care Home Dialysis of Austin LLC, CVS-SHC Kidney Care Home Dialysis of Los Angeles LLC, CVS-SHC Kidney Care Home Dialysis of Philadelphia LLC, CVS-SHC Renal Holdings LLC, Campos Medical Pharmacy LLC, Canal Place LLC, Care Pharmaceutical Services LP, CareCenter Pharmacy L.L.C., Carefree Insurance Services Inc., Caremark Arizona Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Arizona Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark California Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Florida Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Florida Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Hawaii Mail Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Hawaii Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark IPA L.L.C., Caremark Illinois Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Illinois Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Irving Resource Center LLC, Caremark Kansas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark L.L.C., Caremark Logistics LLC, Caremark Louisiana Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Maryland Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Massachusetts Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Michigan Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Minnesota Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark New Jersey Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark North Carolina Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ohio Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Pennsylvania Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark PhC L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Redlands Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Repack LLC, Caremark Rx L.L.C., Caremark Tennessee Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ulysses Holding Corp., Caremark Washington Specialty Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Alabama Mail Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Health L.L.C., CaremarkPCS L.L.C., Central Rx Services LLC, Cofinity Inc., Compscript LLC, Connecticut CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood Tennessee, Continuing Care Rx LLC, Coram Alternate Site Services Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc. CVS Pharmacy Inc. 75%/Aetna Life Insurance Company 25%, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Alabama, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater D.C., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater New York, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Indiana, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Massachusetts, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Mississippi, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Nevada, Coram Healthcare Corporation of North Texas, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Northern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Utah, Coram LLC, Coram Rx LLC, Coram Specialty Infusion, Coram Specialty Infusion Services L.L.C., Coventry Consumer Advantage Inc., Coventry Health Care National Accounts Inc., Coventry Health Care National Network Inc., Coventry Health Care of Illinois Inc., Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc., Coventry Health Care of Missouri Inc., Coventry Health Care of Nebraska Inc., Coventry Health Care of Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Care of West Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Plan of Florida Inc., Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company, Coventry HealthCare Management Corporation, Coventry Prescription Management Services Inc., Coventry Transplant Network Inc., Credentials Inc., D & R Pharmaceutical Services LLC, D.A.W. LLC, Delaware CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Delaware Physicians Care Incorporated, District of Columbia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., E.T.B. INC., Echo Merger Sub Inc., Eckerd Corporation of Florida Inc., Employee Assistance Services LLC, Enloe Drugs LLC, Enterprise Patient Safety Organization LLC, EntrustRX, Evergreen Pharmaceutical LLC, Evergreen Pharmaceutical of California LLC, Express Pharmacy Services of PA L.L.C., First Choice of the Midwest LLC, First Health Group Corp., First Health Life & Health Insurance Company, Florida Health Plan Administrators LLC, Garfield Beach CVS L.L.C., Generation Health L.L.C., Geneva Woods Health Services LLC, Geneva Woods LTC Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Management LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Alaska LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Washington LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Wyoming LLC, Geneva Woods Retail Pharmacy LLC, Georgia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., German Dobson CVS L.L.C., Goodhealth Worldwide (Asia) Limited, Goodhealth Worldwide (Global) Limited, Goodyear CVS L.L.C., Grand St. Paul CVS L.L.C., Grandview Pharmacy LLC, Group Dental Service Inc., Health Care Management Co. Ltd., Health Data & Management Solutions Inc., Health Re Inc., Health and Human Resource Center Inc., HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Highland Park CVS L.L.C., Holiday CVS L.L.C., Home Care Pharmacy LLC, Home Pharmacy Services LLC, Hook-SupeRx L.L.C., Horizon Behavioral Services LLC, Idaho CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., IlliniCare Health, Indian Health Organisation Private Limited, Innovation Health Holdings LLC, Innovation Health Insurance Company, Innovation Health Plan Inc., Interlock Pharmacy Systems LLC, Iowa CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., JHC Acquisition LLC, Kansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Kentucky CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., LCPS Acquisition LLC, Langsam Health Services LLC, Lo-Med Prescription Services LLC, Lobos Acquisition LLC, Longs Drug Stores, Longs Drug Stores California L.L.C., Louisiana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., MHHP Acquisition Company LLC, MHNet Specialty Services LLC, MHNet of Florida Inc., Main Street Pharmacy L.L.C., Managed Care Coordinators Inc., Managed Healthcare LLC, Martin Health Services LLC, Maryland CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Med World Acquisition Corp., Medical Arts Health Care LLC, Medical Examinations of New York P.C., Melville Realty Company Inc., MemberHealth LLC, Mental Health Associates Inc., Mental Health Network of New York IPA Inc., Meritain Health Inc., Merwin Long Term Care LLC, Minor Health Enterprise Co Ltd., MinuteClinic, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Alabama L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arizona LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arkansas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Colorado LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Florida LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Georgia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Hawaii L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Illinois LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Kentucky L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Louisiana L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maine L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maryland LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Massachusetts LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Nebraska L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Hampshire L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Mexico L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Ohio LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oklahoma LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oregon LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Pennsylvania LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Rhode Island LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of South Carolina L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Texas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Utah L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Virginia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Washington LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Wisconsin L.L.C., MinuteClinic L.L.C., MinuteClinic Online Diagnostic Services LLC, MinuteClinic Physician Practice of Texas, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services LLC, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services of Texas Association, Mississippi CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Missouri CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Montana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NCS Healthcare of Illinois LLC, NCS Healthcare of Iowa LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kansas LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kentucky LLC, NCS Healthcare of Montana LLC, NCS Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, NCS Healthcare of Ohio LLC, NCS Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, NCS Healthcare of Tennessee LLC, NCS Healthcare of Wisconsin LLC, NIV Acquisition LLC, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Nebraska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NeighborCare Pharmacy Services LLC, NeighborCare of Indiana LLC, NeighborCare of Virginia LLC, New Jersey CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Niagara Re Inc., North Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., North Shore Pharmacy Services LLC, NovoLogix LLC, OCR Services LLC, Ocean Acquisition Sub L.L.C., Ohio CVS Stores L.L.C., Oklahoma CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Omnicare, Omnicare Indiana Partnership Holding Company LLC, Omnicare LLC, Omnicare LLC Aetna Inc 0.28%/CVS Cabot Holdings Inc. 49.86%/CVS Shaw Holdings Inc. 49.86%, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania West LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of the Great Plains Holding LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy and Supply Services LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of Tennessee LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of the Midwest LLC, Omnicare Property Management LLC, Omnicare of Nebraska LLC, Omnicare of Nevada LLC, Omnicare of New York LLC, Oregon CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., PE Holdings LLC, PHPSNE Parent Corporation, PP Acquisition Company LLC, PRN Pharmaceutical Services LP, PT Aetna Management Consulting, Pamplona Saude e Beleza LTDA, Part D Holding Company L.L.C., PayFlex Systems USA Inc., Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Performax Inc., Pharmacy Associates of Glenn Falls LLC, Pharmacy Consultants LLC, Phoenix Data Solutions LLC, Precision Benefit Services Inc., Prime Net Inc., ProCare Pharmacy Direct L.L.C., ProCare Pharmacy L.L.C., Prodigy Health Group Inc., Professional Risk Management Inc., Puerto Rico CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Red Oak Sourcing LLC, Resources for Living LLC, Rhode Island CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Roeschens Healthcare LLC, RxAmerica, Schaller Anderson Medical Administrators Incorporated, Scrip World LLC, Sheffield Avenue CVS L.L.C., Shore Pharmaceutical Providers LLC, Silverscript Insurance Company, Soma Intimates, South Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., South Wabash CVS L.L.C., Specialized Pharmacy Services LLC, Stadtlander Drug Company, Stadtlander Pharmacy, Sterling Healthcare Services LLC, Superior Care Pharmacy LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Administrative Services LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, T2 Medical Inc., TCPI Acquisition LLC, TargetPharmacy, Tennessee CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Company, Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Texas Health + Aetna Health Plan Inc., The Vasquez Group Inc., Thomas Phoenix CVS L.L.C., Three Forks Apothecary LLC, U.S Healthcare Holdings LLC, U.S. Healthcare Properties Inc., UAC Holding Inc., UC Acquisition LLC, UNI-Care Health Services of Maine LLC, Universal American - Medicare Part D Business, Utah CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., VAPS Acquisition Company LLC, Value Health Care Services LLC, Vermont CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virtual Home Healthcare LLC, Warm Springs Road CVS L.L.C., Washington CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Washington Lamb CVS L.L.C., Weber Medical Systems LLC, Wellpartner LLC, West Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Westhaven Services Co LLC, Williamson Drug Company LLC, Wisconsin CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Woodward Detroit CVS L.L.C., Work and Family Benefits Inc., ZS Acquisition Company LLC, Zinc Health Services LLC, Zinc Health Ventures LLC, bSwift LLC, and iTriage LLC. Read More PNM Resources, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides electricity and electric services in the United States. It operates through Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) and Texas-New Mexico Power Company (TNMP) segments. The PNM segment engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The segment generates electricity using coal, natural gas and oil, nuclear fuel, solar, wind, and geothermal energy sources. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had owned or leased facilities with a total net generation capacity of 2,168 megawatts; and owned 3,426 miles of electric transmission lines, 5,751 miles of distribution overhead lines, 5,765 miles of underground distribution lines, and 250 substations. The segment also owns and leases communication, office and other equipment, office space, vehicles, and real estate. The TNMP segment provides regulated transmission and distribution services. As of December 31, 2021, the segment owned 983 miles of overhead electric transmission lines, 7,297 miles of overhead distribution lines, 1,408 miles of underground distribution lines, and 113 substations. The segment also owns and leases vehicles, service facilities, and office locations throughout its service territory. The company serves approximately 806,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers and end-users of electricity in New Mexico and Texas. PNM Resources, Inc. was incorporated in 1882 and is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The dacoit, Nathuram, is involved in a robbery case and is wanted by Chennai Police. By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Rajasthan Police has arrested Manju, wife of Nathuram, the dacoit wanted by Chennai Police in a robbery case. She was arrested by the Jaitaran Police in Rajasthan's Pali district. She has been undergoing interrogation about the absconding accused in the case. A Chennai Police Inspector, S Periyapandian, had died during a raid by the Chennai police team while it tried to nab Nathuram from a hideout. As per Pali police, the Chennai Inspector died due to an accidental shot. advertisement Deepak Bhargav, Superintendent of Police, Pali, stated, "Chennai police Inspector was killed due to an accidental fire shot by Munishekhar." Nathuram allegedly was part of a gang of dacoits that looted a jewellery shop in Colathar marg in Madurawali area. The dacoits had created a hole in the roof and decamped with 4 kgs of gold and cash. Post that, Chennai Police had received information about involvement of Nathuram and his gang in it. Chennai Police had visited Pali district's Jaitaran area sometime last month and questioned Nathuram's relatives. Chennai Police had received information that Nathuram had arrived in Pali to meet his family members. The police team arrived and kept on searching for him till late in the night. Early in the morning, Chennai Police got hold of Nathuram in a brick kiln located on Ramawas road. The police had received information that he was planning to flee from there. The dacoit had managed to escape from the location as a fierce onslaught ensued on the raiding team. The Chennai Police team was attacked with bricks and stones in the dark of the night which helped Nathuram to escape from there. A search has been going on for Nathuram in the entire district. As per information, Chennai Police had not informed the local district police earlier about the raid. It was informed only after Periyapandian died. Also watch: India seek China's response as pollution in Brahmaputra increases --- ENDS --- Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. engages in designing, building, overhauling, and repairing military ships in the United States. It operates through three segments: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Newport News Shipbuilding, and Technical Solutions. The company is involved in the design and construction of non-nuclear ships comprising amphibious assault ships; expeditionary warfare ships; surface combatants; and national security cutters for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. It also provides nuclear-powered ships, such as aircraft carriers and submarines, as well as refueling and overhaul, and inactivation services of ships. In addition, the company offers naval nuclear support services, including fleet services comprising design, construction, maintenance, and disposal activities for in-service the U.S. Navy nuclear ships; and maintenance services on nuclear reactor prototypes. Further, it provides life-cycle sustainment services to the U.S. Navy fleet and other maritime customers; high-end information technology and mission-based solutions for Department of Defense (DoD), intelligence, and federal civilian customers; nuclear management and operations and environmental management services for the Department of Energy, DoD, state and local governments, and private sector companies; defense and federal solutions; and unmanned systems. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Newport News, Virginia. The following companies are subsidiares of Centene: AT Learning Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, AT Medics Holdings LLP an English and Welsh LLP, AT Medics Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, AT Technology (Private) Ltd. a Pakistan private company, AT Technology Services Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, AWC of Syracuse Inc. a New York corporation, Absolute Total Care Inc. a South Carolina corporation, AcariaHealth Inc. a Delaware corporation, AcariaHealth Pharmacy #11 Inc. a Texas corporation, AcariaHealth Pharmacy #12 Inc. a New York corporation, AcariaHealth Pharmacy #13 Inc. a California corporation, AcariaHealth Pharmacy #14 Inc. a California corporation, AcariaHealth Pharmacy #26 Inc. a Delaware corporation, AcariaHealth Pharmacy Inc. a California corporation, AcariaHealth Solutions Inc. a Delaware corporation, Access Medical Acquisition LLC a Delaware LLC, Access Medical Group of Florida City LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Hialeah LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Lakeland LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Miami LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of North Miami Beach LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Opa-Locka LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Perrine LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa II LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa III LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa LLC a Florida LLC, Access Medical Group of Westchester LLC a Florida LLC, Accountable Care Coalition Direct Contracting LLC a Florida LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Chesapeake LLC a Maryland LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers II LLC a Texas LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers LLC a Texas LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers II LLC a Delaware LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers III LLC a Delaware LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers IV LLC a Delaware LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers LLC a Hawaii LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers V LLC a Delaware LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers VII LLC an Arizona LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Florida Partners LLC a Florida LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Georgia LLC a Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland LLC a Maryland LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland Primary Care LLC a Maryland LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of New Jersey Inc. a New Jersey corporation, Accountable Care Coalition of North Texas LLC a Texas LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Georgia LLC a Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Partners LLC a Pennsylvania LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northwest Florida LLC a Florida LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Prime Health LLC an Oregon LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health II LLC a Delaware LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health III LLC a Delaware LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health LLC an Oregon LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Partners LLC a Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Physician Partners LLC a South Carolina LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Wisconsin LLC a Wisconsin LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Tennessee LLC a Tennessee LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, Agate Resources Inc. an Oregon corporation, AirLogix, Ambetter of Magnolia Inc. a Mississippi corporation, Ambetter of North Carolina Inc. a North Carolina corporation, Ambetter of Peach State Inc. a Georgia corporation, America's 1st Choice California Holdings LLC a Florida corporation, American Progressive Life and Health Insurance Company of New York a New York corporation, Apixio, Apixio Inc a Delaware corporation, Arch Personalized Medicine Initiative LLC a Missouri LLC, Arkansas Health & Wellness Health Plan Inc. an Arkansas corporation, Arkansas Total Care Holding Company LLC a Delaware LLC, Arkansas Total Care Inc. an Arkansas corporation, B2B Gestion Integra S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., B2B Salud S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., BMI Healthcare Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, BMI Hospital Decontamination Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, BMI Imaging Clinic Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, BMI Southend Private Hospital Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, BMI Syon Clinic Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Bankers Reserve Life Insurance Company of Wisconsin a Wisconsin corporation, Bishopswood SPV Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Bridgeway Health Solutions LLC a Delaware LLC, Bridgeway Health Solutions of Arizona Inc. an Arizona corporation, Buckeye Community Health Plan Inc. an Ohio corporation, Buckeye Health Plan Community Solutions Inc. an Ohio corporation, CCTX Holdings LLC a Texas LLC, CEF Holding Company Limited a limited liability Malta company, CMC Real Estate Company LLC a Delaware LLC, CT Poprad s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., CT Presov s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., California Health and Wellness Plan a California corporation, Cantina Laredo Clayton LP a Delaware limited partnership, Cardium Health Services, Care 1st Health Plan of Arizona Inc. an Arizona corporation, Care1st Health Plan Administrative Services Inc. an Arizona corporation, Carolina Complete Health Holding Company Partnership a Delaware partnership, Carolina Complete Health Inc. a North Carolina corporation, CeltiCare Health Plan Holdings LLC a Delaware LLC, CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts Inc. a Massachusetts corporation, Celtic Group Inc., Celtic Group Inc. a Delaware corporation, Celtic Insurance Company an Illinois corporation, Cenpatico Behavioral Health LLC a California LLC, Centene Center I LLC a Delaware LLC, Centene Center II LLC a Delaware LLC, Centene Center LLC a Delaware LLC, Centene Company of Texas LP a Texas limited partnership, Centene Europe Finance Company Limited a limited liability Malta company, Centene Health Plan Holdings Inc. a Delaware corporation, Centene Institute for Advanced Health Education LLC a Delaware LLC, Centene International Financing Company Limited a limited liability Malta company, Centene International Ventures LLC a Delaware LLC, Centene Management Company LLC a Wisconsin LLC, Centene Technology Europe S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Centene Technology UK Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Centene Venture Company Alabama Health Plan Inc. an Alabama corporation, Centene Venture Company Florida Inc. a Florida corporation, Centene Venture Company Illinois Inc. an Illinois corporation, Centene Venture Company Indiana Inc. an Indiana corporation, Centene Venture Company Kansas Inc. a Kansas corporation, Centene Venture Company Michigan Inc. a Michigan corporation, Centene Venture Company Tennessee Inc. a Tennessee corporation, Centene Venture Insurance Company Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, Centro Inmunologocia De La Comunidad Valenciana S.L. a Spanish S.L., Centurion Correctional Healthcare of New Mexico LLC a New Mexico LLC, Centurion Detention Health Services LLC a Delaware LLC, Centurion LLC a Delaware LLC, Centurion of Arizona LLC an Arizona LLC, Centurion of Delaware LLC a Delaware LLC, Centurion of Florida LLC a Florida LLC, Centurion of Indiana LLC an Indiana LLC, Centurion of Kansas LLC a Kansas LLC, Centurion of Minnesota LLC a Minnesota LLC, Centurion of Mississippi LLC a Mississippi LLC, Centurion of New Hampshire LLC a Delaware LLC, Centurion of Pennsylvania LLC a Pennsylvania LLC, Centurion of Tennessee LLC a Tennessee LLC, Centurion of Vermont LLC a Vermont LLC, Centurion of West Virginia LLC a West Virginia LLC, Centurion of Wyoming LLC a Wyoming LLC, Chrysalis Medical Services LLC a New Jersey LLC, Circle Birmingham Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Clinical Services Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Harmony Health Ltd. a Hong Kong private company, Circle Health 1 Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Health 2 Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Health 3 Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Health 4 Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Health Holdings Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Health Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Holdings Ltd. a Jersey private company, Circle Hospital (Reading) Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle International an English and Welsh PLC, Circle Nottingham Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Circle Rehabilitation Services Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Clinica Santo Domingo De Lugo S.L. a Spanish S.L., Collaborative Health Systems IPA LLC a Florida LLC, Collaborative Health Systems LLC a New York LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Maryland LLC a Maryland LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Virginia LLC a Virginia LLC, Community Medical Group, Community Medical Holdings Corporation a Delaware corporation, Comprehensive Health Management Inc. a Florida corporation, Coordinated Care Corporation an Indiana corporation, Coordinated Care of Washington Inc. a Washington corporation, DELMARVA Collaborative Care LLC a Delaware LLC, Discare CZ a.s. a Czech Republic A.S., District Community Care Inc. a Washington D.C. corporation, Dr Magnet s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., Elche-Crevillente Salud a Spanish S.A., Envolve Benefits Options Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Dental IPA of New York Inc. a New York corporation, Envolve Dental Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Dental of Florida Inc. a Florida corporation, Envolve Dental of Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, Envolve Health, Envolve Holdings Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Optical Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve PeopleCare Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Pharmacy IPA LLC a New York LLC, Envolve Pharmacy Solutions Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Total Vision Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Vision Benefits Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Vision IPA of New York Inc. a New York corporation, Envolve Vision Inc. a Delaware corporation, Envolve Vision of Florida Inc. a Florida corporation, Envolve Vision of Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, Essential Care Partners LLC a Texas LLC, Fidelis Care, Forensic Health Services LLC a Delaware LLC, Foundation Care LLC a Missouri LLC, GHG (DB) Pension Trustees Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, GHG Healthcare Holdings Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, GHG Intermediate Holdings Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, GHG Leasing Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, GHG Mount Alvernia Hospital Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, General Healthcare Group Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, General Healthcare Holdings 2 Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, General Healthcare Holdings 3 Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Generale de Sante International Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Golden Triangle Physician Alliance a Texas not-for-profit corporation, Granite State Health Plan Inc. a New Hampshire corporation, HHS Texas Management Inc. a Texas corporation, HHS Texas Management LP a Texas limited partnership, HLM Strategic Investment Fund L.P. a Delaware limited partnership, Hallmark Life Insurance Company an Arizona corporation, Harmony Health Management Inc. a New Jersey corporation, Harmony Health Plan Inc. an Illinois corporation, Harmony Health Systems Inc. a New Jersey corporation, Health Care Enterprises LLC a Delaware LLC, Health Net Access Inc. an Arizona corporation, Health Net Community Solutions Inc. a California corporation, Health Net Community Solutions of Arizona Inc. an Arizona corporation, Health Net Federal Services LLC a Delaware LLC, Health Net Health Plan of Oregon Inc. an Oregon corporation, Health Net LLC, Health Net LLC a Delaware LLC, Health Net Life Insurance Company a California corporation, Health Net Life Reinsurance Company a Cayman Islands corporation, Health Net of Arizona Inc. an Arizona corporation, Health Net of California Inc. a California corporation, Health Plan Real Estate Holdings Inc. a Missouri corporation, HealthSmart Benefit Solutions Inc. an Illinois corporation, HealthSmart Benefits Management LLC a Texas LLC, HealthSmart Care Management Solutions LP a Texas partnership, HealthSmart Information Systems Inc. a Texas corporation, HealthSmart Preferred Care II LP a Texas partnership, HealthSmart Preferred Network II Inc. a Delaware corporation, HealthSmart Primary Care Clinics LP a Texas partnership, HealthSmart Rx Solutions Inc. an Ohio corporation, Healthy Louisiana Holdings LLC a Delaware LLC , Healthy Missouri Holdings Inc. a Missouri corporation, Healthy Washington Holdings Inc. a Delaware corporation, Heritage Health Systems Inc. a Texas corporation, Heritage Health Systems of Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, Heritage Physician Networks a Texas not-for-profit corporation, Home State Health Plan Inc. a Missouri corporation, HomeScripts.com LLC a Michigan LLC, Hospinet S.L. a Spanish S.L., Hospital Polusa S.A. a Spanish S.A., Hospital Povisa S.A. a Spanish S.A., Illinois Health Practice Alliance LLC a Delaware corporation, Infraestructuras y Servicios de Alzira S. L. a Spanish S.L., Integrated Mental Health Services a Texas corporation, Interpreta Holdings Inc. a Delaware corporation, Interpreta Inc. a Delaware corporation, Iowa Total Care Inc. an Iowa corporation, Kentucky Spirit Health Plan Inc. a Kentucky corporation , LifeShare Management Group LLC, LifeShare Management Group LLC a New Hampshire LLC, Louisiana Healthcare Connections Inc. a Louisiana corporation , MH Services International Holdings (UK) Limited an English and Welsh private company, MHM, MHM Correctional Services LLC a Delaware LLC, MHM Health Professionals LLC a Delaware LLC, MHM Services Inc. a Delaware corporation, MHM Services of California LLC a California LLC, MHM Solutions LLC a Delaware LLC, MHN Government Services LLC a Delaware LLC, MHN Services LLC a California LLC, MHS Consulting International Inc. a Delaware corporation, MHS Travel & Charter Inc. a Wisconsin corporation, MR Centrum Melnick s.r.o. a Czech Republic S.R.O., MR Poprad s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., MR Zilina s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., Magellan Health Inc, Magnolia Health Plan Inc. a Mississippi corporation, Managed Health Network LLC a Delaware LLC, Managed Health Network a California corporation, Managed Health Services Insurance Corporation a Wisconsin corporation, Marina Salud S.A. a Spanish S.A., Maryland Collaborative Care LLC a Maryland LLC, Maryland Collaborative Care Transformation Organization Inc. a Delaware corporation, Mauli Ola Health and Wellness Inc. a Hawaii corporation, Medicina NZ spol s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., Meriden Hospital Advanced Imaging Centre Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Inc. an Illinois corporation, Meridian Health Plan of Michigan Inc. a Michigan corporation, Meridian Management Company LLC (a/k/a Meridian Administration Company LLC) a Michigan LLC, Meridian Network Services LLC a Michigan LLC, MeridianRx IPA LLC a New York LLC, MeridianRx LLC a Michigan LLC, MeridianRx of Indiana LLC a Michigan LLC, Michigan Complete Health a Michigan corporation, Mid-Atlantic Collaborative Care LLC a Maryland LLC, Mount Alvernia PET CT Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Nations Healthcare Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Nebraska Total Care Inc. a Nebraska corporation, Network Providers LLC a Delaware LLC, New York Quality Healthcare Corporation a New York corporation, Next Door Neighbors Inc. a Delaware corporation, Next Door Neighbors LLC. a Delaware LLC, North West Cancer Clinic Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Northern Maryland Collaborative Care LLC a Maryland LLC, Novasys Health Inc. a Delaware corporation, OB Care a Czech Republic S.R.O., OB Klinika a.s. a Czech Republic A.S., Ohana Health Plan Inc. a Hawaii corporation, Oklahoma Complete Health Holding Company LLC a Delaware LLC, Oklahoma Complete Health Inc. an Oklahoma corporation, One Care by Care 1st Health Plans of Arizona Inc an Arizona corporation, Operose Health (Group) Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Operose Health (Group) UK Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Operose Health Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, OptiCare Health Systems - Managed Vision Business, PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, PRIMEROSALUD S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Panther Pass Co LLC a Pennsylvania LLC, Panther Specialty Holding Co LLC a Pennsylvania LLC, Pantherx Access Services LLC a Pennsylvania LLC, Pantherx Specialty LLC a Pennsylvania LLC, Parker LP LLC a Nevada LLC, Peach State Health Plan Inc. a Georgia corporation, Penn Marketing America LLC a Delaware LLC, Pennsylvania Health and Wellness Inc. a Pennsylvania corporation, Preamed s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., Premier Marketing Group LLC a Delaware LLC, Primary Care Partners Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Pro Diagnostic Group A.S. a Slovakia A.S., Pro Magnet CZ s.r.o. a Czech Republic S.R.O., Pro Magnet s.r.o a Slovakia S.R.O., Pro Nuclear a.s. a Slovakia A.S., Pro RTG s.r.o a Slovakia S.R.O., Progress Medical A.S. a Czech Republic A.S., Prowl Holdings LLC a Delaware LLC, QCA Healthplan Inc. an Arkansas corporation, Qualchoice Life and Health Insurance Company and Arkansas company, Quincy Coverage Corporation a New York corporation, Rhythm Health Tennessee Inc. a Tennessee corporation, Ribera Diagnostics S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Ribera Healthcare S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Ribera Lab S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Ribera Management S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Ribera Salud II a Spanish UTE, Ribera Salud Proyectos S.L. a Spanish S.L., Ribera Salud S.A. a Spanish S.A., Ribera Salud Tecnologias S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Ribera Slaud Infraestructuras S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Ribera-Quilpro UTE a Spanish UTE, Runnymeade SPV Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Salus Administrative Services Inc. a New York corporation, Salus IPA LLC a New York LLC, Secure Capital Solutions 2000 S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., SelectCare Health Plans Inc. a Texas corporation, SelectCare of Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, Servicios De Mantenimiento Prevencor S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Shanghai Circle Harmony Hospital Management Limited a Chinese private company, SilverSummit Healthplan Inc. a Nevada corporation, Social Health Bridge LLC a Delaware LLC, Social Health Bridge Trust a Delaware trust, Specialty Therapeutic Care GP LLC a Texas LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings LLC a Delaware LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care LP a Texas limited partnership, Sunflower State Health Plan Inc. a Kansas corporation, Sunshine Health Community Solutions Inc. a Florida corporation, Sunshine Health Holding LLC a Florida LLC, Sunshine State Health Plan Inc. a Florida corporation, Superior Health Management Advisors LLC, Superior HealthPlan Community Solutions Inc. a Texas corporation, Superior HealthPlan Inc. a Texas corporation, TKH Holding Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, Terapias Medicas Domiciliarias S.L. a Spanish S.L., The Pavilion Clinic Ltd. an English and Welsh private company, The Practice Properties Limited an English and Welsh private company, The WellCare Management Group Inc. a New York corporation, Three Shires Hospital LP an English and Welsh limited partnership, Torrejon Salud S.A. a Spanish S.A., Torrevieja Salud S.L.U. a Spanish S.L.U., Torrevieja Salud UTE a Spanish UTE, Transplant Health Solutions IPA Inc. a New York corporation, Trillium Community Health Plan Inc. an Oregon corporation, UAM Agent Services Corp. an Iowa corporation, US Script, Universal American Corp. a Delaware corporation, Universal American Financial Services Inc. a Delaware corporation, Universal American Holdings LLC a Delaware LLC, Vivamed s.r.o. a Slovakia S.R.O., WCG Health Management Inc. a Delaware corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of America an Arkansas corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Kentucky Inc. a Kentucky corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Louisiana Inc. a Louisiana corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Nevada Inc. a Nevada corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Hampshire Inc. a New Hampshire corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Jersey Inc. a New Jersey corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Oklahoma Inc. an Oklahoma corporation, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Washington Inc. a Washington corporation, WellCare Health Insurance of Arizona Inc. an Arizona corporation, WellCare Health Insurance of Connecticut Inc. a Connecticut corporation, WellCare Health Insurance of Hawaii Inc. a Hawaii corporation, WellCare Health Insurance of New York Inc. a New York corporation, WellCare Health Insurance of North Carolina Inc. a North Carolina corporation, WellCare Health Insurance of Southwest Inc. an Arizona corporation, WellCare Health Insurance of Tennessee Inc. a Tennessee corporation, WellCare Health Plans, WellCare Health Plans Inc. a Delaware corporation, WellCare Health Plans of Arizona Inc. an Arizona corporation, WellCare Health Plans of Kentucky Inc. a Kentucky corporation, WellCare Health Plans of Massachusetts Inc. a Massachusetts corporation, WellCare Health Plans of Missouri Inc. a Missouri corporation, WellCare Health Plans of New Jersey Inc. a New Jersey corporation, WellCare Health Plans of Rhode Island Inc. a Rhode Island corporation, WellCare Health Plans of Vermont Inc. a Vermont corporation, WellCare National Health Insurance Company a Texas corporation, WellCare Prescription Insurance Inc. an Arizona corporation, WellCare of Alabama Inc. an Alabama corporation, WellCare of Arkansas Inc. an Arkansas corporation, WellCare of California Inc. a California corporation, WellCare of Connecticut Inc. a Connecticut corporation, WellCare of Georgia Inc. a Georgia corporation, WellCare of Illinois Inc. an Illinois corporation, WellCare of Indiana Inc. an Indiana corporation, WellCare of Maine Inc. a Maine corporation, WellCare of Michigan Holding Company a Michigan corporation, WellCare of Mississippi Inc. a Mississippi corporation, WellCare of Missouri Health Insurance Company Inc. a Missouri corporation, WellCare of New Hampshire Inc. a New Hampshire corporation, WellCare of New York Inc. a New York corporation, WellCare of North Carolina Inc. a North Carolina corporation, WellCare of Ohio Inc. an Ohio corporation, WellCare of Oklahoma Inc. an Oklahoma corporation, WellCare of Pennsylvania Inc. a Pennsylvania corporation, WellCare of South Carolina Inc. a South Carolina corporation, WellCare of Texas Inc. a Texas corporation, WellCare of Virginia Inc. a Virginia corporation, WellCare of Washington Inc. a Washington corporation, Western Sky Community Care Inc. a New Mexico corporation, Windsor Health Group Inc. a Tennessee corporation, Winning Security S.L. a Spanish S.L., and Worlco Management Services Inc. a New York corporation. Read More By PTI: By Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Dec 18 (PTI) Underlining the need to be more serious on the issue of environment, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today said the recent prevalence of smog should serve as an "eye-opener". He said climate change issue has become one of the biggest challenge for the mankind and has united the international community for action against its possible fallouts. advertisement "Pakistan is fully cognizant of its commitment towards the challenges of environment and was effectively dealing with the phenomenon of greenhouse effect," Abbasi said while addressing the Science Policy Conference on Climate Change. Pakistan had only 1 per cent of the greenhouse footprint, he was quoted as saying in an official statement. During this winter season, large swathes of Pakistans Punjab province remained engulfed in toxic smog, especially Bahawalpur, Multan, Okara, Pakpattan, Chiniot and Faisalabad. Several domestic and international flights were badly affected in Pakistans Punjab province due to smog and heavy fog which brought the visibility level to around zero. The situation forced Pakistans Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to write to his Indian counterpart Captain Amarinder Singh to strike a "regional cooperation agreement" to tackle smog and pollution that has affected people on both sides of the border. At the conference, Abbasi said Pakistan fortunately has a very clean energy niche with 50 per cent of its primary energy coming from gas and another 20 per cent from hydropower and other renewable resources. Stressing that Pakistan has a zero import policy for furnace oil, Abbasi said that the power houses in the country are running on imported liquefied natural gas. He also expressed confidence that in the near future, the countrys power plants, running on furnace oil, would be using alternative fuel as it would mitigate the negative effects of fuel. Pakistan was already utilising the Euro-II diesel and petrol, he added. Abbasi said Pakistan has a National Environment Policy and the government has allocated eight per cent of its budget to fight the effects of climate change. He said that Parliament has also taken action and paved way in setting up of the National Climate Change Authority and the National Climate Change Council. Stressing that investment in reduction of climate change effects was important being the global citizens, Abbasi said, "Pakistan had ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015 and was following the principles therein to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent." PTI SH SMJ AKJ SMJ --- ENDS --- advertisement Kirby Corporation operates domestic tank barges in the United States. Its Marine Transportation segment provides marine transportation service and towing vessel transporting bulk liquid product, as well as operates tank barge throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, coastwise along three United States coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii. It also transport petrochemical, black oil, refined petroleum product, and agricultural chemicals by tank barge; and operates offshore dry-bulk barge and tugboat unit that are engaged in the offshore transportation of dry-bulk cargo in the United States coastal trade. As of December 31, 2021, it owned and operated 1,025 inland tank barge, approximately 255 inland towboat, 31 coastal tank barge, 29 coastal tugboat, 4 offshore dry-bulk cargo barge, 4 offshore tugboat, and 1 docking tugboat. Its Distribution and Services segment sells after-market service and genuine replacement part for engine, transmission, reduction gear, electric motor, drive, and control, electrical distribution and control system, energy storage battery system, and related oilfield service equipment; rebuild component parts or diesel engine, transmission and reduction gear, and related equipment used in oilfield service, marine, power generation, on-highway, and other industrial applications; rents generator, industrial compressor, high capacity lift truck, and refrigeration trailer; and manufactures and remanufactures oilfield service equipment, including pressure pumping unit, as well as manufacturers electric power generation equipment, specialized electrical distribution and control equipment, and high capacity energy storage/battery systems for oilfield customer. It serves to various companies and the United States government. The company was formerly known as Kirby Exploration Company, Inc. and changed its name to Kirby Corporation in 1990. Kirby Corporation was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics (Dx) and Labcorp Drug Development (DD). It offers various tests, such as blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, PAP tests, hemoglobin A1C and vitamin D, prostate-specific antigens, tests for sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis C tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. The company also provides specialty testing services comprising gene-based and esoteric testing; advanced tests target specific diseases, including anatomic pathology/oncology, cardiovascular disease, coagulation, diagnostic genetics, endocrinology, infectious disease, women's health, pharmacogenetics, and parentage and donor testing; and occupational testing services, medical drug monitoring services, chronic disease programs, and kidney stone prevention tests. It provides online and mobile applications to enable patients to check test results; and online applications for managed care organizations and accountable care organizations. It offers end-to-end drug development, medical device, and companion diagnostic development solutions from early-stage research to clinical development and commercial market access. It serves managed care organizations, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostics companies, governmental agencies, physicians and other healthcare providers, hospitals and health systems, employers, patients and consumers, contract research organizations, and independent clinical laboratories. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings has a collaboration agreement with Tigerlily Foundation to increase clinical trial diversity for women of color. The company was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Burlington, North Carolina. The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates in four segments: Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Wealth Management, and Global Banking and Markets. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small, medium, and large businesses, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides online, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 954 branches and approximately 3,766 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,300 branches and a network of contact and support center internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada. PGT Innovations, Inc., together with its subsidiaries manufactures and supplies impact-resistant aluminum frame windows and doors in the United States and internationally. The company provides heavy-duty aluminum or vinyl frames with laminated glass to provide protection from hurricane-force winds and wind-borne debris; and non-impact resistant vinyl windows with insulating glass and multi-chambered frames for various climate zones. It also offers customizable non-impact-resistant aluminum frame windows and doors; and non-glass vertical and horizontal sliding panels for porch enclosures, including vinyl-glazed aluminum-framed products used for enclosing screened-in porches that provide protection from inclement weather. In addition, the company provides premium aluminum impact-resistant products; aluminum impact-resistant windows and doors; vinyl energy-efficient impact-resistant windows; and commercial storefront window system and entry doors. Further, it provides impact and non-impact sliding glass and terrace doors; fixed picture, single hung, and horizontal rolling windows; aluminum thermally broken doors and windows; fixed and operating windows; sliding, folding, and hinged doors; and moving glass walls and windows. The company offers its products under the PGT, CGI, WinDoor, Western Window Systems, NewSouth, Eco Window Systems, and Anlin brands. It serves window distributors, building supply distributors, window replacement dealers, and enclosure contractors. The company was formerly known as PGT, Inc. and changed its name to PGT Innovations, Inc. in December 2016. PGT Innovations, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in North Venice, Florida. By PTI: Ahmedabad, Dec 18 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said today the BJPs victory in the Assembly elections showed peoples "unshakable faith in the agenda of development, caste-less and classless society". According to the latest results, the ruling BJP won or is winning in 99 out of the total 182 seats in Gujarat, and can get a simple majority. advertisement "I acknowledge with humility peoples verdict who have voted for @BJP4India and reposed faith in the politics of good governance - a dominant theme flourished by @narendramodi on the Indian political landscape," Rupani tweeted. "Abhar Gujarat (Thank you Gujarat)! Its the victory of the people of Gujarat, their unshakable faith in the agenda of development, casteless & classless society. We are indeed blessed! And promise to live up to the expectations more than ever before," he said. Rupani also thanked the people of Rajkot from where he won by over 54,000 votes. "I heartily thank my trustworthy voters of Rajkot for reposing trust & confidence. I am humbled by this victory. Thank you RAJKOT," he said in another tweet. PTI PD KRK ADS --- ENDS --- The following companies are subsidiares of Prudential Financial: 210-220 E. 22nd Street SSGA Owner LLC, AIG Edison, AIG Star, AREF Cayman Co Ltd., AREF GP II Pte. Ltd., AREF GP Ltd., ASPF II - Feeder Fund GmbH, ASPF II - Verwaltungs - GmbH & Co. KG, ASPF II Management GmbH, ASPF III Scots L.P., ASSURANCE, AST Investment Services Inc., Adlerwerke CB Investment LLC, Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones Habitat S.A., Administradora de Inversiones Previsionales SpA, Aoba Life Insurance Company, Aoba Life Insurance Company Ltd., Asia Property Fund III GP S.a.r.l., Assurance IQ LLC, Assurance Intelligence LLC, BSC CP LP, Braeloch Holdings Inc., Braeloch Successor Corporation, Brazilian Capital Fund GP Limited, Broad Street Global Advisors LLC, Broome Street Holdings LLC, CB German Retail LLC, CLIS Co. Ltd., COLICO INC., Capital Agricultural Property Services Inc., Chadwick Boulevard Investment Holdings Co. LLC, Cibecue LLC, Coconino LLC, Colico II Inc., Columbus Drive Partners L.P., Commerce Street Holdings LLC, Commerce Street Investments LLC, Coolidge LLC, Coral Reef GP, Coral Reef L.P., Coral Reef Unit Trust, Cottage Street Investments LLC, Cottage Street Orbit Acquisition LLC, DICKENS AVENUE HOLDINGS VI LLC, DICKENS AVENUE PARTNERS VI Ireland L.P., DICKENS AVENUE PARTNERS VI US L.P., Dale/P Minerals Limited Partnership, Don Cesar Investor LLC, Dryden Arizona Reinsurance Term Company, Dryden Finance II LLC, EVP II GP S.a r.l., EVP II Horizon GP S.a r.l., EVP II Sprint GP S.a r.l., Edison Place Senior Note LLC, Essex LLC, EuroCore GP S.a r.l., European Value Partners GP S.a.r.l., Everbright PGIM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Flagstaff LLC, GA 1600 Commons LLC, GA 333 Hennepin Investor LLC, GA BV LLC, GA Bay Area GP LLC, GA Bay Area Investor LLC, GA Belden LLC, GA CLARENDON LLC, GA Cal Crossings LLC, GA Collins LLC, GA E. 22nd Street Apartments Holdings LLC, GA East 86 Street LLC, GA JHCII LLC, GA MENLO PARK INVESTOR LLC, GA Manor at Harbour Island LLC, GA Metro LLC, GA TRITON INVESTOR LLC, GA W Paces LLC, GA/MDI 333 Hennepin Associates LLC, GIBRALTAR BSN HOLDINGS SDN BHD, GIBRALTAR INDIA SOLUTIONS LLP, Gateway Holdings II LLC, Gateway Holdings LLC, German Retail Income CP LP, Gibraltar BSN Life Berhad, Gibraltar International Insurance Services Company Inc., Gibraltar International Service LLC, Gibraltar Reinsurance Company Ltd., Gibraltar Universal Life Reinsurance Company, Glenealy International Limited, Global Portfolio Strategies Inc., Gold GP Limited, Gold II L.P., Gold L.P., Graham Resources Inc., Graham Royalty Ltd., Green Harvest Asset Management LLC, Green Tree GP, Green Tree L.P., Greenlee LLC, Halsey Street Investments LLC, Hirakata LLC, IVP Fund GP LLC, Impact Investments Bridges UK S.a.r.l, Inter-Atlantic G Fund L.P., Inversiones Previsionales Chile SpA, Inversiones Previsionales Dos SpA, Ironbound Fund LLC, Jennison Associates LLC, Kyarra S.a r.l., Kyoei Annuity Home Co. Ltd. Kabushiki Kaisha Kyouei Nenkin Home, LINEUP LLC, Lake Street Partners IV L.P., Lotus Reinsurance Company Ltd., MC GA COLLINS HOLDINGS LLC, MC GA COLLINS REALTY LLC, MC Insurance Agency Services LLC, Manor at Harbour Island LLC, Marble Canyon LLC, Maricopa LLC, Market Street Holdings IV LLC, Montana Capital Partners, Morenci LLC, Mulberry Street Holdings LLC, Mulberry Street Investment L.P., Mulberry Street Partners LLC, Mullin TBG Insurance Agency Services LLC, MullinTBG Insurance Agency Services, National Family Assurance Group LLC, New Savanna, Northbound Emerging Manager Fund A LP, Northbound Emerging Manager Fund II - A LP, Orchard Street Acres Inc., PAI Bay Farm LLC, PAI Bayrock Groves LLC, PAI Belvidere Farms LLC, PAI Big Cypress Farm LLC, PAI Corcoran 640 Ranch LLC, PAI DeKalb Farm LLC, PAI Delano 1500 Ranches LLC, PAI Desert Falcon Farms Manager LLC, PAI Flicker Orchard LLC, PAI Good Hope Farm LLC, PAI Hawk Creek Ranch LLC, PAI Hills Valley Ranches LLC, PAI Holly Hill Groves LLC, PAI Hunt Farm LLC, PAI Jackson Bayou Farm LLC, PAI Lake Placid Groves LLC, PAI River Bend Ranches LLC, PAI Wallula Gap Vineyard LLC, PCP V Cayman AIV GP L.P., PEREF II Co-Invest 1 GP S.a r.l., PEREF II GP S.a r.l., PFI EM-Tech Fund I LLC, PG Business Service Co. Ltd, PG Collection Service Co. Ltd., PG Friendly Partners Co. Ltd., PGA Asian Retail Limited, PGA European Limited, PGI Co. Ltd, PGIM AC Co-Invest GP Pte. Ltd., PGIM AVP IV GP S.a r.l., PGIM Advisory Shanghai Co. Ltd., PGIM Agricultural Investments GP LLC, PGIM Australia Pty Ltd, PGIM Broad Market High Yield Bond Fund L.P., PGIM Broad Market High Yield Bond Partners LLC, PGIM Capital Partners Management Feeder VI LLC, PGIM Capital Partners Management Fund VI L.P., PGIM Custom Harvest LLC, PGIM DC Co-Invest GP Pte. Ltd., PGIM DC JV GP Pte. Ltd., PGIM DC Solutions LLC, PGIM European Financing Limited, PGIM European Services Limited, PGIM Financial Limited, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund II L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives GP LLC, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives II GP LLC, PGIM Foreign Investments Inc., PGIM Holding Company LLC, PGIM Holdings Limited, PGIM Hong Kong Ltd., PGIM INDIA ASSET MANAGEMENT PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM INDIA TRUSTEES PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM IRELAND LIMITED, PGIM Inc., PGIM International Financing Inc., PGIM Investments Ireland Limited, PGIM Investments LLC, PGIM Japan Co. Ltd., PGIM Korea Inc., PGIM LTIF Berlin GP S.a r.l., PGIM LTIF Berlin MLP S.ar.l., PGIM LTIF GP S.a.r.l., PGIM Limited, PGIM Loan Originator Manager Limited, PGIM M Campus GP S.a r.l., PGIM Management Partner Limited, PGIM MetaProp Investor LP LLC, PGIM Netherlands B.V., PGIM Overseas Investment Fund Management Shanghai Company Ltd, PGIM Private Capital Ireland Limited, PGIM Private Capital Limited, PGIM Private Placement Investors Inc., PGIM Private Placement Investors L.P., PGIM QUANTITATIVE SOLUTIONS LLC, PGIM REF EUROPE SCSp, PGIM REF Europe GP S.a r.l., PGIM REF Europe Member LLC, PGIM REF Intermediary Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate CD S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Capital VII GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest L.P., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest SCSp, PGIM Real Estate Co-Invest Holdings LLC, PGIM Real Estate Debt GmbH, PGIM Real Estate Finance Holding Company, PGIM Real Estate Finance LLC, PGIM Real Estate France SAS, PGIM Real Estate Germany AG, PGIM Real Estate Global Debt GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Global Master Fund GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Inmuebles II S de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate Inmuebles S. de R.L. de C.V, PGIM Real Estate Italy S.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Japan Ltd., PGIM Real Estate Loan Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate Luxembourg S.A., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate Management Luxembourg S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Mexico S.C., PGIM Real Estate S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate U.S. CORE Debt Fund GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate U.S. Debt Fund GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate UK Limited, PGIM Scots Limited, PGIM Securities Investment Trust Enterprise, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management (Feeder) I LLC, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management Fund I L.P., PGIM Shanghai Company Ltd., PGIM Singapore Pte. Ltd., PGIM Strategic Financing LLC, PGIM Strategic Investments Inc., PGIM Taronga Investor GP LLC, PGIM U.S. Agriculture Fund LP, PGIM USPF VI Manager LLC, PGIM Wadhwani LLP, PGIM Warehouse Inc., PGLH of Delaware Inc., PIFM Holdco LLC, PIIC Limited, PIISC Holdings UK Limited, PIM KF Blocker V Holdings LLC, PIM USPF V Manager LLC, PLA Administradora Industrial SRL, PLA Administradora LLC, PLA Administradora S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional II S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional S.de R.L. de C.V., PLA Co-Investor LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager I LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager II LLC, PLA Retail Fund I Blue LP, PLA Retail Fund I Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LP, PLA Retail Fund II Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II U.S. Carry/Co-Invest LP, PLA Services Manager Mexico LLC, PLAI Limited, PMCF Holdings LLC, PMCF Properties LLC, PPPF General Partner LLP, PR GA SCP Apartments LLC, PRAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP LLP, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP SCOTS FEEDER LLP, PRECO Account IV LLC, PRECO Account Partnership IV LP, PRECO III GP LLP, PREFG Hanwha Manager LLC, PREI Acquisition I Inc., PREI Acquisition II Inc., PREI Acquisition LLC, PREI HYDG LLC, PREI International Inc., PRIAC Property Acquisitions LLC, PRICOA Management Partner Limited, PRISA Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Pooled Manager LLC, PRISA III Fund GP LLC, PRISA III Fund PIM LLC, PRREF Debt Fund Manager LLC, PRREF II Fund Manager LLC, PRU 3XSquare LLC, PRUCO LLC, PRUDENTIAL CAPITAL ENERGY PARTNERS MANAGEMENT (FEEDER) LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP MEMBER LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP REIT LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE 2 LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE LLC, PT PFI Mega Life Insurance, Passaic Fund LLC, Pine Tree GP, Pine Tree L.P., Platinum GP Limited, Platinum II L.P., Platinum L.P., Pramerica Business Consulting Shanghai Company Limited, Pramerica EVP CP LP, Pramerica Financial Asia Headquarters Pte. Ltd., Pramerica Financial Asia Limited, Pramerica Fixed Income Funds Management Limited, Pramerica Fosun Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Pramerica Holdings Ltd, Pramerica Hong Kong Holdings Limited, Pramerica Insurance Agency China Company Ltd., Pramerica Luxembourg CP GP S.a.r.l., Pramerica PRECAP I GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP II GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP III GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP IV GP LLP, Pramerica Pan European Real Estate Scots LP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I GP Scots Feeder LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I Scotland Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital II Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital III Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP Limited, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP Scots Feeder LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V Netherlands GP LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital VI Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Scots CP GP LLP, Preco III Scotland Limited Partnership, Pru 101 Wood LLC, Pru Alpha Partners I LLC, Pru Fixed Income Emerging Markets Partners I LLC, PruVen Capital Partners Fund I L.P., Pruco Assignment Corporation, Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Pruco Securities LLC, Prudential 900 Aviation Boulevard LLC, Prudential Affordable Mortgage Company LLC, Prudential Agricultural Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Annuities Distributors Inc., Prudential Annuities Holding Company Inc., Prudential Annuities Inc., Prudential Annuities Information Services & Technology Corporation, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Captive Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Term Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Universal Company, Prudential Bank & Trust FSB, Prudential Capital Energy Opportunity Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners Management Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Partners Management Fund IV L.P., Prudential Capital and Investment Services LLC, Prudential Chile II SpA, Prudential Chile SpA, Prudential Commercial Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Equity Group LLC, Prudential Financial Inc., Prudential Fixed Income Global Liquidity Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Fixed Income U.S. Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Funding LLC, Prudential General Services of Japan Y.K., Prudential Gibraltar Agency Co. Ltd. Prudential Gibraltar Agency Kabushiki Kaisha, Prudential Global Funding LLC, Prudential Holdings of Japan Inc., Prudential Huntoon Paige Associates LLC, Prudential IBH Holdco Inc., Prudential Impact Investments Mortgage Loans LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Debt LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Equity LLC, Prudential Insurance Agency LLC, Prudential International Insurance Holdings Ltd., Prudential International Insurance Service Company L.L.C., Prudential International Investments Advisers LLC, Prudential International Investments Company LLC, Prudential International Investments LLC, Prudential Investment Management Services LLC, Prudential Japan Holdings LLC, Prudential Legacy Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 1 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 2 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Capital Asset Holding Company LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Funding LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, Prudential Multifamily Mortgage LLC, Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC, Prudential Newark Realty LLC, Prudential QOZ Investment Fund 1 LLC, Prudential Realty Securities Inc., Prudential Retirement Financial Services Holding LLC, Prudential Retirement Holdings LLC, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Prudential Securities Secured Financing Corporation, Prudential Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., Prudential Seguros S.A., Prudential Select Strategies LLC, Prudential Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Prudential Structured Settlement Company, Prudential Systems Japan Limited, Prudential Tax Services LLC, Prudential Term Reinsurance Company, Prudential Trust Co. Ltd., Prudential Trust Company, Prudential Universal Reinsurance Company, Prudential Workplace Solutions Group Services LLC, Prudential do Brasil Seguros de Vida S.A., Prudential do Brasil Vida em Grupo S.A., Prudential/TMW Real Estate Group LLC, Pruservicos Participacoes Ltda., QMA JP EM All Cap Equity Partners LLC, Quartzsite LLC, Residential Services Corporation of America LLC, Rio CP LP, Rock European Real Estate Holdings S.ar.l., Rock Global Real Estate LLC, Rock Kensington Limited, Rock Marty GP S.a r.l., Rock Oxford S.a r.l., Rock UK Real Estate II S.a.r.l., Rockstone Co. Ltd., Rosado Grande LLC, Ross Avenue Energy Fund Holdings LLC, Ross Avenue Minerals 2012 LLC, SCP Apartments LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERS VI GP LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERSHIP FUND VI GP LLC, SHP IV Carried Interest LP, SHP V Carried Interest L.P., SMP Holdings Inc., SVIIT Holdings Inc., Sanei Collection Service Co. Ltd. Kabushiki Kaisha Sanei Shuuno Service, Senior Housing Partners V LLC, Senior Housing Partnership Fund V LLC, Sterling Private Placement Management LLP, Stetson Street Partners L.P., Strand Investments Limited, TBG Insurance Services Corporation, TENSATOR HOLDINGS LTD, TF Proveedora S.C., TMW ASPF I Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, TMW ASPF Management GmbH, TMW Management LLC, TMW Real Estate Group LLC, TMW Realty Advisors LLC, TMW USPF Verwaltungs GmbH, TRGOAG Company Inc., The Gibraltar Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Keynes Dynamic Beta Strategy US Fund GP LLC, The Prudential Assigned Settlement Services Corp., The Prudential Brazilian Capital Fund LP, The Prudential Gibraltar Financial Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Prudential Home Mortgage Company Inc., The Prudential Insurance Company of America, The Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd., The Prudential Real Estate Financial Services of America Inc., The WMF Group, Thurloe Commercial Guernsey Limited, USPF V - Verwaltungs - GmbH & Co. KG, USPF V Carry LLC, USPF V Co-Invest LLC, USPF V Investment LP, United States Property Fund VI GP S.a r.l., VIP Australia Holding Company LLC, VIP Australia Trustee Pty Ltd, Vailsburg Fund LLC, Vantage Casualty Insurance Company, Wabash Avenue Holdings V LLC, Wabash Avenue Partners V L.P., Wadhwani Capital Limited, Waveland Avenue Holdings I LLC, Waveland Avenue Partners I Ireland L.P., Waveland Avenue Partners I US L.P., Wellness Services Ecossistema De Bem Estar Ltda., Wellness Services SRL, Yamato Life, and Yavapai LLC. Read More Bank of America has a rich history dating back to 1800 and even earlier. It was begun by immigrants as a group of separate and unrelated banks that, over the years, merged and grew together. One such is the Bank of Italy which was founded in 1904 by Amadeo Giannini to serve Italian immigrants that were facing discrimination. He later buys out the Banca de America e de Italia (Bank of America and Italy) which was also located in San Francisco. Over the years additional mergers and changes in Federal banking legislation, as well as the boom brought on by WWI and then WWII, helped boost the bank to national prominence. Things turned sour, however, in 1998 with a major bond default that led to yet another merger, this time with Charlotte, NC-based Nations Bank to officially become the Bank of America that exists today. At the time, the merger was the largest bank merger in history and the company has only grown in the time since. Other additions to the new Bank of America include MBNA (a major credit card operator), Fleet Boston (then the US 7th largest and one of its oldest banks), and Merril Lynch, now Merril, which was added to the group in 2008 to provide an investment banking branch. Together the company dominates as one of the Big Four Banks in America. Bank of America lays claim to nearly 11% of all US deposits which ranks in line with its peer group and Bank of America Securities is listed as the worlds 3rd largest investment bank. Today, Bank of America Corporation provides banking and financial services for individuals, small businesses, institutions, corporations, and governments worldwide. The bank operates in three segments Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management, and Global Banking bringing in a combined revenue greater than $90 billion in 2022. As of 2022, Bank of America serves approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,200 retail financial centers. The bank also operates more than 16,000 ATMs and digital banking platforms with approximately 41 million active users. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional banking and investment products for retail clients. These range from deposit accounts to savings, credit cards, consumer loans, and IRAs. The Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and wealth management solutions including, brokerage, banking, and trust and retirement products. The Global Banking segment provides lending products and services, including commercial loans and leases for businesses of all varieties. The Global Markets segment offers market-making, clearing, settlement, and custody services, as well as risk management, derivatives, and FX exchange services. Nucor Corporation manufactures and sells steel and steel products. The company's Steel Mills segment produces hot-rolled, cold-rolled, and galvanized sheet steel products; plate steel products; wide-flange beams, beam blanks, and H-piling and sheet piling products; and bar steel products, such as blooms, billets, concrete reinforcing and merchant bars, and special bar quality products. It also engages in the steel trading and rebar distribution businesses. This segment sells its products to steel service centers, fabricators, and manufacturers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Its Steel Products segment offers hollow structural section steel tubing products, electrical conduits, steel racking, steel joists and joist girders, steel decks, fabricated concrete reinforcing steel products, cold finished steel products, steel fasteners, metal building systems, insulated metal panels, steel grating and expanded metal products, and wire and wire mesh products primarily for use in nonresidential construction applications. This segment also engages in the piling distribution business. The company's Raw Materials segment produces direct reduced iron (DRI); brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron, hot briquetted iron, and DRI; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, as well as engages in the natural gas drilling operations. This segment sells its ferrous scrap to electric arc furnace steel mills and foundries for manufacturing process; and nonferrous scrap metal to aluminum can producers, secondary aluminum smelters, steel mills and other processors, and consumers of various nonferrous metals. It serves agriculture, automotive, construction, energy and transmission, oil and gas, heavy equipment, infrastructure, and transportation industries through its in-house sales force; and internal distribution and trading companies. Nucor Corporation was incorporated in 1958 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rose McGowan slammed Meryl Streep and other actresses who plan to wear black at the Golden Globes, as a symbol of protest against sexual harassment in Hollywood. By India Today Web Desk: Rose McGowan has lashed out at actresses like Meryl Streep, who plan to wear black at the Golden Globes, as a symbol of protest against sexual harassment in Hollywood. McGowan was one of the first of several women to accuse Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment. Since then, she has called out the deeply ingrained patriarchy in Hollywood, and has extended support to other women, asking them to speak up. advertisement This time, the actress unleashed a harsh tweet towards Meryl Streep and other women, who had worked with Weinstein.However, it seems that she later deleted that tweet. "Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black @GoldenGlobes in a silent protest," Rose McGowan tweeted. "YOUR SILENCE is THE problem. You'll accept a fake award breathlessly & affect no real change. I despise your hypocrisy. Maybe you should all wear Marchesa," Rose continued with her relentless onslaught, referring to the fashion line designed by Weinstein's estranged wife, Georgina Chapman. Last week, a US weekly reported that more than 30 actresses would attend the 2018 Golden Globes, wearing black, as a sign of protest. Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment by over 80 actresses, including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Lupta Nyong'o. ALSO WATCH: Harvey Weinstein to Kevin Spacey, Hollywood's dirty secret is exposed --- ENDS --- Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. SFL Corporation Ltd., a maritime and offshore asset owning and chartering company, engages in the ownership, operation, and chartering out of vessels and offshore related assets on medium and long-term charters. The company is also involved in the charter, purchase, and sale of assets. In addition, it operates in various sectors of the maritime, and shipping and offshore industries, including oil, chemical, oil product, container, and car transportation, as well as dry bulk shipments and drilling rigs. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned six crude oil tankers, 15 dry bulk carriers, 35 container vessels, two car carriers, one jack-up drilling rig, one ultra-deepwater drilling unit, two chemical tankers, and four oil product tankers. It primarily operates in Bermuda, Cyprus, Liberia, Norway, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Marshall Islands. The company was formerly known as Ship Finance International Limited and changed its name to SFL Corporation Ltd. in September 2019. SFL Corporation Ltd. was incorporated in 2003 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. was founded in 1869 by Marcus Goldman as an investment bank catering to institutions and businesses. Among the firm's first products are the revolutionary use of commercial paper for entrepreneurs which opened a new method of finance for business and industry. The original firm expanded to Goldman Sachs in 1882 with the inclusion of son-in-law Samuel Sachs and again in 1885 with a son and another son-in-law. The firm joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 expanding into trading of its own and in 1898 it was worth $1.6 million. The company began its work in the IPO market in 1906 with the initial public offering of Sears, Roebuck & Co., and then moved on to Ford and other prominent names of the time. The 1930s brings a change of leadership and a new direction for the firm. The company shifted toward a purer play on investment banking and embarks on a campaign of acquisition that lasted until the present day. The company doesnt go public itself until 1999 and from that point on it will change into a bank holding company that not only offers investment banking services but takes deposits too, and in 2016 the company added consumer banking to its list of services. Today, Goldman Sachs is a financial institution that provides a range of financial services for corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals globally. The company operates through four segments that include Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. According to US banking regulations, it is systemically important to the financial health of America. The company is headquartered in New York, New York, and operates 6 regional headquarters as well. Regional headquarters are located in financial hotspots such as London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangalore, and Warsaw. Among its many prominent CEOs are John Corzine and Hank Paulson who both went on to successful work in government. The company's Investment Banking segment provides a full range of financial advisory services as well as underwriting for the public markets. The financial advisory services include but are not limited to strategic advisory for mergers and acquisitions, divestiture, restructuring, and spin-offs. This segment is also engaged in middle-market lending and transaction banking. Underwriting services include IPOs, preferred stock, debt instruments, and bridge loans. Goldman Sachs Global Markets segment facilitates market transactions for institutions, banks, brokerages, corporations, and governments. Services include execution, derivatives, financing, clearing, settlement, and custody. The Asset Management segment manages client portfolios across the investment spectrum while the Consumer & Wealth Management segment provides advisory and banking services to consumers. First Republic Bank was founded by Jim Herbert with the intention of providing exceptional levels of customer service. It was his belief that customer service would set the bank apart and create a profitable investment for its shareholders. After 35 years, his vision has proven true with a 25% CAGR that continues to this day. The initial enterprise value has grown from only $8.8 million in that time, to over $19 billion making it the 14th largest bank in the US. First Republic Bank was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. First Republic Bank with its subsidiaries operates in two segments and provides personal banking, business banking, and wealth management services to individuals, families, organizations, and small businesses in the United States. The companys services are available in-person at one of the more than 80 offices or via ATM, online, mobile, and debit cards. The company offers deposit products including checking and saving accounts, money market, and CDs as well as a range of lending products. The full range of lending products includes but is not limited to residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, commercial real estate and construction loans, and personal and business loans. The companys wealth management services include advisory services, online investment management, trusts, estate planning, and alternative investments as well as insurance and foreign exchange. The online brokerage service is available to all clients and can be accessed at any time via a web browser or mobile device. First Republic Bank operates a network of more than 80 deposit-taking branches and 12 wealth management offices. The network is located primarily in California with additional branches in major metropolitan areas and two destination locations that include Portland, Boston, Palm Beach, Greenwich, New York, and Jackson, Wyoming. First Republic Bank has proven its worth over the year by maintaining a consistently strong capital level, asset quality, and liquidity position. Its prudent management has allowed it to weather market ups and downs while commanding investment grade ratings for its bonds and preferred stock. Tenaga Nasional Berhad engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in Malaysia and internationally. The company operates and maintains thermal generation facilities and hydroelectric power generating schemes, as well as supports independent power producers; and manages and operates the National Grid that is connected to Thailand's transmission system, as well as Singapore's transmission system at Senoko. It also supplies fuel and coal for power generation; generates, distributes, supplies, deals in, and sells various energy sources, as well as provides related technical services; develops district cooling systems; operates and maintains co-generation works; manufactures, sells, and repairs distribution, power, and earthing transformers; and develops, owns, and manages dry bulk terminals. In addition, the company provides turnkey contracting of transmission substations; repair and maintenance services to heavy industries and other related services; operation and maintenance services on telecommunication equipment and data centres; higher education, and telecommunication and IT infrastructure solution and services; research and development services in the areas of engineering, information technology, business, accountancy, and liberal studies; and training courses. Further, it offers insurance and reinsurance products, parking facilities for motor vehicles, technical and laboratory, and consultancy and other services; manufactures and distributes power and general cables, and aluminum rods; operates an integrated district cooling systems for air conditioning systems of office buildings; assembles, manufactures, tests, reconditions, and distributes high and medium voltage switchgears, and control gears for transmission and distribution of electric power; and operates wind assets. It primarily serves commercial, industrial, and residential customers. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. TransMontaigne Partners L.P. provides integrated terminaling, storage, transportation, and related services. The company operates through Gulf Coast terminals, Midwest terminals and pipeline system, Brownsville terminals, River terminals, Southeast terminals, and West Coast terminals segments. It offers its services for companies engaged in the trading, distribution, and marketing of light and heavy refined petroleum products, crude oil, chemicals, fertilizers, and other liquid products. The company operates 8 refined product terminals in Florida with approximately 7.0 million barrels of aggregate active storage capacity; a 67 mile interstate refined products pipeline; 2 refined product terminals with approximately 5 million barrels of active storage capacity; and 5.4 million barrels of aggregate storage capacity. It operates 1 crude oil terminal in Cushing with an aggregate active storage capacity of approximately 1.0 million barrels; 1 refined product terminal located in Oklahoma City with aggregate active storage capacity of approximately 0.2 million barrels; 1 refined product terminal located in Brownsville with an aggregate active storage capacity of approximately 0.9 million barrels; and a 16 mile LPG pipeline from its Brownsville facility to the U.S. border. In addition, the company operates a 174 mile bi-directional refined products; 7.1 million barrel terminal facility on Houston Ship Channel; 12 refined product terminals with approximately 2.7 million barrels of aggregate active storage capacity, as well as operates a dock facility; 22 refined product terminals located along Colonial and Plantation pipelines with an aggregate active storage capacity of approximately 11.9 million barrels; and 2 refined product terminals with active storage capacity of approximately 5.0 million barrels. TransMontaigne Partners L.P. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. By PTI: By M Zulqernain Lahore, Dec 18 (PTI) Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief and the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed is actively pursuing his jehadi agenda with impunity in Pakistan after his release from a ten- month house arrest under anti-terror and public safety laws. Addressing a conference to condemn Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel here, Saeed yesterday asked the US president to take back his decision. advertisement The founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, who carries a USD 10 million bounty on his head, said that declaring Jerusalem as Israel?s capital means declaration of a crusade war. "It is an open war against Muslims," he said, claiming that the next target of the Jewish lobby would be Muslim holy places - Mecca and Madina in Saudi Arabia. "We do not have to look upon the government but to awake the people of PakistanAto raise this issue. Today, the Muslim world needs a leader like Salahuddin Ayubi as no ruler can dare to wage Jihad to liberate Jerusalem," he said, referring to a 12th century military commander who led the Muslim campaign against the Crusader states. Early this month, Trump announced his decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital, marking a major departure from decades of American diplomacy on the Palestinian issue. Saaed also reiterated that Kashmiris will continue their struggle for freedom and India can no more suppress it. Soon after Saeeds release last month, the White House had asked Pakistan to immediately re-arrest and prosecute the Mumbai attack mastermind. The White House had also warned Pakistan that it will have an impact on bilateral relationship. Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations in December 2008. The US too has designated him as a global terrorist. His JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. PTI MZ ZH --- ENDS --- Validus Holdings, Ltd. provides reinsurance coverage, insurance coverage, and insurance linked securities management services worldwide. It operates through three segments: Reinsurance, Insurance, and Asset Management. The Reinsurance segment underwrites property reinsurance products on a catastrophe excess of loss, per risk excess of loss and proportional basis; and aerospace and aviation, agriculture, composite, marine, technical lines, terrorism, trade credit, workers' compensation, and other specialty lines, as well as casualty and financial lines. The Insurance segment underwrites property, accident and health, agriculture, aviation, contingency, marine, and political lines insurance products; bankers blanket bond, commercial crime, computer crime, cyber- crime, professional indemnity, and directors' and officers' insurance products for various financial institutions and other companies; and commercial and institutional risks comprising general, professional, and product liability, as well as miscellaneous malpractice insurance products. This segment also underwrites marine and energy liability, and political risk insurance products, as well as insurance products for repair, maintenance, and upkeep of aircrafts and premises for small companies. The Asset Management segment manages capital for third parties through insurance-linked securities, and other property catastrophe and specialty reinsurance investments. Validus Holdings, Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda. By PTI: Hyderabad, Dec 18 (PTI) Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister G Satheesh Reddy will be conferred with the National Design Award for his contributions towards indigenous design and development of diversified missile systems. "Reddy, also the Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems will be conferred with the prestigious National Design Award for his significant national contributions towards indigenous design and development of diversified missile systems, guided weapons, avionics technologies and for his sustained efforts leading to the advancement of aerospace technologies and industries in India," an official release said today. advertisement He will be receiving the Award during the Indian Engineering Congress on December 21 at Chennai. Reddy spearheads Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, "the Missiles hub of India," steering the design and development of wide variety of tactical and strategic missile systems. He has played a major role in indigenous design and development of state-of-the-art weapon systems, formulation of national policies, harnessing the research and innovation in industry, academia and R&D institutes, it said. National Design Research Forum (NDRF) established by the Institution of Engineers (India), promotes research, design, development and innovation through collaborative effort since 1969, the release added. PTI VVK NRB --- ENDS --- By PTI: Satna, Dec 17 (PTI) A Catholic priest and a Banjrang Dal activist have been arrested from Satna in Madhya Pradesh, three days after suspected workers of the right-wing group had allegedly beaten up priests and seminarians over forced conversion of Hindus to Christianity, police said today. Father M George was arrested for forced religious conversion under the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act, 1968. Vikas Gupta, the activist, was arrested in connection with the torching of a vehicle on the night of December 14. advertisement Both were arrested yesterday, a police official said. That night, suspected Bajrang Dal activists had allegedly beaten up a group of Christians, including 10 priests, and set their car on fire outside the Civil Lines police station over alleged conversion of Hindus to Christianity. Father George and five others were booked on the complaint of a local youth, Dharmendra Dohar, who claimed that he was lured with money to convert to Christianity on December 10, Superintendent of Police, City, V D Pandey said. He said Gupta was arrested on the complaint of Father George Joseph, who was among the 10 priests and who has alleged that a group of activists had burned down their car. A detailed investigation is underway, Pandey added. Father M Rony, social work director of Satna Diocese, had told PTI that a group of young men had stormed the venue of a pre-Christmas function at Bhoomkar village, around 15kms from the district headquarters, on Thursday night and created a ruckus, alleging religious conversion. The function was organised by Syro-Malabar Church of Northern India for children. After receiving a complaint, police had taken 32 Catholic brothers (trainee priests) and two priests to the Civil Lines police station, Father Rony had said. "When they reached the police station, they were beaten up by Bajrang Dal activists on the station campus. Hearing the news, four other priests rushed to the police station, but they were also thrashed and their car was set on fire," he had claimed. Police later let off the Catholic group members, Father Rony had said. Civil Lines police station sub-inspector Mohinee Sharma has denied that members of the Catholic community were assaulted during the incident at the police station campus. Denying allegations of conversion, Father Rony had said the Diocese has been running a seminary at Barakala village in Satna district for 20 years and not a single person has been converted to Christianity. Father Rony had said he was not aware who Dohar was. PTI COR ADU NSK ABH --- ENDS --- BJP could be appointing a new CM despite Vijay Rupani winning from Rajkot West . By Gopi Maniar Ghanghar : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has romped home in Gujarat for the record sixth time but the victory hasn't been easy after a bruising battle with a resurgent Congress under Rahul Gandhi's new avatar. The issue of development, which was Rahul's main ammo in attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the hustings, is staring at the BJP despite the win. advertisement According to sources, the saffron party could appoint a new Chief Minister despite Vijay Rupani beating his Congress rival Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West. The party wants a CM who, if not as popular as Modi, has a strong appeal with the public, can fulfil the promises made to the electorate and turn a disparate-looking BJP into a cohesive force, the sources added. Textiles and I&B minister Smriti Irani is the probable front runner in the race to the hot seat. With strong leadership qualities, well-versed in Gujarati and being one of Modi's closest ministers, Irani could be the next CM of Gujarat, said the sources. However, Smriti Irani has denied the reports saying, "I am definitely not a contender." Union minister of state for road transport & highways and shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya is the second favourite candidate for CM. A Patidar from Saurashtra, Mandaviya is counted among leaders who are close to farmers. Vajubhai Vala, the incumbent governor of Karnataka and former Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, is the third candidate in contention, the sources said. A former BJP member, Vala held various portfolios like finance, labour and employment in the Gujarat Cabinet. ALSO WATCH | Comprehensive analysis of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly election results --- ENDS --- According to Nageshwar Rao, Inspector North Zone Task Force, the team got information from the local police. (Photo: Representational/File) Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Police on Sunday arrested two people for allegedly running a sex racket after a raid on two hotels last night. Police said that two women have been rescued during the operation. According to Task Force (North Zone) Inspector K Nageshwar Rao, police raided two hotels in Panjagutta and Banjara Hills last night and apprehended Monish K and Venkatesh, the alleged organisers of this racket. He said that the two women, one from Mumbai and the other from Kolkata, rescued are actors. The two men have been booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA)and further investigations were underway, the official said. Chennai: Having tried every trick to bribe voters, the high-profile candidates seeking election from the RK Nagar constituency turned to children to win over voters. As a last resort, these candidates are using children as money mules to hand out currency to the voters, who are already drowned in cash and gifts. While complaints have been pouring in pertaining to cash-for-votes flooding the constituency over the last two days, there was high drama on Sunday as well. On receiving a tip-off, election officials and RK Nagar police apprehended a woman named Selvi, who was allegedly distributing money to voters in Thiruvalluvar Nagar at Korukkupet and confiscated all the money she was carrying. Soon, tension prevailed near RK Nagar police station as colleagues of Selvi blocked road demanding her release. While police and election officials feigned ignorance about Selvis political affiliation, Minister Kadambur Raju said that she is a supporter of independent candidate TTV Dinakaran. Meanwhile, a resident of RK Nagar, who has been accompanying a candidate during door-to-door campaigning, said that candidates are using all possible ways to distribute money to voters. Now, candidates are using children from the age of 10 to 17 to distribute money to voters. When party workers give out money, it will become noticeable. So they are using children from the locality, the resident who requested anonymity, told Deccan Chronicle. Self-help groups used to distribute money to voters Children could give money to voters in a flash and run away, the source said. Some residents of RK Nagar also confided that the ruling party is using self-help groups to distribute money. Adding to the high drama, a video showing former MLA Vetrivel, a staunch supporter of TTV Dinakaran, giving money to a woman during an election campaign surfaced on social media. The video shows TTV Dinakaran cuddling a baby before Vetrivel hands over money to the childs mother. While politicians are busy wooing RK Nagar with cash and gifts, ground level officers of election department on Sunday, conducted SVEEP activities asking voters to perform their democratic duty on polling day. Even as allegations flew thick and fast, the war of words between major parties continued on Sunday. Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, after attending a meeting conducted by special CEO Vikram Batra, dismissed allegations of the influencing voters by the ruling party. The opposition is raising allegations for fear of defeat in the election, he said. However, lashing out at election department and police department, DMK working president M.K. Stalin said the Election Commission and police are helping the ruling party in the byelection. He also said that CEO Rajesh Lakhoni does not take phone calls intended to complain about misconduct in RK Nagar. Ruling party leaders are giving out money earned by betraying former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, TTV Dinakaran, who is also facing allegations of influencing voters, told a campaign rally, on Sunday. Most patients are given a medical kit with some regular eye drops, tablets to prevent further infections after an eye surgery, but this is not followed as a regulation. (Representational image) Chennai: Numerous eye medical camps conducted by private hospitals within the city fail to provide follow-up treatment and medications after eye-related surgeries. Most patients are given a medical kit with some regular eye drops, tablets to prevent further infections after an eye surgery, but this is not followed as a regulation. Once an operation is done, people brought from rural areas for surgery are sent back with travel allowance even without the medical kit. There are a large number of patients who are operated in such camps, however, doctors do not reach out to all patients for follow up, a doctor deployed at an eye medical camp in Chennai told on condition of anonymity. The unattended eye-related complications post eye surgeries include red eye, dry eyes, watering, foreign body sensation, burning sensation, short-term visual disorders and even loss of sight. The most affected due to this are patients coming from rural areas and outskirts including Gumidipoondi, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Tambaram who remain unaware of proper follow-up, thereby falling victim to the complications. The vision was lost after six months of surgery even after approaching various hospitals and shelling out a large amount of money for treatment. While the hospital that conducted the free eye camp was far away, doctors in proximity declined to check fearing further medical complications, said S.Raju, a patient from a rural area. Another patient R.Girija, who underwent cataract surgery in a free eye camp, added that her eyes turned red and were watering after a week of the surgery, while irritation and foreign body sensation increased after a month. The vision of the operated eye declined quickly and now I can barely see from one eye. But the hospital owes no responsibility for the same and now I am left stranded with no treatment possible, she said. Chennai: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Kanyakumari district that was devastated by Cyclone Ockhi that hit the coast early this month, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday instructed officials to prepare a sector-wise dossier on the wide-spread damage to seek Central assistance for relief and rehabilitation works. At a meeting attended by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, ministers and officials of the state government, a team led by Commissioner of Revenue Administration K Satyagopal briefed the chief minister and others on the relief measures taken up so far and the assistance to be sought from the Centre for various works The Tamil Nadu Government has already knocked at the doors of the Union Government seeking generous assistance for restoring damaged infrastructure in the district. Palaniswami had already spoken to PM Modi over phone seeking assistance and had also deputed Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in this regard. Meeting resolves to seek assistance from National diaster relief fund for Kumari Palaniswami has also demanded that Cyclone Ockhi be declared as "national calamity" and Centre disburse funds immediately for rehabilitation work in the district. On Sunday, Palaniswami told the meeting that he would reiterate the demand with Modi when he meets him in Kanyakumari on Tuesday. Modi will visit the worst hit Kanniyakumari district on Tuesday after flying in from New Delhi. The meeting also resolved to seek assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund towards additional funding requirements to meet the relief works in the southern Tamil Nadu districts of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, affected by the cyclone last month, an official release here said. An official release said restoration works included repair and refurbishment in respect of categories including fallen electric poles, damaged government buildings, national and state highways and bunds of water bodies. "A memorandum will be submitted to the Centre in this regard and the chief minister directed the officials to prepare a sector-wise dossier on the damage caused by the storm. The meeting also decided to urge the Centre to grant a special financial assistance for setting up an integrated fishing harbour in Kanyakumari district aimed at finding a permanent solution to the fishermen there," the release said. Chennai: Wading into the raging row over the Tamil Nadu Governor holding review meetings with government officials, former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday asked Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to instruct officials not to participate in such discussions with Banwarilal Purohit. Chidambaram, former Union Finance and Home Minister, also said Purohit was not the real head of the state executive and accused Palaniswami of cowering in fear of the Union Government. The governor is only the titular head of the executive, not the real head. Since the real head, the chief minister, is cowering in fear of the central government, the TN Governor is exceeding his authority, he said. To be worthy of the office he holds, the Tamil Nadu chief minister should instruct district administrations to refuse to participate in meetings called by the governor, Chidambaram said in a series of tweets on Sunday. His statement assumes significance in the wake of Purohit continuing with his review meetings with officials of various district administrations despite vociferous protests from Opposition parties against such practice. These parties have been accusing Purohit of interfering in the administration of the state government and termed it as an assault on state autonomy. However, Purohit had on Saturday reiterated that he would continue to interact with the common people and officials during his visits to various districts in the coming months. The Raj Bhavan, in a release, rubbished the allegation that the Governor was interfering at the behest of the Centre (in administration). This is a bald allegation unsupported by any facts. This allegation deserves to be ignored, the Raj Bhavan statement had said on Saturday. UP CM Yogi Adityanath thanked the voters for the win, saying, 'People have rejected divisive politics of Congress.' (In picture: PM Modi arrives at BJP HQ in Delhi, received by BJP President Amit Shah. (Photo: ANI) Mumbai: Political reactions start pouring in soon after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. A staunch critic of the Centre, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee pointed out the close contention between Congress and BJP in Gujarat. Mamata tweeted, "I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour. It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019." Also Read: 'Perform, transform,' chants Modi after BJP scrapes through Gujarat, sweeps Himachal In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena who has been taking dig at the BJP also reacted on the poll results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Going by the voting trends early on Monday, Shiv Sena said the voters were not happy with the BJP in Gujarat. "We (the BJP) came to power in the country by citing the much-touted 'Gujarat model' (of development). If people in Gujarat are not happy (with the BJP) today, then understand their psyche, understand what people in the country feel," Sena MP Sanjay Raut said. "The (BJP should) understand the mindset of people of Gujarat (and) the reason the people there are not happy," Raut said. BJPs win was welcomed by party leaders and its allies. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lauded BJP workers for the win tweeting, "Undoubtedly, a major victory. The kind of work which party workers have done right from booth workers level till PM's level, everybody put their best foot forward and both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have recognised the good work going on in the name of development." Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath thanked the voters for the win, saying, "People have rejected divisive politics of Congress, this win is due to the dynamic leadership of BJP and the hard work of BJP workers." Vijay Rupani, who was re-elected chief minister of Gujarat, on Monday, said "I would like to give credit for this victory to the people of Gujarat, also give assurance that in the coming 5 years BJP will work towards what the people of the state want." Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa, whose state will be going to the polls soon said, "Victory in Gujarat and Himachal shows people have once again accepted PM Modi, his policies & Gujarat model. They've voted for development and against corrupt Congress. It'll have positive impact in Karnataka." Himachal Pradesh BJP's chief minister candidate PK Dhumal, who lost to Congress's Rajinder Rana, placed the party's victory over his own defeat. "Personal loss is not of much importance. The gain that victory has brought to state BJP is important. Thankful to people of the state for voting for BJP. In politics, sometimes one wins, sometimes one loses. I was not expecting to lose, I will do an analysis," he said. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu congratulated the BJP for their win on twitter. "Congratulations BJP on winning the elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Wishing them all the best for their forthcoming tenure in governance", he tweeted. Outgoing Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh accepted the defeat gracefully. "I accept the victory of BJP. I, being the CM, take full responsibility of our performance here. I hope Vikramaditya (Singh) keeps winning in future, like he won today," he said. Hyderabad: A nine-member committee has been formed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to look into the issue of overcharging by hospitals and diagnostic centres and delay in providing immediate medical care to accident victims. The committee was formed following complaints from people who were upset with these issues. The issue of in-house pharmacy has become a major bone of contention between patients and hospitals as there are medicines available under the national list of essential medicines (NLEM) and people seek the benefit of the same. Dr K. K. Aggarwal, president of the IMA, said, In our monthly letters, we urge doctors to prescribe drugs mentioned in the NLEM as far as possible. This is to ensure that people get maximum benefits. But there have been constraints and while some hospitals are following instruction, others dont. There are also other issues like standardisation of prices charges by private hospitals and nursing homes for consumables, diagnostic services and doctors consultation fees. The IMA has been pointing out the need to eradicate cuts and commissions. A senior doctor, on condition of anonymity, added, With corporate hospitals coming up, doctors are given monthly targets. This is a wrong practice. This has put them under pressure to perform more surgeries. As part of his four-day Tripura visit, Bhagwat addressed a mammoth rally of Tripura Hindu Malayama, where saints and believers gathered at the Swami Vivekananda Stadium. (Photo: File) Agartala (Tripura): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that the "tortured" Hindus from across the world come to India for shelter. Stating that India is a land of Hindus, the RSS chief said while addressing a public function at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan here, "The tortured Hindus from across the world come to the country and get shelter. Hindus believe in truth, but the world respects strength. There is strength in organisation. Being organised is the natural law". "Hindutva is different from Hinduism and today the disturbed Western world is eagerly waiting with expectations towards India's Hinduism and it philosophy which has its roots deep in 'Sanatan Dharm' and shall revive their society out of the curse. So, to fulfill their expectations Hinduism has become more important today," he added. As part of his four-day Tripura visit, Bhagwat addressed a mammoth rally of Tripura Hindu Malayama, where saints and believers gathered at the Swami Vivekananda Stadium. There, the RSS chief asked the Hindu believers to unite against the evil forces. According to him, the best part of Hinduism, which earlier had its followers spread across from the Afghanistan to Burma, is that it does any mechanism of conversion and thus is not a threat to any religion. Bhagwat also stated that in the multi-religious and multi-cultural Indian society, every citizen has the right to practice their own religion provided that they are devoted towards their motherland. He also urged the Hindus to get organised and trained at the RSS "shakhas" (daily meetings), claiming that these were the only places where one could prepare for nation-building and self- development. "The 'sanatan dharma' wants to work together with everybody on board", he further said. KOCHI: The state government has inched closer to realising the Rs 5,000-crore petrochemical park in Kochi with a memorandum of understanding to be signed on Tuesday with the Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT) for the required land. Mr Paul Antony, additional chief secretary, industries, commerce and power, told reporters here on Monday the land will be in the possession of the state government from March 31, 2018. The petrochemical complex to be implemented with BPCL as the anchor investor is coming up in nearly 450 acres belonging to FACT. Out of this, BPCL has already reached an agreement with FACT for buying 170 acres. The government has appointed a consultant for the petrochemical complex. The petrochemical park aims at a slew of downstream industrial units using propylene produced by the BPCL Kochi refinery. The park will have common infrastructure such as effluent treatment and logistics. Initially, the project plans a cluster of hygiene products in 50 acres of land and is expected to be ready in 2019. The other major cluster is for specialty chemicals in 250 acres followed by a cluster for polyurethane, rubber products and components in 50 acres. These two projects are scheduled to begin by 2018 and 2022 respectively. The project also envisages 85 acres for allied, ancillary and support industries for the above clusters and consumer products' manufacture. According to oil industry experts, the park, the first of its kind in the country, will be a major venture for import substitution. There was no immediate public comment by Hernandez, whose sister Hilda Hernandez, a Cabinet minister, died on Saturday in a helicopter crash. (Photo: PTI) Tegucigalpa: President Juan Orlando Hernandez was declared the winner of Honduras' disputed election, but that did little to quell unrest from weeks of certainty as challenger Salvador Nasralla called for more protests on Monday and vowed to take his claims of fraud before the Organisation of American States. Electoral court president David Matamoros made the announcement Sunday evening, saying, "We have fulfilled our obligation (and) we wish for there to be peace in our country." According to the court's official count, Hernandez won with 42.95 per cent to 41.42 for Nasralla, who well before the announcement had challenged the result and said he would not recognize it. There were reports of nighttime demonstrations on main boulevards in Tegucigalpa, the capital, and other cities, and Nasralla's party called for more protests on Monday. At least 17 people have died in violent street clashes since the Nov. 26 election. There was no immediate public comment by Hernandez, whose sister Hilda Hernandez, a Cabinet minister, died on Saturday in a helicopter crash. Earlier on Sunday Nasralla traveled to Washington to present what he called "numerous" examples of evidence of alleged fraud. He said he planned to meet with officials from the OAS, the US State Department and human rights groups. Interviewed by UneTV during a layover at the Miami airport, Nasralla called Hernandez's re-election illegitimate and said he would ask the OAS to invoke its democratic charter against Honduras. "The declaration by the court is a mockery because it tramples the will of the people," Nasralla said. He added that he was "very optimistic" because "the people do not endorse fraud." Former President Manuel Zelaya, a Nasralla ally, called for civil disobedience. "May God take us having made our confessions because today the people will defend in the streets the victory that it obtained at the ballot box," Zelaya said. In a statement, he urged police and the armed forces to "place themselves under the direction of President-elect Salvador Nasralla" and cease operations against the election protests. Former Bolivian President Jorge Quiroga, head of the OAS election observers mission, read a statement to journalists saying the mission "believes it has observed a process of low quality. The OAS mission concludes that it cannot guarantee that the doubts about the process have been cleared up." OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro said via Twitter shortly before the announcement that election observers concluded "serious doubts persist about the results." The first results reported by the electoral court before dawn the day after the Nov. 26 election showed Nasralla with a significant lead over Hernandez with nearly 60 per cent of the vote counted. Then public updates of the count mysteriously stopped for more than a day, and when they resumed, that lead steadily eroded and ultimately reversed in Hernandez's favour. The electoral court recently conducted a recount of ballot boxes that presented irregularities and said there was virtually no change to its count. Since then it had been considering challenges filed by candidates. Hernandez, a 49-year-old businessman and former lawmaker, took office in January 2014 and built support largely on a drop in violence in this impoverished Central American country. But corruption and drug trafficking allegations cast a shadow over his government, and his re-election bid fuelled charges that his National Party was seeking to entrench itself in power by getting a court ruling allowing him to seek a second term. Re-election has long been outlawed in the country, and Zelaya was ousted as president in a 2009 coup ostensibly because he wanted to run again himself. He later founded the party that ran Nasralla as its candidate. "The people say: 'JOH you are not our President,'" Zelaya tweeted, referring to Hernandez's initials. "We must mobilize immediately to all public places. They are violating the will of the PEOPLE." The mass wedding ceremony was a part of Sri Lanka's agenda to promote the country as an ideal wedding destination. By Indo-Asian News Service: A grand mass wedding ceremony for 50 Chinese couples took place in the Sri Lankan capital on Sunday as part of the the government's agenda to promote Sri Lanka as an ideal wedding destination. The ceremony which was held in the Colombo Municipal Council grounds was attended by Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka, Tourism Minister John Amaratunga, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga and China's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yi Xianliang, Xinhua reported. advertisement The event was organised by the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, the Ministry of Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka. Also Read: 5 Hindu wedding rituals you must know all about Ranawaka, speaking at the ceremony, thanked the couples for choosing Sri Lanka as their wedding destination and said both nations have shared strong and historical ties since ancient times. "Sri Lanka is very proud to be selected as the destination for these couples to celebrate the most important days of their lives," he said. Ranawaka added that while this event would also promote Sri Lanka's beauty globally, the country itself is undergoing further development with the construction of new hotels and other areas catering especially for tourists. Amaratunga told Xinhua that this event would help boost Sri Lanka's tourism. "We hope through this event, many other couples, from other parts of the world, will select Sri Lanka as their wedding destination," he said. The brides and grooms were dressed in typical Sri Lankan wedding attire, traditional Chinese wedding outfits and gowns and tuxedos. Also Read: What went into Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli's exquisite wedding attires After the traditional dances, the couples were accompanied into heavily-decorated tents where each couple exchanged rings while a holy thread was also tied on their fingers amidst religious chanting. Wang Yan, a bride who participated in the mass wedding, said that she had learnt of the event through her friends and she was happy to select Sri Lanka as her wedding destination. "The people here are very friendly and we have been treated so well. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country," she said. The couples, on Monday, will be taken on a tour of Yala, Sigiriya and Kandy, which are all popular tourist spots in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has become a popular destination for Chinese tourists with China currently being the second largest market. --- ENDS --- From Donald Trumps election to Brexit and the Catalan crisis, accusations that the Kremlin is meddling in Western domestic affairs have heightened fears over Russian hackers, trolls and state-controlled media. While the first accusations against Moscow came following a 2016 hack attack on the US Democratic Partys servers, they rapidly multiplied after Mr Trumps election, revealing a whole range of tools used by the Kremlin to serve its interests. Fears initially centered on mysterious Russian hackers who supposedly worked for Moscows security services as part of a cyber war but then shifted to a flood of online articles and social media posts aiming to explain Moscow's position and play up the failings of Western democracies. In the latest episode of the saga that is dominating Mr Trumps presidency, Russian state television channel RT, accused of broadcasting Kremlin propaganda abroad, complied with Washington demands in November to register as a foreign agent in the US. A few weeks earlier, social media giant Twitter announced it would stop distributing content sponsored by RT and linked news agency Sputnik while Facebook and Google promised to do more to fight Moscows disinformation. Mikah Frye from Ohio, USA was gifted a Xbox One X by Microsoft after he gave up the same to gift 30 blankets to the homeless in his local area It seems like Microsoft is well aware of the phrase, one good deed deserves another. Fox 8 reports that Mikah Frye, a nine-year-old from Ohio, USA gave up his gift of a new Xbox One X console from is grandmother in order to spend that money on 30 blankets for the homeless people in his locality. This act of selflessness during the Christmas season caught the eye of Microsoft, who decided to give the boy his gift after all. Mikhas parents fell on hard times a few years ago and had lost their home. The family had to stay at the Ashland Church Community Emergency Shelter for a few weeks before finding another place to stay. "Not only will they have a nice warm blanket that they get to keep, everybody will get a blanket, but they're wrapped in Christ's love as well as Mikah's love," said Cathy Thiemens, the executive director of the Ashland Church Community Emergency Shelter Services. The company planned to surprise the boy with the new console and informed his grandmother, Terry Brant of their intentions. "When they called and told me I was just instantly crying on the phone and I couldn't believe it," said Brant. "What's harder was not telling him." At the Microsoft store in Beachwood Place, Frye was lead to the back of the store by employees and was given a Minecraft Edition Xbox One X as well as a few more games. You can watch the video of Frye receiving the console below. "Sites included in Google News must not misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about their ownership or primary purpose, or engage in coordinated activity to mislead users," states Google's guidelines. In an attempt to take on fake news head on, Google News has updated its guidelines to prohibit sites that misrepresent or conceal their country of origin or are directed at users in another country under false premises. "Sites included in Google News must not misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about their ownership or primary purpose, or engage in coordinated activity to mislead users," states the company guidelines. Google also allows publishers to file a spam report if they believe that another publisher has violated Google News inclusion guidelines. "While we may not take manual action in response to every report, spam reports are prioritised based on user impact, and in some cases may lead to complete removal of a spammy site from Google News results," Google said. The move to keep dishonest sites from appearing in Google News comes in the wake of mounting pressure on the Internet giant to do more to stop the spread of fake news after allegations of Russian attempts to influence the 2016 US presidential election surfaced, Engadget reported late Saturday. Out-of-hospital healthcare services provider Totally announced on Monday that Andy Gregory has been appointed to the position of managing director at its wholly-owned urgent care subsidiary Vocare , effective immediately, in a non-board capacity. The AIM-traded firm said Gregory was bringing with him a wealth of executive and strategic experience in the out-of-hospital healthcare sector, having had a career in the NHS spanning 26 years. In his most recent role as chief executive of NHS Hardwick Clinical Commissioning Group in Derbyshire, he specialised in leading large scale, complex business development programmes. Prior to that, Gregory held a number of senior positions at NHS primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. In his role at NHS Hardwick CCG, Totally said Gregory successfully introduced proposals to develop and integrate out of hospital services across the county, which led to a reduction in reliance on hospital beds and activity in secondary care settings. It said he is an experienced manager with a proven track record, having achieved the third-highest staff engagement scores in the country across all NHS organisations in February 2017, at a time of unprecedented financial challenge and uncertainty. Gregorys appointment was part of a succession plan agreed between Totally and Vocare's existing management, following the acquisition of Vocare in October. John Harrison, the current chief executive officer of Vocare, will step away from the business with immediate effect, in order to concentrate on his new role within the Totally group, focusing on innovation and new routes to market for the enlarged group. Andy was our ideal candidate for this role, and we are delighted he has agreed to join us, said Totally CEO Wendy Lawrence. The combination of his previous experience, management style and NHS credentials will be an invaluable asset to Vocare as it looks to expand and establish itself as a leading provider of integrated urgent care in the UK. The board and I look forward to working closely with Andy and would also like to take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to John for all of his work at Vocare, and to welcome him into his new role within the group. By PTI: Kolkata, Dec 18 (PTI) Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd India (TPREL) has announced the commissioning of its 100 MW solar plant at Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka. TPREL, the Tata Power wholly-owned subsidiary, has built the two 50 MW solar plants on over 533 acres. Sale of power from the plant has been secured under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with NTPC Ltd. at a tariff of Rs 4.79 per unit, the company said in a statement. advertisement TPREL won the project in May 2016 under the National Solar Mission. With this development, TPRELs total installed operating capacity now stands at 1,614 MW, the company said. "We continue to seek potential areas across India and in select International markets through organic and inorganic opportunities," TPREL CEO Rahul Shah said. He also said that the company prefers development opportunities in solar parks as land and evacuation are provided. PTI BSM JM --- ENDS --- Brussels has launched an investigation this Monday into Ikeas Dutch tax deals as part of its ongoing crackdown on corporate tax evasion. The European Commission said it was looking into the tax treatment that Inter Ikea (Dutch-based unit of the retail giant) received in the Netherlands, amid suspicions that for years the company had received special treatment that allowed it to pay less taxes, giving it an unfair advantage versus its competitors. EU antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager said: "All companies, big or small, multinational or not, should pay their fair share of tax." "Member states cannot let selected companies pay less tax by allowing them to artificially shift their profits elsewhere," she added. The tax arrangements in question allegedly helped Ikea sidestep nearly 1bn in EU taxes from 2009 to 2014, according to a report published by the Greens in the European Parliament. It was alleged that the company had established two corporate groups within a web of companies domiciled in the Netherlands, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, so that it could move profits and funds, thus obtaining benefits from special tax schemes. Thus, Inter Ikea was said to have been allowed by the Dutch government to pay a licence fee to another Ikea unit in Luxembourg, shunting revenue to a jurisdiction where it would not be taxed. Monday's news might prove an embarrassment for European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg at the time the tax deals were made. Following legislative changes in Luxembourg in 2011, Inter Ikea changed its strategy and arranged a loan with the Ikea unit in Liechtenstein, shifting revenues yet again. Nevertheless, it was not the first time that an open investigation had been conducted into a large multinational's tax dealings. On that note, Ms Vestager said: "Our work isnt over yet [...] we will open investigations whenever there are indications that state aid has been granted." Under the terms of the deal, Buwog shareholders will receive 29.05 in cash for each of their shares, which is a premium of 18.1% to the closing share price on Friday. Vonovia plans to combine its residential portfolio of around 350,000 apartments with Buwogs portfolio of around 49,000 apartments. Around 55% of apartments owned by Buwog are located in Germany, in growing cities such as Berlin and Hamburg, while its apartments in Austria are located in regional centres such as Graz, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Villach. Following the integration, Vonovia expects cost benefits of approximately 30m per year, which will arise from the joint management of both portfolios in Germany and Austria and are to be realised, for the most part, by the end of 2019. Vonovia chief executive officer Rolf Buch said: We are very pleased that our proposal has been positively received by the boards of Buwog. Buwog is an excellent fit for our company: the housing stocks complement each other perfectly in Germany and Austria. Buwog also has a leading position in the development sector. A merger of the two companies offers clear positives for tenants and shareholders of both companies." Buwog CEO Daniel Riedl said: "Taking into account business models and portfolios, a merger of Buwog and Vonovia offers strategic advantages for both companies. The value and growth prospects of our attractive portfolio as well as our strong, successful position in the development sector will be duly taken into account in the present offer. Subject to legal and substantive examination of the offer document, we will recommend our shareholders to accept the offer." Olivetree Financial said: "This should be a very straightforward transaction. Vonovia has been rolling up real-estate assets across Germany and Austria for some time now, and this is the latest in that long line. There is always some scope for speculation over counterbids (Deutsche Wohnen and Vonovia often look at similar assets) but Vonovia is much the larger player nowadays. "It is hard to see anyone realistically looking to compete with Vonovia here, although the anti-trust backdrop to all transactions like this is benign. Unfortunately Buwogs convertible bond doesnt provide any more interesting an angle, there is no hold up value here." At 0845 GMT, Buwog shares were up 17% to 28.90. The City regulator may slap fines on banks and building societies if they dont scrutinise the immigration status of their account holders in the search for illegal immigrants. With the 2016 Immigration Act, from the start of 2018 banks will be asked to conduct immigration checks and inform authorities if the name of the account holder does not match those of the Home Office database. According to The Guardian the chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants Satbir Singh criticised the move when it was announced earlier this year: "The governments own record shows it cannot be trusted even to implement this system properly. Immigration status is very complex, and the Home Office consistently gives out incorrect information and guidance. "Migrants and ethnic minorities with every right to be here will be affected by the imposition of these new checks." Banks will be the ones carrying out these checks on the immigration status of their 70m current account customers. This process will be conducted every quarter and it will be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. A Home Office spokesperson said earlier this year: "We are developing an immigration system which is fair to people who are here legally, but firm with those who break the rules. "This is part of our ongoing work to tackle illegal migration. People who are here legally will be unaffected." Once the bank has found an account that is presumably being operated by an illegal immigrant, the Home Office will double- check and adopt the necessary next steps, law firm Flatgate said. Home Office may then force the bank to close the account or just simply freeze the individuals assets. They advise clients who may be affected by the measures to keep their bankers updated about their status and give them a copy of their original passport in case of a renewal or an extension. Flatgate also provides legal assistance on questions around visas. Babcock subsidiary Cavendish Nuclear , the UK's largest nuclear services business, has been awarded a 10-year contract to supply Sellafield with specialist handling and containment systems to process nuclear material. The FTSE 100 company said under the contract, worth up to 95m over the first three years, would see Cavendish Nuclear meeting all of Sellafield's requirements for the design, manufacture and supply of complex, bespoke equipment for the treatment and management of nuclear materials. It said virtual reality simulation would play a key part in delivering the contract. Once the preliminary design is complete, full-scale mock-ups with virtual reality headsets would allow the customer to test out the ergonomics and identify any modifications at the earliest possible stage. Cavendish Nuclear already has extensive experience of working across Sellafield, including ongoing work on the design of remote-handling equipment for the product and residues treatment plant. It will use Babcock's Rosyth Dockyard, one of the UK's largest manufacturing facilities, for the project. Following recent major investment in new workshops, fabrication bays and remote overhead cranes, Babcock said Rosyth had a proven track record of delivering large-scale complex products, including the containment doors for the pile fuel cladding silo at Sellafield. Cavendish Nuclear and its partners will be supported by a supply chain located across the UK, bringing together the best of Britain's nuclear expertise in an integrated team committed to meeting the customer's demanding specification, the Babcock board explained. We are delighted that Cavendish Nuclear continues to support Sellafield in the delivery of this strategically important programme, said Babcock CEO Archie Bethel. The team will provide the significant manufacturing capacity the project needs, as well as opportunities to share best practice across the UK. Boehringer Ingelheim has bought an exclusive option over certain versions of Autifony's celebrated voltage-gated potassium channel modulator platform, including one compound that is in two Phase IIb studies, including one for schizophrenia. UK-based Autifony, which was spun-out from GSK in 2011 with investment from IP's recently acquired Touchstone Innovations, will receive a 25m upfront fee for the option to its Kv3.1/3.2 positive modulator platform, with the possibility of further payments of up to 17.5m during the option period based on achievement of short term milestones. The total potential transaction may total 627.5m upon reaching development and pre-commercialisation milestones once Boehringer Ingelheim has exercised the option. IP Group holds a direct undiluted beneficial stake of 26.5% in Autifony and said it was reviewing the carrying value of this asset as part of its year-end audit. Dr Charles Large, chief executive of Autifony, said: "Autifony has pioneered the development of Kv3.1/3.2 modulators for the treatment of schizophrenia, Fragile X syndrome, and disorders of hearing. Our compounds have the potential to change the treatment paradigm for these disorders, and we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Boehringer Ingelheim, who will bring valuable expertise and resources as we progress through the next phases of clinical and non-clinical development. "We are also grateful for the support from Innovate UK's Biomedical Catalyst, which has enabled a highly successful collaboration between Autifony, the Universities of Manchester and Newcastle, and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at Kings College London." Touchstone's Maina Bhaman said the collaboration was a "strong validation of Autifony's proprietary platform and a testament to the progress made by the team" since investing in 2011. "The collaboration and funding will enable the company to fully explore the mechanism behind its voltage gated potassium channel modulator platform and will hopefully lead to the development of a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of a range of CNS disorders." John Laing Group said on Monday that its Cross Yarra Partnership has reached agreement with Melbourne Metro Rail Authority for the financial close of the Tunnel and Stations Package as part of the Metro Tunnel Project. Laing is joining Cross Yarra as an investor in the Tunnel and Stations Package along with the other consortium members, Lendlease, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital. The partnership was announced as the preferred tenderer for the AUD6bn Tunnel and Stations Package in July. The project company will deliver twin nine-kilometre tunnels and five new underground stations at North Melbourne, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac, as part of the state of Victoria's biggest ever public transport project. The company said that as stated in its pre-close update earlier this month, its investment commitments for the year to date were 340m, well ahead of the original guidance of around 200m. Taking into account the Metro Tunnel investment, commitments rise to 383m. Chief executive officer Olivier Brousse said: "Melbourne's Metro Tunnel is a landmark project that will transform the Melbourne rail network. The Public Private Partnership set up with the State of Victoria will guarantee the delivery of this highly complex project. John Laing is delighted to be involved in such an important project alongside some of the best construction and development companies in the world that are Lendlease/Capella, John Holland and Bouygues Construction." At 0900 GMT, the shares were up 0.2% to 280.40p. SuperGroup updated the market on two strategic developments on Monday, first announcing Superdry Sport has been appointed as the official clothing supplier to the UK delegation for the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney, Australia. The FTSE 250 company said Superdry Sport's in-house team of designers and technicians would create full technical training and competition wear for the UK competitors. Training and leisure clothing would also be provided for the full UK delegation, including the competitors, their family and friends, the staff and guests. The Superdry Sport team would consult previous competitors and work with each individual competitor to develop a unique range of technical sportswear, tailored to their specific requirements, SuperGroup explained. The Invictus Games has shown how the power of sport can help injured servicemen and women and their families and inspire us all, said chief executive Euan Sutherland. We are very proud to have been chosen to provide the performance clothing for the UK delegation. This collaboration provides further endorsement to the growing credibility of the Superdry Sport brand in terms of its design, technical expertise and attention to detail. Superdry also announced that it was expecting to complete the buy-out of the operations of its Dutch wholesale agent, Portare, in January for an estimated payment of 2m. Portare would continue to be the preferred franchise partner in the Netherlands territory. The company said the transaction would be settled in cash on completion, and was anticipated to payback within two years, including the additional cost of the necessary wholesale infrastructure, as a result of reduced commission payments. The buy-out of our Netherlands agent is consistent with the development strategy we have applied to other markets and demonstrates our confidence in the future growth of the Dutch market, Euan Sutherland added. It is a further example of our flexible, disciplined approach to building both the Superdry brand and shareholder value in each market in which the brand is present. Theresa May is being urged to reach out to Labour and face down hardline Brexiters to seek a stronger future relationship with Europe. Conservative MPs who defied the government last week to ensure that Parliament gets a vote on the Brexit Withdraw bill are now urging Prime Minister Theresa May to reach out to Labour MPs and send out the message that there is no majority in Parliament that wants a hard Brexit. At the moment, the Labour party is terribly divided and therefore there are quite a large body of independent-minded Labour MPs who would be willing to respond positively to a request to provide support to a government that is seen to be doing the right thing, one rebel told the Guardian. The aim is to get a closer relationship with the EU when Brexit occurs and continue being member of the single market and customs union. According to the Telegraph, in the meeting of the full divided cabinet on Tuesday, May is expected to face down the hard Brexiters by saying: "We would propose that our access to one another's markets would continue as now, while we prepare and implement the new processes and new systems that will underpin our future partnership. "During this period we intend to register new arrivals from the EU as preparation for our future immigration system. One of the suggestions for a future deal is the shared market approach. The Institute for Public Policy Research propose a deal where there the regulatory alignment that exists today continues but with a new customs union similar to the current one. Although the EU27s chief negotiator Michel Barnier believes its not as simple. On Sunday he said that there might not be as much flexibility as the UK is expecting. Barnier said: They have to realise there wont be any cherry picking. We wont mix up the various scenarios to create a specific one and accommodate their wishes, mixing, for instance, the advantages of the Norwegian model, member of the single market, with the simple requirements of the Canadian one. No way. They have to face the consequences of their own decision. On the other hand, foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said in the Sunday Times: What we need to do is something new and ambitious, which allows zero tariffs and frictionless trade but still gives us that important freedom to decide our own regulatory framework, our own laws and do things in a distinctive way in the future. The title track from Tiger Zinda Hai, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, has hit the web today. By India Today Web Desk: There's nothing that Salman Khan can't do. Be it jumping on a helicopter, with fatal injuries or ending enmity between nations, Bhai is the man you need in times of crisis. The video of Tiger Zinda Hai' s title track proves just this. Called Zinda Hai, we see Salman playing hero, and savior, and a little bit of Katrina fighting off some baddies. In between all the crazed action, Salman and Katrina share some heartfelt moments. advertisement Sharing the new song on Twitter, Salman wrote, "Tiger ko theatres mein dekhne zaroor aana. 22nd December. #TigerZindaHai". We get to see Salman flaunting his muscles, and some sultry dialogue delivery too. Tiger ko theatres mein dekhne zaroor aana. 22nd December. #TigerZindaHai https://t.co/9eNHOkkEeu- Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) December 18, 2017 Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Tiger Zinda Hai is the sequel to the 2012 blockbuster, Ek Tha Tiger. Salman and Katrina reprise their roles as spies in the film, which has been shot in Abu Dhabi, Tyrol and Austria. The film will release on December 22, 2017, and is expected to have a free run of two weeks, as no other film is releasing around it. ALSO WATCH| Salman Khan: Warmongers should be given guns and made to fight --- ENDS --- By PTI: (EDS: With additional details) Hyderabad, Dec 17 (PTI) Hyderabad Police today arrested two persons, including a film casting director, for allegedly running a sex racket and rescued two women, both of whom police said are actors. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Task Force) P Radhakishan Rao said that police raided two hotels in Panjagutta and Banjara Hills last night and apprehended Monish Kadakia (56) and D Venkat Rao (40). advertisement Kadakia, the official said, was a casting director who has worked in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil movies and is also an event organiser in the Hindi film industry. He said one of the women rescued hails from Mumbai and acts in Telugu movies while the other is a resident of West Bengals North 24 Paraganas and acts in Bengali television serials. The officer added that police had recovered Rs 55,000 in cash, three mobile phones and one car from the possession of the two accused. He said that the two accused had been booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA) and a probe was underway. PTI VVK BNM --- ENDS --- By Graham Readfearn A Republican-aligned research group with links to a campaign to stalk and intimidate environmental groups, journalists and campaigners has been handed a $120,000 contract to help the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shape its media coverage. Virginia-based Definers Public Affairs was given the 12-month no bid contract to provide news analysis and brief service to the EPA, as reported by Mother Jones. Definers is the corporate arm of America Rising LLC, America Rising PAC and its opposition research and tracking service, America Rising Squaredknown as AR2. Republican Activists Definers Public Affairs was founded and launched in 2015 by America Rising founders Matt Rhoades and Joe Pounder. Pounder is a Republican strategist and former research director for the Republican National Committee and worked on Marco Rubios failed 2016 nomination campaign. Rhoades was Mitt Romneys campaign manager in 2012. Green Attack Plan America Rising ran a concerted campaign to attack environmentalists and targeted individuals such as climate campaigner Bill McKibben, who was followed and filmed by the groups trackers. Others targeted with attack tactics and adverts include billionaire philanthropist and environmentalist Tom Steyer and New Yorker journalist Jane Mayer, whose work has uncovered the influences of petrochemical billionaires and Republican donors Charles and David Koch. Brian Rogers, an executive director at AR2 and a senior vice president at Definers, said his campaign would hold Steyer and the Environmentalist Left accountable for their epic hypocrisy and extreme positions which threaten Americas future prosperity. Speaking about the accusations leveled at him, Steyer said, They have to know theyre lying. Its completely dishonest, unethical, and pitiful. And its creepy. America Rising attempted to discredit Mayer by alleging a distant relative that worked for Lehmann Brothers once did business with Nazi Germanyan accusation that was shown to be without any evidence. One of the groups earliest targets was 350.org founder McKibben, who wrote about his experience in the New York Times. Describing the photos and videos taken of him, McKibben wrote: In one series, my groceries are being packed into plastic bags, as Id forgotten to bring cloth ones. In other shots, I am getting in and out of cars. There are video snippets of me giving talks, or standing on the street. Sometimes I see the cameraman, sometimes I dont. The images are often posted to Twitter, reminders that Im being watched. America Rising also sent an operative to Texas Tech University to request copies of everything in the 54 boxes that make up an archive of McKibbens papers. This, said McKibben, resulted in all kinds of odd things appearing on right-wing corners of the web. Global War Room An EPA spokesperson told Mother Jones the Definers contract was for media monitoring/newsclip compilation. According to Mother Jones, the contract would include EPA using the Definers War Room console that helps clients track media coverage and the output of opponents. In November 2017, it was announced that Definers had joined law firm Dentons to launch a global research firm called 3D Global Affairs. Among the services offered at 3D Global Affairs would be governmental relations and lobbying support to shape the environment and communications and rapid response professionals to direct the narrative. Reposted with permission from our media associate DeSmogBlog. Puerto Ricos official death toll from Hurricane Maria is 64. That number, as many media organizations have reported, is suspiciously low. Recent reviews of mortality data from Puerto Ricos Center for Investigative Journalism and the New York Times estimate that the death toll is actually more than 1,000. Following those reports, as well as earlier investigations from CNN, Vox and Buzzfeed, Gov. Ricardo A. Rossello has ordered the islands Demographic Registry and Public Safety Department to scrutinize every death on the island since the devastating Sept. 4 storm. In a statement released Monday, Gov. Rossello acknowledged that the number of hurricane-related deaths may be higher than the official count certified to date. His administration needs to investigative if the increase of the deaths is related directly or indirectly with Hurricane Maria, Rossello said. This is a sharp reversal of the Puerto Rican governments previous stance, which has staunchly defended the accuracy of the death count. A legal process of certification by a coroner or a doctor is necessary, and every family deserves that the case of their loved ones be looked at independently and thoroughly, Rossello continued in his statement. We also want the most accurate count and understanding of how people lost their lives to fully account for the impact of these storms, and to identify ways in which we can prevent fatalities in advance of future disasters. Rossello has also called for the creation of a panel of experts to look into our current certification processes so that we can improve them going forward. However, he warned that the government cannot base any official fatality related to the hurricane count on statistical analysis. This is about more than numbers, these are lives: real people, leaving behind loved ones and families, he said. The Government needs to work with sensibility and certainty in the process of certifying a death related to the hurricane. According to the New York Times, Reviewing the circumstances surrounding each death will require interviewing family members and doctors who signed death certificates to find out if, for example, the heart attack listed as the cause might have been brought on by stress related to the hurricane or might have been fatal because an ambulance could not get through debris-blocked streets to help in time. In October, President Donald Trump was criticized for saying that Puerto Rico should be very proud of the death toll from Hurricane Maria in comparison to the thousands of people who died in Hurricane Katrina. President Donald Trumps new national security strategy will reverse an Obama-era declaration that placed climate change as a major threat facing the nation. Trumps America First plan will instead focus on four themes surrounding economic security for the U.S: protecting the homeland and way of life; promoting American prosperity; demonstrating peace through strength; and advancing American influence in an ever-competitive world, the Associated Press reported, quoting senior administration officials. Climate change is not identified as a national security threat but climate and the importance of the environment and environmental stewardship are discussed, a senior administration official explained to the Guardian. The move reflects the Trump administrations stance and downright indifferencetowards global warming. In June, the president announced his intention to withdraw the U.S. from the landmark Paris climate agreement. Another official explained to the Guardian that Trumps remarks about exiting the Paris agreement would be the guidepost for the language in the [national security strategy] on climate. Trump had said that June: I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris and claimed the Paris accord hamstrings the United States while empowering some of the worlds top polluting countries. According to the Federalist, which first obtained a draft document of the national security strategy, the Trump administration would actively oppose efforts to reduce the burning of fossil fuels for energy. U.S. leadership is indispensable to countering an anti-growth, energy agenda that is detrimental to U.S. economic and energy security interests, the document stated, per the Federalist. Given future global energy demand, much of the developing world will require fossil fuels, as well as other forms of energy, to power their economies and lift their people out of poverty. As the Federalist pointed out, the move to nix climate change from the list of national security threats matches President Trumps vision, sometimes shared using his trademark hyperbole, that the United States needs to emphasize national security and economic growth over climate change. For instance, check out Trumps tweet from 2013 below: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/statuses/412017385345138688 In 2015, former President Obama said in a speech to the Coast Guards then-graduating class that climate change constitutes a serious threat to global security, an immediate risk to our national security. And make no mistake, it will impact how our military defends our country, he said. Climate change, Obama continued, will shape how every one of our services plan, operate, train, equip and protect their infrastructure, their capabilities, today and for the long term. The new Trump doctrine is seemingly at odds with Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis views on the issue of climate change. Climate change is impacting stability in areas of the world where our troops are operating today, Mattis wrote in March. It is appropriate for the Combatant Commands to incorporate drivers of instability that impact the security environment in their areas into their planning. Incidentally, just last week, Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law that would require the Pentagon to do a report on how military installations and overseas staff may be vulnerable to climate change over the next 20 years. The following language was included in the act: Climate change is a direct threat to the national security of the United States and is impacting stability in areas of the world both where the United States Armed Forces are operating today, and where strategic implications for future conflict exist. RECOMMENDED Climate Change Already Hampers U.S. Military Sites Around the World, Government Study Finds National Guard Chief Highlights Climate Change as Pruitt Touts Denial on TV By Clara Chaisson From his flagrant dismissal of the scientific consensus on manmade climate change to his eagerness to see treasured landscapes degraded by extractive industries, Trumps disregard for clean air, drinkable water and natural heritage has been relentless during the first year of his presidency. Not only are his anti-environmental actions wrong, but many are illegal. And businesses, politicians, nonprofit groups and ordinary citizens alike have stepped up to fight his toxic agenda. In the name of making spirits bright, here are five times Trumps environmental actions didnt succeed at trashing planet Earth in the past year. 1. The Failure: Abandoning the Social Cost of Carbon The social cost of carbon, or SCC, is a calculation that estimates the long-term economic impact of carbon dioxide emissions. Its a highly significant numberlawmakers use the SCC to figure out whether rules that tackle pollution are worth the investment. In 2009, the Obama administration established a group called the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases that eventually set the cost of one ton of CO2 emissions at $41, which is why the former president estimated the Clean Power Plan would ultimately yield up to $54 billion a year in health and environmental benefits. Just a couple of months after taking Obamas spot in the White House, Trump disbanded the Interagency Working Group with his Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth Executive Order. He said its findings were no longer representative of governmental policy. Trump decided the SCC should be calculated differently, with each government agency determining its own dollar figure. This could mean interagency inconsistencies as well as an increased emphasis on the domestic, rather than global, impact of CO2pivots that would make the emissions seem far less costly than they actually are. The Trump U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to repeal the Clean Power Plan, for example, calculated that the SCC would be just $1 to $6 by 2020. But some courts find fault with this plan. In cases across the country, judges are ruling that the SCC is necessary, and fossil fuel projects like coal mines and pipelines are now tied up as a direct result of the administrations failure to consider the climate costs. Meanwhile, numerous states, including Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, are ignoring Trumps moves and still using an SCC above $40 to guide policy decisions. 2. The Failure: Scrubbing Climate Change Data Even before Inauguration Day, scientists began worrying that important information on climate change could soon disappear from government websites. Multiple groups staged hackathons to preserve data and webpages from the EPA as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in accessible places like the Internet Archive and DataRefuge. So when information onand even references toclimate change did indeed begin disappearing from government websites shortly after Trumps inauguration, scientists and engaged citizens were ready. Groups like the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative have been watching the administration like hawks, monitoring changes to government agencies and keeping public environmental data, well, public, even as the current administration is determined not to. 3. The Failure: Delaying State Reports on Smog Standards In 2015, the Obama administration tightened the national standard for ground-level ozone, a pollutant that causes serious health problems, bringing it down to 70 parts per billion from 75 ppb. States had until Oct. 1 of this year to submit their air-quality data, but EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt attempted to delay that deadline. Maybe he thought that no one would notice? Fat chance. After 16 attorneys general sued, Pruitt reversed course, stating, We take deadlines seriously. But Oct. 1 has come and gone, and (surprise!) the EPA has yet to declare which parts of the country are not in compliance with the new rule. So in December, the lawsuits came again to force the agency into action, this time from 10 health and environmental groups including NRDC. 4. The Failure: Touting Coal at the U.N. Climate Conference When 17,000 people representing 195 countries met in Bonn, Germany, in November to discuss concrete steps for fighting climate change, the tone-deaf Trump administration decided it was the perfect time to sing coals praises. But its presentation, given by industry heads and titled The Role of Cleaner and More Efficient Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power in Climate Mitigation, was disrupted by a song, as hundreds of protestors belted out an anti-coal version of God Bless the U.S.A. that went viral. Protestors just shut down U.S.-sponsored event on "clean fossil fuels" at #COP23 hundreds of people streaming out, singing & chanting. Room is nearly empty now that they're gone! #WeThePeople pic.twitter.com/EzDr7pzf5p Collin Rees (@collinrees) November 13, 2017 5. The Failure: Using U.S. Cities and Businesses to Defend the U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement Trump proudly announced in June that he would turn his back on the entire world and withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. His reason? He said it was for the good of the countrys businesses, cities and citizens. I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris, he said. Pittsburghs mayor, Bill Peduto, was quick to issue a rebuttal in Trumps preferred language (Tweet), saying he would follow the Paris agreements guidelines. He and Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo then doubled down on their joint commitment to climate action in a New York Times op-ed titled We Have Our Own Climate Deal. As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future. https://t.co/3znXGTcd8C bill peduto (@billpeduto) June 1, 2017 Perhaps Trump forgot that all the groups he mentioned in his withdrawal announcement can speak for themselves, and plenty of them loudly and plainly rebuked his stance by saying, We Are Still In. A coalition of businesses, cities, states, universities, indigenous peoples and faith groups that are committed to upholding the agreement is 2,500 leaders strong and growing. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Gov. Jerry Brown went a step further and launched the Americas Pledge initiative, which unites private and public sector leaders devoted to reducing carbon emissions so that the U.S. can still deliver on the goals of the Paris agreement. The coalition recently presented a report to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changes executive secretary, Patricia Espinosa, showing that if these U.S. institutions still committed to the Paris agreement were a country, its economy would be the third-largest in the world. They cant make up for the absence of federal leadership, but they wont stand on the sidelines while our Denier in Chief attempts to trump decades of hard-won climate progress. Make America Great Again? Challenge accepted. Reposted with permission from our media associate onEarth. Modesto, Calif. After hours spent knocking on doors and introducing himself to voters in west Modesto, Adolfo Lopez won a seat on the school board in this Central Valley city. Lopez, 26, is now the only Hispanic member of a seven-member board that governs a district of 32,000 students, more than 61 percent of them Latino. As a first-time candidate, Lopez was prompted to run in last months election to represent a part of Modesto composed heavily of low-income, Hispanic, and immigrant families and neighborhoods where residents have long felt overlooked. Novembers election marked the first time that west Modesto voters could elect a board member to represent their specific communitya move many hope will make the school board more attuned to their needs. It finally gives them the ability to have a representative from the area, that knows the area, that has lived through the same experiences, Lopez said. People see themselves in the process. Across California, school districts have slowly been switching from at-large elections to single-member districts to comply with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001a statute designed to make it easier for Hispanic and other minority communities to elect candidates to local offices. The lawthe only one of its kind among statesallows legal challenges to at-large systems if plaintiffs can prove that the voting structure prevents them from electing candidates of their choice. As the nations public schools becoming increasingly diverse, theres growing concern that the composition of school boards does not reflect that diversity, and in some communities, the concern has sparked legal battles. Theres a lot at stake in those battles as school boards hire superintendents, approve district spending, and set policies that directly impact students, such as choosing curriculum and deciding how students are disciplined. There a quiet revolution going on, and I think its getting louder, said Robert Rubin, a civil rights attorney and former legal director of the San Francisco-based Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, which has successfully sued several California jurisdictions to switch from at-large to single-member district elections. However, Rubin said, as long as money plays an outsize role in elections, it will be hard for groups that have been historically left out of the political process to get elected in large numbers. But it matters, he said, because voting rights determine who gets to say which benefits go where, and which school gets a new facility, and which school gets the best teachers, and which school gets the best textbooks and gets the playground repaired more quickly. Thats really what voting rights are all about. But some critics argue the states law has done more to benefit lawyers paydays than it has to move the needle on diversifying representation. Whos on School Boards? While school board members make up the largest group of elected officials in the nationmore than 90,000 of them, according to the National School Boards Associationthere are scant data on their race and ethnicity. A 2010 report published by NSBA, which surveyed 900 school officials, found that among respondents, 80 percent identified as white, 12 percent as African-American, and 3 percent as Hispanic. In California, where Hispanic students make up more than 54 percent of students in public schools, Hispanic representation on school boards has improved in recent years but is not close to mirroring student demographics. In a 2015 survey by the California School Boards Association, 66 percent of board members who responded identified as white, while 19 percent said they were Hispanic. Since the passage of the states voting rights act, the number of Hispanics serving on local school boards has more than doubled, according to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. But the data is imperfect since the state does not collect information on either voters or candidates race and ethnicity. Its especially challenging to find data on African-American and Asian-American representation on school boards. An independent analysis also shows that switching from at-large to single-district elections has helped accelerate the numbers of Latino board members. School districts with more than 2,035 students (the median school district size in California) that switched from at-large voting to district-based voting between 2008 and 2016, saw a larger percentage increase in Hispanic board members than those that remained at-large, according to Morgan Kousser, a professor at the California Institute of Technology. In those that switched, the number of Latinos on the school board grew by 61 percent, while in those that remained at-large, the number of Latinos grew by 18 percent, the analysis by Kousser and research assistant Connor Moffatt found. Rosalind Gold, the senior director of policy, research, and advocacy at NALEO, cautioned against drawing a direct connection between the law and the increase in Latino representation. The states Latino population has grown, and more of those residents have registered to vote, she said. The states Hispanic community has also stepped up efforts to recruit and support more candidates and educate voters about elections, Gold said. And, Gold stressed, the states law, like the federal Voting Rights Act, does not guarantee that minority candidates will win if they run. How new district boundaries are drawn and whether communities are involved in that process matters as much as making the switch to district-based elections, Gold said. Before the Modesto school board could switch to single-member districts, voters had to approve a change to the citys charter, which they did in 2016. While the board drew new district boundaries earlier this year, some members pushed to delay the election for the newly created Area 7 seat to 2019, saying six months was not enough time for a quality candidate to mount a campaign for the Nov. 7 ballot. Thats when a Latino community activist warned the board it was at high risk of violating the state law. Rebecca Harrington, the president of the Latino Community Roundtable, presented the board with two options: hold elections in the heavily-Hispanic Area 7 in 2017 or face the possibility of a lawsuit. Bringing a Different Voice In the end, the school board capitulated, and the Area 7 race fielded three candidates. There was Lopez, a community organizer who is Mexican-American; Matthew Harrington, a group home worker who is of Mexican descent (and is Rebecca Harringtons son); and Ryan Schambers, a substitute teacher who is Caucasian. In an October candidates forum, the Area 7 candidates told a sparse audience that students in their community did not always have access to the same academic programs, including gifted and talented education, as others in the district. Lopez, who won the election with 65 percent of the 1,432 votes cast, said that while he was campaigning, some residents told him it was the first time in years that a school board candidate had knocked on their doors. Any person thats going to sit on that board should have the goal to improve our students educationand that should be the No. 1 goal, Lopez said. It should not be about one side or another. Thats when we lose. But, he added, We are bringing a different voice. While proponents see Californias voting rights law as a way to give minorities a better shot at running for office, some critics have said its been more of a boon for trial lawyers who have successfully sued local jurisdictions and won large settlements. Some city officials have described it as akin to extortion: spend huge sums of taxpayers money to defend in court and lose, only to pay attorneys fees or change to district elections. Until the state legislature amended the law in 2015 to cap attorneys fees at $30,000, the settlements were in the millions. Joaquin Avila, a civil rights lawyer who wrote the law and is a former president and executive director of MALDEF, said the statute has accomplished what he envisioned: forcing local jurisdictions to level the playing field for minorities running for elected office. The question is whether having minority people on the board makes the elected body more sensitive to the particularized needs of the minority community, Avila said. I think that if you ask minority board members, theyll probably say a resounding yes, that its very important to be diverse and to have a voice at the table, and a vote at the table. Legal Pushback But the battle over voting rights is still being waged. In October, Don Higginson, the former mayor of Poway, Calif., sued California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the city, arguing that the state law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit, funded by The Project on Fair Representation, argues that Californias law relies heavily on race-based sorting of voters, a violation of the narrowly defined circumstances that the U.S. Supreme Court allows for the consideration of race in such cases. The project also backed the lawsuit that challenged the federal Voting Rights Act. The city changed its at-large system to district-based elections after Kevin Shenkman, a Malibu lawyer, sent a demand letter in June telling the city that it was in violation of the state law. About 15 percent of Poways 49,000 residents are Hispanic. In the San Diego Union-Tribune, the former mayor described the demand as having a gun pointed at the city fathers heads. Hes asking the court to invalidate the law. Douglas Johnson, the president of National Demographics Corp., a Claremont, Calif., firm that specializes in demographic analysis and often works with school boards and municipalities to help them comply with the law, says hes seen abuses. In some cases, private lawyers have sent demand letters to jurisdictions without taking into account local circumstances, including whether theres a history of electing Latinos to governing bodies, the demographics, where the minority population lives, and efforts locally to encourage minority candidates to run. Some jurisdictions with Latinos serving in elected positions have been challenged because the officials last names were not obviously Hispanic. And in communities that have already switched to district elections to avoid being sued, some have struggled to attract candidates to run for the newly created seats, he said. I compare this law a lot to the Americans With Disabilities Actvery well-intentioned laws that have admirable goals but have been abused almost to the point of absurdity, he said. Diversifying Boards In Madera, Calif., a Central Valley town an hour south of Modesto, Al Galvez is the school board president. The Madera school system switched to voting by districts after Rubin and the Lawyers Committee sued the school district in 2009 on behalf of a Latino custodian. At that time, just one of seven board members was Hispanic, though the citys population was 82 percent Hispanic. Now, Galvez and three other board members are Hispanic. Two others, who are white, speak fluent Spanish, Galvez said. Galvez ran unopposed for a seat on the school board in 2014. He said he was driven to run by concerns about the districts low test scores, particularly for children of color, and what he thought was the districts indifference. There were some inequities here that needed to be [addressed], and coming from a business background, I felt that I could bring some skill setssome organizational skills, professionalism, decorumthat I felt that our board was lacking. Now retired from a corporate job, he said he draws on his experience as a farmworker during his youth to help inform his actions on the board. He spends half a day in schools twice a week, eats lunch with students, and meet with parents, he said. The district has expanded school-based resource centers that provide computer access and English-language classes for parents since Galvez joined the board. The centers are open from 8 a.m. to late evenings to accommodate the working schedules of parents who are farmworkers. At the behest of the board, the district has started to review discipline policies, which still disproportionately affect students of color. Madera is also aggressively expanding career and technical education programs, in recognition that not all students want to go to a four-year college. And an outdated plan for educating English-learners has been updated, he said. Galvez credits the states voting rights law for the evolution of Maderas school board. But, it takes time to turn a system into one that is responsive to the needs of a diverse student body. The whole community, not just the Hispanic community, he said, sees the positives we are trying to make in the school system. On expected lines for an urban constituency, Vadodara won 8 out of 10 seats, leading the Bharatiya Janata Party to victory By Pooja Shali: Second only to Ahmedabad as an urban constituency, Vadodara district remained a crucial player and did not disappoint the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat elections 2017. Party supporters later took to streets celebrating, turning roads saffron with party flags as loud music reverberated in air. Vadodara is renowned as a cultural city (Sanskari Nagri) and is also a flourishing industrial hub boasting of large-scale industries and IT companies. advertisement Out of 10 seats, BJP swept through 8. Remaining two went in the bag of Indian National Congress (INC). On expected lines, five urban (and three rural) seats went to the BJP while Congress won two rural seats of Padra and Karjan. Retaining the Vadodara city constituency, BJP's Vakil Manisha bagged 1,16,367 leaving Congress with 63,984 votes. Other candidates from the BSP, AAP, GJP and independent candidates received less than 1,000 votes each. Interestingly, the option of None Of The Above (NOTA) garnered 3,253 votes for Vadodara city. Through the day, there was immense action outside counting Centre at the Polytechnic University, Vadodara. Three-tier barricade security was flanked by heavy deployment of the Gujarat police, CISF and CRPF. Only authorized persons with EC-approved identity cards were permitted and a strict security check was in place. As counting began, so did sloganeering by party supporters waiting anxiously outside the counting centre. BJP supporters flaunting caps and flags were shouting, "BJP aavey chhe, Congress jaavey chhe" (BJP is coming, Congress will be out) as trends started to arrive. Responding to the BJP jibe, Congress supporters were quick to point out that "Vikas gando thayo chhe", lampooning the development plank of the BJP. Security forces devised an efficient plan to avoid any clashes between political workers. Workers of each party were restricted on either side by a distance of 100 meters created by a human barrier of police teams. As trends stayed neck and neck, cops ensured excitement would not lead to confrontation. Also, supporters of both parties were seen co-operating with the men in uniform. Congress won two seats from the rural belt of Padra and Karjan giving party supporters a window of opportunity to wave their flags with fervor. Padra had replaced standing BJP MLA Dinu Mama. However, their enthusiasm soon dwindled as all remaining seats started to be led by the BJP. The Congress supporters soon waned out, joining their two winning candidates. BJP workers took to streets turning the roads saffron with their flags and caps, in a victory show. advertisement Manjalpur (Yogesh Patel), Raopura (Rajendra Trivedi), Akota (Seemaben Mohile) , Sayajiganj (Jitendra Sukhadia), Dabhoi (Mehta Saileshbhai), Vadodara (Shrivastava Madhubhai), Savli (Inamdar Ketanbhai) and Vadodara city brought home victory for the BJP. On Monday evening, BJP held a parliamentary board meeting in national capital. Addressing journalists after the meet, J. P. Nadda said, "Party has noticed an increased vote share. We express satisfaction and also congratulate the team. Arun Jaitley and Saroj Pandey will head to Gujarat to interact with party leaders to decide on name of Chief Minster." It remains to be seen if Vijay Rupani would be reinstated as the CM or a fresh face would get the opportunity. ALSO WATCH | I chose Varanasi over Vadodara: PM Modi --- ENDS --- In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, meaning that school boards and other local and state governments in areas with a history of discrimination in election matters no longer had to win federal approval for any change in voting. Writing for the majority in the 5-4 decision in Shelby County, Ala. v. Holder, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said that nearly 50 years after the adoption of the Voting Rights Act, things have changed dramatically. ... Blatantly discriminatory evasions of federal decrees are rare. And minority candidates hold office at unprecedented levels. The court did not completely strike down Section 5 of the law, which requires jurisdictions with a history of discrimination in voting practices to get approval for any change in voting from the U.S. Department of Justice or the federal district court in Washington. Section 5 covers nine statesAlabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginiaas well as certain jurisdictions in several other states, including California and North Carolina. Instead, the court invalidated the formulas used to define which jurisdictions were covered by Section 5 of the voting rights law, which Congress had renewed in 2006. Congress did not use the record it compiled to shape a coverage formula grounded in current conditions, the chief justice added. It instead re-enacted a formula based on 40-year-old facts having no logical relation to the present day. Writing for the dissenters, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said that even though minority registration and voting had increased in the Section 5 jurisdictions, covered states and local governments turned to racial gerrymandering, discriminatory annexations, and switches from single-member electoral districts to at-large membership to keep minority representation down. The evidence was indeed sufficient to support Congress conclusion that racial discrimination in voting in covered jurisdictions remained serious and pervasive, Ginsburg wrote. Congress approached the 2006 reauthorization of the VRA with great care and seriousness. The same cannot be said of the Courts opinion today. The record in the case was full of examples where the Justice Department or the federal court had rejected changes in school district redistricting maps and to at-large board membership. Since the Shelby County decision, any school district in a covered jurisdiction has not had to submit such changes for federal approval. The volatile mix of partisan politics and school board elections is on full display in North Carolina. The Republican-controlled legislature in the last five years has systematically flipped the election process for more than a quarter of the states 116 local school boards from nonpartisan races to ones in which candidates are identified by party affiliation. Depending on whom you talk to in this politically purple state, its a historic shift that could lead to much-needed transparency, upend board-member relations, or shrink black and Latino political representation in a racially and ethnically diverse state. The push toward partisan school board elections in North Carolina has gained momentum since 2013, shortly after the federal government loosened the reins on Voting Rights Act restrictions under the U.S. Supreme Courts Shelby County, Ala. v. Holder decision, and after Republicans took control of the North Carolina legislature. The state now has 35 school boards that will be elected on a partisan basisat least 10 of them added to that pool by lawmakers this year alone. The Shelby ruling did not deal explicitly with partisan elections, but the subsequent shift in that direction has alarmed civil rights advocates nonetheless. As soon as they took the chain off the dog, the dog went to bite you, said Steve Bowden, a Greensboro, N.C.-based lawyer who in 2011 challenged on behalf of NAACP the states election laws. The states Republicans say having local school board candidates identify by party affiliation on primary and general election ballots is simply an effort to make sure voters know candidates stances on polarizing issues such as school integration, vouchers, and which restroom transgender students should use. But North Carolina Democrats counter that party politics will only bring to local school board meetings the sort of partisan rancor thats dominated federal and state politics in recent years. I believe people should look at the qualities of the individual and determine if they have a heart for education, said Bea Basnight, a Democrat and the chair of Dare Countys board of education, which will hold partisan elections for the first time next year. We put our party affiliations aside when we walk through the door because its about the children. Partisan Tide? Nationally, statistics about school board elections and their electoral status are hard to come by. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute estimates that of the roughly 13,500 boards around the country, the vast majority are elected. Among those, around 90 percent, are elected on a nonpartisan basis. That tradition stems back to the Progressive-era reform movement at the turn of the 20th century which managed to flush machine politics from school board elections after a series of high-profile corruption scandals in places like New York City and Chicago. Today, only Louisiana and Pennsylvania require all their school boards to be elected on a partisan basis, and almost a fifth of school districts in Georgia require partisan school board races. But as Republicans have taken control of the majority of statehouses, legislators in Florida, Indiana, Kansas, and Tennessee have pushed to join them. An advocacy group in Utah is asking a judge to strike down a law that made that states state board of education partisan last year. Driving the debate is whether state or local officials should determine how school boards members are elected, whether partisan elections change who gets elected, and whether there is, ultimately, a Democratic or Republican way to run a school district. Terry Stoops, the vice president of research at the John Locke Foundation, a conservative think tank in Raleigh, N.C., said those running for local school boards for far too long have hidden their true agendas from voters. Besides, he said, the states teachers union, disproportionately endorses Democratic candidates. (The states union, the North Carolina Association of Educators, said it was nonpartisan in its endorsement process.) Education is a partisan issue regardless of whether candidates have labels attached to their name, Stoops said. But Ann Allen, a political scientist at Ohio State University who researches school governance, said the vast majority of issues school board members spend their time debatingsuch as budgets, the hiring of the next superintendent, and curriculumare too nuanced to be evenly split between Democrat or Republican platforms. Theres a lot of complexity that goes into governing schools, she said. Theres a lot of balls in the air at all times. I dont think the issues fall neatly into conservative and liberal politics. Evan Crawford, a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who is completing his dissertation on partisan school board elections, surveyed dozens of board members serving on partisan and nonpartisan boards in North Carolina and Georgia. He found that members of nonpartisan boards were sometimes even more likely to express polarized policy views. Are people who are running in partisan elections ... used to being more moderate because if they have an R or D in front of their name they need to get voters from the other side? he asked. North Carolinas election laws and congressional and legislative voting districts have been tangled up in federal courts for years. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year let stand a federal appeals courts ruling that North Carolina Republicans set up voter registration hurdles preventing with almost surgical precision black residents from showing up to the polls, and that the state purposely packed black and Latino residents into single districts to limit their voting power. North Carolinas Shift The state as of this year will make its judges run on a partisan ballot. And this fall, the legislature redrew its judicial voting districts so that Republicans have an edge over Democrats and in a way that means that black judges will have to run against each other. About half of the states nearly 800 school board members today currently identify as Democratic and 36 percent identify as Republican, according to an Education Week Research Centers analysis of board members voter registration forms. But despite years of federal and state court efforts to craft voting districts so that historically marginalized black and Latino communities are proportionately represented on school boards, there remains a disparity. In two-thirds of districts, where the majority of students are black or Latino, the majority of school board members are white. And although 16 percent of the states students are Latino, Education Week found only three Latino school board members in the entire state. The history of North Carolinas election laws is steeped in political, racial and legal strife between local and state officials and its black and white communities. It wasnt until 1969 that most of the states voters were allowed to directly elect their school board members. A series of lawsuits in the 1970s and 1980s by black civil rights activists flipped several school districts from at-large elections to single-member district elections to assure minority candidates had a better chance of winning. (Despite representing almost a quarter of the states student population, at that time there were few black school board members.) Of 114 local school districts in North Carolina, 36 elect their members on a partisan basis. Heres a list of those districts and when their elections became partisan . When youre trying to address issues of equity and disproportionality around everything from suspensions to black representation in Advanced Placement classes, it becomes a lot more difficult, said Keith Sutton, who until last year was the only black member on the eight-member Wake County school board, in a district thats 30 percent black. Our issues go missed or unaddressed because there are fewer minorities on the board, and if you raise those issues, it goes to, All you care about is issues around race and disparities. Theodore Arrington, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, said the switch to partisan elections could negatively impact minority candidates in at-large races in which voters tend to vote along racial lines (25 of the 35 partisan districts have at-large seats). Republican legislators who proposed partisan elections said their intention was not to win elections but to assist voters. Its been absolutely amazing at how many voters have no idea whos on the ballot, said Carteret County Commissioner Bob Cavanaugh, a Republican and the chair of that countys Tea Party who led an initiative to make that districts election partisan. Some local school board members say they fear that appealing to voters on a party basis will result in split votes on run-of-the-mill board decisions and could lead to further polarization. In Winston-Salem, Ryan M. Eller led a petition in 2010 to get rid of partisan elections after years of wrangling with the Republican-majority school board over school integration and discipline disparities, among other things. The more we got into it, the more we discovered that not only were these issues not partisan in their nature, the solutions we needed were being inhibited ... because of the partisanship in the elections, said Eller, who now is the executive director of Define American, an advocacy group for immigrants. After the group staged a protest at the capitol in Raleigh in 2010, lawmakers flipped the district to non-partisan. But just a year later, it reversed course and returned the district to partisan board elections. And in Guilford County, after the legislature in 2015 flipped the board from nonpartisan to partisan elections, the state changed the boards districts to match those of the partisan and Republican-dominated county commissioners. Girding for Battle Meanwhile, hundreds of school board members in North Carolina are preparing for the huge shift next year in how they campaign to serve on their school boards. Partisan elections require party endorsements, debates, and both primary and general elections, a process that could last all year long. Bea Basnight, the Democratic board chair of Dare Countys school district, estimates a partisan election could cost her up to $7,000. Shell have to purchase bumper stickers and post signs up and down the 100-mile stretch of beaches that make up her scenic district, a spit of islands that jut out into the Atlantic Ocean. In this county of 8,771 voters, there are 191 more registered Republicans than Democrats. More than 11,000 residents registered as unaffiliated. She said shell make a pitch to both the Republican and Democratic parties for their endorsement. I represent everybody, she said. To cook an omelette, you have to scramble an egg, and like Humpty Dumpty it can never be put back together again. This is because the egg undergoes a set of physiological and chemical changes as it cooks, which cause its chemical bonds to break and its proteins to aggregate, restructuring and setting into a new, final -- and irreversible -- shape. However, a new Tel Aviv University study suggests for the first time a novel form of protein aggregation that is both reversible and has positive physiological consequences for cells. The discovery may eventually lead to new therapies for neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and "mad cow" diseases. The research study was led by Prof. Martin Kupiec and conducted by Dr. Kobi Simpson-Lavy, both of TAU's School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, and published in the journal Molecular Cell. How to "de-blob" a protein "Most of the functions within our cells are carried out by proteins. But when these proteins aggregate, they produce a 'blob' that renders them inactive," Prof. Kupiec says. "Protein aggregation tends to increase with age and leads to a number of human diseases, particularly those resulting in neurodegeneration." "Moreover, when proteins adopt an erroneous configuration -- when they're misfolded -- the cells attempt to take the clumps apart, or to pile them up at particular locations in the cell, to minimize their toxic effect," Dr. Simpson-Lavy says. "This process has been linked to the development of a number of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and 'mad cow' diseases." The new study examines an entirely different type of protein aggregation, which may provide a new mechanism with which to regulate the activity of genes according to changes in the cell's environment. The research for the study emerged serendipitously. While Dr. Simpson-Lavy was studying the metabolism of sugars in yeast cells, he noticed that a tagged version of the protein he was observing -- Std1 -- formed a bright splotch outside the cell's nucleus whenever glucose was added to the cells. In other words, Std1, which is usually present in the cells' nuclei, where the genome resides, ended up in an aggregation outside of the nuclei. "We wondered whether this protein aggregation would change according to different conditions in the microenvironment of the cell," Prof. Kupiec says. "And indeed, when conditions changed again and glucose was depleted, the aggregate dissolved and the Std1 protein could be seen again in the nucleus. Std1 plays a role in responding to different sugars in the growth medium, so the reversible aggregation and dissolution of Std1 allowed the cell to respond quickly to varying levels of sugar abundance." Bad -- and good -- for you The study also suggests that not all protein aggregates are "bad for you." Some play important physiological and regulatory roles. According to the study, the "molecular chaperones" that have been found to fuel many neurodegenerative diseases may have originally been intended to regulate the buildup of non-pathological proteins. "These results could open the way for possible future treatments that may try to change the aggregation from irreversible to reversible," Prof. Kupiec says. "If we can find out how to turn an irreversible aggregation into a reversible one, it would be possible to treat neurodegenerative diseases and reverse the effect of the aggregates. "In other words, it may still be possible to reconstruct an egg from an omelette," Prof. Kupiec observes. The researchers are currently examining what makes the same protein behave differently under different conditions. ### American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU) supports Israel's most influential, comprehensive and sought-after center of higher learning, Tel Aviv University (TAU). TAU is recognized and celebrated internationally for creating an innovative, entrepreneurial culture on campus that generates inventions, startups and economic development in Israel. For three years in a row, TAU ranked 9th in the world, and first in Israel, for alumni going on to become successful entrepreneurs backed by significant venture capital, a ranking that surpassed several Ivy League universities. To date, 2,400 patents have been filed out of the University, making TAU 29th in the world for patents among academic institutions. DALLAS, Dec. 18, 2017 -- Children and teens who are abused, witness violence, are bullied or face other adversities are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases in adulthood, according to a new scientific statement by the American Heart Association published in the Association's journal Circulation. The statement is based on a review of existing scientific research published in peer-reviewed medical journals that documents a strong association between adverse experiences in childhood and teen years and a greater likelihood of developing risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes earlier than those not experiencing adverse experiences. These risk factors raise the likelihood of developing heart and blood vessel diseases and conditions in adulthood, including coronary artery disease, heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes. "The real tragedy is that children are exposed to these traumatic experiences in the first place," said Shakira Suglia, Sc.D., the writing group chair for the statement and an associate professor of epidemiology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. "We are talking about children and teens experiencing physical and sexual abuse and witnessing violence. Sadly, the negative consequences of experiencing these events does not end when the experience ends, it lasts many years after exposure." "Ideally, we want to prevent these things from happening in the first place as well as preventing the health consequences that arise from having these experiences," Suglia said. Adversity is commonly defined as anything children perceive as a threat to their physical safety or that jeopardizes their family or social structure, including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, neglect, bullying by peers, violence at home, parental divorce, separation or death, parental substance abuse, living in a neighborhood with high crime rates, homelessness, discrimination, poverty and the loss of a relative or another loved one. Nearly 60 percent of Americans report an adverse event during childhood. How adversity fuels cardiovascular and metabolic abnormalities remains unclear, but the current evidence suggests that behavioral, mental health and biological reactions to increased stress all appear to play a role. For example, unhealthy reactions to stress, such as smoking or overeating, may be behind the increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes among this group. Recurrent and chronic childhood stress is known to increase the risk of depression, anxiety and mood disorders among children and teens, which in turn lead to unhealthy behaviors that often lead to cardiovascular and metabolic illnesses. Chronically high stress levels or repeated spikes could disrupt normal immune, metabolic, nervous and endocrine development and function. Not all children who grow up facing adversity develop diseases of the heart and blood vessels, a finding that suggests the existence of a range of biological, environmental, cultural and social factors that may help reduce risk and prevent disease development. Further research to better understand these factors may one day lead to the development of preventive strategies, the researchers note. There are currently no national guidelines for healthcare providers to monitor children and teens for adversity. "We need more research to better understand how to help people who have had adversity in childhood prevent or delay the development of heart and blood vessel diseases." The authors caution the evidence is observational and does not necessarily prove cause and effect. However, they add, the rapidly growing body of research is an important indicator that childhood adversity is a potent and critical modulator of disease and health. ### Co-authors on scientific statement included Karestan Koenen, Ph.D.; Renee Boynton-Jarrett, M.D., Sc.D.; Paul Chan, M.D., M.Sc.; Cari Clark, Sc.D.; Andrea Danese, M.D., Ph.D.; Myles Faith, Ph.D.; Benjamin Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D.; Laura Hayman, Ph.D., R.N.; Carmen Isasi, M.D., Ph.D.; Charlotte Pratt, M.D., M.Sc.; Natalie Slopen, Sc.D.; Jennifer Sumner, Ph.D.; Aslan Teyfik, M.D., M.H.S.; Turner, M.D.; Christy Turer, M.D.; and Justin Zachariah, M.D. Additional Resources: Available multimedia located on the right column of the release link: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/abuse-and-adversity-in-childhood-linked-to-more-cardiovascular-risk-in-adulthood?preview=a3d27daabe158112fb70bdf314ac7e5f After Dec. 18, view the manuscript online. Healthy Kids Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association receives funding mostly from individuals. Foundations and corporations donate as well, and fund specific programs and events. Strict policies are enforced to prevent these relationships from influencing the association's science content. Financial information for the American Heart Association, including a list of contributions from pharmaceutical and device manufacturers and health insurance providers are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding. About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke - the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. It's the kind of thing you might lose sleep over. How will humans survive serious infections in the future if we're running out of tools today to fight them? Antibiotic resistance among disease-causing bacteria is of global concern, as some last-resort drugs can no longer cure common illnesses such as urinary tract infections. To make matters worse, researchers from Arizona State University and Norwegian University of Life Sciences have discovered that our very own gut bacteria may be perpetuating the resistance. Scientists uncovered this startling finding while investigating the microbial life in honey bee guts. "To our surprise, we found that instead of one gut bacterium acquiring resistance and outcompeting all the other gut bacteria in honey bees, the resistance genes spread in the bacterial community so that all strains of bacteria survived," said Gro Amdam, a professor with ASU School of Life Sciences and co-author of the paper. The finding was published in the current issue of the journal Molecular Ecology. In the study, scientists investigated gut bacteria in honey bees to explore the question, "What happens to gut bacteria when they are exposed to antibiotics over a long period of time?" While honey bees have a simpler microbial community in their guts compared to humans, they also have features in common. "There is an important similarity between honey bee and human gut bacteria, in that some bacteria are in symbiosis with the host -- these are important for host health," said Jane Ludvigsen, a doctoral student with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and lead author of the paper. "The bacteria we investigated are symbiotic for the honey bee, and they each have important functions. Because they must all be there for the host to be well, we think this is the reason that antibiotic-resistant genes have spread to all." Overuse of antibiotics In this study, researchers focused on microbes that are resistant to tetracycline. In addition to use in human medicine, tetracycline is an antibiotic that has been widely used for decades to promote growth in animals -- often in chicken, cattle and pig farming. It's also commonly sprayed on plants, including apple and pear trees, to prevent diseases such as fire blight, which can devastate crops. In the U.S., tetracycline has been used even on organic farms. In Norway, rules on antibiotic use in farming of any kind are much stricter. The scientists compared the antibiotic-resistant genes in honey bee populations from Arizona and Norway. There were surprising geographic differences. "In the bees from Arizona, we saw that even though they have not been in contact with tetracycline for many years, the resistance genes are still there," said Ludvigsen. "Also, in the Norwegian population, we found some antibiotic-resistant genes, but few. "I think that if there are more resistance genes in the environment, more transfer happens. Also, if the bees are exposed to tetracycline in their environment, they may need to get and keep the resistance genes. Tetracycline is used still in the U.S., so that might be a trigger. That deserves further study, as it was not the focus of this paper." When the research team studied the antibiotic-resistant genes in the Arizona honey bee population, they found six different variants of this genetic resistance -- each variant is the product of a mutation within the gene. In the bee population in Norway, the team found only one adaptation. Amdam said one way to think about it is this: Tetracycline-resistant microbes are everywhere. They are in the dirt, on plants and animals, and even inside us. But given enough time, without exposure to antibiotics, some of this resistance should go away. One factor needed for antibiotic resistance to remain prevalent is to keep the selective pressure on. This is why Amdam and Ludvigsen say it's important to reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics in both agriculture and farming, and limit unnecessary use in human health as much as possible. Antibiotic-resistant microbes in humans Many people believe that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are mainly found in places such as hospitals. And although dangerous microbes can be found there, they are also found in our everyday environments. "Our paper predicts that if there is already antibiotic resistance in your gut, then most or all of your gut microbes will also carry this resistance. Basically, we've become potent reservoirs for carrying antibiotic-resistant genes," said Amdam. "This is not good news from an epidemiological point of view. If our paper is right, then from what we see in the U.S. and Norway, you can keep accumulating multiple versions of antibiotic-resistant genes. If pathogenic bacteria pass through your body, they can also pick up this resistance." The researchers say one next step could be to study how the bees' gut selects for certain kinds of bacteria, and not others. For example, in humans, we know that the immune system is involved in accommodating the "right" gut bacteria, but the role of the honey bee immune system is largely unknown. ### By PTI: Panaji, Dec 17 (PTI) The necessity of todays world is development and not damage, Nepals former prime minister Khil Raj Regmi said today, raising concerns over the atomic weapons race. Regmi, who headed an interim government in Nepal between 2013-14, said, "The competition in production of atomic weapons is excessive. In many countries, conflicts and tensions prevail which is not appropriate for human society in the 21st century." advertisement Necessity for the world is "not damage but development", he said while speaking at the concluding function of the three-day India Ideas Conclave 2017 in Goa. "This means prosperity and promotion of humanity should be made priorities. The promotion of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) is the main need of the present day," he said. "This concept applies in the relationship of nations and we must focus on mutual coexistence and harmony," Regmi said. The former Nepal prime minister said that society should always promote peace, harmony and values for sustainability and maintenance of scientific development. "Human society can avoid conflict, misunderstanding only when the identity and existence of each other is accepted," he said. PTI RPS BNM ASK ASK --- ENDS --- SAN FRANCISCO (December 18, 2017) - In 2017, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 85 new plant and animal species to the family tree, enriching our understanding of Earth's complex web of life and strengthening our ability to make informed conservation decisions. The new species include 16 flowering plants, one elephant-shrew, 10 sharks, 22 fish, three scorpions, seven ants, 13 nudibranchs, seven spiders, three wasps, one fossil sand dollar, one deepwater coral, and one lizard. More than a dozen Academy scientists--along with several dozen international collaborators--described the discoveries. Proving that our planet contains unexplored places with never-before-recorded plants and animals, the scientists made their finds over five continents and three oceans, venturing into vast deserts, diving to extreme depths, and scouring rugged mountain ranges. Their results help advance the Academy's mission to explore, explain, and sustain life on Earth. "Despite tireless efforts to explore from the far-flung corners of the globe to our backyard crannies," says Dr. Shannon Bennett, Academy Chief of Science, "scientists estimate that more than 90 percent of species have yet to be discovered--with many going extinct before we even know they exist. We are not only losing members of the tree of life; we are also forfeiting potential breakthroughs in medicine, agricultural pollinators, water purifiers, and many other critical components of a healthy planet. Our understanding of sustainable ecosystems--and the diversity of species comprising them--will help us chart a successful way forward for the future of all life on Earth." Below are a few highlights from the 85 new species described by the Academy in 2017. For a full list of species and additional images, please contact press@calacademy.org. Plateau princesses Every spring, plants in the princess flower family color the rocky plateaus in Southeastern Brazil with flowers ranging from shades of purple, magenta, and pink to white, yellow, and orange. "The plants have evolved small, thick leaves to retain water during the dry season and a woody underground root for water storage and weathering periodic fires," says emeritus curator of botany Dr. Frank Almeda. Lavoisiera canastrensis--one of several new species described this year--is critically endangered. This species is known from fewer than a dozen populations that grow on a single loaf-like mountaintop in Brazil's Serra da Canastra National Park--their only known habitat on Earth. Roa rumsfeldi from the twilight zone A newly described species of brown-and-white, charismatic butterflyfish made a fantastic, 7,000-mile journey before surprising scientists with its unknown status. Live specimens collected from 360 feet beneath the ocean's surface in the Philippine's Verde Island Passage escaped special notice until a single black fin spine tipped off aquarium biologists back in San Francisco."We named this reef fish Roa rumsfeldi because, as Donald Rumsfeld once said, some things are truly 'unknown unknowns,'" says senior author Dr. Luiz Rocha, Academy curator of ichthyology and co-leader of its Hope for Reefs initiative to research, explore, and sustain global reefs. Roa rumsfeldi joins 21 other fish, including a catfish from China (described by Senior Collections Manager David Catania and Academy research associate Dr. William Poly) and twenty new reef fish (described by Academy research associate Dr. Mark Erdmann, also of Conservation International). Sea slugs galore Academy curator of invertebrate zoology Dr. Terry Gosliner has discovered one thousand species of sea slugs (and counting)--over half of all species known to science--and this year he formally describes 13 of his finds. Eight of the new species were described from the Philippines and are members of the bat-wing family. Unlike most sea slugs, they are capable of swimming. "They have tiny 'wings' on the side that they flap to move through the water," says Gosliner. He named one species Siphopteron dumbo given its resemblance to the famed flying elephant. Three new species join the club-tailed scorpions A painstaking revision of a large group of Neotropical "club-tailed" scorpions led to three new descriptions of colorful species (and two new groups) hailing from the tropical regions of North, Central, and South America. "One wild thing about this group is that many species have the unique ability to make sounds by rubbing a specialized comb-like structure against their sandpaper-like abdomen," says arachnology curator Dr. Lauren Esposito. She says the warning is audible to the human ear, "sounding like a hiss, or a maraca shaking," and is likely a loud way to tell predators: back off. Meet night blooms, where bats loom For one month out of the year, a rare flowering tree in the Oaxaca region of Mexico opens creamy white blooms around mid-afternoon. Hummingbirds visit until the light fades, and at dusk, bats arrive to pollinate throughout the night. By dawn, the flowers have dropped and the tree--recently named Louteridium dendropilosum by emeritus botany curator Dr. Tom Daniel--is already preparing a fresh set of blooms for the next afternoon. Welcome back to an elephant-shrew In a triumphant return, Academy scientists elevated a subspecies of elephant-shrew known as Rhynchocyon stuhlmanni back to its original full species status. These small mammals are more closely related to elephants, sea cows, and aardvarks than to true shrews. "Understanding the evolutionary relationships among elephant-shrews has proven particularly challenging given they have relatively few differentiating physical traits," says co-author and mammalogy curator Dr. Jack Dumbacher. "Cutting-edge genetic tools paired with preserved museum specimens has greatly aided in our ability to make modern discoveries." Ants come marching one by (seven) This year seven new species of ants join the tree of life in their march toward global domination. (Ants rival humans having colonized almost every landmass on Earth.) One new species, collected in Taiwan, was described from the Stigmatomma genus of 'Dracula ants' infamous for drinking the blood of their larvae. "Members of this cryptic group are rarely collected," says postdoctoral researcher Dr. Flavia Esteves. "It's an exciting new species to describe since it spends the entirety of its life beneath the soil or inside rotten logs." Entomology curator Dr. Brian Fisher has uncovered numerous Dracula ants in Madagascar, where he opened the nation's first biodiversity center and has spent two decades researching insect diversity. This year he discovered an additional six species from the island, increasing his impressive career tally to over 1,000 new ant finds. Ghost sharks revealed From "Austin's guitarfish" to the "Long-nosed African spurdog," many recently described species of sharks sound like cartoon characters from a faraway world. Indeed, several new finds from the ghost shark group are "rarely encountered because they inhabit great depths of over 7,000 feet," says ichthyology research associate Dr. David Ebert, who tallied ten new species of sharks and rays this year. "However, as commercial fisheries move into deeper waters these species are being discovered and described at a higher rate than ever." Shapes of the deep In a 2011 deepwater exploration of the Philippines' Verde Island Passage--the "center of the center" of marine biodiversity--a beam trawl drew an octocoral from over 1,000 feet beneath the surface. (Octocorals are distinguished from other corals by the eight tentacles on their polyps.) But it would take close inspection to confirm the denizen of the deep as a new-to-science find. "By using an electron microscope, I was able to pinpoint a distinguishing feature--tiny mineralized structures known as spicules that are common to all octocorals were markedly rectangular in shape," says octocoral expert and invertebrate zoology curator Dr. Gary Williams, who formally described the species as Grasshoffia profundica (which means deep) this year. Peaceful wolf spiders Research associate Dr. Charles Griswold and his team described seven new spiders this year, and two are named in honor of peace. Devendra saama and Devendra amaiti are false wolf spiders that skitter across their only known home in the southern highlands of Sri Lanka. Both names mean peace in the prominent languages of the nation--Sinhalese and Tamil--and were chosen "to express our gratitude that the 26-year civil war has ended and our hope that Sri Lanka continues to live in harmony," says Griswold. ### About Research at the California Academy of Sciences The Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability at the California Academy of Sciences is at the forefront of efforts to understand two of the most important topics of our time: the nature and sustainability of life on Earth. Based in San Francisco, the Institute is home to more than 100 world-class scientists, state-of-the-art facilities, and nearly 46 million scientific specimens from around the world. The Institute also leverages the expertise and efforts of more than 100 international Associates and 400 distinguished Fellows. Through expeditions around the globe, investigations in the lab, and analysis of vast biological datasets, the Institute's scientists work to understand the evolution and interconnectedness of organisms and ecosystems, the threats they face around the world, and the most effective strategies for sustaining them into the future. Through innovative partnerships and public engagement initiatives, they also guide critical sustainability and conservation decisions worldwide, inspire and mentor the next generation of scientists, and foster responsible stewardship of our planet. Consumers could be eating "dirty" chlorinated turkey at Christmas if the UK agrees a post-Brexit trade deal with the USA, according to a new briefing paper by leading food policy experts. The team - from the University of Sussex, Cardiff University and City, University of London - found US poultry, washed in up to four chemical disinfectants, does not meet EU safety standards. The academics also found the chemicals are used in the USA to wash fruit, vegetables and fish. They warn that British shoppers would be safer if the UK kept European Union standards and say future controls should be "stricter, not weaker". Professors Erik Millstone (University of Sussex), Tim Lang (City, University of London) and Terry Marsden (Cardiff University) compared current UK and EU standards with those in the USA, and concluded that the use of chemical disinfectants by the US food industry posed risks to consumers and workers in the industry. The question of whether the UK would import chlorine-washed meat after Brexit was raised when US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross warned that a post-Brexit UK-US trade deal would require that the UK abandoned EU standards. Professor Erik Millstone said: "The UK should continue to insist on improving hygiene standards in poultry farms, slaughter houses and meat-cutting plants and not allow standards to decline, nor try relying on chemical disinfectants to reduce the harm that filthy meat can cause. UK consumers would be safer to keep EU standards, and not to accept US disinfectant-washed-but-still-dirty poultry." The new paper - published by the Food Research Collaboration, an inter-university network based at City's Centre for Food Policy - concluded that: Far too few studies have been conducted into disinfectant-washed poultry The available data set is full of holes Some studies have produced data indicating significant risks. US chemicals The turkeys and chickens on sale in the UK this Christmas cannot lawfully be washed with four chemicals that the US poultry trade calls 'pathogen reduction treatments' (PRTs). The briefing paper identifies the set of scientific and policy documents, endorsed by the US Food and Drug Administration, which explain why the country's poultry industry uses these chemicals, and why they are not permitted in the UK or EU. According to the authors, the animal carcasses are washed with disinfectants because when they arrive at US abattoirs and meat cutting plants they are far more contaminated with infectious filth, including excrement, than in the UK's current food supply chain. The UK and EU approach insists that hygiene standards in the supply chain are sufficiently high that they do not need to be chemically disinfected. Statistics cited in the briefing paper show that 97 per cent of chicken breast meat in the USA contains pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli. The US-approved PRT chemicals are used to wash chickens, turkeys, other types of meat as well as fish, fruit and vegetables. They are: peroxyacetic acid, chlorine dioxide, acidified sodium chlorite, and trisodium phosphate (E 339 iii). The authors argue that if the UK allows PRT washed meat, they might then also be allowed for fish, fruit and vegetables. The briefing paper also found: there is evidence PRTs may contribute to the formation of toxic compounds when they interact with poultry flesh; use of PRTs may worsen the chances that disinfectant-resistant bacteria will emerge. Professor Tim Lang said: "We cannot support any weakening of UK food hygiene standards. This is not what UK consumers have voted for or been consulted on. We were shocked when we found that PRTs are allowed to wash fish, fruit and vegetables, as well as poultry. This might put off UK consumers." Recommendations The academics cite a World Health Organisation and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report saying disinfectants "must not be used to mask poor hygienic practices". Professor Terry Marsden said: "This is one of a series of food safety concerns of which consumers need to be aware as the Brexit process continues. The UK needs to improve its intensive food production and processing standards and not put both animals and consumers at risk." The experts make a series of recommendations, including that: the UK commits to at least maintaining safety and quality standards; public health, environmental, animal welfare and consumer organisations should combine to prevent the sale of poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables washed with chemical disinfectants in the UK. ### When scientists recorded a rippling in space-time, followed within two seconds by an associated burst of light observed by dozens of telescopes around the globe, they had witnessed, for the first time, the explosive collision and merger of two neutron stars. The intense cosmological event observed on Aug. 17 also had other reverberations here on Earth: It ruled out a class of dark energy theories that modify gravity, and challenged a large class of theories. Dark energy, which is driving the accelerating expansion of the universe, is one of the biggest mysteries in physics. It makes up about 68 percent of the total mass and energy of the universe and functions as a sort of antigravity, but we don't yet have a good explanation for it. Simply put, dark energy acts to push matter away from each other, while gravity acts to pull matter together. The neutron star merger created gravitational waves - a squiggly distortion in the fabric of space and time, like a tossed stone sending ripples across a pond - that traveled about 130 million light-years through space, and arrived at Earth at almost the same instant as the high-energy light that jetted out from this merger. The gravity waves signature was detected by a network of Earth-based detectors called LIGO and Virgo, and the first intense burst of light was observed by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. That nearly simultaneous arrival time is a very important test for theories about dark energy and gravity. "Our results make significant progress to elucidate the nature of dark energy," said Miguel Zumalacarregui, a theoretical physicist who is part of the Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley. "The simplest theories have survived," he said. "It's really about the timing." He and Jose Maria Ezquiaga, who was a visiting Ph.D. researcher in the Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, participated in this study, which was published Dec. 18 in the journal Physical Review Letters. A 100-year-old "cosmological constant" theory introduced by Albert Einstein in relation to his work on general relativity and some other theories derived from this model remain as viable contenders because they propose that dark energy is a constant in both space and time: Gravitational waves and light waves are affected in the same way by dark energy, and thus travel at the same rate through space. "The favorite explanation is this cosmological constant," he said. "That's as simple as it's going to get." There are some complicated and exotic theories that also hold up to the test presented by the star-merger measurements. Massive gravity, for example - a theory of gravity that assigns a mass to a hypothetical elementary particle called a graviton - still holds a sliver of possibility if the graviton has a very slight mass. Some other theories, though, which held that the arrival of gravitational waves would be separated in time from the arriving light signature of the star merger by far longer periods - stretching up to millions of years - don't explain what was seen, and must be modified or scrapped. The study notes that a class of theories known as scalar-tensor theories is particularly challenged by the neutron-star merger observations, including Einstein-Aether, MOND-like (relating to modified Newtonian dynamics), Galileon, and Horndeski theories, to name a few. With tweaks, some of the challenged models can survive the latest test by the star merger, Zumalacarregui said, though they "lose some of their simplicity" in the process. Zumalacarregui joined the cosmological center last year and is a Marie Sk?odowska-Curie global research fellow who specializes in studies of gravity and dark energy. He began studying whether gravitational waves could provide a useful test of dark energy following the February 2016 announcement that the two sets of gravitational-wave detectors called LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) captured the first confirmed measurement of gravitational waves. Scientists believe those waves were created in the merger of two black holes to create a larger black hole. But those types of events do not produce an associated burst of light. "You need both - not just gravitational waves to help test theories of gravity and dark energy," Zumalacarregui said. Another study, which he published with Ezquiaga and others in April 2017, explored the theoretical conditions under which gravity waves could travel at a different velocity than light. Another implication for this field of research is that, by collecting gravitational waves from these and possibly other cosmological events, it may be possible to use their characteristic signatures as "standard sirens" for measuring the universe's expansion rate. This is analogous to how researchers use the similar light signatures for objects - including a type of exploding stars known as Type Ia supernovae and pulsating stars known as cepheids - as "standard candles" to gauge their distance. Cosmologists use a combination of such measurements to build a so-called distance ladder for gauging how far away a given object is from Earth, but there are some unresolved discrepancies that are likely due to the presence of space dust and imperfections in calculations. Gathering more data from events that generate both gravitational waves and light could also help resolve different measurements of the Hubble constant - a popular gauge of the universe's expansion rate. The Hubble rate calibrated with supernovae distance measurements differs from the Hubble rate obtained from other cosmological observations, Zumalacarregui noted, so finding more standard sirens like neutron-star mergers could possibly improve the distance measurements. The August neutron star merger event presented an unexpected but very welcome opportunity, he said. "Gravitational waves are a very independent confirmation or refutation of the distance ladder measurements," he said. "I'm really excited for the coming years. At least some of these nonstandard dark energy models could explain this Hubble rate discrepancy. "Maybe we have underestimated some events, or something is unaccounted for that we'll need to revise the standard cosmology of the universe," he added. "If this standard holds, we will need radically new theoretical ideas that are difficult to verify experimentally, like multiple universes - the multiverse. However, if this standard fails, we will have more experimental avenues to test those ideas." New instruments and sky surveys are coming online that also aim to improve our understanding of dark energy, including the Berkeley Lab-led Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument project that is scheduled to begin operating in 2019. And scientists studying other phenomena, such as optical illusions in space caused by gravitational lensing - a gravity-induced effect that causes light from distant objects to bend and distort around closer objects - will also be useful in making more precise measurements. "It could change the way we think about our universe and our place in it," Zumalacarregui said. "It's going to require new ideas." ### The researchers are also affiliated with Nordita, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Stockholm University in Sweden; University of Paris-Saclay in France; and the Autonomous University of Madrid. The work was supported by the Spanish State Research Agency, Autonomous University of Madrid, and the Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Global Fellowship Project. Related news: Scientists Decode the Origin of Universe's Heavy Elements in the Light from a Neutron Star Merger New Simulations Could Help in Hunt for Massive Mergers of Neutron Stars, Black Holes Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel Prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov. DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov. Heidelberg, 18 December 2017 - EMBO announces today seven life scientists as recipients of EMBO Installation Grants. These grants will support the early-career researchers in establishing their independent laboratories in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Portugal and Turkey. EMBO Installation Grants are awarded on the basis of scientific excellence and international mobility as the primary selection criteria. Recipients must have spent at least two consecutive years outside the country in which they are planning to establish their research group. EMBO Director Maria Leptin says: "EMBO stands for excellence in the life sciences across Europe. Through the Installation Grants scheme, we encourage young researchers to return or move to countries that find it difficult to compete with large well-funded centers of research in some of the other European countries. We hope to improve the participating countries' competitiveness in European science by helping talented scientists set up laboratories there." "We are pleased to welcome these seven talented researchers to the EMBO community, and look forward to supporting them during this challenging step in their career in order to establish scientific excellence across the whole continent," Leptin adds. Installation Grants are awarded annually. They are funded primarily by the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Portugal and Turkey, the participating Member States of the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC), EMBO's intergovernmental funding body. Each Installation Grantee receives 50,000 euros annually for three to five years from their host country to support the establishment of an independent research group. In addition to financial support, the recipients receive networking opportunities and practical support by becoming part of the EMBO Young Investigator network. The next application deadline for EMBO Installation Grants is 15 April 2018. Recipients of the EMBO Installation Grants 2017 Bruno Costa-Silva, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal Zuzana Keckesova, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, The Czech Republic Ayse Koca Caydasi, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey Elin Org, Estonian Genome Centre, University of Tartu, Estonia Wojciech Pokrzywa, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland Arto Pulk, University or Tartu, Tartu, Estonia Agata Starosta, Marie Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland Selected statistics EMBO has supported 94 group leaders through Installation Grants since 2006 The 2017 grantees will establish two laboratories each in Poland and Estonia, and one each in the Czech Republic, Portugal an Turkey The 2017 Installation Grantees include four women and three men ### About EMBO EMBO is an organization of more than 1700 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences. The major goals of the organization are to support talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulate the exchange of scientific information, and help build a European research environment where scientists can achieve their best work. EMBO helps young scientists to advance their research, promote their international reputations and ensure their mobility. Courses, workshops, conferences and scientific journals disseminate the latest research and offer training in techniques to maintain high standards of excellence in research practice. EMBO helps to shape science and research policy by seeking input and feedback from our community and by following closely the trends in science in Europe. For more information: http://www.embo.org About EMBC The European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC) is an intergovernmental organization comprising 29 member states. EMBC promotes a strong transnational approach to the life sciences. Within EMBC, member states pool their resources to improve the quality of research at a national level and to contribute to the advancement of basic research in Europe. For more information: http://www.embc.embo.org Dark nights offer best chance of survival for sixbar wrasse leaving the open ocean for the reef, but risky moonlit swims may grant a fitness edge to survivors Parents' choices about when to breed have lifelong consequences for offspring. For the sixbar wrasse, the flexibility of babies to delay their critical swim towards adulthood frees adults to spawn more often, say ecologists in a new research report in the Ecological Society of America's journal Ecology. A delay of a few days sets up differences in experience that could have far reaching consequences for fishes' lifetime success. In a species that can choose its sex, consequences could include which fish grows large enough to compete as a male and produce the most offspring. Sixbar wrasse hatch at sea and spend about seven weeks in open water before they must make a dangerous dash for their adult home on a coral reef. The first to arrive can avoid the crowds and are more likely to survive. "Presumably, the early arrivers can get the lay of the land and select the best hiding spots," said first author Jeff Shima, a professor at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Moonlit nights, full of watchful predators, are not safe for small reef fish. Baby sixbars that arrived on the reef during the full moon or as it waxed past the first quarter were more likely to disappear. Fish that settled in the last quarter had the best chance of survival, Shima and his coathors found. "Baby fish making their way back to the reef must traverse a dangerous wall of mouths. Most will attempt this journey at night, during the new moon, under the cover of darkness," Shima said. Babies that arrived on the reef during the moon's last quarter, the researchers discovered, were 10 percent larger than other new arrivals. The researchers concluded that that these fish were larger because they were older. These babies may have delayed departure for up to 8 days to avoid travel on bright full moon nights. The sixbar wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke) is a common inhabitant of coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly the shallow lagoons of Moorea Island in French Polynesia (1730? S, 14950? W), 17 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Tahiti. A 60-kilometer barrier reef encloses a beautiful, bright blue lagoon around the steep, green slopes of the old volcano. Sixbars settle in the lagoon on small reef patches, surrounded by sand, rock, or cobble, that have grown from the lagoon bottom. "We are interested how the timing of spawning and the developmental decisions of offspring sets some individuals on a pathway to greater reproductive success. Are the most successful fish born at just the right time or did they make decisions that made them a winner?" Shima said. To give both their eggs and themselves the best chance of avoiding predators that hunt by sight, sixbars meet to mate at the edge of the reef, on outgoing tides. They court on reef promontories where their fertilized eggs will be swiftly swept out to sea. Sixbars might be expected to avoid courting at times of the month that place their babies on a schedule to settle back to the reef during a full moon, but that does not appear to be their strategy. Nor do they always time their courtships to bring their babies back to the reef when the moon is dark. In the twenty-odd years Shima has studied sixbar wrasse and coral reef ecosystems, he has seen fish spawning across all periods of the lunar cycle. Baby fish, however, seemed to return to take up residence on the reef in higher numbers at the new moon, when the night is darkest. "If there really is a good time for babies to come back onto the reef, why are adults spawning all the time?" To investigate this question, Shima and his colleagues dug into old data collected in 2004 and 2005. The researchers had measured the size of young sixbars, which could give a good approximation of the fishes' ages, because juveniles grow at a steady rate. The data tracked the fates of 1038 sixbar wrasse dwelling in 192 small patches of reef. For six lunar cycles in January through July of 2004 and five lunars cycles from February to June of 2005, researchers returned every few days to observe the number and size of juvenile sixbars in residence. They could identify new arrivals as the smallest fish on the reef (9-13 millimeters), with colorless bodies, and a characteristic tendency to hunker down under coral or seaweed during their first days on the reef. Baby sixbars spend an average 47 days at sea before surfing over Moorea's barrier reef and dashing 100 to 1000 meters through the lagoon to find a safe coral nook. More than half arrived during the new moon. A quarter made the trip during the moon's first quarter. But arrivals during the last quarter and full moon were much lower than would be expected by chance, averaging less than a sixth and eighth of arrivals during the lunar cycle. The simplest explanation was that few migrating baby sixbars evaded predators on moonlit nights. But the larger size of babies arriving to settle on the reef during the moon's last quarter suggested unlucky babies that turned 47-days-old at the full moon could choose to wait until a waning moon, or opportune cloudy night, gave them a better chance of reaching the reef uneaten. Shima and his team are now working on refining the age estimates for young sixbar reef settlers by examining tiny structures in the inner ear called otoliths. Built, like shells, from calcium carbonate, otoliths grow a visible ring of new material every day, serving as tiny chronometers in the heads of every fish. There might be advantages to spawning under an inauspicious moon. Fewer babies may survive a journey over the barrier reef during the full moon, but those that do face less competition from rivals of the same age. This could give them a fitness edge. "It's possible that some parents are positioning their offspring to settle early, and beat the rush," Shima said. He and his students have some preliminary results suggesting that larger females spawn at different times of the lunar month. Switching sex seems fairly easy for wrasses, which have relatively simple internal plumbing, Shima says. As baby fishes grow, most will become female because they can be assured of mating opportunities with males who are always ready and willing. If a good opportunity presents itself, the largest females can switch to male. For males, mating is highly competitive. Male wrasses are territorial, protecting either a harem of females or a prime mating promontory, depending on the species. Successful males get to breed many more times per day, with many different females--giving a greatly increased reproductive success. Unlike salmon, which die after they spawn, wrasse breed many times during their lifetimes, giving them opportunity to employ a portfolio of reproductive strategies. By spreading the birth of their offspring throughout the lunar cycle, parents could be hedging their reproductive bets, putting some money on safety and some on high stakes winners. Shima says his results may not surprise other ecologists working on coral reefs. He and his coauthors have quantified behaviors that other scientists have observed in reef fishes for years. But he thinks the implications of these differing developmental histories may be underestimated. "It suggests that there is a lot of variation in the players, the individual fish that arrive at the reef and interact and compete and try to avoid being eaten. Each individual carries the 'baggage' of its own birthdate and developmental history. Some of these factors could explain the demographic variation among individuals and the social dominance hierarchies that play out in these systems." Shima is a parent of four children himself, and says he can't resist drawing analogies to parenting strategies. "I think parents naturally worry about many decisions they make, and how these may be detrimental to their own children. It is reassuring to know that offspring are resilient, and have real capacity to improve their lot in life." ### Journal Article: Shima, J. S., Noonburg, E. G., Swearer, S. E., Alonzo, S. H. and Osenberg, C. W. (2017), Born at the right time? A conceptual framework linking reproduction, development, and settlement in reef fish. Ecology. (Early View online ahead of print) doi:10.1002/ecy.2048 Author Contact: Jeff Shima Jeffrey.Shima@vuw.ac.nz *New Zealand Daylight Time = UTC+13 hours Authors: S. Shima, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand G. Noonburg, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, Florida, USA E. Swearer, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia H. Alonzo, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, California, USA W. Osenberg: Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA ### The Ecological Society of America, founded in 1915, is the world's largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge, committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The 9,000 member Society publishes five journals and a membership bulletin and broadly shares ecological information through policy, media outreach, and education initiatives. The Society's Annual Meeting attracts 4,000 attendees and features the most recent advances in ecological science. Visit the ESA website at http://www.esa.org. About 95 million years ago, a river turtle adapted to marine environments and made an extraordinary migration from the ancient continent of Gondwana, which grouped what is now Africa and South America, to Laurasia, the Northern continental mass of which Europe, Asia and North America were part. Its remains, found in the town of Algora in Guadalajara and in Portugal, are the evidence of the first known dispersal event of a turtle from Gondwana. The researchers themselves call the turtle 'traveler', but the journey of Algorachelus peregrinus, as they have called it, did not start in Algora (Guadalajara-Spain), where it was recently discovered, but in Africa during the Upper Cretaceous. "It is not just any turtle, but, as the name suggests, it gives us the necessary clues to describe how a successful migration occurred about 95 million years ago; this journey would have drastic consequences," explains Adan Perez -Garcia, researcher in the Evolutionary Biology Group of the UNED, the National University of Distance Education (Spain), to Sinc. Millions of years ago, the distribution of the continents was not as we know it now. The rupture of Pangea -the supercontinent formed about 300 million years ago- gave rise to two large continental masses: Gondwana -in which the current Africa and South America, among other regions- joined together and Laurasia - which included North to Europe and North America, among others. "This geographic isolation allowed the development of lineages of independent animals in both continental masses," says Perez-Garcia, the only author of the study published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. From the Jurassic the turtles were classified into two groups: Cryptodira (terrestrial, marine and freshwater) and Pleurodira (rivers and coastal environments). The 'traveler' turtle, now extinct, belongs to the latter and its origin was African. But, according to the finding, these reptiles adapted from purely freshwater environments to coastal marine environments. "That's how they moved to Laurasia, specifically to Europe, much earlier than previously considered," the paleontologist points out. The first turtles that arrived in Europ These turtles settled in the new continent, where they became the queens of rivers and coastal environments and became very abundant and diverse until the end of the Mesozoic, about 65 million years ago. Proof of this is the identification of a skull and numerous fossils, including carapaces, in Guadalajara, which make this turtle the best represented Pleurodira of the European Mesozoic record. In another study, published in the Cretaceous Research journal, the discovery of other fossil remains of a shell in Nazare (Portugal) has allowed to provide more data on this migration from Africa. "Its discovery has allowed us to know that the faunal replacement had already begun at that time. Algorachelus corresponds to the first form of Pleurodira recognized in the continents of the northern hemisphere (Laurasia)," emphasizes Perez-Garcia, also the first author of this work. According to the scientists, among who researchers from the University of Alcala and Portuguese centers are also included, the journey of the turtle was a "success" because it did not end in Spain. Algorachelus and other turtles closely related to her continued their journey to the United States. ### References: Adan Perez-Garcia. "A new turtle taxon (Podocnemidoidea, Bothremydidae) reveals the oldest known dispersal event of the crown Pleurodira from Gondwana to Laurasia" Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 15(9):709-731, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2016.1228549 (2017) Perez-Garcia et al. "A bothremydid from the middle Cenomanian of Portugal identified as one of the oldest pleurodiran turtles in Laurasia" Cretaceous Research 78 (2017) 61e70 Brazilian researcher develops innovative method of laser welding at high temperatures that enhances properties of AHS steel for applications in automotive and aerospace industries The automotive industry's demand for high-performance alloys known as advanced high-strength (AHS) steels has increased in recent years owing to increasingly tough passenger safety, vehicle performance and fuel economy requirements. Characterized by improved formability and collision resilience compared to conventional steel grades, high-strength steels have been used in critical safety locations in car body structures to absorb energy from impacts. However, some of these high-strength alloys tend to become brittle as a result of welding and may break when submitted to the hot stamping and forming required by many manufacturing processes. "This problem makes it impossible to use AHS steel not only in the automotive industry but also in other industries such as aerospace," said Milton Sergio Fernandes de Lima, a researcher at the Brazilian Air Force Command's Institute for Advanced Studies (IEAv). To address this issue, Lima has developed an innovative method of high-temperature laser welding for AHS steel appropriate for aerospace applications. The results, obtained while Lima was a visiting fellow at the Colorado School of Mines in the United States with support from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP, have now been published in Welding Journal. The technique developed by Lima consists of heating sheets of 22MnB5 steel - the most promising AHS grade for hot stamping and forming - to approximately 450 C ten minutes before laser welding to equalize the temperatures. The sheets are kept at a high temperature for another ten minutes after welding to produce a bainitic structure. Metallurgists have discovered that bainite, a microconstituent that forms in steel under certain conditions, is the best candidate to produce tough and reliable weld joints. In particular, it displays high values for yield and tensile strengths. Analysis showed that sheets welded at this high temperature contained bainite and were far tougher than sheets welded at room temperature, which contained martensite, a microconstituent with lower yield and tensile strengths than bainite. Stress tests also demonstrated the resilience of sheets welded at high temperature. "We succeeded in producing tough weldments directly in the bainitic band without any need for additional heat treatment," Lima said. Possible applications According to Lima, the technique can easily be applied in manufacturing to improve laser welding of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel. The automotive industry uses laser welding to join steel blanks and stamped structural body parts such as pillars, beams, rails, frames, tunnels and bars faster and more reliably than with conventional welding. In the aerospace industry, laser welding is used by aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus, as well as some smaller European firms, to enhance weldment reliability in structures for aircraft, rockets, missiles, satellites, re-entry vehicles, antennas, onboard systems and drones. "Laser-welded structures in this industry have to be able to withstand high temperature and external pressure," Lima said. "Hence the need for very high levels of reliability." Although the studies are in the early stages, bainitic steel is expected to be an excellent material for shielding and armoring because of its high capacity to absorb mechanical energy, he added. "Many materials developed by the aerospace industry have never flown because they fail to meet the industry's necessarily high-reliability requirements," Lima said. "But byproducts of these materials may have applications and be easily introduced in other areas, such as the automotive industry." Lima is currently engaged in a project, also supported by FAPESP, to prove the feasibility of his technique in Brazil and use it for laser welding of maraging steel, an essential ingredient in Brazilian rocket and missile engines. ### About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. For more information: http://www.fapesp.br/en. FRANKFURT. In 1970, a team led by French ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau recovered an unusual stalactite from the depths of the famous Blue Hole in the Caribbean Sea. In the current issue of the "Journal of Sedimentary Research", geoscientist Eberhard Gischler of Goethe University Frankfurt explains what it reveals about our climate since the last ice age. At the time, Jacques Cousteau's divers did not find any visible traces of living organisms in the mysterious Blue Hole. They did, however, find a large number of stalactites such as are known from karst caves. These are formed through the dissolution of limestone. Today the 125-metre-deep Blue Hole off the coast of Belize is flooded by the sea. Frankfurt geoscientist Eberhard Gischler has been researching in Belize for over 25 years. He was given the unusual sample two years ago by Professor Robert Ginsburg at the University of Miami, with whom he worked in the 1990s as a postdoctoral researcher. Robert Ginsburg had in turn been given the stalactite by Jacques Cousteau immediately after it was found. Back then, he had the sample sawn into pieces and began to examine it together with marine geologist Bob Dill. Work did not, however, progress beyond a preliminary analysis. Added to this, the largest pieces of the stalactite went missing when the Ginsburg laboratory moved premises. The cross section now being examined is the last specimen from Cousteau's stalactite. After almost 50 years, when the Blue Hole stalactite was in danger of being forgotten, Gischler, together with physicists from Goethe University Frankfurt and colleagues from the universities of Mainz, Hamburg and El Paso (USA) as well as GEOMAR in Kiel, has unveiled its secret. By contrast to most stalactites, the outer layers of the Blue Hole stalactite are composed of marine deposits. Its concentric layers allow a detailed reconstruction of the climate in the late Pleistocene and the Holocene (the period from about 20,000 years ago to the present day). For example, the core formed during freshwater influx indicates surprisingly dry conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum and the following period (approximately 20,000 to 12,000 years before our time). The marine layers formed when the karst cave and the stalactite were flooded after the ice age by rising sea levels, i.e. over the last 11,000 years. "Detailed climate reconstruction is, however, rendered difficult by the fact that the stalactite layers formed both on land as well as in seawater developed under the influence of microbial activity," explains Eberhard Gischler. The researchers are now decoding the types of microbial activity that influenced calcium precipitation during the stalactite's formation. On the basis of this study, it will be possible in future to make better use of the potential that stalactites with a complex formation history offer for the reconstruction of paleo-environmental conditions. Together with doctoral researcher Dominik Schmitt, Gischler is currently working on other deposits in the shape of sediment drill cores up to 9 metres long, which were extracted from the floor of the Blue Hole in August. The sludge-like bottom sediment from the Blue Hole shows fine annual layering and will be used as a high-resolution storm and climate archive. ### Shown in the picture is a cross section of the remarkable "Cousteau Stalactite", which was originally 2.84 metres long and weighed about a ton. It can meanwhile be found at the Department of Geosciences of Goethe University Frankfurt. A picture as well as the cover of the "Journal of Sedimentary Research" with an aerial photograph of the Blue Hole can be downloaded from: http://www.uni-frankfurt.de/69629053 Every generation has a tendency to despair at the next one's perceived shortcomings, and Chinese society is no different in this regard. The "Little Emperor" generation - those born during China's strict one-child policy, have been judged by many weary elders as spoilt and tantrum prone due to the overwhelming attention bestowed on them by doting families. However, new research from Hiroshima University's Associate Professor Yoshihiko Kadoya suggests that - in the workplace at least - the one-child generation is just as cooperative as preceding generations of Chinese workers. The study, the first to compare workplace cooperativeness between those born before 1979 when the one-child policy was implemented, and the one-child generation increasingly working alongside them, thus challenges earlier predictions that this pampered cohort would be the most self-centred in China's history - resulting in the overturning of millennia-old Chinese ethics of morality and order. Dr. Kadoya from HU's Department of Economics based his findings on face-to-face interviews, conducted by Osaka University, with workers aged 20-70-years-old in six major Chinese cities. Interviewees were asked to respond to the statement, "At work, I should follow the opinion of the group". The average score of "willingness to cooperate" in the workplace, based on responses, was found to be 3.86 on a five-point scale, where one indicated complete disagreement and five indicated complete agreement - showing that Chinese workers as a whole are seemingly very cooperative. When the results were broken down into generations, workers born before the one-child policy were found to have a cooperativeness score of 3.89 - and those born during the policies implementation a score of 3.8, showing no real difference in willingness to pull one's own weight in the workplace. To check the robustness of these results an alternative measure of cooperativeness took into account personality traits and also found no discernible difference between the two generations. When Dr. Kadoya compared these findings with an international survey asking participants in the USA and Japan to respond to the same statement, the "little emperor" generation was also found to be significantly more cooperative than their overseas peers. Interestingly, while previous research suggested that the one-child generation is in fact more self-centered and individualistic in their private lives than their for-bearers, this independent streak appears to be discarded at the workplace door. Dr. Kadoya puts this dichotomy in character down to China's Confucian heritage - a belief system that requires workers to be loyal to their employers, and which considers work the pivot on which life revolves. Further, he believes this study - published in the Journal of the Asia-Pacific Economy - has real implications for the management of human resources in Chinese workplaces, "Management of workplace diversity and the promotion of a cooperative work culture is important if organizations are to achieve their objectives. Our study suggests that increasing the share of one-child generation workers in a given workforce is not going to negatively affect cooperation amongst workers - therefore companies should not be put off giving "little emperors" a chance to prove themselves on the office or factory floor". ### WINNIPEG, Dec. 18, 2017--Lakes suffering from harmful algal blooms may not respond to reduced, or even discontinued, artificial nitrogen loading. Many blue-green algae responsible for algal blooms can fix atmospheric nitrogen dissolved in the water, and therefore water stewards should focus their efforts on removing phosphorus from lakes to combat algal blooms. This is according to a recently published article in Springer's Ecosystems journal, Biological Nitrogen Fixation Prevents the Response of a Eutrophic Lake to Reduced Loading of Nitrogen: Evidence from a 46-Year Whole-Lake Experiment. The paper presents the results of a 46-year whole-ecosystem experiment at IISD Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Since 1969, researchers have been artificially manipulating a lake by adding varying amounts of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus to investigate the nutrients responsible for algal blooms. Throughout the experiment, researchers have been continually adding phosphorus. However, forty years ago, researchers began reducing the amount of nitrogen they were adding to the lake, and from 1990-2013, they cut artificial nitrogen loading to zero. Despite these dramatic cuts in nitrogen loading algal blooms continued to cover the lake. "We have been researching the role of artificial nitrogen in algal blooms for almost 50 years now, and these latest results clearly demonstrate that ceasing nitrogen loading into lakes has little effect on the size or duration of algal blooms," said Dr. Scott Higgins, Research Scientist at IISD Experimental Lakes Area and lead author on the paper. "A number of algal species can make up for nitrogen deficits by fixing atmospheric nitrogen that is dissolved in the water. What is clear here is that phosphorus is the key driver of algal blooms in lake environments," added Higgins. These results have clear implications for policy geared towards reducing algal blooms--especially for jurisdictions dealing with limited budgets. "When governments are tackling algal blooms while working with limited resources, these results demonstrate that their efforts should be firmly focused on reducing phosphorus loading in lakes," said Dr. Michael Paterson, Senior Research Scientist at IISD Experimental Lakes Area, and secondary author on the paper. Algal blooms are unsightly growths on water bodies that can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals, affect drinking water supplies, cause low oxygen 'dead zones' that result in fish kills, and a number of other negative consequences. Many freshwater lakes around the globe, including Lake Erie, Lake Winnipeg and Lake Taihu, have suffered from algal blooms for decades. Research at IISD Experimental Lakes Area, the world's freshwater laboratory, identified phosphorus as the leading cause of algal blooms in lakes back in the 1970s, in a groundbreaking experiment on a whole lake ecosystem. ### For more information, and to arrange an interview with the scientists, contact: Sumeep Bath, Media and Communications Officer, IISD Experimental Lakes Area, sbath@iisd.ca or 1-204-958-7700 ext. 740 New Rochelle, NY, December 18, 2017-- A new study evaluating a form of Chinese massage, tuina, in patients with chronic neck pain found it to be effective, safe, and cost-effective compared to no treatment. The study, which assessed intensity of neck pain, disability, health-related quality of life, medication use, and cost, is published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM), a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on JACM website. One of the top researchers in complementary and integrative medicine globally, Claudia Witt, Dr. med., MD, MBA, Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin (Germany), University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich (Switzerland), and University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD) and colleagues from Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin and Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (China) coauthored the article entitled "Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Tuina for Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Tuina with a No-Intervention Waiting List." Patients with chronic neck pain were randomly assigned to receive either no treatment or six sessions of tuina over 3 weeks, a therapeutic approach that involves manual manipulation of the soft tissue and backbone using mainly stroking, kneading, and drumming techniques. The researchers reported a clinically relevant decrease in mean neck pain intensity and improved function and physical quality of life among the group that received tuina. Based on the differences between the two groups, tuina treatment appeared to be relatively cost-effective. Said Dr. Witt: "The results are promising and call for further research on tuina." "The value found for tuina in this study has an additional implication," says JACM Editor-in-Chief John Weeks, johnweeks-integrator.com, Seattle, WA. He adds: "Inclusion in payment and delivery programs of Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners who are trained in tuina may offer a one-two punch - acupuncture needles and Chinese massage - in efforts to shift to cost-effective non-pharmacologic approaches for chronic pain treatment." ### About the Journal The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM) is a monthly peer-reviewed journal published online with open access options and in print. Led by John Weeks (johnweeks-integrator.com), the Co-founder and past Executive Director of the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health, JACM provides observational, clinical, and scientific reports and commentary intended to help healthcare professionals, delivery organization leaders, and scientists evaluate and integrate therapies into patient care protocols and research strategies. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on JACM website. About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Alternative and Complementary Therapies, Medical Acupuncture, and Journal of Medicinal Food. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website. ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic has been named a Center of Excellence by Angioma Alliance for treatment and research into cerebral cavernous angiomas. These abnormally shaped blood vessels in the brain or spine have the appearance of raspberries or a small cluster of grapes. They can cause symptoms such as bleeding, seizures, motor problems, memory problems and muscle weakness. They go by many names, such as cerebral cavernous malformations, cavernous hemangiomas and cavernomas. Cerebral cavernous malformations are rare, occurring in about 1 of every 500 to 600 people, or 0.2 percent of the general population, according to the Angioma Alliance. They can occur in children, but symptoms typically appear for the first time when a person is in his or her 20s or 30s. "Cavernous malformations are rare -- even to a neurologist or neurosurgeon," says Kelly Flemming, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist, who is medical director of Mayo's Center of Excellence and a member of the Angioma Alliance Scientific Advisory Board. "Having coordinated care by providers familiar with the disease is very important to patients." Most cerebral cavernous malformations occur as a single formation, without an apparent cause and without any family history. Some occur following focal brain radiation therapy. But roughly 20 percent of affected people have an inherited form of the disorder. For patients who aren't experiencing symptoms, treatment may be observation to watch for changes in the malformation. For those experiencing seizures or other symptoms, treatment may include medications or surgery. "It is important for patients to be evaluated in centers where there is in-depth expertise in all of the different aspects of their care," says Giuseppe Lanzino, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon who is co-director of Mayo's Center of Excellence. Criteria for certification of Centers of Excellence were created by Angioma Alliance staff with input from patients. Centers of Excellence offer multidisciplinary care for patients who often are burdened with coordinating multiple appointments with different medical specialists. Patients with cavernous malformation are seen at Mayo Clinic sites in Rochester, Phoenix and Jacksonville, Florida. Because of patient volume criteria, Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus received the Center of Excellence designation. "We are pleased to recognize the Center of Excellence team at Mayo Clinic for the outstanding care they have been providing to our patients," says Connie Lee, Psy.D., president and CEO, Angioma Alliance. "We also appreciate the investment they have made in researching cerebral cavernous malformations, paving the way for better treatments in the future. Angioma Alliance sets a high bar for Centers of Excellence, and Mayo Clinic joins a select group that has surpassed our expectations." Drs. Flemming and Lanzino, and other Mayo Clinic investigators engage in research to try to identify the risk factors that increase the risk of bleeding from this condition. ### About Angioma Alliance Angioma Alliance's mission is to inform, support and empower individuals affected by cavernous angioma and drive research for better treatments and a cure. Its mission is achieved through a variety of programs, including peer support, patient advocacy, a DNA/tissue bank to provide materials for the medical community, an Annual International Scientific Meeting and direct support of research that will lead to noninvasive cures for cerebral cavernous malformations. About Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, comprehensive care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org. By encapsulating bilirubin within tiny nanoparticles, researchers from North Carolina State University and the Ohio State University have improved the survival rates of pancreatic islet cells in vitro in a low-oxygen environment. The work has implications for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes in both canine and human patients. Patients with Type 1 diabetes are unable to produce enough insulin naturally. One treatment for Type 1 diabetes is pancreatic islet transplantation, in which groups of cells from a donor pancreas are transplanted into the patient -- where they can sense glucose levels and produce insulin to control diabetes. Islet transplantation is currently the only non-invasive curative treatment for the disease; however, the main drawback is the high rate of cell death after transplantation. Unlike an organ transplant, where the organ is connected directly to blood vessels and has an immediate oxygen supply, transplanted islet cells are simply injected into the recipient's bloodstream and lodge in small veins in the liver, a low-oxygen environment in which up to 70 percent of the transplanted cells die within 72 hours of the procedure. Chris Adin, currently an associate professor of soft tissue and oncologic surgery at NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine and previously at Ohio State, thought that the answer to saving these transplanted islet cells might lie in a naturally occurring antioxidant - bilirubin. "Bilirubin is a molecule found in every cell in our body," says Adin, "and while too much of it can be harmful, it can be beneficial if we supplement cells with just the right amount of this molecule." So Adin set out to see if adding bilirubin to the islet cells would increase their transplant survival rates. The main obstacle was in delivering the bilirubin to the cells of interest. Since the molecule is not very soluble in water, it couldn't be effectively taken up by the cells if it was simply added to the solution they were in. Xiaoming He, professor of biomedical engineering at Ohio State, partnered with Adin to design a delivery vehicle for the bilirubin. They came up with a nanocapsule made from Pluronic 127-chitosan that would enclose the bilirubin molecule, be taken up by the islet cell, and release the bilirubin inside the cell. He and Adin tested their particles in vitro on islet cells that had been grown in culture and exposed to low-oxygen environments. They found that a dose of 5 micromolar bilirubin had the maximum protective benefit while still preserving the islet cells' function. In those treated cells, the low-oxygen death rate was only 18 percent. "The cell death rate from islet transplants has been the major roadblock to this procedure's usefulness," says Adin. "These nanocapsules provide a bilirubin delivery method that allows targeted dosing, preserving both the cells and their functionality." Adin's next steps include creating a treatment program for canine patients which can serve as a model for humans. "There are between 400,000 and 800,000 dogs in the U.S. with Type 1 diabetes," he says. "Figuring out a treatment for dogs will not only alleviate their suffering, but could lead to improved treatments for humans as well." ### The work appears in the journal Cell Transplantation. Adin is corresponding author. Veterinarian Chen Gilor, veterinary resident Bronwyn Fullagar, postdoctoral student Wei Rao and lab technician Feng Xu, all of Ohio State University, contributed to the work. Note to editors: An abstract of the paper follows. "Nano-Encapsulation of Bilirubin in Pluronic F127-Chitosan Improves Uptake in Beta Cells and Increases Islet Viability and Function after Hypoxic Stress" DOI: 10.1177/0963689717735112 Authors: Bronwyn Fullagar, Wei Rao, Chen Gilor, Feng Xu, Xiaoming He, Ohio State University; Christopher A. Adin, North Carolina State University Published: Cell Transplantation Abstract: Pancreatic islet transplantation is the only curative, non-invasive treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus; however, high rates of cell death in the immediate post-implantation period has limited the success of this procedure. Bilirubin, an endogenous antioxidant, can improve survival of murine pancreatic allografts during hypoxic stress, but has poor solubility in aqueous solutions. We hypothesized that nano-encapsulation of bilirubin in Pluronic 127-chitosan nanoparticles (nBR) would improve uptake by murine pancreatic islet cells and improve their viability following hypoxic stress. Nano-bilirubin was synthesized and drug release characteristics were studied in vitro. Cellular uptake of nBR was compared to free bilirubin (fBR) in an insulinoma cell line (INS-R3) model using confocal-like structured illumination microscopy. Next, C57BL/6 mouse islets were treated with concentrations of 0-20?M of nBR, fBR or empty NP (eNP), prior to incubation under standard or hypoxic conditions. Islet viability and function compared between treatment groups. Release of bilirubin was greatest from nBR suspended in protein-rich solution. Increased, selective uptake of nBR by INS-R3 cells was demonstrated. Cell death after hypoxic stress was significantly decreased in murine islets treated with 5?M nBR (18.5% +/- 14.1) compared to untreated islets (33.5% +/- 17.5%, P = 0.019), with reduction of central necrosis. Treatment group had a significant effect on glucose stimulation index (p=0.0137) and islets treated with 5?M nBR had the highest SI overall. Delivery of bilirubin using Pluronic F127-chitosan NP improves uptake by murine islets compared to fBR and offers dose-dependent protective effects following hypoxic stress. Speeding through the atmosphere high above Jupiter's equator is an east-west jet stream that reverses course on a schedule almost as predictable as a Tokyo train's. Now, a NASA-led team has identified which type of wave forces this jet to change direction. Similar equatorial jet streams have been identified on Saturn and on Earth, where a rare disruption of the usual wind pattern complicated weather forecasts in early 2016. The new study combines modeling of Jupiter's atmosphere with detailed observations made over the course of five years from NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility, or IRTF, in Hawai'i. The findings could help scientists better understand the dynamic atmosphere of Jupiter and other planets, including those beyond our solar system. "Jupiter is much bigger than Earth, much farther from the Sun, rotates much faster, and has a very different composition, but it turns out to be an excellent laboratory for understanding this equatorial phenomenon," said Rick Cosentino, a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and lead author of the paper published in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets. Earth's equatorial jet stream was discovered after observers saw debris from the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano being carried by a westward wind in the stratosphere, the region of the atmosphere where modern airplanes achieve cruising altitude. Later, weather balloons documented an eastward wind in the stratosphere. Scientists eventually determined that these winds reversed course regularly and that both cases were part of the same phenomenon. The alternating pattern starts in the lower stratosphere and propagates down to the boundary with the troposphere, or lowest layer of the atmosphere. In its eastward phase, it's associated with warmer temperatures. The westward phase is associated with cooler temperatures. The pattern is called Earth's quasi-biennial oscillation, or QBO, and one cycle lasts about 28 months. The phase of the QBO seems to influence the transport of ozone, water vapor and pollution in the upper atmosphere as well as the production of hurricanes. Jupiter's cycle is called the quasi-quadrennial oscillation, or QQO, and it lasts about four Earth years. Saturn has its own version of the phenomenon, the quasi-periodic oscillation, with a duration of about 15 Earth years. Researchers have a general understanding of these patterns but are still working out how much various types of atmospheric waves contribute to driving the oscillations and how similar the phenomena are to each other. Previous studies of Jupiter had identified the QQO by measuring temperatures in the stratosphere to infer wind speed and direction. The new set of measurements is the first to span one full cycle of the QQO and covers a much larger area of Jupiter. Observations extended over a large vertical range and spanned latitudes from about 40 degrees north to about 40 degrees south. The team achieved this by mounting a high-resolution instrument called TEXES, short for Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph, on the IRTF. "These measurements were able to probe thin vertical slices of Jupiter's atmosphere," said co-author Amy Simon, a Goddard scientist who specializes in planetary atmospheres. "Previous data sets had lower resolution, so the signals were essentially smeared out over a large section of the atmosphere." The team found that the equatorial jet extends quite high into Jupiter's stratosphere. Because the measurements covered such a large region, the researchers could eliminate several kinds of atmospheric waves from being major contributors to the QQO, leaving gravity waves as the primary driver. Their model assumes gravity waves are produced by convection in the lower atmosphere and travel up into the stratosphere, where they force the QQO to change direction. The results of simulations were an excellent match to the new set of observations, indicating that they correctly identified the mechanism. On Earth, gravity waves are considered most likely to be responsible for forcing the QBO to change direction, though they don't appear to be strong enough to do the job alone. "Through this study we gained a better understanding of the physical mechanisms coupling the lower and upper atmosphere in Jupiter, and thus a better understanding of the atmosphere as a whole," said Raul Morales-Juberias, the second author on the paper and an associate professor at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro. "Despite the many differences between Earth and Jupiter, the coupling mechanisms between the lower and upper atmospheres in both planets are similar and have similar effects. Our model could be applied to study the effects of these mechanisms in other planets of the solar system and in exoplanets." ### More information about Jupiter: http://www.nasa.gov/jupiter More information about NASA's IRTF: http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/ We tend to overstate our negative feelings and symptoms in surveys, shows a new study by a team of psychology researchers. This bias wears off over time, but the results point to the possibility that measurements of health and well-being, which are vital in making medical assessments and in guiding health-related research, may be misinterpreted. "Understanding the magnitude of this bias is essential in accurately interpreting survey results that include subjective reports of feelings and symptoms," says Patrick Shrout, a professor in New York University's Department of Psychology and a co-author of the paper, which appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It's long been understood that survey instruments are imperfect measurements of mood and emotions. However, they nonetheless provide insights into people's preferences, fears, and priorities--information on which policy makers, industry leaders, and health-care professionals rely in their decision-making. Less clear, in particular, is the accuracy of capturing our sentiments over time using repeated measurements, which is a common method to gauge changes in symptoms, attitudes, and well-being. Notably, there have been puzzling findings in the psychological literature that reports of anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms decline over time, regardless of the circumstances of the people being studied. To study this decline, the researchers conducted four separate experiments in which the subjects in each were asked, multiple times, about their anxiety, physical symptoms, and energy level. In three of the four studies, the subjects were facing stressful events and the expectation was that anxiety and physical complaints, such as headaches and sleep disturbance, would be more common as the event drew near. One of these studies focused on recent law school graduates preparing for the bar examination and two others centered on college students who were preparing for difficult pre-med science examinations. The fourth study was a bi-monthly survey of college students over the course of an academic year. All four studies were designed so that groups of subjects gave their first reports at different times relative to the stressful event or academic year. In all studies, the subjects reported more anxiety and symptoms the first time they completed the survey compared to their own later reports. This initial elevation was limited to the first survey day, and it was inconsistent with the course of anxiety and symptoms normally associated with a difficult event. Although previous researchers have assumed the pattern of decline was due to response bias of later reports, Shrout and his colleagues concluded that the pattern of decline over time was likely due to an overstatement of distress and symptoms the first time--rather than an understatement in later times. This is the only explanation that accounted for the fact that anxiety was more elevated four weeks before the exam than three weeks before, they note. Moreover, the law school graduates who were asked to report current anxiety and symptoms for the first time one week after the bar exam had elevation similar to others who had not yet taken the exam. "Because many political and health surveys only ask questions one time, the bias associated with the initial overstatement can be confused with levels of genuine negativity," observes Shrout. ### The study also included researchers from Scotland's University of Aberdeen, Purdue University, Adelphia University, UCLA, Iowa State University, Arizona State University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Columbia University. The research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Mental Health (R01 MH060366) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01 AA017672). WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A "quantum material" that mimics a shark's ability to detect the minute electric fields of small prey has been shown to perform well in ocean-like conditions, with potential applications from defense to marine biology. The material maintains its functional stability and does not corrode after being immersed in saltwater, a prerequisite for ocean sensing. Surprisingly, it also functions well in the cold, ambient temperatures typical of seawater, said Shriram Ramanathan, a Purdue professor of materials engineering. Such a technology might be used to study ocean organisms and ecosystems and to monitor the movement of ships for military and commercial maritime applications. "So, it has potentially very broad interest in many disciplines," said Ramanathan, who led research to develop the sensor, working with a team that included Purdue postdoctoral research associate Zhen Zhang and graduate student Derek Schwanz. Findings are detailed in a research paper appearing online Dec. 18 in the journal Nature. The paper's lead authors were Zhang and Schwanz, working with colleagues at Argonne National Laboratory, Rutgers University, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Canadian Light Source at the University of Saskatchewan, Columbia University, and the University of Massachusetts. A complete list of co-authors is included in the abstract. The new sensor was inspired by an organ near a shark's mouth called the ampullae of Lorenzini, which is capable of detecting small electric fields from prey animals. "This organ is able to interact with its environment by exchanging ions from seawater, imparting the so-called sixth sense to sharks," Zhang said. The organ contains a jelly that conducts ions from seawater to a specialized membrane located at the bottom of the ampulla. Sensing cells in the membrane allow the shark to detect bioelectric fields emitted by prey fish. The new sensor is made of a material called samarium nickelate, which is a quantum material, meaning its performance taps into quantum mechanical interactions. Samarium nickelate is in a class of quantum materials called strongly correlated electron systems, which have exotic electronic and magnetic properties. Because this material can conduct protons very fast, the researchers wondered whether they might develop a sensor that mimics the shark's organ. "We have been working on this for a few years," Ramanathan said. "We show that these sensors can detect electrical potentials well below one volt, on the order of millivolts, which is comparable to electric potentials emanated by marine organisms. The material is very sensitive. We calculated the detection distance of our device and find a similar length scale to what has been reported for electroreceptors in sharks." (A YouTube video is available at https://youtu.be/f3UsD-1qGkE.) The quantum effect causes the material to undergo a dramatic "phase change" from a conductor to an insulator, which allows it to act as a sensitive detector. The material also exchanges mass with the environment, as protons from the water move into the material and then return to the water, going back and forth. "Having a material like that is very powerful," Schwanz said. Metals such as aluminum, for example, immediately form an oxide coating when placed in seawater. The reaction protects against corrosion but prevents further interaction with the environment. "Here, we start with the oxide material and we are able to maintain its functionality, which is very rare," Ramanathan said. The material also changes optical properties, becoming more transparent as it becomes more insulating. "If the material transmits light differently, then you can use light as a probe to study the property of the material and that is very powerful. Now you have multiple ways to study a material, electrically and optically." The material was tested by immersing it in simulated ocean water environments designed to cover the wide ranges of temperature and pH found across earth's oceans. In future work, researchers plan to test the devices in real oceans instead and may team with biologists to apply the technology to broader studies. A technique called neutron reflectometry was performed at NIST. Adding protons to the crystal lattice of the quantum material causes the lattice to swell slightly. Shining a neutron beam on the material allows researchers to detect this swelling and determine that the protons moved into the material. "Neutrons are very sensitive to hydrogen, making neutron reflectometry the ideal technique to determine whether or not the swelling and huge resistance change is caused by hydrogen entering the material from salt water," said Joseph Dura, a NIST physicist. Researchers manufactured the device at Purdue using a method called physical vapor deposition. ### The Purdue portion of the research was funded by the U.S. Army Research Office, Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation. Emil Venere 765-494-4709 venere@purdue.edu Source: Shriram Ramanathan 765-496-0546 shriram@purdue.edu Related Web Sites: Shriram Ramanathan: https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/people/ptProfile?id=126678 IMAGE CAPTION: From left, Purdue University doctoral student Derek Schwanz, professor Shriram Ramanathan and postdoctoral research associate Zhen Zhang, have led work to develop a sensor that mimics a shark's "sixth sense." (Purdue University image/Marshall Farthing) A publication-quality photo is available at https://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/2017/ramanathan-sharksensor.jpg IMAGE CAPTION: The sensor is made from a "quantum material" that, surprisingly, functions well in the cold, ambient temperatures typical of seawater (Purdue University image/Marshall Farthing) A publication-quality photo is available at https://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/2017/ramanathan-sharksensor2.jpg ABSTRACT Perovskite Nickelates as Electric Field Sensors in Salt Water Zhen Zhang1,*, Derek Schwanz1,*, Badri Narayanan2, Michele Kotiuga3, Joseph A. Dura4, Mathew Cherukara2, Hua Zhou5, John W. Freeland5, Jiarui Li6, Ronny Sutarto7, Feizhou He7,Chongzhao Wu8, Jiaxin Zhu9, Yifei Sun1, Koushik Ramadoss1, Stephen S. Nonnenmann9, Nanfang Yu8, Riccardo Comin6, Karin M. Rabe3, Subramanian K. R. S. Sankaranarayanan2, Shriram Ramanathan1 1School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. 2Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 4NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA 5X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA 6Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA 7Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 2V3, Canada 8Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, 10027, USA 9Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to S.R. (email: shriram@purdue.edu) Designing materials for function in harsh environments such as conductive aqueous media is a problem of broad interest to a range of technologies including energy, ocean monitoring and biological applications. Grand challenges include retaining stability and morphology while simultaneously being able to interact dynamically with the surrounding environment that is a prerequisite for any sensing modality. Materials that respond to mild stimuli through collective phase transitions and amplify signals could open up new avenues for sensing. Here, we present the discovery of an electric-field driven water-mediated reversible phase change in a prototypical strongly correlated quantum material, SmNiO3 (SNO)1-3. The material is stable in saltwater, does not corrode, and allows ambient temperature exchange of protons with the surrounding water medium with concurrent modification in electrical resistance and optical properties being capable of multi-modal readout. Besides operating both as a thermistor and pH sensor, this material can detect sub-volt electric potentials in salt water. We postulate that such SNO devices could be used in oceanic environments for monitoring of electrical signals from a variety of maritime vessels and sea creatures. Note to Journalists: A copy of the research paper is available from Emil Venere, Purdue News Service, at 765-494-4709, venere@purdue.edu, or by contacting the Nature Press Office at press@nature.com. A YouTube video is available at https://youtu.be/f3UsD-1qGkE. Other multimedia materials are available on Google Drive at https://goo.gl/RW7moV. The materials were prepared by Erin Easterling, digital producer for the Purdue College of Engineering, 765-496-3388, easterling@purdue.edu. Male professors gave more than twice as many talks as female professors in departments at the country's 50 most prestigious universities during the 2013-2014 academic year, according to new research from Rice University, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the City University of New York. "Gender Disparities in Colloquium Speakers at Top Universities" is published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Departmental talks (or colloquia) are academic presentations in which researchers are invited to a university to present and discuss their work with colleagues and students. Christine Nittrouer, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology at Rice and the study's lead author, said she and her fellow authors decided to research the topic because such talks are important to the careers of academics and the dearth of female speakers at colloquia that they had attended. Michelle Hebl, the Martha and Henry Malcolm Lovett Chair of Psychology at Rice and one of the study's authors, called colloquium presentations "an important career-building activity." "These talks can have a significant impact on researchers who are selected to give them," she said. "Talks can validate one's standing as a respected researcher, draw attention to one's programmatic research and latest findings, increase chances of research collaborations and/or promotions and open doors to new and better career opportunities." The researchers examined 3,652 talks given during the 2013-2014 academic year at the top 50 U.S. research public and private universities as defined by U.S. News and World Report. They focused on talks by professors of biology, bioengineering, history, political science, psychology and sociology, as those disciplines have greater numbers of women than other fields. They found that male professors gave 69 percent of talks and women gave 31 percent. The research also showed that the gender difference did not depend on faculty rank. Whether the speaker was an assistant, associate or full professor, the speakers were more likely men, the findings showed consistently. To determine whether the gender difference was due to preference differences between men and women, the researchers also surveyed a random subsample of the potential available pool of speakers. The pool included 19,355 potential faculty speakers (12,538 males and 6,817 females) from the top 100 universities in the U.S. as defined by U.S. News and World Report, but it did not include the 3,652 speakers who gave talks. The researchers concluded that those who gave talks already believed doing so was worthwhile. "We thought it was possible that women didn't value the importance of such opportunities as much as men did, or that women might turn down invitations more than men did," Hebl said. "We wanted to be sure that our results were not due to motivational differences." The researchers found men and women were equally likely to believe that colloquia were important and were equally likely to accept speaking invitations. "Different preferences between men and women did not seem to be responsible for the gender discrepancy in colloquium talks," Nittrouer said. A second hypothesis involved those doing the inviting -- the gatekeepers who invited speakers. The researchers approached academic departments at the top 50 universities to determine who made decisions regarding speaker invitations. In some cases, a single person chose the colloquia speakers and in others a committee was responsible. When a single person was involved, female chairs sponsored talks in which 49 percent of speakers were women, while male chairs sponsored talks in which only 30 percent of speakers were women. The trend for committees was similar: Those that had a greater percentage of women were more likely to choose female speakers. Hebl said this research has implications that transcend academia. "Our research shows gatekeepers, whether inadvertently or not, can tilt the proportions in who gets to present their research in meaningful, high-profile situations," she said. "The implications extend beyond academia. For example, when organizations choose someone to lead a coveted work project, to participate in a valuable developmental experience or engage in some other limited workplace opportunity, they may similarly inadvertently tilt the balance in favor of men. If we want to be egalitarian, including female representation on the committee can help." As to whether reducing the bias is possible, Nittrouer said the first step to reduce bias is bringing awareness to the issue. "Before we can eradicate the bias, it's important for people to fully understand how it is operating in both the colloquium context as well as other potential contexts," she said. "It makes sense that disparities happen, because women have more women in their networks than men do," Hebl said. "This calls for us to be aware of who we offer opportunities to, rather than assume that men and women differ in their desire to excel. That may be the case in some situations, but it does not explain what happened in our study." ### Other authors of the study include Rachel Trump-Steele and David Lane from Rice University, Leslie Ashburn-Nardo from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Virginia Valian from the City University of New York. The study was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health. The paper is available online at http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/12/12/1708414115.abstract. This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/. Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Related Materials: Rice University Department of Psychology: https://psychology.rice.edu/ Photo link: http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/12/HEBL-b-22tqsfi.jpg Photo credit: 123rf.com/Rice University 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 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 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 quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for happiest students 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. HOUSTON - (Dec. 18, 2017) - A two-faced protein in a chain that regulates iron and other elements in cells could provide a new target to treat cancer, diabetes and other diseases. A team of researchers at Rice University, the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of North Texas detailed the structure of a protein called mitochondrial inner NEET (MiNT), part of a pathway that stabilizes mitochondria, the organelles that produce energy for cells. Their report appears this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. MiNT is distinct from its cousins, the NEET proteins mitoNEET and NAF-1, but they all play a part in the progression of cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and aging. NEET proteins have been a focus for the team that previously reported their significance in binding toxic clusters of iron and sulfur in cells and as a possible target to treat breast cancer. In the new study, the researchers led by longtime collaborators Patricia Jennings at UCSD and Jose Onuchic at Rice's Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (CTBP) became the first to detail the crystalline structure of MiNT, also known as CISD3, which resides inside mitochondria. Jennings and her team produced the molecular structure. With it, they were able to show that while MiNT shares some characteristics with other iron-sulfur proteins in the NEET family, there are significant differences that likely make it the most potent of the three. MitoNEET and NAF-1 (aka CISD1 and CISD2, respectively) are dimers, proteins with two similar, connected monomers that reside in the cytosol, the fluid inside cells. But MiNT is a monomer that lives exclusively inside mitochondria, where it collects iron-sulfur clusters delivered by the other NEETs and distributes them to facilitate, among other things, the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule that carries energy throughout cells to enable metabolic processes. MiNT also differs by showing two sides to its environment, one hydrophobic (water-repelling) and the other hydrophilic (water-attracting). "Because it's a monomer, each side is different, so it's going to interact with different proteins, and you may be able to target it with different drugs on each side," said Jennings, a CTBP affiliate and a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UCSD. "It's faster and more efficient than the other NEETs," said Onuchic, whose lab built computer simulations to study MiNT's folding dynamics. "It would be very dangerous to have a protein like that in the cytosol; that's why it's restricted inside the mitochondria, where a lot of bioenergetics processes take place." The researchers said MiNT is essential to the balance of iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria. "Iron is toxic," Jennings said. "Too much of it in the cell is bad. We must therefore control it in our bodies because it's so important to energy regulation and key to health and disease. "With the structure of MiNT, we can begin to understand the complete regulatory loop that controls iron-sulfur clusters and ROS that was not recognized before," she said. "We can begin to see how these proteins regulate flow in and out of the mitochondria." MiNT's role in ATP production may make it an effective target for shrinking tumors, Onuchic said. Previous experiments with the other NEETs showed downregulating their expression or targeting their centers cut the amount of energy available to cancer cells, which reduces tumor growth. "Cancer cells need so much more iron than healthy cells with normal iron homeostasis," he said. "When a cell divides, it has to double the ribosomes, and that's energetically very expensive. Because cancer cells divide so quickly, they need much more iron and depend on the NEET cycle to provide it. "Cancer uses the three NEET proteins because they require so much iron and reactive oxygen," Onuchic said. "What we have noticed -- though it's not clear exactly how they work -- is that if you knock down any of them, it makes tumors grow smaller. Even if you knock down just one, it reduces cancer growth." Because MiNT is a more prodigious producer of iron and ROS, it may be the most effective of the three to target, he said. "The discovery of the MiNT structure, dynamics and involvement in mitochondrial iron and ROS accumulation enabled the characterization of the complete NEET human protein family," said co-author Rachel Nechushtai, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "Moreover, it provides our international team the unique opportunity to unravel the interrelationships of the three NEET proteins and to discover in which cellular pathways they are involved. "The finding that all three iron-sulfur proteins cooperate in the same pathway to protect cancer cells provides an excellent set of targets for cancer therapy," she said. "The link that NEET proteins provide between iron levels in cancer cells and the level of reactive oxygen species demonstrates how cancer cells control the balance between a high rate of proliferation and mutations, which is key to our understanding of how to fight cancer," said co-author Ron Mittler, a professor of biological sciences at the University of North Texas. ### The paper's authors are Colin Lipper of UCSD; Ola Karmi, Yang Sung Sohn and Merav Darash-Yahana of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Heiko Lammert of Rice; and Luhua Song and Amy Liu of the University of North Texas. Onuchic is Rice's Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Chair of Physics, a professor of physics and astronomy and co-director of the CTBP. The National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Israel Science Foundation supported the research. Read the abstract at http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1715842115 This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2017/12/18/mint-protein-a-fresh-target-to-attack-disease/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews Related materials: New tools join breast cancer fight: http://news.rice.edu/2016/09/12/new-tools-join-breast-cancer-fight-2/ Cancer researcher find key protein link: http://news.rice.edu/2014/03/27/cancer-researchers-find-key-protein-link-2/ NEETs are prime suspects in breast cancer proliferation: http://news.rice.edu/2013/08/19/neets-are-prime-suspects-in-breast-cancer-proliferation-2/ Jose Onuchic bio: http://report.rice.edu/sir/faculty.detail?p=A88ADA422F53799349481C69C04DB728 Rachel Nechushtai: http://www.bio.huji.ac.il/eng/staff_in.asp?staff_id=85 Patricia Jennings lab: http://jenningslab.ucsd.edu Ron Mittler lab: http://biol.unt.edu/~rmittler/ Image for download: http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/12/1218_MINT-1-WEB-1vf9r1i.jpg An illustration outlines the NEET cycle in cells by which iron-sulfur clusters are delivered by MiNT, mitoNEET (mNT) and NAF-1 proteins in the cytosol or the mitochondria (bottom) to an array of cellular metabolic processes, including the synthesis of ATP. (Credit: Illustration by Patricia Jennings/University of California at San Diego) 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 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 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 quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for happiest students 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. Editor's note: A link to a high-resolution image for download appears at the end of this release. David Ruth 713-348-6327 david@rice.edu Mike Williams 713-348-6728 mikewilliams@rice.edu Rice University researchers have invented a device that uses fast-moving fluids to insert flexible, conductive carbon nanotube fibers into the brain, where they can help record the actions of neurons. The Rice team's microfluidics-based technique promises to improve therapies that rely on electrodes to sense neuronal signals and trigger actions in patients with epilepsy and other conditions. Eventually, the researchers said, nanotube-based electrodes could help scientists discover the mechanisms behind cognitive processes and create direct interfaces to the brain that will allow patients to see, to hear or to control artificial limbs. The device uses the force applied by fast-moving fluids that gently advance insulated flexible fibers into brain tissue without buckling. This delivery method could replace hard shuttles or stiff, biodegradable sheaths used now to deliver wires into the brain. Both can damage sensitive tissue along the way. The technology is the subject of a paper in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters. Lab and in vivo experiments showed how the microfluidic devices force a viscous fluid to flow around a thin fiber electrode. The fast-moving fluid slowly pulls the fiber forward through a small aperture that leads to the tissue. Once it crosses into the tissue, tests showed the wire, though highly flexible, stays straight. "The electrode is like a cooked noodle that you're trying to put into a bowl of Jell-O," said Rice engineer Jacob Robinson, one of three project leaders. "By itself, it doesn't work. But if you put that noodle under running water, the water pulls the noodle straight." The wire moves slowly relative to the speed of the fluid. "The important thing is we're not pushing on the end of the wire or at an individual location," said co-author Caleb Kemere, a Rice electrical and computer engineer who specializes in neuroscience. "We're pulling along the whole cross-section of the electrode and the force is completely distributed." "It's easier to pull things that are flexible than it is to push them," Robinson said. "That's why trains are pulled, not pushed," said chemist Matteo Pasquali, a co-author. "That's why you want to put the cart behind the horse." The fiber moves through an aperture about three times its size but still small enough to let very little of the fluid through. Robinson said none of the fluid follows the wire into brain tissue (or, in experiments, the agarose gel that served as a brain stand-in). There's a small gap between the device and the tissue, Robinson said. The small length of fiber in the gap stays on course like a whisker that remains stiff before it grows into a strand of hair. "We use this very short, unsupported length to allow us to penetrate into the brain and use the fluid flow on the back end to keep the electrode stiff as we move it down into the tissue," he said. "Once the wire is in the tissue, it's in an elastic matrix, supported all around by the gel material," said Pasquali, a carbon nanotube fiber pioneer whose lab made a custom fiber for the project. "It's supported laterally, so the wire can't easily buckle." Carbon nanotube fibers conduct electrons in every direction, but to communicate with neurons, they can be conductive at the tip only, Kemere said. "We take insulation for granted. But coating a nanotube thread with something that will maintain its integrity and block ions from coming in along the side is nontrivial," he said. Sushma Sri Pamulapati, a graduate student in Pasquali's lab, developed a method to coat a carbon nanotube fiber and still keep it between 15 to 30 microns wide, well below the width of a human hair. "Once we knew the size of the fiber, we fabricated the device to match it," Robinson said. "It turned out we could make the exit channel two or three times the diameter of the electrode without having a lot of fluid come through." The researchers said their technology may eventually be scaled to deliver into the brain at once multiple microelectrodes that are closely packed; this would make it safer and easier to embed implants. "Because we're creating less damage during the implantation process, we might be able to put more electrodes into a particular region than with other approaches," Robinson said. ### Flavia Vitale, a Rice alumna and now a research instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, and Daniel Vercosa, a Rice graduate student, are lead authors of the paper. Co-authors are postdoctoral fellow Alexander Rodriguez, graduate students Eric Lewis, Stephen Yan and Krishna Badhiwala and alumnus Mohammed Adnan of Rice; postdoctoral researcher Frederik Seibt and Michael Beierlein, an associate professor of neurobiology and anatomy at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; and Gianni Royer-Carfagni, a professor of structural mechanics at the University of Parma, Italy. Robinson and Kemere are assistant professors of electrical and computer engineering and adjunct assistant professors at Baylor College of Medicine. Pasquali is a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, of materials science and nanoengineering and of chemistry and chair of Rice's Department of Chemistry. Supporting the research are the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Welch Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, the Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy Taking Flight Award and the Dan L. Duncan Family Foundation. Read the abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b04184 This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2017/12/17/nanotubes-go-with-the-flow-to-penetrate-brain-tissue/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews Video: Rice University researchers attempt to insert a carbon nanotube fiber into agarose, a model for brain tissue, without support; it buckles without penetrating the surface. With a test microfluidic device, they successfully insert a 30-micron carbon nanotube fiber into agarose. The fiber passes through a small gap between the device and the agarose, penetrates the surface and continues to extend into the target. (Credit: Rice University) https://youtu.be/UhwcPU3dn7g Video: A second video shows the completed microfluidic device inserting a carbon nanotube fiber into agarose. (Credit: Daniel Vercosa/Rice University) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC4QRypYPkc&feature=youtu.be Related materials: Carbon nanotube fibers make superior links to brain: http://news.rice.edu/2015/03/25/carbon-nanotube-fibers-make-superior-links-to-brain-2/ Spinning nanotube fibers at Rice University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XDJC64tDR0 Robinson Lab: http://www.robinsonlab.com Kemere Lab: http://rnel.rice.edu Complex Flows of Complex Fluids (Pasquali Lab): https://pasquali.rice.edu George R. Brown School of Engineering: https://engineering.rice.edu Wiess School of Natural Sciences: http://natsci.rice.edu 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 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 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 quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for happiest students 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. HOUSTON -- (Dec. 18, 2017) -- Porous particles of calcium and silicate show potential as building blocks for a host of applications like self-healing materials, bone-tissue engineering, drug delivery, insulation, ceramics and construction materials, according to Rice University engineers who decided to see how well they perform at the nanoscale. Following previous work on self-healing materials using porous building blocks, Rice materials scientist Rouzbeh Shahsavari and graduate student Sung Hoon Hwang made a wide range of porous particles between 150 and 550 nanometers in diameter -- thousands of times smaller than the thickness of a sheet of paper -- with pores about the width of a strand of DNA. They then assembled the particles into micron-sized sheets and pellets to see how well the arrays held up under pressure from a nanoindenter, which tests the hardness of a material. The results of more than 900 tests, reported this month in the American Chemical Society's ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, showed that bigger individual nanoparticles were 120 percent tougher than smaller ones. This, Shahsavari said, was clear evidence of an intrinsic size effect where particles between 300 and 500 nanometers went from brittle to ductile, or pliable, even though they all had the same small pores that were 2 to 4 nanometers. But they were surprised to find that when the same big particles were stacked, the size effect didn't carry over entirely to the larger structures. The principles revealed should be important to scientists and engineers studying nanoparticles as building blocks in all kinds of bottom-up fabrication. "With porous building blocks, controlling the link between porosity, particle size and mechanical properties is essential to the integrity of the system for any application," Shahsavari said. "In this work, we found there is a brittle-to-ductile transition when increasing the particle size while keeping the pore size constant. "This means that larger submicron calcium-silicate particles are tougher and more flexible compared with smaller ones, making them more damage-tolerant," he said. The lab tested self-assembled arrays of the tiny spheres as well as arrays compacted under the equivalent of 5 tons inside a cylindrical press. Four sizes of spheres were allowed to self-assemble into films. When these were subject to nanoindentation, the researchers found the intrinsic size effect largely disappeared as the films showed variable stiffness. Where it was thin, the weakly bonded particles simply made way for the indenter to sink through to the glass substrate. Where it was thick, the film cracked. "We observed that the stiffness increases as a function of applied indentation forces because as the maximum force is increased, it leads to a greater densification of the particles under load," Shahsavari said. "By the time the peak load is reached, the particles are quite densely packed and start behaving collectively as a single film." Pellets made of compacted nanospheres of various diameters deformed under pressure from the nanoindenter but showed no evidence of getting tougher under pressure, they reported. "As a next step, we're interested in fabricating self-assembled superstructures with tunable particle size that better enable their intended functionalities, like loading and unloading with stimuli-sensitive sealants, while offering the best mechanical integrity," Shahsavari said. ### The National Science Foundation supported the research. Read the abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsami.7b15803 This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2017/12/18/particle-size-matters-for-porous-building-blocks/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews Related materials: Biomimetic, strong, tough and self-healing composites using universal sealant-loaded, porous building blocks: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsami.7b12532 Multiscale Materials Laboratory (Shahsavari Lab): http://rouzbeh.rice.edu/ George R. Brown School of Engineering: http://engineering.rice.edu Rice Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: http://www.ceve.rice.edu Rice Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering: https://msne.rice.edu Images for download: http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/12/1218_SILICATE-1-WEB-1phjcjl.jpg Thin (left) and thick films made of porous nanoparticles of calcium and silicate reacted differently under pressure as tested in a Rice University lab. Particles in the thin films moved out of the way for a nanoindenter and allowed the film to stay intact, while thick films cracked. (Credit: Multiscale Materials Laboratory/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/12/1218_SILICATE-2-WEB-24wc2h7.jpg Rice University materials scientists tested structures made of calcium-silicate nanoparticles and found that particles go from brittle to ductile as they increase in size. The compressed single particle at left deformed under the pressure of a nanoindenter. At center and right, large particles did not crack under pressure. (Credit: Multiscale Materials Laboratory/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/12/1218_SILICATE-3-WEB-2170eec.jpg Rice University materials scientists synthesized spherical, porous nanoparticles of calcium and silicate, formed films and pellets and tested their toughness under pressure from a nanoindenter. They found films made of larger particles approaching 500 nanometers were much tougher and the films and pellets less prone to cracking under pressure. At right, small particles are deformed after nanoindentation. (Credit: Multiscale Materials Laboratory/Rice University) 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 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 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 quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for happiest students 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. Editor's note: Links to high-resolution images for download appear at the end of this release. David Ruth 713-348-6327 david@rice.edu Mike Williams 713-348-6728 mikewilliams@rice.edu Premature babies undergoing hundreds of life-saving procedures exhibit abnormal development of the thalamus and cognitive and motor impairments in the first years of life, according to a study published in JNeurosci of infants born as early as 24 weeks of gestation. Steven Miller and colleagues studied 155 newborns from the neonatal intensive care unit at BC Women's Hospital in Canada, collecting neuroimaging data shortly after birth and again at the age they were expected to have been born. Researchers observed the most severe abnormalities of the thalamus, which transmits sensory information to the cortex, in the extremely preterm newborns (born less than 28 weeks of gestation). These changes were related to exposure to painful stimuli in the first half of the neonatal period as well as cognitive and motor ability assessed at three years of age. Minimizing painful procedures in extremely preterm born babies may therefore provide an opportunity to promote brain health and improve outcomes in this vulnerable population. ### Article: Early procedural pain is associated with regionally-specific alterations in thalamic development in preterm neonates DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0867-17.2017 Corresponding author: Steven Miller (Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada) Media contact: Suzanne Gold, suzanne.gold@sickkids.ca About JNeurosci JNeurosci, the Society for Neuroscience's first journal, was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship. About The Society for Neuroscience The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 37,000 members in more than 90 countries and over 130 chapters worldwide. Overexpression of a protein that regulates calcium homeostasis in hippocampal neurons can safely and effectively reverse and prevent age-related memory impairments in rats while restoring altered gene expression, finds new research published in JNeurosci. Philip Landfield, John Gant, Eric Blalock and colleagues found that long-term and short-term treatment of aging rats that induces overexpression of FK506-Binding Protein 12.6/1b (FKBP1b) restored the expression of more than 800 genes affected by aging to levels comparable to those of young untreated rats, in addition to improving performance on a water maze task. The restored genes represent a new genomic network that regulates the integrity of neuronal structure in the hippocampus and is targeted by aging. These results suggest that addressing FKBP1b deficiency may represent a new avenue for countering age-related memory loss. ### Article: FK506-Binding Protein 12.6/1b, a negative regulator of [Ca2+], rescues memory and restores genomic regulation in the hippocampus of aging rats DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2234-17.2017 Corresponding author: Philip Landfield (University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA), pwland@uky.edu About JNeurosci JNeurosci, the Society for Neuroscience's first journal, was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship. About The Society for Neuroscience The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 37,000 members in more than 90 countries and over 130 chapters worldwide. Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs at Mount Sinai Health System, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Election as an NAI Fellow is the highest professional accolade bestowed solely to academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and welfare of society. Dr. Charney was one of 155 fellows elected in the 2017 class, bringing the total number of NAI fellows to 912. They represent more than 250 research universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutes. The 2017 Fellows are named inventors on nearly 6,000 U.S. patents, and NAI Fellows collectively hold more than 32,000 U.S. patents. "I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the National Academy of Inventors," said Dr. Charney. "Thank you for highlighting the contributions that and I and others have made to further understanding of disease and to transform that understanding into pioneering innovative approaches." The NAI Fellows include more than 100 presidents and senior leaders of research universities and nonprofit research institutes; 439 members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; 36 inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame; 52 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation and U.S. National Medal of Science; 29 Nobel laureates; 261 AAAS Fellows; 168 IEEE Fellows; and 142 Fellows of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, among other awards and distinctions. On Thursday, April 5, 2018, the 2017 NAI Fellows will be inducted as part of the Seventh Annual NAI Conference of the National Academy of Inventors at the Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection in Washington, D.C. Andrew H. Hirshfeld, U.S. Commissioner for Patents, will deliver the keynote address for the induction ceremony. The 2017 NAI Fellows will be highlighted with a full-page announcement in The Chronicle of Higher Education January 19, 2018, issue, and in an upcoming issue of Science and Technology and Innovation, Journal of the National Academy of Inventors. Dr. Charney is a world-renowned expert in neurobiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders who has made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the causes of human anxiety, fear, and depression. His pioneering research on depression has led to new hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of antidepressant drugs, and discovery of novel therapies for treatment-resistant depression, including lithium and ketamine. His studies on human resilience identified ten key factors for building the strength to weather and bounce back from stress and trauma. These factors are detailed in an inspiring book, Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life's Greatest Challenges, co-authored by Steven Southwick and published by Cambridge University Press in 2012. Dr. Charney has written or co-authored more than 700 publications, including groundbreaking scientific papers, chapters, and books. In 2000, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and has been honored with every major award in his field for his scientific research. Under his leadership, the Icahn School of Medicine has risen to a rank of 13th among U.S. medical schools in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, and the School currently ranks second in funding per principal investigator from the NIH and other sources. The 2017 class of NAI Fellows was evaluated by the 2017 Selection Committee, which included 18 members comprising NAI Fellows, U.S. National Medals recipients, National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees, members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and senior officials from the USPTO, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Association of American Universities, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Association of University Technology Managers, and National Inventors Hall of Fame, among other organizations. ### About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encompassing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in four other specialties in the 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in six out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology and 50th for Ear, Nose, and Throat, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. National Academy of Inventors The National Academy of Inventors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society. African Americans at the end of life have significantly higher rates of hospital admission, emergency department (ED) visits, and discontinuing (also known as disenrolling from) hospice care than whites, according to a new study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai published today by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Researchers examined whether race played a factor in rates of hospitalization, ED visits, and disenrollment from hospice. Although previous studies have found that African American patients have higher rates of hospitalization after enrolling in hospice than white patients, it was unknown if racial differences were linked to other differences in outcomes in hospice care, whether administered in an acute hospital setting or ambulatory setting, and if race plays a significant role in end-of-life care. "While differences exist between hospice organizations in how frequently their patients are hospitalized, including time in the emergency room, and disenrollment from hospice, these patterns do not explain racial disparities between blacks and whites in hospital use and hospice disenrollment," says Melissa Aldridge, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Research in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Aldridge and her collaborator, Jessica Rizzuto, MPP, a student at the Icahn School of Medicine, used data from a longitudinal cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a national random sample of 577 hospices around the country from the National Hospice Survey from patients in active treatment until death (2009-2010). The national sample of 145,000 Medicare beneficiaries who had enrolled in these hospices at the end of life was composed of about 92 percent white patients and 8 percent black patients. Half of the hospices were for profit, and 25 percent were members of a chain of hospices. Approximately 90 percent of the patients in the study were served by hospices in an urban area. Researchers estimated the proportion of each hospice's patients who experienced the following utilization-based outcomes from the time of their hospice enrollment to their death: one or more hospitalizations, one or more ED visits, and hospice disenrollment. They compared the unadjusted proportion of black versus white hospice enrollees with each of these outcomes. "We found that black hospice patients were significantly more likely than white hospice patients to be admitted to the hospital (14.9 percent vs 8.7 percent), to go to the emergency room (19.8 percent vs. 13.5 percent), and to disenroll from hospice prior to death (18.1 percent vs. 13.0 percent). These patterns remained after accounting for patient illness, demographics, and type of hospice from which these patients received care," Aldridge says. "These higher rates of emergency department use, hospital admission, and hospice disenrollment by blacks compared with whites were attributable to racial differences within hospices rather than systemic differences between hospices in these outcomes." The role of a hospice is to enable individuals to remain at home during the terminal phase of their illness while receiving support, pain and symptom management, and counseling for themselves and their families. These findings matter, researchers say, because higher-intensity care at the end of life may adversely impact the quality of life of hospice enrollees and their families and increase the burden on caregivers. The data did not allow investigators to identify the reasons for hospital use and hospice disenrollment, but they said these could occur for a number of reasons, including patient and family preferences for care, patient and provider communication about the role of hospice care, availability of resources, and caregiver burnout. Researchers say more information is needed on hospice outcomes for patients of other races, as less is known about Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native American patients. "Our findings underscore the need to better understand racial disparities in outcomes after hospice enrollment," says Dr. Aldridge. "Culturally sensitive interventions that increase understanding of hospice, address shortcomings in provider communication, and improve caregiver resources could help decrease these persistent differences in outcomes." ### This work was supported by the Medical Student Training in Aging Research Scholarship from the American Federation for Aging Research and the National Institute of Nursing Research 5R01NR013499. About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encompassing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in four other specialties in the 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in six out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology and 50th for Ear, Nose, and Throat, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. A new 'checkpoint' model which can be used to identify potential treatments for genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has been proposed by a team of Bradford scientists. These disorders can be caused by a particular type of mutation in DNA, called a 'nonsense mutation'. This results in a pre-mature 'stop' instruction being issued to the cellular machinery that translates DNA into proteins - the molecules that do most of the work in the body's cells. This means the protein is unable to function normally, or may not even be produced at all, resulting in conditions which can be devastating for patients and their families. Many of the new drugs under development to treat these genetic disorders aim to boost production of these proteins. They work by making the cellular machinery less sensitive to the premature 'stop' instructions, with the aim of reducing or eliminating the patient's symptoms. The research team at the University of Bradford has come up with a new model that can be used to develop screening tests for both genes and chemical compounds, published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. They believe this could help scientists more effectively spot promising targets for drug development work. In their model, a compound needs to by-pass the pre-mature stop instruction only once in order to be useful in the treatment of genetic disorders. Importantly, the compounds would not bypass all stop signals, as this could allow harmful proteins to be generated. Dr Talat Nasim, leading the research, explains: "Our model acts like a simple roadside checkpoint. Compounds which can fulfil certain criteria will enable some proteins to get past the pre-mature stop signal. Even a small amount of the right proteins would be enough to give some therapeutic protection, and that would lessen the symptoms of the disorder. Our model does not support the translational machinery to be re-programmed in such a way that it by-passes all stop signals. This would potentially generate proteins with many more mutated amino acids. The team has also developed a number of more accurate cell-based screening assays based on this model. Using these techniques, they have screened hundreds of genes and have already identified two that are involved in the translation process and that could be targeted for drug development. The researchers have also screened more than 1000 existing FDA approved drugs collected by the National Institute of Neurological Disease Syndrome (NINDS) to see if they could be repurposed to treat genetic disorders caused by nonsense mutations - though none were shown to have any potential in this regard . Additionally, the team has tested a compound called PTC124, first discovered in 2007, and reported in the journal Nature. The compound has been shown to boost production of the dystrophin protein in young patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy caused by nonsense mutations. It is thought that PTC124 does this by making the cell by-pass the premature stop signal. Using the new methods, however, the researchers found that the compound does not work in this way. According to Dr Nasim the compound, developed under the brand name Translarna, may benefit patients via other mechanisms. The drug has conditional approval from the European Medicine's Agency. It is currently available in the UK and has been recommended as a treatment for young DMD patients with nonsense mutations by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). In the US, however the Food and Drug Administration has refused to grant a licence for the drug. Dr Nasim believes the model developed by his team could help reduce the high costs of drug development work in this area by ruling out compounds that are unlikely to have any therapeutic benefit at an earlier stage in the process. ### Notes to editors: 'Aminoglycoside-mediated promotion of translation readthrough occurs through a non-stochastic mechanism that competes with translation termination', by H M Chowdhury, M A Siddiqui, S Kanneganti, N Sharmin, M W Chowdhury, and M Talat Nasim, is published in Human Molecular Genetics. About the University of Bradford Founded in 1966, the University of Bradford is one of the UK's 'traditional' universities. It is a research-intensive insti tution, ranked in the top 50 in the UK for the quality of its research, with three quarters being classed as either world-leading or internationally excellent in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF). The University was ranked No 1 in Yorkshire for employed graduates obtaining professional & managerial level jobs. Known for its strong emphasis on employability skills and knowledge transfer work with businesses, the University has a truly global make up with over 20 per cent of its student population being international. The University is also a leader in sustainable development and education, and is the 6th greenest University in the world, according to the 2015 GreenMetric World University Rankings. A new analysis of the oldest known fossil microorganisms provides strong evidence to support an increasingly widespread understanding that life in the universe is common. The microorganisms, from Western Australia, are 3.465 billion years old. Scientists from UCLA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison report today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that two of the species they studied appear to have performed a primitive form of photosynthesis, another apparently produced methane gas, and two others appear to have consumed methane and used it to build their cell walls. The evidence that a diverse group of organisms had already evolved extremely early in the Earth's history -- combined with scientists' knowledge of the vast number of stars in the universe and the growing understanding that planets orbit so many of them -- strengthens the case for life existing elsewhere in the universe because it would be extremely unlikely that life formed quickly on Earth but did not arise anywhere else. "By 3.465 billion years ago, life was already diverse on Earth; that's clear -- primitive photosynthesizers, methane producers, methane users," said J. William Schopf, a professor of paleobiology in the UCLA College, and the study's lead author. "These are the first data that show the very diverse organisms at that time in Earth's history, and our previous research has shown that there were sulfur users 3.4 billion years ago as well. "This tells us life had to have begun substantially earlier and it confirms that it was not difficult for primitive life to form and to evolve into more advanced microorganisms." Schopf said scientists still do not know how much earlier life might have begun. "But, if the conditions are right, it looks like life in the universe should be widespread," he said. The study is the most detailed ever conducted on microorganisms preserved in such ancient fossils. Researchers led by Schopf first described the fossils in the journal Science in 1993, and then substantiated their biological origin in the journal Nature in 2002. But the new study is the first to establish what kind of biological microbial organisms they are, and how advanced or primitive they are. For the new research, Schopf and his colleagues analyzed the microorganisms with cutting-edge technology called secondary ion mass spectroscopy, or SIMS, which reveals the ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-13 isotopes -- information scientists can use to determine how the microorganisms lived. (Photosynthetic bacteria have different carbon signatures from methane producers and consumers, for example.) In 2000, Schopf became the first scientist to use SIMS to analyze microscopic fossils preserved in rocks; he said the technology will likely be used to study samples brought back from Mars for signs of life. The Wisconsin researchers, led by geoscience professor John Valley, used a secondary ion mass spectrometer -- one of just a few in the world -- to separate the carbon from each fossil into its constituent isotopes and determine their ratios. "The differences in carbon isotope ratios correlate with their shapes," Valley said. "Their C-13-to-C-12 ratios are characteristic of biology and metabolic function." The fossils were formed at a time when there was very little oxygen in the atmosphere, Schopf said. He thinks that advanced photosynthesis had not yet evolved, and that oxygen first appeared on Earth approximately half a billion years later before its concentration in our atmosphere increased rapidly starting about 2 billion years ago. Oxygen would have been poisonous to these microorganisms, and would have killed them, he said. Primitive photosynthesizers are fairly rare on Earth today because they exist only in places where there is light but no oxygen -- normally there is abundant oxygen anywhere there is light. And the existence of the rocks the scientists analyzed is also rather remarkable: The average lifetime of a rock exposed on the surface of the Earth is about 200 million years, Schopf said, adding that when he began his career, there was no fossil evidence of life dating back farther than 500 million years ago. "The rocks we studied are about as far back as rocks go." While the study strongly suggests the presence of primitive life forms throughout the universe, Schopf said the presence of more advanced life is very possible but less certain. One of the paper's co-authors is Anatoliy Kudryavtsev, a senior scientist at UCLA's Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, of which Schopf is director. The research was funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute. In May 2017, a paper in PNAS by Schopf, UCLA graduate student Amanda Garcia and colleagues in Japan showed the Earth's near-surface ocean temperature has dramatically decreased over the past 3.5 billion years. The work was based on their analysis of a type of ancient enzyme present in virtually all organisms. In, 2015 Schopf was part of an international team of scientists that described in PNAS their discovery of the greatest absence of evolution ever reported -- a type of deep-sea microorganism that appears not to have evolved over more than 2 billion years. ### An online survey of 900 consumers of three of the United States' most popular cigarette brands suggests that adopting standardized cigarette packing may reduce consumers' misconceptions that some cigarettes are less harmful than others, reports a team of researchers led by University of California San Diego School of Medicine and published in BMJ Tobacco Control. "Some companies have marketed their cigarettes as 'low tar,' 'natural' or 'organic' but cigarettes marketed with these terms are not safer. Despite passage of a 2010 law that banned this practice, there are still more than 2.5 million U.S. consumers who continue to believe they are using a brand of cigarettes that might be less harmful," said first author Eric Leas, PhD, who was part of the research team while a graduate student researcher at UC San Diego and is now a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University School of Medicine. In previous research, 67 percent of Natural American Spirit consumers said their cigarettes were less harmful than other brands. In this analysis, led by John P. Pierce, PhD, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center, the researchers assessed whether smokers thought that Natural American Spirit cigarette packaging, which contains terms like "natural" and "additive-free," implies that this brand is safer and whether repacking them in plain containers would reduce that interpretation. In Australia and several European countries, standardized packaging has been used to remove marketing cues that may lead consumers to perceive certain benefits from any one brand. "Australia's model of cigarette packaging has altered how consumers see brands," said Pierce, senior author of the study. "We wondered if standardized packing would also impact American smokers' perceptions of harm that is conveyed through cigarette packing. And, it did." To test the hypothesis, researchers asked survey participants to rate their perception of the packaging design of Natural American Spirit or the two most popular U.S. brands: Marlboro Red and Newport Menthol. Participants between the ages of 21 to 50, who smoked cigarettes from at least one of the brands within the past seven days of the survey, were randomly assigned to view and rate images of cigarette packages. They viewed either an existing cigarette package from the manufacturers or one of two plain packages that the researchers developed: one removed tobacco industry branding and replaced it with a single color, while the other had the plain packaging and a graphic warning image and label similar to the Australian model. Survey participants rated the Natural American Spirits packaging 1.9 times higher than Marlboro Red packaging and 1.7 times higher than Newport Menthol packaging on a scale measuring their belief that the packaging implied the cigarettes were safer. However, the difference in implied safety between the latter two brands was not statistically different. When comparing across packaging styles, respondents' ratings of the implied safety of the plain packaging of Natural American Spirits were 1.7 times lower than current U.S. packaging and ratings of the packaging of Natural American Spirits with graphic warning images were 5.4 times lower than current U.S. packaging. "No tobacco brand has provided evidence that their products reduce the health risks associated with cigarette smoking. It is all about marketing," said Pierce. "Standardized packaging can reduce consumers' beliefs about the safety of cigarette brands that include words like 'natural' on packaging and instead display a common warning of the harms of smoking." There was no clinically meaningful difference between implied safety of the three brands when respondents viewed the brands with the plain packaging or packaging with graphic warnings. "These findings suggest that plain packaging may be a potential policy solution for ensuring that cigarettes are not marketed as 'safer,' a practice that is now essentially banned in the United States," said Leas. ### Co-authors include: Claudiu V. Dimofte, San Diego State University; Dennis R. Trinidad and David R. Strong, UC San Diego. Although targeted therapies have produced dramatic advances in our ability to control some types of advanced lung cancer, growth of the disease in the brain remains a major problem. Radiation is often used to treat deposits in the brain, but the best technique to deliver radiation can be controversial. Whole-brain radiation therapy, as its name suggest, treats the entire brain but can be associated with notable cognitive side effects. Another strategy, radiosurgery, directs highly-focused radiation only to the sites of metastasis, largely sparing the normal brain. The challenge has been to define in which circumstances each technique is best. The debate has centered on the number of brain metastases, with the field generally agreeing that with three or fewer deposits, radiosurgery is the preferred approach, and then switching to the use of whole-brain radiation to treat four or more deposits. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology explores the use of radiosurgery in advanced lung cancer patients with four or more brain lesions - in some cases, dramatically more than four lesions - and shows that in a subset of patients, radiosurgery may be the best choice even when the number of brain lesions far exceeds the established three-lesion threshold. The study focused on a special subset of patients, namely those with advanced ALK- or EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer taking targeted therapies aimed at these genetic drivers. Due to the success of these targeted treatments, on average these patients live for years with their condition, making the management (or avoidance) of cognitive side-effects especially attractive. In addition to discovering if radiosurgery could be effective in patients with greater than four brain lesions, the study hoped to answer two more important questions, namely, if you use radiosurgery to treat only the known sites of disease, might you be missing smaller deposits that would have been treated as a byproduct of whole-brain radiation, leading to worse long-term outcomes? And if you treat multiple sites with radiosurgery, at some point does the radiation dose to the normal parts of the brain become equivalent to that from whole-brain radiotherapy? Overall, the study showed no difference in survival for patients who were treated with radiosurgery for 4-10 metastases and those treated for 10+ metastases. It also showed no difference in survival for patients treated with multiple courses of radiotherapy for 4-10 vs. 11-20 vs. 20+ metastases. The maximum number of CNS lesions treated in a patient on the study was 47 over multiple courses of radiosurgery. "It used to be that once lung cancer metastasized to the brain, the prognosis was poor. Whole brain radiation therapy decreases the risk of death from neurologic causes, but at a steep cost. This study suggests that for lung cancer patients on targeted therapies whose cancer has spread to the brain, the use of radiosurgery makes it rare to die of causes related to brain metastases," says Tyler Robin, MD, PhD, senior resident in radiation oncology at the CU School of Medicine and the paper's first author. Robin collaborated with senior author, Chad G. Rusthoven, MD, assistant professor in Radiation Oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. "Despite the fact that patients on this study had multiple brain metastases, the outcomes were excellent with radiosurgery alone, with overall survival measured on the order of years," says Rusthoven. The study also asked whether radiosurgery to multiple lesions is likely to subject patients to the same cognitive risks as whole-brain radiation therapy - in other words, if you are using radiosurgery to treat 5, 10, 15 or 20 brain lesions, at some point are you effectively irradiating the whole brain? "Even when we treated over ten brain metastases in one session, the dose to the whole brain was phenomenally lower than with whole-brain radiotherapy," Robin says. The group measured radiation dose in two ways - to the whole brain and also specifically to the hippocampus, the brain structure responsible for processing new memories, which has been blamed for the cognitive side effects associated with brain radiation. Whole-brain radiation delivers a radiation dose of approximately 30 gray (Gy) to the entire brain. A technique known as "hippocampal-sparing" or "hippocampal-avoidance" radiation delivers the same dose of radiation to the bulk of the brain, but only about 10 Gy to the hippocampus. The maximum radiation dose experienced with radiosurgery, even with many metastases, was 1.2 Gy in the hippocampus and 0.8 Gy across the whole brain. "The very low doses of radiation to the normal brain observed with radiosurgery compared to whole-brain radiation has the potential to dramatically alter the risk of cognitive side effects," says Rusthoven. "As the field of oncology evolves, we have to evolve with it. Patients with cancer who are eligible for targeted therapies are living longer than ever before, making treatment strategies that support long term quality of life even more important." These results support the idea of increasing the feasible number of brain and central nervous system lesions that can be treated with radiosurgery. ### A new theory explains how societies can achieve environmental sustainability by nurturing cooperation. It is detailed in a series of articles recently published in a special issue of the journal Sustainability Science. The theory was developed by Tim Waring, associate professor in the School of Economics and the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine, and colleagues. "Sustainability is serious, but sustainability science is not yet a serious science. Right now, to build sustainable solutions we are reinventing the wheel every time. To avoid that, we need a theoretical framework that allows us to compare cases and accumulate insight so we can get to better solutions faster," Waring says. Achieving sustainable resource use is almost never a win-win situation. More often, it requires individuals to accept some kind of personal cost such as reducing consumption, changing habits, or contributing extra effort. This is cooperation. "We know cooperation matters in managing the environment," Waring says. "We also know that institutions can make cooperation easier. This new research shows where both factors emerge and why." The new research detailed in Sustainability Science examines cases of environmental management from around the world to discover common patterns that help cooperation and sustainable solutions grow. The special issue includes two iconic examples from Maine that show how cooperation makes a difference -- lobsters and blueberries. In the lobster industry, competition between groups of lobstermen gave rise to strongly defended territories and encouraged group members to restrict their harvests. This restraint is a type of cooperation, and it helped lobstermen maintain their lobster populations and livelihoods. Cooperation saved the Maine blueberry industry, too. Blueberry growers never needed to cooperate until a major pest outbreak and economic crisis forced their hands. In a landmark effort, the blueberry industry agreed to tax themselves to support crop research and avoid future crises -- a cooperative solution that has worked well. Despite their differences, blueberries and lobsters tell a similar story. "In both cases, the stakes for failure were high, the costs fell most heavily on groups, and those groups learned from other successful groups allowing sustainable practices to spread," Waring says. "This is why theory matters. By testing and refining the theory we can become better at nurturing cooperation and building sustainable societies." What is the best recipe for growing environmental cooperation? Waring says his "ingredients" for growing environmental cooperation include "a population of tight-knit groups, under high pressure to preserve resources, who have the power to manage them, and who learn from each other's successes and failures." ### A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that black and Hispanic young adults from disadvantaged childhoods do not enjoy the same health-promoting benefits of college completion as their upwardly mobile white peers. The paper is the first to document improved mental health but worse physical health risk associated with college completion among disadvantaged minority young adults and it illustrates the importance of programs and policies that support the upward mobility of minorities. "Our findings provide a piece of the puzzle for why racial disparities in health persist at equal levels of education," says senior author Kathleen Mullan Harris, James Haar Distinguished Professor at UNC and faculty fellow at UNC's Carolina Population Center (CPC). "The physical health of disadvantaged minorities who manage to get ahead and achieve upward mobility is compromised in young adulthood." The study draws on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), the largest, most comprehensive longitudinal study of adolescents ever undertaken. First interviewed in the mid-1990s, the adolescents have been followed for more than 20 years into young adulthood. The research team used characteristics of the adolescents' family, neighborhood, and school environment to measure socioeconomic disadvantages in early life. Among those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the researchers then contrasted depression and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of physical health conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes) for college graduates and non-college graduates in young adulthood among whites, blacks, and Hispanics. Lauren Gaydosh, postdoctoral scholar at CPC and the studys first author, Harris and colleagues examined depressive symptoms as an outcome of mental health, and metabolic syndrome as a measure of physical health. The team found that college graduates had lower depression in young adulthood regardless of childhood socioeconomic background, race, or ethnicity. But the study suggests that while whites who complete college had lower rates of metabolic syndrome than non-graduates, blacks and Hispanics from disadvantaged backgrounds were more likely to have metabolic syndrome if they completed college, compared to those who did not complete college. Take for example two individuals who were raised in severely disadvantaged backgrounds - one who completes college, and the other does not. Our statistical analyses predict that if these two individuals are white, the college graduate is 3 percentage points less likely to have metabolic syndrome than the non-graduate (31 percent compared to 34 percent). If the two individuals are black, the pattern is reversed; the black college graduate is 9 percentage points more likely to have metabolic syndrome than his/her less educated peer (43 percent compared to 34 percent). Similarly, for Hispanics, the college graduate is 8 percentage points more likely to have metabolic syndrome than the non-graduate (45 percent compared to 37 percent). The study will be published on Dec. 18, 2017 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (an embargoed version is available on the EurekAlert link below). "American minorities we studied, who strive to overcome backgrounds of socioeconomic disadvantage by completing college, continually face barriers that impede their progress and inflict wear and tear on their bodies," says Gaydosh. "We found upwardly mobile minorities are psychologically hardy, which may in part explain how they are able to persevere in the face of significant adversity," says Gaydosh. "But the constant effort needed to overcome obstacles blocking their opportunity --discrimination, isolation -- is stressful, and takes a toll on their physical health." "It's clear that there is something distinct about achieving upward mobility for minorities in the United States that prevents them from receiving the same health benefits as whites," Harris adds. "We have yet to see whether such health risks continue through adulthood, or whether later in life they are able to translate their new socioeconomic advantage into health protection. But we collectively need to develop programs and policies that make success more common and less stressful." ### The National Institutes of Health funded the study through grants to Gaydosh and Harris from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation's first public university, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. Now in its third century, the University offers 77 bachelor's, 111 master's, 65 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools and the College of Arts and Sciences. Every day, faculty, staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service to meet North Carolina's most pressing needs in every region and all 100 counties. Carolina's more than 322,000 alumni live in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 165 countries. More than 175,000 live in North Carolina. A new species of the enigmatic marine worm Xenoturbella, dredged from the seafloor of the western Pacific, contributes to understanding of the early evolution of the Bilateria Tsukuba, Japan - Japanese researchers have discovered a new species of the enigmatic marine worm Xenoturbella, which they have named Xenoturbella japonica, as reported in a new study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology. Xenoturbella lacks certain features common among more complex animals, such as a centralized nervous system, kidneys, and an anus (i.e., its digestive system has only one opening). Thus, these primitive worms are important for understanding the origins of these structures. The classification of Xenoturbella in the tree of life has been controversial, but it is generally regarded as a basal member or sister group of the Bilateria, a group that includes most complex animals. The researchers, centered at the University of Tsukuba, described two specimens of X. japonica dredged from the seafloor of the western Pacific: a female about 5 cm in length, and a juvenile about 1 cm in length. Both specimens are pale orange in color, with an oval-shaped mouth and a glandular network on the ventral (bottom) surface. MicroCT scanning, a method not previously applied to Xenoturbella, revealed the specimens' internal structures, and a new feature not visible using conventional methods: the frontal pore. "We also extracted DNA and sequenced the mitochondrial genome and partial Histone H3 gene sequences," co-author Hideyuki Miyazawa explains. "Molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed that X. japonica is distinct from previously described species of Xenoturbella." DNA contamination from several species of bivalve was also detected, which indicates that, like other species of Xenoturbella, X. japonica likely feeds on marine bivalves. "Species within this genus have previously been divided into 'shallow' and 'deep' subgroups, and our results place X. japonica in the 'shallow' subgroup," lead author Hiroaki Nakano says. "Interestingly, X. japonica shares features with both subgroups, however. Thus, features of this species may be ancestral for this genus, and this new species may be particularly important for unraveling the ancestry of Xenoturbella and the early history of the Bilateria." Research on Xenoturbella has been limited by the inaccessibility of specimens in their seafloor habitats hundreds or thousands of meters below the surface. This new discovery may offer a solution. As co-author Hisanori Kohtsuka explains, "because one habitat where X. japonica was found is easily accessible from a marine station, this new species promises to be valuable for future research on bilaterian and deuterostome evolution." Texas has hundreds of bridges, most of which are concrete. After some time, bridges deteriorate or may get damaged, and a University of Texas at Arlington researcher is working with the Texas Department of Transportation to inspect, evaluate and monitor bridges to ensure their safety for years to come. Nur Yazdani, a professor in UTA's Department of Civil Engineering, recently was awarded a three-year, $735,133 contract to inspect and evaluate new and existing concrete bridge components using non-destructive methods. He will also determine the true load capacity of bridges to ensure that the posted capacities represent what the bridges are capable of supporting. According to Yazdani, most bridges are designed to last 50 years or longer, but many factors, such as cracking or spalling concrete, deterioration of the steel reinforcement inside or design or construction issues, may reduce their capacities and useful lives. Yazdani will use non-destructive techniques, or NDT, including ground-penetrating radar, thermal imaging and ultrasound tomography, either alone or in combination, to test 30 bridges in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. These methods will detect cracks, corrosion, damage or other issues without harming the bridge, and allow Yazdani and TxDOT experts to quickly and accurately determine the best course of action to remedy any deficiencies through repair, strengthening or replacement. To determine load capacity, Yazdani and his team will use a computer model to conduct a multi-parameter study by manipulating materials, span length and other key measurements. They will then conduct a real-life test where they measure a bridge, close the highway for short periods of time and park a loaded truck on the bridge. They will measure the bridge again to see how much it flexed due to the weight of the truck and compare those results to the model's prediction. If the numbers don't match, it indicates a problem that TxDOT can then address. "This is really a cost issue. Our research will help the state save money and ensure that Texas bridges are safe. Any time you can save money without compromising safety, it's desirable," Yazdani said. "Making safer structures makes transportation safer and benefits the community as well. If a bridge suffers a catastrophic failure, there's a huge cost in terms of financial, time and social losses, so anything we can do to make it easier to inspect bridges and quickly address issues beforehand is important." Yazdani and his team have been testing the performance of a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer wrapping for future bridge repairs through another $598,953 existing contract from TxDOT. Already in use in about 25 state highway departments including TxDOT, the laminate is less than one-half millimeter thick and stronger than steel. If concrete deterioration or damage is detected, workers prepare the concrete surface, spread epoxy glue over the surface and the CFRP laminate, then place the wrap on the glued surface. The performance of the CFRP wrapping is being investigated through NDT methods in the laboratory and also on full-scale highway bridges. "The CFRP laminate doesn't corrode, has a high durability, and whatever member strength was lost due to damage/deterioration is more than regained by the laminate application. It is also easily installed and doesn't affect the bridge height or clearance for any vehicles passing below. If it performs as expected, this could make repair and maintenance of bridges much easier, less costly and durable," Yazdani said. Yazdani's research is one example of the research in the area of sustainable urban communities, one of the themes of UTA's Strategic Plan 2020 Bold Solutions |Global Impact, said Ali Abolmaali, professor and Tseng Huang Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering. "Bridges and overpasses are key elements of the highway system in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Structural issues that force closures cause massive disruptions to transportation and commerce. Dr. Yazdani's work will help TxDOT identify and correct problems before they get to that point, keeping our highways open and flowing smoothly," Abolmaali said. ### MADISON, Wis. -- Researchers at UCLA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have confirmed that microscopic fossils discovered in a nearly 3.5 billion-year-old piece of rock in Western Australia are the oldest fossils ever found and indeed the earliest direct evidence of life on Earth. The study, published today [Dec. 18, 2017] in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by J. William Schopf, professor of paleobiology at UCLA, and John W. Valley, professor of geoscience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The research relied on new technology and scientific expertise developed by researchers in the UW-Madison WiscSIMS Laboratory. The study describes 11 microbial specimens from five separate taxa, linking their morphologies to chemical signatures that are characteristic of life. Some represent now-extinct bacteria and microbes from a domain of life called Archaea, while others are similar to microbial species still found today. The findings also suggest how each may have survived on an oxygen-free planet. The microfossils -- so called because they are not evident to the naked eye -- were first described in the journal Science in 1993 by Schopf and his team, which identified them based largely on the fossils' unique, cylindrical and filamentous shapes. Schopf, director of UCLA's Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, published further supporting evidence of their biological identities in 2002. He collected the rock in which the fossils were found in 1982 from the Apex chert deposit of Western Australia, one of the few places on the planet where geological evidence of early Earth has been preserved, largely because it has not been subjected to geological processes that would have altered it, like burial and extreme heating due to plate-tectonic activity. But Schopf's earlier interpretations have been disputed. Critics argued they are just odd minerals that only look like biological specimens. However, Valley says, the new findings put these doubts to rest; the microfossils are indeed biological. "I think it's settled," he says. Using a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) at UW-Madison called IMS 1280 -- one of just a handful of such instruments in the world -- Valley and his team, including department geoscientists Kouki Kitajima and Michael Spicuzza, were able to separate the carbon composing each fossil into its constituent isotopes and measure their ratios. Isotopes are different versions of the same chemical element that vary in their masses. Different organic substances -- whether in rock, microbe or animal -- contain characteristic ratios of their stable carbon isotopes. Using SIMS, Valley's team was able to tease apart the carbon-12 from the carbon-13 within each fossil and measure the ratio of the two compared to a known carbon isotope standard and a fossil-less section of the rock in which they were found. "The differences in carbon isotope ratios correlate with their shapes," Valley says. "If they're not biological there is no reason for such a correlation. Their C-13-to-C-12 ratios are characteristic of biology and metabolic function." Based on this information, the researchers were also able to assign identities and likely physiological behaviors to the fossils locked inside the rock, Valley says. The results show that "these are a primitive, but diverse group of organisms," says Schopf. The team identified a complex group of microbes: phototrophic bacteria that would have relied on the sun to produce energy, Archaea that produced methane, and gammaproteobacteria that consumed methane, a gas believed to be an important constituent of Earth's early atmosphere before oxygen was present. It took Valley's team nearly 10 years to develop the processes to accurately analyze the microfossils -- fossils this old and rare have never been subjected to SIMS analysis before. The study builds on earlier achievements at WiscSIMS to modify the SIMS instrument, to develop protocols for sample preparation and analysis, and to calibrate necessary standards to match as closely as possible the hydrocarbon content to the samples of interest. In preparation for SIMS analysis, the team needed to painstakingly grind the original sample down as slowly as possible to expose the delicate fossils themselves -- all suspended at different levels within the rock and encased in a hard layer of quartz -- without actually destroying them. Spicuzza describes making countless trips up and down the stairs in the department as geoscience technician Brian Hess ground and polished each microfossil in the sample, one micrometer at a time. Each microfossil is about 10 micrometers wide; eight of them could fit along the width of a human hair. Valley and Schopf are part of the Wisconsin Astrobiology Research Consortium, funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute, which exists to study and understand the origins, the future and the nature of life on Earth and throughout the universe. Studies such as this one, Schopf says, indicate life could be common throughout the universe. But importantly, here on Earth, because several different types of microbes were shown to be already present by 3.5 billion years ago, it tells us that "life had to have begun substantially earlier -- nobody knows how much earlier -- and confirms it is not difficult for primitive life to form and to evolve into more advanced microorganisms," says Schopf. Earlier studies by Valley and his team, dating to 2001, have shown that liquid water oceans existed on Earth as early as 4.3 billion years ago, more than 800 million years before the fossils of the present study would have been alive, and just 250 million years after the Earth formed. "We have no direct evidence that life existed 4.3 billion years ago but there is no reason why it couldn't have," says Valley. "This is something we all would like to find out." UW-Madison has a legacy of pushing back the accepted dates of early life on Earth. In 1953, the late Stanley Tyler, a geologist at the university who passed away in 1963 at the age of 57, was the first person to discover microfossils in Precambrian rocks. This pushed the origins of life back more than a billion years, from 540 million to 1.8 billion years ago. "People are really interested in when life on Earth first emerged," Valley says. "This study was 10 times more time-consuming and more difficult than I first imagined, but it came to fruition because of many dedicated people who have been excited about this since day one ... I think a lot more microfossil analyses will be made on samples of Earth and possibly from other planetary bodies." ### --Kelly April Tyrrell, kelly.tyrrell@wisc.edu, 608-262-9772 The research was supported by the NASA Astrobiology Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life at UCLA. WiscSIMS is supported by the National Science Foundation (EAR-1355590) and UW-Madison. In an excerpt from a book J. William Schopf published in 1999, "Cradle of Life," he describes the microfossils he recovered in 1982 as such: "The Apex fossils are scrappy. Hard to find. Difficult to study. They are abundant but charred, shredded, overly cooked. Tiny bits and pieces are common but generally nondescript; short two-or-three-celled fragments are rare and easy to overlook; many-celled specimens are few and far between; and fossils that could be called "well-preserved" -- like those of the Gunflint and Bitter Springs deposit -- are nonexistent. Were these remnants not so remarkably ancient they would not merit much attention." CONTACT: John Valley, 608-263-5659, valley@geology.wisc.edu DOWNLOAD IMAGES: https://uwmadison.box.com/v/oldest-fossil When brain lesions occur within the brain network responsible for morality and value-based decision-making, they can predispose a person toward criminal behavior, according to new research by Ryan Darby, MD, assistant professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first systemic mapping of brain lesions associated with criminal behavior, a medical phenomena referred to as acquired sociopathy. Darby did the research during a fellowship at Harvard Medical School. Famous cases of acquired sociopathy include Phineas Gage, a railroad worker who in 1848 exhibited anti-social behavior after surviving an explosive blast that sent an iron rod through his brain, and Charles Whitman, the "Texas Tower Sniper," who had a brain tumor and murdered 16 people in 1966. Darby and co-authors reviewed more recent cases of brain lesions associated with criminal behavior, examining MRI and CT scans of those individuals. One group of 17 cases had a definitive correlation between criminal behavior and a brain lesion. A second group of 23 cases had an implied correlation when researchers didn't know whether the brain lesion occurred before or after the criminal behavior. In both groups, the lesions were at different areas of the brain. The researchers used neuroimaging analyses -- large datasets compiled from healthy volunteers organized into a connectome, similar to a map of brain activity. While the lesions were in different brain areas, they were all connected to the same brain network. "We looked at networks involved in morality as well as different psychological processes that researchers have thought might be involved -- empathy, cognitive control and other processes that are important for decision making," Darby said. "We saw that it was really morality and value-based decision making -- reward and punishment decision making -- that the lesions were strongly connected to." Lesions in patients with criminal behavior were more strongly connected to this moral decision-making network than lesions in patients without criminal behavior, suggesting that connectivity to this network was specific to criminal behavior. "This is a relatively new approach that we have developed," Darby said, describing a series of recent studies with senior author Michael Fox, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. "We have previously used it to understand other disorders where it wasn't really clear why brain lesions in different locations caused hallucinations or delusions. In those diseases, it was also found that it was a common brain network connected to the same areas. We were the first to apply this to looking at criminal behavior." ### The study cautioned against over-interpretation of its findings, with the authors noting that violence or crime occurs in approximately 9 percent of patients with traumatic brain injury and 14 percent of patients with a frontal lobe injury. Almost all the wildly varied, colorful fish that populate coral reefs start life as tiny, colorless, tadpole-like larvae. Telling one from the other is nearly impossible - even for experts - and this presents a difficult challenge to those who study the ecology of the reefs. Prof. Rotem Sorek of the Weizmann Institute of Science; Prof. Roi Holzman of the School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University; and Dr Moshe Kiflawi of Ben Gurion University have now produced a way to understand precisely which species of larvae are present in the water around reefs. Their study, which involved genetic "barcoding" of nearly all the fish species in the gulf between Eilat and Aqaba, not only showed which larvae were in the gulf, but how many of each were swimming around, at what time of year and at what depths. This study was recently published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. "Understanding the types and distribution of the larvae is important for a number of reasons," says Holzman. He and Kiflawi are resident researchers at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI) in Eilat. For one, it is only the larvae that disperse, washed by currents and flows, while adult reef fish tend to stay close to their home reef. To the marine ecologists who would monitor the larvae, they are an integral part of the ecosystem - as well as its future. And since larva numbers can reveal something about the prospective populations of adult fish, monitoring them might be useful to fishery management as well. The researchers used the IUI's research vessel, which is equipped with sophisticated gear that can sample larvae from set depths. They sampled larvae twice a month over the course of a full year at various sites and depths near the two coasts of the narrow gulf as well as in its deep middle. "We had over 10,000 sampled larvae," says Kiflawi, "but current techniques involve inspecting larvae under a microscope and counting their spines - which can point to the taxonomic family, but not the species, and also takes a lot of time. Luckily, we had discussed this with Sorek who was then visiting the IUI." Sorek's lab in the Weizmann Institute's Molecular Genetics Department normally deals with different genomes - those of bacteria. "I thought that the techniques from the genomic research we employ in my lab could determine the identity of larvae by sequencing a 'barcode' from their genomes," he says. Research student Naama Kimmerling from Kiflawi's lab, Staff Scientist Tamara Gurevitch from Holzman's lab, research student Omer Zuqert and Staff Scientists Dr. Gil Amitai and Sarah Melamed from Sorek's lab, together with their research groups and colleagues, adapted these techniques to identifying fish larvae. "But before we could apply the method," says Sorek, "we had to create a database of 'barcodes' for all the reef fish in the gulf. That was a feat in itself. For it, the team members took up diving in the gulf to clip the fins of adult fish for DNA analysis. Ultimately, we managed to create a database of barcodes for around 80% of the main fish species (420 of about 540) known to frequent the reef." Genetic barcoding is a technique based on comparing the DNA of one specific gene whose sequence varies from species to species. This convenient, very precise "labeling" technique has numerous uses in the world of biological research; it was an incontrovertible way to match larvae to their adult forms. The sequencing of the larval genomes was conducted in the advanced facilities of the Stephen and Nancy Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine on the Weizmann campus. Until now, using barcoding to analyze large samples has been impractical. But in this study, all of the DNA in each sample was sequenced together using a 'metagenomics' technique, whether the sample contained one individual or 500 larvae. "We invented a 'trick' that matches pictures of the larvae to their DNA sequence," says Sorek, "and this enabled us to tell exactly how many individual larvae of each species were in the sample. But to get that one for each, we had to sequence trillions of DNA bases." Altogether, the team sequenced the genomes of around 10,000 larvae in 400 different samples. Ultimately, they created a sort of map that could tell them, species by species, how many could be found, at what time of year, at which particular location and depth. "Because we could now analyze thousands of larvae at a much finer resolution than was previously possible," says Kiflawi, "we could now zoom in on ecological differences between species. If the larvae of one family of fish had been presumed to live in both shallow and deep waters, we could now see that some species in the family prefer the shallow waters, while others prefer deeper waters - a difference that can affect their survival and dispersal." The findings also solved several mysteries - for example, the invasion into the Mediterranean of a small puffer fish known as a Spiny blaasop. The adult fish live at depths of several hundred meters, yet they presumably cross over through the Suez Canal, which is only around 25 meters deep. The study shows that the larvae can dwell in the shallows, and it is probably these that have moved along the shipping lanes. The sampling also turned up larvae of fish that are found farther south in the Red Sea, but not in the gulf. This finding raised new questions about why these larvae do not make it to adulthood there. Sorek: "Although the initial process was a bit arduous, we now have an excellent tool for monitoring the health of the reef ecosystem, and other reef researchers may follow suit." ### Prof. Rotem Sorek's research is supported by the David and Fela Shapell Family Foundation INCPM Fund for Preclinical Studies; the Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine; the Dana and Yossie Hollander Center for Structural Proteomics; the Abisch Frenkel Foundation for the Promotion of Life Sciences; the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust; Martin Kushner Schnur; and the European Research Council. The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to scientists, students, technicians and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials and developing new strategies for protecting the environment. A man has been charged after 65 lambs were attacked by two dogs at a Scottish farm, killing 37. The incident happened in the Turiff area of Aberdeenshire on Friday (15 December). Two dogs were humanely destroyed by the farmer to prevent the deaths of more lambs after 37 were killed and 28 injured in the attack. A 34-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident. Sergeant Caroline Gray, of the Banff Community Policing Team, said: Sheep worrying not only has obvious financial impact on farmers but the day-to-day effect on the animals who survive can be a major issue. The last thing a farmer will want to do is destroy another animal however they are within their right to shoot dogs worrying sheep on their land as a last resort to prevent further injury. She added: My advice to anyone walking and exercising their dogs in the countryside is to ensure that they are constantly under control and to avoid going into fields where livestock is grazing. I would urge the public to continue reporting sheep worrying incidents to Police in order for them to be fully investigated. It is important we all recognise the devastating consequences of a dog attacking, chasing or even being at large in a field where sheep are kept. Shocking figures show more than 1,800 farm animals have been killed by dog attacks in the space of four years, according to a new report which highlights the blight of livestock worrying. Anyone with concerns about livestock worrying can contact 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 to remain anonymous. A new project which gets retired farmers together in a bid to encourage socialisation and highlight the issues of mental health in the countryside has received huge support. The joint Alzheimer Scotland and RSABI project in Dumfries and Galloway will see a social group for retired farmers and farm workers including those with dementia. The group looks to provide opportunities for those who have spent their life farming to come together for a chat and a cuppa The project is also being supported by the Health and Wellbeing in the Farming Community project - a joint approach between NFU Scotland and Health and Social Care units in the region run by NHS and the local authority. An initial meeting for retired farmers took place in Castle Douglas in late November and was a huge success. It is now looking to build on that and a wider call for retired farmers and farm workers in Dumfries and Galloway to come along has been issued. 'Huge part of the region' Explaining the background to the project, Dementia Friendly Community Worker Jill Rennie, who established the group, said: We want everyone in Dumfries and Galloway to live in an enabling, supportive community and feel valued and understood. Agriculture is a huge part of the region. My role is to engage with people living with dementia and their families, and that includes the farming community. I had noticed that when a farmer or farm worker retires they can become isolated and lonely. They no longer go to the mart and may not have any other opportunities to meet other farmers socially. I began to wonder if a retired farming social group could be set up to include all people who have worked in agriculture including people with dementia. This resulted in the launch of the retired farming group as a pilot initially. 'Discussion flowed' Teresa Dougall, NFU Scotlands Regional Manager for Dumfries and Galloway, attended the first meeting and said retired farmers, who have spent a lifetime in the industry, come together and chat. Despite not knowing each other, the discussion flowed from how they farmed to how people now farm and their lives then and now. Research carried out by Plymouth University into the experience of dementia in farming and farming families, and its impact on their businesses and home lives, has identified four areas of concern which need to be addressed if dementia in the countryside is to be managed. It is the first time that research has addressed this issue in farming. The four areas of concern identified by the study were: the farm environment; a reluctance to ask for help; support services, and; changing rural communities. Consumers could be eating dirty chlorinated turkey at Christmas if the UK agrees a post-Brexit trade deal with the USA, according to food safety experts. The team from the University of Sussex, Cardiff University and City, University of London found US poultry, washed in up to four chemical disinfectants, does not meet EU safety standards. The report also found the chemicals are used in the USA to wash fruit, vegetables and fish. They warn that British shoppers would be safer if the UK kept European Union standards and say future controls should be stricter, not weaker. The paper compared current UK and EU standards with those in the USA, and concluded that the use of chemical disinfectants by the US food industry posed risks to consumers and workers in the industry. The question of whether the UK would import chlorine-washed meat after Brexit was raised when US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross warned that a post-Brexit UK-US trade deal would require that the UK abandoned EU standards. University of Sussex Professor Erik Millstone said the UK should "continue to insist" on improving hygiene standards in poultry farms, slaughter houses and meat-cutting plants and not allow standards to decline, nor try relying on chemical disinfectants to reduce the harm that filthy meat can cause. He said: UK consumers would be safer to keep EU standards, and not to accept US disinfectant-washed-but-still-dirty poultry. The new paper, published by the Food Research Collaboration, concluded that far too few studies have been conducted into disinfectant-washed poultry and that the available data set is "full of holes". It also said that some studies have produced data indicating significant risks. US chemicals The turkeys and chickens on sale in the UK this Christmas cannot lawfully be washed with four chemicals that the US poultry trade calls pathogen reduction treatments (PRTs). The briefing paper identifies the set of scientific and policy documents, endorsed by the US Food and Drug Administration, which explain why the USA poultry industry uses these chemicals, and why they are not permitted in the UK or EU. According to the authors, the animal carcasses are washed with disinfectants because when they arrive at US abattoirs and meat cutting plants they are far more contaminated with infectious filth, including excrement, than in the UKs current food supply chain. The UK and EU approach insists that hygiene standards in the supply chain are sufficiently high that they do not need to be chemically disinfected. Statistics cited in the briefing paper show that 97 per cent of chicken breast meat in the USA contains pathogens such as salmonella and E.coli. The US-approved PRT chemicals are used to wash chickens, turkeys, other types of meat as well as fish, fruit and vegetables. They are: peroxyacetic acid, chlorine dioxide, acidified sodium chlorite, and trisodium phosphate (E 339 iii). The authors argue that if the UK allows PRT washed meat, they might then also be allowed for fish, fruit and vegetables. Toxic compounds The briefing paper also found evidence that PRTs may contribute to the formation of toxic compounds when they interact with poultry flesh; use of PRTs may worsen the chances that disinfectant-resistant bacteria will emerge. City, University of London Professor Tim Lang said they cannot support any weakening of UK food hygiene standards. He said: This is not what UK consumers have voted for or been consulted on. We were shocked when we found that PRTs are allowed to wash fish, fruit and vegetables, as well as poultry. This might put off UK consumers. The academics cite a World Health Organisation and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report saying disinfectants must not be used to mask poor hygienic practices. Cardiff University Professor Terry Marsden said: This is one of a series of food safety concerns of which consumers need to be aware as the Brexit process continues. The UK needs to improve its intensive food production and processing standards and not put both animals and consumers at risk. The experts make a series of recommendations, including that: the UK commits to at least maintaining safety and quality standards; public health, environmental, animal welfare and consumer organisations should combine to prevent the sale of poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables washed with chemical disinfectants in the UK. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says the risk from avian influenza to commercial poultry in the UK remains low. Defra reviewed bird flu risk in the United Kingdom following a new outbreak across the North Sea in the Netherlands. A 16,000-bird flock of fattening ducks in Flevoland was culled following confirmation of highly pathogenic H5N6 virus. The same farm was infected last winter with H5N8 - the strain that spread across Europe and the UK last year. Some 13 cases were found in the UK last winter, although none involved layers. Despite a number of new cases of avian influenza in Europe, Defra has decided not to increase the threat level in this country. The risk for commercial poultry remains low; the risk for wild birds remains medium. Migratory birds In its latest risk update, Defra says: "Many of the wild migratory waterfowl have now arrived to overwinter in northern Europe and the UK from their breeding grounds in Central and North Eurasia." Indeed, many wigeon started arriving in the UK in September. Compared to the situation at this time in 2016, the outlook for H5N8 in Central Europe is much more favourable with relatively fewer cases in wild birds. "With the exception of the wild duck case in Germany on the 23rd October, all the wild bird outbreaks (and poultry outbreaks) reported in Europe since the last report are south of the main migratory waterfowl flyway to the UK. "Thus, on this basis, it appears less likely that wild birds will bring H5N8 to the UK from these southerly regions of Europe. "However, we cannot rule out that the wild birds are succumbing to infection but outcomes such as high mortality (as observed last year) is not occurring because many birds in the population are likely to have been exposed last year and survived infection." 'Significant new event' It says: "Although new incursions of H5N8 HPAI through wild bird migration to Europe remains continuous risk up until February, the increase in detections anticipated since the last report has not materialised in November at least but other factors such as cold weather movement also need to be considered. "It is possible that local maintenance of H5N8 virus could still be occurring at sites in northern Europe from October and spread via other routes such as ongoing outbreak locations in Italy and Bulgaria. "The latest case of H5N6 in the Netherlands is a significant new event that merits close monitoring of any developments. "Furthermore, a cold winter in Central Europe would encourage more waterfowl to migrate west and into the UK up until February and freezing temperatures in the UK (as being experienced at present) could mean waterfowl move away from coastal sites to more sheltered inland areas." Defra is advising all poultry keepers to review bio-security measures and business continuity plans in case the risk of AI increases over the coming months. The UK is unprepared for the most complex ever change to its food system, which will be required before Brexit, according to a new briefing paper. The report, published by the University of Sussex, concludes that leaving the European Union poses serious risks to consumer interests, public health, businesses and workers in the food sector. Its authors claim that this is because there is no Government vision for UK food or agriculture, yet prices, quality, supply and the environment will all be adversely affected even with a soft Brexit. They warn that British consumers have not been informed about the enormous implications for their food, a third of which comes from within the European Union. The 88-page report, by leading food policy specialists, is the first major review of the ways leaving the EU will have an impact on UK food and farming. Professor Lang from City, University of London said the UK's food security and sustainability are now at stake. A food system which has an estimated three to five days of stocks cannot just walk away from the EU, which provides us with 31 per cent of our food. Anyone who thinks that this will be simple is ill-informed, Dr Lang explained. 'Less safe' The report examines available industry and government data, policies and literature on a wide range of issues including production, farming, employment, quality, safety standards and the environment. It highlights 16 key issues that must be addressed by the Government in its negotiations with the EU. Professor Millstone, from the University of Sussex said: In the EU, UK consumers and public health have benefited from EU-wide safety standards, without which there will be a risk of the UK having less safe and nutritious products. The report draws on more than 200 sources, including many interviews with senior figures across the food chain, as well as official, industry and scientific documents and statistics. It warns that a Food Brexit is of unprecedented importance and is happening at a time when the UK food system is already vulnerable, with self-sufficiency also in decline. The experts say their report is a wake-up call to the public and a Government that has little experience of food negotiations and has failed to warn consumers of the disruptions ahead. The report makes detailed recommendations, and call on the public, civil society and academics to put pressure on Government and MPs. Campaign putting spotlight on stress levels in farming gets new boost Here's What King Khan Said We should not just let it be about Oh this man behaved like this' and This is so shocking,' or all of that. We Should Respect The Emotion But we should respect the emotion of the women taking such a strong step in coming out, and being so brave, and help stop this from happening in our individual industries. It Could Be Happening Under Your Nose The sad part of it is that you don't know if it could be happening right under your nose. Very Recently Richa Chadha gave a very bold statement about sexual harassment in Bollywood, she told HT, ''We will lose a lot of heroes and several people will lose their lives' work, their legacies. I think that's what people will attack -- they can't attack them monetarily, so they will go after the legacies. And it will happen, I would think in the next four-five years." In Hollywood It Is Easier If someone suffers the loss of livelihood apart from emotional trauma, why will they come forward? In Hollywood,it is easier as actors get royalty. But In Bollywood... ''I don't see that happening immediately given the culture of naming and shaming in our country. But when it happens, as it is happening in Hollywood right now, the entire power structure will change. People, who you see making feminist films and claiming to be progressive etc, they will all come tumbling down.'' There is no doubt about the fact that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is extremely close to her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan. He too, shares a beautiful bond with Aishwarya. Recently, one of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's fan clubs shared a video of the Stardust Awards 2015, which is now going viral. In that Aishwarya is seen giggling like a child. And we will tell you the reason why. Scroll down to know the details. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Is Amitabh Bachchan's Biggest Fan In the video, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan can be seen saying: "He (Amitabh Bachchan is the best!" When Amitabh Bachchan Told Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 'Stop Behaving Like Aaradhya'' After seeing Aishwarya, Amitabh says: "Stop behaving like Aaradhya" and pat comes Ash's reply: "Everybody knows this." When Asked About Aaradhya's Reaction When a journo questioned him about having four artistes in the family and Aaradhya's reaction on seeing the trophies, Amitabh corrected the reporter saying that there are five artistes in the family, including his father, the legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan. He Added Soon, he corrected himself to add that actually there are six, by adding Aaradhya's name. Aaradhya Is A Born Artist He said, she has been showing signs of being one from the age two and would be happy to see them and shower her affection on them. Those Who Don't Know At the awards, Amitabh was awarded for his work in Piku while Aishwarya was honoured with the best actress trophy for her work in Jazbaa. On a related note, Aishwarya was on cloud nine when Amitabh Bachchan received the National Award for the best actor. Praising her father-in-law, she had told the media, "It is not the first time and deservedly so. We are very very proud that Paa (Amitabh) won the national award yet again for a performance he deserved.'' She had added, "I feel every performance of his deserves to be celebrated by the audience and members of the media. I thank you for all the love. Thank you on the behalf of Paa for all the congratulatory messages. We love Paa and god bless him for entertaining us.'' On the work front, Amitabh Bachchan has just finished wrapping up the Thailand schedule of Thugs Of Hindostan, which also stars Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh in the lead roles. While, Aishwarya has been busy shooting for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's musical comedy Fanney Khan. The movie also features Rajkummar Rao and Anil Kapoor. Also Read: Hope My Kids Grow Up To Understand Value Of Service: Hrithik Roshan Qlik launches India Migration App: Know about the immigration trends in India News oi -Samden Sherpa The India Migration app gives a state-wise overview of migratory trends with information such as what percentage of the population migrated and where they migrated to and more. Qlik, a leader in data analytics, has announced the launch of its India Migration web app. The platform uses the latest official data from Census India to track and visualize migration trends across urban and rural regions as well as state borders. Leveraging Qlik's proprietary associative technology, the app translates publicly available data into an engaging and interactive visual format. The app will equip administrators, government bodies, and private businesses with the insights they need to design strategies, implement policies, and deploy services conducive to continued economic and infrastructural growth. The India Migration app gives a state-wise overview of migratory trends with information such as what percentage of the population migrated and where they migrated to, as well as inbound migration data from different states. For example, 22 percent of those that left Uttar Pradesh moved to Maharashtra, while neighboring states of Delhi and Uttarakhand attracted 14.5 percent and 10.3 percent respectively. Uttar Pradesh also witnessed a huge influx of migrants from Bihar (909.5k), Madhya Pradesh (555.8k), and Delhi (404.2k). To provide more detailed and incisive insights, the app breaks down the number of migrants based on their gender, as well as the geography that they belonged to before migration. Julian Quinn, Regional Vice President, APAC, Qlik said, "Robust migration between different regions is one of the primary drivers of a vibrant and dynamic economy. Qlik's presentation of migratory trends is expected to increase the understanding of various factors which influence people into relocating. Our India Migration web app translates available official data into a clutter-free, visually-interactive format which can be easily understood by the public and private entities. The power of analytics can then be used to improve various aspects that affect a region's populace and can also help in predicting future migration trends to sustain and augment growth across all regions." The app also showcased the most common factors that led Indians to relocate to another state. While marriage was the top reason for moving within India, other factors like work/employment (684.78 million) and education (120.14 million) were also found to significantly influence migratory trends. Socioeconomic developments played a major role in driving immigration across states. For example, Maharashtra witnessed an influx of immigrants from states like Uttar Pradesh (1.41 million), Gujarat (643.19k), Karnataka (612.56k), as well as Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. This heavy migration was largely expected to be driven by the launch of key infrastructural projects like Mumbai Coastal Road, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), Mumbai Metro Phase III Cuffe Parade-SEEPZ corridor, and Navi Mumbai International Airport. This latest app from Qlik is a part of its long-term vision of making data more conveniently accessible by translating it into an easily understandable visual and interactive format. It aims to nurture a data-driven culture across public and private organizations by raising awareness about how analytics works, improving data literacy, and showcasing how visual data analytics can help in maximizing operational efficiency. 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 Mozilla vs Oath-owned Yahoo Well, let's start with the latest one. In November this year, Mozilla released the Firefox Quantum and added to it a crucial update which would result in the company getting into a legal dispute the next month. As we know, Mozilla is one of the most widely used browsers around the world. Oath, on the other hand, is the new owner of Yahoo. So here's exactly what went wrong between the two companies. Mozilla recently opted Google as the default search engine for the internet browser. Earlier versions of Mozilla Firefox featured Yahoo as the default search engine which supposedly repelled away users. However, Mozilla signed a deal in 2014 with Yahoo to use it as the default search engine, which was for five years. Naturally, Yahoo couldn't digest being replaced as the default search engine for Mozilla, and its current owner Oath filed a lawsuit against Mozilla on December 1, alleging the company broke the deal. In an interesting turn of events, Mozilla filed a cross-complaint soon after accusing Yahoo of breaching of contract. The legal dispute is still continuing, but there is not much information available on the developments of the case. Apple vs Qualcomm Truth to be told, the legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm is the most intense one. Both the parties keep slapping each other lawsuits, with no hope for settlement coming into sight in near future. First, Apple demanded $1 billion from Qualcomm, accusing the chipset maker of abusing its monopoly situation which it had gained through "exclusionary tactics and excessive royalties". Well, it marked the beginning of a legal battle that would continue to plod on for months to come, if not years. In July, Qualcomm accused Apple of infringing several patents related to improving the battery life of mobile phones. In November, the iPhone maker filed a countersuit against Qualcomm, alleging that Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets infringe on Apple's patents. Amidst of all these, Qualcomm filed some paper works in China asking the ban of iPhones in the country. The chipset maker also asked US trade regulators to ban iPhone imports. All the courtroom battles have made a negative impact on the revenues generated by Qualcomm. Apple, on the other hand, stays unaffected. Samsung vs Apple This shouldn't really come as a surprise though. The legal war (yes, it should be called a war) between two of the biggest tech giants has been going on for years now. The first filed lawsuit dates back to 2011, when Apple accused Samsung of patent infringement. To put it simply, the former claimed the South Korean smartphone manufacturer copied the design of the iPhone, including the device's rectangular front face with rounded edges and grid of colorful icons on a black screen. As it turned out, one court ordered Samsung to pay a fine of $1 billion for the damages caused. However, to Apple's dismay the legal team of Samsung managed to shave the fine down to $399 million. Now, six years later, the legal battle again headed back to the court. US District Court Judge Lucy Koh ordered in October that a new trial is needed to determine if Apple's $399 million award for Samsung's design patent infringement should stand or there should be a new damages trial. We are yawning! Google vs Uber You may be wondering, how did they even get into a legal battle. It all started in February, when Alphabet subsidiary Waymo filed a case against Uber, alleging that Uber benefited from trade secrets preferred by their former engineer Anthony Levandowski. Levandowski used to work for Waymo, but he left to found a self-driving lorry firm, which was later acquired by Uber. Waymo claims hat Levandowski stole 14,000 classified documents during his stay, however Uber has denied the whole thing. Since then it has been quite a circus in the courtroom battle, with dates of trial being put back and forth, documents being submitted late. It went up to such level that the federal judge trying the case accused both the legal parties of telling "half-truths". Waymo has been told to cut the 120-plus trade secrets cited in its original claim down to just nine. To Uber's joy, Waymo's damages expert has also been ordered from the courtroom. While we are yet to see the end of this case, no matter the decision goes in whose favor, it will decide the future of the self-driving vehicle industry. Samsung vs Huawei Well, it seems like Samsung should really hire a new legal firm. In April this year, Samsung lost a huge legal battle against Chinese OEM Huawei over patent infringement. A Chinese court in ordered Samsung to pay Huawei 80 million yuan, or $11.6 million, for the damages caused. The disputed technology patents are related to a smartphone's graphical displays, such as how certain icons should be arranged. Huawei claimed in the lawsuit that 20 different Samsung devices violated its patents. As we have mentioned earlier, Samsung ended up losing face and, of course, the case as well. Picture courtesy: Geek Culture Facebook vs ZeniMax Media Facebook is arguably the most popular social media network. Mark Zuckerberg, the company's CEO, however, is not content with that. He has some big plans for his brainchild, and VR is definitely one of them. As many could see it coming, Facebook bought Oculus VR for more than $2 billion in 2014. In the same year, a lesser known company called ZeniMax Media had sued the Oculus VR for copyright infringement and violation of non-disclosure agreement. The former claimed that the Oculus Rift VR headset was created using the technology of ZeniMax Media. Unfortunately for Facebook, the dispute started just after the acquisition. And, in February this year, A US court ordered Facebook's virtual reality subsidiary Oculus and its executives to pay game developer ZeniMax Media $500 million in damages. HPE acquired SimpliVity and Nimble Storage HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) acquired SimpliVity closing the deal at $650 million. The vendor announced new products soon after the acquisition. Back then, it was announced that HPE will combine the SimpliVity Omni Stack software when the DL380 servers. While the acquisition of SimpliVity was in January 2017, HPE acquired Nimble Storage in March for $1.09 billion in an attempt to expand the storage business that is already growing. The CEO of HPE, Meg Whitman has been focusing a lot on storage services along with the rest to restructure the business. Cisco acquired AppDynamics Cisco acquired AppDynamics, an application analytics firm based in San Francisco for $3.7 billion. AppDynamics provides software that can monitor the performance of most applications and flagging areas and issues that need attention. The deal came before the IPO filing by AppDynamics and was closed in March this year. Google acquired Kaggle Google acquired Kaggle, an online community of data scientists in March this year. Kaggle is known for hosting data science and machine learning competitions as well. Google is claimed to have acquired Kaggle in an attempt to enhance the AI and machine learning functionalities and to take advantage of the 600,000 data scientists at Kaggle's community. CA Technologies acquire Veracode CA Technologies agreed to acquire Veracode, a security testing firm for a deal of $614 million. This deal is meant to expand the development and testing offered for the enterprises and app developers. Veracode offers a software-as-a-service platform and helps developers enhance the security of their apps. Google and HTC Google signed an agreement with HTC in September this year to buy a part of the latter's smartphone business for $1.1 billion. This is meant to boost the new hardware business of Google. Following the same, Google started roping in HTC employs such as teams that have worked on the Pixel smartphones. Apple acquired Lattice.io Apple acquired Lattice.io to fill out its capabilities in the AI and machine learning segments. Apple acquired California-based startup - Lattice.io in May this year for $175 to $200 million. The startup is known for offering AI-enabled engine that can take unstructured dark data and turn them into structured and meaningful insights. Verizon acquired Yahoo In June this year, Verizon acquired Yahoo for $4.5 billion. The US-based carrier stated that it is in plans to combine the new assets with the existing AOL business to create Oath, a subsidiary that will cover some of the 50 media brands and over 1 billion users across the world. Intel acquired Mobileye Intel, the US-based chipmaker acquired Mobileye, an Israel-based driverless car firm for $15.3 billion in March. The latter has contracts with 27 car manufacturers and controls two-thirds of the software for automatic emergency braking as well as semi-autonomous cruise control systems that exist in the market. In fact, Mobileye is one of the very few companies with a comprehensive set of technology. None of the other companies offer a whole stack of technologies for self-driving. President Zuma blames factionalism for failure of South Africa's ANC Iran Press TV Sat Dec 16, 2017 05:38PM South African President and leader of the African National Congress (ANC) Jacob Zuma has said that infighting has been a main reason for the fall in the popularity of the ruling party. "Factionalism has become the biggest threat to our movement," said Zuma Saturday while addressing members of the ANC in a conference that will elect his successor as the head of the party. Zuma said South Africans had become increasingly dissatisfied with the status quo in the ANC, saying the fall in the party's approval ratings was clearly felt in last year's local elections. "Our people are frustrated when we spend more time fighting among ourselves instead of solving the daily challenges they experience," he said, adding, "Petty squabbling that takes us nowhere needs to take a back seat." Zuma's reign as South Africa's president has been marred by graft scandals affecting him and close allies. Opponents in the ANC say Zuma mainly cares more about his close allies and is less interested in the reputation of the ANC, a party credited for South Africa's rise during the post-apartheid era. ANC members will elect Zuma's successor in the five-day ANC meeting outside Johannesburg. The two front-runners in the race are Zuma's former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who served for a while as the head of the African Union, and Cyril Ramaphosa, Zuma's current deputy. Many say both candidates would serve as proxies to protect Zuma from criminal prosecution over graft allegations. Zuma will remain as president until the 2019 elections, when the ANC is expected to lose more seats in the parliament. That potential income would force the party to form a coalition with opposition parties the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni forces fire retaliatory missile at Saudi army command in Jizan Iran Press TV Sat Dec 16, 2017 09:38AM Yemeni forces have reportedly fired a ballistic missile at a Saudi army command and control center in the kingdom's southwestern Jizan region, as the Riyadh regime steps up its bloody attacks against the country. A Yemeni military source told Arabic-language al-Masirah television network on Saturday that the medium-range Qaher M-2 missile had accurately hit the target south of Jizan. Meanwhile, Colonel Aziz Rashid, a spokesman for the Yemeni military, noted that the missile strike was a preemptive attack to foil the Saudi mercenaries' activities. He also stressed that the Yemeni missile force was capable of hitting strategic targets deep inside the Saudi territories. Yemeni forces regularly fire ballistic missile at positions inside Saudi Arabia in retaliation for Saudi military strikes on Yemen. On Friday, more than 70 Yemeni people were killed in Saudi air raids on the impoverished country. Saudi Arabia and its allies launched the war on Yemen in March 2015 in a bid to crush the Houthi movement and reinstate the former Riyadh-friendly regime, but they have achieved neither of their goals. The Saudi-led war, which has been accompanied by a naval and aerial blockade on Yemen, has so far killed over 12,000 people and led to a humanitarian crisis as well as a deadly cholera outbreak. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South African President Zuma Faces Replacement Sputnik News 11:57 16.12.2017 The African National Congress' selective conference has opened in South Africa's largest city Johannesburg, in an event that is being attended by more than 5,000 delegates. After surviving several votes of no confidence in parliament, South African President and ruling African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma currently faces the prospect of being replaced, which may be announced during the ongoing ANC's selective conference. 75-year-old Zuma can serve out his presidential term until the country's national elections, which are scheduled for 2019. Meanwhile, current deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, also a wealthy businessman, and former cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, President Zuma's 68-year old ex-wife, have already been named the main candidates for the presidency. The ANC has been at the helm of South Africa for more than twenty years. In November 2017, 93-year-old Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was pressured to step down after having ruled the country for almost forty years. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Set to Unveil First National Security Strategy By VOA News December 16, 2017 President Donald Trump is set to unveil on Monday his strategy to counter what he considers the most dire global threats to the United States. Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, gave a preview of the administration's new national security policy on Tuesday at a conference hosted by the London-based policy research organization Policy Exchange. "Geopolitics are back and they are back with a vengeance," McMaster told the audience. McMaster said Trump's policy is driven by four key priorities: protecting the homeland, advancing and protecting U.S. prosperity, maintaining peace through strength, and advancing U.S. influence. The Army general said the primary threats to American security are "revisionist powers" such as Russia and China, which are trying to undermine global order and stability, and "rogue regimes," including North Korea and Iran. Russia is threatening the U.S. with "so-called new-generation warfare" that includes sophisticated propaganda campaigns designed to "divide our community," McMaster said without mentioning Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. 'Competitive engagement' McMaster characterized China's "economic aggression" as a threat that is "challenging the rules-based economic order that helped lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty," and he proposed to counter the threats from Russia and China with "competitive engagement," the idea that American prosperity is a national interest. He suggested that renegotiating trade agreements would be a primary part of the national security strategy. "The U.S. and U.K. cannot serve as a force for peace and stability in the world if we are not economically and fiscally secure," McMaster said. He also cited Islamic State and other terrorist groups as threats that are executing and inspiring attacks against the West. Regarding North Korea, McMaster called on the global community to take action beyond the resolutions adopted by the U.N. Security Council, saying it "might be our last best chance to avoid military conflict." By some assessments, the threats McMaster prioritized match those presented in 2015 by former President Barack Obama's administration, but that administration spoke of sharing and broadening U.S. economic interests. The Trump approach is more confined, emphasizing that American prosperity is to be protected, not expanded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Argentina Sacks Navy Chief Over Sub Disappearance By VOA News December 16, 2017 Argentina has dismissed the head of its navy following last month's disappearance of a submarine with 44 crew members. Argentine newspaper La Nacion reported Saturday that Defense Minister Oscar Aguad has asked Admiral Marcelo Eduardo Hipolito Srur for his resignation. The move comes one month after the last contact with the submarine ARA San Juan. A replacement for the admiral has not been announced. The sub disappeared in the South Atlantic November 15 with 44 crew members aboard and has not been located. The sub had enough oxygen to sustain life for about 10 days under water. At the end of November, a rescue mission was called off. Investigators determined that an explosion was detected in the area where the sub was last known to be. Argentina carries on with its recovery mission, however. The navy announced on Saturday that it "remains committed to ...the relatives of the 44 crew members." A search was put on hold Saturday because of high winds and waves up to five meters high. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ankara to open diplomatic mission in East al-Quds: Erdogan Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 03:00PM Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated his country's support for Palestine in the wake of US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital, stating that Ankara plans to open an embassy in East Jerusalem al-Quds. "God willing, the day is close when officially, with God's permission, we will open our embassy there," Erdogan said on Sunday. The remarks came amid reports that Lebanon and Turkey are considering opening diplomatic missions in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds in response to Trump's controversial decision to recognize the whole city as the "capital" of Israel. In a post on his official Twitter account, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil described East Jerusalem al-Quds as "the capital of Palestine," saying he had informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of his willingness to establish a Lebanese embassy there. Bassil also noted that Abbas had promised to provide a piece of land for Lebanon's mission in al-Quds. Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), has also called on the government to open the country's embassy in East Jerusalem al-Quds. "Turkey should immediately, without wasting time, open its embassy to Palestine in East Jerusalem," Engin Altay, CHP's deputy chairman, said on Thursday. Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Sunday once again slammed the US president's "miscalculation" in deciding to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israeli's capital. "Those who miscalculate on Jerusalem al-Quds in this region will eventually regret it," he pointed out. On December 6, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital and relocate the US embassy in occupied lands from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds. The dramatic shift in Washington's policy vis-a-vis the city triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other Muslim countries. On December 10, violent clashes erupted outside the US embassy in the Lebanese capital Beirut during a protest against the US decision. Demonstrators burnt tires as well as the US and Israeli flags as they pushed to break through a barbed wire erected by security forces around the embassy complex. Security forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the angry protesters. Jerusalem al-Quds remains at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians hoping that the eastern part of the city would eventually serve as the capital of a future independent Palestinian state. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban militants kill 11 policemen in separate attacks in Afghanistan's Helmand Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 02:20PM The Taliban militants have killed at least 11 Afghan policemen in separate attacks on checkpoints in the volatile province of Helmand in southern Afghanistan, officials say. In the latest blow to the war-ravaged country's beleaguered security forces, Taliban militants launched coordinated attacks against two police checkpoints in the Qalai Sang area of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah in the early morning on Sunday. "Our police fought them back, but unfortunately 11 of our police were martyred and two wounded," provincial governor Hayatullah Hayat said, adding that the militants fled the scene after the raids. According to Ghafar Safi, the provincial police chief, at least 15 Taliban militants were also killed during the gun battle. The Taliban assaults on the police posts are the latest in a series of deadly attacks on Afghan security forces, which are beset by a high death toll, desertions and non-existent "ghost soldiers" on the payroll. Later in the day, at least one civilian was killed and two others sustained injuries after a magnetic mine, placed on a vehicle, went off close to Noor Square in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital city of the northern province of Balkh. No group, including the Taliban, has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. In a separate attack on Sunday, an explosives-laden vehicle went off after it attacked a convoy of NATO forces in the southern province of Kandahar, killing a woman and wounding at least five civilian bystanders. Taliban militants have intensified their attacks on security forces and foreign troops over the past two years. In October, the militants launched a number of deadly assaults on a number of checkpoints and military bases across the war-ravaged country, leaving over 100 soldiers dead and dozens others injured. The Taliban, mostly based in the south and east of Afghanistan, have been behind many attacks in the north of the country in the recent past. Afghanistan is engulfed by violence and many parts of the country remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops. The United States and its NATO allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror in 2001, which toppled a Taliban regime. Over the past 16 years, the Taliban have been engaged in militancy across Afghanistan, killing and displacing government officials, security forces, and civilians. The Takfiri Daesh terrorist group has also more recently gained a foothold in the crisis-hit country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Submarine tragedy prompts Argentinean government to fire navy chief Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 08:04AM Argentina has dismissed the head of its navy a month after one of its three submarines and the vessel's crew disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean. The ARA San Juan submarine went missing in the South Atlantic. Its crew members, 43 men and one woman, are presumed dead. Following an uproar in the country over the tragedy, a government spokesman said on Saturday that Navy Admiral Marcelo Eduardo Hipolito Srur had been sacked. Local paper La Nacion had earlier cited anonymous sources as saying that Admiral Srur had been sacked by the defense minister. At least two other senior Navy officers have been relieved so far over the ARA San Juan's disappearance. In addition to an ongoing investigation into the sub's disappearance by the navy, the government is also creating an internal investigative commission that will be headed by retired captain Jorge Bergallo, the father of the ARA San Juan's second commander, Jorge Ignacio Bergallo, government sources told state agency Telam. Meanwhile, an international search operation for the vessel continues. The families of the missing seamen have been pressing the government to continue the search until the submarine is found. The ARA San Juan was one of Argentina's three navy submarines. The ARA Salta, which is still operational, and the ARA Santa Cruz, which was removed from service due to mechanical failures that require a complete overhaul, are the other two submarines of the South American country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At least 11 Afghan Police Killed In Taliban Attack RFE/RL December 17, 2017 Afghan officials say Taliban militants have attacked two checkpoints in the southern province of Helmand, killing 11 police officers. Provincial Governor Hayatullah Hayat said on December 17 that Afghan forces eventually repelled the attack early on December 17 in the Qalai Sang area of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. Hayat added that two officers were wounded in the fighting. Provincial police chief Ghafar Safi said 15 militants were also killed. The Taliban, who have a strong presence in Helmand, claimed responsibility for the attack. In the neighboring Kandahar Province, another Taliban stronghold, provincial police chief General Abdul Raziq said a suicide car bomber attacked a convoy of foreign forces, killing an Afghan woman and wounding five other civilians. The NATO Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan confirmed the attack and said there were no casualties among its personnel. No group claimed responsibility. The latest attacks come as the Western-backed government in Kabul has been struggling to fend off the Taliban and other militants since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014. However, the U.S. Defense Department hailed success on the battlefield by Afghan forces in its semiannual report to Congress -- the first since President Donald Trump announced in August his new strategy for the South Asia region. The Pentagon said in the report given to Congress on December 15 that U.S. and Afghan "sources indicate this fighting season has been more successful than the last." "During this reporting period [June 1, 2017, to November 30], the Taliban was unable to threaten any provincial centers, lost control of key districts, and the ANDSF retained control of all major population centers," it said, referring to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. The report also urged Taliban insurgents to embrace "peace and political legitimacy" through a negotiated settlement with the Kabul government. Under the new South Asia strategy, the Pentagon said that the United States had deployed "modest numbers" of additional U.S. forces to train, advise, and assist and for counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan. The United States has about 14,000 uniformed personnel in Afghanistan, an increase of some 3,000 from the previous reporting period, it said. The United States has been in Afghanistan since 2001, when it led an invasion to drive the Taliban from power following the September 11 terror attacks in the United States. U.S. forces have remained as part of a NATO-led coalition ever since, although active combat operations were turned over to Afghan forces in 2014, and international troop levels have fallen from a peak of more than 100,000 to about 16,000. With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, Khaama Press, and Pajhwok Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-police- killed-helmand-attack/28923010.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 Palestinian Authority Calls For 'Angry' Demonstrations To Protest Pence Visit December 17, 2017 Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas' Fatah faction has called for an "angry" demonstration on December 20 to protest against a visit to Jerusalem by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. The call on December 16 came after President Donald Trump on December 6 announced he would recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and begin the process of moving the U.S. Embassy to the divided city. The decision angered many in the Arab and Muslim world, as well as U.S. allies in Europe and elsewhere. The United Nations Security Council on December 16 began considering a draft resolution that would reject Trump's decision. Nine votes would be needed for it to pass, but the United States would be able to veto it if approved. The one-page document, which was drafted by the Egyptian delegation, would declare that any decision on the status of Jerusalem would have no legal effect and must be reversed. The document was sent to the 15 members of the Security Council on December 16 and could be voted on early next week. The status of Jerusalem is one of the most sensitive issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians regard it as the capital of their future state. Israel has annexed East Jerusalem and declared all of the city as its capital, a move never recognized by the international community. Most countries have their embassies in Tel Aviv. Fatah in its December 16 statement said that "we call for angry protests at the entrances to Jerusalem and in its Old City to coincide with the visit on [December 20] of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and to protest against Trump's decision." The Palestinian Authority previously said it would refuse to meet with Pence during his upcoming Middle East visit. The United States has said that despite Trump's announcement, it remains committed to helping to forge an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Based on reporting by AFP and The Times Of Israel Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/palestinian-israel -jerusalem-united-states-mike-pence -visit-protests/28922619.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 U.S. Hails Afghan Forces' Battlefield Gains, Urges Taliban To Seek Talks With Kabul RFE/RL December 17, 2017 The U.S. Defense Department has hailed success on the battlefield by Afghan forces and urged Taliban insurgents to embrace "peace and political legitimacy" through a negotiated settlement with the government in Kabul. The comments came this week in the Pentagon's semiannual report to Congress, the first since President Donald Trump on August 21 announced his new strategy for Afghanistan and the South Asia region. The Pentagon said in the report given to Congress on December 15 that U.S. and Afghan "sources indicate this fighting season has been more successful than the last." "During this reporting period [June 1, 2017, to November 30], the Taliban was unable to threaten any provincial centers, lost control of key districts, and the ANDSF retained control of all major population centers," it said, referring to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. U.S. commanders in Afghanistan had said in early summer that the conflict was in a "stalemate" as Afghan security forces struggled to hold back the Taliban and other extremist groups in the country. The report said the major change in U.S. policy under Trump from "our previous strategy is the shift from a time-based approach to a conditions-based one." "This strategy is a clear signal of U.S. resolve and a break with the previous administration's focus on a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan," it added. "Our purpose in Afghanistan remains the same," the report said. It is "to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a safe haven from which terrorist groups can plan and execute attacks on the United States, or our allies, and citizens abroad." It said the goal remains the same as in 2001: "a stable, independent Afghanistan at peace with its neighbors." "The objective of the campaign is to convince the Taliban that they cannot win on the battlefield. The war will end in a comprehensive, Afghan-led political settlement that will include all parties, including the Taliban." "The Taliban cannot win on the battlefield. They must know that their only path to peace and political legitimacy is through a negotiated settlement with the Afghan government," it said. The Pentagon said it had a "willing and able partner" in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. "In conjunction with the new U.S. strategy, he launched with the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and U.S. forces in Afghanistan a process to create and monitor reforms in four priority sectors: governance, economic development, security, and the peace process." It cited Ghani's "long-term plan to seize the initiative in the fight against insurgent and terrorist forces, further professionalize the ANDSF, modify the ANDSF force structure, and compel the Taliban to seek reconciliation." Under its new South Asia strategy, the Pentagon said the United States had deployed "modest numbers" of additional forces to support the train, advise, and assist, and for counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan. The United States has about 14,000 uniformed personnel in Afghanistan, an increase of some 3,000 from the previous reporting period, it said. It cautioned, though, that "our commitment is enduring but not unlimited. Our support is not a blank check. "As long as the Afghan government continues to show real progress and make real reforms, we will continue to support them as our strategic partners in the fight against international terrorism." The United States has been in Afghanistan since 2001, when it led an invasion to drive the Taliban from power after it said the group's leaders were sheltering Al-Qaeda militants responsible for the September 11, 2001, terror attacks in the United States. U.S. forces have remained as part of a NATO-led coalition ever since, although active combat operations were turned over to Afghan forces in 2014, and international troop levels have fallen from a peak of more than 100,000 to about 16,000. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-afghanistan-taliban- nato-ghani-andsf/28922618.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 Mattis Says Close U.S.-Russian Jet Encounters Over Syria May Not Be Accidental RFE/RL December 16, 2017 U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is questioning whether recent close encounters between Russian and U.S. warplanes over Syria were mistaken or the result of what he called "dangerous" maneuvers by some Russian fighter-jet pilots. "Right now, I cannot tell you if it's sloppy airmanship, rambunctious pilots, or people who are trying to do something that is very unwise," Mattis said in remarks to Pentagon reporters on December 15. A day earlier, the Pentagon said that two Russian Su-25 fighter jets flew through an unofficial line separating Russian and U.S. air forces in eastern Syria on December 13 and came dangerously close to U.S. warplanes. During the incident, the Pentagon said U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter jets launched warning flares and deployed chaff -- used to distract potential incoming missiles. The U.S. pilots also radioed the Russian pilots multiple times on an emergency channel demanding that they leave the U.S. portion of the air space over a Syrian safe zone that had been negotiated in an agreement between Russian and U.S. forces, the Pentagon said. The Russian Defense Ministry on December 14 denied that its pilots were at fault, saying Russia's jets did not cross the unofficial boundary line, and claiming the U.S. jets eventually left the region after another Russian jet, a Su-35C, arrived. The Pentagon on December 15 said other close calls have occurred when Russian jets flew over the same dividing line, which runs along with Euphrates River, into the area east of the river designated as U.S. airspace without notifying U.S.-led coalition forces ahead of time. Lieutenant Colonel Damien Pickart, an air force spokesman in the Middle East, said in an e-mail to AFP that on November 15, two U.S. A-10 Warthog ground-attack planes nearly collided head-on with a Russian Su-24 Fencer that passed within only 90 meters of the U.S. planes. One A-10 pilot had to "aggressively execute a defensive maneuver to avoid a midair collision," Pickart told AFP. Then on November 17, he said two F-22s intercepted an armed Russian Su-24 that flew over coalition and partner forces three times and failed to respond to radio calls. "The F-22s intercepted this pilot and were in a position to fire," Pickart told AFP. "Luckily our pilots showed restraint, but given the actions of the Su-24 aircraft could have reasonably been interpreted as threatening to U.S. forces, our pilots would have been well within our rights to engage," he said. "The coalition's greatest concern is that we could shoot down a Russian aircraft because its actions are seen as a threat to our air or ground forces," Pickart told AFP. "We are not here to fight the Russians and Syrians -- our focus remains on defeating [the Islamic State extremist group]. That said, if anyone threatens coalition or friendly partner forces in the air or on the ground, we will defend them." Mattis said it was not clear if the incidents were accidental and due to the inexperience of the young pilots, or deliberate and the product of those pilots "dangerously feeling their oats." "I don't expect perfection, but I don't expect dangerous maneuvers either, and so we'll sort this out," he said at the Pentagon. Mattis said that the United States and Russia were still using a hot line to try to avoid such close calls as each country's warplanes operate in often close proximity in Syrian airspace. With reporting by AP and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/mattis-says-close- us-russia-jet-encounters-over-syria- may-not-be-accidental/28921492.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 Italy to Decrease Military Presence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Start Mission in Niger Sputnik News 22:47 17.12.2017(updated 23:01 17.12.2017) Italy is set to decrease its military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan in the light of the victory over Daesh terrorist group. ROME (Sputnik) Italy plans to decrease its military presence in Iraq in the light of the victory over Daesh, as well as in Afghanistan, and wants to start a new military mission in Niger, Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said. "I can say with satisfaction that one of the goals has been achieved IS (Daesh) was defeated in Syria and Iraq the country, where we had a strong military presence with about 1,500 servicemen. We intend to scale down our presence by half, by reducing the contingent helping to protect the Mosul dam," Pinotti told La Republica newspaper in an interview published on Sunday. Rome also intends to decrease its military presence in Afghanistan by 900 servicemen and has already informed its allies within the international military mission in this country about that, according to the minister. At the same time, Pinotti announced the imminent start of a new military mission in Niger. "Our principle is that the armed forces must deal with threats related to the country. I believe that it would be important to review the missions in order to prevent a direct effect in the zone, which we call the 'extended Mediterranean.' The operation in Niger is the fruit of such a strategy," Pinotti explained. The minister noted that with the support of the United Nations and the European Union, special forces were being created with the participation of five African states in the Sahel region. "This territory has a fundamental importance for us, both in terms of fight against terrorism and fight against the criminal network that controls illegal migration," Pinotti stressed. Since 2015, Europe has been experiencing its worst migration crisis in recent history, struggling to accommodate hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants fleeing hostilities in the Middle Eastern and North African countries. The refugees mainly arrive in Greece and Italy as they use illegal ship transportation via Mediterranean Sea. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan: 'Day is Close' When Turkey Will Open Embassy in East Jerusalem Sputnik News 17:36 17.12.2017(updated 17:37 17.12.2017) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated his tough position on the Jerusalem issue days after the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (IOC) emergency summit in Istanbul. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared the intention of opening an embassy in eastern Jerusalem, recalling his tough stance toward the US decision to recognize the city as Israel's capital and to move the country's embassy there. "God willing, the day is close when officially, with God's permission, we will open our embassy there," Erdogan said in a speech, as quoted as saying by the Hurriyet newspaper. IOC Emergency Summit on Jerusalem Ankara's plans to open an embassy in east Jerusalem were first announced by the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu earlier this week at the end of the session of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Erdogan, as the current chairman of the IOC, has addressed representatives from 57 countries, gathered for an emergency summit in Istanbul, warning that the Muslim world might lose Medina and other holy sites, following the US decision to recognize the disputed city as the capital of Israel. "If we lose Jerusalem then we won't be able to protect Medina. If we lose Medina we will lose Mecca and Kaaba," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey will thwart the US decision by all possible legal means. "Like a century ago, the Islamic world is facing efforts to reshape it through blood, tears, and strife between brothers," Erdogan said during an award ceremony at the summit, as cited by Anadolu news agency. People in the Islamic world must "be prepared for attacks which try to bring down Muslims from within," he said. The IOC has declared east Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine, urging the UN Security Council to annul Trump's decision on the basis of the Palestine-drafted resolution on the issue, renouncing legal force and validity of any decisions that change the status and demographic composition of the disputed city and prompting other states to ignore actions that violate the relevant resolutions. The UNSC is reportedly expected to consider the resolution on December 18, following the emergency session, which addressed the US unilateral move on December 8. The conflict over borders and sovereignty between Israel and Palestine dates back to 1967 when Israel seized Jerusalem from Jordan during the Six Day War and declared the city its capital. However, the international community does not recognize this annexation, calling the dispute one of the key obstacles on the path to peace in the region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Africa: ANC Prepares to Vote on Zuma Replacement By VOA News December 17, 2017 Thousands of delegates prepared Sunday to vote for the next leader of South Africa's ruling ANC party, a vote widely seen as a decisive moment in the country's post-apartheid politics. Nearly 5,000 members of the African National Congress party prepared to vote in Johannesburg on a successor to party leader and President Jacob Zuma, who is stepping down amid numerous corruption scandals. But Zuma will remain South Africa's president before nation-wide elections in 2019. Two figures are officially in the running to replace Zuma as leader of the African National Congress, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a party stalwart and experienced diplomat who was once married to Zuma for 16 years. But others may emerge when voting begins during the weekend. The ANC has won a majority in every national poll since the beginning of democracy in 1994, meaning the new leader is likely to be a strong presidential candidate in 2019. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Putin thanks Trump for CIA tip used to thwart St. Petersburg terror attack Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 09:48PM Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked his US counterpart for CIA tip which helped operations to thwart several bombing attacks in Saint Petersburg. "The information received from the CIA proved sufficient to find and detain the criminal suspects," read a Sunday statement by Kremlin, which noted that Russia's leader had conveyed his thanks via a phone conversation. It added that Putin also asked US President Donald Trump during the phone conversation to convey his respects to the CIA Director Mike Pompeo. "If the Russian intelligence agencies receive information about potential terror threats against the United States and its citizens, they will immediately hand it over to their US counterparts via their communications channels," added the statement. Russia recently dismantled a cell of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Saint Petersburg that was planning to carry out imminent terror attacks in the northern city. According to a statement released by the Russian Federal Security Service a "large number of explosives used to make homemade bombs, automatic rifles munitions and extremist literature" was seized during the police operation. Russian forces arrested seven members of the cell during raids that took place on Wednesday and Thursday. Trump and Putin's phone conversation was the second of such since Thursday, when Trump thanked Putin for his remarks "acknowledging America's strong economic performance." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin Says CIA Helped Russia Thwart Terrorist Attacks In St. Petersburg RFE/RL December 17, 2017 The Kremlin says that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) provided information that helped Russia thwart planned terrorist attacks in St. Petersburg. In a December 17 telephone call, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for information that helped track down and "detain terrorists," the Kremlin said in statement. The White House confirmed the call and said in a statement that Trump "appreciated the call and told President Putin that he and the entire United States intelligence community were pleased to have helped save so many lives." "President Trump stressed the importance of intelligence cooperation to defeat terrorists wherever they may be," the White House statement said. The statement came two days after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had arrested seven suspected Islamic extremists accused of plotting to carry out a string of terrorist attacks in St. Petersburg. It also came three days after Trump and Putin held a phone conversation about North Korea that the U.S. president described as "great." The Kremlin said that Putin asked Trump to relay his thanks to CIA Director Mike Pompeo and U.S. intelligence officers "who obtained this information" about the alleged terror suspects. "Vladimir Putin assured Donald Trump that Russian security services that receive information about terrorist threats to the United States and its citizens will immediately hand it over to their American colleagues," the Kremlin said. The statement came two days after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had arrested seven suspected Islamic extremists accused of plotting to carry out a string of terrorist attacks in St. Petersburg. It also came three days after Trump and Putin held a phone conversation about North Korea that the U.S. president described as "great." Trump has repeatedly said he wants to improve relations with Moscow and that counterterrorism efforts in Syria and elsewhere could serve as a cornerstone of better ties. But relations between Moscow and Washington continue to be mired in tension over what U.S. intelligence agencies say was a Russian campaign to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Russian interference in Ukraine, and mutual accusations of violating arms-control agreements. Multiple U.S. investigations are under way into the alleged election meddling and whether associates of Trump colluded with Moscow. Putin denies that Russia interfered, and Trump says there was no collusion. In a December 14 news conference in Moscow, Putin offered a positive assessment of Trump's presidency, citing growing markets, and said that he hoped U.S-Russian ties will recover. But he also repeated Moscow's denial that it interfered in last year's U.S. presidential election and its accusation that Washington had violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. Washington alleges that Russia has developed a missile that violates the treaty. Earlier on December 17, Trump's ambassador to Russia said on Twitter, "I think we will expect to see further improvements in the U.S.-Russia relationship." "The American people expect it and demand it, and the Russian people expect it and demand it as well," U.S. Ambassador John Huntsman added in the tweet posted by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. With reporting by AP, Reuters, TASS, and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-russia-cia-helped-thwart -petersburg-attack/28923277.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 Kremlin on Putin-Trump Talks: CIA Gave Russia Intel That Helped Foil Terror Act Sputnik News 19:21 17.12.2017(updated 20:01 17.12.2017) Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Friday that it had prevented the activities of Daesh terrorist group's supporters in St. Petersburg, who planned to carry out a terrorist attack later in December. According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked US President Donald Trump during a phone conversation for the intelligence data provided by the CIA that helped detain terrorists who had been plotting a terrorist attack in Saint Petersburg. While expressing the Kremlin's gratitude to the CIA director and the agency's employees, Putin has ensured his counterpart that Russian special services would "certainly and immediately" share intelligence information with their US colleagues on the terrorist threat in the country "as it had always been done before." The information shared by the CIA helped "track, find and detain a group of terrorists planning explosions in the Kazan Cathedral of Saint Petersburg, as well as other public places" in the home city of Putin. On Friday, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had detained a cell of Daesh supporters in a special operation on December 13-14 that had been planning to commit "high-profile attacks" in St. Petersburg aiming to kill people by detonating explosive devices in crowded places, adding that "a significant amount of explosives, components of improvised explosive devices, automatic weapons, ammunition, extremist literature were seized from them. A laboratory manufacturing explosive devices was destroyed." According to a video posted by the FSB, one of detained Daesh supporters has admitted his involvement in the preparation of terrorist acts in the city. The Putin-Trump talks have been their second conversation by the phone this week, with the presidents discussing the North Korean nuclear issue earlier this week. Commenting on the talks, Trump said that Washington could rely on the Moscow's support on the issue and considers it to be of major importance. The Kremlin has repeatedly emphasized that Russia is willing to develop ties with the US on an equal basis and with mutual respect, with President Putin saying during his large-scale end-of-year press conference earlier this week that he hopes that Trump "will have opportunities to improve contacts" with Moscow in line with the US president's campaign pledges to "get along" with Russia. Despite his statements during the presidential campaign, since Trump had assumed office, Washington has imposed new sanctions on Moscow, targeting Russia's energy projects among other things, and also has been involved in a dispute over the seizure of Russian diplomatic property in the US. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia: CIA Information Thwarted St. Petersburg Attack By VOA News December 17, 2017 The Kremlin said Sunday that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency provided Russian authorities with information that thwarted a series of Islamic State bombings planned in St. Petersburg. Moscow said Russian President Vladimir Putin called U.S. President Donald Trump to thank him for the CIA information, a call the White House confirmed. Russia said the intelligence was significant enough for its Federal Security Service to track down seven suspects last week who were planning suicide bomb attacks Saturday on the two-century-old Kazan Cathedral and other sites in Russia's second largest city. Three more were arrested Sunday who authorities said were linked to the planned attack. Authorities said they confiscated a large number of explosives used to make homemade bombs, automatic rifles, munitions and extremist literature. Law enforcement agencies said the suspects had been using the messaging app Telegram to communicate with Islamic State leaders outside Russia. In October, a Russian court fined Telegram $14,000 for refusing to provide security officials with information about an April attack on St. Petersburg's subway that killed 16 people and injured more than 50. The state news agency RIA Novosti broadcast a video showing a man identified as Yevgeny Yefimov confessing that he planned to carry out Saturday's St. Petersburg attack. "My job was to make explosives, put it in bottles and attach pieces of shrapnel,'' Yefimov said in the video. Later, Yefimov told a St. Petersburg court that the cathedral was an intended target. Moscow said Putin asked Trump to express his gratitude to the CIA and that Russia in turn would hand over information it learns about possible terrorist attacks in the U.S., as it says it has in the past. Sunday's call between the two leaders was their second in four days and comes at a contentious point in U.S.-Russia relations. U.S. sanctions are still in place protesting Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, while the U.S. intelligence community has concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election to help Trump win. Criminal and congressional investigations are underway in the U.S. about the Trump campaign's links to Moscow. Putin has often denied Russian interference and Trump has frequently disparaged the investigations as an excuse by Democrats to explain his upset victory over former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mattis believes North Korea's ICBM not 'capable threat' to US Iran Press TV Sat Dec 16, 2017 07:21PM US Defense Secretary James Mattis says he does not believe that North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) could pose an imminent threat to the United States. Mattis told reporters on Friday that analysis continued on Pyongyang's most recent missile test, which he sees no threat against America. "It has not yet shown to be a capable threat against us right now ... we're still doing the forensics analysis," he said. Mattis, however, did not clarify what was lacking in Pyongyang's last month test that was not a "capable threat." On November 29, North Korea confirmed it had successfully tested a new type of ICBM called the "Hwasong-15," that is capable of reaching anywhere in the United States. Immediately after the launch, Mattis himself said the missile had gone higher than any previous North Korean launch and described it as part of a research and development effort by Pyongyang "to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically." The US-based Union of Concerned Scientists also said the missile was capable of reaching Washington DC. It explained that, based on its trajectory and distance, the new missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometers more than enough to reach the US capital. Mattis said on Friday that "we're ready to have conversations ... dialogues," with North Korea, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stepped back on Friday from his offer of unconditional talks with Pyongyang and called on North Korea to carry out "sustained cessation" of nuclear weapons testing to allow the two countries to hold talks. Pyongyang has vowed "under no circumstances" it will put its nuclear and missile program on the negotiating table. The North says its nuclear capability is a deterrent against potential foreign aggression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia warns US against escalation of tensions over North Korean nuclear program Iran Press TV Sat Dec 16, 2017 03:28PM Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has warned about an escalation of tensions over the North Korean nuclear weapons program after Washington toughened its position on Pyongyang. "It is sad that this powerful element of demands for further pressure on Pyongyang has once again appeared in the American position," Ryabkov told Russia's RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday. "It is high time to stop this race of threats, pressure, blackmail and presentation of preconditions and shift to a real search for a political solution," he added. Ryabkov argued that efforts by both Pyongyang and Washington to set preconditions for nuclear talks involved a "risk of uncontrolled escalation." During the Friday session of the UN Security Council, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson backed away from Washington's earlier offer of unconditional talks with Pyongyang. On the same day, US President Donald Trump complained that "Russia is not helping" to put pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program. Ryabkov noted that "after the UN Security Council session and speeches by senior representatives of Western countries, we got the impression that the logic of pressure is the dominant one in their approach," warning that the status quo was "extremely dangerous." "We would not like to end up in a situation where despite all the efforts by Russia and North Korea and by our two countries jointly, yet another spiral of confrontation begins," he said. The Russian diplomat called for "openness and dialogue from both Pyongyang and Washington, mutual restraint and an aim to work out a starting point for a diplomatic step forward." China and Russia, North Korea's main allies, say sanctions will not force North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to increase diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. The standoff over North Korea escalated in July when Pyongyang test-fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). Experts say the entire US mainland is within the range of the missiles, which North Korea says could be equipped with nuclear warheads. North Korea has been under a raft of crippling UN sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear tests as well as multiple rocket and missile launches. Pyongyang has firmly defended its military program as a deterrent against the hostile policies of the US and its regional allies, including Japan and South Korea. Trump has vowed to impose additional "major sanctions" against North Korea. Washington has thousands of troops in the region, partially in South Korea and Japan, and routinely threatens the North with military action to stop its weapons program. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Says Russia 'Not Helping' On North Korea; Russia Fires Back RFE/RL December 16, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump says he has sought Russia's help in resolving the crisis over North Korea's nuclear weapons program but is not satisfied with Russia's efforts. Shortly after Trump made his remarks to reporters at the White House on December 15, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Russia and China to do more to pressure North Korea, and charged that Moscow continued to employ North Korean workers in "slave-like conditions." Trump said that he had a "great" phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin late on December 14 in which they discussed the North Korean crisis. While the two discussed other issues, "the primary point was to talk about North Korea, because we would love to have his help on North Korea," said Trump, who the Kremlin said initiated the phone call. "We're going to see what happens with North Korea. We have a lot of support. There are a lot of nations that agree with us -- almost everybody," Trump said. "China is helping. Russia is not helping. We'd like to have Russia's help -- very important." Tillerson later in remarks to the United Nations Security Council in New York said the United States was calling on Russia and China to go beyond sanctions already imposed by the council and cut off all oil shipments as well as end guest-worker programs for thousands of North Korean workers. UN studies have said most of Pyongyang's workers toil in China and Russia under a system that forces them to send most of their earnings back to the government in North Korea, which the United States maintains uses the cash to help fund the country's nuclear and ballistic-missile programs. Tillerson said about 35,000 of the workers are in Russia right now. "Continuing to allow North Korean laborers to toil in slave-like conditions inside Russia in exchange for wages used to fund nuclear-weapons programs calls into question Russia's dedication as a partner for peace," Tillerson told the UN council. Russia Replies Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya shot back, saying North Korean workers were in Russia as part of a bilateral agreement "which guarantees their rights," and they were not subject to slave-like conditions. Nebenzya also returned fire over the U.S. accusation that Russia is not doing enough to resolve the standoff, repeating Moscow's accusation that joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea have contributed to the tensions and should be stopped temporarily while North Korea stops weapons testing to show that both sides are ready to discuss peace. "We very much hope that the U.S. will be able to help resolve the crisis on the Korean Peninsula," Nebenzya said, directly addressing Tillerson. Nebenzya said North Korea wouldn't halt its nuclear and missile programs "while it feels a direct threat to its security," and that is why Russia and China had urged both sides to take steps to de-escalate the situation. Instead, the United States and North Korea have escalated their exchange of "military rhetoric," Nebenzya said, which, "accompanied by a test of strength by the participants, has led to a situation where around the world people have begun to wonder whether there will be war or not." "All of these steps force us to wonder about the sincerity of statements that suggest that there is a preference for a peaceful approach to resolving the crisis" in the United States, Nebenzya said. Tillerson's remarks before the UN council appeared to backtrack some on overtures he made to North Korea earlier this week to open peace talks. While saying earlier that he was ready to meet with North Korea "without preconditions" requiring North Korea to essentially renounce its nuclear weapons development before negotiations, on December 15 he declared, "We will never accept a nuclear North Korea." "North Korea must earn its way back to the table," Tillerson told the UN council. "The pressure campaign must and will continue until denuclearization is achieved. We will in the meantime keep our channels of communication open." North Korean Ambassador Ja Song Nam did not back off his country's tough rhetoric in a rare appearance before the UN council on December 15 in which he called the country's nuclear-weapons program "an inevitable self-defensive measure," given what he called "the U.S. nuclear threat and blackmail." He said the United States was "terrified" that Pyongyang tested missiles this year that it claims are capable of delivering nuclear weapons anywhere in the United States. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis disputed that claim on December 15, however, saying that North Korea "has not yet shown to be a capable threat against us" despite the technological advances demonstrated by its recent intercontinental-ballistic-missile tests. North Korea has conducted more than 20 ballistic-missile tests during 2017 and its most powerful nuclear explosion to date. With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-says- russia-not-helping-north-korea- russia-nebenzya-fires-back-tillerson -slave-labor/28921440.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 Pentagon SecDef Mattis Claims DPRK Missiles Cannot Strike US Mainland Sputnik News 21:53 17.12.2017(updated 22:02 17.12.2017) US Secretary of Defense James Mattis claimed on Friday that the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) is currently incapable of striking the US mainland with an ICBM, in contrast to claims made by Pyongyang and echoed by global military observers. DPRK ICBMs are not "a capable threat against us right now," Mattis said, during a news conference at the Pentagon, cited by CNN. Mattis added that the Pentagon continues to weigh new surveillance on Pyongyang and its nuclear and missile capabilities. "We are still examining the forensics, we're still doing the forensics analysis," he remarked, adding, "it takes a while." Pyongyang boasted that it could land a nuclear warhead poised atop an ICBM anywhere in the US, following the November 28 launch of a high-altitude, far-ranging Hwasong-15 missile. Mattis, at the time, suggested that the DPRK was actively seeking the capability to deliver a nuclear warhead "everywhere in the world." Mattis's Friday walkback of the threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear missile development program is consistent, according to observers, of the technical analysis of North Korea's November launch, which American military experts suggest does not demonstrate that the DPRK has the ability to strike the US. "I'm highly suspicious about the capability of the Hwasong-15," declared Atlantic Council senior fellow General Patrick O'Reilly (retired), an expert in missile defense, cited by CNN. The November DPRK missile launch, according to O'Reilly, is said to have failed to achieve several key elements required to make a missile a credible threat, including stability, accuracy, and the capability to survive heat, vibration and reentry. "There are some really ill-informed technical suppositions that have been made," O'Reilly stated, regarding the Hwasong-15 November launch. The US aerospace expert asserted that the current threat posed by DPRK ICBMs is wrong, and is based on "very, very aggressive assumptions." "There's a lot left to be done before you can assess a credible threat," he added. US Secretary of Defense Mattis pointed to ongoing efforts by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to negotiate with Pyongyang, observing that diplomacy was the current Washington gambit, and adding that military options would take a back seat, for now. "Diplomacy continues," the US Secretary of Defense remarked. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pyongyang Calls Trump 'Lunatic' as US-N Korea's War of Words Enters New Phase Sputnik News 11:35 17.12.2017 The warning comes amid fears that Pyongyang could conduct a new missile test on December 17. The most recent launch, involving the Hwasong-15 ballistic missile, took place on November 28. The missile is believed to be capable of reaching the US mainland. North Korea's state media has blasted US President Donald Trump, calling him an "old lunatic." "Frightened by the DPRK's successful test-fire of the ICBM Hwasong-15, old lunatic Trump talked about a 'path of serious approach,'" a statement by the KCNA news agency said. On November 28, the North tested the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The test reportedly failed but an operational Hwasong-15 is believed to have a range of over 13,000 kilometers and could reach the US mainland. Pyongyang commented on the launch, stating that it has completed its "nuclear force" with the development of the Hwasong-15 ICBM. "Anti-DPRK hard-liners including the US ambassador to the United Nations let out such nonsense as 'dangerous circumstances,' going so impudently as to urge the DPRK not to 'make a mistake,'" the statement said. "War maniacs from the US are urging 'Congress to discuss the issue of a preemptive attack' on the DPRK, referring to the need to 'withdraw American citizens' from South Korea, only to make a war against the DPRK an established fact," it concluded. This statement comes in light of expert suggestions that North Korea may conduct another missile test on December 17, to mark the anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il's death. President Donald Trump has not yet commented on the fresh verbal attack. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have exchanged a series of personal insults, with Trump calling Kim a "little rocket man" and Pyongyang calling the US president a "mentally deranged dotard." Earlier, North Korea's Minju Joson newspaper also issued a warning to Washington, saying they needed to "cool their heads" in order to avoid "disgrace and destruction" in the event of military action against Pyongyang. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached unprecedented heights this year, with an increased number of North's missile and nuclear tests and Washington's repeated threats to respond militarily. On Friday, US State Secretary Rex Tillerson said Washington will not accept any preconditions for talks with Pyongyang, including a "double freeze" agreement. He also said that the US will keep applying pressure on North Korea to force it to follow an "alternative course." In an attempt to resolve the ongoing crisis, Russia and China earlier this year proposed the so-called "double freeze" plan, which stipulates the simultaneous halting of Pyongyang's nuclear tests and US-South Korean joint drills, which have repeatedly been called provocative by the North Korean leadership. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Australian Police Arrest Man Suspected of Brokering Missile Parts for N Korea Sputnik News 07:03 17.12.2017(updated 12:20 17.12.2017) An Australian man has been arrested on suspicion of acting as an economic agent for North Korea. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Australian Federal Police (AFP) arrested a man on Sunday on suspicion of acting as an economic agent for North Korea, being involved, particularly, in brokering sales of missile components, according to the police press service. "The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have arrested a 59-year-old Sydney man for allegedly acting as an economic agent for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Government (North Korea) in Australia It will be alleged in court the man was involved in: brokering the sale of missiles and missile componentry and expertise from North Korea to other international entities," the police statement read. The man is also suspected of attempts to transfer coal from North Korea to Indonesia and Vietnam, according to the statement. The police stressed that this was the first arrest under the Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995 in Australia. The situation on the Korean Peninsula has become tense due to Pyongyang's missile launches and nuclear tests, all conducted in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. In September, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution that imposed a new batch of sanctions on North Korea's officials, economy, industry and military. The most recent ballistic missile test was conducted by Pyongyang in late November. The Australian government announced plans in November to spend nearly 207 million Australian dollars (some $154 million) on equipping its navy amid the North Korean threat. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address INS Kalvari Commissioned into the Indian Navy 14/12/2017 The Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi commissioned INS Kalvari (S-21), the first of the six Scorpene class submarines built under Project 75 (Kalvari Class) into the Indian Navy at an impressive ceremony held at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 14 December 2017. The event marked the formal induction into the Navy of the first of the six submarines being constructed at Mazagon Docks Ltd., in collaboration with the French builder M/s Naval Group. Shri Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, the Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, Raksha Mantri, Dr. Subhash Bhamre, Raksha Rajya Mantri, Shri Ajit Kumar Doval, National Security Advisior, Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, Commodore Rakesh Anand (Retd.), CMD, MDL, Commodore Subra-Manian (Retd.), Commanding Officer of erstwhile Kalvari (a Soviet Foxtrot class submarine) and a host of other dignitaries were also present to witness this historic and landmark occasion. Upon arrival at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, the Prime Minster was received by the Chief of the Naval Staff. The Prime Minster was presented a 100-man Guard of Honour and was introduced to the ship's officers and other dignitaries present. Congratulating the people of India on this occasion, the Prime Minister described INS Kalvari as a prime example of "Make in India." He commended all those involved in its manufacture. He described the submarine as an excellent illustration of the fast growing strategic partnership between India and France. He said the INS Kalvari will add even more strength to the Indian Navy. The Prime Minister said that the 21st century is described as Asia's century. He added that it is also certain that the road to development in the 21st century goes through the Indian Ocean. That is why the Indian Ocean has a special place in the policies of the Government, he added. The Prime Minister said this vision can be understood through the acronym SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region. The Prime Minister said India is fully alert with regard to its global, strategic and economic interests in the Indian Ocean. He said that is why the modern and multi-dimensional Indian Navy plays a leading role in promoting peace and stability in the region. He said the ocean's innate potential adds economic muscle to our national development. That is why, he added, India is well aware of the challenges such as sea-borne terrorism, piracy, and drug trafficking, that not just India, but other nations in the region also have to face. He said India is playing a key role in tackling these challenges. He said India believes that the world is one family, and is fulfilling its global responsibilities. India has played the role of "first responder" for its partner countries, in times of crises, he added. He said the human face of Indian diplomacy and Indian security establishment is our speciality. He said a strong and capable India has a vital role to play for humanity. He said countries of the world wish to walk with India on the path of peace and stability. The Prime Minister said that the entire ecosystem related to defence and security has started to change in the last three years. He said the skill-set accumulated during the manufacture of INS Kalvari is an asset for India. During his address, the Prime Minister said that the Government's commitment has ensured that the long pending issue of "One Rank One Pension" has been resolved. The Prime Minister said that the Government's policies and the bravery of the Armed Forces have ensured that the use of terrorism as a proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir has not been successful. The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to all those who have dedicated their lives to the nation's security. Congratulating the MDL for restarting the production line of submarines once again, Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman, the Raksha Mantri thanked the Yard workers, who she said "mattered high on this day". The process of submarine construction has again been started in the country and it should not stop, the Raksha Mantri said. She emphasized the need to avoid episodic starts and stops in the industry and maintain a pool of skills needed to build high technology platforms within the country, sustenance of which would lead to a virtuous cycle of betterment for Indian industry, retention of skills and better peace dividends to the nation. Welcoming the gathering, Admiral Sunil Lanba stated that this commissioning marked a milestone in the journey of the Indian Navy towards indigenous submarine building. The Indian Navy is deeply committed to the principle of indigenisation and the Government's thrust on 'Make in India'. Commissioning of Kalvari is a testimony of our resolve and these achievements are a result of the Indian Navy's proactive and integrated approach to achieve self-reliance, the Admiral said. The Commissioning Warrant of the submarine was thereafter read out by the Commanding Officer, Captain SD Mehendale. Subsequently, hoisting of the Naval Ensign onboard for the first time and 'Breaking of the Commissioning Pennant' with the National Anthem being played, marked the completion of the Commissioning Ceremony. INS Kalvari is manned by a team comprising 08 officers and 35 sailors with Captain SD Mehendale at the helm as her first Commanding Officer. The commissioning will augment the offensive capability of the Indian Navy, and the Western Naval Command in particular. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mattis: Iran Working to Destabilize Middle East By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2017 "Everywhere you find turmoil [in the Middle East], you find Iran's hand in it," Defense Secretary James N. Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon yesterday. During an impromptu news conference, Mattis addressed questions about Iran and U.S. efforts to expose Iran's malicious behavior. He praised U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley's Dec. 14 presentation at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling here that highlighted Iran's illegal arms program. Haley stood in front of an Iranian missile that Iran's proxy the Houthis fired at Riyadh International Airport, a civilian target in Saudi Arabia. The missile didn't hit the airport, but if it had, it potentially could have killed hundreds of innocent civilians. Haley's briefing included physical evidence that Iran is providing ballistic missiles to the Houthis, Mattis said. "What we are doing in that region," he added, "is standing by allies and partners, and we're on one hand exposing, on the other hand helping them build their own capability to reject Iranian influence." Other Iranian Activities In addition to its support on the Arabian Peninsula to the Houthis a Shia group seeking to take control of Yemen -- the secretary cited some of Iran's activities elsewhere in the region. "We find Iran actively engaged in keeping [Syrian President Bashar] Assad in power, despite the murder of his own people on the industrial scale, including the use of chemical weapons," Mattis said. "We see what [Iran has] done with Lebanese Hezbollah in Lebanon and the threat to peace and the support they've given to Assad and the threat to Israel, for example." There is no military role for the United States in exposing Iran's activities, Mattis said. "The reason Ambassador Haley was there, and not one of our generals, is this is a diplomatically led effort to expose to the world what Iran is up to," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mattis says no need to step up military posture against Iran Iran Press TV Sat Dec 16, 2017 06:05PM US Defense Secretary James Mattis says there is no need to resort to military option against Iran over allegations that Tehran supplies missiles to Yemen. Mattis said he does not see the need for a stepped-up military posture against Iran, the day after Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, displayed what she called "concert evidence" that a missile fired last month from Yemen at an airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh had been made in Iran. She called on the international community to join "a united front in resisting this global threat." When asked if he thought such "evidence" warranted an emboldened or expanded military action against Iran, Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon, "Not militarily, no." "It's the reason Ambassador Haley was there and not one of our generals," he said. "This is a diplomatically-led effort to expose to the world what Iran is up to." Mattis accused Iran of "contributing to the deaths of innocent people" in Yemen. Standing in front of a display of debris from a recovered ballistic missile at a military base in Washington, Haley claimed they were the pieces of a missile fired from Yemen towards Riyadh on November 4. These weapons "might as well have had 'made in Iran' stickers," she claimed. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif once again rejected the allegations, saying Haley's show was an attempt by Washington "to cover up its presence in the region and measures which can mostly amount to war crimes." He said the United States was complicit in Saudi war crimes in Yemen. He also said in a tweet that back in 2003, when he "based at the UN, I saw this show and what is begat" The foreign minister was referring to the faulty claims of former US Secretary of State Colin Powell about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Collin's speech paved the way for the then administration of President George Bush to begin a war in Iraq. Powell acknowledged last year that the speech was "a great intelligence failure." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mattis Emphasizes 'Diplomatically-Led Effort' In Dealing With Iran RFE/RL December 16, 2017 U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says Washington will deal with Iran through a "diplomatically-led effort," a day after a top U.S. diplomat said Tehran was supplying weapons to the Huthi rebels in Yemen. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said there was concrete evidence that Iran was supplying arms to the Huthi rebels, in violation of UN sanctions, during a December 14 news conference held at a Washington-area military warehouse where U.S. defense officials put weapons fragments on display. Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon on December 15 that such evidence did not warrant an expanded military response from Washington. "Not militarily right now, no," Mattis said. "It's the reason Ambassador Haley was there and not one of our generals." Mattis said Haley's presentation was part of a "diplomatically-led effort" to reveal Tehran's hand in various conflicts in the Middle East. "Ambassador Haley was revealing evidence -- physical evidence, debris -- that we got our hands on that shows they have been providing ballistic missiles to the Huthis," Mattis said. "Everywhere you find turmoil, you find Iran's hand in it." Mattis condemned Tehran for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Lebanese group Hizballah. "To expose what they are doing is healthy for the international community for their awareness of what's going on there," Mattis said. Haley has also claimed that missiles fired on November 4 from Yemen toward an airport in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, had been made in Iran. UN officials who examined debris from the missiles have said they could not conclude that they came from an Iranian supplier. The UN resolution passed in connection with the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal prohibited Tehran from supplying, selling, or transferring weapons unless the Security Council approved it. A separate UN resolution bans the supply of any weapons to the Huthi rebel leader in Yemen. Tehran, which views Saudi Arabia as an enemy and rival for power in the Middle East, has long denied accusations that it was supplying weapons. With reporting by AFP and Military Times Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-defense-chief- diplomatically-led-effort/28921762.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 envoy's Iran missile claim ridiculous: Velayati Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 03:34PM A senior Iranian official has dismissed as "baseless and ridiculous" the recent US claim about Iran providing missiles to Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement, saying even international experts have mocked the accusation. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has never given missiles to Yemen," Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, said on Sunday. He added that the US diplomat lacks the least information required to comment on international issues, adding, "She is similar to her boss (US President Donald Trump) who makes unfounded remarks based on absurd information." US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley went on live television Thursday to display debris purportedly from a ballistic missile that had been fired from Yemen at an airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh. On November 4, a missile fired from Yemen targeted King Khalid International Airport near Riyadh, reaching the Saudi capital for the first time. Tehran rejected the allegation as "provocative and baseless," saying the Yemenis had shown an "independent" reaction to the Saudi bombing campaign on their country. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif once again on Saturday dismissed as "baseless" Haley's allegation and said it was an attempt by Washington to whitewash its war crimes in the Middle East. "In an attempt to cover up its presence in the region and measures, which can mostly amount to war crimes, the US levels baseless allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran by displaying a piece of metal," Zarif told reporters. US, Europe provide bombs to Saudi Arabia: IRGC commander Meanwhile, a commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) reacted to Haley's remarks by saying that the United States and Europe provided bombs to Saudi Arabia to kill civilians in Yemen over the past three years. "The US envoy showed a pipe and said the Iranians' fingerprints were on it," the IRGC spokesman, Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif, said on Sunday. He added that the former Soviet Union and North Korea had given large stockpile of missiles to Yemen. Saudi Arabia and its allies launched the war on Yemen in March 2015 in a bid to crush the Houthi movement and reinstate the former Riyadh-friendly regime, but they have achieved neither of their goals. The Saudi-led war, which has been accompanied by a naval and aerial blockade on Yemen, has so far killed over 12,000 people and led to a humanitarian crisis as well as a deadly cholera outbreak. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hashd al-Sha'abi necessity for Iraq security: Iran envoy Iran Press TV Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:19AM The Iranian ambassador to Baghdad has defended the role of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, in fighting terrorism in Iraq, saying the force is a "necessity" for the country's security. "Hashd al-Sha'abi is today a powerful legal organization in Iraq and recognized by the Iraqi government and parliament," Iraj Masjidi said in an exclusive interview with Press TV earlier this week. Hashd al-Sha'abi, a combination of some 40 groups of mostly Shia fighters, was formed shortly after the emergence of the Daesh terrorist group in Iraq in mid-2014. In the early days of the Daesh's reign of terror, the then volunteer fighters played a major role in reinforcing the Iraqi army, which had suffered heavy setbacks in the face of lightning advances by the terrorists. In November 2016, the Iraqi parliament voted to integrate Hashd al-Sha'abi into the military. On Friday, Iraq's most senior Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said the volunteer forces, who helped the army eradicate Daesh, should be "incorporated" into state bodies. The secretary general of Badr Organization, Iraq's biggest Shia Muslim paramilitary group, told his fighters on Thursday to take orders from the national military and sever their relations with the group's political wing, which holds 22 seats in the Iraqi parliament. Asked about recent calls by the Western countries for dismantling the group, Masjidi said the group's collapse "has no meaning." "If the US and others call [for dismantling Daesh,] firstly, it is none of their business and this decision is upon the Iraqi people. Secondly, in my opinion, it is a necessity for Iraq's security and its defense," he added. The Iranian official further stressed that Hashd al-Sha'abi is a force that has along with other Iraqi armed forces created a big military and defense power for the country. In the post-Daesh era, he said, Hashd al-Sha'abi would be a "guarantee" for the country's security and serve as a deterrence against future threats to Iraq. The group belongs to the Iraqi nation and government and defends country's territorial integrity, he noted. Asked about the security situation on the Iraqi-Syrian border, Masjidi said that only the government of the two countries were responsible to safeguard their frontiers and the US should not interfere in the issue. He also touched on Iran's support for the Iraqi government and armed forces in their fight against terrorism, saying that the presence of Iranian military advisers in Iraq in the post-Daesh era depends on the situation and Baghdad's request. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan Mulls Reinforcing Missile Defenses to Intercept Cruise Missiles - Reports Sputnik News 17:37 17.12.2017(updated 17:41 17.12.2017) The Integrated Air and Missile Defense system that uses data obtained by the US military may violate the country's Article 9 of the constitution. The Japanese authorities are mulling over the introduction of the so-called Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) system that is capable of intercepting not only ballistic missiles but cruise missiles as well, Asahi newspaper reported on Sunday. According to the newspaper, unlike ballistic missiles, cruise missiles pose a larger threat as they can fly at a very high speed and close to the ground, thus making it difficult for radars to detect. The government reportedly plans to introduce the system, insisting that the nation should be protected in view of the North Korean threat. The IAMD envisages the acquisition of new SM-6 missiles, capable of intercepting cruise missiles as well as drones and hypersonic missiles, in case, they're installed on Aegis destroyers and their ground version Aegis Ashore. Japan plans to set up two such systems in Yamaguchi and Akita prefectures in 2023. However, some government officials have reportedly expressed doubts about the efficiency of the IAMD. First of all, as the system implies using data obtained by US early-warning aircraft, joining the IAMD could breach Article 9 of Japan's Constitution that forbids the nation's use of force in a manner integrated with other countries. Secondly, officials are concerned over the effectiveness of the system as cruise missiles become more sophisticated, while the price of joining the IAMD can become a stumbling block in the government's attempts to reinforce the country's missile defense capabilities. Earlier this year, after Japan's ruling coalition, comprising Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's party, won the general election, he vowed to amend the Constitution to remove Article 9. The pacifist 1947 constitution was written at a time when Japan was utterly ravaged following World War II, with Americans pressuring the feeble post-war government into the strict restrictions on Japanese use of military force. At the same time, Japan has the eighth-highest military budget in the world to date, with almost 250,000 personnel and a robust and sophisticated navy. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Libya's Haftar insists UN-backed government no longer legitimate Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 03:21PM The commander of Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar has declared that the country's internationally-recognized government based in Tripoli is no longer legitimate as its mandate has already expired. Haftar said Sunday that the Government of National Accord (GNA), which resulted out of an agreement in Morocco on December 17, 2015, and was backed by the United Nations, was no longer tenable to rule. "All bodies resulting from this agreement automatically lose their legitimacy, which has been contested from the first day they took office," said the strongman whose forces dominate much of eastern Libya. Haftar's LNA and elements within a rival administration in eastern Libyan city of Tobruk have rejected the GNA since the very beginning of its inception. Haftar, who enjoys support from Egypt and certain Arab states of the Persian Gulf region, is believed to be vying for ultimate power in Libya although countries to the west of the North African country, including Algeria, see his rise as a threat. He was a general under Muammar Gaddafi, whose fall and death in 2011 sparked a widespread chaos in oil-rich Libya. The GNA was supposed to serve for a one-year period, renewable only once. However, the UN Security Council insisted Thursday that the 2015 deal in Morocco remained the "only viable framework" to prepare for elections next year. A renewed UN push for peace has effectively failed to bring about a settlement since it was launched in September. UN's special representative to Libya Ghassan Salame urged Libyans to set aside differences and put more efforts at reaching "reconciliation and harmony". "I urge all parties to heed their voices and refrain from any actions that could undermine the political process," Salame said in a Sunday statement, adding that Libyans were "fed up with violence." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Last month, IPKat had the privilege of publishing an interview with Patricia Kelly, Director General of IP Australia in connection with both the "Intellectual Property Arrangements: Productivity Commission Inquiry Report" and the "Australian Government Response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Intellectual Property Arrangements". Kat friends Tim Golder and Lauren John of Allens report on legislative developments in connection with these publications. IP Australia has released an exposure draft of the legislation that will partially implement the Federal Government's response to the Productivity Commission's (PC) final report on its inquiry into Australia's IP arrangements. We discuss some of the significant amendments to Australia's IP laws which are included in the draft legislation. The death of the innovation patent is near. Well, sort of They were meant to be the cheaper, faster alternative to standard patents, intended to protect lower level or incremental inventions and promote innovation by SMEs. Yet just like the petty patent system which came before it, the innovation patent system is set to be abolished (or rather 'phased out'). An innovation patent provides fast protection and lasts for 8 years from the filing of the application. An innovation patent must meet the same novelty test as a standard patent, but only needs to possess an 'innovative step' (a lower threshold than the 'inventive step' required for a standard patent). The PC recommended that the innovation patent system be abolished because it does not achieve its objectives and protects innovations that are of low social value. The proposed amendments will take effect 12 months after the amending Act receives Royal Assent most likely some time in 2019. The proposed amendments mean that IP Australia will no longer be able to (1) grant an innovation patent on an application having an effective filing date on or after the day the amendments take effect or (2) certify a claim of an innovation patent having a priority date on or after that day (an innovation patent must be certified before it can be enforced). The current regime will continue to operate for existing applications. Also, the existing rights to file divisional applications and convert a standard patent to an innovation patent will remain for any patent/application that was filed before the amendments take effect. So fear not, innovation patent enthusiasts there will still be innovation patents in effect for up to 8 years after the amendments commence. Taking the grey area out of the grey market? The PC recommended that the Government amend the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) to ensure that parallel imports of marked goods do not infringe an Australian registered trade mark when the marked good has been brought to market elsewhere by the owner/licensee of the mark. Currently, s123(1) provides that an importer of trade marked goods will not commit an infringing act if the trade mark was applied to the goods 'by, or with the consent of, the registered owner of the trade mark'. Although cast in quite simple terms, the interpretation and application of s123(1) has proved to be a minefield for importers (and lawyers!). The onus lies on an importer to prove all of the requirements of the defence, which can be difficult as an importer is unlikely to be privy to the commercial arrangements between the Australian registered owner and the party that put the goods on the market. For example, in the Sport Leisure case , a retailer imported goods purchased from an Indian manufacturer who had obtained a licence from the Australian trade mark licensor. The licence terms prohibited the Indian manufacturer from supplying those goods outside of India, and so the manufacture, in the knowledge that the goods would be exported, did not constitute an application of the mark with the consent of the Australian licensor. Thus the importation and sale of those goods in Australia was held to infringe. The current provision will be replaced by a new, and rather wordy, s122A (shown below), which partially reflects the corresponding provision in the trade marks legislation of our friends across the ditch (s97A, Trade Marks Act 2002 (NZ)). The new provision will apply to any infringement actions brought after the provision commences. The new provision is intended to reduce the evidentiary burden on the importer (who will only have to establish that it was 'reasonable to assume' the trade mark had been applied with consent). The concept of 'consent' has been extended to include consent subject a condition, to overcome, amongst others, the decision in the Sport Leisure case. The provision also refers to the consent not only of the owner of the mark in Australia, but also to a range of people set out in s122A(1)(c). This is to protect the importer in the situation where the Australian trade mark has been assigned to a related company or distributor in order to circumvent the application of the current s123. 122 A International exhaustion of registered trade mark in relation to goods (1) In spite of section 120, a person who uses a registered trade mark in relation to goods does not infringe the trade mark if: (a) the goods are: (i) similar to goods in respect of which the trade mark is registered; or (ii) closely related to services in respect of which the trade mark is registered; and (b) the goods have been put on the market in Australia or a foreign country; and (c) at the time of use, it was reasonable for the person to assume the trade mark had been applied to, or in relation to, the goods by, or with the consent of, a person who was, at the time of the application or consent (as the case may be): (i) the registered owner of the trade mark; or (ii) an authorised user of the trade mark; or (iii) a person authorised to use the trade mark by a person mentioned in subparagraph (i) or (ii), or with significant influence over the use of the trade mark by such a person; or (iv) an associated entity (within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001) of a person mentioned in subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii). Note: For goods that are similar, see subsection 14(1). (2) A reference in paragraph (1)(c) to consent to the application of a trade mark to, or in relation to, goods includes, without limitation, a reference to: (a) consent subject to a condition (for example, a condition that the goods are to be sold only in a foreign country); and (b) consent that can be reasonably inferred from the conduct of a person mentioned in subparagraph (1)(c)(i), (ii), (iii) or (iv). (3) In determining whether the firstmentioned person in subparagraph (1)(c)(iii) was authorised to use the trade mark or had significant influence over its use, disregard how that authority or influence arose, for example: (a) whether it arose directly or indirectly; or (b) whether it arose by way of proprietary interest, contract, arrangement, understanding, a combination of those things, or otherwise. Currently, a grace period applies such that a registered trade mark may not be removed for non-use until 5 years have elapsed from the filing date of the application in respect of the registration. To address the PC's concerns that there are many unused trade marks on the register, the amendments will reduce the grace period to 3 years from the date the particulars of the trade mark were entered on the register.If that wasn't enough change for you, don't worry! IP Australia has undertaken separate consultation on proposed reforms to implement other aspects of the Government's response, including amending Australia's inventive step requirements (a contentious proposal given those requirements were amended in 2013 to bring Australia's inventive step laws into line with those in the UK and Europe) and introducing an objects clause into the Patents Act 1990 (Cth). Libyan National Army Commander: Government of National Accord Lost Legitimacy Sputnik News 23:41 17.12.2017 Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) lost its legitimacy as the Libyan Political Agreement reached in December 2015 in Skhirat has expired, Libyan National Army Commander Gen. Khalifa Haftar said on Sunday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Libyan Political Agreement reached in December 2015 in Skhirat outlined the creation of the GNA as the interim Libyan government. The United Nations praised the accord, recognized GNA as the only legitimate Libyan government, and called on its member states to seize support to and official contacts with parallel institutions. However, the deal's provisions have not been fully implemented so far due to existing contradictions. "With the onset of December 17, 2017, the so-called political agreement ends, and all bodies formed according to it automatically lose their legitimacy, which is controversial from the first day of their work," Libyan National Army Commander Gen. Khalifa Haftar said on the occasion of the second-year anniversary of the Skhirat accord. The commander noted that the army has been engaged in the talks with various international actors on the settlement of the crisis in Libya and urged holding of elections, but its efforts fell short due to the "UN weakness and local stubbornness." The Libyan national army was threatened with international measures if it decides to act outside of the UN efforts, even though the army only obeys the will of the "free Libyan people," according to Haftar. "We strongly reject the method of threats and intimidation and promise to the Libyan people that we vow to protect them and their capabilities and institutions to the last soldier in our ranks, and also declare our refusal to submit to any party, whatever source of its legitimacy, if it was not elected by the Libyan people," Haftar stressed. Libya has been in turmoil since the 2011 civil war that resulted in the overturn of country's longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. The eastern part of the crisis-torn state is governed by its parliament, with headquarters in the city of Tobruk. The parliament is backed by the Libyan National Army. At the same time, the GNA, headed by Fayez Sarraj, operates in the country's west and is headquartered in Tripoli. The absence of a central authority and central army in the country have turned Libya into a smuggling center and a transit point for migrants, who are on their way from Africa to Europe. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Militants attack church in Pakistan, kill 9 Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 09:37AM A militant attack on a church in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta has left nine people dead and more than 40 others wounded. Local sources said the gun and bomb attack on the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church on Quetta's Zarghoon Road took place on Sunday afternoon. All casualties were shifted to Civil Hospital in Quetta, where medics said they had initially received four bodies and around 20 injured, including women and children. Three of the injured passed away while undergoing treatment for their injuries, according to local sources. Sarfaraz Bugti, the home minister for Baluchistan Province, where Quetta is located, said the attack had been launched by four individuals, but the police chief spoke of only two in his briefing. One attacker was killed at the entrance to the church while the other set off his explosive payload inside the building, where hundreds of worshippers were attending services at the church ahead of Christmas, Bugti said. Security guards at the church exchanged fire with the attackers before they could enter the main perimeter, said provincial police chief Moazzam Jah. Jah said the church had guards because Christian places of worship are often targeted by militant extremist groups. A few hours after the attack, the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack through a statement carried by the group's Amaq news agency. Extremist militants have on numerous occasions in the past targeted Pakistani minorities, including Shia Muslims and Christians. Critics blame the Pakistani government for its unwillingness to take decisive measures to protect minority communities threatened by extremist groups. International organizations and rights groups have been pressuring Islamabad to take strong action against militant groups behind the violence in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Several Killed as Gunmen Assault Pakistan Christian Church By Ayaz Gul December 17, 2017 At least two heavily armed suicide bombers Sunday assaulted a crowded church in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan, and killed at least nine worshipers from the minority Christian community. Officials and doctors said women and children were among the victims of the attack on the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church, located in a highly secured central part of the city. Witnesses said two of the assailants wanted to enter the main hall where around 400 worshipers were attending Sunday service, but police guards at the main gate engaged the attackers, killing one of them and leading the second to blow himself up outside the hall. The explosion fatally wounded a security guard, police said. The provincial police chief, Inspector General Moazzam Ansari, told reporters a third suspected gunman fled to the nearby residential area during the exchange of fire and an operation was underway to hunt him down. Ansari said the death toll could have been in the scores had the timely action by police guards on duty not stopped the bombers from entering the church hall. A Christmas tree with decorative lights near a pool of blood around broken glass windows, overturned chairs, benches and musical instruments. Body parts of a bomber could also been seen nearby. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. Quetta is the capital of Baluchistan where militant attacks have surged in recent weeks. Islamist militants and separatist groups active in the Pakistani province often claim responsibility for terrorist attacks. Islamic State loyalists have also taken credit for some of the violence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi military ineffective force despite colossal budget: Report Iran Press TV Sat Dec 16, 2017 07:16PM Saudi Arabia's military has proved to be an ineffective force despite the kingdom's huge imports of state-of-the-art weapons from world powers, a report says. An article published on the Business Insider website on Saturday enumerated Saudi Arabia's efforts to undermine Iran's regional influence, including Riyadh's war on Yemen, imposition of a full-scale embargo against Qatar and intervention in Lebanon's politics. It, however, said that "Saudi Arabia's ambitions are limited by its military, which is considered an ineffective force even though the kingdom is one of the world's largest spenders on defense." Referring to Saudi military threats against Iran, Michael Knights, who specializes in the military and security affairs of Iraq, Iran, and the Persian Gulf at The Washington Institute, said, "There is nobody in the Iranian General Staff that is afraid of Saudi Arabia on the ground," according to the article. According to figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Iran's total defense budget in 2016 was $12.3 billion, compared with Saudi Arabia's $63.7-billion military budget, which made the kingdom the world's fourth-largest spender on weaponry after Russia. Saudi Arabia's struggle in its war against Yemen, which has no end in sight, reveals its shortcomings, the article said. Riyadh and its allies have been pounding Yemen since March 2015 in an attempt to crush the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement and reinstate the former Yemeni president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of the Riyadh regime. Thousands of people have been killed since the onset of the campaign. Much of the Arabian Peninsula country's infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and factories, has been reduced to rubble due to the war. The Saudi-led war has also triggered a deadly cholera epidemic across Yemen. Almost three years after the start of the Saudi-led war, Houthi fighters are active and continue to control Yemen's main population centers, including the capital Sana'a. The Houthis have proved capable of launching high-profile attacks against the Saudis, including multiple cross-border raids into Saudi Arabia, successful attacks on Emirati and Saudi navy ships and the launching of ballistic missiles into the heartland of the kingdom, the article pointed out, in retaliation for the Saudi military aggression. Contrary to the claims by the Saudi military, a report by The New York Times suggested that a ballistic missile recently fired by the Houthis at an airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh was actually not intercepted. "We do not know if the Saudi military is able to have a significant impact on the Yemen war, because we have only seen the deployment of Saudi airpower," the report cited Knights as saying. The military expert argued that while the war on Yemen requires 10,000 to 20,000 troops, the Saudi military has not deployed its ground forces most likely because the Saudi leadership knows that they "suffer from significant weaknesses." These weaknesses include a lack of logistical equipment and experience needed to carry out such a campaign as Saudi forces have no experience in an expeditionary operation, the report said. Knights argued that the Saudi forces themselves fail to put any credible military pressure on the Houthis, as local militias and certain tribal groups form the majority of the ground force battling the Houthis while few Saudi soldiers assist them. The article also cited Bilal Saab, the senior fellow and director of the Defense and Security Program at the Middle East Institute, as saying that Saudi Arabia will not deploy a large number of ground forces to Yemen "because their casualties would be severe and they most probably would cause tremendous collateral damage in Yemen." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi FM Reveals Riyadh Has 'Roadmap' for 'Normal' Ties With Israel Sputnik News 14:10 17.12.2017(updated 14:15 17.12.2017) Saudi Arabia and Israel have no official ties, despite hints by several Israeli top officials at "secret contacts" with Arab countries. Riyadh has a "roadmap" called the Arab peace initiative to establish "normal" ties with Tel Aviv, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told the France 24 broadcaster in an interview, while at the same time denying that the Kingdom had any relations with the Jewish state. According to al-Jubeir who has denied that Riyadh put pressure on President Mahmoud Abbas to either accept Washington's plan on the crisis settlement or resign, the administration of US President Donald Trump is eager to reach a deal between the Palestinians and Israelis as well. "Our position on Jerusalem has always been very clear. We believe in a two-state solution based on the relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative. We believe that in the end, we will have a Palestinian state in the '67 [1967] borders with east Jerusalem as its capital. This has been our position, this remains our position," he said, adding "We believe the Trump administration is serious about bringing peace between Israelis and Arabs." The top official emphasized that before Donald Trump made his decision on Jerusalem, Saudi Arabia had issued a statement saying that such a decision would violate the international law as well as the UN resolution and undermine the US role as a broker of peace. The Arab Peace Initiative dates back to 2002 and is aimed at settling the crisis between Palestine and Israel, with the initiative stipulating the reinstatement of the pre-1967 borders and resolving the so-called Palestinian Refugee problem. In late-November, Yaacov Nagel, former adviser to the Israeli prime minister, said that Saudi Arabia was likely to agree to any kind of a deal between Israelis and Palestinians for the sake of closer ties with the Jewish state. Riyadh has no diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, however, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously admitted that the country had "fruitful cooperation with Arab countries" that it kept in general secret. Furthermore, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said that Tel Aviv had secret contacts with a number of Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, while Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot proposed to share intelligence with Riyadh in order to face Iran. In the most recent gesture to establish bilateral ties, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz on December 13 invited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit Tel Aviv to lead the peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The statement of the top Saudi official comes amid an escalation of the situation between the Arab world and Israel after Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a decision widely criticized by Muslim states and countries backing the so-called two-state solution to the issue. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria retakes village in Idlib, make gains against militants Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 08:55AM Syrian government forces have managed to retake a key village in the militant-controlled province of Idlib in the northwest. The Syrian Central Military Media said late Saturday that the military and allied fighters had liberated the village of Tal al-Khanazeer, located on the southeastern edge of Idlib. It said the allied forces also pushed deep into the province where thousands of militants and their families have been encircled over the past years. Syrian forces launched the operation into Idlib's southeastern frontiers from the central province of Hama. Syrian opposition sources said the recapture of Tal al-Khanazeer came after some intense fighting and that government forces had managed to advance on several fronts around the village. Syria has been making back-to-back gains against militants over the past months. The government has managed to clear vast swathes of land from the grip of Takfiri terrorist groups in the west, north and east of the country and the drive continues in the northwest where militants have sought refuge. Many of those resisting government in Idlib are Takfiri groups related to al-Qaeda. They controlled territories in northern Syria, including in the flashpoint city of Aleppo, before being purged last year. Many observers say the war in Idlib would be a last station for Syria's costly six-year war on terror. The government declared a full victory against Daesh, the most notorious militant group operating in Syria, last month after it liberated cities in the province of Dayr al-Zawr close to the Iraqi border. More than 300,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced as a result of six years of militancy in Syria which the government blames on certain regional countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mattis warns of unsafe Russia flights in Syria amid Moscow's rejection Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 02:50AM US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has warned against Russian jet fighters flying "dangerously" over what he views as "a safe zone" in Syria, a country that has repeatedly censured violation of its ground and air space by American military forces. Mattis made the remarks during a Pentagon press briefing on Friday, underlining that US and Russian are still using a phone line to coordinate military flights over the crowded Syrian skies as Washington claims that the US-led coalition war planes continue to hunt remaining militants linked to the defeated Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, AP reported Saturday. Claiming that two Russian Su-25 fighter jets flew through an unofficial line separating Russian and US air forces in eastern Syria on Wednesday and came dangerously close to American war planes, Mattis further questioned whether the close calls were made in error or deliberately. According to the top US military official, American F-22 jet fighters launched warning flares in response to the Russian flights. Mattis also stated that although he does not expect perfection in flights, he does not want dangerous maneuvers either. The development came after Russia on Thursday dismissed reports that US war planes intercepted Russian aircraft over Syrian airspace. Pentagon originally claimed on Thursday that the Russian jets were flying over a "banned area in Syria," adding that two of its F-22 Raptor aircraft were scrambled to chase two Russian Sukhoi Su-25 Grach bombers out of a coalition-controlled area on the east side of the Euphrates River. Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon told Russia's state news agency Tass that the Raptors deployed chaff and flares to warn the Russian pilots while one of the US airmen had to "aggressively maneuver" to avoid a midair collision. However, Russia's Defense Ministry later rejected claims of the Russian jets being "intercepted," insisting that it was its aircraft that chased off the US warplanes violating the Syrian airspace. The ministry also dismissed reports that the Russian military aircraft were operating over the eastern bank, saying they were escorting a humanitarian aid convoy. A Su-35 fighter jet, which provided cover for the Russian planes carrying humanitarian aid, "rapidly approached" the F-22 from the rear and the US warplane left the area afterward, the ministry added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan Sends Aircraft, Ships to 'Monitor and Deal With' Chinese Transport Plane Sputnik News 14:27 17.12.2017(updated 14:28 17.12.2017) The issue of Taiwan has repeatedly been the reason for tensions between the Trump administration and Beijing since the election of the US president. Taiwan has sent aircraft and ships to "monitor and deal with" a Chinese mainland Yun-8 transport plane that has conducted a long-haul flight through the Bashi Channel and Miyako waterway after which it returned to its base, according to the island's Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan. While not providing futher details, Feng emphasized that the public shouldn't be alarmed. The announcement comes in the wake of tensions over Taiwan as Beijing has accused Washington of meddling in its internal affairs after President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law earlier this week, which laid the grounds for future mutual naval visits between Taiwan and the United States. Beijing slammed the Trump administration's move as a violation of the so-called "One-China" policy, which implies that the US should have formal ties with mainland China rather than with the "breakaway province," and warned Taipei against relying on foreign powers for its security. Separately, China Daily reported on Monday that a group of People's Liberation Army Air Force bombers accompanied by fighter jets conducted drills around Taiwan on Monday, "further improving their ability to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity." Prior to his inauguration, Trump received a call from Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen, becoming the first US president or president-elect to speak with the island's leader since Washington had severed ties with Taiwan in 1979. However, in his first telephone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Trump said that Washington planned to stick to the "One China" policy after telling media that he hadn't been fully committed to it. While the United States, along with many other countries, does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation and officially adheres to the "One China" position, but has kept informal relations with it. The Trump administration has been strengthening its ties with the island. While formally, the People's Republic of China and Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, remain a single country as each considers the other as "renegade provinces," Beijing has repeatedly called it "the most sensitive issue" in its relationships with the United States. Beijing reportedly suspects that Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who leads the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, may call for a full-fledged referendum next year. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish Banker Denies Helping Iran Evade U.S. Sanctions In High-Profile Case RFE/RL December 16, 2017 An executive at Turkey's state-owned Halkbank has denied that he helped Iran evade U.S. sanctions as he took the witness stand in his defense in a high-profile sanctions case unfolding in New York. Mehmet Hakan Atilla in the third week of his trial on December 15 told jurors that he "never" conspired with his fellow defendant, Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab, to launder an estimated $1 billion in Iranian oil revenues through U.S. banks in violation of the sanctions, as U.S. prosecutors have charged. Zarrab pleaded guilty last month under a cooperation deal with U.S. prosecutors and testified earlier in the trial that he masterminded the sanctions evasion scheme and bribed high-level Turkish officials to carry it out. U.S. prosecutors have charged nine people in all with conspiring to help Iran evade sanctions through fraudulent gold and food-aid transactions. Only Zarrab, 34, and Atilla, 47, were arrested by U.S. authorities. The other defendants, mostly Turkish businessmen and officials, remain at large. Responding to questions in court from one of his lawyers, Atilla directly contradicted some of the evidence presented earlier in the trial. Zarrab had told the jury that he saw Atilla's superior call Atilla on an afternoon in April 2013 and order him to authorize an illicit transaction. Atilla testified that he was on a plane at the time. Atilla also said that a recorded phone call played in court, purportedly between him and Zarrab, was actually between Zarrab and another Halkbank employee. Earlier this week, Atilla's lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan to order a mistrial following testimony from a former Turkish police investigator, Huseyin Korkmaz, who led a Turkish investigation into Zarrab's alleged Iran sanctions evasion scheme in 2012-13. The attorneys said Korkmaz's testimony that his investigation was quashed by the Turkish government and he fled the country to avoid retribution had unfairly tarred Atilla, the sole remaining defendant in the New York case, by associating him with "cruel political violence." The judge, without the jury present, denied the request for a mistrial on December 15. He said Korkmaz had actually helped Atilla's case by testifying that Atilla was never caught on surveillance videos or found taking bribes in his 2013 investigation. The judge criticized the defense attorneys for raising the issue of possible links between Korkmaz and Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric blamed by the Turkish government for last year's failed coup against Erdogan. Berman said it was "unpersuasive and borderline unprofessional" to bring up what he called an "illogical foreign conspiracy theory" in court. Erdogan has sought extradition of Gulen to face charges in connection with the aborted coup, but U.S. officials have rebuffed the request, citing a lack of evidence. Gulen denies the accusations against him. Atilla's attorney, Todd Harrison, said he disagreed with the judge's criticism about bringing up the Gulen connection in court, though Korkmaz has denied having any ties or allegiance to Gulen. "I think it was a legitimate cross-examination," Harrison said. The case has strained ties between the United States and Turkey. A spokesman for the Turkish government has called the case a "plot against Turkey" and Erdogan personally lobbied the White House for the release of Zarrab and Atilla earlier this year. Both Zarrab and Korkmaz, who now lives in exile in the United States, in their testimony implicated high-level Turkish officials, including Erdogan, for involvement in the alleged sanctions-evasion scheme. Erdogan has not responded to their accusations, but he has repeatedly dismissed the case as a politically inspired attack on his government. Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul on December 15 demanded the extradition of Korkmaz in a letter to U.S. Justice Secretary Jeff Sessions, calling him a "terror suspect facing serious allegations." Turkish officials often call followers of Gulen "terrorists" and have charged that Korkmaz is one of them, though he testified in court that he is not. With reporting by AP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/turkish-banker-atilla -denies-helping-iran-evade-us-sanctions high-profile-case/28921464.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 Senior PKK terrorist killed in anti-terror operation in eastern Turkey Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 01:59PM Turkish security forces have killed a high-profile member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group during an anti-terrorism operation in the country's eastern province of Tunceli. The Provincial Governor's Office, in a statement released on Sunday, announced that Murat Dag, better known by the nom de guerre Ferhat Yilmaz, was killed along with seven other terrorists during an offensive in the Pulumur district of the province, situated some 800 kilometers (497 miles) east of the capital Ankara. The statement added that Dag was on the Turkish Interior Ministry's list of wanted terrorists. On November 14, Turkey's Interior Ministry announced that Hulya Eroglu, better known by the nom de guerre Gulbahar, was killed during an offensive in the Bestler-Dereler district of the province, situated some 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) east of the capital Ankara. Eroglu was a member of the so-called PKK executive committee, and on the red category of the terror blacklist. Ankara has been engaged in a large-scale campaign against the PKK in its southern border region. The Turkish military has also been conducting offensives against the positions of the group in northern Iraq. The operations began in the wake of a deadly bombing in the southern Turkish town of Suruc. More than 30 people died in the attack, which the Turkish government blamed on the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group. After the bombing, the PKK militants, who accused the government in Ankara of supporting Daesh, engaged in a series of attacks against Turkish police and security forces, prompting the Turkish military operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MATTOON -- The Lake Land College Foundation Board of Directors celebrated a record-breaking year of $1.1 million in gifts at its recent annual meeting, according to a press release. These gifts support scholarships, programs, equipment and facilities for the Lake Land community. Foundation scholarships and college support have been especially important these past few years of the state budget impasse. The difference donors made this year has been integral to Lake Lands success, said Jackie Joines, executive director for college advancement. Heartland Dental and Farm Credit Illinois both received the Outstanding Philanthropic Organization award. Farm Credit Illinois has a longstanding partnership with Lake Land College, specifically the agricultural division, resulting in an endowment supporting overall programing needs. The West Building houses the Farm Credit Training room, all thanks to Farm Credit Illinoiss generosity. Heartland Dental gifted a value of $850,000, enabling Lake Land to outfit the Dental Hygiene lab in brand-new equipment. This new learning environment ensures that Lake Land students entering the workforce are trained with up-to-date equipment. Gerald Forsythe, Marshall, received the as an Outstanding Philanthropist Award. Over the years, Forsythe has provided a facility for the eastern district extension center in Marshall. Most recently, he created an endowment designed to assist students with unforeseen emergency needs that could result in their withdrawal from classes. John Livesay, Pana, received the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser which is presented annually to an individual who has given gifts of time and talent in securing private funding on behalf of Lake Land College students. Livesay has served on the board for 12 years. Board member Chad Thompson, Effingham, received the annual Crystal Swan Award for his outstanding contributions to the Lake Land College Foundation. Created in 1993, the Crystal Swan award is a way to recognize foundation board members who have gone above and beyond in their leadership and service to the Lake Land College Foundation during their tenure. Each recipient demonstrates a passion and commitment to the educational goals of Lake Land students that rises above all others. The board also thanked the Lake Land College employees who contributed funds to assist students. More than 66 percent of our employees demonstrated their support for students with gifts to the Foundation. This is spectacular news and far exceeds industry standards for the majority of organizations, Joines added. New officers elected for the 2017-18 year are Mike Bohannon, Charleston, president; Tom Grunloh, Effingham, vice president; and Chad Thompson, Effingham, secretary. The meeting was chaired by outgoing President Meg Yargus Steward, Marshall. UK may fail to pay for new warships, fighter jets: MPs Iran Press TV Sun Dec 17, 2017 06:37PM The UK Ministry of Defense might not be able to fund contracts for new warships, fighter jets and other military equipment, a parliamentary committee has warned. Members of the Defense Select Committee in the House of Commons said Saturday that they "seriously doubt" the ministry's ability to find the 7.3 billion ($9.7 billion) in savings that was required to pay for the new hardware. The equipment are part of a 2016 plan that saw the government pledge to spend 178 billion ($237 billion) on new military gear over the next 10 years. The new equipment includes eight Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy, new mechanized infantry vehicles and nine Boeing P-8A maritime spy aircraft. The plan, however, requires the MoD to save 7.3 billion by selling off various properties and other efficiency measures. "Even if all the efficiencies are realized, there will be little room for maneuver, in the absence of sufficient financial 'headroom' and contingency funding," the MPs warned. "This is not an adequate basis for delivering major projects at the heart of the UK's defense capability," they added. Conservative MP Julian Lewis, the committee's chairman, said he was "extremely doubtful" that the MoD could manage to shave off the required funding from an "already stretched budget." "This will inevitably lead either to a reduction in the numbers of ships, aircraft and vehicles or to even greater delays in their acquisition," he added. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson who took over last month, has been engaged in a face-off with Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond over a 20 billion funding shortfall at the MoD for the next decade. Hammond's spending bill for next year calls for public spending but is focused on the National Health Service (NHS) and preparations for the country's exit from the European Union (EU). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Skirmishes In Kyiv As Protesters Demand Poroshenko's Impeachment, Top Prosecutor's Resignation RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service December 17, 2017 KYIV -- Police and protesters have skirmished in central Kyiv as several thousand people took to the streets of the Ukrainian capital to call for the impeachment of President Petro Poroshenko and the resignation of the country's top prosecutor. Amid heavy police presence, the demonstrators on December 17 marched through central Kyiv toward Independence Square -- the site of the 2013-14 protests that ousted former President Viktor Yanukovych. Many protesters were supporters of opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili, the former Georgian president who is now an opposition leader in Ukraine. They urged parliament to adopt legislation on presidential impeachment and called on Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko to step down. Demonstrators later attempted to enter a concert hall near Independence Square after Saakashvili told them he planned to set up his headquarters there, but police and National Guard forces moved to prevent them from going inside. There were minor clashes between security forces and protesters outside the building. Saakashvili addressed the crowd, urging them to remain calm and avoid "provocations." Ukraine's National Police said there were children inside the concert hall and urged the demonstrators to "refrain from violations of public order." The actions of the protesters outside the building drew rebukes from Western diplomats in Kyiv. Canadian Ambassador Roman Waschuk said on Twitter that "attempts to seize and damage public buildings are an abuse of the right to peaceful protests." Meanwhile, British Ambassador Judith Gough said she "completely" agreed with Waschuk's criticism. The authorities have accused Saakashvili of abetting an alleged "criminal group" led by Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after his ouster in February 2014. They also have suggested that Saakashvili's protests are part of a Russian plot against Ukraine. Ukrainian police on December 5 tried to detain Saakashvili, who denies the charges against him, but supporters crowded around a police vehicle where he was held and then freed him. He was again detained three days later, but a judge on December 11 turned down a request by prosecutors to place him under house arrest. Lutsenko has said he will appeal the judge's ruling and that Saakashvili will likely be extradited to Georgia, where he is wanted on charges linked to his time as president. "We have an official request from the country, which we do not have the right to refuse," Lutsenko told reporters on December 15. However, Russian state-run TASS news agency quoted senior Georgian officials as saying the Caucasus country had not issued an extradition request. While Saakashvili was in custody, thousands of people demonstrated in central Kyiv to demand his release and to call for Poroshenko's resignation. Saakashvili was president of Georgia from 2004-13. He lost his Georgian citizenship in 2015 when he accepted Ukrainian citizenship and took the post of Odesa governor. Saakashvili resigned the position in November 2016, complaining of rampant corruption, and has since becoming an ardent opponent of Poroshenko. In an interview with Current Time TV, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, Saakashvili said on December 12 that corruption had inflicted far greater damage on Ukraine than Russia had. He added that he had no ambitions himself to become Ukraine's president, saying the position should always be held by an ethnic Ukrainian. The authorities "really think that it's enough to shout 'Russia' and 'agents of the enemy,' and everyone will just buy that. People are not stupid. They didn't buy it earlier, they're not buying it now," Saakashvili also said. After Yanukovych was ousted, Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014, and fomented a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-saakashvili -protesters-kyiv-demand-poroshenko -lutsenko-out/28923102.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 MATTOON -- Dr. Gary Mikel is hanging up his stethoscope after 38 years of service as a family medicine doctor. Its been a privilege to serve and Ive had a lot of fun, Mikel said in a press release as he prepares to retire from Sarah Bush Lincoln Family Medical Center in Mattoon at the end of the month. His last day in the clinic will be Dec. 29. Its hard to say goodbye, he said. People have been very appreciative. It is gratifying to hear from people that what I've done over my career has been noticed and appreciated. He says hell miss the personal relationships with his patients and co-workers the most. The relationships Ive formed with my patients have kept me going. Ive learned so much from them, he said. And he credits those bonds with helping him to be a better doctor. You become effective by developing that trust relationship and its not difficult to do when youve seen them for 20 years. Those are the people that you know their life history and their familys life history. I feel privileged that they have let me into their lives as an advisor and almost a member, he said. Known for taking extensive time to listen to peoples concerns, Mikel also learned not to leave a room too quickly. Usually the most important thing they want to talk about happens just as you have your hand on the doorknob ready to leave the room. I dont know why that is, but Ive known that for close to 40 years and its almost universal, he said. A St. Louis area native, Mikel has impacted many lives during his tenure. He began his career in a small town in the upper peninsula of Michigan, where he cared for people and pushed a lot of snow for 17 years. In the early years, he delivered babies, caring for the newborns, their parents and often grandparents of the same family. He moved to the area to be closer to family in 1996 and has cared for people at SBL Family Medical Center for 21 years. However, his path into the medical profession wasnt typical. He first received a degree in materials engineering and was studying for his Masters in biomedical materials science at Northwestern University when a research project changed everything. I was researching the type of materials used for the construction of artificial hips and implants and I found it more interesting talking with the people who were having the procedures than the research and development I was doing with engineering, he said. Mikel enrolled in medical school at the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he graduated in 1976. He competed his residency in family medicine at Southern Illinois University in Springfield, where he met and married his wife, Kathy. While he enjoys caring for people of all ages, he has a special interest and added qualifications in geriatric medicine. As people get older, their needs change and so does the medical approach, he said. I think having compassion is an essential part of being a physician. I find its whats really important in life. Youre on earth to serve others, he said. Mikel also enjoys serving those in need on medical missions trips as well and has traveled to Honduras 10 times in the past 12 years and he plans to continue these trips in retirement. In addition, Mikel has served as president of the SBL medical staff and on the SBL board of directors for nine years. He also served on Eastern Illinois Universitys Gerontology Board of Advisors and as a deacon and trustee at the Charleston Community Church. As he winds down his practice, Mikel said, I definitely want to reassure my patients that there are good practitioners here that will continue to provide good service for them. I cant say enough about Dr. Kabbes who was hired to take over my practice, he said, adding that his excellent nursing staff will remain with the practice. Family Physician Doug Kabbes, MD, is currently working with Mikel to help make the transition smooth for everyone. Kabbes has more than 20 years of vast experience, most recently as chairperson of St. Anthonys Emergency Department in Effingham. In retirement, Mikel plans to serve as a volunteer mentor for new medical providers at Sarah Bush Lincoln. Ive seen a lot in my 38 years of practice, and I want to provide the advantage of my experience to help answers questions new providers might have about medical problems, he said. In the spring, he plans to study for recertification in geriatrics one last time. For fun, Mikel joined the Coles County Barbershop Quartet a year ago, and looks forward to being available for more performances. However, he especially looks forward to spending more time with his family, both here and in northern Michigan where he still has a summer cabin. He and his wife have two daughters, five grandsons and one granddaughter. Oops! There was a problem! Sorry, but we can't find what you were looking for right now. The content may have been removed, or is temporarily unavailable. GreatAndhra.com powered by India Brains Infotech, LLC, its owners, associates and employees are not responsible for any errors, omissions or representations on any of our pages or on any links on any of our pages. We do not endorse in anyway any advertisers on our web pages, links to personal pages, official pages, or commercial pages. We have no control of the content of external information. Please verify the veracity of all information on your own before undertaking any reliance. 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Specifically, users - majority of whom are Pixel 2 XL users - are complaining that post the update, whenever they try unlocking their device through the fingerprint scanner, the device's screen wakes up after a significant delay. Some say they observe the same behavior on pressing the power button as well. Turning on the 'always on display' seems to have fixed the problem for some of those who tried this workaround. The issue has been escalated to the concerned team, and a Google employee recently said they'll be reaching out for bug reports. Source | Via It was a couple of months ago, when Google started rolling out the ability to activate Search or Assistant on phones by saying "Hey, Google". It was a limited roll out initially, but the command is seeing a more widespread roll out now. You'll need to re-setup the voice model for this new setting to work - a notification asking the same should appear on your Android phone (if haven't already). Manually, you can do this by heading to Settings -> Google -> Voice. Once done, you can use both "Okay, Google" and "Hey, Google" to perform Google searches or bring up the Assistant. Via Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help n so-called alt-right groups descended on Charlottesville in the US in August, several of those taking part were identified on social media and subsequently lost their jobs. It was a timely, if troubling, wake-up call for employers globally: is it possible to take disciplinary action or even to fire an employee for his or her political views or affiliation with extremist groups? Unsurprisingly, the answer is not clear-cut. Different jurisdictions around the world naturally have their own rules. In Australia, the issue is further complicated by different state laws relating to anti-discrimination, in addition to adverse action provisions in the Fair Work Act. However, generally employees cannot be terminated just because they belong to an extremist group. The exception is if the affiliation or unacceptable behaviour carries over into the workplace through job-related misconduct, such as harassment of employees who are in minority groups or the creation of a hostile work environment. In cases like this, the employer does have certain rights. Any legal rights held by employers must be balanced against the rights of employees. "The fact that the employee might be affiliated with a hate group usually isnt enough," says Kylie Groves, partner at Hall & Wilcox. "Circumstances where it might be enough is where the employer can prove or establish that the employees affiliation with a hate group is detrimental to their business or somehow is impacting on the employment relationship." Regardless of geographic location, all employers must be careful in defining a 'hate group', says XpertHR legal editor David Weisenfeld. For instance, someone who believes homosexuality is immoral but otherwise is an exemplary employee would likely not fall into the category of someone who supports 'hate groups'. Weisenfeld adds that no employer wants to be seen as "overreaching". He cites North Carolina employment attorney Robin Shea, who eloquently suggested that employers should limit defining hate groups to those groups that preach the racial or ethnic inferiority of others or that espouse violence. However, it's a fine line to tread between respecting freedom of speech and protecting a company and its employees from harm. "Employers dont want to be seen as stifling any dissenting view," Weisenfeld says. "If the employee is expressing political views outwardly to customers during work hours in a way that affects the business then it would be a different matter." Weisenfeld suggests that for an employer with a diverse workforce, but really for any employer, its important to consider the business impact if political extremism is left unchecked. This might include: causing other employees to be distracted and give less than their best effort; or causing good performers to look for work elsewhere. He adds that doing nothing is a decision in itself and could be tantamount to giving tacit approval to the political extremism". Groves says that it may also depend on how those extreme views manifest themselves. For instance, if they do have racial ramifications, then that may classify as vilification, which is unlawful behaviour. "Racial vilification is unlawful under most of the anti-discrimination legislation in Australia," Groves says. However, she suggests "it's a pretty high test" to establish racial vilification and often its not really for the employer to argue that someone is being racially vilified; it needs to be the group affected by the comments that needs to make a complaint. If an employee was expressing views that fell within one of the vilification definitions, it would be incumbent on the employer to do something about that because they would be vicariously liable for that employee's conduct if other employees have been negatively impacted for example, if it affected their mental health or they regarded it as bullying. Groves says there are several key elements to consider. Firstly, is the conduct when viewed objectively likely to cause serious damage to the relationship between the employer and the employee? For instance, an employee on social media is criticising their employer by saying they take a 'touchy-feely' approach to homosexuals, or a similar view whereby they identify their employer and criticise their employer on social media for those views: such an action would likely fit into this category. Secondly, does the off-duty conduct damage the employer's interests? This occurred in the case of Cameron Little v Credit Corp Group Limited [2013] FWC 9642, whereby the FWC held that Mr Littles comments on Facebook about not-for-profit organisation Christians Against Poverty damaged his employers interests, because Credit Corp Groups client base was other not-for-profits, and this justified the termination of his employment. To cite another hypothetical example, if someone was arrested at a rally for the National Front, could their employer use that to terminate their employment? "It would go back to whether they are able to establish a connection to their employment," Groves says. "If there is no connection they werent wearing a t-shirt with the employer's name on it or they havent put anything on social media and theres no other connection, its unlikely you would be able to take much action, even if you as the employer thought they had done the wrong thing." Indeed, a common defense from an employee might be that their personal life has nothing to do with their work and 'never the twain shall meet'. However, in an age of social media, this argument is tenuous at best. "The counter argument would be that if other employees are aware of those beliefs, it potentially could harm the workplace and become very much the concern of the employer," says Weisenfeld. These are also well-established principles that are often referred to in social media cases; however, Groves says they apply to any sort of out of work conduct. An employee who expresses their extreme views in a public social media forum "would have less of a leg to stand on", Weisenfeld suggests. Again, once co-workers have seen those views it could greatly hamper employee morale, not to mention customers who could stumble onto them. "It would be very much akin to making sexist remarks on Facebook and equally difficult to defend," he says. Weisenfeld offers some parting tips to employers. Firstly, ensure all the facts are gathered and remember there is a difference between having views that may be outside of the political mainstream and being a member of a hate group. "In addition, one employee saying a co-worker is in a hate group doesnt necessarily make it so," he says. "The complaint may be 100% legitimate or the accuser may have an ax to grind. Either way, the employer generally should speak to the accused before taking disciplinary action." Groves advises employers to continually remind employees of their expectations regarding acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in the workplace; and secondly, to have policies that reinforce these expectations. "We see the problem when its too late the conduct has occurred and the employer is trying to deal with the conduct," she says. "But its a prevention is better than a cure scenario. For the prevention to be achievable, it comes down to not only having clear expectations in your policies, but to have training and other interventions to ensure you have a more tolerant workplace." This is the sex beast convicted of a horrific double rape. Clement Limen (45) was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for luring two women to his apartment and raping them. The university graduate, from Cameroon in central Africa, told them there was a party at his flat before knocking them out with alcohol. When they woke up, he was raping them. Limen had been living in Sligo for seven years, where he was known for his flamboyant dress and personality. Suspicious However, gardai had long suspected him of prowling nightclubs and spiking women's drinks, and a number of pubs and clubs had barred him for "suspicious incidents". Unfortunately, officers had no proof. On the night of the rape, Limen invited the women back to his flat after meeting them in a nightclub on the June bank holiday weekend in 2014. They declined, but he was waiting for them outside the club at the end of the night. By this time, Limen had convinced about 10 other people to come to his flat in North Court, Quayside. The women, who were friends, decided it was safe to go, unaware of his sick plans. The last thing they remembered was sipping the drink Limen gave them. When one of them woke up, Limen was raping her. Later, she went to find her friend, only to find she too had been raped. In a victim impact statement, one of the women said her life had changed dramatically since she was raped. "I was once carefree and fun loving. I became introverted and racked with anxiety. I regularly wake with a jolt, thinking he [Limen] is standing over me," she said. "If he had pleaded guilty and apologised, I could have forgiven him, but he taunted us at every opportunity, he showed no remorse, was arrogant and told nauseating lies." Her friend said the incident had destroyed the past three years of her life. "He [Limen] carried my listless body into a bedroom where he violated and raped me." Both women said Limen's refusal to give a blood sample to eliminate sexually transmitted diseases caused them distress. Humiliating "I had to go to an STD clinic, which was humiliating as I am a married woman," said one of the women. "It was an extra blow to put us through." Limen intends to appeal his conviction because he does not accept the jury's verdict, and separately make a constitutional challenge regarding the terms of his detention. Mr Justice Coffey said the crime was aggravated by the "trauma and anguish" it caused the victims. A Dublin man has been sent for trial accused of reckless endangerment by trapping a man under a car after stealing his power tools. Daniel Maughan (22) had a book of evidence served on him when he appeared before Blanchardstown District Court. Mr Maughan, of Carton Road, Poppintree, Ballymun, was remanded on continuing bail. He is charged with intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious harm. The charge alleges that he drove a blue Mazda 626 dangerously, hitting a man and trapping him under the vehicle. Mr Maughan is further charged with stealing the same man's drill, power saw and chargers, dangerous driving and failing to report an accident to gardai. Video The offences are all alleged to have happened at Dublin Airport Logistics Park, St Margaret's Road, Finglas on December 7, 2015. State solicitor Michael Durkan said the DPP was consenting to the accused being returned for trial and a book of evidence was ready. Judge David McHugh gave Mr Maughan the formal warning that he must provide any alibi details to the prosecution within 14 days. He also granted free legal aid and made an order for disclosure by the prosecution of the video of the accused's garda interview. He sent the defendant forward for trial to the next sittings of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next month. Mr Maughan, who has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges, was remanded on bail. CHARLESTON -- Soon-to-be graduates at Eastern Illinois University were charged to surround themselves with the right people to direct them to good choices moving forward Saturday. Keeping those people in your life is an important step to finding the right opportunities, commencement speaker Matthew L. Kircher told these graduating students. Surround yourself with the people you love and trust because they will help you select the right opportunity, he said. Kircher, an ear disorder specialist that completed his undergraduate biology degree from Eastern Illinois University in 2000, said he aligned himself with those in and outside of college that were driven and inspirational referring back to his time at the university. And that starts to rub off on you, said Kircher, a self-described B-student early in his education. These colleagues and mentors like, Britto Nathan, assistant chair and professor for EIUs biology department, drove him to move forward and work hard in his career eventually landing a spot in medical school. We are a product of our own experience, shaped by the people and opportunity that surrounds us, he reiterated throughout his speech. This message reverberated throughout his life story. He mentioned his success in medical school stemmed from his later-to-be wife and his choice to pull the trigger on the right opportunities. I met my wife in medical school and quickly found out that she really likes to study, Kircher said. She would spend eight hours a day in the library when we were in medical school. And so, I started spending eight hours a day in the library. To Kircher, simply choosing the right opportunities can change a life completely. There will be times when you will fail and you will question your ability and question the path that is your own, he said. It is at these times in your life to make sure you select the right opportunity. Kircher recalled a friend he had in college with a similar background and similar opportunities to him. However, that friend chose darker paths leading them to drugs, prison and later drug overdose. Our paths diverged, he said. We have to remember there is a fine line that determines your fate. Student Speaker Fabian Rempfer, masters degree candidate from Heigenbrucken, Germany, called upon students to continue taking risks. Rempfer said taking risks led him to participate in contests for creative writing at Eastern when creative writing was not a strong suit for him. Writing the short story taught me how important it is to take risks in life, he said. Trying something new can be scary and frightening but also rewarding. Nothing comes from nothing. He later quoted a Kung Fu Panda 3 character who said: if you only do what you can, you will never be more than you are now. Also at commencement, Heidi Larson, professor in Eastern's Department of Counseling and Student Development was named the Luis Clay Mendes Distinguished Service award recipient this year. The universitys Faculty Senate selects a faculty member each year that exemplifies dedication and achievement in service to the university, their profession, and the community. Associates of the Kinahan crime cartel are believed to be behind the latest knife attack on former boxer Anthony Fitzgerald. The 32-year-old was rushed to hospital after being slashed in the face for a second time in just over 12 months. Fitzgerald, who has close ties to the Hutch family, was sliced in the face just before 7pm last Friday as he worked at a stall on Dublin's Henry Street. The former Irish, European and Intercontinental super middleweight champion used to fight out of the Kinahan-linked MTK gym in Spain before the split which saw the Kinahan and Hutch cartels go to war with each other. Fitzgerald helped carry the coffin of feud victim Gary Hutch after his murder in Spain in September 2015, and is a cousin of the Hutch family. Blade He was operating a Christmas market-type stall on the busy pedestrianised street when a group of up to four men arrived and attacked him. As he was being beaten one of the men pulled out a knife or a blade and slashed Fitzgerald repeatedly with it. The former boxer received wounds to his head and face, as well as defensive wounds to his hands. Gardai were called to the scene and Fitzgerald was rushed to the nearby Mater Hospital, where he was treated for facial and hand injuries. "He needed stitches in his wounds. Whoever did this will leave him scarred on top of the scars he already has for the previous attack," a source said. In November last year, Fitzgerald (32) suffered knife injuries after a lone thug ran into his father's pet shop on Parnell Street in Dublin and cut his face. When the attacker then attempted to flee the scene his moped wouldn't start, and he was cornered nearby by several men who began to attack him. Gardai arrived and both the attacker and Fitzgerald were rushed to hospital. Punishment Sources have confirmed that the Kinahan cartel is suspected of being behind the latest attack on the retired boxer. "It looks like he was targeted by cartel thugs as some sort of punishment," they said. "To do it so publicly just shows how brazen these thugs are," they added. Henry Street was crowded with shoppers and commuters at the time of the attack. Gardai will be studying CCTV from the area in the hope that it identifies the attackers. They believe Fitzgerald may have been targeted because of his relationship to the rival Hutch family. He has attended funerals of the Hutch family and associates who were killed by the Kinahans, but Fitzgerald himself is not involved in the feud which has now claimed more than a dozen lives. In April this year he escaped jail after he pleaded guilty to breaking a bus driver's nose during a road rage incident on North Circular Road on November 18, 2014. Ryanair pilots have suspended Wednesday's planned one-day strike after management agreed to recognise their union as the representative of Irish-based pilots, Impact said. The union released a statement saying it has agreed to meet Ryanair management tomorrow evening, a day before the proposed industrial action. Last night's development will ease worries for passengers planning to fly home for Christmas. "The union asked management to release its Ryanair pilot representatives to prepare for and attend the meeting," said Impact. "The union has agreed to meet management on Tuesday evening, but says it is available to meet sooner. "The union acknowledged the principled determination of Ryanair pilots, which it said had made this breakthrough possible, and said it looked forward to establishing a positive relationship with Ryanair company management." The airline had offered to meet the union the day before the planned strike, but industry observers feared that would not allow enough time to reach a deal to prevent travel misery. Ryanair had planned to publish contingency plans today in order to "minimise disruption" for passengers in case a strike did go ahead. "We apologise sincerely to our customers for any worry or concern that this threatened action, during Christmas week by a small number of very well-paid pilots, may cause them. Rest assured that we will do everything we can," the airline said in a statement published on its website. Engage Ryanair said it would recognise trade unions as pilot representatives for the first time in a dramatic reversal of its policy on industrial relations. However, it maintained that it would ask unions to establish "committees of Ryanair pilots to deal with Ryanair issues, as Ryanair will not engage with pilots who fly for competitor airlines in Ireland or elsewhere". That led pilot unions in Italy and Portugal to call off planned strikes, but Irish pilot union IALPA said it wanted to meet the airline before abandoning its plan for industrial action. Speaking on Today FM, Niall Shanahan, a spokesman for Impact, which is the parent union of IALPA, said: "We indicated to Ryanair on Saturday that we were happy to meet them on Wednesday as they originally suggested but that we wouldn't be in a position to consider suspending the intended industrial action until we'd met them. "They suggested a meeting on Tuesday evening as opposed to Wednesday morning, and again we're happy to do that, but similarly, we're not in a position to consider the status of the industrial action until after we've met them." Ryanair's chief operations officer Peter Bellew said yesterday: "Let's keep talking. Get people home quietly for Christmas. Union meetings planned next week and January." In October, chief executive Michael O'Leary wrote to his pilots to offer better pay and conditions after Ryanair was forced to cancel thousands of flights. How good are these two guys, Penn State fans? It may surprise you ... NioCorp Developments Ltd. said Monday that it has received "conditional approval" from state officials for more than $100 million in tax incentives for its proposed rare metals mine in southeast Nebraska. The Colorado company said the incentives would come from the Nebraska Advantage program, which offers qualifying companies tax rebates and other concessions after they reach set targets for investment and/or job creation. According to the listing of tax incentive applications on the Nebraska Department of Revenue's website, NioCorp has two active applications, one for $65.3 million in investment, and one for $858 million and 400 jobs. The department does not comment on individual applications. NioCorp is working to build a mine near Elk Creek in Johnson County to extract niobium, scandium and titanium. According to a feasibility study the company released in the summer, the mine has the potential to produce $17.6 billion in revenue over its proposed 32-year life span and annual pre-tax income of nearly $390 million for the company. Even with the proposed tax incentives, NioCorp estimated it would still pay hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local taxes over that 32-year period. The company has estimated construction and startup of the mine will cost more than $1 billion, while it would create 1,000 construction jobs and 300-400 permanent jobs. At those numbers, the project would qualify for the state's highest tier of tax incentives. NioCorp is still in the process of raising money to fund construction of the proposed mine and hopes to start construction sometime next year. Agartala (Tripura) : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that the tortured Hindus from across the world come to India for shelter. Stating that India is a land of Hindus, the RSS chief said while addressing a public function at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan here, The tortured Hindus from across the world come to the country and get shelter. Hindus believe in truth, but the world respects strength. There is strength in organisation. Being organised is the natural law. Hindutva is different from Hinduism and today the disturbed Western world is eagerly waiting with expectations towards Indias Hinduism and it philosophy which has its roots deep in Sanatan Dharm and shall revive their society out of the curse. So, to fulfill their expectations Hinduism has become more important today, he added. As part of his four-day Tripura visit, Bhagwat addressed a mammoth rally of TripuraHindu Malayama, where saints and believers gathered at the Swami Vivekananda Stadium. There, the RSS chief asked the Hindu believers to unite against the evil forces. According to him, the best part of Hinduism, which earlier had its followers spread across from the Afghanistan to Burma, is that it does any mechanism of conversion and thus is not a threat to any religion. Bhagwat also stated that in the multi-religious and multi-cultural Indian society, every citizen has the right to practice their own religion provided that they are devoted towards their motherland. He also urged the Hindus to get organised and trained at the RSS shakhas (daily meetings), claiming that these were the only places where one could prepare for nation-building and self- development. The sanatan dharma wants to work together with everybody on board, he further said. Source : ANI The Legislature's special oversight committee on Nebraska's justice system recommended Monday that the state begin to plan for the possibility of a prison overcrowding emergency that could trigger the parole of a large number of inmates. The statutory definition of overcrowding in Nebraska is a prison population exceeding 140 percent of capacity on or after July 1, 2020. The average daily population of Nebraska's prisons was "a little more than 155 percent of the design capacity" as of Oct. 20, the committee stated. Prisons designed to hold a capacity of 3,435 inmates held an average daily population of 5,343 this year. State law also authorizes the governor to declare an overcrowding emergency before that 2020 date, but that is not likely to occur. The oversight committee stated that while all branches of state government "must continue to work collaboratively to address overcrowding in Nebraska's prison system," the state also needs to begin to prepare to administer an overcrowding emergency. "I'm a Girl Scout and it's good to be prepared," Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, the committee chairwoman, said during a telephone interview following submission of the report to the Legislature's Judiciary and Appropriations committees. "We want to kind of nudge the Parole Board along; it's important for us to be thinking about it." "If we know what the Parole Board's plan is, maybe we have to do some rethinking in 2019," Ebke said. "Maybe we look at whether we should be moving people into county jails before we reach the emergency." In case of an overcrowding emergency, Nebraska law instructs the Board of Parole to immediately consider all parole-eligible inmates for release with exceptions for those who pose a significant risk or who would appear unlikely to follow conditions of parole. Parole would also be denied to inmates whose release "would have a very significant and quantifiable effect on institutional discipline," according to the prison overcrowding law. While preparing for an overcrowding emergency, the legislative, executive and judicial branches should "continue to work collaboratively to address overcrowding in Nebraska's prison system," the report stated. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in August asking the court to intervene to reduce overcrowding in Nebraska's prison system and address a number of other issues. Federal courts have intervened in other states on the issue of overcrowding, sometimes prompting the construction of expensive new prisons. The legislative oversight committee will continue its work in 2018. That probably will include on-site visits to major institutions in Lincoln, Omaha and Tecumseh, Ebke said. The committee visited all 10 correctional institutions before preparing its report this year. A subtle change appears to have happened in the online travel environment. Emboldened by changes to regulatory frameworks, new technologies and growing revenues, travel suppliers are fighting to claw back market share. In response, Expedia appears to be pushing a new strategy to ensure future growth by growing its partnerships and services to support the industry according to a new report into the company. Expedia sees opportunities in facilitating services in the travel industry and mobilizing its technical expertise to enhance its position at the center of travel distribution through partnerships and offering a full spectrum of travel products that are personalized for consumers, whether they are buying a hotel room, rail ticket or a whole package. Most notably this can be seen in the roll out of new products and options for partners across 2016 and 2017. They have worked to give access to inventory and have invested in white-label technology, including for hotel loyalty, and also on advertising products. These have included: Private Label Packages: Expedia worked with Marriott to create Marriott Vacations where the hotel chain uses a dynamic packaging platform powered by Expedia so their customers can book flights with accommodation, and earn Marriott Rewards when they book. Expedia has since built this out into a white-label option and has signed on Barcelo and Omni Hotels & Resorts to the dynamic packaging system. Expedia worked with Marriott to create Marriott Vacations where the hotel chain uses a dynamic packaging platform powered by Expedia so their customers can book flights with accommodation, and earn Marriott Rewards when they book. Expedia has since built this out into a white-label option and has signed on Barcelo and Omni Hotels & Resorts to the dynamic packaging system. Partner Loyalty Enrollment: Red Lion Hotels initially kicked off this development as the first to have its own loyalty scheme actively promoted by Expedia in search results. Expedia claimed that there were three hotel chains signed up in August 2017 to the product, which allows users to enlist bookers directly to their loyalty programs from Expedia sites and in December 2017 announced that G6 Hospitality had signed up to the scheme. Red Lion Hotels initially kicked off this development as the first to have its own loyalty scheme actively promoted by Expedia in search results. Expedia claimed that there were three hotel chains signed up in August 2017 to the product, which allows users to enlist bookers directly to their loyalty programs from Expedia sites and in December 2017 announced that G6 Hospitality had signed up to the scheme. MICE Booking Technology: Expedia began testing their new MICE platform in mid-2017 and are hoping for a major roll-out in the near future. The system is a front-end booking tool and a back-end management and analytics platform. Expedia began testing their new MICE platform in mid-2017 and are hoping for a major roll-out in the near future. The system is a front-end booking tool and a back-end management and analytics platform. Rev+: This is a B2B service for revenue managers of hotels, free to those already part of its distribution network, that runs of Expedia data and appears to be an attempt to provide a rival to BookingSuite. This is a B2B service for revenue managers of hotels, free to those already part of its distribution network, that runs of Expedia data and appears to be an attempt to provide a rival to BookingSuite. TravelAds Direct: Seemingly a reaction to book direct efforts, especially as Expedia's official release stated that it offers "easier price comparison for consumers, and more potential brand touch points, bookings, and loyalty for hotels," TravelAds Direct is CPC advertising that refers to hotel brand sites. Seemingly a reaction to book direct efforts, especially as Expedia's official release stated that it offers "easier price comparison for consumers, and more potential brand touch points, bookings, and loyalty for hotels," TravelAds Direct is CPC advertising that refers to hotel brand sites. Accelerator: Finalized in Q4 2015, this product allows hotels to bid against each other, transforming the search results into a marketplace where hotels pay commissions for the top listings, increasing their chance to be booked by a traveler. This could be part of their strategy to compensate for lowering ADRs, as well as gain a share of online advertising revenues and sweat the assets of their platforms. The number of products and interest in pushing these out to major partners suggests a larger strategic focus on the area and a divergence from the approach of its biggest competitor, Priceline. Expedia has long thought of itself as a full-service travel agency, providing products that cover the entire travel spectrum. However, this advantage has narrowed as a growing universe of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and cloud platforms allows smaller players to access far more inventory than they previously would be able to. Whereas setting up agreements to sell car rentals, flights, or tour activities would have been technically and legally arduous to set up for a smaller travel company, they can now work through third parties and a single agreement can open up a global supply network. "Embedding in a network of partnerships across the industry and supplying partners will help to insulate Expedia from disruption across the market and supplement their traditional OTA business," says Alex Hadwick, Head of Research at EyeforTravel. "How successful they will be in this endeavour remains to be seen, as suppliers may prefer to take the fight to OTAs and keep them at an arm's length in the battle for customer bookings and loyalty. However, a number of big names, including Marriott, Thomas Cook and Norwegian have signed on to various partnerships in the last 12 months, which will offer encouragement." To preview and buy EyeforTravel's Expedia report, click here, or here for the Priceline report. These are part of the Future of the Online Giants series, which will cover Expedia, Priceline, TripAdvisor, Ctrip and Google. Keep a look out through EyeforTravel On Demand for the rest of these reports. About Reuters Events Reuters Events is a community where the worlds top online travel brands from hotels to airlines, online travel agents, cruise, car hire firms and more come to meet to drive forward growth and innovation in the industry. We know that working in the turbulent online travel industry is as exciting as it is challenging. In this constantly evolving market place, we appreciate that keeping up with the pace of change can be tough, not to mention time consuming. You need the right information, contacts and strategic insight to succeed. Established in 1997, by Tim Gunstone, we offer a diverse product portfolio including industry analysis, insights, research, webinars, reports and conferences to suit the needs of our clients. Our clients read as a whos who of online travel. From major hotel brands to new startups, we help our 80,000 strong customer base make better decisions, build better brands, close the most lucrative deals and ultimately sell more of their product. After all, increasing travel brand profit margins in the cutthroat travel industry is the name of the game! No other online travel intelligence provider has been charting the growth of online travel as long as we have. We were here at the inception of online travel and we know the industry inside out. Whats more, were a small, friendly team. Forget impersonal hierarchies, we like to get to know our customers and work towards their exact needs. Meredith Pistulka View source Since its beginning, the hotel industry has constantly evolved and transformed to meet the changing needs of travelers. While the industry has always been innovative, the recent advancements in technology have catapulted the industry into unprecedented change. Starting as a necessity for wandering travelers, the hospitality industry has certainly come a long way. However, before we can predict the future of the industry, it's important to understand the current trends in the hospitality industry and how it grew into the billion dollar industry it is today. The Past Since our ancestors roamed the Earth, people have been providing hospitality. However, the experience a guest may have had centuries ago is quite different than the one we experience today. In early biblical times, "hotels" were mainly hospitable townsfolk who opened their homes to weary travelers. Most visits lasted only one night, with the guest continuing their travels in the morning. In comparison, villages in early Greece built thermal baths for travelers to rest their joints and muscles. These travelers did not spend the night, the baths simply provided them with the recuperation they needed. It wasn't until the year 1200 more permanent hotels were built. Though they were modest structures, they lay the foundation for the intricate hotel facilities we're accustomed to today. The 15th century saw a breakthrough in the hotel industry. French law required hotel managers to keep track of guests through a registry, to which other countries soon followed. More hotels were built, each with an increased focus on guest amenities. The next century saw the introduction of hotel advertising, with the first "guidebooks" published promoting the best establishments. Another major development occurred during the Industrial Revolution. The century's technological, economical and social developments made travel more accessible for all people, not just the wealthy. This momentum continued into the 20th century, where the population increase, urbanization and economic prosperity in industrial nations prompted further growth from the hospitality industry. This increase in demand triggered more properties to open and encouraged diversity. While the hospitality industry has only continued to grow since, the current trends in the hospitality industry still reflect the needs of society. The Present Flashforward to today, travel is even more frequent. The hotel industry has continued to evolve alongside changing demographic trends and technological advancements and became a highly complex segment of the economy. Now, the current trends in the hospitality industry revolve around comfort and exceptional guest service. As shown throughout its history, the hospitality industry is constantly changing. For hospitality professionals to remain competitive, it is ever more crucial to stay current on the trends in hospitality 2018. The Future With that in mind, hospitality professionals all over the world are wondering: "what is the future of hospitality?". MicroMetrics infographic Photo by MicroMetrics While nothing can be determined for certain, the opportunities and threats listed in the above infographic will definitely play a major role and be trends in hospitality 2018. As a company deeply rooted in the hospitality industry, we also asked ourselves: "what is the future of hospitality?". To answer, we took matters into our own hands and created The Future of Hospitality 2018 Research Report, the industry's first data-driven look into the future of hospitality. This report will provide concrete data detailing the predicted path and future of the hospitality industry, as well as list promising areas of business growth & investment opportunities and threats to keep on your radar. To receive this in-depth report for free, simply contribute your own valuable insights and join the community of hospitality professionals dedicated to bettering the industry. Gain free access to The Future of Hospitality 2018 Research Report: Click here to contribute. MicroMetrics builds the most flexible communication solutions for business and enterprise. Whether you"re a hotel operator looking to increase guest satisfaction scores and streamline internal communications, a government organization looking to connect with visitors in your city, or a brick-and-mortar business looking to improve customer satisfaction, MicroMetrics' intelligent, adaptable solutions are built to ensure your business provides the best possible service to your customers. For more information, visit: http://micrometrics.com/ The bad news for spa managers and operators starts with this slap in the face: you don't know your competition. Read that again and know that the news is about to get worse. That's because research shows that the spa product on offer at most destination spas and also the high-end hotel amenity day spas just isn't what millennials want. It may not even be what Gen X and Boomers want anymore. Pampering as an end is no longer good enough. It just isn't. And yet that is what most spas persist in trying to market. Find this research in a landmark, provocative presentation by Well + Good founders Alexia Brue and Melisse Gelula at the Global Wellness Summit in October. Their PowerPoint is based on the company's own research and it's a powerful wake-up call for spa managers. Personally I have been involved in destination spas for 15 years, essentially since the industry's beginnings, and I have worked with clients on multiple continents. From that vantage I can say I largely agree with Brue and Gelula. And what they are saying boils down to a bold assertion that we are missing the mark with millennials who of course are the next wave of high-end travelers. Here's good news: 66% of millennials say they are planning to go on a wellness retreat in the next 12 months. That's two in three. That's a huge potential. Will established destination spas capture this business? Maybe not. 55% say they want to go to a Miraval or Canyon Ranch. But 40% say they want to go on a retreat with their favorite wellness/fitness guru. That means 40% of the potential market may be lost. It also means a lot of spa marketers are clueless about their competitive landscape. Personally, and on my own nickel, I have spent dozens of weekends at Kripalu, a yoga-centric retreat in the Berkshires with a rotating cast of guest teachers supplemented by a core cadre of Kripalu teachers. It's a great way to refresh and I'll bet you a lot of those Kripalu guests are what amounts to lost spa customers who can get massages, Reiki, and a lot more at Kripalu. Esalen on the west coast is similar. So is Omega, a Hudson Valley retreat I have also been to several times (and even did a small workshop with Deepak Chopra there). Question: how can destination spas retool to win these guests? Ninety percent of millennials told this survey they had not been to a Miraval or Golden Door. That means the vast majority have limited knowledge about high-end destination spas. But 53% say going to such a place is a "travel goal." That's terrific news. But. The millennials also state what is critical to them. It starts with food. 99% tag food as important 96% point to experiences in nature 94% want high-quality fitness offerings 93% want spa services Distill this information and here's my advice to spa managers: Recognize that your competition literally is everywhere, from a hotel amenity spa to a guru led fitness retreat. If you think only other destination spas matter you are so wrong. Upgrade your outdoor experiences. A spa in Phoenix must use Camelback Mountain and/or Phoenix Mountains Preserve; in Scottsdale, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. An absolute must. Involve guests in what makes the location unique and special. Upgrade fitness offerings. A few machines and a video aren't good enough. High-quality trainers are essential. So are individualized game plans. Invigorate guests and show them how they can stay that way. Massively upgrade wellness offerings. Wellness now is a staple - it's available everywhere from Whole Foods to commoditized health clubs. A good spa has to go way beyond. Bring in good trainers to do individual consulting with guests. Raise the bar high. It's a way to differentiate from your competition. Rethink the food and be very sure there are millennial favorites. Stay aware of the fast change of trends. Don't get complacent. Lastly: commit to continuous reinvention. Spa is in motion. Get that and keep moving. That's how to stay relevant. Babs Harrison Babs Harrison + Partners Babs Harrison + Partners Community builders Jewel Rodgers and Isabel Salas are getting an earful as they walk the neighborhoods south of downtown Lincoln to discover its treasures and trappings. They are hoping that by knocking on 10,000 doors each of the next three years for the Collective Impact Project, they will be able to engage residents and make strides toward improving the quality of life there. Conducting interviews for the Collective Impact Project is just one part of what these two do for the South of Downtown Community Development Organization, which was formed about a year ago. At its helm is Shawn Ryba, formerly chief operating officer of NeighborWorks, a nonprofit working to develop desirable housing for Lincolns core neighborhoods. Ryba, Rodgers and Salas all have lived in the South of Downtown neighborhood at one time and said they appreciate the diversity and atmosphere. Coming here to this neighborhood was like a pocket of safety, shared Rodgers, who lives near 12th and D streets. Salas, who grew up in Lexington and speaks Spanish, found familiarity at the Mexican bakery and market. Last August, she moved just outside of the area. Ryba lived next to the Gathering Place near 15th and Goodhue Boulevard for five years. I think our crucial role is to have a better connection with the people in the neighborhood, he said. Three neighborhood needs Tom Smith, one of the founders of the South of Downtown Revitalization Project that preceded the formation of SDCDO, said he sees three neighborhood needs: more jobs, better housing and additional social services to support residents. With partial funding from the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority and private funds raised by Smith and Concorde Management & Development President David Schmidt, H3 Consultants was hired to survey the roughly 500-acre area south of the Capitol and bounded on the north by L Street, on the east by 17th Street, to the south by A Street and on the west by Sixth and Eighth streets. The South of Downtown Plan was developed after two years of engaging the public via public meetings, presentations, stakeholder meetings, focus groups, surveys and more, and outlined five initiatives. The first was forming a community development organization. According to the H3 report, Lincoln Vital Signs 2014/2015 report and the Place Matters Mapping project, the South of Downtown neighborhoods face a broad spectrum of challenges. Smith said one of those problems lies in an area from 11th to 14th streets and from L to G streets. Near his 1225 L St. building, he would like to see more foot traffic before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Also, multiple surface parking lots in the area that create a concrete moat effect could be remedied with more commercial development, he believes. NIFA pledged a $225,000 grant over the next three years to support SDCDO, which has been matched two-to-one with private sector gifts. NeighborWorks and Concorde Management & Development are represented on its board and continue to guide development of a new vision, Ryba said. Smith serves as board chair. A need to improve existing affordable housing Ryba agrees with Smith that affordable housing is one of the top needs, but he added that Lincoln needs to preserve and improve existing affordable housing, some of which is substandard, while establishing new affordable housing. Rodgers shared that as a renter in the area, she has experienced a caving bathroom ceiling, heat that didnt work well and clogged sinks. Thats nothing compared to other homeowners, she said, adding that her landlord worked to resolve all of the issues. Second to housing, Ryba believes, is a need to improve streets, sidewalks, green spaces, lighting, bike paths and school maintenance. Identifying community leaders so that the change comes from within the neighborhoods is critical, he added. With their input, Ryba hopes to find a balance between peoples perceptions looking from the outside in and those who live in the neighborhood. How do we work on inside perceptions, identify what is awesome in the neighborhood? he asked. Neighbors can impact outside perceptions by having an answer for every negative that comes up, Ryba explained. Talk about the walkability, the cultural diversity, he continued. One of SDCDOs first improvement projects is underway from Eighth Street to 13th Street along the F Street corridor, compliments of a Partners for Places grant. Ash borer trees affected by the emerald ash borer will be removed in the spring, and SDCDO is collaborating with property owners along the stretch to develop a plan to maintain the green space. A second project involves renovating an F Street Community Church structure at 13th and F streets. Identified as the oldest church structure in Lincoln, Ryba, local artist Jean Stryker and the church envision the vacant building being converted into a community art space for residents and youth. How to help How can the general public revitalize and support this area? Ryba suggests a couple of ways. First, support its businesses, like Pan Dulce Bakery, Cultiva (coffee, breakfast, lunch), El Chaparro Mexican restaurant and Neveria Arcoiris, an ice cream and frozen yogurt shop. Second, volunteer in the schools (Everett and McPhee elementaries and Park Middle School) or at the Gathering Place. In order to do this work, everybody needs to play a role, Ryba said. For those who own property in the area, personal investment is needed. For those who dont, philanthropic investment will also play a vital role. In the meantime, Ryba and his staff will partner with individuals, the city and any other organizations that can assist with strategic planning, fundraising and relationship building. Its all work that Ryba is familiar with from his former position at NeighborWorks. SDCDOs longevity depends on three things. One is how well Rodgers and her colleagues listen, she said. Another is fundraising. The organization is funded for three years; however, revitalization of the South of Downtown neighborhood could take 10 to 20, Ryba estimated. It depends on how engaged we get residents, investment by the city and philanthropic interests. Hotel Okura Manila to Open 2018 in the Philippines Hotel Okura Co., Ltd. announced today that it has entered an agreement with Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. (TIHGI) to manage Hotel Okura Manila, which will open in Manila, Philippines in 2018. Located near Manilas Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the 191-room Hotel Okura Manila will be situated within Resorts World Manila, an integrated resort owned by TIHGI. As a gateway to Makati City, the countrys financial district, the hotel will offer easy access to Manilas business and leisure centers. Hotel Okura Manila will be a state-of-the-art resort destination distinguished by its sophisticated Okura-style hospitality. It will offer numerous dining options, including traditional Japanese and Spanish restaurants, all-day dining, and a bar. Guests will enjoy the comforts of spacious rooms averaging 60 square meters, as well as a pool and fitness facility. As Hotel Okuras first hotel to open in the Philippines, we will leverage the groups expertise in traditional Japanese hospitality to make Hotel Okura Manila a much-beloved hotel among both local and foreign visitors, said Toshihiro Ogita, president of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd. For the past five years, the Philippines has experienced high economic growth surpassing 6% per annum, and its tourism market is expected to achieve mid- to long-term growth. The countrys population of well over 100 million is now the second largest in the ASEAN region following Indonesia, and averages a youthful 24 years of age. The Philippine Department of Tourism is working to attract over 12 million foreign tourists by 2022, including through major investments in infrastructure. Hotel Okura Manila will be Hotel Okuras second Manila property to be announced. Hotel Okura has worked closely with TIHGI, which has been a supportive and reliable partner, Ogita commented. Hotel Okura is pursuing an ambitious plan to expand its global portfolio to 100 properties, primarily in the fast-growing Asian region. Eleven properties are in the pipeline, all due to open by 2020 under one of three hotel groups: Okura Hotels & Resorts, Nikko Hotels International, or Hotel JAL City. These properties will be managed by Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hotel Okura. Idols Become Rivals was one of 2017s more memorable proclamations of war, and Rick Ross public air-out of Birdman left the hip-hop community abuzz. Since then, the pair have taken to exchanging shots on social media, with the feud coming to a recent head back in October, when Rick Ross aired out the Cash Money Mogul on Snapchat. Pay that man his money, said Ross. We know you aint right. Stop with the jokes, n***a. Bring that shit. Bring it. Prior, Birdman had released his own public grievance with all his haters and doubters, which you can check out right here. Suffice it to say, these men simply dont care for one another. Now, Rick Ross has continued to stir the pot, taking some more shots at Birdman over some recent reports. According to AllHipHop (who originally got the story from The Blast), Birdman recently put his Miami Mansion, notably known as Stunna Island, up for sale. Birdman had previously purchased the lavish mansion in 2012, for a staggering $12.5 million. Previous owners included former Rockstar Energy CEO Russell Weiner and hip-hop producer Scott Storch. In a recent Snap, Rick Ross broke down Birdmans latest fiscal trouble, trying to understand where the Cash Money mogul went wrong. You mean, you moved to Miami, took out a loan on a mansion, then took out another loan on a mansion, and you still aint paid your lil n***as? You aint have no money in six-seven years, n***a. You should have came and borrowed some from Rozay. Now you want to fuck that old lady life up too. You probably borrowing some money from herI might go buy that house on the water. Just to keep my boat at it. I wont even stay there, that shit is too small. Rick Ross This School Dropout Now Owns Four Houses; Know Her Secret Here Mr Coveney said the absence of a power-sharing ministerial executive at Stormont was part of the problem of Brexit. Photo: Caroline Quinn The Government's relationship with the DUP must be repaired after tensions over Brexit, the Tanaiste has acknowledged. Simon Coveney said he wanted to meet Northern Ireland's largest unionist party before the end of the year. "Because of the tension around trying to get the deal we felt was needed for everyone on this island, yes, of course there is repair work to do," Mr Coveney told RTE's 'The Week in Politics'. The DUP's 10 pro-Brexit MPs are supporting Theresa May's minority government in crucial votes. The unionist party scuppered earlier British government efforts to agree a Border deal with the EU. It has also accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of "politicking" over Brexit. The Taoiseach has said Brexiteers need to acknowledge they created the difficulties surrounding the Border. A compromise agreed between the EU and UK has been the subject of a range of interpretations. Mr Varadkar has said he is confident there will be no hard Border in Ireland despite being warned the issue remains a "riddle to be solved". Mr Coveney said the absence of a power-sharing ministerial executive at Stormont was part of the problem of Brexit. If Sinn Fein and the DUP cannot agree to resurrect the executive, Mr Coveney said the Good Friday Agreement needed to be looked back at, because that was where the rules were set. "Then there is the prospect of a whole series of other choices - from another election, to the triggering of intergovernmental conferences to make decisions on Northern Ireland," he said. "That is not where we want to be. That will cause tension. "It will be a very frosty environment to make decisions in... so we all have a responsibility, in a practical sense, to find a way forward," he added. The city of Lincoln will ban smoking or vaping on either end of Centennial Mall at the request of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which will be instituting a campus-wide smoking ban in January. But the city ban cannot cover the area east of the State Office Building, owned by the state, where many employees take smoke breaks. So the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Advisory Board will be asking the state to ban smoking on that state-owned property. The parks advisory board recommended a smoking and vaping ban last week on the north and south ends of Centennial Mall between K and M and P and R streets. At the same time the board asked the parks administration to send a letter to the state requesting it consider banning smoking east of the State Office Building, so the entire area could be smoke free, said Lynn Johnson, director of the Parks and Recreation Department. The parks board got feedback from citizens suggesting the State Office Building area should also be smoke-free, Johnson said. UNL has asked the city to ban smoking on the mall area near the campus when the campus goes smoke-free in January. The Parks and Recreation staff decided the ban would be appropriate on the south end of Centennial Mall because children from St. Mary's Catholic School often use the mall. Public comments sent to the board on the smoking ban proposal split in about the same ratio as nonsmokers to smokers. About 80 percent of the emails and letters supported the ban and about 20 percent opposed it, said Johnson. The city made some city park areas tobacco free in 2012, including areas used by children and used for public gatherings. The smoking and vaping ban in parks is a guideline, not a city ordinance, so people cannot be ticketed for violating it. Following a string of food safety scandals, Chinese tourists visiting Copenhagen have this year stocked up on Danish-made organic infant milk formula, prompting some supermarkets to limit the number of cans each customer can buy. More conventional exports are strong too. Arla Foods, one of Europes biggest dairy companies, says Chinese demand for premium products and high food safety standards in Denmark have helped it almost double its sales to China this year. Food safety has been an important issue in China since a 2008 scandal killed six infants who had been fed milk powder that had been adulterated with the toxic melamine, normally used to make plastics. Milk powder and long-lasting UHT milk account for most of Arlas exports to China but its organic infant formula is gaining popularity among Chinese consumers, said Arla Foods Chief Executive Peder Tuborgh. We found a niche in the market for organic infant formula that didnt exist even two years ago but its starting to unfold and thats part of what drives the revenue growth, Tuborgh said in an interview. Strong Chinese appetite for Western luxury goods such as handbags and watches has been well documented for years. More recently, retailers across Europe and in countries including Australia and New Zealand have also seen Chinese travelers seek out infant milk powder in response to food safety concerns. French food company Danone said sales of baby milk formula in China itself rose strongly in the third quarter. Arla and Danone are facing fierce competition in the China baby food market from Nestle and Reckitt Benckiser. China is probably the most competitive dairy market in the world, Tuborgh said. Exports to China are set to reach 100 million euros ($118 million) this year, up from 55.9 million in 2016 and 51.7 million the year before, he said. He expects growth rates of 25-30 percent in the coming years. As a result of higher demand, Chinese visitors to Denmark have raided supermarket shelves for locally-made organic infant milk formula, leaving some retailers scrambling to supply domestic consumers. In October, Denmarks biggest supermarket chain Coop was forced to limit the amount of milk formula to 7 kilos (12 cans) per customer, after seeing some Chinese shoppers literally empty their shelves buying more than 40 kilos. Arlas organic infant milk powder can fetch three to four times the price in China compared to the price in Denmark. An Irish-based organisation is set to boost food production for more than two million people in one of the world's poorest countries. Gorta-Self Help Africa has been awarded new funding to provide farm training to more than 400,000 families in Malawi using a network of community-based field schools to promote different crops and farming techniques. New Holland is extending its forage harvester range at the top end with the powerful new flagship model, the 900hp-rated FR920. The company says higher capacity and productivity result from a powerful new engine and improved feeding, while its HydroLoc chop length technology is clamed to deliver best-in-class chop quality. A choice of three ranges of crop processors, all available in different roll configurations, covers every requirement from biogas applications to shredded silage. Lars Skjoldager Sorensen, head of harvesting product line, said: "New Holland has been at the forefront of forage harvesting for more than half a century. Over the years we have introduced a host of pioneering innovations and industry firsts. With the new flagship FR920, we are offering forage harvesting on the largest scale combined with excellent durability resulting from the new heavy-duty drives and processors." V20 engine The new FR920 flagship model features the all-new FPT Industrial V20 engine developed for forage harvesting applications. 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 It delivers a massive 670 kW (911 hp) maximum power at 1600 to 1800 rpm, 4,095 Nm maximum torque and a 44pc torque rise at 2100-1600 rpm. New Holland says the power curve has been specifically mapped to match the precise requirements of foraging applications ensures the best transient response, so that the FR reacts fast to changing load. The V20 engine delivers its most fuel-efficient performance in the 1600 to 1900 rpm working range, resulting in lower running costs. The overall feeding system has been improved and now features a 12.5pc bigger intake channel thanks to higher lifting potential of the intake rollers. The in-line concept and direct driveline logic of the FR Forage Harvester ensure that all the power from the new V20 engine is efficiently transmitted to the driven parts and, ultimately, to the ground. The entire driveline and components on the FR920 have been reinforced to manage the increased engine output of the new flagship model. 4WD option The FR920 features a new heavy-duty four wheel drive system developed to deal with the increased power and traction requirements. It increases the maximum torque transferred to the wheels by 60pc compared to the standard four wheel drive system. It features new heavy-duty axles that are guidance ready and a reinforced steering axle support. The new system also meets the increasing customer demand for being able to mount larger footprint steering tyres. The engagement of the new heavy-duty four wheel drive on the FR920 is controlled by the standard New Holland Terralock feature, which automatically activates and deactivates the four wheel drive axle depending on the steering angle setting, minimising damage to the field surface during headland turns and reducing operator fatigue in long harvesting days. Crop processors The FR 920 comes with a choice of three crop processors across the range. New Holland is introducing the new DuraCracker and DuraShredder heavy-duty crop processing systems, which are now available in addition to the standard crop processing rolls. The former has been designed with reinforced frames and drives to deliver uniform kernel cracking and high processing performance to match the high outputs of the most powerful model. New Holland says the DuraShredder adds a further element; rolls with additional spiral cuts that shred the crop and deliver more intensive processing to the kernel. Colm Doyle in Rwanda with a cow donated by his late father through Bothar 11 years ago. Photo: Sean Curtin True Media A Westmeath farmer travelled 6,500 miles to Rwanda to be reunited with a cow his late dad donated to an impoverished family. Colm Doyle from Moate travelled to Rwanda to see for himself how the dairy cow donated by his late father Jimmy 11 years ago had transformed the lives of one family. A driver had a lucky escape after smashing into a flock of sheep in Co Donegal. The motorist struck the sheep just after 3am on the N13 dual carriageway outside Letterkenny today (Mon) at 3.30am. Three of the straying sheep were killed instantly when the man's Vauxhall Astra car ploughed into the straying sheep. The man was not injured but was left shaken by his ordeal and his was undrivable after the collision. The sheep have now been removed and Gardai in Letterkenny have appealed for the owner of the dead animals to come forward. A Garda spokesman appealed to farmer's to ensure that their animals do not stray onto public roads. "This man was very lucky that he was not seriously injured. This could have been so much worse. "His car is completely destroyed and he could not drive it away. "We are appealing to farmers to ensure that their livestock is properly penned in and cannot stray. "This man had a relatively lucky escape but he could have been seriously injured or worse," he said. A Westmeath farmer has expressed pride at the legacy of his late fathers generosity after travelling 6,500 miles to be reunited with a cow donated by him to a destitute African family a decade ago. Colm Doyle travelled to the heart of Rwanda in central/eastern Africa to see first-hand how a cow donated by his late father Jimmy 11 years ago had transformed the lives of a Rwanda family. The cow is just one of an impressive and ever growing herd of cows sent since the mid-noughties by a local group in Moate through aid agency Bothar to impoverished families in Rwanda, other parts of Africa and eastern European. The cows have had a transformational effect on the lives of an estimated 1,000 plus families as the aid agency returns each year to re-impregnate the cows, with a deal struck with each recipient family that they must pass on the first born female calf to a neighbour. Prior to being given a heifer, each family undergoes a six month programme of training in animal husbandry, water-harvesting and basic horticulture practices. The Moate Bothar group started off 15 years ago by raising funds through the local national school to send out just one goat but, a decade and a half later, they are sending on average 50 cows and up to 80 goats each year. In one year alone they sent out 115 in-calf heifers. 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 And, having returned from Rwanda, where he saw with his own eyes the impact the donations have made, Colm Doyle said his late father would, indeed, have been proud. It was quite an experience, seeing the heifer and all shes done here after her nine or 10 years. Shes had nine calves, five female and four male. Her first female calf would have been passed on so theres another family obviously somewhere down the road who are benefitting from the initial gift as well. That heifer, too, would have most likely had a female calf and that would have been passed on. So the gift keeps on giving, he said. He was also hugely reassured by the condition the cow is in after ten years in Rwanda. Its obvious that the farmer is really treating her well. Shes in fantastic condition. Shes 12 years old at this stage, in fine fettle and theres no reason why she cant continue. You couldnt but be content and happy that you gave the donation and it has to make you want to do more in the future. I think my father would be very proud. The Rwandan Farmer spoke of his delight at being able to meet the son of an Irish farmer who had transformed his familys life. Speaking through an interpreter, he said it was the greatest gift ever. When the cow came in 2008 the first thing for us was the milk for consumption and the second thing was I could buy a motorcycle to transport milk. The third thing was I could buy land. I even had money for the school fees for the children, said Mpayimana Johanna. When I look at my cow I am very happy because the cow is healthy and even has more milk. Its the greatest gift ever. No one could understand what this has done for my family and I am so thankful to the people who gave us this gift, he added. The cold weather of last week has pretty much shut down grass growth on the sheep grazing platform, which is now entirely closed in preparation for spring turnout. The ewes are grazing Redstart set after whole-crop silage was harvested. This is a high energy, high protein crop and careful management is required to prevent the ewes becoming too fat when they are grazing this crop. Research, dating back decades, shows that when ewes become over fat during mid-pregnancy, their ability to consume feed during late pregnancy is reduced, resulting in issues such as twin lamb disease, birth of small lambs, reduced milk production and an increased risk of prolapse. All of these are problems which need to be avoided or at least minimised as much as possible. The ewe lambs are grazing a rye-grass red clover mix at the moment and are averaging 56kg live weight, with the heaviest of these lambs up at 66kg. The last batch of lambs slaughtered off the Redstart killed out at 47pc after achieving a growth rate of just under 250 grams per day. These lambs graded well with the majority grading U plus a handful of E grades. There are 18 lambs remaining on the farm at the moment and hopefully these will all be gone before Christmas. Where a crop such as Redstart fits into your system, it provides an excellent feed resource for finishing lambs at a time of year when the feed value of grass has declined. Ewes will be scanned on December 28 and housed in early January. Once ewes are scanned we will separate the triplets and quads and introduce meal feeding at a low rate of 250 grams per day in the new year. We find this works a little better than a later start and higher ultimate feeding levels. Concentrate feeding at that early stage of pregnancy does not need to be high in protein, and even straight barley would work well. The sheep shed has been prepared for housing at this stage. This was accelerated slightly this year, as Lyons Farm was due to host an ASA Masterclass yesterday but it was cancelled due to the weather. The focus on the farm has now shifted to preparation for the lambing season. As a research and teaching flock there is a lot of activity planned that would not take place on a commercial farm. We will host about 40 undergraduate students from the School of Agriculture and Food Science and the School of Veterinary Medicine at Lyons during the lambing period. Lambing This serves as an ideal opportunity for these students to get experience of lambing, as many will have none, and of the data collection that goes on in a research flock. In 2018, we will have the first lambing of the new flock at Lyons. A key interest in this flock is the behaviour of the ewe and lambs immediately after birth. We are preparing the score cards for the ewes and lambs, putting together our protocols for recording this behaviour and even planning specially constructed pen facilities, where we can 'test' maternal behaviour. Much of this behaviour work is a new departure for us in Lyons, so it promises to be an interesting lambing season. Reducing lamb mortality is a key goal in sheep production systems globally. Lamb mortality remains a key loss of productivity and profitability in the international sheep industry, with figures as high as 30pc often quoted in international literature. A figure of 7-8pc is an achievable target at a scanned litter size of 2.0 - 2.1, but excellent management and appropriate genetics are required to achieve this. Ensuring rapid consumption of colostrum is key in this and this is influenced not only by maternal nutrition during pregnancy, but also the behaviour of the ewe and lamb at lambing time. Assoc Prof Tommy Boland is a lecturer in Sheep Production, Lyons Farm, University College Dublin. @Pallastb tommy.boland@ucd.ie Omaha attorney Evangelos Argyrakis has filed as a Democratic candidate for attorney general and said he would prioritize enforcement of laws dealing with abuse and neglect of children if he is elected next year. Argyrakis said this month's upset Democratic Senate victory in Alabama prompted him to make a bid for a statewide office that has been held by Republicans in Nebraska for virtually eight decades. "If it can be done in Alabama, then Democrats can win in Nebraska," Argyrakis said, although he acknowledged that he is "well aware that it will be very difficult, if not almost impossible, to win." Republican Attorney General Doug Peterson will be seeking re-election to a second four-year term next year. Argyrakis said he believes "Nebraskans deserve to have a choice on the ballot" and he decided to jump into the race when he was informed that Democrats did not have a candidate. "If another Democratic candidate already had been lined up, I would not have put my name on the ballot," he said. Another priority concern for him if he is elected would be "scams that target people who are elderly because they are vulnerable," Argyrakis said. Argyrakis, 50, is a 1992 graduate of Creighton University College of Law. His private practice had centered on immigration issues, but Argyrakis said he is not currently engaged in active law practice. He had first considered being a candidate for attorney general in 2010. Argyrakis is a first-generation American who was born in Omaha; his parents are Greek immigrants. The proportion of exporters reporting increased business activity fell the most for four years in the third quarter. Just over 40pc said activity was up - compared to 55pc at the same time last year. That's according to BDO's latest quarterly optimism index, which monitors business sentiment among Irish companies. BDO Ireland managing director Michael Costello said there had been a drop in sentiment for exporters and so-called "micro businesses". "It is possibly explained by the continuing uncertainty over Brexit. Ireland is one of the most open trading economies in the world, so exporter sentiment is an indicator of our economic health," he said. Micro businesses endured a record sentiment decline, according to the index. Business activity and operational profits plummeted to a four-year low. In a further indication of a slump in the sector, the number of micro businesses who reduced their workforce outnumbered those hiring more staff. Large businesses were most optimistic in the survey of 400 companies. "While sentiment across the broader business economy is still quite strong, it is concerning to see that micro businesses do not share this sentiment," Mr Costello said. "At first glance, it appears business growth is moving in the right direction and figures for this quarter against the same period last year remain strong. However, when you drill down into the statistics it shows that medium and larger businesses are pulling away from micro businesses." Mr Costello said the divergence could be down to differences in access to funding, increased exposure to personal financial issues, and the effects of the Brexit vote. RYANAIR pilots last night dramatically called off their planned pre-Christmas strike after airline management agreed to recognise trade union Impact as their representatives. Following a tense standoff over the weekend, the union said pilots had suspended their one-day strike on Wednesday and will now meet management tomorrow evening. In a statement, Impact paid tribute to the principled determination of Ryanair pilots, which it said had made this breakthrough possible. It added that it hoped the suspension of the strike would remove any uncertainty for passengers intending to travel on Wednesday. The airline had been due to publish contingency plans today in order to minimise disruption for passengers in case the strike went ahead. Last week, Ryanair said it would recognise trade unions as pilot representatives for the first time in a dramatic reversal of its policy on industrial relations. However, it maintained that it would ask unions to establish committees of Ryanair pilots to deal with Ryanair issues, as Ryanair will not engage with pilots who fly for competitor airlines in Ireland or elsewhere. That led pilot unions in Italy and Portugal to call off planned strikes, but Irish pilot union Ialpa said it wanted to meet the airline before abandoning its plan for industrial action. Niall Shanahan, a spokesman for Impact, the parent union of Ialpa, said yesterday that the devil is in the detail. Positive In a major victory for the pilots, Ryanair management agreed to recognise Impact as the representative of its Irish-based pilots. Ryanairs chief operations officer Peter Bellew last night took to Twitter to confirm strikes by pilots in Dublin and Portugal were now cancelled. Dublin Ryanair pilot strike cancelled by Impact Union for Wednesday. Talks start Tuesday evening. Lets get folks back home quietly for Xmas. Good to talk, he wrote. The union last night said it looked forward to establishing a positive relationship with Ryanair management. It said it had agreed to meet management on Tuesday evening, but was available to meet them sooner if requested. The union asked the airline to release its Ryanair pilot representatives to prepare for and attend the meeting. It added that it would not make any further comment until after the meeting. Speaking on Today FM yesterday before the announcement, Mr Shanahan said: We indicated to Ryanair yesterday (Saturday) that we were happy to meet it on Wednesday as it originally suggested, but that we wouldnt be in a position to consider suspending the intended industrial action until wed met it. It suggested a meeting on Tuesday evening as opposed to Wednesday morning, and again were happy to do that, but were not in a position to consider the status of the industrial action until after weve met it. Because then were just in a much better position to make a decision on that and ensure the substance of the Ryanair offer. The earlier we meet it the better position were in to make a determination about the industrial action, and I appreciate the ongoing status creates huge uncertainty for people. Workers who stay in employment beyond 66 would defer the full pension but claim higher payments when they finally do retire under a scheme outlined by the OECD. The international think tank warns the Irish pensions system is too "basic" and should offer more flexible payments. These would offer lower payments for those who keep working beyond 66, with the reward that they would receive higher benefits once they are fully retired. 'Pensions at a Glance 2017' said more reforms are needed across OECD countries to cope with the impact of an ageing population, more inequality among the elderly and new work practices. It said that the pace of state spending on pensions is expected to slow, but recent reforms will lower the income of future pensioners. There should be more provision for people who stay at work beyond the retirement age, allowing them to push back their pension but get higher payments once it kicks in. However, it said only about 10pc of Europeans aged 60 to 69 currently combine work and pensions. The report noted that the Irish State pension pays the same benefit to everyone no matter when they retire. In this respect, it said the system creates no incentive or disincentive to work longer or part time. But it said "at the same time, there is no possible way to smooth pension payments by, for example, allowing claimants to claim lower initial benefits and combining these with wages". It also noted the State pension offered no flexibility in relation to early retirement, which was not possible under any circumstance. "In the United Kingdom, for example, early retirement with a lump sum is possible from the age of 55 for men, 10 years prior to the normal retirement age when the basic components can be claimed," it said. "In Ireland, individuals can retire at age 50 with the defined contribution pension, but the basic pension cannot be claimed before the age of 66." Although some people are in defined contribution schemes, many workers here just rely on the State pension. Age Action spokesman Justin Moran said the concept of lower State pension payments for semi-retired workers to boost their income down the road was "an interesting idea". "We would have long argued for greater flexibility in giving older people more control over their pensions. This deserves to be investigated." He also said allowing for early retirement is a good idea as there are jobs like construction and homecare that take a physical toll on workers. "Those who put forward the idea of extending the retirement age are more often than not people who are working in offices, not these types of jobs," he said. The report also said that public pension payments were low in Ireland, the UK, Canada and the US. OECD secretary-general Jose Angel Gurria Trevino said bold action by governments was needed to meet the challenges of "financial sustainability and pension adequacy". "The world of work is changing fast and policymakers must ensure decisions made today take this into account and our pension and social protection systems do not leave anyone behind in retirement," he said. However, the report was not completely negative about Ireland's pensions set up. It said that voluntary pension plan coverage was high in Ireland, at above 40pc. It said Ireland was one of seven countries to alter the pension tax rules by scrapping the tax levy that was introduced during the financial crisis. Bitcoin arose in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Photo: Bloomberg Thanks to its 1,200pc rise over the last six weeks, there's something of a Bitcoin mania afoot. Last week, two people I know came up and asked: "Should I buy some of this stuff?" After about 30 seconds, it became clear that they didn't really know what Bitcoin was or how to actually buy it. Guessing that these people aren't alone, I think it's worth a quick recap. So here are some of the questions you may have about Bitcoin but are too embarrassed to ask. 1. What is Bitcoin? The five-second version is that it's a digital currency that can't be copied and pasted and is based on relatively sound, secure technology (called Blockchain). 2. It really can't be hacked? Expand Close A man feeds money into a Bitcoin ATM at the Bitcoin Center NYC in New York / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A man feeds money into a Bitcoin ATM at the Bitcoin Center NYC in New York The underlying Blockchain technology is considered very secure, so much so that institutions such as banks are now trying to adopt some of its parts in their own financial systems. That said, some of the repositories where Bitcoin is held have been hacked in the past, so it hasn't been completely flawless from a security perspective. 3. Why has it shot up so quickly in value? Three reasons. (i) A core group of people have deep confidence in Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Litecoin or Ripple) as a genuinely long-term alternative to existing currency systems. Some of these individuals are key players in commerce and tech. (ii) Despite the vagaries and difficulties involved in buying and selling it, it's cheaper and arguably more secure than cash transactions. (iii) Because it's outside most regulatory oversight, cyber criminals have adopted it wholesale. 4. Will it continue rising in value? Honestly, I don't know. Neither does anyone else. However, a couple of recent developments have widened its investment appeal. The biggest is probably the opening of a futures market in Bitcoin at Chicago's Futures Exchange. This essentially puts Bitcoin in a similar investment bracket to any other asset, such as pork bellies or orange juice. It means that ordinary investors can now buy into Bitcoin without going near a 'digital wallet' of their own. One of Germany's markets, the Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse, is reportedly mulling a similar move. 5. With its value rising so fast, it sounds like a bubble... Yes it does. And that's the conclusion that a great many financial commentators have come to. On the other hand, many of the same commentators have dismissed Bitcoin from its 2009 start. 6. Is it too late to invest in it? No - although it's probably too late to get rich quick by 'mining' it (the process where you throw computing power to 'unlock' Bitcoin) from your home PC. If that's something you were considering doing, bear in mind you'll be competing with industrial mining operations that have access to servers and electricity costs that are far, far cheaper than is available in Ireland. 7. Who owns it? The official answer is no-one. It was developed by a person (or persons) known as Satoshi Nakamoto. But the identity of this person (or persons) has never been authenticated. He/she/they may be dead. Or they may be a malicious organisation. But one recent report claims that 40pc of all Bitcoin is owned by around 1,000 individuals, many of whom are Chinese 'miners' using cheap (or free) electricity. That suggests the Chinese government may have a significant influence on the currency. 8. If it's a currency, what can I buy with it? Very little. A few online stores, such as Overstock, Expedia and some parts of Microsoft.com, take it when you're shopping. Almost no-one you regularly ship with in Ireland does. This is a basic problem with Bitcoin. It was set up as an alternative currency or trading unit. It has now being treated as something much closer to a standalone asset such as 'gold' - something to be invested on purely speculative terms. 9. Is this just a tech joke gone too far? No. The technology underpinning Bitcoin is being looked at as a model for all sorts of systems, both inside and outside finance and technology. While there are still many in the banking and financial regulatory community who deride Bitcoin as a "scam" and compare to tulip-mania, the fundamentals behind cryptocurrencies don't look to be in jeopardy of collapsing anytime soon. Finally, may I beg your indulgence for a selfish plug on our behalf? This weekend, we have launched a new podcast. The Big Tech Show With Adrian Weckler is what it sounds like - a new tech podcast that looks at some of the big issues crossing from the tech sector into broader society and business life. On the first episode, which is now live at independent.ie/podcasts (or iTunes or Soundcloud), I'm joined by former RTE, Storyful and Twitter boss Mark Little to talk about the future of news and the control that social media firms currently hold over media. Next week, the show has an exclusive interview with one of Ireland's most successful young tech entrepreneurs who, while not yet 35, has raised 100m for his online venture. In the New Year, we have a number of special broadcasts lined up highlighting the best of Irish startups and ideas they have for changing things around us. Each episode will also review the most interesting new technology products and services that come our way. We think that this is a way to share more with you, the reader, from what we gather every week. Give it a listen and tell us what you think - I'm at: aweckler@independent.ie. Bitcoin has no fundamental value and is likely to end in tears once speculators discover how hard it can be to extricate their cash, Singapores financial watchdog has warned. Sopnendu Mohanty, Fintech chief for Singapores monetary authority (MAS), said there was a crucial difference between Bitcoin and rival crypto-currency Ethereum, but it is far from clear whether either improves day-to-day transactions or has much potential as a tool for central banking. Bitcoin has no natural intrinsic value. Can you buy a house with it? Can you use it for daily interactions? It may be valued at $18,000 right now but what I want to know is how you convert it into fiat currency and realize that value. The risk comes at the moment of conversion," he told the Daily Telegraph. The lapidary verdict on the Bitcoin craze carries some weight. Singapore's city-state is the leading Fintech hub in Asia. The MAS is currently carrying out the most far-reaching research into blockchain and distributed ledger technology by any central bank or monetary authority in the world. Its 'Project Ubin' is systematically investigating what the Fintech revolution means for equity and bond trades, cross-border settlements, the banking system, as well as control of the money supply and credit creation. Read More There are well-publicised cases of people carrying out real transactions with Bitcoin - including two recent house purchases in England - but these are essentially stunts that mostly whither under scrutiny. They do not reconcile the fundamental contradiction facing those e-coins that keep surging in price: either they are a speculative asset or they are a stable currency, but they cannot be both. Mr Mohanty, recruited from Citigroup to spearhead Singapore's Fintech drive, said Ethereum has some social utility and plausible market value. It can be used for 'smart contracts' and to secure access to valuable computing power. "It at least has economic value. You can exchange ether to run software in the cloud," he said. Fintech experts say the higher that Bitcoin soars, the greater the incentive for sophisticated cyber-criminals to hack the exchange platforms such as Coinbase that make it practical for people to buy and sell crypto-currencies. It is only a matter of time before a major exchange is badly compromised. Speculators would risk seeing paper wealth vanish instantly in a market with little liquidity, and limited legal recourse. Sir Howard Davies, former head of Britain's Financial Services Authority and now chairman of RBS, said people should assume that they will lose everything. The advice should be explicit: "Abandon hope all ye who enter here I think thats probably whats needed, he said. Read More To the extent that investors can exchange their Bitcoins directly in 'peer-to-peer' trades, they may face trouble trying to deposit the money in a bank. They will risk triggering money-laundering or tax evasion enquiries by the judicial authorities once they start to handle large sums. Central banks and governments have a further pressing concern. The current value of Bitcoin makes it worthwhile for 'miners' to crank up computer power on an industrial scale to act as 'auditors' (ie. solve the mathematical puzzle) and earn the Bitcoin rewards. The energy-consumption is insane. If we start using this on a global scale, it will kill the planet, says Alex de Vries, a PwC analyst and founder of the Digiconomist blog. These miners are already thought to be consuming energy each day equal to the entire power use of Denmark. Much of this 'mining' takes place in China where electricity is effectively subsidized and relies heavily on coal - to the point where it is distorting the data used by economists to track underlying shifts in Chinese industrial output One Bitcoin mine in Inner Mongolia has 21,000 machines housed in seven buildings that run off power from local coal-fired plants. They are charged four cents per kilowatt/hour, according to an eye-witness report by Quartz. The carbon footprint of Bitcoin is rapidly becoming a global environmental issue. This in itself is almost certain to lead to a draconian regulatory riposte and has therefore become an added 'political risk' for those playing the market. Singapore's Project Ubin suggests that talk of impending issuance of e-coins by central banks has run ahead of reality. "We are struggling to find compelling reasons to issue digital currencies," said Mr Mohanty. Read More The MAS has teamed up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to explore the idea further and will release its findings next year. "We're conducting deep research based on cutting edge technologies. Well make choices on empirical data, not some 'white paper'," he said. Mr Mohanty said the real value of Fintech probably lies elsewhere. "People are overly focused on crypto-currencies. There are bigger needs out there." Singapore is developing a pilot project with Hong Kong for trade finance based on distributed ledger technology that will go live in 2018. A joint study by the MAS and Deloitte concluded that cross-border payments are currently "marred with expensive and uncertain transaction fees, long processing times and opportunity for fraud". Blockchain-style systems could slash costs and time dramatically. The real worth of Fintech probably lies in boring, bread-and-butter changes. The crux is often helping banks and finance houses to move from a 'closed-loop' system that cannot easily absorb new technology to a 'plug-in' model that is far more flexible. "The banks have legacy systems and don't have enough capital to upgrade everything. We're looking at the magic middle layer that allows Fintech to be plugged in," he said. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] The real-life Wolf of Wall Street has warned investors over Bitcoin, labelling it a huge scam. Jordan Belfort believes the cryptocurrency is in a bubble and could be set to plummet in value soon. The former stockbroker, whose market manipulation and fraud crimes in the 1990s were subject of the 2013 film starring Leonardo Di Caprio, claims Bitcoin is a scam. He told the Financial Times: Promoters are perpetuating a massive scam of the highest order on everyone. Probably 85pc of people out there dont have bad intentions but the problem is, if 5 or 10pc are trying to scam you. The cryptocurrency has exploded value since the beginning of the year, with one Bitcoin now worth more than 14,000 at the current exchange rate. Mr Belfort said he expected the price of Bitcoin to rise further in the short term before an eventual collapse in the market. He likened it to Hollands tulip mania, where the value of tulip bulbs grew exponentially in the 17th Century before a rapid fall in prices. In an interview with CNN, he said: I think its a huge danger right now that people are looking at this as the next great thing, its a bubble for sure. The next stage, you will see it really skyrocket, there will be a short squeeze, it will go even higher and then eventually it will come caving in, its almost a guarantee. If you were the most disciplined person and get in and get out there is probably a short window to make some money. But thats not human nature, people will get in and make some money and they want to make more money. In the tulip bubble the beginning of the end was when they started trading futures on tulips, that was another move up and then all of a sudden it collapses and its over. The transaction will see the budget airline taking control of Air Berlin's operations at the capital's Tegel Airport EasyJet has confirmed the acquisition of part of bankrupt German carrier Air Berlin in a deal worth 40m. The transaction will see the budget airline taking control of Air Berlin's operations at the capital's Tegel Airport, with easyJet leasing 25 of its aircraft. The agreement also includes easyJet taking over landing slots and offering employment to the defunct carrier's flying crew. EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said: "This move is consistent with easyJet's strategy of purposeful investment in strong number one positions in Europe's leading airports. "As a result of our acquisition, easyJet will operate the leading short haul network at Tegel connecting passengers to and from destinations across Germany and the rest of Europe. "This is in addition to easyJet's existing base at Berlin Schonefeld and means that easyJet will be the leading airline to and from Berlin." It comes after the European Commission last week gave the all-clear for easyJet to carry out the deal. EU authorities said it would not impact airline competition across the bloc where it faces rival carriers including Lufthansa and Ryanair. Regulators were originally concerned that easyJet's expanded landing-slot portfolio at congested airports like Berlin Tegel would result in higher barriers to entry for airlines looking to operate from those airports, which could subsequently result in higher fares for passengers. However, the investigation found the airline's acquisition was unlikely to have a negative effect, adding that "easyJet will continue to face strong competition from large carriers". Air Berlin declared bankruptcy in August after its biggest shareholder, the Gulf airline Etihad, withdrew financial support for the loss-making firm. An investigation by Brussels is to be launched today into Ikeas Dutch tax arrangements. The Financial Times is reporting that Margrethe Vestager, the EUs competition commissioner, will today announce an official probe into Ikeas tax arrangements in the Netherlands, which according to a report published by the Green Party in the European Parliament, allegedly have helped Ikea avoid nearly 1bn in EU taxes between 2009 to 2014. The report said that Ikea, which specialises in flat-pack furniture, established two corporate groups within a web of companies in the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg, through which Ikea moved profits and funds, that enabled it to benefit from special tax schemes. Before determining if Ikea made any tax savings from the structure, the EU will need to carry out an investigation into the Dutch arrangement to decide if it broke any of the bloc rules. In its financial year to the end of August Ikea paid 825m in tax on pre-tax profits of 3.3bn. The group also has a number of subsidiary companies. Because the group is not a public company, information about it is limited. Meanwhile earlier this month Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said that Apple would start to pay the 13bn in back taxes into an escrow account in the first quarter of 2018. The agreement to pay the taxes is pending a legal challenge to the Commissions ruling that Irelands tax arrangement with the multinational was in breach of State aid rules. The 13bn will be placed into an escrow account until a final ruling takes place. Taxpayers who have avoided filling a return in Nebraska in recent years could find themselves facing greater scrutiny thanks to new technology adopted by the state revenue department. The Nebraska Department of Revenue is ramping up its efforts to go after non-filers and others who are suspected of owing a large tax debt, using a data analysis service that helps auditors decide where to focus their efforts. The department contracted with a Maryland-based data analytics firm as part of a 2014 law to help identify residents and businesses with an outstanding tax liability of at least $5,000. The technology is particularly important given the state's recent revenue shortfall and budget challenges, said Nebraska State Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton. Gov. Pete Ricketts ordered a state government hiring freeze in October 2016, preventing the agency from hiring more auditors. "We've had to become more efficient in what we do," said Fulton, a former state lawmaker appointed by Ricketts to the commissioner job. Fulton said the technology has helped pinpoint residents who are most likely to owe the state a large amount of money. People with higher personal incomes, those who owe money to the Internal Revenue Service and non-filers in Nebraska are more likely to face scrutiny, Fulton said. Additionally, the state is looking at high-income earners who don't live in Nebraska but still owe taxes to the state. Fulton said his 30-member tax compliance staff recovers about $23 million a year in unpaid taxes roughly $767,000 per auditor and that number has been trending up since the department started using the analysis service. The contractor, ASR Analytics, has received roughly $725,000 from the state since the contract began in 2015. "If there are folks who have an obligation to the state, we want to identify them and make sure they're paying that which is legally owed," Fulton said. "We're spending our time and resources going after those with a larger obligation." Auditors are focusing more on individual and corporate income taxes than in the past to ensure everyone who owes money pays, said Jim Bogatz, the department's policy manager. "It's a new area where we've said, 'Hey, let's take a look at this,'" he said. Still, some senators say the state should do more to collect all the taxes that are legally owed. Next year, lawmakers will once again debate a bill designed to help the state capture more online sales tax revenue. Gathering additional revenue from a wider tax base could ease the state's budget problems and possibly make it easier to enact tax cuts that many conservative senators want. Nebraska already requires residents to report and pay online sales taxes on their income tax returns, but few people comply. The pending bill would require online retailers to remit sales taxes if their gross revenue in Nebraska exceeds $100,000 or they conduct 200 or more transactions in the state. Businesses that refuse would have to notify buyers that the tax is due and report to the state the overall amount of sales taxes owed. Ricketts has argued the proposal is unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that states can only tax businesses with a physical presence within their borders, but the court could revisit the issue with a case involving a South Dakota internet sales tax law. The Nebraska bill's sponsor, Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse, said he intends to bring forth the legislation again in the session that begins Jan. 3. Lawmakers debated the bill in this year's session, but Watermeier pulled it from the agenda because several supportive senators were absent on the day of a scheduled vote. It's unclear whether the measure has enough support to overcome a legislative filibuster or a gubernatorial veto. Watermeier said he still hopes to persuade Ricketts to support it. "There are people who are wondering why in the heck we didn't pass it this year both legislators and the public," Watermeier said. "To me, it's still a fairness issue." Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha said lawmakers can't judge whether the state is collecting everything it should because department officials won't share specifics about their online sales tax collections or audits. "How am I supposed to be a policymaker and know what's working and what isn't working if I don't have the information?" Harr asked. Fulton has said his department doesn't distinguish between online and in-person transactions, but speculated that few online buyers pay the tax. He said he won't reveal the state's internal audit procedures because it could help people cheat the system. Let them eat cake is reputedly what Marie Antoinette said back in the 18th Century upon learning that the French peasants had no bread to eat. Were she alive today, it's something she might well utter annually during the month of August. It's the wicked month when Parisians flee their city in search of their yearly dose of the sea, and the vast majority of shops close up - including the boulangeries. An annual August bread crisis was only averted when it was decreed that the boulangers had to apply for permission to close, and the Mairie of Paris decided for the sake of the citizens, bakery closures had to be staggered. August is also the month a small group of Irish students of French descend on the little corner of Paris that is the Centre Culturel Irlandais on the appropriately named Rue des Irlandais, and this year I was among the lucky number 10. Everyone has a bucket list, and mine was always to become a Parisian. I had studied French at university back in the mists of time but fate intervened and instead of my life going according to plan - marry a gorgeous Frenchman and spend my life swanning around Paris speaking flawless French - I ended up in Dublin working first in the civil service, then RTE and finally the Sunday Independent. And almost totally forgetting all my French. The plan to live in Paris was always there at the back of my mind but obviously it was a pipe dream - I wasn't exactly doing any preparation for the day when I might be required to speak French, to a boulanger or indeed anyone else. Then I met a former colleague who had done exactly what I wanted - set up home in Paris - and she was loving it. And she told me it all started for her when she applied for a bursary with the Centre Culturel Irlandais - Ireland's International Arts Centre - which included daily French classes and accommodation. By pure chance the closing date for this year's applications was mere days away, and it was a simple matter of filling in a form online and pressing submit. Nothing to lose so I did just that. Three months later to my astonishment I was accepted, and four months after that I found myself in Rue des Irlandais meeting my fellow boursiers. The Centre Culturel Irlandais (CCI) itself, built in the late 18th Century for the Irish student community in Paris (then mainly seminarians), is a four-storey structure built around a magnificent courtyard with a sheltered cloister on its three sides. It was completely restored in the early noughties, and since then has operated as a vibrant arts hub where a full programme of Irish events is mounted by the director Nora Hickey M'Sichili, and all are welcome. Typical events recently included performances by fiddler Martin Hayes, a photographic exhibition by Dragana Jurisic and jazz by Sue Rynhart. As well as preserving the wonderful St Patrick's chapel and the old library containing valuable Irish manuscripts dating from the Middle Ages, the restoration conserved the marvellous windows with their views on to the leafy, usually sun-dappled courtyard, and the gorgeous oak staircase with its patina of centuries, while technological necessities were added including a new library. There are 45 bedrooms, all ensuite, and kitchens on every floor so the centre is ideal for Erasmus students and it's highly sought after as it's in the fifth arrondissement, a stone's throw from the Sorbonne and other universities. In the summer months anyone Irish can stay there and it's unbelievably reasonable given its superb location; each day on my way to classes in the Institut Catholique (le Cato as it's called) I passed by Le Pantheon - burial place of France's greats, including Victor Hugo, Emile Zola and Louis Braille, inventor of Braille - and through the lush Jardins de Luxembourg. Who couldn't fail to be inspired to learn, given such surroundings? Boulevard St-Michel, Boulevard St-Germain were all close at hand, Notre Dame was a mere 20 minute away and it's not far from there to the Musee d'Orsay. After a communal breakfast - the quality of the bread depended on which boulanger was open that week! - we boursiers (two radio producers, a poet, an actor, a composer, two arts administrators, a film maker and another journalist, a mix of ages and all great fun) headed off to classes in the Cato which were held every morning for three hours. There were also two three-hour afternoon sessions per week but it still left plenty of time to discover Paris, and because we were there for a whole month, we could do it all at our leisure. There were days when I just sat in the Luxe, enjoying the squealing kids, supervised by their Filipina nannies, as they raced their boats on the pond, for example. Other days I went further afield, like to the Bois de Boulogne where I took in the new Frank Gehry building which houses the Fondation Louis Vuitton. I had been many times before to the obvious sights, the Arc de Triomphe, the Tour Eiffel, the Louvre, the Sacre Coeur but everything about this trip was more laid-back, less hurried and I saw things differently. I took in amazing exhibitions - like the fantastic Dior at the Louvre, the David Hockney at the Pompidou Centre and I think I've seen every painting Monet ever painted, there are superb exhibitions of his work in the Musee d'Orsay, in the Orangerie in the Jardin de Tuileries and at Maison Marmottan, a less known but equally impressive museum which houses the painting that gave rise to the beginning of impressionism. Paris is also a dab hand at turning former homes of its greats into museums, and I visited Victor Hugo's home in Place des Vosges and Balzac's home in the 16th arrondissement. The city is good too for preserving the burial places of its VIPS so at Pere Lachaise, I visited the graves of Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde, while over at Montparnasse, I paid homage to Beckett. It wasn't all exhibitions and museums and graves. I indulged in a huge amount of wandering around our neighbourhood; nearby is the marvellous Rue Mouffetard, chock-a-block with ethnic restaurants; a favourite of the group's was L'Assiette de Fromage which despite its name, wasn't only about cheese, and served lots of French Bistro-style dishes. Its usp, a formule at 15. The best falafels in Paris were to be found at L'as du Falafels in the Marais, in the 7th; I loved to round off a wander through its streets with one. The streets in the Marais are a curious mixture. Some are lined with wonderful old mansions, owned by the French aristocracy when there was an aristocracy - hotels de ville as they were called - and some are exceptionally narrow. It was in these narrow winding little streets that the Jewish community gathered when they first came to Paris, around 1900, escaping the pogroms elsewhere in Europe. Sadly, many were rounded up during World War II, including schoolchildren who were sent off to certain death in concentration camps. The walls are mounted with plaques testifying to the bravery of teachers and others who tried to save them. Other places I loved to browse were Rue du Cherche-Midi which is lined with fashion boutiques and jewellery shops, Le Bon Marche (which is anything but!) just to look at its art deco staircase, and Galeries Lafayette for its stained glass dome. The laneways at the so-called flea market at Clignancourt were a treasure trove of vintage jewellery and mid-century modern furniture but were exorbitantly expensive. Instead bargains were to be had at the pop up flea market near Mouffetard. The lovely thing about this month was you could spend time on your own or there was always company if you needed it. Classmates at the Cato were usually up for a bit of sightseeing - mine included a retired engineering professor from the US who owned an apartment in the Marais, and a young Muslim woman who works in banking in New York - as were the boursiers. And there was never a night when you would be stuck for a dining companion. Niamh NiChonchubhair, arts administrator at the Axis in Ballymun, cleverly set up a WhatsApp group for the 10 and all info was posted there. We had many wonderful meals in cheap and cheerful restaurants but probably the best nights were Nora's Wednesdays when everyone brought a dish to the courtyard; other Irish, Paris residents as well as French visitors turned up too and the eating and drinking and chatting on those gorgeous balmy summer evenings continued until the wee hours. Those Wednesdays were special and included performances by some of our group, an evening of cello courtesy of composer Rory Pierce in the chapel, a poetry reading by award-winning poet Kerrie O'Brien. And Nora herself lent her gorgeous singing voice to proceedings. It was bliss itself to be there. Hopefully it's not the last August I spend there, and who knows? I've been continuing the French lessons, I might end up living there. Dreams do sometimes come true. Get there Irelands International Arts Centre is located in the heart of Pariss posh 5th arrondissement. All details concerning available accommodation and the CCIs residency and bursary programme are available on the CCI website www.centreculturelirlandais.com For those spending Valentines day in Paris, take in a Chapel Session concert by Jack ORourke and Roisin O in CCIs Chapel on February 15. St Patricks weekend sees Sharon Shannon, Moxie and Atlas take to the stage with a full day of events for families. Or visit during Fete de la Musique on June 21 when all of Paris is alive with music TAKE TWO: Top attractions Ancient manuscripts The CCI has a superb library with a collection of richly-decorated manuscripts, including the book of Hours of Notre Dame (a prayer book) and the Flemish psalter (above, a song book) both from the 1550s. Impressive artwork The CCI has an impressive art collection made up of works donated by top Irish artists. A recent addition is a wonderful Aubusson tapestry featuring lines from Seamus Heaneys poem Lightenings viii. A Kildare father-of-five who admitted assaulting a popular, gentle man who later died has been jailed for two and a half years. Construction worker Paul Gill (37) of Sarto Road, Naas, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting the deceased Patrick Patsy Kelly (58) and his former neighbour, Martin Curtis, on August 22, 2015. He had pleaded not guilty to unlawfully killing Mr Kelly during the same incident and was acquitted of manslaughter after a six-day trial last month. The jury in the trial heard evidence that the row was over late-night drinking and noise at Mr Curtis's home on Sarto Road spanning seven years. Eye-witnesses described seeing Gill confront the deceased outside Mr Curtis's house that night and punch him in the face. Gill then dragged Mr Kelly up to eight metres from Mr Curtis's front door to the road and kicked him once in the head. Gill then attacked Mr Curtis when he arrived on the scene, Detective Garda Enda Coleman told Orla Crowe SC, prosecuting, during the sentence hearing last week. Emergency services arrived and administered continuous CPR to Mr Kelly, but he died. Post-mortem evidence in the trial revealed Mr Kelly died from heart disease and that the minor trauma from the assault was a contributing factor. Today Judge Melanie Greally noted Mr Kelly was a popular man who was greatly loved and that the circumstances of his death had been extremely distressing to his family. Judge Greally said that the aggravating factors of the case included the fact that Mr Kelly, who was vulnerable and intoxicated, had been taken by surprise by the assault and was totally incapable of defending himself. She noted he had been kicked to head while on the ground. She noted in mitigation that Gill had entered a guilty plea, made admissions and expressed remorse. She said that Gill had a difficult upbringing but now had a stable and supportive marriage and young family as well as a strong work history. She noted the effects of his bail conditions had a punitive effect on his life. One of the conditions of his bail was that he had to stay out of Kildare, apart from weekends when he could visit his family within their home. Judge Greally said she accepted Gill could not have known of Mr Kelly's heart condition. She noted the maximum sentence for this offence was five years. Taking all the circumstances into account she imposed a two and a half year sentence on Gill in relation to the assault on Mr Kelly and took the assault on Mr Curtis into account. At last week's hearing Det Gda Coleman agreed with Seamus Clarke SC, defending, that Gill was visibly upset in interview after arrest. He agreed that Gill had vague recollection of what had happened because he'd been drinking but that he had answered all questions and admitted the assaults. In her victim impact statement, Mr Kelly's sister said her family have been left with deep psychological scars. Bernadette Kelly described her deceased brother as kind and caring and extremely thoughtful and said she still sets a place for him at her table at Christmas time. She finished her statement saying: No-one has the right to take the law into their own hands. Mr Clarke had asked Judge Greally to be lenient on his client, taking into account that Gill has also been distressed and traumatised by what has happened. He submitted that Gill is a hard working man who has had difficulties and tragedy in his own background. A JOBLESS man put his hand up a womans skirt as she walked home from work in Dublin city centre, it has been alleged. The man (36) is charged with sexually assaulting the woman after approaching her from behind on a street. Judge Brian OShea adjourned the case at Dublin District Court for the accused to consider how he intends to plead. The man, originally from Co Mayo but with an address in north Dublin, is alleged to have assaulted the woman on June 22 last. The DPP directed summary disposal of the case at district court level, subject to the judge considering jurisdiction. Outlining the allegations, a garda said a woman was walking home from work at 7.30pm on Cope Street in the south city centre. The accused is alleged to have approached her from behind and put his hand up underneath her skirt. Judge OShea read the womans statement after the prosecuting garda handed it in to court. He then accepted jurisdiction to deal with the case. At the request of the accuseds solicitor, Judge OShea directed disclosure of prosecution statements to the defence by January 12. The judge also relaxed some bail conditions at the request of the defence. He reduced curfew hours from between 11pm and 7am to 11am to 5am. The accuseds solicitor said the reason he was seeking this change was because he was seeking work and finding the existing curfew somewhat prohibitive. Judge OShea relaxed the requirement to sign on at a garda station after hearing the accused was travelling back to Co Mayo for the break between December 21 and January 4. He was currently signing on at a Dublin garda station three times per week and would be staying at the family home for that period. Judge OShea asked if the accused could sign on in Mayo. Im sure he could, his lawyer said. The court heard he had been keeping to his signing on condition and gardai were consenting to the application. Judge OShea remanded the defendant on continuing bail to January 26. The litter of puppies that will be rehomed in the new year. Photograph: Fran Veale A leading dog rehoming charity has suspended adoptions until early January, saying Christmas is the worst time of the year to introduce a puppy to a new home. The staff at Dogs Trust Ireland were busy at the weekend caring for a litter of nine puppies that were surrendered at its centre in Dublin. "It's not something we can do all the time as we run at capacity," said executive director Suzie Carley. "They were surrendered to Dogs Trust by someone after their dog had been caught out, and they were in a situation where, unfortunately, they couldn't keep the puppies." The puppies will be rehomed - but not until the new year. "Every Christmas we suspend rehoming. Christmas is probably the worst time of year to introduce a dog, let alone a puppy, to a new home. Expand Close The litter of puppies that will be rehomed in the new year. Photograph: Fran Veale / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The litter of puppies that will be rehomed in the new year. Photograph: Fran Veale "We have a very romantic notion of bringing a puppy into a household. The reality is a lot harder." She said at this time of year households are very busy and would-be owners can't give a new dog the attention they need. For both maths and science, Irish pupils recorded significant improvements in 2015 compared with 2011. Stock photo: GETTY The amount of time Irish 10-year-olds spend learning science has halved in four years, but their reading skills seem to give them an advantage in tackling the subject. These are among the findings of an analysis of the latest assessment of fourth class pupils in relation to science and maths. The report showed a number of positive outcomes for Ireland, which will be welcome news for Education Minister Richard Bruton. For both maths and science, Irish pupils recorded significant improvements in 2015 compared with 2011. On the downside, concern is expressed about a lack of confidence among primary teachers about teaching science, and a new report calls for more supports for the subject. The 'Inside the primary classroom: what happens in fourth class?' report is based on the responses of teachers. These teachers were involved in educating 4,344 pupils who took part in trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) 2015, the findings of which were published in 2016. The Irish report, written by Aidan Clerkin, Rachel Perkins, and Emma Chubb of the Educational Research Centre (ERC), Drumcondra, is published today. Among its findings is that teachers in Ireland expressed substantially less confidence in teaching science than their international counterparts, although younger teachers were more comfortable than older teachers. Some 55pc of Irish pupils were taught by a teacher with only medium or low confidence that they could assess pupils' understanding of science, compared with 23pc internationally. Similarly, about half of pupils in Ireland (49pc) had a teacher who expressed only medium or low confidence they could improve the understanding of pupils who were struggling with science, compared with 29pc internationally. In contrast, the study points to high levels of satisfaction and confidence when it comes to teaching maths, where Irish pupils scored significantly higher than their peers in 37 countries and significantly lower than pupils in only seven countries. Dr Clerkin said "participation in science-related professional development in the two years leading up to the survey was relatively rare, which suggests there may be scope for additional support for teachers on this front". According to TIMSS, fourth class pupils in Ireland typically spend 32 hours a year on science - significantly down from 63 hours in 2011 - compared with an international average of 76 hours. Despite the cut, which is likely linked to extra time given to literacy and numeracy in schools, the Irish performance in science improved significantly between 2011 and 2015. A forensic investigator at the scene of the rape Picture: Gerry Mooney The scene of the attack on the Ninth Lock road, Clondalkin. Picture; Gerry Mooney Gardai investigating the violent rape of a young woman in west Dublin have urged the public to come forward with any information, no matter how small. Last July, a young woman was walking in the area when she was attacked by three men in a terrifying ordeal which lasted up to 15 minutes. She was walking away from Clondalkin village when she was grabbed by three men, one of whom raped her. The incident occurred on the Lucan Newlands Road, in Dublin 22 when the woman was walking with her bicycle. She was dragged into a secluded area where she was subject to the assautlt. In a renewed appeal today investigating gardai have asked members of the public to contact Crimestoppers with any information they may have in relation to the attack. "It is likely that the males involved were in the area for some time beforehand," a garda statement said. Gardai are keen to hear from anyone who was in the area between 1am and 3.30 am on July 28. Detective Inspector Mark ONeill, Lucan Garda Station urged people to think back to the night of the attack. "Did anyone see the three males or see any suspicious activity in the area on that night?," he asked. "The local community was very helpful to our investigation when this crime was first reported. We are now asking people to come forward with any information at all they have," he said. "Even the smallest piece of information, which may seem insignificant, might help with the investigation. It is important for the safety of the community that we identify and bring these individuals to justice. Although the woman was threatened at knifepoint during her ordeal, there is no indication that the weapon was used on her. It is understood that the victim did not know her attackers. After raising the alarm herself she was taken to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at Rotunda Hospital. Three men were spoken to by gardai last year. However, no charges have been brought in respect of the attack and gardai are now hopeful a renewed appeal will help further their investigations. Members of the public can contact Crimestoppers, without identifying themselves, 1800 25 00 25. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has signalled the establishment of an inquiry into allegations of Garda collusion in the heroin trade. In correspondence seen by the Irish Independent, Mr Flanagan confirmed he has sought a report from Acting Garda Commissioner Donall O Cualain into serious claims made by Garda whistleblower Nick Keogh. Mr Keogh says his life has been destroyed since presenting allegations of criminal wrongdoing in the Midlands, where he was deployed. Heroin Central to his allegations is that gardai colluded with a drug dealer who was being investigated for selling heroin. The allegations about collusion are being examined by Mr O Cualain and the Garda ombudsman, Gsoc. Separate allegations that Mr Keogh was bullied and harassed are being probed by Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn. In a letter to Mr Keogh last week, Mr Flanagan said he cannot intervene in the ongoing investigation. "The investigation into allegations of Garda members being complicit in the sale and supply of heroin is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and you will appreciate the minister has no authority to direct the commissioner in the control, operation and direction of An Garda Siochana," Mr Flanagan's office wrote. "While the minister cannot involve himself in the matters addressed here, he has asked the Garda Commissioner for an up-to-date report." Mr Flanagan added that "should the investigations prove inconclusive when finalised, the establishment of an inquiry would be examined to address the substance of the allegations". UNION GROVE The Union Grove Village Board voted unanimously last week to annex 80 acres of farmland to the southeast of the village that was formerly a part of the Town of Yorkville. After receiving a unanimous recommendation from the Plan Commission in favor of the annexation, the Village Board also made a unanimous decision on Dec. 11. The property will be zoned residential. The Plan Commission recommended annexation despite a Wisconsin Department of Administration review that recommended against it. According to the minutes of the Dec. 4 Plan Commission meeting, the DOA said the annexation would be against public interest as it creates an island for Town of Yorkville to the north of the annexed property. During the meeting, Village Administrator Mark Janiuk explained that the village is not obligated to follow the DOA recommendation. According to the minutes, Village Engineer John Tierney said that it could be argued that a town island is not being created, because the road right of way will connect the land to the Town of Yorkville. Landowner John Fonk petitioned the village for annexation. Janiuk said that although there have been no formal plans submitted for potential development of this property, preliminary discussion points toward the construction of single-family homes, multi-family homes and a community-based residential facility. During the Dec. 11 meeting, Village Board President Michael Aimone said that Peter Hansen, chairman of both the Yorkville Town Board and Yorkville Plan Commission, told him neither entity had objections to the annexation. A man has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years for luring two women to his apartment and raping them. Clement Limen (45), a university graduate, from Cameroon in central Africa, told them there was a party at his flat before plying them with alcohol. When they woke up, he was raping them. Limen had been living in Sligo for seven years, where he was known for his flamboyant dress and personality. However, gardai had long suspected him of going to nightclubs and spiking women's drinks, and a number of pubs and clubs had barred him for "suspicious incidents". However, officers had no proof. On the night of the rape, Limen invited the women back to his flat after meeting them in a nightclub on the June bank holiday weekend in 2014. They declined, but he was waiting for them outside the club at the end of the night. By this time, Limen had convinced about 10 other people to come to his flat in North Court, Quayside. The women, who were friends, decided it was safe to go. The last thing they remembered was sipping the drink Limen gave them. When one of them woke up, Limen was raping her. Later, she went to find her friend, only to find she too had been raped. In a victim impact statement, one of the women said her life had changed dramatically since she was raped. "I was once carefree and fun loving. I became introverted and racked with anxiety. I regularly wake with a jolt, thinking he [Limen] is standing over me," she said. "If he had pleaded guilty and apologised, I could have forgiven him, but he taunted us at every opportunity, he showed no remorse, was arrogant and told nauseating lies." Her friend said the incident had destroyed the past three years of her life. "He [Limen] carried my listless body into a bedroom where he violated and raped me." Both women said Limen's refusal to give a blood sample to eliminate sexually transmitted diseases caused them distress. "I had to go to an STD clinic, which was humiliating as I am a married woman," said one of the women. "It was an extra blow to put us through." Limen intends to appeal his conviction because he does not accept the jury's verdict, and separately make a constitutional challenge regarding the terms of his detention. Mr Justice Coffey said the crime was aggravated by the "trauma and anguish" it caused the victims. A woman who is undergoing gruelling cancer treatment was devastated to find out the respite hours for her son who has special needs were slashed suddenly. Ann Grassick had been allowed to return to her home in Drumcondra, Dublin under the condition that she would have respite for her son Colin (20), who has Prader Willi syndrome and needs 24-hours care. They had been promised 98 hours of care for Colin for eight weeks at St Michael's House in Cashel, Tipperary but after five weeks - on December 8 - they were informed this was being reduced to six hours per week. Her older son Conor (24) said that he is worried about the stress the uncertainty has placed on Colin and he fears it could impact on Ann's recovery. He told Independent.ie: "It's shocking, everything was perfect, we were all so happy and then we got this absolute spanner in the works. "It's all excuses, we've been told there are staff issues, then they said there was tension in the house, but sure there's tension in every house an then they said it's because Colin doesn't wake during the night so they had to pull the hours but these are all just excuses. Expand Close Conor Grassick with his mother Ann / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Conor Grassick with his mother Ann "We were told Colin would get eight weeks of respite but after five weeks they turned around and come up with these excuses. "They're not thinking about the main person who has suffered, Colin has suffered and the only reason he is in respite is so his mam can get better. "They should finish those last three weeks, rather than just leaving us with nothing. "These guys promote best practise but this is absolutely not best practise." Read More Conor said it is distressing to watch the toll the situation has taken on his mother and brother. He said: "Mam was only allowed home from the hospital on the condition we have respite for Colin, his anxiousness has gone through the roof because of all this. "Mam was in hospital last week and he was squeezing her hand, begging her not to leave the house because he's terrified the hospital will find out that his hours were cut and she won't be allowed to come home. Expand Close The Grassick family / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Grassick family "At the end of the day we all want to be together in a happy and safe environment, rather than all of this distress and hassle for my mam - this could delay her recovery. "My mam is up the walls over Colin, he'll kick off and she's not able for it now. "She went into the hospital last Friday and her blood pressure was sky high so I'm afraid it's already taking a toll on her, I'm afraid it'll escalate more. "I'm afraid they'll take her back in to hospital, I've cried all week and I'm afraid our Christmas will be ruined because somebody hasn't done their job properly. "I just feel that everyone is passing the book on this." Read More A spokeswoman said on behalf of the HSE and St Michael's House that they are working to ensure "the necessary supports" are made available to Colin. She said: "The HSE funds St. Michaels House to provide services on their behalf. Expand Close Ann Grassick and Colin Grassick / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ann Grassick and Colin Grassick "The HSE does not comment on individual cases. However the HSE is very aware of this case and can confirm that the HSE is funding St. Michaels House to provide significant home support hours and residential respite to support this family. "The home support and residential respite is provided through two service providers. The HSE understand that one of the private service providers have recently notified St Michaels House that they are no longer in a position to provide home support hours. "St Michaels House is actively looking to source another service provider to provide the unfilled home support hours. "St. Michaels House can confirm that this man was in respite care for the weekend. "The HSE is working collaboratively with St Michaels House to ensure the necessary supports are available to the family." A YOUNG father who defied death in a fall from a seven-storey building is looking forward to Christmas and the future. Dave Conway (37), from Rathcoole, Dublin, lost both his feet in the horrific fall five months ago when working on a construction site close to Brisbane on the Australian Gold Coast. The upbeat Dubliner will be celebrating Christmas with his mother Connie and father Shay, his partner Vivienne and seven-year-old daughter Keisha. Mr Conway was resuscitated by colleagues after falling 20 metres through scaffolding onto concrete at Lakefront Crescent at Varsity Lakes. He has undergone 26 operations and has had two amputations from just below the knee and is practising how to use a wheelchair. Next year he will get prosthetics fitted. He has even been told to drink Guinness to help his recovery. His older brother Stephen, who has just returned from visiting him, said the day he fell will never be forgotten. Expand Close Dave Conway and his daughter Keisha / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dave Conway and his daughter Keisha "It's quite ironic really when you think about Dave's fall. He fell seven storeys at 7am on his daughter's seventh birthday. It has been a very long road for him and it will continue to be but he knows how blessed he is to be here," said Stephen. "He is looking forward to the future and every day he is getting healthier, fitter and closer to getting out of hospital. Everyone is hopeful that Dave will be discharged around March time. "While I was there I thought my brother would be down and depressed - but he has a goal, and that is to get stronger and fitter to live a long life for his daughter, his partner, our parents, my brother Richie and myself. "All of us just want the best for him because he is just such a good guy. Everyone just rallied round when he had his accident first and a large amount of money was raised to help with his medical costs." Two days after Mr Conway's fall, his entire family, including brothers Stephen (40) and Richie (35), flew out to be with him - not knowing if he would be alive once they made it to Brisbane. His mother has remained in Australia since her son's life-changing fall and visits him daily. He emigrated to Australia in 2002. "We are all looking forward to the day Dave is able to come home to Ireland for a visit but the whole family is realistic that it won't be for a long time. We are just so thankful we have with us still," Stephen added. "Dave knows he could have died, that his injuries could have been so much worse. The doctors have even prescribed him Guinness to help build up his strength and he's loving that." Kelly Lloyd travelled with her children by boat to Belfast recently A "high risk" missing woman and her three young children from Wales could be "anywhere in Ireland", police have said. Kelly Lloyd (35) and her three children recently travelled by boat to Belfast and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have appealed for information about their whereabouts. They said in a statement this morning: "We are urgently trying to locate Kelly Lloyd (35) and her three children. "They are high risk missing persons from Wales. "They recently travelled by boat to Belfast but could now be anywhere in Ireland." The PSNI spokesperson added that the family may be accompanied by a man called Stuart Handley. Anyone who has seen Ms Lloyd and her children is urged to phone 101 ref 884 of 17/12/17. Do you know who this photo belongs to? A good Samaritan is on a mission to track down the owner of a photograph that was found in a shop last week. With the festive shopping season in full swing, this black and white photo of a man looking straight into the camera was mislaid in the Flying Tiger shop in the Omni Shopping Centre in Santry, Dublin. Flying Tiger employee Siv Keating said she is keen to find whoever it belongs to as she feels it might be precious to them. She told Independent.ie: "At the start of December, I'm not sure what the exact date was, one of my colleagues found it on the floor of the shop. "We have been minding it since and I shared a picture of it on my Facebook page two days ago and there's been a lot of interest in it but sadly I've had no takers." She continued to say that she is worried that someone is devastated about losing it. Siv said: "Im determined to get it back to whoever owns it. "It seems like it might be sentimental if someone has been carrying it around, it might have been held in someone's wallet for years and now they could be looking for it. "Its obviously very old and I would hate to think that someone has lost a treasured possession." She noted that the date March 21 1951 is stamped on the back and 1951 is also written on the photograph in pen. Siv said: "I'd love to get it back to its rightful owner by Christmas, I'm hopeful that someone will recognise the man in the photo or know someone who lost it." Pope Francis is expected to say mass in Phoenix Park next summer, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has revealed. The Pope is expected to visit here next year to attend the World Meeting of Families in Dublin - which will be held between August 21 and 26 - and Archbishop Martin (72) said his trip is expected to cost around 20m. Speaking on The Sean O'Rourke Show on RTE's Radio one, he said he doesn't know if the Pope will visit Northern Ireland. "Anywhere he goes his presence will be linked to the World Meeting of Families," he said. "There will be no side agendas, there will be a number of events - a three day conference in the RDS about family values, on the Saturday evening there will be, presumably in Croke Park, a festival of families, there will be a celebration of families, with musicians and speakers. "On the Sunday there will be a final mass, presumably in the Phoenix Park. Expand Close Archbishop Diarmuid Martin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Archbishop Diarmuid Martin "You have to remember as well that this pope is 81, Pope John Paul II was 60 (when he visited Ireland in 1979), so the amount of things he can do is limited. "There are a number of things he wants to do that are not directly linked with the meeting, he wants to go to a prison, everywhere he goes he goes to a prison, it is something he feels strongly about. "He wants to meet people who are experiencing poverty and I could see him doing something with the homeless, I'd like him to meet with travellers, to show solidarity with young people." Read More While over one million people attended an open-air mass hosted by Pope John Paul II in Phoenix Park, Archbishop Martin declined to estimate how many will go to Pope Francis' mass. "We're not looking at numbers, we are looking at the quality of the event and if there were 1.2m people in Croke Park last time and two less this time then people would look at it as a failure," he said. "So I think we have to look at it in a different way and ensure that those who want to come to the mass can. "It is going to cost over 20 million because there is the cost of gathering people together, of security and technology that is needed," he said. "We have had church collections and they would bring in about 5m, the rest will come from fundraising, I don't know how much a concert in Croke Park normally costs but we are anxious that families can attend without them experiencing any financial difficulties. "We won't charge anything for children." He added that he doesn't expect there to be any protests against Pope Francis' visit. "I don't think there'll be mass protests, people are entitled to protest, it's a free country, I'd say," he said. The Cabinet is expected to discuss plans for next year's referendum on abortion tomorrow as the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment prepares to publish its final report. Health Minister Simon Harris is due to brief his colleagues on the timelines that would have to be adhered to if consensus is secured around the staging of the referendum in the summer. Sources say the Government will have to move quickly in initiating a referendum bill if a vote is to take place in May or June. "A referendum in June would require a referendum bill being initiated in February," one source said. A separate source last night said it was unlikely the Cabinet would adopt a unified position until January, when the Fine Gael parliamentary party is due to meet to formulate its own stance. Meanwhile, Communications Minister Denis Naughten has called on the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to intervene following a row involving his Independent colleague, Children's Minister Katherine Zappone. Read more: Three members boycott abortion committee report The 'Sunday Independent' revealed yesterday that Ms Zappone was dropped as a guest on a celebrity cooking show over fears her role in the forthcoming abortion referendum would prevent the programme from being broadcast. The Dublin South-West TD had agreed to appear on TV3's 'The Restaurant' two months ago, but was told last week by producers of the show, Vision Independent Productions, that she was being dropped from the upcoming series because of next year's abortion referendum. The minister yesterday said she was "disappointed" that her views on abortion would prevent her from appearing. TV3 said the station would have had "no issue" with the minister appearing. Mr Naughten yesterday said he wanted the BAI to give clarity to broadcasters. Heather Humphreys was getting ready for work in her home - located just 11 kilometres from the Border - when her mobile phone rang just after 8.30am. On the other end of the line was Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who had just endured a bruising battle culminating in the resignation from Cabinet of his number two, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald. Mr Varadkar asked his other most senior female Cabinet member to take over the reins at the now vacant Department of Enterprise. For Ms Humphreys, it was a bitter sweet moment. She admits this was the one ministry she had always hoped to fill. But she knows too she was being handed a promotion by default, as her colleague and friend faced the humiliation of becoming the latest high-profile political figure to fall foul of a justice scandal. In her first interview since taking over the jobs portfolio, Ms Humphreys praised her predecessor, and predicted that she will shortly be given a new role in Government. "Frances Fitzgerald is a very, very experienced politician," Ms Humphreys says. "I have no doubt she will make a huge contribution at a very senior level role in the party." The decision to appoint Ms Humphreys to this senior Cabinet portfolio bucks the modern Fine Gael trend of jobs ministers hailing from the capital. Ms Fitzgerald, Mary Mitchell O'Connor and Richard Bruton - who all hail from Dublin constituencies - have previously held the role. Ms Humphreys says her focus will be on spreading the jobs growth to other regions, particularly the north-east and north-west, which are both extremely vulnerable to the impact of Brexit. Other regions are experiencing a different type of growth, Ms Humphreys says, which now needs to spread to the likes of Louth, Leitrim, Monaghan and Meath. "There has been very good progress in terms of the south-west in job figures there. They have increased considerably," Ms Humphreys says. "But the north-west and north-east regions are lagging behind, so there is going to be a strong focus on those regions." While Ms Humphreys says inward investment will be a major priority, she is not going to be constantly jetting around the world. Instead, she wants to spend her time meeting small business owners, who, she says, make a major contribution by taking on two or three staff members. Ms Humphreys says she wants to ease the PRSI burden facing the self-employed. In October's Budget, the Varadkar government decided to extend the earned-income tax credit to 1,150. The move reduces the tax bill for the self-employed by 200 per year, at a cost to the Exchequer of 17m in 2018. "This is the first government that has actually done something for the self-employed people, and I want to continue to support the self-employed people," she says. "They are the backbone of our indigenous industries and they are creating the jobs, two, three jobs (at a time). They are so important. "We have already improved the PRSI system and a number of different issues in the tax regime, but of course we will continue to look at that and provide further supports. That is something I will certainly be looking at - as minister for business - to support the self-employed. "That is something I will be looking at in the Budget." The decision to promote Ms Humphreys from the Department of Arts to the Department of Business surprised few within the political fold. She showed leadership during the centenary, delivering a programme of comm-emorations that the country will remember for years to come. Mr Varadkar has a huge amount of trust in her. Affable and motivated, even her political opponents rarely have a bad word to say about her. Ms Humphreys is taking over the reins in this department at the ideal time. She accepts too that, as a result of the work of agencies such as the IDA, the jobs figures read particularly well. "At present, there are 200,000 total IDA Ireland-supported jobs in Ireland, almost 120,000 of which are located outside Dublin," she says. "All the time the IDA is out there, talking to companies, working with them, selling Ireland across the world." Nonetheless, this is a minister who also faces challenges. She has to successfully steer through legislation that will scrap the office of the director of corporate enforcement, which is under fire as a result of the collapse of the Sean FitzPatrick trial. Pressure is on her to attract companies from the UK that are eyeing up Ireland as a investment destination. Indigenous businesses, too, are worried about the post-Brexit chill. "Obviously Brexit is something very close to my heart, given that I live about six or seven miles from the Border," Ms Humphreys adds. "I want to work in supporting businesses to be Brexit ready. "One thing you will see from me is going out and meeting businesses, helping them diversify in a highly competitive world." Pressure is growing to have multiple rapist Michael Murray evicted from his rented accommodation. Posters have been put up in a south Dublin housing estate warning people that the sex offender is living in their midst. Murray (57) has been living in the Goatstown area for several months, much to the anger of local residents. They have now placed posters of the rapist on lampposts in the area where he is renting a room in a house. The notice reads 'Warning - Rapist About' and is accompanied by a picture of Murray. "We want this rapist out of here," said one resident, who did not want to be named. The landlady of the property where Murray is living is aware of his past crimes, but refused to comment when she was approached by the Irish Independent. Local sources said the landlady had been approached in recent days by residents concerned about their safety. Despite repeated calls for his eviction, Murray remains in the house and is seen regularly going about his daily routine. The residents' association, which has not put up the posters, has brought up the issue of Murray's presence with gardai at a joint-policing committee. The Irish Independent previously revealed how, after Murray moved in, the landlady posted an advertisement online for men and women to apply for a vacancy at the property. The advertisement did not reveal that the successful applicant would have to share the house with a convicted rapist. It has since been amended to state that only single men may apply. Murray has caused unrest in the area since moving in, with one school principal receiving repeated complaints about his presence. Parents have told gardai in Dundrum that the rapist has been seen near the girls' secondary school on a number of occasions. Murray was jailed in 1996 for raping four women and sexually assaulting two others in south Dublin during a six-day reign of terror in September 1995. For 175 years, our home has been here in Wisconsin. Since J.I. Case laid down roots in Racine County in 1842, CNH Industrial has continued to grow its manufacturing, service support and banking operations, widening the reputation of Southeast Wisconsin as a global presence in the capital goods sector. Today, we directly employ 1,800 people in the state and our operations are supplied with goods and services from over 650 companies, both large and small, within the state. At our Racine manufacturing plant, we produce Case IH and New Holland brand agricultural tractors and drivelines. It is one of the largest tractor plants in the world, producing some of our most sophisticated farming equipment. Over 50 percent of our Racine tractors are exported worldwide and each time we grow, we look forward to hiring more members of Wisconsins first-class workforce. When our business succeeds, we can play a bigger role in supporting the states economy and helping the people of Wisconsin thrive. For example, when we acquired a new business from the Miller family in St. Nazianz several years ago to produce self-propelled agricultural sprayers, we felt fortunate to extend our reach to a new community in Wisconsin and increase our investments in the state. However, the United States currently has the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world and workers feel that directly. Studies have shown workers bear up to 75 percent of the cost of a high corporate tax rate. By implementing reforms that lower the corporate rate and encourage capital investment, companies such as ours will be able to boost investment here in the state, positively impacting not only our own employees, but also the numerous local suppliers that serve our operations. Workers will also see the benefit by being able to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks for their own investment decisions, such as housing and education for their families. Many of Wisconsins families have been lifted by the economic recovery, but it has not been enough. It is time for tax reform that puts prosperity within the reach of all working families, not just some. With a tax code that hasnt been updated in more than three decades, reform is long overdue. Reforming the tax code will equip the nations job creators with the tools they need to be catalysts for economic growth with the resulting increase in capital spending, investment and hiring. We are faced with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put the USA and Wisconsin on a level playing field with the rest of the world and I am confident lawmakers will deliver. Workers and business owners all across Wisconsin are counting on it. That is why I am so encouraged by the momentum for tax reform that I see in Washington. While often the activities of federal lawmakers can feel distant, tax reform is one policy that will affect real, positive change in the lives of families here in our communities. Fortunately, with legislation having passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, progress is being made. In particular, we commend our very own House Speaker Paul Ryan for showing great leadership and committing to such hard work on this issue. I hope lawmakers will continue the push to bring this across the finish line, helping spur growth and opportunity for millions of Americans. A woman who suffered three miscarriages and underwent a gruelling five years of fertility and IVF treatments has spoken of her joy of finally having a baby. The 40-year-old Irish woman, who calls herself Eva, wrote to the Independent.ie about her experience. The day little Harry was born was without doubt the best day of her life, she says. But giving birth to a beautiful baby boy didnt happen by chance. It was five years in the making. Eva, a former tax clerk, and her husband Frank (38), first started IVF treatment in 2011 and spent nearly 50,000 on tests and IVF treatment since then. But in January 2016, their reward came when little Harry was born a month early weighing 5lbs 7oz. We were devastated at the miscarriages but overjoyed when our son was born, it was an amazing feeling after trying for so long, Eva said. You have to really want a child, to go through all that weve been through we consider ourselves very lucky. Its hard for both partners but especially so for the woman; there are so many tests and so much medication to take, but its been very worthwhile for us. Eva and Frank have now decided to try for another baby and they are travelling to IVF Cube in Prague for their treatment. This will be the couples last ever attempt at IVF treatment. Like me, a good friend wanted to be a mum but couldnt seem to have a successful pregnancy. Eventually she decided on IVF treatment, but she didnt want to do it close where she lives. Instead she researched her options and chose to go to IVF Cube in Prague. The treatment she received meant she fell pregnant, later giving birth to twins. After a miscarriage and a failed IVF experience in Dublin, Eva also made the decision to travel to Prague. I was also just passing my mid-30s and knew time was running out. Id tried IVF at a clinic in Ireland, and, although I fell pregnant, and I really hadnt liked the experience, and then I miscarried. After Eva travelled to Prague, she started standard IVF treatment, which involved taking specialist medication, and to her delight, she soon became pregnant. However, the couple were devastated in October 2013 when Eva suffered a miscarriage. Over the next 14 months, she had two more. Although no problems had been identified with Evas eggs which would inhibit pregnancy or carrying to term, they were found to be grade three, which in medical terms means that they are not quite in peak condition. The couple then opted to use a donor matching system, where they could select an anonymous donor with similar genetic traits as theirs, ensuring as close as possible to a family match for their child. Their donor is a healthy 21-year-old who has two children of her own, they have discovered. Eva and Frank are now bracing themselves for their last IVF attempt. In some ways we feel we are being greedy, but we would love a sibling for our son. With IVF, its always a bit of rollercoaster ride, its never just from A to B, you feel like you are going all over the place. What I do know is that everything we have gone through has been very worthwhile. The financial cost does play a part and treatment in both Dublin and Prague has been expensive. But even with the travel costs involved, receiving treatment in Prague has still been significantly cheaper and we got the result we wanted. Mary Ann O'Brien honed her chocolate-making skills among world-class chefs and chocolatiers in both South Africa and Europe before starting her own mini enterprise from her Kildare kitchen in 1992, naming the company after her daughter, Lily. Lily O'Brien's Chocolates is now one of the country's most recognised global brands. Mary Ann is also co-founder of the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation, along with her husband Jonathan Irwin. This was set up in 1997 following the tragic death of their son Jack. Mary Ann has also served as a senator in the Seanad for a number of years at the request of the then taoiseach Enda Kenny, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the business and charity sectors. Film: Dr Zhivago Expand Close Dr Zhivago / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Zhivago Watching Dr Zhivago (above) on a winter's evening, with the fire lit and a cup of tea in my hand, sounds like the perfect evening to me. The film stars Omar Sharif as Yuri Zhivago, a married physician whose life is irreversibly altered by the Russian Revolution and subsequent Civil War. The music, the scenery and the landscape are just beautiful. Composer: Ennio Morricone There is no better way to switch off and find your soul than listening to Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone. It's total bliss! I'm also a huge fan of The Gipsy Kings, Tina Turner, Snow Patrol, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Beyonce, the list could go on and on! Artist: John Lavery I adore anything by 19th century Irish artist John Lavery (Lady Lavery in an Evening Cloak, left). His portraits are simply beautiful. I'm also a huge fan of Dede Gold, an Irish artist who is now based in London. Dede's main focus is animals, especially dogs she meets day to day. Lastly, is my daughter artist Lily Irwin. I am so proud of my daughter and how she has turned into a totally creative gorgeous human - her work says it all. Author: John Donohue I loved the book The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson - murder, magic and madness, and it is so beautifully written! I was in Chicago on the 18th floor of a building reading this book and I found it captivating, but I was the most afraid I have ever been. There was a tornado warning outside and I was literally chilled to the bone. Another book I like to read is John Donohue's Benedictus: A Book Of Blessings. Irish author Donohue offers blessings to shelter us as we confront the many challenges we face on our life journey. It makes me grateful for every day I wake up and look out the window. Design: Luke Irwin rug Expand Close Luke Irwin rug / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Luke Irwin rug It has to be any piece from Luke Irwin's rug collection (above). Visit his website (lukeirwin.com) and I rest my case. Luke makes beautiful hand-knotted custom rugs from India and Nepal. Each and every one is a work of art and a real centrepiece to add personality and tie a room together. lilyobriens.ie Aoibhin Garrihy at the World Premiere of Angela's Ashes the Musical at the Bord Gais Theatre, Dublin. Picture: Brian McEvoy Aoibhin Garrihy was one of the judges of the Best Dressed Lady competition at the Galway Races. Picture: Tony Gavin Doireann Garrihy and Aoibhin Garrihy at the launch of the 2017 Peter Mark VIP Style Awards at The Marker Hotel. Picture: Brian McEvoy Aoibhin Garrihy and John Burke at the 39th Rehab Person of The Year Awards 2013 Aoibhin Garrihy has revealed she would "never say never" to getting cosmetic enhancements. The RTE star (30) has noticed an explosion in popularity among Irish people who are going under the knife or getting other treatments like lip fillers to stay looking their best. Although she's happy with her appearance now, the former Fair City star admitted she doesn't know how she'll feel in the future. "People are getting so many body enhancements now. I think it's like getting your roots done now, isn't it? It's just one more thing," she said. Expand Close Aoibhin Garrihy was one of the judges of the Best Dressed Lady competition at the Galway Races. Picture: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aoibhin Garrihy was one of the judges of the Best Dressed Lady competition at the Galway Races. Picture: Tony Gavin "But look, I would never say never to anything like that. At the moment, I've just turned 30 and I feel quite happy in myself and confident and I don't feel the need yet." The soap actress feels grateful she didn't grow up during the age of Instagram, on which young people are inundated with filtered images that can give them an unrealistic idea of beauty. "You have the Kardashian age now and luckily, that wasn't there when I was growing up. Bebo was barely starting to kick off when I was in school," she told the Diary. "We didn't have that pressure that young people face now, I think on a daily basis. Expand Close Aoibhin Garrihy and John Burke at the 39th Rehab Person of The Year Awards 2013 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aoibhin Garrihy and John Burke at the 39th Rehab Person of The Year Awards 2013 "There's such a lack of confidence when you see how filtered things are these days." After years of experience in front of the camera, Aoibhin no longer lets the pressure of looking glammed up get to her. Video of the Day "Once you are yourself, hopefully your inner beauty shines through. "I never felt that mad pressure to perform in terms of make-up. I love it, I'm a typical woman who likes to look good," she said. Expand Close Doireann Garrihy and Aoibhin Garrihy at the launch of the 2017 Peter Mark VIP Style Awards at The Marker Hotel. Picture: Brian McEvoy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Doireann Garrihy and Aoibhin Garrihy at the launch of the 2017 Peter Mark VIP Style Awards at The Marker Hotel. Picture: Brian McEvoy Aoibhin, who is married to hotelier John Burke who owns the Armada Hotel in Co Clare, looks set to have a busy few months ahead of her. The Castleknock woman recently revealed she is in talks with both RTE and TV3 about a number of television projects in the future. "I started acting before I left school, it was something I always loved. "I trained in Trinity in a three-year programme and then I've been working since I graduated, so eight years. It's flown by, it's mad how fast the time goes," she said. Aoibhin has been doing less acting lately and hopes to carve out a career in presenting in the future, much like her younger sister Doireann, who presents a weekly slot on The Six O'Clock Show. The Dancing With The Stars contestant has also been a judge at several racing festivals lately and most recently judged Ladies Day at the Galway Races alongside former 50 Ways To Kill Your Mammy host Baz Ashmawy. Sebastian Kurz has been sworn in as Austria's new chancellor, making him Europe's youngest leader at the age of 31. Mr Kurz's Austrian People's Party has formed a coalition with the nationalist Freedom Party, which is expected to move the country's politics to the right. Roughly 6,000 people protested outside President Alexander Van der Bellen's office with signs bearing messages including "We don't want any Nazi pigs" and "Nazis out" as Mr Kurz and his new Cabinet were sworn in. The two parties have pledged to tighten the country's asylum and immigration regulations while maintaining a firm commitment to the European Union. Mr Kurz has moved his traditionally centrist party to the right, particularly on the issues of migration and Muslims, but has avoided the inflammatory rhetoric of the Freedom Party, which itself has publicly disassociated itself from decades of covert anti-Semitism, but continues to attract a neo-Nazi fringe. Political opponents have expressed particular concern that the Freedom Party has control of the important interior, defence and foreign ministries. Its leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, is now vice chancellor. Mr Kurz served as foreign minister in the outgoing government led by chancellor Christian Kern, a Social Democrat. He has stressed the importance of a pro-European direction and is expected to continue to take the lead on European issues even though the Freedom Party, which has traditionally been strongly eurosceptic, will have the foreign ministry. Both Mr Kurz's conservatives and the Freedom Party campaigned on the need for tougher immigration controls, quick deportations of asylum-seekers whose requests are denied, and a crackdown on radical Islam. A coalition agreement finalised on Friday night pledged to bolster the country's police forces with another 2,100 officers, as well as immigration policies which "can be sustained by the population". The agreement also said asylum should only be offered to people "for the duration of their persecution, who really need Austria's help". Other points include ending illegal migration, cutting government bureaucracy, reducing taxes and creating a new national climate and energy strategy. In the new Cabinet, the Freedom Party has five ministers in addition to Mr Strache and a deputy minister. Along with Mr Kurz as chancellor, the People's Party has seven ministers and one deputy, with responsibilities including the finance, economy and justice ministries. Billionaire former president Sebastian Pinera easily won Chile's presidential run-off election on Sunday. Officials said Mr Pinera got 54.6% of the votes to 45.4% for centre-left senator Alejandro Guillier, with nearly all the ballots counted. Analysts had expected a much closer race, but there had not been any opinion polls on the campaign for several weeks. Mr Guillier conceded a "severe defeat" defeat to his supporters, and outgoing president Michelle Bachelet called Mr Pinera to offer congratulations. The results prompted Mr Pinera supporters to celebrate at his campaign headquarters. Many took to streets nationwide waving flags and holding banners, while others beeped car horns and screamed out the last name of the former airline magnate who previously governed Chile in 2010-2014. "Today the voice of all Chileans has been heard," Mr Pinera told supporters. "We welcome this triumph with humility and hope." Mr Pinera, 68, won last month's first round, but his 36.6% vote share fell far short of what polls had projected. Mr Guillier got 22.7% in the first round and was counting on support from backers of other left-leaning candidates who were eliminated. Mr Guillier, 64, was backed by Bachelet, but many Chileans have been disillusioned by lagging economic growth under her watch, a problem based largely on lower international prices for copper, which is the backbone of Chile's economy. Many leftists also feel she wavered on her promises of profound social changes in labour and education policies. Former TV anchor Mr Guillier had vowed to continue Ms Bachelet's plan to increase corporate taxes to partly finance an education overhaul, reform the constitution and improve the pension and health care system. Mr Pinera struggled with large protests over Chile's inequality and demands for education reform during his first term as president, and left office with low popularity ratings. But he also oversaw annual economic growth of about 5% a year. The conservative politician now proposes to slash taxes on business to revive growth and vows to launch a 14 billion dollar (10.5 billion), four-year spending plan that includes fresh investments in infrastructure. "This is a huge victory for him," said Javier Sajuria, a lecturer in politics at Queen Mary University of London. "Pinera managed to gather a big majority of the votes from centre-left candidates (in the first round of the election). What happened here is that Pinera managed to mobilise non-voters in a way that we haven't seen since voluntary voting was started." Turnout was expected to be low because in contrast to other regional countries, Chile made voting voluntary rather than mandatory in 2012. In recent weeks, Mr Pinera had compared Mr Guillier to Nicolas Maduro, the president of crisis-torn Venezuela. At first, the scare tactic seemed to have backfired by rallying support for Mr Guillier from hard-left factions that had been cool on him earlier. "Fear can be tricky because it tends to demobilise voters," Mr Sajuria said. "But he managed it pretty well... my impression is that people who were afraid of the outcome, voted for him." AP EasyJet has confirmed the acquisition of part of bankrupt German carrier Air Berlin in a deal worth 40 million euro (35.2 million). The transaction will see the budget airline taking control of Air Berlins operations at the capitals Tegel Airport, with easyJet leasing 25 of its aircraft. The agreement also includes easyJet taking over landing slots and offering employment to the defunct carriers flying crew. EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said: This move is consistent with easyJets strategy of purposeful investment in strong number one positions in Europes leading airports. As a result of our acquisition, easyJet will operate the leading short haul network at Tegel connecting passengers to and from destinations across Germany and the rest of Europe. This is in addition to easyJets existing base at Berlin Schonefeld and means that easyJet will be the leading airline to and from Berlin. It comes after the European Commission last week gave the all-clear for easyJet to carry out the deal. EU authorities said it would not impact airline competition across the bloc where it faces rival carriers including Lufthansa and Ryanair. Regulators were originally concerned that easyJets expanded landing-slot portfolio at congested airports like Berlin Tegel would result in higher barriers to entry for airlines looking to operate from those airports, which could subsequently result in higher fares for passengers. However, the investigation found the airlines acquisition was unlikely to have a negative effect, adding that easyJet will continue to face strong competition from large carriers. Air Berlin declared bankruptcy in August after its biggest shareholder, the Gulf airline Etihad, withdrew financial support for the loss-making firm. Rebecca Dykes, who was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon, her body was found on the side of a motorway on Saturday, the BBC reported. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire Lebanese police are investigating whether a British embassy worker strangled and dumped by the side of a motorway was sexually assaulted. Rebecca Dykes's family said they have been left "devastated" following her death in Beirut early on Saturday morning, while embassy staff are said to be shocked. Expand Close Rebecca Dykes, who was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon, her body was found on the side of a motorway on Saturday, the BBC reported. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rebecca Dykes, who was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon, her body was found on the side of a motorway on Saturday, the BBC reported. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire The victim, believed to have been aged 30, was strangled with a rope and found dead by the side of a road in the east of the capital, police said. Authorities looking into her exact cause of death are investigating whether Ms Dykes, who had been due to fly home for Christmas, was sexually assaulted. A family spokesman said: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened. "We request that the media respect our privacy as we come together as a family at this very difficult time." Ms Dykes was working as a programme and policy manager with the Department for International Development and as policy manager with the Libya team at the Foreign Office (FCO), according to her LinkedIn page. She had previously worked as an Iraq Research Analyst with the FCO. British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter said: "The whole embassy is deeply shocked, saddened by this news. "My thoughts are with Becky's family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss. We're providing consular support to her family & working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation." Ms Dykes, a University of Manchester graduate, also had a masters in International Security and Global Governance from Birkbeck, University of London. She was a former pupil of Malvern Girls' College and Rugby School and had spent time at a Chinese International School. A Department for International Development spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with Becky's family and friends at this very upsetting time. "There is now a police investigation and the FCO is providing consular support to Becky's family and working with the local authorities." The Foreign Office said it was in contact with the Lebanese authorities. "Following the death of a British woman in Beirut, we are providing support to the family," a Foreign Office spokesman said. "We remain in close contact with local authorities. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time." Suffolk Police says officers are responding to reports of a 'significant incident' A disturbance at RAF Mildenhall during which shots were fired by US service personnel is not being treated as terrorism. A 44-year-old British man was initially arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass, Suffolk Police said The man, who suffered cuts and bruises in the incident, has been taken into custody and police are not looking for anyone else on the site in relation to the incident. The base, which is used by the US Air Force, was put on lockdown at around 1.40pm on Monday amid reports of a car being rammed into a checkpoint. Expand Close A US Hurricane transport plane takes off from RAF Mildenhall / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A US Hurricane transport plane takes off from RAF Mildenhall Suffolk Police said inquiries were ongoing and officers were receiving support from other law enforcement agencies. The force said in a statement: "There is no wider threat to the public or occupants on the base and no other people have been injured as a result of the incident." In November last year the then defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon said RAF Mildenhall was one of 56 Ministry of Defence sites earmarked for closure. The base, due to shut in 2022, is home to the US Air Force's 100th Air Refuelling Wing and 352nd Special Operations Wing. It is believed to be home to around 3,000 military personnel and their families, and has previously been identified as a potential target for terrorists. In May 2016, Junead Khan was given a life sentence at Kingston Crown Court for planning a strike against American military personnel in Britain. Khan, of Luton, used his job as a delivery driver to scout bases including Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath the previous year. French economy minister Bruno Le Maire has launched legal action against US e-commerce giant Amazon for imposing unfair commercial relationships onto suppliers in the country. The lawsuit follows an investigation from the DGCCRF, the French body in charge of fraud control. The DGCCRF said Mr Le Maire is seeking a fine of 10 million euro (8.8 million). DGCCRF investigators established that Amazon had imposed a series of abusive clauses on its commercial partners in France, including the possibility of changing or terminating contracts unilaterally. The DGCCRF said the French government wants to "better regulate the activity of large digital platforms and to ensure greater transparency, balance and loyalty in their relations with companies". Amazon said it does not comment on judicial proceedings. The mayor had recently returned from a visit to Turkey The mayor of the Libyan coastal city of Misrata has been abducted and killed by gunmen shortly after his return from a visit to Turkey. Mohammed Eshtewi was snatched as he was leaving Misrata's airport after landing there late on Sunday. A spokesman said Mr Eshtewi's body was found several hours later, near a hospital. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing from any of the active armed groups in the area. Libya sank into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The country is currently split between rival parliaments and governments in the east and west, each backed by a set of militias, tribes and political factions. Rebecca Dykes, who was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire Lebanese police have arrested a man in connection with the killing of a British embassy worker in Beirut. Rebecca Dykes, believed to be 30, had been strangled with a rope and her body dumped at the side of a motorway in the east of the capital, police said. An official said the suspect confessed that he killed Ms Dykes and that the murder was a "criminal act" and not politically motivated. On Sunday, forensic investigators said they were investigating whether Ms Dykes, who had been due to fly home for Christmas, was sexually assaulted. Expand Close Rebecca Dykes, who was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon, her body was found on the side of a motorway on Saturday, the BBC reported. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rebecca Dykes, who was murdered in Beirut, Lebanon, her body was found on the side of a motorway on Saturday, the BBC reported. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire According to reports she had been at a colleague's leaving party in the Gemmayzeh district of Beirut on Friday night. Ms Dykes was working as a programme and policy manager with the Department for International Development and as policy manager with the Libya team at the Foreign Office (FCO), according to her LinkedIn page. She had previously worked as an Iraq Research Analyst with the FCO. British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter tweeted on Sunday that everyone at the embassy was "deeply shocked, saddened by this news". "My thoughts are with Becky's family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss," he said. "We're providing consular support to her family & working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation." Ms Dykes, a University of Manchester graduate, also had a Masters in International Security and Global Governance from Birkbeck, University of London. She was a former pupil of Malvern Girls' College and Rugby School and had spent time at a Chinese International School. A Department for International Development spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with Becky's family and friends at this very upsetting time. "There is now a police investigation and the FCO is providing consular support to Becky's family and working with the local authorities." The Foreign Office confirmed that an arrest had been made. The maximum sentence anyone can serve is 25 years A court in northern Greece has sentenced 23 people to prison terms ranging from eight to 1,489 years for smuggling Iraqi and Syrian refugees into the country from the Turkish border in 2015 and 2016. The Thessaloniki court imposed the longest sentence on a 54-year-old Greek man convicted of running a smuggling ring that arranged the transport of more than 500 refugees in 43 separate cases. Under Greek law, the maximum prison term that can be served is 25 years, regardless of the length of the sentence. Another 23 people, mainly taxi drivers, were acquitted. The suspects were rounded up in a July 2016 police operation. Greece was the main entry point into the European Union of more than a million refugees at the height of the 2015 refugee crisis. Lebanese police are investigating whether a British embassy worker strangled and left by the side of a motorway was sexually assaulted. Rebecca Dykes' family said they have been left "devastated" following her death in Beirut early on Saturday morning, while embassy staff are said to be shocked. The victim, believed to have been aged 30, was strangled and found dead by the side of a road in the east of the capital, police said. Authorities looking into her exact cause of death are investigating whether Ms Dykes, who had been due to fly home for Christmas, was sexually assaulted. According to reports she had been at a colleague's leaving party in the Gemmayzeh district of Beirut on Friday night. A family spokesman said: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened. "We request that the media respect our privacy as we come together as a family at this very difficult time." Those who knew Ms Dykes have posted tributes on social media, with school friend Rory Kirkwood writing on Twitter: "I'm devastated by the news, and can't imagine the pain some are feeling right now." Bilal Al Ayoubi tweeted: "Such sad news to hear about the great loss of Rebecca Dykes. "She was such a sweet and kind lady who took her job seriously and cared about Lebanon's stability." On Facebook, Brooke Anderson wrote: "Simply in shock. We will miss you, Becky." Ms Dykes was working as a programme and policy manager with the Department for International Development and as policy manager with the Libya team at the Foreign Office (FCO), according to her LinkedIn page. She had previously worked as an Iraq Research Analyst with the FCO. According to BBC News, it is believed Ms Dykes spent Friday evening at a going-away party thrown for a colleague in Gemmayzeh before leaving around midnight. The trendy area in east Beirut is known for its bars, restaurants and nightlife and is popular with the city's younger residents and tourists. British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter said everyone at the embassy was "deeply shocked, saddened by this news". "My thoughts are with Becky's family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss," he said. "We're providing consular support to her family & working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation." Ms Dykes, a University of Manchester graduate, also had a masters in International Security and Global Governance from Birkbeck, University of London. She was a former pupil of Malvern Girls' College and Rugby School and had spent time at a Chinese International School. A Department for International Development spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with Becky's family and friends at this very upsetting time. "There is now a police investigation and the FCO is providing consular support to Becky's family and working with the local authorities." The FCO said it was in contact with the Lebanese authorities. "Following the death of a British woman in Beirut, we are providing support to the family," a spokesman said. "We remain in close contact with local authorities. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time." The FCO advises against all travel to southern suburbs of Beirut except the main Naqoura-Tyre-Saida (Sidon)-Beirut highway. Visitors to Lebanon are warned of potential risks posed by political unrest and terrorism and a "moderate" risk of petty and violent crime. The advice urges visitors not to use shared taxis or taxis hailed on the street and only use cabs from recognised firms. The Thomas Fire burns near power lines in Sycamore Canyon off West Mountain Drive in Montecito, California Photo: Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP Hollywood celebrities have told of their fears as a raging wildfire spread towards their homes and triggered a new wave of evacuations in a wealthy California community. The devastating fire has been burning across parts of the state for more than two weeks, but this weekend it began pushing towards the celebrity enclave of Montecito. Expand Close West Mountain Drive is home to several well-known celebrities, including Rob Lowe / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp West Mountain Drive is home to several well-known celebrities, including Rob Lowe Mandatory evacuations were put in place around Montecito and neighbouring Summerland, as well as parts of Santa Barbara city, as powerful winds brought gusts of up to 100kmh. 'West Wing' actor Rob Lowe shared shocking photos on Instagram of the fire raging just yards away from his home, as he urged his followers to "pray for Santa Barbara". Several celebrities are known to have homes in Montecito, which is in the foothills north-west of LA, including Drew Barrymore, Patrick Stewart and Ellen DeGeneres. Chat show host Oprah Winfrey also lives there, and tweeted: "Still praying for our little town. Winds picked up this morning creating a perfect storm." The wildfire, which has been named Thomas Fire, is the third-largest in California history, covering 1,000 sq km, and has destroyed more than 700 homes in the area. It began on December 4 in Ventura County, and has killed a firefighter who was trying to battle the flames. Mission: Steve Murphy and Javier Pena led the hunt for drug baron Pablo Escobar before his death in 1993. Photo: Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock Pablo Escobar - once the world's most powerful and richest narco kingpin - had a no-nonsense approach to business which was encapsulated in the phrase ''Plata O Plomo''. ''Plata'' refers to silver coins, while ''Plomo'' is lead. Expand Close Pablo Escobar. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pablo Escobar. So, whenever the King of Cocaine personally uttered those words to someone, or they were conveyed via a loyal emissary, it meant the recipient had a stark choice: either take the money and do his bidding; or refuse and end up dead. It was the non-fiction equivalent of the proposition extended by the fictional Godfather, Don Corleone, when he made an offer that could not be refused. During his terrifying reign as the most successful drug trafficker in history, the poor farmer's son from Colombia's Medellin region defied the imaginings of even the most prolific fiction writers. Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria proved the contention that the truth is often stranger - and in this case much more terrifying - than fiction. The King of Cocaine eclipsed every godfather in history as the most powerful in the world and, unlike any criminal before or since, was so immensely powerful that he even extended the non-negotiable offer of ''Plata O Plomo'' to his country. Escobar waged war against his own state, launching bomb attacks on the government and even blew up a passenger aircraft killing more than 150 people. Controlling up to 80pc of the world's cocaine supply, he used his vast wealth - about 40bn in today's values - to corrupt inestimable numbers of Colombian cops, politicians, judges and government officials who had taken the easier option of ''Plata''. And with regard to the ''Plomo'' option, there are varying estimates that the world's original narco-terrorist was responsible for between 15,000 and 50,000 murders. Retired DEA agent Steve Murphy puts in perspective the power Escobar wielded: "In the United States, the Mafia makes witnesses disappear so they can't testify in court. In Colombia, Pablo Escobar made the whole court disappear." And Steve Murphy is an irreproachable witness: it was Murphy and his partner, Javier Pena, who played a pivotal role in the downfall of the narco despot and the destruction of the notorious Medellin cartel. The two undercover cops were dispatched to head up the hunt for Pablo in 1991 when the US Government sought his extradition for drug trafficking. It was one of the most dangerous jobs ever undertaken by law enforcement officers anywhere in the world. Pablo accelerated his ''Plata O Plomo'' efforts and waged a terrorist war against the government of Colombia to extract an amnesty and a no-extradition clause with the Americans. But Murphy and Pena were never offered the option between ''Plata'' and ''Plomo'': he placed a bounty on the heads of his sworn enemies. Javier Pena shrugged off the danger they faced in their 18-month hunt for Escobar which ended on December 2, 1993 when the Colombian National Police shot him dead. "The real danger was more about being in the wrong place at the wrong time so you had to be constantly vigilant. The guy even had bounties on the heads of police officers, he had bounties on Steve and me," he says. The daring exploits of the special agents are immortalised in Narcos, the superb Netflix drama, which charts Escobar's rise and fall, mostly as seen through their eyes. And next year they are coming to Ireland to speak about their hunt for him and their work as consultants on one of the most popular shows in the world. But when they spoke to the Sunday Independent recently the real-life law enforcement heroes made a surprising revelation about the accuracy of their Hollywood portrayal: the actual violence was scaled down considerably. "A lot of Hollywood was added in to make it (Narcos) exciting but while the chronology and timeline of events is very accurate, the violence (in real-life) was much worse than what you see in the Narcos series," Steve Murphy revealed. "If you got too far into the truth you probably wouldn't get as many viewers and it would turn a lot of people off." Javier Pena describes how the bodies piled up across Colombia as Escobar's sicarios - or assassins - protected his empire from all threats. Says Pena: "In real life it was a lot worse. He had about 500 sicarios working for him. These were all young thugs who wanted to kill for Pablo Escobar and they did it, they obeyed orders and were loyal to Pablo Escobar. "In the beginning Pablo helped them out: he gave them houses, money and food, so their loyalty was to Pablo and no one else. In terms of body count it is accepted that he was responsible for up to 15,000 but on his own admission one of his sicarios called Popeye, claimed it was as high as 50,000. In essence, we had never seen car bombs being used by organised crime until he started and he killed thousands of innocent people: there was a bomb on an airplane; a bomb under a building where people were working, he earned the label of being the world's first narco terrorist." According to Steve Murphy, Escobar's policy of ''Plata O Plomo'' infected every aspect of the Colombian nation. "It was extensive and it was all-reaching," he recalls. "It infiltrated every facet of the government but that is not to say that the entire government was corrupt because they certainly were not. "But there was so much being offered and money tends to corrupt because it exacerbates the greed factor in people." So how did ''Plata O Plomo'' actually work? "His representatives would go to a judge and ask for him to dismiss charges against an associate. An honourable judge would tell them to get out of his office but then they would produce a case with $50,000 and say Mr Escobar would like you to have this. "The judge would refuse and tell them to get out. Then they produced pictures of his wife coming out of their house; his children at school or maybe the judge's mother and father out for a Sunday drive. That was how 'Plata O Plomo' worked: he either accepted the money and did what Pablo wanted or his entire family, including his children, would be wiped out." The rise and fall of Escobar is a paradigm for the dynamics of organised crime everywhere: as long as there is demand for their product there will always be Pablos to supply it. "The Medellin Cartel was the first international cocaine organisation to be completely dismantled and destroyed but when they were taken out, the Cali Cartel stepped up. When we took them out it was the North Valley Group. "It all comes back to the basic law of economics, supply versus demand. As long as there is demand, there are people who will do anything necessary to supply it." Murphy and Pena will bring their show: Narcos: Capturing Pablo to the Cork Opera House and Dublin's Olympia Theatre next May. You can hear a live interview with the DEA agents tomorrow morning on the Newstalk Breakfast Show Top Republicans are at war over the special probe into Russia's links to the Trump campaign, with the second most senior GOP member of the Senate warning it would be a "mistake" to fire inquiry chief Robert Mueller. John Cornyn yesterday came to the defence of Mr Mueller, who has already taken down top figures within the Trump entourage. However, many other Republicans have ramped up criticism of his probe. Representative Jackie Speier, a California Democrat, had claimed on Friday that the "rumour" sweeping the Capitol was that Mr Trump planned to fire Mr Mueller this week. Mr Trump denied last night he was considering sacking the former FBI chief. Mr Trump's lawyer, Ty Cobb, also denied the claim. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short both pushed back on the claim. "There's no conversation about that whatsoever in the White House," Mr Short said. "I haven't heard anything about this, any firing," Mr Mnuchin said, adding that it was "obviously up to" Mr Trump to make a final decision. However, several Republican politicians have dialled up their criticism of Mr Mueller and the staff working on the investigation. Mr Trump, too, has seized on some of these questions, writing on Twitter that the FBI's reputation is "in tatters". "The public trust in this whole thing is gone," Representative Jim Jordan, of Ohio, claimed last week during a House Judiciary Committee appearance by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mr Mueller. During the hearing Mr Rosenstein defended Mr Mueller and said the investigation "is not a witch hunt". Senator Cornyn said that he had confidence in Mr Mueller, who was named in May to lead a special probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Still, he joined many of his Republican colleagues in casting doubt on the integrity of the investigation, repeating that Mr Mueller should "eliminate" team members who had supported Democrats or were critical of Mr Trump. "I would just think he would be concerned about the appearance of conflicts of interest that would undermine the integrity of the investigation," Mr Cornyn said. Mr Mueller recently removed an FBI official from the investigation as soon as his anti-Trump text messages were discovered. The recipient of the texts, who was also on Mr Mueller's team, had left by the time the exchanges were discovered. Unlawful On Saturday, a lawyer for Mr Trump's presidential transition complained in a letter to two congressional committees about what he described as the "unlawful production" of tens of thousands of transitions emails to Mr Mueller's team by employees at the federal General Services Administration. Some of the materials are "susceptible to claims of privilege," the lawyer, Kory Langhofer, said in the letter. Mr Mueller's office defended the way the emails were obtained. "When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process," said Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsel's office. Doug Jones, the federal prosecutor and Democratic senator-elect from Alabama, said he was confident the investigation was proceeding without bias, and described Mr Mueller as a "consummate professional". 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. An Amtrak passenger train is seen derailed on a bridge over interstate highway (I-5) in this Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) image moved on social media in DuPont, Washington, U.S., December 18, 2017. Courtesy WSDOT/Handout via REUTERS This photo provided by Washington State Patrol shows an Amtrak train that derailed south of Seattle on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Authorities reported "injuries and casualties." The train derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle before 8 a.m., spilling at least one train car on to busy Interstate 5. (Washington State Patrol via AP) This photo provided by Washington State Patrol shows an Amtrak train that derailed south of Seattle on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Authorities reported "injuries and casualties." The train derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle before 8 a.m., spilling at least one train car on to busy Interstate 5. (Washington State Patrol via AP) A train making the first run along a faster route has hurtled off an overpass in the US and spilled some of its carriages on to the road below, killing at least six people, authorities said. Seventy-eight passengers and five crew members were aboard when the Amtrak train travelling at more than 80mph derailed about 40 miles south of Seattle on a route that had raised safety concerns. The death toll is expected to rise. An official briefed on the investigation said preliminary signs indicated that Train 501 may have struck something before going off the track. Pierce County Sheriff's Office said several vehicles on Interstate 5 were struck by falling train carriages and multiple motorists were injured. No motorists were reported killed. Expand Close This photo provided by Washington State Patrol shows an Amtrak train that derailed south of Seattle on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Authorities reported "injuries and casualties." The train derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle before 8 a.m., spilling at least one train car on to busy Interstate 5. (Washington State Patrol via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp This photo provided by Washington State Patrol shows an Amtrak train that derailed south of Seattle on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Authorities reported "injuries and casualties." The train derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle before 8 a.m., spilling at least one train car on to busy Interstate 5. (Washington State Patrol via AP) Chris Karnes was on the train, three or four carriages from the front. He said the only part of the train remaining on the tracks was the rear locomotive. Several cars were hanging over the overpass. The possibility that the wreck was caused by something on the tracks fed into concerns voiced by local officials about the risk of high-speed trains crossing busy streets. The mayor of a town near the derailment had warned about the danger of an accident at a public meeting two weeks ago. Expand Close This photo provided by Danae Orlob shows an Amtrak train that derailed south of Seattle on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Authorities reported "injuries and casualties." The train derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle before 8 a.m., spilling at least one train car on to busy Interstate 5. (Danae Orlob via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp This photo provided by Danae Orlob shows an Amtrak train that derailed south of Seattle on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Authorities reported "injuries and casualties." The train derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle before 8 a.m., spilling at least one train car on to busy Interstate 5. (Danae Orlob via AP) Daniel Konzelman, 24, was driving parallel to the train on his way to work in Olympia. He was about 30 seconds ahead of the train on the freeway when he saw it derail. Mr Konzelman, who was driving with a friend, said he pulled off the freeway and ran down along the tracks and over the bridge to get to the scene. They saw three cars and a truck on the freeway that had been damaged by the derailment. There were train carriages with their roofs ripped off, or that were tipped upside down, on both sides of the track or turned sideways on the bridge. They climbed into train carriages and found people hurt - some pinned underneath the train, others who appeared to be dead, he said. If they were mobile and seemed stable, he helped them climb out. If they appeared seriously hurt, he tried to comfort them by talking to them. "I just wanted to help people because I would want people to help me," he said. "I'm an Eagle Scout. I have a lot of first-aid training and emergency response training." "I prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. I saw a little bit of both," he said. Donald Trump used the derailment to call for more infrastructure spending in a tweet sent about three hours after the accident. He said the wreck, on a newly completed bypass, shows "more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly". The train was making the inaugural run on the new route as part of a 180 million dollar (134 million) project designed to speed up service by removing passenger trains from a route along Puget Sound which is bogged down by curves, single-track tunnels and freight traffic. The new route includes a bypass built on an existing inland rail line that runs along Interstate 5 from Tacoma to DuPont, near where Train 501 derailed. Track testing was completed in January and February, according to Washington State Department of Transportation. The mayor of Lakewood, a city along the new route, predicted a deadly crash - but one involving a fast-moving train hitting a car or pedestrian at a crossing. At a recent public meeting, he called on state planners to build overpass-like rail structures instead of having trains cross busy streets. "Come back when there is that accident and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements," Don Anderson said, according to Seattle television station KOMO. "Or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens." The National Transportation Safety Board said a team of investigators was on its way to the scene from Washington DC. The train was going 81.1mph moments before the derailment, according to transitdocs.com, a website that maps Amtrak train locations and speeds using data from the railroad's train tracker app. The maximum speed along the stretch of track, known as Point Defiance Bypass, is 79mph, according to information about the project posted online by Washington State Department of Transportation. Hospital officials said of those injured at least two were in a critical condition and 11 others were seriously injured. Four hospitals said 50 people were being treated for their injuries. Authorities said a total of 13 train cars had derailed. Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Brooke Bova said five vehicles and two semi-trailers underneath the train on I-5 were hit when the cars came off the tracks from above. Belgian lawyer Sven Mary who will represent Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam at his trial in Brussels in February (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File) A closely-watched trial in Belgium involving the only surviving suspect in the 2015 attacks in Paris has been postponed until February to give a newly appointed lawyer time to prepare. Salah Abdeslam's trial in Brussels was set to begin on Monday but the defence requested a delay. Lawyer Sven Mary told reporters at the courthouse that the new starting date for the trial is February 5. Belgian authorities accuse Abdeslam of attempted murder for a shooting in 2016 in Brussels, four months after he fled the scene of the Paris attacks in November 2015. Abdeslam, currently in a French prison, is also expected to face trial in France in the coming years for the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people and were claimed by the Islamic State group. AP Maryse Alie, a lawyer for police officers involved in the Brussels shooting, said she hopes Abdeslam will use the court appearance to speak for the first time. "He (Abdeslam) never spoke until now so we hope that, as he expressed a wish to come here, he will be able to talk and to explain certain things," she said. AP Power Publishers' newest title 'The Life Essentials' is an honest effort by first-time author Sathyan Segaran that might get you in life reboot mode, if you are on with it. A non-fiction self-help guide, the book consists of 50 chapters reflecting upon the aspects of life we call 'essentials'. As they say, 'eat, work, sleep, repeat' is what keeps the life going, while the ancillaries are simply optional. It is true in most cases and we, the proud participators of the rat-race, tend to grow oblivious of the fact as we head on with our lives. Before we delve further into the details, the book offers 50 short chapters about taking life seriously or not. Relieving every episode, from teenage to adulthood, with a short anecdote from this life, the chapters have been made interesting and informative. Now, you might have lived through them or are still, but you might want to sit back and evaluate the things you are yet to tick off the list. The things that make our life simple and peaceful in the most basic and therefore underrated way, has been explained through pictures and simple to-do lists wherever necessary. The language is simple. What really keeps the mood going is how the author makes us see everything in a positive way. If you are going through a low for some time now, you might want to grab a copy of the book and look for some light to get you hopping back on the tracks. The book, priced at Rs 400, is currently available at power-publishers.com, flipkart.com, amazon.in and ebay.in. (Reviewed by Anupriya Dutta) Gandhinagar/Shimla, Dec 18 (IBNS): After months long campaigning and electoral battle, the results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls will finally be out on Monday. The counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.. The Congress campaigned hard to end the 22 years rule of BJP in Gujarat. The Congress fought the Gujarat poll aligning with the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS). However, the exit poll results predicted a clean sweep by the BJP in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. It predict BJP to win around 110 out of 182 seats as opposed to Congress' 70 seats in Gujarat. Times Now-VMR predicted that BJP might get 109 out if 182 seats while the Congress will have to settle for 70 seats. Three seats might go to Others. ABP-CSDS predicted BJP might win 117, Congress 64 seats leaving 1 for Others. IndiaToday-Axis My India exit poll predicted 99-103 seats for BJP, 68-82 for Congress and 1-4 for Others. News X-CNX exit poll stated BJP might get 110-120 seats leaving 65 to 75 seats for the Congress and Others could get 2 to 4 seats. The exit polls also suggested that the BJP might replace the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh. Times Now-VMR predicted BJP to win 51 seats while the Congress could only manage to bag 16 seats. India Today-Axis My India poll gave 47-55 to BJP, 13-20 to Congress and Others might get 0-2 seats. Images: .facebook.com/narendramodi, facebook.com/rahulgandhi New Delhi, Dec 18 (IBNS): With BJP poised to comfortably romp home in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, party president Amit Shah arrived at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Monday on a jubilant mood, according to media reports. An elated Narendra Modi tweeted, "Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories." He followed it up with another tweet that said, "I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly." Earlier he had tweeted in Hindi, where he said "Vikas wins, Gujarat wins." Amit Shah tweeted his thanks to both states and said that the progressive measures implemented by the BJP government at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people- friendly measures implemented by the state government in Gujarat has encouraged people to vote in large numbers for the BJP. Shah also congratulated the people of Himachal Pradesh for expressing their faith in BJP and PM Modi. New Delhi, Dec 18 (IBNS) : BJP president Amit Shah congratulated his party men for the triumph in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, saying this is a victory of "Vikas" (development ) over dynasty. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in the national capital, Shah also said these are a precursor to the victory BJP will register in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. We have once again emerged triumphant. I offer heartfelt gratitude to the people of Gujarat and Hiamchal Pradesh," Shah said. People have reposed faith in Modis path of vikas. This is a victory of development over dynasty and polarisation." Shah expressed confidence that his party will emerge victorious in 2019 elections. We are confident that when we go into 2019 elections under the leadership of PM Modi we will once again get peoples support," Shah said. Commenting on the reduced margin of victory that the BJP has experienced in Gujarat this time, Shah said this was because of the "caste-based campaign" of the Congress. "But people of the state rejected their idea. Though the Congress tried to fuel the fire of caste politics in Gujarat, BJP managed to overcome this and people of the state defeated them,." Reacting to the poll results in Himachal, Shah said, The 2/3rd lead in Himachal Pradesh shows the people's aspiration to take part in Narendra Modi's "journey to development." Kolkata, Dec 18 (IBNS): Gujarat may have rested their faith in PM Modi once again but West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, one of the proponents of a united Opposition, felt the BJP's decline in seat numbers is an ominous sign for the saffron brigade in 2019 General Election. Reacting to BJP's win in Gujarat, Banerjee tweeted: "I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour. It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019." I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour. It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 18, 2017 Though the BJP managed to win the Gujarat poll, the saffron brigade despite riding on Modi's charismatic campaign failed to touch the 100 mark by one seat opposing Congress' tough fight. Congress, which has put up a brave fight and unnerved the ruling BJP, settled for 80 seats in total. While the BJP swept the north, south and central Gujarat, Congress did well in Saurashtra-Kutch region. Commenting on the reduced margin of victory that the BJP has experienced in Gujarat this time, Shah said this was because of the "caste-based campaign" of the Congress. "But people of the state rejected their idea. Though the Congress tried to fuel the fire of caste politics in Gujarat, BJP managed to overcome this and people of the state defeated them,." Though the West Bengal CM hinted at a change in power in 2019 Lok Sabha poll, Shah said it is the BJP which will win the next General Election. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has accepted defeat in Gujarat but said his party fought the elections with "dignity." 20 stranded Nepalis to return home today After languishing in Kuwait for months, 20 Nepali migrant workers are finally set to return home. Ten of them boarded a flight to Kathmandu on Sunday while the other 10 are said to catch a Monday morning flight. Srinagar, Dec 18 (IBNS): The opposition National Conference Party on Monday staged a protest against the Jammu and Kashmir administration in Srinagar for the civilian killing by the Indian Army. Reports said that after assembling at party headquarters at Nawai-Subh here in Kashmir's capital Srinagar, the party workers led by General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar carried out a rally and headed towards Lal Chowk in Srinagar. While talking to reporters, Ali Muhammad Sagar said that this protest rally was organized to rue the affairs of the state. There is no government on the ground. There is no electricity and no drinking water. Arrest spree and killings are the order of the day, he said. Sagar alleged that government has miserably failed to provide basic amenities to the common people. The protesters were carrying banners featuring messages like Stop civilian killings, Stop RSS agenda and Provide basic facilities to people. They termed the government probe into the killing of the Kupwara driver as an eye-wash. Probes ordered in the past have yielded nothing, they said. Asif Iqbal, a cab driver, was killed in army firing in Thandipora village of Kupwara district late Saturday night, locals said. However, army said that he was killed in cross-firing with militants during an ambush. The protesters tried to proceed towards city's centre Lal Chowk, however, they were stopped by the police near Polo View. (Reporting by Saleem Qadri) Srinagar, Dec 18 (IBNS): A gunfight broke out between security forces and militants at Batmuran area of Wanpora in South Kashmir's Shopian district on Monday evening. Official sources said that a joint team of 44RR and SOG launched a cordon-and- search operation at Batmuraan following specific inputs about the presence of some militants. As such the joint team of forces intensified the searches and fired some warning shots towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants opened fire triggering off an gunfight. When reports last came in the intermittent firing was going on. (Reporting by Saleem Qadri) Kabul, Dec 18 (IBNS): The police chief of Aab Kamari district in Badghis province of Afghanistan was killed by Taliban insurgents on Sunday night, reports said. The deceased has been identified as Abdul Rasoul. Local Tolo News quoted provincial police chief, Abdul Raouf Taj, as saying, "Abdul Rasoul and another policeman were killed in a Taliban ambush when they wanted to help the security forces who were under attack." The Taliban has not commented on this report so far. Ottawa, Dec 18 (IBNS): Quebec jurist Richard Wagner will swear in as Canada's new Chief Justice at Rideau Hall here on Monday. Wagner will swear in at a ceremony which will be presided by Governor General Julie Payette. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 9.30 a.m.. Wagner was appointed as the country's Chief Justice by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week. Wagner has replaced Beverley McLachlin as the top judge of Canada. Trudeau made the announcement and he was quoted by Toronto Star: "It is an honour to name the Honourable Richard Wagner as the new Chief Justice of Canada." "I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead the highest court of Canada, an institution with a long and respected history of judicial independence and excellence. The judiciary, the legal profession, and all Canadians will be well served by his dedication to upholding the laws and Constitution upon which this country is founded.," the PM added. Though Trudeau had greatly favoured a woman judge, a woman in any top post more precisely, he finally backed down in this case, reports said. One of the main reasons for not appointing Rosalie Abella (71) as the Chief Justice because the post will once again fall vacant after three to four years from now on after her retirement. Wagner will earn $405,400 after his elevation. Wagner, a father of two children, is a full bilingual Quebecker. A Montreal-born new Chief Justice Wagner is a former commercial and civil law lawyer. Wagner's appointment was pressed by the Bar of Montreal and the Quebec National Assembly to Trudeau to stick to the practice of choosing judges from Quebec and rest of Canada alternatively. The practice, however, is not always followed and Trudeau's own father did not adhere to the norm when he was the Canadian PM. (Reporting by Suman Das) Image: Creative Commons Markets end the day in red It was a day in red for Indian equity markets, today. Nifty 50 ended, down by 65.75 points. Sensex ended, down by 230.12 points. Top Gainers today were Tata Consumer, Adani Enterprises and L&am... November 17, 2022 | 17-11-2022 3:42 pm Bangalore Airport IPO could be valued at ~$3.7 Billion As per the reports of various news publications, Fairfax India Holdings Limited is considering the initial public offer for Bangalore International Airport. It could value the asset of the airp... November 17, 2022 | 17-11-2022 2:59 pm Timken India to set up new manufacturing facility at Bharuch, Gujarat; Stock hits 52-week high Timken India Ltd stock hits 52-week high on Thursday after it has announced that new manufacturing facility will be set up at Bharuch, Gujarat to manufacture Spherical Roller Bearings ('SR... November 17, 2022 | 17-11-2022 2:41 pm Tata Motors bags supply order of 1,000 buses to Haryana Roadways Tata Motors on Thursday has announced that it has bagged a prestigious order of 1000 buses from Haryana Roadways. The Company will supply the 52-seater fully built BS6 diesel buses i... November 17, 2022 | 17-11-2022 1:55 pm Ind Ra assigns Biocon credit rating at 'IND AA+' with Stable outlook India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has assigned Biocon Ltd a Long-Term Issuer Rating of IND AA+. The Outlook is Stable. Further, the proposed commercial paper ratings ass... November 17, 2022 | 17-11-2022 1:07 pm Notes from Indian Country The guinea pigs of American cultureBy Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji Stand Up For Them) In the early 1950s the federal government, through its agency the Bureau of Indian Affairs, decided, in its infinite wisdom, to evacuate the Indian reservations. They did it with a newly devised program they called Relocation. It was a clever euphemism for Removal. What followed was a program that cost the federal government, and the taxpayers, millions of dollars and in the end was a program that was an abysmal failure. Entire families were relocated to Cleveland, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles and Dallas just to name a few. Dave Brewer loaded up his family and relocated to Dallas, Texas. Amanda Takes War Bonnet and family ended up in San Francisco as did Theresa Giago. Buddy White Eyes and his brother Teddy ended up in Redwood City in the San Francisco Bay Area. All of these families were relocated from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Enos Poor Bear and his family were moved to Chicago. Ironically when Enos arrived in Chicago he picked up the Chicago Tribune and the headline read, Welcome to Chicago Enos. He about fainted on the spot. Coincidentally and ironically, the Chicago Cubs had just traded for Enos Country Slaughter and it was this Enos that prompted the bold headline. In the end thousands of Indian families were Relocated to the cities and placed in shoddy apartments that were mostly located in the ghettoes of the intended cities. Innocent fathers, mothers and children were for the first time exposed to an environment they didnt know existed. Although they returned to the reservations by the thousands a terrible and lasting damage had been perpetrated on them. And in turn they brought all of that terrible baggage back to the reservations. The experimental programs to eradicate the Indian population began much earlier. It began when the government began to Remove entire tribes from their homelands to the arid climates of states like Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and other places in order to take over the plush lands the Indians had cultivated for thousands of year. The infamous Trail of Tears happened when the Cherokee and other tribes of Georgia and North Carolina were herded like cattle from their traditional homelands to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma. Many of them died on this infamous march. The U. S. Government witnessed the successful programs of assimilation as practiced by the Spaniards. They split up families, took the children from their parents, eradicated their Native language and forced them to learn Spanish, changed their surnames to Spanish names, and incorporated them into a new and different culture. They literally created a new race of people out of the indigenous people of South America, Central America and Mexico. Those who refused to abide by the new laws were slaughtered by the hundreds of thousands. Read A Cross of Thorns by Elias Castillo for a true and horrifying account of this genocide. America was a bit more subtle about it. They took the Indian children from their parents and placed them in boarding schools where they were indoctrinated into a new religion, new culture, and efforts to eradicate their Native language were initiated. Simultaneously, while the assimilation of the children was happening, the federal government was passing laws that stripped Indian tribes throughout the west of their homelands. The Great Sioux Reservation was sliced up like a piece of pie and millions of acres of land were opened to the white settlers while the indigenous people were pushed on to lands that even some of the settlers considered uninhabitable. Beautiful acres upon acres of cultivated agricultural Indian lands along the Missouri River were flooded for the dams constructed there and ancient homes and burial grounds of the Indian people were lost forever. All of these things were accomplished with absolutely no input from the Indian people. Tribal people like the Crow Creek, Lower Brule, Yankton, and Standing Rock would see the caskets of their loved ones floating on the surface after their lands had been flooded. No monetary value could ever be placed on the suffering and the loss of these people. And so we learned the language and the culture and lived through Removal, Relocation, and Re-education. Many took up the religious practices of the Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Mormons and Lutherans surrendering their traditional spirituality in the process. Christmas became a holiday widely accepted by the Lakota simply because it most resembled our own traditions of sharing, gift-giving and of course our traditional giveaways. Perhaps there is no returning to what was because modern technology has managed to disrupt and intrude where the old ways of assimilation failed in some ways. Wicasa Wakan like Arvol Looking Horse and Rick Sunka Numpa are still holding the line that links us to our past, but our newest generation must figure out a way to stop the modern day flood that is inundating us. The Indian people have been the experimental guinea pigs of Americas centuries old discolored past. This week there were rays of hope and a renewal of pride as thousands of Lakota, Dakota and Nakota children flooded the court of the Lakota Nation Invitational in Rapid City. The pride they showed in their people and culture could be felt throughout the arena. If we put away the drugs, put away the alcohol and put away the hate, there can truly be a new beginning. But we first have to face ourselves and overcome the historic trauma I just outlined that has been dealt to us. Join the Conversation She is bold and beautiful in every sense of the word. Even when half of the A-listers from our industry showed their back and turned against Kangana Ranaut, her voice was bolder than ever. BCCL From hitting at Karan Johar for nepotism on his own talk show to talking about her controversial past with Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Pancholi, and a few others, Kangana made sure her voice is heard. Star India However, life is not a bed of roses for people who choose to fight their battles alone. Standing up for your own self sometimes comes up with a heavy price. For the first time ever, Kangana spoke to Mumbai Mirror about how the whole Hrithik fiasco affected her commercial viability. Twitter The Queen actress was quoted in the report saying, AFP The offers havent slowed but my commercial viability has been affected. The endorsements are fewer, my earnings are down and my plan to open my own production house has had to be pushed. But I have signed three films, have a beautiful house in Manali now and an office on Pali Hill and Im going to Harvard so dont write me off just yet." However, a focused Kangana clarified that these controversies don't matter and she would like to remain focused on her upcoming project Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Talking about being all pepped up for the project she added, BCCL I dont want my life to become a cautionary tale but an inspiration for young girls and for that I will survive and succeed. Apart from her projects, Kangana is going to begin 2018 on a great note as she is preparing hard for a talk at Harvard Business School, which is scheduled for February 2018. Make way for Queen K, you guys! Cementocracy Bikas (development) has resurfaced as a key idea in the present political discourse of Nepal, supplanting the post-conflict trope of a naya Nepal which has now allegedly arrived. In a bizarre yet crazy incident, a drunk Chennai based businessman drove away the ambulance instead of his Audi. He was so high that he forgot to take his car parked outside the hospital. He did not even realise that he is driving a Maruti Omni until he reached home, 13 km away from the hospital, according to police. Hospital staff too noticed it at 3 am when Maruti ambulance was found missing. Suspecting it to be a theft, the hospital informed a Thousand[ Lights police station. A team from a nearby night patrol reached the hospital and started making enquiries. Just then a man drove the ambulance into the hospital and profusely apologised saying his boss, a businessman, had mistakenly driven it home, said a police officer. The businessman had come to the hospital to drop his friend, who is said to have suffered injuries. By mistake, he drove off the ambulance and realised it only when at home, he was asked bout his Audi. In a rare honour, a woman doctor in Jammu and Kashmir has been awarded for donating blood for more than 50 times in three decades by an organisation which promotes such efforts. A senior medical officer at Police Hospital, Jammu, Kiran Sharma, received the award from the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology (ISBTI) this month for her extraordinary contribution in the field of voluntary blood donation movement. Representational Image ISBTI was formed in 1972 after Indo-Pak war in 1971, to motivate people for voluntary blood donation in the country. Sharma, the only women among the 10 people who received the award, said she felt inner solace on all 53 times she had donated blood. Representational Image "I am donating blood for the past 30 years. I started in 1987 when I was a student," she told PTI. Born in Bhaderwah area of Doda district, Sharma received the award from ISBTI during its 42nd National Conference held at Kota in Rajasthan from Dec 8-10. This may sound bizarre at first, but wait, it's all legit. A massive manhunt is under way for India's first ever 'Happiness Minister' after he fled an arrest for murder charges. Fifty three-year-old Lal Singh Arya has been absconding since December 12. He was named a suspect in the murder of opposition politician Makhanlal Jatav. Facebook Congress' Jatav was shot dead while out campaigning for another candidate in April 2009. Court in Bhind has issued an arrest warrant against Arya. Lal Singh Arya is the head of Indias only Department for Happiness, set up by the government in Madhya Pradesh in 2016. It is tasked with improving the happiness and tolerance of its citizens and putting a smile on everyones face through services such as free yoga and meditation classes. Not all organisations in this world work to line their own pockets and for-profit: while some take on philanthropic campaigns on regular basis, others have made it a full-time effort to work for the causes they believe in, either by physically being there or financially. Heres a brief list of organizations that are raising money for worthy causes. 1 United Way Worldwide (UWW) tampabaybitcoin With a fundraising capacity of 92%, UWW is a worldwide charity giant that covers every atrocity, every problem and every situation. They work in more than 40 countries worldwide and have over 2.6 million volunteers working for them. UWW also maintains a charitable commitment level of 86%. 2 Task Force for Global Health atlantamagazine As the name suggests, TFGH is an independent organisation that works for the benefit of health advancements in this world. The organisation based in Decatur, Georgia, in the US, has field offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Guatemala City, Guatemala. It has helped millions of people whore associated with them. Owing to their fund-raising ability and commitment capacity for global causes, the organisation won the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 2016. Theyre best known for their work around the Zika virus and Ebola, where they have assisted several developing countries. 3 Feeding America Another US-based hunger relief organisation, Feeding America caters to nearly 41 million people who deal with hunger on a daily basis. It is the USs largest domestic hunger relief organisation working to connect people with food. They are popularly known for organising food banks across the nation to feed the needy and destitute. Furthermore, they also guide people towards building a path of food-secure future. 4 YMCA 2 weeks now that our Camp Climate is over... but our fight continue HAPPY FRIDAY YMCA PEOPLE #worldymca #climateChange pic.twitter.com/dpeYxO9zND World YMCA (@WorldYMCA) December 1, 2017 While the name might evoke images of The Village People and synchronised dancing, the organisation that inspired the lyrics does a lot of work for the betterment of society. Popularly know as The Y, the association is a bona fide charity. This organisation, which runs on donations works in the areas of housing the needy, career counselling, and health camps. 5 Azim Premji Foundation dnaindia The chairman of Wipro also manages a charitable organisation that runs an elementary education programme in rural government schools. The foundation basically works by implementing various programmes to enhance the quality of education in a bid to bring about deep-rooted change. Today, they deal with more than 3,50,000 schools across the country in 40+ districts across six states and one union territory. 6 Natural Resources Defense Council We need your help! The Republicans disastrous pro-polluter tax bill will slash funds for clean energy, give handouts to the fossil fuel industry, and open the #ArcticRefuge to oil drilling. Call Congress TODAY at 202-224-3121 to Fight Back! https://t.co/t27dnRLaDV pic.twitter.com/CDefgiq0BA NRDC (@NRDC) December 15, 2017 We all know that the growing need of the hour is the environmental issues we face daily. The Natural Resources Defense Council is an organisation that works to restore the wellbeing of elements that sustain life air, land, and water. They use the funds they collect to save natural species and assist the ones that are endangered. They work with businesses, elected officials, and community groups to cater to negate the impact of global warming, and to support ocean management, clean water, sustainable community, etc. 7 Goodwill Industries International Looking for that little something special for someone in your life? Head to your local #Goodwill for fun and creative #gift starters. You will also be giving the gift of a brighter future to someone in your #community: https://t.co/L8fxZ5xCzk #WhyGoodwill pic.twitter.com/2CXVwBETnu Goodwill Industries (@GoodwillIntl) December 12, 2017 A group like Goodwill Industries International is hard to ignore, owing to their phenomenal work. The organisation helps people find work, get back on their feet, rehabilitate the disadvantaged, especially the disabled and those who are in need of special assistance. They generate massive funds to help channelize these operations. They ensue job training, counselling, employment placement services, and other community bases programmes to help people. 8 United States Fund for UNICEF Could you live without the internet for a day? 346 million young people have no access at all. New report https://t.co/R5K66Xaa8y #GrowingUpOnline pic.twitter.com/1Gte8ElDyz UNICEF (@UNICEF) December 11, 2017 In their mission, they have helped millions of children in more than 190 countries by imbibing hygienic measures of everyday survival. Since its inception, the U.S Fund has facilitated UNICEF with $6.3 billion in cash and gifts-in-kind. 9 Food for the Poor Hygiene kits with supplies for 800 girls in Guatemala were packed by @DaVita employees who visited our headquarters on Tuesday: https://t.co/mKFl17xfLR pic.twitter.com/N2pmMBiDb0 Food For The Poor (@FoodForThePoor) December 15, 2017 FFP specialises in reaching out to regions where poverty is rampant. It helps people in the Caribbean and Latin American countries. They put major emphasis on facilitating food, medicine, and housing. Their main agenda is to help materially poor people and those poor in spirit. They have proved to be a major help in disaster management and global crisis. 10 Wellcome Trust By working together, the UK & EU have achieved many research breakthroughs and we look forward to many more. What will those partnerships look like? Help us shape the future by telling us your views https://t.co/gVJYYRjOwN Please RT! pic.twitter.com/RXnTTqtfSU Wellcome Trust (@wellcometrust) December 8, 2017 Established in 1936, this trust is one of the oldest and most trusted in the world. They work in the areas of human and animal health, and get massive donations to fund research that could help find solutions for pressing issues. The trust has an endowment of 20.9 billion. They are also seen as UKs largest provider of non-governmental funding for scientific research, coming in second after the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 11 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation needs no introduction and we have saved this one for the last because there is a lot to say about it. This private organisation that came to existence under the special guidance of Bill and Melinda Gates in 2000 maintains the reputation of being the largest transparently managed organisation. They primarily work to enhance global health and reduce extreme poverty, but theres hardly anything left they havent indirectly contributed to. They operate with an endowment of over US$44.3 billion and its constantly increasing. They run several massive fund-raising campaigns for developing countries and regions that are in need of special assistance to help them overcome their situation. A restaurant in Gaza is offering massive discount to North Koreans to show appreciation for rejecting U.S. President Donald Trumps recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. 80 per cent off for Korean customers in appreciation of the role of Korean leader Kim (Jong-Un) in our Palestinian cause, a sign on the Rabaa Restaurant in the Jabalia refugee camp reads. Reuters US President Donald Trump announced on December 6 that he would recognise the disputed city as Israels capital and move his embassy there. There are currently no North Koreans in the besieged coastal Palestinian territory, nor do any Palestinian residents hold the citizenship, according to the Gaza interior ministry. But Kim has won admirers for his vocal criticism of Israel and his jibes about the controversial American policy shift on Jerusalem. AFP Kim responded by calling Trump a dotard and slamming his decision as a reckless, wicked act. Israel seized control of the eastern part of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day war and later declared the entire city its undivided capital. The Palestinians view the east side as the capital of their future state. To enter Israel to visit Jerusalem, Gazans have to apply for hard-to-get permits from the Jewish state, which has blockaded the strip for a decade. Rabaa said his idea had stirred debate on social media and elsewhere, while also attracting customers. He said the symbolic discount offer was an expression of thanks for Kims support of the Palestinian cause and his rejection of Trumps decision. I know there are no Koreans here in the Gaza Strip, but this is the least I can offer, he said. Several pictures of Kim adorn the walls of the small restaurant. Rabaas initiative was a key topic of conversation among his customers. I love Kim because he stands up as a man and a hero against America, said one diner. I came to see the Koreans, if they are in Jabalia, joked another. It's that time of the year when vacationers set off on long cruises to celebrate Christmas and New Year and it's also the time when the stomach-bug grabs the limelight. Twitter/ @rickfoliva Also Read: 6 Things You Can Do To Make Your Family Holiday An Unforgettable One This year nearly 200 passengers onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise bound for Jamaica from Florida fell victim to the deadly stomach virus. Hundreds of passengers contracted a gastrointestinal illness on the cruise named the Independence of the Seas. During the five-night cruise, 332 cases of the illness were reported, Owen Torres, a spokesman for Royal Caribbean told CNN in a statement on Saturday. Passengers of Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas expressed relief today as they returned to Florida after more than 200 people fell ill during the five-night cruise https://t.co/125en11dh3 pic.twitter.com/B47TEvmjnx WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) December 16, 2017 He stressed that it was a small percentage - 5.99 per cent - of the more than 5,000 passengers and crew onboard the ship, Independence of the Seas. "Those affected by the short-lived illness were treated by our ship's doctors with over-the-counter medication," Torres said, "and we hope all our guests feel better quickly". Another passenger told the USA Today, that people were seen throwing up in elevators while going to the ship's medical facility. Passenger (@CruiseNiche) shared these photos with us of crews in protective gear sanitizing Independence of the Seas cruise ship. Many tell us people were vomiting in the elevators/halls trying to get to the doctor @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/zdXDPiiasV Erica Rakow (@EricaRakow) 16 December 2017 The cause of illness is still unknown. "It was just terrifying," a passenger whose 15-year-old son came down with the illness, told local media on Saturday. "Just the amount of people that were coming in at the same time with vomiting and diarrhoea and just looked ghastly." Torres, the Royal Caribbean spokesman, told CNN the company is "taking steps like intensive sanitary procedures to minimise the risk of any further issues", and that the ship will "undergo special additional cleaning procedures before it departs on its next cruise". Also Read: Here Is Everything You Need To Know About India's Latest Subsonic Cruise Missile 'Nirbhay' Russian President Vladimir Putin called his US counterpart Donald Trump and expressed his gratitude for US intelligence agency CIA's input which helped in foiling the terror strike in St Petersburg. President Putin expressed his gratitude through this call, the Kremlin said on Sunday. Russia's Federal Security Service said Friday that it detained seven Islamic State supporters earlier this week for plotting to blow up the famous Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia. AP "The information received from the CIA proved to be sufficient for the search and detention of the suspects," Xinhua cited a statement from Kremlin as saying. Putin told Trump that the Russian special services, upon receiving information regarding terrorist threats against the US and its citizens, will immediately provide it to their US counterparts. AFP This was the second phone conversation between Putin and Trump within a week following a call on Thursday, when the two presidents discussed "urgent issues" in bilateral diplomatic relations and situation on the Korean Peninsula. Just last week, Apple released the latest iOS 11.2.1 update to fix a number of issues for the iPhone and iPad. Unfortunately for them, but fortunately for modders everywhere, it seems the new version has already been jailbroken. Secure Pandora Labs, a subsidiary of Chinese megacorporation Alibaba, says its cracked the latest OS version just a few days after its launch, and that too using the same exploit they did for iOS 11.2. The cyber security firm announced their achievement in a blog post, saying they managed to jailbreak the iPhone without tethering it to a computer, and it even supports the well known jailbroken iPhone appstore Cydia. Although iOS 11.2 fixes some security issues, we confirmed on the day of release that the new version will still be able to jailbreak, Secure Pandoras head Song Yang said. The company didnt release the technical details involved with their procedure, to keep the device secure from hackers, and doesnt plan on releasing the tools they used in the future. They say all they wanted to do was expose how some flaws in iOS have not been fixed in the new update, in the hopes Apple will seal the breach soon. However, theyve still given hackers an important clue by saying it was the same method as for the last OS version, likely a memory buffer overflow bug. As the value of cryptocurrency continues its meteoric rise, at least one company is looking to jump on the bandwagon of all that hype. According to Coindesk, Japan-based GMO Internet Group will soon allow its employees to claim a part of their salary in Bitcoin. The system will be rolled out in February 2018, and employees will have the opportunity to choose a portion of their monthly salary between 10,000 yen (approximately Rs 5,700) to 100,000 yen (Rs 57,000) to be paid to them in the popular cryptocurrency. GMO will also supposedly contribute a 10 percent bonus of the amount, to encourage employee investment in the scheme, in their own cryptocurrency called GMO Coin. Its not such a wild move for the company, seeing as its already in the Bitcoin business and even launching its own initial coin offering (ICO) next year. ICO is when a company raises capital by selling its own cryptocurrency for an equal value paid in Bitcoin. However, the move also raises broader concerns about the entire cryptocurrency economy. Many financial experts have called Bitcoins meteoric rise a bubble saying its only a matter of time before it bursts and heavy investors are out for major losses. For instance, assume youre claiming a quarter of your salary as Bitcoin for a year, and you think of it as a sort of savings. Then, suddenly, the value of Bitcoin drops drastically over a week. Now, instead of maybe at least a lakh, you instead have savings worth only about Rs 10,000. Theres not much you can do about it, and that sort of change is hard to predict as well. See how dangerous it can be? Fed official suggests substantial rate hikes may be needed AP - 1 hour ago The Federal Reserve may have to raise its benchmark interest rate much higher than many people expect to get inflation under control, That's according to James Bullard, who leads the Federal Reserve Bank... $SPX : 3,946.56 (-0.31%) $DOWI : 33,546.32 (-0.02%) $IUXX : 11,676.86 (-0.19%) Red Thursday for Cotton Barchart - Thu Nov 17, 4:47PM CST Cotton futures closed off their lows on Thursday, but still gave back 122 to 148 points across the front months. New crop cotton ended the day firmer with only 25 to 33 point losses. Cotton bookings from... CTZ22 : 87.04s (-1.58%) CTH23 : 85.28s (-1.71%) CTK23 : 84.39s (-1.72%) Cattle Rally on Strong Feeder Market Barchart - Thu Nov 17, 4:47PM CST Front month feeder cattle futures finished the day with $0.95 to $1.17 gains. Cash trade picked up on Thursday; the USDA confirmed $148 to $156 sales on Thursday, citing $152 as the bulk of business in... LEZ22 : 152.750s (+0.63%) LEG23 : 155.400s (+0.75%) LEJ23 : 158.900s (+0.74%) GFX22 : 175.850s (+0.09%) GFF23 : 179.975s (+1.41%) Hogs Gain on Thursday Barchart - Thu Nov 17, 4:47PM CST The lean hog market continued to work higher through the Thursday session, save for the Dec contract which gave back 60 cents. The other nearbys added 5 to 12 cents to the move. The USDA National Average... HEZ22 : 84.975s (-0.70%) HEJ23 : 96.000s (+0.39%) KMZ22 : 95.500s (-0.42%) Soy Futures Continue Lower, Beans Down Double Digits Barchart - Thu Nov 17, 4:47PM CST Soybean futures ended the day 11 3/4 to 12 3/4 cents in the red, as Jan printed a 25 cent range on the day. Meal stayed weaker as well with $0.90 to $1.50/ton losses to close. BO futures closed off their... ZSF23 : 1421-6 (+0.34%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.9182 (-0.86%) ZSH23 : 1427-4 (+0.37%) ZSK23 : 1432-4 (+0.28%) Red Thursday for Wheat Futures Barchart - Thu Nov 17, 4:47PM CST Domestic wheat prices ended the day with 10 3/4 to 12 cent pullbacks in the SRW market. KC futures faded by 11 1/4 to 17 1/2 cents in the front months. Spring wheat futures were down 11 3/4 to 13 1/2 cents... ZWZ22 : 808-0 (+0.15%) ZWH23 : 826-0 (+0.12%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.4110 (-1.43%) KEZ22 : 936-4 (-0.16%) KEPAWS.CM : 8.9632 (-1.92%) MWZ22 : 953-0 (unch) Corn Pushes Into Positive Territory Late Barchart - Thu Nov 17, 4:47PM CST After trading lower through midday on Thursday, the corn market rebounded and closed fractionally to 2 1/4 cents in the black. New crop prices stayed 1 1/4 to 3 cents lower, which widened the Dec-Dec inverse... ZCZ22 : 668-0 (unch) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.7075 (+0.52%) ZCH23 : 669-2 (unch) ZCK23 : 667-6 (unch) Cyclist killed in Kanchanpur rickshaw hit A man, who as critically injured after a rickshaw hit a bicycle he was riding on, breathed his last during the course of treatment at the Seti Zonal Hospital on Sunday. The Australian Human Rights Commission has awarded the Human Rights Business Award to global insurance giant Allianz , for the companys commitment to supporting refugee employment and education.The insurer was recognized for its Sustainable Employment Program in partnership with Settlement Services International. The initiative provides refugees and migrants with permanent employment opportunities. Allianz also offers education scholarships for refugees.Australias refugees are far from a homogenous group; they come from enormously diverse backgrounds and bring with them a wealth of skills and life experiences, said Niran Peiris , Allianz Australias managing director. However there are often barriers that many highly skilled refugees face when trying to seek suitable employment, including language and cultural differences, a lack of recognition by employers for their experience and education, and quite often unconscious bias.Allianz said 18 participants have already benefitted from the programme. They come from different cultural backgrounds and disciplines, including business, accounting and finance, data science, audit and customer service.The Sustainable Employment Program isnt about placing participants in a program. These people are our colleagues and friends, we know their backgrounds, their stories and their experience; and yes these are highly qualified individuals who have brought with them a wealth of experience and are valued members of our team at Allianz, said Allianzs chief risk officer, Lori Callahan.Im incredibly excited to be a part of such a life changing initiative that is not only good for business but the wider community we serve. The Australian market needs to remember that cyber risk and insurance is not all about privacy, an expert has said.James Burns, cyber product leader at CFC Underwriting , recently visited Australia and said that while the cyber market is still fairly nascent its development away from stringent breach regulations makes it unique.Australia has had a very different development compared to say the US because the Aussie market has got to where it is so far without having had to date those stringent breach notification laws, that create really strict regulatory requirements, Burns told Insurance Business.I think it is interesting because the developments we have seen in the Aussie market have been based on the back of concern around things like business interruption risk and wider operational risks as opposed to just their privacy risk.With mandatory breach notification on the horizon for businesses that fall under the Privacy Act, Burns noted that it remains to be seen how regulation impacts the market as it could have both a positive and negative effect.It is good in-so-far as it gives that opener and that ability to start talking about cyber risk but also a note of caution in so much as we dont need to go down one road and ignore another really important one, Burns continued.Burns also highlighted the claims experience at CFC Underwriting, which has seen its cyber claims almost double in the past year as costs related to other strands of cyber risk dwarf those related to data breach.This is going to be a record year for us in terms of claims. We are probably going to handle over 750 cyber claims this year, Burns continued. Less than a quarter of all those claims are privacy or data breach related.The areas where we are seeing real growth are ransomware style events which tend to have business interruption losses because ransomware and business interruption tend to go hand in hand.For brokers, Burns said that it is important not to forget a clients business interruption exposure, as for many SMEs a cyberattack could be enough to force them out of business without the appropriate cover.There are lots of business interruption events that are slipping under the radar because they dont get the same press attention as the data breaches, Burns continued. In our experience, more often than not, they end up having much more devastating financial impacts on those companies than the data breaches. Hartwig Loger, chief executive of insurer UNIQA Austria, has been named as the countrys next finance minister.The new Chancellor of Austria, 31-year-old Sebastian Kurz of the Peoples Party, announced his partys ministers over the weekend. The BBC reported a coalition government agreed between Kurzs Conservative Party and the far-right Freedom Party.Loger, an industry veteran with more than three decades of experience, worked for the likes of Aon and Allianz during the early years of his career. Born in 1965, he graduated from the International Management programme at the University of St. Gallen.The new finance minister, who has been chairman of UNIQA Austrias management board since 2011, is set to assume his new role today. Online retailer Kogan has signed an agreement with PetSure Australia, marking further expansion into the insurance space.The deal allows Kogan to distribute and promote pet insurance policies under a new brand Kogan Pet Insurance. In a statement, Kogan said it will earn commission on each pet insurance policy issued.Pet insurance is a growing insurance category in Australia, and we are very happy to have reached another win-win-win partnership, enabling us to deliver great value and a variety of pet insurance products to our community, said David Shafer, executive director of Kogan.According to Kogan, the retailer will offer an affordable range of pet insurance products to its community of shoppers. The offering is underwritten by Hollard and administered by PetSure. It is expected to launch by the second half of this financial year.Some 63% of Australian households own a pet, according to Magdoline Awad, PetSures chief veterinary officer. A study by the firm found that more pets are undergoing humanlike health procedures as their owners strive to keep them happy and healthy these include MRIs and CT scans.According to PetSure, claims for MRIs have increased from a value of $180,000 in 2010 to $680,000 in 2015. CT scans for pets have also grown more popular, increasing from a value of $200,000 in 2010 to $1.35 million in 2015. Selective Insurance Company of America, a subsidiary of Selective Insurance Group, has made a number of officer appointments in its property, risk, and personal lines business.Matthew Caton has been promoted to vice-president, property claims. Caton joined Selective in 2015, initially as assistant vice-president, property claims. Before that, he served as associate manager of property claims for North and South Carolina for Travelers Insurance. He is a recipient of a bachelors degree in Business Administration from Marshall University in West Virginia and has two designations: Associate in Claims and Associate in Insurance Services.John Hsu has been tapped to serve as assistant vice-president, enterprise risk management. Hsu joined Selective in July 2017. Prior to joining Selective, he was a chief reserving actuary at Hallmark Financial Services. He earned his Master of Actuarial Science at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia and his Bachelor of Business Administration at National Chung Hsing University in Taipei, Taiwan. Hsu is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society.Finally, Lisa Petza was selected to serve as assistant vice-president, personal lines marketing. She joined Selective in 2007 as a senior personal lines marketing specialist. She was previously a senior personal lines marketing specialist at Zurich Insurance. Petza earned her bachelors degree in Business Management at Stevenson University in Maryland, and has a Certified Insurance Counselor designation. Insurance broker and consultant NFP has acquired the Dalton Timmis Insurance Group of brokerages.NFP, the fourth-largest privately-owned brokerage in the United States, provides employee benefits, property and casualty insurance, and retirement and individual private client solutions. The company has more than 3,800 employees.Dalton Timmis was named Top Brokerage (2017) by Insurance Business at the beginning of the year, and was last year named Brokerage of the Year by the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario.Headquartered in Ancaster, Ontario, the brokerage has 170 employees, with satellite offices in Burlington, Midland, and Mississauga in Ontario, and Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta.The DTG transaction opens a new chapter for NFP, creating a premier P&C platform in Canada, and expands our P&C services in two of Canadas largest provinces, providing significant resources to NFPs footprint in the region, said Marty Shaw, managing director of NFP Canada. The result is a full-service broker, complementing our world-class benefits and pension portfolio across Canada. Were especially excited about the possibility of increased synergies between our benefits and P&C offerings.Added NFP chairman and CEO Doug Hammond: Were excited to welcome the entire DTG team to the NFP family. Were committed to the Canadian market and have total confidence that DTGs leadership team and employees will be outstanding partners to help us drive our Canadian expansion strategy alongside Marty and his team.Dalton Timmis principals Brian Timmis, Domenic Tesone and Greg Padovani will join the executive leadership team of NFP Canada, reporting to Shaw. The Dalton Timmis senior leadership team of Tara Carruthers, Josh Pauls and Dan Avon will also join as vice presidents.In a joint statement, Padovani, Tesone and Timmis added: Were happy to close the year with this impactful transaction, which will provide strong growth momentum heading into 2018. Building on a robust set of existing services, joining NFP will generate a deeper portfolio of consultative services and product offerings for both our existing clients and prospects. We couldnt be happier.The acquisition was finalized on Thursday, December 07, Shaw said. Earthquake-resistant schools handed over to community in Kavre The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Nepal have handed over the newly reconstructed Shree Kali Devi Primary School in Kavre District to the community on Monday. The April 2015 earthquake had badly damaged the school, destroying five classrooms and other school facilities. When it comes to serving family and community, The Nitsche Group talks the talk and walks the walk. The Giddings, Texas-based independent insurance agencys commitment to family, its employees, its clients and its community is so ingrained that it informs the agencys business decisions and its attitude toward growth. With roots dating to 1949, The Nitsche Group now has 10 locations across the state and 125 employees, and serves clients all around Texas and beyond. Our main goal right now is to continue to grow but without getting rid of our values as an agency, said Brigette Burttschell, assistant director of Marketing for The Nitsche Group. Burttschells comment was echoed by CEO Robert Nitsche in a statement announcing in November that the company had been honored by Baylor Universitys Institute for Family Business with the 2017 Community Commitment Award. (The institute also named The Nitsche Group as its Medium Family Business of the Year in 2016.) In our family, running a business is about far more than making money, Nitsche said. Its about maintaining a culture that cares about people. Its about giving back to a community that has given us so much. Its about doing what we think is right, even if its not reflected in the bottom line. Burttschell said the agency was somewhat surprised to win the award this year. She said the group keeps an eye out for awards that might be a fit for the agency, so they submitted an application for the community commitment award to see if wed get anywhere. Were not one of the biggest family businesses, so we werent really expecting to make it that far. But we are actually very happy and very honored to have won the community commitment award. It just kind of goes back to the roots of our agency being in a small town and just taking care of one another. Community Involvement, Positive Impact The Nitsche Group supports myriad causes in the communities in which it operates scholarships, trust funds, food banks, Blue Santa drives, military packages, to name a few. Anything that we think can make an impact on someone, we try to do that, Burttschell said. One of the main charitable events it supports annually is the American Cancer Associations Relay for Life. Employees raised nearly $7,000 this year to help with the fight against cancer, and the agency kicked in another $1,000 for the cause. Employees put on fundraisers all year to gather contributions for the Relay. Thats just a huge effort by our employees, Burttschell said. We have employees that come together for bake sales we also have employees that will donate items, like gift cards or something, and theyll sell tickets for a raffle. Those go over pretty well. As an agency well offer days for casual dress instead of wearing business attire, if people would like to donate $5 they can wear jeans, she said. We do basket drives. Everyone donates a basket of goodies and we have an auction within the agency. That raised a pretty good amount of money this year. And then just small things, day-to-day, like, hey, I baked cookies, if yall want to buy some cookies come by and the money supports Relay for Life.' The Harvey Effect The Nitsche Group also extended many helping hands in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, to communities and individuals that were severely impacted by the storm. While Giddings, a town with a population of around 5,600 situated 55 miles east of Austin, received an enormous amount of rain when Harvey stalled over the area, for the most part the community as a whole was spared from the worst of the storms wrath. However, Burttschell said, one Giddings neighborhood had to be evacuated and around 60 people were out of their houses for one or two weeks. The Nitsche Group sprang into action right away, helping to set up a facility where the evacuees could stay. The agency gathered supplies cots, blankets, towels, whatever was needed to help them settle in, because the Red Cross couldnt get here immediately, and they didnt have supplies. Individual employees also gave their time and energy to recovery efforts after Harvey helping with clean up efforts, raising money for cleaning supplies and food for those affected by the storm, joining rescue operations along the coast, providing feed and shelter for displaced livestock, and providing support for first responders, among other things. While the groups Giddings headquarters was only slightly impacted by the storm, the agency was prepared with a contingency plan in place. A few days before Hurricane Harvey made landfall we met to discuss what all we need to be taking care of, what to expect. We do have an offsite contingency plan where we fall back to the Austin office. I think we have a few other contingency plans dependent upon what offices are hit that IT has set up for us. And then we also had people on call, where if it got too bad they could come in and take calls from clients, direct them where they need to go to get help or start the claims process, Burttschell said. For those employees in branch offices that were expected to be hardest hit by the hurricane in Corpus Christi and other locations along the coast our account managers and our producer team reached out to them just to let them know, hey, we will be here. Evacuate if youre told to evacuate and well help you with the claims processes afterwards.' That take care of your family, take care of your community attitude drives the agencys decision-making, Burttschell said. Family is very important here. Its just continued throughout the years. It always comes back to making sure we take care of our employees and communities that were in, she said. When disaster strikes, the insurance industry plays a critical role in helping affected individuals, businesses and communities get back on their feet. After all, an insurance policy is a promise to pay when tragedy and catastrophes hit home. But at times insurance coverage isnt enough. Individuals and businesses might be uninsured, or are underinsured, when disasters strike. Thats when insurance companies, agents and brokers, and the industry at-large, step in to help. This is a story not often told. The tragic and historic 2017 natural catastrophes presented an opportunity for insurance professionals to shine, not only as professionals, but also as humanitarians. Many people went above and beyond their call of duty to help. This 2017 season was the first time that three Category 4 hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria made landfall in the United States and its territories in a one-year period. All three hurricanes caused devastating loss of life and property. Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall on Aug. 25 about 180 miles southwest of Houston, hit on home turf for Texas Mutual Insurance Co., the largest workers compensation insurer in the state. The storm affected not only policyholders but also many employees, said Jeremiah Bentley, vice president of marketing and community affairs at Texas Mutual. We had to close down our Houston office for a week with 100 employees there, but 15 employees were directly affected their homes and cars were destroyed or damaged, he said. The insurer immediately delivered care packages and gift cards, and loaned the companys cars to impacted employees. But then we got to thinking about what could we do that would make a difference in the entire community, Bentley said. In the past, Texas Mutual made charitable donations to other organizations for restoration efforts following large catastrophes. But we thought, how can we best restore normalcy and help these businesses get back to work and get their employees back to work? he said. Helping businesses stay afloat would allow those businesses to pay their employees. It became evident that the thing we could do to help the most would be to set a disaster fund up for policyholders. Two and a half weeks after Harvey hit the shoreline, Texas Mutual began accepting grant applications for a $10 million program for policyholders. We gave out up to $10,000 at a time to policyholders that were affected, Bentley said. In total, 1,107 applications were approved by Texas Mutual and the insurer tallied the final total at $10,618,497 approved grants. It was the first time the insurer had offered a direct service program for disaster assistance and its policyholders approved. I broke down sobbing at my desk. God bless you, Dr. Layne Spitzenberger at Circle Lake Ranch in Katy, Texas, said in response to the grant. You guys are incredible; you have done more for me than my own homeowners insurance did, said Eric Blayney with Castleblayney Construction of Kingwood, Texas. Texas Mutual was not the only insurer to give back in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. A very partial list includes: American International Group Inc. donated $1 million in aid to organizations focused on emergency relief and ongoing recovery following Hurricane Harvey. AIG allocated $500,000 to Houston-based nonprofits for immediate local relief efforts and the remaining $500,000 supported critical medium- and longer-term recovery efforts in partnership with The Center for Disaster Philanthropy. The Travelers Companies Inc. committed $600,000 to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria relief efforts. Plus, employees of Travelers made financial contributions of their own to help fellow employees. Tokio Marine Group companies donated a total of $250,000 to assist with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The Assurant Foundation, the charitable arm of Assurant Inc., sent the American Red Cross $100,000 for its Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The insurance industry committed more than $15 million dollars directly to Harvey relief efforts, according to Alisa Breese, director, marketing and communications, Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF). Many insurers donated to the IICF disaster relief funds set up specifically for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and the California wildfires. These storms were unprecedented, as was the amount of contributions made to IICFs relief funds. Collectively, a total of $554,000 was raised, which Breese said is by far the largest IICF disaster relief campaign ever. Donations came in from insurance carriers primarily, but more than 1,000 individual donors from the industry also contributed. The funds support local nonprofits working directly in affected areas. And 100 percent of donations from the campaign go directly to the relief effort; theres no administrative cost to it, she said. Agents and brokers helped, too. The Trusted Choice Disaster Relief Fund was created to assist agents and their employees as they rebuild following natural catastrophes, says Madelyn H. Flannagan, vice president, agent development, education and research, at the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA). It was set up after Hurricane Katrina and helps every year. However, this year its been very active. Each year we give out whatever we have but this year has been a tremendously large year considering the hurricanes, floods and fires, she said. To date, the Trusted Choice Fund has given out more than $400,000 in 2017 to member and nonmember agents of the IIABA to help them recover, but anyone affiliated with the insurance industry can apply, she said. The fund is supported by insurance carriers, as well as agents that want to help. Agents are a very giving bunch. The minute that something happens state associations, agent leaders and agency groups jump in to donate to the fund. We receive huge donations from agents. They want to help their fellow agents, said Flannagan. Lockton Companies employees created a disaster relief fund of their own. The brokerages associates from around the world donated to the Lockton Disaster Relief Fund to provide assistance to affected employees and communities in the wake of the 2017 natural disasters. This aid included a truckload of much needed supplies to Houston for associates, their families and friends, and the local community. Lockton agreed to match employee contributions to the fund up to $250,000. According to Jennifer Schuler, Locktons organizational communications manager, the fund generated more than $550,000 for relief efforts, $300,000 from Lockton employees. After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, it became clear that help was needed at NFPs Puerto Rico office, Ikon, which housed 75 NFP and Ikon employees. It became very clear, very quickly that there were not enough provisions of emergency supplies, said Lara Nichols, senior vice president of procurement for NFP. Food and water were of primary importance, but we also knew we needed to put some supplies in the hands our people to help customers, she said. NFP partnered with Univision and Ankura for hurricane relief. Univision and NFP chartered a passenger plane rigged as a freight plane with 2,000 pounds of supplies that arrived within days of the hurricane. The supplies included transistor radios, prepaid cell phones, batteries, food items and other necessities. Two more shipments of 2,500 pounds of food and 30 generators also were sent, funded by NFPs GoFundMe page to which employees also donated. There are countless stories of charitable efforts by the insurance industry beyond those in this issue of Insurance Journal. As IICFs Breese says, The industry has been incredibly responsive and generous during this very difficult disaster driven year. Topics Carriers Catastrophe Agencies Texas Windstorm Hurricane Market From cannabis cafes to craft cooperatives, regulators have been laying out a vision for what a potential multibillion dollar recreational marijuana industry might look like when retail sales begin next year in Massachusetts. The Cannabis Control Commission reached tentative agreement over the past week on an array of rules and regulations required to implement the law approved by voters last November and later modified by the Legislature. Promoting diversity and placing controls on the packaging, marketing and advertising of pot were other key issues discussed by the five-member panel, which is expected to formally approve the regulations in the coming days. The rules would be open to public comment before being finalized in March. Here are some highlights: Social Consumption A pot shop typically works much like a liquor store: You go in, buy the product and take it home to consume. Regulators in Massachusetts and other legal recreational marijuana states have wrestled with the issue of when, where and how to let people use pot in social settings and other establishments. The commission ultimately settled on two types of on-site consumption licenses. A primary use license would be for businesses that derive more than 50 percent of their income from marijuana sales. An example of such a business model would be a cannabis bar or cafe where patrons could gather and use marijuana with friends. A major question, however, is whether smoking would be allowed in such establishments or if customers would be limited to using marijuana in other forms such as edibles. The commission plans to form a working group to make recommendations on smoking and other forms of social consumption, by July 1. The second category, a mixed use license, would be available to businesses that may want to make cannabis available to customers in some fashion. Examples could include restaurants, movie theaters, yoga studios or even massage parlors that promote marijuana-infused lotions. A restaurant, for example, might be able to offer a single-serving dish that has cannabis as an ingredient, but it couldnt leave the premises. So forget takeout or doggy bags. Home Delivery Cant make it to the nearest marijuana store? Home delivery may be available under a strict set of rules laid out by the commission. Upon delivery, drivers must obtain positive identification and proof that a buyer is 21 or older. The recipient must also sign for any delivery. Products that are delivered must follow the same packaging requirements as if sold in a store. A single delivery of multiple products could not exceed $3,000 in value and deliveries could only be made during a stores normal business hours. Craft Cooperatives Craft cooperatives would allow groups of people with each member required to have lived in Massachusetts for at least a year to organize as a limited liability company or similar business structure. The cooperatives would be licensed to operate up to six marijuana cultivation locations and up to three additional processing or manufacturing facilities. While they could package and brand marijuana products and deliver them to retailers, craft cooperatives would not be permitted to sell directly to consumers. Marijuana Research Facilities In what could foster greater scientific understanding of the health effects or medicinal value of cannabis, the commission agreed to create a special license category for marijuana research facilities. Such facilities could cultivate or purchase marijuana, but not sell it. Any testing done on humans would have to be approved by an institutional review board and test subjects must be 21 or older. Diversity State lawmakers have made clear they want opportunities provided in the legal marijuana industry for economically disadvantaged people particularly residents of minority neighborhoods who were harshly impacted by the so-called war on drugs in recent decades. The commission agreed to designate as yet undefined areas of disproportionate impact, and offer what it called priority review for applicants for cannabis business licenses from those communities. Applicants with a majority of owners who have lived in areas of disproportionate impact for at least five of the past 10 years would be offered priority review, as would any company in which at least 51 percent of employees or subcontractors have drug-related arrests on their records. Priority review of an application would not guarantee a license. All applicants, regardless of location or ownership makeup, would be required to submit to the commission an employment diversity plan and live up to that plan once licensed. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Cannabis Massachusetts Some building companies that installed dangerous cladding on social housing blocks across Britain are now winning new contracts following the Grenfell Tower blaze to remove their original work and install panels that can pass safety tests, a Reuters review shows. The safety of high-rise buildings has come under scrutiny since the Grenfell disaster in June which killed 71 people. The British government, which ordered a series of tests to establish which types of cladding panels met fire safety rules, said those on the London tower block did not comply. A Reuters review identified 65 other towers with cladding of a type that was approved by local building inspectors, but which government tests found did not comply with the statutory regulations. The towers were clad by major builders including French groups Engie and Bouygues, and Britains Galliford Try, Forrest, Wates Group, Rydon Group and Willmott Dixon. The Reuters review was based on publicly available building planning permission documents, which detail the work carried out and the materials used, as well as visits to the towers and statements from housing providers and builders. For 29 of the buildings, the same builders that installed the cladding have won new contracts to remove or replace the panels, according to the owners of the buildings, who said they were paying millions of pounds for the work. The rehired companies are Willmott Dixon, Wates and Engie. UK Panel Review of Grenfell Tower Tragedy Calls for Cultural Change Around Safety Willmott Dixon and Rydon said their cladding work complied with safety regulations, but did not say how. Wates, Bouygues, Galliford Try and Engie declined to answer questions on whether their work complied with regulations. Following the Grenfell tragedy, we have been supporting the relevant councils, and removed the cladding where requested. Our primary concern is to ensure all residents in these buildings are secure and safe, said an Engie spokesman. In the wake of Grenfell, the government ordered an independent review into building regulations and fire safety, and the way the rules are complied with and enforced. The review is due to report its findings early next year. The 65 towers in question are owned by local governments known as councils or housing associations, which are publicly funded, non-profit bodies that provide housing intended for low-income people. At the time all the panels were installed, building inspectors usually council workers but sometimes staff of inspection firms licensed by councils signed off the work as being compliant with safety regulations, according to the owners of the blocks and the building firms involved. Chris Blythe, CEO of trade body the Chartered Institute of Building, said builders hired to carry out high-rise cladding projects used many subcontractors and advisers, and that this could lead to misunderstandings, with one party thinking another had ensured work was compliant. The business model we have is almost geared up for potential failure, said Blythe, adding that if fewer parties were involved, there would be less room for confusion over responsibilities. For all 65 blocks identified by Reuters, the councils or council-licensed firms whose inspectors approved the work as compliant either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment while the independent review was ongoing. The government has already acknowledged problems with the inspection process, with Fire Service Minister Nick Hurd saying in July there was a system failure, built up over many years in the area of regulation enforcement. However a spokeswoman for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), which ordered the cladding tests and regulations review, said sign-off by inspectors did not absolve contractors of responsibility to meet safety standards. FIRE TESTS Cladding systems are panels put up on the outside of buildings to improve their esthetics and energy efficiency. Since 2006, building regulations have required materials used in cladding on high-rise buildings to be able to pass the BS 8414 test which measures combustibility. After Grenfell, the DCLG ordered a series BS 8414 tests to establish which types of cladding met fire safety rules. It said that, of around 600 social housing towers in England that had cladding, 161 had systems of a type that failed the tests. But it did not name the towers. Reuters identified 60 blocks which, since 2006, had been cladded with aluminum panels with polyethylene cores a form of cladding that failed the DCLGs test, and which the prime minister and three other ministers have said breaches safety regulations when used in tall buildings. Five other blocks, also cladded since 2006, had combinations of panel and insulation board that failed the test. The three companies that were rehired to replace the cladding on 29 of the towers had all originally fitted aluminum panels with polyethylene cores. Wates secured contracts with Westminster council in central London and One Manchester housing association to reclad 14 towers it covered in 2007 and 2010. Willmott Dixon has received contracts from Oxford council and west Londons Octavia housing association to replace panels it installed on three blocks early this year and in 2013. Engie has been hired by Barnet Homes in north London to replace cladding on three blocks it clad in 2012. It also has a contract to remove cladding from nine blocks in Salford, north England, owned by the local council that it clad around 2016. Engie has been hired to remove panels from 12 blocks it clad in 2012 and 2016, and install new cladding on three of them. The contracts are with housing associations Barnet Homes in north London, and Pendleton Together in Salford, north England. The three building companies declined to comment on how much the contracts were worth. However five of the six owners of the buildings told Reuters how much money they were paying for the work. Oxford council said about 1 million pounds ($1.3 million) for its two blocks; Octavia said about 2 million pounds for one block, Westminster council said about 6 million pounds for six blocks; and Barnet Homes said 8.2 million pounds for three blocks. Salford council said it expects to spend up to 25 million pounds in total for the removal and recladding work on nine blocks. Engie has been hired to remove its original panels, but the recladding contractor has not yet been named. One Manchester declined to comment on how much its recladding work would cost. The building companies declined to comment on the figures. LEGAL ACTION Jonathan Raynes a partner with law firm Steptoe & Johnson said councils or housing associations who paid contractors for cladding that turned out to be non-compliant could sue the contractor for the cost of replacing the cladding. The contract will almost certainly have a provision that says the contractor must build in accordance with statutory requirements, he said, adding that if the contract didnt say this, a requirement to act legally could be deemed implicit. Raynes and Adam Creasey, a solicitor with Lewis Nedas, said the fact building inspectors signed off on work did not remove the builders responsibility to adhere to building regulations. Creasey added a builder could conceivably try and reclaim any money awarded against it from the body which provided the inspection sign-off. Reuters contacted the owners of all 65 blocks with cladding of a type that failed the government tests seven local councils and 10 housing associations and asked if they were considering legal action against contractors to recover the money spent on cladding, or to cover the cost of replacement. Only Camden council in north London said it was considering legal action. It declined to elaborate on its plans. Barnet said it was not seeking any money from its contractor, Engie, over the original cladding but declined to say why. Westminster council said it was not seeking any money from its contractor, Wates, because it believed the original work was compliant with the rules in place at the time. Oxford council said it had not sought money from Willmott Dixon over the original cladding and would only consider taking legal advice after the independent review was completed. One Manchester said it would not talk about seeking recompense while the review was on-going. (Reporting by Tom Bergin; Editing by Pravin Char) Related: Topics Legislation Contractors London A debate in Europe over whether ride-hailing app Uber is merely a digital company or one providing transport services will be decided when the top European Union court hands down its verdict on Wednesday in a highly anticipated case. While a ruling that Uber is a transport company is unlikely immediately to change the way it operates, it will give local authorities in the EU a green light to regulate the U.S. start-up more like a traditional taxi company, with obligations ranging from licensing to insurance. Uber which has clashed with local and national regulators in Europe since its launch there six years ago says it is simply a digital app which acts as an intermediary between drivers and customers looking for a ride. Judges at the Luxembourg-based court will decide on Wednesday whether Uber the worlds second most valuable private venture-backed company provides transport services, online services or a combination of both. EU law protects online services from undue restrictions and national governments must notify the European Commission of any measures regulating them so it can ensure they are not discriminatory or disproportionate. Transport services, on the other hand, are regulated at national and local level and there is no prior EU oversight of new rules. Any ruling will not change things in most EU countries where we already operate under transportation law, a spokeswoman for Uber said. As our new CEO (Dara Khosrowshahi) has said, it is appropriate to regulate services such as Uber. We want to partner with cities to ensure everyone can get a reliable ride at the tap of a button. In May, an adviser to the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) said Uber should be considered a transport provider on the grounds it does much more than link supply and demand. Although his opinion is non-binding, the judges usually follow such advice. The case stems from a complaint of unfair competition brought by a Barcelona taxi association against Ubers unlicensed ride-hailing service, UberPOP, which used amateur drivers to pick up riders and has since been suspended in most European cities. CHANGE OF FOCUS Following protests from taxi drivers and multiple court fights, Uber has drastically cut back its use of unlicensed drivers in the EU and focused instead on its licensed services, such as UberX and UberBLACK. Uber has suffered a torrid last few months. In September, London stripped it of its operating license a decision Uber is appealing against. It lost a bid last month to overturn a British tribunals finding that its drivers deserved workers rights such as the minimum wage. Soon afterwards, it disclosed it paid hackers $100,000 to keep secret a massive breach last year that exposed personal data from around 57 million accounts. Khosrowshahi, who took the helm at Uber in August after the departure of founder Travis Kalanick following a slew of scandals, has taken a much more conciliatory approach with local authorities. The company has for example paused its services in Finland and Norway so that it can re-launch under new transport regulations. It now only operates unlicensed services in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania, although in the first two Uber is switching its drivers to operate under local transportation law. The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), of which Uber is a member, said the ruling will decide over the ability of the EU to ensure online services are not unduly restricted by member states. The judgment will either promote the digital single market or lead to more market fragmentation for online innovators, said Jakob Kucharczyk, vice president for competition and EU regulatory policy at the lobby group. (Reporting by Julia Fioretti; Editing by Adrian Croft) Related: Topics Europe Workers compensation insurer, Missouri Employers Mutual (MEM), has announced a third round of safety grant recipients after awarding safety grants to 37 Missouri businesses previously. Safety grants help Missouri businesses take the next step toward improving workplace safety. All of MEMs approximately 17,000 policyholders, regardless of premium size, are eligible to apply for a safety grant. Successful applicants earn one-to-one matching grants up to $10,000 toward approved safety initiatives. MEM plans to award policyholders at least $1 million in safety grants over the next three years, and far more if they improve workplace safety as MEM anticipates. Policyholders are required to report on the success of funded safety initiatives so MEM can help other businesses learn from their success. The following businesses were selected to receive safety grants to help prevent either slips, trips and falls or strains: Policyholder City, State Approved Initiative Acme Erectors, Inc. Fenton, MO 5 fall protection and horizontal lifeline systems Allen Roofing and Siding Ellisville, MO Niftylift SD64 4x4x4 self drive work platform Allens Tree Service, Inc. Wentzville, MO Custom built Palfleet truck mounted grapple saw Claypool Holdings, LLC Bridgeton, MO 5 Vestil EHLT-4896-4-56 lift tables Compass Health, Inc. Clinton, MO 2 Handicare Carina 350 patient lifts Crown Companies, LLC St. Louis, MO PowerPole 72 high 24 wide twin mast setup Eric Scott Leathers, Ltd. Ste. Genevieve, MO 2 Harley leather saddlebag wrapping machines Finck and Associates, Inc. Auxvasse, MO Wheelchair accessible van Friends of the Zoo, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, MO Diablo Web Self-Retracting Lifeline, 16ft self retracting lifeline, Delta full body harness, fixed ladder with safety cage, Little Giant adjustable cage platform ladder George C Potterfield Trucking, Inc. Monroe City, MO 5 ShurCo 4500 electric tarp conversion kits Manor Grove, Inc. Kirkwood, MO 2 C625 ceiling lift systems and 3 universal spacer fabric slings Mid America Precast, Inc. Fulton, MO Custom Built Deca Vibrator Industries vibrating table setup Pulaski County Ambulance Waynesville, MO Inx inline cot Quaker Windows and Doors Freeburg, MO Custom built lifting system, including Woods suction cup manipulators, hoists and gantry system for picking up, maneuvering and sitting down glass St. James Ambulance District St. James, MO 2 Stryker powerload systems and 2 Stryker cot upgrade kits Vega Transport, LLC St. Louis, MO TCX 625 HD tire changing machine with accessories Weaver Steel Construction St. Peters, MO 5 EZ-Line retractable horizontal lifeline systems Wentzville Fire Protection District Wentzville, MO 4WD Polaris XP 900 UTV for firefighting and KimTech FireLite FDH-203 transport deluxe wildfire skid unit Western Missouri Medical Center Warrensburg, MO 2 Stryker Glide lateral air transfer systems Source: MEM Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Missouri Orchid Underwriters Agency, LLC, a specialty underwriter of catastrophic coastal insurance, has hired Andrew Cyran as chief underwriting officer, a new position within the organization. Effective immediately, Cyran will assume the responsibilities of carrier management, product development, underwriting portfolio management, senior leadership mentoring and leading strategic initiatives for the entire organization. He will work closely with internal business unit leaders to optimize carrier relationships and growth strategies, while maintaining Orchids commitment to underwriting practices. Cyrans industry experience spans more than 35 years. Prior to joining Orchid, he was the executive vice president at Alliant Specialty. Previous roles also include: head of North America Property for QBE and chief underwriting officer for Ace Westchester. He will be relocating from California to Vero Beach, Fla. We are especially pleased to have Andrew join Orchid at this time, said Brad Emmons, Chief Executive Officer and CEO. After years of a highly competitive underwriting environment, the events of 2017 are likely to trigger significant industry reactions. Orchid has performed well for its customers, producers and carriers, and we look forward to providing the kind of service and continuity that all our partners have come to expect. Andrews experience as both a producer and an underwriter as well as his deep industry relationships will help Orchid thrive in exactly this kind of market. Founded in 1998 and based in Vero Beach, Fla., Orchid specializes in providing specialty insurance products for homeowners and small businesses throughout the United States and the Caribbean. The companys product offering for homeowners and condominium property insurance includes: wind and wind only; general and excess flood; earthquake; builders risk and others. Topics Florida Underwriting A former deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance has died in a car crash. Media outlets report that Bill Giannini, who also was a former chairman of the Shelby County Election Commission and the Shelby County Republican Party, was killed on Interstate 40 in Decatur County between Jackson and Nashville on Thursday. Shelby County Republican Party Chairman Lee Mills said Giannini was killed about 1:45 p.m. Tennessee Highway Patrol officials said his vehicle crossed through the median into the westbound lanes, causing a head-on collision and injuring the driver of the other vehicle. Gov. Bill Haslam appointed Giannini deputy commissioner of the commerce and insurance department in 2011. He served in that position until earlier this year when he left to start a consulting business. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Personal Auto Tennessee A Mississippi city will pay more than $850,000 in back wages to more than 100 police officers following a federal investigation of payment practices. Tupelo Mayor Jason Sheltons administration released a statement to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal on Wednesday saying an agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division will result in a settlement of $857,000 for violating labor laws between August 2015 and December 2016. City communications director Leesha Faulkner says around 119 officers are affected. Tupelo police implemented standards-aligned timekeeping practices in December 2016 after it was revealed the department had failed to adequately record hours for at least two decades. The Wage and Hour Division began its investigation into the past deficiencies in August 2017, but was limited in scope in terms of time period. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Law Enforcement Mississippi The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has named Andrew Stolfi administrator of the division of Financial Regulation. Stolfis first day at DCBS will be Feb. 1. He replaces Laura Cali, who is now the chief financial officer at the Oregon Health Authority. Stolfi is currently the chief operating officer and chief counsel at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors in Basel, Switzerland. Before joining the IAIS in 2012, Stolfi served in various senior management roles at the Illinois Department of Insurance, including acting director, chief of staff, and special counsel for policy and legislative affairs. Topics Legislation Oregon Farmers halt work at Gautam Buddha Airport project over compensation row Farmers and locals of Bhairahawa have halted the construction work of Gautam Buddha International Airport from Monday in protest over delay in payment of compensation for the land acquired to construct the project. Crude oil trading offers excellent opportunities to profit in nearly all market conditions due to its unique standing within the worlds economic and political systems. Also, energy sector volatility has risen sharply in recent years, ensuring strong trends that can produce consistent returns for short-term swing trades and long-term timing strategies. Market participants often fail to take full advantage of crude oil fluctuations, either because they haven't learned the unique characteristics of these markets or because they're unaware of the hidden pitfalls that can eat into earnings. In addition, not all energy-focused financial instruments are created equally, with a subset of these securities more likely to produce positive results. Key Takeaways If you want to play the oil markets, this important commodity can provide a highly liquid asset class with which to trade several strategies. First, decide what is appropriate for you: a spot oil (and if so what grade); a derivative product such as futures or options; or an exchange-trade product like an ETN or ETF. Then focus on the oil market fundamentals and what drives supply and demand, as well as technical indicators gleaned from charts. 1:00 How Can I Buy Oil As An Investment? Here are five steps needed to make a consistent profit in the markets. 1. Learn What Moves Crude Oil Crude oil moves through perceptions of supply and demand, affected by worldwide output as well as global economic prosperity. Oversupply and shrinking demand encourage traders to sell crude oil markets, while rising demand and declining or flat production encourages traders to bid crude oil higher. Tight convergence between positive elements can produce powerful uptrends, like the surge of crude oil to $145.31 per barrel in July 2008, while tight convergence between negative elements can create equally powerful downtrends, like the August 2015 collapse to $37.75 per barrel. Price action tends to build narrow trading ranges when crude oil reacts to mixed conditions, with sideways action often persisting for years at a time. 2. Understand the Crowd Professional traders and hedgers dominate the energy futures markets, with industry players taking positions to offset physical exposure while hedge funds speculate on long- and short-term direction. Retail traders and investors exert less influence here than in more emotional markets, like precious metals or high beta growth stocks. Retail's influence rises when crude oil trends sharply, attracting capital from small players who are drawn into these markets by front-page headlines and table-pounding talking heads. The subsequent waves of greed and fear can intensify underlying trend momentum, contributing to historic climaxes and collapses that print exceptionally high volume. 3. Choose Between Brent and WTI Crude Oil Crude oil trades through two primary markets, West Texas Intermediate Crude and Brent Crude. WTI originates in the U.S. Permian Basin and other local sources while Brent comes from more than a dozen fields in the North Atlantic. These varieties contain different sulfur content and API gravity, with lower levels commonly called light sweet crude oil. Brent has become a better indicator of worldwide pricing in recent years, although WTI in 2017 was more heavily traded in the world futures markets (after two years of Brent volume leadership). Pricing between these grades stayed within a narrow band for years, but that came to an end in 2010 when the two markets diverged sharply due to a rapidly changing supply versus demand environment. The rise of U.S. oil production, driven by shale and fracking technology, increased WTI output at the same time Brent drilling underwent a rapid decrease. U.S. law dating back to the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s aggravated this division, prohibiting local oil companies from selling their inventory in overseas markets. This ban was removed in 2015. Many of CME Group's New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) futures contracts track the WTI benchmark, with the "CL" ticker attracting significant daily volume. The majority of futures traders can focus exclusively on this contract and its many derivatives. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) offer equity access to crude oil, but their mathematical construction generates significant limitations due to contango and backwardation. 4. Read the Long-Term Chart Image by Sabrina Jiang Investopedia 2020 WTI crude oil rose after World War II, peaking in the upper $20s and entering a narrow band until the embargo in the 1970s triggered a parabolic rally to $120. It peaked late in the decade and began a torturous decline, dropping into the teens ahead of the new millennium. Crude oil entered a new and powerful uptrend in 1999, rising to an all-time high at $157.73 in June 2008. It then dropped into a massive trading range between that level and the upper $20s, settling around $55 at the end of 2017. As of January 2021, it was trading at about $47. 5. Pick Your Venue The NYMEX WTI Light Sweet Crude Oil futures contract (CL) trades in excess of 10 million contracts per month, offering superb liquidity. However, it has a relatively high risk due to the 1,000 barrel contract unit and .01 per barrel minimum price fluctuation. There are dozens of other energy-based products offered through NYMEX, with the vast majority attracting professional speculators but few private traders or investors. The U.S. Oil Fund offers the most popular way to play crude oil through equities, posting average daily volume in excess of 20-million shares. This security tracks WTI futures but is vulnerable to contango, due to discrepancies between front month and longer-dated contracts that reduce the size of price extensions. Oil companies and sector funds offer diverse industry exposure, with production, exploration, and oil service operations presenting different trends and opportunities. While the majority of companies track general crude oil trends, they can diverge sharply for long periods. These counter-swings often occur when equity markets are trending sharply, with rallies or selloffs triggering cross-market correlation that promotes lockstep behavior between diverse sectors. Some of the largest U.S. oil company funds are: SPDR Energy Select Sector Fund (XLE) SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration and Production ETF (XOP) VanEck Vectors Oil Services ETF (OIH) iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE) Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) Reserve currencies offer an excellent way to take long-term crude oil exposure, with the economies of many nations leveraged closely to their energy resources. U.S. dollar crosses with Columbian and Mexican pesos, under tickers USD/COP and USD/MXN, have been tracking crude oil for years, offering speculators highly liquid and easily scaled access to uptrends and downtrends. Bearish crude oil positions require buying these crosses while bullish positions require selling them short. The Bottom Line Trading in crude oil and energy markets requires exceptional skill sets to build consistent profits. Market players looking to trade crude oil futures and its numerous derivatives need to learn what moves the commodity, the nature of the prevailing crowd, the long-term price history, and physical variations between different grades. A finance or business degree is a prerequisite for most jobs in the financial industry, but what if you don't possess one and want to work in this field? While it is more difficult for someone with a non-finance degree to secure a job in finance, there's still hope. Every employer wants smart, committed, and motivated employees who can do the job well. A finance degree will impart skills such as financial modeling and analysis, but may not do much to provide other skills required for success in almost any profession, such as communication, problem-solving, and time management. The following are 10 ways to demonstrate to potential employers that you possess the skills they desire in an employee, as well as the passion necessary for a successful career in finance. We will rate each of these by the degree of difficulty to achieve (for example, signing up for a financial course is easier than obtaining an internship) as well as the positive impact it may have on your objective of embarking on a career in the finance industry. Key Takeaways It is possible to have a successful career in the finance industry without an MBA or having been a finance major. Taking relevant courses in finance or economics will help your endeavor. An internship with a reputable company will often improve your resume. You may also want to consider non-finance degrees that are in-demand on Wall Street, such as information technology, mathematics, and platform development. 1:37 Get a Finance Career Without a Finance Degree 1. Learn the Lingo Difficulty: Low Low Impact: Low If you are interested in a career in finance, there's no excuse for not knowing Wall Street lingo. If you don't know the difference between dilution and dividend, or between NPV and DCF, consider learning financial terms and concepts by browsing the extensive dictionary of terms at sites like Investopedia or by reading The Wall Street Journal. Not knowing the financial language may make it almost impossible to pass the preliminary interview stage for a non-finance graduate. An interviewer will generally assume that an applicant for a finance position is knowledgeable about finance, regardless of his or her educational background. 2. Round Off Your Education Difficulty: Low to Moderate Low to Moderate Impact: High What if you graduated with a degree in a subject other than finance? You can always redress the situation by taking relevant courses with an emphasis on finance or business at the undergraduate or post-graduate level. At the undergraduate level, courses in economics, accounting, or financial analysis are great options. Many post-graduates go for an MBA since its substantial finance component serves to level the playing field between finance and non-finance graduates. If the MBA's stiff cost is a deterrent, other options such as enrolling in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program are certainly worth exploring. The CFA is awarded after passing a series of three rigorous exams that test a graduate-level of financial theory and practical knowledge on one's own time. 3. Enroll in a Financial Boot Camp Difficulty: Moderate Moderate Impact: Moderate Intensive courses by firms like Wall Street Prep and Training the Street can teach you valuable skills that are essential for a career in finance, such as advanced spreadsheet techniques and financial modeling. These crash courses are quite expensive, typically a few thousand dollars, but have the advantage of not requiring a long-term time commitment since they are typically conducted over a few days. One drawback is that, due to these programs' intensity, you may need to be already familiar with basic financial concepts to derive the maximum benefit. 4. Expand Your Knowledge Base Difficulty: Moderate Moderate Impact: High Relevant knowledge is not obtained only through a college degree. There are plenty of resources available, either through your local library or online, to deepen your financial knowledge. These resources may be free or available on a paid basis from course providers. Being self-taught in a difficult field like finance demonstrates a number of desirable attributes to an employer, such as initiative, passion, and drive. 5. Use a Trading Simulator Difficulty: Moderate Moderate Impact: Low A number of websitesincluding Investopediahave trading simulators that can be used to construct mock portfolios. Using a trading simulator will force you to track the markets and keep abreast of market developments. This is a great way to impress a potential employer with your trading prowess, or at least your market knowledge, with very little investment on your part aside from a time commitment. 6. Complete Industry Courses Difficulty: High High Impact: High Completing a relevant industry licensing course, such as that offered by the Canadian Securities Institute, not only demonstrates your commitment to a career in finance but also gives you an edge on the competition in terms of job readiness. This option may not be available in all jurisdictions, of course; for instance, in the United States, one has to be sponsored by a member firm or a self-regulatory organization to take most licensing exams. However, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has created a new test called the Securities Industry Essentials Exam (SIE), which can be taken without sponsorship. 7. Maintain a Financial Blog Difficulty: High High Impact: Moderate Starting and maintaining a financial blog is a great way to communicate your investment ideas to the world. It is an opportunity to convey to a potential employer a favorable impression of your diverse skill set, including financial acumen, communication skills, and technological dexterity. This mode of self-marketing is most suitable for those who already possess a measure of these skills. Increasingly, individuals looking to promote financial concepts and investment ideas are using social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to become "finfluencers". 8. Link Up With a Mentor Difficulty: High High Impact: Moderate Linking up with a mentor is another way of jump-starting a financial career. A mentor can be anyone in a position of influence who thinks highly of your capabilities and is willing to help you achieve your goals. Possible mentors include your favorite college professor, a family friend or relation with a successful career in finance, or someone you know in a professional capacity, such as a supervisor during a previous internship. Don't hesitate to approach a contact whom you think could help you in your job search. 9. Score an Internship Difficulty: Very high Very high Impact: Very high Scoring a summer internship still remains one of the best ways to lock in a prestigious full-time job in finance, as many Wall Street firms pick their new hires from the ranks of their summer interns. At the best business schools, an estimated one-third to one-half of MBA students go to work for their summer employer after graduation. Since obtaining a paid internship in finance is likely to be very difficult for a non-finance graduate, one must consider other options, such as an unpaid internship or volunteer work with a broker. The opportunity cost that arises from doing unpaid internships or volunteer work may be offset in due course by the higher earning potential of a finance career. 10. Do Your Best to Get Your Foot in the Door Difficulty: Very high Very high Impact: Very high Target HR departments for resumes, expand your job search to other locations, and use your network to check for openingsin short, do everything you can to get your foot in the door of a financial institution. Scoring an entry-level position with a financial company, even in a non-finance role, may open doors to other career paths in finance down the line. Can You Earn a CFA Charter Without Holding a College Degree? No. The CFA Institute requires that charter holders have at least an accredited bachelors degree (in any field). However, you can apply as a candidate and begin the CFA program when you are still an undergraduate student, provided that you will successfully graduate within 11 months. What Are the Top College Majors for Financial Professionals? According to a recent survey, the top college majors among global financial professionals were: Finance (23%) Business/Management (19%) Economics (14%) Accounting (11%) Mathematics (7%) Together, these five majors accounted for nearly 75% of all financial professionals. How Many Banking Interns End Up Getting Hired? According to industry research, roughly 70% of banking interns who fulfill all of their requisite duties will be offered a job. That may seem like a favorable statistics, but keep in mind that just landing an (often unpaid) internship at a financial firm is highly competitive. In 2022, investment bank Goldman Sachs had a record 236,000 people apply for student internships globally, including 79,000 in the Americas. Only around 35,000 (~15%) are accepted. The Bottom Line Some non-finance degrees are certainly in demand on Wall Street for specific tasks, including: Physics and mathematics for structured products, derivatives, and quantitative trading Information technology for algorithmic trading and platform development Engineering, mining, and sciences for sector-specific research analysis and investment banking However, for the vast majority of non-finance degree holders, securing a job in finance is likely to pose a significant challenge. This is more so because thousands of positions were eliminated by banks and financial institutions in the aftermath of the 2008 global recession. Using a combination of the tips discussed above should enable a non-finance graduate to substantially improve his or her chances of launching a career in finance. The Israeli military has opened an investigation into the fatal shooting of a paraplegic Palestinian man who was shot in the head during a violent demonstration in the Gaza Strip last week. Palestinian health officials said Ibrahim Abu Thraya was shot while demonstrating along Gazas border with Israel. IDF investigating shooting of paraplegic man in Gaza clashes https://t.co/H7RJ3DMI0I pic.twitter.com/xMwzORUBKl The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) December 17, 2017 The area has experienced continued unrest since President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital earlier this month. Jonathan Conricus, a military spokesman, blamed Gazas Hamas rulers for instigating violent demonstrations that posed a "significant threat" to soldiers and justified the use of live fire. But he said "allegations of the killing of a paraplegic Palestinian rioter are under investigation". He says the probe is expected to take several days. The moves comes as the UN Security Council are expected to vote today on a resolution confirming the international status of Jerusalem and outlawing any changes to it. The resolution is widely expected to face a US veto, which would block it from passing. https://t.co/JqCYvncNNQ Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 18, 2017 The text of the document which was seen by Reuters, says that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council. Accoridng to Russia Today the document does not specifically mention the US or its recent decision to officially recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, but it implies a call on Washington to withdraw it. The text also mentions deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem. The one-page resolution circulated to members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Saturday also urges all countries to refrain from establishing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem in what would appear to be a message to US President Donald Trump. - AP, Reuters and RT Today News Myanmar Wields Colonial-era Law Against Reuters Journalists Reuters journalist Wa Lone, who is based in Myanmar, is seen working in Sittwe in the state of Rakhine, Myanmar September 18, 2017. / Reuters Myanmar has accused Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, of breaching the countrys Official Secrets Act, a little-used hangover from colonial rule. Sam Zarifi, secretary general of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said the law can ensnare working journalists at any time. The two reporters were arrested on Tuesday evening after they were invited to meet police officers for dinner in the north of Yangon. The Ministry of Information said they had illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media, and published a photo of the pair in handcuffs standing behind a table with documents laid on it. ORIGINS OF THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT The law dates back to 1923, when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was a province of British India. At the time British administrators worried that rival powers could seek to exploit anti-colonial unrest in its South Asian empire. The act, which amended earlier anti-spying legislation, was controversial in India even at the time, according to a history published in 2009 by the United Service Institution of India, a New Delhi-based think tank. British military officers pushed for the stronger law over concerns about an increase in Bolshevik activity, along with geopolitical threats including the possibility of racial war between Japan and the USA affecting India, the history said. WHAT THE ACT SAYS The Official Secrets Act covers trespassing in prohibited areas, handling documents deemed secret and communicating with foreign agents. It carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Zarifi of the Geneva-based ICJ a human rights group made up of 60 senior international judges, lawyers and legal academics said the definition of an official secret in the act is incredibly broad. Just about anyone in possession of unpublished government documents could find themselves facing prosecution and the harsh penalties a conviction may carry, Zarifi said. Under this law many good journalists could be prosecuted at any time. In India, where the same law also remains on the statute book, courts have ruled that it even applies to parliamentary papers such as budget proposals if they are leaked before they are presented in the legislature. USE OF THE ACT Legal experts say prosecutions under the act have been rare in Myanmar in recent decades. The military junta that ruled until 2011 frequently used other laws or the Penal Code also inherited from the colonial era to lock up its critics alongside common criminals. The sprawling code was drafted in 1860, and gives magistrates more than 500 sections under which to charge alleged offenders. In 1990, a military court sentenced two leaders of the then opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) to 10 years in prison under the Official Secrets Act after they passed an official letter to foreign embassies. The prosecution was part of a broad crackdown following an election won by the NLD that the junta ignored. They were freed in 1992, in an amnesty, according to a New York Times report at the time. Reports of at least two other cases brought under the act are recorded in the online archives of the Asian Human Rights Commission in 2009 and 2010. The first case involved a man jailed for trespassing on military land and recording video footage to allegedly send abroad. He had been helping a farmer file a land grab complaint against the military. The second concerned a former army officer who was jailed in 2010 for allegedly having secret information on his laptop that he passed to foreign news agencies. The most well-documented recent case involving the Official Secrets Act came in January of 2014, when the Yangon-based weekly, Unity Journal, published a front page article it said exposed a secret chemical weapons factory run by the military in central Myanmar. Police arrested the newspapers CEO and four journalists involved in publishing the story, raided its offices, and attempted to seize all copies of the edition from newsstands. A civilian court in Pakkoku, near the alleged factory, sentenced them in July 2014 to 10 years in prison with hard labour later reduced to seven years. The case was widely seen by the domestic media as a warning that military affairs remained off-limits even though direct military rule had ended. The Unity five were released in an amnesty in April 2016, soon after the NLD, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, had come to power following an election in 2015. The Unity Journal subsequently closed. Reuters was unable to reach government legal officials over the weekend to request details of any other past cases in which the Official Secrets Act was used. THE LATEST CASE Little is known of the allegations against the two Reuters journalists, other than that police said they were arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces and are charged under Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act. Two policemen are also being investigated in the case, according to police. Section 3 covers entering prohibited places, taking images or handling secret official documents that might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy. Human Rights Watch in 2016 said Section 3 defines the offence of spying extremely broadly. Where a military establishment is involved, section 3(2) of the statute effectively places the burden on the defendant to prove that they are not guilty, the group said. A consortium of Western Australian councils in the States Great Southern region has chosen a web-based integrated Library Management Solution from software applications and digital solutions provider Civica to transforms their libraries into digital community spaces. The nine councils will implement Civicas Spydus10 LMS to replace the current LMS so that anyone can access, explore, share and create digital content. Spydus10 will replace the current LMS at each of the eight joining libraries in the consortium and streamline their operations while offering increased benefits to their customers. The consortium headed by the City of Albany consists of libraries from the Shires of Broomehill-Tambellup, Cranbrook, Denmark, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Katanning, Kojunup, and Plantagenet. The new LMS is designed to also offer increased flexibility to library staff, who will be able to access information anytime, anywhere and from a variety of devices. Paul Nielsen, Manager Precinct, City of Albany said: We hope to achieve our vision of creating physical and virtual community hubs with Spydus10 beyond the City of Albany into our regional council partners. We believe that Spydus10 will help to preserve our social and documentary heritage for current and future generations. With Spydus deployed across the consortium, we will be able to share knowledge and resources across libraries, thereby deepening our partnerships with other councils and the wider community. Simon Jones, Managing Director for Civica Library & Education Solutions said that over the past few years Civica has been working with its consortia customers to understand how they can grow their own memberships. In addition to growth in the Albany region, we have seen great results with the Western Suburbs consortia in Western Australia and additional libraries added to the South East Library Management Service (SELMS) and the SMART Library service in New Zealand. The library team at the City of Albany have demonstrated that collaboration and sharing of knowledge is an important part of what libraries do, and we are pleased to be able to work together to make this service a reality. We are delighted to be a partner of choice in this transformation that will result in added flexibility for library officers and customers, cost efficiencies, and increased community partnership. Unified communications vendor Avaya has finally emerged from Chapter 11 protection from bankruptcy in the US with completion of its debt reconstruction plan. The exit from bankruptcy protection follows Avayas move into chapter 11 in January this year with almost US$6 billion in debt and plans to reduce that debt to US$2.9 billion. Avaya had said it expected to emerge from the restructuring of its business by the end of this year after the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York confirmed its reorganisation plan. And in August, Avaya revealed a dip in revenue of US$1 million down to US$803 million for the third fiscal quarter which ended on 30 June compared to the prior quarter. At that time, revenue year-over-year was down US$79 million which the company attributed to lower demand for products and services, primarily due to extended procurement cycles resulting from its chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing. Announcing the exit from chapter 11, Jim Chirico, Avayas president and CEO said, This is the beginning of an important new chapter for Avaya. In less than a year since the commencement of our chapter 11 restructuring, Avaya has emerged as a publicly traded company with a significantly strengthened balance sheet. Overall, we reduced our prior debt load by approximately $3 billion, and we exit today with more than $300 million in cash on our balance sheet. The reduction of our debt and certain other long-term obligations will also improve annual cash flow by approximately $300 million compared to fiscal 2016. We have the flexibility we need to invest in the large and growing contact centre and unified communications markets as we complete our transformation to a software, services and cloud solutions provider, Chirico added. With a new Board and leadership team firmly in place, Avaya is now well-positioned to execute on its growth plan and deliver the returns and value expected by our stakeholders. Chirico says Avaya is taking the steps necessary to list on the New York Stock Exchange and expects to have approximately 110 million shares outstanding on emergence. Online discount retailer Kogan is going into the pet insurance business in a partnership with PetSure in a move which follows its announcement just one week ago it is branching out into the health insurance market in a new partnership with Medibank. In its latest announcement to the ASX, Kogan (ASX:KGN) says it has signed a partnership with PetSure a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Holland Insurance Company - to bring affordable pet insurance policies to Australian customers. Kogans agreement with PetSure allows it to distribute and promote pet insurance policies under a new brand - Kogan Pet Insurance which will focus on offering a range of affordable pet insurance products. Kogan will earn commission on each pet insurance policy issued, with the insurance underwritten by Hollard and administered by PetSure. InKogan said it is set to launch its health insurance business in the second half of the current financial year, with a new brand - Kogan Health to deliver budget health policies and a service designed to bring healthy competition to the health insurance industry. Kogans health insurance offerings will be administered via Medibanks Australian Health Management Group in a deal to run for an initial period of three years, with underwriting provided by Medibank. David Shafer, executive director of Kogan.com, said the partnership with PetSure was a natural extension to Kogans existing insurance offerings, and another opportunity to delight Kogans large and growing community by offering a range of affordable pet health insurance products to Aussies. We are excited to partner with PetSure, the clear leader in the Australian pet insurance market, to offer an affordable range of pet insurance products to our growing community of smart shoppers. Pet insurance is a growing insurance category in Australia, and we are very happy to have reached another win-win-win partnership, enabling us to deliver great value and a variety of pet insurance products to our community. Kogan is expecting to launch its pet insurance offering in the second half of this financial year. The complexities of carrying out installations under the NBN multi-technology model have been addressed in new industry guidelines for cablers just released by the Communications Alliance. The CA says the guidelines, developed by its Working Committee, give clearer instructions to cablers when migrating existing customers telecommunications services to the National Broadband Network. Under the revamp, the G649:2017 Cabling existing telecommunications services in the customers premises for the NBN has been rewritten to address the complexities of the more than 40 different scenarios that Australias 73,000 registered cablers can encounter when making installations under the NBN multi-technology-model. The Guideline has now been split into two parts, with the first part covering preparation, migration and verification of services. The second part provides a catalogue of 41 of the most common before and after installation scenarios and has been specifically designed for a cabler to use in the field on an electronic tablet. Registered cablers are a key component of the NBN migration process both in terms of connecting customers to the network and also by carrying out cabling work within the home to ensure that everything is configured to work correctly, said Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton. The revised Guideline will put additional tools into the hands of cablers, which should make for fewer challenges and an improved migration process for customers. Stanton said cablers encounter three different possible ways for a service to come into a premises, to be migrated over to one of a possible five NBN access technologies, coupled with the possibly of over-the-top services, such as monitored personal medical alarms, further complicating the service migration. He said Communications Alliance has identified the need to get this guidance into the hands of the cabler and sees this as an important step in facilitating the rollout of the NBN. To access the guideline click here. Breakthrough Moments to be Featured at TEDxIWU Event Dec. 18, 2017 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Illinois Wesleyan University will host the inaugural TEDxIWU event on its campus Feb. 2, 2018. Designed to highlight the innovative spirit of the Bloomington-Normal area, the event will bring together IWU students, faculty, staff, alumni and local community members to share their best ideas. Interested attendees must apply to participate in the limited-space TEDxIWU event. Reservations are available at www.iwu.edu/tedx. This event which runs from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Hansen Student Center (300 E. Beecher Street, Bloomington) is free and open to the public. Innovators scheduled to appear at TEDxIWU include: Teresa Banks '13 , M.S., CSCS, CFSC, Founder/Owner of TBFit, LLC, Health and Fitness Community Activist, Go Infinite Chicago , M.S., CSCS, CFSC, Founder/Owner of TBFit, LLC, Health and Fitness Community Activist, Go Infinite Chicago Lucy Bullock '17 , Child & Family Advocate at McLean County Children's Advocacy Center , Child & Family Advocate at McLean County Children's Advocacy Center Lily Chang '18 , economics & international business double major , economics & international business double major Dr. Brandon Common , Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs (IWU) , Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs (IWU) Michael Gorman '10 , Senior Web Developer (IWU), Bike BloNo Board Member, Green Top Grocery Board Member , Senior Web Developer (IWU), Bike BloNo Board Member, Green Top Grocery Board Member Dr. Narendra K. Jaggi , Professor of Physics (IWU) , Professor of Physics (IWU) Kim Kaufman , Social Media Specialist at State Farm Insurance Co., Communication Consultant/Public Speaker at Kim Presents, Public Relations Society of America-Central Illinois Board Member, Toastmasters International member , Social Media Specialist at State Farm Insurance Co., Communication Consultant/Public Speaker at Kim Presents, Public Relations Society of America-Central Illinois Board Member, Toastmasters International member Matt LaLonde '14 , Senior Associate at KPMG US , Senior Associate at KPMG US Kelly Mathy, Sociology Instructor (IWU), Washington Elementary School Vice Principal, Owner of Kelly's Bakery & Cafe and The Decorator's Grocery Sociology Instructor (IWU), Washington Elementary School Vice Principal, Owner of Kelly's Bakery & Cafe and The Decorator's Grocery Reverend Elyse Nelson Winger , University Chaplain (IWU) , University Chaplain (IWU) Crystal Ocampo-Fernandez '18 , International Studies major, Russian Language & Literature minor , International Studies major, Russian Language & Literature minor Grace Sheese , Art Instructor (IWU), Bloom Community School 4th-6th Grade Teacher , Art Instructor (IWU), Bloom Community School 4th-6th Grade Teacher Melanie Shellito '92 , Owner of Artezen LLC, Branding Professional, Green Top Grocery Board Member , Owner of Artezen LLC, Branding Professional, Green Top Grocery Board Member Isaac Simmons '20 , political science major , political science major Marc Talluto '94, CEO of Fruition Partners Bevin Choban '10, Action Research Center Coordinator, is organizing the event along with a team of campus leaders. ARC spearheads campus-community innovation, so TEDx grew from ongoing courses and projects. When ARC works with IWU students, either in the classroom or in the community, we often turn to impactful TED talks to illustrate the power of people who have positively impacted their neighborhoods and cities, said Choban. Over time, we came to realize we could fill a TEDx stage with the innovative ideas of the faculty, students, staff, alumni and community partners we work with every day. We are thrilled to be making this a reality, and IWU is the perfect backdrop for such an event. To reserve your free ticket and to learn more about this event, visit the TEDxIWU website, www.iwu.edu/tedx. Follow updates on TEDxIWU via the Illinois Wesleyan University Action Research Center Facebook page. About TED TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or fewer) delivered by today's leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks are given at TED's annual conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, and made available, free, on TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Monica Lewinsky, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman. TED's open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new TED Talk videos are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from thousands of volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; the annual million-dollar TED Prize, which funds exceptional individuals with a "wish," or idea, to create change in the world; TEDx, which provides licenses to thousands of individuals and groups who host local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities. About TEDx In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x=independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. ### *This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED. Indian businessmen flee after swindling millions from Pokhara locals Four Indian men impersonating as traders have fled after they swindled millions of rupees from locals in Pokhara. One likely scenario in 2018: managing additional capacity will tax the creativity of liner network executives. Photo Credit: WikiCommons Shippers will enter 2018 once again having to contend with changing service offerings as the alliances restructure or adjust their networks to cope with the huge amount of tonnage flooding in to the market. Although the situation will not be as chaotic in the run up to the launch of the new Ocean Alliance, THE Alliance, and the revised 2M plus Hyundai Merchant Marine in April 2017, managing the additional capacity will tax the creativity of liner network executives. Most of that capacity is headed for the Ocean Alliance that SeaIntel said would grow its fleet of mega-ships by more than 60 percent in 2018, heavily front-loaded toward the early part of the year. The analyst said a total of 108 mega-ships will be delivered in 2018, doubling the number currently in operation, which will see more than 200 of the mega-ships in service by the end of 2018. There are 78 mega-ships over 10,000 TEU totaling 1.2 million TEU set for delivery in 2018, according to IHS Markit. Net capacity would to expand 5.6 percent if one-quarter of those deliveries are delayed and 7.1 percent if all are delivered as scheduled. Of the three alliances THE Alliance, 2M (Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Co. plus HMM) and Ocean Alliance (Cosco Shipping, CMA CGM, OOCL, and Evergreen) 2M and THE Alliance essentially have a stable development plan for 2018, with the phase-in of new deliveries aimed primarily at augmenting existing services and reducing unit costs on those services by deploying a few more ultra-large vessels. The same cannot be said for the Ocean Alliance, and the concern for shippers is that carriers will need to rethink the fundamental structure of their current network to optimize the deployment of the fleet portfolio. Major restructuring of networks is typically seen to take place in the first quarter and early [second quarter] in the wake of Chinese New Year. This timing coincides well with the delivery profile for 2018, the analyst said. Consequently, shippers should prepare themselves for a 2018 wherein the network structures of 2M and THE Alliance are likely to undergo only smaller modifications, but wherein we will see an Ocean Alliance potentially change the network more drastically, offering new products and network structures, driven by the rapid delivery of large vessels. In addition to the network restructuring, the Ocean Alliance will also have the Cosco Shipping-OOCL takeover to contend with. That acquisition should be finalized over the next few months, and although the plan is for OOCL to continue operating under its own brand, there might be some additional service changes in store. Seemingly untroubled by the merger of its three Japanese members, THE Alliance has unveiled its new service offering from April 2018when the Ocean Network Express (ONE) starts operations. Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, and Yang Ming will have 33 services covering all the east-west trade lanes and connecting 81 ports, the alliance members said in a statement. THE Alliance touted the success of its cooperation since launching in April 2017. After one year of cooperation we are proud to say that our services and the network improved significantly," the member carriers said. The three carriers are planning to deploy a fleet of more than 250 ships in the Asia-Europe, North Atlantic, trans-Pacific trade lanes, as well as in services to the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf-Red Sea. The new offering will feature eight services in the Asia-Europe trade including three services covering the Mediterranean market, while 16 joint services will be operated by THE Alliance members on the trans-Pacific trade. Seven loops will serve the North Atlantic trade covering North European and Mediterranean ports as well as those in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and two in Middle East. The business is well on track in operational terms and with the delivery of several new big ships we are able to serve our customers even better. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @greg_knowler. Mission not-yet-accomplished With the left alliance having won a substantial majority in the elections, it is clear that the left alliance/CPN-UML will lead the next federal government. However, substantial obstacles have now emerged and it looks like it will take some time for the new government to take office. Reddit Email 414 Shares Middle East Monitor | Turkey will open an embassy in East Jerusalem, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, days after leading calls at a summit of Muslim leaders for the world to recognise it as the capital of Palestine. God willing, the day is close when officially, with Gods permission, we will open our embassy there, Erdogan said in a speech, maintaining his fierce criticism of the United States decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. Last week, speaking at an opening ceremony of developmental projects that was held in Turkeys central city of Sivas, Erdogan said: Palestine has been under occupation since 1947, stressing, Israel is an occupying state, a terrorist state. Trumps declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is null and void for us in any case, he added, noting that the US declaration was an attempt to damage peace and security in the region, adding: Declaring it as a capital and relocating the embassy has no validity for us [Turkey]. The Turkish leader pointed out that the US decision has ignored a 1980 United Nation (UN)s Security Council resolution, which was signed by the US and condemned the Israeli annexation of Jerusalem. Resolution 478 called on the council member states to withdraw their diplomatic missions from Jerusalem and described the east of the city as under occupation. Tension has risen across the Palestinian territories since US President Donald Trumps decision to officially recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in a 1967 war, to be occupied territory, and say the status of the city should be left to be decided at future Israeli-Palestinian talks. While the international community has almost unanimously disagreed with Donald Trumps announcement, reports suggest that the announcement was done with the pre-agreement of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi Arabia going as far as, allegedly, stating to the Palestinian President to accept a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem as the alternative Palestinian capital. This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Via Middle East Monitor Reddit Email 29 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has called for Iraqs Shiite militias to come under control of the central government. One of the problems facing the Middle East has been the rise of autonomous militias, who are often more powerful than the state and its army. You have Hizbullah in Lebanon, you have the militias in Libya that declined to stand down after the 2011 revolution, and you have the Shiite militias in Iraq. You even had the Awakening Councils of Iraqi Sunnis under US occupation, most of whom were not absorbed by the Iraqi army once the US left. The Iraqi Shiite militias have played a valuable role in defeating ISIL in that country. But if they remain a set of separate military forces now that its defeat has been formally announced by Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi, they threaten to throw the country into further turmoil. I dont think the militias were created by the 2014 ruling of Sistani calling for young Iraqis to serve their country by taking on ISIL. The militias often existed before that ruling, and the ruling itself seems to me to insist that the volunteers remain under the authority of the Iraqi government. But the ruling does seem to have reinvigorated some militias and led others to be founded. Now what? Sistani insists that all military arms in Iraq must remain under the ultimate control of the Iraqi army. He urged all militia members to be integrated into the national armed forces. This step was, by the way, urged on the government of then prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, with regard to the Sunni Awakening Councils. But of 100,000 men, only about 13,000 were hired by the government in 2009 and after. You could argue that the US should not have helped create those Sunni militias to fight al-Qaeda, or you could argue that al-Maliki should have given them government jobs. But it seems clear that they became an element of disorder. Sistani wants the al-Abadi government to avoid this mistake, by incorporating the militiamen into the regular armed forces and police. But Iraq should be careful to bring some Sunnis into the army alongside these militiamen, or youd just turn the army into a Shiite militia. This Iranian take on the decision below, from Press TV, seems to me to misrepresent what is reported of Sistanis appeal. Press TV says that Sistani wants the militias to retain their own corporate identity but to report to the Iraqi military. The Arabic press quotes him as using the word indimaj, which would be a melding into the armed forces: Press TV: Ayat. Sistani: PMU must be incorporated in state security institutions Reddit Email 71 Shares San Francisco (Tomdispatch.com) | Ive just heard that my family home near Carpenteria is literally in flames at this moment, a friend told me recently. She was particularly worried, she said, because my mom has MS. She and my dad got the call to evacuate after midnight last night. They were able to grab a few photos, my sisters childhood teddy bear, and the dog. Thats it. Thats all thats left. My friends parents are among the thousands of victims of the 240,000-acre Thomas fire, one of Californias spate of late-season wildfires. Stoked by 80-mile-an-hour Santa Ana winds, plenty of dry fuel, and 8% humidity, such fires are devouring huge swaths of southern California from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Months of dry weather and unseasonably warm temperatures have turned the southern part of the state into a tinderbox. Once again the country watches in horror as firefighters struggle to contain blazes of historic voracity as we watched only a couple of months ago when at least 250 wildfires spread across the counties north of San Francisco. Even after long-awaited rains brought by an El Nino winter earlier in 2017, years of drought have left my state ready to explode in flames on an increasingly warming planet. All it takes is a spark. Sort of like the whole world in the age of Donald Trump. Torching Jerusalem The crazy comes so fast and furious these days, its easy to forget some of the smaller brushfires like the one President Trump lit at the end of November when he retweeted three false and inflammatory videos about Muslims that he found on the Twitter feed of the leader of a British ultra-nationalist group. The presidents next move in the international arena his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel hasnt yet slipped from memory, in part because of the outrage it evoked around the world. As Moustafa Bayoumi, acclaimed author of How Does It Feel to be a Problem? Being Young and Arab in America, wrote in the Guardian, The entire Middle East, from Palestine to Yemen, appears set to burst into flames after this week. Not surprisingly, his prediction has already begun to come true with demonstrations in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon, where U.S. flags and posters of President Trump were set alight. Weve also seen the first rockets fired from Gaza into Israel and the predictable reprisal Israeli air attacks. Trumps Jerusalem announcement comes as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, pursues his so-called Middle East peace initiative. Kushners new BFF is Mohammed bin Salman, the heir apparent to the Saudi throne. We dont know just what the two of them talked about during a late night tete-a-tete as October ended, but it probably involved Salmans plans to jail hundreds of prominent Saudis, including 11 fellow princes. They undoubtedly also discussed a new, incendiary Israeli-Palestinian peace plan that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are reportedly quietly circulating. Under this proposal, according to the New York Times, The Palestinians would get a state of their own but only noncontiguous parts of the West Bank and only limited sovereignty over their own territory. The vast majority of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which most of the world considers illegal, would remain. The Palestinians would not be given East Jerusalem as their capital and there would be no right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants. If this is the deal of the century that President Trump plans to roll out, then its no surprise that hed prepare the way by announcing his plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. That move reveals a lot about Trumps much vaunted deal-making skills when it comes to the international arena. Here he has made a major concession to Israel without receiving a thing in return, except words of praise from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (and from evangelicals in this country). Given that Israel came into possession of the eastern half of Jerusalem through military conquest in 1967, a method of acquiring territory that international law views as illegal, it was quite a concession. The ultimate status of Jersalem is supposed to be a subject for the final stage of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, not a gift to one side before the talks even begin. Behind this concession, as far as can be seen, lies no strategic intent of any sort, not in the Middle East at least. In fact, President Trump was perfectly clear about just why he was making the announcement: to distinguish himself from his predecessors. (That is, to make himself feel good.) While previous presidents have made [moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem] a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering. Some say, he added, that his predecessors failed because they lacked courage. In point of fact, Trump did not exactly deliver either. Just like his predecessors, he promptly signed a semi-annual waiver that once again delayed the actual embassy move for six months. Pyromania? Rather than serving a larger Middle East strategy, Trumps Jerusalem announcement served mainly his own ego. It gave him the usual warm bath of adulation from his base and another burst of the pleasure he derives from seeing his name in the headlines. In his daily behavior, in fact, Trump acts less like a shrewd dealmaker than a child with pyromania, one who relieves anxiety and draws attention by starting fires. How else to explain his tendency every time theres a lull in the coverage of him, to post something incendiary on Twitter? Each time, just imagine him striking another match, lighting another fuse, and then sitting back to watch the pyrotechnics. Here is the grim reality of this American moment: whoever has access to the president also has a good shot at pointing this human flamethrower wherever he or she chooses, whether at Little Rocket Man in North Korea or Doug Jones in Alabama (although that flame turned out to be, as they British say, a damp squib). The Middle East has hardly been the only part of the world our president has taken visible pleasure in threatening to send up in flames. Consider the situation on the Korean peninsula, which remains the greatest danger the world faces today. Who could forget the way he stoked the already glowing embers of the Korean crisis in August by threatening to rain fire and fury like the world has never seen an obvious nuclear reference on North Korea? And ever since its only gotten worse. In recent weeks, for instance, not only Trump but his coterie have continued to ramp up the rhetoric against that country. Earlier this month, for instance, National Security Adviser General H.R. McMaster renewed the threat of military action, saying ominously, There are ways to address this problem short of armed conflict, but it is a race because [North Korean leader Kim Jong-un]s getting closer and closer [to having a nuclear capacity to hit the United States], and theres not much time left. In September, Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, reinforced this message in an interview with CNN. If North Korea keeps on with this reckless behavior, if the United States has to defend itself or defend its allies in any way, North Korea will be destroyed. Indeed, Vipin Narang, a nuclear nonproliferation specialist at MIT, thinks the Trump administration may already have accepted the inevitability of such a war and the near-guarantee that South Korea and Japan will be devastated as well as long as it comes before North Korea can effectively launch a nuclear strike on the U.S. mainland. There are a lot of people who argue that theres still a window to stop North Korea from getting an ICBM with a nuclear warhead to use against the United States, he commented to the Washington Post. Theyre telling themselves that if they strike now, worst-case scenario: only Japan and South Korea will eat a nuclear weapon. You dont exactly have to be an admirer of Kim Jong-un and his sad outcast regime to imagine why he might be reluctant to relinquish his nuclear arsenal. North Korea remains the designated U.S. enemy in a war that, almost seven decades later, has never officially ended. Its situated on a peninsula where the most powerful nation in the world holds military exercises twice a year. And Kim has had ample opportunity to observe how Washington has treated other leaders (Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi) who gave up their nuclear programs. Certainly, threats of fire and fury are not going to make him surrender his arsenal, but they may still make Donald Trump feel like a real commander-in-chief. Home Fires Burning Its not only in the international arena that Trumps been burning things up. Hes failed for now to destroy the Affordable Care Act (though not for lack of striking matches), but the GOP has successfully aimed the Trump flamethrower at any vestiges of progressive taxation at the federal level. And now that the House and Senate are close to reconciling their versions of tax legislation, the Republicans have made it clear just why theyre so delighted to pass a bill that will increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion dollars. It gives them a reason to put to flames what still remains of President Franklin Roosevelts New Deal of the 1930s and President Lyndon Johnsons Great Society of the 1960s. House Speaker Paul Ryan gave a vivid sense of where that presidential flamethrower could be aimed soon when he told radio host Ross Kaminsky, Were going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform, which is how you tackle the debt and the deficit. The goal? Cutting appropriations for Medicare and Medicaid, programs shepherded through Congress in the mid-1960s by Lyndon Johnson. These achievements helped realize his vision of the United States as a Great Society, one that provides for the basic needs of all its citizens. Meanwhile, when it comes to setting the American social environment on fire, President Trump has already announced his post-tax-bill target du jour: welfare reform. Welfare reform? Not a subject he even mentioned on the campaign trail in 2016, but different people are aiming that flamethrower now. The Hill reports the scene as Trump talked to a group of lawmakers in the Capitol basement: Ticking through a number of upcoming legislative priorities, Trump briefly mentioned welfare reform, sources in the room said. We need to do that. I want to do that, Trump told rank-and-file lawmakers in a conference room in the basement of the Capitol. The welfare line got a big applause, with one lawmaker describing it as an off-the-charts reception. We know that getting big applause guarantees that a Trump line will also get repeated. At a time when entitlement has become a dirty word, wed do well to remember that not so long ago it wasnt crazy to think that the government existed to help people do collectively what they couldnt do as individuals. As a friend said to me recently, taxes are a more organized way of crowd-funding human needs. Who even remembers that ancient time when candidate Trump, not yet an arsonist on the home front, promised to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security? President Trump is a different matter. It seems likely, however, that at least for now the Republicans wont push him on Social Security because, as Paul Ryan told the Washington Posts Wonkblog, the Republicans dont have enough votes to overcome a Senate filibuster and the program is too popular back home for a super-majority of Republicans to go after it. Why can they pass a tax reform bill with only a simple majority, but not Social Security cuts? The tax bill is being rushed through Congress using the reconciliation process by which differences in the Senate and House versions are smoothed over to produce a single bill. This only requires a simple majority to pass in each house. The Senates Byrd Rule, adopted in 1974, prohibits the use of the reconciliation process to make changes to Social Security. Thank you, former West Virginia senator Robert Byrd! In addition to the programs that made up Johnsons War on Poverty, he also signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Trumps Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity is already hard at work setting fire to the latter, as the president continues to demand evidence for his absurd claim that he won the popular vote in the 2016 election. He must be having an effect. At least half of all Republicans now seem to believe that he indeed did win that vote. And before we leave the subject, just a couple of final notes on literal fires in the Trump era. His Department of Transportation has been quietly at work making those more likely, too. In a move supported by fans of train fires everywhere, that department has quietly reversed an Obama-era rule requiring that trains carrying crude oil deploy, as Reuters reports, an advanced braking system designed to prevent fiery derailments The requirement to install so-called electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes was included in a package of safety reforms unveiled by the Obama administration in 2015 in response to a series of deadly derailments that grew out of the U.S. shale boom. Government data shows there have been 17 such derailments of trains carrying crude oil or ethanol in the U.S. since 2006. Then theres the fire that has probably destroyed my friends house in southern California even as I wrote this. Donald Trump can hardly be blamed for that one. The climate in this part of the world has already grown hotter and drier. We can certainly blame him, however, for turning up the heat on planet Earth by announcing plans to pull the United States out of the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change, overseeing the slashing of tax incentives for alternative energy (amid a bonanza of favors for the fossil fuel industry), and working to assert an oil, gas, and coal version of American energy dominance globally. From the worlds leading economic power, there may be no larger match on the planet. A Flame of Hope What hope is there of quenching the Trumpian fires? There is the fact that much of the world is standing up to him. At this months climate accord follow-up meeting in Paris, billionaires Bill Gates and Richard Branson announced a dozen international projects emerging from the summit that will inject money into efforts to curb climate change. The head of the World Bank insisted that the institution would stop funding fossil fuel programs within the next two years. Former American officials spoke up, too, as U.S. News & World Report observed: One by one, officials including former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, billionaire [and former New York City mayor] Michael Bloomberg, and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry insisted the world will shift to cleaner fuels and reduce emissions regardless of whether the Trump administration pitches in. I take comfort, too, in the extraordinary achievements of international civil society. Consider, for example, the work of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), this years recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. This summer, as a result of a campaign it led, two-thirds of the worlds nations 122 of them signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which outlaws the use, production, and possession of nuclear arms. That treaty and the Nobel that rewarded its organizers didnt get a lot of coverage in the United States, perhaps because, predictably, we didnt sign it. In fact, none of the existing nuclear powers signed it, but the treaty remains significant nonetheless. We should not underestimate the moral power of international agreements like this one. Few of us remember the 1928 Kellogg-Briand pact, which outlawed recourse to war for the resolution of international disputes. Nevertheless, that treaty formed the basis for the conviction of Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg for their crimes against peace. By implication, the Kellogg-Briand treaty also legalized a whole set of non-military actions nations can now take, including the use of economic sanctions against countries that violate international norms or laws. ICAN leaders Beatrice Fihn and Setsuko Thurlow (herself a Hiroshima survivor) believe that, over time, the treaty will change how the world thinks about nuclear weapons, transforming them from a necessary evil to an unthinkable one, and so will ultimately lead to their elimination. As Fihn told the BBCs Stephen Sackur, If youre uncomfortable with nuclear weapons under Donald Trump, youre probably uncomfortable with nuclear weapons in general. In other words, the idea of Trumps tiny fingers on the nuclear trigger is enough to start a person wondering whether anybodys fingers should be on that trigger. The worlds reaction in Paris and ICANs passionate, rational belief in the moral power of international law are like a cool drink of water on a very hot day. Rebecca Gordon, a TomDispatch regular, teaches in the philosophy department at the University of San Francisco. She is the author of American Nuremberg: The U.S. Officials Who Should Stand Trial for Post-9/11 War Crimes. Her previous books include Mainstreaming Torture: Ethical Approaches in the Post-9/11 United States and Letters from Nicaragua. Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Alfred McCoys In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, as well as John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardts Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World. Copyright 2017 Rebecca Gordon Tomdispatch.com MONTREAL, QUEBEC and TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 18, 2017) - Osisko Metals Incorporated ("Osisko Metals") (TSX VENTURE:OM) (FRANKFURT:0B5) and Pine Point Mining Limited ("Pine Point") (TSX VENTURE:ZINC) are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive arrangement agreement dated December 15, 2017 (the "Agreement") pursuant to which, among other things, (i) Osisko Metals has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Pine Point, and (ii) a newly formed company ("Spinco") will be created to hold all of the assets and liabilities of Pine Point, with the exception of the Pine Point project located in the Northwest Territories (the "Pine Point Project"), all of which is to be completed by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the "Arrangement"). The Arrangement will result in Osisko Metals acquiring the Pine Point Project in furtherance of Osisko Metals' stated strategy of consolidating and developing base metal assets at the mining district scale. Under the terms of the Agreement, holders of common shares of Pine Point (each, a "Pine Point Share") will be entitled to receive, for each Pine Point Share held immediately prior to the effective time of the Arrangement: 0.271 (the "Exchange Ratio") of a common share of Osisko Metals (each whole common share, an "Osisko Metals Share"); 0.0677 of a common share purchase warrant of Osisko Metals (each whole common share purchase warrant, an "Osisko Metals Consideration Warrant"), with each Osisko Metals Consideration Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Osisko Metals Share at an exercise price of C$1.50 per Osisko Metals Share for a period of 12 months from the closing of the Arrangement, and one (1) common share of Spinco (a "Spinco Share"), which will be consolidated on a 10:1 basis under the Arrangement. The Exchange Ratio implies consideration of approximately C$0.21 per Pine Point Share, based on the closing price of the common shares of Osisko Metals on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") on December 15, 2017 (which, for greater certainty, attributes no value to the Osisko Metals Consideration Warrants or Spinco Shares). Further, the Exchange Ratio represents a premium of (i) approximately 23% based on the respective closing prices, and (ii) approximately 27% based on the respective 30-day volume-weighted average prices, in each case, of Osisko Metals Shares and Pine Point Shares on the TSX-V as of the close of business on December 15, 2017. This implies a total equity value of approximately C$34 million on a fully diluted in-the-money basis. Shareholders of Pine Point will also benefit from the equity interest in Spinco and the optionality inherent in the Osisko Metals Consideration Warrants that they are entitled to received under the Arrangement. Upon completion of the Arrangement, existing shareholders of Osisko Metals and Pine Point will own approximately 62% and 38%, respectively, of pro-forma Osisko Metals (on a fully diluted in-the-money basis). Pro-forma Osisko Metals Highlights Leading Base Metal Explorer: Solidifies Osisko Metals' position as one of the most aggressive base metal exploration and development companies at a time when base metal supply and demand fundamentals are exceptional. Solidifies Osisko Metals' position as one of the most aggressive base metal exploration and development companies at a time when base metal supply and demand fundamentals are exceptional. Consolidation of Canada's Two Premier Zinc Producing Camps: The Pine Point Project adds another cornerstone asset to the Osisko Metals portfolio. Combined with the Bathurst Mining Camp, Osisko Metals now controls a strong development project pipeline within two world class past-producing base metal camps. The Pine Point Project adds another cornerstone asset to the Osisko Metals portfolio. Combined with the Bathurst Mining Camp, Osisko Metals now controls a strong development project pipeline within two world class past-producing base metal camps. Maintains Strong Balance Sheet: Pro-forma Osisko Metals will continue to have a strong balance sheet, with approximately C$38 million of cash that is available to aggressively advance both of its brownfield assets. Pro-forma Osisko Metals will continue to have a strong balance sheet, with approximately C$38 million of cash that is available to aggressively advance both of its brownfield assets. Strong Shareholder Support: Osisko Metals has entered into voting and support agreements with each director and senior officer of Pine Point and certain significant shareholders of Pine Point (being Global Resource Fund and Zebra Holdings and Investments S.a.r.l.) representing approximately 39.2% of the outstanding Pine Point Shares. These supporting shareholders of Pine Point have, among other things, agreed to vote their Pine Point Shares in favour of the Arrangement. Pine Point Project Highlights Leveraging Substantial Infrastructure: The Pine Point Project is located near Hay River in the Northwest Territories. Unique among mining projects in the Northwest Territories, the Pine Point Project benefits from substantial infrastructure including paved road access, rail head in Hay River and hydro-electric power available on site. The Pine Point Project is located near Hay River in the Northwest Territories. Unique among mining projects in the Northwest Territories, the Pine Point Project benefits from substantial infrastructure including paved road access, rail head in Hay River and hydro-electric power available on site. Ready for Development: The Pine Point Project has had a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment study that was filed on May 2017, which focused on a restricted subset of open-pit deposits, totaling 25.8 million tonnes of Indicated Resources grading 2.9% zinc and 1.1% lead and 3.7 million tonnes of Inferred Resources grading 2.9% zinc and 0.8% lead, within a larger historical resource portfolio, which has not been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (" NI 43-101 "). With multiple advanced exploration targets, Osisko Metals believes the Pine Point Project is one of the most promising undeveloped zinc assets in Canada. The Pine Point Project has had a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment study that was filed on May 2017, which focused on a restricted subset of open-pit deposits, totaling 25.8 million tonnes of Indicated Resources grading 2.9% zinc and 1.1% lead and 3.7 million tonnes of Inferred Resources grading 2.9% zinc and 0.8% lead, within a larger historical resource portfolio, which has not been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (" "). With multiple advanced exploration targets, Osisko Metals believes the Pine Point Project is one of the most promising undeveloped zinc assets in Canada. Positive Economics : Pre-Tax Net Present Value of C$340.8 million at a discount rate of 8%, and Internal Rate of Return of 47.8%, with a payback period of 1.4 years. After-Tax Net Present Value of C$210.5 million and Internal Rate of Return of 34.5%, with a payback of 1.8 years. Pre-production capital costs of C$153.8 million, including a 15% contingency, with sustaining capex of C$117.5 million over the life of the mine. : Pre-Tax Net Present Value of C$340.8 million at a discount rate of 8%, and Internal Rate of Return of 47.8%, with a payback period of 1.4 years. After-Tax Net Present Value of C$210.5 million and Internal Rate of Return of 34.5%, with a payback of 1.8 years. Pre-production capital costs of C$153.8 million, including a 15% contingency, with sustaining capex of C$117.5 million over the life of the mine. Significant Exploration Potential at Pine Point: Osisko Metals expects to leverage an exceptional exploration upside potential to significantly enhance the resource of the Pine Point Project before advancing further economic studies, which is supported by a technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Technical Report on the Pine Point Zinc Project, Northwest Territories, Canada", dated June 1, 2017 (with an effective date of April 18, 2017), prepared by Garrett Macdonald, P.Eng. (JDS Energy & Mining Inc.), Kelly McLeod, P.Eng. (JDS Energy & Mining Inc.), Dino Pilotto, P.Eng. (JDS Energy & Mining Inc.), Ken Embree, P.Eng. (Knight Piesold Ltd.), Albert Daniel Siega, P.Eng. (Independent Consultant) and Paul Gann, P.Geo. (Independent Consultant) for Darnley Bay Resources Limited (now, Pine Point) (the " Pine Point Technical Report "). During its 23-year production history, over 98 deposits were identified of which 52 were mined, producing nearly 64 million tonnes of ore at a time when it was Canada's most profitable zinc-lead mine. Osisko Metals will work to selectively convert and upgrade the 46 undeveloped historical deposits to conform to the disclosure requirements of NI 43-101, as well as deploy modern exploration tools with innovative strategies across the property to better enable the discovery of new deposits. Osisko Metals expects to leverage an exceptional exploration upside potential to significantly enhance the resource of the Pine Point Project before advancing further economic studies, which is supported by a technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Technical Report on the Pine Point Zinc Project, Northwest Territories, Canada", dated June 1, 2017 (with an effective date of April 18, 2017), prepared by Garrett Macdonald, P.Eng. (JDS Energy & Mining Inc.), Kelly McLeod, P.Eng. (JDS Energy & Mining Inc.), Dino Pilotto, P.Eng. (JDS Energy & Mining Inc.), Ken Embree, P.Eng. (Knight Piesold Ltd.), Albert Daniel Siega, P.Eng. (Independent Consultant) and Paul Gann, P.Geo. (Independent Consultant) for Darnley Bay Resources Limited (now, Pine Point) (the " "). During its 23-year production history, over 98 deposits were identified of which 52 were mined, producing nearly 64 million tonnes of ore at a time when it was Canada's most profitable zinc-lead mine. Osisko Metals will work to selectively convert and upgrade the 46 undeveloped historical deposits to conform to the disclosure requirements of NI 43-101, as well as deploy modern exploration tools with innovative strategies across the property to better enable the discovery of new deposits. Exceptional Metallurgy: Osisko Metals expects to benefit from simple and proven conventional metallurgy at the Pine Point Project. Prior metallurgical testing highlighted the potential to produce very high concentrate grades, up to 59.5% zinc and 76.7% lead, with negligible deleterious elements. Jeff Hussey, President and CEO of Osisko Metals, stated: "We are extremely pleased to be announcing today's transaction with Pine Point. The addition of the Pine Point Project to our exploration and development portfolio is exactly in keeping with our strategy of consolidating world class base metal mining districts. We look forward to applying an aggressive and innovative exploration strategy to unlock the full potential of both former producing mining districts." Jamie Levy, President and CEO of Pine Point, stated: "We are delighted to have unlocked significant value for our shareholders since acquiring the Pine Point Project in late 2016. We are confident the Osisko Metals team will be able to further create meaningful value to the benefit of our collective shareholders while we focus on developing our other assets." Benefits to Pine Point Shareholders Immediate and significant premium of approximately 27% based on the 30-day volume-weighted average prices of both companies (attributing no value to the Osisko Metals Consideration Warrants or Spinco Shares). Meaningful ownership in Osisko Metals' high-quality, well-funded portfolio of assets, including the highly prospective Bathurst Mining Camp. Continued exposure to the Pine Point Project, as shareholders of Pine Point are entitled to receive Osisko Metals Shares as consideration under the Arrangement. Pro-forma Osisko Metals provides significant re-valuation potential as a diversified explorer in the base metals space. Continued exposure to those Pine Point assets other than the Pine Point Project through interest in Spinco Shares, as shareholders of Pine Point are entitled to receive Spinco Shares as consideration under the Arrangement. Based on the number of Pine Point Shares currently outstanding, Spinco is expected to have approximately 15.5 million shares outstanding upon completion of the Arrangement. Optionality inherent in the Osisko Metals Consideration Warrants shareholders of Pine Point will receive as consideration under the Arrangement. Benefits to Osisko Metals Shareholders Accretive acquisition of another high-quality zinc asset in Canada with significant shallow exploration potential upside. Osisko Metals' team is well suited to unlock further value through systematic exploration and development of the Pine Point Project. One of the few zinc projects with simple metallurgy potentially producing high quality concentrates during a period of constrained concentrate supply. Pro-forma Osisko Metals provides significant re-valuation potential as a diversified explorer in the base metals space. Transaction Summary The Arrangement will be completed by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), and will require, among other things, the approval of at least 66 2/3 percent of the votes cast by shareholders of Pine Point at a special meeting expected to be held in February 2018 (the "Pine Point Meeting"). The Arrangement will also require approval by a "majority of the minority" of the shareholders of Pine Point, being a majority of the votes cast by shareholders of Pine Point whose votes may be included in determining if minority approval is obtained pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions. Shareholders of Pine Point representing approximately 39.2% of the issued and outstanding Pine Point Shares, including all of the directors and senior officers and certain significant shareholders of Pine Point, have entered into voting and support agreements with Osisko Metals in support of the Arrangement. In addition to the approvals required from shareholders of Pine Point and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List), the Arrangement is also subject to applicable regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions customary for a transaction of this nature. The Agreement includes customary deal protections, including fiduciary-out provisions, non-solicitation covenants, and the right to match any superior proposals. Additionally, a break fee of C$1.435 million is payable by Pine Point to Osisko Metals in certain circumstances, if the Arrangement is not completed. Full details of the Arrangement will be included in the management information circular of Pine Point describing the matters to be considered at the Pine Point Meeting, which is expected to be mailed to the shareholders of Pine Point in January 2018, and made available on SEDAR under Pine Point's issuer profile at www.sedar.com. A copy of the Agreement will also be made available on the SEDAR profile of Pine Point at www.sedar.com. The distribution of the Osisko Metals Shares, Osisko Metals Consideration Warrants and Spinco Shares under the Arrangement will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy Osisko Metals Shares, Osisko Metals Consideration Warrants or Spinco Shares, nor shall there be any offer or sale of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Board Recommendations The Board of Directors of Pine Point, on the recommendation of the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Pine Point, composed entirely of independent directors, has unanimously approved the Arrangement and will recommend that shareholders of Pine Point vote in favour of the Arrangement. The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Pine Point has received an opinion from Cormark Securities Inc. that, based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations, and qualifications stated in such opinion, the consideration to be received by the shareholders of Pine Point pursuant to the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the shareholders of Pine Point. Copies of the Cormark Securities Inc. fairness opinion, which should be read carefully and in its entirety, and other relevant background information will be included in the management information circular that will be mailed to shareholders of Pine Point in connection with the Pine Point Meeting. In addition, the Board of Directors of Osisko Metals has unanimously approved the Arrangement. The Board of Directors of Osisko Metals has received an opinion from Maxit Capital LP that, based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations, and qualifications stated in such opinion, the consideration to be paid by Osisko Metals pursuant to the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to Osisko Metals. Advisors and Counsel Maxit Capital LP is acting as financial advisor to Osisko Metals and its Board of Directors. Bennett Jones LLP is acting as Osisko Metals' legal advisor. Cormark Securities Inc. is acting as financial advisor to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Pine Point. Irwin Lowy LLP is acting as Pine Point's legal advisor. Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is acting as legal advisor to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Pine Point. About Osisko Metals Incorporated Osisko Metals is a Canadian exploration and development company creating value in the base metal markets with an emphasis on zinc. In 2017, Osisko Metals acquired over 50,000 hectares in the Bathurst Mining Camp. The objective is to develop a multi-deposit asset base that would feed a central concentrator. In parallel, Osisko Metals is monitoring several base metal oriented peers for acquisition opportunities. In Quebec, Osisko Metals acquired 42,000 hectares that cover 12 grass-root zinc targets that will be selectively advanced through exploration. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (TSX/NYSE:OR) and Osisko Mining Inc. (TSX:OSK) are significant shareholders of the company. For further information about Osisko Metals, visit www.osiskometals.com. About Pine Point Mining Limited Pine Point acquired a 100% interest in the Pine Point lead-zinc project in December 2016. Since that time, a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on the project showing a robust mining operation which, over a 13-year mine life, would have an after-tax net present value of C$210.5 million and internal rate of return of 34.5%, with a payback of 1.8 years. The study assumed a zinc price of US$1.10 per pound and a lead price of US$1.00 per pound, and used an exchange rate C$:US$ of 0.75. The Pine Point Technical Report is based on a mineral resource estimate for the Pine Point Project, which was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 with an effective date of April 18, 2017. Stanley Clemmer, Chief Geologist of Pine Point, is a "qualified person" under NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information relating to Pine Point presented in this press release. For further information about Pine Point, visit www.pinepointmining.com. VANCOUVER, Dec. 18, 2017 /CNW/ - Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE MKT: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") announced today that it has entered into a framework agreement with First Quantum Minerals Ltd. ("First Quantum") (TSX: FM) which contemplates that an affiliate of First Quantum will subsequently execute an option agreement with Northern Dynasty. The option agreement contemplates an option payment of US$150 million staged over four years which option will entitle First Quantum to acquire the right to earn a 50% interest in the Pebble Limited Partnership (the "Pebble Partnership") for US$1.35 billion. The option period may be extended for up to 2 years by First Quantum making payments to be agreed upon which amounts will be offset against the $1.35 billion additional investment amount. Within five business days of the execution of the framework agreement, First Quantum will make an early option payment of US$37.5 million ("Early Option Price Installment") to Northern Dynasty. The Early Option Price Installment will be applied solely for the purpose of progressing the permitting of the Pebble Project. The entry by First Quantum into the option agreement is contingent upon the completion of due diligence, necessary regulatory approvals being obtained and the successful negotiation of the final form of the option agreement and associated commercial agreements. Finalization and execution of the option agreement and associated commercial agreements is expected early in the second quarter of 2018. Investors are cautioned there is no assurance that a transaction will be entered into at the end of the process. "We have made good progress in the partnering process and are very pleased to be in advanced-stage discussions with First Quantum, an industry leader in mine development and management," Northern Dynasty President & CEO Ron Thiessen confirmed. "Just as importantly, the immediate capital contribution from First Quantum will allow Northern Dynasty to execute on its plan to move the Pebble Project forward to initiate federal and state permitting in the very near-term." About First Quantum Minerals Ltd. First Quantum is a well-established and growing metals and mining company with an industry-leading project development track record. First Quantum operates seven mines and one copper smelter across six countries producing mainly copper, gold, nickel and zinc. With a geographically diversified portfolio of tier-one operations expected to produce approximately 570,000 tonnes of copper in 2017 and the large-scale, advanced-stage Cobre Panama development project, First Quantum is poised to become one of the largest widely-held, pure-play copper producers in the world. About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly-owned Alaska-based US subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership and other wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit. The Pebble Partnership is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources. Once again I emulate the annual Fairfax predictions, with my own. Heres my 20 for 2017: Jacinda Ardern will be elected MP for Mt Albert in the by-election No one from the 2014 National intake will be made a Minister before the election The 2017 election will be at a later date (during the year) than the 2014 election The second highest ranked male candidate on Labours list (excluding those in seats Labour is expected to win) will be Trevor Mallard Winston Peters will poll higher than Andrew Little as Preferred PM in most polls in 2017 The 2016/17 year will end in a surplus of greater than $1 billion The official cash rate will rise in 2017 National will poll higher than Labour and Greens combined in at least 90% of public polls Shane Jones will stand for NZ First and be ranked in the top three on their list Helen Clark will return to New Zealand to become Vice-Chancellor Auckland University John Key will be knighted in the 2017 Queens Birthday Honours Steven Joyces first Budget will deliver tax cuts Labour will lose at least one of the six Maori seats they hold Labour and Greens will do a dirty (their former terminology) deal in Ohariu NZ First will get more votes on election night than the Greens US President Donald Trump will visit New Zealand Malcolm Turnbull will be rolled by his own caucus in 2017 The Greens will again declare more large donations than Labour in their annual return to the Electoral Commission David Seymours euthanasia bill will be drawn from the ballot Cameron Brewer will be selected as Nationals Helensville candidate Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr By Nam Sang-so She was an 18-year-old girl learning Japanese at Pyongyang Foreign Language School. One day in 1980, she was asked to get some new training to become a spy and she went through training on the rifle range, throwing grenades, fighting with a trench knife and other combat skills, all of which she excelled. In 1987, now a well-trained terrorist, she was ordered to destroy a South Korean airliner in the air. She together with an old man, also a spy, left Pyongyang for Moscow, Budapest and Belgrade where they received a time bomb disguised as a radio from another North Korean mole. They boarded the targeted Korean Air flight 858 at Baghdad. The old man set the timer on the bomb and put it into a plastic bag and placed it in the ceiling bin in the cabin. The timer was set for a nine-hour delay and they disembarked from the airliner at Abu Dhabi and transferred to Gulf Air heading for Bahrain. It was a holiday in Bahrain and the plane to Rome was fully booked and they had to wait for two days to get out Bahrain. "Idiot! They failed to see this in advance!" the old man terrorist cursed his Pyongyang head office. On Nov. 29, 1987, two Japanese Embassy officials in Bahrain knocked on their hotel door. "KAL 858 is missing just before its arrival at Bangkok. You were on that plane. May we see your passports," they said. Shinichi Hachiya and Mayumi Hachiya as his daughter each produced their passports. On Dec. 1, the Japanese father and his daughter were checking in at Bahrain airport to go to Rome on their way back to Pyongyang. The Japanese officials materialized again and said, "Shinichi san, Mayumi san, your passports were found to be counterfeits. We must take you back to Japan for further investigation." The pair of terrorists from Pyongyang immediately pulled out poison ampoules hidden in pieces of cigarettes, pushed them between their teeth and chewed, cursing Pyongyang again for doing a sloppy job on their passports. In a few seconds, the old man and beautiful woman fell to the marble floor. The woman, against her wishes, opened her eyes in a hospital and realized her mouth was gagged by South Korean agents to prevent her from biting her tongue. In the course of a long interrogation by the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, she realized she had been deceived by Pyongyang about South Koreans being cruel. Still she wanted to die as she knew what she had done was an unforgiveable crime, and she accepted her death sentence willingly. She was happy and miserable when she was given a presidential pardon in 1990. She decided to live to let the world know that the barbarous act was manipulated by the North Korean government. She is now 55 years old and lives with her two children. Her Korean name is Kim Hyun-hee. On Nov. 17, the United States put her name on the terrorism blacklist again. The writer (sangsonam@gmail.com) is a translator. Myadi police protest against overcharging on food Myadi police (temporary police) personnel recruited for election security in Dolakha district have started protest from Monday over the price charged for the foods served to them. The term of the temporary police personnel is nearing its end. NC to call CWC, Mahasamiti meetings shortly After a poor show in the recently concluded elections to the House of Representatives and Provincial Assemblies, the Nepali Congress has decided to call its Central Working Committee meeting to review the poll results. Power lines, substations being upgraded with ADB funding Power lines and substations are being upgraded in 49 locations across Nepal with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance the electricity distribution system. For peeking into the daily life of working scientists, there's nothing like Twitter. Science Twitter is home to passionate debates, clever quips and many so many fantastic images and GIFs. In 2017, the science community on Twitter raised its profile with a steady stream of hashtags, many of which broke into the mainstream. Here are 10 of our favorites. 1. #ScienceMarch The March for Science took place at hundreds of cities on April 22, 2017. On Twitter, it felt like it went on a lot longer than that. The march, a loosely organized event aimed at highlighting the importance of weighing scientific evidence when making public policy, was controversial from the get-go. Under the #ScienceMarch hashtag, scientists, science communicators and interested observers argued issues of diversity and inclusion, partisanship and messaging. On the day of the march, which organizers say was attended by more than 1 million people worldwide (100,000 in Washington, D.C., alone), the #ScienceMarch hashtag turned into a gallery of clever and passionate protest signs, from "Science Not Silence" to "Make America Think Again." [10 Historically Significant Political Protests] 2. #BestCarcass Science Twitter thrives when it gets to be gross. And, boy, does #BestCarcass do gross. This is the place to go if you want to see what it looks like when maggots get to work on an alligator carcass, or when a dolphin gets bitten in half by a shark. There are moments of surprising beauty, too, like an image of frogs frozen beneath an icy pond. And then there are things you kind of wish you could unsee, like a squirrel with most of its skull torn off. Mostly, this hashtag will just make you glad that Twitter doesn't come with a Smell-o-Vision feature. 3. #DoesItFart Speaking of smelly The #DoesItFart hashtag had quite a run. When a doctoral candidate in biology was stumped by a question about whether snakes, er, pass gas, she tweeted the question to a snake expert. A third biologist saw the exchange and launched the hashtag, which then grew into an open-access spreadsheet and finally, a book: "Does It Fart? The Definitive Guide to Animal Flatulence (opens in new tab)" (Hatchette Books, 2018). You know there's someone on your Christmas list who wants it. (For the record, yes, snakes fart.) [10 Amazing Things You Didn't Know About Animals] 4. #ActualLivingScientist Wildlife ecologist David Steen started the hashtag after reading that most Americans can't name a real living scientist. "SoHi, I'm Dave," he tweeted. A follower, Mary Roblyer (@darthmom7) tweeted back the idea of scientists introducing themselves under the #ActualLivingScientist hashtag, and a juggernaut was born. Looking to meet a particle physicist or someone who studies foodborne pathogens? Want to follow someone who will fill your feed with bat facts or far-flung fieldwork? Months after this hashtag launched, scientists are still using it to introduce themselves and their work. 5. #SciArt Visual learners will love the long-running and diverse hashtag #SciArt, where Twitter users post scientific illustrations, astounding astronomy photography, abstract art based on scientific concepts and laboratory experiments that just happen to look beautiful. Check out this beautiful vision of the cerebellum, the portion of the brain that helps coordinate movement. Or this dreamy way of looking at cave structures. The related hashtag #paleoart is a great place to see artists bringing ancient creatures to life. 6. #MyOneScienceTweet You don't get much space on Twitter, and this hashtag cuts to the chase. #MyOneScienceTweet started in October when an entomology doctoral student in Missouri asked Science Twitter what they'd want the world to know about their field of study in a single sentence. The result was a flood of quirky facts and eye-opening myth-busting. The subjects spanned from the serious ("The world is warming. It's us. There's hope. It's us," from Kate Marvel) to the exasperated ("Medieval people didn't think the world was flat," tweeted Dale Kedwards, adding the additional hashtag #screamingintothevoid) to the humorous ("Holy crap there are a lot of bugs," wrote University of Texas at Austin entomologist Alex Wild). 7. #ScanAllFish The #ScanAllFish hashtag never went properly viral like #ActualLivingScientist, but this hidden gem deserves all the attention it can get. Started in 2016, #ScanAllFish is where fish researchers deposit computed tomography (CT) scans of, well, all the fish they can. The hashtag was the brainchild of Adam Summers, a researcher at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories. The idea? To scan all the fish all 30,000+ of them! and make the resulting images available. And those images? They're a real trip. 8. #PregnantInTheField Over the summer, women in archaeology, geology and other professions that involve getting down in the dirt shared photos of themselves under #womendigging. From that arose an even more stereotype-busting hashtag from University of Georgia paleoecologist Suzanne Birch: #PregnantInTheField. Field-loving scientists shared photos and told stories of excavating archaeological sites and taking geological surveys while everything from a few weeks to many months pregnant. "Great thing about #pregnantinthefield is just talking about it some sprightly into 3rd trimester, others much earlier. All ok," concluded archaeologist Becky Wragg Sykes. 9. #FieldworkFail Sometimes science doesn't go as planned especially when you're far from home. The hashtag #FieldworkFail highlighted those awkward moments, like when you go to the mangroves and come home to find a snail inside your bellybutton. Or when you go to bed and find that a snake is already there, eating a rat. Or when you glue yourself to a crocodile. Many of the highlights are collected in the book "Fieldwork Fail: The Messy Side of Science." 10. #SolarEclipse2017 The best part about the #SolarEclipse2017 hashtag? You didn't have to be a scientist to get in on the fun. On Aug. 21, 2017, the entire United States went temporarily wild for the sun as a total solar eclipse swept diagonally across the country. Everyone in the contiguous United States got at least a view of a partial eclipse. The #SolarEclipse2017 hashtag captured the entire experience, from gorgeous photographs of totality, to stern expert warnings about not staring directly at the sun, to selfies of people wearing dorky eclipse glasses. For a rare moment, all of Twitter was Science Twitter. Original article on Live Science. The iron dagger found in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun dates to around 1350 B.C., about 200 years before the Iron Age. Daggers, axes and jewelry made from rare iron during the Bronze Age are literally out of this world, according to new research finding that ancient artisans crafted these metal artifacts with iron from outer space carried to Earth by meteorites. The finding upends the idea that a few artisans during the Bronze Age in the ancient Near East knew how to make iron by smelting it from Earth's crust. Instead, it appears that Bronze Age metalworkers sought out meteorites to make these treasures, said study author Albert Jambon, a French archaeo-metallurgist and a professor at the Pierre and Marie Curie University, in Paris. [See Photos of King Tut's Dagger & Other Old Iron Objects] "Iron from the Bronze Age are meteoritic, invalidating speculations about precocious [early] smelting during the Bronze Age," Jambon wrote in the study. The portable analyzer can detect the chemical composition of objects by using a non-destructive scan with X-rays. (Image credit: Albert Jambon) Jambon tested the ancient iron daggers, including one from Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt, iron axes and pieces of iron jewelry from the ancient Near East and China with X-ray scans to identify their metals. Last year, a study using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry determined that Tutankhamuns dagger was made with iron containing nearly 11 percent nickel and traces of cobalt: a characteristic of extraterrestrial iron found in many of the iron meteorites that have rained down on Earth for billions of years. Archaeo-metallurgist Albert Jambon scans an iron meteorite with a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer. (Image credit: Albert Jambon) Most of the iron meteorites that smash into Earth each year are thought to have formed in the metal-heavy cores of planetesimals small bodies in the protoplanetary disk of debris that orbited the sun during the early stages of the solar system. As a result, these meteorites contain high levels of nickel or cobalt. In contrast, iron smelted from terrestrial iron ores, which are mined from our planet's outer crust, contain less than 1 percent nickel or cobalt, far less than the levels found in iron-rich space rocks. Jambon used a portable XRF analyzer to scan other ancient iron objects and iron meteorites in museums, as well as iron in private collections in Europe and the Middle East. His research showed that all the iron in the tested artifacts came from meteorites, and not from terrestrial smelting, he told Live Science in an email. The findings suggested that iron meteorites were the only source of that metal until the discovery of smelting iron from terrestrial iron ore, probably in Anatolia and the Caucasus around 3,200 years ago, Jambon said. Ancient iron Jambon examined some of the most ancient iron objects ever found, including sheet-iron beads from Gerzeh in Egypt, dated to 3200 B.C.; an ax from Ugarit on the coast of northern Syria, dated to 1400 B.C.; a dagger from Alaca Hoyuk in Turkey, dated to 2500 B.C.; and three iron objects from Tutankhamun's tomb, dated to 1350 B.C. a dagger, a bracelet and a headrest. The iron axe from Ugarit on the coast of northern Syria is dated to 1500 B.C., about 300 years before the invention of smelting iron. (Image credit: Albert Jambon) Some archaeologists have proposed that these early iron objects could have been created by "precocious" smelting of iron ore nearly 2,000 years before the technology became widespread in the early Iron Age perhaps by accident, or through experimentation. But Jambon said his research found no evidence that smelted iron was known until the Iron Age dawned in the Near East, around 1200 B.C. The oldest-known furnace for smelting iron ore, at Tell Hammeh in Jordan, dates to 930 B.C., he noted. [Photos: Ancient Burial and Metal Tool from Southern Levant] "We know from texts that during the Bronze Age, iron was valued 10 times as much as gold," Jambon said. "[But] in the early Iron Age, the price fell dramatically to less than that of copper, and this is the reason why iron replaced bronze quite rapidly." His analysis also showed that Tutankhamun's dagger, bracelet and headrest were made from the iron of at least two different meteorites, suggesting that an active search was carried out for valuable iron meteorites in ancient times, he said. Metal from space Jambon hopes to scan more ancient iron with XRF spectrometry, but access to these items is not always possible, especially in conflict zones like Syria and Iraq. Even studying artifacts in museums can be challenging, he said. This iron dagger from dagger from Alaca Hoyuk in Turkey is dated to 2500 B.C. about 1,000 years before iron smelting was invented. (Image credit: Albert Jambon) "For obvious reasons, curators are reluctant to carry artifacts to a foreign institution, and this is why we need to travel, he said: "This is why the portable XRF analyzer changed the deal." Jambon hopes his research will form the basis of a hunt for the earliest smelted irons on Earth. "The very first irons will be recognized from their chemical composition, which markedly differs from meteoritic iron," Jambon said. "Such analyses should be done for all irons between 1300 [B.C.] and 1000 B.C." "[This method] opens the possibility of tracking when and where the first smelting operations happened, the threshold of a new era, he wrote in the study, published in the December issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science. Original article on Live Science. Out of this world (Image credit: Andy Tindall/Open University) A new study of many of the oldest iron objects ever found has discovered that they are all made with metal from meteorites. Archaeologists think that the technology of smelting iron from terrestrial iron ores was invented in the Near East around 1200 B.C. But some ancient iron objects are much older than that including the oldest iron objects known, a handful of iron beads found in a tomb at Gerzeh in northern Egypt that are dated to 3500 B.C. more than 2,000 years before the dawn of the Iron Age. [Read more about the iron objects from outer space] Iron-rich rocks (Image credit: Albert Jambon) Archaeo-metallurgist Albert Jambon, of the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, used a portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to scan dozens of iron meteorites and some of the worlds most ancient iron objects at museums around Europe and the Middle East. The analyzer is able to determine the chemical composition of an object with a non-destructive scan of the surface. Jambon found that iron meteorites have a distinctive chemical signature, with high levels of nickel or cobalt. His was able to show the XFR analyzer could easily distinguish meteoric iron from smelted iron, which has only traces of nickel or cobalt. Spacey beads (Image credit: Gianluca Miniaci/Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology) Some archaeologists have proposed that vey early iron objects like the Gerzeh beads were made in precocious smelting events during the Bronze Age when smelting iron was generally unknown perhaps discovered by accident, or experimentation. But Jambon found that the Gerzeh beads and all other ancient iron objects from the Bronze Age are all made with iron from meteorites and that the iron-rich space rocks were probably the only source of the metal on earth until the start of the Iron Age around 1200 B.C. Iron dagger (Image credit: Albert Jambon) Jambon also tested this iron dagger from Alaca Hoyuk in Turkey, dated to about 2500 BC, which is now on display at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. Using a portable XRF analyzer, Jambon was able to show that it is made from iron from space that had fallen to earth as an iron meteorite. Sphinx Gate (Image credit: Bernard Gagnon) The iron dagger was found Alaca Hoyuk in Anatolia in Turkey this photograph shows the Sphinx Gate in that ancient city. The dating of the iron dagger to around 2500 BC puts it at a time when Alaca Hoyuk was a center of the early Bronze-Age Hatti people. After about 1800 BC, Alaca Hoyuk became subject to the powerful Hittite Empire. Beautiful set (Image credit: Egyptian Museum, Cairo) Jambon was also able to test a ceremonial iron dagger found in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, and dated to 1350 B.C. The iron dagger is part of a matching pair two ceremonial knives, along with a blade made from gold at the time, iron was the much more valuable metal. A study last year showed that Tutankhamuns dagger is also made from meteoric iron, and Jambon was able to confirm that finding using the portable XRF scanner. King Tut's space iron The dagger was one of three iron objects found in Tutankhamuns tomb after it was discovered by the British Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1922, in the Valley of the Kings near modern Luxor. The others are an iron bracelet and an iron headrest. Jambons research was able to show that the three items came from the iron of at least two different meteorites, which suggests that an active search was carried out for valuable iron meteorites in ancient times. Ceremonial axe head (Image credit: Albert Jambon) This ceremonial iron axe head was found at the Bronzed Age archaeological site of Ugarit, once a city on the northern coast of Syria. It dates from about 1400 BC. Jambon found that it too was made with iron from a meteorite, like all the other Bronze Age iron objects he tested with the XFR analyzer. SIG K - iron pendant (Image credit: Albert Jambon) Jambon was also able to test several other ancient iron objects, including this iron pendant found at Umm el-Marra in Syria, which dates from around 2500 B.C., and a set of iron axes from Shang Dynasty China that have been dated to around 1400 B.C. His research found that all the Bronze Age iron objects had been made from meteorites, and not from smelted iron. SIG K - scanning (Image credit: Albert Jambon) Jambon hopes his research will form the basis of a hunt for the earliest smelted irons on earth. Iron objects dating between 1300 and 1000 BC could now be scanned with portable XRF analyzers, and their metallic make-up compared until the earliest non-meteoric iron is found, he said The very first irons will be recognized from their chemical composition, which markedly differs from meteoritic iron, Jambon said. The highest mountains can drive those climbing them temporarily mad. Now, researchers say, these psychotic episodes constitute a person's own medical condition and may be distinct from altitude sickness. "Mountains are maddeningly beautiful, but we did not expect that they can drive us to madness," said study co-author Dr. Hermann Brugger, head of the Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine at Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy, told Live Science. The researchers detailed their findingsonline Dec. 5 in the journal Psychological Medicine. Future research on this disorder could shed lights on other episodes of temporary psychosis, researchers say. Mountain voices At extreme altitudes, mountaineers often mention experiencing psychosis that is, a mental disorder where a person becomes out of touch with reality. Symptoms of psychotic episodesinclude hallucinations and delusions. For instance, when mountaineer and anesthetist Dr. Jeremy Windsor was climbing Mount Everestin 2008, he underwent a strange experience common in extreme mountaineering. Alone in the Himalayas at an altitude of more than 5.1 miles (8.2 kilometers), Windsor hallucinated a man called Jimmy, who accompanied him all day long, spoke encouraging words to him and then vanished without a trace. Until now, doctors have generally thought such psychotic episodes were symptoms of altitude sickness, alongside severe headaches, dizziness and impaired balance. Altitude sickness results from the shortage of oxygen experienced at high altitudes, and can trigger a potentially lethal buildup of fluid in the lungs or brain. But in the new analysis, Windsor and his colleagues found that "isolated high-altitude psychosis" may be its own medical condition, one distinct from altitude sickness. To arrive at that conclusion, the researchersanalyzed data from 83 psychotic episodes at high altitudes collected from German mountain literature. They found a list of psychotic symptoms, such as hearing voices, that were linked to altitude but very clearly not always connected to any physical symptoms of altitude sickness or past mental illness. "Those persons who suffer from these episodes at high altitude are otherwise completely healthy they are not prone to psychosis," Brugger said. Isolated high-altitude psychosis was most likely to occur at heights exceeding 22,965 feet (7,000 meters) above sea-level, the researchers found. They remain unsure of what may cause it perhaps causes similar to ones behind altitude sickness, such as oxygen deficiency or early stages of swelling in certain areas of the brain. It's also possible the cause isn't due to the altitude at all. "It is also known that complete deprivation of social contact and loneliness for a long time can provoke hallucinations," Brugger said. Instant recovery The symptoms of this syndrome apparently disappeared completely as soon as mountaineers left the danger zone, the researchers wrote in the study. "They completely recovered," Brugger said. Still, this syndrome was clearly linked to a significant risk of accidents, "and even a little mistake can be fatal at extreme altitudes," Brugger said. "It is important that climbers are aware of this risk, that they know these hallucinations are not real, that these effects are reversible, and to find some coping measures during their climbs." Scientists could seek to simulate these cases of temporary psychosis by placing volunteers in chambers that simulate extreme altitudes using low oxygen and low air pressure. "This could help shed light on temporary psychosis in general," Brugger said. In March, the researchers plan to collaborate with Nepalese doctors at Mount Everest's base camp to find out how often isolated high-altitude psychosis might occur. "They will use questionnaires to collect data from climbers who come down from Everest," Brugger said. Originally published on Live Science. Repeated reports of UFO sightings along Nevada's State Highway 375 which is close to the top-secret Area 51 government base led Nevada officials to dub the route "Extraterrestrial Highway" in 1996. The U.S. government has been secretly investigating unidentified flying objects UFOs since 2007. And despite officials' claims that the classified UFO-hunting effort shuttered in 2012 after funding evaporated, the group is still active, The New York Times reported Saturday (Dec. 16). Known as the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), the initiative was launched by the U.S. Department of Defense in 2007 and operated with a budget of $22 million from 2008 to 2011, the Times discovered during a recent investigation. Pentagon officials revealed that the program existed, but added that it ceased to operate in 2012, the Times reported. However, the former leader of the program said that AATIP remained active in the years since; he continued to oversee the effort until he resigned in October citing the department's "excessive secrecy and internal opposition" as the cause and he was succeeded after his departure, according to the Times. [7 Things Most Often Mistaken for UFOs] Under the program, aerospace experts investigated and described sightings and video recordings of mysterious objects that defied easy explanation; they also conducted tests on people who reported glimpsing UFOs, to see how they might have been affected by the experience, according to the Times. One video example the time and date of which was withheld by government officials showed a fast-moving, spinning and glowing aircraft, recorded midair by Navy pilots in an F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Times reported. The nascent program was ushered into existence by Nevada Democratic Sen. Harry Reid, then the Senate majority leader. His interest in UFOs was piqued by conversations with billionaire entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, whose aerospace company was tapped to conduct much of the research for AATIP's UFO sightings, Reid told the Times. Reid further explained that he had also spoken about UFOs years earlier with astronaut John Glenn, the Times reported. Glenn suggested to Reid that the government should take a closer look at reports of UFO sightings by members of the military service; these reports were often not widely shared, because people who saw UFOs thought that no one would believe them. Reid referred to the proposed budget for AATIP as "black money," a special type of budget maintained by the Pentagon for classified programs, and one that was not debated publicly by Senate members, according to the Times. UFO sightings have been investigated by government agencies since the 1940s, and in January 2016, the CIA released a number of previously classified documents describing some of the most unusual UFO encounters on record, most of which took place in the 1950s. But belief in UFOs is still widespread; according to a survey conducted in 2012, an estimated 80 million people in the U.S. think that UFOs are real, and 1 in 10 responders claimed to have personally witnessed what they describe as an extraterrestrial spacecraft. In an interview, the now-retired Reid said that he was "not embarrassed or ashamed or sorry" to have pushed for the investigation of potential threats posed by UFOs, according to the Times. "I think it's one of the good things I did in my congressional service. I've done something that no one has done before," Reid said. Original article on Live Science. In a rare occurrence, a pregnant woman's gestational sac the small vessel that holds the developing embryo attached not to the lining of her womb but instead to a scar left over from a previous C-section. And it happened five times in a row, according to a recent report of the woman's case. So-called cesarean scar pregnancies (CSPs) are not only rare occurring in approximately 1 in 1,800 to 2,500 pregnancies they can also be risky. That's because when the pregnancy latches onto scar tissue as opposed to the typical implantation on the uterine lining, that increases the risk of a condition called "placenta accreta" or "morbidly adherent placenta," which can result in excessive bleeding for the mother, said Dr. Terri-Ann Bennett, an OB/GYN and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at New York University's Langone Health in New York City. [Blossoming Body: 8 Changes That Happen During Pregnancy] This is worrisome given the fact that the rate of C-sections has increased in the past five decades, from 5 percent of deliveries in 1970 to 32 percent in 2015, according to the case report. Because of this, it's believed that CSPs are likely more common today than they were several decades ago. Placenta accreta Bennett noted that there's a lot of current research looking at how a CSP can affect a woman's health, particularly looking at a woman's risk of placenta accreta. Normally, after delivery, the placenta is delivered from the body within 1 hour of the baby's birth, according to the World Health Organization. In placenta accreta, not only does the placenta not come out of the uterus as it should, but the placenta tissues actually grow deeper into the uterine wall. When the placenta isn't delivered normally, it can put a woman at risk for serious, and even deadly, bleeding, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Because of this risk, a woman who has a suspected CSP needs to be monitored very closely throughout her pregnancy to see if she is going to develop placenta accreta, Bennett told Live Science. Having a suspected CSP doesn't mean that a woman will absolutely develop a morbidly adherent placenta, she added, but it is considered a risk factor. If a woman does indeed develop a placenta accreta, she will require a preterm cesarean hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus, at the time of the delivery. Ideally, doctors would "be able to counsel moms and say, 'Your [chance] of a normal pregnancy is X and risk of accreta is Y,'" Bennett said, but currently, the data aren't available to quote those exact numbers to moms. Five CSPs in a row "Even today, the research [on cesarean scar pregnancies] is ongoing and very limited," Bennett said. Because of that, when the 35-year-old woman described in the case report was first suspected of having a CSP several years ago, the medical recommendation was to strongly consider terminating the pregnancy, because of the risk to the mother and the fetus. [7 Ways Pregnant Women Affect Babies] "There was a great concern that these pregnancies were extremely risky and could even be life-threatening," Bennett said. In the woman's case, which was detailed in the case report published Nov. 5 in the journal Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, after she had two healthy C-section deliveries, she got pregnant four more times. Each time, she was told she had a cesarean scar pregnancy, and the pregnancy was terminated. Bennett first met the woman in early 2015, after the four CSPs. "When she got pregnant for the fifth time she was very aware of scar pregnancies and already suspected" she had one, Bennett said. Indeed, when the doctors gave the woman an ultrasound, the findings looked suspicious. The gestational sac (the sac filled with amniotic fluid that holds the fetus) was in the lower portion of the uterus, seemingly close to the old C-section scar, Bennett said. In addition, the implantation site was "hypervascular," meaning that there were more blood vessels than normal a sign of a CSP. (Bennett noted that unless doctors can examine the uterine tissue, a caesarian scar pregnancy is "suspected" rather than "confirmed.") Five CSPs in a row has never been reported in the medical literature, according to the case report. But this time around, the woman decided to continue the pregnancy, with a full understanding of the risks, Bennett said. She was carefully monitored and got ultrasounds every two to four weeks. Early in the second trimester, however, it became clear that she was developing a retained placenta, according to the report. In addition, the placenta had formed over the woman's cervix (or opening into the uterus) a condition called placenta previa blocking the birth canal. Because of these complications, the decision was made to perform a C-section delivery at 34 weeks into the pregnancy, followed by an immediate hysterectomy, according to the report. The surgery went well in that the mom and baby went home healthy, Bennett said. But she noted that the operation was complex, and the woman lost so much blood that she needed a transfusion. Ultimately, the "goal of obstetricians is to have a safe mom and a safe baby," Bennett said. But a secondary goal is "really to decrease the [number] of C-sections that are performed. We try our best to decide if a mom really needs one or not, because there are consequences, not only during the delivery but for [a woman's] future pregnancies as well." Originally published on Live Science. Introduction (Image credit: NeptunLab/KIT) 3D printing isn't new to 2017, but this year, researchers pushed the boundaries of the seemingly sci-fi technique, printing objects that required intricate details such as a lifelike model of a newborn and a microscopic camera as well as objects made with materials that may sound surprising, including cheese and glass. Read on for a roundup of the coolest and kookiest things that were 3D-printed in 2017. A puppy mask (Image credit: UC Davis Vet Med/YouTube) A 4-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier puppy became the first patient to use a new 3D-printed mask to help with recovery from serious facial injuries. The puppy's right cheekbone and jawbone, as well as her temporomandibular joint (the joint that connects the jawbone to the skull), were fractured when another dog attacked her. The puppy, named Loca, was lucky it arrived at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, where vets at the university had been cooperating with colleagues from the UC Davis College of Engineering on developing the "Exo-K9 Exoskeleton" mask for dogs. Loca was the ideal patient to test the technology on. First, engineers scanned Loca's skull to design a custom-fit mask, which was then printed with a 3D printer. The mask held Loca's fractured face bones in place in the same way a cast holds fractured arm or leg bones. Within a month, the puppy could eat hard kibble, and a 3-month checkup showed that the temporomandibular joint was healing as expected. Mouse ovaries A female mouse fitted with 3D-printed ovaries gave birth to healthy pups in an experiment conducted at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. The result was hailed as a breakthrough, as it may one day lead to new ways to treat infertility in humans, though much more research is needed. It could be particularly useful to women whose ovaries have been damaged because of cancer treatment, the researchers said. Using the 3D-printing technology, the researchers created an elaborate porous scaffold made of gelatin. (Gelatin is a type of collagen, a natural protein found in the human body in large quantities.) The structure was then populated with ovarian cells from another mouse. The researchers tested various shapes of pores before landing on the particular shape that provided the right amount of support to the ovarian cells. The experiment was a success: The implanted cells started behaving as cells in natural healthy ovaries would, eventually producing hormones that drive the mouse's reproduction cycle. and enabling it to get pregnant. A residential house (Image credit: Apis Cor) The first 3D-printed residential house was constructed in less then 24 hours in the suburbs of Moscow in March. The walls of the studio-like 400-square-foot (37 square meters) home were printed using a mobile construction 3D-printer developed by Moscow-headquartered startup Apis Cor. Instead of printing individual concrete panels that would be later manually assembled, the 3D printer printed the walls and partitions as one fully connected structure, allowing for the house's unusual round shape. The roof, doors and windows were the only components that had to be installed subsequently by human workers. The prototype house cost about $10,134, or $25 per square foot ($275 per square meter). The most expensive components, according to the developers, were the windows and the doors. The company believes that 3D printing could make construction not only considerably faster but also more eco-friendly. House of glass (Image credit: NeptunLab/KIT) Glass, a material used by humankind since ancient Egypt, has long resisted 3D-printing. This is because, to be processed, the material needs to be heated to extremely high temperatures of up to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius). Though complex industrial 3D-printers exist that can heat materials to very high temperatures using lasers, when used on glass, the resulting product was rather course and unusable. Researchers from Germany's Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen solved the problem with a new technique that enables creating complex glass structures with a conventional 3D printer without the need of the laser heating. As a starting material, the engineers used so-called liquid glass a mixture of nanoparticles of silica, the material glass is made from dispersed in an acrylic solution. An object is 3D-printed and then exposed to UV light, which hardens the material into a kind of plastic like acrylic glass. Then, the object is heated to about 2,372 degrees F (1,300 degrees C), burning away the plastic and fusing the silica nanoparticles together into a smooth, transparent glass structure. Cheese Unlike glass, cheese can be melted easily. So it's not a surprise that researchers saw the dairy product as an ideal candidate for 3D-printing experiments with food. A team of researchers from the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork in Ireland used a mixture that's similar to the one used for making processed cheese and squirted it through a nozzle of a 3D printer to create a "new" kind of processed cheese. The mixture was heated to 167 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius) for 12 minutes, and then run through the 3D printer at two different extrusion rates. (The extrusion rate is the speed at which the printer pushes the melted cheese out through the syringe.) Processed cheese contains a mixture of ingredients, including emulsifiers, saturated vegetable oils, extra salt, food coloring, whey and sugar. It might not be exactly the healthiest type of cheese, so it's not clear whether the new treat would receive a nutritionist's seal of approval. Still, from the researchers' perspective, the 3D-printed cheese was a success. It was 45 percent to 49 percent softer than untreated processed cheese, a little darker in color, a bit springier and more fluid when melted. The study didn't provide any conclusions on taste. Lifelike baby manikins (Image credit: 3D Hubs) Babies that feel like real have been 3D-printed by Dutch researchers, who hope to improve training methods for doctors working with newborns. The baby manikins that are currently used for doctors' training are too mechanical and dont provide the real feel of treating a fragile infant, lead researcher Mark Thielen, a medical design engineer at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, told Live Science in March. 3D-printing enabled Thielen and his team to create anatomically accurate manikins that include realistic internal organs. To achieve the highest level of accuracy, the researchers used MRI scans of newborns' organs that were subsequently printed out with a high level of detail. For example, a 3D-printed heart would include detailed, working valves. The manikins even have blood-like fluid circulating in their veins. The aim is to provide a high level of realistic tactile feedback when performing clinical interventions on manikins, Thielen said. In other words, when the surgeons move a part of the manikin or apply pressure to a certain area, it feels and moves like the real thing. Eyes (Image credit: Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock) 3D-printed eyes have been created by Dutch researchers that can help children born without properly developed eyes look relatively normal. Unfortunately, the 3D-printed eye prostheses won't give the children the ability to see. About 30 in every 100,000 children are born with conditions called microphthalmia and anophthalmia, which means that their eyes are either completely missing or underdeveloped. As a result, their eye sockets lack the structural support they need for the children's faces to develop in a normal way. If an adult loses an eye, they will be given permanent eye prosthesis. This is not possible in children, however, who grow very fast, especially in the first months and years of their lives. 3D-printing of temporary supportive structures, called conformers, can be done quickly, cheaply and in a range of very precise sizes, the researchers said. This is extremely important as, without the eye, the bone around the socket lacks proper stimulation and the face doesn't develop natural-looking proportions. The conformers have already been tested on a small group of five children as of May. A rock-climbing robot A robot with soft rubbery 3D-printed legs demonstrated its superb abilities to conquer rough terrain, a task that usually paralyzes traditional robots. Engineers from University of California, San Diego, digitally designed the robot's legs and modeled its performance and behavior in various situations for example, on a soft, sandy surface, in narrow spaces or when climbing over rocks. They eventually chose a design that consisted of three connected spiral-like tubes that are hollow inside and made from a combination of soft and rigid materials. As they are taking a step, the legs test out the surrounding terrain and then adjust instantaneously, through pistons that inflate in a certain order and determine the robot's gait. The novelty of the design, according to the engineers, is the fact that the robot's legs can bend in all possible directions. "Laughter" (Image credit: NASA) The first-ever piece of art was created in space in February this year using a 3D printer aboard the International Space Station. The piece of art represents human laughter, and was created in a collaboration between Israeli artist Eyal Gever and the California-based company Made In Space as part of the project called #Laugh. Space enthusiasts were invited to participate in the creation of the piece of space art via an app that captures users' laughter and turns it into a digital 3D-model resembling a star. More then 100,000 people contributed their laughter to the project, which started in December 2016. The app users then chose the best laugh star, which was based on the laughter of Naughtia Jane Stanko of Las Vegas. The design was subsequently beamed to the ISS and 3D-printed on a machine that is usually used for making spare parts. Micro-camera (Image credit: Simon Thiele) A micro-camera that could be used on miniature drones and robots or surgical endoscopes was created by German researchers with the help of 3D printing. The camera provides eagle-eye vision the ability to see faraway objects clearly while at the same time being aware of what's going on in peripheral vision. To create the device, engineers from the Institute of Technical Optics at the University of Stuttgart in Germany printed clusters of four lenses onto an image-sensing chip using a technique called femtosecond laser writing. The miniature lenses range from wide to narrow and from low- to high-resolution. This structure enables images to be combined into a bulls-eye shape with a sharp image at the center, similar to how eagles see. The four lenses can be scaled down to as small as 300 micrometers by 300 micrometers (0.012 inches, or 0.03 centimeters, on each side), about the size of a grain of sand. But the researchers say they might be able to make the device even smaller in the future when smaller chips become available. If you've ever woken up in the middle of the night feeling as though you're being crushed by a demonic being, you may have just experienced what's called the incubus phenomenon: an "attack" by a male demon. (Its female counterpart, the succubus, usually attacks men.) The phenomenon is, in many ways, the quintessential nightmare. For centuries, the incubus demon has been said to haunt sleepers, inspiring tales in traditional folklore as well as works of art. Now, a new meta-analysis from the Netherlands suggests that this frightening phenomenon may be more common than previously thought and that it should be taken more seriously by psychiatrists and psychologists who hear such accounts from their patients. [Top 11 Spooky Sleep Disorders] The so-called attack usually occurs during an episode of sleep paralysis, a condition that's even more common than the incubus phenomenon, according to the meta-analysis. Sleep paralysis is a result of the dissociation of sleep phases, said senior author Dr. Jan Dirk Blom,a professor of clinical psychopathology at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.The condition happens when a person is falling asleep or waking up. During sleep paralysis, two aspects of REM sleep, or rapid eye movement sleep, occur when a person is conscious. During REM sleep, which is the period when a person typically dreams, the body's muscles are relaxed to the level of paralysis, presumably to prevent the sleeper from acting out his or her dreams, Blom said. But when sleep paralysis takes place, the person's mind wakes up however, the person is still dreaming, and the body is still paralyzed. "Lying in bed in such a state of paralysis, the brain's threat-activated vigilance system kicks in and helps to create a compound hallucination of a creature sitting on the chest," Blom told Live Science. What the afflicted person sees is a combination of their actual surroundings and a nightmare, which is projected onto the real world. The experience feels exceptionally real, Blom said. Tracking demons In the meta-analysis, which was published in November in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, the researchers looked at 13 studies of the incubus phenomenon that included nearly 1,800 people. The different studies came from various countries, including Canada, the United States, China, Japan, Italy and Mexico. The researchers found that over 1 in 10 people, or 11 percent of the general population, will experience the incubus phenomenon in their lifetimes, Blom said. "That means that there is an 11 percent chance for any given individual to experience this [the incubus phenomenon] at least once during their lives," he added. But in certain groups, the odds of "encountering" an incubus are higher. Among people with psychiatric disorders, as well as among refugees and somewhat surprisingly students, the odds of experiencing the incubus phenomenon are as high as 41 percent, Blom said. The analysis also found that people sleeping on their backs are more likely to experience the phenomenon. Alcohol consumption and irregular sleeping patterns also make an incubus visit more probable, Blom said. Though the frightening experience gets frequently dismissed as "just a bad dream," Blom noted that the incubus phenomenon can lead to additional problems, including anxiety, difficulty sleeping due to fear and even delusional disorder, a mental illness akin to schizophrenia. In the paper, the researchers speculated about a possible link between the incubus phenomenon and sudden unexpected death syndrome, a situation in which a healthy person inexplicably dies in his or her sleep. "People who have experienced the incubus phenomenon often report a level of anxiety that is 'off the scale,'" Blom said. "Many of them have the feeling that they will actually die during an attack. Whether that ever happens is unknown, even though for a person experiencing it, it is not hard to imagine this [happening]." The analysis also found that the form of the incubus figure and how people react to it can vary based on the person's cultural background. For example, "patients with Muslim background often tell me that they see the incubus phenomenon as a proof that they are being haunted by a jinn, an invisible spirit created by Allah out of smokeless fire," Blom said. Sometimes, however, the incubus may take on a much more friendly and entertaining form. "I recently spoke to a healthy 15-year-old girl who had experienced the incubus phenomenon," Blom said. "She found four miniature penguins dining at a table on her chest, and had been thrilled and amused rather than scared." Originally published on Live Science. Fifty years ago when Xochitl Garcia left her town San Ciro de Acosta, San Luis Potosi, she never imagined she would only be able to go back once a year. At exactly 5 a.m. Thursday, a caravan with over 1,000 vehicles with license plates from as far north as New York and the Dakotas and as far south as Florida left Laredo through the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge. Paisanos from all over the U.S. took over the parking lot of the Wal-Mart on San Bernando Avenue earlier this week, where they had been preparing their immigration papers while Mexican agencies improvise office settings under several tents. Garcia, who now lives in El Monte, California, started her journey along with her husband on Monday afternoon. From Laredo, she still had another nine hours of traveling on Mexican highways. She left San Luis Potosi in 1967 looking for work and better opportunities. "I worked over there and I made very little, nothing, not even enough to buy shoes," she said. "So some friends of mine invited me, and I came here by myself with my friends. We started working at La Joya, California and from there I moved to El Monte." She met her husband, who is also from San Luis Potosi, in California. He is from a ranch called El Organo. Both are traveling to their native state to spend one to two months with their families. When asked what she missed most about home, Garcia was overcome with tears as she answered, "My family." "We are going with the hope to stay there for a while. What I miss the most is my family, my sisters, my brothers. They can't come here," she said. "They are rooted there. I was the only adventurer who left. It brings happy memories. I miss my family, the food, the people. The people from where I come from still foster old values, like respect for the elderly." RELATED: Paisano Rest Stop opens for holidays Protecting migrants Fernando Rocha Mier, a citizen from Jalpan de Serra, Queretaro, founded Caravana de Migrantes in 2010. He was looking for a way to avoid the abuse, extortion and theft paisanos were victims of while traveling on Mexican highways. On Wednesday, Rocha was standing in the Wal-Mart parking lot while travelers prepared to start their journey into Mexico. The Mexican National Human Rights Commission presented a book that compiled testimony from many paisanos who have been traveling in the caravan ever since. The first caravan organized by Rocha left Laredo seven years ago with only 35 vehicles. On Thursday, 1,050 cars departed together to several destinations, such as San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas and Guanajuato, among others. "We got together with only 35 cars. We were going to Jalpan on the next day. We departed at 7 a.m., not as early as tomorrow," Rocha said during a small press conference on Wednesday afternoon. "We were afraid, but at the same time we had faith that nothing was going to happen to us because we were together." What started as a citizen project now has the cooperation of the Mexican Consulate, the National Human Rights Commission, the Mexican National Migration Institute, the Tax Administration and other agencies that set up temporary offices on the parking lot to help paisanos prepare all the necessary permits and licenses to get back home. Immigration Rocha thanked the governmental agencies for their help, while Father Aristeo Olvera Maqueda, another one of the caravan's organizers, thanked the migrants for participating in the journey and for adding hope during the trip. "I've been thinking that immigration will never cease to be present among us, because we know where we are from, but we don't know where we might end up living," Olvera said. "Migration is a reality we will keep living for different reasons. "I wish there's always someone waiting for you with joy and happiness, I wish the desire to find home again will always stay with you." Nabor Sergio Luna Gonzalez from the Mexican Consulate in Laredo took to the microphone to highlight the human aspect of the caravan and the cultural aspects of traveling with more families. "I remember a few years ago I visited Hidalgo ... it was the time of the posadas. I was impressed by listening to a bunch of kids all from different ages running around speaking English," he said. "Suddenly the town was alive again and everyone was celebrating, having a delicious meal, houses smelled good and happy kids were trying to understand the locals, who only spoke Spanish. It was a party and people were talking filled with joy about their reunion." READ MORE: Holiday travel safety tips Luna Gonzalez spoke about the experience of traveling by land and being able to greet other travelers through their vehicle's windows. "That human aspect of this phenomenon is the most rich, most delightful. Congratulations for feeding it," he said. "Besides, this bond with Mexico generates economic and cultural trade. You take a piece of the United States into Mexico and you bring an enriched Mexico over here." The book "Caravana de personas migrantes: Nuevo Laredo-Queretaro" highlights paisanos' stories, from the first time they crossed into the United States to their trips back to Mexico on Rocha's caravan. It points outs the alienation Mexicans feel when they are abroad, the same feeling which causes them to unite with their compatriots. "Octavio Paz said in 'The Labyrinth of Solitude,' 'there are Mexicans for which being Mexican is a problem of vital truth, a matter of life and death.' Those are the compatriots who live in the United States, who generally refuse to be assimilated by the American culture, and being far away from their place of origin makes them hold onto their traditions." MORE ON LMTOnline.com: 13-year-old Texas runaway found safe in Mexico after passing through Laredo Local News, Business & Finance, National & World News, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 18 2017 Zeldin issued a statement after the release of the final Conference Report of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Long Island, NY - December 18, 2017 - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) issued the following statement after the release of the final Conference Report of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), which is expected to be voted on as early as this week: I am a NO on the final tax reform bill. Getting this bill done and getting this bill done right should not have been a binary choice. My goal in this tax reform mission has always been to ensure that the hard working men and women of Long Island keep more of their paycheck, reduce their cost of living, and are able to save more for retirement. Unfortunately, this bill is not the tax relief they were promised. I like many aspects of this final agreement, including the expansion of the Medical Expense Deduction, preservation of critical education and student deductions, and strong corporate tax reform that will stimulate job creation and make America more competitive in the global economy. Reducing the corporate tax rate to 21%, for example, is great, but it should not be done on the backs of ANY hard working, middle income taxpayers. I still don't understand why spending cuts couldnt have been used as a more responsible pay for. On balance, this bill remains a geographic redistribution of wealth, taking extra money from a place like New York to pay for deeper tax cuts elsewhere. New York is a net contributor that now will be contributing even more. This bill chooses winners and losers in a way that could have and should have been avoided. While adding back in the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction to a $10,000 cap was progress, it was not enough progress. While I support fully maintaining the SALT deduction, a better policy if a change was to be made would have been a phase down of SALT over a period of time to a level that fully protects middle income itemizers. With that being said, we must realize that our deduction is so high because our state and local taxes are so high, which means that ALL levels of government must work on tax relief moving forward. Raxaul locals threaten to halt Nepal-bound trucks Residents of Indian bordering town of Raxaul have threatened to prevent Nepal-bound cargo trucks from passing through the Indian customs point beginning December 25 if concerned authorities fail to come up with a solution to manage pollution created by transportation of clinker, a key raw material used in production of cement. Family & Parenting, Local News, Business & Finance, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 18 2017 Paid Time Off for New Parents, Caretakers for Sick Relatives, and Those with Family Members Deployed on Active Military Service Abroad; New Yorkers Can Begin Taking Leave on January 1, 2018. Albany, NY - December 18, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of the nation's strongest, most progressive and most comprehensive Paid Family Leave policy. Starting January 1, 2018, New Yorkers will have job-protected paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a loved one with a serious health condition or help relieve family pressures when a loved one is called to active military service abroad. When fully phased in, New Yorkers will be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid time off. "Our strongest-in-the-nation Paid Family Leave policy will ensure that no one has to choose between losing a job and missing the birth of a child or being able to spend time with a loved one in their final days," Governor Cuomo said. "This will help improve the lives of workers across this great state and I am proud to enact this landmark legislation to help move New York forward." Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said, "Governor Cuomo has been a true champion for working families. By establishing the nation's most comprehensive paid family leave program, New York State is saying it understands nobody should have to make the choice between earning a paycheck and caring for a sick child or ailing parent. New York's new paid family leave program will be a gold standard for other states to follow." Those eligible for Paid Family Leave include: Parents during the first 12 months following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child; Caretakers for a sick spouse, domestic partner, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandchild; Employees with a spouse, child, domestic partner or parent who has been notified of an order of active military service abroad. Full-time employees with a regular schedule of 20 or more hours a week will be eligible for Paid Family Leave after 26 consecutive weeks of employment. Part-time employees with a regular schedule of less than 20 hours a week can apply for Paid Family Leave after working 175 days for their employer. Insurance Coverage: Paid Family Leave coverage will typically be included as a rider to an employer's existing disability insurance policy, and will be fully funded by employees through payroll deductions. In 2018, the employee contribution is 0.126 percent of an employee's weekly wage, capped at 0.126 percent of the New York State Average Weekly Wage. The program is mandatory for nearly all private employers. Public employers may opt into the program. Phase-in Schedule: Paid Family Leave will be phased in over four years, beginning January 1, 2018. In 2018, employees may take up to eight weeks of paid leave at 50 percent of their average weekly wage up to 50 percent of the New York State Average Weekly Wage. That increases to 12 weeks of paid leave in 2021 paid at 67 percent of an employee's average weekly wage up to 67 percent of the New York State Average Weekly Wage. Beth Finkel, State Director, AARP New York, said, "New York's Paid Family Leave program will provide critical support to New Yorkers caring for older loved ones. No one should ever be forced to choose between caring for a family member and risking their economic security. AARP will continue our hard work to educate New Yorkers about this important new benefit." Dina Bakst, Co-Founder & Co-President, A Better Balance, said, "In three weeks, New York's landmark paid leave law will benefit millions of New York families and enable workers to breathe more easily knowing they can pay the bills when they take time off to welcome a new child, care for a seriously ill loved one, or address the impact of military deployment. A Better Balance is proud of our decade long fight for this groundbreaking law and grateful for Governor Cuomo's bold leadership and commitment to ensuring New Yorker's can take advantage of this critical benefit." Donna Dolan, Executive Director, New York Paid Leave Coalition, said, "Starting January 1st, New Yorkers will no longer have to choose between bonding with a new child or caring for a seriously ill family member and being able to pay their bills. This is an exciting moment for our state and the culmination of decades of work by elected leaders, advocates, activists, workers, and families around the state. Hundreds of organizations and thousands of New Yorkers joined the movement to make this day happen. Now we embark on the next step: educating New Yorkers about how to use this program for those critical moments in life." Erik Rettig, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Director, Small Business Majority, said, "New York's paid family leave insurance program will provide a big benefit to small businesses. Many small employers want to offer paid leave benefits to their employees, but simply don't have the resources to do so. And we know small business owners strongly favor this type of law. In fact, Small Business Majority's scientific opinion polling found the vast majority of New York small business owners support publicly-administered family medical leave insurance programs funded by modest contributions from employees. Small business owners support policies like these because they know paid leave benefits can help attract and retain talented employees, and because it allows small businesses to offer a benefit that is typically reserved for larger firms at no added cost. By implementing a statewide paid leave insurance program, New York is helping level the playing field for small businesses." The United States is far behind other countries when it comes to paid family leave. Currently, just 14 percent of the U.S. workforce has access to employer-sponsored paid family leave. The numbers are even worse for low-wage workers, 94 percent of whom have no access to paid family leave. In New York, they now will. Since Paid Family Leave became law in 2016, the state has focused on getting the word out so New Yorkers can take full advantage of the benefits heading into 2018, with outreach efforts reaching millions of people: 1.1 million unique visitors to New York's dedicated website; 27,000 calls have been handled by NYS's toll-free PFL Helpline; 1.7 million people have been reached via social media; and 500,000 businesses have been contacted via U.S. Mail. Local News, Crime, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 18 2017 Comprehensive Five-Point Plan to Improve Access to Social Programs and Promote Alternatives to Gang Activity for At-Risk Youth. Albany, NY - December 18, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the fourth proposal of his 2018 State of the State agenda - a comprehensive strategy to engage at-risk youth in social and educational programs as a means of cutting off the recruiting pipeline of MS-13. Earlier this year, Governor Cuomo launched an aggressive campaign to crack down on the violent gang MS-13 on Long Island through targeted community engagement and the deployment of additional law enforcement officials. This comprehensive new initiative will build on the progress achieved, broaden the state's efforts and ensure that young people have better options available to them than joining a gang, including constructive, supportive networks they can turn to for help or guidance. "MS-13 and the senseless violence it trades in have made New York communities fearful and recruited too many youth to a dead end path of violence and crime and we refuse to let this continue," Governor Cuomo said. "The key to our comprehensive plan to change that is to target gang activity by attacking the root cause - youth recruitment - through programs and outreach to protect vulnerable students from being prayed on, and stop the scourge of MS-13 once and for all." MS-13 is an international criminal gang that emerged in the United States in the 1980s. They engage in a wide range of criminal activity and are uniquely violent, oftentimes engaging in brutal acts simply to increase the gang's notoriety. Despite violent crime being down dramatically in Suffolk County over the past several years, a recent uptick in violent crime has been traced directly back to the gang. This proposal is the latest piece in a holistic approach laid out by Governor Cuomo to eradicate MS-13 on Long Island. Through the Governor's multi-pronged approach, New York will implement a comprehensive strategy to provide at-risk youth in Suffolk County with greater access to social programs and alternatives to gang activity. According to the National Institute of Justice, the vast majority of gang members join between the ages of 11 and 15. A study in Fairfax, Virginia showed when the state implemented a strategy focusing on after-school prevention, serious gang activity decreased by 39 percent. Additionally, a study of after-school programs in 12 high-risk California communities found that, among participating youth, vandalism and stealing dropped by two-thirds, violent acts and carrying a concealed weapon fell by more than half, and arrests were cut in half. School discipline, detention, suspensions and expulsions also dropped by a third. Here in New York, Governor Cuomo is proposing the following program: Expand afterschool programs in at-risk areas. Governor Cuomo proposes investing $2 million to extend the Empire State After School Program to schools and nonprofit organizations located in at-risk areas on Long Island identified by the State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Criminal Justice Services, Division of State Police, County Executive, and local law enforcement. This expanded initiative will keep young people engaged in sports, music, and other educational programming during after school hours and help deter any potential gang activity or involvement. Expand job and vocational training opportunities for at-risk young people. Governor Cuomo proposes creating a special $5 million program within the state's successful New York Youth Jobs voucher program in order to provide individualized job training to young people who are the most at risk from being potentially recruited into gangs. The employment and training program will also provide tax incentives to companies that provide job opportunities for at-risk youth. Provide gang prevention education programming to at-risk students. Governor Cuomo proposes a $1.5 million investment over three years in locally run programs targeted at middle and high school students focused on early intervention and violence prevention. As street gangs such as MS-13 often attempt to recruit young people that are middle-school age, the initiative will provide in-school training and support to help students avoid gang recruitment, peer pressure, violence, and delinquent behavior. Expand comprehensive support services for at-risk young people, especially immigrant children. MS-13 is infamous for its efforts targeting vulnerable young people, especially immigrant youth without strong family ties and social support. To provide immigrant youth with the resources they need to succeed, Governor Cuomo proposes investing $3 million over three years to support comprehensive case management for at risk young people, with a focus on unaccompanied children entering the United States. This will include medical and mental health support, addiction treatment, trauma and family counseling, language training, and other community support services. Deploy a Community Assistance Team. The Governor will deploy a Community Assistance team composed of six State Troopers, three investigators, one senior investigator and one supervisor. This proactive team will partner with local law enforcement and use intelligence derived from the Computer Aided Dispatching Program, the New York State Intelligence Center, and Regional Crime Analysis Centers to identify and engage gang activity hot-spots or respond to departmental and community requests for increased service. Combatting Gang Violence on Long Island This comprehensive five-point plan marks the latest effort to eradicate gang violence on Long Island led by Governor Cuomo. In April, the Governor directed the State Police to deploy resources on Long Island to help combat MS-13, including 25 Troopers to conduct high visibility patrols in Brentwood and Central Islip, as well as undercover operations specifically targeting and saturating neighborhoods known to have high levels of gang activity. The State Police also provided six new investigators to the FBI-led Long Island Gang Task Force which comprises more than 30 members of federal, state and local law enforcement partners, and helps agencies combine intelligence and other resources to conduct comprehensive investigations into gang activity. Local News, Business & Finance, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 18 2017 The Typical Taxpayer Pays 2.5 Times More in Local Property Taxes than Income Taxes; Proposals Builds off Success of Governor's Aggressive Program to Lower Property Taxes Including the 2 Percent Tax Cap, 2017 County-Wide Shared ... Albany, NY - December 18, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled the 6th proposal of the 2018 State of the State: the 2018 taxpayer savings plan to continue to combat New York's most burdensome tax - the local property tax. "This year, we made unprecedented advancements in providing real, tangible savings for property taxpayers across New York and with this proposal we seek to build upon this work," Governor Cuomo said. "While forces in Washington seek to raise taxes on hardworking middle class New Yorkers, we, with our partners in local government, will continue to work to cut costs, find efficiencies and lower property taxes." The Governor proposes the following: Make the Successful County-Wide Shared Services Panels Permanent First, Governor Cuomo proposes making the state's successful county-wide shared services panels permanent. Established in the Governor's 2017 budget, the panels led by counties have two years to complete their plans. The state has committed to matching the recurring property tax savings implemented by the local governments in year one. In the first year alone, 34 counties submitted nearly 400 projects with more than $200 million in savings. Second, Governor Cuomo will propose that state funding for local government performance aid will now be conditional on the continuation of shared services panels. $125 million allocated in last year's state budget is authorized to plan and implement efficiencies and shared services. The panels are led by the chief executive officer of each county and consist of city, village, town, and other local officials, including the option of school districts, and BOCES. Each panel will submit an annual bottom-up plan to the Department of State that will enhance access to the state's efficiency incentives. Reduce Local Health Insurance Cost by Easing Rules on the Creation of Local Healthcare Consortia Local health insurance costs have increased significantly for local governments across the state. Over the past 10 years, employee benefit costs for local governments have grown at an average of 5.2 percent annually and now account for more than 20 percent of local government spending. One way to lower health insurance costs is to pool local governments health plans into healthcare consortia. There are examples, where leveraging the buying power of many governments could lower costs, save local tax dollars, and not affect employee's plans. However, during the recent county-wide shared services planning process local governments raised concerns that there are regulatory burdens, especially for smaller governments, that make pooling health insurance among local government legally or financially prohibitive. Therefore, Governor Cuomo will direct the New York State Department of Financial Services to publish guidance and provide technical assistance to local governments in order to ease the process of creating health consortia, specifically for smaller municipalities. The Governor has directed the Department of State and other agencies to continue to work with local municipalities to examine other legal and policy impediments to shared services by municipalities, such as zoning and other functions, to be considered this session. State to Provide $225 Million to Match Savings from County Wide Shared Services Initiative Plans The Executive Budget will include a $225 million appropriation as a state match for savings from shared services plans. To incentivize and recognize local governments that undertake shared services projects to generate long term benefits for their property taxpayers, the FY 2018 Enacted Budget committed to providing a one-time match for any savings achieved through the County Wide Shared Services Initiative. The new $225 million to be included with the FY 2019 Executive Budget will provide resources to meet the match commitment. The State Local Property Tax Relief Credit The Governor will additionally continue the state's local property tax relief program that will provide an average reduction of $380 in local property taxes to 2.6 million homeowners this year alone. In his first year in office, Governor Cuomo advanced and secured approval of one of the strongest property tax caps in the country. Since enactment of the cap, property taxes have grown by an average of just two percent per year - less than half the average annual growth from 2000 to 2010. To provide further relief, in 2014 the Governor worked with the Legislature to enact the Property Tax Freeze. The freeze program provided New York homeowners an average of $500 in direct relief over three years, bringing the combined average savings from the tax cap and the tax freeze to $2,600. The freeze program also encouraged local shared services, cooperation agreements, mergers, and efficiencies. In June 2015, an additional program was enacted to provide direct relief to struggling New York taxpayers - the Property Tax Relief Credit. This four-year program will have delivered a total of $3.2 billion to State homeowners. The program is progressively structured so that taxpayers with lower incomes receive a higher benefit. This year, homeowners will receive the third installment, with an average benefit of $380. In its final year, 2019, the program will provide $1.3 billion of property tax relief and an average credit of $530. "Our local governments in New York State have made tremendous strides when it comes to consolidating costs with over $200 million in savings thanks to Governor Cuomo's leadership on community service sharing," Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said. "By implementing permanent Shared Services Panels, the Governor is showing taxpayers that New York is serious about saving them money." Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said, "Suffolk County is leading the state to advance the most comprehensive and ambitious shared services plan that will save taxpayer dollars. Governor Cuomo is taking the next step to enhance our collaborative efforts by establishing local healthcare consortia and making these panels permanent." Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney said, "Onondaga County taxpayers saved money as a result of the shared services panel last year. We welcome the opportunity proposed by the Governor to continue looking for ways to collaborate and take advantage of the state matching dollars. When elected officials come together in good faith, the people we serve are the beneficiaries and I am confident that will happen with this proposal." Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, "Albany County has a long standing commitment to working collaboratively with our municipalities, and this year's Shared Services Panel was a great opportunity to expand our efforts with support from the Governor. The specific proposal to allow local healthcare consortiums is a cost savings opportunity we identified in our report, and we are excited to see the Governor's vision to make this a reality." Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein said, "Reducing property taxes has been a central vision for Governor Cuomo, demonstrating his commitment to middle class families across New York who have long been burdened by these high property taxes. This continued shared services proposal will help eliminate wasteful government spending, finding efficiencies in our counties, effectively reducing property taxes statewide. Governor Cuomo's 2017 shared services plan created real benefits for the working families of New York, and with this new proposal, those benefits will continue." Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said, "The Governor's initiative to have local governments share services is a smart one. Orange County has enacted a new local law to enable us to address unsafe buildings in cooperation with our local government partners. In addition, we are developing a countywide emergency services system to keep people safer. The County also continues to work with towns who want the County's assistance in dispatching police service and providing local assessing services. Finding common ground among our local government partners benefits taxpayers." Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said, "Shared services reduces government waste and creates efficiencies while providing property tax relief to the hardworking families of New York. With Governor Cuomo's shared services plan last year, positive impacts and real cost savings were clear, providing relief for property taxpayers in our communities. This proposal builds off the success of his 2017 plan, and will continue the benefits we saw last year. I applaud Governor Cuomo on his commitment to easing the property tax burden for New Yorkers, and hope to see plans like these continue." Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli said, "Chemung County has been a leader in shared services arrangements over the last several years. As Chemung County and its municipalities continue to work on our next shared services initiatives, we applaud the fact that the Governor has added additional resources to help local government implement our goals". Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, "Thanks to Governor Andrew Cuomo's Shared Services Initiative this year, we found out that when you share, you save. It was an honor to work with our municipalities and school districts to submit a shared services plan to improve efficiency in Broome County and save up to $20 million. I look forward to continuing our work with the Broome County shared services panel and finding more ways to save our taxpayers money in 2018." Nassau County Executive-Elect Laura Curran said, "High property taxes have been a burden on New York's middle-class for far too long. Since day one of his administration, Governor Cuomo has been committed to finding a solution to ease that burden that is in the best interest of our working families, our counties, and our state. Through shared services, the Governor's plan is reducing waste in government while saving taxpayers money. I commend Governor Cuomo on his efforts, and look forward to working with him to serve taxpayers better in Nassau County." Chautauqua County Executive-Elect George Borrello said, "As a county legislator and Chairman of the Chautauqua County Regional Solutions Commission, I worked hard to make our county government more efficient, streamline services and cut costs for taxpayers. As the newly elected County Executive, I look forward to working together with the Governor to continue this important effort." Oswego County Legislature Chairman Kevin Gardner said, "Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, taxpayers across the state have seen real cost savings, helping to put more money back in the pockets of middle class New Yorkers. The success of the Governor's shared services initiative is clear, and with this proposal, New York is positioned to continue providing cost-saving benefits to New York residents. I thank local governments across the state for their continued partnership to help cut costs for hardworking individuals and their families." Greene County Legislature Chairman Kevin Lewis said, "With the latest upgrade to the 2017 shared services proposal, New York is once again serving as a national model for government efficiency. Through collaboration with local partners, sharing services such as health insurance options allows us to cut wasteful government spending and put hard-earned money back in the pockets of working New Yorkers. Governor Cuomo's leadership and dedication to the middle-class is apparent, as this proposal will provide further benefits to New Yorkers across the state." Jefferson County Legislature Chairman Scott Gray said, "Since Governor Cuomo has implemented this shared services initiative, these measures have quickly proven efficient and cost-effective to control the property taxes. It is clear that, when done correctly, shared services not only save taxpayer dollars, but also that the process brings forth additional methods in which local governments can work together to provide services more effectively to the public. I applaud the local government officials who, under the Governor's leadership, were able to provide smart solutions to difficult problems across New York State, and I look forward to further resolutions that come forward under this continued effort." Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Luis Alvarez, "Governor Cuomo's dedication lowering taxes for New York's middle class families has been clear since day one of his administration. By continuing and enhancing the shared services initiative, we can provide real relief to taxpayers across the state. Through the elimination of local government inefficiencies and waste, the taxpayers of New York will continue to see real cost savings. I thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership and continued support of hardworking New Yorkers." Franklin County Legislature Chair Barbara Rice said, "The shared service proposal that Governor Cuomo has put forward recognizes the ongoing effort and cooperative spirit that exists between local governments. The potential cost savings realized through these plans will have a real impact on the lives of hard working people in New York. I applaud the Governor for his continued efforts on behalf of the tax payers of New York State." Rockland County Legislature Chairman Toney Earl said, "Governor Cuomo's newest State of the State proposal to encourage more shared services will help local taxpayers save money. The Hudson Valley is expensive to live in and we know we must do more with less in order to keep our community affordable. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with local stakeholders towards accomplishing that goal." Clinton County Legislature Chairman Harry McManus said, "For years, local governments have operated in many cases autonomously and through Governor Cuomo's shared services proposal, government spending will be reduced, easing the burden that property taxes have placed on taxpayers across New York. This plan will lead to a real cost savings for many, and I thank Governor Cuomo for his commitment to the hardworking families of New York." Cattaraugus County Minority Leader Sue Labuhn said, "We have been proud in Cattaraugus County to convene several very successful shared services meetings and would appreciate the Governor's support to continue doing so." Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ron Conover said, "Sharing government services is proven to save taxpayers money and speed up response times in emergencies. Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York continues to cut property taxes by reducing the cost of local government, and with this proposal, New York State demonstrates its commitment to running an efficient government and keeping more money in taxpayers' pockets." Plattsburgh Mayor Colin Read said, "I'm incredibly pleased to see that all the good progress and great conversations that flowed from the Governor's Shared Services Initiative has led to his proposal to explore shared services on a permanent basis. I'd called for that, and the Governor has listened to those who see the potential of a sustained focus on sharing of services and seeking of efficiencies. I believe we've only seen the tip of the iceberg in what is possible for our municipalities and on behalf of our taxpayers." Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow said, "Thanks to Governor Cuomo local governments will now have more of an incentive to share services, cut costs and reduce the property tax burden on New Yorkers. In Oswego, we've already worked to reduce costs and find efficiencies by working with our surrounding municipal partners and we will continue to follow Governor Cuomo's lead by continuing to find new innovative ways to administer quality city services while reducing the overall cost to Oswego residents." Binghamton Mayor Richard C. David said, "Streamlining operations and reducing bureaucratic layers should be a top priority for all local governments in New York State. Ultimately, smart shared service plans reduce costs and allow municipalities to pass along critical savings to taxpayers. I thank Governor Cuomo for continuing to make shared service opportunities a focus." Village of Massena Mayor Tim Currier said, "Here in the North Country, we know a great deal about shared services as we have been doing it for years. Even so, we can and must do more. Reducing costs is a challenge in local government, however, incentivizing shared services should motivate us to all be creative. With Governor Andrew Cuomo's continued support of shared services, the taxpayers will continue to see the benefits of local municipalities working together." Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said, "I applaud Governor Cuomo for his progressive shared services plan that undoubtedly will assist New York property taxpayers," said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. "As the largest city in Westchester County, Yonkers is and will continue to work diligently with the county government and other local municipalities to ensure our residents see significant savings, while still receiving quality services." Village of Potsdam Mayor Ron Tischler said, "By expanding the Governor's shared services plan with this proposal, New York State is continuing to showcase clear ways to enhance government efficiency, and is proving to others around the country that this is the way government was intended to work. Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, Empire State taxpayers are saving time, money, and resources, and with this proposal, New Yorkers will continue to reap the benefits of shared services statewide." Property taxes are among some of the highest in the nation, burdening middle-class taxpayers in New York with the typical taxpayer paying 2.5 times more in property taxes than income taxes. Westchester, Nassau and Rockland rank among the five highest counties in the nation for the cost of property taxes and in terms of property taxes paid as a share of home value,13 of the 15 highest-taxed counties are in New York, primarily upstate, with Wayne, Monroe and Cattaraugus among the highest in the country. Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: December 18 2017 Both subjects fled from the West Hempstead store; no proceeds were taken, officials say. West Hempstead, NY - December 18, 2017 - The Fifth Squad reports the details of an Attempted Robbery that occurred on Monday, December 18, 2017 at 2:04 a.m. in The Fifth Squad reports the details of an Attempted Robbery that occurred on Monday, December 18, 2017 at 2:04 a.m. in West Hempstead According to detectives, two unknown male subjects entered the 7-11 located at 310 Hempstead Avenue and threatened the store employee, a 67 year old male, with a black handgun. The victim grabbed a kitchen knife and a pizza cutter attempting to fight of one of the subjects. Both subjects fled from the store, entered a nearby sedan located near 238 Lindberg Street and fled southbound. No proceeds were taken. No injuries were reported. Subject number one is described as a male, black, 20-30 years of age, wearing a dark colored facemask, a gray hooded sweatshirt, dark jeans and black sneakers. Subject number one threatened the victim with a black handgun. Subject number two is described as a male, black, 20-30 years of age, wearing a dark colored facemask, a gray hooded sweatshirt, dark jeans and black sneakers. SPCA: Amityville Woman Was Arrested For Animal Cruelty After Neglecting Her Pit Bull Pets & Animal, Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: December 18 2017 The dog of Shannon King, 31, was emaciated and was covered with open sores, according to authorities. SPCA Detectives have arrested Shannon King of Amityville, 31, for cruelty to animals. Amityville, NY - December 18, 2017 - On December 16th, 2017 On December 16th, 2017 Suffolk County SPCA Detectives arrested an Amityville woman for cruelty to animals. Shannon King, 31, was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty for failure to provide proper sustenance including food, water and veterinary care, to a 1 year old male pit bull. The dog was emaciated and was covered with open sores. King was arraigned on December 16th, 2017. She was released on her own recognizance with the condition that she is not permitted to possess any animals. King is to appear in Amityville Justice Court on Tuesday, December 19th, 2017. Chief Gross said that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Suffolk County. If you witness any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County please contact the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722. All calls will be kept confidential. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, December 18, 2017 In a move to reduce the amount of fake news that serves up in results on Google News, the Mountain View, California search engine will now delist publications that mask their country of origin or purposely mislead readers. Google will rely on artificial intelligence to determine whether the publisher has broken Google News rules. An "algorithmic or manual spam" filter will determine the removal. The guidelines particularly address misrepresentation and would ban sites from serving up in Google news that intentionally mislead readers. "Sites included in Google News must not misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about their ownership or primary purpose, or engage in coordinated activity to mislead users," per the guidelines. "This includes, but isnt limited to, sites that misrepresent or conceal their country of origin or are directed at users in another country under false premises." advertisement advertisement In the past year, Google and other sites such as Facebook have been criticized for doing more to stop the spread of misinformation. "Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the removal of your article(s), or entire site, from Google news," Google notes. The company also asks others to remain vigilant, and is making spam reports available for those who believe publishers violate Google News inclusion guidelines. "While we may not take manual action in response to every report, spam reports are prioritized based on user impact, and in some cases may lead to complete removal of a spammy site from Google News results," per Google. by Larissa Faw , December 18, 2017 Publicis Groupe's Arthur Sadoun displays his humorous side in this year's holiday video and his first as the head of the holding company. His predecessor Maurice Levy has gained a widespread following and reputation for his charm and comedic talent in these annual holiday spots. The #ForeverYoung Wishes greeting opens with a shock to show a visibly aged Sadoun as he wishes staffers a happy holiday alongside the iconic "I'm the Boss" mug that has appeared in past videos. Then a youthful Levy - with brown hair and youthful attire -appears to mention how Publicis' transformative year has rejuvenated his life by reversing his appearance 30 years. He also unsuccessfully attempts to silently pick up the Boss mug, while Sadoun is able to do so. Sadoun told MediaPost that he was behind this season's creative concept. While acknowledging he has a "high bar" to meet in order to achieve the status of previous Levy holiday spots (perceived as annual treat by many in the industry) Sadoun wanted to play off the common statement that his first year would age him 30 years. advertisement advertisement "I wanted the first shot to be wow, this guy has been suffering," he jokes. The Saturday morning shoot took three hours to age him with makeup and whiten his hair with an additional hour to film versions in French, English and Spanish. It took another hour to return him back to his youthful appearance. Sadly his family didn't see his transformation in person since they didn't want to venture out during the weekend, he says. Eagle-eyed viewers may recognize the location as where Sadoun filmed his first introduction video back in June. At the time, he didn't have an official office, but he returned to this familiar location to convey that nothing has changed over the past six months except for his aging appearance. The year's greeting has several overarching objectives, he says. First, he wants to thank his people for their hard work. Second, he wants to demonstrate the succession is going smoothly. It took "one second" to convince Levy to make an appearance, he says. Third, Sadoun wants to acknowledge that transformation within the industry is challenging but worthwhile. Lastly, he hopes he will give people a laugh. And in case its already getting a little slow around the office as people get an early start on the holiday break, here are a few Publicis holiday video from recent years. You can judge for yourself how high Sadoun needs to the raise the bar (or not). by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, December 18, 2017 Continuing its push for more prominent online disclosures, the Federal Trade Commission says in a new report that some "common sense" techniques can "greatly increase the likelihood that consumers will recognize an ad as an ad. "Ads should be identifiable as advertising," the FTC writes in the report, "Blurred Lines: An Exploration of Consumers Advertising Recognition in the Contexts of Search Engines and Native Advertising." The report draws on a study that attempted to determine how various formats for disclosures influenced people's perceptions of search and native ads. For the study, researchers presented 24 people with ads as they originally appeared (or close to the way they appeared) in search results or on publishers' sites, and 24 other people with ads that had been modified to make the disclosures more prominent. advertisement advertisement For example, researchers modified Google search ads by replacing the word "sponsored" in Google's Shop Box with a bright yellow icon that said "Ads" in bold black lettering. And researchers revised native ads on Time magazine's mobile site by deleting the phrase "Around the Web, centering the words "Paid Content" above each of the recommendation widgets, and inserting the word "Ad." The FTC said that the modifications increased the likelihood that people correctly identified ads. "Overall, without testing for statistical significance or controlling for confounding factors, we found that, across the different ads we tested, the observed effects of the disclosure modifications were all in the positive direction," the report states. The report shows that the FTC still has native advertising in its sights, says Jeff Greenbaum, an advertising lawyer with Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz. "The FTC continues to be extremely concerned that consumers understand what they're seeing when they look at content online," he says. At the same time, Greenbaum says marketers shouldn't overreact to the report. "The FTC is not approving any particular technique tested," he says, adding that the agency isn't requiring marketers to adopt any specific formats that were tested. The study, conducted in 2014 and 2015, examined ads on desktop and mobile search results pages for Google and Bing, mobile pages of Time magazine and the Chicago Tribune, and desktop pages of Yahoo and Gear magazine. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, December 18, 2017 Watchdogs are renewing a request that the Federal Trade Commission take action regarding connected toys and smartwatches aimed at children. Groups including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, Center for Digital Democracy and Consumers Union say the FTC has not yet taken action on a complaint they filed last year regarding the toys My Friend Cayla, and the i-Que Intelligent Robot. The organizations alleged that both toys threaten children's privacy by recording and collecting their conversations. Regulators in Germany subsequently banned My Friend Cayla, going so far as to instruct parents to destroy the doll. The advocacy groups on Monday reiterated their call for the FTC to take action and for Amazon to stop selling the toys. advertisement advertisement The groups also repeated calls for the FTC to investigate whether smartwatches for children pose security and privacy risks. The organizations said in October that four smartwatches for children had problematic features; one of the manufacturers allegedly allows data from children to be used for marketing, and another allegedly transmits location data in unencrypted form. In July, the FTC said that a federal law limiting companies' ability to collect data from children applies to businesses that gather data from connected toys and other devices. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which initially regulated data collection at Web sites, also "can apply to the growing list of connected devices that make up the Internet of Things," the FTC said in its guidance. COPPA generally prohibits operators of online sites or services aimed at children under 13 from collecting their personal information without parental consent -- although there are some exceptions. The FTC now defines personal information broadly, including names, email addresses and street addresses as well persistent identifiers such as tracking cookies, IP addresses, device identifiers, geolocation data, photos and voiceprints. Sikaribash folk demand settlement relocation Villagers living in Sikaribash, Parsa, have been demanding the concerned authorities to shift their settlement outside the Chitwan National Park. Keratitis is painful inflammation of the eyes clear top layer, the cornea. It can stem from an infection or injury, and it makes vision blurry and the eyes sensitive to light. If these symptoms develop, seek medical care quickly. The eye is sensitive, and it has many ways of protecting itself against damage. For example, the eyelid covers the eye, while tears and fluid ward off infection. The cornea is the eyes main barrier against dirt, germs, and disease. Because the cornea is one of the eyes first lines of defense, it can easily become sore and swollen. This condition is known as keratitis. Symptoms Depending on the cause, keratitis symptoms may vary , but pain and redness are key indicators. The cornea helps focus sight, so any inflammation can make vision blurred or cloudy. In some cases, the affected eye swells shut. Another symptom is a feeling of something gritty in the eye. Also, it may burn, weep, or drain yellow-green fluid. A person with keratitis may have sensitivity to light, called photophobia. As a result, they may avoid bright lights indoors or strong sunlight. Anyone with any keratitis symptoms should see an eye doctor as soon as possible. If keratitis gets worse, it may damage the eye or cause blindness. Keratitis types There are two main types of keratitis: infectious and noninfectious. Each type has many forms and needs different treatment. Noninfectious keratitis Surgery, injuries, or diseases that weaken the eye can cause swelling and soreness without infection. This type of inflammation of the cornea may come from : wearing contact lenses too long surgical wounds objects in the eye, such as fragments of wood, metal, sand, or glass a chemical in the eye scratches, scrapes, or punctures dryness of the eyes a low or overactive immune system allergies, such as makeup, pollution, or pollen a lack of vitamin A in the diet scars from a previous injury or surgery windburn of the eye sunburn of the eye, especially from sunlight reflecting off snow or water Infectious keratitis The infectious type of keratitis often occurs after the cornea is already damaged. Then, germs, fungi, or other organisms get into the injured eye and cause a corneal infection. Infectious keratitis may be: Bacterial: This usually stems from unclean contact lenses. This stems from unclean contact lenses. Fungal: Injury involving a tree branch or other plant matter tends to cause this, but it can also result from wearing unclean contacts. Injury involving a tree branch or other plant matter cause this, but it can also result from wearing unclean contacts. Viral: This occurs due to an infection with the herpes or shingles virus. This occurs due to an infection with the herpes or shingles virus. Parasitic: This type of infection may stem from swimming in lakes or rivers or wearing unclean contacts. For example, 85% of cases of acanthamoeba keratitis occur in contact lens wearers. The most common type is bacterial keratitis. Causes and risk factors Keratitis develops when something causes inflammation of the cornea. Certain factors make this more likely . Causes of noninfectious keratitis Wearing contact lenses is the most common risk factor for keratitis. It can cause corneal scratches, dryness, or soreness. This eye damage tends to stem from wearing the lenses for too long, such as while sleeping. A related risk factor is dry eye or reduced volume of tears in the eye. Photokeratitis is an injury that results from exposure to bright light. People who do not protect their eyes in bright sunlight such as at the beach or skiing in tanning beds, or while watching eclipses are at risk. Other risk factors for noninfectious keratitis include working with chemicals or machinery, seasonal allergies, and overuse of steroid eye drops. Causes of infectious keratitis Risk factors for viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic keratitis include: the use of unclean eye drops or contact solutions stress reactivating the herpes simplex virus the herpes simplex virus the flu, shingles, or other viral infections a health condition that limits the immune system or causes it to be overactive Also, when part of a tree or another plant injures the eye, this can cause fungal keratitis. People who work on farms or with plants are more likely to develop this condition, though dirty contact lenses can also lead to it. Parasites live in ocean water, rivers, lakes, hot tubs, and tap water. Swimming with contact lenses can increase the risk of parasitic keratitis, which is hard to treat. Complications Keratitis can become serious quickly. A person needs immediate medical care to prevent further problems, such as: open sores on the surface of the eye permanent scarring that limits vision increased eye pressure called glaucoma, which can reduce vision vision blindness the need for a replacement cornea the need for eye removal Anyone with keratitis should consult a doctor before trying any over-the-counter eye drops, as some can make keratitis worse. Seeing an eye doctor as soon as symptoms develop is crucial in preventing long-lasting damage. If a doctor diagnoses keratitis early, it is much easier to treat. Keratitis diagnosis An eye doctor can check for keratitis by conducting an eye exam with a bright light. They also ask questions about the persons medical history and when the symptoms developed. The doctor may need to use special eye drops that stain the eye and make any scratches or scrapes more visible. If the doctor suspects fungal or bacterial keratitis, they take a sample with a swab and send it to a lab for evaluation. To treat parasitic keratitis, the doctor must identify the parasite responsible for the infection. Diagnosing viral keratitis does not require testing. Instead, the doctor considers the persons medical history. Keratitis treatment First, anyone with symptoms of keratitis who wears contacts should remove them and keep them off until the condition has gone away. The best approach to medical treatment depends on the type of keratitis. Mild, noninfectious keratitis tends to heal on its own. The doctor may suggest artificial tears, eye ointments, cold compresses, an eye patch, and rest to treat stinging, burning, and soreness. If there is a lot of swelling, the doctor can prescribe steroid eye drops. If a person has a mild bacterial infection, the doctor may recommend antibacterial eye drops. For more serious cases, they may prescribe oral antibiotics. And adding steroid eye drops to the treatment plan can reduce swelling if the keratitis is severe. For viral keratitis, a doctor prescribes antiviral eye drops or oral medications. These infections have no cure and may reappear during times of illness or stress. Some people with viral keratitis need routine antiviral medication to prevent outbreaks. Treating fungal keratitis involves using oral and eye drop antifungal medication for months . Parasitic keratitis is difficult to treat, and a pharmacist needs to prepare special eye drops. Severe cases of fungal or parasitic infections may require corneal transplant surgery or removal of the eye. It is essential to use oral or eye drop treatments for the full prescribed length of time even if the symptoms go away beforehand. During treatment, visit the eye doctor if: The symptoms are not improving. Sight becomes blurred. There is more pain or redness. Any white spot on the cornea grows. Keratitis prevention The most common cause of keratitis is contact lens use. Proper cleaning, storage, and use are crucial. Anyone who wears contacts can help prevent keratitis by: following all the guidance of their eye doctor washing and drying their hands with soap and water before touching the eyes or contacts removing the lenses before swimming, showering, or sleeping using a recommended cleaning solution rinsing and storing contact lenses in fresh solution cleansing the storage case with a clean solution and allowing it to air dry not using tap water or saliva to clean or store contact lenses discarding expired eye drops or cleaning solution having a spare pair of eyeglasses, in case anything gets in the way of proper contact care visiting an eye doctor regularly contacting them about any eye symptoms Beyond contact lens care, a person can take these steps to prevent keratitis: washing the hands well with soap and water before touching the eyes wearing safety goggles or glasses when working with plants, sharp objects, or chemicals wearing sunglasses in bright sunlight using artificial tears, for those with dry eyes or conditions affecting the immune system or conditions affecting the immune system not sharing eye drops and using only those a doctor has recommended avoiding contact with any allergens getting a shingles vaccine having a diet that includes vitamin A, which is found in milk and eggs, as well as in many multivitamins Overall, the best way to prevent keratitis is to keep the hands and area around the eyes clean and avoid touching the eyes. Keratitis outlook The outlook depends on the type and severity of keratitis. The condition is treatable, but it is crucial to receive medical attention as soon as the symptoms develop. People who wear contact lenses have the greatest risk, and following all cleaning, storage, and use advice is key. The New Year is almost here and for some or the other reason, people across the globe are more than happy to bid goodbye to 2017. The year hasn't exactly proved to be the best one for a variety of reasons and of course, hopes for 2018 are high. And in case you are a superhero movie fan, we can assure you that 2018 might as well be your favorite year. Recently, the number of superhero movies hitting the theatres has increased manifold and 2018 would not be an exception. In fact, the year is going to be all about capes and some stunning action sequences. via GIPHY Since keeping up with the endless number of films can be hard, we suggest you keep your calendars open to mark the dates. Here's a handy guide to all of the superhero films releasing next year: 1. Black Panther- February 16, 2018 Marvel Black Panther had already made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in 'Captain America: Civil War', where T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) was coming to terms with the decision of becoming king after the death of his father. And now, in the upcoming movie we'd get to see the challenges and threats that T'Challa faces as the new leader, specifically from Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) a Wakandan outcast who wants to overthrow T'Challa. 2. New Mutants- April 13, 2018 20th Century Fox It isn't exactly as vivid and flashy like a superhero movie. In fact, it's more horror than superhero. The movie is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name and is intended to be the eleventh installment in the X-Men film series. The Marvel's comics were about a younger generation of 'gifted' students coming together at a school for the first time while the film is set largely in an eerie asylum where young mutants are kept in cells and observed for study. 3. Avengers: Infinity War- April 27, 2018 Marvel Easily the biggest of all superhero movies of 2018, Infinity War will continue after the events of 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', and 'Captain America: Civil War'. The Avengers are still torn apart from the events of Civil War, but they must join their forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to defeat the powerful Thanos before he brings the universe to an end. 4. Deadpool 2- June 1, 2018 The untitled sequel movie has been given a release date but weirdly no other information has come to light yet. And the absolutely absurd teaser and video description did not help us either. Here's what 20th Century Fox gave us in the name of the plot of the film: After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World's Best Lover. 5. The Incredibles 2- June 1, 2018 Pixar If you say that the kid inside you didn't squeal on seeing the teaser of 'The Incredibles 2', you are lying. Although by next year, it'd be 14 years since the first part was released, what's important is that we finally have a second installment. In an interview, John Lasseter, Pixar's chief creative officer said that the film will begin a minute after the events of the first film that is when The Incredibles encountered a villain called The Underminer. It starts with the Underminer and a big old set piece, he said. You know that at the end of the first movie when he comes up and you see the family dressed as superheroes? Well that's where start this movie. 6. Ant-Man and The Wasp- July 6, 2018 Marvel Set after the events of 'Captain America: Civil War', the movie would revolve around Scott Lang trying to balance his life as a father and being Ant-Man. He is soon presented with a new mission requiring him to team up with Hope Van Dyne as the Wasp. A small video showing the movie in production was released by Marvel: 7. Venom- October 5, 2018 With no poster or teasers, Venom is still a mystery for us. But we do know it is coming out in October next year. The movie will have Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, a photographer who becomes infected by an alien lifeform and turns into a half-human, half-alien Villain-Venom who he sees Spider-Man as his enemy. 8. X Men: Dark Phoenix- November 2, 2018 20th Century Fox Jean Grey was seen struggling with some dark powers at the end of Apocalypse, and now those will arrive full throttle and transform her into the Dark Phoenix, while the X-men would go to any lengths to save her, even if it breaks them apart. 9. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse- December 21, 2018 For all the animation fans out there, you are in for a treat as Sony Pictures has got your back with an animated film featuring your favorite Spidey. But the film would feature Miles Morales, rather than Peter Parker. Miles Morales is another popular version of the character and just like Peter, he too was bitten by a radioactive spider and developed superpowers, and became Spiderman. 10. Aquaman- December 21, 2018 Last but definitely not the least. Jason Momoa playing Aquaman, the superhero with the ability to harness the power of the ocean is just what we need. DC Comics Arthur Curry (Jason) learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis and must take steps in the direction of leading his people and to come out as a hero. As of now, these are the only superhero movies with confirmed release dates. But who'd say no to more? Definitely not us. Rupert Grint's recent confession has hit Potterheads like an iron saucepan on the face. It is indeed tragic to hear our very own Ron Weasley say that he can't enjoy the 'Harry Potter' movies anymore. via GIPHY Now, before you fly off the handle and start setting things on fire, this is why he said what he said. It may come to you as shocking, but the man has a good reason. via GIPHY I think being in things ruins them for me. I can't enjoy Harry Potter anymore, not as a fan it's just not the same, Grint said this in an interview with British magazine Radio Times. pottermore Now don't hate me for saying this, but I actually see his point. Being a fan about something where the source material is your own face can be weird. Honestly, haven't you had moments when you hear your own voice in recordings and go like holy shit! Is that what I sound like?. Rupert has been branded as 'Ron', probably for the rest of his life thanks to the eight movie-series, and that surely must be grating him. pottermore We have seen Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson practically grow up before our eyes through the 'Harry Potter' movies. Can you imagine having your awkward teenage years documented perfectly and having to look at it again and again and again? Yes, nightmare. via GIPHY Back in 2014, Radcliffe had said something similar to the Daily Mail. It's hard to watch a film like Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince, because I'm just not very good in it. I hate it. My acting is very one note and I can see I got complacent and what I was trying to do just didn't come across. via GIPHY Anyway, those you who are still freaking out thinking Grint just wants to sever ties with all things related to the HP series, breathe. He has no plans of doing so and even said that the movies were a unique and incredible part of his life. pottermore I think it'll always be with me. I had a weird relationship with that character because after that we kind of merged into the same person. I find it very hard to separate where I end and Ron begins. Grint told the Daily Mail earlier this year. via GIPHY You should also know that Grint still absolutely loves his fans and if you ever see him, you can walk up to him and ask for a selfie nicely and he is most likely to oblige. But, he WILL get pissed if you do this. I hate it when people take pictures without asking. Now please someone plan a reunion of the HP cast already! via GIPHY Whether it's a celebrity, a popular personality or a member from the Royal family, it's difficult to imagine them getting nervous while talking to someone, because it's usually the other way round. Our hands start shaking when we get a chance to click pictures with them or just get to stand next to them. But, Prince Harry was visibly nervous, when he got the chance to interview former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama and we can totally understand why. Twitter When you share the same frame with Mr. Obama, and are sitting on the interviewer's chair, it's tough to keep calm and speak while trying not to sound like an over excited fan. As a part of guest editorship for BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Prince Harry interviewed Obama, where he was asked to share memories from the day when he left office and his plans for his post-presidential life. The complete video of the interview will release next week on December 27, but the teaser is out and all we can say is that Obama and Prince Harry get full points for setting new standards of bromance. 'Do I need a British accent?' @BarackObama is interviewed by Prince Harry for his guest edit of @BBCr4today. In this warm-up, the prince jokingly warns the ex-president he'll get "the face" if he pauses too long between answers #r4today pic.twitter.com/2887dGlJkG BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 17, 2017 Obama is hands down one of the coolest leaders we have seen so far, and this interview only goes on to prove the same. Do I need to speak faster because I am slow speaker, Obama said and before Prince Harry could finish answering that, Obama floored us all when he jokingly said Do I need a British accent? To which Harry said that if he takes long pauses during his speech, he will get 'the face' to which Obama laughed and said I don't want to see that face. Reuters According to Kensington Palace, the interview was recorded in September in Toronto during the Invictus Games. The conversation with @BarackObama includes his memories of the day he left office and his hopes for his post-presidential life, including his plans to focus on cultivating the next generation of leadership through the @ObamaFoundation. Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 17, 2017 In fact, Obama had volunteered to interview a nervous prince Harry when he told him that, You're excited about this, I'm nervous about this, that's what's quite funny. Reuters Barry and Harry have been friends for some time now, with the latter even attending the inaugural summit of the Obama Foundation in Chicago. Obama also congratulated Harry for his engagement with Meghan Markle and the chances are that the Obamas might be attending the royal wedding next year. Michelle and I are delighted to congratulate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their engagement. We wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness together. Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 27, 2017 Well, after looking at this killer bromance, we are wondering what happened to Obama's best bud, Joe Biden? Can someone smell Biden's heart burning with jealousy? Here are five news stories and events to start your week, from the editors at Military.com: US Soldier Fought to End After Ambush in Niger Via The Associated Press: "Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson died in a hail of gunfire, hit as many as 18 times as he took cover in thick brush, fighting to the end after fleeing militants who had just killed three comrades in an October ambush in Niger, The Associated Press has learned. A military investigation has concluded that Johnson wasn't captured alive or killed at close range, dispelling a swirl of rumors about how he died." Trump to Release National Security Strategy Focusing in North Korea, China Via The Associated Press: "Prioritizing national sovereignty over alliances, President Donald Trump is poised to outline a new national security strategy that envisions nations in a perpetual state of competition, reverses Obama-era warnings on climate change, and de-emphasizes multinational agreements that have dominated the United States' foreign policy since the Cold War. The Republican president, who ran on a platform of 'America First,' will detail his plan Monday, one that if fully implemented could sharply alter the United States' relationships with the rest of the world." 2018 Military BAH Rates to See Small Average Increase Via Tom Philpott at Military.com: "Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) paid to 956,000 service members living off base in the U.S. will climb modestly Jan. 1, an average of only 0.7 percent or $10 a month, as an allowance-dampening formula enters its fourth year. Actual BAH increases for individuals will vary widely based on where they are assigned, paygrade and whether they have family. But military folks assigned to 128 of 301 of military housing areas will see no housing allowance increase in 2018 because local BAH rates will fall." Navy Commissions Next Littoral Combat Ship Via Joe Daraskevich at The Florida Times-Union: "The squadron of littoral combat ships at Mayport Naval Station [in Florida] will soon grow from two ships to three after the Navy commissioned the USS Little Rock on Saturday in Buffalo, N.Y. The latest ship to join the fleet will now continue the voyage from Marinette, Wis., to Northeast Florida where it will become the newest warship in Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two." ICYMI: New Information Out on Army Surplus 1911 .45 Sales Via Matthew Cox at Military.com: "The leadership of the Civilian Marksmanship Program recently updated its website with the requirements, guidelines and background checks needed to purchase an Army surplus 1911 .45 pistol in fiscal 2018. The U.S. Army is expected to transfer thousands of surplus M1911/1911A1 .45s, according to this year's National Defense Authorization Act, a massive defense policy bill recently approved by Congress and awaiting President Donald Trump's signature." -- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry. The Obama administration gave a free pass to Hezbollah's drug-trafficking and money-laundering operations -- some of which were unfolding inside the U.S. -- to help ensure the Iran nuclear deal would stay on track, according to a bombshell expose in Politico on Sunday. An elaborate campaign led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, known as Project Cassandra, reportedly targeted the Lebanese militant group's criminal activities. But by tossing a string of roadblocks holding back the project, Obama administration officials helped allow the 35-year-old anti-Israel criminal enterprise to evolve into a major global security threat bankrolling terrorist and military operations, the report added. "This was a policy decision, it was a systematic decision," David Asher, who helped establish Project Cassandra as a Defense Department illicit finance analyst in 2008, told Politico. "They serially ripped apart this entire effort that was very well supported and resourced, and it was done from the top down." When Project Cassandra leaders, who were working out of a DEA's Counter facility in Chantilly, Virginia, sought an OK for some significant investigations, prosecutions, arrests and financial sanctions, Justice and Treasury Department officials delayed, hindered or rejected their requests, according to Politico. The red tape halted Project Cassandra's efforts to curtail top Hezbollah operatives, including one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers who was also supplying conventional and chemical weapons used by Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad against his own citizens. That operative's code name: the "Ghost." Former Obama administration officials told Politico anonymously that their decisions were guided by improving relations with Iran, stalling its nuclear weapons program and freeing four Americans prisoners held by the country. They also denied they "derailed" actions against Hezbollah out of politics. "There has been a consistent pattern of actions taken against Hezbollah, both through tough sanctions and law enforcement actions before and after the Iran deal," Kevin Lewis who worked at both the White House and Justice Department during the Obama administration, responded. Asher said the closer the U.S. got to finalizing the Iran nuclear deal, the more difficult it was to conduct Hezbollah investigations. After President Obama announced the deal in January 2016, Project Cassandra officials were transferred to other assignments. "The closer we got to the [Iran deal], the more these activities went away," Asher 49, who speaks fluent Japanese and earned his Ph.D. in international relations from Oxford University, told Politico. "So much of the capability, whether it was special operations, whether it was law enforcement, whether it was [Treasury] designations -- even the capacity, the personnel assigned to this mission -- it was assiduously drained, almost to the last drop, by the end of the Obama administration." Hezbollah was formed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to fight Israel's invasion of Beirut. Under the leadership of Hassan Nasrallah, who took over in 1992 after his predecessor, Abbas Mussawi, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, the group moved from seeking to implement an Iranian-style Islamic republic in Lebanon to focusing on fighting Israel and integration into Lebanon's sectarian-based politics. Nasrallah, now 57, has played a key role in ending a feud among Shiites, focusing attention toward fighting Israel and later expanding the group's regional reach. -- The Associated Press contributed to this report. Have you ever been drawn to nature? Have you had an urge to sit by the sea, hike in the woods or just stand barefoot in the... Strained TIA handled 2.74m travellers in first 9 months Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) witnessed robust passenger and aircraft traffic growth in the first nine months of 2017 despite infrastructure bottlenecks. Linda Serwaa Boateng, a 24-year-old final year student of Central University, is hoping to make her country proud at the 2017 edition of World Miss University pageant in Cambodia. The World Miss University is an international beauty contest held annually in Seoul, South Korea, since 1986, with an average of about 70 contestants every year. The event is to select World Miss University peace corp representatives. As an event organised by the International Association of University Presidents after the United Nations named 1986 The Year of Peace, the organising committee dispatches peace missions to regions in conflict like Kosovo and Rwanda." "These days, the event is organised by World Miss University Organising Committee which has its headquarters in Manhattan, New York, United States. This year's event is the 28th edition taking place in Cambodia. Linda is trying her best out there to hoist her country's flag high. A model, she previously contested in this years Miss Ghana competition all the way to the grand finale. She is hopeful this time she will wear the crown. The final showdown for the pageant is slated for coming Wednesday, December 20 at Kohpich Theatre. But Linda is lacking votes from her country Ghana. She needs more votes. She has been asking for support and Ghanaians can vote for her via the link http://www.wmu.world/pages/contestants/contestants_detail.asp?num=28&userseq=563 . Or just log on to www.wmu.world and find her name and vote. Just two weeks after Ghana's Reggae and broadcast legend returned on radio after an almost three-year hiatus, the airwaves are ablaze again with hard-hitting Reggae music and more. Between 2pm and 6pm Ghana time, every single dial is on Zylofon 102.1 FM as the whole city glows with excitement and anticipation in every corner. Blakk Rasta, if you remember, resigned from Hitz FM citing two reasons. One, he said he was no longer inspired to work there after eight years in service to the radio station after he failed to get support for his infamous 80% ganja-puffing rhetoric in June 2015. Second, he was unhappy with management's treatment of his radio baby, Taxi Driver. From then, the Reggae icon was seen touring the world and finally settling in America to lecture in some top universities. That was a shock as many never knew Blakk Rasta was not a 'normal', stereotyped Rasta just singing and chanting on the beaches of Ghana. He is actually winding up on a PhD in Environmental Sciences presently. The Rastaman had kept his academic accolades hidden and only declaring a single degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. When news broke out that Blakk Rasta was returning on radio, several multitudes were hale and hearty. He said he was returning because he heard the plea of his fans and, also, to complete what he had started years ago. Nevertheless, many skeptics believed that 3 years was enough to rust up the Salaga Soldier considering how aggressively he was before he left off. Even, Francis Doku of Graphic Showbiz wrote that his energy was missing and never replaced or duplicated while he was away, rendering late morning radio boring. Another set of skeptics wondered how Blakk Rasta would treat his new Jesus faith on his return on radio as he was well-known to be a huge critic of the Bible before he left radio. Also, his return was rumoured to tackle late afternoon radio and not the morning radio he unprecedentedly dared and conquered years back. Would he survive this extremely competitive segment on radio? Many still wonder. It took the Kuchoko Legend just two weeks to silence his critics and the naysayers. The first day on radio was electrocuting! He fired hot mixes from old and new only Blakk Rasta could do. He seems never to forget any good song no matter how old. The African History Class was terrific. It was clear Ghana had missed the Reggae Monster (Reggae mu kakai) as he calls himself in his tirade of unending titles and appellations. In just a few hours, he had finished announcing his presence and there was a rapturous welcome for the Prodigal Son of radio. Today, Blakk Rasta has succeeded in taking total dominance again on radio during his programme time. And, for the Jesus thing, Blakk Rasta has a way of infusing some Bible teaching in his show without passing judgement. In fact, he blends it so neutrally with other faiths one will give him a standing ovation. No wonder, just after two weeks of his return, commercials are already thronging in on Zylofon FM, 102.1. Can Blakk Rasta maintain this comfortable lead? Has he abandoned his students in the American universities for Taxi Drivers in Ghana? When I placed a phone call to him for answers, he simply told me, "My brand can never die through Jehovah who strengthens and uses me for His kingdom". These and other such questions await answers in the coming months. For now, if you are not a fan of Reggae music, do not get into the capital between 2pm and 6pm, Monday to Friday as loudspeakers in every nook and cranny - Ashaiman to Zambarama Market, Tip-Toe lane to Nkrumah Circle, Nima to Kasoa, Weija to Winneba are all screaming their vocal chords sore. The Salaga Soldier has indeed arrived thanks to Zylofon FM102.1 Living Stereo. More Fire !!!!! Bernard Nyarko 18.12.2017 LISTEN Actor Bishop Bernard Nyarko, one of the most talented Kumawood actors has been awarded for his immense contribution and support towards the growth of KNUSTs National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS). At a colourful ceremony, the NUGS KNUST Excellence and Exclusive Awards 2017, held to honour his loyalty and for being a firm support to the students union, the actor was presented with a citation with words of commendation and appreciation for supporting KNUST NUGS progress in diverse ways. According to the Union, Bishop Bernard Nyarko never withholds his best from them when they needed it the most. According to the leadership of the Union, the Actor has over the years contributed greatly in making in achieving the tenets of their motto; Education, a right not a privilege. They averred that Bishop Bernard Nyarko through his support to the Union, has proven that he is indeed a true ambassador for the growth and development of education and that he is ready at all times to offer the needed assistance to see them (students) succeed. The Citation Reads: In grateful appreciation of your immeasurable contribution to the National Union of Ghana Students KNUST. It is a trite but profound expression that a person who exudes loyalty deserves royalty. You have been a firm support to this union and have contributed in diverse ways to our progress thus far. You did not withhold your best from this union when we needed it the most. Our cause as a union has always been to make the spirit of our motto (education, a right not a privilege) prevail, and in your own small way you helped us achieve it. Our hearts are deep with gratitude as on this day we publicly celebrate you. Such a special person as yourself deserves a golden handshake. For your immense contribution and unalloyed show of solidarity towards the union, we say Ayekoo. Bernard Nyarko who joined Kumawood in 2012 when he returned to Ghana after several years staying in the United States has been described by many movie lovers as one of the most promising actor who is doing marvelously well to uplift the Kumawood industry. He has indeed proven his talent as an actor and has played versatile roles in movies such as Wanted, Boyz Abre, Sunsum Police, Aban Bo sia, Asiwa among others. It has been compared to a toilet brush and given a nickname that roughly translates as "mangy:" meet Rome's Christmas tree, known to locals as "spelacchio." The 21-meter high red spruce, hailing from the Val di Fiemme in the Dolomites, was installed in the central Piazza Venezia on December 5 and inaugurated three days later. But it immediately attracted criticism for looking miserly, especially compared to the glitzier and privately sponsored trees on display in Milan, Italy's fashion and finance capital. "This tree is sad," taxi driver Emanuele told dpa. "The Milanese has a more beautiful one, paid by Sky. They've got the money, so they also have a beautiful tree. Everything is better in Milan," he added. Rome's eternal rival, enjoying a renaissance partly triggered by billions spent on the city for the 2015 Expo world fair, put up a 30-meter high red spruce outside its medieval cathedral, the Duomo. But it also inaugurated giant Christmas trees next to other landmarks such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade and the La Scala opera house, with other sponsors covering the cost. By contrast, Rome's "spelacchio" has become a target for ridicule even in social media, with a parody Twitter account commiserating its status with messages like, "I have more followers than branches." "It is the perfect representation of Rome today: sad, inadequate, lonely," the Roman edition of the Corriere della Sera newspaper said in a Wednesday editorial. Roma Fa Schifo (Rome sucks), an influential civic campaign blog, revealed that city hall paid almost 50,000 euros (58,900 dollars) for the tree, with no public tender, three times more than in 2016. It is the second year in a row that Mayor Virginia Raggi has come under fire for her choice of Christmas decorations. Last year she responded with a late round of extra decorations to the Piazza Venezia tree. This year, she hailed the city's unloved Christmas tree on Facebook for complying with "the highest environmental standards" and for being decorated "with simplicity and sophistication." Meanwhile, her anti-establishment party, the Five Star Movement, says there are more serious issues to worry about in a city beguiled by crippling debts and failing public services. Raggi was elected by a landslide in 2015, but has since struggled with endemic Roman problems like garbage collection and public transport, amid infighting and resignations in her team. The annual quality of life survey for Italy's 110 provinces, published last month by business daily Il Sole 24 Ore, certified that the Eternal City is not having a good moment. Rome was ranked 24th in the list, down 11 positions from last year, scoring particularly poor marks on law and order. Milan, meanwhile, made it into the top 10, finishing eighth. Isaac Kyei Andoh 17.12.2017 LISTEN The belief in the existent of God despite being with man since ages past remains a subject of debate even though overwhelming majority of the worlds population believe that there is God. Scientists are divided by this with many theories to refute the existence of a supremo never emerging as law because of their inability to prove that in deed, the existent of God is untrue. In science, when theories are proven beyond reasonable doubt, they become law. This is why we have the theory of evolution but have the law of gravity, The Big-Bang theory but have Newton law of motion. In view of this, people who believe in the scientific denial of God only make their decision based on unproven theories and that is very dangerous even in the context of science. Even before Christianity was brought to Africa, people believed in the existence of a superior person who created everything. Interestingly, most beliefs had a middle man or things through which they connected with this Supreme being. In the Old Testament of the Bible, youd realise that God punished people directly on this earth and rewarded upright living right here on this earth. No one in the Old Testament worshiped God with the idea of going to Heaven even though the Bible talks about Enoch and Elijah who went to Heaven directly. Then came Christianity with Jesus as the middleman between man and God. His message of life after death is what has made Christianity the most popular faith in the world aside his reported resurrection from the death. This is because people cant find meaning to life if everything begins and ends on this earth and no other religion guaranteed or promised that aside Jesus. The debate now is whether Jesus is a historical figure or the result of a conspiracy. The evidence though about the existence of Jesus and the validity of the claims of the New Testament is overwhelming. Today, after over 2000 years of his ascension to Heaven, the mention of his name still heals the sick and saves addict who gave up on themselves. The miracles happening in the name of Jesus all over the world cant happen if not enforced by in deed a supreme being. Yes, you can make claims of some false prophets but will be an insanity to suggest that all the prophet arent genuine. Jesus works because he existed and exists. My issue though is, what do you lose if you dedicate your whole life worshiping a non-existent God and a fake Jesus and realise this after death. Personally, I have lived my entire life believing without an iota of doubt that this world was carefully put together by God and didnt happen though the Big-Bang or any other means apart from the careful creation by the One God through whom everything that is became. I believe that this God who man couldnt access directly gave Jesus to serve as mans mediator in his relationship with God. Because of this God, whose Son I have believed with the knowledge that when I die, I will be saved, I have tried not to live totally the way my human flesh would want me to live. I have denied myself a lot of earthly pleasures because I know theres a life befitting the believer. It is not a crime to go round having sex with as many women as you can lay hand on as long as there is no God and that everything has an end once we die. With God in mind though, I have placed so many restrictions on myself that even during my lowest, during the times I fall short of his standards and sin, I had a place, a bus stop I never go beyond because of this God. The worse me isn't bad enough because without God, Id have done more. It means the knowledge of God has made me considerably better than Id have been as a person. If after all this, I die and theres no God and Jesus turns out to be fake, what do I lose? Majority of human laws came out of the knowledge of a superior being who punishes evil. In view of this, without a God, a lot of moral laws that safeguard our co-existence as humans wouldnt have been Even now, there are a lot of wrongs in religious perspective that are not punishable by law but still very relevant for protecting us from each other and making this world a better place for all. Without a God or the knowledge and hope of such, no one will live on this earth caring about what will happen to him after hes dead. If the knowledge of Gods and Jesus existence makes at least some people do the good they ordinarily wouldnt have done, if the knowledge of God prevents some people from being as bad as they could possibly be, howd the world be if man didnt believe in the existence of God? People can make reference to human laws as a way evil will be curbed or minimized. What such people should not forget is that human laws apply only to those caught. Majority of people who dont steal when the opportunity to steal presents itself dont always refrain from the act due to the fear of being caught but mostly because of a superior being, a God who sees in the closet and rewards evil accordingly. In view of this, the God factor that aids in the spread of the little goodness left in man, the God factor that prevents even the most evil of men from being as evil as he can possibly be would have been absent in our world. The knowledge of Gods eternal punishment for sin tames people; it gives the weak protection and makes a strongman considerate. The knowledge of Gods existence has saved this world and remains the most important evil repellent on this earth. What would I lose if I get to know after my death that God was the making of man and Jesus the result of conspiracy? If atheists believe that death is perpetual unconsciousness, then it means that after my death, nothing follows and the moment to analyse the wasted years on this earth wouldnt exist. It means that I will be in a state of hibernation forever with little care of how I lived and my mistakes during this time. A man asleep doesnt care about what he ate the night before. In view of this, I wont have any regret because that sense of knowing the mistakes I made during my time on earth wouldnt exist. This clearly shows that as daft as the idea that God exist seems to some people, as deceptive as a historic Jesus might seem to some people it is not only good for the world but also the one who walks in the belief loses nothing regardless of the side of the coin you flip. It doesnt change if we say God passes the test and narrow it to Jesus: the concept of life after death is a Jesus doctrine. The Old Testament man didnt serve God for eternal life but for earthly blessing. People do good with the hope of heaven because of Jesus, it is the promise of Jesus and I believe it. I dont care if its a lie, beyond the 100% conviction I have about this, beyond the personal life-changing encounter I had with Jesus that saved me from addiction, believing a lie that has saved the world is a wise decision and from what I have said so far, there will be no room for regret if it turns out to be false after my death. In view of this, wherever you belong: whether the I dont believe in God or the Jesus doesnt exist group, you have no advantage over the person who believes all this. At least, the God factor gives the hopeless hope, it comfort people who lose their dear ones that theyd meet one day. Take away the God factor and the world would lose count of the number of suicide cases. What is the hope of the person who doesnt believe in God or Jesus? What does the person take solace in? Now that you know I wouldnt lose anything after Im dead if God doesnt exist, now that you can logically conclude that there is no risk in believing, I want to ask you: what if you dedicate your whole life rejecting God and Jesus and realise after death that He truly exist? Food for thought Isaac Kyei Andoh The 10th anniversary installation celebration of the Osu Mantse , His Majesty DF Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI , has taken place at Osu, a suburb of Accra with a call on the Ga people to give way to peace and unity. In his address, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Okwei Snr, called on the people of Osu and the Ga Traditional Council in general to emulate the examples of the Asante Kingdom to unite and champion the cause of their people with one voice. The Speaker , an indigene of Osu, congratulated the king on his tenth anniversary of reign as the leader of the Osu people and further appealed for all to rally behind their Kings to help bring development to their respective communities. He said the Gas have entertained divisiveness amongst themselves for long which has been the cause of underdevelopment in most Ga states and that the time to give chance for peace, unity and development to prevail is now . Prof. Mike Okwei Snr also encouraged them to take education of their wards seriously which according to him is the key to liberation. On his part the Osu Mankrado , Nii Ako Nortei IV, pointed out that the occasion was to also take stock of history, achievements, challenges and prospects for the Osu Traditional Council which has gone through a lot in the past decade. The Mankrado described the celebration as a new page in the annals of the Osu people and added his voice on the need for peace and unity to be allowed to prevail amongst the people. He further called on all to support the call for unification among the Ga Chiefs and people of the Greater Accra region and beyond. He among other things mentioned the establishment of an educational fund, given of a facelift to the Osu Chiefs Palace with various offices for the staff as some of the indelible successes chalked by the King since his assumption into office in 2007. Other success chalked by the Osu Mantse , the Mankrado disclosed was the elevation of the Osu stool to a paramouncy in 2012 as well as his induction into the Greater Accra House of Chiefs and subsequent election as the President of the House . Plans are far advanced to set up a vocational and training institute for the youth, bank, multi-purpose business center, recreational centers for Osu senior citizens as well as a state of the arts Chiefs Palace, befitting the status of the Osu stool Nii Ako Nortey revealed. Dr. Kwame Acheampong, the CEO for GLICO Group of Companies who chaired the function, said ten years on a throne is not a mean achievement considering the uneasiness surrounding chieftaincy issues in Ghana. The journey so far has been that of hard work, perseverance, commitment, dedication and selfless leadership to the people to reach this far. The GLICO Boss disclosed that the people are cognizant of the unity and rapid development the Osu Mantse has brought to his people in his bid to support governments socio-economic transformation of the country. He reminded the King that although the task ahead is daunting but he is optimistic the king could stand the test of time and help bring more laurels and enhance the lives of his subjects and others that reside within his jurisdiction based on his past achievements. The King His Majesty, D.F Nii Okwei Kink Dowuona VI on his part , thanked the people for the support given him in the last decade of his reign as their leader and promised to work harder to improve on their living conditions. He advised them especially the youth to be law abiding citizens and to be good ambassadors of the Ga people wherever they may find themselves. Awards were given to individuals who have assisted the Osu Stool tremendously in diverse ways The ceremony was graced by other dignitaries such as Dr. Macaulay , the CEO of MacDan Shipping, Hon. Stanley Adjiri Blankson, the former Accra Mayor , security services, the clergy as well as other Chiefs from some part of the country including Nigerian communities living within the Osu area. Ghana will soon become the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to have a dedicated human vaccine manufacturing factory. Merck, a German based, pharmaceutical company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ridge Management Solutions, a project management development company which will deliver a state of the art plant that will produce a diverse range of products in the medium to long term. The project is aimed at addressing some of the challenges in the local vaccine supply and more importantly to align with the AU Pharma Manufacturing plan for Africa and to boost free trade within the African region. The signing of the MOU comes at a time when Ghana is reeling under the outbreak of swine flu and meningitis both of which need urgent vaccination to save the lives of students in the countrys senior high school Andrew Clocanas, Executive Chairman of Ridge Management Solutions signed on behalf of RMS while Dr. Fritz Sacher, Vice President in charge of Africa Strategy Realization at Merck signed on behalf of Merck The MoU is a culmination of a fruitful discussion between the two companies over the last two years. As part of the MoU the two companies have agreed to putting the basic design, facility construction as well as equipment supply installation, technology transfer, validation support, training and qualification of staff Brigitte Zypries, Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy and a delegation who accompanied the German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier on a three-day state visit to Ghana, witnessed the signing of the MoU along with Ghanas Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The Vice President commended the initiative which he said fits into Ghanas own rapid industrial transformation project. He said the project will not only be of relevance for Ghana alone but Africa as a whole. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com The understanding is that if UML leader is Premier, MC leader is party chief, and vice versa How does the CPN (Maoist Centre) view the landslide win in the recent federal parliament and provincial assembly elections? Pressure group, OccupyGhana, has made recommendations on how the current outbreak of meningitis and H1N1 influenza in parts of the country can be stemmed and a recurrence prevented. OccupyGhana note with concern the outbreak of infectious diseases in senior high schools in various parts of the country with at least 8 fatalities this year. In particular, we refer to the outbreak of H1N1 Flu in Kumasi Academy where 4 students have died and many others taken ill and hospitalised, and Meningitis in Koforidua Sec. Tech., Damango Snr. High School, and most recently Bawku Sec. Tech. School. The questions that arise from these events are whether Ghana has adequate and well-financed public health measures to deal with these outbreaks and if these measures, if available, are implemented properly, the group said in a release Sunday. The following are some of the recommendations by OccupyGhana: - A vaccination or prophylaxis program to protect against contracting these diseases, - Practices that help in protecting one from contracting them, - A centre manned by trained professionals that monitors the incidence and outbreaks, - A good reporting system that allows outbreaks to be reported, - A team that responds to these reports of outbreaks, - An incident manager to supervise the management of each outbreak, - An effective way of quarantining affected individuals or communities. Read the full statement below. 17TH DECEMBER 2017 OCCUPYGHANA PRESS STATEMENT STATEMENT TO THE HEALTH MINISTER ON THE OUTBREAK OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS Infectious diseases still play a significant role in the health of Ghanaians. These diseases, some of which are highly contagious, are fortunately preventable and treatable. Their control however demands sustained and well-financed public health measures. A lack of such measures, their inadequate finance or incomplete implementation can lead to deaths. It must be noted that some of these diseases are endemic to certain areas of the country while others occur everywhere. Some like meningitis tend to be seasonal while others like malaria may occur year round. What is common to all these diseases is that they are often found in places where people live in close proximity with each other. Our boarding schools and universities are such institutions that come to mind. And so does OccupyGhana note with concern the outbreak of infectious diseases in senior high schools in various parts of the country with at least 8 fatalities this year. In particular, we refer to the outbreak of H1N1 Flu in Kumasi Academy where 4 students have died and many others taken ill and hospitalised, and Meningitis in Koforidua Sec. Tech., Damango Snr. High School, and most recently Bawku Sec. Tech. School. The questions that arise from these events are whether Ghana has adequate and well-financed public health measures to deal with these outbreaks and if these measures, if available, are implemented properly. In a nutshell, these measure should include: a vaccination or prophylaxis program to protect against contracting these diseases, practices that help in protecting one from contracting them, a centre manned by trained professionals that monitors the incidence and outbreaks, a good reporting system that allows outbreaks to be reported, a team that responds to these reports of outbreaks, an incident manager to supervise the management of each outbreak, an effective way of quarantining affected individuals or communities, an effective way of tracking down individuals who may be carriers, a clear way of reassuring the public about the measure taken and their safety and those of their families a program to treat the sick and measures to get the outbreak under control From all the reports of what happened in Kumasi Academy a few weeks ago, several issues become apparent: there is a reporting system that allows outbreaks to be reported to the Ministry of Health/ Ghana Health Service (GHS), the response from the GHS was adequate, it is unclear if autopsies were done on all 4 deceased students, diagnosis of the cause was rapid, quarantining of the affected students and areas was not good. The president visited the school in that period, there seems to be no vaccines available for the H1N1, there was a breakdown in adequate communication to the community about the outbreak and the measures being taken. Considering these listed observations, what has happened at several schools so far, and the fact that we have entered the annual season for meningitis and outbreaks are expected in the meningitis belt, we respectfully ask the Minister of Health to provide answers to the following questions: Are our public health measure against infectious diseases well-funded? What steps has the ministry taken to protect the public and SHS students from meningitis? Have teachers and school staff been educated about meningitis? Have students been immunised against meningitis and other preventable infectious diseases? Is there an effective communication strategy with the public and the media and who are the frontline communicators? Are the response teams allowed to quarantine affected individuals or even communities? Do we need the help of the military for that? Is there always an incident manager designated to manage the control of these outbreaks? What steps have been taken to enhance sanitation and hygiene and reduce congestion in schools? Could the GHS publish protocols to deal with outbreaks for schools? Infectious diseases, though devastating in their effects, are also controllable and preventable. Lets all work together to get a handle on them for a healthier Ghana for God and Country. OccupyGhana Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com Pastor Peter Mensah Yanney, the District Pastor of the Church of Pentecost, Alajo, on Sunday urged Christians to be alive to their roles and responsibilities as citizens and initiate individual tasks that would transform the nation. He said citizens constituted a significant part of the Government, therefore, the nation could not progress without their unique contributions. Pastor Mensah Yanney was delivering a sermon during the Thanksgiving Service by the Church for the Executive of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), to honour God for their electoral victory. Among the Executive were Mr Roland Affail Monney, the GJA President, Mr Kofi Yeboah, the General Secretary, and Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, the Organising Secretary. Senior media practitioners who attended the service included Mrs Yaa Oforiwa Asare-Peasah, the Head of Editorial of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mrs Beatrice Asamani Savage, the News Editor, GNA, Mr Fortune Alimi, Editor of the Daily Guide, Madam Zee Adum Atta, a Lawyer and Journalist, and personnel from Atinka Village. The sermon, which was based on King David's relationship with Bathsheba in the Second Book of Samuel, was on the theme: "Be Responsible". Pastor Yanney, therefore, urged Christians to lead the campaign for environmental cleanliness and responsible attitudes towards nation building. "If Christians would not litter the environment, build on water ways and destroy the environment with their actions and not always look up to government for everything, but would take the responsibility themselves, then the country's development will be assured," he said. Pastor Yanney linked the attitude of some Christians to David when he pronounced judgement on Nathan's proverbial ruthless rich man, after he had impregnated Bathsheba and had Uriah, her husband, killed in battle. Christians need not pass the buck but must take responsible actions concerning the country's development, he said. "David, though he sinned, when Nathan made him aware of his actions, he accepted his sins, asked for forgiveness and resolved to do the right things moving forward. So, as Christians, we should not give excuses for our misdeeds but resolve to correct ourselves for the better," Pastor Yanney said. He urged the GJA Executive to eshew practices that would dent the image of the profession so as to have the moral right to correct others. Pastor Yanney said they were victorious in the election in order to perform roles to sanitise the media landscape, which was full of insults and unprofessional conducts. 'In leading the campaign against corruption, media practitioners must act professionally and responsibly by not giving their platforms to nation wreckers,'' he said. Mr Dwumfour, who is an Elder of the Church, said the task ahead was challenging but gave the assurance that the team would deliver on their promises. He said going into the New Year, the GJA would insist on professionalism, high standards and respect for the GJA Code of Ethics so as to promote sanity in the media. Fighting for the welfare of journalists was going to be paramount to the GJA, Mr Dwumfour said, and called for unity among members to be able to advocate for the passage of the Right to Information Bill (RTI). "The Executive, Legislature and Judiciary should all help in passing the RTI to enhance media work," he said. Mr Dumfour said there would be annual regional conferences to know the challenges of journalists in the regions to find solutions to them. The GJA would also undertake training and socialisation programmes to promote professionalism and bonding among members, he added. GNA By Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA Lieutenant General Obed Akwa, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has called on servicemen to embrace 2018 with hope and confidence to be able to execute their constitutionally mandated task of providing security. He admonished servicemen to be conscious of their own safety during the Yuletide celebration as they ensured the safety of the citizens and their environment. 'Regrettably, we have lost some personnel due to road traffic accidents. I would like us to approach this season calmly and not over indulge in the enjoyment that goes with the Christmas season. We should rather be sober and conscious of our environment so that we shall end this year on a high note and start the New Year also on a high note,' the CDS said. Lt. Gen. Akwa said this on Sunday at the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) End of Year Non-Denominational Religious Parade, held at the Burma Hall in Accra on the theme: 'Dedication and Service to God and Country'. The Parade is a Thanksgiving Service to give reverence to God for His divine protection and guidance throughout the year. It brought together service chiefs, commandants, forces sergeants major, civilian employees, and officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force. The CDS expressed gratitude to the Government for its continuous support to the GAF to ensure it performed its duties well. Very Reverend Professor Kwabena Asamohan Gyadu, the Professor of African Christianity and Pentecostal Theology of the Trinity Theological Seminary, in a sermon, called on Christians to be insightful and thoughtful in decision-making to achieve positive results. Lieutenant Colonel Yusif Mensah Shamsudiin, the Chief Imam of GAF, called on Christians and Muslims to discover their purpose on earth and fulfil them to glorify God. The Service was interspersed by the mass band of the Armed Forces and the Security Services Choir. Prayers were offered for the Government, the Security Services and the peace and stability of the nation. GNA By Kwamina Tandoh Renowned human rights lawyer, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has filed a writ at the Human Rights High Court, seeking an order to enforce his fundamental rights to a fair trial as guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution. He also filed an interlocutory injunction restraining the General Legal Council (GLC), the regulator of the legal profession in Ghana, from taking any further disciplinary proceedings in respect of him pending the determination of his human rights by the court. He has exhibited one of his previous proceedings, where he alleges he was abused and threatened by the Disciplinary Committee members. The exhibit, according to him, shows the Committee members made serious pre-judicial, political and religious statements against him. Mr Sosu was handed a four-year suspension earlier this year by the GLC after he was found guilty of professional misconduct contrary to the code regulating legal practice in Ghana. The Council explains that the suspension was the result of a complaint filed by one Francis Agyare, a client of Mr Sosu, at the Council accusing him and his law firm F-X Law & Associates of attempting to swindle him. He was also found guilty of advertising himself on social media in contravention of the rules and regulations of the profession. In the recent suit, filed on December 14, 2017, Mr Sosu alleges that the committee only seeks to destroy his career and is unfit to hear any matter in respect of him due to their previous conduct. Lawyer Sosu argued that unless the GLC prescribes rules of procedure for its Disciplinary Committee in a Legislative Instrument as required by section 9(1) of the Legal Professions Act, 1960 (Act 32) in accordance with the requirements in Article 23 and 296(c) of the 1992 Constitution, the Committee will continue to be lawless, arbitrary, selective, and abusive. Lawyer Sosu claims to have an audio recording of the disciplinary hearing on April 13, 2017, which shows the Committee members were malicious in their conduct. Related: Dont blame me for Sosus woes, hes being punished by God - Agyare Unrelenting Francis-Xavier Sosu has been unrelenting in his fight against the suspension, albeit with little success. The Court of Appeal in July this year dismissed a motion he filed seeking to halt the implementation of his suspension. Related: Court declines to hear Francis Sosu's case over lack of jurisdiction Following his ban, he has become a fierce critic of the General Legal Council, describing the body as one of the lawless institutions in the country. He is convinced the Council is only good at intimidating lawyers. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected] The Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has called for a more radical approach to eradicating open defecation in the country. According to him, the practice of open defecation has become a disgrace to the nation that just celebrated 60 years of independence. Speaking at the Central Regional launch of a campaign dubbed: 'Open Defecation-free Ghana Campaign' in Cape Coast, the Central Regional Minister could not come to terms with the fact that the nation spends $280 million on sanitation-related diseases. According to the World Bank, one in five Ghanaians practices open defecation.This practice makes Ghana lose $79 million on the effects of open defecation yearly.This is incredibly ridiculous. We need to adopt a more robust approach to end this practice, he said.\ Kwamena Duncan The Central Regional minister said that successive governments have not done enough to end open defecation, adding posterity will not forgive the current government of which he is part if nothing impactful is done to correct the sad phenomenon. The practice is not only costly but dehumanizing as well. This government owes it a duty to help stamp out this practice and I will lead that crusade, he assured. Loretta Roberts of the United Nations Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) congratulated the government and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources for the leadership shown in improving the sanitation situation in the country through the launch of the National Sanitation Campaign. She explained that the Open Defecation Free Ghana campaign was aimed at making Ghana open defecation-free by creating awareness of its dangers on the well-being of the people and to trigger a change in behaviour on negative sanitation practices. According to her, the campaign did not only target those who practised open defecation but policymakers, service providers such as the environmental health officers, community development workers, health and education staff and the civil society. The Omanhen of the Cape Coast Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, said open defecation called for drastic education and urgent action to change the attitudes and behaviours of the people and he will lead a campaign to stamp out the menace. Mr. Kwabena Agyepong says the national leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), must listen to those clamouring for his reinstatement as General Secretary since his suspension has been too long. Mr Agyepong was suspended indefinitely along with the partys Chairman Paul Afoko and Second Vice Chair Sammy Crabbe for allegedly working against the interest of the NPP ahead of the 2016 general elections. The National Executive Committee of the NPP acted based on findings of the party's Disciplinary Committee and suspended the three on 10 December 2015. The suspensions followed a petition brought against the three by some NPP members. However, some groups within the party, including polling station executives in the Ashanti Region, insist Mr Agyepong deserves to be given back his mandate. Addressing a press conference in Kumasi on Monday, October 16, Mr Tweneboah Kodua, convener for the group, appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, the National Executive Committee (NEC), the National Council of the party and former President John Agyekum Kufuor, to reconsider the suspension and call Mr Agyepong back. " So our humble appeal to the National Council of the party is to recall Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong back to his office, he stated. Speaking to Accra-based Joy News at the NPPs Extraordinary Delegates Conference in Kumasi on Sunday, 17 December, Mr Agyepong said the leadership of the party must give an ear to those pushing for his reinstatement. He was asked: There is also a strong push by some people in the party for your reinstatement, would you want the national leadership to listen to them to get you back your job? Of course, I think being on suspension for over two years is too long. I think our constitution doesnt provide for that, it didnt envisage the General Secretary of the party to be absent from his job for two years, its not there but I hope that good sense will prevail, I mean Im happy with myself, I thank God for the heart that I have, Im very content. Mr Agyepong said he misses being General Secretary of the party he loves. Of course I do, I mean I got a very emphatic mandate in Tamale, very big emphatic mandate in Tamale, and thats why you see lots of people where I am, wherever I go, because the party grassroots, they recognise my long-standing dedication and service to this political tradition, and, so, I love it. Yes what happened in 2015, Ive said to you because of my love for the party, Ive been very silent, not that I agree with the decision of the national executive to suspend me, I never did but I respected that decision because I love the party and I believe that the party should be supreme, and I think in the collective interest of the bigger picture, Im happy that God has granted us our wish, we are now in government, so, any true patriot of the NPP should be seeking to do their little to support the president and his government to achieve our aims, so that we can deliver the people of Ghana; that for me is the national interest, and if we allow the national interest to determine whatever we do, all these little little things that sometimes you see, will go into the background. In his view, a constitution is a sacred document, I mean you touch it when there is a compelling need. On calls by his critics within the party for him to show remorse before being accepted back, Mr Agyepong said: You apologise when you have done wrong and I want to be honest with you, nobody has proved any wrong. On President Nana Akufo-Addo, he said: I went to see him at home to congratulate him, because some of us saw that in him many years ago before many even dreamt of it and we supported him in very difficult times against the odds but life is full of a lot of thins ups, downs but whatever has happened has happened, he is the president, we thank God for that, and I pray that he gets all the counsel that he needs to build this country, to implement the choices that he has made for the good of the people of Ghana, that is what is most important the Ghanaian people, the national interest and that is what we should look at, that what we should target. 18.12.2017 LISTEN The Free SHS Policy is premised on three intertwined core values: Access, Quality and Affordability. From Gambaga to Accra and Western to Eastern Regions of Ghana, I have had an interaction with some tutors, parents and community leaders which puts me in a position to come through with the following observations: 1. ACCESS: It has been my observation that there has been a tremendous increase in students' enrolment thereby helping to solve problems associated with high drop-out rate and streetism. To this end school heads declared vacancies for boarding and day students. What I have gathered from the system, is that, some Headmasters have created a crisis situation by rather admitting more students into the Boarding House so that they can use same as the basis to ask for new dormitory projects and ultimately to make some financial gains. A visit to some schools between 9pm to 10:30pm shows a good number of students without beds while others sleep in the corridors. If there is any epidemic, we wouldn't have an answer to same. In fact it is only God who is looking after these kids. I am therefore of the view that Government should rather provide more classroom facilities to cater for high intake in the ensuing years. After all, issues in the boarding house such as bed-bugs, stealing, gayism/lesbianism and poor sanitation are management problems. We don't have bed-bugs in our homes so let us read between the lines what is actually happening. It is also on record that day students perform better in their academic work than boarding students. That granted, schools without boarding facilities should not overburden government but rather concentrate on academic enhancement programmes. I have also noted that the congestion in schools is due to lack of proper planning by some Headmasters and an attempt to hoodwink the government. 2. QUALITY....... The core business of school administrators, are : to admit students, educate and train them, see to their graduation. It is quiet obvious that " the calibre of students a school churns out, are a reflection of it's tutors and proper management "..... My observations and intelligence gathered so far has been that, the Assistant Headmasters are not empowered to check on teacher absenteeism and immoral sexual activities in schools. More emphasis should therefore be on increasing contact hours and implementation of recommendations offered by external school Inspectors/Monitors. Students' Terminal Report: Parents continue to lament on schools failing to give prompt feedback on the wards academic performance. While some schools send report in soft-copy earliest by two-weeks before reopening, majority are only able to accomplish that task one month after school has reopened for academic work. The worse of it all is that parents are made to pay for electronic transmission of this undue delay. I wish to submit here that, students' terminal reports should be sent two weeks before reopening, it must be in soft-copy and sent to parents via the postal addresses available and parents should not pay any extra money for electronic transmission of student's terminal report. It is my view that not more than ten(10) students should be repeated per programme ( Gen/Arts, Gen. Sci, Visual Arts, Home Econs etc) during promotion exercise. I am informed that the Heads want to repeat lots of students so that they can get some payment of school fees and for other reasons best known to them. 3. AFFORDABILITY...... The catch phrase of some heads is " This is my style of administration " ...... Sorry to say that, it will be a violation of basic administrative principles if the school's command structure is not adhered to. The P.T.A and Old Students' Association are stakeholders hence their programmes and activities ought to be subsumed under the general administration of the school.For the avoidance of doubts, teachers are not to be elected to occupy any P.T.A executive position. This will help them to concentrate on their core business which is teaching. A further interrogation by myself with empirical evidences reveals that students in the boarding house are not encouraged to attend dining. The cut in expenditure helps to preserve funds for who-knows-what. Today much attention is on foodstuffs. The Deputy Domestic Bursars ( Matrons) report to work with handbag but manage to leave school each day with sacks of foodstuff stolen from the school kitchen. Occasionally the Chief Accountant is given a bag of rice together with other foodstuffs. In fact structures in the schools must be allowed to work in order to curtail these levels of corruption. In summary, what am saying is that all Headmasters and affected staff found to be engaging in the above act, should go on punitive transfer if not a nation wide reshuffling of Headmasters. Nana aba ampa and Free S.H.S is here to stay!!! This Year Has Really Been Fabulous For Entrepreneurs In Ghana. It's said that the best way to predict the future is to study the past. To that effect, I took out time to recap some of the major events in Ghanas entrepreneurship space so far this year. Starting off in January, U.K based Crowdfooding teamed up with Impact Hub Accra and other partners to create a knowledge sharing event named as Chocothon. The event connected stakeholders in the cocoa community through a two-day hackathon in which IT programmers and other parties involved in software development, including graphic designers, interface designers, and project managers collaborated intensively on software innovation project. In the same month, UKGCC partnered with founding member Hogan Lovells to host over 200 business leaders for the first West Africa Business Leaders Forum in Ghana which was held on the theme Financing Infrastructure Transport, Power, and Housing in Ghana. In February, Ghanas tech elites, led by the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, paid a visit to London to promote all that Ghanas technology sector has to offer during the Tech In Ghana Conference London hosted by the team at AB2020. In March, British Council Ghana brought delegates from 23 countries across Sub Saharan Africa and the UK together for the 1st Enterprise Africa Summit. The Summit, which coincided with Geeks On A Plane by 500 Startups and Lions at Africa, established the need to explore innovative pathways in connecting entrepreneurship to resilient development in Africa. Still, in March, eighteen Austrian companies in the company of an official delegation from the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber participated in a Trade Mission organized by The Commercial Sections of the Austrian Embassy in Lagos and Casablanca. In the early hours of April, the Solar Media Ltd and her partners brought Clean Energy Summit Africa to Accra, under the theme of accelerating clean energy access in Africa. Also in the month of April, The Data Protection Commission hosted Data Controllers and Processors at its two-day Data Protection Conference. The event was organized to explore ways and means of safeguarding fundamental human rights through data protection. In May, the first annual China Trade Week was launched in Ghana. The aim of the event was to further strengthen ties between China and Ghana. The Demo Africa team came to Impact Hub for 2017 edition of Accra Innovation Tour in the same month of May. And then, from 31 May to 2 June, the Ghana Mining and Energy Summit 2017 was held at Accra International Conference Centre. Also in June, the President of Ghana led a delegation to attend the 2017 edition of Annual Ghana Summit Oil, Gas, LNG, and Power. The event marked an important milestone in the countrys march towards the acquisition of critical skills, knowledge, and competencies that would enable Ghana to benefit from the oil and gas industry. UK-Ghana Trade and Investment Forum 2017 was also held in June. A senior government delegation, attended the Forum to showcase the many investment opportunities that Ghana can offer international investors. And then, Water Africa & West Africa Building and Construction Ghana 2017 brought stakeholders from Ghanaian government ministries, contractors, and consultants, engineers, architects, planners, suppliers, NGOs, investors, and developers together at Accra International Conference Centre. In July, the 6th Innovation Prize for Africa was held in Accra. The event was a collaborative effort by African Innovation Foundation in collaboration with the government of Ghana and other key stakeholders. Also in July, The Africa Open Data Conference created a space for tech industry, small businesses, journalists, civic tech, entrepreneurs, researchers, students, IT solution providers, banks, telecoms, insurance companies, NGOs, donor organizations, and local and national governments to connect and share advances in open data, lessons, and form new collaborations. Hundreds of business-savvy Ghanaians across the diaspora attended the Ghana Diaspora Homecoming Summit held in the same month of July. The Ghana Diaspora Homecoming Summit stems from President Nana Akufo-Addos pledge to involve Ghanaians living abroad in the development of Ghana. Furthermore, Akufo-Addo sets up a $100m fund for entrepreneurs and innovators through the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP). In August, the British Council announced the first of its Social Thursday event series with a goal to assist social entrepreneurs with the needed skill sets to create impact and profit in their businesses. The 7th annual CHALE WOTE Street Art Festival took place in Accra from August 14 to August 20, 2017, with over 200 Ghana-based and international artists building and exhibiting works in James Town and 15 venues across the city. GIPC assembled the investment community at its 2017 Investment Summit also in August. The summit featured two days of high-level discussions on investment opportunities in key sectors, including financial services, technology, consumer goods and services, energy and agribusiness. SFAN brought together about 100 upwardly mobile millennial entrepreneurs, digital marketing experts, and aspiring entrepreneurs at the 5th edition of Future Executives Business Breakfast Meeting in the same month of August. In September, Social Media Week Ghana was held by Echo. The event brought together stakeholders to brainstorm on how to use social media as a tool to promote and develop businesses. The Seedstars Africa team landed at Impact Hub Accra for this years edition of Seedstars Accra. In October, the Fashion Ghana team hosted Accra Fashion Week 2017 on the theme of The Buyers Opportunity. The Ministry of Communications held National Cyber Security Week 2017 with the aim to share ideas and best practices as well as raise awareness of cybersecurity and digital citizenship. Also in October, the World Tourism Forum Africa Summit was held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, bringing together about 50 foreign media houses, 10 African Ministers, as well as Ambassadors, Chief Executive Officers of Tourism from other countries, and other stakeholders in the sector. The third annual Tony Elumelu Foundation hosted over 30 Ghanaian entrepreneurs in Lagos, Nigeria for Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum 2017. In November, the Ministry of Communications Ghana and AB2020 hosted Tech in Ghana Conference, Accra with the aim to promote and encourage business and investment within the tech community. Also in November, West Africas 6th Clean Energy & Environment Exhibition and Conference featured an official Made in Germany pavilion for the fourth successive time and for the second time a Start-up corner for Indigenous Ghanaian companies. The Bloomberg Africa team brought Africa Business Media Innovators Conference to Accra from 12-14 November 2017. Focused on Africa, but with a global perspective, ABMI17 explored how best to maintain a flourishing media sector and how business and financial journalism can best contribute to sustainable development on the African continent. Earlier this month, MTN held its fifth edition of the MTN Ghana apps challenge which was aimed at empowering the youth in developing innovative digital projects. To climax the events of the year are three Presidential Visits to Impact Hub Accra and iSpace Foundation earlier this month. The President of France, Mr. Macron and Dutch Prime Minister, Mr. Rutte visited Impact Hub on December 1st while the German President, Mr. Steinmeier visited iSpace Foundation on December 12. As any good farmer will tell you, when you see the pistils turning red and the leaves turning yellow, you know that harvest time is here. Likewise, when you look at the number and quality of events held in Ghana this year, the amount of investment that came into the startup ecosystem, and the number of international press that was generated by the business sector, you can only conclude that Ghana is on the move! On the 3rd of April 2017, the Chatham House London published on its website the nominees for "2017 Chatham House Prize", to be awarded by the Royal Institute of International Affairs of the U.K, of which the winner was be announced later in the year, and an award ceremony to take place in the autumn. To the surprise of many Ghanaians, especially the UK based Ghanaian Advocacy Group, CENAB-UK, the name Charlotte Osei, Chairperson of Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC) was included in the list of the nominees. The reason given for her nomination was that, her outfit purportedly ensured a peaceful and transparent electoral process in the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, and also for consolidating further, Ghana's 24 years old democratic journey. However, the UK-based Ghanaian advocacy group believed that the reasons cited by the Chatham House London to include Mrs. Charlotte Osei, who would receive the 2017 Prestigious Award if she had won amongst other nominees, was flawed. The group therefore petitioned the Chatham House through an email, giving various appreciable reasons why they thought Charlotte Osei did not merit the award she was nominated as far as the 2016 general election was concerned. This was acknowledged by Chatham House with a promise to look further into the criteria for her nomination. As a result of the above situation, Mr. Charlotte Osei was disqualified, and "the 2017 Chatham House Prize" was finally given to President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, on 9th November, 2017. Award Ceremony Link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/event/chatham-house-prize-2017-president-juan-manuel-santos Nominees Link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/chatham-house-prize/2017-nominees As one of the well respected Prestigious awards in the world, the Chatham House Prize is mostly awarded to a person, persons or an organization that is deemed to have made the most significant contributions to the improvement of international relations in the previous year. The group contended that, it would be a big misplaced and controversial decision to consider Mrs. Osei for such an award amongst the well deserving nominees such as Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia, who formally ratified a peace agreement with the FARC rebel group and bringing an end to the war in Colombia, and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of NATO, who also steered NATO through one of the most complicated periods in its recent history. The CENAB-UK argued that, before Charlotte Osei took over from her predecessor, Dr Afari-Gyan, former EC Chairman, Ghana had conducted a number of peaceful and transparent elections to the appreciation and admiration of the world, and had made tremendous significant improvements on its electoral processes since December 2000. Coming towards the December 2016 general elections, though very important reformative decisions were taken by the EC that improved on the general transparency, fairness and enhancement on the peaceful elections, but on record, none of these important reformative ideas leading to decisions to improve the process was initiated by Charlotte Osei or by the institution of the EC itself. All instances of reformative suggestions leading to these great significant improvements on the Electoral processes were initiated by individual Ghanaian citizens and the Opposition Parties, most of which the EC overtly contested against. Furthermore, in all cases, reformative decisions that were finally implemented by the Commission were forced by the Supreme Court of Ghana, and with compelling reasons for the EC to implement them. The group stated in their petition that Mrs Charlotte Osei's infrangible posture started earlier before the elections, when she vowed not to allow any significant reforms to take place in the electoral process for the 2016 elections. This was in spite of all the good reformative suggestions made by the Supreme Court, the Civil Society Organisations, the Opposition Parties and Christian Organisations in Ghana. The group added that, at one stage, the EC was described by some opinion leaders and Supreme Court Justices as having lost the focus on its mandate to ensure a peaceful and transparent elections, and was likely, if care was not taken, to plunge Ghana into chaos due to their stance, as political tension was considerably rising. In some instances when the Supreme Court had passed judgement on a case concerning the NHIS registrants, urging the EC to take further steps to ensure clean voters register, the EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei deliberately flouted such unambiguous orders by the Supreme Court. Having deliberately caused frustration on the Supreme Court, one Justice Gbadegbe at an open court sitting, descended heavily on the EC vowing "not to allow it to plunge the country into chaos as the December 2016" general election was reaching home stretch. Justice Gbadegbe is on record to have openly stated, the justices would not sit aloof, make pronouncements and watch the EC, headed by Mrs Charlotte Osei, to flout their orders." The group recalled that, Mrs Charlotte Oseis obstinate posture not to allow for a Clean Voters Register before the 2016 elections, led to some Ghanaian citizens registering their displeasure through peaceful demonstrations, which one of such peaceful demonstrations turned into violence when the Police visited brutal attacks on ordinary Ghanaian demonstrators. In the process, one gentleman lost one of his eyes as a result of fired rubber bullets by the police. Concluding the petition, CENAB-UK recalled an instance of failed EC website, and the Commission's failure on the Electronic and Social Media updates to the general public after the poll had closed 48 hours, thereby festering unnecessary false rumours about the delayed results which again increased the avoidable tension mounted in the country. Up till today, no one knows the cause of the website failure. With all these few instances and details available, CENAB-UK did not believe it will make good prudential judgment to award Mrs Charlotte Osei with such world class prize for only supervising, but without any proactive input as commissioner, in the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Ghana. The group insisted that she was undeserving of the prize and entreated the management at Chatham House to reconsider their decision about Charlotte. At the backdrop of all these, there is an impeachment process imitated by some Ghanaians against Charlotte Osei, and the Chatham House, London decision to disqualify her, greatly vindicates CENAB-UK's position to dispute her nomination. This is how Accra will look like by 20127, barring any hitches and glitches. Accras skyline at her coastline (or waterfront) -- the Marine Drive Project will be attractive, beautiful and charming. There will be skyscrapers, broadways and craft village, residential buildings, and offices, restaurants, a 300-seater concert hall and hotels. There will be multi- used public spaces and landing site for fisher folks. The $1.2 billion project will not have towers that would match sensational Dubais Buurj Khalifa which stands at (2,717 ft.), or North Americas iconic World Trade Center (1,776 ft.), or Europes Federation Tower (1,227), but its bespoke creative monuments will be second to none. Why? Theyre designed by architects Messrs David Adjaye and Associates spearheaded by renowned world acclaimed architect Sir David Adjaye (a Ghanaian). At a sod cutting ceremony on Friday 15 2017, Ghanas President Akufo-Add0 said: The architects and planners have ensured that the interest of the public are been factored into the design. Theyve put in a place a network of well-connected multi use public spaces that fit into the surrounding community. Also included in this project is a theme Park in honour of the founding fathers of our nationthe legendary BIG Six this will be a monument that will celebrate their contribution towards the liberation of our country from colonialism and foreign domination, he said. The project hitherto described by many as a dead dream, was Ghanas first President Kwame Nkrumahs brainchild. Its seen more than 15 heads of state since 1963Five Republics and about seven coup detats. Sixty years on, the NPP government has resuscitated the dead dream. In April this year a ceremony was held at the Art Centre in Accra to hand over the 241-land to government. This was a precursor to the final commencement of the much-awaited project. However, there were sceptics and one cannot begrudge them. Theyd heard the story before. And theyd perhaps witnessed a ceremony of its kind. But the countenance of the Tourism Minister Catherine Abelema Afeku during the occasion highlighted one thingthe Prodigal Son has returned home. Hope is back. The Marine Drive Project has taken off after six decades. Suffice to say the long wait is over. And whose body language highlighted that? A cheery Cathy accentuated that. She couldnt hide her excitement as she was frequently seen clapping. I salute you Madam Minister youve done a great job. According to her the project when completed will help ease pressure on Accras city centre or the business district. What does the sod cutting ceremony mean to her? In one line she says: Government is ready and we mean business." The core objective is to decongest the city centre of non-conforming uses and reinstate new land uses befitting the capital city. We also want to create environment to attract high level of investment in the city centre, Mrs. Afeku said. According to her the start of construction works is a testament to the relationship she has built with custodians of the land such as the chiefs and opinion leaders. So ten years from today and possibly before 2027 the shantytown coastline you saw in the yester years (from the Osu Castle to Art Centre) will be no more. Instead, skyscrapers will be springing up like mushrooms. Walkways, board ways, bike lanes and well-manicured landscapes will add aesthetic value to the new city within the city. Accras beachfront will become one of the hottest tourists destinations in the sub region. It will pull crowds beyond her frontiers and it will be like a beehive. Tourists from Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania will be frequenting this modern city to savor its arts & culture, hospitality, business and many more. Our neighbours, especially from Nigeria, the Ivory Coast (Cote dIvoire), Togo and landlocked Burkina Faso will flock here in an unprecedented manner. Of course theyre already here. There will be economic boom, financial boom, tourist boom and population boom. Ghanas signature cloth-- Kente will be in high demand nothing like it. Our signature foods Jollof, banku and fufu, kelewele will top menus at restaurants across the country and beyond. Our kooko and masa, Apio (Akpeteshiie), Pito and Asana will be sought after like Seattles Starbucks coffee. The Azonto dance genre, highlife music and other Ghanaian artifacts will be in high demand. Many nations across the world have trudged this path. And it has tremendously helped their economies to grow exponentially. Ghana Advocacy Group (GAG) has been following the Marine Drive Project with keen interest. Its members say theyre delighted and also believe that this couldnt have come at a better time as we vigorously pursue to make Ghana a tourist hub in the west coast of Africa. Ive no doubt this is going to happen. But are we ready to deal with the booming population and the crime wave that would come with it? The Marine Drive project is expected to create 150,000 direct and indirect jobs by completion date in 2027. Im hopeful the workforce could double. Also other monuments around the enclave will see makeovers, particularly the historic Christianborg Castlean edifice once used by the colonialists and few decades back by our governments. It will be opened for tourists and visitors in Ghana. The Independent Arch of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum to mention but a few are some of the iconic landmarks in this area. History Record has it that late Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey who was the Tourism Minister under the Kufuor-administration between 2002 and 2005 got the design for the project done. Nonetheless Cabinet's approval for the project was secured by immediate past Tourism Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare and the Executive Instrument was issued for the acquisition of the land. Indeed itd been Nkrumahs vision to modernise the "entire beach front". But that laudable dream wasnt followed through by the succeeding governments. Until now, 60 years on, six decades of abandonment the NPP) has given life to it by cutting sod for construction works to begin. "Countries all over the world have made good use of their beach fronts and they are raking in considerable revenue. We intend to go down that path. My government is committed to beginning this project to aggressively give the tourism industry a facelift, president Akufo-Addo said. WB provides $300m for housing rebuild The World Bank has approved a credit of $300 million to rebuild private houses destroyed by devastating earthquakes of April and May, 2015. Ghana is one of the few countries on earth where people hardly get accident, die naturally or deceased via some serious underlying health conditions. In this day and age, almost all deaths or any fatal event in the country is either attributed to some spirits in the underworld or to a vindictive deity somewhere seeking payback for unfulfilled past promise. Indeed, everything that goes wrong or happens to someone, pretty much has spiritual implications in the contemporary Ghanaian society. This blame game phenomenon is typical Ghanaian cultural psyche which has been prevailing over the generations. Even a public officials corrupt schemes in office are remotely blamed on bayie or witchcraft that doesnt want decent/successful morally-grounded outcomes but ill-luck for a particular person. Hence, its not surprising but sickening, nonetheless, that a group of Ghanaians is trying to tie the blame of the financial stench engulfing the Electoral Commissioner(s) on Nana Akufo-Addo or the NPP. According to the cynics who are defending Ms. Charlotte Osei, the president and his NPP-led government have been scheming from day-zero to off-load the current head of the EC from her post. To that extent, the EC s supporters are peddling falsehoods that Nana Akufo-Addothrough the urgings of the NPP inner circleshas orchestrated or is behind the serious charges and countercharges of financial irregularities, including the deep chasm that has opened between the Electoral Commissioner and her deputies. It is puzzling, especially, watching and listening to the leaders of the main opposition party of the NDC screaming their doomsayers lungs out in the desperate effort to defend the filths created at the EC under Charlotte Oseis watch. Seriouslyso, does any smart-thinking Ghanaian harbor the view that the dog mess currently at the EC office is planted over there by the NPP/detractors of Madam Charlotte Osei? Based on all the incriminating accusations/information each of the Commissioners is throwing against one another, its mind-boggling to hear some folks who proudly claim to have law degrees (from where?) or have extensive political backgrounds yet argue so shallowly and incoherently in the face of constitutional reality. Ghana ascribes strictly to the rule of law as opposed to the rule of a particular person. Under vigorous multiparty democracy, it is well settled fact that no one is above the law, not even the executive president/prime minister let alone the head of a government bureaucracy such as the Electoral Commission. It is also significant to remind ourselves that even in the more advanced democratic societies where due process of the law is vibrant, strong circumstantial evidence is admissible in the court of law with regard to many, many cases. By now every fair-minded Ghanaian anywhere should have known the much-talked-about EC legal petition sent to the president originated from the Commissions enclave itself; it was not from the current occupant of the Jubilee/Flagstaff House. Here, Ghanas Constitution is transparently clear regarding the course of constitutional action that must be taken in the event of a credible petition submitted to the incumbent president. We can all have varied interpretations of the credibility or the legitimacy of a given petition, but it doesnt necessarily fall on the president to establish the legality/credibility of that petition. The constitution reserves that responsibility for the Chief Justice. Which means at this point, the Constitution mandates the president of the republic, upon receiving a petition, to forward it to the Chief Justice; and, that is exactly what Nana Akufo-Addo has done in this EC saga. This brings us to the question: What exactly is it about this Electoral Commissioner that her naive backers make her appears as if she is untouchable, larger than Ghana or more important than the countrys laws? In conformity with the average Ghanaian mental psychology, many of the NDC leaders are busy finding scapegoats for Ms. Oseis alleged mismanagement of state resources. In the process, theyre floating countless flawed theories, while throwing all kinds of kitchen sinks to test which one will stick on President Addo-led administration and his party just to score cheap political points. It goes beyond the cure of my comprehension regarding the stubborn defense put up for Ms. Charlotte Osei, but the same vehemence in terms of support is not extended to the other two EC deputies. Perhaps the two deputies responsibilities are not relevant to Ghanas electoral system except the clueless Electoral Commissioners. In line with their avowed methods of operation, the NDC leaders even blame Nana Akufo-Addo for the ECs thought process, including if she has put on a wrong make-up on her face for the day. This below-the-belt approach would not win them some extra votes in the 2020 general elections, if that is the calculation. Again, what makes Madam Charlotte Osei the darling girl of the countrys largest opposition party NDC? Could it be that there is an unfinished business elsewhere that is promised to be finished in 2020 at all cost by Ms. Osei? In case the EC were to be impeached or removed from her job on the basis of indisputable findings, the blame lays squarely on her doorsteps. More so, the then Mahama government cannot escape the bulk of the blame for seemingly looking the other way while the filths piled up at the ECs office. The proverbial chicken is coming back to roost! Granted that some members of the ruling government (NPP) had wanted to get rid of Madam Charlotte Osei from her position, now they dont have to do anything in that the Electoral Commissioners have already handed their so-called detractors what they have been asking for on a silver platter. The ECs have clearly entangled themselves with their own tight ropes. It is a matter of time. Is that the reason behind the NDCs desperation in engaging in buck-passing? Too bad that majority of Ghanaians blame their mistake/irresponsibility on everyone or everything else except themselves. Bernard Asubonteng is United States-based writer; send your comments to: [email protected] The Ghana Institute of Social Democracy (GISD) on Saturday, December 16 held its maiden Outreach Party School in Atebubu in the Brong Ahafo region. The one-day outreach programme which took place at the auditorium of the Atebubu College of Education was the first of its kind to be held outside Accra since its inception. The programme was attended by over 150 NDC members and sympathisers from Kwame-Danso, Kajaji, Atebubu, Amantin, Prang, Yeji, Ejura, Sampa, Kintampo, Wenchi, Sunyani , Berekum, Techiman and Nkoranza. Lecturers including Dr. William Ahadzie, Fritz Baffour, Peter Boamah Otukonor and Kofi Kukubor took participants through the Module 001 of the programme which includes political leadership, party organization, Philosophy, Principles and Practice of Social Democracy. The rest were the Political History of Ghana, Transformational leadership, Activism and Party Organisation. They charged participants to maintain their identity as Social democrats by reflecting these values in their political discourse. Some of the participants who spoke to Ghanaxtra.com after the programme expressed their gratitude to the party leadership for heeding to their calls and bringing the school to their doorsteps. They said the programme will go a long way to helping them to re-energise and revamp their bases for the party to recapture political power in 2020. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in September this year started its political training institute aimed at ensuring that members are grounded in the ideals of the party. The Ghana Institute of Social Democracy (GISD) according to the party will focus mainly on ensuring that party faithfuls understand the principles and ideologies of the NDC. It also seeks to equip participants with knowledge in leadership skills at all levels of party work; acquire skills that will assist in party organisation, undertake membership drives and promote activism at all levels of political activity. Currently, the institute runs programmes such as the philosophy of the party, history of the party, history of Ghana, constitutional studies, party management, political communication, leadership skills, elections and electoral systems. The next stop for the team will be the Tusand Hotel in Kumasi where a similar programme will be organised on Monday, December 18, 2017, for those within and around the Ashanti region. Ndc 1 Ndc 2 Ndc 4 Blacks or Dark-Skinned People are one of the largest races on earth and the most God-loving people of all the races. The other largest races are the Chinese and the Indians. Blacks are estimated to be 1.3 billion, 1.2 billion are in Africa, while 173 million are outside Africa. Black people outside Africa are found in North, Central and South America, Europe and in the Oceania in the Pacific. The Black Population Worldwide, the Africans at home, the African-Americans, Blacks in the Caribbean, South America, Europe and the Oceania in the Pacific is greatly increasing. In the next few years, the figure would exceed several multiples of the current 1.3 billion. The 1.2 billion in Africa is expected to double in the next half century. As of 2016, the total population of Blacks in Africa was estimated at 1,225,080,510, representing approximately 15% of the world's population. According to UN estimates, the population of Blacks in Africa may reach nearly 2.5 billion by 2050 (about 26% of the world's total) and nearly 4.4 billion by 2100 (about 39% of the world's total). Blacks are religious or superstitious, mostly Christians. 80% of Blacks in Africa are Christians. The World Book Encyclopedia estimated that in 2002 Christians formed 80% of the continent's population, with Muslims forming 20%. In a relatively short time, Africa has gone from having a majority of followers of indigenous, traditional religions, to being predominantly a continent of Christians and Muslims. (Wikipedia) Almost 1 billion Blacks in African are Christians. African-Americans or the Black Africans in United States of America are 40 million, 83% are Christians, out of whom 43% are Baptists, 5% Catholics, 2% are Moslems and 1% Jews. The Blacks in the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Oceania are also predominantly Christians. Nigeria in West Africa has the largest Christian Population in the world. According to 2002 Pew Research Center, Moslems in Nigeria were estimated to be 50% and Christians 40%. But the southern and central regions of Nigeria, where the majority of the population are located, are predominately Christians, so the actual estimates see Christians as the predominant people in Nigeria. According to Pew research, Nigeria has the largest Christian population of any country in Africa, with Christian population of 85 to 100 million. The Population of Christians in Nigeria is equal to the populations of Australia (24 Million), Canada (36 Million), Greece (11 Million), Netherlands (17 Million), Portugal (10 Million) and Switzerland (8 Million) added together. Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa, nicknamed the Germany of Africa. If Nigeria is doing economically well or embracing vigorous poverty eradication, as the United Nations urges the countries to pursue, Africa will be far better. However, in West Africa, Nigeria is classified among Chad, Niger, Mali, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Gambia, Togo and Burkina Faso as country which is doing nothing or very little to eradicate poverty. Ghana, Ivory Coast and Republic of Benin are doing far well In poverty eradication over the last ten years than Nigeria. Country indices indicate that 5.7 people become poor in Nigeria every minute. That is, 8.208 people a day. The number of people who find it difficult to eat a day are 112 Million or 67.1% of the Population, and the number is increasing everyday. Nigeria and India both have large Consumer Economies, with the population of India far exceeding that of Nigeria. However, Nigeria exceeds India as a country with the highest percentage of poor. Indias population is 1.3 Billion, 179.6 Million are poor, that is, 17.5% of the population, according to the World Bank. In Nigeria 112 Million or 67.1% of the people are poor, based on the total population of 167million, according to Nigerian Statistics published in the Vanguard Newspaper of October 18 2016. The.current number is expected to increase based on the present adjusted population of 193 Million. Ghana is estimate to have a population of 29 Million, 7 Million or 24.2% are poor, according to World Bank statistics in 2016. Greece has a population of 11 Million, just 1.5 Million or 0.14% are poor, according to the Greek National Report of 2017. THE AFRICAN CHRISTIANS ARE THE FORCE OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLACK CONTINENT The Black Christians in African and elsewhere are more faithful to the God tithe than to the government tax. Many private christian businesses and unofficial employees do not pay tax to the government, but they do not indulge in the God tithe, because no one can escape from the lenses of God. And the penalty for not paying the God tithe, unlike the government tax, is curse or death, according to the pastors. So the net of the church tithes and offerings are wider than the government tax with no escape. According to allchristiannews.com, the Black Churches in the United States of America received $420 Billion from tithes and donations over the past thirty years. In 2006 alone, the Black Pastors received $17 Billion. One Black church in the United States, called World Changers, received $69 Million In 2006 alone. However, the Blacks in the US are the poorest among all races. In Africa, the monies collected are more. Three factors contribute to the high tithes and offerings income to the churches in Africa. First, in Africa are found the highest number of Christians than everywhere in the world. Second, non-tither or the stingy flocks are not welcome or face measures from the churchs disciplinary committee, if even God would not take action himself. And third, there is no governmental control of the activities of the fraudulent churches. Unofficial estimates state that Nigerian Pastors received $18 Billion from the flocks in 2014 alone as tithes and other offerings. Meanwhile, the whole nations budget for 2017 was $14 billion. With $18 Billion coming into the hands of the Pastors in Nigeria in one single year, there is every indication that the churches are able to build the infrastructures and the social amenities in the country, without even the national budget. That means that the tithe-payers money was enough to develop the nation without the taxpayers money. If the African Pastors are therefore, true disciples of Christ or people who obey their Masters commandments of love for each other or are humble servants of the Holy Scriptures, the African countries would not need United Nations to tell them what to do to eradicate poverty in the continent. The Lord Jesus Christ had warned His disciples how He would Judge them when He returned. He said that those who did not take care of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick and the prisoner, He would sent to the lake of fire, from His warning in the Bible, Matthew 25:31-46. So, if the Black Christians are obedient or afraid of the warning of the Master and obey Him or go about helping the poor in their communities, or if they practice the principles of the early Church, no Black person would be poor in the world. The Holy Scriptures say that if Christians speak with tongues of men and angels, or have gifts of prophecy, or if they understand all mysteries, have all knowledge, all faith that removes mountains or give all their all, but are not charitable, they are nothing. Every Sundays, weekends and weekdays, the churches in Black communities are full of people offering prayers unto God for help, chanting in tongues, praising and worshipping, giving prophecies, testifying of miracles and other works of faith, however, the poor among them are neglected. As Jews, Europeans, white Americans, Canadians, Japanese, (and even citizens of a small country of Kuwait), do not beg for food anywhere in the world or cross the borders into other countries to seek help and refuge, as from war zones, so should no Black person be begging for food, if the Black Christians are truly practicing the faith. But the Blacks are the poorest of all races, knocking at the doors of other nations for food and help. Why? That means, the Black Christians, especially the pastors, are not true disciples of Christ or they do not obey the commandments of Christ. If they are true Christians or people who have compassion on the poor as their Master, poor people would not be found in the communities of the Blacks. But what we see is that the majority of the poor are rather the Black Christians. Nigeria and Ghana have the largest number of pastors in the world. Of the top 10 richest pastors in the world, 7 are blacks, 5 of them are Nigerians. Almost every Nigerian and Ghanaian is a pastor, prophet, apostle or a bishop. It is only among Black Christians that one finds titles such as Prof. Apostle, Dr. Bishop or Pastor PhD. The hope of every black man or woman is to become a pastor or a pastors wife or pastors husband. The dream of young Christian ladies is to have a pastor as a husband. The pastoral vocation has become so lucrative that every three among ten educated Black African youths want to become a pastor. The reason is that, apart from politics or becoming a governor, a minister of state or a member of parliament in Africa, becoming a pastor of a christian church or establishing a Black church (even with few dedicated slaves, called believers), is the surest way of making money. UN-CHRISTLIKE ATTITUDE The early Church of the Lord Jesus was a poverty-alleviation charity organization. The early Church, unlike the latter Church, was for the poor. The less-privileged people took refuge in the churches, where they received their daily needs. The Lord Jesus, in His earthly ministry, had a treasury where monies were gathered for the poor. It was probably the spirit of corruption and greediness of the first treasurer of the Lords church that is now operating in the latter Church. The apostle-in-charge of the first treasury of the church of Jesus of Nazareth was called Apostle Judas Iscariot. This apostle was an example of Black African pastors. He stole all the money meant for the poor, which came into the treasury. And eventually he sold Jesus Himself. But he died before his Master. In the early days of the Church, after the Lord had ascended unto the heavens, the rich brethren gathered money from the sale of their houses and lands and distributed the proceeds to the poor to alleviate poverty. The holy scripture therefore, says that none of them lacked anything. The early Church eradicated poverty among the Christians without any instruction from the United Nations to do so. They did it through the love for each other as commanded by the Master. But the apostles and the bishops of the last days churches are doing the opposite. They are rather taking monies from the poor and the needy to buy lands and build mansions, or acquire cars and private jets, with a threat that, if the poor do not give their monies to them, God would curse or kill them. One striking revelation of the early Church, recorded in the Book of the Acts of the Apostle the fourth chapter and the thirty-six and thirty-seventh verses, was that, a Levite and an apostle of the Church, called Barnabas, who had the right as a Levite according to the Law to take tithes from the people, rather sold his property and brought the proceeds to the church to be distributed to the poor brethren. Again, Paul, a great apostle of the early Church said in his first epistle to the Corinthians the ninth chapter that he and Barnabas had the right to take money for preaching the gospel. He argued that the law of Moses and the Lord gave them the right to take money for their services. However, he said, he would not abuse this power, but would preach the gospel without charging money. The Lord commanded the apostles, when He sent them in their maiden mission that they should not charge money for preaching the gospel, healing and raising the dead. He charged them, Freely ye have received, freely give. Everything from God by Jesus Christ is grace, a gift and free. That is what makes the message of Jesus Christ a gospel and a great joy unto all people. Before the advent of the gospel or before the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on the cross and resurrected, nothing from God was grace or free, everything needed the precepts of the Law, payment of monies and numerous sacrifices and offerings. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has set the people free from all these things to enable them worship God freely, but love one another with the same compassion as He has loved them. However, to the Black Pastors, the gospel is not free. On the night of His betrayal, the Master and the Lord Jesus Christ commanded the disciples to love each other as He had loved them. And by so doing, the world would know that they were His disciples. And when He rose from the dead, He commanded them to go and teach all nations to obey the commandments of faith in His name and love for each other as He had loved them. The only message of Christians is the love of their Master Jesus Christ for the world that compelled Him to die for mankind. He said to a Jewish teacher that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believed in Him would not perish, but would have everlasting life. So, Christians do not have any message apart from teaching and demonstrating the love of their Master to the world. JESUS CHRIST VS BLACK PASTORS The Black Pastors appear to be anti-Jesus Christ. They contradict the teachings and the deeds of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus of Nazareth taught the disciples to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, attend to strangers in their communities, care for the sick and visit prisoners, but the Black Pastors teach their disciples not to give their monies to the less-privileged in the society, but bring all to them. Most of these pastors have warmed their disciples that if they give the tithe money to the poor and hungry on the sideways, as the Good Samaritan did, God would curse or kill them. Again, Jesus of Nazareth teaches the disciples to feed their enemies and give drink to the thirsty enemies, the witches or devils. But the Black Pastors warn their disciples and put fears in them that if they help or give monies to these enemies, they would use them for sacrifices against them. To these Black Pastors, the prayers and sacrifices of witches are more powerful than the prayers of the disciples. They also suggest that the Europeans and other donor countries who give monies and aids to the poor and needy Black Africans are more powerful than their disciples, because the witchcraft sacrifices cannot make the white donors poor or destroyed. The notion inculcated into the Black African Christians by the Black Pastors is that the poor and the needy or the destitute old mothers and aunties are witches, and that they are the causes of marital and financial misfortunes and difficulties which the disciples encounter in life. Even the most educated Black Christians believe this myth. Monies collected by the Black churches have several names. They are named tithes or ten percent of ones income; firstfruits or ones first salary, profit or gain in the year or ones earnings for the first job or first profit from enterprise; sacrifices such as the lamb upon the altar, prophets offerings, bishops blessing, mission house dues, movements offerings, sale of anointing water, or anointing oil, prayer cloth or Elijahs mantels, the list cannot be exhausted. Blacks in general are naturally generous people. And combined with their love for God they are easy God-givers of all people. They may not have enough, but they give freely at church. In a report by Stephen Liggins for Media Report under the title, What we (the West) can learn from African Christian, of April 8, 2013, he wrote, Africa is a beautiful continent. There is stunning scenerythe mountains, valleys and lakes of the Rift Valleyand world-famous wildlife. It is also poorer and much less developed than in the West. The majority of people live in villages. There is a shorter life expectancy, and a tragically high incidence of HIV-AIDS. It is less politically stable than countries like Australia. But, most significantly, sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most Christian places on earth! African Christians are better prayers. In fact, Ive become increasingly aware that they put most of us to shame. They pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and supplications. Finally, African Christians excel in practising hospitality. Hospitality goes further in extreme situations. I once travelled down into Rwanda for a couple of days after teaching in Uganda. By arrangement, I was met at the border by a Rwandan Christian. Making general conversation, I asked about his family, and how many children he had. His answer was something like: One of my own, and 35 others. Before the advent of pentecostal and charismatic faiths in Africa in the early 19. Century, Black Africans loved themselves. Naturally, blacks in their communities were their brothers keepers. And they were hospitable. They used to help each other and care for each others children as they did to theirs. A black mother or father used to train or instruct the children of another, if they went wrong. The neighbours shared food or ate together. When one home had noting to eat for the day or if the neighbours realized that one house was going hungry, they shared their food. One could go to the others farm and freely harvest what one would eat. There was great love and sharing among Black African communities until the doctrines of Pentecostalism and Charismatism that teach that they should bring all monies to the church, and not to use them to help themselves, gained root in the Black communities. The Pentecostals and the Charismatics teach that when someone is in need and lack daily supplies, the worshippers should not give the little monies to help those people, but bring all to the church. The monies are sacred and for God. They should not be used for any purpose, not even to pay for ones own household or the educational needs of ones own children or feed the house. The ten percent of ones money, the whole of ones first income, prophets money, church building or mission house funds, sacrifices, faith monies and the monies for pastors care are sacred unto the Lord. If the poor people need help they should first pay the monies to God, and God would come down from heaven to bless them. The Black Christ Pastors care for buildings, cars, jets, mansions and luxuries more than human lives. While the members have no food to eat or money for medical care, they use the millions of dollars to build church buildings and mansions and buy cars and jets. The early churches were not building churches of bricks or structures and edifices, they were building human beings. They used all the monies to care for the poor. The churches began to build cathedrals over 200 years after the first apostles were gone. These were the period that materialism gradually took the place of the love of Christ for each other in the Church. The cost of building and maintaining the buildings, the care of the parish and the large staffs shifted the use of money to care for the poor to service and maintenance of material and administrative costs. The poor and the needy were not just neglected, but they were threatened to pay part of the expensive cost or face Gods wrath. Since those days till today, the churches only mention the name of Jesus and call Him Lord, Lord, and prophesy, heal, raise the dead, deliver from demons and work miracles in His name and collect the.monies, but they do not obey His commandments to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, care for strangers and the sick and visit the prisoner. And they dont care about the threat of hell fire for the disobedience. It appears they are ready to go into that hell fire than to give up collecting the poor peoples monies for sowing spiritual things into them. And because they do not fear or are not ready to stop taking the monies from the poor, anyone who speaks against the money business in the Black churches becomes an enemy. Some of those who preach against their activities receive death threats. The Black Christian Pastors therefore, are not, and also not ready, to be the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ or to at least care for the poor and the needy brethren in the Black churches and communities. Edward Bamfo-Darko Thousands of delegates from South Africa's ruling ANC party cast secret ballots Monday to choose their next leader after repeated delays to a vote seen as a decisive moment in the country's post-apartheid history. The only two candidates in the tight race are Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, a wealthy businessman, and former minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is President Jacob Zuma's ex-wife. The winner will be well-placed to be the country's next president in the 2019 general election. Voting started soon after midnight on Sunday and continued through Monday morning after repeated delays due to disputes over which delegates were qualified to vote, with hundreds of attendees banned from the poll. By Monday morning, most of the 4,776 delegates had cast their ballots. The result was expected later in the day, though it was unclear how long counting would take. Despite allegations of delegates being targeted with bribes, ANC spokesman Khusela Sangoni told reporters that the process was "proceeding smoothly". On Sunday, rival supporters sang and chanted in the conference hall outside Johannesburg as the vote was repeatedly postponed as arguments raged over delegates' credentials. "I have not slept for the past 24 hours, but I don't care," said Patience Nomodi, 62, a party member for 40 years, wearing an ANC blanket on her shoulders and walking with a yellow walking stick. "I want a woman to be president before I die." Ramaphosa-supporting delegate Siya Kolase told AFP after voting early Monday that he was confident his candidate would emerge victorious. A banner supporting Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa's bid to become the next head of the ANC "He will address the issue of corruption. He is going to stabilise our economy," Kolase said. The ANC, which has ruled since 1994 when Nelson Mandela won the first multi-racial vote, could struggle to retain its grip on power in the 2019 election due to falling public support. Zuma, whose rule has been marred by graft scandals, will step down as party chief at the conference but will remain as head of state ahead of the 2019 vote. ANC split? In his farewell address, Zuma appealed for unity in a party riven by bitter factions, and blamed the decline in the ANC's popularity on "perceptions in society that we are soft on corruption, self-serving and arrogant". Zuma is seen as backing Dlamini-Zuma, who may protect him from prosecution over multiple graft charges. Senior ANC officials are divided between Dlamini-Zuma and Ramaphosa, and analysts say the leadership battle could end up splitting the party. The ANC is still South Africa's biggest party by far, but the 54 percent it won in local elections last year was its worst poll result since 1994. In opposition, the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters are hoping to exploit the ANC's woes in the 2019 election, with one possible outcome being a coalition government. Unemployment crisis One of the main candidates is Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (left), the ex-wife of President Jacob Zuma who is seen here greeting Winnie Mandela, former wife of the late Nelson Mandela Soaring unemployment and state corruption have fuelled frustration at the ANC among millions of poor black South Africans who face dire housing, inadequate education and continuing racial inequality. Dlamini-Zuma, 68, headed the African Union commission until earlier this year and is a former interior, foreign affairs and health minister. Her critics have warned she will pursue Zuma's failing economic and political policies. The couple had four children together before divorcing in 1998. Ramaphosa, 65, a former trade union leader, led the historic negotiations in the 1990s to end apartheid before launching a business career that made him one of the country's wealthiest men. He is often accused of failing to confront Zuma while serving as his deputy since 2014. By Monday morning, most of the 4,776 delegates had cast their votes. Darias Jonker, director of the London-based Eurasia risk consultancy, said Dlamini-Zuma could win due to vote-buying. "Zuma's patronage faction will be able to buy the remainder of the votes needed due to their experience in doing this in the past (and) access to cash," he said, adding the conference could still be adjourned or disrupted. 18.12.2017 LISTEN Vice President of IMANI Africa, Dr. Kofi Bentil is calling for the abolishing of all forms of taxes on privately owned educational institutions in the country if government is really determined to support them to deliver good quality tertiary education for Ghanaians. There is the need to find a way of state support for private universities. Most private universities have not been established for profit-making purpose. Rather they re-invest all that they get and so taking away the taxes will give them space to further expand their frontiers and absorb more students, Dr. Bentil stated. He said, as a nation, we need to overcome the emotional dissonance about our perception on private universities..no analysis support the assertion that private universities over-charge school fees to the disadvantage of students. They virtually re-invest all that they get. Dr. Kofi Bentil was speaking in Kumasi on the theme, Consolidating the role of private universities in the tertiary education landscape in Ghana during the 41st Congregation of the Christian Service University College (CSUC) in Kumasi over the weekend. The Member of Parliament for Bekwai and the First Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei-Owusu, the MP for Nhyiaeso, Kennedy Kankam, who is also an alumnus of the university and a host of several other dignitaries graced the occasion. In all, 642 graduates made up of 54 post-graduates, 534 under-graduates and 54 others who pursued certificate programmes passed out at the colourful ceremony. 61% of the total number was made up of males while the remaining 39% were females. One hundred and four (104) of the graduants representing 20% of the total number had First Class Honours. Dr. Kofi Bentil reiterated the need for the state find ways of supporting private tertiary institutions to enable them to effectively complement governments efforts at providing opportunities for people to access tertiary education. He further condemned the practice where private universities pay various amounts of money to some public universities for mentoring, explaining that the practices had placed a huge financial burden on the private universities. The President of the Christian Service University College (CSUC), Prof. Samuel Kofi Afrane, called for the necessary legislative reforms to enable private universities benefit from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). He said considering the huge contribution by private universities in the education sector, it was extremely imperative for government to cushion them by amending the GETFund Act to pave the way for private universities to also receive some assistance from the fund. Prof. Afrane was happy that CSUC was making steady progress in research as more and more lecturers were now showing interest in the field saying the number of journal articles by lecturers of the university increased from 25 to 59 during the year in addition to two publications and four Conference Papers. Prof. Afrane announced plans by the university to open study centres in Sunyani, Tamale and Obuasi as part its e-learning programme and to reach out to many more prospective students outside Kumasi. He congratulated the graduants and encouraged them to read wide to broaden their horizon and also strive to attain greater heights going forward. Deserving students were honoured as part of the programme. James Chris Kwakye of the Computer Science Department was adjudged the Over-all Best Student. He took home GH.C 10,000. Richard Kofi Boahen ([email protected]) END A Founder and President of the opposition National Democratic Congress's (NDC's) Serial Callers Association of Western Region, Mr. William Gyima known as Abeiku Prestea has urged the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and her two deputies to resign over the raging controversy at the Commission immediately and prevent them from any embarrassment. Speaking to Bishop Oteng on Hope FM on Thursday, December 14, 2017 Mr Gyima said the continuous stay of the drivers of the EC will affect the country's future elections because of the strained relationship between them. "The current in-fighting amongst the EC commissioners does not bode well for Ghanas democracy and will dent confidence in their ability to hold credible elections in the future," he explained. According to him, "Ghanas EC has successfully conducted seven elections which have contributed to the stability and economic growth the country currently enjoys within the sub-region. We have had electoral disputes in the past, but these were managed or resolved amicably to the envy of other African countries and the world at large". He added that "the due process should be followed in investigating and resolving the issues, however, at this stage, I'm of the opinion that irreparable damage has been done to the credibility of the current EC chairs. Regardless of what the process finds and whatever Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADR) measures that are used, it is doubtful that the three people, the EC Chair and her two deputies, will be able to work coherently together in the future". He, therefore, recommended that the EC Chairperson and two deputies to do the honorable thing of resigning to save their reputation and that of the institution. "We need to protect the sanctity of this state institution so as to keep intact the confidence the good people of Ghana have reposed in the Commission", he emphasized. Abeiku Prestea also advised politicians to stop politicising the issue. "Ghanaians we like doing politics with everything that is a national issue and at the end of the day, we will not see the truth in it and the issue will be thrown into a dustbin", he lamented. He also used the platform to commend President Akufo-Addo for following the Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution of the Land and hence forwarded the petition the CJ. Background Madam Charlotte Osei and her deputies have come under intense pressure to resign, following allegations of corruption made against her by employees of the Commission in a petition and her response, which highlighted corrupt practices at the Commission. Tensions at the EC became public after employees of the Commission petitioned President Akufo-Addo to dismiss Charlotte Osei for alleged financial malfeasance. The aggrieved employees claimed among others that Mrs. Osei awarded a GHc 3.9 million contract for work on an office complex without consulting the Commission. Mrs. Osei, however, rubbished the allegations in her response to the employees, and fired some accusations at the Deputy Commissioner in-charge of Operations at the EC, Amadu Sulley. She has sued the employees for making what she described as unsubstantiated allegations against her. Meanwhile, the said petition has been forwarded to the Chief Justice. Source: Daniel Kaku A team of Ghanaian infrastructural development experts based in the United Kingdom (UK) has announced plans to partner government to help revamp the country's rail sector. The GhiGL Infrastructure Consultants, which was formed by experts in the UK who have delivered diverse and challenging infrastructure projects in many countries globally, believe that rail has enormous potential to double Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the coming years if well developed. At a meeting held between officials of the Ministry of Railways Development (MRD) and GhiGL Infrastructure Consultants on Friday in Accra, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GhiGL Infrastructure Consultants, Adamu Mohammed, explained that the railway sector could be a major game changer for the Ghanaian economy if properly revamped by the Akufo-Addo administration. According to him, the sector would help open up the country and bring the major cities such as Takoradi, Koforidua, Tamale and Accra, among others, closer to boost trading activities. It's going to grow businesses. Businesses are going to spread across. Railway can transform a country without any doubt, he said, adding that it will bring additional tax revenue. Explaining further, he indicated that the sector could help reduce, if not eliminate, the time wasted by millions of people in the country on roads due to traffic congestion, especially within Accra, as well as create additional employment opportunities to increase commercial activities. Accra is congested so if we have the rail, businesses can move to maybe Koforidua and people would still travel there within half an hour. They will move and make Accra a bit less congested. All the people within Koforidua wouldn't have to move to Accra to look for employment, he told BUSINESS GUIDE on the sidelines of the meeting. In line with this, he said the right policies and governance structures must be put in place to ensure that the rail sector delivers optimally to national development. Touching on the working relationship between GhiGL Consultants and the Ministry of Railways Development, he said we want to form a strategic partnership with the ministry so that we will come on board with our expertise from abroad and advise the ministry on what everybody is bringing, including investors, designers and constructors, among others. Minister of Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, explained that major initiatives were currently ongoing in the sector. He indicated that developing the rail network is paramount, saying that in the next five years, the countries that took rail seriously would be set apart from those that did not. According to him, a total of 300 foreign investors from countries like China, Russia, USA, among others, have expressed interest in the rail sector in Ghana, and that the country was in the process of partnering Burkina Faso to develop a rail line between Accra and Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. VIVO Energy Ghana, a member of the Ghana Club 100, has commissioned the multipurpose Shell Service Station at Haatso, Accra. The plush Haatso Shell service station includes a KFC drive-through outlet (a fast food restaurant chain that specialises in fried chicken), pharmacy, grooming outlet and ATM farms, among other facilities. At the official opening of the site, the Vivo Energy Executive Vice President for West Africa Region, Bernard LeGoff, said,For more than 100 years, the word 'Shell,' the 'Pecten' emblem and the distinctive red and yellow colours have stood not only for the quality of its products and services, but also as a very visible representation of the professionalism and values in all of its business activities. According to Mr Le Goff, Vivo Energy will continue to invest in its business to ensure that its service stations are accessible, clean, efficient, customer-friendly and designed to meet and exceed customer expectations. The opening of Haatso Shell service station, with partners such as KFC, MBJ Pharmacy, Exotic trends, and ATM Farms, is testament to the convenience that we want to bring to our customers. These investments in expanding our service stations amply demonstrate Vivo Energy's commitment to developing its business in Ghana and its ambition to continue to exceed the expectations of our cherished customers, Mr Le Goff added. Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Ebenezer Faulkner, on his part, said the commissioning of the Haatso Shell service station will provide the opportunity for its customers to relax and enjoy their favourite 'finger-lickin' chicken' at KFC, while the trained professionals offer them the best oil servicing at the world-class Shell Oil Change+ Centre. Presiding member of the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Jesse Nii Noi Anum, who spoke on behalf of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome Kwabenya Constituency, also commended Vivo Energy Ghana for the site, which brings benefits to the community, as well as employment opportunities that the station provides to the youth of the area. We believe this Shell service station will provide employment to the youth in this community, and we urge motorists to visit the facility to help grow the business and create more future opportunities for our youth, he said. A business desk report The acting Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Paul Asare Ansah, has been adjudged the PR Personality of the Year by the Institute of Public Relations, (IPR) Ghana. At its 6th PR and Communications Excellence Awards for 2016, the IPR said Mr Paul Ansah's immense experience and contributions as a PR practitioner for the past 25 years and his ascendancy to the high office of Chief Executive of one of Ghana's most sensitive and profitable state-owned agencies, had elevated the status of the PR profession in the country. According to the IPR, through the leadership of Mr Asare Ansah, it awarded the GPHA, Public Sector PR Organisation of the Year 2015. Also, the Tema Port Integrity campaign, which was spearheaded by Paul himself, won the IPR Campaign of the Year in 2015. And this year, under his leadership, the GPHA's 'Eye on Port' initiative won the entity, PR Organisation of the Year in the manufacturing and industry category. Mr Paul Ansah is a seasoned communications expert and business administrator. He has established an enduring positive corporate image for GPHA in the local and the international business communities. His immense contribution to the development and growth of the maritime industry in the West African sub-region culminated in the port of Tema being adjudged the Best Performing Port in West and Central Africa in 2014 by the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa. Speaking at the awards ceremony, the President of IPR, Elaine Sam, said the excellence awards had earned considerable respect and therefore promised to maintain a higher standard of professionalism. The National IPR awards shall continue to remain competitive in scope and our winners shall continue to be PR practitioners and institutions which meet the high standards IPR has set and continues to strengthen, she said. The GPHA boss, who was also the guest speaker for the event, charged PR practitioners to add value to themselves and propel the profession to the topmost level of management. As a PR practitioner, you need to add value to yourself and become versatile. If the chief executive has an MBA you can equally acquire an MBA too and he will not look down upon you when it comes to critical decision making, he admonished. Mr Paul Ansah entreated PR practitioners to be honest and always communicate credible information to the general public about their organisations. We need to be guided in our daily work both in and out of the office by these values of honesty, loyalty and integrity, he said. GPHA won PR Organization of the year Manufacturing & Industry, Best Community Relations went to Vivo Energy, Best Content went to Nestle Ghana, Best for a Cause to Tigo Ghana, Best in Non-Profit Communication was grabbed by MTN and Best in Social Media Communication awarded to Mahogany Consult. Internal Communicator of the Year was given to Alex Lartey of Tigo Ghana and PR Discovery of the Year to Shirley Modesta Tony-Kum. Alfred Obeng, the Managing Director of Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company Limited (BOST) and his management team embarked on a two-day trip to the northern part of the country to inspect the company's depots in Bolgatanga, Savulugu, Buipe and Debre. During the visit, the MD reiterated the commitment of BOST to continue to deliver supplies to Burkina Faso through SONABY, a Burkinabe state owned company responsible for the procurement of petroleum products. This will be extended to Mali and Niger very soon, according Mr Obeng. He also mentioned the construction of a car park at Buipe and Bolaga depots, adding that Debre would also get a new tank farm to store more products in times of low water levels on the Volta Lake at Buipe. To augment the operations at the Kumasi terminal, the MD also hinted of the building of a new terminal at Bibiani in the Western Region. They paid a courtesy call on the Buipe Wura, Abdulai Jinapor II who reminded Mr Obeng of BOST's promise to put up a six unit block to be used as dormitory at Buipe Senior High School (SHS) some years ago. The MD assured Buipe Wura and his elders that BOST will fulfil that promise under his leadership. The construction of the dormitory is a major project in terms of BOST's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the people of Buipe in particular and the entire country in general. Meanwhile, BOST's desire to increase profit in the coming years has also led to an introduction of a Dynamics AX 2012R3 ERP Solution to be used by staff to better align, simplify and standardise the organization's processes to ensure consistent and cost efficient practices. The company's target for next year is very high, and management is optimistic of achieving it despite the huge debt the current administration inherited from previous administration. BOST promises to offer the best for the entire country in the coming years. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. The mayor of Libya's third-largest city Misrata has been killed by unidentified assailants who abducted him as he returned from an official trip overseas, a security source said on Monday. Mohamad Eshtewi's body was found dumped in the street after he was kidnapped after leaving the airport in the western coastal city late on Sunday, the source said. The city hospital said it had received the mayor's body bearing gunshot wounds. His brother was with him in the car and was wounded in the attack, the security source said. Eshtewi was returning from an official visit to Turkey with other members of the city council, who were all elected in 2014 for four years. UN envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame on Twitter denounced the killing and expressed his "profound sadness" at the news. The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord deplored a "cowardly" and "terrorist act" that killed a "symbol of moderation and tolerance", vowing that those responsible would be brought to justice. France's foreign ministry said the killing confirmed "the urgency for a political solution" to the political and security problems plaguing the North African country. Britain's ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, said he was "deeply saddened by (the) senseless murder" of Eshtewi. "He worked hard to serve his people," Millett said on Twitter. Home to some 400,000 people, Misrata is considered one of Libya's safest cities. Its powerful militias played a major role in expelling the Islamic State group from the coastal city of Sirte last year. In October, four people were killed in a suicide bombing claimed by IS at the main court building in Misrata. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias vying for control of the oil-rich country. 18.12.2017 LISTEN A Whatsapp video of four teenage boys allegedly gang raping a young girl has sparked outrage on social media with many Ghanaian's calling on the security agencies to crack the whip. The about five minutes video shows an underage girl pinned to a mattress by one of her abusers while his accomplices take turns to perform sexual acts on her. The victim who was resisting her attackers all-through the ordeal was restrained from escaping by her abusers who appeared to be having fun with the torture. Outspoken journalist Mabel Aku Baneseh who took to Facebook to express her frustration over the video said: Im so anguished. No number of words can describe my rage. Those young men deserve nothing but death. The law will DEFINITELY catch up with them. The development comes in the wake of increased awareness in Ghanaian society on the abuse of women and children. The alleged rape of a four-year old girl in the Central region became a national subject with the top police hierarchy promising to ensure justice is served. On December 7, President Akufo-Addo declared his support for an initiative by the gender ministry to ensure equal rights for women. Today, I commit to giving full support to the three-focus area of the HeForShe campaign action platform in Ghana, and I join millions around the world to stand together to create a bold, visible force for gender equality and say, I am a HeForShe, the President said at the event in Accra. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has banned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) from contesting sitting NPP Member of Parliaments (MPs) for their seats. Per the new rule, MMDCEs in the NPP administration that have interest in contesting sitting MPs for their parliamentary seats would have to resign from their posts three years before the elections. The decision was taken by the National Council of the ruling political party, with strong backing from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It is geared towards promoting party unity to enable the NPP to remain in power for many years. President Akufo-Addo disclosed this to the party's delegates during the NPP Extraordinary National Delegates Conference, which took place in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, on Sunday. He said the NPP and he (Nana Akufo-Addo) had realized that ruling political parties in the country always suffer whenever MMDCEs contest sitting NPP MPs during primaries. He stated that the NPP National Council came out with a new rule which would prevent MMDCEs from contesting sitting MPs in areas where the NPP has the seats. President Akufo-Addo disclosed this while addressing thousands of NPP delegates during the party's Extraordinary National Delegates Conference which took place at Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti Region, yesterday. He disclosed that opposition parties usually benefit from internal wrangling between ruling parties' sitting MPs and MMDCEs and remove them (parties) from power. The NPP was first to benefit from this syndrome in our politics in 2000 where we took advantage of NDC's internal fights between MMDCEs and MPs and won political power that year. In 2008 when the NPP was also in power, the same internal fights between sitting MPs and MMDCEs also created cracks in our party and the NDC took advantage of it and defeated us. In 2016, the same thing, coupled with the Mills, Mahama and Rawlings factions in the NDC, also contributed to help the NPP, led by me, to defeat the then ruling NDC during the polls, he disclosed. President Akufo-Addo stated that it was important for the NPP to learn from history and take wise and commendable decisions that would help the party to remain in political power for a long time. That is why I back the decision to ban the DCEs from contesting the sitting MPs; they (MMDCEs) can only contest them (MPs) if they resign from their positions three years ahead of the elections. President Akufo-Addo stated that the NPP doesn't want its MMDCEs to destroy the base of the party, which is the NPP's strength due to their hankering to become MPs. He said the new rule also prohibits national party officers such as the chairman, general secretary and treasurer from contesting the presidential candidate, adding that the move is to ensure peace in the party. President Nana Akufo-Addo also stated that the same rule also forbids regional and constituency executives such as chairman, secretary and treasurer from contesting sitting MPs in their areas. He disclosed that some party faithful in various parts of the country were calling for the new rule to be extended to other regional, constituency and government appointees. The president stated this will be a radical measure, which needs the support of conference as a duly passed amendment, we need to consider this in a proper manner. Party stalwarts such as Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, Freddie Blay, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, ministers of state, MMDCEs and other members of the NPP were present at the successful conference. The Electoral Commission is to immediately operationalize Ghana's laws allowing citizens resident abroad partake in national elections starting from Election 2020. The EC has also been handed 12 months to ensure relevant Legal Instrument backing election is put in place. This is the order coming from an Accra High Court that has upheld arguments by 5 Ghanaians based abroad that the EC has caused an infringement of their human rights by failing to implement the law. Passed into law in 2006, the Representation of People Amendment Act (ROPAA) was to allow citizens, including dual nationals, to be registered abroad and to vote from abroad. 11 years on, the Electoral Commission which is the implementing body has failed to operationalize the law forcing five Ghanaians resident abroad to drag the commission to the court saying their fundamental rights have been breached. The 5 applicants are Kofi A. Boateng, Nellie Kemevor, Obed Danquah, Christiana Sillim and Agyenim Boateng, all residing in New York State and Kentucky in the USA, and are citizens by birth, dual citizenship, or both. Through their lawyers led by Samson Lardi Ayenini, they argued implementation of such laws is not new. They said the International Electoral Knowledge Network reports that there are 115 countries in the world, including 28 in Africa that have enabling laws for overseas voting, with Ghana singled out as a case of a country that has passed such a law but has not implemented it. They also contended that it was discriminatory to allow only Ghanaians studying abroad and staff of Ghanas Mission/Embassies abroad to be registered and vote from abroad. They said countries such as Senegal, South Africa, Namibia, Niger, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and South Sudan either allow their citizens abroad to vote in presidential elections or are piloting the system. Lawyers for the Electoral Commission represented by Baffour Gyasi Bonsu Ashia argued that it has plans to implement the law and should not be compelled to do so. The Commission also challenged the process by which the Applicants invoked the courts jurisdiction as wrong while insisting that the right to vote is not a human right. State Attorneys representing the Attonrey General (2nd Respondent) in court had at the start of the case told the court that they will associate themselves with arguments of lawyers of the 1st Respondent (EC) throughout the entire process. Delivering the courts decision Justice Anthony Yeboah said it was outrageous and unreasonable for the EC to justify delay in implementing the law by stating challenges such as financial as the reason. Justice Yeboah said "the EC self indulgently relies on recitation of challenges rather than find solutions". The court also held that the current system that allows citizens studying abroad or working in Ghanas Missions/Embassies abroad vote in public elections and referenda while in abroad is discriminatory Justice Yeboah added, "the EC is poorer in terms of institutional capacity if it cannot find solutions to these challenges" 18.12.2017 LISTEN The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini has agreed with President Akufo-Addos assertion that misunderstandings in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) caused its defeat in the 2016 elections. The president in his speech at the extraordinary delegates conference of the NPP in Kumasi Sunday , said that the internal wranglings in the NDC helped to propel the NPP to victory. "...The conflicts between the Rawlings elements, the Mills elements and the Mahama elements of the party helped us to our victory", he said. Akufo-Addo in Kumasi I agree with him in part because I dont think it was fightingdisagreements may be the right word to use, Suhuyini told Joy News TVs AM Show host Ronald Walker on Monday. He added that fighting was what was going on in the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The NDC MP added that President Akufo-Addo vindicated the NDC of all the claims that it was corruption and incompetence that led to its monumental defeat. Those who doubted why we lost can now hear it from the President, it wasnt about incompetence, it wasnt about corruption but about disagreements, he stated. He lamented that he feels sorry for the NDC faithful that fell victim to the disagreements and were coerced into helping the NPP wrestle power from the then governing NDC. I feel sorry for the NDC folks for playing into the scheme of disagreements and enjoyed the solidarity of the NPP and helped them to undermine the NDC further because their solidarity was just based on the desire to remove your party, he said. He also claimed that the NPP is doing 1000 times, what they accused the NDC of, during the electioneering campaigns. He said the NDC took conscious efforts to expose the corrupt practices in their government but the incumbent NPP is covering up its corrupt practices just some 11 months in office. The National Coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Mr Albert Arhin, says it is entirely possible for the Electoral Commission to put in place the necessary modalities for Ghanaians abroad to vote in the 2020 General elections. The former Director of Operations at the EC believes the elections governing body has done enough already in collating information about Ghanaians abroad and must expedite action in implementing the law allowing diasporians to vote. His comments come hours after an Accra High Court, Human Rights Division ruled in favour of some five Ghanaians living abroad who sued the EC over its failure to implement the Representation of the Peoples Amendment Act, 2006. The Law passed in 2006 was to allow Ghanaians living abroad to take part in Ghanas elections. However, 11 years after the passage of the law, the EC has been dragging its feet in its implementation. The Commission had time without number complained about resource and logistical constraints in implementing the law. This angered five Ghanaians living abroad - Kofi A. Boateng, Nellie Kemevor, Obed Danquah, Christiana Sillim and Agyenim Boateng, to proceed to court to force the hand of the EC to implement the law. The court presided over Justice Anthony K. Yeboah on Monday, described as outrageous, the reasons given by the EC for its inability to have Ghanaians abroad take part in local elections. He ordered the Commission to immediately operationalize Ghana's laws to allow citizens resident abroad to take part in national elections starting from Election 2020. The EC was also handed 12 months to ensure the relevant Legal Instruments backing elections is put in place. The applicants, together with their lawyer Samson Lardy Anyenini welcomed the verdict as a feather in the country's democratic cap. The EC is yet to make any official comment after the ruling but the National Coordinator for CODEO Albert Arhin told Joy News the EC must go back to the drawing board and pick the pieces. It is time to gather more information for them to draft a constitutional instrument spelling out the modalities for the election, he stated. For an EC whose leadership is in complete turmoil and with three of its Commissioners battling a possible impeachment, it is not clear if the body will be in the right frame of mind to put the Legislative Instruments together. But Albert Arhin said with a little direction from the embattled Commissioners who are still at post, the directors should be able to put in place the necessary legislative modalities for Ghanaians abroad to vote in 2022, which would have been 18 years after the passage of the law. The family of a 19-year old student who died of suspected meningitis has accused the Upper East regional hospital authorities of being lax in the handling the girl, causing her death. Brother of the deceased, Braimah Abeliwin Laminu said his sister, Rukaya Ibrahimah, a student of Zuarungu Senior High School died last Saturday because the medical personnel failed to "act fast" after suspecting meningitis. "They killed her," he told Joy News Monday explaining the hospital took no immediate steps after Ibhrahimah was admitted there The three regions of the north lie within what the World Health Organisation has described as the 'meningitis belt'. Ghana records seasonal reports of meningitis normally between the dry periods of October to March. The Ghana Health Service has explained that during these dry periods with relatively low humidity and abundance of dust, individuals become susceptible to meningitis infection. The life-threatening infectious disease causes inflammation of the layers that surround the brain and spinal cord. While this is known, the brother of the deceased said but for the lackadaisical handling of his sister, Ibrahimah would have lived. He has demanded the authorities decide on a compensation package for the family. "Once this has happened there is the need for them to pay compensation," he said. Braimah Laminu also asked that the family be vaccinated as well as friends who had contact with his sister before her death to avoid a similar fate. At least three students have died of meningitis in the last month. A second-year science student at Koforidua Technical School, a student of Tempane Senior High School in the Upper East Region and another student from Damongo Senior High School in the Northern Region h ave all died of different strains of Meningitis. The Ghana Health Service has said the deaths are isolated cases which cannot constitute an outbreak. Table 1: Meningitis Burden in Ghana, 2010-2015 Year Cases Deaths 2010 1164 128 2011 790 104 2012 956 90 2013 454 41 2014 477 39 2015 315 33 Source: Ghana Health Service The opposition in DR Congo ramped up pressure on President Joseph Kabila to quit, calling for street protests on Tuesday. Tensions have been mounting over Kabila's refusal to step down. He has been in power since 2001 and the prolonged rule has led to sweeping protests and a bloody crackdown. The opposition has said it wants a transition "without Kabila" in the Democratic Republic of Congo after December 31, in line with a peace agreement reached on New Year's Eve last year. "The protest set for Tuesday will proceed," Augustin Kabuya, the spokesman for the opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress told AFP. "The aim of this march is to call for elections by the end of the year as outlined in the New Year's Eve accord," he said. Kabila's government has pushed back the election by a year to December 23, 2018. The plan has the reluctant support of western nations, which insist that the new deadline be firmly kept and that the government uphold the right to protest and of freedom of assembly. On October 30, police fired tear gas to disperse opposition rallies across the sprawling country as hundreds defied a ban and held marches to voice their anger. Kabila took office after his father Laurent was assassinated in 2001 at the height of the Second Congo War. He was confirmed as leader in 2006 during the first free elections since independence, and re-elected for a second term in 2011 in a vote marred by accusations of fraud. 18.12.2017 LISTEN December 10 every year is observed globally as Human Rights Day (HRD), to mark the UN General Assemblys adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The Commonwealth Human Right Initiative (CHRI) Africa Office and the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) Africa, join the international community to commemorate this years Human Rights Day. Today marks the beginning of a year- long commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which falls in 2018. The UDHR, with its perennial values of equality, justice and human dignity, lays a solid foundation of a just world for all UN member states and their citizens. The Universal Declaration is a commitment, by all States, that they will protect and promote human rights. Without the respect for human rights, other equally important UN values such as development, peace and security cannot be attained. As we commemorate a day that focuses on the promotion of rights and freedoms aimed at upholding dignity and justice for all-principles also enshrined in the Commonwealth Chartera document that sets out the values of the Commonwealth - CHRI and the RCS would like to remind Ghanaians that the Universal Declaration was written for all of us-the people of member states. It is therefore imperative that as a people we rise up, hold our leaders to account on international obligations, let our voices be heard and stand against anything that will threaten the protection and enjoyment of Human Rights. In recent times one such threat, which the UN, has described as an enormous obstacle to the realization of all human rights is corruption, something that seem to have become a canker in the Ghanaian society. Human rights are indivisible and interdependent, and the consequences of corrupt governance are multiple and touch on all human rights civil, political, economic, social and cultural, as well as the right to development. Corruption leads to violation of the governments human rights obligation to take steps to the maximum of its available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It is for this reason that on the occasion of International Human Rights Day 2017 we would like to remind the Government of Ghana that Transparency and Accountability, two key principles of a human rights-based approach to development also happen to be integral to successful anti-corruption strategies. Importantly, we urge Government to take cognizance of the fact that some of the measures that can enhance transparency and accountability and contribute to sustainable anti-corruption measures are the adoption of laws ensuring the publics access to information on governmental processes, decisions and policies -in our the Passage of the RTI Bill into law- as well as institutional reforms which strengthen transparency and accountability. We wish all Ghanaians and by extension every member of the Commonwealth a happy Human Rights Day! Issued by: The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Africa Office, and The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) Africa 18.12.2017 LISTEN A third-year student of the Zuarungu Senior High School in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region, has been confirmed dead from Cerebrospinal meningitis(CSM), bringing the total number of student deaths to the disease in that region alone to three. The deceased, Rakia Briamah, died on Sunday at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. Some three other students of the school are also on admission from a suspected case of Cerebrospinal meningitis. Speaking to Citi News, the Medical Director of the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Dr. Patrick Atobrah, confirmed the cause of death to be CSM. She [The deceased] was presented with lots of unconsciousness and fainting. She was kept on treatment, it was so severe that she couldn't make it, we did the necessary investigation and thats how we came to the conclusion of CSM he said. He noted that, the region is going to make a definite decision on how to manage contact, so that the people don't spread the disease. The region is going to make a definite decision on how to manage contact. Already, three boys are at the hospital with suspected cases. We are about to do the necessary investigation to know whether it is the same. The region is in the process of taking the decision to manage close contact so that others will also not get the illnesshe said. Recorded cases of meningitis in some Senior High Schools especially in northern Ghana, has become a major concern for stakeholders in the health and education sectors. Apart from the deaths, several others have been hospitalized in all the affected regions. Confirmed: Damongo SHS student died from meningitis There have been similar cases at the Damongo Senior High School in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region, where a student died from what medical practitioners described as non-communicable meningitis. The school's head teacher, Kipo Harrison, who confirmed this, said it is a recurring phenomenon especially during the harmattan season. He however dismissed attempts to link other 12 students on admission at the Damongo district hospital to the same disease. Kipo Harrison said a medical team from the Tamale Teaching Hospital took the deceased's blood sample for further laboratory test. The said student died on Tuesday December 12, 2017. Koforidua SECTECH death Another school that has had to deal with a health situation in recent days is the Koforidua Technical School, where a second-year science student who passed away, was confirmed to have died from Meningitis. This latest health scare and reports come on the back of the death of four students of Kumasi Academy in the Ashanti Region. The pandemic strain of influenza type A, H1N1 2009, also known as Swine Flu, was later detected in some examples from KUMACA. Aside from the four deaths, several students have also been hospitalized. Respiratory samples sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research also indicated that, there was an outbreak of an acute respiratory infection which the Health Ministry has since attributed as the cause of some of the deaths. The whole student population had to be administered with antibiotics as part of a prophylaxis after which the school was fumigated However, no definite cause of the deaths has been declared. Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, Osu mantse 18.12.2017 LISTEN The paramount Chief of Osu Traditional Area who doubles as the President of Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, His Majesty Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI ,has made a passionate appeal to President Nana Akufo-Addo to elevate the Osu Traditional Area into a Municipality to free it from the Accra Metropolitan Area [AMA]. The Paramount Chief of Osu made this appeal during the sod cutting ceremony to implement the Marine Drive Tourism Investment Project in Accra, stating that to complement the project, the Osu traditional area needs the municipality to help keep the project clean and safe. According to him, giving Osu traditional area a municipality of its own will enable the municipality to collect revenue, create direct and indirect employment for the youth of Osu as well as bring massive development to the area. He added that the Osu Traditional Council has made several pleads through documentation process and other means for the establishment of the Municipality and will still plead with the President to hear the cry of the Chiefs and people of Osu. He revealed that the Osu Traditional Area has grown beyond the requirement needed for the creation of a municipality, adding that the municipality will make a significant socioeconomic impact to the people of Osu. On the Marine Drive Project, the President of Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs stated that the Project will help reduce unemployment which has been the major challenge confronting the country and urged the youth to take advantage of the project to gain employment. He called on the workers on the site not to hesitate to approach the Traditional Council should the need arrives, adding that the Chiefs and people of Osu will do its best to ensure the Marine Drive Investment project comes to reality. However, Local Government experts have disclosed that the boundaries alone qualifies Osu to be a municipality reiterating that the community possesses beyond the requirements needed to create a municipality. The African National Congress (ANC), which elected Cyril Ramaphosa as its new leader Monday, has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994. Ramaphosa is set become the country's president in case of electoral victory or if President Jacob Zuma steps down. Early days On January 8, 1912, influential blacks establish the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), two years after Britain and the descendants of Dutch settlers form the Union of South Africa in which only the rights of whites are protected. In 1923, the SANNC changes its name to the African National Congress (ANC) but remains fairly inactive. Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu start the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in 1943. Apartheid In 1948, the National Party wins elections and introduces apartheid. The ANCYL advocates strikes, boycotts and civil disobedience. The ANC organises its first large "Defiance Campaign" in 1952, and tens of thousands of blacks break curfews, burn internal passports, and enter whites-only areas, risking jail. Armed struggle On March 21, 1960, police kill 69 people during the Sharpeville Massacre. The ANC and an offshoot are banned amid a state of emergency. The ANC goes underground in 1961 and abandons non-violent protest. Mandela starts the military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and launches attacks. Mandela imprisoned In 1962-63, Mandela, Sisulu and other ANC leaders are arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. The movement continues the struggle in exile from London, Dar es Salaam and Lusaka and allies itself with the Soviet bloc. Secret talks In the late 1980s, heavily criticised by the international community, the government begins secret talks with the ANC, which is now recognised by most countries as the legitimate representative of the black majority. Mandela freed In 1990, new South African president F.W. de Klerk legalises the ANC and other groups. He also frees political prisoners, including Mandela, who becomes the ANC president the next year. Negotiations for the transition to democracy start and parliament scraps the remaining apartheid laws. Multi-racial elections On April 27, 1994, the ANC wins 62.6 percent of the vote in the first multi-racial elections. Mandela becomes South Africa's first black president. The Mbeki years Thabo Mbeki succeeds Mandela as president in 1999 but his two terms are tarnished by allegations of abuse of power and denialist policies over AIDS. Zuma replaces Mbeki Zuma becomes the country's first Zulu president in 2009 after the ANC wins 65.9 percent of the vote in the fourth general elections since the demise of apartheid. Zuma had become ANC leader in late 2007, ousting Mbeki, who had fired him as vice-president two years earlier following corruption accusations. Fall from grace The ANC suffers a setback during municipal elections in 2016, taking less than 54 percent of the vote and losing an absolute majority in five of the six biggest metropolitan areas. Factfile on South Africa On March 30, 2017, Zuma sacks finance minister Pravin Gordhan in a cabinet purge and stirs animosity among senior ANC leaders. In June the ANC welcomes an investigation by South Africa's anti-corruption watchdog into several allies of Zuma allegedly linked to corruption at three state-owned companies. Zuma acknowledges that the ANC could lose the 2019 election. In December, the party narrowly elects Cyril Ramaphosa to replace Zuma as leader ahead of the 2019 election. 18.12.2017 LISTEN Three suspects involved in the gang rape of a young girl in the Ashanti region have been arrested and placed in police custody. Assembly member for Bantama, Kofi Ofori popularly called Simple man, confirmed to Adehye FMs Elisha Adarkwah that the incident happened at Bantama. He said the suspects were arrested by one of his unit committee members and have been handed over to the police. Though, he said all the five suspects were handed over to the police our sources at the regional police command reveal a total number of three in their custody. Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service says it has started processes to investigate and arrest all the individuals involved in the crime. A viral video capturing at least four teenage boys gang raping a girl sparked outrage on social media. A statement issued on Monday, 18 December and signed by ASP Olivia Turkson from the Public Affairs Unit of the Police CID, said: In view of the serious nature of the act as shown in the video, a special investigation team has been constituted at the CID Headquarters to analyse the video with the aim of identifying those involved and getting them arrested for the necessary legal process to be activated. The police further cautioned all media houses and those in possession of the video to stop circulating it since it is an offence to circulate such obscene material. The statement added that anybody with any relevant information should personally report to the Cyber Crime Unit at the CID Headquarters for further action. In the video, the boys overpowered the girl on the floor and had their turn with her as she struggled for freedom. The little over two-minute video, suspected to have been shot by the boys, captured the faces of the rapists as well as the victim. The rapists were heard speaking the Twi language. 18.12.2017 LISTEN The National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on Ghanaians living abroad to reconsider their call for the implementation of Representation of the Peoples Amendment Law (ROPAL). Kofi Adams speaking to Evans Mensah on Joy FMs Top Story Monday, said rolling out ROPAL will be a drain on Ghanas limited resources. He said instead of spending money to extend voting rights to Ghanaians living outside, it should be used to build schools and other needed facilities for the citizens. His comment came hours after an Accra High Court directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to operationalise the law in 2020 following a suit by some five Ghanaians living abroad. The law was passed in 2006 but past governments have given several excuses for the delay in implementation. Mr Adams whose party was in power from 2009 to 2016, said the countrys resources should be used to expand access to education and health facilities instead of ROPAL. I think that there will be a good use of our money, he said. But Dr Kofi Boateng who is one of the five who took the matter to the court said they will no longer allow excuses to delay implementation of the law. Let us stop always giving excuses for inactions [because] if you have reasons to hold elections then you dont have reasons to complain, he said. He said given the contributions of Ghanaians living abroad to the economy, they deserve to take part in the selection of leaders. It is proven that Ghanaians living abroad remit over $5billion and without it, the economy would have collapsed, he said. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | M: [email protected] | Instagram: @realbrakopowers In the moments before Cyril Ramaphosa's triumph in the leadership race for South Africa's ruling ANC, he and President Jacob Zuma snapped selfies together. Even before the announcement was made, Ramaphosa's backers -- who go under the banner "CR17" -- had already begun to cheer and chant wildly. A vast image of the African National Congress' new leader was unfurled as long applause and loud singing greeted news at the party conference venue outside Johannesburg. Mfanafuthi Ngcobo, 34, who travelled from the eastern Kwa-Zulu Natal province to vote welcomed Ramaphosa's victory, despite favouring defeated candidate Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. "We are very happy about the outcome. I will support the new president," he said. Outside the hall, ANC supporters blocked a road leading to the conference centre, dancing and singing party songs. They were bathed by the lights of police cars surrounding the gathering. Elite police officers were briefly deployed in the front of the stage as the results of the delayed voting were being announced. But as newly-elected senior ANC officials were announced, each shook Ramaphosa's hand, sending a message of unity after a divisive campaign that some said could permanently split the party. Zuma embraced Ramaphosa, and Dlamini-Zuma followed shortly afterwards to congratulate her new leader. Later Dlamini-Zuma tapped the table with her hand in time to celebration music. The election of David Mabuza as deputy party president was seen as a significant victory for Dlamini-Zuma loyalists, despite her defeat. 'This is my president' "Both camps have won. Cyril promised he will fight corruption. He is a good man. We want Zuma to finish his mandate," said Menzi Nzuza. Zikalala Snuki, the president of the party's veterans' league, described the result as "democracy". "We are happy that we managed to elect the top leadership of the ANC... We are happy that at least we came out of the conference being united." In Soweto township, 10 minutes drive from the conference venue, street celebrations broke out. On Vilakazi street, where Nelson Mandela and archbishop Desmond Tutu once lived, bars and restaurants were full of ANC supporters. Businesswoman Bontle Motau proudly brandished a photo of herself with Ramaphosa on her cellphone as ANC struggle-era songs played at deafening volume. "This is my president -- he has wisdom," said Motau who grew up on the street that is now a nighttime draw for the new black middle-class. "The last time I celebrated like this was when Mandela was released from prison," she said as she danced with a crowd dressed in green, yellow and black -- the ANC's signature colours. In the Sakhumzi restaurant a crowd of men watched the news live streamed on a phone propped up on a straw hat as they drank lager. "I think he's been a great candidate but I'm sure they (Dlamini Zuma supporters) are very disappointed -- but I don't foresee trouble," said waiter Mike Sibanda. The three suspects arrested over the recent gang-rape video that has gone viral, are Junior High School and Senior High School students. This is according to the Ashanti Regional Police Command, which has vowed to pursue the matter and ensure justice is served. The Police is however not ready to reveal the ages of the teenagers. The Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, ASP Juliana Obeng, at a media briefing on the incident today [Monday], said the police had identified 4 accomplices who are currently at large. The command has arrested 3 suspects. The arrest of these suspects was made on Saturday, 16th December 2017 at their various homes at Bantama. The three suspects and their 4 accomplices who are currently at large are all students.Two of the 3 arrested are in SHS 1 and the other in JHS 3, she said. Many Ghanaians are enraged over a recent viral video in which about seven young boys, were seen forcibly having sex with the teenager. In the video which has been in circulation on social media, the young boys were seen taking turns to sexually assault the helpless teenager. Citi News gathered that the incident occurred at Bantama in the Ashanti Regional capital. Various civil society groups have already condemned the incident, and called on the police to take immediate action against the suspects. ASP Juliana Obeng told the media that all three suspects are currently in police custody assisting in police investigations, while efforts are being made to arrest the other 4. When did the incident happen? The Police's revelation that it carried out the arrest on Saturday, nearly two days before the video was circulated on social media, seems to suggest that the Police had gotten wind of the crime but had shielded it from public attention. It therefore remains unclear when the actual incident happened. Care for the victim Citi News sources say the victim is currently at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital undergoing a medical examination. ASP Juliana Obeng said the victim is cooperating with the Police in its investigation into the matter. By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana The post Bantama gang-rape suspects JHS 3, SHS 1 students Police appeared first on Ghana News . The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) on Friday raided the popular Wuse market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and seized large numbers of uncensored and unclassified films. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the operation was led by the Executive Director of the board, Mr Adedayo Thomas, in collaboration with the men of the Nigeria Police. The films seized include 20 in 1 video films, unclassified foreign and local films, as well as pornographic materials, and one suspect was arrested in the operation. According, to Thomas, the operation is part of the zero-tolerance stand of the board against illegal films and to ensure that owners of films and video works get value from their investments. The board has scaled up its enforcement activities for the remaining parts of the year, and this is the beginning of our raids in markets across the FCT and then to the north. There is no doubt that these items worth market value huge amount of money, and this will serve as deterrent and also prevent such illegal products from selling in the market at the expense of genuine ones. President Buhari has declared a total war against corruption, and in line with that, the boards has intensified its fight against the sale of unwholesome films in the Nigeria market, he said. Thomas explained that the board had lined up nationwide raid against uncensored and pirated films to ensure that such products were completely removed from the movie market. He explained that the choice of Wuse market was strategic, as it was the receiving points of such pirated films from Lagos and other parts, from where they are distributed to the Northern part of the country. He added that the board had received intelligence and decided to proceed on the operations, adding that the raid will be extended to other markets within the Territory. The Chairman of the Film and Videos Producers and Marketers of Nigeria (FVPMAN), Mr Emeka Aduah, who accompanied the NFVCB raid team to the market, lauded the move by the board. He stressed that the producers and marketers were ready to work in collaboration with the board, especially on providing information about the activities of pirates. NAN recalls that the board had earlier carried out such raid in Alaba International Market, Benin City, Kaduna and other parts of the country as part of its operations for last quarter of the year. Nollywood actress, Funke Adesiyan, has proven that politics is not over for her after she joined the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, to run for the Oyo State House of Assembly to represent Ibadan South East Constituency II and I in 2015. The actress did not go far as she eventually stepped aside due to unforeseen circumstances. Well, after serious thing and planning, the actress has decided to join the winning party which is the All Progressive Congress APC. Explaining why she joined politics she stated that it was borne out of her passion and desire to touch people's lives positively. Funke added that since she could not move further with her positive ambition in 2015, she belives it is time for her to give it a shot which is why she has decided to join the APC. According to her, My journey into politics was borne out of my passion and desire to touch people's lives positively. Having realised that there was little I could achieve in my private capacity, I decided to put myself in the political landscape of the country. That resolve has never changed. My mission has always been to make life easy for the man next door. While that could not be achieved on a different platform in #2015 due to factors that would not be necessary to delve into at this time; it is my joy to announce today that I am joining the #progressives with the same resolve. My commitment and loyalty to whatever or whoever I believe in is unwavering, unflagging and unflinching. I assure my people of my unalloyed commitment to a life more abundant. This can only be achieved by working side by side with individuals who are also driven by the same passion to achieve an egalitarian society. A private equity fund has purchased an ownership stake in Guaranteed Rate. Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL), a private equity firm that invests in middle-market growth companies, has purchased a meaningful minority stake in Guaranteed Rate, the company announced in a news release. Guaranteed Rate founder Victor Ciardelli will continue to serve as chairman and CEO, running day-to-day operations. THL has a long history of successfully collaborating with fast-growing companies like Guaranteed Rate, and they also bring the experience, capital and resources that will enhance our capabilities and help us move closer to achieving our ultimate goal of becoming the countrys largest retail mortgage lender, Ciardelli said. When evaluating different opportunities in the mortgage space, it became clear to us that Guaranteed Rate is well-positioned to thrive and grow market share moving forward, and that it is a great company to partner with in the mortgage market, said Ganesh Rao, THL managing director. Chicago-based Guaranteed Rate is the sixth-largest retail mortgage lender in the country, operating in all 50 states. This is the first time since the companys founding in 2000 that its sold a stake to an outside institutional investor, according to a Chicago Tribune report. Growth in home prices was strong in November as the number of homes for sale declined for the 26th month in a row, according to Redfin.Home prices were up 7.8% from November 2016, while inventory fell 12.8% over the same period.As California counties continue to face the effects of wildfires, Redfin said displaced families find it challenging to purchase another home nearby. Hundreds of homes in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties were destroyed or remain under threat from the fires, further worsening the inventory shortage in these counties.Although there was a 1.1% increase in the number of home newly listed for sale during the month, the total was not enough to put a dent in the continuing inventory shortage. Redfin said November had 3.1 months of supply, with homes typically spending 46 days on the market. This is four days fewer than in November last year.Overall, 2017 has been an uneven year for home sales. The year started out strong, but a combination of low inventory and weather events overtook sales growth; sales have been flat to declining in six out of the past 11 months, Redfin Chief Economist Nela Richardson said. The good news is markets have been quick to recover from severe weather events, even as challenges remain. For example, Houston home sales were up 4.3% in November from a year ago, and Tampa sales were up 6.1%. We are hopeful that Southern California markets show the same level of resilience in the aftermath of wildfires there. I stuck to what the coaches ... ROCKPORT Leaders of a South Texas county battered by Hurricane Harvey plan to build a new courthouse to replace the more than 60-year-old structure destroyed by the storm. The Aransas County Commissioners Court on Friday approved seeking a request for qualifications for architectural services. Its part of the process to design and build a new courthouse in Rockport, a city of about 10,000 located 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi. Harvey made landfall in the area Aug. 25. Aransas County Judge Burt Mills Jr. within days toured the courthouse and found the structure flooded and severely damaged, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports . Federal authorities determined the courthouse, built in 1956 and recognized by the Texas Historical Commission, was damaged beyond repair. The commission has approved allowing demolition of the building, according to Mills. The damage in the courthouse is extensive, Mills said. Every room except the district attorneys office section is ruined completely. Some offices have sky light now that they didnt have before. County operations have relocated, for now, to various sites across Rockport. Commissioner Brian Olsen also toured the hurricane-damaged courthouse and had to wear a hard hat, amid safety concerns. I can tell you that in the district court itself, the roof caved in there, and then in the court-at-law courtroom as well, and thats where we hold our commissioners court, Olsen said. So it was pretty devastated. The cost of the rebuild is unclear, but Olsen said hes hoping Federal Emergency Management Agency dollars and private donations will help. Weve needed a new courthouse for a long time because this one is a little outdated, and were running out of room and wiring is old, so we were planning on a new courthouse, Mills said. But we didnt quite want it this way. ... Now we have to have one. The UK press is in a tizzy tonight over the EUs lead trade negotiator Michel Barnier having had to stoop to make extremely explicit a position the EU has taken from the morning after the Brexit vote: any future relationship has to fit within the framework set by existing deals. The most common expression has been no cherry picking which along with the many other variants, EU leaders have including in public pronouncements on Brexit. An exclusive interview with Barnier in Prospect (hat tip Richard Smith) set off the pathetic spectacle of the UK press and officialdom reacting badly when forced to swallow even a tiny dose of Brexit reality. Key sections of the interview: What about his determination to impose the sequencing of the negotiations rather than discussing immediately about trade agreements as the British government had hoped? The British had the idea they could mingle everything: the price for past commitments, the financial issue and the future. We said: first we settle the past, like in any separation, then we start talking about the future. So parallel talks will start probably next March. The actual negotiations on the future relationship will only begin once the UK leaves the EU.. Barnier continues: They have to realise there wont be any cherry picking. We wont mix up the various scenarios to create a specific one and accommodate their wishes, mixing, for instance, the advantages of the Norwegian model, member of the single market, with the simple requirements of the Canadian one. No way. They have to face the consequences of their own decision. As we said earlier, theres be nothing new in what Barnier said above. WTO and EU trade officials have said that the UK cannot negotiate a new trade pact with the EU until it is a third country, meaning it has left the EU. Yet Barnier seems to be making a one-man PR push to try to cut through the fog in Britain. He said pretty much the same thing a few days earlier. Per Politico: By the time the U.K. leaves the European Union it will only be possible to draw up a political declaration on the future framework for trade with the bloc, not a full trade deal, the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference after a meeting of foreign affairs and EU ministers in Brussels, he said there is not enough time to do anything more detailed, but also that agreeing a full trade deal would be prevented by legal and technical constraints. His comments were in stark contrast to those of the U.K. Brexit Secretary David Davis, who told the BBCs Andrew Marr program on Sunday that barring minor tinkering by the time of Britains exit date of March 2019, we would expect the substantive trade deal to be struck. He said that the formality of signing would need to happen one minute, or one second, after we leave. Mind you, there was never any basis for thinking the EU would go along with David Davis sign right on the heels of official Brexit fantasy. If he had still been hopeful, all he had to do was read the December 15 guidelines issued by the European Council: The European Council reconfirms its desire to establish a close partnership between the Union and the United Kingdom. While an agreement on a future relationship can only be finalised and concluded once the United Kingdom has become a third country, the Union will be ready to engage in preliminary and preparatory discussions with the aim of identifying an overall understanding of the framework for the future relationship, once additional guidelines have been adopted to this effect. Such an understanding sho uld be elaborated in a political declaration accompanying and referred to in the Withdrawal Agreement. Look at all the words clearly signaling that any talks that happen in the neighborhood of a trade deal will be at most early-stage clearing of some underbrush. Even if the EU had wanted to be somewhat accommodating and hash out some preliminary issues before the departure date, the timetable for negotiating trade deals means even this concession, had the EU signaled any receptivity to it, wouldnt buy the UK as much as Brexit fans have fantasized. The EUs recently completed agreement with Canada took seven years to negotiate, and it is certain to be less daunting than a EU-UK deal would be. Services are an inconsequential part of the Canadian deal, CETA, while they would be a a major constituent of any EU-UK agreement. Services agreements are more difficult and time consuming to consummate than trade deals. And on top of that, as Sir Ivan Rogers has pointed out, trade deals have always been done between partners that want to get closer to each other. Concluding one with a party that has an express desire to get further away will almost certainly be more difficult, which means slower. Look at the timeline. A two or even three year transition isnt remotely enough time to get a new trade pact with the EU in place. The UK faces a very hard Brexit unless it relents and decides to stay in the customs union (as in a famed Norway-type deal) or the single market. All a transition period does is allow the UK to get some other types of agreements with the EU and perhaps other countries stitched up. However, a few years down the road can be a very long time in political terms. Remember that Mays snap election was seen as a masterstroke, potentially dealing a fatal blow to Labour? But even a climbdown to a Norway-type agreement, which presently has been ruled out, would still exclude big parts of the UK economy. From Simon Nixon in the Wall Street Journal: The EEA doesnt pertain to the EU customs union, all EU free-trade agreements and agriculture, so it could only be a partial solution and would mean striking many other deals. And the UK would have to agree to the free movement of people which would be a bitter pill to swallow. A companion Prospect article describes why Barnier merely reiterating the EUs position in an explicit manner so as to hopefully penetrate the UKs delusion, has produced indigestion. Even though this again is familiar ground to regular readers, its still sobering to read a short recap: Norway represents soft Brexit: it lives by nearly all EU rulesAs a result, it can trade in the single market as if it were an EU member. Canada, by contrast, represents the hopes some hold for hard Brexitin charge of its own rules on immigration and much else, it has nevertheless struck a deal with the EU covering free trade in goods and a few other ground rules of doing business, such as in government procurement. Mays whole approach to managing the Brexit process and her turbulent party has been to insist that the choice between Canada and Norway can be transcended. Instead of a Norwegian or Canadian Brexit, Britain would negotiate its own tailor-made red, white and blue Brexit, offering the best of both worlds. The Brexit secretary, David Davis, has been most explicit in suggesting there can and will be a middle way, what he has called Canada plus plus plus. This shouldnt be a surprise. Barnier is just explaining what the latest European Council guidelines said. Again from that document: The Union takes note that the United Kingdom has stated its intention to no longer participate in the Customs Union and the Single Market after the end of the transition period, and the European Council will calibrate its approach as regards trade and economic cooperation in the light of this position so as to ensure a balance of rights and obligations, preserve a level playing field, avoid upsetting existing relations with other third countries, and to respect all other principles set out in its guidelines of 29 April 2017, in particular the need to preserve the integrity and proper functioning of the Single Market I hate to have to keep coming back to this point, but the kerfluffle makes clear that pretty much no one in the UK press, or for that matter, in Mays own government, can be bothered to take the time to read and comprehend a mere four page, obviously extremely important and very clearly written document. Honesty, I dont know how Banier can keep his cool in the face of such rampant incompetence. We also find the UK continuing to act as if the EUs guidelines wont be binding. The surgically precise European Council guidelines made clear the UKs transition period would be a standstill: it would be just like being in the EU now, except it wouldnt get to vote on anything. It would still pay dues and still be subject to all EU rules. Yet ITV News reports that May is planning to negotiate other trade deals during the transition period. Aside from the fact that the Foreign Office is so overwhelmed by Brexit that it is highly unlikely that her Government has the capacity to do that, negotiations like these would violate EU rules. And thats before we get to the elephant in the room.before the UK will be permitted to discuss the future relationship in a serious way, it needs to finish up its first phase work. In other words, the European Council approval of allowing the UK to move to second phase issues was qualified and depends on certain actions taking place first. From the final text: It [the Union] nunderlines that negotiations in the second phase can only progress as long as all commitments undertaken during the first phase are respected in full and translated faithfully into legal terms as quickly as possible. Translation: the EU might entertain some talk about Phase 2 topics, but nothing will be concluded on them until Phase One is wrapped up. And that means specifically memorializing the commitments undertaken as in turning the statement of intent in the Joint Report into binding language. That in turn means resolving the unresolved and unresolvable contradictions in the position the UK took with respect to Ireland. The only way its no hard border solution works is by staying in at least the customs union, which May has repeatedly ruled out. Now one might wonder why the EU allowed Mays obviously unworkable Ireland compromise to not just go unchallenged but actually be legitimated by featuring it in the Joint Report. Our Colonel Smithers gave a report from a high-level conference he attended: Both sides were keen to move on / to phase 2 and leave last Fridays accord as a framework, not a binding agreement, but David Davis interview on the BBC last Sunday alarmed the EU27 who now want to have a binding agreement ASAP. A transition is an EU27 priority, but only to protect itself and give firms time to move from the UK. The EU27 are worried about a cliff edge. With regard to financial services, the Single Supervisory Mechanisms Sabine Lautenschlager has given firms an idea of what is expected, so no letter boxes and battle readiness from day one. The UK is OK with a two-year transition and acceptance of new EU rules, but the EU27 are OK with a longer one. Firms see a longer transition as an incentive to move, especially as the capital markets union and other reforms, including proposals to make it easier to shift NPLs from banks to investment funds and for greater Pillar 2 scrutiny of (individual) banks and greater Pillar 3 disclosure, proceed. On the one hand, both sides appear to have agreed on transition as standstill as we had anticipated (negotiating anything other than that would have been a nightmare). On the other hand, David Davis reckless remarks about the Joint Report not being binding (which it wasnt if you read the text) spooked the EU members and theyve now put the screws on the UK. No one has the foggiest idea how to resolve the Ireland conundrum, yet everyone is marching forward as if something will give. In addition, note that that a drawn-out negotiating/transition process enables EU companies to take business from the UK in a more cost-effective, less disruptive manner. In the meantime, the Financial Times published an article which provides new estimates on what leaving the EU will cost the UK economically. Since we have not much of an idea as to when the UK will actually leave for good and what the end state will look like, it seems pretty hard to come up with any reasonable guesstimates, particularly since a disorderly Brexit is a real possibility. Even though that looks like a certainty now, let us not forget that tail events are more likely than they seem. From the Financial Times: Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, says that for every 1 per cent of GDP you lose, thats getting on for 10bn a year of foregone tax revenues. If 0.9 per cent of GDP has been lost over the five quarters for which data exists, there has already been a 9bn hit to the public finances. So even before the UK has left the EU, the referendum result is costing the UK government more than can possibly be recovered by ending net contributions to Brussels Ive never stuck my neck out with a public guesstimate of the cost of Brexit to the UK. However, I am highly confident that the UK will have a markedly smaller economy in ten years if it goes through with Brexit. Colonel Smithers reported that I am not alone: One economist and bank capital expert said his new employer, a Japanese bank, which is moving to Frankfurt, has crunched the numbers and reckons the UK economy will be 10% smaller by the tenth anniversary of the referendum and the limited social mobility will be effectively frozen. As I have been saying all too often, it would be better if I were proven wrong. But the fact that so many people in the UK who can get EU citizenship are doing so says plenty of Brits are worried about the downside. By Justin Mikulka, Justin Mikulka a freelance writer, audio and video producer living in Trumansburg, NY. Originally published at DeSmogBlog In a case that has national ramifications, a federal judge has ruled against the city of South Portland, Maine, in its latest effort to stop the coastal town from becoming a destination for Canadian tar sands oil. The case centers around an existing pipeline owned by oil companies ExxonMobil, Shell, and Suncor. The Portland Montreal Pipeline currently moves refined oil from South Portland to Montreal, Canada. However, since Canada is awash in oil and currently exports over three million barrels a day to the U.S., there is very little demand there for U.S. oil. As a result, the pipeline is not operating close to full capacity. The oil companies that own the Portland Pipe Line Corporation (PPLC) now want to reverse the pipelines direction to bring Canadian tar sands oil to South Portland, where it would be exported. In 2014, the city of South Portland passed the Clear Skies Ordinance, banning the export of crude oil from the city. This ordinance was designed to protect local air quality because the plans to bring tar sands oil to South Portland require building two smokestacks on the waterfront, located adjacent to residential areas. These pollution control towers would burn off the toxic volatile components of the tar sands oil mixture. Proposed location of pollution control towers with the city of Portland in the background. Credit: Thomas Mikulka In 2013, prior to the city passing the Clear Skies Ordinance, residents of South Portland gathered the 4,000 signatures required to place a measure on the ballot, which would allow voters to decide whether or not they wanted to allow tar sands oil in their community. Thats when the oil industry started paying attention. The American Petroleum Institute ended up spending over $750,000 to help defeat the ballot measure, which lost by fewer than 200 votes. Why would oil companies and their lobbyists spend so much money on a small pipeline project that may never be economically viable? The reason has little to do with this particular project and everything to do with setting a precedent for preventing local communities from taking actions to protect their air quality or local environment when those issues come into conflict with oil and gas interests. This has always been seen by the companies as a beachhead, Sean Mahoney of the Conservation Law Foundation told Inside Climate News. They cant allow communities to pass this kind of ordinance because it could be a model for communities everywhere. Sure enough, after the city council overwhelmingly passed the Clear Skies Ordinance in 2014, the Portland Pipe Line Corporation sued the city to overturn the crude oil export ban. Bug Light Park is adjacent to the proposed location of the pollution control towers necessary for exporting Canadian tar sands oil from South Portland. Credit: Thomas Mikulka Is This Tar Sands Pipeline Economically Viable? In the latest round of this legal battle, the city of South Portland asked Judge John Woodcock Jr. to throw out the case because the pipeline in question isnt economically viable and PPLC has no plans or financing in place to proceed with the project. The citys lawyers pointed out that reversing the pipeline to bring tar sands oil from Canada to South Portland requires oil for the pipeline, yet it currently has no way to get that oil. Even the judge made this point in the recent decision, saying, for PPLCto pump oil from Montreal to South Portland, there must be oil to pump. And right now there isnt. The pipeline company originally argued that it would source oil from TransCanadas proposed Energy East pipeline, but that project has now been cancelled. Enbridge Line 9, its other pipeline option, is currently at full capacity and an unlikely source of oil to ship to South Portland. In a recent presentation Enbridge said its system is expected to be at or near capacity through 2021. At the moment, there is no way to supply the South Portland pipeline with oil to transport from Canada to Maine. On this basis, the citys lawyers argued the pipeline company shouldnt be allowed to continue with its lawsuit because even if it won, the pipeline would not be economically viable. No one will finance an oil pipeline that has no access to oil, they say. When Energy East was still a possibility, it was a big part of PPLCs argument about why the company needed to reverse the pipeline in the first place. Judge Woodcocks recent decision notes this: During the August 9, 2017 evidentiary hearing, PPLCrelied heavily on the prospect of the construction of this new pipeline to alleviate the lack of volume currently available through Enbridge Line 9, most of which appears to be under contract. But with Energy East now out of the question, PPLC claims this is a good thing. The judges decision notes that PPLC asserted that the Energy East pipelines cancellation was not only not important because of the dynamic, extremely complex [nature of the oil] market, that is affected by a myriad of influences, but was in fact a positive development because it would mean that the Portland Montreal Pipeline will continue to be the sole operator of a crude oil pipeline running to the Atlantic coast. This complete reversal on the role of the Energy East pipeline didnt seem to bother Judge Woodcock. And he has embraced the PPLCs extremely complex nature of the oil market argument as justification for allowing the lawsuit to continue, because, basically, no one can predict the future of oil markets: the Court does not need to resolve the complicated question of whether the City is correct [about little to no oil being available for the pipeline] this is because whatever the state of the oil market today, it can be said with some confidence that it will not be the same four or so years from today. Except when it comes to Energy East and Enbridge Line 9, things are likely to be the same as they are today. Energy East wont exist in four years and Enbridge Line 9 has said that its system will be at capacity until at least 2021. But essentially the judge is saying that just because the pipeline is not economically viable today doesnt mean it couldnt be viable at some point in the unknowable future. However, at the same time the judge said you cant predict the future or try to resolve complicated economic questions, he took the liberty of doing just that when he wrote, In the range of oil company projects, PPLCs reversal of an existing pipeline seems a surer bet than many other proposals. Seems like a bold conclusion from someone who has repeatedly said the future and oil markets are far too complex to predict. Still, the judge did emphasize the one thing he was certain about. The one constant factor I know is they have a pipeline in the ground, Judge Woodcock said at the November 21 hearing. And that seemed to be enough for him to let the case continue. In the Ground and Under the Water The fight in the courts may be about an air quality ordinance and the rights of a community to control projects with potential health impacts in that area, but the pipeline reversal project poses another threat to the people of South Portland and the greater Portland metro area. The current pipeline passes under a section of Sebago Lake, which is the source of drinking water for Portland as well as 15 percent of Maine. If the pipeline leaked, the potential economic and health impact of polluting Sebago would be immense. Existing pipeline passing below Sebago Lake in Maine. Credit: Thomas Mikulka The Keystone pipelines recent oil leak occurred in an agricultural field in South Dakota and did not immediately contaminate any water sources. However, the 2010 leak of the Enbridge Line 6 pipeline resulted in tar sands oil going directly into Michigans Kalamazoo River. That spill took five years and more than a billion dollars to clean up. While the judge is correct that they have a pipeline in the ground, it is clear that they the Portland Pipe Line Corporation are not the only ones assuming the risk in this situation. The air quality of South Portland and the drinking water for the greater Portland metro area are at risk. This lawsuit will determine if the residents of South Portland are allowed a say over those risks or if the oil industry will overrule residents. Main image: Marsh adjacent to Sebago Lake. Credit: Thomas Mikulka The NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, visited Yerevan on Monday 18 December 2017 and met with President Serzh Sargsyan, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian, with Minister of Defence Vigen Sargsyan and with the President of the National Assembly, Mr. Ara Babloyan. Speaking at a press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nalbandian, the Deputy Secretary General thanked Armenia for the important contribution to the Alliances Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan and for the contribution to the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Ms Gottemoeller said that earlier this year Armenia agreed to a new Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO and that Armenia has chosen to work with NATO more closely on interoperability, defence education, and defence reform. We stand ready to continue working with you on all the areas that you have chosen, she said. Ms. Gottemoeller also thanked Armenia for organising the NATO Week and the workshop on Women, Peace and Security in Yerevan. The initiative on Women, Peace and Security was first launched as a United Nations Security Council Resolution, promoting the rights and the leadership of women, both in and out of conflict zones. Societies are safer and fairer when women are empowered to take full part, Ms Gottemoeller said. All NATO Allies and partners in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council adopted a policy and plan to implement the main planks of the United Nations Resolution on Women, Peace and Security. Ms. Gottemoeller said that NATO is ready to continue assisting Armenia in implementing the policy on Women, Peace and Security. So we are able to work together in many different fields, the Deputy Secretary General said. Cooperation between NATO and Armenia is in our mutual interest. Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, General Petr Pavel, visited Estonia from 13 to 15 December 2017. During his visit, General Pavel met with HE Mrs Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia, HE Mr Juri Luik, Minister of Defence, General Riho Terras, Commander of Estonian Defence Forces as well as members of the National Defence Committee. While in Estonia, General Pavel also visited the NATO Force Integration Unit, NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, Baltic Defence College and NATOs enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group stationed in Tapa. Kicking off his three-day visit to Estonia with a meeting with the Estonian Chief of Defence, General Riho Terras, General Pavel commended Estonia for being a steadfast Ally which you demonstrate by actively contributing to NATO Missions and Operations, by hosting one of NATOs eight NFIUs, and by being an excellent host to the enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group. While in Tallinn, General Pavel also visited the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU), stressing its role as "one of the building blocks of NATOs Deterrence & Defence Strategy, including through expertise in planning the necessary support for NATO forces and in matters of military mobility. Discussions with Mr Juri Luik, Estonian Minister of Defence, centred on next years NATO Summit, expectations and actions to further strengthen the Alliance. The Chairman praised Estonia's "pragmatic approach to defence, fulfilling objectives set at both national and Allied level. I am impressed with how you deal with the defence budget, structure of forces and innovative approaches to security is such as cyber." In his meeting with HE Mrs Kersti Kaljulaid, General Pavel acknowledged the benefits of mutual support, adding that Estonia stands by NATO and NATO stands by Estonia. NATO and Estonia have shared a relationship based on mutual respect and an understanding that enhanced security is in everyones best interest. Your whole-of-government approach to defence is impressive, you lead by example, by honouring the Pledge made at the Wales Summit and spending more than 2% of your GDP on defence and investing in modern capabilities. Before heading to Tartu, General Pavel stopped by the NATO Cyber Centre of Excellence where he received a tour and presentation by its director, Ms Merle Maigre and members of the team. The Centre of Excellence is an intricate part of NATOs efforts to respond to a growing cyber threat. The Chairman stressed that Estonia plays a leading role in cyber defence, through the Centre of Excellence and the NATO Cyber Range. The Alliance benefits greatly from your expertise in cyber defence-related research, training and exercises, technology, strategy, operations, international law and many more areas. The Chairman also took the opportunity to visit the Baltic Defence College where he received a brief about the College from its Commandant, Major General Andis Dilans and his staff. General Pavel also gave a lecture to the joint command and general staff on NATO today and tomorrow and took time to have a discussion on current security challenges. General Pavel concluded his trip with a visit to the NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battle Group stationed in Tapa alongside the Estonian 1st Infantry Brigade. The Battle Group is currently led by the United Kingdom, with contributions from Denmark and Iceland. "NATOs eFP Battle Groups in the three Baltic States and in Poland demonstrate the strength of the transatlantic bond and make it clear that an attack on one Ally would be considered an attack on the whole Alliance. The Battle Groups are also an excellent example of interoperability among NATO Nations," stated General Pavel. (Natural News) The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has issued more alerts for lead, a toxic heavy metal found in candy, than for the other three sources of food-borne contamination Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium botulinum combined. This followed a 2006 state law that mandated food testing, after an analysis of outcomes by researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and CDPH. Until the 2006 law mandated a food surveillance program, the CPDH did not test widely for lead in candy, as compared to the other three contaminants. The new study, published in the October 26 issue of the Environmental Health Perspectives journal, found that only 22 percent of the alerts about food contamination involved lead in candy from the years 2001 to 2006. Analysis of reports from 2001 to 2014 showed that after implementation of the program, 42 percent of the food contamination alerts were for lead in candy alone, most of which were imported. The study entitled Examining Lead Exposures in California through State-Issued Health Alerts for Food Contamination and an Exposure-Based Candy Testing Program emphasizes active community monitoring to identify lead in food products such as candy so they can be recalled before too many people are poisoned by them. Without this mandate, health experts would have to wait for children to be poisoned before they are able to start looking for the sources, which is in itself, difficult, due to candy being perishable. Almost 10,000 children in California under the age of six are poisoned each year by lead. Almost one-tenth of these children poisoned are exposed to extremely high levels of the toxic heavy metal. While most efforts are focused on removing exposure from lead found in gasoline, lead-based paint, and industrially-contaminated soil, experts failed to search for lead in food items as common as candy prior to the law. Over the course of the study period (14 years), public health officials issued 164 health alerts for food contamination, 60 of which were lead-related. Out of 60 lead-related alerts, 55 were for imported food: 34 percent of which came from Mexico; 24 percent from China; and 20 percent from India. Non-candy imported food items also had their own alerts for lead-contamination: a toasted grasshopper snack called chapuline and another one for spices. The study analyzed data from 2011 to 2012, and found that state officials tested 1,346 candies. It was found that 65 different products had lead, 40 of which had exceeded the limits for children. The candy testing program was, however, limited because it was not comprehensive, and the real number of contaminated candies and other food items may be higher. What you need to know about lead Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can cause innumerable side effects on the human gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, haematopoietic system, and other organs including the liver, kidneys and gingival tissue. It is a teratogenic substance, meaning it can be passed on to children in utero, and cause developmental delays and other metabolic disorders. This toxic substance can be found in dust, dirt, drinking water, food and other items that may have gone through a factory process. It can even be found in food crops, because lead can be absorbed by plants, and is biochemically accumulating. While lead can cause many negative effects on humans, the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) states that zero-tolerance for lead in food cannot be implemented, due to the fact that lead occurs in the environment, and it is not that simple to remove it from food. We currently do not have the technology to prevent lead from entering food supply, therefore protective measures against lead involve removal of food items or minimizing our exposure to it.The best thing we can do as of now to avoid lead poisoning is to buy or consume items that have been tested for lead and other contaminants, and avoid items that are known to contain it. Sources include: UCSF.edu FDA.gov (Natural News) A study published in the journal Environment International has revealed that living near fracking sites, which are often polluted with highly toxic chemicals such as volatile compounds, may pose adverse health effects especially in pregnant women. A team of Canadian researchers at the Universite de Montreal Public Health Research Institute have examined 29 pregnant women living in Peace River Valley in northeastern British Columbia to examine the effects of fracking exposure to human health. The researchers have observed that all the 29 pregnant participants have had high concentrations of muconic acid in their urine. According to the scientists, the median concentration of muconic acid in the participants is more than three times higher compared with the general Canadian population. The experts have also observed that five of these women have had muconic acid concentrations that exceeded the biological exposure index (BEI). The scientists explain that BEI is a measure developed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) in order to promote occupational safety. In addition, the research team has stressed that 14 of 29 participants examined are indigenous. The results show that the median muconic acid concentrations in the urine samples of these indigenous patients are 2.3 times higher compared with non-indigenous participants. Likewise, the researchers have observed that the median muconic acid concentrations in indigenous participants are up to six times higher than those of the general Canadian population. Many reports have been written on the contamination of air and water by volatile organic compounds near natural-gas well sitesAlthough the levels of muconic acid found in the participants urine cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were exposed to high levels of benzene, these results do clearly demonstrate the importance of exploring human exposure to environmental contaminants in natural-gas (fracking) regions, lead researcher Marc-Andre Verner tells Science Daily online. Benzene exposure may negatively affect pregnancy The research team has stressed that persistent exposure to muconic acid may result in adverse pregnancy outcomes as the chemical is classified as a degradation product of benzene, which is a toxic and carcinogenic compound. (Related: Scientists shocked to discover the true toxicity of fracking fluids; its worse than weve been told.) High exposure to benzene during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, an increased risk of childhood leukemia, and a greater incidence of birth defects such as spina bifida. We were therefore very concerned when we discovered high levels of muconic acid in the urine of pregnant women. Muconic acid is also a degradation product of sorbic acid, which is often used as a preservative in the food industryA more extensive study needs to be conducted with additional measures to test the air and drinking water, for example to confirm or refute the results of our pilot study, researcher Elyse Caron-Beaudoin states in a university press release. Caron-Beaudoin is slated to conduct a second large-scale study that evaluates data from medical data of about 6,000 babies born in the region over the past 10 years. The goal is to assess the overall health of the babiesin relation to their proximity to natural-gas well sites and the number of active wells in their environment, Caron-Beaudoin adds. Several health care agencies such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have confirmed the cancer-causing potential of benzene. Likewise, an entry posted on the American Cancer Society website shows that long-term exposure to the harmful chemical is associated with an increased risk of anemia, low white blood cell count, and low platelet count as well as reproductive and fertility conditions. Follow more news on fracking at Fracking.news. Sources include: Nouvelles.UMontreal.ca ScienceDaily.com Cancer.org (Natural News) Former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya recently shared his strong views on social media in a speech at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In 2007 Palihapitiya became Facebooks vice president for user growth. He now feels tremendous guilt for building a company that is truly ripping society apart. I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works, says Palihapitiya. His advice for people now is to take a hard break from all social media platforms. Social media in general takes advantage of weaknesses in human psychology. Social medias short-term feedback loops are designed to drive up dopamine levels in users brains, therefore addicting users to short bursts of satisfaction and short-lived feelings of acceptance and admiration. Facebook is particularly a breeding ground for narcissistic behavior and is creating a culture all about self. Instead of talking and listening, users often make assumptions based on misinformation and personal bias, which ultimately destroys civil discourse and understanding. Instead of enjoying time around a campfire, taking long walks or riding bikes with family and friends, more people spend their time indoors, behind a screen, interacting with thumbs-up and like symbols, among other point and click activities that distort real human relationships. Firms from various countries, ideologies and political groups put out Facebook ads and memes that prey on the emotions of select demographics of Facebook users. The political and belief-driven themes become divisive tools that define peoples images and reputations. The divisive tricks destroy real-world cooperation while spreading misinformation and stereotyping peoples identities. He says that manipulators are very capable of using Facebook to get other people to do what they want. One of the examples he gave included a hoax message about kidnappings on WhatsApp. The hoax led to the lynching of seven innocent people in India. Palihapitiya joins a growing chorus of former Facebook employees who do not use the site and admit to the corporations deceptive ways. Former Facebook product manager Antonio Garcia-Martinez admitted that Facebook lies about its ability to manipulate and influence its users based on the data they collect about them. Facebook investor Sean Parker now objects to all social media because companies such as Facebook only succeed because they exploit vulnerability in human psychology. While there are many good uses for social media sites, its easy to fall into the traps that are intentionally designed to keep you on the site longer. Many users become addicted to the dopamine rush of getting more likes. Others feel like social media gives them a broader voice and constantly look for those who agree and cheer them on in the comments. When the likes and support dont show up, users dont get the fix that their brain relies on. This simple fact of human psychology wires the brain to be attention seeking. (Related: Woman shoots and kills her boyfriend in YouTube stunt gone incredibly wrong.) Users with low emotional intelligence will use the site to further lash out for more attention, sympathy, or admiration. The assumptions and frivolous arguments that result from the ups and downs of exploited human psychology ultimately change peoples perspectives on one another in real life, causing issues that get blown out of proportion and further betrayal. With all the warnings coming out about social medias dark side from former Facebook employees, it is imperative that users cut back on time spent on social media. In order to maintain a healthy mind and prevent being manipulated, users should vow to use the social media platforms only for productive purposes or not use them at all. Sources include: BlacklistedNews.com NYTimes.com (Natural News) President Trump may soon give Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt the go-ahead to organize a public debate on man-made climate change in the red team/blue team format once the details get ironed out. Experts would be assembled on both sides, with the red team comprised of climate change skeptics, possibly affiliated with the Heartland Institute think tank, and the blue team made up of climate change careerists who are ubiquitous in academia and government. Environmentalists oppose the idea because according to them, global warming is settled science, even though assuming anything is settled runs counter to the scientific method. Military and intelligence agencies use a similar debate tactic to expose vulnerabilities to strategic systems. Skeptics say it would give needed balance to climate science, a field of research many believe has been monopolized by activists, The Daily Caller explained, adding, however, that liberal activists claim it is dangerous to give dissenters a voice in climate science. Writing in the Washington Post, three scientists warned against the red team/blue team process. Such calls for special teams of investigators are not about honest scientific debate. They are dangerous attempts to elevate the status of minority opinions, and to undercut the legitimacy, objectivity and transparency of existing climate science. Pruitt is reportedly considering hiring physicist Steven E. Koonin to oversee the red team/blue team debate. Koonin served as Obamas undersecretary for science in the U.S. Department of Energy from 2009 to 2011. Back in April, Koonin said that the information the Obama administration put out about climate data and climate analyses was misleading, sometimes just wrong, but much more often misleading. Dr. Koonin proposed the red team/blue team approach to take politics out of climate science in a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed. Red/Blue exercise as a step toward resolving, or at least illuminating, differing perceptions of climate scienceThe outcome of a Red/Blue exercise for climate science is not preordained, which makes such a process all the more valuable. It could reveal the current consensus as weaker than claimed. Alternatively, the consensus could emerge strengthened if Red Team criticisms were countered effectively. But whatever the outcome, we scientists would have better fulfilled our responsibilities to society, and climate policy discussions would be better informed. Leftists in America, and around the world, have shown little inclination to support alternative viewpoints, however. Instead, progressives tend to shout down or censor any opinions with which they disagree. So it remains to be seen if this exercise will actually happen with participation by those luminaries in the climate change/global warming movement. According to the media and the political class, moreover, someone who does not fit neatly into the category of an alarmist (with all the related career and financial incentives that come with it), is branded and dismissed as a so-called denier. Several months ago, Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip and fan of President Trumps persuasion skills, seemed to have triggered social justice warriors and climate science adherents on the web with a cartoon that lampooned the selective application of computer models to support man-made climate change. The climate change scientist in the Adams Dilbert cartoon admits that he ignores models that look wrong and then runs acceptable data through long-term economic projections that are always incorrect. When the Dilbert character questions this approach, he is deemed a climate denier, much like what happens in the real world, as alluded to above, to anyone who merely questions the global warming narrative. (Related: Read more about the global warming movement at ClimateScienceNews.com.) Parenthetically, tolerant liberals are reportedly making so many death threats against Scott Pruitt that he needs unprecedented 24/7 security provided by federal agents. Sources include: DailyCaller.com Inquisitr.com WSJ.com NYPost.com (Natural News) A technology that can 4D print body organs may become a reality in the near future. A team of scientists from the University of Alberta in Canada developed a technique that may pioneer the engineering of human organs. This technique they developed could allow scientists to produce products that also have a biological function, according to an article published on Folio.ca. We have expanded the set of tools to enable the incorporation of biological function as an intrinsic property in the devices we print with a new class of light-curable bio-nano ink, explained Stella Mathews, chemical engineer and lead researcher. They call this technique 4D printing, which is the initial step to tissue engineering. In their research, Mathews and her team, who worked in the universitys Ingenuity Lab, 3D printed a maple leaf made of silver nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and membrane proteins that can break water molecules to produce hydrogen when it was submerged in water and irradiated with ultraviolet light, similar to a hydrogen fuel cell. They designed a bio-nano ink that depends on a mixture of materials, stability, and geometry that can be manipulated inside an engineered space. When you irradiate the protein inside with UV, it generates a proton, which reacts with the silver nanoparticles to split water and generate hydrogen, Mathews explained. The ability to 3D print this type of technology is new, even if this type of hydrogen fuel cell is already in the market, which is more effective compared to the traditional titanium oxide fuel cell. The researchers hope that there is a potential for low-cost and highly efficient fuel cells to be 3D printed on a large scale. However, Mathews also noted that the future of this technology does not depend on fuel cells but on the ability to print things that can imitate complex natural mechanisms, such as photosynthesis in plants or processes in the human body. Mathews also believes that physicians will be able to print off replacement parts, such as a knee meniscus, in the future. We would print it with a material that has the mechanical properties that can withstand the pressure of the bones, as well as have some factors that can promote cell adhesion, all while preventing the bodys immune system from rejecting the meniscus, she explained. But this is only phase one of many. The research was published in the journal RSC Advances. 3D printing in healthcare Three-dimensional printing in the medical field has been utilized to make medical models, medical device prototypes, and functional dental applications. This technology enables manufacturers to cost effectively make customized medical devices. Moreover, it also became an important part of surgical planning as the ability to plan, perform, and perfect surgery on a 3D printed medical model can be done before the actual surgery, reducing the complications and the amount of time patients spend on the operating table. With the advancement of technology, even 3D printed parts are being put directly into patients. Doctors at the University of Michigan were presented with a baby who was born without cartilage in its windpipe, which is a condition that is known as Trachea Bronchi Malaysia. The team of doctors used 3D printing technology to 3D print a scaffold of bioresorbable material to help the body heal itself. (Related: 3D Printing Allows Doctors to Better Treat Cancer.) Find out more studies on technology and research at Research.news. Sources include: Folio.ca MedicalPlasticsNews.com What to Know The fire has burned 271,000 acres, becoming the third-largest wildfire in California history. Eighteen-thousand structures remain threatened. The costs associated with fighting the fire are now at almost $117 million. The third-largest wildfire in modern California history continues to spread in Santa Barbara County, but strong wind gusts that have fanned flames for two weeks are expected to diminish. A drop in dangerous winds could provide firefighters with about a two-day window to gain ground on the deadly Thomas Fire, which broke out Monday, Dec. 4. The fire continues to threaten homes after already consuming 271,000 acres and costing an estimated $117 million. Fire spokesman Capt. Rick Crawford said cooler temperatures, slightly higher humidity and light winds forecast for Monday and Tuesday will be "critical" for firefighters hoping to make progress against the Thomas Fire. The hot, gusty winds that caused a huge flare-up and forced more evacuations over the weekend are expected to come back Wednesday. The blaze, which Cal Fire said was 50 percent contained, threatens about 18,000 structures as 8,529 firefighters battle the flames. It has already destroyed 1,020 structures and damaged another 242, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. If it grows another 10,000 acres, it will eclipse the Cedar Fire, which burned the San Diego are in 2003, to become the largest wildfire in California since 1932, as far back as reliable Cal Fire records go. Two people have been killed as a result of the blaze. Virginia Pesola, 70, was found dead at a crash site along an evacuation route, killed by blunt force injuries, smoke inhalation and burns. Cory Iverson, 32, was part of a strike team of San Diego Cal Fire engines who were helping in the firefight. Iverson died Thursday during an accident in an active area of the fire, suffering thermal injuries and smoke inhalation. In addition to the fatalities, the fire has also forced 104,607 people to flee their homes, according to Cal Fire. Over the weekend, three homes were destroyed in Montecito. Despite those lost over the weekend, firefighters were able to save hundreds of other homes. The Behrman family returned from Colorado Sunday to find their burned out home. "The winds just changed in the wrong way yesterday and boom, the house was just gone," Behrman said. "Its sadness, but at the same time it's only the house. The family is okay. Weve got a lot of memories out," he added. High fire risk is expected to last into January, adding to fears that months of deadly and destructive wildfire danger will extend into early next year. Cal Fire reported 6,877 fires in California from Jan. 1 to Dec. 10, including the devastating North Bay fires in October. Wildfires in 2017 have scorched more than 505,000 acres, more than double last years burned acreage count. During that same period in 2016, the state firefighting agency reported 4,754 fires that burned 244,303 acres. The state is coming off one of its wettest winters in years in 2016-2017, which left hillsides covered in grass and other vegetation. That grass dried out in summer and turned into tinder, providing fuel for rapidly spreading fires often pushed by strong winds that can carry hot embers for miles and turn small spot fires into infernos. An increase in the number of dead and dying trees also has exacerbated the wildfire threat, Cal Fire officials said. An estimated 102 million trees have died in California due to the state's five-year dry spell and bark beetle infestation. Current mandatory evacuations for the Thomas fire are in place for the following areas: All areas east of Highway 154, south of East Camino Cielo, west of Toro Canyon and north of Highway 101 at Toro Canyon to South Salinas then north of Alameda Padre Serra and to Highway 192 west to 154. The previous evacuation order for the area east of Toro Canyon to Casitas Pass Road north of Highway 192 and south of East Camino Cielo remains in effect. Click here for a complete list of evacuations and road closures. An evacuation center has been established at the UC Santa Barbara Recreation Center at 516 Ocean Road. Animal evacuation centers are available for people in evacuation zones. Those wishing to coordinate sheltering for both small and large animals should call the Santa Barbara County Animal Services hotline at (805) 681-4332. NBC4's Rick Montanez contributed to this report. The Carolina Panthers will soon be for sale. After allegations of workplace minconduct recently surfaced, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced Sunday night that he plans to put the team up for sale. It looks like Steph Curry wants to be more than just a fan of his hometown team. The Warriors' star was responding to Sean "Diddy" Combs saying he wants to buy the team. Diddy responded to Curry, looking to make a partnership on the Panthers. Curry grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, when his father played shooting guard for the Hornets. He's frequently at Panthers games whenever he gets a chance. When the Panthers played the Broncos in Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Curry was awarded with his own custom Panthers jersey and he banged the team drum before kickoff. Richardson was awarded the Panthers in 1993. The team played their first season in 1995. An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off an overpass south of Seattle on Monday and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing at least three people, injuring dozens and crushing two vehicles, authorities said. Attention quickly turned to the train's speed. Federal investigators say the train was traveling at 80 mph (129 kph) in a 30 mph (48 kph) zone. Bella Dinh-Zarr, an NTSB board member, said at a Monday night news conference that information from the event data recorder in the rear locomotive provided information about the train's speed. Dinh-Zarr said it's not yet known what caused the train to derail and that "it's too early to tell" why it was going so fast. She said federal investigators will likely be on scene for a week or more. There were 80 passengers and five on-duty crew on board when the train derailed and pulled 13 cars off the tracks. Authorities said there were three confirmed deaths. More than 70 people were taken for medical care including 10 with serious injuries. About two hours after the accident, a U.S. official who was briefed on the investigation said he was told at least six people were killed. The official said he had no new information to explain the discrepancy in the numbers. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. A track chart prepared by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows the maximum speed drops from 79 mph (127 kph) to 30 mph for passenger trains just before the tracks curve to cross Interstate 5, which is where the train went off the tracks. The chart, dated Feb. 7, 2017, was submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration in anticipation of the start of passenger service along a new bypass route that shaves 10 minutes off the trip between Seattle and Portland. Kimberly Reason with Sound Transit, the Seattle-area transit agency that owns the tracks, confirmed to the AP that the speed limit at the point where the train derailed is 30 mph (48 kph). Speed signs are posted 2 miles (3 km) before the speed zone changes and just before the speed zone approaching the curve, she said. Positive train control the technology that can slow or stop a speeding train wasn't in use on this stretch of track, according to Amtrak President Richard Anderson. He spoke on a conference call with reporters, said he was "deeply saddened by all that has happened today." Bob Chipkevich, a former NTSB director of railroad, pipeline and hazardous materials investigations, told The Seattle Times the crash looked like a high-speed derailment based on television images. In a radio transmission immediately after the accident, the conductor can be heard saying the train was coming around a corner and was crossing a bridge that passed over Interstate 5 when it derailed. Dispatch audio also indicated that the engineer survived with bleeding from the head and both eyes swollen shut. "I'm still figuring that out. We've got cars everywhere and down onto the highway," he tells the dispatcher, who asks if everyone is OK. Aleksander Kristiansen, a 24-year-old exchange student at the University of Washington from Copenhagen, was going to Portland to visit the city for the day. "I was just coming out of the bathroom when the accident happened. My car just started shaking really, really badly," he said. The back of his train car was wide open because it had separated from the rest of the train, so he and others were able to jump out to safety. He was at about the middle of the train, either the sixth or seventh car, he said, and was "one of the lucky ones." Emma Shafer was headed home to Vancouver, Washington, on winter break from the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and was napping when the crash occurred. She awoke to find her body at a 45-degree angle and her train car dangling from the overpass. Someone behind her was pinned by the legs, she said, and she and others who could walk exited the train by crawling onto a car underneath theirs that had been crushed. "It felt oddly silent after the actual crashing. There was a lot of metal, a lot of screeching, a lot of being thrown around. It was very quiet. Then there was people screaming," Shafer said. "I don't know if I actually heard the sirens, but they were there. A guy was like, 'Hey, I'm Robert. We'll get you out of here.'" Dr. Nathan Selden, a neurosurgeon at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, said he and his son drove through the accident scene while traveling north to visit Seattle. The doctor asked if he could help and was ushered to a medical triage tent in the highway median. The most seriously injured had already been whisked away, but the patients he helped appeared to have open head wounds and skull, pelvic or leg fractures, as well as small cuts and neck sprains, he said. He called it a miracle an infant child he saw from the scene appeared completely unharmed. President Donald Trump used the deadly derailment to call for more infrastructure spending in a tweet sent about three hours after the accident. He said the wreck shows "more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly." The accident happened on a newly completed bypass. The train was making the inaugural run on the new route as part of a $180.7 million project designed to speed up service by removing passenger trains from a route along Puget Sound that's bogged down by curves, single-track tunnels and freight traffic. The Amtrak Cascades service that runs from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon, is jointly owned by the Washington and Oregon transportation departments. Amtrak operates the service for the two states as a contractor and is responsible for day-to-day operations. The Amtrak schedule called for the train to leave Seattle around 6 a.m. and arrive in Portland about 3 1/2 hours later. Last month, the NTSB released a report in which it criticized Amtrak's safety management. "Amtrak's safety culture is failing, and is primed to fail again, until and unless Amtrak changes the way it practices safety management," NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt said. "Investigators found a labor-management relationship so adversarial that safety programs became contentious at the bargaining table, with the unions ultimately refusing to participate." The report followed an April 3, 2016, derailment near Chester, Pennsylvania, in which a backhoe operator and a track supervisor were killed. The new bypass was built on an existing inland rail line that runs along Interstate 5 from Tacoma to DuPont, near where Train 501 derailed. Track testing began in January and February in advance of Monday's launch and continued through at least July, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The mayor of Lakewood, Washington, a city along the new route, predicted a deadly crash but one involving a fast-moving train hitting a car or pedestrian at a grade-crossing, not a train tumbling off an overpass. Eric Corp, a councilman for the small city of DuPont near the derailment, said he rode the train with about 30 or so dignitaries and others on a special trip Friday before the service opened to the public Monday. "Once we were coming up on that curve, the train slowed down considerably," he said, adding that "in no way did it make me feel like we were going too fast." Associated Press staffers Manuel Valdes, Phuong Le and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report. CORRECTION (Dec. 19, 3:30 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this story misspelled Emma Shafer's name. The fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy slain while delivering newspapers with his stepfather to earn money to buy presents may have been the result of mistaken identity and rooted in an ongoing gang war that didn't involve him, Chicago police said Monday during a news conference in a city where gun violence this year has left nearly 600 people dead. According to police, the shooting took place just before 7 a.m. in the 5100 block of West 47th Street in the citys LeClaire Courts neighborhood, authorities said. A 15-year-old boy was fatally shot while riding in a car on Chicagos Southwest Side early Sunday, according to police. NBC 5s Lisa Chavarria reports. Brian Jasso was sitting in the backseat of a Honda CR-V driven by his stepfather when it was rear-ended by a white vehicle, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner. Family members said he was riding with his mother's boyfriend, Erik Campeano, a longtime newspaper delivery driver who was accompanying the teen along his route. Campeano said he was driving with Jasso near West 47th and Leamington when a white car flashed its high beams at their SUV. The vehicle then began chasing the pair and when Campeano stopped, someone from inside the white car opened fire, he said. Campeano said he pulled into a nearby BP gas station and told Jasso to run, but the teen wasn't responding. Jasso suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. [[464772703, C]] "He was a 15-year-old boy, no run-ins with police, he's never been arrested," Anthony Riccio, chief of the bureau of organized crime, said of Jasso. "He's a good kid, he's out with his stepfather delivering papers to buy Christmas presents or birthday presents." Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that detectives were interviewing witnesses and searching for video that may have captured the shooting or the events that led to it. Guglielmi also said that detectives were trying to determine if there was some kind of encounter between the stepfather's vehicle and the gunman's vehicle earlier that morning that prompted the shooting. "We are looking at whether one of them cut the other off in traffic, that kind of thing," he said, adding that no such connection had been made as of Monday morning. No arrests have been made and police are looking to identify the suspects. A search for the gunman remained ongoing Monday. "I want to see the killer's face," the grieving mother said. Police said a motive was not clear, but family members said Jasso "did not have any enemies." Jasso's stepfather is an independent contractor who delivers papers for the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers. Tribune publisher and editor Bruce Dold said the newspaper was "saddened and stunned by this news." Two Salvation Army red kettles have been stolen from the same location in downtown Chicago in less than a week, the organization said Monday. Twice in three days last week, police said they received reports of a bucket stolen from the 700 block of North Michigan Avenue, just outside a Neiman Marcus store. The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division said both thefts were caught on tape and surveillance video was given to police as they investigate. The theft will cost Chicago's Temple Community Corps nearly $1,000 "in replacing the equipment and loss of donations," Shanna Schwarze with the Salvation Army Metropolitan Division said in a statement. Both incidents took place while a bell ringer took a bathroom break inside Neiman Marcus. The first incident happened Tuesday just before 4 p.m. and the second incident happened Friday at about the same time. In the first theft, the bucket was stolen. In the second, both the bucket and its stand were taken. Bell ringer Antionette Levi-Bell says it's not a good feeling. "You come out and see your bucket is gone and you know it's to help people and stuff and someone came up and took it," she said. "I cried for a minute." Major Barbara Owen, a spokeswoman for the Salvation Army, noted how cumbersome the kettles are to steal. "It's not very easy to just pick it up and run with it," she said, also noting the money was meant for people who have fallen on hard times. "Christmas meals, Christmas toys. It goes to pay for people who may be being evicted, utilities shut off." Merriah Guccione was donating to the Salvation Army on Michigan Avenue Monday. "It really hurts me to see something like that," she said of the recent thefts. "We're all trying to help and everyone is struggling." Anyone looking to donate can donate directly to the bucket at 737 Michigan Ave. or visit Salarmychicago.org. Chicago police plan to hold a press conference Monday morning to address weekend gun violence in the city that left at least six people dead and more than a dozen others wounded. Chief of Organized Crime Anthony Riccio is expected to offer an update on the status of investigations following the deadly weekend. Riccio is also set to give details on a series of raids on cell phone retailers, "which yielded guns, cell phone seizures & violations against 44 businesses," according to police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. Among those killed over the violent weekend, just before the holidays, was a 15-year-old boy who was fatally shot while delivering newspapers. Brian Jasso was shot and killed just before 7 a.m. Sunday in the 5100 block of West 47th Street in the citys LeClaire Courts neighborhood, authorities said. Investigators said there were newspapers in the car where Jasso's body was found and they believed Jasso may have been delivering them at the time of the shooting. Jasso's mother said her son picked up the paper route so he could make money to buy his sister a gift for her birthday. Sunday morning, the teen was on the route with his mother's boyfriend, Erik Campeano, who said a white car flashed its high beams at their SUV and began following them at a high rate of speed. But when Campeano stopped the vehicle, someone opened fire. Campeano said he pulled the SUV into a gas station and told Jasso to run, but he quickly realized the teen wasn't responding. Jasso was fatally shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. Police said a search for the gunman remains ongoing and have not yet released a potential motive for the shooting. Jasso's family said the teen did not have any enemies. Republican Sen. John McCain is returning home to Arizona after being hospitalized for the side effects of his brain cancer treatment and likely will miss a crucial vote on the GOP tax package, President Donald Trump said Sunday. The office of McCain said the senator will undergo physical therapy and rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, and he looks forward to returning to Washington in January. Trump told reporters he had spoken to McCain's wife, Cindy, after her husband had spent about a week at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. "They've headed back, but I understand he'll come if we ever needed his help, which hopefully we won't," Trump said. "But the word is that John will come back if we need his vote. And it's too bad. He's going through a very tough time, there's no question about it. But he will come back if we need his vote." Sen. McCain has responded well to treatment he received for a viral infection and continues to improve, Dr. Mark Gilbert, Chief of Neuro-Oncology at the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Cancer Institute, said in a statement Sunday. Now in his sixth Senate term, McCain, 81, underwent surgery in mid-July to remove a 2-inch (51-millimeter) blood clot in his brain after being diagnosed with glioblastoma. A statement issued last Wednesday by the senator's office said he was at Walter Reed receiving treatment for the "normal side effects of his ongoing cancer therapy." His daughter Meghan McCain tweeted Sunday: "My father is doing well and we are all looking forward to spending Christmas together in Arizona." Republicans hold a slim 52-48 majority in the Senate, and McCain and Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., missed votes last week. The 80-year-old Cochran had a non-melanoma lesion removed from his nose earlier this week. He is expected to vote this coming week on the tax bill. Republicans secured the support of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker last Friday. They likely will pass the bill by a narrow margin in the face of unified Democratic opposition. As a backstop, Vice President Mike Pence would be available to break a tie. After his summer surgery, McCain rebounded quickly, returning to Washington and entering the Senate on July 25 to a standing ovation from his colleagues. In a dramatic turn, he cast a deciding vote against the Republican health care bill a move that drew the wrath of Trump and conservatives. McCain's vote scuttled the seven-year effort by the GOP to dismantle much of President Barack Obama's health care law. But McCain's condition has appeared to worsen in recent weeks. He suffered a minor tear in his right Achilles tendon, forcing him to wear a walking brace. McCain eventually began using a wheelchair, and members of his staff pushed him where he needed to go. As a Navy pilot, McCain lived through a July 1967 fire that killed 134 sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. The following October, his plane was shot down during a bombing mission over Hanoi. He spent more than five years as a prisoner of war. McCain also has survived several bouts with melanoma, a dangerous skin cancer. A former student at the University of Hartford in Connecticut accused of smearing body fluids on her roommate's belongings appeared in court Monday and has pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal mischief and breach of peace, according to The Associated Press. Civil rights advocates have been waiting to see if hate crime charges will be filed in her case, but prosecutors did not file additional charges Monday against 18-year-old Brianna Brochu, of Harwinton. Police said the former University of Hartford student, who is white, wrote on Instagram about rubbing used tampons on her black roommate's backpack and putting her roommate's toothbrush "where the sun doesn't shine." The victim said she developed throat pain. The Connecticut NAACP is calling what Brochu is accused of doing to her roommate more than bullying and mischief or breach of peace, which she was charged with in October. They say Brochu caused physical harm and intimidation based on her race and the color of her skin and have called for hate crime charges. Prosecutors said they're still investigating. A group of about a dozen protesters who were again calling for a hate crime charge were gathered outside the courthouse Monday. We are very, very disappointed with the prosecutors, the DAs office of not pressing this case hard enough," said Scot X. Esdaile of the CT NAACP. Brochu's lawyer, Tom Stevens, has said his client's actions weren't racially motivated and he's doubtful his client will be charged with a hate crime. Brochu told the Republican-American newspaper that she acted foolishly, but she is not racist. A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 29. A power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport caused a travel nightmare as hundreds of flights were canceled Sunday, and Bradley International Airport is feeling the effects. Delta, with its biggest hub operation housed in Atlanta, was hard hit. On Sunday the airline had to cancel around 1,000 flights and as of Monday morning theyve already canceled about 300, most of which are early-morning flights to Atlanta. Bradley International Airport offers non-stop flights to Atlanta on Delta. On Sunday all six flights were canceled. There were long lines at the counter Monday morning as passengers tried to find out the status of their flight. Those traveling on Delta are encouraged to check the status of their flight with the airline. Though power was restored to Hartsfield-Jackson Sunday night, Delta is now scrambling to get all its customers to their destinations. Marla Marins flight to Atlanta has been canceled, and now shell fly to Detroit Tuesday instead, but shes choosing to look on the bright side. "Its not really discouraging, we just take one day at a time. Hopefully tomorrow, things will be taken care of. Its better to be safe than sorry," Marin, who lives in Springfield, Mass., said. According to a Georgia Power statement, a fire in an underground electrical facility may have been responsible for the outage. The cause of the fire was not known. This is only the third day of the three week travel season, when 51 million people are expected to fly throughout the US. With flights often booked well-ahead during the holiday season, it may be days before Delta fully recovers and finds seats for all its customers. Ivanka Trump was in Connecticut Monday, visiting students from Norwalk Early College Academy. President Donald Trump's daughter shared photos from her visit on Twitter and Facebook said it was an honor to meet so many bright and talented students! A 10-year-old boy was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while sledding behind his home in Winchester, New Hampshire. Witnesses told police that the child was seen sledding down a hill behind his home on Michigan Street in Winchester when he reached the bottom of the hill. He continued onto the street and was struck by a vehicle. A woman who did not see the accident but heard it, ran to the scene and immediately began CPR on the boy after he had been struck by the vehicle. Emergency personnel arrived on scene and continued lifesaving efforts which were continued by medical personnel while enroute to Cheshire Medical Center. The boys family was notified of the incident and was at the hospital shortly after he was brought there, but he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the vehicle is cooperating fully with police. Police do not believe speed or impairment were factors in the accident. A power outage at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Sunday caused major delays for travelers across the country, including here in North Texas. The Atlanta airport posted to their Twitter account stating they lost power shortly after 1 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration was forced to order a ground stop for flights headed to ATL, and many other flights inbound to Atlanta were diverted. An investigationg by Georgia Power found a fire was the likely cause of the outage. The fire reportedly damaged an underground electrical facility, according to a press release. The airport expects to have power fully restored by midnight. During the outage, Southwest Airlines Sunday announced they canceled all remaining flights in and out of Atlanta. "There is nothing we value more than the safety and security of our customers, and we are closely monitoring the situation at ATL," Southwest said in a statement on their website. At the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport passengers also experienced delays. If you are headed to Atlanta, you can check directly with your airline to find out if your flight is impacted. This is a developing story, check back here for updates. If you don't want to cook or if you're travelling on Christmas Day, there are quite a few restaurants that'll be open. The website, Offers.com, compiled a list of more than two dozen places to eat on the holiday. NBC 5 also added to this list. Benihana Restaurants will be open on Dec. 25. Reservations strongly encouraged. Boston Market Select locations will be open and serving a traditional plated meal on Christmas. The Christmas Menu includes hand-carved ham with two sides, a dinner roll and a slice of Apple Pie for $12.99, in addition to other meal options (see full Christmas Day menu) Buca di Beppo Open for lunch and dinner on Christmas Day, starting at 11 a.m. Regular menu will be served. Reservations strongly recommended. Buffalo Wild Wings Most locations will be open on Christmas. Check with your local location for hours. Chuck E. Cheese's Some locations will be open on Christmas day from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Check your local franchise for its hours. Not all will be open. Dennys Dennys promise to be open 24 hours, 365 days a year extends to Christmas. It will be serving up its regular menu on Christmas Day. Fogo de Chao The restaurant will be open on Christmas Eve (11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) and on Christmas Day (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.) Dinner prices all day. In addition to the regular menu, Fogo de Chao will be serving a special holiday menu. Hard Rock Cafe Select locations will be open for limited hours on Christmas Day, but expect late openings and early closings. Check the hours of your location. IHOP Most locations will be open on Christmas. Try one of IHOPs seasonal specials, like its snowman pancakes. Lubys Lubys will be open and serving special holiday dishes. Most locations will close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. McDonalds Some locations will be open, but expect hours (and whether its open at all) to vary by franchise. Macaroni Grill Enjoy an Italian feast on Christmas. Reservations strongly encouraged. Mortons The Steakhouse Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Mortons will be serving its standard menu. Reservations strongly encouraged. Panda Express Some but not all Panda Express locations will be open on Christmas Day. This varies by restaurant, as many are independently owned. So call ahead. Ruths Chris Steakhouse Ruths Chris will be serving Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (at participating locations only) starting at noon. Reservations required. Menu will vary by location. Ryans Ryans will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It will Close on 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day. Shoneys Shoneys has a tradition of being open on Christmas and will be open this year. Enjoy traditional holiday food, including roasted turkey, ham, sweet potato casserole and more at its Christmas Day food bar Starbucks For those who need a caffeine fix on Christmas Day, Starbucks will be open. Check your locations hours. Waffle House Waffle House is open 24 hours 365 a year, and that includes Christmas. Morton's The Steakhouse - They'll be open 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Day. The Oceanaire Seafood Room - Hours on Christmas Eve are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day. Disclaimer: Exact hours (and whether a restaurant is open) may vary by franchise or individual location. Offers.com called several locations for each of the chains below to confirm that some locations will be open. However, its wise to call your nearest location in advance to confirm hours and to make a reservation if necessary. A dying man's wish to see the new "Star Wars" movie came true, thanks to local fire departments and medics. Ron Villemaire has stage four colon cancer and is in hospice care in Bedford, New Hampshire, his daughter, Elizabeth Ngo, said Friday. He's a huge "Star Wars" fan, but can't get to a theater and sit in a seat. After a public plea from Ngo, the Bedford and New Boston fire departments made it happen Saturday. They took him by ambulance to a theater and transferred him to a hospital bed, allowing him to see the film comfortably. Medics were on hand while he watched "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." "We decided to partner to make his dream come true," New Boston Fire Chief Dan MacDonald said. He said the movie theater manager and a representative of a group that dresses up as "Star Wars" characters talked to Villemaire, who "just couldn't believe it." People also donated money to help with the outing. Villemaire was joined by family and friends as well as Darth Vader and stormtroopers. Villemaire, a U.S. Air Force veteran, also was greeted by representatives thanking him for his service. A man on death row since a double murder conviction in 1984 says dried blood on a work boot and a pink towel recovered from his home could prove his innocence, thanks to previously unavailable DNA technology, but LA County court employees mistakenly destroyed the evidence, it was reported Monday. A judge must now determine what, if anything, should be done to remedy the error, the Los Angeles Times reported. Scott Pinholster's attorney has asked for a hearing on how the destruction happened and says he will eventually ask for a new trial. Prosecutors, however, argue that a killer's life shouldn't be spared simply because of an innocent mistake by court staff, the Los Angeles Times reported. Pinholster is one of 744 people awaiting execution in California -- the largest death row population in the country. Although the state hasn't put anyone to death since 2006, that could change, as voters passed a measure last year to speed up the process. Of the state's condemned inmates, about 20 have exhausted their appeals, putting them at the front of the line. Among them is Pinholster, according to The Times. California law requires that courts keep evidence until after a death row inmate is executed or dies behind bars -- a safeguard put in place to preserve evidence for future testing. Mary Hearn, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Superior Court, told The Times that the court's procedure for destroying evidence, which was updated last year, now requires that staff first contact California's Supreme Court to confirm a death row inmate has died. The court, Hearn said, began a review of its procedure before learning of Pinholster's case. Hearn said Pinholster, 58, is the only known example of evidence destruction in a case of a living death row inmate convicted in LA County. The importance of DNA tests was highlighted last month when Gov. Jerry Brown pardoned a prisoner who spent 39 years behind bars for the 1978 killing of a young woman and her 4-year-old son in Simi Valley. After the prisoner, Craig Coley, exhausted his appeals years ago, a judge authorized the destruction of the crime-scene evidence. But a cold-case detective recently found the evidence and when tested, it helped clear Coley of the murders. For Pinholster, prosecutors point to a 1988 U.S. Supreme Court decision that makes it difficult for prisoners to reverse convictions or reduce sentences unless they can show that evidence was destroyed in ''bad faith.'' In Pinholster's case, prosecutors argue, the destruction was the result of ''at most negligence, incompetency, recklessness,'' but not bad faith. At his trial, a prosecutor argued that the blood on the boot and towel found in the defendant's Van Nuys apartment belonged to at least one of the two victims -- Thomas Johnson, 25, and Robert Beckett, 29. The men were stabbed and beaten to death at the Tarzana home of a marijuana dealer on Jan. 9, 1982. Pinholster contends that the bloodstains came from his repeated intravenous use of heroin. A 30-year-old wrong way driver triggered a two- vehicle, head-on crash Sunday that killed him and three women in another car on the Foothill (210) Freeway in Lake View Terrace. The California Highway Patrol was notified at 1:47 a.m. of a vehicle going westbound in the eastbound lanes of the Foothill (210) Freeway near Wheatland Avenue, said CHP Peter Nicholson. At 1:52 a.m. the CHP received reports of a two-car crash involving a 2011 Chevy Impala, driven by a resident of Chatsworth, and a 2015 Toyota Corolla with three occupants, a 60-year-old woman driving the car and her two passengers -- a 50-year-old woman and a 30-year-old woman. Firefighters and paramedics dispatched at 1:53 a.m. to the crash scene reported that three people were pronounced dead at the scene and one person, the 60-year-old woman, was rushed to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in critical condition, according to Amy Bastman of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The 60-year-old woman later died from their injuries, Nicholson said. The occupants in the Toyota were residents of Baldwin Park. A SigAlert, issued at 2:40 a.m., closing all eastbound lanes at Wheatland Avenue, was lifted at 7:40 a.m., CHP officials said. The CHP's Altadena office asked anyone who saw the crash to call them at (626) 296-8100. A Rhode Island man who leapt into the bitterly cold water at a marina to rescue an elderly man is being hailed as a lifesaver. Tate Tetreault says he heard a cry for help at the Warwick marina early Sunday morning and quickly jumped in to grab the man and pull him to safety. "I heard the words, 'Help, help,'" Tetreault told WJAR-TV. "My adrenaline was very high. I just knew I needed to get him out of the water." Tetreault said he used all his energy to pull the man out. "He couldn't stand. He couldn't. His legs he couldn't at that point he was so frozen," Tetreault said. The man, who has not been identified, is known to neighbors as "Bob" and is said to be in his 70s. Tetreault told WJAR-TV that he wasn't sure how Bob fell but was in the water for more than an hour. "I'm lucky that I could assist him out of the water," said Tetreault. "Somebody needs help, you help them out." The man was taken to Kent Hospital to be treated for hypothermia. The annual re-enactment of George Washington's daring 1776 crossing of the Delaware River just north of Trenton draws large crowds of families and history fans to both sides of the river in Pennsylvania and New Jersey each year on Christmas. But the re-enactors may be kept out of the water this year unless Mother Nature provides some help. Organizers say a "pretty significant amount" of precipitation will have to fall in the coming days to raise the river's water levels in time for the event, adding that where and when any snow or rain occurs are also important factors. But they stress that all other events planned at the park on the day of the crossing _ including Washington rallying the troops and other historical speeches and processions will still take place. Thousands of people turn out each year for the event the trek turned the tide of the Revolutionary War between Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, and Titusville, New Jersey. Boats ferried 2,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 18 cannons across the river during the original crossing. Washington's troops marched 8 miles downriver before battling Hessian mercenaries in the streets of Trenton. Thirty Hessians were killed, and two Continental soldiers froze to death on the march. Joe Capone, executive director of the Friends of Washington Crossing Park, a nonprofit organization that partners with the Pennsylvania environmental officials to run the park, said that if an inch of rain fell across the river's entire water basin, it would need to be in large watershed area including northwestern New Jersey, northeastern Pennsylvania and even as far as upstate New York. "If that could happen, we would like to have it occur four to five days beforehand so it drains and has a couple days to get down to us here," Capone said. The National Weather Service says no major storms appear to be on the horizon. "There will be some precipitation over the next couple weeks, but it's not looking like there will be anything that's really significant enough to bring the rivers up," said Joe Miketta, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey. "But obviously things could possibly change." The low water levels make it impossible to ensure safe passage for the re-enactors and the expensive replica wooden Durham boats that travel from the park in Pennsylvania over to the river's New Jersey side. The re-enactment can't happen unless the water level is at least 9 feet above sea level, and recent water levels have been around 8.3 feet. The low water levels spurred the cancellation of another crossing that was to be held Dec. 10, and some previous Christmas Day crossings have been scuttled due to water and/or weather issues. A final decision on whether to cross the river this year will likely be made a few days before Christmas. "The re-enactors and everyone else involved takes this event very seriously, and it educates while entertaining," Capone said. He noted that even if the full crossing can't happen, it's possible Washington could make the trip alone in a boat if the re-enactor portraying him was amenable. Two people were slashed Sunday inside one of New York Citys busiest subway stations, police say. Officials say the Fulton Street stop in Lower Manhattan became a crime scene around 5 p.m. after two straphangers were slashed by a man after an argument turned violent. The NYPD said a 26-year-old man was cut on the left side of his face and then a 36-year-old man who tried to intervene was cut on the left side of neck. The two victims knew each other, according to police. NYPD One witness said she saw two victims bleeding and saw police rushing in from every direction trying to get to the scene. I saw two guys come up the stairway and one was holding his head because he was bleeding and sat down, Sharon Havard said. The other guy came up and was holding his neck. It looked like he was bleeding from his neck. The two men who were injured are expected to be OK, according to police. Cops said the victims were not cooperating with authorities. The suspect quickly fled the area before police arrived on the scene. Police said the attacker is believed to be about 30 years old and was last seen wearing a black hat with a white skull on the back of it. Top Tri-State News Photos The Pentagon said that it had a secret program that lasted for five years that investigated unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, according to multiple reports published Saturday. The program, which only a few officials knew about, ran from 2007 to 2012, according to reports in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and received $22 million in annual funding from the U.S. Department of Defense budget. It investigated sightings by military pilots of flying objects that "maneuvered so unusually and so fast that they seemed to defy the laws of physics," Politico reported. The Times' included a Youtube video that suggests the footage was taken from a Navy fighter jet and shows an "unidentified aerial phenomenon." The Pentagon acknowledged the existence of the program. "The Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program ended in the 2012 timeframe," Pentagon spokeswoman Laura Ochoa said in an email to Reuters. "It was determined that there were other, higher priority issues that merited funding and it was in the best interest of the DoD to make a change." According to the reports, officials claim the program is still in existence in some form today and sightings are still being investigated. But the Pentagon did not confirm or deny that. "The DoD takes seriously all threats and potential threats to our people, our assets, and our mission and takes action whenever credible information is developed," Ochoa told Reuters. Democratic Sen. Harry Reid, who represented Nevada from 1987 to 2017, was a strong supporter of getting funding for the program, as he had a fascination for face phenomena, according to the Times. On Twitter Saturday, Reid linked to the Times' story, writing, "The truth is out there. Seriously." 1. Yes. The ordinance goes against state law and is not in the best interest of the cities. 2. Yes. At the very least, it should be amended to give police officers some discretion. 3. No. Voters approved the ordinance by large majorities; the councils cant ignore that fact. 4. No. The petition process has to be given a chance to work. Leave the ordinance alone. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say how the cities should move forward regarding the ordinance. Vote View Results Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels and his wife, Heidi, have donated their $9.75 million mansion in Branson, Missouri, to charity. The home on Table Rock Lake will be given to Camp Barnabas, a nonprofit organization in southwest Missouri. The organization helps individuals with special needs and chronic illnesses. "Seeing the faces, hearing the laughter, reading the stories of the kids they serve; there is truly nothing like it," Hamels, who now pitches for the Rangers, said. "Barnabas makes dreams come true, and we felt called to help them in a big way." [PHI] Photos: Cole Hamels Donates Missouri Mansion The 32,000-square-foot mansion will be the largest gift in the history of Barnabas, according to a press release by the Hamels Foundation. The Hamels began building the mansion in 2012 when he was still with the Phillies. It went up for sale in August of this year. The home sits on 104.7 acres of land with more than 1,700 feet of shoreline along Table Rock Lake. "Our mission is to change lives through disability ministry, and we've been strategically looking for ways to expand our ministry outside of a summer camp," said Jason Brawner, CEO of Camp Barnabas. "We have no doubt this gift will allow us to do just that." You can see more photos of the mansion on its posting on Realtor.com here. [NATL] Top Sports Photos: Washington Nationals Win World Series, and More Thousands of firefighters and people who wanted to pay their respects lined Interstate 15 to watch fallen firefighter Cory Iverson's funeral procession make its way to El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley Sunday. "Today has been a day that I am struggling to find words to try and describe," Cal Fire Chief Tony Mecham told NBC 7. "Cory Iverson made a decision to seek a profession where he put others first and by doing that that comes at great consequence to his family." Honoring a fallen brother. Firefighters line the Miramar Rd exit from I-15 for final stretch of funeral procession for Cory Iverson #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/Kwt8zdzD3y Steven Luke (@stevenlukenbc) December 17, 2017 Mecham traveled with the procession from Ventura County Sunday morning. "We were never alone for 203 miles today," he said. "For 203 miles not a single overpass did not have multiple fire engines standing in salute." Iverson, 32, was a Cal Fire Engineer from Escondido. He was part of a strike team made up of five engines with Cal Fire San Diego that were in an active area of the Thomas Fire in Fillmore, California when an accident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Iverson died in the accident. It was revealed Saturday that he died of thermal injuries and smoke inhalation. "It's just heartbreaking," Ventura County resident Lauren Jayne told NBC 4 LA. "Everybody's working so hard, and there's so little we can do except for to just be human and to try and do something kind." The procession left around 10 a.m. from the Ventura County Medical Examiner's office, traveling southbound on Highway 101. It then moved onto State Route 134 and Interstate 210 before continuing south to Interstate 15 arriving in San Diego around 1:20 p.m. The procession ended at the El Camino Memorial Park cemetery in Sorrento Valley around 2:12 p.m. Natalie Pomiak decided to honor Iverson's sacrifice by coming out to watch his procession. "Were so grateful and thankful for all that they do and they put themselves [through] to protect us," she said. Somber salute from fellow firefighters in Ventura County. Funeral procession for fallen @CALFIRESANDIEGO firefighter Cory Iverson, 32 father and husband. He will be laid to rest in San Diego County. Part of strike team that battled #ThomasFire. @NBCLA pic.twitter.com/q0gH6PBLvt Gene Kang (@GeneNBCLA) December 17, 2017 Scripps Ranch resident Christine Bowen agreed. "Weve lived in the community for 20 years, so we have been part of fires in the past and its a big deal, and we want to bring this fallen firefighter home," she told NBC 7. Iverson's remains will stay at the El Camino Memorial Park until his memorial service on Dec. 23. The service will be held at The Rock Church on Rosecrans Street in Point Loma at 10 a.m. Iverson Family Photo Iverson is survived by his wife, Ashley, and their two-year-old daughter. His wife is pregnant with a second child, expected in May. What to Know The defendant allegedly tried to mislead FBI about a friend he believed had joined ISIS. The friend was actually an FBI informant. Young faces up to 60 years in prison. A former Metro Transit Police officer was convicted Monday on charges of obstructing justice and trying to support ISIS, according to federal prosecutors. A jury convicted Nicholas Young, of Fairfax, Virginia, of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and obstruction of justice. He was arrested Aug. 3 at Metro headquarters, NBC News reported. Young, 37, believed a friend of his, who was actually an FBI informant, joined ISIS in 2014. When the FBI told Young they were investigating his friend's attempt to join ISIS, Young tried to deceive them on behalf of his friend, prosecutors said. On Nov. 20, 2014, Young sent his friend a text to mislead the FBI to think his friend was on vacation in Turkey, when Young actually believed his friend traveled to Turkey to ultimately go to Syria and fight for ISIS. Young tried to mislead investigators about where and why his friend was traveling during contacts between Dec. 3, 2015 and Dec. 5, 2015, prosecutors said. Between December 2015 and July, Young also sent the man digital gift card codes to be used with mobile messaging accounts ISIS uses in recruiting, according to prosecutors. ISIS fighters and supporters communicate using encrypted apps, some of which charge fees, NBC News and Newsweek reported. Young also told an FBI informant that he was stockpiling weapons in his home, prosecutors said. After his arrest, agents removed dozens of boxes from Young's townhouse, including at least one designed to hold long guns. According to court records, Young was under scrutiny since 2009, when Metro officials reported suspicious behavior to the FBI, NBC News reported. His employment with Metro was terminated after his arrest, according to the transit agency. Young has been a longtime supporter of Islamic extremism and also has Nazi sympathies, prosecutors allege. He traveled to Libya in 2011 and told the FBI he fought with rebels seeking to oust dictator Moammar Gadhafi, NBC News reported. Law enforcement officials first interviewed Young in September 2010, in connection with his acquaintance Zachary Chesser. Chesser, of Bristow, Virginia, pleaded guilty to providing material support to the terrorist group al-Shabab. The Muslim convert also told the creators of the television show "South Park" they risked death for mocking the Prophet Muhammad in an episode. Young began working for Metro in 2003. He posed no credible threat to the Metro system, Joshua Stueve, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, told NBC News. Young faces up to 60 years in prison. He will be sentenced in February, prosecutors said. Young has filed a lawsuit against the Alexandria Sheriff's Office saying he could see himself dying in jail because he is being held in solitary confinement in and 8-foot-wide cell for 22 hours a day. A Maryland medical professor, his daughter and a friend died in a small plane crash in southeastern Indiana Saturday evening. The crash of the single-engine Cessna plane near Oldenburg, Indiana, also killed one dog aboard the craft while a second dog survived after jumping out before impact, Indiana State Police Sgt. Stephen Wheeles said. Police said the victims were Dr. Louis Cantilena, 63, his daughter, Amy Cantilena, 31, both from Potomac, Maryland, and Paul Schuda, 65, of Arlington, Virginia. The plane was traveling from Kansas City, Missouri, to Frederick, Maryland, and had taken off from an airport outside Columbus, Indiana, after refueling when it had instrument problems and crashed in a wooded area about 40 miles northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio, about 9 p.m. Saturday. Wheeles said the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board also are investigating. Louis Cantilena was a professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda. "He always had this little twinkle, this little look in the corner of his eye, like, have you got what I said yet?" Department of Medicine Chairman Dr. Louis Pangaro said. "Really smart guy." As the nation tries to find ways to deal with the opioid abuse crisis, Washington, D.C., is taking a new approach to get the drugs out of the hands of people who do not need them. Law enforcement and D.C. drug stores support the use of drop boxes for people to get rid of unwanted drugs safely with no questions asked. Drop boxes have been installed at five locations and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One way in and no way out, said Karl Racine, attorney general for the District of Columbia, as he inspected a drop box at a CVS on Dupont Circle. I am a proponent of more. There's no doubt about it. I give them credit for the first step. I'd like to see more throughout the city. Opioid overdose deaths have risen from 83 in 2014 to 216 so far this year in Washington. Medical experts said it just takes three days for someone to become addicted to prescription painkillers. The abuse of opioids and the increase in fatal overdoses we are experiencing here in the District poses a serious public health threat, said Chief Peter Newsham, with the Metropolitan Police Department. CVS said the drop box will help get drugs off the street, so they can't be stolen or resold. It plans drop boxes in Virginia and Maryland next year, but that is still only a handful of stores out of about 200 regionwide. What we're doing today is but one step to avert unnecessary death, Racine said. To insure that unnecessary supply of opioids don't fall into the wrong hands. The DC Council is considering a plan to require all opioid prescriptions to be electronic to also cut down on fakes and frauds. But Newsham cautioned against another bill to require police to carry drug antidotes. He said it would be an expensive distraction from police work. There are three CVS locations that will have the drop boxes: 320 40th Street NE; 6514 Georgia Avenue NW; 6-7 Dupont Circle NW. There are two Walgreens locations that will have the drop boxes: 801 7th Street NW; 1155 F Street NW. Delta Air Lines and other carriers that operate out of Atlanta's busy airport say they expect to be running normally by Tuesday after a fire and blackout there forced the cancellation of over 1,500 flights days before the start of the Christmas rush. A spokesman for Delta, by far the biggest airline at the world's busiest airport, said most of its delayed passengers had been booked on flights scheduled to leave Monday. Spokesman Michael Thomas said the airline should be "largely if not completely" back to normal by Tuesday, well before the huge travel weekend ahead of Christmas Day. But no matter how fast Delta and other airlines move, it will take a few days to get the hundreds of thousands of grounded passengers to their final destinations, said Robert Mann, president of an airline consulting firm in Port Washington, New York. In rare cases, some passengers won't arrive until Thursday, he said. "There are just so few seats available during a peak holiday week, that's just going to take a lot of flights with four or five seats apiece," Mann said. The nation's air-travel system was snarled after the underground blaze knocked out electricity Sunday and crippled Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for about 11 hours. Southwest, the airport's second-largest airline, said Monday it was back on a normal schedule, but a spokesman could not say how long it would take to clear the backlog of stranded travelers. American Airlines, which is much smaller, said that it, too, booked many of its passengers on new flights but that some will have to wait until later in the week to fly. The fire broke out Sunday afternoon next to equipment for a backup system, causing that to fail, too. Power wasn't fully restored until about midnight. The control tower did not lose power because it has a separate electrical feed, and planes that were in the air and close to Atlanta when the blackout hit were allowed to land. Other incoming flights were diverted, and outgoing flights were halted. Anthony Foxx, who was transportation secretary under President Barack Obama, was among many travelers stuck for hours in a plane on the tarmac. He blasted airport officials, saying the problem was "compounded by confusion and poor communication." "Total and abject failure here at ATL Airport today," he tweeted, adding that there was "no excuse for lack of workable redundant power source. NONE!" Georgia Power CEO Paul Bowers issued an apology and blamed the fire on a failure in a switch gear. He said the utility is considering a change in the setup of the main and backup systems to prevent a similar blackout. Around noon Monday, stranded travelers sat on the floor, charging cellphones at the electrical outlets. An Atlanta city employee in a Santa hat gave out candy. David and Lynn Carden, sitting in soft chairs in the airport's atrium, left London early Sunday for Key West, Florida, but were diverted to Cincinnati because of the blackout. Delta got them a hotel room and put them on a Monday flight to Atlanta. From there, they awaited an afternoon flight to Florida. "Delta has been pretty good," David Carden said, counting themselves luckier than passengers who spent the night in an airport. "We don't always get this kind of customer service in the U.K." College student Joe Ryan had planned to fly home to Chicago with his fiancee on Sunday on American after a four-day seminar in Atlanta. They spent Sunday night on a carpeted floor outside an elevator at the airport. He initially was told it could be Tuesday before he would get a flight home, but later he said he was able to get on a Monday flight. Delta canceled about 1,000 flights Sunday and 400 more on Monday, in many cases because the pilots and airplanes were in the wrong places. To help clear the backlog, it added flights and found seats for some of its customers on other airlines. Last spring, Delta was crippled by a storm in the South, and it took the airline five days and about 4,000 canceled flights before it fully recovered. Thomas, the Delta spokesman, said that since then, the airline has put more flight crews on reserve and installed computer technology to quickly assemble properly rested crews. Hartsfield-Jackson serves an average of 275,000 passengers a day. Nearly 2,500 planes arrive and depart each day. Mann said the rebooking of passengers was probably complicated by the large number of inexperienced travelers this time of year. "They're more elderly, they're more young people, they're more infrequent travelers," he said. "All these folks are going to require a lot of face time a lot of hand-holding." Associated Press writers David Koenig, Kate Brumback, Johnny Clark and Robert Ray contributed to this report. As a string trio played, a long stream of mourners filed past the body of the late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee to say goodbye to their leader of seven years. His body lay in repose in a closed casket draped with the American flag, behind velvet ropes, and with two guards. A string trio played, a long stream of mourners filed past the body of the late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee to say goodbye to their leader of seven years. Sam Brock reports. A crowd gathered at City Hall early Friday, with thousands waiting to pay their respects. Inside the rotunda, where the maximum capacity is 3,000 people, mourners included former Mayor Willie Brown, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Acting Mayor London Breed, city staff, community activists, Lee's friends and more. Some people prayed, others made the sign of the cross and still, others bowed three times once to acknowledge heaven and earth, then to acknowledge the person who has passed away and finally for Lee's family. They also moved into a side hall to write their condolences. San Francisco will honor late Mayor Ed Lee, who died suddenly Tuesday, in two public memorials. Lee, 65, was San Francisco's first Asian-American mayor and presided over the city as it climbed out of a recession and into a boomtown driven by tech. He died early Tuesday after collapsing at a Safeway, leaving the city reeling from shock and dealing with the logistics of selecting a new leader. The medical examiner has not released a cause of death. A crowd gathered at City Hall early Friday, with thousands waiting to pay their respects for Ed Lee. Some people prayed, others made the sign of the cross, and still others bowed three times once to acknowledge heaven and earth, then to acknowledge the person who has passed away and finally for Lees family. They also moved into a... "I'm here to pay my respects to Ed Lee," said Matthew Saccomanno, 20, a nursing student at San Francisco State University. "He was a great mayor. He was a great man with a great heart." Saccomanno said he respected the mayor for trying to make life affordable in an increasingly unaffordable city, and for tackling climate change, an issue important to young people. [BAY JG] Mayor Ed Lee Remembered at San Francisco City Hall "He actually had the ability to listen," Brown said. "Most politicians cannot listen. And I suspect that people reacted because he actually looked them in the eye, he heard their name that they gave him, he gave them his name and he absolutely listened to the next words they said." Earlier Friday, a police motorcade escorted the body to City Hall, where a giant American flag has been hoisted up by the ladders of two firetrucks. [BAY MC] Life and Times of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee The funeral procession drove through several San Francisco neighborhoods, including Glen Park, where Lee lived. Police officers lined the steps and saluted, giving Lee full honors as his casket was carried up the steps and into City Hall just a few minutes before 7 a.m. People who worked with Lee fondly recalled that their mayor always arrived for appointments a few minutes early. So, of course, on a solemn a day as Friday, he would be brought to City Hall similarly early. It was sort of a signature of the kind of person he was, they told NBC Bay Area. [BAY JG] Procession Held For Late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee The last mayor to lie in repose in the rotunda was George Christopher, who led the city from 1956 to 1964 and died in 2000. Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, both assassinated in 1978, also laid in repose in the rotunda. Lee was elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2015 after being appointed to serve the remainder of former Mayor Gavin Newsom's term in 2011. He was a civil rights lawyer and longtime San Francisco administrator known for his corny sense of humor and dedication to public service. San Francisco Mayor Ed lee was sworn in Jan. 9, 2012 and he laid out his vision for the city. He also did something that no other mayor has done before. Supporters say Lee didn't receive enough credit for working to build affordable housing and battling homelessness. Critics say Lee didn't do enough to stand up to tech companies after he lured the industry to San Francisco with a tax break in 2011. The casket will be on display until 7 p.m. San Francisco will host a public memorial for Lee on Sunday. A New Hampshire community came together Monday night to mourn the loss of a 10-year-old boy after he was struck by a vehicle while sledding behind his home in Winchester on Saturday. Several people came out to remember 10-year-old Keyton Marrotte at the scene of what is being called a freak accident. People at the service remembered Marrotte as a person who was committed to his Christian faith and also to helping others. On Saturday, Marrotte had been sledding down a hill behind his home on Michigan Street just before 3 p.m Saturday. Police said when Marrotte reached the bottom of the hill, he continued onto the street and was struck by a vehicle. A woman who did not see the accident but heard it, ran to the scene and immediately began CPR on the boy. Emergency personnel then arrived on scene and continued lifesaving efforts which were continued by medical personnel while en route to Cheshire Medical Center where Marrotte later died. The hill is temporarily closed to sledders and town officials are now considering putting up some type of barrier at the bottom of the hill to help prevent this from happening again Police say that the driver who struck Marrotte will not face charges. After Julie Centeno, her fiance and her upstairs neighbors got out of their burning Massachusetts home, her mind turned to her wedding dress. Fire crews knocked down a 3-alarm blaze Sunday evening on Hart Place in Woburn. Centeno, 25, her fiance, 29-year-old Curtis Wilson, and three other people got out of the building. "We didn't grab anything, we just grabbed our coats and walked out the door," Centeno said. After they were outside, firefighters asked if there were any essentials inside. "I'm like, 'Yes! My dress is in there, my diamond ring's in there," Centeno recalled. "Those were the two things I was really concerned with because it's hard to replace after finding the perfect diamond, the perfect dress." NBC Boston "We made a point to the guys going in, during the course of our job, to save her wedding dress and, more importantly, her diamond ring," Woburn Fire Chief Stephen Adgate said. "She's all set to go." Wilson said his main concern was making sure everyone was safe, and that their home and their things are replaceable. But he was grateful that firefighters were able to help his bride-to-be. "So happy that she was able to get her ring, and her dress, and I wasn't able to look at the dress, so we're still on good terms," he said with a smile. Wilson's mother says the couple will be getting married in November. According to Adgate, the American Red Cross of Massachusetts is assisting the residents displaced by the fire. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More A man violated a restraining order, threatened to harm himself and fled into the woods of Spencer, Massachusetts, Sunday afternoon, according to police. Spencer Police responded to Paxton Road after a report that 38-year-old Steven Patchen had violated a domestic restraining order. They say he ran into the woods with a long gun. Patchen, whose last known address is in Warren, has an active warrant for violating the same restraining order, according to police. State police troopers from the barracks in Holden, Brookfield and Sturbridge assisted in the search, as did the Air Wing and K-9 units, but Patchen could not be found, and the search was called off around 9:15 p.m. Police do not believe Patchen to be a danger to anyone but himself. Anyone with information is asked to call Spencer Police at (508) 885-6333. CEO discusses Brexit, emerging markets and his company's vineyard in Windsor Great Park MP Alok Sharma with David Thatcher and other employees at Direct Wines Reading West MP Alok Sharma was recently invited by Direct Wines chief executive David Thatcher to take a tour of the companys Theale headquarters. Direct Wines is an independent wine merchant founded in 1969 and based in Arlington Business Park. The company owns both Laithwaites Wine and Averys. It operates vineyards and wine-making facilities in the UK, France, USA Australia. Thatcher told the MP that two of Direct Wines biggest markets are the USA and Australia. The company is also emerging for the first time the markets of Hong Kong and China. Thatcher also told Sharma about Laithwaites Wines partnership with The Crown Estate. Laithwaites was given permission in 2011 to plant a vineyard in Windsor Great Park. Henry II was also said to have a vineyard at Windsor Castle in the 1100s. The location, climate drainage of the soil at the vineyard provides an ideal environment to produce English sparkling wine. Sharma said: I am very grateful to Direct Wines and their CEO David Thatcher for hosting me and discussing the challenges and opportunities for the industry. I am very proud of this local business with its global outreach. Thatcher said: It was a great pleasure to show Alok round our offices in Theale and to discuss some of the implications of Brexit and alcohol duty for our business with him. Rain doesn't stop play as hundreds make a dash for charity OH the weather outside was frightful, but Thatcham Santas were keen and sprightful... Around 300 runners braved the rain and sleet to dash through the town for Thatcham Rotary Clubs fifth Great Thatcham Santa Run on Sunday. Among some of the soggy Santas was Martin Clark who, when asked why he was taking part, joked: Because we are mad. Im a runner anyway and obviously its for charity and good causes, so why not? A majority of the proceeds raised by Thatcham Rotary Club will be donated to The Rosemary Appeal, the 4.5m campaign to build a renal dialysis and cancer care unit at West Berkshire Community Hospital. Mr Clark said he was running for the clubs charities and missed last years run because his family was in Lapland. Also taking on the festive dash was Rachel Millard with her daughter Grace, both raising money for Rotary charities. We both like to run and thought it would be good fun, until we saw the weather today, Mrs Millard said. And returning to the event for another year was 72-year-old Val Bray with her family. Mrs Bray had to attend dialysis treatment in Reading, and her husband had been diagnosed with cancer. When asked why they had returned, her daughter Vicky Caws said: The same thing, The Rosemary Appeal. Now, no matter the weather, its become a Christmas tradition. If we dont do it, we feel like we have failed. With the weather being more fit for the clubs annual duck race, organisers shortened the 5km route to cut out the Thatcham lakes. And first to cross the line for the second year running was Mike Cass from Thatcham completing the 4.4km in 16:50:03, with his wife Danielle coming third. Mr Cass, who ran the Newbury Santa Run the previous weekend, was raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. He said: Its good fun. Someone had to finish first, although I appreciate its a fun run and not a timed run, and its good to see so many people out. Second place went to 16-year-old Georgia Hayes, from Brimpton, who said: It was good, but I lost my hat about halfway around. She added the course seemed a bit short, having run the 5km Newbury Park Run the day before. Thatcham Rotary Club president Ray Stowell said the event had gone exceptionally well. He said: Conditions werent particularly great and to get such a big turnout shows good old British spirit really. Its really fantastic. Its really well established now. Its getting the community together and having a bit of fun and raising a bit of money on the side and it gives individuals an opportunity to raise money for their charities. Well raise about 4,000 out of it, but others will raise their own funds. Im pleased with the people who turned up because it really is a community event. Man flu refers to a common cold or flu which when occurring in men is usually presented with exaggerated symptoms and the severity of those symptoms. It has long been ridiculed in society. Science now explores if men truly suffer more when they are down with a cold. Image Credit: Dotshock / Shutterstock This new study comes from a frustrated Canadian researcher who was tired of being accused of overreacting to symptoms of flu. He looked at the published studies from different journals and published his findings titled, The science behind man flu in the British Medical Journals latest issue. First he looked at the animal studies that have been conducted to check for the gender differences and noted that infections generally induce the release of stress hormones like corticosterones. This response to infections is greater in female mice than male mice. This means the females have suppressed symptoms of the infection compared to male mice. Further female hormone estrogen and estrogen receptors that are present more abundantly in females can reduce the levels of the influenza A virus counts. When the estrogen levels were reduced in the female animals, their propensity for the infections rose. Human studies showed that women who were still menstruating (meaning their female hormones were at normal levels) had stronger response and immunity against rhinovirus (a virus that commonly causes colds) when compared to men of the same age. This suggests a hormonal link to colds and responses to it. The author then looked at the number of people down with flu worldwide from the World Health Organization statistics. 2004-10 data from Hong Kong on seasonal influenza showed that adult men had a higher risk of getting admitted in hospitals. In the United States too men had a greater risk of deaths due to influenza compared to women of the same age groups. Further, women show better response to influenza vaccine compared to men. Men also tend to have more complications due to influenza and other respiratory infections than women. The researcher Kyle Sue assistant professor of family medicine from Health Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St Johns, NL, Canada, then wrote that men are more vulnerable to respiratory infections than women. This is because their immune system is less robust. He adds that there are authors who have postulated, if males require, for example, testosterone for aggressive behaviour and the development of male secondary sexual characteristics, selection for winning at the high-stakes game males play may override the cost of any immunosuppressive effects of the hormone. Further they add that males of many species are more likely to die from trauma before an infection kills them. The author concludes that Men may not be exaggerating symptoms but have weaker immune responses to viral respiratory viruses, leading to greater morbidity and mortality than seen in women. Tobacco companies now say that tobacco is safer when heated not burned. A government advisory body has negated these claims saying that even heated, tobacco containing products have chemicals that can cause serious harm to health. The independent committee called the Committee of Toxicology (COT) has been scanning the evidence on the heated not burned products that are available online in the United Kingdom. These are considered to be less risky that that traditional cigarettes according to the marketing strategies. The committee has however said that these should not be assumed to be safe nonetheless. The committee in its report on these products to the Public Health England (PHE) writes that there are two such products which are widely sold in UK. These lead to 50 percent and 90 percent less exposure to harmful chemicals compared to traditional cigarettes respectively. These products are heated to 350 degree Celsius and 50 degree Celsius respectively they write. A conventional cigarette is burned at 800 degree Celsius. These heat not burn products are generally heated to lower temperatures and they produce a vapor which results from directly heating the substances. These are then passed over tobacco to obtain the flavor. Tobacco is not heated directly in this manner. The chairperson of COT, Professor Alan Boobis explained that there is a risk to health with these products although reduced. The safest he said would be quit completely. He said nicotine replacement patches and gums should be the first step for those attempting to quit smoking. When this fails, he adds, e-cigarettes could be tried and if that fails too, heat not burn devices may be chosen. He warned that these were not recreational devices. These heat not burn products are not safe for pregnant women and are also not safe for bystanders who may inhale the smoke coming from these devices. In this manner these are similar to the conventional cigarettes. Phillip Morris International (PMI) and British American Tobacco have developed these heat not burn products. According to a statement from the PMI, they wish to aim for safer alternatives that could lead to a smoke free future. However the marketing strategies of the tobacco giant are aggressive especially in the developing nations say experts. PMI has its iQOS device and British American Tobacco has its own iFUSE device that is marketed in the UK. The COT at present is also assessing the safety of e-cigarettes that have caught on worldwide. Anti-smoking charities and experts have hailed this new report from the COT and reiterated the fact that quitting is the healthiest option and not switching to so-called safer alternatives. The PHE earlier had suggested a shift to e-cigarettes among those who were unable to quit using other means such as nicotine replacement. The organization however calls use of these heat not burn devices as a means to quit as unclear in its effectiveness and safety. Rosanna OConnor, PHE director of drugs, alcohol and tobacco said in a statement, Heat-not-burn tobacco products are not the same as e-cigarettes There is a large amount of evidence that shows vaping is much less harmful than smoking at least 95 percent and we encourage smokers to try e-cigarettes as a way of stopping smokingPeople who combine e-cigarettes with support from their local stop-smoking service have some of the highest quit success rates. Last week the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a guideline that would help the public reduce the radiation exposure from cell phones. The guidelines clearly state that cell phones need to be kept away from the body. The guidelines state that cell phone use is on the rise in the United States especially among children. Nearly 95 percent of the Americans have a cell phone and 12 percent of them rely upon their phones for internet access and usage. The average age when a person gets a cell phone has come down to 10 years say statistics. Most youngsters keep their phone on their person (in their pockets) or at bedside while they sleep. Till date there is a debate on how safe or unsafe cell phones are in terms of emitting harmful electromagnetic radiations that can damage the cells. There is however research that shows that long term and heavy use of cell phones has a significant impact on humans. CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith said that there are concerns about the increasing number of people who are long term as well as heavy users of the cell phones. We know that simple steps, such as not keeping your phone in your pocket and moving it away from your bed at night, can help reduce exposure for both children and adults, she said. There is a constant emission of radio frequency energy waves from the cell phones as they receive and send signals to and from the cell phone towers. These energy rays are harmful say some researchers. Dr. Smith explained that the brains of the children develop over the teenage years and these may be affected with cell phone usage. It is imperative she said that parents should reduce the cell phone usage of their children and especially take care to switch off the devices at night. She added that there has been research showing the association of exposure to cell phone radiation and brain cancers and tumors. Cell phone radiation exposure has also been tied to low sperm counts, headaches, poor memory and impaired sleep and hearing. Some of the practical steps that the new guidelines outline include: Not keeping the phone near the body Not using the cell phone when the signals are weak or the bars are two or less. This usually happens in fast moving vehicles and trains Not keeping the cell phones on or near the bed at night Reducing the use of cell phones for streaming or uploading large audio or video files Not using headsets when not in calls and Not using products that claim to block the radio frequency energy waves. It is sais that these devices increase the risk of harmful radiation exposure. The guidelines are partly as a result of a lawsuit that was brought about by Joel Moskowitz, a professor at the University of California Berkeley in 2009 that he had won last year. The case was against the fact that not enough was being done to reduce and regulate the radiation exposure and emission from the cell phones. Moskowitz said that the cell phone manufacturers warn about a minimum distance the phone should be kept from the body. This should be made public. Reference: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR17-086.aspx GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Russian Soyuz capsule with Three astronauts blasts off for ISS mission from Baikonur cosmodrome New Delhi : A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a team of three astronauts from the US, Russia and Japan blasted off for the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The capsule with the three crew members -- NASA's Scott Tingle, Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency -- is scheduled to dock with the space station's Rassvet module on December 19, the US space agency aid. The arrival of Tingle, Shkaplerov and Kanai will restore the station's crew complement to six. They will join Expedition 54 Commander Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and his crewmates, Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba of NASA. The crew members will spend more than four months conducting approximately 250 science investigations in fields such as biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development, NASA said. Highlights of upcoming investigations include demonstrating the benefits of manufacturing fibre optic filaments in a microgravity environment. Other important investigations include a new study looking at structures that are vital to the design of advanced optical materials and electronic devices and examining a drug compound and drug delivery system designed to combat muscular breakdown in space or during other prolonged periods of disuse, such as extended bed rest on Earth. Vande Hei, Acaba and Misurkin are scheduled to remain aboard the station until February 2018, and Tingle, Shkaplerov and Kanai are scheduled to return to Earth in April, the US space agency said. 9 killed in attack on church in Pakistan, Islamic State claims responsibility Quetta : At least nine people have been killed, including two of the attackers, and another 30 injured after four armed insurgents attacked a Methodist church on Sunday in Quetta in Pakistan. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack on the Bethel Memorial church on Imdad square, where around 400 people were present, started at 12.10 p.m. when a suicide attacker detonated the explosives he was carrying at the church's entrance, police spokesperson Muhammed Ramzan said. Another of the attackers, who failed to detonate his explosives-laden vest, was killed in a shootout with the police inside the church while the remaining two assailants fled the scene, reports Efe news. "The police are hunting for those who ran away," a police officer added. According to the police spokesperson, among the nine killed were two women and five men, in addition to the two attackers. Another 28 people have been injured, including a police officer guarding the church. However, Hidayat Ullah, a supervisor at the Civil Hospital Quetta, told EFE that 30 people had been wounded, including women and children. The Islamic State terror organisation on Sunday claimed responsibility for the suicide bomb and gun attack. In a statement published via the messaging service Telegram, IS said two of its members launched the attack on the Bethel Memorial Church in Imdad Square in Quetta, where around 400 people were present, Efe news agency reported. IS added that one of them detonated an explosive belt he was wearing, while the second was killed in a shootout with Pakistani security forces. The government of Balochistan declared an emergency in public hospitals of Quetta when the attack started and asked all medical staff to be ready to receive the injured, according to an official statement. Quetta, capital of Balochistan, is located in one of the most conflict-ridden areas of Pakistan, with the presence of armed separatist groups, Taliban factions and Islamist groups. There have been frequent attacks on religious minorities in Balochistan, including the last incident in October, in which 18 people were killed and 25 injured in a suicide attack on a Sufi shrine. Pakistan is a Sunni-Muslim majority country, with four million Christians in a total population of around 200 million residents. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate There are 27 facilities in Connecticut that use such large quantities of hazardous chemicals that they are required to submit disaster response plans to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About 170,000 people roughly 5 percent of the state population live within one mile of these facilities, risking exposure to a leak, explosion or adverse health effects. Low-income people and children of color under the age of 12 are more likely than their white counterparts to live in these fenceline communities, according to a report by the Center for Effective Government. In its report Living in the Shadow of Danger: Poverty, Race and Unequal Chemical Facility Hazards, the center examined more than 12,500 facilities in 50 states, grading states based on disparities faced by people living adjacent to or near these facilities. The center reported that children of color under age 12 living in the state were 2.2 times more likely than white children to live within a mile of one of these facilities. In many instances, residents are unaware of the dangers just blocks from their homes, the report said. Connecticut, and 25 other states, earned a D grade for its inequities. But, like in many states, theres little that can be done because many of the facilities were built under old zoning laws and are protected. Ive been doing this for 25 years, and I dont see things changing. Its frustrating, said Edith Pestana, administrator of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protections Environmental Justice Program, which was formed to assist neighborhoods unfairly burdened by environmental hazards. I have to say I was traumatized that we got a D, but people are living where they were always living, and it hasnt improved. A lot of it has to do with terrible zoning. A lot of facilities are grandfathered in, Pestana said. Until cities start looking at public health again, when they are rewriting their planning and zoning rules, things are not going to change. But the dangers are real, especially for people of color, experts and advocates said. Between 2010 and 2014, incidents occurred more frequently at facilities in neighborhoods predominantly populated by people of color one incident per six facilities compared with one per 11 in predominantly white neighborhoods. In 2015 the EPA estimated that 150 catastrophic accidents occur nationwide at regulated facilities each year. These incidents keep happening and happening. It feels like we get a new report once or twice a week, said Anna Fendley of United Steelworkers, which represents 30,000 workers in chemical facilities across the country, including Connecticut. The most recent incident in Connecticut took place in December 2016, when an explosion occurred inside a warehouse at the New Haven Chlor-Alkali bleach manufacturing plant. The incident did not cause any injuries, but it was a wakeup call to some nearby residents. You have families that live on this street, said 28-year-old John Smith, pointing to his son arriving home from school. He lives on Welton Street across from railroad tracks that bring 90-ton railcars of chlorine to and from the plant. I like this street, its quiet except for the trains, but if I could I wouldnt live near here. Federal, State And Local Oversight An amendment to the Clean Air Act of 1990 mandated that facilities holding large quantities of certain potentially toxic chemicals submit a risk management plan to the EPA detailing procedures to be followed if an explosion sends those chemicals airborne. Connecticuts 27 regulated facilities range from chemical manufacturers to food and beverage facilities and aerospace companies. The chemicals stored or processed include ammonia, chlorine, pentane, butane, propane and others. The facilities employ more than 7,000 workers and are scattered statewide. In addition to New Haven, facilities are in Bridgeport, Norwalk, North Haven, New Britain, Wallingford, Bristol, Suffield and Windsor Locks, among other communities, according to reports compiled by the Houston Chronicles Right-To-Know Network. The newspaper created the listing because the EPA does not have a public database of risk management plan facilities online. In 1993, DEEP created an Environmental Justice Program to help communities exposed to higher levels of environmental pollution. No segment of the population should, because of its racial or economic makeup, bear a disproportionate share of the risks and consequences of environmental pollution or be denied equal access to environmental benefits, according to the state agencys policy. In 2009, the state enacted a landmark environmental justice law, which helps neighborhoods express community health concerns and negotiate with companies. But that has done little to lessen the dangers because the law covers only new and expanding companies. Most facilities storing and processing chemicals existed prior to 2008. The worst-case disaster scenario for the Chlor-Alkali plant would be a broken hose on one of those railcars, which would allow the chlorine to vaporize into the air, according to the companys disaster response plan submitted to the EPA. An entire railcar of chlorine escaping could be toxic as far as 25 miles, impacting 1.6 million people, the documents report. The plant calls this extremely unlikely, but acknowledges the more immediate risk to those living nearby. However, even a chlorine release that is stopped within 30 minutes could be toxic to our nearby neighbors, the documents read. Theres a really good chance youre in danger if youre that close, said Sean Moulton, one of the contributors to the centers report who now works for the Project on Government Oversight. That organization took over most of the Center for Effective Governments work in March 2016. Certain societal forces got us to this point, he said. We need to do something about future facilities and figure out a way to reach out to communities that are there now, ensuring that they have the proper tools and knowledge to deal with short-term emergencies and address long-term consequences of living near these facilities. Changes In New Haven What can change is how municipalities handle incidents. Sometimes it takes an incident or an explosion to bring about change. In New Haven, residents have long complained about the Chlor-Alkali bleach manufacturing plant, formerly H. Krevit & Co., which shook their Cedar Hill neighborhood last December. A container explosion released sodium hypochlorite, a chemical dangerous to inhale, and ripped a hole through the rear of the building. Residents heard and felt the morning blast but werent notified it was a chemical explosion for six hours. After the explosion, the citys Office of Emergency Management updated its notification system so if that were to happen again, phone calls and text messages would go to residents within two miles of the incident. The city also plans to distribute a chemical preparedness pamphlet citywide. In March, New Havens City Plan Commission approved a site plan for Chlor-Alkali to install equipment for a greener process to make bleach using only salt, water and electricity. Chlor-Alkalis business development manager, Arjun Murthy, now regularly attends meetings with neighbors to address concerns and said the plant has made a number of process changes inside our plant and added new equipment to ensure that something similar never happens again. Unfortunately, we had to have an incident to get to this point, said Marie Gallo, a member of the Cedar Hill Merchants Association and owner of Gallos Appliance, which is a few blocks south of the plant. At a recent merchant meeting during which the city announced its plan, she said, If we were taken a little more seriously three or four years ago, maybe we wouldnt be at this point now. These communities suffer disproportionately, said Dr. Mark Mitchell, a public health physician who founded the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice and currently serves as principal of Mitchell Environmental Health Associates. Theres a direct correlation between the percentage of people of color in a community and the number of environmental hazards in those communities and the relationship is even stronger between poverty and environmental hazards. People dont know that its dangerous. They dont know what they are living next to, he said. And particularly in low-income neighborhoods, people move very frequently and so even if you tell people today, then next year there could be a whole new set of people who wont know. Adam Wisnieski is Conn. Health I-Team writer. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org). Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? My meet with Rahul would have prevented BJP's Gujarat win: Hardik Patel 10 interesting facts why Gujarat elections have grabbed everyone's attention India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Gandhinagar, Dec 18: Those who are closely following the Gujarat Assembly elections, the results of which will be declared on Monday, they would definitely admit that the polls in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are the most important and interesting political event of the country in 2017. The Assembly election in the state has been dubbed as the penultimate battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress before the country votes for the all-important Lok Sabha elections in 2019. Apart from the high-octane campaign put up by the two rival parties, there are other factors which make the elections in the state very interesting. Here we bring you 10 interesting facts about the Gujarat Assembly elections: 1. More than half the voters in Gujarat are aged under 40. 2. Leading campaign faces for the BJP and the Congress--PM Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi--addressed 64 public rallies. In fact, Modi took part in 34 public meetings and Rahul 30. 3. The state has 48 percent female voters but had only one female chief minister, Anandiben Patel, so far. 4. While the BJP has given tickets to 11 women candidates, the Congress 10 for the Gujarat Assembly elections 2017. 5. The BJP has given tickets to 50 Patidar leaders, 58 OBCs, and 13 Dalits and the Congress has given tickets to 41 Patidars, 62 OBCs and 14 Dalits. 6. For the first time, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were being used for polling in Gujarat. 7. This time, for the first time, Gujarat saw all-women managed polling stations. 8. While voter turnout during the 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections was 71.32 percent, this time it was 68.7 percent, down by 2.91 percent. 9. Highest vote share Congress had at 55.55 per cent during the 1985 Gujarat Assembly elections. 10. Rahul visited more than two dozen temples as a part of his Gujarat poll campaign. The Assembly elections for Gujarat were held on December 9 and 14. The results will be out in a few hours from now. OneIndia News 10,000 documents, 100 witnesses, NIA set to chargesheet Kashmirs separatists India oi-Vicky By Vicky It is probably one of the strongest cases where terror funding is concerned. The National Investigation Agency which has worked along with auditors and officials of the Finance Ministry is set to file its charge sheet in the Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case. We are approaching the Home Ministry now to seek approval for sanctions.The probe is nearing completion and by January we will file the charge sheet following which the trial will begin. There are 7 Kashmir separatists who will be chargesheeted, the NIA official informed OneIndia. There are many firsts in this charge sheet. This would be first by an agency in a terror funding case where finance ministry experts have also joined in the probe and analysed the funding pattern. The mode of funding, the hawala network among others had also been taken into account during the NIA probe. There have also been auditors who have worked on this case for many months. There were over 10,000 documents that were studied by the probe agencies which finally led to a very strong case being built, the NIA officer further said. We have managed to establish the pro-Pakistan links and the charge sheet will indicate just that the NIA official also noted. The NIA charge sheet would speak about how money had rolled in from Pakistan and how it was used to fan terrorism and unrest in the Valley. We have a very strong case on hand and are very confident of a conviction in the case, the NIA officer also said. The evidence is documentary in nature and there are also some very strong witnesses in the case, the NIA official also noted. OneIndia News Only those from political families can eye a CMs post in Congress: Amit Shah Uniform Civil Code in Himachal if BJP comes to power: Amit Shah BJP will win most seats, break all records in Gujarat: Amit Shah 'We will win upcoming election in next 4 states', says Amit Shah India oi-Madhuri Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Monday said that BJP will win upcoming election in next 4 states. Taking to Twitter, Shah said,''Thank you Himachal.'' Amit Shah while addressing media said that we have won by a big margin in Himachal Pradesh and our vote percentage has improved by 10 percent here. It is clear that Himachal wants to join Modi's model of development. He also said that will win upcoming election in next 4 states. Shah also said,'by 2022 Modiji's dream of having a New India will be fulfilled. The 2/3rd lead in Himachal Pradesh shows people there want to join PM Modi in the journey to development.' Meanwhile, Modi said that election results show strong support for politics of good governance and development. The results of the Himachal Pradesh elections are likely to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP returning to power and the ouster of Congress party, according to current trends. The counting of votes for the 68 seats in Himachal Pradesh began at 8 am. The Election Commission of India will announce the final Himachal Pradesh election results oneci.nic.in by the evening. Being Ashok Gehlot: Rajasthani politicians Gujarat googly attempts to revive Rahuls career India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Recommended Video Gujarat Assembly polls: Ashok Gehlot masterminded Rahul's revival in Modi's home state|Oneindia News New Delhi, Dec 18: Gujarat is the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and vice versa, going by the immense popularity enjoyed by the former CM of the western state. To go to Gujarat and challenge the might of the PM and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is controlling the reins of the state for the last 22 years, is not an easy task. The Congress, which till a few months ago was on the verge of a collapse, decided to dare the BJP in its stronghold. In doing so, the grand old party attempted to revive the career of Rahul Gandhi which had hit rock bottom after the Congress' humiliating debacle in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly elections earlier this year. In mid-2017, the country was truly looking Congress-mukt Bharat (India free from the Congress), a term coined by the BJP after its historic win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections to free India from the clutches of the grand old party. Since then the BJP has been winning one election after another by taking control over 18 states. Under such circumstances, it was a do or die situation for both the Congress and its then vice-president Rahul. In such critical times, the Congress took the decision to let Rahul jump into the waters of Gujarat, totally controlled by the saffron party. If he manages to swim in the 'choppy waters' of Gujarat, Rahul survives politically and so thus the Congress, in a way. Anyone with a bit of knowledge in politics would question the Congress for choosing Gujarat to script the reincarnation of its new president as the entire plan seems implausible and laughable. However, the Congress had a different game plan altogether. One thing was clear--in Gujarat, the Congress has nothing to lose. Second, the grand old party wanted to see if the popularity of Modi could be challenged or not in his home state itself. So the party put up Rahul as the Congress' face to challenge Modi in Gujarat. It was a futurist move by the Congress keeping an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Since September, Rahul had made Gujarat his second home till the second and final phase of voting in the state got over on December 14. The first phase of polling in Gujarat took place on December 9. All these planning and thinking were masterfully done by none other than the backroom boys and veteran leaders of the party, prominent among them are former CM of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot. The two-time Rajasthan CM Gehlot is the Congress' Gujarat in-charge too. The Congress' poll campaign was to target the BJP over the failure of demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST). The grand old party also tried to cash in on the angst of Patidars, OBCs, Dalits and small-time traders protesting against the saffron party in the state. By highlighting the failure of the ruling BJP in Gujarat, the Congress simultaneously targeted the Modi government at the Centre. The Congress' alliance with the opponents of the BJP created quite a pandemonium in the saffron party camp which was reflected in the way the PM junked the vikas (development) bandwagon and tried to fuel communal and caste passion among the voters during his election rallies in the state. Going by the trends, the Congress is going to get more than 70-plus seats in the state, winning 10-15 more seats than the previous Assembly elections in the state when the party won 61 seats. The BJP, on its part, which was dreaming to get 150-plus seats in the 182-member Gujarat Legislative Assembly has to settle for 105 seats as against 115 seats won in 2012, as per the trends. While the counting was on, Gehlot on Monday said his party was the winner in the Assembly elections even if it didn't succeed in ousting the BJP in the state. "The BJP fought elections on emotional issues. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi told voters that he is the son of Gujarat. His prestige is at stake," Gehlot said. "But the Congress did a real election campaign and talked about the issues related to farmers, Dalits, tribals, and traders. We formalised our manifesto for the people of Gujarat after talking to them," he told reporters. Asked if the Congress win or loss in Gujarat would be credited to new party President Rahul Gandhi, Gehlot said it was a hypothetical question. "Let's not talk hypothetically. Whatever the election results, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi are the real winners." The most important takeaway for the Congress from the Gujarat elections is that the BJP and Modi are not invincible. The second fact is that Rahul managed to prove his mettle as a matured and serious politician in Gujarat. Just after the end of campaigning in Gujarat, Rahul was crowned as the party president, in spite of the criticism that the top post was bagged by him because of his surname, Gandhi. If the Congress' new president continues to reach out to people with the same energy and zeal--that he had shown in Gujarat--across the country, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections might not be an easy affair for the BJP which got 282 seats in the last parliamentary elections. And for all these changes to happen in the Congress camp, Gehlot definitely needs a pat on his back. OneIndia News Congress workers stage protest over alleged EVM tampering India oi-Vikas By Vikas The Congress workers on Monday staged a protest outside the party office in Delhi alleging that the BJP won the Gujarat elections due to the EVM tampering. The agitators raised slogans and carrying placards with messages such as, "Jab tak EVM hai Modi ji ko Vishnu bhagwan bhi nahi hara sakte (As long as there is EVM, even lord Vishnu cannot defeat PM Modi)." The Congress has been complaining that there is something wrong with the EVM. Several opposition leaders have at different points in time raised questions on EVMs. The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Congress party's plea seeking direction to the Election Commission to verify at least 25 percent of paper trails generated by the VVPAT machines with the actual vote tally in EVMs. Amid intense debate on the efficacy of the Electronic Voting Machines and allegations that the machines could have tampered with, former Chief Election Commissioners strongly came out saying that EVM's cannot be hacked and today's election results were the example. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti on Monday assured that there can be no EVM tampering possible during the Gujarat election counting. There were complaints about Bluetooth devices being connected to EVMs. Senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia had complained that three EVMs were seen connected to Bluetooth devices and he sent the complaint to the ECI along with screenshots backing his complaint. Patidar leader Hardik Patel had also claimed that a group of software engineers was being hired to hack into the machines. OneIndia News What to make out of Muslim-Bhagwat meet? This is the truth: All people of India are Hindus says Dr. Mohan Bhagwat Everyone who lives in India are Hindus: Mohan Bhagwat India oi-Vicky By Vicky The RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat has said that anyone living in India is a Hindu. Hindutva is different from Hinduism, he told a public function at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan in the heart of Tripura's capital. "The Muslims in India are also Hindus," the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak said. Bhagwat, who is on a five-day tour of Tripura since Friday to review the organisational work of the RSS in the north-eastern region, said, "We have no enmity with anyone. We want welfare of all. To unite all is the meaning of Hindutva." Maintaining that India is a land of Hindus, he said "tortured" Hindus from across the world come to the country and get shelter. The RSS supremo said, "Hindus believe in truth, but the world respects strength. There is strength in organisation. Being organised is the natural law." Referring to the Partition, he said parts of India got separated in 1947, leading to the weakening of the spirit of Hindutva and a decline of the "Hindu Samaj". "India was united for so long. There was unity among the Hindus," Bhagwat said. Highlighting the rich heritage of the country, he said, "A perturbed and confused world is looking at India for a new world order that can accommodate the materialist as well as the idealist." He urged the Hindus to get organised and trained at RSS "shakhas" (daily meetings), saying these were the only places where one could prepare for nation-building and self-development. The "sanatan dharma" wants to work together with everybody on board, Bhagwat said. The Left Front-ruled Tripura is scheduled to go to polls early next year and the BJP is making a serious bid to increase its footprint in the north-east. Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur have BJP governments. OneIndia News Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? EVM hacking: What former CECs had to say? India oi-Deepika By Deepika Amid intense debate on the efficacy of the Electronic Voting Machines and allegations that the machines could have tampered with former Chief Election Commissioners have strongly come out with an opinion saying that EVM's cannot be hacked and today's election results is the best example. Political parties blame EVM when they lose in polls: Naveen Chawla Former Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla on Monday asserted that political parties or candidate tended to cry foul and blame the electronic voting machines (EVMs) when they are losing the elections. "I have observed that when a political party or a candidate lose, they tend to blame the machine and I think that's unfair," Naveen Chawla told ANI. He added that people should have faith not only in the Election Commission (EC) but also the courts, who have called the EVM has one of the technological wonders. EVM is the winner: Gopalaswami "You are failing to see one winner already. That is the EVM," Gopalaswami told Times Now. He said irrespective of their political affiliations, the political leaders have always shown a trend to blame the EVM whenever they are on the losing side. "This happened in 2009, this has happened now and this may happen in future," he said. EVM is a standalone machine, question of hacking doesn't arise: HS Brahma "I firmly believe that our EVMs, VVPATs cannot be tampered with. This matter should be closed once and for all as it is tried and tested. EVM is a standalone machine, question of hacking doesn't arise" said former Chief Election Commissioner of India, HS Brahma In the run-up to the elections in Gujarat, the Congress party and even political players like Hardik Patil have expressed apprehension that EVMs could be tampered with to suit the BJP. OneIndia News Officials with seized ganja and arrested individual Cannabis is a banned substance in India and the person possessing it can be booked under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. (Image courtesy - ANI/Twitter) Dried cannabis leaves for recreational use Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant. It is being used in India for both medicinal and recreational purposes for centuries . The main psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Dried cannabis leaves are usually smoked, although they also be eaten or drunk in different forms. The earliest recorded uses date from the 3rd millennium BC. Since the early 20th century, cannabis has been subject to legal restrictions. The possession, use, and sale of cannabis is illegal in most countries of the world. Prolonged usage can lead to adverse affects on health Effects of chronic use may include bronchitis, a cannabis dependence syndrome, and subtle impairments of attention and memory.People who smoked cannabis regularly in adolescence exhibit reduced connectivity in specific brain regions associated with memory, learning, alertness, and executive function. A study has suggested that sustained heavy, daily, adolescent onset cannabis use over decades is associated with a decline in IQ by age 38. Chile is the largest producer of legal cannabis In 2015,Chile passed a bill which allows the production and sale of drugs derived from hemp plants, legislation that countries such as Puerto Rico and Colombia have also adopted recently. At the end of 2015, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed a decree which establishes that the Institute of Public Health has the authority to allow and control the use of cannabis for the manufacturing of medicinal products for human use. Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? Gujarat Assembly elections 2017: 10 controversies during poll campaign India oi-Deepika By Deepika True to the spirit of the poll campaign trends in India, this time too, controversies played an important role in sending our collective adrenaline gushing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded the campaign for the ruling party and Congress' new president Rahul Gandhi helmed the stumping for his outfit. There was a fierce battle between the two-star campaigners and even other leaders joined them. Interestingly, no other state election has seen Pakistan being dragged into it and accused of colluding with the opposition to hatch conspiracies. No other state election has seen a country's PM campaigning so aggressively or the dynastic scion of India's grand old party visiting 27 temples in three months. Here's a look at some of the fiercest attacks during the election campaign Gabbar Singh Tax Congress president Rahul Gandhi started the high-decibel attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat by saying that government ignored Congress's suggestion on GST. Rahul went on to term GST as 'Gabbar Singh Tax', a taunt which became quite popular. Retorting to Rahul's taunt, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed Congress and Rahul by saying that those who looted India in last 70 years can remember only dacoits. The 'Neech' remark The Congress played into the BJP's hands with one of its senior leaders, Mani Shankar Aiyar, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "neech" aadmi (low-class person) in a remark reminiscent of his "chai wallah" jibe, also aimed at Modi ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's "maut ka saudagar" (merchant of death) comment dating back to 2007, also targeting Modi. Hardik accuses of dirty politics Hardik Patel, who led the Patidar community's protests for reservation in 2015, accused the BJP of spying on him after television news channels showed security camera clips from a hotel in Ahmedabad amid rumours that he had gone there to secretly met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Patel also blamed the BJP's "dirty politics" for alleged sex videos of him surfacing on social media. The National Commission for Women is investigating a complaint against Patel, who is the leader of Patidar Amanat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and is supporting the Congress in the Gujarat elections, about the videos. Congress attacks Election Commission The Congress accused the commission of acting like a "frontal organisation of BJP" for not stopping PM Modi's "roadshow" in Ahmedabad when voting in the second phase of Gujarat elections was underway. The party also filed a complaint with the commission against Modi. "It is a great shame that PM Narendra Modi has turned all constitutional institutions into his puppets, the Election Commission of India being one of them," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. Opposition parties question EVMs A few electronic voting machines (EVMs) were replaced after complaints of malfunctioning and tampering in the two phases of voting in the Gujarat elections. The technical snag was reported in nearly 40 machines in the first phase of elections for 89 seats. "All the machines got connected through Bluetooth of three mobile phones," alleged Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia polling in the second phase. Hardik sex Cds Patidar leader Hardik Patel landed in a controversy after three batches of controversial clips dubbed as sex CDs went viral. The first set of videos went viral in November and a second one, with five clips, was released a week ago. Patel called it BJP's dirty politics to defame him. However, these did little to dull his popularity as he held a massive rally in Surat and Ahmedabad and was given a hero's welcome in Patidardominated areas. Row over Rahul's faith Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Somnath temple on Wednesday got mired in a controversy after his name was found written on the entry register meant for non- Hindus, with the Congress calling it "fake" and BJP insisting that the leader declare his religious faith before people. Chaiwala jibe A meme by Youth Congress aimed at taking a dig at PM Modi's beginnings as a tea-seller evoked a strong response from BJP, which called it "blatantly classist and anti-poor". The official handle of Yuva Sandesh tweeted a collage with photographs of Modi, US Prez Donald Trump and British PM Theresa May in conversation. Modi was shown mispronouncing 'meme' and being corrected by Trump, with May finally saying "tu chai bech (you sell tea)". Modi took a swipe at the Cong, saying, "I am a chaiwala, I sell only tea. I will never commit the sin of selling the country." Modi eats 5 mushrooms a day remark Gujarat Congress OBC leader Alpesh Thakor claimed that Prime Minister Modi was a dark-skinned person but became fair after he started eating imported mushrooms worth Rs. 4,00,000. Thakor said that someone had told him that Modi eats five mushrooms a day which is imported from Taiwan with one mushroom costing Rs. 80,000. PM Modi's seaplane journey PM Narendra Modi might have flown VVIP flights around the world is in his forty-two months-long tenure, but the thirty-minute flight that he took on Monday to travel 180 km from the Sabarmati river to Dharoi dam in Mehsana will go down in the annals of VVIP flying for a number of firsts. With it, Modi became the first incumbent Indian PM to be flown by foreign pilots onboard an American-registered aircraft. However, Congress mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking a seaplane for campaigning in Gujarat, terming it "Hawa Hawai" and added that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not understand development. OneIndia News Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? In PMs hometown Vadnagar, Congress, BJP win one seat each India oi-Deepika By Deepika The BJP retained Gujarat for the 6th time. This is a rare achievement for a political party anywhere in India outside West Bengal. However there was an element of surprise for the BJP which lost in the Unjha constituency which is part of Vadnagar, the home town of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Asha Patel of the Congress won this seat which is in Mehsana district which is around 100 kilometres away from Ahmedabad. Asha Patel defeated the BJP's Narayanbhai Lalludas Patel by a margin of nearly 19,000 votes. The BJP polled 62,268 votes. Rahul Gandhi had extensively campaigned in Unjha. It may be recalled that he had even prayed at the Umiya Mata temple which is close to Vadnagar. This is in fact the same town where at a railways station, Modi used to help his father sell tea as a child. Vadnagar is divided into two assembly constituencies in Mehsana district-Kheralu and Unjha. The BJP's Shankarji Dhabi won the Kheralu seat by polling 49,241 votes or 40.01 per cent of the vote share. OneIndia News Fact Check: This image of huge crowds in Gujarat is not from the AAP roadshow Gujarat election result 2017: Amul chairman loses to BJP candidate in Thasra India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Five-time MLA and Amul Dairy chairman Ramsinh Parmar, who resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP, has lost to Congress' Kantibhai Parmar from Thasra constituency in Kheda district. He had resigned as MLA just ahead of Rajya Sabha election in July. After joining the BJP in presence of Chief Minister, State party president local MLAs, MPs, and BJP office bearers, Ramsinh threw a challenge to Congress to win even one seat in Kheda and Anand districts. In 2012 assembly polls, Congress candidate Ramsinh Parmar won the seat with 78226 votes. This is the second victory for the BJP in the political history of Thasra constituency. BJP had registered it's victory in 2002. Ramsinh Parmar had joined BJP, saying Congress is a party without future. With Parmar's resignation, the number of Congress MLAs in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly was down to 51. The Congress MLAs resignations came ahead of the August 8 Rajya Sabha elections and threatened the prospects of Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Another turncoat who joined BJP during Rajya Sabha poll, Raghavji Patel was also losing from Jamnagar Rural. The elections for the 182-seat Assembly were held on December 9 and 14, after an acrimonious campaign, which was dominated by a face-off between Prime Minister Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. In the 2012 elections, the BJP had won 115 seats while the Congress emerged victorious in 61 seats. The BJP has won every election since 1995 in the home state of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. However, it was out of power for a couple of years due to party infighting and rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghela. The saffron party came back to power in 1998 and has ruled uninterrupted since then. ( With agency inputs) Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? Gujarat election result 2017: Congress is king among rural electorates India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar No doubt ruling BJP successfully drubbed the anti-incumbency after 22 years of rule and withstood the caste alliance of Congress. But the breakdown of numbers tells a different tale. Out of 55 seats of urban Gujarat, the BJP has won 43 seats and Congress has put a poor show with 12 wins. Overall, it shows that GST and demonetization did not affect BJP's prospects in urban areas. However, Out of 127 rural seats, the BJP has secured 56 constituencies and Congress has dominated the scene with 71 wins. This proves that BJP's popularity among urban votes still remained. Rural voters are quite impressed with Congress' approach. In 2012, the BJP registered urban vote share of 59.5 percent, while the Congress had 32.8 percent urban population voting for them. Cities like Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodra contributed to BJP's victory. Of the 48.3 percent overall vote share that the BJP won, urban voters alone constituted 60 percent. Congress fared better than the BJP in rural areas in 2012. Congress' vote share was 42. 9 per cent with 49, and BJP 42.1 per cent with 44 wins. BJP took 99 seats in the 182-member assembly, down from 115 it won in 2012, and far lower than the 150-plus seats it had hoped for. The Congress won 77, up by 16 seats at the end of counting of votes. OneIndia News Fact Check: This image of huge crowds in Gujarat is not from the AAP roadshow Gujarat election result 2017: Congress leaders hail 'Rahul Gandhis effective leadership' India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar After Congress put up a good show in the assembly elections, senior party leaders credited the victory to 'Rahul Gandhi's effective leadership', who took over the reigns of the party on last Saturday. The Congress made gains in Saurashtra-Kutch regions due to the caste coalitions that was worked on. Joining hands with Hardik Patel led-Patidar movement, OBC movement by Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani proved beneficial to improve the seat tally and vote share. Congress leader Kamal Nath said "The Congress' tally has gone up there (Gujarat), while the BJP's numbers have fallen. This is the start of Rahul Gandhi's political story." Renuka Chowdary said, "Congress has done brilliantly. Our strength has increased. Morally, it has been a brilliant intervention of Rahul Gandhi." According to data provided by Election Commission of India, as of now, the Congress leading in 72 seats. has secured 75,73,423 votes with a vote share of 41.4 percent. Since the counting is not yet over, Congress is likely to improve the numbers. In 2012, the party had a vote share of 40. 59 percent with 61 seats. Indeed, Rahul Gandhi improved campaign strategy in this election. He crisscrossed across Gujarat in his blue coloured bus during his 'Navsarjan Yatra'. The entire Yatra was modelled on his famous Kisan Yatra, which he had undertaken during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Poll. The party had ensured around 2,500 km long Navsarjan Yatra gives them enough reach to challenge BJP. Elections were held in two phases in Gujarat on December 9 and 14 and hill state Himachal Pradesh went to polls on November 9. OneIndia News Fact Check: This image of huge crowds in Gujarat is not from the AAP roadshow Gujarat election result 2017: PM Modi flashes victory sign India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar As ruling BJP leading is in over 100 seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen flashing victory sign after he arrived at the Parliament on Monday. The Winter Session of Parliament is underway. As per CNN News18 report, BJP was trending in 104 seats while Congress was ahead in 75 seats. BJP Chief Minister candidate Vijay Rupani won the Rajkot West seat. The BJP has been in power in the state since 1995, winning consecutive elections in the home state of PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. In Himachal Pradesh, BJP registered is inching towards comfortable victory leading in 41 seats against ruling Congress which is ahead in only 22 seats. CM candidates of both the parties, BJP's Prem Kumar Dhumal and Virbhandra Singh of Congress were trailing in their constituencies. The counting of votes for 68 Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh and 182 constituencies in Gujarat began this morning. A final announcement from the Election Commission is awaited, as the counting of votes is underway. Elections were held in two phases in Gujarat on December 9 and 14 and hill state Himachal Pradesh went to polls on November 9. #WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flashes victory sign as he arrives at the Parliament. #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/Q4PRNjMpoK ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 Meanwhile, party workers gathered at party HQ to celebrate, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. OneIndia News Modi to Nitish: CM Rupanis swearing-in ceremony or BJP-led NDAs show of strength? Did Mani Shankar Aiyar commit sedition by hosting Pak officials during Gujarat polls? Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? My meet with Rahul would have prevented BJP's Gujarat win: Hardik Patel Gujarat Election Results 2017 :BJP wins Gujarat, struggles to cross 100-mark India oi-Vikas By Vikas The counting of votes for the Gujarat Assembly elections 2017 will be held on Monday. The counting will begin at 8 am and results are expected by afternoon. The 182-member Gujarat Assembly went to polls in two phases on the 9th and 14th of this month. The political fate of 1,828 candidates will be decided in this election. The counting of votes will be held at 37 centres across the state's 33 districts, amid tight security. More than 30,000 personnel have been deployed to monitor the counting process. Stay tuned here for the live updates for Gujarat Assembly Election Results 2017: 9.25 pm: Results declared for all the 182 seats - BJP wins 99 seats, Congress wins 77, 1 seat won by NCP. Bhartiya Tribal Party and Independent wins 2 and 3 seats respectively. 6:30 pm: Recent elections results have proven that the country is ready for reform, is looking towards things that perform in a positive way and believes in transformation, says Modi at BJP HQ. 6:15 pm: Main Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh ki janta ko shat-shat naman karta hun ki unhone vikas ke marg ko chuna: Modi The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me. Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017 4:30 pm: This is a lesson to the parties which indulge in caste-politics and dynasty, says Amit Shah. Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 1:30 pm: Union Minister Smriti Irani says Congress president Rahul Gandhi will lose even his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi this Lok Sabha constituency in 2019. 1:15 pm: Union Minister Rajnath Singh flashes victory sign outside Parliament as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi reaches Parliament. pic.twitter.com/HvZLCGPqCh ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 1:00 pm: Union Minister Smriti Irani says, "It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development," says Union Minister Smriti Irani, on a question about Congress giving a tough fight she said, "jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work & the people who trusted development". 11:45 am: Jignesh Mewani and Nitinbhai Patel win 11: 15 am: Vijay Rupani wins from Rajkot West seat 11:00 am: Celebrations begin at BJP office in Delhi 10:50 am: Vijay Rupani leading by 21,000 votes from Rajkot West. 10:40 am: People of Gujarat have voted for development, says Nitin Patel. 10:30 am: BJP leading in 102 seats; Congress in 77 10:20 am: BJP leading in 104 seats; Congress in 75 10:15 am: BJP's Anandiben Patel says Congress made false promises about reservations 10:10 am: It was neck-to-neck in seats that went to polls in first phase, but in second phase seats BJP surpassed Congress 10:00 am: BJP way ahead of Congress 9:59 am: PM Modi meets Jaitley and Rajnath in Delhi 9:53 am: BJP leading in 103 seats; Congress in 75 9:52 am: Out of 14 seats in Surat, BJP leading in 10; Congress in 4 9:46 am: BJP leading in 100 seats; Congress in 78 9:45 am: Vijay Rupani leading by 7600 votes from Rajkot West at the end of Counting round 3 9:35 am: BJP leading in 100 seats; Congress in 70 9:30 am: BJP's Jitu Vaghani, contesting from Bhavnagar West seat, leading by 2200 votes 9:25 am: BJP leading in 92 seats; Congress in 83 9:24 am: Ashok Gehlot says exit polls proven wrong 9:19 am: BJP leading in 86 seats; Congress in 84 9:15 am: BJP leading in 85 seats; Congress in 80 9:11 am: Vijay Rupani trailing by 800 votes. 9:09 am: Congress' Shaktisinh Gohil trailing by 1300 votes from Kutch's Mandvi. 9:04 am: BJP leading in 80 seats; Congress in 68 9:03 am: Vijay Rupani trailing from Rajkot West. 9:02 am: OBC leader Alpesh Thakor also leading 9:01 am: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani now leading 9:00 am: BJP leading in 62 seats; Congress in 53 8:57 am: In Bhavnagar Rural, BJP leader Parashottam Solanki leading 8:53 am: BJP leading in 59 seats; Congress in 48 8: 50 am: Gap narrow now, BJP-47, Congress - 40 8: 45 am: BJP leading even in rural areas 8:40 am: Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani trailing 8:35 am: BJP leading in 34 seats. Congress in 17 8:30 am: Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti rubbishes questions being raised on EVMs. [Gujarat Election results 2017: No EVMs can be tampered with, assures CEC AK Joti] 8:25 am: BJP leading in 25 seats, Congress in 12 8:22 am: Incumbent CM Vijay Rupani leading in Rajkot West 8:21 am: BJP's Nitin Patel is leading 8:20 am: BJP leading in 14 seats, Congress in 4 8:17 am: BJP leading in 13 seats, Congress in 3 8:15 am: BJP leading in 4 seats, Congress in 3 8:10 am: First trends to emerge shortly. 8:05 am: EC officials opening sealed boxes containing EVMs. 8:00 am: Counting of votes begin. 7:55 am: Counting to begin shaortly. 7:45 am: EC has installed a total of 1251 cameras across 37 counting centres in in the state. 7:30 am: Congress workers do havans and pray for party's win 7: 15 am: The Election Commission on Sunday night withdrew the notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his TV interviews during Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017. 7:00 am: Heavy security arrangements outside all counting centres. Visuals from outside a counting centre set up at Polytechnic College in Vadodara. Heavy security deployed. #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/8pyjBMjz5I ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 6:45 am: Seven exit polls say the BJP will retain power in Gujarat 6:40 am: Counting would be held at 37 centres across Gujarat's 33 districts 6:30 am: A total of 977 candidates were in the fray in the first phase of elections, while 851 candidates contested in second phase. An average 68.41 percent polling was recorded in the two-phase Assembly elections in Gujarat. All EVMs and VVPATs have been kept in strong rooms under tight security arrangements including CCTV surveillance. The total voter turnout this time has seen a dip of 2.91 percent, as compared to the 2012 polls when 71.32 per cent polling was registered. In terms of numbers, of the total 4.35 crore registered voters, 2.97 crore exercised their right to franchise in the elections held on December 9 and 14. While the BJP is seeking a sixth straight term in Gujarat, the Congress is aiming to stage a comeback in power after being in the opposition for over two decades. What happened in 2012 and 2007 Gujarat Assembly elections: Gujarat Assembly Election in 2007 and 2012 Party Wise (182 Seats) Party Name 2007 2012 Indian National Congress (INC) 59 57 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 117 119 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 3 2 Janata Dal (United) JD(U) 1 1 Gujartat Parivartan Party (GPP) - 2 Independents (IND) 2 1 The BJP, which has been in power in Gujarat for 22-years, is likely to retain the government for the sixth consecutive time. [Exit polls: BJP beats anti-incumbency in Gujarat, but cashes on it in Himachal] ABP-CSDS predicted outright win for BJP in Gujarat with 117 seats, while the Congress is likely to get 64 seats. Gujarat Assembly has 182 seats and the magic number to form a government is 92 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to dump the 'anti-incumbency factor' and win a clear majority in Gujarat, according to Times Now-VMR exit poll. The exit poll predicts that the BJP would win 113 out of the 182 seats in the Gujarat Assembly while the Congress is likely to win 66 seats. [Clear that BJP has edge in Gujarat, says Yogendra Yadav on Exit Poll result 2017] According to C-voter exit poll in Gujarat, the BJP is projected to get 47.4% of the votes versus the Congress' 43.3%. India Today Axis poll has predicted a vote share of 47% for the BJP in Gujarat while it says that Congress may get 42% votes. OneIndia News Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? Gujarat Election results 2017: No EVMs can be tampered with, assures CEC AK Joti India oi-Deepika By Deepika Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti on Monday assured that there can be no EVM tampering during the Gujarat election counting. "I assure you that there can be no tampering with the EVMs," said the Chief Election Commissioner addressing the reporters. "All arrangements have been made in Gujarat by Chief Electoral officer of the state, at all places in counting halls for the state assembly elections," he said. Questions being raised about EVMs have already been answered by us in the media. VVPATs were there in every polling stations in Gujarat, which enabled voters to see whom they voted for, so issues being raised aren't right. I assure that EVMS cannot be tampered with, he added. The Gujarat unit of the Congress party has moved the Supreme Court over its allegation of rigging of EVMs and VVPATs. The top court is slated to take up the matter for hearing. The Gujarat unit of the Congress party had raised concerns over allegations of EVM tampering but the Election Commission had rejected the charges. There were complaints of Bluetooth devices being connected to EVMs. Senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia had complained that three EVMs were seen connected to Bluetooth devices and he sent the complaint to the ECI along with screenshots backing his complaint. However, The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea by the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee seeking direction to the Election Commission to count votes through paper trail attached to the EVMs in 20 percent of the polling booths in Gujarat. Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Sunday claimed that a group of software engineers was being hired to hack into the machines. BJP has hired 140 software engineers to hack over 5,000 EVM machines during the counting of votes. BJP will try to hack the source code of EVMs to manipulate the result, he alleged. An average 68.41% polling was recorded in the two-phase Gujarat elections, a dip of 2.91% as compared to the 2012 polls. While the BJP is seeking a sixth straight term in office, the Congress is aiming to stage a comeback in power after being in the opposition for over two decades. OneIndia News Gujarat elections: Three things both BJP, Congress need to worry about India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Gujarat verdict is all set to be out. Both exit polls and trends indicate that the BJP is heading for a major victory. It has probably been one of the most bitterly fought elections in recent times. Irrespective of a BJP or Congress win, there are three important lessons that both parties will have to learn at the end of this battle. The elections were fought on various issues such as GST, demonetisation, jobs, just to name a few. What Congress should be worried about: The failure to portray a strong leader may have hurt the party. The exit polls have been spot on 90 percent of the times Congress failed to overcome Modi image in Gujarat What BJP should be worried about: The drop in women voter turns out. The gap between the percentage of women and men who voted this year has widened to 8 percent from 3 percent in 2012. The BJP's unlikely chance of bettering its 2012 performance. The punters too giving the BJP lower seats. OneIndia News How Modi saved the day for the BJP in Gujarat India oi-Vicky By Vicky For the BJP in Gujarat, it was Narendra Modi who saved the day. None of the local leaders of the BJP were able to step up the campaign. It had to be Modi for the BJP and had it not been for him, the verdict would have something very different. The campaign began with the Congress mocking the Gujarat model and the development plank raised by the BJP. Modi, however, hit back with the slogan, " I am vikas, I am Gujarat." In this part of the campaign, Modi focused heavily on development, water, education among other key areas. Infographic: States ruled by the BJP in 2017 Modi also sought to demolish the narrative by the Congress that his government was only pro-rich. With the middle-class Modi spoke about affordable housing and the reduction of stent prices. With the poor, he sent the message about free toilets. He even went on to ask if Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani needed public toilets or were it the poor which needed them. The big challenge Modi had was to beat the narrative against both GST and demonetisation. The Congress attacked him regularly on this and even tried to convince the voter that it had taken a direct beating on their pockets. However, Modi managed to change the narrative by speaking about the long-term effects of the decisions. Gujarat election results 2017: CM Vijay Rupani wins from Rajkot West Just when one thought that the Congress was on the upward, there was a 'maut ka saudagar' like moment this time too. This time it was Mani Shankar Aiyar's 'neech' comment that Modi latched on to. If one may recall Modi spent a good half an hour in one rally documenting the abuse against himself. He managed to get the sympathy of the voter. The voter, in turn, latched on to their man. The final leg of the campaign was about soft Hindutva. He referred to Aurangazeb when speaking about Rahul Gandhi's elevation as Congress chief. Modi then went on to speak about Kapil Sibal's comment in the Supreme Court on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue. He managed to convince the voter that the Congress was somehow against the temple. One more reference made by Modi was about a meeting that took place in Aiyar's house. He said that there was a plan being hatched between the Congress and Pakistan to defeat the BJP. At the end of it, it was a hard-fought battle and the victory solely belongs to Narendra Modi. OneIndia News Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth? How much did Neech remark cost Congress in Gujarat elections India oi-Vikas By Vikas Most exit polls had predicted an outright win for the BJP in Gujarat assembly elections 2017, the saffron party is indeed heading for a victory, but the battle was close. So close was the contest initially that around 9 am, the Congress was in fact ahead of the BJP, but that trend reversed in the next half and hour. Congress' strategy seemed well thought out. It got Patidars on its side, efficiently raked up ill-effects of demonetisation and GST, and it all did seem to strike a chord with the voters, especially among the traders in Surat region Just about the time when the Congress looked like building a momentum to cash on in elections, Mani Shankar Aiyar dropped a bomb by calling Modi "Neech" (lowly). Congress immediately realised that they would have to pay a huge price for Aiyar's blunder and suspended him from party's primary leadership. But by this time, BJP pounced on the Congress using this issues. Modi left no stone unturned to launch a blistering attack on Congress over "Neech" remark. He linked it with caste, he linked it with poverty and most importantly he described it as an attack on Gujarati Asmita or Gujarati pride. Modi turned Aiyar's foolhardy remark to his advantage and appealed to voters to answer the Congress for it in polls. One has to keep in mind that Gujaratis are very proud of the fact that a Gujarati is the Prime Minister and would never tolerate such derogatory remarks against him. All the attention from GST, demonatisation and the Patidar issue shifted to Aiyar's remark and that benefited the BJP a great deal. OneIndia News Only women to walk with Rahul Gandhi in Bharat Jodo Yatra on Indira Gandhi Jayanti Congress accepts verdict of the people, says Rahul Gandhi on election results India oi-Madhuri Recommended Video Gujarat Assembly polls : Congress President Rahul Gandhi congratulates Modi | Oneindia News The Congress and its new president, Rahul Gandhi on Monday congratulated BJP for its victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said, ''The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me.'' ''My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress's greatest strength is its decency and courage,'' further tweeted. The Bharatiya Janata Party has retained Gujarat, winning fewer seats than in 2012, and wrested Himachal Pradesh from the Congress. OneIndia News Its not Modi; karyakartas are the real heroes of BJPs win in Gujarat, HP India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia New Delhi, Dec 18: Why is it that the "hero" of a film takes away all the credit for a film's success? Why is the 'boss' often portrayed as the "hero" of success achieved because of the hard work of an entire team? Well, that is what in popular lexicon is called as-- "hogging the limelight". Some gets all the attention, others not. Fret over it, or accept it, it's in the nature to heap praises on one person when the whole community gives its blood and sweat over a "project". In the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the same dreaded phenomenon is happening since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. While the workers do all the "dirty and ground work", Prime Minister Narendra Modi is portrayed as the reason behind the BJP's win in all elections. So once again when results of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections started pouring in since early Monday morning, the credit for the saffron party's early leads in both the states went to Modi. News headlines like, "Modi saved the day for BJP in Gujarat" or "Modi wave continues" popped up on television and computer screens. It is the BJP's grassroots workers, karyakartas, who did the actual work to win the Himachal Pradesh elections handsomely (40 seats won, lead in four more, as per the latest report). The Congress failed to defeat the BJP in its citadel Gujarat in spite of a strong anti-incumbency wave because of the well-embedded party workers. The BJP won 99 seats in Gujarat, the complete results of which are out now. While the media and BJP politicians were busy heaping praises on Modi for the twin victories, the PM took some time to express his gratitude to the karyakartas for the party's win. "Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories," tweeted Modi. Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017 Like Modi, other senior BJP leaders too thanked and congratulated the party's karyakartas for the victories. Congratulations to PM @narendramodi ji, @AmitShah ji, @BJP4Himachal leaders and karyakartas on the magnificent win in assembly elections. Thankful to citizens of Himachal Pradesh for their decisive mandate to @BJP4India. Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) December 18, 2017 Congratulations to PM @narendramodi ji, @AmitShah ji, all @BJP4Gujarat leaders & karyakartas on 6th consecutive win of @BJP4India in Gujarat and gratitude to citizens for once again voting for Vikaswad over Vanshwad. Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) December 18, 2017 Congratulations to people of Gujarat, @BJP4India & @BJP4Gujarat Karyakartas on BJP winning the #GujaratAssemblyElections2017 This victory reiterates pan India trust of people in the development agenda & policies of our government led by PM @narendramodi ji. Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) December 18, 2017 The people of Gujarat have yet again restored their faith in development politics and decisive governance. Congratulations to PM @NarendraModi, Shri @AmitShah and Karyakartas of @BJP4Gujarat on winning the State Legislative Assembly election, 2017. pic.twitter.com/tSbha4QdVf Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) December 18, 2017 Political experts have stated that the BJP's win in both the states is the result of its strong grassroots networks created by the party's foot soldiers away from all the media attention. Psephologist and political activist Yogendra Yadav too have praised the BJP's strength at the grassroots level which resulted in the party's twin victories. "The Congress cannot substitute organisational strength of the BJP at grassroots level with its last minute hawabaazi (empty talk)," Yadav told CNN-News18. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 18, 2017, 18:24 [IST] Elections results prove that India is ready for reform, says Modi India oi-Madhuri Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived for the BJP parliamentary meeting to discuss the election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, where he was greeted by BJP president Amit Shah. Adressing to party workers at the BJP headquarters, Modi said that they had a part to play in the victories in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. He also thanks the people of the two state for voting the party into power. During UP elections it was said BJP would lose due to GST effect in urban areas, same was said in Gujarat elections and local body polls in Maharashtra. ''The results in Himachal Pradesh show that if you don't do development and are embroiled in all wrong acts then after five years, people will not accept you. In today's situation, when a government comes after five years is hailed as a miracle. Gujarat is an exception in terms of anti-incumbency. It has supported BJP and its allies since 1990s. Even after I left Gujarat, the party has managed to hold on the state,'' said Modi. The Prime Minister said,''For me, Gujarat victory is a matter of personal happiness. Because usually parties lose after the leader move out. There were attempts to demoralise people. But I'm delighted that BJP workers have led Gujarat after I left my home state of Gujarat. Gujarat is still marching towards progress. I congratulate leaders of Gujarat BJP from the bottom of my heart. People of Gujarat were being targeted from all side. Hidden forcing were working for Congress. They were plotting to somehow remove Modi's party. They even mocked Vikas. India will never accept it.There might be people who would like to see BJP lose. But if a party keeps winning election after election, then they must recognise what people of India want.The truth is that since 2014 Lok Sabha election, this country is hungry for development. Whether you like BJP or not but no one will be allowed to derail India's development.'' Pm further said,''So many conspiracies were hatched in Gujarat by Congress, misinformation was being spread. People cannot bear if anyone makes fun of 'vikas'. The truth is that since 2014 Lok Sabha election, this country is hungry for development. Whether you like BJP or not but no one will be allowed to derail India's development. When India is voting for development election after election and we have a government which means well and has courage to take decision, which believes in collective leadership, which believes in Sabka Saath-Sabka Vikas... Then take today's verdict as another stamp by people of Gujarat and HP.'' ''Some people tried to divide Gujarat on caste lines. They will still continue to do that. We need to unite and continue to be an example for the rest of the country. This is not an ordinary victory. It's special. Some people can't digest BJP victory, don't waste your time on them. Focus on New India by 2022,'' Modi said. OneIndia News If Cong is elected in HP, decision on 1 lakh govt jobs, pension scheme in 1st cabinet meet: Rahul Facepalm moment? Before poll results, Congress poster congratulates Rahul for Guj, HP win India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia New Delhi, Dec 18: When almost the entire nation is predicting the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, a few incurable optimists from the Congress are hoping against hope that the grand old party will be able to defeat the saffron party in both the states. In fact, a Congress worker, Phool Singh (whom nobody knows), has congratulated Rahul Gandhi for winning elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh even before the counting of votes started on Monday. Actually outside the residence of new Congress president, a group of party supporters hosted a "hawan" (offerings to the gods) to pray for the grand old party's win in the Assembly elections on Monday. During the religious event, a poster stated, "Rahul Gandhi ji ko Gujarat aur Himachal ki jeet par hardik badhaai (Congratulations to Rahul Gandhi for winning elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh)." The picture of the poster was tweeted by news agency ANI. The poster was signed by Phool Singh, probably a die-hard Congress supporter, who with his "hilarious" line has not only brought some chuckles but in a way taught us all to believe in ourselves during "tough" times. "Supporters perform 'Hawan' outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence in #Delhi ahead of counting of votes, set to begin shortly #GujaratElection2017 #HimachalPradeshElections," tweeted the ANI. Supporters perform 'Hawan' outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence in #Delhi ahead of counting of votes, set to begin shortly #GujaratElection2017 #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/rv5bfsiIa2 ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 A BJP supporter talking to Oneindia said, "The poster is a Pappu moment for the Congress. When the Congress is on the verge of losing elections in both the states, a party worker shows the audacity to come up with a poster congratulating Rahul on his victory even before the results are out." To remind our readers, "Pappu" is the word infamously used to target the scion of the Gandhi family by his critics, including some top BJP leaders. The online critics have christened Rahul with names like "Prince" and "Pappu". "Pappu" has especially stuck with him. Even some Congressmen call him "Pappu". "Pappu" is a Hindi word used to ridicule a person as someone who is "worthless" or a "fool". While all the exit poll results have predicted the BJP's victory in both the states, Congress' Phool Singh thinks otherwise. OneIndia News Salman Khan, better watch out: In BJP poster, Modi turns tiger India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia New Delhi, Dec 18: In Bollywood, popular actor Salman Khan has always been synonymous with "Tiger" because of his super hit film, Ek Tha Tiger--released in 2012, where he played the titular character. The actor is once again reprising the character of "Tiger" in the soon-to-be-released Bollywood film, Tiger Zinda Hai. Taking a leaf out of Salman's book, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters came up with posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the avatar of "tiger" to celebrate the saffron party's victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections on Monday. As the BJP workers celebrated the saffron party's historic sixth straight win in Gujarat and massive victory over the Congress in Himachal Pradesh outside the BJP headquarters in the national capital, many supporters were seen holding posters of Modi with the tagline--Ek Hai Tiger (There is only one tiger). The filmy twist to the entire BJP's win in the two states has been captured by a shutterbug of the news agency, ANI. "BJP workers celebrate outside party Headquarter in #Delhi as trends indicate party's victory in both #Himachal and #Gujarat," tweeted ANI. BJP workers celebrate outside party Headquarter in #Delhi as trends indicate party's victory in both #Himachal and #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/oyZyVi3Riz ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017 The BJP posters are a clear statement that Modi is the only political "tiger" in India who always wins in any elections. As the BJP overpowered the Congress in the two states, the entire credit for the party's twin victories goes to Modi who campaigned actively in both the states. In fact, it is the PM and his Friday man, BJP president Amit Shah, who are behind the party's electoral victories since its massive win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The elections for the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly took place on November 9. The voting for the Gujarat elections took place in two phases--on December 9 and 14. The complete results of elections of both the states should be out by late Monday afternoon. OneIndia News What a victory in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh means for the BJP, Congress India oi-Vicky By Vicky The big day is here and in a few hours from now, the verdict in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections will be out. The verdict in both the states would mean a lot for both the BJP and Congress. A victory for the BJP in both states would signal the political dominance of the party and also an affirmation that the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is intact. On the other, a favourable outcome for the Congress would mark the beginning of a revival for the grand old party which has witnessed a downward swing since 2014. Infographic: States ruled by the BJP in 2017 While in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Virabhadra Singh battled corruption charges, the real battle has been in Gujarat. In Himachal Pradesh where there is a trend of a change in guard every five years, the BJP declared Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate midway through the elections. In Gujarat the battle was a hard fought one. Issues such as jobs, GST, the Patidar row and demonetisation were key issues raised by the Congress in its bid to corner the BJP. While Vijay Rupani, the Gujarat CM led the campaign, it was Modi who took centre stage. He addressed countless rallies in the state where he defended all the decisions taken by his government. He also drove across the point that development in Gujarat was all thanks to the BJP. The Congress on the other hand led by its president, Rahul Gandhi spared no effort to criticise the Modi sarkar. Stitching up alliances with various players such as Hardik Patel, he focused on anti-incumbency , the agrarian crisis and also jobs. The exit polls have all been in favour of the BJP. Leading psephologist and political scientist Dr Sandeep Shastri tells OneIndia that while there may be much for the BJP to rejoice, there is also some soul searching that needs to be done. The headline reads the BJP is retaining Gujarat. The deeper narrative however is that the BJP does not better its performance in the state when compared to 2012, he said. The Congress has clearly not done enough explains Dr Shastri. To dislodge the BJP which has been in power, clearly a much bigger effort was needed, he says. For one, the Congress did not have a strong local leader on the ground. This was crucial for the Congress in case it had to beat the BJP in Gujarat. These are all indications that the last mile advantage has gone to the BJP. The Gujarat voter clearly appears to have sided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Somewhere the Gujarat voter thought that they did not want to strike a blow to their Prime Minister who hails from the state, says Dr Shastri. The Congress on the other hand has not put in enough effort for a recovery. As pointed out earlier, the Congress needed to field a strong face in the state A much bigger effort was needed to dislodge the BJP which has ruled the state for the past 22 years. One cannot forget the fact that the BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the past 22 years. To dislodge the BJP in the state needed a much bigger effort. However the BJP will have some soul searching to do as the exit polls suggest that it would retain the state. The exit polls do not indicate that the party would better its performance when compared to 2012, Dr Shastri also says. While the headline is that the BJP is retaining Gujarat, the deeper narrative is that it is not all good news and the party will have some soul searching to do. OneIndia News JP Nadda The Union Health Minister is a Rajya Sabha MP from Himachal Pradesh, and could be the first choice for the CM's job. Nadda, 57, has extensive knowledge of the hill state. He has been an MLA in 1993, 1998 and 2007 when he was made the forest, environment, and science and technology minister. He was associated with ABVP during his student days in Patna. His father was the Vice-Chancellor of Ranchi University in 1977. Anurag Thakur The young leader is the son of Dhumal and a Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur constituency. At 43, he has been elected thrice from his home state. He was also elected as BCCI president last year. He was also party's youth wing president when he was replaced by Poonam Mahajan in 2016. Anil Sharma The son of former Congress minister Sukh Ram could also be in the running for the CM's post. Sharma was also a minister in the outgoing Virbhadra Singh government. Ever since 1963 when Sukh Ram won from the constituency for the first time, Mandi Sadar assembly constituency has remained a citadel of Sukh Ram and his family, except from the period between 1990 and 1992 when BJP candidate Kanhiya Lal won the seat and but the BJP government could run for only two and half years. Narendra Thakur He had quit the BJP in 2003 and fought Assembly polls against Dumal in 2009. He also fought Lok Sabha polls from Hamirpur against Anurag Thakur. But he joined the BJP a few days before Assembly polls and has won from Hamirpur constituency. Why BJP should be worried about Gujarat Assembly election results India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Gandhinagar, Dec 18: If predictions of all exit polls are to be believed, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to form its government both in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. On Monday, the Assembly election results of the two states will be declared. The Assembly elections for 182 seats in Gujarat were held on December 9 and 14 and in Himachal Pradesh people voted for the 68-member Assembly on November 9. While Gujarat has been under the saffron rule for the last 22 years, in the hill state, the Congress is facing anti-incumbency. However, a few political analysts warned that all is not hunky dory for the BJP in its home turf Gujarat and issued "warning signals". According to NDTV, there are three reasons why the BJP should be worried about performing "badly" in the Gujarat Assembly elections. First, drop in women's turnout (as women are bigger supporters of the BJP than men). Second, the "fear factor" as the survey respondents don't want to publicly admit to voting against the BJP. Finally, the satta bazaar (bookies) has predicted 100-104 seats for the BJP, which means far away from achieving BJP president Amit Shah's target of the 150-plus mark. Moreover, during the Assembly elections in 2012, the BJP got lesser seats than as predicted by the exit polls. The performance of the BJP (115 seats) was worse than predicted by the exit polls (127 seats) during the 2012 elections in Gujarat. In 2017 polls, the turnout among women has dropped and the turnout among men has risen. The gap between the turnout of men and women which was 3 percent in 2012 has risen to 8 percent in 2017. "The 'fear factor' of admitting not voting for the BJP is very much real," senior journalist Aarti R Jerath told NDTV. "In spite of all these three worrying factors, the BJP is going to win the Gujarat elections, whether handsomely or not does not matter," added a political commentator. In fact, most of the BJP leaders are confident of winning the elections in both the states. The incumbent chief minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, stated that the party is going to get two-third majority in the state Assembly this time. OneIndia News President Erdogan says Turkey to open 'embassy to Palestine in Jerusalem' International pti-PTI Istanbul, December 18: After Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope that Turkey would soon be able to open an embassy to a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem. Erdogan has sought to lead Islamic condemnation of his US counterpart's move, calling a summit of the leaders of Muslim nations last week in Istanbul who urged the world to recognise East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel after it seized control of the area in the 1967 war, in a move never recognised by the international community. "Because it is under occupation we can't just go there and open an embassy," Erdogan said in a speech to his ruling party yesterday in the city of Karaman. "But, God willing those days are near and... we will officially open our embassy there," he said, without giving any precise timescale. Turkey currently has a general consulate in Jerusalem. Ankara has full diplomatic ties with Israel, and like other nations, its embassy is in Tel Aviv. Erdogan again slammed Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and move the US embassy there, saying it smacked of a "Zionist and evangelist logic and understanding." He said Jews had no right to "appropriate" Jerusalem which was the "capital of Muslims". "Please stop where you are and don't attempt any Zionist operation," he said. "If you try, then the price is going to be high." Erdogan hailed the outcome of the December 13 summit which he said showed the "world a vote of unity". However the meeting was overshadowed by the level of attendance from close US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who sent lower-level officials rather than leaders. Erdogan had warned Muslims, in a speech earlier this weekend, against "internecine warfare", saying fighting with each other "only helps terror states like Israel". Israel has reacted relatively cooly to Erdogan's repeated broadsides over the last days, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "not impressed" by statements made at the summit. Contacted by AFP, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson declined to comment on Erdogan's latest remarks. Protests which have been taking place almost daily in Turkey against Trump's move continued at the weekend. In the mainly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir, thousands of people turned out yesterday, waving Palestinian flags and brandishing slogans like "the massacres will not stop if all Muslims are not together." In a separate speech also yesterday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that "from now on we declare that occupied East Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine", adding Turkey wanted to see a solution for Jerusalem that satisfied both sides in the conflict. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin -- a key foreign policy advisor of the president -- wrote in a newspaper article that Trump's move represented "a toxic mix of populism and unilateralism". But he wrote in Daily Sabah that one positive consequence was that the issue of the Palestinians was again at the centre of global debate. "This new momentum should now be utilised to find a fair and lasting peace," Kalin said. Last year, Turkey and Israel ended a rift triggered by Israel's storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead and led to a downgrading of diplomatic ties. The two sides have since stepped up cooperation, particularly over a planned gas pipeline in talks spearheaded by Erdogan's son-in-law and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak. But Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, has kept up his verbal attacks on Israel's policies. Trump likely to announce bid for presidency next week Former US President Donald Trump announces his bid for 2024 presidency post US vetoes UN resolution rejecting Trump's decision on Jerusalem International oi-Deepika By Deepika The United States on Monday vetoed a draft UN resolution rejecting President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. US Ambassador to the UN Nikky Haley has announced earlier in the day that Washington has decided to veto the resolution, adding that "our hand remains extended to both parties" with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian settlement. The current UNSC meeting is being held after US President Donald Trump announced earlier this month a decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and instructed the State Department to start preparations for the transfer of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The move has led to the aggravation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and multiple clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli police. On December 8, the UN Security Council convened an emergency session to address the US unilateral move sparking global unrest. World leaders reacted with dismay after President Donald Trump decided to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capitaland relocate the US embassy there, amid concern the moves could ignite new violence and bury any hope for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Moments after he finished his address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a rare voice applauding the president, saying he was "profoundly grateful" to Trump on a "historic day." While Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Iran denounced the move. OneIndia News (with agency inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 18, 2017, 23:34 [IST] Wibbitz Top Stories 17 Nov 2022 New CEO Calls , the FTX Scandal, 'Unprecedented'. According to the man previously tasked with cleaning up the Enron.. Rumble 16 Nov 2022 Less than one week after President Joe Biden warned that the US conflict with Russia could trigger a nuclear Armageddon, the.. Newsy 27 Oct 2022 Watch VideoThe Los Angeles City Council formally rebuked two members and its former president Wednesday for their involvement in a.. Twitter is a microblogging and social networking service owned by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and retweet tweets, while unregistered users only have a limited ability to read public tweets. Users interact with Twitter through browser or mobile frontend software, or programmatically via its APIs. Prior to April 2020, services were accessible via SMS. Tweets were originally restricted to 140 characters, but the limit was doubled to 280 for non-CJK languages in November 2017. Audio and video tweets remain limited to 140 seconds for most accounts. US Capitol Sold (Washington, DC) (Image by takomabibelot) Details DMCA Way back in 1992 I worked for a US House of Representatives candidate in Santa Barbara, California, for the Green Party. One of our opponents was deep-pocketed Michael Huffington, whose wife at the time was Arianna Stephanopoulos, better known as Arianna Huffington. Yes, that Arianna, later of the Huffington Post. But that is not central to this story. Since one of the precepts of the Green Party was grassroots democracy, we promoted campaign-finance reform through public funding of elections. Any fool can see that congressional seats are usually sold to the highest bidder; case in point was Michael Huffington. This unknown newby politician, with beaucoup bucks from his oil-company daddy, had recently moved to a mansion in the tony suburb of Montecito. A carpetbagger, with no record of public service or relevant experience of any kind, but with an articulate wife as spokesperson, Huffington ousted a long-time Republican incumbent named Robert Lagomarsino who served from 1974-1992. He primaried Lago by spending a fortune on tv and radio ads, and the incumbent was trashed in a heartbeat. He then bombarded the tv and radio waves for months with relentless advertising, and walloped the Democrat and Green in the general election to win the seat. Huffington subsequently became known as the "supposed" Representative from Santa Barbara, since he did next to nothing in Congress, except spend all his time running for the next US Senate Election in 1994. Through massive campaign spending once again, this empty shirt nearly defeated Diane Feinstein to become the Jr. Senator from California receiving 44.83% to Feinstein's 46.74%; party loyalty I guess. Rumor had it that Arianna was plotting to become first lady, since she was born in Greece and couldn't run herself, with Huffington to run for President next. When that didn't pan out, Michael served out his one term in the House, then came out of the closet and the couple got divorced. I guess the facade no longer paid off. But don't cry for Arianna as she didn't do too badly for herself in the end. None of that is of much importance except to illustrate the role money plays in elections when ambitious people use wealth to further their own selfish agendas, even though they have no qualifications for the job, or even desire to do the job! Some say that self-funded campaigns by wealthy candidates are more desirable than candidates that have to fundraise, because they are immune to demands from funders. But doesn't this true story demonstrate that neither one is very beneficial to the public? Now this brings us back to our House of Representatives campaign and our advocacy of public campaign finance. Anyone with a pulse can see that money corrupts election campaigns, and lobbyists corrupt Congress. Our election system is legalized bribery. Everyone knows it, even if the Supreme Court tries to cover it up with abominable decisions like Buckley vs Valeo in 1976, claiming that money is "free speech". And then they pass an even more horrendous "Citizen's United" decision in 2010, saying that if money is speech, then people are entitled to give as much "speech" to politicians as they want through PACS and dark PACS. No legal cover can hide the fact that money bribes politicians, and the law is an ass. Witness the recent payoff to Zionist billionaire Sheldon Adelson for financing Trump's campaign, when Trump named Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Can you think of any other logical reason for it? So if everyone knows that campaign finance is legalized bribery, why isn't anything done about it? This brings us back to my conversations with the electorate and why voters are cynical and give up on the process. During many campaign events I spoke to hundreds of voters and asked them if they support public financing of elections. Their answer was almost always the same, "I don't want to give any money to those @#%!*!!, dirty, rotten politicians!" My initial reaction was that voters are idiots, and their anger was misdirected at politicians, instead of the self-perpetuating money system they milk to get elected. But I can't really blame them, since Congress never takes any real action to change it, and the courts continually make it worse. The system feeds a sense of cynicism among the public that helps perpetuate itself, by disengaging them from politics, and leading most of them to not even vote. (Image by Gary Flomenhoft) Details DMCA https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41545.pdf https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42964.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus16.pdf#015 https://www.loc.gov/law/help/campaign-finance/comparative-summary.php Due to this experience I came up with the following diagrams, which are summarized in the chart above, which many people have not considered I guess. I think they bring clarity to the issue and illustrate how ludicrous it is that campaigns aren't publicly funded. At least that is my view. Of course, our political system is so royally screwed in so many other ways in need of reform, that it may be a moot point. But campaign finance is really at the root of the problem, radical in the true meaning of the term. So maybe putting it into this perspective can help. I'll give it a shot anyway. Please hear me out: The average US Representative is elected at age 49, and serves for 10 years, after which they retire and receive a government pension for the rest of their life until the average life expectancy of 78.8 years. Finishing their term at age 59 means they receive a retirement pension for 19.8 years. I know it's different for men and women, but for purposes of this illustration it doesn't matter much. Add 19.8 years retirement to the term in Congress of 10 years, totals an average of 29.8 years of support at taxpayer expense. While they are in office, taxpayers are supporting the Capital building, the House member's salary, staff, office, telephone, utilities, travel, home office, meals, etc. etc. Taxpayers are supporting all of their expenses from the day they are elected until the day they leave Congress, and then support their retirement until the day they die, almost 30 years altogether. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). We live in a world of denial: The Burmese deny the Rohingya; they call them Bengali even though they have lived in Burma for centuries -- some say as early as the 11th century. Even the Pope, afraid of the consequences to a small Christian minority, shied away during his visit, confining himself to the all-encompassing phrase, the rights of minorities. In Israel, right-wing Israelis deny any Palestinian claim on Jerusalem falling back on its governance by the British and Ottomans. No matter that East Jerusalem (where the holy sites mostly are) is inhabited by Muslim and Christian Palestinians, they don't count. This disenfranchised group is denied permission to build housing for expanding families because successive Israeli governments have sought to alter the demographics. If they build without a permit, the housing is demolished. Should anyone need to be reminded, Rachel Corrie lost her life while protesting a house demolition; she was run over by a bulldozer. Extremist Christians in the U.S. deny evolution despite the data collected over nearly two centuries furnishing undeniable proof of Darwin's theory. No, they prefer to believe in a seven-day creation, where light arrived before the stars including our sun, and where we humans frolicked with dinosaurs. In India, Mr. Modi is advancing a new Hinduism. He wants to sideline the contributions of Muslim culture on the arts, poetry, architecture. If one thinks of India, the architectural vision appearing instantly in one's mind is of the sublime Taj Mahal. Yet, the Taj Mahal has been taken off the list of government recommended tourist sites -- replaced by a couple of temples in Gorakhpur. Mr. Modi needs a close look in the mirror, his clothing is either Muslim-influenced or European. The same applied to India's founder and his eponymous Nehru coat and tight pants (churidars as they are known). and more Read on! https://www.verifiedvoting. org/ California= 19 million entry database (Image by juliejordanscott) Details DMCA http://thehill.com/policy/ cybersecurity/365113-hackers- demand-ransom-for-california- voter-database California: Hackers demand ransom for California voter database | The Hill Hackers have deleted a database of potential California voters with more than 19 million entries, demanding around $3,500 to restore it. Researchers at the security firm MacKeeper's Kromtech research group first noticed the issue, but have not been able to identify the database's owner to notify them. "We decided to go public to let everyone who was affected know," said Bob Diachenko, head of communications for Kromtech. Kromtech primarily searches for misconfigured databases on cloud storage accounts that accidentally reveal private information to the public. In early December, they found a misconfigured database on an Amazon cloud account containing what appeared to be information on 19 million Californian citizens, including contact and mailing information as well as voting precinct information. But while the company was investigating the misconfigured files, they noticed the files were suddenly removed and replaced with a ransom note demanding 0.2 bitcoin, or about $3,500. https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/ Politics/2017/1215/Why-did- Broward-destroy-2016-ballots- Sanders-ally-seeks-US-probe A South Florida law professor, running to unseat Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is calling for a federal investigation into the destruction of all ballots cast in the August 2016 Democratic primary in Broward County. The challenger, Tim Canova, has made repeated public records requests and filed a lawsuit seeking access to paper ballots cast in his unsuccessful race last year against the former Democratic National Committee chair in Florida's 23rd congressional district. A statistical analysis of the primary conducted last year suggested the election results were "potentially implausible." Over the past year, the Broward supervisor of elections, Brenda Snipes, has taken no action on Mr. Canova's requests to examine the ballots, and she has urged a judge to throw Canova's lawsuit out. Despite the pending records requests and the ongoing litigation, Dr. Snipes ordered the ballots and other election documents destroyed, according to papers filed in circuit court here. http://thehill.com/regulation/ other/364793-gop-bill-scraps- voter-registration- requirements-for-colleges National: GOP bill would scrap voter registration requirements for colleges | The Hill House Republicans are pushing a higher education bill that scraps requirements for colleges and universities to alert students to register to vote. As part of legislation rewriting the laws governing colleges and universities, Republicans left out provisions added in 1998 and 2008 to ensure that schools make a good-faith effort to distribute voter registration forms to students enrolled at their institutions. The House Education and the Workforce Committee approved the bill late Tuesday in a 23-17 party-line vote that largely went under the radar. It would nix language requiring that schools request voter registration forms from their state at least 120 days before the voter registration deadline, and send students an "electronic communication" exclusively about voter registration. https://fcw.com/articles/2017/ 12/13/wyden-election-cyber- johnson.aspx National: Senator presses White House to improve election cyber protections | FCW On the day that a special election in Alabama captured national attention, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter urging National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to take additional steps to secure the nation's election infrastructure and provide support to state and local governments ahead of next year's mid-term elections. Specifically, Wyden asked McMaster to designate a senior White House election security czar to brief Congress of executive branch election security efforts, direct the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the Department of Homeland Security to grade states on their election infrastructure and designate political campaigns as critical infrastructure. Wyden, who has been one of Congress' most vocal advocates of increased election security, also is asking that the U.S. Secret Service expand its presidential candidate security detail to include cybersecurity. In the Dec. 12 letter, Wyden noted that 14 states still use direct-recording electronic, or DRE, voting machines that don't allow for paper-based election audits and rely on outdated operating systems with known vulnerabilities. Do you overeat? Did your boyfriend just break up with you? Does no one return your emails? Do you fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning? If so, you may be suffering from mental illness! A highly stigmatized, life-long condition that only a pharmaceutical drug can fix! But luckily there are advocacy groups like Glenn Close's Bring Change to Mind and the Pharma-funded front groups, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to help you. "Stigma" is the best thing that ever happened to Pharma. It has aggregated and co-opted patients into lobbying groups for high-priced, psychiatric drugs that they often stay on for decades or life. While the groups say they fight the "stigma" of mental illness, they actually spend their time fighting lawmakers and insurers, at the behest of Pharma, for payment of high-priced drugs. "When insurers balk at reimbursing patients for new prescription medications," says the Los Angeles Times, these groups "typically swing into action, rallying sufferers to appear before public and consumer panels [and] contact lawmakers." The patient front groups include the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, which gets half its funding from Pharma according to the Los Angeles Times and NAMI, which received $23 million in just two years from Pharma, according to the Wall Street Journal. In the 1990's, Eli Lilly was NAMI's biggest donor, reported Mother Jones. A woman I interviewed who wants to remain anonymous for medical privacy says she was told by the Chicago NAMI they could not help her with a borderline condition because there was no "drug" for it. So much for helping patients. In 2014, NAMI was successful in defeating a White House proposal to limit Medicare coverage of Wellbutrin, Paxil, Prozac, Abilify, Seroquel and other expensive drug classes. "The proposal undermines a key protection for some of the sickest, most vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries," said Andrew Sperling, a tear-jerking NAMI lobbyist using the image of elderly victims to give Pharma billions of our taxpayer dollars. Now comes a high-budget "PSA" campaign from Glenn Close's Bring Change to Mind fighting the "stigma" of eating disorders, anxiety and other "mental illnesses." If Close's high budget, slick commercials selling the idea that everyone, everywhere is "mentally ill" and a candidate for Pharma drugs are public service announcements why deny Exxon and Monsanto PSAs? Despite the efforts of NAMI, AFSP and Glenn Close's group all of which have brought the use of antidepressants to an all time high, the suicide rate in the United States is rising. Why could that be? Suicide has risen to 38,000 a year, says USA Today, after falling in the 1990s despite almost a quarter of the population in some age groups taking antidepressants and use of some psychiatric drugs growing by 700 percent in the military. Shouldn't suicides be going down? The truth is the Wall Street pleasing drugs which many people stay on for decades, or life, are often ineffectual and sometimes cause the very problems they are supposed to alleviate like suicide. No, Glenn Close, stigma doesn't "suck"----convincing perfectly normal people they are "mentally ill" to enrich Pharma sucks. (Article changed on December 18, 2017 at 20:44) (Article changed on December 18, 2017 at 20:47) (Article changed on December 18, 2017 at 20:50) Twenty-Seven psychiatrists and mental health experts have produced a book called The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, which I think, despite stating that the fate of the world is in the hands of an evil madman, understates the danger. The case that these authors make is one that I believe would strike most readers not loyal to Trump as common sense. The evidence that they compile, and with which we're mostly already familiar, strongly supports their diagnosis of Trump as hedonistic, narcissistic, bullying, dehumanizing, lying, misogynistic, paranoid, racist, self-aggrandizing, entitled, exploiting, empathy-impaired, unable to trust, free of guilt, manipulative, delusional, likely senile, and overtly sadistic. They also describe the tendency of some of these traits to grow ever worse through reinforcing cycles that seem to be underway. People, they suggest, who grow addicted to feeling special, and who indulge in paranoia can create circumstances for themselves that cause them to increase these tendencies. As the Justice Department closes in on Trump, writes Gail Sheehy, "Trump's survival instincts will propel him to a wag-the-dog war." Of course, this builds in the assumptions that Trump stole the election and that we will all remain dogs, that we will start approving of Trump if he starts bombing more people. Certainly this has been the U.S. corporate media's approach thus far. But need it be ours? The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists disapproves and has moved the doomsday clock closer to zero. The Council on Foreign Relations has begun listing the United States as a top threat to the United States. A Congressional committee has held a hearing on the danger of a Trumpian nuclear war (even while feigning impotence to do anything about it). It's not beyond the realm of imagination that the U.S. public could refuse to cheer for more mass murder. In this regard, certainly most past presidents have been more successful, not less, than Trump at what Robert J. Lifton calls the normalization of evil. He gives as an example the creation of the acceptance of torture. And certainly we've moved from Bush Jr. secretly torturing to Obama refusing to prosecute to Trump publicly supporting torture. But many still deem torture unacceptable. Hence this book's assumption that the reader will agree that torture is evil. But murder by bomb or drone missile has been so normalized, including by Barack "I'm really good at killing people" Obama, that it's passed over by this book as simply normal. Lifton does refer to the normalization of a nuclear threat during the (previous) Cold War, but seems to believe that phenomenon to be a problem of the past rather than one so successfully normalized that people don't see it anymore. Most of the symptoms found in Trump have existed in various degrees and combinations in past presidents and in past and current Congress members. But some of the symptoms seem to serve only as icing. That is, alone they are deemed unobjectionable, but in combination with others they point to severe sociopathy. Obama switched positions, lied, schemed, falsely marketed wars, reveled in the commission of murder, joked about using drone missiles on his daughter's boyfriends, etc. But he spoke well, used a better vocabulary, avoided blatant racism, sexism, and personal bullying, didn't seem to worship himself, didn't brag about sexual assault, and so on. My point, I very much wish it were needless to say, is not the equivalence of any president with another, but the normalization of illnesses in society as much as in individuals. This book goes after Trump for falsely claiming that Obama was spying on him. Yet the unconstitutional blanket surveillance of the NSA effectively means that Obama was indeed spying on everyone, including Trump. Sure, Trump was lying. Sure, Trump was paranoid. But if we avoid the larger reality, we're lying too. The symptoms from which Trump suffers may be taken as a guide to action by his followers, but they have long been understood to be an outline of the techniques of war propaganda. Dehumanization may be something Trump suffers from, but it's also a necessary skill in persuading people to participate in war. Trump was given the presidential nomination by media outlets that asked primary candidates questions that included "Would you be willing to kill hundreds and thousands of innocent children?" Had a candidate said no, he or she would have been disqualified. The authors fault Trump for his joining the long list of presidents who have threatened to use nukes, but when Jeremy Corbyn said he wouldn't use nukes, all hell broke loose in the UK, and his mental state was called into question there. Alzheimer's may be a disease afflicting Trump, but when Bernie Sanders mentioned important bits of history like a coup in Iran in '53, the television networks found something else to cover. Is it possible that refusing to confront reality has been normalized so deeply that the authors join in it, or are required to by their agent or editor? Academic studies say the U.S. government is an oligarchy. These doctors say they want to defend the U.S. "democracy" from Trump. This book identifies Vladimir Putin as being essentially the same as Adolf Hitler, based on zero offered evidence, and treats Trump denials of colluding with Russia to steal an election as signs of dishonesty or delusion. But how do we explain most members of the Democratic Party believing in Russiagate without proof? How do we explain Iran being voted the biggest threat to peace in the world by Americans, while people in most countries, according to Gallup and Pew, give that honor to the United States? What are we to make of the vast majority of Americans claiming to "believe in" "God" and denying the existence of death? Isn't climate denial child's play beside that one, if we set aside the factor of normalization? If a corporation or an empire or an athlete or a Hollywood action film were a person, it might be Donald Trump. But we all live in the world of corporations, empire, etc. We also apparently live in a world in which numerous men enjoy abusing women. That all these sexual harassers in the news, some of whom I am guessing are innocent but most of whom appear guilty, have convinced themselves that women don't really mind the abuse can, I think, be only a small part of the explanation. The large part seems quite clearly to be that we live in a country of sadists. And shouldn't they get a chance to elect someone who represents their point of view? Trump has been a public figure for decades, and most of his symptoms are nothing new, but he's been protected and even rewarded throughout. Trump incites violence on Twitter, but Twitter will not disable Trump's account. Congress is staring numerous documented impeachable offenses in the face, but chooses to look into only the one that lacks evidence but fuels war. The media, as noted, while remarkably improving on its enabling deference, still seems to give Trump the love he craves only when he brags about bombing people. The U.S. Constitution is and has always been deeply flawed in many ways, but it did not intend to give any individual beyond-royal powers over the earth. I've always viewed the obsession with the emperor that this article I'm now writing feeds as part of the problem of transferring power to him. But the authors of The Dangerous Case are right that we have no choice but to focus on him now. All we'd need would be a Cuban Missile Crisis and our fate would be sealed. The Emperor Formerly Known As Executive should be given the powers of the British queen, not be replaced by an acceptable Democratic emperor. The first step should be using the Constitution. Similar analyses of George W. Bush's mental health, not to mention a laundry list of abuses and crimes, never resulted in any action against him. And despite this new book's claim to defend "democracy" it does not use the word "impeachment." Instead, it turns to the 25th Amendment which allows the president's own subordinates to ask Congress to remove him from office. Perhaps because the likelihood of that happening is so extreme, and because further stalling and protecting of Trump is naturally a means of appearing "reasonable," the authors propose a study be done (even though they've just written a book) and that it be done by Congress. But if Congress were to take up this matter, it could impeach Trump and remove him without asking permission of his cabinet or doing any investigations. In fact, it could impeach him for any of a number of the behaviors that are studied in this book. The authors note that Trump has encouraged imitation of his outrages. We've seen that here in Charlottesville. They note that he's also created the Trump Anxiety Disorder in those he frightens. I'm 100% on board with treating fear as a symptom to be cured. This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. In June, an American Green Beret was reportedly strangled to death in Mali by U.S. Navy SEALs, allegedly in connection with a shadowy money-skimming scheme. (The military is currently investigating.) In July, The Intercept, the London-based research firm Forensic Architecture, and Amnesty International revealed that a drone base used by U.S. forces in Cameroon was also a site for illegal imprisonment, brutal torture, and even killings on the part of local forces. (The military is investigating.) In August, according to a blockbuster investigation by the Daily Beast, U.S. Special Operations forces took part in a massacre in which 10 Somali civilians were killed. (The military is investigating.) In October, four Special Operations soldiers were killed in murky circumstances during an ambush by militants in Niger. (The military is investigating.) This spate of questionable, scandalous, or even criminal activity involving U.S. forces in Africa should come as little surprise. Over the last decade and a half, operations on that continent have been expanding and evolving at an exponential rate. A token number of U.S. troops has grown into a cast of thousands now carrying out about 10 separate missions per day, ranging from training to combat operations, which are up 1,900% since last year alone. U.S. commandos sent to that continent have jumped from 1% of special ops forces deployed overseas in 2006 to nearly 17% today, the highest total outside the Middle East. There have also been numerous indications of U.S. forces behaving badly from one side of the continent to the other. Few in the mainstream media or among those tasked with oversight of such operations have, however, taken any significant notice of this. "We don't know exactly where we're at in the world, militarily, and what we're doing," said Senator Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in the wake of the ambush in Niger. More recently, Congressman Ted Lieu of the House Foreign Affairs Committee added, "From combating al-Shabaab in Somalia to Boko Haram in Nigeria, U.S. military personnel are deployed across the African continent with little public scrutiny or awareness." This attention deficit helped set the stage for the recent scandals that have forced lawmakers and the public to take some notice. The situation of the U.S. military in Africa is, in some respects, not unlike that in California, where TomDispatchregular Rebecca Gordon begins her latest article. There, climate-change-charged dry weather and unseasonably warm temperatures made the state a tinderbox that recently burst into a series of devastating wildfires. The U.S. military has created its own tinderbox in Africa, where longtime expansion without oversight has led to a series of blazing scandals. And all of this is just a small part of the larger story told by Gordon -- of a world filled with the dry underbrush of decades of failed U.S. policies and of a president with a penchant for setting fires. Once, ignoble political calculations, futile strategies, ideological idiocy, and intellectual ineptitude provided flashpoints capable of sparking foreign policy failures, conflicts, or ruinous domestic policies. Today, writes Gordon, the commander-in-chief functions as a one-man flamethrower, setting blazes the world over as a matter of whim and embracing the inferno as an end in itself. Nick Turse The President Plays with Matches And the Whole World Burns By Rebecca Gordon "I've just heard that my family home near Carpenteria is literally in flames at this moment," a friend told me recently. She was particularly worried, she said, because "my mom has MS. She and my dad got the call to evacuate after midnight last night. They were able to grab a few photos, my sister's childhood teddy bear, and the dog. That's it. That's all that's left." My friend's parents are among the thousands of victims of the 240,000-acre Thomas fire, one of California's spate of late-season wildfires. Stoked by 80-mile-an-hour Santa Ana winds, plenty of dry fuel, and 8% humidity, such fires are devouring huge swaths of southern California from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Months of dry weather and unseasonably warm temperatures have turned the southern part of the state into a tinderbox. Once again the country watches in horror as firefighters struggle to contain blazes of historic voracity -- as we watched only a couple of months ago when at least 250 wildfires spread across the counties north of San Francisco. Even after long-awaited rains brought by an El Nino winter earlier in 2017, years of drought have left my state ready to explode in flames on an increasingly warming planet. All it takes is a spark. Sort of like the whole world in the age of Donald Trump. Torching Jerusalem The crazy comes so fast and furious these days, it's easy to forget some of the smaller brushfires -- like the one President Trump lit at the end of November when he retweeted three false and "inflammatory" videos about Muslims that he found on the Twitter feed of the leader of a British ultra-nationalist group. The president's next move in the international arena -- his "recognition" of Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel -- hasn't yet slipped from memory, in part because of the outrage it evoked around the world. As Moustafa Bayoumi, acclaimed author of How Does It Feel to be a Problem? Being Young and Arab in America, wrote in the Guardian, "The entire Middle East, from Palestine to Yemen, appears set to burst into flames after this week." Not surprisingly, his prediction has already begun to come true with demonstrations in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon, where U.S. flags and posters of President Trump were set alight. We've also seen the first rockets fired from Gaza into Israel and the predictable reprisal Israeli air attacks. Trump's Jerusalem announcement comes as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, pursues his so-called Middle East peace initiative. Kushner's new BFF is Mohammed bin Salman, the heir apparent to the Saudi throne. We don't know just what the two of them talked about during a late night tete--tete as October ended, but it probably involved Salman's plans to jail hundreds of prominent Saudis, including 11 fellow princes. They undoubtedly also discussed a new, incendiary Israeli-Palestinian "peace plan" that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are reportedly quietly circulating. Under this proposal, according to the New York Times, "The Palestinians would get a state of their own but only noncontiguous parts of the West Bank and only limited sovereignty over their own territory. The vast majority of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which most of the world considers illegal, would remain. The Palestinians would not be given East Jerusalem as their capital and there would be no right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants." Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). As I read the news that the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the third version of President Donald Trump's ban on travelers from six majority Muslim countries, North Korea and Venezuela to stand while legal challenges continue, it occurred to me how easy it is to become complacent. Earlier this year, in my capacity as president of the United World College-USA, the only United States campus of a 17-campus, worldwide educational movement in the service of global understanding, peace and sustainability, I spoke out immediately about the wrongheadedness of President Trump's original version of the ban. I didn't speak out from the standpoint of our constitutionally based commitment to freedom of religion. I didn't call out the role immigrants have played in our history. I didn't engage the issue from a partisan perspective, believing against much evidence to the contrary that we can still be guided by the idea that there is such a thing as the common good. I spoke out from a purely pragmatic standpoint, in agreement with the premise that security must be one of the chief concerns of leadership. To ban from entry to this country people who wish to escape extremism, who believe their cultural traditions are compatible with this brilliant experiment in a diverse democracy, who wish to study and to learn together with others whose views are surely different from their own, is shortsighted. Worse, it is counterproductive. Fundamental distinctions between those who would do us harm and those who are looking to learn with and from us must be maintained. The scourge presented by extremism of all kinds loses traction under the critical scrutiny that comes with education. Have we given up on the power of education to shape hearts and minds? To bridge differences through discovery of common ground? To work together on seemingly intractable problems of concern to all human beings? Any travel ban that doesn't go out of its way to promote educational exchange (granted, there are some concessions in the third version) misses its mark on security, even more so on the possibility of peace. If we can't agree on principles and politics, perhaps we can unite on pragmatic grounds. Security is served by peace, peace by understanding. We can't understand one another if we don't live and learn together. Given that there is no barrier big enough to reverse the global interconnection that will be our legacy to the world, let's make sure that our policies harness the power of education on the side of security and peace. Let's not be complacent when we encounter policies that undercut their own aims. And let's not be complacent when those policies threaten the greatest hope for a more secure and peaceful world there is education. >>>>>>> UWC-USA is one of 17 United World College (UWC) campuses located on five continents. A two-year residential school, UWC-USA serves students age 16-19 who typically represent more than 75 different countries. They participate in a unique program that combines academic challenge with an experiential, hands-on approach to learning. UWC-USA distinguishes itself through its robust Wilderness Program , the Bartos Institute for Constructive Engagement of Conflict , and its deep relationship with the local community of Las Vegas, N.M., where students participate in an array of service projects . Image created from image crediting (Image by Stephen Fox) Details DMCA Dr. Victoria Mora, Ph.D., a New Mexico native and the fifth president of United World College. BA, University of New Mexico PhD, Yale University (Article changed on December 20, 2017 at 19:45) Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. 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. Screen shot from a video released by US Defense Department's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, showing an encounter between a US Navy F/A-18 and an Unidentified Flying Object [public domain]. (Image by US Department of Defense) Details DMCA Between 2007 and 2012, the New York Timesreports, a secret US Department of Defense program received $22 million to investigate reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Although it no longer receives dedicated funding, the program apparently continues as a part-time effort pursued by personnel with other duties. Among the public, opinion on UFOs runs the gamut from belief that the whole idea is a product of fevered imaginations to conviction that Earth is frequently visited by extraterrestrial beings possessed of technologies beyond our ken. But all along that spectrum there remain good reasons to investigate UFOs. Unknown objects in traveled airspace represent a potential danger to commercial airline traffic. Finding out what they are makes sense. If they're harmless mirages, methods of screening them out can be developed. If they're dangerous physical phenomena -- natural or artificial in origin -- better ways of detecting and responding to them are called for. The defense and security implications of advanced aircraft flying with impunity through a state's claimed airspace under the control of an unknown intelligence are obvious. Should that turn out to be the case, it seems to me that information on the phenomenon should be shared among states. If there's a threat, it is presumably to Earth itself, not only to a particular government. And even if not, the interests of science and of humankind in those facts do not stop at national borders. The nature of the UFO phenomenon is such that investigations of it shouldn't be entrusted to any single government, or for that matter to government at all. On the other hand, most current private sector investigations seem at first blush to labor under heavy confirmation bias. That is, those who are interested in investigating UFOs either want or don't want them to be alien spacecraft and therefore find reasons to conclude that that's what they are or aren't. It seems to me that UFO research is the perfect endeavor for a respected university to get into using "crowdfunding" -- asking the general public to contribute, then spending the money to hire qualified researchers from applicable fields (meteorology, aerospace engineering, etc.) who evince no agendas beyond dogged pursuit of the truth, and putting them to work. It seems eminently doable. Wikipedia's list of top crowdfunded projects by amount raised lists 15 which have knocked down more than the $22 million put into the Pentagon's hands by Congress. The extent of governments' involvement in such crowdfunded research should be limited to legal requirements that information generated by those governments be made available to the researchers, along with any security clearances required to examine it. The truth, as The X-Files TV series told us, is out there. Isn't it about time we went and found it? (Image by Carl J Petersen) Details DMCA 1984 (1/11) Movie CLIP - Two Minutes Hate (1984) HD 1984 movie clips: j.mp/1yN1BxB BUY THE MOVIE: j.mp/1zIjHvW Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: bit.ly/1u2y6pr CLIP DESCRIPTION: During the morning's 'Two Minute Hate',... (Image by YouTube, Channel: Movieclips) Details DMCA ____________________________________________ Carl Petersen is a parent and special education advocate, elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council and was a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race. During the campaign, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action and Dr. Diane Ravitch called him a "strong supporter of public schools." His past blogs can be found at www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. 1 1 1 Rate It | View Ratings Carl Petersen Social Media Pages: Carl Petersen is a parent, an advocate for students with special education needs, an elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council, a member of the LAUSD's CAC, and was a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race. During the campaign, the Network for Public Education (NPE) Action endorsed him, and Dr. Diane Ravitch called him a " (more...) The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors. OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help. If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership. I am 66, he 33. This will never happen again. He is catching up with me. If he lives to be 1000 And I am still alive, I will be 1033. By that time California will be a desert. But we will sit in an old growth forest In what used to be Alberta And we will talk about things That would only interest 1000-year-old men. Not health, because We would have mastered the health-thing. No, we will talk about dreams And yogurt and colors. Also, we won't be using words But whistles, like the birds Who will, I like to imagine, flourish After the Climate Crash of 2053. I will smile and look into his craggy face And he will see how much I love him. And I will see his love for me. I really like having an old soul! It makes it easy to see beyond And feel OK with the possibility that Things may not get better For a long, long time. (Article changed on December 18, 2017 at 19:56) (Image by Anf) Details DMCA By Hamma Mirwaisi President Donald Trump failed policies in the 'Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (KRG)' region are driving Kurdish people to starvation. Kurdish people are hopeless because the US Governments are supporting thieves and corrupt officials of Barzani and Talabani mafia forces in the KRG region. The Ex-governor of Kirkuk Dr. Najmiddin Karim is the holder of the double citizen of the US and Iraq. Kurdish people are accusing him to be involved in the oil deals corruption with the Qubad Talabani son of late Iraqi ex-President Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani former President of KRG. But the US is protecting him now after he returns from Kirkuk-Iraq. There are many ex-American officials involvement with Barzani and Talabani Mafia and corrupt Governments of KRG. General H. R. McMaster the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor announced recently that the US Governments are protecting Kurds of Northern Iraq (KRG) region. The Kurdish people are suffering since the US invasion of Iraq in the year 2003. Maybe he means that the US Governments are protecting Barzani and Talabani mafia families instead of Kurdish people. What are the US Governments doing for Kurdish people? References Gele Basure Kurdistane li ser piyan e: Bila hikumet istifa bike .youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=HTnq4C3PNN4 PROTESTS ERUPT IN PARTS OF KURDISTAN REGION (VIDEOS) .nrttv.com/EN/Details.aspx?Jimare=17961 From Strategic Culture Secret police are characteristic of dictatorships, or so goes the conventional thinking on the subject. Police in democracies operate for the most part transparently and within a set of rules and guidelines that limits their ability to gratuitously punish citizens who have done nothing wrong. If a policeman operating under rule-of-law steps out of line, he can be held accountable. That is also conventional thinking. But what happens when an ostensibly "democratic" police force becomes corrupted and starts doing things that are outside its zone of responsibility, and does so to benefit a political relationship that will in turn protect those who have broken the law under cover of carrying out their official duties? That is the characteristic of what we have been calling a "deep state," where forces drawn generally from the political class and security services conspire together to control what the public is allowed to know while also manipulating nuisances like elections to make sure that the "correct" outcome emerges. Indeed, deep state operating in a democracy or republic is far more dangerous that the secret police in a dictatorship. That is because in a system where the forces of the state are all-powerful, nearly everyone expects that what they read and what the government says is all a lie. In a democratic system there is what intelligence officers would refer to as plausible denial, which means that even when the government is behaving very badly much of the public will believe that it is acting honorably because they want to trust that the system works. And when the deep state includes management of the media, many citizens will likewise believe what they are reading or hearing is honest reporting, even when it is not. Due to the events of the past year in particular, many Americans have become convinced that there now exists something like a secret police operating in the United States that is a fusion of some political dealmakers with certain politicized elements in the intelligence and security services. However one regards President Donald Trump and his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, there is nevertheless something odd in terms of how they have been investigated and, in the case of Flynn, legally entrapped to convict him of lying to the FBI to force him to cut a deal with the Special Counsel inquiry headed by Robert Mueller. Consider how, even though meeting with Russians is not illegal, Trump and his associates have been subjected to secret investigation of their Russian ties for nearly two years without any revelations apart from the fact that it was Israel, not Russia, that colluded to undermine White House policy. FBI Director James Comey's antics during the primaries and electoral campaign, in which he first exonerated and then complained about Hillary Clinton while at the same time validating a dossier full of largely questionable information about Donald Trump's dealings with Russia provides clear evidence of an organization that has lost its bearings and has become a politicized agent of an incumbency that has itself become corrupted and believes itself to be above the law. And then there is the Central Intelligence Agency's own John Brennan working with the FBI to undermine the Trumps, illegally digging up dirt from the liaison intelligence partners in Europe and the Middle East. America's law enforcement empire has all the characteristics of secret police in a dictatorship. It is not transparent in its actions, has a history of bending the rules to obtain convictions, and its officers are rarely held accountable. It has also been politicized. And to be sure, one should recognize that there are two additional factors driving the growth and transformation of the national security state in the U.S. First is the intense dislike that the top levels of the American intelligence and police agencies have for Donald Trump personally, a contempt that Trump himself has largely earned by his scorn for much of the government that he inherited. Second is the "trust the authorities" culture that has grown up since 9/11, reinforced by fear-mongering on the part of the government to justify executive overreach and enabled through anti-terror legislation that has unleashed the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency (NSA) to act with impunity while suffering no consequences whatsoever. As reported in the 9/5/2006 Washington Post piece titled President Bush Delivers Remarks on the War on Terror, BUSH: "We know what the terrorists intend to do because they've told us. And we need to take their words seriously. So today I'm going to describe in the terrorist's own words what they believe, what they hope to accomplish, and how they intend to accomplish it." Bush-43 reveals Bin Laden's terror war game-plan, as follows: "The Al Qaeda leader concludes that America is definitely a great power, with unbelievable military strength and a vibrant economy, but all these have been built on a very weak and hollow foundation. Bin Laden went on to say, therefore, "It is very easy to target the flimsy base and concentrate on their weak points. And even if we are able to target one-tenth of these weak points, we will be able to crush and destroy them."" President George W. Bush continues, mentioning Bin Laden's "bleed until bankruptcy plan,", Al Qaeda's campaign to create a wedge between the American people and their government and that Americans are being sacrificed to serve the big investors. These Al Qaeda aims were originally declared on August 23, 1996 and much of the current 19+ trillion-dollar U.S. national debt stems from actions approved by Republican House and Senate majorities, e.g., the Glass-Steagall repeal, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, the Iraq/Afghanistan wars ($ 5.6 trillion military spending since 2001) , the failed Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug (Medicare Part D) legislation and various Trade Promotion Authority (Fast Track) legislation/Free Trade Agreements. Image From Article (Image by Unknown) Details DMCA Since the candidacy of Ronald Reagan, it has been a Republican Party tradition to be the anti-government party creating a wedge between the American people and their government; only to grow geometrically since Reagan's 1987 suspension by executive order of the Fairness Doctrine. This doctrine was a policy of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) introduced in 1949 requiring the holders of broadcast licenses both to present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was--in the Commission's view--honest, equitable, and balanced. The additional 1.5 trillion-dollar Federal deficit recently approved by the Republican House majority to facilitate Trump's Tax Reform on top of the newly enacted 70 billion-dollar per year increase in defense spending brings the U.S. a giant-step closer to the point of bankruptcy, again primarily to serve the big investors. Trump's Tax Reform provision to move from world-wide taxation to territorial taxation will further facilitate the off-shoring of American jobs, weaken the U.S. economy, draining the federal/state budgets of much needed revenue and increase investor assets world-wide that need to be protected by the U.S. military and the related increased defense spending. Eleven-plus years since Brush-43's September 5, 2006 speech, the republican-controlled House and Senate has not taken Bin Laden's words seriously but instead passed Trump's Tax Reform by a vote of 227-205 and 51-49, respectively. Now at America's potentially eleventh-hour, a vote on a House/Senate joint tax bill is the last line of defense against pursuing fiscal policy that will bring Al Qaeda's 1996 dream a giant-step closer to coming true. Event Management Software Market Challenges, Key Vendors, Drivers and Trends by Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1399 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/event-management-software-market-1399 Event Management Software Global Market Overview:Cvent, Eventbrite, RegOnline, etouches, Bizzabo, ThnderTix, Eventmobi, EventsAir, are some of the popular event management software available in the client market. Cvent which recently merges with its subsidiary Lanyon solutions is the leading market player in event management software industry, followed by Etouches, EventsAir, Bizzabo and Ungerboeck International among others. All companies offers event management software pertaining to a single task whereas Ungerboeck international and Cvent comes under those 10% who are able to provide all features of event management on single software platform.The Global Event Management Software Market is expected to be a very dynamic market and is expected to witness high growth in the coming years. Adoption of cloud platform by industries & corporate, increasing use of smartphones, and increasing frequency of corporate events are some of the factors driving the market.The fundamental concept behind corporate events is to generate more leads and to create brand awareness in consumer market. The count of attendees would decides the ROI generated from the events. For this, well planned event marketing is required by the event organizers. However, generating leads from events is a challenge for event organizer as there is always an uncertainty of how many attendee would come to join the event. However, lack of awareness especially in developing economies is expected to hamper the market growth in coming years.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: Cvent Inc. (U.S.) Etouches (U.S.) Eventbrite (U.S.) Lanyon Solutions Inc. (U.S.) Bizzabo (U.S.) Certain Inc. (U.S.) Regfox LLC (U.S.) Ungerboeck software International (U.S.) Pulse network (U.S) Active network LLC (U.S)Industry News:November 2017:Cvent, Inc., a leading cloud based enterprise event management company partnership with Opus Agency, a leading provider of global event experiences. This partnership is expected to benefits their mutual clients with innovation in software by Cvent with support of consultation services provided by Opus thereby support them to leverage their market position.September 2017:Eventbrite, a leading ticketing and event technology platform, acquired Ticketfly, a premium ticketing platform provider focused on music venues, promoters and festivals. With this acquisition, Eventbrite has expanded their customer base to live event technology organizing companies and music customers.November 2017:etouches, a leading provider of event management software solutions, announced their partnership with UNICEO (United Network of International Corporate Event Organizer), a non-profit international corporate association. With this partnership etouches has got an opportunity to increase its customer base to established leaders. On the other hand, UNICEO members can get benefit from event management software supporting event planning, venue sourcing, and post event analysis.Event Management Software Global Market- Competitive AnalysisCvent Inc. is the leading market player in Event Management Software market and has occupied highest market share globally in 2016. They offers wide range of solutions which includes event management software, event ticketing software, event venue selection, and mobile event applications to serve their around ten thousand customers worldwide. Recently, in November 2017, United States Department of Commerce has approved companys privacy shield certification. This would help company to invest resources and people ensuring its data privacy and security.Etouches, Centium software, Eventbrite, and Bizzabo are some other emerging companies which are fuelling the growth of event management software in coming years.Event Management Software Global Market- SegmentationThe Event Management Software Market can be classified into 4 key segments as follows:Segmentation by Software Type: Analytics software, Venue management software, event planning software and event registration software.Segmentation by Deployment : On-cloud and On-premise.Segmentation by End-User: Corporate, Government, Education, Healthcare and others.Segmentation by Regions: Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.Browse Full Report Details @Event Management Software Global Market- Regional Analysis:The global event management software market is estimated to grow at a promising rate in upcoming years. North America is the leading region among Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Increasing technology adoption and rising small and large event organizing companies are the major growth drivers of North America region .Europe is the fastest growing region which is estimated to show high growth during forecast period.Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa is showing slow growth rate as event organizer is still following traditional approach while planning an event. Whereas lack of technical awareness about event management software is the major reason behind slow growth of Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa region.About 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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Facial Recognition Market 2017 - Share, Size, Growth, Competitor Strategy and Trends by Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1250 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/facial-recognition-market-1250 Facial Recognition Global Market Overview:Facial recognition is an emerging intrusive and fastest biometric technology working with most individual identifier- the human face. Face recognition technology automatically identifies a person through comparing his digital image with the record available. It monitors the captured image from every angle, identifies skin tone of a human faces surface, and also able to identify the suspect by emotion analysis technique.There are various methods used to perform facial recognition such as 3D facial recognition, 2D facial recognition, thermal imaging and skin texture analysis. With growing technology advancement, 3D facial recognition is been adopted on large number over 2D and other facial recognition techniques. There is huge demand for 3D facial recognition technique in government and banking sector in order to increase security at homeland and in military & defence sector. 3D facial has the ability to identify suspect from a mile of distance unlike 2D facial and other techniques thereby has large benefits for suspect identification during criminal investigation. Further, Aware Inc., IBM Corporation, Apple, and Intel security group among others are implementing facial biometrics in wearable, PCs & laptops, thereby developing good opportunity for facial biometrics in commercial, and retail sectors.The growing criminal activities and increase in terrorist attacks worldwide has driven the huge demand for high tech and highly secured surveillance system especially for public places. The law enforcement agencies are using Facial Recognition Market to trace & identify suspects during crime investigations. Other than securities, facial recognition also attracting commercial and automotive market these days.Major Key Players: Safran SA (France), NEC Corporation (Japan), Cognitec Systems (Germany), Aware Inc. (U.S), Daon Inc. (U.S.), Gemalto (Netherlands) FaceFirst Inc. (U.S.), Ayonix Corporation (Japan), Key Lemon Ltd. (Switzerland), Face++ (China)Request a Sample Report @Industry News:December 2017 Intel Corporation in collaboration with Foxconn introduced use cases for 5G based edge computing facial recognition technology to serve emerging requirement of safety in application areas such as payments, retailing, and residential & business security. This technology allows consumer to make transactions within 0.03 seconds of payment process.December 2017 Vision Labs announced a strategic partnership with BS/2, a Lithuanian banking technology company, to develop an interbank services for contactless identification using facial recognition technology. This solution is expected to capture user data including gender, age, and emotional response with video stream analysis.November 2017 OnePlus, an emerging smartphone company, launched its new product named OnePlus 5T featuring facial recognition technology for device unlock.February-2017 Apple Buys Face Biometrics Company RealFace, an Israel based facial recognition company. With this acquisition, Apple is looking to introduce password based login on its iPhone with facial biometric solution.Facial Recognition Global Market- Competitive Analysis:IBM Corporation is the leading market player in Facial Recognition market and has occupied highest market share globally in 2016. They offer i2 facial recognition software kit for intelligent video analytics application. Recently the company has partnered with Rice University to develop elder care robots that can assist seniors which stay alone. These robots would have many features like sensors, cameras that would read facial expressions, sensors to capture vital signs, and Watson-powered speech recognition to know when to call for help.Safran S.A., NEC Corporation, Gemalto NV, and 3M Company are some other growing companies which are fuelling the growth of Facial Recognition in coming years.Facial Recognition Global Market- Segmentation:The Facial Recognition Market can be classified into 5 key segments as follows:Segmentation by Technology: 3D Facial Recognition, 2D Facial Recognition, Thermal Imaging, and Skin Texture AnalysisSegmentation by Services: Consulting and cloud basedSegmentation by Component: Hardware and SoftwareSegmentation by End-User: Government, BFSI, Commercial, Retail, Automotive, Education, Healthcare and others.Segmentation by Regions: Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World.Browse Full Report Details @Facial Recognition Global Market- Regional AnalysisThe global facial recognition market is estimated to grow at a promising rate in upcoming years. North America is dominating the market followed by Europe. Law enforcement agencies of U.S. and Canada are early adopter of facial recognition technology to control the increasing crime rate in the country. Mexico government has also implemented this technology to reduce fraud at elections and to control the criminal activities in the country.Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region which is estimated to show high growth during forecast period. China is dominating the market in Asia-Pacific. In China, government and private companies has deployed facial recognition technology for various purposes such as public safety, fraud prevention, and reducing crime rate. In India also, Government and NGOs are promoting facial recognition technology based biometrics service. However, lack of technical awareness about facial biometrics process and benefits is the major reason behind slow growth in the country.About 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Metrology Market Challenges, Key Vendors, Drivers and Trends by Forecast to 2027 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1064 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/metrology-market-1064 Metrology Global Market Overview:Metrology is a scientific study of measurement with respect to various units of parameters and industry standard. It provides precise measurements by implementing traditional and practical measurements. The growing concerned of manufacturers towards accuracy and precision in their products and to ensure product quality has assured high growth in adoption of metrology measurements into their manufacturing process.According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, The global market of Metrology is increasing and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period. The market is projected to demonstrate a spectacular growth by 2023, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a striking CAGR during the anticipated period (2017 2023).The Global Metrology Market is driven growing quality requirement in industrial products, use of technically advanced devices for measurement, and emerging high tech robots serviceable in automation, energy harvesting and semiconductor wafer inspection among others. On the other hand, lack of technical expertise and high initial cost of machines are some of the factors hindering the growth of Metrology Market.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: Hexagon AB (Sweden) Carl Zeiss (Germany) Mitutoyo Corp.(U.S) Nikon metrology (Belgium) Renishaw (U.K.) metrology software product Ltd.(U.K.) Pantec metrology (Germany) Perceptron Inc.(U.S.) 3D Digital Corporation (U.S.) Faro Technologies (U.S.)Industry News:November 2017 Hexagon AB has introduced a portable ultra-large laser scanner named Leica Absolute Scanner LAS-XL designed to speed up measurement and accuracy testing process of industrial manufacturing.November 2017: Jenoptik AG has introduced laser robot systems for 3D laser metal cutting technology of chassis components for the automotive industry. This systems capable of cutting complex car body components made of materials such as ultra-high steel and cast aluminium.October 2017 Hexagon AB has upgrade the temperature range of its shop floor coordinate measuring machine. The CMM which operates in temperature range of 15 degree to 30 degree, now is extended upto 40 degree. This enhancement in temperature enable its customers to deliver accurate measurement in greater range of operating environment.September 2017 Hexagon AB has launched HTA (high throughput and accuracy) measurement solution range for industry specific applications. This new solution speed up the scanning process which help in delivering measurement data on time thereby an ideal solution for manufacturers of automotive, aerospace and other industries.Metrology Global Market Competitive Analysis:Hexagon AB is the leading market player in metrology market and has occupied highest market share globally in 2016. The company has geographical reach in 46 countries with more than 16000 employees. It offers wide range of products related to metrology including metrology management system, in-line metrology, metrology software & sensors. It offers industrial metrology solutions to automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy and medical industry.Also. Hexagon AB is among those few companies which also offers traceable assembly and inspection system to mobile phone manufacturers. Other than Hexagon, Nikon Metrology, Renishaw, Carl Zeiss and Mitutoyo Corporation are also some of the major players supporting the growth of metrology market.Metrology Global Market Segmentation:The Metrology Market can be segmented in to 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Type : Industrial and Scientific.Segmentation by Product: Coordinate measuring machine (CMMs) and optical digitizers & scanners (ODS).Segmentation by End-User: Automotive, Aerospace, Energy & Power, Manufacturing and Consumer Electronics.Segmentation by Regions: Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.Metrology Global Market Regional Analysis:Europe is dominating the Global Metrology Market with the largest market share and therefore accounting for astronomical amounts and is expected to grow over its previous growth records by 2023. The Metrology market has vast scope in the region due to the presence of major automotive industries in the region. The integration of automobile manufacturing process with metrology is expected to support the automotive sector in inspection and improving the performance of vehicles. North America is expected to generate second highest market revenue in 2016. Metrology Market in Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow at a substantial CAGR during 2016 to 2027 due to Technological and industrial growth in Asian countries, such as China and Japan.Browse Full Report Details @About 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Mobile Application Development Platform Market Analysis, Segments, Top Key Players, Drivers and Trends by Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1419 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/mobile-application-development-platform-market-1419 Mobile Application Development Platform Global Market Overview:The global mobile application development platform market is showing immense growth; mainly due to the penetration of mobile devices in almost all industry verticals. Mobile devices have become an inseparable part of our lives enabling more convenient communication, online content downloading and sharing. It also offers great mobility and majority of tasks can be handled on the go.Mobile application development platform refers to specially designed architecture suites as per the company specified requirements. These solutions are used basically in building of applications and also are implemented for testing and distribution purposes. Major players in the mobile application development platform market such as IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Salesforce.com and others provide mobile application development solutions and services over cloud as well as on-premise. Growing popularity of bring your own device (BYOD) further complements the use of mobile devices in organizations and enterprises. Also, due to the drastic fall in the usage of native applications and a considerable shift towards the adoption of mobile applications, the market is likely to show immense growth in the coming future.According to a recent study report published by Market Research Future, The global market of mobile application development platform is increasing and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period. The market is projected to demonstrate a spectacular growth by 2023 with a striking CAGR during the anticipated period (2017 2023). Mobile application development platform deals with the growing need to automate application development processes which will ultimately be responsible for driving the growth of mobile application development platform market. Also, cloud based mobile application development platform is expected to dominate the share of the mobile application development platform market. This is owing to the benefits being offered by cloud based solutions such as flexible, scalable, and cost-effective. Also, cloud based solutions can be easily implemented and offers easy integration too. IT solutions provided by mobile application development platform offers back end as a service which eliminates the need for application developers to create their back-end systems. This ultimately reduces the application development time, improves front-end tasks, and also enhances the UI design for a better user experience.On the other hand, lack of technical expertise in handling the mobile application development platforms could be a major factor that could cause hindrance in the growth of the market. Also, increased expenses of licensing and maintaining Mobile Application Development Platform Market in enterprises may hamper the market growth.Major Key Players: Kony Inc.(U.S.) Globo (U.S.) EchoStar Corporation (U.S.) ViaSat Inc. (U.S.) IBM Corporation (U.S.) Oracle Corporation (U.S.) Progress Software Corporation (Germany) Salesforce.com Inc. (U.S.) Halosys (U.S.)Request a Sample Report @Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:May 2017 Apple has announced new iOS app design and development accelerator in Bengaluru. It is a new initiative to support engineering talent and accelerate growth in Indias iOS developer community. This will help them to develop their skills and transform the design, quality and performance of their apps on the iOS platform.June 2017 Mobiquity Networks Partners with Intellectsoft Group to Grow App Publisher Network. The company has announced an agreement with Intellectsoft Group, whose mobile roadie platform powers hundreds of app with more than 50 million estimated downloads.November 2017 Realm extends commitment for Microsoft .Net mobile platform. This is an initiative to make development easier for Microsoft developers to build real-time, responsive mobile apps. It has extended support with three additional features such as support for .NET, including C#, support for the universal windows platform within Realms real-time synchronization and data encryption technology and a two-way data connector between Realm and Microsoft SQL server which will ultimately make it easier to integrate applications and features into existing databases.Mobile Application Development Platform Global Market - Competitive AnalysisThe market of mobile application development platform appears to be highly competitive. To maintain their market position and to drive the market growth, various dynamic and diversified international organizations, domestic organizations and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. Market leaders are innovating continuously and increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. Major players are investing on internal R&D and, most of all, in acquiring other firms.Mobile Application Development Platform Global Market - SegmentationThe mobile application development platform market can be classified into 4 key segments for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Deployment: Comprises of Cloud (Public, Private, Hybrid) and On PremiseSegmentation by Organization Size: Comprises of SBUs and Large EnterprisesSegmentation by Vertical: Comprises of Healthcare, Retail, Transportation & Logistics, Telecom and OthersSegmentation by Region: Comprises of Geographical regions - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the WorldMobile Application Development Platform Global Market - Regional AnalysisNorth America is expected to witness a significant growth and hold the largest market share during the forecast period. U.S and Canada are anticipated to drive the growth of the mobile application development platform market in North America owing to the presence of a large number of established key players such as Adobe Systems Inc. (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation, IBM Corporation, Kony Inc. and Salesforce.com Inc. among others. Also, increasing demand for enterprise mobility is another major factor driving the market growth in the region.Mobile application development platform market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a substantial CAGR during 2017 to 2023 due to rise in IT technology and increasing demand for mobile application development platform from SMEs in the region. Whereas, the Europe market for mobile application development platform is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR (2017-2023).Browse Full Report Details @About 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Innovation Management Market Global Trends, Key Vendors Analysis, Import & Export, Revenue by Forecast to 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3957 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/online-education-market-3957 Market Scenario:Online Education Market refers to learning in a 100% virtual environment. Online education can play a major role in developing the education industry overall in terms of money as well as innovation. With growing popularity of internet and many active user, online education market is expected to witness high growth rate during the forecast period. Increasing implementation of IT security and cloud based solutions and rapid growth in digitization are the factors responsible for the growth of online education market.Online Education Market has been segmented on the basis of product, learning type and end user. The learning type segment is further bifurcated into synchronous learning and asynchronous learning. Asynchronous learning refers to online spaces where work is supported through the use of digital platforms like threaded discussions or emails. In asynchronous learning, the participants need not be compulsorily online at the time whereas in synchronous learning type, the users need to be online and is moreover like face-to-face learning environment. It involves real-time responses that allow better provision for clarity.The global Online Education Market is expected to grow at approx. USD 423 Billion by 2023, at 24% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Major factors driving the growth of online education market are conducive government policies and increasing demand for technical education. Increase in popularity of distance learning is another major factor driving the growth of online education market.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: Adobe Systems (U.S.) McGraw-Hill Education (U.S.) Pearson Education (U.K.) Blackboard (U.S.) Lynda.Com (U.S.) Aptara (U.S.) Docebo (Italy) Edmodo (U.S.) PowerSchool Learning (U.S.) Tata Interactive Systems (India)Study Objectives of Online Education Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the online education market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future perspective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segmentation on the basis of product, learning type and end user. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for online education market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the online education market.Segments:Online education market can be segmented on the basis of following:By Product Content ServicesBy Learning Type Synchronous Learning Asynchronous LearningBy End User K-12 Education Higher Education Industry & ProfessionalRegional Analysis:The regional analysis of online education market is being studied for regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. It has been observed that North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the market, whereas Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period.The major growth in online education market in North America is attributed to technical advancements and increasing use of internet, mobiles and tablets in that region.Access Report Details @Intended Audience Technology investors Integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) Research/Consultancy firms Educational Institutions StudentsTable of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market StructureContinued.List of TablesTable 1 Online Education Market, By ProductTable 2 Online Education Market, By Learing TypeTable 3 Online Education Market, By End UserContinued.List of FiguresFigure 1 Research TypeFigure 2 Online Education Market, By Product (%)Figure 3 Online Education Market, By Learing Type (%)Continued.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our clients 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 Solutions, Application, Logistics 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Global Online Payment Market 2017-2023 Visa Size, MasterCard Share, UnionPay Online Payment https://goo.gl/VYNoN9 http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-online-payment-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/#enquiry_for_buying A market study Global Online Payment Market examines the performance of the Online Payment market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Online Payment market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Online Payment market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Online Payment Market 2017 report includes Online Payment market Size, Revenue, market Share, Online Payment industry volume, market Trends, Online Payment Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Online Payment Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Online Payment Market Forecast 2017:1. Visa2. MasterCard3. UnionPay4. American Express5. JCB6. Discover7. Alipay (Alibaba)8. Tenpay (TENCENT)9. PayPalFirstly, the report covers the top Online Payment manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Browse Report :Further, the Online Payment report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Online Payment industry, Online Payment industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Online Payment Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Online Payment research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Online Payment market revenue worldwide.Finally, Online Payment market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global Accounting Software Market 2017-2023 Intuit Size, Sage Share, google, Microsoft Accounting Software https://goo.gl/HA3HR1 http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-accounting-software-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/ A market study Global Accounting Software Market examines the performance of the Accounting Software market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Accounting Software market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Accounting Software market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Accounting Software Market 2017 report includes Accounting Software market Size, Revenue, market Share, Accounting Software industry volume, market Trends, Accounting Software Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Accounting Software Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Accounting Software Market Forecast 2017:1. Intuit2. Sage3. SAP4. Oracle (NetSuite)5. Microsoft6. Infor7. Epicor8. Workday9. Unit410. Xero11. Yonyou12. Kingdee13. Acclivity14. FreshBooks15. Intacct16. Assit cornerstone17. Aplicor18. Red wingFirstly, the report covers the top Accounting Software manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Browse Report :Further, the Accounting Software report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Accounting Software industry, Accounting Software industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Accounting Software Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Accounting Software research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Accounting Software market revenue worldwide.Finally, Accounting Software market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Market 2017-2023 Microsoft Size, Hewlett Packard Share, Hitachi Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) https://goo.gl/xiynwM http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-software-defined-data-center-sddc-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022s/#enquiry_for_buying A market study Global Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Market examines the performance of the Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Market 2017 report includes Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) market Size, Revenue, market Share, Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) industry volume, market Trends, Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Market Forecast 2017:1. Microsoft Corporation2. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.3. EMC Corporation4. Cisco Systems5. Hitachi6. International Business Machines Corporation7. Fujitsu8. NEC Corporation9. Citrix SystemsFirstly, the report covers the top Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Browse Report :Further, the Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) industry, Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) market revenue worldwide.Finally, Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global Pc Website Builders Market 2017-2023 Dudaone Size, Weebly Share, Godaddy Pc Website Builders https://goo.gl/ZcpTn6 http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-pc-website-builders-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/ A market study Global Pc Website Builders Market examines the performance of the Pc Website Builders market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Pc Website Builders market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global App Creation Software Market 2017-2023 Mobisoft Size, Openxcell Share, Small Planet App Creation Software https://goo.gl/XqvhH4 http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-app-creation-software-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/#enquiry_for_buying A market study Global App Creation Software Market examines the performance of the App Creation Software market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the App Creation Software market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global Thyroid Gland Disorder Treatment Market 2017-2023 Abbott Size, RLC LABS Share, Allergan Thyroid Gland Disorder Treatment https://goo.gl/qwDfVY http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-thyroid-gland-disorder-treatment-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/#enquiry_for_buying A market study Global Thyroid Gland Disorder Treatment Market examines the performance of the Thyroid Gland Disorder Treatment market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Thyroid Gland Disorder Treatment market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global Fatigue Testing Machine Market 2017-2023 MTS Company Size, INSTRON Share, Zwick/Roell Fatigue Testing Machine https://goo.gl/L9mnFj http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-fatigue-testing-machine-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/ A market study Global Fatigue Testing Machine Market examines the performance of the Fatigue Testing Machine market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Fatigue Testing Machine market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Browse Report :Further, the Fatigue Testing Machine report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Fatigue Testing Machine industry, Fatigue Testing Machine industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global Reverse Vending Machines Market 2017-2023 Tomra Systems Size, Envipco Share, Repant Reverse Vending Machines https://goo.gl/N9UUqm http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-reverse-vending-machines-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/ A market study Global Reverse Vending Machines Market examines the performance of the Reverse Vending Machines market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Reverse Vending Machines market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Reverse Vending Machines market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Reverse Vending Machines Market 2017 report includes Reverse Vending Machines market Size, Revenue, market Share, Reverse Vending Machines industry volume, market Trends, Reverse Vending Machines Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Reverse Vending Machines Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Reverse Vending Machines Market Forecast 2017:1. Tomra Systems2. Wincor Nixdorf3. Envipco Holdings4. RepantFirstly, the report covers the top Reverse Vending Machines manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Browse Report :Further, the Reverse Vending Machines report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Reverse Vending Machines industry, Reverse Vending Machines industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Reverse Vending Machines Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Reverse Vending Machines research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Reverse Vending Machines market revenue worldwide.Finally, Reverse Vending Machines market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Global Duodenoscopes Market 2017-2023 Olympus Size, Fujifilm Share, Pentax Service, ENDOMED Duodenoscopes market https://goo.gl/iJTpwG http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-duodenoscopes-market-2017-size-share-research-demand-and-forecast-to-2022/#enquiry_for_buying A market study Global Duodenoscopes Market examines the performance of the Duodenoscopes market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Duodenoscopes market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Duodenoscopes market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Duodenoscopes Market 2017 report includes Duodenoscopes market Size, Revenue, market Share, Duodenoscopes industry volume, market Trends, Duodenoscopes Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Duodenoscopes Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Duodenoscopes Market Forecast 2017:1. Olympus2. Fujifilm3. Pentax4. KARL STORZ5. ENDOMED6. SonoScapeFirstly, the report covers the top Duodenoscopes manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Browse Report :Further, the Duodenoscopes report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Duodenoscopes industry, Duodenoscopes industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Duodenoscopes Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Duodenoscopes research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Duodenoscopes market revenue worldwide.Finally, Duodenoscopes market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States Hand Dryers 2017 Global Industry Key Players - ALOYCO , TOTO , Panasonic , JIEDA , Mitsubishi , Voith , Starmix Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Global Hand Dryers Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/894723-global-hand-dryers-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/894723-global-hand-dryers-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=894723 Global Hand Dryers MarketIn this report, the global Hand Dryers market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Global Hand Dryers market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingALOYCOTOTOPanasonicJIEDADyson(Airblade)MitsubishiVoithStarmixAIKEDIHOURSiemensModunWorld DryerAmerican DryerSpecialisingRequest a Sample Report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Hand Dryers in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoWarm Air Hand DryerJet-Air Hand DryerOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Hand Dryers for each application, includingRestaurantsHotelsHospitalsFactoryOthersTo enquire about this report visit @Table of Contents-Key Points CoveredGlobal Hand Dryers Market Research Report 20171 Hand Dryers Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hand Dryers1.2 Hand Dryers Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Hand Dryers Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Hand Dryers Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Warm Air Hand Dryer1.2.4 Jet-Air Hand Dryer1.3 Global Hand Dryers Segment by Application1.3.1 Hand Dryers Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Restaurants1.3.3 Hotels1.3.4 Hospitals1.3.5 Factory1.3.6 Others1.4 Global Hand Dryers Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Hand Dryers Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Hand Dryers (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Hand Dryers Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Hand Dryers Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)..7 Global Hand Dryers Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 ALOYCO7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 ALOYCO Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 TOTO7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 TOTO Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Panasonic7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Panasonic Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 JIEDA7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 JIEDA Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Dyson(Airblade)7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Dyson(Airblade) Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Mitsubishi7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Mitsubishi Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Voith7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Voith Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 Starmix7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 Starmix Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 AIKE7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 AIKE Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 DIHOUR7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Hand Dryers Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 DIHOUR Hand Dryers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.11 Siemens7.12 Modun7.13 World Dryer7.14 American Dryer7.15 SpecialisingContinued..Buy Report@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 Offshore Support Vessels Market - New Era Of Market & Forecast 2017-2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2168 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2168 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=2168 Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: OverviewOffshore support vessels are a crucial class of vessels essential for the smooth function of offshore oil and gas operations. Offshore support vessels fulfil all the logistical needs of offshore petroleum platforms. Due to this, they have taken on an important role in the global petroleum industry following the acknowledgment of the declining levels of petroleum in terrestrial reservoirs, which has led to intense focus on offshore exploration and production of petroleum. The global offshore support vessel market is thus likely to grow steadily in the coming years thanks to consistent utilization in the oil and gas industry.Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Key TrendsThe prime driver for the global offshore support vessels market is the rising investment being made in underexplored regions such as Africa and Brazil for offshore petroleum exploration and extraction. The West coast of Africa and the East coast of Brazil have become important regional segments of the global offshore support vessel market and are likely to be developed further in the coming years, resulting in steady growth prospects for the global offshore support vessels market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Other emerging economies such as China and India are also likely to increase their investment in offshore petroleum exploration in the coming years, which bodes well for the global offshore support vessel market. Meanwhile, the North Sea has also become important for the global petroleum industry and exploration and extraction projects in the region could also generate significant revenue for the offshore support vessels industry.On the other hand, the capital-intensive pricing dynamics of the offshore support vessel market have reduced the number of viable players claiming a sizable share in the global market. The steady decrease in petroleum prices in the last two years has also had an adverse effect on the global offshore support vessels market, as it has reduced the spending power of even some of the top companies in the global petroleum sector.Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Market PotentialAdapting to dire pricing dynamics has forced many offshore support vessel manufacturers to fold up or accept inconvenient mergers. According to 2017s Annual Offshore Support Journal Conference, this is likely to remain the status quo in the global offshore support vessel industry in the coming months, with many more players likely to turn to mergers in order to sustain their business. The expected recovery in the petroleum sector in 2017 and 2018 could bring comfort to the offshore support vessel industry.Request TOC of the Report @Offshore support vessels designed to minimize their environmental impact are likely to become popular in the coming years. Norway and other countries using the oilfields in the North Sea have been among the first to use electrically powered offshore support vessels, and vessels with onboard batteries could soon become the norm rather than exception in the global offshore support vessel industry. Battery systems can be retrofitted on many existing designs of offshore support vessels, which could further increase the scope of their adoption in the offshore support vessel industry.Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Geographical DynamicsNorth America, led by the U.S., is likely to remain the leader in the global offshore support vessel market in the coming years. Asia Pacific countries such as China and Latin American countries such as Brazil and Venezuela are also likely to feature prominently in the development of the offshore support vessel market in the coming years, whereas Western African countries could also benefit strongly from the increased offshore petroleum sector operations.Get Discount @Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Competitive DynamicsThe leading companies in the global offshore support vessel industry include Tidewater, Inc., Farstad Shipping ASA, Gulfmark Offshore, Inc., Havila Shipping ASA, Swire Group, Ltd., Siem Offshore, Inc., Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc., Bourbon Corporation SA, The Maersk Group, and Seacor Marine, LLC. With steady consolidation likely to be the order of the day for the offshore support vessels industry in the coming months, larger players could benefit significantly from acquisitions and profitable mergers.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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Smart Grid Sensors Market Development Trends and Qualitative Analysis 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3962 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3962 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The global smart grid sensor market is estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 174 Mn in 2017 and is projected to reach nearly US$ 1,450 Mn by 2025 end. Sales revenue is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 30.3% during the forecast period (20172025).The global energy sector is transitioning into intelligent, efficient network of power supply, and smart grids are actively replacing conventional power grids across the world. The demand for smart grid sensors grows in parallel with surging adoption of smart grid technology. In todays day and age, detection and monitoring operations have helped save potential losses worth millions of dollars. Therefore, smart grid sensors are also expected to gain surplus demand in tomorrows energy industry. Persistence Market Researchs latest report on the global market for smart grid sensors projects that the market, which is presently valued at a little over US$ 128 Mn, will soar at a stellar CAGR of 30.3% to bring in US$ 1,447.3 Mn in revenues by the end of 2025.Request Sample:Key findings in the report exhibit that the global smart grid sensors market will have a steadfast growth during the assessment period, 2017-2025. In this period, the dynamic growth of the global smart grid sensor market will be impacted by several factors, among which following have an enduring influence:Extreme Weather Conditions: Severe climate and harsh environment is disrupting the operational efficiency of smart grids, compelling the deployment of thermal sensors that can detect temperature differences and adapt to drastic weather changes, particularly in the US.Electricity Thefts: Rising incidence of electricity thefts in developing & underdeveloped regions is driving the adoption of smart grids. In Latin American countries, power authorities are monitoring such malpractices with help of sensors that identify faux power glitches.Proliferation of IoT: Internet of Things (IoT) is influencing the sales of smart grid sensors but remuneratively. Presently, utilities companies in Europe are looking to leverage IoT to improve development and operation of smart grids by connecting unique devices, which will end up creating an intelligent & self-sustained energy ecosystem.Download TOC of This Report:Ineffectiveness of older power grids, increasing energy demands, and implementation of smart metering systems has also propelled the global demand for smart grid sensors. According to the report, titled Smart Grid Sensors Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 20172025, rising concern regarding safety & security of smart grids, and high implementation costs of smart grid sensors is likely to impede the global markets growth, but to a certain extent.Based on the region, Latin Americas smart grid sensors market is projected to exhibit a relatively high growth, registering a robust CAGR of 36.1%. The demand for voltage/temperature sensors, in particular, is projected to remain high throughout the forecast period. The report estimates that in 2016, more than 40% of global smart grid sensor revenues were accounted by sales of voltage/temperature sensors. In terms of application, smart energy metering is expected to dominate with more than 40% share, while revenues amassed from other applications such as lead management, energy storage and renewable energy will be registering a speedy growth at 38.1% CAGR. The report also profiles key participants in the global smart grid sensors market, which include ABB Ltd., Aclara Technologies LLC, General Electric Company, Honeywell International Inc., Eaton, Toshiba Corporation, Networked Energy Services Corporation, QinetiQ Group PLC, Torino Power Solutions Inc., Sentient Energy, Inc., ARTECHE, Siemens AG, Ingenu Inc., GIPRO GmbH, GRID20/20 Inc.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.305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United States+1-646-568-7751+1 800-961-0353 (USA-Canada Toll free)Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite: High Reliability Semiconductors Market - An Objective Assessment of The Trajectory of The Market https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/high-reliability-semiconductors-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22151 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Semiconductor are made up of materials that has resistance and electrical conductivity coming within the range between that of a conductor and an insulator. Materials such as silicon or germanium among others are used for making semiconductors as it has poor connectivity in low temperatures and is steadily improved after addition of certain substances. State of semiconductors changes after electricity is passed, transforming it from conductive and non-conductive to reflective and non-reflective. Semiconductors also has the capability to increase the conductivity of the materials along with rise in temperature or current or voltage. High reliability semiconductors has the ability to function under extreme conditions along a specified a period of time. The global market for high reliability semiconductors has been segmented on the basis of type, application and geography. Based on different types the global market has been segmented into discrete and analog. Aerospace & defense, medical and communications among others form the various application areas based on which the global market for high reliability semiconductors market has been segmented.Obtain Report Details @High reliability semiconductor market globally on the basis of geography has been segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe and Middle East and Africa.It is the high duration along with probability of giving failure free performance across different conditions forms a major driver that has resulted in the rise in demand for this market globally. Application wise implementation of discrete high reliability semiconductors has also been another major factor that has led to the increase in applications along with providing huge growth prospects in future as well. Controlled resistance level in semiconductors has helped in its implementation across specific applications by performing the intended function under specified intervals and stated conditions. All these factors has helped the high reliability semiconductors market to grow globally. High reliability semiconductors also has growing space applications that has the capability to operate at higher voltages and temperatures providing better performance. Considering the following factors that act as some major drivers for the market, there are also some restraints that restricts the demand for this market globally. It is the high costs associated with the application of these semiconductors that act as a major restraint for this market. It is also the technical and programmatic challenges that affects the insertion of these semiconductors that has negative impact on the desired reliability act as another crucial reason restraining the demand for high reliability semiconductors market. Opportunities across high end technologically advanced devices along with high-current/high-voltage configurations will further provide growth opportunities for the market in coming years.Geographically, it is North America that forms one of the major market for high reliability semiconductor market globally with U.S., Canada and Mexico being some of the major regions that are contributing to the growth in this market. Technologically advanced applications such as space and aerospace & defense has contributed to being one of the major reason for the growth of this market in this region. Asia Pacific region has been one of the fastest growing regions with China and Japan being some of the major players that has contributed to the growth of this market. Presence of large number of equipment and semiconductor manufacturers has been a major factor that has led to the rise in demand for high reliability semiconductor in Asia Pacific region.The market for high reliability semiconductor is highly consolidated with competitors coming up with technologically advanced products for competing globally across highly advanced application areas. Some of the major players that are operating in the global high reliability semiconductor market are Microsemi (The U.S.), e2v (U.K.), Infineon Technologies (Germany), Skyworks Inc. (The U.S.), Semtech (The U.S.), TT Electronics (UK) and EG Electronics (Sweden) among others.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.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)Request a PDF Sample for this Research Report @The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendationsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: China Brand E-commerce Service Market Size, Size 2021 : Industry Key players are Baozun, Inc., Rkylin Group, Lily & Beauty and Leqee, Inc. https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1409394/china-brand-e-commerce-service-size-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1409394 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1409394 "The Report China Brand E-commerce Service Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021) provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Scope of the ReportThe report entitled China Brand E-commerce Service Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021), provides analysis of China brand E-commerce service market, with detailed analysis of online shopping market size in China in terms of GMV, brand E-commerce service market by GMV and its penetration of brand E-commerce in online shopping followed by a analysis of brand E-commerce service market in terms of GMV. Under competitive comparison, different players in China brand E-commerce market have been analyzed on the basis of market share.View Report @Moreover, the report assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of brand E-commerce service market in China has also been forecasted for the years 2017-2021, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.Baozun, Inc., Rkylin Group, Lily & Beauty and Leqee, Inc. are some of the key players operating in China brand E-commerce service market whose company profiling is done in the report. In this segment of the report, business overview, financial overview and the business strategies of the companies are provided.Company CoverageBaozun Inc.Rkylin GroupLily & BeautyLeqee Inc.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Executive SummaryBrand e-commerce is a sub category of e-commerce. E-commerce refers to the electronic transaction with the aim to sell or buy products of relatively less known brands as well as established/ well known brands via online mode. Brand e-commerce is the selling or buying of products of popular brands specifically. Branded products in general denote uniqueness and superior quality.E-commerce service providers offer brands that are keen to build up a strong online presence with a wide range of services such as logistics, IT, warehouse management and customer services. On the other hand, brand e-commerce service provider refers to e-commerce services being given by the provider to brands such as Levi, Samsung, Lee and many more.China brand E-commerce service market is expected to increase at high growth rates during the forecast period (2017-2021). China brand E-commerce market is supported by various growth factors such as increasing disposable income, rise in number of smartphone users, spike in exports/ imports through cross border E-commerce, ease of online payment and reduction in delivery time.However, E-commerce companies refraining from outsourcing and high degree of reliability on telecommunication infrastructure are some of the challenges faced by the market. Seasonal nature of China E-commerce industry, boom in rural E-commerce and declining GMV concentration are some of the latest trends existing in the market.Send An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 E-Commerce: An Overview2.2 Brand E-Commerce: An Overview2.3 Brand E-Commerce Service: An Overview3. China Market Analysis3.1 China Online Shopping Market: An Analysis3.1.1 China Online Shopping Market by GMV3.2 China Brand E-commerce Market: An Analysis3.2.1 China Brand E-commerce Market by Penetration3.2.2 China Brand E-commerce Market by GMV3.3 China Brand E-commerce Service Market: An Analysis3.3.1 Chine Brand E-commerce Service Market by GMV4. Market Dynamics4.1 Growth Drivers4.1.1 Increase in Number of Smartphone Users4.1.2 Upsurge in Purchasing Power4.1.3 Spike in Exports/Imports through Cross Border E-Commerce4.1.4 Ease of Online Payment4.1.5 Reduction in Delivery Time4.2 Challenges4.2.1 E-commerce Companies Refraining from Outsourcing4.2.2 Reliabilty on Telecommunication Infrastructure4.3 Market Trends4.3.1 Seasonal Nature of the China E-commerce Industry4.3.2 Boom in Rural E-commerce4.3.3 Declining GMV Concentration5. Completive Landscape5.1 China Brand E-Commerce Service Market Players by Share5.2 China Brand E-commerce Service Market Players Comparison5.3 China Brand E-commerce Service Providers on Tmall Platform6. Company Profiles6.1 Baozun Inc.6.1.1 Business Overview6.1.2 Financial OverviewAbout 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.State Tower 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-621-2074 USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948 Foam Bags Market Technological Breakthroughs 2024 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/foam-bags-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=17255 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Over the last few years packaging is becoming a critical factor in the customers decision making process because it directly communicates with the customer at the time of purchase in the store.Foam bags is considered to be one of the popular packaging solutions among the manufacturers of food and pharmaceutical. Light weight packaging is gaining traction among the brand owners to reduce the carriage cost of the product.Foam bags is an enormously lightweight packaging solution and perfect for caring glass wood, ceramics and painted surfaces. Foam bags are easy to use and also self-sealing strips feature can be an added advantage ultimately enhancing the packaging efficiency. Brand owners are using different color to enrich the product presentation.Foam bags: Market DynamicsFoam bags market is driven by the increasing growth of electronics & semi-conductor industry during the forecast period. Apart from that rapid urbanization coupled with the per capita disposable income, is also expected to further driving the growth of foam bags market.Obtain Report Details:Also, mounting growth of organized retail sector is positively impacting the global foam bags market during the forecast period. Moreover, new product development of various electronic products is further propelling the growth of foam bags market throughout the forecast period.Moreover, increasing growth of pharmaceutical industry is expected to fuel the demand of foam bags market because foam bags are used extensively in the medical devices packaging. Rising growth of automotive industry in developing economies of Asia Pacific is expected to stimulate the sales of foam bags in the upcoming decade.Moreover, foam bags are also widely used in the different cosmetic & personal care products that in turn accelerates the growth of foam bags market during the forecast period. The main property of foam bags is light weight that minimizes the shipping cost.Apart from that foam bags improves the aesthetic looks of the product through different print and foam color that enforced the manufacturers to use foam bags as a packaging solutions for promotional purposes.As foam bags are generally made from the low density polyethylene that can pose a challenges for this market owing to the increasing adoption of environment friendly material in the packaging industry.In terms of geography, the global foam bags market has been divided in to five key regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific region is expected to be the most lucrative market for foam bags market.Make Enquiry @India, China and ASEAN countries are expected to be the lucrative regions in APAC for foam bags manufacturers. North America is expected to witness healthy growth during the forecast period. Europe is also expected to register moderate CAGR throughout the forecast period.Foam bags Market: Key playersSome of the key players in the global foam bags market are Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Sealed Air Corporation, Alta packaging Inc., Pregis Corporation, Essen Multipack Ltd, Universal Protective Packaging, Inc., Macfarlane Group Plc. etc.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.About TMRTransparency 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.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Sterility Testing Market - Future Market, Growth & Forecast 2017-2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2174 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2174 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=2174 Global Sterility Testing Market: OverviewSterility testing finds application for use on raw materials, cell banks, and final drug offerings. However, it is also used for testing various articles, preparations, and substances which are needed to be made sterile as per the laws penned down by the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) and United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). All biological parenteral preparations formulated for human use undergo sterility testing for the purpose of revealing the absence or presence of extraneous viable microorganisms with contamination capability. Sterility tests can be executed in a cleanroom environment or an isolator using membrane filtration or direct inoculation methods.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The validation of a sterility test is performed with the help of bacteriostasis and fungistasis testing. The testing also helps to check for the presence of any antimicrobial property within a test article that would impede the discovery of microbial organisms during a sterility examination.Global Sterility Testing Market: Key TrendsSome of the top factors deemed responsible for driving the growth of the world sterility testing market could be the rising research and development activities in life science, surge in the launch of new drugs, and tangible magnification of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors.On account of the impressive growth witnessed in the biotech and pharma sectors, by application, the biological and pharmaceutical manufacturing market had acquired a mammoth share in 2016. In the same year, the membrane filtration market by test had secured a king-sized share on the back of the swift growth earned by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical end-use sectors. Due to the advancing inclination toward kit-based testing and repeat purchase requirement, the market for kits and reagents is anticipated to win a significant share by the end of the forecast period 2017 - 2025.Request TOC of the Report @Global Sterility Testing Market: Market PotentialProvider of cleanroom, analytical chemistry, and microbiology services, Avista Pharma Solutions, Inc. has recently announced its investment to extend service offerings and complement current capabilities for benefiting medical device and pharmaceutical clients. Avista Pharma CEO, Patrick Walsh was proud to make the announcement of the companys US$4.0 mn expansion with a 4,200 sq. ft. of additional space at the 2017 Interphex global conference held in New York City. The enhanced facility will offer an International Standards Organization (ISO) 6 cleanroom for medical device sterility testing and isolator technology-enabled modular cleanroom area along with a new microbiology laboratory.Global Sterility Testing Market: Regional OutlookThe international sterility testing market is expected to reward Asia Pacific as a region with a higher growth rate, owing to the ballooning trend of pharmaceutical outsourcing to countries such as China and India. The success of Asia Pacific could also be attributed to the multiplying outlay on life science research. Nonetheless, North America could be a dominating geographical segment in the market followed by Rest of the World and Europe. The enlarging count of drug approvals in North America is predicted to set the tone of the regional market for sterility testing.Get Discount @Global Sterility Testing Market: Competitive LandscapeNew entrants in the worldwide sterility testing market are prognosticated to face challenges because of the high degree of consolidation witnessed. Besides this, long-delayed approval procedures and stiff regulatory frameworks could be the other deterrents in the market. However, developing geographies such as Asia Pacific and the elevating level of pharmaceutical outsourcing are prophesied to help players tackle the challenges in the market. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., WuXi AppTec, Sartorius AG, SGS SA, bioMerieux SA, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., and Merck KgaA are some of the exceptional companies operating in the market.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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Global 3D Printing Creation Software Market Size, Status and Forecast To 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/19450 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/19450 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/3d-printing-creation-software-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com 3D Printing Creation Software Market Overview3D printing i.e. Additive Manufacturing seems like it is a 21st-century concept, but it actually began three decades ago. It is a group of processes used to create a three-dimensional object where multiple layers of material are placed one on top of the other to create a physical object. It uses computer-aided design (CAD) to create almost any shape or geometry with digital data from 3D models or other electronic data sources like an Additive Manufacturing File (AMF). President Obama himself acknowledged its revolutionary potential in his 2013 State of the Union Address.3D printing can have wide application in fields like aerospace, retail, medical devices, art, architecture, engineering, jewellery, product design, research and various other industries. But is there any way that 3D printed devices could exist without the help of the 3D Printing Creation Software Market? It is allowing general customers to print whatever they desire from the comfort of their own homes. The 3D Printing Creation Software Market has products ranging from simple to complex and can be used either on the PC, Macintosh, Linux, Web Browser, or even mobile operating systems like Android, iOS and Windows Mobile. Some of the basic ones aimed at beginners are free, while the professional grade ones can easily cost upwards of $500.Request for Report Sample @3D Printing Creation Software Market DriversRising use of 3D models and the ability to create customised products anywhere and anytime are expected to be the biggest driver of the 3D printing and thereby 3D Printing Creation Software Market. In the short term, its biggest use is rapid prototyping of complex and customised low-volume goods. With the increase in printing speed, eliminations of object size restrictions, and favourable manufacturing economics, 3D printing will become increasingly important to average consumers in the days to come. The healthcare industry, in particular, is a focus area for it. The 3D Printing Creation Software Market can help patients print custom-fit hearing aids, orthopaedic implants like crowns, bridges and caps, make prosthetic limbs or personal hip/ knee replacements as per an individuals specific needs. The 3D Printing Creation Software Market can also be utilised by schools and colleges to create 3D models of geographic regions, terrains, sculptures, or historical artefacts. This will improve the learning environment by spiking the students curiosity and also enable them to touch, feel and see a close replica of the actual object without harming the latter.Request for Report TOC @3D Printing Creation Software Market RestraintsThe three main challenges for the 3D Printing Creation Software Market are those faced by 3D printers themselves cost, speed and limited materials. While the prices of 3D printers have surely come down since their invention thirty years ago, they still cost more than $1500 on average. This makes it a difficult investment for people in developing countries with a limited disposable income. 3D printing is a very slow process which takes several hours if not days to print. This makes it unsuitable for any industry like fashion where fast-following or quick fads are the norm. It is also only feasible on thermoplastics, metals, alloys and ceramics at present, limiting its potential greatly.3D Printing Creation Software Market Key RegionsThe largest 3D Printing Creation Software Market is the U.S due to an abundance of automobile, aerospace & defence, retail, and healthcare companies. Financial support from the government plays a major role too in the form of reimbursements. The Asian countries China and India are expected to take up 3D printing on a large scale in the next decade or so on account of favourable factors promoting it.Obtain Report Details @3D Printing Creation Software Market Key Market PlayersSome of the 3D Printing Creation Software Market key market players are Cura, CraftWare, 123D Catch, TinkerCAD, 3DSlash, 3DTin, Sculptris, ViewSTL, Repetier, FreeCAD, SketchUP, Meshfix, Simplify3D, Blender, Slic3r, MeshLab, OctoPrint and MeshmixerAbout 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.Our client success stories feature a range of clients from Fortune 500 companies to fast-growing startups. PMRs collaborative environment is committed to building industry-specific solutions by transforming data from multiple streams into a strategic asset.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesTel: +1-646-568-7751Tollfree: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite: Profilometer Market Technological Breakthroughs 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/profilometer-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22169 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Profilometer is a device or instrument that is used for measuring the surface profile being used for quantifying the roughness of the surface. Vertical resolution of the surface that is the resolution between the high pint and low point is usually measured at the nanometer level by providing lateral resolutions through profilometers. It consists of two main parts namely detector and sample stage. The detector helps in determination of points present on the sample whereas the stage is used for allowing movement at the time of measurement. Nowadays it is being used for both static as well as dynamic topography. The global market for profilometer has been segmented on the basis of type, application and geography. Contact and non-contact are two main types based on which the global market for profilometer has been segmented. Building materials, metals, consumer goods, oil & mines, pharmaceutical, semiconductor and biotechnology among others form the various application areas based on which the global market for profilometer has been segmented. Global profilometer market based on geography has been segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.Obtain Report Details @High lateral resolution by the usage of profilometer has formed a major factor that has driven the market for profilometer globally. It also does not require any modelling and can be used directly that further increases its global usage. Moreover, a better resolution along with high speed and reliability has also acted as some other drivers to boost the demand for this market. Surface resolution topography and accuracy is expected to be some other deriving factors for profilometer market. In addition to this, vertical measurement also does not require a scanning mechanism along with vertical calibration that is based on the laser source wavelength that has also positively impacted the market for profilometers. Both MEMS vibrations and on-flight measurement problems are solved with the help of profilometers further contributing to the demand of this market. It is also the flexibility and ruggedness of certain profilometers that has led to its incorporation in industrial processes as well. With all these factors there are also certain restraints that affects the overall demand. One such factor being the inaccuracy in resolutions when the surface features are same as size of the stylus. Another factor being the difficulties related to finding flaws that are of the same size as the roughness of the surface. Laser profilometers are expected to provide growth opportunities for this market where the surface can be measured without the need to physically touch the surface profile.Geographically, it is North America that forms a major region contributing to the overall growth of this market followed by Europe. Demand for technological advancement in the surface analysis to be used across different verticals has been a driving factor for this market in these regions. Asia Pacific contributes to being another major region that has accelerated the demand for profilometers further forming one of the fastest growing region globally. China, Japan and Korea among others are expected to be some of the major regions contributing to the growth in Asia Pacific. It is also the growing demand for reliable and accurate data that has pushed the demand for this market in Asia Pacific region. Moreover, the need for lateral resolution that does not make changes on the surface has also acted as another major driver for this region.Some of the major players operating in the Profilometer market include KLA-Tencor Corporation (The U.S.), Bruker Nano Surfaces (The U.S.), Mahr (Germany), Jenoptik (Germany), Alicona (Europe), Cyber Technologies (Germany), Nanovea (The U.S.), Taylor Hobson Ltd. (U.K.), Zygo Corporation (The U.S.),Tokyo Seimitsu Co. Ltd. (Japan), Mitutoyo Corporation (Japan) and 4D Technology Corporation (The U.S.) among others.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.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)Make an Enquiry @The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendationsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Thermal Energy Storage Market - Recent Development,Trends,Growth & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2180 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2180 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=2180 Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: OverviewThermal energy storage systems consist of an insulating medium or combination of media that can hold on to captured heat for long periods. Thus, thermal energy systems are essentially thermal batteries that store energy in terms of temperature difference instead of potential difference.The rising awareness regarding the adverse effects of the use of greenhouse gases for energy generation has been one of the key drivers for the global thermal energy storage market in the recent past. While the use of renewable sources of energy has picked up steam in recent years, the renewable energy sector faces a considerable problem in the lack of consistent energy production from renewable energy sources. Thermal energy storage has been mooted as a solution in this regard and is likely to become a key part of the global renewable energy market in the coming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Key TrendsThe rising use of combined energy generation units, wherein energy is harnessed from two or more renewable sources simultaneously, is a prime driver for the global thermal energy storage market. Solar and wind energy generation can usually be conducted on the same site and often on the same device. However, both solar and wind energy suffer from the lack of a reliable energy storage mechanism, as both energy sources are available infrequently. A rising number of residential as well as commercial consumers, particularly in developed countries, have started to install combined energy generation systems on their own land, which is likely to drive the demand for thermal energy storage systems in the coming years.Utilities distributors are also playing an important role in the development of the global thermal energy storage market. While the use of smart grids will help distributors provide utilities uniformly, the installation of thermal energy storage can help further smoothen the process.Request TOC of the Report @On the other hand, despite the steady rise in the demand from the thermal energy storage market, the high cost of thermal energy storage technology is likely to hamper the growth of the market to some extent. Despite the rising demand for thermal energy storage technologies from the utilities sector, the thermal energy storage industry needs to achieve parity with other non-storage options.Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Market PotentialDue to the high costs of developing and installing thermal energy storage systems, the market needs government support to enable widespread adoption. Developed countries such as the U.S. are likely to be at the forefront, with Maryland becoming the first American state to incentivize the use of energy storage with tax credits. The bill was passed in April 2017 and could be the first step in establishing a well-maintained and efficient power storage and distribution infrastructure that takes into account the variety of energy sources used in a modern economy.Get Discount @Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Geographical DynamicsThe global thermal energy storage market is expected to be dominated by the Middle East and Africa (MEA) in the coming years, as the region receives abundant solar power and is also home to a power-intensive industrial sector. Europe and Asia Pacific could also play key roles in the growth of the global thermal energy storage market in the coming years due to the rising emphasis on solar power in both regions.Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report also discusses the competitive landscape of the global thermal energy storage market in detail by profiling the leading players operating in it. The key companies examined in the report include Ice Energy, Calmac, SolarReserve LLC, and Abengoa Solar.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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com United States Public Key Infrastructure Market Developments & Applications 2017 https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1376421&type=S http://www.qyresearchreports.com Qyresearchreports include new market research report "United States Public Key Infrastructure Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on the United States Public Key Infrastructure market has been developed by its experienced analysts in order to provide its audiences with an intelligence study that can help them gain advantage over the competitors. To achieve this, the report contain a detailed section on the competitive landscape of the United States Public Key Infrastructure market, and examines what would be the scenario by the end of the forecast period, which is 2017 to 2022. In this featured section of the report, the analysts have picked out top three, top five, and top ten players in terms of market shares and their geographical presence as well as recent strategic decisions.Get Complimentary Research Summary Of The Report:To start off, this report throws light on the current condition of the market, exploring how the development of demand has been in the recent past and what are its growth prospects. Then comes the match dynamics section wherein each and every important factor that may driver, obstruct, and make an opportunity for the players have been analyzed. Considerable efforts have been given to compile this information as it will define how much investment can and should be be made in the United States Public Key Infrastructure market.Next, the report bifurcates the market into various important aspects, such as end users, applications, material, product type, and others, whichever applicable. The analysts of this report have also realized the importance of regional and country-wise data and forecasts, as most of the audiences of this report as expected to be more prominent in certain parts of the world. Some of the key regions generally explored are Asia Pacific, Europe, Southeast Asia, and North America.Table of ContentsUnited States Public Key Infrastructure Market Report 20171 Public Key Infrastructure Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Public Key Infrastructure1.2 Classification of Public Key Infrastructure by Product Category1.2.1 United States Public Key Infrastructure Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)2 United States Public Key Infrastructure Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Public Key Infrastructure Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Public Key Infrastructure Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)About Us:QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) Market : Comprehensive Evaluation Of The Market Via In-Depth Qualitative Insights https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/application-delivery-controllers.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=26996 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Application delivery controllers (ADC) are parts of networking elements in a data center. Application delivery controllers help to perform various mutual tasks, such as those done by web sites and web servers. Additionally, this technology is adopting by various end use organizations, to enhance their networks and protocol services. Thus, application delivery controllers are the next generation of load balancers, and are naturally located among web server farms and firewall/routers. The application delivery controllers market is predicted to witness stable during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025.Various medium and large size organizations are investing heavily in IT infrastructure development to ensure that workforces always have access to information and applications when needed. Application delivery controllers guarantee high availability of applications by providing seamless failover. This factor is projected to boost the growth of this product market during the forecast period.Obtain Report Details @The global application delivery controllers market is segmented on the basis of deployment, organization type, end use industry, and geography. Based on deployment type, the market is segregated into hardware based application delivery controllers and virtual application delivery controllers. Upcoming emerging technologies, which include software-defined networking and software-defined storage, are expected to drive application delivery controllers demand during the forecast period.Based on organization type, the global application delivery controllers market has been bifurcated into small, medium, and large organizations. An application delivery controller employs policies and algorithms to determine how inbound application traffic is circulated. Across the globe, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are focusing on changing from on premises to cloud platform. Increasing data traffic in cloud is expected to increase the use of application delivery controllers in the coming years. This in turn is likely to propel the demand for this product during the forecast period.On the basis of end use industry, the global application delivery controllers market has been segmented into Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), telecommunication and IT, government, healthcare, retail and manufacturing among others. application delivery controllers helps reduce risks associated with information technology related security and confirm compliance with privacy regulations and data security.This is attributed to the high market penetration of application delivery controllers in server firewalls and network security systems which is expected to trigger the demand for this product in the coming years.Request Sample @Geographically, the global application delivery controllers market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Asia Pacific has emerged as the fastest growing region for application delivery controllers. This regions growth is mainly on account of increasing internet penetration and adoption of cloud based application by various end use industries.In 2016, Asia Pacific and North America were major contributors to the global application delivery controllers market. Moreover, several infrastructure development initiatives taken up by governments to improve the performance of services and web based applications are expected to increase the adoption of this product in the near future.Some of the leading players operating in the global application delivery controllers market are Brocade Communications Systems (the U.S), Barracuda Networks (the U.S), Citrix Systems (the U.S), Array Networks, Inc.(the U.S), Dell Inc. (the U.S), Fortinet (the U.S), Hewlett-Packard Company (the U.S), KEMP Technologies, Inc.(the U.S), and VMware (the U.S) among others.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Architecture Software Market:Worldwide Industry Analysis and New Market Opportunities Explored https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/architecture-software-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27002 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Architecture software application is the process of designing a structured solution that helps in understanding how the system will function and behave. The approach of software architecture facilitates the understanding of various operational and technical requirements of a system and the project implementing it. Architecture software application helps in defining the role of design and implementation teams in making a useful system.The growing demand for new technologies among various consumers segments is expected to provide a robust impetus to the architecture software application market. Designing a good software architecture underpins a careful consideration of key scenarios, common problems, and major decisions for meeting the current and future requirements of any business.Obtain Report Details @Identifying which attributes are key to boosting the performance of the IT infrastructure, efficiency of the user, and in attaining the business goal is therefore imperative. The risk of a poor software architecture is too great to ignore. Finding suitable tradeoffs between the competitive architecture requirements is the norm. One of the key goals of architecture software application is bridging the gap between the technical and business requirements.Architecture software application is the procedure in which a significant structured solution is defined, that meets the entire operational and technical requirement of the organization, while optimizing quality attributes such as security, performance, and manageability. Architecture software application based on wide range of decision and all the decisions have the impact on performance, quality, maintainability, and others. Software architecture includes the set of decisions regarding the organization of a software solution including the infrastructure and the selection of the structural elements. Software architecture also includes usability, functionality, resilience, reuse, performance, economic, comprehensibility and technology constraints, aesthetic concerns and tradeoffs.The key factor driving the market of architecture software is the increasing demand for this new technology among customers for better service and security. The increasing need to manage software easily is fueling growth of the architecture software market. Moreover, software developers are looking for cost effective solutions which can help them in reducing cost by the application of architecture software. This factor acts as a trigger, boosting the market for architecture software and the market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period.The market of architecture software is segmented into two categories: by type and by application. By type, the market is divided into personal computer and mobile terminal. By application, the market is segmented into small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), large organizations, and educational institutions among others.Request Sample @By geography, the global architecture software market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Middle East & Africa. The architecture software market in North America held the predominant share in 2016 and is expected to hold its position during the forecast period. A developed economy and rising awareness about advanced technology and its acceptance is driving the market growth of architecture software in this region. Significant focus on innovations in technology, and research and development in the U.S. and Canada, is further fueling the growth of this market.North America is followed by Europe which is expected to become the second largest revenue generating region for the architecture software market in 2016. Asia Pacific (APAC) is expected to be the fastest growing region in the architecture software market. The growth in Asia Pacific is primarily driven by the rising adoption of architecture software application in SMEs, large organizations, and educational institutions. Middle East & Africa has shown remarkable growth in architecture software followed by Latin America in recent years.The global architecture software market is marked by strong competition among the major players operating in this industry. Numerous mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and partnership agreements, product innovation, research and development, and geographical expansion are some of the key strategies adopted by players to ensure long-term sustenance in this market.Key participants in the global architecture software industry include Dapulse (Israel), ArchiCAD SE (Hungary), GenieBelt (Denmark), progeCAD 2010 Professional (U.S), and Autodesk Inc. (U.S.) among others.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Algorithm Trading Market 2017-2025: Increasing focus on improving execution performance is expected to drive the growth of the market ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011241712/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011241712/buying http://www.reportsweb.com/algorithmic-trading-market Global Algorithmic Trading Market Report 2017-2025 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.Request Sample Copy is Available atThe report firstly introduced the Algorithmic Trading basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis. Global Algorithmic Trading Market competition by top manufacturers with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturers.Global Algorithmic Trading Market Top Players1. AlgoTrader GmbH2. Trading Technologies International, Inc.3. InfoReach, Inc.4. Tethys Technology, Inc.5. Lime Brokerage LLC6. FlexTrade Systems, Inc.7. Tower Research Capital LLC8. Virtu Financial9. Hudson River Trading LLC10. Citadel LLCInquire about this Report atObjectives of Algorithmic Trading Market Report To provide overview of the global Algorithmic Trading market To analyze and forecast the global Algorithmic Trading market on the basis of components, application, size and technology To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Algorithmic Trading market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries To evaluate market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend To provide exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions To profiles key Algorithmic Trading players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesKey Insight of Algorithmic Trading Market- Historical and Future Market- Supply and Demand- Price and Cost- Drivers and Challenges- Key Vendors- Market Strategies- Industry Value Chain- RegionsComplete Report is Available atContact Us:Phone: +1-646-491-9876Email Id: sales@reportsweb.comAbout ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.533, 5th Floor, Amanora Chambers,Amanora Township, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 North America Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) Market Size, Share | MarketResearchReports.biz https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1404982/north-america-vector-network-analyzer-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1404982 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiryBuy/1404982 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Latest industry research report on: North America Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) Market : Industry Size, Share, Research, Reviews, Analysis, Strategies, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters, ForecastsThe objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the market on the basis of type, application, medical condition, and region. It provides detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the market. This report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments of the key players in terms of market developments, product portfolios, and financials.Acute Renal Failure Market: Industry Size, Share, Growth, Forecasts.Complete Report Details @The Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), VNA is a form of RF network analyzer widely used for RF design applications. A Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) is a test system that enables the RF performance of radio frequency (RF) and microwave devices to be characterized in terms of network scattering parameters, or S parameters. The information provided by the Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) is then used to ensure that the RF design of the circuit is optimized to provide the best performance.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) in North America market, especially in United States, Canada and Mexico. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversKeysight TechnologiesRohde & SchwarzAnritsuAdvantestThe 41st Institute of CETCTranscom InstrumentsCopper Mountain TechnologiesNational InstrumentGS InstrumentOMICRON LabAWT GlobalChengdu Tianda InstrumentNanjing PNA InstrumentsMarket Segment by Countries, coveringUnited StatesCanadaMexicoMarket Segment by Type, covers0-10GHz10-50GHz50+ GHzMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCommunicationsAutomotiveElectronic ManufacturingAerospace and DefenseOthersHave Any Query? Ask Our Expert @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the North America Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) market.Chapter 1, to describe Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the North America market by countries, covering United States, Canada and Mexico, with sales, revenue and market share of Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), for each country, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the segment market in United States, Canada and Mexico, by manufacturers, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications;Chapter 10, Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 12, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 13, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 14 and 15, to describe Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data sourceAbout 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.Contact UsState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Agriculture Robots Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 2022 Global Agriculture Robots Industry https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1941100-global-agriculture-robots-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1941100-global-agriculture-robots-market-research-report-2017 https://www.linkedin.com/company/wise-guy-research-consultants-pvt-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym https://www.wiseguyreports.com Global Agriculture Robots IndustryLatest Report on Agriculture Robots Market Global Analysis & 2022 Forecast Research StudyWiseGuyReports has announced the addition of a new market intelligence report to its repository titled Global Agriculture Robots Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022. The research report presents a comprehensive overview of market and growth trends of this industry in the coming years.Try Sample Report @Global Agriculture Robots Market" market report presents a detail qualitative analysis of the Global Agriculture Robots Industry market and its important classification and forecast for 2022". The report contains current scenario of the Global Agriculture Robots Market " industry and encompasses discussion various prime factors related to markets such as growth, drive, various patterns, and control.The report provides in depth study of Global Agriculture Robots Industry using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The report identifies the strength factors of the organization that will help organizations to acquire a prominent market share, to rectify where the organization is lacking or some hole which is creating glitches for development product. Look out for more opportunities in the market, get up to date to avoid any threats, competitors and substitutes.Major Key Players:Harvest Automation, Inc.Clearpath RoboticsPrecisionHawk, Inc.Naio TechnologiesSenseFly SAShibuya SeikiAdditionally report also briefs about the cost structure of organization. Finally, what strategies should be used by organizations to place their product in the market, branding idea to be adopted by them, cost estimation for marketing and branding.The report gives the reasonable picture of current market situation which incorporates past and anticipated market data for development purpose considering reference point such as esteem and volume, innovative development, economic science and government in the market.For Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @Some Major Points from Table of content:2017-2022 Agriculture Robots Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source2 Agriculture Robots Market Overview3 Agriculture Robots Application/End Users4 Agriculture Robots Market Status and Outlook by Regions5 Global Agriculture Robots Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers6 United States Agriculture Robots Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers7 Agriculture Robots Players/Manufacturers Profiles and Sales Data8 Agriculture Robots Manufacturing Cost, Industrial Chain and Downstream Buyers9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors and Market Effect Factors10 Global Agriculture Robots Market ForecastContinued..For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comAbout 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.Contact Us:Norah Trent+1 646 845 9349 / +44 208 133 9349Follow on LinkedIn: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 LtdPune 411028Maharashtra, GlobalPh: +91 841 198 5042 Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) Market: Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automatic-identification-systems-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27056 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Automatic identification system or AIS is a specialized tracking system which functions automatically and are used for avoiding collision on ships by the vessel traffic services. Information provided by AIS supplements marine radar forming one the primary method for avoiding collision among water transport. AIS equipment provides information that includes unique identification, course, speed and position that gets displayed on screen. These equipment are intended for assisting a vessel's officers allowing maritime authorities to both track as well as monitor vessel movements.The broadcast transponder system present within these AIS are used for operations in the VHF mobile maritime band. These automatic identification system integrates standardized VHF transceiver with positioning system such as GPS receiver along with other electronic navigation sensors that includes gyrocompass or rate of turn indicator. The vessels that are fitted with transceivers can then get easily tracked by automatic identification system base stations located on the side of the coast lines when vessels are out of range of networks through satellites fitted with AIS receivers capable of deconflicting a large number of signatures.Obtain Report Details@In case of AIS being switched off or not fitted properly there can be no exchange of information via AIS on ships. It should be switched on at all times unless it must be turned off for security reasons or any other emergency. The working mode of AIS in general is continuous and autonomous because of security reasons. The global market for automatic identification system has been segmented into platform, class, application and geography.Global automatic identification systems (AIS) market on the basis of geography has been segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East and Africa.These AIS systems are fully automated requiring absolutely no human intervention that forms one of the primary reasons for its immense applications. Unlike radar, these systems are not affected by rains or sea along with providing a longer wavelength. This allows improvement in monitoring movements of other vessels particularly at night also helping personnel present in vessels. AIS provides information quickly and accurately about the risk of collision when being used with an appropriate display providing dynamic data. All these factors have helped in the growth of this market.Request Sample @On the basis of geography, it is North America followed by Europe that has formed two key regions for this market. Dependence on water transport between domestic regions as well as for cross border trade along with security breaches in the sea based borders have been a few key factors to positively drive this market.Asia Pacific is growing at one of the fastest rates among the other regions where China, India and Korea are a few key countries playing a major role in growth. Border based security reasons along with growth of cross border trade with the help of water based transport are some key drivers for this region. South Korea is one such country that is completely landlocked and thus has to depend on water transport for trade purposes further boosting the demand for AIS.Some of the key players that are operating in the global automatic identification systems (AIS) market include SAAB AB (Sweden), Furuno Electric Co. Ltd. (Japan), Orbcomm Inc. (U.S.), L-3 Communication Holdings Inc. (U.S.), exactEarth (Canada), Kongsberg Gruppen ASA (Norway) and CNS Systems AB (Sweden) among others.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge Market : North America Industry Size, Share, Growth, Forecast To 2022 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1404983/north-america-x-ray-fluorescene-coating-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1404983 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiryBuy/1404983 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Latest industry research report on: North America X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge Market : Industry Size, Share, Research, Reviews, Analysis, Strategies, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters, ForecastsThe objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the market on the basis of type, application, medical condition, and region. It provides detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the market. This report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments of the key players in terms of market developments, product portfolios, and financials.Acute Renal Failure Market: Industry Size, Share, Growth, Forecasts.Complete Report Details @This report studies the X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge market. X-ray Fluorescene (XRF) is a particularly versatile tool for examining the composition of materials, and for measuring the thickness of very thin metallic coatings. XRF coating thickness gauge is mainly used in metallic coatings for measuring the coatings on metal substrates. The principles are as below:Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge in North America market, especially in United States, Canada and Mexico. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversHitachi High-Tech ScienceOxford InstrumentsFischer TechnologyMicro PioneerISP CoBowman AnalyticsDensokuJiangsu Skyray InstrumentShanghai JingpuHeleexMarket Segment by Countries, coveringUnited StatesCanadaMexicoMarket Segment by Type, coversCommon TypePolycapillary TypeMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoElectronic IndustryIron and Steel IndustryNonferrous Metals IndustryOthersHave Any Query? Ask Our Expert @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the North America X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge market.Chapter 1, to describe X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the North America market by countries, covering United States, Canada and Mexico, with sales, revenue and market share of X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge, for each country, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the segment market in United States, Canada and Mexico, by manufacturers, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications;Chapter 10, X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 12, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 13, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 14 and 15, to describe X-ray Fluorescene Coating Thickness Gauge Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data sourceAbout 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.Contact UsState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Coconut Milk Market: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast upto 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/coconut-milk-market https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2694 www.futuremarketinsights.com Nutrition-rich foods are becoming top choice of consumers in developing markets, while developed economies are already viewing them as top-grossing products. High nutritional content of coconut milk is garnering the interests of consumers in countries such as the US and Canada. Future Market Insights recent report on the global coconut milk market reveals that North America will be a dominant consumer & producer of coconut milk in the years to come. The global market for coconut milk, which is expected to witness sales of over 430,000 MT by the end of 2017, will garner around 25% of these sales from North America.Obtain Report Details @According to the report, revenues from global coconut milk sales reached US$ 780.4 Mn in 2016, and are estimated to soar towards US$ 830 Mn by the end of 2017. Key findings in the report project that the global market for coconut milk will soar at a healthy 7.3% CAGR to bring in US$ 1,687.7 Mn in revenues during the assessment period, 2017-2027. In terms of volume, the market will exhibit a 6.4% CAGR and record an estimated sales of more than 800,000 MT towards the end of 2027.Obtain Sample Of Report @Increasing demand for plant-based, organic beverages among consumers, in developed as well as developing countries, is being observed as the key attributor for growth of global coconut milk market. Besides the healthy content, consumers are also growing inclined towards new tastes, which is why savouring Asian cuisines enriched in coconut milk are gaining popularity across the globe. However, high price of procuring raw coconut meat (in some countries), and growing proliferation of organic substitutes for coconut milk, are likely to restrain the markets growth to a considerable extent.Demand for Coconut Milk Powder Losing TractionOne of the vital findings compiled in the report indicate that in 2017, coconut milk in the form of powder is predicted to gain traction, reflecting a market share of 38%. However, towards the end of the forecast period, presence of coconut milk powder products on global market revenues is likely to incur a significant dip. Demand for coconut milk in form of fluids will grow steadily, and dominate with nearly 65% revenue share by 2027-end. Likewise, the demand for conventional coconut milk is expected to gain traction in 2017, but may witness a decline in its global revenue share by the end of forecast period. Organic coconut milk products, on the other hand, will reflect an uptick in global sales, registering a value CAGR of 8.2% through 2027.Growing consumption of coconut milk is mainly attributed by effective end-use. Household, food services and food & beverage manufacturing are observed as three profitable end-uses of coconut milk. Collectively, revenues from these three end-use applications will collectively account for more than 80% of global coconut milk revenues by the end of 2027. The report also profiles leading producers and manufacturers of coconut milk in the world as key participants in the global coconut milk market, which include Mc Cormick & co., The Whitewave foods, Goya Foods, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Theppadungporn Agricultural Industry,Ducoco Ailmentos SA, Thai Agri Foods, Celebes Coconut Corporation, Pacific Foods of Oregon, GraceKennedy Group, Thai Coconut Public Company Limited, M&S Food Industries, The Sambu Group, Fresh Fruit Ingredients Inc., Chefs Choice Food Manufacturer Company Limited.About UsFuture 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 centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.FMIs team of over 200 research analysts provides market intelligence at global, regional, and country level. Our analysts are committed to provide independent insights, relying on our cognitive defusion training module, which conditions them to look at data objectively and unbiasedly.ContactFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Bookkeeper Software Market: Quantitative Market Analysis, Current and Future Trends https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/bookkeeper-software-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27074 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Bookkeeper software is a computer program that aids bookkeepers in reporting and recording a firms financial transactions. The functionality of the book keeper software varies from product to product. Smaller firms often opt for off the shelf products whereas larger firms opt for customized solutions that integrate a huge amount of data from various departments. This software is an important resource for modern businesses. It enables almost instantaneous reporting, analysis, and detailed tracking of financial transactions.The bookkeeper software market is primarily driven by the increasing demand to upgrade finance operations. Rising complexities in financial service firms and adoption of digital technologies are the reason forcing the upgrade of finance operations. Another important factor responsible for the growth of the bookkeeper market is the shift toward green IT. Green IT refers to the efficient usage of IT resources and computers with an environmental friendly approach. Implementation of cloud based technology helps in achieving sustainability and energy efficiency. Emergence of business accounting mobile applications is also an important factor that is likely to bolster the demand for book keeper software during the forecast period.Obtain Report Details @These mobile applications assist customers to control daily accounting tasks anytime from anywhere. It also helps with accounting processes like sending invoices, accepting payments, tracking receipts, logging expenses, and planning budgets. Majority of mobile accounting applications have basic features which includes expense and invoicing tracking. Advanced features in applications comprise bill reminders, mobile wallets, and bank transfers.Despite many positive indicators, there are some factors that are likely to restrain the market growth of bookkeeper software during the forecast period. Although cloud based software offers several advantages, there are few risks as well. Some of the important considerations include lack of physical control of the servers, potential of being affected by loopholes, and data transmission out of the office. There are chances of the software being exploited by malicious programs over the internet leading to data breach.Request Sample @On the basis of deployment type, the bookkeeper software market has been bifurcated into on-premises and cloud. Based on end users, the market is segregated into large enterprises; and small and medium size enterprises. The geographical segregation of the market comprises North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America is expected to account for highest market revenue share throughout the forecast period. High demand for cloud based services and applications along with the increasing application and data users is fueling growth of Bookkeeper Software market in North America.The global bookkeeper software market is fragmented with the presence of various niche players as well as multinational companies. Competition is likely to increase with the rise in demand for bookkeeper software across industries like retail, banking, construction, and manufacturing.Some of the top players in the global bookkeeper software market encompass Intuit Inc. (U.S.), Pandle (U.K.), NCH Software (Australia), LessAccounting (U.S.), TaxSlayer LLC. (Georgia), FreshBooks (Canada), Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd. (U.S.), The Sage Group plc (U.K.), Acclivity Group LLC (U.S.), and Intacct Corporation (U.S.).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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Public Cloud Services Market : Global Industry Size, Share, Growth, Forecast To 2024 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1357511/public-cloud-services-global-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1357511 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiryBuy/1357511 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Latest industry research report on: Global Public Cloud Services Market : Industry Size, Share, Research, Reviews, Analysis, Strategies, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters, ForecastsThe global public cloud services market is driven by benefits of these services such as online office applications, remote access to IT infrastructure, storage of non-sensitive content, online document collaboration from multiple locations, and webmail. Organizations are shifting to public cloud services as their business approach is switching from on-premise to digital, so as to reduce the expenses for maintenance and support systems.Business that require large investment for infrastructure are adopting public cloud services so as to manage applications used by more than one user. Public cloud services enable users of any organization to use platform, interface, or service and does not give information such as where the data will be stored. Due to all these reasons, it is estimated that the global public cloud services market will witness a considerable growth in the coming years.The global public cloud services market is segmented on the basis of end-use adoption, service vertical, enterprise, and geography. In terms of end-use adoption, the market is segmented into transportation, IT and telecommunication, media, defense, and government. On the basis of service vertical, the market is segmented into Platform-as-a-Service, Software-as-a-Service, Business Process-as-a-service (BPaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service,Complete Report Details @Public Cloud Services Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe growing use of public cloud services for production systems is one of the trends at present and this is creating growth opportunities in the market. The penetration of internet and consumerization of the IT sector are some of the factors encouraging the growth of the global public cloud services market. Moreover, the benefits of using public cloud services are many and this will help drive their adoption. Some of the benefits associated with the adoption of these services include, scalability, instant provisioning of services, cost reduction, low management, minimal investment in computing resources, and interoperability feature. On the other hand, factors posing a challenge for the market to grow, include slow internet connection, data protection, and data location reliability and security. The growth of public cloud services market is also restricted due local economic factors, regulatory issues, and diverse landscapeHowever, data location reliability, security, data protection and slow internet connection collectively restrain the growth of global public cloud services market. Some other factors affecting the growth of public cloud services regionally are local economic factors, diverse landscape of local and global providers, and regulatory issues.Request For Sample Report @Public Cloud Services Market: Geographical AnalysisOn the basis of geography, the global public cloud market is segmented into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. It is expected that public cloud services market in Asia Pacific will grow significantly, despite being on a nascent stage. This is because digital transformation is anticipated to take over in the coming years, boosting the public cloud services market.Public Cloud Services Market: Companies MentionedLeading players operating in the global public cloud service market include, Amazon Web Services LLC, Akamai Technologies Inc., Red Hat Inc., Corporation, Novell Inc., Netsuite Inc., Microsoft Corporation, and Terremark Worldwide Inc. The business and financial overview of each of the companies are included in the report. Information regarding recent developments by companies and challenges faced by them are also given. Such data helps businesses formulate strategic decisions regarding investments in the market. Some of the public cloud service platforms provided by organizations includes Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Google AppEngine, Sun Cloud, Windows Azure Services Platform, and IBM's Blue Cloud.Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert @Market segmentation based on geography:North AmericaAsia PacificEuropeRest of the WorldThis report gives access to decisive data, such as:Market growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for the coming yearsKey highlights of this report include:Overview of key market forces propelling and restraining market growthUp-to-date analyses of market trends and technological improvementsPin-point analyses of market competition dynamics to offer you a competitive edgeAn analysis of strategies of major competitorsAn array of graphics and SWOT analysis of major industry segmentsDetailed analyses of industry trendsA well-defined technological growth map with an impact-analysisOffers a clear understanding of the competitive landscape and key product segmentsAbout 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.Contact UsState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz GaN Power Devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2017 - 2025 Market Research Report https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1307307 https://www.researchmoz.us/gan-power-devices-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html/toc http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "GaN Power Devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on the global GaN power devices market provides analysis for the period 20152025, wherein 2016 is the base year and the period from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast period. Data for 2015 has been included as historical information. The report covers market dynamics including drivers, restraints opportunities, and trends expected to influence the global GaN power devices market growth during the said period. Components that are playing a major role in driving the global GaN power devices market have also been covered in the report. The study provides a comprehensive analysis on market growth throughout the above mentioned forecast period in terms of revenue estimates (in US$ Mn), across different geographies. GaN semiconductor devices provide a competitive advantage in terms of thermal performance, efficiency, weight and size. GaN is anticipated to be the next generation power semiconductor and thus different countries are indulged in developing widespread applications of GaN semiconductors.Global GaN Power Devices Market: SegmentationThe GaN power devices market has been segmented on the basis of component, industry vertical and region. On the basis of component, the market is segmented into GaN power discrete devices, GaN power IC's and GaN power modules. The GaN power discrete devices is further sub-segmented into GaN power RF devices and GaN power non-RF devices. Also, the GaN power ICs is further classified into MMIC and hybrid. In terms of industry vertical, the market is segmented into consumer electronics, IT & telecommunications, automotive, aerospace & defense, and others.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global GaN Power Devices Market: Geographical DynamicsGeographically, the report classifies the global GaN power devices market into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America; the regions are analyzed in terms of revenue generation. Furthermore, the study also includes quantitative analysis of the competitive scenario for region wise prominent countries. These countries include the U.S, Canada, Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, China, India, Japan, GCC countries, South Africa, and Brazil. The market size and forecast for each region has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025 along with the CAGR (%) for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025.Global GaN Power Devices Market: Research MethodologyThe report also includes key market indicators in the GaN power devices market. Porters five forces analysis is also included in the report. Value chain analysis which identifies the key participants in the GaN power devices is also covered in the report. The GaN power devices market report covers segment wise comparison matrix and market positioning analysis for all regions covered in the scope of our research. The report also includes market attractiveness analysis for all the segments and for all the regions in the scope of study which identifies and compares segments market attractiveness on the basis of CAGR and market share index.Global GaN Power Devices Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report includes competition landscape which covers competition matrix, market positioning analysis of major players in the global GaN power devices market based on their 2016 revenues, profiling of major players (GaN power devices provider). Competition matrix benchmarks leading players on the basis of their capabilities and potential to grow. Factors including market position, offerings and R&D focus are included to explain the companys capabilities. Factors including top line growth, market share, segment growth, infrastructure facilities and future outlook are attributed to companys potential to grow. This section also identifies and includes various recent developments carried out by the leading players.Browse TOC @Company profiling includes company overview, major business strategies adopted, SWOT analysis and market revenues for past years. The key players in GaN Power Devices market include Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N.V., GaN Systems Inc, Texas Instruments, Infineon Technologies AG, Fujitsu Limited, Transphorm Inc., Cree Incorporated (Wolfspeed), OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH, and Qorvo, Inc, among others.The global GaN power devices market is segmented as below:Market SegmentationGaN Power Devices Market, by ComponentGaN Power Discrete DevicesGaN Power RF DevicesGaN Power Non-RF DevicesGaN Power ICsMMICHybridGaN Power ModulesGaN Power Devices Market, Industry verticalConsumer ElectronicsIT & TelecommunicationsAutomotiveAerospace & DefenseOthersGaN Power Devices Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeThe U.K.GermanyFranceRest of EuropeAsia Pacific (APAC)ChinaJapanSouth KoreaRest of APACMiddle East and Africa (MEA)GCCSouth AfricaRest of MEASouth AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaAbout 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 @ United States DevOps Platform Market Size, Share | MarketResearchReports.biz https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1404984/united-states-devops-platform-by-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1404984 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiryBuy/1404984 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Latest industry research report on: United States DevOps Platform Market : Industry Size, Share, Research, Reviews, Analysis, Strategies, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters, ForecastsThe objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the market on the basis of type, application, medical condition, and region. It provides detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the market. This report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments of the key players in terms of market developments, product portfolios, and financials.Acute Renal Failure Market: Industry Size, Share, Growth, Forecasts.Complete Report Details @"DevOps is an approach to software development that enables better collaboration between the development and the operations teams. Basically, it is a methodology that aims to bridge the gap between developers and operations during software development to facilitate a more productive and efficient workflow. Ultimately, it enables continuous delivery to benefit the company at large.Tools that facilitate DevOps and support its principles are referred to as DevOps tools. These include API tools, collaboration and organizational tools, configuration management tools, build automation tools, application and infrastructure monitoring tools etc."Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the DevOps Platform in United States market, to split the market based on manufacturers, states, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversPuppet LabsChefDocker Inc.Red Hat (Ansible)AtlassianSaltstackCA TechnologiesRackspaceXebiaLabsVersionOneCiscoCollabNetHPIBMMicrosoftSpirent Communications plcVmwareDBmaestroMarket Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisMarket Segment by Type, coversDevOps ReadyDevOps EnabledDevOps CapableMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoITBFSIRetailTelecomEducationOthersHave Any Query? Ask Our Expert @There are 17 Chapters to deeply display the United States DevOps Platform market.Chapter 1, to describe DevOps Platform Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by States, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of DevOps Platform, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the United States market by States, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, price, revenue and market share of DevOps Platform, for each state, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key States by Type and Application, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, revenue and market share by types and applications;Chapter 12, DevOps Platform market forecast, by States, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 14, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 15, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 16 and 17, to describe DevOps Platform Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source.About 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.Contact UsState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Security Bags Market: Trends & Opportunities with Forecast 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/security-bags-market https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4011 www.futuremarketinsights.com The global security bags market has witnessed good growth opportunities in the recent past, with key players leveraging the various applications of security bags and targeting a growing customer base keeping in mind the key preferences of consumers towards tamper evidence features, convenience of use, and optimal pricing of security bags. According to a new report published by Future Market Insights titled Security Bags Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012 2016) & Opportunity Assessment (2017 2027), the global security bags market is slated to exhibit a significant growth rate of 8.8% in terms of value to reach a market valuation of US$ 702.3 Mn by the end of the forecast period in 2027.Global Security Bags Market Analysis, by Raw Material TypeThe global security bags market is segmented on the basis of raw material type into plastic, paper, and fabric. Plastic will continue to remain a favourite among consumers and be the dominant segment throughout the forecast period, anticipated to hold a market share in excess of 75% throughout the forecast period. The paper and fabric segments will be nowhere close to the plastic segment throughout the duration of the forecast period. In terms of revenue CAGR, the plastic segment will outnumber the other segments, registering a 9.1% CAGR during the period of forecast.Obtain Report Details @Global Security Bags Market Analysis, by Product TypeBy product type, the global security bags market is segmented into opaque and clear. Opaque segment is the clear winner here with a CAGR of 9.0% and estimated total revenues in excess of US$ 500 Mn by 2027 end, resulting from a market share in excess of 75% throughout the forecast period.Global Security Bags Market Analysis, by ApplicationIn terms of application, the global security bags market is segmented into cash/coin deposit bags, strap bags, card & dice bags, evidence bags, and pharmaceutical distribution bags. Cash/coin deposit bags will continue to dominate the global market throughout the assessment period, estimated to reach a market valuation exceeding US$ 490 Mn by the end of 2027. While strap bags are unlikely to match the revenue contribution of cash/coin deposit bags, in terms of CAGR, both these segments stand at 8.9%.Obtain Sample Of Report @Global Security Bags Market Analysis, by End UseThe global security bags market is segmented on the basis of end use into financial institutions, hospitals, casinos, hotels, national retail companies, government organisations, courier services companies, and academic institutions. Financial institutions will lead the race in this segment, with an estimated 30% market share towards the end of the forecast period. In terms of volume, the financial institutions segment is pegged at over 16,000 tonnes by 2027 end. This segment is slated to register a CAGR of 9.4% in terms of value and reach a market valuation of about US$ 216 Mn by 2027. Courier services companies segment is the runner-up in the value CAGR race, standing at a close 9.0%.Global Security Bags Market Regional ForecastIn this report, Future Market Insights has analysed the seven key regions of North America, APEJ, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, MEA, and Japan. North America, APEJ, and Western Europe will stand toe-to-toe in terms of market share, each holding a value share in excess of 20% throughout the forecast period. North America is anticipated to be the market leader in 2017 and is projected to gain significant market share due to a high growth of security products in the region.The North America security bags market will grow at a CAGR of 9.0% in terms of value over the forecast period. Currently North America has the highest concentration of security bags manufacturers. In APEJ, there is a steady increase in financial institutions and logistics services; as a result, the region will witness the highest growth in the global security bags market. APEJ will register a CAGR of 9.1% in terms of value. North America and APEJ will record a significant rise of 50 basis points in market share, while Western Europe will record an increase of 30 basis points.Good market opportunity for key playersSome of the key players profiled in the report include Ampac Holdings LLC., Mega Fortris (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Coveris Holdings S.A., SECUTAC, Dynaflex Private Limited, NELMAR Security Packaging Systems Inc., KOROZO Ambalaj San.ve Tic A.S., TruSeal Pty Ltd., HSA International Group, KENT PLASTIK LTD. STI., Harwal Ltd., ITW Envopak Limited, Initial Packaging Solutions Ltd., Vikela Aluvin Pty Ltd, A. Rifkin Co., Packaging Horizons Corporation, Versapak International Ltd, Amerplast Ltd., Securepac Industries Sdn Bhd, and Adsure Packaging Limited.An increase in demand for security packaging from the financial sector offers a good potential for key players to grab this opportunity and expand their operations. For instance, in May 2014, Mega Fortris Middle East expanded its operations to a bigger warehouse facility in Dubai Silicon Oasis. Likewise, in November 2013, NELMAR Security Packaging Systems Inc. added 50,000 sq. ft of production and warehouse facility to its existing facility while in December 2013, Dynaflex Private Limited expanded its market in UAE and Ireland.About UsFuture 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 centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.FMIs team of over 200 research analysts provides market intelligence at global, regional, and country level. Our analysts are committed to provide independent insights, relying on our cognitive defusion training module, which conditions them to look at data objectively and unbiasedly.ContactFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Telematics In Automotive Global Research Report 2017 with Forecast Details https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1385446 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-telematics-in-automotive-market-research-report-2017-report.html/toc "Global Telematics In Automotive Market Research Report 2017" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.. .Description-' '-- In this report, the global Telematics In Automotive market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.-- Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Telematics In Automotive in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapan. .Get Sample Report @' 'South KoreaIndia-- Global Telematics In Automotive market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingDigicore Technology Pvt (India)ID Systems Inc (U.S.)FleetMatics Irl Limited (U.S.)Teletrac Inc (U.S.)AutoTrac (Netherlands)Omnitracs LLC (U.S.)Masternaut Limited (U.K.)TomTom Telematics (Netherlands)Telogis Co (California)CalAmp (U.S.)-- On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoEmbeddedIntegratedTethered-- On the basis of the end users-applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications-end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingPassenger CarLCVHCV-- -- If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.-- ---- Table of ContentsGlobal Telematics In Automotive Market Research Report 2017-- 1 Telematics In Automotive Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Telematics In Automotive1.2 Telematics In Automotive Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Telematics In Automotive Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Embedded1.2.4 Integrated1.2.5 Tethered1.3 Global Telematics In Automotive Segment by Application1.3.1 Telematics In Automotive Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Passenger Car1.3.3 LCV1.3.4 HCV1.4 Global Telematics In Automotive Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Telematics In Automotive (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)-- 2 Global Telematics In Automotive Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Telematics In Automotive Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Telematics In Automotive Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Telematics In Automotive Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Telematics In Automotive Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Telematics In Automotive Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Telematics In Automotive Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Telematics In Automotive Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion-- 3 Global Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Telematics In Automotive Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Telematics In Automotive Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 South Korea Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)-- 4 Global Telematics In Automotive Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 United States Telematics In Automotive Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 EU Telematics In Automotive Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Telematics In Automotive Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Telematics In Automotive Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 South Korea Telematics In Automotive Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Telematics In Automotive Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)-- 5 Global Telematics In Automotive Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Telematics In Automotive Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Telematics In Automotive Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Telematics In Automotive Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)-- 6 Global Telematics In Automotive Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Telematics In Automotive Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Telematics In Automotive Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets-Countries-- 7 Global Telematics In Automotive Manufacturers Profiles-Analysis7.1 Digicore Technology Pvt (India)7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Telematics In Automotive Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Digicore Technology Pvt (India) Telematics In Automotive Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business-Business Overview7.2 ID Systems Inc (U.S.). .More Clear Details get Table of Contents @ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Wireless Healthcare Asset Management Market : Segmentation and Company Analysis to 2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/wireless-healthcare-asset-management-market https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2298 www.futuremarketinsights.com We all own multiple gadgets like smartphones, tablet computers, desktops and laptops which have increased our dependence on wires to charge these electronic devices. Wouldnt we all like a wire-free, tangle-free existence? The immense desire to go wireless has also begun to impact the medical profession in the form of the Wireless Healthcare Asset Management Market. Medical institutions must constantly monitor their equipment, tools, patients or even the professionals working there.A great many of them have opted to go in for the wireless route for the comfort and convenience provided by it. Hospitals have to manage a number of costly systems, tools & equipment which requires a significant investment of time. Loss, theft or misplacement of any of these healthcare assets would be a massive financial loss to the organisation. The Wireless Healthcare Asset Management Market provides a real-time solution for medical institutes to keep track of not only physical assets but also the patients & medical professionals. Going wireless provides flexibility, portability and scalability to the system. It ensures that assets & their various categories are easily searchable by indicating both room location & availability, sterilisation status, and also whether it is free or currently in use.Obtain Report Details @Wireless Healthcare Asset Management Market DriversThere are several factors responsible for the long-term growth of the wireless healthcare asset management market. One is improving wireless technology. Initially, there were concerns amongst medical professionals that wireless systems would interfere with hospital systems like telemetry which is crucial for measuring a patients vital signs. These problems have been largely taken care of by newer systems which use different wireless frequencies. Another driver is the reduced fears among the public & the industry as a whole about wireless technologies.Great research has been undertaken in this field which has made all radio frequencies used in wireless healthcare asset management equipment quite safe. Agencies like the FCC, FDA, EPA and OSHA have also certified the technologies reassuring patients. A third factor is the patient comfort & convenience. Medical institutions have begun to provide a number of added facilities & those hospitals which do not might lose their patients to those who do.Obtain Sample Of Report @It is not only patients but also medical staff who are becoming increasingly dependent on wireless technology. Doctors & nurses can use hands-free VoFi to stay in continuous contact with the other staff or the main nursing station. Nurses can enter information about their patients while moving around the hospital on a tablet computer. Doctors could even use their mobile phones to access the office servers or various medical applications. All of this is anticipated to drive the wireless healthcare asset management market globally.Wireless Healthcare Asset Management Market RestraintsThere are still some challenges which must be overcome in the wireless healthcare asset management market. A major one is a high cost involved in installing wireless management systems. While organisations want to provide all the services that they can to their patients, they may not have the required funding or government support to do so. Wireless systems are usually the first to be sacrificed in cost-cutting. Another issue is designating responsibility for such equipment.All too often, the departments that oversee wireless systems like IT or Biometrics are overloaded and are unable or unwilling to take on additional managerial responsibility. This is especially true when the equipment takes up a lot of space. Lastly, there is a lack of knowledge & expertise concerning such wireless healthcare asset management systems. Medical institutions face difficulty in hiring quality personnel able to understand & exploit this technology to the fullest. These problems must be dealt with for the long term prospects of the wireless healthcare asset management market.Wireless Healthcare Asset Management Market Key RegionsThe U.S is both the largest wireless healthcare asset management market and its fastest growing because of a large number of American RFID and RTLS providers and strong healthcare in the country. Asia-Pacific will become a crucial future market because of rising awareness & greater public & private healthcare investments.Wireless Healthcare Asset Management Market Key Market PlayersSome companies competing in the wireless healthcare asset management market are AeroScout, Inc, GE Healthcare, Ekahau, Inc, IBM Corporation and Siemens Healthcare.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, types and applications.About UsFuture 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 centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.FMIs team of over 200 research analysts provides market intelligence at global, regional, and country level. Our analysts are committed to provide independent insights, relying on our cognitive defusion training module, which conditions them to look at data objectively and unbiasedly.ContactFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Automatic Vertical Cutting Machine Market to Observe High Growth by 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16084 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/16084 www.persistencemarketresearch.com Automatic vertical cutting machine is composed of two major parts including the blade-operating equipment and frame conveyor. In automatic vertical cutting machine, when the level photocell identifies the bottle part than latter is netted and choked by two types of mould, and after that the revolving blade is dropped on that bottle with the help of a perpendicular motion till a spherical cut is attained on interior superficial of the bottle neck. Moreover, automatic vertical cutting machine is also installed on the machine side-cutting device, with ads to the rotating blade when it is situated at the spiteful area of the bottle. Finally, the unwanted material that is bald off at the time of the cutting operation is carried distinctly from the bottle.The major factors which are boosting the growth of automatic vertical cutting machine market are increasing end-user application of automatic vertical cutting machine, especially apparel vertical, and advancement in cutting technology, growing industrialization, and vertical cutting machine market high demand in North America. The automatic vertical cutting machine is available in different types of sizes and operations depending on the customer requirements. For apparel industry, automatic vertical cutting machine have different operation with customized blade size and cutting process, this heavy customization is boosting the overall growth and demand of automatic vertical cutting machine in coming years. Automatic Vertical Cutting Machine type is basically determined by the block dimension and cutting sizes. This high end processing of Automatic Vertical Cutting Machine permits the end-user industry verticals to identify and buying the machine that best sets their requirements and needs.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Regarding geography, automatic vertical cutting machine market has been categorized into seven key regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Automatic vertical cutting machine market is expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period due to high demand of apparel industry, paper Industry and various other industries, and high efficiency. In terms of regions, North America accounts for significant share for automatic vertical cutting machine market, owing to the high growth and demand for food industry in the region as compared to other developed regions. Moreover, the North America region accounts for healthy share in terms of increasing end-user application of automatic vertical cutting machine, especially apparel vertical, and advancement in cutting technology, and growing industrialization in the region is anticipated to further add value to the automatic vertical cutting machine market in the region.In terms of developing region of Asia-Pacific, the growth of the automatic vertical cutting machine is significantly high and with comparatively high CAGR in forecast period owed to factors such as such as rapid economic development, globalization and increasing demand of the automatic vertical cutting machine in food & beverages industry and its sub-verticals, and high usage of the automatic vertical cutting machine in media and automotive industry. In addition, Over the forecast period, Asia-Pacific market for is anticipated to grow significantly owing to the growth of packaging industry in the region. Overall, the global market for automatic vertical cutting machine is expected to grow significantly by the end of forecast period.Automatic Vertical Cutting Machine Market: Few Players Few players identified in automatic vertical cutting machine market are:- Alltec GMBH, Alpha Nov Laser, Coherent Inc., DPSS Laser Inc, IPG Photonics Corporation, OthersRequest TOC of the Report @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 UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Wireless Power Charging Market Growth Rate by Application & Future Trend Wireless Power Charging Market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/844176-2017-2022-wireless-power-charging-report-on-global-and-united-states-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/844176-2017-2022-wireless-power-charging-report-on-global-and-united-states-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/844176-2017-2022-wireless-power-charging-report-on-global-and-united-states-market HTF Market Report released a new research document of 106 pages on industry titled as '2017-2022 Wireless Power Charging Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications' with detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like United States, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players/vendors such as WiTricity Corporation, Integrated Device Technology, Inc., Texas Instruments, Inc., Qualcomm Inc., Energizer Holdings, Inc, PowerbyProxi Ltd. Etc. The report will help you gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017- 2022.Request a sample report @This report studies the Wireless Power Charging market status and outlook of global and United States, from angles of players, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and United States market, and splits the Wireless Power Charging market by product type and application/end industries.The global Wireless Power Charging market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Wireless Power Charging.United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Wireless Power Charging in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States Wireless Power Charging market, includingWiTricity CorporationIntegrated Device Technology, Inc.Texas Instruments, Inc.Qualcomm Inc.Energizer Holdings, IncPowerbyProxi Ltd.Powermat TechnologiesPowercast CorporationChushan TechnologyOn the basis of product, the Wireless Power Charging market is primarily split intoRFResonantInductiveOn the basis on the end users/application, this report coversConsumerDefenseHealthcareAutomotiveIndustrialGet Customization in the Report, Enquire Now @2017-2022 Wireless Power Charging Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source1.2.1 Secondary Sources1.2.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 Wireless Power Charging Market Overview2.1 Wireless Power Charging Product Overview2.2 Wireless Power Charging Market Segment by Type2.2.1 RF2.2.2 Resonant2.2.3 Inductive8 Wireless Power Charging Manufacturing Cost, Industrial Chain and Downstream Buyers8.1 Wireless Power Charging Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials8.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure8.2.1 Raw Materials8.2.2 Labor Cost8.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses8.3 Wireless Power Charging Industrial Chain Analysis8.4 Downstream Buyers in United States9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors and Market Effect Factors9.1 Marketing Channel9.1.1 Direct Marketing9.1.2 Indirect Marketing9.1.3 Marketing Channel Development Trend9.2 Distributors in Untied States9.3 Market Effect Factors Analysis9.3.1 Economic/Political Environmental Change9.3.2 Downstream Demand Change9.3.3 Technology Progress in Related Industry9.3.4 Substitutes Threat....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization accordingly.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218 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 Polyglycolic Acid Market is Expected to Rake in Revenues Worth US$424.5 Mn by 2023-End https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=7394 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=7394 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com With Kureha PGA LLC holding a market share of nearly 84%, the global market for polyglycolic acid demonstrated a highly concentrated and monopolistic competitive landscape in 2014, reports Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a recent study. Over the next few years, no significant change is expected in the current arrangement, owing to which the competition in the market is anticipated to remain low.Kureha Corp., the only commercial-scale producer of polyglycolic acid utilized in non-medical applications, is likely to remain the key shareholder of this market between 2015 and 2023. However, other players, such as Teleflex Inc., EI Du Pont De Nemours & Co., and Huizhou Foryou Medical Devices Co. Ltd. may gain considerable momentum in medical and biomedical applications, states TMR.The demand for polyglycolic acid has received a strong push from the growing application of absorbable sutures over the last few years, says an analyst at TMR. Before its widespread application in packaging and shale gas extraction, polyglycolic acid was mainly utilized in the production of absorbable sutures. As these sutures dissolve in the body as the wound heals, they do not need reopening of the body parts for their removal. This factor has increased the application of these sutures in the treatment of internal wounds, leading to a significant surge in demand for polyglycolic acid.Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at:High Cost of Polyglycolic Acid Could Limit its Application in Near FutureOn the flip side, the high cost of polyglycolic acid is likely to limit its application considerably over the years to come. Traditionally, it was utilized in small portions for the production of absorbable sutures; however, shale gas extraction, packaging, and other application such as agriculture, filters, and civil engineering resins. Being a costly material, it is facing severe difficulty in its large-scale commercialization, which is creating a hindrance in its utilization across various application areas.Apart from this, the dearth of awareness among people regarding the usage of polyglycolic acid is also expected to hamper its demand in the near future. However, the increasing preference for plastic packaging for beverages is expected to present growth opportunities for polyglycolic acid producers across the world.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @North America to Remain Key Contributor in Revenue Generated by Polyglycolic Acid GloballyAccording to TMR, the opportunity in the polyglycolic acid market, worldwide, was worth US$181.7 mn in 2014 with a production volume of 1,690.0 tons. Expanding at a CAGR of 10.10% between 2015 and 2023, it is likely to reach US$424.5 mn by the end of the forecast period.North America led the demand for polyglycolic acid in 2014 with a share of nearly 72%. The region is expected to continue to lead throughout the forecast period with revenue reaching US$213.4 mn by 2023. Shale gas extraction is anticipated to remain the key application area of polyglycolic over the forthcoming years.About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others.Contact Us:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Physical Vapor Deposition Market : Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1586 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1586 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1586 Global Physical Vapor Deposition Market: SnapshotPhysical vapor deposition (PVD) involves a number of thin film deposition techniques to produce thin films and coatings. The process is environment friendly that involves low amounts of toxic substances to be disposed that what is involved with conventional processes. It essentially involves vaporization of the metal from solid source assisted by high temperature vacuum, followed by transportation of vapor in vacuum, and back to condensation to generate thin films.PVD provides extremely pure and high performance coatings. This makes coatings obtained through PVD preferable over the ones obtained by electroplating. PVD coatings also high resistance to tarnishing and coatings that enable them to be used for a host of decorative finishes. In addition, it produces highly brilliant finishes that make watches resistant to scratches. Some other applications of PVD Coatings is for optical use that range from glasses to self-cleaning tinted windows. The corrosion resistance property of PVD coatings make them highly suitable for household items such as door handles, marine fixtures, and plumbing fixtures.Some of the commonly used PVD coatings include zirconium nitride, titanium nitride, chromium carbon nitride, zirconium carbon nitride, titanium carbon nitride, and chromium nitride. The nitrides, carbides, silicides, and borides that constitute PVD coating materials each have special qualities suitable for specific applications. For example, graphite and titanium are used in high performance automotive and aerospace component where temperature and friction are critical success factors.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The global PVD market is expected to display significant growth in the upcoming years primarily due to the need for reliable and durable coatings for medical equipment.Physical Vapor Deposition Market: OverviewPhysical vapor deposition (PVD) is a process wherein a thin coating is formed on an object using the base material via evaporation and condensation. This technique is used in automotive, defense, healthcare, and many other industries.The physical vapor deposition market may include a number of materials, equipment, and services. PVD materials include a number of commonly used raw materials such as aluminum, titanium, and nitrogen. Physical vapor deposition services comprise coating services and installation of various equipment. PVD equipment include those used for heating, vacuuming, coating, and condensation.PVD finds application in medical equipment, cutting tools, solar products, data storage, and microelectronics. Owing to a number of photovoltaic and wafer cell manufacturers investing in R&D efforts, the utilization of PVD technology has been quite high in solar products. On the other hand, rising government expenditure in providing people improved healthcare facilities has also resulted in increased usage of physical vapor deposition in medical equipment.Request TOC of the Report @Physical Vapor Deposition Market: TrendsThe global physical vapor deposition market is projected to witness steady growth in the coming years thanks to the application of this technology and equipment in a wide range of industries. This has been possible owing to rising awareness about the many benefits of PVD coatings over traditional coatings. The PVD coating technique offers advantages such as durability, strength, no residue, corrosion resistance, and environmental friendliness.In contrast, the patent-protection defines this technology and this limits the growth opportunities for up and coming players. Moreover, physical vapor deposition requires high amounts of capital investment, which is another roadblock, especially for smaller vendors.Physical Vapor Deposition Market: Market PotentialDespite the consolidated and capital-intensive nature of the global physical vapor deposition market, it offers several opportunities for players. Recognizing the potential in this market, Applied Materials, Inc., a California, U.S.-based company that supplies material engineering solutions, launched a physical vapor deposition system called Applied Endura Cirrus HTX PVD in May 2015. This is used to develop titanium nitride (TiN) thin films and reflects Applieds expertise in the application of physical vapor deposition technology in engineering titanium nitride films.Request Discount of the Report @Physical Vapor Deposition Market: Regional OutlookFrom a regional perspective, the global market for physical vapor deposition is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific accounts for a major share in the overall market owing to significant demand from several end-use industries. Considering the fact that PVD technology offers a rather high profit margin, large equipment manufacturers have focused their attention toward this lucrative market by setting up shop in many ASEAN countries. Another factor that drives the APAC physical vapor deposition market is growing interest in battery storage for solar PV systems in China, India, and Japan, where there is a high unmet need for power infrastructure.What makes North America a strong contender in the PVD market is the presence of a number of small and medium domestic players, including Vacuum Aurora Scientific Corp., AJA International, Inc., Novellus Systems, and KDF Electronics. In addition to this, strong regulatory support has encouraged rising number of investors to capitalize on the benefits offered by PVD technology.Physical Vapor Deposition Market: Competitive AnalysisSemicore Equipment, Veeco Instruments, Ionbond (IHI Group), Novellus Systems, AJA International, Platit, Hauzer Coating Technology (IHI Group), ULVAC Technologies, and Oerlikon Balzers are some of the prominent players competing in the global physical vapor deposition market. It has been observed that this is an immensely consolidated market owing to the high costs of PVD equipment, which pose severe entry-level barriers for new entrants. Another challenge that new players have to endure is the patent-protected nature of this technology. Product innovation is a key area of focus for most players, in addition to strategic acquisitions and collaborations.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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Bitumen Market : New Business Opportunities & Investment Research Report 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1589 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1589 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1589 Global Bitumen Market: SnapshotThe bitumen market is indirectly related to the GDP due to its widespread usage in road construction, industrial applications, and waterproofing. Robust growth of the construction sector primarily owing to government initiatives to improve infrastructure is positively impacting the bitumen market. This is because bitumen possess certain properties that are inbuilt at the time of its manufacture. Bitumen as a raw material in flexible road construction and bitumen as a mix offers several advantages that account for its wide usage in road construction.Bitumen is also used as an adhesive and as a sealant. Some other applications of bitumen include water proofing of ships and boats due to its water insoluble characteristics. Bitumen is used in the construction of water tanks, dams, and bridges.Bitumen is a mixture of black organic liquids that are highly sticky, viscous, and entirely soluble in carbon disulfide. Crude bitumen is so thick that it must be heated to make it flowing. Refined bitumen is the residual obtained by the fractional distillation of crude oil. Naturally available crude bitumen is the key feedstock for petroleum production from tar sands that is currently under development in Canada.Some of the crucial factors responsible for the extensive usage of bitumen are its economical means of production, versatility due to its physical and rheological properties, low melting point, recyclable, adhesive properties, and color variety.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the other hand, climate change concerns due to greenhouses gases has led to the introduction of bitumen alternatives that are eco-friendly and are less toxic.Global Bitumen Market: OverviewBitumen is a mixture of hydrocarbons, which are highly viscous and black, obtained naturally or as a byproduct of petroleum distillation. It is extensively used for surfacing in the road construction. It provides excellent water resistance along with high stickiness and viscosity. The commonly available types of bitumen are paving grade, cutback, polymer modified, bitumen emulsion, and oxidized. Other than road construction, they find application in insulations, adhesives, waterproofing, and paints.Global Bitumen Market: Key TrendsThe increasing government measures for road development across the world are augmenting the global bitumen market. In addition, the rising road traffic is creating a dire need for wider roads, which is consequently boosting the global demand for bitumen. Moreover, the booming construction industry worldwide is favoring the growth of the market. The growing investments by governments in the upgradation of public infrastructure and rising disposable income of people around the world are leading to the greater construction activities. The robust growth of the paint and coatings sector is also supplementing the growth of the market. Paints manufactured using bitumen provide excellent weatherproofing and corrosion traits.Request TOC of the Report @On the flip side, the stringent regulatory environment for the manufacturing and application of bitumen is adversely affecting the growth of the market. Furthermore, bitumen manufacturing includes fractional distillation of crude oil. Thus, the protean prices of raw material are negatively impacting the growth of the market.Global Bitumen Market: Market PotentialTransportation of bitumen is a major concern for players in the market, as any accident can lead to environmentally damaging spills and high-profile explosions. As a result, bitumen manufacturers and transport authorities are focusing towards developing safer transport option. One such effort that could be a game changer is being taken by the Canadian National Railway Co. In February 2017, the company filed a patent for a novel technology that turns bitumen into mostly solid dry packets that would not leak, explode, or sink in water. It is still a bleeding edge technology, however, with constant efforts the technology is estimated to emerge niche alternative to traditional shipping methods. Such innovations are expected to provide a significant boost to the growth of the market.Request Discount of the Report @Global Bitumen Market: Geographical SegmentationThe key segments methodically examined based on geography are North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America will be a prominent destination for global players during the review period. The increasing initiatives taken by governments towards the repair and redevelopment of existing roads are driving the demand for bitumen in the region. The growing residential remodeling practices, especially in the U.S., is also fuelling the growth of the region.Developing regions are expected to progress at a noteworthy CAGR in the forthcoming years. The growth of Asia Pacific can be attributed to the growing number of cities and increasing consumer disposable income, which is leading to the rising construction activities and sales of vehicles. China, Japan, and India will be sights of high growth rate in the region. The increasing infrastructure development will propel the growth of the market in Latin America and the Middle East and Africa.Global Bitumen Market: Competitive LandscapeThe presence of a large number of regional players has rendered the global bitumen market highly fragmented. The majority of players are operating throughout the supply chain of the market. Companies are focusing towards enhancing their visibility in the market by introducing advanced technologies that cater to the requirements of end users. Some of the prominent global participants in the bitumen are Total S.A., British Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Chevron Texaco Corporation, Total S.A., Royal Dutch Shell Plc., NuStar Energy, and Exxon Mobil Corporation.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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Cyber (Liability) Insurance market 2017 by Key Regions, With Production, Consumption, Revenue, Market Share and Growth Rate by 2022 https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=140163 https://www.researchnreports.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=140163 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=140163 www.researchnreports.com This report presents a 360-degree overview of the competitive scenario of the Global Cyber (Liability) Insurance market. Thus helping organizations understand the major threat and opportunities that vendors in the market are dealt with. It also includes detailed business profiles of some of the major vendors in the market. With the all-inclusive market data concerning the crucial elements and segment of the market that can influence the growth prospects of the market. This report can effectively help companies and decision makers in addressing these challenges strategically to gain the maximum benefits in the highly competitive market.Top Key Players: Lloyd,Berkshire Hathaway,AXA,Allianz,Japan Post Holdings,Assicurazioni Generali,Prudential Plc,China Life Insurance,Ping An Insurance,Legal&GeneralGroup,MunichRe,Cyence,Lemonade,Oscar,PolicyGenius,Safeshare,SimpleSurance,SynerScope,TrovGet Sample Copy of this Report:The report includes massive data relating to the recent product and technological developments observed in the market, complete with an analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future development. The research report analyzes the global Cyber (Liability) Insurance market in a detailed manner by explaining the key aspects of the market that are expected to have a quantifiable influence on its developmental prospects over the forecast period. The major growth drivers, challenges, and trends influencing the market are examined at length. The report also presents a thorough qualitative and quantitative data affecting to the projected impact of these factors on markets future growth prospects.The vast amount of global Cyber (Liability) Insurance market data that is available in any market, in general, makes it a tough task to narrow it down to the most crucial details and statistics relevant to the business issues at hand. Many companies could lack the much needed dedicated resources and the specific skills necessary for compiling a comprehensive market research. Focused market research methodologies help organizations in clearly gauging the most crucial stakes in the market that need to the considered for effective decision making. A number of analysis tools such as Porters five forces analysis and SWOT analysis have been employed to provide an accurate understanding of this market. Also, the report is compiled in a way for the readers and customers to understand better.For more details:Emerging countries such as India, Japan, France, and China are the primary targets of the industry. Increasing demand for the commodities, increasing losses, and changing practices and storage technologies are some of the major driving factors for this market. Regulatory changes such as Environmental Protection Laws and changing government policies across diverse geographies are restraints for the Cyber (Liability) Insurance market players.In last section, the chief manufacturers in the global Cyber (Liability) Insurance have been presented. Their company profiles, price, cost, revenue, gross, capacity, product picture, and contact information have also been covered under this section of the study. Geographically, the report studies the regional and country markets in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and India. The most prominent exporter serving the demand that is generated from the developed countries is also mentioned in this report.Get Upto 40% Discount on this report:Table of Content:Global Cyber (Liability) Insurance Market Research Report 2017-2022Chapter 1 Cyber (Liability) Insurance Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic ImpactChapter 3 Competition by ManufacturerChapter 4 Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2017-2022)Chapter 5 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2017-2022)Chapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Market Forecast (2017-2022)About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Sunny Denis10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,(Sales Manager),+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com , Ultrasonic sensors for Marine Industry Market : Analysis & Trends 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ultrasonic-sensors-marine-industry-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=36446 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Ultrasonic sensors is a device which uses sound waves with higher frequency than the human audible range to measure the distance of the object. The physical principles followed by ultrasonic sensors for marine industry is the Doppler Effect, the attenuation of sound waves and the time of flight. Once object come to surrounding area ultrasonic sensors can automatically switch to active zone and give all related information. At some time, Ultrasonic sensors might not detect some object due to object shaped or placed in such way that sound wave are bounced off the object but are deflected away from the sensor. These factors should be considered while designing and programming device using Ultrasonic sensors. Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry is used to monitor oxygen and pressure in vapor emission control systems.Read Report Overview @The higher accuracy governed with ultrasonic sensors in comparison with electromagnetic sensors has increased the demand for ultrasonic sensors for marine industry. The highest accuracy is attained because of the ultrasonic sensors, processing on high frequency and shorter wavelengths, resulting in high resolution images and accurate distance measurements. In addition to this, wide variety of applications of Ultrasonic sensors for also drive the growth of Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry globally. Furthermore, ultrasonic sensors have higher measurement range, high frequency, high sensitivity and high penetrating power makes the detection process more efficient.The lower response speed and accuracy in comparison with optical sensors are the factors limiting the growth and adoption of Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market. Additionally, because of a material's density, consistency and material type errors can be observed that can act as a restraint for the global Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market. During the upcoming year, entry of new vendors in the market of ultrasonic sensors for marine industry has increased focus on emerging economies and increasing investment in R&D for improvement in product quality to various end-users and increasing speed response will increase further opportunities in the market.The ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market can be bifurcated on the basis of type, application and geographical regions. By type, ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market can be further divided into ultrasonic retro-reflective sensors, ultrasonic proximity sensors, ultrasonic 2 point proximity switches and ultrasonic through beam sensors. Ultrasonic through beam sensors segment consider for the major shares of the ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market.By Application, ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market can be segmented into pallet detection, distance measurement, object detection, liquid level measurement, anti-collision detection, and others. Furthermore, the Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market can also be segmented according to region into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America. Europe is the most dominant region the global Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry s market due to technological innovations in automotive industry has led to continuous enhancements, of Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry. APAC are expected to follow North America in the global Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market.Request to view Sample Report:The global Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market has extensive growth potential because of increase adoption of Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry by various end-user and manufacturer segments. Players of Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry in the market are looking forward to increase their production by investing in research and development region to give quality product to their consumer. Many players are involved in the Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market with wider solution portfolio. Some of the key vendors in the Ultrasonic sensors for marine industry market are Siemens AG, Rockwell Automation, Honeywell Automation, Baumer, Pepperl+Fuchs, Murata Manufacturing, , Microsonic, Banner Engineering, Precision Acoustics, Keyence, Balluff, BeStar Electronics, APC International, Omron, Blatek, Migatron, Maxbotix, Vermon, Esaote, Acuson, GE, Philips, and Crest ultrasonic.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.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 ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global LED Lighting Market by Investment Feasibility, Sales, Production, Manufacturers, Regions and Cost Structure and Forecast to 2021 LED Lighting http://bit.ly/2jeBbRb http://bit.ly/2j8pHhQ http://bit.ly/2B8o539 https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbis-research https://twitter.com/orbisresearch https://www.facebook.com/pages/Orbis-Research/820969017982115 The study of the " LED Lighting Market" provides the market size information and market trends along with the factors and parameters impacting it in both short and long term. The study ensures a 360 view, bringing out the complete key insights of the industry.Request sample copy of this report atScope of the ReportThe report entitled Global LED Lighting Market (2017-2021 Edition), provides an in-depth analysis of the global LED Lighting market with detailed analysis of market size and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides market size of the global lighting market and its segments.The report provides detailed regional analysis of North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific (China and India) for the LED lighting market. The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry.Growth of the global lighting market and global LED lighting market has also been forecasted for the period 2017-2021, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The market for global LED lighting is facing a tough competition due to price wars and entry of small firms. Further, key players (Cree, Philips and Osram) of the global LED lighting market are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Country CoverageNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-Pacific (China and India)Company CoverageCreePhilipsOsramPurchase a copy of LED Lighting Market visit @For more information contact sales@orbisresearch.comExecutive SummaryThe LED lighting can be segmented according to its application into lighting, backlighting, signage, automotive lighting and others. Some of the advantages of LED lights over the traditional light sources are long life, energy efficient, ecologically friendly, durable, zero UV emission, design flexibility, low voltage, etc.The major growth drivers for the LED lighting market are increasing shipment and penetration of LED TVs, growing automobile industry, increasing LED penetration, phasing out of incandescent bulbs in many countries, supportive government policies and focus on energy efficiency. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as temperature dependence, high initial costs of LED, high research and development costs, etc.Browse Complete Report @Some points from TOC:Executive SummaryIntroduction2.1 Light Emitting Diode: An Overview2.1.1 Light Production in LEDs2.1.2 Light Production in LEDs2.2 History of LED2.3 LED Lighting Segments: An Overview2.4 Advantages of LED Lighting2.5 Comparison of LED Lighting with Other Source of LightingGlobal Market Analysis3.1 Global Lighting Market: An Analysis3.1.1 Global Lighting Market by Value3.1.2 Global Lighting Market by Application3.1.3 Global General Lighting Market by Segments3.2 Global LED Lighting Market: An Analysis3.2.1 Global LED Lighting Market by Value3.2.2 Global LED Lighting Market by Segments3.2.3 Global LED Lighting Market by Region3.2.4 Global LED Lighting Market by Adoption Rate3.2.5 Global LED Lighting Market Adoption Rate by Products3.3 Global LED Backlight Market: An Analysis3.3.1 Global LED Backlight Market by Value3.3.2 Global LED Backlight Market by Products3.4 Global LED General Lighting Market: An Analysis3.4.1 Global LED General Lighting Market by ValueRegional Market Analysis4.1 North America LED Lighting Market: An Analysis4.1.1 North America LED Lighting Market by Value4.2 Europe LED Lighting Market: An Analysis4.2.1 Europe LED Lighting Market by Value4.3 Asia Pacific LED Lighting Market: An Analysis4.3.1 China LED Lighting Market by Share in General Lighting4.3.2 China LED Lighting Market by Value4.3.3 Indian LED Lighting Market by ValueCompetitive Landscape5.1 Financial Comparison of the Players of Global LED lighting MarketFor any enquires before buying, connect with us @ enquiry@orbisresearch.comAbout Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:Follow us on Twitter:Like us on Facebook: Future of Online Recruitment Market Size 2022 LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Monster, SEEK, Zhilian, 51job, Naukri, StepStone, Dice Holdings, Glassdoor https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/135730//?utm_source=OPR-SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/135730//?utm_source=OPR-SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-online-recruitment-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022/?utm_source=OPR-SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/united-states-online-recruitment-market-by-manufacturers-states-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022/?utm_source=RR-SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/category/news-releases/ MarketStudyReport.com adds New Global Online Recruitment Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 new report to its research database. The report spread across 120 pages with table and figures in it. The report provides information on Industry Trends, Demand, Top Manufacturers, Countries, Material and Application.This report studies the Online Recruitment market, Online Recruitment is through the use of IT technical in network systems, help enterprises to complete the recruitment process, through the third party recruitment website or online recruitment services, to complete the process of recruitment by using established database or search engine tools, mainly in the recruitment website, mainly in the recruitment website.Request a Free sample PDF of this research to evaluate more @Scope of the Global Online Recruitment Market Report:This report focuses on the Online Recruitment in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Global Online Recruitment Market Report Segment by Manufacturers Include as LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Monster, SEEK, Zhilian, 51job, Naukri, StepStone, Dice Holdings, Glassdoor, SimplyHired, TopUSAJobs, 104 Job Bank and Others.Global Online Recruitment Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa).Global Online Recruitment Market Segment by Type, covers as Permanent online recruitment and Part Time online recruitmentGlobal Online Recruitment Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into: Secretarial/Clerical, Accounting/ Financial, Computing, Technical/Engineering, Professional/Managerial, Nursing/Medical/Care, Hotel/Catering, Sales/Marketing, Other Industrial/Blue Collar, Construction, Drivers and OthersEnquire Discount on Global Online Recruitment Market Research Report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Online Recruitment market.Chapter 1, to describe Online Recruitment Market Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Online Recruitment, with sales, revenue, and price of Online Recruitment, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global Online Recruitment market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Online Recruitment, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to Online Recruitment Industry analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the Online Recruitment Market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Online Recruitment market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Online Recruitment Industry sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.For more information on this report, Please visit at:Related Reports: -United States Online Recruitment Market by Manufacturers, States, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022Online Recruitment is through the use of IT technical in network systems, help enterprises to complete the recruitment process, through the third party recruitment website or online recruitment services, to complete the process of recruitment by using established database or search engine tools, mainly in the recruitment website, mainly in the recruitment website.Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News: Global Eyewear Market Expected to Reach Worth US$265.4 Bn by the End of 2025 MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/1118 https://www.mrrse.com/eyewear-market https://www.mrrse.com/eyewear-market https://www.mrrse.com/checkdiscount/1118 https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ A new report added to the repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine Eyewear Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast 2017 - 2023 is a comprehensive repository of information, providing market share, size, and forecast.Get Free Sample Report @The global eyewear market is driven by the rising population of individual suffering from conditions such as myopia, presbyopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. The demand for corrective eyewear is the major driving force behind the growth of this marketThe report analyzes the global eyewear market on the basis of the product types, distribution channels, and regional markets.Based on products, the global eyewear market is classified into the markets for spectacles, plano sunglasses, and contact lenses. By distribution channels, retail outlets, online portals, and healthcare service providers are the key segments in the market. Regionally, the global eyewear market is spread across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World.Browse Complete Report with TOC @The research report offers a comparative analysis of the global eyewear market on the basis of the qualitative as well as quantitative evaluation of every segment of this industry. The study also evaluates the present market dynamics and the existing trends such as the driving forces, restrictions, and future prospects the eyewear market across the globe.Overview of the global eyewear marketAccording to the TMR report, the demand for eyewear products in 2011 was more than 2,600 million units and it is expected to register a CAGR of 3.7% between 2012 and 2018. In terms of revenue, the market generated approximately US$81 billion in 2011 and is projected to attain US$130 billion by the end of the forecast period.On the basis of the types of eyewear, the market for spectacles, including both, spectacle lenses and spectacle frames, dominates the global eyewear market. In 2011, the spectacles market valued more than US$63 billion. Aided by the rising number of individuals using as well as needing prescription eyewear or corrective eyewear, the future of this market is booming.Though the market for contact lenses is comparatively small, but its future isnt bleak at all. On account of the increasing awareness about the benefits and convenience of use, the contact lenses are gaining worldwide acceptance, which, in turn is expected to help the market expand significantly.Send an Enquiry @In 2012, the eyewear market in North America acquired the leading position occupying more than 30% of the global market in terms of consumption. The high demand for sunglasses and contact lenses in the region was the key driver fuelling the eyewear market in North America. On the other hand, the European eyewear market generated the highest revenue of around 40% of the overall market, the same year.The eyewear market in Asia Pacific, specifically in India and China is expected to register fastest growth in the global market at a CAGR of 9.0% during the period from 2012 to 2018 on the account of increasing usage of eyewear owing to the dense population in the region.Though the market is reporting impressive growth at present, the rising popularity of the refractive surgeries is expected to pose significant challenge to the market in the coming future.Companies mentioned in the research reportThe global eyewear market possess a large base of participants including Luxottica, Essilor Int., Safilo, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, CooperVision, Carl Zeiss, Bausch & Lomb, Fielmann, Marchon Eyewear, De Rigo, CIBA Vision Inc., Hoya Corp., Specsavers Optical, and Vision Express. Among these, Johnson & Johnson, CooperVision, CIBA vision, and Bausch & Lomb dominates the contact lenses market. For spectacle lenses, Carl Zeiss and Essilor are the leading manufacturers, whereas, Luxottica and Safilo are the major suppliers for plano sunglasses.Check Discount @About MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At: LV= Insurance Global Market 2017: Key Players LV=, Highway, Nationwide, Britannia Rescue LV= Insurance https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2456952-insurance-company-profile-lv https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2456952-insurance-company-profile-lv www.linkedin.com/company/4828928 https://twitter.com/WiseGuyReports https://www.facebook.com/Wiseguyreports-1009007869213183/?fref=ts Pune, India, 18th December 2017: WiseGuyReports announced addition of new report, titled Insurance Company Profile: LV=.Summary"Insurance Company Profile: LV=", provides a comprehensive review of the company and its UK business. This includes its business structure and strategy, its financial performance, and activities around insurtech and digitization. The profile also provides a full SWOT analysis.LV= serves 5.8 million customers across the UK and offers both general insurance products and protection, pension, and investment products. Its brands include the direct sales brands Britannia Rescue and LV= Frizzell, the brokerage brand ABC Insurance, and the main LV= brand.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Scope- In 2016 LV= adopted a new strategy in order to keep up with the changing landscape of the insurance industry, which has been influenced by new business models, start-ups, fintech, and investment in big data.- LV= is investing heavily in its Pioneer Programme, which will replace its legacy policy systems and enhance its car and home distribution capabilities, as well as improving the way customers contact the business and its proposition development and pricing.- In August 2017, LV= announced a partnership with Allianz Group to set up a personal insurance joint venture under the LV= brand in the UK market.Companies mentionedLV=HighwayNationwideBritannia RescueABC InsuranceHighway InsuranceWealth WizardsLiverpool VictoriaAllianzStartupbootcampReasons to buy- Learn about LV=s organizational structure and its core business segments.- Gain insight into its underwriting and distribution strategy.- Understand the group's advertising strategy.- Discover LV=s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats it will face going forward.Table of Content: Key PointsOperationsCorporate StructureHistoric MilestonesWhat Does LV= Do Today?General Insurance Business OverviewLife Insurance Business OverviewProduct OverviewStrategyFuture StrategyPartnershipsAdvertising ExpenditureSWOT AnalysisStrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsContinuedACCESS REPORT @Get in touch:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook: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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Pregnancy BP Monitors Market Analysis and Forecasts according to New Research Report 2021 Research N Reports https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=11139 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=11139 This report study presents a 360-degree overview of the competitive scenario of the Global Pregnancy BP Monitors Market, thus helping organizations understand the major threat and opportunities that vendors in the market are dealt with. It also includes detailed business profiles of some of the major vendors in the market. With the complete market data concerning the crucial elements and segment of the global Pregnancy BP Monitors Market that can influence the growth prospects of the market, the report makes for a highly informative document. This report will effectively help companies and decision makers in addressing these challenges strategically to gain the maximum benefits in the highly competitive market.Get Sample Copy of This Report for TOC and Tables:The report includes vast data pertaining to the recent product and technological developments observed in the market, complete with an analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future development. The research report analyzes the global Pregnancy BP Monitors Market in a detailed manner by expounding the key aspects of the market that are expected to have a quantifiable influence on its developmental prospects over the forecast period.The major growth drivers, challenges, and trends influencing the global Pregnancy BP Monitors Market are examined at length. The report also presents a thorough qualitative and quantitative data pertaining to the projected impact of these factors on markets future growth prospects. The report has also provided cited sources, graphs, charts, and statistics for the customers understanding. The researcher has thoroughly described all data, key players, types, technology, applications, and end-use that is utilized in the market.The vast amount of market data that is available in any market, in general, makes it a tough task to narrow it down to the most crucial details and statistics relevant to the business issues at hand. Many companies could lack the much needed dedicated resources and the specific skills necessary for compiling a comprehensive market research. Focused market research methodologies help organizations in clearly gauging the most crucial stakes in the market that need to the considered for effective decision making.Get 40% Discount on this Premium Report:The report includes six parts, dealing with: 1.) basic information; 2.) the Asia Pregnancy BP Monitors industry; 3.) the North American Pregnancy BP Monitors industry; 4.) the European Pregnancy BP Monitors industry; 5.) market entry and investment feasibility; and 6.) the report conclusion.Reasons for buying this Report:This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a five-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsAbout Research n Reports:Research N Reports is a new age Market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer-driven Market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices, where relying on a soundboard firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, Market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current Market conditions or being ahead in the cutthroat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer to consult as an extended arm of our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently, we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports) The holidays are a time of good cheer and gift giving. I do like picking out some of those special gifts for my good friends and relatives but the rampant consumerism is appalling. You know exactly what I mean. If you think this tsunami of buy, buy, buy is new, youre so wrong. Lets have a little history lesson, class. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving an official national holiday, to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November each year. In 1939, there were five Thursdays in November, which would mean the traditional holiday shopping season after Thanksgiving wouldnt begin until a week later than normal. Department store owners were worried that the shorter shopping season wouldnt be enough to give them their own holiday gift of good profits. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, being the savvy politician that he was, changed the date of Thanksgiving in an effort to boost buying during the Great Depression. He declared the holiday to be the fourth Thursday in November, where it has been ever since. Many people were furious with FDR, ridiculing the change as Franksgiving. Ah politics. But back to the present or presents. For the moment, lets put politics aside and look at what you might want to consider for your holiday gifting. I have a few thoughts on the subject, some unique ways to give without breaking the bank. Stop by to say hello Older friends and relatives often are shut-ins. There is surely someone you know who could use a few visits. I dont mean a one-and-done thing but perhaps three or four lets-make-a-date-and-do-something commitments in the coming year. Put your plans on a card, make a schedule and then do it. This will give everyone something to look forward to. They win; you win. Remember that great book Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom? This was a fine treatise on intergenerational conversations. It is also, by the way, a great book to give one of your young relatives. Volunteer We are a country of volunteers. We are generous folks in that way. Write a gift card to a good friend indicating you will give time and energy to the favorite charity, religious organization, social services network or civic event of their choice. It might be helping at a local food pantry or at their church. Let them pick it out. In fact, they might just do it with you a bonus to both of you. Donate money When it comes to disposable income, not all of us have it, for sure, but many of us do. Be it $5 or $500, donations are what keep those organizations that are near and dear to us alive. When I was a resident, I sent $50 from my first check to the Zen Center of San Francisco because they had helped me so much during my turmoil of medical school. These days, we help send children to camp every year in a friends name. The smile on their face is worth a million bucks. You could write a check to your friends favorite charity and offer it with a nice card and a pretty bow. It makes a great gift. The gift to yourself The dark days and cold weather coming up are the times we turn to our inner self. All those shows on TV seem to show that everybody is just happy all the time. Kind of like Facebook, where everyone looks like theyre always having such a wonderful time, all the time. On one hand, you know that isnt the case. But on the other hand, those images are so captivating. So perhaps the gift to yourself this year might be a spiritual awakening a meditation course, that yoga youve wanted to do, the Bible study class you didnt have the time for last year. Find something to recharge your soul. I always think about things like this when Im in an airplane and the flight attendant gives that talk about safety. Most of you have heard it time and time again, but did you listen up? When the oxygen masks fall down, the attendant always reminds us, put on your own mask first, then help anyone traveling with you, like a child, who might need help. Sometimes the gift to yourself at this time of year is to take that first step toward whatever it is youre hoping for in the New Year. And the essence of this is you cant buy it on online. Stay well. Global TV Transmitter Market 2017 - Harris, R&S, Syes, GatesAir, Egatel(COMSA), Nautel Global TV Transmitter Market https://goo.gl/y3M1Yp https://goo.gl/rBWneZ www.apexmarketreports.com Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "TV Transmitter Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "TV Transmitter Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global TV Transmitter industry, and estimates the future trend of TV Transmitter market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "TV Transmitter Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportHarrisBroadcast ElectronicsR&SSyesGatesAirEgatel(COMSA)NautelThomson BroadcastHitachi Kokusai ElectricNECRIZ TransmittersBTESAContinentalBeijing BBEFTongfang GigamegaChengdu ChengGuangThe market research report explores the TV Transmitter market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "TV Transmitter Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the TV Transmitter market based on major product types, application and end users industries of TV Transmitter. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for TV Transmitter market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for TV Transmitter is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, TV Transmitter market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the TV Transmitter market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The Global TV Transmitter market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, TV Transmitter production volume, data pertaining to demand and TV Transmitter supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of TV Transmitter along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for TV Transmitter across the world.About UsApex Market Reports offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated reports of different categories. Apex Market Reports provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezCorporate Sales Specialist155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexmarketreports.comWebsite - Industrial Valves Market : Analysis & Trends 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/industrial-valves-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=8527 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Industrial valves are devices that control the flow and pressure of liquids and gases within a system. Valves are used to control the flow of liquids and gases in the piping systems and it should be checked consistently to avoid any risks such as leakage and corrosion. On the other hand, valves used in industries can be operated manually or automatically.Read Report Overview @Growth of industrial valve market is driven by increasing demand in industries such as oil and gas, wastewater and power among others. The government of developing countries such as Brazil, India, and China among others is investing heavily in pipeline infrastructure development mainly in oil and gas sector, which is expected to drive the installation of industrial valves over the forecasted period. This result in higher demand of valves used in valve actuators namely, electrically, hydraulically and pneumatically among others in different industry verticals. Moreover, continuous generation of power via existing and old power plant is also driving the demand for industrial valves market in power sector.Some of the major restraints for industrial valves market are price war among vendors and strict government regulations and policies in the market. The participation of cross-industry vendors in the industrial valve market is also escalating the competition among valve vendors. For instance, pump and filtration vendors are offering valves along with the core valve vendors. However, the companies would have to develop specialized products in order to bring about product differentiation and produce higher margin valves which will be less vulnerable to competition.The main types of industrial valves includes are ball, globe, gate, and butterfly valves among others Ball valves are used in rotational motion to start, stop or throttling the flow of fluids in the system. The industrial valves market can be further segmented by end use industries such as oil and gas, chemical and power among others. The growth in revenues of the industrial valve market is observed with multiple factors such as increased sale of industrial valves in building new infrastructure development and utilities globally. In addition, repairs and renovation in the existing infrastructure also drives the growth of industrial valve market.Request to view Sample Report:Some of the key players operating in the industrial valves market are Pentair ltd, Flowserve Corporation, Emerson Electric Co, FMC Technologies, Alfa Laval AB, L&T Valves Ltd, IMI plc, Crane Co, AVK Group, Tyco International, Kitz Corp, Circor International, Inc., Curtiss-Wright Corp. and Cameron International Corporation among 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.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 ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Bit Error Rate (BER) Testers Market : Analysis & Trends 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/bit-error-rate-ber-testers-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=8839 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Bit error rate testers are usually designed for testing radio telemetry systems, synchronous serial communication equipment, and communication links. The high rate of penetration of broadband communication and sharp rise in demand of the access lines are driving the need of communication links with high transmission capacity and very low bit error rate. When some data is transmitted over a particular communication channel, there is a probability of errors being arrived into the system. BER tester identifies the error frequency and bit error rate (BER) over a communication channel for evaluating its overall performance, thereby improving the communication link quality and enabling network system to incorporate complete link characteristics.Read Report Overview @The global BER testers market is mainly driven by various technological advancements taking place in the telecommunication sectors including Ethernet over SONET (EoS), and Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), among others. Rise in deployment of 3G and 4G networks are expected to garner more demand for BER testers. In order to detect and remove glitches in digital networks due to complex network design, BER testers are anticipated to drive the market demand throughout the forecast period. Moreover, the introduction of high modular and multi-functional bit error rate testers is predicted to further propel the market demand in the coming years. This is further supported by growing demand of digital interfaces coupled with technological innovations. Besides, the market demand is accelerated by growing video traffic over the internet because of video conferencing, high definition IPTV, online video streaming portals such as You Tube etc., and migration of enterprises from private networks towards the internet based virtual private networks (VPNs). Furthermore, growing use of bit error testers for various manufacturing processes and R&D activities is expected to contribute towards a substantial market growth over the forecast period. However, the growth of global BER testers market is restricted by low market awareness in emerging nations, and incompatibility of BER testers to cater into various end-user applications, among others. The low market awareness is generally due to complexity of technology which can be eradicated/minimized by vendors. Initiatives such as education to end users about the market and technical know-how can enable awareness about BER testers. Modularity, ease of use, price and features are currently the most competitive features in the global BER testers market.The global BER testers market can be segmented on the basis of product types, various end-users, applications and different geographical regions. On the basis of various product types, the market can be segmented into traditional BERTs and functional BERTs. Based on different end-users, the market is classified into service providers, enterprises, component and system manufacturers, and others which includes government contractors and contract manufacturing companies. Based on various end-use applications, BER testers market can be categorized into installation and maintenance, research and development, and manufacturing. Base on various geographical regions, the market is categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. In Asia Pacific, the huge amount of data transmission over the communication network is presently contributing towards the appreciation of market growth.Request to view Sample Report:Some of the key participants in the global BER testers market includes Centellax Inc., Tektronix Inc., Anritsu Corporation, Luceo Technologies GMBH, Keysight Technologies, Inc.,Aeroflux Incorporated, LSHF Communication Technologies AG, Digital Lightwave Inc., EXFO Inc., and JDS Uniphase Corporation, among 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.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 ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Myasthenia Gravis Therapeutics Pipeline to have Maximum Drugs to be Developed as Biologics https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/myasthenia-gravis-therapeutics-pipeline-analysis https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/myasthenia-gravis-therapeutics-pipeline-analysis/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=myasthenia-gravis-therapeutics-pipeline-analysis https://www.psmarketresearch.com The study analysed that the therapeutics pipeline comprises of approximately 19 drug candidates in different stages of development. Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that acts on neuromuscular junction and leads to the weakening of skeletal muscles. This causes loss of muscle control in moving the body parts, such as the movement of arms and legs, breathing, loss of eye movements, chewing, talking, and swallowing. The situation of the disease worsens after a period of activity and improves after a period of rest.Browse Detailed Summary at:Various companies, educational institutes and medical organizations are collaborating for the development of drugs for the treatment of this disease. For instance, Merck & Co., Inc. entered into a multi-targeted collaboration and license agreement with Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to use the latters drug discovery technology platform for the development of orally available cyclic peptides for the treatment of myasthenia gravis.Request Sample Pages:It has been observed that most of the drugs in the myasthenia gravis therapeutics pipeline, are being developed from the natural source. NT-1654 is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and is under development by Neurotune AG for the treatment of myasthenia gravis. The drug acts as a neuromuscular junction stimulator.Pre-Purchase Enquiry:Some of the key players developing drugs for the treatment of myasthenia gravis include Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., CSL Behring LLC, Novartis AG and others.Myasthenia gravis Therapeutics Pipeline Analysis By Phase By Molecule Type By Route of Administration By CompanyAbout P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide market research reports, industry reports, business intelligence and research based consulting services across a range of industries.With the help of our professional corporate relations with various companies, our market research offers the most accurate market forecasting. Our analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every single data presented in our publication. Our research assists our client in identifying new and different windows of opportunity and frame informed and customized strategies for expansion in different regions.Contact:P&S Market Research347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb: Electric Vehicle Battery Market : Analysis & Trends 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/electric-vehicle-battery-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=9073 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Developing concerns identified with diminishing oil and gas assets and debasing natural conditions are having positive effect on the demand for electric controlled vehicles. In addition, endowments and motivating forces on utilization of such vehicles is another factor driving the market for electric powered vehicles. These vehicles rely upon electric batteries to give the essential or the auxiliary power. Along these lines any effect on the demand for electric fueled vehicles will influence the electric vehicle battery market. An electric fueled vehicle or battery electric vehicle utilizes concoction energy put away in rechargeable battery packs for control. As all the power is gotten from batteries thus, it doesn't require any combustion engine for impetus. Battery Electric vehicles incorporate cars, buses, forklifts, bicycle, rail cars, and scooters. The favorable circumstances in battery stockpiling technology have additionally positively influenced the electric vehicle battery market.Read Report Overview @Diminishing unrefined petroleum reserved and concerns with respect to debasement of the environment are the central factors driving the electric vehicle battery market. With diminishing reserved of crude the demand for feasible transportation innovations has pulled in interest in this market. The legislatures of leading nations have supported the use of hybrid vehicles that use the electric battery. Numerous national organizations have upheld controls and give alluring concessions on buying hybrid autos. Stringent environmental policies in the European Union countries have empowered wide reception of the battery controlled vehicles. The fluctuating unrefined petroleum costs are another main consideration reinforcing consumers to embrace such batteries. Costly nature of electric vehicle battery is one of the significant restrictions to the market.Growing concerns related to decreasing oil and gas resources and degrading environmental conditions are having positive impact on the demand for electric powered vehicles. Moreover, subsidies and incentives on usage of such vehicles is another factor driving the market for electric powered vehicles. These vehicles depend on electric batteries to provide the primary or the secondary power. Thus any impact on the demand for electric powered vehicles will affect the electric vehicle battery market. An electric powered vehicle or battery electric vehicle use chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs for power. As all the power is derived from batteries therefore, it does not require any combustion engine for propulsion. Battery Electric vehicles include scooters, rail cars, bicycle, forklifts, buses and cars. The advantages in battery storage technology have also positively affected the electric vehicle battery market.The segmentation of the electric vehicle battery market can be done on the basis of technology, application and geography. Technology segment deals with the different types of batteries used for manufacturing of electric vehicle battery. Major battery types include lead acid batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, zebra batteries and lithium ion batteries. Lead acid batteries are the most common and cheapest type of batteries. Nickel metal hydride batteries have higher energy densities than the common lead acid batteries and if used properly can have exceptionally long lives. The Zebra batteries use molten chloro-aluminate sodium as electrolyte. Lithium ion batteries use graphite anode and lithium cobalt oxide anode. These batteries are use to power the Battery Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Electric Vehicles.Request to view Sample Report:Regional segmentation of the electric vehicle battery market includes countries such as the United States and Canada in North America; Germany, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom in Europe. The government incentives on usage of battery powered vehicles are one of the main reasons behind the growth of North American and European electric vehicle battery market. Other prominent market includes Asia Pacific and Middle East. Asia Pacific market includes the countries such as Japan, China and South Korea. Increasing concerns related to energy security and incentives on use of battery powered vehicles are the major factor driving the Asia Pacific market. The Rest of the World segment still lags behind in the electric vehicle battery market. The Rest of the World Market includes countries such as Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela.Decreasing crude oil reserves and concerns regarding degradation of the environment are the major factors driving the electric vehicle battery market. With decreasing crude reserves the demand for economical transportation technologies has attracted investment in this market. The governments of many major countries have encouraged adoption hybrid vehicles that utilize the electric battery. Many national agencies have enforced rules and provide attractive concessions on purchasing hybrid cars. Stringent environmental regulations in the European Union nations have encouraged wide adoption of the battery powered vehicles. The fluctuating crude oil prices are another major factor bolstering consumers to adopt such batteries. Expensive nature of electric vehicle battery is one of the major restraints to the market.Some of the major players in the electric vehicle battery market include companies such as SAMSUNG SDI CO. LTD., Quallion, Boston-Power, Inc. and LG Chem Power Inc.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.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 ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Pool Cleaning Robots Market 2017-2023 by Application Drive Mechanism and Region: Segment Analysis Trend Outlook and Business Strategy ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011249726/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011249726/buying http://www.reportsweb.com/global-pool-cleaning-robots-market-2017-2023-by-application-drive-mechanism-and-region-segment-analysis-trend-outlook-and-business-strategy Robotic cleaning technology has been evolving and transforming the pool cleaning landscape in both residential environment and commercial settings. Penetration rate of pool cleaning robots has been largely improved across the world because these robotic pool cleaners can save time and improve efficiency. Global total revenue of pool cleaning robots growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2023. This represents a cumulative revenue of $3.79 billion during 2017-2023 owing to a fast-growing adoption of robots for cleaning pools.Highlighted with 20 tables and 57 figures, this 120-page report "Global Pool Cleaning Robots Market 2017-2023 by Application, Drive Mechanism and Region: Segment Analysis, Trend Outlook and Business Strategy" is based on a comprehensive research of worldwide robotic pool cleaner market by analyzing the entire global market and all its sub-segments through extensively detailed classifications. Profound analysis and assessment are generated from premium primary and secondary information sources with inputs derived from industry professionals across the value chain. The report provides historical market data for 2014 and 2015, revenue estimates for 2016, and forecasts from 2017 till 2023.Request a Sample Report@In-depth qualitative analyses include identification and investigation of the following aspects:-Market Structure-Growth Drivers-Restraints and Challenges-Emerging Product Trends & Market Opportunities-Porter's Fiver ForcesThe trend and outlook of global market is forecast in optimistic, balanced, and conservative view. The balanced (most likely) projection is used to quantify global cleaning robots market in every aspect of the classification from perspectives of application, drive mechanism and region.Based on application, the global market is segmented into the following sub-markets with annual revenue included for 2014-2023 (historical and forecast) for each section.-Residential Application-Commercial ApplicationOn basis of drive mechanism, the global market is analyzed on the following segments with annual revenue in 2014-2023 provided for each segment.-Suction-side Pool Cleaners-Pressure-side Pool Cleaners-Electric Pool CleanersGeographically, the following regions together with the listed national markets are fully investigated:-APAC (Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India, and Rest of APAC)-Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe)-North America (U.S. and Canada)-Latin America-RoWInquire Before Buying@For each of the aforementioned regions and countries, detailed analysis and data for annual revenue are available for 2014-2023. The breakdown of all regional markets by country and split of some key national markets by robot application over the forecast years are also included.In addition, the report covers current competitive scenario and the predicted manufacture trend; and profiles global pool cleaning robot vendors including market leaders and important emerging players.Specifically, potential risks associated with investing in global pool cleaning robots market are assayed quantitatively and qualitatively through Publisher's Risk Assessment System. According to the risk analysis and evaluation, Critical Success Factors (CSFs) are generated as a guidance to help investors & stockholders manage and minimize the risks, develop appropriate business models, and make wise strategies and decisions.Companies Mentioned:Aqua Products, Inc.AstralPool S.A.Hayward Industries, Inc.iRobot CorporationMaytronics Ltd.Milagrow HumanTechPentair Ltd.Piscines Desjoyaux SASMARTPOOL LLCTianjin Wangyuan Environmental Protection and Technology Co., Ltd.WatercoWeda Poolcleaner AktiebolagXiamen Fast Cleaner Co., Ltd.Zodiac Pool Systems, Inc.For more information about this report@About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Contact Us:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028Phone : +91-20-67278686E-Mail : info@reportsweb.com Digital Crosspoint Switches Market : Analysis and Forecast upto 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/digital-crosspoint-switches-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=9335 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Digital crosspoint switches are considered as the next generation, advanced high speed packet switches. These switches are specifically designed for application in enterprise and metro networking systems for transferring digital information including data and voice traffic at a faster rate. Additionally, these switches are suited for broadcasting or transporting quality video data over the internet. Internet service providers, data centers, telecom central offices, and storage area networks utilizes or incorporates these switches, primarily for transporting digital information and data over public and private networks. Increasing penetration of internet in developing regions, along with evolving new applications, is creating new demand for high end digital crosspoint switches.Read Report Overview @Some of the major factors driving the growth of global digital crosspoint switches market is owed to the explosion of digital information including video and voice traffic during the past few years. Exponential increase in quantity of data is leading to significant demand for broadband communication network. Efficient functioning of broadband communication network is aided by advanced digital crosspoint switches, driving the market growth during the forecast period. Additionally, digital crosspoint switches supports a large number of protocols particularly specific to the data centers. Ability of digital crosspoint switches to support several protocols, data streams and clock sources is considered as another major factor driving the global digital crosspoint switches market growth.Demand for high quality, high speed data and video transport is driving evolution of broadband networks. These digital data within the data centers are moved to storage devices through public and private networks through regional and international locations at a rapid pace. This in turn is driving the demand for advanced high end digital crosspoint switches creating new opportunities for digital crosspoint switches market in future. Additionally, demand for less expensive, compact and powerful digital crosspoint switches is further paving new opportunities for new and existing players in the digital crosspoint switch market. Overall the global digital crosspoint switch market is expected to see a robust growth due to increase in investment in network infrastructure equipments and communication semiconductors during the forecast period.On the basis of application of global digital crosspoint switches, the market can be categorized into: commercial, military, avionics, medical, and industrial among others. Major challenge faced by digital crosspoint switch manufacturers is to provide with higher data rate and larger number of ports to customers or end-users.The market is segmented on the basis of geography into four regions: North America, Asia pacific, Europe and Rest of the world. Asia Pacific region have higher growth potential due to presence of developing countries such as India and China. Moreover, regions such as Africa and Latin America are expected to see a robust growth during the forecast period with expansion of telecom industry and increasing penetration of broadband network in these regions.Request to view Sample Report:Some of the key players in this market are: Mindspeed Technologies Inc., Texas Instruments Inc., Analog Devices, Inc., and Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation. Other participants in the digital crosspoint switches market include: LSI Corporation, Hittite Microwave Corporation, Intersil Corporation, Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, Micrel Inc., Semtech Corporation and Maxim Integrated among 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.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 ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Vibrating Screens Market Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1789 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1789 www.futuremarketinsights.com Vibrating screens are used to segregate feeds comprising solid and crushed ores down to approximately 210m and are also applicable to both dried and wetted feed. The vibrating motor and rubber sieve plate are the internal components of the vibrating screen. High frequency vibrating screens are primarily utilized in the mineral processing industries. Different vibrating screens are available in the market such as circular vibrating screens, gyratory screen, rotary vibrating screen, trammel screen, linear vibrating screens, etc. Factors such as amount of oversize and undersize material, type of material, shape of particles, moisture content, others govern the capacity of vibrating screens. The high frequency vibration screens operates at varying 0 to 25 degrees and can go up to a maximum of 45 degrees. The frequency range is from 15007200 RPM and should operate at a low stroke.Request Report Sample @As the apertures in the high frequency screen may cause blockage, pre-treatment of the feed is required. General design of a vibrating screens consists of screen web, bock, coupler, mainframe, rub spring and electric motor. Vibrating screens are widely used in coal, refractory, mining, building materials etc. and can be customized according to the requirement. Waste streams released from waste products should be treated as they may cause damage to the environment over a sustained period of time.Global Vibrating Screens Market: SegmentationVibrating screen market can be segmented on the basis of applications, motive mechanism, product type, production process, driving method and region. On the basis of application, vehicle screen market can be segmented into metallurgy, wood pelleting, food, chemical industry, mineral processing and reclaimed asphalt pavement. On the basis of motive mechanism, vehicle screen market can be segmented into hydraulic vibrator and electric vibrators. On the basis of product type, vehicle screen market can be segmented into linear vibrating screens and circular vibrating screens. On the basis of production process, vehicle screen market can be segmented into screen selection and pre-treatment of feed. On the basis of driving method, it can be segmented into direct drive and indirect drive.Global Vibrating Screens Market: DynamicsDriversFast and easy replacement of vibrating screens due to screw less fastening system is driving the growth of the global vibrating screens. High availability and low maintenance requirements are growing the market of vibrating screens globally. Moreover, robust design and low susceptibility of the vibrating screens are another factors leading to the growth of the vibrating screens market globally. Moreover, diversified product portfolio available in the market meeting the demands of the consumers is another factor fueling the demand for vibrating screens globally.Restraints:Screening efficiency can be affected by screen tearing, dampening, blinding and contamination which may challenge the growth of the vibrating screens market globally. Furthermore, limitations of rotary screen to handle two devices as compared to high frequency vibrating screens is another factor which can be considered as a restraint for the global vibrating screens market.Global Vibrating Screens Market:Region Wise OutlookOn the basis of region, vibration screens market can be segmented into Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, North America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa, and Japan. Europe and Asia pacific is expected to dominate the market as they are significant market for mining and steel industries. China, UK and Ukraine are expected to show robust development in the steel industry. Furthermore, countries such as South Africa, Australia and India are expected to create moderate demand for vibrating screens.Visit For TOC @About UsFuture Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Contact UsFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Dc Dc Converter Market will Account for Around US$ 5 billion Revenues by 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/19360 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/19360 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/dc-dc-converter-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Persistence Market Researchs exclusive report on the global DC-DC converters market offers key insights on how the adoption of DC-DC converters will incur traction in the foreseeable future. The report has addressed several factors influencing the expansion of the global DC-DC converters market for the assessment period, 2017-2025. During this period, the global DC-DC converters market is forecasted to expand steadily at a CAGR of 5%. By the end of 2025, DC-DC converters worth over US$ 5 billion are expected to be sold across the globe. Increasing integration of power conversion modules in electronics devices, growing non-uniformity in DC power distribution, and advancements in electricity grids are observed to drive the growth of the global DC-DC converters market during the forecast period.The study has profiled leading manufacturers of DC-DC converters, which include General Electric, Texas Instruments, Inc., Ericsson, Delta Electronics Inc., Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Vicor Corporation, Bel Fuse Inc., ON Semiconductor, Cosel Co. Ltd, FUJITSU, Infineon technologies AG, Mornsun Guangzhou Science & Technology Co. Ltd, ST Microelectronics, PICO Electronics, and Artesyn Embedded Technologies. These companies are anticipated to be active in expansion of the global DC-DC converter market throughout the forecast period. However, catering to the end-use requirements, DC-DC converters available in the market are being compelled to undergo transformation. The need for continuous DC-DC conversion tracking has gained traction in the past few years..Request Sample Report @With expanding electricity grids and increasing incidence of power loss, end-users of DC-DC converters are demanding the enabling of continuous tracking. In 2017 and beyond, several manufacturers of DC-DC converters are expected to extend the abilities of their products by including continuous tracking. With continuous tracking, DC-DC converters can be effectively monitored and incidences of power overload, power outage or power loss can be avoided.In the view of evolving applications, manufacturers are opting for high-performance designs in development of DC-DC converters. For enabling these converters the ability to continuously track external voltage references with current source, sink capability and close tolerances is becoming a concerning challenge. Manufacturers must allow the use of external reference source for facilitating continuous tracking of DC-DC converters. However, the load-current changes will continue to create errors in tracking abilities and the static tracking performance of tracking regulators will change adversely.Request to view table of content @According to the report findings, the global DC-DC converter market is anticipated to register largest end-use applications in the IT and telecommunications sector. During the forecast period, revenues procured from global sales of DC-DC converters in IT & telecom industry are expected to surge at a CAGR of 5.7%. The report also projects that the demand for DC-DC converters will gain traction in the healthcare and automotive industry. In 2016, more than US$ 760 million worth of DC-DC converters were sold across automotive applications in the world. Between 2017 and 2025, the application of DC-DC converters in consumer electronics manufacturing is expected to register 1.5X times growth in revenues.Besides the end-use applications, the report has analyzed the global DC-DC converter market on the basis of output power, output number, input voltage, form and products. The study has also developed a regional analysis on the expansion of the global DC-DC converter market. By 2025, the Asia-Pacific region is likely to dominate the global DC-DC converter market, pertaining to the growing telecommunication businesses in the region. During the forecast period, the Asia-Pacific DC-DC converter market is likely to register a value CAGR of 5.8%, reflecting fastest revenue growth compared to other regions.Read Report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Tissue Transglutaminase Test Market Business Report 2023 Key Players Insights, Investments, Acquisitions and Mergers https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/824 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/824 Market Research Future published a research report on Tissue Transglutaminase Test Market Research Report- Global Forecast till 2023 Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Tissue Tranglutaminase Test Marke Analysis By Type (Serological, Biopsy, and others), and By End Users (Hospitals & Clinics, Homecare, Research Organisations, others) - Global Forecast Till 2023The major factor that propels the global tissue transglutaminase testing market is the increasing prevalence of celiac disease. According to the World Gastroenterology Organization in 2016, 1% of the total population in western countries was diagnosed with the celiac disease and the prevalence have substantially increased across the globe. According to Celiac Disease Foundation in 2016, hospitalization have increased by 600% from 1998 to 2013 in the U.S. Similar trends in the European countries are observed. All these factors will boost the global tissue tranglutaminase (tTG) testing market.Tissue Transglutaminase Test Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~17.5% during the forecast period. It has been segmented into serological testing, biopsy, and others.Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) test is used for the diagnosis of certain autoimmune diseases, which is mostly restricted to celiac disease. In celiac disease, gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats) is seen as a foreign invader and is attacked by the immune system. This is followed by the production of antibodies directed against the enzyme Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) (a calcium dependent proteolysis restricting enzyme), which is normally present in intestines. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) are the antibodies responsible for the autoimmune responses. These (tTG) IgA and (tTG) IgG can be analyzed for diagnostic purposes. The IgA form of tTG antibody is more frequently exploited for the diagnosis of celiac disease because it is synthesized in the small intestine where gluten causes inflammation and irritation in sensitive people. On the other hand, (tTG) IgG can also be used. Its application in testing is marked when patient is unable to produce normal IgA as it is less specific to celiac disease. Traditionally, mucosal biopsies can be performed.Increasing prevalence of autoimmune diseases mainly celiac disease, increasing geriatric global pool, and increasing investments in the healthcare drive the growth of the market. Low healthcare expenditure in developing regions, costs considerations, and false positive diagnosis in geriatric population marked due to conditions such as diarrhoea etc restrain the growth of the market.The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~17.5% during the forecast period.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Key Players:-Some of the key players profiled in the report are Quest Diagnostics Incorporated., SQI Diagnostics, Trinity Biotech, ZEDIRA GmbH, Demeditec Diagnostics GmbH, ARUP Laboratories, Cell Science Systems, and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Celimmune, LLC., and others.SegmentsThe global tissue transglutaminase testing market has been segmented on the basis types and end users.Based on types, the market has been segmented into serological testing, biopsy, and others. The serological testing is sub-segmented into tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody- IgA, serum and Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) antibody-IgG, serum, and others.Based on the end users, the market has been segmented as hospitals & clinics, homecare, research organizations, and others.Regional analysisThe Americas account for a significant market share owing to extensive use of medications and high expenditure on the health care. Additionally, the fastest uptake of new technology in the US drives the tTG testing market. Also, concentration of major research companies and research organizations in the developed countries of this region add fuel to the market growth.Europe is the second largest market in the world due to high income and high healthcare penetration.Asia Pacific region is expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period and China and India are likely to lead this market due to the fast growing healthcare sector.Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are estimated to drive the Middle East & African market. The African region is expected to witness a moderate growth owing to poor economic and political conditions and poor healthcare development during the review period.Get Discount @The report for Global Tissue Transglutaminase Testing Market by Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain a deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives a clear picture of the current market scenario which includes past and estimated future market size with respect to value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides detail information about and strategies used by top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Tissue Transglutaminase Test Market Research Report- Global Forecast till 2023 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About 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.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com One of the most daunting parts of owning a dog is figuring out how to train it. Global Camphor Market 2017 Industry Key Players -Apt Exim, Beijing Herbal Health Biotech, Benefont, Camphor & Allied Products, Jadran Galenski Laboratorij, Malligha Asafoetida,.. Camphor Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2621597-global-camphor-market-professional-survey-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/2621597-global-camphor-market-professional-survey-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=2621597 Camphor Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Camphor Market 2017 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2022reports to its database.Executive SummaryThis report studies Camphor in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringApt EximBeijing Herbal Health BiotechBenefontCamphor & Allied ProductsJadran Galenski LaboratorijMalligha AsafoetidaRecochemFujian Green PineHiya InternationalJian Fine ChemicalsRequest Sample Report @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoPowder CamphorOil CamphorTablets CamphorBy Application, the market can be split intoPharmaceuticalsFoodAgricultureChemicalsOthersBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.For further information on this report, visit Table of Content:Global Camphor Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Camphor1.1 Definition and Specifications of Camphor1.1.1 Definition of Camphor1.1.2 Specifications of Camphor1.2 Classification of Camphor1.2.1 Powder Camphor1.2.2 Oil Camphor1.2.3 Tablets Camphor1.3 Applications of Camphor1.3.1 Pharmaceuticals1.3.2 Food1.3.3 Agriculture1.3.4 Chemicals1.3.5 Others1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Camphor2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Camphor2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Camphor2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Camphor3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Camphor3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Camphor Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Camphor Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Camphor Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Camphor Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Camphor Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Camphor Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Camphor Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Camphor Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Camphor Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Camphor Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Camphor Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)5 Camphor Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Camphor Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Camphor Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Camphor Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Camphor Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Camphor Market Share Analysis5.2 China Camphor Market Analysis5.2.1 China Camphor Market Overview5.2.2 China 2012-2017E Camphor Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2012-2017E Camphor Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2016 Camphor Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Camphor Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Camphor Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2012-2017E Camphor Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.3.3 Europe 2012-2017E Camphor Sales Price Analysis5.3.4 Europe 2016 Camphor Market Share Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Camphor Market Analysis5.4.1 Southeast Asia Camphor Market Overview5.4.2 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Camphor Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.4.3 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Camphor Sales Price Analysis5.4.4 Southeast Asia 2016 Camphor Market Share Analysis5.5 Japan Camphor Market Analysis5.5.1 Japan Camphor Market Overview5.5.2 Japan 2012-2017E Camphor Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.5.3 Japan 2012-2017E Camphor Sales Price Analysis5.5.4 Japan 2016 Camphor Market Share Analysis5.6 India Camphor Market Analysis5.6.1 India Camphor Market Overview5.6.2 India 2012-2017E Camphor Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.6.3 India 2012-2017E Camphor Sales Price Analysis5.6.4 India 2016 Camphor Market Share Analysis6 Global 2012-2017E Camphor Segment Market Analysis (by Type)6.1 Global 2012-2017E Camphor Sales by Type6.2 Different Types of Camphor Product Interview Price Analysis6.3 Different Types of Camphor Product Driving Factors Analysis6.3.1 Powder Camphor of Camphor Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.2 Oil Camphor of Camphor Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.3 Tablets Camphor of Camphor Growth Driving Factor Analysis7 Global 2012-2017E Camphor Segment Market Analysis (by Application)7.1 Global 2012-2017E Camphor Consumption by Application7.2 Different Application of Camphor Product Interview Price Analysis7.3 Different Application of Camphor Product Driving Factors Analysis7.3.1 Pharmaceuticals of Camphor Growth Driving Factor Analysis7.3.2 Food of Camphor Growth Driving Factor Analysis7.3.3 Agriculture of Camphor Growth Driving Factor Analysis7.3.4 Chemicals of Camphor Growth Driving Factor Analysis7.3.5 Others of Camphor Growth Driving Factor AnalysisContinuousBuy this Report @Contact Us:Norah Trentsales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US); +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us: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.Addres:WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone :+91 841 198 5042 Global Cell Expansion Market: Segmental Highlights and Table of Content (2016 2024) https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cell-expansion-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=9037 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=9037